Volume 4 Chapter ss3: Special Side Story - One Hundred Years Adventure

One Hundred Years Adventure

「Samanthaa, you bitch! You fucking did it again!」

「Because, there're this many "targets"! Kyahaha!」

The angry voice of a small dwarf youth echoed inside a village that was surrounded by a forest at the southern part of Claydale Kingdom. Another small human girl cheered in delight while running around in respond to that.

They were still ten years old despite appearance. The youth was from a race called dwarf, so it couldn't be helped for him to be short despite having tough body, but the human girl called Samantha was clearly more petite compared to the kids around her age.

「Dalton too should just become blacksmith if you're a dwarf. This is all because you keep working with wood all the time!」

「I told you that I'm not rock dwarf but mountain dwarf you itty bitty!」

「Haa!? Who are you calling a hobbit!?」

「I didn't say anything like that!」

Samantha fired Stone Bullet from her staff. This time it was the young dwarf Dalton who screamed while running around.

Normally it was impossible for a kid to cast Sorcery or firing it to another kid, but the two were childhood friends who had been together almost all the time since they were born. They were used to do this kind of exchange in a sense. Samantha had become able to adjust the strength of her sorcery and now Dalton too wouldn't even be injured just from getting hit by a small rock thanks to all his training.

The cause of their quarrel was because of Samantha using Dalton's woodworks as targets for her sorcery.

The popular impression of small and tough rock dwarf was as blacksmith living in a cave but, mountain dwarf like Dalton was a race that lived in forest and they had skilful hands for craftsmanship using wood or precious metal.

Dalton's family had been living in this village since his parent's generation. Naturally he imitated his parent and began working with wood but, Samantha noticed that and when she saw Dalton's trial works, she thought they were just right to be target practice for her sorcery.

Those works were still just crude practice item, but Dalton too wasn't that mature that he could forgive seeing something he created getting destroyed. But, Dalton could also understood that his childhood friend played her mischief on him because he was unresponsive to her after starting practicing, so he wasn't genuinely angry to her.

After all in the past Dalton also harbored the same feeling when Samantha got absorbed with the joy of sorcery when she was around three years old and wouldn't play with him.

.

「Make a weapon, make a weaponnn」

「Shut your trap Samantha!」

Their quarrel settled down and Dalton started shaving wood once more in a place near the forest. Samantha who sat down on a log was swinging her legs back and forth while making a ruckus.

「I already made you a staff before this!」

The staff that Samantha was using was created by Dalton. Of course it didn't have magic stone embedded on it like the one that professional sorcerer used, but Samantha was always carrying it around with her everywhere since he gave it to her as birthday present.

「W-ro-nggg. I mean your weapon Dalton.」

「You......you still haven't given up huh.」

Dalton muttered in exasperation. He let out a sigh that didn't suit a child like him.

「I'm going to be a woodwork artisan, not an "adventurer". You too Samantha, if you're going to be a sorcerer, don't aim to become something like adventurer, be......err, what is it again? Aim to become a palace court sorcerer or something.」

It seemed that Samantha wanted to become an adventurer and she tried to convince Dalton to become one too at every opportunity.

Samantha was the village chief's daughter. Her family was considered as well-off in this village. If they used their connection then surely she would be able to get sorcerer work even at the capital. Samantha's father was friend with Dalton's father. He hoped that if possible his daughter could just marry into a well-to-do merchant family or something.

Samantha was tiny but, he heard that actually there were several merchant families that had tried asking about the prospect of her marrying into their family.

She had soft silver hair and red eyes. Her face looked pretty even in the eyes of Dalton whose race was different from her. Her petite figure also provoked people's desire to protect her. She was a girl with enough charm points.

In fact, even outside the marriage offers, there were quite a lot of boys in the village who didn't know about Samantha's true personality and were attracted to her just from her looks.

「No! What I want is to have "adventure" with Dalton!」

「............」

Dalton's expression turned complicated from hearing Samantha's honest feeling.

The two of them had few friends. Of course they had acquaintances but, the two of them only had each other who they could count as friend that they could be open with.

Samantha was pretty but she had intense personality. She was young and could use sorcery so it couldn't be helped that the kids her age were scared of her. Dalton was a mountain dwarf so there was nobody who could win against him in a fight. The kid who acted as the boss of the village kids ostracized him from the group.

The parents of the two were friends and Samantha's father, the village chief invited Dalton's family to come to this village. Their friendship began from this closeness between their families but, for the two of them who had bashful personality, the other had become their irreplaceable friend.

But, there wasn't any sweet feeling in that relationship. They were male and female childhood friends but, the human Samantha preferred tall man with slender build, while the dwarf Dalton preferred robust and thick woman. The two had never regarded each other as the opposite sex.

The two were childhood friends with friendship that surpassed such gender and race difference. When Samantha did something, she thought it would be good if Dalton was with her. Dalton also had the same kind of thinking, so he couldn't just treat Samantha's feeling carelessly.

Dalton too had experience hunting, and if it was just a goblin than he would be able to defeat one if Samantha was with him. Dalton was also a boy. There was no way his heart wouldn't dance from that.

「......If I feel like it.」

「Yosh! Then when are we going? Tomorrow?」

「I told you if I feel like it!」

.

Such daily life kept repeating until one day, Samantha who finished quarreling with Dalton just like usual suddenly recalled something and talked to him about it.

「Hey hey, Dalton. Have you ever seen an elf before?」

「Elff? Ain't no way I ever see one.」

Dalton was used with Samantha's erratic behavior and her abrupt change of topic but, he tilted his head at the unusual topic. Samantha proudly explained in respond.

「I heard from father. It seems an elf family is going to come to this village.」

「Haa~? That's unusual. What's more it's a whole family.」

Forest elf lived deep inside forest. Unlike dwarf who got involved with human in order to create things, elves were an insular and exclusive race. Most elves who came out from their forest were considered as oddball.

「Yep, family. And I heard that elf family also has a kid. What's more that kid is also ten years old like us!」

「That's even more unusual......」

Even in human country it wouldn't be that hard to catch sight of elf but in general those elves were already adult. In the first place elves could live longer than dwarf. Their children had slow growth and also few in number, so he heard that they often became kidnapping target at area with bad public order.

Proper elf parents wouldn't bring their child out of the forest. Dalton didn't know whether the parents were eccentric or not but, he felt pity toward the elf kid, wondering whether they would be able to adapt in human village although it wasn't really his business.

But Dalton's worry ended up to be needless. Not only that, his worry was completely off the mark.

One month later──.

「There's really a dwarf here. And he's round! So strange!」

Dragged by her arm to Dalton's workplace was a small elf girl who looked like she was still 6 or 7 years old if she was human.

「......Oi, Samantha. Who's this rude fellow?」

Dalton put on an unamused look and glared at Samantha who dragged the little elf here, but Samantha looked smug for some reason and puffed out her nonexistent chest.

「I found her so I caught her! She's so tiny and cute!」

「I'm not tiny! Even you don't look that different from me! Also don't call me "fellow" call me Miranda! You're cutting living trees around here, dwarf and human are really barbaric!」

「Haa? You're smaller than me you shrimp! Don't group me with Dalton!」

「I'm not small you two pipsqueak and stumpy! If you elf really treasure the forest than just go eat grass quietly!」

「Even elf eats meat! We just don't like the taste of blood!」

「Who're you calling stumpy! Even my breasts are going to become boing boing soon, unlike this elf! Right! Dalton!?」

「Don't ask me something like that! You vulgar girls!」

「Even I'm going to grow big! After all elf is definitely going to be taller than dwarf!」

「I'm a mountain dwarf you stuuupid! I'm going to be way bigger than the stumpy there and an elf like you!」

「「Haa!?」」

The human and dwarf and elf kids got into a quarrel right at the day they met. The dangerous quarrel where spirit magic and elemental magic flew everywhere ended with everyone dropping at the same time. With that the little elf Miranda had safely (?) cultivated friendship with Samantha and Dalton.

.

「Haa? Becoming adventurer? Are you serious?」

Several days later, the three kids gathered in Dalton's workplace again. There Miranda turned a doubting gaze at Dalton after hearing Samantha's words. Dalton who had a bump on his head nodded in annoyance.

「It's Samantha's usual illness.」

「Aa......so it's something like that.」

「Ee!? Mira also react like that!? Come on, let's do it the three of us!」

Samantha shouted in dissatisfaction at the two's completely unmotivated attitude.

By the way the three got a lot of scratches and bruises from that quarrel, but all of them got healed by Samantha's light sorcery. Even so there was still a bump remaining on Dalton's head because of her mother's fist after she found out that he got into a fight with girls.

「These adventurers, they're using metal weapon that the dwarves made right? Savages.」

「Mira......tell me if you're trying to pick a fight, you snobby elf.」

「What did you call me──muguh」

Miranda was unable to become friend with other human children because of how touchy she was, but when it looked like things would devolve into another quarrel, a sweet got stuffed into her mouth from Samantha beside her and she fell quiet.

Miranda was quietly nibbling on the large malt cookie with her small mouth bit by bit. Seeing that caused Dalton to forget his anger and sighed.

Miranda who was raised in a forest before this only knew of sweet taste from fruits with strong sourness and honey that she could only lick a little during celebration. She had completely become the prisoner of the sweets using sugar that Samantha brought.

This could also be called as taming with food. In this village only the village chief's family could use sugar to make sweets. Dalton wasn't fixated with sweet food because he was satisfied as long as he became full, while Samantha had unbalanced diet, so she used most of her snacks to tame Miranda.

「You'll be able to eat sweet snacks every day if you become adventurer and head to the capital.」

「I'll do it.」

「So fast!」

In front of the retorting Dalton, Miranda whose mouth and hands were dirtied with cookie crumbs and Miranda who was putting on a wicked smile shook each other's hand firmly.

「And that's why, make a weapon for Mira too, Dalton!」

「Ah, just so you know that I don't like iron! I'll get a rash if I keep touching one!」

「I'm the one who have to make it!? And the reason you hate iron is because of something like that!?」

「If Mira is going to use sharp weapon then perhaps it should use mythril?」

「Even this village's blacksmith can't make that kinda thing! If you want weapon that badly then you should ask the strange rock dwarf who came here one year ago!」

The strange rock dwarf that Dalton mentioned was a still young craftsman. It seemed he was raising fund in order to open a shop at the capital and wandered into this village around one year ago. He ordered some wares from Dalton's father and returned home with his hands full of buttons and a pleased expression on his face.

「That wouldn't work. Gelf-chan is a seamstress who makes girl clothing. He said that he want me to model for him when I'm older. He have really good eyes!」

「That's if you can get bigger.」

「I'll be!」

「Why is a rock dwarf making woman clothing......?」

Miranda's natural puzzlement didn't reach the quarreling duo as though the answer should be obvious.

「I can only make bow y'know......」

In the end Dalton ended up making a bow for Miranda. Any forest elf could use bow without exception. Miranda too only had bow for training, so her eyes sparkled seeing a hunting bow that was made exclusively for her.

「Guess I'll use stone for the arrowhead....... Samantha, make some pointy stones for me.」

「That's fine but, please make a club too. It's fine even if it's made from wood.」

「What are you going to use it for?」

「It's for you Dalton. We're going hunting when you finished. Don't tell me, you're planning to let two beautiful girls going alone while staying behind by yourself?」

「............」

He was reluctant to consider these two as woman but, Dalton let out another deep sigh and realized that he was gradually getting dragged along with them.

.

Dalton who was a mountain dwarf with skillful hands finished making bow, arrows, and club in one day. Then without further ado the three headed into the forest for hunting.

Miranda checked the condition of her new bow, then she turned toward Dalton with a genuine smile.

「To think that you properly used a fallen tree to make this, Dalton, you aren't so bad for a dwarf!」

「......Samantha.」

「Hoi」

In respond to Dalton's mutter, Samantha tossed a candy into the mouth of Miranda who often said something sour. For a moment she turned quiet and licked the candy happily. Dalton held back the sigh that almost escaped him and talked to the two.

「I have decided on the formation. I'll be at the front, the sorcerer Samantha at the middle, and the archer Mira at the back.」

「Yep.」

「Rhogher」

「Don't talk while your mouth is full.」

After that the three walked inside the forest. Sometimes Miranda would check the ground and pointed at the direction where there might be animal. Then Dalton told the two to stop around the time Miranda finished eating the candy.

「Shit......it's a bear.」

「Eh......」

「Seriously?」

Bear was extraordinary even in this world that was filled with monster. It was a wild animal, but the smaller type of bear had gotten weeded out by monsters, leaving only the bigger type of bear.

Inside the forest that wasn't even ten-odd meters away from the three, there was a bear eating a small animal that looked like rabbit.

「I was wondering why there wasn't any goblin recently. Turn out that this guy might be eating them......」

「「............」」

It wouldn't be strange for the bear to come to the village if it ran out of food of certain size in the forest. The village had fence to repel monster, but the livestock that were kept outside might get massacred.

The huge bear was easily taller than two meters. Dalton judged that only the hunters of the village along with several more adults would be able to defeat it. He signaled with his hand to not make a sound and retreat. That gesture caused Samantha to jump out energetically.

「HYAHHOOO!」

「「What the!?」」

『GAA!?』

The two screamed, while Samantha charged forward with a wonderful smile. The huge bear also got surprised by the commotion and let out a growl.

「──Stone Bullet──」

Samantha charged while swinging down her staff. Dozens of pebbles shot off from there.

Stone Bullet that fired off pebbles would change in quantity and accuracy depending on the sorcerer's skill. Samantha would only fire a single pebble when messing around with Dalton, but she finally threw away her restrain to the wind when encountering the "adventure" that she had been dreaming for.

「Kyahahahaha......ah, crap」

『GAAAA!』

But, the bear's skin couldn't be pierced by something like pebbles. Even so the bear still felt pain and it raised its claw toward Samantha with an angry look.

*BOKON*

In that moment, the bear stepped forward and its foot stumbled on a hole on the ground.

「Samantha, what are you doing!?」

It was Miranda who created a depression on the ground with her earth spirit magic. She yelled while drawing her bow.

『GAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!』

The bear noticed that and this time it headed toward Miranda. Miranda froze for a moment from fear. But the bear's rush was stopped by the club that struck its face from the side.

「Get away you two!」

Although the club was swung with a dwarf's physical strength, the attack didn't deal any damage when the dwarf was still a boy and the club was made from wood. The bear got even angrier instead and swung its claws. It left a deep gash on the club and made Dalton felt cold in his guts.

「──Wind Cutter──」

『GUGAA!』

「Samantha!」

Samantha was running around inside the forest with abnormal speed. It was a wonder where she was hiding such strength inside that small body. She fired wind sorcery that tore at the bear's skin.

「Ei!」

Miranda fired her arrow at that timing. It grazed the bear's eye.

『GAAAAAAAAAAAA!』

The bear changed its target at Miranda again. But, perhaps Miranda had seen something in Samantha who was enthusiastically moving around while launching attack without fear. Miranda too drew her bow again without any fear this time. She kept her bow drawn while jumping back, dodging the bear's attack in a hair's breadth.

「This is super scary!」

「KYAHAHA!」

Miranda screamed angrily. Samantha's laughing voice overlapped with her scream. As though to vent her anger, Miranda's next arrow that was fired from super close range pierced the bear's eye this time. The bear's roar echoed through the forest.

「Eei! Everyone attack! Finish it off!」

「Let's do this!」

「KYAHAHAHAHAHAHA!」

Dalton stopped giving a damn at everything and yelled his order. Miranda and Samantha yelled back in high spirit.

「NUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORYA!」

「Wind spirit, lend me your strength!」

「──Stone Shot──!」

『GUGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!』

The wind spirit slashed the bear's face and stopped its movement. Dalton's club smashed the bear's skull. And last Samantha's Stone Shot buried itself into the bear's face.

*Whum......*

The bear swayed on its feet before collapsing backward. It convulsed for the last time before it stopped moving completely. Dalton and Miranda were convinced that the bear had finally died and strength left their body. Samantha approached them from the opposite side with a sunny smile.

「「This idiot-!」」

In that moment, the two's fists slammed on Samantha's face. They were punching quite seriously.

Samantha was blown away by the punches. But the girl got back on her feet as though she wasn't affected at all and she still smiled widely despite bleeding from her nose.

「That was fun!」

「「............」」

Seeing Samantha like that caused Dalton and Miranda to feel spent and then sat down hard on the ground. They unconsciously looked at each other and let out a long sigh.

Fighting the bear and seeing Miranda's smile made the two realized that they were also no less idiotic than Samantha. The two of them certainly also felt 『fun』 during this battle where they risked their life.

.

「Then, let's go!」

「That should be my line.」(Dalton)

「Who cares about it.」(Miranda)

Three years after that, the three who had grown a bit bigger compared to before began a trip to head toward the capital in order to become adventurer.

The well-known people of the village came to see them off, but they looked more relieved than worried seeing the three problem children leaving the village. Even their parents also looked the same.

「Why the capital, Dalton?」

「Don't know. Ask Samantha.」

「Gelf-chan said that he opened his shop. Mira will definitely like it too.」

「Hee! I can't wait to see it!」

「............」

Dalton who knew about the eccentric armor maker shook his head slightly at the conversation of the girls. He kept silent throughout it all.

「First we need teammates. How about a thief and a swordsman?」

「It's not thief but scout if it's adventurer.」

「Whatever. If possible I want someone cool and slender to join us!」

「That's just your own preference isn't it?」

.

The three kids had grown bigger and became adventurer.

That was the beginning of their 『one hundred years adventure』 that would continue from there on.