Recruitment
"Umu! Tasty indeed! I was initially led to believe curry was a type of soup but no, it is a sauce you pour on rice I see!"
"Well, more roux than sauce."
"Can't stop my spoon, seconds! Make it large!"
"S-seconds for me too!"
"Oh, me me, I want seconds!"
"Me too."
"Okay okay, I made a lot. Eat as much as you want."
Hello there. So I made curry rice after so long and it turned out far more popular than I thought.
I've heard stories about Japanese curry being well received by foreigners in a foodie TV show only for them to vomit it out backstage after the show. I'm just glad it didn't turn out that way.
I've made enough for 20 servings too. I'd be stuck having to eat all that up if nobody liked my curry. Safe.
"Syrupy curry poured over aro rice huh. It's like the meal heroes favor."
"Eh, heroes like this kind of stuff?"
"Dunno how it's like with the present day hero, but past ones apparently do, yeah... Heard nobody else tried to mimic it cause it doesn't look appetizing though."
"What a waste, it's so good."
"Oh yeah, lots of heroes are black haired too. Just like you eh, Kajikawa."
"Now that you mention it~ What a coincidence hahaha~"
"...Why're you so obviously looking away?"
Wonder if a lot of Japanese people got summoned as heroes here? No, there should be plenty of black hair in other countries too.
I'm not particularly fussed if people find out I hail from Japan, but I'd like to avoid standing out needlessly.
"So, Julian. Now that the hammer is done, what are you planning to do now?"
"Umu. I do not mind working as my customer's personal weapon maker but that would limit the user to one person. However, what my customer wishes to make is more artillery than weapons... Anyway, I wish to create something even your average man can wield."
"Fumu, I see you have more stuff you wanna make in mind."
"Yes. I must wait until things have cooled down but I do plan to start over even if it means changing my name. I hope you would be willing to let me work at your workshop until that time comes."
"Well, I don't mind, sure. Gotta ask, what kinda stuff this guy ordered anyway?"
"...Like say..."
"...Uwah, what's up with those nasty ideas..."
"Dang, I kinda don't wanna get involved with making those... Not only are they more magic tools than weapons, ain't anybody can even use 'em..."
Julian explained several weapons and magic tools I came up with.
Higuro-san and Gen-san's faces twitched harder the more they listened.
Oh don't make those faces now. They're much more reasonable than this great hammer, I say.
The morning after.
Once again, we're going out to level up and to get myself accustomed to the explosive hammer.
Limiting our hunting spot at the Monster Mountain is kinda getting boring but we gotta keep at it.
"You three over there, can I have your time?"
"...Yes?"
Somebody called out to us from behind as we were walking.
I turned around and saw a middle aged man wearing an unfamiliar looking military outfit that looked more like a knight's attire.
He's got short blond hair with tinges of white, and old scars on his face and hands. He's big, tall and brawny.
Next to him are two young men who're dressed like adventurers.
One has long blond hair, and there's no opening in his gaze directed at us belying his languid attitude. Guy's good.
Heck, he looks to be the strongest between these three.
The other one is a silver haired ponytailed man who's glaring hard at me. What's up?
...Who are these people? Got business with us?
"Err, can I help you?"
"We want to verify something. Are you the party of three, 'Tomorrow of Hope', that conquered a nearby dungeon recently?"
"Eh? Ah yes."
I replied out reflexively hearing our party's name coming out of his mouth.
Ah crap, I shouldn't have given the yes before confirming what they want.
"Oy oy, aren't they too young for this? That girl over there especially, is she even of age?"
"I am!? What's you guys' deal anyway!"
"Ah, sorry sorry. I was afraid you were being coerced to go with that black haired man over there. No hard feelings."
The glaring ponytail man apologized to Reina while saying something rude about me instead. I don't care though.
"An introduction is in order. We belong to the Anti-Demon Army serving directly under the kingdom, I am the captain of Unit Five, Heigerdala."
"Jangrajima. Nice to meetcha."
"I'm Nakramurada. Pleasures."
The captain is Heigerdala-san, the frivolous-looking long blond man is Jangrajima-san and the still glaring at me silver haired ponytail is Nakramurada-san, okay.
So what do people from Anti-Demon Army want with us?
"As for what we're here for. I'll get straight to the point... You are to join our army."
"...What?"
...What's this old man spouting when he just met us.
There should be a proper order of things if he wanna scout us.
"No, captain. They won't get it if you don't explain. You're really bad at this scouting thing, aren't you."
"Going roundabout is a waste of time."
"Think most people aren't gonna respond positively to the way you phrased that. Look how dubious you made those three, see."
The blond young man retorted the captain in disbelief.
Seems like he's got common sense despite looking the most frivolous among these three.
"Ah, sorry 'bout our captain. I'm gonna run it down for you, mind lending a bit of your time?"
"Okay..."
If I were to be honest, I wanna go away. I mean this smells like trouble.
But not listening is probably gonna land us in an even bigger mess so I'll give him a chance at least... What a pain.
"First of all, I take it you're aware that demons have been making a mess out of a lot of places recently right?"
"Yes, somewhat."
In fact, we dealt with several at Vinfitt.
Things would get messier if I blurted that out though, so I won't.
"In order to deal with all the mess, an army has been formed post haste. Regular army just doesn't cut it, that's why we're going around recruiting promising people out there."
"Okay."
"Oh but we don't just take in people randomly, you see? What we want are individuals with proven track records like those who have killed demons or conquered a dungeon, like you guys."
"...Thanks."
I can't easily trust those who heap praises to people they barely know.
I've seen many people who excessively praise others only to disparage them once they're out on the field.
"Well I get you can't give your answer right away we coming at you out of the blue like this. Just tuck it in the corner of your mind, our army is always open to your application."
"Oy, have you not listened to a thing I said? We have to have them in the army no matter--"
"This captain may be bad with words, have no patience and look scary but even guys like me are given some freedom so it's not all bad I assure you."
"O-okay..."
"How dare you say that about your superior! And my face has nothing to do with this! You, where are you taking me! Cease dragging me by my arm! Oy!"
"See ya guys around."
...The blond man dragged his captain away after saying all that.
What the heck's up with all that. What's that blondie's deal.
The ponytailed let a glance of bloodlust at me before going after the two, really what did I do to you? I can't recall anything.
"...What, was that all about."
"Who knows. Think they're trying to recruit us into the Anti-Demon Army, just not forcefully that much is clear."
"But that captain guy said 'Have them in the army no matter what'. The blond man interrupted him though."
"The captain looks pretty strict but at least the blond man seems like he can be reasoned with."
"Relatively speaking maybe. Guy woulda looked super shady if he were by himself."
"Also, why did the silver head glare at Kajikawa-san I wonder? Did you make him mad somewhere?"
"Nah. That was the first time I met that guy. It's probably him inwardly judging me for being together with two girls many years younger like that blue guy did."
"Aah, that man who wrongly accused you of being a bad guy at the port town."
"Or maybe he's just jealous because of how cute you two are."
"...Really?"
Either way, all that unfounded hostility doesn't feel good.
...Menu, put Markers on those three just in case.
<<Affirmative.>>
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
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"What's the meaning of this! Have I not decreed we must have those three in our army!"
"Yup and that's why I'm making the best shot to do just that, see? Saying that to their faces is only gonna get them suspicious of us."
"We can make them submit by force with your strength!"
"...Hey, Captain. How strong of a magic beast can you take on?"
"What is this now!? How does that matter!"
"It's important. Just tell me."
"Urgh...! I-I have no idea what you are on about, but I am confident I can win against a magic beast around Level 40 with enough certainty."
"Did you know that the black haired girl next to that man has been killing more than 20 Lv40s beasts every single day?"
"Wha!?"
"The blond pipsqueak do several Lv30s beasts while the chick on her shoulder's about the same. Just these three are already way beyond me and you. No wonder they managed to beat a Lv60 beast. And hey, I can even make you Appraisal Certificate if you wanna."
"T-they are that strong...!?"
"...They must be the real strength of that party while the man is nothing more than a pretense of a leader... I knew it. He's good for nothing...!"
"Are you a moron. How about you gouge out those useless eyes and put in roadside pebbles in their places."
"...What are you trying to say."
"That black haired-niichan's the baddest news there. All his Attributes are over 900 at Lv43, and his Skill List shows Unobtainable."
"N-nine hundreds!? All Attribute values!? That cannot be!"
"Unobtainable...? You mean he cannot use Skills?"
"Probably yeah... Yet I don't get how guy's Log is full of magic beasts over Lv50 like he's been hunting them daily."
"I-is there a chance of him falsifying his Status?"
"It's possible sure, but there ain't no way to hide the achievement of Dungeon Conquest. Guy's probs got secrets that aren't shown through numbers alone."
"...We should gather more intel about them to be on the safe side."
"Heck, we shoulda done that before we went and tried to recruit them. There ain't no way to even retreat if we made them mad."
"...It cannot be, that cannot be true..."
"Your call to believe or not. I trust my own Appraisal results."
"...You may lack manners but your skill is authentic. We must tread carefully..."
"That good-for-nothing man, stronger than us...? How could that be...!"
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