Chapter 49.1

Chapter 49: That time when we talked while calling it an interrogation

TL: kizen

ED: Filip

Its been five days since we were attacked by the humans and Im currently in front of the dungeon . I am here to meet with the human prisoners . There was someone who was more or less standing guard at the dungeons entrance . I guess I should probably talk to him so that I can enter .

Do you need something Caam-san?

Hm? Ah . Were already done repairing the ramparts so I was thinking of helping out with the prisoners to kill time

A-are you going to torture them?

No no no no, thats not it okay? I dont have that kind of hobbies after all . I just wanted to pass the time with the prisoners, thats all

Its not really a good idea to get into contact with them

Even if Ill only speak with them?

Even so, thats still

Please let me check how the prisoners are doing then

Haa

With that, he opened the sturdy door with a key .

I wont take responsibility for anything that happens okay? I wont be able to help you after all

Thanks~

You really take everything lightly dont you

After descending the stone staircase, I was approached by another soldier standing guard .

Whats wrong Caam-san?

I just wanted to chat with the prisoners for a bit

You shouldnt try talking with those guys you know? Or rather, you wont be able to

Well, I wont know till I try

After saying that, the guard led me to a place with a lot of relatively docile prisoners . Unlike the bald mouses cell that was made of stone with a sturdy door and a single window, the prisoners of war are being held in an iron bar cell . Its like prisons you see in movies .

*clang clang clang* Oi ya bastards! Let us outta here!

No .

*clank clank clank clank* Son of a bitch! Ill kill you!

Not that one .

A-ah~ I want to smoke~

Too apathetic and has no life in his eyes . No .

Hes reading a book Did they not confiscate their things I wonder? I guess this guy will do .

Excuse me, is there anyone here who can speak the continents common language?

Theres none you know?

He absent-mindedly murmured as he read his book .

I see, it cant be helped . I guess Ill look somewhere else . By the way, what are you reading?

A story about a knight who goes on a journey to save the princess

Hmm

Caam-san, it seems like that one can

Hn? Ah, I know . I was just thinking of testing out how long hes going to play dumb

That book reading fellow isnt looking at us after all .

This ones tough to crack . 1

How are your meals?

Ah, its absolutely terrible . Its nothing but hard bread, dried meat, and soup . I cant stand it . Its a lot more than the provisions we get before we were caught though

What are you on about you bastard! You should be thankful were even giving you food!Were still talking so please just bear with whatever he says for now

How unpleasant . This crude fellow is really inconsiderate, isnt he?

I dont understand what you just said but I dont think you were talking about me

It seems like he really doesnt understand

I dont understand what youre saying

I said it seems like you really dont understand

Thanks for translating

No problem

While we were having that conversation, this guy didnt stop reading his book .

Id like to ask you something . Could you teach me the humans language?

I dont mind, but what do I get in return?

Mu, this one is pretty strong-willed

Im not a soldier so you shouldnt expect a reward from me . The best I can do is give you some of my things

What do you have?

How about human currency and tobacco?

Not interested

How about treats?

Im listening

How about hard cookies I made before I came to this fort?

I dont like hard things

I only have brown sugar left you know?

Then Id like tea with lots of sugar to drink while Im reading

Sure sure, Ill get it now

Oi, what did you talk about?

That demonkin wanted to learn human language so I asked for some sweet tea in return

How about us?

I dont understand what theyre talking about but since the negotiation has ended, I went out of the dungeons to get the sugar and sweets .

Im back

thanks

Im sorry but please open this humans cell so that I can enter . I want to be taught in peace

Isnt it dangerous?

Im still handcuffed though

What he said

Caam-san, youre way too reckless

I dont think this human whose name I dont know is dangerous though

Totally not dangerous2

See?

Haa Theyre both the type thats difficult to deal with Well, as long as Caam-san will be liable

You have my thanks . Want a bribe?

No thanks!

With that said, the soldier opened the cell, moved the other prisoners, then locked it after I entered .

Well then, Ill give you the reward first

After saying that, I filled a cup with hot water then took out the pouch with tea leaves and brown sugar .

Let me know if you want some more

So youre the magician who produced hot water in the battlefield

well, yeah

After saying that, I also prepared my own tea then took out my memo pad .

I really want to drink properly brewed tea but we dont have the equipment so Ill just have to endure

Ah, well, everyone will wish for their cruel end if someone brought the tools to make that in the battlefield

I guess thats true

After that, we started with our lesson as we sip our tea .

Well then, why dont we start with self-introductions since it fits with the current mood

Ill leave it to you

My name is John3

Mai nemu ees Caam4

Thats it . Well work on the pronunciation later so lets just start with you speaking it okay?

Just teach me like how a mother would teach her child how to speak

Im a man and I dont have kids though

We started with stuff that would come out in daily conversations after that . I kept writing the important words in my memo .

Can you understand?

Unexpecteddifficultunderstand

Then, please give me some candy

You mean this?

Thats sugar

That continued even when we were having lunch .

BreadDried meatSoup, John pointed at our food while naming them one by one . The words I was getting taught was rapidly getting fired out so I was writing them down on my memo while frantically memorizing them .

Is this a chair?

No, that is John

Ive been teaching you for three days now but what do you think?

Normal conversation fine, I think

Hmm . Caam, youre unexpectedly smart, arent you?

I think this is easier than learning German and Russian . Thats was just the vocabulary though . I still have to work the pronunciation and learn the characters of the language . Even if I tried learning all of the human letters at this time, the memo pad I brought wouldnt be enough . We can only cover something like a syllable chart at best for now .

That not true . I am having a hard time here

I have no idea what you guys are saying . What are you going to use that knowledge for anyway?

Keith, who was observing us, started grumbling outside of the cell .

If I manage to reach conversation level at least, Ill be able to convey to them that Im not hostile right?

Hm, but you dont have to be in such a hurry right?

Snows going to start falling soon so theres no more time

Okay, now say that in human language

Soon snow fall no time

Well, thats good enough for now I guess

We decided to chat while we were having lunch .

How will us prisoners of war be treated?

Who knows

Well, I had already given up at the time I was assigned to head to battle . All hope was lost now that we became prisoners of war

Uhm, well, my bad

The ones at fault are the churchs higher-ups . While saying things like the demonkin are inferior to the humans, they decided to start this war just to expand their territories . These skirmishes have already been going on for several years now . Since there are so few humans who know this continents language, they lack contact with the demonkin so its easy for the churchs teachings to spread out

I wonder if the humans just dont want to learn the common language .

Well, thats how it is no matter where you go . Thats all there is to it . They werent contented with just using their position to pilfer money, they even desire to expand their territory

thats true . Well, ones who suffer in the end are us commoners

There might be some good people within them you know? We have the lord of this fortress for example

Theres not a lot of those kinds you know? Now then, Ive already taught you enough of the human language right? Im starting to lose interest in the tea and Im getting tired of teaching . Its cold because its going to snow soon right? If thats the case then both of our forces would probably call for a cease-fire . I wonder what will happen to us . It would be nice if we get used in a prisoner exchange though

I wasnt expecting anything to begin with . It was already nice that I got to eat something sweet before I die

After saying that, he stood up, went to the soldier standing guard and said .

I wish to go back to my previous cell

I wanted to thank him for everything he taught me but after he returned to the cell, he no longer was responding to me .

Several days later

There were a lot more carriages arriving than usual and everyone in the fort was already starting preparations for when snow starts falling . Keith and I also received an order to return to Tephroite from Cravatte-sama .

Good thing it wasnt just a letter this time

Yeah It would probably have said something interesting if it was just a letter though . But still, were not really with the army so it would have been weird for us to stay here even longer

We finished up our preparations to leave after that . I didnt have an opportunity to use the oil and cigarettes I brought back in Tephroite so I decided to just leave those on the shelves in the barracks . I also decided to leave the remaining distilled liquor to the soldiers .

We didnt have anything to guard on the way back so our caravan went on a leisurely pace back to Tephroite . It sure is hard camping with these kinds of temperature though .

Once we got there, we immediately went to Cravatte-samas mansion .

Hey, its been a while . I just saw this in the reports but it seems like the humans attacked the fort just as the demon lords army came . Im not sure if that was a lucky coincidence or not but good work this past 40 days you two

Thank you very much

I also heard that you used wind magic to defend against the enemy arrows, wiped out half of the enemys army with a stone wall, and dealt with the siege towers while Keith was giving our troops cover fire with his bow from the top of the tower . Rest assured because all of your achievements were properly included in the report this time

We were going to continue checking if there were any disparities with the report but the fox-eared maid stopped us by saying,

Sir, its about time

Ah, I see . Well then, about your pay . Because of the previous incident, Caam-kun will receive an additional 6 gold coins . The money has already been deposited so just verify it with the guild okay? It would be bad carrying such an amount with you after all

Then, we were each given something that was wrapped in high-quality paper and sealed with sealing wax as we left the mansion .

They seem to be having a hard time

Yeah, it looks like things are going to get even busier . Caam, what will you be doing after this?

After I get back to Aegirine, Im going to go home to my village for the New Years Festival

I see . As for me, Ill be going to the inn Im staying at here in Tephroite . Take care in going back

Yeah

After that, we went to the guild to confirm our pay then told each other, Lets meet again somewhere, as we parted ways .

I immediately searched for a carriage after that . The one I found was going to leave the next day so I had to stay in an inn but negotiations went smoothly after I offered to be their escort .

Its been a while since Ive entered a bath and ate something other than hard baked bread .

I could have just dug a hole and filled it with hot water using magic when I was in front line base but there was never a time I was alone so had to be content with just wiping my body with a cloth . I wanted to enter a bath so much that I was in tears . As a Japanese person, I even took a bath during a hot summers day in my previous life after all .

Baths are the best! Delicious meals are the best!