With Tao leading the way, I was practically being dragged toward the town against my will.
“Hum~ hum-hum-hum~ hum-hum, hum-huuum~♪”
“You’re in a remarkably good mood, Tao.”
“Just Tao is fine, right? I’ll call you Roberto, too. Besides, we’re fellow adventurers—we don't need to be so polite with each other.”
Tao answered with a skip in her voice, still humming her little tune.
I couldn't help but wonder—could someone really be this kind and cheerful toward a person they’d only just met? Usually, strangers would be a lot more wary of one another, but...
Ah, it had to be the clothes. Since I had used Mimicry while in my true form, I was still wearing my royal finery. Tao likely took me for some rich noble’s brat and was planning to squeeze a hefty reward out of me for "rescuing" me. It wouldn’t be any fun if she held a grudge later, so I decided to set her straight.
“E-Err, Tao? Just so you know, I don’t actually have any money on me.”
“That doesn’t matter at all. I have no intention of taking money from you, Roberto.”
Tao simply tilted her head at my remark and went right back to her cheerful humming.
Hmm. Was she really not after money? Her face had been fixed in a loose, giddy grin for a while now.
“Fuhihi... I don't need money or strength. What I want is a handsome boyfriend, you see. Born the daughter of a dojo master, I’ve spent my life since I was a child immersed in martial arts without ever having a boyfriend. Then, when I turned eighteen, I left the dojo to become an adventurer in search of romance. But the handsome guys only go for weak women like priests or mages; they won't give a girl like me a second look. So, I’ve flipped the script! If they won't come to me, I'll go to them...! I just have to rescue a handsome guy in a bind and make him fall for me—that’s the plan! If I protect Roberto from monsters and show off my skills, I'll finally get the handsome boyfriend I’ve always wanted! I won’t let this chance slip away. Fuhi, fuhihihi...”
...She had a truly wicked look on her face. It was the face of someone plotting something incredibly stupid. The way she was muttering to herself was actually a little creepy. She was completely lost in her own world.
While I was busy being put off by her behavior, Tao’s eyes suddenly snapped wide open.
“Roberto, monsters!”
Tao sprang into action, limbs tensed as she lowered her center of gravity. I assumed that was a martial artist's stance; she looked like a predator ready to pounce at any second. Remaining in that low crouch, she glared sharply at the surroundings.
“Hoh!”
With a short shout, she kicked a small stone from the ground into the air. In an instant, Tao’s body spun with the speed of a whirlwind. With a sharp crack, the stone whistled through the air and disappeared behind a cluster of rocks.
“Gyagh!”
A high-pitched scream rang out, followed by the sound of something hitting the dirt.
“Yosh, a hit!”
Tao gave a small victory pose. Immediately, a swarm of small silhouettes emerged from the shadows of the rocks. They had earthen-colored skin and small, child-like statures, topped with tiny horns and large, eerie red eyes. They brandished wooden clubs and rusty knives.
If I remembered correctly, those were Goblins. They were classified as the weakest class of monster, but while they were pathetic individually, the textbooks said they could be quite dangerous in a pack.
“So you’ve shown yourselves, little ogres. Come and get some!”
In a single stride, Tao lunged into the midst of the Goblins and unleashed a flying kick with all her momentum. The lead Goblin was sent soaring, slamming into a rock wall with enough force to leave a crater.
Tao’s assault didn't stop there. The moment her feet touched the ground, she delivered a sweeping roundhouse kick to the flustered Goblins. Her heels struck the crowns of their heads with precision, and they collapsed one after another.
“Gyaa!”
A Goblin tried to retaliate, swinging its club at Tao as she landed, but she was no longer there. Leaving an afterimage behind, she circled instantly to the creature’s back.
“—Too slow.”
A heavy thump echoed as her fist sank into its back, and the Goblin slumped to the ground. As they watched Tao steady her breathing, the remaining Goblins were so paralyzed with fear that they couldn't even move.
She was strong. There was no way bare hands could produce that much power naturally.
Come to think of it, Tao’s features and coloring were those of someone from a distant, foreign land. I recalled reading in a book about warriors from the East who used Ki, fighting with bare hands imbued with spiritual energy. It said they could exert incredible power by circulating and refining Ki through their bodies using specific breathing techniques.
I’d thought it was a tall tale, but seeing it in person, I had no choice but to believe it. Now that I thought about it, she was always using a very distinct rhythm of breathing. I wondered if that was the secret.
“Gyaa!” “Gyaa gyaa!”
Distracted by the strange cries behind me, I turned to find two Goblins right in my face. Whoa, that startled me. I must have been too absorbed in watching Tao fight. Of course, I had a Magic Barrier active, so I wasn't in any real danger, but—
“Ho-at-choooo!”
Tao practically glided across the ground, slamming a palm strike into the gut of each Goblin. The impact sent them hurtling toward the clouds; they stayed in the air for a long time before finally crashing back to earth.
“GYAAAAAAA!”
The sight sent the rest of the pack into a panic. Terrified by Tao’s overwhelming strength, the Goblins vanished into the hills before I even realized it.
“Thanks, Tao. You really saved me.”
“Hmph. No need for thanks.”
Tao stood with her back to me, posing like a grand guardian statue. ...I wondered what was wrong. She stayed in that exact position, occasionally casting longing, expectant glances back at me. It was as if she was waiting for me to say something more than a simple thank you... Hm.
As I followed the fleeing Goblins with my eyes, I saw them scramble into a large hole in the hillside.
Could that be... a Dungeon?
A Dungeon was a mysterious place teeming with monsters. According to the legends, they held vast treasures, rare Magic Tools, and even ancient Grimoires.
“I can't just stand around here!”
I started running, unable to contain my excitement.
Wind System Magic: Gale. Enveloped in a shroud of wind, my body became light as a feather, allowing for high-speed travel. As I kicked off the ground, I raced across the wasteland as if I were literally flying.
“Ah! Hey, Roberto, where are you going?! You’re forgetting your confession of love—!”
Tao was chasing after me, shouting something at the top of her lungs, but her voice was lost to the roar of the wind. More importantly, there was a Dungeon to explore. I sprinted toward the entrance at full speed.