Chapter 5: The Chain of Encounters – 02
That day, I ventured into an F-Class Dungeon with the purpose of helping Freinir acquire a new Skill.
The boss was a standard Bear Wolf, which was dispatched with a single strike of Holy Light.
In fact, the Staff of the Undead proved to be quite a powerful weapon. According to Freinir, the time required for her Mental Concentration was reduced by about twenty percent. It certainly felt like the activation was a bit quicker, and the power had noticeably increased. Perhaps this was thanks to her Bad Luck.
Freinir acquired a new Skill called Consumption Reduction, which helps minimize the physical toll when casting spells. It seems she is steadily progressing on her path as a mage.
On the following days, we delved into the E-Class Dungeon by the river that I had already cleared.
The Fishmen were no longer a challenge. The Stone Tortoise would explode into pieces when I added my Heavy Impact Skill to the mix.
The Slimes served as excellent training partners for Freinir’s magic. Even the boss, the Large Slime, was taken down in a single shot with Holy Light.
It felt like we were exceptionally strong for an E-Rank party. Perhaps it was due to our possession of rare Skills.
Freinir’s new Skill was Charge, which increases the power of spells by extending the time spent on Mental Concentration. This could potentially become a trump card for our party.
That day, both of us leveled up as adventurers and entered the town in high spirits, heading towards the guild.
“Souji-sama, I feel like I’m becoming quite helpful,” Freinir said with a bright smile.
“Indeed. Your magic is now at a level where it can fully shine in battle, and you seem to be getting the hang of maneuvering. I find it much easier to fight alongside you than when I was alone.”
“Really? That makes me incredibly happy! I will strive to be even more helpful to you, Souji-sama!”
She looked up at me with her golden hair framing her face and her azure eyes sparkling, a hint of a serious glimmer still lingering in them.
As we chatted, I suddenly felt a peculiar gaze upon us.
Turning my head, I noticed a girl standing at the entrance of the guild. She had long, purplish hair and appeared to be slightly older than Freinir. With dog-like ears, she was likely a beastfolk. Her beauty was undeniable, but her intense gaze was fixed on us.
“Souji-sama, are you curious about that girl?” Freinir asked.
“Oh, no, I just noticed she was looking our way.”
“Is there something she wants from us?”
“Who knows? If she has something to say, she’ll come over.”
It’s common for people to take an interest when an older man is with a girl, but with a girl like this, it was hard to guess what kind of interest she might have. For now, I decided to ignore it and head to the counter where Mariane, the guild receptionist, was.
“Welcome back, Souji-san. Are you here to sell?”
“Yes, please.”
As I laid out the Magic Stones and materials, Mariane glanced over them before turning to Freinir.
“Congratulations, Freinir-san! With this, you meet the requirements for E-Rank promotion.”
“Eh? Oh, thank you!” Freinir exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise at the sudden announcement.
“Isn’t that a bit quick?” I asked.
“Considering you’ve cleared multiple E-Class Dungeons, defeated a Rare Boss, and vanquished a Lich, your achievements are more than sufficient. It would be inappropriate to keep you at F-Rank.”
Mariane answered my question with a calm demeanor, implying that those with strength should be compelled to take on major subjugation missions.
As she updated Freinir’s Adventurer Card, Mariane brought over a booklet that appeared to be a ledger for subjugation missions.
“By the way, Souji-san, I have a recommended subjugation mission for you. Would you like to hear about it?”
“Ah, is this about the mission you mentioned the other day? Please tell me more.”
“Yes, it’s a subjugation mission for the Terror Knight.”
“The Terror Knight is a type of undead, isn’t it?” I recalled it being a hollow suit of armor.
“That’s correct. However, it primarily has physical attributes, so I don’t think it will be a problem. It seems to be wandering near a northern village, and there have been reports of injuries.”
“And how many are there?”
“The request states two, but please confirm on-site.”
“Understood. I plan to accept it, but Freinir, do you have any thoughts on this?”
When I checked with her, Freinir shook her head and replied, “Please decide as you see fit, Souji-sama,” placing her hand over her heart. Mariane raised an eyebrow at her response. I hoped it wouldn’t be misinterpreted in a strange way.
“Then I will accept it. The procedure is done with the Adventurer Card, right?”
“Yes, please hand it over.”
As I reached for my Adventurer Card, I sensed someone approaching from behind.
“Hey, if you’re taking on a subjugation mission, would you consider adding me to your party?”
The voice belonged to the beastfolk girl who had been watching us at the entrance.
Since this wasn’t a question I could answer on the spot, I decided to put the subjugation request on hold and listen to her properly. Guided by the beastfolk girl, Larni, we entered a nearby tavern.
After we sat at a table for three and placed our orders, I turned to Larni.
“Now, could you tell us what prompted you to approach us?”
“Well, to put it simply, I was dropped from my previous party, and then I saw you two. Since I’m E-Rank too, and it seemed like you are as well, I thought it might be a good fit.”
Larni’s demeanor was relaxed, so her words seemed genuine. However, I still lacked crucial information.
“I have two questions. First, why were you dropped from your previous party? Second, what made you think we would be a good fit for our party?”
“Ugh, those are tough questions. I was kicked out because they said I was a harbinger of misfortune.”
“A harbinger of misfortune?”
“Yeah. They claimed that monsters seem to appear in droves when I’m around. I thought it was just an excuse, but I was actually kicked out of another party for the same reason before.”
It was indeed a sensitive topic, but it wasn’t bad for her to speak openly about it. Of course, it was a risky move socially.
“And the reason I chose you is that, as I mentioned, we share the same rank. Plus, the combination of an older man and a girl seemed unusual.”
“Does an unusual combination make you want to join a party?”
“I guess I’m just curious about your relationship. Oh, and I can tell that you’re not a bad person just by your scent.”
“You can tell by scent?”
“Yes, I’m a wolf beastfolk, so my sense of smell is keen. I don’t pick up any bad vibes from you, so I think it’s fine.”
“What does it mean that I don’t have a scent to you, and how does that relate to my character?” Freinir tilted her head, alternating her gaze between Larni and me.
What a bold thing for this wolf beastfolk girl to say in public. I gently placed my hand on my temple and advised Freinir.
“Freinir, you’ll understand this later, so just forget about it for now.”
“Yes? Understood, if that’s what you say, Souji-sama.”
I was grateful that Freinir was so understanding. Though, I couldn’t shake the feeling that her excessive understanding was a bit unsettling.
“That’s an interesting perspective. It doesn’t seem like you’re forcing anything either. So, what do you think of this ‘older man’?”
“He’s not just an older man; he’s Souji-sama, the one who saved me.”
“Hmm, so that’s your relationship. Well, can you let me join? I think my nose will be useful for the subjugation mission.”
“Is your only strength in tracking monsters?”
“Oh, you can tell my combat style just by looking, right?”
Larni had a longsword hanging at her waist, and her armor resembled more of a protective gear than actual armor. She wore clothing in shades of purple, matching her hair, but it was quite revealing. I hoped she was wearing something beneath her short skirt.
“I can only tell that you fight with a longsword. Are you the type to outmaneuver your opponents with speed?”
“That’s part of it, but my specialty is in magic swords. So, I’m strong against monsters that are resistant to physical attacks. Of course, I can hold my own in regular combat too.”
Magic swords—so that’s a thing. In gaming terms, it would mean fighting with swords that have elemental attributes. It could be quite helpful when we face enemies that only take damage from elemental attacks.
“Hmm…”
Now, what to do? The notion of being a ‘harbinger of misfortune’ piqued my interest, but if it merely meant more monsters appearing, it seemed similar to my Bad Luck Skill, so perhaps it wasn’t a big deal.
After all, it’s rare for anyone to want to form a party with me. Considering the potential boost to our strength, she would be a valuable addition. Freinir might feel a bit uneasy being the only girl in the party.
Moreover, Larni had a tail, typical of beastfolk, but it hung down limply. I wasn’t sure if the meaning of a beastfolk’s tail was the same as that of an animal, but if it were, she would likely be feeling down despite her words. That thought made it hard for me to dismiss her outright.
“I’ll allow you to join, but just to confirm, I’ll be the leader, alright?”
“Of course.”
“Our party enters dungeons almost every day. We train during all our free time. If that’s acceptable, then welcome aboard.”
Upon hearing this, Larni’s ears perked up. If she were to back out now, I would take it as a sign that it wasn’t meant to be…
“Is that true? My previous party complained constantly and never went into dungeons, which honestly frustrated me. I want to grow stronger, so I’m even more eager to join! So, let’s do this!”
Seeing Larni’s tail wagging vigorously, it seemed she was genuinely enthusiastic.
In any case, having a companion who shares the same goal is invaluable. It might lead us down a dark path, but I believe seeking strength is the right choice.