- Shari -

I’m going to sell some ingredients to our local tavern.

Sometimes I ask myself how this place can survive in a village like this.

The only guests coming from outside are small adventurer groups forced to sign up for a pest control job at this remote place to prevent them from spreading.

That’s either a penalty, harassment, or has simply something to do with failing a quota according to what I’ve heard until now from those who got assigned to our village.

But those people only come once a month to have a starting location for the job.

So I’m asking myself how the owner Miss Oka manages to keep this business alive.

The only conclusion I can come up with is that she gets paid by the same villagers she draws her ingredients for the dishes from, like this creating some kind of loop in a closed community.

In a way, one could say that this place, with its four tables, is the commercial center for all people of this village.

Even for me, as my family delivers the ingredients we draw from the forest mainly here.

When I enter the tavern I catch the rare sight of four people I don’t recognize at one table.

Is it again that time of the month?

I draw myself back from my thoughts as Miss Oka is right now at the counter.

"Hello Shari what can I do for you?" (Oka)

"Ah, you know we had this season a good harvest for greyshrooms and cinderberries, also some spiceweed. So I would like to know if our favorite customer would like to get the first choice?" (Shari)

"Sole customer, you wanted to say, hmm? To be honest at the moment we don’t really need many of these. The stocks are good and we didn’t sell many dishes with those recently." (Oka)

"Oh, that’s too bad! We would have really appreciated it if you would take some. It’s not like we are going to starve, but selling to the villagers one by one is quite a hassle and without the pay, it seems that my diet will suffer a heavy increase of berries and wild herbs. Honestly, they aren't very tasty, by all means for their health value." (Shari)

"Sorry to hear that, but how about this: If you bring me purpleberries and darkleaves, I would give you a special bonus for your effort." (Oka)

"Uh!" (Shari)

"Is something the matter?" (Oka)

"Well, you know, those are rather rare at the outskirts. Especially as most villagers directly take them if they find any close to the village. So the only way would be to head into the deep parts of the forest. However, you know this, don’t you?" (Shari)

"Seems like I’ve got exposed. If they would be easy to obtain I wouldn’t be short on them. Still, your family are kinda experts in traversing the forest, aren't you? So it shouldn't be asking too much and the bonus will make up for it." (Oka)

"Duh, I don't promise anything, but I will see what I can do." (Shari)

"I’ve expected nothing less from you." (Oka)

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"Yeah, yeah. Flattery won’t gain you a discount. I’m on my way then. Bye." (Shari)

"Goodbye, Shari." (Oka)

When I leave the counter, I manage to eavesdrop a bit on those adventurers.

I hope they are not here because of a penalty, as those people tend to be troublemakers.

But they seem to be okay since they are calmly chatting.

"God; why do we need to do this stupid subjugation quest, here in this god-forsaken place? I mean it's about "slimes"! Who cares if we kill them here or not?"

Said one of them.

A young man with a sword on his hip and a chain mail.

Is he always wearing this attire?

Seems rather uncomfortable always having to carry this heavy of a burden.

That's at least my opinion.

"You know that, if we don’t get them here, they will gather and inevitably draw to the important places."

Said number two, a ranger with a bow.

I’m a little offended by his indirect insult to my home village, though can’t really deny his assessment.

Heck, I don’t even know if we pay taxes, so remote as we are.

Have never seen someone coming for this reason.

"Well, maybe this might become more interesting than we think. Has any of you heard of this last incident where a group got completely wiped out?"

I assume this one is a mage.

His red robe is practically screaming fire.

I don’t know if it’s a good idea to announce it like this in battle, but I guess most monsters don’t care for colors and it might help in coordination with other groups.

"Hmm, I might have heard something in this regard as well."

The last one.

A rogue with a shortsword on his left side and several shells on his hip, which I think are for throwing.

"Wait, if they got wiped out how can there be a story?" (Adventurer 1)

"Sorry, wiped out was maybe a little too much. Apparently, the backline could run after their vanguard got killed." (Adventurer 3)

"Running? Some newbies that were done by the first over-average beast. Tsk!" (Adventurer 1)

"No, I’ve heard they had at least one year of experience. Not too much, but enough to handle a dangerous situation." (Adventurer 4)

"By the way, it was no beast." (Adventurer 3)

"What’s that supposed to mean?" (Adventurer 2)

"Now, to come back to our previous topic, I’ve heard it was a slime." (Adventurer 3)

"You're gonna be kidding me. Slimes can’t pull this off. I mean killing one not to mention two people before you can manage to escape? Did they jump in this blob heads first?" (Adventurer 1)

"No, it seems this one was some kind of mutation. Much bigger. And even more interesting, it took the appearance of a girl." (Adventurer 3)

"Okay now you're trying to fool us. I mean seriously, a girl?" (Adventurer 1)

"I didn’t mean to! It’s exactly what I’ve heard." (Adventurer 3)

"The way here took us quite a while and such news doesn’t spread terribly fast, so the story should be at least two months old." (Adventurer 2)

"Hmm, it sounds strange. But on the other hand, maybe there is a reason for this, like tricking your victim to hesitate or come close. As some kind of adaption against humans? Might work in the dark." (Adventurer 2)

"Well; she looks like a young beauty? Then I have no problem to come close." (Adventurer 1)

"Ehh, pal? You know what would be going to happen to your… Urgh, nevermind." (Adventurer 4)

At this point, our chain mail wearer grows seriously pale with the realization that you shouldn’t poke everything you come across.

"Still, a slime. That’s unheard of." (Adventurer 2)

"Pal, you shouldn’t take this so hard. There are others out there. For example, this girl over there is looking at you for quite a while now." (Adventurer 4)

Aaaaand I’m out here!

Okay, I need to go to the deeper forest in order to receive the ingredients and like this an appropriate pay.

It’s a bit more dangerous, as there are occasionally monsters.

But nothing I couldn’t handle.

It’s not really necessary to call mum for help.

I think she would just slow me down.

All I need is a basket and our good old smellbags.

I guess I take two more as spares.

Like this prepared, I’m more than ready for everything the forest might throw at me.

So I set out to get the ingredients.

I hope this will be worth it.