Volume 10 - Chapter 11 – Turmoil After All

10-11 Turmoil After All

Right then it was about lunchtime.

“Alright, let me take care of the lunch.”

Gloria Ohlstat said and invited Jin’s group for lunch. She also invited Duston, but he refused, saying he had a lunch box his wife had made.

“When I was a child, I often went to play at Duston’s workplace and watch him make cutlery.”

Apparently by that time already she was a pitiable beauty.

They stopped by Gloria’s house to drop off her sword and then headed to the main street. The large sun dial showed that it was about 11.45. The foot traffic had increased compared to the morning.

“I’ve got a preferred restaurant.”

Gloria said as took the lead of Jin’s group.

“Here it is.”

The restaurant was on the main street little ways back towards the gate Jin and the others had come from.

Its sign had ‘Crystal Restaurant’ written on it, and while it appeared cramped the inside atmosphere was good.

Since the time was still a bit before 12 o’clock there weren’t many customers either.

“Welcome, Ohlstat-sama.”

Like to a regular customer, the waitress greeted her in a friendly tone.

“Hey, Feo. I brought company with me today. Whatever you recommend for four, please.”

“As you wish.”

The waitress called Feo gave a bow and went to the kitchen to convey the order.

“The lunch here is famously good. Off-duty soldiers and knights also come here often.”

Gloria explained.

“Up until the other day there were continuous battles around Tetrada west of here, but it seems to have stopped now. Yesterday a post horse arrived. It seems that Egelia Kingdom had fought with Celuroa Kingdom but it also seems to have come to an end. That’s news that came by pigeon the day before yesterday.”

“Is it alright to tell us something like that?”

“Eh, it’s fine. You must be worried about the situation of the countries too? I thought I’d tell you as part of my thanks for making the sword for me.”

“Why, thank you very much.”

It was news he was already familiar with, but since she had kindly told him Jin thanked her.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

The food was brought in quite fast.

“They came up with this idea to reduce the types of foods in exchange for careful selection of flavors and reduced cooking time.”

Gloria explained. To put it simply, it was a set meal that changed every day, but reaching that idea in this world could be valued highly. And just as she explained, the taste was rather good too.

The food was freshly baked bread, vegetable soup, dried fish stew, and grilled deer meat. In addition they had Appleles.

It wasn’t high cuisine, but being familiar and cheap it was a menu both commoners and lesser nobles could enjoy.

Incidentally, Jin was interested in the bread. It wasn’t pure white, but it wasn’t whole grain bread either. To be frank, it was exactly the same bread that was eaten in Kaina Village.

“This bread…”

Jin started to say, then Gloria began explaining with an understanding look on her face.

“Ah, it’s delicious, right? It’s become popular lately. It’s made out of wheat flour a rapidly growing company called Raglan Firm is selling.”

I thought so, Jin thought. He felt real happiness being of use to society like this.

Hannah wanted to say something, but seemed to be engrossed in the dried fish stew.

“You’re very knowledgeable, aren’t you.”

Jin said, thinking that she was surprisingly well-informed about things despite being a knight.

“What, it’s just that the owner’s wife is my childhood friend.”

Gloria replied. I see, Jin thought after hearing that.

＊　　　＊　　　＊

Tea was brought in after lunch.

“So, about the compensation for the sword.”

Before drinking the tea Gloria spoke.

“How much would you like me to pay? Name your price, is what I’d like to say but what I can pay has limits…”

Jin turned to Gloria and replied,

“Since the materials didn’t cost anything, it’s fine if you just pay whatever you think the sword is worth.”

Jin honestly didn’t know the market prices of swords and such.

But Gloria muttered that that’s what troubles her the most, and she began pondering. Before long she raised her head as if having come to a decision and took a tiny leather bag from the leather purse on her waist and placed it in front of Jin.

“That’s all I’ve got on hand.”

“Eh?”

Slightly confused, Jin checked the contents of the bag, and inside it there were seven gold coins and 15 silver coins. That was 71,500 Torr. That was about 715,000 yen.

“This is too much.”

Jin said, but Gloria replied without hesitation that even 100,000 Torr wouldn’t be enough for the sword and that haggling would be blasphemous.

Jin felt a little uncomfortable, but then thought of a good line for persuasion.

“For craftsmen as long as what they’ve made is appreciated and taken good care of, it would be fine to even give the product away for free. So I’ll take just this and let’s settle it with that.”

Jin said and took two gold coins out of the bag, then returned the rest to Gloria.

“Take good care of it, or should I say that I’m just happy that I could help.”

Gloria then turned to Jin who said all that, replied with ‘I swear’, and lowered her head.

Once they had drunk the tea that had cooled down a little, the outside became noisy.

“Hm? What’s going on?”

Before Gloria could finish talking, there was a sound of something breaking and people screaming.

This is no trivial matter, Gloria said and rushed outside. There were knights near the area. Incidentally, the bill appeared to go on her tab.

Jin’s group also followed outside to see. Then.

“…Golems?”

“I recognize those. They’re the old type golems of the Unifiers.”

There were three old type golems that had become the base for Gon and Gen, and they were rampaging on the main street.

“What is this!?”

Gloria asked a knight who was next to her.

“Ah, Gloria-sama. I–I don’t know very well myself, but what I can say is that at 12 o’clock those three came out of a wagon and began acting violently.”

Indeed, ahead of the road there was a half-destroyed wagon with three racks that had fallen over.

“Can’t you stop them!?”

“N–no. Our swords can’t make a dent on them. We’ve requested the magi knight troops, but as of yet…”

“This isn’t the time to be talking about that!”

Gloria turned to the direction of the three golems. They had begun destroying the stores along the road. People were running about trying to escape.

A crowd of people rushed out of the destroyed stores. There were also people who turned back when they saw the golems.

Among them was a small child who seemed to have been separated from their parent. The child accidentally fell over in front of the golem.

“That’s bad!”

Without any hesitation, the golem seemed about to trample over the child.

“Reiko! Save that child!”

“Yes.”

Jin ordered. Reiko replied and instantly moved.

Jin’s order was to ‘Save’. To save the child just holding them in her arms and moving away would work, but at this time it would be difficult.

If Reiko was to quickly grab them and move, the child’s delicate body probably couldn’t handle the acceleration. After reaching that conclusion, the action Reiko took was being the shield for the child.

Reiko went on her hands and knees and covered the child to protect them. Then the golem’s foot swooped down on her.

Without time to be doubtful of Reiko who moved there in an instant, the people present saw the golem’s foot land on Reiko who was covering the small child.

Several women closed their eyes as they couldn’t bear to watch Reiko and the child who were about to be crushed in a moment.

But Reiko’s body wasn’t so roughly made as to be crushed by a golem like that.

“Ooh!?”

The eyes of Gloria who hadn’t closed them became wide.

Reiko who took the golem’s foot with her back was undaunted.

“[Wind Blow].”

Then the wind magic spell Elsa cast exploded. Since the golem had raised one of its legs it was easily overturned.

Reiko used the chance to take the child in her arms and got up slowly. She then ran back over to where Jin’s group was.

“Father, the child is safe.”

Jin patted the head of Reiko who had carried back the child who was on the point of tears and praised her.

“Well done, Reiko. Your decision-making was good too.”

“Reiko onee-chan, coo~ol!”

Even Hannah praised her, and Reiko smiled broadly. Since the child had scraped their knee, Elsa used healing magic.

“[Heal].”

The bleeding stopped, and the child finally stopped crying.

“Okay, you’re fine now. Does it hurt anywhere else?”

“…No.”

That’s good, Elsa said and returned her focus to the golems.

“[Dig].”

Jin used the earth type magic [Dig] to make the golems fall into a pitfall and sealed their movements.

If Reiko used violence this could be quickly settled, but since he wanted to avoid being conspicuous he had Reiko move to protect the surrounding people.

“[Standstill].”

Jin then turned off a golem whose movements were sealed. In truth, the SP who were hidden using [Stealth] had also secretly provided support.

Jin himself was moving while protected by a [Barrier].

Two golems were deactivated, and one remained. At that moment.

“[Flame Lance].”

Fire magic exploded and the remaining golem was blown away.