Maken no Daydreamer

“......Um, Minato?”

“Nh?”

“......You......No, nothing”

“What happened?”

From before a somewhat inquisitive gaze is being sent to me from Elk. Just why might it be.

No, well, it’s only natural in one way. I think I already know the reason.

From Elk and Riin-san’s expressions, it’s obvious that this big serpent is more powerful than the other demons in the labyrinth. Well, it’s natural after all this thing was preying on other demons inside.

Well I did kill this thing bare-handed, so it’s only natural for her to stare at me like that.

It will be alright for her to give me stares of fear or she should stay vigilant, after all, a weak frail child like me killed something like this.

Even though she is just walking with me without asking anything -though she is staring at me-.

I don’t know whether she is paying attention to me or she has some other intention.

Well, there is no help thinking about it, while I thought that, Elk once again opens her mouth.

“Minato, can I ask you something?”

“? What happened?”

“I’m sorry for asking at this time but......I have a request. It’s about the reward which will come with the information and corpse of that big serpent......you see......?”

“? Yeah, it will be hassle for me so I’m thinking of splitting it in equal half......”

“I see, equal halves............Haaaaa!?”

Wow, that surprised me!

Elk suddenly shouts which breaks her quiet and docile atmosphere which was lingering on her till now. W-Why!?

And after passing the condition of ‘wanting to speak but can’t’.

“Y......Just what are you saying, huh!? Eh, what......the reward of that snake in equal halves!?”

“Eh? well, we are getting it as a team......”

“No, even so, aren’t you the one who killed it 100%! What are you thinking!? Isn’t this the time when you should’ve taken the whole rewards! Even I thought about it yesterday, I didn’t help you in any way!? Idiot!? Are you an idiot!? Aren’t you an idiot!?”

Elk in panicking. She is bad mouthing me with all her heart in her words.[AK:or wholeheartedly] Calm down.

No, well she is saying the truth, but......don’t just call me idiot three times repeatedly.

It would had been a different thing if I went alone inside the labyrinth, but......Elk was with me there, though she was sitting the whole time.

We fought like a team (?), so we should split the reward equally. Thinking like this is instilled in my blood, because of the hunting game I used to play.

Well, it is me who killed it 100%, but she won’t mind taking loan from me right......

Just, even though I think like that, there is one thing I’m concerned about.

“Err......You need money, right? Then wouldn’t it this way be more convenient for you?”

“......!!”

And,

For some reason, Elk starts trembling. What happened? You fine?

“......Why......”

“?”

“Why are you so kind......!! Towards a girl like me who always thinks and talks about money and is greedy......”

No, I’m not actually kind, bluntly speaking, I hate thinking about splitting profits. Even if I get all the money, I don’t have any way of spending it at all. Well, I don’t know about the future, though.

And, I feel hesitation for no reason while taking a large amount of money even though I know that Elk is in need for money right now.

After all this she can’t just be some stranger to me, so won’t it be good to give the money to her, such a thought flashed through my mind.

How should I say it, but the feeling, that she is desperate, is somehow being transmitted to me.

And that Elk, is for some reason, trembling and feeling anxious.

She doesn’t has any problem with me giving her money, but it seems like it is hard to accept it. And is clenching her fist very tightly as if it is a claw of demon.

“......You are”

“Nh?”

“Are you always like this to anyone? Indiscriminately kind......I’ll say this in advance, though kind and honest people may seem nice and good but they won’t live a good life because of that. In this world, only the strong people live and the honest people are fools.”

Those words spill out from Elk’s mouth as if she is squeezing out those words.

And it seems like this time she spoke her true feelings......no doubt about it.

Within the eyes she is looking me at, are various emotions present.

Her eyes contain sadness, envy and anger. I haven’t seen eyes like these within my whole previous life.

But the feeling that she is cornered and is helpless is also transmitted to me.

I don’t know the reason for her to be cornered, I’m an outsider, so I won’t touch that matter.

Err, she said, am I like that to everyone, right?

“No, that can’t be possible. I myself think I am pretty egoistic and a dry humoured person? I even assertively ignore problems that have no relation to me.”

“Where is that!? Aren’t I that another person with no relation to you and has problems to deal with! Why are caring so much about me, when you just met me only yesterday......”

“Yeah, well, you’re right. I would say then it must be because Elk is desperately working hard”

“......Desperately......?”

“Yeah. Well, Elk, you are more or less full of vigor, you’re kind, you maintain everything and one thing or another you take good care of anyone. Putting aside your true intentions, but you’re earnestly to me like a friend. Though, I don’t know much about the world, but people like you are rare, right?”

That’s why I can’t leave her alone, or rather I just want to help her for some reason.

Well, the factor that she is the first person I met after leaving home might also be important.

“......Where is it. You really don’t understand anything. Earnest and diligent, those are things completely far from me......”

“After all”

I cut off her words with my sentence,

“You regret on the things you have done. You regret, reflect on it, and still be diligent is something most people can’t do, aren’t I right?”

The moment I said it,

Elk’s face color starts changing.

Her expression has fear, astonishment, anxiety etc mixed in.

She timidly and slowly faces me,

“......You already knew?”

“......What?”

Though this might be cruel, I still reply her with a question.

It’s easy to mention it right now.

But she is right now trembling and unstable. So should I finish the matter myself, or should I leave it for the flow.

Most likely, if I leave it on the flow......then she would be willing to accept whatever the outcome will be.

Either she becomes a fool or get’s caught by law.

But, if she has that much resolve......then she should decide her life by herself, or so I think.

That’s why I will leave it to her.

I don’t what result will it leave, but I will try to believe in her ’Desperation’.

Though it’s only an intuition, but I think that she is diligent and always has her heart prepared for anything.

That’s why she is suffering from her crimes, her thinking and surrounding environment too. She still has conscience for suffering and resolve for not losing her way.

Because I felt it, that’s why I’m not paying any heed to her ‘You already knew’ and facing Elk feigning ignorance.

If it’s her, then she will definitely......

......No, lets not think about it.

Even if I predict it, nothing is going to change.

“......Minato”

“Nh?”

“......Sorry”

Eventually, without talking after that short conversation, we both returned to the inn.

Though I noticed a flash of light in Elk’s eyes, but let’s once again feign ignorance.

☆☆☆

“Minato-san is it true that you killed an amazing demon!!?”

“......You got good ears......”

The moment I return to inn, the daughter of innkeeper......Tanya-chan said to me these words.

Currently, I am captured by this poster girl whose eyes are sparkling.

Well, it’s not unreasonable.

If a demon like that comes out of that labyrinth, it will become rumours.

And the adventurers, generally all have a loose tongue which runs anywhere.

No, what I said is wrong. To restate it, I would rather say that the transmission of information is fast.

That’s why even if the talk is on the level of rumour but the impact it has is big then the transmission is also really fast.

It’s only a matter of time that people know about us bringing corpse and about the unknown demon in『Labyrinth of Naga』......no, it’s even faster than ‘a matter of time’

After all, many saw us bringing its body tied on a pole and with me shouldering it till the time guild staff came and took it back.

Furthermore, it’s strange to say it myself, but my appearance is quite conspicuous.

I had heard it from mom and felt it while walking through town too, that black-haired and black-eyed people are really rare in this world.

Blonde or brown hair; People with hair color like that are more common. There are also many variants of eyes like blue, red, gray, green et cetera.

And even my attire is;

My clothes, equipments, scarf too all is jet-black. Ah by the way even my backpack is black. And in clothes some purple-colored lines are inserted.

Though I’m repeating it, but my eyes and hair are also both black.

It’s only natural that I will stand out. It’s only natural that I will leave some sort of impression.

In that case, it’s very VERY natural for a rumour like『A man in black killed a great demon in the『Labyrinth』』to spread in the city people and reach Tanya-chan.

Most likely, it started from those adventurer who returned to city after seeing the serpent. [ET: Men In Black anyone?][AK:yeah, we know, Smithy on the roll]

Though I know that......but I never thought, it will be this fast.

It’s only near 2 hours since we left the『Labyrinth』and still the rumours have reached Tanya-chan who rarely leaves the inn.

“No, well it is still on the level of rumours? But from that reaction, it seems like it is the truth?”

“Yeah, well, I even have some parts of it tucked up.”

“Woo~w! I had heard that Minato-san is a rookie. What if I am talking to the future hero-sama? Kyaa♪”

This girl getting excited by herself.

However, when she says as such, I can feel many eyes looking at me.

From where? From all over the place.

From the time I was walking through the town......till the time I entered the inn, I am feeling at least 1 or 2 people looking at me.

Though from the feeling that is coming from gazes......it seems like the persons are adventurers....... Are they appraising me or what?

“I heard the rumour of the person being a『Man in black』, so not many would have thought that Onii-san is the person, but I am always seeing that appearance of Onii-san~. Your clothes, eyes, hair, backpack, everything is completely black.”

“Haha......well it will definitely become something like『What if it’s him』.”

I see. So the reason Tanya-chan knew it’s me is because of two reasons:

The speed of rumours

my appearance

Even though, it’s good that we came faster than the cart/wagon carrying the

『Snake』. So it was worth rushing our way back.

If we reached here when the corpse of that『Big Serpent』had arrived, I’m damn sure it would’ve been more troublesome......

And if we reached after the corpse had come here, then it would’ve been damned even more troublesome.

However, even that cart/wagon will cross through the main street after some minutes.

It will be good to remain silent and calm today and return to room......Even Elk is tired.

......If you’re talking about tired people,

(By the way, Minato-san)

(What, Tanya-chan?)

(What happened to Onee-sa......Elk-san? She is depressed more than she ever had been......even I can’t get in the mood to tease her.)

Oh, she actually can read the atmosphere.

She won’t call her『Onee-sama』right now. I thought she was an oblivious person, but looks like she can also be serious, though in the place where the person in talk can’t see.

(Ah, Yeah, just leave her be. She is tired for various reasons)

(Well she is an adventurer, she must have a lot going on. Well, today I will act diligently. Minato-san, though she is inexperienced, please take care of Elk-san)

She said something to that is completely unneeded.

......I can’t do anything about her. It’s her own problem.

She probably joked with me for softening the atmosphere. Tanya-chan sends a worrying gaze.

She is sending it towards the second floor while,

she starts serving other people,

and is giving me a stare filled with『Hostility』

......Unexpectedly, the situation just leaps ignoring many steps.