The purpose of this visit to Zahalberto is twofold.

　The first was to register as an S-class member at the guild headquarters.

　The other was to purchase an embassy-like base in the city.

　Since the purpose is such, we will be traveling with a very small group.


　Zazan......


　The three of us, Garcia, Igarashi-san, and I, took a regular sailing boat from the new port of Toun to Scahama.

　Our destination was far away and unknown to me, and with this group of people.

　The Kuro King Maru is overstaffed, and the ship is too big.

　It would be safer to go by the normal route.

I think it would be better to report to the Imperial Capital before going to Zahalberto.

　Mr. Igarashi said so, so I dropped by the imperial capital once I arrived in Sukahama.

　When I arrived in Sukahama, I stopped by the imperial capital to congratulate the minister. The minister congratulated me enthusiastically, and even the Great King gave me a treasure of encouragement for my quest, which really freaked me out.

"Hahaha!　The recognition of your territory as S-class will be beneficial to the entire Far East.

　The minister said that, so I thought it was something like that and went back to Sukahama.

　From there, I took an international flight on a magical ship and left the Far East.

　After a four-day ride, I arrived at the port town of Marine Label.

It was in this port town, by the way, that I was dismissed from my party of heroes.

I see.

......

　After a night.

　We took another ship.

　The one my friends had gone on and I hadn't.

　The ship to Zahalberto.


　BoBoBo......


　The whistle echoed in the blue of the beautiful sea and sky.

　Seagulls flew by.

　Only the bow of the ship was pointing west.


　Now I'm with my friends.


　And the seagulls flew.


　Well, it's been a few days since we left the marine label.

　I was eating a hamburger steak, Garcia was eating curry, and Igarashi was eating pasta.

　Kacha kacha kacha, squirm squirm squirm ......

However, we can't leave the territory unattended too long.

"Speaking of which, Igarashi-san. How are the rice fields in Nakamura doing?

...... This year's harvest is expected to be higher than ever.

　Garcia asks and Igarashi-san answers.

　I stare at the greased knife of the Kuro Minotaur hamburger and say, "That's good news.

That sounds like a good deal.

Yes. Grandpa ...... said, "No, the new variety developed by Isao Igarashi produces twice as much rice per ear as conventional varieties.

　I wonder if Igarashi-san also calls Isao-san "Grandpa".

　I can't imagine that at all.

But whether or not a large harvest is 'good news' is a different matter.

What do you mean?

"It's good to have a stable harvest, though. It's good to have a stable harvest, but if you harvest more than the population of your territory, the value of your harvest will decrease.

It's called "...... poverty of abundance.

　Igarashi-san said in front of me a fork with pasta wrapped around it as if it were a work of art.

I see. This means that I, as the lord, have to increase the amount of rice in storage to balance production and consumption, or control the price.

"That's right. The more the harvest increases, the more we have to do.

　Garcia, with curry on his cheeks, squirmed and answered.

We'll have to return to the territory before the autumn harvest festival anyway. I'm sure Juzo will be angry with me. By then, I want to have a system in place for traveling to and from the territory, the quest, and Zahalberto ....... Please.

Yes.

Right.

　Well, perhaps it was because we were talking like that.

　Suddenly, I noticed a group of four adventurers hanging out across from the cafeteria, looking at us intently.

　As I was thinking that the atmosphere was suspicious, they eventually stood up and approached us.

　What a pain in the ass.

　Even so, I deployed a defensive magic "barrier" around Garcia and Igarashi-san.

　Then, as expected, the adventurers quickly surrounded the seat where we were sitting.

"Hey. You were talking about a quest, are you adventurers?

　A warrior-like man started the conversation.

　This guy seems to be the leader.

Well... Yes, we are.

　The wizard-like woman behind him snickers.

"Well, you don't seem to be very strong, though.

"What level are you?

　The woman behind me snickered. "Well, you don't look very strong, do you?

I lit an after-dinner cigarette and said, "My combat strength is ......, so 75,000.

　The monk-like man peeked at my combat strength, and the bandit-like man next to him snapped.

"Hey, don't get carried away with that kind of fighting power.

You're on this ship and you're going to the Zahal Belt, right?　You're going to the Zahal Belt, aren't you?



"Hmm, sometimes there are people... The land of adventure, Zahalberto, there are people who think they can fly high just by breathing its air.

　Hahahahahahaha!

　A laugh that was clearly intended to mock me went up.

　I kept quiet and just stared at them through my cigarette smoke.

"Whoa?　What's with the eyes? Are you ready?

　The place went pale, and the warrior-looking man rolled up his arms in glee.

　But I let out a puff of smoke and replied.

Give me a break. I know you're strong.

　Then they looked at each other and said.

"d*mn, he's got no backbone.

"Boring!　You're boring.

　"You're boring." And they walked away, disinterested.

　Oh dear.

　I released the defensive spell that I had been secretly casting around Garcia and Igarashi.

They're not very nice, are they?

"...... Eiga-sama. Why don't you just hit them and be done with it?

　The woman secretary is the one who said the scary thing.

You'll get into a fight if you do that.

　I reply with a wry smile.

"Adventurers are usually not busy on ships. They come to you because they think they can pass the time by getting into fights. If you take them on, you're playing right into their hands.

That's about right.

......

　Garcia and Igarashi-san were a little unhappy.

　They are both non-combatants, but they are surprisingly belligerent.


　And that was just such a time.

　Suddenly, there was a roar, and the ship shook unexpectedly loudly.

　Crack!　Crunch crunch ......!

　The dining room tilted heavily.

　People and tables floated down like a slide, and countless dishes were broken.

Oh, my God!

What's going on?

　What's going on?" In the midst of the commotion in the mess hall, one of the sailors came staggering down and shouted, "Oh, there's one of our guests.

Is there any adventurer among the ...... customers?