Chapter 676

TENKEN 676 A Miscellaneous Staff and Three Meals a Day

Colbert looked surprised when we invited him into the kitchen.

「Isn't it Io-dono from the orphanage? Why are you here?」

「You two know each other?」

「Umm, who might you be?」

Colbert seems to know Io-san, but Io-san doesn't know Colbert. She tilted her head with a troubled look.

「Oops, my apologies. Your soup is famous here in Barbra, and of course, I buy your stuff every year!」

「Eh? Umm, err, thanks, I guess?」

I see. If Colbert likes cooking and respects the cooks, of course, he'd knows Io-san.

「Aah, my name is Colbert, and I’m a B ranked adventurer」

「Eeeeh? B-B ranked?」

Voiced Io in surprise when she heard Colbert's self-introduction. It even sounded like a scream.

Our senses were a bit off, but a rank B adventurer must be something of a big deal to the average person. They're not heroes and were also treated differently than nobles, but they're considered to be of a higher status.

It was understandable that she would be surprised when he suddenly introduced himself like that.

「A-aah, but, this Fran here is also a B ranked adventurer, you know?」

「Ueeeh?」

Come to think of it; she previously told her that she was a D ranker, isn't it? She hasn’t told her anything about her rank-up.

「F-Fran-san...?」

「Nn. It's true」

「Haeee!?」

Io raised her voice in response to Fran's nod.

「But, before... Eeh?」

「Never mind that」

「She's right. Besides, I think you're quite awesome yourself, aren't you?」

「Ueh? N-not at all...」

Io-san was frightened when Colbert bowed his head. She's probably confused by the fear of a B ranked adventurer.

「No no no, even I was just――」

「No no no,――」

They continued to bow their heads to each other one after another.

『We cannot progress at this rate』

「Nn. Hey, why'd you come here, Colbert? Is it just to see me?」

「I thought I'd help out this time too. What do you say? I'll do anything!」

He looked like he was expecting her to let him help us as he said that. I had seen this expression before. It was the same expression Fran had when she begged for a curry. Well, he's not cute at all though.

Maybe he's after the meal. It was the same with last year cooking contest.

「...I can let you help」

「Really!?」

「Nn. I need a miscellaneous staff」

「I'm fine by that!」

Fran also knows that Colbert's goal is not money, which is why she'd have him do the miscellaneous task.

「Eh? Eeeh?」

Io is confused again. Well, it's strange no matter what you think. Hiring a B-ranked adventurer for miscellaneous tasks is unthinkable under normal circumstances. It would be a waste of a high-ranking adventurer's talent.

However, Fran and Colbert's conversations continue.

「Your reward would be three meals a day」

「Hurray! I'll do it! Fran's a hell of a cook after all! I'm looking forward to it」

「Nn. I'm currently preparing for a new dish」

「F-for real!?」

「So, work hard to get your reward」

「Ou!」

「E-Eeeh?」

Io, who was a person with common sense except for her insane cooking skills, was so confused that she'd answer all of our questions with just a "yes."

「Are you okay?」

「Y-yes」

「You should take a break if you're tired」

「Understood. I-I'm going to take a short break」

Io-san then walked out of the kitchen with a staggering gait. She must be tired of being surprised.

After seeing her off, Fran opens her mouth again.

「I have a question」

「What is it? You can ask me anything you want!」

「I want you to tell me about Dimitris」

Colbert became somewhat tense when Fran mentioned his master's name.

「Are you interested in him?」

「I have to see Dimitrius for a job」

「Hohou. So, in other words, you want to know where he is? I don't really know where he is but I guess you should start from Ulmut」

The A-ranked adventurer Dimitris is invited as a guest every year to the martial arts tournament in Ulmut.

But Dimitris had some business to attend to and was unable to come to Ulmut last year, so the Beast King was invited as the guest of honor instead. It was apparently during the period when he had to visit the Kingdom of Kranzel.

「I think that the reason why the Beast King lent out his magic tools to run the tournament was probably out of rivalry with Master Dimitris」

「Are the two of them on bad terms?」

「That's not it. It's just that he was invited in his place and felt he couldn't afford to lose face without doing anything. He's an adventurer and a king after all」

So, as a result of competing with Dimitrius, a fellow S-ranked adventurer, he provided the magic tool used in the quarterfinals, the Cradle of Time.

Well, he seemed to like to be flashy, and as royalty, I guess appearances are also important.

「I already know he's coming to Ulmut」

「Then, what do you want to know?」

「Like what he likes」

「Aah, that kind of thing, huh..」

「And what kind of person he is」

We don't want to make a poor impression on Dimitris. This was because we didn't want to offend Rank S, and we really wanted to get some useful information to accomplish this request.

「Hmm, you see... The simplest way to describe my master is...」

「The simplest way?」

「Strict, stern, and eccentric. That's what kind of person he is」

That doesn't sound like an easy guy to get along, huh...