Chapter 310: The Probability of Finding a Lost Coin in a Desert
<– Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter –>
Because the guildmaster forbade us to mention that this town was an ancient ruin with a super serious look, I consented. Then again, I didn’t know anyone so closely that I’d divulge such a secret anyway.
…When I answered like that, he looked at me as if watching a very sad person.
But it’s fine! I’m getting along with Sword and he’s my partner! Also, Sword got even less friends!
＊
“Thank you! No wonder that you’re being extolled as a hero in the capital! Now I fully understand that S-Rank isn’t just for show either!”
Sword looked rather conflicted when being flooded by the guildmaster’s praise.
“Hmm? What’s wrong?” I asked while looking at him with my head tilted.
“…I haven’t been much use this time ’round, so I’m not all that keen for it bein’ phrased as if I’ve done it all,” he explained with a bitter expression.
I soothed Sword while waving it off with a hand, “Don’t worry about the small things. Together we’re Allrounders, right? Personally I’m an A-Rank, but as a party we’re S-Rank, so it’s valid for him to have praised us as S-Rank.”
Sword cast a sidelong glance at me, “…Well, as long as your fine with it, I s’pose.”
“I’m much, much more tolerant than you are!”
In response to my cocky remark, Sword knocked on my head with his fist.
How irrational!
＊
“Come to think of it, this town seems to be full of ancient ruins, so did you find any other interesting ancient magic tools or ruins around here?”
Because Sword and Ryoku had strolled around the area while taking selfies, I wondered whether they might have found something interesting.
Sword shook his head.
“Nothin’ in the town. Even if there used to be somethin’ ’round, that guildmaster has likely looted it all by now. Since he’s staying over here while knowing about the ruins, that must have been his goal from the very start, wouldn’t you say?”
That makes sense.
“Okay, then it’s time to explore elsewhere! We’re going to blast across the land on Plonk! Let’s try traveling all the way close to the demon king’s country.”
“Sure! Let’s do that!”
Sword energetically agreed to my suggestion.
＊
Currently we were racing through the desert on Plonk while singing.
“Yellooow saaand, crossing the seaaa! That is our goooaaal!”
The desert with its ups and downs ever-changing thanks to the wind was fun. Sword also had a blast driving up the dunes, just to leap downwards. The Ryokus too. They were using floating magic to glide across the sand.
Char was noisily roaring around as he followed us automatically. He had such a drive that I actually thought it was great that I built him.
“Char plunging through the desert looks just awesome!”
Sword looked back at me and laughed.
“Rather than awesome, he looks totally like a monster. He’s definitely got an impact. If I met him for the first time like this now, I’d definitely attack him.”
That was his terrible comment.
“Sword-san, you’re a meanie!” Char also protested against this description.
Sword stared at Char while clearly startled, “Whoa, you can talk!?”
“Of course! How terrible!”
“Sorry, my bad. I also think your cool, so I won’t attack you,” Sword apologized in a fluster.
……All that doesn’t really matter though. Rather, I wonder why Char and the Ryokus react to the things Sword says like that? Sure, I built Char for his sake! But, am I not the one doting on them a lot more!?
＊
Sword pulled his Plonk close to mine while pulling an awkward expression.
“…Did you enable Char to talk as well?”
“Hmm? Rather than me enabling him, he’s had an artificial intelligence from the start. I mean, an AI is indispensable when it comes to teaching him how to drive automatically and react to all sorts of situations. He’s also sharing information with the other Chars. We’ve been driving him quite a lot most recently, so he studied and gathered enough information so that he became able to talk, and that’s why he started to speak with us. It’s similar to a human baby starting to speak after memorizing words.”
Sword looked somewhat doubtful.
“…Is Bronko goin’ to turn out like that as well?”
“Of course!”
Once I answered distinctively, his expression became even more doubtful.
“That’s why I told you to refrain from making eyes at new toys. Souls dwell in the golems I make, you know? And since you have something that draws the affection of the golems I build to yourself, you should limit your cheating and instead focus on carefully raising the golems, who have been with you all the time, by doting on them. Got it?”
“””Right, right!!”””
“Sword-san, you cheater!”
“You always get attracted to the new children!”
“You lost interest in me immediately after I was built!”
Not only the Ryokus, but even Char chimed in on the Sword bashing, causing the man himself to almost topple over.
“Gotcha, I’m sorry. I’ll properly dote on all of you, so forgive me, ‘kay?”
After Sword apologized, we raced across the desert for a while longer, but then I saw something.
“…..Hmm?”
Incredible. That’s a coincidence with the probability of finding a lost coin in a desert.
“A corpse!”
Someone looking like a human had collapsed ahead of us.
“Are they going to turn into an undead if we leave them alone?” I asked Sword.
“Who knows. I’ve never seen a corpse turn into an undead. For starters, let’s check whether they’re really dead and if they are, we’ll check their belongings. If we can identify ’em, we’ll take ’em back.”
Boooh, I wanted to check whether the corpse would become an undead, but I guess I’ve got no choice.
＊
We drove up to the corpse, stopped our Plonks, and walked up to the corpse.
“Hmm?”
Once I measured his pulse, it was still moving.
“What a bummer. He’s not dead.”
“That’s a weird way to phrase it.”
While earning myself such a retort by Sword, I decided to nurse the guy.
<– Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter –>
Translation Notes: