Xant: Any words in [] for this chapter were said in english in the raws. Thus, [power] was said as [powa].
Chapter 10 – The Night The Mystery Started
“OOh~ with this much I won’t be worried for quite a while!”
I showed Pablo the containers filled to the brim with water. The staff was in a good mood as they carried the containers inside.
“Yeah~, but hey aren’t you such a [powerful] girl? I can’t really think of you being a D rank”
“T-thank you.”
Pablo went around in circles to look at me, he looked at me from top to bottom, from every angle. Feeling embarrassed, I moved away from him.
“You will be considerably compensated for this you know. By the way, have you girls eaten yet? If you’re fine with it you can eat here. Of course it will be free.”
I was attracted to the offer as my stomach started growling. Roel was quite hesitant, but just as I thought she couldn’t win against hunger either. I ended up ordering the fried chicken for lunch and Roel got gyuudon. Despite her appearance, Roel was quite the big eater. Even though she was quite a reserved person, she ate not only the gyuudon but also a sandwich and some pasta. Pablo was even startled by her appetite. It seems that the food called gyuudon was from a distant island country. Pablo boasted about the food in this shop, it has recipes from a wide variety of foreign countries.
“It was delicious, thanks for the food.”
“I’m sorry……..just now I was unbelievably hungry.”
Looking meek and without raising her face, Roel apologized about eating too much. She actually left one of her dishes so clean there wasn’t even a grain of rice or splash of sauce left.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Promising adventurers should eat a lot to get some [power]!”
“Oh that’s right, Pablo-san. We fought a cobra in that cave, what floor was that monster from? It was really dangerous.”
“Cobra?”
Looking blankly, Pablo crossed his arm.
“For many years now, many adventurers have taken this quest. But I haven’t heard of any of them saying something like that.”
“Eh, then, it was first time this happened?….I wonder where that monster came from?”
“You girls, did you defeat it?”
“Yeah.”
“Ah, I was careless. If that kind of thing is there then from now on nobody less than C…..no, nobody less than B rank should take this quest. But then the expenses…”
While Pablo was grumbling, Pablo crossed his arm and walked around.
“But to do something like completely defeat it, you guys are amazing, yeah. I like you guys. And because of that.”
Cutting off the casual conversation, Pablo made a serious face.
“You might die you know. This old guy has seen many adventurers come here. Just yesterday I saw adventurers having fun drinking and I haven’t seen them since around here.”
Pablo had a bitter face while talking, but as we were leaving he saw us off with a smile. As we were leaving his bar, I noticed the sun was starting to set. The reward we were given was 600g. We received it even though it was supposed to be 300g. After arriving at the guild, Roel went inside the iron box to measure her level. She did a little guts pose when she came out.
“My level increased to 5!”
“That’s amazing! But I wonder why you leveled up by 2 even though I was the one that defeated the monsters.”
Maybe its because she hit the cobra…no that can’t be it.
“You guys, aren’t you in a party? If that’s the case you’ll receive the experience together no matter who defeated the monster.”
Aude came out from the neighboring iron box. I remembered that I don’t get along well with this guy from the last time during the rescuing mission. No matter what this guy does, he will always stir up some trouble. If it wasn’t for me and Gantetsu he would’ve died. I wonder if this guy has reflected on that.
“But in exchange, the experience you received as one person will be decreased. That’s why I do things solo.”
I suspected him of having ulterior motives. He seems to be the type to talk to anyone he crossed paths with. (TL: 単に誰も組みたがらないだけなんじゃとボクは勘ぐった。)
“Didn’t you say your level was 5? I also am doing my best, slowly but surely I finally reached level 6.”
“Ahaha, you’re higher than me.”
Roel laughed with insincerity. Neither of us will be taken in by this guy.
“Well then, just a little more. I’ll be C rank soon. You guys try your best.”
“See ya” he said as he went out of the room. I don’t like hearing it from him, but I got some good information. I guess we’re sort of even now.
/ / /
When we went back home I immediately started studying.
“Err.. this is [ろ(ro)]”
“So, [Ro] for Roel”
I started learning how to read and write a little bit. Roel being gentle while teaching helps a lot. But when I make a mistake…
“Wrong! This is [え(e)]”
She scolds me. It seems I am really bad at studying. Within 5 minutes I always become drowsy, but when that happens Roel will go “No!”.
“Roel, it may be impossible for me……”
“It’s going to be all right, because this kind of stuff is easier than defeating the Poison Salamander, right?”
I wonder if she was planning to encourage me… because it wasn’t working. I have sleep resistance but I’m still tempted to sleep. That’s why this is much harder.
I just noticed that it was already late at night. I should take a bath soon, but before I go to the bath I want to drink some juice. If I remember correctly there was an iron box around here that you can put money in and juice comes out. There was an iron box that measures your level at the guild, but if I remember correctly Roel explained to me that these things were made in a country called <Metalika>. It seem in that country there is a machine that flies in the skies. Someday I would like to see it, but it’s very far from here and I also just don’t have enough money.
When I walked outside, I felt the pleasant evening wind on my face. You can see buildings scattered around with lights on. I wonder what everyone does to pass time.
“I think it was somewhere here…..there it is.”
I immediately took out my money and chose a drink. Roel said she wanted apple. . . . . Beside the machine there was a person squatting.
“Umm…”
I tried speaking to them but the person didn’t react. I wonder if this guy is asleep. Let’s try shaking him. I stretched my arm towards that person. At that moment, the guy raised his face and leapt to bite my arm. By a hair’s breath I managed to dodge it by backing up. That guy, not wanting me to escape, leapt once again. No, this thing, it isn’t human. Its body was covered with fur. Because it was squatting I didn’t notice, but its head and body was 4 times larger than mine.
【Mysterious Monster Appeared!! HP 445】
From its mouth, long fangs became visible and its round eyes became bloodshot.
“Oo…Oooooooo…..”
It raised a groaning voice while it was brandishing his long arms, it was obstinately chasing me. As if playing with it, I was pretty hard to catch. Then the monster jumped and kicked the building’s wall with its foot and attacked me from the left. I stepped backwards to avoid it, and without delay the monster turned around and attacked with his left leg. With fast movement, even though the attack missed, without missing a beat it started its next move. I wonder why this monster is inside this town…? Even if I think about it I’m not going to come up with an answer. I should exterminate it. It would be terrible if there was an uproar. I don’t have my weapon, but there isn’t any other choice. I waited until it threw out its arm to try and attack. I caught the arm and with my right hand I hit its stomach. The monster’s body started to convulse and it collapsed onto the ground. (TL: 怪物の胴体が上下に千切れる。)
【Ryua attacked! Mysterious Monster received 3529 damage!】 【Mysterious Monster was defeated!】
I looked at the monster that died, sprawled out on the ground. I noticed several shadows running towards this direction from a distance. Those shadows were 3 men, all covered with armor. One of them glanced at me and then the monster’s corpse.
“Impossible. Are you the one that defeated this?”
The man had short trimmed blonde hair, an oval-shaped head, and slanted eyes. He narrowed those eyes while staring at me. I peacefully nod and, the other 2 guys quickly started cover the monster’s corpse with a walnut colored cloth.
“You’re…unarmed…? I can’t believe this……”
I heard something clinking, and then as if blocking me he pushed something into my hand.
“Tonight, you didn’t see anything.”
And with those words, they vanished into the darkness of the night. Of course, the monster’s corpse isn’t here anymore. I don’t understand. I looked at what was forced into my hand. I saw I was grasping 1000G.
——————————————————————————-
Monster Book
【Large Ravenous Cobra】 It doesn’t have any poison , but this ferocious cobra can swallow an adult whole. Due to its flexible movements, adventurers who are inexperienced in battle won’t be able to catch it. With its strangling strength, it can easily crush a log.