Vol. 1 - Ch. 6 - Another Meeting

"This is bad." Ash sighed quietly, unbeknownst to others.He had been walking along a narrow street off the main road, searching for the inn Blain's Perch, which Uru had introduced to him, but he couldn't find it at all.

He had hoped to get familiar with the area while searching for the inn, however it hadn't gone as he'd expected.

Ash guessed he should honestly ask someone about directions, but before that there was something else that he had to do.

"What do you want? You've been following me for a while now." he suddenly stopped and turned around.

A short distance away, a lone girl stood.

She looked to be about 16.

She wore a cheap white robe, only slightly patterned with red lines.

Immediately after her eyes met Ash's, she let out a strange sound, and, in a panic, scurried away into a nearby alley.

She was acting extremely suspicious.

A single white flower with a slight reddish tinge then emerged from the nearby alley's corner.

Of course, flowers didn't move by themselves.

The flower was the hair ornament that the girl had worn.

The girl's face then peeked out from around the corner, her shoulder-length hair hanging loose.

"I-I wasn't following you or anything."

"I'm not blaming you. I just want to know why."

Ash replied and after the girl thought about it for a moment she slowly came out.

She looked away, as if she was about to be punished

(Just why was this girl following me?)

Ash thought and waited. After waiting for a while, the girl finally glanced at him.

Her eyes were looking at Ash's injured right hand.

"U-Um... What happened?"

"This? Oh, nothing much."

"I saw everything." she confessed.

She had apparently been at the plaza.

Ash chuckled while gazing at his right hand.

"This is what I get for picking a fight."

"You're an idiot, you know that? Everything else aside, that man's physical power is nothing to scoff at."

"Do you know him?"

"Yeah... a little bit."

It was a somewhat meaningful response.

"Keep your hand like that for a bit."

The girl ordered, moving her hand behind her back and pulling out a staff slightly shorter than her own height.

Though, calling it a staff may have been an over exaggeration, given that it was a simple wooden stick, with nothing on it.

When she extended the tip of the cane towards Ash's injured right hand, a soft light emanated from it.

The light dispersed into numerous dazzling particles, and a pleasant warmth enveloped Ash's right hand.

Before Ash knew it the swelling in his right hand had subsided.

There was also no pain when he tried opening and closing it.

"Heal... Are you a Healer? You're amazing!"

"I-I know! Is what I'd like to say, but this is all thanks to my staff over here."

The girl said, showing Ash her staff.

"I heard there were various tools available on Dural Island. Is this one of them? Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that you healed me. You have my thanks, um, what's your name?"

"It's Clara."

"I'm Ash. Ash Brave."

He extended his right hand, which was now fully healed, and gripped the end of the cane.

Naturally, the bark of the stick was rough, far more so than any woman's hand.

"It's my first time handshaking a staff."

"I'm sorry, I'm not good with first meetings..."

Ash had thought that Clara was a bit more open, but it seemed like he'd been wrong.

"In that case I guess I'll be best buddies with the staff."

"Do you get called weird often?"

"Hm, I'd say about once a year."

"It's definitely more!" Clara said without any restraint.

Ash realized that he should revise his initial impression of her as a quiet child.

"Did you follow me just so that you could heal me?"

"A-As I said! I wasn't following you! I was just walking around and happened to see you..."

It seemed to have been a genuine coincidence.

As it hadn't led to any particular problems, Ash decided not to pursue the matter further.

"O yea, do you know where the Blain's Perch inn is? I've been looking for it for a while now, but I just can't seem to find it."

Ash asked Clara about it, but she suddenly gave him a dubious look.

"Why there?"

"A Milma called Uru recommended it to me."

"Is that so..."

Clara stared at him for a few moments, then turned away and walked away.

"Follow me. I'll show you the way."

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The most distant section of the buildings clustered in the central plaza.

Blain's Perch had its location in a place accessible only through an alley so narrow that a single person could barely pass through.

"No wonder I couldn't find it." Ash mumbled.

As Clara led him through the front door, he could smell the rich scent of wood.

The lobby inside was far from impressive.

Despite this, several desks and chairs occupied the majority of the space, and it was a bit dim, relying on the sunlight streaming through the windows.

"That's the landlady, Lady Blain."

Clara pointed to the corner of the room.

There was a platform that appeared to serve as a reception desk, and an elderly Milma woman sat behind it, engrossed in a book, paying no attention to their arrival.

As Ash approached Blain's side, sharp words were thrown his way.

"If you're only going to look around, go home."

"Uru told me to come here. Can I stay here?"

"Are you blind?"

Blain closed the book and regarded Ash with suspicion.

It appeared that she didn't view her own establishment very fondly.

Ash glanced around the inn once more.

It was undeniably old-fashioned, but it seemed sturdy enough to withstand rain and wind.

"I think it's a good inn. You have beds, don't you?"

"Of course. They're even softer than my breasts."

"I'm used to sleeping on the ground so it won't be an issue."

"You are one cocky brat." Blain said, but she didn't seem all that offended.

In fact, the corners of her mouth seemed to be lifting up with a touch of happiness.

From all the Milmas he'd seen, Ash figured that Blain must have been a beautiful woman in her youth, with ample breasts.

But time had taken its toll, and her chest had shriveled with age.

With his gaze averted from the aged chest, Ash turned his attention to the matter at hand.

"Though, I just came to Dural Island so I don't have any money. Can I pay-"

"You can pay later, yes."

"What? I know I'm the one asking, but are you really okay with that?"

"It's common amongst rookies. Besides, I can't put up a front given that Uru introduced you to my place, now can I?"

(Could she be related to Uru in some way?) Ash thought, seeing how Blain's face softened when she spoke of her.

"I guess I'll have to thank her later."

"Just treat her some walnuts. She'll be crying from joy."

It seemed like everyone was aware of Uru's favorite food.

Ash decided that it would be the first thing he bought when he got his hands on some money.

"You can use any room you like, except the one on the far end of the second floor." Blain said.

"Thanks."

Blain gave Ash one final glance before turning her face to her book.

Despite her attitude, she didn't seem like a bad person, especially given that she was an acquaintance of Uru. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ NƟvelFɪre.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Ash turned around and looked at the one who'd led him here.

"Thanks, Clara. I'll be able to sleep in a fluffy bed tonight thanks to you."

"D-Don't mention it. I didn't do much."

The conversation felt somewhat awkward, and they both seemed a bit uncomfortable as they glanced around.

"Well then, I'm off to go look for a room. Thanks again for fixing up my hand."

"W-Wait!"

Clara exclaimed just as Ash was about to turn around.

"I'm-"

"What?"

"I'm staying here too!"

Clara exclaimed as if she had made up her mind.

Her confession was vague, but Ash finally understood what she was trying to say.

"Oh... Then the room at the far end of the second floor is-"

"That's right. It's my room."

Clara muttered in a fading voice.

Ash had no idea she was also a guest here.

He finally understood why she'd been able to guide him so easily to this secluded inn.

"If you're that ashamed of staying in this inn then why don't you get the hell out." Blain said

"What?! But I won't have anywhere else to go if I get kicked out of here!"

Clara's eyes welled up with tears at Blain's heartless words.

Apparently, her financial situation wasn't that rosy.

"Then I guess we'll be sleeping under the same roof."

"That's right! That is if I don't get kicked out..." 

Clara muttered, apparently having taken Blain's joke too seriously.

She was apparently way purer than what Ash had thought.

"I'll probably have a lot of questions, but I hope you'll help me with them, senior."

"S-Senior?!"

Clara's eyes suddenly lit up, revealing a mixture of happiness and embarrassment.

She puffed up her chest before responding joyfully.

"O-Of course, you can count on me. I'm your senior after all!"

She seemed to have taken quite a liking to the word, senior.

"Now then, as your senior, I'll start by telling you the types of monsters you may encounter in the tower..."

"Hold right there."

Clara's eyes flashed with curiosity as Ash interrupted her.

He was about to venture into a place where his life would be at risk.

It would only do him good to have some information about it beforehand. Despite this...

"I want to see it with my own eyes."

"I-I see."

Clara said with a dejected tone.

Although he felt bad over it, Ash couldn't compromise on this.

"However, I'd love to hear all about it, after I've gone and come back. Is that okay with you, senior?"

"Y-Yes!"

Clara exclaimed, her mood quickly returning back to normal.

(What an interesting girl she is. In any case, I was able to get to the inn safely. All that's left is to climb the towers.)