Translator: OkubyouKunEditor : FluffthoughtsTN: Changed Dy"s last name from Hyerk to Hjerk. Read the same as the previous spelling (ha-yerk).
Chapter 12: The Extraordinary A-rank Adventurers as Examiners1
I thought I fell asleep, but it"s already morning. I seem to have slept quite deeply.
Even though I fought so many enemies yesterday, I don’t feel muscle pain anywhere in my body. Because my body feels refreshed, did Dy clean me up with magic?
So that guy has a nice side of him.
[Dy?]
I tried calling him but there’s no reply. He said before that he’ll be asleep during mornings, and that he’ll only be watching from inside so I guess he’s not coming out.
I thought about backing out, but offending an A-rank party seems to be too conspicuous. It will be annoying if he thinks that I ran away after cutting him off while being sarcastic.
In the morning was white wolf stew, black bread, salad. The white wolf meat is majorly purchased at a cheap price and appears quite often on the tables. Since it doesn’t taste bad, adventurers like to eat it, was what I heard from Poppy.
I leave the inn early and await in front of the guild. A lot of adventurers are coming in and out so early in the morning. There are some who glances my way from time to time but since they’re busy looking for a good request with a good commission, they’re unable to talk to me.
[That guy, isn’t he Aleph’s new favorite?]
[Could he perhaps be waiting for Aleph?]
[Seriously? He’s being chased again, and by such a cutie. I’m so jealous!]
They’re not talking to me but they’re talking about me. I want to correct that I’m the one being chased, but I endured.
[Rei! We made you wait.]
Aleph appeared while being basked under the morning sun. Even a refres.h.i.+ng smile has turned bright because of Aleph. His white teeth gleamed as light reflects on it.
Next to Aleph is Ciel, his gaudy blond hair illuminated by the sun looks like an angel’s halo.
His expression is stern and his eyebrows sometimes form into a frown. When he found me, his face hardened even more. (TN: I can feel the dislike from this one.)
[Oh, so you’ve come without running away.]
[It’s because there’s no need to run.]
Sparks scattered around when our eyes met. Aleph seemed to not mind us as he said ‘Please take care of me’.
*Ciel and I also followed suit. We leave the city gate and head outside.
[Now then, please show us how you defeat goblins with magic at the meadows. I will observe how you fight. I will a.s.sist you if it gets too dangerous, but please fight as if you’re alone.]
[I got it.]
I’ll quickly finish getting in the way of other adventurers, save enough money and move to a city where Aleph and Ciel are not present.
After making my decision, we moved away from the road and headed to the place where the location of the monsters is.
Feeling the flow of the wind with Wind magic and then grasping the s.p.a.ce with Dark magic, I was able to tell where the monster is at.
As we get closer, the moment it’s in sight, I greeted it with a fireball.
[Gugeeh!]
The goblin made a pitiful and rolled on the ground once. After confirming its death by the sizzling sound and its burnt smell, I went near it to cut the ears as subjugation parts. (TN: Loot in other words.)
After I finish working, I head back to where Aleph and Ciel are.
[How is it? No problem, right?]
[Rei, aren’t you amazing? Your magic trajectory is stable, and both your danger perception and presence detection are accurate. I can understand why you said you don’t need a staff. It’s to a scale that’s unbelievable for a beginner.]
[You think so?]
Upon Aleph’s unrestrained praise, I lower my head in embarra.s.sment.
[This just the basics since, I was able to do it naturally when I was a beginner, too. The problem is whether he knows any other attack other than magic. If magic doesn’t work and he has no other alternatives, it will be his destruction.]
[Certainly. Ciel also struggled with that, after all.]
[Forget about me, we’re talking about him. And? You can’t use anything else other than magic? In that case, I guess you really need to form a party with someone. If it’s now, it’s not like we won’t make you a member of our party if you start begging.] (TN: Not cool, Ciel. Not cool.)
Ciel changed his view about me and said he doesn’t mind making his companion. Even if he told me something like that with his eyes above his head, I will still refuse.
Now then, how do I convince them that I don’t need to join a party? I won’t be in any danger since Dy is here, but he refuses to cooperate so how should I explain it?
[We’re not a party, but there’s a guy who will save me so there’s no need to worry. Look, this bangle belongs to a guardian.]
I tried to convince them that it isn’t a demon that’s been sealed in there but a spirit. Although rare, it seems like accessories like it exists.
Aleph grabbed my arm to check on the bangle. His serious expression turned grim in front of my eyes as he grabbed my shoulders.
[Rei, this bangle is cursed! Take it off immediately!]
[No, that’s impossible.]
He quickly found out. How?
Ciel is thinking with a difficult expression.
[Ciel, can’t you dispel it?]
[It’s beyond my reach. It’s such a strong curse that I’m not even sure if the church can do it…]
So there might be someone from the church who can dissolve the curse if I go there?
{It will be impossible unless that person’s light magic is stronger than mine, you know? There’s no way an average priest can compare to it.}
Dy directly speaks into my head. The two of them doesn’t seem to hear him.
As I thought, you really have no plan on getting away from me, huh? I confirm.
{Of course, there’s no way I will let go of such a delicious and compatible magic power like yours.}
After he said it, I heave a sigh. So I will still be receiving continuous s.e.xual hara.s.sments in the future.
[Rei, let’s go to the Sacred City together. If it’s the High Priest, he might be able to remove the bangle from your arm.]
My heart is shaken after being stared at by such sincere eye. Maybe he can really get rid of it. Besides, I feel deeply guilty for inconveniencing Aleph who’s genuinely concerned about me.
Aleph looks at me with burning gaze unbefitting of his light blue eyes. He took my hands and knelt on the ground with one knee. Ah, I have a bad feeling about this.
[There is a danger zone where monsters often appear on the way to the Sacred City. You may not like it, but I’m deeply concerned about you. I don’t want to let you go through such a dangerous place alone, so won’t you let me stay by your side and protect you? You might not think much of me since we just met for a few days, but I like you.]
Aah, as I thought. The guy who confessed to me from the cla.s.s next to mine also used to look at me like this.
As I held my head internally, Ciel came out of his shock and stopped him.
[Aleph, what are you saying such a kid?]
[I am serious. Even if he seems as if he has the blood of an elf, he’s 17 years old. He can even get married.]
[Even so, wait, you’re moving too quickly! Since we’re comrades who belong to the same party, I wish you’d discussed it with me first.]
[Sorry, it just came out of my mouth.]
[Geez, why don"t you try standing on my shoes!]
I completely agree with Ciel"s opinion.
I take back my hands that"re still being held by Aleph, I look into his eyes and answer.
[I will go to the Sacred City since I also want to remove this bangle. But I don"t like Aleph that way. Also, I"m fine by myself so I will refuse traveling together.]
[Rei…]
Aleph hides his sad, almond-shaped eyes. So even an ikemen with a sad face also becomes a painting.
My guilt is poking fiercely at me, but I will harden my heart here and…
{Rei, you can"t do that. It"s not fun.}
A dubious black haze rose from the bangle, and Dy revealed himself.
[Who are you!]
[h.e.l.lo, Swordsman-san, and also to you, Elf boy. I am the ancient kingdom, Deibrudoir"s2, former Demon King, Diremolo Zohana Rada Hjerk. I am currently acting as Rei"s Demon Guardian.]
In contrast to his gentle tone, his oppressing presence is amazing. Even though he"s just standing still, his conqueror"s aura is overwhelming.
Just when I was surprised that he"s not just a simple perverted demon but a Demon King, he sent me a glance as if he read my inner thoughts.
His amethyst eyes charmingly blinked as he sent a flirtatious glance. Because he"s too s.e.xy, I blushed. Deeply.
[Did you say the King of Demons…?!]
[Kuu~, why is such a big shot together with such a kid?]
[It’s obviously to absorb his magic power. That overflowing amount is just very delicious…]
[Waah! Don’t say any more than that! A, anyway, this guy is here so there’s no danger!]
I said over my shoulders as I turned away.
[Please wait! It’s that Demon who is dangerous! He’ll suck you dry of your magic power!]
Aleph quickly came to me who jumped with wind magic.
[What are you? Did you say you’re the Demon King?! Explain yourself!]
Ciel also followed without delay. I feel like it’s already useless to explain myself. I decided to give up on convincing them and to concentrate on running away.
At that moment, just when I thought I felt a presence behind me, my nape got licked.
[Fuyaaah?!]
With a *chuu*, Dy released his lips and gave a sn.i.g.g.e.r.
Why are you licking wherever you want, are you a cat?! Moreover, don’t do it in a situation like this and read the air, you idiot! You ended up making me let out a weird sound! (I ended up breaking the last sentence.)
[You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!!!]
Aleph shouted and drew out his sword. Dy held my waist as if provoking him.
[Dy! Enough with your jokes, he’s drawing his sword on you and it’s not funny!]
[Wo~w, it sure has turned interesting, Swordsman-kun, you sure have a nice reaction.]
It’s useless, words are not getting through him.
Now that it’s come to this, it’s not the time to be concerned that I need to conceal it and whatnot. Anyway, since it"s already out of the bag that I"m being possessed by a demon, I will surely be taken notice of.
I cut through s.p.a.ce with Dark magic and tried teleporting. There was a black hole ahead of us, but another magical power was mixed in the next moment and it closed.
[Don’t get in my way!]
[I don’t want to, it’s become this interesting, after all.]
As Dy interrupted my magic, Aleph has already caught up. Aleph who has caught up quickly approaches and brandishes his sword but Dy dodges.
Just as he is, Dy took me in his arms and lifted me.
Dy released a fire magic at the swordsman while smiling and was flying around the sky as if dancing. This guy, he’s playing around.
[Are you sure? You will hit Rei if you cut me, you know?]
[Kuh, how cowardly!]
Dy was grinning playfully. Aleph has a steep expression. Ciel who’s chasing us looking puzzled.
I was thinking to myself while trapped in his arms.
How did it come to this?
TN
1 – Aランク冒険者達の臨時試験官 (I got confused)
2 – デーブルドゥーア