“It’s got a hide like a tank, but its insides handle fireballs about as well as you’d expect.”
“You say that like it was easy…” the Guildmaster said, peering into the viper’s mouth. “It’s true. I’m amazed the spell reached so deep—the throat’s what, two meters wide? I’d expect a fire spell to detonate in its mouth.”
I couldn’t tell him my fireballs had walked their way down its digestive tract on stubby little bear legs.
“Anyway, I got it. If there’s no point to going to the village, then let’s head back to town.”
We set off again, the both of us headed for Crimonia this time.
“Begging your pardon, but my horse can’t keep pace with your bear. Could you slow down? I have questions.”
I broke down what happened at the village for him.
“That was pretty reckless of you.”
With the bear gear, I could afford to be.
We took a brief rest stop, and when we got on the road home again, I let Kumayuru take it slow. Both our mounts deserved a break, and I wasn’t in any kind of hurry.
We got back to town the following day and went straight to the guild. Helen saw us and broke into tears.
“Yuna, Guildmaster…why are you here? Did the village…?”
“Helen, it’s fine. The black viper was defeated,” the Guildmaster explained.
“Was it really?!” Helen wiped away her tears.
“Yeah, it’s true, so calm down. Why were you so worried?”
“Rush from C-Rank came back injured, and I was having such a difficult time reaching any adventurers above C-Rank. I should have expected you would be able to handle it, Guildmaster.”
Helen looked at the Guildmaster reverently.
“I didn’t. Yuna did, alone.”
“What…?” Helen slowly looked my way. Don’t look at me with eyes that wide, I thought. It’s embarrassing.
“I felt the same, but it’s true.”
She didn’t look reassured.
“So, Yuna, it’s getting late. I hate to ask you to do this, but could you come by again tomorrow? We need to write the report for this and inventory the materials from the viper.”
“When?”
“Earlier would be better, but I’m sure you’re tired too. I’ll let you decide when.”
“Got it.”
I left the adventurers’ guild.
Chapter 42:
The Bear Goes to the Orphanage
THANKS TO THE BEAR SUIT’S white side, I woke up feeling refreshed. I pulled some eggs from bear storage and made a fried egg sandwich. I felt another pang of longing for rice, soy sauce, and miso—so close to a Japanese breakfast, and yet so far.
The Guildmaster had called me in, but since he hadn’t specified a time, I took my time with breakfast before I left. As soon as I got to the guild, an employee showed me over to the Guildmaster’s office.
“You’re earlier than I expected.”
“I went straight to sleep yesterday. Aren’t you early, too?”
He was already working.
“I’ve been here all night working through the backlog and the black viper stuff.”
“The black viper stuff?”
“We’ve had a lot of offers for the materials now that word’s gotten out.”
“I haven’t decided whether I was going to sell it, though.”
“I know, but I couldn’t tell them that. The merchants and armorers would hound you to the ends of the earth.”
“Is it really that popular?”
“Well, the skin makes excellent armor—it’s sturdy, it’s light, and it soaks up mana like a sponge. There are tons of adventurers who would want it. The meat’s a delicacy, too. You can sell any cut for a killing. You can use the fangs for all kinds of purposes too, and depending on the size of the specimen, there’s a chance it’s got a B-rank mana gem. In other words, anyone would want those materials.”
“You’re saying I’ve got to sell it?”
“Whether you sell it or not is your prerogative. But, if you don’t…”
“People are going to bug me about it anyway?”
“That’s right. Speaking for the guild, I’d rather you sell it to us directly rather than give it to someone else.”
“I don’t mind selling it, though I’d like the mana gem and some of the materials.”
I didn’t know when the mana gem might come in handy.
“Yeah, I don’t mind. It’d be reassuring to me if you let us have the skin and the meat.”
“So where should I have it butchered? It’d be impossible in the warehouse, right?”
The Guildmaster looked pensive, and then troubled.
“We’ll have to do it outside.”
“Outside?”
“Nobody would complain if we did it outside the gates, right? Sorry for asking you so soon, but could you handle moving the body?”
“I can.”
The Guildmaster and I left the room.
“Helen, gather the employees who can butcher and figure out the bare minimum staff we need to keep the warehouse running.”
Helen ran off and gathered about ten people in total, Gentz and Fina among them.
“I thought we might need more hands,” Gentz explained, detecting my surprise at seeing Fina.
The butchers and I walked in a procession from the guild to the gate, and from there to a spot that wouldn’t block traffic.
“This should do.”
With the Guildmaster’s OK, I pulled the black viper out of bear storage. The butchers let out a collective gasp.
“It’s huge.”
“Did the bear girl really beat this thing?”
“I can’t believe that thing fit in her bottomless bag.”
“Do you think we can finish this today?”
“You lot, the work won’t get done with you just staring at it. Once you’re finished, take the parts to cold storage. Prioritize the meat first—we lose out if any of it rots. The skin can go last.”
The butchers voiced their agreement.
“So, Yuna, what’re you going to do?”
“Me?”
“You going to watch or go home?”
“Can I go home?”
If I could, I would. I wasn’t interested in watching anyone gut a snake.
“Yeah, we won’t mind. We’ll take the harvested materials to the guild. You can decide which portions you want there.”
“Guess I’ll go home. When do you think it’ll be over?”
“No idea. I’ll send somebody to your house when it is.”
“In that case, please have Fina do it—there won’t be any extra hassle letting her in.”
“Got it.”
Since going straight home wouldn’t have been any fun, I decided to hit up the plaza for lunch. I figured I could stand to
