Chapter 88, Relationships

Translator: Barnnn

 

“Ugh, shut up already…”

“I can’t believe they’re still going… They’ve been like this all morning!”

 

Wardon looked utterly exhausted, while Ivern offered only a weary, crooked smile.

Zew — the quiet one of the group — seemed to have taken a liking to the herbal tea he’d bought back in Haradory. He silently poured himself another cup. When Ize gently placed a plate of Haradory’s signature cookies in front of him, Zew glanced at her and gave a slight nod before reaching for one.

 

“As I said yesterday, we’ve been thinking about which one to pick,” Sharoella said, gesturing toward the cluster of Mandragoras nearby. “Do you have any advice?”

“Ize, you know them best,” Fieda added.

“Hmm… let me think.”

 

Ize’s eyes drifted to Sato, who was nestled quietly in the soil, half-buried in the dirt.

 

“It’s only been about a week since we started living together,” she said. “But Sato’s been calm, for the most part. When we’re home, it just bathes, naps, or does its own thing. During Dungeon runs, I keep it in my Magic Bag. Apparently, the bag forces them into a kind of sleep state. Let’s see… what else…?”

“I feel like it’s gotten better at expressing emotions and understanding speech compared to when we first met,” Hal said, leaning into the conversation.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too,” Fieda said with a smirk. “It strikes poses, smiles at stuff, and even plays along with your dumb games.”

“Dumb games!? That’s uncalled for,” Hal grumbled.

“Excuse you!” Ize added with exaggerated offense. “We call it refined verbal sparring.”

“Gepyo!” Sato chimed in, flapping its arms in protest.

 

Fieda merely shrugged in response.

 

“They take baths too?” Sharoella asked, curious.

“Oh, I totally forgot!” Hal snapped his fingers. “My appraisal said the bathwater turns into a sort of nutrient solution.”

“Nutrient… solution?” Sharoella tilted her head.

“Yes. Might work for folks who are sick or too weak to eat properly. Could help with recovery.”

“No one in our group’s tried yet, though,” Fieda said.

“Honestly, the thought of using… Sato broth is kind of off-putting,” Hal muttered.

“Sato broth…” Sharoella’s shoulders trembled with laughter. That one really struck a chord. “…Well, it makes sense,” she said eventually. “It’s not just the leaves — they’re prized for their whole bodies too. Of course there’d be value in it.”

“When we asked if we could take a slice of its belly, it told us to just use the bathwater instead,” Hal added.

“Would YOU want your belly carved up?” Sharoella shot back.

“Gyapyo!” Sato squealed in agreement.

 

[Really…] Ize thought. [Our Mandragora’s so damn smart…]

 

“What if we used it in soup for the sick?” Sharoella asked.

“Oh, I could see that working,” Hal nodded.

 

At the end of the day, it was nutritious water — it could be used in so many ways.

Neither Ize, Hal, nor Fieda had suggested it earlier — probably because none of them cooked. Then again, Sharoella worked closely with patients as a Healer. Maybe that was what gave her the idea to ask.

 

“This could really help,” she said, her expression softening. “Kids and the elderly don’t bounce back as quickly when their stamina drops. I’ll try it out in small doses.”

 

She glanced at the neatly lined-up Mandragoras and clapped her hands.

 

“All right! So — which one of you loves bath time?”

 

As if responding to a starting bell, one popped up from the soil.

 

“Kekyo!”

“Sato, this isn’t about you,” Hal said.

“Kekyo?” it chirped, tilting its leafy head innocently.

“I’ll get a big tub ready,” Ize offered. “Let’s see who’s willing to take the plunge.”

“Got it,” Hal said. “By the way, Miss Sharoella, the water should be lukewarm — just about human body temperature.”

 

As he filled the tub with his usual magic, whistling cheerfully, hushed whispers started behind him — just out of earshot for him and Ize… or rather, they heard, but chose to ignore them.

 

“Hey, he’s pulling water directly out of the air…”

“He didn’t chant anything…”

“And he can even control the temperature…?”

“He didn’t learn a damn thing…” Fieda grumbled — and was ignored as well.

 

Following Sato’s lead, five Sugar Mandragoras shook off the dirt from their leaves and toddled up to the tub.

Ize gently patted Sato clean with a towel before easing it into the water.

 

“Kekyooo!”

 

It let out a long, contented sigh — just like a human soaking in a hot spring. Ize placed a tiny sake cup on its broad leaf.

 

“Oh, that’s adorable,” Sharoella said with a smile.

 

Ize cleaned the other Mandragoras one by one, then waited to see how they reacted. Some eagerly stretched out their leaves to touch the water, while others hung back, unsure.

Hal stacked a few boxes into steps beside the tub. One bold Mandragora clambered up, poised on the topmost box like an Olympic diver. With its leaf raised high, it plunged straight into the water.

 

“Kuuupyooo!”

“Ah,” Ivern murmured from behind, “that one actually has a decent voice.”

 

Ize turned, eyebrows raised. Ivern quickly covered his mouth, as if regretting his slip. His eyes darted everywhere but toward the tub.

 

[Are the others’ voices this… distinct, too?] Ize wondered as she and Hal stared at the hesitant Mandragoras still lining the makeshift stairs.

 

“Gehgehgehgehgeh?”

“Ku-ku-ku-pyooo.”

“Kokkyonkokyo!”

“Jyaa-jya-cha-cha…”

“Dyu-dyu-dyuuun-du-du-duu!”

 

The brave diver chirped at the others, coaxing them on. Finally, one Mandragora mustered the courage to jump in–

 

“Dyubya!”

“Oof. That one’s gonna feel it…” Hal winced.

 

The poor thing smacked belly-first into the water. Wincing and writhing, it was gently soothed by Hal’s hand as he stroked its leaf.

 

“Take it easy next time, yeah?”

“Geh!”

“Cha!”

“Duruuu…”

 

With Sato included, that made three in the tub. The remaining three seemed reluctant — clearly not fans of bathtime.

 

“No pressure,” Sharoella said gently. “Just having you here to play with when we visit is more than enough.”

“Geh-geh-geh! Geh! Geh!”

“Kokyonkyo!”

“Chaapyo!”

 

They perked up at her words, chirping back brightly. One by one, they touched leaves with their tub-bound companions in a leafy farewell, then slowly waddled off into the forest.

 

“They’re gone,” Ize murmured.

“It’s quiet now,” Wardon said, gazing after them. “Kind of miss the noise already.”

 

His expression was a mixture of peace and nostalgia, no doubt recalling the ruckus from the past couple of days.

 

“Ku-pyo.”

“Duru~”

“Kekyo!”

 

The remaining three were swimming joyfully in the tub. Ize sat beside them, watching with a gentle smile.

 

“They’re really good swimmers.”

“That’s not swimming,” Ivern’s voice came from above.

 

Ize looked up to see him peering into the tub, shaking his head.

 

“It IS swimming,” she insisted.

“Nope. What you’re seeing is a batch of turnips getting a full-body wash.”

“Turnips…”

 

She glanced back into the tub. Sato was gently rolling along the surface.

 

[Okay,] Ize thought. [He’s not wrong about the turnips part. But it’s definitely swimming.]

 

Hal gave a chuckle as he stepped in to cover for Ize.

 

“Heh. Everyone sees things differently. Don’t let it bother you.”

“Of course,” Ize said, unbothered. “It just means Ivern has no appreciation for cute things.”

“Ouch,” Ivern muttered. “That’s cold.”

 

Sharoella, seated beside the tub like Ize, gently scooped warm water with her hand and poured it over the leaves of the Mandragoras.

 

“So?” came Wardon’s voice from behind her. “Which one are you taking?”

“I’ll raise both of them,” Sharoella replied without looking up.

“Both?” Wardon frowned.

“Yes. No one said we could only take one, did they? It’d be cruel to separate them now.”

“Just make sure they don’t cause trouble,” he warned.

“I’ll pick up some turnip seeds on the way home. That should cover our tracks.”

“You think that’s enough to — huh. Might actually work.”

 

With a grunt, Wardon crouched beside the tub and gave one of the Mandragoras a poke with his finger.

 

“Kuuu…”

“As long as they don’t start making noise,” he murmured.

“They’ll need to keep quiet at home,” Sharoella nodded. “Maybe I should just move into a place with soundproofing.”

“Not a bad idea. You’ll probably make some coin from harvesting materials off these things.”

“Idiot. If I sell too often, people will get suspicious.”

“Well then,” Wardon said, his tone turning pragmatic, “what if we make the Potions first? I’ll buy them from you before we leave town. Might need them again. And since they’re already processed goods, I could sell them through other adventurers.”

Sharoella gave a thoughtful hum. “I’ll need to discuss that with Duris. I’d like to get them into the hands of adventurers and victims across the regions.”

“Got it. I can introduce you to some trustworthy A-rankers. People my crew knows.”

“How dependable,” she said, smiling. “Thanks.”

 

Hal and Ize exchanged a glance. The casual ease of the conversation was striking — far too relaxed for people who’d only just met.

 

“You two have known each other for a while, then?” Hal asked.

“Oh yes,” Sharoella replied. “Fifteen years, give or take.”

“I’ve been away from town for most of it,” Wardon added, “but yeah, it’s been about that long.”

 

That number hit Ize and Hal harder than expected.

 

“Wardon’s from this town, you know. Same with Ivern and the others,” Sharoella explained.

“Yep,” Ivern chimed in. “Known him since he was an apprentice adventurer.”

“Ha!” Poe laughed. “He might be big now, but back in the day he was scrawny — like Hal here! Not quite as tiny as Ize, though!”

 

Ize remembered the first time she’d met Wardon at the gate. He’d boasted that, even in his teens, he’d been twice her size.

Now that she thought about it, someone had mentioned that the Deluge in Jasted happened right after Wardon came of age. Since it had been thirteen years ago, that would make him only twenty-eight now, despite his imposing presence.

 

“Wait — Mister Wardon, you’re not even thirty!?”

Wardon narrowed his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean, Ize?”

“U-uh… nothing at all!” she said quickly, realizing too late she’d spoken aloud.

 

Fortunately, the A-rank adventurer let it slide with a grin.

 

“I remember that Deluge,” Ivern said. “You got hurt, and Miss Sharoella gave you an earful while patching you up.”

“Idiot ran off straight into danger right after coming of age,” Sharoella muttered, shaking her head. “Didn’t even know how to use his skills properly.”

“Yeah, and then he tried to run off again the moment he could stand. Got yelled at all over again!”

 

As stories from his youth piled up, Wardon’s face steadily turned crimson and his broad shoulders seemed to shrink with each passing moment.

 

“This is why I hate coming back here,” he grumbled. “Anywhere else, people treat an A-ranker with respect. Here, all THESE old geezers just wanna tell old embarrassing stories…”

 

To them — those ten or more years his senior — even an A-rank adventurer was nothing more than a junior they’d once helped raise.

And in Sharoella’s case, she was the one who’d patched him up when he was still wet behind the ears. Of course he couldn’t act high and mighty.

 

“Oh, how about something recent, then?” Ivern teased. “You didn’t even want to be this mission’s team leader at first! Hah!”

“Can you blame me?” Wardon snapped. “Trying to give orders to this lot — every time I open my mouth, they start grinning!”

“It’s just so wholesome,” said Sharoella with a smile.

“Wholesome, my ass! We’re in a C-rank zone — there aren’t even any real orders to give!”

“Oh, but you still need to keep things tight where it counts,” she said sweetly.

“Ugh, give me a break!”

 

Ize, Hal, and Fieda couldn’t help but laugh. Watching a top-tier adventurer get endlessly teased by his old friends was… oddly heartwarming.