kscans

Chapter 20 - Too Inexperienced with Women, the Mission Is in Jeopardy

Mireille donned the stealth-style adventurer wear that had been on the shelf and wrapped an adventurer’s bag around her waist.

It emphasized her slender waist even more.

Inside were the dagger she had received, an ordinary knife, a High Potion, an antidote, a Sleep Orb, and even an All-Purpose Bandage that was said to be effective on any wound.

It was like she had packed an entire first-aid kit.

In the backpack she slung over her shoulder, she put a simple pop-up tent made with alchemy.

The monster-repelling effect only lasted one night. It wasn't popular with adventurers who spent several days in a dungeon, but the price was high.

"The recognition-inhibiting enchantment was good, but its power source is only the magic embedded at the beginning, so it only lasts for one day, which is its drawback. As a result, it didn’t sell. I want to improve it..."

She rattled on with her alchemy talk.

But Leonhard, beside her, barely looked at her, just nodding silently.

...And his face was kind of red.

"Leonhard-san, your face is red... are you okay?"

"...I’m fine. We’re only staying in this area, so the tent is unnecessary."

He turned away.

(Did I... get too friendly? Or was he tired of me talking only about alchemy again?)

A sharp pain pricked her chest.

--Around that time, Leonhard’s mind was in a state of chaos for a completely different reason.

(What is with that... form-fitting body line!)

He was the one who had ordered the clothes and told her to wear them. Mireille was not at fault.

...She wasn't, but.....

Kyle’s smug thumbs-up flashed in his mind.

(...He did that on purpose, didn’t he.)

There must have been looser-fitting adventurer wear available. At this rate, his concentration would be shot before the mission even began.

He couldn’t very well tell her to "wrap a sheet around yourself as a cloak," but he resolved to get her some proper armor the next time he went back.

Exposure was to be sealed off as much as possible.

That said, his own inexperience with women might also be a problem. He was, by his own admission, far too inflexible.

That was probably the ultimate reason the marriage proposal had come to him.

If he were to get married... no, even if he got a girlfriend before that, he was confident he wouldn’t cheat or go to brothels.

But according to Kyle, "that’s boring in its own way," and depending on the mission, it could be a drawback.

He was used to noble banquets and social gatherings. But the smell of perfume, the appraising smiles behind fans, the deliberate physical contact. He disliked all of it.

If they were simple and without guile like Mireille, it would be easier to talk to them.

(...I want to believe that Darius introducing me to Mireille was, after all, an act of kindness.)

Even if the mission was full of lies, he wanted to believe that one thing.

He let out a small sigh and took his sword in hand.

First, he needed to make the feel of the sword his own as quickly as possible.

And he also wanted to check the power of Mireille’s dagger.

He packed the light meal and drinking water prepared by the townhouse caretaker into his bag.

"Alright, let’s go."