The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick up Trash - Volume 5 - Chapter 239

Chapter 239:

Forms of Address Are Important

I pressed my hands to my red cheeks and protested, “Mr. Druid, don’t talk like that about me!”

I decided I needed to give him a stern warning. He had been teasing me a lot more than usual lately.

“Come on, I wasn’t making fun of you.”

“Lies!”

“I’m speaking from the heart! It’s not teasing. I really do think you’re adorable.”

I really wish he’d stop that. My eyes darted nervously around until they landed on Tableau, who looked a little conflicted. I wonder what’s wrong?

“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell us, but…why did you two come to this village? And what’s your relationship?”

Why did he have to ask that?

“We come from a town called Oll. Ivy saved my life, so I’m traveling with her right now. If you need to know more, ask the guild in Oll. The guild master there knows us both.”

I saved his life? That’s a bit extreme.

“She saved your life?” Tableau looked thoughtfully back and forth between me and Druid. Druid just shrugged his shoulders, but I had no idea what was going on, so I stared at Tableau. “Forgive me… Looks like I was wrong,” he said. “Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”

Um…about what? I shot Druid a confused look.

“Captain Tableau, Ivy can’t possibly feel uncomfortable. She didn’t even understand what you meant.”

Druid just called Tableau “Captain.” Maybe I should call him Captain, too? But I just don’t get what they’re talking about. I should make sure I understand, right? I don’t want to cause some misunderstandings later because I don’t know what’s going on.

“Excuse me, but…what are you talking about?” I know it’s about me, but what is it?

“Um, how should I put it…” Captain Tableau looked uncomfortable, so I turned to Druid for an answer.

“Ivy, you and I look like we’re father and daughter, don’t we?”

“Yeah.”

People told us that during our travels. They’d say things like “Oh, you and your daughter are so cute together.” It made me feel good to hear that.

“But you don’t call me ‘Dad,’ you call me by name instead, so that confuses the people we meet. If I weren’t your father, then you’d at least call me ‘Uncle,’ and we’re way too far apart in age to be friends.”

Oh, now I get it! If he really were my father, I wouldn’t call him by name. That would make our relationship kind of confusing to people.

“By the least-charitable interpretation, I look like someone who’s kidnapped you, Ivy.”

But Druid would never do something like that!

“Yeah, I did wonder that for a minute,” Captain Tableau admitted.

“What?! But why would you do that?” Hearing that some people saw Druid that way was a shock to me. Maybe if I started calling him “Dad,” we’d stop having this problem?

“A huge criminal organization was brought down earlier this summer. The reports said their victims were trafficked, which means some of them might have been taken away in secret. That’s why it’s our policy to check up on people with dubious relationships.”

Oh dear. The organization strikes again.

“Ivy? Um, I’m really sorry.”

Huh? Why is Captain Tableau apologizing? Oh, maybe thinking about that organization put a sour look on my face.

“Um, well, you see, sir, it’s like this…” I should explain it to him, right? But I don’t really wanna.

“It’s okay, Captain Tableau, Ivy wasn’t actually offended.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, really.” And I definitely wasn’t offended by Captain Tableau. He was just doing his job, and it was important to make sure of things.

“Okay.”

“I gotta apologize for my idiot son,” Rose said with a tired sigh.

Tableau frowned slightly. “Mom, I’m only doing my job.”

“Yeah, and ya did your job wrong.”

Captain Tableau fell silent. I got the impression that he could never win an argument against his mother.

“Wait a minute, don’t they have to check everyone who comes through the gate?” I asked.

I knew they used magic items to thoroughly inspect the people who passed through, as well as their guild cards.

“Yes, but some sneaky ones slip through the cracks,” Druid replied, patting my head.

Oh. I guess it isn’t foolproof, then.

“If you have any other questions, would you like to ask ’em in the back room?”

Oh, we’ve been standing by the shop entrance this whole time. Guess we’re getting in her way.

“That’s all right. So you come from Oll?”

“Hm?! Oh, yes, Oll, the town that was terrorized by berserk monsters not long ago.”

“Yes, I heard you folks had a terrible time over there. Did you have enough food? I imagine you had some shortages.”

“Yeah, but we were able to get the townsfolk to eat ryce, so I guess we solved that problem.”

It was almost funny how quickly ryce’s popularity had taken off, though it was probably because food scarcity was so rampant.

“Ryce? You mean animal feed?” Tableau looked astonished. I supposed that was a reasonable reaction.

“Yeah, it’s good. Want to try some?”

“Er, no thanks.”

Guess it’s a hard sell.

“I gotta know more. How d’ya eat it, hon’?”

Wow. I wouldn’t have expected Rose to be interested.

“You steam the ryce, then you form it into balls, stuff them with condiments, and eat them,” Druid explained quickly. I wondered if that was enough for her to get a picture.

“Hm? I don’t get that at all.”

Yeah, I guess people who don’t know what onigiri is would have a hard time of it. Oh, I have an idea!

“Would you like me to make you some?” I’d love to have more rice-eating comrades in my life, and I’d also like to figure out what this village’s mother sauce is like.

“Oh, wouldja?”

“Sure. The rice balls are called onigiri, and I’d love to share the joy with others.”

“Well, then I’d love to have some. Bring enough for me, my husband, and my son.”

Huh? But didn’t Captain Tableau just turn them down? I glanced at him sideways and saw a grimace on his face.

“What’s wrong, Tableau? Ya got somethin’ to say?”

“Er, thanks, but I’m opting out.”

Well, I don’t want to force it on anyone anyway.

“Remember that time years ago when our crops got ruined by all that rain? When winter came, we were short on food. If we’d known back then that we could eat ryce, the kids wouldn’t have had to suffer like they did. Am I wrong?”

The sorrow and bitterness in Rose’s voice made my heart ache.

“Ryce is so easy to grow. Ya just sow it, and you got a bumper crop in no time. Even in that year with all the rain, we still had plenty of ryce. That was part of what saved this village, though. We fed it to the moos.”

“You’re right,” her son conceded. “I definitely don’t want another tragedy like that. Ivy, would you bring us some ryce?”

“Of course, sir.”

If I wanted to get them to think of rice as an emergency food source, maybe I should have them cook it with me instead of just bringing them some. The water levels really changed the way rice cooked, and they’d also need to learn how to properly adjust the flame.

“Captain Tableau, Rose, would you like to cook the ryce with me?”

“What?” they both asked.

“You know, that’s a good idea. There’s a trick to cooking ryce well. If you want to know how to cook it in case of an emergency, it’d be better for you to watch Ivy and learn.” Druid seemed to be on the same page as me.

“Ya got a point. Knowin’ ya can eat it is one thing; knowing how to cook it is a whole ’nother matter.” Now Rose seemed to understand as well. I looked at Tableau.

“Um, well…”

Hm?

“Well, Tableau may be skilled, but he’s a dunce when it comes to cookin’,” Rose explained. “No matter how many times I teach him, everything he cooks is awful.”

Tableau’s eyes shifted awkwardly. Rattloore was just as insecure about cooking as he was. I remembered how he cooked me soup once, since he felt bad about me cooking for him all the time, but I wouldn’t let him do it again because, well…his soup was a lovely gesture of his feelings, but I sure struggled to fix its flavor afterward.

“As long as the instructions are simple, I’ll be okay cooking this…I hope.”

Um…I sense incredible insecurity from this one.

“Er, well, it is a little hard to cook, so you don’t have to learn if you don’t want to. Maybe bring someone who’s good at cooking with you instead?”

“Pfft!” Druid spat.

“Ha ha ha ha!” Rose guffawed.

I’m sorry, Captain Tableau. I was trying to help you save face, I swear. I didn’t mean any harm.