Chapter 318: The Feelings of the Vigers Who Say "Thank You" for Being Helped<ol> <li><strong> The Feelings of the Vigers Who Say “Thank You” for Being Helped</strong></li> </ol>
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<em>Zaan…… Zazaan……</em>
From far away, the sound of waves can be heard faintly.
Louder than that is the pping sound of small beetles drawn to the magicmp ced on the desk.
They fly towards themp, bump into the ss with a thud and fall on their backs, get up and charge at themp again.
“…………Haa.”
Vige Chief Toppipappu-gen, brushing away such annoying small beetles, sighed with a tired face, furrowing his brow.
It was alreadypletely dark.
The surroundings were quite dim.
Despite that, what he was ring at, even wearing unfamiliar sses, was the ledger of dried fish sales.
The traditional dried fish of Panemo Vige has been a very popr product since long ago, starting with nearby cities like Jabba-Jabba.
That hasn’t changed even now, and if you take the product, it will definitely sell.
The reason why the vige chief sighs despite that…… is because the taxes are too high.
The tax increase that started in the Daychib Duchy two years ago is truly terrible.
It doesn’t consider the lives of the people at all.
Although Panemo Vige is somehow holding on, ording to rumors, several settlements have already gone under.
Yet, the excuse for that tax increase being “to raise funds for the 80th birthday celebration ceremony of the Duke” isughable.
There’s also a fishy smell to it.
However, even such a foolish reason for a tax increase might actually be done.
Duke Daychib is a person who makes even Vige Chief Toppipappugen, amoner, think that way.
After all, despite what happened to the royal family, he is a decorative duke who had already renounced his right to the throne session and was thoroughly prevented from being involved in national politics.
His credibility as a ruler is almost non-existent.
Until now, even such a decorative duke had a watchdog, and the domain was running smoothly, but……
“…………”
Here, the vige chief lightly shook his head and pushed aside the useless thoughts to a corner of his mind for now.
Leaning against the back of the chair, he stared at the ceiling dimly illuminated by the magicmp.N?v(el)B\\jnn
Now, how to manage and pay the taxes?
The price of dried fish has already been raised as much as possible.
There’s no longer enough savings left to dig into.
Despite that, due to the offerings to the monster that appeared at the cape, a considerable amount of product has disappeared and sales have dropped.
……Nothinges to mind.
It’s a dead end.
Vige Chief Toppipappugen, this time resting his elbows on the desk and slouching, drooped dejectedly.
……It was at that moment.
“Pyurururu……”
From the direction of the sea, certainly.
The cry of that hateful monster was heard.
“……!”
The vige chief quietly stood up and grabbed the spear he had been using since his younger days…… when he was a soldier.
That monster should have basically stayed at the cape.
But it’s……ing near the vige!?
Why in the world!?
Even though we gave it so many offerings…… is it saying it wasn’t enough?
Does it intend to…… destroy the vige?
Don’t screw with me……!
Blood vessels bulge on the vige chief’s forehead in anger!
“V-Vige Chief! It’s terrible!”
And a littleter, the one who vigorously opened the door of the vige chief’s house saying that was Pyunchapong, a young man of the vige.
He is a clever young man whom the vige chief is currently training to be his sessor in the future.
In order not to cause anxiety, Vige Chief Toppipappugen has been hiding the monster at the cape from many vigers, but this young man is one of the few who knows that secret.
“It has……e?”
The vige chief asked that and pursed his lips into a へ shape.
His eyes are sharp and filled with fighting spirit.
Pyunchapong held his breath at the sight of such a vige chief, but he pulled himself together and continued his report.
“Yes…… that’s right, but! That’s not all!”
Pyunchapong shouted that while sweating, but the corners of his mouth were raised.
Seeing that, the vige chief thought, “Oh?”
“Anyway! Anyway,e to the beach, Vige Chief!”
Without fully understanding the situation, Vige Chief Toppipappugen, holding a spear in one hand, was led to the beach near the vige.
The vigers who heard the cry and came had already gathered there, and they were staring at the water’s edge in a daze, holding magicmps and torches.
“Excuse me…… excuse me, what happened?”
“Vige Chief! L-Look at that……!”
Pushing through the crowd and reaching the front row, the vige chief red at where the vigers were pointing with trembling hands.
Seeing what was there, the vige chief unintentionally widened his eyes and let out a scream!
“T-This is!?”
It was…… the corpses of a super giant shrimp and squid.
Delicious-looking…… top-quality dried fish ingredients!
How much high-quality dried fish can be made using this!?
“Pyururururuu!”
At that moment, a familiar cry was heard from offshore.
When he hurriedly turned to look, what was there was indeed the monster from the cape.
It was hidden in the darkness of the night, so only its silhouette could be seen, but…… there was no mistake.
<strong><<<Human folks! >>></strong>
And the next moment.
The vigers on the beach received the monster’s 【Telepathy】 voice that sounded almost innocent.
“Huh!?”
“What is this?”
“I can hear a voice!”
The vigers, unfamiliar with 【Telepathy】, started to make amotion, but the monster continued speaking without minding that.
<strong><<<Thank you for giving me dried fish until now! And I’m sorry! Until Anego told me, I didn’t realize that everyone’s lives were getting harder because of me!>>></strong>
Hearing those words, Vige Chief Toppipappugen opened his mouth nkly and froze.
Until now, he had feared this monster.
He had convinced himself that it was a hateful demon that would threaten and harm the vige with its power.
It took a while for his understanding to catch up to the fact that it was apparently a misunderstanding.
And.
“Anego……?”
Who in the world is this Anego……?
<strong><<<So this shrimp and squid are a share as an apology! Please feel free to use them!>>></strong>
“Oh!?”
“This shrimp and squid…… it’s giving them to us!?”
“Amazing! How much dried fish can we make with this!?”
“We’ll make a fortune!”
“Hey! Go wake up everyone in the vige who’s sleeping! We’re staying up all night! It’s a dried fish festival tonight!”
“I’ll show you my secret art 【Dried Fish Tornado】!”
“Absolutely don’t eat it raw! You’ll get magical power poisoning!”
“Oh, Sea God! Dried Fish God! Thank you!”
“Someone bring barnacle killer just in case! And a shield!”
Hearing the monster’s words, the vigers on the beach all became excited at once!
They hurriedly start preparing to dismantle the shrimp and squid.
<strong><<<Well then, I’m leaving now! Take care!>>></strong>
Vige Chief Toppipappugen nkly saw off the monster swimming away offshore saying that.
And at that moment.
On top of the monster’s head.
A small shadow wriggled and seemed to wave at the vige chief.
“No way.”
Anego.
A small shadow.
That couldn’t possibly be.
It was hard to believe, but.
For some reason, Vige Chief Toppipappugen was convinced.
“…………”
With that.
He dropped the spear he was holding onto the sandy beach and lowered his head.
While the surrounding vigers were having a festivemotion, he alone was quietly, quietly, constantly bowing his head towards the sea.
“What’s wrong? Vige Chief! Crying with joy?”
From behind, Pyunchapong patted his back with a cheerful voice, and finally Vige Chief Toppipappugen raised his face.
And at that moment, he realized for the first time that he was crying.
He roughly wipes away his tears.
“Half joy, half pathetic, I would say……”
“Pathetic?”
Pyunchapong tilts his head.
The vige chief, gazing at the sea that was no longer visible, quietly continued his words.
“I am…… pathetic. This time too, I…… was helped again by the “ck One.” From now on…… from now on, I’ve been thinking and trying my best to protect what’s important to me with my own power since then, but……”
“Why mention the “ck One” here……?”
Not understanding the meaning of the old man’s words spoken in fragments like a monologue, Pyunchapong tilted his head further.
What in the world happened in this vige chief’s past?
Even Pyunchapong hadn’t heard the details.
However.
As the vige chief’s assistant, Pyunchapong had been closely watching this old man’s efforts all along.
So even if he didn’t understand everything in the vige chief’s heart, he had words he wanted to say.
“The vige chief is…… well, indeed, he’s been working hard all along. That’s something all of us vigers know well.”
Patting the old man’s back, Pyunchapong said.
“So this time, you were rewarded. Is that no good?”
“…………”
Receiving those words, Vige Chief Toppipappugen remained silent for a while, but.
“That’s…… right. That’s right.”
Finally, he seemed to have sorted out his feelings.
He straightened his bent back and his face returned to its usual valiant expression.
“In any case.”
And the vige chief bowed his head towards the sea again.
The previous bow was from Toppipappu-gen as an individual.
And this time’s bow was from him as the vige chief.
“Thank you for saving the vige…… little guest.”
<em>Zaan, zazaan……</em>
Of course, there’s no reply.
Only the sound of waves reaches.
Above, the starry sky is shining brilliantly again today.