CH 100

The rest of that day proceeded as planned, having gone to Iron Will to get my equipment maintenance done, and then Clive’s shop to sell off some Glutamate Herb. And since I didn’t have much else to do, I went back and did muscle training… and now it was the next day. Today, since I was planning to talk to the woman from the Knights of the Royal Order, I got up earlier than usual to wait for her.

I was swinging my sword, trying to act nonchalant… when the woman finally came jogging by. When she passed by the front of the rundown inn, she ducked into the shadow of the building across the street and popped her head out from the corner to watch me, just like always. I hadn’t really noticed it before because I was trying to avoid eye contact with her, but she was glaring like crazy, huh? She was staring intently at me with such an awfully serious expression that I almost burst out laughing. Trying to hold it in, I put my wooden sword away at the holder on my waist and walked towards the woman who was staring at me from the building across the street.

I was quite nervous about talking to her, but the woman from the Knights seemed to be even more panicked than me as she noticed me walking towards her. She normally looked so cool and dignified as she stood there, but contrary to her norm, seeing her cutely fidgeting in a flustered manner was so amusing that it made me feel much less nervous. When I finally arrived in front of her, I quickly spoke.

“Um… may I have a word with you?” (Lewin)

I spoke to her in a slightly hushed tone of voice to avoid startling her, but she responded by shaking her head frantically from side to side.

…Well that’s a problem. I thought she would definitely hear me out though.

Well, even if she wouldn’t accept my request for mentoring me in swordsmanship, now that I’d already mustered the courage to speak to her, I thought that I might as well ask why she was watching me every day. Just as that thought crossed my mind, it looked like she was about to make a run for it without saying a single word, so I spread my arms out to block her path. She looked up at me in astonishment as she began inching backwards slowly.

Since this was a hiding place next to the building, there was no path of retreat behind her. Perhaps realizing that there was no way out, she finally opened her mouth to say something.

“Awawa~! I definitely haven’t been looking at you swinging your sword every day, you know?! T-This is just… I just happened to be passing by! ―Uh, yeah, that’s w-what it is! J-Just happened to be passing by, that’s all!” she stuttered out while talking at an incredibly rushed pace. I hadn’t even begun to ask her any questions and she was already trying to explain herself. You know, you just revealed that you knew that I’ve been practicing my sword every day, so I don’t think that excuse is gonna work…

“Ah, no, I haven’t even asked about that ye—” (Lewin)

“Um, I just wanted to talk—” (Lewin)

“Why would I, a Captain of the Knights of the Royal Order, be stalking a youth like you? ……How about it? Would you be willing to overlook this?”

This woman, who no longer knew what she was even talking about, was tearfully pleading with me as her eyes swam about. Perhaps because of her position as a Captain, she was trying to avoid getting in trouble…?

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“Kirty-san, please calm down a bit.” (Lewin)

“H-h-how do you know my name?!” (Kirty)

Her eyes were brimming with tears as she flashed the most surprised face I had seen out of her today. She seemed to be really confused…

The fact that she had just shown me her identification papers seemed to have already completely escaped her mind. Of course her identification papers would have her name, Iris Kirty, written clearly on it.

“No, I saw your name written on the identification papers you just showed me! More importantly, please calm down a bit so we can talk. Alright?” (Lewin)

“N-now that you mention it… That’s right…. Sorry, I lost my composure…” (Kirty)

“It’s fine. I didn’t come to speak to you with any bad intentions, so please don’t worry.” (Lewin)

After she calmed down, we decided to change locations to talk, as if to hide the fact that such a ridiculous exchange had just taken place here. After leading Kirty to my room at the rundown inn across the street, I prepared a cup of Clive’s handmade black tea for her. I was wondering if it was improper to bring someone I had just met to my room, but since Kirty said that she didn’t want to be seen at any of the shops in Grezesta right now, I had no choice but to bring her here. Showing her through this ramshackle inn where the floorboards would creak with every step we took was a bit embarrassing, to say the least.

“Sorry, my room is a bit dirty.” (Lewin)

“No, please don’t mind it. I’m grateful that you agreed to my selfish request and allowed me into your room,” Kirty said to me in a dignified manner, without a hint of the fluster she was in earlier. This appearance felt more befitting of a Captain of the Knights of the Royal Order. Most likely, this was what Kirty was like normally. But… her cheeks were still flushed red and she seemed a little tense.