by Okina Baba
Sael retrieves some clothing from our luggage and carries it over.
Today, she’s picked out a short-sleeve shirt and a miniskirt, both of which show a considerable amount of skin.
Her fashion choices for me tend to be surprisingly bold.
Why is this the only time she decides to be independent?
She’s a puppet, so she doesn’t breathe, but I swear I can almost hear her huffing and puffing with glee.
Well, I guess it’s fine, since I’m going to wear a robe over it anyway.
Giving up, I let her dress me however she likes, then rub some lotion with a sunblock-like effect over my skin for good measure.
It’s not as effective as the Japanese stuff, but it’s better than nothing.
Folks in this world don’t seem to be too concerned about skin care, or I guess they don’t have to worry about sunburns and stuff thanks to their stats, so there aren’t a lot of beauty products like this.
In fact, most of the common folks here spend their days just trying to survive, so only rich people can buy luxury products like this in the first place.
Which means makeup and the like is actually pretty expensive.
This stuff puts a considerable strain on the Demon Lord’s wallet, I bet.
But I have no choice!
I’m not having her buy me this stuff for beauty’s sake; it’s because I’ll definitely burn without it!
As I make excuses to myself, Sael finishes helping me into my clothes, so I sit on the stool in front of the dresser.
Sael looks excited as she starts brushing my hair.
Since it’s rather smooth and frizz-free, it takes only a few strokes before she moves on to tying my usual braid.
I’m crazy susceptible to sunlight for the most part, but for some reason, nothing seems to damage my hair.
I’m still careful about covering up with a hood so it won’t get any sun, of course.
I do find it a little mysterious that my hair always stays this smooth, though.
You don’t think I’m subconsciously using my godly powers to keep my hair looking nice, do you?
Hmm. I can’t say for sure that that’s not the case, which is a little concerning.
It’s better than having unruly hair, so I guess I can’t complain.
But if I can use my powers for that, why can’t I use them for anything else?
It’s been pretty rough not having any powers these past two years.
Every time something goes wrong, I imagine how much easier life would be if I had them again.
So as Sael continues arranging my hair, I focus with all my might.
In my mind’s eye, I picture thread.
White, thin, sturdy spider thread.
I imagine it coming out of my fingertips.
But no matter how hard I will it, thread doesn’t appear.
Nothing happens if I try to picture Dark Magic or focus power in my eyes to use Evil Eyes, either.
While I’m trying these things, Sael finishes her work.
Checking in the mirror, I see myself looking perfectly well-groomed.
No luck today, just as I suspected.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been trying all kinds of things to get my old powers back.
I’ve tried meditating to see if I could detect the flow of magic power and weight lifting to regain some physical strength—like I said, all kinds of things.
But every single attempt has ended in failure.
Skills and stats are how the system forces this world’s inhabitants to use their power, after all.
In other words, it’s a support system that helps guide people on how to use their power correctly.
Now that I don’t have that support anymore, I can’t use my power.
But the system is nothing more than that: a support system.
In the end, we’re the ones who are actually using the power.
By that logic, it should be possible to use my power even without the system’s help.
Güli-güli said himself that if I just learn how to do that, I could be as strong or even stronger than he is.
But I’ve got no idea how to go about that!
I’m like a little Japanese boy going around yelling, KMEHAMEHA!
Obviously that’s not gonna work!
How do I make it work?!
Just work already, dammit!
Ugh. I seriously have no clue.
Since I don’t know how to use my supposedly amazing power, I’m just falling flat on my face before I even begin.
It’s like I haven’t even made it to the starting line yet.
I used tons of skills and stuff before deification, so I have some idea of how it’s supposed to feel, or at least I thought I did.
At first I was optimistic that I’d figure out how to use it pretty fast, but it’s already been two whole years.
Even I’m starting to freak out now.
What if I never figure out how to use my powers, and I just stay this weak forever?
That’s not gonna happen, I think (I hope), but I guess it’s actually normal for humans not to have power in the first place.
Skills are an unnatural power granted by the system in this world, unlike Earth, where there were no superpowers or anything like that.
It’s normal to not have powers.
Maybe that’s just how it’s gonna be for me from now on.
But I know for sure that an enormous amount of power is resting inside me somewhere.
I just don’t know how to tap into it yet.
All I need is some kind of awakening that helps me figure out how to wield my power, and I’ll finally be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I hope.
Swallowing a sigh, I stand up.
I pull out my usual unfashionable robe from our luggage and throw it on.
It seems like a waste after Sael got me all dressed up, but I want to expose as little skin as possible, and I need a big hood to cover these creepy eyes of mine.
Besides, I have other reasons to hide my face, too.
So I pull my hood down low and head out of the room, Sael following behind me.
The inn we’re staying in is three stories, with our room on the second floor.
The first floor is probably a dining hall, so I’ll start with a late breakfast.
But when I go down the stairs and step into the dining area, there are already other customers, despite the time of day.
Two men are drinking booze in the early afternoon and chatting away.
Judging by their clothes, they’re probably adventurers.
I’ve kiiiinda got a bad feeling about this, but my hunger wins out, so I keep moving.
The two adventurers notice Sael and me entering the dining hall and stare at us dubiously.
Yeah, I guess I can’t blame them for being suspicious of someone wearing a sketchy robe with their hood up even though we’re inside a building.
Taking care to ignore the adventurers, I attempt to walk past them.
I would’ve liked to avoid them entirely, but they’re sitting at the table closest to the entrance, so no such luck.
Left with no other choice, I walk by their table.
That’s when it happens.
“Whoopsie!”
One of the men stumbles, clearly deliberately, and yanks off my hood.
The two men smirk at me.
Now they’ve done it!
I close my eyes immediately, so at least they don’t see those.
But obviously, with my eyes closed, I can’t see anything.
I don’t know what these two buffoons are going to try next.
“Ooh! What a beaut!”
I feel their breath unexpectedly close to my face, reeking of alcohol.
As I draw back, startled, I feel a sudden impact near my neck.
It’s nothing too forceful, but clearly one of the men has put his arm around my shoulders, although I can’t actually see it.
Drunken basta
rds!
This is why I don’t like to show my face!
Look, I know it’s weird to say this about myself, but I’m actually pretty hot.
Between my stunning good looks and my unusual skin color (or lack thereof), I tend to draw waaay more attention than I’d prefer to.
Which is why I avoid showing my face as much as possible.
But these drunks pulled off my hood, and now they have the nerve to mess with me even further?!
At first, I manage to remain calm.
Or rather, it’s more like my brain can’t even process what’s happening.
But after the next attack, my thoughts go flying in another direction entirely.
“Ooh, you’ve got more going on than meets the eye, eh?”
Huh?
What?
Hmm?
I feel a squeezing sensation.
Right around the area of my chest.
He’s feeling me up!
Honestly, I’m amazed I don’t faint on the spot.
If anything, I’m sure I’m seconds away from doing so.
But then I hear the drunk say something else.
“Hunh? What do you want, brat?”
Oh crap!
Without another thought, I reach out for Sael.
My eyes are still closed, so I’m just going on my instincts, but luckily I manage to grab her small shoulder.
Through my hand, I can feel her stop moving.
Whew, that was close.
If I was a second too late, a serious tragedy might’ve unfolded just now.
As you may recall, Sael doesn’t really act independently.
But there are certain things that she knows she’s supposed to do, based on prior experience.
And in this situation, I know exactly what Sael was about to do: eliminate the enemy.
You might think it silly for a powerful monster to regard some run-of-the-mill drunks as enemies, but Sael seriously can’t make judgment calls like that.
She doesn’t worry about the finer details. She just identifies anyone who messes with any of us as an enemy.
If it were Ael here, she would probably be able to chase off the drunks without anyone getting hurt, but Sael isn’t good with such delicate maneuvers.
All she can do is what she’s already been ordered to do, so you have to be extra careful around her in situations like these.
As much as I hate to say it, these guys probably shouldn’t get the death penalty for groping me.
And now it’s my job to save the lives of these drunken assholes even though they’re the ones who harassed me?
Unreal.
…Honestly, if you really think about it, should I really protect them at all?
If they’re gonna get drunk first thing in the morning and start harassing any girl who passes by, wouldn’t they be better off dead anyway?
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Just as my mind wanders down this dangerous path while I start seriously considering letting Sael do her thing, someone shouts from the back of the galley.
Instinctively, I open my eyes a bit to see who’s speaking and find a well-built older lady stomping toward us from the kitchen.
She’s even bigger (and wider) than these well-built adventurers.
“If you’re going to bother other customers, I’ll have to ask you to leave!”
“Oh, uh, we’re sorry.”
Shrinking away from the woman, the drunks seem to sober up in an instant.
“Don’t apologize to me! Apologize to this poor girl!”
“Y-yes, ma’am! We’re sorry!”
You rule, lady!
The adventurers give me a quick bow before hustling out of the dining hall.
“Honestly. This is the problem with adventurers.” The lady heaves a sigh. “I’m sorry, young ladies.”
She’s got nothing to apologize for. If anything, she saved me, so I should be thanking her.
For the time being, I try to communicate with gestures that it’s no big deal.
“Not all adventurers are such awful boors, but my goodness. You’re a real beauty, too, so you’d best be careful.”
Yeah, that’s why I was wearing a hood and hiding out in the inn.
Although I guess maybe wearing a hood inside only makes me stand out more.
“Especially lately, when so many adventurers from abroad are coming to town. There might be some shady folks slipping in with the crowd, so mind you don’t get mixed up in anything dangerous.”
Huh?
Why are out-of-town adventurers gathering here?
Most adventurers in this world seem to pick one town and stay there.
Their job is to defeat monsters, after all.
They have to ward off any monsters that get too close to town every day, so they don’t usually stray far from their respective towns unless there’s a major reason.
So what’s the big development bringing people here right now?
“Seems an ogre’s appeared close to town. It’s even beaten a few adventurers who went out after it, too. So now other adventurers are gathering from the nearby towns and villages to fight it. Scary stuff, wouldn’t you say?”
Huh.
Ogre, you say?
If it’s turned the tables on a few adventurers, it must be pretty strong.
Some of the monsters in this world are similar to the ones that appeared in the stories back on Earth.
Maybe a certain evil god decided to make this one for a little entertainment.
I’ve never seen an ogre in person, but they seem to be fairly common monsters that show up all over.
Which usually means they’re the kind of monster that humans can handle.
So it’s unusual for them to be all that strong, but if this one’s killing adventurers, it must be a pretty special individual.
Not that I’m one to talk, but weirdly strong monsters do pop up once in a while, so I’m sure this is just another case of that.
For our group, though, an ogre’s not even a threat worth mentioning.
No matter how strong it might be, it can’t beat the puppet spiders with their thousand-plus stats, and even in the unlikely event that it could, we’ve got the ultimate weapon known as the Demon Lord on our side.
So this is really nothing to worry about.
“Now then! You came to get some grub, right? I’ll cut you a good deal to make up for all that fuss!”
Yaaay!
I’m way more interested in that than some random ogre!
A CERTAIN ADVENTURER’S OGRE HUNT
“Thank you all for gathering here today!”
The guild master’s rough voice echoes through the first floor of the guild hall.
The entire lobby is packed with adventurers who have gathered from nearby towns.
They’re all here to participate in the ogre hunt.
After the young adventurer Rukusso barely managed to escape with his life, he spread the word about the dangerous ogre.
Our guild master took action immediately, requesting aid from nearby guilds and sending out the call for adventurers.
The bait: the magic swords said to be wielded by the ogre.
Even adventurers have a hard time coming across magic swords.
It’s been announced that whoever defeats the ogre will be given the swords as a reward.
Naturally, adventurers from all over have come to join the hunt.
Of course, I’m also joining in for a chance at the magic swords, too, so I can’t really judge the others for it.
“Yo, Gotou. Yer lookin’ more serious than usual. Guess you’re all fired up to get revenge for your fallen comrades, eh?”
My fellow A-rank adventurer Regg throws an overly familiar arm around my shoulder.
We’re two of the highest-ranking adventurers in town.
“What makes you think that, huh? I’m just here for the magic swords, same as you. I ain’t the kinda guy who cares about revenge.”
&nb
sp; “Whatever you say.”
I shake his arm off roughly, but Regg doesn’t seem to believe me in the slightest.
“Listen up, you lot! We’ve got a special request!”
Just as I’m about to snap back at Regg, the guild master’s voice bellows over us.
“As you know, we’re after a unique ogre! Its stats are believed to be higher than an ordinary ogre’s, and it possesses equally unique unknown skills!”
Though normally rowdy, the adventurers listen to the guild master in rapt silence.
I don’t want to be the one to interrupt, so I shut my mouth as well.
“Now, there are three things you should know about this ogre!”
This information had to have come from the survivor of the advance team of adventurers.
“First, it has abnormal regenerative ability! It heals itself in a way that cannot be explained by any known skills! We’re told its body will suddenly emit light, and then its wounds will be gone without a trace! There are even reports that it might be able to recover its MP and SP this way as well! One team of adventurers was able to corner the ogre, only to be wiped out after this monster’s fearsome recovery ability overwhelmed them!”
A murmur runs through the crowd of adventurers.
Among them, I see a young man biting his lip.
Rukusso, a promising young adventurer.
He was the sole survivor of the advance team.
And now, after treating his wounds, he’s joining the quest in order to avenge his fallen friends.
The rest of his team were friends of mine, too.
“Second! Its combat capabilities can suddenly increase tremendously! The effects are similar to Mental Warfare, but it’s clearly something more! The boost doesn’t last long, but its stats will be higher as long as it’s active! There’s no change to its physical appearance, so you’ll have to trust your gut!”
This doesn’t seem like much of a counterstrategy, but that’s how adventurers do things.
We constantly adapt and play things by ear.
That’s the fundamental rule, or maybe the hidden secret, of being an adventurer.
“Third! The ogre has magic swords! Two, no less!”
At that, the crowd of adventurers chatters excitedly, and everyone’s eyes seem to light up.
It’s no surprise, since most of the people here are after those swords.
“Quiet down! We’ve confirmed that the magic swords have fire and lightning properties! As promised, the two adventurers who contribute most to defeating the ogre will receive these swords!”
