New chapter of Nameless Hero is out! (2/3 chapters)
Premonition of Love (1)
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Late at night at the Simnon Tavern. Coming here has already become a daily ritual. Staring blankly at the empty plate on the counter, I was feeling a sense of emptiness about these repetitive days. But I couldn’t stop coming to Simnon Tavern. The adventurers gathered here, and the thick heat that lingered every night, seemed to help me stave off the loneliness.
After all, I am alone. I have no family. I don’t know any companions. I haven’t joined an adventurer party. I am a lonely stray cat who lost myself along with my memories.
Ahhh, stop it with the corny lines! Lately, I’ve been influenced by a few rare acquaintances, and my lines, not to mention my thoughts, have been getting stranger.
I’m a solitary warrior. When I find myself in a pinch, the power in my right hand awakens. However, that power is a dark force that could plunge the world into darkness. Kuh… Calm down, my right arm… not yet… it’s not time yet…
And then, I deliberately held down my right arm, showing off the bandage while glancing at the reactions around me.
I’m not lonely at all. I’ve got plenty of weird friends around me. It would be rude to call myself a “solitary warrior” and forget about them.
Now, let me introduce my recent daily routine. I wake up in the morning, leave the inn, and start training by duplicating swords as part of my muscle and mind-extraction skill exercises. Then, I wash up in the river and head to the bustling morning market. I wander through the market, looking for anything new or interesting. At first, I impulsively bought useless items and silly magic tools, but I soon realized it was a waste of money and stopped.
Here are examples of those silly magic tools:
- A toy waterbird that moves against the current when floated in the river.
- A frog toy that lights up and croaks “Ve~!” when pressed on the back.
- A slime-shaped toy that stretches out like a hand when swung, sticking to walls.
I was amazed when I first saw them and bought them impulsively, but I quickly grew bored of them. Now they’re collecting dust in my room at the inn. The slime toy lost its elasticity and hardened after gathering dust. It’s impossible to play with anymore. It’s not a living slime, but I still feel kind of sorry for it.
After digging through those, I return to the inn to inspect my gear. Then, I dress in my adventurer outfit, go to the adventurer guild, and look for a random party to join for dungeon exploration. By the evening, I’m back, either reading or spacing out while eating at Simnon Tavern.
That’s my daily life.
The journey to recover my memories… Well, I no longer care about it. It’s been over a year since I arrived in this labyrinth city, Azarigrad. After all this time, I haven’t come across any of my old companions. I already knew they didn’t exist. I’m fine living as ‘Lost’ here. Even if it’s a boring life. Having settled into this routine, perhaps because I’ve found some mental peace, I’ve recently started to become preoccupied with one thing.
*Creak, creak*
The sound of the latch groaning. The saloon door of the tavern slowly opens and swings shut, swing, swing.
Look, there she is. That girl. Her flowing blue hair, like a river. Her amber-colored, shining eyes. She’s taciturn, quick-witted, with an innocent face. She’s often hungry, has wide, sparkling eyes, and sometimes smiles mischievously. That half-elf girl.
Shia Randall.
Her habit of tilting her head and her catchphrase, “It’s just your imagination”, are so endearing. I didn’t think much of it when I first met her, but after spending so much time together, I’ve completely fallen for her charm.
Sigh… Is this what they call love?
—
“It’s just your imagination.” (Shia)
“…Uwaah!” (Lost)
While spacing out, I hadn’t noticed Shia had come so close.
Could she have heard my inner thoughts?
“You’ve been sighing a lot. Is something troubling you? Most things are just your imagination, you know.” (Shia)
“If it’s just my imagination… that’d be nice.” (Lost)
Shia took a seat beside me at the counter and ordered her usual menu.
When she’s close, I can’t help but be conscious of her.
I looked away.
“Oh my, oh my?” (Shia)
Seeing this, Shia wasn’t suspicious of me… or so I thought. No, she’s probably just amused. Maybe she’s already realized how I feel. Shia’s a little devil and always teases me. But if she messes with me too much, I end up being too aware of her. That’s the kind of age we are.
“Lost-san, you’re unusual.” (Shia)
When Shia says it, I started losing confidence.
You’re the quirky one, right? What’s with “It’s just your imagination”? She also says, “I’m not sure” or “It might be~~,” a lot. Is she avoiding the conversation or hiding her true feelings? Where is Shia’s heart? What does Shia feel…? Ah, no. My head’s going crazy.
She’s all I can think about.
“Where are you going?” (Shia)
“Home.” (Lost)
I couldn’t meet her gaze. I tossed some money on the table and left the counter.
I left extra, but it’s not like I did it for Shia or anything!
“Then, I’ll go too.” (Shia)
“Why? You just got here!” (Lost)
“Hmm.” (Shia)
Ah, I might’ve spoken too loudly.
“You’re right. I haven’t had dinner yet.” (Shia)
With that, Shia returned to her seat at the counter. I missed the chance to walk together with her.
Ahhhhh. I blew it. Did she dislike me for that? No way. I only raised my voice once. It’s fine, it’s fine. Tomorrow’s a fresh start. Alright, let’s reset and move on. It’s just my imagination. Just my imagination. I’m so emotionally unstable I can’t help but laugh at myself. Do I want to be with her, or not? I don’t even know anymore.
…But I couldn’t look away from her profile. Suddenly, Shia noticed my gaze and turned toward me, glaring with her sharp eyes. Amidst the noise of the other adventurers, silence passed between us. Come to think of it, Shia never laughs or cries. I wonder if there’s something I can do to make her happy.
—
On another day. Today, I was helping with Yustin’s one-day magic training. Yustin stayed at the same cheap inn as me, and we often played in the backyard together. Sometimes he dragged me to dungeons on a whim, but as someone with nothing better to do, I appreciated it. This time, it was not just for him but also for my own training.
All I needed was a few leaves. I transformed them into small knives. The material was leaves. Hardened knives. I threw a few of them at Yustin. Yustin uses a portal spell to teleport my knives, making them rebound toward me, and I dodged the knives that appear from unpredictable directions.
A game of deadly catch. I called it Catch Knife. This practice helped Yustin hone his portal control and helps me improve my mental image extraction and reflexes. Usually, I’d breeze through this training, but today, I was so distracted that one of the knives stuck in my left arm.
“Lost, what are you doing? That’s not like you.” (Yustin)
“Ah, sorry…” (Lost)
But this kind of injury heals itself thanks to my self-repairing ability, so I didn’t pay it much mind. I pulled the knife out and tossed it aside and it reverted back to a leaf. My left arm healed quickly as well.
“Honestly, you’ve got human blood, but your abilities are anything but human.” (Yustin)
“Haha…” (Lost)
Not human, huh… Yustin is a pureblood human, right? With his looks, I bet girls his age are all over him. I’m so jealous. Wait, girls his age? Could Shia be into Yustin…?
“Hey, Lost, hurry up and throw it.” (Yustin)
No, no, isn’t that too hasty? But Yustin, as painful as his words can be, is a genius. Shia is also the child of a scholar. It’s possible she’s drawn to intelligence like his.
“Lost, you’ve been thinking about Shia a lot lately, haven’t you?” (Yustin)
“…What?” (Lost)
“Looks like I hit the mark.” (Yustin)
I was surprised to hear such an unexpected thing from Yustin’s mouth. And more than that, I was surprised that he had come so close to me without me noticing.
“You’re easy to read. It’s obvious to anyone that you’re smitten with Shia.” (Yustin)
“…” (Lost)
Talking loudly about such embarrassing things. Yustin, of all people.
“Well, who knows.” (Lost)
“In the Rauda Continent where I was born, it’s customary to give a surprise present to the woman you’re interested in.” (Yustin)
“A surprise present? What’s that?” (Lost)
“You give them a gift out of the blue and surprise them. Women are weak to things like that.” (Yustin)
Huh, I see. Surprising her and seeing her smile. Shia would be happy, and I’d be happy too. That’s what you’d call a win-win. No, but think carefully about who you’re giving it to.
“Shia Randall, you know? Wouldn’t something like that turn her off?” (Lost)
“Not at all. It would be most effective on someone like her. She’d fall for it instantly.” (Yustin)
Is that how it works? But having Yustin support me like this makes me happy too. A present… It might actually be fun to send her something and surprise her. Even if she doesn’t like it, just seeing her surprised, with those wide eyes, would make it worth it.
She’s always teasing me, so I should at least… No, no, this isn’t a battle. It’s not about who wins or loses. Whenever it comes to this kind of topic, I start to get a sadistic urge to tease the girl I’m interested in. Maybe my father was a sadist, too.
And so, I came to Market Street.
Time to buy a gift for her! Having a goal makes every day a little fresher and more enjoyable. The goal is to surprise Shia and see her smile. I’m starting to feel excited. Choosing a present is fun in itself. Yustin really taught me something good. But still, what kind of gift would Shia like?
She’s an archer, so maybe something related to archery… No, giving a professional something amateurish might just be annoying. She lives in an old house. Maybe cleaning supplies… No, that’s too plain and might come off as insulting, like I’m telling her to keep her place cleaner. How about a good book I’ve picked out… But that would just feel forced. Books are expensive, too, and might feel like too heavy of a gift. She lives alone, so maybe something to pass the time… But I can’t imagine Shia playing with a stretchy slime hand toy.
I can’t do it. I can’t choose. Even though we’ve known each other for a long time, I have no idea what she likes or what her hobbies are. I didn’t think I was this indifferent to her…
“Lost, what are you doing?” (Alba)
A voice called out to me from behind. I turned around to see Alba-san standing there. Alba-san, with her dark skin and blonde hair. Her appearance was more like that of a proper adventurer now than when we delved into the labyrinth before. She still showed some skin around her sides and navel, but compared to her old shameless armor, this was much more reasonable gear. It seemed that the deep labyrinth dive helped Alba grew in many ways.
“What about you, Alba-san? What are you doing in the middle of the day… Aren’t you always holed up in the labyrinth?” (Lost)
“I’m taking the day off. Recently, I’ve found shopping to be enjoyable.” (Alba)
“Shopping?” (Lost)
There was something odd about the way she said that.
Alba and “shopping,” huh? I know she’s not the kind of person to use such polite language.
“I go around to the stalls like this, evaluate the goods, and buy high-quality items. Apparently, this is called shopping. It’s quite enjoyable. Shia taught me.” (Alba)
Shia… There’s her name again. No matter where I go, Shia Randall seems to haunt my surroundings. It’s probably because I’m conscious of her that it feels that way.
I mean, Alba-san and Shia shopping together? Doing something girly like that. I can’t imagine it, but it’s nice that they seem to be getting along. Considering Alba-san’s high-price, high-quality preferences, it’s probably for the best that someone like Shia tags along to help her judge equipment properly.
“This stall deals in high-quality magic tools, doesn’t it? I don’t associate you with high-end goods, Lost.” (Alba)
“Sorry to disappoint you.” (Lost)
I always buy cheap stuff. Just temporary weapons and armor. For someone like me who’s never struggled with just my body, that’s always been enough.
“It’s not for me. It’s a gift, a present.” (Lost)
“W-What…?” (Alba)
Alba-san suddenly started fidgeting. She blushed and glanced at me repeatedly.
“S-Such a thing, it’s embarrassing… But as a warrior, accepting kindness is my duty… Fine, then. That anti-demon shield over there…” (Alba)
She pointed to the most expensive shield at the stall, her hand on her cheek, looking pleased.
Why is this turning into me buying Alba magic tools?
“It’s not for you, Alba-san!” (Lost)
“Hm? There’s no one else here but me.” (Alba)
“Why would I buy a present in front of the person I’m giving it to? It’s supposed to be a surprise!” (Lost)
“A surprise? Hmm, so later, that anti-demon shield will suddenly appear before me at some unexpected moment?” (Alba)
“I said it’s not for you! And I’m not buying that anti-demon shield!” (Lost)
Why does she want that shield so badly? And how much does it even cost? Wait, 15 million Solido!?
“That’s so expensive!” (Lost)
“Of course it is. This shield is top-tier as a magic tool. Any warrior would want it desperately.” (Alba)
“What kind of magical effects does it have…?” (Lost)
By the way, Alba-san somehow has good money flow. The shameless armor she wore until recently and that strongest sword seemed to be quite expensive too, but I’ve speculated in various ways about how she could afford such high-priced items. What I’ve realized recently is that in her case, rather than her strength being the strongest, her luck is the strongest.
If there were a ‘luck’ status in Managram, hers would be at least A rank or higher. Whenever I go to the labyrinth with Alba-san, we usually obtain the materials or rare drops we aim for. That’s why she has good money flow.
While we were causing a ruckus in front of the shop, someone came out from the back of the tent, apparently unable to tolerate it anymore.
“Oi, you brats, do you have a problem with my magic tools?” (???)
A little girl with a rough tone of voice appeared, holding a large golden hammer in one hand.
Her voice was also that of a little girl. She had big black goggles often worn by blacksmiths when forging swords wrapped around her head, and her short, crimson hair was tied up. Like Alba-san, she was also dressed in a belly-baring outfit, exposing her childlike figure.
“Mine? That anti-demon shield is mine. Lost is going to buy it for me.” (Alba)
“No way! There’s no way I can buy that!” (Lost)
Alba-san was already acting like it was hers.
If I get roped into buying it, I’m doomed…! Besides, there’s no way I could afford 15 million solid in the first place.
“You noisy brats! Are you buying it or not?” (??)
“Brats, you say? And who are you? Lost here is about to make the most expensive purchase of his life. Such rudeness to a customer… bring out the shopkeeper!” (Alba)
Alba-san leaned forward, as if she was about to grab the little girl, intimidating her. The dark-skinned beast loomed over the little girl. The little girl, however, stood her ground, straightened her back, and glared back at Alba-san without flinching.
“I am the shopkeeper, Gnome. You idiots! If you’re going to obstruct business, then get lost!” (Gnome)
Gnome… Gnome, that name sounds familiar. It was mentioned in the description of the Volga series. Having thoroughly read Azarigrad’s history books, I remember it. The Earth Sage, Gnome, who created the Arsenal Volga. This little girl?
“Eh?! Gnome… Gnome as in that Gnome?!” (Lost)
“What, is she an acquaintance of yours, Lost? Then, say something to her. If this kind of morally bankrupt young one isn’t corrected while young, it’ll be too late when she grows up. Also, buy me that anti-demon shield.” (Alba)
Alba-san, please, just stop talking. And drop the arrogant attitude. She’s a sage. The sage who defeated the legendary sorcerer Emped. In other words, someone on the same level as Sylphid-sama. I should address her as Gnome-sama.
“That’s right. I’m Gnome.” (Gnome)
“The Earth Sage, Gnome-sama… Aren’t you supposed to live in the Nihilo Desert?” (Lost)
“Sage? Sama? What era are you from?” (Gnome)
Gnome-sama put her hands on her hips and sighed in exasperation.
“Besides, who would willingly live in a desert? Don’t lump me in with Salamander.” (Gnome)
“But to think Gnome-sama would be in a place like this…” (Lost)
“Heh… This is everything to me. If I don’t make things, my skills will grow dull.” (Gnome)
The little girl clenched the large hammer she held in one hand. To think this was what she looked like. And that she would open a street stall and blend into human life like this.
“Hmm?! That right wrist of yours…” (Gnome)
Gnome-sama reacted upon seeing the machinery on my right wrist.
“What… What is this thing? Even I’ve never seen a weapon like that.” (Gnome)
“I don’t really understand it either. It was already attached to my right arm from the beginning—” (Lost)
After that, Gnome-sama asked me various questions about the machinery on my right wrist, but since I couldn’t give proper answers, she seemed to understand that I didn’t know much about it either.
Then, Gnome-sama grabbed my arm and started leading us somewhere.
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