Okami Wa Nemuranai

Waking up, Lecan soaked his towel in water left in the washbasin and wiped his body. Once the towel gathered enough dirt, he wrung it into another washbasin. He did it four times more and used the last of the water to wash his face.

As there's no upscale things such as a desk here, Lecan had his meals on the bed. With food he bought and stuffed inside <Storage> yesterday.

He put on some prime and proper clothes and left the inn.

Since it's getting bothersome to hold the bag on his right hand, he puts it inside <Storage> behind a cover. He <Stored> his sword as well. And now he's holding nothing.

Lecan doesn't feel too good walking around in downtown with such defenseless attires. All the more when a woman with monstrous mana is waiting at his destination. No, not a woman. It's something that takes the form of a woman.

Getting close to that something while being this defenseless invites nothing but worries.

If this were a forest or a dungeon, a chance encounter with a powerful enemy would be no problem at all. He simply needs to fight. If he's stronger, the enemy will die, vice-versa, and he's the one dying. Either way, it will end in a conclusion.

Yet, in a downtown like this, just standing around without any mean to attack or defend himself before an overwhelmingly powerful foe is just awkward.

And yet, he has to learn how to make magic potions from that monstrous something somehow.

"Oh hey, you're here. OK then, let's go on a trip."

"What?"

"You wanted to learn how to make magic potion no?"

"I do."

"Then, first of all, I've got to teach how to gather the raw materials, aka herbs. Fortunately, many kinds of herbs grow all around this town. That's why I'm staying here actually."

"I see."

"So go change to some traveling-friendly clothing, you."

"Now?"

"Now."

Lecan doesn't want to let her know about <Storage>.

As such, for a moment he considered pretending to go back to the inn to grab his luggage.

But he refrained.

It's not possible to hide all of his abilities from Shira.

Then he should prioritize hiding abilities that he has to hide at all cost, and reveal abilities that are difficult to hide or those he doesn't mind letting Shira know.

"Mind if I change here."

"Yeah, I'll be right outside the door. Come on out once you're done changing."

Lecan put on his favorite black clothes and wore the Overking Bear overcoat.

And then he ponders a bit.

--Shira said 'travel-friendly clothing', but she probably means that from human's point of view.

He took a bag, stuffed it with some random things, took his sword and sheath and hung it on his waist.

"I'm done."

"Then, let's go."

"You're not locking the door."

"If the door is locked, Jericho wouldn't be able to go buy his favorite snack, don't you feel sorry for him?"

"The ape... the ape magic beast, is going out, to buy food, himself?"

"He's got his favorite stores, you know."

"Won't someone steal your medicine if you let the door open?"

"I mean, there's no lock to begin with. If you're worried about the pots on shelves, I've put some tricks on them. Those can't be taken out."

"What about the herbs in the garden. Anyone could break those hedges if they just so wish."

"All the herbs in my garden are difficult to handle. Nobody else would purchase them. Besides, most are toxic, anyone who gets in the garden would experience the time of their life. Both thieves and neighboring brats have all figured that out. Oh and just for your information, Jericho is in charge of watering those plants, see."

"The ape is taking care of herbs huh."

The two walked to the east gate.

That's fine and all, but Shira is wearing casual clothes no matter how you look at it.

However, Lecan did not inquire her about it.

"Well then, listen. Once we get out of the town, my lesson about herb gathering will take about 20 days. So, if you go straight from the gate for about five thousands steps, you'll find a shallow river to the left. Could you wait near that river."

"Got it."

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka.com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

He did as he was told.

Lecan waited on the shallow river bank for a while but he got bored and thus started doing maintenance on his weapons.

Soon after, a female adventurer went down the bank.

A young beautiful woman.

She's wearing slightly exposed easy-to-move clothing, with a short sword hanging on her waist.

The woman ignored Lecan as she got to the riverside, scooped water with her hands and washed her face.

Lecan finished tending his weapons, stood up and called out to the woman from behind her.

"You're late. So where are we going now."

The woman turned around to him with surprised look on her face.

"Hold on there. You, do you know me?"

"Did we not just part ways earlier. Have you gone senile, Shira."

"No uh, my appearance should look completely different than before though."

"I had seen that form when we first met."

"You, you were a bearer of magic eyes?"

"Magic eyes?"

"Ah no, let's talk about that later. Over here."

Shira began to run. Her speed was ordinary at first, but as they got deeper into the forest with no worry of being seen by other people, she gradually accelerated, and eventually reached a terrifying speed. Lecan followed after her easily at first. But as they ran and ran without taking a break, his fatigue accumulated and he eventually struggled to run well. They took a break once in the afternoon, but Lecan hadn't recovered his fatigue yet. He frantically chased after Shira who kept running relentlessly. And when his stamina was about to reach its limit, Shira finally halted.