Chapter 32
But then, out of nowhere, a savior appeared.
“Excuse me, do you have a moment?”
When the meeting ended, Adrian called my name in a gentle voice and asked for a moment of my time.
It was the first time something like this had ever happened. The first time he had said my name. The first time he had approached me.
“Uh, ah—yes, of course!”
I stammered from surprise, but there was no reason to say no.
If it’s my favorite character calling me, I’d make time even if I didn’t have any.
“Then let’s head to the library.”
As I followed Adrian to the library, question marks filled my mind.
I had no idea what this was about.
The library looked exactly the same as it had before we left it.
Still bewildered, Adrian spoke to me in a curt voice—completely unexpected words.
“I have a request for you.”
“A request?”
“Yes. I’d like your help finding materials we’ll need for the upcoming mission in the underground archives.”
Help with finding materials?
Honestly, that’s usually the librarian’s job, isn’t it? I couldn’t understand why he’d ask me specifically.
“For compensation… how about a Rainbow Stone?”
At that, my eyes widened as I stared at him.
Was this… luck?
‘Wait, is this really a coincidence?’
Adrian just happened to need someone to help sort materials, and I just happened to need exactly one more Rainbow Stone—and he called on me specifically and offered one as payment?
This was the same Adrian who’d noticed I was looking for crafting manuals for shooter gear and recommended books to me without me even asking.
If this wasn’t a coincidence, was I just being delusional?
“H-how did you know?”
No point keeping it to myself. Sometimes it’s easier just to ask directly.
“What do you mean? That you’re saving up for a name change fee? Or that you’re one Rainbow Stone short and couldn’t apply yet?”
Bullseye.
How did he know so much?
I expected he might have guessed to some degree, but this was next-level insight.
“N-no way… Are you psychic? How do you know so much about my situation?”
I shivered, brushing away the goosebumps that spread across my body. Was he reading my mind?
“…Didn’t you sit by the fountain square every evening counting how many Rainbow Stones you still needed for the name change? And you always did it right when I got off work. Would’ve been weirder not to notice.”
At his answer, my face flushed red.
Right. I did that. We even walked back to the dorm together a few times.
“Anyway, don’t get the wrong idea. I just needed help finding materials, and you looked like the most free person around. Our interests just happened to align.”
He dismissed the situation with a cold voice.
What kind of misunderstanding did he think I’d have?
That Adrian created a fake request just to hand me a Rainbow Stone?
I couldn’t stop the smile creeping onto my lips.
This guy… he’s just bad at being honest.
In the game too, he was the kind of character who would pretend not to care while quietly helping out the protagonist.
The key point was the “pretending not to care.”
I really wanted to tease him with a sarcastic, “What misunderstanding?” but…
He was practically my savior. I couldn’t be so irreverent.
You might think I’m exaggerating by calling him a savior, but…
After what happened last time with that temple knight—if I ran into someone like that again, I really might die of embarrassment. So calling Adrian my savior wasn’t an overstatement at all.
“…Thank you so much, Adrian.”
“No need to thank me. It’s not like I’m giving it to you for free—I’m just offering fair payment for the request.”
Adrian’s cheeks turned slightly red. He seemed embarrassed.
I just looked at him with sparkling eyes full of gratitude.
What more needed to be said?
“…Please stop looking at me like that. It’s unsettling. Anyway, I’ll give you the advance payment now, so go submit your name change application. You’ll need a new ID before we leave, right?”
Apparently my intense gaze made him uncomfortable, because he looked away and held out a shimmering Rainbow Stone.
It felt like a “here, take it and go away” gesture, but I grinned and carefully took the Rainbow Stone, storing it in my inventory.
“Thank you, really! I’ll just go fill out the paperwork and come back to help search!”
Then I dashed off toward Belinda’s office.
My steps were so light, I felt like I could fly.
“You don’t have to rush that much…”
Even Adrian’s muttered complaint behind me sounded like music.
Name change, here I come!
I was finally saying goodbye to “UltimateShooter.”
I confidently pushed open the Hero Corps office door. The chime on the door jingled brightly.
“What brings you here, Elaine?”
Belinda, nose deep in paperwork, looked up and asked business-like.
I proudly declared my intention.
“I’m here to apply for a name change.”
“Oh? You finally saved up the fee?”
She pushed up her glasses and looked surprised.
Of course I did. I finally had them all.
Overcome with joy, I couldn’t help letting out a triumphant snort.
“Yes! Here—30 Rainbow Stones!”
I opened my inventory and pulled out thirty rainbow-colored gems.
Even the sound of them clinking together felt like music made just for me.
“Here you go.”
Belinda chuckled at my enthusiasm and handed me the form.
Gripping the pen tightly, I filled in each blank with care.
Now, the final line—name and signature.
I wrote my embarrassing old name one last time.
UltimateShooterElaine. And signed beneath it.
A huge weight seemed to lift off my chest.
It felt good. So good.
Bittersweet? Nope. Just sweet. And freeing.
“Farewell, my dark history…!”
As I handed over the form, Belinda teased me with a playful smile.
“Guess I can’t tease you about your name anymore. That was fun, though.”
“You’re still annoying, even now.”
I pouted in mock annoyance.
Really, every time she pronounced each syllable of that awful name—Ul. Ti. Mate. Shoo. Ter. E. Laine.—I nearly lost it.
But I didn’t really dislike her teasing. There was a trace of joy in her eyes—maybe not as much as mine, but still.
We’d built a kind of camaraderie through our banter.
“I’m just joking. Congrats, Elaine.”
“Thanks, hehe.”
From now on, my name wouldn’t be a source of shame.
It had been about a month since I landed in this world. And today was the happiest day of all.
* * *
“Hmm hmm, hm-hmm~”
Humming on my way back to the library after submitting my name change form.
I hadn’t forgotten that in a few days I’d be going on a dangerous mission filled with terrifying enemies.
Still, I felt great. One major goal had finally been achieved.
Now, all I had to do was live in this world as just Elaine, without “UltimateShooter” attached.
Sure, I still had to defeat the demon god Phoneros to survive…
‘At least I don’t have to stress over my name anymore.’
Huh? Who’s UltimateShooterElaine?
Never heard of her. I’m just Elaine. No idea who that is. Fufufu.
As I danced into the library on light feet, Adrian shook his head.
“Are you that happy? It looked like you had flight magic on your feet.”
“Hehehe, I’m back! Let’s go search for the materials!”
I was full of energy. I felt like I could organize every book in the entire library.
Watching me flail my arms enthusiastically, Adrian let out a deep sigh and led me to the underground archives.
“This place contains the full history of the Hagion Hero Corps. Some of these books are extremely old, so handle them with care.”
Adrian handed me a pair of white gloves, similar to the ones he wore.
I put them on. They were a bit big for me, probably fitted to Adrian’s size, but not too uncomfortable.
“You should look for materials related to the Silvagrove Forest. Even if not that exact place, cases of darkness falling over similar environments would be helpful. It’ll aid us in fighting the enemy.”
What monsters appear in forest regions, their weaknesses…
It seemed the goal was to gather and organize such intel.
It all made sense for the mission.
But the problem was…
‘…Do we really need to do all this?’
Since I’d played the game, I already knew what boss lurked in the darkness of Silvagrove Forest, and how to deal with the surrounding monsters.
