Ch.18Changed World’s NPCs (2)

“Jack!! He went that way!!”

“I know, I can see him too.”

After a week of traveling south by carriage from the Empire’s border city, our pockets were once full, but with more mouths to feed, our money was dwindling faster.

“Hup!!”

-Bang!!

[GROOOOAAAR!!]

Even though I was only paying 800 cans per person, hiring someone was still a burden, so I had no choice but to hunt monsters whenever we moved.

The Brown Bear I just took down.

In my previous life, it would be equivalent to a grizzly bear. Like other monsters, it quickly disappeared, turning into a magic stone. Rabbits and deer leave meat when killed, but bears are mostly treated as monsters and turn into magic stones—which is both good and bad in a way.

“I knew it!! You weren’t feeling well these past few days?! Your movements are noticeably different!”

“No, I wasn’t sick…”

“Yes, you were!! You were definitely sick!! Please tell me properly when you’re not feeling well! I am your sla—!!”

“I told you, you’re not my slave, just call yourself a guard! What master pays money to their slave?!”

It all started with a misunderstanding. This woman insists on becoming my slave.

What kind of crazy woman shouts “MAKE ME YOUR SLAVE!!” in this world? Besides, have you forgotten your background? I’m a man? You’ll be in big trouble if you keep this up, woman.

“But when you first asked me, you clearly told me to be your slave…”

“No, I was just tired of your behavior then. And I wanted to put you down in front of my sister. Please stop bringing this up. If you talk like that in front of my sister, I’ll really leave you behind.”

“Ah!! No! I’m sorry!!”

Is she really crazy? Wouldn’t most people want to leave after hearing that? Somehow, after coming to the Empire, she started worrying that I’d gotten weaker, and then fell into this bizarre state where she claims to be my slave, goes out to hunt monsters on her own, and brings back money for me.

Being a sugar baby might be nice, but it’s not something I want my sister to see!!

Of course, the reason I’ve gotten weaker is…

[Mountain Manager Effect: All stats slightly increase when in mountains you manage. Current increase: None.]

[Mountains under management: -Ponia- (How to register nearby mountains: View details)]

Because of this. Without the additional stats, I’ve truly become only as strong as a level 50.

In Ponia, I had extra stats for being the manager of Mount Ponia, regardless of where I was. But now I’m in the Empire, so I don’t manage any mountains here. That’s why my stats dropped and I became a bit weaker. But that woman took it to mean I was exhausted from the long journey.

The result.

[Big brother!! You can’t be sick!! Ho! Hooo!!]

Trying hard not to let my mouth curl into a smile at my sister’s “ho-ho,” I found myself having to insist that I wasn’t sick. And finally…

[Mountains under management: -Ponia- (How to register nearby mountains: View details)]

[How to register nearby mountains: Complete extermination time in the mountain you wish to manage. 90 hours completed.]

[Be recognized as a mountain keeper by the villagers. (Recognition count 10/10) Completed.]

[Hunt regular target monsters. (6/6) Completed.]

[Check mountain geography (30km) Completed.]

[Mountain Manager Effect: All stats slightly increase when in mountains you manage.]

[Mountains under management: -Ponia- -Ottoman Empire- (How to register nearby mountains: View details)]

[Title acquired!: View details.]

[Titles: Mountain Keeper who killed the Sky Demon. Mining Mountain Keeper. Mountain Keeper liked by Mime Golems.]

[new!: Mountain Keeper who enslaved a blonde swordswoman from inside the wall. Your mountain is awesome? Sister-complex Mountain Keeper.]

I finally managed to register this Ottoman Empire mountain.

Thanks to that, my additional stats returned and my strength was restored, but somehow in the process, I acquired these ridiculous titles.

I refuse to acknowledge them.

I never NTR’d a mountain, and the “recognition” was just me telling villagers I was a traveling mountain keeper and helping with mountain-related tasks. As for the swordswoman, I never asked for her help—she’s just acting this way on her own. And as for the sister complex…!!!

“…Hey.”

“Yes! Jack, what is it? Do you have something for me to do?”

“What do you think of my sister?”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t she cute?”

“Yes! Ira is extremely cute! I wish she could be my sister too! Somehow I feel a bit sad that she dislikes me!!”

Your expression doesn’t look sad at all, but anyway.

Even objectively, anyone would find my sister cute. Yes, sister complex? I admit it.

But isn’t it natural for a brother to be devoted to his cute sister? I didn’t have a sister in my previous life, and in this life, she’s my only family.

The title of sister complex—no, this is an honor! I’ll accept it, hmm!

“Um, Jack!”

“Please lower your voice. What is it?”

“Aside from Ira being cute, I have something I want to say!!”

“…What is it?”

Why would she suddenly have something to say in this context?

I tilted my head and looked at Rey, who seemed to respond to my request to lower her voice by clearing her throat before speaking.

“Ahem, ahem. O-Oppa! Why are you so late again!! I’m hungry!! …It’s time to say that.”

“…Are you crazy? Wait, what time is it now?!”

For a moment, I frowned at her imitating my sister, but the content of her words was concerning.

Wait, is it past lunchtime already?!

“The sun is high in the sky. I think we’ve already broken your promise to return before lunch.”

“You crazy woman?! You should have said that first!! Don’t imitate my sister with that weird voice!!”

“Hiiing!! W-was it weird?! I-I tried my best to imitate her?!!”

“It wasn’t like her at all!! My sister is 100 million times cuter!! Now run!! She’ll be angry again!!!”

“Ah!! L-let’s go together!!”

I ran while expressing my annoyance as much as possible. Yes, the reason my heart ached momentarily was simply because that crazy woman’s behavior was harmful to both my eyes and my brain.

That’s what I told myself as I ran.

*

[I have gathered information.]

I don’t ask how.

Although we were a bit late, I bought lunch before entering the inn. Ira didn’t puff her cheeks but hugged me, and when I whispered in her ear that we were late because of “her” while pointing at Rey, she nodded in understanding.

Oh, my cute little sister.

“Look here.”

Now I’m pretending to maintain Gor while checking the information, away from the two who are eating lunch at the table with Rey.

Previously, when I saw the status window’s ability to track monster locations or count the monsters Rey had hunted, I asked if it had information-gathering abilities or a world map function. It replied that it goes out to see and hear things directly.

At this point, I’m even doubting if this is really a status window.

[Information: The monster parade in Ponia has entered a lull. Rumors say the Empire has decided not to send reinforcements to Ponia. There is no information about demons appearing in Aigram. There is no information about demons appearing in Ponia.]

[The estimated cost for current personnel to travel by carriage from here to Aigram is around 120,000 cans.]

The status window proudly shared the information and rumors I wanted.

Hmm, not bad. Gor, who’s over level 360, can protect Ira and gather information at the inn while I go out to earn money. Moving in this pattern from now on seems like a good idea.

Mmm. Good job, stat—no, Gor.

[If I did well, I request a reward.]

“Huh? What reward?”

Status windows need rewards too? What? Should I verbally abuse you like last time?

[…I am not a masochist.]

“Is that so. Then what do you want? Masochist.”

[Please pat me like you do with Miss Ira.]

…Where am I supposed to pat? The golem? Or you, the status window? Besides, I’m not sure if it’s really asking for this, but the blue status window seems to have turned a bit red. Wait, surely this doesn’t mean it’s blushing?

This is driving me crazy.

[Please pat the golem.]

“…Sigh. Fine.”

If it did well, it deserves a reward. Considering how I used to work hard for a salary of 800 cans, which I then overturned, I think it’s fair to do this much since it’s working hard too.

I patted the golem’s bald head, and while the golem remained still, I had to watch the status window tremble.

Wow, is this a feature that builds up mental stress? As I continued patting its head for a while, the status window suddenly displayed an exclamation mark and spoke.

[Additional information: A field boss has appeared on the route to Aigram. The estimated carriage cost may change.]

“What?”

Wait, how did you know this when you were here? Besides, a field boss? Oh, wait. If it’s an Ottoman Empire field boss, ah.

[It’s a Hyper-Acidic Slime. Word is that it’s blocking the main road in the southern Ottoman Empire. They’re looking for adventurers of gold rank or higher.]

Supporting my memories from my previous life, the status window provided additional information, and I couldn’t help but grab my forehead.

A field boss? A Hyper-Acidic Slime? That’s… wow, we’re screwed. Why is it appearing now?

And then.

“Gor, move aside! Oppa! Did Gor hit you?! Where does it hurt?!”

Ira, who had seen me patting Gor, jumped into my arms and started “ho-ho-ing” at me again, so I relaxed my furrowed brow.

‘Ah, how am I supposed to defeat a boss over level 400?’

I told her I wasn’t hurt, patted Ira’s head, and tried to calm my troubled mind.