After leaving the crater made by Roomba behind me, I walked again for nearly an hour after that, but I still couldn't find any slime.
Even though I have been walking around for a long time, I couldn't find even a single slime, so it makes my body and mind exhausted.
I thought about returning to the mansion to take a break, but I haven't been able to catch even a single slime despite arguing with Sylvio-niisan that strongly, so it will look a bit uncool and hard for me to return now.
I brood over what to do for a while.
「...oh well, I've reached this far using Teleport after all, I wonder if I should rest at the nearby Kikka now」
Though I said 'nearby', the place I'm currently at is the halfway point between Kikka and the Kingdom of Aldonia. If you're using a carriage to move around between these two places, then it will easily take around a day of travel, but it was a distance that can be covered in an instant using Teleport.
Nevertheless, it's the first time I use Teleport to such a distant place.
Until now, I've only used Teleport to go both ways between the mansion and Koryatt village or My Home. The furthest distance I've ever gone to was Logan's house, which was located further in Koryatt village.
When I compare it like that, I've been teleporting over plenty of villages and large towns.
Meaning, I used Teleport to cover the distance that one needs to travel in three days using a carriage in an instant. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
And when I think about it again, I can feel the greatness of Space magic.
I Teleported over quite a distance but the amount of magic power used is not a problem for me. If it were this kind of distance, then I feel like I can easily use Teleport more than ten times.
This is probably thanks to my diligent practice to increase the amount of my magic power until now.
Though the definite amount of magic power used that I sensed is still vague, being able to roughly check on how far I can Teleport with a one-round trip is still pretty good.
I'm still fine even after using Teleporting here, a place where one needs more than three days of travel using a carriage. It might be a good idea to try Teleporting to the royal capital next time.
「Now then, shall we take a break at Kikka」
Analyzing Teleport is good and all, but now my body wants to have a rest. I should take a break according to my body's instinct now.
After switching my train of thought, I recall the crowded main street of Kikka that was packed with all sorts of people into my mind.
Then I manipulate my magic power and cast Teleportation for the second time.
◆ ◆ ◆
The scenery in front of my eyes instantly changes after I use Teleport. From the endlessly spreading grassy plain, now I arrived at a place where there are a countless number of buildings and a lot of people coming and going. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Just as before, the city of Kikka is also lively today.
There are all sorts of stalls lined up on the left and right side of the main street, and the street is filled with the smell of appetizing such as the smell of sweet fruits and meat being grilled.
I can hear the sounds of people leading their lives coming from everywhere, the voices of the stalls' salespeople trying to attract customers can continuously be heard flying around.
Maybe it's because I've been alone on the peaceful grassy plains since a while ago that the place seems more lively to me.
Compared with the royal capital's main street, Kikka's street stalls have a more of a somewhat unorganized image, but this place is nice in its own way. This place reminds me of a festival-ish atmosphere in my previous life.
I walk down the main street while thinking of that kind of thing.
It's not a bad idea to eat the delicious-looking food from the stalls but, my purpose of coming here this time is only to take a break.
While enduring the fragrant smell of food coming from the stalls, I continue to walk fast on the main street.
If I don't do this then I would eventually and unconsciously buy the food from stalls. Breathing as little as possible, trying so as to not smell the fragrant smell of food.
「Hey, the dead-eyes boy over there! How about a warm stew? You'll feel better after eating a stew with a lot of fresh vegetables!」
Who's the 'dead-eyes boy'. I'm in good health today too. Please leave me alone.
I keep on walking ahead while ignoring that person, but this time the shopkeeper across the street called out to me.
「Hey, that boy with dead eyes! Would you like to try a herb-grilled Slash Hawk?」
「Nn? By Slash Hawk, you mean that bird-like monster that attacks you from high in the sky?」
Perhaps it's because I've been attacked by that monster a short while ago that I unintentionally stop in my tracks. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Aah, that's right. Slash Hawk's thigh meat is more tender and delicious than the ordinary chicken meat you know? The meat will make you feel better in the end, eh! How about trying one?」
The old man's shopkeeper said and showed me a skewer wrapped with herbs while grinning.
The smell of refreshing herbs along with the savory smell of meat seasoned with salt and pepper wafted toward my direction.
Then my stomach growl 「*guu*」as if in response to the smell.
Ah, this is bad. I won't be able to stop it since it has become like this.
I've been walking around searching for slimes since the morning after all. The energy consumption today is more intense than usual. And now my stomach wants to eat the meat of Slash Hawk that is filled with energy now.
Even if I shook off the temporary wicket thoughts in my head, this smell continue to torture me afterward.
「...give me one herbs-grilled Slash Hawk 」
「Hehehe, thank you! It's three copper coins!」
After handing three copper coins to the happily laughing old man, he gives me a herb-grilled Slash Hawk meat.
And then I moved toward the edge of the street and bit into the meat on the skewer.
The Slash Hawk's thigh meat has more chewiness than the ordinary chicken meat somewhat. Maybe it's due to the skillful movement of its legs to catch its prey that Slash Hawk's legs are probably more developed than ordinary birds. The meat got a chewiness that feels as though it pushes back my teeth when I bite at it. And yet, it's also soft enough for one to properly bite at it and tear the meat, it's probably a top-quality class among chicken meat.
Maybe it's because I've been walking around that sweats are slowly seeping out of my skin, I'm happy he seasoned it with slightly stronger salt and pepper. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Naturally, when I took three, four bites from the skewer, I can feel the rich taste of the salt and pepper but, it was completely softened with the refreshing taste from the herbs.
I never saw this kind of herbs even in Koryatt village. I have to get my hands on them at all costs.
「It goes extremely well with the herbs, isn't it」
「Ooh! So you understand boy! That's right, the herbs are my secret ingredients for the taste and it has exceptional compatibility with meatー. Nahー, I had a hard time trying to find good ingredients that go well with the meat y'know」
When I said that to him, the middle-aged man starts talking like that.
So apparently, it's hard to find good herbs that go well with the meat.
And so I listen to the middle-aged man talking happily for some time. After that, around the time when there is finally a pause in the conversation, I innocently ask him.
「What is the herb called?」
「I can't tell you the secret of my business, even if you were able to understand the taste, boy」
「...che」
「Oi oi, clicking your tongue with that vacant expression of yours is scary y'know」
Oops, I unintentionally clicked my tongue.
I thought that he will tell me about it if I listened to him and made his mood better, but I guess it won't be that easy. It's the only stall in this city that serves this recipe.
「...then, why don't you tell me how much do you want?」
「Hmーm, I don't want to tell others too much information since I don't want the sales to drop due to the increase in rivals, see」
The middle-aged man said worriedly while scratching his head when I quietly asked.
That's, true I guess. This man here is trying to earn money by competing with other stalls using this taste after all. He won't unreservedly tell anyone about the ingredients to others as it's the lifeline of his business.
Oh well, those who know about the herbs will know about it, but he won't freely tell them to those who don't know about it.
However, it's absolutely understandable for the man to be worried.
Even if he was worried that the news of the ingredients might be leaked and his sales dropped, there are probably some reasons for him to wish for immediate profit.
「...rather than that, you're still a kid, right? If you want to know about the ingredients then it would cost you a lot, it's impossible for you don't you think」
「It might be odd for me to say it myself but, I'm actually a noble so I have more money than the ordinary people」
「Eeehh!? A noble!? Oi oi oi, it's a crime for an ordinary person to pretend to be a noble, you know!?」
The man got really surprised when I simply announced it like that.
Then he rebuked me, as though scolding a naughty kid.
I know that I don't look like a noble, but for even a total stranger to be that surprised still hurt my feelings. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
If I have Eleonora-neesan or Sylvio-niisan's dignified appearance, then people won't doubt me like this.
In the end, it took me quite a long time for me to explain to the middle-aged man that I'm a real noble.
If only I have a noble stamp like the one with Nord-tousan' or Haru's seal case.....