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“I’m gonna look around.”

“Hm? Well, it is not the most common of sights. You might learn something.”

 

Daniela nodded with folded arms. And so I moved over to where the butchers were working.

 

“…Uh, excuse me.”

“Eh? Ah, the dragon hunter himself. Can I help ya?”

“I have a little request…”

 

I turned my back towards Seine and Daniela and pretended to question him about the materials. He seemed to get the hint and leaned closer to me.

 

“The thing is, I want to give my partner a gift…”

“Oh? Oh-hoho?”

“Yeah, exactly. So if I could get some materials in secret.”

“Ahaha? You’re a sneaky one aren’t ya?”

“If you say so, ahaha.”

“Alright then. I will help ya!”

 

I followed him as he moved away, pretending to explain to me what he was doing.

 

“So, what ya goin’ to give her?”

“A necklace. I want a matching pair, actually.”

“Then you’ll be wantin’ scales and fangs! I’d give ya some claws as well, but they are large and too easy to count…”

 

He said in a hushed voice as he slipped me a few scales from the dragon’s tail and a number of fangs.

 

“Thank you. I’m in your debt.”

“Don’t you mention it! And good luck!”

 

He whispered with a thumbs up. I nodded and returned the gesture. And then I quietly hid the materials in my pocket and bowed before moving away.

 

“Learn anything interesting?”

 

Daniela asked me with a grin.

 

“Hm? Oh, a little.”

“Hmm?”

 

There was something suspicious about her smile, but I decided to pretend like I hadn’t noticed.

 

　　□　　　□　　　□　　　□

 

I put the materials in a small leather pouch and placed it in the hollow bag with the other materials I had collected. Seine would take care of the rest and see that they were sold.

 

“It is a wind dragon, after all. I am sure that it will all be sold by tomorrow.”

 

She told us. And so we decided to return the next day as well.

 

After that was finished, Daniela and I discussed what we should do next, and decided that we should go on a quest while the sun was still high in the sky. We would start acquiring Daniela’s new clothes and armor once the money came in the next day. 

A quest… it felt like we hadn’t been on one in a very long time.

 

We stood side-by-side in front of the quest board. 

As this was after the great quest war that occurred every morning, the thing looked rather bare.

 

“We could just think of it as going on a stroll?”

“Yes, I agree. And we are expecting to make quite enough money already.”

 

And so I took one of the acceptance sheets.

 

“‘Monster Investigation of the Usk Territories.’ …This one should do.”

“Hmm… We will only need to hunt whatever we see. The materials we gather will tell them how many monsters there were. Seems like a useful enough quest.”

 

Seemed boring and unpopular too. But that was kind of perfect when you just wanted a short distraction or to play around.

And so I took the sheet and went to the Quest counter. As there were not many people here at this hour, I didn’t have to wait. It felt good to not have to wait in a line!

 

“Now, which way do we go to leave the town?”

“Ah… It is over there. That sign.”

 

There was a sign hanging from pillar-like log that read ‘Eastern Gate’ and had an arrow pointing in that direction. There were people from all over in this town, and it was easy to get lost. Especially if you were someone like me.

And so we followed the friendly sign until we were outside. 

Now, I had gotten a peek in the guild’s library, but what monsters were really living in this area? I wondered with some excitement.

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