Another World Reincarnation Chronicle

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The woman who stepped out of the door radiated a strange aura.

A power that couldn’t be described with words, refreshing yet inexplicably repelling.

I snapped back to reality and greeted her.

“Ah, hello.”

“What brings you here?”

The voice flowing from the woman was kind.

Didn’t the guild receptionist say that the client had a peculiar character and that I should be cautious?

I tilted my head in confusion at the different appearance from what I had expected.

Checking the room number written on the note, it seemed I hadn’t come to the wrong place…

Could it be that the receptionist mistook the room number?

While I was pondering, the woman spoke.

“Did you come for a request?”

“Ah, yes.”

Nodding, I handed the note I was holding to the woman.

The woman nodded as she looked at the note I handed her.

She immediately opened her mouth and began to inform me about what I would need to do during the request period.

I couldn’t help but feel flustered as it was a different situation from what I had worried about.

“The search area is the Karum Mountain Range. You know the request details, right? You’ll be escorting me for four days.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Then I’m counting on you.”

With a light smile, she extended her hand.

Was she suggesting a handshake?

I wiped my palm on my clothing and then took the woman’s hand.

“Uh, what should I call you?”

“Ah, just call me Rain.”

“Miss Rain…”

Rain nodded at my murmur.

She gave a gentle shake of our clasped hands and then turned to go back into the room, saying,

“We’ll leave first thing in the morning, so can you make it here?”

“Yes.”

“Then see you tomorrow.”

Left alone in the corridor, I stared blankly at my hand.

I had expected to be turned down, yet she had readily accepted.

Could it be that she wasn’t a person with strange tastes…?

I looked at the firmly closed door with suspicious eyes.

But now, it wouldn’t do to refuse the request.

I recalled the promised reward and turned to leave.

After exiting the inn, I wandered around gathering information about the Karum Mountain Range.

The types of monsters dwelling there and toxic plants to beware of.

Such information could easily be found in an old bookstore.

The Karum Mountain Range was known to be a monster-infested area. Thus, preparations to counter the monsters were also necessary.

Like smoke bombs to chase away monsters and ointments or bandages for treating wounds.

There were considerable expenses again, but since these were items I could use even after the mission ended, I spared no expense.

The next morning.

As I headed to the meeting place, the requester, Rain, was already there.

She looked unlike your typical adventurer.

A light blue witch hat on her head and a blue robe on her body.

Additionally, she carried a large wooden staff on her back, the end of which had an unidentified gem attached.

When imagining a wizard, Rain would likely come to mind.

She was very much in line with the image of a wizard I had imagined.

When she had simply worn a hat, I had thought of her as someone with unique tastes.

But it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“Welcome.”

As I approached, Rain welcomed me.

She then stammered for a moment, her eyebrows twitching.

It was then that I remembered I hadn’t informed her of my name.

“I’m Seris.”

“Right, Seris. Are you all set?”

“Yes… But… are you a wizard, by any chance?”

This world is one where swords and magic breathe life.

A typical fantasy world, home to orcs, goblins, and dragons.

However, a 13-year-old girl who had lived her entire life in a rural village knew nothing of the secrets of this world that quickened her heart.

Even though she was a resident of this world.

“Is this your first time seeing a wizard?”

Rain’s question was tantamount to admitting that she was a wizard.

I nodded, clutching my pounding heart.

She smiled slightly at my answer.

She gestured lightly towards me.

At that moment, a gust of wind blew in.

Not the cold winter breeze of the port city, but a refreshing and gentle breeze instead.

The wind brushed against my cheek and disappeared in an instant.

I easily realized that this phenomenon was Rain’s magic.

“Wow…”

It wasn’t a sight that could be visually observed. The wind had no physical form.

But I could feel it directly on my skin.

This sensation was something that couldn’t be expressed in words.

“Shall we get going now?”

I nodded hurriedly and followed Rain.

As we left the port city, Rain began to throw various questions at me.

Most were inquiries regarding my personal information.

“Why did you choose to become an adventurer?”

“Because I wanted to see this world.”

“Isn’t it difficult?”

“I can manage.”

Rain asked questions but didn’t delve deeply into them.

It felt like she was keeping an invisible line.

Not asking about family relationships, a sensitive topic, showed that she was more cautious than she appeared.

The Karum Mountain Range was not far from the port city.

There were others headed to the cold winter mountains besides Rain and me.

They were likely herbalists. They carried similar gear to the herbalist uncles I often saw back in my hometown.

“This way.”

“Are you not going to follow the path?”

“No.”

Rain didn’t follow the path made by humans.

She intentionally headed toward the rough terrain beyond the entrance.

She was walking toward places where human footsteps scarcely reached.

The hard-packed snow crunched beneath my shoes as I climbed the mountain.

I often had to shake the snow off my shoes while ascending.

If a bit of melted snow stuck to my shoe and froze up, I would slide all the way down the mountain.

“Huff… Huff…”

Rain breathed heavily as we climbed.

She seemed to lack stamina for an adult.

As for me, a 13-year-old girl, having lived my life running around mountains and fields, found light hiking to be no issue.

“You… climb well…”

“I’m used to it.”

“Hmm…”

Rain, who had been progressing well, suddenly stopped.

She seemed to be looking for a suitable spot to sit and rest while taking in her surroundings.

As I was about to sweep the snow off to find a proper spot, Rain pulled the staff from her back.

Swoooosh—

The wind began to gather.

It wasn’t the cold winds of winter but a gentle and refreshing spring breeze.

The lightly blowing wind caressed the snow piled around us.

The snow met with the wind and broke apart, soaring into the sky.

The snow blossoms, blooming white against the wind, captured my gaze.

The wind turned white.

The pure white wind vanished into the sky with Rain’s gesture.

“Shall we take a short break?”

Rain, looking at me with a light smile.

No one could refuse that offer.

Rain and I spent some time seated on a large rock.

I had many questions I wanted to ask her.

However, I found it difficult to speak up.

Mystery.

A term indicating phenomena that transcend power, wisdom, theory, and perception.

Mystery becomes beautiful only when it can’t be understood.

A vague expectation and fear about the unknown intertwine.

To me, magic is something like that.

At least, I didn’t want to lose this feeling until this request was over.

“Shall we go again?”

Having somewhat regained her stamina, Rain moved her feet again.

The monsters of the cold winter mountain, suffering from a shortage of food, are said to be incredibly ferocious.

Stress from hunger only makes the monsters more vicious.

And now, that hungry monster revealed itself.

-GRROOOOAAAAR!

A fierce bloodlust accompanies an uncontrollable ferocity, creating an eerie sound.

My body stiffened. It was definitely a monster straight out of a storybook.

What showed itself was a pure white mountain goat.

At first, I questioned whether this could even be called a mountain goat, but its fur and horns reminded me of that name.

I drew my sword from behind me.

With a rustling sound, the cool touch of the sword in my hand calmed my nerves.

Among all the opponents I’ve fought thus far, it was unlikely any would be stronger than that mountain goat.

Only something like an ogre would be able to match that mountain goat in terms of strength.

I had no chance of winning. Just as I was about to tell Rain to run, she raised her staff.

“Miss Rain…?”

“Can you hold on for about 20 seconds?”

“Th-that…”

I was about to answer that it might be a bit difficult when the mountain goat charged.

Leading with its enormous horn, it came charging straight for me.

It seemed that my sword in hand had provoked it.

I leapt to the side, breaking through the pure white snowfield.

The mountain goat didn’t stop. However, it didn’t keep running straight either.

With a sudden change in direction, the snow beneath it exploded into the air.

KRUUUK! The rumbling of the ground as the goat charged made my legs tremble.

I gritted my teeth and kept running.

One fortunate thing was that its speed decreased whenever it changed direction.

But even so, the distance closing in was something I couldn’t remedy.

-FWOOOOSH!

Its heavy breathing was right in front of me.

As I was running, I swung the sword I had in hand.

SWISH—!

A sharp glint of the blade stretched out long as it flew towards the mountain goat.

The tip of my sword grazed the thick fur coat, but the unnatural stance from which I swung failed to yield any effect.

KRUUUK!

The mountain goat dashed by me, close enough that it almost felt like a piece of paper ran past.

It was moving so fast that the wind generated whirled around me and nearly knocked me off balance.

The goat didn’t stop. It turned right back toward me.

Could I evade again? I couldn’t tell.

Feeling a chill run down my spine, I gripped the sword tightly with both hands.

I had no option of attempting a counterattack. In the face of a charge that utilized such overwhelming speed and mass, if I swung the sword, the hand holding it would break.

DUM DUM DUM—! It approached once more.

As I felt the rumbling of the ground beneath me, I calmly exhaled.

At that moment.

ZING—!

The pure white mountain goat froze in place.

The frozen goat crashed to the ground in its charging position.

I suddenly realized the temperature around us had plummeted dramatically.

A cold chill was circulating around, so cold that even my breath felt frozen.

“Are you alright?”

Rain looked at me, worry showing in her eyes.

Her staff radiated a painfully cold chill and light.

“I’m sorry, it took longer to prepare than I thought…”

My legs weakened.

I found myself sinking to the ground.