《Transported to an Absurd World》 Prologue — Unfortunate? Not Really I sat in the center of a dark room. There were no windows, and the doors appear to be shut tight. There was no light to illuminate the room. But my eyes can somehow guess the interior. There were candles on the floor, furnitures like tables and chairs here and there, and cups that are either glass or metal, I can''t tell. The room was moderately large, I thought this was a room for welcoming guests. And among these things, one thought came up to me. (¡­.I don''t know this place.) This wasn''t any room that I would know. It was obviously not mine, I live in a meager apartment by myself, and there is no way to be in an acquaintance''s house. I don''t have any person to call as friends either. ¡°¡­.Ah.¡± And I remembered. No, it was a fragment. Why a fragment? ¡°¡­.I died?¡± And why a question? The answer is that I felt no pain, nor any recollection of being hit by that speeding car in my memories. But one thing was certain. I, who was supposed to be dead, am alive, and has no injuries whatsoever.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. I stand up, and as I did, the candles in the room lit up, one by one. And the room was revealed. It was indeed moderately large, and tables and chairs were indeed here and there. The cups on the tables turned out to be goblets and chalices. The room itself was black, floor, walls, ceiling and all. From where I stand, a red carpet stretches from the door in front of me to the end of the room behind me. As i turn around, I found one huge mirror, and within was my reflection. But¡­ ¡°Who?¡± It wasn''t me who was reflected. I''m a girl with a height of 155cm, black hair that extends just above my shoulders and black eyes. But the mirror shows a girl of shorter height, probably around 144cm, with pale skin and long hair that extends to the ground. Its color was pure white. Still eyes that was devoid of emotions was staring at me, which boasts a beautiful azure color. Pink, moist lips that suits the childish yet alluring face. Wearing a white one piece with a red string tied into a knot on the chest area, a girl who looks like a 14 year old. This was the reflection. ¡°¡­.¡± *wave wave* *jump* It was me. But the transformation was unbelievable. The me right now looks like a girl made by the gods themselves. A beauty that is so charming, yet the childish appearance makes it wickedly cute. Nevertheless, I was terrifyingly charming. ¡°¡­.¡± *charin!* Pose. A superhero pose. Cute. Oops, I got sidetracked. But. Just a little bit. I''m gonna enjoy my mysterious change a bit more. Chapter 1 — Who, What, Where? ¡°Fuu¡­¡± I breath out and calm myself. I had too much fun posing in the mirror. Back to my situation. I am currently in a black room full of candles and furnitures. There are no windows so I don''t know where I am. The only thing left is the closed door. But first... ¡°It seems I still have my memories intact.¡±¡¯ I think so. Name, age and other personal information, check. My knowledge in earth, still here. Excluding the day of the incident, I still have my memories. Shinohara Saya. 17 years old. No outstanding features. Plain. That was me. That is, before becoming this absurdly beautiful girl. ¡°¡­I''ll go out, I guess. Nothing to do here anymore.¡± Maybe someone can help me with my situation. In order to do that, I should get out of this room first. I pushed the doors wide, and cold wind flowed into the room, extinguishing the flames of all the candles. The room turned dark, but the hallway in front of me was bright. ¡°Where am I, really.¡± I wandered in the wide hallway. One straight path lit by yellow flames. I soon reached a staircase that leads up. But¡­ (¡­.What''s that?) A conspicious figure is blocking the staircase. If I look closely, it looks like an armor of some sort, with six arms spread out. It has no weapons, whatsoever. It''s looking at me. I think it is. ¡°¡­What now, that thing looks scary.¡± There was only one pathway, and that armor guy was blocking it. Should I approach it? No no no, it may attack me you know? (I''ve no choice, do I?) Persuading myself, I walk forward. The armor guy crossed one pair of arms, the other pair is spread lowly and the rest was raised upwards. It bended its waist, making a sitting posture, and folded its left leg, resting it on the knee of its right leg. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.(¡­.) Disregarding the ominous oni mask and helmet, its pose looks like Buddha. And then... [¡ª tnemegduj evig dna nwod ekirts, Heaven Strike.] I heard some kind of chant, and it lowered one of its arms in my direction. The armor guy suddenly released bloodlust. (?!) I felt some kind of heavy impact. The next thing I knew, I was kneeling. The floor where I stand has caved in, creating a creater with me in its center. [¡ª ??] But I was uninjured. I was surprised though. Shocked! Both at myself and at that armor guy. If my knowledge gained in reading novels is true, that attack just now must be some kind of magic. And... (What exactly am I?) Though I felt it''s bloodlust, I felt no fear. Though I was attacked by some heavy force, I wasn''t injured. This small frame is unexpectedly sturdy. Not! This doesn''t feel human-like. I don''t hate it though, I think. [¡ª ssendik htiw ekirts, Palm Strike.] While I was in thought, the armor began to attack again. Its mechanical voice echoed, and two arms with open palms covered in white light came flying at me. (That doesn''t look like magic. Magic needs to be flashy you know.) Of course, I didn''t recieve that one. I jumped back. The hands came crashing, but it didn''t stop and followed me. (¡­To be calm in this situation, what exactly happened to me?) Not to brag or anything, but I wasn''t emotionless like this before. When I evaded on the third time, I had created a significant distance between us. ¡°I need to attack. But how?¡± Should I punch it? [¡ª rafa morf tnemegduj esaeler, Heavenly Blast.] This time, all six arms were clenching its fists, clad in white light. It began its barrage. (Projectile attack, huh.) Those white lights was shot by its fists, and flew in a straight line. (¡­.) I blocked it with my thin arms. (I really don''t feel any pain. Maybe it''s weak?) Or maybe I''m too strong. That doesn''t sound bad. So I decided. I ran straight, and ignored the white lights flying at me. The lights does no damage anyways. [¡ª?!!] I arrived in front of the armor, and¡­ ¡°Sorry, but I need to pass through.¡± I punched its chest. The armor guy flew and crashed at the bottom of the staircase. The armor fell, piece by piece. ¡°¡­It''s empty, as expected.¡± I figured its identity when I closed in on it. It was a Living Armor. In the novels I read, these things were armors that serve as guards in dungeons and the like. Now then. the path is now open. I hope I find someone who answer my questions. I resolved myself again. ¡°Onwards, I go!" *charin!* Pose. Victory pose. Umu. I feel satisfied. Chapter 2 — Jajan! Pose with Confidence! I climbed. It was a grand, spiral staircase. On it lay a red carpet. This place sure likes red carpets. "¡­..¡± I climbed silently. I was barefoot after all. The carpet feels nice and soft. ¡°Dizzy... When will I reach the top?¡± This is one hell of a staircase[1]. Just kidding. I''ve been climbing for an hour, I think. I''m not sure because I have no means to tell the time. ¡°Hm.. Hmmm¡­¡± I''ve been thinking on how to use magic. I haven''t progressed far though. My knowledge is limited, you know? In the novels I read, magic is made by using mana or some catalyst to actualize an image. You picture a ball of fire if you want to cast a fire ball, and the like. I think so. And so, my very first obstacle in the path of magic is... language. ¡°I have no idea how to speak the chants.¡± The language used in chanting the spell is some kind of unknown language. I have no idea how to speak it, and obviously, I don''t understand it. ¡°I only have knowledge based on the novels I read after all.¡± I have yet to understand anything on this world. That much is apparent. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.If anything, I''m more concerned in my lack of emotions. Are you telling me that I didn''t only change physically, but also mentally? What''s with that, scary. ¡°Ah... Mm, I see it.¡± I mumble as I saw light escaping up top. I''m close from getting out of this place. (I also need to test my abilities. Let''s try not to be reckless though.) While thinking such things, I made it outside. ¡°Umu. Well done, me.¡± As expected of the great me. I made it out. That was one long staircase. The outside world sure is nice! Or so I thought. ¡°Is this still indoors?¡± While the hallway earlier was spacious, this floor is a league in its own. ¡°Is this a continent? I hope not¡­¡± Indeed! The landmass in front of me extends beyond the horizon, but the sky wasn''t visible. Instead, white crystals shine in the dark ceiling, as if it was a night sky littered with stars. This is without a doubt, not the outside. This is bullying. I''ll cry, you know! Shattering my hope like that. ¡°Is this place¡­ It''s probably a dungeon, right?¡± I''m convinced. This place might be a huge dungeon. Is my quest of finding someone to help me out of question? Not yet, probably. ¡°I just have to get out right? I might meet someone who can help me along the way. Umu! Don''t lose hope, me!¡± *Jajan!* Reassuring pose. Confidence up! Once again, onwards! *grumble¡­* ¡°¡­.Hungry.¡± ....I guess I''ll find food first. I hope I find something edible here. Chapter 3 — Encounter? I asked because I wasnt sure I am currently inhabiting a small cave. The land was more than plains and forests, it also has mountains and hills, although few. I began to test my physical abilities and had captured small animals in the process. Surprisingly, this place looks like a normal forest than a dangerous dungeon. The animals I caught was two rabbit-like creatures with horns on their forehead. I''ll be cooking them for dinner. I''m not really sure how though. ¡°Uhm¡­ I should drain the blood then skin it, I think. I also read that this is preferrably done near a water source.¡± Draining blood could attract monsters, but I have my cheat strength, so I can fight with brute physical power. I got used to my body pretty easily, and my situation doesn''t bother me that much anymore. I need to adapt to survive! I thought as I make an imaginary pose. Umu. Focus on the present. I trek the mysterious forest. There were countless unknown plants, some has the same shapes like those on earth, like flowers. Not all of them though. The animals on the other hand looked physically different. Rabbits don''t have dangerous horns on their foreheads! Other than those, the places I''ve explored so far didn''t have anything else. After doing the preparations for dinner, I head back to the cave. ¡°Muu¡­ I need to light the fire next.¡± I pondered over how to start a fire. I tried to use some rocks that I found as flintstones, but those end up being smashed in the process. What absurd strength! I need to properly control it. ¡°How about this?¡± I spin one stick on top of a small branch with dry leaves, and luckily, I was able to make a small fire. Surround it with rocks... and the campfire is now made. ¡°Aah¡­ Warm and cozy.¡± I barbecued the rabbits over the fire. The cave is properly doing its job, sheltering me for the night. ¡°Small steps. I''ll head out tomorrow...¡± I hope I''ll find someone else here. A friendly one. I close my eyes and sleep. *****If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Oooiii~ Wake up~¡± Hnng¡­ So noisy¡­ ¡°If you don''t wake up¡ª This one will do bad things to youu~¡± ¡°¡­Ugh.. Who?¡± When I woke up, I was in a white room. What the heck. I was sure I slept in the cave. What''s more, it was a white room this time. In the center, or if you can call it the center, is me and one other girl. She had a small stature, with pale blond hair reaching just above her shoulders. Her eyes had the color of blood. And she has this aloof atmosphere that betrays her threatening gaze. ¡°Hello there, Saya~ Nice to meet you for the second time.¡± ¡­.Pretty sure I''ve never met you. ¡°Oh how sad. Did you really forget this one? ¡± ¡°¡ª?!¡± ¡­.She can read my mind? ¡°Well~ This one is a bit special. But to think you''d forget. Let this one explain your situation once more!.¡± ¡°¡­I''ll listen.¡± ¡°Ehem! Then¡­¡± Long story short, I was supposed to be summoned here for some kind of purpose but then I died abruptly so she had to compromise. The end result is as you know. ¡°¡­How mean. You were supposed to sing praise to this one for explaining things to you. And yet, you remember what this one said last time.¡± ¡°Not really. It was a hypothesis based on my knowledge on reading novels. But to think that it was really the case¡­¡± ¡°Your death was untimely, but your transporting here is this one''s responsibility. But to think you''d lost your memory of it during the process¡­¡± ¡°It must be your doing right? You¡­ probably intentionally deleted it because I had some negative reaction to it. Well, I''ll never know, but look¡­ I don''t mind at all... If anything else, I''d give my thanks for giving me a second life...¡± ¡°¡­This one is surprised. You are level-headed, kind and forgiving. Or maybe you trust others to the point of foolishness. But still, I must give you something for the trouble¡­ Oh! This one has an idea!¡± She clapped her hands and the chimes of bells echoed in the distance. White feathers softly drops from above, as if it was rain. ¡°This one will grant you my divine blessing. It will protect you in your journey. That will be this one''s gift to you.¡± She reached her hand to my head and bestowed me her divine protection. I don''t feel anything new, though I''ll still gratefully accept it. ¡°Thank you... One more thing¡­¡± ¡°What is it?~¡± ¡°You may have told me your name before¡­ but I don''t remember¡­ so, can you please tell me again?¡± The girl smiles widely. She hugs me close and whispers to my ear. ¡°This one''s name is¡­¡± *CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!* The church bells drowned all the sounds, and my consciousness drifted away. Chapter 4 — Change! [version 2] When I woke up, it was morning. Dew formed on the surrounding plants. It was a cool, misty morning. And there was the feeling of change in me. It was the divine blessing. ¡°¡­.This is too much of a cheat.¡± The blessing gave me the following: ¨CSkill: Language Comprehension & Construction ¨CSkill: Genesis of Magic ¨CTitle: Root of Magic Ehem! Explanation time! *kachin!*, as I make a ¡®Repositioning my glasses¡¯ pose. First, Language Comprehension & Construction. It''s that classic novel cheat where I get to understand and comprehend any language I hear. The ¡®Construction¡¯ part is where every word I speak and write will be constructed in the language I want it to be. Second was the Genesis of Magic. I gain the knowledge on all existing magic and how they came to be. This also enables me to omit chanting if I want to. Also, I can create original spells because of this. Lastly was the title, Root of Magic. This one gives me the skill Mana Manipulation Level 10. This skill is obtained by having Mana Perception Level 10 and Mana Control Level 10. It will automatically be fused together to form Mana Manipulation. By the way, skills have levels from 1-10, 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. And all these came from that divine blessing. ¡°¡­In the meantime¡­ [Status].¡± I invoked the status checking spell, [Status]. The effect is as the name implies, checks the status of oneself or someone else. My Status Window appeared as a transparent floating text box.
Name: Saya
Race: Divine Core - Form(Human)
Title/s:
White Palace Labyrinth Master Root of Magic
Natural Calamity One who Cheats Death
Status
Strength: 712(1127)
Agility: 581(834)
Vitality: 782
Magic: 534(1267)
Skills:
Mana Manipulation (Level 10 [MAX]) Godly Strength (Level 7)
Amplify Magic (Level 8) Swiftness (Level 7)
Immortality (Special) Genesis of Magic (Special)
Perpetual Boost - Strength (Special) Transformation (Special)
Language Comprehension & Construction (Special) Divine Blessing of Nihil Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
¡°¡­No matter how I look at it, I''m not human.¡± My race displays Divine Core - Form(Human). Simply put, I''m a magic core, the Dungeon Core of this dungeon to be exact, manifested as a human. I was told that I was supposed to be summoned here, but as my physical body was destroyed, they transported my soul instead and it occupied the Dungeon Core. How? It''s that Deus, Nihil''s doing. And when my soul possessed the Dungeon Core, it transformed into a human. And what''s with these absurd titles, ¡°Natural Calamity¡± and ¡°One who Cheats Death?¡± These titles give the skills Perpetual Boost - Strength, which gives a boost in the Strength status, and Immortality, respectively. By the way, Amplify Magic passively boosts my Magic status, along with Genesis of Magic. Because of this, my unbelievable status became more unbelievable. ¡°¡­Oh..¡± *KACHIN!* Idea! Nice one, me! I said as I made an imaginary high five with myself. ¡°[Sealing Accessories]¡± My very first Original Magic! Along with infusing multiple [Seal] spells, these ¡®Sealing Accessories¡¯ act as mediums for the [Seals]. What''s more, an original [Seal] is placed. I name it [Sealing Booster], which boosts any [Seal] spells. I now have huge golden armlets on both my wrists. Oddly enough, they don''t seem to fall off even though they''re loose. ¡°¡­I should be considerably weaker than before. [Status]¡±
Name: Saya
Race: Divine Core - Form(Human)
Title/s:
White Palace Labyrinth Master Root of Magic
Natural Calamity One who Cheats Death
Status
Strength: 712(1127) [Seal Effect - 109]
Agility: 581(834) [Seal Effect - 168]
Vitality: 782 [Seal Effect - 101]
Magic: 534(1267) [Seal Effect - 132]
Skills:
Mana Manipulation (Level 10 [MAX]) Godly Strength (Level 7) [Seal Effect - Level 2]
Amplify Magic (Level 8) [Seal Effect - Level 3] Swiftness (Level 7) [Seal Effect - Level 2]
Immortality (Special) Genesis of Magic (Special)
Perpetual Boost - Strength (Special) Transformation (Special)
Language Comprehension & Construction (Special) Divine Blessing of Nihil
¡°¡­Well, better than before.¡± I just hope I won''t have too much of a hard time here now. Well, let''s just see how it goes. ¡°Well, new morning , new me. Onwards! Our goal is escaping this dungeon!¡± *KACHIN!* Pose with power and confidence! Today feels like a lucky day. And out the cave I go. Chapter 5 — Confirming things because I have free time While venturing deep into the forest, I began to check some things. Being the dungeon core I am, I thought I could alter the dungeon at my will. It turns out, I can''t! Maybe if I were in the room I came from back then, which could possibly be the Core Floor, then I can. I also don''t have memories when I was just a core. Which means I don''t know how many floors this dungeon has or what monsters are in here. Next, my status. I fought a few monsters here and there, and I think I had more control over my power now. It wasn''t as overkill as before but it was still a one-sided match. Currently, I have fought against orcs and goblins. They were just like what I pictured them. Goblins are small, agile monsters with green skin. Orcs are huge and fat. They don''t have a pig head though, they''re like huge versions of goblins. ¡°¡­Is that it?¡± Before I knew it, a huge door was in front of me. I guess when in doubt, forward is the answer! ¡°I''m just glad I''ll be out of here.¡± I pushed the door. But it didn''t open. It was tight shut, like a decoration. ¡°¡­?¡± But! Something is happening. It was the flow of mana! ¡°T-This is¡ª?!¡± A magic circle! A huge magic circle popped up below me when I touched the door. The sudden flow of mana was the activation of this magic! ¡°Is this teleportation magi¡ª?!¡± And I was out. All of a sudden, I was free falling in the sky. Below me is sweet land, a place where land creatures like me belong. ¡°What''s with this?! This, this situatiooooon¡ª!!!¡± Aaaah! I''m falling, I''m falling too fast! I need to do something quick! ¡°Aaah! Damn it! [Fly]!¡± *WHOOOOOOSH!!!* I barely made it! I stopped my descent and flew upwards. I safely landed myself on the plains not too far from my original drop off. ¡°Just now, that was that, right?! A trap! My dungeon is crafty if do say so myself!¡± *suuu* I breath in air. *haaaa* Whew¡­ All calmed down. But seriously, that could have been dangerous. I don''t know if that fall would be fatal to my sealed state. It may be, but even if it wasn''t, doing a 10,000 meter skydive isn''t exactly a nice experience for me. I look around. I am currently at a plain. Behind me is a forest. A distance away in the front is another forest. I looked back. Behind the forest was a giant, white spiral stone. That was the White Palace Labyrinth. Above me was a beautiful sky painted with the color of sunset. Cold wind touced my cheeks, my white hair swaying with the wind. My body, trembling. ¡°Mmmmmmm! I made it! I''m out!!¡± I shouted. I jumped. I''m out! ¡°Ahahahahaha!! Hahahahaha!¡± I ran in circles. It was a nice feeling. It was as if a heavy burden was lifted off me. I feel free! This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I guess this isn''t so bad.¡± This officially starts my second life. Outside of my own dungeon, and into the world of unknown! Thrilling adventures awaits me! ¡°Mmm!! Okay!¡± I stomped my right foot heavily into the ground, but it didn''t sink in. There was magic on my right foot. ¡°[Original Magic ¨C Sonar]¡± [Sonar] is activated upon any kind of physical impact on an object. It doesn''t deal damage, it sends out the physical and magical shockwave to scan an area. Given my status, it could probably reach a ten thousand or even hundred thousand meters. My [Sonar] reached far and wide in a circular pattern. And then I felt it. ¡°Mm. Good. I decided! That city will be my destination!¡± A city! A huge one! Its direction was in front of me. It would probably take me a week to get there. Forward, me! *JA-JAAAAN!!!* Energetic crane style pose!
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The White Palace Labyrinth was an old dungeon. It was said that it was formed in the era of old gods. Many Deus tried to destroy it, but to no avail. It was as if the dungeon itself was a Deus. It stood proudly, for 1000 years. It''s floors reaching 500, probably more. No one knows, the farthest floor humans has ever reached was floor 121. It was a legendary achievement, along with many deaths. It hasn''t progressed since then. Traps, powerful monsters and unimaginable mana flowed inside the White Palace Labyrinth. The mana gave the monsters power, and traps became more dangerous. And that very mana has now vanished. It became completely and eerily silent. Monsters were nowhere to be seen, traps weren''t activating. It was like it was just a huge cave now. What''s more, the beautiful white color befitting of the name White Palace, is now turning into jet-black color. It was dying. ¡°This is¡­ What in the world¡­¡± It all happened one week and four days ago. The dungeon was reported to be having low activity, and the overflowing mana was getting thinner. Two days later, two huge mana activity was felt from the Labyrinth. The first was from deep within the Labyrinth, the second from the plains a distance away. However, upon checking on the plains, there was nothing found. And then it began. The White Palace began to turn black. And it came. Yesterday, the White Palace Labyrinth, the dungeon that withstood the Deus'' onslaughts and has stood there for a thousand years, has crumbled mysteriously, leaving behind a huge crater. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± This man who is in deep thought and is evidently panicking, was the head of the Adventurer''s Guild of the city, Deinaria. He was inside his office in the Adventurer''s Guild. With him was the Mayor of Deinaria. ¡°What do you think, Guild Leader Aston?¡± ¡°¡­.I don''t know. This is really unexpected.¡± The White Palace Labyrinth is an ancient relic. It was believed that it would continue to exist for as long as mana existed in this world. And the news that the White Palace has now crumbled gave the world a shock. ¡°Mayor Herton, how goes the merchants?¡± ¡°Prices got way up, things being in demand. You name it. It''s chaos.¡± ¡°And this is only the first day. I''d like to think it would settle down after a few years but¡­¡± ¡°Mm. It will take a very long time.¡± Dungeons are controlled so that it wouldn''t bring harm to this world. They leave the old ones as is, because they are more stable than they look like. New dungeons, however, tend to bring destruction in its wake. This is why some dungeons are left to grow, some are left on their own because disturbing it would actually give more trouble, and some are destroyed early. Humans are dependent on the dungeons. It provides them materials and other things. The merchants buy them from the adventurers, and the adventurers make money. ¡°Perhaps¡­. Someone destroyed it?¡± ¡°Herton, stop it. If that happened, that person isn''t human.¡± White Palace Labyrinth stood its ground against the gods for a thousand years. Of course everyone would believe it to be indestructable. ¡°Then¡­ did it reached the end of its core''s lifespan?¡± ¡°Dungeon cores have no lifespan. They''re a special type of Magic Crystal. As long as there is mana, it would continue to function.¡± ¡°Then Aston, what do suggest?¡± Guild Leader Aston shook his head and gave a sigh of defeat. ¡°Again, I don''t know.¡± It is clear that this will be a mystery case. It would later be known as ¡°The White Palace''s Requiem¡±, the day when everything began to change. Chapter 6 — Deinaria, The White City "......" A bustling city, full of people. Food stalls littter the center plaza, children are frolicking and chasing each other, people are lively and merchants and adventurers negotiating with each other. This is the city I found a week and three days ago. Deinaria, the White City. This city has a duty given by the king, which is to manage the White Palace Labyrinth. It may be the reason as to why it is called the White City. And yes, majority of the city''s color is white, with blue as next. I''m currently sitting on the ledge of a water fountain in the center plaza. "....Isn''t it... a tad lively?" Or is it always like this? Hm? What, you''re asking me why I''m here? The reason leads back two days ago. "Heeey!" ".....Hrm." And also because of this girl, Senia.
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¡°Uhmm¡­ Kid, where''s your parents?¡± ¡°....Like. I. Said... I''m not a lost little girl... Would you just let me in already?¡± That''s right! Exactly two days ago , when I arrived here I was treated like a lost kid! Outrageous! ¡°Uhm¡­ even if you say that¡­ if you don''t have any kind of identification with you, you need to pay the toll, but¡­¡± ¡°...Gkh, curses¡­¡± It wasn''t long since I got here, so of course I don''t have money. I should have taken something in that black room so I could sell it. ¡°Ooooi~ Gatekeeper, I''ll pay this child''s fee so can you let her in?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh,Senia huh. I guess... that would be fine too. Girly, please place your hand on the [Fenero Stone].¡± Behind the gatekeeper was a pedestal with some weird stone tablet with engravings. ¡°¡­. What''s this thing?¡± ¡°You don''t know? The [Fenero Stone] tells us if a person has a criminal record. It''s also used in the guild for a [Status] check.¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.¡°¡­.. So?¡± ¡°Ah, don''t worry. The ones at the gate only tells us if you have a criminal record. Although I don''t think you have, this is part of the procedures.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It''s okay. Here..¡± I put my hand on top of the stone. It glowed with a yellow color. "Ok. Please enter.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Also, thanks lady.¡± ¡°Ahahaha~ It''s fine, it''s fine! Then, you can accompany me for a few days as exchange. This must be your first time here right? You also don''t have money, it seems.¡± ¡°Urk¡­ That''s true¡­¡± ¡°So, let this Senia take care of you~ Ehuehuehuehe, to have such a cute girl accompany me, ehuehuehuehe¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Ah, if you''re wondering about my journey through here, it all went without hitch. Yes, outside the forest was a well maintained road, and there were no monsters around. Disappointed Saya is disappointed And so, we return to the present.
**********
"Saya~, what''s wrong?" "....Listen, Senia. We''ve toured the city for the past two days... Can I please do what I need to do?" "Eeeh~ but but, the deal was you''d accompany me in the city right?" "....Like I said, I''ve fulfilled my part." "Boo~" Senia stops and thinks. I stare at her. Jiiiiii~ "....Senia, can''t I?" Puppy eyes Saya mode! Surrender before my cuteness! "Hnng... No fair, Doing that..." Senia sighs in defeat. Mwahahaha! Saya wins! "Fine fine. I guess I''ve been selfish enough..." "....There''s also the part where you... spent most of your money for me...." "If it''s for a cute girl like Saya then I say it''s no problem!" Because I''m still penniless, Senia covered my expenses for the past few days. Seriously, stop. "....That''s why.... come with me to the Guild..." "Eh, wait wait. Saya wants to become an adventurer?! Nooooo~" "....What''s your problem? I need to find some source of income... or I''ll be broke forever.." ¡°Nooooo~ An adventurer''s job doesn''t suit the beautiful Saya! You can do paperwork, or any work behind the desk! You''re wasting such cuteness!¡± ¡°¡­.Being cute doesn''t really help in paperwork..¡± ¡°Then be a Guild receptionist! Or a mascot!¡± ¡°¡­.Senia, are you picking a fight with me?¡± ¡°Of course not! If you become a receptionist, then I''ll accept any guild request from you or even have you as my personal receptionist! And at that private room we can¡­ ehehehuehue¡± ¡°¡­.Senia, drool.¡± ¡°Ehehehuehue¡­ oops.¡± *sigh* Senia, is she really that against me being an adventurer? ¡­.Oh, Saya has come up with an idea! You sure are smart me. ¡°¡­Senia, if I become an adventurer, we can form a party you know.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡± Senia''s trembling. Oh dear, I wonder what she''s thinking. ¡°Gh¡­ If Saya becomes an adventurer, we can travel together forever¡­ but but she''ll be dirtied! Noooo! I''m conflicted!¡± ¡°¡­.Senia, please?¡± Finishing blow, Teary puupy eyes Saya! ¡°KYAAAAAAA?! SO CUUUTE!¡± Was it too effective? ¡°Don''t worry Saya! I''ll protect you no matter what!¡± ¡°¡­.That''s reassuring.¡± ¡°Now let''s think of our party name! I think Love Birds is fine! It''s decided! That will be our party name!¡± ¡°¡­.Naturally, refused.¡± ¡°Noooo~ But it''s the proof of our love~¡± ¡°¡­.No thanks.¡± We continued such exchanges while walking. Soon, I''ll be an adventurer. I can''t wait! Excited Saya is excited! I said in my mind as I did a fist pump pose. ¡°Saya?¡± ¡°¡­.It''s nothing.¡± Chapter 7 — Id like to apply! The Adventurers Guild! The Adventurer''s Guild. Commonly know as Guild, it is an organization centered on taking requests ranging from menial tasks to monster subjugations. And the one who takes these requests and fulfills them are the Adventurers. ¡°¡­..Huge.¡± ¡°It sure is~ It has to be, or else it wouldn''t be worthy of the name Adventurer''s Guild!¡± It has to be four stories tall. Not only tall but also wide. So this is the Adventurer''s Guild. I''m pumped up! ¡°¡­Umu. Onwards!¡± ¡°Ooooh~¡± We entered the Guild. Have courage and confidence me! ¡°¡­.Woah.¡± ¡°Hehehe, how is it? Deinaria''s adventurers? They look strong right?¡± Well, there''s a lot of variety. Full armor, robes, light armor. Newbies and professionals alike gather here. Some are lounging at a reception area, some are lined at the receptionists, some are gathered at the huge board, probably the request board. ¡°¡­.What a lively place.¡± ¡°Well then, let''s go and queue at one of the receptionists and have you registered. Then, we''ll register our party together, and have some private time... huehuehuehue *gulp* ¡± ¡°¡­.Refused.¡± ¡°No wayy~¡± All receptionists have a considerable amount of adventurers queued. I picked one line at random. ¡°Hohouh~¡­Saya, you picked Lio''s desk huh.¡± ¡°¡­.Lio?¡± Oh, I forgot to say this but not all receptionists are female. ¡°Well, you''ll know later. He''s also the receptionist I always go to.¡± ¡°¡­.Hm..¡± A few minutes passed and our turn came. He''s fast at managing people huh. ¡°Welcome. Ah¡­ Senia.¡± ¡°Hii~ I finished my request two days ago.¡± So this is Lio. He''s small in stature, maybe just a little more taller than me. I''m guessing about 152cm. He has short, brown hair with yellow eyes. ¡°Ah¡­ I see. Then, the proof.¡± ¡°Yes yes, here.¡± Senia hands him a parchment. Is that the proof of completion? I guess it varies depending on the request. ¡°Ah¡­ It is done. Here, the reward.¡± ¡°Thanks~ Also, can you please give this girl, Saya, a registration form? She wants to be an adventurer see.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Is that so. Then here. Fill up the name, age and race. Also, drip some blood on the [Fenero Stone].¡± He takes out a paper for registration and a small version of the [Fenero Stone]. I wrote what was asked and pricked my finger with the small knife he gave me. When I dripped my blood on the stone, he pressed the paper on top of it. The stone gave off a yellow glow, like last time. The glowing stopped after a few seconds, and he takes the paper off the stone. ¡°¡­Is that all?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes,that is all. Wait here, we will process your Guild Card. Ah¡­ that''s right. My name is Ellio. Call me however you like.¡± ¡°¡­.Mm. Okay.¡± Ellio goes upstairs with my registration form. It would take quite a while it seems. ¡°Let''s wait over there Saya. And let me cuddle you~¡± ¡°¡­.Mm. But no cuddling.¡± ¡°Eeeh~ Pleaase~¡± ¡°¡­.No.¡±
*****
We waited at the lounge. I say lounge, but it''s actually a small bar with tables and chairs. Quite a lot of adventurers have gathered here. Since I''ve got the time, I checked my status.
Name: Saya
Race: Divine Core - Form(Human)
Age(Human): 19
Age(Divine Core): 1251
Criminal Record: None
Title/s:
White Palace Labyrinth Master Root of Magic
Natural Calamity One who Cheats Death
Status
Strength: 724(1137) [Seal Effect - 121] (Strength up! +12)
Agility: 595(844) [Seal Effect - 182] (Agility up! +14)
Vitality: 793 [Seal Effect - 114] (Vitality up! +13)
Magic: 549(1267) [Seal Effect - 147] (Magic up! +15) Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Skills:
Mana Manipulation (Level 10 [MAX]) Godly Strength (Level 7) [Seal Effect - Level 2]
Amplify Magic (Level 8) [Seal Effect - Level 3] Swiftness (Level 7) [Seal Effect - Level 2]
Immortality (Special) Genesis of Magic (Special)
Perpetual Boost - Strength (Special) Transformation (Special)
Language Comprehension & Construction (Special) Divine Blessing of Nihil
Spells/Magic:
Status (Level 2) Sealing Accessories (Level 2) [Original Magic]
Sealing Booster (Level 2) [Original Magic] Strength Seal (Level 2)
Agility Seal (Level 2) Vitality Seal (Level 2)
Magic Seal (Level 2) Skill Seal (Level 2)
Fly (Level 2) Sonar (Level 2) [Original Magic]
Oh! New status window. Some stuff got added like age, criminal record and magic. I guess it adds on as the level goes. Yeah, spells also has levels, like skills. The spells listed here are the spells I used back then. If you''re wondering why they aren''t maxed out, it''s because [Genesis of Magic] only gives me knowledge about the spells and removes magic incompatibility, meaning when I use magic, I also start from Level 1. My stats also went up a little bit. I guess I need to update my seals when I get stronger. But for now, they remain as is. "Saya~? What''s wrong? Are you hungry?" "...Not really. Hm?" Ah, Ellio''s back. He''s beckoning at us, how cute. "Ah... We''ve started processing your Guild Card. However, it would take some time. Ah... It wouldn''t take too long though, you''ll recieve it today." "Is that so~? That''s good, right Saya?" "....No problem." "Then then, let''s register our party! Lio, we''d like to form a party!" "Ah... You''d have to wait for her Guild Card. It''s needed to form a party." "....Senia, be patient." "Ehh~ But the sooner the better!" "Ah... Stop with your childish demands. We can''t hurry the process of making Guild Cards." While we were having such talks, I noticed a presence behind me. "What''s this? Senia, you''re back, huh!" "Hm? Oh, Rayl, been a while~" Heeh... Senia knows this guy. He''s huge and muscular. He has spiky hair and a face full of smiles. He has a large shield on his back and a sword hanging on his waist. I wonder if his back''s doing fine. "Hm? Oh, who''s this cute miss?" "Hehehe~ She''s a friend!" "....Hello, I''m Saya." "Oh, I''m Rayleigh! Senia calls me Rayl. I''m a friend of Senia too! Nice to meetcha!" "....Likewise." "Not very talkative huh! That''s fine too, hahahahaha!" Rayleigh gives a hearty laugh. He seems like a nice person. "Rayleigh! Don''t go wandering on your own! We can''t complete the quest because you have the proof!" "That''s right Rayleigh. Tell us beforehand before you go wandering off." Oh, some more people came. A girl with a pointed hat and a metal staff. She wears a black robe over her clothes. The other one is a man with platinum white hair and dark grey coat. He has a long bow hanged on his back. Hm? Pointy ears? "....Elf?" "Girl, is this the first time that you''ve seen an elf? Oh, my apologies. I am Endalfein. Pleased to meet you.... um..." "....Saya, Likewise, pleased to meet you." "What''s this cute creature?! Kyaaa! You''re such a cutie!" "Ah! Heeey! Don''t go fawning over Saya without my permission! I''m so jealous! I mean, stop it!" Urk... The magican girl hugged me so suddenly it surprised me. Senia was saying some ridiculous things on the back, but she''s not helping. Help me out already will you. "....Hey, stop it." "Oh! Sorry! You were just so cute, I kinda did it on reflex!" "What rude manners. Introduce yourself will you. I''m sorry on behalf of this girl. She is ¡ª " "Rinne! I''m a beastman, well, beastwoman. Nice to meet you!" "....Oh, likewise." Does this mean she has animal ears and a tail? I must know! So I asked. "Yeah, I have them! See here, they''re hidden by my hat and robe." She takes off her hat and shows me her animal ears. Above her straight blue hair rests pointy cat ears. On her back is a long white tail. So she''s a Cat Beastman. "...Cute. Thanks." "Kyaaaaa! You''re much cuter!" "Ahem! I''m sorry we''ve gone off topic. We are Rayleigh''s party members." "....Ooh... quite a lineup." "That''s right! With Rayleigh''s defense, Dal''s (Endalfein) precision shooting and my powerful magic, we''re unstopabble!" Hmph! Rinne puffs her chest with pride. I see. A well balanced, three-man party. "So, Rayleigh, let us submit the proof of completion so we can complete our quest." "Wait, Dal. Senia, won''t you reconsider joining our party?" "Naturally, I refuse~" Ooh. So Rayleigh tried to recruit Senia to his party before. This is quite interesting. "....Did Rayleigh invite Senia before?" "Yes, but she refused. Rayleigh has been persistent ever since then." "You see, Senia doesn''t like being in a party! I wonder why?" "I just like working alone~ I also get to hog all the rewards for myself~" "Come on, Senia! It''s dangerous being solo! It''s safer with a party." "Don''t worry~ Because!" Ah. I got a bad feeling about this. Oh, Ellio came back with something in his hand. Since when did he leave? "Ah... Saya, we''re done processing your Guild Card. Here. Ah... Explanation of rules and such will begin tomorrow. You need to attend." "....Mmm, thanks." "Perfect timing~ Now we can register our party! You see Rayl, I''m partying with Saya so it''s fine~" " " " Eh? " " " What''s with that reaction? Do I really look unreliable? "Ah... Party registration is possible after her briefing, so do that tomorrow." ................ Silence. Ellio went back to his reception duties. Rayleigh and his party stood there in shock and Senia is in her own world. Damn it! I''m strong okay! What''s with this day! Chapter 8 — A Normal Day for Once! Morning. The cold wind whispers, waking me from my slumber. Light enters my eyes. What greeted me was the sight of the curtains dancing with the wind. Faint light seeps through the gaps. I sluggishly tried to sit my body on the bed. Tried. There was a weight pushing me down. On my left was Senia, smiling happily while coiling her arms around my waist. ¡°¡­......¡± I slowly closed in on Senia''s ear, and whispered softly. ¡°¡­.I know you''re awake, if you don''t move I''ll hit you.¡± ¡°Eeeeh?! How did you know?! Nooooo~ Please, a little longer!~¡± Senia jolts up and hugs me tightly, clearly refusing to let go. For the past three days that we''ve shared a room in the inn, she''d always try to crawl into my bed. Today is the first time she succeeded. ¡°¡­.Haaah¡­ Fine, only a bit more¡­¡± ¡°Yaaay! Saya, I love you~¡± ¡°¡­.No kisses.¡± ¡°Iyaaah~ I blocked her lips with my pillow. Seriously, this girl. I only agreed because I don''t dislike being hugged, that is as long as her hands¡ª ¡°¡­.Senia, I''ll push you off you know.¡± ¡°It''s fine right~ I know Saya''s shy bu¡ª¡± ¡°¡­.Then, I won''t let you hug me ever again.¡± ¡°Yes! This Senia will never attempt to lewdly touch Saya again! That''s why, forgive meee~¡± ¡°¡­As long as you understand.¡± ¡°Hehehehe~¡± She cuddles up to me. ¡­.This isn''t so bad. ¡°¡­.Ah, that''s right, today¡­.¡± ¡°Guild matters can wait!!¡± Senia stops my effort to get out of bed again. She hugged and cuddled me for another ten minutes. ****** ¡°Uwaaaah~ Forgive meeee~ But Saya''s too cute, I can''t resist! Please forgive meee!¡± For ten minutes, she just stayed like that, hugging and cuddling me... that I end up falling asleep again. And because of that, she continued to hug me until she herself fell asleep as well. We slept for another hour. ¡°Saya felt so warm and comfy that I couldn''t resist! I''m sorry, forgive meeee!~¡± And because of that, I went to the guild late, and she''s been like that ever since. It''s not like I''m really angry, but if I get soft on her she''d do it again. But this is embarassing in a way. She was loud so it was natural to attract attention. ¡°¡­.Aaaah, I get, so quiet down. I''ll forgive you, but there''s no next time.¡± ¡°Really?! Waaaaah! Sayaaaa!~¡± I''ll forgive her for hugging me again just now. ****** I head to Ellio''s counter. As usual, he finishes up work quickly. Senia stayed at the lounge. "Ah... There you are." "...Am I late?" "Ah... Don''t worry, it''s only you for today."The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Ellio puts on a pair of glasses. Oh, is this his teaching equipment? It really suits him. "Ah... I''ll begin the explanation. First off is rankings." "....If I''m not mistaken, adventurer ranks are.... F to S." "Ah... That''s right. Adventurers should only take quests they can handle. Rankings were made so no arrogant adventurer would take on an unreasonable quest." "....Is it okay to take a higher rank quest?" "Ah... It''s actually recommended to do so. However, you can only take a quest one rank higher than yours. If you were to take a higher rank quest, then it is only possible if you have high ranking party members." Hmm... So having a party really is recommended. I wonder why Senia doesn''t form a party with others. "Next is about parties and clans. Ah... You already know about the party, so I''ll explain about the clans. A Clan is like a bigger version of Party. You can think of them as an organization of adventurers." Hmm... That isn''t so difficult to understand. "Ah... Just so you know, the requirements for making a Clan is having a minimum of 10 members, and the leader having the highest ranking among them. Also, making a clan costs a sum of money. Because of this, only the high ranking adventurers have clans. Ah... The leader also has to be responsible in handling the members of the clan. It is common knowledge that the actions of one member affects the entirety of the clan." "....Sounds like a pain." "Ah... It really is. Let''s continue. Lastly will be promotions. In order to have a rank promotion, you need to accomplish a task that the guild will give. Ah... Just so you know, the task varies and is almost different everytime." "....Mm. I get it. So, as an F rank, how do I rank up?" "Ah... Saya, you''re misunderstanding something." "...Hm?" "Ah... Have you checked your Guild Card?" "....I haven''t had the chance to." "Ah... That would be bad. Take a look at yours right now." "....Well, I don''t have it. Senia took it." "Ah... Is that so. Anyways, tell her that you have to know your rank by all means. That would be all for today. Ah... Also, I will be your personal receptionist starting today, and as your personal receptionist I forbid you to form your party with Senia as long as you don''t know both of your ranks. Well then, good day." Somehow, I just got my own receptionist. Well, it''s Ellio so its fine. Anyways, he has a point. I must retake my Guild Card back! If, for some reason she doesn''t want to give it back, then I''ll have her tell me! I also have to know Senia''s rank.... I wonder what her rank is. ************* Back at the inn.... "Nooo~ I won''t give it back!" "....Stubborn." She doesn''t want to return my Guild Card after all. "...Then, tell me my rank. Ellio said I need to know." ".........." Something''s definitely fishy. She doesn''t want to return my card, and she doesn''t want to tell me my rank. Ah... Could it be? "....Senia, what''s your rank?" "I''m... not telling..." Senia avoids my line of sight. I''ve got no choice, huh. "....Ei." "Uwaah!" Surprise bear hug! Now tell me all your secrets! "....It''s okay. I''ve a hunch, but is my rank... higher than yours?" "Nng... It''s not but..." "...I see. I''ve made you feel bad." "That''s not it! It''s just..." Hmm... If my rank is not higher, then it''s possibly the same as hers, or just below. "....Then I''ll promise." I look up at her with serious eyes. Staring at her with determination. Senia looks at me with a sad expression. "...I promise that no matter what, I''ll stay with Senia. I''m your... adorable party member after all." "Saya...." Jeez, I don''t know what I''ll do with her. I''ll pamper her for now I guess. "....Let''s sleep together this time, but no lewd actions." "Hehehe~ Mm. Okay." Later that night, Senia told me that both of us are C Ranks. I can understand her sadness and pain. She worked hard for that rank, and I was given that rank on my first day. Sure, my rank was given to me because of my high stats but... Senia has experience. She knows how to be an adventurer more than me. If I have raw power, Senia has skills. "....But to be C Rank from the start..." "That just means Saya is strong! Now Rayl can''t argue anymore! After all~ We''re both C Ranks!" "....But why won''t you party with anyone before?" "Hmm~ I just don''t feel like it. But Saya''s different. Not only because you''re so adorable, but because I feel really, reeeally safe with you, no matter where I go." "....Was that your first impression of me?" "Hehehe~" Senia cuddles up to me and stays like that. She won''t say anything else huh. Well... this isn''t so bad. "....Senia, good night." "Mm~ Good night, Saya." On that night, I slept within the arms of the first person that I trust in this world. The feeling of satisfaction, security and happiness. I slept feeling the warmth of Senia. Chapter 9 — The First Quest! Adventurers carry the risk of death. That much is natural, especially on those who take on subjugation quests. Because of this, adventurers tend to splurge hard earned money on equipments. And because of that, Senia insists on me having good equipment first. It''s good and all, but the thing is ¡ª it''s not my money! So I tried to refuse, but... ¡°I absolutely don''t want my precious Saya to get hurt! We''ll go shopping today~¡± ¡°¡­.Senia, it''s fine already.¡± ¡°It''s not! I''m not convinced that your clothing is a magic item.¡± I told Senia that my clothes is a special magic item so I don''t really need equipment. In reality, my clothes are made by Mana, so they''re very durable. ¡°Also, we need to do something about your hair.¡± ¡°Refused. No way.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª Saya just spoke seriously?!¡± Anything but the hair. This resolve of mine was shown by my seriousness! While my hair reaches the ground, it doesn''t get dirty and it doesn''t hinder my movements. It''s a wonder, even to me. ¡°¡­.I don''t want to cut it, so I''ll tie it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. If you say so. But we still need to do something about your equipment.¡± ¡°¡­Hrm.. Then¡­¡± Like I said, my clothes are made from Mana, so all I have to do is reconstruct it. My one piece dress glowed and transformed! *KACHING!* Transforming Saya! The hem turned into shorts, while the upper part turned into a shirt and a small coat. White bandages wrap around my feet, acting like sandals. The shorts and coat were blue while the rest was white. The red string of my one piece is now used to tie my hair into a pony tail fashion. ¡°¡­.There. Do you believe me now?¡± ¡°O-oh¡­ Yeah, mm... I believe you. Wow~ So Saya has magic equipment.¡± ¡°¡­.Mm. I told you I''ll be fine.¡± ¡°Aww~ no more shopping?¡± ¡°¡­.How about Senia''s equipment?¡± ¡°Don''t worry~ I''ve recently bought new equipment so it''s fine~¡± Hmm¡­ So I take it were all set? ¡°¡­.Then let''s take some quests on the guild. Senia, you choose our quest.¡± ¡°Okay~ Huehuehue, together with Saya¡­ in a journey¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡­No lewding.¡± ¡° *gasp* Saya, are you a psychic?! ¡± ¡°¡­.You said that out loud.¡± ¡°Oops! Teehee~¡± Today marks the start of my adventurer days! Onwards to a new journey! ¡°¡­.This''ll be exciting.¡± ******* The Adventurer''s Guild is crowded with people. People putting up requests, adventurers taking on the requests and Guild staff managing the place, it''s as lively as ever. "Saya! Let''s go register our party!" "....Wait up." Senia runs to Ellio''s desk. She''s really excited about this huh. "Lio! We can register out party now right?" "Ah... Senia, huh." Ellio looks over my way. What? Oh is it about yesterday? "....Don''t worry, I already know both our ranks." "Ah... That''s good. Well then, I''ll get started with your registration. It''s simple, all you have to do is give me the name of the party and your Guild Cards. Don''t worry, I''ll return them later. Ah... That''s right, Senia. Starting today, I''ll your party''s personal receptionist." "Eh?! Really?!" "....Ah, I forgot to tell you last night." "EEEEEH! Even Saya knew!" "Ah... I told her first that''s why. You''ve been moping yesterday so I couldn''t tell you." "....So, about the name of the party..." "It''s decided right? It will be Lovebirds!" "....Denied. Ellio, just write what you think is best." "Ah.... Then, your party will be called Nivea[1] ".Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Ehhh~ That doesn''t sound cute at all." "....Nivea... What does it mean?" "Ah.... It means "Snow White" in ancient language. I named your party after Saya." "That''s right~ Saya has snow white hair! It stands out doesn''t it?" "....I think? It doesn''t bother me anyways." "That''s right~~ I mean, Saya''s soooo cuute!" "Ah.... Since I got the name of your party, I''ll start processing the papers. You can take some quests on the Request Board and give it to me later." Ellio walks away and goes upstairs. Now that I''ve think about it, I''ve never asked what''s on the second and third floor, haven''t I? "...Hey, Senia... What''s on the upper floors of the Guild?" "Hmmm~ I don''t have concrete proof, but I''ve heard that only adventurers with B Ranks and above are allowed on the second and third floor. I''ve also heard that the third floor is where the Guild Master resides." Hmm.... I''d like to try meeting the Guild Master once. I wonder what kind of person he is.... "....Well, it''s something that doesn''t concern us at the moment, I think. Let''s go look for some quests.." "Yes yes~ This Senia will choose a good request!" "....I''ll leave it to you." ********** On the second floor.... "Ah.... Things are getting interesting." "Hm. Are you talking about the new party you''re handling?" Two seated figures are talking to each other in a room. One has a short stature and a short, brown hair. His yellow eyes gaze unfaltered. The other has a big stature, around 185cm. He has a stern face, but his atmosphere has a calm feel. His hair is cut short, and has a dark grey color. His brown eyes give off a powerful gaze. "Hm. I''ll say this again, but that girl is promising. I''ve never seen someone with these stats at her age." "Ah.... Indeed. Not only that, but she gives off the aura of power. I can barely feel any mana from her. That can only be possible if someone has mastered controlling Mana." "Hm." The tall man sips from his cup. The other one, Ellio, closes his eyes in silence. "Ah... That''s right. She partied with that solo adventurer Senia. This also is a good thing." "Hm. That girl huh. Well, it certainly is a good thing. It was about time, or else she won''t get any better. What do you think Ellio? What quest do you think they''ll take?" "I am positive that they will take a subjugation quest." "Hoh, why is that?" "Ah... If you saw Saya, then you''d know. She''s itching for an adventure." "Hahahahaha! What a strange kid! We''ll have to make sure that she makes it to the top!" "Ah... To the ranks of S Rank adventurers?" "No." The man puts down his cup. He gives Ellio a wide grin and points at him. Ellio stares at his eyes. "She''ll be joining your Ranks." "........" "I''m sure she can do it. You saw something in her after all. You even asked me if you can be her personal receptionist." "Ah.... Is that so. Tell me something, Guild Master Aston." "Bah! Don''t be so formal. It''s only us here. You can call me Aston, just like the good old times." "......Guild Master Aston, what do you think of her?" "You''re still formal, huh. Well..." The man, Guild Master Aston, stands up and walks towards the window. He stopped there and gazed outside. It was a beautiful sunny day. "Honestly, I think she''s a monster." "Ah..... Is that so. I''ll be leaving then." "Ou. Come by sometime to my office. The paperwork''s killing me." "You handle that yourself, Guild Master." *************** ".....Senia, have you found anything good yet?" "Not yet! Everything seems dangerous for Saya!" "......Just pick one." Senia''s been stuck at the Request Board since Ellio left. She won''t take any subjugation quests, though I would prefer taking them. Since, Senia''s taking her time, I''ll look over at the B Rank requests. "........" Woah, everything here''s top class.... I think. Mostly are subjugations, but there are also guard requests and escort requests. And the rewards are huge! ".....Oh?" I found something nice! "....Senia, look. We should take this." "Eh?! This is a B- rank! It''s dangerous you know!" ".....But it''s subjugation. It''s just Orcs." "E-Eh? Saya, Orcs are B- to B Rank monsters. They''re supposed to be taken out by at least 5 C Rank adventurers!" Eh? Are Orcs really that high level of a monster? I''ve fought with them before though, and they didn''t seem that all powerful. ".....I''ve fought them before. It will be fine." "Uhmm... It says here that an Orc nest was found west of Deinaria. Saya, an Orc''s nest usually has more than 20 Orcs! We can''t take this!" ".....Hmm.. Don''t worry. I got a plan." "Somehow, I don''t like that plan." I''ll take this quest no matter what! Wait for me, I will take this! Chapter 10 — How can you say No to a Cute Girl? Recap! Glasses Saya is here! Since Senia was taking forever to choose a quest, I went and checked out the other quests. While doing so, I happened to find this B- Rank quest where we need to take down an Orc''s Nest. Senia told me that Orcs were B- to B Rank monsters, and we can''t take this quest. "....And so, I''ve got a plan." "Somehow, I don''t like that plan." ".....Don''t worry, I know some good people." "Saya, you haven''t made many friends yet, you know." ".....Senia, you''re forgetting someone." "Huh? Who?" ".....Rayleigh and his party." That''s right! With this, we will be a five man party! Now we can take on the quest! "But.... Hmmm.... Well, they are C Rank adventurers. But..." ".....Are you that against subjugation quests?" "But it''s an Orc''s nest, you know! More than 20 Orcs are there! What''s worse, there might be an Orc King. That''s an A Rank monster!" "....It doesn''t say anything about an Orc King though." Ah, Ellio''s back. We went over to Ellio to discuss about my plan. "Ah.... I don''t see any problem. Especially with both your and Rayleigh''s party taking this quest together. Just ask them and if they accept then come back." "Wait Lio! Are you sure about this?" "Saya said she fought and defeated an Orc before right? It''ll be fine then." "Eh? Wait, Lio?! Nooooo, come back Lio!" Ah, Ellio escaped. So he just came back to return our Guild Cards, how sneaky. Well anyways, now that I''ve got Ellio''s permission, it''s time for me to find Rayleigh and his party. "....Say, Senia. Do you know where Rayleigh and his friends stay at?" "U-Uhhm.... No, I don''t. See, we don''t know where they are right? They may be on a quest sooo~ let''s just take another one okay?" "No." "Hauuh~ Shot down by serious Saya." Once I''ve decided, nothing can stop me! Now then... "...Hmm.. I''ll go outside for a bit. How about you Senia?" "Eh? Well, I''ve got no choice now., have I... I''ll tag along!" ******* ¡°Hey Saya¡­ What are you going to do here?¡± We were standing just outside of the walls of the city. Tall, white, sturdy walls surround the city of Deinaria. It must be because of maintenance, but the wall looked newly built. Maybe it''s because of magic? ¡°¡­.I''m going to search for Rayleigh.¡± ¡°Eh? Here?¡± ¡°¡­Mmm. Magic.¡± ¡°Ah, I see! Saya does look like a magician.¡± How rude. This slender body of mine holds absurd strength you know. ".....Here I go." There are magics that are chantless, or have short chants. What I''m about to use is one of those. First, I prepare my wide range [Sonar]. This time, I''ll limit the shockwave of mana so that it won''t become a problem. I only need it''s wide range to scan the city. Next, I add the magic [Search]. I''m not creating a new spell, mind you. I''m combining two spells. While it is possible, it is difficult to do. The reason I did this is because [Search]''s range can''t cover the whole city. It''s still a valuable magic though.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°¡­.[Sonar], [Search]¡± I stomp my feet and watch the wave of mana go through the city. The mana was faint so I think it didn''t attract any unneeded attention. I hope so. ¡°¡­.Where are you, Rayleigh.¡± [Search] at level 1 can only identify friend and foe. At higher levels, you can begin to specify who you are searching for. Friendlies light up as blue lights while enemies light up as red lights. ¡°¡­.Found you.¡± ¡°Eh? You found him? R-really? H-heeeeh¡­.¡± I wonder why Senia sounds so nervous. It''s not like she''s meeting a stranger. ¡°¡­Let''s go Senia. They''re at the plaza.¡± ¡°They? So you found the entire party...¡± ¡°¡­.Yes, we''re lucky. Now we don''t have to search for the other two¡­. Let''s go quickly.¡± ¡°Yeees~¡± ******* At the plaza, we found Rinne shopping in an equipment store. ¡°Aah! Saaaayaaaaa~¡± ¡°¡­.Oof.¡± Rinne hugged me immediately. She lifts me up and rubs her cheeks against mine. ¡°Aaaaah?! How envi¡ª I mean, get away from my Saya!¡± Senia pulls me away from Rinne''s grasp. That was fast. I regret not being able to enjoy Rinne''s cat ears. ¡°¡­.I need to talk with you.¡± ¡°Eh? With me?¡± ¡°¡­.Mm. Rayleigh and Endalfein too.¡± ¡°Aah, I''ll go and call them now.¡± Rinne runs deeper into the store. We follow suite. The shelves were full of armor and weapons. A wide range of selection indeed. From daggers to long swords, axes and maces, bows and arrows, robes, light armor and heavy armor. ¡°Saya, do you have a wand or staff? Now that I think about it, you don''t carry any kind of weapon do you?¡± ¡°¡­.Then¡­ about the talk this morning¡­¡± ¡°Want me to buy you a weapon?¡± ¡°¡­Mm. Please.¡± ¡°That''s the spirit! Rely on me moreee~ Tehehehe~¡± ¡°¡­.Short sword, dagger or knuckles. Any of those would be fine.¡± ¡°Then then! How about a dagger? We match!¡± ¡°¡­..I''ll think about it.¡± We took our time looking around. This store seems to be the biggest weapon and armor store in the city. Clerks and smiths were talking to each other here and there. I want to know how to smith, it seems really handy. "...Hm?" While looking around, I stumbled upon a familiar weapon. ¡°¡­.Hey, Senia. I want that.¡± ¡°Hm? This?¡± It was a katana! "A sword?" "....Mmm. This will do." The katana was rested on a shelf. It has a black scabbard and the hilt has a combination of white and blue. "Well, if this is what you want..." "....Mm.. Thank you, Senia." "Kyaaaaah! Of course! Anything for you~" With this, I have a weapon. The next problem would be¡ª "....Senia, is it expensive? "Don''t worry! I''ve saved enough money so spending this much is normal!" "....Heeh... So you''re rich." "Ehehehe~ Not much, but I''m proud of my earnings." "....Hmm.. I see." I''ll be selfish, just this once. I''ll have to thank Senia later. "Heeeey! Saya! Over here!" Rinne was at the counter with Rayleigh and Endalfein. Time to make make this plan a success! Determined Saya, *kaching!* "What''s up, Saya? Rinne said you want to talk with us?" "....Yes. Would you please take a quest with us? Ellio said it would be fine to have a joint party." "Hmm... A joint party huh.... What do you say, Dal?" "I believe it would be beneficial to both of us. If the two of them can''t handle the quest, then it would mean it is a high rank one. Well, please tell us the details first" "....Umu. The quest is a B- rank quest. The objective is to clear an orc nest. The location says it is west of Deinaria." "An orc nest huh... Wait! An Orc nest?! And a B- rank you said?! No wonder you''re asking for help!" Uhm... Rayleigh just started panicking all of a sudden. Like I said, are orcs that much of a threat? "....Not really, Senia just wouldn''t want to accept the quest, so I told her I''d recruit more people." "You know, Saya. Orcs are troublesome monsters. They have strong attack and defense, and most of all they act in groups! By the time you''ve finished one orc, you''d be surrounded!" "....Not really? I''ve fought them before. I''d say they''re about.... average?" "Hey hey, Saya. What rank are you again?" "....C rank." " " " EEHH?! " " " What? Is that surprising? Is it that surprising?! "Err... I don''t doubt you, but can you show us your Guild Card?" "....Here." The three of them swarm over Rayleigh. They''re staring at my Guild Card reaaaally hard. "Well.... How do I say this....." "It''s....surprising." "Awesome!! Not only is Saya cute, she''s also strong!" ".....Muu... Don''t underestimate me." "No no no no! We''re not! We''re just.... how do I say this?" "Rayleigh, I believe the word is astounded." "Yeah, that one!" ".... Will you take part of the quest now?" "Hmmm.... Well...." When all else fails, cuteness will prevail! Puppy eyes Saya! "....Please?" " "KYAAAAAAAAH~~~" " Uh oh, Senia got affected too, "We''ll accept! We will right?!" "Err... yeah? Hey, Dal! Say something!" "I believe it''s fine. We''ll get to see how strong Saya is too. This will be worth the trouble." "....Thanks." Plan success! "....Well, Senia? My plan worked." "Well... Haaaah... I guess we''ve got to do this now, huh." "....Mm. Our adventure awaits." "Yooosh! If that''s the case, then I need to work hard!" "....Don''t push yourself too hard okay?" "Yeeees~" The quest finally begins! Onwards to a new adventure! Chapter 11 — Preparations and Departure "Preparing for the journey will take some time. Let''s meet at the guild after two days. You guys better prepare too." Rayleigh sends me a worried glance. ... I think that worry is for nothing, though it would not hurt to be careful. We''ll properly shop for supplies later. ".... Mm. We also need to tell Ellio that you''ve agreed to help with the quest." "Well, he already gave his approval right?" "... Yes. He said to come back if the plan was a success." Rayleigh once again looks at me with worry. Why only me? "Rayleigh quit it." Rinne jabs Rayleigh on his side and grabs him to her side and whispers something. "Look, I know you''re anxious but you unconsciously keep looking at Saya with the face of someone who swallowed a bitter bug." "D-did I really made that face?" "Yeah, you better quit it. Have some trust in her." "B-but..." I can hear you, you know. Well, it''s not like I can blame them. "Let us prepare already. Senia, Saya, we will be on our way." Endalfein called out to Rinne and Rayleigh and left. I guess we better prepare too. ".... Senia, what should we do? About the preparations." "Ah~ Well, how about shopping for provisions? And transportation too." ".... We won''t be walking?" "Of course not! It would take weeks and it would tiresome. We would need a wagon or carriage for the quest. The Merchant Guild can sell us some horses and a carriage." I doubt it would be cheap. There''s also the matter with the katana. I''d like to repay her the favor sometime. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Well then, let''s go?" ".... Mm." ..... I''m overthinking things. I''m sure I''ll be able to think of something after the quest. ********** Two days later. "Ah... I have confirmed that Rayleigh and his party will be joining you on this quest." Ellio stamps some paper while talking. It must be something needed to approve our joint party. "Ah... But two days of preparation eh? You sure wasted your time. It''s a good thing that quest was still new." I did think that two days was too much. Senia and I finished preparing after separating with Rayleigh and co. We were relaxing for two days. "Ugh... That was my fault." "Ah... I''m not blaming anyone though?" Rayleigh felt ashamed, but it''s true that Ellio didn''t blame anyone. ".... Time is of the essence. Let''s go." "Ah.... You guys be careful out there." I nod at Ellio''s words. I don''t particularly feel tense, though I am excited. Outside the guild was our wagon. It had a roof so we would be fine, even if it rained. Endalfein was holding the reins. He volunteered to be the coachman, and Rayleigh would switch with him later on. We bought the two horses and the covered wagon at the Merchant Guild before reporting to Ellio. We split the cost among us. Senia covered for me though, I kinda feel bad. "Are you finished? Shall we depart then?" We board the wagon. Only a few of our luggage was inside because most of it was in a [Magic Bag]. It''s a magic item that can store a fixed amount of things. "Okay, come here for a minute you guys." Rayleigh gathers us four for a rebriefing. Endalfein is, of course, driving the carriage. We just got out of Deinaria. The quest goes like this: Objective: Clear out an Orc Nest. Location: Near the Luton Village, West of Deinaria. Quest Ranking: B Minus Rank "The requester must be the chief of the village, right?" (Rinne) "Yeah, that may be the case." (Senia) "I hope the village is safe. Luton Village takes two weeks and four days to travel on foot, and about a week in a carriage." (Rayleigh) "Assuming the travel is free of trouble right?" (Senia) "Yeah. We could be attacked midway of our travel." (Rayleigh) "Well, Dal and I would know if there''s any enemy presence, so rest assured." (Rinne) Rinne gives a ''Hmph!'' while proudly puffing her small chest out. Elves are said to have good eyesight and hearing, while Beastmen have good senses in general. Also, my [Search] can detect nearby enemies. I crawled over to the coachman''s seat. I sat beside Endalfein. ".... Hello." "Oh, hello Saya. What would be the matter?" ".... Nothing. Just wanted to see the view." I was bored so I went to greet Endalfein. The cold wind feels pleasant. I narrow my eyes and enjoy the moment. Endalfein smiled a little and continued to drive the wagon while I continue to enjoy the scenery. Notice!! I''m back with a notice! So, I''ve been inactive for months because of some stuff (College stuff) So I visited at times, but because I was busy I couldn''t really write much. And when I did visit, I reread the story.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. And I''ve been thinking of rewriting the story because there was some stuff that I think needs some improvement (a lot to be honest). Also because the story seems too vague (for me at least), or there were times that I forced the chapter. So, yeah, I might rewrite the story so if you have some feedback about it, do comment and tell me, I appreciate it (= w = And with that, I might earn the so-called vacation time and will probably write at that time (given that I won''t have leftovers to do)