CH 264

“Phew, finally made it in…”

The first time I visited a different world, it was more similar to the world I had been living in than I had expected. There was a bit of a hassle, realizing I didn’t have any money as the gatekeeper told me, and I had to turn back and hunt some horned rabbits. But beyond that, I managed to get into the human survival zone without much trouble, which made me heave a sigh of relief.

“But this is a town in a different world, huh… It’s pretty normal after all.”

I looked around restlessly, but there was nothing particularly new. I was prepared for a lot because it’s a different world, but honestly, there’s not much difference from “the town of the neighboring country I visited for the first time”. If I hadn’t gone through that <White World>, I wouldn’t have noticed that this is a different world.

“…Hmm?”

But still, there was a strange sense of discomfort within me. Despite the sudden arrival in an unknown world after being taken to a different world, I feel oddly calm and not very nervous.

(This is strange. Was I always such a big deal?)

I, who had been living as a mercenary, was just an ordinary townsman. Despite being involved in such an unknowable incident, it’s clearly strange that I’m so calm.

But there’s no way I know why I’m calm. If I have to say, maybe I hit my head when I was abducted to the <White World>, or… what was it? Perhaps this effect is attached to the ability I got from that glowing crystal orb? Ah, that seems likely.

There are no lies. But it’s not the whole truth either. That’s common in negotiations with shitty clients who try to buy our lives for cheap. Those who can’t discern this will be bought at a cheap price and die easily. To not waste the valuable sacrifices of my seniors, I want to go with a style of thoroughly doubting.

“Whoa!?”

And while thinking about such things, someone suddenly bumped into my shoulder from the front. I stumble back a few steps from the hard impact, and the man who bumped into me throws an obviously irritated voice.

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“Hm? What’s with you?”

“What… Ah, no, I’m sorry.”

I was about to respond with a confrontational voice to the other party’s strong tone, but I immediately stopped and apologized. The other party was dressed in high-quality metal armor, definitely a noble or a rich man. If I quarreled with such a person, the best case scenario was my nest being a grave, or at the worst, I would be enjoying the prime spot in town with only my head.

“I’m just a country bumpkin. I seem to have been excited about being in a big city. I formally apologize.”

I straightened my posture and bowed my head slightly exaggerated. Even if I’m not at fault in this situation, the only choice was to apologize, and in this case, it’s even more so because I was clearly careless. If it’s just a minor shoulder bump, he should forgive me with this.

“Is that so. Then I’ll forgive you for one of your arms.”

“What!?”

The glittering blonde man casually unsheathed his sword from his waist and swung it at me. His sword handling was that of a first-rate swordsman and it should be impossible for someone like me to defend against it, but…

Clang!

“What!? What are you doing all of a sudden!?”

“Oh? You can stop this.”

For some reason, my body moved on its own and stopped the man’s sword. The man in front of me raised a slightly surprised voice, but I’m much more surprised. No, seriously, why was I able to defend? Well, that doesn’t matter… well, it does, but anyway, there’s something more important now.

“Are you out of your mind!? Would you slash at someone in the middle of a town for such a trivial reason!?”

In my world, there were nobles, but they wouldn’t attack just because their shoulders bumped. If you bumped into a royal family, you’d get cut down… rather, you’d get arrested just for getting close to them without care, but those truly noble people wouldn’t walk around without guards, so there’s no chance of bumping into them in the first place.

But this guy just attacked me out of nowhere. What’s this? Was this the common sense in this world!? How short-tempered are these people from different worlds!?

“It’s not trivial at all. If someone blocks my way, no matter who it is, I just cut them down.”

“Don’t call someone you just bumped into on the street a ‘blockage’ and act cool! Respect others more!”

While making a high-pitched noise, my sword defends against the man’s. Even though he’s clearly holding back, his swordsmanship should be quite sharp, but I don’t understand why I can keep defending against it. I don’t understand, but I don’t have the luxury to think about it, so I just move my arm following my instinct and intuition.

“You’re not bad at all. Are you actually a renowned swordsman?”

“Regrettably, I’m just a mere mercenary!”

“Mercenary? What’s that?”

“What do you mean, what is… Ah!?”

Giiiin!

A muffled sound echoed from our clashing swords, and only my sword was unilaterally cut off. Ah, it was a cheap one, but still my favorite… wait, that’s not the point!

“It seems this is the end.”

“Damn, isn’t there anything…!?”

Against the man who confidently thrusted his sword, I, still holding my half-broken sword, searched around. Another weapon… even a piece of iron or something would give me a chance to counter, but there’s no chance of finding such a thing around here.

Also, the chances of getting help from the people who were watching us from a distance was slim. Unless they know me, there’s no reason for strangers to help a dangerous guy who starts a sword fight in the middle of town.

Besides, relying on others was Impossible when even the guards hadn’t arrived despite all this commotion. Is this really a daily occurrence, or does this blond-haired man have a strong connection… either way, the situation of me being cornered doesn’t change.

(Damn… Damn it, damn it!)

I desperately searched for a chance to turn things around, but no matter how much I moved my eyes, what wasn’t there won’t appear. Against such me, the blond man slowly raised his sword.

“Then… it’s over.”

Thump!

At those words, my heart jumped. The man’s sword swinging down seemed so slow it’s yawn-inducing, but instead, I became acutely aware of everything in the surrounding world.

Thump!

–Over? Is it over? Me?

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Thump!

-=That’s wrong. It’s not like that.

Thump!

-=Only I can decide when it’s over. So…

“You’re the one who’s finished.”

With no caution at all, I casually thrust out my right hand. Then of course the man’s swinging sword was aimed to slice through my hand…

“Gyaaaaa!?”

The sword bites between my index and middle finger and easily slices through my palm. As the intense pain and a gush of blood comes out, my thoughts regain their cool and common sense.

“It huuuurts!”

“…What are you doing?”

While pressing my sliced right hand with my left, I ended up crouching on the spot. Ugh, why did I do something like that? Of course, if I take a sword that can cut through a metal sword with my bare hands, my hand is going to be cut!

No, it seemed like I could have blocked it! But normally thinking, of course I can’t block it! Damn, I was such a fool…! With my dominant hand like this, what am I going to…

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“Hey, Alexis! What are you doing!?”

Suddenly, such a voice was heard from above me, who had my eyes tightly closed in intense pain and regret. Gritting my teeth to bear the pain and managing to open my eyes, what I saw was…

“………………?”

A girl who looked a bit younger than me, with bright red hair and characteristic upturned eyes.