Chapter 9: Wof 13 years old ⑨

A beautiful girl. That’s why she’s a “beautiful girl.”

But this phrase, “beautiful girl,” is something from my previous life.

In this area, they say it’s “Gaabera’s honeyed flower” instead.

Honestly, I find that phrase more embarrassing to say.

“Hmm… what is it?”

“Ah, no, it’s just…”

I recognize her. I can’t forget her.

She’s a member of the Grade 3 explorer party “Torquetum” that I helped before.

White Peach.

She has short, pale pink hair that glows softly.

The glow is natural and unforced, but she’s clearly not human.

Or maybe she’s something like an android, or something in that category.

Come to think of it, this world has dungeon monsters like golems and dolls.

They’re classified differently from kobolds, cobels, and Berkmenlines, who are mineral-based monsters.

Or maybe, given her space opera-like appearance, she’s an unknown intelligent lifeform — like an alien, perhaps.

But for me, beastmen, elves, and fauns, and even beings I’ve never seen, like fairials and Eddas, are all kind of the same.

Anyway, her big red eyes have a sleepy look.

Her skin is pale, and her eyes are red.

She has a vampire-like aura.

There are vampires in this world too.

With undead beings like skeletons and ghosts, it wouldn’t be strange for a vampire to exist.

While classified as a monster, they aren’t dungeon monsters.

“…”

Her black jacket with red lines, upon closer inspection, isn’t from this world.

It’s the same kind of super high-tech white bodysuit she’s wearing underneath.

The bodysuit is snug against her skin.

It has blue lines, geometric patterns, symbols, and numbers.

It’s not completely skin-tight because of the unevenness.

But even so, her body line is clearly visible.

Her chest isn’t that large, and instead, her lower body is more prominent.

She’s wearing pants that look like jeans, so I couldn’t fully make it out.

She also has a black blade hanging from her waist, which is one solid piece.

It’s clearly black because there’s no sheath — it seems unnecessary.

The blade’s guard forms a circle, and there are blue lines on the hilt.

Somehow, it looks like military equipment, perhaps a special forces knife.

It definitely has that feel.

“Hmm… something feels… missing…”

The girl says this in a cold, indifferent tone.

“I… I feel that way too.”

“…Do you know why Liv feels that way…?”

Liv. Is that her name?

“What is it?”

“…It’s because these knives… hm, they’re not out of place artifacts…”

“What?”

“Hmm… they’re not out of place artifacts… that’s why they feel lacking.”

What is she talking about? But maybe that’s it.

“Not our of place artifacts, huh?”

When she says it, it feels like it makes sense.

Is that what’s lacking?

“Hmm… lacking in that way…”

“But out of place artifacts aren’t just… everywhere…”

Even if they were, I couldn’t afford them.

I can’t get them in a dungeon because I’m not an explorer.

The only way would be to find one in a junkyard.

But if it were an out of place artifacts, it would definitely be super ultra rare, glowing blue.

So far, the only blue glow I’ve found is elixir.

“……Strange.”

“Huh?”

“Hmm… I can smell something from you.”

“Smell?”

What could that mean? Is she saying I smell bad?

But I took a bath yesterday…

“Liv? Where are you? Liv? Liv?”

Suddenly, I hear someone calling for her, repeatedly shouting her name.

“Hmm… Pakira is calling me… so… bye.”

She mutters that and quickly leaves.

“What was that?”

I’m not sure which one is more mysterious.

And it seems like she didn’t figure me out after all.

I feel a little relieved.

“Out of place artifacts, huh…”

At this point, I still hadn’t thought much about it.

The fact that she’s looking for OOPArts means that she’s likely looking for a relic.

That means Liv must have already figured out that I have a relic.

I only realized this after I got home.

“Should I buy some meat on the way home?”

A chunk of meat, and some bread.

“Hey!”

A voice calls out and suddenly, three boys block my way.

The three of them, though poorly dressed, draw their swords.

“?”

“It’s you.”

“Stay calm.”

“What do you want?”

What’s going on? I’m not the type to make friends, honestly.

I don’t need them, and I don’t make them because, generally, kids are my enemies.

But I do recognize the guy in front of me.

He’s the one who was injured with a broken copper sword in the junkyard.

“Give me money.”

The one who was injured pointed his sword at me and spoke.

“I don’t have any.”

“Don’t play dumb. You’ve got tens of thousands, don’t you?”

“If you don’t want to get hurt, hand it over!”

Tens of thousands… Ah, I see what this is about.

These guys, they were at the antique shop. Sigh.

“I really don’t have that much.”

“Quit messing around!”

“Do you know who we’re working for?”

He smirks.

These guys… they’re lackeys.

“Well, I don’t care.”

“That Grade 4 explorer, Bobbis-sama!”

“He’s 4th-grade!”

“Hey, if you understand, just hand it over!”

“Bobbis? What a terrible name.”

“You… You better add ‘Sama’ when you say it!”

“You’re defying me?”

“I’ll kill you!”

The three of them suddenly explode with rage, swinging their swords and charging at me.

To be honest, it’s mostly true that you’d win if you’re holding a sword.

Weapons, when facing amateurs, can instill fear, and in that gap, you can strike.

That’s because I know people fear weapons.

They know that if they’re cut, they might get hurt or, if they’re unlucky, die.

However, that’s only when facing amateurs.

I step into the first sword attack, dodge it, and land a heavy punch to his stomach.

“Gah!”

I retreat as I dodge the second sword, and with a kick, aim for his chin.

“Buh!”

The third, a wide swing with a saber, I dodge by circling around, twisting his neck over my shoulder.

“Koffa!”

There we go. Finished. Well, maybe not yet.

Still, this is the first time I’ve been attacked.

“Now, what should I do?”

It’s obvious. I’ll just leave them be.

They’ll come to resolve it themselves soon enough.

Two days later.

“Hey.”

While walking through a back alley, the same three boys appear behind me.

They’re grinning creepily.

And then, a middle-aged man blocks my path.

He’s slightly chubby with thinning hair.

I had a feeling, but he’s not much to look at.

Sorry, but… he reeks of a small-time crook.

“So, you’re Wof.”

“Yes, that’s me. What’s the matter?”

“What’s the matter? I’m Lord Bobbis, a 4th-grade explorer.”

Just as I thought. They’ve come.

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