The Herb Hunter, Neil 2
“Damn it all.”
The herb gatherer they met at the appointed place was Neil.
The moment Neil saw Lawrence’s face, he spat out a curse.
“Long time no see, Mr. Neil. I hope you’ve been well.”
“I was doing fine until a little while ago. Not now.”
“Is that so? I’m glad to see you in good health, then.”
“No. Did you hear a word I said?”
Neil scowled as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“More to the point—were you really a mercenary?”
“Didn’t I tell you that from the beginning? I only got lost.”
“A mercenary and a priest of the Order, no less. Well, well, what a remarkable fellow you are. I’ve lived a long time, and I’ve never once seen a priest working as a mercenary.”
His voice dripped with sarcasm, and he seemed determined to sneer at everything Lawrence said.
“You’ve only just arrived here, so maybe you don’t know this. It’s bad manners for anyone from the Order to stick their nose into village affairs.”
“I’m not here as the pilgrim Lawrence. I’ve come as the Bronze Plate mercenary Lawrence, looking for a guide.”
“I’m not in the mood for word games.”
“Neither am I. Unless it’s about the guide, I’d rather not argue over anything else.”
A thin, prickly tension hung between them.
But only for a moment. Lawrence went on.
“So, are we going herb gathering or not?”
“We are, you damned fool. I told you I was going, didn’t I?”
Neil let out a sigh, looking thoroughly unwilling.
“Just so you know, I’m never going to recite any of your church’s prayers.”
“Her Grace the Goddess does not force belief on anyone.”
What a ridiculous misunderstanding.
The Order did not increase its number of faithful through coercion.
It only extended a willing hand to those who sought help.
“You really mean that? That fancy order you follow trampled the shrine of the spirit gods and raised a new idol on top of it.”
“Is that true? The Order would have no reason to do such a thing….”
This was the first Lawrence had heard of it.
At the very least, Ignatius had never mentioned anything like that to him.
“Of course you wouldn’t know. Everyone from the Order I’ve ever met knew nothing about it. And they never even wanted to know. They just called me a liar instead. Said things like, ‘How dare some ignorant bastard blaspheme Her Grace?’ Like that.”
“Your brothers and sisters insulted you, Mr. Neil. I’m sorry. I’ll apologize on their behalf.”
“Who said I wanted an apology? I’m telling you not to get any closer than you need to. The only reason I agreed to this herb run was because Isolde asked me to. If not for that, I wouldn’t have dragged some little Order flunky into the swamp.”
It seemed this was merely an extension of what he’d said before.
The displeasure was still plain on his face.
“Everyone has their own strengths.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I know that Mr. Neil, who moves through the swamp as if it were his own backyard and never has anyone with him, isn’t just an ordinary herb gatherer.”
“Well, aren’t you stating the obvious. It’s nothing to brag about, but I’ve done nothing but this since I was born. I may not know much else, but when it comes to the swamp, I don’t lose to anyone.”
“Exactly. I’d like to learn the swamp from you, Mr. Neil.”
If things went well and he agreed to be their guide, that would be the best outcome of all. But Lawrence had learned long ago that one must always prepare for the worst.
In other words, if he stripped away personal feelings, what he could gain from this outing depended entirely on himself.
Knowledge by the name of experience would be useful no matter what form it took.
“You want to learn something from me?”
“I’d like to learn the swamp.”
“Didn’t you say you were a priest of the Order? What could some illiterate herb gatherer like me possibly teach you?”
“The swamp.”
He repeated himself.
Still not understanding, Neil shook his head.
“Isolde told me a bit about you, but you’re a strange one, all right. I never imagined a priest of the Order would say he wanted to learn from me.”
“There is no low or high when it comes to learning. If one truly wishes, one may even seek instruction from a vagrant who haunts the back alleys.”
“Hah. A person can’t do much with words, can they?”
Their exchange ended in a snort.
Then Neil shouldered his herb bag.
“If you meant every word you just said, then follow me. If you were lying, you’d start whining and turn back before long anyway.”
“I’ll be in your care today.”
“We’ll see whether it’s a day or only a few minutes before long.”
His curt answer remained as cold as ever.
* * *
Neil stopped at the edge of the swamp.
From the bag he’d brought, he began taking out a few items.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“If you find a suitable stone, bring it here. It’s a pedestal for the offering, so as long as it’s shaped decently, that’s enough.”
Lawrence picked up a stone that had a somewhat suitable shape.
He had gathered a few larger and smaller ones just in case, and Neil selected one about the size of his fist, setting it down at his feet.
“This is the offering to the spirits, then.”
Lawrence said it while looking at the things Neil had pulled from the sack.
Unknown blood and animal hide.
For an offering, it felt strangely unsettling.
As if reading the unease in the boy’s heart, Neil said, “Normally we’d put out some fruit or food. But we don’t have the luxury right now, so this’ll have to do.”
He laid the animal hide over the stone and sprinkled blood across it.
A fishy, nauseating smell slowly rose into the air.
“You’re from the Order, so you don’t have to do this. We’re offering to the spirits, and if your goddess found out, she’d be furious.”
“Her Grace the Goddess of love and mercy….”
“Enough. I don’t know anything about that. Just do whatever you like.”
“…….”
As if he didn’t want to hear any more explanations, Neil waved a hand impatiently.
Standing before the offering, he lowered his head until it almost touched the ground.
Both palms were turned toward the sky, and even his breathing seemed to have been made quiet, lending the whole posture a strange solemnity.
After watching him for a moment, Lawrence copied the gesture.
How long had he remained bowed before the offering?
By the time the stench of blood had numbed his nose, Neil rose to his feet.
“When you said you wanted to learn, I wondered… but I never thought you’d copy even this.”
He tossed the blood-soaked hide aside and clicked his tongue.
“I’m asking you for instruction right now. In that case, following and respecting your method is only proper.”
“Are you sure you’re really a priest of the Order?”
“I’m a slightly unusual case.”
It was all a matter of necessity.
It was simply much easier to travel the world as a pilgrim.
It wasn’t that Lawrence lacked faith, but if asked whether he was devout, he honestly couldn’t say.
“Listen. This is a prayer to the spirits before going into the swamp. A wish that we’ll get through the day safely. A request, in simple terms, for the spirit gods, the mothers of nature, to grant us our daily sustenance. It’s a bit complicated if I explain it properly, but that’s the gist of it. The important part is that you offer with gratitude in your heart.”
“That doesn’t sound all that different from a prayer to the Goddess.”
“…….”
Offended at being lumped together, Neil scowled.
“What are these spirit gods, exactly?”
“The Goddess Belche your lot worship isn’t the only god in the world. Humans, like nature itself, turn to dust and return to the earth, and we survive by eating the crops that grow from that earth. Since ancient times, we’ve called the cycle of nature the spirit gods and worshipped them. Well, lately they’ve been treated like superstition thanks to some Order or other.”
There was an edge hidden in his words.
Lawrence didn’t know how to respond, so he kept quiet.
Perhaps there really was a difference.
The spirits Neil spoke of were not the same as the spirits of the Spirit World.
The spirits Acheron had mentioned were powerful beings like the Red Eye.
By contrast, the spirits Neil referred to felt more like neighbors of the Spirit World—fairy-like beings, perhaps.
“From here on, we’re heading into the swamp in earnest to gather herbs. Watch your footing as much as you can. And don’t speak unless I tell you it’s all right. If you can’t follow my instructions even now, you may turn around and go back to the village.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
At the serious tone, Lawrence nodded.
“Good. Then take this first.”
Neil pulled a strange garment out of the bag.
The moment Lawrence took it, the stench of rot seemed to waft up from the cloth.
“What is this?”
There was one thing Lawrence absolutely could not endure, no matter what.
Smell.
The foul stench dragged him back to his days wandering the back alleys.
He recoiled and set the reeking garment down at a distance.
“If you can’t wear it, then turn back now. That thing is our lifeline. You have to wear it if you want to catch food and keep monsters from hanging around.”
“I thought we were only going herb gathering?”
“How do you expect to survive in this swamp on herbs alone? We hunt, we gather fruit. That’s how you put food on the table.”
“…….”
It was hard to keep his face under control.
He managed a dozen different expressions before the snickering laughter beside him stirred his stubbornness.
Lawrence draped the stinking hide over his robe.
“Fine. Let’s go.”
Neil, now wrapped in his own hide as well, headed into the swamp.
* * *
Isolde crouched low, gripping a small dagger.
Her gaze, fixed on Lawrence from the lowered stance, glinted with sharp focus.
She kept her hand on the short spear without letting her guard drop.
The advantage lay with her here.
There was an absolute difference in reach between spear and dagger.
As long as she maintained distance, he couldn’t casually close in on her.
Keep the pressure short.
Just showing intent would be enough.
There was no need to stab in haste.
The most dangerous moment was after thrusting the spear and before recovering it.
It was better to follow the opponent’s movements as closely as possible.
She watched every motion Isolde made.
Her body swayed in rhythm with her breathing.
Her form rocked back and forth as though she might spring at any moment.
Here it comes.
The instant Lawrence reflexively thrust his short spear forward, he lost sight of her as she transformed into a wild dog.
A cold sensation brushed beneath his throat.
Lowering his eyes, he saw the blade of a dagger aimed at his neck.
One leap.
In a single breath, Isolde closed the distance and seized the boy’s life in her hand.
“I lose.”
Lawrence raised both hands.
He’d been taken down before he could do a thing about it.
If this had been the real thing, the dagger would have pierced his throat without a shred of mercy.
“You’d need ten lives and still not have enough. And you actually said you could use a spear with that level of skill?”
She withdrew the dagger and frowned.
“I’m not weak. You’re just strong.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I’m a rear-line specialist, not front line. That was nothing more than a quick rush and stab.”
Lawrence didn’t need to be told that.
The dagger was only basic equipment.
The weapon Isolde had used on her mission was a bow.
“Who in the world taught you spear work?”
“I taught myself.”
“Ah. That explains it.”
As if that answered everything, she nodded.
“I thought maybe you’d learned staff techniques if you said you used a spear.”
“Staff techniques?”
“If you’re a priest of the Order, staff work is the standard, right? I thought you were using the spear as an extension of that. If you trained on your own, then I guess it can’t be helped if it’s a mess.”
“Isn’t ‘a mess’ a bit much? I’ve killed goblins and Under Wolves without any trouble.”
“That was probably thanks to magic too. There’s a huge difference between having a card to play when things go south and having nothing at all.”
“That’s….”
He couldn’t really deny it.
It wasn’t as if he’d fought monsters using only the short spear.
Most of the time, he had set up the situation with magic first and then fought.
“Does it look that bad to you, Isolde?”
His confidence was slipping for no reason.
It wasn’t something he could simply shrug off.
In terms of mercenary experience alone, Isolde had at least twice as much as Lawrence.
“Yeah. At this level, you couldn’t catch even a single jaguar.”
In other words, it was serious.
He couldn’t even handle the most common magical beast in the swamp.
“I can’t leave it like this. Do you happen to know anything about spears?”
“A spear? Why don’t you ask me to teach you dagger work instead?”
As if the whole thing sounded like a joke, she laughed.
“Don’t you value your life at all? If you really want to use a spear, pay for proper lessons. That’s the only way you’ll learn spearwork that holds up in a real fight.”
“If you know someone you’d recommend, I’d like to hear about them.”
“Well. I’m not saying there’s nobody, but… I wonder if there’s anyone in our village who’d actually teach you spear work.”
That made sense.
Given the people’s hostility toward the Order, asking for instruction in the village didn’t sound like a good idea.
“What about staff work instead? The chief priest should be quite skilled with a staff, shouldn’t he?”
“A spear and a staff are completely different. And one of the Order’s teachings is that one should avoid taking life.”
Ignatius knew Lawrence was working as a mercenary.
If he learned the reason Lawrence wanted to study staff work, the devout priest would probably not be eager to teach him.
“Then go to Albrade Port and look for a meister there.”
“Where exactly is Albrade Port?”
“You don’t know Albrade Port? It’s a city where the best merchants and craftsmen gather. There’s even a rumor that even rats there know how to swing a hammer. It’s the best city for learning a trade. Go sometime.”
Perhaps they had finished sparring?
Doris, carrying a water jug, trotted over.
“You both worked hard.”
“Thanks.”
The moment Isolde took the jug, she drank deeply.
Lawrence did the same. It wasn’t especially cool, but it seeped into his body like rain after tension, soothing the strain left by the spar.
“You look much better.”
“It’s all thanks to Lawrence. The medicine from the monastery is working well on me.”
The girl answered with a shy smile.
They still hadn’t been able to find Tylei, the miraculous herb.
But over the last few days, traveling with Neil and gathering herbs from the swamp had helped Doris recover quickly.
She even came outside sometimes to bask in the sunlight.
It seemed she also wandered around the village with Isolde.
“Lawrence, don’t be too frustrated, okay? Even if things are hard right now, once you count to three, all the painful memories will fly away.”
“One, two… what?”
“It means that when you say one, two, three, good things will come to you in time.”
“There are really all kinds of sayings here.”
“That wasn’t from our village.”
Isolde, having emptied the water jug, spoke up.
“A bard came to the inn recently. That’s just something he always says.”
“A bard, huh… now that’s a rare guest.”
Even back in Hilton Village, a bard would occasionally pass through.
They played a stringed instrument called a lute and raised their voices in song.
Whenever one arrived, Lawrence had always been one of the first to listen closely at the inn.
A bard’s songs were different from a peddler’s travel tales.
They sang of legends and myths. Heroic stories that promised hope.
Of the Sword Saint, guardian of the kingdom, and the Four Knights of the Promise.
And among them, the Four Knights of the Promise were the tale that came up most often, as if they were a favorite refrain.
Caelo Matahari, the Invincible.
Reventor Santaeiru, the Perfect.
Lanches Crosell, the Ascent.
Van, the Wanderer.
Children who heard those songs all carried wooden swords around afterward.
“The song was good, but he was insanely handsome too.”
Doris, her cheeks tinged pink, covered her mouth.
“Seriously. Blond hair and all—he looked just like some nobleman.”
“If even you’re saying that, Isolde, he must really have been handsome.”
“Don’t be too hurt. Honestly, I think even you’ll grow into a fine-looking man in a few years.”
She lowered her voice on the word now and giggled.
“……”
Lawrence answered with a dry chuckle and moved into the shade to escape the sun.
As far as he was concerned, today’s sparring was effectively over.
Isolde and Doris sat down beside him as well.
“What did Uncle Neil say?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure.”
“Well, it’s not easy work, is it? Still, if he’s stayed with you this long, that means there’s a chance. Uncle Neil’s got a nasty temperament, so he usually goes everywhere alone or with only a fellow named Urbaniello.”
“A nasty temperament….”
“What? It’s true. I get startled by him all the time, too.”
Lawrence gave a bitter smile.
Still, he couldn’t readily agree.
All the more so if it was basically gossip.
“Sis….”
Doris looked as though she wanted to say something too.
When Isolde saw that their reactions were different from what she expected, she cautiously looked away.
“No, I mean, that’s just how it is. I’m definitely not saying it because he overcharges for herbs or anything.”
As if skimping a little would kill her, Isolde muttered under her breath.
As for money, Lawrence couldn’t really say much either.
The reason his expenses had gone up was because they’d had to change his medicine, after all.
Right now the new prescription was working, thankfully, but without Tylei in the mix, there was no telling what might change or when.
A miraculous herb that only grew deep in the swamp….
It would be nice if he could get his hands on some.
“Oh, right. Ronan and Garrick came by last night.”
“It feels like it’s been a while since I heard those names.”
“Mm. Hearing that, I guess they haven’t come to see you yet. Well, I did say I was busy.”
“Did something happen?”
At Lawrence’s question, she shook her head.
“Nothing major. The rainy season’s coming soon, so they said we should go hunt some Eligators. They also wanted me to help guide them while we were at it.”
“I didn’t know you hunted Eligators too. Those bundles of money that only come out during the rainy season… no, I mean the magical beasts.”
He misspoke for a moment.
He’d been thinking of the byproduct value the receptionist had mentioned.
“It’s fine. In our swamp, the surest money is Eligator hide. Most mercenaries take time off during the dry season or go earn money in another region. Then they come back when the rains return.”
“So the hides really are that valuable.”
“They’re incredible. There’s even a saying that our estate may not have mines, but it has Eligator hide.”
“Would it be all right if I didn’t go?”
“Right now I’ve got more urgent things to deal with. Besides, I’ve got some money saved up, so I think I can manage somehow.”
Isolde’s eyes, when she looked at Doris, held a warm light.
For family, she could do anything.
Lawrence felt he understood a little better why Isolde was so strong.