Chapter 49 - Beautiful Person and Promise

I was all flustered explaining the current situation, and didn’t notice Rifreya showing up.

She saw me talking to empty space.

Does she think I am a weirdo…?

“Yeah, you were talking about something, so I was wondering what it was…” (Rifreya)

“Aah, no, it was nothing. Good morning.” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, good morning.” (Rifreya)

She has silver armor equipped, and was dressed as a warrior with a crazy big sword.

Her platinum blonde hair was basking in the morning sun, shining gently, and her snow white skin was clear without a single blemish.

Her big amber color eyes were crystalline, and I could feel purity that was as if it could see through my evil heart.

(So beautiful.) (Hikaru)

I instinctively wanted to hide.

The courage to show myself in front of her shriveled in an instant.

Last night I managed to talk with her and have a meal with her as if we were equals.

But that must have been the magic of the night.

Maybe the darkness helped me out.

Being below the light of the sun reveals how small of a person I am.

Wearing shabby and disorderly dyed black clothes, unkempt hair that has been left to grow all this time, and baggy black eyes lacking sleep. The dagger hanging from my waist is the second cheapest thing in the weapon store, and it is not like I am tall, and even my face is plain.

(…No, that’s fine. It is okay for there to be a bad result. I might be able to get viewers from that too.) (Hikaru)

The more laughable I am, the better.

The viewers must be wishing for me to suffer.

If it is to become 1st, who cares how much I am hurt.

I clenched my fist and spoke to her.

“Rifreya, could you sleep well last night? I didn’t manage to sleep that much.” (Hikaru)

“You too, Hikaru? Actually, I myself didn’t sleep that much either… Ehehe.” (Rifreya)

Rifreya’s gaze swam a bit and was blushing slightly. This certainly is her from last night, and that relieved me a bit.

That sight of hers standing below the sunlight was shining brilliantly…like a sacred goddess.

“Do you…remember what happened last night?” (Hikaru)

“Eh?! Ah…yes. Of course I won’t forget it. The promise…right?” (Rifreya)

Rifreya said this and blushed even more.

Looks like she thought I was talking about leaving the ‘thanks’ for later.

By the way, I did postpone her reward to a later time, but I am not so shameless as to think about taking it.

I am being watched by all of humanity. Even if it is for the sake of aiming for 1st place, that’s a line I must not cross.

I don’t care how much I myself get hurt, but I don’t want to reveal this pure person and dirty her for my own gain.

Even at this very moment and from here on, just by being together with me, she is being watched by millions of people without her knowing.

And here I am, using her despite that.

If I were to tell her that, she would be conscious about her ‘being watched’. There’s a high chance she would refuse to come along with me.

That’s why, I am purposely keeping it from her.

Once these 2 weeks are over, I will repent in any way.

I don’t think that will absolve me from my sin, but even with that, I want Nanami to come back.

“…I am talking about going to the dungeon together. I really am a beginner. Please teach me a lot.” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, of course. Leave it to me!” (Rifreya)

“Then, let’s go. Is the 2nd Floor okay?” (Hikaru)

When I was about to walk, she went ‘wait wait’ and stopped me.

“We have to show up at the guild first.” (Rifreya)

“Guild…?” (Hikaru)

“…Hikaru…you really were a side gater, huh…” (Rifreya)

By side gater, it meant people that would do business without the qualifications.

In other words, it refers to me who sneaked into the dungeon every single time using darkness, and would sell what I got to the black market…

I can’t even argue this.

In the first place, Rifreya knows that I have been doing deals with the black market.

“Sorry. I don’t even know what a guild is. What’s that facility for?” (Hikaru)

“It is the dungeon management department. The explorers take requests from the guild to subjugate monsters and obtain Spirit Stones. You have to properly register as an explorer and apply when you are diving into the dungeon or they won’t let you in, you know?” (Rifreya)

“I see. I didn’t know. I was always sneaking in. Hahaha.” (Hikaru)

This may not be a laughing matter, but I can only laugh here.

“Hm, well, it is fine since it is me, but…it is better not to tell others, okay? You would get apprehended at worst after all.” (Rifreya)

Looks like I was doing something pretty dangerous there.

Well, let’s just think about it as something that has already passed.

“And so, can I also register as an explorer? I am living in a cheap inn and don’t have an address or anything.” (Hikaru)

“As long as you are not a heinous criminal, anyone can do it. You will start at the lowest rank, but well, as long as you get Spirit Stones, it will be increasing anyways. Being an ability user of your caliber, you will be able to go up to at least Gnome Rank.” (Rifreya)

“Gnome Rank…? What rank are you, Rifreya?” (Hikaru)

“I am currently Sylvestre Rank. One rank below Gnome Rank.” (Rifreya)

Saying this, she brought out a silver ID from her pocket, and showed it to me.

It is a pretty hard to remember name, but you can tell them apart from the material of the ID, so it doesn’t seem that complicated.

The dungeon management department is around a 3 minutes walk from the dungeon, so we managed to reach this so-called guild real soon.

The guild is close to the dungeon, a sturdy facility made of stone, and the spacious lobby had rowdy people that are most likely explorers walking around.

When Rifreya came in, the gazes of the men gathered on her, and even I felt them at the back of her. I see, of course she wouldn’t feel like searching for party members here.

“Ooh, Rifreya-chan. What’s with that brat there? Did you pick up a member of the club club?”

A man that screamed ruffian spoke to Rifreya.

She must have a history as an explorer, so obviously she would have explorers speaking to her.

Rifreya stops her feet.

“No, he is my party member. I won’t let you be rude.” (Rifreya)

“Huh? This brat is going to party with a silver rank?! Oi, brat, what’s your rank?”

The man was riled up at what Rifreya said.

I can tell that the people listening in on this were directing their attention at us.

Oi oi.

I didn’t expect a cliche development like this would actually happen!

Well, Rifreya must have been someone that stood out even in the guild -to a degree that other explorers would have their attention on her.

She is an extraordinary beauty, and her weapon is big, so she stands out.

She is the complete opposite of me.

Anyways, this development is delicious for the viewers.

Even if I were to get beaten up here, I would still be winning.

I whispered to Rifreya ‘I will deal with this, so don’t say anything’, and answered the man.