????? Pov
Even a hero needs a break you know.
Everyone always yaps about how great we are, that with a single swing of our swords we can defeat any kind of foe human or monster. Well that train of thought isn't really wrong... but it's not that easy for us either!
To begin with there are lots of things to consider like equipment maintenance and ration for the trip, not to mention the expenditure for travelling as well as pre-planning for a long term quest. If worst come to worst we have to prepare going in without expecting any reward. Sure we're doing this for the greater good but it's still a job with the purpose of paying the bills.
In other words being a top class adventurer is a lot of work. And just like every self sufficient living being we too need a break from 'all of it' every once in a while!
And after a hellish ordeal that 'every once in a while' have finally come!
"Is that!?"
"Such beauty... It can only be!"
"I don't believe it! It's really her!"
As I continued my stroll the gasps and whispers only continued to grow louder. I'd be lying if I wanted a real clean getaway. Selfish as it sounds it feels great to know that your work doesn't go unapriciated. Receiving all sorts of praises after going all sorts of hardships is undoubtedly the best!
And that's not even the best part~
A wonderful arome suddenly assaulted my nose, and I didn't waste even a single second to trace it back to the source. My smile widens as a food stand comes into view, the owner sharing the same inheritance as I do.
"Excuse me~" I greeted him.
"Welcome!" He greeted back as he turned towards me. His delight quickly morphed int shock as he easily identified my identity.
"Y-You... are...." I only continue to smile at his bewildered expression.
"Can I have one please~?"
"O-Of course! You can have one for free!" Living up to his promise the man hastily and clumsily hand me one of his hand made delicacy.
Uwah~ his hand is shaking to the bone. I'm familiar with the term 'trembling before one's hero but I'm not that intimidating now am I?
Knowing that it'd be useless to try and calm him down I swiped the skewered meat from his trembling arms and digged in.
"H-how is it." He asked and yes he was still shaking.
'I've tasted better' I really have, many times in fact.
"It's really delicious!"
"R-Really!?"
"Yep! It's one of the tastiest food I've ever bit into!"
"T-Thank you very much!"
Obviously I lied, but putting up an act like this is necessary for someone like me. And it's not like his food is awful, and in fact it is most certainly above average for the level of a street vendor.
In conclusion while maintaining an image I had also deliver a proper judgement.
I resumed my stroll after finishing an entire stick. There is still sometime before lunch, so I decided to walk a little longer to help digesting the quick snack I just had.
A bookstore came into view and a new idea sprang into live. I wasn't much of a reader but with the spare time I got I could probably read a page or two! It's decided! I'm going to drop by the bookstore and look for a book to read! Preferably one with lots of pictures!
After a while I finally found a sizeable literature establishment. Of course it was nowhere as large as the library I visited but my instinct tell me that I can find some good books here! And my instinct is never wrong!
The bell on the door rang as I waltzed in. The bookshop owner greeted me with a monotone 'welcome' being too absorbed into the book he's eading. It'll be fun to see his reaction when he figured out who I am later.
Without much of a direction I eagerly traversed the aisle, each housing numerous books of different genre. I skimmed through some pages of every book that caught my eyes, getting nauseous from the lack of illustration and the endless row of complex words.
Maybe I should just ask for a picture book.
I had almost given up when I reached the Aura section. That topic is one of the very few....actually it's the only topic that I could stand, and it really helps that the authors of such books are fellow adventurers. They tend to keep the vocabulary simple and straight.
To my delight I wasn't the only one here. There was another person occupying this aisle. He was a tad shorter than me but I can tell that he's older by a small margin also.
Only a working adult could have that kind of frown. But it doesn't look like that he's depressed about his life. Maybe that's just how he is? Cynical and unpleasant?
He to was too deep in his book to notice me, so I decided to respect his boundary and leave him alone. Besides the 'I didn't notice who was I standing next to' shock was one of my favourite, more so if it was a noble who was putting up a face. Their shocked shriek and their vain attempt at covering it up are entertaining!
So leaving him aside I grabbed one of the nearby books and read it. I skipped a lot of page and only look for the pictures. To my horror and boredom the books this shop provides are not as colorful or imaginative as I had hoped.
I let out a tired sigh. Suddenly however I spotted a familiar book from the corner of my eyes.
There is no mistaking it, this was the book that Zegiru-chi wrote himself!
I grinned knowing that this is the perfect blackmail. He'd do anything I say if I threatened to show his heavily influenced by that phase works.
Now motivated I reached out for the book. Only to have myself caught off guard for what's going to happen next.
It was a scene straight out of corny romance books. When a shy girl and a quite boy were brought together by fate. To be on the exact same place, to reach out at the exact same thing, and to want the exact same thing.
Our fingers touched. Perhaps it was more correct to say that it brushed for less than a second since I quickly pulled mine back. But my state of mind was not as refined as my bodily reflexes.
It was so unreal that the usually playful me couldn't even comprehend it completely.
"E-Eh... Ano...."
Unlike me his expression remained blank, but I know that his pensiveness was a mask to hide his inner turmoil.
His stonewall stand will crumble any second now....
"I grabbed it first."
Eh?
Did he really said that? Was I hearing things? Is he really leaving?
WAIT LEAVING!?
It's true! Right after dropping that bombshell he turned around as if I wasn't even there!
Who the heck is this guy!? This isn't how you're suppose to react after having an once in a lifetime romance flag with a literal heroine like me!?
Oi don't you dare leave me hanging like this!
He suddenly halted his saunter and clicked his tongue. Did he realize his mistake? Is he making a 180 degree turn in both body and personality.
"If you have any complaint or the sort it better be a valid one."
It's official, this guy is a jerk. But I still got a reputation to keep.
I tilted forward a bit and put on my nicest fake smile.
"Well.... it's just that I Really~ need that book for something super-duper important."
Checkmate! There is no way you could stand up against my great heroine charm! Even the rigid Pallas-nee would flatter in front of this stance.
"And this super duper important thing is?"
"....."
God damnit It didn't work! There is no way I could tell him that I'm planning on using that book to blackmail my teammates! But the battle is not over yet I can still!
"By the way my friends and I had just started adventuring. And this book will really help us since we just started yesterday."
"...."
DAMNIT! That's the perfect justification! Anything that I throw at him after this would be nothing more than picking on a child!
There's absolutely nothing else I can do.....
"Don't you know who I am?"
And with that my dignity was thrown off the window. I don't even need that book that much so why the heck am I pulling all the stops?
"Of course I do." He bluntly answered to my shock. "You're some bigshot girl who want this book for a childish reason.
At that my brain stopped functioning.
That's right. I was the girl that was about to use my status to rob someone of something they really need. And this person, despite knowing who I am and what influence I possessed stay loyal to his friend instead and spat it right into my face.
Damn.
"Pft.....kukuku~"
I couldn't help to giggle at my own petiness. It's really been a while since I had a taste of my own medicine after all. Maybe too long for my own good.
Which is why it's really refreshing.
"Are you going to just stand there giggling like an idiot or do you have anything else to say? I'm not staying here any longer than I need to."
"Sorry-sorry. It's just that what you say is exactly what I need."
He clicked his tongue in response. "I'll wait for a thank you then. Anything else? Because it's almost lunch and I'd much rather have that than wasting my breath to a stranger."
Heh~. This guy is totally awkward. But if he's like this then his friends must be a lively bunch.
"Eh~? It's almost that time already huh~?"
Time sure does fly by when you're having fun.
"Anything ELSE?" He again asked with more edge in his tone.
"No-no, you can have that book. It's obvious that you need it more than I do."
"Obviously."
"But I want an exchange! You seem like a reader, why don't you recommend me a good book as a subtitute!?"
"....Studying or leisure?"
"Do I look like the type that learn by reading?" Though I'm not proud of it this thing should've been obvious.
"...Fine then."
That was his way of saying follow me. Or at least that's what I assume since he didn't head straight towards the cashier.
I tailed him back to the story book aisle. Without looking he grabbed one of the book and shoved it to me.
"Here. The story is pretty generic but the author managed to pull it off pretty well. He kept it simple and full of dialogues, so even someone like you should be able to keep up."
"I'll take your word for it! Thanks a lot!"
"Whatever. By the way it's only good if you actually try to read it."
"I will I will sheesh! There's no need to be so mean." I pouted.
"Is that so? See you around them..."
"W-wait!" I shrieked at his sudden depature. Why I honestly don't know, but he once again stopped his exit and turned towards me again with a stare conveying a silent 'what now?'.
"U-um.... why don't I.... PAY FOR YOUR BOOK! As a thank you for recommending me a really good book?"
".....You haven't even started reading it."
"Y-yeah...."
"..."
"..."
"....Okay you know what?" He tiredly shook his head. "Why don't we just pay for our books together?" He couldn't have sounded more unsure.
He obviously sounded tired, and agreeing to this will only give the impression of me being 'that desperate'.
What kind of great heroine will I be if I was that hopeless?
"Sure!" I franctically nodded like a five year old. What the heck am I doing!? I sounded and look totally pathetic like this!
"...Okay..."
Seriously, he caught the eye of a heroine like me and he dares just to leave it at that? He really got some guts that's for sure.
But still....
I don't know why but I don't really mind. It's also a good change of pace for me though I felt a little bad forcing him to put up with my current state. My teamates sometime told me that I could be both handful and forceful.
And he didn't mind at all....
The atmosphere returned somewhat during our walk to the cashier. The shopkeeper's reaction of shock also helped me regain the rest of my bearing.
"Can you really let me pay? As a thanks of course." I asked him, and he let out a tired sigh.
"Whatever." He agreed with an eyeroll. I smiled and the shopkeeper took care of the rest.
"Well then I should get going. It's almost lunch! And captain will definitely chew me up if I arrived late even a second." I almost forget about that. I really do have no more time to waste.
"That's what I've been saying for a while you know..."
Hehe. He really is a lot nicer once you get to know him.
"Right! See you around then....."
Crap, I don't know his name.
"Green."
Huh?
"It's Green. And I'm not repeating it for a third time."
I blinked at the odd name, and it was only then that I realized much of his features.
He has green eyes, green eyes, and if those wasn't enough he was also wearing a green tie.
To my credit I actually managed to keep my laughter in check
"Silent much? It's my turn then. What's your name?"
For the second time that day he caught me off guard once again. Was he playing games with me? Doesn't he already know who I am? What game is he playing?
Then I realized that it was none of the above. He really was asking me for my name.
"....Taiga... My name is Taiga..."
To my surprise he actually widen his eyes, and then he snorted. But it wasn't one of those demeaning snort. It was an 'are you serious' snort.
"An obviously fitting name." He smirked, and there was no doubt that the glances directed at my ears and tails were his.
I pouted. "Like you're any better. MR. weird name!?"
Uwah! that retort sound super lame and dumb. as expected he quickly shrugged it off and went back on the offense. "Sure-sure. Don't you have a lunch meeting very soon Ms. Tiger?"
This guy....
"JUST YOU WAIT! I'M GOING TO GET YOU BACK!"
I bolted out of the bookstore with those word. Holding the book tight to my chest and and using aura to empower my es- necessary hustle.
After all I didn't run away, I just remembered that I had something more important.
Midori... I'm going to keep that name in mind. And next time I'm going to get him back! You can count on that!
XxX
Midori's POV
"D-don't you know who she is?" The idiot book seller asked.
"Of course I do. She's a beastkin that just paid for my book." Hey don't give me that look. It's people like you that discreetly exile her from society and make her awkward. Then again I couldn't really blame them. Humans can do all sorts of nasty stuff when they're jealous.
I continued to stare at her retreating figure. She was undoubtedly a first class adventurer judging from her equipment. Which means my interaction with her will be a beneficial but troublesome one in the future.
Whatever there's no guarantee that we'll meet again anyway. So I better get things done and focus more on my current problems.
Without a care I turned my attention towards the book shop owner.
"Do you have any books about the hero summoning?"