Chapter 58

Mist Barkas’ offer

I moved in front of Mist .

[If it’s something you could, you would do anything, is it?]

Gulp...

Mist gulped .

She looked a bit embarrassed as she looked away from me .

[F- For the time being... Could you please say if there’s anything you want? If you could at least say the thing you want, I might even consider listening to it—]

[Here . ]

[Eh?]

I held out the Dragon Eye Sakazuki towards her .

Mist made quite a strange face .

[U- Umm...]

[Take it . ]

I immediately pushed the Sakazuki towards her .

Then slowly, I release my hold towards the Sakazuki .

[Ah...]

Mist held the Sakazuki with her hands .

[Hati-dono, what do you wish to exchange with this—]

[It’s not like I want anything for that . ]

[No, t- that’s going to go against my honor! Whether it’s just carrying your baggage or cooking some food for you, I could even be you guard, please just say what ever you want!]

What ever I want, huh...

That’s quite the words that strongly express her persistent feelings .

Actually, I don’t really need anything from her at all .

No...

Could it be that the reason that she could say these words is because she trusts me?

[You, you must have rushed in diving into this place, right? Well . you must have not gotten some sufficient sleep . If you don’t get some sleep, you’d collapse sooner or later . ]

I turned my back towards her .

[Goodbye then . ]

[Please wait! Even if you don’t need this, it’s too much for me to just take this for free...]

[Hati Skoll is a revoltingly naive man . Just take it as you’ve gotten something from a kindhearted man, especially towards beauties like you . ]

[T- That’s not true...]

[You’re looking at yourself too harshly . ]

[Excuse me . However...]

Ah, that’s right .

This woman could see through most lies, right?

I spouted out a deep sigh .

[My purpose in diving into this place is not that Dragon Eye Sakazuki . ]

[It’s not the Dragon Eye Sakazuki?]

[Yeah . ]

I point towards the floor .

[My purpose are the monsters in this ruins . ]

[I thought that the new floor would just end in here since you found the Dragon Eye Sakazuki in here, but...]

[I found a document from a certain place that was left there by a great man . According to the information I got from the document, there’s a monster that roams about in this place that I really need right now . And, it’s just that it overlaps with the target of this time’s raid recruitment, so I just mixed along with the crowd in diving in here . ]

Mist puts her hand over her mouth .

[If that were the case, you could have just exchanged it with some money... No, it’s just that—]

[I’m not really in trouble with money right now . That’s why, I don’t really need to acquire that Dragon Eye Sakazuki . ]

There are also other reasons why I just relinquished this Sakazuki towards her .

The marquis had been bloodshot as he’s searching for this Dragon Eye Sakazuki .

It will be troublesome if the were to treat me warmly as if I had done some meritorious deed .

This woman just needs some money .

It’s just fine for me to push this onto her .

I recall the words that were written in the “Encyclopedia on the Forbidden Arts” .

The Great Sage’s memo .

The altar and the humanoid dragon stone statue .

The room that had these two things .

If I were to follow what’s written on this note, there should have been a hidden staircase somewhere in this room .

I bend down near the altar and investigate around for something .

Around this area, there should have been some kind of lump around here but...

Oh?

There it is .

I push down this lump and turned it counterclockwise—

[Umm...]

[Hmm?]

She is still here?

I stood up at once .

[What is it?]

[You’re going to the lower floors, right?]

[Yeah... Can you keep this a secret to the Marquis? It’s too troublesome for me to explain where I heard about this information . I even gave you the Dragon Eye Sakazuki, so you could do that, right?]

[I understand . ]

[By the way, haven’t you heard about that weird incident going about in this ruins?]

[I’ve heard about it . However, I thought that it would be quite an opportunity for me . ]

Like I thought, that’s what she thought too huh...

[It seems that there was that story about the Drunken Sword Group that have returned early without even entering the new floor . That story had been spreading around to the other mercenaries in the ruins and a considerable number of them have also decided to return temporarily towards the ground above . ]

It seems that the Drunken Sword Group and the others had influenced the others quite a bit .

[Hati-dono . ]

[Hmm?]

Mist puts her hand over her chest .

[Can you at least allow me to escort you while you dive into the ruins?]

[...Huh?]

[It’s fine if I would just become your baggage carrier . Besides, you were about to dive into an unknown area that should be fraught with danger . As a swordswoman, I would know that you should always give some thoughts about the things you carry in your hand . It would be one thing if your opponent haven’t seen this technique of yours... However, I think that you should still consider it since you may still suffer from mental fatigue . However, if you were to have a swordswoman like me along with you, you could significantly reduce the need to use this technique of yours . Thus, making you hold control of the times that you’d get tired of mental fatigue . Please, don’t worry . I swear that I will not be a hindrance . ]

Mist, who had approached me, looked up towards my face .

Zuiii...

[What do you think about that?]

Mental fatigue huh...

Is that how they know when their MP was about to be depleted?

However— I don’t have any concerns regarding my MP .

[............]

[Ah— I- I’m sorry...]

She just noticed that her face had drawn too close to mine after vigorously saying that, huh...

Mist awkwardly steps back .

[However, as expected, I can’t just receive this Dragon Eye Sakazuki without anything in exchange . ]

Mist glanced at the dragonic head that was now rolling around on the floor .

[From what I could see, you had defeated the guardian of this place...]

[If there’s a material you want from that, you could take that head part if you want . ]

[Tha— That’s not the case at all!]

[What if I wanted to be alone when I go further into this ruins?]

[I would feel like my heart wouldn’t settle down . Couldn’t you at least tell me something that I could do?]

Her judgement must have become duller because of her lack of sleep huh...

[Do you have to be in a rush to proceed?]

Mist sounded a bit worried when she said that .

[If you were to get the reward for acquiring the Dragon Eye Sakazuki, that should solve the money problem for your travels that you’re facing now... You will now be able to proceed with your travels without having to do jobs on the way . If you were to think about it, those continuous delays while you’re doing various jobs may become a problem . ]

She doesn’t look like she’d back down from this .

She’s quite stubborn...

Is it just that she has quite the serious attitude when it comes to favors?

Now then, what should I do about her?

I think that she’d be quite a reliable partner .

There are also some trust that has accumulated from the short acquaintanceship that we had .

............ . .

A swordswoman, huh .

I wonder what would happen if I were to fight in the presence of others...

I kinda want to try it out for a bit .

This may also be a chance for me to hear some random things about this world .

Pigimaru had read the mood and has been hiding his presence within my clothes .

Besides...

[Even if I had some conditions that you have to follow?]

[Yes . ]

[Well then . Basically, you should avoid asking questions about my personal circumstances . Our relationship would purely remain as the guard and her employer . ]

[Roger that . ]

[Other than that, I don’t think that I would go back to the ground above within just a day . That’s why, if you want to go back alone, you must go by yourself . I don’t have any responsibility to follow you . If that’s fine with you— well, I’ll leave guarding me to you . ]

A relieved expression appeared on Mist’s face .

[Thank you very much . ]

Immediately, her expression began stiffer .

It seems that calmness had returned in her voice .

[I will make sure that I would protect Hati-dono with all I have . ]

I was still quite worried by the deep bags under her eyes .

If you were to look closely at her, you could see that her complexion isn’t good .

Should I make her sleep first?

[............... . ]

I think it might be better if I make her sleep somewhere with that skill .