Is There a Quest That Can Capture You?

Chapter 1: Is there a quest that can capture you?

That figure was truly the ‘hero’ for me.

She killed the monsters that had suddenly appeared in my village all by herself.

Emerald eyes that sparkled in the ice crystals dancing through the air.

Golden hair that cut through the darkness.

Her every move as she ran through the battlefield is etched into my memories.

Her refined movements were beautiful and it only took a moment for her to steal my heart.

“… Are you okay?”

She held out her hand to me, as I was sitting on the ground, stunned.

I could feel her kindness in her clumsy smile with the edges of her mouth raised.

What left my mouth was neither gratitude, nor complaints of pain.

“W-what’s your name, miss…?”

It was my desire as a man after the seeds of love had bloomed for the first time in my young heart.

The ‘hero’ helped me up while tilting her head in confusion and told me the most beautiful name in the world.

“Alisa. I’m Alisa Veloce.”

After 5 years of being born in this world.

I fell in love with her.
 

　　　　　◇　◇　◇　◇　◇

There are several reasons why people become adventurers.

A young man from a rural village might aim to make a killing, a boastful man might want to test how far his strength can go or he might seek fame by defeating powerful demons…

I, Reiji Bulgunk, am neither of those.

I only seek words from a certain woman.

“Next person, please.”
Her voice resounds coldly in the guild where the rough voices of the men fly about.

When my turn comes, I nonchalantly walk up to the window of the receptionist and say my usual pick-up line.

“Is there a quest that can capture you?”

“How about hunting down orcs in their mating season? I think they would welcome you with enthusiasm.”

“At that time, I fell in love with you at first sight, Miss Alisa. Please go out with me!”

“I’m sorry.”

Time freezes at the monotonous, all-too-fluent reply.

It only takes a few seconds and I spin my next words.

 “You don’t have to worry about the future. Miss Alisa, if you marry me, I will transfer to a stable job at the Ministry of Magic.”

“My answer will not change.”

“Then, would you like to have tea together during your break? I found a good place.”

“Please leave if you have finished your business.”

“A meal after work is fine too.”

 “Anything more than that and I will report you for sexual harassment to the Guild Master.”

“I want to take this Red Lizard subjugation quest, so please approve it!”

“Then, please provide the quest application and your Guild card here for confirmation.”

After I put the designated documents on the tray as per her request, Miss Alisa runs her brush smoothly.

After that, she just has to stamp the seal of approval on it and that’s it.

The precious time I had to talk with miss Alisa ended.

“Well then, please take care.”

“Yes… thank you very much.”

The reception at the adventurers’ guild is busy.

Especially in the morning. Also, this town where I’m staying, Avance, is known as the ‘Beginner Town’.

A moderately weak stray monsters.

There’s also a small dungeon in a nearby forest, and the environment is perfect for beginners.

Because of the stability-loving guys, who stay here even after graduating from the F rank, the lowest rank, to E rank and becoming ‘ex-beginners’, there’s always a fight over quests.

It’s already been a year since I become an adventurer.

I kept accepting quests without a break everyday in order to talk with my beloved Miss Alisa, so I’m already a C-rank adventurer.

I’ve already reached the rank where it wouldn’t be strange for me to move to the royal capital.

“Haa… Miss Alisa…”

I look at my beloved, who’s performing her duties expressionlessly.
There are many receptionists in the guild, but they are each assigned different adventurers.

The receptionist in charge of me is Alisa Veloce.

She’s a genuine elf with blonde hair and blue eyes. The biggest proof of that are her pointy ears, sticking out from the sides.

She has long, almond-shaped eyes with double eyelids and crystal-clear eyes that draw everybody who sees them in.

Tight waist and attention-drawing chest. Her legs, stretching from her dress, are so beautiful, 10 out of 10 men would be enchanted.

Above all, she’s my savior and first love.

“You’re so beautiful today too…”

She, being a former S-rank adventurer, notices me staring.

The moment out eyes meet, she sighs.

That gaze is almost as if she’s looking at garbage.

Combined with her nickname during her active era, this is the reason why she was called ‘Ice Princess’.
She always gives off cold air that makes her unapproachable and performs her duties in a matter-of-fact manner.

However, a small obstacle like that is of no significance in face of love.

“…”

I quickly avert my face from the murderous gaze that’s no different from when killing a pest.

Did she read my mind?

As I timidly glance at her, a uniform blocks my view.

Looking up, I see the exasperated familiar face of my old friend.

“Oh my, isn’t it the pitiful Reiji who was treated as coldly as usual today?”

“… Do you need something, Miria?”

“What? I can’t talk to you if I don’t have a business with you? Even though we’re classmates from Magic Academy?”

Saying so, she brushes up her red hair with her hand.

Miria Liritti. My classmate from the Royal Magic Academy I graduated and somebody whom I have an undesirable inseparable relationship with. To the point that we’ve never been in separate classes during my time at the academy.

She’s also a weirdo who rejected a recommendation in the Ministry of Magic and came to this beginner town to work as the guild receptionist.

Not that I can clown anybody in that regard though.

“No, you can talk to me. But that position isn’t good. I can’t see Miss Alisa.”

“If it’s Veloce-senpai, she went to the Guild Master’s office to report to him.”

“Huh? Did my adventurer life end?”

“It should be fine. You’re our guild’s ace. If you’re the gone, the number of quests we can handle will also decrease.”

 “Thank god… I can still watch over Miss Alisa with a piece of mind…”

“That’s the worst remark you can make as a human being…”

Miria is put-off for some reason, but I don’t care.

My priority is Miss Alisa’s favorability.

She’s a bit cold right now, but she’ll become affectionate in the future, so there’s no problem.

“You should just go to the Royal Capital already. Then, I can transfer over and be in charge of you.”

“I refuse. Unless Miss Alisa comes with me, I’ll stay here forever.”

“Haa… the pride of the prestigious Magic Academy is crying right now. Its top graduate didn’t even enter the Ministry of magic and chose to be an adventurer instead.”

“If you’re going to mention that, aren’t you also working in a guild even though you were a runner-up?”

“S-shut up! … If you had entered the Ministry of Magic, even I would…”

 “Ministry of Magic? In that case, I intend to enter it after marrying Miss Alisa.”
“Ah~ yes, yes. That’s how it was.”

A reply that doesn’t think that my wish will come true at all. In fact, I’ve been on a losing streak and I know that some people are even betting on whether my confession will succeed or not.

I’m also well aware that the results are almost reversed so I will have to have a personal talk with them someday.

 “Come on! Hurry up and go if you’ve already accepted the quest!”

“You don’t have to tell me that.”

After all, after I finish reporting the completion of the quest, I can talk more with Miss Alisa.

Having finished my preparations, I leave the guild.

Because of my overcrowded schedule due to the rate at which I accept and complete quests and because I’ve been solo ever since my debut, I’ve been given the nickname ‘the Mad Magic Swordsman’.
 
But I don’t care. The most important thing for me is my time with Miss Alisa.

I admired her, fell in love with her and became an adventurer.

My goal has always been the same.

To become happy with Miss Alisa.

“…Alright.”

With my feelings in order, I head out to the place where the monsters were last seen in order to exterminate them.

———–
Notes:
I don’t usually touch novels that have had releases within the last 3 months, but the link to previous translator’s site is dead so I thought it would be fine. This is different from the type of novels I do, but this looked cute so we’ll see how it does.

Yes, Alisa’s eyes are described as emerald (エメラルド) in the first part and blue (碧眼) in the second part. Don’t ask me why.