Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 4 Page 4

  “I’d be happy if it has.”

  “Happy? Do you mean to tell me you would not mind the man you love getting intimate with another girl?”

  “She’s not just another girl. It’s only because it’s Shea.” Yue went back to window-shopping as she responded.

  “At first she was all over Hajime. It was annoying seeing her try to seduce him so brazenly. But after being with her for so long, I understand.”

  “Understand what?”

  “...Hm. That that girl is always serious. She’s always doing her best. Both for the things she holds dear, and for the people she loves. For better or worse, she always charges straight ahead.”

  “I see. After watching her, I can certainly understand that. So what, you were moved by her sincerity?” Tio had only been with the group a short time, but even she smiled as she thought back on Shea’s antics. Despite the suffering she’d endured because she was born different, she never stopped smiling. The always cheerful bunny girl naturally put smiles on everyone else’s face.

  Due to her youth, she still made a lot of mistakes and had a lot of flaws, but even Tio was charmed by how she always tried her hardest. However, that seemed too flimsy an excuse for Yue to let her one and only lover on a date with another girl. And so, Tio felt the need to confirm whether that was really the only reason Yue had allowed it.

  “That’s half of the reason.”

  “Half, you say? Then what was the other half?”

  Yue’s lips curled up into a smile, something rare for her.

  “Shea loves me too. About as much as she loves Hajime. Perhaps in a different way, but still the same amount. Don’t you think that’s cute?”

  “I understand now. That girl needs both you and Master. Not many would be willing to deny such a pure request. I suppose that sincerity is one of her virtues. I see... Well, now I understand the depths of your feelings for Shea. But what about Master? Are you not worried she might steal his heart away? Surely you know better than anyone how alluring she can be.” Yue shrugged her shoulders, as if such a thing was impossible. Her smile suddenly turned seductive. She closed her eyes and licked her lips, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.

  The aura of mature sexiness that surrounded her was at odds with her small body. Men and women alike turned to stare at her. Thanks to that there were a few collisions as pedestrians ran into each other. Yue’s charm was enough to overshadow even Tio, who had curves in all the right places. Tio suddenly recalled the sight she had witnessed last night, and shuddered.

  Unaware of the carnage she was causing, or perhaps aware and simply ignoring it, Yue replied.

  “I want Hajime to have more people who are important to him. But... I’m the only one who will be special to him. If anyone thinks they can take that position, they’re welcome to try. I’ll take on any challenge, from anyone, at any time, in any place.”

  “Try it if you dare,” Yue’s smile seemed to say. Because she was usually so inexpressive, the impact was multiplied. Tio took an involuntary step backward. Realizing just how much Yue’s smile had scared her, she smiled bitterly and raised her hands in surrender.

  “Do not worry... I have no intention of picking a fight with you. So long as Master continues to debase me, I am content.”

  “Pervert.” However, Yue’s disgusted tone only made Tio happier.

  Yue understood that Tio’s initial question had stemmed for a desire to get to know them all better, which was why despite her exasperation with Tio’s perverted behavior, Yue knew she would get along just fine with everyone.

  The two of them grew a little closer thanks to that exchange, and they continued walking amicably down the street together.

  “Guh!”

  “Pugyaaa!”

  A nearby wall was blown to pieces, and two men came hurtling out of the hole. The two of them screamed as they skid across the ground. They came to a stop a few meters from the wall. Neither of them were even twitching. They looked like corpses... In fact, they were corpses now.

  The window of the same building shattered, and a few more men came whizzing out of it like pinballs. Sounds of destruction could be heard coming from inside the building. Every few seconds it would shake, and more cracks would appear on the walls.

  A couple dozen more men were flung out of the building, their limbs splayed out at unnatural angles as they landed. Some of them were in too hideous a state to accurately describe. Finally, the building could take no more, and it collapsed with a loud boom.

  Screaming, the onlookers fled as fast as their feet would take them. Yue and Tio recognized a familiar presence and looked over at the rubble with a sigh.

  “Ah, so it was you two after all...”

  “Huh? Yue-san and Tio-san? What are you doing here?”

  “That’s my line. This is a bit much for a date.”

  “Indeed. So, Master, what kind of trouble did you get yourself wrapped up in this time?” As they had expected, Shea and Hajime emerged from the ruins of what had until recently been a building. The two of them were still dressed the same way they’d been when they’d left for the date, their weapons sitting comfortably in their hands. It was quite a surreal sight, a bunny girl in a cute one piece dress holding a warhammer over her shoulder.

  “Ahaha, I didn’t think our date would go like this either, but... Well, one thing led to another and we ended up destroying an underground slavery ring.”

  “How did things lead to you fighting a slavery ring?” Yue sighed again. Shea smiled weakly. Tio looked over at Hajime, silently demanding an explanation.

  “Well, I’m glad we ran into you guys. We’re short on hands. I’ll explain everything on the way, so mind helping out?” Hajime holstered Donner and started flinging the unconscious men on top of the rubble heap. He didn’t want them blocking the streets. He didn’t even look at them as he threw them, and began explaining what had happened.

  They’d gone for lunch after the aquarium. Once they’d finished eating they’d decided to walk through some of the botanical gardens and maybe see some street performers. Shea’s hands were full of the various food she’d bought from different stalls. At the time she’d been devouring a vanilla ice cream bar...

  “You sure can eat... Is it really that good?”

  “Haumf... Yes! It’s delicious. Fuhren’s amazing. Even the food stalls have food this good.”

  “If you eat too much, you’ll get fat.”

  “Hajime-san, that’s the one thing you can’t say to a girl.” Shea stopped eating for a second, but then muttered something lightly.

  “I’ll exercise later... and cut down a bit tomorrow...” Then, she resumed her quest to eat through every sweet Fuhren had to offer. Hajime smiled as he watched her chow down. However, suddenly, his expression transformed into one of confusion, and he looked down at his feet.

  Shea cocked her head quizzically at him.

  “What’s wrong, Hajime-san?”

  “Hm? Oh, my Sense Perception just went off...”

  “Why were you even using that skill?”

  “It’s good training, and I usually use it constantly.”

  “Okay? But what’s so special about sensing someone? There’s people everywhere right now...” Shea gestured around her.

  “That’s not exactly what I mean... I sensed someone below us.”

  “Below? Aren’t the sewers below us? Maybe someone’s doing some work on them right now?”

  “I wouldn’t have paid any attention if it was just that. But this presence is really small. Plus, it feels weak... I think it’s a kid. A really hurt kid.”

  “Wha—!? Th-That’s terrible! What if they accidentally fell in and are being swept away by the water!? Hajime-san, let’s chase after them! Where’d you sense them?” Once Hajime told her the direction, Shea dashed off.

  Hajime had been trying to live a life that in Aiko’s terms was “less lonely,” but in the end it was still Shea who acted first. He couldn’t help but smile wryly to himself.
Her cheerful and straightforward attitude had started rubbing off on him a little, or so it seemed.

  Together with Shea, Hajime tried to pinpoint the location of the rapidly moving child. They realized they were being carried by the current toward the sewer channel that ran beneath the street they were on. They dashed forward ahead of the presence and Hajime pressed his hands to the ground. Red sparks sputtered from his hands and in seconds there was a hole in the street.

  Without hesitation, they both leaped into the hole. Hajime grabbed hold of Shea and used Aerodynamic to leap to one of the walkways that snaked alongside each side of the tunnel. He had no intention of falling into the foul-smelling sewer sludge.

  “Hajime-san, I can sense it too now. I’ll jump in and rescue whoever it is!”

  “Don’t worry, you won’t have to do that.” Shea didn’t hesitate to leap forward, even though it would have gotten her precious date clothes dirty. However, Hajime grabbed her by the collar and held her back. He once again placed his hands on the ground and transmuted it.

  A latticework of clay rose up from the bottom of the sewer. Hajime tilted the makeshift net and scooped up the child that was being washed down the sewer. Then, he carefully rolled them closer to where he was standing. Finally, he shot out his left arm, grabbed the child, and reeled them in.

  “This girl’s...”

  “She’s still breathing. Let’s get out of here first. It smells disgusting.” Shea’s eyes opened wide as she saw the girl Hajime had pulled in. Hajime was pretty surprised as well. Even with his limited knowledge of this world, he was certain someone like her wasn’t supposed to be in a city like this. However, considering where they were, it really wasn’t the time to worry about that. The unhygienic conditions were bad for them both physically and mentally.

  Considering who she was, Hajime doubted she’d fallen in here by accident. He wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to bring her up into the open street, so he closed the earlier hole he’d made and transmuted a new one into the wall. Then, he used his knowledge of the nearby layout to map out a new path. After that, he pulled a blanket out of his Treasure Trove and wrapped it around the girl.

  Red sparks flared in a small back alley, and suddenly a hole appeared in the ground. Out of it appeared Shea and Hajime. He closed the hole behind him and took a proper look at the girl they had rescued.

  She had long, emerald-green hair. Her adorable features shone through the dirt and shit that was caked on her face. From the looks of it, she couldn’t have been more than three or four years old.

  However, her most striking feature, the one that had surprised Hajime and Shea, were her ears. Instead of human ears, two fan-shaped fins sprouted from the sides of her head. Furthermore, Hajime could see thin webbing on the tiny red hand that poked out of the blanket.

  “This girl’s a dagon. What’s she doing here?”

  “Well, whatever the reason is, it’s probably not good.”

  Dagons were a unique race among the beastmen. They lived in the coastal city of Erisen, which was to the west of the continent, past even the massive Gruen Desert. Thanks to their racial traits, they were well suited to the water. So much so that they provided seventy percent of the continent’s marine produce. It was thanks to their usefulness that the Heiligh Kingdom guaranteed their safety, despite the fact that they were beastmen. The kingdom’s opportunism knew no bounds. Even as they discriminated against the other races, they protected any that were useful to them.

  It seemed impossible that a dagon child would be in one of the largest cities on the continent, and even more impossible that they’d find her in the sewers of all places. The whole affair reeked of shady dealings at work.

  As Hajime and Shea looked at each other, unsure of what to do, the little girl’s nose twitched, and she opened her eyes.

  She looked around in confusion for a little bit before finally settling her large round pupils on Hajime. She stared silently at him.

  Unable to look away, Hajime stared back. Seconds passed. Seconds turned into minutes. And the minutes continued stretching on.

  “What the heck are you two doing?” Shea’s exasperated interjection shattered the strange tension that had formed around them, and the girl’s stomach gurgled. Her nose twitched again and this time her eyes locked on to the food Shea still had wrapped up in her hands.

  Shea tilted her head and pulled out a meat skewer. She slowly waved it from right to left, and the girl’s gaze followed it like a magnet. She was clearly hungry. Hajime stopped her before she could unwrap the skewer and started transmuting.

  “So, what’s your name?” She shrank back as red sparks filled the air and the ground rose up to make a small box. The skewer was no longer the center of her attention. After a moment of hesitation, she quietly whispered her name.

  “Myu.”

  “I see. I’m Hajime, and that’s Shea. Anyway, Myu, before you can eat that, we have to clean you up first.” Hajime took some clean water out of the Treasure Trove and poured it into his makeshift bathtub, then heated some flamrock under the tub to warm it, finishing off his impromptu bath. He didn’t think it would be healthy even for a dagon to eat with hands caked in sewer sludge. As she’d probably swallowed some earlier when she was being washed away, he’d probably need to give her some antibiotics as well.

  Without even giving her time to reply, Hajime stripped off her dirty clothes and plopped her into the bath. Myu let out a terrified squeal, but after she realized the warm water actually felt pleasant, she slowly relaxed.

  Hajime handed Shea a towel, some medicine, and a bar of soap. He left her to bathe Myu while he went out to purchase new clothes for her.

  When he returned, he found Myu hugging Shea, a blanket wrapped around her body. It seemed she’d already finished her bath. Shea was in the process of feeding her the meat skewer. Myu’s small mouth worked furiously to chew the large chunks. Her hair had regained its original luster, and she looked like a tiny angel surrounded in a halo of emerald green.

  “Ah, Hajime-san. Welcome back. I’m not a doctor, but it looks like Myu-chan’s doing fine.” Shea stroked Myu’s damp hair as she reported to Hajime. Still chewing on the meat, Myu turned back to stare at Hajime again. It looked like she was trying to decide whether Hajime was a good or bad person.

  Hajime nodded and pulled out the clothes he’d bought. It was a small white one-piece, similar in design to Shea’s. He’d also gotten her a pair of gladiator sandals and some basic underwear. Even though it had been for a kid, Hajime could feel the clerk’s eyes boring into him when he went to buy them.

  Hajime gently pulled the blanket off her and pulled the dress over her head. Of course, he helped her put the underwear on as well. Then, he knelt down and slipped the sandals onto her feet.

  Once that was finished he pulled out one of his artifacts that could blow hot air, a hair dryer basically, out of his Treasure Trove and started drying Myu’s hair. At first Myu just silently watched Hajime, but as the hot air hit her back, she let out a cute squeal and smiled a little.

  “I didn’t realize you were so good at looking after people, Hajime-san.”

  “Where’d that come from?” Hajime furrowed his brows, but it was obvious from the way he was drying Myu’s hair that Shea was right. She grinned pointedly at him. Realizing he couldn’t deny it, Hajime quickly changed the subject.

  “Anyway, we need to think about what to do next...”

  “You mean about Myu-chan, right...” Realizing they were talking about her, Myu shifted her gaze between the two of them. They decided to first figure out what was going on with her.

  Myu haltingly told them everything, after a lot of prodding. It was more or less what Hajime had already guessed. One day, while she’d been swimming, she’d gotten separated from her mother and had ended up being captured by humans.

  After a grueling journey through the desert, Myu had been taken to Fuhren and locked up in a dark cell somewhere. Apparently there’d been other human children
in the cells next to her. Then, after a few days, a few of the children were taken away each morning. None of them ever came back. She overheard that one of the older boys had been shown off to a bunch of people before being sold to someone.

  It was meant to be her turn today, but the door to the sewers had been left open. Probably because someone had gone in to maintain it and forgotten to close the door. Regardless, the sound of rushing water had called to Myu, and she’d jumped in.

  It was a blessing that they hadn’t shackled her. They had probably figured a young child like her couldn’t have done much anyway. Anyway, thanks to that, Myu was able to swim. She did her best not to gag at the terrible smell and started paddling. Though she was young, she was a dagon. Nobody on foot could have hoped to catch her, especially as she was swimming with the current.

  However, the stress of the kidnapping, the terrible journey, and the inadequate food she’d been given finally caught up to her. Swimming through a city’s worth of human waste was impossible for her in her weakened condition.

  She’d blacked out and when she next awoke, she had been in Hajime’s arms.

  “Shown off and then sold, huh? Sounds like an auction. And if they’re selling dagon and human children too, it’s clearly an illegal one.”

  “Hajime-san, what should we do?” Shea hugged Myu tight. It was obvious from her expression that she wanted to do something for the poor girl. The fear of being captured and sold off as a slave was one beastmen were well accustomed to. Shea had watched many of her family members get captured, so she knew just how much it hurt.

  And yet, Hajime simply shook his head.

  “It would be better to leave her to the safety department.”

  “You can’t! You’re going to just abandon her and all those other kids?” Shea cried out vehemently. She looked at Hajime in shock, as if she’d just been betrayed.

  The safety department Hajime was referring to was the fantasy world equivalent of the police. Placing her in the care of a public institution like that would mean that her fate was completely out of their hands. It wasn’t exactly the same as abandoning her, and it was, in fact, the normal procedure for when someone found a lost child, but considering the situation, Shea’s feelings were understandable as well.