Volume 1 Chapter 19 I'm Getting Involved, But...
After a small commotion in the guild—well, it's nothing too serious—I, as always, brought a souvenir and headed to Kyunei's clinic.
"That sword the fox girl had. It's a special kind of sword called a 'katana.'"
"Katana? I've never heard of it."
"The manufacturing process is unique, and it's only produced and used in certain regions. It's a long story, but to put it simply, it's a sword that looks thin but doesn't break, bend, and cuts well. Because of that, it requires a different handling than regular swords."
I wonder where this spear know the knowledge of the sword really comes from.
That fox girl was beautiful in a different way than Kyunei. If Kyunei had a gentle and ample boobs, that fox girl had a sharp and confident boobs.
"──Wait, when did we start evaluating boobs?"
"Just like always, right?"
"...Yeah, you're right, partner."
"Are you seriously satisfied with that even when I say it!?"
As Gram and I engaged in such a comedic conversation, Kyunei's clinic came into view.
"But seriously, why was I being glared at like that?"
"It was like she were looking at a black demon appearing in the kitchen."
"Isn't that a bit too harsh!?"
To be honest, I felt a little down because that confident boobs girl directed obvious contempt towards me. I wanted to talk to Kyunei and find comfort.
However, at the entrance of the clinic, in front of the door, there were two people standing. One was Kyunei, the owner of the clinic, but the other was a well-built man.
Maybe, he is a customer who came for treatment at the clinic, or perhaps someone related to the night job. Either way, there was no change in Kyunei's work, but I hesitated to step in.
Especially if it's related to the night job, it's hard for me to be there. It's not for me to say anything about Kyunei's choice of profession, but I don't want to see the person I'm even slightly concerned about fooling around with another man.
Maybe I should reschedule this, I thought as I turned on my heel.
"Partner, something seems off."
As I headed in the opposite direction of the clinic, Gram called out to me. Curiously, I turned around and saw Kyunei and a man arguing. To be precise, the man was shouting angrily, while Kyunei seemed a bit troubled.
"This doesn't seem too calm."
I hurriedly walked back towards the clinic.
While all this was happening, the man forcefully grabbed Kyunei's hand with a wry smile and pulled her out of the clinic.
──I crept up behind him, gripping my spear tightly. With a quick, forceful thrust, the stone end of my weapon collided with the side of his head.
'Whoa, partner! Isn't that too sudden?! No sympathy for that guy, though!'
"He was so worked up that no matter what she said, he'd just get angrier. So, I figured it'd be easier to strike first and knock him out when he let his guard down."
'You might be onto something! Let's make it even more thrilling!'
I wanted him to see my choice of using a rock instead of the spear's tip as an act of mercy. Naturally, the man I hit slumped to the ground, unconscious, with his eyes wide open.
"Hey, Kyunei-san. Hello."
"Um...yeah, hi."
As I returned my spear to my back, I flashed her a smile. She wore a strained smile, her gaze shifting between me and the fallen man.
"Sorry to rush you, but do you have a long and sturdy rope? Something as sturdy as possible."
"Yeah, but why do you need a rope?"
"For now, let's tie this guy up and hang him somewhere suitable."
"'Hang?!'"
My policy to tie up 'Bad guys' and hang them up somewhere.
For now, I tied up a man with a rope on the edge of a random roof as I declared, and I visited the clinic again.
"So, was the argument earlier related to your night job? Oh, if you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to force yourself."
"I don't intend to hide anything, so it's fine. As you imagined, it was a little dispute related to my night job."
Kyunei smiled in a troubled manner.
"To be honest, I'm relieved. That customer has been getting a bit pushy these past few days, and I've been struggling to refuse him."
"Oh? Did he try to negotiate a discount or something?"
"No, the money seemed fine, but even I have the right to choose my customers."
Well, even though she's a pr**titute, she probably doesn't want to be with a man who forcefully approaches her.
"But are you okay? That man claimed to be a mercenary, you know? Won't he seek revenge or something?"
"That's fine. I punched him so he couldn't see my face."
"Y-yeah. In that case, it's good."
I wonder why. When I confidently raised my thumb, Kyunei's face twitched slightly.
Let's put an end to the annoying "other man" talk and continue the conversation as usual.
Well, there's not much I can talk about, having spent most of my life in the village. Even though it's such a story, Kyunei seemed to enjoy listening. Maybe it was just a superficial "acquaintance" to some extent, but it's still fun to be able to talk to a beautiful woman.
──She's beautiful, but she's completely different from that fox girl.
As I was thinking about that, suddenly...
"Oh, were you thinking about another woman just now?"
I was taken aback by Kyunei's direct hit.
"Well, I do business with men. So, what kind of woman were you imagining?"
Even though I was just grinning, for some reason, Kyunei is scary.
I honestly told Kyunei about my encounter with a silver fox woman at the Mercenary Guild.
"Beastmen with silver fox features. And a katana sword. Could it be the 'Silver Flash'?"
"What a cool name!"
"It's not the formal name, it's a 'nickname,' you know?"
"A nickname, huh?"
"It's an honorable thing for mercenaries, but... don't you know?"
"Unfortunately, I'm just a newbie who recently became a mercenary, so I'm not familiar with that stuff."
So, it seems to be something like a title given to mercenaries. When they achieve great deeds or possess unique qualities, a second name that represents those traits spreads around them.
"Wait a minute. So, I've been called 'Rat Slayer' recently, could that also be considered a nickname?"
"Oh... I've been hearing that name going around lately, but it turns out it's you."
It seems that these nicknames can also be used as derogatory terms. I was a bit taken aback by this news.
Anyway, the topic of conversation isn't about me. Gathering myself, I asked Kyunei.
"So, what kind of person is 'Silver Flash'?"
"It seems like she's from a foreign country, but despite being young, she's a skilled mercenary who rose to the 2nd rank at an exceptional speed."
"2nd rank..."
She's three ranks above me, who is at the 5th rank. Gram said she's superior, and it seems to be an undeniable fact.
...I'm glad I didn't argue back.
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