[It's been a while since I've posted this story, so I'll give a quick recap of recent events.
Lezard and Lyra just teleported to a distant city near the mist. They made it to the adventurer's guild and became members, beating the guy giving them a rank test and getting instantly promoted to C and B rank (with Lezard being C~).
They went to take their first B-Ranked quest off the board, a mysterious monster in the forest that wipes people's memories. During that time, they met an adventurer party led by a noble named Guiche. His party has only just gotten to B-Rank and is surprised to hear that someone even younger than him has achieved the same rank (that being Lyra).
Now, the quest to hunt the mysterious forest monster begins~]
Chapter 6
“Why are you here, Quiche?”
“It's Guiche!” He sweeps his hair back, the smile returning to his face. “And isn't it obvious? There's no way I can let the Flower of the Frontier go on such a dangerous quest alone.”
“Hello?” I wave my hand in front of his face. “How can she be alone if I'm here?”
“What can a mere C-Ranked adventurer do on a quest meant for B-Ranks? You might as well not exist, for all the good you are.”
“Keep treating me like a ghost, and I'll start haunting you.”
“Ohohoho. As if I'd be scared of a measly phantom.”
As usual, Guiche’s female companion gives him a dirty look every time he talks about Lyra. But that has nothing to do with me, even if she ends up going full yandere.
His two male companions just watch on with expressions that show they've seen this song and dance before. Without a doubt, they've long since stopped caring about Guiche's womanizing ways.
“Well,” I say. “We're going. Don't follow too closely because your voice annoys me.”
“How rude! I have a perfectly fine voice!” Guiche brings out a completely different flower from before and smells it. “And quite a pleasant scent, if I may be so bold as to claim.”
“Claim whatever you want.” I start walking into the forest.
Lyra’s footsteps match my own, the crunching of leaves and twigs filling my ears.
Filling them far too much for just two people, that is.
Turning, I come face-to-face with none other than Guiche, who decides to completely ignore my very reasonable excuse as to why he should keep his distance.
“You were born to annoy me, weren't you?”
“I was born to become the next great earl of the Montmorency family, a task that requires me to surpass my father by becoming an A-Ranked adventurer before retiring to become head of the family.”
“So you're rushing toward A-Rank because of a time limit, huh? That's quite dangerous.”
Guiche sweeps his hair aside. “A simple task for one such as me, I assure you.”
“Right, right. I'm sure it'll go exactly as you plan.”
The trip through the forest isn't too dangerous. It's close enough to the city that the chance of a legendary-class monster like a dragon appearing is minimal, at best.
There's always the off-chance that something powerful has settled the area. That's why high-ranked adventurers exist in the first place, to get rid of such creatures.
The fact that we're here to defeat an unknown enemy that has the ability to wipe memories proves exactly why adventurers are so important for the stability of the kingdom. Without them, monsters would make travel far more dangerous, strangling economic activity.
By constantly keeping common monsters in check and forming strike parties to kill the more fearsome creatures, stability can be maintained, and adventurers have a clear path up in strength and reputation.
Well, it's good that Guiche didn't realize I was using reverse psychology on him when I told him to stay far from me.
It'd be a pain to save him on the off-chance that I'm wrong about what we're hunting.
“There!” Guiche points toward a rustling bush. “Be careful, everyone! We're being hunted!”
His team prepares for battle, while Lyra and I watch on without care.
“Could this be the enemy we've come to defeat!?” Guiche holds his wand forward, which of course looks just like a rose.
Ready for anything, his team stares at the rustling bush until…
Ribbit
A frog leaps from the bush, landing in front of Guiche. The two share a moment of silence as they gaze into each other's eyes.
“A toad!?” Guiche recoils, looking disgusted.
“Actually, it's a frog. A bullfrog, to be exact. Though to hunters, it's known as a white-toed giant frog because of … well, its white toes.”
“Who cares! I'm not letting this ugly monster infest this beautiful forest like a wart!”
“That's an F-Class monster, though? Just let it go.”
“Never!”
A clump of magical ice shoots from Guiche's wand, hitting the frog. Even if it's a basic spell, it does come from a B-Ranked adventurer. The poor creature never stood a chance.
It's still a monster, even if just barely. Young adventurers and huntsmen fight them quite frequently, as they're considered a pest in any area they infest.
But it's rare to see a higher ranked adventurer go out of his way to kill one.
“Hmhmhm.” Guiche stands proud. “Another stain on the world wiped clean!”
His little troupe claps softly.
“Congratulations. Anyway…” I walk past the B-Ranked team.
“Hey! Don't leave us behind!”
“Hurry up, then. I want to get back to the city before dark.”
He catches up in an instant. “And what of this monster we're hunting? Do you know where to find it?”
“Pretty much.” I track a wild spirit with my eyes, though Guiche can't see it. “Shouldn't be too far from here.”
“Let’s see. The quest said something about a mind-altering ability…” Guiche places a finger beneath his chin as he thinks.
“Didn't you speak to the guild for more information after taking the quest?”
“Of course I did. I confirmed the information properly, such as the location and difficulty to ensure that there was no mistake with what was written on the quest board.”
“You should really think about taking advantage of Lina’s knowledge. She gave us several additional pieces of information that weren't even listed, like how the quest was recently upgraded in difficulty after a full party of C-Ranks failed to complete it.”
“Then it's up to us B-Ranked to finish it off!”
“That's not quite what I was getting at, but sure.”
The trip through the forest continues without incident. Except for the extermination of another poor white-toed giant frog. Guiche really has it out for those monsters.
The air changes shortly after our second encounter, though only those sensitive to spirits would notice.
“We're here.” I motion for everyone to stop. “Get ready.”
Despite his usual attitude, Guiche takes the situation seriously. When I see that everyone is prepared for whatever might appear, I nod to confirm the same.
“Stay behind me, everyone.” Guiche takes the first step forward.
Since I already have the young man figured out, I knew he'd take the lead. Being a noble, he's used to having others follow him, like his little troupe.
Now that we're so close to our target, I can confirm my suspicions. That means there shouldn't be any risk when it comes to revealing our true power to Guiche.
Though anything can still happen.
The trees give way to a suspiciously well-kept clearing, complete with a small garden and a few clear pathways for walking.
It's obvious at a glance that someone is taking care of this space, though there's no home or other source of shelter. Even a woodsman would build something to stay out of the rain if they were using this area as a hunting ground.
However, the one who has made this place their home isn't a woodsman. In fact, it's not a man at all.
“Welcome!” A little girl sitting on a tree trunk greets us with a smile. “Wow, so many! Am I famous?”
“Uhh.” Guiche looks around, still braced for danger. “Pardon, little girl, but you've come to a dangerous place to play. A fearsome monster roams these woods!”
“Oh no!” The girl gasps. “What are we going to do!?”
“Worry not!” Guiche retrieves his flower from somewhere. “We have come to slay it and make this forest safe again!”
“Oh, yay!” The little girl claps. “Can I watch?”
“Absolutely not. It's far too dangerous.”
“Aww. No fun.” She stands from the tree trunk. “And I really like having fun!”
From her looks, it wouldn't be surprising if most people thought this girl was just a normal five-year-old. With her blue and pink outfit and long, pink hair, many would place her as a noble or daughter of a wealthy merchant.
But they'd be wrong on all counts.
The girl raises a hand, and in it appears a hammer. Not just a small tool used to drive nails but a giant warhammer with the head portion being nearly as large as the girl's small body.
It's such a surreal sight that Guiche and his troupe can only stare wide-eyed as the little girl approaches with confidence.
“What's the matter? Didn't you come here to play?”
“W-what's going on!? Where did that huge hammer come from!?”
“This?” She takes it in both hands, showing us the heart designs on the handle and the stars painted on the head. “It’s what I use to make people's heads go funny.”
“Their head…? Don't tell me!”
“It’s time to go to sleep~” She walks forward again, her happy smile seeming far more sinister to Guiche's eyes.
“Hey, there.” I step ahead of Guiche. “Aren't you being a little hasty?”
“Nope!”
“Oh, really? So you don't even care that I know what you are?”
She stops, eyeing me. “Human? Or spiritkin…?”
“Why are you asking me when you can easily figure it out for yourself?”
Lyra's beside me now, so the little girl takes a good look at both of us. Not our appearances, but what we have inside of us.
Spirits.
“You are spiritkin! Why are you here?”
“No way…!” Guiche looks at us with a bit of fear. “The two of you are spiritkin!?”
“No,” I say. “I'm human. Lyra's the only spiritkin here.”
“Eh?” The little girl looks at me again. “Wait a minute, what's this feeling…?”
“Don't worry about the details. For now, I just need you to leave this forest. You're making trouble for the humans living in the area.”
“Hmph! As if I care! They're making trouble for me, too!”
“That's too bad for you. But I'm not asking you to leave. I'm telling you that if you don't, you'll eventually be defeated.”
“I won't lose to any human.” She puffs up her cheeks.
“A major spirit like yourself has to be really strong to take human form, but doing so makes you much weaker for a time. Isn't that why you're hiding here?”
“So what? I still won't lose.”
I shrug. “Lyra, will you?”
“I suppose there's no harm in it.” Lyra calls upon the Great Spirit of Water's power.
Her normally light blue hair turns a shade darker and begins to glow. It's similar to the transformation I go through when I unleash my power, but the change is less noticeable simply because her hair was already blue to begin with.
However, to any spirits who refuse to do their due diligence in checking out their opponents, like the spirit girl in front of us, Lyra’s transformation is a clear sign of just what kind of spirit she has inside her.
“The Great Spirit of Water!?” The little spirit girl finally realizes who exactly came to meet her.
“It's about time you realized,” the Great Spirit of Water says. “You should show more respect to your elders, young spirit.”
“I-I’m not that young! Just because I'm in a body like this doesn't mean I'm–geh!” Her words end abruptly. “I bith my thongue…”
“That's what you get.” I nod at my own words. “Now, how about finding some other forest to haunt? One further from the city, for your own safety.”
“Ohhhh!” She looks reluctant. “But I'm so close to getting my strength back! I dun wanna leave!”
“That’s unfortunate. Because you can't stay here.” I point at her. “You're my first quest, and I'm absolutely not going to fail it.”
“Lezard…” Lyra gives me a flat stare.
“What? You're not the one who was unfairly given C-Rank. I've got to prove I'm B-Rank material!”
“Who cares when we're leaving in a few days?”
“Me! I care! I was once SSS-Ranked, you know! Going all the way back to C-Rank!? It's an injustice that I can’t bear!”
Guiche and his troupe have put some distance between us, flabbergasted expressions covering their faces as they all fail to keep up with the conversation.
“Does this mean…” Guiche looks between the three of us, who are all now facing him and his party. “We're enemies!?”
“Hmm.” I pretend to think. “Weren't we already enemies, in a way?”
“There's no way that was the case, right!?”
“Haha, relax. I'm joking. Mostly.” My words don't alleviate their anxiety. “But yeah, spiritkin aren't really accepted here in human lands, so I guess we would be seen as enemies if anyone knew. That's why…”
I turn to the little girl. “We need to make their heads go funny.”
“That…” She raises her bonking hammer. “Is something I agree with.”
Lyra and I watch on as one by one, Guiche and his troupe meet the same fate as numerous other adventurers who came here to complete this quest.
Hmm. Quite a useful ability, isn't it?
Chapter 7
“Now,” Guiche says. “Let’s go find this monster and put an end to it.”
The blond-haired noble looks around the forest, as if suddenly confused. That’s bound to be the case, considering he just had his memory wiped. Rather forcefully, at that.
“Defeat it?” I give Guiche a confused look. “We already did that.”
“Huh?” The noble turns his head, looking around the forest. “What do you mean we defeated it? Didn’t we just arrive?”
His examination of our surroundings leads to him making a surprising discovery. Well, surprising for him.
Guiche points to the little pink-haired girl. “What’s a kid doing here? Hey, are you lost? It’s dangerous to come into the forest. There’s a deadly monst—err … at least, I think there’s a deadly monster here?”
“Nope.” I continue to shamelessly gaslight him. “And this isn’t just some kid. She’s my little sister.”
“What!? You brought your little sister on such a dangerous mission!?”
“It wasn’t that dangerous. The monster was very accommodating.”
“Even so! I can’t condone such reckless behavior! We need to get her out of here before any other monsters show up.”
I shrug. “Fine by me. We’ve already finished the quest, so all that’s left is to report it to the guild.”
“You keep saying you defeated the monster, but I don’t recall doing anything of the sort.” Guiche looks to his three companions for confirmation.
His troupe seems just as confused about the whole thing as their leader, which makes sense considering they all got bonked by that huge hammer.
Though it’s not really the hammer itself that can alter memories. It’s the spirit girl’s special magic.
Speaking of her, I never asked for her name.
Hmm. It’d be really strange if I asked when she’s supposed to be my little sister, so let’s go with this.
“Oh, since you don’t remember her, why don’t you introduce yourselves again.” I motion for the spirit girl to be the first.
“The name’s Zoe!” She’s as energetic as ever.
“Zoe, is it?” Guiche nods. “Worry not, Zoe. We’ll protect you on the way out of the forest. Right, guys?”
He turns to his troupe, who give less enthusiastic responses than their leader. Or maybe, they’re still confused about all the unexplained events that seemed to have come out of nowhere.
Memory loss sure is a dangerous tool. I can’t wait to put it to good use.
But it’s Zoe, huh? Of course a life spirit would choose a name that means the same.
The introductions come and go, but I don’t bother paying attention to any of them. So, it’s in one ear and out the other.
I do know their names, of course. It’d be rude if I didn’t at least learn that much.
“Well.” I turn toward the path we took to get here. “Let’s go home and report the quest as finished.”
Guiche watches for a few seconds as Lyra, Zoe, and I start walking. But after coming to some conclusion, his mind catches up. A heartbeat later, his feet do, as well.
“The monster,” Guiche says. “What happened to it?”
“It was a malevolent spirit, so I used some holy magic to defeat it.”
“A malevolent spirit? That can’t be. They’re powerful and crazed monsters. Why would it just sit here in the woods? And from what I heard, none of the other adventurers lost their lives when they faced it. Just their…”
“Their memory,” I finish for him. “The spirit used some special magic. It didn’t affect the three of us, but you four must have gotten hit by it. That’s why your memory went all funny.”
Guiche seems to finally put the pieces together. I leave out the fact that I crafted those pieces at my own convenience to convince him of a reality that’s half fiction.
“So that’s what happened…” He completely takes the bait.
“Yep. So don’t worry too much about it. Focus on the future, not the past.”
With that, the matter is finally settled. We get to keep our identities secret, and they get to keep … well, I’m sure they get to keep something, but I can’t say for certain what.
The trip out of the forest is as uneventful as it was on the way in. With the exception of another poor white-toed giant frog, which met its unfortunate end at the hands of Guiche.
He really does hate those things, huh?
Through the trees, I catch sight of the road that travels alongside the forest. Following it will get us all the way back to the city in less than an hour.
That’s quite close, but Zoe needs to be nearby in order to regain her strength quickly. It’s not that the city itself is important, nor are there any special mana veins that she needs to stay near.
It’s the people. Wherever there are people, spirits gather. And Zoe herself is a life spirit, a type that gains its energy by getting close to living organisms.
Something like a white-toed giant frog won’t cut it for a Major Spirit like Zoe. She needs a deeper well of energy to draw from. In other words, people.
Luring adventurers here, draining their energy, then wiping their memory. She’s really mischievous life spirit, isn’t she?
Minor Spirits and Lesser Spirits almost always keep to their instinctual personalities, defined by the type of spirit they are. A water spirit will usually be elegant and refined, like a noble lady.
But within Lyra is the Great Spirit of Water, the queen of all water spirits. And words like ‘elegant’ or ‘refined’ don’t exactly describe her as well as the ones she rules over.
Sure, the Great Spirit of Water is generally a noble spirit, known for her even temper and wise decisions. But I’ve long since broken through her noble shell, which is evident by her exaggerated reactions to my antics.
As spirits grow in power, they can rise up through the ranks, similar to adventurers. But there isn’t some group deciding on their rank, like how I was unfairly given C-Rank when I obviously deserve B-Rank.
It’s closer to say that as they grow, spirits evolve. They all begin life as a Minor Spirit, but if they continue to absorb energy, they can become a Lesser Spirit. And if they’re really diligent, they may even become a Major Spirit, like Zoe.
For most, that’s where the evolutions end. But there are a few exceptions. Twelve of them, to be exact. And they’re known as the Great Spirits, the highest class a spirit can obtain.
There can only ever be twelve at a time, no more. However, there can be less. After all, spirits can die, too. And it just so happens that 15 years ago, the Great Spirit of Night perished in battle with the world’s strongest hero.
No other spirit has risen to take her place. It’ll be interesting to see which Major Spirit is the one to evolve into a Great Spirit.
If Zoe didn’t take on a human form, she might have been a contender for that title. But…
Checking Zoe’s aura, I can feel some powerful mana leaking from her. It’s different than how a human’s mana feels, but that’s not the important part right now.
Currently, Zoe is around the strength of a Lesser Spirit, one classification lower than the Major Spirit she’s supposed to be. The reason for that is obvious.
It takes a lot of power to take human form. She must have been really strong before transforming.
Unfortunately, she’ll have to work hard to gain that power back. That makes me wonder…
Why exactly did she take human form?
There are still a lot of mysteries about this Major Spirit turned little girl, but there’s plenty of time to dig into them later. For now, I just need to focus on the important stuff.
I’m definitely asking for a promotion to B-Rank after this quest!
As the thought runs through my mind, a monster appears in our path just before we reach the road outside the forest. This monster is a familiar one, but it’s not the white-toed giant frog that would be on the path to extinction if Guiche had his way.
It’s almost the same shade of green as the bullfrog, but rather than slimy skin, this new monster has overlapping scales. It crawls along the ground on four, short legs, and it’s often known for its rather active tongue, similar to a snake.
“More of these abominable creatures.” Guiche looks at the giant lizard with a frown. “Stay back, everyone. I’ll handle this.”
The blond noble raises his wand and steps forward, ready to blast the monster into bits. But a hand falls on his shoulder as he passes us by.
My hand.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“It’s a monster. What is there to think about? You find one, you slay it.”
“Giant lizards are the exception. They’re too useful, and I won’t have you eradicating them from the face of the planet like the white-toed giant frogs.”
“The fangs and talons are too small and brittle to be used in crafting, and the scales are soft. Even its skin doesn’t make a good hide. What exactly about this ugly creature could be considered useful?”
“Haha. Let’s forget all the things you just said and focus on why I can’t let you kill this giant lizard.” I step ahead of Guiche, walking toward the monster. “This time, leave it to me.”
Like Guiche said, a monster’s a monster. And if it’s one thing monsters like to do, it’s attack people. So, there’s no surprise when the giant lizard takes up my challenge with something between a hiss and a growl.
“You wanna play? Too bad because I’ve got a bit of a walk ahead of me. So I’m just going to get what I want, then we can both go on our way. Deal?”
The hissing growl notifies me that the monster lacks the ability to negotiate.
“Good thing I don’t need your consent.”
Fangs lash out, carrying a mild poison that would be nearly ineffective against even an average adventurer.
But I’m not average. I’m far, far below it. I’m the world’s weakest hero, after all.
“Don’t really wanna deal with that poison.” I use the butt of my sword to knock the lizard’s snout away.
My other hand reaches out, grabbing the giant lizard by its tail. With a yank, I pull it into the air.
“Got ya.” I wiggle the lizard around as it dangles from my hand.
Although it’s a monster, it’s a weak one. A crocodile from Earth is far more dangerous than this giant lizard, mainly because this monster is only as big as a medium-sized dog. It doesn’t even reach the size of the Komodo dragons on Earth.
However, unlike Earth, this world has a way to get stronger that doesn’t rely on size or muscle mass. Levels are far more important than anything else.
So despite its rather small size, this giant lizard could probably beat a crocodile. Which is why…
“Woah!” The lizard lashes out as it dangles, its fangs nearly sinking into my torso. “This little guy is feisty!”
I have to swing my arms every which way as I twist and turn, all to avoid the snapping lizard’s maw. Somehow, I find a rhythm to it, and it becomes like a little dance between me and the lizard.
“Oh, yeah. I missed this.” I wiggle the lizard as I hold it by the tail, angering it even more. “But I’ll have to play next time. For now, let me have it.”
I shake the lizard and swing it around, exerting my complete dominance over the creature. “Hurry up and give it to me.”
After another round of shaking, it finally complies.
The weight in my hand lessens as the giant lizard falls to the ground. However, not all of it makes it out of my grasp. A piece of the monster still remains.
“This will come in handy later.” I put the lizard tail beneath my overcoat, while actually placing it into storage.
As for the monster…
“It ran away.” Guiche watches as the giant lizard scurries off into the brush.
“Even if it’s a monster, it still has survival mechanisms and instincts. But forget about that. Now you understand why I need those lizards. Without them, my supply of lizard tails would be in serious danger.”
“What exactly do you use lizard tails for?”
“Hmm.” I pat my overcoat, where the lizard tail would be if I didn’t send it to storage. “One day, maybe you’ll find out.”
We finally take the last few steps to exit the forest and get onto the road. It’ll be nearly dark by the time we arrive to the city, but we’ve already booked rooms at an inn.
And with this quest complete, my rise to B-Rank is all but assured.
With light steps, I begin the trip back to the city.
Chapter 8
“Why am I still C-Rank!?” I lean into the front counter and stare into the guild receptionist’s sleepy eyes, where I see absolutely no remorse.
“Don't know.” That's all the answer she supplies.
I turn from her, catching sight of my advisor, Lina, who's standing behind her. “Miss Lina! Talk some sense into the Guild Master, would you? I'm obviously B-Rank material!”
“Haha…” Lina shows us an awkward smile. “I'm sorry Triton, but the Guild Master was adamant in his evaluation. And unfortunately, I agree.”
“What!? I'm being betrayed!?”
“No, no. It's nothing like that. It's just … there's no proof that the request has been completed. Without a body or third-party eyewitnesses, marking the job as complete would be premature.”
I take a look at the job board, where the request has been reposted. “Gah. Why did it have to be a spirit causing all that mischief. It's really troubling when I can't get my hands on any proof!”
“Does something like this really matter?” Zoe tilts her head, as if not understanding why I'm making a big deal out of it.
“Of course it does! I'm the only C-Rank here! Even Quiche is a B-Ranked adventurer!”
“It's Guiche!” He runs his hand through his blond hair. “And if you were to ask me, I would have to agree with the guild's decision.”
“Well good thing nobody asked you!” I stand up straight, removing my hands from the counter. “I guess I have no choice but to wait, then. Once enough time passes, it'll be obvious that the spirit has been dealt with. And then! I'll get my promotion! Right!?”
“Haha.” Lina smiles again. “I can't guarantee it, but I'll ask the Guild Master for a re-evaluation when that time comes.”
“Awesome. Then until everyone catches up to reality, I'll just take myself another quest off the board!”
“I wanna fight something strong!” Zoe throws out a bombshell without realizing it.
“Um…” Lina looks at her. “May I ask who this cute little girl is?”
“I'm Zoe!”
“Zoe, it's dangerous to fight strong monsters, so please wait until you're older before doing so, okay?”
“But waiting is boring.”
“It may be boring, but you can use that time to learn and train so it's not wasted.”
“Don't worry,” I say. “My little sister is stronger than she looks.”
“This is your sister?” She glances between the two of us. “The resemblance is … not there.”
Being a normal-looking human from Earth, I have mundane brown hair. On the other hand, Zoe’s light pink hair stands out like a beacon, even in this world where hair colors are so varied.
And since she's a spirit, Zoe created her physical body to her own desires. In other words, she has perfect features from head to toe.
Meanwhile, while I've never been accused of being ugly, neither have I ever been mistaken for a fashion model. My height is average, and my body is a bit slender. Compared to most adventurers, I'm basically a runt.
No matter how anyone looks at it, they'd conclude that Zoe is the one who got all the preferred genes in the family.
“I’m not a runt.”
“Eh?” Lina stares at me with a hint of confusion.
“Nothing.” I wave my hand dismissively. “Anyway, we're going to pick out another quest.”
“Okay. I hope you'll choose something a bit safer this time.”
“Not likely.”
With that, we leave the front desk and walk across the open room toward the quest boards.
As usual, we attract a lot of eyes. Even more so than before, now that we have Zoe. No doubt the adventurers here are wondering why we brought a little girl into the guild.
Since I don't want to deal with their nonsense, I ignore all their gazes and step up to the board that has B-Rank quests posted.
“Ohhhh!” I pluck one from the wall. “A basilisk appeared in a nearby marsh! I bet there will be a lot more lizard monsters there with it!”
Lyra takes the quest from my hand and casually pins it back to the board. “Rejected.”
“Aww. Imagine the high-quality lizard tails I could get my hands on, though…”
“Just how many do you want to collect?”
I stand proud. “Yes.”
“That's not an answer!”
“I agree with the madam.” Guiche takes out yet another rose from somewhere. “B-Ranked quests are not for obtaining something silly like lizard tails.”
I turn and meet his eyes. “Are you just going to follow us around forever? Don't you have … I dunno, noble things to do?”
“My responsibilities as a noble have been postponed until I complete my time as an adventurer.”
“In other words, you have nothing better to do than haunt us.”
“Haunt? No, I am merely ensuring the safety of the two madams you seem keen on putting in danger's path.”
“Right, right. A future doormat for your wife, no doubt.”
The mention of his future wife causes Guiche's sole female companion to visibly perk up. It's obvious to every single person here that she’s vying for that very position.
Obvious to everyone but the nobleman in question, that is.
“I'm quite positive that whoever is chosen to marry into the Montmorency family as the wife of our only A-Ranked adventurer will be a caring and understanding girl.”
“Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren't you? You're still B-Ranked, and A-Rank is exponentially harder to achieve.”
“It's simply a foregone conclusion that I, Guice de Mallory von Montmorency, will rise to my destined rank.” He raises his rose up to his face and looks as if he were about to take part in a photoshoot.
“And they say I have something wrong with my head. Anyway, we're taking this quest.” I pull a piece of paper off the board. “A wyvern made a nest in the hills east of the city. Wyverns are dangerous to merchants and rural towns because they have a wide hunting ground. They need to be dealt with quickly.”
“That's true,” Guiche says. “But finding the beasts can be difficult. Are you certain you can track the wyvern to its roost?”
“No problem. I'm a certified tracking specialist! B-Rank, at least!”
“I don't think trackers have the same rank system as adventurers.”
“Well if they did, I'd be B-Rank. So don't forget it.” I turn from the board. “Let's go talk to Lina and let her know what we decided.”
Our advisor tries to talk us out of taking such a dangerous quest, but there's no hope for her once I've decided on a course of action. So with a heavy sigh, she approves our decision and gives us loads of information about the wyvern.
I soak it up like usual, though all that really matters to me is its general nesting ground. Once I get close enough, finding and eliminating it will be easy.
Guiche and his party are coming with us, so we go ahead and make it official with the guild that we're tag teaming the quest, which makes Lina breathe a sigh of relief.
Since it's on the cusp of night, we have to postpone the quest until the morning. And fortunately, Guiche doesn't follow us to our inn like he's been following us everywhere else.
No doubt he has a nice estate here in the city for him to use, being a noble and all.
As for us, there's no fancy home for us to return to each night, so we have to make do with an inn. And after arriving, we realize that there's a slight problem.
“Only two beds.” I look between the beds, then at the three of us.
“It's fine,” Lyra says. “Zoe can sleep with me.”
“Yay!” Said girl gives us an excited little leap. “I wanna chat with the Great Spirit of Water!”
“I'll leave that to the two of you. I'm sure there's much for the Great Spirit to tell you.”
Lyra's not shy. When we were getting our accommodations ready, she decided to share a room with two beds, rather than getting separate ones.
Either one works for me, but I definitely won't complain about consolidating our living situation. Three to a room is a bit more packed, but Zoe is just a little girl, so it's not too bad.
“Early to bed, early to rise.” I puff up my pillow. “And I'm definitely not letting Guiche beat me to the city gate in the morning.”
“You sure do like having him as a rival.” Lyra prepares their own bed at the same time.
“Yeah, it helps pass the dull moments. Believe it or not, I used to give my old teammates headaches from all the antics I'd get up to.”
“I believe it.” Lyra nods. “I definitely believe it.”
“You don't have to believe it that much!”
Zoe plops down on her bed. “You seem different sometimes.”
“Hmm? You mean how I was acting around Guiche and the guild employees?”
“Yeah! You were getting noisy about all kinds of things that don't matter like your guild rank and–ow!” Zoe goes quiet and puts her hands over her mouth. “I bith my thongue…”
“Short sentences, Zoe.” I shake my head. “But if it's my persona, then it's quite fun to mess around. Keeps things lively and interesting, don't you think?”
“Yeah! They're always giving funny reactions~”
“Oh-ho. I'm glad someone here finally understands me.”
Lyra gives me a flat stare. “I understand. It's just ridiculous.”
“Hmph. Go to bed, you're cranky.”
“C-cranky!? I am no such thing!”
“Heh.”
She realizes that she fell right into my trap. “Grrr…”
We finish preparations for bed, so the three of us lay down for the night. It's not long before Lyra and Zoe fall asleep, their breathing becoming slow and regular.
Another day down. I'm that much closer to regaining my meager strength and using it to pass through the mist.
Speaking of the mist, I wonder how Mitsuki and the others are doing. Rosa seemed intent on letting them grow slowly, but with the death of two heroes and my branding as a false hero, even she can't keep taking it slow.
Well, if it's Mitsuki, I'm sure everyone will be alright. She's always been a reliable girl. Too reliable for her own good, sometimes.
My eyes slowly close, and I join the two girls in the world of dreams.
[Zoe for visual reference]
