The Ordinary Adventurer Sees a Girl Who Is Not Ordinary

Not ordinary.

That was the impression Yuju, the “Ordinary” rank-1 adventurer, had of the girl who had just come in.

The pressure she gave off was not ordinary.

The magic power she could feel filling that small body was not ordinary.

And the beauty revealed when she casually pushed back her hood was not ordinary.

In short, she was not ordinary.

In her career as an adventurer so far, anyone Yuju had sensed as ‘not ordinary’ had usually turned out to be bad news.

For example, a vicious, long-lived lord of some mountain, or a wanted mass murderer.

That was why, on reflex, Yuju tried to take evasive action against the black-haired, black-eyed girl.

In an instant, she simulated her next moves.

First, yank Taiche's chair back hard and send her, chair and all, sliding across the floor to the window.

Next, kick the table up, spin once with the momentum, and fall back.

On landing, activate the magic-tool bracelets on both arms and instantly form fan-shaped shields.

By the time the kicked table fell and became a barricade, be ready to draw at any moment......

But, still.

Yuju did not take this evasive action.

No, perhaps one should say she couldn't.

Because, while she ran this simulation, the motion of her hand sliding unconsciously to her sword hilt.

That instantaneous motion, made in less than a second.

The girl had watched it all along with those black eyes, expressionless, bored, yet never once looking away.

That alone told Yuju.

She could not win against this.

Whatever evasive action Yuju took from here on.

That girl who wasn't ordinary could cut into each and every one of them.

As she pleased, and crush it.

She understood the yawning gulf in strength between them.

That being so.

Resistance being futile.

Yuju, by force of will, instantly returned her mind, keyed up by instinctive danger, to “ordinary”.

She smiled breezily.

To put it simply, she gave up on dealing with the girl who wasn't ordinary.

But flip that around, and she had regained her composure and switched gears so she could deal ordinarily with any other threat.

That is why Yuju is an ordinarily excellent rank-1 adventurer.

“......Impressive. To be completely unshaken by this.”

The Special Affairs Officer, pale-faced and smiling stiffly under the girl's 【Intimidation】, saw how Yuju looked and mistook her for being completely unshaken by it.

That misunderstanding...... she judged there was no need to correct.

It would polish her reputation.

“Wow, it's ordinary, ordinary!”

So Yuju gave that offhand answer and kept up her breezy air.

But then.

Yuju had been forcing that breezy air, but what happened next startled even her.

What happened, you ask.

The head of that girl who wasn't ordinary, whom Yuju had given up on.

The man called John, villain-faced but by any measure an ordinary civilian.

Rapped it, kotsun, without the slightest fear.

◇ ◇ ◇

“You fool!!”

The old man scolds me, rapping my head, kotsun.

“But.”

“Don't ‘but’ me! That 【Intimidation】 of yours is bad for the heart; I've told you not to aim it at people if you can help it! Those people are plainly guests; why are you always so quick to pick a fight!?”

“But.”

“Don't ‘but’ me!”

Now then, yours truly, Emi-chan, is currently getting chewed out by old man Giovanno.

I mean, look, the perverted old geezer called me to the meeting room, and when I got there, there were two ladies I don't know.

I don't know who they are, but I can't let them look down on me, right?

So, for now, I used 【Intimidation】.

The old man didn't seem to like that much.

But thinking back, Master scattered 【Intimidation】 around pretty freely too, didn't he.

Making it clear who's on top is really important for building relationships, I think?

<Ohh...... Emi, who was so quiet that at first even talking to people was a struggle, is talking about relationships! You've grown, Emi......!>

Ehehe, I'm not gonna be a kid forever, you know, Omake-sama!

“Hey, are you listening, Emi!”

Geez, the old man's so noisy.

Annoying.

I turn my face away with a huff.

But the old man immediately twists my head back and makes me face forward.

“Here, look at Taiche-dono's face! You turned her that pale; don't you feel sorry?”

Taiche?

<Probably the plain-faced woman sitting across the table.>

Ah, yeah, she does look pale......

But......

“She's smiling?”

“Her face is twitching......”

The old man presses a hand to his forehead and sighs.

Yeah, but, he's got a point.

If she felt sick because of my 【Intimidation】, then I guess I'm sorry.

“But the lady behind her looks fine?”

Pouting, I point at the lady with the sword, the one standing behind that Taiche person and smiling without a care.

“Yuju-dono is a rank-1 adventurer. She's probably used to 【Intimidation】. But there are people who aren't. Pick fights with anyone and everyone, and you'll only make needless friction. Think a little before you act.”

“......Okay. I'm sorry.”

Well, I get what the old man is trying to say.

I'll just apologize and settle things here.

Mentally, I'm plenty grown up, after all!

<Good for you, Emi!>

Heh, I knew that!

“Um...... are you all right, Taiche?”

The perverted old geezer, acting concerned, patted Taiche-san's shoulder.

Taiche-san wiped her forehead once with a handkerchief, then cleared her throat.

Then, putting her smile back together, she stood up and bent down to my eye level.

“My apologies. You are Emi-san, yes?”

“......? Yeah, so?”

How does this person even know my name?

Did the old man and the others tell her?

“Taiche, this child, you see? She's the biggest contributor to building this base! As you probably gathered just now, she's a ridiculously strong child! I called her ahead of time meaning to introduce her to you, and it seems the timing was good, too!”

Introduce me?

Why?

I mean, who even is this person?

Noticing that I was tilting my head, the plain-faced Taiche-san spoke to me.

“Hello. I'm Taiche; I work at the Adventurers' Guild Headquarters. Emi-san, may I talk with you a little?”

And that is what she said.

◇ ◇ ◇

Now then, after that.

Since this was going to be about my personal matters, Fairly Blond and Errand-Boy Scaredy Dirty Shaggy left the room.

I am now sitting across from that Taiche person at the table.

The vinegar-ivy water the Booze-Reek Woman brought in before the talk started? I downed it in seconds.

“Then, before the main subject, I'll ask a few questions...... Emi-san, have you ever been to a town called Yoshanka?”

Yoshanka?

<Ah, you know, the stone town near Kaise Forest. The windy one.>

Ah, I remember.

Come to think of it, I feel like I stopped by a town like that.

“I have.”

“Then, was there anyone there you had dealings with?”

“Kamasse.”

“I see.”

Hm? Hm? Hm?

What is this?

An interrogation?

Ah, could it be...... Kamasse did something bad!?

“Kamasse's a good guy, you know?”

“Yes, I know him well. He's an up-and-coming rank-2 adventurer, trustworthy in both ability and character.”

Eh, rank 2?

<When we met him before, he was rank 4, I believe?>

No way, seriously~!

Kamasse got promoted!

He's working hard too, huh~!

It's about somebody else, but it makes me happy too!

“Back to the subject. When you visited the Adventurers' Guild branch office in Yoshanka, what did you give the receptionist there?”

......I think a little.

I don't remember things from that long ago.

Why is this person asking that?

<Ah, it was the letter of recommendation! The baron's!>

“A letter of recommendation.”

“From whom?”

“Baron Martz Salar.”

“That will do. I, Special Affairs Officer Taiche, have confirmed that you are Emi-san herself.”

With that, Taiche-san stood up unhurriedly...... and bowed to me from the waist.

Hm?

Hmmm!?

What!? What!? What is this!?

Not understanding, I look over at the old man sitting next to me in spite of myself.

“No, don't look to me for help. I can't follow this either.”

As we sat there baffled, Taiche-san spoke in a clear, ringing voice, her head still bowed.

“Emi-san, we of the Adventurers' Guild offer you our apology! We are truly, deeply sorry!”

............Come again?

Not understanding, I look over at the old man sitting next to me in spite of myself.

“No, like I said, I don't know either. What is this even about?”

We both tilt our heads.

Seeing this, Taiche-san raised her head and gave a wry smile.

“......I truly didn't expect you to look as if you had no idea at all. I'll explain in order, from the beginning.”

With that, Taiche-san sat back down in her chair.

“The truth is......”

And then she opened her mouth...... and it was then!

DOON!!

DON, DODON!!

DOOOOOON!!

That the roars ringing out one after another, and the shaking that came with them, struck us!!

A mysterious roar, forcibly cutting off a negotiation part that looked like it would go on and on!

The long Arc 12 is finally reaching its climax.