CH 87

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Fuuka Shinonome.

An explorer who belongs to the Clan “Lacquered Evening Mist” with an S Rank party and known by the title “Sword Princess.

Holding the position of Defender and also the Ace of an S Rank party, she’s a unique explorer.

Endowed with the incredible Talent [Future Sight], it’s said that no one, human or demonic beast, has ever touched her during a battle.

Even compared to other Talents, her Talent is definitely powerful enough to set her apart from others. 

However, I personally believe that her strength is not dependent on her Talent.

The core of her strength comes from her superb swordsmanship, physical agility and ability. 

No matter how much of the future she can see, it’s because she’s able to deal with the future using her own physical abilities and intelligence. If a person possessing [Future Sight] doesn’t have enough of these skills, then it’d be a wasted treasure. 

I saw her fight up close for the first time during the joint subjugation, the refined, minimal movements she showed were so exquisite that I was sure she had perfected the Evasion type Defender that Carol is striving for.

And she is from Kyokuto, an island nation in the eastern part of the continent.

The clothes she wears are also from Kyokuto, and I believe they are called kimonos.

They’re quite elegant, and I think they suit her very well.

◆

After Fuuka and I move to a place with relatively fewer people, the two of us eat skewers together.

“Is it good?”

Fuka nods her head up and down in response to my question.

Her face doesn’t move much, but she gives off the feeling of being incredibly happy.

If she had a tail or something, it would be swinging around.

“Orn, delicious. Thanks.”

In the blink of an eye, the meat disappears from the skewer in Fuuka’s hand, and she conveys her gratitude.

“You’re welcome. Still, why didn’t you have money with you?”

“I was walking with Katie, my money got confiscated. Then she went off on her own.”

Somehow there’s a lot of things I want to point out……

Katie is probably Katina Oldham, also a member of “Lacquered Evening Mist.

She gave me the impression of her being a pretty solid person.

The one who went off on her own, I wonder which one of them it actually was……

“Why was it confiscated……”

The thing I wanted to comment on about the most slips out of my mouth.

“Don’t know. I just bought what I wanted to eat.”

Fuuka gives off a despondent air again. 

Really even without any change in her expresssion, what a skill…..

“I, I see…… Well, at least for now, it’s good that you’re satisfied. Don’t trouble the stall owners from now on, alright? Stalls are basically cash first.”

“Mm, this time I talked to that uncle and then I realised Katie wasn’t there, so I said something unreasonable, I will pay attention next time. Also, I want to repay you somehow, is there anything? Except going easy in the martial arts competition, Haruto said I can’t do that, so other than that.”

So in the end, Fuuka is also going to be participating in the martial arts competition, huh.

And there’s no chance of her going easy. 　

For now, I’m thinking of countermeasures, but I don’t know if they’ll work until I actually face her, it’s going to be tough.

“Um, nothing in particular, I don’t think…….. –Hmm? What’s wrong?”

As I let her know there’s nothing I want, Fuuka looks at the crowd.

“Bag snatch will happen….”

I ask what was wrong and Fuuka replied.

（Not….. ‘happened’, but ‘will happen’…… right.)

Thinking about this, I turned my gaze in the direction Fuuka was looking. There’s a man there, restless, his eyes darting about.

That suspicious man grabs the bag of a woman walking in front of him and is trying to escape by forcing through the crowd.

The woman whose bag was snatched screams “Kya-! Purse snatcher-!”, drawing the attention of the people around her.

What a brazen crime…….

Well, if Fuuka hadn’t been here…… I might have missed it too, so in that sense, maybe you can say it was quite well thought out….?

No, it’s a crime against the law, so.

“Orn, catch him?”

Fuuka asks.

“Yeah. If there’s a crime being committed right in front of my eyes, I’d at least want to get a hold over the situation.”

The criminal is already quite far away, but since I’ve already activated my original magic [Marking], I can track him within a radius of a few kilometres without any problem, I think as Fuuka disappears from beside me.

Fuuka advances through the sea of people at a considerable speed, and the distance between her and the thief has already been reduced to less than half.

(I didn’t feel that flow of magic power associated with magic activation. In other words, that physical ability is without the support of magic buffs…….)

I’m once again astonished by Fuuka’s high physical abilities and agility.

In no time at all, Fuuka moves in front of the thief to block his way.

The thief has a small blade in his hand and is about to slash at Fuuka.

Seeing this, the people around them move away from Fuuka and the thief as fast as they can, making it easier for Fuuka to manoeuvre.

The thief’s amateurish attack is obviously not going to reach Fuuka, and she effortlessly grabs the thief’s arm and slams him to the ground with a shoulder throw.

◇ ◇

Getting up to face Fuuka, the thief says “Damn! Got caught huh. Hey! Hurry up and get the army here!”, adopting a gracious clean attitude.

That’s upright, even for a thief. Well, what are we going to do……?

“Fuuka!? What are you doing to a civilian!?”

As I’m thinking about how to deal with this, I hear the voice of another woman, not the woman whose bag was snatched. 

Turning my head, I see a twenty-something woman with chestnut-coloured wavy hair.

“No. Caught a snatcher.”

She’s Katina Oldham.

Like Fuuka, an explorer from “Lacquered Evening Mist”.

“It’s been a long time, Katina.”

“Orn Doula ……Why are you with Fuuka?”

Katina gives me a suspicious look.

“I met her by coincidence earlier and we had a little chat. Then there was a bag snatcher, the criminal was caught, and that’s where we are now.”

“I see. Didn’t Fuuka give you any trouble?”

Katina, who easily believed my words, starts talking like a parent.

I knew it, Fuuka was the one who wandered off, wasn’t she?

“Katie, don’t be rude. I didn’t trouble Orn. He just bought me a skewer.”

“Huh!? You got a skewer from him!? Didn’t I tell you not to eat anymore because you’ve already eaten too much!?”

Why did you have to be honest……

Even I, who has hardly got to know Katina, would know that she would react like this, you know?

Wait, your money was confiscated because you ate too much…….

I respect Fuuka as a warrior and had the impression of her as someone cool, but that impression is starting to crumble…….

“As soon as I tried to handle her money, she ran off on her own and started begging, that’s too embarrassing……”

Katina whines with her head in her hands.

’Begging’ is saying too much, but well, it’s not like I don’t get how she feels.

“I was the one who just gave a skewer to Fuuka.”

“……But Fuuka was giving off that vibe, wasn’t she? She’s cute and easily makes you want to take care of her.”

”I’m a victim of that too……”, Katina adds in a soft voice at the end.

Seems like she’s going through quite some trouble. 

“Feels like I’m being mocked.”

Fuuka shows displeasure at Katina’s words.

“If you feel that way, then you should be more responsible. –So, Orn, how much did you pay for the grilled skewer?”

“One large copper coin and five small copper coins.”

I let Katina know the amount and she hands me the money.

“Okay. Just right. I’m sorry that Fuuka seems to have caused you trouble. –Now, Fuuka, did you catch this snatcher?”

“Mm.”

“Then, let’s take him to the army. And the victim–“

“Oh, um, it’s me…….”

Actually, she’s been there since soon after Katina showed up, but Katina was grumbling and stuff, so she missed the timing to interject.

“Oh. This is the right bag, yeah? Be careful not to have it taken from now on, okay.”

“Y, yes. Thank you very much.”

“Ah, excuse me. Can I ask you a few questions?”

The victim receives the snatched bag and is about to leave the scene when I stop her. 

“W, what about…..?”

She doesn’t make eye contact with me and looks uncomfortable, but it looks like she’s listening to me.

“No, it’s nothing big, but might you perhaps be from a different country? Ah, I don’t need the name of your country or anything, it’s fine if you just answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’.”

“Err, yes, I am from another country. Um, is this all?”

“Thank you very much. But one last thing, have you ever heard of the ‘Flockhart Trading Company’?”

I don’t miss the small twitch of the woman’s shoulder in response to my question.

Haa….. I wasn’t mistaken after all…… Seriously, what’s going on…….

“N, no, I’m not aware. Is it a famous trading company?”

“I see. Nah, it’s a company I know well, I’ve heard that they’re expanding their business to other countries, and I was wondering if people in other countries actually know about them. Sorry for asking such a strange question.”

“Ha, haa…… Well, I’ll be leaving now. Thank you so much.”

And like that, the victim leaves somewhere. 

“I’m sorry, Katina. I have some business to attend to, would you mind taking this criminal back to the army?”

“Understood. We’ll handle bringing the criminal to the army.

Since they agree to my request, I start moving. –To where the kidnapper with [Marking] attached was headed….. the Flockhart Trading Company.