Chapter 49 - Applicants

The day was over, so we decided to go to a hotel and give Raphtalia treatment.

We re-dressed Raphtalia’s wounds by soaking the bandages in the holy water I bought.

After the bandages have been applied, black smoke started rising from the wound.

Raphtalia: “U……Ku…..”

Naofumi: “Are you okay?”

Raphtalia: “Y-yes. There’s a feeling of stiffness leaving the body and it’s also quite itchy.”

Naofumi: “I see……”

I want to heal her as fast as possible, because I injured her.

The black bruise seems to have gotten lighter.

Raphtalia:”The place Naofumi-sama wounded is healing quickly.”

Naofumi: “That’s good”

I want you to recover as soon as possible.

Firo: “Ah, Raphtalia Onee-chan is so sly, stop philandering with master.”

Although Firo says that, she was clinging to me throughout the treatment.

Raphtalia: “I am not flirting!”

Naofumi: “That’s right, all I’m doing is treating Raphtalia’s wounds.”

Raphtalia and I are philandering…… what’s with that outdated slang? Oh well. Where did you learn something like that? Raphtalia and I aren’t in that kind of relationship.

Firo: “Raphtalia Onee-chan’s back is black.”

Raphtalia: “Please don’t say such things”

These two get along quite well.

Naofumi: “Well, the wave is coming soon so just relax”

Firo: “Okay~!”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Raphtalia: “That’s right. We have been quite busy recently, relaxing occasionally is not bad.”

Naofumi: “Yeah.”

Firo: “Master, when are you going to make food?”

Naofumi: “Let’s see…… How about tomorrow?”

Firo: “Yaay~!”

In this way, while giving Raphtalia treatment, we slept at the inn.

The next day.

The equipment I asked the old man to make hasn’t been finished yet.

There’s nothing particularly important to do, it might be a good idea to show up at the magic shop or the pharmacy.

Or should I go to the dressmaking shop and look?

Naofumi: “Now then, what should we do today?”

Raphtalia: “Let’s see……”

Firo: “Food!”

Naofumi: “Yes Yes. I know.”

As for recovery medicine, I have already prepared a lot in between the waves……

Since Raphtalia and Firo have already hit their Level limit, only I need to get levels.

It might be a waste, but it would be fine to take a rest for a while.

Raphtalia’s wounds aren’t completely healed either.

Naofumi: “Should I go get more holy water?”

Raphtalia: “Eh? There’s still some left”

Naofumi: “Is this enough for a complete recovery?”

Although the blackness has faded a bit, it is still far from a complete recovery. What is left leaves me uneasy.

The effect won’t be as potent if holy water is not changed every day. At this rate, there will still be some damage left during the wave.

Naofumi: “I sincerely apologize.”

Raphtalia: “It is a wound I got myself. Don’t worry about it.”

Naofumi: “Okay”

Naofumi:”Then, let’s go to the pharmacy shop first, we can get food after.”

Firo: “Yeah!”

Raphtalia and Firo nodded, we left our baggage at the inn and headed out.

When we got to the pharmacy, the storekeeper’s attitude did not change as he welcomed me.

Pharmacy SK: “It’s been a while”

I answer the storekeeper’s first question.

Naofumi: “Ah, the intermediate recipe book was received and put to good use.”

Pharmacy SK: “I see……”

Looking at the medicine handled, I am not up to par yet.

Pharmacy SK: “That reminds me, my old friend the accessory merchant seems be your acquaintance.”

Naofumi: “Ha?”

I was surprised at the connection with an unexpected person.

Pharmacy SK: “How did you get so friendly with that miser? He praised you highly.”

Naofumi: “You two are acquainted?”

Pharmacy SK: “We knew each other since the old days. That guy, he had an aptitude for using fragment medical herbs to make treatment medicine.”

Back then, that guy knew I was making middle class treatment medicine from smell alone!?

Accessory merchant, what kind of person are you? I cannot fathom what else he might be hiding……

Pharmacy SK: “Hm…… Are you still peddling?”

The storekeeper seems to have heard about me peddling from an acquaintance in Forest village.

Naofumi: “That guy was riding with us in the carriage when a thief that was after him appeared.”

Pharmacy SK: “I don’t think that guy would have been very happy about it.”

I don’t understand. Accessory merchant, are you some kind of celebrity?

Naofumi: “Ah, where was I? Oh right, after we captured the thief, I stripped him of all his possessions and confiscated everything from his hideout.”

The store keep was silent, put his hand on his forehead and nodded.

Pharmacy SK: “That certainly does seem like you. Indeed, that fellow is also capable of something like that.”

Naofumi: “Afterwards, he taught me a lot of things.”

Pharmacy SK: “Oh, he was praising you as a quick learner and said you were his successor in commercial spirit.”

Naofumi: “Please leave me alone.”

I went peddling for equipment fee. The true purpose was not for money.

Pharmacy SK: “So, what do you need today?”

Naofumi: “Ah, do you have any High Class Recipes to sell?”

The storekeeper stops mixing.

Pharmacy SK: “……That’s fast, although I think you are not ready yet.”

Naofumi: “Yeah, there is also medicine that is not on a recipe that I can make too.”

Strong Acid water, Magical power water and Soul Medicine water can’t be made yet.

There has been no need for these yet, but it is possible to acquire the rare materials through a distribution route learnt from the accessory merchant.

Naofumi: “But…… I was not able to save people with the medicine I made. Fortunately, the Treatment Master made Higher Class medicine. I felt inadequate in terms of ability.”

The store keeper is convinced with my reply and nods.

Pharmacy SK: “I see…… But it is still too early for a High Class recipe.”

Naofumi: “Is it that difficult…..?”

Pharmacy SK: “There are a lot of applications to medicine in Middle class recipes. Besides, there are other things you can make without a recipe.”

Is it the materials necessary for compounding? Certainly, it can’t be that bad……

Pharmacy SK: “I can still sell a High Recipe book though, but it will be expensive.”

Naofumi: “How much?”

Pharmacy SK: “It’s 500 silver coins. It cannot be lowered any further.”

I understand that I am getting a good deal.

Learning about medicine, I’m sure there are organizations and companies that are willing to teach, I can also imagine guilds trading information.

But if I learn from somewhere, there will be pressure to help them. However, a recipe book will save me the trouble.

Naofumi: “I’ll take it.”

I obediently hand over 500 silver.

Pharmacy SK: “Hmm……next is this”

I received a book called [Poisonous plants and Poison recipes].

I am slow but I am able to read the letters of this world, to some extent.

Naofumi: “Recipes for poison?”

Pharmacy: “It is impossible to avoid it when trying to be familiar with medicine. Those are intermediate recipes.”

Naofumi: “Hmm……”

I skim through it. It contains a simple anaesthesia and other such drugs.

This looks difficult, but it won’t hurt to learn it. Beside, learning the High Class recipes are out of my reach at the moment

Naofumi: “Thanks. Do you have beginner class recipes such as the heal pill and regular medicine?”

The storekeeper of the pharmacy almost did a splendid fall.

Pharmacy SK: “……You were making middle class medicine without even knowing the fundamentals?”

Naofumi: “I saw what you were making and remembered.”

Pharmacy SK: “Are you a boy from a temple who can’t read…..?”

Those words are a proverb from Japan. The shield is probably translating the corresponding phrase from this world.

The shop keeper sighs and fluently writes something onto parchment.

Pharmacy SK: “I wrote the basics of the beginner’s class on this. Remember it.”

Naofumi: “Yeah”

When we left, Firo was already outside because she disliked the smell from the medicine and Raphtalia was looking at medical herbs.

Soldiers: “Hero of the Shield-sama!”

I hear an unfamiliar voice after leaving the pharmacy.

There were five 14 year old kids dressed as soldiers who were out of breath.

I start escaping at once. Raphtalia and Firo also start running. There are too many ideas in my mind.

Solder A: “Please wait! We are not here to capture you! Please Wait!”

Naofumi: “Then what do you want!”

Soldier A: “I only want to talk for a little!”

……Doubtful…..Let’s stop for now.

If it is a lie, should I let Firo rampage?

Soldier A: “Haa…..Haa….. At last, I can finally meet you”

The boy’s shoulders are heaving while he gasps for breath.

Naofumi: “What do you want with me?”

Soldier A: “Umm. Can you please let me go with you during the waves……?

Naofumi: “Come again?”

What are you saying? I look at the boy with a puzzled expression.

Soldier A: “We are junior soldiers who were impressed with the fighting method of the Hero of the Shield-sama during the earlier wave.”

The boy’s story is like this.

During the previous wave, the low rank soldiers were impressed by the appearance of Raphtalia and I, who were the only ones to stay behind and protect Forest Village.

It seems the Knight’s Order was complimenting me after the wave, seems like there were new rumours spreading about me while I was away.

Soldier A: “During town patrol, I heard that the Hero of the shield was here in town so I came over to have this conversation”

Naofumi: “Really……”

Soldier A: “Our duty is to fight against the wave, but our top priority is to prevent damage done to the people.”

That’s a noble thought. Though you should be telling the other heroes that.

Soldier A: “Therefore, please let us participate together with Hero-sama during the wave.”

Naofumi: “I do not particularly want to fight against the wave, can’t we just fight separately?”

There is a backside to this proposal.

Perhaps, with soldiers and knights more active in fighting the wave, security would be better.

Their position will also rise due to actively participating as a companion of a hero.

However, the Hero would also have to fight in the wave. I replied with sarcasm.

There is status magic that requires companions. Perhaps, I can test this during one of the waves.

Using this and establishing a party to fight the wave, it should probably be correct.

If anything, it may be something like offensive and defensive battles with guilds in a net game.

The enemies are not human, but mistakes can be made.

It would be extremely rash to fight alone against such a large amount of demons.

A Hero is probably carrying the duty of defeating the boss class demons because they are the aces…… But the small fries should be able to be dealt with by the inhabitants of this world.

The last wave proves it.

Because the wave spawned near the Forest village which was close to the castle town, the knight were able to rush there, but what about this time.

This country is big. It would be catastrophic if the wave appeared somewhere far-off.

Once that happens, the damage could not be suppressed with such a small group of people.

Well, a standard strategy in fighting against the wave is the proposal I gave the boy, I want to hear his answer.

Did he come to me because there would be little competition compared to the other heroes?

Soldier A: “We want to protect the nation along with Hero of the Shield-sama.”

On the surface I can say anything.

Naofumi: “Are you aiming for promotions?”

Soldier A: “No this is different.”

The boy shakes his head and answers immediately. I beckon another boy who looks like a magician to me.

The robe he was wearing wasn’t purple like the magic shop, but a cheap yellow colour.

They lined up in-front of me and bowed.

Soldier B: “I…..am a native from Forest Village. My family was helped by Hero of the shield-sama before…..Therefore I want to help, even if only a little.”

Naofumi: “Aah, I see.”

This fellow wants to repay the kindness of helping his family?

Soldier A: “As Hero-sama says, there are certainly people who want promotions. But, I want to help Hero of the Shield-sama”

Naofumi: “I see, well I was just curious…… Hm?”

Soldier B: “Umm……Hero-sama”

The boy in the wizard clothes looks up, pulls up his robe, and gives me a quill pen.

Soldier B: “…..Please sign”

There might be a catch. Do I write Motoyasu in Japanese?

Hm?

When I look closely, this child is a Demi-human.

Even in this country of human supremacy, when it comes to soldiers there are room for Demi-humans.

Comparing his age and the cheap costume with the wizards and knights, he should be at a low level.

I silently write my signature on his robe according to the wish of the boy while preparing for any magic. There is no a strange feeling or magic effects after I signed.

Well, it does not mean that nothing will happen later. I’ll deal with it later if something does happen.

The boy with the wizard clothes smiles happily with a slightly red face.

What is this? It is itchy.

Soldier A: “This fellow is a fan of Hero of the Shield-sama. From a long time ago, he heard traditions of heroes from different countries and wanted to meet the Hero of the Shield.”

Naofumi: “Wow……”

This party seems to extremely trust us and want to help.

This boy is not talking, but people from the village of Toka who were saved during peddling gathered with the same thought.

Well, should I try it?

I turn to the boy captain in front and muttered the party formation magic.

As for the conditions of the party, party leader is me followed by Raphtalia and then Firo.

Under that, the captain of the squad was given authority.

As for this party, my authority takes precedence. In other words, it is possible to steal all the experience points.

Soldier A: “This is……”

Naofumi: “You don’t know?”

Soldier A: “Nope”

Naofumi: “If you are not in the party, go ask that fellow, and go gather any other people who want to participate. However, do not misunderstand. If you try to use me, or something impolite is done, I am dismissing you all immediately.” [This sentence here feels weird… not sure if it’s just me or that something is really weird here]

Soldier A: “Yes! Thank you very much!”

The two saluted me and left together.

I think that even in this country, I can trust a little.

It was only a moment where I felt that.

Naturally, as I said if anything happens, I will not be lenient.