MTL: uniquegasuki
Editor/ Proofreader: (not proofread)

Kurando enjoyed sleeping on his first real bed in a long time.
Even if it is a cheap bed with a flimsy wooden frame, it is far more comfortable than sleeping on the bare earth.
Whether it was a bed or a futon, or if there was hardly a blanket, Kurando still thought it felt comfortable.

Last night, Makushiimu (マクシーム) gave Kurando a lecture about hunters.
Makushiimu regretted that Kurando wasn’t more interested in the topic.

Hunters take personal request from countries, cities, and villages. Their work range from gathering plants to hunting magical beast.
The hunter a.s.sociation’s role is to unite the hunters.
Before it was a large adventurer guild without any borders. However, presently the hunter a.s.sociation, the explorer guild, and the mercenary union are separate. And, they are managed by each country.
Hunters are not officially employed by a county; they are hired under contract. In other words, hunters have to compete for work. And, they only get paid after the job is finished. As far as the law is concern every hunter is responsible for themselves.
After the hunter a.s.sociation was introduce the number of conflicts decreased.
Because the former adventurer guild (the hunter a.s.sociation) had enough war potential to rival a large kingdom, it was divide and then absorbed among every country. And thus, with the arrival of spirit magic the kingdom became the modern state it is today.
That is why even now the hunter a.s.sociation has close ties with the mercenary union, and connections within the explorer guild. The a.s.sociation’s policy is to follow the will of each country.
Therefore, that is why the event with Akari turned out the way it did.

The proof of hunter have various ranks. The starting rank is the 10th star, Ruterera (ルテレラ); and it ends with the 1st star, Riguserupu (リグセルプ) being the top rank.
There are additional variations of rankings for special hunter achievements that had been made in things like hunting and gathering. Aside from the general 10 hunter ranks there are various star color evaluations among each rank.
If the rank is a.s.signed by the hunter a.s.sociation then the star will not have a color. A dispatchment request for a specific star color can be issued

to a 1st star rank holder. (T/N: might be wrong, raw, unclear meaning)

Naturally, Kurando has a colorless Ruterera (10th star). Makushiimu has the country’s commentive Riguserupu (1st star).
However, it is colorless.

Makushiimu had explained that in the case of an emergency, such as a ma.s.sive stampede of monster, the hunter a.s.sociation has the right to nominate a hunter to be dispatch. The lecture lasted long into the night.

Early morning, 5:30.
Kurando sees the morning sun shining in. He looks at the clock that is furnished in the inn’s dining hall. When calculated this world also follows a 24 hour clock.
Kurando had a cheap and functional wrist watch when he lived in the cave.
「Yawn」 (Makushiimu)
Makushiimu’s appears after he pa.s.ses through the wooden door.
In the inn there are traditional chairs and tables along with worn old wooden doors. The floor and walls are made of a collect of stones.
Makushiimu’s face is like a sculpture from a western myth or legend. He is a giant with red hair and a red moustache.
Kurando alone was awestruck by this surreal fantasy like scene.
「You didn’t leave the mountain before I woke up. Does it have something to do with cultural etiquette?」 (Kurando)
「It’s a good habit for one who makes a living as a hunter as around this time the a.s.sociation shouldn’t be crowded.」 (Makushiimu)
Kurando gets up.
「Should we get going?」 (Kurando)
The two left the inn without eating breakfast.

Today Makushiimu will return to his home country, Roorana (ローラナ).
For that reason, the hunter registration and the acceptance of a request was rushed.
「Torabokku (トラボック)…… is it too early? Oh, over there.」 (Makushiimu)
For some reason, Makushiimu is half naked and pointing to a direction in the wilderness.

Afterwards, Makushiimu and Kurando left the village gate.
Behind the village is Arerudouria (アレルドゥリア山) mountain. The dirt path from the village’s front gate will lead to Roorana. Those two are currently somewhere in between the front gate and the wilderness.
Around them there is dry earth and stones with a few scattered leaves and shrubs followed by an endless stretch of weeds.

At the destination Makushiimu had pointed to there is a rolling ball of gra.s.s.
Kurando looks bored.
「Don’t gave me that look. No matter who they are when one become a hunter they must hunt this fellow.」 (Makushiimu)
「You

/>「You mean they should hunt, not they have to hunt, right?」 (Kurando)
「This here is magical gra.s.s. It probably can’t use magic as it’s just a ball of gra.s.s.」 (Makushiimu)
「How is that dangerous?」 (Kurando)
「Fundamentally it’s harmless. Well, except to the gra.s.s and branches it picks up.」 (Makushiimu)
「……sigh, it simply magical gra.s.s that is a nuisance.」 (Kurando)
「Several times a year there will be a large-scale extermination carried out for these critters. Even so, there are still extermination request regular posted for them. If not this area would become a desert.」 (Makushiimu)
After Makushiimu said this, a Torabokku came rolling along. He took out his knife and cuts it in half.
In the center of the split Torabokku there is a green stone.
「Follow my example and cut them in half. This green stone is the proof of subjugation. The green stone is worth money. After the extermination request is completed the a.s.sociation will not compensate you for the excess green stones……. if that ever happens you can pocket the extra. Well, sometimes it can’t be helped as it’s apart of being a hunter.」 (Makushiimu)
「How much is one piece worth?」 (Kurando)
「1 piece, huh? The market price it about 25 for 1 Rodo (一ロド). That’s worth about one loaf of bread, perhaps? By the way, are you aware of the units for counting money.」 (Makushiimu)
「Is that cheap? Units…… I don’t know?」 (Kurando)
「……do you even now your own ident.i.ty; are you sure you didn’t wash-up ash.o.r.e somewhere?」 (Makushiimu)
「Well, that’s how it feels like to me.」 (Kurando)
As they talk to one another a dry wind blows in their direction.

1 Rodo is worth one loaf of bread. Rodo is the banknote unit. (100 yen)
1 Rodo is 100 Shiruma (シルマ). Shiruma is the coin currency unit. (1 yen)
There is also a 10 Rodo note, and a 100 Rodo note.
In the wilderness the man from the giant race takes out a banknote and coin to shown as an example.

Without much concern Makushiimu hands over a hide pouch fill with additional banknotes to Kurando.
「Ahem, I can’t exactly give Akari custody to a coinless individual. Think of it as a request fee. Please watch over Akari while she is on the mountain until everything is sorted out. I’m counting on you.」 (Makushiimu)
Makushiimu of all people carelessly

people carelessly forgot to give Kurando compensation. He laughs out loud and then places his giant sized hand on Kurando’s shoulders.
「I won’t say no, but I won’t make an empty promise.」 (Kurando)
「Your surprisingly stern…… it reminds me of how Akari use to act.」 (Makushiimu)
Upon hear those words, the atmosphere around Kurando changed.
「Well, don’t mind me. I’ll keep up my end of the bargain.」 (Kurando)
Makushiimu had a satisfied smile as he ran away into the wilderness.
「Are you running away! Is that why you’re half naked?」 (Kurando)
He left Kurando alone in the middle of the wilderness.

「Now then, time to cut the gra.s.s?」 (Kurando)
This situation truly felt like weeding a garden.
From his waist side Kurando draws 1 of the 3 curved edge single-sword, Aromeri (アロメリ).
These 3 swords do not have a straight edge, but rather a curved zigzag like edge. Kurando’s has in his possession a thick kukuri like katana, and 3 “L” shaped blades.
At first, the leather cover didn’t work well with the 3 curved edge single-sword, Aromeri. However, Kurando later discovered that with magic the blades could be used for long distance attacks instead.
Of course these aren’t magic blades, but as an iron weapon it serves its purpose as a useful single-hand tool. (T/N: above might be wrong, couldn’t figure out)
Kurando refers to the blade on his waist side as the kukuri katana.
He slowly walks through the wilderness.
His companion had already escaped and there doesn’t seem to be any need for him to hide.
Anyhow, they voluntarily approached Kurando.
Kurando cuts the Torabokku that happened to roll his way with the kukuri katana.
He made sure to cut deep enough for him to be able to extract its green stone.
Kurando repeats this process.
However.
After removing the green stone Kurando pondered what to do with it.
Around the waist of his worn-out uniform there are 3 “L” shaped blades. In between his belt is a large knife, and the leather pouch with the paper notes/ bill. Kurando is carrying all of these on him.
Kurando stops thinking about it and places the green stone in the leather pouch along with the money. He ties the opening and then hangs the pouch around his waist.

It seems the sun is directly above him.
Kurando’s stomach rumbles.
He hasn’trumbles.
He hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday night. He tried tasting the green stone from the Torabokku.
Kurando splits out the green stone as it isn’t edible.
After gathering about 100 of them Kurando decided to return back to the village.

In the middle of the wilderness, Kurando reflexives crouches down.
A giant bird the size of a person flew over him.

This world indeed has many hardships. The giant bird is attacking Kurando while he is close to the village. It hovers above Kurando.
It is a bird he has never seen. The bird is blue and it has a big sharp beak.
Kurando doesn’t hesitate. He stays vigilant and observed that it is a large blue eagle.
It is not a person it is a beast.
This was something Kurando had to identify.
Should he hunt it, or should he not?

He plants the top portion of the “L” shaped kukuri katana into the ground.
Kurando begins to quietly strengthen it.
Magical beast are sensitive to magic and are able to easily detect when it’s used. Kurando learned this fact by observing Yukishiro-sensei tail when it stalked its prey.
While Kurando was mutter to himself the giant blue eagle dives at he from above.
Kurando times his swing to match the eagle’s dive attack.
The large blue eagle twist its body in mid-air.
By twisting its body the eagle was able to escape from Kurando. Moments later, it moves back into higher alt.i.tudes.
Kurando throws the “L” shape blade like a boomerang at the reapproaching eagle.
The eagle loses the function of one of its wing.
It barely avoids the boomerang. The eagles violently sways about.
There――
――stuck in the base of its wing is the boomerang like blade.
It struggles in the sky before plummeting to the ground.

Both bird and person are crouching.
Kurando removes the kukuri katana from the ground, and cautiously approaches the giant blue eagle.
【bird shriek】
The blue eagle gets up; it charges at Kurando with its beak.
However, it wasn’t fast enough; by chance Kurando broke its wing and as he avoided the attack he slashed its neck.
Kurando puts distance between it and himself.
There is no need for him to deliver a finishing blow.
It’s wings and neck are wounded; its injuries are fatal.

Kurando only needs to waits for the eagle to die.