Kujonin Chapter 24

Kujonin
Author: Hanakuroko
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When we asked at the Guild, it seems there are several people called Monster Scholars.
When we gave a rough description, they immediately told us the place.
Normally Monster Scholars will become members of the crew on a s.h.i.+p to go to other wild land in order to research monsters, but the Monster Scholar Ayl told us about has recently been shut up in her house so that you won't see her.
The Guild receptionist old man pulled out a map and showed us where her house is.
When I expand my Search Skill with all my might, it's within range.
However, the person within is weakened, or she's in an abnormal condition.
"Let's hurry!"
"Yes."
Leaving the Guild, I explained the situation to Teyl and we headed towards the Monster Scholar's house.
"Then, he's in a dangerous situation, is it?"
"That's right. It's not certain that the disease's spread is limited only to within the house. I don't think there's danger of instant death, but put this misanga on."
I hand over the misanga I made last night.
Teyl and I wrap the misanga around our wrists and reach the Monster Scholar's house.
The house is a one-story stone bungalow, and I can tell it's one of considerable age.
There's a withered field in the garden, and a toilet within run-down walls nearby.
Even if I knock on the door there's no answer.
From the Search Skill, I can tell she's collapsed on the ground.
I used a magic circle to open the door's lock.

Entering, the air within is stuffy and stagnate.
The shutters of the windows were closed, and the lamp lights extinguished.
It's pitch black, but because I have the Search Skill I can see.
There's no poison in the air.
I told Teyl to open the window and went to the side of the house's owner.
The Monster Scholar is a young woman, and she's wearing a sooty robe.
Her grey hair is disheveled, but she has handsome features and glossy white skin that's almost transparent.
Her height is about the same as mine, or taller than me, but her body is thin as paper; she's lost weight.

I grasp the Monster Scholar's thin arm and check her pulse.
It's quite weak, but she's alive.

I take out Restoration Medicine from the Item Bag, slightly shook the Monster Scholar's body, and her mouth opened, so I poured it in.
"I don't know who you are, but you saved me. U-, wait a minute…"
Just when the Monster Scholar had shakily stood, she ran to the toilet in the garden.
When I thought that her abnormal status might be food poisoning, Teyl came from the kitchen, bring moldy bread.
"It seems she ate this."
"It's proven that she upset her stomach."
I performed Clean Up on the kitchen, and Teyl made soup that would be easy on the stomach.
The pot in the kitchen has some sort of suspicious thing in it, so I placed it aside, put a board on top of the stove, and drew the heater magic circle.
From the Item Bag I took out ingredients and a pot, handing it to Teyl, and I went around the rooms using Clean Up.
As for the study-like room with sheaves of paper scattered about, I left it without saying a word.
I detect a monsters that can hardly move in the room where lots of vegetation is being grown.
As it might be some research, I didn't use Clean Up here as well.
The water in the pots are murky so I changed them and went around watering the withered vegetation just a little bit.
I don't know how much water they need, and plants exist that don't need much water and will rot when over-watered, so I didn't do much.
I use Clean Up in the bedroom, placed a Va○sen, and erected a barrier around the entirety of the room.
The strong Va○sen filled the entire room with white smoke.
With this, I believe the ticks and mites are done for.
When I confirmed that the smoke had subsided, once again I used Clean Up.
I'll wash the sheets, so I fill a bucket in the vicinity with water and put them in.
For the detergent, I use the soap made previously.
There's the pleasant scent of citrus.
Making a small whirlwind within the bucket by drawing a magic circle, I'm able to make a make-s.h.i.+ft was.h.i.+ng machine.
Taking that bucket outside, I fix the collapsed clothesline and put the sheets on it to dry.
Teyl, who finished making the soup, came outside in order to give me a hand.

When the two of us had hung up the sheets, the Monster Scholar unsteadily came out from the toilet.
"M,my bad."
The Monster Scholar lowered her head at Teyl and me.
"For now it would be better to eat properly and rest a little."
I lent my shoulder to the Monster Scholar and we entered the house.
Teyl prepared the soup and had the Monster Scholar eat.
Was the Monster Scholar famished; although unsteadily, she ate well.
Next we brought out grilled wyvern meat, and she ate it deliciously.
"It's been a while since I've eaten human food. Thanks. I am the Monster Scholar, Velsa."
"I'm Naoki. I'm an adventurer that exterminates pests."
"I'm Teyl, Naoki-sama's slave."
Velsa introduced herself, so we also introduced ourselves.
"What do you mean by exterminating pests?"
"I exterminate bugs and rats and monsters like those within houses."
Hearing my explanation, Velsa made a mystified face.
"With that you can make enough to have a slave?"
"Yeah, maa, it's a profit that's around that much. Aside from that, I wanted to know about monsters."
"You came all the way to my house, so I a.s.sumed so. So? Which monster did you want to hear about?"
Teyl cut in with after-meal black tea.
Velsa asked such while drinking that black tea.
"I want you to teach me anything, as long as it's about monsters. What kind of monsters are on the other side of the ocean, or rare monsters, the ecology of common monsters, where to go to get my hands on monsters, everything. Without knowing anything, I became an adventurer before I knew it."
At my explanation, Velsa listened while nodding, un, un.
"I see, you're a rare kind of guy. Naoki. For adventurers, just thinking about whether defeating it with swords or magic is better is the norm, but, hm. I see."
Velsa, her complexion looking better, probably because she ate, rubbed her chin while going to her study.
Rummaging through her study, Velsa returned with a single book in hand.
"This is a book the Monster Scholar who is my master (s.h.i.+shou) wrote about the ecology of small monsters that live close around us. Anyway, read this. I have a number of other monster books, but this book is the best one without falsehoods."
I received the book with "Lissa's Monster Memos", and flipped through the pages inside.
Within there was masmascarl and bugroaches and the like, monsters that you often see around this area, with ill.u.s.trations and explanations.
The habitats and weaknesses, and other things like what they prefer, are all written down; it's a valuable work.
"This is a good book."
I honestly expressed my admiration.
"Isn't it? That book, I'll lend it to you. Pretty much all of the Monster Scholars in this city are colleagues that have been influenced by this book. There are also a lot of people who board s.h.i.+ps to search for new species. There are also rich people who give money rewards for new species, so it becomes a compet.i.tion. I lost that compet.i.tion and shut myself in to think of new theories, but … my money ran out. To a point where I was troubled on how I could eat…"
While speaking to us, Velsa gradually lost her energy.
"If I provide food and money, will you teach me more about monsters?"
"E!?"
At my words, Velsa lifted her head up in surprise.
"If I provide food and money, you can continue your research, right?"
"That's right, but… you're a curious fellow aren't you, Naoki. Even if you sponsor my research, there's no profit in it."
"That's Velsa's own research affairs. Besides, my goal isn't making money, it's learning about monsters."
So saying, I took out all the money I had on me and put it on the table.
"Anyway, would this be sufficient for now?"
There are 50 gold coin, 5,000 Notts.
The wyvern hide was sold for quite the price, so the money I had was pretty good.
"Y,you'll give this much to me?"
"Aa. And after that, we also have wyvern meat and vegetables, so we'll leave it. Is it fine to come tomorrow too?"

"Of course."
"Before that, I'll read the book. Before the sheets dry, it should be fine to use forabbit furs."
I handed Velsa the forabbit furs I took out of my Item Bag.
"For everything, thanks."
"It's good. Velsa's research can move forward. Just, don't push yourself too hard."
"I understand."
Teyl and I, as Velsa gave her thanks, left the house.

Anyway, yeah. Had to retranslate this chapter over and over… which of course got easier, but the waiting for everything to restart, reload, re-whatever took longer than the translating.
Every time I see people saying not to disable updates because updates make your computer more stable, I have a strong urge to spit at them because I literally cannot use my computer more than 5 minutes before it crashes with updates on.
And that is why I gave up on making this a 3/3 post this time.>