Kuro no Maou

Well, my body won’t get fatigued even if I went 3 days without sleeping though. And my body has become so sturdy that I can pretty much take rest just by lying down on the bare ground.

But, just because I can do so doesn’t mean it’s comfortable. Humans are meant to lead a healthy and cultured life.

So I learned the basic minimum things like putting a tent or methods to start a fire and other required camp skills.

Of course, I have the all purpose magic Swiss knife Efreet’s thumb, so I’m pretty relaxed about things related to fire.

“What are you doing Kurono-san?”

I thrust the knife in the ground at the centre of the camp and answered Harry.

“Aah, this is an insect repellent.”

“Insect repellent?—–Wait, could it be that knife, is it a magic weapon!?”(harry)

“Yeah that’s right........is it really that surprising?”

Overhearing Harry’s talk about a magic weapon, Aten also came.

“So nice....I also want a magic weapon!”(Aten)

It feels as if she would pick up the knife right now and take it home with her.

“I’m not giving it to you.”(kurono)

I should make sure, just in case.

“What kind of item is this? You have appraised it right?”

“Yeah, it’s called Efreet’s thumb and——“

I explained the knife to them.

I told them that it didn’t have any attack power and at most could be used to put a barrier against insects, but yet the magical weapon seems fascinating to them.

“—–but, is it really that rare?”

“It’s not that rare but, even the cheapest magical weapon would be at least 10 gold.”

“We don’t really have that much capital with us. And a magic weapon as cheap as 10 gold would often turn out to be a cheap fake or a cursed weapon. If you go to the city, they sell a lot of them like those so be careful.”

“I see.”

It was something with such a high price? Maybe I should value it a bit more?

Sorry to have always treated you like a convenient tool, Efreet.

“But still, which dungeon did you get it from?”

“I got this from a treasure box at Lily’s house.”

“So, from the magician’s hut in the forest?”

The magician had contributed a lot to the Irz village and could also use lots of amazing magic, so he is still popular.

“Yeah.”

“If it was a magician’s treasure box, didn’t it have some seal or protection casted on it?”

“It was reinforced and also had an electric trap but I did my best and opened it.”

“As if it’s that easy.”

“Maybe Kurono-san is more suited to be a thief than a magician?”

“Thief you say.........”(kurono)

“For the adventurers who venture into the dungeons, people with the thief class, who can disengage traps and open locked chests and doors are indispensible after all.”(Aten)

“People with such skills have been called thieves from a long time so even if they don’t actually rob people, they are still called as thieves.”(harry)

“Oh I see, so it’s a normal class.”

My common sense as an adventurer learnt something new again.

Also, Aten has been constantly looking at my knife with envy. She won’t suddenly change into a thief class that actually commits crime/robbery right?

The place where we had set up our camp was at the foot of Gallahad mountains, a bit away from the highway. Near the highway, there was a clearing where monsters usually don’t come.

Adventurers that climb the mountain range usually make a base around here. I haven’t confirmed it but, there’s another adventurer party’s camp somewhere nearby.

It’s quite a safe place but lowering your guard meant failure for an adventurer. At the very least, we need to keep watch during night time.

“n, is it Kurono?” (Claydor)

The one who is keeping watch right now is the silent lizardman, Claydor.

The bronze guild card indicating a rank 2 adventurer shone due to the campfire around his neck.

Since I am a rank 1, I had an iron plate. I wonder when will it turn into a bronze plate?

“Is it fine to stay up for so long?”

After this, Nino, Harry will change shifts by rotation.

Aten does not have any shift, not because of a stupid reason like she was a woman, but because for magic users concentration is important so it’s better to avoid fatigue as much as possible.

One can swing a sword even when tired, but the danger of misfiring magic due to tiredness was of a different level.

So, night watch in Irz Blader was done by the men only.

“I thought I’ll also keep guard with you but am I in the way?”(kurono)

“No, but are you sure you want to do something not asked in the quest?”(Claydor)

“I’m doing this out of my own volition, so don’t worry. Well I wanted to experience something adventurer-like too.”

“It’s only tedious and boring though.”

“Then it’s better to do it together right?”

“I guess so.”

It’s good that I was able to talk properly. I was afraid that I might not be liked very much.

Lizardmen have literally the head of a lizard so it’s difficult to read their expressions, at least it’s not possible for me right now.

I was slightly worried, but after talking with him I realized that he seemed like a normal good guy.

Even if only slight, we are going together to do a dangerous job so I want to build good human relations with them, ah, I guess I’m the only human here though. Well whatever.

“—–Claydol, why did you become an adventurer?”

I decided to talk with him while sitting beside the fire under the quiet night sky.

“I wanted to protect the village like dad does in the vigilante corps. But, only adventurers can experience fighting a lot of monsters.”

“I see. So you want to get as strong as you can get.”

“Yeah, dad was also an adventurer when he was young so I’m just imitating him though.”

“No, it’s pretty commendable. It’s a much better reason to become an adventurer than someone who became one only to earn lots of money.”

“Is that so? I thought I was an irregular as an adventurer.”

“Maybe because the value system here is much different from where I came, rather than having big dreams, I find working towards a realistic future-oriented goal more valuable and better.”(kurono)

“I see.......people think like that as well.”

“Yeah, you’re a fine guy. It’s okay to be proud and confident——“

Compared to him, my reason is – to live huh............It’s a bit pathetic but it can’t be helped since I’m trying to survive in an unknown land after all.

“Why did you become an adventurer?——- it’s fine not to talk if you have any special circumstances.”(Claydor)

“I became one for my livelihood—-......no, I’m searching for a type of magic. It’s a special summoning magic that can’t be done without equipment found in ancient historic ruins or temples.”

“Is Kurono’s speciality summoning magic?”

“No, I’m not searching it to master it. I need it to return to my home.”

“I had heard that you had come from a faraway country.........so it’s that far away.”

“Something like that, well, I’m interested in living here as well so I’m taking it easily.”

“I see—–hm?”

Probably because he sensed something, Claydor stood up with the spear in his hand.

“What happened? I can’t sense any monster though.”(kurono)

“It’s not a monster, it’s a—–monkey.”

As he swinged the spear lightly in the bushes, with a rustling sound a small shadow jumped out.

“ooh........it really is a monkey.”

Two figures of monkeys of height same as Lily shone from the light of the campfire.

Yellow shining eyes, they had a greyish coloured body.

“Kaa!!”

Claydor gave a roar and the monkeys panicked and ran away back into the darkness.

“Those monkeys don’t attack but they steal food. If left alone, they’ll call their friends and completely take away everything. But if you threaten them once like this, they’ll recognise it as danger and won’t come closer again.”(claydor)

“I see.....”(kurono)

I can sense monsters with bloodlust and humans but animals like that are difficult to sense for me.

I see, enemies that could attack were not just monsters.

Claydor had immediately sensed the approaching monkey, and I was shown the difference in experience.

“Yareyare, looks the road to a first class adventurer is going to be a long one—–“(kurono)