The Strongest Wizard Becomes a Countryside Guardsman After Taking an Arrow to the Knee

Chapter 157 – Picking a Gift Fit for a Death Lord

After seeing how Moofy had grown, we went to eat dinner.

Vi-Vi was all over Moofy because she thought Cruz would take Moofy away from her.

「Moofy, want some of this to eat?」

「Moo!」

「I see, well, eat all you want!」

「Moo moo!」

Vi-Vi treated Moofy like a child while glancing over at Cruz from time to time.

Cruz really didn’t seem to care, though.

「Al, let’s hurry up and see this Death Lord, okay?」

「Yeah…」

「He’s nearby, right?」

「Yeah, but farther than you think.」

「Really?」

At least, the Death Lord was closer than I’d imagine him to be.

That’s because I thought he’d be in the devil’s territory, or maybe on the edge of the continent.

Or maybe that he was on some small island far across the ocean.

Compared to that, however, he was quite close.

「Even though I said close, it’ll take several hours on Femm’s back.」

「Is that so?」

Then Timi, while petting Shiggy, said,

「I want to go with you. However, I think I should go to the dragon palace today.」

「Why? Are you expecting someone?」

「Not particularly…but there’s a chance that some dragon royalty might come.」

「Should Shiggy go too?」

「ryaa?」

Shiggy looked confused by what was going on.

Timi shook her head.

「If it was another in high royalty than Shiggy would have to be there. But there’s no appointment with them, so she’s fine.」

「I see.」

「ryaa!」

「I would like to be with her, but…」

Timi said, glancing over at Shiggy.

Then Shiggy said something,

「ryaaaa」

「I see. Oh well.」

「What did she say?」

「That she wanted to be with you, Alra.」

「Ah.」

She petted Shiggy’s head.

「What about you Luka and Yureena?」

「No, I can’t take two days off.」

「And I have things to do at the capital.」

「Wow, you two are always so busy!」

Cruz said, as if she knew nothing about it.

The girls had taken the day off to see the dragon palace and Shiggy ascend the throne.

I was happy they did, even though they were busy.

Vi-Vi was petting Moofy when she asked,

「I understand why Yureena’s busy, but I thought you said your Guild job was honorary so you didn’t have to work much, Luka.」

「Yeah, but there’s still ceremonies and public relations work.」

「Sounds like a lot.」

「It is. And I’d much rather be doing research than anything else.」

Luka breathed a long sigh.

Hard being a hero.

「Well, if that’s so, then only Al and Cruz and I are going to see the Death Lord.」

I guess Vi-Vi was planning on going too, and I was thankful.

Vi-Vi then said in a worried tone,

「You think you can beat the Death Lord without Luka and Yureena?」

「Oh yeah, I think he can.」

「He probably can.」

Luka and Yureena both answered.

Cruz then thought a bit and said,

「He sure can!」

She said loudly.

「What do you think, Al?」

「This Death Lord, or follower of the reaper or whatever he is, I think I can take.」

「Hm.」

「But I’m not trying to kill him. I just want to make a request.」

「Huh, I guess that sounds better.」

Vi-Vi said while petting the cow.

After breakfast, Luka, Yureena, Timi, and Vallimie all went to their respective places.

I got ready for the trip with the others.

「We should bring gold.」

「Yeah, that Death Lord’s probably in need of cash.」

「Or maybe something valuable?」

「Yeah, something we can bargain with.」

We went to the storage shack to look for something to trade.

Rummaging through everything the dead monsters had dropped, Cruz and I carefully looked for something valuable.

「Al, what about this?」

「What is it?」

「A cool looking rock」

「…uh, okay.」

She then started telling its story.

On the east side of the continent she had found it had fallen near the tallest peak on the coast, and it was…a cool looking rock.

I checked it over, but there was nothing magical or special about it. It was…

…a rock.

「Or maybe this? What do you think, Al?」

「What is it?」

「An awesome stick.」

「Huh?」

It was a stick she had found that had fallen in the deepest part of an ancient dungeon.

But…that was it.

Both those places she talked about, I was with her and had fought there.

I had no idea when she had picked them up.

「We need something a bit more valuable, something that’s so rare anyone would want it.」

「Really?」

After I said that, Cruz rummaged through her bag looking for something good.

Watching this, Vi-Vi said,

「Cruz, when did you bring all that junk to Mulg?」

「It’s not junk! They’re precious items!」

「Really? So when did you bring those “precious items” here?」

「Um, I bring a bit every day. I could leave them at my place in the capital, but the ones I like I want to have with me here!」

Saying this, Cruz looked at me proudly. I bet she’s stuffed crap around my bedroom too.

Next chance I get, I’ll have to look and see what I can find.

I know she was looking her hardest, but she simply didn’t have anything worthwhile.

So I continued looking around.

And I finally found what I was looking for two hours after we had started, after breakfast.