kscans

Chapter 92 - Agent Nanapon

After finishing the hot pot dinner, I explained the situation with Yoshino-san and Lin-san to Nanapon, and we discussed our future plans. Before it got too late, I called a taxi to send Nanapon home, and Kaede-chan and I spent the rest of the evening relaxing before going to bed.

The next day, I woke up just before noon, got ready, ate the lunch Kaede-chan had prepared for me, and left the house.

I took a taxi around to the back entrance of the guild and went straight inside. As usual, I entered from behind the reception desk and came out into the lobby, but today there were a lot of adventurers. Usually, there are about ten people at most, but today there were over twenty. A weekend, for sure.

I ignored the rabble unnaturally pulling out their smartphones and decided to head over to Kaede-chan.

"Good afternoon."

I greeted her at her reception desk.

"Yes, good afternoon."

Kaede-chan, as expected, had her fifty-percent smile on.

"Mireille Road."

"Right. Um, there are several people behind you with their phones out..."

Kaede-chan informed me while looking behind me. They were probably trying to take pictures of my long hair and my butt.

"Ignore them, just ignore them. Tell Satsuki-san to crack down on it."

"I will... This is getting a bit much."

Well, it can't be helped. This is what happens when I even stop by a convenience store. Just secret photos all the time. People who just come up and ask for a handshake are much more tolerable. And here I am, with autograph cards ready and everything.

"Well, I'm heading out. Nanaka-san should be here in a little while."

From now on, I would be the one going to Frontier first. It was too dangerous to let Nanapon go ahead.

"I'm a little nervous, but okay. Please be careful."

I was also a little nervous about what kind of outfit Nanapon would show up in. I wanted to believe she wouldn't be wearing a silly-looking mask or a skeleton mask.

"Okay."

I waved to Kaede-chan and looked behind me. Several people quickly and unnaturally moved.

So annoying... No, wait!

I see... So this is how Yoshino-san felt when I was staring at her chest yesterday. No wonder people hate it.

I made a mental note to be more careful from now on as I ignored the picture-taking adventurers and headed for the Gate.

Passing through the Gate, I arrived on Mireille Road, just like yesterday. However, there were fewer adventurers than yesterday, only three parties. And all three of them had spread out sheets and were eating lunch.

They seemed to be discussing something while looking at a map, but their attention quickly turned to me. They soon went back to their discussion, though.

Mid-tier adventurers really are more civilized... Well, I'm sure they'll talk about me later.

I decided to wait for Nanapon and moved to an empty spot at the edge of the area. After waiting for a while, a single woman emerged from the Gate.

She had blonde, long hair that fell a little past her shoulders. Her blonde hair was tied back in a single ponytail. She was dressed in an all-black suit and was even wearing sunglasses.

Some kind of agent? And that outfit looks familiar...

Of course it looked familiar. It was the exact same outfit worn by those small fry who had kidnapped Nanapon.

Seeing her, I was truly dumbfounded. Because despite wearing such an outfit, she was carrying a familiar, cute rabbit backpack.

It's Nanapon...

The woman who looked like Nanapon walked straight towards me and stopped.

"What do you think?"

Even with the sunglasses, I could tell she had a smug look on her face.

"How can you wear something like that... It's the same outfit as the people who tied you up and kidnapped you."

"It's better than a silly-looking mask or a skeleton mask, isn't it? This is just barely acceptable."

Well, a suit might be an odd choice for an adventure, but I suppose she could pass for a bodyguard. A very small and weak-looking one. And because she's so short, it doesn't suit her at all.

"What's with the blonde hair?"

"It's a wig! I wanted to match with you, Eleanor-san! Since I'm your disciple!"

Disciple of what?

"Hmm, what did Kaede-chan say?"

"Nothing. Just a sigh."

She must have gotten tired of dealing with it.

"I'll ask just in case. Are you going to keep wearing that from now on?"

"That's the plan. Oh, Eleanor-san, could I have an Invisibility Potion?"

Well, she'll probably need one.

"I'll give you one later. For now, let's go. There are too many people here."

The adventurers who were having a strategy meeting earlier were now staring intently at me and Nanapon.

"Okay. Oh, and please call me Number Seven."

"What's that?"

"I'm the seventh disciple."

There aren't six others! No, it must be because her name is Nanaka, which means seven.

"Did you spend this whole week thinking that up?"

"That I did. Which is better, Agent Seven?"

This girl has definitely seen The Matrix...

"Sigh... Well, whatever. Let's go."

"Yes, ma'am."

Nanapon pulled a wand from the utterly mismatched rabbit backpack on her back.

"A wand?"

"Of course. I'm a mage, after all."

All-black suit, blonde hair, but with a cute rabbit backpack and a wand...

"I, who went to a hair salon in a tracksuit at the age of twenty-six, will say this... that's so tacky."

"I couldn't help it! My other choices were a cultist or a Papillon Mask!"

Nanapon's face turned beet red as she shouted angrily. Well, given those choices, I guess the all-black suit was the only option.

"Then it's fine. It's not like my outfit gives me room to talk."

"Exactly. Now, let's go!"

Nanapon strode cheerfully down the road, and I followed after her.

We walked side by side along the road. The weather was beautiful again today.

"I heard about yesterday. High Wolves and Great Eagles, was it?" asked Nanapon, walking beside me.

"That's right. They're not that strong, but be careful."

"I have a hard time trusting your definition of 'not that strong'..."

"You'll be fine. Your magic is a good match for them, and I'll help you if you're in trouble."

"I'm counting on you. My Clairvoyance is useless here."

Well, it's open plains, so there's nothing for her to see through.

"Don't worry. Here, I'll give you this. Take it periodically."

I handed Nanapon a Buff Potion (Defense).

"Ah, the defense-boosting potion you mentioned. How effective is it?"

"It's hard to verify. Kaede-chan and I tested it, and we were fine even after being hit with a bamboo sword."

"...What? You hit Asakura-san with a bamboo sword?"

Nanapon looked horrified. Well, that's understandable. Even as I said it, I thought, what am I talking about.

"I didn't mean to hit her. I had Kaede-chan hit me, but then she said she wanted to try it herself, so..."

"I'm sorry, that's a little scary. All I can picture is an abusive boyfriend."

What a coincidence. Me too.

"It was me who did it, not Okita-kun."

"What were you thinking..."

"Sorry, but please forget about this. I don't want to remember it either. Anyway, I think it provides decent protection, so take it just in case. The effect lasts for an hour."

"My stomach is going to be sloshing with potions."

I drank a TS Potion and two Invisibility Potions just to come here for you, because you didn't want to adventure with Okita-kun. You should be grateful.

"It's better than getting seriously injured... Oh, look, there's a bird in the sky."

"Oh, you're right... Wait, isn't that a Great Eagle?"

"It is."

As I nodded, Nanapon quickly downed the Buff Potion (Defense).

"Alright! Uh, the plan is for Eleanor-san to draw its attention and attack, the Great Eagle will dodge and escape into the sky, and that's when I use my magic, right?"

We had gone over this yesterday after finishing our hot pot.

"That's right. I'll use Provocation to get its attention."

"Try saying 'small fry, small fry'."

That was Kaede-chan's influence...

"No. How old do you think I am? I'm ten years too old for that... Hey! You, bird brain over there, come on down!"

I shouted at the Great Eagle, and the bird that had been circling above me came gliding down towards me.

"Oh! Here it comes. I'll fall back."

Nanapon moved behind me, so I drew my sword from my bag.

"Come on!"

I readied my sword.

"You look so cool, Eleanor-san!"

As Nanapon praised me, the Great Eagle charged. I timed it perfectly and swung my sword lightly. Just like with Lin-san yesterday, the Great Eagle dodged the blade and soared back into the sky.

"Agent Seven!"

"Yes! Fire!"

At my command, Nanapon unleashed her signature fire magic. The fireball she launched flew straight and true, hitting the Great Eagle. The flames instantly spread, and the Great Eagle was turned to charcoal. A single feather came fluttering down from the sky.

"'Agent Seven' is too much of a mouthful, I'm not saying it."

It's too long.

"It feels awkward for me too, so you can call me by my usual name when no one's around."

Nanapon said as she caught the feather fluttering down.

"Alright! On to the next one, Nanapon."

"Don't call me Nanapon. You, as Eleanor-san, should not call me Nanapon."

She got seriously mad... I have no idea what her standards are.