Chapter 227: Chapter 211: Guiding

“Haah~ that was funny.”

“You three laughed too much! Gee~ even though the three of you can’t cook either~~~”

Iris-san protested vehemently the three laughing people.

“We are better than you.”

“Yep, yep. We can make something edible at the very least.”

“It has no taste, though! There’s not that much difference between us!”

“It’s a wide difference, ya know! Don’t lump us together!”

“That’s right. I don’t know how you make a soup that’s supposed to be clear, into a bubbling, pitch-black mess.”

“That’s not normal, right? Why don’t you accept it already?”

“Kuu~~~”

However, her protesting was defeated by the words from Zack-san and Gilm-san.

Still... I have heard that the food Iris-san makes could be considered poison, but making a clear soup into a bubbling, pitch-black mess? It... doesn’t look like coal tar, does it? I mean, they said it’s bubbly. That sounds abnormal, doesn’t it? It makes me very curious~

I have made a soup of dubious purple color before, but it was normally edible. Therefore, judging by color isn’t very reliable, but making something that’s supposed to be clear into pitch-black certainly arouses my curiosity.

“... Rudolph-san, Zack-san, Gilm-san, have you tried eating that soup?”

“... The moment it touched the spoon, the soup started smoking and changed color, ya know? There’s no way it was edible, right?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It was apparently even more incredible thing than I imagined.

I would like to Appraise it to see whether what Iris-san made was even considered a soup, but I stopped myself.

“That reminds me, I have not asked you about this yet. Have you come to this town to complete a request, Takumi?”

As Rudolph-san remembered, he asked the reason we came to Kelm.

“Err... if you call it a request, then it can be considered one, I think? I was asked for herbs within the mines.”

“Searching for~”

“Herbs~”

“Hoh~ is that so?”

“Yes. Are you guys on a request too?”

“No, we came for weapons maintenance. This town is the best in the country for that kind of stuff.”

So Rudolph-san and his group came to repair their weapons, huh. As I thought, this town is strong in the smithing department.

“Of course, there’s plenty of stuff other than weapons, like pots. Shall I buy you some?”

Is this... Rudolph-san teasing me? Or perhaps does he want me to cook for him?

“We have~”

“A pot, you know~?”

“Oh? You guys have a pot on you too?”

“Allen doesn’t.”

“Elena doesn’t.”

“”Onii~chan does~””

“Is that so...”

Hearing the children’s words, Rudolph-san became a bit worried.

“Takumi, if you intend to keep traveling with the kids in the future, it would be better to rethink their baggage. You can’t be simply thinking that you will always be by their side. You have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario at all times. Even if the pot is not for cooking, you need something to boil hot water in to wash yourself. Even someone like me who can’t cook is carrying a pot. Your life can be tied by a simple pot. It would be a problem if the baggage got too bulky, but... it won’t be a problem with those pouches the kids have, right?”

Rudolph-san advised me with a serious expression.

Of course, he reduced his volume when talking about the children’s pouches.

“That’s so, isn’t it? I will revise their stuff as soon as possible.”

“Yeah, do that.”

During our time in a dungeon with Al-sama, I was reflecting on the fact that I put too little dried meat in their pouches, but it seems that I was still lacking in some departments.

Following the idiom “Well prepared means no worries”, I should pack more for Allen and Elena than they need.

Luckily, the two’s pouches are magic bags, so I don’t have to worry about the capacity.

“That being the case, Rudolph-san. I will pay the request fee, so I would like to ask you for guidance, or coaching...”

“Fumu... We don’t have many requests at the moment, so I don’t really mind. One thing, make the fee your cooking instead.”

“Cooking... is it?”

“Yeah, the dishes you made at the camp were quite good. I want to eat the food you made in a proper place.”

At higher ranks, adventurers receive requests to guide the children of nobility. I heard they are fairly expensive!

When I think about that, isn’t my cooking as fee quite cheap?

“Don’t mind it. Think of it as an acquaintance discount. Right~ have you decided on an inn already, Takumi?”

“No, not yet.”

“Then, come to the same inn we are staying at. They should have free rooms. It’s of intermediate-level, but you guys should have no trouble with the fees, right?”

“Yes, we will be fine.”

“It’s an inn called ‘White Cat’. Well, we will take you there when you finish your business here. I will check what things they have in their pouches first.”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

Rudolph-san wants to coach me immediately, so we decided to stay at the same inn to make things easier.

Moreover, the ‘White Cat’ is the same inn the gate guard recommended to us.

“That being the case, finish your business fast. What did you come to the guild for? You did not come here to accept a request, right?”

“Ah~ we came to sell material. We were collecting stuff on the way here from the Capital.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Well, I am not in a hurry to dispose of it, so it doesn’t have to be done today. I would feel sorry for making you wait.”

“Don’t mind it. Rather, I’m curious what good stuff you have brought, so show it to me. Come to the counter~”

“Hahaha, got it~”

Umm... they are all inoffensive materials this time, so it should be fine.

“Allen, Elena, let’s go sell the materials~”

“”Yess~””

Taking Allen and Elena’s hands, I followed Rudolph-san to the counter.

“Isn’t it Rudolph-san? You have not received requests today, right? Did something happen?”

As I thought, Rudolph-san is a well-known person. He just approached the counter a little before the receptionist greeted him.

Ah, but, when we stepped inside the guild in the Capital, Keimi-san would immediately rush over to welcome us~ is this the same?

“He’s the one that has a business with you.”

“Hello, I’m Takumi. I came to sell materials.”

“I’m Allen.”

“I’m Elena.”

The staff member looked towards me when Rudolph-san spoke, so I greeted them first.

“This is my first time seeing your face around here. You seem to be close, Rudolph-san...”

“Yeah, we worked together in Shirin. I will say it just in case, but he’s not a low-ranked newbie, alright?”

“Ehh!?”

Err... it’s true that I am not a low-ranked, but it has not been even a year since I registered, you know? Wouldn’t I still be considered a newbie?

“Rudolph-san, Rudolph-san. We are still newbies, you know?”

“You may not have much experience, but you are not a newbie anymore, alright! Well, I will allow the kids to be called newbies because of their age, though! Although it’s not true because of their strength either!”

... I got scolded.

How cruel~ even though “not much experience = newbie.”

“This fellow is ‘Setsuna’.”

“Eh!? Setsuna!? Isn’t Setsuna the person who became A-rank in the shortest time ever!?”

Rudolph-san introduced me to the staff member, but what kind of introduction was that!?

“Wait a moment!? Seriously, hold up!! W, why do you know that, Rudolph-san!!”

“You mean the nickname?”

“Yes! That!”

Seriously, why does Rudolph-san know of that nickname!? Didn’t that spread only around the Capital-!?

“Takumi~... please have some self-awareness that you are a celebrity now~”

“Ehh~”

“You are someone who became A-ranker in the shortest time, ya know? It’s only natural for a fellow like that to get a nickname and become famous, right?”

“......”

Seriously... the speed information spread in this world can’t be taken lightly~ At this rate, it’s quite possible that it already spread outside the country, right?

“Now there, don’t be hanging your head down and get the materials out.”

“... Yeah~”