《Is There a Quest That Can Capture You?》 CH 1 Chapter 1: Is there a quest that can capture you? I could feel her kindness in her clumsy smile with the edges of her mouth raised. What left my mouth was neither gratitude, nor complaints of pain. ¡°W-what¡¯s your name, miss¡­?¡± It was my desire as a man after the seeds of love had bloomed for the first time in my young heart. The ¡®hero¡¯ helped me up while tilting her head in confusion and told me the most beautiful name in the world. ¡°Alisa. I¡¯m Alisa Veloce.¡± After 5 years of being born in this world. I fell in love with her. ¡ó¡¡¡ó¡¡¡ó¡¡¡ó¡¡¡ó There are several reasons why people become adventurers. A young man from a rural village might aim to make a killing, a boastful man might want to test how far his strength can go or he might seek fame by defeating powerful demons¡­ I, Reiji Bulgunk, am neither of those. I only seek words from a certain woman. ¡°Next person, please.¡± When my turn comes, I nonchalantly walk up to the window of the receptionist and say my usual pick-up line. ¡°Is there a quest that can capture you?¡± ¡°How about hunting down orcs in their mating season? I think they would welcome you with enthusiasm.¡± ¡°At that time, I fell in love with you at first sight, Miss Alisa. Please go out with me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Time freezes at the monotonous, all-too-fluent reply. It only takes a few seconds and I spin my next words. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the future. Miss Alisa, if you marry me, I will transfer to a stable job at the Ministry of Magic.¡± ¡°My answer will not change.¡± ¡°Then, would you like to have tea together during your break? I found a good place.¡± ¡°Please leave if you have finished your business.¡± ¡°A meal after work is fine too.¡± ¡°Anything more than that and I will report you for sexual harassment to the Guild Master.¡± ¡°I want to take this Red Lizard subjugation quest, so please approve it!¡± ¡°Then, please provide the quest application and your Guild card here for confirmation.¡± After I put the designated documents on the tray as per her request, Miss Alisa runs her brush smoothly. After that, she just has to stamp the seal of approval on it and that¡¯s it. The precious time I had to talk with miss Alisa ended. ¡°Well then, please take care.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ thank you very much.¡± Especially in the morning. Also, this town where I¡¯m staying, Avance, is known as the ¡®Beginner Town¡¯. A moderately weak stray monsters. There¡¯s also a small dungeon in a nearby forest, and the environment is perfect for beginners. Because of the stability-loving guys, who stay here even after graduating from the F rank, the lowest rank, to E rank and becoming ¡®ex-beginners¡¯, there¡¯s always a fight over quests. It¡¯s already been a year since I become an adventurer. I kept accepting quests without a break everyday in order to talk with my beloved Miss Alisa, so I¡¯m already a C-rank adventurer. I¡¯ve already reached the rank where it wouldn¡¯t be strange for me to move to the royal capital. ¡°Haa¡­ Miss Alisa¡­¡± I look at my beloved, who¡¯s performing her duties expressionlessly. There are many receptionists in the guild, but they are each assigned different adventurers. The receptionist in charge of me is Alisa Veloce. She¡¯s a genuine elf with blonde hair and blue eyes. The biggest proof of that are her pointy ears, sticking out from the sides. She has long, almond-shaped eyes with double eyelids and crystal-clear eyes that draw everybody who sees them in. Tight waist and attention-drawing chest. Her legs, stretching from her dress, are so beautiful, 10 out of 10 men would be enchanted. Above all, she¡¯s my savior and first love. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful today too¡­¡± She, being a former S-rank adventurer, notices me staring. The moment out eyes meet, she sighs. That gaze is almost as if she¡¯s looking at garbage. Combined with her nickname during her active era, this is the reason why she was called ¡®Ice Princess¡¯. She always gives off cold air that makes her unapproachable and performs her duties in a matter-of-fact manner. However, a small obstacle like that is of no significance in face of love. ¡°¡­¡± I quickly avert my face from the murderous gaze that¡¯s no different from when killing a pest. Did she read my mind? As I timidly glance at her, a uniform blocks my view. Looking up, I see the exasperated familiar face of my old friend. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t it the pitiful Reiji who was treated as coldly as usual today?¡± ¡°¡­ Do you need something, Miria?¡± ¡°What? I can¡¯t talk to you if I don¡¯t have a business with you? Even though we¡¯re classmates from Magic Academy?¡± Saying so, she brushes up her red hair with her hand. Miria Liritti. My classmate from the Royal Magic Academy I graduated and somebody whom I have an undesirable inseparable relationship with. To the point that we¡¯ve never been in separate classes during my time at the academy. She¡¯s also a weirdo who rejected a recommendation in the Ministry of Magic and came to this beginner town to work as the guild receptionist. Not that I can clown anybody in that regard though. ¡°No, you can talk to me. But that position isn¡¯t good. I can¡¯t see Miss Alisa.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Veloce-senpai, she went to the Guild Master¡¯s office to report to him.¡± ¡°Huh? Did my adventurer life end?¡± ¡°It should be fine. You¡¯re our guild¡¯s ace. If you¡¯re the gone, the number of quests we can handle will also decrease.¡± ¡°Thank god¡­ I can still watch over Miss Alisa with a piece of mind¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the worst remark you can make as a human being¡­¡± Miria is put-off for some reason, but I don¡¯t care. My priority is Miss Alisa¡¯s favorability. She¡¯s a bit cold right now, but she¡¯ll become affectionate in the future, so there¡¯s no problem. ¡°You should just go to the Royal Capital already. Then, I can transfer over and be in charge of you.¡± ¡°I refuse. Unless Miss Alisa comes with me, I¡¯ll stay here forever.¡± ¡°Haa¡­ the pride of the prestigious Magic Academy is crying right now. Its top graduate didn¡¯t even enter the Ministry of magic and chose to be an adventurer instead.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to mention that, aren¡¯t you also working in a guild even though you were a runner-up?¡± ¡°S-shut up! ¡­ If you had entered the Ministry of Magic, even I would¡­¡± ¡°Ministry of Magic? In that case, I intend to enter it after marrying Miss Alisa.¡± ¡°Ah~ yes, yes. That¡¯s how it was.¡± A reply that doesn¡¯t think that my wish will come true at all. In fact, I¡¯ve been on a losing streak and I know that some people are even betting on whether my confession will succeed or not. I¡¯m also well aware that the results are almost reversed so I will have to have a personal talk with them someday. ¡°Come on! Hurry up and go if you¡¯ve already accepted the quest!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that.¡± After all, after I finish reporting the completion of the quest, I can talk more with Miss Alisa. Having finished my preparations, I leave the guild. Because of my overcrowded schedule due to the rate at which I accept and complete quests and because I¡¯ve been solo ever since my debut, I¡¯ve been given the nickname ¡®the Mad Magic Swordsman¡¯. But I don¡¯t care. The most important thing for me is my time with Miss Alisa. I admired her, fell in love with her and became an adventurer. My goal has always been the same. To become happy with Miss Alisa. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± With my feelings in order, I head out to the place where the monsters were last seen in order to exterminate them. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Notes: I don¡¯t usually touch novels that have had releases within the last 3 months, but the link to previous translator¡¯s site is dead so I thought it would be fine. This is different from the type of novels I do, but this looked cute so we¡¯ll see how it does. Yes, Alisa¡¯s eyes are described as emerald (¥¨¥á¥é¥ë¥É) in the first part and blue (±ÌÑÛ) in the second part. Don¡¯t ask me why. CH 2 Chapter 2: Rookie Loner Witch I¡¯m the natural enemy of the creatures that spit out fireballs created inside their bodies, because I specialize in water and wind magic. Since its rank was also lower than mine, I quickly returned to the guild to report the completion of the quest after hunting it down easily. ¡°Miss Alisa, your knight has returned.¡± ¡°Knight¡­? Don¡¯t you mean a pervert?¡± ¡°Haha~ it¡¯s nice to be called a pervert by Miss Alisa. It might be opening up a new door for me.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, in order to keep calling you that name, I will change your registered name from Reiji Bulgunk to the Pervert.¡± ¡°This is the part of Red Lizard as an evidence! Please confirm it!¡± ¡°Yes, I have received it. Well then, please take this check and wait for a bit.¡± Overwhelmed by her cold smile, my shoulders deflate and I leave the place. If she says that she¡¯ll do it, Miss Alisa will definitely keep her word. I hung around her the whole time even when she was working on rebuilding my village. I¡¯ve been involved with her everyday after becoming an adventurer and I can understand her a little bit. ¡°Phew¡­ guess I¡¯ll look for another shop to invite her to.¡± I wanted to invite her to a dinner like last time, but she seems to hate persistent men so I¡¯ll restrain myself. It wouldn¡¯t be funny if she really started to hate me. She already hates me, you say? Like I¡¯ve said many times¡­ it¡¯s, y¡¯know, her cold phase now. Someday I¡¯ll see her lovey-dovey side too. Someday¡­yeah. As I¡¯m trying to convince myself, I¡¯m stopped by a cute voice unsuited for the guild. ¡°U-umm! Excuse me!¡± As I turn back, I see a witch girl wearing a white hat. She¡¯s holding a staff, so there¡¯s no doubt about it. Her pure white robe is impeccably clean, so she¡¯s probably a fresh fledging. ¡°Do you need me for something?¡± ¡°Y-yes! Are you Mister Reiji?!¡± ¡°If Reiji Bulgunk is who you¡¯re looking for, that would indeed be me.¡± After I officially introduce myself, the girl¡¯s face lights up with joy. And, after bowing deeply enough to drop her hat, she hands me a piece of paper. ¡°I admire you! Please form a party with me!¡± ¡°Wha-¡° ¡®Huuuuuuuuh?!¡¯ ¡­ Looks like I¡¯ll have to have a word with the guild staff who seems more surprised than me. But still, a party? She said that she admired me. In other words, she should have some prior knowledge about me, Since she still invited me, it means that she sees value in teaming up with me even after considering all that. It¡¯s a standard practice for rookies to team with senior adventurers, but¡­ I should wait and see first. ¡°Got it. But before that, let¡¯s discuss things with the receptionists in charge of me and you. Who¡¯s in charge of you?¡± ¡°A-ah, umm, it¡¯s the pretty elf lady!¡± ¡°You have a great sensibility. Let¡¯s team up.¡± ¡°Pie-¡° ¡°Why are you leading the conversation on your own?¡± ¡°Ngff?!¡± Miss Alisa¡¯s chop clashes into my forehead. Her strength hasn¡¯t weakened even after retiring. The pain running through my whole body¡­ this is the whip of love¡­ ! ¡°Leaving Mister pervert aside¡­ Miss Fina, I¡¯m sure I told you to wait for a bit.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. When I saw him in the person, my body moved on its own¡­¡± ¡°¡­ It can¡¯t be helped. Well then, please follow me, both of you.¡± The girl and I look at each other, intoxicated by Miss Alisa¡¯s love. We follow Miss Alisa and are led to the private consultation room on the guild¡¯s second floor. I¡¯m facing the girl across the table. ¡­ For some reason, Miss Alisa is sitting on the other side. ¡°In conclusion, I wouldn¡¯t recommend teaming up with Mister Reiji.¡± Fueh?! Why?!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah! Even I can train newcomers!¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Yes. I will be quiet.¡± I¡¯m a yes-man to Miss Alisa only. If she says that goblins are white, then they are white. Seeing me like that, Miss Alisa clearly lets out a sigh and speaks as if admonishing the girl. ¡°Do you know that he¡¯s being called the ¡®Mad Magic Swordsman¡¯? He¡¯s a dangerous party member for a newcomer like Miss Fina.¡± ¡°I-I know! I¡¯m Mister Reiji¡¯s fan!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Miss Alisa frowns. I¡¯m saddened by her reaction, but the girl named Fina continues. ¡°I¡¯ve always admired Mister Reiji because he has always worked alone ever since his debut!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that normally it takes many years to reach C-rank! But Mister Reiji reached it in a year and I thought that it was amazing!¡± ¡­ That makes me happy. I feel an unintentional thrill in my heart, that there are people watching me. ¡°That¡¯s why, I thought that it could only be Mister Reiji!¡± Her passionate speech loosens my tear ducts. Huh¡­? Was I always this prone to crying? ¡°In order for me, who was a loner in Magic Academy, to become stronger, I have no choice but to study under Mister Reiji, who¡¯s also a pro at being a loner!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m not forming a party with you anymore.¡± ¡°Ehhh?!¡± The way she¡¯s wholeheartedly confused is pissing me off. Give me back my emotions, my tears. I¡¯d never imagined that she admired me in that way. She tries to make excuses to somehow mend the situation, but Miss Alisa stops her with her hand. The worried staff member continues persuading her without giving up. ¡°Putting Miss Fina¡¯s circumstances aside, his magic is a bit peculiar. You may end up not gaining anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that! Besides, I still have a lot to learn from him, like how to be prepared when you¡¯re alone and lonely!¡± Sadly, Fina¡¯s determination is firm. I¡¯m also not happy at all. ¡°¡­ He is a pervert. I cannot let him pair up with someone as pure as you.¡± ¡°In that case, you can rest assured. I¡¯m only interested in Miss Alisa.¡± I only see Miss Alisa. It¡¯s been more than 10 years since I was enchanted by her on that day. Those are the unchanged feelings that have been refined and accumulated ever since then. I can assure you that this will never change. Anyway, I love Miss Alisa. I just wanted to relay that, but I ended up unintentionally interrupting. I wait for more harsh words to fly at me, but no sharp response comes. I timidly check on Miss Alisa and see her with widened eyes. ¡°¡­ You are really¡­¡± ¡°Miss Alisa?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. ¡­ I understand. If you are going that far, I will not make it a problem.¡± ¡°Then,,,!¡± ¡°Yes. As the Guild employee and the person in charge of you two, I approve this party.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Fina lifts her hand, expressing her happiness with her whole body. Seeing her like that, Miss Alisa sends her a gentle look. If Miss Alisa has already decided, I won¡¯t oppose this late in the stage. ¡°I will finish the paperwork, so you two can do the rest. Please talk to me again before leaving.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Miss Alisa!¡± Saying so, Miss Alisa hurriedly leaves the room. After Fina, who¡¯s immersed in afterglow, thanks Miss Alisa, she turns back towards me. She adjusts her hat and places guild card on the table. ¡°Fina Lilino! 15 years old, I¡¯m a witch! I¡¯m just a novice, but I¡¯m looking forward to working with you, master!¡± Unexpectedly, I¡¯ve gained my first party member, or rather, an apprentice. ¡ª¡ª- Notes: ÒŠ¤Æ¤ëÈˤÏÒŠ¤Æ¤¯¤ì¤Æ¤¤¤ë ¨C this is a weird sentence to make sense of, but he¡¯s basically saying that he¡¯s happy somebody¡¯s watching him. I¡¯m not 100% sold on this novel so it¡¯ll be in teaser category for a few more chapters.