Chapter 54: The Familiar Receptionist

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Alisha la Aeras was not to be underestimated. To think she would try to lead me with suggestive questioning in order to pry out a secret I had intended to take to the grave… As expected of those two’s little sister, she was not someone to be taken lightly.

No one wanted their masochist tendencies exposed like this. Well, I would enjoy it if it came to that, but the people around me would probably just be completely put off if they were told I was a masochist.

Wait a second? Could it be that Alisha had seen through the fact that I was a masochist? Thinking about it logically, would an elf over a hundred years old call a nineteen-year-old brat “Onii-san”? No, absolutely not. Which meant Alisha understood that I enjoyed being called that…?

“Onii-san? What’s wrong?”

Alisha asked with a suspicious look on her face.

“I was thinking about you.”

“—H-hey. So you can’t forget about me, you perverted Onii-san…♡”

Ohhh yes yes yes yes! Perverted Onii-san is right here! I get excited when I’m insulted! 

Being called “perverted Onii-san” by an elf who only came up to my chest felt way too good!

“Alisha-sama… That is going too far.”

“Ehh? But Onii-san said it’s fine, right? Isn’t that right, Onii-san?♡”

“I don’t mind this much. It’s like a child’s prank to me.”

“Even if Finn-dono doesn’t mind, others will. You must restrain yourself.”

“Tch. Then it’ll be our little secret, okay?”

“Keep it reasonable.”

If Alisha had been a busty adult elf, that would have been dangerous, but fortunately she was petite. I could come up with an excuse that this was just a child’s prank to me. And just like that, I legally secured a cute girl slot who would insult me and fuel my fantasies, aside from the usual adventurers around me. My intellect was operating at peak performance. Since I had received my master’s tutelage, I needed to be capable of at least this much… Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to show my face to her.

『I’m embarrassed to the point I wouldn’t be able to show my face…』

Are you a masochist!?

“Thank you for waiting. Finn Debyura-san, please come to counter six.”

Ah, I was called. I stood up and headed to the designated counter. The one waiting there was the familiar receptionist.

“It’s been a while, Finn-san. You haven’t come by recently…”

“Yeah, party circumstances. You know that Starry Sky is staying in the royal capital, right?”

“I’ve only heard rumors. It was quite the topic when you were seen walking around town with the Hero-sama.”

“She’s my childhood friend. We’re both disciples of Heavenly Saint, and we’re planning to participate in joint quests from now on.”

When I said that, the receptionist blinked in surprise, then let out a soft sigh.

“…I see. So that’s how it is.”

“You didn’t know? Since you’re in charge of Dawn, I thought the branch chief would have explained it.”

“I was aware that Starry Sky and Dawn had been interacting, but I wasn’t informed of the details.”

She smiled brightly. Was she a little angry? Honestly, I did feel bad for leaving her out. She had been in charge of us since before we became Dawn, back when we were first gathered together. Marianne now wielded influence as a Saint, but before that, I had worked closely with this receptionist.

Carla and Astrea hadn’t been particularly interested. It was just Marianne, me, and her, discussing what we should do from here on out. Thinking back on it brought a wave of nostalgia.

“Sorry. I’ll talk to Marianne about this.”

“…No. I’m just a mere receptionist. Perhaps it was time to stop favoring a gold-ranked adventurer party.”

“Don’t say something so lonely. We’ve been working together all this time.”

“But…”

“I owe you. Back then, when I was dirt poor, barely able to eat, not even able to wash myself. You couldn’t stand seeing me like that and let me into your home again and again. You treated my filthy self, fed me, even let me wash up. You taught me many things unrelated to work when I had no common sense. I haven’t forgotten.”

“Th-that was… j-just my youthful indiscretion…”

“If Serina hadn’t helped me, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me… You’re my benefactor. I won’t let you cut ties with me so easily.”

“Ugh…………”

Ugh?

Did she dislike that enough to groan? But seriously, I probably survived those days because Serina took care of me so many times. When I had high fevers and couldn’t even treat myself, when I barely had food to eat… It was her who helped me.

Even Saint Marianne hadn’t been so free back then. Carla and Marianne had probably seen me as nothing more than a filthy stray puppy, so it wasn’t wrong to call Serina my benefactor. I had just been a kid then. And she helped someone like that without expecting anything in return. I had no intention of treating her carelessly.

“…Hey, Onii-san, do you maybe do this kind of thing all the time?”

“Do what…? I believe I’m behaving like a gentleman.”

“Oh, I see. That’s even worse♡”

“…Good grief. This is more than I anticipated.”

What was that supposed to mean? Perhaps jolted back to her senses by the two elves’ comments, Serina sighed and then spoke.

“Honestly, Finn-kun, you really haven’t changed. By the way… about me bringing you to my house… Have you told anyone about that…?”

“I haven’t…”

“Oh, good. Mm-hmm. Don’t tell anyone, okay? Otherwise I’ll die.”

“You’ll die!?”

“I’ll be killed. Please, you two as well.”

“Okaaay♡”

“Understood.”

Who would kill her? Is it Dark Marianne?

『You absolutely thought of that just because of the word “dark,” didn’t you?』

How sharp…

There wasn’t anyone close to me who would try to kill Serina. Astrea was the most likely possibility, but she had never done something like that except toward arrogant elves… So by process of elimination, the culprit had to be Dark Marianne.

Damn you, Dark Marianne…! Why would you resort to murder…!

『I will kill you. With holy power.』

I’m sorry.

“So then, Serina. What I’d like to ask is about this girl.”

I pointed at Alisha.

“This is Alisha. She’s Astrea’s younger sister, a High Elf princess who came from the village. She plans to join Starry Sky, but she has absolutely no accumulated record as an adventurer. In terms of ability, she’s somewhere between silver and gold rank. I’d like you to teach her the ins and outs of being an adventurer…”

“Mm… I see. Astrea-sama’s younger sister.”

“Alisha is fine. This isn’t the village.”

Oh, nice. The fact that she could switch gears like that even after everything earlier made a very good impression. Honestly, I thought she might hesitate more. But she understood reality and accepted it quickly. She understood what I had said too. It had been the right decision not to abandon her.

As expected of my master’s keen eye.

“Very well, Alisha-san. With Finn-san’s recommendation, you could be registered directly as a silver-ranked adventurer.”

“…Maybe it’s better after she’s learned the basics. What do you think, Griselda?”

“That would be appropriate. If it is Alisha-sama, I believe she will master it without much time.”

“You won’t get anything from flattering me~”

“I am aware of the effort you have made.”

Whoa, that was way too handsome a thing to say…Maybe that was why she used to dress as a man. Or was it the other way around? Either way, Griselda could definitely hold her own in public settings. Unlike me, an uneducated meat shield. I was the only one who couldn’t… If only someone would teach me…

“Hm~ Well, fine. You’re Serina, right? Nice to meet you~”

“Yes, pleased to meet you. …By the way, since you’ll be joining Starry Sky, is it alright for me to remain as your assigned receptionist?”

“…………I’ll confirm. There’s a possibility my master may decide, but in principle, full authority has been delegated to me. …I think.”

“That’s not very decisive… If you’re that indecisive, you’ll end up alone without being able to choose anyone♡”

Don’t say that! I’m aware of it! Choosing is impossible! Whatever, I’ll make them all mine!

Heh. If I could say something like that, I wouldn’t still be a virgin masochist at this point.

Listen here, little girl. I am a proud, self-controlled virgin masochist governed by reason. I’m not some loose man who gets excited, fantasizes, and falls in love at the drop of a hat. I’m aiming to be a refined adult man with firm principles, someone worthy of my master’s name…

『Nothing about that lines up at all…』

Marianne, these things happen, okay? When you live long enough, you sometimes walk a path different from your ideals. People call that compromise. You compromise and find balance between reality and ideals. I’m just an ordinary person, so if I don’t do that, I can’t surviv—

『Oh, shut up.』

You won’t even let me make excuses…!? Are you trying to dominate me!? Dark Marianne…! You’ve finally decided to, haven’t you! Now I shall rise in rebellion! My heart longs to submit to Dark Marianne! I must not miss this chance!!

『Not interested.』

That stung more than being accepted.

I’m trembling…♡

『…………』

Yes. Sorry. I’m a masochist, after all.

“U-um… what…?”

Serina watched the exchange between Alisha and me in confusion.

“…Apparently she has been like this back in the village. Just think of it as a child’s selfishness.”

“Kya-ha♡ Nice to meet you~”

“…Um… Actually, I’ll be participating as well…”

“…………That helps.”

With a very strained expression, Serina nodded. I did feel bad for pushing this onto her, but since I intended to work alongside them, I hoped she wouldn’t take it too heavily.

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