The next urban encounter happens, as we're walking through the streets around the marketplace to hit up some more stores, this time it's because I see a bunch of suspicious looking fellows.

...who are these guys? Ah, that symbol. Three men and a woman are standing in the crowd, armed and armored, with the symbol of the claw clenching a sword on their tabards.

Crusaders. The assholes who bought up all the mounts.

“Excuse me.” One of the men walks straight to us. “Are you willing to answer some questions?” He's in his twenties, I guess. Maybe even his thirties, I still suck at guessing the ages of the people in this world.

“What!?”

“Erm...” Unsure how to respond to me, he breathes in deeply and continues: “You're mercenaries, right?”

Ah, my armor and Rine's sword gave us away. “Right.”

“Would you consider joining us in our quest to defend Feuerberg? We, the Crusaders, are looking for recruits, the pay is good, the battles are just, and the recognition is beyond anything you can dream of.”

...seriously? Since when does any military recruit their people from the streets? “No.”

Rine chimes in. “We're going in the opposite direction.”

“I see... but you're coming from Feuerberg, Miss?”

“Yes, we are.” I have to keep Rine from giving any more information here. Most likely she'll slip up at some point.

“Any insight on the situation there?”

“Phew... lots going on, but I would say stable overall.”

“I see. Why aren't you fighting in the war? Aren't you mercenaries?”

“Bad experiences with demons.”

Oh, how that guy looks at me! Like I'm a scaredy-cat! Did you ever fight an oni, Crusader-san!? The thought of having an army of them is scary! Brute strength and regenerative abilities that must be pure terror on the battlefield!

He disregards my last words. “Any more information you can provide us with about Feuerberg and the war there?”

“You know about the princess?”

“Only rumors.”

“Most likely true.”

“Was there really a hero summoning?”

“Yes.”

“I see. Anything else?”

“Nope. What about the west?”

“Which way are you heading?”

“Still deciding. Maybe Zethtrin.”

“Ah, the games, right?”

“...yes.” I don't have the slight idea what 'the games' are, but this seems like a good excuse. I have to ask Rine or Ara-san later.

“Well, the west should be somewhat safe for a while, the other Crusaders are all coming to Feuerberg as well. As long as you're not a demon collaborator, there is no need to fear.”

“I see.” This could be good news.

“Ah, but around here might be a danger. Some demonic rodent is on the loose. We're currently looking for it, but it's evasive so avoid any red rodents for a while.”

I have a bad feeling. “Red rodents... what next, squirrels?”

“Surprisingly many. The spotted variant.”

...Some people love it when they're right. I don't.

As I'm about to muster a response, my sharp ears pick something up, two of the Crusaders mumbling: “What's with his face? Was he dropped as a child?”

“Maybe he just looks somewhat human and is of another race. One I don't know.”

“But he looks too human for that. Maybe he's just some deformed Southerner.”

I'm just Asian, bastards!

I give them the middle finger. … why are they looking confused? Don't they understand?

How retarded. “Let's go, Rine.”

“Uhm... OK! Goodbye.” She even waves at the Crusaders. “Kenta, what did you just do?”

She must refer to my gesture just now. “It's called a one-finger-salute.”

“Ah, that's a greeting in your world?”

Should I explain it to her? Knowing her, she might start showing it to others as a greeting, which would be hilarious. Plus, if that's not common knowledge, there is little harm. Only if Kyou-san finds out, then she will chew my ear off.

“Yes, it's a greeting. But please don't let Kyou-san see it.”

“Why?”

“It's a bit unrefined, so she might think it doesn't fit you.”

“Ah, I see.”

Do you know what I like about that girl? That she believes everything I say. I also hate it at the same time, but I'm looking forward seeing her greet people like that in the future.

Maybe I'm a bit childish here.

We continue with our market research. For some reason, Rine buys even more food on the way.

“What's the point?”

“What do you mean?”

“What's the point of buying so much bread now? It still goes bad in the [Inventory], plus it’s way too expensive in this city!””

“I want to share it.”

“With whom?”

“The homeless people.”

… “The ones from yesterday?”

“Yes.”

“Phew, listen Rine-” I'm about to make a speech about how this would lead to our limited monetary resources being dried up for the short-term improvement of people we don't even know, but looking into her eyes I couldn't even start it.

She won't budge here, that's what these ember-eyes are telling me.

Arguing with her is already a lost cause. “Phew... try to make a bargain at least.”

“Yes!” Her smiles radiate through the rather dirty city, catching the interest of the people around us, men and women alike. Even a dwarf is looking at us, while it sends my heartbeat into a tango. I don't like it when she does that. It hurts a bit and makes me wonder about stupid stuff.

Seriously, why can't this girl just be ugly as hell!? Things would be so much easier if she were. No wonder that women are considered a man's doom.

Rine doesn't only buy bread, but also some cheese and a strange gloop. It seems to be made out of the intestines of several animals and monsters. It is dirt-cheap and has some nutrition, though even looking at it causes stomach aches.

“I hope it's enough.” Rine looks at her purchases. “Soup might be better, after all.”

“Tell me, how much would that cost? How do we transport it? Just let's settle for this. It's already plenty.”

“If you think so... Kenta, could you lead us back there?”

Of course, because I'm the guy who does all the tracking and scouting, I ‘only have to’ remember all the places we visited in the past!

Well, of course I remember, but seriously why are you asking me? Using these upturned eyes, which makes you look adorable. How can she look at me with upturned eyes with this effect while being at the same height as me!?

“Phew... this way.” It must be the dress. Her breasts sway with every movement, they're just that big, and now, without her armor, they're unrestrained as well.

Of course, the homeless are still there. It's not like they have another place to go.

They seem to remember us from yesterday and come closer, looking at the bags. “Here.” Rine opens one of them and shows a piece of bread. “We’ve come back with some food.”

I... need to go. “Rine, I'll wait there.” They look at us as if we're some sort of saints, but it’s making me sick.

So I go around the corner.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“Well, well.” Oh no, the geezer from yesterday. The one who led us to the Bronco's Bucket has followed me. “Isn't she great?”

“What do you want?”

He grins at me, he really gives off some strange vibes. “Just talking. Have my portion.” He lifts a piece of bread and a slice of cheese. “We need to share the innards, there is only one jar. So until it's my turn, I’d like to have a conversation with you.”

“Go away!”

“You're quite rude to a sorry old man like me. I’d only like to help you, Red Ranger.”

“Urgh... Don't say that name out loud! Also, why would you help me.”

“To repay your kindness.”

“Ask Rine about it.”

“Neh, she's fine. A strong girl, a beautiful girl. Wouldn't she be in love already, I would give it a try.”

“...are you fucking serious. I mean, how old are you? A hundred years? She's too young for you!”

“Hm... maybe she still has a chance.”

“Hah!?”

“Don't worry, boy. Just talking to myself.”

“Then do it somewhere else!”

“Just take a deep breath, boy, and ask yourself, if this old man can't help you at all.”

“...phew...” Actually, there is one piece of information I like to ask. Something that Rine shouldn't know, or Ara-san, and especially not Kyou-san.

Still, there is a chance that his interest in me stems from being a lackey of Correro.

...there is a way to get something like a proof: “Meet me here tomorrow at noon, then.”

I'll give him an opportunity to show his true colors.

―○●○―

We're back in the inn, and I'm welcomed by a wall of text.

The Date ends. You gain 27 WP. This quasi date counts only barely as a success, mostly because of your poor conduct. While her feelings for your are clear as day and she really tries her best to-

Urgh, it goes on and on. What an annoying pop-up.

I try to mentally push it aside just like every other WP-announcement. …It doesn't go away. I try to open the status screen, but I can't. My eyes wander to the end of the wall of text, I read the last sentence, but I still can't dismiss it.

This is a real nightmare, a pop-up you can't close, whatever you do.

So I slowly start reading it. 99% of it is bashing me.

I didn't compliment Rine's dress. So what. It's not like it's required.

I should have given her a gift when she had these yearning looks. Rine is old enough to buy her own stuff, you know? In fact, she even bought food for the homeless!

What about going out to eat, eating in the inn is cheaper, while the food may be not as good as in a restaurant, but regarding the cost-benefit ratio, it's way better to eat at the inn. To be honest, Kyou-san's cooking is the best, after all.

Of course, I won't kiss Rine!

The amount of details is terrifying!

Only one thing is even worse: That I actually feel like I should have tried harder to max out the WP here! That's just me being a gamer, I know, but seriously!

I think this world is making me insane.

“Kenta, I think we need to try harder next time.” Rine surely got her own message as well.

“Don't say a word!” I'm sure this girl is part of what is making me go mad!

Now we need to share our intel about the market with Ara-san. She's with Kyou-san in the common room already.

“Here.” I put the papers in front of Ara-san and sit down right beside her. “There are no mounts left, the Crusaders bought them all.” Rine starts a whispering conversation with Kyou-san.

“I see.” Ara-san only glances over the paper, but she has a skill which makes her read it in a moment. “They also had an effect on the market for monster parts. They had eradicated many monsters around here and sold their spoils in Goldbrunn, causing the buying price to fall. So we didn’t sell some of the parts.”

Damn Crusaders. Rine and Kyou-san are still whispering to each other, and I could hear every single word. First, Kyou-san complimented her dress, and now they're talking about our 'date' in detail. Kyou-san pretends to be interested, while it's mostly Rine who speaks.

“Ara-san,” I try to ignore them: “Rine spent 525 Newgold today, while I spend 6,600.” I list our expenses. “Most of them would be party expenses.”

“I agree. Now you want to know how much of an allowance is doable, right?”

“Yes.”

“Let me do some calculations.” Ara-san's [Druid]-class has the [Academy]-ability and a higher [Intelligence] than her [Accountant]-class, it's the perfect example of how your real form can become entirely obsolete unless you count the [Recreation]-ability as a reason. “Momo and Katarine-san, please be quiet for a moment.” Well, alfr ears are also pretty sharp.

Kyou-san and Rine stop their chattering. I take the opportunity to get a drink.

By the time I returned, Ara-san is finished. “I think 2,000 Newgold is appropriate as a budget per person. I like to visit the bookshop myself, so I put it on the higher end.” Books in this world are expensive.

So two thousand… I think this should be more than enough for what I’d like to get.

“Katarine-san, let me reconfirm your expenses today to be sure.” While Ara-san and Rine are talking about her usage of money, Kyou-san seems to be in thought. She's definitely considering how to spend her allowance.

I hope I won't spend too much because I'm also considering buying a book. I still have to finish reading Rine's, but I'm stuck there. It's in the midst of the scene when Fabian found an assassin who was about to kill Miriam, in this scene Fabian says some sort of monologue, which makes me cringe so hard, that I'm about to puke. Sadly, this speech looks like it's pretty important.

So basically, I try every few days to read this, but then I lose motivation. When I force myself through it, I can't even remember a third of the content.

Well, but first things first. Tomorrow will be an important day.

―○●○―

…this is the worst.

This time Rine is sleeping with us again. Which means I'm in bed with three girls, who are attractive to me, but it wouldn't be a good idea to become close to them in that way.

Yesterday it was a form of torture. Now it has multiplied. Why? Because I'm in the [Ranger]-class.

Why is that a problem? Wasn't I a [Ranger] yesterday as well? So what changed? Well... "Aahhn...” “*Grunt*” “Yes, right here!” “*Moan*” Because I can hear too well! Dammit, [Perception]-ability!

The guys left-above us are doing it like rabbits! Which causes the people right above us to start as well!

While I'm in bed with three beauties! My body aches for some action as well, what kind of herd instinct is this!?

...I think I need to take matters into my own hands. Literally. But not here.

I slowly try to escape the bed, fearing what Rine might do to me in her sleep when I move too quickly. There is one problem though... her hand is grabbing me!

Violently ripping her from my shirt seems to be a bad idea, that might end up with at least my arm broken. So I gently try to loosen one finger at a time. Argh, her grip is too firm!

“Try to please her.” It's Ara-san's voice.

“You're awake?”

“How could I sleep, while the people above us are behaving like humans?”

“And why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I was trying to figure out the techniques they’re using above.”

“...phew... topic change! What do you mean by pleasing Rine?”

“I think if you caress her hand, she will let you go.”

“How do you even come to this conclusion?”

“I observe and listen. Try.”

Well, not like this is something bad. My finger gently wander around on the skin of the back of Rine's hand, and her grip really loosens. Her face might have the most drunken idiotic smile ever.

At least I'm free.

For some reason, Ara-san also stands up. “Let's go to the common room. I'll bring the board.”

Not exactly what I had in mind, but not too bad either.

When we were still in Aroahenn, Ara-san and I started playing a strategic board game once in a while. It's an alfr one, there are some similarities to shogi and chess. The name is irlkrin.

A board with light and dark tiles, 16 pieces per player and the way the pieces can move is determined by the piece and if it's placed on a dark or light square.

We set up the board in the empty common room, the sounds of people making love is hard to hear from here.

I start and put my fisher forward.

She chooses a builder to switch positions with a hunter. “I don't like this city.”

My fisher is now on a dark square, so now he moves like a knight in chess. I place it in the center of the board. “Why?”

Her builder swaps position with her fisher. “It stinks. The buildings are dead, which is uncomfortable. Also, everyone is avoiding me for some reason.”

This time I use my hunter to march forward. “Everyone looks at me like I'm shit here.”

“Hm...” She's placing her scribe on a light square. “Momo told me, that you're not good with people.”

“People aren't good with me.” I move my builder so that it can swap position anytime with my hunter or fisher.

“I see.” She also places her builder forward. “Nevertheless, we get along.”

“Because you're alright.” This time my archer springs forward. My offense is good!

Then Ara-san switches the positions of her builder and her scribe. Now it's able to either capture my hunter or my fisher. “I also feel closer to you than to any alfr I met in this world so far. We think alike often.”

“... … you're smart.” I'm referring to her last move, but while Ara-san is somewhat oblivious to many things, I still think she's clever.

You gain 1 WP. A heartfelt conversation during a bit of recreation, a compliment hidden, two minds that think alike.

“Did you think about what to do with the WP you and Katarine-san earned today?” Seeing this message, Ara-san also changes the topic.

“Ah, I forgot about those.” I decide to swap my builder with my hunter. “I was thinking about saving them for a while, to be more flexible with the rewards.”

Ara-san captures my fisher. “I see. Maybe we should still aim for the next [Attribute]-bonus. At least that's predictable, while rewards like [Double Casting] could be anything. Are you trying to attain [Increased Shared XP II] again?”

“It's what helps us the most for now. The earlier you get XP-bonuses, the better. Only makes sense, as long as we have the luxury.” I move my hunter.

“Even so, we may be in a tight spot. We don't know when Correo will strike again. He wants to capture Katarine-san, after all.” She moves her farmer.

“As long as we don't waste too much time here...” I move my farmer as well.

“Patience. Hurrying will just result in carelessness.” She moves her scribe. “That's why you'll lose in three turns.”

I take a look at the board. There are three ways to win in irlkrin: You can take the square of the guardian, you can capture the ruler, or when you have double the pieces of what your opponent has left.

…

I can see it. First, she'll capture my guardian with her scribe. If I move it, she has free access to the square of the guardian. So I have to let her capture it, but the way my pieces are placed, I can't capture her scribe afterward.

Then she'll move her scribe again so that it can return to a dark space, then it's mobile enough to evade any counterattack. Plus, from the dark space, she can take the guardian's square. Or, if I move my bodyguard to shield it, she can capture my ruler.

“...I surrender.” This game is harsh, because every piece moves in two ways, so the options of every possible turn increase by a lot. “Another round!”

“Sure.”

…

Destroyed.

“...let's return to bed, they should be finished by now...”

“Don't sulk, this is just your eighth time.”

“Though you say that you're not good at it.”

“That's right. I played it only a bit with my mother as a child. Whenever I lost, I had to drink that nasty cod resin. Was supposed to be healthy, but I disliked it.”

“Reminds me of someone.”

“So had similar experiences?”

“...yeah...” Again, my mouth tastes like shit. The second time today.

“Maybe there's some cod resin in this world as well...”

The atmosphere around us turns a bit sour as we're both reminded of home.

We miss it. It's not home sickness, it's replaced by the determination to go back home again. Something that was most likely planted into us heroes so that we can stay motivated.

Ara-san and I return to bed. It's quiet. Both of us and the one above us.

For five minutes at most. “Next round!”

“Please don't...” Ara-san puts her hands on her ears, but I guess that doesn't help much.

But that gives me an idea. I use [Class Change] to [Pikeman]. I lose the [Perception]-ability, which means I don't hear a thing anymore. “Good night, Ara-san.”

“No, you-”

The moment Ara-san is about to grab me is the moment I feel a sharp pain in the back of my head and lose consciousness.

―○●○―

“Is there no mistake, Wranas?” In another tavern, a man asks his companion. The four of them are sitting while enjoying a meal and listening to what one of their comrades said.

“Course I could be wrong.” The small man with the broad shoulders and his lead-like hair and beard says. “Still, worth checking out.”

All four of them come from the kingdom of Déjumia, just a week south of Goldbrunn. Some would say that it's the northern part of the countries of the south, others would call their people pseudo-southerners. This is not the only thing that binds them together though. They've worked so long with each other that they're now friends and comrades.

While their reason to be in Goldbrunn is different, Wranas might have found something better. “So, you say her eyes were like fire?” The trait of the royal family of Feuerberg. A teenage girl.

For bounty hunters like them, it's an unexpected find.