Small Village Tridente Chapter 4

Chapter 4. Beefy chapter inbound.

Small Village Tridente – Chapter 004

rawr:

June, 2XX7

Village Construction

I am walking besides Himemiysan, heading home on the same way back.

「It sure is funny to think that we're in the same grade~」

On my end, I was able to make sure that we were in the same grade because of what Saaysan had said yesterday. But since I didn't say anything about my RL, it can't be helped that Saaysan would not be able to notice that we are in the same year.

「I'm sorry. For looking it up on my own…」

「It's fine, it's fine! I was careless and said such a thing. But still, to think we're in the same grade.」

From Saaysan's perspective, I wonder, how old do I seem?

When I had my first conversation with Saaysan, she seemed like a really wonderful adult lady, so I'd imagined that she was a university student.

If I said that, I wonder how she would react. Since she might actually get mad, I'll just keep this thought deep within my mind.

「It's somewhat different from my impression of you, I made a mistake. At first, I talked to the student council president…」

「Ah~, now that you mention it, that person's name is Saya (砂綾), right? She sure has such a misleading name. Sorry about that!」(9: btw, the kanji for Himemiysan's name is 沙耶 and it's also p.r.o.nounced Saya.)

The reason I didn't consider Himemiysan wasn't because of her name, it was because of her gal-like way of speaking. But now that we're talking alone, she's been talking in a surprisingly normal way.

「H-Himemiysan, it's not your fault.」

「Saya's fine. Me too, can I call you Mari?」

S-so I can call her by her first name…

It's kind of embarra.s.sing.

「Ah, okay. Um… Saysan?」

「Without the “-san”.」

「Ehh… impossible~」

「Why!?」

Calling a person you just met the day before by their first name, without any honorifics, is just way too much for me.

「In cases like this, once you get used to it, it becomes harder for you to call me that way, you know! You should start calling me that way from the beginning so that you can become used to it. Come on, Mari!」

uwu… she just easily called me by my first name without any honorifics.

I rarely get called without honorifics, so the moment when she said it, kinda made my heart skip a beat.

It's not like I don't want to call her that way, rather, I'd prefer to call her that way.

While my heart was beating fast, I tried saying her name.

「Saya…」

uwu, it's more embarra.s.sing than I thought!

「Yeah. Once again, nice to meet you! Mari.」

「N-nice to meet you too! Saya.」

「Mari, you sure are as cute as I'd imagined.」

「Eh? Eh?」

Cute? I understand that it's just flattery.

But still, being called cute makes me really happy. So much so that I'm grinning.

「I-I'm not like that! It's the first time I've been called cute. I can't even make any friends, after all.」

「I don't know what you think of yourself but, you know, I believe that you're cute, Mari.」

Since she says stuff like that so smoothly, I can understand why that kind of crowd gathers around her.

「If you were a boy, Saya, I'm sure that you would be a pickup artist.」

「Ehh! What do you mean by that~」

Looking at each other's faces, the both of us laughed.

「We're about to arrive at my house. How about you, Mari?」

「It's still a bit further ahead. Maybe about 500 more meters?」

「It's a distance where we could play with each other all the time.」

「Y-yeah. Next time, I would be glad if you came over to my house……」

「That's a promise! Well then, after I change my clothes, I'll log in. So, see you later.」

「Okay, see you later.」

Let's hurry up and go home.

Even if it's just for a few minutes, the time when I don't see Saya is kinda lonely.

When I arrived home, I changed out of my uniform and logged in.

「I wonder if Saya already logged in…」

When I logged in, Saaysan was waiting at the place where we had logged out last time.

「Welcome back, Mari.」

「I'm back, Saaya…-san.」

「Geez~, you should also call me without honorifics here.」

「Ehehe.」

「More importantly, there is wood everywhere. I wonder if something happened?」

Looking around, there were certainly sc.r.a.ps of wood here and there.

I also recognized something that looked like the ruins of a house.

「Hmmm… I wonder if it was done by a monster?」

「Does that mean that the house that was built was destroyed by a monster? If that's the case, then we need to consider where we should build.」

And as I said it, there was a voice behind me.

「I built that house yesterday, late at night. But it got destroyed.」

「Oh my, Tsurugi-san. Good to see you again.」

「Ooh, you're together again today.」

Unlike us, Tsurugi-san was alone.

「And you're alone. Karmsan is?」

「About that, even if everyone builds their houses separately, monsters will destroy them. That's why we've decided to make a village. And I'm running around letting others know about it. Right now, that guy's in the middle of construction at the north side.」

「A village… I see. If you make a village, then that means it's easier to protect.」

「You're correct. If you guys are also gonna build a house, why don't you come over to our village?」

「Mari, how about it? I think I'm fine with it.」

「I-I'm also fine with it!」

I really don't want the house that I build to be destroyed. So for now, it would be better if we work together with everyone. That's what I think.

「Then, it's decided. We will also partic.i.p.ate in your plans. I look forward to working with you.」

「Please take care of us.」

「You're welcome! Well then, follow me. I'll also pa.s.s our party ring to you.」

We put Tsurugi-san's party ring on our fingers and joined the party.

PARTY RING 【ID: 197584】

・PARTY MEMBERS

LV9 【Tsurugi】

LV9 【Karma】

LV5 【Saaya】

LV5 【Mari】

When I entered the party, I saw that Nekamsan from yesterday was also there.

「Hmm, the little kittens from yesterday?」

「We are also going to partic.i.p.ate. I look forward to working with you.」

「P-please take care of us, Nekamsan.」

「But it's Karma…」 (9: The joke here is that nekama and karma share a few kana: ネカマ  (nekama) and カーマ (karma). It's like a pun or something.)

Since the distance to the village is not that far, the road is safe… is what I had thought.

「Oi oi, you're joking, right?」

「What is… that?」

Over there, there was a huge five-meters-long praying mantis eating the surrounding monsters. And obviously, it had also noticed us.

「S-shouldn't we run away…」

「You're right. We can't fight that guy, let's run!」

We ran as fast as we could to try to escape, but the huge mantis swung both of its sharp sickles, and a vacuum wave attacked us.

「Waah!」

Tsurugi-san's HP was reduced by about half.

「One hit and it deals this much damage! You two run away first.」

「Don't act so cool! What's the death penalty in this game?」

If this were an offline game, when the party got annihilated, it would start again at the last save point or at the point just before the battle.

But in online games, it's often the case that you lose experience and/or items.  

Saaya quickly used a medicinal herb on Tsurugi-san.

「The death penalty is all items lost, and a big experience loss…」

「Haa!?」

All items lost hurts very much…

If I die here, then all the materials we got from yesterday's hunt will be lost.

If that happens, we will not have enough materials to build a house.

The huge sickle was swung downwards, aiming at Saaya.

「Kkuh!」

Even though Saaya was able to evade it by a small gap, the next attack got through. She guarded with her wooden sword, but it was blown away really far, and 30% of her HP was cut.

「Hey, you guys alright? Want to call for some help?」

Nekamsan said in a worried manner.

「No need, even if you come, we will all just be defeated. I will do something about this, so just wait.」

If they are hit directly, then their HP gets reduced by a lot. The two of them used the medicinal herbs to heal their lost HP as they evaded. However, because of the delay when they use an item, they are barely able to evade. (The delay that occurs when you try to use an item. For example, in MonHun when you're killed while drinking your pots. If there's an actual term for this, I would love to know.)

I have to do something……

I opened the skill points menu, and looked at the battle skills selections.

I examined some of the selections and chose the skills I needed and learned them.

Without being noticed by the enemy, I went behind it and instantly closed the distance.

「Oi! Ojou-chan, it's dangerous to approach it so close, you know!」

「Mari? What are you…」

I quickly used a skill on the huge mantis' feet, and its legs stopped moving.

「L-let's run away now!」

Saaya and Tsurugi-san quickly dashed away after hearing my voice. I also distanced myself at once and escaped.

The mantis moved again after 10 seconds, but it earned us enough time to run away. Since the distance was pretty far, the huge mantis didn't chase us..

「Haa… haa… looks like we managed to escape.」

「Mari, that was amazing! How did you do it?」

「Ehehe.」

I acquired 3 skills.

The first is 【Stealth】.

A skill that makes you disappear so that enemies don't notice you.

But, if you get too close, there are enemies that might hear or sense your footsteps.

So, first I used this skill to erase my presence and take the enemy's attention away from me.

The second is 【Instant Movement】.

A skill that lets you move several meters in an instant and close the distance to the target.

Even if you're using stealth, you'd be noticed once you got too close, and you might also get caught up in an area attack, so I chose a skill that could let me close the distance to the target quickly.

The third is 【Shadow St.i.tch】.

A skill that st.i.tches the target's shadow to the ground.

As a result, the enemy becomes incapable of movement.

If you're using a ranged weapon like a bow, you can activate it from afar, but if you're using a melee weapon, then you need to get close to your target to activate it.

「Since I still hadn't used the skill points I saved up yesterday.」

「I see. What quick judgement in that moment.」

「Us, who were fighting recklessly, got cornered just like rats, after all.」

「…it's vexing, but it's just as you said.」

「Thanks, Mari.」

「N-no way! Me too, I also kept getting saved after all.」

Even if it was just a little, I wanted to be of help to Saaya… Saya.

Although, it's a bit embarra.s.sing so I can't say something like that.

「Okay, let's hurry up and go to the village.」

「Yes!」

We followed after Tsurugi-san, and finally reached the construction site of the village. Tens of players had gathered and there were already some houses built.

Then, a female player approached us.

「h.e.l.lo, you're helping with the village construction, right? Thanks a lot~!」

Green hair tied in a ponytail.

A girl with a vigorous image.

「She is Seirsan, the one who said that we should build a village with everyone.」

「Nice to meet you. You are…」

「I'm Saaya. Nice to meet you~」

「I-I'm Mari. Please take care of me!」

I bowed my head, but then I heard 『Just like a small animal, so cute.』 as she tenderly pet my head.

It's the same reaction as Saya's… I don't look like a small animal, so maybe it's because of my cowardly atmosphere.

「The development sure is advancing quickly.」

「If you have the materials, you can easily craft the walls and roof together. You girls should try it out too.」

「Then, allow me.」

Saya made a wall with her construction skill.

She held out her palm and confirmed where she would place the wall. Unlike construction in the real world, it doesn't take much time and you can quickly build a house, it seems.

「Do we have any restrictions on the land given to each of us?」

「Not yet. We still haven't thought of the little rules yet. For the time being, we should have the houses built up properly, is what we decided.」

「I see… For now, we are going to borrow some s.p.a.ce for two. Mari, let's decide where we will build our house.」

「Ah, sure. Are you fine being together with me?」

It was a sudden invitation so I was a bit surprised.

After all, I still haven't invited or been invited to a friend's house. After suddenly being asked to live together, even if it's in a game, what kind of everyday life it will be is beyond my imagination.

「That's what I was planning, do you not want to?」

「No, it's not like that at all! I also want to live together with Saya!」

「Then, it's decided!」

Does that mean that she will always go on adventures with me? Honestly, I'm really happy.

「Wait a minute, you've been calling me by real name, right?」

「Ah, sorry. It just came to me…」

「Oh well, it's not that different, so it should be fine. So, it's especially just for Mari.」

「Special or whatever, I think you shouldn't use those words so easily…」

「It's not "easily". If I think it's special, then it's special, okay?」

I wonder if Saya is good at stirring up people like this? There's no way that I'm someone special to Saya… I'm not, but still, being told that I am makes me happy.

「Saya, if you were a guy, I think I would misunderstand and interpret it differently.」

「And if it was from a girl?」

「I would also take it differently… being called special, anyone would feel happy.」

「Fufu」, Saya had a teasing, satisfied smile.

Just like I thought, she's a pickup artist.

Building a house is pretty easy, so I also got the construction skill and helped out. We crafted with the materials and connected the floor, walls, and roof until the house started to take shape.

We built a cottage similar to a two-story wooden house and arranged the furniture.

A chair that feels good to sit in, a table with a pink and girly table cloth, a warm looking fireplace, a lace curtain on the window overlooking the garden…

It's too bad that there isn't a TV-like machine. It looks like we lack the materials, so we can't make it just yet. When this world becomes more developed, I wonder if it'll become full of the usual electronics just like in the real world.

For some reason, it doesn't really go well with how this world looks, but it's a world that we make, so we don't know what it will look like in the future.

There was an object that could be set as a return point, so Saya set it up, and we made this place into our home point.

「And with this, from now on, when we are defeated in battle, we will return to this spot. So that's a relief!」

I was a bit anxious about when we would be annihilated, so I searched for a piece of furniture that we could use to store our items.

「Ah, it looks like there's a storehouse. To open it, you need a key. And even if the house is destroyed, you can still take it yourself.」

Since you don't lose the items in the storehouse when you die, we will basically store the items we don't need in there.

「Ooi! You two, come here–!」

As we were finis.h.i.+ng making our house, we were called outside by Tsurugi-san.

「What's the matter? Everyone's gathered together.」

When we went outside, with Tsurugi-san as the center, the people in the village had gathered up.

「It's about the huge monster from before. I think that we shouldn't just ignore it.」

「Certainly, even if people have gathered, if this place is targeted there will still be a lot of damage.」

「So before we're done in, we will be the ones attacking first, right.」

「But, how do we defeat it? Our HP decreased a lot with just a single attack, so wouldn't attacking it head-on be bad in the long run?」

「That's normal for a party of 6, but if we use the alliance function, we can join up 3 parties with 6 members each. We will select 18 members from this village to challenge it.」

18 people…?

If we fight with that many people, then unlike earlier, we will be able to put up a good fight.

「With that said, I'd like to fight with 2 tanks, 3 healers, 3 supports for buffs and debuffs, and the remainder as attackers. Does anyone want to take up those spots?」

「I will be a tank.」

Saya immediately replied.

Since Saya saved me and protected me a lot, she might be suited to the role of tank.

「Then, the other tank will be me.」

The other tank is Tsurugi-san.

Having the both of them as tanks is really rea.s.suring.

「Since I've already learned heal, I'll do the healing ~yon」

Nekamsan is a healer and Seirsan is a magic attacker. The others volunteered, filling up the remaining roles.

Until there was a single spot for an attacker remaining.

「Only one left. Anyone else willing to fill in~?」

「Not me. My level is low and I can't fight very well.」

「Me too…」

The remaining people seemed like they still didn't have confidence in battle and wouldn't actively partic.i.p.ate. I was also one of them.

「Hmm, Mari-jou-chan, how about you? You have that one match from earlier, and that experience will be big. That's what I think.」

「Eh!? I don't really have any confidence though……」

It's such an important battle, if I make a mistake and the party is annihilated… thinking about it, it's honestly a heavy burden.

「I also recommend Mari! Because during the last battle, it was because Mari was there that we were saved. So have some confidence!」

「uwu, uhmmm… If you say that much, I don't know if I can help, but I will do my best.」

Even if I kept refusing, I felt that it would be pointless so I decided to take the role. And more importantly, since I was needed, I wanted to respond to that. Since there are a lot of attackers, I think I should be fine if I just look at the other's movements and follow them, right?

「Tanks, prepare your armor and healing items. Attackers, prepare your weapons.」

Everyone in the village gathered their materials, and crafted a good quality weapon.

I decided to challenge it equipped with a bow and arrow.

「Saya, what about you?」

「Yup, I made a s.h.i.+eld, armor, and a one-handed sword. I'm all ready!」

「Saya, you're in charge of receiving the attacks from the enemy, right? Please be careful so that you won't die, okay.」

「I said I'll be fine! And more importantly, Mari, you should also be careful. Because if an attacker gathers too much aggro, they'll be attacked.」

「O-okay. Let's both do our best!」

We finished each of our preparations, made a party, and went back to where we had faced the mantis earlier.

The huge mantis was still at the same place, and it kept hunting the nearby monsters and pa.s.sing players.

「The group over there, please help-!」

And even now, a girl player is caught between the two sickles and suffering.

「You can't really help that.」

「Don't say that, let's help her! Karmsan, put up a protection screen.」

「Roger!」

Saysan received a buff to increase her defense from Nekamsan and quickly entered the fray.

It's finally the start of the battle――

Chapter 4 END

B: Why is Saya so gay? Will the party be annihilated? Will Mari fulfill her role properly?

G.o.ddess loves you.