A day after we accepted the request of Noel-nee-san.
I, after quite a long time, was moving alone, without Elk accompanying me.
That’s because of things under the pretext of ‘Isn’t it fine to at least rest for 1 day’, so no going to danger areas or dungeons for today; hence she is secluded in her room and is resting.
Elk must be tired after solo defeating a Little Beast yesterday.
Though it looked like she defeated it easily –In fact, it was easy- but she might have mental fatigue piled up, or so I think.
However in the morning, I remembered that today was the scheduled date for the arrival of shuriken and other stuff which I ordered at sister’s place.
It’s not like that today is the arrival date, so it’s needed to go there for getting my stuff, but I can get rid of this habit from my previous world, there unless I went to take the stuff I mail-ordered, I would never be able to settle down.
However, a man should never go back on his words.
So, I let Elk rest, and decided to go alone.
At that time, there was my shortcoming of『Poor sense of Direction』kicking in, so Elk even asked『Should I go with you』, but I refused.
Malras Association is a place I have gone to many times, though with Elk. I ain’t some damn kindergartener, I won’t get lost after all this time.
Though I have poor sense of direction, but it’s on the level that I’m fine with a familiar road, this I confirmed recently. However to a place I’ve never been to, I would be not fine even if given a map.
Like that, without losing my way, and without the situation turning like sorry I got lost, I was able to reach sister’s association and take my stuff.
However, I was not able to sense troubles other than getting lost.
「……Hm?」
On the way back to inn,
It was at the time I was thinking that recently not many people have been troubling me, like just after the case with『Exceed Subspecies』, at that I was called by many people and had to deal with them.
The moment I got out on the main street, my nose caught a scent different from usual.
Smell of an animal.
Although I say that, it’s not a rare thing for this sort of scent to be in the city. The domestic animals is a given, even the materials of demons give that smell, sometimes the domestic animals themselves are demons. There are also cases about demons being raised and reared for their meat or for dairy farms.
However a case with screams of lots of people, accompanied with the stomping sounds of hoof, is something that is not present in my all-too-well memory.
And, right now I just saw a cloud of dust in the front, along with crowds of people seeming like onlookers.
A moment later, they all made great haste and ran towards the sides of main road, then did I see the origin of all this noise.
There was a quite big ox-shaped demon. It looked completely agitated; it was running wildly across the main street, making the people looking from sidelines feel fear. Ah, indeed, that is scary.
Judging from the collar on its neck, and the chain which extends from there and has the end torn would only mean……It ran away from an animal farm and is on rampage.
Moreover, I do think Elk said this before……isn’t that an E Rank demon called as『Ox』?
Its movements are not slow but are simple, if one fights it in spacious open plains, which happens to be its habitat, while taking advantages of gaps while fighting, even a novice adventurer would win without much injuries, but looks like it’s not going to be like that in this road filled with people.
Moreover, the ox is in a panic and is running here and there in zigzag manner; it ain’t something you damned people need to watch with thrill. Who knows when someone is going to be run over by it.
At that time, again for some reason it changed it direction towards an old man and old woman, who couldn’t move due to shock, Yikes, it’s a direct hit course.
They wouldn’t live much long even if save them (Sorry to be rude), but because I was a grandparent-loving child in previous world, so I want people like them to live as their whole span of life.
At that moment,
In this world without any Buddhism……a single girl stood before the ox and the old couple, while muttering something as if singing in chorus, for praying.
Her movements seemed very natural, so I didn’t feel much uncomfortable.
But thinking very well, Hey hey ain’t that girl too in damn fucking danger, by the time I reached this thought, I noticed the sword hanging on her waist.
Maybe she is an adventurer or something……the second I thought that,
「――!!」
For a second, I didn’t understand what exactly happened, but immediately after realized the identity of this mysterious feeling which came crashing into me almost too abruptly.
It was bloodlust.
To the strong bloodlust emitted from that girl……something cold runs along my spine and my body stiffened.
And maybe the rampaging ox also sensed that, before hitting the girl, it suddenly changed it direction. Whoa, great. Now that old couple and the girl too are safe.
The ox didn’t even scratch the skin of that girl, and changed its trajectory to here……here?
「——Holy shit, this ain’t good!」
This time, with the force from before, the rampaging ox came towards me.
I can’t possibly evade it, behind me, there are children and other old people, and it might not be a great thing to let it keep on rampaging.
「! Ah crap! Hey you over there it’s dangerous……」
Now only did the miss who made the ox change its way with bloodlust, realized that though the old couple was safe but the direction it was now going into was not safe, so she called out to me like that, but I purposely ignore her and lower my waist.
Immediately after the miss showed an expression of bafflement,
「Hakkeyoi!!」[1]
I thuddingly strike the ox coming at me like a sumo wrestler, for now hurting its horns, then firmly grabbed it and stopped its rush.
Because the force it rushed at me was quite strong, I was pushed back two or three meters, but somehow stopped at that point.
Then, it would be troublesome to let it run somewhere else now, so I grabbed the chain extending from the collar around the neck of ox. Alrighty, everything’s fine now.
Then, after some seconds, WOW, shouts of joy rose from the surroundings. Along with voice between the lines of『Holy freak!』『Way to go Bruh』『Eh, is that Black Lion?』.
Fuck, in the end I stood out. And they might completely know that I’m『Black Lion』from this sort of attire of mine……aw nooo shiiit, recently finally people coming to me were getting less.
The rescue currently is, this agitated ox by my side, so the curious onlookers aren’t coming close to me. They can only mumble from a far at most……as for my mood, that mumbling alone is enough to destroy it.
Just when I thought that……a single brave person came near me without being afraid.
Woot quite brave, hey don’t you come here; these two types of feelings were within my heart when I look at the person coming to me……isn’t this the miss from before.
「Hmm……quite unlike your appearance you’re strong, to be able to stop its rush with just pure strength」
Saying that the miss came near me without having any signs of fear of ox, seeing the courageous miss once again, I noticed her characteristic appearance.
Having red hair reaching her waist, and dark brown skin. Her figure was quite glamorous and charming as a woman……maybe she equals to mom. Covering her body was a red dress, somewhere between a qipao and one-piece dress. The exposure parts were quite more.
A leather belt fastened at the waist. And there, as before, a single sword was present. The golden ornaments are good, and it looks wonderful. Well I won’t know if it’s a practical sword unless I see the blade.
And the last characteristic thing would be……her ears, which are long and pointed, like the so-called『Elf ears』.
And the miss with great appearance which anyone would say『Cute』or『Beautiful』, was appraising me while smiling.
Let it be sword, this type of stare, and even the bloodlust from before……is she also an adventurer?
「Hmm……though you look so weak. Is it the so-called don’t judge a person by their looks? Are you also an adventurer?」
「Ah, Yes, more or less」
「As expected. Oh the surrounding seems to be in uproar……are you famous? I just came to this city, so don’t know much about others」
Ah, I see. Then this miss might not know the name『Black Lion』too. Well, I’ve struck it with luck.
As well as, maybe because I’ve been refusing to meet everyone except Elk and Tanya-chan.
A person seeming like the owner of ox, the Trader, came running, saying stuff like『I’m sorry for the carelessness before』and『Thank you very much for stopping it』, so I handed over the ox to him.
The Trader was bending his waist at a perfect 90 degree angle, but miss’ stare is strict. Maybe she remembered about the old couple from before was about to die, so while listening his apology closely, she complained back at him sternly.
Well whatever she said was correct, and we should respect the elders, that’s why I let her speak her mind.
She let off the Trader after nagging at him for some time, which made me feel that he became smaller with each word, then the miss said some words to the old couple and returned back to me.
……Seeing her like this makes me feel that the intimidating air from before seems like a lie. Her friendly attitude to me and that old couple makes the sword hanging from her waist seem like it was an accessory.
This miss who might already have realized I was watching her, hesitating and thinking for a bit, said.
「Hey, do you have some time right now? I think it was some sort of fate that we met here……I want to say my gratitude and an apology, can you accompany for a meal?」
She invited me while winking.
Eh, what, is she a Playgirl……as if, it’s still daytime. We’re both adventurers, so maybe this sort of conversation might take place while greeting someone.
Or rather, what is this thing about gratitude and an apology?
「See, before when I intimidated that『Ox』 it went in your direction, right? And behind you were children and other unrelated people, and you stopped it without harming it. So I wish to apologize and give my gratitude. Is it fine with you?」
Apparently it just happened to be noon so she wanted to invite me to a meal.
But……I’ve already promised to Elk, who is waiting at the inn, that I would be back by noon, along with something to eat.
Of course Elk knew about my poor sense of direction, so she warned me『If you don’t return by 1’o clock, then I will eat in the bar adjacent to inn』right to my face. Oh damn geez, so she understood me perfectly.
Now that she said that, I would feel bad if she really ate at the bar, that’s why I’m reluctant this miss invited me……but I hesitate. Seeing that, the miss says『Then at least let me treat you to something from the stalls』 looks like I will have to compromise.
Well if it was like that, I chose my favorite skewer kebab stall. It was the shop where I ate for the first time when I came to this city, now I’m already a frequent customer there.
Just because Elk wasn’t besides me as ussual, I was teased by the owner saying『What? are you two-timing?』 -though I denied it with haste, and he laughed saying it was just a joke- anyhow, I ordered 2 skewers per usual for myself.
Then the miss ordered, double of what I ordered i.e., 4 skewers for her own, this somewhat shocked me. Is she a glutton?
And, when we were given the grilled kebabs,
「Here you go Minato! And also……err……」
「I’m Sherry. Ah, sorry, I haven’t introduced myself till now, right? I’m Sherry, Sherry Saxon. Nice to meet you」
「Ah, Yes, nice to meet you. I’m Minato Quadrille」
After finishing the slightly-belated self-introductions, we took our skewered kebabs and left the shop.
☆☆☆
Sherry-san and I headed the same way, so we walked together for a while.
「Huh! You are also an A Rank? You look younger than me!」
「Yeah, well my luck is really good」
「Don’t be modest. Let it be your superhuman strength from before, from that slender body……hmm, you truly are strong?」
In that moment, the eyes of Sherry-san were inspecting me from head to toe it seemed, her eyes glittering like that of a carnivorous animal aiming at its prey……was it my imagination?
「Now that I say that……looking at you closely, your body is not thin, but your muscles are toned and compact, right. Isn’t it like you don’t have any useless fat at all?」
Sherry-san said that while patting my shoulders or touching it, in a mutter which made me wonder if she is talking to me or herself.
At first, surely I was startled, but what she said seemed to hit the mark, so my admiration for her observations ability was increased.
「Having this much power without having a burly arm is really rare……your muscles and joints also seem flexible. Maybe it is because of your physical constitution? You seem like a warrior type, but your movements seemed more like a martial artist……is it self-taught?」
「You can see through that much, just after observing and touching me a few times?」
「Well yeah. My family was quite strict, or rather really a great at nagging. They made me learn martial arts, so albeit reluctantly, I was forced to learn it」
“I hated that, so left the home”, like that, Sherry-san just told me about her quite good origins that easily.
However, still it is great. Well I don’t know much about body constitution, but she’s right about my arms not getting burly no matter how much I train, or that I have no abs, and my martial arts are self-taught, well they are the blend of SFX : Game : Hong Kong Movies in the ratio of 4:3:3.
Sherry-san said that once one learns a particular martial arts, then all of their movements show some signs of that art, which isn’t present in mine. Well, I made this with half-heartedness 120%.
Now that she says that, seeing Sherry-san standing pin-straight, seems elegant and maybe is the tell-tale signs (?) of uderstanding martial arts. No, this is absolutely my imagination, it’s not like I can understand it this easily.
And, as to why Sherry-san knows that I’m an A Ranker, it’s because we both showed our Guild Cards to each other before.
She showed me first saying『Here you go』, so I thought it would be rude if I didn’t show her mine.
I decided to go with the flow, since it wasn’t something I needed to hide, and if she asked somewhere else, she would eventually learn about me being the 『Black Lion』, so it was fine.
And, at that time, I found out from seeing her Guild Card that Sherry-san was also an A ranker just like me. That truly surprised me.
That bloodlust from before, and this posture which reeks of elegance and has no gaps, makes me convinced.
However, her innocent and friendly smile, and her attitude seeming like that of a relative cousin, doesn’t make it feel like it’s difficult to approach her.
Aren’t people like that defined as『Big shots』, eh.
However, that……stare of a starving carnivorous animal is something I’ve got completely no clue about, and it’s not like I can just fucking ask her.
Well, it’s fine. It’s not like she is planning something bad.
「But, I’m somewhat happy. Since I came here, I haven’t met that many A rankers. The people I used to hang out with when I was B ranker or C, somehow feel estranged, and those irritating types who approach me, begging me to join their groups have increased」
「Ah, I know. They capture you the moment you enter the Guild, or even stalk you to the inn……」
「Right? Though I’m not some spectacle, still they keep on coming, seriously irritating. I became an adventurer because I liked the freedom……but it finally became too much, and I changed my base location」
「Ah, so that’s why you came to this city」
「Yeah. There, Dark Elves were rare, so people easily spotted me, calling out to me aiming for my body or my abilities. In fact, there were friends who left me because of that. Ah, geez, I finally am at ease after coming to this city」
Sherry-san said such with a sigh, but without any dark feelings, truly a great conversation skill.
So, Sherry-san was a Dark Elf? Her ears were long, so I truly thought that she was a tanned Elf……so there is race like that too.
Then Sherry-san suddenly came near me,
「Just like I said before, it might be some sort of fate that we met, so if it’s fine, how about taking a quest together? Our Ranks are also the same, and since coming to this city I don’t have a friend who could go with me on an A Rank quest. So, how about it?」
Ah, I’m happy for this……but I’m already paired up with Elk……
I have been doing quests with her up till now, and it’s been going great. Never have I thought about her as a burden, so I’ve got no intention to change this style this late.
In the first place, I’m still a novice as an adventurer, so I need to build up my foundations; that’s why recently, I am going to C Rank or D Rank danger areas or dungeons, otherwise taking quests similar to that.
And as for results, Elk is also raising her Rank, so I think it will remain this way for a while; I have even discussed this with Elk.
When I told her, she made a disappointed face,『Well things like that also occur』and came to a clear decision.
I don’t know if that is her true intentions or an act to not make me feel guilty, but I’ve got nothing to reference it to,
「If there is another chance, I will invite you at that time too, so be ready for it」
And as she says that, the topic is closed.
In fact, I don’t find Sherry-san to be someone who I hate, and think we would be good together, and also would like to take on quests together with her. If there is a chance and she invites me again, I would proactively think about it at that time.
However, I just can’t find a compromising point right now, and there is also the mission by Noel-nee-san which I have to go on the day after tomorrow, hence I will be gone for a while.
When I told her, she gave me an unexpected reaction.
Apparently Sherry-san also has taken a request of a long-term period. She was planning to take me with her had I agreed. Well conversely, isn’t this great?
「Although it is not an A Rank quest, it would’ve been good chance for sightseeing and allow the friendship to deepened, but……I am truly unfortunate」
「Hmm, so there was a quest like that? Offered by the Guild of this city? I never noticed that quest……」
「Well, it’s a quest which increased in demand recently for more adventurers. Even more suitale for a newbie. Many call it, what was it……a limited-time offer quest? Well something like that」
「A Limited-time offer quest?」
「Yeah. It’s the escort quest to……『Flower Valley』」
……Eh?
☆☆☆
Incidentally, when I returned after buying side dished as I had promised in morning,
Elk’s face grimaced seconds after I entered the room……even before I got any chance to tell her about what happened today.
She frowned hard, and walked briskly towards me……and for some reason she started sniffing my body. Eh, what the hell!?
「……Minato, where did you go?」
「Eh, where……I just went to my sister’s association for taking my stuff」
「Just there? ……Somehow you smell strange……」
「EH !?」
Holy moly, are you frigging serious!?
I showed an obvious discomposure, but calming myself I tried to confirm my body odor. Of course without moving my head……but with just enhancing olfactory sense.
But……strange, I don’t smell weird anywhere? Let alone perfume, I don’t even have any body odor, even with this enhanced olfactory sense.
Or rather Sherry-san didn’t wear any perfume, neither did she come really close to me so that her scent would stick to me.
Yet……
「……You still smell weird. It’s really indistinct……a scent with a presence that is gentle yet sharp. What is this!?」
No, what the hell are you saying?
Different sorts of expressions that I’ve never heard before keep on coming out, it’s almost strange like trying to speak to a wine sommelier……
While I’m thinking that, Elk grabbed my shoulders with power that I’ve never felt before and she pulls me towards herself.
「Tell me the truth Minato. Where did you go? Did you only go to the association? Did you go somewhere before or after?」
「N-No, of course nowhere else, what you are thinking right now……」
「Where did you go? Don’t tell me, you wanted to let me rest today while you go to red-light district and make do with some prostitute?」
「N-No I didn’t do anything like that!」
「Then what is this scent……in fact, can this be called as scent? Anyway what is this!? Just what happened since you left here till now!?」
「Err……I myself want to know about it, but I didn’t do anything that would make me guilty……well, if you ask me what happened when I left, I cannot say nothing happened……」
「THEN. FUCKING. SPILL. IT」
「……Yes」
While being scared of Elk who was oozing with wrath, I persuaded myself saying there was nothing lewd, right, and told her about everything that happened today without concealing anything.
As a result, though the misunderstanding was corrected……but for some reason Elk’s mood was really bad for some time.
…… I wonder why?
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