The Guy Who Doesn't Want to Be Found vs. The Girls Who Want to Know Who He Is - Chapter 28: After the Quest

Chapter 28: After the Quest

“Both of you! Are you alright!?”

When we returned to the harbor, Alice ran towards us with a worried expression. It seems she could see us clearly from a distance.

“Yes, strangely, the sea dragon didn’t do anything and just left.”

“Really? Were we just lucky?”

“I think so too.”

I agreed for now. Anyway, the quest is resolved! Now we can shop at the market and eat some fresh fish here! 

Excited about what’s next, I went to report to the person who seemed like the village chief we met earlier.

>>>>>>>>>> 

[Carla’s POV]

“Everyone, can I have a moment?”

“Carla? What’s up?”

“I have something to discuss about the sea dragon incident earlier.”

Everyone turned serious as I spoke earnestly.

“So, what is it?”

“I’ll explain everything in order.”

Liz seemed eager to follow Glenn. She asked a bit impatiently.

“About the sea dragon leaving without doing anything earlier, it felt a bit off.”

“Off?”

Stella tilted her head. Indeed, if you weren’t close, it might have seemed like the sea dragon just left without doing anything.

“Yes, the first time the sea dragon showed up, it looked like it was checking for prey and then attacked.”

“Yeah, that’s how it appeared to me too.”

“For me as well.”

“I saw it that way too.”

I think I would have seen it that way too if I had been watching from a distance. But being close, I noticed some things.

“So, what did you think when the sea dragon appeared the second time?”

“Eh? I just thought it changed its mind and left.”

“I think that’s partly right. But I believe the sea dragon sensed something.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Liz asked with an unusually serious expression. It’s rare to see her like this.

“I’ll explain step by step. First, when the sea dragon came towards us, it definitely intended to attack. But then, suddenly, it stopped.”

“Did you understand why it stopped, Carla?”

Stella asked, and I shook my head. I didn’t know why it had stopped either.

“I don’t know. But Glenn, he just watched the dragon without changing his expression at all.”

“So, the mid-level adventurer was just watching the sea dragon?”

“Yes, you’d expect someone to turn pale or show some reaction, but he looked as if nothing was wrong.”

Right, as Alice wondered, for a mid-level adventurer like him, facing a dragon is like facing certain death. 

Or it could just be that he has a thick skin.

“I really think Glenn is different from other people.”

“That’s true, he’s different from any man we’ve known in many ways.”

Liz and Stella seemed somewhat pleased as they talked. Maybe because he’s different from other men they’ve known?

“Yes, yes, both of you are getting off track. Carla, please continue.”

Alice clapped her hands twice to bring the drifting conversation back and urged me to go on.

“Yes, and after a while, the sea dragon showed its face again and seemed to be staring at us… no, at Glenn.”

“But he wasn’t using any magic, right? And he wasn’t even moving?”

That’s right. That’s why this is just my guess and I’m not entirely sure about it.

“Yes, so this is just a guess and my personal observation from close by.”

“Yeah, but it does make sense that if Glenn did something, that’s why the sea dragon didn’t attack.”

Stella also seemed somewhat convinced by the discussion.

“Well, dragons are intelligent, so maybe it sensed something from him.”

“Could it be… Glenn really is the man in the white mask?”

“We don’t know that for sure yet. But there’s a high chance he could be the man behind the mask.”

I responded honestly to Liz’s question. Among adventurers, there are a few who hide their true abilities. Such people are often solo adventurers. 

They are typically those who prefer to keep a low profile, satisfied with just enough to live on. However, even though they hide their capabilities, it doesn’t mean they are dramatically strong.

If he was capable of defeating a named dragon species, most things would probably go as he planned.

“…Glenn is the first guy I’ve made friends with. Whether he’s the man in the white mask or not, I want to keep being friends with him.”

“Eh?”

“Sure, I’d like to thank the man behind the mask. But even if it’s not him, I want to treat him the same as I always have.”

Liz’s voice was serious, showing how much she liked him.

“Yeah, I feel the same. Even if he’s not the man we think he is, that won’t change anything for me.”

“I agree. He’s kind, and we get along well.”

Alice and Stella seem to agree. It shows how much they value his presence.

“I feel the same too. I want to thank the man behind the mask for his help. But I don’t plan on changing how I treat him.”

I think I’m smiling now. Maybe it’s because the others are showing interest in a guy for the first time, or maybe I’m interested in him myself. I’m not sure yet.

“So Liz, it’s okay. Even if he turns out to be different, we won’t change anything.”

“…That’s good to hear.”

“Anyway, we owe him for this time too. We should give something back… How about a house as a gift?”

“That sounds good! I’ll also get some futons from him, let’s all give him a house.”

“That’s a good idea, but we should first find out if he actually wants a house.”

Meanwhile, this high-ranked party was having an unbelievable conversation. Carla is sensible, but that’s relative to the rest of her party. 

The higher the rank, the more extravagant their sense of money becomes. Carla is no exception.

>>>>>>>>> 

“Man, seriously, at this price and this size, it’s a steal! Oh? These octopuses look good too. Imagine making takoyaki with these, it would definitely be delicious!”

Meanwhile, oblivious to all this, the naive guy was happily shopping alone in the market.