Chapter 14

As I was looking at the wooden plaques hanging on the wall of the Adventurers' Guild, a woman approached me. Her long blonde hair was shiny, and she was quite beautiful. She looked to be in her early twenties, about the same height as me, with a slightly heavy makeup and a scent of perfume. Her shirt was open at the chest, and my gaze involuntarily became fixed on it.

"Hello, A-Ru-san♡"

She suddenly said this and came closer. I looked puzzled, as I had no memory of ever talking to her.

"I'm sorry for suddenly speaking to you. I'm Barbara's new friend who just arrived in this city. I thought I might make friends with you. Was it a bother?"

As she said this, she wrapped her arm around mine almost forcefully and leaned her face close to mine. She seemed to be doing this deliberately, as my arm was touching her soft chest.

"Um, who are you?"

I asked, a bit flustered.

"I'm Carmilla. I'm Barbara's best friend. We used to be in the same party."

"Really? So you were in Barbara's party."

As I said this, I noticed that Carmilla's right arm had somehow slipped into my pocket. Her fingertips were hooked on the leather bag I use as a wallet.

"I don't appreciate such mischief."

I said, pushing her away. Carmilla smiled brightly in response.

"Oh, that's strange. I was trying to find something better."

"Um..."

I didn't know how to respond and gave an ambiguous smile. I had worked as a scout in the capital for a while, and during that time, I had learned some pickpocketing and lock-picking techniques. While I wouldn't use them myself, I knew the tricks and how to prevent them. Perhaps she had heard that Barbara had made some money and, after overhearing my conversation with her, assumed I had money. Either way, this woman might be doing this repeatedly. If so...

"I'll scream."

Carmilla sighed and released her fingers from the leather bag's strap, pushing my hand away.

"Oh, you're a man, aren't you? Why do you react like that? I see. You want to expose me? I don't think so. I'd rather not make a scene. I don't want to be banned from here again. How about an apology drink? It would be nice to have a drink with such a beautiful woman and maybe enjoy some time after that?"

I looked around. The Adventurers' Guild wasn't very crowded, and our conversation didn't seem to be drawing much attention. However, if I screamed, it would quickly become a commotion. Carmilla clung to me in a coquettish manner, and the strong scent of perfume filled the air. From her reaction, it seemed she was used to this. There was a way to handle this. I smiled and shook my head while looking at Carmilla's seductive smile.

"I still value my life. Besides, I have a favor to ask. Let's pretend this never happened."

"Hmm... You're no fun at all."

She looked a bit disappointed, pulled away from me, and leaned against the wall. I kept my smile and slightly changed my tone.

"Tell me where to find a Scroll of Rubbish. There should be a place like that in this city, right?"

"A Scroll of Rubbish? Oh, you mean that. You want one of those?"

A Scroll of Rubbish is a spell book that the Mages' Guild does not quality-assure. Normally, spell books found in ancient ruins are brought to the Mages' Guild for appraisal and then given a purchase price. However, there are those who can't wait for the weeks-long appraisal or are dissatisfied with the results, and there are businesses that cater to such adventurers. They often deal in forbidden spells and suspicious items and are enemies of the Mages' Guild.

"My business is none of your concern."

"Hehe, try visiting Granny Lala on South 4th Street."

I don't know if what she said is true, but it's a lead. I still need to learn an unlearned spell book, so I'll prioritize that, but once it's done, I'll visit. I smiled and nodded at Carmilla's words, then resumed checking the wooden plaques as if the conversation was over.

"Hmm, you're cold... I thought you were just a kid, but you're not. You might be interesting. I like you. See you later♡"

I don't know what she liked, but Carmilla sent me a kiss and walked away.

Thank you for reading.

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