Chapter 67: Revisiting

A week had passed since Velvet and Donnie returned to the royal capital.

During this time, the four of us, plus Mash, had been busy harvesting the crops we had planted, leaving no time for rest as we worked tirelessly on the farm.

Having four people made the work go faster, but once they left, things became much more difficult.

With all of that going on, I had completely forgotten about a certain person—until they suddenly showed up at night.

“Um… is Sato here?”

I heard a familiar voice from outside. When I stepped out to check, I found Lua, who had visited us once before.

But she wasn’t alone—she had brought two women with her, both looking completely worn out.

“Lua-san what brings you here at this hour? And who are these people behind you?”

“I’m really sorry for showing up so late. These two used to work as porters for adventurers… They’re technically adventurers themselves.”

“I’m Portia.”

“I’m Lois.”

The two of them followed up with their own introductions.

Porters… That was similar to the job I had done when exploring dungeons during the winter.

They were responsible for collecting items dropped by monsters and any valuable materials found along the way. But it wasn’t the kind of job that should leave them looking this ragged.

…No, that’s not it.

They didn’t seem to have any major injuries—just dirt-covered clothes and bodies.

From that alone, I could guess they were in such a dire financial state that they couldn’t even afford to buy new clothes or take a bath.

“So, you’re both adventurers. Does that mean you managed to become one as well, Lua-san?”

“Yeah, I did… but the conditions were awful. Just because I’m a woman, they made me start as a porter. There weren’t any other jobs, so I had no choice but to do it. But when I found out the reward was only three copper coins, I lost it and quit on the spot.”

She was still clearly frustrated by the unfair treatment, and her words were tinged with anger.

I had always thought of adventurers as a relatively free profession, but based on Lua’s experience, it seemed like things weren’t as idealistic as I had imagined.

“Did the two of you quit as well?”

“The conditions were just too terrible. I insisted they come with me. I know I’m being selfish by bringing them here, but… do you think they could stay somewhere nearby?”

“Please, we’re begging you.”

After Lua bowed her head, Portia and Lois did the same, pleading with me.

If it was just Lua, I might have been able to manage, but taking in two more people on top of that was not an easy decision to make.

We didn’t have enough space for everyone to sleep, and even if they stayed, job opportunities around here were extremely limited.

We were always short on hands for farm work, so I would love the extra help, but I couldn’t afford to pay them wages.

Sheila and Ren were compensated with unique dishes from another world, Velvet had manga, and Donnie had contact lenses. But Lua and the others would need this world’s currency.

Right now, all I had was the two platinum coins I earned from the dungeon in winter.

“I’d love to help, but we don’t even have enough space for them to sleep. Plus, there aren’t many ways to earn money in this area.”

Hearing my response, the three of them looked completely dejected.

Ugh… Seeing those expressions made it impossible to outright refuse them.

“I mean… yeah, that makes sense. I’m sorry for showing up so suddenly.”

“—However, if you’re okay with staying in a cramped space and working on the farm in exchange for food instead of money, then I can accept you.”

“As long as we have food, that’s more than enough! Sato, are you sure about this?”

“Yes, but understand that I can’t provide anything beyond meals. If you’re fine with that, you’re welcome to stay.”

“I truly appreciate it. For now, I’d just like to help Portia and Lois recover.”

“Understood. In the meantime, go take a bath. I’ll talk to Sheila about this.”

“Alright. I’ll take you up on that… Sato, really, thank you.”

Since I had already accepted them without consulting Sheila, I was going to have to put in some serious effort to explain and persuade her.

Even though I was bracing myself for a scolding, I couldn’t help but feel excited about the possibilities that lay ahead now that we had three new people.

As expected, Sheila, who had been relaxing in the living room, scolded me after I explained the situation. But after a long discussion, she finally agreed.

She only scolded me because she cared—Sheila was truly kind-hearted.

“I understand why you took them in, but what happens after this? You can’t have them stay in this villa forever, right?”

“Exactly. That’s why I plan to go to the royal capital soon and hire someone to build a house.”

I considered using NP to buy a simple tent, but no matter how good a tent might be, it couldn’t compare to an actual house.

Besides, it was best to rely on this world’s resources whenever possible—especially considering the 30-to-1 exchange rate.

“Hmm… So you’re calling a carpenter?”

“Yes. Also, I need to start seriously thinking about earning money in this world. Right now, farming is all we can do. I want the three of them to cultivate new farmland and grow vegetables, which we can then sell in the royal capital.”

Eventually, I wanted to turn this place into a resort featuring Japanese culture, but we weren’t at that stage yet.

I could probably set up a small, makeshift manga café, but aside from Velvet, I wasn’t sure if we’d have any customers.

“With the king’s support, we haven’t really needed money so far… but having funds would be helpful regardless. I agree with you on that.”

“That’s why I want to go to the capital soon. Once they’re trained and ready to work properly, I’ll make the trip.”

Until now, I could only leave after finishing the harvest since there was no one to take care of things in my absence.

But with three extra hands, I could finally travel whenever needed.

The royal capital wasn’t exactly a long-distance trip, but the fact that I could leave without worrying was a major benefit of accepting them.

Or so I thought…

“…I’m sorry. This time, I won’t be coming with you. I’m not saying I’m against them staying here now, but to be honest, I don’t fully trust them yet. So, I’ll stay behind to keep an eye on them and continue farming.”

I never expected Sheila to refuse.

The royal capital wasn’t far, and considering I was 38, she had a point in saying I should go alone. But since this was another world, I still felt a bit uneasy.

…That said, I had accepted them without permission, so it was only right that I went to the capital alone to negotiate.

This world was known for its poor security, but the royal capital seemed relatively safe… or at least, I hoped so.

“…Alright. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I know it’s better if I learn to go to the capital alone. So, I’ll handle this trip by myself.”

“Please do. If anything happens, you can always consult the king or Lady Velvet—they will surely help you.”

“Got it. Donnie is also in the capital, so if I need help, I’ll ask him!”

It wasn’t exactly how I had imagined things going, but part of me was excited about my first solo trip.

…Though, to be honest, my anxiety outweighed my excitement.

Still, I had been relying on Sheila for everything up until now. In many ways, this was a good opportunity.

Since I had to wait until the three newcomers got settled, the trip wouldn’t be for a little while, but I would start preparing now.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter