Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Let's Buy Daily Necessities - 3
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While discussing the schedule with Elsia to some extent, there was a knock on the door.
"Who is it?"
"Excuse me. I'm Yora, the daughter of Baron Hippo."
Baron Hippo's daughter?
"What's the matter?"
"I've come to attend to you at night."
"Attend at night?"
I've heard this story a few times.
It's the custom where, to flatter high-ranking nobles, they send concubines or daughters to attend them at night.
Naturally, as a father with a daughter, it's something to frown upon, so I politely refused.
"It's okay. I have a woman I love right now."
"Ah... Yes. I understand."
The woman named Yora glanced at Elsia's beauty and hurriedly left the room.
Seeing this makes it clear: Elsia is top-class in appearance, not just overshadowed by Sylvia.
"Mr. Sian, you don't have to mind me."
"It's fine. Elsia is enough for me."
"But... I'm pregnant, so we can't have relations."
"Even without relations, there are plenty of ways to share love."
And so, we spent the night at Baron Hippo's house.
...
"Lugadrian is famous for its poor public safety. If beastkin suddenly approach, be careful."
"Thank you for the advice."
Baron Hippo gave us a few warnings.
According to him, beastkin are organized in pickpocketing, kidnapping, and drug trafficking.
It was almost cartel-level, which left me dumbfounded.
"At least among the beastkin, the Catkit Merchant Company is decent."
"They already scammed my money once?"
"Even if they're decent, beastkin are still beastkin..."
If it were closer, I wouldn't want to deal with these guys, but the situation left me no choice.
'Even so, it's about three days away by carriage.'
Pushing aside my regrets, it was time to prepare for camping.
"Brother Sian, the meal is ready."
"Good job, Elin."
"Thank you."
I stroked Elin's head and asked Foreth, the senior nymph who was praying.
"Foreth, no issues at home?"
"Nothing at all, they say."
"That's a relief."
This was one of the reasons I brought Foreth along.
Nymphs can communicate their intentions to each other no matter the distance.
A kind of living telephone!
"Hero, you don't need to worry too much. We nymphs can't fight, but we can prevent fights themselves."
"Still, I don't want to burden you all, who are like family, unnecessarily. If it's something I can handle, I'll take care of it."
"Hehe, are we family too?"
Foreth smiled brightly at my words. Though clearly male, his nymph beauty was so striking that it pleased the eyes regardless of gender.
This is eye cleansing?
"Then, I'm the only one who's not family."
"Ms. Navira, if you keep teasing me, I might get revenge someday."
"I'll be careful. I can't afford to make an enemy of the future earl."
They say family members start to resemble each other, and Navira was subtly mimicking the village chief's speech patterns.
She took a sip of her herbal tea and shared a new piece of information.
"Come to think of it, my sister-in-law is in Lugadrian."
"You mean Ms. Collin?"
"Yes. The village chief asked me to send a letter once we arrived in the city, but I can deliver it in person now."
Collin.
The village chief's daughter and the disciple who taught me swordsmanship before my father and I met.
She's apparently a famous adventurer now.
'She was the senior who helped Carlson when he was active as an adventurer, right?'
Perhaps the only person from Lugeron Village to truly make it on their own.
"Unlike the women of Lugeron Village, she has a lively personality, so she might be exhausting."
"Whatever. I've wanted to meet her at least once, and she's my father's disciple anyway."
She might even know why my father never taught me aura or swordsmanship.
"I hope she's doing well."
"She probably is. She's not one to think things through, but she knows how to protect herself."
"Is that praise or an insult?"
"Hehe, you can judge for yourself, Sian."
"That... Hm?"
"Hero, ambush."
"I noticed too."
While chatting with the group over our meal, a band of ruffians approached us.
"We don't even bother dogs during meals, but you beastkin are worse than dogs."
"What did you say?!"
"Let's see how long you stay so arrogant."
"It's dark, so you can't see how many we are. We'll kill the males and sell the females to brothels."
"Shut up and scram."
"Eek?!"
Under my killing intent, the beastkin attackers tucked their tails.
Beastkin fundamentally follow the law of the jungle.
Infinitely strong against the weak, infinitely weak against the strong.
They adhere to the most primal instincts of all races.
To them, my killing intent—as a Titan god-kin now infused with a measure of divinity—was absolute.
"I could rip your mouths apart right now, but since my family is here, I'll let it slide. Get out of my sight immediately."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
The beastkin replied and fled in a panic.
Watching this, Navira let out an admiring sigh and said with a bright smile,
"With Mr. Sian here, Lugadrian should be no problem."
"That's definitely praise."
"Exactly."
On the way to Lugadrian, there were various incidents and accidents, but nothing truly troublesome.
...
"Hold it, stop right there."
Upon arriving at Lugadrian's gates, guards blocked our path.
"This is Lugadrian, under Viscount Ishur's jurisdiction. State your identity and the purpose of your visit to Lugadrian."
"Something like that. Foreth?"
"I'll handle it."
The second reason I brought Foreth.
Nymphs have free passage through any city's gates thanks to nymph protection laws.
"N-Nymph?"
"I am Foreth, servant of Goddess Flora of Nature and Harmony. The reason we've come to this trade city of Lugadrian is to purchase goods needed for our village. If it's no trouble, could you open the gates?"
"Y-Yes! Of course!"
"Open the gates quick! Call the guard captain right now!"
The quick-witted guards sprang into action, and the guard captain even brought soldiers to escort us.
Of course, the last part felt burdensome, so Foreth took the initiative.
"Your guidance is more than enough here."
"N-No, it's nothing. It's hard for me, the guard captain, to say this, but Lugadrian's safety is poor because of those beastkin scum. Lady Foreth's well-being could be at risk."
I fully understood the guard captain's feelings.
One major western noble had once mishandled a single nymph, causing an uproar across the entire west. It wouldn't be strange if ignorant beastkin caused the same for Lugadrian.
Of course, their concerns were none of my business.
"It's fine. The hero here will protect us."
"S-Still..."
"If anything happens, I swear by Flora's name that we won't hold it against you."
"...Understood. If you need anything at all, just tell the guards on duty, and we'll handle it immediately."
"Your kind thoughts are enough."
With that, we sent the guard captain off and entered the city.
The scenery was so quintessentially medieval that I was at a loss for words.
'This place is fucking filthy.'
The hygiene issues were endless, and I already wanted to go home.
This is insane.
"Why are they shitting in the streets? Why are there so many rats? And why are there drunks in broad daylight?"
I wasn't the only one shocked; Elin and even Navira were speechless.
Only Elsia, with her city experience, answered my questions matter-of-factly.
"It's a normal city scene."
"I'm gonna lose it."
Still, as a trade city, the market was relatively clean.
"Elin, just in case, don't drink anything but the water I give you."
"Yes, Brother Sian."
Of course, it was only relatively clean.
Compared to Lugeron Village's pristine water, the canals here were wretched.
'Ugh, that looks like it has cholera bacteria.'
Elsia knew this well and was searching the cleaner market stalls for clean products.
"Any Tower of Wisdom soap?"
"We have it. Have you checked the price?"
"It's as expensive as you think."
"One gold per bar, okay?"
Of course, it wasn't easy.
"Why is it so expensive?"
"There's a group hoarding Tower of Wisdom soap. These days, soap costs more than gold."
Apparently, crazy hoarders buying up soap had appeared.
In this filthy city, even soap couldn't be bought freely.
"What should we do, Mr. Sian?"
"Forget the soap. At this price, it's better to buy materials and make it ourselves."
"Then, we'll buy only the necessary items excluding soap."
"Yeah, alright..."
Suddenly, a chill ran down the back of my neck.
It was the moment Hestia's Family Protection miracle activated, just like before.
"Kyaa?!"
A young beastkin emerged from an alley and suddenly shoved Elin toward the canal.