Bonus Short Stories

Clotho’s Stroll in Gaun

Naturally, it wasn’t only Kelvin and those closest to him who were making the most of their company trip to Gaun. For example, the ancient dragon Dahak was chasing after his favorite woman, and Alex would go for long walks with Rion. The most senior member of Kelvin’s party, the slime Clotho, was no exception. Even it was having fun in its own way.

The starting point of its stroll was the inn where its master, Kelvin, was staying. With a jiggle to indicate “Mission start!” it went bouncing off on its merry way.

“Oh, Clo-chan! Are you off for a stroll?” Efil asked. “In that case...here you go, a lunch box. I borrowed the inn’s kitchen to make it. I’ve included the latest dish I came up with, so let me know what you think afterwards. Okay, off you go. Take care!”

“Clothooo! Before you go, try some of my food!” Ruka requested. “What do you think? Is it good? What?! It’s just as good as what Efil-sama makes?! Aww, you’re praising me too much.”

“It said nothing of the sort,” Ellie sighed. “Clotho-sama, I’m truly sorry. We won’t keep you any longer. Please have a pleasant walk.”

After receiving a lunch box and filling its stomach with a snack, Clotho was already quite satisfied. However, its mission had only just begun. So it continued heading out of the inn.

“Clotho, you heading out? I just bought these skewers!” Rion exclaimed. “It’s a bit much for me and Alex to finish alone, so here, take one.”

“Arf!” Alex barked. (Highly recommended!)

It turned out to be the very same skewer that Melfina had eaten so many of on their first day in Gaun. Seeing how large the hunks of meat were and how many she was holding, Rion had most likely bought enough to share with everyone else. Clotho received the offering gratefully and munched on it while continuing on its way. The slime would swallow monsters whole in the blink of an eye, but when it came to food that was actually delicious, it liked to take its time nibbling.

“Ah, if it isn’t Clotho!” Sera called out. “I bought some snacks just now, but it’s a bit too much for Kelvin and me to finish by ourselves. It’s called Blood Cake and it simply tastes heavenly! Try it!”

“Whoa?!” Dahak started. “B-Brother Clotho, why’re you here?! N-No, I’m not stalking— Oh, right! I found this flower filled with honey just now. Would you like— No, I didn’t mean that in a dirty way! Not in the slightest! Uh, if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be!”

“Oh, hi there, Clotho.” Melfina nodded in greeting. “Ah, I see you are indeed worthy as one who shares the same food-related skills as me. You have a good eye to notice this store here. However, I’m afraid I don’t really have any more spending money to— What? You’re lending me some?! Are you sure?!”

Clotho continued bumping into more companions and acquaintances around every corner, receiving and giving them things in a busy whirlwind of activity. When its stroll finally ended, it returned to the inn it had started from. By a sheer coincidence, right in front of the inn’s entrance...

“Welcome back, Clotho,” Kelvin said warmly. “Did you have fun?”

A Goddess Who Eats Well Is a Good Goddess

During the company trip, the Goddess of Reincarnation Melfina made it her quest to eat at every restaurant and food stall in the city. This task, in what she thought was a minimal effort at maintaining her girly image, hardly seemed a challenge for her, yet she insisted on calling this “mental fortitude training”—training that supposedly pushed her to her limits.

Kelvin and the others purposely chose not to burst her bubble since this was a trip and everyone was free to enjoy it however they wished. That said, there was a danger of the city starving if she was left entirely to her own devices, so Kelvin had tasked the mini-Clotho Melfina carried with her to keep an eye on her.

“Phew. That’s another day of pushing my body and stomach to its limits and withstanding a truly rigorous training menu. It was really satisf— I mean, really rough. Good job, me.”

As a result of her efforts—if they could be called that—her name had become so well-known in the city over the past few days that it could be safely said the only people in relevant industries who did not know of her were new arrivals. After all, she was almost done going through every last eatery in the capital.

“H-Hey man, isn’t that the Goddess of Eating?!” a beastkin exclaimed when he recognized Mel walking down a major avenue.

Another beastkin next to him stopped. “Huh? What’s with that nickname? She is quite easy on the eyes, though...”

“What are you, an outsider?! How many years have you been living in this city?!”

“Huh?! What?!”

In defense of this bystander, let it be said that the events surrounding Mel’s skills had only taken place over the past few days, not years.

“Oh, all right. I’ll tell you, then. That woman is said to have traveled the world and eaten all cuisines—in short, she is a professional eater. There are rumors that she’s the editor-in-chief of a famous food magazine and that she’s looking for the next restaurant to feature in her publication!”

Unfortunately, she was but an avid reader of the magazine in question.

“Uh, that last bit is just speculation, right?”

“That’s just how mysterious she is! Some even call her ‘The Smile’ like it’s an alias, so I’m sure she’s really famous! I’m not pulling your leg!”

“I-I see...”

The vagueness of the excited spectator’s info hinted at the possibility that he himself was an outsider too, but he soon fell quiet when Mel stopped and stared at a sign.

This restaurant...is one that I visited on our first day here. I remember it being quite delicious. All right, let’s go in for another round of training.

Everyone nearby stared as Mel walked through the doors, humming to herself.

“Dude, let’s hurry to that restaurant!” the excited spectator called out, charging forward. “I bet it’s a hidden gem! Don’t let this opportunity slip away!”

“You seriously saying th— Oh, he’s gone.” The other guy watched, half-doubtful and half-trusting, as his companion disappeared into the store. Aren’t you being a bit too much of a groupie, man? flashed through his mind.

Another man nearby shouted to his partner, “That really was the Goddess of Eating! It’s said that you get blessed with good luck if you eat with her! Let’s go, man!”

“Thank the heavens, oh, thank the gods above...” an old man said worshipfully. “Dear, let’s have lunch at this place.”

“Ha ha, of course, dear,” his wife replied. “It looks like today is going to be a good day.”

A cry of “Is this where The Smile’s gone?!” rang out as even more people rushed over.

Folks of all ages flooded into the restaurant in pursuit of the one who had first entered. The goddess’s features were beautiful and her hearty way of eating was enjoyable to watch. Attention begot attention, and everything resulted in the restaurant being swamped with orders. Mel was happy, the other customers were happy, and though the cooks felt like they were going to die, they were making a massive amount of money and were therefore ultimately also happy.

“I...guess I’ll also give this place a try, then,” murmured the last beastkin who had been left behind.

Efil and Ange’s Pajama Party

After the Beast King Festival and everything else that had happened in the interim were over, Efil and Ange became even closer friends than before. Tonight, in order to reaffirm their relationship and develop it further, the two of them decided to share a room and have a pajama party. Sera and Rion caught wind and wanted to join in, but they read the room and held themselves back. Efil and Ange sensed this in turn and inwardly thanked their companions for their consideration while resolving to enjoy their time together to their fullest.

“Oh gosh, I really do love talking with you, Efil-chan. We’re on the same page about so many things, we’re practically the same person!”

“I do feel the same way, but I believe you might have had just a bit too much to drink, Ange-san.”

“Ahhhhhh! You’re too cute, Efil-chan! I really, really understand why Kelvin’s head over heels for you!”

“Ah! A-Ange-san, you really have had too much!”

Ange impulsively pushed Efil back onto the bed, burying her face in her friend’s chest and rubbing her cheeks against the shapely mounds. This was indeed a method of physical bonding only available to girls, but Ange was taking it a bit too far. Efil turned her eyes to the table with all their drinks and snacks, thinking of calling an end to their time together.

I suppose I can wake up a little earlier tomorrow to clean up.

Even as someone who dedicated herself so fully to the Way of the Maid, Efil would not cast aside her friend just to go clean. She found a compromise within herself, then suggested to Ange that, since it was getting late, they should go sleep. Ange was already feeling sleepy thanks to all the alcohol in her system, so she agreed.

“Wah...I’m in such a good mood...”

“That is truly wonderful, but our time in Gaun is running out. Let’s get some proper sleep tonight so we’ll have plenty of energy for tomorrow.”

Of course, the two were sleeping in the same bed. It could be said that they were bosom friends.

“Say, Efil-chan...are you still awake?”

“What is the matter?”

“The thought just occurred to me that there’s a topic we just have to talk about when staying up like this. Um, how do you feel about Kelvin?”

“I love him more than anyone in the world.”

“Wow, what a direct answer! Aha ha, I guess that was a silly thing to ask you. Specifically, what part of him do you love? For me, it’s his head, eheh heh...”

“When asked what I love about Master, I simply have to say that every part of him is unbearably precious to me. But I suppose that would not do as an answer, so let me start listing them instead. First, the sense of joy and fulfillment that fills my chest when I wake up and see Master’s sleeping face and bedhead in the morning is simply indescribable. Every day, there is a slight difference in how his hair is messed up; there are days when it’s all springy, days when it’s wildly ruffled, and the contrast with his sleeping face just makes my chest go all tight, with there being a countless number of variations—”

“H-Hold on a moment. Um, Efil-chan...are you drunk?”

Ange couldn’t help interrupting as Efil started going on and on without end. Just as she suspected, Efil actually was quite drunk.

“Zzz...”

“And you’re already asleep! Who’d have thought I’d get to see such an unexpected side of a close friend!”

That was just how happy Efil was about making a close friend of Ange. That night, Efil had a very pleasant sleep indeed.

The Legend of Gaun’s Beast God

There was a legend in Gaunian culture surrounding the Beast God, a beast that looked like a strange dog wearing a mask. The stories described him arriving in this land and repelling a certain catastrophe so long ago that it wasn’t clear whether Gaun had been founded yet. There was no record of what that catastrophe was, leaving scholars to debate fiercely whether it was a natural disaster or an unnatural monster outbreak.

There were currently two forms zipping through the deep forest surrounding the capital at mind-boggling speeds. Very few people would have been able to spot them going by, even if they’d happened to be out hunting in those woods and looked up at just the right moment. It would have been different if the Beast King had happened to be with them, but expecting so much from mere hunters was a tall order.

“Phew, what great walking weather it is today, huh, Alex?”

“Awoo!” (Walks are fun in the rain too, though!)

The pair was taking a small break on top of a sturdy tree bough. They had come out all this way as part of their walk, though not entirely on purpose. The new terrain, wide-open land, and taller trees than they were used to had gotten them a bit overexcited. Consequently, they had traveled farther than originally planned.

“Hey, I have an idea. Unlike the city, it’s all open here. Wanna play you-know-what?”

“Arf!” (I do, I do!)

Alex’s immediate reply prompted Rion to reach into mini-Clotho and take out a superalloy boomerang that had been made tough enough not to break in Alex’s mouth.

“You ready? Off you go!”

“Awoooo!” (Wait for meee!)

The boomerang slipped through the trees and flew off into the distance. Alex chased after it, completing a scene often seen in dog parks. Ignoring all the size differences, that is.

“I-Is that...the Beast God from the legends?!”

There was one person who had caught sight of Alex playing from afar. That person quivered as he did a double then a triple take, struggling to believe what he was seeing.

“So the Beast God really does exist!”

Barely able to register the sight, yet managing to figure out where he should look by sensing the little sister energy emanating from that direction, was Kilto Gaun. The fact that he could only sort of see things led him to a misunderstanding. When he reported back, the topic swept through the country and was all the rage for quite a while. Supposedly, a giant beast with something gleaming and metallic on its face—in short, the Beast God—had been sighted.

Rion and Shutola’s Plan to Become Fashionable

“Rion-chan! Let’s become fashionable!”

“Uh...what?”

Shutola’s abrupt suggestion made Rion’s hand stop brushing Alex’s fur mid-stroke. In turn, this led Alex to perk up too.

“Where did that come from, Shutola-chan?”

“You know how I’ve been living in a castle all my life? I just realized I’ve never gotten to choose or buy my own clothes before.”

“Ahh, I see. But didn’t you get to wear really nice dresses in the castle? I’m sure they were fashionable.”

“They were, but they were all prepared for me by someone else. And, uh, I don’t want to bother dearest sister Efil, so I want to go to a clothing store and buy something with my own allowance!”

“Mm...I feel like Efil-nee would actually be happier if you asked her.”

“Y-You think so?”

It was at this moment that Rion came to a realization. Shutola actually wanted to go shopping and was just making up reasons for it.

“Okay, how about this? Let’s go to a clothing store, and if you see something you like, I’ll sketch a design based on it afterwards and you can ask Efil-nee to make it for you. It’ll be a unique outfit that’s yours and yours alone!”

“Aww, I’d love that! Oh, but...doesn’t that mean we’d just be browsing the stores? Wouldn’t that be a bother to the staff?”

“It’s called ‘window-shopping,’ and I think it’s fine.”

“You know so much, Rion-chan!”

Rion had seen Sera do the same thing many times before and had wanted to try it herself one day—although in Sera’s case, she did not know how to sketch and resorted to verbally describing the elements she wanted. Consequently, her outfits ended up with a lot of ideas from Efil herself. Even so, Sera was more than happy with the end result every time, so clearly it was working out for both of them.

Upon entering a clothing store in the capital, both Rion and Shutola stared at the outfits on display with intense looks on their faces.

“How do I put this?” Rion murmured. “They’re all really...impactful.”

“Even the clothes for girls are so revealing...” Shutola agreed. “I feel like this would suit dearest sister Sera really well. It’s very, like, sexy? But I don’t really have, uh, her curves...”

Both looked troubled as they stood before the racks of clothes that were unexpectedly unsuitable for children. They wanted to grow up soon.

“Wait, but this hood with holes for beast ears is cute. And this one has a tail attached too!”

“Wah, it’s so cute! Like a doggy or kitty!”

However, they still found various parts of different outfits that they liked, somehow managing to gather enough ideas to put together a complete outfit. And for their part, the staff on duty had a blast helping the children dress up rather than making a sale.

“Thank you for visiting! We hope to see you again!”

Even though they didn’t buy anything, all of the staff members came out to see Rion and Shutola off. No matter the world, cuteness was indeed justice.

“Yay, we got a lot of ideas!”

“Now we can have the perfect pajamas! In a way, this is fashionable too!”

From then on, Rion and Shutola might or might not have started wearing pajamas with animal-ear hoods and tails.

The Battle Junkie’s Grand Trip

The Celsius family was visiting Gaun on a company relaxation trip. This was a wonderful idea—funded mainly by Kelvin’s pocket money—to both thank those who had been working for the family all this time and to provide an opportunity for everyone to deepen their relationships. Depending on whose perspective, however, it could also be considered a terrifying plan for giving a group of people who normally already did whatever they wanted justification to go completely wild.

When a group of such remarkable people went on a trip together, they were guaranteed to whip up a hurricane or two. And sure enough, they left an incredible mark on the Beast King Festival in all its variations. There was at least one person in Kelvin’s group who was especially proficient in one of every type of competition, be it martial prowess, wine drinking, or wits, and they all somehow managed to stumble upon their respective tournaments and join in at the last minute due to some twists of fate.

Of course, everyone holding a copy of the latest edition of the Adventurer Directory would imagine Kelvin, as the leader of such a talented and varied cast, to be incredibly wise, upstanding, and greatly respected by those under his command... Okay, no, not many people actually thought that. No one had the heart to let him know, but the general public’s opinion of him was more along the lines of, “Yeah, he’s incredible, but...y’know?” due to the reputation he had garnered as being someone who’d gone off the rail in various ways.

Now, just how did this battle junkie with a less than flattering entry in the Directory spend his day? Let’s follow him and see how he spends one of his days on this trip.

◇ ◇ ◇

Kelvin’s eyes slowly fluttered open. “Mm... It’s morning, huh,” he said as he yawned.

“Good morning, Master,” Efil replied.

A battle junkie’s mornings started early. It did not matter where he was, be it his house, on a trip, inside a dungeon, or camping out, he always woke up at a specific time each day. Finding Efil right in front of his face when waking up was also a common way for his day to begin. This time, he got to wake up naturally, but when unlucky, he would at times be awoken by a punch from Mel or a drop kick from Ruka. Life was not all smooth sailing for this Rank S adventurer.

After waking up and having breakfast, it was time for his tempestuous and dramatic day to begin. The first item on his schedule was to play with Rion, Shutola, and Ruka. Giving in to their pleading, he brought them to the closest venue where participants could try hunting for the first time.

“Uh, girls, isn’t this what we normally do?”

“It’s completely different, dearest brother!”

“It’s different in that this is purely for amusement, Kel-nii.”

“Gosh, you just don’t get it, Master!”

“Uhh...if you say so.”

Kelvin spent the rest of his time with the girls not quite understanding what they were saying. However, because this group always made sure to stay safe and took all available precautions, Kelvin knew he could relax while watching over them. It was from this point onward that he had to brace himself somewhat.

“Kelvin, let’s go fishing for the boss of Lake Gaun! Hurry up and get ready!”

“Honey, I want to try eating what a member of a royal family eats. Just once is enough, so can you ask the Beast King for me? Don’t worry, I’ll go with you!”

“Kelvin, your neck is wide op— Aww, you dodged!”

In this way, the women in his party all sprung pretty unreasonable requests on him in quick succession, though we won’t expose who said what. Clearing these demands was a requirement to earn the right to hang out with them.

“Kelvin-chaaan! Ah hah, guess who decided to pop by?”

The sudden encounters were not simply limited to his family members, of course. At times, a certain peach-colored ogre might show up out of the blue, whittling down Kelvin’s mental strength each time.

“If you’re looking for Gerard, he just went that way. If you run, you might catch up.”

“Thank you! Gerard-samaaa!”

The ability to make quick judgment calls was important. When it was necessary to sell out a friend, one had to do so swiftly and decisively. Kelvin had shown no hesitation at all today.

::Rawr, rawr!::

::Rooaar!::

I know, I know. I’ll let you guys stretch your wings outside the city a bit later.

Naturally, Kelvin could not forget about Mdofarak and Boga within his magic pool. With their large bodies and inability to take human form, they could only enjoy this trip outside the city limits. As their master, it was Kelvin’s responsibility to make sure they were not left out. Thankfully, they weren’t much trouble otherwise.

After hanging out with everyone throughout the day, night fell. Kelvin finally got to retreat to his own room in the inn.

“Phew, I’m so tired...”

“Long day today, Master?”

“Mm. So much happened today, which I guess is par for the course. But, well, it’s all worth it and I appreciate every moment.”

However, his exhaustion was real, and he promptly dove right into bed after Efil helped him into his sleepwear. Since everyone around him had been highly excited all day, he’d had to match their level of enthusiasm. Naturally, doing so was extremely tiring.

“Um, Master...”

“Hm? What is it?”

Efil’s shy voice compelled Kelvin to turn his face, which had been planted into his pillow, towards his companion.

“Are you up to, um, enjoy tonight? Of course, if you need to sleep—”

“Oh...”

Of course, this was hardly a problem of can or cannot—“no” was simply not an answer. Without a second thought, he pulled Efil into bed with him. It would be a while yet before he actually got any rest.

Black and Black Iron Crossing Paths

It was early afternoon. The sun’s rays shone with a pleasant warmth, and the world seemed idyllic and at peace. It was impossible to tell where exactly the setting was, but there was definitely a restaurant right next to a mountain. Given its out-of-the-way location, there wasn’t a single customer inside despite it being lunch hour. The only sound was that of the owner polishing a glass.

“Honey, this must be it! Right here! The restaurant that’s so hard to find it’s said to be a myth!”

“You idiot, Mel, don’t shout that in such a loud voice! Aha ha... Sorry, sir. Do you have a table for two?”

“You do, right?! I’m sure you do!”

The owner silently jerked his head towards an empty table. His first customers of the day were a guy with black hair wearing a black robe and a girl with blue hair clad in a holy air. As soon as they settled in, the girl started excitedly poring over the menu.

Just then, two other people entered.

“Huh? Has there always been a restaurant here?”

“We did basically just follow a whole bunch of animal tracks. Master, your disciple is now hungry!”

“Well, I suppose it would be cruel to make you wait till we get back and then cook for the both of us. Mister, do you have room for two?”

Again, the owner jerked his head towards an empty table without saying anything. This second pair of customers consisted of a guy with black hair wearing a black robe and a lively-looking girl with a ponytail in an orange robe. The moment she plopped into a seat, she began analyzing the menu.

“For starters...I think I’ll have everything from here to here.”

“In other words, the whole menu. You...sure that’s enough?”

“Master, what should we do?! I’ve never seen any of these dishes before!”

“You’re basically saying that you want to try all of them, right? To steal the recipes?”

Both groups seemed ready to place their orders. The two guys raised their menus high up and turned to the owner.

“Uh, ahem. Excuse me, can we have everything from here to here, please?”

“Sorry, sir. Please bring us one of everything on the menu.”

The girls’ eyes met. They turned to each other as naturally as if fate were drawing them together. They gulped.

Is this girl a new food fighter in these parts? I can see it clear as day—that overwhelming fighting spirit dwelling within a small body! She’s quite capable. Maybe as good as—no, she might even be better than Sylvia!

Wow, what a pretty lady. And I really feel her passion for food. She’s mom’s equa—no, I think she’s even beyond mom. Eating is fun, but I bet it’d also be fun to cook for her.

The thoughts of the two girls were completely different, but they were both on the mark, after a fashion. The owner, to his credit, did not flinch at the orders. He simply gave them a nod that conveyed a single word: “Wait.”

From there, a storm ensued. Mountains of plates were rushed to the two tables like tsunami waves that receded into the stomachs of the girls. It was just the owner making and carrying the food, and mainly the two girls eating, coming to a very small tally of people involved, and yet it took no time at all for a great maelstrom to be generated and reach speeds that no normal person could comprehend.

Are you kidding me?! That girl’s able to match Melfina’s speed! Who on earth is she? A champion food fighter from the Western Continent? Where is she packing all that food inside her small form?

Are you serious?! What’s with that woman?! She’s matching or even faster than Haru! I feel so bad for her boyfriend’s wallet—what a relief Haru is helping to make ends meet on our side.

Both guys shivered upon realizing the lamentable fact that this world was home to yet another powerhouse on par with their companion.

Two cries of “Phew, thank you for the food” rang out at the same time.

Both guys shivered again, this time at the unfathomable skill of the owner who had managed to continue feeding both girls all by himself.

“Mm. Glad to see you both enjoyed everything. I don’t need your money; donate it to an orphanage instead.”

Both guys shivered one last time upon hearing the owner’s suave, manly voice and the words that displayed his magnanimity.

There are still so many surprises in this world. That girl looked like she was having every bit as much fun as Mel was while she was eating.

What a lucky day this is. I got to see something unusual and we saved on food fees.

The two pairs left the restaurant and went their separate ways. No one looked back, and in fact, the restaurant was no longer even there.