An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world - Chapter 26

An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world

Chapter 26   The Secret of the Secret Garden

As we arrived at the mansion and stood in front of the main gate, a silver-haired butler came flying towards us.

“You two with the tanuki heads!”

“…It’s actually raccoon heads.”

“And the pigeon killer!”

“We’ve done other things too.”

“Well, I’m grateful that you’ve come. Now, please, come inside.”

The unresponsive butler opened the gate for us and guided us into the mansion.

It was incredibly luxurious… an astonishing mansion. A spacious hall with an impressive chandelier… plush carpets.

A mansion of pure white. Is this the White House or something?

“Our House of Hawksburg has a prestigious lineage that can be traced back to the royal bloodline. Currently, Count Vander La Hawksburg is entrusted with the governance of this place. Our history has lasted for a thousand years. And this… Ah, please don’t step there.”

“Ah, sorry. Um, about the pigeon?”

“My apologies for being rude. The lady of the house, who was brought in from the Berdburg family, has a great love for flowers. She personally tends to the garden… which is right here.”

We ascended the marble staircase to the third floor and were led to a beautiful rose garden, or rather, a flower garden, where expensive-looking flowers bloomed abundantly.

It’s located on the massive terrace on the third floor, so it’s like an aerial garden.

“The lady of the house takes great pleasure in enjoying afternoon tea here. And recently, pigeons have started flying in.”

Ah… that’s a flag, isn’t it?

“At first, they enjoyed watching the small birds and feeding them, and the lady of the house was delighted when they built a nest and laid eggs… but then their numbers started to increase…”

Well, that’s what happens with pigeons…

“It’s become like this…”

This is terrible.

The chairs and tables are covered in droppings…

Pigeons flying around here and there. What a flock!

“We clean every day, but in just one day, it becomes like this. The lady of the house has become quite upset, and she has decided not to have tea until the pigeons are gone.”

That’s understandable…

“The lady of the house fell ill due to the situation, and even the count is deeply concerned. So, we requested assistance from the Hunter’s Guild, as we heard that a master of pigeon control is in town. We hope you can take the job…”

“Understood. Um, about that…”

“Yes?”

“The truth is, I’ve been cheated out of rewards by nobles countless times before…”

“That’s terrible. Where are you two from?”

“We come from Saaplast. We’ve received such grateful words as “You’ve done a great service” and even been told, “You may go now”…

“I see. It’s unacceptable for nobles to treat people in such a manner. How can they expect their subjects to work for them without properly appreciating and treating them fairly? Rest assured, there’s no need to worry. I vow on the name of House Hawksburg.”

“Very well. I request that what I’m about to do remain confidential.”

“I understand and accept your request.”

I take out my Diana M52 air rifle, pull back the side lever with a click, and load a pellet, aiming carefully.

Bang! Thud!

Since the distance is short, it’s practically instant death. I’m currently using Beeman Crow Magnum pellets. It’s a hollow point, which is rare for an air rifle. There’s a hole in the tip. It doesn’t penetrate, so it won’t create holes in the wall or splatter blood. It’s a high-power bullet designed for close range. If you’re targeted with this, it’s instant death. It’s $10 for a pack of 300 rounds, cheaper than buying in Japan!

Bang! Thud!

“…That’s incredible.”

The butler is amazed.

I continue taking them down one after another and have already caught thirty pigeons. The bag is full of them.

“We’ve been at a loss, unable to shoot them with arrows or catch them in nets! This is amazing!”

“The pigeons will return at night. We would appreciate your vigilance until then.”

“Are you planning to stay here overnight?”

“Oh, no, not at all. We’ll be back tomorrow morning after disturbing you at night.”

“Understood. Allow me to prepare lunch and dinner.”

The maid brings us sandwiches and tea for lunch. She cleans the table and chairs from the pigeon droppings (I’m really sorry!) and we enjoy our meal together.

“Wow, it’s delicious!”

Saran is delighted.

“Indeed, nobles have their ways.”

Yes, and this time we’ll make sure to receive proper compensation too.

“The garden is so beautiful, isn’t it…”

Yes, surrounded by lovely flowers, enjoying delicious tea, it truly feels like a noble experience, as long as we endure the scent of pigeons and their droppings.

I’ve never seen real maids before. Their outfits look incredibly expensive…

When it comes to being the Earl’s staff, even the maid uniforms are remarkable. They’re completely different from those flimsy maid costumes you can buy at the convenience store.

It brings back bitter memories of being forced into one for a high school cultural festival… cough cough.

As the sun set, a dozen or so pigeons fluttered back to their nests, and we continued to take them down one by one.

“This time, we can expect good results, right?”

“Yeah, let’s do our best!”

We stayed in a budget inn without meals that night, as we needed to leave early in the morning. We departed before sunrise and arrived at the mansion. The gardener opened the main gate for us, and we were promptly guided by the maid to continue where we left off yesterday.

There were still a few flying around, but we managed to catch five more, and now they’ve completely stopped coming.

Lunchtime was approaching, so we decided to wrap up.

“Amazing…”

Two bags filled with pigeons.

The butler marvels as he looks at the pigeon-free garden covered in droppings.

“That concludes our task for now.”

“Thank you! We’ll have all the staff help with the cleaning!”

Please do. The floor is covered in droppings and blood. Cleaning that up is a bit beyond our capabilities…

“Shin-san.”

“Yes?”

“Please keep this matter confidential. If it’s known that we killed all the pigeons, it will distress the lady of the house. Let’s say that the hunter managed to drive them away.”

“Understood. No matter how many we drive away, the pigeons will return.”

“Indeed.”

“In return, please keep my magical tools a secret as well.”

“I understand.”

…You know, I’m sure that if the nobles saw this, they would definitely want it. They’d demand to buy it, and if it’s not for sale, they’d demand it be handed over. And if that doesn’t happen, it’s off to the dungeons. It’s not an impossible scenario.

“Here is your reward. Please accept it.”

“Thank you.”

I receive the tightly packed leather bag.

It would be impolite to open it here. I bid farewell to the butler and make my exit.

“How much is in there?”

“…”

Twenty gold coins!

We’ve hit the jackpot!

Well, well, there are some good things about being involved with nobles. It’s a world apart from working for Saaplast.

But let’s not expect the cliché development of becoming acquainted with nobility. It’s unthinkable for nobles to meet with someone of such a lowly profession as a hunter, right? Even when we go to the city for municipal work, the governor doesn’t personally commend us.

It feels so real. But you know, if it’s a job like this, I’d take it over and over again.

At night, in the inn, we counted all the gold coins together.

There were sixty-two in total. We’ve earned quite a bit, haven’t we?

The expenses were also significant…

Buying rifles and shooting them relentlessly, not to mention splurging on a king-sized plush bed and staying in accommodations that cost two or three gold coins every night—it’s no wonder. Maybe we indulged a little too much.

We’re newlyweds, after all.

“Hey, Saran.”

“Yeah?”

“Should we head back soon?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”

“By any chance, were you thinking the same thing?”

“Yeah.”

Ahahaha!

They both burst into laughter.

“In this guild too, there are plenty of struggling farmers. Once we finish helping them, we’ll return to Saaplast. If there’s nothing particularly urgent in Saaplast, let’s just go straight back to the Elf village. What souvenirs should we bring?”

“Well… I don’t really have anything I want. Oh, how about a pot and a frying pan? Also, a knife, fork, and spoon.”

“In the Elf village, everyone ate with their hands, and soups were served in bowls, right?”

Since we started eating at inns, Saran has become proficient with using knives and forks.

“As for me, I’d like to promote the use of chopsticks in the Elf village. They can be made just by carving wood.”

“Ah, the ones you sometimes use, right? Yeah, they’re really convenient… But you need a lot of practice to use them properly.”

“Everyone still uses knives, so we don’t need those. But I’m sure we can buy enough spoons and forks for all the villagers. One spoon and fork for each villager, at two and a half large copper coins, that’s three and a half gold coins… Yeah, piece of cake.”

“You’re quick with calculations!”

Well, this level of calculation…

“Oh well, education is important, right?”

“Alright, let’s start by buying a pot and a frying pan here! You can choose something you like, Saran. Then, let’s order two hundred and fifty forks and spoons. While they’re being made, we’ll take care of the farmers’ pest problem. Once they’re ready, we’ll pick them up. Oh, and let’s ask the guild if there are any escort jobs for merchants on the way back. Our goal is to earn a hundred gold coins! But let’s not get too fixated on that.”

“Wow, I’m so happy!”

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s save on accommodation expenses.”

“…”

Hahaha. I almost burst into laughter looking at Saran’s face.

“Starting tomorrow, we’ll stay at an inn for just one gold coin.”

“…”

Ahahaha.

That night, it was hard to get any sleep.