It was already dusk when we left the shop, and the stores in the shopping district are preparing to close their shops.
I was supposed to go home with my dad, but no, I don't want to.
Another reason is that he said that the adults are having a meeting outside town tonight.
Not that I care but it seems like I have to make dinner tonight.
After leaving the shopping district, me, Alex, and Haruko went on our separate ways.
I decided to go straight home, to my room, and retire early in my bed that's waiting for me to return.
That's right, instead of wasting ingredients, I'll just go to bed. We have school tomorrow, so I need to wake up early. Nothing I can do about it.
I sighed as I thought that and looked in the distance then I –
"Don't let it get away! Chase it down and kill it!"
"Got it!"
– Saw some adventurers swinging their swords and chasing a lizard, that is about the size of a grown dog.
More adventurers! To think that I would meet a lot of them in just one day, is today my final day?
I stood there and watched the three adventurers cornering the lizard.
Lizards, they're harmless to humans, but they devour our livestock that are smaller than them, just like frogs.
They settle in forests, and in dark places, and also it cooks well so it's also source of food for adventurers when camping at night, and since they're harmless to humans even my friends chase them around when they see one.
Except for me.
Those sneaky, speedy, agile-legged creatures, I hate them the most.
It makes no expression, makes sudden movements, and just having one pass me by can give me a heart attack.
There was that one time when I was in the school's comfort room, I heard a splat outside, and just when I was about to go out of the toilet that thing was guarding the door and was staring back at me with its sharp pupils.
When I took a step back and it started to suddenly move forward with that fast-stepping sound, surprising me I tried to turn away from it, but it tried to chase me inside the comfort room.
After that, the restroom exploded because of me using magic.
That incident back then traumatized me. Even since then, I started using nightlights.
Just thinking about it makes me tremble in horror.
I don't want anything to do with that thing.
Also, I've been seeing adventurers a lot today, I wonder why.
Could there be a quest that takes place in town?
In addition to that, I heard that monsters have started appearing near the town.
I'd better go home before something unexpected happens.
"Ah, hey, kid! Out of the way!"
Just when I started walking, one of the three adventurers wearing heavy armor, who was chasing the lizard, called out to me.
I turned to look in their direction and to my surprise, saw the adventurers and –
"W-W-What?! Hiii!!!"
– And the lizard running towards me, reminding me of my past experience, I shrieked in surprise when my eyes met with the lizard's, which is giving me the shivers with those fast-crawling movements and eyes as if glaring at a prey on sight.
Scared by the lizard, I started to run in order to get out of its way, but, for some reason, it changed its course and followed behind me.
"Iyaa!! Help! It's following me! A lizard is following me!!"
I started screaming for help but there was no one in the area except for me and the adventurers chasing the lizard.
Even though they're shouting something, I don't have the time to listen, so I just ignored them.
There I was the roadway, running for my life, and back to the riverside where I practice my magic.
Knowing that the roadside was grassy, I made a jump to the side.
Rolling down the downward slope the riverside, I saw the lizard continued on its path.
Still feeling the adrenaline rush, my heart was pounding hard, and I couldn't stop breathing heavily.
Why is this happening to me…?
One of the adventurers came come down the slope and ran towards me who was sprawled down on the ground.
"Kid, you alright?!"
"Y-Y-Yes, Yessir!!"
I sprung my upper body up and sat on my bottom.
This one was wearing light armor and has a dagger in his waist.
"That's good. It's already this late, what are you doing outside, kid?"
"I was about to go home, sir, but then that lizard…"
"I see. That can't be helped then. A lot of dragon-type monsters are appearing near the town recently, and to think that even lizard from the forest came here, if left alone they might eat the farmers' livestock."
"Oi!"
Hearing someone shouting, we followed the direction of the voice and saw the other adventurers still chasing it around, the lizard that was heading our way, and with two other friends.
"There's more of them!!"
"Hmm? They're just lizards, you don't have to be that scared."
They're lizards, that's enough reason for me to be scared.
"Those creatures like to chase people that are easily startled, maybe that's why it's targeting you. Just stay here for a bit, okay?"
"Yessir!"
The man stood up and took out his dagger, chanted a skill and charged forward with swift movements.
Whoa! A thief skill! Cool! …If he has a skill like that then why didn't he use it earlier?
But then again, they're adventurers, it must've been on purpose.
I observed the movements he made since I couldn't take my eyes off him.
I clenched my fist and couldn't help but be filled with anticipation.
"Take this! Eargh–!!?"
Unexpectedly, just when he was about to slice up the first lizard, he tripped on the rock I landed on earlier and stumbled on the other adventurers in front of him with his inertia.
Eh!? What happened? Did he just trip?! This isn't time for comedic act!
As questions formed in my head, the lizards continued to run my way agilely.
Terrified by the sight in front, I…
"Guah!! Arcanite Blast!!"
– Out of terror, chanted my magic and released it at the lizards' way regardless of the distance, thus resulted in getting blown away by the powerful winds made by the blast.