Tamer 31
BGM: Wuthering Waves - Unwritten In The Stars
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Chapter 31: The Careless Kikyo
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
Part 1
「I'm ho~me」
「Welcome back, Kikyo. Dinner’s ready.」
「Thank you, mom.」
「Go wash your hands. Your friend’s waiting you know?」
Friend?
Did I really have a friend bold enough to show up at my place without an invite?
「If a girl’s coming, you really should give me a heads-up. I’ve only made the usual meal after all.」
「A girl?」
Hold on. Who exactly are we talking about?
The only girls I’ve been involved with recently are Sana and Haruno…
「Sana really is beautiful, isn’t she? Don’t you think she might fancy you, Kikyo? She seems like such a nice girl. You absolutely mustn’t let her get away. Mom’s cheering you on.」
「Huh? Ah… yes.」
I still hadn’t fully processed what was happening, but Mum briskly pushed me along. As I washed my hands, I tried to figure out why Sana was here, then made my way to the living room.
「Good evening, Kikyo. You must be tired after today」
「Ah, you're right.」
No doubt about it. Sana was really here.
◇◇◇
Apparently, Sana had come all this way just to deliver the invoice for the sword and tool bag I’d forgotten.
Dad wore a grin the entire time, Mom kept trying to help me score points, and the living room turned into a perfect storm of awkwardness. Dinner was far more draining than it should have been.
I was genuinely grateful for the invoice, of course.
「But that’s not the only reason I came today. There’s something I want to talk to you about, Kikyo.」
「Something, is it?」
She sat down on the edge of my bed, crossing her legs. From my perspective, her skirt created a cruel illusion. Temptation, perfectly framed. Just out of reach.
I couldn’t help wishing she’d sit with her legs open.
「I’ll be blunt. Kikyo, you’re hiding some kind of strong skill, aren’t you?」
My mind immediately went off the rails. How could I make her do the M-leg sitting pose without breaking any laws or common sense?
Dating her would make it natural, surely. And yet, the idea of it happening naturally before then carried its own strange allure.
「Kikyo?」
「Eh?」
「Were you listening to what I said?」
「Of course. You were talking about doing M-leg sitting pose, weren’t you?」
「Eh?」
「Eh?」
Silence. Then realisation hit.
There was no way a woman would walk into a man’s room and immediately start talking about doing M-leg pose, especially when we weren’t even dating.
Now that I think about it, Sana had definitely been saying something. I hadn’t listened at all, so I had absolutely no idea what she said just now.
「I’m sorry, I think I misunderstood. Could you say it again?」
「Y-Yes.」
She muttered under her breath, “M-leg sitting pose? I must’ve imagined that…”
That was way too close. One step further and I’d have been forever remembered as the guy who blurts out nonsense the moment a woman enters his room.
If I had to be misunderstood, I at least wanted it to be after we started dating. Being mistaken for a guy who suddenly says “M-leg sitting pose” out of nowhere is just embarrassing.
Nope, I didn’t want to be misunderstood at all.
※Author Note: It’s not a misunderstanding. Not even close.
「Okay, I’ll say it again. You’re hiding a seriously strong skill, aren’t you, Kikyo?」
「……」
I’d always known this moment would come.
I just didn’t expect it to be now...
Still, it wasn’t a big deal. My level was already 204. Even if a high-rank explorer tried to corner me outside the dungeon, I could deal with it easily.
However, if a high-ranked explorer were to chase me outside the dungeon, there’s a very real chance the police would start asking questions.
Sana was my accomplice. She would want to avoid a situation where the police get involved. So it’s unlikely she’s suggesting we report this to the Dungeon Association.
If that’s the case, could it be that she was coming directly to me means she’s probably trying to negotiate something?
Maybe I should test the waters a little...
「If I had some overpowered skill, I’d have gone solo ages ago and be living it up as a middle-rank explorer by now.」
「Would you, though? I doubt it. Everyone who’s been proven to have a powerful skill has been pulled straight into the ranks of high-level explorers. No exceptions. But there are plenty of middle-rank explorers whisper about. I think they learned what it really takes to be high-ranked and chose to stop climbing. Some people don’t want the spotlight. Others fear what comes with it.」
The fact that she’s bringing this up suggests that, even without concrete proof, she’s already put the pieces together.
「At your age, Kikyo, most explorers get giddy when their level increases and rush to update their card. Hit level ten and you even get a five percent discount at the Dungeon Association. Someone who explores this much and still hasn’t updated their card is practically unheard of.」
「I might’ve just forgotten, you know?」
「That's impossible. If you were sloppy, maybe. But you’re not. Someone who double-checks their gear before approaching the counter doesn’t ‘forget’ to update their explorer card.」
I see.
Could it be that before being transferred here, Sana must have encountered explorers like me, people suspected of hiding powerful skills?
So it was experience, combined with a series of my own mistakes, that gave me away...
Ah. Was it the moment I dragged two middle-aged men down an alley that tipped her off about my abnormal physical ability?
If that’s the case, then rather than explaining that I possess a powerful skill effective against stronger opponents, it would be better to stick to the original plan and say I have a skill that increases EXP gain.
「… Alright, I surrender. Just like you guessed, Sana. I have a skill that doubles my EXP gain.」
「I thought so. A skill that double EXP gain is powerful. And just to be clear, I’m on your side, Kikyo. I won’t tell a soul, so you can relax.」
「Yes. I trust you from the bottom of my heart, Sana.」
「Geez, Kikyo.」
If I said this much, Sana would feel trusted by me, which would make betraying me all the more difficult.
We’re already accomplices, so betrayal seems unlikely, but better safe than sorry
「I’m a receptionist at the Aomori branch of the Dungeon Association, and I have a duty to report explorer information. But if you had some kind of skill, Kikyo, and I simply didn’t notice, then there’d be nothing to report. I could even help you hide it.」
「What are you trying to say?」
「You and I are accomplices already. So why not go all in and be proper accomplices?」
She’d flipped it. Cleanly. The very bond I’d forged to prevent betrayal was now being used to pull me closer...
Completely unexpected. I’d let my guard down, thinking Sana was just a refined, slightly naughty-looking receptionist in a hostess-style dress.
※Author Note: It's not "Just".
Damn you M-leg sitting pose, wasn't this your fault that I let my guard down?
※Author Note: It's definitely your own fault.
「So, what kind of relationship are you hoping for?」
「Say, how about going out with me?」
So that was Sana’s true goal.
I’d kind of figured Sana liked me for a while now, she hardly hiding it anyway. Turns out she was using her ability to hide my info as a bargaining chip for becoming my girlfriend.
Honestly, I was expecting something way sketchier. Crime, blackmail, or Underground nonsense. So I was relieved it was a perfectly reasonable request.
※Author Note: It was borderline of blackmail.
「Yeah. Honestly, Sana, I’d be more than willing to date you even without all that drama.」
◇◇◇
「Kikyo, you’re way too naive. Sana’s going to give you some pointers.」
「Naive?」
I was sharing a light, almost embarrassingly sweet conversation with Miss Sa— I mean, Sana— Our shoulders pressed together, when she told me I was being careless.
I’d thought I was doing a decent job of hiding things, so I started wondering what else I’d messed up besides what she’d just pointed out.
「Listen, okay? You always bring about forty goblin magic stones to the counter, don’t you? If it's a normal explorer were doing this, they’d probably be bringing fifty or sixty by now.」
「Yes.」
When she put it that way, it made sense.
I’d just been lazily selling magic stones, assuming that was about the right amount for a rookie.
「And that’s not all. A rookie walking out of a dungeon without a single drop of sweat, looking totally relaxed, is weird. Sure, if your runs were short, maybe. But Kikyō, you explore for what’s basically a full workday, don’t you? Looking that calm after all that is far too unnatural.」
「I see.」
I truly hadn’t realised it at all.
「You jumped straight into being an explorer as soon as you graduated without much real-world experience, didn’t you, Kikyo? Here's the thing, there are probably things you overlook. I’ve only worked for two years myself, but even those two years make a massive difference compared to none. So if anything ever happens, come and talk to me, okay?」
「Got it.」
She really was a reassuring accomplice.
From now on, it might be best to ask Sana about anything that’s safe to talk about. Monster weapons, however… Those are definitely off the table.
「Oh, right. About Haruno, the Brave Saint Sword Demon…」
「What about Haruno?」
「Apparently, her first time was with a goblin.」
「There’s no way that’s true.」
That’s ridiculous. There’s just no way. My common sense is screaming in protest.
…That said, monster tamers do tend to have an alarming level of affection for their monsters. And Haruno even chased someone she saw on a forum all the way here, so she was clearly not normal.
Could it be that was... Real?
No. No, that’s still impossible.
「It’s only a rumour inside the Dungeon Association, so don’t worry about it. I just heard it from a colleague before I transferred.」
Right. Gossip. Internet-tier nonsense.
There was a saying "There’s no smoke without fire." Even if nothing serious happened, maybe she at least kissed a goblin.
Suddenly, that kiss I just got from a cute, boyish girl feels kind of gross.
Yeah. I’m definitely gargling later.
「Haruno knows I’m strong now. I managed to hide the fact that I’m a monster tamer and the details of my skills, though.」
「She said she might come back to Aomori again, so please be careful. Try not to talk to her if you can...」
「It’s fine. I told Haruno that the Dungeon Association can’t be trusted and advised her to stop updating her explorer card. She agreed. I also made sure she promised not to tell anyone about me. She’s on my side now. Just like you, Sana.」
I meant it to reassure Sana, but apparently that story hit a massive landmine for her.
Sana locked eyes with me, leaned in, and launched into a rapid-fire barrage without giving me a second to breathe. “Why won’t you listen to me, Kikyo? You’re going out with Sana, you know? You don’t need any woman other than Sana, do you? So why would you say Haruno is your ally? You don’t need Haruno at all, right? Come on, hurry up and say you don’t need anyone but Sana.”
Ha~h...
I might have made a mistake in choosing a girlfriend.