Chapter 14: Meeting Once Again

Translator: Haruchin  Editor: Marky

Snow finally fell in the Magical Woods while I was preoccupied with the renovation of the house. It was not enough to pile up, though. The medicinal plants were evergreen just like normal grass, so it was easier to spot them since autumn started because there was less greenery.

It was also the season when carnivorous beast monsters ventured out of the deep woods.

Well, I’m still going.

「 Excuse me! 」

It’s easier to go to the forest through the side gate rather than the main gate. Pink head called out and stopped me.

「 Yes? 」

「 It’s getting colder, so it’s dangerous to go to the woods! 」

She looked at me with puppy eyes.

「 Thanks, already aware of it. 」

「 Please, you don’t have to push yourself! Life is more important than money! 」

I avoided her hand as she tried to grab my robe, then shot an icy glare at her, before speaking with all the coldness I could muster.

「 I’m not pushing myself, no need to fuss. 」

「 But…」

Why won’t she give up?

Well, no choice but to thoroughly ignore her, then. I passed her by and made my way through the gates. They required more permits, but this path’s more convenient than going through the main gate to get to the woods. The gate closest to the forest was usually closed. They were only opened in case of emergencies to let the organized troops out. Ah, but if you’re Gold-ranked in your guild, they would open it for you even if you’re alone. There’s two more gates aside from the main road, so there’s nothing to worry about even if the gatekeeper remembered my face. Actually, I could also teleport there directly, but let’s just walk for now. Maybe Pink Head would be tired by then.

I had been walking for a few minutes already ー oh, there’s a familiar guy over there. Hoh, so her brother came out just in time to see Pink Head go to work. So, she didn’t ambush me today, apparently ー but that’s only applicable for this instance. They’re chummy siblings, huh. I planned to go under the shade of a tree and【 Teleport 】to the spring after I entered the forest, but I’ll just walk quietly for now.

「 Excuse me. 」

I was walking faster than him, so I threw a polite phrase while overtaking.

「 Ah, you’re that guy!」

Pink’s Brother noticed me. Well, this couldn’t be helped since my face was easily recognizable. Besides, I also remembered him as Pink’s Brother even though we only met once, probably because of his huge face.

「 Sorry! It’s kinda embarrassing to ask this, but can you show up at the Adventurer’s Guild? Kaina’s blamed by the higher ups. 」

「 Why would Kaina-san have to go through that? 」

He had energetically bowed his head, but there’s only one thing I wanted to ask.

「 An excellent adventurer had been taken by the Commerce Guild, they said. 」

「 It’s you and your lil sis’ fault, though. 」

「 I know, my bad. 」

Well, it’s the elder brother’s fault for trying to take my request without settling it first with the guild, but Pink Head was definitely worse for her creepy behavior and that way of letting everything you say fly over her head. Ugh.

「 Got some conditions. 」

「 What is it? 」

Bro’s looking at me nervously ー Dean, was it.

「 Don’t let your sister come within a mile of me. Let me make this clear ー following me around the city, anticipating my arrival then sticking within my peripherals, calling out to me ー make her stop doing all this nonsense, you hear me. 」

I was wrong for suspecting her of ambushing me today, but that was entirely her fault since it was her daily habit. It’s the first time she called out to me, but she had been cutting my path and purposely throwing her hanky, pretending to trip, or making a ruckus at street stalls, noisily saying that she didn’t have enough change. It was obvious that she’s observing me while doing her little drama antics, so I completely ignored all that. She paid normally afterward when I actually passed her by.

「 Got it. Are you sure? My lil sis’s cute, though? 」

He seemed totally surprised, but what he said was also out of the blue. What an amazing sister filter.

「 If you ask me, she’s creepy and her face isn’t my type. 」

「 …. 」

That shut him up.

「 If Amille isn’t your type, then what kind of girl is…. 」

Someone opposite of Sis would be great. Sis was a make-up goblinー she could transform from a flashy beauty to an adorable girl, you know. Hmm, then someone who’s not into cosmetics, and not too aggressive about being a female ー be it a woman or a girl ー huh. Leon suddenly crossed my mind……………………….uh, too little feminine vibes. She’s practically a guy for me. I take it back, a little girlishness is okay.

「 As an apology, I could take you to a place that grows rare plants, if you’re fine with that. Do you have any plans in the forest? 」

Dean was still making a ‘You’re unbelievable’ kind of face while asking me.

「 No, I just thought it’d be good if I gathered some medicinal herbs before the snow piles up. 」

Would those rare plants be herbs, or food?

「 Ohh, so let’s go now? 」

Dean amicably smiled.

「 Yeah, please. 」

So he’s normal when he’s not doting on his sis, huh.

It’s decided then. We entered the forest, and a Horned Rabbit appeared midway but Dean slayed it in no time, while I observed his fighting style.

Step in, slash, pull out. Keen eyes, strong gait. His maneuvers were heroic without a trace of carelessness. He anticipated the rabbit’s every move. Maybe it’s based on the knowledge he had from experience, but he did not have a single wasted movement.

「 Hey, don’t stare at me too much. It’s embarrassing. 」

Dean told me as he hunted for rabbits.

「 Don’t mind me. 」

「 It feels like I’m being ogled at! 」

He crushed the head of a rabbit while saying that.

「 I’m just observing how you fight. 」

「 And that’s embarrassing, I said! Aren’t you the strong one, hunting bears continuously like they’re nothing? 」

「 I’m just relying on brute strength. 」

「 BRUTE strength? 」

Dean put away his sword as he stared at me from head to toe and back again, his eyes full of doubts.

「 …… 」

Yeah right, I don’t have that muscular chest of yours, Dean! Yeah, yeah, yeah!! I’m just a midget, A MIDGET, huh!!!! ARRGHH!!! Just YOU watch! Ugh, I’M definitely gonna get bigger, mark my words! Milk! SOMEBODY GET ME MILK!!!

Dean’s JUST humongously brawny because he’s a person that’s part of this FANTASY world!!!!!!