kscans

Chapter 53 - I Want Skills

I got out of the taxi, headed for the back entrance, gave a nod to the security guard, and entered the Guild. Then I passed through the corridor, emerged behind the reception desk, walked with a nonchalant air, and came out into the lobby.

Despite it being a Monday afternoon, there were unusually several other adventurers present. Thinking how rare this was, I went over to Kaede-chan.

"Hello."

"Yes, hello."

When I greeted her, Kaede-chan returned the greeting. It couldn’t be helped, but when I was Eleanor-san, her tone was a bit more professional.

"It’s crowded today."

"It’s sad that five people is considered crowded, but yes, it is."

Oops, my bad, my bad. But what can you do? Usually, I’m the only one here.

"Is it related to the auction?"

"Probably… It starts today, so maybe they’re just rubbernecking?"

They must have a lot of free time.

"Oh well. I’m heading to the usual place."

Since there were other people around, I didn’t mention the specific location. You never know where information might leak.

"Understood. You should probably head there soon."

Kaede-chan said, placing a sword and a staff on the counter. Her phrasing probably meant that Nanapon had already gone ahead and was waiting at the Diana Mine.

"You’re right. More importantly, what do you think?" I asked, touching my ponytail.

"So you decided to tie it up. It looks good on you."

Her reaction is a bit flat…

"Does it really not look good?"

"No, I said it looks good. Um, please check the internet when you get home. You’ve become the princess from Frontier who can’t even tie her own hair…"

That joke I made to Claire at the ramen shop… Did someone hear it and believe it?

"How ridiculous. I don’t look like a princess in any way."

I’m a witch, a witch.

"Well, rumors tend to get exaggerated."

That might be true.

"Oh well. I’m heading out."

I put the sword and staff in my bag and headed for the Gate in the back. I passed through it and arrived in a dimly lit, flat area surrounded by rock walls.

Near the Gate was a shabby table and chair in front of a small hut, where Nanapon was sitting. She looked up, and upon seeing me, her face lit up brightly, and she ran over.

"Eleanor-san, hello."

"Hello. I’m sorry for being late."

I apologized for my tardiness.

"No, I just got here myself. You’ve tied your hair today."

"Yes. It gets in the way when I’m moving around. Is it okay? Did I do it right?"

"Of course. You’ve gotten very good at it. It suits you very well."

Phew… If the sharp-tongued Black Nanapon says so, it must be okay. Kaede-chan is a good girl, so there’s a chance she was just being polite.

"Thank you. About today, I was thinking we could try to acquire some skills."

After thanking her, I announced today’s adventuring theme.

"Skills?"

"That’s right. Besides our unique skills, we only have one each, right? I only have Swordsmanship, and you only have Fire Magic, Nanaka-san. Don’t you think we could use a few more?"

"Well, I’ve thought about it before, but do we need them?"

Yes, we do!

"The other day, I saw the status cards of those two foreigners."

"How were they?"

"They had a whole list of skills."

"So, in other words, you were jealous…"

Well, yeah.

"And that’s why we’re going to acquire skills! First up is this!"

I took out the pistol I got from Claire from my bag.

"A gun? Is that an airsoft gun?"

"No, I got it from an American agent in exchange for a Translation Potion."

"Eh!? Is it real!?" Nanapon exclaimed, staring at the pistol.

"It is. My Air Hammer doesn’t work here, you see? So I thought this would be good for long-range attacks. Plus, I read online that using this can get you a skill called Sniping."

"…………Um, this is very difficult to say, but firearms don’t work in Frontier."

They don’t work?

"Well, of course guns are illegal in Japan, but no one is watching. We’ll just use it discreetly."

We’re in a place like this to begin with, so it’s not a problem.

"No, that’s not what I mean. For some reason, when you come to Frontier, firearms become unusable. To be more precise, even helicopters and drones can’t fly."

……………I feel like I learned something like that in school a long time ago.

"Now that you mention it… I think you’re right."

So that information was fake…

"One theory is that the people of Frontier fear an invasion by Earth’s military, or something… Besides, are you planning to shoot skeletons with a gun? They’re skeletons. And more importantly, I feel like it’s not a good idea to use it inside a narrow mine."

"………………"

I silently put the pistol back in my bag and took out my sword. Then, I drew it from its sheath.

"Look, Nanaka-san. At the brilliance of this sword…"

I held up the sword and looked at its glittering blade.

"Hah? It’s… pretty, I guess?"

"I have been swinging a sword since I can remember. Yes, the sword is my path in life."

Though it’s this short sword, not a katana.

"Is that so…"

"I’ll show you something amazing."

I took out my wallet from my bag and pulled out a 10-yen coin. Then, I tossed the coin straight up into the air.

"Hoh…"

Nanapon watched the coin with a dumbfounded look on her face.

"Behold!"

I lowered my sword and faced forward. Then, timing it just right, I swung up. A solid impact resonated through my hand.

"How was that!?"

I looked at Nanapon.

"Eh, what was…?"

I told you to behold…

"Watch properly… um, where did it go?"

I started searching the ground. Since there was no grass, I found it quickly. I picked up the 10-yen coin and showed it to Nanapon.

"How about that!?"

"Ah, it’s cut perfectly in half. That’s amazing."

Such a flat reaction…

"Alright, I get it! Let’s go cut that rock over there!"

It’s a bit big, but I can probably do it!

"I, I get it, so please stop! It’s amazing! I don’t think you need a gun at all!"

"Oh? You understand now?"

"Yes… I understand now why Asakura-san said Okita-san was an idiot."

Kaede-chan is always calling me an idiot. I’ll have to get mad at her about it next time.

"Alright! In that case, let’s do some strength training!"

"Is that the one that raises your attack power?"

As expected, Nanapon knows her stuff. Well, she is my senior, so she must have looked into it.

"Exactly. The basic stuff."

"That’s fine, but me too? I’m a magic user, though…"

True, Nanapon probably doesn’t need it. It’s not like she’s going to hit things with her staff.

"What kind of skills do magic users get?"

"Things like Increased Magical Power."

"Something that increases its power?"

"Right. The common theory is that you’ll learn it eventually just by using magic."

Then there’s nothing special she needs to do. She’s constantly using magic in the mine to provide light anyway.

"Hmm, so, want to do some strength training together?"

Let’s get muscular.

"Um, Eleanor-san, do you need an attack power boost? You kill everything in one hit, don’t you…?"

"But the skills…"

"To be honest, I used to think the same way when I first became an adventurer. I researched all sorts of things and even trained. But then I realized, ‘Do I even need this?’ Because whether it’s Eden Forest, the Kunaar Ruins, or here, the monsters aren’t that strong, are they?"

Well, maybe so.

"But still…"

"I once asked about it on the internet. I didn’t have any adventurer acquaintances back then. As a result, I was made fun of for being a beginner who wanted skills so badly. They said those things come later. For beginners, safety comes first. Then, you get used to it and raise your level."

Ugh, she must have asked on a forum. She probably got made fun of a lot.

"So we should just keep leveling up like we’ve been doing?"

"They said it’s also important to focus on one weapon. Well, we’ve already decided on ours, so we should just keep leveling up."

"How old are you again?"

"I’m nineteen, but…"

So young… I’m being lectured by a kid this young. I feel like a child begging for a new toy called ‘skills.’ And I’m already twenty-six…

"I understand perfectly. Then, we shall hunt Hide Skeletons as usual. Follow me, disciple!"

"Please don’t try to assert dominance over a nineteen-year-old… I really get what Asakura-san meant when she called Okita-san a petty man."

Kaede-chan really has nothing but insults for me… She should praise her boyfriend and brag about him a little.

"Leave me alone… Alright! Let’s go… Oh, right. Nanaka-san, do you want my autograph? I practiced it."

"Yes, please. But don’t write my name on it."

This girl plans to sell it…