Chapter 304: Customs in the Great Forest II (2/2)

I was so surprised that I unintentionally blurted that out. Stem-san became thoughtful for a moment before answering.

I dont know if the people were thinking of are the same, but those two were definitely there. An old couple of a dwarf and a human that would show up from time to time in one of the bases in the Great Forest. They never did give a name, and right after meeting them, some kind of spell would be at work, and I would be unable to remember their voice or face clearly, so I dont even know much about their ident.i.ty, really. [Stem]

Thats definitely them. My grandfather is a dwarf, while my grandmother is a human. They have some circ.u.mstances of their own. In fact, theyve never really spoken much to me about their past. [Ryouma]

I see, well Having a story aint so strange around these parts. They were quite bold for someone in hiding, though, and the woman had a gentle demeanor, so I doubt they were bad people. No one, including me, tried to dig into their background.

They were really scary when you messed with them wrong or just p.i.s.sed them off. Those two would often come from the forest depths as though they were just out on a walk or something, exchange a staggering amount of materials and supplies, then disappear back into the depths. When youre that strong, youre bound to be famous, but I see So they died, huh. [Stem]

Stem-san spoke as though he were reminiscing. He said those last words casually, then he got back up.

Can you drink? [Stem]

Yes. [Ryouma]

I see, in that case, wait for a bit. [Stem]

As he said that, he walked to the counter.

From the way the conversation is going, Im guessing hes going to treat me to some liquor? [Ryouma]

Probably. I guess he means to treat you to a drink in place of a burial. [Soldier 2]

According to the soldier, it wasnt rare for people here to die. It was normal for the person you were talking to yesterday to disappear the following day. And dying outside the base meant becoming food for some beasts, so it was hard to recover the body.

As such, people who have gotten used to the Great Forest have already grown indifferent to death. Just like Stem-san.

However that didnt mean that they didnt have any concept of burial. For such people, instead of a burial, they would instead drink while thinking of the person that has departed. Though usually they would just drink a cup in remembrance of the deceased, then the next cups would be drank while thinking of their next hunt or their future plans.

That might seem cold, but here in the Great Forest, over thinking the death of ones comrade could result in ones own death, so the people here adapted that sort of mindset.

While we were talking like that, Stem-san came back with 6 mugs.

Here. [Stem]

Oh! Youre treating me too? [Soldier 2]

I wouldnt mind if you paid. [Stem]

What are you saying? Its considered good manners to gratefully accept when someone is treating. [Soldier 2]

Stem-san placed the mugs on the table quite heartily, so the contents swayed about. However, nothing spilled. Im not sure if its beer or not, but the frothy foam at the top could serve as a lid.

You have a drink too. Cheers. [Stem]

Thank you. [Ryouma]

The medicine slime in my bag didnt react, so I know for sure that the mug didnt contain anything medicinal or poisonous. I gratefully took one of the mugs, prayed for the souls of my grandparents, then clinked my mug with the other twos for a toast.

As I took in the pleasant sound produced by the thick wood, I poured the contents down my throat, and a unique aroma wafted through my nostrils. It had a sweet fragrance with a hint of a unique and spicy aroma. It was complex and hard to describe, but it tasted great.

There was a lot of foam at the top, so I thought it would be more carbonated, but that wasnt the case at all. It wasnt lukewarm by any means, but it wasnt cold either. As a result, I could drink it all up without pause. It didnt even take me 10 seconds to finish my drink.

You drink pretty well, I see. [Stem]

Thank you very much. This liquor is easy to drink and is quite delicious. [Ryouma]

This is a flavor unique to liquor stored in barrels made out of wood from Heat Emitting Trees. Theyre a bit stronger, but there are also distilled spirits that have been aged for some years. Theyre strong and expensive, but your gramps used to gulp them down like they were water. [Stem]

Stem-san reminisced about the old times as he finished the remaining half of his drink, then he reached out for his second.

I might be poking my nose where it doesnt belong, but make sure you retreat when you have too. Dont be overcome by feelings. Abandon your comrades if you have to. People who cant do that die right away.

Of course, its your problem whether you die or not, but I dont like it, so if you realize you cant make it to the village, just come back. As long as youre alive, you can try again. Also, you should unload your money and materials here before going. [Stem]

After warning me like that, he finished his second serving, then as though hes said everything, he stood up, retrieved his mugs, then went back to work.

Huh, so he can say stuff like that too. You see some strange things once in a while. [Soldier 2]

Really? [Ryouma]

Yeah, as Ive told you, hes probably the one whos been here the longest. Im sure he wasnt lying when he said he doesnt like seeing people die, but Im also sure hes used to it. I dont know if its just a whim of his, or because your grandpa and grandma helped him out or something, but its rare to hear him give advice like that. Hes a really unsociable guy, after all, though hes dependable when it comes to work Well, he wont talk about it himself, though, so I wouldnt bother asking.

Now then, hes gone back as well, so I guess we can conclude our little interview here. [Soldier 2]

As the soldier said that, he reached out for his second serving, and we continued to casually chat by ourselves. In the end, I decided to spend the night in this base.

I was originally planning to just keep going until I made it to the next city, but Id ended up drinking because of the flow of the conversation. The liquor wasnt strong enough to get me tipsy after just 2 drinks, but just to be safe. Fortunately, this base wasnt as desolate as Id heard, and the preventive measures on my curse seem to be working well too.

Like that, my first day in the Great Forest ended rather peacefully for how dangerous this place was supposed to be.

The next day.

I looked around the place yesterday and found that this base was actually a donut-shaped tunnel-like structure.

The interior was subdivided into various shops and facilities necessary for daily life and for exploring the forest.

There were very few windows to prevent the intrusion of magical beasts, so they had to rely on magical devices for the lighting. As for the air, it was circulated through ventilation ports.

It felt kind of like the shops in a subway station, so it was actually kind of nostalgic.

I dont know if the other bases are built similarly, but once Im done with my errands, it might not be a bad idea to come here regularly.

While I was thinking that, I arrived at the exit in the exact opposite direction that Id arrived in. This place was also a tavern, and a good number of adventurers could be seen eating and drinking.

All eyes gathered on me as soon as I entered. No one came up to talk to me, but it was probably rare to see a child walking around here in the Great Forest. Its also a small community, so rumor got around quickly. Everyone here likely already knew that Im from the forest depths, and that Im planning to go to the front lines.

I could see them speaking among themselves quietly, but they didnt seem to be filled with hostility or ill-will, instead, it seemed as though they were trying to a.s.ses me. I heard some of them starting a bet too. Either way, there werent any problems. The people here are probably just business-minded in general.

They risk their and their comrades lives in hopes of making it big, so they dont allow themselves to be swayed by emotion and just focus on abilities instead. Should they acknowledge your skills, theyll accept you readily, but if they dont, then they wont even bother themselves with you. Considering what kind of place this is, its no wonder that theyd develop such a strict set of values.

After realizing that, although suspicious eyes would fall on me from time to time, I dont worry about it anymore. In the first place, people who doubt my abilities wont involve themselves with me to avoid getting caught up in my mess

Had I come to this place before meeting with the dukes family, I would have probably settled down here.

Thats just how relaxing this place is to me.

Oh? Going already? [Ashton]

Ashton-san, good morning. [Ryouma]

The soldier from yesterday was there by the exit. Apparently, he was the gatekeeper here today.

Alright, Ill open it now. [Ashton]

As the seemingly heavy latch was released, the door opened. Just like yesterday, the door was opened only as much as necessary.

Be careful out there. Lets go for a drink again when you come back. [Ashton]

Yes, Im going! [Ryouma]

Upon saying that, he laughed and closed the door. I heard the latch closing, then I continued along my journey and went deeper into the Great Forest.

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