Chapter 84

"Hmm. They might have left, or they might still be here... I can't find them at all..."

Miyasuki stared in the direction the mysterious person had disappeared, but even using her 'Presence Detection' skill, there was no response... However, it was bothering her. There was still a possibility that she was being watched.

Well, it doesn't matter. Since she couldn't figure it out, there was no point in worrying about it. Changing her thoughts, she glared at the remaining person, who was trembling and backing away in fear.

"Ah!"

"Did you call me all the way here just to run away? Well, either way, it's over."

"What do you mean, 'over'!?"

"Your life? I think you understand that the Pharmacist Guild has gone too far. Maybe the Guild Master will take responsibility, but using your family name to have me lynched by adventurers... It's clear from our conversation, isn't it? Even outside the town, it won't be forgiven."

"Ah, but they are the proud A-rank adventurers of our Hambert territory! Unlike you, a new recruit, they are irreplaceable! If I and they say you attacked us, they will definitely believe us!"

No... You kidnapped my pet and even gave me a threatening letter as evidence. Even if you all collude, it's already a lost cause since I called the master.

Besides... the pride of the Hambert territory? ...I thought these people, despite being an A-rank party, had low individual abilities and were too weak. Maybe... the ranking system is different in each territory? Or they are just overrated as the go-to adventurers in this territory?

"Why! It's all that woman's fault! She developed such a drug without understanding how the nobles would react!"

"Hey, when you married into a commoner family, you became a commoner. The master has a title recognized by the royal family, you know? If you can't understand that, grandma."

"What... Grandma!? Just because I'm a bit younger, what do you mean!?"

"A bit?"

Hmm...

...Not understanding her age, she tries to look young with heavy makeup, but she doesn't look beautiful even as a compliment... rather, it emphasizes her bad nature. She is about 20 years younger than the master, right? At over 60, I think it's fine to call her grandma.

In this small but not large town, wearing a dress with lots of frills and a design that shows her shoulders and back... I don't think anyone wants to see it.

"Understand? I am a genius. I thought I would become the disciple of that genius old woman and inherit everything... But she envied me and made me do all the menial tasks every day, like cutting ingredients and grinding them, and even heavy labor! That's something a servant should do! My hands got rough! I provide SP, so I should delegate everything else! In the end, she expelled me without giving me a single recipe!"

No... Isn't that normal?

I can't understand why she doesn't do it herself. Using SP is true, but the preparation work is also necessary to make medicine. I wonder how she became the master's disciple.

But, I got the recipes from the first day, didn't I? Hmm. Well, since the master and disciple can share recipes, it's not a problem not to give them... But maybe the master didn't like her?

Indeed, when compounding, there is heavy labor, and hands can get rough from water and plant juices. There are also toxic substances, and it can be dangerous to touch them directly when collecting.

But, I think that's normal for a pharmacist.

"Moreover, when that Lord Josef was here, she didn't even introduce me! When I was finally introduced, she even badmouthed me! In the end, I was told that the old woman was more attractive than me, the humiliation! I can't forgive it!"

"Hey, who is Josef?"

She's whining and complaining... but the master did nothing wrong.

It just seems like she was troubled by a crazy person... I can't understand why the master left the Pharmacist Guild in this town and joined this side. This person is clearly strange and lacks any legitimacy.

"That young man became an S-rank adventurer and is so handsome... but he fell into that old woman's clutches... She made him prepare materials as payment for treatment and even proposed to him!"

"No, I think the master is a good woman, so he chose her. The young man probably had nothing to offer but his youth, but the person who chose the master had a good eye, didn't he?"

I think the master became independent around the age of 30 and took a disciple a few years later?

I can't forgive her for making the master suffer. Rather, why did they accept her claims... Supplying medicine at a lower price, is it that much of a problem?

She's still whining... but she keeps talking about Lord Josef... As I listened, I remembered. Josef is the name of the Adventurer Guild Master.

If he proposed, they were probably lovers. I see... Well, it's fine. I understand why she was fixated on the master.

"Since our claims don't match, can we stop this? I almost got killed, so I don't forgive you. You can either shut up and surrender quietly or be dragged out miserably, but I'll let you choose."

"That's not acceptable! If you lay a hand on me, my father and the count won't forgive you."

"Hey, this is the territory of the Duke, who is the younger brother of the king? Do you know which is higher, a Viscount, a Count, and a Duke? There's no way the Count's family or your Viscount family can intervene."

I think she was abandoned when the person from earlier didn't come to retrieve her.

She can't see anything. ...If she has been like this since the past, the master must have suffered. Since she's just noisy and provides no useful information, I'll make her unconscious and restrain her so she can't escape.

"However... without the Tiger King to control her, that idiot narcissist is too much to handle, and if I free the tank, it will be bad... What should I do?"

"Can I help?"

"Ah, big brother, please... hmm?"

"It seems you are safe. Naga will be here soon... but first, should we tie this one up?"

"Yes. I'll handle the women, so can you take care of those two men?"

While I was wondering what to do, my big brother suddenly appeared from behind. Or rather, from the direction of the town... I can see someone who looks like Naga-kun coming from a distance.

My big brother took out a rope and tied up the scout and the narcissist, binding their arms behind their backs.

I have a lot of questions about why he's here, but it's fine to ask after making sure these people can't escape.

After Naga-kun joined and we secured them so they couldn't escape, my big brother turned to me and bowed.

"Well... I'm sorry. It was my mistake that you were kicked out of the party and put in danger. It was all due to my negligence. I know there's no excuse, but please let me apologize. I'm sorry."

My big brother bowed 90 degrees and apologized to me. Naga-kun also said, "I'm sorry," and bowed.

"Are you not going to make excuses?"

"It was my judgment error. I made many mistakes."

"What happened to your cheek?"

"I was punched by Mr. Leo. I was advised to grit my teeth, but..."

My big brother and Naga-kun had just returned and went to the Adventurer Guild to prevent me from being taken. They were apparently punched by Mr. Leonis as soon as they met.

It seems that the master came when I asked, and then Crow and the others arrived and heard about my predicament and came here.

"...I understand. I want you to explain properly later, but I'm not angry, so please raise your head. And... I want to form a party again. I've thought about it... as an adventurer, I realized that it's difficult to go solo... I'll make sure not to be a burden."

My big brother raised his head, so I cast the light recovery spell 'Heal' to heal the wound on his face. No, it wasn't a serious injury... but I was concerned. Rather, my big brother is handsome, so I don't think his face should be damaged under any circumstances.

"Yeah. But... can't you fight well enough on your own?"

"If I can prepare in advance, sometimes it works out, but... there are still difficult parts when alone, and I don't like being forced into a party... There will probably be more situations like this in the future."

"Yeah... By the way, what about that monster staring at Naga? Is it your companion?"

Somehow, Naga-kun has Momo on his head and is staring at the Tiger King. Yeah. His ears are a bit red... He really loves animals.

The Tiger King is quite large, but I don't think he's scary... He's not scary.

Well, since he was controlling the narcissist, neither of them seems to think he's an enemy.

"Yeah. I met and helped a monster before, guided by Momo... It seems it came to help me."

I won't say it was for Momo.

I mean, appearing as soon as Momo was kidnapped... What kind of hero is that? My big brother and Naga-kun arrived late... It's like the Tiger King came to the rescue at the most dramatic moment.

"Did you tame it?"

"No, I can't tame... I won't stop Naga-kun if he wants to... but..."

I won't stop him... but it's large, a wild beast, and dangerous. I think it would be judged as dangerous even if registered with the Tamer Guild. It's not a monster that can be brought into town.

"...What's its name?"

"Huh? Ah, I call it Tiger King, but it's a title, not a name... I think Naga-kun can name it."

I think it's a strong individual, so it has 'King' in its title...

Huh? What?

Suddenly, the Tiger King rubbed its head against me and protested.

"You want me to name you...?"

"Hmm... Watermelon?"

"Your name is important. Think about it more. Why Watermelon? Where did that come from?"

My big brother is pointing it out.

I thought about matching the names of Naga-kun's pets, which are fruits...

It's a tiger monster, so it has tiger stripes... The color is more white than yellow, and the black parts have a slight blue tint.

I couldn't think of a good fruit name that matches the color... I suggested Watermelon because of the stripes, even though it's not green.

It seems he doesn't like it. I was slightly threatened with a "growl."

"Yeah... Naga, any ideas?"

"......No."

"Then, how about 'Shimao'? It is a king, right? So, we can add 'King' to the name. I think there was a watermelon variety with that name."

"...Okay, I like it."

"Growl..."

Yeah. It seems he likes it. Naga-kun tamed the Tiger King, now called 'Shimao.' He's even hugging and petting him. It's heartwarming, but my big brother looks complicated.

"What's wrong?"

"...He tamed two more large rabbits."

Huh? Wait... It feels like his pets are steadily increasing? Naga-kun seems to love animals and was interested in being a tamer...

Wait, isn't that a problem? If they're the size of Momo and Lychee, it's fine, but Shimao is large. Two more large rabbits... Can the Tamer Guild take care of them?

No, you can't keep adding pets!

"Big brother, stop him!"

"Sorry... He was also a means of transportation. Since Shimao helped you, I'll tell him not to add more."

For now, Naga-kun is heading to the Tamer Guild, and my big brother and I went to report to the Adventurer Guild... but we were lectured by Mr. Leonis while sitting on our knees.

When I told Shimao to not follow me when I left the Border Mountains, he actually followed me. It seems that for the past few days, the guild was busy with warnings about dangerous and cautionary monsters, which were actually Shimao.

I think he will calm down now that Naga-kun has tamed him, but... I was also told by Miss Marry, "Let's report, shall we?"

After that, officials from the police and the lord's residence came and reported everything, including the mysterious person with ties to the Count's family.

And... we didn't successfully re-form the party, but ended up in an argument.