40. Three Minors
40. Three Minors
"Hmm.... Since I'm the one who formed this party, I'd like us to clear the quest according to my opinion. Any objections?"
This was Katrina's statement after receiving the quest at the Adventurer Guild and finishing checking and purchasing the necessary items.
She said that while wearing slightly sturdier protective gear instead of the uniform she wore at the Academy.
After all, today wasn't just an ordinary day; it was the day they were challenging a quest for the first time.
The spear wasn't the monotonous one usually used at the Academy, either.
It was a rather flashy silver spear she had received as a gift before.
Anyway.
"I don't have any. I think Katrina will do a good enough job."
"Hmm, Noah. Do you really think so?"
"Yeah."
"Is that so? Then, Iris. What do you think? If you have any objections, I'd like you to say them now."
"...Wouldn't it be better to hear it first and then present any objections?"
Including the two who were gathered because of Katrina, the party totaled three members.
They were just about to set off on the first quest for the party centered around Katrina Valerance.
Naturally, Noah nodded because he didn't doubt Katrina, while Iris chose to reserve judgment out of suspicion that she might do something strange regarding Noah.
"I'm sure I'll do just fine without any major issues. Alright, I'll start with the explanation first."
But that much was expected by Katrina's standards.
Rather, she started talking while crossing her arms alone, as if Iris's words were nothing.
"The quest we've decided to do this time is one step above the lowest-ranked quest; we're hunting the lowest-grade monsters. Honestly, I don't think there's any need to prepare for something like this, and I think it'll be resolved easily, but preparing for unforeseen situations isn't a bad judgment."
"Yeah, I agree with that too."
"The lowest-grade monster, Pale Slime cleanup. That's the quest we've taken on this time. Pale Slimes have no attack power, but they make roads and paths slippery or contaminate things like grain warehouses. Sometimes, when they get into the sewers, they just cause backflow, and that's it."
"...Isn't that super simple?"
"That's right. We received quite good grades in the test, and in Noah's case, there was even talk of him being a 1st-grade adventurer, but there's no need to choose dangerous work from the start. I just thought it was right to take it step by step. Any more objections?"
"...No, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that for something after joining the Adventurer Guild, it's such an easy story... I was just taken aback."
Katrina talked while sitting on a bench with her legs crossed.
Perhaps because such a girl explained things so clearly, it was difficult for Iris, who had been trying to keep her in check, to add anything further.
Rather, the initiative in the conversation had already completely shifted to Katrina.
In fact, it was natural for her, being a noble, to have the initiative from the start.
"We need to clean up the Pale Slimes that appeared on the road to the Academy. As I said a moment ago, Pale Slimes have no attack power, but they are annoying existences. There's a need to clean them up, but it's not like the reward is high either. Literally, it's just to act as a party for once."
"...Understood."
"Katrina, then isn't there nothing to object to? Just popping them is all it takes, right?"
"That's right. Like you said, Noah, anyone can catch a Pale Slime if they have a moderate amount of strength. You can take care of them just by swinging a club. But I said it a moment ago, didn't I? This quest is the first cornerstone for acting as a party. We prepared a lot at the Academy, but that's different from actual combat."
"Hmm, that's true. You're right."
"Right?"
Katrina nodded at Noah's positive reaction.
Katrina's explanation continued after that.
Literally, it was a basic discussion as an adventurer party without any strange intentions.
"First of all, it goes without saying that there's no particular threat while traveling, but since we have to clear various quests together later, we should assign roles for when we move, right?"
Katrina drew a picture by touching the tip of her spear to the ground.
"First, I think you should stand at the very front, Noah. It wouldn't be difficult for me to stand there, but you're a man and you're stronger than me, right?"
"I suppose so."
"Yeah, so if we need to block an attack or if something charges at us, you'd be able to block it first."
"...Wouldn't that be dangerous for Noah?"
"It can't be helped. We're a 3-person party, and it's not like you're going to stand there, Iris, right?"
"Ah, that's...."
"And next is Iris, you have to stand in the center. Even if you're still inexperienced, a mage is a mage after all. Not only are you useful from various directions, but unlike Noah and me, it's difficult for you to protect yourself alone."
"......."
One by one, she drew a face modeled after Noah at the very front.
Behind that, a round face roughly modeled after Iris with only long hair.
"And I'll be standing at the very back. If we do this, we can protect the mage while safely keeping watch on the rear. Just like Noah is in the front, I'll be able to block attacks coming from behind at least once."
And behind that, she drew a pretty face modeled after herself.
Since she was drawing with the tip of a spear, it wasn't exactly a work of art, but Katrina was a noble lady, so naturally, her drawing skills were above average.
"And if we have a battle later, if there are enemies only in the front, Noah and I will stand in the front, and Iris will pull back—this kind of formation. Everyone has learned about this in Academy class, right? Understood?"
"Yeah."
"......Yeah."
Besides, everyone heard about this often at the Academy.
Every time they had a cooperative class.
The instructor for that subject always emphasized formations until the veins in their neck were about to burst.
"Now, what do you all think? It's too simple compared to the difficulty of this quest, but we'll be proceeding with quests in this way from now on."
"I think what you said is good, Katrina."
"Hehe, Noah. I'm glad you think so. Then Iris. How about you?"
"...I also think you prepared it quite well. If anything, it's almost too good...?"
"Then that's enough! Shall we set off now?"
Since she had heard the opinions of the other party members, and Noah had praised her as well, Katrina stood up with a smile.
She carried a bag containing appropriate items for unforeseen situations on her shoulder and held her spear in one hand.
Noah and Iris also packed their luggage and equipment.
Thus, the first quest began—not glorious, but at least holding the unique freshness of a first start.
Just as Katrina had said earlier, they walked along in a single line.
About 10 minutes later, they arrived at a scene that looked just like a child had bought dozens of slime toys, played with them, and then fallen asleep.
It was a fairly wide road where about 10 people could easily walk around.
It was a road that led to the Academy if you kept going straight.
"...The floor is already slippery......."
"Hmm...."
"Katrina, should we clean this up now?"
"Yeah, cleaning it all up is today's quest. We're to clean everything from here where we're standing to that intersection over there."
"Cleaning itself is easy, but since there are so many, it's going to be a time-consuming job."
A swarm of light-gray Pale Slimes filled the road.
Since hundreds of them covered the road, in fact, trains hadn't been able to enter the Academy for a few days, and this road had been completely closed off.
Naturally, the three of them had no choice but to move as soon as they arrived.
"It's simple. With a weapon that has weight, they disappear just by lightly striking down on them."
"...You're right. Katrina, just like you said, they're being cleaned up just by striking down."
"Then Noah, let's keep going like this. And... Iris? You clean them up moderately with magic."
"......Ah, yeah."
Rather than calling them adventurers, it was more like... sanitation workers.
Of course, adventurer guild quests actually involve all sorts of miscellaneous tasks.
Besides cleaning up slimes like this, they end up doing plenty of simple, trivial things.
The three of them all knew that much.
-Puk.
-Puk.
-Puk.
Noah cleaned up the Pale Slimes one by one with his sword, and Katrina with her spear.
Iris cleaned up the slimes with simple magic while moderately controlling her mana; as for solving it with the weapon she was holding like the other two... the wand was a short staff, so it was difficult, and she just used magic.
Like that, 1 hour, 2 hours... 3 hours.......
"......."
"......."
"......."
They had cleaned up about half.
Even though they had worked for 3 hours, half still remained.
Naturally, the three of them couldn't help but look at each other.
Of course, they were the ones who had accepted the quest.
Clearing it was also their role.
They were good little adventurer children who knew that well, but.......
"...As the party leader, I'd like to make a serious proposal. What do you all think?"
"...What proposal?"
"...I'll listen first, too."
Even though they had worked for 3 hours, the fact that half the work still remained was a situation that slightly broke the three's will.
There was a reason.
Even if it felt simple at first.
"...How about we eat some lunch and then do the remaining work?"
"...I think that's a good judgment. Katrina."
"......I agree with Noah's opinion too."
"...Then let's go into any nearby restaurant and eat."
It wasn't even studying, but working continuously for over 3 hours without a break was still a difficult thing for the three minors to get used to.