Chapter 2: Is this a Punishment Game?

I should probably be translating a Chinese novel, all my exams are for Chinese…… oh well.
Added annotations for the POV changes.

Is this a Punishment Game?

My vision is dominated by darkness. The thing that covers my body is a little cool but it feels nice.
Eh, where am I? Of course it’s inside my futon. After the grand incident at the guild, I rented a room in the inn and went to sulk in bed.

“Sigh, what should I do from tomorrow on…. But before that, I have to go back to clean up. It’ll be hard to face them though.”

Knock-knock.
I thought the door sounded but it’s the first time I came to this town so I shouldn’t have anyone to visit me.
Knock-knock.
I can hear it again….. Maybe I’m just longing for company. Sigh, let’s sleep already.
Knock-knock!
Or rather, it really isn’t me!

“Ah, excuse me! I’m opening it now!”

It was the innkeeper auntie.

“Right now there’s a guest of yours downstairs. They’re waiting below so come down when you’re ready.”

No matter what I think, it must be the guild. No, if I’m unlucky then it might be the guards coming because I caused a problem at the guild…..
…..Should I run?
With the decision made, I immediately put it into practice. I vigorously dive out the window without looking down clearly.
Below me was the receptionist lady but she was waiting with a smile.

“Eh.”
“As expected, I thought you would come here. (smile)”

It was too late to return to my room and I fell towards the receptionist in accordance with gravity. At this rate, we’ll collide.
But as expected of the receptionist she caught me with no difficulty whatsoever. With the so-called princess carry. I’m a guy though! A guy though!? I thought it was something serious so I unintentionally….. I’m sorry.

“Um.. If possible, I’d like you let me down some time soon but…”
“Er, it’s fine to let you down, but please don’t run away, okay?”
“….So you really came to arrest me?”
“Er.. Let’s head to the guild first.”

The receptionist lead me by the hand, my tense fretting reducing. The surrounding gazes are painful.

“Joined by our hands and such, will (I) be alright…..?”
“Ah, (I’m) totally fine though? Well certainly there might be hindrances (in my work) from here on though.”
“Casualties!?” [T/N: Hindrances and Casualties had the same pronunciation]

So in the city, just holding hands with a beauty will cause casualties…… It’s too terrifying.
Now, I have come to the guild room for the second time today. Inside the room is me, the receptionist and the guild master, us three people.

“Nest, it’s good that you came. Actually, I wanted to talk about your recovery magic.
“Er.. right….”

It’s probably to announce the result, but I already know that I’m no good so it would have been fine if they didn’t summon me…..

“First of all, where did you learn recovery magic?”
“Er.. I learnt it through self-study though…..”

We’re just an ordinary household! We didn’t have that much money.

“……How did you learn it?”

Hm? How, you say..

“F-first I cut a finger. Afterwards, I also cut my arm or leg. And so, that’s how I learnt Heal.”
“I see….”

She suddenly sinks into silence with a serious face for a short while before looking up.

“And then, that’s your Heal?”
“Eh, i-it is a Heal though….?”

Maybe it was so bad that it couldn’t be considered a Heal. Self-study really is tough…..

“Finally, what do you want to do at the guild?”

Regarding what I want to do at the guild…..?

“It’s to earn money, yeah.”
“Why are you trying to earn money?”
“Er.. I learnt recovery magic through self-study, but I could really only learn Heal so I wanted to learn from an expert. And I expect I need a lot of money so…..”

And if I do that, I’ll probably be able to learn a lot more recovery spells.
I don’t know if the questioning ended but the guild master and receptionist had a deep conversation after that.

――――――[Guild Master POV]――――――――――――――――――――――――

Right now I was thinking about the person before me, Nest.
I don’t know what he was thinking but he suddenly fled after performing such unbelievable recovery magic in the guild.
Asha (the receptionist) brought him back but when I inquire about it, it seems that recovery magic was Heal.
Originally, Heal only resulted in curing cuts at best. No, even that would be welcome enough but Nest’s spell didn’t just end at Heal, it was an extraordinary product.
And yet he thinks that that’s below-average and came to get lessons from an expert.

“Guild master, what do you think we should do about him? Shall I set him up in the guild?”

Asha gained trust because of the scar on her neck so she proposed that to me.

“.…..Hmm, let’s lend him some space in the guild.”

――――――[Arnest POV]――――――――――――――――――――――――

“Nest, the guild will let you use some space!”

I thought they were deep in conversation but I’m suddenly given permission from the guild.

“Eh, really! Thank you so much!”

T-that’s great. With this, I’m relieved for the time being. I thought it was certainly no good but I was surprised by the contrary.

“Also, don’t tell the others but……”

Eh, what….? Is it something bad……?

“What you used wasn’t Heal.”

Shoーーck! It’s super bad. I never thought she’d say that what I used wasn’t Heal….

“No, it’s not like it’s really a bad thing.”

No, no, it is a bad thing. Because even though I said I can use Heal, to be told that it wasn’t heal….. Is this a punishment game?

“Didn’t you know? A normal Heal is only effective for sealing cuts.”

Eh, Heal only seals cuts…..?

“Eh, but my Heal can restore an arm or leg though.”

I was sure that was normal but I was wrong?

“That’s abnormal. It’s true that I’m not an expert but even I know that’s strange.”

S-seriously?

“Well, a Saint or someone like that might be able to achieve that level though.”
“What’s a Saint?”

I was charmed by this new word.

“It’s the title that the church in the city grants to the top excelling healer. And I hear the current generation is quite a beauty.”

A-are you serious!!! A healer like me, and also the top…… And a beauty at that!!

“As expected, Nest-san is also interested in that.”

A cold voice resounds.

“M-miss…..?”
“I’m Asha. I’m not Miss.”

Asha-san declares bluntly.

“R-right, Asha-san! I’m sorry!”
“No, it’s fine? You are a boy. I Understand.”

She’s not understanding at all. Because Asha-san’s smile.. is scary……

“…..returning to the subject at hand, I suppose only the Saint could possibly have the capacity to teach you.”
“Is that so. I never thought my recovery magic would be unexpectedly amazing, I seriously thought it was average.”
“Unexpected is an understatement, it’s already so monstrous you can’t compare. Ah, speaking of which, the Saint is coming here tomorrow.”

Monstrous….. Yeah, I’m not particularly happy about that.

“You said the Saint is coming!? Tomorrow!?”
“Yup, she goes around to guild to heal the injured as charity.”

Tomorrow….. I might be able to meet the Saint tomorrow. Perhaps I might be able to ask her to teach me. In terms of what I can do today, there’s nothing but sleeping early!!

“Guild master, Asha-san! I’m heading back to sleep now! And about the guild, thank you very much~~!”

And so, I planned to go back and sleep, but the innkeeper found out that I jumped out the window and I was severely scolded.
I-I didn’t cry though!!!