Tamer 18
Chapter 18: The Usual Routine, Part Two
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
Part 1
I am Sana, an extremely cute receptionist working at the Aomori Branch of the Dungeon Association. I am 24 years old.
Day after day, I’d been trying to close the gap between myself and Kikyou, but nothing ever worked. Thinking that at least my appearance might appeal to men, I dressed up a bit for work. Even then, he didn’t so much as blink. Frustrated, I decided to go out for a drink and wandered into Honmachi, a district packed with bars. That’s when it happened…
「Hey, cutie, where you working?」
「Heading in now? Mind if we tag along?」
Work? Heading in? Tag along? What are they even talking about?
Out of nowhere, two random older guys started hitting on me. Gross.
「Um, I’m actually on my way home from work…」
「Huh? Don’t lie to us. The night’s only just begun. No way you’re heading home.」
「Is that discrimination just because we’re old? Must be nice, feeling so entitled.」
「I-I just came out to have a drink...」
「That’s what I’m saying! Take us to the bar you work at!」
「That’s why we’re saying it! We wanna go to the club you work at!」
Oh my god, do they think I’m a cabaret girl or something?
Seriously, what planet are these guys from? They’re not listening at all, and it’s actually scary.
「No, that’s not it. I’m heading to a shop right now.」
「Huh? Then we’ll go with you!」
This is seriously disgusting.
They’re obviously drunk. Maybe I should shout and ask someone nearby for help.
「May I ask something?」
「Huh?」
「What’s your deal?」
Just as I was about to scream my lungs out, a young, kind of handsome guy swooped in, like he’d been waiting for his cue.
「I’m an explorer. You sure you want to pick a fight?」
「Hah! Just a bottom-rank nobody.」
「Don’t get full of yourself, you bastard!」
Seriously, I can’t believe it. These two old guys were picking a fight right from the start.
Like, excuse me, but who’s the real bottom-feeder here? Before I could even finish that thought, I looked at my saviour and blurted out—
「K-Kikyo?」
「Eh?」
Oh, it’s Kikyo.
Yep. No doubt about it. The same Kikyo who’d been ghosting me so hard lately that I was drowning in a sea of salt.
I never imagined he’d be the one to help me…
Wait. Does that mean his coldness toward me was just him hiding his embarrassment?
If that’s the case, then if I keep pushing, maybe I can actually push him over the line?
「We’re just talking about choosing this girl.」
「Scram.」
One of the men grabbed Kikyou-kun by the collar, looming over him.
What are these people, seriously? This has gone way past “creepy” and straight into “call the police.”
Just as I was about to shout for help again, Kikyo started rattling off his lines in that strangely AI-like, flat, emotionless voice he’s been using lately, delivering them like stiff, scripted dialogue.
「Yep, bye, going home, take care.」
「Hah?」
「Yep, bye, going home, take care.」
「D-dude, what are you even talking about?」
Without breaking eye contact with me, Kikyou-kun kept repeating the same words like a spell: 「Yep, bye, going home, take care.」Like a broken NPC, completely stone-faced, he dragged the two creepy old guys straight into a back alley.
The absurd mismatch between his words and the situation made my brain glitch for a moment, leaving me standing there, stunned.
A few minutes later, my brain finally rebooted. I realized I probably shouldn’t just leave things like this and headed for the alley, but… yeah. Everyone was already gone.
「So even at full salt-mode, Kikyo still saved me…」
His method was baffling, but thinking about it properly, it must have been his awkward way of hiding his embarrassment.
In the end, my destined partner can only be Kikyou.
「Okay, step one: LIME exchange. That’s mandatory, right?」
Let’s start as friends. Nice and safe.
Actually, no. First, I have to say thanks. Tomorrow I’ll hug him, squish my D-cup boobs against him, and make Kikyou happy. Easy win.
He’s a man, after all. Of course he’ll enjoy it.
I imagine myself clinging to his chest, burying my face in his solid frame, and somehow we end up going to a hotel together.
Wait, wait, hold on!? Sana’s brain is overheating!
Still… if he says, 「I want you,」there’s no way Sana could refuse.
I never had any intention of refusing. On the contrary, I was ready to accept him with open arms.
That moment when Kikyō’s bat lands a perfect hole-in-one straight into my heart might not be far off… Just kidding. Totally joking!
「... Fuhehehe. Ah, nosebleed.」
I hastily wiped the drool and blood away with my handkerchief, erasing the stupid grin from my face.
This grubby back alley wasn’t the place for unchecked fantasies and goofy smiles. I already knew what needed to be done.
「As a receptionist with pride in her work, I must thoroughly confirm that there are no errors in the explorer’s registration.」
Yep. Unpaid overtime, here I come.
I went back to the Dungeon Association and said, “Hey, I think I spotted a mistake in an explorer’s registration. Can I double-check it?” I borrowed the completed form, reviewed it like my life depended on it, and then returned it.
The old guy on the night shift laughed. “You’re young but really keen, aren’t you?” I put on my best serious face and replied, “Mistakes are unacceptable for receptionists.”
「Looks like I was worrying over nothing. Thanks for the hard work.」
「Yeah, yeah. Good job. Don’t push yourself too hard, alright?」
「No. This is only natural.」
As a receptionist with a strong sense of responsibility, I acquired Kikyou’s personal information.
===
Name: Sakura Kikyou
Birth Date: 20 April 2103 (Age 22)
Gender: Male
Address: 4-3-12, ×× Town, ×× District, Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture
Phone Number: 080-××××-××××
Education: ×× University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Human Psychology Course
===
I’ll make sure to manage this information properly.
When I get back to my flat, I should check Kikyo’s address on Ghoul Maps.
◇◇◇
Kikyou, you came again today?
So dignified… so handsome…
「Good morning, Kikyō. Thank you for yesterday. Sana was really frightened…」
「You might be harassed again, so it might be best to stop coming to work dressed like a hostess.」
「Kikyō spoke to me normally…」
Huh? Eh?
Was it because I checked his registration with the diligence of a model receptionist yesterday?
Or because we met in private?
※Author Note: He only rescued her from a pick-up attempt.
Ah… that’s it. Sana is devoted to Kikyou and only Kikyou.
Even though I gathered all my courage and even produced a dramatic nosebleed to hug him, he smoothly avoided me, face unreadable, chanting like a spell, 「Good morning. I’m off to explore now,」as he strode toward the dungeon entrance.
Fufufufufufu.
「Shy… How adorable.」