An A-Ranked Adventurer's 'Slow-living' Chapter 3 - Tranquility of Apple Mint Tea

Chapter 3: Tranquility of Apple Mint Tea

As we walked down the hallways inside the ho of the village chief, Aisha turned to Fiona-san and said,

「Hey, Fiona-san. Flora isn’t here? 」

「Yes, that child isn’t here because she went to gather so fruits. I think she will be back by sunset」

「…Then, please tell when she gets back」

「Sure」

Aisha suddenly stood up after Fiona-san’s reply.

「Okay then, I’ll head back because I was in the middle of work」

「A, Ah. Thank you for guiding up to this point」

I thought she was just going to bring to the village chief’s ho, but from the conversation they just had, it seems like she wanted to et a person nad Flora.

So since Flora isn’t here, she would naturally head back after bringing here. It’s a simple reason that can be understood easily.

Aisha quickly turned around and went outside.

「I wanted you to stay for so tea, but there’s nothing I can do since there’s field work to be done」

Fiona-san muttered while wearing a gloomy expression. It’s the expression of soone who is watching their child, who hasn’t been ho in ages, leave again after having just returned.

Then, she took her eyes off the door and said to , “Let’s go”, and we started walking again.

「This is the village chief’s room」

「Okay」

*knock**knock*, Fiona-san started knocking on the door after hearing my reply.

「Chief. There’s a guest to see you here. Aisha brought him here」

「…I see. Co on in」

Upon hearing the response of a male’s voice coming from inside the room, Fiona-san opened the door.

I entered the room after seeing Fiona-san hinting to do so with her eyes. Then, I saw a dandy man with clean-cut features standing there with a pleasant smile on his face. His age is likely in the late thirties.

He is wearing a red jacket with long, white colored sleeves, and long brownish pants. However, it looks like they were made of slightly better fabric than the clothing of the villagers.

I wonder if you have to at least dress like that when you are a chief of the village.

In his room, there is a bookshelf and wardrobe which look to be made of simple wood, with a sofa set up on the side. And, deep within the room, there is also a work desk where he seems to do his paperwork and such on.

「This person wishes to move into this village」

「Hoh~ that’s sothing I rarely hear about. There hasn’t been anyone coming to visit from outside the village since long ago. Please, go ahead and take a seat」

The village chief invited to sit down with a smile after being inford by Fiona-san.

「Okay, excuse 」

「I’ll make you so tea」

Fiona-san leaves the room as I took my seat.

By the way, I’m happy for that because I’m quite thirsty right now.

「I am the village chief of Nordende, Ergys」

「Aldo. I ca to live in this village from the kingdom of Abalonia」

I thought of giving him a fake alias, but after thinking about it, I decided not to. It should be good enough just using my abbreviated na “Aldo”.

The na Aldred and Aldo are originally quite common anyway. From the church I was once in, there was another person with black hair nad Aldred, and there was an Arnold and an Alto as well. Even during my adventurer days, I’ve t another Aldo as well.

So even if soone in this village has heard of a dragon-slayer nad Aldred, the person themselves would not think the “Aldred” from another country would be the one in their village.

There is no branch office of the adventurer’s guild here, and even if there was one, I don’t think they would know exactly how I look. The Rumors of the dragon-slaying heroes are exaggerated as they spread, in so regions so have even said their leader was a prince from a ruined country or he was a beautiful man with blonde hair and blue eyes.

「That is an extrely far place you co from. Would you tell why you have co to live here? 」

It took about a month and a half to get here. Since that was going at full speed by myself without having to worry about monsters, it would probably take an average person about two months to get here. Naturally, he would wonder why soone would co to a place so far away.

「It’s because I was here once nine years ago. Since then, I still cannot forget the beautiful sight of the fields of flowers here… 」

「Ah, so it’s about that. The fields of flowers are our village’s pride. Even I could not get tired of watching those beautiful flowers that change colors according to the seasons」

Ergys-san nodded as if I sohow had him convinced.

「Travelers and villagers from neighboring villages have also wished to migrate here before for similar reasons, but it’s the first ti we’ve had anyone from the Abalonia kingdom. You must quite like it here」

He showed a faint smile that was much gentler than the smile he had before.

I understood from the dialogue we just had, that Ergys-san really loves the flowers as well. After I settle down, it might be nice to have a nice long chat with him while flower gazing.

As I started thinking of such things, Fiona-san ca back knocking on the door.

White steam cos pouring out of the tea cups on the trays, and with it cos a refreshing, sweet scent.

「That’s a nice sll」

I took a deep breath unconsciously to take in this sweet aroma.

「It’s apple mint tea. It’s freshly picked so it slls nice, right? I’ve added so honey too, if it’s to your liking」

「It’ll calm you down once you drink it」

I reach out for a cup on the table after being urged on by the both of them to try it.

When I took a sniff at the apple mint tea, I could sll the sweet, fresh sll of green apples. I tilt the cup slowly as I drink it to enjoy the pleasant sll at the sa ti.

The refreshing sweetness of apple mint runs through my nose, and spreads in my mouth as the drink goes down my throat.

The tea gradually warms my body up, and I can feel the fatigue leaving my body.

「*Hahhh*…. it feels so relaxing」

When I let out a sigh of relief, Ergys-san and Fiona-san both giggled.

「At last, you have eased a little, haven’t you?」(chief)

「Yes, Aldo-san is a bit too tensed. Your tone and attitude were making feel a bit tensed myself」

Now that they ntioned it, I start to notice it as well.

My tensions seem to have not yet been lifted since I have been on the alert the whole ti during my journey here alone from Abalonia.

Jeez, I have already arrived here. There’s no guild staff, royalty, or nobles here. I should relax a little.

「Sorry, It’s because I have been traveling alone」

Since I was talking to people older than I am I couldn’t really do it for our first ti eting. But, now I can feel a natural smile forming on my face.

「It couldn’t be helped since you ca such a long way. Just settle down here and take it slow from now on」

「Does that an… that I am welcod to live in this village? 」

「Yes, there are no problems with the people here as well」

I am quite pleased that I received permission from the village chief.

I did it! I can finally live in Nordende.

「Aisha isn’t soone who would bring a bad person here. She might be an open-hearted person, but she has quite the discerning eyes for people, you know?」

Since it’s a must to pass by the vineyards to enter Nordende, Aisha must have naturally developed the perceptiveness to see the nature of the different types of people as they pass by.

At first, I was a bit scared by her.

「There are no vacant houses near the central part of the town right now. But, there is a place you can live in that is not too far from here, what do you say to checking that out? 」

「Yes, please」

「With that said, you still wouldn’t be able to move in this quickly, just spend the night here to get rid of the fatigue you accumulated from the trip. We can go check out your place tomorrow」

I am very thankful for his offer. For a long ti now I have been on the pattern of riding on a horse carriage, resting at so inconspicuous places, to moving on foot. I am quite tired from repeating that process for who knows how many tis.

It will feel good to be able to get a good night’s sleep without having to stay alert throughout the night.

「Thank you for all you’ve done for so far」

「Yes, we’ll take care of you」

I thanked her while lowering my head and Fiona-san replied with a smile.

It was a conversation of nothing special, but it gave a feeling of warmth.

I wonder if this is how it would have felt if I had parents. This is a very pleasant feeling.

「By the way, Aldo-san. Do you have anything you’re especially good at? Or is there like sothing in particular that you’d like to do? If there is, I can introduce you to the right people. n in the pri of their life are highly welcod in all kinds of workplaces as they are in high demand」

… Sothing that I’m especially good at, huh.

My biggest specialty is subjugating monsters, but that isn’t what I want to do here.

From what I’ve seen, there are few occurrences of monsters appearing here, but I am not needed to step in for that.

If I can, I could use the skills I developed from being an adventurer for hunting, or maybe plowing small fields.

Plowing a field by myself, and eating my own crops… I would like to live that type of self-sufficient lifestyle.

As for hunting, I’ve already hunted an infinite amount of tis to secure food during my adventurer days. Although I’m not very skilled in using tools like keels[i] to hunt, a bow and arrow I can handle.

But, for agriculture, I’ll need soone to teach since I’ve never done things like that. However, it should be fine if I hunt and farm separately.

「… Let’s see. I’m confident in my hunting skills, and I also want to try cultivating a small field」

「Ohh, that would make the people here very happy since there are only a few hunters in this village. I’ll introduce you to the hunters of this village after you get settled. Please teach them about the ingredients and animals that can be taken from the mountains. As for the fields, depending on what you want to grow, the choice of the person I’d introduce you to changes, so give so thought about what you want to grow and tell 」

「Thank you, again, for all you’ve done so far」

Since they’ve done so much to help , I’ll have to do my best to hunt. I want to do sothing back for them, too, by any ans.

「No, no, Aldo-san is already a mber of the village. I’ll help you, not only as the village chief, but also as an individual」

Ergys-san laughed while being sowhat embarrassed.

Despite how he looks, he might be a pretty shy person.

「Aldo-san, what would you like to do for now? It’s still a bit early for lunch, but would you like sothing to eat? 」

Certainly, I am a little hungry, but there’s sothing I would like to see before eating.

I still have so preserved food left, so I can eat that for lunch.

「No, I will go check out the fields of flowers」

Ergys-san showed a bright smile after I answered him as I stood up.