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 15
Chapter 15: The Old Man Gets Invited to a Meal
“Looks that way. At this rate, it seems like there won’t be any requests today… Oh, but you’re as diligent as ever, Mikami-san. Taking a request with the rookies just yesterday, and you’re still the first one at the guild this morning. Speaking of which, how did it go? With yesterday’s rookies? I confirmed they made it back safely, but…”
“…W-well… uh…”
“…Hmm… I happened to see you all heading out to the tavern to drink together afterward… Mikami-san… everything was okay, right?”
I try to be vague, but Mira-san gives me a suspicious look.
Mira-san must be doubting me.
Did this man really handle the job I set him up with properly…?
Surely he didn’t do anything to tarnish my reputation… the guild’s reputation…?
Unfortunately, Mira-san’s concerns are spot on.
I completely shattered the guild’s trust.
Even so, I can’t honestly tell her I was handed my walking papers by a bunch of rookie adventurers.
Especially since Mira-san was the one who pushed them into taking the job with me in the first place.
I don’t want Mira-san looking down on me as a man who can’t even do his job.
Either way, I’m leaving this guild—getting fired.
I’d like to at least part on good terms.
No… considering I already made Mira-san cry, things are probably too far gone for that…
“Well… with an experienced adventurer like you, Mikami-san, I’m sure the rookies were in safe hands. But… yesterday was rough… When I told my mother I’d introduced you to a party of only young women, she got so angry with me, you wouldn’t believe the look on her face. It’s awful, isn’t it… how people get so jealous when they get older… Ah, but… I was actually quite worried myself, you know. It being an all-female party and all… Still, I couldn’t let my own feelings get in the way. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night if they’d failed to return…”
Mira-san keeps talking.
But… I haven’t heard a word she’s said for a while now.
My thoughts were somewhere else entirely.
That’s right… my future.
Or rather, a more pressing issue… namely, where I’m getting my meal today.
Tomorrow, Emma-san will officially tell me I’m fired.
Well, I’m an adventurer—a freelancer—so it’s not like I’m actually employed by the guild.
So getting “fired” doesn’t really mean anything, but…
The reality, however, is that I’ve been making ends meet until now through jobs assigned by this guild.
There are zero requests a forever F-rank like me can take on solo.
And there’s no way anyone would welcome the notorious ‘Mikami the Coward’ into their party.
In other words, I’m going to lose my job completely and end up destitute.
What on earth am I supposed to do?
“…Mikami-san… you weren’t listening again, were you?”
Mira-san is giving me a reproachful stare.
“Ah… s-sorry. Um… what were we talking about?”
“…We were talking about the menu for tomorrow’s dinner… but never mind. My mother told me to ask what you wanted to eat, Mikami-san… but she can just ask you herself…”
So it’s the Last Supper, huh…?
This must be Emma-san’s way of showing consideration, letting me have whatever I want for my last meal.
Come to think of it, I’ve heard that death row inmates get to choose their last meal, too… I appreciate Emma-san’s gesture, but I don’t think I’ll have much of an appetite.
“Um… speaking of which, where is Emma-san…?”
“Oh… Mother went out for a meeting with the ‘Saint’-sama. She’s the Guild Master, after all, and apparently she’s acquainted with the ‘Saint’-sama from before. It seems it was at the ‘Saint’-sama’s’ earnest request.”
“I see…”
I wanted to speak to Emma-san directly and turn down the ‘Last Supper,’ but…
It doesn’t look like I’ll have a chance to see her.
Emma-san is probably busy with the cleanup from last night’s Fenrir false alarm fiasco, anyway…
In that case, there’s no reason for me to hang around the guild any longer.
I’ve got to find some way to earn today’s keep that doesn’t involve a guild request…
If it comes to this, I’ll have to do whatever it takes to earn money, even if it means cleaning gutters.
“Um… Mira-san, in that case, I’ll be going—”
Just as I was about to leave the guild, a group of adventurers came in through the entrance.
And of all the bad timing, it was… yesterday’s trio, ‘Celesties.’
“Ugh… that old man yesterday was such a pain.”
“He’s been an F-rank forever. I wish he’d learn his place.”
“Totally… He should just be grateful he even gets to party up with young girls like us.”
“For real! For real! And then he has the nerve to ask for a share of the money! Who does he think he is! We’re the ones who should be getting paid!”
