Here I thought I’d have some extra free time, but school is on again so yea. I’ll try to do an anniversary post eventually, just probably down the line.

Enjoy.

Chapter 44: The One Picking a Fight with Hitto, Is You!?

「It is true that the wandering knight was quite strong herself. However, Goshujin-sama’s strength surpa.s.sed even hers, he was able to instantaneously dispatch of a horde of orggs more than 5000 in size, and then――」

…… When I came back, Melissa was preaching in a strangely pa.s.sionate voice as she spoke of what happened at the mines to everyone who would listen.
But, those are some really big exaggerations……
It is quite like Melissa to blow things out of proportion when she gets excited though.
That part of you is cute too, Melissa.

「Ah, Goshujin-sama!」(Melissa)

With a smile, Melissa ran over to me with her b.r.e.a.s.t.s jiggling.
Nevertheless, they are really huge huh――

「Has the a.s.sessment been completed?」(Melissa)

「No, it seems like it will take some time. I told them to complete it as quickly as possible, and I was thinking about waiting for them to finish, but will you be okay Melissa?」(Hitto)

「Yes! Of course. I am――」(Melissa)

「LIKE h.e.l.l I CAN ACCEPT THATーーーーーーーーーー！」(???)

Hmm? It seems like someone suddenly started screaming.

「Hey! You! You’re Hitto, right!」

A single person jumped out of the crowd of adventurers, and he came towards me while pointing his finger at me.
He had brown crew cut hair, and large eyes. He was wearing leather armor…… or I suppose it was the st.u.r.dier hard leather armor.
Well, that stern looking sort of man came asking me a question.

「Well, yeah I am. But, who are you?」(Hitto)

「My name is Ragna! An Amateur rank adventurer!」(Ragna)

So you’re Ragna huh.

「Fumu, and? The Amateur adventurer Ragna, why are you so mad at me?」(Hitto)

「It’s obvious! We went out of our way to come here for an emergency request, we’ve been waiting here and preparing for it! And then this c.o.c.ky a.s.s Beginner adventurer comes in saying that he handled the whole thing by himself, like h.e.l.l I can accept that!」(Ragna)

Hmm. Even if you say that there’s nothing I can do, besides, weren’t you the one who threw out a request to go to those mines in the first place?

「To begin with, isn’t it strange for us just to believe what he is saying? A totally unreliable looking guy like him, leaving aside taking care of a whole horde of orggs, I bet even one of them would be dangerous for him to handle. I bet he did something unfair to try and trick us all!」(Ragna)

「Goshujin-sama would never do such a thing!」(Melissa)

Melissa stepped forward and strongly snapped back at him.
Well, it’s not like I can’t understand why she is mad. Or rather, this Ragna guy, he silently refused to complete a private request, so it sort of feels like he’s getting his just desserts.
Well, there’s no way he’d know that I have that information though.

「I don’t really get what you mean by “unfair”. It’s the truth that I brought back the orgg horns, right?」(Hitto)

「That’s exactly why! I bet a b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you just let that wandering knight defeat everything by herself, and then you attacked her from behind and stole everything!」(Ragna)

Fumu, so he’s going with the line of thought that I used Angie huh.

「I see. But, I would never do something like that in the first place」(Hitto)

「Can you prove that! If you can’t, then it’s all just an act!」(Ragna)

「I doesn’t really concern me, but if what you are saying is correct, then if I actually did ambush a knight who was able to take care of a horde of orggs single-handedly, wouldn’t that in itself make me pretty strong?」(Hitto)

Ranga remained silent. That’s exactly why you are no good.

「S-Such a cowardly act, I’ll never forgive it!」(Ragna)

「Yeah, well, that was only a hypothetical situation. By the way, do you know the dwarf Dowan?」(Hitto)

Silent once again huh.

「O-Of course! But that is unrelated to――」
「Waah Waaah. After I finally got a request, this scary onii-chan took it away～～～～」(Hitto)
「…………」

As I spoke while pretended to cry like a baby, his eyes narrowed in shock.

「B-b.a.s.t.a.r.d, what the h.e.l.l are you trying to――」(Ragna)
「Hey! If you don’t want to feel any pain then hurry up and hand over the request! Okay I’m soooo sorrry～～. I handed over the request! I threw it away!」(Hitto)

I’m sure that’s pretty much how he felt, so I tried recreating the scene through gestures.
As for Ragna, he finally lowered his head and even started crying for real. Your heart is way too brittle, Ranga.

「Hey wait, this guy suddenly started crying……」
「Even though he was so relentless before, this is pretty pathetic……」
「Rather, why is he crying……」
「I guess you can say Ragna’s a crybaby」
「Ooh, that’s a good one. Crybaby Ragna」

Before we knew it he earned himself a shameful nickname. From here on out, I bet he will forever be treated as the Crybaby Ragna huh.

「In any case, I can confirm that Hitto is pretty strong」

And so, I received some backup. The person who said that, was Dan huh.

「After all, when we were attacked by a pack of Killer Wolves that surely would’ve killed us, Hitto easily defeated them. If he didn’t come to our rescue, then Eni and I would be in some serious trouble. Well, that’s why I was pretty surprised to hear he was a Beginner rank though」(Dan)

Dan gave an explanation while shrugging his shoulders. The surrounding gallery started murmuring all at once.

「Well if Dan said it then it must be true……」
「He has the rank of Manager after all」
「Wait, what kind of Beginner is able to rescue a Manager rank[1]……」

Words like that were being spread around. Well, it seems like there’s no one else who wants to pick a fight.
And Ragna had also disappeared before we knew it. I’m sure he couldn’t handle being here any more.

「Thanks for the follow-up, Dan」(Hitto)
「Thank you so very much, Dan-sama」

Melissa and I spoke our thanks as we approached Dan and Eni.

「No need to thank me, I was only saying the truth」(Dan)
「If the two of you have not saved us then we might be inside the Killer Wolves’ stomachs by this point」(Eni)

While exchanging those kinds of words, we went and took a seat in the guild.

「…… Still, I find it hard to believe even now. Why is a Beginner like you so strong?」(Dan)

「Well, a lot of things have happened」(Hitto)

I tried playing it off to dodge the question.

「Fumu. Well it’s alright. It’s not something you should be asking to an adventurer.」(Dan)

Dan is a guy who has a pretty refreshing atmosphere about him.
Well, nonetheless――

「Oh yes, I thought it would be best if I gave this over to you」(Hitto)

I opened up the Magic Bag and lined up a set of equipment on the table.

「This is……」(Dan)

「They were your comrades, right? I brought back their belongings. Even though I couldn’t exactly bring back their bodies…… Please accept it」(Hitto)

Hearing my words, Dan made a strange and hesitant expression.

「No, you are free to take them. That is the rule of being an adventurer, right?」(Dan)

「Even if you say that… Neither Melissa nor I will be able to use them, and carrying them along will only be extra luggage. I would appreciate it if you would take them」(Hitto)

「…… I see, I get it. I will be sure to give them a proper memorial service」(Dan)

「Yeah, I would appreciate it」(Hitto)

「…… Thanks」(Dan)
「Allow me to express my grat.i.tude as well. Truly, Thank you so much」(Eni)

Well, even if you say thanks to me…

「You shouldn’t be lowering your head for that. Your doing us a favor and lightening our load」(Hitto)

And then, for some reason Melissa couldn’t hold back a smile as she sat beside me.

「……What’s the matter, Melissa?」(Hitto)

「It’s nothing, I was just thinking how proud I am in being Goshujin-sama’s slave」(Melissa)

…… It’s embarra.s.sing that you keep on saying that though.

「Well how about me? I’m a kindhearted man, so if you come by my side you’d never suffer any hardships」(Dan)

「Oh? I have been through so much suffering that I have a hard time believing those words, Dan」(Eni)

Eni gave a sharp reb.u.t.tal, and after being reprimanded Dan looked the opposite way while scratching his cheek awkwardly.
Melissa couldn’t help but smile, and I also let out a chuckle.
And so, we had some friendly chit-chat for a while until――

「Hitto-nyan the a.s.sessment is done -nyan! Please hurry -nyan!」

It was Nyanko calling for me. Melissa and I temporarily separated from Dan and Eni, then headed for the counter.

「The reward has been determined -nyan. We rushed the a.s.sessment so we didn’t separate each individual item -nyari,  but the reward for the emergency request, and also for the orggs and the Orgg King, and also for defeating the unidentified Monster, in total the reward sums up to 2 million -nyan! Amazing -nyan! I haven’t seen a reward like this in a really long time -nyan!」(Nyanko)

「Two, million?」(Hitto)
「G, Goshujin-sama――」(Melissa)

In my mind it seemed like time had frozen for a really long time. That said, the conversation probably only lasted for a few seconds.

「What’s nya matter? Are you unsatisfied -nyan?」(Nyanko)

Nyanko tilted her head and asked while looking concerned.
Her words finally kick-started my brain into working again――

「We did it Melissa! Hurray! Yattaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!」(Hitto)

My arms naturally reached out to Melissa and tightly wrapped around her thin body.
“G, Goshujin-sama!?” her slightly surprised voice came directly into my ear, but I was so happy that I couldn’t suppress my feelings.
And then, Melissa also return my embrace.

「…… It doesn’t really concern me -nya, but I would appreciate if you did that sort of thing outside -nyan」(Nyanko)

「This isn’t the place to be flirting～～」
「Normies should explode!」
「I can’t stand looking at this!」

As Nyanko offered words of advice, the surrounding gallery voiced complaints of anger, jealousy, and envy.
But the way I am right now I can only think of their comments as words of congratulations――

Author’s comments: “Up next! Hitto finally heads for the Slave Company! Melissa’s fate will be…”

TL Note: As a reminder, Melissa’s estimated cost is 1.5 million.

1.

TL note: Manager rank is the same rank as “The Three Green Stars” and is the 4th adventurer rank, one rank below Zak.

As a side note: Ragna’s Amateur rank is the 3rd rank. So one below Dan. Hitto is still a rank 1 Beginner.