Heading to the Next Hunt
It’s been a little over ten days since we wrapped up Rio’s request for revenge, and after a rather muddled and unclear bond was formed, we found ourselves in this situation. With that much time passed, it seemed like we could have taken down another monster or two, but… it appeared that the trio of Rio, Fon, and Lulu were quite exhausted from the travel, battles, and dismantling of our foes. They returned home and collapsed into a deep sleep, remaining bedridden for several days.
Stella, while not as severely affected, also seemed fatigued. She could wake up, but fighting was out of the question for her at the moment. Meanwhile, Fana and I were unaffected, casually rummaging through the neglected requests and tackling dungeons like it was a marathon, or launching surprise assaults on monster nests and laying waste to them.
Thus, it became clear that we would need some time for the four of them to recover and regain their fighting capabilities. Considering this, I felt a desire to hire someone who could nurse them back to health or provide treatment, but I had no connections in that regard.
Well, the main issue was that I had been moving forward with the mindset of a two-person journey with Fana, and I had no intention of placing the blame on them. However, it was evident that we were lacking in strength, and I wanted to address that. I wanted to ensure that we wouldn’t end up incapacitated every time we returned from a battle.
“So, I’ve decided we should train,” I declared.
“Does that mean we’ll be delaying the next hunt?” Stella asked, tilting her head curiously.
“Yeah, it seems so. It’s not like they’re demanding immediate action, and when I asked the Knight Commander, he didn’t seem eager to mobilize either. I do wonder why he’s not taking action, but for now, I want to focus on raising everyone’s abilities. I want to make sure we don’t end up bedridden like this again after a fight.”
“I see… What’s the plan?”
I spread out a map on the table in the meeting room of the mansion, which had practically become a private space for Stella and me, and we began discussing our strategy for the upcoming hunt. It was more of a consultation, but since Stella generally accepted my proposals without objection, it felt almost finalized.
“Hmm, hmm… What do you mean by calling in opponents for mock battles?” she asked, her brow furrowing in thought.
“Just what it sounds like. I don’t know how they found out, but my acquaintances are aware that I’m no longer a Hero and that I’ve gathered companions,” I explained.
“Really?”
“While you all were incapacitated, I received word that they’re on their way here. I told them to gather together or come in an orderly fashion, so they probably won’t arrive immediately.”
“I see… By the way, what kind of people are they?”
“Well, they’re not bad individuals. They have solid abilities, but they can be a bit troublesome in terms of their personalities. However, once you get used to them, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Is that so…? That sounds like it could be an issue.”
“Just get accustomed to it. Even if they start talking, you can just ignore them. They tend to talk amongst themselves, argue, debate, and come to conclusions on their own.”
“…They sound intense.”
“They are. Compared to them, Fana and I are like plain water.”
“I don’t think that’s true…”
Oh, but it is.
They’re fanatics trying to create a new faith, calling me a god and Fana a divine consort after losing their faith in existing religions. There’s a vengeful spirit who, after losing their beloved fiancé and family, is consumed by a desire for revenge, fixated solely on killing demons and monsters. There’s a noble lady who believes it’s wrong to abandon oneself, proclaiming her intent to beautify the world as a maiden, following her own convictions. Then there are bandits who, after knocking you down, will claim you’re family, comrades, or friends.
There’s a former judge and executioner who, understanding their own darkness and evil, chose to punish wrongdoers by force, seeking a world where their kind of evil is expelled. A weirdo who, claiming that humans are bound by their humanity, discarded all clothing and responsibilities to isolate themselves in extreme environments in pursuit of truth. A devotee wandering the depths of the earth, praying and searching for a place that connects to the very core of the land, all while claiming there are stars and skies beneath. A madman who loves the scent of gunpowder and the roar of explosions, finding mystery in bombs and creating a spell to generate them from nothing. And a culinary enthusiast who believes the essence of cooking is turning inedible things into something consumable, experimenting with everything from soil and iron to lava and air.
…What are these people?
“Well, putting that aside, today we’ll gather potions and weapons that will be consumed during training, and we’ll also prepare for the upcoming days while gathering information about the current state of the world.”
“I see… So what should we do?”
“For the division of roles, we’ll need both manpower and connections for procuring weapons and potions. Currently, the only one among us with those connections is…”
“Me, isn’t it?”
“Exactly. So, Stella, I’d like you to take Fana, Rio, and Lulu… the ladies, and gather potions and weapons. Also, please replenish the supplies we used in the recent battle; we have enough funds for that.”
“Understood! And what about you and Fon?”
“We’ll focus on gathering information. However, I don’t intend to dig too deeply; I just want to collect whatever is being discussed or rumored among the common folk.”
“I see… What kind of information are you looking for?”
“Hmm… The most pressing information I want is sightings of demons, followed by reports of human casualties caused by powerful monsters. It would also be good to gather information regarding other races. If we could hear anything about the new Hero, that would be a bonus.”
“Hmm, I think we could gather that kind of information by wandering around the central plaza while sampling food. For deeper insights, the entertainment district might yield more useful information.”
“Got it… Considering that, it might be a good idea to help Fon build some resistance to women while we’re at it. Do you know any areas that are lively during the day?”
“I’ll pull out a map of the royal capital… This area has shops open until evening for adventurers finishing their night shifts, but I don’t think we’ll hear much in-depth information there. So, I believe we’ll find more varied insights in the taverns and gambling houses of the main district after evening.”
“I see… Oh, right, that reminds me. Wasn’t there a gambling house that you got shut down just by drinking?”
“Can you please forget about that?”
“Not a chance; it’s burned into my memory. Well, in that case, let’s use today to investigate. I’ll send Fon back midway to report on our progress.”
“In that case, shall we report our progress before heading to the entertainment district?”
“That sounds better.”
“Yeah, probably.”
Hmm… Well, Stella has more knowledge regarding information gathering, so I’ll follow her lead.
“Then, shall we get moving?”
“Yeah, let’s do that. We’ll start moving ahead.”
“Sure, that’s fine. I have various preparations to make here, so let’s meet in the living room of the mansion for a progress report around evening.”
“Alright. I’ll go call Fon.”
“Okay. Oh, Fon seems to be outside doing some light exercise.”
“Is that so? Got it. If you need more funds, feel free to use the money stored in the safe in my room.”
“Understood!”