Do We Need This Part About Salt?

Absolutely needed (self-resolved).

MunchmunchmunchZzzz, Zzzzz

Good morning!

Im Emi, the 7-year-old girl who greedily devours raw monster meat in the demon realm every single day!

What Im eating now is a creature called a Mchakkiworm, a brownish worm-like being around 2 meters in body length!

<Indeed, quite a flavor. As expected of a monster bearing the name of the famed gourmand Mchakki.>

The appearance is pretty gross though!

If I hadnt been accustomed to eating worms (or worm-like creatures) since early childhood, I probably wouldnt have even considered eating it.

<However, in a certain region long ago, it was said that a single slice could buy you a noble title thats how premium an ingredient it was considered. I saw it in The Gourmet Gods Isekai Broadcast.>

I never expected such a prestigious food item to inhabit the Kaise Forest.

<Well, with modern selective breeding and established cultivation techniques, it no longer commands such exorbitant prices when traded nowadays. Not that there would be any buyers around here since this area lacks a culture of consuming Mchakkiworms.>

I see

What a waste for something so delicious.

The meat is plump and bouncy without needing to be cooked, like shrimp.

The umami is concentrated it would probably make an excellent soup stock too.

The skin has a bit of a chewy texture that regular people might find unpalatable, but to me it has an appealing offal-like quality.

In any case, its delicious and boneless, so easy to eat.

Munchmunchmunchgulpgulpmunchmunchgulp

<Phew! That was delicious!>

Thank you for the meal.

I give my gratitude with pressed hands to the Mchakkiworm, which will become my flesh and magic power.

Luckily today I encountered a pack of Lovely Bunnies that I was able to hunt down.

Having consumed a fair amount of the forests automatic supply (venomous snakes) too, my hunger is reasonably sated.

<Now then, what will you do next? The sun isnt too high yet, more training perhaps?>

My appointment with that corrupt receptionist isnt until night.

Since I already know the Cysh Grass habitat locations, harvesting them will be quick.

So I basically have the daylight hours free, which I usually spend training or hunting!

The plan for today was to do some more training after this.

But.

<? Is something the matter, Emi?>

Extra-sama

When I was eating that Mchakkiworm earlier, didnt you think?

<Think what?>

That ifif only we had some salt.

This wormwould have been even more delicious

<!!! >

What do you think?

Whats your take on this, Extra-sama?

<What do I think? Of course it would be more delicious with salt! But for us, for us!>

We cant get anyone to sell us salt!

If we visit stores, were treated with eerie suspicion due to our appearance and chased out rudely!

We want salt, but the only salted treatment we receive is such discourteous service!

Ahem.

But you know, Extra-sama.

Theres one place I had in mind!

<Eh? What do you mean?>

Fufufu.

When I occasionally wander into Yoshanka during the dayyou didnt think I was just aimlessly strolling around throwing rocks, did you, Extra-sama?

Ive been properly researching!

A store that might actually sell us salt!!

<Eeh!? R-Really!? You found such a place!?>

Extra-sama, your observation has been lacking!

Of course I did!

I cant hold back any longer, you know.

I was planning to go there next time, but after eating that Mchakkiworm, I cant wait anymore.

I want salt!

So with that decided, its shopping time, Extra-sama!

Were going to Yoshanka to get some salt~!

Having made up my mind, I immediately took action!

I set off at furious speeds towards the town of Yoshanka.

The outer town walls?

Obviously Ill just use Silverfish to scale them!

The main gate has been really crowded lately anyway, so this is faster!

* * *

<So this is the store, Emi?>

I was currently in front of a small shop located down a narrow alleyway branching off from Yoshankas main street.

Like the surrounding houses, it was a stone building with an aged wooden sign reading Kansenya hanging from the roof.

The merchandise displayed inside ranged from plates and swords to vegetables and wooden Topopolock figurines quite the unrefined assortment. But looking closer towards the backthere it was! Salt!

<While salt does seem to be sold hereif they refuse to sell it to you, you cant buy any, can you? Are you sure about this?>

Fufufun, fufun!

Take a look at that old granny minding the store, Extra-sama!

<You mean the elderly woman bundled in a blanket, dozing off in her chair at the back of the shop?>

Thats the one!

Doesnt she seem kind~?

And shes probably quite elderly too, so her eyesight may have deteriorated!

If I properly conceal my hair, she might not even realize Im a cursed child!

<I see. So shes a prime target granny, is what youre saying?>

Well, Ive never heard that particular idiom of prime target granny before, but

In any case, I should definitely be able to buy salt at this store!

Without further ado, I entered and picked up a bag of salt, bringing it to the old granny.

Good afternoon.

A polite greeting.

Mrrhmm? Fwaah, a customer?

The old granny let out a big yawn before rousing herself.

Then, rubbing her eyes while squinting at me intently, she

Gyaaaaaaah!! A cursed child~~~~!!

shrieked loudly.

..Huh?

<Emi, I think this might not work after all!!>

That outfit! The cloth wrapped around your head! Youre that cursed child whos been wandering around Yoshanka recently!

W-Well, you see

No point denying it! Your appearance matches perfectly with the Beware of Cursed Child notice posted on the town bulletin board!

Theres a notice like that!?

Im not some wild bear!!

Get out! Get out of here! I dont have anything to sell a cursed child! Trying to bring me misfortune!?

The old granny snatched the bag of salt from me, grabbed a handful from inside, andflung it right at me!

Dont come back for at least two days!

More and more salt pelted me in rapid succession.

Uwah, what a waste! What a terrible waste~!

At this rate it wont even be sellable anymore!

Not wanting to waste it, I started licking the salt off the floor. Lick lick lick!

<H-Hey Emi, in this world having salt thrown at you signifies the highest form of rejection and insult! Licking up that salt might be going too far!>

Eh, is that how it is in this world too?

In my previous life, having salt thrown at a customer to drive them out carried a similar nuance

<Then all the more reason not to lick it up, right!? Right? Actually, this is derived from a legend about how the hero drove off the massive slug monster Aonaa by sprinkling salt on it centuries ago. So in other words, youre being treated like a slug! By the way, that legend also gave rise to the phrase salt for Aonaa which>

Wait, what kind of nitpicky legend is that?

<The person licking the floor shouldnt be the one nitpicking! Im the one nitpicking here!>

Thats enoughget out of hereee~~~!

Displaying surprising agility contrasting her appearance, the old granny unleashed a kick that sent my lightweight body flying out of the store.

Dont come back again!

Hmph!

I wasnt planning to come to this crappy store again anyway! Blegh!

Blegh! Blegh! Blegh!

Ah~~ so salty.

<Honestly Emi, you can be incredibly stupid sometimes>

Dont need to tell me twice, Extra-sama.

* * *

And so, my great salt shopping operation ended in failure.

Living in society really is difficult.

As I trudged back out onto the main street from the alley, I heard:

Out of the way! Move it!!

Donn!!

Then a sudden impact.

Oww.

The moment I emerged onto the main road, some huge guy rushing by knocked me flat on my back.

Though I said oww, I didnt actually feel any pain at all.

My body wouldnt sustain so much as a scratch from such a minor collision.

Im confident that even if hit by a car right now, I wouldnt die.

But still, no matter how distracted I was on my end, to just barrel someone over without any apology is quite rude, dont you think? And he just kept going too.

With my mentality growing increasingly callous lately, I couldnt help but leak out some killing intent for a momentbut, hm?

Looking past where the man had rushed off, there was a trail of blood splatters left in his wake.

I instinctively turned my gaze to follow him.

On the mans back was another limp man he seemed to be carrying.

A large gash spanning from his right shoulder to his back.

Severely injured.

Doctor! Doctor! Emergency!!

The huge man who had knocked me over charged straight into the magic clinic adjacent to the Adventurers Guild branch.

<It seems some incident has occurred.>

With my interest piqued, I joined the crowd of onlookers and dashed to the clinic windows, eavesdropping while peering inside.

Though the sea winds and crowd murmurs made it difficult to hear, my super hearing managed to catch snippets of the conversation within.

Th-This is grave! Quickly, bring me a potion! We must first stabilize his condition before magical treatment!

Yes, sensei!

An elderly man in a white coat-like garment laid the severely injured man onto a bed.

A female assistant hurriedly opened a cabinet, retrieving a vial of pale bluish liquid which she brought to the white-coated man.

Partner! Stay strong, stay with me, partner!

The huge man who had knocked me over gripped the injured mans hand, desperately calling out to him.

Beside them, the white-coated man sprinkled the potion over the gaping wound.

There, the potion! Goodgood, we made it in time.

Ah, ah, partner! Partnerrr!

A soft glow then emanated from the wound area as the bleeding stopped and bodily regeneration began.

Seemingly relieved that his partners life had been saved, the huge man collapsed limp on the spot.

Still, what a terrible injury. I wonder what could have happened?

While administering magical treatment with his palm over the wound, the white-coated man inquired of the huge man.

We wereharvesting Togdo eggs up north by the cliffs. Thenit appeared!

It??

It?

<What is it, I wonder?>

A red Togdo! Listen, doctor, Togdo are supposed to be solitary, right!? Even if spotted, theyd lose interest in humans if you just hid for a bit and fly off somewhere else, right!?

The huge man recounted while trembling, grasping his head with both hands.

Butthe ones around that thing were different!

What do you mean?

It was hell! Every time that red Togdo called out, the others attacked us relentlessly, like they were being commanded!

You dont mean!

Thats whythats why my partner got!

I seeso a dangerous special specimen appeared! You there, quickly inform the Adventurers Guild branch! We need to suspend all Togdo egg harvesting requests for now!

Yes, sensei!

The female assistant hurriedly scurried out, her footsteps pattering away.

Hmm, it seems some dangerous monster has appeared up north by the cliffs.

That old man must have rushed back in a panic after it injured his partner.

Well, at least his partner was saved, thats good.

As the white-coated man continued the magical treatment, their conversation went on.

To safely harvest eggs, that special specimen will need to be eliminated firstwe should consider what adventurer rank would be required. Speaking of which, if you were out harvesting eggs yourself, you must be an adventurer too? As a reference, what rank are you?

Rank 54

Low!?

Wait, adventurer ranks go down that far!?

<If I recall, there are supposedly 100 ranks total.>

Thats way too finely divided!!

Too low to be of any reference

Kuh

Now that I think about it, you did have a 3rd rank adventurers certification, didnt you?

Yes, sensei!

The assistant is Rank 3!?

Hold on a moment? You said you were Rank 54, didnt you? But then how were you able to evade the relentless Togdo attacks and flee all the way here?

Ah! Thats right, I nearly forgot!

The huge man hurriedly stood up.

WeWe were rescued! That brat became a decoy to let us escape all on his own! We need to put in a rescue request for him!

That brat? Who exactly?

Dont know his name! Just some arrogant silver-haired kid!

Its Kamasse, isnt it.

<Its probably Kamasse, yes.>

That kid was strong! Skilled with both magic and swordsbut against such overwhelming numbers, no matter how strong, theres no way he could keep fighting forever

That was about where the huge mans account ended, at least from what I overheard.

Because at that point, I had already started running towards the northern cliffs.

<Youre going to help, arent you?>

Obviously, Extra-sama.

Kamasse is a good guy.

Sure, there were times his actions made me wonder if he was a bit crazy, like drawing his sword on me, a girl years his junior, or his foul language.

But in the end, he acknowledged his mistakes and even apologized to me despite me being a cursed child.

Hes an incredibly good person.

Serious and diligent, with promising potential as a future adventurer.

A good person like that doesnt deserve to die in some place like this.

He also treated me to yakitori, after all!

I sprinted like the wind through Yoshankas main street heading north.

Maintaining that momentum, I used Silverfish to scale the outer walls and leapt off into the wasteland beyond.

My destination the northern cliffs, the sheer seaside precipice.

The nesting grounds of the massive Togdo birds.

I wont let him die.

Not this time.

Ill protect someone Ive come to like!

That was my sole driving thought.

Which is why I failed to notice.

The gaze keenly observing me as I dashed up and over the outer walls, leaving town.

Naturally, I also missed the malicious intent imbued within.