◆ Port Platz, Haliart Continent ◆
“Thanks to you, I managed to reach the port safely. I really appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it. I couldn’t just overlook my fellow kin, after all.”
As the captain expressed his gratitude, Genia’s response seemed superficial. After all, they had initially intended to take me away. But it’s true that I arrived at the port much quicker thanks to these people. By the time we stepped out of our room and onto the deck, all the monsters that had attacked us along the way were already dealt with. They were probably taken down by a pillar of light.
Genia, standing at the front of the deck, waved her hand dismissively when I appeared with my weapon. Her casual “don’t mind me” left a strange impression on me. I often hear her say that; it seems to be her catchphrase.
“Well then, I have another return voyage to prepare for, so I’ll be taking a room to rest today. Even though the excitement hasn’t worn off yet, I need to make sure to rest when I can. Please take care of yourselves, everyone from Metallica.”
“Yes, yes. I ended up staying up late myself. Once I get into my research, I can’t seem to stop… Oh dear, I’m rambling. Take care now.”
The passengers who had reached their destination began to disembark one after another. Bottom and the others stretched their bodies, finally able to take a breather. Then, I spotted Silva walking toward me.
“I owe you a lot. If it weren’t for you, we would have sunk before that warship arrived. I’m sorry for being such a pathetic adult; we’ll strive to do better.”
“Yeah, thanks. This incident has opened my eyes again. I don’t know how I can repay them, but all I can do is what I can do now.”
“My magical skills have rusted quite a bit. I was much better when I was younger… But seeing you makes me feel a bit rejuvenated.”
Silva, Bottom, and Genia all expressed their thanks in turn. I wondered if they would be escorting that regular ship again. Just two days had felt like a tedious journey, and now they were facing another one. Just thinking about it made me feel weary. It was my first time on a ship, but it had been far too dull for me. I knew I’d get scolded for saying this, but if the monsters hadn’t attacked, I might have been bored to death by now.
“Oh, is that the girl? Thank you for protecting the ship, thank you!”
“She really is the champion of the Combat Tournament! I’m in awe!”
Before I knew it, people had gathered around us, aside from Bottom and the others. The passengers. I felt a bit guilty for putting them in such a dangerous situation. If only we had defeated that Dridon a bit sooner, they would have felt more at ease. I could make excuses about the unfamiliar underwater battle, but there was no guarantee the enemy would attack according to our convenience in the future. Just as I had adapted to the darkness of the Abyss Cave, I needed to adapt to this environment as well. It was fortunate that no one had become a casualty. It wouldn’t have been surprising if the ship had capsized while I was dawdling. If Metallica’s ship hadn’t arrived, things could have been a bit dangerous.
As I pondered this, I found myself being surrounded by adults, children, and even the elderly.
“Uh, yeah. Well, we’re off now.”
During my first request, I had mistakenly thought Gantetsu had taken credit for my achievements and confronted him. But now, being praised like this left me unsure of how to respond.
“Thank you, Roel-oneechan!”
“Yeah, take care, Rumi-chan.”
Roel was talking to a girl she had befriended, with her mother standing behind her. I wondered if they had come here on a trip or something. If so, it should have been a fun journey, but I had put them in danger. I was truly relieved they were safe.
“Thank you, Roel-san, for keeping this child company.”
“It’s no trouble at all. You three seem to be a happy family, and I couldn’t help but want to join in…”
“Huh?”
Roel made a playful gesture, but the mother looked puzzled. Did Roel say something strange? If so, I should apologize for her rudeness. I thought I wasn’t saying anything odd now, but I felt like I often made her say strange things when we first met.
“A family of three?”
“Yes, the father smiling behind us… Wait, he’s not here?”
“We’re on our way to meet my husband. He’s been working in a town to the west for a while now. But it seems the earnings are better there, so we’re considering moving there ourselves…”
“…I’m sorry, I misunderstood.”
“No, it’s that man, right? I thought he was someone you knew. He was watching you the whole time…”
In that moment, we all looked around. It wasn’t just a misunderstanding. The moment she mentioned that man watching Roel, I felt a chill of certainty. The people bustling around the port, the road leading to the shopping district, the shadows of the warehouses. I searched everywhere, but he was nowhere to be found. If he was someone I knew, there was only one person it could be. He had been on the same ship as us, watching us fight. If he wanted to, he could have attacked while we were sleeping.
Of course, I had dealt with such situations many times in the Abyss Cave, so I was confident I wouldn’t let that happen. Among the Twelve Demon Generals I had encountered, he was the only one I hadn’t defeated. That was Juo. The Necromancer who had tried to abduct Roel and could raise the dead. That Ghost Ship might have been his doing as well. I felt pathetic for not noticing him lurking nearby.
“Lua-chan…”
“It’s okay, as long as I’m here, I won’t let someone like him get close.”
I pulled Roel close to reassure her, but I realized that my own lack of awareness made my comfort feel hollow. But I understood that he could disguise himself as a human. From now on, I had to be cautious of everyone I met and those around me. I didn’t know what his intentions were, but if he was targeting Roel, I wouldn’t show him any mercy.
“I won’t think of you as human anymore, Juo.”
I declared to the unseen enemy. As I gazed around, Platiu came running from a distance. I wondered if she had something else to say, but then she hugged me again. She buried her face in my chest, sniffing like a dog.
“W-What, you’re still here?!”
“Your scent is normal, just a normal girl.”
“Come on! The sun has set, and we’re heading to the inn! You can’t make Genia-san worry!”
“Lua, you have to come to Metallica. You absolutely must.”
“Okay, okay, just let go!”
At my words, Platiu quickly released her grip and tilted her head in confusion. She really was a strange child. She might look older than Mi, but I felt like there wasn’t much difference. In fact, thanks to her two older sisters’ upbringing, she might even be more mature than them.
Speaking of which, I wondered how those three were doing now.
“Platiu, we’re about to leave.”
Genia appeared and took Platiu’s hand. I still couldn’t believe they had come all this way on that ship just for her. That girl was an S-rank. From the way she walked hand in hand with Genia, they almost looked like mother and daughter.
“Oh, by the way, I heard we’re departing for the Wizard Kingdom tomorrow, but it might not be possible.”
Genia turned around and made an ominous statement. What did she mean by “not possible”? I had a bad feeling about this.
“It seems the Wizard Kingdom is currently under attack by monsters and is on high alert. Until things settle down, travelers probably won’t be allowed in.”
“W-Why?! After coming all this way… and what kind of attack?!”
“Well, I don’t know the details. Of course, if you want to know…”
She wore a mischievous smile that resembled Platiu’s. Then, both of them looked at me and laughed. Their smirks were infuriating, especially with that condescending gaze. It felt like they were reveling in some sort of superiority.
“If you want to know, feel free to ask anytime.”
With a twirl, Genia waved her hand and returned to the ship. Logically, it might be better to follow her than to be denied entry to the Wizard Kingdom. But backing down here felt like losing. I wondered what Roel thought about it.
“Anyway, let’s find an inn for tonight.”
I hadn’t even considered those people. We couldn’t go to the Wizard Kingdom. I wanted to discuss this critical issue.
Roel was grinning, her eyes sparkling as if she were looking at a child. Suddenly, she leaped onto my bed and wrapped her arms around me.
“Hey!”
“Wha—?! What are you doing?!”
“I’m imitating that girl.”
“That girl? You mean Platiu? You really don’t have to do that.”
“But… but…”
Roel fell silent, her expression shifting as she held me down. After a brief moment of quiet, she suddenly pulled away.
“Lua-chan, you need to take a bath.”
“Oh, right! I did dive into the sea, so I might smell.”
“Then let’s get in.”
Are we really going to bathe together? I just saw the size of the tub, and it wasn’t that spacious. Before I could protest, she firmly grabbed my hand and led me to the bathroom. I found myself undressing and stepping into the hot water, letting it wash over me.
Roel’s hands gently scrubbed my back, and it felt oddly ticklish. What was going on with her today? She seemed in a good mood, but there was also a sense of urgency about her.
Her hands reached around my sides, and in that position, she began to wash me from the front. It was nice that she was being so thorough, but it felt strange. I couldn’t quite put my finger on why, but it was both embarrassing and made me feel a bit restless.
“Okay, okay! I can wash myself now!”
“Oh… right. Sorry.”
Roel seemed to snap back to reality, her demeanor shifting to one of disappointment. Feeling a bit guilty, I decided to wash her back in return.
“Lua-chan…”
“Yeah?”
“…Never mind. Let’s do our best tomorrow. It seems we just need to head straight along the road from this port to reach the Wizard Kingdom, so we shouldn’t get lost. Did you see that castle-like structure on the tall mountain? That’s the Wizard Kingdom.”
I had seen it—the castle walls standing tall atop the mountain. No, it might actually be a castle. It was high enough to be visible from here and stood out prominently. I had heard it was under attack, but with a target like that, it seemed like an easy mark. And who exactly was attacking them?
“Lua-chan, that tickles!”
“Oh, sorry!”
I realized I had been absentmindedly washing Roel’s back. She must have been really ticklish, as her cheeks were flushed.
After we finished bathing, perhaps due to the fatigue from the day, I fell into a deep sleep without eating anything.
◆ Guild at Port Platz ◆
“Um, is this machine broken?”
Roel kept asking the guild staff repeatedly. I couldn’t believe it either. But since Roel and I had formed a party, and the enemies we had defeated so far had been quite strong, perhaps this wasn’t so strange after all.
“It’s not broken. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to…”
The guild staff hurriedly left, clearly shocked by our levels. When was the last time I checked mine? With everything that had happened, I had completely forgotten.
“Oh! You two are here as well! What a coincidence!”
Emerging from the machine next to us was Bottom.
“It seems we’ve been quite trained from that fierce battle! My level has gone up by one! Hahaha!”
【Bottom Level: 31 Class: Heavy Lancer A-Rank】
【Silva Level: 25 Class: Archer B-Rank】
【Jijinia Level: 26 Class: Wizard B-Rank】
“Well, well, the young ones these days are impressive. We’re being left behind at this rate.”
“As time progresses, generations change. It’s only natural for talented individuals to emerge. It can’t be helped. And we haven’t just been fighting all this time either.”
These seasoned adventurers had been adventuring long before I was born. Thinking about it, they must know so much that I don’t. I want to hear their stories someday, just like I want to hear from Gantetsu. There’s still so much I don’t know.
“Hmm? By the way, what are your levels now?”
“I’m curious! With that kind of strength, you must have quite high levels. If it’s not too much trouble, could you show us?”
As I revealed our Adventurer Cards to the three of them, I could see their expressions freeze in disbelief. They seemed unable to process the reality before them, unsure of how to react. We were just as unsure of how to respond to them. But even I found Roel’s level hard to believe. No, I knew I wasn’t in a position to judge anyone.
【Lua Level: 999 Class: Fighter B-Rank】
【Roel Level: 51 Class: Healer B-Rank】
“Ha, haha… The youth these days are truly remarkable…”
I couldn’t tell who among the three had spoken; their voice was barely above a whisper. Well then, let’s accomplish today’s objective.