Chapter 3: List Duty Day, 2

The open market has always been buzzing nowadays. Filled with booming adventurers hunting for the best deals and the villagers trying to squeeze every last coin out of their customer's pockets, this place is said to be the true battlefield between the outsiders and the locals. How charming. This place is more suited to be called a town rather than a village. But traditions, I guess.

Anyways, I'll be picking up some food for the library, new curtains (pink is Ela's requested color, but I'll choose red as a compromise) and a new knife. Oh, and a candy apple for my warm little blob of sunshine.

I slip through the crowd with ease.

I see a familiar face, I make some small talk, grab a friendship discount, and leave. I repeat this routine over and over and over again, my sling bag's weight getting heavier with every purchase, until my stomach rumbles.

It's high noon. Normally, I'd be finish at this time, but that talk with Jina took its toll. Ha... I still have to buy the knife and the candy apple. Eh, whatever, it's time for some lunch.

Of course, I got myself some fish sticks from Mr. Fish (True Name: Unknown). His fish sticks are good, and I mean it. Ela and I would unfailingly order one every time we go out, despite the heavy lines.

"Ah... I wish I could keep eating fish sticks forever..."

"Nyaa..."

Nyaa? What kind of sound is nyaa? A cat?

"Feed me, master... nyaa..."

I'm getting the chills. Something's clinging on my pants. Uwah. Crawling below me is a pathetic figure, shoulder-length orange hair all dirty from dust, and a face that looks like she hasn't eaten for days. But that's not the only thing. Her ears, they're on top of her head. Cat ears...? And a tail?

It's a half-monster, a catgirl. Why is she clinging on me?

"Master... feed this hungry cat nyaa..."

What the hell? I'm not giving my fish sticks away.

She's perceptive. She must've felt my silent rejection and pushed harder to currying up my favor. Eh, she's rubbing her hair on my legs like a cat. This feel so comfortable... not!

She can't fool me. Being constantly surrounded by scammers and con artists, I can tell her true intentions. She just wants free lunch. Under all those dirt, I can recognize some high-leveled stuff that can't be bought by any random beggar, much less a half-monster, on the streets.

Yep, she's a full-fledged adventurer acting as a beggar.

What a half-baked attempt for free food. I could do better. Even Ela can do better.

"Master...?"

What with that cute look? No. Get away. Take your scummy claws off my pants. Why the hell can't I reject her completely? I have no problems being direct, so why? Stupid catgirl, your Ela-tier charms won't work!

Wait a minute. I can use this.

"Ey, catgirl. I want to make a deal."

"Nyaa?"

"But first, drop the act. Follow me to the plaza."

S—she's fast! I bought four more bags of fish sticks, but catgirl's already close to finishing her last bag while I still haven't finished a stick. She's chowing everything down so fast that I wonder if back then was really just an act.

She's done. Wow.

"This moment I shall never forget, master! I shall repay this with my life, nya!"

Perfect. That's the devotion I'm looking for.

"Hm. But can you stop it with the nya? It's annoying."

"Nya! ... Ya."

I nod. Now that I see her face closer, she's pretty cute. But not cuter than my cutie pie. Or Erika, for the matter. She'd fetch for a high price if she was sold. No, I'm not planning anything bad. Really. He he...

"N— Ya? I smell something scary from master."

"Oh no, no. I'm just a humble villager with no such evil intentions. Believe me."

"If master says so... but first, more fish sticks!"

"No."

She's sulking, but I don't care. Gotta go straight to the point.

"Hey, remember what you said? You'd repay me... with your life?"

"Yaya? Master? I—I may have exaggerated bit, but that's because I know I can trust master!"

He he, your "I'm an innocent sheep" tactic won't work.

"Hey catgirl, do me a favor."

"Ya?"

"... I want you to find news about a princess."

"Hahiiii!"

Whoa, her tail is standing straight from shock. If I remember that Reading Your Cat book correctly, a straight standing tail means that she's... aroused? Huh? Am I remembering the right book? I think so. So catgirl here has a princess fetish, huh.

"All I wan—"

"I don't know anything about princesseseses nya! I'm just a stupid cat nya!"

"Calm down, calm down, it's nothing scary."

Sheesh. I know talking about your fetish gets you in a bind, but at least act natural about it.

"... Ya."

"So, you got sharp ears?"

"Ya."

"So here's the deal. You come to me for free fish sticks, no waiting in that tedious line, and you use that cat ears of yours to listen to any adventurers talking about princesses. You *wink* *wink* like *wink* *wink* princesses, right? So it's a win-win for you."

"I don't know, ya. This cat here has to leave for the, uh, cat meeting. Ya."

"Oh, what's this? I actually had an extra bag of fish sticks?"

"Nya!?"

"Ah, what to do, I'm already full. Guess I'll just have to... throw it away."

"What a waste, nya!"

"But there's no one else to give this to."

Timing it perfectly, I draw the bag of fishsticks close to the catgirl's nose, and pull it away before she could grab it. I do this again and again, until I see a trail of saliva at the corner of her mouth. Now for the pitch.

"Ah, if only there was some cat who'd appear and give me everything she hears about that has to do with princesses every time we meet, then this fish sticks wouldn't go to waste."

"I'll do it! I'll be your cat slave, nya! Gimme fish sticks, nya!"

I release the bag, and she pounces on it like a hungry wolf. She's still hungry? What kind of appetite does she have? S—she's already done? Fast!

"Ah, I shall worship master 'til the ends of the world. Lemme give you a hug, master!"

"Whoops."

I immediately grab both of her arms to stop the hug. What a freaky catgirl.

"... If you're planning on stealing my wallet, it's in the left pocket."

"Tsk. Master's surprisingly sharp nya."

Can't she do anything about that nya-speak?

"Yeah, yeah. What's your name?"

"I'd give a fake name, but master is special nya. I am Felia Mir, level 89 adventurer. Master?"

She's stinking rich! If I recall it correctly, the level cap is 100, right? What the hell is she doing as a beggar? I should be calling her master! Ah, master, give me back the money I wasted on you, nya.

"... I'm Key. A humble librarian."

"Shake hands, nya?"

"Shake hands. And don't forget our deal. I'm going to bump into you, in one way or another. You can't run. You can't hide. Give up and give in to Mr. Fish's fish sticks."

"Y—ya. A cat promise is a good promise, nya."

I give her hands a good hard shake. This should be enough for that princess quest Jina gave me. To go out on my way for a million Gs is a fool's errand. I get fools to do it.

"Bye, master! I had lots of fun, but I hope we won't ever meet again!"

She scurries away like a cat trying to escape a dog. Heh. I'll keep a look-out for that cat. She won't resist the temptation. I know her kind. She's a budding Jina, but with her innate skills, she might even surpass her.

That was fun. It's rare meeting non-humans in this mostly-human kingdom, especially half-monsters like that catgirl. They're normally vilified as beings who have the blood of savage monsters, so they try to stay away from human eyes as much as possible. I guess she's just too high-leveled to care.

Well, break time's over. Now it's time to finish this blasted day once and for all.

... I was pretty sure that meeting non-humans are rare. Or is the adventurer job the latest fad with the other races? I did my last errands, bought a knife (and a candy apple expertly hidden under the groceries), and I was on my next stop, until I crossed paths with this elf.

Yes, an elf. This is actually my first time seeing one. They're normally clumped together hiding in forests, so my first thought was that she was a stray. I was wrong, she's not a stray. She's an adventurer, given that leafy healing staff on her back. These adventurers are getting crazier at every moment.

I see that the legends were real. Golden blonde hair, mesmerizing green eyes, and we can't possibly not mention those HUGE MELONS the size of BOOBS now, can we? Yup. The legends were real, Fat Jon, and I wish you were here to see it.

But I can't understand. Her face, which once sported such a gentle expression that soothed my very soul, is now a demon incarnate. Eh? Eh? Is she unreasonably angry? At me? I'm an innocent guy innocently standing here, why the hell is demon girl mad? Is this an elf thing?

Hmm? She's taking glances at my foot. I try peeking under, and it seems like I just stepped on a flower. Ohh! So that's why she's angry! Elves are nature lovers, so they hate people who destroy nature!

... Wait. I shouldn't fall for the stereotype. She's an elf, so we'd typically assume she's into nature, right? I see. This is one of those "Just because I'm an ELF doesn't mean that I like nature, you dummy! I'm not like the other elves" types of moments, right? I'll show her. If I can handle a cat, I can handle an elf.

I stomp the flower. It's not working, she just got a lot worse. I stomp it more. Come on, are you angry that I'm not serious in my stomping? I'll stomp it harder for you. More? Then I'll—

"You, are the WORST kind of person!"

...

She's running away crying...

Elves are surprisingly strong punchers, huh.

It hurts, both my face and heart.

Sorry, I knew she was a typical elf. Stereotypes exist for a reason, huh. Duly noted. I should get rid of this hobby making girls mad. Or Ela'd appear out of nowhere with her "no bullying" shout and punch combo.

The last stop for today is rather mellow, compared to the other hectice events. A place where adventurers built their camps all around, this was the entrance to the Farwitch Labyrinth. Surrounded by a thick forest of the same name, this once inconspicuous cave entrance with stone flooring is now the shiniest trophy for all adventurers around the world. But not for us.

I join the little girl sitting right in front of the entrance. She isn't even fazed by the eerie atmosphere this dungeon gives. That's my little sunshine.

"Ah, Key, you're here."

"Yep. Here're the groceries."

Amidst the bustle of adventurers entering and leaving, bringing weapons and provisions of all kinds, we sit peacefully, never turning our heads away from the entrance.

"This... is this a candy apple!?"

"Eh? Candy apple? I've been those the whole day, there was still some left?"

"Can I eat it, can I eat it?"

"Fine, knock yourself out."

She eats the candy apple silently.

"So, how was list duty?"

"It went perfectly. Oh, right, I met this super cool and kind woman who helped me around the village!"

"Heh? Cool and kind? And what did I tell you about talking to strangers?"

"But! She was so cool! She beat up the bud guys with just her fists!"

What the hell? Who's this haughty woman who dares to show off in front of my little sunshine without me?

"And! And my cousin's here in this village too!"

"Cousin?"

"You remember Aunt Fu? Her daughter's here."

"Eh, that shorty? What is she doing here? I bet she wants to try this labyrinth for herself as well. What an idiot, if she still can't beat me in a swordfight, why's she doing something dangerous like that?"

"I remember! She told me to tell you that you can't defeat her anymore until you learn how to use her mom's swords."

"Got it. Empty words from a loser."

Her mom, Fu Mei, is the blacksmith who forged Erika's Magistrate, the sword she brought along to defeat the Demon Lord. After Erika's victory, the Magistrate became somewhat a legend among adventurers. Sadly, everyone who sees the weapons she makes loses hope to the future of weapon forging.

Her daughter is probably the only person, next to Erika and me, who would use her swords willfully.

"What about you, Key? How was your day?"

"Nothing much. Ate candy apples, bought some stuff. Oh, and I met a cat girl and an elf."

"Ehhhhh!? Tell me more, tell me more!"

We make small talk, eat some of the groceries I bought, and sometimes go silent for long periods of time.

The last part of list duty day, is waiting.

It was Ela's idea, thinking that she'd like us to be the first people Erika would meet at the outside world. That she'd realize her family has always been waiting, and will always be, until the end of times.

We wait, until the sun comes down and the stars shine brightly above us.

And as usual, Ela falls asleep while leaning on me, tired from all the hard work she's done.

I softly rub her head. Seriously, this girl works too hard. It kind of reminds me of Erika, and it puts me at ease. Doing my best not to wake her up, I lift her body up with two arms, executing a perfect princess carry. The grocery-filled sling bag is even heavier than she is. Sisters indeed.

And this is how list duty day ends.

I really hope this everyday life continues, until she returns.

But deep in my heart, I know, that something dangerous is brewing far beyond my reach. It's the same feeling before Erika did the impossible.

Hurry up, Erika. Time is ticking.