The next morning, I eat breakfast, check what I need again, and suddenly my phone rings.
The sound tells me it’s Maki.
“Hello.”
“Good morning Shouta.”
“Good morning. What is it?”
“Hehehe, I’m just returning yesterday’s call.”
Yesterday? Ah, I know…
Dammit, she’s so cute.
“You couldn’t wait even though we’ll be seeing each other soon?”
“Yes. And I wanted to try a wake-up call…”
“I see. Then maybe I’ll have one every day. Can you hear me? Aki?”
“Yes, I’ll do it!”
She’s full of energy right as the day starts.
“See you later then.”
“Yes, see you.”
“Later!”
I end the call, and keep doing what I was doing with a bright mood.
I put everything I need in my backpack, clean, and take out the trash.
Then I look around the room one last time.
“…Thank you for everything over the past three years.”
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
I get on the train like always, and head to the organization like always.
I have my belongings like the Golden Seeds in my backpack, but maybe I’ll leave this in the organization for now. I’ve never used them, but there are lockers adventurers can use.
And with that on my mind, and just a few minutes to go before I reach the organization… A small shadow blocks my path.
I look down, and see a girl wearing what looks like a high quality outfit. I don’t know who she is, but she’s clearly looking at me. She definitely wants something with me.
“You’re Amachi, Mister Shouta, correct?”
“Yes… and you?”
Her confidence in herself seeps from her arrogant tone and attitude. She has golden hair and fluttering twintails, and continues speaking with a smug expression.
“I am an adventurer like yourself.”
“Hm?”
She has golden twintails and a cheeky look to her, but her way of speaking and how she carries herself are more proper than I thought. She looks pretty young, especially with her small stature, so… Is she a student?
It’s a weekday, so a student is supposed to be wearing a school uniform… But are they exempt from that if they’re adventurers?
Anyone can work with dungeons regardless of gender after they graduate from middle school. That means becoming something like a receptionist or investigator for the organization, or explore dungeons as an adventurer.
Well, most don’t go straight to work, and instead join specialized schools to learn and train before they actually start working. Especially adventurers, who have a high mortality rate when they go in without preparation.
Looking at her more closely, she has an adventurer rank badge on her chest. The color tells me she’s probably more suited to be an adventurer than taking classes.
Yes, the shine tells me she’s D rank, two ranks above me. That would make her my superior.
I have to watch how I talk, even though she’s younger. Those clothes look normal, but they might actually be high quality defensive equipment. She sure is working hard despite her age…
I have a badge too, but mine is of the lowest rank.
When I got a lot of magic stones in Unlucky Hall, Aki gave it to me and told me I had been promoted. It looked pretty worn though… And that was quite a while back…
I’m supposed to rank up after the auction, but for now, I’m still F rank.
“So, what do you need with a low rank like me?”
“I have come to see you, and talk, if that is not a problem.”
She says while pointing to a cafe.
It’d be fine if she was just a fan or something, but I highly doubt that. My exploits getting all those skill orbs are still a secret in the organization, and only a few adventurers know about it. If people are talking about me, it’s because I’m the Slime Hunter, or because Maki is my exclusive.
…And yet, my ‘intuition’ is telling me it’s neither. I’m feeling a bit restless.
And so, I follow my ‘intuition’, and use Hawk Eye. Now I get it.
It would be one thing if it was just her… But I see one more person.
“…”
About two meters behind me, there’s a girl wearing a maid outfit. I definitely feel like she’s skilled. If I didn’t spot her with Hawk Eye, I wouldn’t have noticed her despite her being close. That alone is already strange.
I can probably escape if I use Adamantine Armor, but my ‘intuition’ is telling me not to. It’s bad manners to use combat skills in the middle of the street anyway, and it might bother the two girls that are important to me.
How long have they had their eyes on me? I guess I still have a lot to learn, because I didn’t notice anything unusual until the girl stopped me.
“…Is it going to take long?”
“Not at all. Although that depends on your answer.”
The girl smiles provocatively. I have no idea why this is happening, but there’s nothing I can do.
I’ll just accept.
“Then let me contact my exclusives and tell them I’ll be about an hour late.”
“Yes, that is for the best. Your exclusives would probably wait by the entrance for half an hour. Like loyal dogs.”
She says with a giggle.
“…Do you know them?”
“Yes, I do.”
Ah… This is really going to be trouble.
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Yep, a troublesome encounter.
Thanks.