Chapter 10

Margin returned to the capital and headed to Rika's cafeteria.

"What, you're back?"

Rika responded with a tsundere attitude.

"That's rude, you know. Captain, I brought a lot of leeks, do you need them? I also have plenty of potatoes."

"Oh, we need both."

"Alright, then I'll bring a lot of potatoes since they keep well, and just enough leeks for their shelf life. I'll come back later to make dinner."

"Oh, did you bring something tasty?"

"Margin, just so you know, I don't eat poisonous fish."

The innkeeper said, emphasizing that she doesn't eat pufferfish.

"It's a duck. I was thinking of making duck and leek hot pot."

"Aww, you're such a good boy."

The innkeeper seems to like duck.

"Margin, while you were away, two beautiful women came looking for you. What's your relationship with them?"

Rika, in a bad mood, asked, leaning in with an angry face.

"Beautiful women?"

"Yeah."

"No idea."

Margin doesn't have many acquaintances. He only knows the three people here and the courtesans at the brothel. Even though he visits the brothel frequently, he doesn't actually use their services, so the madam doesn't let the courtesans get close to him. Apart from that, he only knows the kids from the slums...

"Hmm?" Margin tilted his head in confusion.

"Beautiful and tall. Really no idea?"

Rika leaned in even closer, and Margin tried to kiss her on the lips.

"What are you doing to my daughter?"

Smack

The captain hit Margin on the head.

"Ow, ow, ow, it was just a joke. Who would kiss such a kid?"

Slap

This time, Rika slapped him.

"I'm not a kid!"

"You are."

Margin dropped his hands in front of his chest.

Smack

This time, he got a punch. His habit of saying unnecessary things hasn't changed.

"Captain, I'll come back after visiting the brothel..."

"Pervert."

Margin headed to the brothel, with Rika sticking out her tongue at him.

"I thought you were dead somewhere. You took your time."

The madam, as usual, had a sharp tongue.

"Here, some dried fish and ducks I hunted on the way. Make a pot of soup with them."

"Is that all?"

"Is that all? Ten ducks should be enough."

"Hmph, you should have hunted the whole flock."

"If I hunted them all, there would be no ducks left."

While monsters are one thing, it's not good to overhunt ordinary prey.

"There are plenty of ducks. Hunting a whole flock won't make a difference."

That might be true, but some people make a living by hunting ducks.

"Alright, I'll leave them here."

"Bring something better next time."

"Sure, sure."

The madam, though always complaining, is kind to her family. The less popular courtesans and the young girls who haven't debuted rarely get to eat expensive duck meat. She probably gives it to them.

After giving the gifts, Margin returned to his home and magic bookshop.

Phew, I'm tired. I'll take a bath.

Even though he cleans his body with a cleaning spell, it's different from soaking in a bath.

He filled the bathtub with water using magic and soaked in it.

Phew, I feel alive again.

Just as Margin was sighing in relief,

"You're still an old man, Margin."

"Ah! I always tell you not to enter without permission!"

The kids from the slums had somehow entered the bath. Their stealth skills, honed from hiding since childhood, were impressive.

Surprised, Margin watched as the kids happily joined him in the bath.

"Hey, I always tell you to wash your bodies first."

"It's fine. It's cold."

These kids have been coming to play since Margin opened his magic bookshop. They are three orphan boys who have grown attached to him after he fed them once.

Children who crave parental love enjoy sitting on Margin's lap in the bathtub and having their heads washed.

"What have you been doing to get so dirty?"

The bathwater was already black. After washing the three, he had to refill the tub.

"It can't be helped. Our sleeping place is dirty."

"Also, we have to crawl under the floor to catch mice."

Mice are an important source of protein for the orphans. They are edible, though they have a smell. The free meals aren't enough for them.

"Are you hungry?"

"Always."

The kids boasted.

"Then, let's eat at Rika's. I'll cook today, so the captain and the innkeeper won't complain."

"Really? Yay!!"

The kids were overjoyed at the prospect of a meal.

Margin took the kids to Rika's cafeteria after cleaning their dirty clothes with a cleaning spell.

"Margin, you brought the kids?"

"Yeah, just happened to. Hey, you guys, sit in the corner. Drink this and be quiet."

Margin prepared some instant soup for the kids.

"Delicious!"

The kids were thrilled with the soup.

Margin went to the kitchen to prepare the duck broth.

"What flavor?"

"Salt, as usual."

"Isn't it going to be sukiyaki?"

The captain had tasted the soy-based sukiyaki Margin made before.

"What if other customers ask for the same thing?"

"Well, that's true..."

The captain looked disappointed.

"Today, it's just salt. I'll make broth from the bones, and we have sweet leeks, so it should be fine."

Margin worked quickly to prepare everything before the evening opening.

"We'll cook and eat it as it simmers."

"Wouldn't it be better to drink after closing?"

"I don't want to eat so late. If you want to drink, come back after closing. I have something to ask you. We can drink with duck and leek then."

"Sounds good."

The captain seemed pleased.

"Itadakimasu."

This is the pre-meal greeting Margin taught the kids.

"Delicious!"

The kids and the captain watched the kids eat with satisfaction. Everyone wanted to do something for the kids but couldn't afford to.

Nom nom nom nom

Rika, mixed in with the kids, was also eating heartily. She's still a kid, isn't she?

"Hmph, it's just okay."

Despite her full belly, she still complained.

"Ah, I want more, but I can't eat anymore. Leeks are coming out of my mouth."

"You guys ate a lot."

"Margin, I'm so full I can't move. Carry me home."

"Don't be a baby. It's almost time to open, so you need to go home."

"Please, I'll throw up if I walk now."

Margin, sighing, carried the kids home on his back, in his arms, and on his shoulders.

"Margin would make a good father."

"Yeah, but he doesn't seem to want to settle down with anyone yet."

The captain and the innkeeper watched Margin, who was scolding the kids for not wasting food, as he left.

"Almost threw up..."

Rika was also close to throwing up, with leeks almost coming out of her mouth.

- That night at Rika's cafeteria -

"What? Wolves on the road?"

The captain and Margin were drinking with duck and leek as a snack.

"They were quite thin, and there were only five in the pack."

"Sounds like they lost a territory dispute and were driven out."

"Probably."

"The hunters coming here have been happy about more monster hunting and investigation requests this season. Maybe a strong monster has appeared somewhere."

This world has both monsters and animals, with monsters being stronger. The captain speculated that a strong monster had appeared deep in the forest, pushing weaker creatures out.

"Are the nearby villages safe?"

"Probably. The capital is protected by walls and has many guards and hunters, but weaker villages could be in trouble if attacked."

"Yeah."

Margin's pace of eating the duck slowed as he worried about the old couple who grow potatoes.

"The dangerous ones are the villages with livestock. But the hunter guild and the country are aware of this, so don't worry. Monsters usually scout before attacking, and villages or towns that spot them will request protection from the guild."

"True, and it's winter, so if anything, it would be in spring."

"Right. So, Margin, what are you cooking now?"

"Secret. It's done. Hot, hot, hot. This is delicious."

"What is it? Give me one."

"No way. It's rare and valuable."

"Give me some!"

Margin's personal dish was stolen by the captain.

"Ah, you ate what I was looking forward to."

"You were being stingy. Wow, it's creamy and delicious. What is it?"

"Poisonous fish's... testicles."

The captain spit out the pufferfish testicles he had just put in his mouth.

"What a waste."

"You, what did you feed me?"

"You ate it without permission. It's called testicles and is a delicacy."

"Idiot, I don't care if it's a delicacy, you shouldn't feed me poisonous fish's... testicles."

Margin, who had his dish stolen, almost attacked the captain with magic.

"Father is so noisy."

"Those two probably get along well. There are few people the captain can drink with without worrying."

"You drink with anyone. New hunters, former subordinates. And it's rare for the innkeeper to call the captain by his name."

"Hehe, maybe she's thinking of the past. I might join them. Rika, go to bed."

"Aww, that's not fair."

"You won't grow if you don't sleep well."

The innkeeper puffed out her chest.

"Shut up."

Rika, angry, went to bed, and then the sound of the innkeeper yelling at Margin for what he fed the captain could be heard.

- The next day -

"Is this the capital? It's so big."

"Compared to other regions, it's normal."

Aris, along with Rokka and the others, arrived at the capital.

"Thank you, everyone from the Star's Guidance, for saving us and bringing us to the capital."

"Are you really okay?"

Vanessa was worried.

"Yes, I'll be fine once I reach the capital. How can I contact you if I want to see you again?"

"Leave a message at the hunter guild. Be careful with men."

"Thank you."

Aris parted ways with Rokka and the others, heading to the center of the capital, while Rokka and the others went to the hunter guild.

"Hey, Rokka. Good work. How was the investigation?"

"Yeah, we didn't see it ourselves, but there were reports of wolves on the road near Lionel."

"On the road?"

"Yeah, someone camping on the road was attacked by wolves."

"Wolves on the road, even at night?"

"There were about five in the pack."

"The pack is small... They were probably chased here by something."

"Probably. We didn't see any monsters, and the town two stops away had no issues."

"Got it. Good job."

After receiving their reward, Rokka and the others asked about the black-haired man.

"Do you know anyone in the capital who can use storage magic? He has black hair and eyes."

"Huh? A storage mage? A magic bag is one thing, but there's no such person."

"Right."

"But black hair...?"

"Do you have any idea?"

"Yeah, there's a magic bookshop at the entrance to the slums. The owner has black hair, I think."

"The slums near the gate?"

"Yeah, next to the red-light district."

A magic bookshop... I didn't know they sold expensive magic books there.

"Thanks."

"Hey, not taking another job?"

"I'll take one in 2-3 days."

"Got it."

Rokka and the others decided to visit Margin's magic bookshop.