《Stranger’s Handbook》Chapter 31: Arrival
Advertisement
“My head hurts……Zest, can’t you heal hangovers?”
I can, but I won’t, master.
“Alcohol is considered a good medicine when consumed in proper quantities. It would be very difficult to heal it with magic, don’t you think?”
“That might be true…..Ah! I feel so sick……”
My foolish father, who had no memories of yesterday’s banquet, and I were shaken inside the carriage.
My master is very weak against alcohol.
It’s not that he can’t drink anything at all, but after two glasses of wine if he drinks a third one, he’ll be dead drunk.
Moreover, when he gets to that point he even forgets everything he’s said or done, he becomes uncontrollable.
Really now…….Yesterday, he didn’t only talk about the young lady’s dark mole, but also about when precisely her chest started to grow big only to give me a finishing blow afterwards.
‘Zest, did you know? Even though Bea looks quite slender in clothing, her chest is amazing. There’s a rumor amongst the maids saying that her chest is very soft and springy and it smells really good, you know? So nice…..it’s soft. So, what was your first impression?’
As if I would know, we still haven’t…….Still, what sort of rumors are you hearing about your daughter, you foolish father.
A black knight blushed extensively and I knocked him off his feet.
Master, you’ve said too much.
He might have been under a lot of stress……my poor father-in-law….Will I be the same in future? I’m a son-in-law too after all……
While staring at the other pitiful son-in-law, our journey continued uninterrupted.
“Welcome to the imperial capital. Excuse me, but I have to know your family name.”
“We are from the Varnam Frontier Count’s Household. Inside the carriage are the Magic Division Commander Sonia and Lord Zest.”
Advertisement
Oh, we arrived…..Because I haven’t slept at all yesterday, I was absent minded and I haven’t even realized.
Master was sound asleep, as one would expect.
“Thank you. What about these captured soldiers?”
“These guys……”
Albert explained the situation.
I’ll leave it to him, I’m still sleepy and I don’t really want to bother.
“Slaves!? I can’t believe it……They’re a disgrace to the imperial soldiers!”
The gatekeepers were staring at the captured soldiers.
Well, normally, people would get mad.
After he finished the explanation, Albert handed over the soldiers.
They were being hit while taking into custody, but, well, it’s the imperial capital’s problem now, I have nothing to do with it.
It can’t really be helped, these guys were trying to do something too unacceptable.
We said our farewells to the adventurers as well at this point.
They too were very misfortunate……However, it all ended safely. Were they lucky or unlucky…….?
“Zest-sama, thank you so much. We will never in this life forget your kindness…..”
“Don’t worry about it, besides, if you say such things to a noble, they would really take you away, you know? Saying thanks is more than enough.”
I’ve already decided, I have already made my mind about this.
For some reason, the women were staring at Albert.
I’ll make training for him two times harder, this ‘good-looking’ Albert…
After they bowed to us for several times, the adventurers followed after the soldiers.
It would be an investigation, but I’m sure it’ll end by evening.
With this our business was finished. Let’s enter the city already!
“Well now, my father-in-law is resting at the moment. Do you want to check inside the carriage too?”
I looked at the gatekeeper and informed him about this.
It seemed like I was asking a question, but, in fact, I wasn’t.
Advertisement
‘We are the Frontier Count’s family. Let us enter the city already, we are tired.’
This conversion would be the correct one.
And so, since the gatekeeper was a decent soldier, his answer was:
“Thank you, but there is no need. You can pass.”
Something like this.
If he were to want to check the carriage:
‘You don’t trust the Frontier Count’s family? Die then!’
It would have turned up like this.
Being a noble sure is scary.
The rattling carriage advanced on its way.
Finally, the imperial capital. For now, I’ll just have to inform the palace of our arrival and wait for further orders.
The Frontier Count’s Household has a mansion here, so I’ll just wait there.
We passed through the huge gate and entered the city.
This is amazing. I ended up looking around restlessly.
This really is a city one would call an imperial capital.
It’s extremely wide and beautifully maintained, just like a large, red, deep-water scorpionfish.
And because of the large number of people, I almost forgot I was in a different world.
All that somewhat tranquil atmosphere I encountered up until this point, was completely gone in this city.
I really came to a city……I strongly felt it.
I somehow missed this tumult, it made me think of Japan.
It would be great if I could stroll around a bit before going back.
Our mansion was very close to the palace……in a corner where many noble residences were lined up. It was beautifully maintained by a bunch of exclusive maids and it seemed serviceable at any time.
It must cost a lot of money though, it’s somehow wasteful.
It’s only occasionally used anyway…..But still, this is also one way for nobles to show off.
I gave orders to inform the palace of our arrival and entered the mansion.
I informed the servants that I would rest in my room until dinner time, and I took an afternoon nap.
I find it hard to cope with all-nighters….I’m a middle aged guy after all, you’ll have to pardon me.
By the way, master seemed to go to sleep as well.
That’s why it was all right for me to do the same. I must be thankful of my master’s hangover.
It’s been a while since I’ve slept in a fluffy bed.
I immediately entered the realm of dreams.
I somehow heard someone knocking at my door and a maid called out to me.
“Zest-sama, the dinner preparations are complete.”
“Good.”
Forgive me if I seem too unsociable at the moment.
That’s because the exchange diary was floating right in front of me……..
I understand, I must write something in it.
Advertisement
Fools of Fate
One boy survives an ordeal. Another man is killed by one. Their fates become twisted around while those who lurk behind the scenes plot and scheme against them. What happens when one stranger helps another live with himself, only to be put in his friend's shoes? "At least it is far away from that damn princess..." This is their story. This is his story. =Warning! Chapter 9 has content that may be considered extreme for some people. View at your own risk.=
8 59Cultivation Sect in Great Age of Piracy
Zhang Ergou, Seventh Grand Master of Saint Devil Sect. He was betrayed and killed by his followed master-disciple. His vision darkens and started closed. Ding! [Congrats, Host receive divine god grade cultivation skill, Heavenly Time God Technique] A story about someone from Xuanhuang World reborn into One Piece World. P.S* cover, not mine, get from googling on the web.
8 378Wulfgard: The Hunt Never Ends
In the civilized world of humans, 'monsters' have all but passed into legend. But when something goes bump in the night, when people begin to disappear, when a dark mystery begins to haunt even the most peaceful villages, there is only one organization to turn to: the Hunters. The Venatori. Having lived a life of discipline and service, former soldier Caiden Voros finds something even worse than the wars of humans: the monsters that hunt them. Horrors yet unknown even to him and his many scars await in the claws, talons, fangs, and mysterious powers of creatures so far beyond humans that he must dedicate himself entirely to the art of slaying them. Harboring a secret of his own and in a constant struggle to find answers while maintaining his sanity, however, Caiden begins to ask the age-old question... Who is truly worse, the monsters or the Men? Wulfgard: The Hunt Never Ends is an episodic collection of stories, each of which stand on its own, but they also build upon each other in a consecutive order, bridging a gap between a novel and short story collection. These stories follow monster hunter Caiden Voros and his partner Gwen Vergil as they embark on tales of mystery, horror, and adventure to track down monsters - the living dead, beast-men, shape-shifters, spirits, and many more - that would do harm to innocent lives and, by whatever means necessary, put a stop to their terrors. Their motives, however, are not always what they seem.
8 127Judas Valiant: Chorus of the Machine Giants
The world of Judas Valiant is bustling with Fantasy and a touch of Steampunk. This is an original tale made as an homage to the famed Studio Ghibli and Guillermo Del Toro, all-the-while taking inspirations from numerous animes and fantasies alike (Too many to love! Too many to name!). When a bloody catastrophe strikes a young boy's home, desperation brings about an unknown visitor. Plagued with gut-wrenching fear and an oncoming spiral into madness comes the boy's only hope of survival. Ripe with desperate opportunity, arrives the many-faced creature rushing to make a deal worth several lifetimes. "To find your way into your parent's arms again, you'll need to become a Valiant." He explained. "A Valiant?" I responded suspiciously. "...One must perform a 3-part task in which you must demonstrate the essence of a Mother, the essence of a Father, and earn the essence of a Gaurdian." He explained with haste. Innocently playing into the unknown visitor's tempting hand, the boy agrees to a deal hopelessly intertwined with a journey like no other and is sent to the mysterious and massive city of New Dwarden. Faced with outrageously colorful characters, towering and seemingly alien animal life, and even talking frogs-lemur's, the boy must adapt to grand adventure to complete his impossible task. This a steampunk story about a second chance at life, one that grows beyond life and death. Join me Frankie, as I guide you through the original tale of Judas Valiant: Chorus Of The Machine Giants Primarily Inspired by: Hayao Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli) Dedicated To: D-Ward Special Thanks: Erick M. Justin C. Mauricio L. Liam G., Nino V. Very Loosely Based On The Life Of: Frankie S. Cover Credit To Whom It Pertains (I'm open to put artist name up here)
8 98OurSecondLife with O2L
Annabelle and her friends are on a YouTube collab channel together and move to Cali to take their channel more serious. But it just so happens their neighbors turn out to be their dream guys.
8 209The Cursebreaker
A mysterious and supernatural sickness has been inflicted upon a member of the royal family of the Ostermanian Empire. The only hope lies in Nordfell, a land on the empire's frontier occupied solely by the descendants of criminals and defeated rebels, where a dark and malignant entity possesses the only known cure. Two travelers must travel to this unforgiving land and confront it.
8 78