“You know, you should have a little more faith in your own strength. As you are now, the monsters at the bottom of the gorge are barely any more of a threat than the monsters you fought in the forest. The reason everyone fears Reisen so much is because mana disperses quickly right after it’s emitted from the body, but that won’t even affect you since you use body strengthening. In fact, down there you’re way stronger than everyone else.”
“...As your master, I’m ashamed you didn’t realize something so simple.”
“Uuu... I’m sorry.” Tears welled up in Shea’s eyes at Yue’s rebuke. Awkwardly, she tried to change the subject.
“S-So then, are we going to camp in the valley? Or are we going to find a town to rest at?”
“I think a town. I want to stock up on food and convert some of the stuff I have lying around into cash. If the map I saw earlier is accurate, there should be a town around here somewhere.”
Hajime was more than ready to have a proper meal for once. Neither Hajime nor Yue had ever learned to cook, so all the food they’d made in the abyss had tasted bland. Then, in the sea of trees they’d been too focused on training the rabbitmen to worry about cooking, so they’d just eaten whatever preserved food they had left. He was craving something that was cooked by someone with actual skill. And if he was going to be spending nights at inns and buying supplies, he’d need money. He had more rare monster materials than he could shake a stick at, so he wanted to convert some of it into cash. He also just wanted to relax a bit before they went back down into the gorge and started fighting again.
“Haaah... I see... Thank goodness.” Shea sighed with relief. Hajime gave her a puzzled look and asked why.
“Oh, I was just worried you’d head straight to Reisen Gorge and say something like ‘I can just live off monster meat.’ And Yue’s fine with your blood, so... I was worried I’d have to convince you to buy food. Thank god you still have some common sense. I didn’t know you still ate normal food, Hajime-san!”
“Of course I do... No way I’d eat monster meat if I had a choice. And what kind of monster do you see me as, anyway?”
“Some kind of new super carnivorous one?”
“Sounds to me like you want me to tie you to the back of the motorcycle and drag you to town.”
“Hey, wait, stop! Where’d you get that collar from!? Please don’t... I don’t want to die! Yue-san, help meeeeee!”
“You reap what you sow.” The merry trio’s banter was all that could be heard for miles along this vast empty plain.
They caught sight of the town a few hours later, around the time the sun was starting to set. A smile split Hajime’s face. Just like when he’d first seen the sun, the sight of that town really drove home the fact that he was finally free of the abyss. Yue was bouncing up and down in his lap too. Like him, she was excited to see civilization again. They exchanged glances and their smiles grew even wider.
“Um, sorry to disturb you two, but could you please take this collar off me now? I can’t seem to take it off on my own... Um, are you listening? Hajime-san? Yue-san? Please don’t ignore meee! You’re going to make me cry, okay? Do you really want to see me cry that bad!?” Both of their smiles only grew wider. When they were like that, no one could interrupt them. Not even the loud wailing of the poor little rabbit sitting behind them.
A few more minutes of driving brought them closer to the town, and the two finally returned to reality. Now that they were much closer they could see that it was a small village surrounded only by a makeshift fence and moat. There was a wooden gate where the village met the road, with tiny huts lining either side of it. That was probably where the gate guards were stationed. At least that meant it was at least big enough to warrant a guard, which signaled that Hajime would definitely be able to stock up on supplies. He smiled happily.
“If you’re in a good mood, could you please take this collar off me?” Shea grumbled unhappily as Hajime surveyed the town. There was a small inconspicuous jewel set inside the black collar attached to Shea’s neck. Though it had been her punishment for mouthing off to Hajime, it was actually a very stylish piece. But for some reason she couldn’t take it off, which was why she kept asking Hajime to do it for her.
They were close enough that the guardsmen would be able to spot them soon, so Hajime put away Steiff and they kept going on foot. There would’ve been a huge commotion if he rode into a town on a jet-black motorcycle, after all.
Shea complained during the entire trek, but Hajime and Yue simply ignored her all they while, as they swiftly journeyed towards their next destination.
Eventually, when they reached the town, two armored men came out of the huts on either side of the gate. They were covered in simple leather breastplates, and the longswords strapped to their waist were the only arms they carried. Rather than soldiers, they looked more like adventurers. They called for Hajime to stop.
“Halt. Show us your status plates, and tell us what you’re here for.” Standard procedure. The guards knew it too, and didn’t seem all that alert. Hajime dutifully took out his status plate and offered it to one of the guards.
“I’m mostly here to stock up on supplies. We’re on a journey.” The soldier-adventurer hmm’d disinterestedly and took a look at Hajime’s status plate. His eyes went wide. He quickly held it up to the light, then rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t just seeing things. Realizing what must have happened, Hajime knew he must have forgotten to disguise his stats.
There actually was a skill that let one alter the numbers on one’s status plate. Adventurers and soldiers made use of it extensively as having their information get out to the wrong people could be fatal. A dozen different lies flashed through the back of Hajime’s mind, so he just picked one at random.
“I was attacked by monsters a while back. It’s been broken ever since.”
“B-Broken? But...” One of the gate guards sputtered. It was only natural. Not only was level listed as unknown, but his stats and skills were utterly ridiculous. Status plates could break, but usually only in the physical sense, never something like this where it looked like it was glitching out. Normally, the guard would have laughed at him for telling an obvious lie, but with Hajime’s numbers being so stupidly high meant he wasn’t sure what to believe anymore. Hajime just shrugged his shoulders helplessly, then followed up on his previous statement.
“How else do you explain those numbers? If it was real, then I’d be some kind of monster. Do I look like the kind of person who could blow this whole town away just by lifting my finger?” He spread his arms wide like he was joking, and the guard smiled with him. If the status plate really was telling the truth, then Hajime was a monster far more powerful than any hero or demon lord. Even if it was unheard of, it still made more sense for his plate to be broken.
If the soldier-adventurer had known the truth, he would have fainted on the spot. Yue and Shea watched on in amazement as Hajime spun his lies without batting an eyelid.
“Haha, yeah, you certainly don’t look anything like a monster. I’ve never heard of a status plate breaking like this, but I guess there’s a first time for everything... Anyway, moving on to you two...” The guard switched his gaze to the two girls standing behind Hajime. They’d been partially hidden by Hajime’s frame before, so he hadn’t gotten a good look at them earlier, but he froze when he saw who Hajime was traveling with.
A crimson blush slowly spread up his face as he stared at Yue and Shea. Yue was, of course, a stunning beauty who resembled a masterfully crafted bisque doll. And Shea was just as alluring, as long as she kept her mouth shut. Basically, the two gate guards were completely smitten.
Hajime cleared his throat loudly. Returning to their senses, the two quickly looked back at Hajime.
“These two lost their plates when we were attacked by the monsters I was telling you about earlier. And this bunny girl here is, well... you understand, right?” The two of them nodded knowingly and returned Hajime’s status plate to him.<
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“But man, you sure got your hands on a cutie. I hear light-haired rabbitmen are pretty rare. You must be pretty rich, huh?”
The two of them kept stealing glances at the girls as the man spoke, his voice clearly filled with envy. Hajime merely shrugged his shoulders in reply, saying nothing.
“Well, whatever. You’re free to pass.”
“Thanks. Oh, yeah. Is there anywhere I can sell some of the materials I harvested?”
“Hm? There’s an adventurer’s guild down the central road. They’d be the people to ask about that. They’ve got maps of the town there too, if you need one.”
“Cool, thanks for the heads up.” Information in hand, Hajime and the others headed into town.
According to the sign hanging from the main gate, the town’s name was Brooke. The town was bustling with activity. Horaud, the town Hajime had been to when they’d first gone to train in the Orcus Labyrinth, had been bigger, but a number of stalls could still be seen lining the main road, with merchants hawking their wares and customers heatedly haggling.
For some reason, seeing all this activity around him made Hajime giddy with excitement. Yue, too, was grinning happily. Only Shea was trembling uncontrollably, glaring at Hajime with teary eyes. She didn’t yell, but simply glared angrily at him. Unable to ignore her any longer, Hajime let out a tired sigh. Grumbling to himself, he turned to face Shea.
“What is it? I finally get to enjoy being around other people again, so what are you glaring at me for? You look like some kind of terrible gorilla monster that I have to keep myself from dropping a boulder on.”
“Excuse me, I don’t look like a gorilla! And what’s with that description! I’m starting to feel bad for this poor gorilla you probably killed!”
“...But didn’t you get all teary-eyed like that after smelling your armpit?”
“Not you too!? How mean, I did not!”
Shea was as boisterous as always. She frantically flapped her arms, protesting his words hotly. As an aside, that gorilla monster Hajime was referring to was the one he’d ended up using as a test subject for his Compression Synthesis. It had been purely for research, not enjoyment. Though it had tried to sniff Yue. Hajime’s Steel Arms skill had come from it, actually.
“Do something about this collar! Everyone thinks I’m your slave...Hajime-san, you put this on me on purpose, didn’t you? How cruel. I thought we were comrades!” Even when she was angry, Shea didn’t really sound like it. Though she’d still found it quite a shock that her supposed companions were trying to make her look like a slave. Of course, the collar Hajime had put on her wasn’t an actual slave collar, nor did it really have any ability to bind her. Shea knew that as well. Still, it was a shock.
Seeing her in honest distress, Hajime scratched his head awkwardly.
“Look, do you really think a beastman could walk around town in the open if they weren’t someone’s slave? Especially a little bunny girl like you, since you’re so popular. Plus, you have white hair and a nice figure. I can guarantee you that if you weren’t wearing that collar, someone would try and capture you the moment we entered town. And then it’d all become one huge mess of kidnappers. And that would be a pain... Wait, what are you blushing like that for?” Over the course of his explanation, Shea’s angry glare had been replaced by a shy blush. By the end, she was cupping her cheeks in her hands and squirming in embarrassment. Yue just glared at her coldly.
“O-Oh you, Hajime-san. I can’t believe you’d be so bold out in public. Saying things like I’ve got a nice figure, or a great personality, or that I’m the cutest, sexiest girl in the world. My, how embarra— Bugaah!?” Yue’s fist interrupted Shea’s exaggerated delusions. Her subsequent scream had not an iota of cuteness to it. Also, since she hadn’t defended herself with body strengthening, her cheek had a big red welt on it.
“...Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“I’b shorry, Yue-san.”
Shea trembled at the coldness in Yue’s voice. Tired of their little skit, Hajime cut them off by continuing his explanation.
“Anyway, pretending you’re a slave when we’re in human territory is for your sake. I’d rather not end up having to save you from trouble every time we go to a town.”
“I... get that, but...” She understood logically why Hajime was doing it. But she still found it hard to swallow. She’d placed great importance on the idea that they were comrades, and she was loathe to throw it away, even if it was just a pretense. This time, it was Yue who tried to convince her.
“...It doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks you are.”
“Yue-san?”
“All that matters is that the people important to you know the truth... Right?”
“...Yeah, you’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
“...Good. Though it kind of irks me. You’re someone I’ve recognized Shea... so stop getting worked up over every little thing.”
“Yue-san... Ehehe... Thanks.”
In the past, Yue had wielded her power for the sake of her people. Though she spoke little, the answers she’d found after her dramatic betrayal carried a great deal of weight. Hence why they resounded within Shea’s heart. Hajime, Yue, and the other Haulia all knew she was their comrade, which was all that mattered. There was no need to shout it to the rest of the world if that would bring unnecessary trouble. Of course, that still wouldn’t stop her from wishing she could... Shea smiled shyly at Yue before turning to look back at Hajime. There was a hopeful look in her eyes. Guess I’ve gotta say something too. Hajime shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, if word gets out and slavers come after you, we won’t abandon you at least.”
“Even if you have to turn everyone in town into your enemy?”
“You know I’ve already killed a bunch of imperial troops, right?”
“So you’d help me even if it meant making the entire kingdom your enemy? Fufu...”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Even if I have to go up against the entire world, or the gods themselves, if they make themselves my enemy, I’ll fight them.”
“Fufufu, Yue-san, did you hear that? Hajime-san sure says some pretty embarrassing things. He must really care about us!”
“...The only one he cares about is me.”
“Hey, come on, read the mood! You were just supposed to say ’...Yeah.’ like you always do there.” Though she was complaining, Shea still had a smile on her face. Hearing Hajime say that he’d fight the entire world for her sake had made her feel extremely happy. Especially since she’d fallen in love with him.
Hajime ignored their antics and continued explaining his decision to put a collar on her.
“Also, that collar has a telepathy stone and a sight stone packed into it, so you can use them in an emergency. Just pour some mana into it and they’ll activate.”
“A telepathy stone and a... sight stone?”
As its name suggested, the telepathy stone allowed its wielder to telepathically communicate with others. Hajime had created it using the creation magic he’d learned in the labyrinth. The distance one could reach another with it was dependent on the amount of mana put into the stone. However, any transmissions made with the telepathy stone would be broadcast to anyone in range who also possessed one, so they weren’t suited for secret conversations.
The sight stone was also something he’d crafted with creation magic. He had added Sense Presence [+Precision Sensing] into a regular stone. This skill allowed a previously marked target to be pinpointed among a group of other presences. Thus, the collar also served as a kind of beacon for Hajime to find Shea at any time. The strength of that beacon, much like the range of the telepathy stone’s transmissions, was dependent on how much mana Shea poured into it.
The longer she listened to the explanation, the more grateful she grew to Hajime.
“Oh also, you can remove it by putting a set amount of mana into it, okay?”
“I see. So in other words... you gave this to me so you could he
ar my voice whenever you wanted, and so that you’d always know where I am, right? Are you really that obsessed with me? That’s a little weird, but, well, it’s not like I hate it or anyth— Bragahgwa!?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“Ugh... I’m sorry.”
Yue’s hand carved a perfect arc before connecting squarely with the back of Shea’s head and sending her sprawling to the ground. Her voice was as cold as ice. Hajime was beginning to wonder if Yue really was as bad at close combat as she claimed. And just because Yue had allowed Shea to accompany them, that didn’t mean she appreciated her making passes at Hajime. Though it was in doubt whether or not Shea’s actions could even be considered “making a pass.”
After a few more minutes of walking, the merry troupe found themselves staring at a building with a big longsword drawn onto its signboard. It was the same sign Hajime had seen in Horaud, the mark of the adventurer’s guild. Though this building seemed to be only roughly half the size of the one in Horaud.
Hajime pushed open the heavy wood doors and stepped inside. Since the words adventurer’s guild brought to mind images of rough and tumble types, Hajime had expected the inside to be dingy, but it was surprisingly clean. There was a counter directly ahead, while the entire left-hand side seemed to be a restaurant. A number of adventurers were sitting around chatting or eating meals. Judging by the fact that not a single one of them was drinking alcohol, Hajime assumed the establishment didn’t serve any. Guess they don’t want drunks messing up the place.
The moment Hajime stepped through the door, everyone’s attention shifted to him. Normally, an unknown group of three wouldn’t attract attention for too long, but their curiosity was piqued once people’s gazes shifted from Hajime to the two girls standing behind him. There was more than one appreciative murmur, and a few of the adventurers were smacked by their female companions. That there were more punches than slaps seemed fitting for a group of adventurers.
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 2 Page 15
