Chapter 80

Summer has arrived.

People walking through the streets have started to dress more lightly, walking around without any sense of shame.

The high level of exposure among the people in this fantasy world seemed to make sense... or maybe it was just a cultural thing.

Even women, in particular, seem to lack a sense of modesty. They walk around with bare legs, exposed navels, and bare shoulders. It’s a feast for the eyes, I suppose.

However, it’s less appealing when body hair is visible. I wish they would take care of that. Maybe I was born into the wrong world...

I change my equipment for this season and wear lighter clothing.

There’s a miraculous material called breathable leather, but I just wear a simple cloth shirt. It looks like a short-sleeved shirt. The rough material might make it look a bit like an aloha shirt.

I’m a rather plain guy, but I carry a cheap bastard sword for my missions. I’m like a beginner adventurer. Without the sword, I’d just look like an ordinary person.

Even so, I still get sweaty when I wear my backpack. I thought about making a mesh back pad to prevent sweating, but I always give up before I get that far. There’s only so much I can do on my own...

“Helping with the barley harvest, there sure are a lot of people this year.”

“Yes, with the increased production of beer and whiskey, the amount of barley planted has also increased. It’s been growing a little more each year, and I think it will be even busier next year.”

“Will you hire guild members as guards, like during the wheat harvest? Mirene, have you heard anything about that?”

“Hmm, we haven’t decided on future plans yet... but the number of guard requests has increased, so it’s possible that we might do that from next year onwards.”

“I see.”

It’s now the season for barley harvesting. There are quite a few requests for help with the harvest and for guarding. It might be a good time for Bronze to earn some money, but I find long, drawn-out expeditions a bit tedious.

There are no particularly interesting requests either. The crazy boars aren’t good to eat this season... so it might be a good idea to take a break from guild missions for a while.

“Alright, I’ve decided. Mirene, I’m going camping for a few days. I’ll do some free hunting if I feel like it.”

“Camping? How long do you plan to be gone?”

“About a week.”

“That’s quite a long time? Oh, I remember, Mongrel always did this at this time of year, didn’t he?”

“Summer nights aren’t cold, so it’s a good season to spend time outdoors. It’s also a good time to make smoked food, Mirene.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Mirene didn’t seem particularly interested in my romantic notion of the outdoors and just gave a polite smile. It’s a bit sad.

However, I got the permission for free hunting without any issues. During this period, I won’t be treated as a suspicious person even if I’m outside the city, and I have enough credibility to avoid such suspicions.

A week of camping. It’s not a bad idea, and it suits my taste.

But this time, I’m not just going for a leisurely trip... it’s a bit of a homecoming.

I leave through the East Gate, follow the Charles Road, and enter the Baroa Forest. While I’m supposed to spend a week here, I ignore that and continue eastward.

I run through the forest, weaving between the trees, with my body enhanced for speed.

Today, I’m carrying a lot of gear on my back, which is heavy, but it’s not enough to drain my stamina. I push through the rough terrain without hesitation, and if I take a detour, I might pick a few evening primroses along the way.

I eventually enter the outskirts of the Ermyth Baron’s territory. Here, I might be treated as a guest or an unknown person, so I try to avoid being seen by taking a route deep into the forest.

I don’t get lost in this forest because I have a homemade compass. However, it doesn’t point north due to some magnetic properties of this world, which makes it a bit tricky. It probably points to the magic continent. The principle is a mystery.

Despite this, it’s not too difficult as long as I remember the shape of the needle when it points east.

“Hey, hello there.”

“Guh!”

While hiking, I can’t forget to greet the goblins I pass by with a strike from my bastard sword.

I don’t particularly like the Ermyth Baron, but it’s a guild member’s custom. This extermination is a service.

Even after running hard, I don’t reach my destination.

Running in the dark is dangerous and just scary, so I set up my tent and went to sleep that day. I burned incense to repel monsters and released smoke to keep insects away, but this season is full of bugs, making it difficult to sleep. It was uncomfortable and annoying...

In the middle of the night, a goblin triggered a trap and made a loud noise, waking me up. I silenced it quietly. I didn’t cut off its nose. It’s dirty.

In the end, I didn’t sleep well. Camping is easier in the fall or winter... personally...

I set out early in the morning as soon as it was light. I refilled my water bottle at a river and continued through the forest.

The path became more rugged and the terrain more steep. I must have entered the edge of the Latreille Mountains.

Running while climbing is exhausting, so I hid in the forest and continued east, being careful not to reach the road.

That day, I camped near a suitable water source.

I didn’t bring any food, so I killed three halferrets that attacked me during setup and cooked them.

However, these halferrets, being carnivorous monsters, were incredibly unappetizing.

Halferrets are weasel-like monsters with thick, long tails and hard, scale-like protrusions on the sides of their tails, which they use to slash and strike their prey.

They are about the size of a cat but attack large humans and monsters without hesitation, making them aggressive and fearless.

Their fur is quite valuable, but their meat is terrible. I should have hunted other prey.

In the end, I only ate a small amount and went to bed. I left a lot of meat uneaten. Forgive me, weasels...

“I’m hungry...”

The next day, I resumed trail running.

However, as I moved further east, I approached the border, near the border with the Sangreal Holy Kingdom, where major settlements decrease and military outposts increase.

These outposts are mostly small forts that guard the road, and I can pass through the forest without much trouble.

As I get closer to my destination, even these forts become fewer.

“Finally, I made it... huff, huff... I’m tired...”

I arrived at the Strohbe Village.

Well, it’s not really a village anymore. This is where Strohbe Village used to be. It’s just a ruin now.

This is the land where I was born, a homeland abandoned by the country and destroyed by the enemy.

“Every year, it’s more and more overtaken by nature... In another two or three years, it might be completely swallowed by the forest.”

When people think of an abandoned village, they might imagine a dry, barren wasteland with scattered bricks, but Strohbe was a place carved out of nature, so it won’t become a dry wasteland.

The compacted earth roads and gravel paths are just covered with weeds. If left alone, small trees will eventually grow, but that will take a bit more time.

For now, it’s just a weedy vacant lot.

“Well, the watchtower is over there... and the Windmill Mk.2 is over there... my house is there. ...Wow, it looks like it’s been used as a monster’s nest. It’s worse than last year.”

Most of the materials from the abandoned village were taken when it was destroyed.

The wooden boards, beams, and metal parts used to build houses are mostly gone. What remains are the foundations and parts that were too difficult to loot.

Among these, the house where I lived has a solid foundation, so it still retains its shape compared to the rest of the village. ...It’s just a structure with a stone foundation and a collapsed roof.

Small animals and monsters can live here, but it’s too wild for bandits to use as a base. In a way, this environment where no one comes is a blessing for me. This way, I can visit my parents’ graves without any worries every year.

“Hey, I’m here. Dad, Mom.”

Behind the house, there are large tombstones.

Just two tall stones side by side, these are the grave markers for my parents.

They are buried here. I don’t know if they are resting peacefully. They had their loving moments, but they also fought a lot. They often had conflicts when I wasn’t around, so I wonder how they are now. They say children are a buffer, but without the adjustment from my past life, it would have been a tense household. They were a young couple, for better or worse.

“I brought you some flowers. I didn’t let the evening primroses wither, so be grateful.”

I placed evening primroses on my father’s grave and dandelions I picked nearby on my mother’s grave.

There’s no culture of incense in this world, but I burned some monster-repelling incense to create a similar atmosphere. It’s a bit wasteful, but it sets the mood...

“I’ve surpassed the age of both of you, and I’m already 30. It feels strange, doesn’t it? ...I mean, I’m 30... That’s pretty old in this world. It’s crazy how time flies even in such a boring place.”

In my past life, I didn’t believe in spirits or anything like that.

I still trust science. ...But, I did experience a miracle by being reincarnated.

This is a world with undead. When I talk to the graves, I can’t help but feel that my parents might be behind the tombstones. Maybe it’s just what I want to believe.

“I wanted to pour whiskey on the tombstones and brag to you, but I can’t find any anywhere. Maybe the nobles took it again. It’s really frustrating. So, can you save that for next year? I think I can probably get a bottle by then.”

I drew my bastard sword and cut the grass around the tombstones. It’s overgrown because it’s summer. Cutting grass used to be a satisfying job, but I can’t put it in my small homemade compost bin anymore. I just leave it around.

“Last year, I went fishing with a junior. We caught shrimp and crabs because there weren’t many fish. Water is still great, though. The reservoir here... is it filled with silt now? Well, there’s a big river nearby, so I think you can probably catch something if you try. That’s one of my current hobbies.”

After cutting the grass, I removed the vines that had grown over the ruins of my former home.

“I’ve made new friends and juniors. The Regal Baron’s territory is a good place. The population is increasing, but the security is good. I might have to retract my previous statement that all nobles should die. Some of them are actually decent. It’s obvious, but experiencing it firsthand is a big deal.”

Phew, done with the outdoor work.

“Is there anything else I should talk about...”

It’s tough to talk without a back-and-forth conversation.

I think of my father from my past life, lying in a coffin at the funeral. I was also unsure of what to say then. I just need to talk freely.

“...Well, I can’t show you my grandchild, but I’ll live a long life, so don’t worry.”

I took out my equipment from my large bag and started putting it on.

Ah, it’s hot in the summer... even without direct sunlight...

“So, don’t worry and die peacefully. Being reincarnated into another world is also good. If you wander as a ghost in this world, I might accidentally kill you. It’s better if you go somewhere else. Oh, if you get a chance to choose, I recommend the appraisal or item box cheat skills from the gods. You can survive with either one. Remember that.”

I unwrapped the cloth and revealed my helmet, then put it on. It’s a bit cool. It will probably get sweaty if I stay outside, but it’s heaven right now.

“...Well, I’ll clean up around the village a bit and then leave. See you.”

Fully equipped, I walked towards the center of the village.

Strohbe is now part of the Sangreal territory, but they don’t set up camp here even after occupying the area.

Why?

Because I attack this village and the surrounding Sangreal military facilities every year.

The people of Halperia don’t know, but the Sangreal people have been living in fear for nearly twenty years.

Of the “Strohbe Ghost” that appears in this land, whether it’s human or monster.

“Corrosion”

I activated my Gift and began my annual patrol.

To sum up, this year, I only destroyed an unfinished, unmanned fort.

It’s peaceful, and that’s good. I hope they stop building next year.