Ch.15The Guardian of Balance NPC. (2)

“What?! B-Blue Troll?! You’re saying it appeared near the city?!!”

“That’s what the carriage driver who was being chased said.”

The guild receptionist’s face turned pale blue after hearing my story.

“N-No!! But why are you grinning like that! It’s a Blue Troll! Even gold-rank adventurers are recommended to face it in groups of two or more!”

“Hahaha. I see. That was quite a serious situation indeed.”

As I respond as if it’s someone else’s problem, the receptionist looks at me like I’m completely insane.

But what can I do? I’m in an incredibly good mood right now. In these two days, I’ve earned a crazy amount of money—60,000 kan.

Thanks to the Blue Troll’s magic stone being worth 25,000 kan, I was able to make an enormous profit.

Now I have 70,000 kan on hand. Plus, since I’ll be escorting that merchant carriage driver, I don’t have to pay for my own fare.

I’ll still need to pay for my sister’s passage, but I’ve saved 30,000 kan, so we can stock up on plenty of water and food.

And I’ve been working so hard to cheer up my sister, who’s been pouting every night because I couldn’t be with her these past two days.

Today is shopping with my sister!! A date!!

I immediately collected my money from the guild, bought a carriage ticket, and registered for the escort request that specifically asked for me.

I’ve already told them I’m an adventurer with the Tamer profession, so having a golem move with me shouldn’t be a problem.

Hehehe. Things are going well, very well. This might be the best situation since leaving that wretched village.

I immediately returned to the inn, and when my sister came running toward me, I scooped her up in my arms.

“Princess! Starting tomorrow, we’re traveling by carriage with your big brother! Since we’ll be leaving this city soon, shall we go out for something delicious?”

“Yes!! Delicious food!! Skewers!!”

“Okay! Let’s go! Hey Status, put your hood on and follow us.”

I start walking with a good mood. Since it’s almost evening, we head straight to the market, buy a bag of skewers, have the golem carry them, and my sister sits on my shoulders, munching on them.

Thanks to being well-fed these past few months, my sister who used to nibble like a starving squirrel can now properly enjoy her food with satisfying chomps.

Still, she’s too light, so I need to feed her better.

Afterward, we bought dried fruits, jerky, water canteens for preservation, and new clothes for my sister—a decent shopping trip.

Golem transformation is amazing. What a great porter. Is this why women drag men around shopping? I wouldn’t know since I’ve never been dragged along.

“Wooow! Big brother! That person is breathing fire from his mouth!!”

“Wow~! That’s amazing! Ira, look at that person too. He’s flying through the air!”

“Wow!! I wanna fly too!!”

Should I call this good luck or bad luck?

The traveling performance troupe we met in the city where our wanted posters were distributed is performing the same acts here.

Back then, we only caught the end of their fire performance, but now we’re seeing the start of their night show right on time, and Ira is giggling with delight.

As my sister grabs my hair tightly and wiggles her finger, seeking my agreement, I also shout in surprise and clap my hands.

Ah. If I had always lived like this, I surely wouldn’t have had to run away so desperately.

Perhaps because it was not a bad time—no, it was simply a happy time—time passed very quickly. For my sister’s proper dinner, not just skewers, I looked for a nearby restaurant.

In the past, eating at a restaurant would have been an impossible dream for us, but now my pockets are full. I should order something expensive and nutritious.

“I’ll have beef stew, pasta, and a whole smoked chicken, please.”

“Yes! Order confirmed!”

After ordering a meal that might be slightly too much for my picky-eater sister, I continue to smile and respond to her excited chatter about the performance troupe we just watched.

Ah. So happy…

“Finally found you.”

“…Huh?”

“Hmm?”

[-Profession: Fallen Swordswoman- Level: 33 Name: Rey Sol. Age: 16.]

(!) [Skill: Cannot Tolerate Injustice. Currently activating.]

“You’re Jack the Forester, correct?”

“No. I’m adventurer Johnson.”

“……”

“……”

Ah. Shit, life is really too much.

*

Is this it? Is my happiness on a quota system?

Does misfortune and injustice have to balance out whenever I feel even a little happiness? Who the hell decided this?

If there’s a judge maintaining this balance, I’d like to raise my hand and throw them into a goblin pit to show them why this world is a dark fantasy.

I want to tear apart this guardian of balance who creates such terrible situations—that’s normal, right?

(!) [Skill: Cannot Tolerate Injustice. Currently activating.]

For now, I steadfastly continue feeding my sister.

The blonde swordswoman didn’t charge at me like a mindless beast screaming “You’re a criminal!! Die!!”

She just asked to talk after our meal, then sat at the table right next to ours, ordered a coffee, and kept staring at us.

It’s annoyingly distracting. Hey, if you’re not eating, the restaurant is busy—wait outside.

“Big brother. That lady keeps looking at me.”

“…Excuse me, you’re making my sister uncomfortable. If you must stare, look only at me.”

“…Alright.”

Strangely, she quietly follows my instruction. And then, she really does stare intently at my profile.

Ah. Now I’m uncomfortable too.

The happy time that had lasted until just now ended, and I paid the bill at the restaurant before heading outside.

For now, I’m holding Ira close and told Status to prepare for combat.

This woman is the strongest opponent I’ve faced so far, so if she suddenly starts swinging her sword, I instructed him not to hesitate and to kill her—to subdue her perfectly. Status is preparing to mimic her skills and is on guard against any surprise attacks.

A golem that can perfectly copy even my punches won’t miss this woman’s movements.

The swordswoman Rey Sol beckoned for me to follow her, and I decided to go along.

There are many people around, and I don’t want to fight here either. I need to board the carriage tomorrow, and if something happens here, it would ruin everything.

“This place should be fine for a conversation.”

“So, what do you want to ask?”

A deserted alley.

No, a completely empty alley in this border city. I respond somewhat irritably to her as she starts speaking on her own terms.

Of course, from behind my golem. The golem in front of me is a monster with a higher level than me. Touch us, and you die, understand?

“I read the wanted poster. You two are wanted, right? Jack the Forester and sister Ira. Correct?”

“No. I’m adventurer Johnson.”

“Wia! Big brother’s wife!”

“……”

She frowns at our answers and looks at me incredulously. What, isn’t this enough? Can’t we just move on with this?

“…If that’s a joke, it’s not funny. And she’s too young to be called a wife, isn’t she?”

“If I said it’s not a joke, would you believe me and just leave? And what’s wrong with my sister? She’s cute.”

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t have followed you here. I agree she’s cute though.”

With those words, the swordswoman grabbed the pommel of the sword at her waist and drew it with a sharp metallic sound.

I can’t help but frown at her behavior, which seems both reasonable and unreasonable.

Ah. So that’s how it is. Can’t be helped, even if it diverges from the story.

“Put that sword away or I’ll kill you.”

“……”

I issue a final warning with complete sincerity.

I’m holding my sister, yet she drew her sword. Game story? Party-able NPC? Affection meter unlock?

Bullshit.

Threatening my sister makes killing legal, no matter who it is.

Whether the opponent is a noble, a king, or even a god or demon, I will kill them. With that meaning in my glare, the golem also picks up a wooden stick from nearby.

Clearly, it intends to mimic her swordsmanship.

If the golem can just parry one strike, I can snap this woman’s neck even while holding Ira.

After all, we have two level 300s on our side, while she’s just a level 30s NPC.

No matter how much of a party-able 1.5-tier combat NPC she is, she can’t ignore the raw stat difference.

And then.

[Skill Mimicry Activated!: Target Rey Sol]

-Tap!

-Swish!

-Clang!

“……”

“……”

The sound of the woman striking the ground and swinging her sword, followed immediately by the sound of my kick, fills the alley.

“Why didn’t you follow through with your attack?”

Her sword is aimed at the golem’s neck, the golem’s wooden stick at her head, and my foot at her temple—all frozen in place.

Why didn’t I follow through?

“Because you didn’t follow through either.”

“I stopped because I saw you stop.”

“Huh?”

That’s a lie.

With Status, a mime golem, there’s no reason such a lie would work. The reason I stopped was because the sword aimed at the golem’s neck didn’t make contact, and the wooden sword stopped before touching her head—I had no intention of stopping.

“I thought that wanted poster seemed strange. I couldn’t believe that someone who helped me when no one else would suddenly assault people and run away for no reason.”

“…What?”

“Besides, if you were the type to beat people up or steal money, you could have beaten up those thugs that night and taken their money, but you didn’t.”

She starts talking as if she’s figured everything out and sheathes her sword.

Wait a minute. What she just said. Wow, she’s right?

If I had just beaten up those thugs and taken their money back then, that would have been better? Then I wouldn’t have gotten entangled with her like this?!!

Wow! This is maddening! Is an intelligence of 3 for real?!

“I apologize for confirming things this way with someone who helped me. But I needed at least some verification.”

“…Well, as long as you understand now.”

After sheathing her sword and stepping back, she bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle, sincerely apologizing to me.

Somehow, her personality feels different from what I knew in the game. She didn’t just chase me because I’m wanted, but because she wanted to confirm that I was her benefactor.

Sigh. If that’s all it was, she could have just asked instead of causing all this trouble.

I accepted her apology halfheartedly and tried to wrap up the conversation so we could go our separate ways…

“No. You saved me, and even though I suspected the poster was a misunderstanding, I’ve still caused you trouble. It would be shameful to leave things like this! Please let me follow you as your guard to repay my debt!!”

[-Profession: Fallen Swordswoman- Level: 33 Name: Rey Sol. Age: 16.]

[Party request pending.]

[She has developed strong goodwill toward your strength.]

As she seriously explains that she knows her actions were troublesome, I nod at her earnestly shining blue eyes.

Yes. I understand your feelings. So…

“No thanks.”

If you don’t want to be a nuisance, just go away.