29-Years-Old Bachelor Was… Brought to a Different World to Live Freely

Vol. 1 Chapter 19

~I made a lot of money by exterminating beehives~

Translated by Raizu
Edited by Mirp

[Let’s go!]

[Yes, be careful out there.]

Early in the morning, Marl and I left Viet Village.
Big Hornets spread out from their nests in search of food when it gets light. So, the strategy was to hit the Big Hornets before they left their nest early in the morning.
Dealing with that many Big Hornets, I’m thinking of using my wide array of ranged magic, attacking them preemptively and finishing things before they could retaliate.
My initial plan was to take out most of them with the first and second cast of magic.

[Let’s blow away the whole nest.]

But, Marl objected to it.

[The nectar in the big hornet’s nest can be sold at a very high price, and the beeswax can be obtained from the nest itself, so there’s a high demand! If we brought the whole thing home, we’d surely make a lot of money!]

[Ho, that makes things a little more difficult, but we still need to annihilate them.]

In order to avoid destroying the nest as much as possible, I think it would be better to attack the Big Hornet from a certain distance and intercept them when they come to us to retaliate.
No, there’s no need to clean them up all at once.

[Marl, let’s go with a strategy of attacking multiple times and gradually reducing the number instead of cleaning it up at once. You can scrape the nest completely bare from a distance.]

[Yes. To be honest, it’s a bit scary to be surrounded by the Big Hornet.]

=====

Bzzzzzzztt!!

[Uwooo!]

[Kyaaah!]

We were running away.
Everything went well until we found the nest and launched the preemptive strike.
The retaliation, or rather, the number of the big hornet was far beyond our previous expectation.

[Ta-ta-ta-ta-Taichi-san! What do we do!?]

[Let’s do it! Plan B!]

[What is plan B again!?]

Since the opponents were flying in the sky, they would soon catch up to us. If that happens, both of us would probably be dead.
However, something came to mind in the spur of the moment. Plan B.
By luring the Big Hornets out of their nests and escaping, they stretch the group vertically. So if I turn around, I could wipe them out from the front with highly penetrating magic.

I started casting my magic while running.

I focused enough magic power to form five spells that shot a triple burst each when combined.
Five pure white light balls appeared at the end of the battle staff and began to rotate.

[GO DIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!]

I turned around and pointed my staff at the horde of Big Hornets chasing us.
A highly penetrating beam of light was fired from five rotating light balls with the force of a machine gun.
At the same time, I felt weak in my body, probably because I had used up most of my magic power. When I checked my status, it consumed about 70% of the maximum amount of magical power. I could shoot once more at most.

What I used this time was a magic called [Light Ray] that I learned at Pure Magic level 3. It could fire up to 10 laser-like bullets with high penetrating power and high bullet speed at intervals of 1 shot per second.
Honestly, it’s hard to use, even though it seemed to work this time.
Its power, penetration, and fuel efficiency were perfect, but the firing rate of one shot per second made the interval between shots too long, making it difficult to use.
In this case, it would be quicker and more reliable to wipe it out with an energy bolt that is dozens of times more powerful.
However, now the number of simultaneous shots had been increased fivefold, and three shots could be fired in rapid succession per second.
In other words, it fired 150 lasers in 10 seconds.

As a result, most of the Big Hornets were shot down by a barrage of lasers.
However, since their original numbers were big to begin with, the number of surviving Big Hornets was by no means small.
Even though most of their comrades were shot down, the remaining Big Hornets boldly attacked us.

[Here it comes! Marl!]

[Y, yes!]

Marl and I directly engaged the Big Hornets while protecting each other’s backs.
The attacking Big Hornets were smashed and slashed away.
Marl moved nimbly, wielding her mithril short sword in a state of dignity that is incomparable to the humbleness she had when we first met.
This had to be the effect of sword mastery level 2. No, was it because she put so much effort into it that her sword mastery level reached 2?
The Royal Guards really trained Marl quite hard then.

How long had we been fighting?
When the battle was over, there were so many piled up corpses of Big Hornets that we were barely able to stand on our feet.
I was exhausted. Marl was even more so, and she fell to the ground as soon as the attack from the Big Hornets died down.
Both me and Marl were stabbed by the Big Hornet several times, but the layers of troll hide armor and mithril chainmail protected us.
It would have been dangerous to get stabbed in the exposed face, but the new armor seemed to come in handy immediately.

[I will return to the nest while collecting the corpses.]

[Ye, yes.]

When I checked on the way back to the nest, my level went up by two to 20, and Marl’s level had raised to 11.
Marl was now at the level of a mid-level adventurer.
If I remember correctly, reaching this level would give me a reset skill. I’m currently satisfied with my skill build, so I’ll just keep the reset for later.

The laser fired not only mowed down the Big Hornet, but also mowed down the trees in its line of fire.
I passed through several holed trees and collapsed ones before reaching the big hornet nest.
There remained a small number of Big Hornets and a queen-like individual that was much larger than the other Big Hornets.
Compared to a Big Hornet, which was about the size of an arm, a queen-like individual was more than twice that size. I didn’t know if the Queen was intelligent, but she was staring at me.
The Big Hornets quivered their wings and emitted threatening sounds.

With most of the vassals killed, the remaining focused on protecting the queen.
They were just desperately trying to survive. Did we have the right to destroy them?

[You make a big mistake if you think that it’ll bother me! Muhaha! Become my money!]

In this world, it’s survival of the fittest.

=====

[This is a very difficult task…..]

The Big Hornet’s nest straddled several trees and hung from a support.
So, I decided to drop it on the ground first.
The pillars were harder than I thought, so I had to climb up the tree and fire a flash with my Mithril Sword.

Next came dismantling the nest.
The outer shell was unexpectedly fragile, but pretty thick. So I had to use the mithril sword.
The Mithril Sword was already sticky with honey. I’ll have to wash it afterwards.
Next, cut the honeycomb structure of the nest into a reasonable size. It was still sticky with honey.

[Sweet and delicious!!]

[It can be used for many things.]

When I scooped it with my finger and licked it, it was still sweet. This looked like it would sell well.
And there were still many Big Hornet larvae, pupae, and eggs left on the honeycomb structure.
The larvae and pupae wouldn’t go into my inventory unless they were killed, but the eggs went in fine. The delineation was a mystery.
It’s pretty big, but I wonder if the larvae and chrysalis can be eaten as a honeycomb. For the time being, should I bring it back to Viet Village and ask about it?
I decided to bring everything back, including the outer shell of the nest, as it might be useful for something else.

By the way, when I put the honeycomb board into the storage, the dismantling menu appeared. When I dismantled it as a trial, it turned out to be a honeycomb with honey and big hornet honey bottled every kilogram.
I tried not to worry about where the bottle came from. If I thought about it too much, I felt like I could hear that guy laughing loudly.

The number of Big Hornets subjugated by me and Marl easily exceeded 300. With this alone, we would get a subjugation reward equivalent to 600 large copper coins and 6 gold coins.
The rest was how many nests and corpses could be sold. I had a feeling that there were too many corpses to buy.
It might come in handy then, so let’s save it. Poison glands might also be useful in alchemy.

In the end, we ended up returning to the village after spending much more time dismantling the nest than we had spent fighting.

=====

[The adventurers are back!]

[Did the extermination go well?]

The villagers who saw me and Marl raised their voices and asked about the battle results.
They seemed to be on guard, as I saw them carrying some form of weapon.

[Yeah, we’ve annihilated them. Here is the proof.]

I took out the corpse of the queen bee from my inventory and held it up.
Seeing the corpse of the queen bee, which was about twice the size of a normal Big Hornet, the two men on guard raised their voices in surprise.
Afterwards, I was surrounded by the villagers, who gave me words of thanks and praise.
It was kind of uncomfortable, but I felt a deep sense of accomplishment. Marl seemed to be the same and was embarrassed, but somehow proud.

It was noon already, so we decided to have lunch at Viet Village.
The ingredients were vegetables from Viet Village, bread made from ground wheat, and the big hornet larvae and chrysalis I provided.
The villagers’ eyes widened as I took out the loot from the Big Hornet one after another.
When I said it was magic, people were convinced without any doubt. Bison-san also knew about the treasure box.

Me, Marl, and the village children were overwhelmed by the food that came out.
It’s just a handful of larvae. It’s disgusting.
However, the adults in the village would grill or stir-fry them. Seasoned with just a little salt.
Because they spent the time preparing it, I couldn’t help but eat it.
Marl and I put it in our mouths with the determination to die.
It’s soft, and it feels like it’s kind of sticky. And a faint sweetness.
Sprinkle some salt on it. The taste was tightened and I could feel the sweetness stronger. If you don’t care about the appearance, it’s like a thick stew? Or a sweetly seasoned omelet…..

[It looks like that, but it’s delicious.]

[T, that’s right. It’s actually delicious.]

After some information digging, apparently it was a high-class ingredient that sold at a fairly high price in the Royal Capital.
Of course, it’s rarely eaten even in the village. Like this time, a Big Hornet’s nest was created nearby, and it seemed that it would be eaten immediately after subjugation.
Larvae didn’t live long and lost their freshness easily, so they didn’t last very long.

The chrysalis was dismantled and served stir-fried with vegetables.
The pupa’s crust was still soft, so it’s fine as is.
Just like the larvae, it has a slightly sweet taste and its flesh has a plump texture. Just like shrimp.
Turns out this was also a high-class ingredient in the Royal Capital. It’s because the shell gradually hardened as the days passed.

I also provided honey.
I mixed it with milk that had just been squeezed in the morning, and it tasted like power welling up from the bottom of my body.
Dripping it in warm milk before going to bed will help you fall asleep faster and get rid of fatigue.
There are a lot of them, so I’ve provided a little extra. It will be enough for each household.

[I’ll send you back to the capital.]

After finishing lunch, Bison-san offered to take us home while I was talking to Marl.
We gratefully accepted the offer and left the village in a wagon driven by Bison-san, just like when we came to Viet Village.

[Thank you!]

[Onee-chan, onii-chan, come again!]

[Bye-bye!]

We were sent off by the villagers and children, and we waved back until they were out of sight.
Marl and I were deeply filled with a sense of accomplishment that we had never felt before.

[This felt amazing. Adventuring like this.]

[Yeah, it is.]

Hearing me and Marl having such a conversation, Bison-san let out a satisfied 『hohoho』.

=====

After arriving back at the Royal Capital Alfen, we parted ways with Bison-san and headed for the Adventurer’s Guild.
The receptionist who saw my face stiffened up. Why are you so cautious, it really stings.

[W-welcome! What do you need… Ah, it’s about exterminating the Big Hornet’s nest yesterday, right?]

[Yeah, it’s done.]

[Eh?]

The receptionist looked surprised.
Eh, is it really that surprising?

[It’s done and done! Yup, here is the completion form!]

[Huh? Ah, yes… Of course.]

The receptionist received the completion form from Marl and nodded.
We also submitted our adventurer card at the same time and asked them to confirm the history of defeating monsters.
I realized that many were eyeing us in disbelief. Is it really that big of a deal?

[…..Um, the total number of subjugated animals is 341, and the subjugation reward is 2 large copper coins for each one, so it will be 682 large copper coins. If you add 1 large silver coin as the reward, it will be 7 gold coins, 3 silver coins, and 2 large copper coins.]

Approximately 730,000 yen is earned from subjugation rewards and success rewards alone. This adventuring business is lit.

[I’ve brought back almost the entire corpse and nest of a Big Hornet, but will you buy it here?]

[Yes? Wait, the entire thing?]

[Yeah. I can use the treasure box. Mine is a special one, and the capacity is huge.]

[I, is that so? Then, please bring them to the commerce guild across the street. They will buy the materials.]

[Alright, thank you.]

I thanked the receptionist who seemed to have accepted my explanation for the time being, and after receiving the reward, Marl and I headed straight to the commerce guild just across the street.

The commerce guild was packed.
It was filled with adventurers who came to sell their loot, or merchants, craftsmen, or mages who wanted to buy something. I also spied some nobles.
Looking around before going to the counter, there was something like a request board.
I was intrigued, so I went to see the bulletin board with Marl.
As expected, this was a kind of request board.
It seems to be used by people who wanted to buy things quickly, or that were rarely available, even if it cost more than the market price.

[Marl, look for the requests that require Big Hornet’s stuffs.]

[Already at it!]

Marl and I split up to search for Big Hornet-related items, including nests, larvae, and chrysalis.
Of course there’s one.
It seems that Big Hornet nests are not exterminated very often, and it is not uncommon to set fire to the nests to exterminate them, so it seemed difficult to collect them.
Therefore, the honey, larvae, and chrysalis seemed to be more valuable than I thought. There seems to be a high demand for the hive itself after extracting nectar as a material for beeswax.
Marl and I sorted out the requests with the best conditions and brought them to the counter.

[Welcome to the Commerce Guild. How may I help you? Did you find anything of interest?]

A young male employee greeted us.
He was a red-haired, freckle-faced man with a slightly light appearance. He looked at Marl and relaxed his cheeks. Hey, she’s not a spectacle.

[We have Big Hornet nests, nectar, larvae, and pupae! Please buy them!]

Saying that, Marl pulled out the request form from the request board and handed it over to the man.
The man confirmed them and looked up.

[The pupa and larvae have to be fresh. Would you please show me the item?]

I obediently put the larva corpse on the counter.
In a town the size of the Royal Capital, it’s not uncommon to find people using treasure boxes, so the man wasn’t particularly upset.
The man carefully appraised the Big Hornet larva and nodded.

[It’s as fresh as if you just killed it. This is enough. How many do you have?]

[There are twenty-three more larvae with similar freshness, and twenty-seven pupae.]

[…..I beg your pardon?]

[I’m serious. By the way, there is about 650 kilograms of honey. The nest also has a corresponding amount.]

I put the jar containing the Big Hornet’s honey on the counter and opened the lid. The sweet scent of honey wafted through the air.
The man took out a small spoon from somewhere, scooped up the honey, and licked it.

[…Sell them all please, I’ll buy as many as you have.]

[There are also a lot of corpses… Will you buy them as well?]

[Monster corpses… of course, leave it to me. My name is Huey, may I know this esteemed guest name?]

[I’m Taichi. I’ll be in your care.]

In total, we earned 88 gold coins and 3 silver coins, including the quest rewards and the sale of various materials.
The rewards obtained from exterminating the Big Hornet’s nest, as well as the profit from the sale of materials and other items, we now had a total of 95 gold coins, 9 silver coins, and 2 large copper coins.
We really made a lot there. I can’t stop laughing in my heart.
Thanks to my inventory, the most important thing was that no materials were lost.

By the way, I brought 20 kilograms of Big Hornet honey, one larva, and one pupa back to the mansion as souvenirs.
There was an incident where Maybel fainted when I handed over the larvae, but Jack-san cooked the larvae and chrysalis deliciously.
The oven-baked big hornet larvae made with various herbs and vegetables was truly exquisite. No wonder it was considered a luxury ingredient.
Fram seemed to have eaten it in the past, and was enjoying the gourmet food for the first time in a while without any particular rejection.

Also, Maybel was screaming when I told her the truth after she ate too much and said that it was delicious. Praise Buddha.

=====

Translator Note: This is conversation between Maybel and the others during the feast.

[A-u-a-u……]

[It’s delicious, isn’t it? So it’s fine.]

[In-indeed it is… but why does Fram-san not seem to mind?]

[It was uncommon for me to camp in the wild and have to eat monster’s meat. As long as it fills our stomach, then it’s good.]

[I, uh, is that so?]

[Yes, it’s so.]