The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

"And Ruruk, read this," Koneru said, pulling out a sheet of paper as the conversation reached a lull.

I took the paper from her.

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[Classmate List: (reincarnation destination in parentheses)]

Akimoto Midori (Empire citizen)

Iizuka Akira

Igari Takeshi

Ichinomiya Azusa (Saaya)

Inaba Hasaki

Ioo Renya (Maguu Empire King)

Endo Hotsu

Okazaki Tomohiro (Empire citizen)

Onitsuka Tsurugi (Nagi)

Onna Nana

Kato Shohei

Kimura Seiichi

Kinjo Misaki (Holy Nation citizen - High Priest)

Kujo Aika

Kobayakawa Rei

Sakuragi Mei (Central Magic Association researcher)

Yotsuba Koun

Shishido Naoki (Empire citizen)

Seto Nadi (Empire citizen)

Tachibana Moe (Koneru)

Tachida Yuka

Chigasaki Rokuro

Chichibu Kazuma

Tokuma Juso (Empire citizen)

Tomiyasu Eri

Nanairo Gaku (Ruruk)

Nikaido Yuyu

Nestalia Leen

Nonoue Chiko

Nijue Misaki

Hachinohe Yuka (Empire citizen)

Fukuyama Sho

Fujimi Hatsumi

Makabe Keita

Mita Shinji (Empire citizen)

Yamakaki Seiya

Yamaguchi Yuki

Yoshida Ai

Yoshimura Hikaru

Watabe Neon (Empire citizen - Renya's ex-girlfriend)

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I looked up after carefully checking the list.

"...The Emperor was our classmate?"

"Seems so. Lilith tracked down the Emperor and the eight people he's hiding. Apparently, they want to return to the original world. Since there are eight of them, they must have some method of gathering, so you guys might get contacted too. Remember that."

"I see, understood."

I recall hearing that the current Emperor is an excellent person who killed the previous emperor, called the Foolish King, twenty years ago and immediately restored the chaotic empire.

Apparently, it was this Emperor who recently instigated the near-war situation with Mataisa, but compared to his numerous anecdotes, this recent series of events seems a bit sloppy or rushed, and I couldn't quite make sense of it.

"Renya tends to lose sight of his surroundings when he's impatient. He's very smart, so when he's relaxed, he's incredibly calm and reliable. Well, that's what made it fun to tease him."

"Were you close?"

"We go way back to elementary school. Well, Renya doesn't matter. This list was made by me and Lilith, but what do you think? Is there anyone you wanted to know about?"

Besides the Empire folks, it seems there are reincarnators in the Holy Nation's High Priest position and as a researcher at the Central Magic Association.

However, since I barely remember my classmates, I can't recall faces even when I see the names, and there's no one I particularly wanted to know about.

But if I had to ask...

"...Has Kujo not been found yet?"

"What, were you on Team Aika-chan among the Three Goddesses?"

"No, that's not it. I thought Saaya and Nagi might want to meet her."

"Oh, I see. What I know is only what's written here. What about you, Ruruk? Do you have any other leads?"

When asked that, I pondered for a moment.

I wasn't sure if I should say this or not, but there's no point in hiding it now.

"There's one acquaintance who might be a reincarnator. I'll check next time I meet them. But..."

"But?"

"I didn't have any close female friends in class... right?"

"How should I know?"

Koneru gave me a look of exasperation.

The next morning.

After having breakfast with Lilith, who had school, and seeing her off, I was enjoying a leisurely tea time.

As usual, the next to wake up were Saaya, Nagi, and Karmarike.

The three of them were rubbing their sleepy eyes while greeting Punisuke, who poked his face out from the kitchen.

"Good morning, big sisters!"

"Punisuke~ Please take care of breakfast~"

"Nagi wants a small portion."

"Good morning, Punisuke-kun. Good morning, Ruruk-sama~"

Everyone's in disheveled nightwear, how sloppy.

"Looks like you slept well too, Karmarike. You're the type who can sleep even with a different pillow, huh?"

"Yeah, I can sleep anywhere. I don't get why I'm the only one sleeping on a futon on the floor though... and I was surprised when Elenora fell on me in the middle of the night."

"She's got bad sleeping posture."

She often falls off in the morning, so it's my job to put her back on the bed.

This morning she had stolen Karmarike's blanket, so I deliberately left her there.

"But Ruruk-sama, you sleep well, don't you? With everyone around you like that... and half-naked too."

"Familiarity is scary, isn't it?"

At first, I was on the verge of insomnia, but gradually I got used to it and could sleep soundly. This might be what they call adaptability.

Most of the members are small and delicate, so their nightwear comes off easily. It's not just a matter of seeing underwear; the childlike ones don't even wear bras. When I wake up in the morning, it's chaos with everyone half-naked around me.

Only Seori, who has gone through puberty, has good sleeping posture, so it's ethically safe too.

Yes, it's still safe. Hey, don't call it "out" over there.

By the way, Lilith doesn't join in the fight for the spot next to me. She's decided to make the edge of the bed her place. She's modest, cute, and angelic - that's my sister for you.

"So, Ruruk-sama, what are we doing today? What should I do from now on?"

"First, let's register you as an adventurer. I'm sure Karmarike will do well."

After all, she's not just overwhelmingly skilled with a bow, but she can also handle being an excellent scout. She has the ability to excel both in dungeons and outdoors.

"Yes! I'm nervous about being an adventurer in a human country, but... this means I can join Ruruk-sama's party, right!"

"No, that's impossible."

"Eh?"

Karmarike froze.

Come to think of it, did I not tell her?

"S-rank parties can only add new members once a year. It's only been half a year since Nagi joined, so we can't add anyone else for another half year. Besides, there's a skill assessment, though I think you'd pass if you're as strong as Nagi."

"...What about me?"

"I'm not sure. But you might need overall abilities surpassing Mererosu-san. Even she's only considered B-rank."

"That's impossible! I can only beat her in archery! It's not fair, having a skill that lets you scout even while sleeping!"

Don't complain about other people's skills.

If I remember correctly, she was raised being compared as a genius and an ordinary person.

No wonder she feels inferior to Mererosu.

"Our party doesn't have a scout or an archer, so if you pass the test, we'd welcome you, but..."

"I'll do it! I'll become a first-class adventurer! I'll definitely make it in half a year!"

I felt her strong determination.

Honestly, she's already sufficient as a fighting force, so we don't particularly need a scout or long-range fighter. But I feel guilty for getting her banished from her village, so I intend to welcome her if permission is granted. She knows quite a lot about our party too.

When I showed such a stance,

"Wait a minute! I'll eat quickly! Then take me to the guild!"

Karmarike wolfed down her breakfast, choked, and started hitting her chest. Saaya offered her water from beside her, which she gulped down in one go, breathing heavily.

She's such a hasty one.

"What should we do? We don't need to go to Mataisa for a while, right?"

"Actually, it's better not to go. The power-hungry will swarm us with excuses like medals and rewards."

"Ugh. Then let's proceed with exploring the dungeon here for a while. What about you, Ruruk?"

"Today I'm Karmarike's guardian. Also, since we don't have the 'White Tiger' now, I'll just check for any urgent high-difficulty quests."

"Take care."

And so, I headed to the Adventurers' Guild with Karmarike.

The Adventurers' Guild in Bargia was quite calm, but there were more people than usual.

It seems the Maguu Empire withdrew quickly, and the lives of civilians in neighboring countries quickly returned to normal. Prices temporarily soared but have already started to fall.

While chatting with the receptionist during Karmarike's adventurer registration, I learned that Stoania, which suffered casualties among soldiers and adventurers albeit few, is apparently negotiating various things with the Maguu Empire. They probably aim to obtain holy relics, which the Maguu Empire possesses in large numbers, she speculated.

I'm not very interested in world affairs, but hearing about holy relics reminded me of the broken drone-type floating ship. Come to think of it, one power device shaped like a floating stone remained undamaged.

It's in my item box, so I'll give it to Lilith later.

"Here's Karmarike-san's guild card."

"Wow, this is it!"

After receiving an explanation, Karmarike took the silver guild card and gazed at it happily.

Since her initial level is high, she's starting from C-rank.

I took Karmarike to the quest board first. It was bustling since it was morning, but for some reason, everyone moved aside when I approached.

What's this, is it because I'm too handsome?

"Which ones can I take?"

"Karmarike is C-rank, so basically quests from D to B. When you find a request you like, take it to the counter to accept it, that's the flow."

"Got it. What about quests I can't do alone?"

"There's a bulletin board over there for recruiting temporary members. Since Karmarike is solo, you'll basically be accepting requests rather than posting them. Also, unless you're an all-rounder like Mererosu-san, I don't recommend solo activities, so it's better to form a proper party for a while rather than temporary ones."

"Y-yeah, that's right..."

It's a dangerous job.

Although she's skilled, as a novice adventurer, I really want Karmarike to make reliable companions. Karmarike herself doesn't seem to shy away from interacting with others, so she seems to understand this.

"Then I'll go check out the member recruitment board!"

"I'll come too. There are some recruitments you should avoid."

"Really?"

Basically, adventurers are responsible for themselves no matter what happens.

Although there aren't many terrible people due to the guild's oversight, there are veteran adventurers who try to deceive beginners and exploit them as labor. There are even those who hire scouts but try to use them as shields once combat begins.

Very rarely, I've heard there are those who lure others to secluded places, shoot them in the back, and commit robbery-like acts.

Karmarike seems like she'd be easily deceived, so I need to supervise her properly here.

"Hmm... how about this one?"

The paper Karmarike picked up was a recruitment for combat experience in forests.

The party was D-rank and planning to do a gathering quest deep in the forest, but they apparently lacked knowledge about forest combat. The monster area wasn't particularly strong, but they wanted an experienced person just in case.

"Sounds good, doesn't it?"

"Then I'll—"

"Before that, let's ask the receptionist for information about this party."

No matter the content, we need to know if they're trustworthy.

Karmarike and I returned to the reception to inquire about the reputation and attitude of the party that was recruiting.

"Those people are serious and have a quite high quest success rate, so I think it would be fine. With Karmarike-san's level, combat support should be easy. Those adventurers waiting over there are the party members."

"I see. Is it okay, Ruruk-sama?"

"Yeah, I think it's good."

Upon hearing that, Karmarike immediately took the paper from the bulletin board and approached the waiting party.

It was a group of three: two young men in their early twenties and a girl of the same age.

"Hello! I'm Karmarike, and I heard you were recruiting members. If it's okay, can I help out?"

"Hello, I'm Messe, the leader of 'Blue Impulse'. ...Miss, you seem quite young, what's your rank?"

"Y-young? Oh, right... hehe, actually, I'm quite older than I look."

"That's impossible— Oh, an elf?"

Messe noticed Karmarike's blonde hair and pointed ears and apologetically said,

"I'm sorry. You're small for an elf, so I didn't realize."

"...It's okay. I am small, after all."

The light in Karmarike's eyes dimmed.

"R-really, I apologize."

"It's fine, it's fine. So, what do you think? I'm good at forest combat. I can use a short sword and a bow. I have scouting and archery skills, so I can handle both long and short-range—"

"H-hey, you can talk about that later!"

"Oh, really?"

Karmarike tilted her head.

As an adventurer, it's better not to reveal too much about your abilities in public.

Messe, who's explaining this to Karmarike, seems like a good guy. I should be able to entrust Karmarike to him with peace of mind.

Messe introduced the other two and said,

"Well then, shall we head out for the quest right away? Karmarike-san... are you prepared yet? It's supposed to take about five days on foot, so we'd like you to prepare accordingly."

"Oh, is that so? Give me a moment."

Saying that, Karmarike ran over to where I was sitting and watching nearby.

"Ruruk-sama, the quest involves staying overnight! What should I do?"

"Prepare luggage for lodging and potions. Only as much as you can carry on your back."

"I see. But I don't have anything. I have money, but..."

"You can use my luggage this time. First, I'll give you an item box, put everything in there."

"Eh, you're giving it to me?"

Karmarike was surprised.

The forest elder of Juman and Karmarike's parents asked me to support her. I don't intend to just register her and irresponsibly abandon her. I can't help directly, but I can at least give her a spare item box.

"I'll put in a sleeping bag, food, monster repellent, about a hundred each of potions and Sugo balls. Also, a compass in case you get lost... Oh, you're wearing the 'Phalanx', right? Make sure to use it when it's dangerous."

"Yeah, it's perfect."

"I don't think there will be any emergencies, but just in case you encounter an opponent you can't beat or escape from, I'll give you this too."

"What's this?"

"It's a 'Punisuke Summoning Board'. Punisuke alone can handle up to S-rank monsters, so rely on this as a last resort. If this is used, I'll come to help too."

"U-um... okay, I understand."

Karmarike's face looked a bit strained.

...What, you think I'm being overprotective?

No, no, Karmarike is a country bumpkin who barely knows anything outside the elf village, and she's clumsy, so who knows what might happen. Considering the dangers, this much preparation is necessary.

"Also, spare weapons, and oh right, I had a necklace with paralysis resistance. Wear this too—"

"That's enough! Ruruk-sama, that's enough!"

Karmarike looked embarrassed.

What's with that reaction? It's like when a parent shows up at school even though it's not visitation day.

Well, I've given her everything I wanted to, so it's fine.

"That should do it. Have them check the rest."

"Okay."

Karmarike went back and explained the contents of the item box.

Then, I happened to make eye contact with Messe.

For some reason, he was staring with his mouth wide open in astonishment.

"Sorry for the wait! I'm ready. Let's go!"

"Ah, yeah... Hey, Karmarike-san, that person you were just talking to, could it be..."

"That's Ruruk-sama. I think everyone knows him since he's S-rank."

When Karmarike said that, the three members of "Blue Impulse" hurriedly put their heads together and started whispering.

"Hey Messe, could Karmarike-san be..."

"P-probably... They say she was active in Stoania two days ago..."

"Was the rumor about her being the 'Mystic Child's woman' true...?"

"But what should we do? If we take her along and she gets hurt, we'll... gulp."

"W-we can't refuse now. But let's do our best to make sure Karmarike-san doesn't do anything dangerous."

"Y-yeah."

"Understood."

I could hear everything clearly.

I wouldn't glare at them just for letting her get slightly injured, and I don't have any power anyway. Even if I glared, it wouldn't mean anything more than that, so they can take her along without worry.

Well, but since they know about me, I should at least greet them.

"Everyone, please take care of Karmarike."

"Y-yes sir!"

"Don't be so tense. I'll be watching over with my far-sight skill, so please approach the quest as you normally would without being too nervous. Karmarike, don't do anything reckless."

"Okay! Well then, I'm off!"

Karmarike waved happily as she set out on her first quest.

I waved back.

"He has a far-sight skill...!"

"We c-can't fail..."

"It begins... five days of hell..."

Muttering with pale faces, Karmarike's companions also left the guild together.

By the way, Karmarike's first quest went well.

However, it seems that afterwards, no parties were willing to team up with Karmarike, and a small elf was often spotted tearfully staring at the member recruitment bulletin board.

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Author Notes:

  [What will tomorrow bring for Karmarike?]

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