She Professed Herself The Pupil Of The Wiseman (WN)

Chapter 24: Mira-chan Mira-chan squishy cheeks~!

ED: Is Chaos there? No? Well then lets sneak release this chapter then…..

Real t.i.tle: The Party Formation

It was the morning after the day Mira promised to go to the Ancient Shrine. She got a lunch box in the inn dining room.

After the Gothic Lolita left the inn, the staff was fired up guessing her ident.i.ty. Opinions like a n.o.ble’s daughter, a concealed royalty member, or a hidden child of some powerful adventurer were flying around and at times nearby adventurers joined their dispute.
Mira herself hasn’t yet realized that she became the center of such exaggerated attention.

The sky was clear, the perfect day for a picnic. Mira advanced to the appointed place, the front of the Union, under gentle morning sunlight.
The time was late morning, shopping housewives and armed adventurers stood out among the scattered people around the main street going to work.

As Mira advanced, excited with displaying the true strength of summoning, a crowd gathered at her destination — a square in front of the Union.

“What’s that?”

Muttering that, Mira sat down on a bench in front of the magician union. She tried to find Emera and Takuto but couldn’t find them around.

Thinking she came a bit too early, she retrieved some apple ole and took a gulp.

15 minutes pa.s.sed since Mira arrived to the front of Union. The clock in the menu confirmed it was 10 AM. It was the appointed time. And the two of them haven’t come yet.

“Late. They’re late.”

Mira dropped a complaint while sending a look to surroundings. She saw that the strange gathering still crowded the square.

(Is there a morning sale or, maybe, street performance?)

Thinking it’s not the worst way to kill time, Mira decided to find out, and a familiar boy, pushing his way through people, tried to jump out to her from this crowd. But, stumbling over the legs of people, he dropped the 2 copper coins he had and started to chase after them.

“What, was thou already here, Takuto?”

Mira, heading to the crowd, picked up the coins and called the familiar boy — Takuto.

“Ah, good morning, Big Sis Mira! Thanks.”

Getting the coins, Takuto greet Mira with a friendly smile.

“And it shouldn’t be thou alone. Where’s Emera?”

“Over there.”

In answer Takuto pointed at the crowd at the square. Mira thought that if Takuto came out from the crowd, he should have come early too and wasted time there.

“Big Siiis Emera, Big Sis Mira was here!”

Takuto turned towards the crowd and, running into it, raised his voice to call her.
A short time after that, the black-haired elf Emera appeared pushing herself through the crowd.

“You’re late, Mira. How long should I wait for you?”

Saying that she waited for her, Emera fact.i.tiously puffed her cheeks. But Mira considered that Emera was dallying with the crowd while she was waiting, so she shrugged.

“Don’t say foolish things. It’s me who was waiting for thee. I was sitting on this bench all the time.”

Silence flew between them. Then Emera’s eyes started to wander and she with a wry smile joined her hands in apology.

“I’m sorry! I hadn’t expected so much people will gather.”

Emera made such an excuse. But when Mira, noticing something odd in this excuse, opened her mouth,

“Is she the Mira you told about?”

A huge man glanced from behind Emera’s back. His ma.s.sive metal armor was shining with a blunt silver color and his gauntlets had a scarlet bell design. A huge hammer about the size of his height hinted  at extraordinary physical strength. Despite that, he wore a kind expression, and his short red hair and red stubble around his mouth held an atmosphere of wildness.
And, using it as a signal, two more people showed their faces.

“Wow, she’s absurdly cute!”

With those words, a woman lined up to right of Emera, her purple robe lightly swung up. Her blue eyes behind blue-framed gla.s.ses shined with l.u.s.t. A sleeve of her robe had a scarlet bell embroidery. At first glance she gave an intellectual impression but her actions ruined it. Her hair, which extended a bit past the shoulders, were green; a cane about 1 meter length was placed on her back.

“Really? Where? Ah, spotted the beauty! Though I’d rather wait for about 5 years.”

This time a man in light equipment lined to the left of Emera and pa.s.sionately observed Mira from head to toe. He had brown hair and earrings, his green bandana had the same scarlet bell embroidery. Handsome face and tall height, two daggers at the waist, black jacket and khaki trousers. At a glance he was an easy-going man.

“Who are they?”

Troubled due to being exposed to their attention, Mira glanced at the three who, judging by their actions, were acquaintances of Emera.

“The best members that I could pick in my guild, Écarlatte Carillon!”

Emera answered with confidence.

“Rather, n.o.body else was free today.”

“Why’d you tell her?!”

Emera angrily grabbed the collar of the cape of the easy-going man and shook it. In response, the man repeated “Sorry, sorry” without any hint of guilt in his voice.

“I am Asbar. Nice to meet you, miss. ”

A huge man cheerfully smiled. With the stern look, it was hard to expect such friendliness to ooze from him.

“I’m Frica. Best regards.”

The woman in purple robe, adjusting her gla.s.ses, intelligently smiled and presented a hand requesting a handshake.

“Ye..yea. I’m Mira. Best regards.”

Thinking that the impression she got from the woman was wrong, Mira reached for the presented hand with her right hand.

“Cute as expected!”

At the moment Mira shook her hand, Frica broke into a smile and anguished in a sugary, completely different voice.

“Mira-chan, Mira-chan. Squishy cheeks~”

With those words Frica kept poking Mira’s cheeks. Mira tried to get away but was caught by her hand so she couldn’t go out of range. She shook her head to resist, but was still poked in her cheeks by Frica.

“Do something, Emera!”

Emera who was called out released the man in light equipment and turned her head. And then, leaking out a sigh with a wry smile, she dropped a hand on Frica’s head. Stars flew before Frica’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, Mira. I did try to ask Frica to do her best in restraining herself.”

“I’d prefer her to completely restrain herself, not to do her best.”

Frika who was holding her head in her hands was peeled off by Asbard. Mira recalled Sherry, a waitress of Silver Wand shop in the village where she stopped in on the way to the Arkite Kingdom.

“I am Zefold. Call me Zef.”

The easy-going man that named himself Zefold silently approached and, matching her eye’s height, broadly smiled. That carefree behavior unexpectedly made a good impression to Mira.

“I’m Mira. So, why are they here?”

“To help you!”

No word about them appeared in yesterday’s conversation so Mira asked, giving the three people a glance. But Emera answered like it was a matter of course. She talked to these three people after escorting Takuto home, planning to sweep away all the remaining worries.
A 3-man party going to a C-rank dungeon gave her nothing but worries. And there was no particular reason to go only with three people. When she decided to go into the Ancient Shrine, she already was going to get some help from the free members of her guild.

“Hm, well, fine. Then let’s go. I leave the leading to you.”

Mira had nothing against extra members. Also, compared to the company of the beauty Emera, she surely could calm down easier with male fellows like Asbar and Zef.

Mira took Takuto’s hand and was going to set off, but the look of the main street made her widely open her eyes in a daze. For some reason, her surroundings were crowded.

The people she saw at the square now crowded around this place.
The Emera’s guild made them gather here. This guild was famous for high-level adventurers, and when four members of the Ecarlate Carillon gathered together, there was no way they wouldn’t catch attention. They had arrived to the front of the Union earlier than Mira. After finishing with some business in the Union, they waited at the square and surprised people gathered around, making the mysterious crowd.
When the origin left this crowd and stood with Mira, there should be no need to say that the same phenomenon happened.

“Emera-neesan, you’re fantastic!” “Frica-tan, scold me please” “Zef, don’t get too c.o.c.ky” “Asbar, please take me to the next drinking” “Is this cute girl a new member?” “Zef, be careful at night.”

Hearing that she gathers attention at this noisy square, Mira hurried Emera.

“Well, then let’s go. Everybody, follow me.”

“Yes, mam.”

Emera vigorously lifted her right hand and proceeded to the north side of the main street. Only Zef responded to her. Asbar wrily smiled and Frica hasn’t take her eyes from Mira. Feeling a discomfort, Mira casually hide behind Asbar. Takuto, still holding her hand, followed her.

As Emera proceeded, the crowd without hindrance opened the way and sent encouragements from behind.
Mira was impressed that high-level adventurers are treated as famous people.

Leaving the Requiem City Caranach and proceeding to the mountains at the north took them about 20 minutes. After they came out of the woods, along with the carved statues, in front their eyes there was the destination, the Ancient Shrine Nebulapolis, greeting them with a dignified appearance.

“Well, finally we’re here.”

“Once again, this is quite the magnificent view.”

While Emera was bringing themselves together, Mira was in a tourist mood. The difference in their att.i.tudes was obvious.

Their group stopped in front of the Ancient Shrine. While it’s rare, monsters could lurk around the ritual hall right next to the entrance so they took precaution.

“Fine, I’ll go check it.”

After saying that, Zef without a sound slipped inside the temple.

Shortly after that “It’s clear” resounded from the inside.

The group proceeded inside the ritual hall and everybody sat down. When everybody took a rest, Emera started to talk.

“Well, let’s confirm our goal. Our destination is the Hall of the Dark Aid at the fifth floor, right?”

“Yeah, he told me something about the Mirror of the Dark Aid. But as you approach closer to the fifth floor, monsters become troublesome and numerous, will we be fine? Together with that miss and boy?”

Ecarlate Carillon pa.s.sed this dungeon several times. After taking preparation, a party of major members broke inside and cleared the dungeon till the fifth floor.
Compared to those times, they did improved their skill yet there was only four main members and the defense of kids required attention. It can’t be helped that Asbar displayed his worry.

“Huh, repeat that after you see it. I will change the narrowness of your view.”

Mira carelessly threw out her chest and said that. She thought that if they are getting so much attention, it should be a good chance to make the world recognize the power of summoners.

“Well, well, then we’ll look forward to it.”

With those words Asber, understanding that she is in the age of acting like an adult, prepared himself to grab her and run away in any danger. The rest of the three members thought the same.

“Me and Asber will be vanguard, and, holding Mira and Takuto between us, Frika and Zef will guard from the rear. Fine?”

“Understood.”

“Okay.”

“Fine, fine~”

“Well, why not.”

“Yes! Thank you all!”

Everybody replied when the four members of Ecarlate Carillon began to check their weapons.
Asber examined the handle and the tie of his hammer, Frica, in addition to a cane, lined up several cards. Zef smeared his daggers in something resembling oil.
And Emera took a saber from item box to put it on her waist, moving the sword she had into the item box.

“Oh, is it the leader’s sword?”

Asbard asked when he saw this sword. At the same time, everybody turned to Emera.

“Yeah, it is. It’s the Nebulapolis after all so after hearing the reason he lent it to me. It should considerably help us here.”

With those words, Emera unsheathed the blade. This double-edged sword cast faint white light, revealing that it wasn’t a common sword.

“Oh, a light spirit sword? Thou hold interesting stuff.”

Mira said, looking at the Emera’s sword. Casting faint light is a trait of light element. And, even amongst light elemental swords that were rare, this one was with somewhat particular details.

The most popular light elemental sword —holy sword — is made by a blacksmith by swapping water with holy water and fire with sacred fire. There are several different methods, but the designs of holy sword and G.o.d sword are unique and at a glance it’s obvious it’s not simple swords.
And the sword that Emera held was a mediocre saber. Even though it emitted pale light, it didn’t seemed unusual.
But not for magicians. Especially for the top magicians who could see what happened around the sword.

“How did you know it? It’s the leader’s saber, I borrowed it.”

Emera with those words put the sword back in the scabbard and shining particles following around it quickly disappeared.

This shining particles were the reason Mira said it was a spirit sword.
A spirit sword is a sword with a blessing from a spirit, the exact effect depends on the spirit. It doesn’t have to be a sword, and those arms are called spirit arms.
The effect can be attached to any arms, and magicians can see a glimpse of this power.
Just like warriors see fighting spirit, magicians see spirits. That’s why they can see the spirit’s power in swords.
It’s a common knowledge for magicians. And the top magicians can precisely see a lot of spirits.
Emera, Asbar and Zef simply thought that she’s a well-informed girl but for Frica it was different. She couldn’t see the light particles that proved the spirit’s force in the sword. And without seeing them it’s hard to tell it’s a spirit sword at a glance.
This girl saw the remains of a light spirit that even the high-level adventurer Frica couldn’t see. It became a cue for when Frica started to suspect Mira was not a ordinary girl.

“We’re going to rely on you.”

Asbar grinned and, putting his hammer back, stood up.

“Yeah, leave it to me. Well, let’s go!”

Following the vigorously rising Emera, everybody got up and went to the altar, the entrance to the first floor of the Ancient Shrine Nebulapolis.

Mira took out her card case from the item box and, remembering what she was told when she got it, pushed the pa.s.s to the Ancient Shrine against barrier crystal surrounding the altar.

“Finally. Is there any loot here?”

“Don’t forget why we’re here. Escort them till the Hall of the Dark Aid first.”

“Fine, I got that.”

Pa.s.sing through the swaying thinned out barrier, Asbar earnestly warned Zef who was jumping down the ladder. a.s.sured that Emera, Frica and Takuto pa.s.sed the barrier, Mira, returning the pa.s.s into the card case, followed them.

In a few moments after they descended the stairs, the barrier returned its strength and small birds started to sing inside of the empty again ritual hall.