Chapter 35 of Shieldbro, Tanuki, and Firo

Boy that was an annoying chapter, I fucking hate explanations......
Oh well.

Chapter 35

Naofumi: "Hm?"

About an hour before arriving at the next village, I heard a strange sound while working in the carriage.
There are wheezing sounds coming from a carriage next to ours. When I look outside, I saw a man with an impatient expression on his face, holding onto a bag.

Naofumi: "What's the rush?"

The key to being proficient in business is the ability to act curious.

Naofumi: "Hey, you over there, what’s wrong?"
Villager: "I need to return to the village on the other side of the mountain quickly."
Naofumi: "Why are you in such a rush to return to the village over there?"

The man wanted to buy medicine for his parents but Firo ran past him.

Villager: "Yes, every second counts."

I understand the circumstances of this man who caught up to my carriage.
Hmm...The cost of getting to the other side of the mountain should be around 50 coppers.

Naofumi: "Firo, how fast can you get there if you go at top speed?"
Firo: "Uhmm, let's see… If I were to run without pulling the carriage we would arrive quickly."
Naofumi: "Understood."

I glanced at Raphtalia who read my mind and nodded.

Naofumi: "I'll take you there for 1 silver is that fine?"
Villager: "Eh!?"

The man has a shocked expression.

Villager: "I just bought medicine, I don't have any more money..."
Naofumi: "One silver is already cheap you know? You can repay me with medical herbs when we get there. That's my final offer."
Villager: "In that case......"
Naofumi: "Alright it's done. Firo!"
Firo: "Okay~!"

Firo leaves the carriage on the side of the road and turns around.
I pick up the man and put him in the wagon on Firo's back.

Villager: "Uwah!"

Firo carries the wagon with both hands and dashed at full speed.
Raphtalia is waving away from the carriage.

Firo: "I'm leaving!"
Villager?: "Oh!"

Dotadotadota!
When Firo runs seriously, she is two times faster than an average Philorial.
We arrived at the man's house in the village across a mountain in no time.

Villager: "What frightening speed......"
Naofumi: "Don't you need to give your parent the medicine? Don't drop it."
Villager: "Oh, right!"

The man enters the house. I enter after him as I have yet to receive my compensation.
It is a very normal house in a farming village.
I heard coughing sounds as I stepped inside.

Villager: "Mom, I brought medicine. Endure it and drink."

As I walked towards the voice, I saw a pale old woman who looks as if she is about to die at any time.
What medicine is that, the effects seem greater than any I know.
Hm...

Naofumi: "Hey. Before you let her drink it, boil it in hot water first."
Villager: "Is that ok?"
Naofumi: "Pass me the medicine"

I received the medicine from the man and fed it to the old woman while rubbing her back.
The skill Medical effect Up seems to be working.

Old woman: "Cough...... Cough......"

The old woman somehow managed to finish the medicine.
In my eyes, I can see some light scattering.
Apparently it was pretty effective.
The old woman's condition seems to have improved by leaps and bounds. Some redness returned to her complexion and her coughing has decreased.

Naofumi: "You should rest for a while. Your son will bring you food immediately."

The old woman looks up at me while trembling.

Naofumi: "Now then."

I leave for the kitchen where the man is.

Villager : "Oh, did she drink it properly?"
Naofumi: "Yeah, her condition seems to have stabilised as well."

The man's shoulders sag in relief at my answer.

Naofumi: "You can pay me later."
Villager: "Okay"

I leave the house and head to where Firo is waiting.
Before we leave the village, the man's expression becomes tense.

Villager: "Um..."
Naofumi: "What’s up?"

I answered the man while packing up peddling goods.

Villager: "Because of you, mother's complexion has improved remarkably."
Naofumi: "It’s not necessary for you to thank me."

I have a bad reputation, so if people hear this, they will be doubtful.

Villager: "At least tell me your name."
Naofumi: "I have no reason to tell you. The medicine did all the work. Now, bring a silver piece or some suitable herbs."
Villager: "O-okay!"

The man brought some items and some food from his house and gave it to me.

Naofumi: "Thanks, best regards and see you later."
Villager: "Thank you very much!"

The man seems to be a lot more cheerful.
As a side note, on my next visit, the old woman seems to have become very energetic... Maybe a little bit too energetic for an old woman.

I got back on the wagon as we return and begin compounding medicine while translating the intermediate recipe book.
The intermediate recipe book seems to be easier to translate than the magic book.
I was exhausted after being able to barely translate a treatment potion.
I've gotten pretty far.
Various things have happened in this past month, I wonder if I can meet my brother some time…
(tl note: He has a brother? or is it just my shit translations? "ここ一ヶ月色々あって忘れていたが、もしも生きて弟に会えたら何か言ってやるのも良いかもしれな い")

Raphtalia: "Naofumi-sama, I've finished selling items."

We arrived at the village sometime in between evening and afternoon.

Naofumi: "Can you take this baggage and letter to the next village?"
Raphtalia: "Sure"

I get off the carriage and load the baggage.
This luggage must not be worth much to trust an unknown peddler with it.
Since it might be stolen, it should be full of cheap things.
Well, it's not my problem since I can earn some pocket change.
I continue from village to village, town to town in this manner.
If I feed someone medicine directly, it seems the effects do improve.
After two weeks, I've become famous for being a peddler with a rare demon.
As my credibility increases, customers who want a ride also increase.
I've been saving up money slowly.
There's some merit in being a travelling peddler.
First is being able to sell medicine smoothly.
Then, any demons that were defeated on the way were absorbed, increasing my stats.
On this trip, I found out that every region has different demons.
As a result of peddling, my shield seems to be getting stronger.

I also overheard various information.
I didn't know what the other heroes, Motoyasu, Ren, and Itsuki were doing before.

Motoyasu seems to be in south-western region, I heard he solved a famine for a village by providing some legendary crop.
That knowledge seems to have come from a game.

Ren is in the south-east region where atrocious devils are residing. It seems there's a rumour about him dealing with a violent dragon.

And Itsuki... Well, he seems to have brought down a tyrant in a small country to the north.
But there's no evidence of who Itsuki took down. There are also vague rumours that claim Itsuki of the Bow is the strongest hero.

Before I came to this strange world, I read about the 4 holy weapons and the events that are happening resembled what I read...

The journey continues with these thoughts.
Our levels after two weeks.

Me Lv 34
Raphtalia Lv 37
Firo Lv 32

We have grown.
Firo's growth is abnormal because she is a demon...
Especially her physical abilities, before she needed both hands (Wings?) to pull the carriage, now she can do it with 1 while yawning.
(Tl note: 両手（翼？）<= that's in the actual chapter.)
The person in question says.

Firo: "This carriage is too light, my motivation is dropping."

Oh well. That's a good thing
It seems the Status Up bonuses from my shield is effective.
Though there are other changes.

Pickaxe Shield
Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: Mining Skill 1

Crystal Ore Shield
Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: Craft Skill 1

I wonder. When we arrived at a prosperous mining town, I found a broken pickaxe on the road and absorbed some crystal ore which was thrown away.
Although these two skill bonuses seem good for making money, I lack information.
If I fail in processing some ore, it would become trash, I think a recipe would be necessary.
In the first place, I had to solve the intermediate recipe book I got.
The deciphering was completed in 2 weeks. There were 3 weeks before that when I couldn't understand anything and had a staring contest with the book.

Antidote
Herbicide
Healing Ointment
Treatment Medicine (Already able to make)
Nutritional Supplement (Already able to make)
Gunpowder
Strong acid
Magic Power water
Soul Healing Medicine
Insecticide

That is what I have deciphered so far. The basic of the intermediate class is that the effects change depending on how it's mixed.
Although I can't be certain, understanding the recipe seems to provide a bonus.
I let my shield absorb some of the intermediate recipe book.
And the results were.

Book Shield
Unsealing completed……Equipment Bonus: Magical Power Up (Small)

Yup. I had high hopes that an intermediate recipe shield would appear. It seems to be a waste.
Besides, the defence is very low.
However, during the next morning, when I finished deciphering the Intermediate Recipe book.

Demon treants appeared, which were quickly dealt with and then absorbed.

Requirement for Trent Shield has been released.
Requirement for Blue Trent Shield has been released.
Requirement for Black Trent Shield has been released.




Treant Shield
Unsealing completed……Equipment Bonus: Plate Appraisal 2

Blue Treant Shield
Unsealing completed……Equipment Bonus: Intermediate Compound Recipe 1

Black Treant Shield
Unsealing completed……Equipment Bonus: Half Compounding

Is this some kind of bullying?
Right after I finished deciphering that book too!
All I learned was the Heal Ointment? Perhaps, those monsters are materials for a recipe.
I cried when recipe 2 and 3 pops up.
I don't know how to make gunpowder, but it seems these treants are materials for herbicide and the healing ointment.
It seems that gunpowder can be substituted with some king flammable grass called Crackling grass.
I experiment with the gunpowder by collecting it into bags and creating make-shift bombs.
After setting the bags on fire, I hurl them at an enemy.
After throwing it, I dive to the side. Oh my, it seems the power of the bombs was terrible, it just burnt the bag and turned to ash.
It seems I'm not even allowed to attack with tools such as bombs. That's actually kind of amazing.

The strong acid that I store in a glass bottle seems to be a little less acidic than sulphuric acid.
This is not a medical herb, but it seems I can mix it with water. I don't know what I can do with this yet so I'll just let my shield absorb it.

The Magic Power water restores magical power when drunk. But, the materials are rare and hard to get.
It is an expensive medical herb. If I create this, I should sell it.
The Soul Healing Medicine seems to restore SP. It also seems to be rare and difficult to prepare.

Insecticide was easy. I just dissolve and mix grass that repels insects until it hardens.
Of the new recipes I learnt, the antidote, heal ointment and insecticide seems to be popular.
However, the herbicide seems to only sell in small quantities since people don't need that much.
I let my shield absorb the extras.

Requirement for Anti Poison Shield has been released.
Requirement for Glyphosate Shield has been released. (Tl note: http://i.imgur.com/t82ZsY2.jpg LOL)
Requirement for Medicine Shield has been released.
Requirement for Plant Fire Shield has been released.
Requirement for Killer Insect Shield α has been released.




Anti Poison Shield
Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: Defence Power 5


Glyphosate Shield
Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: 5% Damage Reduction from Plants


Medicine Shield
Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: Medicine Effect Range Expansion (small)

Plant Fire Shield
Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: Fire Resistance (Small)


Killer Insect Shield α
Unsealing completed… Equipment Bonus: 3% Damage Reduction from Insects

Perhaps I originally would have received the anti-poison shield, for Poison Resistance (Intermediate) but that probably changed because I acquired the Chimeric Viper Shield first.
The skills that I have acquired change due to the fact that I already have it, so instead of replacing the current skill, it gets replaced by something new.
I am also confused as to what the range expansion from the Medicine shield does.
Does it make it so that medicine is effective at a range or will be it effective to its surroundings?

I think the latter makes it way too convenient.
I wonder if the Plant Fire Shield is also effective against magic.
What Is Glyphosate? It's the chemical name for an herbicide. As for the Killer Insect Shield α... Maybe it will turn into Killer Insect Shield β if I increase the amount of herbs mixed.
The effect of reducing damage from specific enemies seems to be convenient.

The problem is deciphering the magic book.
It seems to be considerably difficult.
Raphtalia seems to have gotten the hang of it, but she can't use any magic effectively yet.
A ball of light floats in front of Raphtalia for a few seconds.
You're making this prestigious hero look bad.
Therefore, after Raphtalia goes to sleep, I asked Firo to use transformation magic.
Though it's difficult to call that magic, I am grasping at straws.

Firo: "Uhmm. Imagine what you want to become and feel the power gushing from the bottom of your body."

Yup. I completely don't understand.
I'm done thinking.
It seems that even after deciphering characters to read, I can't use magic.
I can't get the feeling of magic flowing since I am originally from a world without magic.
Still... I must learn magic.
I must live up to the expectations of that magic shop aunty.

Not participating in a wave would be a problem. Since no one else is protecting the villages and towns, it has become my job.
Sooner or later, being able to use magic might make a difference.
Though there is also the option of buying a crystal ball, a book is much cheaper.
Therefore, recently while riding the carriage, I've been groaning with a magic book in one hand.
It seems Raphtalia's explanation on magical power is the same as Firo's, it’s a feeling in your body that comes from the soul.
The feeling of sensing magical power that even Firo has, what kind of sense is that?
I continuously ponder that question in my head.

Oh well, such are the results of two weeks.