Chapter 346 - What Lies in the Mountain 2

『...So, what do you need?』(Rena)

Rena is still staying at her own pace even after the meal.

She isn’t someone who uses honorifics even for the village chief.

That doesn’t mean she can’t use honorifics, though.

When she was traveling with her father, she spoke politely to the customers.

But Rena now, except for noble opponents, she doesn’t use honorifics for anyone.

Well, most hunters are like that, so it can’t be helped.

In particular, those who have self-confident often have a stronger attitude, use more aggressive language, and speak louder.

『Ah...ah... First of all, please listen to me.』(Elder)

The other guests also finished their meal, and there was only a red oath in the cafeteria, with the village chiefs only.

Other than the guests, who were regular patrons, none would come to eat after Mile’s group.

And, of course, the people at this inn surely know the face of the village chief.

He brought a chair of the next seat to the table of “Red Oath” and prepared a cup filled with water to the village chief.

Then he was slowly moving back into the kitchen.

Then the village chief began talking.

Apparently, he had to abandon his strategy of trying to take the initiative with a strong attitude, his tone now is like talking to normal hunters.

And according to his story ...

From this village, there is a certain mountain just a few hours walking perpendicular to the highway.

No, of course, there are mountains all around this mountainous area, but that mountain was a mountain with some problems.

There are golems patrolling in that mountain.

But because the golem didn’t leave the area and didn’t appear to increase in number, so it was no problem for the villagers.

There are no disadvantages to a village with a lot of mountains around it not to approach a single mountain.

Besides, it was somewhat far away, it really wasn’t inconvenienced.

There are no resources available only on that mountain, no special herbs or prey. It’s a very ordinary mountain.

One day, the children settled there.

The so-called wanderers.

In fact, whether you are sleeping under a bridge or in the grass of a river. If you’re sleeping outside in the same place, it’s more like a “homeless” than a “wanderer,” but nevermind the details for now.

But if you say “orphans”, you will be confused with the children of the orphanage.

They are everywhere around that mountain, only children.

It’s customary to call them “wanderers” regardless of whether they are settled or not. They didn’t have a decent house, they can’t even find an abandoned house or shack.

It’s just a word that refers to those who are sleeping under the trees and on the grass.

Anyway, the children have lived in the supposed to be the Golem’s territory.

The children could live without being attacked by the golems and they don’t bother the villagers at all.

It was harmless.

There are enough wild plants and small animals for children to collect and hunt, there is no effect on the villagers,

Because it’s a place where the villagers can’t get close ...

And some of the villagers would go there to “throw away” those things that were no longer needed.

Such “unique, but not a problem, mountain” seems to make people somewhat unrest recently.

And then, when a friendly villager went there to “To throw away unnecessary clothes, pans, and overcooked bread”, he saw some suspicious men visiting the mountain.

They start attacking the rock golems, that weren’t supposed to attack humans unless you intrude their territory. After that, they withdrew.

『That mountain is home to the rock golems, so there aren’t many ferocious monsters.

There are many things that are relatively safe, such as mild, slow-moving, and grazing animals that don’t attack humans on their own like a rock rabbit or a rock snake.

... rock wolves occasionally appear, but not so many.

It seems that golems will soon get rid of those wild temperaments.

Well, what I want to say is...』(Elder)

Having said that, the village elder bowed his head to “Red Oath”

『Please investigate if the golems over would start to attack humans because those suspicious men attack them,

And are there any dangers for the kids who finally seemed to get a place to call home at last』(Elder)

As he says that, the village chief glared at the four faces of “Red Oath”

『I don’t know the purpose of the men who were fighting the rock golem.

There’s nothing worth like gold over there.

It’s unlikely they’re going to kidnap the kids and make them illegal slaves.

However, there are many possible dangers, such as the rock golems begin to attack the children seeing humans as enemies or get involved in battles.

But because I don’t know the situation, I can’t even ask the Hunter Guild.

Even if I make a request in the current situation, it’s far from here to the city.

It’s a request that I don’t know the degree of danger nor how much reward do I have to pay?

I can’t use the important village funds for the irrelevant wanderers when our village isn’t at risk.

So I can only ask the hunter who came here to take the survey with a cheap reward ...

53 silver coins.

I want you to undertake this!』(Elder)

Apparently, the village chief looked at everyone, not because of malice, but because he was pushing his emotions while biting his teeth.

For the people to gather at a settlement, they need many good reasons.

It is a point where the highway meets the river,

Where the main roads intersect,

Famous tourist destinations, ports, mining, and other industries,

Important points in defense,

A post town that can be set at regular intervals along the main road.

The interval that the passenger carriage goes through the day,

Similarly, small towns are created for the place the wagons passed through,

Where things start to overlap, a slightly larger town is created.

This village is a route that deviates from all of them.

At a deviated point, well, it’s a “countryside village”.

Traffic volume is low, The road is narrow.

Unless people need to use it for shelters, carriages will not go through here.

Still, it is far more “civilized” than small villages in the mountains.

Don’t look down on the real “country village”, there is some truly ridiculous place in this world...

But if you just traveling on a large road, we only arrive at large towns and post towns.

We only know where it flourished.

In order to know everything between cities, small villages and untapped areas, sometimes we need to deviate from the main road, detouring to forests and mountain villages.

It was necessary for a training trip.

And at that time, it’s a place far from the city where the guild branch is,

Or you may end up in a village where they have no money to make a request to the guild,

Resolve their problem with a low commission, leaving with only their names,

It’s the real pleasure of a “training trip”.

It’s not rare people in ordinary towns feel thankful toward newbie hunters.

So young rookie hunters sometimes want to take such a request.

...Until you become a middle-aged, perennial C-rank hunter who is busy with your daily life and can’t afford to take requests with worrying about money.

And of course, “Red Oath” was also about the age they wanted to receive such a request. ...... especially Maevis, Maevis, and Maevis.

(T.N: Raw repeats Maevis 3 times)

『Leave it to us, we are...』(Maevis)

『We will think about it』(Pauline)

Pauline interrupted Maevis’ attempt to respond

『We will reply tomorrow...』(Pauline)

『We will undertake it.』(Rena)

『『Eh?』』(Pauline + Maevis)

And then, intercepted Paulin’s attempt to delay the reply, Rena replied with an acceptance.

Pauline and Maevis were surprised but Mile remained calm.

Just as Lena said it’s natural to say so...

＊ ＊ ＊

『Why did you answer immediately?!

53 silver coins are less than half the price!

Well, we can make it a little cheaper,

But we should make an appropriate market-price...』(Pauline)

After hearing all the necessary information, the girls formally took a “free request” directly without going through the Hunter Guild.

After the village chief returned, Pauline was nagging on Rena, who decided to accept the request without permission.

Usually, Pauline is relatively warm, but when it comes to money, she is quite noisy.

『In the first place, if there are hunters who receive too much cheaper than the market, it will cause trouble for other hunters as a whole!

Here, no matter how much you discount, you must get at least 3 small gold coins per person and 12 small gold coins in total for 4 people.』(Pauline)

『No matter how much we negotiated, we won’t get more than that』(Rena)

『Eh?』(Pauline)

On a training trip, they should give a little service to a rural village in need.

Pauline knows that much.

However, 53 silver coins were too cheap.

So she thought she could at least negotiate a little more ...

『53 silver coins are less than half the price.

Reduce 3 and we will get 50 silver coins.

And he doesn’t say “5 small gold coins” to show the exact amount』(Rena)

『Ye... yes.

It’s certainly true...』(Pauline)

As Rena points out, Pauline replies somewhat convinced.

『In other words, it means “there are 53 silver coins *jara~jara*”.

And he doesn’t want to cut 3 silver coins to make it a better amount of money.

And the words that the mayor had just said.

“I can’t use important village funds for irrelevant wanderers when the village isn’t at risk.” ...』(Rena)

『Ah...』(Pauline)

『In other words, it’s not the village budget, right?』(Maevis)

『It’s either his own pocket money or the donation from some kind heart villagers. So there isn’t much...』(Rena)

Maevis muttered when she heard Rena’s explanation.

『Then, it can’t be helped.

First is Friendship,

Second is faith.

Third is Chivalry.

Making money is from four to seven!』(Mile)

『『『『That’s us. “Red Oath”!!』』』』(Red Oath)

The other three shout along with Mile the Red Oath code.

... Of course, Mile, Maevis, and Pauline knew it.

Rena isn’t as open as Mile but she has always cared about orphans and wanderers in the city where they visited.

And why Rena cares about orphans and wanderers so much?

Because back then, when she lost her father if the hunter party “Red Lightning Bolt” didn’t pick her up. And after everyone in “Red Lightning Bolt” was killed,

Without the talent as a magician, the knowledge, and skills taught by everyone in “Red Lightning Bolt”, what had become of Rena now?

Yes, for “a girl who may have become one of the wanderers”,

And now there are some idiots who offer some silver coins for some wanderer children who are not villagers,

And for that reason, those people even bowed their heads to some hunter little girls.

Those people were the same as the people who reached out their hands to Rena.