<h4>Chapter 140 – Sarah the Driver</h4>


    Trantor: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes


    Sarah the Driver


    At longst, they would be arriving at Zubura today; not in the capital, but a town near the border. They didn’t need to go to the capital to get to the ruins. Hikaru felt like sightseeing, but Katy’s domineering attitude made it hard to bring it up.


    To give the horses some time to rest, Hikaru and the others took a small break at a town. Up ahead was a coniferous forest, the trees visible from the window of the café they arrived at.


    「I’m so excited, Hikaru! I’ve seen ruins in the past, about twice, but they only showed me the highlights. I’ve been to a museum to where they disyed artifacts.」


    「Wait, are there restrictions to viewing?」


    「Of course. The ruins are one of the only few things that Zubura has to raise their standing. I asked the principal to issue free passes for us, though.」


    「Really? When did you do that?」


    Hikaru didn’t know about the restrictions. He was impressed by Katy’s proactiveness.


    「She dragged me along to the principal’s office to beg for it.」Mille said.「I didn’t even know what was going on.」


    So Mille went with her. The principal is from Zubura. She probably has some power there. But I must say...


    「I’m surprised you got approval. You’re from Kotobi.」Hikaru said.


    「Yeah. I told her you wereing and she agreed.」


    「Me?」


    「The principal seems to have taken a liking to you.」


    Hikaru went out to gather Dragon Kidney Flower to save the principal’s nephew. That’s when he met Silvester, a member of the former royal family of Zubura. The principal was aware of this.


    But she also knew about all the trouble he had caused so far. The admins, especially, detested Hikaru. Who knew what they told the principal? Perhaps the principal herself thought Hikaru was troublesome to deal with.


    「I hear you talking about the ruins!」


    Selica, who was having a light meal with her party members on another table, approached them.


    「Quit eavesdropping.」Hikaru said.


    「Lies! I wasn’t eavesdropping. I can help with examining the ruins too, you know!」


    「Right. You’re familiar with it as well, not just Hikaru.」Katy said.「Ah, I can’t wait to get there.」


    「You can count on me!」


    「That’s good to hear!」


    Maybe I should just leave it to Selica and go sightseeing instead, Hikaru thought. But he couldn’t do that. It’s human nature to want to see an incredible discovery.


    Of course, they’d be visiting ruins that were already explored before. But people tend to think “Maybe if I go there, I’ll find something new”—perhaps decipher ancient documents, or dig up treasure chests.


    I also love these kind of treasure-hunting activities...


    It was only natural for a man to feel excited about using information as clues to discover treasures before anyone else could.


    As soon as the carriage started moving, Selica and Katy started talking in one box seat, where the rest of the Four Stars were seated. Lavia began to doze on the other seat, exhausted from the long trip. Mille and Pa were already fast asleep. Hikaru put a nket over Lavia and made her lie down so she could sleep morefortably. He gave up the seat, though now he had limited options as to where to go.


    「Ah, Hikaru. Would you like to sit here?」


    Selyse smiled, offering him a seat. Beside her, Sophie stared at Hikaru with a frown. She’s doing this knowing Sophie and I don’t get along. Hikaru had recently gotten a better look at the darkness the Sun Maiden hid inside her. No way I’m sitting there.


    「Oh? If it isn’t Hikaru.」


    「I had no other choice. At least this spot is better than the other option.」


    The driver’s seat was wide, so Hikaru sat beside Sarah. After having enough rest, the six horses’ gait seemed to have gotten lighter. Soon the carriage entered the coniferous forest.


    「I’m working hard out here, you know. It’s cold so I have to be dressed heavily too.」


    「You didn’t have toe if you were gonnain anyway.」


    「Yeesh! You’ll never be popr with the girls with a mouth like that.」


    「I’m good as long as I have Lavia.」


    「Really? Can I have Pa then?」


    「No, you can’t.」


    A bit of opening and she tries to take Pa away. Gotta watch out for this one too.


    「Not this, not that. You sure are stingy.」


    「Fine. Thank you for driving us in this cold weather. You are a great help. There. How about that?」


    「Sounds good. I like that. Now I have to keep at it! A youngster is thanking me for my efforts, after all.」


    「Youngster, huh? I suppose I am younger by about three years.」


    「Huh? You’re around 12 or 13, right?」


    「No! I’m 15!」


    「What?!」


    Sarah was surprised. Her Soul Board indicated she was 18, three years older than him.


    「So you’re a full-grown boy. That was unexpected.」


    「What do you mean by that? I’m an actual adventurer.」Hikaru showed his guild card.


    「Rank E and a Civilian. Come on. You have a rare job ss, don’t you? Tell me about it.」


    「I only have Civilian.」


    A barefaced lie. Sarah didn’t believe him either.


    「I’m guessing that immense fire magic used to kill the Earth Dragon was from the blessing of a job ss.」


    That had nothing to do with sses. It was all the power of the revolver. On a side note, Hikaru received spare bullets from Katy and some more for this trip. Everyst one was packed with Lavia’s me Gospel. All ten of them. He could destroy a small fortress with his weapon now.


    「I didn’t kill an Earth Dragon.」


    「Why don’t we tell each other about our job sses?」


    「What’s the point of that? There’s no benefit to it. All you do is reveal your secret. Besides, you can just lie about your ss.」


    「Satisfying your curiosity is one benefit.」


    「Man, you’re hopeless.」


    「Rude! I’m older than you, you know!」


    「Older? Show some more dignity first, then I’ll believe you.」


    「All right! How about this? We show each other’s guild cards.」


    Sarah took out her card and showed it to Hikaru.


    【Adventurers Guild Card】


    【Name】Sarah


    【Registration】Pongee Elka Adventurers Guild, Kingdom of Ponsonia


    【Rank】B


    【Job ss】City, Town, and Vige People Rescue God: Civilian


    【Party】Four Stars of the East (B)


    It was the first time Hikaru saw the guild card of an adventurer in a party. Apparently the individual and party ranks were separated.


    「Would you look at that? You’re a Civilian just like me.」Hikaru said.


    「How about we show our sses one at a time? Then you’ll get to see the rare ssester on. We stop when we run out of job sses to show.」


    I see. Quite interesting. Hikaru checked his list of job sses.


    Assassination God: Night Stalker2


    Stealth God: Darkness Wanderer2


    Throwing God: Dead Shot2


    Chaos God: Eye of the Storm3


    Wide Area Detection God: Grand Sonar4


    Woods Strolling God: Forest Walker4


    Labyrinth Exploring God: Dungeon Walker4


    Heaven Searching God: Sinner4


    Lower ss Heaven’s Messenger: Lesser Angel5


    Common Town Night Burr God: Town Thief6


    City, Town, and Vige People Rescue God: Civilian10


    He had eleven in total, which was apparently quite a lot.


    Should I keep the Town Thief one from her? Hikaru was having trouble since he didn’t know much about job sses in the first ce. He considered showing Lesser Angel to her. Maybe she knew something about it, like its effects and why it appeared, since he waspletely clueless. I think it showed up right after I killed the Earth Dragon.


    It should be safe to show her Forest Walker and Dungeon Walker. Hikaru heard from the guild that if one had a four-character job ss, they’d be a high-level adventurer. Sarah should have one too.


    Hikaru was a bit curious about Sarah’s job sses as well, since they had simr fighting styles. If the need arose, he could just tell her he had nothing more to show. Sarah herself could do the same too.


    「All right. Let’s do it.」Hikaru said.


    「Really? Are you sure?」


    「You’re the one who suggested it.」


    「Well, you’re awfully secretive. I didn’t expect you to agree. Okay, let’s do this!」


    Hikaru set his job ss to Lower ss Heaven’s Messenger: Lesser Angel.


    「You go first since this was your idea.」


    「Okay!」


    Sarah changed her ss and showed her card to Hikaru.


    Common Town Night Burr God: Town Thief


    Hikaru stared at the card with a nk expression.


    「I-It’s not what it looks like! I didn’t actually steal anything. This job ss usually appears to those who sneak into people’s houses.」


    「You’re saying you didn’tmit any crime?」


    「Of course!」


    「I’m pretty sure entering someone’s home without permission is a crime.」


    「What?! Well, what can I do?! Most of the requests that asked for me involved sneaking around!」


    Gathering information and scouting, I guess? So the Adventurers Guild deals with those kinds of requests too, huh? Hikaru was impressed.


    「I figured that was the case. Here.」


    「What? You have it too?! You criminal!」


    「Really, now?」


    Hikaru managed to safely get Town Thief out of the way. Sarah sighed.


    「I didn’t expect you to have it too. You do look like an expert in covert operations.」


    「All thanks to my gear. Oh, and for the record, I didn’t steal anything.」


    「Yeah, yeah, sure. I get it. I believe you.」


    「.........」


    「Ow, ow, ow! Stop pinching my ears! Youck respect towards your elders!」


    「Just show me the next one.」


    「This kid needs to learn respect!」Sarah yelled as she showed her next job ss.