54. Life Is the Real Deal
54. Life Is the Real Deal
"Everyone, did you prepare well?"
"......Noona-nim, are you sure you'll be okay dressed like that?"
"What's the problem with this? Isn't it just normal? It's just the blouse and jeans I always wear."
"...That's exactly what I mean. We're going on a quest... won't it be dangerous?"
"She's right. Boss, even I think it's a bit... worrying."
Midterms were over.
The assignments and practical exams that needed immediate attention were all finished.
That meant it was time to work more earnestly for Katrina, Noah's friend and my reliable customer.
Setting aside her family background, I had been helping the kids with their adventurer activities anyway.
And it was also to prevent them from getting into accidents while doing things on their own.
So, I ended up accompanying them as both a consultant and a guardian.
"That's right...! You don't have any equipment, and you're just... dressed the same as when you work at the convenience store...?"
"Right?"
"...It feels dangerous......."
We had all gathered, and these little brats were nagging me like this.
On one hand, I felt a bit aggrieved.
No, to be precise, 'dumbfounded' would be a better way to put it.
I don't understand at all what these kids take me for... to be reacting like this.
Back in the day, I was a Gold Rank adventurer who performed extremely well, you know.
The fact that these kids were worried about me was... well, it was worrying, but I also thought they were quite naive.
"I'm just here as a consultant anyway, and you're the ones doing the fighting. Stop saying weird things and let's check your equipment. Alright, everyone stand in a line."
"......Yes."
But since that wasn't the point, I naturally started inspecting the kids' status.
Noah was equipped with a side sword, a one-handed sword that could be used with a buckler.
I had decided on that because he needed to cover defense as a vanguard.
He had used a shield before, but back then he used a shield larger than that one, which must have made his movements uncomfortable... plus, there was what Morgan, Noah's master, had said.
"Hmm.... You're used to using a buckler, right?"
"Yes, I learned it from my master, and I've been learning the one-handed sword for a while, so it's fine."
"Then that's settled. Now, for the others... checking what's inside your bags is the priority. The spear-user and the mage. In the end, their equipment can't be that amazing."
Kids who use swords tended to have quite a variety of gear.
There were many types of swords, and there were times when they used one-handed swords, two-handed swords, or even unconventional swords.
And when using a one-handed sword, they often carried auxiliary equipment, so there was quite a bit to check, but a mage only needed a wand, and a spear-user held it with two hands by default.
"First... Katrina, open your bag."
"Okay."
"Hmm.... You have a few potions, and bandages. That's pretty good. And it looks like you prepared a dagger just in case. You shouldn't keep the dagger in your bag; you need to have it out and ready to use. In a real emergency, where would you have the time to open your bag and take it out?"
"...Ah, you're right. I put it away on purpose because I thought it would get in the way."
"Since you're wearing a belt over your skirt for once, put one potion and one knife in it."
"Okay. And what's the next piece of advice?"
"Hmm... A spear is a weapon specialized for thrusting, and to thrust, you have to put your arm like this... towards the opponent, right?"
Even if I didn't handle the weapons myself, I had seen plenty.
I had seen countless people while working as an adventurer, and I had seen just as many weapons.
I actively used my body to explain.
"Then, in the end, part of your upper body will inevitably lean forward, right?"
"That's true. There's slashing, but if you're thrusting, it would generally feel like that. There is a way to increase your reach momentarily by letting go of one of the hands holding the spear, but with a standard thrust, your body has no choice but to lean forward."
"To use a spear, the sensation in your fingertips is important, so wrapping them in bandages is correct. But after that, you need a bit more protection. I recommend wearing a bit more armor next time. Especially for parts like your shoulders, even if it doesn't cover everything?"
"Hmm... Okay."
In Noah and Katrina's case, I was giving advice based on their experience so far.
But for the other one, there was a lot I could do.
Because she was a mage.
Even though I'm fundamentally different from typical mages, really different in terms of race.
In the end, a mage is a mage.
There was a lot to advise on.
"Hmm.... Iris."
"Yes...!"
"First, the wand you're using right now. Change it."
"...Huh?"
Literally, from the very beginning.
There was a need to change things one by one.
There was a clear difference between a mage who had actually experienced real combat and one who hadn't.
And that's why I needed to teach her well.
Basically, mages are mostly positioned in the rear and are considered beings who are protected by their allies, and in reality, that's usually the case.
But you can't just rely on your allies' protection forever.
"First of all, you shouldn't use a simple wand like this. In a pinch, it's better to have one that can be used as a weapon, like one where one end can be used like a knife. Of course, the price might be lower than a wand with the same performance, but? You can use it in an unexpected situation."
"Ah.... Then...."
"Well, you can't buy one right now. So let's move on. It's good for mages to wear protective gear for vital points. You don't need armor so heavy that you can't move. You'll just run out of energy while trying to run away."
There was quite a lot to talk about.
There was so much to say that the girl in front of me was quite troubled, but there was no reason not to tell her.
With the kids standing there, I probably kept talking for about 20 minutes just for Iris.
Slightly tiresome stories.
They must have been stories that were annoying to listen to.
But they were all stories that would help, stories that would become flesh and blood.
"Then, shall we head out for the quest now?"
The kids' faces had turned slightly tired from listening, but anyway.
We set off like that.
.
.
.
"1st Grade Quest, Ripper Wolf subjugation."
It was a quest the kids had accepted.
I had directed them to do so.
It was a bit simpler than the Kobold party they had accepted last time, and yet a bit easier than a quest like Orc subjugation.
The monster was much larger than a typical large dog, and larger than a standard wolf.
It was a creature whose claws on its front paws were extended long, like a reaper's scythe.
Although it was called a wolf, it didn't just operate in the forest; it was a monster with a violent nature that would sometimes come down to villages, slice people with its claws, and eat them... but unlike the name 'wolf,' it tended to live alone.
"The creature can basically move at a very high speed, and it tends to ambush like an assassin."
"How fast is it, by any chance?"
"Hmm.... Generally, it's much faster than a normal person running. It can easily go twice as fast. The problem is that monsters at this level sometimes use magic, and the Ripper Wolf, in particular, uses magic to increase its instantaneous speed."
"......."
"......."
"It might look a bit dangerous, but the Ripper Wolf is an easier enemy than an Orc, which is the test to become an equivalent-ranked adventurer."
I was continuing to talk while we were moving toward the forest.
The quest wasn't that difficult.
I thought explaining it properly while we walked would be enough.
But it seemed the kids didn't think so.
"Compared to large monsters like Orcs, it's short. It's about the same size as you, Noah. That's why if you have a head-on confrontation, you can hold your own to some extent. In the end, I said the Ripper Wolf has an assassin-like style, right? Its hunting method is to sneak up and slash with its claws in an instant. You just have to be careful of that."
"Isn't it important to block that ambush?"
"Katrina, as you said, blocking the ambush is obviously important. But if you block the ambush, it means the battle after that is simple."
"Hmm...."
So, I just continued the explanation.
It's usually more comfortable to talk about what seems difficult first, and then talk about the easy stuff.
If you talk about easy things and then talk about difficult things, it feels overwhelming, but when you do it this way, it feels like it's doable.
"And there are three of you right now. I came as a guardian, not as a party member, right? If the three of you stick together and advance while using detection magic, you'll be able to block the ambush without any major problems, and you can drag it into a standoff."
"And after that?"
"You just fight. If you fight normally, you'll be able to catch it. If you don't get too separated from each other, keep each other in check, block the enemy's movements, and land a few proper attacks, you can finish it."
I continued the explanation like that.
"In the case of the Ripper Wolf, it's a monster that focuses on speed, so it's quite weak in terms of defense. Its hide and flesh are also quite soft."
As I continued those explanations, before we knew it, we arrived at the forest, our destination.
A dense forest.
It was about 30 minutes away from the Academy, but it was a forest where the paths were quite developed.
Unlike the developed paths, the forest was so dense and the trees grew so high that it was quite dark inside.
Truly, it was easy to ambush.
"Alright, shall we start now?"
"......."
"......."
"......."
I had finished explaining all the points to be careful about and what to aim for on the way here.
From now on, it was time to enter the real deal.
It was time for them to grind to become full-fledged Silver Rank adventurers.
It might look like I was working the kids hard, but what could I do?
Life is, after all, the real deal.