Unlike the village, this town was surrounded by sturdy-looking stone walls. There was also a gate with guards stationed outside. Given their defenses, I was pretty sure this place didn’t have to worry as much about invasions.
So entering this town was our current goal. It was time to put our disguise to the test—would our tamer-with-monster getup work out?
If we were to trip up here, our future prospects would be grim. I had the feeling that being rejected at this checkpoint would also mean ill omens towards any future hardship as well.
“Have you been here before, Suama?”
“I have—to sell off our harvest. I’m familiar with the gate guards too.”
“Ahhh, I see... Not sure if that’s good or not. Would they accept a farmer girl who used to come to sell vegetables suddenly becoming a monster tamer?”
“Yeah... Could you leave that to me? I’ll deal with it somehow.”
“Okay, sure.”
Suama jumped off of me. Her movements were light and dexterous.
Is she the type who’s good at physical activity?
The girl proceeded to walk ahead of me.
“Hello, Mamoru!” Suama reached the front of the gate and smiled as she greeted him. The supposed-Mamoru became a little bashful in response.
Is this guy...interested in my Suama?
“Hello...wait, what happened?! You’re all beat up!”
Now that he’d mentioned it, I realized that Suama’s clothes were ragged thanks to earlier events.
Oh, whoops. I have clothes, so I should’ve given something to her. Not only that, but she’s totally empty-handed. There’re so many reasons to be suspicious of her! C’mon, Harumi! You gotta realize stuff like this beforehand!
By the way, the guard seemed so preoccupied with Suama that he hadn’t even noticed me behind her.
How have you not been fired, man?
“Umm, my village was attacked by bandits, so I ran.”
“Whaaaat?! That’s terrible!”
“It is! I need to make a report to the lord!”
I see... So the lord of this territory is in this town.
“Oh, you’re alone though. What about your family...?”
“They were all...killed...”
Mamoru’s expression turned grief-stricken. “That’s...never mind. I suppose it’s good that at least you managed to get away, Suama.”
Suama walked into the town, so I followed her.
“Wait just a second! What’s that?!” Mamoru’s eyes popped open, wide as saucers, as he finally noticed me.
Yeah, I guess I was being too optimistic, hoping he’d just let me through without noticing.
“Oh, um... For some reason, this monster got really attached to me. It’s not scary, you know! It won’t attack people or anything like that!”
I totally will, though!
“R-Really? But wait, letting a monster inside would be...”
“Nyaaa!” I decided to try and cozy up to him to appeal for entry, so I nuzzled against his legs.
Look, I’m not scary! I’m just a super cute treasure chest!
“It’s not...dangerous? It’s actually kinda cu—Ouch, that hurts! The corners are digging into me!”
“Nya?” I backed up a bit and played dumb.
How’s that? Can’t take the cuteness, huh?! Murder’s not all I’m good for!
“W-Well, at least it doesn’t seem violent... It’s still a little creepy though.”
What?! That’s it! Should I just kill him?
“Yeah. Also, aren’t there monster tamers inside already?”
“Hmmm, you’re right... But that’s supposed to be some kind of job where monsters are treated as equipment...”
“I’m also thinking of becoming one. The fact that this one’s attached to me must mean that I’ve got some talent for it. I’m all alone now, so all I can do is rely on something as vague as talent. Please, could you let it in?” Suama begged with tears in her eyes.
Oh, that did it. Mamoru’s caving!
“Okay. But you have to go to the Adventurer’s Guild first thing for a consultation. That’s the place to go if you’re going to try and get into the adventuring life—especially with a monster.”
“Got it! Thank you so much!”
Uhhh... Is Suama amazing, or is Mamoru just super easy? Maybe...the former? Being able to get him to wave away a monster by giving him puppy dog eyes and the right words isn’t something just anyone can do.
Anyway, we were allowed into the city.
Both the streets and the buildings had been constructed with stone. Everything looked very sturdy, and I really got the impression that this place was on a much higher level than Suama’s village.
Also, we were being stared at. Actually, it was mostly just me.
The only reason I hadn’t caused some sort of fuss was because there were already a lot of adventurers in this town, and a fair number of other monsters were being led around by them. Still, just from a quick look it didn’t seem as if monster taming was a very popular practice.
There could only be one other reason for all the stares—they must’ve been thinking, A treasure chest with legs? What’s going on?!
“Right. What do we do now?”
“We probably should actually go to the Adventurer’s Guild. Umm... I know I said all that just to get us through the gate, but if we’re going to be traveling together, then we should get proper qualifications. At least, that’s what I think...”
“Is it that easy to become an adventurer?”
“I don’t know. But my dad said that adventuring is a job only people with no other skills or prospects in life fall into, so couldn’t anyone become one?”
Wow, Suama’s dad! Talk about harsh! Still, I wonder... Well, we definitely shouldn’t just waltz through town. That’d be boring, since we already got in and everything.
“Let’s go, then.”
We decided to head for the guild straight away.
*Badump, Badump!*
Man, this makes me nervous. It’s basically my enemy’s headquarters, so it’s kinda like going into the belly of the beast! They might find us out, and—even worse—they might be too strong for me to deal with. Then again, I might learn a lot about adventurers. That could be valuable in its own right.
The Adventurer’s Guild was located near the town’s entrance. The building was a bare, unadorned affair, but it was still in contention for the largest structure in town. Apparently, its size was because the Forest of Darkness was so close. The guild was probably seen as a vital facility to the town.
“Let’s go in.” Suama prepared herself and swung the door open wide.
It was fairly spacious inside. The floor was dotted with several tables, and adventurers were spread out amongst them. Most of them were lying around drunk, though—it seemed that the place also doubled as a bar.
It’s still around noon! Shape up! Hey, what’s with those pages posted on the wall? Are people recruiting for party members or something?
I’d kind of expected the place to be more jam-packed and noisy, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. That was probably just because proper adventurers would be out exploring during the day.
There was a counter with a bored-looking female clerk sitting behind it. She seemed like a receptionist.
“Is that the reception?” I asked.
“Looks like it. Right...” Suama walked over to the woman and called out.
The spaced-out lady flinched after noticing Suama and sat straight up. “Ah, yes? What do you need? A request?”
“No, umm... I want to become an adventurer. Do I just do that here?”
“Huh? You?” The lady looked Suama over intently.
“Yes, is that a problem?”
“It’s not, but what does your family think about it? Have you talked it over with them?”
“My family...is gone. I’m alone now, so I want to become an adventurer to make a living.”
The receptionist’s expression became strained. “I see... As an employee of the guild, I don’t have the right to refuse you, but I personally don’t agree with this...”
Yeah, of course she wouldn’t. Adventurers are all weirdos, and anyone would be worried about Suama mixing with a crowd like that while going out on her own.
Suddenly, some guy—one of the drunkards that had been lazing about—nosed his way in. “Gya ha ha ha ha! You, an adventurer?! In what world would that be possible?!”
The middle-aged guy was huge, complete with a dense, scruffy beard. In general, he seemed totally crude.
“B-But if I don’t, I can’t make a living...”
“Why not just sell your body? There’re a bunch of places for that in this town, y’know? I could even introduce you to one!” The middle-aged asshole stared at Suama lecherously, practically undressing her with his eyes.
Okay, now I’m mad!
I stepped in between the guy and Suama.
“Huuuh? The hell’s this thing? A mimic? Aw, did you gain a li’l confidence ’cause you tamed this thing?”
*Thrnk!*
I swiftly kicked the man’s shin. Of course, I made sure to hold back—I wasn’t foolish enough to go on a rampage in a place like this.
“Make fun of...Suama. Will not...forgive.”
“What? This thing talks? Hah, that kick barely even itched!”
*Thrnk! Thrnk! Thrnk!*
“I said it doesn’t hurt! ...Hey, wait! Stop!” The man didn’t try to run. Either he was underestimating me as a mimic, or he still hadn’t had his fill of teasing Suama.
Fine then!
*Thrnk! Thrnk! Thrnk! Thrnk! Thrnk! Thrnk!*
*Snap!*
The asshole’s shin snapped, and his leg bent in a strange direction as he fell. “Gyaarrgghh!”
That’s right! I’d been testing how much to hold back this whole time! After all, if I’d gone all-out, his leg might’ve flown clean off! Hell, it might’ve even hit the building and destroyed it!
Suama completely ignored the fallen man and declared to the receptionist, “I want to become a monster tamer!”
“Yeah... Looks like you’re well on your way.” The woman actually seemed impressed.