Middle-aged Adventurer Kein’s Good Deed Chapter 22

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Chapter 22 – Kuko Village

Kuko Village was located down by the foot of Mount Kuko.

It seems like it actually had a long name like Ville something or other, but since it was the only village at the foot of Mount Kuko, everyone just called it Kuko Village. Hunters seeking game from the mountain, wood cutters, carpenters and wood craftsmen all lived together in the little village. Right now, the village seemed to be in a spot of trouble.

“Are you alright? I'll get the herbs out right away.”

York-san wasn't the only injured one there. All the woodcutters and hunters returning from the forest had suffered some injury or another. Not only that, but the fact that the goblins on the mountain were multiplying far faster than expected turned it into a dire situation.

Kein diligently started to treat the injuries with herbs.

“Thank you. It's as if Kein-san is the healing buddha himself.” 1

“No not at all, I just happened to pick these herbs today is all.”

Kein put a kettle on the fire and made an herbal infusion. They were a fry cry from the potions made with holy magic and techniques, but drinking them would relieve pain, and sped up healing.

“Papa, I'm hungry.”

A small child was pulling on York's s.h.i.+rt sleeve. It was York's granddaughter, Kachia.

“Sorry, it's my fault, you shouldn't ever feel hungry. It's because gramps couldn't chop wood to sell…”

A pained expression came over York's face as he looked at his granddaughter.

Was this the reason you pushed yourself to work so hard, even to the point of it being so unreasonable?

“Little lady, if you're hungry, then you should eat this.”

Kein took out some bread from his own pack and gave it to Kachia.

Kachia held the large loaf of bread in both her hands and munched on it greedily.

“Thanks, uncle!”

“Eat it slowly, now. It might be a little tough, so soak it in the herbal infusion until it's soft, then you can eat it.”

“Kein, this is too…”

“It's fine. I ate back in the city, so I'm not hungry. I also gathered some edible nuts from the trees, you're welcome to those too.”

He had packed some stuff, intending to eat it for lunch but, couldn't resist a child's smiling face.

I'm glad I didn't eat them and hung onto them instead, thought Kein.

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“Kein, my son is a carpenter who goes to work in the city. When he goes out to build houses, he always makes sure to tell me. You may be just an old man that can't ensure your hungry grandkids will always eat their fill but, I'm convinced that you're never ungrateful.”

York spoke with a serious expression. Kein smiled and responded in kind.

“Then during those times, I'll make sure to look out for York.”

Shortly after that cries of, “Don't be afraid to call on us too!” rang out from the other village hunters and wood cutters. The people of Kuko village were all simple and good-natured people.

“Well then.”

Kein stood up, then set off toward the place he had heard described by the villagers, where adventurers were gathering to launch an attack on the goblin lair.

“Hey, Kein-san's here!”

“Really? This will already be an easy victory then, huh?”

The adventurers raised their voices, becoming excited. Kein, with a bitter smile spreading across his face thought that because of that incident from before, they're convinced I'm somehow strong.

With Kein included, there were a total of 108 brave men gathered in order to take down the goblin's lair. There were adventurers, along with those who were naturally strong, and plenty of young people from Kuko village.

Kein could see the the C rank party he was acquainted with, “The Bear Killers”. In the middle of everyone, he also spotted the “Comet Chasers”, an A rank party well known in Erun City.

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“Kein-san, glad you showed up. The current situation is something like this.”

Randal, the leader of the C rank party “The Bear Killers”, explained while holding a map in his hands.

Kein looked up at the giant, with his aggressive looking face and closely trimmed brown hair. Despite his looks, Randal was a gentle and kind man. He was an axe warrior, who singlehandedly defeated a Big Bear monster, and had “Bear Killer” engraved on his prized great-axe.

Randal was explaining that right now, it seems they were trying to scout out exactly where the goblin lair was. Then, when the lair was finally found, they would use a simple strategy of attacking all at once with their main force.

“If it's scouting work, I can help there. If there's a place where the goblins have built a lair, I can figure it out.”

“Ohh, just as you'd expect of ‘Kein-san, the master of Mount Kuko'. If you can find the lair for us, we'll be saved.”

“Pfft, what the heck is the ‘master of Mount Kuko'. I thought he was just a simple herb hunter.”

As Kein finished speaking, Abel, the A rank leader of the “Comet Chasers”, broke into their conversation.

The young, blue haired hero Abel was wearing a sword on his hip that was supposedly made from a fallen star, the reason for naming his party as such.

“Hey Abel, that's rude!”

The one who spoke out to stop Abel was the “Comet Chasers” very own female thief, Kisara.

She had big, round, greenish blue eyes that seemed cute, and a boyish feel to her blue hair, cut into a short bob.

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“Why would I, ever have to bow down to a D rank!?”

“Regardless of rank, he's your senior in age! Please excuse us, Kein-san. Abel is just angry about the thing that happened before.”

“Ah, it's that then.” said the giant Randal, who understood.

“That's not it!” Abel became exasperated.

The female thief Kisara cut him off, bowed her head down, then explained to Kein in more detail.

“No, actually. Snakehead, the boss of “Two-headed Snake”, was another A rank adventurer, same as Abel. Abel had wanted to personally defeat him, so Kein-san getting to it before him is the reason for his little tantrum, you see.”

“No, it wasn't me who did that though.”

“This again, you don't have to be so modest!”

said Kisara, being overly friendly as she patted Kein on the back.

No, this isn't a matter of “again” thought Kein, becoming fl.u.s.tered.

“Uh-huh, Kein didn't do it alright. It's not like that, yep, we alllll know already.”

The giant Randal said while laughing and looking around at everyone.

(No, I know the truth of what happened but, it feels like I have to hide it. It's gotta stay confidential, but it's really not like that!)

Seeing the fl.u.s.tered Kein receive a lot of attention from everyone made Abel's mouth twist into an unpleasant shape. With a snap, he thrust his finger out toward Kein and yelled,

“If the herb hunter Kein says he can find the goblin's lair, then let him try. But I'm the one who will kill the Goblin Lord first!”

Before Kein could even understand, the excited Abel had challenged Kein of his own accord. Kein didn't know what to say in that position, so he quickly left to go scout.

[Translator's Note]
Thank you for your patience with the updates, everyone. I've included some art for the novel on the discord server!

Hi, Refulgent here, if you like my translations, you can show your support by leaving a comment / constructive feedback at [ Four Slimes . com ] I'd love to hear from you directly~

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Translator's NotesBhaisajyaguru, commonly referred to as the “Medicine Buddha” is described as a doctor who cures dukkha (suffering) using the medicine of his teachings.