My Parasite Skill System - Chapter 127
Ahem.
I helped their party back there. It was very brave of me. Even though, I didn’t really think of doing them good, at the time.
My little offensive wasn’t certainly done so that they’d be surviving whatever trouble was coming their way, back on the battlefield.
They noticed me and felt grateful for me nonetheless.
Leader let me know this. He also added he got impressed by myself. Very, very impressed. I’ll grow strong, according to him.
Too bad I already am, though. But that he doesn’t know. Hm.
All of this was pretty but, what was the man’s point?
Where was he getting at?
I only waited to discover that.
What’s the Guide reserving me?
Continuing, he also let me know they could collect five heads with their whole party almost unscathed thanks to me.
“My point is just to thank you, little man, hahaha.
“And sorry … if I’m being weird? Or too insistent? I don’t know?–I can see you’re wincing quite a bit, and it’s only getting worse, eh.
About time you saw and got your hands off of me, human.
“Oh!–and speaking of which: I know how I can repay you, little man.”
My head leaned to the side. What now?
The reeking sack of orcs’ heads no longer theirs was placed onto the ground to his right.
“And … here,” from behind his back, he just naturally produced one little tanned leathery sack.
Handing it over to me?
“You can take it, it’ll work as a thank you, right? We had one spare; you can just use it. We don’t have any use for it since well … our hunting today hasn’t quite gone as intended, hahaha … I insist, little man, take it.”
“Tai’s certainly right, kid, you know, yes?”
“‘Course I am, little man, of course. You haven’t got any sack to store that head of yours … you can take this one.”
“Hmm … and I avoided telling you that, too, just a while ago–I found it so gross to even mention it, bleh.”
“True it’s gross … or only kind of.”
“That reeking head of yours was too much, huhuhu. You gotta accept, right?”
“Mm-hm, mm-hm. And you don’t intend to go about the Guild Bureau with no bag at all, do you?? Do so and they’ll call you uncivilized and not accept your … only one little head (it’s got quite long hair, by the way, how weird for an orc. Can’t even see his face with that) … must be a young orc from which you’ve got it, huh … well regardless, accept the sack, little man–here.”
My hand’s fingers went and mistrustfully snatched the sack.
Pausing and freeing his hands, he gripped upon my late friend, Chief Orc’s head, and stuffed it into that suck as I held it open.
I sure am learning a lot with these humans, hm. They sure can be kind when they don’t know what I am.
Is this the convention? It’s true that, now that I think on it, it’s kind of obvious.
It’d come up as uncivilized to me too if someone was to do that with my dead head.
I’d want it to be all pretty and wrapped up neatly under some beautiful linen sheet and all.
Just kidding.
My lips simply uttered, “Thank you, Leader.”
“Pfft! Calling me leader, huh. That’s funny, though.”
“That kid is funny, right, Tai? I’ve personally already taken a liking to his little cute face, hahaha.”
“And I get you, Leana. I get you.”
I’d taken a liking to Clumsy Babe too–Ring!
Oh!
❮’Learning the ropes!’ – Meet and get acquainted with Clumsy Babe’s group of friends and adventurers. 1/1❯
That’s right!
❮The Player has successfully met and been acquainted to Clumsy’s party.❯
I have done that, that’s right.
❮What will come of this in the future?❯
What will, hm?
❮Let the Player go on an adventure with his new friends someday! Let the group walk you through the job and learn the ropes of itself with them.❯
I gasped!
So I’ll really become a cool adventurer, somehow?!
❮New Quest has been found: …❯
My eyes sparkled like crazy … and peering around real quickly, hopefully, they’ll not think I’m a weirdo–they can’t see the blue lines nor hear that female-metallic voice.
❮’Studying Over Adventuring? Don’t Think So’ – adventuring is best – studying is boring! Let the Player have some fun and go on adventures, learning the adventurer job practically just as he wants.❯
Hmm, but I gotta say as always, though, it always gets me lost … even when I try my best to get it!
Somehow, I’ll meet back up with them? And we’ll go out on adventures together??
Hmm!
I’m cheered up, but I’ve got something else on the go for now, anyhow.
–Undoing his kneeling position, “Ahem!”
Leader abruptly stood up.
And Babe left my neck and shoulders.
She wasn’t behind my back anymore.
Letting his white teeth shine at me, “Thanks again, little man.”
And I shook my head again, “No!”
Oop.
I shouted that ‘no!’ too loudly.
“… Hmph, you’re very humble, little man … well, I’ll be going, now–this was about all I had to say.”
“Yes, and I gotta go, too. I’ll be heading to Yera.”
“Oh, all right. You don’t stay with the little savior? Want me to show you the precise spot?”
“Hmm … why not? And no,” finally, the girl’s hand patted my head for the last time, “when I now think about it, we retained him too much … and big boy will just know what to do now, yes?” also brightly smiling at me, “hmm, I guess you’ll be meeting back up with your party, first … and then, hey, you can learn to respect the regulations, maybe?”
Did they retain me too much?
If it were only a matter of Clumsy Babe, then certainly not.
Was that why the hurry?
And … “meh!” I grimaced with strength and might.
I wasn’t even knowing of these regulations, beforehand. It isn’t my fault … I’m not even the little human boy they think I am in the first place.
Not like I can use that as an excuse, though. It’d break my cover.
Still though, it wasn’t fair. I won’t learn any regulations or no nothing if it’s like this.
But giggling happily the way she always did–”I’m just teasing~ … See you around, maybe, kid!”
Leader sure was eager to leave, he already went on leaving.
And following himself, taking many quick little steps, that alluring girl followed.
But before getting out of sight too quickly, she turned to me again, smiled, bent her back looking at me, smiled higher … and waved one tiny hand at me.
“Take care, little man!”
From behind her, Leader thought of saying goodbye to me, too.
And I repeated these same little waving movements with my fingers towards the both of them, but more towards Babe.
“Bye then, Babe … and Leader too.”
They waved like rustling leaves in the wind, my fingers.
Just like this, alongside Babe’s own, our fingers danced together.
Her head still was tilted to the side when she finally giggled one last time, “Huhuhu!” then she turned around; and that was it on her side.
Gradually, my waving hand dropped down. It met back up with my hip, hanging around itself; that was it on my side, too, then.
Or maybe that wasn’t quite it yet.
Left alone, I could sigh, now. It feels like so much happen in a so short span of time.
My sigh was deep and came from my very bottom.
Would ’empty’ be the word for this?
Now that they’ve left, it sure feels empty.
And that very empty atmosphere is what leaves me wordless, at this point.
Well, in the end, they’ve just gone to their own business. Life regains its course. To each their own business. And to me my own, too.
That sack of leather Leader had given me, I was holding it with only my left hand again.
That was where Chief’s head found its place of settlement ever since it’s lost its body.
Peering down at it, I recalled this was it. It was my own business. And it’s where the flow of life will take me, now.
And they say it pays money, huh.
How can such a worthless piece of junk be worth anything?
Hm.
They’re the expert, though.
Plus I wouldn’t mind getting my first ever pay with that. It’s all very easy to me. Easy money is fine by me.
The Guild Bureau it is, then, right?
Where did she say it was again, that clumsy lady?
My eyes down to that orc’s head, I recalled her instructions: “Right up ahead, I reckon–”
And when I hadn’t even time to bring my head back up to see about where it’d be…
“–Have you lost your mind again, my boy?”
“Huh?!”
In all the ambient sounds and liveliness (that had grown very timid, at this point) I felt a palm disheveling my head again.
“And that’s right, right up ahead, yes!”
That’s Clumsy’s voice, isn’t it?
“Big sis’? What are you still doing here?”
“But, my boy, that’s my line you just said right here!”
“I … what do you mean, big sis’?”
“‘What do you mean, big sis’?’???”
“Yes?”
“C’mon, kid! Don’t give me this. I know you’re lost again, aren’t you!”
“No, and … hey!–stop disheveling my hair, please, it isn’t cool… What do you mean I’m lost again! I’m fine. You said I was a big boy–just like the big people. I’m fine.”
“Pfft. You’re cute, you’re cute … but seriously though–right after I left, I thought that well, that little boy might’ve lost his way again … and gave big people problems again, right?”
“And, yes, and … yes, I’m not a little boy–and I won’t, I promise.
“Erm … why am I standing still here, then you ask, hm?
“I will … I will get moving already, I was just thinking about stuff, big sis’.”
“Oh, thinking about stuff, you must be a big person, then, mm-hm. Very well, kid, that just about what I wanted to hear.”
“Very well, kid.”
“Pfft, but you’re the kid!–and will you get everything all right without this big sister of yours? You sure?? You’ll be heading over to the Guild Bureau, I believe, if you go this way. You’ll be fine with everything and you’re up to date with all~ the regulations?”
“I’ll just be fine and get everything all right. Mm-hm, mm-hm. And I’ll be going just right now! Only watch me go.”
“Very, very well. Just about what I needed to hear again, mm-hm.”
“Yes! Goodbye! Whatever may come my way, I’ll deal with … just finely … just like you taught me!”
She giggled, bringing her hand up to her mouth, hiding her white teeth, genuinely smiling.
“Bye-bye!”
My sack was resting by my hips. I firmly gripped it. My fist was clenched to a ball, I felt determined.
“Hmm!”
And I parted with her waving hand and smile.
“Good luck with the rest, my boy!”