NOVEL ONLINE FREE Volume 1 Chapter 32 - America~!
I was called by an old acquaintance, so I entered a certain building and took the elevator without going through the reception.
Upon reaching the intended floor, I got off the elevator and entered a certain room without knocking.
Then, an elderly man with glasses looked at me with displeasure.
“Harry, knock before you enter. And go through the reception. I didn’t hear anything about this,” he grumbled, standing up from his desk and coming over to me.
“Sorry for the inconvenience. But more importantly, Norman, it’s been a while. How have you been?” I ignored Norman’s complaint, shaking his hand and patting his shoulder.
“You can see for yourself. Things aren’t going well. I got caught in a hospital examination last week.”
“Because you smoke.”
“I quit five years ago.”
“Wow.”
I was surprised that Norman, who had been a heavy smoker, had quit smoking.
“Live long. So? What do you need? What’s the rush to call me out?”
Norman was my former boss, or rather, superior officer.
“Wait a moment. I’ve also called Claire.”
“Claire?”
“Hey, you called Claire too? So, this is adventurer-related?”
Both Claire and I used to be soldiers.
More precisely, Claire was my classmate.
And she, like me, was a subordinate to this old man.
“That’s right. We’ll talk when Claire gets here.”
“Hmm.”
I lit a cigarette and sat on the sofa, feeling that waiting was a drag.
“You smoke in the room of someone who has quit?”
“You said you’d never quit smoking, right? Smoke, smoke.”
“You’ll understand when you get to my age.”
Norman said with a wry smile, sitting on the sofa across from me.
“How’s the kid?”
“He’s fine. Stupid boy. Became a soldier.”
“Wow.”
I was surprised that the kid had grown up so much.
Time flies.
“Yeah, he’s stupid. Just like his father.”
“He even smokes. He’s taken after all the bad habits.”
“He’s promising for the future. He’ll probably get some girl pregnant and get beaten by you.”
“Stop talking about that.”
Mischievous sons will be mischievous.
I’m single, though.
“You guys are so childish. It brings back unpleasant memories.”
I heard a voice, and when I looked toward the door, a blonde woman was standing there.
“Claire, at least knock.”
When did she open the door?
I didn’t hear anything at all.
“Good grief… You both lack manners.”
Norman looked displeased.
“Isn’t it the fault of the superior officer who taught us? He was often called a shitbug.”
Claire said as she sat next to me, lighting a cigarette.
“That’s nostalgic. Hey, listen, Claire. This guy Norman quit smoking.”
“That’s the funniest story I’ve heard in years. He was known as the man who smoked while showering.”
It’s really nostalgic.
“Talking to you two gives me a headache.”
Norman shook his head.
“So? Why did you call us? Planning to leave a will?”
“Better leave your property to your son.”
His wife is still alive, right?
“You insolent brats… Of course not. It’s an important matter.”
We’re almost 40, and he’s still calling us brats.
“What is it?”
“It’s a job.”
“Go through the guild. We’re adventurers, right?”
Claire and I retired from the military and became adventurers.
Not to brag, but now we’re A-rank adventurers, very popular in America.
“It’s an important case. You’ll understand.”
Important case, huh…
“What?”
“Do you two know about the woman who’s currently causing a stir in Japan?”
Norman took a photo from his pocket and placed it on the table.
Claire and I leaned in to look at the picture.
“What’s with this kid?”
“Look at that long hair.”
She’s blonde, but her hair reaches down to her waist.
A girl was pictured drinking cola in front of a vending machine.
“This girl put up an item bag at the Japanese guild auction.”
“What!? This brat is Elenora Ocean!?”
“So this is the Golden Witch…”
I’d heard the name, but this was my first time seeing her.
She’s much younger than I thought, and indeed golden-haired.
“She’s not a kid. She’s Japanese, so she looks young… if she’s really Japanese,” Norman said with an insinuation.
“What’s with this girl? And why can’t non-Japanese bid? I wanted an item bag that could hold 100 kilos too!”
She wanted an item bag too.
Me too.
Item bags are always handy.
“We’ll talk about that later. There’s no problem.”
“I believe you.”
“Ah…”
Claire’s heat seemed to have cooled down.
“So, Norman, what’s with this girl?”
“Look at this.”
Norman pulled out his smartphone and showed the screen.
“Your son’s growth record? Or bragging about your wife?”
“I wouldn’t show you that. This is from yesterday when this witch appeared on a Japanese TV program.”
A witch on TV?
Very modern witch, huh.
“What’s the big deal?”
Claire frowned.
“Just watch.”
Norman pressed play.
“Yes, thank you. So, Elenora-san, you auctioned off an item bag recently, didn’t you?”
A woman who appeared to be an announcer spoke in Japanese.
“Hehe. Yes, I did.”
Huh!?
What’s that?
I felt a strong sense of discomfort, and Norman stopped the video.
“How was it?”
“Wait, wait a minute! Let me hear it again! Let me hear it one more time!” Claire exclaimed in a panic.
“Norman, me too.”
“Alright.”
Norman operated his smartphone and pressed the play button.
“……….What kind of demonstration is this? I am an adventurer, and there is no meaning in doing a demonstration. Besides, I’m a rookie, so I don’t have any sponsors.”
Hey, hey!
What is this!?
Norman pressed the stop button and put away his smartphone.
“What is this? English? Japanese? French?”
“It sounded like English, Japanese, and German to me.”
“Huh?”
“I’m also like, ‘Huh?'”
I couldn’t understand the meaning.
The language this woman was speaking seemed to fit any language.
Honestly, it was unsettling.
“I showed this video to people of all nationalities. And they all understood the meaning of this witch’s words… only her words,” he explained.
Certainly, the announcer was definitely speaking in Japanese.
“What’s going on?”
“Yeah, I don’t understand the meaning.”
There’s no way we could understand it.
“Next. Honestly, I’m disappointed in you two. Did you become complacent after becoming A-rank and making money?”
Suddenly, Norman belittled Claire and me.
“What do you mean?”
“Choose your words, Norman. I’ll get angry no matter who you are.”
He used to be terrifying, but now he’s just an old man.
“Oh, is that so?… Then you must know that this witch is going to hold the next auction, right?”
Huh?
“What do you mean?” Claire furrowed her brows again.
“You idiots!! Always keep your antennas up! This woman is auctioning off a 1000-kilo item bag! Now not just Japan, but the whole world is focusing on this Golden Witch!”
1000 kilos… really!?
“You’re not joking, are you?”
“I wouldn’t call you here for a joke.”
“Come on, 1000 kilos is unbelievable. Even I only have a 200-kilo one.”
“Me too.”
1000 kilos seems like a joke.
“I’ll tell you one more thing. This time, there are two of them. That means she put up two 1000-kilo item bags for auction!”
…What?
“That’s ridiculous!”
“That’s right! It’s unbelievable!”
“According to this witch, what’s unbelievable is not unbelievable,” Norman said.
Are you serious?
“Who is this woman?” I gulped down my saliva and asked Norman.
“Let’s get back to the previous topic. This woman’s words are heard in every conceivable language. Understand?”
“Yeah…”
“Yes, I can’t comprehend it, but I’ll accept it.”
I can’t understand it either, but since it’s actually happening, there’s no choice but to accept it.
“The truth is, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard such a language.”
“Huh? There’s a mysterious language like this?”
Of course, I’ve never heard of it before.
“Yes, it was 30 years ago.”
30 years ago…
“No way!?”
“Yes. Once a gate opened in this world, and the words spoken by those who appeared from it were the same. The former president had many people attend the negotiations with them. And the same phenomenon occurred. Just like with you two now.”
So that means…
“This woman is a Frontier person!”
“No way! Why is she here!?”
Frontier people should have had almost no contact since the first negotiation.
To begin with, they’re full of mysteries, and we don’t even know what race or what kind of people they are.
No, we don’t even know if they are human.
Only the leaders of each country and a few people know that.
“At least, the possibility is very high. Why she is in Japan, and what position this person holds as a Frontier person, is entirely unknown. But we have decided to act on the assumption that this woman is a Frontier person.”
“Really?”
“Ever since this woman first held the auction, we’ve been suspicious and thoroughly investigated her. As a result, we found that all of her information was false. There is no one by the name of Elenora Ocean anywhere in Japan or the world, for that matter.”
The only possibility is… the Frontier.
“This is serious, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it’s serious. Have you finally woken up?”
Of course, I woke up.
Even if I were dead drunk, I’d wake up.
“So? What are we going to do? Secure this woman?”
This woman is dangerous.
We should secure her in our country.
“No, the opposite.”
“Opposite? No, we should secure her.”
I think so too.
“This witch’s fame is now at a global level. We can’t forcibly kidnap someone like that. But fortunately, the witch is in Japan. Japan and our country are best friends. We can handle it. The problem is…”
Other countries!
“Sure, we need our power. We can’t overlook the crisis of our best friend.”
“That’s right. Russia and China are being restrained, so that’s fine, but the problem is those particular countries.”
The countries that broke the treaty with the Frontier and had their gates closed…
“I see. You want us to guard her.”
“That’s right. Japan is our biggest friendly country, and vice versa. We’ve already talked to the Japanese government. Go!”
“That’s fine, but what’s the public reason?”
Certainly, if A-ranked adventurers like us go to Japan, it will raise suspicions.
“The auction earlier. Remove the restriction that only those with Japanese citizenship can participate. This is another directive. A 1000-kilo item bag is suitable for our country’s adventurers. Am I wrong?”
You’re not wrong.
“Will there be support?”
“We can, but the ownership at that time will be the government. If that’s okay, let’s go for it.”
You’ve got to be kidding.
“Tch! How much did I have in savings?”
“Hehe. My condolences. At least one is mine. Daily efforts speak volumes.”
This woman has been hoarding quite a bit.
“Harry, Claire, go to Japan immediately! Protect the Golden Witch and win the auction for the item bags! Let me tell you… this is a presidential order!!”
“Yes, sir!!”
Claire and I immediately stood up, straightened our postures, and gave a salute for the first time in years.