I—Lilia Welt—clutch the list in my hand and step in the direction the receptionist pointed me.
"Honestly, I heard no one wants to do sewer cleaning, but to think someone would already be ahead of me..."
I've been traveling around to hone my skills, but it was a miscalculation to think my travel funds would run out so quickly.
Coming from the prestigious Welt family, I've never had to worry about money since I was a child, so this is a first for me.
Well, with my abilities, I can handle anything.
After all, I graduated top of my class from the renowned Astor Academy, and I received a professional scout from that world-famous armed battle competition—Cavalry Raid Chevalle.
Cavalry Raid Chevalle is a grand sport popular all over the world. Teams use weapons and engage in battles that mimic real combat. Its intensity captivates audiences. League matches become a nationwide frenzy, and everyone gets caught up in the competition.
I played a prominent role in the league during my student days, and my talent was recognized, leading to a scout.
But... I'm aiming for even greater heights now, so I'm on a journey around the world like this.
"Hmph, whether it's sewer cleaning or whatever, I should be able to handle it easily with my power. I just need to catch up quickly and ask them to share the work."
I stretch out my arms and lightly arch my back, then immediately step forward with my right foot, taking a breath. It might seem like an arrogant gesture, but it's also a routine I do before activating magic.
"—Gale Boost."
In an instant, the magic power concentrated in both legs courses through my entire body like lightning.
It's a spell specialized in speed, which is my forte.
I usually add more elaborate effects, but it would be a nuisance to make it shine too brightly in a town like this, so I minimize the glow of the magic circle.
And—it feels like my vision is stretched out all at once.
Both feet kick off the cobblestones, creating an acceleration like a bird soaring through the sky. I myself am hardly fazed, even as I watch the surrounding scenery rush by at high speed. This is my "normal," after all.
"Excuse me!"
I hear the murmurs of passersby and voices that sound like screams. There's no shortage of obstacles, with merchants pulling carts and shoppers stopping here and there. Still, I quickly assess the direction I need to go and adjust my route by leaning my body slightly. There's almost no need to slow down.
"Well, this is easy for a talent like me. Let's find them quickly and ask them to share the work."
As if telling myself this, I pour even more magic power into strengthening my legs. I raise my speed, conscious of the burden of air resistance, and dash across the cobblestones as if flying through the sky.
In team battle competitions, I'm good at handling weapons, but what was most highly valued was this leg strength. It's been said that "there aren't even ten people in the world faster than Lilia."
However, even as someone like me seeking strength, I don't have time to stop in a place like this.
◆
"Ah, sorry about that. The person who came earlier already finished the job."
"Huh?"
A loud voice involuntarily escaped my mouth, and I hurriedly straightened my back. The middle-aged man who answered the door of the house just tilted his head as if stating the obvious.
No, no, the person who came earlier...? I only got the address from the guild a mere ten minutes ago. Even though it's a dirty job that no one wants to do, it's already been taken care of?
"W-wait a minute. Someone who came out of the guild just a little while ago did the sewer cleaning... and it's all finished?"
"Yeah. They removed all the slime from the sewer and the water flows perfectly now. That person was very efficient. They finished quickly and left. Said they had another job."
"...I see."
I was speechless and allowed myself to be led inside. Maybe the client was mistaken. There might be slime left, or there might be areas that haven't been cleaned properly.
Guided by the man, I peered into a small passage leading to the dimly lit sewer. But there was no sign of slime there. Rather, even if it wasn't quite like new, it was clear at a glance that any excess dirt had been thoroughly washed away.
"E-eh, really... it's perfect. No skimping and in such a short time...?"
I quietly reached into the sewer with a bit of shock. I tried to check if there was any stickiness left, but there wasn't even a hint of slime on my fingers.
There's no room for me to get involved.
"Miss, are you satisfied now? Our sewer is perfect now, and if you're done, I'm sorry, but please don't go any further inside."
"Y-yes. I'm sorry for intruding!"
I returned to the front door, bowed to the man, and left the house. The short sword at my waist just swayed uselessly. It seems like there's no work to be found here.
◆
Leaving the house, I took a deep breath to cool my head. There's no point in panicking. Maybe the last house was just finished exceptionally quickly... maybe.
There's no way Setsu can get around faster than me... that's just not possible if you think about it.
After all, I graduated top of my class from Astor Academy. I've built up a track record in Cavalry Raid Chevalle, and my leg strength is among the best in the country—that's what I've been told. I don't want to think that there's someone who far surpasses my prized speed.
I know, the receptionist lied about the time.
Instead of a dozen or so minutes ago, Setsu must have started cleaning the sewers much earlier.
"...Okay, let's try the second house. I should make it in time for the next one."
Muttering again, I checked the address list in my hand.
I'm definitely going to the closest one next, and if I use Gale Boost, I should be able to get there first, no matter what... I'll show them.
I lightly lowered my knees and poured magic power into my legs. As the people around me cried out in surprise, I dashed across the cobblestones like a gale.
◆
And when I arrived at the second house, a house with a calm appearance, the young woman who came out after I knocked on the door said something unbelievable.
"It's already finished, you know? The person who came earlier cleaned it all..."
"...N-no way...?"
My lips trembled without thinking. When I had the sewer of the house shown to me, there wasn't a trace of mud or slime there either.
Unable to accept it, I went outside and pounded the ground lightly with a fist full of frustration.
Was I deceived by the receptionist?
That Setsu person must have started the work long before I arrived.
◇
The third, fourth, and fifth houses—the results were all the same.
By the time I arrived, the sewer cleaning was already finished, and there wasn't a single gap for me to enter.
Unable to understand it at all, I went outside and pounded the ground lightly with a fist full of frustration.
Not just a few houses, but ten, fifteen, twenty... the same result continued. I believed that my leg strength, which had been chasing after the list and running around, would not weaken, but my stamina and magic power were approaching their limits.
Running around the city with Gale Boost all the time is intense work that I would never do in my private life. In addition, I'm consuming a huge amount of energy, not just magic power. Because I haven't had lunch, I'm also hungry.
And yet, I still haven't even seen a shadow of this person named Setsu.
"Guh... why...? This is...!"
But even so, I can't back down.
If I give up here and say "I can't do it anymore," I feel like my prized leg strength and my achievement of being the top student at the Academy would all be meaningless.
I gritted my teeth and looked at the address list. There are still a few remaining clients.
◇
In the end, I couldn't catch up with Setsu at the twenty-fifth or even the twenty-eighth house.
And then, the final thirtieth house—if I fail here, I'm completely out of options.
While exhausted to the point of having dark circles under my eyes, I relentlessly activated Gale Boost.
I don't have money to go home or for lodging, and I can't get it unless I work here...!
Barely making it to the thirtieth workshop while feeling beat, the words that flew out of the mouth of the craftsman who opened the door were heartless.
"Sorry, but the cleaning is already finished. The adventurer who took the job just left a little while ago."
"...Ah..."
I dropped to my knees on the spot.
What came to my mind was the kind smile of the receptionist.
Was I... deceived?
Setsu's departure time was much earlier, or there must have been something behind it.
At the very least, it's not normal that I haven't seen them even once despite sprinting at full speed through this city.
There's no way there's anyone that fast. I was given false information.
"—Don't mess with me...! This is... this is...!"
I clenched my fists and trembled. My breath was rough, and my heart was pounding loudly. Without even wiping away the dripping sweat, I raised my voice in surging frustration.
"The receptionist... that woman... must have deceived me...!!"
The moment I shouted, the people passing nearby turned their surprised gazes toward me. I felt a brief moment of embarrassment, but my frustration won out even more.
Even though I had gone around to all thirty sewer cleaning sites, I had not been able to encounter Setsu even once.
"Damn it... there's no way they're really faster than me... right...? Right?"
In a corner of my mind, an impossible speculation pricked at me. But there's no way that could be true!
Haa..., I'm exhausted. I feel like going back to the inn and sleeping right away.
Thinking that, I realized.
The reason I was running around was to earn money for lodging.
"Aaaaaah!! More than that, what am I going to do about where I'm going to stay tonight!?"
And so, my scream echoed.
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