Volume 8 Chapter 4 Hot Spring Guests
At the hot spring, two tents were set up near a basic cooking area. Al heard there were guests from Clarence village, so these tents likely belong to them. It was getting dark, and there were no people around. He could hear insects chirping nearby. The mornings and evenings were cooler now, a big change from the earlier heat. The guests might still be enjoying the riverside.
"Hello!"
Al called out loudly but received no answer. He expected they would return soon. He placed a wild deer he had hunted for camouflage and a barrel from Clarence village on the table by the cooking area. He had already cleaned and skinned the deer, just like before.
This time, Al felt uneasy about why he was at the hot spring while collecting Alunite and exploring Tempest's grave. Orson had mentioned that many guests visit from autumn to winter. He had come here for healing even before finding Alunite, which made sense for someone his age. However, Al struggled to find a reason to visit a hot spring at his age.
After shopping, Al quickly made up a reason for being here based on the deer meat. He asked if there were still many deer causing problems and suggested hunting a few. He also got permission to make dried meat as a side project while at the hot spring.
Al lit up some 'Light' near the kitchen and used the 'Carrier' spell to hang a deer carcass for processing. Suddenly, he saw a light that looked like a lamp coming down the path to the river.
The light was getting closer. It was 2 people. They were older men, both a bit chubby and wearing loose clothes. They had swords hanging at their waists for protection. From their build and muscles, they didn't look like merchants; they seemed to have trained in martial arts. They might be guards, mercenaries, or knights from a nearby garrison. One had a red face and white hair, while the other had a thick black beard but was quite bald.
"Good evening, sorry to intrude."
Al stopped his work and gave a slight bow.
"Hey, good evening."
The red-faced man at the front replied with a cheerful smile. The bearded man in the back also waved lightly at Al. Both seemed like nice people.
"I noticed the light here for a while, but I didn't expect to see such a young boy. Did you hunt the deer?"
"I heard there are more deer around the Nash Mountains, and the village at the foot is having trouble with them ruining their fields. I'm a traveler, and I visited this village before. I talked with the local self-defense team, and we decided I would hunt a few. By the way, I'm preparing dried meat as a reward for my work."
The two men nodded in understanding, looking curiously at the deer carcass hanging in the air, suspended by the hooks made with the 'Carrier' spell.
"Is it magic that makes it float without a cutting table?"
"Ahaha, that's right. I'm using the 'Carrier' spell to hang it up."
Al said this while scratching his head.
"Hmm, there are many kinds of magic. I have some connections with magician, but I've never seen magic like this before. So it's called the 'Carrier' spell, huh? I should tell my friend about it too."
The two observed Al as he worked. He trimmed the fatty parts from the meat, knowing that too much fat would ruin the dish. He sliced the meat thinly and placed it in a barrel with garlic-flavored brine. The fat went into another barrel to be sold for making ointments and candles. Any leftover organs and fatty meat would be used for meals in the coming days.
As Al worked quickly, the pot of meat and herbs cooking nearby began to smell delicious, making both of their stomachs growl.
"Ah, sorry. I did eat earlier, but the smell got to me."
"Don't worry about it! I made extra food on purpose, so feel free to eat."
Al smiled at the two, who looked a bit shy. He had planned this from the start. Their stomachs growling made it clear they were hungry. Since they would be staying in the same place for a few days to prepare for the Alunite gathering and make dried meat, it was better to share meals and bond early on. Most of the ingredients were gathered from the mountains, except for a few seasonings. The meat, especially around the organs, would spoil if they didn't eat it soon.
"Is it really okay?"
Both of them looked happy. The timing of their growling stomachs and their reactions were similar, even if their faces didn't look alike.
"Well, there are some parts that can't be made into dried meat, so please eat as much as you want. If you want to grill it, I have salt and skewers, but please cook it yourself."
"Oh, sounds good. I'll do that."
"I'll go get some drinks."
The two leaned forward and started moving eagerly. The man with a beard took a plate of meat from Al. He skillfully skewered the meat and began to arrange it around the fire. His fingers were thick but quite nimble.
"Um, what's your name?"
The red-faced man, holding a bottle of alcohol, asked Al for his name.
"I'm Al. I work as a scout and magician."
"Oh, an adventurer? Is it the Adventurer's Guild in the town of Oudis around here?"
He wasn't doing anything wrong. Pretending to be someone else could lead to trouble.
"No, I usually stay in the border city of Lester. I heard rumors that this place, Parker, can make money, so I came to check it out..."
He added a lie at the end to hide the fact that Alunite could be found here.
"I see, I see. We work at a nearby fortress. This week, we finally got some time off, so we came here to relax. The young ones go out to the town of Oudis, but we don't have the energy for that anymore."
Saying this, the red-faced man laughed heartily. Holding a drink and laughing, he looked full of life. Working at a fortress meant he was part of the knight order.
"So, does that mean you both are nobles? I apologize for my rude language."
Al stopped his hands, which were slicing the meat. He seemed friendly, so he probably wouldn't scold him, but it's better to say it anyway. Recently, he had been remembering the manners he learned when he was young, and he was getting a bit used to it.
"Hahaha, don't worry about it. Since you asked, I'll tell you. I am Duran Ferdinand, a knight. This beard here is Heath, who has been my loyal squire for a long time."
Lord Duran Ferdinand. He looked to be over 50 years old. Speaking of which, Eric once told him that his grandfather was the one who used the legendary 'Illusion' spell that a magician serving the Margrave used. He still haven't gone back to the village to ask his father, but a knight around his age might know something about it.
"Lord Ferdinand, do you happen to know my grandfather? He has passed away, but he was actually part of the Margrave's knight order."
"Oh, what was your grandfather's name?"
"Yes, it was Dean Channing."
Hearing that name, Duran and Heath widened their eyes in surprise and looked at each other.
"Oh, what a nostalgic name. Of course, I know him. I see, he has passed away. So, you are the grandson of that magician?"
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