This is what it means to have friends

It’s been a week since I became an adventurer, I’ve mainly done herb missions. Surprisingly, Rowdy and his gang haven’t shown their faces around me lately. I guess Zoe made her point clear the other day, speaking of Zoe she’s been in a better mood lately. It’s like that soft side she showed me is coming out little by little, because of that the guild’s been a bit merrier. Some even said the sunflower of the Gray Hounds has returned! Earning them a smack from the young lady herself. Thus bringing us to where we are today.

“....”

“....”

I stood in front of Zoe, both of us staring one another down. I immediately smirk as I pull out my large sack and dump the contents of yesterday’s collection on the desk.

“Nanpo herbs, nice and fresh! From yours truly!”

I struck a pose and did a peace sign, I even pulled off the teeth glint perfectly this time. However, my efforts didn’t garner the response I expected.

“*Sigh* Sota, why must you make my job harder? I told you about limits, remember?”

“...Yeah, I know.”

“LOOK AT THAT HERB BOY STRIKES AGAIN FOLKS!”

The guild starts filling with laughter, due to me being stuck with herb collection, I’ve recently inherited the guild moniker of Herb Boy! When I tried to protest, one of the guys grabbed my shoulder and gave me a dead fish expression.

You’ll get used to it

Those were his words to me, since then I tried my best to play my part as the Herb Boy. I don’t mind the laughter anymore, maybe that means I’ve grown a little! I start to chuckle a bit myself, that’s when Zoe brings out a new medal. It has an E on it, wait a minute don’t tell me!

“Congrats Sota, you’re officially an E-rank adventurer.”

“Wait a minute, isn’t this too soon!”

“F-rankers mainly handle collections, so the promotion speed is faster compared to the other ranks. That said, the higher the rank, the more time it’ll take to advance.”

Alright so that’s how the promotion system works, it’s just about what I expected. I immediately hear clapping around me and turn to see my fellow guildmates cheering for me. I couldn’t help but smile, until I found out why I was being celebrated.

“Free cheers for our new exterminator!”

“Huh?”

Exterminator? As in the pest killing exterminator? What the heck did I get promoted to!?!

“As that guy said, or rather alluded to, as an F-rank you can finally do hunting quests. However, your prey is of the pest variety, so don’t get your hopes up.”

Zoe said that and handed me a request paper, I guess it’s only fair that I get my hunting tutorial quest from her. The gathering quest worked the same way, let’s see what my target-You can’t be serious!

“What’s that look for, I know it's underwhelming but taking one of those down is the adventurer's rite of passage!”

“Well that makes sense, yeah no problems here.”

I look down at the request, trying to mask the bad taste in my mouth. There it was in bold letters “Target: Slime”, meaning I’d have to eliminate a member of my bud’s race.

****

“I can’t believe I’m doing this, I can’t help but feel dirty.”

I look again at the request, I can’t help but feel guilty about this. I can see my buddy in my mind right now, ever since he entered my life I haven’t been so lonely. Knowing I have to do this to advance, it feels so wrong.

*Plop Plop*

I can even here the sound of his hopping.

*Plop Plop*

…Wait a moment, that’s not my imagination. I turn around to see my buddy sneaking behind me.

“Popo Poyo!”

“Berry! It’s yo-”

*SPLAT*

I managed to dodge this time, he wasn’t pouting this time though so the name wasn’t that bad. Wait a minute, is this really the right time to do this. After all, in my hands is a-Oh no, can he see!

“Poyo?”

“Oh, it’s nothing bud.”

That’s good he didn’t see the request, or so I thought. His eyes finally glanced at what was in my hand, immediately he broke out into a sweat. Wait it’s not like-Oh right, right in front of me there’s a slime. My elimination target, all I need is one slime ball to prove I killed it. It’s easy pickings, and his attacks are weak! I should know because he’s…

“Poyo…”

“....”

Don’t look at me with those eyes like that, what you thought we could be friends forever. You forgot that I almost got you killed before right, you forgot that I’m a selfish guy. This is how life goes, in order to survive I was gonna have to do this eventually. DON’T YOU DARE LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!

“...You know buddy, back in my homeland there’s a tradition for little squirts like you.”

“Poyo…”

“The first battle and first victory is always a slime!”

There, now you understand. We…We were never friends!

“You want to live right?”

“Poyo…”

“Then run! I’m the hunter and you’re the prey. SO RUN!”

“POYO!”

He started hopping away with a tearful expression, before leaping into some nearby bushes he looked back at me with tears in his cute round eyes. Then he was gone, and my eyes started to water.

“*Sniff* Why’d you have to look back, you dummy.”

****

I began searching for a slime to fulfill my quota, however I came across none. None except for-

“POYO!”

“WHY DO I KEEP FINDING YOU!”

I kept finding him instead of a different slime, why is this happening? Is this the world’s way of telling me I have to kill him? He was my first friend in this world, I don’t want to do this to him. Come to think of it, where are the slimes in this forest anyway? That’s when I saw him again, he was getting some water from a puddle. He looks tired, and the poor little guy has a branch in him too. That’s when he turned and noticed me.

“Buddy, I’m starting to think you’re the only slime in this forest.”

“Poyo…”

“That means, in order to conclude the request-”

He gave me a serious look, he knew what I was about to say.

“Buddy, I think this is where we say goodbye.”

“....”

Go on, hop away. You have to hope away if you don’t then I’ll-

*Plop Plop*

…Why? Why did you hop towards me?

*Plop Plop*

No, stop it-

*Plop Plop*

If you come closer, I’ll have to-

*Plop Plop*

…Why are you doing this, I don’t want to do this. Why are you leaving me no choice, this isn’t fair.

“Poyo!”

“Huh?”

He’s giving me this resolute look, don’t tell me! Did he come to terms with himself, does he plan to sacrifice himself so I can-

“Buddy, you’d actually do that for me?”

“Poyo!”

He gives me a brave smile, yet before he was running away like a mad man. This guy, who does he think he is? He starts closing his eyes, with a smile on his face. Buddy you’re really doing this for me? After everything we’ve been through, after everything I’ve taken from you already.

I take out my knife and prepare to attack. He’s done so much for me, don’t worry buddy I’ll make it quick. That’s when it hit me, when was the last time I had a friend? Sure I was friendly and well liked, however because of my curse people maintain a safe distance from me. I never had true friends as a child, I was a loner in high school, and I was barely noticeable in the office. I was a black cat, no one loved me except my parents. Then there's this guy, this little squirt reminded me what companionship felt like. He’s made me feel safe and loved all this time and now here I stand trying to kill him.

“I really am a fool aren’t I.”

“Poyo?”

I drop my knife on the ground and started crying again, I can’t do it. This little guy isn’t some quest for me, he’s my friend!

“Buddy…”

“Poyo?”

I walk up to him and hug him, I start weeping quietly. I finally realized it, I was lonely before I came to this world. If I never came here I would’ve probably returned back home and never left. However, because I came here I've met many people and creatures. Also, because I came here I made this important friend.

“I’m an idiot, partner, please forgive me. It won’t be the last time, but this time more than any in the future. Please forgive me.”

“Poyo!”

As usual he lets out a cheerful “Poyo”! Was I really gonna kill such an innocent guy? Well now I know, that’s the line I’ll never cross. My buddy is gonna live, after all he’s my first true friend in this world.

****

I decided to share my lunch with him as an apology. Ms. Lute makes the best sandwiches, Mr. Harold is a lucky man. That said, what am I gonna do about the quest.

“What will I do about the slime ball?”

“POYO!”

“Huh?”

My bud began to wiggle, soon a baseball size gel ball broke off of him. After that, he rolled it my way. That’s right, the quest needs a slime ball and simply said to kill slimes to get one. However, what they want is the slime ball, the method for getting it doesn’t matter. I never needed to go as far as I was willing.

“...I’m a dummy.”

*Plop*

“Poyo.”

Bud took a seat on my head to help me calm down, I’m so happy I didn’t go through with it.

****

I ended up getting lost again, I was even later this time than I was on my first day. It was near midnight by the time I got back to town, however I got saved today. The reason for that is…

“I can’t believe you returned so late!”

“I can’t believe you’re helping me sneak in.”

“This is to make up for the other day, and I haven’t forgiven you for making fun of me before either!”

When I was making my way back, I got caught by Sophia. She was working late to care for the horses in the stables, and saw me as I worked towards the main gate. Luckily the stables had a door leading inside, but she begged me not to tell anyone. I’ll have to remember this though, you never know when you’ll need a good escape route. After helping me inside, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. Hmm, what should I do now?

“I hope she went home today, I should check.”

I was worried that Zoe stayed late again, after all it was my first hunting quest. Thinking like that I made a B-line for the adventurer’s guild, and surprisingly the door was unlocked.

“That’s a little worrisome, what if someone broke-”

Before I could finish, something froze me to the core. I don’t know why, but my body went into a trance. I began to hear something, it was a voice. A beautiful voice, is this what an angel sounds like? I began to follow the sound of the voice, as I did it became louder and clearer.

Do You Hear My Voice? It’s not the sound of the children

Who are lost to the deep, and forced to atone

Lost at sea, lost in your voyage

May my sweet voice carry you all the way home

It was like I was walking in complete darkness, all I could do was hear. The voice of the maiden pulled me in, but for some reason I feel like I’m in danger. It’s like I’m listening to something I shouldn’t, but it’s so addicting. I can’t resist the song.

Do you Hear My Voice? It’s the Song Of The Siren

Enter my waters, come see where I roam

Don’t look back, and realize you’ve been abducted

Embrace me sweet darling, and I’ll bring the waves to a close

There I stood, in a part of the guild I didn’t know about. I looked around and found a set of stairs, maybe this is the basement? That’s when I noticed something strange, I could hear the sound of water being drained. I walked back to where I was and saw a door, behind the door I could hear beautiful humming. I’m starting to forget those lyrics I heard, but the word “siren” stood out to me. Before I could ponder more about it, the door to the room in question opened and the singing maiden came out. As for the identity of this maiden in question…

“Aww, that was a nice-AAHHH!!! Why are you here!”

“...I should be asking you the same thing.”

The singer in question was Zoe, and she was wearing pink pajamas with a towel around her neck.

****

BAD LUCK COUNTER: 12