I left the crater that Rumba had made and walked around for about an hour after that, but I couldn't find any slime.

　I've been walking around for a long time and didn't find a single slime, so my spirit and strength are exhausted.

　We could go back to the mansion to take a break, but it's a bit uncool to go back without catching a single slime after making such a strong argument to Silvio's brother.

　I ponder on what to do for a while.

"........Well, since we've come all the way to a transfer today, I guess we'll just take a break at a nearby kicker.

　Even though it's close, my place is about halfway between Kikka and the Kingdom of Avalonia. It would take more than a day or so to travel by horse and carriage, but with transference, it's a distance that can be traveled in an instant.

　Even so, this is the first time I've come so far using transference.

　In the past transference was only used to go to and from the mansion to Coriat Village or my home. The furthest distance is just Logan's house at the back of Colliat Village.

　Compared to that, this time we're skipping over several villages and a big town.

　It means that the distance that would take more than three days in a carriage was moved in an instant.

　When I think about it again, I can't help but feel the awesomeness of spatial magic.

　I've shifted quite a distance, but the amount of magic power is not a problem at all. I feel like I can lightly do this kind of distance more than ten times.

　It's probably because I've been training to increase my magic power without fail.

　The specific sensation of consuming magic power is still vague, but I'd like to see how far I can transfer within the range of one round trip.

　I'm not afraid of transferring up to this point, which would take more than three days by carriage. Next time, you might want to try transferring to the capital.

''Well, let's take a break in Kikka.

　You can consider the transition, but right now your body wants a break. Now I should follow this body's instincts and take a break.

　Switching my thoughts, I think of Kicker's main street, bustling with a wide variety of people.

　Then I concocted my magic and made the transition again.


　◆ ◆ ◆


　As I made the transition, the scene in front of me changed in an instant. From the endless grasslands, we have come to a city with countless buildings and a lot of people coming and going.

　The streets of Kicker are as busy today as ever.

　The main street is lined with all sorts of stalls, filled with the stomach-churning smells of roasting meat and sweet fruit.

　The sounds of people going about their daily lives can be heard everywhere, and there is a constant stream of voices calling out to the stallholders.

　Perhaps it's because I've been alone in an unpopular grassland a while ago, but it seems even more crowded.

　The street of Kikka's stalls has a somewhat more miscellaneous image than the main street of the royal capital, but this is not a bad idea. It reminds me of the atmosphere of a festival in my previous life.

　I walk down the main street with that in mind.

　It's not bad to eat a delicious meal at a food stall, but my purpose this time is just to take a break.

　I walk quickly down the main street, putting up with the fragrant smell wafting from the stalls.

　If I don't, I might end up buying some food from a stall. I need to breathe as shallowly as possible and try not to smell the aroma.

'Hey there, dead-eyed boy!　Would you like a hot stew?　A stew full of fresh veggies will make you feel better!

　Who is the boy with the dead eyes. Today I'm just as well as ever. I just want you to leave me alone.

　As I ignore him, the owner of the store across the street calls out to me.

Dead boy with dead eyes!　How's that slashhawk with herbs?

Hmm?　Slashhawks are bird demons that attack you from above, right?

　Maybe it's because it's the demon that attacked me earlier, but it makes me stop in my tracks.

''Yeah, right. Slashhawk thighs are plumper than your average chicken, right?　I knew it was going to take some meat to get me going!　How about one?

　The owner, an old man with a grin, shows me a skewer wrapped with herbs.

　The savory smell of salt and pepper seasoned meat and the fresh scent of herbs drifts through the air.

　My stomach grumbles in response.

　Oh, no. I can't stop now.

　I've been walking around all morning today looking for slime. My energy was more depleted than usual. My stomach is full of energy right now, and I'm craving slashhawk meat.

　Even if I could temporarily shake off the evil thoughts here, the scent would still torment me for a long time afterwards.

''Give me one of those herb-roasted slashhawks.

Heh heh heh, always!　Three coppers!

　After handing three coppers to the old man, who smiled happily, I accepted a slashhawk herb-roasted.

　Then I stopped at the end of the road and bit into the meat on the skewer.

　Slashhawk thighs have a somewhat more resilient texture than normal chicken. It's probably because it hunts its prey by skillfully moving its legs, or perhaps because its legs are more developed than those of a normal bird. It has an elasticity that pushes back every time you bite into it. And yet it's still tender enough to be chewed off, so it must be one of the best poultry.

　The slightly strong salt and pepper was a nice touch, probably because I was sweating from walking around.

　After three or four bites, you might have felt that the salt and pepper was too strong, but the herb, which has a refreshing flavor, mitigated the frustration.

　I have never seen such a herb before, not even in Koliat village. I'd love to get my hands on one.

'It's a great match for the herbs.

'Oh!　The boy will understand that!　Yes, those herbs are the key to our flavor, and they go perfectly with the meat. Well, I had a hard time finding a good match for it.

　When I say this, Dad starts talking happily.

　Apparently, he had a hard time finding an aromatic herb that worked well with him.

　I listen intimately to him as he speaks happily for a while. Then, when the conversation finally stops, I casually ask, "What is this herb?

'What kind of herbs are these?'

Well, I wouldn't be giving away my secrets of the trade to a boy with a taste for it, now would I?

Tsk.

Hey, hey, for a guy who has a lisp, you're pretty scary for a guy with a blank stare.

　Oops, I couldn't help but click my tongue.

　I thought that if I listened to the story and made him feel better, he would talk to me, but I guess I wasn't so naive. It's just a matter of setting up a stall in this town.

''Well then, if I give you a reasonable amount, will you tell me?''

Hmmm, I don't want to give out too much information because more competitors will hurt sales.

　I ask him quietly, and he scratches his head and voices his concerns.

　Of course, that's what he said. This old man makes his money by competing with the taste of these ingredients. He doesn't want to give out information about ingredients, which is the life of the business.

　Well, this herb is also understandable to those who understand it, but it is not something that should be spread for free to those who do not know the information.

　But the fact that Dad is worried about it means that it's definitely not impossible.

　Even if he has concerns about the information spreading and possibly losing sales, he has a reason to want immediate profit.

''I mean, you're a kid, right?　It's pretty pricey when it comes to the amount of information, and it's impossible.

'If I do say so myself, I'm an aristocrat, so I have more money than the average citizen.

'What?　A nobleman!　Hey, hey, hey, it's a crime for a civilian to pretend to be a nobleman!

　When I told him that simply, he was terribly surprised.

　And then he said it as if he was disciplining an evil child.

　I understand that I don't have the dignity of a nobleman, but it's still hurtful to be surprised by a stranger to that extent.

　If I had the grace of Elinora sister and Silvio brother, I wouldn't be suspected like this.

　After all, it took me ten minutes to explain to Dad that I was a nobleman.

　If only I had a nobleman's seal like Father Nord's, or an inkpad like Spring's....