T/N: Your friendly neighborhood firefly, Hotaru-chan, would like to use this chance to wish everyone a Happy Happy New Year! I hope everyone can welcome 2020 with a big big smile! ❤
Without further ado, here’s the first part of Chapter 3! Enjoy!
“Oh, how rare. Are you, perhaps, a traveler?”
As I nervously approached the settlement, there stood a man holding a spear at the entrance of the simple gate. He was wearing worn-out armor on his body. It was extremely fantasy-like……
The man whose dark skin was burnt by the sun, smilingly called out to me. I could understand his words. I’m glad.
“Hello. What sort of settlement is this place?”
“This is Tolmi village. Ruseuvach territory, North of Belkheim. The most countryside of countrysides, a remote countryside.”
To personally call it remote countryside with his chest puffed out. For something that’s been repeatedly called countryside, it has a great number of detached houses adjacent to each other. There are also many stalls, and a lot of people seem to be living here.
“I hope you don’t take offense but, it’s something I need to ask you as part of my job. Big brother, on what business have you come to Tolmi village for?”
Thinking that I’ll definitely be asked about this, I have already prepared an answer beforehand.
“I am called Takeru. I’ve been travelling wherever I feel like, but I ran into some difficulties after my travel money was used up.”
Although the way I’m talking sounds like it came from a period drama, it seems to be more acceptable this way.
In order not to be rude, I did it politely and with good manners.
“I knew it, so you were a traveler. I doubted you might be an adventurer but…. there’s roughly no adventurers that would drop by this village, after all. Judging from the way you look, are you a warrior or a swordsman? You’re awfully….. big, aren’t you?”
“Uhh, I collect and sell things like raw materials.”
“Hooh, a raw material collection specialist, huh! This is quite rare.”
No, nobody said anything about being a specialist, you know.
“I’m Marlow. A member of Tolmi village’s vigilante corps. This place might not have any famous sites but, we are able to at least satisfy a traveler.”
“That’s great.”
“Unfortunately, there isn’t a raw materials shop but if it’s a general store, then we have one. It’s Jerome’s shop. If it’s raw materials, then I think he can handle anything for you, it would be good to drop by there.”
“I understand. Thank you very much.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
I’m glad the first villager I met in another world was a good person. I’m glad I wasn’t told, “You suspicious person, go away! Ba–ka*!”
[T/N: I’m sure a lot of you know what “baka” is, but for those who don’t, it means “idiot”; I retained the original romaji coz it sounds better.]
As I passed through the fence-like gate, I gathered gazes from the villagers that came and went by. Since it isa proudly self-proclaimed remote countryside village, a traveler like me might be a rarity.
The scenery was like the good old days of yore. In a world of sword and magic, perhaps the magic civilization would develop rather than the scientific civilization. As far as I can see, there’s nothing that seems to be moving with the aid of machinery within sight. A ground of soil. Mud walls and wooden houses. There is also a well further in. Since the fields can be seen in the surrounding vicinity, it could be that their livelihood is set in agriculture.
“Big Brother, it’s an unfamiliar face.”
“For real–, who’s that–?”
“He’s big!”
“He’s bigger than dad, isn’t he–?”
Now then, while I was wandering around looking for where the general store was, small children came shuffling as they gathered around. Their height barely reached up to my knees. They are either extremely tiny kids, or this might be the average height.
I was not supposed to have had an appearance that’s likeable for children, but the children were all smiling with great interest. Thinking of how being hated by the kids would make the adults cautious of me, let’s go with the approach that wins them over.
Lowering my waist and bringing my face down, I brought my line of sight to meet their gazes as I smiled nicely.
“I travel around through different kinds of places.”
“A Mr. Traveler*.”
[T/N: not sure if I should be using Traveler-san or Mr. Traveler. Suggestions?]
“Yeah, you could say I’m a traveler, I guess. But I’m named Takeru.”
“Takeru-oniichan”
“Takeru-oniichan”
It might be because the kids are amiable by nature, or they just don’t have stranger anxiety. The kids came repeatedly patting my back and shoulders. It does smell a bit, but since it’s a childish sweaty kind of smell, it’s not unpleasant.
“Is this your first time in the village of Tolmi?”
“Yeah. I am looking for the general store, can you tell me where it is?”
“Okay! I’ll guide you there!”
“Rick, no fair! I can also guide you there!”
“I’m the one who’ll do it!”
Perhaps something in me has touched the children’s heartstrings causing them to go around me in a heated fight….
…it won’t reach up to that point, but an older-looking child is treating a toddler like a nuisance. This is not good. Since I’m the caretaker*, I’ll be hated.
[T/N: I had no choice but to use this word since I can’t deviate from the raws too much, but I think he meant he’s the one in charge because he’s the adult, so if something happens, he’ll be blamed.]
“Hey, hey, hey! Don’t fight!”
“Kyaaaa—-!!”
“Uhyaaa—!!”
The children, who were still trying to grab on to me even now, were gathered up into my arms on both sides and in that way, I let them ride on my shoulders. I was able to carry the soft and light children without any effort whatsoever.
“Uhyaahyahyahyahya! Amazing! So high–!”
“Amazing! Melbelle, it’s amazingly high!”
“Anna’s so lucky, me too, carry me too–!”
Just like that, not only did the kids that I carried on my shoulders not feel afraid, they were even clapping with pleasure. I intended to startle them as a form of punishment, but on the contrary, I ended up amusing them.
The adults that were flustered as they paid attention to me seemed to be relieved at the sight of the kids having fun.
“Hey Rick, was it? Guide me to the general store, will you?”
“Uhyahya! It’s cause oniichan is amazing!”
“Is that so? Well…. my height might be on the taller side.”
I thought my own height was this world’s average height but it seems I was wrong.
That Marlow from before, his head only reached up to my chest, even among the people who were walking down the road, there was no one taller than me.
I, who carried kids who were convulsing with laughter and brought them along as they dangled from my arms, stood out quite considerably.
With no one reproaching me, I walked as is, letting them coil around both arms and legs.
Am I a moving jungle gym?
I’m a friendly Mr. Traveler who is also loved by kids, you know? With this, the villagers’ wariness should weaken. Probably.
The place where the smiling Rick guided me to was close to the plaza at the heart of the village. Among the lined up stalls was the sought after general store that stood a cut above the rest. I somehow soothed the high-spirited children as we broke off in front of the store.
【To be continued…】
Hotaru World 