The Case of the Washed-Up F-Rank Adventurer Who Maxed Out His Agility by Relying on His Worthless ‘Flee’ Skill and Accidentally Became the Strongest in the World. He Can’t, However, Escape from the Yandere Beauties. - Chapter 13
Chapter 13: An Old Man Gets Cried on By a Receptionist
A lifesaver, huh…
Mira-san says that, but it was ten years ago.
Besides, it’s not like I did anything amazing.
A young Mira-san was unfortunately attacked by a monster in the nearby forest.
I just happened to find her, and all I did was flee with her.
And besides, it was just a weak monster, the kind even a rookie adventurer could defeat.
I couldn’t even beat a monster like that; I just fled.
As an adventurer, it’s nothing to be proud of.
But… for Emma-san, who is both the Guild Master and Mira-san’s mother, it was apparently a different story.
She was incredibly grateful to me for it.
And ever since then, Emma-san has used her position as Guild Master to arrange jobs for me.
The reason I can still scrape by today is thanks to this guild… no, thanks to Emma-san.
Well… I made it sound like a nice story, but…
To be blunt, I’m a despicable man who takes advantage of Emma-san’s weakness… her good nature.
It’s been ten years, and I still can’t earn a living outside of the jobs the guild arranges.
Like some annoying relative who forever brings up a trivial old favor to demand money…
Isn’t that what I am to Emma-san?
What’s more, I’m not family; I’m just some random Old Man.
Besides, I hear Emma-san used to be an A-Rank adventurer active in the Royal Capital.
For someone like her, an adventurer who’s forever F-Rank and can only flee—me—.
Wouldn’t she think I’m just dead weight for the guild…?
Come to think of it, Emma-san has been acting strange lately.
Maybe the kind Emma-san’s patience has finally run out, and she’s decided to kick me out of the guild.
“Mikami-san… are you listening?”
“Huh…? I’m sorry… I was just lost in thought…”
Before I knew it, Mira-san was standing right in front of me.
She was looking up at me with those big eyes of hers.
“Honestly… because you’re like this, Mikami-san, I’m the one who has to listen to my mother’s complaints every day.”
With a wry smile, she added, “…And it’s not just my mother’s… you don’t notice my feelings at all, either.”
She muttered the words under her breath.
I see… so Emma-san is complaining about me…
It’s just as I thought.
It seems Emma-san has a lot of built-up frustration with me, the perennial F-Rank.
“Haaah… I’m sorry…”
“No, it’s fine. It seems my mother has finally made up her mind. Hehe…”
Eh…? Does that mean Emma-san has decided to cut me, the guild’s dead weight, loose…?
A chill ran down my spine.
“So, please come to our house tomorrow night. She said we should have dinner together and discuss the future. That’s the message from my mother… I’ve delivered it properly, you know.”
Mira-san looked strangely happy as she said this.
“B-but… why all of a sudden…?”
I had prepared myself.
That this day would eventually come…
But… this is too sudden.
It’s pathetic, but I don’t have any money to get by on right now.
Couldn’t she wait at least a few more months… no, a few more weeks…?
At this rate, I’ll have to beg her daughter Mira-san, even if it means crying…
With that pleading thought, I looked at Mira-san.
But… Mira-san herself turned to me and said,
“Well… only my mother would know for sure… but… I’m an adult with a job now, and it’s been ten years since I met you, Mikami-san, so maybe she had some things she wanted to sort out. More than anything, maybe she just got tired of waiting because you never make a clear move?”
she said with a mischievous smile.
Mira-san said this and continued to smile for a moment.
But… when I looked again, her expression had turned serious.
Then, Mira-san took a deep breath, stared at me with her big eyes, and said,
“And… um… I’m the one who told my mother… that if a decision isn’t made soon, I’ll say it first…. Because… I’m… I’m a grown woman now. I’m not a child. And I’ve been by your side, Mikami-san, watching you for ten years… so I have the right to tell you… don’t I…?”
she said, her cheeks turning red.
I quickly looked away, completely flustered.
So that’s what this was about…
Seeing Mira-san’s blatant display, I finally understood how she felt.
