Chapter 6: Anon
“Since Milan said she would bring someone, I was curious about who it might be, but lo and behold, you’ve brought quite the impressive individual.”
In a small house on the outskirts, I found myself sitting across from a mysterious figure. The person before me, their face obscured by a hood, showed a hint of surprise before letting out a soft chuckle.
“Ah, my apologies for the rudeness.”
Their voice had a strange quality, somewhat feminine yet also masculine, creating an intriguing resonance that matched their playful manner of speaking.
“My name is Anon. And what is yours?”
“My name is Yanmar D. Low. Please call me Row.”
“Row-kun, huh? I’ve been quite curious about you.”
Curious about me?
“Now, now, I don’t mean to imply anything romantic or soft-hearted like that. Anyway, please, have a seat.”
Prompted by them, I took a seat across from Anon and waited for the conversation to unfold. For some reason, they chuckled again.
“Are you curious about my appearance? You see, I’m originally a Seeker. I also dabble in being an Information Broker. But just because it’s a side job doesn’t mean I handle dangerous information lightly.”
“I see, so that’s why you’re concealing your identity?”
Indeed. Not only did they hide their face with a robe, but they also seemed to be using some kind of Skill or magic to obscure their presence.
“Exactly. And well, I have a general understanding of your character. So, I’m not too worried.”
Again with this. Just moments ago, they referred to me as “impressive.”
“You find it strange that I know about you? I’ve been away from town for a bit, so the information I gathered is quite recent, but there are indeed a few stories about someone who resembles you.”
I’ve only been to the town a handful of times. If asked whether I did anything notable—well, I did. I certainly stood out. I was practically waving around bags of Gold Coins in the market like I was slapping people with stacks of cash! I was definitely noticeable, and denying it would lead to a response like, “Wait, did I do something?”
“After all, having ‘black hair’ is rare, and every time you appeared in town, you made some ridiculous purchases. No one spoke ill of you because you were generous with your money.”
It’s true that ‘black hair’ is uncommon. Some say I might be a descendant of a past transporter, but it’s not like there are none at all, so I let my guard down. But really, I just splurged a little on shopping. Even if they called it a shopping spree, you could see that kind of thing in any large electronics store. It was just a rich person’s hobby. Nothing to make a fuss over!
“As I gathered information about you, I came across the day you first appeared in this remote land of Bordaf. There were rumors of a black-haired man who had never been seen in town before.”
“Rumors aside from my shopping? Wait, did I do something?”
“You jumped in front of an Orc to save three girls.”
“Ah (I see).”
“You wiped out a band of thieves and prevented a kidnapping.”
“Ah, ah (eyes rolling).”
“You protected the head of a trading company from assassins.”
“Ah, ah, ah.” I let out a groan as if something strange had pierced my brain.
I did do that! I really did! I was saying, “It’s nothing special!” but I had been causing quite the ruckus. But it couldn’t be helped. I was just so excited to be back in town after a long time. I should also clarify that I had a lot on my plate that day. Milan suddenly started talking about “Yamada the Fugitive Holy Knight,” and the next day, I was shown some nonsensical Super Reuguin Fantasy, so I had my own burdens to bear.
“That reaction confirms it. It was all you, wasn’t it?”
“You didn’t have any certainty about it, did you?!”
“I had a hunch that it was you. But a hunch and certainty are two different things. I needed to hear it from the horse’s mouth in the end.”
“Is there a chance I could be lying?”
“Wasn’t it something like, ‘When you grow up, if you see someone in trouble, help them out. That’s just how life is’?”
That was my response when Milan asked me, “Why do you help other people’s families?” I was taken aback, and Anon chuckled mischievously.
“What’s with that?”
Since I was a child, my grandparents always told me to “live honestly so you can hold your head high.” So I’ve always tried to live my life under the sun, doing what I wanted without shame.
I was aware that my words might sound shallow. However, that was the best answer I could muster at the time to Milan’s question. I had no reason to be laughed at by a stranger who knew nothing about me.
Perhaps sensing my inner turmoil, Anon said, “No, please don’t misunderstand. If I said something rude, I apologize.”
With that, Anon bowed their head.
“I tend to be seen as a rude person, you see. I mean no offense.”
Suddenly, Anon grasped my hand.
“I was moved. It’s rare to find someone who can express such words in this day and age.”
Of course, they continued.
“People lie without a second thought. It’s only natural, but the words you said to Milan could also be a lie. No, let me be honest. I didn’t trust your goodwill at all. I thought there must be some ulterior motive—eventually, you would tear off that mask of kindness and show your fangs to Milan’s family.”
Heat radiated from their hand to mine.
“When her family was suffering due to injuries, I was away from town, oblivious. And here I was, doubting you, the one who saved her. All I gathered were tales of you helping others—how absurd is that?”
“It’s not absurd at all. It’s only natural to be suspicious of a stranger. Besides, you doubted me for Milan’s family, right?”
“—You truly seem to be a bottomless good person. My hunch has turned into certainty.”
Anon nodded as if coming to a realization.
“The information I’m about to share with you is a token of gratitude for helping Milan’s family. Consider it a gift.”
And with that, Anon bowed their head again, saying, “Thank you for saving Milan and her family.”
“I just did what I wanted to do. But if you’re offering information as a thank you, I won’t hesitate to accept.”
“That’s a relief to hear. Now, let’s start a delightful conversation, shall we?”
They released my hand and began preparing tea, saying it would be a long discussion. Once they skillfully placed the tea in front of me, they added,
“I’ve heard the gist from Milan. You’re interested in stories about the Hero Party and the Holy Knights, aren’t you? Feel free to ask anything you like. I’ll share what I know.”
Though Anon’s face was hidden by the hood, I somehow sensed their smile.
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