Chapter 176 - Meimung's Cuteness

"Dar... ling...?"

Meimung continued reading the letter.

"A love... trip?"

The rest of the letter went like this.

She'd fallen head over heels for a new love and was leaving with the man for another region, unable to take Meimung along. But she would always love Meimung, who was a kind, smart girl capable of living on her own. To help with travel funds, she'd sold the house and had to leave in a few days. Instead, she'd arranged for Meimung to stay at an inn run by one of her acquaintances.

And at the end of the letter, it said:

"Ma... Ma..."

Having read the entire letter, Meimung...

"I'm so jealoooous~!"

...didn't feel sad at all. Instead, she envied her mama for finding yet another darling of her own.

And in her heart, she resolved once more to become even cuter, just like her mama, so she could find her own darling.

Meimung had inherited some traits from her mother, but living with her uniquely minded mama from childhood had shaped her into someone with equally unique, relentlessly positive thinking.

And then.

"Please take good care of me~! Mung~ mung☆"

"For real?"

Meimung met the innkeeper of the very inn where she still lived today.

A few days earlier, Mai-mung had handed money to the innkeeper, who was also one of her customers, and asked a favor.

"Our cu~tie Meimung will be staying with you for a lo~ng time! So pretty please~☆"

"Hahaha, leave it to me! If she's Mai-mung's daughter, I'll look after her for years!"

"Waaah~ Thank you! I'll give you tons of service tonight☆"

The innkeeper had never imagined that his drunken, impulsive words would come true. He'd planned to return the money later, but Mai-mung had already run off with her new darling.

Seeing Meimung, who looked just like her mother in her younger days, stirred fierce pity in the innkeeper's heart.

'I knew Mai-mung had some... unique ideas, but this much...? Po-poor thing, what am I gonna do?'

"Y-yeah, leave it to me, Meimung. This... this is your home from now on."

"Waaah☆ Thank you! Meimung is so happy☆"

'Even her speech patterns are a perfect copy.'

At first, the innkeeper racked his brains trying to figure out how to look after her. But Meimung, already trained by Mai-mung to handle most household chores on her own, didn't need any special care. All he provided was meals and a room.

Living alone at the inn, Meimung always pondered one thing.

How could she become as cute as Mama? How could she get so cute that she found her own darling, just like Mama?

One day, while passing through the inn lobby deep in such thoughts, she overheard the innkeeper thanking a woman.

"Wow, really grateful. Must've been tough."

"No biggie. Just grabbed it while doing a subjugation quest. Oh, if you're thankful... you know?"

"Yeah, yeah, three days' lodging off the bill."

"You better!"

The woman was an adventurer—a female warrior in bikini armor, no less. She'd taken the innkeeper's request and fetched some medicinal herbs from the area on her subjugation quest.

"Waaah..."

Meimung's eyes sparkled as she watched the woman in her revealing outfit receiving the innkeeper's thanks—and his sneaky, lecherous glances.

'That big sis... the owner uncle's looking at her all cu~tely...!'

To Meimung, it looked like a revelation. A woman wearing 'cute' clothes that showed lots of skin, just like Mama—and getting 'cute' looks from the innkeeper who provided for her.

The female adventurer seemed like a path to becoming like Mama.

"Big sis~ Big sis~!"

"Huh? Who's this kid?"

"Ah, that's..."

Meimung approached the female adventurer with sparkling eyes.

"What do you do, big sis?"

"Me? I'm... an adventurer."

"Adventurer...! What's an adventurer do?"

"What's an adventurer?"

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠adventurer felt flattered by Meimung's admiring gaze.

"Heh, we take quests to help people in trouble. Noble work."

"Noble work... good deeds? Makes lots of people happy...?"

"Good deeds? Totally. We beat down e~vil monsters that torment folks. They thank us like crazy."

"Waaaah...!"

Adventurer. Do things that make others happy, get cuteness and love in return—that was the mindset Mai-mung had instilled in Meimung.

To her, it felt like the heavenly job that would let her become like Mama and find her own darling.

After the female adventurer left, that evening Meimung told the innkeeper:

"Meimung wants to become an adventurer...!"

"An adventurer?"

"Yes...!"

"Wouldn't it be better to grow up and work at our inn? Safer and..."

"Meimung wants to help people... make them su~per happy as an adventurer...!"

"Me-Meimung..."

Her pure gaze, shining like starlight. The innkeeper's heart swelled.

'Yeah... if she keeps going like this, she might end up a whore like her mom. Better if she...'

A job where she could grow strong and independent would help her more than relying on customers. If adventuring got too tough midway, she could always work at his inn.

With that in mind, he told her:

"Then you'll have to study hard. Adventurers use their brains a lot more than you'd think."

"Stu... dy?"

"I'll buy ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you a book to study from tomorrow."

"Waaah...! Uncle! Thank you! Mung~ mung☆"

And so, the next day, Meimung's efforts to become an adventurer began.

She read the miscellaneous knowledge book the innkeeper bought—stuff not strictly necessary, but useful to know. Much of it went unused now, but the knowledge from her childhood still helped her often.

She'd read a book cover to cover, report to the innkeeper, and he'd buy her a new one. Since it was funded by Mai-mung's money, it cost him nothing.

As she grew reading those books, Meimung learned adventurers specialized in roles.

"What should Meimung... do?"

Swords, spears, magic, fists—adventurers wielded all sorts. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠After pondering what suited her, she chose bare-fisted martial arts.

Reason? She thought a martial artist's moves would make her look cute.

A childish, impractical choice. But once decided, Meimung never half-assed it.

She marched straight to the adventurer guild and approached a burly, muscle-bound man who screamed martial artist.

"Mung~ mung☆"

"Huh? That unique sound... eh?"

"Hewwo!"

"Uh, y-yeah. Hi?"

"Meimung is Meimung!"

"Meimung...? Wait, are you Mai-mung's..."

"Daughter! Waaah! You know Mama?"

"Ahem, y-yeah, I know her. Your mom and uncle got along great."

The adventurer Meimung approached happened to be one of Mai-mung's customers.

'Knew she left her daughter behind, but didn't expect to meet her like this.'

"So, what's up?"

'Please don't ask where Mom is...'

"Meimung wants to be a martial artist!"

"What? Mar-martial artist?"

"Yes! Meimung wants to be a martial artist adventurer!"

"You wanna be an adventurer? You?"

"Yes! Uncle! You look su~per strong! Help Meimung become ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a martial artist who helps lots of people!"

"..."

The martial artist had spent many steamy nights with Mai-mung, creating fond memories. Gratitude for those, plus this young girl's pure drive—not moping over her parents' absence, but wanting to help others...

'What a good kid...'

It washed away the cynicism from his world-weary heart like pure spring water.

"Alright! I'll teach you how to become a strong martial artist!"

"Meimung! Wants to be a cute martial artist more than strong!"

"You're already cute—just get strong!"

"Waaah! Got it! Mung~ mung☆"

'Eh, if it gets too tough and she quits, oh well.'

The martial artist taught her lightly at first. But his training regimen was authentic martial arts conditioning.

"Mung~ mung☆"

Whoosh! Swish! Swish!

"Huh?"

And the martial artist was stunned.

Meimung grew at a breakneck pace, far beyond his expectations. She repeated moves until perfect, no stubbornness, absorbing every tip like a sponge.

He poured extra affection into teaching her because she was always cute and polite—but even so, her talent shone.

'This kid's the real deal.'

He taught with more passion, and Meimung followed his guidance with beaming smiles, no complaints.

Watching her progress, proud of his prodigy disciple, the martial artist never stopped bragging about her at the guild bar.

"Mai-mung's daughter is that amazing?"

"She is! Kahaha, raising her's been a trip."

"That talented? Bet she'd have magic aptitude too."

"What? Hey, Chellen, you trying to steal my disciple? Shoo."

"Who said steal? Can't adventure on brawn alone—you use a few spells yourself."

"I'm in the polishing phase—no need yet!"

"Mung~ mung☆ Master~ Meimung's here☆"

He was chatting over drinks with his mage party member when Meimung arrived at the guild.

"Oh, Meimung! What brings you here so late?"

"Meimung has a favor to ask Master!"

"Sure, what? Your master will handle it!"

"Meimung wants to learn magic!"

"...What?"

"Books say adventurers need at least one good spell, even if not mages! So Meimung wants to learn magic too!"

"Uh, well... it's a bit early for you. Master the moves I taught first..."

"This?"

Swish swish swish whoosh!

"...Oh my, perfect."

"Pfft, looks like it's my turn to help? Hi cutie, I'm Chellen sis. This burly master's friend."

"Hewwo! Meimung is Meimung!"

"Wanna learn magic? I'm a mage... wanna learn from sis?"

"Waaah! Really?"

Chellen smiled at her sparkling eyes.

"Really."

"Thank you! And so, alongside martial arts from her master, Meimung learned magic from his friend Chellen too."

"Mung~ mung☆ Wind Bounding!"

Pwing! Pwing!

"Boing boing! So fun☆"

"...This kid's seriously the real deal?"

Her knack for magic, on top of martial arts, left even Chellen in awe.