Episode 47: Homecoming
The next day, I departed from the domain capital for a leisurely journey on foot. Once I was out of the city and away from people, I used a small tablet-type communicator.
“Audio communication is good. It seems video is impossible, though.”
“No problem at all, sir.”
“We can hear you clearly, sir.”
I was asked by the Knights Order if I wanted to use a horse, but I refused because I was traveling alone, taking care of it would be a hassle, and I planned to use Spatial Jump later.
After confirming that there was no one around, I was now testing the communicator.
In the Unified Space Force, communication from planet to planet was commonplace, and technically, it should be possible in many ways, but with the current equipment, video was impossible.
The fact that audio alone was possible was a stroke of luck. I also had the drone test the email function, so text was no problem. Well, the two of them can’t use it, though.
Whoa, a ton of emails!? I received a mountain of progress reports and questions about the work from the Support Drones!
“I’ll check them later.”
Or rather, I need to go back.
I used Spatial Jump to return to the base and greeted the two of them. In the forest near the town, a large amount of monster-repelling incense was being burned to drive out the insect-type monsters.
As soon as I arrived, one, two, three Support Drones came to me.
There were too many of them, and I had probably exceeded the limit that could be synchronized. I gave instructions for the minor problems that had arisen, and as soon as I conveyed them, the next question came, and so on.
I seriously want an Android for management! I wonder if there’s a Mother Computer lying around somewhere!?
“I’m home!”
“Oh, Claffy! Welcome back!”
“Oh, it’s been a while! But is it too soon?”
“Too soon! A lot of guys who leave the village don’t come back for a while! Did you get fired from your job!?”
“Fired!?”
“Well, Claffy is cheeky, after all!”
“That can’t be helped!”
““““ Gahahahahahaha! ””””
“I didn’t get fired. And it seems you don’t need souvenirs. Like sake.”
““““ We’re sorry! ””””
I didn’t want to see adults prostrating themselves.
“Claffy, welcome home.”
“I’m back, Mom.”
She must have been out on some kind of job. My mother, who was outside, greeted me.
Following her were the women. Oh, their hair is beautiful.
“Wow, everyone looks beautiful.”
“Flame Trumpeter Oil is good, but once you remember this, you won’t be able to use anything else.”
“An envoy came from the Lord’s place. They’ve started bringing it regularly.”
“Oh, I brought a barrel with me, just in case. I’ll leave it at the public bath.”
““““ Kyaa! ””””
Sake alone wouldn’t be enough, and since it was after a business trip, the village would be overflowing with things. That’s what I thought, so I prepared this item.
“Eh, bring sake!”
“Yeah, that’s right!”
“Huh? Didn’t you have a business trip? You always bring back a lot.”
““““ We’ve already drunk it all. ””””
“Even if you have money, there’s a limit to the amount you can buy.”
“Oh, so that’s another reason.”
Considering the population of the village and the number of people who can drink, a considerable amount is needed. Even though it can be transported with the Magic Bag, preparing that much sake is difficult.
Also, the women look a little angry, so you should be careful what you say?
“I also have cloth, salt, and other seasonings. I also brought iron in ingots.”
The cloth was from the Royal Capital. I asked Tonkakke to prepare the iron. I plan to take it to Dolly, the blacksmith.
“You’re such a thoughtful child.”
I’m getting my head patted by the women.
“Oi, iron. Let me see it.”
“Ah, Uncle Dolly.”
“Oi. Hurry, hurry.”
“Where did you come from?”
“I thought I heard sake.”
This big guy is Dolly, the blacksmith. He has apprentices, but most of the metal products used in the village are his creations.
“This. The dwarves prepared it.”
“Hmm. This is from the Royal Capital. It’s not too bad. Let me see that weapon of yours too.”
“Ah, okay. Don’t pull it?”
When I took out the Nata that was fixed to my waist, he tried to take it forcefully. It’s a blade, so it’s dangerous.
“…Ho, a demonized Nata. Interesting. But the sharpening is poor.”
“Is that so?”
It boasts sufficient sharpness, though.
“I’ll sharpen it. Come pick it up tomorrow.”
“Roger.”
“Bring the rest of the iron then too. It’ll be easier if I don’t have to go get it for a while.”
“Ah, the place with the Iron Oni soldiers is far away.”
There’s a Dungeon where monsters made of iron appear, so when the village runs low on iron, they go there, but they have to defeat a large number of them to refine it.
Moreover, that Dungeon isn’t very deep, so there aren’t many monsters, and it takes time to secure the numbers. They have to spend about a month near the Dungeon, so it’s tough.
And they can only go in the winter when there’s little other work… spending a month in the snowy mountains is, to put it mildly, hell.
That’s why Uncle Dolly is happy when I bring it from outside like this.
“I’m home, Aniki.”
“Oh, you’re back! Welcome home, Claffy.”
Mom said she still had work to do and headed towards the dismantling hut. I left the Hair Cleansing Liquid at the public bath, went to the village chief to greet him, and handed over the salt and sake. It’s a daily necessity, so I entrust the distribution and management of the remaining amount to him.
I gave the cloth souvenir to Grandma, who is still energetic, and received her usual pickles in return. Cucumber after a long time, delicious! Delicious!
When I returned home, Aniki gave me a warm hug.
“Where’s Dad? And Nee-san?”
“Dad’s on patrol duty. Soka said she was going for a walk and I haven’t seen her since. Mom’s at work.”
“I saw Mom earlier.”
“Oh? That’s good. I didn’t have to go see her.”
“That’s right.”
If I don’t tell her I’m back, she’ll sulk.
“But you came back at a good time.”
“Good time?”
“Yeah. We’re doing a Dungeon raid.”
“Eh? Dungeon? Is it necessary?”
Raid, that is, a Dungeon raid.
This area near the Black Forest has a relatively high occurrence of Dungeons. Moreover, the villagers’ patrol range is wide, so they are discovered before they grow enough to cause a flood.
If the inside is checked and it is determined to be a resource for the village, it is left alone, but if not, it is raided. Dungeons with Dungeon Masters are usually targeted for raids.
It is customary for the discoverer to raid the Dungeon that is targeted for raiding. That means the discoverer is either Dad or Aniki.
“I heard the villagers went the other day.”
“That’s a separate matter. This time it’s near the village, probably a Dungeon Master type. Insect-type.”
“Ugh.”
Insect-types have a lot of poison and traps. You can hardly eat them, and only the Magic Stone can be used as a material.
“It’s annoying, isn’t it? Well, we have to go.”
“Should I go back to the domain capital?”
“Ah, Dad’s back.”
Yay, I’m being counted as a member.
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I am applying for Kakuyomu Con 10.
I hear rumors that following the work and ☆ reviews are related to the ranking, so I want them. Please.