章 35: Ren Mortel's Acid Test
The Guild Headquarters.
Situated in the north side of the town, this seemingly large building has been the center of attention for the adventurers living here for a few years now. With its walls made of finest stone and its roof that topped the three-storied structure lined up with the best clay tiles the people could find in the vicinity, it is no-brainer for a first timer to assume where some of the town's funds are spent all this time.
"So what they said is true huh...that all of these people are adventurers."
Although I said that, the density of people here is surprisingly less than that found in the marketplace. I expected myself to be drowned in a sea of people if I were to keep believing on Saku's story, but thankfully there's too much space here to move as the building is erected in the middle of a huge vacant lot.
"...Gah...so many people...why is there so many people in the world..."
Looking exasperated by the number of people going in and out of the building, the death goddess slash my little sister Aoi voiced out her complaint.
"...So many ugly creatures here...it makes breathing the air around here agonizing..."
"If you really hate seeing so many people that much, shouldn't you just stayed back at the Sandy Fish?"
So what made her come with me here in the Guild Headquarters, despite being given the freedom to stay on a less crowded place?
Just a while ago...
"Fine. Starting tomorrow I'll become an adventurer."
As soon as I said those words, Aoi abruptly crossed her arms in an X stance.
"...I refuse!"
"Aoi?!"
"...I said I refuse!" She said with her eyes unmoved.
"Um...care to explain why you don't want me to become an adventurer...?"
With her surrounded by three people looking at her with puzzled looks, Aoi clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as she tells us her reason for objecting.
"...Uuuuu...because...because...I want to be an adventurer too!"
"Eh...?"
The siblings and I became dumbstruck for a second when she said that.
Saku raised his hand reluctantly. "W-W-Wait...you said you want to become one as well?"
"...Yes. Is there any other meaning behind what I said?"
"No, of course but, what's with the objection just now? You don't want your big brother to get into danger when he becomes an adventurer? With that also in mind, aren't children not allowed to do jobs like that? There's no way for you to be accepted in that kind of job..."
Aoi then looked at him with a sharp gaze. "...You dare speak to me, someone who survived the giant worms of the great desert, like that?"
"W-What?!" Saku quickly took a step back as soon as his gaze met hers.
"Aoi, stop it." I quickly landed a head chop on her forehead. "Are you worried of me that much that you don't want me to apply to become an adventurer?"
Aoi spoke as she rubbed her forehead while lightly sobbing. "...Guuu...I just don't want to be left here in the inn, away from big brother!!!"
"Hm?"
"...With big brother becoming an adventurer, you'll be away from me every single day, from dawn to dusk. Also, with the fact that children aren't allowed to work in dangerous jobs like that, I have no choice but to stay. I really, really, don't like that, you know?!'
And with a quick turn, she looked at me with eyes like that of an abandoned kitten.
"...Big brother...would you bring me to that place too? Please..."
And looking back at the present time, here we are: standing in front of the double doors of the Guild Headquarters, with hands hesitant to push the door open. Standing beside me, is Aoi fighting her urge to release her pent-up hatred for humans in such a place.
"Heya boy, are you going inside or what?! You're blocking the way." A middle-aged man spoke to us with a tone of derision, as he went inside ahead of us.
"...Tch. That man--big brother?!"
"Nope, you're not allowed to kill that person or any other person while you're with me, understood?" I said as I quickly gripped her hand, as she tried to also seize that man's arm. "If you do that, I won;t sleep with you starting tonight."
"?!" She instantly got petrified with my threat that she didn't dare to make another move against that person. With my eyes directly staring at her, I could easily if she would cause troubles like that.
Without giving it much further thought, I took a deep breath before opening the double doors.
Inside...
"This...isn't this..." I gasped upon seeing the interior of the building.
Tavern tables and a bar directly in front of the door, chairs filled with drunk and rowdy people loudly singing and telling tales of their endeavors amidst the hot midday weather.
A wooden bulletin board, filled with notices and illustrations of monsters; a place where adventurer quests of all difficulties are posted.
Hectic staff looking pretty haggard with the volume of people they had to accommodate, with some of them mumbling 'Man, I wish today's a weekend' and 'Need sleep' over and over again.
Yep, no doubt.
The scene inside this building is just like what I read before!
After familiarizing myself with the place, I held Aoi's hand and walked towards the reception desk, where a kind-looking woman in her mid-twenties is currently standing.
"Good morning. How can I help you?" She greeted us with a light smile.
"Ah, actually me and my sister are...--"
"Wait." She interrupted my words.
The woman clerk, then took a deep, deep breath, and with a quick change of stance, pointed her finger at us.
"YOU WANT TO BECOME AN ADVENTURER, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY??!!'
At that instant, all the attention from everyone inside is directed to us.
"Huh? Adventurer he say..."
"Isn't he a bit pale-looking? I bet he can't even wield a sword properly."
"Is he also bringing his little sister here? Tsk, what a careless brat."
Each one of them adventurers and staff gave out their comments regarding my intention to become an adventurer.
Ah, but of course, I'm not that affected. To think that I've read excerpts of novel characters being ridiculed the moment the landed their first steps inside a building such as the Guild Headquarters...my pride's already prepared for this type of emotional harassment, even if at first I didn't thought that I'll use those things in real life...
And now, those things that usually happen in novels are happening in front of me at the current time.
"Heya boy, why don't you just go home with that little girl? Innocent brats like you aren't fit in this kind of job, you know?" A man spoke arrogantly from the side.
I looked towards his direction, and I saw that the one who spoke is the man we met earlier, looking at us with mocking eyes.
"So you really wanted to become an adventurer, mister?" The woman clerk asked me.
Returning my gaze to her, I spoke. "Yes. What of it?"
When I said that, everyone except the clerk laughed.
The woman clerk sighed. "Listen here mister, just recently some adventurers saw a massive breeding place at the desert and they found countless giant worms, killed in such brutal fashion With that being said, some of those worms and other large monsters sometimes wander as far as Plate Town and cause trouble for the town and the Guild itself. If we keep on accepting young people that couldn't even defend themselves from such monsters, how could we even protect the townspeople if majority of our adventurers are inexperienced brats?"
Aoi, with her patience running out, stood firmly and pointed her finger at the woman clerk. "...My big brother isn't an inexperienced brat! H-He...already killed monsters of such type!"
"H-Hey, Aoi?!"
At her words, everyone just let out multitudes of oohs and condescending laughter.
The woman clerk clapped her hand at Aoi's statement. "Oh my, if he have such strength, isn't it a waste if the Guild won't accept your brother's application?"
Aoi puffed her chest with pride. "...Yes! It's your loss if you don't let big brother become and adventurer...--"
"However, how foolish am I if I just blindly believe claims coming from a little girl? Aren't you just being too fond of your brother, little miss?"
Aoi gritted her teeth at the clerk's provocation. "...M-My big brother will prove to everyone here that he's strong!"
"Aoi." I called her. "Stop arguing with her anymore. It's useless."
"...But, big brother?!"
"Seems like, unless a duel or some other sort of a test is suggested, these people won't stop belittling others like us. If they won't accept us, then what is there left for us to stay in this place? Let's go."
"Ah, you can't leave just yet!" The woman clerk stopped us. "A duel, is it? What a great idea. Let's start right away!!!"
When she said that, she leaped from the desk and with a quick lunge, dashed towards my direction with a blade in her hand.
"W-What the--"
"You didn't know the name Alisha the Cutthroat? Not only she's working here in the Guild, but she's one of the best elite adventurers that this town ever had!" An adventurer shouted at me.
With her blade stopped by a short stool that I unconsciously grabbed to defend myself, I looked at the face of the woman in front of me.
Alisha the Cutthroat...
So that's why she acts differently than the other clerks here in this place! Not only that, she got agitated when she learned of my intention to become and adventurer!
The clerk, erm...Alisha, she looked at me with eyes of disgust.
"Not bad for a brat, dodging my attack like that."
With her free hand, she took out another blade from her sleeve, and tried to slash the artery in my neck.
"Ah!"
With a slight panic in my senses, I quickly pushed her away from me using the stool, making her miss her attack by just a hair's breadth.
"Oy, not bad!"
"He managed to parry Alisha's attacks like that? Impressive."
"But still, his legs are shaking a bit..."
Meanwhile, the adventurers who are drinking just now already vacated their places, and moved the tables and chairs to create an open space for us. Aoi however, just stood behind me.
"...Yeah, big brother! Prove to them that you're stronger than that woman!"
"W-Wha--Would you move back, Aoi? Can't you see it's dangerous?!" I yelled at her.
"Don't look away! I'm your opponent!"
Alisha, got enraged when I glanced at Aoi that she threw the two blades that are aimed at her neck.
"No good!"
Before those blades could hurt Aoi, I jumped towards her direction, and blocked the blades with the stool.
"Too careless! Too careless!!!"
At the same time, I could see just two feet away from me, the figure of Alisha as she held four blades on her two hands, all of them pointed at my throat.
Looking at my current disposition, I could see that I don't have much space to use for me to evade her attack.
However, a strange feeling wrapped around me.
'Hm? What happened? Did time just became slower?'
I looked around to see what's happening, and it's as if time really slowed down. If time flowed at a normal pace, those blades would already pierce my throat but right now, they're moving at a snail's pace.
'What is this...is it what they call [Adrenaline Rush]?'
If it really is the one that enables a person to accomplish inhuman feats in the face of danger, then good timing--it's unexpected, but I really needed such thing in this situation.
Utilizing this life-or-death phenomenon in front of me, I quickly looked for Alisha's weak spots.
'I see. So if I strike her like this...'
At the instant time began to return to its usual pace, I hit Alisha's arms with the stool.
"A-Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!!!" She screamed in pain.
With her offense broken, I followed my attack with a quick strike with her sides, feet and then her neck, with such force that caused the stool to break.
"Ghaaa--"
With a short gasp of breath, Alisha the Cutthroat fell to the floor, groaning in pain.
"...Big Brother, you..." Aoi also gasped from behind me.
Everyone also held their breaths at that instant.
"Ah. No good!" I spoke in panic.
Looks like...I overdid things...right?
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット