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It really was boring. Daniela was wearing her mask and staying very still. She usually put on her mask when we first arrive in a new town. But she also tended to take it off the next today, so it might have been some kind of defensive instinct of hers. I kind of wanted a mask like that for myself… Oh, but then I could just wear the hood on this poncho. And so I tried putting the hood on. Deep over my eyes.

 

“…”

“…Hey, you. It’s stuffy enough here without you doing that.”

“…Oh, sorry.”

 

Another Adventurer who was killing time next to me complained. Damn it, this was embarrassing. I shouldn’t have bothered.

 

Were ten minutes always this long? Daniela was so still, and no one else was talking. Was there another rule besides having to stare at the floor? I never heard about having to keep quiet as well.

 

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

 

It was no use, I can’t bear it. To kill the time and for a little practice, I begin to play with a little water magic on the palm of my hand. And then I tried making it into an ice statue that looked like Daniela. First, I carved the finer details out with magic, then added the clothes with a different layer. It was a highly detailed figure. Even the mask could be taken off. Her eyes underneath were tightly shut in a sage expression.

Hmm, it came out quite nice. I could probably sell this if it wasn’t made of ice… I thought as placed the completed figure at Daniela’s feet and smiled. If I had more time, I would make more and line them up so they became progressively smaller.

 

And then I leaned back on the wall and looked up. Everyone was now looking at me with wide eyes.

 

“…Wh-what is it?”

“You, did you make that with magic…?”

“Yes…I was bored…”

“Are you serious…”

 

Those who had been staring at the floor were now looking back and forth at Daniela and the figure with the same intensity. That looked painful for their necks…

 

“So, so you can use ice magic?”

“I’m pretty good with it, I think…but I’m a fighter in training, not a magician.”

“So you can fight close-quarters as well…”

Hey, you. Would you want to form a party?”

 

The Adventurers suddenly gathered around me with invitations of their own. Was I really that capable?

 

“I’ll pay you! Would you go with me to the dungeons?”

“My party is trying to hunt the lord of the lake. It would be awfully helpful to have ice magic.”

“Uh, I, umm…”

 

Desperate faces crowded around me. This was such an unexpected development, that I didn’t know how to respond.

 

“Hey.”

 

And she raised her voice. My favorite elf, who had been still as a statue a moment ago. The Adventurers looked shocked, as if the furniture had suddenly started talking. Daniela continued flatly.

 

“That is my partner. And I have no intention of losing him.”

 

Damn, she was cool…My heart skipped a beat.

 

“I see, sorry.”

“It was ill-mannered of me. Beg your pardon.”

 

Perhaps they were better disciplined here, because the Adventurers backed off quickly. That was a relief, but at the same time, I had no idea that I was considered to be valuable personnel. I was pretty capable, apparently.

 

I had unexpectedly discovered my worth and fallen a little harder for Daniela. The rest of the ten minutes passed quickly, and we left the smoking room to go back to the counter.

Next Chapter

 

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Translator: 100 chapters down. Yay!

 

It’s been a fun ride. Thank you Kamifuusen for writing this story, and thank you all for reading.

Here’s to another 100 chapters.