Bastard Swordsman

Life is Shrimp

Today's catch included 10 river shrimps and a cyclops' eyeball. But, Raina was the one who caught all the shrimp. I couldn't even show the airs of a senior like this. It seemed necessary to study fishing a bit more next time.

「A cyclops? That's pretty dangerous. Wasn't there a standing request for that?」

「I saw it across the river near the Silsaris Bridge. Unarmed and alone.」

「That's concerning. We need to send someone to investigate.」

We had the cyclops' parts verified at the processing facility and received an exchange ticket to hand over to the guild. In addition to that, we needed to document the unexpected encounter with the cyclops. That was the job of the dismantling professionals.

「Mongrel, did you check the stomach of the carcass?」

「Oh, I forgot.」

「Well, don't forget next time. If there are human or livestock remains in the stomach, how we handle it changes.」

Honestly, I didn't relish the thought of looking at humanoid monster innards. I'll keep it in mind if I remember.

「Our party also checked the stomach and intestines when we dealt with an ogre.」

「Gross, that's disgusting.」

「It really is. Those types of monsters are something else when you're dismantling them.」

After a short wait, the exchange ticket was completed, and we could head back to Regor.

I enjoyed the sensation of the shrimp thrashing inside the pot, leaving them temporarily in my inn. I had to wait for a day so they could clean themselves out.

The cyclops report was the real hassle. If I had encountered it alone, I could have kept quiet, but with Raina along, I had to demonstrate exemplary behavior as a senior.

「A cyclops beyond the Silsaris Bridge... That complicates things. Recently, rookies have been foraging recklessly and might have disturbed some obscure place.」

After showing the exchange ticket at the reception, we were immediately escorted to the vice-guildmaster's office in the guild. The vice-guildmaster, often in charge of the cumbersome tasks due to the guildmaster's frequent absences, was a man who endured a lot.

Now, the geography of the river by Silsaris was vividly mapped in his mind. The guild branch personnel were typically familiar with the surrounding geography.

「Did just the two of you take down this cyclops?」

「Yes, well, Raina shot the cyclops from across the river with her bow, then I dealt with it as it wobbled over.」

「Well, that was how it happened, but my archery wasn't that impressive.」

「Hmm... I don't recall there being a request by the riverside. Sorry, I can't remember.」

「We were shrimp fishing. They swarm there during this season.」

「Ah, I see... That makes sense.」

The vice-guildmaster seemed to be pondering the situation.

「Well, it's reluctant, but a re-investigation is necessary. Let's send Silver-ranked personnel and have them scout briefly. If we come up empty-handed two or three times, we'll call it off.」

「Huh, is the guild handling it? Aren't the town guards going to move?」

「It's a bad time... They're completely occupied with maintaining order and handling disputes inside Regor. Recently, all outside matters have been outsourced to us.」

Ah, the influx of people into the town was really straining things. My apologies, it's partly my fault.

「Oh, weren't both Mongrel and Raina still Bronze-ranked? I can see Mongrel, but shouldn't Raina be ready for a promotion by now?」

「With the problem being me, right?」

「You say that, but you have no intention of getting promoted.」

「Nope, none.」

「Huh, me? A promotion... Well, I just became Bronze 3 recently, so I think it's a bit early. There's still a long way to go.」

The bronze plate hanging around Raina's neck had three star-shaped decorations. These indicated one's rank-specific merits or demerits. Bronze 3 was just a step away from Silver, just like me. And changing the material of this plate during a promotion was where the strictest scrutiny occurred. In my case, they were pushing me to get promoted quickly instead.

「I see. Well, continue to steadily build your strength. Competent archers are invaluable.」

「Understood.」

「As for Mongrel... you're earning your contribution points, so I won't say much.」

「Hehehe, sorry.」

「Still, we have the guild's reputation to uphold. If you refuse to get promoted, ensure you clearly communicate this. We can't afford rumors suggesting the guild delays promotions based on race.」

「Yes, of course. I'll continue to represent this as always.」

The guild would certainly want to have enough Silver or higher-ranked personnel on hand for situations like these, but forcibly promoting someone who's earning contribution points and behaving exemplary was not an option for them.

So I thought, cut me some slack. There are plenty of rookies, nurture them from within.

「Phew, dealing with high-ranking people is suffocating.」

Leaving the vice-guildmaster's office, I felt relieved from the pressure. Good grief.

「Totally understand. It's even more so with nobles.」

「Ah, do you have many chances to talk with Artemis?」

「I can't divulge much... But as a country bumpkin, I just hide behind everyone else to avoid slipping up.」

「That's your best bet.」

The nobles in this world, or rather, the Halperia Kingdom, are genuinely terrifying. The best choice is to live below the radar. Especially for those with skills, they are targeted both positively and negatively. By pretending I can only "enhance,」

I blend into the background.

「Are these shrimps ready to eat?」

「Yeah, when fried in oil, both the shell and legs become crispy and delicious.」

The next day's noon. We decided to eat deep-fried shrimp at 「Forest's Bounty Inn」.

Preparing the oil and utensils was too hassle, so we paid the inn to cook them for us. Ideally, doing it ourselves would be best, but it's troublesome, and more importantly, I wanted to drink ale heartily.

「Wow, they're so colorful and beautiful... Such a nice smell.」

「Go on, try it.」

「Mmph... mmm! Delicious! It's so good!」

Ah, what a delightful smile. Then I'll have some too.

「Raina, would you please indulge me with some shrimp?」

「Since you covered the cooking fee, feel free, no need to hold back.」

「Thanks, hehehe.」

「Your laugh is creepy.」

Raina caught them all, after all. I'll humble myself for a good meal.

Let's see... ah, the aroma of freshly fried shrimp. The shell... yeah, despite the large size, it's still edible.

「Ale goes well with this...」

「Excuse me, another ale, please!」

Raina sure can drink a lot. I knew she was the strong type, but I don't recall ever seeing her tipsy or anything. Maybe it's just her nature, or perhaps it's the lower alcohol content in the drinks here.

「By the way, Raina, try adding some vinegar.」

「Is this okay? Will it be fine making it sour?」

「Well, squeezing citrus is ideal, but you're missing half your life if you don't add this.」

「Your life philosophy seems based on vinegar and shrimp... Anyway, let's see... mmm, delicious!」

「Told you, huh?」

Well, you add vinegar to fish and chips too. It pairs well with fried food. Personally, I prefer it more with seafood than with fried meats.

「Haaa... Shrimp fishing is nice...」

「Isn't it?」

Drinking in the afternoon. And delicious snacks. What a cultured day.

「Well, I wouldn't bet my whole life on it...」

「Let's go fishing again sometime.」

「Sure! But next time, Mongrel, you'll have to catch some too.」

「Of course.」

Next time, I'll be ready for a comeback. After all, catching it yourself makes it all the more satisfying.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
This is likely a humorous or ironic play on the phrase "Life is Strange" or "Life is Short", substituting "shrimp" (シュリンプ) for comedic or thematic effect.
Also, Mongrel's priorities is different from other adventurers frfr.
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】