by Funa
“Please and thank you!!!!”
A direct request from a noble, with a huge reward! As far as promotion points were concerned, this was quite the juicy morsel. It was an achievement that few C-rank hunters could hope for, a testament to their skill and credibility. This would be a political boon for the guild as well: proof that a noble family had come to rely on them.
“By the way, forgive my changing the topic, but besides all of the things you listed earlier, what else should we be having Leatoria eat? It would be so dull to have her eat the same thing every day.”
“Er…” The baron’s question was an entirely reasonable one, but Mile was lost for words.
It was not as though Mile was a trained nutritionist. Her knowledge was only slightly greater than that of the average high school girl, as she had read up on the topic a bit for fun, expanding her knowledge beyond what had been covered in school lessons. Really, all that she happened to know was that you could identify beriberi from diminished reflexes, that the cause was a deficiency of vitamin B1, and that there were a handful of foods that were and were not rich in this vitamin.
However, the only examples of foods that she knew were ones from textbooks and other instructional manuals, and the only ones she could think of were eel, bream, salmon roe, and other such seafood. In other words, they were all things that it would be impossible for these people to come by.
The only other information that Mile could recall about beriberi was that the Japanese navy had found and implemented a solution to combat the illness in its early stages, but that the author Mori Ōgai, who was primarily the surgeon general of the army, violently opposed this practice and spoke out against their nutritional theories, instead subscribing to the contagion theory of the disease, and needlessly sentencing many soldiers in the Japanese land forces to death…
In other words, what Mile remembered was useless trivia, utterly inapplicable to the situation at hand.
“I think that there are probably a lot more foods that have the necessary components in them, but unfortunately those are the only ones that I know. Truly, as long as she just eats a normal diet, she should be fine. There’s nothing wrong with the rest of you, after all… It was just by random chance that her diet ended up so imbalanced this time. But, well, just in case…”
Nanos!
FINALLY!
What’s that mean?! It’s not good for me to come calling on you for every little thing, so I really don’t like to rely on you guys too much, but a person’s life is at stake here, so I guess I can’t worry about that just now…Well, whatever. Please confirm for me that I made the right call here!
Diagnosing it as beriberi was just my judgment as a layperson, but now that I think about it, there could have been a thousand other reasons why her knee didn’t react like it should—like maybe it’s an illness that affects her nervous system, or maybe she has too much fat under her skin and the reaction was dulled, or I hit her in the wrong spot, or maybe I even hit her too hard and fractured her knee. If I got too carried away in my snap judgment, then the solution I gave them might not even help her.
So please, tell me what the correct diagnosis is!
Indeed, though previously she had made the call with confidence, Mile was struck with a sudden sense of anxiety. She had finally realized how reckless it was to make such a judgment based only on the lack of a reaction from Leatoria’s knee.
UNDERSTOOD. NOW THEN, PLEASE CONCENTRATE SUCCINCTLY ON THE MATTER OF THE ILLNESS. FROM YOUR THOUGHTS, WE CAN DETERMINE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION ABOUT THE ILLNESS AND ANALYZE WHAT WE FIND. AND ALSO…
And also, what?
THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO HESITATE TO RELY ON US. HONESTLY, NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST! NO, IN FACT, WE SHOULD SAY, YOU SHOULD RELY ON US! PLEASE RELY ON US!
I’ll think about it… Now then, here I go! Grnnnnnnnnnnnh!
WE HAVE RECEIVED AND ANALYZED THE INFORMATION. THE ILLNESS IS EXACTLY AS YOU DIAGNOSED IT, LADY MILE. SPOT ON.
Thank goodness… Now, I would like to move some foodstuffs from my inventory into “storage” and extract the vitamin B1 from those. Since that is the deficiency, I’d like to condense it into vitamin supplements. Can you do that?
DON’T ASK IF WE CAN DO IT, JUST ORDER IT!
Got it. Then, please!
NOW THEN, WHEN I GIVE THE SIGNAL, PLEASE PUT INTO STORAGE ALL THAT IS IN A THIRTY-CENTIMETER SPHERE CENTERED THIRTY CENTIMETERS IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE. THAT IS WHERE THE PROCESSING NANOMACHINES WILL BE GATHERED. THE WORK WILL THEN BE COMPLETED INSTANTANEOUSLY, SO YOU MAY TAKE THE PILLS, ALONG WITH THAT THIRTY-CENTIMETER SPHERE, BACK OUT OF STORAGE. IF YOU DON’T, THEN SOME OF US WILL END UP TRAPPED IN STORAGE.
Okay! Oh, I do have some various containers stored away too, so please put it in one of those. Only make as much as will fit inside it. Also, I’ll have to discard these nutrient-stripped ingredients, so please put whatever you don’t use off to the side. I don’t want to eat any nutritionless food myself.
UNDERSTOOD! NOW THEN, THE STORAGE!
Roger that!
“What’s up? You’re spacing out again…”
“Miley’s always spacing out like this…”
“H-hush!”
After the usual exchange…
Heave ho!
A tiny jar suddenly appeared in Mile’s hand.
ALL UNITS HAVE BEEN SAFELY RETURNED. BECAUSE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT FOR A SINGLE DOSE OF THE SPECIFIED COMPONENT WOULD MAKE THE PILLS TOO SMALL, WE HAVE INCLUDED OTHER IMPORTANT COMPONENTS AND AGENTS TO INCREASE INTAKE INTO A SINGLE PILL THAT CAN BE TAKEN AFTER EVERY MEAL.
THOUGH NO MARKED SYMPTOMS HAVE YET TO APPEAR, THE PATIENT ALSO SHOWED SIGNS OF IMPENDING ILLNESS FROM DEFICIENCY IN OTHER COMPONENTS, SO THIS SHOULD WARD AGAINST THOSE AS WELL.
It would seem that the nanomachines had concocted a multivitamin—or, better yet, an all-purpose supplement—containing calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc as well. Her nanobuddies really were a conscientious sort.
Thank you! This is perfect!
WE ARE TRULY DELIGHTED TO HEAR YOUR PRAISE.
“Wh—? Storage magic?”
Mile presented the jar to the startled baron.
“It’s a medicine that contains the necessary components that Leatoria is lacking. Please have her take one tablet after every meal.”
The baron appeared truly perplexed.
“W-well that’s awfully convenient…”
And incredibly suspicious. A medicine so perfectly suited to the situation that it was as if she had prepared it ahead of time. However, she was not asking for money, so it was nothing but a boon to the Aura household…
The baron prided himself on having the ability to read most people fairly well. Furthermore, it was inconceivable that anyone in this world could have devised the perfect a trap for them to fall into.
“It’s an old family recipe—a secret remedy!” she said, shoving it into the baron’s hands.
Cautiously, the baron opened the jar.
“And how much are you going to charge us for this?” he asked.
Mile grinned and replied, “You can’t put a price on seeing Lady Leatoria’s smile!”
“Huh?”
In other words, it was free. Or rather, she could repay them with a smile, when the day came.
“Until these run out, you can work on getting Lady Leatoria to broaden her horizons as far as what she will and won’t eat. If you don’t, there’s a chance she may fall prey to some other dreadful illness down the line. Please figure out something to do about her pickiness—and about getting her some exercise. There’s no sense in someone as slender and beautiful as she is dying before she even has a chance to wed, is there?”
“I-I understand. We love her so much that I suppose we’ve been rather soft on her. We’ll take care of it,” the baron replied, nodding.
He seemed serious about this—things were going to be all right.
***
“We really should’ve stayed for dinner, too,” Reina grumbled as t
hey rode back to the guild in a borrowed carriage.
“It was still five more hours until dinner! We couldn’t just wait around that long. What do you think they’d say about us if we lingered there for no reason, just to get more food out of them, and then ran off afterwards?!”
“I guess you’re right. But still…”
Even though it was Mile, herself a bit of a glutton, who had pointed this out, Reina was incorrigible.
After their discussion had concluded, the baron prepared a slip with the terms of his request to the Crimson Vow and had one of his servants send it along on horseback to the guild. This meant that the Crimson Vow could take their time, and once they arrived at the guild, they would be able to receive their reward and accept the direct request retroactively. Even though their accepting the request would mean nothing until the results were shown.
Finally, the carriage stopped, and the cabin door opened.
“We have arrived at the hall of the capital branch of the hunters’ guild.”
As the four disembarked the carriage, Bundine greeted them with a 10-degree bow.
“Thank you for the ride. Now then, until another day…”
Another day, when they would need to return to receive a signature as proof that the job had been completed. Mavis, who had spoken as the representative of the party, had only tipped her head, but Bundine now lowered himself further to a full 45 degrees of the deepest respect.
“Thank you so very much. Truly, truly I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Dark spots began to appear on the ground beneath his lowered face, but the Crimson Vow pretended not to notice, lightly waving their hands to Bundine as they disappeared into the guild hall.
For a brief time after, Bundine stood staring at the door of the hall and then climbed into the back of the carriage.
“To the residence.”
And so, the carriage set off on its leisurely journey back to the Baron Aura’s capital home.
***
“How did you get a personal request from a noble this soon after arriving in the capital?! And for curing his daughter’s illness at that… Just what in the world are you four?!”
As she spoke, Felicia’s tone grew less and less businesslike.
“Well, if you’re gonna ask what we are…”
“Then I guess we had better tell you.”
“You see, we are…”
“Four allies, bound at the soul…”
“The Crimson Vow!!!!”
The four shouted the last part in unison and snapped into their practiced pose.
Of course, they restrained themselves from letting off the usual smoke and explosions, since they were indoors.
“I… Wha…”
Even “No-Hope Felicia” could manage no other reply than that.
“Now, Mile, as confident as you were back there, what do you intend to do if you made the wrong diagnosis and her illness didn’t get better? Do you realize how unforgivable it would be to get their hopes up like that?” asked Reina.
Though she was fairly sure that it would be fine—because, after all, it was Mile they were talking about—there was still a chance that something might go horribly wrong someday. Concern spread across her face and across those of Mavis and Pauline as well. They weren’t stupid enough to show such concerns in front of a client, so they had held it together until now, but in fact, they had been truly worried.
“Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t wrong, and even if that doesn’t heal her, I still have another plan up my sleeve. It’s all good!”
“Another plan? And what would that be?” asked Reina.
With a calm and collected look, Mile replied, “Healing her with magic, of course!”
“H-how are we supposed to ‘not worry’ about that?!?! Isn’t that dangerously reckless?!?!” Reina screamed.
“Is it?” asked Mavis.
She truly had no idea.
“Well, it is Mile, so…” Pauline had given up entirely.
“Anyway, it’s gonna turn out fine!”
And so, the Crimson Vow headed back to their home—their temporary home, where a darling little cat-eared girl was waiting for them.
Chapter 50:
A Rival Appears
It had been three days since the incident with the Aura family.
That day had ended up being a work day, and technically, they had still taken on a job for later, though that work was already almost done.
And so, they had set aside the following two days for rest where they could wait until Mavis was fully recovered.
Today, however, the Crimson Vow headed off to the guild to look for a new job.
“Are you all the ‘Crimson Vow’ or whatever?”
Upon entering the guild hall, they were instantly assailed by a five-unit all-female hunting party.
“Ah, yes? That’s us. Is there something we can help you with?” As Mavis replied, the woman who had spoken was momentarily lost for words, beguiled by her gentle smile.
Whoa! She really is a different kind of lady hunter, isn’t she?
Mile was dazzled by Mavis’s perennial, inexplicable way with other women.
“N-no! That’s not why we’re here! I hear that some young interlopers have been running amok around here while we were away!” said the eldest of the hunters, a woman of around twenty.
Mavis was dumbfounded. “Oh no, have they? That’s dastardly of them. The youth should respect their seniors. It’s no good for inexperienced people to go stepping out of bounds. If those people don’t start heeding the words of the elderly, then…”
Pft!
Snicker…
Tehehehe…
The other hunters in the room seemed to be trying desperately to hold back their laughter, but Mavis naturally did not notice.
“E-elderly. Elderly?”
The eldest woman was red in the face, trembling.
“Oh, is something the matter?” Mavis asked, ever so chipper.
The woman roared, “I’m talking about you aaalllll!!!”
“Ah, we thought so.” For once, even Pauline, Reina, and Mile had caught on.
“Huh?”
Only Mavis had been left out of the loop.
“Now then, I think you all owe us an explanation!”
The Crimson Vow found themselves dragged to the guild hall’s dining corner, where they were being grilled by this new all-girl party, the Servants of the Goddess.
“I mean, I still have no idea what the problem here is, or what you’re asking for. So I don’t know what to tell you.”
Since she was speaking to someone who was her senior, Mavis tried to be as polite as possible for now.
“I’m talking about how you all took advantage of our absence and stole our spot as the idols of this guild branch from right under our noses!”
“What?”
The Crimson Vow were amazed. They were amaz-eggs and bacon!
“Ohhh, you mean that we’ve just been playing around or that we haven’t been working, right? No, I can assure you, we’ve been doing work while we were here. Though our most recent break was a bit long, I will admit…”
Apparently, Mile had misheard “idol” as “idle.”
“That’s not what we’re saying! I’m talking about an idol, a perfect image, something you worship!” A girl who was perhaps the second or third eldest in the group desperately tried to correct Mile. She was likely around sixteen or seventeen…
“Huh?! If your party name is Servants of the Goddess, and you’re all images to be worshipped, does that mean that you’re disciples—nay, avatars of the Goddess herself?!”
“N-no, that’s not quite…” The Servants suddenly looked a bit troubled.
Of course, Mile already knew the answer to her own question. Even she could be a bit cruel now and then.
And so finally, the Crimson Vow sat down to hear the full story.
Citing their status as the senior party, the Servants of the Goddess paid
for their drinks. At least in that regard, they were properly aware of their duties as seniors.
The Servants of the Goddess. They were a five-member party made up of all girls, a rarity among hunters.
There was Telyusia, the swordswoman, age nineteen; Philly, the lancer, age seventeen; Willine the swordswoman and Tasha the archer-slash-dagger wielder, both age sixteen; and last but not least, Lecelina, the favorably named “all-purpose” (or perhaps more appropriately called “jack-of-all-trades”) mage, age fourteen. Lecelina was still a D-rank, but all the others were C-rank hunters. However, they had only very recently been promoted…
The scene: a little farming village in the countryside, with nothing but mountains and fields and nary a good man to go around.
Three young girls who could not bear to live out their lives in such a place took their cleavers and wooden staves in hand and set out to become hunters, in search of a life of excitement and adventure.
They were fools.
Though they faced many a danger and hardship, by some miracle they managed to survive, and came across two more young girls who had similarly struck out from their village on their own. Before they knew it, they had grown to become C-rank hunters.
Normally, anyone that reckless would have found themselves wiped out by now, but perhaps they truly did have a fair bit of skill—or perhaps they were just exceedingly lucky…
There was also the fact that they had made it to a C-rank at such an unexpectedly young age, in a country that did not have anything like the Hunters’ Prep School. And they were a group of young women. Naturally, the male parties hung around them like flies—just as they did with Mile and her companions.
But then, the Crimson Vow had appeared.
They were a group of four beautiful young girls. They had two powerful mages. They had sword skills on par with a B-rank. They had less than the standard number of members. And they appeared rather ignorant to the ways of the world.