Chapter 559 - 559: The Samurai Girl

A cold wind swept across the city walls as Bell stood high above, gazing into the distance.

Plains, forests, towns, and the shores of a vast lake to the southwest. The entire landscape stretched out before him.

The lakeside town Bell was heading for lay somewhere among them.

"Bell-dono, the appointed time has come."

Mikoto's lustrous black hair fluttered in the wind, while her violet battle garb accentuated the young girl's vitality.

Reflected in her blue-violet eyes were two figures slowly making their way along the street toward the base of the city walls.

[Black Fist], dressed in casual clothes.

[Vana Mardoll], carrying her magic staff.

As for how this four-person party of humans had come together and what their objective was, that went back to several conversations Bell had held earlier.

After informing Hestia and Artemis of his plans, Bell immediately sought out Mikoto, intending to ask her to accompany him in searching for Chloe.

"Mikoto-san, that's the situation. I'll do everything I can to keep you safe along the way. If this puts you in a difficult position, you can refuse."

This was ultimately a personal matter, and Bell had no intention of using his position as Captain to force her into helping him.

"No, Bell-dono. I would be more than happy to lend you my strength."

Mikoto put away the wooden sword she had been training with, picked up a towel, and wiped away the sweat from her morning practice.

She quickly walked over to the young man, then lowered her head with a hint of self-consciousness. "It's just... I'm only Level 2. There's a good chance I'll become a burden to you, Bell-dono. Daphne-dono would probably be much better suited for this than I am..."

Mikoto understood how serious the situation was. This clearly wasn't as simple as going out to look for a missing person. Otherwise, Bell wouldn't have chosen to bring only one companion with him.

Outside Orario, there was no oversight from the Guild or the Ganesha Familia. Some towns did have branch offices, but from a safety standpoint, if something happened, a Level 2 adventurer would only hold Bell back.

"You're the only one who can help me with this, Mikoto-san. Besides gathering information, your skill can also sense members of the same Familia. That'll make it easier to find Welf too. That's why I want you to come with me."

Bell explained his reasoning.

He had long felt that Mikoto's ninja-style training would prove far more useful outside the Dungeon than during ordinary exploration.

And the situation before them was perfectly suited to it.

"All right, but... Bell-dono wants me?! I-I've never even thought about something like that!"

Mikoto's face turned bright red as she hurriedly looked away.

"...Please don't take my words out of context. And what do you mean you've never thought about it? You just admitted you have, Mikoto-san."

Bell quietly pointed out.

As far as he knew, during the time he had been away on the expedition, Daphne and Artemis had often filled Mikoto and Cassandra's heads with all sorts of strange knowledge. Daphne probably did it because she found it amusing. As for the Moon Goddess, she was likely treating the two girls as test subjects, having Mikoto and Cassandra feel things out for her first.

After all, when it came to their sense of shame, the two of them were remarkably similar to Artemis.

That was why Mikoto had taken the initiative to dress as a maid to welcome Bell home, and why she had started saying such strange things.

Still, the samurai girl's pure affection for him had not yet deepened into genuine romantic love. Bell liked how Mikoto gave everything her all, but he had no intention of putting emotional pressure on her. He preferred to let their mutual affection develop naturally over time.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it that way! It's just that Daphne-dono told me to pay more attention to the nuances behind people's words and to try thinking from Bell-dono's perspective... A-anyway, what I said just now was terribly rude. I sincerely apologize!"

Mikoto repeatedly bowed her head in apology.

"Mikoto-san, what kind of person do you think I am, exactly?"

Bell smiled helplessly.

"Um... perhaps it would be better not to say?"

Mikoto asked hesitantly.

She was completely incapable of lying, so all she could do was tentatively try to avoid answering.

"We're about to travel together. Knowing what the other person is thinking will make it easier for us to get along. It's fine. Even if your impression of me is terrible, I won't get angry."

Bell continued pressing her, giving a perfectly reasonable explanation.

"All right... I think Bell-dono is brave and kind, just like a hero from the legends... B-but you also take an interest in girls just because they're pretty, get yourself dragged into trouble because of it, do embarrassing things in front of everyone, and attract girls' attention wherever you go... J-just like [Thousand Elf] said, Bell-dono is like a rabbit in heat. You're very dangerous to girls..."

Mikoto's voice grew quieter and quieter. The blush on her cheeks had only just begun to fade, yet in an instant, her face turned as red as a ripe apple again.

"..."

Bell finally understood why this earnest and diligent girl had started saying such embarrassing things.

Under the influence of Daphne and Artemis, Mikoto had clearly come to assume that Bell's words always carried some sort of hidden implication.

"Mikoto-san, don't worry. I won't do anything improper while we're away. For example, when we stay at an inn, I'll make sure we each have our own room."

Bell chose not to laugh the misunderstanding off with a joke.

Different girls approached this kind of thing in different ways.

With someone as serious and meticulous as Mikoto, joking about it would only make matters worse.

"A-an inn?! Do you mean we'll get a separate room so we can do... t-that sort of thing? I-I think it's much too soon for that!"

Mikoto stammered.

"..."

Bell rarely found himself this speechless.

Looking at the thoroughly flustered human girl, he asked, "Mikoto-san, while I was away on the expedition, did you spend a lot of time around the brothels learning about this sort of thing?"

"How did you know, Bell-dono?"

Mikoto looked both startled and embarrassed.

Her most cherished childhood friend had become a prostitute. Although Mikoto was unable to meet Haruhime directly, she still wanted to find her own way of drawing closer to her.

She wasn't trying to descend into depravity or willingly enter the Monster Den herself. She simply wanted to understand as much as she could about the indecent matters she had once avoided entirely.

Only then, when she finally met Haruhime again, would Mikoto be able to put aside the discomfort in her heart and avoid hurting the fox girl.

"I see... Mikoto-san, you really are a beautiful woman..."

Bell couldn't think of any better way to put it, so he simply voiced the most genuine thought that came to mind.

From Haruhime's perspective, after falling into the Monster Den, how could she possibly face an old friend? No matter what she said or did, there would always be a barrier of shame between them, making her unwilling to even meet Mikoto's eyes.

Mikoto had put herself in Haruhime's place. So despite being a virtuous young woman who strictly guarded her chastity, she had willingly cast aside her own embarrassment and tried to learn as much as possible about what Haruhime had experienced.

"Beautiful... Bell-dono, you're saying things like that again..."

Mikoto gazed toward the bustling streets, her thoughts seemingly drifting to wherever her friend might be.

"I only bought a few picture books and asked Artemis-sama about some related matters. It was only a very small step, but... I feel like I've gotten a little closer to Haruhime-dono."

A bright light shone in the girl's blue-violet eyes.

Bell looked into that dazzling light without trying to explain himself.

For various reasons, Mikoto had developed a few misunderstandings about him.

But as far as Bell was concerned, that no longer mattered.

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