Isekai Ryouridou 008

“Pico Leaves are leaves that grow at the riverside of the forest. We can gather many of it around Ranto river but upstream is the territory of Sun family and their clan. We will go toward the downstream.”

“Understood, captain-dono.”

We retraced the road we pa.s.sed last night and headed toward the forest.

Although we had a noisy and late departure. The other house in the village was very quiet. Although occasionally people’s shadow which stared at us could be seen, n.o.body tried to go out to the street.

“Hmmph, no one usually enters the forest in the morning. Tanning the fur or chopping firewood is usually what others do in the morning.”

“And yet, captain-dono is going to the forest early in the morning?”

“....Because a freeloader has appeared, I am uneasy at the supplies of firewood. I don’t usually enter the the forest early in the morning.”

“So this is because of me! I am deeply ashamed of myself!” (TL : Asuta is using military dialect lol xD)

“....If you don’t stop that way of speaking right now, I will cut your tongue.”

“Ok….I am sorry.”

Because Ai Fa was still in a little bad mood, I decided to concentrate on walking for now.

Before my eyes, the scene of my first morning in this world was being deployed.

Yesterday was dark and I couldn’t see. It’s quite a superb view.

At the sky where the mist was thick, Morga mountain could be seen.

I was impressed with this big mountain. The mountain range extended from the left to the right.

Our destination was the deep forest.

Except the area that had been cut to build the village, everything was covered with green lush.

Only nature could be found when I looked around.

The air was perfectly clear and there was not even a smell of exhaust gas.

Birds were dancing in the sky.

The Temperature hadn’t also gone up much either. It was to the extent that wearing a cook’s long sleeved attire was perfect.

When I opened my eyes, morning dew was shining on the bush of the shrubs that grew around here.

If this was a camp or something like it, I would surely felt fulfilled.

“Hey. Come to think of it. What are pico leaves?”

I asked when we reached the edge of the forest, Ai Fa seemed troubled. “The one that make you shed tears happily a while ago, that one.”

“Eh? Is it that spice? It’s quite a cute name.”

“Leaves of Pico will lose it’s effect after one month, so it’s necessary to secure enough stockpile of that. Without the pico leaves, meats will be spoiled just in 2 days. If you don’t want to eat spoiled meat, work hard.”

“Understood….The vegetables that we ate last night, are they also harvested in the wilderness?”

“Actually, Aria and Poitan are exchanged with this at Shukuba town.”

(TL: yep. アリアとポイタン : aria and poitan)

While setting foot into a bush in the forest, Ai Fa jiggled and shook her necklace.

“With 1 of Giba’s horn and tusk, you can get 10 days worth of aria and poitan. If it’s eaten with 2 people...5 days worth. In other words, we have to hunt giba at least once per 5 days. In addition we won’t be able to eat giba’s meat if we fail. Because we are like this, we don’t have any time to take it easy.”

“Hmm? But, this is a splendid mountain. Can’t you gather all the foods you want?”

“It’s a taboo to take the blessing of Morga mountain.”

“Eh?”

“If we ruin the blessing of Morga mountain, starving gibas will come to attack the fields in Jenos territory. People of Morihen are only allowed to extract pico and herbs such as reero and gurigi that has a strong poison. Anything that is giba’s food is not permitted.”

(TL : リーロ : reero, グリギ : gurigi)

“Who doesn’t permit it? The forest and mountain are no one’s right?

“Morga mountain and the forest are all West Kingdom Selva’s territory. We, the people of Morihen, escaped the ravages of war 80 years ago and moved our home to this forest area which is South Kingdom Jagal’s territory. People of Morihen are permitted to live here under the contract to not ruin the mountain and hunt the giba earnestly.”

“What is that? Anyway, this mountain is big. If we take a little, gibas won’t starve right?”

“There is no such thing. Giba is a species that can only live at the base of the mountain. Deep within the mountains, there are the big snake Madarama and Varubu wolf that hunts the giba.  there are also brutal yerens which live there. The only place we, people of Morihen, and giba can live are only at this side of the forest at the base of this mountain.

(TL : マダラマの大蛇 : Madarama big snake, ヴァルブの狼 : varubu wolf.  

野人 : yeren. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeren_(disambiguation))

“Hmm….”

I could understand it, but I was not convinced.

As a result of natural selection, the gibas were driven to the foot of mountain. That couldn’t be helped, but to protect the fields, people of Morihen are only allowed to hunt giba…..Somehow it’s like drawing a terrible lot right? People of Morihen were despised as “giba eater”, yesterday’s talk, it stuck strongly to my mind.

“Because...people of Morihen have a lineage from a foreign country at South Kingdom Jagal. We abandoned the South G.o.d Jagal and devoted our soul and sword to West G.o.d Selva. Still...to the Capital of Stone, we are only outsiders and can’t become their brethren.”

As if reading my feeling, Ai Fa murmured with a cold voice.

“Outsiders? Haven’t you already lived in this land for 80 years? Even if you claim your rights, you won’t get punished right?”

“...Sun family, Ruu family, and me are the same, people of Morihen don’t seek the protection of the kingdom. We are more suited to hunt giba than to cultivate fields.”

“I see. Well, compared to the people of Morihen, it isn’t just some problem that “outsiders” like me could just run with my mouth lightly.”

As if irritated by my words, Ai Fa glared at me with a piercing glance.

“No, I am not saying that I deny the way you guys live. I just thought I may not get along with the residents in the Capital of Stone so much either.”

“.....Hmph. Someone weak like you is more suited to the Capital of Stone rather than Morihen.

While looking at Ai Fa who was making a nasty remark, I abruptly stick to my thought.

“Wait a minute. Just now, you said 1 giba’s tusk and horn are worth 10 days food for a single man right? So, if there are 10 family houses, they have to hunt 1 giba everyday….Oi oi, so if there are 500 people of Morihen, doesn’t that mean you need around 50 giba per-day?”

As if saying “What about it”, Ai Fa tilted her neck.

Oi, it’s not what about it.

“People of Morihen, for the last 80 years, have been hunting 50 giba everyday? If such indiscriminate hunting is done, why doesn’t giba extinct yet?

“There is no way giba would extinct. In fact, their numbers have increased these several years, I also heard that the damage to fields are increasing. The number of giba we can hunt doesn’t decrease, the forest is incredibly wide.”

“Haa….again, what an unreasonable story.”

Then all the more, the kingdom only pressed the people of Morihen to do the troublesome work carelessly. It’s the system that prohibited people of Morihen from getting any other food source other than giba. I felt like they are really wicked.

Neither harvesting from the mountain nor plowing the fields are permitted, only giba….It’s probably that kind of story.

And in the back, they always despised people of Morihen as “Giba Eater”. It’s something that coudn’t be discussed anymore.

“...That’s why, ruining the forest’s blessing are a very bad taboo. If you break the taboo, your head will be skinned and then hit.”

“...I understand.”

Ai Fa’s feet suddenly stopped, and her fingertips grabbed my chest.

“Oi. What’s wrong with your att.i.tude just now? If you have complain, just say it clearly.”

“I am not angry at you guys! I just don’t like the kingdom’s way of handling things!”

Ai Fa’s eyes which were angry like a giba, cooled down.

“What is that? Why are you who isn’t one of the people of Morihen is angry with such things?”

“What? If you think objectively, you will be angry no matter what. Also even though I am not one of the people of Morihen, I have been in Ai Fa’s care. Isn’t it natural for me to be angry at that side?”

“.....You are a strange man.”

After she released her hand from my chest, she began to step firmly on the crunchy gra.s.sy patch.

“Also, it’s an unreasonable story. We abide the contract not because we are threatened by swords. Although the guys at the capital doesn’t like it, we are confident with pride that we are the one who preserves their public peace. If we leave this place, this kind of work will be abandoned and no one will be able to fight the gibas. We who offered our sword to West G.o.d Selva, we play a part in the prosperity of the kingdom by hunting gibas.”

“Yeah….I who wasn’t born as one of the people of Morihen don’t understand that side well.”

“We live on this side of the forest with pride. These fangs and horns and also the foods which we eat to live are the symbols of our pride. So remember that by ruining the forest’s blessing which results in harm to the kingdom is the same as a shameless act that tramples people of Morihen’s pride.”

“Understood. It’s not for the convenience of the kingdom. If it’s for the pride of the people of Morihen, I can promise to protect it without feeling bad.”

Although it’s a bit forced, I was convinced at that moment.

While going through the branches and leaves and quickly advancing, Ai Fa gave me a glance.

“.....You are really a strange man, Asuta.”

Strangely, when Ai Fa muttered that, her sullen face from the morning was beautifully gone.

Just like that we walked tens of minutes. When the sun appeared completely, we arrived at our first destination.

The place where pico leaves could be found was at the riverside of Ranto river.

The river’s width was about 5 meters. Although the river’s flow was not fast, it was quite deep. Clear water reflected the sunshine filtering through the foliage, it’s a very solemn view.

But, at the rocky stretch along the river, there was nothing that looked like a growing gra.s.s.

I wondered if we should go further. when I turned to look at Ai Fa, she had already begun to take off her fur mantle from her shoulder for some reason.

“.....Before searching for pico leaves, I will take a bath.”

“...Ha? Bath?”

“What? Sweating while smeared with giba’s fat is unpleasant.”

Her mood had recovered completely, but Ai Fa was blunt by default. While talking with a sore piercing tone, she handed her mantle to me.

Good heavens, it was quite heavy. When I saw it properly, there were many small pockets sewn in a line with a nut that I didn’t know, an iron needle. They were pushed by a bunch of leather straps. The total weight was about...2 or 3 kg.

“....Incidentally, I also entrust this to you.” And Ai Fa removed her fang and tusk necklace from her neck and held it out towards me.  

But this man servant's both hands were occupied with the mantle, princess.

“Lower your head” She kicked my foot.

Even though I would lower it without being kicked. When I lower my back a little, Ai Fa came closer while expanding the necklace with both her hands.

Ah, It’s close. If you excluded the one in the early mornings because I didn’t have memory of it, this already past the best distance….When I was thinking about something unnecessary, my eyes had moved to her nape unpleasantly.

A blue purple bit mark was left clearly on the left side of her slender neck.

Ah...What kind of a.s.sault did I do to her ?

Or rather, the princess’ aroma was still fragrant enough to die for...And her face was close. Beautiful skin, s.e.xy cherry colored lips.

….Was this a new kind of punishment game?

After Ai Fa finished wearing the necklace on my neck, I pulled myself quickly from her so my foolish thought wasn’t noticed.

“Ok...usually, gibas are still sleeping but there are some that sometimes wander around in the morning. If you feel giba’s sign from the forest, immediately raise your voice.”

“Understood. I only have to watch the forest right?”

Although my face was normal, Ai Fa was somehow having cold eyes while looking at my face.

“.....I will say this just in case, looking at the nude body of an unmarried woman is taboo.”

“Eh? It’s okay if she’s married?”

“.....Only the husband is permitted to look at his wife’s nude body.”

Ah, I shouldn’t have said an unnecessary thing. I felt like Ai Fa’s cold eyes level had increased by 20%.

“.....Just watch.”

“.....Understood.”

I looked for a rock as big as possible, so I could lean and watch the forest.

But well, when she entrusted me with the necklace and food that just been described as people of Morihen’s pride, I have the confidence I won’t peep. It was a kind of an unusual honor though. 

But, what was it. I still couldn’t fully grasp the principle of action this Ai Fa girl had.

When I thought she is cautious, she easily trusted someone that appeared abruptly like me. after I admired her for taking care of me, she gave me a cold look.

Basically I thought she had a good and gentle temper, but I couldn’t deny that she was too stubborn.

(But whatever happens, she is a partner worth trusting.)

When I was thinking like that.

“Aaaaa!” Ai Fa’s scream that lost control, broke the riverside’s silence to pieces.