Arifureta Shokugyou De Sekai Saikyou: Irregularity

'Do you have a moment?...'

I was called by Sonobe Yuka after heading out of the inn to explore the Northern mountains, in my confusion I could just answer with a question...

Yuuki [Ano~ what does that mean...?]

Yuka [If it's not a problem there's something I'd want to talk about. So? Do you have time after this?]

She asked in a serious and somewhat cautious tone.

Yuuki [Y-yeah... I don't mind...-]

This is bad, like, really bad... I didn't expect at all to be approached by "Them", much less by one of the girls. I accepted without thinking but, should I have refused?...

She looked arround as if to confirm something and then-

Yuka [Then... You are staying in the same inn as us aren't you? Can we talk in your room?]

...Eh?...

#####

I seat in the bed of the room I rented while Sonobe Yuka sit on a chair that was in the desk ready to be used nex to the bed.

Yuuki [(This is awkward...)]

It hasn't been even two minutes but my stomach fells painfully empty. Sonobe said nothing and is just drinking the tea that I asked the waitress to bring... The set looks pretty and more expensive than I though it would... There is a plate with cookies in the tray too...

Yuuki [(In this precise moment, more than tea or cookies, I need three answers-)]

'What does she want?'

'What does she want with me?'

'What does she want with me alone?'

And finally-

'Why would she come to my room ALONE?'

Yuuki [(They sound similar, but they are not the same...)]

And I said "three answers" because the fourth one got answered by "detect magic" five seconds after she mentioned my room.

Q:Why would she come to my room ALONE?

A:She would not.

Yuuki [(There is someone behind the door to the corridor)]

Trying to hide its presence, one person followed us since we headed back to the inn.

It's hard to say an exact name but, I can guess it's one of the heroes, and most probably one of the boys, that's what I could get with my level of "Detect magic".

When it comes to the performance though... Not just the moment when he hide himself, I readed even the pattern in wich he followed after us...

It can even be said that to use magic power so roughly in the middle of a city full of "common folk" makes it easier to find him...

Yuuki [(Was it because to "hide" your own presence is not part of the common sense in their world? or because the class he owns is not specialized in that kind of skill?...)]

*cling*

Yuuki [-!!]

The tea cup in her hands is put back in the saucer and then she looks my way...

Yuka [For now, let's start with introductions... My name is Sonobe Yuuka. how should I call you?...]

She gave her real name, but looks like she isn't planning to say more for now...

Yuuki [Sonobe-san, is that right? You can call me Yuuki, it's a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e...]

Let's follow the same pattern, though in my case, there is only one name...

'...Yuuki?...' she said my name to herself with what you could describe like a doubtful and wondering expresion as I keep what you could call a soft business like smile, but she just let it pass and look back to me again...

Yuuki [...?]

Yuka [Sorry, it's nothing... Yuuki-san, was it? Before we continue there's something I want to ask, you are an adventurer, right?]

Yuuki [?... That's right, though I came to Ul more for sightseeing and not for a quest or some work from the guild, I'm a full fledged adventurer...]

Let's not lie (I PARTLY came for sightseeing, so it's not lying), there is no reason to if she doesn't ask something weird (don't think she will)... and I don't want to lie either...

Yuka [I see, sightseeing... In that case, you are just what I was looking for... More like, you may be a perfect fit for what I need...]

Yuuki [(?... A perfect fit?...)]

That's unexpected, to say the least...

Before I could grasp the meaning behind those words-

Yuka [The reason why I called you... This world, how much can you tell me about it?...]

#####

Yuka [I want to know about this world. the holly church told what they needed us to know, but that is not enough, I need more, as much information as I can get, if not, I may not be able to protect Ai-chan when she is in danger... I may not even notice when she is in danger...]

She took a cookie from the tray... Her eyes open slightly for a moment when she tastes it... Looks like she liked them...

Yuuki [Then, why not ask directly to the holly church what you want to know?]

I took a cookie too... They are good, I'll give one to Izana-chan when she is not looking this way...

Yuka [We can't trust them, they brought us to this world and told us to fight for this "Ehit-sama" they adore as their God just like that, even when it has nothing to do with us...]

She takes another cookie, so I take the chance to give one to Izana-chan...

Yuuki [So you ask me even when you don't know if you can trust me?]

Izana-chan floats happilly behind me as she softly close her circular eyes until they become lines so I guess she liked them... I take another one for me too...

Yuka [You are mostly unaffected by what we know or don't know, as it doesn't involve you, as an adventurer you need to travel to diferent cities or even to a diferent country so you have seen more than we have... You look close to our age and didn't left a... harmful impression at that time... The timing was too god to let it pass, and to give it a try is worth enough...]

Her hand reach the cup of tea and she slowly drinks until the cup becomes empty.

Yuuki [... "At that time"... Then let me ask, how did you knew I was an adventurer? you asked just to confirm but, looks like you were almost sure I was one, why?]

I reach for my own cup and finish it in one go before it gets cold, I take the teapot to fill it again and then point to Sonobe-san's cup while I look at her, she softly nods to answer so I fill her cup too...

Yuka [David-san- the knight captain with us is what you could describe as... Stupid...]

Yuuki [...I-I see...]

'Milk or sugar?' I ask by showing both of them to her and she answers 'both' by rising two fingers...

Yuka [In contrast, the vice-captain is quite... perceptive... The short-lived but deep impression you left was enough excuse to ask. Your behavior, to say, peacefully eating in a restaurant without a care in the world for the eyes of the people around you, wast not that of a criminal at least.]

After adding a little of milk I show her the cuves of sugar to ask how many to put in, she rises a finger so I add just one...

Yuuki [...]

She hold the cup I just filled for her and after drinking her face relaxes a little, so I'll take that she likes how I served it...

Yuka [with those clothes and a sword, you could be just a wandering swordman... But to casually pay with a gold coin for a meal means that, even if you look too young, you most probably are a successfull adventurer with some problems in the head, or a rich boy at worst... That's more or less what he said...]

Yuuki [...]

Wait a moment, isn't that cary... Isn't knight vice-captain-san scary... More like, what does he mean by "problems in the head"? me and the inside of my head are normal enough thank you...

Yuuki [...]

Wait another moment... This was supposed to be a serious talk, right? Somehow now it feels like a tea party...

Right now, Sonobe-san's expresion is so relaxed it almost looks smug... Did it show in my face the surprise of bein readed so easily by the vice-captain enough to make her feel like she won or something?

Yuuki [Even so, was it necessary to meet in a secluded place by yourself? Being an adventurer doesn't mean I am kind or a good person. You asked yourself but... I can totally see why you need information so much. For now, I'll tell you the most important rule in this world... "The stronger you are, the most freedom you have..." Its not just about bandits or criminals... A knight, a king and the holly church are the same... Of course, adventurers are the same too, even if the guild manages them, it still depends on them the same way... Without adventurers there is no guild... One annoying person killed, one young girl r.a.p.ed, if it's for a high ranked adventurer they won't mind looking the other way...]

Yuka [...]

...Was I too forcefull? She looks surprised by the sudden change in the flow of the conversation... The mass of magic power outside is getting impatient from the moment I said "girl r.a.p.ed"... I get it, that was too much, I'm sorry...

Yuka [...I know... It is dangerous, but I can't just play along and patiently wait for something to happen... I don't want to just wait to be saved and not be able to save anyone...]

'Not again' she said in an almost imposible to perceive voice before pausing for a moment.

Yuka [The knights say they are our allies, but that is only while we are safe, when we lost one of our companions, they didn't even tried to hide that they didn't care if he is still alive or if he died... If not for him, many of us would have died in the labyrinth, that includes me, even so, nobody saved him... No matter what, I can't trust them, that's why I had to be sure they would not interfere, I had to make sure we were in a place they could not find us, so I did it myself... Even if I'm the one saying it, I'm sure I'm attractive enough to make seven out of ten people follow me if I hit on them, even if their intentions are doubious... I just had to make sure to get as much as I can out of it...]

It was like a mask just fell and now her real face was exposed to me. I almost didn't even had to ask, by herself she told me just how special her situation was. even when she tried to say what she needed to say as carefully as she could, now she is making clear how much of an abnormal existence she was in this world...

Yuuki [(more like, from the start she said too many things she was better off hiding...)]

And that "seven out of ten"... If it was me, I would give you a 7.5 at least... Maybe an 8...

Yuki [(I guess she is not too experienced when it comes to negotiations... neither am I though...)]

After finishing her talk she looks at me as if to hear my answer to her words...

Yuuki [I see... well I guess it's true most guys would just follow a girl because she is pretty...

In my case though, I wouldn't mind if the one asking for help was a cute girl like you, or someone like your friend outside...]

Yuka [-!!]

??? [-?!]

As I talk with a calm expresion and a clear voice, Sonobe-san's face distorts to surprise when she hear my words, and the mass of magic power outside does the same.

Yuuki [Actually the dor is open, wouldn't it be better to just have a chat the three of us?]

I said with a cheerful smile and a kind voice, Sonobe-san looks at me for a moment and after as long sigh-

Yuka [It's okay Atsushi-kun, you can come in]

The dor opens and Tamai Atsushi enters the room with an uncomfortable expression.

Yuuki [(So it was him...)]

Atsushi [...Since when?]

Yuuki [Since you exploded in magic power in the middle of the city full of people with almost no magic power in their bodies... you are really bad at hiding...]

'Chi-' he turns away his face in frustration.

Yuka [...]

Sonobe-san is just waiting for how will I react and is not saying a thing...

Yuuki [Now that we can see each other properly to the eyes-]

Yuka [...]

Atsushi [...]

They look more tense than I expected... to do something you are not used to and to fail from the start... That's the face I would make too... to make it worst, I guess for the people in this world, this would count as an ambush, with an excuse like "You tried to kill me!" this could become a fight... They probably think I may do that too... but, well-

Yuuki [I guess we need another cup...]

The room becomes sillent with my words, Sonobe-san looks relieved and Atsushi-kun lose the tension on his shoulders.

Yuuki [So it was "as much as I can tell you about this world" right? I hope you have the rest of the day free, this will be a long chat.]

The tea party for three people (and a spirit) in my room officially begins...

#####

'The three main races are at war'

'The war betwen Humans and demons is because they believe in a diferent God'

'They don't need to fight each other but don't want to let the other exist'

'The war betwen humans and beastmen is mainly a one sided hunting from the side of humans'

'Even if in their own way they think they are superior to humans, the beastmen themselves don't really go out of their way to attack human countries, though always ready to use their full force to repel those that invade their territory, the ones that actively attack humans are the minority'

'The humans hunt beastmen because they are too "usefull" in too many ways, from physical lavor to s.e.x.u.a.l relief, so they do it because they want to, not because they need to... As far as to say that is almost common sence that beastmen in human territory are slaves...'

'The war betwen demons and beastmen is because beastmen are low an dirty creatures and should not be alowed to exist'

'Just like with humans, but in this case is the demons, and now they just plain dont like beastmen so they attack them... More than for a deep reason or it having a meaning, it's just their common sence'

Betwen other things, I told them all I knew about this worlds situation... Of course, I kept quiet about my memories and the future that I remember... They may think I'm crazy or something if I told them... their reaction was-

Atsushi [What a shitty fantasy world...]

Yuka [Like this, aren't the beastmen the ones the need heroes right now?...]

Atsushi [Saying "the demons are evil" and all that crap with a serious face, even when the humans are wonderfull villains themselves]

Yuka [Summoning us just to make it easier for them... Did Nagumo-kun really had to die for something like this?]

Atsushi [...Even Shimizu is missing without a trace right now...]

Yuuki [Well... Certainly the beastmen are the victims, but it's not like the humans are totally evil to say... The demons too, are just acting how they were taught... They weren't born evil, and not every human and demon is totally evil either]

Atsushi [...It's hard to just nod to that, seeing how they are acting...]

Yuuki [the beastmen themselves aren't perfect... If they had the chance to be the ones on top, they would... After all many beastmen, specially carnivores, are territorial, dominant and would love to prove that they are stronger than others...]

Yuka ["At the end they are just people" I guess that's what you want to say...]

Atsushi [Is that what you normally call people?]

Yuka [Even our world is the same, right? "I'm better so I should have more" "I worked harder so I should have more" "I need more so I should have more" "I want more so I should have more"... You don't need to say something big like the "world", our own classrom is enough to prove the point...]

Atsushi [...Even so, saying it's the same...]

Yuka [Well, I guess you can mark them as "Hiyama-type" "Kouki-type"... And... Maybe "Nomura-type"... Actually, "Sakagami-type" works in Nomura's place too...]

Yuuki [Your friends?]

Yuka [Not exactly friends... You can call them our comrades, exept for Hiyama... They are still in Heiligh Kingdom clearing the labyrinth]

Atsushi [Hiyama is a bitch, Kouki is an ally of justice, and Nomura is... normal?... Sakagami is normal in his own way too...]

Yuka [...Pretty much that...]

Yuuki [...Then let me ask you... If you had to beat the crap out of one of them, who would you choose?]

Yuka [?... Why ask so sud-?]

Atsushi [-Hiyama]

Yuka [W- Atsushi-kun?!]

Atsushi [What?]

Yuuki [-If you had to kill one of them who would you choose?]

Yuka [...]

Atsushi [...]

Both became quiet to my question.

Yuuki [This world is like this, someday you will meet someone you will need to kill, looking at you, even if it's someone like that Hiyama-kun you mentioned, I know it will be hard... And some day, you will meet someone you will need to kill, and it will be a human like kouki-kun, a demon like Nomura-kun or a beastmen like Sakagami-kun]

They just listened, waiting for me to keep talking after I made a pause.

...

Yuuki [...You were sheltered by Heiligh Kingdom, right? That's probably the luckiest you could be in your situation]

Yuka [Is that so?]

Yuuki [The King is a relatively good ruler... more or less... and they have Knight commander Meld Loggins with them...]

Atsushi [? Do you know Meld-san?]

Yuuki [He is well known, he is one of the strongest humans in the world after all]

Atsushi [Wow, as expected of Meld-san...]

Yuka [..."One of the strongest"... Then, what's the difference comparing him with you?]

Yuuki [T-that's something really mean to ask a random adventurer...]

Yuka [S-sorry, I somehow became interested.]

Yuuki [Well... It's not like I have something to hide so, here, see for yourself...]

I take out my status plate and gave it to her, you can make it hide your skills so only the stats are shown.

Yuka [Is it really fine to just-... Wait-...eh?...]

Her face became confusion and wonder after seeing my status plate.

Yuka [Atsushi-kun, what was the higest Meld-san said we can rise our levels?]

Atsushi [It was hundred, why?]

'Here' said Sonobe-san as she pass the status plate to him.

Yuuki

Lv:84

Class:None

Age:10

STR:262

VIT:435

DEF:89

AGI:178

MGA:262

MGD:346

Atsushi [Very hight level-]

Yuuki [I did my best]

Yuka [No class-]

Yuuki [Most people don't have one]

Atsushi [The stats are... somewhat low...]

Yuuki [That's how it is without a class]

Yuka [...Ten years old?...]

Yuuki [Please don't ask about that one, the receptionist in the guild said it may be broken, but it was expensive so I didn't replaced it...]

Now I have the money but it fells lonely to change it after so long...

Yuuki [To answer your first question, even if my level is higher than Knight commander's, my stats are arround two to three times lower. If he reach my level it will be my total loss...]

Atsushi [I... Can see that happening... Sorry]

Yuka [Somehow, I fell sorry for even asking]

Yuuki [It's not really your fault. "Effort" is going to lose against "Effort and talent", that's just how it is...]

Yuka [Then, compered with us-]

Yuuki [-Please don't...]

Me? Against a mass of talent like you all-

Atsushi [-I guess he would be trashed just with the two of us... even with around a fourth of his level]

*Stab*

My heart hurts...

Yuka [...]

Atsushi [...]

Yuuki [...]

Yuka&Atsushi [Sorry...]

Yuuki [Don't apologize!!!]

#####

Atsushi [? It became dark already...]

Yuka [We better go back]

Yuuki [Was it all right to spend the whole day without showing your faces?]

Yuka [We asked our friends to make an excuse for us... We didn't want to worry Ai-chan-sensei more than she already is...]

Yuuki [Was it enough with just that?]

Atsushi [We took more time that planned but, the worst that can happen is those guys giving a weird exuse to cover us...]

I wonder how weird can a "weird exuse" be.

Yuuki [...Sonobe-san, Atsushi-kun...]

Atsushi [?]

Yuka [What is it?]

Yuuki ["A group of Heroes travel through human cities blessing them with prosperity"

Is one of many gossips you can hear from people here and there arround the continent]

Yuka [...We are not really being discreet so it can't be helped]

Yuuki [Soon those gossips can find their way to someone dangerous...]

Atsushi [...]

Yuuki [I'm... not telling you to go arround murdering people, just to be carefull...]

Yuka [...I... Will protect Ai-chan... I don't want someone to be hurt while I just see and can't do nothing... Even if I have to fight a monster or a person... I won't let this life that was saved be for nothing]

Atsushi [You are not the only one you know, we are the "Ai-chan's bodyguards" after all...]

Yuka [...Thank you Atsushi-kun...]

Yuuki [And, it may not change much but, I'll help to look for your friend missing]

Yuka [That... Would be a great help but... Is it okay to ask you?]

Atsushi [You came to play around didn't you?]

Yuuki [The Northern mountains are one of the places I came to "play around" in, you haven't gone there, right? He may just happen to be there...]

Yuka [I-is that so?...]

Yuuki [To have the Heroes owe me something is enough to give it my all. If I find him, I'll make sure to bring him safe and sound to your small and cute Ai-chan...]

Yuka [...I see... then I'll leave it to you]

With that, both the day and our tea party end without incidents...