Chapter 187: [Adventurer Mitran] The Identity of the Underwear Thief

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"I'm sorry......for having you take on this role......"

"I'll definitely make it up to you."

"Thank you, really thank you!"

......While being told such things, surrounded by the pretty ladies of the town, my name is Mitran.

An 8-year-old boy adventuring while traveling!

But due to my face, I'm usually mistaken for a girl.

That's why this time......I accepted this "decoy role" on behalf of the ladies.

This is the women's changing room of the hot springs in the famous hot spring town of Topuringon.

Why is a boy like me in a place like this?

Of course, it's not because I have any ulterior motives.

I'm currently executing a plan to catch an underwear thief!

Right now, the women of Topuringon town are being terrorized by an unidentified underwear thief.

This underwear thief, who started actively operating a few years ago, mainly steals underwear from this changing room.

Until now, the town's guards and adventurers have tried to catch the culprit many times, but their attempts have never succeeded.

The underwear thief seems to have a keen sense of smell, and when the guards and adventurers start moving to catch them, they abruptly stop their criminal activity.

Then, when the heat dies down, they start stealing underwear again.

So this time, we decided to carry out a capture operation with a small number of inconspicuous people, including the hostess of the hot spring inn, the receptionist lady at the adventurer's guild branch, an adventurer lady, and me.

This capture operation is a very simple one where we lure out the culprit with underwear and catch them.

We don't know where the culprit will notice our movements, so to be cautious, we haven't even accepted the guild's "Underwear Thief Capture Request."

In other words, it's completely unpaid work, but it's all for the sake of all the women in this town.

And even though it's necessary, if we let a woman act as a decoy, the men would be ruined.

So that's where I come in!

After all, against my will, I apparently look like a girl no matter how you look at me......

The people of this town also recognize me as a girl, except for the ladies cooperating in this operation.

I hope the underwear thief will also mistake me for a girl.

......Sigh.

But I never thought the first enemy I'd face after being reincarnated in another world would be an underwear thief.

Oh, right, I might not have mentioned it, but I'm actually a reincarnator from another world.

I was granted power by a god-like old man calling himself the "God of Adventure" and reincarnated in this world.

I had originally planned to start my adventure after growing up a bit more, but at some point, the God of Adventure started appearing in my dreams.

He started making a fuss, saying, "Set out on your journey soon! Just set out!"

The God of Adventure seems to really want me to adventure in this sword and magic fantasy otherworld.

I never imagined a god would resort to disrupting my sleep......

I had no choice, so I explained the situation to my family and set out on my journey.

Well, I had previously tried to set out on a journey in a way that was almost like running away from home, so compared to that time, I was able to leave without causing trouble for my family, which was good.

I'm really grateful to Kamasse, the senior adventurer who stopped me from running away.

Now then, putting that aside.

I parted with the ladies hiding behind the pillars and started taking off my clothes.

Currently, this bath is reserved thanks to the cooperation of the hostess.

If the culprit is going to steal underwear, they should steal mine.

By the way, up until now, the culprit has been stealing underwear from a wide range of age groups, from children's to adults'.

They should happily steal the underwear of me, who is clearly a child.

Ugh......even so, it was really embarrassing to buy girl's panties specifically for this operation and wear them......

I want this to be the last time I do something like this......

After finishing undressing and wrapping a bath towel around my body, I secretly sprinkle powdered numbing medicine on the panties.

This numbing medicine has no particular effect just by touching it, but if you lick it or inhale it, even a bear wouldn't be able to move properly.

It was prepared by the senior female adventurer who is cooperating with this operation.

The effect has been weakened, but she said it's more than enough against humans.

I hope we can successfully catch the underwear thief with this......

* * *

Now then, I left the changing room and sank my body into the hot spring, making splashing sounds.

I gently scoop the hot water onto my shoulders and neck, as if stroking them.

Looking up at the sky, there's a star-filled sky.

If only there wasn't an underwear thief, it would be the perfect situation, it's such a shame.

I'm worried about whether the plan will succeed, and I can't even enjoy the hot spring due to the tension.

Several minutes have passed since I started soaking in the water.

I'm about to get lightheaded soon.

I'm at my limit of waiting for the underwear thief.

I guess this plan failed......

Just as I was getting discouraged and starting to think that......it happened!

CRASH!!

A sound like something falling resonated from the direction of the changing room!

I hurriedly got out of the bath and ran toward the direction of the sound.

Lying there was......an old man with a sage-like mustache!

In his hand, the panties I had sprinkled with numbing medicine were firmly grasped!

Without a doubt, this old man is the underwear thief!

Huh, but this old man looks familiar......?

"Ah, Director Earthcell!? No way, don't tell me you were the underwear thief!?"

The receptionist lady at the adventurer's guild branch shouted with a pale face!

Th-That's right, this old man!

Isn't he the director of the adventurer's guild branch in this hot spring town, Topuringon!?

"I see......no wonder all the previous underwear thief capture operations ended in failure! Director! With your position, you were able to obtain the dates of the operation plans in advance! We've been stupidly informing the culprit of the operation details beforehand all this time!"

The senior female adventurer muttered regretfully!

"Come to think of it, the underwear thief started appearing around the time you were assigned to this town......! There's no room for excuses anymore!"

The beautiful hostess glared at the director!

"F-Foooh~~~......I've been......exposed!!"

Director Earthcell struggled to forcibly move his numb body with a frustrated expression.

"D-Director......why would you do something like this!?"

I couldn't help but ask.

Because this director was supposed to be kind to all the customers and adventurers using the branch, always smiling, very dependable, and trusted by everyone in town!

"............F-Foh, you're......Mitran-chan, right?......Fwahahaha......this is, a trial, you see."

And that's how Director Earthcell answered my question.

"T-Trial!?"

"That's right......originally, this town Topuringon had few dangerous monsters around and no incidents occurred, it was a peaceful town......Therefore, the abilities of the adventurers were lower compared to other branches......"

A single tear glistened on Director Earthcell's cheek.

"So I thought. If incidents don't occur, then I should make them occur. In order to solve those incidents, the adventurers will be motivated and surely use that as an opportunity to grow......!"

"D-Director......!"

Director Earthcell said that and looked around at us surrounding him with a satisfied expression.

"And Mitran-chan. You guys finally did it! In order to protect the peace of the town, you racked your brains and finally caught the underwear thief! Well done, you've grown so well!"

The director stood up awkwardly and clapped his hands, pan, pan, pan.

"I have nothing more to say to you now! Farewell, young ones! Aim for the heights!"

And turning his back on us, Director Earthcell left the changing room......

"Hey, wait a minute, you old geezer!"

"Is that supposed to be an excuse!? Huh!?"

"Don't try to run away, you senile fool!!"

But he was immediately caught by the ladies who cooperated with the operation and beaten to a pulp!

"G-Guh, fooooh~~~!! I can't deceive you!!"

"Of course not, you fool!"

Ah, so that was a lie to escape!?

Th-That's terrible, Director Earthcell!

"Gnnnnh! It's over now! But, but! If it comes to this, at least this Mitran-chan's panties! At least this beautiful girl's panties! I won't let go even if I die! These are mine~~~!!"

Eek!

Finally, Director Earthcell started putting my panties, which should have been covered in numbing medicine, into his mouth while spouting such crazy lines!

G-Gross!

"B-But Director Earthcell! You're mistaken!"

"Mistaken!? I haven't made any mistakes! This is who I am! I can no longer hide or deceive! This is my way of life~~~!!"

"No, that's not it, that's not it!"

I shouted loudly while opening the bath towel wrapped around my body!

"I'm not a beautiful girl! I'm......a boy!"

............The changing room became quiet as if the earlier commotion was a lie.

Director Earthcell looked back and forth between my face and my lower body many times.

"............Eh?"

Saying that, his face turned pale......and he fainted.

I don't know if it was because he was shocked that I was a boy or because the numbing medicine took strong effect.

Anyway.

And so, the series of underwear theft incidents set in the hot spring town of Topuringon came to a close.

I wonder if this was the sword and magic fantasy isekai adventure that the old man God of Adventure wanted for me?

Probably not, I have a feeling it's different......

It's been a while since Mitran appeared.