83. The Outcome of the Match with Kamasse

 

* * *

 

Yoshanka was always overcast.

That’s something I was told by Sara-chan…the previous Sara-chan when we were chatting before.

Apparently it’s quite a well-known fact about this place.

Today was indeed overcast as well.

Looking out towards the sea, the clouds were tinged red, with dazzling sunlight peeking through the gaps.

Sunset.

I was currently standing at Yoshanka’s main gate.

Having safely collected the medicinal herb I came for, I returned to town on schedule…only to inexplicably receive a lecture from Kamasse for some reason.

“You’re late!!”

Those were the first words Kamasse spat out the moment he spotted me hurrying back from the forest (though my ‘hurrying’ was still at a decent pace thanks to the 【Grasshopper】 technique).

“Listen up! The requests given to adventurers usually have a set deadline! Competent adventurers complete requests with plenty of time to spare! It’s for the sake of the clients too, you know! Which means by returning right at the last minute like this, you’ve proven your poor time management skills, so I’m the winner!”

…Well, I understood the first part about respecting deadlines and such. That’s an important point, yeah.

But that last line basically undid everything, Kamasse.

Actually, until you confronted me here, I had completely forgotten you even challenged me to a match in the first place.

“Kamasse, were you able to gather herbs?”

Getting tired of his lecturing, or rather, his attempts to assert superiority, I tried changing the subject.

“Oh? Who do you think I am!? When the great Kamasse-sama is on the job, gathering herbs is child’s play! Just watch!!”

With those boisterous words, yet intricate, careful motions, Kamasse took various herbs from his backpack and began lining them up on the ground.

“Listen up! This small one on the far right is Wull Grass! An herb used as insect repellent that can be found anywhere with a low buyback price, but beginners like you shouldn’t underestimate it! Those who mock Wull Grass will be crying for it eventually! Remember that! Next, this long one with speckles…”

And so Kamasse’s herb lecture commenced.

Despite his crude way of speaking, the explanation itself was quite thorough, providing knowledge from an adventurer’s perspective that was truly insightful.

“…So, you understand now, don’t you? Not only do I have extensive knowledge of the various herbs necessary for adventuring activities, I’m also well-versed in identifying all sorts of monster materials! Thus, it’s self-evident that I’m superior to someone like you, making me the winner of this match, no doubt!!”

<…If only he didn’t add that last line every time.>

Extra-sama sighed inwardly.

“Speaking of which, what about you? What did you even gather? You’re just a cursed child with no herb knowledge, so you probably just wandered aimlessly in the forest without obtaining anything!”

Huh? Didn’t Kamasse hear that the receptionist gave me the ‘task’ of gathering Cysh Grass?

<This boy was thrashing about pinned to the floor at the time, so he probably didn’t catch those details.>

While conversing with Extra-sama, I set down my backpack and took out the Cysh Grass.

This time, I had harvested 3 slightly smaller stalks.

There were much better, larger ones in abundance, but for this trip I prioritized being able to carry them without damage, so I chose these.

My goal wasn’t to earn money with the Cysh Grass itself, but rather to clear the ‘task’ and get an adventurer’s certification made.

“Wha-!? Th-This is Cysh Grass!?”

Upon seeing what I took from my bag, Kamasse’s eyes flew wide open as he trembled uncontrollably.

As someone so deeply knowledgeable, Kamasse obviously recognized the Cysh Grass.

“I-Idiot! You idiot, idiot, idiot!! I heard the habitat where Cysh Grass grows in the Kaise Forest overlaps with Lovely Bunnies’ territory, an extremely dangerous area! Are you hurt!? Are you okay!? What happened with the Lovely Bunnies!?”

“I defeated them.”

“You d-defeated them!? Those are monsters that 4th rank adventurers and above need to form parties with proper equipment to take down! Well, your combat ability is high, so defeating them may be possible, but… Then what about their heads!? Did you get their heads!?”

“Heads?”

“Proof of defeat! If you collect their heads and bring them to the guild, you get a bounty reward for Lovely Bunnies! Damn it, you didn’t even know that!?”

“I ate them.”

“Why would you eat their heads!?”

“I was hungry.”

“Eat the rest of the body!”

“I did eat the rest too.”

“You ate them whole!? You completely devoured those massive monsters!? How gluttonous are you!?”

“I ate all 5 of them.”

“So just how gluttonous are you!!”

Guuuu……

“You’re still not full!? You still want to eat more!? Wait…hmph! A cursed child like you sure lies shamelessly!”

At that point, Kamasse seemed to realize something and made a mocking expression towards me.

“Not a lie.”

“Your clothes, they’re too clean! Not a single bloodstain! In that pristine outfit, you defeated Lovely Bunnies? I won’t be fooled!”

“I washed them.”

“You think bloodstains just come off like that, fool!”

Well, they do come off using my method.

Just soak in a stream and use 【Peel】, and it’s pretty easy to get clean.

Then using 【Desiccate】 dries the wet clothes right away too.

…Speaking of which.

I glanced at the setting sun over the sea.

It seemed the sun had sunk lower compared to before, with far less of its rays peeking through the clouds now.

Night would be arriving soon.

“Kamasse, I want to go to the Adventurer’s Guild soon.”

As I returned the Cysh Grass to my bag, I said that.

“The match? Who won?”

“Ugh…”

Kamasse was at a loss for words.

For this match, wasn’t the one who gathered more valuable herbs supposed to be the winner?

“My… herbs have… a wide variety… able to meet… diverse demands! Quantity too! And I have… deep knowledge… about all kinds of herbs!”

While staring at the herbs he had lined up on the ground, Kamasse seemed to be muttering in conflicted contemplation.

“Then Kamasse wins. Kamasse’s knowledge is truly amazing. Kamasse is an excellent adventurer.”

“W-Well, of course! B-But still…!”

The bits of adventurer spirit and deep knowledge glimpsed from Kamasse’s words are aspects I genuinely respect, I think.

So I complimented him honestly.

Though his eagerness to assert superiority is a bit off-putting.

Personally, I don’t really care about the outcome of the match, so I’d like to just declare Kamasse the winner and move on quickly.

But it seems Kamasse can’t let it go so easily.

“In terms of… value! Price!!”

He shouted with a trembling voice.

“Cysh Grass! If you… harvested that many…!!”

Squeezing out the words.

“You… You win… cursed child!!!”

After saying that much, Kamasse’s eyes rolled back as he passed out.

He fell straight backwards while standing, his body twitching sporadically.

<To faint because he can’t accept losing, he’s truly a diehard sore loser, isn’t he!?>

And yet Kamasse was still fair in judging the match itself.

Really, he’s annoying but strangely likable too.

Oh, the gatekeeper old man dragged Kamasse’s body back into town and started closing the gate.

Hey, wait! I’m coming in too!

I hurriedly entered town, leaving Kamasse behind as I dashed towards the Adventurer’s Guild branch office.

The gatekeeper was watching, so Kamasse should be fine left there for now.

 

* * *

 

“Can you prove these Cysh Grass were harvested by you?”

Huh?

“You probably just stole them from another adventurer party’s haul, didn’t you? As expected of a cursed child to have such mischievous tendencies.”

Huh?

“Please hand them over. I’ll return these Cysh Grass to their rightful harvesters, so allow me to confiscate them for now.”

Huh?

“Since it’s your first offense, I’ll let you off without calling the guards. Now hurry up and hand them over.”

Huh?

The above was the exchange when I triumphantly presented the Cysh Grass I gathered to the receptionist who gave me the ‘task’, only to be unceremoniously brushed off and shunted out of the reception line.

Left dumbfounded, I could only stand there frozen in bewilderment.

…………………..

Huh?