Translator: "Pink Tea" Editor: "Weasalopes"

Hornest is located in the neighboring country. As we reached a summer break I, along with my friends, decided to visit my brother there.

But that was a city cursed by the hero of the olden days, Gaien. Inside of the city, Gaien installed a statue, which summoned monsters.

We successfully destroyed it and thus protected the city from monsters.

As a result, we were summoned to the capital of this country.

In short, the king recognized our accomplishments. But the summer vacation is coming to an end.

We might get scolded by professor Elena, our teacher.

And while having these worries we rocked inside the carriage.

By the way, Emma, Lunsan, Laursan, and Laylsan were together with me, so there was no room for boredom.

Inside of the carriage was fun and pleasant to the eye.

「Stalgisama, we arrived to the capital.」

The coachman announced in a loud voice from outside of the carriage. When the carriage stopped we disembarked.

「Whoa, as expected, it's really big.」

「Right! Somehow, I'm starting to get nervous.」

「How unusual for you, Emma.」

「That's not true! Or rather, I have a maiden's heart! I'm getting nervous on a daily basis.」

Well, that's obviously a lie. Swaying around her huge bust, as usual, Emma expresses her protest. They seem to have gotten even bigger.

We pa.s.s through the open giant gates. Suddenly, guards salute us, I guess they were notified beforehand.

Coming inside we almost get overwhelmed by the huge crowd.

「The town is bursting with liveliness.」

「Yea, as expected from a kingdom's capital. There are a lot more people than in Hornest.」

Laursan and Lunsan also were excited, peeking inside of the nearby stores. At the entrance were located quite a number of stores selling apparel. Not of the protective kind, but fancy stuff for women.

「Noir-san, will you help me pick out clothes?」

Laursan took my hand and tried to enter inside of a store with me. It looks like she didn't care to hear my reply. And when we were about to enter, my other hand was tightly grabbed by Emma.

「Hey! I also want Noir to pick clothes for me!」

「Do they even sell anything you would be able to wear? Imagine if you tried them on and you giant chest just tore them apart.」

「Huh? That's rich coming from a pervert strolling around with exposed back!」

「It's s.e.xiness, not perversion!」

Those two regularly start fights, could it be a form of stress relief?

After they finish arguing they often have pretty refreshed expressions.

However, them heating up on the city streets is a problem in itself, so I tried to enter a shop with both of them. Then, Lunsan raised a slightly panicked voice.

「Careful, you will b.u.mp into a person……!」

「Eh?」

With a thud, Laursan collided with an old lady that was walking behind us.

Since I promptly pulled her, it ended up being just a light touch. The old lady that appeared like a housewife apologized and the same did Laursan, by lowering her head slightly.

As one would expect, with a lot of people, just standing in place would lead to something like this.

「Everyone, chase after that person!」

Laylsan? When I thought that her expression appeared quite serious, she then started running at full speed.

What's happening…… Eh? The housewife also broke into a dash?

And while wondering why are we suddenly having a game of tag I also followed after her. It can be said that Laylsan is easily the best one among us in terms of physical abilities.

Some random housewife has no chances of outrunning her…… Or so it should be, but isn't that old lady unexpectedly fast?!

But as expected, Laylsan managed to grab her wrist.

「You stole the wallet, didn't you? Get it out.」

「What are you talking about?! I didn't do anything!」

「Don't play dumb. I saw everything.」

Saying that, Laylsan put her hand inside of the old lady's purse. What her thin, white fingers grabbed was Laursan's wallet.

「Isn't that mine?!」

「She stole it when you b.u.mped into each other.」

Presented with evidence she can do nothing but go silent, huh.

And the moment I thought so, the old lady pulled out two short swords and spun them around.

Laylsan backstepped, Laursan pulled Lunsan back out of the attack range.

「I'll take it.」

Emma also was proficient in dual-wielding short swords. Approaching the old lady, she evaded her attack.

And I hold back the townsfolk, so they wouldn't come under harm. The fight will probably end right away……

Eh? They are pretty well-matched……

As one would expect Emma has an upper hand, but an ordinary housewife wouldn't stand even a couple of seconds against her. I use 【Appraisal】 and check her abilities.

Name: Lanessa Kakaro

Age: 44

Race: Human

Level: 48

Occupation: Jobless

Skills: Dual-wielding short swords C, Stone Bullet

She is actually strong. Though she appears to be jobless, she has skills, it wouldn't be strange for her to be an adventurer.

「c.r.a.p, you cow-t.i.ts woman, why are you so strong!」

「Don't call me cow-t.i.ts!」

Emma's full force attack went through, robbing the old lady of one of her swords.

Perhaps realizing that she can't win, the old lady went my way with a sword in her hand. It looks like she is bent on escaping at any cost. With her hand extended in front of her as if in a silent scream to get out of her way, I suddenly understood what she was about to do.

And just as I thought, she shot a 【Stone Bullet】 my way.

I do the same. However, I set mine to double the size of a normal one. Of course, mine overpowered her.

「Isn't that size strange?!」

「While you are freaking out, excuse me.」

I kicked her wrist, knocking away another short sword and closing the distance threw her over the shoulder.

She let out a short shriek, but was far from giving up, then I locked her in one of Laylsan's joint techniques.

At first, she struggled, but soon resigned and gave up.

「Young man, you are strong!」

「So cool!」

「The soldiers will come soon, wait a little bit more.」

The onlookers applauded while smiling. It's a bit embarra.s.sing.

Well, we recovered Laursan's wallet, so I decided to ask about the motive. Her clothes weren't too shabby and her skill with short swords was remarkable as well. I don't think that she would be much troubled with money.

「……I simply needed money.」

「Then just sell you short swords.」

「If I do such a thing S-sama will……」

As soon as words S-sama came out her behavior suddenly changed. With her mouth wide open, she began to wriggle in anguish.

c.r.a.p did I overdo it with cross armlock? For now, I loosened my grip, but since there was a possibility of her merely pretending I kept my guard and closely observed her movements.

But then, she started foaming from the mouth after which her face turned purple.

「Noir, get away from there!」

Said Emma, so I promptly jumped aside.

I shortly understood the reason.

The ground right under her calf turned into a purple puddle.

Sorcery? If it's of poison type, then it explains her anguish.

Lunsan immediately tried to treat the old lady, but the result was regrettable.

With her eyes still wide-open, the old lady's heart was no longer beating.

I look over the surroundings. And find a person in a creepy mask standing on one of the roofs.

「It's him, probably.」

The moment I shout so, he jumped over to another roof and just like that escaped from our sight.

While I stood there in a daze, the city guard finally arrived at the scene.

People around explained the situation to them, so I got away without becoming a murder suspect.

「I think a man in a strange mask used magic to kill her. ……I wonder if he was her a.s.sociate.」

A proper reply was given to my mumbling.

With a sour face, the guard explained who that man was.