My Protect skill can take my life but it can also help me flirt and make love with cold beauties!
Chapter 4: To the Adventurer's Guild

Walking silently across the grassy plains, a dark cloud hung over my heart. I had been unable to even lay a finger on the weakest of monsters, and the thought of what lay ahead only weighed me down further.

Every time Elle tried to speak to me, I shut her down. This wasn't right. I knew that I was far from a fighter or a troublemaker.

I had made a mistake thinking I could take on that monster. I wasn't dead, though. I was still standing here, healthy and alive.

"Hey, since it is the capital, it must be huge, right?" I asked Elle, trying to change the subject.

"Y-Yes, it's a really big city!"

"What's it like? Are there any famous shops or maybe even an adventurers guild?"

"Um, I'm not quite sure,"

I sighed, realizing this conversation wasn't going anywhere. "Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough. It's better to see it for ourselves, right?"

"Just a little bit more and we'll be there!" Elle said excitedly.

It turned out that "just a little bit more" was quite an understatement. We had to walk a lot further than I anticipated, but eventually, the castle walls and gate came into view.

I could see that the castle was much bigger than I had initially thought, and there was a sprawling city surrounding it.

As we emerged onto the packed dirt road leading to the gate, the hustle and bustle of the city became more apparent. Everyone was dressed in fantastical clothing as if they came straight out of an anime or video game.

I, on the other hand, stood out like a sore thumb in my dark blue blazer, which drew curious stares from passersby. El's presence, as a fairy companion, also drew attention.

"Wow, hero-sama, you're already getting all the attention," El said excitedly.

I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic, but I knew we were attracting a lot of stares. It wasn't just because of my status as a hero or out of the ordinary clothing, but also because of El's presence.

People didn't walk around with fairies on their shoulders in this world, and my strange-looking companion drew a lot of attention. But as we entered the city and saw the sights, any self-consciousness I felt melted away.

The city was stunning, with a straight road lined with brick and stone houses leading up to a towering castle in the distance. I couldn't help but stare in awe, lost in the beauty of it all.

"Don’t stand there like an idiot!"

A voice from behind snapped me out of my trance. It seems I was blocking the road, so I slowly walked while keeping an eye on the town, hugging the side of the road.

This street that continued from the castle gate seemed to be a bustling main street, with many people coming and going. There were ordinary townspeople dressed in regular clothes, adventurers dressed in armor, and even people wearing robes like wizards.

On the side of the road, there were many stalls selling various things. I could hear the energetic voices of the vendors and the bustling sound of the crowds passing by. Each and every street corner was tickling my adventurous spirit.

"There's such a lively atmosphere here."

"Yes, that's right. Owas is one of the most populace cities in the kingdom, if not the largest."

Since we didn't have any particular destination in mind, we decided to walk until we came across a main road. This led us to a large square from which several roads branched out in different directions.

It seemed we had quite a distance to go before we could reach the castle.

"First of all, I'd like to find the

"Hmm, I wonder where it could be."

Elle and I looked around the square, at a loss for which way to go.

“Hihi… brother...”

Suddenly, a short man appeared behind us and tapped me on the shoulder.

"Is this your first time in town? You look like total newbies in the capital."

"Um, and you are...?"

"I'm a guide in this city. It's my job to show kindhearted people like you around. If you have anywhere you want to go, I'll take you there. This city is so big, you'll get lost without a guide."

He grinned, showing his crooked teeth, but there was not a shred of good will in his smile. His sharp eyes suggested he had the intention to fleece us of our money, thinking we were just naive country bumpkins.

"Oh, is that so? Well, then Elle wants to go to the Adventurers' Guild."

However, the carefree El was unaware of the need to be cautious. She accepted the man's proposal as if it were a stroke of good luck.

"The Adventurers' Guild? You mean the guild for adventurers? You don’t look like adventurers. Oh well, I'll guide you, so follow me," said the man, walking ahead without waiting for my response. El also followed him without hesitation.

At this point, there was no turning back. I decided to take advantage of any opportunity to escape. While walking, I memorized the route and kept an eye on the side streets.

"Brother, you look a bit different. Where are you from?" asked the man.

"Oh, uh, well..."

"Hero-sama is from a nation called Japan!" When I was hesitating, the energetic Elle said loudly.

"Hero?! Hahaha, that's funny. I've never heard of Japan, though," chuckled the man.

"Yes, well, it's a country far across the sea. It's a distant island nation. Haven't you heard of it?" I responded hastily. I realized it was best not to reveal too much about ourselves to this man.

"I see. Tell me more about your country next time. It's my job to gather information too," the man said with a grin.

Before I knew it, we had been led down deserted streets. As I tried to memorize the way back, the said man distracted me by engaging in conversation.

"This house here looks ordinary, but they also sell magic potions. And over there, that's the house where the chief blacksmith lives. It wouldn't hurt to remember that if you're an adventurer. Hahaha," the man said, pointing to different houses.

I nodded vaguely, but El was fascinated and nodding her head vigorously.

"Having a fairy with you is unusual, just like your clothes. With this, you’re sure to be the talk of the town for a long time," the self-proclaimed guide said with a smirk.

"Really? We're becoming famous, Hero-sama! We're the talk of the town!" El responds cheerfully.

"But, you know... be careful. To some enthusiasts and magic users, fairies are traded in secret for high prices," the guide warned and looked meaningfully at me. It seems he's heard about us and approached us for that reason.

To make matters worse, after being led down many twisting paths, I'm lost and have no idea how to get back to the square.

"Here we are," the guide said, coming to a stop at the end of a narrow alleyway where the sun barely shines. The plain door he points to doesn't seem like a guild or any sort of facility at all. It made me suspicious.

Opening the door politely, the guide said, "This is the adventurer's guild you're looking for."