Novels2Search

8: New Findings

A/N: Good day everyone! Starting this chapter, things will probably take a slow/relaxing turn for the 3 Wanderers (not official group name).

Also, pretty short chapter today, my apologies.

So, once again, good day and enjoy!

=====

“Hey, hey, Kinji-onii-san.”

“What is it, Shiromi?”

“Level.”

“Hmn? Level, what about it?”

“Yours. What’s your level?”

From her question, I freeze.

“Something wrong?”

“Errr…uhhhhh…….nope, it’s nothing.”

“Really? Then---”

“By the way Shiromi, what’s your level right now?”

I catch her off guard, she looks around flustered before turning to face me again.

Before making our way back to Gramsfer, the town Kuroga and I are currently residing in, I taught her how to dress herself. Of course, I did my best not to peek at her naked figure however some events caused me to get really close to her…………privacy.

I’m not sure if it’s her lack of common sense or it’s just a Dragon thing…….

“Before I left Farbrent, I think I was around level 400.”

“Wha?!”

She looks at me confused. Thinking I was the one weird for being surprised at her level.

“Tha-that’s pretty high.”

“Really? Oh yeah, ‘Kinji-onii-san’ is too long. Can I shorten it to Kinji-nii instead?”

Having succeeded in derailing the topic, I agree to her request.

Well, it’s not like I’ll lose anything from it anyway.

“But still, for our fight to have damaged the forest this badly……I wonder if the guild will put up more requests because of this.”

After walking for a few minutes, I notice the collateral damage we dealt to the battlefield.

Honestly speaking though, the most noticeable ones were caused by me. In the forms of craters from either me exchanging blows with Shiromi or me running at incredible speeds while carrying her.

Okay. Got it. For Strength Parameter Control, 5 is off-limits if I don’t want to unintentionally destroy everything.

Carving it into my heart, I continue walking while avoiding the large holes.

===

“Alright, there’s the town.”

By the time Shiromi and I arrived at the front of Gramsfer, the sun was already setting.

There’s around 3 more hours until my meet up with Kuroga, but I don’t think it’s alright to just wander around with a girl outdoors after dark.

Thinking about it though, I don’t have anything particular I want to do.

Well, Shiromi probably wants to do something.

As I was going through my thoughts, I hear soft growl behind me.

Thinking it was just some small animal, I turn around and only see Shiromi, who had both of her hands on her stomach and face that was turning red.

Oh.

Patting her head, which is easy for me who’s half a head taller than her,

“I’m pretty hungry. Want to come with me Shiromi?”

Her face brightens up at my question.

“Mmm!!!”

Thanks to my skill, we were able to get in through the gate with no problem. She didn’t react to everyone not moving, so I guess she can’t detect skills if it’s not being used on her.

“Which reminds me…”

“What is it Kinji-nii?”

“Remember back then, around the start of the fight?”

“Yes?”

She tilts her head at my question, her wondering eyes staring at me.

“Your magic, Anti-Skill, was it? How did you know when to use it at that time?”

“Oh, that!”

As if she just remembered it, she plopped her hand onto the palm of her other hand.

“Well, for now, I’m hungry. Kinji-nii!!! Feed me!”

Pointing her finger at me while sprouting a cheerful smile.

“Fine, fine. I know a good restaurant around the corner, okay?”

Really, what is this feeling déjà vu I’m having?

===

“You shee, I hafsh thish yunish---”

“Shiromi, swallow before speaking.”

Stuffing herself with the food laid out in front of her, I reminded her before continuing.

An entire mug of juice is instantly gulped down into her mouth.

“So, I have this unique that lets me know when someone’s about to use a skill on me.”

“Unique?”

“Yep, a unique!”

We both stare at each other. I, thinking there was more to her explanation, and her, who probably thought that was all that was needed.

“Eh, Kinji-nii, do you not know what uniques are?”

I nod my head.

“Heh~, I wasn’t expecting that from you. I thought you, of all people, would know what they are.”

Listening to her words that seemed to be stabbing my dignity, I continued listening to her.

Hmn? I seem to recall a book back in Dravint, ‘Knowledge of the Unique’. To think it wasn’t some autobiography or something.

The fact that I let widely known information slip past me, ah-ah, what a blunder.

“Well, in simple terms, uniques are skills that cannot be gained through training or studying.”

Taking a plate of spaghetti with a blue sauce,

“The only way to gain these is through levelling. Of course, figuring out how to use it is up to you.”

She seems to be enjoying this. Or maybe it’s the food. She’s taking in all the food we’ve ordered so far. Good thing I had Kuroga sell all the materials I’ve gotten on the way here these past few days.

“When a person is born, they automatically receive a unique. This can either be ‘potential’, which does not need a command to activate, or ‘kinetic’, which requires the user’s conscious decision to activate. It’s normal for various people to have somewhat similar or even the same unique. An example of this happening is within those of the same race, as the unique acquired can be influenced by many things.”

Pausing once again, she grabs the plate of fish meat from the waitress’s hands and begins munching on them.

“One is the person’s race. Other races have specific uniques that are essential in their day to day lives. Another is their personality, or ambition. If these are strong enough, then they overwrite their race’s priority thus acquiring a rarer unique than normal. Lastly……”

She looks down for a moment. It was really only for a moment, as she looked back up at me again. But in that moment, I swear I saw sadness and regret in her eyes.

“……is the will of the gods.”

“Hmn? Gods? Like heroes or something?”

“Yes……..and no.”

“What?”

“Yes, heroes do gain uniques due to being sent here by the gods themselves. However, most of the time, their uniques are too powerful and impossible to acquire in this world.”

Unconsciously, I clench my hand under the table.

Too powerful…………huh.

“But from time to time, the gods will grant a few people here with a unique that will assist them in their life and usually, that person becomes more powerful than the people around them. In the past, most heroes’ companions were people like this.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“So, these people are treated better than the rest?”

“………….Most of the time……….However, there are instances……..that these types of people are unwanted. Either because of the danger they pose or because they do not belong. This happened the most 800 years ago, when uniques weren’t widely known and most were simply treated as race traits within people. It was only when the first hero, whose party only consisted of people with powerful uniques, united the entire continent that uniques started becoming common knowledge and rare unique holders were able to live somewhat normal lives.”

“I………see.”

The atmosphere in our table suddenly became awkward, so I didn’t know how continue the conversation with her.

It was then that I noticed the outside had become dark and the stars were twinkling in the sky.

“Shiromi!!!”

“Y-yes, Kinji-nii?!”

She was probably deep in thought, as she was surprised when I called out to her.

“Eat faster! We still have to go somewhere!”

“Eh? Eh? Go? Where?”

“No talking, just eat.”

I said, while hurriedly finishing the food on my plate.

Shiromi too, followed my lead and ate faster.

===

“So, so, where are we going?”

“We’re going to meet up with our other companion.”

“Eh?”

Noticing that she wasn’t beside me anymore, I turn around.

Eh?

She’s glaring at me. Not only that, she’s also pouting. Wait, her eyes are watering. Eh? Eh?!?!?!

“U-umm…….Shiromi, is something wrong?”

“Not really!!! Hmph!!!”

And at that, she quickened her pace, forcing me to walk faster so that she was still following me.

Hah……..don’t tell me………..yeah…..nope……..impossible…….

Comparing the situation to the usual cliché from most light novels back in my world, I splendidly decide to ignore it.

In no way am I planning on going along with this world’s polygamous society even if it were true!!!!!

===

Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!

The bell in the middle of the town was rung for 6th time today.

Seems like he arrived earlier than planned.

“Huh? Kinji-nii, is he our other companion?”

From Shiromi’s choice of words, it’s like he’s the extra one……

“Yep.”

Nearing the man she was referring to,

“Hey Kuroga. Any trouble you ran into today?”

I ask him after the usual greetings.

“None that needs your concern master.”

“I………..see……..”

Well, let’s leave it at that. No use in delving in too much, besides I’m mentally tired from the limited-time event today.

“Well, let’s head for the inn today. Oh yeah, I guess we’ll need to rent another room, huh?”

“Another room? Master, might you be referring to this girl following you?”

He says indifferently while pointing at Shiromi.

To this,

“It’s not ‘this girl’!!! The name’s Shiromi!!!”

She angrily tells him.

Kuroga looks at me confusedly. His eyes were asking me as to how he should treat her.

“A lot of things happened today. Oh, the story we’re going with for now is that she’s my sister.”

“H-ha…….”

“By the way Kinji-nii, you still haven’t told me who he is!!!”

“R-right. As for him, his name is Kuroga. Due to other various circumstances, he is currently my butler.”

“Butler, huh. Butler?!?!?! Amazing!!!!!! Who knew I would see one of these so early in my life!!!!!!!”

Eh? Why is she suddenly in extreme joy from hearing Kuroga’s a butler?

The more disturbing part though is……

“Did she just regard him as an object?”

Sighing to release the swirling thoughts in my head, I go ahead to the inn.

Even though being a few steps ahead of them in a bustling street, I could still hear the contents of their following conversation.

“Then, as you will be fulfilling the role of master’s sister, from henceforth I shall be calling you with the title ‘mistress’. Is this satisfactory?”

“Eh? Really?! Me?! The mistress?! Mm!!! More than satisfactory!!!!”

“As you wish mistress.”

“Oh yeah, Kuro. I’ll be calling you Kuro from now on since Kuroga’s too long, got it?”

“Yes. It will be as you wish mistress.”

“Mm! Having a butler’s so amazing! Kinji-nii’s so amazing!!!”

“Agreed mistress. Master is indeed an astounding existence.”

Is it me, or did they just find a common ground to agree on?

Maybe I should tell them of each other’s real identities? Yeah, maybe later. Let’s rent a room first.

===

After much deliberation, we ended up in front of one of the most expensive inns in Gramsfer.

Considering the piles of gold in my Extra Dimension, I decided it wouldn’t hurt our finances to rent one of these kinds of room. Especially since we have a girl with us now.

Entering the room, the difference between the inn room we were living in previously and the one we were in now was like heaven and earth. Well, not really since I’ve actually seen this world’s heaven. Or a part of it, to be accurate.

“Wow! The bed’s so soft!!!”

The first thing Shiromi did was to jump on one of the beds placed in the room.

Asking for a room that had enough space for 3 people, the key I was given said that the room was on the 5th floor, the highest one. So, looking out the glass window, which was seemingly difficult to make in this world, gave a breath-taking view of the town at night.

Along with this, the floor and walls were made out of marble. There was also a high-class bathroom that used magic stones as a water source. Even the lights were magic stones placed inside specially made transparent containers.

As a bonus, we could also order from a provided menu and have the staff deliver it to the room. To order from all the way up here, there was a magic tool that looked like a cross between a telephone and a helmet. It used Telepathy magic to send the customer’s thoughts to the staff operating the receiver.

“This place reminds me of those hotels back in my world.”

“Hey, Kuro! Can you cook something up for me?”

Also provided was a sort of kitchen area, where Kuroga was currently placing the ingredients he bought earlier today into a safe-like magic tool which continuously casted Ice magic inside.

He looked at me in lieu of Shiromi’s order.

“Okay. Okay. I’ll cook something right up.”

“Eh? Kinji-nii, you don’t have to go through all that trouble. Just let Kuro do it.”

“Yeah……about that, Shiromi…….”

“Hmn?”

“Kuroga…….can’t cook.”

“What?!?!?!?! Then what's the point of him being a butler?!?!?!?!?!?!”

As I told her the truth, those words echoed inside the finely furnished room we were residing in, for now.