42. Give and Take
42. Give and Take
How did I end up as an advisor to a bratty adventurer party?
I ended up taking on a similar role.
It's a bit funny, but it's not exactly strange, considering I've taught Noah a thing or two about being an adventurer from the start.
It was just a bit of storytelling back then... but I didn't feel like it was much different from now.
So, I didn't really think much of it.
"......Sigh."
"What can you do? The two of them came looking for me to ask for help."
"...I know. Boss... I know I'm not in a position to say anything to you."
"Is that so? Then that's fine. Anyway, I think I can help out whenever your party is in a bind. Honestly, it's not a bad deal, is it? Your time with Noah... well, the time you spend alone with him will decrease, at least. But you're not in a state where just clearing simple quests is all that matters, are you?"
"......That may be true, but. Honestly, I had planned on getting closer to Noah while clearing quests just the two of us."
"If you were going to do that, you should have prepared a servant from your family or someone like that from the start, and asked if they wanted to join when there was an empty spot in the party."
"...I suppose so."
Regardless of that, one more person had been added to the party surrounding Noah.
The noble young lady was in quite a predicament.
Honestly, I felt a bit sorry for her, but... what can you do?
She should have played it better.
It seems she had something planned, and she's in a bad mood because it didn't go as expected, but it couldn't be helped.
"Still, you solved the first quest well, didn't you? It's just that you happened to pick the most annoying one, the Pale Slime. There aren't many quests like that for getting in sync and building teamwork for the first time. Don't think too negatively about it."
"...I understand."
"Instead, I heard you already discussed the movements when heading to the destination and the formation when fighting? I think you did well enough in that regard. Since both you and Noah are melee fighters, you'll probably be able to be closer together when you take on higher-level quests."
Still, it was probably related to her family.
The girl nodded appropriately and moved on.
After all, it was a decision that would improve the quality of the adventurer quests she does with Noah.
In fact, the party leader girl had already taken on a quite difficult quest right from the first one.
She couldn't really hate it too much.
Actually, I was personally curious about what she was trying to do with 1st-year students like Noah and Iris.
The Valerance Ducal Family.
I don't know that much about them, so I'm even more curious.
Of course, I've never really had any interest in noble families, though.
Because in this case, it could be considered a rather unique action.
"Hmm...."
I want to ask out of curiosity, but it's obvious that getting tangled up with a noble family will be a hassle.
It happened before because of Vivian, after all.
I didn't bother asking.
I didn't really feel the need to ask.
It wasn't like anything was immediately dangerous anyway, and if anything, it felt like they were doing well step by step.
They didn't just do difficult things for no reason just because Noah was assigned as a 1st Grade adventurer.
They did the tedious, risk-free grunt work quests first, didn't they?
Thinking about that, I felt like they would handle things well on their own.
She was just a bit rude.
After the first time, she was a kid who minded her manners, and considering how she treated Iris as well as Noah... she didn't really have that typical shitty personality of noble kids.
She was just a bit self-assured, just a bit overconfident.
Not to the point of being serious, annoying, or uncomfortable.
Just like a girl of that age.
"Katrina, by the way, what are you going to do about Noah?"
"...I was planning to meet him while doing quests together, but. A bothersome intruder has joined. I'll have to meet him often for other reasons."
"Hmm.... Is that so?"
I see.
I see.
Noah is a guy who usually pours a lot of time into training, practice... swordsmanship.
In that sense, it must have been hard to find separate time.
Clearing quests together would definitely influence his swordsmanship and such, and it would have been one of the easier ways to seduce Noah.
It must be a shame in many ways.
"By the way, what are you going to do about the Midterm Exam? The midterm is about a month away now, are you going to keep doing quests then too?"
"I should probably take a break at least 3 weeks before."
"Hmm...."
It wasn't that I favored Katrina over Iris.
But regardless of that, that kid named Iris doesn't have much to do with me, and we don't have any connection.
She never comes to the convenience store separately like this, either.
Naturally, it was a normal thing for me to have her do something or give her advice to help her get closer to Noah.
Her getting along well with Noah, and moving forward, becoming that kind of relationship.
When that happens, it makes things quite comfortable for me, right?
It's not that I dislike that boy Noah.
But it was annoying to keep pushing away the advances of someone I have no particular interest in, an 11-year-old kid who comes to visit every time... and tries to woo me.
"Shall I help you study for the Midterm Exam with Noah?"
"......May I ask what that means?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. I can make it so you can study with Noah, just the two of you, without Iris tagging along."
"......."
It was natural for me to make such an offer to her.
.
.
.
Katrina is Katrina, and separately... the kid was visiting my convenience store as always.
How many times a day does he come?
At this point, he's practically a convenience store part-timer.
"Doesn't your master nag you every day these days?"
"Ah... she does. But she assigned me something like homework? Until the exam period. It's not that bad."
"Homework... she gave you something annoying again. And until the exam period, too."
"But there aren't any difficult assignments in the Swordsmanship Department major, so I'm thinking of it as a substitute."
"Yeah, thinking positively is a good thing."
But the fortunate thing is that he doesn't come during the peak lunch hour when the store is full of customers.
Of course, he does come at the tail end of lunch.
I quite liked that he avoided the annoying times as much as possible.
"Yaaawn.... But looking at the time, you came straight from training again, right?"
"Yes, during the semester, I have to see my master at least half the week... at least 3 days."
"I see.... What a tiring master. Seriously."
"It's not that tiring. I've gotten used to it. Actually, on days I don't train with my master, I have to do more exercise on my own."
"Like when you were sweating and working out last time?"
"Yes, something like that."
I didn't often run into Noah on my way home.
I did meet him last summer... when it was at its hottest.
There hasn't been much since then.
I suspect that Morgan, that bitch, is working the kid until quite late.
Even after I get off work.
Right up until the dormitory curfew.
I guessed that was probably the case.
"Anyway, the weather has cleared up quite a bit. Even when school started again, it was still hot. But it's gotten pretty cool lately, right?"
"It's still hot when the sun is strong during the day, though."
"Still, this is better than nothing. It's better for you to exercise when it's a bit cooler than when it's at its hottest, right?"
"That's true."
I thought about bringing up Katrina.
But Katrina hadn't given me a definite answer yet.
And he was the type who would obviously drag his childhood friend into it if I brought it up first for no reason.
What I told that noble girl was nothing other than an opportunity to study with Noah, just the two of them, and since I guaranteed that Iris wouldn't be there... I didn't bother bringing it up first.
They'd be studying separately at my place anyway, though.
Still, wouldn't that be better than doing it in some other public place or studying with Iris?
"Noah, you're just going to grab a quick bite for dinner again today, right?"
"Ahaha...."
"Tsk tsk.... You're at an age where you're growing, you should eat more properly, didn't I tell you?"
"It's hard to spend too much money on food expenses."
"Tsk......."
Seeing things like this, I couldn't help but realize anew that the prices around the Academy are tailored to noble kids.
Of course, it's not that there are no relatively cheap places.
But you can only buy one food item, and side menus and such are all on the expensive side.
Prices that make it hard to order a drink along with it.
Of course, more than half of the Academy were noble students, and even if you were just a Baron's family... it wouldn't be too uncomfortable to buy food outside.
Compared to places that are ridiculously expensive like the school cafeteria, that is.
"There's still plenty of time until curfew.... I'll make you pasta at home like last time. Help me clean up the store a bit."
"...You don't have to do that every time."
"It's because it's frustrating for me to watch. A 17-year-old brat not eating properly because money is tight. Just eat quietly when I make it for you."
"......Yes."
But from the perspective of commoner kids, it's naturally difficult.
I said that to Noah and put him to work.
Making food wasn't that difficult, and having Noah help with closing up is quite convenient, after all.
A little bit of give and take.
It was just that.
And it was also a way for me to help the kid out a little bit as an adult, right?