Opening the window, a pearly snowscape stretched before me. A chilled wind blew into the room, causing my nose to ache with its touch.
This was a sleepy rural town called Rifront. It is located in the country of Osnell, itself found on the continent of Van Delucia. You would find it after a ten days carriage ride to the west from the capitol Osnell-Tari.
During the summer the town is covered in lush greenery, complimenting the town’s brickwork that glows under the bright sun. Unfortunately all of that was now covered in snow. There is a lake at the town’s center, and when the weather is nice, you can watch as people sit on the shore, hanging fishing lines through the gaps in the ice.
Even if they call it a lake, it is still small enough that you could walk around the whole thing in thirty minutes. But the people who live in this town have lovingly come to call it Rif Ront (Fairy’s Tear), which is where the name for the town came from.
Right now I am on the second floor of the Shining Hen, the only inn in town. I took a deep breath, sucking in and enjoying that cold, fresh air from the window, and stretched.
“TYAA! TAA!”
From there, an energetic voice could be heard outside. Wondering what was going on, I looked down outside the window where a girl with silver hair was running around in the snow. She happily threw a snowball she had in hand before quickly making up another one and throwing that one too.
Her name is Carotayle, but I always call her Carol. She is a member of a half beast/half human race called Werewolves. Her fuzzy ears and tail shook this way and that as she frolicked about, using her impressive agility to move from one spot to another in order to dodge some incoming snowballs.
“You can’t hit me, you can’t hit me! Come oooooooon, you slow footed elf!”
“What did you saaaaay!?”
After that, a really huge snowball soared through the sky as an angry voice cut through the cold air. Carol was caught completely off guard, landing on her back as the snowball hit her in the face.
“Ahahahah, so lame. Calling me slow footed, but aren’t you the slowest one here? In the head!”
There was another woman who was clutching her stomach, doubled over from laughing. She was tall, slender, and had flowing gold locks. Even as another woman, I have to take a moment to marvel at how beautiful she was.
Her name is Tosrillon F. Iriburgh, but she prefers to be just called Toslin. Just as Carol had said, Toslin was an elf. Just like how Carol is from the beastman race, Toslin is an elf which bears a slight difference from a Hyurian like me which can be found all over the continent. Long-lived, beautiful white skin, pointed ears, and a staggering beauty–these are the traits that set elves apart from other people.
“Wai, that was a foul just now! I just got confused for a moment seeing such a ginormous snowball!”
“Noisy. It’s your bad for getting careless.”
“Muu~! One more! One more round!”
Carol was already in the process of throwing another snowball at Toslin as she spoke.
“Well well, both of them are full of energy.”
A sudden soft and tender voice made me look beside me. A gaze just as tender as her voice was watching the two below play in the snow.
“You think so too? Uuu, it’s cold………….the kind of day that makes you want to stay inside.”
Although I had only just opened the window to get some fresh air, already the room had grown icy cold.
Oh yes. The person standing next to me is Rosalith Cuulbacall, another hyurian like me, and the older sister of our group being twenty years old. By the way, Carol is fourteen and Toslin is eighteen.
Rosalith………or Rose as I like to call her, is a priestess who follows the sacred teachings of the Illya Church.
In order to become a priestess, you must first join a monastery. Every day they must pray to the Goddess and do good deeds in her name. The Goddess sees all that they do, and only those chosen by the Goddess can raise themselves to becoming priestesses. They then gain the ability to perform miracles. That’s why a person with a wicked heart is never able to become a priestess……….or so they say.
Rose was always carrying a gentle smile. It’s been almost half a year since I met her in this town, yet I’ve never seen her without one. As a result, I’ve started smiling all the time too, even when I’m not doing anything. She has long, fluffy pink hair and is a truly lovely person.
“Is Iris not going to play outside as well?”
“D-don’t be silly. How can I have fun outside on a cold day like this…….and I’m not a little kid anymore. On days like this I’d much rather read a book next to a warm stove.”
“Ufufu. You really do love books, don’t you Iris.”
“Haha……… Well, I am the daughter of a bookstore owner. I’ve been a bookworm for as long as I can remember.”
Perhaps it’s a little late, but my name is Iris Calvafon. I’m sixteen years old, and my family have been bookstore owners since our ancient ancestors.
With that being said, because of a strange turn of events, I’ve been unable to return home for half a year now and have become indebted to the Shining Hen.
Closing the window, I picked up a book and sat down next to the stove just as a snow covered Carol burst into the room with a loud bang.
“Ho, Hold on! I give up! I said I surrender!”
“Shut up! I’m shoving it down your back as well, so prepare yourself!”
Toslin appeared next and grabbed the scruff of Carol’s neck with her right hand. She then shoved the large pile of snow she was carrying in her left hand down down Carol’s shirt…………
“HYAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
Carol started rolling around on the floor.
“Hmph. Take this as a lesson to not try and beat me using such cowardly tactics.”
I feel bad for Carol, but it’s a little funny watching this young girl writhe around in agony because of the cold snow.
“Wai, Iris is laughing right now! Don’t try and hide behind your book! I saw you!”
“Ahaha. N-No way. That’s not true. I just thought it was nice how energetic you are.”
I panicked and hid my face behind my book, but I could still feel Carol’s intense stare. Muu, I can’t lose here. If I look at her now, I won’t be able to hold back my laughter.
“Well ok…………. But isn’t Iris going to go outside too? You haven’t left the inn for three days now.”
Carol was talking as she pulled off her wet tunic in front of the wood stove. Oi oi, I’m begging you, don’t get naked so casually just because it’s only women in here.
“I’m fine. I still have the book I borrowed from the library last time.”
Although it was small, this town did have a library. I borrowed this book a couple days ago, and I have to return it once I finish it. It’s natural, but also a bit annoying because I never had to do that with a book when I was home. As you’ve probably already learned, I’m a fundamentally lazy person.
“You say that, but isn’t an adventurer’s greatest treasure their body? Won’t you ruin yours if you don’t move around regularly?”
“Eh, but……….I’m not an adventurer like all of you.”
Yes that’s right. Toslin, Carol, and Rose are all officially recognized adventurers. There are various professions in this world, and there is something like an association or a cooperation for each that spans across a nation’s borders. Adventurers are members of an association that mainly deals with monster exterminations and exploring ancient ruins, usually in a group.
There wasn’t always a system like this, but now their organization handles different requests for those monster exterminations, ruin explorations, and even bodyguard requests for higher paying individuals. Like this, a system was put in place where an adventurer could complete the requests put forward by the organization in return for a reward.
Adventurers are issued a license from their organization which has to be renewed regularly. Strictly speaking, the priestess Rose isn’t an adventurer, but becasue the Illya Church has strong ties with most of these organizations, Rose is acting as a de-facto adventurer.
But I’m different. Not only am I just the daughter of a bookstore owner with no license, I don’t have the physical strength it would take to go on a difficult journey.
“What are you talking about? You’ve come out with us so many times now.”
Toslin said with a sigh.
“Fufu, that’s right. And Iris is really interested in the outside world.”
“And aren’t you reading a book on adventuring right now? I can’t really tell though since I can’t read.”
As Carol had pointed out, what I was reading right now was a tale about the adventures of Ranroot who traveled the world a thousand years ago until he founded our country Osnell. It’s a famous story about how he received the divine protection of the Goddess Illya and then took the head of a black dragon. This book was loved by everyone in this country, and I don’t know how many times I’ve already read it.
“Uu, you figured it out………. The Adventures of Ranroot, Chapter 5. The Meeting Between the Goddess of Light and the Hero………..”
Since I had a lot of free time because of the issues with home I mentioned before, I wanted to try and directly experience the life of an adventurer even though I knew I didn’t have the aptitude for it, and these three invited me along. But, rather than being helpful to them, there have been times where I’ve actually been a burden. Yet these three continue to encourage me, and even though it’s difficult, I still have a wonderful time with them. You can’t get the sense of taste, touch, smell, or sound of fresh air from a book. Everything feels so fresh with them, and………….to be blunt, it’s fun.
“Well, alright. Should we have lunch soon? Dealing with Carol has made me hungry.”
“Ah, I agree~ I was just thinking the same thing. There is something we can agree on after all”
“Be quiet, and don’t stick to me………and get dressed first.”
It seems like Toslin and Carol had been adventuring together long before they met Rose and me in this town six months ago. Even though they’re of two different races, they act like sisters, and it makes me a little envious since I haven’t been able to see my own sister at home in half a year. There’s also the fact that I’m the older daughter, so I sometimes wish I had a beautiful older sister like Toslin……….oops, not good not good.
“Then, should we go as well?”
I turned towards Rose at her voice only to find her giving me a smile warm enough to melt my heart.
“Yes, let’s go.”
So we headed down towards the dining room on the inn’s first floor.
♠
The Sparkling Hen is run by a landlady named Meltaria, and a hyurian part-timer girl named Charlie. We were sitting at a four-person table. Other villagers would come by and drink in the evenings, but because it was still only lunchtime, we were the only customers there. The fire burning in the fireplace lit up the room as the crackle of the wood burning made the room sound as warm as it felt.
“Heeeeey, Charlie, you here?”
Charlie and I are the same age, so she and I really hit it off when we first met. We’ve been close friends ever since.
“Yahoo~, a group. What can I get you?”
A girl with red braided hair came out from the kitchen. This girl is Charlie. She has a friendly personality, and even though the person themselves is self-conscious of them, I secretly think her freckles are her charm point.
“Oi~ Iris. What are you doing blankly staring at a person’s face? It doesn’t matter how much you tell me how cute I am or how much you love me, it’s not going to make me happy.”
“Eh? Ah, sorry. Um, uh………..”
I quickly turn my gaze down to the menu. With that being said, there isn’t a wide selection and I have been eating here almost every day for the past six months, so I already have the whole thing memorized anyway.
“Just kidding. It might not be too bad hearing something like that from a girl as cute as Iris.”
“What is? I’ll have the herb cooked barbato.”
Barbato is a kind of wild boar that is native to the continent of Van Delucia, and its soft meat is delicious. It’s grown to become my usual order, but I just can’t get enough of the herbs and spices that are roasted into this meat. With just a little coarse salt and lemon juice, it becomes a masterpiece. It’s so tasty my mouth starts to drool just thinking about it.
“So shy. But alright, I’ll have the same as Iris. And give us some bread and drinks too.”
“What are you talking about? The meal comes with bread and drinks anyway?”
“Then that’ll do.”
“Well, I think I’ll have the same as well.”
Toslin and Rose put in their own orders as well. Lastly, Carol raised her hand.
“Well, I’ll have………..the herb cooked barbato.”
“Quit ordering the same thing as me. Ah, geez………….you’re always trying to be the jokester. It’s getting tiring.”
“Ehehe. I just like messing around with Toslin.”
“Well I don’t.”
Saying so, Toslin flicked Carol’s forehead.
“Okay, okay. So four herb cooked barbatos. Just wait a bit. I’ll make it now and bring them right out. The usual juice for Carol?”
“Boo, Boooooooo! Don’t treat me like a kid. Let me drink some alcohol.”
Carol started pouting in protest.
“Ahaha, but you really are a kid!”
By the way, the drinking age in this country is sixteen, so the fourteen year old Carol isn’t allowed to have any alcohol. Toslin and I only drink during special occasions, and Rose doesn’t drink any alcohol at all for religious reasons. So while none of us usually drink, this light round of teasing between Charlie and Carol still somehow began a regular occurrence.
Charlie then disappeared back into the kitchen, the cute frilly hem of her skirt fluttering as she walked.
“Still though, this snow keeps piling up. I keep playing and playing in it, but it hasn’t gone down at all.”
Carol muttered to herself while looking out the window.
“You’re right. It’s been snowing almost nonstop for a week now. Well, it’s nice getting a small break like this. We’ve been pretty busy up til now.”
“It might be nice for us, but it’s causing a fair bit of trouble for Iris right?”
Rose looked at me with a worried expression. Those strange circumstances I mentioned earlier is deeply connected with all this snow.
“Ahaha……….well, it’s not like we can do anything about it………”
The town I was born in is only about three days away from here by carriage ride. Unfortunately the only road there has been blocked by all this snow. On top of that, there have been sightings of a ridiculously high leveled monster called a dragon seen in the area which is why I can’t go home.
“Why did Iris come to this town in the first place? You said something about it before. Was it for a delivery?”
“Yes. I was supposed to deliver a book to the landlady here……….I’ve already told you this multiple times, so try to remember Carol.”
“Ahaha, sorry sorry. Hm, your parents must be worried about you.”
“You’ve managed to keep in contact with them right? Well even if I say that, they must still be feeling anxious after not being able to see you for six months.”
Toslin rested her chin in her hand as she spoke. Toslin surely has parents of her own, but six months probably isn’t a big deal for her with the way she’s traveling.
“Yes. Before………..I asked the landlady to send a letter for me.”
It’s not unusual for villages this far out to have their roadways blocked because of snowfall during the winter. That is why they tame carrier birds to deliver any messages that need to get sent out. I had my letter mixed in with a group that was going out, and my parents and I have exchanged several messages since. Of course I never mentioned to them how I’ve become friends with a group of adventurers, nor have I told them I’ve gone on a couple adventures with them already.
“Ooh, how about you become an adventurer with us? Let’s go south together. It’s warm down there.”
“Ah, that’s a good idea. It never snows down there, so the cold isn’t biting at your hands.”
As they both thought of the same scene at the same time, Toslin and Carol glared at each other while simultaneously thinking about the warm south and sighing. I know that the southern lands are warm, but I’ve never been there myself to confirm. Most of the knowledge I have comes from the books I’ve read.
“Hmm, is that so. This is the furthest south I’ve ever been………..”
“It’s very warm there. Before meeting you here half a year ago, I was doing missionary work in the port town of Triton. The sun was strong there, and it was like it was summer all year long……….”
“Oh, so Rose has been there too. It’s a really nice place. It’s only fault is what it does to your hair.”
“Ah, that was certainly a problem…….. After only a day there my hair felt all sticky. I wonder why.”
“Um………I’ve heard that it’s because of the salt in the sea……….other details are………”
Rose and Toslin both started looking at me. This is usually what happens when I start talking about something they don’t really understand.
“Hey, do you actually know the reason Iris?”
And then it becomes like this.
“Eh, I’ve never been there before so……….”
“But you know?”
Carol was staring at me with eyes full of expectations. Carol’s eyes are so beautiful, and really, sometimes feel like they were carved out of solidified curiosity.
“The wind carries salt from the water which takes away moisture from your hair. That’s what the book I read before said at least. I don’t know if that’s actually true or not.”
“Hmm, I see”
“See, you knew about it after all. As expected of a book master. You’re a walking library.”
“I only knew about it by chance. I don’t really know that much.”
“However, I can’t help but to rely on Iris whenever you are around. I feel guilty about it……”
I couldn’t say anything else when I saw Rose’s troubled face. I don’t hate this. If I can help everyone, then that’s good enough. But……..I do feel a little lonely. Compared to everyone else I don’t have any strength or stamina, and I can’t see myself as anything else other than an ordinary woman.
“But, so that place really does exist then. For me who has only ever lived around here since the day I was born, places like that exist only in the realms of the books I’ve read, so they don’t feel very real.”
“What, you interested? Of course you are. Iris is even more curious than I am. You can’t get the sense of a place just from reading about it in a book.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I’m interested per se…………….”
Honestly I’m jealous. You’re free to go wherever you feel like and live however you want. But, I can’t help but feel a little sad when I look at Carol.
“Hey, quit pestering Iris.”
“But……..”
Toslin flicked Carol’s forehead again, and the girl started pouting. Carol is a cute, albeit slightly cheeky beastman, half beast and half human. Right now they are legally recognized as people, but there was a time in the past when they were treated like monsters. As a result, there are still heartless people out there who discriminate and harass them.
“Hm? What’s wrong Iris? You thinking about something again?”
Carol noticed my gaze and tilted her head. Toslin told me before that Carol’s parents were killed by human hands, and she had no choice but to become an adventurer in order to survive. Whenever I think about that, I’m reminded about how lucky I am to have my parents in my hometown.
“Order up. Four servings of the Shining Hen’s herb baked barbato special.”
“Yahoooooo! Meat, meat~♪”
Carol’s eyes shined when she saw the meat sitting on the plates Charlie was carrying over. For her to be able to laugh like this, just how much hatred must she have buried away?
“Hey now, don’t get so excited.”
“Eh~. It’s fine. Aren’t you happy that you can eat meat every day like this?”
But Carol would surely laugh at me if I were to tell her all this. Because she………
“Hey!”
All of the sudden there was a knife pointed at my nose.
“U-UWAaaaa!”
I was so surprised I almost fell out of my chair.
“Wai, what do you think you’re doing!?”
Toslin smacked the back of Carol’s head.
“Ow, that huuuuuuurts! It’s because Iris has been daydreaming for a while now. If you don’t start eating soon, your food’s going to get cold.”
“And so you idiotically thrust a knife in her face!? Sorry Iris.”
“Y, Yeah it’s fine……… I was just thinking a bit……….”
My heart was still about to pound right out of my chest though. Toslin and Carol had started quarreling over the table. Meanwhile Rose was watching them go with a small, quiet smile. I realized what I was thinking before though was strange and started to laugh. That’s right, Carol has the type of personality that wouldn’t let her fret over these kinds of things.
“Really, it’s fine either way, but I put a lot of work into making that food special for you so I’d appreciate it if you ate it soon.”
“Oh ho, once again this place is noisy at noon.”
As Charlie muttered out a mixture of a sigh and a complaint, a woman entered through the front entrance while laughing.
“Ah~, so cold. Charlie, sorry to ask, but could you go in the back and boil some water?”
“Right right, Landlady. Leave it to me leave~”
Charlie walked back into the kitchen. The woman who had just walked in and was currently brushing the snow off her head and shoulders after taking a deep breath was Meltaria, and she was the landlady of this inn and the proprietress of the pub beneath it. She is an elf with long, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. I’ve never heard her actual age, but according to fellow elf Toslin, she must be over a hundred years old. The reason why I came to this town in the first place was because this woman ordered a book from the store my family runs. She’s a bit of a mysterious person being able to run a pub like this with a strength that wouldn’t lose out to any man, and yet she is able to read extremely complex books with ease.
“You’re in luck Toslin, I have a job for you.”
“Eh……….but we only just finished the last one.”
“Don’t complain. You should be grateful you’re getting any work at all during the winter.”
The landlady came over to us while we continued chewing on our meat.
“So, who the heck is handing out this job?”
“It’s from your guild. Since you’re the only warrior in town right now, I suppose you’re the one they have to ask.”
“Ah~. And I thought I was finally going to get a break from all this back breaking work.”
“We should be delighted we get to help others Toslin.”
“Haa, Rose is such a good person. You’re always thinking like that. Well fine. I got it, I got it. Money is important too. We have to earn what we can, when we can.”
“You can hear the details from somebody at the guild later then. Ah, that’s right I almost forgot.”
“There’s something else?”
“It’s actually related to you Iris. By some chance, it sounds like we might be able to open up the road back to your home soon.”
“Huh?”
My brain stopped working for a second when it heard those unexpected words. It seems like that was true for everyone else too, and we all shared a look.
“H-How? Isn’t there a dragon blocking the way to Iris’s town? Did it go somewhere?”
The landlady puffed out her chest and gave an out of place laugh.
“I was told a Hero descended from Ranroot himself will be coming to slay the dragon.”
“Eh………by Ranroot you mean………..the one they say killed a black dragon with the aid of the Goddess Illya…………..that Ranroot?”
My voice was trembling in awe. A person with the blood of such a legendary figure was coming this way………It’s so super awesomely amazing.
“I can’t say for sure, but that’s what the guy at the guild told me. It’s already been half a year since you came here, but perhaps you can finally start thinking about getting ready to go home.”
“The landlady gave me a wink.
“Good for you Iris.”
When our eyes met, Toslin laughed.
When you think about a descendant of Ranroot, you think about Osnell’s current king. Olivar. There’s also his young seventeen year old son Ashel as well. If they’re sending one of them here, it’d probably be the latter?”
A thousand years ago, there was a time when the power of the Goddess Illya who governs this world weakened. At that time, spirits and animals from ancient times regained their power, and monsters began attacking people. Ranroot was the son of a blacksmith, and with a sword he forged himself, he slew the primordial king who led the other monsters–he killed the black dragon. We call this the Illyrian War. After its end, Ranroot established a country around the castle the black dragon had used. The name of this country was Osnell. Ever since, the country, which bears the name of the felled dragon, has been ruled by Ranroot’s descendants.
“Ah, I’ve heard the rumors about Ashel. They say that with a single swing of his sword, he cut a mountain that bore into the sky in two, dispersing the clouds over a town that had experienced nothing but rain for the past hundred years. He’s also supposed to be a great beauty too. I heard another story that when he stepped in to save another country, the prince there proposed to him thinking he was a woman.”
“I, think that last one might me made up……….hm? If that’s the case, doesn’t that mean the future king is coming here?”
While Carol looked astonished, Rose nodded her head with a gentle expression.
“Although he’s not coming here specifically, perhaps he might drop in on the way.”
“It sounds like the Goddess gave the Hero a direct order. Seriously, I’m really grateful. The highway has been blocked for such a long time, and business has completely dried up.”
As the landlady gave her thanks, Rose nodded her head once again.
“Goddess, we thank you for your overwhelmingly compassionate heart.”
“So, well then……..wanna go see? How often do you get to see a dragon being slain?”
As Carol said so, Toslin gave her a chop on the head.
“Come on, weren’t you listening? We have a job to do.”
“She said it was from the guild…………and Toslin is part of the Warrior’s Guild right?”
A guild is another name for those organizations I mentioned a bit earlier where people with similar occupations work together and help each other out. I forgot to mention it, but Toslin is part of the Warrior’s Guild, and while it’s not something you want to mention too loudly, Carol is a member of the Thieves’ Guild. While I did say that the Illya Church has ties with most of the guilds, the word is that the same can’t be said about the church and the Thieves’ Guild. You wouldn’t be able to guess it when you see how Carol and Rose act around each other every day, but because we are talking about two large organizations, of course there are going to be more complex circumstances to consider.
“Yes, that’s right. You’ll never go hungry when you join a guild like that, but the inability to choose when you have to take a job is definitely a minus.”
“Ehhh~ Let’s go see the dragon.”
“You’re still saying that? You really want us to go see a dragon that could blow us away with a single breath? They breath fire you know?”
“It’ll be fine if we watch from a distance. I want to see the Hero fight once.”
“And what are you going to do after you’ve seen that? Quit saying selfish things and get back to your food.”
“Stingy Toslin.”
Seeing that Toslin wasn’t going to back down, Carol stuck out her tongue. With her cheeks currently stuffed up and bulging with meat, Toslin frowned.
“What! We have a job so it can’t be helped!”
“Now now, there’s no need to fight you two.”
As things were just about to get physical between the two, Rose stepped in between them. Well, you wouldn’t really be able to call it a fight if it came down to it. Carol can’t match Toslin’s physical strength, so it would end with Toslin holding Carol down until she gave up.
“But, Toslin started it!”
“That’s because you won’t listen to me and keep saying selfish things! If you want to go see it that much, then just go by yourself!”
“But if I do that, Toslin will get so lonely you won’t be able to sleep at night!”
“D-Don’t be ridiculous! S-Stop saying such stupid things and hurry up and eat!”
There is one thing I’ve come to understand in the half a year I’ve lived together with everyone. That is the fact that Carol’s words right now were not a joke. Toslin is always right beside Carol, and the two of them go everywhere together.
Carol has been following after Toslin for such a long time now, but because of that, if Carol ever disappears, Toslin starts to get restless and inevitably starts looking for her. Just like Carol said, I don’t think these two could stand to be separated for a long time. Their relationship is kind of like a cat and its owner.
“You look like there’s something you want to say Iris.”
“Fue?”
I just realized I was staring at Toslin. Lacking in any prudence, my white cheeks were dyed red. I really do think that Toslin is pretty, but I don’t have the courage to ever tell her that.
“N-nothing in particular. Really truly.”
I quickly turned my eyes away from her and blocked up my mouth with some meat. Yeah, delicious. This meat is so wonderfully succulent.
“Hmm……..So? What are you going to do?”
I cleared my throat to try and hide my embarrassment while hearing Toslin out.
“Going back to those rumors about Ashel, I heard he slew a one-eyed giant out in the west. If he’s really coming here, even if it is a dragon, it’s only a matter of time before it’s defeated.”
“I heard that it’s actually only a lesser dragon. With that being said, it’d still be too strong for us to deal with.”
Lesser dragons are a tinier, weaker species of dragon. Still, they have a level of strength of at least 35. For the record, Carol is level 5. Toslin is 6, and the oldest among us, Rose, is only level 7. Just as Toslin says, a party whose total level combined doesn’t equal half the level of their opponent would never be able to win.
Levels are used to measure the strength of an adventurer, and you can have yours gauged at a temple. By the way, I’m simply the daughter of a bookstore owner. I am level one. That of course means I have no skill in combat.
“Let’s go together Iris. Hey, heeeeeeey~”
Carol started kicking my shin from underneath the table.
“Eh………b, but…………I might just hold you back like last time……….”
I mentioned before that I had gone on a few adventures with them. The last time I went, Toslin and the others undertook a request to subdue some monsters that were attacking livestock, and they brought me with them.
But, the only thing I could do was run and hide. I really only watched as everyone else fought while being protected by Goldmund. Ah, Goldmund is an animal that Rose trained…….but leaving that aside, even though everyone tried encouraging me and said I would grow as time went on, back then I felt like a really huge burden.
“That’s not true at all, right? Toslin?”
“That’s right. We didn’t mind at all. We knew from the very beginning that Iris wasn’t very good at fighting.”
“Uuu……..”
Toslin laughed like she was getting back at me for staring earlier.
“But really, Iris is a huge help whenever you come with us. None of us can hold a candle to Iris’s knowledge.”
“Right right. If there’s ever a fight, you can leave it to Toslin and Rose, so let’s go together! Otherwise who is going to make my meals?”
“Can you think about anything other than food for once?”
Toslin looked back towards me after sighing.
“But well, it is true that you are a huge help. Ah, and I don’t mean like with just meals? All sorts of……….really, there are so many things you help us with………….that’s why……….. So if you’d like…………I want you to come with us.”
“Quit acting shy Toslin and just ask her clearly!”
“Shut up!”
After being made fun of for how she was trailing off, Toslin hit Carol in the back of the head as hard as she could.
“KAaaaaaaaa! Ow…………..OUCH! You violent elf!”
“Shut up you chibi wolf!”
“Don’t call me a chibi! Even if I look like this, I’m amazing when I take off!”
“I don’t care how amazing you are, now stop your boasting and eat your meat.”
“Fine, I’ll eat.”
To be honest, even though I know I’ll end up holding everyone back, my yearning to go on more adventures keeps pushing me back. Even a small adventure like this is something grand for a person like me who has never really left their hometown.
“R-Really though……….is it really alright……… Because I………I really can’t do much……….”
“Don’t go deciding that on your own. I already told you how much of a help you are.”
“Fufufu, that’s right. Iris, won’t you come with us again?”
“Let’s go let’s go! It’s settled it’s settled, right? It’s settled then!”
Carol jumped up and down with some meat hanging from her mouth.
“To start with, you’re like a lucky charm whenever we’re together.”
Toslin grabbed the scruff of Carol’s neck and forced her back into her seat.
“Hey, what the heck! But well, since Iris doesn’t constantly get mad like Toslin does, it’ll be nice to have you.”
Carol laughed as she continued to eat her delicious-looking meat.
“Fufu. It sounds like it’s decided then, don’t you think Iris?”
Rose whispered into my ear while giving a smile as radiant as the shining sun, and I unconsciously nodded my head. There’s nobody in the world who could refuse after being asked by this kind of smile.
“Y-Yes…….. If I can be of help……….then I’ll do my best…………”
Even if I sounded nervous, at that time, my heart was beating with excitement.
Opening the window, a pearly snowscape stretched before me. A chilled wind blew into the room, causing my nose to ache with its touch.
This was a sleepy rural town called Rifront. It is located in the country of Osnell, itself found on the continent of Van Delucia. You would find it after a ten days carriage ride to the west from the capitol Osnell-Tari.
During the summer the town is covered in lush greenery, complimenting the town’s brickwork that glows under the bright sun. Unfortunately all of that was now covered in snow. There is a lake at the town’s center, and when the weather is nice, you can watch as people sit on the shore, hanging fishing lines through the gaps in the ice.
Even if they call it a lake, it is still small enough that you could walk around the whole thing in thirty minutes. But the people who live in this town have lovingly come to call it Rif Ront (Fairy’s Tear), which is where the name for the town came from.
Right now I am on the second floor of the Shining Hen, the only inn in town. I took a deep breath, sucking in and enjoying that cold, fresh air from the window, and stretched.
“TYAA! TAA!”
From there, an energetic voice could be heard outside. Wondering what was going on, I looked down outside the window where a girl with silver hair was running around in the snow. She happily threw a snowball she had in hand before quickly making up another one and throwing that one too.
Her name is Carotayle, but I always call her Carol. She is a member of a half beast/half human race called Werewolves. Her fuzzy ears and tail shook this way and that as she frolicked about, using her impressive agility to move from one spot to another in order to dodge some incoming snowballs.
“You can’t hit me, you can’t hit me! Come oooooooon, you slow footed elf!”
“What did you saaaaay!?”
After that, a really huge snowball soared through the sky as an angry voice cut through the cold air. Carol was caught completely off guard, landing on her back as the snowball hit her in the face.
“Ahahahah, so lame. Calling me slow footed, but aren’t you the slowest one here? In the head!”
There was another woman who was clutching her stomach, doubled over from laughing. She was tall, slender, and had flowing gold locks. Even as another woman, I have to take a moment to marvel at how beautiful she was.
Her name is Tosrillon F. Iriburgh, but she prefers to be just called Toslin. Just as Carol had said, Toslin was an elf. Just like how Carol is from the beastman race, Toslin is an elf which bears a slight difference from a Hyurian like me which can be found all over the continent. Long-lived, beautiful white skin, pointed ears, and a staggering beauty–these are the traits that set elves apart from other people.
“Wai, that was a foul just now! I just got confused for a moment seeing such a ginormous snowball!”
“Noisy. It’s your bad for getting careless.”
“Muu~! One more! One more round!”
Carol was already in the process of throwing another snowball at Toslin as she spoke.
“Well well, both of them are full of energy.”
A sudden soft and tender voice made me look beside me. A gaze just as tender as her voice was watching the two below play in the snow.
“You think so too? Uuu, it’s cold………….the kind of day that makes you want to stay inside.”
Although I had only just opened the window to get some fresh air, already the room had grown icy cold.
Oh yes. The person standing next to me is Rosalith Cuulbacall, another hyurian like me, and the older sister of our group being twenty years old. By the way, Carol is fourteen and Toslin is eighteen.
Rosalith………or Rose as I like to call her, is a priestess who follows the sacred teachings of the Illya Church.
In order to become a priestess, you must first join a monastery. Every day they must pray to the Goddess and do good deeds in her name. The Goddess sees all that they do, and only those chosen by the Goddess can raise themselves to becoming priestesses. They then gain the ability to perform miracles. That’s why a person with a wicked heart is never able to become a priestess……….or so they say.
Rose was always carrying a gentle smile. It’s been almost half a year since I met her in this town, yet I’ve never seen her without one. As a result, I’ve started smiling all the time too, even when I’m not doing anything. She has long, fluffy pink hair and is a truly lovely person.
“Is Iris not going to play outside as well?”
“D-don’t be silly. How can I have fun outside on a cold day like this…….and I’m not a little kid anymore. On days like this I’d much rather read a book next to a warm stove.”
“Ufufu. You really do love books, don’t you Iris.”
“Haha……… Well, I am the daughter of a bookstore owner. I’ve been a bookworm for as long as I can remember.”
Perhaps it’s a little late, but my name is Iris Calvafon. I’m sixteen years old, and my family have been bookstore owners since our ancient ancestors.
With that being said, because of a strange turn of events, I’ve been unable to return home for half a year now and have become indebted to the Shining Hen.
Closing the window, I picked up a book and sat down next to the stove just as a snow covered Carol burst into the room with a loud bang.
“Ho, Hold on! I give up! I said I surrender!”
“Shut up! I’m shoving it down your back as well, so prepare yourself!”
Toslin appeared next and grabbed the scruff of Carol’s neck with her right hand. She then shoved the large pile of snow she was carrying in her left hand down down Carol’s shirt…………
“HYAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
Carol started rolling around on the floor.
“Hmph. Take this as a lesson to not try and beat me using such cowardly tactics.”
I feel bad for Carol, but it’s a little funny watching this young girl writhe around in agony because of the cold snow.
“Wai, Iris is laughing right now! Don’t try and hide behind your book! I saw you!”
“Ahaha. N-No way. That’s not true. I just thought it was nice how energetic you are.”
I panicked and hid my face behind my book, but I could still feel Carol’s intense stare. Muu, I can’t lose here. If I look at her now, I won’t be able to hold back my laughter.
“Well ok…………. But isn’t Iris going to go outside too? You haven’t left the inn for three days now.”
Carol was talking as she pulled off her wet tunic in front of the wood stove. Oi oi, I’m begging you, don’t get naked so casually just because it’s only women in here.
“I’m fine. I still have the book I borrowed from the library last time.”
Although it was small, this town did have a library. I borrowed this book a couple days ago, and I have to return it once I finish it. It’s natural, but also a bit annoying because I never had to do that with a book when I was home. As you’ve probably already learned, I’m a fundamentally lazy person.
“You say that, but isn’t an adventurer’s greatest treasure their body? Won’t you ruin yours if you don’t move around regularly?”
“Eh, but……….I’m not an adventurer like all of you.”
Yes that’s right. Toslin, Carol, and Rose are all officially recognized adventurers. There are various professions in this world, and there is something like an association or a cooperation for each that spans across a nation’s borders. Adventurers are members of an association that mainly deals with monster exterminations and exploring ancient ruins, usually in a group.
There wasn’t always a system like this, but now their organization handles different requests for those monster exterminations, ruin explorations, and even bodyguard requests for higher paying individuals. Like this, a system was put in place where an adventurer could complete the requests put forward by the organization in return for a reward.
Adventurers are issued a license from their organization which has to be renewed regularly. Strictly speaking, the priestess Rose isn’t an adventurer, but becasue the Illya Church has strong ties with most of these organizations, Rose is acting as a de-facto adventurer.
But I’m different. Not only am I just the daughter of a bookstore owner with no license, I don’t have the physical strength it would take to go on a difficult journey.
“What are you talking about? You’ve come out with us so many times now.”
Toslin said with a sigh.
“Fufu, that’s right. And Iris is really interested in the outside world.”
“And aren’t you reading a book on adventuring right now? I can’t really tell though since I can’t read.”
As Carol had pointed out, what I was reading right now was a tale about the adventures of Ranroot who traveled the world a thousand years ago until he founded our country Osnell. It’s a famous story about how he received the divine protection of the Goddess Illya and then took the head of a black dragon. This book was loved by everyone in this country, and I don’t know how many times I’ve already read it.
“Uu, you figured it out………. The Adventures of Ranroot, Chapter 5. The Meeting Between the Goddess of Light and the Hero………..”
Since I had a lot of free time because of the issues with home I mentioned before, I wanted to try and directly experience the life of an adventurer even though I knew I didn’t have the aptitude for it, and these three invited me along. But, rather than being helpful to them, there have been times where I’ve actually been a burden. Yet these three continue to encourage me, and even though it’s difficult, I still have a wonderful time with them. You can’t get the sense of taste, touch, smell, or sound of fresh air from a book. Everything feels so fresh with them, and………….to be blunt, it’s fun.
“Well, alright. Should we have lunch soon? Dealing with Carol has made me hungry.”
“Ah, I agree~ I was just thinking the same thing. There is something we can agree on after all”
“Be quiet, and don’t stick to me………and get dressed first.”
It seems like Toslin and Carol had been adventuring together long before they met Rose and me in this town six months ago. Even though they’re of two different races, they act like sisters, and it makes me a little envious since I haven’t been able to see my own sister at home in half a year. There’s also the fact that I’m the older daughter, so I sometimes wish I had a beautiful older sister like Toslin……….oops, not good not good.
“Then, should we go as well?”
I turned towards Rose at her voice only to find her giving me a smile warm enough to melt my heart.
“Yes, let’s go.”
So we headed down towards the dining room on the inn’s first floor.
♠
The Sparkling Hen is run by a landlady named Meltaria, and a hyurian part-timer girl named Charlie. We were sitting at a four-person table. Other villagers would come by and drink in the evenings, but because it was still only lunchtime, we were the only customers there. The fire burning in the fireplace lit up the room as the crackle of the wood burning made the room sound as warm as it felt.
“Heeeeey, Charlie, you here?”
Charlie and I are the same age, so she and I really hit it off when we first met. We’ve been close friends ever since.
“Yahoo~, a group. What can I get you?”
A girl with red braided hair came out from the kitchen. This girl is Charlie. She has a friendly personality, and even though the person themselves is self-conscious of them, I secretly think her freckles are her charm point.
“Oi~ Iris. What are you doing blankly staring at a person’s face? It doesn’t matter how much you tell me how cute I am or how much you love me, it’s not going to make me happy.”
“Eh? Ah, sorry. Um, uh………..”
I quickly turn my gaze down to the menu. With that being said, there isn’t a wide selection and I have been eating here almost every day for the past six months, so I already have the whole thing memorized anyway.
“Just kidding. It might not be too bad hearing something like that from a girl as cute as Iris.”
“What is? I’ll have the herb cooked barbato.”
Barbato is a kind of wild boar that is native to the continent of Van Delucia, and its soft meat is delicious. It’s grown to become my usual order, but I just can’t get enough of the herbs and spices that are roasted into this meat. With just a little coarse salt and lemon juice, it becomes a masterpiece. It’s so tasty my mouth starts to drool just thinking about it.
“So shy. But alright, I’ll have the same as Iris. And give us some bread and drinks too.”
“What are you talking about? The meal comes with bread and drinks anyway?”
“Then that’ll do.”
“Well, I think I’ll have the same as well.”
Toslin and Rose put in their own orders as well. Lastly, Carol raised her hand.
“Well, I’ll have………..the herb cooked barbato.”
“Quit ordering the same thing as me. Ah, geez………….you’re always trying to be the jokester. It’s getting tiring.”
“Ehehe. I just like messing around with Toslin.”
“Well I don’t.”
Saying so, Toslin flicked Carol’s forehead.
“Okay, okay. So four herb cooked barbatos. Just wait a bit. I’ll make it now and bring them right out. The usual juice for Carol?”
“Boo, Boooooooo! Don’t treat me like a kid. Let me drink some alcohol.”
Carol started pouting in protest.
“Ahaha, but you really are a kid!”
By the way, the drinking age in this country is sixteen, so the fourteen year old Carol isn’t allowed to have any alcohol. Toslin and I only drink during special occasions, and Rose doesn’t drink any alcohol at all for religious reasons. So while none of us usually drink, this light round of teasing between Charlie and Carol still somehow began a regular occurrence.
Charlie then disappeared back into the kitchen, the cute frilly hem of her skirt fluttering as she walked.
“Still though, this snow keeps piling up. I keep playing and playing in it, but it hasn’t gone down at all.”
Carol muttered to herself while looking out the window.
“You’re right. It’s been snowing almost nonstop for a week now. Well, it’s nice getting a small break like this. We’ve been pretty busy up til now.”
“It might be nice for us, but it’s causing a fair bit of trouble for Iris right?”
Rose looked at me with a worried expression. Those strange circumstances I mentioned earlier is deeply connected with all this snow.
“Ahaha……….well, it’s not like we can do anything about it………”
The town I was born in is only about three days away from here by carriage ride. Unfortunately the only road there has been blocked by all this snow. On top of that, there have been sightings of a ridiculously high leveled monster called a dragon seen in the area which is why I can’t go home.
“Why did Iris come to this town in the first place? You said something about it before. Was it for a delivery?”
“Yes. I was supposed to deliver a book to the landlady here……….I’ve already told you this multiple times, so try to remember Carol.”
“Ahaha, sorry sorry. Hm, your parents must be worried about you.”
“You’ve managed to keep in contact with them right? Well even if I say that, they must still be feeling anxious after not being able to see you for six months.”
Toslin rested her chin in her hand as she spoke. Toslin surely has parents of her own, but six months probably isn’t a big deal for her with the way she’s traveling.
“Yes. Before………..I asked the landlady to send a letter for me.”
It’s not unusual for villages this far out to have their roadways blocked because of snowfall during the winter. That is why they tame carrier birds to deliver any messages that need to get sent out. I had my letter mixed in with a group that was going out, and my parents and I have exchanged several messages since. Of course I never mentioned to them how I’ve become friends with a group of adventurers, nor have I told them I’ve gone on a couple adventures with them already.
“Ooh, how about you become an adventurer with us? Let’s go south together. It’s warm down there.”
“Ah, that’s a good idea. It never snows down there, so the cold isn’t biting at your hands.”
As they both thought of the same scene at the same time, Toslin and Carol glared at each other while simultaneously thinking about the warm south and sighing. I know that the southern lands are warm, but I’ve never been there myself to confirm. Most of the knowledge I have comes from the books I’ve read.
“Hmm, is that so. This is the furthest south I’ve ever been………..”
“It’s very warm there. Before meeting you here half a year ago, I was doing missionary work in the port town of Triton. The sun was strong there, and it was like it was summer all year long……….”
“Oh, so Rose has been there too. It’s a really nice place. It’s only fault is what it does to your hair.”
“Ah, that was certainly a problem…….. After only a day there my hair felt all sticky. I wonder why.”
“Um………I’ve heard that it’s because of the salt in the sea……….other details are………”
Rose and Toslin both started looking at me. This is usually what happens when I start talking about something they don’t really understand.
“Hey, do you actually know the reason Iris?”
And then it becomes like this.
“Eh, I’ve never been there before so……….”
“But you know?”
Carol was staring at me with eyes full of expectations. Carol’s eyes are so beautiful, and really, sometimes feel like they were carved out of solidified curiosity.
“The wind carries salt from the water which takes away moisture from your hair. That’s what the book I read before said at least. I don’t know if that’s actually true or not.”
“Hmm, I see”
“See, you knew about it after all. As expected of a book master. You’re a walking library.”
“I only knew about it by chance. I don’t really know that much.”
“However, I can’t help but to rely on Iris whenever you are around. I feel guilty about it……”
I couldn’t say anything else when I saw Rose’s troubled face. I don’t hate this. If I can help everyone, then that’s good enough. But……..I do feel a little lonely. Compared to everyone else I don’t have any strength or stamina, and I can’t see myself as anything else other than an ordinary woman.
“But, so that place really does exist then. For me who has only ever lived around here since the day I was born, places like that exist only in the realms of the books I’ve read, so they don’t feel very real.”
“What, you interested? Of course you are. Iris is even more curious than I am. You can’t get the sense of a place just from reading about it in a book.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I’m interested per se…………….”
Honestly I’m jealous. You’re free to go wherever you feel like and live however you want. But, I can’t help but feel a little sad when I look at Carol.
“Hey, quit pestering Iris.”
“But……..”
Toslin flicked Carol’s forehead again, and the girl started pouting. Carol is a cute, albeit slightly cheeky beastman, half beast and half human. Right now they are legally recognized as people, but there was a time in the past when they were treated like monsters. As a result, there are still heartless people out there who discriminate and harass them.
“Hm? What’s wrong Iris? You thinking about something again?”
Carol noticed my gaze and tilted her head. Toslin told me before that Carol’s parents were killed by human hands, and she had no choice but to become an adventurer in order to survive. Whenever I think about that, I’m reminded about how lucky I am to have my parents in my hometown.
“Order up. Four servings of the Shining Hen’s herb baked barbato special.”
“Yahoooooo! Meat, meat~♪”
Carol’s eyes shined when she saw the meat sitting on the plates Charlie was carrying over. For her to be able to laugh like this, just how much hatred must she have buried away?
“Hey now, don’t get so excited.”
“Eh~. It’s fine. Aren’t you happy that you can eat meat every day like this?”
But Carol would surely laugh at me if I were to tell her all this. Because she………
“Hey!”
All of the sudden there was a knife pointed at my nose.
“U-UWAaaaa!”
I was so surprised I almost fell out of my chair.
“Wai, what do you think you’re doing!?”
Toslin smacked the back of Carol’s head.
“Ow, that huuuuuuurts! It’s because Iris has been daydreaming for a while now. If you don’t start eating soon, your food’s going to get cold.”
“And so you idiotically thrust a knife in her face!? Sorry Iris.”
“Y, Yeah it’s fine……… I was just thinking a bit……….”
My heart was still about to pound right out of my chest though. Toslin and Carol had started quarreling over the table. Meanwhile Rose was watching them go with a small, quiet smile. I realized what I was thinking before though was strange and started to laugh. That’s right, Carol has the type of personality that wouldn’t let her fret over these kinds of things.
“Really, it’s fine either way, but I put a lot of work into making that food special for you so I’d appreciate it if you ate it soon.”
“Oh ho, once again this place is noisy at noon.”
As Charlie muttered out a mixture of a sigh and a complaint, a woman entered through the front entrance while laughing.
“Ah~, so cold. Charlie, sorry to ask, but could you go in the back and boil some water?”
“Right right, Landlady. Leave it to me leave~”
Charlie walked back into the kitchen. The woman who had just walked in and was currently brushing the snow off her head and shoulders after taking a deep breath was Meltaria, and she was the landlady of this inn and the proprietress of the pub beneath it. She is an elf with long, wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. I’ve never heard her actual age, but according to fellow elf Toslin, she must be over a hundred years old. The reason why I came to this town in the first place was because this woman ordered a book from the store my family runs. She’s a bit of a mysterious person being able to run a pub like this with a strength that wouldn’t lose out to any man, and yet she is able to read extremely complex books with ease.
“You’re in luck Toslin, I have a job for you.”
“Eh……….but we only just finished the last one.”
“Don’t complain. You should be grateful you’re getting any work at all during the winter.”
The landlady came over to us while we continued chewing on our meat.
“So, who the heck is handing out this job?”
“It’s from your guild. Since you’re the only warrior in town right now, I suppose you’re the one they have to ask.”
“Ah~. And I thought I was finally going to get a break from all this back breaking work.”
“We should be delighted we get to help others Toslin.”
“Haa, Rose is such a good person. You’re always thinking like that. Well fine. I got it, I got it. Money is important too. We have to earn what we can, when we can.”
“You can hear the details from somebody at the guild later then. Ah, that’s right I almost forgot.”
“There’s something else?”
“It’s actually related to you Iris. By some chance, it sounds like we might be able to open up the road back to your home soon.”
“Huh?”
My brain stopped working for a second when it heard those unexpected words. It seems like that was true for everyone else too, and we all shared a look.
“H-How? Isn’t there a dragon blocking the way to Iris’s town? Did it go somewhere?”
The landlady puffed out her chest and gave an out of place laugh.
“I was told a Hero descended from Ranroot himself will be coming to slay the dragon.”
“Eh………by Ranroot you mean………..the one they say killed a black dragon with the aid of the Goddess Illya…………..that Ranroot?”
My voice was trembling in awe. A person with the blood of such a legendary figure was coming this way………It’s so super awesomely amazing.
“I can’t say for sure, but that’s what the guy at the guild told me. It’s already been half a year since you came here, but perhaps you can finally start thinking about getting ready to go home.”
“The landlady gave me a wink.
“Good for you Iris.”
When our eyes met, Toslin laughed.
When you think about a descendant of Ranroot, you think about Osnell’s current king. Olivar. There’s also his young seventeen year old son Ashel as well. If they’re sending one of them here, it’d probably be the latter?”
A thousand years ago, there was a time when the power of the Goddess Illya who governs this world weakened. At that time, spirits and animals from ancient times regained their power, and monsters began attacking people. Ranroot was the son of a blacksmith, and with a sword he forged himself, he slew the primordial king who led the other monsters–he killed the black dragon. We call this the Illyrian War. After its end, Ranroot established a country around the castle the black dragon had used. The name of this country was Osnell. Ever since, the country, which bears the name of the felled dragon, has been ruled by Ranroot’s descendants.
“Ah, I’ve heard the rumors about Ashel. They say that with a single swing of his sword, he cut a mountain that bore into the sky in two, dispersing the clouds over a town that had experienced nothing but rain for the past hundred years. He’s also supposed to be a great beauty too. I heard another story that when he stepped in to save another country, the prince there proposed to him thinking he was a woman.”
“I, think that last one might me made up……….hm? If that’s the case, doesn’t that mean the future king is coming here?”
While Carol looked astonished, Rose nodded her head with a gentle expression.
“Although he’s not coming here specifically, perhaps he might drop in on the way.”
“It sounds like the Goddess gave the Hero a direct order. Seriously, I’m really grateful. The highway has been blocked for such a long time, and business has completely dried up.”
As the landlady gave her thanks, Rose nodded her head once again.
“Goddess, we thank you for your overwhelmingly compassionate heart.”
“So, well then……..wanna go see? How often do you get to see a dragon being slain?”
As Carol said so, Toslin gave her a chop on the head.
“Come on, weren’t you listening? We have a job to do.”
“She said it was from the guild…………and Toslin is part of the Warrior’s Guild right?”
A guild is another name for those organizations I mentioned a bit earlier where people with similar occupations work together and help each other out. I forgot to mention it, but Toslin is part of the Warrior’s Guild, and while it’s not something you want to mention too loudly, Carol is a member of the Thieves’ Guild. While I did say that the Illya Church has ties with most of the guilds, the word is that the same can’t be said about the church and the Thieves’ Guild. You wouldn’t be able to guess it when you see how Carol and Rose act around each other every day, but because we are talking about two large organizations, of course there are going to be more complex circumstances to consider.
“Yes, that’s right. You’ll never go hungry when you join a guild like that, but the inability to choose when you have to take a job is definitely a minus.”
“Ehhh~ Let’s go see the dragon.”
“You’re still saying that? You really want us to go see a dragon that could blow us away with a single breath? They breath fire you know?”
“It’ll be fine if we watch from a distance. I want to see the Hero fight once.”
“And what are you going to do after you’ve seen that? Quit saying selfish things and get back to your food.”
“Stingy Toslin.”
Seeing that Toslin wasn’t going to back down, Carol stuck out her tongue. With her cheeks currently stuffed up and bulging with meat, Toslin frowned.
“What! We have a job so it can’t be helped!”
“Now now, there’s no need to fight you two.”
As things were just about to get physical between the two, Rose stepped in between them. Well, you wouldn’t really be able to call it a fight if it came down to it. Carol can’t match Toslin’s physical strength, so it would end with Toslin holding Carol down until she gave up.
“But, Toslin started it!”
“That’s because you won’t listen to me and keep saying selfish things! If you want to go see it that much, then just go by yourself!”
“But if I do that, Toslin will get so lonely you won’t be able to sleep at night!”
“D-Don’t be ridiculous! S-Stop saying such stupid things and hurry up and eat!”
There is one thing I’ve come to understand in the half a year I’ve lived together with everyone. That is the fact that Carol’s words right now were not a joke. Toslin is always right beside Carol, and the two of them go everywhere together.
Carol has been following after Toslin for such a long time now, but because of that, if Carol ever disappears, Toslin starts to get restless and inevitably starts looking for her. Just like Carol said, I don’t think these two could stand to be separated for a long time. Their relationship is kind of like a cat and its owner.
“You look like there’s something you want to say Iris.”
“Fue?”
I just realized I was staring at Toslin. Lacking in any prudence, my white cheeks were dyed red. I really do think that Toslin is pretty, but I don’t have the courage to ever tell her that.
“N-nothing in particular. Really truly.”
I quickly turned my eyes away from her and blocked up my mouth with some meat. Yeah, delicious. This meat is so wonderfully succulent.
“Hmm……..So? What are you going to do?”
I cleared my throat to try and hide my embarrassment while hearing Toslin out.
“Going back to those rumors about Ashel, I heard he slew a one-eyed giant out in the west. If he’s really coming here, even if it is a dragon, it’s only a matter of time before it’s defeated.”
“I heard that it’s actually only a lesser dragon. With that being said, it’d still be too strong for us to deal with.”
Lesser dragons are a tinier, weaker species of dragon. Still, they have a level of strength of at least 35. For the record, Carol is level 5. Toslin is 6, and the oldest among us, Rose, is only level 7. Just as Toslin says, a party whose total level combined doesn’t equal half the level of their opponent would never be able to win.
Levels are used to measure the strength of an adventurer, and you can have yours gauged at a temple. By the way, I’m simply the daughter of a bookstore owner. I am level one. That of course means I have no skill in combat.
“Let’s go together Iris. Hey, heeeeeeey~”
Carol started kicking my shin from underneath the table.
“Eh………b, but…………I might just hold you back like last time……….”
I mentioned before that I had gone on a few adventures with them. The last time I went, Toslin and the others undertook a request to subdue some monsters that were attacking livestock, and they brought me with them.
But, the only thing I could do was run and hide. I really only watched as everyone else fought while being protected by Goldmund. Ah, Goldmund is an animal that Rose trained…….but leaving that aside, even though everyone tried encouraging me and said I would grow as time went on, back then I felt like a really huge burden.
“That’s not true at all, right? Toslin?”
“That’s right. We didn’t mind at all. We knew from the very beginning that Iris wasn’t very good at fighting.”
“Uuu……..”
Toslin laughed like she was getting back at me for staring earlier.
“But really, Iris is a huge help whenever you come with us. None of us can hold a candle to Iris’s knowledge.”
“Right right. If there’s ever a fight, you can leave it to Toslin and Rose, so let’s go together! Otherwise who is going to make my meals?”
“Can you think about anything other than food for once?”
Toslin looked back towards me after sighing.
“But well, it is true that you are a huge help. Ah, and I don’t mean like with just meals? All sorts of……….really, there are so many things you help us with………….that’s why……….. So if you’d like…………I want you to come with us.”
“Quit acting shy Toslin and just ask her clearly!”
“Shut up!”
After being made fun of for how she was trailing off, Toslin hit Carol in the back of the head as hard as she could.
“KAaaaaaaaa! Ow…………..OUCH! You violent elf!”
“Shut up you chibi wolf!”
“Don’t call me a chibi! Even if I look like this, I’m amazing when I take off!”
“I don’t care how amazing you are, now stop your boasting and eat your meat.”
“Fine, I’ll eat.”
To be honest, even though I know I’ll end up holding everyone back, my yearning to go on more adventures keeps pushing me back. Even a small adventure like this is something grand for a person like me who has never really left their hometown.
“R-Really though……….is it really alright……… Because I………I really can’t do much……….”
“Don’t go deciding that on your own. I already told you how much of a help you are.”
“Fufufu, that’s right. Iris, won’t you come with us again?”
“Let’s go let’s go! It’s settled it’s settled, right? It’s settled then!”
Carol jumped up and down with some meat hanging from her mouth.
“To start with, you’re like a lucky charm whenever we’re together.”
Toslin grabbed the scruff of Carol’s neck and forced her back into her seat.
“Hey, what the heck! But well, since Iris doesn’t constantly get mad like Toslin does, it’ll be nice to have you.”
Carol laughed as she continued to eat her delicious-looking meat.
“Fufu. It sounds like it’s decided then, don’t you think Iris?”
Rose whispered into my ear while giving a smile as radiant as the shining sun, and I unconsciously nodded my head. There’s nobody in the world who could refuse after being asked by this kind of smile.
“Y-Yes…….. If I can be of help……….then I’ll do my best…………”
Even if I sounded nervous, at that time, my heart was beating with excitement.
