Chapter 144
Chapter 144
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Hassan and the Long-Standing Grudge
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At first, I thought I was seeing things.
There are quite a few elves on this Gaia continent. For instance, the buzz-cut monk Kalidur that I know is technically an elf by race.
Not just him—elves are blended into society all over the Gaia continent.
In a big city like Sodomora, spotting an elf while wandering the market isn't all that hard. It wouldn't be weird to find one elf in a crowded tavern either.
Unlike the rare native nymphs of this continent, these immigrant elves are cowards with numbers on their side.
Anyway, among all those elves, there must be a fair share with white hair and red eyes, right?
A female elf with sharp cat-like eyes and pursed arrogant lips—surely not just Elfriede.
"Ugh, being so popular is a hassle too, Elfi. Looks like our fame's spreading even in Sodomora. Must be the effect of me advertising the party everywhere as leader."
But shit, it really was Elfriede.
Albinos are special color-switched variants among immigrant fairies. Elfriede is like a super rare Pokémon among elves—like an Iridescent one! There can't be two of her.
Like comparing to a Magikarp, she's a ridiculously rare golden Magikarp. Though Elfriede is closer to the ferocity of a Gyarados than a Magikarp, of course.
This fucking sucks.
Of all places, in cozy Sodomora where I've set up shop, and in my favorite inn—Elfriede shows up.
So there I was, frozen at the entrance, unable to step inside.
What do I do? I want to turn tail and bolt, but Luna gave me a puzzled look.
"What's up? Let's go in. Malco hasn't arrived yet, I guess."
"Uh, y-yeah."
But for some reason today, I couldn't refuse Luna's words.
Today just felt like I had to go along with whatever Luna said, like I needed to be extra nice to her.
So what the hell should I do? Then I remembered the spare towel I always carry in the pouch at my waist.
A long, rough cloth used for all sorts of purposes.
If I wrap it around my face, it'd make a turban like the desert sandmen wear, covering most of my features, right?
That's what I did. Luckily, they over there don't seem to know about me yet.
"Hassan, why are you covering your head like that? Headache?"
But then Luna suddenly called my name, startling me so bad I nearly jumped like a cat spooked from behind.
Just covering the face isn't enough, huh.
The name Hassan stands out too much. If it reaches that elf's long ears, some horrific disaster beyond my imagination is bound to happen.
Fortunately, the female adventurers at the central table were laughing and chatting among themselves, paying no attention to me.
I quickly led Luna by the waist to the most corner seat, out of sight from the center.
"We won't see Malco if we sit here."
"Forget that guy for now."
"More importantly, Hassan, why are you whispering?"
"...W-well. We might get involved with the Thieves' Guild from now on. We're dipping into the Thieves' Guild subjugation too. So, you know..."
"So, you're saying we should prepare for stealthy infiltration and stuff?"
Luna's eyes widened as she asked back. Infiltration? No idea what that means, but I nodded anyway.
"Yeah, something like that. Hiding our identities."
"Shh... Infiltration... Sounds kinda cool. So that's why you're hiding your face and whispering. Should I hide mine too...?"
Luna flipped down the boar skull helmet strapped to her back. Wearing a beast skull is pretty bizarre, sure.
But this slum inn is overflowing with even weirder getups, so it doesn't stand out much. If anything, the boar skull looks more normal than pink hair.
Anyway, lucky that Luna misunderstood on her own in a cool way.
I said to her,
"S-so, how about we use fake names for each other today?"
"Names?"
"Yeah, like nicknames or..."
"You mean make up aliases? Like Diomedes and Odysseus infiltrating Troy—!"
"Wh-who?"
"I know the story of the Trojan War too."
No clue what that is, but seems like infiltration tales are a thing in this world. Trojan War?
Thinking back, there was a massive war about ten years ago between this kingdom and another. Is that it?
Anyway, Luna's misunderstanding was working in my favor.
"Yeah, deciding on fake names."
"Fake names. I've always wanted to try. Shh... Okay, I'll go first. I, um, I'll be..."
Luna muttered excitedly, not even ordering food, trying to pick her alias. After a while, she let out a small cry.
"Can't think of one on the spot...!"
"Oh, I see."
I've always been bad at picking nicknames myself.
I'd spend forever deciding, only to get "Nickname already in use" over and over, so I'd just slap something random together.
Looks like Luna's the same type—needs time to pick an alias.
"Want me to pick one for you?"
I said to Luna, who was still pondering. Truth is, the important thing isn't faking her name—it's making sure she doesn't call me Hassan.
"You'll name me?"
"Yeah, I'll decide."
"O-okay... Naming me feels weird. Like we're lovers or something..."
But Luna's reaction was more embarrassed than I expected—she squirmed a bit. Hard to see with the bone mask, but her face probably flushed.
Come to think of it, giving each other nicknames.
That's something popular couples do, and here I am trying it.
Realizing that made me feel awkwardly embarrassed too.
"S-so, what's my name?"
"Uh, um, what sounds good."
Shit, trying to think on the spot, nothing comes to mind. So I blurted out the first thing in my head.
"Chikorita."
"What's that?"
"I-it exists. It's, uh, cute. Squishy and..."
"Squishy? You touched it? Is it a girl?"
"No, never touched one. It's like an animal. Uh, hard to explain. Anyway, I like Chikorita."
"Chikorita..."
Luna seemed to roll the nickname around in her mouth, testing it. Hope she likes it. Honestly, what else fits Luna besides Chikorita?
Based on color, Vulpix could work too. But Vulpix feels off for a cute girl.
"Try calling me by the nickname."
After mulling Chikorita over, Luna spoke up.
"Chi-Chikorita."
But damn, calling a real person by a nickname feels this embarrassing and cringy? First time realizing it.
Didn't feel this way calling Elfriede "Gangpro." Difference in affection?
"Hmm... Yeah, never mind. I'm out."
But Luna seemed to lose interest fast, like she didn't like her nickname.
"Why?"
"Feels like you're calling someone else, not me."
"That's what aliases are for."
"Still, I don't like it. I want you to call me Luna properly, Hassan."
"Hmm, if that's how you feel, can't be helped."
"Then I'll name you! Your hair's black, so Blackie?"
"No, that feels off."
"Your skin's yellowish, so Yellowie?"
I've noticed before—Luna's naming is super straightforward. Wolf spider barks "woof," so kyungkyung. I'm black-haired, so Blackie. Yellowish skin, so Yellowie.
So before settling on nicknames, we ended up ordering from the menu, and food arrived.
As always: watery soup with a few chunks of meat, and hard bread to dip in it. Standard 5 copper breakfast.
Even while eating, my eyes kept drifting to the center table.
"San, what're you staring at?"
San—guess that's Luna's nickname for me. Just half my name, but it'll do for camouflage.
But hearing an unfamiliar name from Luna's mouth actually felt like she was calling someone else—like she was with another guy. Made me feel kinda weird.
Once we get past this, no more nicknames.
Anyway, I pretended to know nothing and cleared my throat. Luna glanced back smoothly. Her boar skull helmet clacked.
"That's Delphina from Silver Tier, right? The short-haired girl."
Luna spotted the group I was watching too.
"Wow, a Silver Tier adventurer team. Heard high-rankers have strong vibes and don't team up much. Kinda fascinating seeing them like this. Lots of interesting people."
I could almost see Luna's eyes sparkling under the skull as she checked out the folks at that table.
Blonde bob-cut, black-haired Delphina.
And a female monk in blue robes, holding a stone staff, wearing a tall mitre on her head.
Next, a twin-tailed woman in a revealing Chinese dress-style red outfit. Probably the fighter?
And finally, the albino elf with a long staff on her back and skin-tight leather pants that really stand out—.
Elfriede, who always lorded over guys like a queen bee, forming an all-girls party? Kinda surprising.
All high-rank adventurers, they must earn well—well-groomed and drawing plenty of stares.
Sure enough, the inn's first-floor dining hall was full of customers sneaking glances at the center table, whispering among themselves.
Luna was no different.
"Hassan, look at that. A white elf. First time seeing one."
Too fascinated, she forgot the nickname thing. Well, she's not detail-oriented enough for a rushed alias to stick anyway.
"Pretty. Red eyes like a rabbit. Rabbits are tasty."
"Uh-huh, sure."
"You know? Female elves are born with high mana, so they're all great mages."
"Yeah? Anyway, enough about elves."
Keeping on about elves felt ominous—like she'd turn this way and come over.
"...White elf, huh. White snakes, white toads, white spiders—whites are born with special powers, they say. Would be nice to snag even one strand of her hair."
Luna taking interest in Elfriede bugged me. Like your current girlfriend getting curious about your ex?
Never had either, so who knows, damn it!
As I fidgeted restlessly,
"Excuse me, innkeeper—!"
Delphina at the center table raised a hand high, calling the owner. Every eye in the place that'd been watching them snapped to attention.
I perked up too. Paying and leaving? Please.
But no.
What came out of party leader Delphina's mouth was something else entirely.
"Over there, that thing. That."
Delphina pointed at a nameplate-like plaque in the corner. A long wooden board carved with letters. Was that there?
As I wondered, Delphina said,
"Is that real? This place is frequented by Samaria's Hassan?"
Shit, what?
I whipped my eyes to the plaque.
*Our nymph wing dishes are highly effective, restore fatigue, and highly rated as a favorite of Samaria's Hassan.*
Fuck, what's that? When did they make that?
The innkeeper grinned.
"You ladies know Samaria's Hassan too? Rising supernova adventurer in Sodomora lately."
"Riiight? So they say, Elfi."
Delphina eyed the corner's Elfriede with narrowed eyes. Elfriede just sipped her water.
Delphina said,
"Tell us more."
"Strong adventurers attract strong adventurer rumors, huh. Alright. No one knows that guy like I do. About Hassan—he's got the skill to grab lions barehanded and skin live crocs!"
"Hmm—."
"Heard he took down a Titan's descendant in a duel during the war! Man, I've got a good eye for people. Knew he'd blow up. Must be thanks in part to eating and drinking here, right?"
"I see. Any dirt on the guy's past? What he did before this city, how he lived."
"Past? Hmm, not really—."
As the innkeeper stroked his chin beard, someone else eating in the corner piped up.
"Heard he's a monstrous killer. Exiled from the Black Wasteland for slaughtering too many of his own!"
Then another chimed in.
"Heard he joined the Argo Expedition."
"And he's Cairo's secret disciple."
Everyone seizing the chance to chat with high-rankers, trying to make connections.
Thud.
A glass slammed on the table.
It was Elfriede.
In the suddenly silent inn, she alone wore a stern expression.
Then,
"Puhahaha—!"
She threw her head back in booming laughter.