After Retirement, Living a Stud Life in Another World - 109
Chapter 109 Adventurers
Today, I could only gaze absentmindedly at Gretel, who was enthusiastically immersed in lumbering. Although I’m supposed to be the “supervisor” in name, the real command is taken by Max, so in essence, I have nothing to do… I seem to be increasingly becoming a “househusband”. As I pondered this, several adventurer parties passed by in front of me, heading towards the “Forest of Magic”.
Before we arrived, the main industries in the Baden region were inns and shops catering to adventurers.
The meager harvest from the cramped fields surrounded by earth walls couldn’t sustain the residents. But for adventurers aiming for materials and magic stones by hunting monsters in the terrifying “Forest of Magic,” which was nothing but fear for the residents, it was like a treasure trove. Adventurers who came one after another seeking monsters that never seemed to disappear not only ate but also bought goods and sought baths and soft beds at night… Dealing with them surprisingly yielded good profits. The reason why the town of Stuttgart, surrounded by the “Forest of Magic” on three sides like a solitary island, had not been abandoned so far was because of that.
Speaking of adventurers, in my brain, tainted by Japanese light novels, male warriors or martial artists were usually the protagonists, with girls mostly being healers, and the lucky ones being magic users… But in this world, “power” is everything, and the strength of magic is paramount. Without being a mage, neither warriors nor archers nor thieves can succeed… In other words, unless they are quite exceptional, men cannot become adventurers. Here too, all the passing parties consisted solely of women. If there was occasionally a man, he would usually be a porter.
As the sun rose completely and the other parties all entered the forest, one group leisurely emerged from the inn. Adventurers are usually eager to set out as early in the morning as possible to earn as many gold coins as they can, but these ones seemed unusually relaxed. Their appearance was different from the other parties, not dirty, perhaps the pattern of rich kids having fun?
There were two with swords, one with a staff that looked like a mage, one in the style of a cleric, and another who seemed to have only a short sword, probably the scout. Since coming here, I’ve become accustomed to adventurers to the point where I can make such insights.
Oddly enough, instead of heading straight into the forest, the party, upon recognizing me, approached straight toward me. Two members of the shadow clan, who were guarding me from the shadows, had the feeling of aiming small bows.
“Stop there, what business do you adventurers have?”
Max, who was supervising alongside me, issued a sharp warning. If they got any closer, the poison arrows of the shadow clan would fly towards the warrior.
“We apologize. Our thief here has a letter entrusted to the lord. We wish to deliver it.”
“Leave it there.”
“No, we would like it to be received.”
Disregarding Max’s instructions, I stepped forward towards them. The warrior who was at the front stepped back slightly, and the petite thief, with a hood pulled deep over her head, slowly stepped forward, holding out the letter with both hands to show she meant no harm.
“Who entrusted you with this letter?”
“If you read it, you will understand.”
In a barely audible mezzo-soprano, the words were squeezed out as the female thief handed over the letter. She seemed a bit timid, but well, it’s nerve-wracking dealing with nobles, isn’t it?
At that moment, the thief unexpectedly looked up. Upon seeing her face, I caught my breath for a moment.
Her skin was incredibly beautiful. It was as if she had never been exposed to the sun, with flawless, snow-white skin without even a freckle, as if she were untouched by sunlight. Well, considering she’s a thief, there are probably many jobs she can’t do under the sun… Are there adventurers with such beautiful skin?
Her chestnut hair tied up and brown eyes gave a plain impression, but her facial features and chin line were well-proportioned… For some reason, she reminded me of a beautiful woman I had a sense of déjà vu about. She seems older than Ayaka-san… Maybe in her mid-twenties?
“Should I give a reply here?”
“…We will be in this town for a while.”
Leaving a reply that couldn’t quite be called an answer to my question, the modestly beautiful female thief quietly stepped back and returned to her party. Is it just my imagination that her movements are unusually graceful?
“Leave the opening to us.”
To the voice coming from the shadows, I nodded. I still didn’t fully trust those adventurers. In this world, it’s common for poison needles to be hidden in letters, so it’s better to be cautious.
And as I watched them disappear into the forest, I suddenly realized something.
“That warrior group, they walk with such rhythm, and they’re too perfect.”
“Oh, Lutz, you’ve become quite discerning. Those aren’t adventurers, they’re active soldiers.”
Max, who had been sharply observing them, broke into a grin. It seems he, as a royal with plenty of frontline experience, had already noticed.
“The remaining three don’t walk like soldiers. That’s…”
“The thief is a noble, the mage and cleric are her handmaiden and guard… Is that it?”
“That’s probably right. This is trouble, isn’t it?”
With a deep sigh of anticipation for trouble, I unfolded the letter that the shadowy figure had opened for me. Letting those strange individuals deliver it, it surely contains something unpleasant.
“Huh? Is that so?”
The contents of the letter were truly unpleasant.