CH 22

22 – The Chief of Staff and the Vampire’s Rendezvous

On that day, I woke up earlier than usual.

I washed my face more thoroughly and tried my best to fix my bed hair.

What few clothes I had were cleaned by the inn staff and were immaculate, but they are definitely a zero on the fanciness scale.

In this era of Adventurers, it’s fine to just wear a Black Sorcerer style black robe because it’s understood that we don’t go on many outings with the opposite sex.

I am the one that decided on this outing, so I can’t help but be worried.

In the end, I’m just a kid from the country. Whenever I walk in front of a shop that handles fancy clothes, I cower before its aura and find myself dejectedly leaving. Maybe I just think of it as a shop that I must never enter.

It’s times like these that I need someone to talk to but I haven’t known any of my co-workers in the Demon King Castle for that long yet.

I don’t think this is a matter I can bring up with Fenix and Co. either.

But then, I remembered something.

Cashew’s mother works in a second-hand clothes shop.

Second-hand doesn’t necessarily mean that they only have old worn-out clothes, there are many that are still in beautiful condition but had to be dropped off or sold due to circumstances.

I wondered if she’d be willing to have a consultation.

She was. Gladly, too.

I tried various combinations of clothing and bought the one that was recommended. She informed me of the shops that sell various brand new items but sadly I don’t think I can contribute to their sales right now, so I apologized and bought second-hand clothes.

I felt like I haven’t done enough to repay her kindness so asked if there was anything else I could do for her and as expected of a mother, she said「I think this will suit my little Cashew perfectly…」while holding a set of clothes.

I’d rather ask the shops that sell brand new items for new sets of those clothes but when I think about it, Cashew has three siblings, one of them being a little brother.

If Cashew was the only one who wore sparkling brand new clothes, she would probably feel uncomfortable around her family.

Knowing how kind Cashew is, she would probably feel inferior to her family instead.

If that’s the case, I thought about the amount difference between the items that I bought that day and the price of the items sold as new. In short, I told her that I would like to buy clothes for Cashew and her siblings with the profits I’ve earned.

The mother was shocked and then told me that it was too much trouble, but after I told her how much her consultation has helped me, she finally nodded in agreement.

On the following day, meaning yesterday, Cashew came with her mother to give words of gratitude and a bashful smile while wearing the clothes that I bought for her.

After telling her that it suits her, she smiled even wider. That smile put a pep in my step.

For that reason, I wore the clothes produced by Cashew’s mother.

It wasn’t flashy but neither was it plain nor striking, it had a somewhat refreshing feeling to the outfit.

I probably would have never bought something like this by myself. I once again thanked Cashew’s mother from the bottom of my heart.

Our appointment was at noon, I was nervously killing time so I decided to head towards the meet-up point.

On the side of the fountain in the plaza was a bench. On that bench sat Milla, whose back was as straight as a board.

There were about 30 minutes left before the appointed time but it seems that Milla got there early.

Maybe it’s because she’s meeting with me, she hid her racial features today and wore a trim and tidy outfit. I approached her while thinking about how much she looks like the daughter of a wealthy family.

But then, someone else approached her before me.

「He~y missy, didn’t I see you sittin’ here since the mornin’?」

It was a red-faced middle-aged man. From his clothes, he’s most likely an adventurer. I know about promising newcomers and the top one hundred parties in the world but I don’t know this guy.

A beer bottle in one hand, the man gets involved with Milla.

「I am waiting for someone. I came here a little too early, pay me no mind.」

If she was here in the morning, just how many hours has Milla been waiting?

Milla wasn’t even looking at him, but he seemed offended.

「What kinda man let’s a smokin’ hot girly like you wait so long? If it were me, I’d never do nuthin’ like that.」

「Is that so? However, you are not him.」

「…If ya have a little alcohol, you’ll know which one’s the better man. Whaddya say, toots?」

The man extends a hand towards her shoulder but Milla brushed it off.

「Please leave me alone.」

But then, she noticed me.

Her body shivered faintly.

If Milla used her full strength, the man in front of her wouldn’t be a threat.

…So then why do I still feel uneasy?

「You bitch! I was just being nice to ya!」

「A nice person wouldn’t keep courting a woman who clearly isn’t interested.」

I finally got close to the two of them. I grabbed the man’s raised arm and twisted it.

「What was that you sl-owowowow! That hurts! It’s gonna break!」

Even though he’s drunk, I apply Confusion on him to delay his response, Defense Down, and lower his pain resistance.

The man was on his knees screaming「OK, I get it! It was my bad!」so I let him go.

His right arm will probably hurt for a short while, but I think it was too light a punishment for raising a hand towards a woman.

「Hello. You’re early.」

I smile at her.

Milla looked at me with eyes wide open and muttered something.

…I couldn’t really make it out but I heard her say「…again…」or something.

At that moment, a flash of recollection swept across my brain. I remembered something.

Drunk. A man. A beautiful female Vampire.

And then I remembered the conversation that Blitz and Milla had.

-「I was saved by Lem, my relation with him started from there.」

It was during the time I left to go to work at the Demon King’s Castle, I thought it was just some obscure thing she told him.

But that’s odd, my relation with Milla started when she called out to me that day.

Maybe I really have met her prior to all thi-.

「You, asshole…don’t screw with me! I am the great Heavy Warrior Metal from the 536th ranked party!」

The man glared at me while holding his arm. He dropped his beer bottle.

First, he raises a hand against a woman and now he’s going on incessantly about his name and Job? Maybe he thinks he’s intimidating me.

「Ah…so you’re within the top 1000.」

Taking into consideration that his being drunk basically makes him defenseless, I wondered if I should lower his defense even more.

I was genuinely surprised to find out that he was higher ranked than I originally thought, but his face started getting redder.

Adding on to his already drunk state, his anger made his face turn a shade of crimson.

「…Hn! NN! What’s with that princely air of yours, you brat!」

Incidentally, aside from Milla, the man can’t recognize me as me.

I applied Confusion on the part of his brain that handles Recognition of Other People so that he sees me as a small boy.

Also, I’ve made it so that he doesn’t sense that anything is wrong. He doesn’t realize that I am the Black Sorcerer Lem.

I have applied the same thing to the surrounding people.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being together with Milla, but if there’s even the slightest chance that someone will see us and write「The Black Sorcerer Lem who was cast out of his party, on a date with a monster?! Is he providing information about his best friend, who threw him away, out of resentment?!」or some other ridiculous article, I have to take precautions.

Even Milla is hiding her racial features in order to ensure nothing drastic happens. Even the slightest possibility of being discovered has to be eliminated.

「Didn’t you admit that you were in the wrong?」

「Shut up!」

Now he’s being unreasonable…

「Darling, I’m scared!」

Said Milla as she hides behind me.

I can feel her slender fingers and soft breasts pressed against my back.

Rather than call me by my name, she went with「Darling.」.

After all, Milla is from an acting school, so she immediately became a clingy lover girl.

「I told him I was waiting for you, but then he got all excited and tried to touch me. Uu…I was so scared.」

Um, Milla?

You’re not telling a lie, but because of that, the Heavy Warrior’s eyes are becoming bloodshot.

His advances were bluntly rejected, then his arm was twisted until he gives up by that person’s lover, and then he threatens said lover after releasing his arm but instead, you flirt with me in front of him.

No matter how you look at it, he was in the wrong, but you gotta know that you’re only making him madder.

「Hah, you think this little pipsqueak can rival me? He just took me by surprise. If you don’t get even that, then you’re one dumb girl.」

….sigh.

I’m used to being made fun of so it doesn’t bother me. Even if I get angry every time, I can’t do anything about it and all that’s hurt are my feelings so it’s no big deal.

It’s easy to understand that you become more generous and your judgment is impaired when you’re drunk.

In the first place, fighter type jobs are bad-tempered people in general.

Actually, I think that might be a minimum requirement.

「Don’t speak ill of the lady just because she wasn’t swayed by you. You’re a shameful excuse of a man.」

Now veins are starting to pop on the man’s face. Looks like colors other than red were added to his face.

「…I’m a kind man, so one strike. I’ll take you down in one quick strike, you brat.」

「Apologize to her.」

「Die!」

His fist drew near.

It moved so slow it would make you yawn. Or rather, I made it move that slow.

On top of that, I completely lowered his Attack Power. I may be going a little overboard with the theatrics but I stop his fist with my left index finger.

「Wha-」

He expresses his shock in that interval.

「I thought that I should respond appropriately to your kindness.」

I suddenly lower my body and drive my right fist into his solar plexus.

「Gah…?!」

Don’t forget about Defense Down. Of course, I adjusted it so that he wouldn’t die.

As soon as I stepped away from him, he crumpled forward and vomited on the ground.

「Taking someone down in one quick strike is a sign of kindness, right?」

He probably isn’t listening.

He’s just vomiting while holding onto his abdomen.

It isn’t a pleasant sight.

I don’t think we can expect an apology very soon.

Is this situation even salvageable?

「An Adventurer is a job that clears Dungeons and gives a moment of excitement to people. They provide amusement. If the audience saw your behaviour, do you think they can feel good supporting your party’s Dungeon Clears?」

There are people in the Adventuring world that have bad attitudes but surprisingly, they are pretty well received.

There are many people who want to see a rough and wild Dungeon Clear.

Be that as it may, it should be wrong to act that way in your private life.

I memorized his name, rank and appearance, and I’m keeping it in mind to report him to the Adventurer Union later.

Of course, as a witness. My adventurer registration card is still valid so I won’t be ignored.

「Let’s go.」

「Yes, darling.」

Milla drapes herself on my arm.

She seemed to be in high spirits.

As we walk a little further away from the plaza, several male comrades of that man rush over asking him what’s wrong.「Nuthin’…」answers the Heavy Warrior, possibly out of not wanting to hurt his pride.

「Did you use Confuse on him?」

…She noticed, huh? But I didn’t even use it in such an obvious way.

「Yeah. Even if he were to talk to me again, he wouldn’t realise that I’m me.」

「How splendid.」

「You’re face was seen earlier, so we have to be careful.」

「You’re worried about me.」

「I know you’re strong enough and I shouldn’t have to, but-」

「No, I’m glad.」

She rests her head on my shoulder

「So very glad, darling.」

「…C, could you stop saying that already.」

Milla looks like she’s having fun, but I’m a nervous wreck here. It’s so embarrassing.

「Ufufu, I suppose so. I, too, prefer calling you by your name, so let’s start.」

After that, Milla looks at me point-blank.

「Thank you for today. To be able to meet you like this on my day off is like a dream come true.」

「Me too…uhm, I owe you a great deal.」

「Yes. Well, you can start by treating me well today, yes?」

The plan of today’s outing seems to be to visit a few places that she wants to go to.

「Go easy on me.」

「Absolutely not.」

Milla laughs happily, pulling me by the hand towards our next destination.