Chapter 144: Hassan And An Ill-Fated Relationship From The Past (2)

༺ Hassan And An Ill-Fated Relationship From The Past (2) ༻

At first, I thought I had surely seen it wrong.

There were a considerable number of elves on the Gaia Continent. Take, for instance, the bald monk Khalidur, whom I knew to be an elf

He wasn't an exception; many elves could be found all across the Gaia Continent. They were deeply integrated into human society.

In fact, in bustling cities like Sodomora, it was not uncommon to come across an elf while leisurely strolling through the market. It would be equally unsurprising to find at least one elf in a crowded tavern.

In fact, in bustling cities like Sodomora, it was not uncommon to come across an elf while leisurely strolling through the market. It would be equally unsurprising to find at least one elf in a crowded tavern.

Anyway, among such a large number of elves, there must be quite a few members who had white-silver hair and red eyes, right?

I didn't believe that Elfriede was the only female elf out there with sharp cat-like eyes and those haughty and arrogant lips.

"Phew, it's troublesome to be popular, Elfi. It seems like our fame has already widely spread even in the city of Sodomora. Maybe this is the result of my hard work to promote our team everywhere as the party leader."

For fuck's sake! It was really Elfriede.

Albino elves possess a distinct and rare coloration among the foreign fairy species. Elfriede, as an elf, is an exceptionally unique being, comparable to a mythical Pokémon! It is highly unlikely for there to be more than two such individuals in existence.

If we compared her to a Pokémon, she was like an incredibly rare golden Magikarp, right? Of course, Elfriede was closer to the ferocity of a Gyarados than a Magikarp though.

Holy fuck!

In Sodomora, the cozy place I had chosen - to be exact, the inn I frequently visited - a wild Elfriede had appeared.

Seeing all this, I couldn't help but be frozen at the entrance, unable to enter the inn.

What should I do? I wanted just to turn around and leave right this instant, but Luna was already looking at me with a puzzled expression.

"What are you doing? Let's go in. Marco hasn't arrived yet."

"Oh, uh, yes."

But today, strangely, I couldn't refuse Luna's words.

Today, for some reason, it felt like I should listen to everything Luna had to say and treat her with extra care. It was as if there was a special feeling that I needed to be particularly kind to Luna.

And thus, I was left wondering about what to do. It was then that I remembered I had a towel in my hip pouch, which I usually carry as a spare.

It was a rough and long cloth that could be used for various purposes.

If I wrapped it around my face, it would create a makeshift turban similar to what the sandmen of the desert wear in their everyday lives. This will probably cover most of my facial features, right?

So I immediately implemented that idea. Fortunately, they still seemed unaware of my existence.

"Why are you covering your head like that, Hassan? Is your head hurting, by any chance?"

However, all of a sudden, Luna called my name, and I was so startled that I almost jumped up like a cat that had been startled from behind.

It seemed that just covering my face was not enough.

The name 'Hassan' definitely stood out in this world. If my name caught the attention of that elf's long ears, it would undoubtedly lead to an unimaginably terrible and dreadful event.

But luckily, the female adventurers sitting at the central table were busy laughing and chatting among themselves without paying any attention to me.

I quickly led Luna by the waist to the farthest corner of the inn where we wouldn't be visible from the central area.

"If we sit here, Marco won't be able to see us."

"Forget about him for now."

"But, Hassan, why are you speaking so quietly?"

"...Well, um... It's just that... We'll soon start the subjugation operation of the Thieves' Guild, right? And maybe from now on, we'll get involved with the Thieves' Guild too. So, you know..."

"So, Hassan, are you saying you're preparing for something like stealth infiltration?"

Luna opened her eyes wide and asked me with bated breathes. Stealth infiltration? I didn't really know what that meant, but I decided to nod my head anyway for now.

"Yeah, something like that. It's about hiding our identities."

"Holy shh! Stealth infiltration... It sounds so cool... So, we have to hide our faces and speak quietly during such an operation, huh... Should I hide my face too...?"

Luna flipped the bone helmet, hanging while being attached to a strap on her back, over to wear it on her head. It was quite an eerie sight to see her wearing an animal skull over her head, but in this shabby inn, she didn't stand out too much. It even seemed somehow ordinary compared to that exotic pink hair of hers.

Anyway, I was relieved that Luna understood my intentions, even though it seemed like she had some misunderstandings of her own.

I spoke.

"S-So, here's the thing. What if we call each other by different names today?"

"Names?"

"Yeah, something like... nicknames."

"You mean creating fake names? Like how Diomedes and Odysseus infiltrated Troy—!"

"W-What? Who?"

"I know about the story of the Trojan War too."

I wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed like a story of stealth infiltration that was spread in this world. What even was the Trojan War?

Come to think of it, about ten years ago, there was a huge war between this kingdom and another kingdom. Could she be talking about that?

Anyway, Luna's misunderstanding turned out to be helpful for me.

"Yeah, we're going to choose fake names."

"Fake names. I've always wanted to try that. Holy shh! Then I'll go first. I, um, I... um..."

Luna murmured as if she was thrilled, and she even forgot to order food. After a while, she whispered in a soft tone.

"Since it is so out of sudden, I can't think of anything...!"

"Oh, I see."

I was someone who always struggled to come up with nicknames.

So, after spending a long time deciding, I would always end up with a message saying, "This nickname is already in use," during online registration. And I would just end up using something random as a result..

Luna also seemed to be the type who takes a long time to come up with nicknames.

"Should I choose one for you?"

I said to Luna, who was deep in thought. Actually, what was important right now was not calling Luna by a false name but making sure Luna didn't call me Hassan.

"You'll give me a name?"

"Yeah, I'll come up with one for you."

"W-Well... Having someone come up with a name for me somehow feels really strange. It also makes us sound like lovers or something..."

However, looking at her twisting her body in reaction, Luna was shyer than I expected about this. Although the bull skull already covered her face, I could easily imagine her dyed-red face.

Come to think of it... we were going to give each other nicknames.

Wasn't this something that only popular couples do?

After thinking about it clearly, I became extremely shy about it too.

"So, what will my name be?"

"Um, well, let me see if I can think of something good here..."

Damn it! Having to think about this suddenly, I couldn't think of anything. So, I blurted out the first name that came to my mind.

"Chikorita."

"What's that?"

"It's, um, something. I-It's something cute. Soft and fluffy—"

"Fluffy? Have you touched it? Is it a girl?"

"No, I haven't touched one. It's like an animal. Um, I'm not sure how to explain it. Anyway, I like it, the name Chikorita, I mean."

"Chikorita..."

Luna seemed to ponder about the nickname Chikorita that was given to her by me. I hope she likes it. Honestly, I couldn't think of anything else that would suit Luna better than Chikorita.

If we wanted only to consider a similar color, something like Slowbro would suit her more. But still, such a nickname didn't quite fit for a cute girl like her.

"Then, try calling me by that nickname."

Luna, who had been repeating Chikorita on her lips for some time, spoke those words all of a sudden.

"Ch-Chikorita."

But damn it! I had never realized that calling someone by a nickname could be so embarrassing and awkward.

Back then, when I called Elfriede by the nickname of 'Bitchfriede', it didn't feel like this. Was it because of the difference in the affection I held for them?

"Hmm... I think I don't want to use it."

However, Luna quickly lost interest in this charade, as if she didn't like the nickname given

"Why?"

"It feels like you're calling someone else, not me."

"Well, nicknames are supposed to be like that."

"Still, I don't like it. I would prefer if you called me Luna— by my real name."

"Hmm, well, if you feel that way, I can't do much about it."

"But I'll give you a nickname, Hassan! How about Blackie since you have black hair?"

"Well, that might not be the best choice."

"Then, since your skin is a bit yellowish, how about Yellowie?"

I had noticed this before, but Luna's way of giving nicknames had a somewhat literal aspect to it. The wolf spider was named Kong Kong because her bark sounded something like 'Kong Kong' and since I have black hair, she now wanted to name me Blackie. Or Yellowie because my skin was a bit yellowish.

So, we ordered our food before deciding on a nickname, and the dishes soon arrived on our table.

As always, a few pieces of meat were floating in the soup, and there was hard bread to dip in the soup. It was our typical breakfast which cost five coppers.

While having such a meal, my eyes kept drifting repeatedly toward the table in the center of the room.

"San, what are you looking at?"

Apparently, San was the nickname Luna gave me. It was just a shortened version of my name, but it should be enough for a disguise.

However, hearing the unfamiliar name coming out from Luna's lips made me feel rather strange. It felt like she was calling someone else and was with another man. It was such a weird sensation that was hard to convey in words.

We should just stop using nicknames once this is all over.

Anyway, I played dumb and let out a fake cough. Luna glanced behind her, making the bone helmet on her head clink slightly as a result.

"Oh, isn't that the silver-tier adventurer Delphina? There, the girl with short hair."

Luna also noticed the group I had been looking at and spoke some words about them.

"Wow, a team of silver-tier adventurers. I heard high-level adventurers usually don't stick together because they have big egos. It's fascinating to see this. There are so many interesting people."

Luna's eyes sparkled underneath the bone helmet. She was probably observing the people sitting at that center table.

Delphina, the blond woman with short hair, and a female monk in blue robes, holding a long khakkhara with a crown on its head. 1A khakkhara is a kind of noisemaker used to announce a monk's presence and frighten away animals.

Next to the two was a woman with a revealing outfit resembling a Chinese dress, with her hair tied in two braids, giving off the vibe of a martial artist.

And finally, there was an albino elf with a long staff on her back, wearing tight leather pants that emphasized her figure.

It was fascinating to see Elfriede, who always inserted herself into groups of men and ruled over them like a queen, now forming a party with women.

They all seemed to be high-level adventurers, as their appearances were also well-groomed enough to attract the attention and gazes of the crowd no matter where they went.

The inn's first floor was full of guests casting fleeting glances towards the table in the center area while whispering among themselves.

Luna was no different from them.

"Hassan, look at that. That white elf... I've never seen a white elf before."

Luna seemed so fascinated that she even forgot to call me by my nickname. Well, Luna wasn't exactly attentive enough for a hastily-made setting to stick to her mind anyway.

"She is so pretty. Look at her eyes, they are red. She looks like a rabbit. Hmm, rabbits are delicious."

"Ehem, I see."

"Do you know? Since female elves are born with innately high magical power, they are all exceptional mages."

"Really? Anyway, let's stop talking about elves now, okay?"

If we kept talking about elves like this, I had a foreboding feeling that... one way or another, their attention would be turned toward me and would soon approach this table.

"...I can't believe this, a white elf... Not only that, white snakes, white toads, white spiders... people often say that something white usually possesses special powers when they are born. I hope I can at least obtain a strand of her hair."

I had a lingering sense of discomfort as Luna showed such blatant interest in Elfriede. Did the situation where the current girlfriend is taking an interest in the ex-girlfriend usually feel like this?

Since I had no experience of having a current girlfriend and an ex, there was no way I would know anything about it. But it was still awkward, dammit!

As I was feeling more and more awkward about this situation, suddenly—

"Excuse me, innkeeper!"

From the table in the center, Delphina raised her hand high and called for the innkeeper. Soon, the attention of everyone who had been observing their group was promptly drawn toward her lone self.

I also became curious. Were they going to pay and leave? Please let it be so.

However, the words that came out of party leader Delphina's mouth were completely unexpected.

"Hey, that thing over there. That."

Delphina pointed her finger toward a plate-like object in the inn's corner. It was a long wooden board with characters carved into it. Did that kind of thing exist in the inn before?

As I was feeling puzzled, Delphina spoke again.

"Is what's written there true? Is it true that Hassan of Samaria often comes to this place?"

Holy fuck! What the fucking hell?

I quickly turned my gaze to the plate to find out what she meant by those words.

The wooden plate was well-carved and had the words, 'Meals provided in our Nymph' Wings Inn are highly effective in providing excellent fatigue recovery, and have received high praise as Hassan of Samaria's favorite dish.'

What the hell was this shit? When was this even made?

The innkeeper smiled mischievously in response.

"Oh, so you know about Hassan of Samaria? He's like a rising star of Sodomora, a real supernova of an adventurer, I tell ya."

"Reeeeally? That's what they say, Elfi."

Delphina opened her narrow eyes and looked at Elfriede sitting in the corner. The albino elf was just sipping her drink quietly.

Delphina spoke again.

"Tell us more."

"Indeed, strong adventurers are drawn to the rumors of other strong adventurers. All right. No one knows my brother as well as I do after all. Speaking of Brother Hassan, they said that his skills are at a level where he can catch a lion with his bare hands and skin living crocodiles!"

"Hmm."

"I've also heard that he achieved extraordinary feats, effortlessly defeating the descendants of the Titans with a single strike in the recent war! Ah, you know, I have a keen eye for recognizing talented individuals. From the very first moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he would rise to fame like this. And perhaps the food and drink from our inn played a small role in enhancing his strength as well?"

"I see. By any chance, do you know anything about his past? Like what he did or how he lived before coming to this city."

"His past? Well, his past is not something that—"

As the innkeeper stroked his beard, someone else, dining in one of the corners of the inn, spoke up instead.

"They say that he was an incredible killer and that he was exiled from his own lands, by the hands of his own kin, for killing too many of his brethren in the Black Wilderness!"

Upon hearing that, others chimed in from different corners and parts of the inn.

"I also heard that he participated in the expedition of the Argonauts."2This one is a little bit hard to briefly explain, so just google it lol.

"I also heard he was a hidden disciple of Kairos."

Then while everyone was trying to seize the opportunity to mingle with the high-level adventurers and make small connections with them—

Thud—!

The sound of a glass being put down on the table echoed throughout the bustling room.

It was none other than Elfriede.

She wore a very solemn expression that suddenly caused the inn to fall into an eerie silence, but then suddenly—

"Pftttt— hahaha—!"

She opened her mouth wide and burst into uproarious laughter like no other.

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