Episode 25: The Hungry Young Lady
The dungeon managed by the Knights Order is a cave-type dungeon. However, as expected of a managed dungeon, lights are placed regularly, so it’s bright, and the footing is well-maintained.
“This is the first room. There are no traps and only weak Monsters, so please feel free to fight.”
Following the map I was given, I proceed straight through a not-so-narrow passage. There are signs on the unauthorized passages, so you won’t get lost.
After proceeding, a Knight was waiting and gave us an explanation.
“Hmm, I see.”
“…Understood,” Lady Evelyn said.
The expressions of the two Young Ladies darkened slightly. They must have realized that this dungeon is purely for show.
“First, it’s Fruno, huh?”
“Wow, how nostalgic,” Kalinka said.
Frunos are Monsters that look like fruits such as oranges and apples with faces. They are edible.
I’m carrying a lot of luggage, so bending down is a pain. I use Telekinesis Magic to lift one up, lightly wash it with Water Magic from my Lifestyle Magic, and peel the Fruno with a fruit knife.
“It’s a little bland. It doesn’t seem to be a high-ranking Fruno.”
Frunos are Monsters, but there are two types: those whose origins are unknown, and those born from a giant tree Monster called Mother Fruno. There’s no difference in strength, but Frunos from Mother Fruno are tastier and come in more varieties.
I wonder if there are any natural Mother Frunos somewhere. I’ll ask Iserina-san about their habitat next time. The Mother Fruno near the village is the village’s communal property, so I can’t just secure it without permission.
As an aside, there are also vegetable Monsters like cabbage, lettuce, and Chinese cabbage called Vegitano, and there are also Mother Vegitanos.
I want to catch both and put them in the Hakoniwa.
“Is that so? I’m envious,” Kalinka said.
“Ah, you can’t peel it with that gauntlet,” I said.
Kalinka-san is wearing full armor. Her face is more than half-hidden by her helmet, and her hands are covered in iron gauntlets.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you, munch.”
The one I defeated was an apple type, so it doesn’t splatter much juice, making it easy to eat.
I cut it normally, stick it with a knife, and feed it to her.
“H-Hey, that’s not fair!” Lady Evelyn said.
“That’s right! Peel one for me too!”
“…Please wait a moment,” I said.
That’s right. I was with a species that naturally can’t peel fruit.
I take out a wooden plate from my luggage and arrange the peeled Frunos on it. Sorry, but Kalinka-san is in charge of holding the plate. Supporting it with Telekinesis would be too unstable.
“…Here you go.”
“Hmm! Delicious!” Fruno said.
“Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Yummy!” Evelyn said.
The forks came in handy right away.
“Um, please defeat them since this is a lesson, okay?”
The Knight is watching.
“Flat Flowers are flower Monsters, and their main attack method is hitting with grassy hands. If you take it on bare skin, your skin may swell up red, or sometimes you may get cuts.”
When we go to the next room, a Knight is waiting again, and that Knight tells us about the Monsters in this room.
“There are no traps, but as you can see, this room is overgrown with grass, making it difficult to know where the Flat Flowers are hiding. There are also Monsters that blend in with their surroundings or mimic them, so please be careful when dealing with them.”
“Yes.”
“Understood,” Lady Evelyn said.
The two seem disappointed again. After quenching our thirst with Fruno, we were made to walk through the cave for a while again. And the next area we arrived at was this area. You could call it the grass area, where grass that reaches up to the ankles or slightly below grows thickly, and Flat Flower grass Monsters about knee-high are placed there.
Yeah. The size is completely different, and they have red flowers on their heads, so you definitely won’t mistake them.
“Haa,” Lady Evelyn said.
While making a somewhat listless voice, our Young Lady swings her Rapier around. Of course, it’s a one-hit kill.
Lady Evelyn is also knocking down Flat Flowers with her staff while slightly drooping her shoulders. Her method of hitting is a little scary.
“You can leave the defeated Flat Flowers as they are. The Magic Stones are small, so they have almost no value, and the materials aren’t useful for anything.”
“Dreg Magic Stones, I see,” Lady Evelyn said.
The Knight gives a wry smile at Lady Evelyn’s words.
“That’s right. But we collect them. They become fuel for the lighting Magic Items along the way, and there are various other uses. The Knights Order and the Soldier Corps are large groups, and there are many Magic Items that use Dreg Magic Stones, so we would run out of money no matter how much we had if we bought them every time.”
Small Magic Stones called Dreg Magic Stones have their own demand. Lighting Magic Items are the most typical example.
Lower to intermediate Magic Stones are used not in Magic Items used in ordinary households, but in Magic Items used in trading companies and noble houses, as well as offensive Magic Items that Adventurers carry around.
High-grade and top-grade Magic Stones are in particularly high demand.
They are used to activate the Monster Ward Barrier set up in villages and towns where people live. They are also set up on roads with a lot of traffic.
They are also used in large Magic Items and special Magic Items managed by the country and the church, but in any case, they are consumables, so there is always demand.
Magic Stones of any grade have their uses.
“It’s hard to collect a large number of them, isn’t it?” Kalinka said.
“It’s easier compared to outside Adventurers. Monsters will appear in the Dungeon if we wait here,” the Knight said.
“That’s true,” Kalinka said.
Lady Evelyn, who is also a 9th-grade Adventurer, knows how difficult it is to collect Dreg Magic Stones, so she nods deeply.
There are times when Monsters aren’t there when you look for them.
“Kobolds are Monsters that walk on two legs like humans and are armed with weapons. Here, we only let them hold wooden sticks to match your level, but some fight with claws and fangs. They also have intelligence and some have jobs, so they may cooperate, so don’t underestimate them!”
“Yes!”
“Understood!”
“Alright! Then do it!”
“”Huh?””
What is presented is a Kobold whose weapons have been taken away and whose hands are tied.
Well, Kobolds are D-rank Monsters. They are not Monsters for children to deal with.
“What do you mean by ‘do it’?” Lady Evelyn asked.
“It means defeat it! Or do you hate killing humanoid or beast-type Monsters?” the Knight asked.
“It’s not particularly that, but I feel like it’s something different to kill a creature that doesn’t resist at all,” I said.
Yeah, as the Young Lady says. I think that’s a bit much too.
“A weakling who can’t even finish off an enemy should go home!” the Knight said.
“That’s not the problem! At least let us fight!” Lady Evelyn said.
“I can’t let you do something so dangerous! It’s different from the plant Monsters from before! Don’t underestimate Kobolds!” the Knight said.
Well, I understand what you’re trying to say, but… it’s extreme.
“Got it? Monsters are dangerous beings. Don’t think about them lightly,” the Knight said.
“That’s, well, I understand,” I said.
“That’s obvious,” Lady Evelyn said.
“That’s right! Kobolds are especially dangerous Monsters! First of all, they can use tools just like humans! That’s the biggest threat! Their weapons range from swords to bows, and some even have staffs and cast magic! These are called job holders, and the presence of job-holding Monsters means they come in groups, and the group has at least a Kobold Leader! In some cases, there are Kobold Queens and Kobold Kings! Just the fact that they are organized Monsters is troublesome! Furthermore, each one is equivalent to an 8th-grade Adventurer! Kobold Bravers and Kobold Paladins, who have advanced jobs, have the strength of a 6th-grade Adventurer! If they appear in groups, even a well-defended city, let alone a small village, is in danger!”
So loud!?
“Even Kobolds without jobs are dangerous enough! This Gorou is one of them, but he can handle weapons! And it’s not well known, but Kobolds without weapons are more dangerous than those with weapons! That’s because their attack methods are fangs and claws! They are much sharper than unrefined, found swords or sticks! If you get injured, there is a risk of poison and disease! That’s right! Kobolds are humanoid but also have the instincts of beasts, so to speak, they are hybrids! They live in the gap between humans and beasts, truly Monsters! Furthermore, their superior species, the red-haired Blood Kobolds! These are B-rank Monsters! B! That’s the level that 4th-grade Adventurers deal with! If you see one, run away immediately! If you can’t escape, you will definitely be killed! They are more dangerous than the Orcs you will fight on the next floor…”
Hey, this guy gave the captured Kobold a name!?
“Hmph,” Lady Evelyn said.
“GoroOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Gorou said.
Lady Evelyn suddenly punched the captured Kobold and sent it flying!
“Kalinka, finish it off,” Lady Evelyn said.
“…Understood,” Kalinka said.
“N-N-N-N-N-No,” Gorou said.
“I believe I heard ‘Orc.’ I immediately felt the urge to head there,” Lady Evelyn said.
“I, Is that so…”
“Indeed. It’s almost lunchtime.”
Ah! These Young Ladies are thinking about food after hearing about Orcs!
“It was supposed to be a confirmation of whether they could defeat Monsters closer to human form, but…”
Smoke billows, and meat dances on the Iron Plate. Since it’s Orc meat and freshly butchered, instead of steak, I chose to slice it thinly and grill it with herbs.
“I’ve never seen a team instantly kill and start dismantling on the spot,” one knight said.
“No, I never imagined they’d start grilling it too,” said another.
Upon entering a new room, we found Orcs chained and restricted. Perhaps due to the increased danger at the Orc level, there were two Knights managing them, unlike before.
As soon as she spotted the Orcs, our Young Lady swung her Sword, forcing the Orc to bleed, and Lady Evelyn finished it off with lightning magic as a follow-up. A very swift response.
“You flatter me,” Lady Evelyn said.
“”We’re not praising you,”” the knights replied.
“Is that so!?”
“Did you actually think you’d be praised!?”
I didn’t think so.
“I thought you had a strange shield,” one knight said.
“It’s an Iron Plate for cooking,” I replied.
It’s not a shield.
“I thought you had an unusually large amount of luggage,” another knight said.
“It’s cooking equipment, seasonings, tableware, and charcoal,” I replied.
My personal belongings are just a short Sword at my waist, herbs for injuries, and bandages.
“”I’ve never seen anyone dismantle a corpse while spinning it around with magic,”” the knights said.
“I can’t let what the Young Ladies eat roll around on the ground,” I replied.
“Are such skills required?”
“Being a noble’s attendant is harder than I thought…”
“Cladfield-kun is not normal, though,” Kalinka (Ms.) said.
Kalinka (Ms.), that’s not helping.
“Cladfield, is it ready yet?” Lady Evelyn asked.
“Please wait a little longer,” I replied.
“This smell is irresistible,” Lady Evelyn said.
No matter how thoroughly you bleed it, it’s still freshly killed. You have to cook it thoroughly to get rid of the odor.
“I’ll use wine,” I said.
“””Ooh!””” the knights and Lady Evelyn exclaimed.
Cheers rise with the flames. It feels good.
Once the alcohol burns off and the fire calms down, I add herbs and my original salt sauce to the meat, mix it lightly, and cover it with a dome-shaped lid.
“Is there anything we can use as a table?” I asked.
“”Don’t underestimate the Dungeon,”” the knights replied.
I thought so.
I spread out the sheet I had prepared and had the Young Ladies sit there.
I plate the finished product and provide forks. I also lightly toast cut bread and serve it.
It’s meat from one Orc. It’s quite a lot. I didn’t plan to take any home, so I cooked as much as I could, shared it with the Knights who were there and the team that caught up from behind, and let the rest be absorbed by the Dungeon.
Please don’t look at me with such resentment. There’s a limit to how much I can carry.
The Dungeon exploration lesson ended at the Orc’s location. What part of that was Dungeon exploration? But well, that’s probably how school lessons are.
“That didn’t feel like a Dungeon at all,” one knight said.
“Well, it’s probably to ensure the students don’t get injured,” another knight replied.
“Ho-ho-ho! It was quite boring! Shall we go to the Dungeon together again?” Lady Evelyn asked.
“…Sure!” I replied.
That was a hunt with escorts, but is that okay?
Apparently, after several training sessions like this, they check if you can actually fight, and then a proper Dungeon attack takes place. The purpose is to reduce the number of people who are too frivolous or don’t seriously listen to the Knights. Were we okay?
By the way, if you have Adventurer Registration and are ranked 7 or higher, you’re exempt from the lessons in the first place. I was thinking of having the Young Lady get it.