Familiar Faces (6)

To truly understand Neo-Solitron, careful and precise investigation was essential.

Until that investigation could begin, though, we still needed money to eat and live. So these days we were taking commissions from the Adventurers' Guild and clearing them one by one.

"Whoa! You finished it in one go! Let me see… five heads, is that right?"

"Looks like they were raising a family in the cave. No other specimens."

"Five of them… I'll have to bump the price a little for you."

The clerk chatting with Orphe scratched his head vigorously and started clicking the abacus. Watching those round beads slide back and forth, it looked more like idle fidgeting than actual calculation.

"Judging by size… two big ones… three small ones… the proof isn't in the best condition, so… this much."

"Thank you. Is there a decent meat restaurant nearby? Somewhere that serves a good variety of meats would be ideal."

"A meat place, huh? I wouldn't know. Once you step outside you'll find the Warm and Cozy Stone Inn. Slip the owner a few coins and ask. He ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠knows just about everything—he's been running that place since the old Solitron days."

"Understood. We'll drop by again later."

"You're always welcome. Safe travels!"

Orphe pocketed the money and waved to us as we waited in our chairs. Diana shot out first to greet her.

"Straight to the meat restaurant!"

"Calm down. The sun hasn't even set yet."

"I barely ate any lunch. I'm starving."

"We're stopping by the house first. You need to put on underwear."

"Fine…"

Maybe I should have grabbed those cookies Adali brought. Diana's bottomless stomach—she easily put away two extra bowls compared to anyone else—was a problem I would have to solve someday.

What if I tied training to food? Succeed at a mission and she gets half again as much; fail and half gets confiscated. Not a bad idea, actually.

Mulling that over, I headed for the trash bin in the corner of the wall to toss the now-useless commission slip. I had stuffed it straight into my pocket after accepting it, so it was damp with sweat.

"Robin?"

A familiar voice snagged my ankle. I stopped and turned.

"Sharp as ever. It's been a while. I heard all about the Goldon business! Truly fortunate!"

A man with brown hair and blue eyes approached, wearing a sly grin. His beard had grown out a bit, but not enough to make him unrecognizable.

"Satton? What are you doing here? What happened to the scrap-metal-smashing mouse?"

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guy who should have been holed up in a corner writing novels—why was he here?

"Not a single thing right. It's the bird that drinks steel. Circumstances, you see. I wanted more experience. Stories don't have that savory kick unless you mix in real experiences. Figure I applied so I could run into more incidents and accidents."

Hearing that nonsense confirmed it was definitely Satton.

"So you've been continuing as an adventurer here in Neo-Solitron?"

"Indeed. Cleared at least ten commissions. Some solo, some with other adventurers. Quite the novel experience."

"Fascinating. Really."

So what?

"…I lost a comrade mid-commission. Rebecca. While burying her body I swore I would grow stronger. That I would gain the courage never to fear any crisis—"

"I'd love to hear the whole story, but I'm a bit busy. Going to rejoin my party."

"Wait, just a moment of your time. It's been so long—I'm simply glad to see you."

Satton had changed a great deal. The mace on his back gleamed as if oiled, and the gear he wore, while not top-tier, looked decent enough. He had bulked up too, looking solid—though draping an oculus pelt over his armor kind of ruined the effect.

Neo-Solitron's Neo-Satton? The saying that the position makes the man was true after all.

"Your party, you say. If Robin is here, then Miss Orphe and Miss Diana must be… ah, there they are!"

Satton stroked his beard and strode toward our group. Watching him offer a handshake to Tribo, I figured his sociability, at least, was still intact.

The bad parts improved, the good parts preserved. Satton. Maybe he could finally pull his own weight. Even trash can grow.

"Running into you here of all places is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠quite the surprise, Satton. You've changed so much—you look like a seasoned adventurer now."

"You flatter me. And Miss Orphe has grown even more beautiful. That gaze used to look ready to kill a man, but the chilly atmosphere has softened quite a—"

"Let's stop the inappropriate remarks there. Were we ever that close?"

"Ahem. My apologies."

Poor Satton. Still getting shredded by Orphe—he had a long way to go.

I gave the shoulders of the now-dejected Satton, looking like a frog that had lost its croak, two light pats.

"Satton. Good to see you after so long, but we're busy."

"What's the matter? If it's something I can help with, I will."

"Appreciate it, but we're just looking for a meat restaurant. No need for help."

"Robin, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you are truly fortunate! I know every meat place around here! For a comrade-in-arms I shall guide you at once!"

Emboldened, Satton threw an arm around my shoulders and started dragging me. This bastard was getting cocky for real.

"No, we're not going straight there—we're stopping by the house first."

"No matter. You think I can't wait that long? Come, I wish to see a comrade's home."

Was Satton's happiness circuit invincible? He clearly had cells that spun every situation positively.

"Is Tribo coming along as well?"

[Affirmative.]

"There's weight in that voice. You must have lived through all manner of incidents. I would love to hear the tales."

Weight in the mechanical voice of a scrap-metal golem that had only slept in a burrow? Still not right in the head?

I stopped Orphe, who was whispering, "What should I say?"

Satton had arrived in Neo-Solitron ahead of us—he might have unusual information. A runaway ninja needed more intel.

"Tribo's life story is truly something. You won't hear it easily anywhere else."

"Ohh… how exciting."

"So today Satton is treating."

"Excellent! That much is nothing!"

Diana. Get ready. Time for gluttony.

"The house is truly spacious. Cleaning it must be quite the chore!"

After one look around our place, Satton laughed heartily and set down his pack. Seeing a big, fine house and thinking "hard to clean"—how lazy did you have to be for that to be your first impression? That patchy beard of his was clearly the result of not shaving rather than growing it out on purpose.

"Just wait a bit. We'll change clothes and be right out."

I confirmed Diana was trembling as she headed into her room, then spoke to Satton. The guy suddenly shook his head.

"Robin. We crossed the line between life and death together, did we not? No need for formal speech. Speak comfortably."

I almost firmly denied we were that close, but he wasn't entirely wrong. Throughout the promotion quests Satton had danced along the edge of death with his idiocy and trolling, and in Maple Leaf Village I had nearly died myself.

"Fine. Crouch on the floor over there and wait. Don't touch the cookies on the table."

The cookies Adali had brought. I had spotted her briefly when we came in earlier. She had been tending flowers in the garden; when I greeted her she shuddered, forced an awkward smile, and fled. A proper shy young lady.

"Changing your attitude so quickly. Remarkable adaptability."

"I'm a chameleon of a man."

I ended the small talk and went into my room. Using the Ninja Undressing Technique I stripped and checked the wardrobe—far fewer everyday clothes than expected. Including the tattered rags, only three sets.

"…"

Had I ever lived anything resembling a normal daily life? Until now I had only existed as an adventurer and a runaway ninja. To blend naturally into Neo-Solitron I needed the title of "model citizen" Robin as well. Later I would have to go clothes shopping with Orphe.

They probably didn't sell checkered shirts here, right?

After changing with the Ninja Dressing Technique, I joined the others and entered the restaurant Satton had recommended. A ten-minute walk—surprisingly sensible for him.

Judging by the sign, this seemed to be the place we were looking for. I gave Diana's head—brimming with anticipation—a single pat and stepped inside.

After a brief moment of silence for Satton's wallet, which would be sacrificed today, I read the menu board on the wall…

"You little…!"

I was the idiot for trusting this moron Satton. I barely restrained the Takoyaki Killing Method from launching and politely asked him,

"This doesn't match a single one of my requirements?"

"Hmm? Did you not say you wanted various kinds of meat? There is no better place than this."

Satton spoke with the confidence of a man who could look up at the sky without a shred of shame.

I decided conversation with this guy was impossible and approached Diana and Orphe. Tribo would only spectate again, so no need to ask his opinion.

"Kids. This isn't right, is it? How can people eat bugs?"

"We ate plenty in the cave. They weren't properly cooked so the taste was mediocre, but still."

Even Orphe saying that left me speechless with admiration. Wasn't she the last survivor of a noble house wiped out by a yakuza plot? A noble should at least feel some revulsion toward insects.

"That was an unavoidable situation. There was nothing else to eat. Orphe. Do you want to eat the ones that roll around in mud and chow down on garbage?"

"When you put it that way it does sound horrifying… These are edible insects improved by the Magic Tower, so hygiene shouldn't be an issue. The names are like that, but the meat tastes just like beef or pork."

Even Orphe had been brainwashed by the primitive thinking of this otherworld. I grabbed the shoulders of my last hope, Diana, and faced her.

"Diana. Today is your day. You know that, right?"

"Huh? Yes."

"You're the one who decides."

"R-right?"

Diana had grown up in a closed society, but under Lamina's teaching she should have learned the basics.

"Do you like bugs? If you hate them, shake your head hard twice. I'll save you."

"You hate bugs? Why? They're delicious…"

"Ha."

Yokai really were hopeless. Should I hold back tears and force these things down? Saying "I hate bugs so I'm going home" at this point would look way too uncool. If Orphe or Diana had said they hated it, I could at least have suggested going somewhere else.

While I was deep in serious deliberation, Satton tapped my shoulder.

"If you dislike insects, there are those as well. The menu is not limited to that."

Satton's finger pointed to an old menu board hanging nearby. Written on it were perfectly normal, ordinary dishes like beef steak and pork barbecue.

"This place was originally an ordinary meat restaurant. They only handle edible insects because of a royal decree. Even academy cafeterias serve edible insects these days, so adapting is the only option."

"I'm going insane for real."

An otherworld overflowing with violence, madness, and conspiracy. The Iregal Kingdom, which recommended edible insects to its own citizens, needed to disappear.