Chapter 97: Plans

「En was blessed by the spirit with storage when he was in the temple, so it was exposed right there and then. We’ve been targeted ever since. 」
「That’s so hard on you. So, you’re gonna flee from this place? 」

It’ll be lonely then~

「We’ll go to Canum. I’m tired of running away. 」
「What? Why Canum? 」
My place?

「Shiva and I are adventurers, and we’re quite famous, you know~? 」
Dinosso goofily winked at me.

The deities had also recommended the borderland city of Canum to me. Folks here aren’t that clan-oriented like the people of the Northern Kingdom. In fact, it’s also considered as the city with the least interference from troublesome aristocrats and the temples.

Dinosso and Shiva are highly-skilled adventures, apparently — oh, wait, Madam was a former young noble miss, and she became an adventurer when she met Dinosso. Uh, I seriously don’t get her.

Alright, back to the story — they were skilled adventurers, but four years ago, En obtained【Storage】. He decided that it would be too dangerous if he’s going to leave the children to Madam, so he opted to stop being an adventurer because they could easily pinpoint his whereabouts with that occupation. They then concealed themselves.

「It’s been four years, but they’re so stubborn, even venturing to a remote place like this. Before Shiva and I become weaker, we want to teach the children so they can protect and fend for themselves. 」

「So, you’re going back to being an adventurer, then? 」
「Yup, yup. At any rate, I’m well trained with handling animals and hunting them. En and Vak are almost 8, so it’s time to expand their world. 」

They weren’t the peaceful farming family that I initially thought, but hey, he’s a good father, huh.

「So, about the restorative potions fee… 」
Dinosso took a jar on top of a tall shelf, then he poured the contents onto the table. Gold coins spread out.

「What’s the current market price for restorative potions? 」
「Ah, no, you don’t have to. 」
「If you have the means to pay then pay, that’s my principle! 」
Dinosso was about to tear off his bandages.

After paying me, he gathered the rest and divided them into bags. That’s quite the stash he has there, probably enough to last them for a few years in Canum.

「You’re dividing them? That seems to be a lot. 」
「Canum’s far, after all. It’ll be good if we’re still together by the time we reach that place, but in case we get separated, I’ll give enough money to each of the children so they can hire an adventurer. 」
「I see — Want me to escort you? 」

「Dear, if your wound is fine then — Oh? The restorative potion isn’t expired yet? 」
I took the plunge and asked them, but Madam returned right on cue. Restorative potions turn brown once they expire and they’ll lose their effect. No matter how you think about it, there’s no way they could still use the restorative potions from during their adventurer days, right?.

「I got this from Jean. Let’s have a meal first. I’ll leave that to you, if it’s okay? I’ll throw those things outside first while you’re preparing. 」
Dinosso stood up. Things — ah, you’re referring to those scoundrels outside, right? Well, even if they’re going to abandon this house, there might be somebody trailing them so it’s better not to leave any evidence.

「Sorry, Jean. You must have been shocked. 」
「Er…Yeah, I was surprised. 」
Let’s be honest about this one.

「I’ll cook dinner, so go ahead with your preparations for moving out. Ah, please take the ingredients you’re going to bring with you before that. 」
Madam divided the pickled meat, wine, dried vegetables and other stuff into five big and five small bundles — probably for the 【Storage】 and the portions each of them will carry.

I took a sidelong glance before preparing the meal from what’s left of the ingredients. The soup is already at the fireplace, so what’s next?

Okay, wash the salted meat first before tossing blocks of them into the bean and cabbage soup. Add turnips and onions and adjust the saltiness.

Shred the carrots into thin slices, mix some olive oil, wine, vinegar and a pinch of sugar. Oh, this sugar must be the one I brought before. I should’ve brought some pepper too back then.

….I secretly took out just a tinsy bit of pepper from 【Storage】, then slowly poured the liquid mixture onto the carrots and tossed it a few times — and voila, my carrot rapées
is done.
I’m already familiar with this place as if it’s my own, so I helped myself to the shed, picked some eggs and placed them into the basket. Since it seemed like they wouldn’t bring the mushrooms pickled in oil, I also got some salted meat and sauteed them together in butter to make some sauce.

The main dish is omelette. Actually, I want to use another pan for the eggs since the smell easily clings, but…Anyway, I just cleaned the pan I used to saute the mushrooms in the meantime before putting it back on the stove, heating it, then dropping the butter.

I added the scrambled eggs. The edges tend to be the first part to harden, so I raked them towards the center while shaking the pan and stirring the eggs to make it fluffier. Then, I added some cheese, stopped shaking the pan and stirring. When the egg mixture started to stick to the pan, I pulled the omelet to the side of the pan and shaped it.

Pour an ample amount of mushroom sauce and it’s done. Ahh, ketchup, ketchup would be nice~.

「I’m done.」
Soup with huge chunks of pork, cheese omelet, carrot rapées.

「Jean’s dishes have pretty colors~ 」
The children washed their hands, and Shiva also made Dinosso wash his when he tried to take a seat as is.

「Looks great as always. 」
Said Dinosso, the guy who tried to skip handwashing.

「It’s the jiggly one! 」
Vak seemed to recall the one time I made it for them, and he excitedly shook his plate.

「Mmm, Tina will also be good at cooking! 」
「Yeah, your hubby-san will be better than you at this rate! 」
「En, my cute Tina will not become a bride!」
Dinosso makes a parent fuss while Tina and En have a pleasant chit-chat.

Will I hear them talk like this in Canum?

「How far is it from here to Canum? 」
「A month and a half if all is well. We got the horses those bunch left, and we also have En’s 【Storage】after all. 」

Just like Dinosso said, the journey will be remarkably smooth if they have【Storage】. After all, they had to camp outdoors most of the time, and even if the villagers agreed to share some food, they might not have enough considering winter had just barely passed.
Well, the peace of mind that a guaranteed food supply brings is amazing; I also felt this when I joined the expedition back then.

「We’ll no longer see Jean? 」
「Nah, we’ll definitely meet. 」
Tina stopped eating and her eyes turned misty, so I patted her head.

「Ah, me too! 」
「Unfair! Me too! 」
The twins clamoured, so I also patted them.

Still, won’t it be easier for us to meet once they’re at Canum?

「We’ll move to Canum for a few years, get used to it, then it’s the labyrinth. 」
「Eh 」

Dinosso’s words shocked me.

Eh, you’re not gonna live in Canum permanently!? Labyrinth? Oh, yeah, the deities mentioned the labyrinth during the initial explanation… I completely forgot.

______
T/N: Well, it wasn’t mentioned to the readers, so yeah, it’s alright, Jean XD.