Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~

Chapter176，Part1: 1 - Departure ②

Chapter 176 Departure ②?

Part 1

“Don’t joke with me! Desu! Why do I have to give you a ride! Desu! You’ve got what you deserved! Desu!” (Kruz)

They got pissed off as hell at me for doing my own thing and plunging headfirst into the gate. The departure time was delayed by two hours due to safety checks, so it was natural they got angry at me.

In fact, it was a miracle that this was all I got. I had made a mistake before we even left, so it wouldn’t be surprising if I have been removed from the escort. Apparently, the Emperor really didn’t want to remove me.

“Hey! Yowaningen, don’t grab me here, desu! Don’t sit on my hair, desu! Yowaningen, you don’t show me enough respect, desu! It is unacceptable for a mere mortal to touch a Spirit Person, desu! I didn’t allow you to touch me, ride as far away from me as possible, desu! Ah――” (Kruz)

In the end, I was sentenced to a ban from moving on my carpet. I was disappointed, as I was expecting to fly around in the sky.

What’s the point of a 『Flying Carpet』 that doesn’t want to carry people? It is really a mischievous one.

“H-Hold on a little more, desu! Falling from your horse, are you really Level 8, desu! Yowaningen, what do you think the purpose of your legs is for, desu! You are the worst, unbelievable, desu! You’re not doing this on purpose, are you, desu! We can’t delay them any longer, desu! Just for now, I will give you the right to touch me, desu! Come on, it is fine, so hold on tight, desu! Ah――” (Kruz)

After consuming two more Barrier Rings due to falling from the horse, Kruz was willing to let me ride behind her.

We have already disturbed the group quite a lot. We can’t afford to cause any more trouble.

Iron Horse was a strong horse, it would have no problems carrying two slender people like Kruz and me. It is pitiful to have to ride on the back of a girl, but I didn’t have the courage to ask Kechakchakka or Term, who I didn’t know very well, to let me ride with them. And riding with something like Kilknight in autonomous mode was out of the question. Moreover, it wouldn’t be a good idea to add more weight when it was already carrying a large man in full body armor.

Behind me, the carpet, which had been in a good mood after dropping me off, was *fuwafuwa* following me.

As far as I know, almost all Spirit People have long hair. Apparently, they use it as a magical medium in times of emergency.

Kruz’s silvery-white hair was well-groomed, comfortable to touch like velvety, and a little bit cold. The body temperature of Spirit People is a little lower than that of a human. From behind her, I put my arm around her and grabbed her tightly, and even through her robe, her body was also cool.

Thanks to my 『Perfect Vacation (Comfortable Vacation)』, I am comfortable even on a horse. I am starting to feel very sleepy.

“When this mission is over, be sure to tell Lucia-san, that this Kruz has helped you a lot, desu! You are lucky I am so kind, desu! If I were an ordinary Spirit People, Yowaningen would have been killed already, desu!” (Kruz)

“I know. You saved me. As expected of Kruz, you are much more awesome than the carpet.” (Cry)

“!? You are making fun of me, aren’t you, desu!” (Kruz)

I was complimenting you though…… Because later, I will have to ask you to recharge my consumed Barrier Rings……

When I grabbed onto Kruz’s body tightly and let out a big yawn, I was scolded by her.

§　§　§

West of the Imperial Capital of Zebrudia.

More than a hundred men were gathered in the middle of a grassy field a few hundred meters off the main road.

They were crawling and hiding in the tall grass and trees, and their equipment was camouflaged, so a casual glance from the outside would not reveal that there were that many people hiding.

These men were a group of mercenaries. Moreover, they were a group of mercenaries close to being a group of bandits who were hired by an underworld organization to do their dirty work. They were very notorious in the underground network.

The request they received this time was far from legal, as it was to attack passing carriages possessing Zebrudia’s emblem.

It was a huge job. The client was unknown, but he was generous enough to pay them in advance. They already knew the route the target would take and the time they would be there, so it was a simple matter of attacking them.

The targets, the women and the children alike, were to be killed, and the men would get a share of every single item they plunder. The target seemed to be a key figure in Zebrudia, and it seemed to be accompanied by a Knight order, but that was already taken into consideration.

And no matter which Knight order they have with them, there aren’t that many knights with them during an escort, and also, contrary to the Knight, they don’t have to protect anything. The only thing they had to be careful about was to not miss their target, but this place has good visibility and few places to hide.

However, the boss of the group didn’t have a happy expression. He frowned and said to the man next to him, whose face was smeared with a special paint to mask his smell.

“It is already past the scheduled time. Something may have happened.” (Mercenary Boss)

Those men were accustomed to this kind of mission. They can hide in the grass and trees for hours under the blazing sun, however, they can’t keep their concentration for hours.

The scout they sent out hadn’t returned yet. They had already received their rewards. If the schedule had changed for some reason, then there would have been a sign, but there was none.

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Today’s my birthday! Yay! Let’s hope that I will keep up with Strange Grief translation and catch up with the author one day!

Kruz really is a tsundere!

And Cry plunging headfirst into the wall was in fact a plan to delay the Emperor’s escort so they evade those mercenaries. Keikaku dori! XD

Tchao à plus!

Footnotes

Yowaningen: It means weak human, that’s how Kruz call Cry.