Episode 123: I Hurt My Back from a One-Two-Three Sneeze~♪ (True Story)
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“Hachoo!”
While riding in the carriage Ryugu arranged for me, heading towards the forest near the Royal Capital, my nose suddenly tickled, and I sneezed.
“Do you have a cold, Hugh-san?”
Ryugu, who was sitting across from me, asked with concern. It might seem like an overreaction for just one sneeze, but in this world, you can’t underestimate even a simple cold with the level of medical care here. Adventurers, whose bodies are their livelihood, are probably careful about their health, and it’s only natural to be cautious in a cramped carriage.
“No, I’m fine. I think someone was probably talking about me.”
“Ah, that’s nostalgic. My father used to say that too. One sneeze is a normal rumor. Two is a bad rumor. Three is a good rumor.”
“Yeah, yeah. If you sneeze four times, it’s probably just a cold, though.”
So they have superstitions like that in this world too. It varied from region to region in my previous life, so I was a little surprised that Ryugu recited the same superstition.
“Hmm. I’ve never heard that sneezing means someone is talking about you.”
Idiot, who was sitting next to me, nodded with interest, crossing his arms. It seems it’s not common in the Royal Capital.
“Eh~? Everyone in Navre says it, though~”
“I see, the Navre Kingdom. That would be close to Hugh’s hometown, then.”
“Ah, indeed…”
The Navre Kingdom is one of the small countries bordering the Kingdom of Reese, sharing a border with the Pnosis Territory. However, there are steep mountains called the “Navel of the Continent” between the Navre Kingdom and the Kingdom of Reese, and the trade route connecting the Navre Kingdom and the Kingdom of Reese went around the Pnosis Territory.
Therefore, the Pnosis Territory and the Navre Kingdom have almost no cultural or economic connection. In the first place, I’ve never heard of the sneezing superstition in the Pnosis Territory, so it’s probably a complete coincidence.
“So, you two are from the Navre Kingdom. That explains how you could become Rank B Adventurers at the same age as us.”
“Yes. The Kingdom of Reese has a Royal Decree, but the Navre Kingdom doesn’t.”
In the Kingdom of Reese, everyone who receives a Skill useful for war at the age of 15 must take the entrance exam for the Royal Academy without exception. If you pass, you’re admitted to the Royal Academy, and you live in the Dormitory for three years. Like Idiot and I, you can only do Adventurer activities on holidays.
Ryugu and Tina probably have Skills that allow them to become Rank B Adventurers at the same age as us. If they had been born in the Kingdom of Reese, they would almost certainly have entered the Royal Academy.
When I pointed that out, Tina smiled happily.
“That would have been fun too, though~”
“Ahaha, that’s true. I think it wouldn’t have been bad to spend academy life with Hugh-san and Idiot-san.”
“Yeah.”
It’s only been an hour since we met, but I feel a unique, approachable atmosphere from these two. I guess you could say we get along. It’s strangely comfortable with these two.
“Speaking of which, you two came to the Royal Capital to take on the request to accompany the Royal Academy’s field training, right? Did the Royal Academy solicit from the Navre Kingdom’s guild as well?”
“No, that’s not the case. We originally moved our base of operations to the Kingdom of Reese this year. Navre has a lot of Dungeons, so you can earn money, but there’s not much to spend it on.”
“The Kingdom of Reese has better food and sells lots of good equipment and magic items than Navre! You really feel the difference in national power~”
“At that time, we were introduced to the field training request by a guild employee we knew, and we just came to the Royal Capital yesterday. So today, we accepted this request at the guild.”
“All the available Adventurers were out, and they lowered their heads and asked us to help, even though it was after a long journey, so we couldn’t refuse.”
“We were lucky to meet you two. It should save us a lot of trouble compared to blindly searching the Forest without knowing the area. Thank you again for your cooperation.”
“No, I’m the one who’s grateful. Thanks to you, I don’t have to juggle multiple F-Rank requests.”
If I hadn’t been approached by Ryugu and the others, I would have been looking for lost cats or cleaning gutters. The reward for that would be meager, and if I split it with Idiot, the profit would be even smaller. For me, the invitation from the two was a godsend.
“Hey, hey, Hugh-san, why did you start being an Adventurer~?”
“Ah, I needed a lump sum of money.”
“I know! It’s a present for your girlfriend!”
Tina leaned forward, raising her waist, and pointed at me with a zubishi. It’s not far off, even if it’s not right on the mark… no, it’s almost correct, but there are circumstances that prevent me from saying so honestly.
“It’s not a present for my girlfriend. It’s a birthday present for my roommate, my best friend.”
“Aww~, how boring~”
Tina pouted and sat back down next to Ryugu. Smiling wryly at her expression, Ryugu asked me.
“Have you decided what to give her yet?”
“No, not really. Or rather, I’m a little unsure…”
I was thinking of consulting Lily when the time was right, but since I have the chance.
“Would you mind if I asked for your opinions for reference?”
“Well… if I were on the receiving end, I’d be happy to have a meal treated. Isn’t a birthday spent drinking with your best friend until morning at a tavern the best?”
“Eh~? Since it’s a special occasion, I think something that lasts is better. I still like accessories~. Rings or necklaces! I’d be happy to receive them from a girl friend if they were cute!”
“I see…”
A meal or accessories, huh? Drinking until morning is a bit much, but ideally, it would be great if I could reserve a nice restaurant in the Royal Capital and give her a Surprise present after the meal.
The problem is that Lucretia’s birthday is right in the middle of the field training, and if things go badly, she might have her birthday in a Dungeon.
It would be about a week early, but should I go out with her on the day off before the field training? I thought it would be nice to choose a present together, but,
“Ehh~!? If you’re going to give a present, a Surprise is better! It’s true that you won’t make a mistake if you choose together, but I’d be a little hesitant~! Tina thinks it’s nice to know that you chose it for me~”
“Is that so…?”
Idiot and Ryugu tilted their heads, looking unconvinced, but Tina nodded confidently. Well, it feels more like a difference in individual thinking than a difference in the way men and women think, but it would be safer to refer to the opinion of Tina, who is the same sex…?
While I was consulting with the three of them about various things, the carriage arrived in the Forest area in about an hour.