Fist King - Chapter 1 - Episode 21: A Fighter's Day Off ② Invited to Ellen-san's Party

 

Fist King: I Will Save the Earth from Zero in Another Reincarnation, Starting from Real World

A Fighter's Day Off ② Invited to Ellen-san's Party

The person Ōta-san had said she wanted to introduce me to was Taniya-san's older sister.

As I looked at Ellen-san's face, thinking what a coincidence it was, I noticed she looked a bit like Taniya-san.

"You're Taniya-san's older sister...?"

"That's right. I hear you're not going to school now."

"Were you a delinquent...?"

When Ellen-san said that, Ōta-san gave me a disappointed look, so I firmly refuted it.

"No, I wasn't a delinquent. The Principal told me I didn't have to come, but he wanted me to remain enrolled."

"Eh?!"

Their voices overlapped at my words.

The two seemed confused, so when I explained in detail, they began to consider that such a thing could happen.

As I watched the two thinking, I realized I was in a very fortunate situation. Ōta-san was slender and a wild-type beauty, and Ellen-san had a model-like appearance.

(I'm so glad I woke up in this world!)

I was overjoyed by a situation I thought I'd never experience in my life. Just then, Ōta-san spoke to Ellen-san as if remembering something.

"More importantly, Senpai, about yesterday's matter."

"Ah, yes. That's right."

The situation I wished would last forever changed, and the two began talking with serious expressions.

"Satō, I heard from Mao that you had a tough time after the hunt yesterday."

"Tough... time...?"

I couldn't recall anything particularly tough; if anything, it was just chasing away some noise, and I didn't feel it was especially difficult. Ellen-san glanced at Ōta-san briefly, then continued.

"Mao told me that some freeloaders talked to you."

"Freeloaders?"

"They're people who try to get a share without doing anything themselves."

"Ah, I see. Then yes, they did come."

I realized the group Ellen-san described was the "noise" I had felt. I could repel that much no matter how many came, so it wasn't something to be particularly concerned about. However, the two in front of me didn't seem to think so.

"Mao, you know, she said she fell for you after seeing how you handled it."

"No, Senpai, that's not true!"

Ellen-san said this teasingly to Ōta-san. Ōta-san denied it with all her might, and Ellen-san laughed happily at her reaction.

(She might be more playful than her appearance suggests.)

I saw an unexpected side of Ellen-san, which made it a little easier to talk to her. Just then, the waiter brought us hot towels and water. Ōta-san, trying to cover up, opened the menu in front of Ellen-san.

"So, Senpai, what will you have?"

"Hmm, Satō, what will you have?"

"Coffee, please."

When I said coffee, the two of them ordered the same thing. Until the coffee arrived, they told me various things.

Ōta-san and Ellen-san were a senior and junior in their junior high school club.

Their club was the mounted combat club.

Ellen-san graduated from the Knight Academy and is currently a second-year at the Knight University.

Ellen-san's Adventurer Rank is [3].

The atmosphere changed after the coffee was served, signaling it was time to get to the main topic. Ellen-san took a sip of her coffee and then began to speak.

"So, Satō. To keep those freeloaders from coming yesterday, why don't you join our party?"

"A party?"

"Yes. Think of it as a fixed group."

"Hmm..."

I crossed my arms and began to think about Ellen-san's proposal. Ōta-san watched our exchange with a tense expression. Ellen-san drank her coffee, seemingly waiting for my answer.

(A party with these two is tempting, though...)

Honestly, it was such an appealing offer that I wanted to say yes immediately. Ōta-san's dismantling skills were probably so good that even the Guild Master recognized them. And Ellen-san's Rank was 3, meaning she was someone who had overcome the "wall" the Guild Master spoke of. However, I had an unyielding conviction, so I conveyed it to Ellen-san.

"Honestly, it's such an appealing offer that I want to say yes immediately."

"Is that so? Then will you join us?"

Ellen-san seemed a bit happy as she set down her coffee to listen to me. For some reason, Ōta-san's cheeks were red, and she was grinning.

"However, there's one thing I can't compromise on, so I'll have to decline for now."

Saying that, I bowed my head to the two of them.

"Could you tell me why?"

Ellen-san seemed surprised by my refusal. She furrowed her brows, looking troubled as she asked me. I raised my head and explained my small pride to them.

"I really want to create my own party."

"Eh?"

Ellen-san seemed not to understand what I was saying, so I continued.

"I want to join a party with you two. But I want to be the one to invite you, so I'll have to decline this time!"

I stated it with my chest puffed out.

(If I'm going to form a party, I want to gather people myself and make it my ideal party.)

Because I held that belief, I declined the party offer this time. When I looked up, both of them seemed confused and began to consult each other a little. However, I wanted to secure Ōta-san's dismantling skills, so I had to convey that as well.

"Excuse me, may I ask one more thing?"

In response to my words, both of them tilted their heads slightly.

"What is it?"

"What is it?"

Their voices overlapped. I ignored it and expressed my thoughts to them.

"I apologize to Ellen-san, but would you mind lending me Ōta-san for a while?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hunting with Ōta-san was very easy, so I'd like to borrow Ōta-san until I surpass Ellen-san."

"You'll surpass me?"

"Of course. Once I surpass you, I intend to invite Ellen-san to my party."

"I see..."

Ellen-san said that and looked towards Ōta-san.

"Mao, that's good news for you. You can form a party with him."

"Good news, Senpai..."

Ōta-san, who had been dejected since I said I couldn't form a party, looked like she was about to cry when she heard Ellen-san's words.

(Did I do something wrong?)

While I was thinking that, Ellen-san told me the reason they were discussing this as a trio.

"Actually, I won't be able to go hunting for a while."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going out of the prefecture for a while due to training for the school I'm attending, so Mao might be left alone."

"I think I understand."

"You understand?"

"Yes. During that time, you wanted me and Ōta-san to go hunting together, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

Ellen-san spoke to me happily. I was also happy to go hunting with Ōta-san, so I smiled, and Ōta-san glared at me a little.

(Why?)

As I couldn't read Ōta-san's expression, Ellen-san asked me,

"Speaking of which, how do you plan to surpass me?"

"I'll think about that now. For starters, I'll reach Rank 3."

"You will?"

"Yes."

Ellen-san said, "Hmm." Seeing her reaction, I became curious about how Ellen-san had reached Rank 3.

"How did Ellen-san reach Rank 3?"

"I participated in the swordsmanship tournament and placed in the national competition."

"That's amazing."

Ellen-san's casual demeanor as she said this was cool. As I watched Ellen-san, she looked at her watch and, saying "Sorry," took the receipt.

"I have an appointment now, so I'm leaving. You two can continue talking."

"Wait, Senpai..."

Ellen-san said something to Ōta-san and then headed to the register. I drank the coffee in front of me and looked at Ōta-san, who had barely spoken since we entered the cafe. There was something I wanted to ask Ōta-san, so I decided to ask her now.

"Ōta-san, why did you glare at me earlier?"

"My name..."

"Yes?"

"Why do you use Senpai's given name, but you call me by my last name?"

"If I say Taniya-san, it sounds like her sister..."

"Call me by my given name too."

"Is that okay?"

"Yes!"

Ōta-san pushed hard, so I decided to call her by her given name from now on.

"Then, please take care of me from now on, Mao."

"You too..."

Mao nodded, her ears turning red. However, when I said, "Let's go now," she strongly disagreed. Apparently, it's not normal to go hunting multiple days in a row.

When we left the cafe together, Mao said she also had plans.

After parting with Mao, I went to the weapons shop.