Chapter 99, The Green Town

Translator: Barnnn

 

The horsebus rumbled down the road, flanked on either side by orderly rows of short tea shrubs. Between the furrows, workers in roughspun overalls moved steadily through the fields, plucking tender new buds by hand and dropping them into woven baskets.

Cheerful voices rang out from within the horsebus.

 

“See those folks over there~~? Plucking tea leaves, I’d bet~~!”

“Yo!”

“Kyo!”

 

The clapping of hands and rhythmic chanting followed the tune, accompanied by the laughter of two young voices and the chirping call of a small creature.

 

“Pick and pick, we must keep picking~~”

“Ayy-yo!”

“Kekyo!”

“Or we won’t get to drink that famous Gurun tea~~”

“Yeah!”

“Kyon!”

 

The closer the horsebus drew to the tea fields, the livelier the trio became. Fieda couldn’t make heads or tails of the song itself, but judging by the lyrics, it was clearly about tea harvesting. Hidden from view up on the driver’s seat, he allowed himself a faint, indulgent smile at the sound of the cheerful boy and girl’s singing.

Then one of them called out — Hal, the boy, his voice bright.

 

“Hey, Fieda! We’re stopping here tonight, right?”

“That’s the plan,” Fieda replied over his shoulder. “Is something wrong?”

“Well, Ize wants to know if we can try picking tea somewhere.”

“Picking?”

“Yeah! Just to try it. We’re total beginners, but maybe someone would let us help out?”

“They’ll probably know at the inn. Ask there.”

“Thought so! Thanks!” Hal turned around and shouted toward the back of the horsebus. “Hey, Ize!”

 

Without bothering to close the curtain behind him, Hal clattered through the narrow interior, heading for the rear.

 

“Hey now,” Fieda muttered, watching him go. “You’re leaving the whole inside wide open.”

 

Still, he tilted his head slightly, listening in on the now clearer conversation behind him.

 

“Fieda said to ask at the inn.”

“If it’s not possible, that’s fine. I’ll be happy just to buy some fresh tea leaves,” Ize replied.

“But it’d be such a waste not to try! I want to do it too!”

“…What are you, a child?”

“Tea brewed from leaves you picked yourself tastes better. And hey — couldn’t we fry up the buds into tempura?”

“Tea bud tempura? That’s a thing?”

“Totally! Like wild mountain vegetables — tea buds are edible too.”

“I’d love to try that. I wonder if they’ll serve it at the inn?”

“Kekyo?” chirped the small voice.

“You can’t drink tea, Sato,” Hal said. “What about a tea bath?”

“I dunno… if its white body turns green, we’ll have a problem,” Ize replied.

“Kehyo! Kuhyohyohyohyo!”

Seeing Sato striking a dramatic stance, Hal burst out laughing. “Pfft–! What is that pose?”

Ize grinned. “Isn’t it a bit sexy? Like… you know, the Venus de Milo? That’s how I imagine it’d look in green…”

“Well, I don’t think you’ll go that green, Sato,” Hal said.

“Kekkyo!” came the amused chirp.

 

Their conversation leapt from one topic to another as effortlessly as ever. Fieda sighed quietly, wondering what had happened to the tea-picking request.

Up ahead, buildings began to rise into view. He turned and called back.

 

“Hey! We’re almost in town. Sato, you’d better hop inside.”

“Okay!” came Hal’s cheerful reply.

“Come on, Sato,” Ize coaxed. “We’ll play again tonight, all right?”

“Kekyo!”

 

It had been a week since the three of them had left Jasted, and right on schedule, they arrived in Gurun — the famed tea-growing region.

 

“Gurun sounds way too much like the English ‘green’–” Hal began.

“Shhh! Don’t say it!” Ize hissed. “He’ll hear you!”

“He?” Hal blinked. “Wait — who!? You don’t mean–!”

 

Whether that conversation actually happened was anyone’s guess. At any rate, any unfortunate connotations behind the name Gurun were purely coincidental. Or so one hoped.

 

The horsebus came to a slow stop in front of a guard post near the town’s entrance.

They waited.

And waited.

…Still waiting.

 

“No one’s coming,” Fieda muttered.

“Think we’re supposed to go down and check in ourselves?” Hal suggested.

“Usually they come to us…”

 

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from behind. Fieda leaned over the side of the driver’s seat, eyes narrowing to see who it was.

 

“Aah! Sorry, sorry!” a man huffed as he ran up. “I was out at the fields!”

 

He was clearly not dressed as a guard, though his words implied that he usually filled that role.

 

“Just a second, I’ll open up the post and get everything set,” he said — to himself, or to them, it was hard to tell — before unlocking the door and disappearing inside.

 

Moments later, he returned with a clipboard and a small mechanical device.

 

“Okay! Sorry to keep you waiting. What brings you to Gurun?”

“Just a one-night stay,” Fieda said.

“Got a place reserved already?”

“Not yet. Any recommendations?”

“How many in your party?”

“Three. And we’d like a place that can stable the horsebus.”

“Hmm, big horsebus, too… Mind if I take a quick look inside later?”

“That’s fine.”

“Great. Now, are you looking for something cheap or a little more upscale?”

“What’s the difference?”

“Well, the food–”

“Delicious food, please!” Ize popped her head up from the horsebus, cutting in before he could finish.

 

The guard blinked, momentarily startled, then chuckled at the sparkle in her eyes.

 

“Haha! What a lively kid. All right, high-end it is. There’s a place on the main street — goes by the name Gyokuro.”

“Ooh, as in high-grade tea? That’s very appropriate,” Hal said.

“Okay, let’s see… three guests. Got any identification?”

“Adventurer cards,” Fieda said, and turned to the others. “Hand them over.”

“”Yes, sir!”” they chorused.

 

The guard accepted the cards and examined the engravings, eyebrows lifting in pleasant surprise.

 

“One B-rank and two D-ranks, huh? That’s reassuring.”

“Do you get Mystic Beasts around here?” Fieda asked.

“Not those, no — but we do get non-mystic beasts now and then. Especially with harvests running late into the night. We’re short on night watchmen, though, ’cause even the guards are out picking tea these days,” he added, gesturing to his clothes with a sheepish grin.

“I see…”

“Maybe we should extend our stay,” Hal suggested.

“If there’s need, we’ll help!” Ize said brightly.

“Haha! That’d be a blessing. The Guild’s probably got their hands full. You should check in there, if you’ve got the time — cries for help coming in from all directions.”

“Cries?” Hal parroted.

“Busy season everywhere. Any help’s welcome. Let’s see, the back’s just the kid, right? All good. You’re clear to pass.”

“Thank you.”

 

As their horsebus rolled on through, the guard returned the documents and rushed off toward the fields once more.

 

“He seemed busy,” Hal said.

“Hard to tell if that’s a good sign or not,” Fieda replied.

“So… Guild after the inn?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“I hope they’ve got postings we can help with!” Ize said. “I’d love to try tea picking, or even learn how the tea’s processed.”

“Probably both are available…”

“And if you find something you really want to try, we’ll stay longer,” Hal added.

“Really?”

“Why not? We’re not in a hurry.”

“Yay!”

 

Behind him, Hal and Ize clapped their hands together in a little high five.

 

◆

 

After settling in at Gyokuro, the inn recommended by the guard, and stabling the horsebus, the group made their way to the Adventurers’ Guild.

When they’d asked the inn staff for directions, one of them had briefly made a face that looked almost… pitying — but surely that was just their imagination.

Compared to the sprawling hall in Jasted, this Guild building was tiny — barely a fifth of the size. As the three entered and approached the front desk, a flurry of voices erupted from somewhere in the back.

 

“Three more just walked in!”

“Right! Where to next!?”

“Trellis ten still needs work!”

“Wasn’t it trellis four?”

“Four’s done — picked clean this morning! Trellis ten, then trellis sixty-one!”

“What about sorting?”

“That’s ongoing!”

 

The commotion brought the trio to a standstill. They stared in bewilderment as voices flew like arrows across the cramped space.

 

“Hey! Quiet down!” someone finally barked. “They haven’t even checked in yet!”

“Lyulyu, just sign ’em and send ’em out!” another shouted back.

“Shut it, all of you!” came the response.

 

A woman stepped out from the back, her voice sharp but her smile warm as she moved behind the counter. Her sudden transformation from drill sergeant to gracious host was almost theatrical.

 

“Welcome to the Gurun Adventurers’ Guild,” she said sweetly. “How can I help you today?”

“We’re travelers, just here to see what kind of quests are available,” said Fieda, stepping forward.

“Looks like they’re actually here to take a job,” someone muttered from behind.

“He’s got the build for it. Maybe he’s aiming for the night shift?”

“What about the little one? Sorting duty? Or maybe tea picking with the scrawny one?”

“–Hey! You geezers in the back, zip it!”

 

The woman at the reception desk spun around and unleashed a sharp, guttural bark at the peanut gallery behind her. Then, just as swiftly, she turned back with a sweet, practiced smile.

The contrast was… unsettling.

Ize instinctively reached out to pinch Hal’s sleeve. Hal glanced down at her, giving a slightly troubled look.

 

“So, the short one’s pairing with the lanky one for tea picking, then?”

“I’m not that short,” Ize protested mildly, “but I wouldn’t mind trying tea picking. Still, I don’t really want to be separated from Fieda either…”

“Yeah,” Hal nodded. “Let’s stick together the first day. Once we’re more familiar with the place, we can split up if we need to.”

“Mm-hmm.”

 

As Hal patted her on the head, Ize scrunched her shoulders and gave a small, sheepish smile.

 

“May I see your Adventurer Cards, please?” the receptionist asked.

“Here you go.”

 

The three of them presented their cards in unison. The woman blinked, clearly surprised — not by Ize’s age, as she had initially assumed, but by their ranks.

 

“A B-rank and two D-ranks… Impressive.”

“Hey, that means all three of them can take the job, right?”

“If we move the current night patrol over to tea picking, that frees up — what’s the next shift look like?”

 

The voices behind the counter started up again, but the receptionist ignored them and returned the cards to Fieda after a quick check.

 

“My apologies for the background noise. Is there a particular quest you had in mind?”

“Lyulyu! You traitor!” one of the men called out dramatically.

“We don’t mind them,” Fieda said dryly. “We’re still figuring out what’s available. If you have any recommendations, we’re all ears.”

“Hey! Right here, big guy, this one!”

 

One of the men — who had apparently been making some adjustments in the back — approached the counter, waving a sheet of paper over his head.

 

“We’re still in the middle of the intake process,” the receptionist said pointedly.

“C’mon, Lyulyu. Let the man who knows Gurun’s jobs take it from here. I’ve got just the one!”

 

He slapped the paper onto the counter. The three of them leaned in to read it.

 

Night Patrol – Trellises 50 to 60

 

“Night patrol?” Hal muttered.

“Trellises?” Ize echoed, tilting her head.

“Exactly,” the man said, warming up to the explanation. “You’re guarding the fields at night — but it’s not an all-nighter or anything. You’re only on duty while the tea pickers are out. The shift starts at four in the afternoon, after the workers switch out between three and four, and runs until about eight. And the ‘trellises’ are numbered sections of the tea fields. Today, they’ve just finished picking areas one through ten. Tomorrow they’re moving on to the next zone — this one.”

 

He rattled off the details with ease, and though it came fast, the explanation was clear. The numbers they’d been hearing shouted from the back earlier now made sense — they had been tracking the harvest’s progress.

As Ize nodded along thoughtfully, Fieda followed up with practical questions.

 

“What about the pay and duration?”

“Pay — uh, what was it again?”

“If you don’t remember, don’t interrupt,” the receptionist said with a sigh. She cleared her throat. “Right. Currently, the job offers a discount on lodging, complimentary breakfast, reduced prices on tea leaves, and a cash stipend. There’s no fixed duration, but we ask that you work at least three days, since job rotations follow a three-day cycle.”

“Understood,” Fieda replied. “Do we finalize the rewards when we accept?”

“Discount vouchers can be issued at any time — before or after, whichever you prefer.”

 

Satisfied, Fieda gave a single nod, then turned to Ize and Hal.

 

“Since we only just arrived today, let’s not–”

“Oh, come on! You’re not taking it!?”

“You, hush,” the receptionist snapped, not missing a beat. “–So, shall I schedule your shift starting tomorrow evening?”

“Yeah. That works.”

“Ahhh… not the night shift again…” someone moaned from the back.

 

Unbothered by the lamentations, Fieda calmly completed the paperwork.

After confirming where they needed to report the next day, the trio left the Guild building together.

 

“That was impressive,” Hal said as they walked. “You pushed back on them without even flinching. I’d have folded under that kind of pressure.”

“Yeah, same,” Ize added.

“If you let people like that push you around, it just encourages them,” Fieda replied. “Adventurers take the jobs they want. Not the ones someone else decides for them.”

“Are you… a little annoyed?” Hal asked with a smirk.

“I’m not,” Fieda said, but his tone suggested otherwise. “It just rubbed me the wrong way, the way they tried to force it… Uh, and Ize, I know you were hoping for something related to tea picking. Sorry this wasn’t quite that.”

“It’s fine,” Ize shook her head. “As long as we get discount coupons for tea leaves, I’m happy.”

 

Fieda blinked, then gave a nod, his irritation melting into satisfaction.

 

“All right then. Since our shift starts in the evening, let’s take it easy tomorrow during the day. We’ll grab a light meal beforehand, and another snack afterward.”

“From what I saw, this town doesn’t have a ton of shops. I think we’ll finish sightseeing pretty quick,” Hal said.

“Agreed. Oh, by the way — there was a teaware shop I noticed. I’d love to check it out tomorrow,” said Ize.

“Even though we’re heading to the village where they actually make the stuff later?”

“Yeah! I want to see what kinds of teaware they sell here first — what styles they have, what the prices are. Just to get a feel for it.”

“Fair enough. Let’s make that our plan for tomorrow,” Fieda said with a nod. “For now, let’s rest up.”

“”Yes, sir!”” Hal and Ize chimed in together.