Chapter 17
Vol 1 Chapter 17 – Being the Guard of Mulg Village.
Morning, as I awoke, I felt something hard on my cheek.
There was also something soft on my forehead.
When my eyes opened, it was Vi-Vi’s horn and Femm’s tail.
「Yawwnnn…」
「Waaaooohhn…」
So much for cooperation.
Vi-Vi was clinging onto my chest, breathing onto me.
Femm was balled up on top of my pillow.
「Excuuuuuse me…」
This was too much.
Femm’s tail flopped into my face, back and forth.
And the tail wasn’t the only thing hitting my face, but Vi-Vi’s face and horns.
「Hmmmph. A wolfff is comminngg…」
Vi-Vi said in her sleep while clutching onto my shoulder.
It was either her boobs or ribs that were being pushed into my chest. It felt that there was something soft there, but it still hurt.
「Chop! Grab!」
I lightly chopped the top of Vi-Vi’s head.
Then I grabbed Femm, sitting right above my head.
「Uweh」
「Fwaah」
Vi-Vi made a strange sound, but didn’t wake up.
Femm stretched out long. Then it licked my face. Then…it licked Vi-Vi’s face.
「Hm? N? Wolf…wolf…eeek!」
Vi-Vi started screaming from her nightmare. It probably started because she could smell Femm.
I just left the two to go wash my face.
As I was washing, I heard behind me,
「Hyaaaaaaaah!」
Vi-Vi was screaming again.
「THAT’S TOO LOUD for the morning!」
「This DOG was going to eat me!」
「Femm, leave her alone.」
Femm stopped licking Vi-Vi’s face.
「Ruff, ruff!」
Femm seemed pretty happy about it.
「You can’t rest or give it an inch…fearsome beast!」
She was muttering to herself as she went to wash her face as well.
「You need to treat Femm nicely too.」
「Ruff.」
From then, we ate the food that Millet provided and I started work.
「Vi-Vi, go take care of the cow.」
「Wha? Why me?」
「Because you said you’d help Millet.」
Millet’s true job was being an apothecary. However, she’d do anything if she was free.
Mulg Village was a place with little sickness or injury. Maybe it was because of all the hot springs.
So Millet was given one more order by the chief in addition to feeding the village guard.
That was to take care of the cow today.
「My sthister is a hard worker. Sthe’ll make a great wife.」
Millet’s sister Collette said over and over.
「I am one of the Sub Bosses of the Demon Lord. I am royalty that should be waited on instead!」
Though Millet worked hard, Vi-Vi hardly worked.
「If you don’t want to work, you don’t have to…」
「Then I will not!」
「If that’s the case, you’ll eat dried meat tonight.」
「…well…I guess I will then.」
Vi-Vi made her way to the stable obediently.
「Hm! Don’t follow me!」
「Ruff, ruff!」
「Eeep!」
Femm followed behind Vi-Vi. Femm was going to watch her carefully.
As I watched them walk off, I went to the gate. I then sat next to the gate in my chair.
「Yawwwn…」
The breeze was wonderful. The sunlight felt great as well.
The birds were flying around.
I wasn’t ditching work either. Being a guard IS my work.
This is me, doing my job.
「Al, good day!」
「Ah, good day. Please be careful out there.」
「If something happens, I’ll shout.」
I exchanged words with the villagers going out of the village.
I also counted all the people who left the gate as I talked to them. If one of them wasn’t back by sundown, I would have to go look for them.
But…it was a pretty eventless job.
For a long time I worked as an adventurer without any break. That’s why I started to get antsy with all this free time.
However, I chose to guard Mulg simply so I could have free time.
「This is fine. It’s good for the knee too. Definitely.」
I said to myself as I sat.
――――――――
That peaceful life continued for three days without interruption.
I guarded all day, went to the hot springs at night, and then ate Millet’s delicious food.
Those were wonderful days.
Today I was sitting in my chair beside the gate again.
I was pretty much free except when the occasional traveling salesman came in the town and I had to show him around.
All of the outside workers always returned by sundown.
There was no threat from magic wolves or boars.
「This place really doesn’t need a guy like me, I guess.」
In the afternoon, I saw the chief come running towards me.
He looked really shaken.
「Alfred!」
「What is it?」
「The cow!」
「The cow?!」
I thought that Millet and Vi-Vi were in charge of caring for the cow today.
「No, no, no, that’s no the problem.」
Just then, from the other side of the village where the stable was,
「MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!」
The earth shook and a huge sound reverberated over the ground.
「So, is it too big?」
「IT’S WAY TOO BIG! Just come and help!」
I headed to the stable and saw a giant shape of a cow.
It was almost like a new hill had sprung up.