Volume 2 Chapter 6 I Want You To Be My Friend, But...
"Um... Could you please let go for now?"
"Ah... I-I'm sorry!"
Blushing with embarrassment, Silver Flash moved away from me.
──Where did that sharp and reminiscent blade-like aura go?
She is now feeling ashamed of her actions, hunching her shoulders. There is no trace of the way she looked when we first met or when we met in the forest. She is just a cute creature.
"Um... Here you go."
Taking Silver Flash's outstretched hand, I stood up. The hand I held had the firmness of a swordsman but also the delicacy and softness of a woman.
"I apologize. When I saw Hero-dono's face, I got so overwhelmed with excitement that I forgot myself."
"Ah, well, for now, shall we just move away from here?"
"...? What's wrong?"
I mean, this is getting a lot of attention.
Silver Flash is very noticeable. I don't mean 'flashy', but she has a good appearance that catches everyone's attention.
Her clothes have a design that is rare in this country, and her fox ears and tail, as well as her silver hair, shine. And her beauty attracts attention from both men and women. The clothes push up her breasts, making her look so full and attractive that even people of the same sex admire her.
Furthermore, she was extremely skilled as a mercenary and had an air of being difficult to approach. She is truly a woman who can be described as 'solitary'.
When she hugs someone with her joyful smile on her face, of course she attracts attention.
'Well, I don't think that's all.'
Gram grumbled, but I didn't have time to pay attention to him.
"But my appearance is the same as usual."
"No, I mean──"
"More than that, there's something I want to tell Hero-dono the next time I see you!"
"──Listen to me... Let's listen to what others have to say till the end."
After all, I'm not used to attracting attention. I'm fine blending into the background as a "mob".
'Even though you're just a background character (mob), you sure are causing a lot of chaos.'
How annoying... Huh?
"Wait, who is this 'Hero' you've been talking about?"
"Of course, it's referring to you!"
...Come to think of it, she was shouting the same thing right before she hugged me.
"Hero-dono. I actually have a favor to ask of you."
"Is there any way you can change that 'Hero' thing? It's way too embarrassing for someone like me."
Ignoring my pleas, Silver Flash somehow removed the sheath from her waist, raised her left knee in front of me, and placed the sheath on the ground.
'Ah, I know what this is about.'
Which one is that? Before I could ask.
"I want you to make me, Mikage, your subordinate!"
In this place where many people from the Mercenary Guild gather, Silver Flash shouted loudly and bowed her head to me.
The people around me who were watching the scene, and I, who was close to Silver Flash, were equally speechless and wide-eyed.
"............What's going on?"
Just three seconds before the place erupted into chaos, I managed to squeeze out words that were more like groans from my throat.
After Silver Flash's statement caused a commotion at the Mercenary Guild, we escaped... or rather, we fled the guild's building and entered a café in a place far from there.
"So, um... how should I address you?"
"Please call me 'Mikage,' Hero-dono."
"Got it, Mikage-san."
"Don't use me 'san'... Just address me as Mikage."
"Understood, Mikage. Please address me as Yukina, not Hero."
"Got it, Yukina-sama."
"Um... I'd appreciate it if you could stop using 'sama' as well."
"No, thank you."
"Well, it's troublesome if you answer so quickly..."
Oh man, this person answered without even taking a breath.
This girl called Mikage seems polite and softer now, but she might be really stubborn.
'Martial artists are always stubborn, so maybe your guess is right, partner.'
I got a not-so-happy approval from Gram.
It's probably a waste of time to argue about how she should address me. So, I reluctantly brought up the main topic.
"Anyway, about your words I heard at the guild..."
As I began, Silver Flash── Mikage looked straight at me with a serious gaze and said,
"I want to be under Yukina-sama's command."
It seems like she's not joking or lying. Considering her actions so far, I knew she wasn't the type to joke around.
"...No, why though? It's understandable for the 5th rank mercenary to be under the 2nd rank me, but the other way around is just not right."
"The ranks of mercenaries are just titles given by others, after all."
It's like she's saying it's totally normal. It's a valid argument, but I can't just accept it easily.
"Maybe it's a thank you for being rescued by the Kobold King?"
But that's way too much to repay.
"For me, honestly reporting the defeat of the Kobold King to the guild is enough."
"...No, that incident was just a trigger."
Mikage shook her head.
"Of course, I feel grateful for the help I received. But more than that, I saw something in you."
"...What do you mean?"
"The figure of the future 'Hero.'"
I see, so that's why she were calling me 'Hero-dono'! Does that make sense?
"Hey, that's too much of an exaggeration. I'm just a country bumpkin who came from a rural village, and now I'm just a humble mercenary. I can't possibly become such a grand thing."
I shrugged my shoulders as if in disbelief. The content contained self-mockery, but it also included a way to get her to give up.
"Is that really true?"
Mikage, contrary to my intentions, sharpened her gaze with a smile.
"If you were really just a plain old mercenary, you would have run away without helping me. If that were the case, I wouldn't be here in front of you now."
"Well... I guess I was just lucky."
I jumped out with confidence, but if I had made one wrong step, both Mikage and I would have been killed by the Kobold King.
The fact that I made it back alive was nothing short of a miracle, with various factors miraculously coming together.
"Maybe it was just luck after all."
Mikage acknowledged my words but continued.
"But, you definitely grabbed hold of that luck yourself, didn't you?"
"That's..."
I reflexively looked down at the bruise on the back of my left hand.
──'Chosen one'! You shall now become a 'Hero'!
When I was about to be killed by the Kobold King, I remember hearing Gram's shout in a new form before me.
I still haven't asked Gram what that was all about. Even if I asked, there's no guarantee he would answer.
All I know is that if I hadn't picked up that old rusty spear from the weapon shop, this wouldn't have been the outcome.
'Not bad, partner.'
While thinking about Gram, the person who caused all this── no, the one who caused all this in my head── spoke to me.
'No matter how many words this fox girl piles up, she won't listen.'
But having a subordinate is a bit too heavy, isn't it? And moreover, the opponent is superior and stands out in appearance. It's on a whole different level to have a village youth as a follower.
'In that case, how about a "trial period" as a compromise?'
Trial period?
'Maybe this fox girl is just temporarily "hot" from the impact of being saved. So let's act together with her as a partner for a while, and when that heat cools down, she can make a decision again.'
I see, that might be good.
I briefly glance at Gram and then turn to Mikage.
"I understand."
"Really!?"
"But!"
Mikage's eyes sparkle, but I stop her from leaning over the table.
...The downward mountain on Mikage's chest is incredible. The top of the mountain looks like it's sticking to the table.
I almost say "Okay" without thinking, but I quickly remember Kyunei's face and panic, trying to shake it off. The face of a woman with red hair also comes to mind, making me shake my head even more.
I clear my throat to regain my composure.
"To be honest, talking about subordinates and stuff feels a bit too much for me. But I understand that Mikage's feelings are not something I can easily dismiss with just my words. So let's start as 'equal comrades'."
"I see. So it means 'from friends,' right?"
"It feels subtly different, but for now, let's go with that."
Because we don't know much about each other, misunderstandings arise. It wouldn't be wrong to consider this as a trial period from "friends".
"...Well, yes. Indeed, if I'm going to be under your command, you would need to know a lot about me first. I apologize for being rude. It's just my bad habit of rushing things."
"Um, this is a trial period to decide whether you will be under my command, right?"
"I understand completely. Yes."
I wanted to tsukkomi with "Really?" but I decided to keep my mouth shut to avoid further complications.
'And so, "Mikage the Silver Flash" became a temporary ally... This will probably be written in future stories.'
Upon hearing Gram's carefree words, I let out a small sigh.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)