SWNOVELXO Volume 1 Chapter 26 - Enchanting Magic
I passed through the gate and arrived at the Kūnā ruins, completely surprised.
In front of the gate to the Kūnā ruins, many adventurers were gathered, and when I emerged, all eyes were on me.
But it seems that I was not the one they were looking for, so everyone quickly lost interest and began chatting with those who appeared to be their comrades.
They must have been looking for Elenora Ocean, without a doubt.
But what do they want?
Perhaps they want an autograph?
I quickly left the gathering of adventurers and began my exploration.
I started exploring and hunting skeletons.
While fighting the skeletons, I noticed that my movements were far better compared to when I was with Elenora.
Is it the difference between men and women’s bodies?
I’m wearing a comfortable jersey, but Elenora wears a robe, after all.
As I swung my sword and shattered a skeleton, I thought that this was better for an adventurer like me.
“Excuse me for a moment?”
As I bent over to pick up the dropped skeleton sword, I was surprised by a voice from behind.
I slowly turned around, spreading my right hand slightly.
And there stood a long-haired, black-haired woman, raising both hands and smiling wryly, five meters behind me.
Who’s that?
And there was no sign of her presence.
Even though I’m a bit special and can feel some presence…
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
The woman apologized, hands still raised.
But I can’t let my guard down.
She notices that I’m in a combat stance.
That’s why she’s raising both hands, showing she means no harm.
Her way of hiding her presence, this insight, she’s no ordinary person!
Who is she…?
Trying to look cool inside, I realized I knew who she was.
“Could you be A-Rank adventurer Yoshino Saegusa?”
“Oh! You know me. Yes, yes, that’s me. So don’t attack.”
A-Rank adventurer Yoshino Saegusa is a celebrity.
Even I, who am not very familiar with adventurers, know her.
Because she’s a famously beautiful adventurer.
And besides…
I glanced at Yoshino’s ample chest.
Yes! It’s the real thing!
The real Yoshino Saegusa!
All men know her.
I relaxed my body and let down my guard.
“Sorry about that. It was wrong of me to carelessly approach an adventurer after battle.”
Yoshino apologized.
It’s written in the beginner’s guide I often read that you shouldn’t carelessly approach adventurers.
But it doesn’t say anything about after a battle.
This is the theory of a fighter.
People are most vulnerable after victory.
So she must be someone who has practiced some form of martial arts.
“No, I’m sorry too.”
“No, no, men and women alike, they all look, so it’s okay.”
That’s not what I’m apologizing for!
I’m sorry for going into combat mode!
“No, really, don’t worry about it. I’m used to it.”
“I see…………”
I’d heard rumors online about F or G, but…
“No, but don’t stare too much.”
Yoshino looked at me with troubled eyes.
Oh, I’m caught.
Kaede will dump me.
“What can I do for you?”
Let’s divert the conversation.
“Eh? Oh, yes. Well, I was just interested in your impressive swordplay.”
I’m glad I learned swordsmanship!
Thanks, Dad.
Oops… Yoshino is the one who spoke to me!
“Thank you. I’ve been practicing since I was a kid.”
“Kendo?”
“No, I learned from my father. But in high school, I joined the kendo club.”
By the way, I joined just to boost my academic profile.
Thanks to that, I was able to get into college.
I mean, I’m not good at studying at all.
“I see. Are you a rookie? I don’t know you, even though you have such skill and I’ve been doing this for a long time.”
“Ah, yes. I was a salaryman, but I quit and became an adventurer.”
I won’t say I was fired.
I don’t want to be seen as incompetent.
“I see, I see. A career changer.”
I don’t like that label, but well, it’s accurate.
“What are you doing here, Yoshino?”
Kūnā ruins are popular, but it’s not a place where an A-Rank would come.
“No, you see, I came here because of that witch.”
Elenora Ocean, right.
I see.
“I see. Are the people gathered in front of the gate here for that too?”
“I guess so. They want to recruit.”
Scouting, huh?
I’m solo, so I’ll decline everything.
“Are you too, Yoshino?”
Wasn’t she solo too?
“I have something different, but I wanted to talk to her. And I wanted to ask for a favor.”
“A favor?”
“You know, you put up an item bag for auction? I wanted you to sell me an item bag personally.”
I’ve heard that high-rankers need item bags.
I’ll sell her one next time I meet her as Elenora Ocean!
“Is that so? Why not just wait at the gate?”
“At first, I was waiting there, but adventurers kept coming up to talk to me, so I ran away.”
Ah, I understand.
If I were to team up, I’d want to team up with this person.
I want to pick her up and go for tea.
“I see…”
“Aren’t you interested in that witch?”
Eleanora is now completely treated as a witch.
“I’m a rookie, and there’s the age thing, too. I don’t have much room for that.”
“Age? How old are you?”
“I’m 26.”
“The same age as me!”
Really?
What a coincidence!
“So, the time I can be on the front line is limited. I have a gap in my swordsmanship and want to level up and make money as soon as possible, so I’m not interested in Eleanora Ocean.”
This is true.
It will get physically tough once you’re over 30.
You might still manage at 30, but when your life is on the line, one slip-up could be fatal.
It’s best to make money early and drop out.
“Oh… Adults are different, even if they’re rookies. Most of the high school kids are reckless.”
Like those guys from before.
“I was like that when I was in high school, too.”
“Me too.”
What another coincidence!
Well, most people are like that, I guess.
“Uh, when will this fuss be over?”
“I don’t know? The adventurers are gathering here because they heard Eleanora Ocean was sighted here.”
Last time, I passed quite a few other adventurers.
Maybe I should intentionally go to a different place and gather adventurers there?
Then, it’ll be peaceful here.
“I see… When there are many people, I tend to get concerned.”
“I understand. Enemies are not just monsters but people too. You hardly do anything about it, but having that feeling is important.”
A constant battlefield, huh?
This person definitely practices martial arts.
Probably, has the same vibe as me… but bigger.
F or G… amazing.
“―Takun, Okita-kun.”
“Eh? Oh, sorry, what is it?”
I looked up, hearing my name, and stopped thinking.
“No big deal, but could you tell me if you see Eleanora Ocean?”
“Me?”
“You’re active here, right? I can’t stay here forever, but let me know if you see her.”
Hmm…
“Understood.”
“You have a cell phone? Shall we exchange contacts?”
She’s hitting on me, she’s hitting on me!
A busty woman is hitting on me!
“Yes, yes!”
I took out my smartphone from my bag, and Ms. Saegusa also took out her phone.
We exchanged contacts.
“Okay, I’m counting on you. Ah, don’t leak this information, okay?”
“I won’t.”
“Thanks. Well, hope to see you around.”
Ms. Saegusa said and left somewhere.
Hmm… Okita-kun, huh…
She’s beautiful and busty, but Kaede-chan is more honest and cute.
◆◇◆
“How was it?”
When I left Okita-kun and came behind the building, my waiting subordinate asked.
“He’s quite a swordsman. There’s potential.”
“He’s a man, you know?”
“He might be in drag.”
Well, I wouldn’t like that either.
“It’s one possibility. But he’s undoubtedly the best swordsman among the recent rookies.”
Eleanora Ocean uses swordsmanship.
So, I was looking for a rookie swordsman and came across him.
“Is he strong?”
“He’s strong. Very strong.”
Honestly, it was a little scary.
“Well, there might be a connection.”
“The possibility is high. They’re from the same Ikebukuro branch, and besides…”
I hesitated.
“Besides?”
“He wasn’t carrying a skeleton’s sword.”
He only had a katana and a bag.
“That is…”
“He might have an item bag. Well, there’s a chance he just came here to level up.”
Skeletons are moderately weak and popular, but the disadvantage is that their dropped items are bulky.
So some adventurers don’t bother picking up the loot on purpose.
He might be one of them…
No, when I approached him, he was about to pick up a skeleton’s sword.
“What shall we do?”
“Don’t report this to the headquarters yet. Let’s look a little more.”
“Understood.”
Well, time to go home…
But, I want to give Okita-kun one piece of advice.
His alertness and attentiveness were superb.
He’s probably an incredible swordsman.
He rarely lets his guard down, and he doesn’t show much vulnerability.
But he needs to do something about being completely off guard when he looks at someone’s chest.
And stop looking so much.
Normally, people don’t like that.