Tamer 9
BGM: Tojima Want to be a Kamen Rider(Really recommend the anime!)
Chapter 9: The Flustered Receptionist
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
Part 1
It’s been four days since Kikyō became an explorer.
Kikyo showed up again today. Seriously, he never rests, that itself was impressive.
Turns out he wasn’t bluffing about wanting to level up. He had taken down about forty goblins yesterday and today, and he didn’t seems like he break a sweat after such strenous activity.
Was he always this capable? If that’s the case… Maybe I let a pretty decent catch slip away.
If someone naturally talented like him raised his level and then switched to another career, he’d be valuable anywhere. He’d probably do well in pretty much any job.
Wait… Why does he suddenly look sort of cool?
This morning, when he came to the reception, I gathered a bit of courage and tried chatting with him, but for some reason he wasn’t as casually friendly as he’d been on the first day. He acted oddly formal, almost stiff.
Is it because I was so cold to him before? That or, did he somehow manage to get a girlfriend already?
Nah, no way a bottom-rank explorer picks up a girlfriend that fast.
◇◇◇
5th Day
He showed up again…
They say a man can change in just three days, but can someone really change this much?
Now that I look at him, he’s starting to give off mid-rank explorer vibes…
… There was no way anyone reaches mid-rank that fast. Or else, did I’m only seeing him that way because I’ve started paying attention to him?
But honestly, why am I thinking about him this much? Sure, reception work was kind of boring, nothing exciting ever happens, and I’m spending my twenties in my lonesome with no friends or boyfriend, but still...
「W-wait… that’s it…
I never meet guys. Like, ever. He was literally the only young have I have any interaction with.
This is bad. Really bad!
If I let this “accidental but kind of fate-like” encounter slip through my fingers, and I stay stuck in the Aomori branch for years…
「Aren't that mean, I might actually spend my whole twenties boyfriend-less!?」
Today, I’m going to try being more proactive. I’d be happy if we could at least become friends.
Even if Kikyo doesn’t fancy me, I should at least widen my social circle through him. If I didn’t do something, my precious twenties will just fade away with nothing to show for them.
I mean, the Aomori Dungeon Association was full of old dudes apart from me! There was no way I’m letting the only young guy I know slip away right under my thumb!
Right, he’s coming. Heading straight to reception. This time, I’m going to have a nice, friendly chat with him and finally kick things off. Let’s start with “friends,” at least!
「Good morning, Kikyo. How’s your dungeon progress coming along?」
「Huh? Oh, yeah, I’ve mainly been grinding on the 2nd floor.」
「Wow, that’s impressice, you’re not even struggling with goblins.」
Sure, at level 2 or 3 even the rear guard could handle goblins, but whatever, I’ll hype him up a bit.
「Going solo as a rear-guard is seriously tiring, you know? You’re really giving it your best, aren’t you?」
「Sigh… Is that really the case?」
「Yes.」
「He~」
「……」
And… That’s it. Conversation over.
Wait. Seriously? Does he just not want to talk to me?
I mean, I’m aware that I'm on the attractive side, and guys approach me fairly often. Heck, even Kikyō talked to me on the first day.
So what’s with this reaction?
「Well then, I’ll be off.」
「Please take care, okay?」
「Yes.」
He’s embarrassed. 100% embarrassed.
He literally tried to flirt with me on day one. There was no way he’d switch to this stiff attitude in just a few days unless he’s cringing over how that first attempt flopped.
Tomorrow I’ll keep talking to him until he gets over it.
◇◇◇
6th Day
「Kikyō, good luck out there today, yeah?」
「Huh? Oh… Right.」
「So hey, Kikyō, what do you usually do when you’re not exploring?」
「I'm exploring.」
Eh? So cold.
I even worked up the courage to go beyond the normal receptionist boundary, wore something a bit more revealing to give it a slightly private, personal vibe, and his reaction was colder than I expected.
He just cut off the flow of the conversation and moved to the next topic like it was nothing.
「Your level’s gone up quite a bit, hasn’t it?」
「Yeah… A little.」
「You’re not going to tell me?」
「Yes. I won't.」
…Wait, what? Not telling?
Did I do something?
「Not many people keep up with daily dungeon runs, you know? That itself made you pretty incredible, Kikyo.」
「Yeah, well… I’ve gotta make money somehow.」
Ugh! He’s being so salty! Even saltier than I am when someone I don’t care about talks to me!
Could he cut down on the saltiness? It’s actually hurting my feelings!
He was clearly trying to end the chat before it even begins. That quick peek at his watch? Yeah, message received: he does NOT want to talk to me.
「When you reach middle-rank Explorer, you’ll at least make a bit below the average. Since you work solo, even as a middle-rank, you should still earn a decent amount. Do your best, all right?」
「Yes.」
「If you ever get stuck on something, you can always ask me, okay?」
「Yes.」
「You can stick with a wooden sword for now, but once you level up a bit, getting a real sword or spear is a good idea. It’ll increase your survival rate.」
「Yes.」
「Oh, and I never told you my name, did I? I’m Sana. I normally don’t give out my real name, but you’re special, Kikyō.」
「Yes.」
And that was it, Kikyo had basically entered full "Yes-only" mode like some answering machine.
Like… Seriously? Did he not get what it means when a receptionist tells him her actual name?
That’s basically her way of saying "I want to get to know you better," and all he says was “Yes”? What even is that?
There was no way I’m not his type… right? I mean, he literally tried to hit on me on the first day.
And honestly, I’d be more than happy to let Kikyo flirt with me, but only limited to him you know?
Come on, come on, come here already! Come on! Let’s go!!
Come on!! Come on!! Take the bait!! Oi, hey hey!!
Worst case, we go out at night, have dinner, a few drinks, and if we end up at a hotel, I’ll just act coy and say, "Only for tonight, okay?" and still let him take me!!
As if I’d actually stop at tonight! I wouldn’t let him run even if he tried!
Come on, come on, come oooon!!
At this point, I’d even be fine with you pinning me to the wall and saying, "How about we let our bodies do the talking, Sana?"
Hey, hey! get over here!!
Line up your bat with my goal and score a perfect hole-in-one!
「I’ve got exploring to do, so I’ll be off.」
「Ah, you're right.」
And just like that, Kikyo walked right past me and into the dungeon, like I wasn’t even a blip on his radar.
…Wait. Are my twenties actually finished for real?