11-14 minutes 22.07.2022

Climbing the mountains, we searched for charge cows. But, we couldnt find any.

Yep, I knew it. Im a woman feared by monsters.

Swooord, the charge cows might hate me.

Ah, your talkin bout the monsters can tell strong foes apart thing? Shit, that immediately puts us in a bind. Okay, no choice, you get off the mountain. Ill catch some myself.

No, no, no! I dont wanna! I wanna catch some with my own hands!

Uuuhh

As soon as I started to whimper with tears in my eyes, Sword tried to calm me by gently caressing my head.

No helpin it, I think. Or rather, its damn incredible that we havent run into a single monster so far.

Why!? Am I possibly emitting some smell that repels monsters?!?

Just around the time when I was about to start thinking that I might as well leave the mountains after getting calmed by Sword

A~~~argh! No~~~o!

screams echoed across the mountain.

Ah, come on, I told em to stay away since itd be dangerous! And yet theres still folk left up here?!

Or rather, doesnt it point towards them having been ambushed? The voice just now sounded like that of a boy!

It was a childs voice. But since it wasnt as high-pitched as a girls voice, I think it came from a boy.

Once we rushed over, a monster was in the middle of attacking the boy called Serge. Probably because he had stumbled, he fell on the ground, resulting in him evading the monsters charge by luck. But, he doesnt seem to be skilled enough to defeat the monster himself.

Hmm? This monsteris that possibly?

It doesnt look like a cow, butis that a charge cow?

Its black and is equipped with magnificent horns. If I had to describe it one way or another, Id say it resembles a deer in some ways. Its face leans somewhat closer to that of a cow, I think?

Hey! Are you a charge cow?

Addressed by me, the monster looked my way.

Ooohh! It seems to be intelligent!

Ooohh, good boy, good boyShould I give you something to eat right now? Its special fodder made by me!

Since it looked like it understood what I was saying, I took out the feed as a test. The boy was taken aback.

Ah, does it look like youll be able to capture it?

Wait, this monster seems to understand me. Ill try feeding it, and if it likes the fodder, Ill give persuasion a go.

Talk? Youre going to talk with it? Well, okay, why not. Suit yourself. Once youve got your fill, Ill capture it.

Sword said something disturbing. Meanwhile the boy booted back up.

T-This thing t-tried to kill me!!

So? What about it? Dont be such a pain in the ass and shut up. Loud shouting might startle the charge cow. Its your fault for surprising it despite being such a weakling. If you dont want to get killed, behave yourself. Good boy, calm down, Ill protect you, okay?

The boy became astonished again. Meanwhile the charge cow had apparently taken a liking to the fodder, and began to greedily stuff itself after lowing, Bhmoooh! (Delicious!)

And since it immediately started to release milk, I took out a container in a hurry, and fetched the milk. I gently brushed it while it was eating.

You like the food? Sword, it seems like its taken a liking to me! Once it finishes eating, Ill try scouting it!

Yeah, sure, whatever floats your boat.

Why is he so apathetic about it?

While I was frolicking around with the cow, the boy apparently recovered, immediately turned bright red, and shouted, Y-Youre calling me a weakling!? Okay, I got it, Ill prove to you how strong I am by defeating that charge cow

Hey, brat, why are you here? Sword interrupted him coldly.

The boy jumped with a start, and looked at Sword.

I got the guild to put up a notification, statin, Please stay away from the mountains in order to avoid any danger while were capturin charge cows, didnt I? Indra taught you people new milk dishes, which she could have used as a source of income for herself, for free and treated the guildmasters to expensive wine, and this is the result? Ignorin the warnin put out by us is your own decision. But, then youve got no right to bitch bout get killed. Your just a damn nuisance for us.

The boy started to cry. I ignored the whole matter altogether, and focused on playing with the cow.

Hey, how about coming with me? Wouldnt you want to live on a farm prepared by me? I get it that you like the mountoh, youre going to come with me!? Great! So youre going to accompany me!

Bhmooh!

I got it!!

I tightly hugged the cow.

Bah, and just as Im havin a serious talk over here, our crazy genius is pullin some silly stunts. Hey, everythin kay with your head?

Ignore! Im going to ignore the peanut gallery!

Say, Id like a few more of your friends to come with me. Any ideas for potential candidates? Youd feel lonely all by yourself, right? I wont be at our base all the time either. Could you get some friends to come with you?

Bhmooh!

It replied, and trotted away.

Oi, its runnin away, you know?

As if. Ive explained the circumstances and weve agreed on it persuading its friends.

What agreement are you talkin bout!? All Ive heard was that cow bhmooin round!

How rude! We properly understood each other!

For the time being, Im going to put the milk in vacuum packs. This will lengthen its durability.

I decanted the milk, and sealed the packs.

One hour of waiting later.

Sword preached to me, Give it a rest and give up already, will you? Take the brat and get off the mountain. Ill catch you some charge cows.

But, just as I pretended to be deaf, I could hear a rustling, and that charge cow showed up! It has come back with friends!

Sword and the boy were dumbstruck.

Oohh! Youre back! So you got two friends to come with you, huh!?

Bhmooh.

Moooohh.

Boooohh.

Nice, nice, youre good cows. Im looking forward to working with you from now on. Want to eat some more?

Bhmooooh!

I see, I see. Wait a sec, Ill take the fodder out right away, okay?

In a hurry I took out the feed and fed it to them. And as they started to release milk, I fetched it with containers in a hurry.

Holy shit, I feel like my common sense croaked just now. Yep, Ill admit it, Im still lackin experience on all accounts. Sword grinned while watching this whole scene.

If you get surprised by something of this level, youre still lacking experience for sure. But, I still have a long way to go as well! I look forward to our future adventures!

Sword laughed out loud, and ruffled my hair.

I see, your completely right. I still havent adventured enough, or rather, this is quite a decent adventurer tale, you know? Somethin like talkin with monsters and befriendin emeven a tamer wouldnt be able to pull that off. And so, these guys are most likely unique monsters, I suspect. Look at their color.

Hmm? Color?

The first child is black. Its friends are white.

Arent those their usual colors?

Ordinarily itd be light brown.

Certainly, that color would be possible, too.

When I lifted my face, Black lowed, Bhmooh!

Hmm, I see!

Bhmoomoo!

Oh, okay.

Bhmoomoomoomoo!

I understand.

When I talked with Black, the back of my head got slapped.

What kind of sketch are you pullin while lookin all serious!?

I rubbed the back of my head, Its no sketch. I talked with him. According to Black, he was born with this color, and it made him stand out. It caused him to get often attacked by other monsters and humans. He didnt get fed like the other charge cows, and since I scouted him just as he was about to starve, he brought friends with similar circumstances over.

Sword looked at me dumbfounded, his mouth gaping open.

What? Such magic exists, doesnt it?

What kind of magic!? Aint no friggin way for that magic whatever it might be to exist, is there!? He thundered at me while sending his saliva flying.

But it does, you see? You transmit your will by including it in magic elements and sound. At the same time, you read the other partys will that got transmitted through their magic elements and sounds. Its kinda similar to sound waves and light waves. It didnt work like that in the other world, but as might be expected of this world, its really anything goes with magic.

Sword placed a hand on his forehead and groaned, Your bout the only one in this world for whom this anythin goes of yours applies. Just what the hell is that magic?

Hmm? Magic tools exist, dont they? This spell is similar to the tool used by the guild, you know?

Sword blinked his eyes in confusion.

However, this magic has the downside that you wont be able to talk with the other party if they cant read your intent in the same way. Theyll know what you want to say, but they wont be able to answer you in kind. Of course there are also creatures on whom this doesnt work at all. Prime examples would be skeletons or ghouls. But I see, that means Black is smart!

I gently caressed him.

Eh? Then what bout me who cant do it?

Youre dumber than Black. Or to be more precise, youre on the level of ghouls and skeletons.

Sword froze on the spot, his shock almost audible. Then, in the next moment, he clung to me.

Teach me a bit! I feel like itd be better for me to be capable of it, so please, teach me!

Sure, buteven if you ask me to teach you Besides, arent you already able to use it to some degree?

Hah?

Arent you awfully sensitive to other peoples bad intentions? Isnt that coming from you picking up their will, albeit only the bad one? To me it seems like youre constantly picking up all the ill will contained in other peoples words.

On top of having a tendency to be unfortunate, he possesses magic that allows him to perceive just the bad intents. He sure is a pitiful guy, isnt he?

There, there, I stroked his head. You just need to train that magic to read the waves of ill-intent. Then again, I feel like youd break if you seriously kept training that, but maybe thats just my imagination?

I also think so. Ill stay way from it since its scary.

For you itd be better to study the magic I use to shut out sound instead. Since youre insensible anyway, go ahead and learn that.

Arent you casually dissin me there? He objected in a bad mood.

I feigned ignorance. Once I did, he pressed his hands against the sides of my head, and turned it around!!

Ouch, ouch, ooouch!!

With this and that happening, the feeding and scouting of the charge cows came to an end.

Since we wont be able to enter town with these guys, lets camp out! Im going to wash them, okay? Im sure their fur will become wonderfully nice and shiny once it gets cleaned up, you know?

Yeah, yeah, do as you see fit. Anyway, how long are you plannin to stay round? Hurry up and go back home.

The boy, whose existence I had completely erased from my mind, was still present. While sitting on the ground grasping his knees with tears in his eyes, he glared at me.

Youre still bawling? Youre a real crybaby for a guy, arent you? I admonished him.

Shut up! I hate you! Dont talk to me! He roared at me while crying.

I see, we share that sentiment. Its very unlikely for me to ever get to like you. Now that weve established our mutual loathing, you can freely hate me as much as you like!

When I told him so with a smile, he got lost for words, and then cried even more.

Jeez, your really awful.

Eh?

Wha-? Now its my fault!?