The (Former) "Kuh, Kill Me!" Female Knight

And so, a few days later. There was still no contact from Tsuia, but Wataru arrived.

With a woman in tow.

For now, he'd already finished this month's debt repayment so that was fine… In the parlor, sitting across from me was Wataru, and beside him was a woman with strangely good posture. She had blonde hair, and her ears were pointed.

Yes, an elf.

"… So, who's this? Your new lover? Was Nerune just a fling to you?"

"No way! I'm serious about her!"

So he says, but Nerune has no interest in anything except magic research. I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him.

I asked Nerune about Wataru the other day, and I got a mysterious reply: "Eh, Wataru…? Oh, ohhh. I know him, he's tasty."

I have no idea what she meant by tasty, but I at least understood that she doesn't see him romantically.

By the way, I also think Wataru is tasty… in terms of income, that is. He even buys rice.

"This girl is the daughter of an acquaintance. Um, could you introduce yourself?"

"Sir! I am the eldest daughter of my esteemed father Dyne Kukkoro. My name is Shikina Kukkoro! I belonged to the Fourth Chivalric Order of the Raverio Empire… at least, I did…"

Shikina started out energetically but quickly trailed off.

Since she used past tense, she must have been dismissed.

"So, what brings this former knight-sama to a place like this?"

"Actually, I'd like Kehma-san to train Shikina-chan. I mean, you're pretty dirty, right?"

"How rude, suddenly calling me dirty."

"No no, I'm complimenting you. This Shikina-chan was forced to resign from the knight order because she was too straightforward."

A knight having to resign for being too straightforward? What a rotten organization… ah, it's Haku-san's, isn't it.

"… Her fighting style was too straightforward, see? That became her weakness, and she got crushed in a duel witnessed by the Captain of the First Chivalric Order, so she was dismissed. It's not like the organization itself is corrupt or anything!"

So that's how it was… Wait, the Captain of the First Chivalric Order? If I recall, isn't that Sally-san?

Yeah, it wouldn't be strange even if they were corrupt.

"So anyway, I thought she should learn to be a little more underhanded, like dirty tricks and such. But since she's straightforward to the core, it's been difficult. When I told her about you, Kehma-san, she said she definitely wanted to learn from you."

"I was told, 'You should leave the knight order. At this rate, you'll just lose to an orc and end up as a seedbed.' But she said I could come back if I learned to be underhanded! Therefore! Please allow me to call you Master, Kehma-dono!"

"… I really don't see why I got dragged into this."

"Well, anyone who stays near Kehma-san gets somewhat contamina… yeah, contaminated."

Oi. You didn't correct anything there.

"Why are you treating me like some kind of poison? I don't appreciate it. Choose: either I add interest to your debt, or you buy double the rice."

"See, Kehma-san is the kind of person who can say stuff like that without batting an eye."

"Sir! That is exactly what I am lacking!"

"Fine, I'm doubling your debt."

"Wait wait wait! I'll buy double the rice, so please forgive me!"

"I suppose I'll let you off then."

Thanks for your business. Well, it won't spoil that quickly anyway. Besides, it's basically just playful banter with Wataru, who wants to buy lots anyway.

"Well, Kehma-san says all that, but he's actually kind. So please look after this girl too."

"No, that's a completely separate issue."

"We're talking about paying tuition too, you know. Two gold coins a month including food and expenses."

"It's not about money."

Two gold coins, roughly equivalent to two million yen. Certainly an attractive offer.

However, we have a secret here: the dungeon. I can't take in someone who might cause problems. The fewer sparks, the better.

… The two part-timers? Well, they're dungeon-related already and should understand the situation.

"Can't you work something out, Kehma-san? As a favor to me?"

"A favor for what? You basically only cause me trouble…"

"Please, Kehma-dono! I will do anything!"

"Oh?"

She said she'd do anything, so I looked at Shikina again. A blonde elf, decent bust, and nice thighs. Supple legs. White knee-high socks. And leather boots that look like they'd get sweaty. Did she walk all the way here?

… Anything, huh. Anything, eh. Hoh. Hmm.

"Mmm, by 'anything,' specifically, how far does that go?"

"Anything means anything! This and that, that and this!"

"I said specifically, didn't I?"

"Y-you want me to say… something so embarrassing, Master!?"

"Hmm? You said you'd do anything, so that should include speaking. Make sure to say it in a loud voice so I can hear you properly."

"Th-that's… very well! Then I shall say it!"

And then Shikina shouted the "specific" details at full volume.

"To be frank, XXXX is acceptable! XXX is also fine, and as for XXXX, I would rather welcome it!! Furthermore――"

The content was genuinely R-18.

The excessively direct content froze my brain, and I let her spew this torrent of shamelessness for several seconds. A lifetime of regret.

"――And if Kehma-dono orders me to service a goblin, I will! At first I would make a reluctant face while feeling a faint arousal from being forced to do it!! And eventually, of my own volition, I would XXX its OOO!!!"

"Stop! You don't need to say any more!"

"Sir! Are you sure!? I can still keep going!!"

"Please just be quiet!"

"Understood!"

Shikina abruptly closed her mouth. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was puffing proudly through her nose as if to say, "Nailed it."

Seeing that, Wataru grinned smugly.

"So, Kehma-san. Since you made her go that far, you'll obviously become her master, right? She may not look it, but she's the daughter of a fairly prominent noble family, so there might be problems if you refuse."

"You… is that why you didn't stop her? Besides, wouldn't she be fine just staying with you?"

"Hahaha, I'm devoted to Nerune-san, so I can't keep another woman by my side. Plus I have my hero work, and if I brought Shikina-chan along, she'd definitely die. Besides, I turned out this way because of Kehma-san's influence, so shouldn't she learn from the source? Right?"

"… Damn it. Fine, I'll take her in! But for such a troublesome person, the tuition is five gold coins a month!"

"Good, contract complete."

Despite me raising the price, Wataru smiled and placed the gold coins on the table. You were planning to pay that much from the start, weren't you.

… Haah, well, whatever. I named the price and he paid it. All that's left is for me to keep my word.

"Good for you, Shikina-chan. From now on, you should call Kehma-san 'Master.'"

"Sir! Thank you, Wataru-sensei! I look forward to working with you, Master Kehma!"

Right after Shikina bowed her head, Rokuko burst into the parlor with tremendous force.

Rokuko's face was bright red, as if she'd just heard something terribly embarrassing shouted at full volume.

"Kehmaaaaaa! We need to talk!!"

"What a coincidence, so do I."

Now then, how should I explain this… ah, my head is starting to hurt.