My Protect skill can take my life but it can also help me flirt and make love with cold beauties!
Chapter 20: Is this a date?

The sun was setting and I was sharpening my sword in the courtyard of the inn. It was a long sword I received from Naguri-san.

Its sharpness and length of the blade were so great that I could defeat an Orange Gelatin with just one or two strikes. Thanks to today's hunting, my level has also increased to 3.

In a good mood, I sprinkled water on my new sword. Since it was something I had received, I had to use it carefully. Using a scrap of cloth I got from my clothes, I carefully wiped off the jelly's body fluid.

"Hey, it's rare to meet here," Raul-san said as he approached me.

Raul-san drew a large sword on his back, took a bucket of water, and splashed it around. Unlike the transparent body fluid of the jelly, the red blood was thickly stuck to his sword. I wonder what kind of monster he had faced.

"Hmm? You said you were going to sharpen it, but did you get a new sword?" Raul-san noticed my new sword and asked me.

I explained what happened with Naguri-san. "I feel sorry for receiving such a thank you," I said.

"No, no," Raul-san shook his head. "You have to give your all for any job you do. And in return, you have to get paid for any job you do. That's the golden rule of adventurers."

I nodded in agreement.

"You've been hanging a short sword all this time, is this your first time using a long sword?"

"Yes. It's my first time," I replied.

"If you're okay with it, I can offer some help." Raul-san offered.

"Really!? To receive training from Raul-san is an honor!"

"Well, it's not really training, but let's see."

I was delighted with his sudden offer. Since coming to this world, I have only relied on my recovery power and brute force to survive. It was a pleasure to be taught how to use a sword properly.

Besides, I had an escort job tomorrow, so I wanted to become stronger in case anything went wrong.

"Show me your stance," Raul-san prompted me. I stood up and held the sword with both hands.

"Oh, this is..." Raul-san paused.

"What is it?" I asked. Maybe my posture was really good?

"You're more of an amateur than I thought," Raul-san said bluntly.

"U-uhh…"

I was shocked in a bad way. I shouldn't have expected myself to have the talent of an adventurer.

"Let's start with your stance. Your feet are a little narrow. Spread them shoulder-width apart...put your center of gravity forward...hmm, it's difficult to explain in words."

Raul-san was also struggling to explain. He was embarrassed to admit how bad I was.

"Okay, this stance is good enough. Now, for the sword's stance, it's best to start by protecting your head."

Following Raul-san's instructions, I held my sword parallel to my head… Oh! This is a proper stance for holding a sword...?

"Now give it a swing."

"Okay." I swung my sword down with all my strength.

"Ummm. I think you are putting too much strength in your arm. You should put more strength in your hand and imagine cutting an opponent one step beyond the target with your arm."

What is that? It seems too difficult to understand. I guess he could also see from my expression that I didn’t understand it very well. So, he chuckled and said, "Let me show you," as he picked up the large sword he had leaning against the wall.

He widened his stance to shoulder-width and put his weight on his front foot. Even though he should be in the same stance as me, each movement flowed smoothly.

"Like this, and...!"

There was a sound of air rushing in the opposite direction as a huge lump of iron swung straight down. Even I, who was watching from a little distance away, felt the pressure of the sword.

"Uh, wow."

Just that made me take a step back. It was completely different. What I had been doing until now wasn't even close to Chambara.

(Chambara refers to a Japanese film genre featuring sword-fighting samurai characters. So

"Well, it's something like this," Raul said.

"Wow!" I exclaimed.

"Really? Don't make me embarrassed about something like this," Raul scratched his nose, looking embarrassed. "I might have explained it poorly and made it hard to understand, but if you practice every day, your body will eventually remember it."

"I understand. I'll do my best!"

Raul waved his hand and said, "Good luck," before leaving the courtyard.

I immediately practiced what he had taught me, repeating it to myself as I swung the sword by myself. The next day, I went to the gate as promised with Eva, who was already waiting there.

"Sorry for making you wait," I said.

"No, I just got here too," she replied. I thought I had come a little early, but it's not good to keep the client waiting.

"Okay, let's go," I said, and we headed out of the gate and onto the grasslands.

El wasn't with us today. When we went to the guild to accept the job request, Seira-san said that since today's request was for mining, it might be difficult for El to come along.

However, El said she wanted to come with us, but for some reason, Seira-san invited her to a delicious sweets shop, so she ended up staying at the guild.

Looking back, Seira-san seemed to be even happier than usual. I wonder if something good happened? But what does mining on the grasslands mean?

Is there an entrance to a vein somewhere, like in the basement of the hero summoning room?

"Thank you for taking the job!" Eva said.

"You don't have to thank me. I am the one who should be thanking you." I replied.

Eva, who was leading the way, turned around and smiled. Today, she is wearing a half-sleeved shirt and shorts. Her toned, healthy legs stretched out slenderly from under her pants.

In her firm hands, she carried a bag and a basket. The clattering sounds indicated that they were quite heavy.

"Eva-san, I'll carry your bags for you," I offered.

"Huh? No, it's okay. It's my own stuff," she replied.

"Don't worry about it. I've been working on my muscles lately," I said.

Indeed, I can now lift and carry heavy wooden boxes, something I couldn't do before when I started working in the transportation industry.

I tried to strike a pose as if to show off my bulging hump, but then I stopped. I don’t know why, but even though my physical strength and body mass index has improved, I still look chubby.

Showing off my flabby arms will only make Eva-san feel uneasy. So, instead, I reached for the bags.

"Ah.. Um… then this, please." Eva-san said as she handed him a heavy bag with clanging tools. Judging from the handle sticking out, it is probably a mining tool.

I thought about carrying the other basket too, but Eva was holding it tightly, so I didn't want to touch it. It might have been an important item for a girl's outing.

"By the way," Eva said as she walked ahead of me. "You don't have to call me 'san' or anything. Just call me Eva," she said.

"Is that so? Then you can call me Kazuya," I replied. She nodded in agreement. I picked up the pace and walked beside her, casually calling her by her name.

"Eva."

"A-Ah, Kazuya. Ha, ha…"

We both started calling each other by their first names, but we suddenly felt a rush of embarrassment.

What am I doing? Recently, I have been spending all his time with El, so my sense of distance with women has become strange.

I wasn't the kind of person to make casual remarks to women, nor do I look like I should. When I looked at Eva, I saw that she had also silently slunk away. Maybe she was offended.

I am the employee and she is the employer. I reminded myself of this and with that in mind, I followed behind her. I am here to do a job, after all.