Support the translator on lazytranslations.com
I went to the guild and sold 5 Cure Grass.
After receiving the reward of 25 silver coins, I check the G-rank quests available to me.
There were still the same requests for collecting medicinal herbs and antitoxin, but there was an additional request from the town for an additional reward for exterminating rat and bug monsters in the sewers, which was posted on the quest board.
Before receiving the quest at the reception, ask if you can confirm the scale and location of the extermination target in advance. I heard that if you bring it with you, the quest will be completed.
I checked the picture book for the rat monster and the bug monster, and the rat seemed to be just a large rat.
The main body of the rat, excluding the tail, is about 50 centimeters long, and if you took too long to defeat one, it is said to have the characteristic of calling for its friends and attacking you in groups.
I thought it was a monster that would “bite the cat when cornered,” and when I asked about the part of the rat used as proof and the minimum number to complete, I was told that the part was the tail and the minimum number was one rat, just as I had expected.
By the way, the rat’s name is [Big Rat], which means a large rat, right? It’s a perfect name, isn’t it?
What about the bug monster? But then cool-beauty Sophia-san opened the illustrated book with a disgusted expression on her face, her eyebrows furrowed as hard as she could.
Um, yeah, a cockroach? Yes, it’s a cockroach.
The size of the body is about 30 cm.
Its name is [Big Cockroach].
I think the name is a bit straightforward, but I guess that’s normal.
To be honest, I don’t want to touch the cockroach.
I asked her what part of the body would be used as subjugation proof of killing the cockroach, and she answered as I expected, it was the feelers.
The minimum number for subjugating was one.
That reminds me that there was a story about cockroaches in my previous life.
After taking on a contract for a new house and handing it over, the client said, “There’s a terrible cockroach infestation! What the hell is going on with your house?” The client had apparently spent more money on furniture than on the house, and most of the furniture was imported.
The cause was cockroach eggs infesting the imported furniture.
It seems that they hatched after the furniture was put in the room.
Although it was a very serious mistake, it is a rare occurrence with imported furniture, and when I complimented him on his good taste in the furniture he had bought, he was in a better mood and I then called an exterminator.
Well, it’s just a problem money can fix.
I don’t know how the exterminator at that time got rid of them, but I think poisoning them with boric acid dumplings would be effective.
For the rats, it was rat poison.
I know poison works on them, but what can I use?
I still had plenty of time today, so I decided to check the sewers before deciding on taking any requests.
I approached the guard, and he was happy to indulge me and explain the situation to me.
“Big rats are getting more and more numerous. But everything is fine during the day. However, since they’re nocturnal, when you’re on night watch, they’re squeaking around, and lately, there’s been so many of them that I’m afraid someone is going to be attacked when they’re alone.” (Guard)
“That’s right. It seems that it will easily be done if there is a guard who can use Fire Magic and subdues them.” (Louis)
“We’re not in a battle, so we can’t use magic freely. And if we used Fire Magic in the sewers, the air would become suffocating or it could cause an explosion and collapse.” (Guard)
Oh, is that so?
“I’m just joking, so please don’t take it too seriously.” (Guard)
“Oh, I see! Hahaha.” (Louis)
We made small talk and have the sewer entrance and exit opened.
The smell is unavoidable, but it is dark as I go deeper.
The further I went, the darker it got.
I’m going to need torches and lamps.
If I made rat poison and boric acid dumplings and left them there during the day, they would eat them at night and we could get rid of a lot of them in two or three days.
But I don’t want to touch their carcasses.
Walking through the sewers like this makes me think that the environment must be suitable for them to live in.
Water, food, darkness, no people, and yet it is sheltered from the wind and rain.
A biotope for cockroaches and rats has been created here. [T/N: Biotope according to Wiki-sensei is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. Also synonymous with habitat. The author used biotope so I used it too.]
If only the government would pay people to clean up and exterminate them… or is there more to it? Could there be something happening within the government office, like… embezzlement?
Well, it doesn’t matter to me.
All I need is a preliminary check to see if I’m going to accept the order to subjugate the monsters.
The embezzlement and all the hassle it could cause can be done by themselves.
Now that I’ve checked all the avenues for the attack, I just need to see if I can get my hands on some poisonous plants and drugs.
It’s a surprisingly easy job, considering I’m going to exterminate them with drugs without even fighting.
I thanked the guard and asked him to lock the entrance and exit.
“You’re going to take the request, right?” he asked, but I gave a vague answer that I was still thinking because there were still some important factors I have to consider.
After separating from the guard, I make my way to the apothecary.
When I asked the apothecary to sell me some poison or poisonous herbs, he looked at me quizzically and then refused.
The female clerk gave me an immediate answer without any sign of hesitation.
I tried to argue, but…
“I’m an adventurer and an alchemist, and I’m not going to make a mistake in using it, and its purpose is to exterminate Big Rats. So, will you sell it to me?” (Louis)
“No, I would never sell it. You know, there is no way I would sell poison to someone who wants to use it to kill monsters. Especially to a kid like you.” (Apothecary)
Oh no.
I slumped out of the store.
I had no idea that my short stature would come back to haunt me.
Now that the preparations have collapsed, I have to rethink my plan, but it doesn’t seem to be coming together.
If I can’t use poison, will I have to go into the sewers at night, when Big Rats and Big Cockroaches are active, and go at them head-on?
With lamps and torches? Even if I were to telekinetically send stone and debris to kill them from one side to the other, would I be able to defeat them in a way that leaves the parts I need to kill them? How many can I kill in one night? I’m dealing with multiple monsters that are very active.
The more I think about it, the harder it will be for me and Huey to do it alone.
What do I do, block off all the entrances and exits, burn some charcoal, and poison them with carbon monoxide?
Is this an impossible idea because if I blocked the entrances and exits, the sewage system would also be blocked and I would not be allowed to block the sewage system.
I can’t think of a good idea.
T/N: If you like the series rate, review and add on your reading list on Novel Updates. You can also donate through Paypal or Ko-fi, or subscribe on Patreon or Ko-fi. Thank you!
support the translator on lazytranslations.com
