Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 386: A Gentle Lesson
Tauro held his staff in a loose, seemingly careless stance.
Perhaps angered by how relaxed he looked, the young man brought his staff down toward Tauro’s head with all his strength.
Tauro easily deflected the blow. The young man’s staff slammed into the ground, and the impact sent a painful vibration through his hands.
“Damn it!”
He adjusted his grip and switched to thrusting attacks.
First, he made a light feint toward Tauro’s body. The next instant, he drove the end of the staff toward Tauro’s face at full force.
Tauro stepped backward by precisely the same distance the young man advanced. The staff stopped just short of his face.
“I misjudged the distance!”
Believing that was his only mistake, the young man stepped in farther and thrust toward Tauro’s solar plexus.
Tauro twisted aside and moved forward. As he turned, he used the end of his own staff to knock the other weapon upward.
The young man’s staff spun through the air. When it fell beside Tauro, he caught it neatly in one hand.
“Do you understand now?”
Tauro had restrained himself carefully to avoid causing an injury, but the entire exchange had ended so quickly that the young man stared in bewilderment.
When he finally came to his senses, he shouted, “Not yet!” and lunged at Tauro.
He seized Tauro by the collar and tried to throw him.
A moment later, however, the young man was lying facedown on the ground. Tauro had swept his advancing leg and used his momentum to throw him.
“If this had been a battlefield, you’d have died twice already.”
Tauro took the young man’s hand and helped him stand, making it clear that the match was over.
“…You got me.”
The young man still looked dazed, but he finally understood that the child before him was no ordinary fighter and admitted defeat.
“What’s going on here?”
A man pushed through the crowd that had gathered around them.
“V-Village Chief!”
The young man lowered his head guiltily.
“Kossa! What’s all this commotion ab—hm? Who’s this child?”
Realizing that Kossa was at the center of the disturbance, the village chief began to question him, only to stop when he noticed the unfamiliar boy standing nearby.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Tauro, leader of Black-Gold Wings. We came from Caxart in response to your escort request.”
Tauro bowed politely.
“Hm? Ah! You must be the best adventuring party from Caxart. I didn’t expect you to be so young. My name is Alimar, and I’m the chief of Zenyu. Now, would someone explain what happened here?”
“Kossa asked me to demonstrate an adventurer’s skills, so I gave him a little instruction.”
Tauro answered as though nothing unusual had occurred. He knew that adventurers who arrived in a village and immediately caused trouble wouldn’t be welcomed.
“Kossa, you didn’t pick a fight with our guests, did you? I sincerely apologize. The young men of this village can be rather hot-blooded. That’s why my daughter—”
Alimar stopped himself.
“No, we should discuss the details at my house. The rest of you, return to work! Go on, disperse!”
He dismissed the gathered villagers and invited Tauro’s party inside.
“This is certainly a copy of our request, and your tags show D-plus… I had heard that a C-plus party was registered in Caxart. Were they unavailable?”
“That party was indeed based at the Caxart branch until recently, but they retired for various reasons. Black-Gold Wings is now the highest-ranked active party available there.”
“I see. Judging from the way you handled Kossa without injuring him, you certainly seem capable. We have also hired several skilled travelers for the escort. Please feel free to consult with them regarding the arrangements.”
The village chief’s wording also implied that they were welcome to compare their abilities if necessary. He apparently assumed that adventurers settled such questions through contests of strength.
“Of course. We’ll coordinate with everyone involved,” Tauro replied. “As for the itinerary, are we simply escorting the procession on the two-day journey to Wasan?”
“No. If possible, I want you to remain until the wedding is over. We’ll depart in two days, travel for two days, attend the wedding, stay through the following day, and then I’d like you to escort us home as well.”
That’s a surprisingly long assignment. A normal wedding escort would end after the outward journey and return trip. What’s he so worried about?
The reward was generous, and the requested schedule was within the client’s rights, but Tauro couldn’t help wondering why Alimar insisted on keeping them nearby for so long.
“What do the rest of you think? I’m willing to accept those terms,” Tauro said.
“If the leader approves, I have no objection,” Ragune replied.
“No problem here,” said Ankh.
“If Tauro-sama accepts, then so do I,” Zion added.
With everyone in agreement, Tauro accepted the village chief’s extended request.
“Excellent! Then let’s discuss the escort plan in detail. The groom is the mayor’s eldest son, after all, and we’re spending a great deal on the dowry and wedding gifts.”
Alimar’s enthusiasm faltered for a moment.
“There’s one more matter… My daughter is somewhat reluctant about the marriage. I need you to watch her carefully and make sure she doesn’t run away during the journey.”
So that’s the real reason he wants us to remain until the ceremony is over…
Tauro finally understood the excessive precautions. Although he had already accepted the assignment, he felt uneasy about delivering an unwilling girl to her wedding.