𝗛𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝘁ō
"Ughhh, It's morning..." I woke up, a bit worse for wear as my eyes began to hurt.
"Even in another world, I still despise morning..." A day has passed, ever since Alice postponed our lessons.
"It's not your business, Himura, it's hers," I said in Japanese.
"What are you saying Himura?" Astoria asked as she wore her boots.
"Oh morning, Astoria," I said and Astoria tilts her head in confusion.
"Now that I think about it, what kind of language are you speaking anyway?" As she asked, I grabbed my notepad and pencil from the pocket of my jacket and started writing. "Japanese." I wrote.
"Jeiacpeinieise? What is that?" She asked, even more confused.
'Goddammit, I should have known it's pronounced differently in this world' I thought to myself so I decided to just change the subject. "Good enough, Breakfast?"
"Oh sure, I just woke up too." She stands up and double-checked the small pouch on her waist.
"More early than usual," I commented.
"Hey, it's because of that Alice girl alright? we can't go on harder quests because of your lessons, But in these three days, we will be able to take a quest that's more difficult and you'll be needing the money as well!" Saying that Astoria tries to pressure me by looking at me.
I raised my hands, giving up and we headed downstairs for breakfast. 'Now that I think about it, I should really start saving up for some sort of home.' I thought to myself. 'Not that I'm sick of sleeping in the adventurers guild, I just don't like sleeping in a place that I don't own.'
'Another reason why I left home and why I rented an apartment.' My mind pauses.
'Home.....I wonder how Tanaka is doing? hopefully, she wasn't too sad about my death.' I thought but I soon berated myself. 'Damn, I really have been thinking of myself highly, Tanaka is only a clubmate.' I finished his food, slightly pissed at myself for even thinking of myself that highly but my anger quickly dissipates when I see a familiar receptionist he met on the first day in the adventurers guild.
Recalling it, I remember that she called herself Lin. "Morning, Miss Lin." I wrote as I approached her. "Ah good morning, Mr. Note. What can I do for you?" She asked.
"You can just call me Himura, by the way, is it a good time to change my information, my name specifically?" I asked.
"Oh yes, I heard from Astoria that you are able to write now. As for changing your information, I guess I can do it." She said before adding. "Your adventurer file can also serve as your ID, I'll give you a copy so you can have an easier time going into a city and stuff."
"Thank you miss Lin and sorry for the trouble, I know it isn't your shift yet." I thanked her genuinely since she was the only one that I know who can do so.
"Oh it's fine, and just call me Lin, I don't really like being referred to that way." She asked and I, of course, complied "Of course."
Lin goes to the back door and after some time comes back with a single sheet of paper. "Unfortunately, we wrote your info in ink so you have to write all the information again." As Lin instructed, I started writing my information on the sheet of paper, saving my name last.
'Wait...how do you write the "ō" in satō in this world? Well, whatever, it's not like anything will change if I just write it with a normal "o"', Besides, I never existed in this world meaning my family's name, doesn't exist here.'
"I see, your full name is Himura Sato huh?" She spoke in wonder.
"Yes, is there a problem?" I asked, my heart beating slightly faster. "It's nothing, it's just that it's very rare to have such a name, I've never even heard of it." She spoke and I can feel my heart quickly becoming calm as I write. "I see, well it's fine, I'll see you later, Lin"
"Yes you too, have a good morning!" Saying my goodbye, I went back to my seat and waited.
"So any quest you want?" She asked as we looked at the quest-filled billboard with the other adventurers.
"I'll follow what you want, Astoria." I wrote naturally and in response, she complained about my attitude playfully. "Hmmm, that's no good Himura, you should pick the quest you want too, not just what I want."
"Yes, anyway, what quest do you want to do?" I said, immediately changing the subject.
"....How about this then?" Astoria shows a piece of paper from the board to me.
INFORMATION:
Mintrel forest has been spotted to have a nest of possessed White vipers.
Authorities have concluded that the one who summoned them was a darkin follower.
Reasons for summoning or possessing them are still unknown.
Authorities recommend bringing a priest with you.
Rewards:
3 gold and 50 silver
"White vipers?" I tilt my head, confused.
"They're pretty much just a bigger snake," Astoria said, sensing what I was thinking.
"I see," I wrote. 'I can't handle snakes well but I have no choice' My stomach churned just by thinking about it so I ask Astoria a question. "How are we getting a priest though?"
"Oh? have you not heard of the church of Hu, It's literally the biggest religion in all of Hellken." She said, quite surprised.
"Nope," I wrote.
"Well-" She began to explain a brief summary of it.
The religion that worships Hu is the biggest in the entire continent of Hellken, where Bellken is also at.
The god known as Hu was a god of all things foreign and unknown to this world, It is said Hu was the one who brought the most foreign thing in this world, mana.
But that matter is only a myth, the other religions also claimed that their god brought mana to this world. 'Mana is really important in this world huh? I guess they wouldn't be able to have technologies like in my world because of magic, distracting them from that drive.'
"Yosh, let's go get out priest, I've been wanting a new member!" Astoria said excitedly then a voice interrupts her. "Uh umm..."
"Hmm?" We both look at the source of the voice.
"I think I can help you with purifying and stuff." A brunette woman declared, looking at us with expectation. I only waited for Astoria's decision while Astoria merely smiled and declared. "I see well we appreciate the offer, welcome to the team!"
"Thank you for the help." I wrote on my notepad.
"Don't worry about it." The brunette woman replied with a troubled smile.
Mintrel forest was a haunted yet lush forest. It is said that this forest became haunted ever since hundreds of souls of hunters here were killed in an ambush.
"This place is strangely healthy for a hunted forest," I said, cautiously.
"Don't worry, with Freya here we won't be getting haunted." Freya, getting a better look at her, she is quite built than your average woman and her entire staff was made of steel, with a few places roughed up.
'A solo priest...I wonder what her circumstances are?' I wonder as I stare at her.
"Hm? Something wrong Mr. Himura?" She asked and I quickly averted my gaze and wrote on my notepad.
"Don't call me that, just Himura," I said, changing the subject. "Oh sure."
Before even arriving at the site, Astoria, Freya and I already spotted the possessed vipers.
Astoria's brief explanation said that possessed vipers are mindless since the summoner, who wasn't even near them has not given them any instructions to them however summoning magic only makes the summoned creature follow you not controlled meaning they will still be able to put up a fight due to their survival instinct.
As for the vipers themselves, they have the appearance of a white snake as large as someone's arm. "I'm pretty sure that's all of them so here's what I'm gonna do. I will charge in there and-" She suggested another bad idea and I quickly shut it down. "No."
"Why not?" She complained.
"You have a bow, and you'll be fighting alone when you jump them all, you'll definitely get hurt," I said in the most logical way since I'm definitely joining her.
"That's not gonna happen, we have a priest for a reason!" As she said that, both Astoria and I looked at Freya for confirmation.
"Actually I can't heal." She said with a shameful face.
""But you're a priest."" We both said, confused.
"No, I actually lack any ability to cast magic so all I can do is transfer my mana." She said in a lowered voice.
"Huh?" Astoria spoke, surprised and I too wrote frantically. "B̶u̶t̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶a̶ ̶p̶r̶i̶e̶s̶t̶"̶ wait wat?"
Freya looks down shamefully.
"The only thing I'm good at is purifying and transferring my mana, I'm sorry for-"
"Well that sucks, I don't really have much offensive magic so we can't use her as a walking mana potion," Astoria spoke with her fingers on her chin.
"Huh?" Freya let out a voice of confusion.
"Calling her a walking mana potion is a bit rude but yes I agree, I can't even speak common yet so of course, I can't speak arcanum. But also, you can't rush them since we don't have a healer." I wrote, reminding her to not rush at them.
"But-" Before Astoria and Freya could speak another word, 15 Possessed vipers rushed the group and appeared before us.
The two elves, Freya and Astoria quickly noticed them and dashed back while I used my reaction time to dodge to my left, a bit surprised.
It seems that we've been too focused on their pre-planning to notice our surroundings.
Astoria readies his bow and quickly rushed to them ignoring what I said earlier. 'I should have expected this, she never listens to me but nothing I can do now.'
After killing one of the vipers, the other 13 quickly chased her to an open area. The other one was stabbed by Freya's staff.
With my twin blades unsheathed, we quickly join Astoria who was fighting them alone.
Astoria was surrounded by another 7 snakes but she was swiftly dodging them all. As for Freya and I. Freya was actively trying to support Astoria while I was protecting the back line.
Suddenly the remaining 56 surrounded them but had not approached them. Astoria noticing my hesitation quickly told him.
"I don't know if they are poisonous but some have adult vipers and also their fangs are just insanely sharp, so be careful."
'That doesn't make me feel better!' I wanted to retort but with only a nod, charged at the 63 vipers surrounding them.
For the past week, Astoria has been sometimes calling me "The backline warrior" because of me actively trying to not clash swords with anyone. Although she was right on the mark on why I keep trying to dodge first, I still hated it. Is it because of the nickname? or the fact that I was so cowardly that an archer always takes the frontline?
Who knows? but right now that barely matters, I had to get through this chore of getting out alive first.