Trucker, Listening to the Past ②

When Nina’s story came to a close.

I drank up the tea Mireina had brewed and served the sponge cake for after-dinner dessert. Now it’s a short break until the water boils.

“Haha, that Shiny was a fighter from the very beginning?”

“Well…She didn’t look like a 14-year-old girl. At first I thought she was a d***y little bandit.”

“Ah, um, Nina-san. Shiny had jewelry?”

“Oh, yes. Even a layman like me could tell that they were very expensive.”

“Hmm… it’s a mystery. Mmmm.”

Kirie is munching on a piece of sponge cake. It’s a little late to mention this, but Kirie is a very gluttonous eater. She eats as much as she can find, and if she doesn’t find anything, she doesn’t complain about it. Then, a whistle-like sound came from the kettle in the other part of the room, indicating that the water had boiled.

Incidentally, there are tools called “magical tools” in other worlds. These tools are powered by “magic power” which every otherworldly person possesses, and are useful in various situations, such as igniting a special stone called a “magic stone” by channeling magic power into it, or emitting light by channeling magic power into a magic stone in a lamp.

I was so focused on the convenience of the truck that I did not pay attention to the tools that are unique to this world, but this is wonderful. Well, I can’t use it at all because I have no magic power.

Mireina poured everyone another cup of tea and put the tea pot on the table.

“Then Nina-san, please continue.”

You’re are in some kind of good mood, aren’t you, Mireina? She doesn’t even try to hide her excitement. It’s kind of cute.

“Good grief…”

Nina sipped her hot tea and began to tell the rest of the story.

＊＊＊＊＊《Five Years Ago: Nina’s Perspective》＊＊＊＊＊

The girl who turned around seemed to be wary of me suddenly talking to her.

“Don’t be so wary. I’m an adventurer myself, I just want to support the rookies who are just starting out, I’m not a suspicious person.”

“…Hmm.”

The way she was staring at me was half alarmed and half interested. Then Gonz, who had been watching the situation, turned to the girl.

“Don’t worry, girl. Niramana is one of the Seven Colored Adventurers of Arcobaleno and is the town’s foremost adventurer. She is much more useful than an old man like me.”

“Arco-baleno?”

“Well, it’s a kind of title for an adventurer. What’s more, if you want to be an adventurer, I can help you find the right equipment.”

The jewelry was no longer important to me. I wanted to see what this girl had to offer.

“…..Okay. Please do.”

“Okay, let’s start with the clothes. Gonz, I’ll pay for it.”

“Huh!? I don’t intend to accept charity.”

“Then you owe me. Then you owe me. You can pay me from the commission you’re about to receive. A rookie’s equipment doesn’t cost that much.”

“It’s okay, I’ll pay by exchanging the jewels for cash.”

“Don’t do that. Try taking such expensive jewelry to a cash exchange, and you’ll definitely get attention. I don’t know how you got those, but it was lucky that you went into this store in the first place, and that you met me.”

“Hmm…is this stone that expensive?”

“Yeah. Even an amateur like me can see it.”

“That’s right. You could probably buy a house with one emerald.”

“Hmm.”

The girl played with the bag of jewels, clanking it around in her hand, as if she didn’t care. I didn’t know if she was a fool who didn’t know their value or if she really didn’t care, but it was probably the latter.

“Well, okay, then I’ll ask. First.”

“Clothes, but … shower first. You stink.”

The girl was dressed in rags. It smelt pretty bad, as if she didn’t even bother to clean herself up.

“Ugh, shut up, I can’t help it!!”

“I’m sorry. We’ll get our clothes together here, and then we’ll go to the public bathhouse.”

“Hmm, I understand.”

I took the girl to a space in the store that had comfortable clothes for adventurers, and we went through a few outfits. They don’t sell underwear, so we’ll have to go to the clothing store later.

“Now, weapons.”

“Swords.”

The girl’s eyes turned to the place where the swords were kept.

“…Got it. A sword.”

I did as I was told, not asking too many questions. The girl had thin arms, so she would not have been able to handle a sword that was too long or too thick.

“Well… how about this?”

I handed her a saber about seventy centimeters long. It was light and just the right length. It’s an easy weapon for a beginner.

“Heh…”

The girl took the blade in her hand and waved it lightly. Then she grinned in satisfaction.

“How is that?”

“Yeah. This is fine for the time being.”

“Okay, next is the armor…hmm? Hey.”

“What?”

I looked at the sabers in the girl’s hands and wondered. In her hands were two sabers, one in each.

“Why do you have two sabers?”

“Huh? It’s obvious. Because two sabers are stronger than one. I have two hands, so why not have two weapons?”

“…”

Should I have said something about this? But I wasn’t the girl’s master. Well, you’ll learn how difficult it is to use two swords while you’re using them.

“Phew…then armor.”

“What’s with the sigh?”

I passed over the girl’s question and went to the armor section.

If she is a swordsman, a chestplate or similar is better than armor. If she is a double-sword fencer, she doesn’t need a shield. A chestplate with high protection and easy movement is a good choice, and it matches the girl.

“This Bronze Lizard breastplate is a good choice. It’s light, durable, and inexpensive.”

“Then I’ll go with that.”

The girl decided easily. It took her a long time to choose a belt to hang the swords from and other small accessories. Good grief.

“You’ve got your equipment. Gonz, the bill, please.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I paid the coins and had the equipment packed in a cloth bag.

I took the bag and handed it to the girl.

“Well, let’s go to the bath.”

“Oh, you’re coming with me?”

“I just told you, we’re going to the public bathhouse.”

“I don’t mind, but are all adventurers meddlesome?”

“Well, you know, I just want to take care of the rookies who are about to become adventurers.”

“Hmm. You’re a softy.”

“Do I look like a softy?”

“Yeah. You seem kind of nice.”

The girl smiled at me, perhaps her guard has been lowered. It was strange… I wonder if it’s because she was a girl with “blue” hair and eyes that I met while I was looking for the successor to “Blue”, I wouldn’t normally go this far. Besides, my original purpose was to get close to her because she had expensive jewelry. That didn’t matter anymore either.

“Huh, this is something. Have you registered as an adventurer?”

“Not yet. I just came to this country. I haven’t even found a place to live yet.”

“Well, then, after the bath, we will go to the Adventurers’ Guild. If you register as an adventurer there, you will be able to use the guild’s dormitories for adventurers. I will arrange for you to stay there as temporary lodging.”

“Really!?”

“Ah, in return, I will receive the rent, and I will gradually refund the price of the equipment.”

“Of course I’ll take care of it, I’ll be an adventurer and make a lot of money!!”

The girl grinned with her fists out, took a few steps and stepped in front of me. Then she turned around.

“I’m Shiny Blue, nice to meet you Niramana!!”

That was my first encounter with Shiny Blue.

＊＊＊＊＊《Present・Kota’s Point of View》＊＊＊＊＊

“And that’s how I met Shiny Blue.”

“Huh~”

“Heh~”

“Hmm, interesting.”

We heard about Nina and Shiny’s encounter. If it were a story, this would probably be the prologue.

“This is the first time I’ve told this story to someone. I feel a little embarrassed.”

“No, it’s really interesting!! Please continue!!”

“Oh, calm down Mireina.”

“I’m curious too, isn’t the President all that interested in a newly minted adventurer, Shiny?”

“…”

To be honest, I am.

What was the path taken from Nina and Shiny’s first encounter, to Shiny’s growth as an adventurer, to her becoming recognized as an Adventurer of Arcobaleno?

“Fumu, I can talk a few more minutes, how about…”

“Please, please, please!!”

“Please, please, please.”

Oh my, Mireina and Kirie are in a good mood. Especially Mireina.

Well, I’m curious too, and there’s no reason to say no. I’ll just have to hear the end of the story.

“Please, what happened then?”

“We took a bath, got our gear, and registered her as an adventurer. That’s where it all started, come to think of it.”

“What is it?”

“Fufu, that was the beginning of my long relationship with Shiny Blue.”