The Potatoes, the Demon Sword, and the Goblin

“Alright, let’s start”

After peeling the skin from the potatoes that Reia had decimated, I thinly sliced them and fried them in the pot.

Then I added onions that I had chopped beforehand, and when the potatoes turned clear I added the stock from yesterdays rabi stew.
I carefully skimmed the scum from the soup, and as the potatoes turned soft, I ground them in a mortar with a wooden spatula before adding mou milk and leaving it to boil.

“Smells good”

In high spirits, Chiharu appeared behind me.
Reia’s stomach rumbled like the sound of a growling beast.

After seasoning with pepper and salt, I placed the pot into an icebox.
It will be complete when its been moderately cooled.

“We’ll be able to eat in just a moment”

While patting Chiharu’s head, the bell of transportation hanging on my waist rang with a ding.

“Hey, this thing, ding ding?”
“Ahh, yes a ding ding.
Do you like ding dings Chiharu?”

As I removed it from my waist to pass it to her, Chiharu shook her head.

“Wrong.
I like when Takumi has it”
“Eh? Is that so? Does it ring more?”
“Yeah, it’s good you wear it”

She smiled happily with her eyes shut.1
Cute.
Cute is justice.
Enough to make me feel like all my troubles don’t matter.
I patted Chiharu’s head even more.

“Alright, it should be good now”

As I removed the pot from the icebox, the cold air and smell of potatoes entered my nose.

This is more of a summer dish but, if a large portion of potatoes needs to be cooked, this is definitely the best.
As a final garnish, I sprinkle some crushed parsley on top.

“Sorry for the wait, the cold vichyssoise​ is complete”2
“Wah”

“Wah”

Their similar reactions somehow made me look at Reia as a child.

“I eat here”

Chiharu sat on my lap.

“Then I will also…..”
“Wait, what are you doing!”

I stopped Reia as she attempted to go with the flow and sit on my lap.
Somehow, ever since Chiharu came, she’s grown a strange sense of rivalry?

“Let’s eat”

The two must have been hungry as they were absorbed in their meal.

“Potatoes, potatoes did good job”
“Delicious.
The potatoes, despite being a soup, retain their creaminess.
Not to mention the rough feel and texture.
The potatoes certainly did a good job.”

I’m slightly worried about Reia who shares the vocabulary of a young girl.

“There’s plenty left so don’t rush okay”
“Yesh”
“Yesh”

Looking at the two of them, I smile for a moment.
Somehow this feels like……

“Somehow it feels like we’re a family doesn’t it”

Reia suprised me by saying what I was thinking

“As expected, Chiharu is our child from the future…..”
“Nope.
Me, human.
Reia, human.
Chiharu, elf”

I responded with broken language.

“Chiharu, don’t mind if Takumi and Reia are mom and dad”

“See, Chiharu has acknowledged it”
“No she hasn’t! This conversation is over!”

This is bad.
At this rate I’ll gain a wife and kid despite being a virgin.
I need to change the topic.

“Oh yeah about that sword.
It looks quite expensive, did you have enough money?”

The ominous jet black longsword lying in the corner of the cave.
Somehow, the pattern engraved on the hilt reminded me of the face of a demon.

“Ehh, since no one who could wield this sword was found, it made it’s way to this rural town where it was being sold for a low price”
“Who could wield?”
“Yes, the demon sword Soul Eater.
It is said to drain the strength of those who carry it and consume their souls”

So it actually was a cursed sword.
Why did she think this was fine.

“It might not compare to the sacred sword Takumicalibur that you entrusted to Alice-sama, but it should serve you well I think”

What the heck is the sacred sword Takumicalibur.

I left the great sword that Nuruhachi bought for me when I left my party but, it seems that its come to be known as a sacred sword while Alice has been using it.

Excalibur.
Masamune.
Takumicalibur.

The cheap sword I used to use has somehow become one of the worlds three great holy swords.

“So that sword, demon sword Soul Eater you say.
Have you tried to use it for yourself?”
“Yes, just once inside the shop but my strength was exhausted in an instant and I was close to dying”
“Reia”
“Yes”
“That thing’s dangerous, please return it”
“I- It’s alright, If it’s Takumi-san you’ll surely be fine”

This isn’t a joke.
I’m sure I’d be annihilated the moment I touched that.
For now, it’s dangerous so lets store it away somewhere.

“Heyyy, Heyyyy, Takumi”

Perhaps because she’s full, Chiharu lied down over my lap.

“Hm? What is it? Tired already?”
“Nuh….
It seems, lots coming”
“Huh?”

The one who noticed first wasn’t Reia but Chiharu.

“Takumi-san”

Reia was the second to notice, I was the last to sense their presence.
There’s something outside the cave.
A considerable amount of somethings.

“Could it be that I was followed”

Reia peered at the entrance with a grim look.

From there a face slowly emerged.

A goblin.

About as half as tall as an adult man.
Green skin wrapped in dirty tanned cloth, wielding a club in their hand.
A big head compared to their body, wide eyes, and warts on their nose.
It looked towards us with its ugly face and laughed.

And behind it.

“”Gobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobu”3

An unending swarm of goblins was waiting for us.
It seems that the goblins who bear a grudge against Reia, who hunted them at the city, had grouped up.

“Reia, this is due to your carelessness.
Take care of it immediately”

‘Hurry up and save me please, I’m terrified’ my heart is screaming.
However, from Reia came a cruel reply.

“Apologies Takumi-san.
Because my strength was drained by the demon sword at the shop, I am unable to fight”

Oh yeah, that happened!

“Takumi, Ugly, Lots”
“Apologies, it pains me to trouble Takumi-san with weaklings of this level but, could you please deal with this swiftly”

This is the end.
This is checkmate isn’t it?

“Gobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobugobu”

The goblins flooded inside the cave.

“Understood.
Watch closely”
“Yes, Takumi-san”

When I die please take Chiharu and run.
While wishing so, I grab the demon sword Soul Eater.
Rather than goblins, being drained of my strength and dying is better.

As I drew the sword from its sheath the charms with ‘forbidden’ and ‘seal’ began to fall off.

“!?”

The moment I pulled out the sword, darkness surged from the demon sword and creeped up my right arm.

Strength, my strength is being drained!

“Nah listen”

A voice sounded directly into my head.

“You don’t have even a single bit of strength”

As the goblins were pressing in on us, I was insulted by the demon sword.

Translators Notes:
1: Same as last chapter, its referring to this smile. Hopefully she stops doing this because I cannot think of a good way to word it.
2: Vichyssoise​ is a thick soup made of boiled and puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream, and chicken stock and traditionally served cold.
3: Do you guys prefer monster noises like this as ‘speech’ or would you rather I did something like ‘the cries of the goblins could be heard’

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