Chapter 47: Interlude: Past Chapter 5 – A Few Reasons Why Mira Broke

There’s a reason why Mira looks down on most of the adventurers in this town.

Certainly, witnessing their poor conduct and slovenly behavior up close is a major factor.

But there’s another reason on Mira’s side of things. It’s the fact that despite her young age, she’s already stronger than most of the adventurers in the guild.

She may have possessed exceptional talent from the start. Perhaps that was even how she, a Royal Capital orphan, managed to survive such harsh circumstances.

And after Emma took her in, she received what could be called elite adventurer training from her mother.

Emma herself seemed to want Mira to live a peaceful life as a noble lady, but Mira had different ideas. She wanted the power to survive on her own, without relying on anyone.

No matter how nicely I dress up, I’m still from lowly origins. Someone like me can never become part of the Cattleas family. It would only trouble Mother. I’m just a picked-up orphan after all… Someday… no, in just a few more years, I’ll have to leave Mother’s side and be able to survive on my own…

With such thoughts driving her, Mira pushed the reluctant Emma and subjected herself to rigorous training from a young age. She even entered the forest alone without Emma’s knowledge to gain real combat experience against magical beasts.

As a result of those days, Mira’s current abilities had reached a level where half-baked adventurers couldn’t hope to compete with her. Conservatively speaking, she could hold her own against B-rank adventurers or better.

So F-rank adventurers… and especially Mikami Shuzo, shouldn’t even be worth her attention.

But this man, like so many other men, surely underestimates me. Just a ‘receptionist,’ a ‘fragile young girl’… That’s why I’ll make him understand. That I’m not some weak existence he can use!

However, Mikami only made a troubled face at Mira’s provocative proposal.

“Huh? Spar with me? No, no, I really don’t think it’d be any fun to fight me. I’m seriously weak…”

His wishy-washy attitude snapped the last thread of Mira’s patience. Her face flushed red as she found herself shouting.

“This is a guild work order! If you refuse to follow my instructions… Mikami-san, you’ll be permanently banned from this guild!”

Of course, that was a complete lie. Neither the guild nor Mira, a mere receptionist, had such authority.

After blurting it out, Mira felt intensely embarrassed by her obviously emotional, childish tantrum-like behavior.

Her voice had even gone shrill and high-pitched like a child’s.

What she was saying was complete nonsense too.

Mikami shrugged with a resigned “what can you do” expression at Mira’s intensity.

“Sigh… if it’s an order, I guess I have no choice… I suppose guilds are just like that… But I’ve really never fought before, and all I can do is run away… If that’s okay with you…”

He muttered those words in resignation.

Mira threw off her receptionist uniform jacket and quickly changed into her adventuring gear hidden under the counter—easy-to-move-in leather armor and pants.

Then she grabbed the dumbfounded Mikami’s arm and forcibly dragged him to the courtyard behind the guild.

There were several other adventurers waiting for service in the guild hall, but she didn’t care about that anymore.

Right now, she had to make this man—Mikami Shuzo—understand.

Mira was getting heated like a child, beyond even her own control.

No… in reality, no matter how much she tried to act mature, Mira was still just a child.

To any observer, Mira looked like a completely angry young girl right now.

Upon reaching the courtyard, Mira grabbed two training wooden swords and tossed one to Mikami.

“The rules are simple.”

Mira announced coldly on purpose.

“We strike at each other with these wooden swords, and if Mikami-san can land even one hit on me, I’ll let you win. However, if you take my attacks and say ‘I give up!’, you lose. …Hehe, even wooden swords hurt quite a bit when struck with force, you know? You might even break a bone or two. Hehe…”

Mira gave a nasty smile.

“And when I win… Mikami-san, you’ll never again approach me… no, approach Mother so familiarly. That’s a promise.”

For a moment, her voice trembled.

“…But if by some chance… you win, I’ll do whatever you say. One thing, anything.”

Still holding the wooden sword, Mikami stared at Mira with a blank expression.

He looked like he couldn’t understand what was being said to him at all.

That reaction made Mira flare up again.

“A-are you even listening!?”

She raised her voice unintentionally.

Then Mikami looked utterly troubled and muttered while glancing at the corner of the courtyard.

“Hmm… somehow, I feel like I did something like this here with Emma-san just a few months ago… Back then, I think she said something like ‘I want you to stay away from my daughter’ with incredible intensity… I wonder if I’m really that untrustworthy… Well… with how I look, I guess it can’t be helped…”

Mira’s movements stopped dead.

(…What? Mother and… Mikami-san… sparred…? In this place…?)

Those were unbelievable words. That couldn’t be.

Absolutely impossible.

Besides, if he’d really sparred with Mother, there’s no way this F-rank man would be standing here in one piece right now.

(…Again…! Again treating me like a child with such an obvious lie! Enough already!!)

Her anger toward Mikami flared up intensely once more. Mira gripped her wooden sword tighter and pointed its tip straight at Mikami.

In the courtyard, there was no sound of two wooden swords clashing, only the dry sound of wind passing through. Mira held her wooden sword in a middle guard stance, glaring at the man before her—Mikami Shuzo. Anger and contempt mingled in her eyes.

“Well then… please, Mikami-san.”

Mira spoke in a deliberately mocking, saccharine voice.

“I won’t move a single step from here. Feel free to strike from wherever you like, okay?”

It was blatant provocation, implying she didn’t need to get serious against a mere F-rank adventurer.

But far from taking Mira’s bait, Mikami seemed to not be listening at all, staring intently at the wooden sword in his hands and muttering to himself.

“Sigh… it’s been so long since I’ve held a sword… Even though it’s a wooden sword, I’m getting strangely nervous… This is probably why I’m no good…”

Those unreliable mutterings and that pathetic expression.

(…! He’s completely mocking me, thinking I’m a child!)

The last thread of Mira’s patience was about to snap again with an audible sound.

Blood rushed to her head, and she impulsively started to leap at Mikami.

But… at the last moment, Mira restrained herself. Words her mother Emma always repeated came to mind.

(… No matter who the opponent is, never let your guard down. Battles can easily be decided by the slightest coincidence or moment of carelessness.)

Right. Even if her opponent was an F-rank, weak-looking middle-aged man, she mustn’t be careless. First, she needed to calm down and properly assess her opponent.

Mira took a small deep breath and observed Mikami again.

A middle-aged man in dirty, tattered rags who could be found anywhere. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, as a guild staff member, Mira had seen his status information during registration.

According to the information disclosed by the “Appraisal” skill, Mikami’s level was still 1. He had no magic power, of course, and his strength, stamina, and even agility were all absurdly low values, unthinkable for an adventurer.

He didn’t possess any notable skills either.