I hate being wed in a fantasy world!

Chapter 1 – Welcome to Goldbrunn, the City of Rest

Goldbrunn is in sight, we look at the city walls from afar, surrounding a somewhat big town. You can't compare it to Feuerberg's capital or any modern city in Japan, but it's still on the larger size.

I pick up my spear and bow from the backpack. Kyou-san looks at me in question. “I'd like to hide the fact that we're heroes, 'cause it'd be the easiest way to track us down,” I explain. “Better take some other stuff out, as well. Waterskins, rope, try to give the feeling, that our backpacks are stuffed.”

With some of the branches I pick up, I widen the opening of the backpack, right at the top, while being careful that they don't enter the zone, which activates the magical storage property. Then the flap goes over it and voila, the backpack seems to be full. As long as they don't check the content, we should be fine.

Too bad that everything non-living just vanishes in those backpacks, it would be much easier to make them look stuffed otherwise, and the [Shared Inventory] makes it impossible to use a strategy of filling each other's backpacks with equipment since they usually only work for their respective heroes.

Still, we can't fill these things with animals to make them packed. “Wait a minute...” Ara-san's staff can't be stored in the [Inventory] because it's still living. So plants also count... “Let's look for some bushes, then Kyou-san and Ara-san can use [Warp Plants] on them until they fit in the backpack.”

Then we won't need to fear that the sticks that are widening the entrance will fall into the inventory...

After finding some viable bushes, Ara-san cleans and dries them with magic. Who likes dirt and insects in their backpacks, after all? Then, after some warping, we have actual stuffed backpacks. Problem solved.

Of course, we removed the equipment we’d like to use for the deception first. Rine straps a rope at the side of her backpack, Kyou-san did the same with a lamp, after some minor stuff like that we look the part of a group of travelers.

There is some kind of camp at the side of the city. Looks like some sort of mercenary-band or something similar. It’s not exactly what makes me feel safe given our latest disaster with mercenaries, but since several travelers are coming and going to the city, we might just slip through unnoticed. Not like we would even come close to the camp if we go directly to the gate.

“Kyou-san, you handle the conversation.” I'll just rely on her [Persuasion]-stat and the fact, that she has good judgment in times like these. Rine would most likely give us away in a questioning and Ara-san is an alfr.

Why that is important?

“Oh! Watch your knees, unless you want to hurt him!” Because of that. Alfr might be one of the most racist people of all times. Or would it be 'speciesist?'

As we arrive at the eastern gate, one of the guards comes up to us; it's one of the folk. His broad face, brownish skin, kinky hair and stubby fingers are telling us this. In addition to the fact, that his face is at the same height as my knees.

The folksman clenches his fist, but says nothing. I kinda feel bad for him.

“Sorry about our companion.” Kyou-san bows to him.

“Don't worry about it. She's an alfr.” Looks like he's used to it. Annoyed, but used to it. “Let's get this over with.” He takes a look at each of us and scribbles some things down. “Who are you?”

“We are adv-,”

“Mercenaries!” I interfere. “We're mercenaries.”

The folksman looks at me strangely, but Kyou-san just smiles and says: “Yes, we're mercenaries.” Good job rolling with it. “And this is our leader, who will fill you in.” Dammit, Kyou-san!

“I see. So, mercenaries. Name?”

“Lion's Squad.”

“Rank?”

“Zero.”

“I see. This is the whole squad?”

“Yes.”

“...are you sure? I mean, I don't mean to be a sexist, but the male-female-ratio is off. One of them even has a broken arm, right?”

“Well, we're Rank 0 after all.”

“Ah, right. Some girls looking for adventure, pulling you into it, huh? Well, not my business exactly. So 'Lion's Squad.'”

“Exactly.” I lift up my left hand and show him my ring. The cursed ring looks like a lion's face, so it's very distinguishable.

Kyou-san follows my example, Rine and Ara-san did the same afterward. All of their rings resemble lionesses.

“Impressive... are you maybe- no, not my business. Well, keep the rings on your person at all times.” He writes another thing down.

All this procedure is because we're armed individuals, so it's solely for security. Though it's not like they won't let us in, they only need some more information about us.

“By the way, Guard-san,” I ask. “Who are these guys?” For some reason, there is a camp at the outer side of the city walls. There is a banner hanging showing the emblem of a sword clenched by a claw.

“Ah, the Crusaders. Well, there will be some in the city, so be especially careful about minor misconducts.” The folksman doesn't explain what Crusaders are, so maybe it's common sense in this world I missed.

I look at the girls, Rine's eyes are sparkling, so they have to be a force of goodness, justice, or another kind of crap. Kyou-san looks puzzled so they may be known, but more as a form of background story, nothing important for us heroes. Ara-san keeps her cool, and her ears are relaxed, so Crusaders are no danger to us.

“I see.” I just answer the question. “Are we finished?”

“Almost. Your name.”

Should I give a false name? No, I already decided that I use my real one, chances are low, that it will circumvent if we keep a low profile and if someone is calling out to me, I might make me suspicious if I don't answer my false name right away. “Kenta. Katsuragi Kenta.” For some reason, nobody is ever wondering, why I use my surname first, so the hero's auto-translate seems to roll with it.

“After you booked an inn, please report to the closest guard office. Do you want to get work offers, are you advertising yourself, or only passing through?”

“Most likely passing through.”

“For how long will you stay?”

“At best a week.”

“Alright. Then please take these marks.” He hands us down some copper pieces, which are imprinted with a well surrounded by wheat plants. “If you leave the city, please have them ready to submit.”

“Thank you. Any inn you recommend?”

“For Rank 0? Bronco's Bucket, follow the main street until you get to the market, then ask around. It's a bit hidden, but should be your price range.” He looks at us suspiciously. Maybe he thinks we're some nobles in disguise or such.

“Thanks.”

With this, we can pass the city gate.

A city in a fantasy world, what a fabulous place it is. The streets are made of dirt, the buildings look like they're about to fall apart, it stinks like shit because the people just throw the content of their chamber pots out of the window, and it's colorless as hell. Well, not exactly, the most prominent colors are gray, brown and putrid green, after all. Plus, there are plenty of shades of them.

The people living in here are almost as ragged as we are. Their hair is greasy, their skin is blemished, overall they are similar to actual people in Japan, just with different hair, eye and skin colors, and less hygiene.

Of course, there are also more people of other species, like folkspeople, hynoar, and some people I would plainly call 'dwarves' since I don't know their name, though they're still a minority.

“Why is it, that there are so many humans around here?” I ask Ara-san.

“Because you humans don't stop procreating. You're like vermin, just making children all year round.” I shouldn't have asked her. “With Feuerberg in the east, this part of the Wildlands connects with other human countries, making trade possible, like with Déjuma in in the south or the Realms of the North.” Well, and there is a bit of actual knowledge here.

“I see.”

“Ken,” Kyou-san walks next to me. “Why did you first ask me to handle the conversation and then did it yourself anyway!?” She looks pissed, I can see it in her smile. She only smiles at me, if she's so annoyed, that a displeased face won't cut it.

“Because you almost said the a-word.”

“Which a-word?”

“Adventurer.”

“What about it?”

She really doesn't know. Well, I might have skipped the tutorial back then, but I got other knowledge from this world, by sticking around Meldorn and the hunters. “Do you know what the term 'adventurer' means in this world?”

“What about it?”

“Rine, how are adventurers seen?” I ask the only born citizen of this world in our party.

“Erm...” She seems to be a bit surprised. She was just staring at the shitty city with her flaming eyes of curiosity before I called her. “Not good.”

“Explain.”

“Adventurers are... well, they are people who are looking for adventure!” Oh? Seems like she really doesn't want to explain that, her face is becoming stubborn.

“Ara-san, take over.”

“Momo.” Ara-san clears her throat. “What do adventurers do from your point of view?”

“Well...” Kyou-san plays with the ring on her finger. “They fight monsters, do odd-jobs for people and explore dungeons and caves? That's how Masahiko-kun explained it to us.” Of course he did, fake doesn't know shit about anything.

“They do. However, if you want to get rid of monsters, you ask a mercenary. If you need someone to do odd jobs, you ask a laborer. If you want some cave or dungeon explored, you ask the explorer's guild.”

“Your point?”

“Adventurers are practically regarded as amateurs, who try to do the tasks, which are commonly dealt with by actual professionals. If you ask a group of adventurers to get rid of a crop-eating monster, you do so, so that you have to pay less. If you ask the guards or mercenaries for the same service, you do so, because you want to have it done.”

“Practically,” I interrupt, “adventurers are good-for-nothing dreamers. They are like: 'Let's delve into that dungeon, there may be treasure inside,' and they risk time and life doing something, that might be pointless. So if you don't want to be laughed at, you just tell people that we're mercenaries.”

“Adventurers aren't that bad!” Rine stomps her feet. “They do good to people while asking for only little reward.”

“Why are we supposed to be mercenaries in the first place?” Even Kyou-san ignores her.

“Because we're armed, while not being guards on duty. If something happens, we don't want to explain where we got these weapons and armors from. It's less suspicious that way.”

“You are actually making sense. I got it. But if you already decided upon the name 'Lion's Squad,' and I must admit, it's a very well-thought out name if you consider our 'problem,' why didn't you tell me before!? Or even ask me if I'm OK with the name?”

“...Rine, don't pout.”

“Don't you dare avoid my question by changing the subject.”

Excuse me, but there are plenty of opportunities where you girls are busy and I'm on my own, so I tend to use that time rather productively. It’s just that I forgot to bring it up when there was an opportunity.

Kyou-san furrows her eyebrows, more or less guessing what I was thinking. “Then tell me what Rank 0 means.”

“Phew... basically, it means we're an unofficial mercenary squad. Since there is no mercenary guild, you get recognized by nobles, guild merchants, or some sort of political heads. Without any recognition, you're Rank 0. After you worked for a village head or something, you get a letter of recognition with the sign and rise to Rank 1, means you actually can do shit. The more powerful the people are that recognize you, the higher the rank is, that they can give you. Something like that was made up by someone and somehow got implemented as a semi-official-system, I guess.”

“So we're basically still amateurs, right?”

“Exactly. But we're aiming to become professionals, so we were asked if we want to get some offers. Like monster extermination or guarding some caravan.”

“So that's the image you want to give us?”

“More or less. We're armed but relatively harmless.”

“*Sigh*, please keep us informed in the future.”

Being mercenaries isn't bad at all, but doing actual mercenary work is. After all, we want to travel to Zethtrin and therefore don't want to be entangled with any sort of responsibility, that would make it harder to move freely.

In general, I want to keep a low profile. However, somehow I feel watched. “Is it me, or are people looking at us?” They really are. Some people are turning their heads to get a proper look at us, while others are whispering to each other. Most likely, they're bad mouthing us.

“Isn't it obvious, Kenta-kun?” Ara-san speaks softly. “You look like some pimp, with two pretty ladies and an alfr accompanying you. At least I guess, that Momo and Katarine-san are pretty ladies by human standards?”

“Arako,” Kyou-san rubs her nose-bridge. “how am I supposed to answer that without bragging?”

“Father always said that I'm a pretty girl.” Rine doesn't even doubt it for a second.

“...You may be half-right, Ara-san. I guess it's about our appearance. First, we have me, an Asian, with a crimson armor, and the only man among girls. Then we have Kyou-san, also Asian. People may mistake us for Southerners, but only if they have never seen real ones before. Then we have a girl, with sparkling, burning eyes, who also happens to have her arm in a sling, and finally an alfr outside a forest. Not even mentioning your good looks, we're quite the odd combo here.”

“Kenta is calling me pretty!” Somehow Rine just heard what she wanted. She's blushing and fidgeting and tries to hug me, but I slam my palm against her forehead in reaction. Now we're standing out even more.

“...please don't say this, unless you plan to eat me.” Ara-san's ear blushes, while her face is totally unmoving, but somehow it turns me on.

Kyou-san sighs. “...well, you might have a point.” Then she comes a bit closer, looking rather displeased and a bit annoyed. “Some advice: If you want to compliment my look, you have to be more direct.”

...what's that supposed to mean?

You gain 1 WP.

Compliments are lube for any healthy relationship, be direct or indirect, as long as it's natural, everything is fine.

First, I didn't compliment any of them.

Second, this isn't part of the WP-list, so why is it rewarding me for what I didn't even do?

Third, just ignore it and be glad that I got a WP without putting any work into it. “Just try not to give them any more reason to remember us.” Geez, this will make it easy for anyone who follows us to find out that we were here.

Well, not that it'd be too hard to just bribe the guard to get the intel.

“Look, a Southerner!” Rine loudly exclaims while pointing at some random guy, who just happens to look Italian.

“Kenta-kun, do you see that man over there?” Ara-san means a blonde one in a whole other direction. “I think he’s trying to rape me with his eyes, look how he ogles me from head to toe.” Hey, this is just someone, who looks at Ara-san in concern, most likely because he worries what an alfr is doing in his city, but Ara-san can't read his face and just jumped to the next best conclusion.

Kyou-san and I exchange a look and sigh in unison. So this is how parents feel when they roam around town with their children. 'Which one?' We use our eye-language.

'Rine-chan.'

“Phew.” 'Just because Ara-san is sexual harassing again?'

'Exactly.'

“Ara-san.” I pinch her ear and Ara-san convulses. Pinching an alfr ear is like giving a moderate slap to one's fingertips. “Just shut up.”

“Rine-chan, don't point at people with your finger.” Kyou-san copies me and pulls Rine by her ear.

““Ouch!””

“Don't mind these two.” Kyou-san turns apologizing towards the people around her. Now people stare at her. “As you see, we come from far away and it's a bit too stimulating for these two.”

“Erm... it's okay, I guess?” The Southerner answered.

“...I was just curious. Sorry, it's my fault.” The other one apologized. Dude, you just got accused of sexual harassment! Don't play it down!

Well, Kyou-san got that much of a [Persuasion]-attribute, which makes the hero more believable to non-heroes anyway, so this apology has much more weight to them than to me, I guess.

“Kenta-kun, please. Let me go.” Ara-san pleads. “I feel all tingly and strange.” She's also panting.

I let her ear go as if it's a piece of red-hot iron.

“Ah, thanks.” Ara-san rubs her ear. “I think I need to mastu-”

Without even a moment of hesitation, I put my hand over Ara-san's mouth. “Can't you just shut up now!?”

Ara-san looks into my eyes. Her double-iris is narrowing a bit.

…

“I don't have any idea, what you want to tell me.”

“mmm” Her ear tips are dropping. Maybe some sort of discontent. I slowly retract my hand. “Why can you tell from Momo's eyes but not mine?”

“Don't know, don't care.”

“We have to practice it.”

“How about you practice not saying anything you want just because you feel like it?”

“Kenta-kun, people are looking.”

…

Dammit, Ara-san! She's right, she knows it, and since she also knows that I don't want to get too much attention, she reminds me of that. It all makes sense, but it’s still annoying as hell!

So just slipping inside Goldbrunn without being noticed already failed. According to my usual luck, we will surely be remembered for a while...

“Phew. Just keep going.”

We arrive at the marketplace. The pavement here is almost totally buried by a mix of dirt and dung. Seriously, if your horse takes a crap, clean it up!

This location is most likely supposed to be an open plaza, but wagons with stands attached are more or less blocking off most of it, they build alleyways for people to squeeze through them. The sides are filled with stalls and stores, making all of it hard to overview.

Most of it is food and sundries. Just like in Feuerberg, weapon stores just don't mesh well with marketplaces, since there are only limited people who will visit them, so they're usually in the artisan's quarter or just outside the market.

“Phew. Rine, take my hand.”

“Yes!” Without even hesitating, she grabs and entwines my fingers such that I can’t help but think of a bear trap closing about my hands.

“Kyou-san and Ara-san make the other group.” Knowing what I intend, they also grab each others hands. “Let's try to get in one of the backstreets, try to follow us.”

We're holding hands so we won't get separated and since Rine is the one who most likely would wander off, I want to keep an eye on her myself.

I hate crowds.

A hit with an elbow. A step on my foot. After getting bashed here and there by people who aren't even looking at me, I try to make my way through them.

In general, I'm a bit below average height for a Japanese male, so between all these westerner-like people I don't stand out height-wise, so that's probably why I'm mostly overlooked.

Oops, just hit a folksman with my knee. I better ignore it, I want to get out of here fast.

An alley! Breathing space!

It stinks like pee and shit! I turn around and see Kyou-san rubbing her cheek, looks like she got hit there. Ara-san is looking at her feet, and my eyes wander there. She stepped into a stinky pile while moving through the crowd.

Too bad for her that all alfar go barefooted.

Well, at least we're all here, no one got lost.

The alley is full of people, but they are beggars. Some of them look at us and wave their wooden bowls at us, asking silently for money, without even expecting some.

“Kenta, who are these people?” Rine asks me with a wondering expression. Seeing so many people in rags, the skin so dirty that they look sick and with a smell, which threatens to make you pass out, is much more than what a princess has ever seen before.

“The homeless kind,” I answer while shrugging my shoulders.

Ara-san's left ear rises. Well, alfr-society in Ara-san's homeworld seems not to have these, as there are so many potential homes as trees, literally. She knows of homeless people of this world, but for her, it's nothing she usually sees, it may even be her first time.

For Kyou-san and I, they're almost a common sight since both of us used to live in urban areas. There are often homeless people trying to get your money.

I used to ignore them, like all the people around me. My head tells me that giving them money would not only limit my own budget but also won't help them in the long run. On the other hand, in Japan, there are places they can turn to in order to get food.

I'm not sure if there are soup kitchens here, or whatever is done by the government.

Scratching my head, I turn away from them and look at the girls. Rine is already looking through her backpack, while Kyou-san looks like she doesn't even want to be here, and Ara-san... I don't know what she thinks.

“Rine.” I grab her wrist, trying to make her stop. “Let me handle this.”

Turning back to the homeless people, seven in total, I ask: “We're looking for an inn, Bronco's Bucket. If you can tell us directions, we'll share food.” We have still some leftovers and snacks from Aroahenn, and we can part with them more easily than with our money, which we need to resupply.

“I know the way.” An old man stands up. He didn't even look at us before, but his crackling voice pierces through the atmosphere. “I'll lead you if you leave the food here for my friends.” Gray hair and beard, there are even parts of it, which are pure white. A geezer.

“Alright.” I take some of the food from my backpack, while trying to prevent anyone from looking into its bush-filled content, and exchange looks with Kyou-san, who follows suit. Would be strange, if all the food comes from a single backpack. Ara-san picks it up next and finally Rine.

“It's not much,” Kyou-san apologizes.

“More than we have now, no?” This geezer seems to be quite lively for a beggar. He does some light steps deeper into the alley, beckoning us with his scarred hand. “Follow me.”

Something in me makes me hesitate. This could be a clever trap. My hand wanders to my knife, ready to draw it at any moment, but since Rine and Ara-san don't even hesitate to follow the beggar, I tag along.

“That surprised me,” Kyou-san whispers to me from the side.

“Huh?”

“Seeing you going all soft with those people.”

“...shut up.”

Kyou-san looks at me as if she has just read my diary while I was watching. A bit of an impish grin. Could be cute, if it wouldn't be at my expense.

“What do you think about this geezer?” I ask her instead. Being a fake, Kyou-san knows exactly how to identify others.

“Is it me or are you being quite rude?”

“Phew. Just answer.”

“He's not part of the other beggars.”

“Huh!?”

“He sticks out. Maybe he's not from around here.”

“How do you know that!?”

“The way he doesn't intermingle with them. Not that someone like you, who never paid attention to people could understand what I mean.”

“So why are we following him!?”

“Because I don't think that he means harm.”

“...” I speed up my steps to come closer to the geezer. Looking at him, he has a long cloak, which more or less envelopes his whole body. Actually, it’s more like a dirty rag. “Hey. You're not from around here?”

The man in question inspects me. “Same as you, I guess.” He shrugs his shoulders while cackling. “Just here for a few days and very hungry.”

“Let me tell you this. If this turns out to be a trap, I will personally hunt you down!”

“Easy, boy!” The old man grins, just like a nice uncle. I hate nice uncles. “I'm no robber. Just a traveler.”

“Let's hope you're right.” I totally forgot the possibility that he could be part of a gang of street robbers, I'm more concerned about if he's one of the guys Correo hired.

“Kenta?” Rine grabs my arm from behind. “Don't worry.” She presents me a smile, which should be soothing, but it's not like my suspicions would just melt away.

“By the way, boy?” The old man asks me. “You wear a hood, have a bow and a spear, so let me ask you this: Are you a ranger?”

“...” Well, rangers seem to be known here in the Wildlands. “Yes.”

“At that age, impressive. When I was your age, I was still a good-for-nothing. What's your title?”

“...” When I was acknowledged as a [Ranger], I got three things: The hood, the name Kenta'aihr, and a title. “Why should I tell you?”

“So that when I roam around and hear about your deeds, I can think: Ah, I know this guy!”

“Now that he mentions it, I don't know either.” Ara-san, who more or less was concentrating on the ground the whole time to avoid stepping into something else, chimes in. “What title did Oro'hekk give you?”

“Kenta has a title?” Rine's eyes are sparkling and about to burn me.

“...” Kyou-san says nothing but is definitely interested.

“Boy, you have two beautiful girls here, and you don't even impress them with your title? Get some balls!”

“...it's not like that.” I don't want to impress anyone here. I don't need any fancy names or fame. I just want to make it through this whole hero business and return home.

...my arm hurts. Rine has it in her grasp, and her excitement for my title makes her squeeze it. My hand is turning numb! Don't look at me like that!

Ara-san, stop it as well!

Kyou-san, are you about to skin me with your eyes, which clearly show your curiosity, while trying not to make it too obvious?

Stop grinning, geezer!

…

… …

“...the 'Red Ranger'.” I'm just too weak against these stares.

Suddenly, I feel a shiver running down my spine. It feels like someone just cursed me and declared my death.

I look at the old man, but he still grins, no hostility at all, more like excitement. “Red Ranger? Your armor tells your story! Great, tell me what kind of beast you killed to get one of those!”

Rine is loosening her grip but clings to my arm instead. “Red Ranger? I don't know why, but it sounds cool!”

Ara-san sighs almost soundlessly. “That's it?”

Kyou-san says nothing.

My eyes are wandering to the alley and roofs, but there is nobody there. So where did the hostility come from?

―○●○―

Red Ranger? Are you f*cking kidding me!?

You're nothing like a red ranger, you second-class dimwit jerk!

Clenching my teeth, I put a relaxed expression on my face, but it looks like the so-called red ranger somehow felt my... let's call it 'displeasure.'

I adjust my scarf a bit, trying to find comfort in it. I think nobody found out about my slip-up.

“Momo?” Arako walks right next to me. “It seems like Kenta-kun picked up something suspicious. I didn't hear anything, and he gave no warning, but be prepared.”

“Of course, Arako.” I put a smile on, which didn't go along with my current feelings in the slightest. It's not like anyone of my companions could really tell, though. Ken would most likely just assume that it's a fake smile and be right, but he can’t tell the difference between a real and a fake one. “But I think that he’s just imagining things, again.”

For some reason, Ken can tell, when I'm furious with him.