Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 385: The Dyeing Village
Tauro and his companions arrived at a village near Caxart.
The settlement stood beside a forest, with nearly half of its buildings hidden among the trees. Smoke rose from numerous locations, making the inhabited area easy to spot even from a distance.
Long lengths of dyed cloth fluttered as they dried, serving as equally conspicuous landmarks.
As the party drew closer, they saw that the entire village was surrounded by a sturdy fence. A gatekeeper stood watch at the entrance, giving the settlement a surprisingly well-defended appearance.
“Is this Zenyu, the dyeing village?” Tauro asked on behalf of the group.
“Yes, it is. What business do you have here? You don’t look like customers.”
The visitors consisted of two armed children and two adults. It was only natural for the gatekeeper to be cautious—and confused—by such an unusual group.
“We’re adventurers from Caxart. We came in response to the escort request submitted by the chief of Zenyu.”
“Oh! I heard you were coming. But… is a party with two children really the strongest team in a city as large as Caxart? I don’t mean to insult you, but are you certain you can handle the job?”
The gatekeeper had no easy way to verify their strength.
The village chief’s daughter’s marriage was a major occasion for Zenyu and could affect the village’s future prosperity. The adventurers had been placed in command of the escort ahead of the experienced travelers and capable village guards already hired for the procession.
Then the supposed leader had arrived looking like a child. The gatekeeper’s concern was understandable.
“I’m a D-plus adventurer registered with the Caxart branch. Here is a copy of the request, along with my adventurer tag.”
Tauro showed him the document and the silver tag hanging from his neck. Ragune and the others followed his example and displayed their own tags.
“They certainly look genuine… The world really is a vast place. I never imagined a child could reach the D-rank band.”
The gatekeeper pointed into the village.
“Do you see the house near the back with all that smoke rising from it? That belongs to the village chief. We’re in the middle of a particularly delicate stage of the dyeing process, so please take care not to disturb anyone while you pass through.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
Tauro bowed and entered the village, with his companions following behind him.
“Adventurers are remarkably polite these days. They weren’t like that when I was one,” the gatekeeper said with an amused smile as he watched them go.
The party crossed the village on their way to the chief’s house.
Just as the gatekeeper had warned, many workshops were in the middle of dyeing fabric. Through doors and windows left open for ventilation, the party saw artisans carefully applying colors with brushes.
“Wow. This is highly skilled work,” Tauro said as he glanced into the workshops.
“After the salt produced at Caxart’s lake, this village’s cloth is probably the second most famous product in Count Graunewald’s territory,” Ankh explained. “This is my first visit, but I’ve heard that Zenyu-dyed cloth commands high prices.”
“I’ve heard the same thing,” Zion added. “It’s popular enough to be exported beyond the territory.”
As a native of Caxart, she knew a fair amount about the surrounding region.
“I see. Then it makes sense for them to spend so lavishly on the best adventurers available,” Ragune said proudly.
“Hey! What did you people just say?”
A young villager had overheard Ragune and called out to them.
“We’re Black-Gold Wings, an adventuring party from Caxart. We came in response to your village chief’s request,” Tauro said, stepping forward before Ragune could answer.
“Oh, give me a break. I’ve never heard of an adventuring party with two little kids in it. How are we supposed to protect the young mistress while taking orders from people like you?”
“Leading the escort is our assignment, so that’s what we’ll do,” Tauro replied with a smile.
“The kid’s been doing all the talking, but the man with the greatsword is your real leader, right? Are you people actually capable of this?”
The young man either had great confidence in his strength or simply resented taking orders from an outsider. In either case, he refused to let the matter go.
“His name is Ankh, but he isn’t the leader. I am. My name is Tauro. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Tauro could have pretended that Ankh was in charge and avoided the confrontation. However, if this young man was going to serve under his command during the escort, it was better to settle the matter immediately.
“What? You’re serious? Who would follow a kid as their leader? Give me a break!”
The young villager’s irritation finally boiled over. Other villagers began gathering to see what was happening.
“In that case, would you care for a light match?” Tauro offered. “If it’ll put your mind at ease, I’m willing to oblige.”
“You’re serious, kid? No one in this village can beat me with a staff.”
The young man grabbed two wooden staffs leaning beneath the eaves of a nearby house and tossed one to Tauro.
“A staff? It isn’t my specialty, but I trained with one when I was younger. That will be fine.”
Tauro lightly swept the staff through the air, producing a sharp whistle, then assumed a ready stance.
“…That stance isn’t bad. Don’t expect me to go easy on you just because you’re a child.”
The young man raised his own staff and faced Tauro.