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

Vol 1 Chapter 19 – Something Necessary for Hauling ALL THAT MEAT

That night, all the villagers had a barbeque party.

Everyone was carrying on happily.

In the midst of this, only Vi-Vi looked depressed.

「Oh…Moofy…」

I gave over the most delicious part to Vi-Vi.

「Here, this tastes good.」

「I’m not going to eat it.」

「I see…well no reason to let it go to waste.」

—gggllll…

Vi-Vi’s stomach growled loudly.

I felt sorry for her.

「There’s vegetables you can eat too, right? Why don’t you have some of those.」

「I’m not hungry.」

「I see.」

Vi-Vi still had a place in her heart for that cow.

「Sthub Bossth…this meat tastesth good…okay?」

Millet’s sister Collette came and tried to urge Vi-Vi to eat.

After Collette pushed her a bit…

「…fine, I’ll eat, then!」

And Vi-Vi began eating the vegetables.

「Sthub Bossth, aren’t you going to eat meat?」

Collette pushed her again, and Vi-Vi thought silently.

「My sthisthter sthaid that you have to eat living thingsth to grow.」

「Yeah…okay…」

Vi-Vi moped as Millet said to her,

「Hachi…I mean, Moofy was grown to provide food for us. You don’t have to be sad for her.」

「Yeah…」

「Since Moofy’s food for us…it’s best we don’t waste the chance to grow from her, right?」

Vi-Vi thought a bit more.

「I guess…」

Then she started to eat the meat.

「Damn! This is really good!」

Vi-Vi cried a little bit as she ate. However, after she was done, she seemed to look a bit happier.

――――――――

That night.

In the same way as last night, I got into my bed while Femm and Vi-Vi got in different parts of my bed.

Femm must have known to stay away from Vi-Vi.

The middle of the night. I woke up with Vi-Vi clinging to my body.

「Ohhh…Mooooofyyyy…」

I watched Vi-Vi talk in her sleep while whining and shedding tears.

I patted her head kindly.

After a while, Vi-Vi finally stopped talking and started snoring.

――――――――

The next morning.

「Al! Wake up!」

「Hm?」

Vi-Vi was hitting me and trying to get me up.

「We have work to do today!」

「I know…but…」

Vi-Vi was a bit too sprightly.

「Vi-Vi. Are you okay?」

「I’m fine!」

「Okay.」

I was happy she wasn’t down any more. All it took was one night, I guess.

That was the most important thing.

「I brought you all breakfast!」

Millet and sister Collette came in my house.

「Oh, thanks.」

「I was really hungry!」

「Ruff!」

After breakfast, the chief walked in.

「Alfred, I have a request.」

「Yes, what is it?」

「The meat you stored yesterday, I’d like to sell in town if possible. However, there’s the rumor that there are bandits in the mountain path.」

「I see…that is bad.」

「Yes, that’s why we’d like you to be our guard if possible」

「That’s no problem, but it’s usually bought by travelling merchants that come here, right?」

「Yes. The issue is that the next time they come will be a month or so from now. Also, there’s no way they can carry all that meat, and they probably won’t even have the money to purchase it.」

「I guess you’re right.」

The chief bowed again with a regretful face.

「I know that you’re tired from using all that magic yesterday…」

「Nonono, you don’t have to worry about that. Just leave it to me.」

The chief bowed over and over, and then went back home.

「Old man, are you okay? Doesthn’t your knee hurt?」

「You can refuse if it’s impossible, right? We have plenty of time now because of the magic you used, Mr. Al.」

Collette and Millet looked worried.

It wasn’t a big deal for me though.

「It’ll be fine, but thanks for all the concern.」

I understand why the chief wanted to turn a lot of that meat into money.

It’s summer. Tax collection season is in fall and not far off.

Also, when it becomes harvest season, there won’t be much help anymore. Then it will be much more difficult to get this meat to market.

「Vi-Vi, get ready.」

「Why do I have to help?」

「I think we should make some carryable magical bags like the one I made in the ground. You’re good a magic circles, right Vi-Vi?」

「Of course I am!」

「So please help.」

「I guess I have to then!」

She seemed happy to do so as she posed proudly.

First, we would have to break off skin from the giant cow. Then we would have to sew the hide up with a magic needle into a bag.

The size would be about half of a horse cart.

「About the magic circle. The necessary effect needs to be expanded storage, right? And since this is raw meat we also need no-status change so it won’t rot. Definitely.」

「And since we’re going to transport it on a cart, we need no-mass change as well.」

「That makes three attributes…quite difficult.」

After Vi-Vi and I we finished speaking, Millet, Collette, and Femm stood back and watched us with interest.

「Okay, I’ll draw the magic circle, so if you notice something, tell me.」

I planned the magic circle inside my mind, and etched it into the hide with my finger.

Because the end of my finger was issuing magical power, it was almost like a magical brush.

When I was finished etching the symbols, Vi-Vi admiringly nodded.

「Whoahoo. A very simple but beautiful magic circle. Also, very fast.」

「Thanks. When I was an adventuring wizard, I had to draw magic circles quickly over and over.」

Whether having to draw them during battle or while adventuring, speed meant victory in all cases.

The magic circles created by professors of magical academies have more effect than mine.

They’re solid, complex, and wonderfully made, but they take a lot longer to create than mine.

That has no use in a battle.

「Your magic circles are wonderful, Al, but they lack a certain gorgeousness.」

「Gorgeousness?!」

That’s something my circles don’t need.

「Right here…if you were to add this…」

Vi-Vi carefully added to something in my magic circle.

「Wow, good job, Vi-Vi. Now the effect will be 20% stronger.」

「Yeah, of course!」

Vi-Vi was proud of herself. She really was a superior sorcerer.

I had never seen someone increase an effect like that so quickly.

「Yay, Sthub Bossth!」

「Vi-Vi, you really have a knack for magic!」

Collette and Millet cheered Vi-Vi as Vi-Vi’s pride grew even more.

「Of course! Well, Al’s magic circle is so simple and well made, it was easy to add to.」

With Vi-Vi’s help, tomorrow’s preparations continued quickly.

As we were inspecting all the other equipment, I could hear Millet whispering behind me.

「Sooo…Vi-Vi…」

「What?」

「Why did you call Mister Al just Al, today?」

「What?」

「Before, you always called him bastard, right?」

「Wait…did I? I can’t remember. Fwoo fooo.」

She was trying to play it off, as she tried to whistle to herself, but no sound came out.