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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“I refuse.”
“W-what? Why?”
The woman stared at me, surprised. Her bandaged breasts remained impressively immobile.
My reason for refusing was simple.
It was a delivery quest. I had done it countless times in the game and knew it well.
It required traveling a considerable distance, and the reward, a single free use of the blacksmith’s services, wasn’t worth the effort.
While it was useful in the early game, when money was tight, or for applying expensive elemental enchantments, I had no need to worry about money now.
‘It would be useful, but… not necessary.’
It wasn’t a difficult delivery like the Sunlit Holy Water quest. You could simply put the item in your inventory and fast travel.
I only skipped it in the game because I couldn’t use the statues and it was a long walk.
“Besides, this is our first meeting, isn’t it?”
“I suppose it is.”
“Why would you offer such a deal to a complete stranger?”
In the game, you needed to have used the blacksmith’s services at least five times before she offered the quest. I wondered why she was asking me, a first-time customer.
“Huh?”
The woman tilted her head.
“Aren’t you the… whatchamacallit… the Knight Commander?”
“I am.”
“A Knight Commander wouldn’t cheat me, right? Well, I’ve heard of some arrogant types who abuse their authority, but if you were like that, there wouldn’t be any rumors.”
She seemed to accept my explanation. As a Knight Commander, my credibility was guaranteed, even if we had just met.
‘Wait a minute. Did she say rumors?’
Rumors were spreading?
“What rumors are you talking about?”
“Your knights came here yesterday to buy supplies. That’s when I heard about it. They said you were the Knight Commander who did something amazing at the Imperial Palace. They were full of praise. I wanted to see your face, and now I understand why.”
“…….”
So that was why people had been staring.
“Could you tell me what kind of rumors?”
“There are several, but… the most prominent one is about you defeating a dragon.”
“…….”
The dragon rumors were everywhere. I would have to actually slay one eventually.
If I wanted to have a proper conversation with the Eater of World’s, instead of being subjected to its one-sided telepathy, I would need to prove myself by defeating a dragon.
I would also need proof of the kill, so I might as well collect a tail as a trophy.
“I appreciate the information, but I must decline your offer.”
I refused the quest, pulling out my coin pouch and placing the appropriate amount of money on the counter.
The woman pocketed the money with a shrug, then took Wingless Nightmare and disappeared into the workshop. She didn’t seem discouraged, just slightly disappointed.
In the game, weapon reinforcement was instantaneous, handled through the UI.
Here, it seemed to require actual work.
Of course, there was no such thing as reinforcement failure in BD4.
“Let’s sit down and wait, Orora.”
“Ah, yes.”
I sat down on one of the chairs near the entrance.
Orora sat beside me.
As she sat, the hem of her shirt rode up, exposing her already precarious pubic area.
It looked as if the slightest movement would reveal more. I discreetly averted my gaze.
Orora fanned herself with her hand. The hat and mask seemed to be making her uncomfortable in the heat.
“If you’re hot, you can take them off, My Lady. I’ll pretend I don’t know who you are.”
Orora, or rather, Aurora, hesitated for a moment, then removed her hat and mask. I was slightly taken aback by her brazenness.
“Ah, that’s much better. I thought I was going to melt.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Why not? It’s fun. I’ve always wanted to wander around my territory in disguise. I just never had the opportunity.”
Having shed her Orora persona, Aurora twirled the mask’s string around her finger, a playful smile on her face.
“It wasn’t fun for me. Didn’t you see how bewildered the knights were?”
“I’m the one paying their salaries. I can do what I want. If you didn’t like it, you should have said something. I’ll double your next paycheck.”
“You’re shameless, My Lady.”
“I know.”
Aurora grinned, then abruptly froze, quickly putting her hat and mask back on.
I followed her gaze.
The blacksmith was walking towards us, Wingless Nightmare in hand.
She placed the sword on the counter, the hilt rotating towards me. I approached, assuming she was finished.
“Is it done?”
“Yes. It’s such a high-quality weapon that I barely had to do anything. A few adjustments, and it was perfect. But…”
Her eyes narrowed, glancing between Aurora and me.
“Is she your girlfriend?”
“No.”
I denied it immediately.
Any hesitation would only fuel further rumors. The blacksmith clearly enjoyed gossip.
Aurora tugged at my sleeve. Although her face was hidden, I could tell her expression had soured.
“She doesn’t look like a warrior. Why did you bring her here? It’s not exactly romantic.”
“I originally intended to come alone.”
“Oh, so she’s the one who’s interested? I can see why.”
‘Does she not know who Aurora is?’
It was possible. If she hadn’t met Aurora during the resettlement process, she wouldn’t know who she was.
Assuming it was even possible to settle here without meeting the lord. I had no knowledge of medieval resettlement procedures.
“Come again!”
I left the blacksmith, ignoring her parting words. Now that I had paid for the reinforcement, she no longer mentioned the delivery quest.
It had been a personal request, driven by curiosity. She wasn’t desperate for the ore.
If it had been urgent, I might have considered it, but it wasn’t.
‘I’ll pick it up if I happen to be in the area.’
“Where to next?”
Aurora looked up at me, her earlier annoyance replaced by anticipation.
She had abandoned the Orora persona, reverting to informal speech. I considered correcting her, but decided against it.
I stopped, thinking. I hadn’t planned for this, so I hadn’t considered any specific destinations.
And I couldn’t bring myself to dismiss her, not with that expectant look in her eyes. I was starting to suspect her feelings for me were more than just friendly, which was causing me a considerable headache.
“How about the clothing store?”
“The clothing store?”
“Yes.”
I hoped I could find something… more appropriate for her. An unbuttoned, no-panties shirt was… too much.
At this point, the white tank top and dolphin shorts combination seemed almost modest. At least it covered her… essentials.
“Are you buying?”
“Of course. It’s not my money anyway.”
“You’re shameless, Knight Commander.”
Aurora nudged me with her elbow, echoing my earlier words. She didn’t seem to mind my comment.
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“……So, who are you?”
Lakscia looked at the woman before her with a perplexed expression.
Half-purple, half-green hair.
Incredibly short bottoms with large holes that exposed her hips. A shirt that looked as if it had been made from scraps of fabric.
‘But her outfit isn’t that unusual?’
People with strange personalities usually wore strange clothes. But the woman’s outfit was… normal. Based on her appearance alone, she seemed perfectly sane.
“Nix, Nix. Hee hee…”
The woman, who introduced herself as Nix, giggled nervously, fidgeting with her fingers in front of her disproportionately large breasts.
She glanced around, as if looking for someone. Lakscia’s suspicion grew.
She asked, her gaze still wary,
“So, you’re saying you know our Knight Commander?”
“Hee, hee hee. Yes. We know each other.”
Nix giggled again, nodding vigorously. Her breasts bounced with the movement.
This was problematic. Lakscia had only recently joined Delta’s command. She had no way to verify the woman’s claim.
How could she possibly know the Knight Commander’s acquaintances? She had only learned about his relationship with the lord today.
But she couldn’t just dismiss someone claiming to be the Knight Commander’s acquaintance.
There was a chance, however slim, that the woman was telling the truth.
“Um…”
As Lakscia hesitated, Nix continued to fidget and giggle, her eyes darting around nervously.
Lakscia’s doubts grew. The woman’s behavior was unsettling.
“Very well.”
“You’ll… bring him here?”
“I neglected to mention that the Knight Commander is currently out. If you wish to wait, I can provide you with a room. However, you will be under observation.”
While she could send someone to retrieve Delta, Lakscia didn’t want to interrupt his… private time. She could report to him later.
Perhaps he wouldn’t even return tonight.
“Out… out… Yes. I understand.”
Nix stood up, her earlier nervousness seemingly forgotten. Lakscia heard snippets of conversation as the woman walked away.
“What now? Should we go after him?”
“Hee, hee hee hee… Are you stupid? We came all this way, and you want to go back?”
“It was a mistake to come back today after coming yesterday!”
“And agreeing to come back wasn’t a mistake?”
It was Nix and her companion.
As Lakscia watched the woman’s retreating figure, she came to a conclusion.
‘She’s definitely strange.’
Definitely strange.
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Nice hair combo. Exotic