Chapter 27: Part Amicably
Truth be told, using the Holy Sword in front of others really isn’t any good.
If someone else found out about the Holy Sword’s existence, Shien couldn’t even imagine just what will happen.
Based on Nien’s explanation, Holy Swords are Hero exclusive weapons. The moment it’s exposed, Shien’s own identity would basically also be revealed.
Obviously, Shien doesn’t want that.
Also, it’s not just the Holy Sword. Even his unique and special skills and the existence of those full 15 maxed out skills, Shien wants to hide all of them for the sake of his future peaceful life.
In such a case, there’s no issue with calling the Holy Sword “not very usable,” right?
As for how others end up interpreting that, that has nothing to do with Shien.
Vivian still felt it was somewhat strange, but she did still nod at that.
“Then let’s go help you buy a weapon first.” Vivian then asked, “What about armor?”
“Let’s put off armor for now.” Shien thought it over some and shook his head in the end, “Let’s wait on that until I’ve saved up some money. For now, since there’s everyone else here, we can leave things be for now.”
Hearing that, Vivian did want to say more, but in the end she kept quiet as if she intended to respect Shien’s own will.
Although not preparing armor isn’t something very praiseworthy, it was like Shien said, with them around, they should still be able to take care of him at least for the training period.
Plus, if he really did end up troubled from his lack of armor, then that too would serve as a good lesson.
Vivian thought that, so she chose not to interfere with Shien’s decision.
Thus, Shien and Vivian’s group headed together to the weapons shop.
There, Shien bought a very sharp broadsword.
That very sharp part was of course just within the range of normal weapons. It of course couldn’t compare to magical weapons.
Thus, that Shien got his hands on that sword for a single gold coin.
Following that, the group finally left the weapons shop, rented a carriage, and drove it out of Lamdrion and to the north.
Thus, Shien’s first adventure as an actual adventurer begun.
……
Accompanying the creaking sound of wheel, a carriage was speeding along the main road north of Lamdrion.
Vivian was the person driving the carriage.
She herself was sitting in the front controlling the horse. She gaze would every once in a while peek towards the cabin behind her.
Within the cabin, an uncomfortable atmosphere was spreading.
Shien sat on one side of the cabin, and facing him was the other members of Vivian’s party.
Only, no one was saying a word to each other. They were just facing each other silently, giving the insides of the cabin a heavy aura.
Shien took a look at the three girls facing him.
Lumia was stuck to Diere’s side the whole time like a little kid. She didn’t even dare to look at Shien. She just timidly lowered her head while tightly hugging Diere’s arm to herself in a clear picture of nervousness and discomfort.
Diere was just quietly sitting there without even looking at Shien.
Only Melika would every now and again sneak a peek at Shien. The moment she meets Shien’s gaze though, she would look away in a panic. Her caution was unquestionably obvious.
That kind of scene had maintained itself ever since Vivian had left.
Originally, the only one in the party to treat Shien with some amount of kindness and familiarity was Vivian.
Besides Vivian, the other three hadn’t spoken a single word to Shien ever since their introductions back in the guild room.
If not for Vivian making conversation with Shien the whole time, that heavy atmostphere would probably have shown up long ago.
Now though, Vivian was driving the carriage and thus left Shien alone with the rest of the group, so thing naturally became like this.
Shien didn’t show a thing on his face, but he was grumbling furiously within his mind.
(Am I going to have to spend the next whole month in this kind of atmosphere?)
That really does get him down.
In that case…
“Everyone.”
Shien spoke up.
Since the other side won’t break this stalemate, then he’ll do it.
In response, the reactions of the three girls facing him was greater than Shien had expected.
“Kya!”
“Uugh…!”
Lumia and Melika were startled by Shien’s sudden voice. One involuntarily let out a small cry of alarm, while the other’s whole body shook, with the hand holding her staff tensing up.
Even Diere seemed to have shifted her focus onto Shien. Her head raised slightly and the eyes below her hood shone with a sharp gaze, focusing on Shien.
The originally heavy atmosphere within the cabin suddenly became even heavier.
“Oy…” Shien gave a half surprised, half bitter smile, “You don’t need to react that much do you?”
That sentence made Lumia and Melika shift their gaze away in embarrassment. Only Diere was still staring intently at Shien.
Seeing that, Shien scratched his cheeks.
(It looks like they’re not like Vivian. Their caution towards me is quite prominent.)
How to have a lighthearted conversation with beauties who are like that?
Just what should he do?
In novels, those protagonists who can do that kind of thing without a problem definitely had some kind of cheat.
(I really wish my own cheat also extended to this area.)
Shien sighed for the who knows how many time in his mind, and after a brief silence, loosened his shoulders.
“Whatever.”
Shien grumbled to himself quietly.
Indeed, Shien had just given up.
Since the others had no intention of making conversation, and they maintained such a cautious demeanor the whole time towards him, then Shien himself didn’t care to do anything unnecessary and end up causing more drama.
In a word, presenting a warm attitude towards a cold one is not something Shien would do.
Therefore, Shien just said one thing.
“There’s no need for everyone to pay any special attention to me. Since it’s only a month, I’ll do my best to lower my presence and not affect you guys. In the end, I hope we’ll just part amicably.”
After saying something like that, Shien stopped talking.
His word though did end up startling the three girls.
“That…”
Diere, Lumia, and Melika looked at Shien with surprise as if they never though that Shien would say something like that.
Thus, the three gave one another a look and fell silent too.
The atmosphere within the cabin got even heavier by a bit.
Vivian who was still driving had been monitoring the situation in the cabin the whole time. When she heard Shien’s words and felt the heavy atmosphere, she showed a resigned expression.
(As expected, what happened before really affected Diere and them quite a bit huh?)
As she thought that, Vivian was also quite surprised at Shien’s own declaration.
(I didn’t expect Shien would end up drawing the lines that clearly.)
With those thoughts, Vivian ended up getting a little interested in Shien.
(Perhaps he’s different from the male adventurers from before.)
Vivian thus drove the carriage while considering such things.
The wheels of the cart continued creaking forward.
At this time, an enormous boulder by the side of there road suddenly moved.