Chapter 45
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「Milan said she was bringing someone, and I wondered what kind of guy it would be. Well, well, looks like she’s brought quite a big shot.」
In a small house in a certain suburb.
In one room, I sit facing another person.
The person in front of me, their face obscured by a hood, shows a bit of surprise and then chuckles, 「Heh heh.」
「My, my, excuse me.」
Their voice has a mysterious quality – it could sound feminine if you said it was a woman’s, but also masculine if you called it a man’s.
It matches oddly well with their shrewd manner of speaking.
「My name is Anon. And yours?」
「I’m Yanmar D. Low. Call me Low.」
「Low, is it? I’ve been so very curious about you.」
About me…?
「No, no, I don’t mean to say anything flirtatious like I’m interested in you that way. Well anyway, have a seat.」
Prompted by him(?), I take a seat across from him and wait for him to speak.
Finding something amusing, he chuckles again. 「Heh heh.」
「Curious about my getup? Originally, I myself am an adventurer. I also do some information brokering on the side. But just because it’s a side gig doesn’t change the fact that I deal in dangerous goods like information.」
「I see, so that’s why your appearance can’t be discerned?」
Indeed. Not only did he conceals his face with a robe, but he used some skill or magic to make his appearance unrecognizable.
「That’s right. And well, I more or less understand your character. So I’m not too worried.」
There it is again. Right from the start when we met, he referred to me as a ‘big shot.’
「You seem puzzled that I know about you.
I was away from town for a bit, so the stories I gathered only cover a short period, but among them are several about someone who seems to be you.」
The number of times I’ve come down to town can be counted on both hands. If asked whether I did anything to stand out – I sure did. I sure have.
I was swinging around bags of gold coins at the market like slapping someone with wads of cash!
It totally draws attention, and if I try to deny it, it’ll be like, 「Huh, did I do something?」
「Not only is black hair rare to begin with, but a person who makes crazy purchases every time they appear in town. No one speaks ill of you since you’re a good payer.」
It’s true that black hair is uncommon. There’s speculation that it’s descended from past world crossers, but it’s not like it doesn’t exist at all, so I let my guard down.
But well, in the end I just splurged a bit while shopping.
Even if you call it a shopping spree, you could see that scene any time by going to a big appliance store. It’s just the pastime of a rich person. No big deal!
「As I collected eyewitness reports about you, I arrived at the day you first appeared in this frontier region of Boldaf. Rumors of a black-haired man never before seen in town.」
「Rumors besides the shopping spree? Huh, did I do something?」
「Leaping out in front of orcs to save three young girls.」
「Ah. (realization)」
「Wiping out bandits and preventing the kidnapping of women.」
「Ah, ah. (eye-rolling)」
「Protecting the female owner of a certain company from assassins.」
「Ah, ah, ah,」 I let out groans like something strange was stabbing into my brain.
I did it! I sure caused a stir! I bragged that it was ‘no big deal,’ but I had sufficiently run wild.
But it couldn’t be helped. I got too excited being in town for the first time in a while.
Please allow me to justify myself for forgetting the incidents mentioned.
That day, Milan suddenly started talking about this and that regarding 「The Runaway Holy Knight Yamada,」 and the next day I was shown an incomprehensible super league fantasy, so I had my own various mental burdens.
「That reaction. Looks like it was all you after all.」
「You weren’t certain!?」
「I was certain it was probably all you. But certainty and confirmation are separate matters. I need testimony from the person in question, ultimately.」
「The possibility that I’m lying is…?」
「『When you grow up, if you see someone in trouble, make sure to help them out. That’s life, you know?』 Was that it?」
That’s the line I gave when Milan previously asked me 「Why are you doing so much for us…?」
Seeing me bewildered, he chuckles mischievously. 「Heh heh.」
「What’s with that.」
Since I was little, Grandpa and Grandma always told me, 『Live sincerely so you can hold your head high.』
So I’ve always tried to live in my own way, so that I can hold my head high under the sun.
I’m aware my words may sound shallow.
But those words were the best answer I could give to Milan’s question at the time. I have no reason to be laughed at by a total stranger.
Perhaps sensing my inner thoughts,
「No, don’t get the wrong idea! If I said something rude, I apologize!」
Anon bows his head to demonstrate.
「I often end up giving the impression of being rude. I don’t mean any harm.」
Suddenly, Anon grasps my hands with both of his.
「I was moved. That in this day and age, there’s someone who can say such words.」
Of course, he continues.
「People lie without hesitation. It’s a given, but the line Milan heard from you could be a lie too. No, I’ll be honest. I didn’t believe in your human kindness.
There must be some hidden motive – I thought that when the time came, you would tear off that benevolent mask and bare your fangs at Milan’s family.」
His grip on my hands tightens.
「When her family was suffering due to injury, I was away from town, unaware of anything. And I, suspecting you who saved her, gather information on you. Yet all that turns up are stories of you helping someone – how ironic is that.」
「It’s not ironic or anything. It’s only natural to doubt a total stranger. Besides, you suspected me for the sake of Milan’s family, right?」
「You truly seem to be a bottomlessly kind person. My certainty has amounted to confirmation.」
Anon nods once as if convinced of something.
「The information I share with you this time is a token of gratitude for helping Milan’s family. I hope that’s acceptable.」
Anon bows his head again, saying, 「Thank you so much for helping Milan and the others.」
「I just did what I wanted to do. But if you’re going to share information as thanks, I’ll gladly take you up on that.」
「I’m glad to hear you say that. Now then, shall we begin our delightful conversation?」
He releases my hands and begins preparing tea, saying it will be a long talk.
Deftly placing the tea in front of me,
「I’ve heard most of it from Milan.
You want to hear about the Hero’s party and the Holy Knight, right?
Go ahead and ask me anything. I’ll tell you everything I know.」
Somehow, I could tell that Anon, whose face should’ve been hidden by the hood, was smiling.
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