Tensei Shoujo no Rirekisho was written by Karasawa Kazuki and this chapter was translated by yAmi on www.yamitranslations.com
The place where I was brought on the bandits’ horse was an ordinary village with nothing unusual. The Sun had already set and the place was clad entirely in darkness so there weren’t many villagers outside.
“D-don’t tell me this is another village they plan on pillaging from?” That was my initial thought. Nevertheless, there were some villagers who should be night watchers, doing their night patrols and when they saw the skinhead, they greeted him with “Welcome back” “You’ve worked hard!”, so this must be the bandits’ village.
The skinhead’s bandit party arrived at the village, dropped off their loot and gathered at old man’s (likely to be the village chief) house together with 4 other people who looked like they were part of the management team of the bandits. For some strange reason, they brought me along as well. That being said, I am still tied up. What poor treatment for a young child. This is truly the work of the demon! No, more like the deeds of the bandits.
The old man (likely the chief) was probably still asleep up till now and was blinking his eyes repeatedly. I could feel that he was a kind and good-natured old man. That he was the village chief despite so makes him all the more amazing.
“Chief, on the way back from hunting, we spotted a merchant’s coach, raided it but we messed up big time. The coach that we attacked appears to be owned by an aristocrat that has blood relations with the house of the Rainforest. We even found a family crest that indicates the identity of the Earl of the Rainforest family, and the owner of the coach had black hair and pea-green eyes too. So there is no mistake about it.”
The skinhead reported gravely with a shaken expression to the village chief and gulped down the cup of wine that had been prepared for him.
Was he referring to Claude-san when he said black hair and peagreen eyes?
The chief drank a sort-of tea with a *siiip*. At the same time, he took a breath of relief and asked “Then was it a success?” in a barely audible voice.
Is this village chief alright? Is he really the boss of the bandits? He looks like he might just drop dead and die though.
“The loot that we plundered wasn’t anything great and it would have been preferable if we didn’t get involved at all but the youngsters weren’t successful in their hunting and had been impertinent. Well, I suppose this won’t happen but it is possible that the Rainforest Lords would dispatch a bandit subjugation team on us.”
The village chief responded “Hiii” in a feeble voice.
He was still rapidly blinking his eyes moments ago so I guess he had gotten a shock from what the skinhead had reported. Quite likely.
“Well, we have zero intention to cause trouble here so rest assured. Either way, we had long intended to leave this place. Sorry, we might be taking some of the able-bodied chaps in this village too, you don’t mind would ya?”
*Glares*. The skinhead glared directly into the village chief to confirm things. Please treat the elderly with care!!
“Hii, nay worries.” (TN: this is my attempt at translating this old guy’s かまいましぇん)
The village chief was still speaking in his feeble voice and seemed to have acknowledged the hierarchical relationship between them somehow. It can be seen that the bandits’ village chief is not necessarily the boss of the bandits after all.
To have gone to the extent of exerting authority over him, please treat this old man more kindly! Also, treat this child (me) kindly too!
“By the way, we will depart by midnight. By daybreak, the spirit users might be able to track us.”
The old man nodded his head sluggishly and left his house. The villagers seemed to have called for him too.
“Incidentally, leader. Are we bringing this fella along too? ”
The monkey-faced person who had tied us with rope, whose name was if I remember accurately, Kuwamaru, was pointing at me while asking.
What a coincidence Monkeyface-san. I have been thinking about the same thing too for some time now.
“Nope, I have been perplexed as to how to handle this kid too.”
Skinhead put his hand on chin and tilted his head to the side in uncertainty while saying.
“Had she been a boy, we could have given her to one of our acquaintance who is in need of labour…… but she is a girl. If she had good proportions, we could have sent her to a brothel, but her figure is, how shall I put it, not too bad but not so great either…… ain’t no pretty flower yeah. She has eyes of a dead frog too.”
What! R-rude!
Nevertheless, no matter how, this is a route that avoids the path of the brothel. I never had that kind of experience so I would be a little nervous about it. It might be preferable to over exaggerate my eye-popping dead frog look. Well, it’s not like I am doing that on purpose though……
“But what about that, leader. Wasn’t the owner of the coach greatly attached to her? This sort of face might be what those who inclined the other way might prefer.”
*Fuhehe* the monkey made a dirty laugh.
Stop making those unnecessary suggestions, monkey!
“Hmph. There could be that possibility.”
The skinhead leader took another look at me. Don’t be instigated by the monkey, leader!
As the saying goes, when you are confronted with a wild animal, never take your eyes off it. I trembled while continuing to stare at them. Staring like a dead frog.
“Indeed, I had been delayed because of that merchant’s reaction…… What are you really capable of? …… Don’t tell me, you are a mage?”
This question again? I feel like every time I start a new journey, this question would be asked.
Would it be better if I pasted a piece of paper that said “I am no mage” on my chest? How about it?
My mind was assertive but there’s no way I’m going to say that. That’s because the other party is the skinhead.
I straighten my posture in my tied up state.
I wonder what would be the best answer.
The only route I am being shown as of now is the brothel route. Because I want to go on another route, I need to demonstrate my worth in another aspect other than my worth as a female.
“I am no m,mage. But I can do arithmetic, I can read and I have good memory!”
I started off with a bit of a stammer. It can’t be helped since I am being surrounded by them in a threatening manner. I think a stress interview is no good!
The skinhead leader muttered that if I could use magic, I wouldn’t look so much like a servant. He then paused for a moment to think.
“But you can do arithmetic and write? Why are you able to do those?”
“I took lessons together with the young masters at the residence!”
“Hmm. ……Well then, I shall have you bought at a high price at Bashu’s.”
Bashu? A person’s name perhaps? What in the world would happen to me if I was to be purchased there?
“Umm, what would I have to do if I was sold to Bashu-san?”
I had mustered my courage to ask but the skinhead went “Huhh!?” He looked down on me and said, “Ask Bashu when you get sold.”
Hey hey, is there a need to look so fierce whenever I say anything? I am still a 6-years-old here. This guy’s appearance is indeed terrifying.
He had been a foulmouthed delinquent transfer student, but really, I had placed my hopes on the surprise possibility of him flashing a smile as he picked up an abandoned cat. (TN: I believe this is a standard Japanese character)
I had been shuddering because of the skinhead when the door slammed open. Someone with a tall stature stormed in the room while yelling.
“Hey—! What is this about leaving today!? I have been busy with the treatment of the injured villagers because of you all acting violently!!”
This person’s way of speaking was peculiar. When chattering away, his waist would twist and turn and his pinky would be pointing up. The voice was evidently that of a male, yet, there is the reverberation of a failed attempt at using a high-pitched voice.
“K-Kouki? Don’t be so mad, those are just small cuts aren’t they? Well, have a seat.”
“Don’t give me that shit about being small! If we don’t treat yhem properly, it will become a big problem, for crying out loud! Furthermore! Haven’t I told you countless of times, call me Kou-chan!”
Was he a he or a …… she? Skinhead had faltered since he/she entered.
He? He had reddish-brown hair that grew all the way to the nape, just a like a woman, and that it was plaited. She, or wait, he? would twist his waist in an exaggerated motion every time he moved and walk about with his little pinky pointing up. He wore a tightly fitting animal hide vest that covered up to his mid-riff and another similarly tight fitting pants. Among the people I have met in this world, he was definitely the most eccentric one.
I actually know the term to express such a person. He was, most likely, an Onee. An Onee bandit.
Lol
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