<..Hassan and the Nine-Headed Thief..>
152 – Hassan and the Hoop-headed Thief #3
I remember something about Dorgo, who had a peculiar way of speaking.
Not long ago, when I was in the war, there was a dark-skinned Sandman walking silently in front of me. His name was Dorgo.
“Savage, nice to meet you. Dorgo, I was saved on the battlefield thanks to you.”
Dorgo also seemed to be aware of my face.
On Earth, my face is similar to that of an ordinary citizen, but in this world, I am treated as having a rather unique appearance. I think it is because once you see it, it is hard to forget.
As Dorgo and I pretended to know each other, Malko, who was sitting across from us in the front seat, raised the corners of his mouth.
“Kuuuuu, what is this? You two already know each other? You have wider legs than you look.”
“Dorgo, this savage, went into battle with me.”
“Then we all have experience in combat. Did this Malko ever tell you about the cultists’ supply cut off in the main unit?”
Perhaps because the tension we had felt at our unexpected meeting had dissipated, we chatted for a few minutes about our respective military experiences.
Each of them complains about how much they have suffered, what difficulties they have experienced, and what absurd situations they have been in.
What was strange was that it felt like there was an underlying mindset that their own suffering was so much bigger and more magnificent than others’ that they couldn’t handle it, so the suffering of others was nothing special.
This is like slaves showing off their chains.
But it’s kind of fun.
While we were telling each other stories of our hardships,
“Hey, what are you doing! I need to take your order!”
The dancer who was dancing scolded Dorgo, causing him to flinch.
“Ah. Dorgo, take your order.”
It was only then that we realized that we hadn’t even ordered anything off the menu.
A menu with crooked letters.
Malko, who had been looking at it for a while, said, “Please give me two servings of what I usually eat.” Malko added a word behind Dorgo, who was about to take the menu.
“And give me some more of the powder that makes me happy.”
“That’s right. Okay, I understand.”
That was the end of the order. I never thought I would see the guy I fought with in a place like this. I don’t know him and we only spent a short time together, but for some reason I feel a sense of affection for him.
It was actually my younger sister.
I walked barefoot among the coins and stared blankly at the dancing girl.
Although she is not as sturdy as Hippolyte, her body has the graceful agility of a dancer, making her look flexible and dynamic. She must be popular with men.
Actually, many men seem to be crazy about her. Her face is covered by a veil, but it’s nice because it makes you imagine the beauty that lies beyond it.
How mysterious. A desert maiden. Who would have thought I would see such a dance in a place like this again?
“She’s the owner’s younger sister. There are quite a few dancers, but the girl dancing at this time is the most popular and the best. As the owner’s younger sister, she has a lot of showmanship.”
“That is indeed so.”
Since you are not just a part-time worker, but a co-owner who runs the store together, do you work hard because you feel like it is “your store”?
A hard-working woman is cool.
That means she has the vitality to live, and having the vitality to live means she is a healthy and active mother who will not let her child starve.
Isn’t it a man’s instinct to like such a woman?
One of the reasons I like Luna is because she doesn’t just rely on me, but tries hard to do things on her own.
Is dual-income households the new trend?
At that moment, Malko said something in a flowing voice.
“I bet my bald brother would love it if he were here, but contrary to his appearance, he really enjoys this kind of thing.”
“By the way, what happened to Kalidur?”
I thought of the skinny elf who had been carried away somewhere with a broken leg. Wasn’t that guy’s real job to chase after Elfriede?
Elfriede is alive and well in this city right now. I have no idea where she is or what she’s doing.
“What? What did you just say?”
But Malko seemed too absorbed in the dancing dancer to hear my story.
“What are you doing now, Ppaakpaak?”
“He broke his leg badly. He is said to be busy with rehabilitation. He is said to be indebted to the Temple of Venus.”
“I see.”
Anyway, Malco and I sat there blankly watching the trinkets jingle until Dorgo’s younger sister – I think her name is Dorthea – took a break after a few songs.
There are ways to relax like this in the world.
As I was looking at the back of a female dancer walking into what seemed like a staff break room with some regret, Malko, who had just had a drink, asked.
“By the way, I didn’t receive the glass bottle containing the scroll from the Thieves Guild earlier. May I ask what is written on it?”
“ah-.”
Malko’s words made me realize again about the scroll I had kept in my bosom. It said that if I went to the place written on the scroll, I would meet some kind of leader of the Thieves’ Guild.
Ssuk.
I took it out of my bosom and handed it to Malko.
“Oh, it might be quite precious. Even though it’s between us, is it okay to show it off like this so carelessly?”
“What is our relationship, kid?”
“Well, it’s more like a brotherhood than friendship. He’s a great warrior, and his personal bard, and to that extent, he’s a soulmate that can’t be left out of any myth.”
“좆 까, 새끼야.”
“Kuhaha, you’re still a dishonest brother. Anyway, let’s take a look at what’s written.”
Malko unfolds the scroll with a swish.
I looked at it indifferently and drank my share of alcohol.
The desert liquor tasted like nothing I’d ever tasted before. It tasted more like something fermented from cow or sheep milk than something brewed from grains.
However, it didn’t have a strong taste and was quite sweet, so it was surprisingly drinkable.
Soon the little Malko guy’s big nose seemed to have grown even bigger.
“What is this?”
“I don’t know either.”
“Is this really true?”
“okay.”
“How strange.”
Malko unrolled the scroll on the table, forgetting that he had acted like he couldn’t see its contents until just now. But that didn’t really bother me.
Because there was nothing written on the scroll. Was it a printing error or something? That’s what thieves do. I was scammed.
But Malko, who had been looking at it for a while, narrowed his eyebrows and continued to mutter to himself.
“It’s just a blank space with nothing written on it. It’s interesting. Maybe this blank space itself has some meaning?”
“hmm-.”
I was slightly sleepy.
For some reason, I had a feeling that it would make sense, just like Malko said. But since it was literally a blank sheet of paper, I couldn’t think of anything less to infer from it.
Malko, unable to let go of his foolishness, continues to mutter while looking through the empty scroll.
“Perhaps, this is a kind of entrance exam to join the Thieves’ Guild.”
“That’s a test? You didn’t just make a mistake?”
“Just my guess, but. Well, since I’ve seen enough dexterity to pick a lock, I feel like it’s time to test your wisdom to decipher something like a code.”
When I listened to Malko’s words, they sounded quite plausible. This guy has a talent for secretly wrapping up stupid things in a plausible way.
Is it because you have good pronunciation?
If only he had a pretty face, he would have made a lot of women cry.
In fact, bards were generally known for their promiscuous womanizing.
A church oppa-style man who sings well and speaks well is like the enemy of boyfriends on the Gaia continent or on Earth.
“Anyway, it’s fun.”
As I was looking around the empty scroll for a while, Dorgo appeared again, holding something that looked like a plate in the distance.
A wide leg of meat of some unknown animal and some small side dishes were placed on the table.
Dorgo glanced around and soon placed something like a small piece of paper in front of me and Malko.
On top of it was a single white, hard-looking crystal.
Decision? Grain? I don’t know what to call it, but if I had to find something similar from what I know, it’s definitely like star candy.
Anyway, it is certain that it has a very suspicious size and shape.
Malko, who saw that, slowly raised the corners of his mouth.
“Oh, it’s big and the color is really pretty.”
“Comrades, Dorgo. I am doing you a special favor. Don’t spread rumors.”
“Hehehe, that was a really pure decision. I feel happy already.”
Dorgo once again gave a stern warning not to spread rumors and then withdrew.
So, I was left alone with Malko, and I was quite bewildered because I had no idea what the grains in front of me were.
“Looking at the reaction, it seems like there’s nothing like this in the black wilderness? First, here. It’s like this. You press it down with something flat and crush it.”
Malco lifted the wooden spoon that was his portion, and used its wide base to press down hard on the grains on the paper.
Ugh.
Then the grains crumble into small powder and fragments.
But Malko, as if he wasn’t satisfied, continued to press it with a spoon. Eventually, the grains the size of a little fingernail turned into countless powders that were too small to be seen.
“Like this, if you make it as small as possible, it will taste even better.”
“That’s right. Of course I won’t do that.”
I think I’ve seen people grinding crystals into powder in movies and dramas. So I crushed the crystals with a spoon like Malko.
Perhaps because the strength stat was high, it was easy to make as it could be quickly crushed into powder without much effort.
Anyway, Malko and I ended up seeing such white and transparent powders before our eyes.
“Then, let your brother taste it first. Since today is your first time, I will wait especially for you.”
I don’t know what kind of consideration this is, but it seems like it’s a pretty big consideration, seeing as the horse’s nose is turned up like that.
“There’s no need to decline. Everyone likes strong men. Isn’t your brother a strong man?”
Are you a strong man? I’m a very strong man. I was a little scared of the unidentified powder. I didn’t want to be labeled a coward in a place like this.
So I poked the grain with my index finger.
Sarur.
Then, the powder gets all over my hands.
“I usually taste it by dipping it with my little finger, but as expected from a Samaritan, it’s big! He really is a man among men!”
Was it supposed to be done with the little finger? But I thought it would be a bit awkward to drop it now, so I just put the thing on my index finger right up to my nostrils.
Ugh.
And as I take a deep breath, the dust rushes into my nostrils and my throat feels like it’s suddenly blocked.
“Kuluk, khuhehe..”
“Brother, who drinks sugar through their nose?”
“You bastard, you should’ve said sugar a long time ago, kid. The powder that makes you happy…!”
“If there’s a powder that makes you happy, it’s sugar. And this isn’t just any sugar. It’s a pure luxury that can only be mined underground in the southern desert. It’s only here that you can taste it in such small quantities.”
“Oh, I see.”
It seems I was the only one who misunderstood. As expected, Malko was far from being a debauched minstrel, but rather a mere idiot.
However, as Malko said, sugar was indeed a luxury item in this world because it was a fairly expensive seasoning.
“If you drink this with milk like this, it tastes amazing.”
Malko, who picks up powdered sugar with his fingers and drops it into a glass.
I also followed the guy’s example and put a moderate amount of sugar in the drink and took a quick sip. It was quite tasty, with a moderate amount of sweetness.
A moderate amount of sugar is good for your health because it makes your head spin and also relieves stress.
Ping, ping ping-.
Perhaps because of the alcohol and sugar, my mind was slightly hazy and drunk. I wondered if I could possibly understand the meaning of the blank scroll at this point.
* * *
But, even after the dancers left work and the store closed, I still couldn’t figure it out.
Malko and I each paid 2 silver for our drinks and got up from our seats. Two silver per person for drinks in one evening. When did I get to spend this kind of money?
“Friends, come again next time. This is a gift.”
Sandman Dorgo, who was cleaning up the shop by pulling up a chair on top of a table, hands me and Malco a few small granules. They were like star candies made of sugar.
Luna would love it if you gave it to her.
Luna loves sweets, so she’ll definitely like it. Luna eats really anything, but she especially likes sweets.
I remember that not only Luna, but also Elfriede and the paranoia around me, and even my sister, liked sweet things. Of course, it would be quicker to find someone who dislikes sweet things.
Does Hippolyte like candy too? It’s amazing to see a gold tier adventurer who’s hardened up eating candy.
I can’t really imagine it because I’m drunk. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hippolyte eat anything. Does she get nutrients through photosynthesis? Her skin is red, as if she’s tanned.
“ah-.”
Snapping out of my drunken, mind-boggling thoughts, I took the star candies from Dorgo’s hand.
I felt like it would be a bit awkward to just carry it by hand, so I took out the blank scroll I had received earlier and started wrapping it up.
When Dorgo saw that, he let out a short exclamation of “Wow -.” Was he surprised by my shining packaging skills?!
“That’s funny. I have it. Dude.”
But it seems like you know something about the packaging I have.
“Don’t you know what this is?”
“Yellow color. Unique texture. Desert double-humped camel skin. Same leather pull.”
“What is this?”
“Usually. Wife. Husband. Each has its own. Savage friend. Had a wife.”
But it seemed like he was pretending to know something. I was drunk, and Dorgo’s speech was a bit awkward, so I couldn’t understand him at all.
This kid can’t even speak properly, yet he’s getting citizenship…
However, if I were to interpret it with my superior intelligence, having eaten college food in the 21st century, it seems that this leather has the property of being attracted to similar leather rolls.
Malko and I were concentrating on the contents written inside or the blank space. Looking at it this way, it seemed like the material of this scroll was a hint. Sval, it’s not hard to notice.
I asked.
“Then how do they attract each other? Is there any way?”
“Clothes, hair, leather. Rub them. That’s it.”
At Dorgo’s words, I rubbed the leather against my body, just in case.
It was a moment that reminded me of when I used to play with static electricity as a child. I rubbed it a few more times and then removed the scroll from my body.
Woohoo…
Wasn’t the leather scroll I was holding fluttering in my palm like a magnet drawn to the opposite pole?
“Oh. Opponent. Close. Reaction. Strong.”
The scroll seemed to react to something over there, inside the staff break room. What’s in there? Or in that direction?
So, I walked away, as if I was being led by something, with my nose to the side, staggering drunk, following the store cleanup.
Thud, thud.
The staff break room led by the leather roll in my hand. Inside, there were all sorts of odds and ends, and clothes that looked like someone had just taken them off. Thin cloth clothes? Where have I seen this before?
slap.
The scroll eventually got stuck to the fluttering scarf-like thing. Was it broken? That was when I was struggling to get it off.
“What are you doing right now!”
Wasn’t there a woman yelling at me?
It is difficult to confirm her identity because her face, from the bridge of her nose to her chin, is covered with a thin veil, but she is probably Dorgo’s younger sister.
“Why, why are you touching someone else’s clothes! You savage!”
“…Shit, that’s not it. What I’m looking for here is…”
“What the hell are you looking for there? You pervert! We don’t provide that kind of service!”
“No, here. This is it. Here, this is…”
As your reputation grows, being accused of being a female sexual harasser or an underwear thief can have a huge negative impact on your reputation.
So I rummaged through the woman’s fluttering rags and picked up my roll of cattle, the indulgence that would prove my innocence.
“…that!”
Sandgirl’s brown eyes, revealed through the veil, sparkled strangely. Soon, she looked around, then spoke in a voice that only I could hear.
“….You are the ninth and final thief in this plan!”
—————————= Work Review —————————=
The weather is suddenly so hot… I, Michuri, have never lived in an air-conditioned house since I was born… I always write while fighting the heat…
Everyone, be careful of mosquitoes and heat… the heat….
————————————————– ————-=
