Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: Preparing for Adventure
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I gave everyone three days.
Since we were planning to be gone on an adventure for a while, it was meant as time for them to get their personal affairs in order.
Part of that process was packing their belongings. The girls gathered before me and exclaimed in unison.
“Hurry up and put it in!”
“Please put all of it in.”
“Wow! This is amazing, isn't it? To think it all fits in here.”
“……”
It was just a request to put their luggage into my inventory, but for some reason, it sounded like it could be easily misunderstood.
Hmm, I’m not the weird one, am I?
Could there be anyone else with a mind as wholesome as mine? I might indulge in a few fantasies now and then, but that was just human nature.
“Ah! You put it in wrong! Take it out again.”
“……”
My little cutie.
At this point, a nagging suspicion was starting to form. The way she glanced at my reaction was highly suspect.
“We should each carry our personal items, right?”
“That alone will be quite a bit of luggage.”
“Still, it’s a huge help. It would have been so inconvenient without a subspace pouch.”
“That’s right. Normally, we wouldn’t even be able to pack a change of clothes.”
“Just thinking about it is awful…”
An adventure, or a journey.
Those who don’t know any better might dream of romance, but reality was nothing like that.
Did they think there would be time for romance? Whether we traveled on foot or by carriage, it would be an arduous journey.
The sweltering heat, the biting cold, sudden downpours—the old saying that leaving home is asking for trouble would come to mind.
It might be different if the roads were well-paved, but it was too much to hope for paved roads in this world.
In fact, we were planning to travel where there were no roads at all. Dungeons and ancient ruins were usually in places untouched by people.
Unlike a game where everything is solved with a single click, in reality, every single thing was a problem.
Well, it still seemed manageable. We could use gates to travel long distances quickly.
We’d have to endure the process of finding the dungeons, but after we were done, we could just use a return scroll to get back swiftly.
What would it have been like without gates and scrolls?
We would have had to invest about half a year just to clear a single dungeon.
Thinking about it that way, I was truly fortunate.
Now, it would take a fortnight at most, which was short enough to be considered a trip.
“I’m all done.”
Esterize had already finished packing. She lived a life that was beyond frugal, bordering on miserly, so she had relatively few things to pack.
“Then you should get going.”
“Huh? Where?”
“You need to tell your followers. You can brag that you’ve secured the empire’s support.”
“—!”
The emperor had promised an enormous amount of support.
When they heard the news, everyone, without exception, would be overjoyed. They would all sing Esterize’s praises, and on that day, she would truly experience happiness like a princess.
However, her reaction was a bit strange.
She looked flustered and fidgety, as if she had forgotten. She even seemed grateful that I had been considerate of her.
“Um, I don’t think I really need to go in person…”
“—??”
“I think using the emergency contact will be enough.”
She was saying she would just pass the message to the subordinate in charge of communications.
But why? When she was chosen by the Holy Sword, she ran to them in a heartbeat, didn't she? The situation was a little different, but securing the empire’s support was as momentous as becoming the Hero.
It was a golden opportunity to boost morale. The image of her standing there, sharing that hope with everyone, was better in every way.
“That’s true, but…”
She said she’d been lazing around too much and wanted to swing her sword.
Her resolve to work hard as the Hero was admirable, but… was it really necessary to go that far?
It somehow sounded like an excuse. Anyone could see that boosting morale with her followers was the wiser choice.
“You won’t get another chance if you don’t go now.”
I tried to persuade her again, but she shook her head vehemently. Then, looking frustrated, she muttered softly.
“The truth is… I don’t want to be apart from you…”
“……”
So that was her true feeling…
A girl willing to cast aside even important duties to stay by my side.
Ugh, why can’t you understand how I feel…
I could almost see a hint of her wanting to press the issue with that kind of sentiment.
It seemed she wasn't even shy about it anymore. She was still a little bashful, but her will had grown stronger.
“We’re the Heroes, aren't we? The only two in the world! S-So…”
“I understand what you mean.”
“Ah, you understand my feelings?”
“Yes. For now, just keep swinging the Holy Sword.”
“……”
The girl pouted.
It was obvious she was thoroughly sulking. Still, as if to obey my command, she quietly summoned the Holy Sword.
Hmm, what was this atmosphere?
I felt like a teacher who had just assigned homework to a girl hoping for a secret romance.
It didn’t seem like my fault. I was just having her train as she wished.
To prepare for future unexpected situations, the princess needed to be able to wield the Holy Sword freely.
That aside…
Her charm seemed to be growing. Just now, my heart had almost skipped a beat without me realizing it.
I might be a pursuer of pure love, but if my favorite character made a serious move on me… it could be dangerous. I still ranked Ceria first, but one day, she might become nearly her equal…
“I’m done too!”
Aruru swung her arms with a sense of relief. She even wagged her tail as if asking me to play with her.
My little cutie.
Is there nothing you need to take care of before we leave? Like cleaning up your PC before enlisting.
“Hmm? Not really.”
“You can go spend a night in your hometown.”
“—!”
Was it because she thought of her siblings? The wagging of her tail became more emotional.
Though she might not look it, she was the head of a household. She had a duty to take care of her family.
Well, separate from that, she was a girl who adored her siblings. The family bonds of beastkin were deeper than those of humans, so she would surely nod eagerly…
“It’s okay. I’ll just stay here.”
“—??”
Wait, why?
You should go brag to your siblings and the villagers that you’ve become a companion of the Hero!
“Well, I do want to show off… but it takes a long time to get there and back.”
Aruru’s hometown was in a remote area.
Even moving as fast as possible, it would take about a week. Of course, we now had a way to ignore time and distance.
A teleport scroll.
A magical item that allowed instantaneous travel to any location.
It had the restriction that you had to have visited the place at least once, but it was still the best tool for the job.
“No, I can’t do that. It’s too precious to use already.”
As she said, teleport scrolls were incredibly valuable. Their worth, even at a low estimate, would exceed several billion.
What needed to be pointed out here was… my values were quite firm. My determination to take responsibility for my pet was strong enough to pierce the very heavens.
“You worry for nothing. What’s a mere scroll like this when it’s for you?”
“Aah…”
The fox beastkin’s eyes sparkled with emotion.
In the end, she couldn’t overcome her instincts and pounced on me. She showered me with affection, as if to say there was no one but her master.
“I’m so happy! But still, don’t overdo it. Just knowing you care is enough for me!”
Ah, this was a problem… The truth was, I had another motive.
If I visited Aruru’s hometown again? If I let the fox beastkin know that I had become the Hero?
-Wow! It’s the Hero! He’s so cool!
I could picture them surrounding me, wagging their tails in unison. It would be the ultimate healing experience, and I’d even get a reputation boost on the side.
My plan was to quietly tag along with Aruru, but she frustratingly failed to grasp my true intentions.
“Anyway… thank you for thinking of me!”
“……”
At this rate, I had no choice but to give up. She seemed content with the small joys of everyday life.
Perhaps it was for the best… If the fox beastkin all pounced on me, I would surely lose my mind.
How could I resist those soft, fluffy, cute balls of fur?
The moment I fell into a pleasure beyond that degree, a month would probably pass in a flash.
Well, there would be other chances. It wouldn't be too late to visit after I fulfilled my duty as the Hero.
Just as my little cutie began to pour on the charm in earnest, the rest of the group finished their packing.
“……”
Two girls glared disapprovingly at the fox beastkin.
Luciel of the anti-Aruru faction and the elf girl looked displeased.
They were subtly showing their jealousy, with a hint of “that should be my spot!” in their expressions.
Pretending I knew nothing, I casually spoke to them.
“How about you two? If there’s anywhere you need to go…”
“My top priority is to stay by the Hero’s side, above all else.”
Luciel, ever the Saintess, replied instantly. I was suddenly reminded of her backstory. A basket, abandoned in front of a temple on a dark night.
The newborn inside would one day become the Saintess. A life spent praising the goddess in the temple, an environment that would inevitably turn her into a goddess-spouting parrot.
Well, since everyone around her was a brother or sister, she probably wasn't lonely. After becoming the Saintess, she had supposedly looked forward to nothing but being with the Hero. She considered serving the Hero to be her mission, just as much as following the goddess.
“……”
Ah, the pressure…
Luciel’s devotion hadn’t even truly begun. She was a girl who would sacrifice herself without a moment's hesitation if I were in danger.
How could I possibly repay such devotion? She sometimes acted rashly on her own, but I couldn’t bring myself to hate her.
“Many trials will come our way… but I will be sure to live up to your expectations.”
As if she understood my sincere heart, she gave a faint, silent smile. A gentle light flowed from her, befitting the Saintess who was holy in both body and mind.
One way or another, the Hero and the Saintess were destined to share a fate. Our bond was set to continue even after we saw the ending.
As I was exchanging a meaningful gaze with Luciel, the elf girl squeezed herself between us.
“May I visit my hometown?”
I nodded.
That was precisely why I had given them three days. For them to see their family and friends before we left on our adventure…
“But it’s a bit far.”
“How far?”
“To be generous, it would probably take about a fortnight…”
“Can’t be helped. Go ahead. We can just adjust your schedule separately.”
“……”
She narrowed her eyes, as if angry.
Huh? Why? Why are you upset even when I’m being considerate?
“I was asking if you would go with me.”
“—??”
“Wow… What’s with that dumbfounded reaction? You were about to take Aruru with you just now!”
No, that’s a different case!
It was partly for my little cutie, but I was also planning to satisfy my own desires on the side.
Besides, it was impossible.
I had never been to the elf village, so I couldn't use a teleport scroll.
“Hmph, then never mind.”
She muttered that it had only been five years since she left the village.
Five years… In elf time, would that be about half a year?
“I wanted to invite you…”
She glanced at me with a disappointed expression.
It seemed she intended to repay me for inviting her to the Crodain estate… but this felt like a trap!
Elves, regardless of gender, were all beautiful. While mingling with them would be quite interesting, I was afraid my confidence would plummet.
My own handsome features were on par with an elf's, but in a place filled with only elves, I was in danger of becoming a handsome squid.
Hmm, maybe that wasn’t necessarily true.
Ilensia, an elf, held favorable feelings for me.
It seemed she valued character and skill more than looks, but in any case, it meant I was superior to an elf.
It seemed like a fight I could win. Having lost all fear, I tried to soothe the elf girl.
“There will be other chances. I’ll take you up on it then.”
“You promise?”
“Uh…”
For now, I would just make empty promises.
Whether I kept them or not was a decision for later.
The girl raised her chin, looking satisfied.
But that was short-lived. She suddenly pressed herself close to me.
“What should I do? The more I think about it, the more furious I get!”
“……”
The stark difference in temperature.
It was because of how differently I had treated her compared to Aruru.
Sorry for the discrimination… but it’s more your fault than mine!
“And this artifact… it has no effect at all!”
“That’s because your temper is too…”
“……”
“...You’re overly emotional. Of course, even that side of you is beautiful.”
“Hmph!”
I tried to change course at the last second, but it was too late.
She might be a scatterbrain, but she wasn't foolish enough to fall for soulless compliments.
After some thought, I decided to fight fire with fire. In an argument, the one with the loudest voice has the advantage.
“Hurry up and practice.”
“Practice what?”
“It’s a precious artifact you just obtained. Work on it so you can handle it skillfully.”
“It hasn’t even been a day yet.”
“I’ve already mastered it.”
“……”
I relentlessly pushed the elf girl.
But if I only picked on her, she would pout. So, I said the same thing to everyone.
They were girls with no faults to be found, but sometimes, as the party leader, I needed to show a more forceful side.
Perhaps they would find me more dependable for it? While the group focused on their tasks, I went to find the S-rank students.
Gale, Baken, Crow, Skadi…
Erich seemed to still be at the Imperial Palace… Well, whatever. I couldn't take responsibility for them, but it wasn't hard to point them in the right direction.
Though the flow of events had changed quite a bit, most of the strategies should remain the same. How about I try entrusting some of the dungeons to the other hero candidates?
It was impossible to monopolize everything anyway. It wasn't a system where I would get endlessly stronger by taking everything for myself.
I would give the top-tier artifacts to my party members and distribute the slightly lower-grade ones to the rest.
Would it be like a first-string and second-string team? Hmm, there should be a more accurate term for it…
Ah! Subcontractors?
The moment I thought of that word, I felt like a terrible person.