Chapter 78: Second day

Not sure since when I started misspelling it but changed Niles -> Niels.

The second day of the Whitnash Port Opening Festival.

“I heard that there are good stalls at the port too.”

With that line from Amon, the four people from Room 10 headed toward the harbor.

So far, they had focused on the street stalls along the main street, but today they changed their direction.

However, the fact that the dishes were still based on produce from the sea did not change.

“What’s on this salt-grilled dish? Is it perhaps … charred soy sauce …”

Next to Ryo, who was feeling emotional by seeing his first soy sauce since Japan,

“Wrapped baked flour … Crepe? I can’t say that it’s not tempting.”

Etho enjoyed the crepe that was sold under the ‘Grand debut in this country’ sign and was not found anywhere else.

“This combination of roasted tuna slices and bite-sized rice is amazing.”

Amon was having second servings of many sushi-like grilled tuna.

“This hard candy drizzled with sweet juice from Rindo, this is good!”

While Niels was stuffing his mouth as he held two candy apple-like snacks in both hands.

Along the way, as the four of them ate things that both were related to the sea and had nothing to do with the sea, they stopped to see the fast ship 『Rain Shooter』 exhibited at the harbor.

Ryo really wanted to see it and persuaded the other three to take a look, but even those who weren’t so interested until they came were entranced by the ship’s graceful appearance.

“That is … beautiful …”

“It has a strange shape.”

“I want to see it moving.”

Niels, Etho, and Amon were also fascinated in an instant.

It was a three-hulled ship with a total length of 30 meters and had the appearance of a trimaran.

There was one large hull in the middle that had contact with the water and smaller hulls to the left and right, and compared to the catamaran with two hulls, it was more resistant to rolling over.

In this world, not to mention a trimaran, there had never been a catamaran either.

With that in mind, the『Rain Shooter』could be said to be a very ground-breaking ship.

But that wasn’t the only thing that caught Ryo’s interest.

“There are no sails …”

Etho reacted to Ryo’s mutter.

“There are no oars either.”

It was neither a sailing ship nor a paddle ship.

Of course, there was no propeller either.

“How does it move?”

Amon tilted his head in confusion too.

It was Niels who took action as the three were deep in thought.

He caught a nearby person who seemed to be related to ship work.

“Excuse me, how does this ship sail?”

He asked directly.

“Oh, we’re often asked that.”

The person answered with a smile.

“It is propelled forward by wind magic jetting out from above and water magic from below the draft of the hull.”

A hybrid of a wind jet and a water jet!

“That means Magicians with wind and water attributes will …?”

“No, apparently it is achieved with magic stones made using alchemy. But I don’t know the details of that either.”

Then, the person walked away.

“Ho~”

It was obvious who that exclamation of admiration came from …

“I want to see it when it’s moving.”

Etho muttered to himself.

Niels, who began to look around, headed toward a signboard.

“Hey, it’s written here. It seems that it will set forth in front of the guests tomorrow afternoon.”

“Oh~”

There was one more fun event for the four of them, but Niels seemed to have found something else.

“What’s wrong, Niels?”

“Oh. Tomorrow morning, there seems to be an event called the『30th two-seater boat race: Adventurer’s category』… It seems that there were still slots in the participation slot as of this morning …”

“Adventurer category?”

Etho, Amon, and Ryo all asked the same question.

“Let’s see … participation is not limited to adventurers (magic is prohibited), but in the second half, attacking with the oars is allowed so only stout individuals should apply …”

“What kind of race is that …?”

Ryo muttered unintentionally.

“Is registration done at that tent at the front …?”

“Niels-san, are you planning to participate?”

Amon addressed Niels.

“The prize money for the winner is 300,000 Florin, and second place can still get 100,000 Florin …”

“Wow!”

Ryo and Etho stared from afar as Niels and Amon were about to lose their senses due to the draw of money.

“Ryo … money is scary.”

“Etho … Let’s pray for their safety.”

After that, the Niels-Amon party succeeded in applying for the final slot.

“Oh, there’s a shooting gallery too.”

“Shooting gallery?”

It seemed to be a game of『Target shooting』from the harbor toward the sea.

(Target shooting … but the scale is a little too different from the target shooting in fairs …)

The aim of the game was to hit the targets floating on the sea, with the furthest target 100 meters away.

It seemed to be quite difficult as although there were some arrows stuck at the nearest 30 meters target, none were on the target at 100 meters.

“We don’t have any archers among us …”

Niels skimmed through the faces of the other three and then muttered.

“Now that I think about it, Abel said that in『Crimson Sword』, he could use the bow …”

Ryo remembered what Abel had said before.

“Yeah, I saw him in action during the Great Tidal Bore. Abel was astounding! I would believe it if you told me he was a professional archer.”

“Nah, I’m not that skilled.”

Suddenly, Abel’s voice could be heard from behind them and Niels froze.

Etho and Amon were also surprised.

Only Ryo who had noticed him was not surprised. Or rather, he knew he was approaching, so he veered the story in that direction.

“Abel is alone? What about the other members?”

“The others should be visiting stalls … I was finally released from the role of guest because Gilmas finally arrived …”

Abel, who said that, had a grilled squid-like grilled mini kraken in one hand.

“Oh, that grilled mini kraken is delicious!”

It was what Niels was eating yesterday.

Niels seemed to be touched to know that he had the same taste as the one he respected.

“Yeah, this is delicious. Or rather, there are a lot of things that look delicious. Won’t there be a lot of people who run out of money?”

“And that is when Abel will lavishly go ‘It’s my treat, eat whatever you fancy!”

“Yeah, I’ll never do that.”

Next to the three having that conversation, Etho and Amon were attempting the『Shooting Gallery』.

For 50 Florin a try, if they hit the target at 100 meters, they would get a prize of 5,000 Florin.

Even the nearest 30-meter target would net them the prize money of 500 Florin.

Etho and Amon bought five arrows each and were dreaming of getting rich quick as they looked to be aiming for the target 100 meters away.

“Tei.”

He shot it with spirit, but … the arrow was nowhere close to reaching the target.

(In a sense, I’ve never used a bow and arrow … Given that their arrows flew forward, the two are definitely better than me.)

Ryo was impressed with Etho and Amon.

“Don’t you want to try, Niels?”

“Fufufu, don’t be surprised, I’ve never touched a bow.”

“It was just as I expected so I’m even more surprised.”

Upon hearing that, Abel restrained himself from laughing.

“Abel, you’re laughing too much.”

“I-I’m trying not to laugh. I’m sorry. I’m not making a fool out of you, it just felt like I was looking at the me in the old days, so …”

“Abel wasn’t good at bows in the past too?”

“Far from not being good, I had never touched it like Niels. I was fully focused with the sword after all.”

As he said that, he struck the handle of the sword on his waist.

“But when I became an adventurer, that could not continue … especially in my party, we don’t have an archer? That’s why I practiced quite a bit.”

Meanwhile, Etho and Amon returned with zero results.

“The bow is too difficult.”

“I couldn’t reach it at all.”

Both Etho and Amon sunk into disappointment.

“Now, this is where Abel comes in. Please show your juniors how a bow is used.”

Ryo fueled him on.

Abel had a very reluctant expression.

“No, I’m a Swordsman …”

“Abel will be able to do it~”

For some reason, Niels had bought one arrow while Abel and Ryo were having that exchange.

“Abel-san, here.”

(Just one arrow … hitting it with a single shot, Niels, aren’t you raising the difficulty too much.)

Even Ryo felt that Abel was a little pitiful.

However, Abel accepted the bow and arrow without changing his expression.

Then, he held it quietly and drew for only a moment and released it.

“Ooooooooooooooooo.”

Cheers from around them welled up.

The arrow brilliantly hit the target 100 meters away. The target that was floating in the sea and swaying.

“Protagonist …”

Ryo muttered unintentionally once again.

“Wow Wow Wow.”

“So this is a B-rank adventurer …”

“Abel-san is seriously amazing.”

Amon, Etho, and of course Niels were all extremely excited.

Abel who shot the target was the calmest.

He returned the bow and received the prize. When he received it, an even louder cheer broke out.

“I was wondering what was causing the cheers, so Abel was here~”

“Oh, Abel, you’ve already been released.”

The Crimson Sword Rin and Rihya, and Warren who was carrying a lot of luggage behind them, appeared.

“You guys … why did you buy so much from the stalls …?”

Abel looked at luggage carried by Warren and grimaced.

“Women need all kinds of things.”

“Yeah yeah, they are mostly for Rihya’s stress relief.”

Rihya answered prickly while Rin added on with a wry smile.

And then Rin whispered to Ryo.

“Rihya was in a bad mood because Abel wasn’t around.”

“I see……”

To Ryo, it was a very convincing reason.

“Then Niels, let’s go over there. Abel, thanks for letting us watch a good show.”

“O-oh. See you again.”

With that said, Abel was grabbed by the arm by Rihya and pulled towards the main street.

“Abel-san is really cool!”

“Rihya-san … goddess.”

“I wonder if I should practice the bow too.”

Niels, Etho, and Amon said to themselves, but it went without saying which sentence belonged to who.

“This enchanting scent is … no way …”

“That smells great. A smell of spice that stimulates the appetite.”

“Now that I think about it, I’m feeling hungry.”

“Niels-san, weren’t you holding the Rindo candies in both hands?”

Ryo, Etho, Niels, and Amon were attracted to the enchanting scent that was drifting from across the street.

When they took a peek,

“Seafood curry!”

Ryo exclaimed before he could stop himself.

“Oh, curry. It’s also found in the City of Rune, but I haven’t eaten it much because it’s expensive.”

Etho commented as he sniffed the air.

It was rare to see Etho act in that manner.

“Okay, let’s eat here. I can’t stand this anymore.”

“It’s definitely a scent that whets the appetite. This will be the first time I’ll be having curry.”

Niels sat down and Amon looked at the menu with excitement.

“I’d like a seafood curry.”

“Hmm~original curry.”

“Large beef curry!”

“Chef’s Special Super Spicy Curry.”

Ryo, Etho, and Niels ordered sequentially, and finally Amon, who was trying curry for the first time, chose the spiciest curry … those words terrified the other three from Room 10.

“A-Amon, aren’t you challenging it too far …”

“Super spicy that is even more spicy than usual …”

“Amon, I’ll hold your funeral for you!”

Ryo, Etho, and Niels cheered him on with their respective expressions.

“I like spicy food.”

Amon looked indifferent.

The curry that arrived in front of each of the four looked delectable.

If the curry from Run’s『Houshoku-tei』was the incarnation of Japanese curry, this curry was ‘a slightly Javanese Japanese curry’.

The taste was delicious.

Any curry above a standard was delicious no matter what!

And the most worrisome Amon …

“This is insanely delicious! The moderate amount of spiciness is just right.”

Had high praises for his curry.

When Niels saw that, he took a small bite but … he gave up after just one bite.

“Niels, pass on in peace …”

“It’s freaking spicy.”

Ryo and Etho were interested in the spiciness but decided to stay away from it.

After all, curiosity killed the cat.

Amon seemed to like it a lot and ate another serving.

Seeing that, Niels was frightened.

After all, he had experienced the strength of that super spiciness.

That night, three shadows were squirming in the darkness of Whitnash.

“How successful was it?”

“Good. We can go anytime after the 4th day.”

“When do they gather together the most?”

“The last day, a night garden party. It will be held in the courtyard of the Lord’s building.”

“Outdoors huh, that will be convenient. We will do it at the garden party.”

“Understood.”