「Woah～ so many!」Eliza
Before us were a multitude of quests, all arranged in their respective difficulty, from Apprentice-rank up until S-rank, with each quest varying from each other in instructions, conditions, and rewards.
After my talk with Yuna yesterday at the balcony, I wasn't able to get much rest. I became very conscious of what I did with her in the past. I was super embarrassed, especially when I remembered the picnic.
Some time in the future, I would learn that I wasn't the one restless from that, Yuna also was but that's a story for another time.
Today, Liz asked us to take her on a quest, and because we weren't able to resist Liz's pleads. Even though I was tired, I ended up agreeing to her request. Yuna was also the same.
But as we were choosing a quest...
「Hey, isn't that the Grim Reaper and his partner?」
「I heard that they were able to exterminate an orc horde in just a few hours」
「If you don't want to end up like Boros, don't cross them.」
「They say if you look at them in the eye, you will have nightmare for days.」
... rumors about me and Yuna were circulating inside the guild. Some of them were even exaggerated.
「Grey-oniisama, what is a Grim Reaper?」Eliza
Liz asked with an innocent face.
It would be bad if Liz learns about that shameful nickname of mine. Looks like I need to use "that" again. I hope it works...
In order to save myself from humiliation, I sharpened my thoughts and heightened my senses to the maximum, collecting and analyzing all the information available and formulating the best possible course of action, all within a matter of milliseconds.
Haah... Here goes! Secret Technique #1: Topic Change!
「Oh, how about this one.」Grey
As I pointed upon a quest with a just at the corner of my eye, Liz's attention was shifted from me to the quest board. She didn't even notice that I was avoiding her question.
「The monsters are just slimes so it would be easy even for Liz, and the location is also just at a nearby woods. On top of those, the reward is pretty generous, considering that it's an H-rank quest.」Grey
When Liz's attention was shifted to the quest, I then added more information to ensure that Liz's mind was busy processing all the information I gave her.
Now, for the final push.
「Are you fine with this Liz?」Grey
「Un, let's take it.」Eliza
And Just like that, Liz had completely forgotten all about her question. On top of that, we also managed to select a quest.
As expected, my secret techniques are flawless.
After selecting a quest, the three of us headed to the reception counters and officially took it. And just like I expected, the receptionist was really nervous when she was processing our quest.
Haha... Looks like I've become a real symbol of terror... Great...
With the processing of the quest done, we were about to head to the woods, when suddenly, I remembered something important... Liz doesn't have a weapon!
Since I originally thought of picking a collection quest, I didn't ask Liz to bring a weapon with her. If we just head there right now, Liz wouldn't be able to participate and this quest would be meaningless!
With such a thought in mind, three of us headed to a weapons shop. And since it was something that many adventurers tend to visit, it wasn't far off from the guild.
「「Woah～」」Yuna and Liz
Upon entering the shop, we were greeted by an array of weapons, tools, and armors. There were ones made in iron, some with steel, and others made with different kinds of metals. It was a paradise for adventurers.
And since this was also our first time entering a shop like this, it can't be helped that Yuna's reaction was the same with Liz's.
Well, I'm also amazed by it, after all, medieval weapons and equipments are a man's romance. At least for me that is.
「Good morning, customers, how may I help you?」Employee
Seeing us enter the shop, an employee immediately greeted us with a friendly smile. And just from that smile of his, it was easy to tell he was experienced in dealing with customers.
「Umm... Can we take a look at your swords?」Grey
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「Of course.」Employee
When he heard what we were looking for, the employee didn't waste any more time and guided us towards the swords section of the shop.
「Grey, why swords?」Yuna
「Well, Sebastian-san is a swordsman, so I thought it would be more convenient for Liz to learn it, rather than other classes.」Grey
「I see... That does make sense.」Yuna
「Ahem. Here we are.」Employee
In order to garner our attention, the employee faked a cough, and then showed us the collection of swords they have in store.
Needless to say, their collection of swords was huge. From longswords, to rapiers, to broadswords, they had everything. Though, I don't think any of them are suitable to become Liz's weapon.
Well, I won't be able to tell which one suits Liz the best if I just looked around. Let's start appraising!
As quickly as I could, I appraised each sword that my eyes met. Thankfully, I can appraise anything instantly, making my job easier.
Hmm... Not this... Not this either... Nope... Too heavy... Couldn't be this one... Ah!
After appraising about fifty swords or so, a sword finally fit the bill.
-----------------------------------
【〔Equipment〕】
【Name】Noirite Longsword
【Type】Weapon 【Category】Sword
【Power Value】600 【Grade】High
【Ability】...
-----------------------------------
It was a beautiful black sword resembling a claymore, with both edges sharpened masterfully. Other than it's sharpness, it's aesthetics were also commendable, from the tip until the pommel. And because it was made of Noirite, it's weight should be something Liz can handle.
If I'd say, it was something straight out of an anime. Well, we are in a fantasy world after all.
「How about that one.」Grey
I pointed at the sword I had been eyeing, and seeing an opportunity to earn a large sum of money, the employee then started giving appealing details about the sword with a broad smile on his face.
「... and this costs 1,200,000 kiels.」Employee
1,200,000 keils......
As expected of a High-grade weapon, it really is costly. It would easily cost 60 million yen back on Earth. Well, it's something that can easily tear down buildings with the right user, after all.
「So expensive...」Eliza
「Alright, we'll take it.」Grey
「But Grey-oniisama you don't have tー」Eliza
「Just consider it as a gift from us, okay?」Grey
「But...」Eliza
「Don't worry, Liz-chan. It would only take us less than 2 weeks to earn it back.」Yuna
「Really...?」Eliza
「Yep!」Yuna
Although Yuna's words are true, I don't know if I should praise her for being able to convince Liz. I feel like I should probably clarify things with Liz before her sense of value becomes twisted.
Yeah, I probably should...
After buying the sword, we then headed to the nearby woods in order to finish our quest. And just like the quest described it, Yuna detected a large number of slimes in the vicinity.
Bouncing ever so slowly, a slime approached us in order to attack, but with it's speed, it would take hours before it could do so.
「A slime!」Eliza
Liz screamed in ecstasy as she noticed the pathetic creature trying to approach us with all its might.
「Be careful Liz-chan, it can still hurt you.」Yuna
「Ah, yes!」Eliza
Heeding Yuna's warning, Liz stayed at a safe distance while excitedly scrutinizing the squishy creature before her.
「Is this your first time seeing one, Liz?」Grey
「No. But I haven't seen one this close, so I'm really excited!」Eliza
「Alright, but stay close to your Yuna- oneesama all the time, okay?」Grey
「You're going somewhere Grey-oniisama?」Eliza
「Yeah, I'll just make sure that there are no other monsters around.」Grey
While we were heading here, Yuna whispered to me that we were being followed by 6 E-rankers. And with their suspicious mactions, I doubt that they're following us without any ill intentions.
Well, they came all this way to follow us, I should at least have a "friendly chat" with them. It's common courtesy after all.
「Hey, you can come out now.」Grey
「Tsk. We've been found out! Attack him!」
Without any plans, the six of them jumped at me at the same time with the intent of silencing me, but...
「Seriously, is that he best you guys can do?」Grey
... all it took was a single attack to knock them all out unconscious.
Hmm... It would be bad if they escaped when they woke up... I wonder if this will do.
Not intending to let the six of them escape the place, I casted the curse magic 《Sleep》and 《Silence》, and the illusion magic 《Nightmare: Maze》on all of them.
With that, even if by some chance they wake up, they still shouldn't be able to move away from this place, and even if they scream for help, no one will hear them.
Although those spells are cruel, it serves them right for trying to hurt Liz.
Anyway, I should probably get back to them now. I wouldn't want Liz to become suspicious after all. As much as possible, I want her to enjoy this day without any worries.
「I'm back, did I miss something?」Grey
「Look! Look! Grey-oniisama, I got a mana crystal!」Eliza
Liz came up to me excitedly, with a slime's mana crystal in her hands.
「It's amazing, isn't it?!」Eliza
「Did you defeat it yourself?」Grey
「Un!」Eliza
Liz proclaimed boldly, with a proud face.
「Good job, Liz. Now, why don't we finish the quest.」Grey
For a good amount of time, the three of us hunted down the slimes in order to fulfill the required amount to finish the quest. And although Liz was the weakest amongst us, she was still able to take down 8 slimes or so.
「And that would be the 200th.」Yuna
「With that our quest is completed.」Grey
「Eh?」Eliza
「Something wrong, Liz-chan?」Yuna
「Are we going back already?」Eliza
Liz asked with a downcast voice.
Looks like she's enjoying herself. Well, it's still noon anyways, it wouldn't hurt if we stay here for a couple more hours.
「Then how about we continue after having lunch?」Grey
「Yay!!」Eliza
In order for us to have lunch, I laid down a picnic blanket on the floor. After that, I then placed down the dishes I prepared beforehand.
「Woah～ there's so many food...」Eliza
「Well then what are you waiting for, dig in.」Grey
「「「Itadakimasu!」」」
Without waiting any further, Liz took a bite of the tonkatsu, and her reaction was just like yesterday's.
「Delicious! Grey-oniisama did you cook all these?」Eliza
「Yeah, why?」Grey
「Grey-oniisama is amazing! You could become a first-rate chef!」Eliza
「Thanks, but I'm good as an adventurer.」Grey
「Muu... I also helped out, you know?」Yuna
「Ah! Yuna-oneesama is amazing as well!」Eliza
Hearing Yuna's words, Liz praised her as well, and they laughed together after that.
Seeing them act like that, if not for their races and hair color distinguishing them, one could easily mistake them for real siblings.
And seeing that side of Yuna, my heart raced like there was no tomorrow, just like it did yesterday.
I wonder, how does Yuna feel about me...
「Grey, something wrong?」Yuna
「Ah! Nothing!」Grey
Haah... I shouldn't be thinking about these things when I don't even have the courage to confess. Well... someday, I will confess to her... probably.
Anyway, I should focus on eating for now. The food is already getting cold.
Having finished our hearty lunch, the three of us resumed on our slime hunt, but this time around, we were teaching Liz how to use spells. It's also worth noting that Liz is of water attribute.
「Now, Liz, give me your hands.」Grey
「Un.」Eliza
In order for one to cast spells, one should understand the flow of mana, but for one who hasn't felt it yet, it would be hard to do so. That's why in order for Liz to feel it, I let my mana flow inside her by linking our hands.
「Waah～ it's warm...」Eliza
「Now try to imagine that mana flowing out of your body and concentrate it on the top of your palm.」Grey
Liz then closed her eyes and a few seconds later, mana flowed out of Liz's palm and concentrated into a spherical mass.
「Now, imagine firing off that mana.」Grey
「Ah!」Liz
Because she was distracted by what I said, the sphere of mana fired itself towards a tree. Thankfully, her combat power was still low and no one was hurt.
After that, Liz tried another attempt and succeeded. We then exterminated a couple hundred more slimes after that, with Liz switching to sword and spells every so often.
And while hunting slimes, it reminded me of my first day in Merusia, where I massacred countless slimes in the special dungeon.
It was about four in the afternoon, when our hunt concluded. After we left the forest, we then processed the quest's completion in the guild.
Along with the money we earned from the slimes' mana crystals, we earned a total of 683 kiels. Almost the same amount as an average person's weekly earnings.
「Liz, here, keep the money.」Grey
「Eh!? But I wasn't that much of a help. And you even gifted me this expensive sword. I really can't accept any more.」Eliza
What a good girl, she won't just accept it if she doesn't earn it. But not giving her anything even though she worked so hard just doesn't sit right with me.
Hmm... What should I doー
「Okay, then you can have this.」Yuna
「Huh?」Eliza
Before I could think of something, Yuna already grabbed a bronze coin from the money we earned today and gave it to Liz.
「That should be equal to the amount of work you did today. And I don't want to hear any buts. That's something you earned with your hard work.」Yuna
After Yuna handed it over to her, Liz looked at the coin with her eyes sparkling in amazement. It must have been the first time she got money for something she worked hard for.
That was a smart move from Yuna, with how she phrased it, there was no way Liz could refuse.
「Thank you, Grey-oniisama, Yuna-oneesama. I'll definitely treasure it!」Eliza
She doesn't really have to, but in spite of that, I was really happy after hearing her words.
Hmm... Now that I think about it, aren't I forgetting something important?
CHAPTER 32 END