Chapter 106: Battered Girl part 1
Translator: Soafp
On the evening when Mom and Ashera arrived, when I mentioned “I have a promise to go on a request with Lewis and the others tomorrow,” they immediately agreed. Of course, both Mom and Ashera agreed.
Incidentally, when I mentioned Naga-san, she told me that she would be leaving much earlier than the meeting. I’m sure there will be something to talk about with Naga-san.
I wouldn’t dare to interrupt their reunion after such a long time.
El and I decided to leave the house at the scheduled time. Ashera is going with Mom… There must be some kind of master-disciple relationship between them that El and I don’t understand.
Morning the next day…
Walking groggily, I met Ashera. Remembering yesterday’s events, I suddenly woke up.
“Good morning, Aldo.”
With a slight smile, she greeted me with “good morning.”
If every day could be like this, I wouldn’t mind dying… No, I don’t want to die because I won’t be able to see Ashera!
“Good morning, Ashera. You look beautiful…”
I didn’t mean to say that last part, but I muttered it under my breath…
Ashera, looking embarrassed but pleased, looked at me with upturned eyes… She’s so cute.
Like insects drawn to light, I staggered toward Ashera… Oh no, I didn’t brush my teeth… but I felt an irresistible pull towards Ashera.
We slowly drew closer to each other’s faces…
“Ahem!”
Brought back to reality.
Looking around, Grandpa, Dad, Mom, El, Clara, Marl, Faristea, Yuri, and Anna-sensei are all watching us.
Of course. I had come to the washroom to brush my teeth. The washroom is located near the kitchen on the first floor due to water fetching reasons.
It’s natural that there are people preparing to go out or have breakfast.
“Ah, Al, Ashera. Despite being engaged, please maintain some decorum… Also, if possible, refrain from… um, expressing affection in public.”
Dad, representing everyone, warns us while looking towards the future.
“”S-Sorry.””
I quickly head to the washroom, and Ashera, with a red face, uses Space Kick to escape somewhere.
Why does this happen when I see Ashera… I don’t understand.
By the time I finish breakfast, Mom and Ashera have already headed to the guild.
It’s time to get ready to go out. I head to my room.
I put on armor, carry two short swords, a spare knife, and a backpack. After replenishing dried meat in the kitchen, I’m ready.
As I drink tea in the living room, El arrives.
“Nii-sama, I apologize for the wait.”
“I wasn’t waiting. Want some tea, El?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“Alright, let’s go then.”
“Understood.”
El and I head to the adventurer’s guild, but I have a bad feeling about this.
“El, do you think Mom and Ashera are okay?”
“I think Mom and Ashera … will be okay.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I wonder if this is how Grandpa and Dad feel when they see me.”
“…Probably.”
“We’ll pass over the rooftops.”
“Yes.”
From there, using wall running and space kicks, we headed to the guild as quickly and directly as possible.
In front of the guild, there were many adventurers sprawled around… While we could imagine who might have caused it, we couldn’t imagine how it happened at all.
A figure who seemed to be Mom stood in front of the guild, holding a drink in one hand and looking down at the adventurers. And in the center of the sprawled adventurers stood a girl who seemed to be Ashera, standing alone.
El and I had been told by Grandpa to refrain from using space kicks, so we descended to the ground under the cover of the building’s shadow and ran over to Ashera’s side.
“Ashera… did you do this?”
“Half of it was done by Master.”
“Mom?”
“The wind bullet (non-lethal type) that Aldo used when he returned in the summer. She used that magic to defeat him.”
“While drinking tea?”
“Yep.”
It seems she unleashed magic from that state and wreaked havoc… Has she become stronger??
Upon closer inspection, the two of them have changed their equipment.
“About that equipment…”
“Master heard that Aldo and the others defeated a Wyvern and said she wouldn’t accept anything less than equipment better than that…”
“I see. By the way, what kind of skin is that?”
“Lesser Dragon.”
“Dragon… How much did it cost, by the way?”
“Three Divine Silver Coins…”
“T-Three Divine Silver Coins?!”
“Yeah.”
What an expensive purchase. Well, I’ve heard that the profits from Reversi are quite substantial, so it probably doesn’t have much of an impact…
But we can’t leave the adventurers like this.
“Ashera, El, please heal them and move them to the side.”
“Understood.”
“Roger, Nii-sama.”
Leaving Ashera and El to handle the situation, I walk gracefully towards “Frostbite,” who is elegantly sipping tea.
“Mom, what are you doing?”
“Oh, when we were about to enter the guild, these adventurers started bothering us. So, I just played with them a little.”
I painfully understand the feelings of Lewis, Naga-san, Dad, and Grandpa.
“Haa… Please understand. Just stay still.”
That’s all I can squeeze out. Naga-san… please help, the conscience of the guild.
I was screaming in my heart.
“What’s going on here?”
I hear Naga-san’s voice from behind. Turning around, I see Naga-san, Joe, and Noel walking towards us.
“Naga-san, Joe, and Noel together?”
The three of them answer my question.
“We were preparing for Aldo-kun to enter the ‘Claw Fang’s labyrinth’ during the long-term break at the academy.”
“Joe and Noel too?”
“I’m more like a consultant.”
“I was told by Balza-sama to ‘sort things out,’ so I came here.”
“The two of us went to meet the guild master together.”
It seems like they caused quite a commotion behind the scenes.
“So, this commotion is something Aldo-kun did again, right…”
“Ah, no, this, it’s not me…”
As I was being blamed, Mom called out to me.
“It’s been a while, Naga. And isn’t the one next to you Joeguna-kun… was it?”
Naga-san and Joe, who looked in the direction of the voice, widened their eyes and opened their mouths in surprise…
“What’s wrong? It’s been a while since we met again. Did you forget?”
To Mom’s slightly pouting words, Naga-san started running.
“Rafina….”
“It’s been a while, Naga.”
“Yeah.”
“Mantoku-Tei…”
“Eh?”
“The sake bathhouse… Liquor shop: Sake Enthusiast… Clothing store: Gorgeous… Clothing store: Nouveau Riche… Decoration shop: Bad Taste…”
“W-what are you talking about…”
For some reason, Mom started sweating profusely.
“I won’t let go anymore…”
“Naga, could you… let go for a moment?”
“I won’t let go until I get paid back for what I’m owed!!”
“W-what do you mean I owe you? I don’t remember anything like that, it’s been over ten years…”
Then Joe delivers the final blow.
“I didn’t say anything because it wasn’t related to Aldo-kun, but… if you could pay back the money I lent you too…”
I feel like I’m seriously starting to hate being this woman’s son.
With El, Ashera, and me, we completely restrain “Ice With.” The worst-case scenario is even using Condense Ray… I’m prepared to bear the burden of patricide.
This woman is a criminal who ran off with borrowed money. There’s no room for half-measures.
I seat “Ice Witch” at a table in the guild tavern and shine a light magic on him.
“Come on, why don’t you just spit it out… We already know you’ve been dodging your debts!”
“Ice Witch” talks nonchalantly as if she were a interrogated in response to my performance.
“Well, I don’t remember, you know? Do you have any evidence?”
Naga-san explodes with anger at our little play.
“You guys better cut it out already. Mother and son goofing off together…”
Mom and I hug each other and start apologizing.
“I’m sorry, Naga-san.”
“It’s my fault, Naga. Aldo will pay back the money properly.”
“Eh?”
“Eh?”
Naga-san is scary… we really need to stop fooling around.
“Naga-san, how much will it be then?”
Naga-san responds with an irritated expression.
“I don’t need it…”
“Eh? How much? Ten thousand yen?!”
“It’s already in the past, I don’t need it anymore. I just wanted to give Rafina a hard time when she suddenly disappeared…”
“…Can you at least tell me the amount?”
“…Aldo-kun, do you really want to know?”
“…I think I’ll leave it at that.”
“That’s fine.”
“I’m sorry…”
While I’m talking with Naga-san, the mastermind “Ice Witch” is calmly drinking tea.
“By the way, Joeguna-kun, you’ve grown quite big.”
“W-Well, I’ve been taken care of by Rafina-san…”
She was like a neighborhood auntie. Men have a weakness for neighborhood aunts who are known to them from their childhood.
As we’re chatting, Lewis and Nero arrive. This situation is already out of control…
El, Ashera, Mom, Lewis, and Nero exchange greetings and somehow manage to calm the situation down.
Lewis and Nero whisper to me, “Has Ashera become prettier?” I whisper back, “It’s the effect of the bath.” Then Ashera punches me in the ribs. It’s a secret that her fist also had a poison effect added to it.
The adventurers are shocked to see this scene unfold.
Joe and others whispered, “Is that girl stronger than you?”
“You guys! The Blue Ring’s women are the best and the strongest!”
For some reason, applause breaks out, which is a mystery.
We part ways with Mom and head to our mission. It seems Ashera is coming with us, while Lewis and Nero catch up.
It’s been quite a morning, but let’s try to focus and move forward.