[ This is irritating... ] I muttered as I walk inside the large forest.
That's right...
I'm currently inside a forest I don't know anything about.
This is now the 6th time Diana-san gave me the same kind of job, gathering herbs. I'm tired of it.
This was not the kind of task I was expecting to get when I became an adventurer. I was expecting something more exciting and fun, not this thing where I climb mountains and search inside forests to gather herbs.
While having these thoughts, I looked at the two papers I'm currently holding.
One of those papers is a map while the other one is a drawing of the herb I'm tasked to get.
Looking at the map, it seems like I'm close to my destination.
[ Haah... maybe I should rest for a moment... ]
Saying that, I went to rest under a tree -
I took out one of the sandwiches that Bretta-chan gave me from my bag and eat it.
I got really close with Bretta-chan this week as she always visits my room every time I go back to their inn after doing a task at the guild. And after just a few days, she started to give me some kind of "Bentos" every time I go out.
I think Bretta-chan is a really nice kid.
[ I think she likes me. ] I muttered jokingly.
It's true that there's never a girl who liked me before, but I was especially liked by kids like Bretta-chan.
My grandfather and grandmother always treated me nicely back then so I kind of adapted to it and since then, I treated kids younger than me like how they treated me.
It's a good thing I'm neither a lolicon nor a shotacon... That's right, I will rather choose to kill my self than become one...
***
Meanwhile inside the Moonlight inn ~
[ Achooo!!! ]
[ Bretta, here, wash your nose with this. ]
[ Thanks, mom... ] my daughter, Bretta thanked me with a smile.
[ Ahh... you're always staying at Haruto-kun's room every night... look what's happening to you... try to not stay too long in his room, okay? He might be a lolicon... it's dangerous, okay? ]
I know that Haruto-kun is a nice person, but these days, my daughter is always going to his room and I'm getting a little worried.
[ ...ro-roricon...? What is that mom...? ]
[ ...We-well... it's when... an old man like Haruto-kun, likes young girls like Bretta... that's why try to not stay in his room for too long, okay? ]
[ O-onii-san... li-likes me!? ] Bretta exclaimed with her face red.
[ That's right! He might be dangerous. ]
[ But onii-san's not dangerous. He treats me gently every time. ]
[ Te-treats yo-you gently!? E-every time? ]
Do-don't tell me!?
[ Un. He always tells me amazing stories! ]
[ oh... Is that so? haah... ] I muttered, catching my breath.
[ And he always plays with me! ]
[ Pla-play with you!? ]
Do-don't tell me!?
[ Un. We always play games! ]
[ ...oh... I guess that's fine... ]
[ Un. I really like onii-san! ]
[ oh...? Then I guess it's okay... ]
Haah... Just what is going on inside my head... I'm thinking of weird things to my 7-year-old daughter... She's just a kid...
[ Yuki onii-san! I want us to become like mom and dad! ]
[ ...Eh...? ]
***
[ Achoo!!! Hmm... Maybe someone is talking about me... Maybe it's that pretty girl I met before in my previous world... Well, too bad, I can't be with you anymore. ] I said as I stood up and continued walking.
I'm close to my destination, so even though I feel no excitement in this task, I still felt the sense of fulfillment even just a little.
...
After a while of walking, I finally arrived at my destination... Only that the view I'm currently seeing is not the view I was expecting...
The herb that I'm currently looking at is on top of a large cliff that pretty much looks unclimbable -
[ ...How do I start this...? ]
***
It was already dark the time I got back to the guild.
[ Oh? Haruto-kun? You're back? That was fast... ]
She considers that fast...?
I spent almost half of the day trying to get that herb...!
[ ...Why didn't you tell me that the herb was on top of a cliff...? ]
[ ...Ah... I forgot...? ] she replied, tilting her head.
[ Haah... It's over! any more of this and I'll quit being an adventurer! ] I shouted on top of my lungs.
[ At least give me something other than hunting for herbs! ]
Anything...
[ Ah... It looks like Herb Hunter's already losing it... ]
[ Poor Herb Hunter... ]
[ At this rate, the Herb Hunter, who's the only person who takes the tasks that no one else takes will quit! ]
[ We need to prevent him from quitting whatever it takes! ]
The usual comments of the adventurers behind me are starting to erupt again.
I didn't mind them and continued to complain to Diana-san.
[ Diana-san, please... Other than looking for herbs... ] I muttered with tears in my eyes.
[ Bu-But! You might die if I give you any other tasks! ]
[ ...Die...? Die...? I climbed a cliff higher than the Eiffel Tower! Tell me how I couldn't possibly die from that! ]
[ Eiii!!! ]
[ ...Please! ]
[ ...But...! ]
[ Excuse me, Diana, Haruto-san. ] A secretary-looking lady interrupted.
[ Diana, The assistant guild master is calling you. Haruto-san, he's also asking you to leave the current situation to him. ]
[ ...Is... is that so...? ] I answered calmly.
[ Am I getting fired!? What did I do wrong!? ] Diana-san on the other hand, answered while sweating buckets.
[ Follow me, Diana-san. ]
After that, I returned to normal, and the adventurers behind me also finally stopped teasing me as they also started to do their own business.
[ Ah, by the way, Katherine-sama asked the assistant guild master to give you this. ]
Saying so, she threw a small pouch in my direction.
[ Umm... what is this...? ]
[ That's a Magic Pouch. ]
[ [ Ma-magic pouch!? ] ] The adventurers exclaimed in surprise.
After a second of being stunned and shocked, the adventurers suddenly emitted extreme blood lust that I can feel to my bones.
[ It's a pouch imbued with rare space magic. It can help you store numbers of monsters corpses in it. Normally, only nobles and high ranking adventurers are able to have them, but you're an exception. Katherine-sama said that it's her gift to you. ]
[ This is!? ]
Just how can this small pouch store corpses!?
And if what she said is true... Why the heck Katherine-san would give me something like this!?
As I was thinking that, the blood lusts that are coming from behind me grew even stronger.
I gripped the pouch hard instinctively.
I then looked at the adventurers behind me. Their eyes are red and full of blood lust, like wolves waiting for their prey.
[ Oh, I almost forgot, the assistant guild master has also something to say to the other adventurers... "If I found out that someone stole this pouch, or even kills Haruto, you will pay dearly... including your family..." ]
After saying that, the blood lusts directed towards me instantly disappeared.
[ [ Of course - of course. There's no idiot here that will ever try to do that. ] ] Everyone in the room except me, said in unison.
[ Good. ]
The secretary lady then walked towards the door that I guess leads to the assistant guild master.
After that, everyone in the room became silent again.
Not feeling any danger anymore, I looked at the pouch that she gave at me.
She said this was a gift from Katherine-san.
Really... Katherine-san...
***
Inside the room of the assistant guild master.
[ Now... ]
I'm currently facing the assistant guild master himself.
[ I noticed that you only give Haruto tasks for... "Hunting for herbs." ] with a cold and scary voice, the assistant guild master asked.
[ Ye-yes! ] I answered nervously.
[ Now... why are you doing that...? ] He said as he crossed his legs.
[ I... I - ]
[ Look at me properly when I'm talking with you. ] He said, again with a menacing voice.
I lifted my head slowly... and his appearance was revealed to me.
Just like the appearance of the devils I saw on the many picture books I read as a kid -
He looks evil...
[ I - I'm only giving Haruto-kun Herb Huntings because he might die if I give him any other tasks and Katherine-sama might scold me if he dies...! ]
That's right, Haruto-kun is Katherine-sama's friend. I can't allow him to die.
[ Is that so...? ]
[ ...Am I... Am I going to get fired...!? ] I asked nervously.
[ Oh, no - no, you get a second chance. ]
[ Really? ]
[ Of course, you're actually one of the people I consider close to my cousin... that is lowering my judgment to the lowest... ]
[ I-is that so...? ]
Even though I never considered Katherine-sama as someone I can be friends with...
[ I just want to ask you to avoid giving him those kinds of tasks ever again... ]
[ Then... Then what am I suppose to give him...? ]
[ Hmm... give him the proper ones for his rank. ]
[ ...I think I can at least do that... ]
[ Yes... and If so... It would please me if you give him something that could kill him. ]
[ ...Assistant guild master...? ]
Hearing his scary words, I looked at his face one more time.
His eyes, just like his hair and his clothes... turned pure red...
[ Please... You know my name, right? call me Derrick. ]