Chapter 9

As the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

---

Xiaoming stood at the classroom door, took a deep breath, and firmly gripped the secret letter from his mother.

---

Every day, the evaluations and page views are skyrocketing... I seriously struggle to understand my own writing.

Whether it's me being called or someone nearby, if someone calls out, I'll turn around.

When Kena turned around, she saw a pair of a man and a woman.

"Did you call me just now?"

"Aye, I did. Are you a lady adventurer?"

Kena's question was met with a satisfied nod from a knight in his fifties, with a white stubble beard and white streaks in his hair, wearing a suit of armor that looked quite old and tarnished. The sword at his waist, unlike those of the knights patrolling the city, was a regular longsword with a non-white sheath.

The woman with him looked to be about Kena's age.

She wore leather armor, a robe, and a cloak, and held a staff with a blue orb floating at its tip. She had been staring at Kena with a dazed look since the man called out, and when their eyes met, she blushed and frantically waved her hands before hurriedly hiding behind the man.

He laughed heartily, folding his arms, and approached Kena.

"I'm Aguido. Why don't you come out and introduce yourself too!"

The woman, who had been hiding behind him, bowed her head slightly while looking down.

"A, ah, I'm Ronti."

"...Ah, I see. I'm Kena."

Kena, who couldn't understand the purpose of being called, responded to the atmosphere, especially Aguido's, as per the first rule of hospital comfort: 'When dealing with the elderly, if you lose control of the conversation, you have no choice but to go with the flow.'

"You seem to be quite skilled, don't you? Could you lend me a hand?"

"I don't know what I'd be helping with, but is this a request? Unfortunately, I just became an adventurer, so I'd be at a loss if asked to guide the city..."

"Relax, we're from this capital, so we won't ask you to do that. What we need help with is rough work."

"Rough work? Like monster hunting or bandit extermination?"

"Aye, it's a person search."

Kena, who thought it might be a serious issue, was taken aback by the casual response and stumbled slightly. Aguido waved his hand to correct her.

"It's a person search, but the target is quite skilled. Don't let your guard down."

"Ah, a criminal or a dangerous offender? You want me to capture them?"

"Hmm, yeah, that's a good way to think of it. Can you help?"

"Sure, as long as you pay the reward."

If this had been Kena from a remote village, she wouldn't have brought up the reward. But now, after being taught by Professor Eirine and Sergeant Arbiter, the mantra 'demand every copper coin you can get' played on repeat in her mind.

"Leave the reward to me. If the mission is successful, I'll pay you an amount you've never seen before."

"Alright, I'll hold you to that. I'll take the request!"

They exchanged a thumbs-up and a firm handshake. Ronti was left behind, feeling left out.

"By the way, this city is quite large..."

"Actually, the target tends to appear on this side of the capital. We can split up and manage it."

"Ah, we'll split into three groups?"

Aguido, pointing to the three of them, including himself, said:

"No, I'll search alone. Ronti knows the target's face, so she can search with you, Kena?"

"K, Kena-san and, I, I...?"

"Kena doesn't know the target's face, right? I'll leave it to you."

"Sure, that's fine. I'll follow the client's wishes."

Kena, who had raised her hand and waved it, turned to Ronti. Ronti, who let out a small scream and took a step back, made Kena worry if she looked that scary.

"Hmm. Do you dislike elves?"

"A, ah, no, no, I'm sorry. It's not that you're scary or anything."

Kena chuckled at Ronti's grimace and extended her hand, much like she would with children at the hospital. Ronti looked at the extended hand and Kena's face, as if seeing something unusual.

"First day as an adventurer, High Elf Kena. Nice to meet you."

Ronti, blushing red, tentatively placed her hand in Kena's.

"First-year adventurer, Ronti Alvarado. Nice to meet you too..."

They looked at each other and laughed, but then Ronti quickly looked down.

"Wait! You're a High Elf, Kena-san? Why is a member of the Elven royalty here!?"

"Well, every world has its exceptions, doesn't it? Let's go, or it'll get dark."

Because they had spent the whole morning sightseeing, only half the day was left. In the evening, the number of people would increase, making it unsuitable for a search. The two, who had inadvertently held hands like a young couple, walked in the opposite direction from Aguido.

---

"So, who are we looking for?"

"A, ah, sorry. It's a red-haired boy, a bit younger than me."

"That's quite vague..."

After thinking for a moment, they moved to a side street off the main road. They walked through the back alleys of houses and shops, where narrow, winding paths continued. In the city where there were no parks like in the town where Kena had lived, she thought the back alleys might be a good place for children to play.

They searched for a while for places where children might hide, running through the back alleys at a considerable speed.

"We haven't walked every corner, so I don't know what's where..."

"What? You came into the back alleys without a plan?"

"Well, children usually have a 'secret base' or something like that."

"Th, theory? ...Is that it?"

As Kena was thinking about using any skills that might help with the search, a scream was heard from the main road. They quickly changed direction and emerged from the alley.

There, a crowd was looking up, shouting "Danger!" and "Oh no!" as if they were witnessing the end of the world. The reason was above them.

A rope stretched between two houses over the main road, with a kitten clinging to the middle. A red-haired boy was crawling along the rope, trying to save the kitten.

"Seems like the crowd watching a desperate rescue is the same everywhere..."

Kena and Ronti joined the crowd and looked up. The people around them occasionally let out small screams, quietly watching the red-haired boy's efforts without disturbing his concentration.

(Hmm? Red-haired boy?)

Kena had a bad feeling and tried to stop Ronti, but it was too late.

"A, ah, aah!?"

The sudden, high-pitched scream was enough to shatter the atmosphere. The startled kitten lost its grip and was thrown into the air. The boy, trying to catch it, also dove into the air, catching the kitten mid-air.

The crowd, anticipating a tragic outcome, let out screams. Someone should catch them.

Kena, who had anticipated the worst and prepared, calmly cast a spell.

[Skill: Load: Levitation]

"Eh!?"

She ignored the shocked cry from beside her. The boy, holding the kitten, floated down gently like a feather, landing softly on the ground. The crowd erupted in applause for the boy and Kena. Kena, spinning around, bowed. The children, worried about the boy, ran to him and surrounded him.

"Are you okay, boss?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

The red-haired boy, who had worried his friends, tried to thank Kena but noticed Ronti standing beside her and took a step back, looking guilty.

"R, Ronti..."

"Finally found you. D, Densuke... I mean, young master."

Kena, understanding everything from those words, nodded with a knowing smile. She had encountered this kind of event before.

(After completing four thousand quests, I've never seen anything like this...)

While Kena was inwardly nodding, the red-haired boy, holding the kitten, pushed it into Ronti's arms and called out to the children, "Let's go!" and ran off.

"Ah! Wait! What should I do with this?"

"Hmm, quick. They've escaped."

"Kena-san! Don't just admire it, catch them!"

"Alright, as long as they're in one piece."

Before Ronti could protest, Kena used [Active Skill: Leap] to jump over the crowd and chased after the group of boys. She had memorized their faces and thought she could use the magic [Pull] if necessary.

---

On the other side, the boys, who were being chased, had taken a break in a maze-like area of back alleys and noticed Kena's approach. Since she wasn't familiar with the narrow streets, she found it tedious to run on the obstacle-filled ground and started walking on the walls.

"Wh-What the hell is that!?"

The boys, in unison, were taken aback. Kena, ignoring them, walked closer with a sinister smile. It was a bit awkward since she was sideways, making her look more eerie.

"Alright, as per the client's request. Be prepared to lose a few limbs, okay?"

"Wh-We don't have that many limbs!"

While chasing the boys, Kena was actually struggling.

(How do I catch them?)

She had many skills, but few that could capture someone unharmed. The magic [Paralyzing Net] would paralyze the target but also cause damage. Even at minimum power, it would instantly char a child.

She could summon a large spider to catch them in its web, but the spider itself, being four meters long, might get her arrested for causing a disturbance or being a monster handler. So, she decided to play tag until they were too tired to move. She was starting to enjoy the physical activity. She would start with persuasion.

"Hey! You can't run, Densuke! Be a good boy and come with us!"

"Who's Densuke, who!?"

"Ronti called you that just now!"

"Ronti, I won't forgive you!"

Walking on walls and leaping over obstacles, the lightly armored female adventurer cornered the boys who knew the back alleys well. The group, led by the red-haired boy, finally decided to use their trump card, a final weapon that had helped them escape many soldiers.

They turned into a residential area, deeper into a redevelopment zone with abandoned, uninhabited houses. Known as the garbage alley, it was a narrow street with houses that had been repeatedly expanded. When Kena approached, they quickly knocked over piles of wooden boxes and debris.

*Crash!*

The loud noise, dust, and debris quickly buried the alley.

"Y-Yes!"

"Got it!"

"See that!"

The boys cheered. The red-haired boy, wiping sweat from his forehead, tried to praise his friends...

"Stay away from the pile, it's dangerous."

The calm voice from behind the debris pile startled them.

[Combat Skill: Leaping Hare]

*Bang!*

The wooden boxes and debris that had just been piled up were instantly shattered and launched into the air. Through the dust, Kena, with a smug smile, stood with a faintly glowing blue sword, having swung it from bottom to top. Debris rained down around her.

"Wait, where did you get that sword!?"

"A, a monster..."

"Hey, don't call me a monster. What's so monstrous about me?"

"Run!"

"Wow, she's tough..."

Kena, thinking they would lose their will to fight, was disappointed. She put away her rune blade, which increased in power with more MP, and sent a "wind spirit" to search for them.

The chase resumed through the city. The boys, reaching the upper part of the city by the river, climbed along a dock that had been expanded like a jungle gym and slipped into the sewer below. It was a waterway where a tributary of the river used to flow before the city was expanded, now used to discharge household wastewater.

Jumping onto a small boat hidden there, they started rowing with incredible speed. They were known for their rowing skills during the city's boat races, and they put their talents to good use, moving quickly away from the shore.

Past a sandbar, they turned to declare, "What do you think of that?!" Their faces froze when they saw Kena walking on the water without any trouble. Even the onlookers from the dock were amazed.

"Don't think you can escape from me. Come with us now!"

Kena, holding a yellow megaphone that appeared out of nowhere, issued a surrender demand. The boys, with jerky movements, turned forward and started rowing frantically, as if they had nothing to lose.

"Can't be helped," Kena scratched her cheek and started running, keeping a distance from the boat.

---

In the end, she caught the red-haired boy when the group was exhausted after circling the sandbar four times.

---

By the time the sky turned orange, Kena handed over the red-haired boy, who was now tied up and limp, to Ronti and Aguido. Both had witnessed the entire commotion, and Ronti was still gaping in shock.

"Haha, impressive, young lady," Aguido laughed, not saying much.

"Here's your reward."

Kena, handed a small bag full of copper coins, tilted her head. It was indeed the most copper coins she had ever seen.

"What's this?"

"Aye, I made a bet with the onlookers during the water chase. A 50-50 split is fine, right?"

"Wow, you're quite shrewd, old man..."

The red-haired boy, tied up and trembling, muttered,

"Damn, who are you? Do you know who I am to do this?"

"I have a pretty good idea, but Densuke is fine. I don't want to get involved in your business."

"Hmm, you know this boy's situation?"

"Ronti almost called you 'Densuke' just now. You're a prince who ran away from the castle, right? It's a classic and easy to understand. So, I'll treat this as just capturing a mischievous kid and keep my ears and eyes closed."

"Hey, Ronti! It's your fault I'm called Densuke now!"

"Ugh, I'm sorry."

Kena put the small bag in her item box and asked, "Is the request complete?"

Aguido, with a satisfied smile, handed her a large, round metal button that looked like it belonged to a coat.

"What's this?"

"If you have any trouble in this capital, show this."

"But, I feel like this might cause more trouble..."

"Ho ho ho, well then. Good job on the request, young lady."

"Thank you, Kena-san, for today."

Aguido, with a bold movement for an old man, hoisted the boy over his shoulder and boarded a small, impressive sailboat moored nearby. Ronti, bowing deeply, followed.

"What kind of space ninja is that old man..."

Kena watched the sailboat sail away calmly and decided to return to her inn. She would later realize that it had been a peaceful day.

---

*Bang!*

As soon as Kena entered the inn, she was greeted with cheers and a large mug of beer. Her face naturally tensed, a conditioned response.

"Welcome back, you're late!"

The innkeeper, with brown cat ears standing up, handed Kena a large mug of beer. A call for a chug was directed at Kena, who had taken it. Confused, Kena turned to the innkeeper.

"You were doing something interesting by the river, they say. I heard from everyone, but I didn't understand. They said you should tell us everything. Oh, this beer is on the house."

...So, they wanted her to tell the whole story of the chase as entertainment for their drinks. Kena's face turned pale, especially because of the mug. With the calls and cheers not stopping, she gave up and took a sip of the beer.

---

By the way, she had no memory of what happened after that.

She might have lost some momentum.

I hope they don't get too disappointed...