99 – Afterword – Waltz for a Happy Ending (5)
***
“What is your name?”
“Floor. You?”
“It’s Natalie. It’s a pity that the pay is reduced, but let’s do better as partners.”
The two of them had left the city and were on their way to a hunting ground.
Natalie was brave and full of energy.
“Leave the strong guy to me! Because I’ll destroy them all! haha! Come on!”
She laughed at what was fun.
Maru looked at it and made a happy expression like a father’s smile.
‘Pure. I like that it’s bright.’
Now that the words have been spoken, the only thing left to do is to ingratiate yourself.
It would have been easier if there was a magic word, but unfortunately, future Natalie died at an early age, so I couldn’t leave a magic word behind.
So, I have to go step by step.
If you keep doing her favors, she’ll notice.
“How are you going to Nabaram Valley? Do you know the way?”
“Oh, I know! Follow me! But Maru! When did Barantos come?”
“This morning.”
“Somehow, I saw it for the first time. It looks different from us. Where is your hometown?”
“The Raiskan Daria Empire. far from here.”
“Five! I know there! Were you there? It’s a kingdom founded by the famous hero Alexia in the past!”
“It doesn’t.”
After giving a rough answer, Maru turned around.
It was too early to reveal his identity.
The first hunt she wanted to go on without knowing anything about herself.
“The two-handed sword is great. Are they made of steel?”
“uh! kill?”
Natalie pulled out the two-handed sword she was wearing on her back and proudly displayed it.
“It tastes good when used in large chunks.”
“Isn’t it heavy?”
“In the past, I almost died from numbness in my arms after listening to it for an hour, but now I’m used to it and it’s okay.”
She glanced at Maru’s back.
“What are two one-handed axes that the man is timid about? If you’re a man, like me, you should use a two-handed sword!”
As we talked, we arrived at our destination in no time.
The given quest was to kill a group of skeletons.
Half a year ago, one of the corps was massacred by bandits here, and the corpses became undead and killed passing travelers, causing trouble.
“Looks like this.”
“huh! Who knows if you pretend to be dead!”
In the middle of a valley where a dreary mist flows even in broad daylight.
Broken wagons covered with moss and mushrooms were visible here and there.
Skeletons were strewn about on the floor around them.
“First of all, let’s sprinkle holy water as the mercenary guild said.”
“In case you don’t know, I’ll pull out my sword and watch!”
Natalie’s eyes sharpened.
She held the two-handed sword with both hands and was wary of her surroundings, and Maru took a bottle of holy water from her waist bag and opened the lid.
The moment I went to the skull and tried to spray it, the bones suddenly started moving with a rattling noise.
“I knew it would be like this! Floor! Stay behind me!”
The fragmented bones align themselves and the skeletons stand up.
There were as many as 30 of them.
Natalie was busy rolling her eyes and making a nervous expression, and Maru was calm.
“These children! See us surrounded! Don’t worry, I’ll break through!”
“Natalie, wait.”
“yes?”
Maru calmly took out two axes from his back.
He held one in each hand.
‘I think it’ll be just a skill shot.’
Maru is a strong warrior.
I was thinking of taking it all alone, but I soon changed my mind and ate it.
Currently, Natalie is a fledgling warrior.
I needed to hone my skills.
“not. start.”
“okay! Goes!”
Natalie jumped out quickly.
Immediately, the huge sword swung and began to smash the skeleton group coolly.
However, they became skeletons again as the bone fragments scattered on the broken floor moved alive.
Then, Maru gave up the idea of attacking and started spraying holy water.
Every time Natalie knocked them down, she quickly followed them and sprinkled them with holy water.
The bones hit by the holy water melted with smoke.
It took about 30 minutes to defeat the group of skeletons like that.
After the hunt, the two sat side by side and chatted.
“Floor! you did well It suits me very well.”
Of course.
i know your style
Anyway, it took longer to chat than the time to catch the skeleton.
After chatting for about an hour, it was lunch time before I knew it.
“Oh, I am hungry. When are you going to walk to the city?”
“Shall I cook for you?”
“Can you cook?”
“As long as you have the ingredients, it will be quick.”
Maru got up from his seat and blew a whistle.
A bird chirped overhead, and soon a griffon appeared.
Natalie’s eyes widened as the griffon came down to the ground and acted cute to Maru.
“OMG… griffon! I saw a griffon! Is this yours?”
“yes. Let’s see… What was in the food bag?”
“Were you rich?! Nonsense! You’re dragging a griffon! You’re different from a kid like me!”
While Natalie was talking about surprise, Maru steadily lit two bonfires, poured water into a pot, and poured various vegetables.
Put the dried fish in a pot and boil the soup, and the plausible fish stew was completed.
At another bonfire, white rice was cooked to taste, and steam rose.
Mealtime soon followed.
Natalie took a big sip and shuddered with joy.
“Wow! awesome! It’s so delicious that it drives me crazy!”
“Eat slowly.”
“yes!”
Natalie ate three bowls of rice on the spot, saying that this was her first time cooking such a delicious dish.
“Really delicious! Try eating rice for the first time! The fish and rice are all to my liking!”
Of course.
It’s your favorite food.
“happy! I wish it was like this every day!”
Natalie was in a good mood and talked nonstop the whole way back.
They asked me all sorts of questions, like where are you staying at the dorm, what are you going to do tomorrow, do you have a boyfriend?
To him, Maru said that he was looking for a place to stay and that he was not sure about tomorrow’s schedule.
“I don’t have a lover.”
“That, is it? Then it’s okay if you go with me… ”
Why are you suddenly blushing?
Were you a gold digger?
He was such a gold digger.
I just rolled my body at any man.
Anyway, that was when I entered the city.
Natalie took Maru to a dark alley, saying that she would give her a good tour.
“Shh. come here.”
She peeked through a window in the wall of the building.
“Ha, I am doing it today. Hehe… ”
“What is it?”
When I got closer and looked through the window, I saw that a man and a woman were doing it in the room.
A groan flowed out.
Natalie stared at me with a grimace on her face.
“Hey… You’re doing well, man… Hehehe… ”
Oops.
Come to think of it, Natalie had a lot of sex drive.
I asked quietly.
“Are you always spying here?”
“I came to show you… I come sometimes… Hehe… ”
excuse me.
Wipe the drool off your chin and lie.
More at noblemtl
Just look at it and see if you come here often.
Her dazed gaze continued to peer into the room.
“But isn’t this a normal house?”
“This area is a brothel. Floor… You slept with a girl… ? Do you feel good doing that? would be nice Are you there because it’s good? hehe… ”
“You haven’t tried it?”
“yes… yet. I want to try it. Hehehe.”
“If you get a boyfriend later, you’ll be happy.”
“Is there a man who would like a girl like me who can’t cook and has a manly body… ?”
“There must be at least one person in this wide world.”
Maru lowered his gaze and smiled.
“Ah, I guess it’s over.”
Natalie licked her lips and finally looked away.
“Sup.”
After wiping her saliva with the back of her hand, she looked at the floor.
To be precise, after looking down at his lower body, he smacked his lips again.
“Hey… there. Ooh, we too… ”
“let’s go.”
She tried to say something, but Maru quickly turned around and left the alley.
After that, he went to the mercenary guild to get paid and broke up with her.
Natalie seemed to want to be with her more, but no matter how she looked at it, she seemed to have an impure intention, so she left quickly, saying that Maru was busy.
the next morning.
Maru was sitting on a chair in the lobby of the Mercenary Guild today.
An employee came over and handed me a cup of tea, and I was drinking it while I was waiting for Natalie.
Yesterday, when he registered for the mercenary guild, he secretly revealed that he was a warrior, so the staff knew that Maru was a warrior.
That’s why I greeted them well and the hospitality was good.
daughter and daughter.
The door opened and Natalie entered.
Instead of immediately heading to the staff, she hurriedly looked around the lobby.
After finding Maru who was distracted, he ran to him with joy.
“Floor!”
“Uh, Natalie. good morning.”
“I-over there… !”
She scratched her head and made an embarrassed expression.
“Oh, what are you doing today? Wanna go hunting with me again… ?”
“hunt? Well… ”
Maru deliberately took a break.
Natalie gulps.
“Is that so? okay.”
Her expression suddenly brightened.
“Oh, thank you! Let’s catch the stronger one today!”
From that day on, Maru went hunting with Natalie every day and gradually built up a friendship.
At the same time, he did not spare any help, pushing and guiding her so that she could grow.
“Floor! It’s fun being with you! It’s so much better than when I was alone!”
“me too.”
Hunting with Natalie during the day, eating and drinking with her in the evening, and moving to the place where Natalie stayed, the two of them stayed together all day until they opened and closed their eyes.
And that was when two weeks had passed.
morning.
It was when he received a request from the Mercenary Guild and left the building.
On the street, I happened to run into a group of adventurers consisting of 2 women and 1 man.
“Hey, Natalie. Things came in.”
“Did you say you wanted to? Now is your chance.”
“Do you have money?”
“Eh, money?”
Natalie glanced at Maru and took them away to talk.
“I haven’t brought any money. I’ll meet you later in the evening.”
“Then don’t bring the stuff later.”
“uh… ”
“Are you going hunting? come back alive That way we can make money in the evening.”
The three giggled and left.
“What were you talking about?”
“uh? Ah, nothing. There is something like that.”
Natalie evaded and put on a bright expression.
“let’s go! I have to earn money today!”
She took the lead and walked out.
Maru walked behind him and gently raised the corners of his mouth.
‘It’s medicine.’
Is it finally time
I’ll ruthlessly tear up the medicine bag in front of Natalie’s eyes.
That was the only thought from the first day I came to this city.