“… To cross the border.”
Arnold: “… Eh? Y-you mean…?”
“Yeah, just like you two.”
Arnold: “Why!? Why’s a human like you going to the beastman continent?!”
“Hah? Obviously because I want to go there.”
Arnold: “… Come again?”
“I don’t care about the current situation. I’m not interested. I do as I please. If someone stands in my way, I’ll kill them.”
The silence continues.
“… Pfft.” Arnold burst into laughter. He looked at Hiiro and laughed again, so a vein popped up on Hiiro’s forehead.
“Is something wrong, Pervert?”
Arnold: “Is that title a given now?!”
“Anyway, I’m just doing the same thing as you guys.”
Arnold suddenly said with a serious voice, “It isn’t a field trip. The 『Beastman』are currently using all their resources to prepare for battle. If they spot a human, it won’t end well.”
“Fine by me, I’ll turn the tables on them.”
Arnold: “… Are you serious?”
“Naturally. I’ve no reason to run away.”
Arnold: “The beastman are strong.”
“But I’m stronger.”
Since he had 《Word Magic》, he believed it would somehow work out.
Arnold: “Hoh, I can’t believe you. I’m getting more and more interested in you.”
“Stop it. You’re giving me the shivers. I don’t swing that way.”
Arnold yelled in frustration since Hiiro responded indifferently to him even though he was trying to have a serious conversation with Hiiro.
Muir laughed watching their exchange. Hiiro was curious so he asked her,
“Mhm? What’s so funny?”
Muir: “Ah, I’m sorry!”
“No, I’m just asking…”
Muir: “Ah… Mm… I, I think that Hiiro is… A good person.”
(I’m a good person?) There was almost no one who would say such a thing. Hiiro never thought that anyone would say that he was a good person so he was somewhat disgusted.
Arnold: “Hey, hey, Muir, what’s so good about him? Aren’t you mistaken? He’s a bad guy, right?”
“Th-that’s not true! Hiiro saved me, and… Any-anyway he’s a good person!” Muir said bossily and Arnold went silent while sulking.
“Well, I don’t care whether I’m a good person or not. More importantly, are you going to take off that hat?”
“… Eh?” Muir was surprised by the sudden request and became troubled. Hiiro wanted to see animal ears as well, not just the tail. After all, he finally came to a different world.
“It’s not possible?”
Muir: “Um… Ah… Yes, sure…”
She looked embarrassingly at Hiiro with upturned eyes and took off her hat. Something was slowly revealed from under the hat.
“Hoh, hoh, I see.”
Muir: “U-uuu… This is embarrassing…”
On top of her head were animal ears like the ones seen in anime or manga. The ears were pretty cute and currently twitching. Hiiro felt satisfied, it was a good sign that he was able to meet beastmen this soon after coming to this world.
Hiiro wanted to carefully observe and touch the ears and tail but since it was their first time meeting, he didn’t think it was a very good idea. She was also a little girl of the opposite sex so he endured.
“It’s fine already. Thank you.”
Muir: “Ah, Y-yes.”
Muir was still blushing and when she put on her hat, she pulled it all the way down to her face to hide. It seemed that it was pretty embarrassing. Arnold let out an unsatisfied groan seeing Muir look like that. The mood between Hiiro and Muir was difficult to interrupt but a body slid in between them.
“What is it, Old Man?”
Arnold: “No-nope ~. Nothing really.”
“You’re just playing dumb.”
No one would think that nothing was up if they saw how badly Arnold was whistling after he suddenly slid himself between the two.
Arnold: “An-anyway, it’s fate that we meet here. We’re heading to the same place, let’s go together. I’ll lead the way.”
“Stop messing around. What nonsense is that? I’m just fine by…” Hiiro said while looking pensive.
Since Hiiro had suddenly became silent, Arnold asked him, “Wh-what’s wrong?”
“… You meant to say: Please come with us. Right?”
Arnold: “Grr… I swear… This Brat…”
Arnold glared at Hiiro while grinding his teeth, but it quickly changed into a sigh.
Arnold: “Hah ~, I can’t win against you with words. Fine, we’ll come with you.”
“Do what you want.”
Hiiro had originally planned to act alone but this was a good opportunity to learn about beastman. It was certainly better to have some background knowledge before entering the beastman continent. Therefore he allowed them to accompany him.
“Ah, before I forget.” Arnold suddenly glared at Hiiro with a threatening look.
“What is it?”
Arnold: “Just a warning.”
“So, what is it?”
Arnold: “… Don’t think about laying your hands on Muir.”
“I’m normal, you Pervert.”
Arnold: “Don’t screw with me! I’m super normal, Idiot!”
“Mhm? That’s a first. I’m not interested in little girls, but I was sure you were, aren’t you?”
Arnold: “Ok, Ok, Okay ~. Let’s take this outside, you worthless Brat!”
“We’re already outside, Lolicon.”
Arnold: “Don’t call me thhhhaat!”
Muir wearily shrugged her shoulders while watching their unchanged dialogue and whispered in a voice so quiet that no one heard it.
Muir: “I’m not a little girl.”
Obviously, no one heard what she had said.
“Hey, Hiiro, I saw you battle earlier, but what level are you?” Arnold questioned him as they passed through 【Torchu Mountain Range】.
“Why’re you asking that?”
Arnold: “Well, you were using weird magic, but I was thinking that you seemed pretty amateurish.”
“Why do you think that?”
Arnold: “You’re certainly from the 『Human Race』, but your physical ability is strangely high. Your killing intent is pretty good for a kid, but you seem to lack battle experience.”
“…”
Arnold: “So even if you’re strong, you lack the battle experience. I can’t help but think that your level must be low.”
Hiiro admired Arnold’s observation skills. Not much time had passed since he’d been summoned to this world, 【Edea】. He had done various quests and faced many monsters. But it probably didn’t seem like much to an experienced adventurer.
Arnold was firmly able to grasp Hiiro’s battle capabilities just from observing the previous fight so his observation skills were pretty astonishing.
“Well, whether my level is low or high, it’s got nothing to do with you, right? You just want to know if I’m strong or weak.”
Arnold: “Hey, we’ll be travelling together from now on. We might have to co-operate during battle. So, wouldn’t it be more convenient to know each other’s level?”
Hiiro stared at Arnold, it didn’t seem like Arnold was lying and he made a sound argument.
“Be reasonable.”
Arnold: “So…”
“What about you, Old Man?”
Arnold: “What?”
“What level are you, Old Man?”
“Oh, me? I’m level 31.” Arnold looked at Hiiro and smoothly answered without hesitation.
(… Should I make sure?)
Hiiro concentrated magical power into his index finger and as not to be seen, quickly wrote a character.
(I can check with this character, right?)
『Peek 覗』
This made it possible to peek into the minds of other people and their 《Status》. Hiiro wanted to ascertain that what Arnold had said was the truth.
| Arnold Ocean Lv 31 |
| HP: 305/315 MP: 158/158 EXP: 46879 NEXT: 5250 |
| ATK: 334 (378) DEF: 299 (315) AGI: 278 (283) HIT: 206 (208) INT: 95 (96) |
| 《Trick Art Attribute》 Wind 《Trick Art》Fang of the Wind・Explosive Wind Claw・Blast Inversion 《Titles》 Friend of the Wind・Former Slave・Chef・Doting Father・Man of the Burning Soul・The Man Referred to as a Pervert |
| Muir Castliar Lv 13 |
| HP: 107/111 MP: 82/82 EXP: 2655 NEXT: 533 |
| ATK: 102 (105) DEF: 100 (108) AGI: 99 (102) HIT: 77 (78) INT: 54 (55) |
| 《Trick Art Attribute》 《Trick Art》 《 Titles》 Kidnapped・My Angel・Cutie Flower・Girl of Tolerance |
Arnold had proven that he hadn’t lied, Hiiro had verified that with 『Peek 覗』. So far, there was nothing for Hiiro to be curious about.Hiiro confirmed that Arnold was level 31 and that Muir was level 13. One of Arnold’s title’s made Hiiro laugh.
Hiiro was curious about the 《Trick Art》in their《Status》. Normally magic was written there but that seemed to be different for beastman.
(I didn’t feel any magic power in the technique he used before, so that was an Art, huh… I see.)
If he had time later, he’d like to investigate more on《Trick Art》.
“… I’m level 23.”
Arnold had answered him honestly so he saw no reason to lie. He had concluded that there were no hindrances to telling them his level.
This time he had also confirmed that Arnold was an idiot and a soft-hearted overall good guy.
Hiiro was a sceptical person but he understood that they didn’t want to deceive him.
(Well, it’s impossible to completely trust them, but it might be interesting to travel with them for a while.) While he was thinking that…
Arnold: “Allriiightt! I was better after all! I wiiiiiiin!”
Like a child, Arnold made a gusty pose while feeling happy even though he had already reached that age. It was a little annoying how he was looking at Hiiro with a triumphant look.
“Hmm, levels not everything, right? What’re you so happy for, Pervert?”
Arnold: “Don’t call me a pervert! You don’t want to admit defeat?”
“… What was that?”
Arnold: “Ahahahaha.”
Muir didn’t know what to do since they were glaring at each other.
“You want to test me?”
Arnold: “Oh, that’ll be interesting! I’ll show you the strength of an adult! Let’s do it!”
◊♦◊♦◊♦◊
[Muir]
Muir thought their quarrel was starting to go beyond that.
(An-anyway, I have to do something!)
She began running enthusiastically with that thought in mind. Arnold gasped as soon as he saw that and called out her name and she suddenly stopped running.
Muir: “Hu-hurry up, Uncle! The village should just be on the other side!”
Arnold: “Ah, okay.”
Muir: “Let’s go! I’m hungry!”
Arnold watched as she ran off again and he couldn’t just let her go by herself.
Arnold: “Argh, Hiiro! Let’s continue this next time!”
“Don’t be ashamed, Old Man.”
Arnold: “That’s you, right? Idiot.”
Muir watched them arguing back and forth but was relieved that they were following her.
(O-okay, that’s good ~… You can’t fight, Uncle, Hiiro too!)
She puffed out her cheeks in anger but it wasn’t scary at all since it was amusing. On the contrary most people would find it cute.
Muir nodded, feeling satisfied at preventing a fight from breaking out with her quick wittedness. Muir, who acted as the mediator, kept running until the two cooled down their heads.