Ch.221Heading Home: NPC. (5)

The Caretaker of Mount Tapun. Treating us kindly under the assumption that we knew nothing about Ponia, he offered to escort and guide us to the nearest city. As we began walking together, he introduced himself.

“My name is Johnson. I wasn’t originally the caretaker of this mountain, but the veteran senior who was in charge here recently left for the [Poria Barrier], so I’ve been responsible for this area for about a year now.”

-I flinched.

“Huh? Jack?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

I realized he was the real caretaker Johnson! My goodness, there was actually a caretaker named Johnson? Since I hadn’t knowingly impersonated him, could he let it slide?! Like a thief startled by his own footsteps, I flinched slightly because of the lie I had told to Reina Ragni. The two others, not understanding my reaction, looked at me in confusion.

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

“Oh, is your name Jack, traveler?!”

“Yes. My name is Jack.”

“I’m Chikuyo.”

“I’m Miho.”

As we naturally moved into introductions, my guilty conscience gradually faded. Phew, at least he doesn’t know I’m an impersonator…

“Wow! To think your name is Jack—I’m envious!”

“What? Envious?”

“Yes! In Ponia, caretakers are called by the cool title ‘Sherpa,’ receive proper payment, and even get to greet the King—all thanks to that revolutionary caretaker named Jack!! That’s why I’m envious!!”

“*COUGH*?!!”

“Eh? What’s wrong?”

Wow, I just learned that surprise can actually make you cough! When I choked on my saliva after hearing this unexpected information, Miho and Chikuyo immediately patted my back.

Wait, Chikuyo, isn’t your hand a bit low? That’s my waist?

“N-No, I just choked. But, is there really such an amazing caretaker named Jack?”

“Ah! I see! You were surprised because you share the same name? Don’t worry though. That revolutionary caretaker Jack is no longer in this country. I heard he made a big decision for the sake of our caretakers, even confronted the country directly, and then fled to another country.

That was about 4 or 5 years ago,” he said, making me think.

Shit, 4 years ago? That has to be me, right? I don’t remember confronting the country though? I only remember beating up the village chief and running away?! I heard the noble who put a bounty on me had it removed, but was that bastard actually a noble high enough to speak with the king? I thought he was just some baron?! And what’s this about being a revolutionary? What did I revolutionize? I never started any revolution?!!

This is truly mind-boggling. As my head started to ache and I frowned with closed eyes, Miho, who knew about my situation, seemed to notice something and spoke up on my behalf.

“So, what exactly did this caretaker do to be called a revolutionary?”

“Oh! You’re a beastkin and curious?”

“I’m curious too.”

“Hahaha! Then I’ll tell you everything I know!!”

As Chikuyo also seemed to catch on and encouraged him, the cheerful young caretaker happily began his story.

Poria, the land where the Monster Parade began. And Mount Ponia, attached to the Poria territory. A young caretaker, about 12-15 years old, perfectly guarded that mountain along with his younger sister.

The reason he started a “revolution” was to protect his sickly younger sister, and simultaneously to address the injustices suffered by exploited caretakers. He beat up the city mayor(?) who was embezzling money, physically punished the city people and guards(?) who had been tormenting them. Then, in front of a noble, he shouted that he would fight to protect his sister and for the human rights of caretakers. (???)

As a result, the noble who pursued him was repeatedly defeated and crushed, and the king, unaware of the situation and details, put a bounty on him to save face for the kingdom’s nobility, putting him in danger. However, with brilliant wit, he gathered followers(?) and hid at the border before leaving the country. Before departing, being a former caretaker, he warned about an impending Monster Parade in the area he had protected, minimizing potential damage. (??????)

And indeed, when the Monster Parade occurred, three territories were destroyed. The king, realizing the gravity of the situation, learned the full story and concluded that only “other caretakers” who knew the mountains as well as the departed caretaker could resolve the situation. As a result, the king improved conditions for caretakers and brought them into national management positions.

…Wait, this doesn’t sound like me? Who is this about? Is there really another Jack?

“If he hadn’t predicted the Monster Parade, not just three territories but five would have been destroyed. In fact, just before the last line of defense was breached, our senior caretakers were summoned by the king to receive apologies, thanks, and requests for help, and they pushed back the mountain frontlines!”

“…Huh. But how did he make this prediction?”

“From what I know, he killed a Blue Troll that was a precursor to the Monster Parade, and subtly advised at the Adventurer’s Guild that this country would become dangerous, suggesting that weaker people should flee to other countries!! They say he was a true hero who deliberately didn’t speak directly about it, trying to protect the vulnerable first!!”

-Poke poke.

“Uh, yes?”

“Fufu. What an amazing ‘caretaker.’ Right, ‘Jack’?”

Having heard the whole story, Chikuyo seemed to have completely caught on, narrowing her eyes and covering her mouth with a seductive smile directed at me, while Miho looked at me with a bitter smile. Haha! What are they thinking? No matter how I listen to it, that’s not about me! Who is that incredibly amazing person? I didn’t even know a Monster Parade was going to happen?! All I remember is earning 20,000 kan or something for killing a Blue Troll, and the only person I told to flee was Uncle Devil! I never talked about it anywhere else?!!

“Ahem! What do you think? As a caretaker who has benefited greatly from the radical revolution brought about by Caretaker Jack, isn’t it natural that I respect him?”

“Hahaha! That’s right! What an amazing caretaker he was?!”

“Ahahah! That’s true! I’d love to meet whoever that is?!!”

“Fufu. Is there any description of his appearance? If he’s such an amazing person, I’d like to have a proper conversation with him if we happen to see him during our travels…”

“Hahaha! I do know his description!! There’s someone in the city we’re heading to who survived the Monster Parade in Poria, and they said he had gray hair like an old man and orange eyes the color of urine…?”

Following Chikuyo’s leading question, his unnecessary additional details made him suddenly look at me with wide eyes, tilting his head as he compared the description to my appearance.

…Wait, someone survived from there? And we’re heading to the city where that person is? Moreover, he knows the appearance of this ‘Jack’? Uh, oh… no way?

“…Uh, um? M-Master Jack?”

“A-Ahahaha!! What a coincidence?!! But, o-our Jack is a different person from that Jack!!! H-He might look similar but he’s a completely different person?! H-He’s an adventurer!!”

“Th-That’s right!! That Jack had old man-like hair and urine-like eyes! O-Our Jack has silver moonlight hair and sun-like eyes! Th-They might look a bit similar… Th-That’s right! He doesn’t have a younger sister either?! Miho here is my younger sister?!!”

Realizing that his casual remarks might expose me, Chikuyo started frantically defending me along with Miho, but Johnson’s eyes were already filling with suspicion…

“Haha! I’m really envious! Wherever you go in Ponia, if you tell someone you’re Caretaker Jack, you could probably even get away with scams!!!”

“U-Uhaha! Th-That’s true?! B-But I wouldn’t think of scamming people, even for my family?! Besides, I already have two wives?! R-Right?!”

-GRAB!!

“Eep?!”

“Kyahung?!!”

As I slightly panicked and pulled Miho and Chikuyo by their waists, forcing a big laugh, the two let out small screams of surprise but immediately pressed themselves against me.

Shit, shit! What kind of nonsensical history has been written?! Revolutionary caretaker? Bullshit!! I’m not a hero, just trash who ran away with his sister!! I’m trash who somehow attracted women while you all were struggling, and might soon have five wives!!! This could really become a headache if other caretakers find out about me?!!

It seems that until I meet Luxuria, the Seven Deadly Sin of Lust, in Ponia and leave this country again, I have a new mission: to avoid being discovered by other caretakers. This realization genuinely started to give me a headache.

Wow, what would happen if everyone learned the truth? That I just beat up a village chief pig, not a mayor; that I just beat up some village thugs, not guards; that my party grew because Rei got involved due to the king’s bounty; that I was just garbage who told only those who had been kind to me to flee, not caring if the country collapsed?

[Caretaker: Level 368. Name: Johnson.]

“Uhaha! I’m envious! To have two such beautiful wives! But where did you meet the beastkin lady? We usually only see male beastkin in Ponia…”

Thanks to him asking out of genuine envy when I forcibly changed the subject by showing off Miho and Chikuyo, I successfully redirected the conversation!

I earnestly advised him that if he wanted to meet female beastkin, he should visit the Aigram Casino, and our girls added that Siltra would soon open its borders and more beastkin would be coming out, ensuring he would find a good match. We firmly established this new direction of conversation.

Shit. What the hell has “Caretaker Jack” become in this Ponia?