Stranger’s Handbook

Chapter 40: Zest, the Mentor

“What’s this lack of nerve? You’re underestimating me, you idiots!”

“We’re sorry, Zest-sama.”

“Hey you, we’re not dancing here, stop staggering!”

“Sorry!”

“You there, stop whining! If you have the time to do so, then what about attacking more!?”

“Yes sir! Thank you for your guidance!”

After the incident with that weird trespassing mercenary, I started to offer guidance to the other soldiers too.

Why in the world am I doing this?

The fact that we allowed a suspicious person to trespass enraged the Prime Minister.

‘Just how scandalous is that!? Gather all the managing staff in the conference room and start working on a counter-plan! Lord Sonia will instruct you! Lord Zest will temper the soldiers!’

I couldn’t refuse the Prime Minister, and so the training continued.

Oh dear!

“Err, Zest-sama? It’s my turn next. Please be gentle.”

Said a woman knight and bowed her head.

She had a 5 cm scar on her forehead, but she was still a beauty.

“Yea, that scar on your forehead? Close your eyes and draw out your power.”

The beauty knight did what I said.

Touching her scar, my hand started to shine brightly, and in the next moment the scar was completely gone.

“I’m done. Do you feel unwell?”

She shook her head repeatedly.

Yes, when a beautiful woman does that, it sure comes with a destructive force. Such a splendid scene!

When she saw that she was now scar-less, she went back to her friends and they were all rejoicing.

That’s right. I wasn’t participating in their training.

I was instructing them with words only.

Then, what exactly was I doing? I was healing the wounds of the women soldiers and men soldiers alike.

It’s typical for light magic to heal wounds, but healing them in the blink of an eye is not really ordinary.

In normal circumstances, for one to be considered fast at healing, one must be able to stop someone’s bleeding. With that amount of skill, one would be called a specialist and would be made into an Imperial Mage.

Furthermore, the only light attribute users who were able to completely heal scars were my master and the 4th Imperial Mage.

Since my master got married into the Frontier Count’s family and moved to his territories, the 4th alone has stayed in the imperial capital, but they seem to be extremely busy, so there’s no time to heal this sort of wounds.

Then, I shall heal them.

This was my situation.

I also wanted to test out my healing abilities and I since I got experience from fully using them during the training with the black knights, it should be ok.

I kept on giving them instructions and healing their wounds, but the numbers weren’t really decreasing.

Hey, even maids are lining up now?

…….Well, if that’s the case, I guess I’ll heal them too……

Before I knew it, a chair was prepared for me. As I sat down on it, I picked up the cup and started to drink some tea.

I finished healing all the knights and soldiers.

The woman knight with the forehead scar was very grateful and kept on thanking me. As expected, she didn’t like that scar on her face; she was a girl after all.

The guys were mocking her, but she answered them:

‘Aren’t you happy that your colleague is a beauty?’

…at which point, they fell silent and went back to their training.

These guys sure are honest.

“Zest-sama, please.”

The maid lowered her head and held out her hand.

I grinned and grasped her hand.

The maid seemed somewhat embarrassed, and she blushed a little.

A bright light, and the healing was finished.

“I’m done. Say now, did it hurt?”

She checked her hand by opening and closing it into a fist for a few times.

After she finally seemed to consent, she looked at me and, with a smile covering her whole face, she thanked me.

“Thank you very much, Zest-sama! It’s completely healed and it doesn’t hurt at all.”

She said, then she returned to her job.

So cute.

This is where my oasis was; I finally found it after all this time.

Gripping the hands of these cute maids and watching their embarrassed faces, healing their wounds and watching their bright smiles…

What’s with these side benefits? This is the best!

In the end, I only managed to finish the healing session in the evening, but I was nonetheless content.

It turned out to be a wonderful day.

…….Ah! You can stop training already, you know? I didn’t even realize you were still up to it.

After the officially authorized sexual harassment was over, it was time for the very fun last banquet.

Since today was a party for the soldiers, I was finally feeling comfortable.

It’s like my usual drinking parties with the black knights.

I entered the party ‘zone’ that was built on one side of the training ground.

They were about 500 soldiers gathered there.

They were few, that’s true, but it wasn’t allowed for all the soldiers to fall drunk, so only a few of them were selected and got permission to participate.

OH! The women knights are here too.

I’ll go talk to them later.

“Because of his Majesty’s kindness, you are able to experience this. First of all, be sure to feel deep gratitude towards his Majesty.”

At the prime Minister’s words, everyone put up their cups and glasses.

Why is the Prime Minister present at the army’s party, you ask? That’s simple.

It’s because the managing staff was still caught up inside the conference room with my master…..I pity them, to be honest.

“Well then, Lord Zest. If you may greet them…”

I went to the platform, built in front of the party ground.

I was told beforehand that I should say a few words, so I wasn’t panicking now.

The Prime Minister also said that this was meant to be a very relaxed banquet.

“I’m Zest, the person entrusted with the 1st rank Imperial Mage. There’s still some time until the official announcement, but I wanted your acceptance. I won’t keep it very long, since today, we’re having a free and easy party! Drink all the sake you can, exhaust the castle’s cellar! Cheers!”

“ “ “ “ “OOOOOOOOOO!!!” “ “ “ “

And so, the big party has started.

The young soldiers were frantically packing their stomachs with food and alcohol.

Their energy is amazing.

The middle-aged soldiers, probably commanders, were rather smart.

They were picking only the expensive looking sake.

…..They’re sly.

The female soldiers gathered together to drink.

Yes, that’s where the flowers are blooming. Wonderful!

My end goal is to reach that place.

However, if I act too rashly and assault them at this time, I’ll only draw them away.

I must not be impatient.

First, I’ll crush the Prime Minister.

If a big shot like him is here, the party will never get wild. It’s the same, no matter the world you’re in.

“Prime Minister-dono, here, please. Now, gulp it down.”

“Oh! Lord Zest, thank you. This sake…is really good.”

Ha ha, I grasped his taste.

This guy loves strong, acid wine. It seems it wasn’t a bad idea to make Albert inquire about this stuff after all. ‘Crushing mission’ complete!

I left the Prime Minister, who fell prostrate on the table.

Next, the commanding officers.

I must be cautious since most of them are nobles.

“Hello commanders, do you want to try this sake out? It’s a gift from the Frontier Count’s Household. Here, please. You don’t need to refrain.”

“Thank you, Lord Zest. Woa!? Is this that famous, well refined sake?”

“It’s the first time I’m seeing it…..”

“Is…Is it all right for us to drink such an……expensive sake?”

Even though they are nobles, since they’re in the army it means they don’t earn that much.

They can rarely drink such an expensive sake….Hehe, come now, drink it all.

‘Crushing mission’ complete.

I left the commanders behind me, all of them lying on the ground.

Now, that everything is set…….I shall go ‘there’.

With a quick pace, I was walking towards my Eden.

The commanders were rather persistent, so it took me a while…..But, I should not be in such a hurry.

The girls seem to be just in the right mood. A little drunk, but that’s perfect.

Actually, my timing was great.

“Hey, are you drinking? Ah, relax. I’ve already told you, we’ll be putting aside ranks for tonight.”

The women soldiers stood up and were about to formally greet me.

There were some knights among them too, but most of the girls were commoners, so they tried their best not to seem impolite.

With a swing of my hand, I urged the girls to sit.

“This is a gift. It’s a sweet, fruity sake that is said to be very good.”

I asked a black knight to go buy this sake that I am recommending them now.

I had no idea that such a sake actually existed in this world, so I kind of panicked, but it seems it got here just in time.

As for the black knight, saying thanks should suffice.

“Woooa, it’s delicious.”

“So good! It’s the first time I had such a good sake.”

“I can’t get enough of it!”

Hehehe, my strategy was a huge success.

Alcohol that women like is kind of rare; it was worth to search the entire imperial capital.

Should I give the black knight a reward after this?

The women soldiers were drinking at a quick pace.

Some of them were taking off their outer garments; they seemed to feel hot.

Some of them were looking at me with drowsy eyes.

There were even some of them who nonchalantly placed their hands on my legs.

Wonderful!

To come to another world and finally arrive at this earthly paradise……Simply wonderful!

The women were smelling really good, and some of them were sending me dirty glances…..

The other soldiers were looking in our direction every so often, but I managed to intimidate them by releasing a tiny bit of my magical power.

Don’t stand in my way! Or else I’ll train you really hard.

Good, they stopped looking at us.

I won.

I was confident in my victory and drained my cup of wine.

It was tasty.

The victory sake is something else!

“Zest-sama, you are so strong, in both fighting and drinking….Is it that, perhaps, you’re strong in other ‘fields’ too?”

A woman knight was leaning against me.

What? What? Do you wanna try me out?

I desperately tried to keep my emotions in place and not show a lewd expression on my face.

I’d be too shameful if I were to show a sluttish face at this point.

I gently held her shoulders in my arms, while thinking about something to say to her.

I was pondering on a nice and cool reply, when I suddenly received a telepathic message.

(Master, Bea-sama has arrived.)

With my magical power at full throttle, I enhanced my entire body, stood up with great speed and turned around.

Please…..Please, just don’t let the young lady be HERE yet.

I wonder, was my wish delivered?