Raina and Mylene's Tea Ti
「Raina's POV」
「What? Did Mongrel-senpai refuse to join our party?」
「Hmm, I did try recomnding it to him once, but it seems he wasn't keen on joining Artemis.」
「Eh... What's up with that...?」
Harvest season. It's the ti of year when guild mbers are busiest. So return to their hotowns to help with the harvest, while many others scramble to earn contribution points typical for this ti of year.
In my party, Artemis, most of us are won, so we have quite a bit of work, like guarding noblewon in the aristocratic district.
However, this ti's dispatch security was unrelated to such tasks... Maybe Mongrel-senpai didn't like the idea of being surrounded by won. Sounds like sothing he might say... Probably said that too...
I asked Mylene at the reception desk, but it didn't work out, huh. Ugh.
「Raina, would you have preferred working with Mongrel?」
「Well, yes. Last ti I t Mongrel-senpai, we talked about that mission where we successfully hunted an ogre.」
「Ah, that one. The stray ogre at the Rus Apiary. It was a major victory for Artemis.」
「Exactly... He praised , saying taking down a bunch of Mad Boars was a bigger deal than that hunt. Isn't that insane?」
「Heh, haha...」
Mongrel-senpai knows well enough how powerful an ogre is. No matter how many Mad Boars you take down, it doesn't compare to that fierce battle. I put my all into fighting it; he should've given
so credit, at least... What's up with him being more impressed by the boar hunt?
It's like at is the only thing on his mind. Seems like that's all he really cares about...
「So, well... I wanted to show that I've grown by working with senpai.」
「Fufu.」
Mylene laughed softly at my remark, setting down a trendy glass pen in the pen holder. It seed like she had reached a break in her work. Looking around, it was past noon — an awkward ti, so the place was quite empty.
「Raina, why don't you sit here? I'm taking a break too, and we can chat a bit while having so tea.」
「Sure... Oh, I'll pay, of course.」
「Oh, how considerate. I thought I might treat you.」
「I'm fine, really.」
The tea we drank in the guild wasn't exactly expensive, but it was quite calming. More than anything, taking a break on money I earned felt grounding and satisfying.
... I couldn't rest like this back in the village.
「Raina, you seem more at ease recently. I'm glad. Young people who co from outside the city often retire quickly or fall into banditry.」
「Well... it was tough. I couldn't make money, nothing went right, and just one injury could derail everything... Honestly, I thought several tis about going back to the village, bowing my head, and asking to be a hunter again.」
「The two who ca from the village with you did just that, didn't they? What were their nas? The boy and the girl...」
Yes, the three of us left the village and ca to Regor. To us country folk, it was the dream city. We were sure we could earn big here with our hunting skills from the village.
... But, we just ran into harsh realities.
Long story short, the other two went back to the village pretty quickly.
「Those two are doing well back in the village.」
「You were close.」
After they left and it was just , things got even tougher. Being alone was inefficient, costly, and above all, lonely.
I tried joining other parties but couldn't fit in at all, made mistakes, got scamd...
「... If I hadn't t Mongrel-senpai, I might have gone back to the village too.」
About a year and a bit ago.
I was wandering from party to party and hunting wild birds near the forest around Regor.
That's when I t him.
A man alone, with black hair mixed with white like a Sangreal, trying to shoot down a bird with what looked like a cheap toy bow from the market.
『You've gotta be kidding ! How the hell did an arrow I pulled back to full draw get deflected!? Is this damn bow broken or what!?』
That guy was trying to shoot down a pigeon with a tiny bow that seed like it should've been an ornant.
I thought, man, there's a crazy guy.
It was clearly shorter than an arm, the arrows had tips but were short, and one of the fletchings was missing for so odd reason.
『You can't hunt with a bow like that,』
I said.
Despite not knowing him, I blurted it out. Right after I said it, I regretted it, fearing he'd yell at
for saying sothing weird again.
『Really? So what should I do?』
But Mongrel-senpai, probably just a kid at heart, treated
equally despite being a woman. He never looked down on or tricked . He never did anything rude or made fun of .
『Is this really a kid's training toy? No way! I paid 600 Jelly for it!』
『If anything, making a bow like this seems harder and pricier, but I can't say for sure. By the way, with a regular bow, you could get this much power, like this.』
『Woaah!? Amazing! So fast! That's a weapon!』
『It is a weapon.』
When I shot down a bird, he was overly astonished and praised .
『Hey, if you can hunt a lot of these birds, could you do it as much as possible? I'll buy them for 40% above market value if you gut them and pluck the feathers. You can even make a request with the guild.』
Once he knew I needed money, he offered deals that didn't really benefit him much.
『Why just hunt and go back empty-handed? You should pick mountain herbs and nuts like these. They're always buying them at the gate, you know?』
『Wait, these can be sold?』
『They probably make them into jam by boiling them down. Oh, but this one's tasty when fried.』
He taught
various ways to earn money and manage myself in the guild.
... Being recognized for my steady work by the people of Artemis and getting into the party was all thanks to Mongrel-senpai.
Though I never had the experience of being in a party with him doing work, I know he always supported
from behind.
So, well...
I think he could join the party and work with us at least once.
「Fufu. Mongrel seems like soone who does whatever he wants, and he indeed acts freely, but he's good at looking after others.」
「Right? I agree. He's not just soone who makes odd purchases.」
Mongrel's position in the guild is that of an eccentric. He doesn't cause trouble, is friendly and outgoing, yet still a bit of a wild card and oddball.
「... Mongrel-senpai is definitely lonely being alone. I don't want him to feel lonely.」
Because of that, Mongrel is always alone. He was even challenged by so drifters recently, which is definitely dangerous.
So I want him to be in a party sowhere.
... Even in ours.
「Well, yes. I share your concern. But if he chooses to be alone, he must have reasons. We can't force him.」
「... Yeah, I suppose so.」
「Don't worry. Although Mongrel is strong for a bronze rank, and ntally... he does odd things sotis, he's certainly sincere. At the very least, I'm sure he would never do anything bad.」
「Yeah, I can't imagine him doing anything wrong.」
「He's likely working right now at his dispatch as a model of guild righteousness.」
Righteousness, huh.
A model of guild righteousness... Mongrel is.
「Fufufu.」
「Ufufu.」
「Hey, what's so funny, Mylene?」
「Oh, nothing. Fufu. You laughed too, Raina.」
Well, he isn't evil, but righteousness? I'm not so sure about that with him.
But, he is quite a good guy, for sure.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
I like this novel more and more. It's for laid back reading for sure.
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