Chapter 9
When I wake up in the morning, Allen and Elena were already up . They are clinging on both of my sides staring at my face fixedly .
This has become a habit since our first camping in the forest .
「…… Morning」
「「……Mor… ning…」」
「!!」
They greeted me!! Allen and Elena spoke!
What adorable voices!
I who was greatly impressed hugged the two children reflectively .
◇ ◇ ◇
After having my fill of embracing the two, I finished preparations and we went to the guild .
It’s full of people, unlike yesterday . I go towards the low-rank Request Board while Allen and Elena are tightly sticking to me in order to not get separated .
A low-rank male and female adventurers around my age are gazing at the board .
A great number of Requests are closely packed together on the board .
There are three main types of Requests .
Gathering Request――A gathering job of a specific herbs or monster material .
Subjugation Request――A job to defeat a designated monster . After defeating it, a part of its body is necessary as a subjugation proof .
There are little to nothing Escort Requests for low-rankers . So I will be choosing between gathering and subjugation .
N~ what should I pick…… Would taking a gathering herbs request at first be better? With that, Allen and Elena can go with me…
Thinking that, I pick one of the Requests and stand in the queue at the counter .
「The next person」
「Thank you」
My turn finally came .
The receptionist behind the counter is the same that took care of us yesterday, Luna-san .
「Ara, Takumi-san . Good morning . A Request?」
「Good morning . This is the Request, please」
「Excuse me…… A gathering of Lilie Grass, I see . Your Guild Card, please」
I hand the Request I picked to Luna-san after light greetings .
Luna-san confirmed the contents of the Request, received my Guild Card and quickly operated the crystal .
「10 Lilie Grasses is considered a batch so please be careful . The time limit is until three days later」
Luna-san explains the important points of the Request .
「Thank you very much」
While saying my thanks, I received back my Guild Card and we leave the Guild .
We go towards the south gate at once .
There is a small forest in the south of Shirin . There are no monsters aside from E, F Rank slimes, and wolves . It’s a relatively safe area so it’s just the right place for newcomers and unskilled adventurers .
「Allen, Elena . This is the Lilie Grass」
After getting to the forest, I immediately find the Lilie Grass and show it to children . It has a dark green stalk with several jagged maple-like leaves .
The Lilie roots aren’t necessary so I cut the stalk and pick it up without the roots .
「If you find it, gather it like this . Understood?」
After Allen and Elena nod, they start searching the area for Lilie Grass at once .
They found it immediately . They timidly hold it in their tiny hands and trot over to me .
They uneasily look at me while holding out the Lilie Grass to me .
「It’s all right, this is the one . You did great~」
I pat the two children’s heads and receive the Lilie Grass while praising them .
Happy for being praised, kya, kya they make a merry and run off looking for another Lilie Grass .
I’m glad . It seems that their emotions and voices are returning little by little .
I feel relieved that they are growing in the right direction .
Now then, I should also start looking around~
I found the plant right after I began the search .
Oh, Cren Grass and Maryoku Grass are also there . There was a request for that too if I’m not mistaken . Let’s gather that too . Even if the Request won’t be there anymore, I can just store it in the《Infinite Storage》for the time being .
Along the way, Allen and Elena learned the characteristics of the various plants I was picking and also started looking for them .
Our gathering in the forest continues until the noon and the prepared jute bag was full of gathered herbs .
We gathered a sufficient amount .
「Allen, Elena . Let’s stop for today」
When I call the two, they trot over to me with hands full of herbs .
「You both gathered so much~ Amazing~」
When I praise them after receiving the plants, the two children make joyful expressions .
So cute~ The two laughed a lot today .
「Yosh, let’s return to town after eating a meal」
We left the forest, sat in the middle of a meadow with a great scenery, and returned to the town after eating the food I bought at the stall in the town .
◇ ◇ ◇
When we return to the Guild, I go straight to the Request Board and look for Requests with other herbs .
Umm… Cren Grass, Maryoku Grass, oh, Fenze Grass is also there .
「Welcome back」
The one who greeted me at the counter was Luna-san again .
「We have returned . These Requests in addition to the Request we have received this morning」
「I will confirm . Put the materials in this basket please」
After exchanging greetings, I put the Guild Card together with the new Requests on the counter . Luna-san received them and took out a basket .
I place the herbs into that basket . Because all kinds of herbs were in the 10 Requests I picked, I line them up while counting .
「… Y, you have quite a lot . It’s quite difficult to gather this much in half a day…」
「It’s because the children did their best」
The herbs turned into a heap because the basket is unexpectedly small .
Luna-san was a slightly surprised at the amount of herbs I took out, but she promptly started checking the herbs .
「This is this time’s reward」
Once the confirmation of the herbs is done, the reward money is presented . I confirm the amount of money at the counter and put them into a bag .
And when I think of returning――
「Why are brats in here!」
A large, bald adventurer comes over while shouting .