"Come on, fight me, young one!" Rock directed his wooden sword at me, trying to provoke a reaction.
I stood there looking at him, gripping a spear tightly.
"Let me warm up first, sir."
Rock nodded, and I took that as permission.
I began stretching my arms and legs, then took the stance I had seen in movies and comics.
Honestly, I know very well that everything I've seen in those is fiction. But that's the only experience I have.
I lowered my body and pointed the tip of my spear at Rock.
"I'm ready, senior."
I tried to make a firm and serious expression. But I had no idea whether the face I was showing was convincing or not. I wasn't looking in a mirror, and I had never studied acting before.
Everything I've done up until now has just been lies I tell naturally, to survive.
But seeing that Rock looked slightly surprised...
It seemed I had managed to pull off a serious face.
Rock let out a soft sigh.
"Alright, I'll give you feedback during this evaluation. The time is from now until this afternoon. Attack me until your hand or weapon touches me. Don't worry about me. I have high defense."
After hearing Rock's words, I pressed my foot into the ground and leapt quickly to Rock's side.
Rock instantly deflected the attack I launched, sending me flying hard.
I tried to get back up and attacked him again and again with irregular movements and shifting focus.
Suddenly, I saw Rock grinning.
"Kid, it seems you really have a lot to learn!" Rock tried to knock me flying again.
I fell, and right at that moment Rock spoke to me.
"Alright kid, let's take a short break."
I opened my eyes with nervousness. And at that same moment I looked up and saw Rock smiling slightly.
"You did it, by the way." I looked down and saw my own arm gripping his tightly.
Maybe... I had done that without realizing it when Rock sent me flying.
He pulled me up to stand.
"Besides, with a body as thin as yours, I'm not confident you could win in a real spar with me. You must have been surprised when you got a damage dealer class, weren't you?" That was what he said to me.
I answered with a small nod.
Whatever was going through Rock's mind, he suddenly patted my head.
I found it strange, my internal reaction at that moment was something like "what is happening?!"
"Hehe. You remind me a little of my younger sibling."
Rock gave a small laugh.
"Eh?! You have a younger sibling?" I was genuinely surprised. He didn't seem like someone who had ever looked after someone younger than him, based on my first impression.
Rock looked up at the sky with a melancholy gaze.
"Well, more accurately, my late younger sibling. They entered their first rift and disappeared inside it. I fight in the rifts to search for them."
"Ah, I'm sorry for asking about that." I lowered my head and reflected on what I had said.
Rock smiled.
"It's alright. Take it as a lesson. You young ones must learn to become stronger so you don't get lost inside a rift so easily."
I accepted that with a heart that felt a little lighter.
Hello! It's me again... Ni... colle!
So today I was with Areta on the way to buy meat.
Of course, this is for Noxy's welcome party!
On this busy city sidewalk there were many unique and beautiful shops.
They were painted in bright colors that gave off a cheerful impression, and many gleaming luxury cars passed by on the road.
While I wasn't paying attention, I noticed Areta getting distracted by the surroundings, nearly stepping onto the road without realizing it.
I pulled her back.
"Areta, be careful. Don't zone out."
But Areta brushed off my warning very casually.
"Hehehe, I'm not a little kid anymore, Sis Nicolle."
She said that without realizing she was standing right in the path of traffic. One of the cars then nearly hit Areta.
The sound of a car's brakes being forced rang out with a sharp screech.
The driver stuck his head out the window with a furious expression.
"HEY, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE WALKING! STOP GOSSIPING ALL THE TIME!!!"
At that moment I bowed my head to apologize.
But the male driver kept throwing harsh words at me, even as I kept offering apologies.
"DO YOUNG PEOPLE THESE DAYS NOT VALUE THEIR OWN LIVES?! WATCH THE ROAD, WILL YOU?! IF MY CAR GETS DAMAGED, WHAT THEN, YOU #@$%!"
I looked at Areta, who had an irritated expression. It seemed she was genuinely trying to hold back her emotions.
While I continued to be yelled at, I noticed someone's footsteps approaching us.
"Excuse me, sir. Could you move along? You've caused a traffic jam behind you." Said that person.
I straightened up and saw a man who appeared to be in his twenties, with pale brownish-blonde hair, light blue eyes, and clothing in shades of brown that almost looked inspired by cowboys from films.
And I saw the line of cars behind him, the drivers shouting rudely at the man who had kept ranting at us.
The driver turned with an irritated expression.
"Hah?! Who are you to tell me what to do?! Do you know who I am?!"
The man took a card from his jacket and held it out toward the driver.
I couldn't see the card clearly, so I leaned over slightly to peek at it.
But all I could make out was the expression on the driver's face.
The driver, who had been so furious just moments before, instantly changed his expression to one of pure fear while spelling out the man's name.
"O... RI... ON... JAEGER?!"
I was genuinely shocked! What did that driver just say?! Jaeger?! Why would a high-ranking noble be here alone?!
The driver looked at Orion's furious face with trembling.
"Why are you still here? Move along!" Said Orion in an ominous tone.
The driver then quickly continued on his way.
At that very moment I quietly signaled Areta for us to slip away. And right then, Orion looked directly at us.
"Did you think I was letting you go?" He looked at us with a sharp gaze.
My body trembling, I tried to redirect his attention.
"Hahaha, no no, we were just..." I looked at him, and he stared at me so intensely that I jumped.
"S... sorry~." I said in a gloomy, apologetic tone.
He let out a small sigh.
"Very well. I'll forgive you."
I felt relieved hearing that.
"However." Wait?! There's a condition?!
"I have a question for you both, and you must answer it!" My body tensed up again, and Areta gripped my arm so tightly it hurt.
Until Orion produced a rolled-up drawing from the inner pocket of his jacket.
In the drawing, um... a man? um... or a woman? It was too beautiful for a man, but from the proportions eeeee... the thing is... WHAT IS WITH THOSE GIANT EYES?! IT LOOKS LIKE THE SHOJO MANGA I READ AS A TEENAGER!
Areta accidentally let her laughter slip out.
"BWAHAHAHAHA! WHO IS THIS?! YOUR LOVER?!"
I immediately covered Areta's mouth.
At the same moment, Orion rolled the drawing back up with a reddening face.
He then explained about the drawing.
"No! This is my childhood friend, and he is a boy. Well, his face is admittedly very pretty."
I and probably Areta were thinking the same thing.
That drawing reminded me slightly of Nox. But we can't betray her, can we?
"I'm sorry, young master. We haven't seen him." I said firmly.
These two girls. I sense something is off.
But no matter.
"Very well. You're both free to go." After hearing my words, they immediately went wild with relief, thanked me, and left in a great hurry.
I looked at the narrow dark alley behind me, so I stepped inside and called upon my family's shadow subordinates.
By dripping my blood into the shadow while reciting an incantation:
Someone emerged from that shadow and knelt before me.
"Ready! Zambrud is prepared to carry out the mission."
Green hair with yellow eyes and pupils as sharp as a reptile's. He covered his mouth with a worn grey cloth.
"You saw those two women who were speaking with me just now?"
He nodded.
"Follow them."
Without asking, Zambrud followed the two girls.
His face looked puzzled, as though he wanted to ask, but for the sake of the mission it seemed he would not say much.
Rock raised his voice loudly toward me as I lay collapsed on the ground.
"FIRST OF ALL, WE START WITH RUNNING!"
I was genuinely startled by his voice, and also...
"Wait a moment! So what just happened wasn't the training?!"
He then laughed at my reaction.
"Ah, that was only the opening greeting."
I went completely silent upon hearing that. And after that:
He suddenly shook my limp body.
"Hey, come to your senses!"
At that moment I saw him raise a fist toward me with a serious expression.
"Noxy, young one. You've worked hard, so I'm going to hit you if you don't get up. So you don't go soft on me."
Rock said it with a sad and disappointed expression.
I got up right at the moment that fist was 1 centimeter in front of my face.
Wuzzz
The wind from the speed of Rock's hand blew into my eyes.
AHHH.
My eyes stung at that very moment.
"You've finally come to your senses!"
Rock then pushed me to start running.
"Go! Go! Noxy!"
Breathing heavily, I ran around the headquarters grounds.
Prrriiiiit
"Keep going, Noxy!!"
I turned to look at him with an exhausted expression.
"Yeah, tha... nk... you."
I wiped my nose, feeling something dripping. When I looked at my hand, it was blood, and I collapsed.
My vision began to blur. I could faintly see them running toward me, calling my name in anxious tones.
I found myself somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
An echoing sound wrapped itself around everything.
Is this a dream?
Is this a memory?
Is this the future?
Is this the past?
I was confused by what I was seeing. Everything around me appeared completely black.
Deep in that confusion, listening to the echoing voice that kept drawing closer, it finally pulled me away into a light that signaled it was time for me to wake up.
"Hah... hah."
Sweat poured from me, with a tremendous headache.
"Ugh?!"
I pressed my hand to my forehead, then began walking down to the lower floor with a body and head that ached.
Tap...
Tap...
Huh?!
"Why is it so dark in here?"
I felt along the wall until I found the light switch, and turned on the lights.
EH?!
Rustle.
Rustle.
The sound of confetti was heard.
Behind that light came the voices of the party members.
"Congratulations on becoming a member, Nox!"
Said the members of the Sunflower party.
An ambiguous feeling began to wrap itself around my chest. It felt genuinely warm, a warmth I had long forgotten.
"Thank you, everyone."
I walked toward them with a few tears flowing without me even realizing it.
"So, Nox, how is the meat? Is it good?" Nicolle asked.
I then took a piece of the steak.
At the first bite, the atmosphere grew tense.
"Well?" Riel asked.
I gave her a smile.
"Mm, it's delicious. Thank you."
Instantly the atmosphere became lively at those words from Nox.
YATTA, WE DID IT!!!
With all those cheerful cheers bringing energy into another day, whatever may come in the future, that spirit must be kept alive.
To Be Continued~
The artwork and story are not fanart or fanfiction. Both the illustrations and the story are the original work of the author.
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NEW CHARACTER UNLOCK
ORION JAEGER