We were now done with the test without incident and so we went to the store with Leone and the girls together.
We were waiting for the food that the head hostess had recommended, so I planted the seed of conversation among the group.
「I see, so it was Kaito that bought Minnalis.」
「That’s right.」
I was asked how Minnalis and I met, and after mentioning some odds and ends, came to the time that I bought Minnalis in the slums.
Of course, I didn’t talk about being an adventurer or being attacked by the princess or empire.
Only Leone knew about that information.
Also, it was obvious we didn’t tell Leone the real purpose for our trip.
「Even so that’s something Minnalis! I was really surprised!」
「Hahoo, Spinne. Stop it, You’re not a kid anymore!」
Minnalis said as Spinne embraced her.
Even though Minnalis looked a bit troubled, she didn’t try to escape Spinne’s grasp.
「I was also surprised that you pa.s.sed the advanced cla.s.s! I heard that half-beasts can’t use long range magic that well. How did you DO that, after all?」
「Ah! I was wondering about that too. For an outsider to attain advanced cla.s.s takes the power of a seasoned adventurer or a veteran, right?」
Xank stated, as Dan continued.
「Sorry, it’s a secret. An adventurer must keep her secrets.」
Minnalis apologized for not being able to answer them, and did so clearly.
「It’s just as Minnalis says. There’s no adventurer that just gives up their tricks. …but, you could teach me how to do it right?」
「Nope.」
「What?」
Even though she refused Leone flatly, she still seemed a bit soft in the exchange.
「『Minnalis, you seem so happy.』」
「『Yeah, happy for you.』」
Shuria seemed to whisper after all the adulation was poured on Minnalis.
It must have been because our memories were warm in the light of all the dirty, poisonous ones of the past.
Much like the days that Leticia and I spent together.
And the days that Shuria spent with her mother and sister.
「Well, glad to see that both Minnalis and Shuria reached advanced cla.s.s. Spinne, they both learned magic after teaching themselves, so if they ever have problems you can help them out, right?」
I said to the magician Spinne.
Leone was in the same cla.s.s, but someone knowledgeable in the fundamentals of magic would make a better tutor if necessary.
「Of course I can. They’re both cute, and all I want is the t.i.tle of 『Magic School Graduate』. So I’d be happy, happy, happy, to do it.」
「Whaa?」
「Huh?」
Spinne suddenly embraced Minnalis again, and then in the same way embraced Shuria in her large bosom.
After Shuria jolted in surprise, she touched her own flat chest, and after moving her neck in Spinne’s bosom, then jumped away and shouted.
「Whaaaa?! She’s my enemy! Enemy! This person is my enemy!」
「What?!」
Shuria glared at Shupine in a hostile fashion.
And just as my little sister used to tell me – I thought “Brother, don’t get involved in things like that.”
I understood what my sister had told me so I directed the conversation somewhere else.
「You’re Dan and Xank, right?」
「Yeah, call me Dan.」
「Yup, Xank.」
「I see, call me Kaito. Why are you coming to the magic school? You seem like knights, so I guess you need the magic as back up?」
「Yeah, I need to learn some strengthening magic.」
「And I want to learn how to enchant my weapon.」
Dan rolled up his sleeve and slapped his bicep, while Zank presented the sword on his hip.
「You’re joining the basic cla.s.s too, Kaito?」
「Yeah, but even so, I just want to be able to use the library and the school’s dungeon, so I’m not going to any of the lectures.」
I had no interest in getting instructed from the beginning.
「Oh, so a dungeoner.」
Dan said in reaction to my words.
On people that had seats in the school were able to use the dungeon beneath the school.
The same with the library.
A dungeoner was someone that wasn’t there for learning magic, but an outsider that bought a seat at the school simple because use of the dungeon was allowed to anyone that did.
「Yeah, and because of this, Leone and you two, please take care of my two while I’m away… I don’t think it will be a problem, but it’s rare to see a half-beast at a place like this, and because Shuria looks the way she does.」
「You’re right, Shuria does look much younger than her actual age.」
「Hmph! I know you like to tease, but stop treating me like a kid!!」
「Hee hee, no, calm down Shuria, ow, no, it doesn’t hurt but it does tickle!」
Shuria got angry and prodded her finger between my ribs.
It didn’t hurt, but being prodded like that made my body feel weird.
「…sure, I understand. You’re both so cute, so there’s sure to be stupid guys that will chase after you.」
Leone finally said something after such a long silence, and responded as any normal person would.
However, even though that wasn’t the first time I saw her like that, you should still see something like caution on her face.
(…hmm, did I mess up somehow?)
When we separated before, it seemed that we had formed a good relationship together.
I wonder how we stood now.
At first it seemed there was a very strong cautiousness.
Almost as if the wrong step would bring hostility, a very open severity.
This time as well, you couldn’t feel anything negative, but something else.
(Well, it doesn’t matter. We’re not trying to get anything here anyway.)
We were former j.a.panese from our former world speaking to one another, but this was something different.
Also, if we were really to become close, well, I know why it’s an impossibility.
The reason why is because I, well the girls and I, can’t ever let our true intentions show.
「『Minallis, Shuria, can you hear me?』」
I used my 『Heart-speech』to the other two.
「『Sure, we can hear youuuuu!』」
「『What is it master?』」
「『Change of plans. Is she still cautious with me? I can feel it, so I’m not going to ask about where the village is now.』」
When I died in the first world, my reputation was shot.
I tried to deny it, but there was no way to change the impression that others had of me.
I thought about it for a bit, and it seems the caution with me had returned.
If that’s the case, there was no meaning in asking her the location now.
「『Maybe tomorrow, see how things are without me and then ask. That would probably provide a clearer answer.』」
Of course there was a contract attached but there was no reason to force it, so for a while let’s have them see Minnalis and Shuria’s face for a while.
Even though there was no reason for them to object, there was also no reason to make our relations bad.
「『However…』」
「『Don’t get fl.u.s.tered. The wild bow of Leone and her party were pretty famous in the old world. Just try to steal any skill that I can’t teach you when possible.』」
Minnals seems to nod with a regretful look.
「『I know how you feel, but calm down and think. Increase the things you can do. Don’t let it go to waste.』」
If you only reach for what you want and don’t look around, you’ll trip up on something.
I learned that in the first world.
「『You’re right, master. I guess it’s bad…I know you’re right, but my emotions get in the way.』」
「『Also, even if we know where it is, we’re not going anywhere soon, so save your strength.』」
「Thank you for waiting! Here is today’s special menu.」
And we finally had our lunch.
With that internal meeting over, we split up and ate without anything else.
…well, that would have been nice, if those annoying idiots didn’t keep coming from everywhere.
「Well, if this ain’t a dirty lookin’ place?! I came all the way out to the sticks like this, but these places are still so dirty!」
Storming in the place so loudly that the dust flew around the room in the echo of his footsteps was a goateed muscular and smelly man.
He was an adventurer, and had a huge sword on his back with a black scabbard, wearing a crazily- arranged black shimmering silver armor.
(Geez, I hate guys that look like c.o.c.kroaches.)
「Ug, he, he’s 『Black Steel Geel』!」
「Hey, stop Dan, don’t look at him, he’ll want to fight.」
「What, you know him?!」
「…he’s a mercenary from the imperial country, because of something with a business rival I had to kick his a.s.s once. From then he’s been looking for me with a grudge.」
The answer to the question asked was one of the worst ones you could get.
「Hm? Hey, hey,hey,hey,hey,hey,hey,hey,hey,hey,hey,hey! There are some interesting faces here in this c.r.a.p place!」
Even though his voice normally wouldn’t echo, this WAS a small place.
There’s no way he wasn’t going to find me.
「Hey, quiet down. You’re just like a un-housetrained black dog that keeps barking. You’re p.i.s.sing us off.」
Leone sighed at him and gave a look of giving up.
After the other three with Leone looked at Geel with cold eyes, they kept on eating, ignoring him.
「Tch! You got a foul mouth, woman! Hey, I haven’t seen these others before, are they new?」
He had clicked his tongue at Leone, but now was referring to us.
「Heh, a worthless guy with two cute girls, just the type I like!」
He stared at Minnalis and Shuria and licked them up with his eyes.
It was a disgusting glare.
「Hey, you…」
「Listem, you girls…be mine okay? Instead of hanging out with that loser, I can give you some good memories by joining my party.」
Yeah, this world is filled with trash.
「Hey you bug, your wings are getting to loud in here. Disappear or I’ll cut them off.」
I grabbed his outstretched arm and gripped it.
「Wha? Hey, b.a.s.t.a.r.d, what the, my arm ahgh!? Lemme go! Agh, AGH!」
criiick , I grabbed his arm forcefully and then finally let go.
I thought that was enough of a show to end all this.
However, after taking all that quietly, this guy with whatever nickname he had showed he wasn’t much a man after all.
「Stupid kid! Don’t mess with me!」
Geel took the sword off his back, however, even before he drew it, I took my 【Beginning Spirit Blade】that I made out.
I cut his neck so that just a bit of skin was cut, and let the sword drink a bit of his blood.
「I’ll forgive you now, so get out.」
「Youuuu…」
「You still don’t get it? You got out meal dirty with your sweat! So get out!」
Fwip, I drew my sword down his neck.
He was a slow opponent, but anyone that saw a sword drawn against their neck like that would back off.
「Don’t mess with us, you fly!」
「uh, tch, I wasn’t bein’ for real! I was just playin’! Hey, no need to get upset!」
Geel was visible afraid and scrambled away and out the door.
「Yeah! Good job brother!」「Great!」「That was some show!」
After Geel left there was a noticeable cheer from the place, and they all though it was a great spectacle.
「You really are good with that. Well, I guess you have to be with two beautiful girls, right, Spinne?」
「Why are you asking me? …I’ll burn your you know what!」
Spinne laughed with a deep and knowing laugh.
「Instead of that, you have a great sword arm! Let’s do battle sometime!」
「Yeah, if I ever have the chance.」
I gave the smiling Dan an offhanded reply, and continued to shovel my meal down my throat.