The Strongest Onmyoji and the Shikigami With AI are Unparalleled in Another World ~ A Second Life Properly Enjoyed Using Artificial Intelligence ~-Chapter 52 - Goodbye

We walked through the town center of the South District and made our way to the South Gate.

Exiting through the gate and headed towards the forest.

AI-chan was walking while drawing a map.

“Is that it?”

I confirmed while looking at what seemed to be a forest faintly visible in the distance.

“Yeah, that’s it. Let me know if you get tired; it’s a bit of a walk.”

Natalia replied with a smile.

“If you get tired, just say so.”

I passed it off to Alice.

“…I’ll just say it. Yuma, try not to bump into other adventurers. There are probably a lot of them.”

Well, adventurers from the West District are coming here, and there are adventurers in the South District too.

“I heard about that from Pamela yesterday, so it should be fine. Has anyone ever tried to recruit you?”

“…Yeah, its happened. It was crazy when I first became an adventurer. But Natalia was the most popular. She’s probably still getting offers.”

Upon hearing that from Alice, I looked at Natalia.

Then, Natalia smiled softly.

“You seem like the obedient type who can’t say no.”

“…Yeah, something like that.”

“Can’t you speak a bit more confidently? You could become popular that way.”

“…I can’t speak confidently, and even if I became popular, it wouldn’t matter. Recruitment offers are just annoying.”

Well, I guess that’s true.

“Is Natalia okay? Is she properly declining?”

“She’s fine. She declines normally.”

“Do women get recruited often?”

Seems like more than men.

“Yeah, they do. And because we’re outsiders. Annie, from the West District, probably hasn’t been recruited much.”

Perhaps due to the tensions between districts or because it’s known she won’t join.

“Where is Layla from?”

“I don’t know? I’ve heard it’s from somewhere far, but I don’t know the exact place. She’s a mysterious person.”

“I see…”

As we walked and talked, we arrived at the edge of the forest.

There were quite a few people who seemed to be adventurers gathered at the forest’s edge, resting in groups and chatting.

“Adventurers from the South District?”

I asked Natalia.

“There are also some from the West District… Looks like there are plenty inside the forest too.”

“Well, let’s go in.”

We decided to enter the forest and proceeded onward.

Like the forests in the South and West, the paths were well maintained, making it easy to walk without much trouble.

However, as we walked, we frequently passed other adventurers.

“…Yuuma, are there any monsters?”

As we walked, Alice asked.

“Nope. I only sense human magic.”

“…I thought so.”

Alice nodded as if she already knew, and we continued along the path.

However, we encountered only adventurers, not a single monster.

Moreover, even when I expanded my magical senses, I couldn’t detect any trace of monsters.

“This isn’t good.”

“With this many people, yeah… Oh, it’s Clive and the others!”

Natalia pointed ahead.

There, Clive and three other members of the clan were walking toward us.

“Hey, you guys working too?”

Clive called out as we stopped.

“Yeah. Since the ban was lifted, I thought I’d get back to work after ten days. Seems like everyone has the same idea, though…”

“True. We went deep in, but it’s no good. Most of the monsters have been hunted, and we only encounter people. Everyone’s back to work at the same time, so it’s too crowded. It’s pointless.”

Just as I suspected.

Other adventurers also haven’t had any income for ten days, and adventurers from the West and South Districts are concentrated here.

Monsters are first-come-first-served, and even if you come in the afternoon, they’re probably gone.

“I had a feeling when I saw the adventurers loitering in front of the forest…”

“No chance. We’ve decided to head to the royal capital. So, we’ll be away for a while.”

Eh…

“You’re the chef, right?”

“Well, I guess so. Can’t be helped. Make it yourself.”

Make it?

Cooking?

Me?

“There’s a saying ‘men don’t belong in the kitchen,’ you know…”

It’s a pretty old saying though.

“Are you criticizing me?”

Well, I suppose I am.

“No, I’ve never set foot in a kitchen, just gone to get snacks. Naturally, I’ve never cooked anything.”

“Don’t act so high and mighty. Are you a noble or something?”

Well, I am a noble.

“Hm… Alright! I’ll give it a try!”

According to Layla, I should be genius enough to be called a child prodigy so I should be able to cook.

“M-Master, perhaps it’s best you don’t. Shall I do it instead?”

AI-chan, who was drawing a map, hastily looked up.

“You won’t reach the kitchen anyway.”

She’s too short.

“Oh… Can’t you make me taller?”

Shikigami can be made taller.

“I don’t want you become more like Mother. I can’t stand her cooking.”

She’s a fox, after all.

It’s just fried tofu all the time.

Well, Mother never cooks anyway.

“It’s better to stop. The head of the Kisaragi family shouldn’t be cooking.”

“That’s not good. It’s important to try everything. I’m flexible.”

“Now, let me be clear. You’re going to start a fox fire for some silly reason like you don’t have enough firepower, and it’s going to burn down the house, so please stop.”

Eh…

Did I really do that?

How stupid.

“Yuuma, don’t go into the kitchen.”

“Should I stop?”

Clive and Natalia put their hands on my shoulders, trying to stop me.

“Don’t you dare do something like that.”

“Just stop it. You’re not allowed in there.”

Hey!

“I’ll cook for Yuuma.”

Natalia smiles and takes my hand.

Then, Alice pulls at my sleeve.

“…Since you probably don’t know the ingredients over here, you should leave it to us. And stop the fire. We live on the third floor, so it’s dangerous.”

Leave it to them, huh…

“…AI-chan, help us out.”

“Of course. It’s impossible for someone who can’t even make rice balls.”

It seems I’m not a genius after all.

“Feel free to use any cooking utensils.”

That Clive guy looks blatantly relieved.

“You said you’re going to the capital. Is there work there?”

“There is. The capital’s the best after all. See, our clan’s people are few, right? Since winter’s coming soon, they’re going out to work.”

Is that so? It’s scorching hot, though…

“Going out to work, huh… So you don’t work in winter?”

“We do, but if it snows, work’s impossible. Just getting to the forest is tough. Adventurers should stock up now or go on expeditions to the south.”

I see…

Well, there were guys like that in my past life too. The snowy north is tough.

“What about you guys?”

I look at Natalia and Alice.

“We’ll work enough to keep our bodies and instincts sharp.”

“…I hate the cold.”

I should think about this too.

“So? What are you guys gonna do? There’s nothing deep in there.”

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

Clive warns us.

“We’ll observe for today. We’ll gather antidote herbs near the lake.”

“Oh, then you might make some profit.”

“Aren’t you gonna do it?”

“Gathering is tedious. Plus, there’s this idea that it’s work for women and children.”

Alright, no problem then.

It’s a party of girls and kids.

Natalia said she’s good at it.

“Well, I’ll laugh if I see you picking grass.”

“No, I do gather ingredients. But, antidote herbs are too much trouble, so I skip those. Anyway, we’re heading back to get ready. We’ll be leaving town tomorrow, so we’re counting on you to look after things.”

“People leaving again… Our clan feels lonely.”

“It’s the same everywhere. Well, Annie’s still here. She was pulling weeds by the lake with you guys.”

Oh, she’s still around.

“Got it. Good luck then.”

“Yeah. We’ll be back in about a month.”

With those words from Clive, he and his companions departed.

“.....No one knew at the time that this would be the last they ever saw of Clive.”

“Hey! I can hear you, Alice!”

Sharp ears, huh.