Chapter 42 - Rifreya again and Confession

“Haaah…to think she would be searching for me… What should I do now?” (Hikaru)

I returned to the inn and groaned.

I don’t know what her objective is, but there’s no way it is something decent.

Is she trying to report me for being a dark spirit user? Or maybe she wants to convert me into the light religion? I could think of an infinite amount of possible bad things.

There really…might be the need for me to leave this city.

Even so, I can’t do much with the money I have in hand.

I have a map, so moving itself is possible, but I am finally at a stage where I might be able to earn a living from the dungeon. I don’t want to let it go so easily.

In the end, that day, I entered the dungeon at a time that could be said it is late in the night, and hunted goblins and orcs a bit.

Before it grew bright outside, I left the dungeon.

I repeated those kinds of days for several days.

Rifreya wasn’t at the entrance of the dungeon late at night.

I don’t know if she is still searching for me.

I went as far as using abilities in the city.

She probably understood that I am actively avoiding her.

When I accumulated a good amount of Spirit Stones, I would go to the black market to sell them.

Whether it is to leave the city or not, I can’t do anything without money.

“I have finally…found you…!”

I undid the Darkness Fog right in front of the black market, and was about to enter the store when someone grabbed my arm.

It seems like this platinum blonde hair beauty that’s out-of-place in this back alley was hiding in the shadow of something.

It is Rifreya.

“Y-you, why are you here?” (Hikaru)

“Hmph, this is about the only place that buys Spirit Stones illegally after all. I assumed it would be this place since I didn’t find you as a registered explorer.” (Rifreya)

“Were you waiting here…this whole time…?” (Hikaru)

“Yeah. I tried waiting for you in front of the dungeon, but you weren’t showing up… Well, this place was also a blind shot though.” (Rifreya)

I looked at the old man inside the store, and he shrugged his shoulders deliberately.

This is not the type of store that would protect the information of their customers. He must have spilled out everything with a silver coin.

There aren’t that many black haired black eyed people, moreover, one that wears all black.

“Finally…I finally found you, so please don’t run away this time, okay?” (Rifreya)

I failed to react in time because of the shock and Rifreya held my arm tightly.

Her slender fingers were digging into my arm, and I could feel her strong resolve from that strength that’s impossible to imagine from her appearance.

Honestly, I was beyond dumbfounded.

I have barely left a trail in this city.

I have been getting all of my meals in food carts.

It is a lifestyle where I have been coming and going to the dungeon and the inn.

And yet, she managed to find me. I don’t know if to call her tenacious.

It must mean that…that’s just how much merit there is to find me.

I could feel abnormal strength from the hand Rifreya is grabbing me with.

If she wanted to, she could crush my arm just like that.

If I want to get away, I would have to bring out the Night Bugs, summon the Mantis Undead, or bring out a Barrier Stone.

“…What do you intend to do with me?” (Hikaru)

Does she intend to throw me somewhere since I am a Dark Spirit User?

Just now, she said ‘registered explorers’. I am an unlicensed explorer. She might be getting a reward from capturing me.

I don’t want to be thrown into a prison or die in a place like this.

“Depending on your answer, I will be resisting with everything I’ve got.” (Hikaru)

I have the Mantis Spirit Stone in the Shadow Bag.

If I summon an undead here, the city will be getting chaotic, but I am sure I will be able to run away.

The summoned undead obeys my orders, so if I only order it to hold Rifreya back, it won’t be taking the life of anyone.

I will be left with no choice but to leave the city though. Whichever the case, I won’t be able to stay in this city anymore.

But what she said surpassed anything I imagined.

“Eh? What, you ask? Nothing, really… I simply wanted to thank you for saving my life, you know?” (Rifreya)

She said straight.

Isn’t she going to be throwing me to a government facility or something?

No, she might stab me in the back when I drop my guard.

No matter how beautiful a person is, she is a stranger. I must not lower my guard.

“No need to. Let go.” (Hikaru)

“I won’t. You would run away.” (Rifreya)

“As I am saying, there’s no need to thank me. Conversation over.” (Hikaru)

“Even if it is fine with you, it is not for me. Just give me a bit of your time, okay?” (Rifreya)

Rifreya smiles.

What’s with this girl?

She isn’t listening at all.

Now that I think about it, she is the person that cleared out my darkness with a Light Spirit Ability.

But continuing this cat-and-mouse would be a bad move.

There’s the eyes of people even in a back alley.

No, it is because it is in a back alley that there’s people who watch and sneer from their window, and people passing by who watch intently.

Rifreya herself isn’t taking her eyes off me either.

I don’t know when those laughs and those gazes will be appearing, and cold sweat ran down my back.

“Just give it a break already! I told you I don’t need your thanks. What’s your objective?! Your life has been saved. Isn’t it fine with just that?!” (Hikaru)

I pushed her to the wall with my grabbed arm.

Her saying she wants to thank me must be an excuse.

I won’t go as far as saying she is lying, but it is giving me a really bad feeling.

Or maybe this is the way this world gives their thanks? I can’t tell that far since I lack the common sense of this world.

But even if that’s the case, I had no intentions of getting involved with her.

“I…” (Rifreya)

Rifreya had a bright red face and was trembling as she was pushed onto the wall, and was muttering something in a low voice.

Maybe she didn’t expect me to fight back, even though she should be far stronger than me, she isn’t resisting and is staying like that.

She is red all the way to her ears, so she might just burst and suddenly go into a frenzy.

I placed strength into my arm.

“…with you…” (Rifreya)

She once again said something in a low voice.

She was trembling a lot here, and I felt something ghastly was about to happen.

This might be bad.

While I was thinking about how to get away, Rifreya raised her head slowly, and said with a resolute expression.

“I have fallen in love with you! That’s why!” (Rifreya)

“Eh?” (Hikaru)

She said with damp eyes.

I didn’t understand what she was saying at first.

Love…?

Did she say love just now…?