Act 2-20 - A Favor to Edda

Chapter 20 : A Favor to Edda

I was walking on the deserted part of Romburgh city, a rather desolated place with no paved road.

Two days have elapsed after the riot caused by Vlad from the grey cult.

Though I collapsed and slept for a whole two days and had to rest for the third, I somehow barely recovered enough to stroll outside like this.

『Now then, Dean. Tell me what you’re going to make tonight?』

I was replying to Beelzebub’s various questions as I was strolling in the street.

… Even though we just had lunch, she had already asked what was for dinner.

I looked up to the sky, the sun was still right above my head.

「That’s… depending on what they have at the grocery store.」

『Muu, I see now. Dean, if possible, I want THAT. The grilled pork from yesterday is superb! This mistress wants an encore!』

「You mean the roast craw(Pork charsiu)?」

『YES, THAT ONE! THE ROAST CRAW! THAT DISH SHOULD FEEL HONORED FOR ITS NAME TO BE REMEMBERED BY THIS MISTRESS!!』

Roast craw was a dish made from the belly meat of a nahk(domesticated pig).

The belly part of a nahk, its skin, lean meat, and fatty meat was the unbeatable trio packed with meat juice, flavor, and right amount tenderness.

It was a dish in which you rubbed the belly part of the nahk with spices and honey, skewering it with a metal skewer and then slowly grilled it over an open flame.

Though the vivid overall color on its surface was theoretically possible to achieve with fruit juice, only a minority managed to do that perfectly, thus many other stores gave up on trying to achieve such perfect coloring.

「Since it’s cheap, I’m really glad that you like it but… aren’t you bored of having to eat the same thing everyday? In addition, you said that you want to enjoy various other cuisines too, right?」

『This mistress doesn’t mind such indulgence!』

… Honestly, I was happy that she liked it but I didn’t want to cook the same dish every single time.

Moreover, it was the kind of dish that took a long time to grill, my hands were numb after grilling it for so long.

「Let me to consider that option when we get a good nahk.」

『Hey Dean. Can we go to the grocery store earlier today? and then, we can go back once again to this place after we entrusted the groceries to Mani! It’ll be faster this way!』

「Aren’t your suggestion meaning that it’ll take twice as long instead?」

Yes, aside from shopping for groceries, I’ve another reason for strolling today.

I turned toward a big, old building.

And there, I saw Edda’s figure right in front of the building.

I heard from Edda that this place was close to the inn she was staying at, and suitable for her swordcraft training.

The reason I came to visit her today was for a little request of mine.

She was currently swinging around her enchanted sword, fighting against an invisible enemy.

And now, she received the other party’s attack, and parried it.

She crouched, striked, leapt, and dodge.

I could feel a certain kind of beauty in her movement, it was as if she was dancing with her sword.

Yes, almost like a sword dance.

My gaze was nailed on her dancing figure to the point that I even forgot to breath.

Such fast and precise movement was simply impossible for me.

And lastly, she took a defensive stance against her opponent’s attack, and from there, she countered her enemy with a slash from mid-air.

After she made an exagerrated move with her sword, she sheathed her sword back into its sheath and turned toward me.

「Such a splendid moveset must tire you out.」

「Narc tribe’s swordcraft isn’t just for show to entertain people.」

Edda shifted her gaze away from me as she told me so with her usual blunt tone.

「M-My bad…」

… Ah, maybe I ended up being entranced by her sword dance.

Well, nothing could be done about that, Narc tribe was utilitarianism after all, or rather, they seems to prefer a simple yet deadly combat style over a showy one.

「… But of course, if you really wish for it, I don’t mind with showing you another moveset of our tribe.」

Still looking away from me, Edda muttered those words in an almost inaudible voice.

I saw the corner of her mouth rose slightly.

… This girl was just like a kid who couldn’t get used to praise huh.

This was one of her different sides that I came to understand just recently.

Edda was by no mean an expressionless girl.

She only tried to hide her good mood in front of others.

Maybe because she noticed my line of sight, she covered her lips, glaring dagger at me with a frown on her forehead.

I hurriedly averted my gaze in an awkward manner.

「…I-I’m glad that you seem to be fully healed now.」

「I was almost completely healed when we met yesterday. It was just a scratch.」

「I-I see… such a deep wound is just a scratch huh.」

… Gaza’s scythe pierced so deeply in her stomach though.

「It seems you’re already back on your feet too. I’m worried that the blacksmith girl lost her usual calm composure… you’ve yet to payback your loan of two hundred thousands temis to me afterall.」

A smile formed on Edda’s lips.

… She was right, I still have my loan of two hundred and fifty thousand temis to Edda for when we prepared 《Evil Spirit’s Battle Hammer; Gadras》 for Mani.

Though I’ve paid fifty thousand temis of my loan yesterday.

「N-No, I’ve yet to fully recover. I’ll collapse at any moment if I’m forcing myself with my current condition. I’ll take a rest for now, this is matter of life and death after all.」

「It’s okay as long as you can move and walk on your own. Let’s head out to demon labyrinth tomorrow, I’m already itching for some battle.」

「T-That’s impossible for me…」

「I’ll force you to come even if I’ve to drag you out, I don’t want to go with those strangers after all. Just think of it as you giving me a favor. Knowing you, you’re not going to refuse, right?」

Edda looked at me with a sadistic grin on her face.

W-Why in the hell are you showing such nice expressions only at times like this!

「I know, I know but… let’s take it easy this time. I’ve yet to fully recover after all. Moreover, Mani still has her smithing job, I’ve to ask her first.」

I told Edda, pressing my palm on my forehead.

Dammit, she has my weakness… I guess I need to save two hundred thousand temis quickly and repay my loan to her.

『Dean, I think you’re in danger of being abused by her right now. Wanna try to beg that Mani girl to lend you her money?』

Beelzebub suddenly cutting in, clearly amused by this scene.

Like hell I could borrow Mani’s money to repay the money that I used to buy her gift.

Absolutely not.

「… This is bad, I guess I’ve no choice but to reduce my food expense. You’re okay even if we ate poatto(poor’s potato) for a while right?」

『W-WUUUT!? D-DEAN! I-IS THIS MISTRESS THAT WORTHLESS TO YOU!?』

《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》 was clattering on its own, as if to show how shaken the devil housed in my sword was by my remark just now.

S-Seriousy, this sword could actually move on its own!?

「…………」

Edda stared in silence toward 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》.

I always had a hard time guessing her feelings since she rarely showed her expression on her face but… she was clearly disgusted right now.

When her eyes met mine’s, her expression went back to normal again as she averted her gaze from me.

W-What’s with that face just now? did she guess that the trembling from 《Demon Eater Sword; Beelzera》 wasn’t just a normal trembling.

Did she have another opinion… about Beelzebub’s atrocious power?

「Then… Dean, do you have any other business? or are you just coming to chat with me?」

Edda tried to shift the topic, it seems she tried to gloss over her disgusted gaze from before.

「Y-Yeah, actually I’ve a little request.」