Neutral Commercial City Fhuren
20 meters in height, the wall enclosed one of the continent’s Neutral Commercial Cities with a length of 200 kilometers. All kinds of businesses and keen competitions happened in this city every day, there were people who successfully realized their dreams, and there were also a lot of people who became penniless and left dejectedly. It could be said it was the number one city in the continent with the amount of people that came to sightsee, and those who came for business.
Because it was so huge, Fhuren was divided into four areas. The Central Ward where the facilities related to various procedures in the city gathered, Sightseeing Ward where amusement facilities were concentrated, Craftsman Ward where weapons and armor, also various furnitures were sold directly, and Commercial Ward where all kinds of stores and businesses lined up. There was a main street that stretched to the east, west, south, and north from the Central Ward, it seemed to be common sense to have numerous stores the closer ones to the middle part. The places that were far from the main street and central ward were places for black dealings, in other words, there were a lot of black market-like shops. In those areas, sometimes there were unexpected things appearing, and those who were accustomed to rough stuff like adventurers and mercenaries visit this place.
That story was something Hajime and his party heard while they were eating light meals in the cafe inside the adventurer’s guild : Fhuren’s branch. The one who told them was a woman whose job was a guide. Because this city was huge, there was a lot of demand for guides, so it became a special occupation with a social standing. Although there were a lot of guide stores, they all got high ratings because they improved their services to gain more customers every day.
Hajime and his party came to the adventurer’s guild with the application form that had received the seal of proof after separating from Mottou’s merchant company. Following that, because they didn’t know the location of the inns and shops, they tried to get the guidebook from the adventurer’s guild, that’s how they came to know about the guide’s existence.
Currently, after they paid the woman guide who introduced herself as Rishee, they were hearing the basic information of this city while having light meals.
“That’s why, it is recommended to search for an inn in Sightseeing Ward. Although there are inns in Central Ward, it has become a tendency for the workers to nap there, that’s why there are less services compared to Sightseeing ward.”
“I see, then we will obediently look for an inn in Sightseeing Ward. Where’s the recommendation?”
“It depends on what Mr. Customer demands. There are various kinds of inns, after all.”
“That’s true. Okay, I won’t complain as long as the meals are delicious and they have a bath. There is no need to consider the location. Also, a place with a clear accountability should be good.”
Rishee heard Hajime’s requests with a smile. Toward the first two requests she nodded with “Un un”, she seemed to have immediately listed all of the recommended inns inside of her mind. However, towards Hajime’s next words, she could only let out “Nn?”, while inclining her neck.
“Umm~, an accountable place?”
“Aa, for example, assume I was pulled into a fight where I was the obvious victim, so I don’t want to take responsibility of the damage inside the inn. I want to stay at a good inn, and I have a lot of equipment, so it’ll be a hassle to compensate that.”
“Uu~m, I think you won’t be involved that often, but…”
Hajime could only smile wryly toward the perplexed Rishee.
“Well, if it were ordinary people it’ll be like that, but we stand out, after all. It seems a lot of loose guys will be at Sightseeing Ward, and merchants with firm spirits that will force their ways will likely appear. Well, in the end it’s only “if possible”. If that’s too hard then there’s no need to consider it.”
Because of Hajime’s words, Rishee looked at Yue and Shia who sat at Hajime’s sides while focusing on eating their light meals. Then, she nodded in consent. Certainly, these two beautiful girls stood out. Even now, they gathered considerable gazes from the surroundings. Especially Shia who came from the Rabbitman tribe. Although it’s a crime to put a hand on other’s slaves, it couldn’t be said there would be no merchants that tried to persistently negotiate nor loose and reckless guys.
“Then, how about an inn with strict guards? There are lots of inns like that, and I can introduce you to a good one…”
“Aa, that’s okay. However, the guys that are blinded by desires will sometimes appear. So, it should be considered first that I am going to physically persuade them because guards are not absolute.”
“Ph-Physical persuasion… … I see, that’s why you asked for accountability.”
Rishee completely understood Hajime’s intent, so the words “if possible” Hajime said seemed to hurt her soul as a guide, then she accepted his requests and said, “Please leave it to me”, with a motivated expression. Following that, she turned her gaze toward Yue and Shia, then asked for their demands. It was a point where she tried to answer every customers’ needs as much as possible, surely this came from the guide store she belongs to.
“… … A big bath is good, however for a mixed bath, reservations are essential.”
“Umm, I want one with a huge bed.”
After thinking for a sec, Yue and Shia said each of their requests. Even though they were called requests, if Yue’s term was combined with Shia’s, she could see clearly their intentions. Having guessed that, Rishee said “I accept it, so please leave it to me”, with an acknowledging and clarifying face, but her cheeks slightly reddened. Immediately, she alternated her glances between Hajime, Yue, and Shia and that resulted in her cheeks blushing further.
By the way, the men who hung around in the nearby tables were staring at Hajime as if saying “If only a person can be killed by a stare!”, but because he was already accustomed to it, Hajime just let it go through his head as usual.
From there, they heard the stories of the other wards, then Hajime and his party felt an unexpected strong gaze. It was especially aimed at Shia and Yue, it was the rudest of all, a sticky gaze that stuck to them. Because it was too late for Yue and Shia to mind that gaze, they could only knit their eyebrows because of the unpleasant stare.
Hajime tried to take a peek toward the source of the gaze and… … there was a pig. With a fat body that easily surpassed 100 kilograms, an oily face, along with a pig snout and sticky blond-hair attached on its head. If it were only its appearance, it could be seen wearing good clothing even from a distance. That pigman was the one who stared at Yue and Shia with eyes completely mudded with desire.
While Hajime thought, “It’ll be a hassle”, the pigman moved his body heavily and while shaking he quickly approached Hajime and his party. Apparently, there was no time for them to escape. Hajime never thought of running away, though.
Maybe because Rishee also noticed his unrest, or maybe because that pigman stood out, when the pigman arrived with an arrogant attitude, she forgot to smile and “Geh!”, raised an indescribable voice in bad taste.
The pigman soon arrived at the side of the table Hajime and his party were, then looked at Yue and Shia with a smile in his eyes, and when he saw Shia’s collar he narrowed his eyes unpleasantly. Following that, he finally looked at Hajime, who he never looked at until now, and as if he finally noticed him, he showed a gesture and let out a one-sided demand with an arrogant attitude.
“O-Oi, brat. I-I’ll give you a million ruta. H-Hand over that rabbit. That blonde too, I’ll make her my concubine. C-Come with me.”
Having said those words while slightly stuttering and coupled with kii kii sounds, the pigman tried to touch Yue. It seemed Yue was already his inside his mind. At that moment, a violent killing intent poured down. The faces of people in the surrounding tables turned pale as they fell from their chairs, and they began to desperately back away from Hajime.
Well, the pigman who received the killing intent directly was… … “Hii!?”, let out a pathetic scream and fell on his butt, then he retreated while the place between his groins began to wet.
If Hajime let out his true killing intent, he might instantly lose consciousness, and because that’d be meaningless he put enough consideration into it.
“Yue, Shia, let’s go. Let’s change the location.”
Because a dirty liquid leaked, Hajime stood from his seat then called Yue and Shia. Honestly, he actually wanted to immediately shoot him dead, but it’d raise a commotion if he killed him after all, and that’d make Hajime the assailant. The town’s guards were not that naive to let go of a murder. Basically, as long as it’s at the limit of a legitimate self-defense, Hajime thought of just half-killing him inside this city.
Rishee could only say, “Eh? Eh?”, while blinking her eyes in confusion because Hajime and his party stood up from their seats. Rishee was fine even though she was inside the range of Hajime’s killing intent because he had simply excluded her from “Pressure’s” targets. It was the reverse version of the pinpointed “Pressure” that he had used on Mottou to not let anyone notice him. It was the result of his training. It was natural for Rishee to be confused, that’s because when she thought the pigman was being selfish, he suddenly fell on his bottom and began to leak from in between his groins.
By the way, the “Pressure” that affected the surroundings was done on purpose. His reason was to make the surrounding guys who gave him depressing looks comprehend him. “Don’t try to touch them, okay?”, something like that. Judging from the surrounding guys’ pale expressions, it seemed there was no need to give out more warnings.
But, immediately after he dispersed the “Pressure” and tried to leave the guild, a big man came to block Hajime and his party’s route and stood like a Niou statue. He had a huge body with around 100 kilograms of weight in different ways than the pigman. His whole body was full of muscle with a longsword hanging on his waist, his appearance was like an experienced soldier’s.
Maybe because he saw that huge figure, the pigman once again let out a shout coupled with kii kiisounds.
“Th-That’s right, Leganid! Kill that shitty brat! H-He tried to kill me! Kill him slowly!”
“Young master, to kill him will be troublesome. Let’s just half-kill him.”
“Do it! I-I don’t care, just do it! B-But, don’t hurt the girls! Th-They’re mine!”
“Roger. So, please splurge on my reward.”
“I-I’ll give you any number you want! Just do it already!”
Apparently, the giant called Leganid was hired by the pigman as his bodyguard. He was talking to the pigman without looking away from Hajime, then he floated a satisfied smile when he heard about the promised reward. He thought nothing of Yue and Shia which was unusual. He didn’t look at them and only grinned at the word reward.
“Ou, boy. Sorry. I’ll half-kill you for the sake of my money. What, it’s not like I’ll kill you. Well, about those little misses… … just give up on them.”
Having said that, Leganid prepared his fists. He didn’t use the longsword because this was indeed a place where it shouldn’t be used. A commotion appeared in the surroundings when they heard Leganid’s name.
“O-Oi, by Leganid, you mean that “Black” Leganid?”
“”Black Wind” Leganid!? Just why did he become such a fellow’s bodyguard…”
“Isn’t it for money? He is “Money Lover” Leganid, you know?”
Hajime was able to guess the identity of the huge man in front of him from the surrounding whispers. Although his class was not known, he was a “Black”-ranked adventurer, the third rank from above, so he was quite the big-wheel.
Fighting spirit emitted from Leganid. Hajime thought it wouldn’t be a problem to half-kill him because it was legitimate self-defense, and the moment he began to swing his fist, a voice came to restrain him from an unusual spot.
“… … Hajime, wait.” ” ? What is it, Yue?”
Before she answered Hajime’s question, Yue, while dragging the nearby Shia, came between Hajime and Leganid. While Hajime and Leganid were dumbfounded by it, Yue replied as she looked ahead.
“… … Let us take care of him” “Eh? Yue-san, am I included?”
Yue ignored Shia’s question. Having heard Yue’s words, before Hajime could reply, Leganid bursted into laughter.
“Gah hahahaha, are you little misses my opponent? That’s quite laughable. What? I’ll forgive you if you become my opponent at nig- “… … Shut up, thrash” kh!?”
Before Leganid could finish his indecent words, Yue cut his words and quickly use wind blade to attack and cut his cheek. Pusyu, a small sound was made, his blood came and dripped as is. It seemed to be a fairly deep cut. Leganid fell silent just as Yue commanded. Because Yue’s magic was too fast, he completely couldn’t react to it. In his mind, “Just when did she chant? Where is the magic circle?”, as he desperately tried to analyze her while letting out cold sweat.
Hajime who didn’t know what Yue meant was currently looking at Shia who also didn’t understand Yue’s intention and the talk continued.
“… … We’ll show them that we’re not princesses that can only be protected.”
“Aa, I see. We are showing them we can make a painful retaliation.”
“… … That’s right. Because we finally came here, I’ll use that.”
Having said that, Yue looked at Leganid with a more severe gaze and pointed at him.
“Well, I understand what you are trying to say. Certainly, if the princesses that they got are in truth fierce beasts, that should wake them up. Fortunately, there are a lot of witnesses… … Unn, isn’t that good?”
“… … Fierce beasts is too cruel.”
Hajime agreed with Yue’s words and backed away with a wry smile. After Yue confirmed that Hajime had backed away, she sent an eye signal to Shia at her side. Having read the signal, Shia reached for Doryukken that was hung on her back, then as if not feeling the weight, she rotated it once in her hand.
“Oioi, just what can the miss from the Rabbitman tribe do? Because there is my employer’s request, will you just keep quiet?”
Without looking away from Yue, Leganid said that to Shia. However, Shia ignored Leganid’s words and advised him back.
“The longsword on your waist. Shouldn’t you draw it? Although I’m going to take it easy, won’t it be dangerous to be bare-handed?”
“Hah, big words from Usagi-chan. Young master! Sorry, but forgive me for one or two scratches!”
Leganid didn’t pay much attention to Shia and focused on Yue, while the pigman who was still nearby didn’t give out any objections. Surely, he must’ve judged it’d be difficult to subdue Yue without hurting her. However, Leganid should have noticed it. If he thought using common sense, he should feel the incompatibility of the cherished slave and the strength of the Rabbitman tribe that held the warhammer, he should’ve recognized the significance of them leaving him to her after he caught a glimpse of Hajime and Yue’s ability himself.
Without anymore talk, Shia held Doryukken near her waist… … and immediately dashed out. Then, she appeared in front of Leganid.
“Kh!?” “Yaa”
While letting out an adorable voice, she changed into an overpowering manner and swung the super-heavy Sledgehammer, and it approached Leganid’s chest whose expression was dyed with astonishment. Immediately before getting a direct hit, Leganid was barely able to cross his arms to defend, but…
(Isn’t it too heavy!?)
He couldn’t do anything even though he had braced himself, so he jumped back to soften the impact, but her swing was too fast and made his action meaningless. As a result,
GUSHA!
Along with that sound, Leganid was blown away and his back crashed into the guild’s wall. Along with a roaring sound, Leganid vomited all the air in his lungs and inside his shaking point of view, he could see Shia’s appearance as she lost her interest. Apparently, she thought he would be able to resist some more.
For a “Black”-ranked adventurer like himself, to be easily beaten by a girl of the Rabbitman tribe and the fact that she even lost her interest, Leganid could do nothing but laugh at himself. He revealed a smile that looked like a frown because of pain and tried to use his hands to stand up, but because of a sharp pain he collapsed as is. When he looked at the source of the sharp pain, he could see his crushed arm.
Fortunately, the one that was crushed was only his right hand, so he managed to stand up using the other arm while enduring the pain. Although his vision was still swaying, he somehow managed to firmly step on the floor. Even if it was meaningless, if he hadn’t immediately jumped back, he probably wouldn’t be able to stand up.
However, it wasn’t a good thing for him to stand up. Although Leganid managed to stand up partly because of his willpower, when he saw Yue’s appearance which looked at him with cold ice-like eyes while her right hand was thrust out, he could only grumble inside his mind.
(Young master, I am sorry, it’ll be too unprofitable…)
Immediately, for the first time in Leganid’s life, he gained a valuable and worst experience of “dancing in the air”.
“Having been embraced by the wind, dance and scatter like a flower and be smashed “Wind Flower””
It was Yue’s original number two, a compound magic using Gravity magic and the bullet of “Wind Burst”, a magic that shot a cannonball of wind. By freely manipulating several cannonballs of wind, the cannonballs would always surround and “continue to fall” to crucify their target using the gravitational field. Following that, it was an unsophisticated magic where the target became a sandbag in the air as is when they were launched at the same time. By the way, what happened was just like the chant described.
When the dance with an one-sided lead was over, Leganid, gusha, fell on the floor with an unpleasant sound and didn’t even twitch. Actually, he already lost consciousness after several attacks, but although she knew that, Yue kept attacking him without mercy, she especially concentrated her aim at his crotch and that made the surrounding men cover their crotches. Toward the brutal and severe attacks, Hajime in the back could only say “Ow”, with a shivering voice filled with pathos.
The two consecutive spectacles were over. They were followed by a silence that wrapped the guild’s interior. Not even one person tried to move, they could only stare at Hajime and his party. If one looked carefully, the people who seemed to be guild staff had tried to stop the fight, but after they arrived at the cafe, they were stunned when they tried to stretch their hands towards Hajime and his party. It seemed that spectacle even shocked them who had seen various kinds of adventurers.
While everyone was stunned, slowly the silence was broken. Hajime tsuka tsuka, began to walk. All gazes inside the guild focused on Hajime. Hajime’s destination was… … The pigman.
“Hii! S-Stay awaay! J-Just who do you think I am! I am Poom Ming! You’re defying Baron Ming!”
“… … Apologize to all of that character’s fans on Earth, you pig”
A character from Earth floated in Hajime’s mind when he heard the pigman’s name, that’s why he deeply frowned and he grandly trampled the pigman’s face that had fallen on his butt.
“Pugya!?”
He let out a pig-like scream as his face was sandwiched between the shoe sole and the floor, thenmishimishi, his skull let out that sound that made him scream again out of fear. After that, because his voice was annoying, the more he screamed, the more the pressure increased. His face became uglier, his eyes and nose were hidden by his cheeks’s flesh. Before long, maybe because he noticed that the pain increased as he screamed, he began to keep quiet. Well, there was also the possibility that he merely lost the strength to scream.
“Oi, piggy. Don’t you come into my sight again. Regardless if you are involved directly or indirectly… … There won’t be a next time.”
Even though Poom was still being trampled by Hajime’s shoe sole, he tried to nod desperately while trembling. Finally, he had lost the power to bluff. His heart was completely broken. However, Hajime was not that naive to let him go if it was only to this extent. To not let it become “You forget the heat once it passes your throat,” temporary fear was not enough. Because killing him was not a choice, instead, he was going to carve a fear that would be remembered forever.
Because of that, he raised his foot a little, then Hajime transmuted the sole into spikes and mightily trampled again.
“Gyaaaaaaaa!!”
The spikes pierced Poom’s face and made numerous holes. In addition, one of his eyes were pierced and began to sprout a large amount of blood. Poom himself immediately fainted because of the pain. When Hajime moved his foot, what he saw was a tragic… … No, his original face was tragic in the first place so there wasn’t much change, for now, Poom’s blood-stained face was released.
Hajime, with a somehow refreshed expression, went toward Yue and Shia. Yue and Shia greeted Hajime with beautiful smiles. Following that, Hajime came to the side the guide; Rishee who was dumbfounded while smiling.
“Well then, Guide-san. Please take us to the place.”
“Hahih! W-Well, that’s, I, what can I say…”
Maybe because she felt the fear from Hajime’s smile, Rishee was flustered. Her expression was obviously saying she didn’t want to be involved with them. At least, that was because Hajime and his party were abnormals. Hajime, who had somehow guessed that, thought finding a new guide after such a commotion would be a hassle, so he wouldn’t let Rishee go. Having realized Hajime’s intent, Yue and Shia stood at Rishee’s sides. “Hiiin!”, was the miserable scream that Rishee let out.
And, her saviours came, although it was too late, the guild staff came.
“Umm, I am sorry, but please cooperate to be questioned over there.”
A male staff member informed Hajime, and three members of the staff were approaching to surround Hajime and his party. However, they seemed rather stiff. Several others were going to see the condition of Poom and Leganid.
“Even if you ask me, that piggy was trying to snatch my companions, then losing his temper he tried to attack us when I refused him so I only returned that back to him. That’s all, there’s nothing more to explain. That guide and the surrounding guys and merchants are the witnesses. Especially, those guys on the nearby tables that seemed to have attentively listened to us, right?”
While Hajime said that, he glared at the surrounding men, his eyes were saying, “You know what will happen to your neck if you lie to them, right?” and that made the men nod intensely many times.
“Although we know that, it is a problem that happened inside the guild, so we’ll judge it fairly by hearing the complaints from both concerned parties… … it is the rule that needs to be followed by adventurers…”
“Both concerned parties… … Huh”
Hajime took a glance towards Poom and Leganid. It seemed they wouldn’t wake up anytime soon. Although the staff members had called healers, they would only likely awaken after two, three days.
“Until they wake up, are you saying we’ll wait for that? Aren’t we the victims here? … … should I just carry him outside of this city and kill him?”
Hajime gave a blaming look toward the guild staff. Toward the typical claimer-like words, the male staff said, “Please don’t glare at us like that, it is our job so we can’t help it”, with an expression that gave off a desperate feeling. Following that, when they heard the last line that Hajime whispered, they tried to stop him in a panic.
Hajime, although reluctant, approached Poom and Leganid to wake them up with a sharp pain only to be stopped by the staff and they argued, then suddenly, a dignified voice came out.
“What is it? Just what on earth happened here?”
When you looked at the source, there was a slender, glasses wearing man who let out an intellectual atmosphere looking at Hajime and his party with strict eyes.
“Head of secretary Datt! You arrived at the right time! What happened was…”
The staff thought it was a fortunate event and called out toward the man called the head of secretary Datt. When Datt finished hearing the story from the staff, he turned a sharp gaze toward Hajime and his party.
Apparently, they still couldn’t be freed.
