We have just moved to the Adventurer’s Guild’s practice grounds.
When the beastman brought us to the practice grounds, he went to get the guild’s staff, so he’s currently not here.
“Carna-san, how did it turn out like this?”
I wasn’t able to possibly walk away in silence after seeing an unwilling woman being forcefully pushed by a man and intended to mediate between the two, but...... it became a duel between me and the beastman for some reason.
...... Really, why did it become like this? I thought of stopping by the Adventurer’s Guild, but not in this fashion.
Moreover, it isn’t a trivial matter from the beastman’s mood as curious onlookers started gathering when he went inside the guild.
“I wonder? Ah, you can call me Carna. Also, although a bit too late, may I know your names?”
“Ah, right. I’m Takumi. These children are Allen and Elena. Best regards.”
I got to know her name during the conversation but noticing that we haven’t introduced ourselves, I greeted her again.
“I am Allen.”
“I am Elena.”
“”Best regards~?””
Following after me, Allen and Elena cheerfully introduced themselves. However, the two looked at me puzzledly while tilting their heads when saying “Best regards”.
It seems that because I only thought them to say “Hello” while introducing themselves in the Ruven House, they found my “Best regards” strange.
When I patted the heads of the two who were troubled about the meaning, they smiled.
“Wow, so cute. Hey, that’s not the time! Takumi-san, I’m sorry for getting you involved. Allen-kun and Elena-chan too, I’m sorry.”
Carna-san smiled broadly when looking at Allen and Elena, but she immediately got dejected.
“Well, Carna-san is not in the wrong.”
“Carna.”
“N?”
“Call me Carna!”
“But, Carna-san calls me with “-san” too, don’t you?”
“That’s that!”
“......”
As I thought, Carna-san is the strong-willed type. Her pushes are strong.
“I got it, Carna. ――Is this fine?”
“Yeah!”
When I tried to call her name, Carna smiled delightfully.
“So, is Takumi-san going to accept the duel?”
“Ah~ I think so? It doesn’t look like I could decline.”
To be frank, although I don’t know the beastman’s strength, I think I will be all right even if I don’t have worries like “I might lose”. Therefore, it would be better to obediently accept the duel to finish things smoother~
“Allen will defeat~!”
“Elena will defeat~!”
“N~ the opponent called me for a fight, so you two mustn’t fight him~”
“”Muu~””
As every time, Allen and Elena are full of willingness to fight.
However, when I told them that I can’t let them participate in today’s duel, the two’s cheeks inflated in dissatisfaction.
“”Onii~chan, dorayaki~””
After a while of pouting, Allen and Elena demanded a snack.
“Ahh, sorry, sorry. Here, sit there and eat up.”
“”Okay!””
Which reminds me, I was about to give them snacks because their bellies were empty.
I retrieved chairs from the Infinite Storage in a hurry and handed the two dorayaki. Then, the sulking expressions of Allen and Elena took a complete turn and they joyfully stuffed their cheeks with dorayaki.
“Takumi-san, what is that? The children are eating it very deliciously though......”
“”It’s delish~!””
“......”
I felt Carna’s piercing gaze of greed.
“Does Carna want to eat too?”
“Is it okay!? I want to eat!”
“I don’t mind. Here you go.”
“Thank you?――Ngu.”
She was looking too much, so when I asked if she wants dorayaki too, she immediately replied. So, when I handed dorayaki to Carna, she instantly stuffed her cheeks.
“Nn~ delicious~!!”
“I’m glad it suits your tastes.”
“The dark thing sandwiched between is really good. What is this thing called?”
“It’s called dorayaki, the stuffing is red bean paste.”
“Dorayaki? First time hearing such name.”
“Umm, if I’m not mistaken... it’s a food modeled after a gong (dora) so it’s called dorayaki, I think?”
“Heeh~ “dora” yaki, huh~ it’s really tasty~”
While the children + Carna were eating dorayaki, the beastman returned together with a man wearing the guild’s uniform...... he’s making a very dissatisfied expression for some reason.
“...... Oy. What are you doing!?”
“N? What you ask, letting the children eat a snack?”
“I’m not talking about that-! I’m asking you why are you glossing over the duel with me so much!”
“That’s because I was about to give the children snacks when I got involved in your business after all~”
It appears that he can’t stomach me giving priority to Allen and Elena. However, snack time is important for children, so I don’t intend yielding in this matter.
“Raizel, I agreed to be the referee, but a duel is something that can be held only between adventurers. It’s unreasonable of you to involve ordinary people!”
“It’s fine as long as you give him the registration!”
“You......”
At that moment, the beastman――Raizel raised his voice at the guild staff member in blame.
There seems to be a rule that duels within the guild can be held only between the adventurers, but...... well, it seems that I don’t look like an adventurer.
“Ah~...... excuse me. I’m pretty much registered as an adventurer.”
“What!?”
“Hmph. Then there’s no problem!”
When I conveyed that I’m an adventurer, the guild staff member was surprised, while Raizel looked at me with suspicion, but he didn’t say more as it was convenient for him.
“Umm...... you.”
“Ah, I’m called Takumi. You will be refereeing? Thank you in advance.”
“Takumi-kun, are you really fine with that? Raizel is a short-tempered guy, but he has some ability, you know?”
Hee~ Raizel seems to be strong enough for the guild staff member to worry about me.
“Well, I will manage somehow?”
But, if the guild staff member says he has “some” ability, then I don’t think there will be a problem.
“Oy, oy, it will turn out bad for you if you challenge him with such lax feelings. You can still make it. It would be better to stop.”
The guild staff member seems to be worrying about me as he tried to persuade me to withdraw from the duel, but if I stop here and Raizel would surely say that I’m running away with a tail between my legs. I quite don’t like the idea of that~
“It would be better for you to confirm my guild card just in case, right?”
“Yeah, that is so. Let me check.”
Suddenly having such thought, I decided to show my guild card to the guild staff member.
“Wha!”
The guild staff member who saw my card called out in surprise.
I believe that the guild staff member’s attitude would change after finding out my rank.
“T, this! You rank is-!”
“That’s the case. As I said before, I believe I will manage somehow, but...... what do you want to do? Still stopping me? As for me, I intend to play along with Raizel who challenged me to a duel out of his own convenience, but......”
“...... I see. If that so, then I have nothing else to say. I will leave it to you.”
The guild staff member finally understood my words and moved to the center of the practice grounds.
“Then, Allen and Elena be good children and wait for me here, okay?”
“”Yess~””
Raizel moved to the center as well, so I handed fruit water to Allen and Elena and moved to stand opposite to Raizel.
“Oh, a duel? Who is fighting?”
“It’s Raizel.”
The curious onlookers gathered and the surroundings became noisy.
“Raizel? B-rank ‘Ash Wolf’ Raizel? Who is the reckless opponent?”
“That fellow, him”
“Haah? That delicate-looking man?”
“Yeah. Isn’t the victor in plain sight? This isn’t even a gamble.”
“Well~ anyone who mixed with Raizel would bet on him.”
...... Somehow, I hear the most terrible remarks about myself I heard so far.
Rather, don’t go selfishly gambling on us. Well, I don’t look that strong, so the bets seem to be on Raizel who even apparently got a nickname......
“Listen. Weapons and magic are allowed, there’s no time limit. The victor is decided when one loses consciousness or admits defeat. And also when I, the referee, declares the result. Attacks that could kill the opponent are prohibited. Attacks that could destroy the practice grounds are prohibited. I, Dewitt, will act as the referee.”
When Raizel took his position, the refereeing guild staff member――Dewitt-san explained the rules. It appears the rules are close to “anything goes”.
“Are there any questions?”
“No.”
“I have none.”
When Dewitt-san lastly confirmed, the two of us had no objections.
Raizel put on some steel cover that reached from his wrists up to his elbows. It appears to be equipment for hand-to-hand fighting.
Fully motivated, I believe Raizel will spring towards me simultaneously with the start signal.
“Are you ready? Then, begin!”
Dewitt-san gave the signal to start.
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