Requester
“Serina, now!”
“Yes!”
As her pink hair fluttered in the air, the thin sword Serina held was vigorously swung down towards the goblin.
Her voluptuous thighs are visible from her easy-to-move-in cream-coloured shorts and her white-clothed shirt is treated with flower-pattern embroidery here and there.
Her appearance that swings a thin, long, and sharp sword down, is no longer the appearance of a slave who had been crying until recently, it has changed into the appearance of a splendid maiden who fights.
And then, I speak to Serina who buried the goblin with one strike.
“Good job, Serina”
“Yes, I won somehow”
We’re doing a C Rank goblin subjugation quest in a forest by the Town of Krishna.
Although the difficulty is quite low, a goblin is not weak to the point that Serina who’s an E Rank can defeat by herself.
“Overwhelming a goblin just two weeks after becoming an Adventurer huh……. I guess you had the potential right from the start huh”
“No, it is thanks to Egil-san’s guidance”
On that day two weeks ago.
I said to Serina,『Choose the occupation you like』.
But in my heart, I wanted her to choose a rear guard occupation.
It’s because I thought that it’ll be tough on Serina who just became an E Rank to come along on the quests that an S Rank me, and a C Rank Eleanor take on, that I wanted her to get an occupation that supports us from behind.
However, she answered,『I want the same occupation as Egil-san』, without any hesitation.
My Blade Dancer is even higher than the advanced occupation Swordsman, it’s an occupation only an S Rank can be.
Hence, Serina, who chose the same occupation as me, ended up as a vanguard occupation that fights along with me at the front.
She says that the reason she chose that occupation was,『It’s because she wanted to be taught by me』. I don’t have any reason to refuse if I’m told something like that.
“Hah, if I was also a swordsman’s occupation, I could have received Egil-sama’s attentive guidance as well……”
“I, I didn’t……particularly choose it because of such a reason……it’s not because of that!”
“Eehー, really?”
“Really!”
Eleanor who directs a doubtful gaze and makes her mouth into a ‘へ’ character.
Eleanor, who grew her hair that glitters in golden colour until her waist, stands in line beside Serina.
Eleanor, who, in comparison to Serina and me, is an occupation called Saint Beast Master that moves about whilst battling, is wearing a black dress that gives off her adult charm which is far off from a fighter’s outfit.
Although if it’s me, I’ll definitely not be able to run in that outfit, for her, it seems that it’s an easy task to run in a dress, in battle, she’s ignoring the long dress that goes as far as to hide her ankles and running.
Previously, I’d asked Eleanor,『How about changing into a normal attire?』, but she answered,『It is the dress I had Egil-sama bought for me for the first time, so I am fine like this』.
Well, if she can run in battle then there’s no problem but, her chest part is open so there are times when I’m slightly troubled on where to put my eyes.
“Alright then, it’s almost the agreed time so let’s go back, shall we”
In the end, we’ve only been dealing with weak monsters in order to raise Serina up until the level that she can fight until today when the quest called《Goliath Fortress Invasion Battle》that Habrik’s friend commissioned begins.
Honestly speaking, although I have nothing but uneasiness to let her participate in an A Rank quest all of a sudden, for the time being, with this, I’ve successfully taught Serina the bare minimum of how to fight.
We go back the path we originally came from.
On the way back, Serina takes in her hand a Divine Power Stone that shines in the same red as mine and holds it up to the sun.
“Really, it is unbelievable that such a small gemstone grants us power huh”
“Well, yeah. But how do you feel after actually owning it”
“Yeah…….it’s somewhat different from the knowledge that I’ve gotten so far, it feels like I acquired a mysterious knowledge”
Serina says after she returns the Divine Power Stone into her pocket.
Adventurers acquire the power to fight in this world from the moment they obtain a Divine Power Stone.
Although that power differs according to the occupation, the way of handling that power just gets mastered on its own.
“God bestowed upon us the power to go up against the monsters that attack humans. I was told something like that”
“God, is it……such an existence, I wonder if it exists”
I can’t say anything.
Something like God is no more than an existence that’s created by and born from humans.
In the first place, if there’s a God, it’ll probably not create the existences called ‘monsters’ that attack humans in this world.
“I was told that the Divine Power Stone is a mysterious power even now. I think it’s pointless to think deeply about it, you know?”
“Yeah. I think if it gives me power, then I will thankfully accept it”
“Fufuu, it is somehow Serina-like huh”
“……Hey, what’s the meaning of that”
“No, it is nothing”
I make a bitter smile while looking at the two’s exchange
Although the Divine Power Stone grants us power, its existence in its entirety is ambiguous.
Like how monsters appear perpetually, the Divine Power Stone also appears out of nowhere.
And then if the monsters increase, the Adventurers who hunt them increase, and the Divine Power Stone that grants us power is given to the newcomer Adventurer.
It’s a matter of course in the world, and it’s not something that’s to the extent that it has to be questioned about.
“Ah, Sir! Over here”
We promptly headed towards the Quest House when we came back to town.
And then the moment we entered the building, Habrik, whose features give people a cheerful impression, waves his hand buzzingly.
And then, a man with a pair of nasty eyes was standing beside him.
“Have I kept you waiting?”
“No, Hart also just came. Hora, give your greeting”
“……Haa”
It appears that the nasty eyes man is the fourth person of the quest we’re heading to from now onーーand it seems he’s the man whose comrades were killed by the《Traitor》and who survived.
While he’s touching his messily grown black hair, the unamiable Hart glared at me, and then glared at Eleanor and Serina who stand behind me.
“……Habrik, are these fellows the three who took on the request?”
A low thorny voice.
And then the two behind reacted to the words,『these fellows』, that Hart called us but, Habrik reacted even before that.
“Oi, don’t call them ‘these fellows’!”
“……Humph”
Hart who turns away.
Judging from his heavy equipment’s armour, I guess he’s a vanguard occupation like Serina and me.
Although his features are that of a young man with a good-tempered vibe, I can tell that he doesn’t really have a good impression of us.
And then, even amongst that, the one Hart glares sharply from the corner of his eyes was, me.
“……A fellow who’s bringing women, are you sure it’ll be alright”
It seems he’s displeased that I’m bringing along Eleanor and Serina.
Thereupon, Serina snapped at Hart.
“He, hey you! What did you just say!?”
Her men-hating is going strong even now.
It’s Serina, who’s afraid to even talk, but she yelled bullishly.
However, his sharp glare scared Serina and made her shiver for an instant.
“……An Adventurer is a man’s job. It makes me wonder he’s thinking, bringing along weaklings such as women”
“We, weak, we’re not particularly……it’s true that I may be weak, but the two of them areーー”
“Stop, Serina”
I stop Serina.
Weaklings such as women. My former self had thought the same thing as well.
I’d occasionally glare at Adventurers who are bringing women, and there’s also a period of time when I thought things like, ‘Why with the likes of women’.
However, that’s…….
“Inferiority complex?”
“Wha!? ”
I had an inferiority complex.
I can’t talk to women. I won’t get close to women. Women see me and run away.
ーーSo, I had an inferiority complex towards the Adventurers who are together with women.
In that case, is Hart also like that? is what I thought but.
It appears that I’m wrong.
“I don’t have an inferiority complex or whatnot. I just hate weaklings”
“Is that so. If that’s the case then I’m sorry. However, we aren’t weak, you know?”
“Humph, if that’s the case then fine”
Hart who crossed his arm.
It appears that he’s the type who only opens his heart to the strong.
And then, Habrik walks over to my side and softly whispers into my ear.
“Sir, I’m sorry. ……He’s been like this towards everybody ever since he lost his comrades”
“……Is that so”
He lost his comrades and only he himself lived.
I guess that’s why the way he thinks changed and he’s also come to detest his surroundings.
He wants to at least kill the traitor and use them as an offering to his fallen comrades. He might be thinking like that.
ーーAnd then if the Adventurer who thought he wants to borrow strength and placed a request, sees a guy who’s bringing two girlfriends on both sides, I can also understand that it’s slightly irritating.
Hart was folding his arm and, while he’s looking at us,
“So, what are you people’s ranks?”
he asked us.
He really is unamiable……. Well, it can’t be helped though.
“I’m an E Rank though……”
“Fuu, isn’t she a small fry”
Hearing Serina’s rank, Hart laughed scornfully.
“I am C Rank”
“Fuu, this one’s a small fry as well”
As for Eleanor, she’s smiling without any indication of being irritatedーーno, she might be feeling angry inside.
“And, you are?”
he asked me.
Rather, didn’t Habrik tell him our ranks?
As I thought and looked at Habrik, he whispers into my ear once again while making an evil smirk.
“Announce it with your own mouth. Please knock down Hart’s attitude”
“Knock down……you”
“Besides, that way you can get to see Hart’s true face”
Hart’s true face?
I don’t really get it but, he’s getting irritated and hurrying me to tell him so I told him my rank.
“……It’s S Rank though?”
“Fuu, S huh…….”
He froze.
He shows a cliche way of being frozen and stares at me.
That face was like an idiot, his mouth was half-opened, and his eyes with a nasty gaze became soft and round.
And then, Habrik, who stands beside me, places his arm on his waist, makes a triumphant look, and declares.
“Sir is one of the very few S Rank Adventurers even in this world! It’s even higher than Hart’s A Rank”
“N, no……that’s, impossible……I, I mean, such thing as an S Rank……th, that’s right, show me your Adventurer Card”
While resounding his silver armour, Hart approaches me and reaches out his hand.
“There. Don’t toss it, alright?”
“……”
Hart stiffened with his eyes wide open when I showed it to him.
“……This is”
“……Oi, what’s wrong?”
Is it a forged card? don’t say anything like that, alright.
I was told that previously as well so I became a little bit uneasy.
Although it’s true that an S Rank adventurer is rare, there’s also the name on it like this so acknowledge it.
However, even though he can just acknowledge it right away and say something, Hart remained frozen and didn’t move.
“What’s wrong, with this, you understand, right?
“……S Rank Adventurer. No, more importantly……this, this name……amongst the S Rank Adventurers I know of, this name is……ma, manly, burly, strong……”
“……Oi, what’s wrong”
Hart who furrows his brow and starts saying something mutteringly.
Did he break down? I thought and looked and, Habrik placed his hand on Hart’s shoulder.
“Yup. It’s the Egil-san you’d admired”
“You’re kidding, right?”
At that moment, my eyes met with Hart’s and my hands were vigorously grabbed.
“I, III, II! I’m a big fan of Egil-san!”
“……Huh?”
Hart, whose character changed, has his eyes sparkling like a child.
