Cheat Magician Life That Started From Being Judged Useless

Old friend's shop

***---***

 Leaving the Guild of Breichberg, Klaus-san walked along the path around the high monument of the church.

 This area was in the center of Breichberg, and the number of people and carriages on the road was much higher than in Volzard.

"Father, where are we going?"

"No good, no good, let's see, right. How about 'Pops, where are we going?', try it."(TN:Augusto uses 'Chichiue' usually, which is a really formal way of calling Father, Klaus asks him to use 'Oyaji' instead, which is more like Pops or Old Man.)

"P, Pops, where are we going?"

"Haa ... Maa, it's fine, let's have a meal for now. Come with me."

 Klaus walked lightly through the city of Breichberg.

 In Volzard, when walking down the street, we would be greeted by various people, but in Breichberg, our faces were almost completely unknown.

 That's why, it gave a feeling of returning to being an adventurer.

[ Reinhardt, can you keep an eye out for dangerous guys approaching? ]

[ Leave it to me. Kent-sama, please enjoy sightseeing in Breichberg to your heart's content. ]

[ Thank you, my best regards. ]

 Klaus-san entered the alley from the main street and proceeded without hesitation.

 The number of shops selling weapons and armor on the streets had increased, and the number of adventurers with swords hanging from their waists had also increased.

 This area was probably like the eastern district behind the Guild in Volzard.

 Eventually, we arrived at a corner lined with bars, but most of the shops were closed since it was daytime.

 In any case, I would have liked to have come at a later time as Klaus-san's treat.

 Klaus-san opened the door of a shop in a corner of the entertainment district that was still deserted.

"I'm coming in, there are three of us, but can we come in?"

"Aahhn, oya, it's the Klaus brat, it's been a while."

 The woman who appeared from the back of the store appeared to be an aged version of the boarding house's Amanda-san by about 20 years and made her more dignified.

"What's this, you have some pretty cute kids with you, don't you. Do you have a secret mistress aside from your wife?"

"Give me a break, I'm in no mood for that kind of thing. These are my sons."

"Ho~e~e, this fellow amazes me. You had such fine sons."

"I guess, these are Kent and Augusto."

"It's the first time ... I'm meeting you ... It's nice to ... Meet you."

"I'm Kent, hello."

 Augusto-san, who was warned about his tone a while ago, seemed to be confused as he tried to speak casually.

"I'm Dana. Come, come, don't just stand there, sit down."

"Ou, this way. Dana, three servings of the usual."

"Righto, wait a minute, I'll do my best to make it for you."

"Aahh, this place hasn't changed ..."

 Klaus took a nostalgic look around the store as he settled down on a seat by the wall near the kitchen.

 The ceiling and walls were black with soot and grease.

 It was hard to say that it was a beautiful store, but it did make you feel like it had been around for a long time.

"Klaus-san, did you work as an adventurer in Breichberg?"

"Yeah, advanced school was troublesome, I quit after two months and changed my saddle to an adventurer."

"Two months ..."

 I involuntarily exchanged glances with Augusto-san.

"But, why didn't you go back to Volzard?"

"If I went back, I would have a stiff life. I ran away because I didn't like that, so there's no way I would go back."

"Eeehhh, you ran away?"

"Yeah, I left a note just in case, don't look for me ... it said."

"Eeehhh ..."

 Klaus-san escaped the eyes of the butler who had gone with him from Volzard and ran out of the dormitory with a change of clothes and cash.

 It seemed that he rode in a shared carriage and headed to Breichberg in the opposite direction from Volzard, where he registered as a new adventurer in the Guild.

"Well then, it caused a big fuss, didn't it?"

"Who knows, I didn't return to Volzard for a while, so I don't know much about it. Besides, I had a talented older brother, so they didn't expect much from me."

 Klaus-san seemed to have interacted with adventurers since he was in Volzard.

"Rather than playing with the kids around me, it was more fun hanging out with people my age. Those guys graduated from school and became adventurers, and when I listened to their stories, it was natural for me to want to do it myself."

 That being said, the son of a Feudal Lord in Volzard couldn't possibly become an adventurer, so going to Bakkenheim seemed to have been the same as getting a chance to escape for Klaus-san.

"Well then, instead of quitting after two months, wouldn't it be more correct to say it took two months to prepare to run away?"

"Ou, what you said is exactly right."

 Normally, the son of a noble runs away from home and becomes an adventurer ... If it's such a pattern, it's assured they will get lost in the street after being stripped of their possessions.

"Stu~pid, there's no reason for me to screw up like that. In this world, you have to cross over quickly and skillfully."

 While we were talking, the fragrant smell of grilled meat wafted from the kitchen.

 Immediately, my stomach let out a voice of dissatisfaction.

"Fuhahaha, maa, Kent's age may be the best age to eat. Maa, wait a little longer."

 When I turned my gaze to the kitchen anticipating what would come out, a large-built man suddenly came out and startled me.

"Yo, Ivan, how are you doing?"

 The man Klaus-san called Ivan, probably about 30 years old, silently nodded twice and began to arrange the dishes.

 A large basket of black bread, a large cup of potage soup, and a knife and fork were lined up.

"Aiyo, it's a Breich pork Steak."

"Ou, if I don't eat this one, I won't feel like I've come to Breichberg."

 What came out on a large plate was a chunk of meat the size of a brick.

 The surface was crispy and browned, and the fat made a sizzling sound.

 The garnish looked like cut potatoes.

"Now, let's eat before it gets cold."

"Yes, Itadakimasu!"

 Klaus-san grabbed a knife and fork, so I also didn't hesitate to dig in.

 I felt that it was soft just by pressing it with a fork, but when I put a knife on it, the blade slipped into it.

 The meat was cooked to medium rare, and the meat juices overflowed from the cross section.

 When I cut it into large pieces and stuffed my mouth with it, the umami of the fat and the umami of the lean meat blended together and exploded in my mouth.

"Nn~~h! Uunma~i! Dangerous, this is a dangerous taste!"(TN:Extended 'Umai'(Tasty))

"How is it, it should be tasty. The taste of Breich pork is famous, and the steak at this restaurant is excellent."

"Certainly, this is delicious ... it's tasty."(TN:Awkward Augusto trying to speak casually instead of formally.)

"Fuhahaha, don't make a difficult face, just focus on eating like Kent."

 Eehh, I don't care what you say. I can't stop cutting the meat anymore.

 After coming to this world, I learned that the blend of herbs and salt was the strongest combination with grilled meat.

 While removing the unpleasant odor of the meat, it brought out the original wild flavor of the meat and reduced the persistent aftertaste.

 Perhaps it was the supreme blend that they arrived at as a result of trial and error over and over again.

 I put about half of it in my stomach at once, and enjoyed the collaboration with black bread and potage soup from there.

 The crispy texture of the black bread and the aroma of the wheat brought out the rich flavor of the meat, and the potage soup added the sweetness of the vegetables.

"Fuwaaaah, so happy ..."

"Kuukuukuu, you really eat deliciously. It's worth feeding you."

"No, because ... I'm already happy."

 It's crazy, I can't say how good it is.

 When I suddenly moved my gaze to the side, Augusto-san was scraping the surface of the meat to check the taste of herbs, and cutting out only the center of the meat to check the taste.

 Yup, I understand how you feel, but I'm tempted to ask if you're going to become a chef.

 Klaus-san was also smiling wryly at the seat on the other side.

 After I finished eating all the meat, I was thinking of wiping the remaining sauce on the plate with a piece of bread before eating it, but more meat was added.

"Hoeh?"

"Kid, you're eating well. This is a treat from me. Eat it and grow up well."

 When I looked up, Dana-san was standing there holding a frying pan and a large fork in her hands.

"Th, thank you very much. Itadakimasu!"

"Fuufuufuu, Klaus, isn't he a good son."

"Indeed. These are my proud sons. This is my eldest son, and this is my son-in-law."

"Haa, son-in-law? This brat is?"

"Yeah, that's right, also, he's going to have four wives."

"Haaa? You, are you joking with me?"

"I'm not kidding, I'm neither lying nor joking, he's an S-rank adventurer even if he looks like this."

"Haaaaahh? S-rank you say?"

 With Dana-san's loud voice, the eyes of the other customers in the store seemed to be focused on me.

 But, the steak is more important now.

 If it cools down, the taste will be halved, so I'm busy.

"Guyahahahaha, did you hear that, that chibi is an S-rank adventurer."

"Idiot, it must be a joke. That kind of kid can't even get up to D-rank."

 Yes, yes, I know that I don't look the part without being told.

"Klaus, can't you make a better joke than having four wives or being an S-rank adventurer."

"Maa, because he looks like this, it does sound like a joke, but I'm serious. If this guy weren't here, Volzard might have disappeared."

 No, no, although I don't mind such talk, but is it okay if I eat this black bread?

 It's fine, isn't it, I'll eat it even if you say it's no good.

"Oi, oi, are you drunk in the middle of the day, old man!"

"Nn? Did you say something, it's hard to understand what you're saying ..."

"What'd you say, basta~rd!"

 I wonder what it is, Klaus-san, coming to an old friend's shop, it completely feels like being an adventurer.

[ Sorry, Reinhardt, have them be quiet a little. ]

[ Roger that. ]

 I put out a large shield of darkness in front of the two adventurers who kicked up their chairs and blocked their way, and at the same time blocked Dana-san's view.

"Uaa, wha~ ..."

 After raising a voice of surprise for a moment, the adventurers immediately fell silent.

[ Kent-sama, it's over. ]

[ Thank you, Reinhardt. ]

 When I erased the shield of darkness and glanced at the two adventurers, their pale faces were trembling.

 Yup, I wonder what happened behind the shield.

"Is there anything still?"

 When I called out to them, they both shook their heads.

[ Reinhardt, what did you do? ]

[ I went out and pointed my sword at them, but Zeta and Nero were also interested and showed their faces ... ]

[ I see, so that's it ... ]

 This might be what happens when a metallic Skeleton shoves a large sword at you and a Gigawolf and Storm Cat glare at you.

"Fuu, thank you for the meal."

"Seriously, that just surprised me Klaus. This kid, is he the one who erased the Salamander that appeared in Bakkenheim?"

"Yeah, that's right. As a bonus, that Salamander seems to follow him as his genus. Adventurers around here might be turned into cinders in no time."

 Hearing Klaus-san's words, the two adventurers put the money on the table and clapped their chairs and stood up.

"O, ou, we'll leave the payment behind ..."

 They hurriedly went straight out of the store.

"Klaus-san, isn't this an obstruction of business?'

"What are you talking about, those guys, they're people who don't make money because they don't do proper requests and just wither away."

"Yeah, that's right, just like someone when they were young, fufufufu ..."

 Klaus-san shook his head at Dana-san's words and showed a wry smile.

 Maybe it was like the relationship between me and Amanda-san currently.

 After leaving Dana-san's shop, we returned to the main street and looked around the shops one after another.

 Klaus-san talked openly to the store clerks to gather information, such as the market prices, quality, and the condition of the vegetables and fruits.

 You couldn't look up market prices online like you could in Japan, so this kind of information must be valuable.

 Augusto-san, who was walking with me, seemed to want to ask various questions, but as soon as he started talking, the clerk showed caution.

 After all, you could tell something aristocratic in every part of his words, and it seemed that his clothes gave the impression of being inconsistent with each other.

 That being said, even if he was warned, he couldn't ask for detailed information, but he could listen to the story at a normal customer service level.

 Even with just that, it was information that you couldn't get if you were in Volzard, so Augusto-san was furiously taking notes.

 Rather, that memo is also a cause for suspicion.

 Last year, Volzard was attacked by monsters such as Ogres, Goblins, Orcs, and a Griffon, but it didn't seem to have affected the vicinity of Breichberg.

 The weather seemed to have been relatively mild, and it seemed that grains such as wheat were doing well.

"Kent, for agricultural crops, did you know that even if the harvest is too bountiful, it will be troubling?"

"Umm ... Because the amount on the market has increased too much and the price has fallen ... is it?"

"Oohh, you know it well, grains that can be preserved have a small drop in price, but vegetables and fruits that can't be preserved can be halved in price if you're not careful."

"But, in the case of Volzard, the price won't drop that much, right?"

"Hou, why do you think so?"

"Umm ... I don't think the area of the fields is large compared to the number of people consuming it ..."

 Klaus-san, who heard my answer, loosened his mouth with a grin.

"What's that, Kent. You're really not so useless after all are you. Or is that common knowledge in your country?"

"That's right. If I had to say, it's closer to common sense. If the price of oil or vegetables rises sharply, it will be on the news."

"I see, in that case, I think it's okay to talk about it with a certain amount of knowledge. Kent, please help Volzard improve their eating habits."

"Could it be that you will buy vegetables in Breichberg and bring them to Volzard?"

"That's right, can you carry it without taking days?"

 According to Klaus-san, the market in Breichberg sold many times more kinds of vegetables than in Volzard.

 However, there was a limit to the number of days that such vegetables could be transported, and it seemed that they had not been able to transport them to Volzard, which took more than a week by carriage.

"Near Breichberg, the adjacent Verlingen, and Liebenstein, agriculture is flourishing. They have a wide variety and are reasonably priced."

"But, wouldn't it be a problem for Volzard's farmers if we bring in too cheap vegetables?"

"If you buy it blindly, I suppose it will. However, in the current state of Volzard, the amount of vegetables that can be grown is basically insufficient. With the Devil's Forest and dungeon nearby, the men choose the path of an adventurer over that of a farmer."

"As the city grows, there may be food shortages, right?"

"Maa, it's not right now, but it's a situation where it wouldn't be strange if it happened in the near future."

 It seemed that the reason why he let Augusto-san accompany him this time, in addition to simply showing the work of the Lord, was to consider transporting vegetables using me.

"Actually, it's obvious that it's best to cover everything within your own territory. However, we have to have a way to overcome the year of bad harvest. Kent, did you know that much of the wheat eaten in Volzard is from the previous year?"

"Saying that, does that mean that you stockpile the wheat harvested that year and eat the wheat from the previous year?"

"Indeed, that's right. If the bad harvest is only one year, with this we can survive, and if other areas are not bad, we can buy and replenish it. However, vegetables have a limited shelf life. In the past, a large number of monsters have trampled the fields that were about to be harvested, causing a serious food crisis. Even if we protect the city, it would be meaningless if there were people starving to death in the subsequent famine."

 Klaus-san was thinking of starting with the purchase of vegetables to make up for the lack of vegetables in Volzard, and in the future, he was thinking about contract farming with farmers near Breichberg.

"But, Klaus-san, in the end, I'm the only one can do that transportation. It's fine as long as I'm healthy and working, but won't it be a problem fifty years from now, or a hundred years from now, after I die?"

"Kent, did you forget something?"

"Ehh, is there a way to solve this?"

"Kent, what do you think is the problem?"

"It takes time to transport from Breichberg to Volzard."

"How long does it take to travel the same distance in Japan?"

"Oohhh! I see, if the transportation system is developed, the time can be shortened."

 A hundred years ago in Japan, trains were running only in certain areas, and cars were not common.

 What's more, in the case of Volzard, it wouldn't be strange for it to develop even more rapidly, considering the technology transfer from Japan.

"Too rapid of technological development carries the risk of causing great distortion and confusion in the world, but it is the role of the Feudal Lord to think about developments that will improve the lives of the residents. To put it simply, I will feed the people of the territory delicious food."

 Klaus-san's frivolous grin gave me goosebumps.

 He had many problems, but he was a wonderful Lord who really cared about the happiness of his people.

 Eehh, there were various personality problems.

"Augusto, listen to Kent and think about what to start with. This problem will have to be dealt with in your time rather than mine."

"Yes, I will do my best for the people of the territory."

"Kent, please cooperate."

"Yes, I will do everything I can to help."

"Okay, I'm counting on you two. Let me take it easy, fuhahahaha!"

 Looking at Klaus-san who was smiling happily, Augusto-san and I together smiled wryly.