Volume 1 - CH 12

Out of the three girls, two of them were most likely twin sisters.

They looked very similar to each other; they both were short and had droopy eyes. Furthermore, they wore long black dresses that suited their figures well.  The only way they could be told apart from one another was by the color of their ponytails.  One had a blue ponytail, and the other had a red one.

On their backs, they had sacred weapons that were large sickles.  

They were as alike as two peas in a pod.

In front of the both of them was one purple haired girl that seemed like she was their leader. She wore a robe that resembled a magician's robe, but it was tailored as a mini dress, and she looked rather stylish wearing it. I figured out that she was the one who had screamed angrily earlier. Her anger was directed at the white haired young lady standing in front of the three of them.

I glanced at the white hair girl once more; her shiny silvery strands were cut in a bob and she appeared quite young. On her back was a large shield that seemed inappropriate to be carried by her frail looking body.

Despite her timid figure, she stood in front of the purple haired girl. All the while, she had tears flowing down the side of her cheeks.

"Why do I have to let a piece of rubbish like yourself into our party!  You've got to be kidding me!" When this was said to the white haired girl, her large shield shook with a start and she curled inwardly from the unexpected force.

From what I could infer, it seemed like the girl with the shield had requested to join their party.

And the purple haired leader had that strongly opposed to that idea.

I'm not certain what the reason was, but if she was going to refuse, isn't there a better way to phrase it?

While watching over the scene with slight discomfort, I noticed that the white haired girl bowed her head again.

"I...I want to be at the party..." She stuttered out.

"I've said it already, how annoying you are!  Don't you realize the extent of your own incompetence?" The cruel way of speaking continued some more.

"Being an adventurer is a profession in which you take down monsters.  Despite that, you're carrying a shield for a sacred weapon that can't take down a single monster.  There is no way you'll be able to become an adventurer."

In response to the leader's voice, the twin girls behind her nodded in agreement, while the white haired girl just remained silent.

It seemed like the four girls were acquainted with one another.

Based on what she said that the shield on the white haired girl's back was a 'sacred weapon' and the tone of her voice, I suppose they were more than acquaintances.

Were they friends...probably not?

Wielding an item used for defense against a demon is meaningless, therefore, from the start, even I could tell it was a useless sacred weapon. There was some basis to their argument that her sacred weapon is not able to defeat a single monster. Well, what does it all matter?

The Adventurer Exam this time is to defeat monsters.  If we are going to cooperate to do it, then teaming up with people with high combat skills is preferable.  Therefore, teaming up with someone who is unable to defeat monsters has no merit.  Furthermore, we have to collect a number of dolls equal to the number of people in our party. If what the purple-haired girl was saying was true, about the shield carrying girl not being capable of taking down a single monster, then she was at a disadvantage in this exam and would be a liability to them.

If the girl joined the party, then the other three would have to obtain one extra doll for her sake.

Carefully selecting the people you add to your party is just basic knowledge.

Even though she was communicating her point callously, the leader had a sound argument.

In the midst of all this, the girl with the shield nevertheless pleaded with the girl even with watery eyes, "But because I have 'Protection Power', I can protect you from the monsters."

"Good grief!  What of this 'Protection Power'? We don't need that kind of thing!  Well, we can't be late!  Step aside, you piece of garbage!" Finally, at her wit's end, the girl waved her hand and told the girl off.

I couldn't just stand back and watch something like this.

Without a moment's delay I interjected myself between the girls, and took hold of the leader's palm, just before the leader's hand struck the shield wielding girl. My impulsive action stopped her from hitting the girl. 

Now full of anger, the leader turned towards me, "...Who are you?"

"I'm participating in the same exam as you.  Nice to meet you."

"I see.  What are you doing holding my hand?"

"Nothing much.  I just thought you were overdoing it a little bit."

It's not that I don't understand her point.

If she can't stomach it, then it isn't necessary for her to allow the girl in the party.

However, I can't overlook her unnecessary use of violence.

No matter how bothersome she says this situation is, it doesn't justify her doing that.

Undauntedly, I returned her affronted look with a strong gaze towards the purple-haired girl.  Before long, the girl clicked her tongue, and shook her hand free from my grasp.

"This doesn't concern you.  It doesn't matter what anyone says.  I'm not letting her in the party.  I don't think I'm overdoing anything.  The one who is in the wrong is her."

When I glanced over at the girl holding the shield, she looked down uncomfortably.

I wonder if she realizes she is being so persistent.

Still, she doesn't have to have a look like that though.

"You want to be an adventurer, too, right?  Having a shield for a sacred weapon is worthless.  Despite that, when it comes to this girl, because she has no one else to talk to, she is just trying to team up with us simply because we are from the same village. Plus, if she goes by herself, she won't be able to take down a single monster because of her useless weapon."

...I see.

Because the girls were all from the same village, they all knew each other.

And as for the girl with the shield, because she didn't have anyone else to rely on, she continued to talk to the three girls.

Still, isn't it even more cruel to treat someone from your own village with disdain? Maybe the problem is caused by the fact that they are from the same village.

I mean, the way the purple haired girl glared at the shield wielding girl and myself told me enough of what I needed to know about the true nature of their relationship. 

"If you understand what I'm saying, then you too should step aside.  Or if it suits you, you can try joining up with this piece of trash.  Do you think you can really pass the exam with this stupid blockhead?" The purple haired girl addressed me, after receiving the provocation, I once again glanced over at the girl with the shield.

Her lack of self-confidence was huge compared to others around me.

I thought she lacked fighting ability given her gangly build.

Piece of garbage, blockhead, and incompetent... The owner of a sacred weapon that was unable to defeat a single monster, was called a lot of mean things.

After taking that assessment of the girl into consideration and gazing at her for a bit, I threw her a large nod, "Well then, let's do it!"

"Huh?" I glanced at the white haired girl and spoke to her, "Hey you, perhaps you want to join up with me?  I am also looking for a companion.  Let's work together and pass this Adventurers' Exam."

"What?" The one who raised her voice in surprise was the purple haired leader.

As for the white haired girl, she was dumbfounded, and could do nothing but give me a blank stare.

I couldn't blame her for being in shock. To have a young girl who was openly called incompetent and a piece of garbage become your companion, is certainly unthinkable! Even I would think such was joke if it happened to someone else. 

When I looked around us and saw that the people who had heard our conversation were taken aback by what I had done too, I started to question my own sanity.

Well, that's fine!  

What matters is that I had given the speechless white haired girl a last push of support.

"Well, I think we'll make excellent companions!" I told her.

This time, the girl had given me a surprised reaction, "Um yeah...  You're right!"