Chapter 50 (2/2)

「Sorry, for Meriana troubling you…」

「No…」

Haa…

I awkwardly turned my back towards Mary-san, and restlessly ate the remaining bread.

I washed the cup, made some herb tea, and finally relieve my mind.

It seems that while I was eating bread, Mary-san dragged Meriana-san and went somewhere.

Although I thought she wasn’t a bad person at first… No, I think she isn’t a bad person. Only, how do I say it…. Troublemaker? Even so, a neither ill willed nor self-aware natural airhead, isn’t that the most troublesome type?

Oh right, about this time’s companions, Mary-san has blond hair up to her shoulders, a cool beauty-san. Her height is also tall, with a slender body to go with it. As for her chest…… I can’t tell since she’s wearing a metal breastplate. Though I said she was cool, it’s like she’s distant towards me, her replies on most of our conversations we have are things like 「aah」 or 「that’s right na」, nothing but single phrases8. The next thing I’ll know, she’ll be intently glaring at me. Could it be she dislikes me?

Meriana-san has light brown hair, a cheerful and lively woman. Her height is slightly shorter than 170cm? I think around there, but her characteristic is that self-a.s.serting chest. Isn’t that an F? She’s easy to talk to, and as long as she has spare time, she’ll talk to someone. I realized not long ago, but it seems, she’s actually a troublesome person.

Sindhi-san is about the same as Mary-san, around 180cm I think? He has reddish blonde hair, a man around 25 years old. He’s had almost no conversations with me, this person also looks at me with glaring eyes.

As for Bolt-san….. he’s, big. He seems to be a tiger beastman from the story Meriana-san told me, his height should exceed 2m. I can tell he has brawny muscles even from over his clothing, together with his height, he’s like a wall. He’s expressionless, should I say, even when I tried starting a conversation, he only shook his head, I still haven’t heard his voice. His features are his large body, the ears above his head and his tail.

Oh? Other than Meriana-san, I’ve barely had a conversation with them.

……As expected, do they dislike me?

After a short time, I heard about tonight’s lookouts from Mary-san.

With two s.h.i.+fts, it seems the first will be me and Sindhi-san, during the night will be Mary-san, Meriana-san, and Bolt-san taking turns.

Honestly, it seems there’s going to a delicate atmosphere no matter who I partner with, it’s depressing.

As for the better one, it would be…… Bolt-san?

Leaving those sorts of feelings in another place, Sindhi-san and I were left as everyone else slept.

Sindhi-san and I were sat across the bonfire in silence.

It’s, awkward…

I tried to bring up a topic, but because Sindhi-san was intently staring at me, I gave up.

In order to do something about this silence, I tried serving some tea.

「U-Umm…, would you like to, drink some tea?」

I was ignored.

Furthermore, the sound of me drinking tea and chewing on cookies, that were subst.i.tuting as dinner, could be heard during that awkward atmosphere.

「……Hasn’t been one month.」

Without any warning, Sindhi-san began to talk.

「Eh?」

I completely didn’t understand what he was talking about, and ended up letting out a stupid sound.

「D rank after a month of registration? Normally, it takes half a year to become D rank. What on earth did you do?」

It seems like he’s not convinced with me being a D rank since I’m a beginner.

I thought it would be simple to rise if you accept commissions, but it seems it’s not that easy in reality.

For example, the harvesting commissions I mainly accept, there are many of them which usually can’t be completed in a single day. It’s because for a beginner, it’s difficult to find the place where the medicinal herbs grows.

Also, even if the place where they grow is found, a number of them would already be picked and there won’t be enough, so it generally takes a number of days.

I grasped the said locations from my previous life’s knowledge, many people can’t go to those locations to harvest.

In other words, most of the commissions I accept in the morning can be completed on that same day, which can be said is an abnormal occurrence.

…..I haven’t considered that sort of thing.

Since I also took half a month to become an E rank, much less becoming a D rank, it seems it’s an impossible occurrence.

「Even if you ask me what I did, I’ve only just accepted commissions. Well, could I say it was ‘luck’ that I became a D rank? Though it was a coincidence, I caught some kidnappers so…」

「Luck you say? With just that, isn’t it impossible to become a D rank with that short amount of time? Kidnappers huh, aah, is it that kidnapping incident? Hmph, you seem to be good at walking around na.」

I felt something like an unpleasant aura, but.

「However, I won’t accept it. Even I almost took a year to become a D Rank. Even catching those culprits, you just seized them after somebody defeated them after all right? How can I accept you becoming a D rank, the same as me, practically right after you registered!?」

Even if you say that…… right?

Suddenly, I had a feeling my ears heard some sort of growl.

Animal…? No, those footsteps…… several presences…

It’s approaching this way.

Sindhi-san hasn’t noticed yet.

「Excuse me, could you wake the others up? Something is approaching.」

I said that while standing up with my weapon.

Numbers are…… five, no, could it be six?

I took out the lamp magic tool from my baggage and illuminated the surrounding area.

「Something, you say…, alright. What’re you going to do?」

Sindhi-san had a doubtful expression, but it seems he noticed the presences.

「Their numbers are probably, six. I’ll gain some time, so I’ll leave everyone to you.」

I replied while staring at the forest.

「I’ll return immediately.」

I understood Sindhi-san headed towards the tents from his presence.

「Now then, I wonder what’ll appear…?」

I slowly walked towards the forest.

「GURAAAAAAA!」

What appeared from the forest was a bipedal…… pig?

A stout and chubby body and a head which looks just like a pig. It’s height is around 2m and its holding an axe and a sword. Shabby armor was attached to its body.

It’s probably, an Orc.

Contrast to its dull body, I was attacked with quick movements.

The numbers were as expected, six of them.

「fu!」

I cut down the one that attacked me at the beginning with iai, then killed the next one with a diagonal slash.

I quickly jumped back so I wouldn’t be covered with the blood spurt, then turned to the remaining Orcs.

With the two Orcs killed within seconds, the remaining raised their voices in anger and immediately attacked.

I cleaved open the stomach of an Orc attacking with his arms swinging, then continued to cut that Orc’s body in two.

When they saw that, an Orc stopped moving for an instant so I cut its leg, then finished it off when it fell down.

Although the last Orc tried to escape, I instantly approached and cut it down.

All the Orcs were killed, I confirmed whether there was anymore, then finally relaxed my guard.

Although I didn’t feel anything at the time I fought, the moment I relaxed, from the fact that I took away lives and the sensation of cutting flesh, I s.h.i.+vered.

If I think about it, this was my first time I cut and took away a person’s (?) life with my own hands.

Not being as shocked as I thought, as expected, could it be my previous life’s influence?

When I was slightly absorbed in my thoughts, I felt the presence of people approaching.

「Oi, are you alright!?」

It seems Sindhi-san woke everybody up.

「I’m fine. Since it’s over already.」

I answered while wiping the blood off the katana and returning it to its sheath.

「Over, you say……. these guys, aren’t they Orcs!? Did you do this yourself?」

Well of course? Since I’m the only one here.

「Yeah, this weapon helped me out. ……Something wrong?」

When I looked, everyone was petrified. Was there something strange?9

「……Something wrong you ask, that, isn’t that obvious!? An Orc is a C rank monster you know? We can barely defeat one even with several of us D ranks. Just you alone with six of them, and even defeating them in such a short time…」

……Could they have been that strong?

I do think they were quick, but…

If it was master, master would immediately defeat around fifty of them you know?

「No, leaving that aside, why would Orcs appear in this sort of place? This area has a relatively small amount of monsters, even if there were, it should be Goblins at most but…」

Mary-san pondered with serious expression.

Come to think of it, the Chivalric Order regularly patrols along this highway, monsters should’ve been immediately eliminated.

Which means, could they have recently appeared?

I didn’t understand even when I tried thinking about it.

「For the time being, let’s return to the camp. We’ll just report this to the guild, isn’t that fine?10」

Everybody nodded at my words.

When we returned to the camp site, everybody (Afgar-san is sleeping) surrounded the bonfire.

That’s because, since it’s almost time to change lookouts, even if they slept now…… that’s how it seems.

「I’m sorry about that.」

Sindhi-san suddenly apologized.

「Because I wasn’t aware of your ability, I said those sorts of things. Most likely, I didn’t want to accept it. I think it’s my foolish pride but… A position I took almost a year to reach, I think I was envious of you that took a month. That’s why…」

Aー, un, well, I’d also think that’s strange ne.

「Please don’t worry about it. I believe it can’t be helped you thought like that you know? Because of this appearance of mine.」

Ah, I’ve somewhat become sad after saying that.

「However, you have the ability. To defeat six Orcs by yourself. It’s even difficult for a C rank to do alone you know?」

「Like I said, this weapon helped me out you see. If I didn’t have this, it would’ve been a harder fight.

Could it be thanks to the glyphs? I recalled the excessively sharp katana.

Although it was an expensive purchase, I think that that alone was worth it.

「Ne ne, doesn’t that weapon have an unusual shape? Where did you get your hands on it? Though you said it helped you, does it have some special power?」

It appears Meriana-san showed an interest for the katana.

「Although I purchased it at Garam’s Weapon Store, Garam-san said it was purchased from a merchant from an eastern country. I’ve had it etched with glyphs, but I don’t think it has any ‘special’ powers.」

Since there’s no reason to hide it, I answered.

Otherwise, it might serve as trouble again…

「Garam’s Weapon Store you say, that hard to please dwarf’s shop? Heeh~, so you bought it ne? That place, although the items are good, I’ve heard the shopkeeper won’t sell if he dislikes you, you know?」

Hard to please…? It didn’t seem like that to me…

Besides, to not sell if he dislikes you, how much of stubborn old man is he?

「Is it okay if you show it to me it for a little?」

While saying those words, Meriana-san’s hand had already grasped the katana.

Aah, it’ll turn into something troublesome again if I decline ne…

「Hey Meriana. Stop that.」

Although Mary-san rebuked her, Meriana-san didn’t listen.

「I don’t mind but…. Please be careful okay?」

Since I think it’s useless even talk, I submissively handed it over.

「Thank you. Oh, it’s quite heave ne.」

Well that’s because, it’s a lump if iron so…

「Oh~, it’s single edged? Ah, it’s the glyphs. I wonder what’s written?」

「It’s 『Fixing』 and 『Sharpness』 you see.」

「Heeh. Ahaha, what a weird shape~.」

She drew it from the sheath, then swung it around with a hum

「Wait, isn’t that dangerious? Stop it.」

「Tsk, oka~y.」

After getting scolded by Mary-san, she stored away the katana while sulking.

She’s a childish person ne…

After our talk, since the time to switch had pa.s.sed before we realized, I decided to go to bed.

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