Magic? Muscle Is Much More Important Than Such A Thing! - Chapter 15

Hello there!!

This and that happened these few days, so I only managed to finish translating this one right now. Also, with this the first arc is completed.

See you later^_^

I and Firia have finally arrived at the building where knight orders are stationed in.

With red brickwork, the building is giving off fortitude and vigorous vibes. Perhaps it's metaphor of knight order itself.

When we approach the entrance, a knight, that is standing there, politely address us.

"Here is knight order station. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"I've killed that so called Shinigami guy."

"…what?"

"I've killed that so called Shinigami guy."

"…y, yes!? I, I'll report it to my superior right away, please excuse me for a minute!"

When the man about to flusteredly enters the building, he suddenly stops his legs there, as if just remember of it, he gives us a salute before continue rushing in again.

"Quite flustered, isn't he?"

"Given your choice of words, that's pretty normal reaction."

"I heard that the simpler I make it, the easier it to be understood, you know?"

"There's a limit of how simple it could be."

Limit, huh. That's a hard term for me who have barely ever communicated with other.

Asked to go into the building, ten minutes has passed since we were led into a small room to explain the situation.

Seemingly have confirmed the information, one of the knight enters the room.

A tall man with brown hair, clad in knight's white suits, and with bearing of calm air.

His perfect face could even be called as beautiful, it's easy to guess that he'd surely be popular among the knight orders.

His body is far from solid, but from its figure, I can clearly tell that it's well trained, as far as I'm concerned, he deserves quite a high score in my eyes.

Because there's no way those who train their body are bad guy, after all.

"Sorry for the wait. Just as you reported, we certainly did discover Shinigami's corpse inside that abandoned building."

"Well, that's a matter of course."

"Yuri-san. He's of governmental institution, so please watch your words a bit…. I'm really sorry, for the trouble my companion gave you."

After cautioning me in low voice, Firia repeatedly bows her head in apologize.

Or rather, I do think that it's rude to talk in such manner to a governmental officer, but can't they do something about it, I wonder?

Without showing any discontent, the man shakes his head while gently smiling.

"No no, don't worry, or rather I'd be happy if you could just talk casually to me. If I have to act formally even to non-knights people like you, I'll loss my time to rest my spirit, after all."

"I see. I don't particularly understand, but that does sound hard, huh."

"Ahaha, thank you for your sympathy."

The man exhales lightly, and re-stance his already good posture into a better one.

"Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Goz Moratrim, vice leader of knight orders of Hiyuman Kingdom. We just can't thank you enough for your deed in this case. Thank you very much."

Saying so, he bows his head.

Half of the reason was because I wanted to fight with powerful existence, but receiving gratitude is never a bad thing.

"I'm Yuri."

"My name is Firia."

"Yuri-kun and Firisan, huh. Okay, I've remembered them."

Goz says so while smiling.

Perhaps that's just a business smile, but it's hard to differentiate it from a genuine smile.

He's totally different from Firia who's bad at acting.

"Actually, the best outcome would be us moving slightly faster and then arrest him…. But, as you may know it already, people, even from difference races, can easily enter and exit this kingdom. Criminals and sinfolks of unknown origin are simply countless here, and we knights, who're responsible as the shield that protect this kingdom's citizens, are pathetically incapable to deal with it."

Goz says so while grinding his teeth as if he's really mortified with their lack of abilities.

Sinfolk, sinfolk, huh. Ah, I see, sinfolk, huh… just what does this sinfolk even mean?

"It refers to internationally wanted people, especially those of atrocious criminals."

Firia's whispers reverberates next to my ear.

This girl, without I noticed it, she's gained more and more human society knowledge.

…or rather, did she arbitrarily peek at my mind again?

"…ah, could it be, what I've done is also considered as a crime?"

Without I noticed it, I let my thought slips out.

When fighting him, I was too engrossed in it and forgot about this matter, even if he was indeed a criminal and one of those sinfolks guys, I still did kill a human, after all.

Toward my inquiry, Goz shakes his head.

"No, that's not true. For atrocious criminals and sinfolks, the arresting order would be "Dead or Alive", after all. Even the knights hadn't caught his trail at all, if he was left as it was, it wouldn't be strange that many more victims would fall in his hand. Your deed deserves our gratitude, so there's no way we'd arrest you because of it."

Seems like that's just a needless anxiety of mine.

To put it simply, it's good that that guy has been captured.

"Leaving that aside, how about it, Yuri-kun, interested in joining the knight order? With your ability, you'd surely be able make a living without any worries."

Goz bends his body forward and asks me such.

Knight order, huh….

"Sorry but, I think I'll pass on it. I'm not too fond of being tied to organization, and fighting for people's sake also isn't part of my nature, after all."

"You are a selfish person, after all, right Yuri-san?"

"Shut it."

Don't say the unnecessary things. Just where's the person who once told me to watch my words in front of governmental officer, I wonder.

Understanding that I'm not interested, seems like Goz decides to switch his target. He turns his body from me to Firia.

"How about you, Firisan? With all due respect, if my eyes don't fail me, you do seem to possess quite a magical energy. Ah, just in case let me tell you this first, this country is generous enough to employ even elves as knights. Even when we're all called knight, it isn't like we all use sword, after all."

"I'm sorry. I can't join the knight order since I've long deiced to accompany Yuri-san."

"I see, what a shame…."

Being turned down by the two of us, Goz says so with seemingly very disappointed voice.

I feel as if seeing tragic aura looming over his shoulders.

"Are you really that short of people?"

"Number-wise we're sufficient enough, but we're honestly lacking people with outstanding abilities. With this the case about the Shinigami is over, so I need to return to royal capital soon, you see."

I don't particularly understand what he says, but I do understand that they're having hard times.

"Good work. Thank you for always working hard for all of us."

"I'm a knight, after all. Anyway, I'm truly grateful to you guys for this case. Let's hope we may meet again in the future."

They've finished confirming our information, so we then part with Goz, and return to the inn.

On the way back to the inn.

While walking on the road with the sights we have become familiar with, Firia suddenly says something.

"You sure have an amazing nose, aren't you, Yuri-san?"

"What is it? Saying that out of the blue."

"…could it be, you can tell my smell as well?"

"Well, we've been together this long, after all."

Even while this and that happened, we've been pretty much always together, after all. As expected I'd remember her smell even if I don't want to.

Firia says "I see", and then puts her hands on her back.

"…what kind of smell do I have?"

"Eh, you want to know your own smell? Firia, do you have that kind of fetish?"

"What kind of fetish is that?! … Elves almost have no body odor. That's why we don't even know how we smell, and since we don't know it, isn't it normal for us for wanting to know about it?"

"But it's fine now, I don't care anymore." Or so Firia says next while turning her face away.

Seems like I've made her angry.

"Well, let's see…. Your smell surely is fainter that human's. Umm, you don't use perfume or the like, right?"

"We elves aren't fond of such strong smells, so we never use something like that."

Even while pouting, Firia still properly answers my question.

Now that she's still willing to speak, I feel a bit relieved, and then I continue.

"You have Flower-like scent coming from you, Firia. I haven't smelled any other elves than you, so I don't know whether that's your tribe's trait or not, though. But, I do think that's a nice smell. I really like your smell, Firia."

"!? I, I shee…. *cough*, I see. *coughcough*."

I won't retort to the fact that she stutters. I also won't retort to her clearly forced coughs.

I'm a gentle man, a gentleman, after all.

In any case, seems like her mood has become better, so I'm more or less relieved.

"…I, didn't stutter, you know?"

"You're right, you didn't stutter, Firia. That's why please stop glaring at me."

If you glare at me with that red face of yours, I just don't know what to do.

"I didn't stutter."

"Yup yup. I know it, I get it, okay?"

"I didn't stutter."

"Huh? Are you listening? I say, I understand, okay?"

"I didn't stutter, right?"

"Yeah, you clearly didn't. You didn't stutter, so please return to the usual you already!"

"I did stutter! I really did stutter! Please don't turn away from the reality!"

Your emotions are just too unstable, you know?! Why am I the one whom getting mad at?  As someone with almost no experience about dealing with people, I absolutely have no idea what to do in such situation.

…for now, let's try praising her first.

"You did indeed stutter, but what's the deal? That was cute, after all. That's the advantage of being a cutie, after all."

"…aren't you treating me like a child? You must be thinking that praising me would settle everything, right?"

She stares at me with half-opened eyes.

Firia is unexpectedly sharp, huh. Could it be she peeks at my mind again?

"…well then, let's get going already."

"Ah, please don't leave me behind. This isn't how you treat a child, you know?"

"Shut it."

"How mean, I'm hurt."

We return to the inn still while quarreling as such.