WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS
Translator: Abood
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Saviour Embarks on a Nameless Journey
Chapter 38: A Skewed Sense of Normal
Once we had been seen off by the magistrate and his men and passed through the gate, we found Tain standing beside the demon horse.
Few townsfolk passed through this gate, it was meant mainly for travelers to be checked by the officials.
“I’ll be counting on you. Alina, Io, this is Tain whom we spoke of.”
I led the demon horse forward and introduced the two, who had yet to meet him face-to-face.
“I am Alina. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“I am Io. It is a pleasure.”
They lightly pinched the hems of their skirts, bent their knees, and sank into a small curtsy.
“I’m Tain, mercenary. The Boss asked me to judge what’s common sense and what’s not. For starters, you can save that kind of greeting for magistrates or lords, not for the likes of me.”
“In a formal setting, we’ll be a bit more proper.”
“A greeting is only natural for a lady.”
Alina tilted her head slightly with a troubled look, while Io smiled.
Children who had yet to reach adulthood could get away with this sort of courtesy for anyone, but Alina and Io lowered themselves nearly to the ground depending on whom they faced and the setting.
For a woman, that kind of curtsy demanded no small measure of strength.
“Well, if you want to be seen as ladies, then keep at it. But the average townsfolk only bow their heads or give a wave, you know?”
In other words, Tain was warning them it would draw attention outside.
“For these two, a little attention is fine for the sake of their future. That said, in places where word would reach the castle quickly, I’ll have to ask them to refrain, for my own reasons.”
By custom, a royal’s weapon-seeking journey is not widely reported. Unless the seeker of the weapon openly declares their name and makes a great stir, word is not sent to the castle.
Tain only shrugged, clearly not quite understanding.
“I’ll explain in due time.”
Though there were fewer people near the gate, it wasn’t entirely deserted.
Mounting the demon horse, we set off on our journey.
“The weather is fine. I’m glad.”
Alina said brightly.
“Aye, so it is.”
I answered her smile.
When the Demon King was present, the weather and the seasons never settled. Now, however, the skies were calm.
Summer felt as summer should, winter as winter should, and the landscapes were beautiful. Whether that was good or ill for Alina and Io’s training, I could not say.
—But for traveling, it was fine indeed.
“Grandfather, what kind of place is this Terenoa, really?”
“I do not know the Terenoa of today.”
The demon horse’s hooves struck the highway with a harder, sharper sound than those of an ordinary steed.
I had heard information about the major cities, but so had Alina. As royalty, she likely knew more of the domestic and foreign cities than I ever did.
The Terenoa I once visited bustled with weapon and mercenary trade. Though, given the grim and desperate atmosphere of the place, ’bustled’ might not be the best word.
Now, I’ve heard it deals mainly in raw goods, such as wheat, spices, thread and textiles, ores and minerals.
“Plenty of craftsmen come looking to buy good materials cheap, and many of them end up settling in Terenoa. These days there’s more and more trade in finished goods as well. It’s a lively town, stay there a while and you’ll find the energy rubs off on you.”
Tain said.
“Come to think of it, I heard that new fabric everyone’s been talking about lately also came from Terenoa. I thought that only meant it passed through Terenoa, but it seems it was actually woven there.”
Io’s gaze drifted unfocused as though recalling the moment she had heard of it.
“A town where one can see many unusual things, and feel more spirited for it? I look forward to it.”
Alina said, smiling happily.
Talking idly as we went, we left the highway at midday and entered the forest.
“Usually, while Marius prepares the fire, I go out and bring something back. The two girls fetch water or gather edible plants. As for us, let’s speak of our matters over the meal.”
“Sure. I’ll have a look around the forest too,” Tain replied.
“If fortune smiles and you bring back game, that will be enough. We’ve provisions from town, and you could always hunt in the evening. Just be sure to head back once the sun reaches its peak.”
Marius called out to us, well, more to Tain than to me.
And so, we set about gathering lunch. I looked for animal tracks, trees putting out fresh shoots that birds fed upon this season, fruit-bearing trees. If there were water nearby, it would have been easier still.
I soon found traces of boar. But we couldn’t afford to stake out for days, and unless by chance we stumbled across one, our catch would more often be birds.
Birds taste better if left to hang a while, but on the road one can’t be so indulgent. With that in mind, I brought down a Tiger Quail and set about dressing it.
The Tiger Quail, found in these parts, is kin to the quail, though slightly tainted by monster blood and about twice the size. Its feathers bear tiger-like stripes, and so it is named.
With five strung up, I returned to where Marius and the others waited.
“You’re kidding… Boss, you’ve got skill,”
Tain, who had arrived ahead of me and was handing his catch to Io, turned to look and froze at the sight.
“This man’s a monster magnet. For him to have bagged one in such a short time — you’ve got skill enough yourself,” Marius said.
“Shut it, that was pure chance!”
It’s not as though I want to wander toward where monsters are.
“No one calls that kind of encounter rate chance,” Marius replied.
I ignored him and set to cooking.
I quickly dressed the Tiger Quail and set it to the pan. Drizzling hazelnut oil over it, I seared the skin, then passed it on to Marius. With his magic, he cooked it through to the center, making it ready to eat in no time.
“Eh—wait, hold on. What was that just now?”
As I took the meat back from Marius’s pan, slicing it up, Tain’s eyes darted busily between me, Marius, and the deliciously browned meat as he spoke.
“Uncle’s control of magic is nothing short of splendid. I tried it myself once, but I ended up ruining the frying pan…” Io said, lowering her gaze.
“My sister is still in the midst of her growth. Her mana reserves increase day by day, sometimes even hour by hour. To expect such delicate control would be unreasonable,” Alina said, cheeks puffed slightly in indignation.
Ahh, how adorable my grandchildren are.
“So that’s the issue, huh…? Yeah, that’s the issue. Still, it makes me nervous to even ask what you all really are,” Tain muttered, holding his head.
“Daily meals are the top priority, you know.”
On the road, after all, we could ill afford to show any opening to monsters. For the sake of our health as well, quick cooking and good food were necessities.
Footnotes:
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