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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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“I’m sorry, but we can’t accept anyone so young.”
Those were the first words the girl heard upon entering the guild.
She had dreamt of becoming an adventurer for years.
Believing herself ready, she had journeyed to the great city of Tillasden, only to be met with the receptionist’s apologetic shake of the head.
“But I’ll be seventeen soon!”
Seventeen was the minimum age to become an adventurer.
She was sixteen now, but her upcoming birthday would soon fulfill that requirement.
Still, the pretty receptionist, who introduced herself as Rigati, wore a troubled expression.
“While seventeen is the minimum age, we don’t accept every seventeen-year-old.”
“Why not?!”
“This line of work is physically demanding. Physical attributes and skill are important. If someone is lacking in those areas, they can’t be an adventurer, even at seventeen or twenty. I’m sorry, but…”
The receptionist’s gaze swept over the girl.
Despite being almost seventeen, she barely looked fifteen.
Her slender limbs seemed ill-suited for carrying heavy loads or wielding a sword.
The girl could sense the pity in the receptionist’s eyes.
“Based on your physical attributes…”
“That’s not fair!”
The girl felt a surge of indignation.
She might have been small, but she was confident in her skills.
She was considered the most talented in her village, and even traveling adventurers had praised her potential.
She could wield a sword, and wield it well.
Being judged solely on her appearance felt utterly unreasonable.
“If your skills demonstrate your aptitude for adventuring, then it’s possible.”
“Then I’ll prove it with my skills! I’ll take a request!”
The girl made a dash for the request board, but Rigati stopped her.
“You can’t take a request yet. You’re not a guild member.”
“Then what should I do?”
“The best way is to have a current adventurer vouch for you.”
A current adventurer.
The girl didn’t know any adventurers in Tillasden.
But she was confident she could prove her skills to anyone.
She leaned closer to the counter.
“Could the guild introduce me to someone?”
“I’m sorry, but we don’t offer that service.”
“Please! Isn’t there anything you can do?”
She bowed deeply, her signature ninety-degree bow.
It had worked on many people before.
The receptionist’s troubled sigh reached her ears.
Please, please…
Eyes squeezed shut, she prayed.
She had come too far to turn back empty-handed.
Then, she heard the receptionist’s voice.
“Ah, Mr. Iyer…”
Iyer?
Her eyes snapped open.
The name sounded familiar.
Iyer… Iyer…
She repeated the name, realizing it was similar to the name the elderly woman in the square had mentioned.
Iyerpol.
Iyer.
Iyerpol.
She looked up, following the receptionist’s gaze.
She caught a glimpse of a dark-haired young man in adventurer’s garb, just leaving the guild.
By the time she realized, he was gone, the guild doors closing behind him.
“Excuse me! I’ll be right back!”
“Wait! Hold on…”
Grabbing her bag, the girl rushed out of the guild.
This was her only chance.
She scanned the street, spotting the dark-haired young man in the distance.
She took off after him.
But she quickly encountered a problem.
He’s fast!
Her heavy bag slowed her down, but even without it, the young man’s pace was brisk.
Navigating the crowded street was a challenge.
She bumped and jostled, while he moved with effortless grace, weaving through the crowd, dodging carts and pedestrians.
He even avoided protruding materials and signs without a hitch, all while navigating the maze of streets.
He seemed to know the city better than those who could see.
How can he move like that if he’s blind?!
It wasn’t just his speed.
His movements were fluid, like water.
That’s the Blind Swordsman, Iyerpol…!
A smile touched the girl’s lips as she struggled to keep up.
Her heart pounded.
He didn’t let his disability hold him back.
He was strong, but he never turned away the weak.
The elderly woman’s words echoed in her mind.
They hadn’t been an exaggeration.
This man, moving with such grace despite his blindness, had to be exceptionally strong.
This was the kind of person I wanted to be.
Someone who had overcome a significant obstacle to achieve superhuman strength.
Blind, yet faster and stronger than most.
Someone worthy of admiration.
The young man was approaching the city gates, heading outside Tillasden.
Finally free from the crowded streets, the girl pushed herself, closing the distance.
“Excuse me! Sir, wait!”
The dark-haired young man stopped.
As she approached, she could see him more clearly.
He wore dark brown leather armor, a bow slung across his back, and a sword at his hip.
A black cloth covered his eyes.
The girl beamed.
This was the person she had been searching for.
“Please take me as your disciple!”
She bowed deeply, her signature ninety-degree bow.
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Today felt particularly refreshing.
Why? Because I had taken a day off.
While I usually took it easy on the job, the word “vacation” had a different ring to it.
It was more relaxing to have no work at all, compared to having easy work.
The funny thing was, I had woken up earlier than usual, despite it being a vacation.
Wagner would have lectured me if he’d seen my inconsistent schedule.
“Let’s go.”
I double-checked the tools in my basket and left the house.
My vacation had a purpose.
I had a promise to keep.
I walked through Tillasden Forest, crossed a small mountain, and arrived at a cave entrance.
I recognized it.
It was the exit I had used before.
I entered, retracing my steps.
The artificially made path was straight, with no side passages.
At the end of the path, I reached a small chamber, unlike the dark tunnels I had traversed.
Sunlight streamed in from a circular opening in the ceiling.
Grass rustled under my feet.
There, waiting for me, was the one I had come to see.
Squelch! Squelch!
“Whoa!”
The green slime spotted me and bounced over, diving into my arms.
I caught it, but it was heavier than I remembered.
“Do slimes gain weight?”
It used to fit snugly in my arms, like a puppy.
Now, it felt like a sack of rice.
Its presence felt stronger, too.
As I pondered, the Full Slime wriggled in protest, as if reading my thoughts.
Still cheeky… but cute.
I set the slime down and rummaged through my basket, pulling out a small sickle.
“Let’t get to work.”
Come here, you.
I grabbed the root growing above the slime’s head, preventing its escape, and held the sickle to it.
The slime trembled, sensing my intent, but it couldn’t escape.
Time to clean up this useless mess.
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“Comfortable?”
Squelch!
I patted the wriggling slime’s bottom.
Don’t move while I’m using a blade. It’s dangerous.
Although, it wouldn’t matter much if either of us got cut. We’d both heal quickly.
“Still, dangerous is dangerous. Stay put.”
I resumed trimming the grass and flowers growing profusely on the slime’s head.
Like shearing a sheep, I carefully cut away the foliage.
The slime, having grown larger, yielded a considerable amount of clippings.
Some might wonder why I bothered with this tedious task.
Why did I do it?
Because it was a promise.
The cave incident had largely been caused by the slime’s ability to attract living beings.
While the moving cave itself hadn’t been a major factor, the slime had lured both monsters and humans, creating the crisis.
While the unknown villain who had imprisoned the slime was ultimately responsible, the source of the problem was the vegetation growing on its head.
So, I had promised to trim it, preventing others from being drawn to the slime.
Not forever, of course.
Just until it recovered and left the cave.
“When are you leaving, by the way?”
Squelch!
The slime refused to answer.
I briefly considered kicking it out… but it was too cute.
I resumed my task, humming a tune as I carefully trimmed, like cutting a child’s hair.
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On my way back to Tillasden from the cave, a small figure blocked my path just after I passed through the city gates.
“Welcome back, Master!”
I grimaced at the sight of the red-haired girl.
Her bright eyes, filled with anticipation, were overwhelming.
It had been three days since our first encounter.
She had been following me almost constantly.
Let me elaborate.
Every morning, when I went to the guild to pick up requests, she would be waiting at a table.
“Good morning, Master!”
She would greet me with an overly enthusiastic ninety-degree bow, then trail behind me as I went to the reception desk.
She followed me to Tillasden Forest when I went on requests, and even sat quietly, watching me when I tried to relax.
It made it impossible to truly unwind.
How could I slack off with someone constantly observing me?
She had proven far more persistent than I anticipated.
It was time to address the situation.
But… I couldn’t remember her name.
I cleared my throat.
“Um… what was your name again?”
“Ah!”
She seemed unfazed by my forgetfulness, her face brightening.
“Belle! My name is Belle, Master!”
The red-haired girl, Belle, bowed energetically.
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[Damn the slime is just so adorable. almost as much as guiness….]
