I looked like I had when I was around the age of fifteen. I’d been skinnier and had visible stubble after going a day without shaving—but why had this happened? I pulled my cheeks in disbelief, but the pain convinced me that I was wide awake.

Another change that I noticed was what I was wearing. For a brief moment, I worried that I had lost all my gear that could only be worn by Thieves, but then I found an itemcube lying nearby. This was an eight-faced, palm-sized item that contained a storage space much greater than its appearance suggested. However, it had to be operated with mana, so I’d always asked my companions whenever I needed to put things inside or take things out of one.

If my vocation had indeed changed into one that allowed me to use mana, I should be able to use it.

“Please let this work!”

Just as my companions used to, I held the itemcube up in my left hand, held my right hand over it, and silently ordered it to open. Information about the contents of the cube immediately flowed into my head. All my Thief gear and tools were inside. As a test, I tried taking something out and found myself holding my Legendary Thief Amber’s Dagger +99.

The number referred to how many times a piece of equipment had been strengthened at a forge, so there was no doubt that this was the same dagger I’d always used. Only it felt extremely difficult to hold now. This, as well as the fact that I could now use itemcubes, was proof that my vocation was indeed no longer Thief.

“So this is mana… This is how it feels…!”

It felt safe to assume that the goddess had kept her word and changed my vocation. If I went to a guild, they could check what my vocation was and confirm whether I had actually become a Sage. I still had connections with the Thieves Guild, but I hadn’t left on the best of terms, which made it hard for me to just waltz in there. I should be level 1 at the moment, which meant that the Novices Guild was where I should head first.

“But before that… How’d it go again? O flames, burn my enemies! Fireball!”

This was an extremely basic black magic attack spell that all Sages should be able to use, even at level 1. I was pretty sure I got the chant right, but nothing was happening.

“…Fireball! Fireball!”

Nope, nothing. Zilch. Nada.

I had thrust my right hand forward, assuming the spell-firing pose, but doing so just made me want to melt with embarrassment, and I promptly pulled my hand back. I wondered if I wasn’t actually a Sage, or if I’d made some sort of elementary mistake, but then something occurred to me.

“Oh right, I need a staff or some other sort of activation tool. I’ll have to buy one.”

Sheska had had a crosier, and activation tools had been embedded into Enju’s body in several places. However, right now, I only had the clothes on my back.

My first order of business was to head into town. There were weak monsters nearby that even level-1 adventurers could defeat, but I wanted to use magic to do it, so I decided to avoid them for now.

Part 2: The Novices Guild

Even though I was back at level 1, it felt like my senses as a Thief hadn’t dulled much. Thanks to that, I managed to reach the city’s gate without encountering a single monster.

There was no guarantee I’d find a job right away, so I wanted to register as an adventurer. There were lots of perks that you could receive through a guild.

I headed straight for the Novices Guild near the central square and walked in. As I made my way to a counter, I overheard some female adventurers having a disagreement with the receptionist.

“What do you mean you can’t open it? We put a lot of effort into bringing back something this heavy.”

“That may be so, but I’m afraid unlocking treasure chests isn’t a service our guild offers.”

“I thought that might be the case. It appears we have no other choice but to go to the guild that nobody wants to mention out loud.”

“The Thieves Guild… It’s not much of a secret that they’re just outside the city walls, but I don’t know how I feel about being indebted to them…”

A party of three… Treasure chests found around these parts don’t contain anything of much value, though.

One of the girls happened to turn around at that moment, and I accidentally met her eyes. It was the one with long blue hair. She looked strong-willed and had a tomboyishness about her. The jewels in the thin-bladed sword at her waist and well-tailored clothes she was wearing indicated that she came from a good family.

“We normally do have lockpicks that we can provide, but unfortunately, we’ve just run out of stock.”

“You’re telling us to open it ourselves? That sort of finicky work really isn’t my strong suit.”

“Should I make an explosive concoction and try blowing up the lock?”

“You might accidentally destroy the contents as well. Allow me to give it a try.”

I-is she serious? That knight doesn’t look like she’s all that dexterous, either.

The knight with red hair done up in braids grabbed the treasure chest and tried forcing it open, but the receptionist stopped her in a fluster.

“M-ma’am, not here, please. Kindly do that in a more open space.”

“Hm? Right, it might be booby-trapped. But don’t worry—I’m a Paladin with a goddess’s blessing. I will not fall for a trap set by the likes of mere goblins!”

“The goblins left this behind when they ran off. We tried making them give us the key, but I kind of messed up the medicine I was making.”

“We told you not to talk about those sorts of medicines in public, Nanase!”

“Oh, right. But it was just a hypnotizing agent. Even the apothecary in town stocks it sometimes.”

The girl called Nanase had a slight build, sported light purple hair, and wore a hat. Her vocation was most likely Apothecary.

“In any case, we’ll try to open this outside. Sorry for raising a fuss.”

The blue-haired girl and red-haired knight worked together to carry their treasure chest. Watching them, I was surprised by the sudden realization that parties without a Thief ran into these kinds of problems. Being on the other side of things gave a rather different perspective.

If I was still a Thief, I could open it just with my fingers. I wouldn’t even need a lockpick. It’d only take a flick of the wrist, like thi—

“Huh?” Just as the two adventurers carrying the treasure chest were passing by me, the blue-haired girl’s eyes widened, and she stopped.

“…Huh?” Equally surprised, I reacted exactly the same way as the girl had.

How could I not? The lock on the box was glowing, and in my hand was a small key that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

Part 3: White Card

“What’s wrong? Why’d you stop all of a sudden?” the red-haired girl asked, puzzled.

None of them had noticed that the lock was glowing, but the blue-haired girl did spot the key in my hand. Regardless, there was no reason why it would have anything to do with their treasure chest. Even I didn’t know how long I’d been holding the key. I hadn’t done anything—at least, not on purpose. Maybe I’d done it unconsciously.

“…Something caught my attention, but I’m not sure what it is.”

“Oh, that happens to me, too, sometimes. It’s called déjà vu, right?”

“Hmm. Is that like the sudden feeling you get when you’re not sure whether you locked your door?”

“That’s…a bit different. In any case, do we know that person over there?” The blue-haired girl examined me from head to toe. Well, maybe not quite, but she did study me quite intently. It seemed like she was about to talk to me, then thought better of it at the last moment.

“No, I don’t think so.”

With that, the three of them exited the building.

“Hey there. I don’t remember seeing you around,” a middle-aged man said, walking up to me. He didn’t look like a bad person, but there was a faint waft of alcohol on his breath despite it being daytime. “Since you look curious, I’ll tell you. Those three came to this city a month ago.”

“Ooh, I see.” It didn’t look like he knew who I was. For my part, I had no intention of spreading the word that I had defeated the Demonic Dragon and changed vocations, so I decided to talk to him like I really was someone just starting out.

“All three are absolute beauties, so all the young’uns are losing their heads over them. They’ve tried all sorts of things to recruit those girls to their party, but… You wanna hear what happened?”

“Stop grandstanding, Gotts. You did the same thing!”

“I’ll be speaking from experience, then. All beautiful flowers have thorns. Don’t you ever forget that, lad.”

I never did get to hear what happened, but I could guess. The three girls were extremely popular in this guild and had received a huge number of invitations to join parties. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand why the other adventurers had such trouble controlling themselves, but personally, I only saw them as young, unseasoned beginners.

“Thank you for waiting… Oh, a newcomer?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“The way you talk makes people misunderstand you sometimes. But you’re not as bad as people make you out to be.”

“I also thought you had a prickly personality when I first met you. I know what you’re really like now, though.”

A few comments from Falina and Sheska popped into my mind. At the time, I’d been a little miffed by the jabs at me, but now I could speak in a respectful way without much problem. Unlike when I was a Thief, I wanted to settle situations in a peaceful manner as much as possible. Perhaps having a different vocation was affecting my personality.

“First, may I have your name, please?”

“Um… Might Slade.”

“Thank you. I will address you as ‘Mr. Might,’ then. Next, we’ll test your vocation and level. Please touch this card.”

It was a guild card. The one I used to have was a black card—the highest rank—but that could only be used by those at level 90 or higher. Feeling a wave of nostalgia, I reached for the white card used by novices.

“…A level-1 Sage. Would you like to proceed with your registration?”

I almost let out a cry of joy. Now that I had confirmation from a guild, there was no doubt about it: I had turned into a Sage.

“Sir? Is there a problem?”

“Oh… Uh, no, sorry. Yes, I’d like to register.”

Being excited for no apparent reason would make me seem like a weirdo, but I had a burning question that I just had to ask.

“Um, sorry. I have a bit of a weird question…”

“Of course, feel free to ask me anything.”

“Can Sages use magic even at level 1?”

“…I’m sorry?” The woman looked confused, as if she couldn’t understand why I’d just asked that. “Everyone’s vocation is determined at birth—including magic-based roles. This city, Fortune, is also called the First Town because the area is for people who are level 10 and below, but most applicants who come to our guild are at least level 3. By that stage, they have already gained a rudimentary understanding of how to use their skills and may even have a little battle experi… Oh.”

Partway through her explanation, the receptionist seemed to realize something.

“I’m guessing you don’t get a whole lot of level-1 applicants,” I said.

“Th-that is correct. Forgive me for saying this, but it is a rare occurrence of late.”

“Hm, that means I’ll probably have some trouble finding people to party up with.”

“I’m afraid so… Oh dear, what to do? I can’t exactly accompany you, but I’m also worried about letting someone as young as you take on requests all by yourself…”

I almost reflexively protested at being called young, but my age had been clearly stated on the guild card when I touched it. Apparently, I was now fifteen. I had no idea why, but one possibility that crossed my mind was that the goddess I met had lowered my age, too, so it made more sense for me to be level 1. I’d probably have to meet her again to know for sure.

Part 4: Getting Called Out

The receptionist looked around twenty years old, and I suspected I’d been feeling a bit worked up the past little while because I was feeling an attraction to her charm as an older woman. The world seemed very different without the Thief skill Calm Mind.

“Goodness, you look a bit flushed. Do you have a fever?” she asked.

“N-no, ma’am. My temperature is fine. What can I do to figure out what magic I can use?”

“Nothing beats just giving everything a try. Only very few people can say they have no experience at all using a skill. Do you remember any instance when you unintentionally made something happen?”

The first thing that came to mind was the glowing lock just now. That, and the key that had suddenly appeared in my hand. I checked the pocket where I’d put the key, but it was gone.

I’m pretty sure I put it in here, though. Did I drop it? No, that seems unlikely. Did it…? Ah, it must have disappeared.

“Does anything come to mind, Mr. Might?”

“Is there magic that creates something out of nothing? Just something small.”

“Let me see… One that I can think of is summoning magic. It’s mostly used by Summoners, but they’re so rare that there isn’t a single one in our registry.”

“What else, other than summoning magic?”

“There’s magic that teleports things, but it’s only usable by those whose magic vocation is at a high level. You’d never see it in the First Town.”

The question of why the key had appeared and disappeared remained unanswered. I knew I hadn’t imagined it, though; the key had felt so real in my hand.

“The last one I can think of is materialization magic. Like the name says, it’s magic that lets you materialize things. But that is practically just a myth from storybooks.”

She was right about how rare materialization magic was. I hadn’t met a single person who could use it even in the Last Town, the closest settlement to the Edge of the World, where people’s magic vocations were all at least level 70. So this didn’t explain what I had done, either.

I tried to reenact the phenomenon, but to no avail.

“Um… Thank you anyway. You’ve been very helpful.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more assistance.”

“Oh, no worries. You’ve been very patient and friendly, which has been very reassuring. I want to start working right away. Are there any jobs that I can do?”

“I recommend you check out that bulletin board over there. If you find one that suits what you’re looking for, please bring it back to the counter, and we’ll help you process it.”

Based on the receptionist’s expression, however, I could tell that there weren’t all that many requests that were suitable for a level 1 at the moment.

By the way, even though I knew this was called the City of Pleasure, the uniform here accentuated the staff’s curves way too much. I tried my best to fight it, but my eyes couldn’t help straying lower than the receptionist’s face.

No, stop that. This isn’t the time to be horny… Huh?

My gaze sharpened. Near the receptionist’s chest area, I was seeing a semitransparent object that looked strangely similar to a lock.

“…Is there something else I can help you with, Mr. Might?”

“Ah! S-sorry, I wasn’t looking at anywhere strange! I mean, I see it, but—”

“See what?”

The woman blinked, and the lock disappeared.

For a moment, I wondered if I had been imagining the lock because I used to be a Thief. However, if what I had seen was due to my change in vocation, then I had to get to the bottom of what it meant.

“N-no, I didn’t pick up anything.”

“Now, hold on, don’t be so hasty. A woman’s intuition is not to be underestimated, good sir.”

“Ah, I knew it: You’re from a good background. I could tell somehow.”

“…! How’s this, then? Don’t underestimate my intuition!”

Even though it was rather obvious from her clothes, I got the message that she didn’t want me probing into her background. Still, from the brief time we’d spent talking so far, it was clear that she’d had a sheltered upbringing. Honestly, it was so obvious that it kind of worried me.

“You’re quite perceptive. As expected of the man who caught my eye.”

“…I did? My name’s Might, by the way. And you are?”

“I’m Lystie, a level-3 Swordfighter. From what I can tell, your vocation is…something magic-related?”

“It makes me happy to hear you say that… I’m a Sage. Still only level 1, though.”

“Hmm, I see. You just registered, I take it? I’ll have to show you the ropes, then.”

“Yeah, I just finished registering.”

The blue-haired adventurer—Lystie—produced her white card and showed it to me. I did the same, and she laughed excitedly. The way she was holding her card pinched between her index and middle fingers was probably her way of showing off, but it was just charming to me. For someone who had gotten numb to rubbing shoulders with the fiercest fighters in the world, her smug little smile seemed almost dazzling.

“…I feel bad making a request of a newbie, but will you let us test the key you have? It looked the right size to fit the lock. It won’t take long.”

“I can’t guarantee it’ll work, but I also want to give it a try,” I replied. “Even if it’s booby-trapped, I’m pretty confident I can avoid it, but I won’t hold you responsible if something does happen to me.”

“Really? Sages must be good with their fingers, too. I guess they don’t call you people wise men for nothing.”

“Nah, I’m just used to this stuff.”

“I…see? Oh, is that why you were walking around holding a key? It’s a master key for treasure chests, isn’t it?” Lystie smiled confidently. “My intuition’s always right.”

I don’t know if it’s something that convenient. Hold on, the key disappeared…but I guess I don’t have to tell her that right now. It appeared after the lock started glowing. I hope I can make it happen again. I would look pretty silly if I couldn’t.

“In any case, follow me,” Lystie said. “If you can open it, you can have a share. Feel free to decide how much you want.”

“As for whether or not I can open it, I’ll let the results speak for themselves.”

“That’s fair. But I have a feeling you’ll be able to. After all, you’re a wise man.”

“Um, can you just call me a Sage like normal people do?”

Not all monsters dropped treasure chests when defeated, so I was glad for an opportunity to test out my skills.

That said…this girl really worries me with how trusting she is of strangers.

The asking rate for help with opening a chest was around a third of what was inside. But when the contents turned out to be something that couldn’t be split easily, the involved parties would sometimes get into a big argument.

When starting out, the difference of a single silver coin could be a matter of life and death. I got the feeling that this was still the case when checking out the bulletin board, so I decided that for my share, I’d probably just ask for an amount that was reasonable for a tip.

Part 6: My First Spell

When we approached the entrance to the forest, out of sight from the town, the maniac chemist—I mean, the Apothecary—called Nanase and the red-haired knight from earlier came into view.

“Sorry about this,” the knight said. “Thanks for coming all the way out here.”

“Did you really pick up the chest key?” Nanase asked. “Isn’t that too much of a coincidence?”

“Um, can you not stare at me like th—? Whoa, you’re getting a bit close.”

“Ah. Sorry. I can’t see things well when they’re far away.”

I recalled Sheska telling me that there was a spell to boost someone’s eyesight. She had apparently ruined her eyes spending too much time with her nose buried in books when she was young, and she said that the spell was a godsend.

Could that spell help this girl, too? Could I learn it someday, being a Sage? I’m starting to get a little worried about the spells I can learn, though, if I can’t even cast Fireball.

“Y-you don’t have to pull a face! I took a bath yesterday—even if it was only a quick one.”

“Nanase!” Lystie cried. “You shouldn’t be saying that sort of thing in front of a man!”

“Young man, I assure you we go to the public baths when we can afford it,” the red-haired knight said. “I take great care to clean my armor every day, so you don’t have to worry about me in that regard.”

“Being an adventurer, I get where you’re coming from—Uh, I mean, I certainly understand that sometimes we have to go several days without taking a bath. Then when you finally do take one, it feels incredibly refreshing.”

“Hm? Don’t feel like you have to be so polite. Either way, it’s up to you.”

“I agree that a bath can be especially rejuvenating when you have gone without for a while,” said Lystie. “I wonder if this is something all beginner adventurers struggle with.”

Unexpectedly, we really seemed to be getting along—chatting over the topic of bathing, of all things. I was a little surprised to learn that even they had to forgo bathing when money was tight. They probably took it pretty hard, being young girls and all.

Lystie was looking to me for agreement, but she suddenly startled and, blushing furiously, quickly turned to the treasure chest. “This is the problematic chest. We’ve tried everything, but so far nothing has worked.”

“The lock is tougher than we thought,” the knight said, pantomiming how she’d tried to force it open. “Turns out goblin treasure chests aren’t as shoddy as you’d think.”

I thought I was a muscle-brain when I had no mana, but she’s even worse.

“Oh… That reminds me, I haven’t introduced myself yet,” she continued. “My name is Platinum. When you hear people talking about Platinum the Silver Flash, that’d be me.”

“ ‘Silver Flash’ is your alias? You’re with the Novices Guild, but you already have a nickname? That’s incredible.”

“Well, it is self-styled,” Nanase chimed in.

“It is not. Everyone already calls me that in my heart.”

Looking at the red-haired knight’s proud expression, I wondered if I should address her as “Ms. Platinum.” There was probably no need, since we looked similar in age, but I made a mental note to ask later.

Speaking of, I just naturally slipped into talking casually with this group. Considering that I’m only level 1, maybe I should be a bit more respectful.

“That’s enough messing around,” Lystie said. “Monsters roam these parts. Might, are you ready?”

If I couldn’t produce the key again, I was ready to open the lock manually—I could no longer use Thief skills, but I still had the techniques that I’d learned. However, the lock on the chest dutifully started glowing. The girls didn’t react, which told me that I was the only one who was seeing it.

With a sudden wave of fatigue, I saw a small key appear in my hand.

“Oooh,” Platinum exclaimed, sounding impressed. “You can use magic to create keys!”

“I’ve never heard of magic that can do this,” Lystie commented. “There’s still so much we don’t know about the world.”

“Very interesting,” Nanase murmured. “I wonder what would happen if you put this key in a concoction.”

As the three girls expressed their interest in different ways, I felt a little overwhelmed by their combined enthusiasm. I couldn’t help getting nervous in the face of such high expectations. What even were the chances that the random key I’d just made would open a treasure chest dropped by goblins?

“Well…here goes.”

The three girls watched with bated breath as I inserted my key into the lock of the wooden chest. With a soft click, it unlocked with no resistance at all.

I looked up, and for a split second, I saw the faces of my old party members. Falina, who usually didn’t show much expression, was smiling at me with relief, while Sheska clapped in delight.

“Amazing… It actually opened.”

“The key looks far too new for a chest like this, though…”

“I agree; it’s even sparkling. Who’d have thought an old chest that a goblin was lugging around could be opened by a key like that?”

After I opened the lock, the key disappeared, and the lock stopped glowing. Assuming that the faint sensation of fatigue was what it felt like to use magic, the very first spell that I’d cast as a Sage was to create a key using mana.

I looked at Lystie. She nodded, indicating that she wanted me to open the chest.

This is a treasure chest found in the vicinity of the First Town, so I doubt there’s anything that valuable inside. I shouldn’t get my hopes up.

But as I lifted the lid, I let out a gasp.

“This is…”

Instead of the dull glint of bronze coins that I’d expected, a bright gleam spilled out, indicating that there was indeed something of value inside.

Part 7: A Goddess Bathed in Moonlight and My First Battle

Someone had been watching Might when he left the Novices Guild and was approached by Lystie. It was none other than the goddess who had arranged his change in vocation.

Unlike when she had met Might here previously, her surroundings now reflected a night sky that was a blend of deep blue and black. The goddess floated beneath the light of the white moon, her attention fixed on the image playing before her eyes. Within the faint glow of the screen, Might was following the blue-haired girl.

“What are you watching, Elder Sister Lunaris?”

The space behind the goddess seemed to distort, and a woman who looked like her spitting image—albeit with blond hair and fiery red eyes—stepped through.

“One of your adherents just approached Might.”

“Did she? A level-3 human brazen enough to walk straight up to a hero? How very interesting.”

“Didn’t you arrange for this to happen, Iris?”

The blond goddess smiled. “I was occupied watching Falina, another one of the heroes. Have you been watching her since she returned home?”

“That is not my jurisdiction.”

“Of the four, why did you choose the Thief? Why go so far as to bend the natural order and change his vocation?”

“You know that’s not something that I can do with my power alone. This world allowed the change.”

“…I merely hope that this attachment of yours doesn’t bring you in opposition to our master’s will.”

Iris gave the feed another quick glance, but she quickly lost interest. She was just about to turn and leave when Lunaris asked, “Did you inform Falina and the others of Might’s decision?”

However, no answer was forthcoming. The distortion in space smoothed again, with Iris no longer anywhere to be seen, and Lunaris returned her attention to the screen. When Might created a key and opened a treasure chest, her eyes widened.

“That chest cannot be opened by those of this area by normal means. If that key of his managed to open it… It’s just as I thought…”

The screen playing in midair vanished.

Lunaris hugged her shaking body. With a hint of delight in her voice, she murmured, “Might, you didn’t revert to level 1. No, you actually…”

“Uh, Might? I mean, Mr. Might?” Lystie asked hesitantly. “Is it just me, or are the contents of this chest really incredible?”

Opening the beat-up treasure chest had revealed over a hundred silver coins and a pouch of gold coins. There was also a round-bottom flask filled with a viscous liquid—some sort of slime, perhaps?—and a leather bracelet embedded with magic stones.

“I’m going to have to start calling you ‘Sir Might’ from now on,” Platinum said.

“That makes us sound materialistic!” Lystie protested. “Though it’s true that with all this money, our days of living off bread crusts and leaf soup are over.”

“I-it’s not like we’re poor!” Nanase retorted. “We’ve just been frugal with our money, in case something happens!”

The sight of the three girls suddenly getting restless made me sigh. I thought it was about time I voiced my true, unfiltered evaluation of them as adventurers.

“To be honest, I can tell just by looking at you that you three struggle to complete jobs smoothly.”

“Ngh! What did you just say…?!” exclaimed Lystie.

“I—I can’t believe you…,” Nanase said with a gasp. “Even if it’s true, it still hurts!”

“We let you help, and this is the thanks we get?!” Platinum growled.

“Lystie told me I could decide what my cut would be when she asked me to open the chest.” I knew I was being mean, but I steeled myself.

“Ugh! D-do your worst, then! Even if my body yields, you won’t have my heart!”

“Your body?! Platinum, is that what we’re—? Nanase, do you think he wants me, too?”

“Why’re you asking me?!”

Platinum’s calm demeanor had dissolved into tears, and the other two were bright red. I guess it really stung to hear such criticism from a level-1 adventurer.

After a pause, Lystie said, “I knew this was too convenient.”

“I don’t know what you’re thinking,” I interrupted, “but I’m fine with just ten percent.”

“Half! No, please just leave us with thirty per—Wait, what?” Nanase’s eyes went wide.

I picked up three silver coins and showed them to the girls. “One silver from each of you. That’s my fair share, as I see it.”

“But that’s even less than ten percent…,” Lystie said quietly.

“You’re the ones who carried this heavy chest everywhere, and this is an opportunity I’m grateful for, too. If there’s ever anything else, feel free to ask me for help. Sorry if I was a bit harsh just now, and for scaring you.”

“…Might.”

Did I try too hard to look cool? I don’t want them to think I’m lecturing them, either, so it’s probably best that I leave soon.

“D-don’t think for one second I’ll ever forgive you for saying that we can’t complete jobs—” Nanase stopped herself. “Actually, I guess it’s not that big a deal…”

“O-okay,” Lystie said. “You’re sure one silver is enough? Though if you’re implying our chastity is only worth one silver, I’ll really get mad…”

“I never said a word about that! In any case, I’m leaving!”

The other contents of the treasure chest had piqued my interest, but the atmosphere had grown way too uncomfortable. Dealing with teenagers wasn’t a skill that I had developed.

Just as I was about to turn away, however, I felt a prickling on the back of my neck. Apparently, I still retained the ability to sense hostility from monsters, even though I was no longer a Thief.

“Ah, it’s come out of the forest. Let’s drive it back there again.”

“Wait, wha—? Is that goblin holding a bow?! And it’s being followed by something huge…!”

“Don’t worry; I will protect you! I’ll show you how the Silver Flash does it!”

So her specialty is defense even though her alias makes it sound like she’s an attacker?

All joking aside, I was now entering my first battle since changing vocations. I was only level 1, not to mention a Sage who couldn’t even cast Fireball. Normally, I would only be deadweight. However, I didn’t feel threatened at all facing the goblins and hobgoblin. I couldn’t see myself losing.

Platinum took up position in front of me. “Might, stay behind me!”

“Feel free to run while we fight!” Lystie drew her sword and rushed forward.

The fact that they were level 3 meant that real-world fighting was still pretty new to them, too, but they were brave. I was impressed.

“Um, not this one, or that… I have a drug that raises libido—which would probably backfire on us…”

“You carry potions that are effective against enemies? That’s an interesting way to fight.”

“Y-yes, I do. Sometimes, a drug works so well, you wouldn’t believe it. By the way, aren’t you way too calm for a level 1?”

“I wouldn’t say that at all. This is my very first battle, so I’m really nervous.”

It was my first battle…after my vocation change, of course.

“I thought so. I don’t have that much experience myself. My heart’s pumping like cra—”

“Yaaah!”

The goblin at the front had swung its stone ax at Lystie, but she’d dodged it and swiftly delivered a counterattack.

“Gyah…!!”

It was a clean hit, but the goblin merely shook its head a few times and got right back up.

“I gotta do my part, too!” Platinum said, rushing forward.

I joined her charge, prompting Nanase to shout my name in alarm, but I raised a hand to tell her to stay back. She had her own part to play.

“Guhe… Kuh, kuh, kuh…”

The hobgoblin sounded like it was laughing. It was an opponent that could be a threat at a low level, so I had to work out a safe way to take it down without getting hurt. That, and arrange things so Lystie’s group could play a role, too, and walk away with a win under their belts.

But even though I talked a good game, how was I actually supposed to do that with the power of a level 1? I was prepared to protect these three to the very end, even if I had to resort to fighting with my bare hands.

Part 8: Coaching from a Sage

There were four goblins under the hobgoblin’s command; the two in front were brandishing a knife and a club, and the two in the back were holding bows and looking for opportunities to attack. They had enough intelligence for such strategizing; some goblins could even use magic. I’d always felt weirdly self-conscious fighting them back when I had no mana.

“Geh, geh, geh…”

“Geh gah gah, gagah!”

The goblins were saying something. Their language was simplistic and could only convey basic concepts, but I had enough experience to get the general gist.

“Wh-what do you think they’re saying?” Lystie asked. “That one’s drooling an awful lot…”

“Goblins like human females,” I replied. “…In more ways than one.”

Platinum gasped. “You mean—?! If we get caught, we’ll be subjected to all sorts of depraved acts?!”

“Geh gagagah, gagah!”

“They’re saying that the woman wearing armor looks well muscled, so they prefer the ones who’re dressed more lightly.”

“What?!” Platinum exclaimed. “How dare they mock muscles! I’ll have them know, I’m not all that muscular!”

“Why’re you trying to get them to like you? There’s no way we’re letting them catch us, so get ready to fight.”

My group had been keeping an eye on the goblin archers during our conversation, but they just stood there calmly, showing no sign of taking action. If they could gauge the difference in our levels, they would have fled already, but I apparently looked like a level 1 in their eyes.

“Did you girls fight a hobgoblin when you got this treasure chest?”

“Is that what the big one is called?” Nanase shook her head. “No, this is our first time seeing one.”

“Thanks to Nanase’s concoction, driving back the other goblins was a piece of cake. Would the same thing be effective against the big goblin, too?”

“Might, stand back! I’ll take them on, since my level’s higher. Come on, goblins! Fight me!”

Hold on, was that…?

Platinum gallantly charged forward and blocked the attacks of the two in the vanguard, firmly holding her ground.

“Hngh…! This is why I can’t stop training my body!”

“Gugu… Gugah…”

“Gigigi…”

“What’s wrong, Lystie?”

“Platinum’s having an honest contest of strength with her opponents, so don’t you think it’d be rude of me to butt in and attack?”

“O-okay…”

“This is…nothing…I can’t handle myself…! RAAAH!”

Just as Platinum succeeded in shoving the two goblins back, though, the hobgoblin stepped in. It was much, much stronger by comparison.

I remembered Platinum saying that her vocation was Paladin, but I was pretty sure the skill she’d just used to draw the enemies’ attention didn’t belong to that role.

Wasn’t that Sacrifice…a skill specific to Royal Order, the vocation that protects nobility?

“ROAAAR!”

“Bring it on! I can take everything you’ve got!”

“Watch out they don’t take that the wrong way, Platinum!” shouted Nanase.

There was no sense of crisis in the air, but the strength behind the hobgoblin’s punch was the real deal.

I guess it’s about time… There’s no point if I take care of this all by myself, after all.

Normally, a level-1 Sage would be physically weaker than Lystie’s group, and if they couldn’t even use magic, they would be nothing more than a burden. However—

“Ngeh…?!”

By just placing a hand behind the shield that Platinum was bracing with, I managed to completely stop the hobgoblin’s attack. The shock of the impact was so weak, it felt like I’d been bitten by a mosquito.

“Yaaaaah!”

With a shout, Platinum went further and pushed the hobgoblin back. The goblins all stared in shock, having trouble believing that we’d managed to stop the hobgoblin’s punch.

“I almost didn’t feel that at all… Might, who are you?”

“Consider it, uh, a form of Sage magic!”

“I—I see…! Sages are amazing!”

“Enough with the chatter, you two! Hyah!”

Lystie joined us up front, sword flashing. Her strikes weren’t powerful enough to kill the goblins in one blow, but they were more than sufficient to make them back up.

“GUGAAAH!!”

Rubbing the fist that had hit Platinum’s shield, the hobgoblin turned to go after Lystie. However, its movements were slow and sluggish. Platinum and I managed to get between the two of them and stop its attack with her shield once again.

“It feels so light!” Platinum exclaimed. “It’s like I’m stopping a feather! How are you doing that?!”

“Guuuh…?”

Even the hobgoblin looked puzzled. Honestly, I was surprised, too. This was my first time helping out with a party’s defense in this particular way.

“Take this…! My secret weapon!”

Nanase popped out from where she’d been hiding to avoid getting shot by the archers to throw a small sack at the hobgoblin. It exploded with a soft poof on impact, scattering powder everywhere. Just as I was wondering what it was supposed to do, the hobgoblin, still locked in a contest of strength with Platinum, started moving strangely, then let out a loud sneeze.

“How do you like my pepper bomb?! Pepper isn’t cheap, you know?!”

I had no idea how to react, having expected a more…Apothecary-like attack. However, the hobgoblin’s strength did weaken, leaving itself open to Lystie’s blade.

“Gugah! …Gugah?”

“Gah gah gah gah!”

The goblins first reacted as if the hobgoblin had been hurt, but when they realized it had hardly been damaged at all, they all burst into laughter, despite being injured themselves.

“S-stop laughing!” Lystie shouted.

“Gih?!”

“It’s disrespectful to laugh when we’re fighting as hard as we can!”

“Gih, gigih.”

The goblins seemed to respond to Lystie’s words, but not the hobgoblin.

Wh-why is someone who can use that skill here, of all places?

I had no idea if Lystie knew what she was doing, but she’d just used a skill: Dignity, a technique that could only be used by those of very noble birth or those with related vocations. Dignity lowered the enmity of those who were lower in level than the user. The hobgoblin had a higher level than Lystie, though, which is why it hadn’t worked on it.

Who are these three? They keep using skills that don’t match the vocations they claim to be. That must mean… No, let’s focus on the battle for now and think later.

“That was my last pepper bomb. So next, I’ll have to use my secret weapon…”

“The big goblin must have a weak point somewhere… If we can just pierce it there…!”

“Lystie! Nanase!” Platinum shouted in alarm.

All three of them had forgotten about the two goblin archers, who had simultaneously loosed an arrow each. The girls were right, though: There was indeed an easy way to defeat hobgoblins, and they could very likely win the fight if they knew it. But they needed some help with this first.

“How about I show you another ‘spell’ of mine?”

To my eyes, the arrows flying toward Lystie and Nanase practically moved in slow motion. So I ran, caught their shafts between my fingers, and threw them back toward the archers, eliciting cries of pain and surprise. I wondered how well the girls’ eyes had caught up but suspected they’d probably seen nothing. Of course, the same likely went for the goblins.

“Huh?! What just—?!”

“N-no way… That was another one of your spells, Might?!”

“Mr. Might, watch out!”

“Gugoooh…!!”

The hobgoblin was swinging its fist straight at me.

“You’ve left yourself wide open, you know?”

“Ngoooh?!”

I flicked one of the silver coins I’d just received at the hobgoblin’s weak spot, which had just been exposed during the monster’s windup: its chin.

“Gah… Gagah… Gack!”

Its brain rattling in its skull, the hobgoblin fell forward and hit the ground hard. Its lackeys started panicking and raising a ruckus.

Will they keep going?

“Gihih?!”

Having completely lost their will to fight, the goblins fled back into the forest, dragging the hobgoblin. After what had just happened, they weren’t going to approach another human settlement again anytime soon.

The moment the battle ended, I came back to my senses. The way I had fought wasn’t like a Sage at all, and I’d arbitrarily decided to help the girls gain more experience. Suddenly, I was really scared of how they would react. And yet I couldn’t not turn around.

However, Lystie immediately started heaping praise on me. “Might, have you been that strong this whole time?!”

“That was truly incredible,” Platinum agreed. “You figured out the hobgoblin’s weak point so quickly! You were carefully watching our fight and observing the monster’s movements, weren’t you?”

“No, uh, it just…felt right?”

“Don’t put yourself down; learn to take a compliment!” Nanase chided. “Of course, if the fight had lasted just a little bit longer, I’d have thrown my secret ‘makes you feel hungry’ drug at the hobgoblin.”

“Would that even work…? I—I mean, I’m sure that would’ve worked.”

I was seriously regretting getting so carried away during the fight. However, at the same time, I was having trouble calming down because it had been a while since I’d gotten this worked up. The vocation of Thief was one that belonged in the shadows and was by no means strong. I’d never dreamed the day would come when I would be praised like this.

“I was so surprised…,” said Lystie. “The moment we were in trouble, you immediately stepped up, and it was like you could do everything. Now I know that you can’t judge people based only on their level.”

“And after Platinum said she’d protect us!’” added Nanase.

“Ugh! My face is on fire,” Platinum said. “But it’s fine, because people grow stronger from embarrassing experiences!”

“I’m not sure how strong you can really get that way,” Lystie said with a giggle. “But I was a mess, too. I need to train more with my sword.”

“Your strikes are already quite powerful, so I think you have a pretty good chance against enemies who don’t hit as hard as a hobgoblin. Platinum, you did a great job drawing the enemy’s attention, and your defense was sturdy and reliable. Nanase, that was impressive how you summoned up the courage to throw that potion back th—Uh…”

Uh-oh, it’s like I’m evaluating the three of them on their performance just now.

“Out of all of us, you’re the one who watches us the most closely, Might.”

“I can see it in your eyes when you’re relying on me. Your big sister’s magic is useful, isn’t it?”

“Your advice always helps point out my weaknesses.”

I’d always felt bad about doing it.

Knowing what my party members could do and what their limits were had been crucial to surviving and defeating the Demonic Dragon. But even so, it had always made me feel self-serving to observe my companions like that.

“If you taught us, Might, I’m sure we’d—” Lystie caught herself. “Sorry, you’ve already helped us out plenty with the treasure chest. It wouldn’t be right to ask any more of you. Please forget I said anything.”

“Aww, but…” Nanase looked like she’d wanted to protest but thought better of it. “I guess Lystie’s right…”

“I still can’t get over how strong you are as a level 1,” Platinum marveled. “Is that just what it’s like being a Sage?”

Of course, it had been a nice surprise for me, too. Or rather, I guess I’d been misunderstanding. I’d assumed that I would be weak after reverting to level 1. And sure, I could no longer use any Thief skills—but that was it. I still had everything else, including my physical abilities. If I concentrated, everything appeared to be in slow motion, be it attacks from enemies or from Lystie’s group. I was confident I could seize the initiative anytime I wanted, even if I was the last to start moving.

“What magic did you use to defeat the hobgoblin?” Lystie asked. “It was too fast for me to see.”

“Um… That just now was Coin Flick.”

“Coin—? I’ve never heard of such a spell. You can beat goblins just by flicking coins at them?”

“I suppose it’s theoretically possible if you coat the coin with mana,” Nanase said thoughtfully. “How did you send it flying?”

Apparently, what I’d done was seen as magic. It didn’t feel right to just tell her I had incredible physical strength, so I didn’t correct her. I pulled out another coin and imagined coating it with mana, then flicked it into the air and caught it.

“Like that.”

“I see, so that’s how you used a coin to accurately target the hobgoblin’s weak spot,” Platinum murmured. “What an incredible skill.”

In short, I could defeat enemies of this level without using a vocation-specific skill. However, it wouldn’t be wise for me to carelessly flaunt my strength when I was supposed to be level 1, as doing so would make other adventurers suspicious. I made a mental note to be more low-key going forward and to learn a few spells so I could actually pass as a Sage.

“Well, seeing as we succeeded in driving the goblins back, I guess it’s about time I went on my way…”

But just as I was about to turn around and leave, I saw a half-transparent lock that gave off a faint glow floating in front of Lystie’s, Nanase’s, and Platinum’s chests. The moment I saw those locks, I instinctively knew what they were—not through my experience as a Thief, but as knowledge granted to me due to my vocation as Sage.

Passive Skill “Lock Eye”: Enables the user to see the Lock of organic and inorganic targets when the requirements are met.

Unique Skill “White Key”: Enables the user to create a key using mana that opens White Locks.

“You don’t have to act like you’re running away from us,” Lystie said. “You’re the main reason we won!”

“Being a Paladin, I thought it was my role to protect you, Might,” Platinum said. “But if it wasn’t for your timely instruction, I might have been hit with an arrow. I received your protection instead. You have my gratitude.”

“Plus, you threw away one of your coins,” Nanase added. “I really think you should take a few more!”

The three girls tried to convince me to stay, in their own particular ways, and honestly, I was conflicted.

There was no longer any doubt in my mind that my ability to create keys stemmed from me being a Sage. I thought I’d be casting flashier spells, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, I was seeing locks in front of people’s chests. This had happened once, with the receptionist at the guild, but her lock had disappeared almost right away. With Lystie’s group, however, the locks only became invisible when I made a conscious effort not to see them. Otherwise, they showed no sign of vanishing.

“Um… Is something the matter?” Lystie asked. “You’re zoning out. Is there something on our clothes?”

“Oh, n-no. It’s nothing.”

“Shall we continue our conversation back in town?” Platinum suggested. “If we stay here, we might get attacked again.”

“Good idea,” Nanase agreed. “Might, will you come with us?”

Why had I started seeing the girls’ locks? Could I open them with White Key? And what would happen if I did open them?

I had so many questions. Thankfully, the three didn’t seem to mistrust me, so I could relax for the time being. I decided to return to town with them first, then think about what I’d do later.

Chapter 2

The Party of Novices and a Level-1 Veteran

Part 1: Reward and a Toast

We gathered up the bows of the dead archers and the hobgoblin’s metal earring as proof that we’d managed to fight them off. One characteristic of monsters was that when they lost a fight, the border of what was considered their territory would retreat, effectively distancing them from the nearest human settlement. Thanks to this, the hobgoblin we fought wouldn’t be approaching Fortune again anytime soon.

When we gave our report at one of the guild counters and turned in the things we’d picked up, we received forty-two silver coins in exchange.

“Wha—? Do we really get this much?” Lystie asked.

“This hobgoblin has been seen close to Fortune before and has therefore been assigned a bounty,” the receptionist explained. “The breakdown of the payout is as follows: thirty silver for the hobgoblin, and three silver for each of the four goblins.”

That made the reward a little over four gold coins. It was a small fortune when combined with what had been in the treasure chest. The girls’ reactions told me how little they had earned as adventurers so far.

“I also recommend that you check out the requests on the bulletin board,” the receptionist continued. “When you clear those, you earn completion points, and when you have enough completion points, I’ll be able to introduce you to better jobs.”

“Mm, we plan to,” Platinum replied. “It’s just that so far, we’ve struggled with finding the target for subjugation requests or failed to take them down for one reason or another. Today has given us a large boost in self-confidence.”

The receptionist smiled. “Looks like getting a fourth member was the right call after all.”

The three girls all turned to look at me at the same time.

“…Oh? So he isn’t a member of your party yet? I’m very sorry for misunderstanding… That was certainly the impression I got.”

“Huh? Oh, um, Might is just someone we asked for help this time,” Lystie explained.

“Her feminine intuition was right on the money,” Platinum quipped.

Seeing the confusion on the receptionist’s face, Nanase said, “You can ignore about half of what Ms. Platinum says. We’ll see you again, Ms. Receptionist.”

After forcibly ending the conversation, our group left the counter, only to be mobbed by the nearby adventurers who had heard how much we’d been paid. People were always scouting in guilds for new party members, so big earners always drew a crowd.

“Y-you girls, would you be interested in joining our party?”

“Wouldn’t you rather join a party that’s all women instead of one that’s full of men?”

“Now hold on. I had my eye on them first!”

In the blink of an eye, a fierce scramble had broken out around us. I’d heard about how popular Lystie’s group was, but seeing it in person was something else entirely. I wondered how they felt about being so hotly sought-after.

“Um…I’m sorry, but we have something to discuss with him after this.”

Exclamations of surprise went up as everyone turned their attention to me, followed by murmurs of “Who’s that?,” “I saw him earlier,” and “That’s the newbie mage.”

“What’s more, we have no interest in joining other parties,” Lystie continued. “We’re doing just fine on our own.”

“I see… Honestly, that’s a real shame, but if you ever need help, feel free to come to me for advice.”

“No, thank you. We already have someone for that, too.”

“What…?! You went to someone other than me for advice?!”

The speaker was a swordsman with blond hair. Out of everyone who had approached, he seemed the most self-assured, but now he looked shocked. Then he noticed me and scoffed for some reason.

“Hah! You look upon Brandt Schwaig, the strongest adventurer in all of Fortune. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone as reliable as I! Hear this: You will ask for my help sometime in the near future!”

“Uh…sure.”

Unfazed by Lystie’s tepid reply, Brandt swept out of the guild. He was followed by an excessively muscular old man and a woman in a Maid uniform who were likely his party members.

“Lystie and Platinum tend to draw all the attention, so let’s sneakily make our exit,” Nanase whispered to me, tiptoeing to reach my ear.

Man, her sense of personal space is as close as ever.

“Ugh, what I wouldn’t give to have a quiet girl like her whisper in my ear!”

“I hear she makes potions and stuff. Her smarts are just one more thing to love about her.”

Although Nanase thought she didn’t draw any attention, it turned out she had an appeal that spoke to a different bracket of fans.

After leaving the guild, I joined Lystie’s group for a meal. Being the City of Pleasure, Fortune had restaurants ranging from super high-end to ridiculously cheap. The place that Lystie chose was the tavern run by the inn where she was staying, because it was already open despite still being light out.

We ordered a meat dish the proprietress recommended, and our drinks arrived while we waited for it to arrive. Everyone had gone with apple ale, which turned out to be pretty much juice. This country had no law limiting what age someone had to be to drink, but some establishments refused to serve alcohol to underage customers.

I had no idea how well Lystie’s group could hold their liquor but figured they should be fine with something this weak. At least, that’s what I hoped.

“First, a toast to thank Might for his help and to celebrate our success! Cheers!”

“Cheers!” the rest of us echoed Lystie.

After knocking my wooden mug against the others’, I tried a sip. “Ahh… This is actually pretty good.”

“Isn’t it?” Lystie agreed. “I had it for the first time when I arrived in Fortune. I love drinking it after finishing a job.”

“It’s one of the perks of being an adventurer!” remarked Platinum.

“Did you know that making alcohol is similar to making potions?” Nanase said. “I tried it once and had a terrible time when I drank it myself, though.”

“Did you try the potion you threw at the hobgoblin earlier on yourself, too?” I asked.

“My level as an Apothecary is still low, so even I don’t know what effects my potions have sometimes. But don’t worry—I can at least tell when something is too dangerous to put in my mouth.”

“You didn’t really have to test that potion that makes you hungry on yourself, though, did you? Not with how little we’ve had to eat recently,” Lystie commented.

“We got really unlucky on that request,” said Platinum. “The cat we were hired to find ended up coming home by itself, so they didn’t pay out the reward… If we’d gotten just one silver, we could have bought something other than that rock-hard bread.”

Without completing requests, successfully finding things, or killing monsters, adventurers had no source of income. This was especially true in a city as large as Fortune, where it was tough for beginners to secure regular jobs that would pay out.

“That rock bread actually had flavor once you chewed it enough. I didn’t hate it.”

“Did you hear that, Mr. Might? Ms. Lystie is so pretty and seems so highborn, but she scrimps and saves like it’s her life motto.”

“Wha—? Highborn? Me? Of course not. I’m simply a run-of-the-mill adventurer who wanders the land.”

“Indeed, Lystie is telling the truth. And I’m just Platinum the Silver Flash.”

“I don’t think bringing up your alias there helps make your point, but never mind. So, Lystie, Platinum, you two knew each other from before and came to this city together?”

“You can say that. And Nanase came to Fortune in search of work and registered with the guild on the same day we did.”

“I was looking to join a party, so I approached them. Ms. Lystie had a fancy sword, and Ms. Platinum had a shield, so I thought they seemed strong. I’m level 2 and they’re both level 3. What about you, Mr. Might?”

“As I told Lystie before, I’m level 1.”

“…What?”

Nanase froze in shock, so I showed her my white card. When she saw the field that read Level 1, she blinked a few times. “Are all Sages just really powerful even at level 1?”

“I have a feeling that Might’s a special case,” Lystie replied. “Speaking of, since you’re a Sage, can you use other spells, too?”

“I don’t know if it’s because I’m only level 1 or because I’m different, but you know the key I used to open the treasure chest earlier? I made that with magic.”

“Would that be the Unlock spell, then? I’ve heard of it being used in parties that don’t have someone with a vocation that can open locks.”

To my knowledge, only high-level mages could use that spell. I wondered if my history of once being a Thief had something to do with my ability to create keys out of mana even at level 1.

“By the way,” Platinum continued, “I’m eighteen, Lystie is fifteen, and Nanase is fourteen. How old are you, Sir Might?”

“I’m…fifteen, apparently.”

“Well, there’s no way to lie on your white card,” Lystie said. “Might… You really are the same age as me, aren’t you?”

“So you’re older than me by a year,” Nanase commented. “I’ve been calling you ‘Mr. Might,’ but it seems like it fits.”

I was pretty sure Lystie had called me “Mr. Might,” too, when I opened the chest, but that was likely because she’d been surprised by the contents. Normally, she just called me “Might” without any title or honorific.

“It’s really good motivation having someone as strong as you around our age,” Lystie said. “I’m sure we’ll see you around town in the future, so I hope you’ll stop and have a chat with us.”

“Of course. It would be my pleasure.”

I was already planning on staying in Fortune for a while, so there was nothing better than having people I knew here.

Our food arrived while we were still chatting. Slabs of meat sizzled tantalizingly on hot metal plates. One glance was all it took to discern that the chef here was a master.

“Is this really okay?” Nanase seemed to ask herself. “It’s so luxurious that if I actually eat this meat, I’ll turn into a contented puddle and be of no use to anyone anymore.”

“As long as you carry out your role when we need you to, feel free to indulge yourself now,” Lystie replied.

“Eating properly is also an important part of preparing yourself,” Platinum advised. “There’s no telling when we’ll get another official job.”

“Very true,” I said. “And hey, if you find something good, let me know.”

I cut into my meal and took a bite of meat for the first time in a long while. Being an elf, Sheska didn’t eat meat, and we’d always eaten together as a party whenever we found a place that served delicious vegetarian food.

Remembering her also reminded me of Falina and Enju. I wondered where they were at the moment and what they were doing. When I looked at the three girls in front of me, I just couldn’t help thinking about my old party.

Part 2: Commotion at Night

After sunset, the tavern started to fill up and grew quite rowdy. At our table was Lystie, who was clearly highborn, Platinum, stalwart and sincere, and Nanase, the intelligent herbalist. It seemed logical, therefore, to assume that this wasn’t a table that would contribute much to the noise and clamor of the establishment.

“…So the man said he’d introduce me to a job. I thought it would be as an adventurer, but then I got handed this beautiful dress. I came here to be an adventurer, though, not to wear pretty outfits, so I turned it d—Hey, are you listening?”

“O-of course I am. Good on you, Lystie. I think you made the right call.”

“Well, I think so, too! The pay was much more generous than normal adventuring jobs, but an adventurer has to earn their living from adventuring!”

For a while now, I’d been forced to sit through stories of the rocky first days that Lystie’s group had experienced in Fortune. The more Lystie drank, the more she started rambling—but I was a practiced hand at dealing with girls in this state. It was simple: I listened and made noises to show that I was paying attention every once in a while. That was it.

“Thing is, the person who offered us that job wasn’t even looking at me. If the other two wanted to do it, I was willing to do it, too. We pro—hic—promised that we would share all the ups and downs together, after all.”

“I—I see. That must have been tough.”

True to its reputation as the City of Pleasure, Fortune had establishments offering all sorts of different forms of entertainment. Although it attracted its fair share of visitors from out of town, many residents also went to the nightlife area when the sun went down, hoping to wash away their troubles. The guys at the tables near ours were also getting worked up, raring to head out to the pleasure district.

“Tch, look at that guy, showing off the fact that he’s with three girls. Sure, I’m jealous, but it feels like he’s just rubbing our faces in it.”

“Lystie and Platinum are practically idols among the younger adventurers… How dare that youngster look so laid-back?!”

“We’re older by a generation, but Platinum has this dignified aura that makes us want to call her ‘Lady Platinum.’ Especially, y’know…”

“Sh-shut up, man! We all admire her, but keep it to yourself!”

The men were raising a bit of a ruckus, but I had to admit I understood how they felt. Having changed out of her armor into casual wear, Platinum was so alluring that many of the men found themselves speechless.

Maybe it’s the alcohol, but she looks really sexy… I’m a Sage, but even I’m having a hard time concentrating.

“Hm? Might, you haven’t taken a sip for quite a while. Do you not like sweet liquor?”

“Ah! Platinum, don’t move so suddenly. You’re going to spill your drink.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not drunk. I don’t let myself get like that.”

“Your face is clearly flushed, though… Are you not used to alcohol? Do you all actually rarely drink?”

The girls exchanged looks. Apparently, they thought they’d managed to trick me.

“W-we do!” Lystie insisted. “We’re adults, so we partake every day. It’s of no account.”

“Excuse me!” I called out. “Can we get some water over here?”

“Sure thing, mister—Oh, you’re still a boy. Did you just party up with these girls?”

“No, we just kind of crossed paths. I was helping them out with something.”

The bandanna-clad waitress studied us with interest, but she quickly noticed the red faces and hurried off to bring us some water.

“…What? Why’re all of you staring at me?”

“No reason,” Lystie replied evasively.

“We don’t go drinking with anyone we just randomly cross paths with,” Nanase said pointedly.

“Like they said,” Platinum agreed. “We have to be able to trust someone to drink with them. Someone like you, Might.”

“Th-that makes me sound like I’m harmless. I mean, I am harmless, but still.”

Meanwhile, the male adventurers around us writhed in anguish.

“That bastard… Saying that like he can be more than harmless anytime he wants!”

“Dammit! If only I was a laid-back teenager like him!”

“Hey! I liked her first!”

I felt a bit bad for them but didn’t know how I felt about being called a “laid-back teenager.” Handling these three was more work than that…though it’d probably be rude to say that out loud.

In the end, what I’d feared came to pass. I guess I was partly at fault, though, for letting the girls order more after I got them water.

“…Mnh… I won’t lose…to a slime…”

Platinum, who’d seemed like she could hold her liquor best, was completely down for the count. She had actually started falling asleep with her head on the table, which meant I had to help carry her up to her room.

“You have a magic vocation, but you’re so strong,” Lystie mumbled. “You make it look so easy carrying Platinum.”

“Uh, I’ve spent a lot of time training… I can handle this no sweat.”

“Um, Mr. Might, don’t get angry with me asking this…but why are you carrying Platinum like you’re kidnapping her?”

“I-is that really what it looks like? I thought this way made the most sense.”

It would be weird to carry her in my arms like a newlywed, and piggybacking her wasn’t a good idea for all sorts of reasons, so carrying her over my shoulder like a sack was pretty much the only option left. That said, it was true that my habits as a Thief were showing a little. Memories of escaping dungeons with a treasure chest on my shoulder as Enju kept pursuers at bay with her sorcery flashed across my mind. It really took me back.

“So, which room is it?”

We had left the tavern area and gone up the stairs, and we were now on the second floor. It wasn’t uncommon for people to stay long-term at an inn, so they were more like housing complexes in some ways.

“These three are ours, but—”

Before Lystie could finish her sentence, we all noticed something was off. The three doors that she was gesturing toward were wide open.

There was only one kind of person who would enter an adventurer’s room without permission while they weren’t there.

“W-we’ve been robbed! Someone stole our stuff!” Nanase cried.

It seemed likely that someone had targeted the girls after hearing how much they’d earned today.

“Sorry, you two! Take care of Platinum!”

“Might…?!”

I lowered Platinum to the ground and raced into the third room. I saw a figure on the veranda outside through the open window, but the burglar quickly jumped off. I tried to give chase, but my target used a Thief skill, and in no time at all, they were fading into the night.

However, I had a way not to lose someone no matter how dark it was. Simply put, I made sure to not fall too far behind. In this case, the person I was chasing was quite fast, but only for the First Town. I doggedly stayed on their trail, taking advantage of blind spots where available and always keeping my target in sight. When I focused, they also seemed to move in slow motion, so it was all a piece of cake.

Eventually, the burglar led me outside the city walls. Taking advantage of a spot where the guards weren’t watching, the two of us slipped through into the forest beyond. After continuing for a little while, my target entered a small hut.

Light spilled out from the cracks around the door. Traps had been set up all around the house, but I had a wealth of experience setting up similar ones. Not only were they ineffective against me, I even had the ability to tinker with them a little.

“Damn, adventurers sure are easy pickings!” said a man inside the hut.

When I pressed my ear to a ventilation hole in the wall, I could hear the voices even clearer.

“They were loaded, just like I told you, right?”

“That Lystie girl’s sword is clearly worth a small fortune.”

“The armor of that woman who said she was a Paladin is top quality, too. Oh, you grabbed it? Nice!”

“Looked like they just came back from a job. Their stuff was all over the place.”

I heard a dull thud—probably the sound of Platinum’s stolen armor being taken out of a leather sack.

“Tomorrow, a smuggler pretending to be a merchant is gonna come pick all this up. We have to sell it somewhere else, or we’re gonna get caught.”

“What’s in that chest? Looks pretty well made.”

“Huh. I think it belonged to that Lystie girl.”

“Give it here… Dammit, it’s locked. Anyone got a lockpick?”

“This could be real interesting depending on what’s inside.”

This seems like a good place to stop them.

I extended my hand toward a small window, then flicked a coin toward the lantern illuminating the room.

“Wh-what happened?!”

“We’re under attack! Dammit, are the city guards on to us?!”

“You’d prefer that?”

After the room was plunged into darkness, I slipped in, circled around behind the man who seemed to be the ringleader, and gave him a hand chop to the neck.

“Where did you—? The door to the hut’s locked!”

“I could have kicked the door in, but instead I just unlocked it.”

“You’re a Thief, too?!”

“Fine by me! Bring it on! You’re gonna pay for this!”

I could have just as easily knocked out the men without them being any the wiser, but I chose not to. There was something that I needed to do to ensure that Lystie’s group would never be targeted by burglars again.

Part 3: The Thieves Guild

There were three burglars in all. Although the room was nearly pitch-black, it was still possible to coordinate with the help of Night Vision. The tallest one apparently did have this skill and had been given some sort of sign from the one I’d attacked first.

“You two, hold your breath!” the leader said.

Smoke Bomb, which Thieves often used when escaping, didn’t just create smoke to obscure a person’s vision but was also mixed with irritants to hinder their movements.

“Let’s get outta here!”

“Y-yessir!”

“Dammit! We’ll remember this!”

Thinking that their smoke bomb had done the trick, the burglars all rushed out of the hut.

“Wait!”

One of the men threw a flying weapon at me in response to my shout, but I dodged it in the smoke. Although I wasn’t hurt, I ran out of the hut holding my shoulder. At a speed that the burglars could perceive, of course.

“Heh-heh. For someone who sneaked in all by his lonesome like some big shot, you sure ain’t much!”

“Try keeping up with us if you can!”

“This way, idi—aaaaah!”

The man trying to provoke me tripped on one of the traps and got strung up in a tree. When I came through here earlier, I had repositioned a few of the traps. Clearly, it had paid off.

“Hyaaaah!”

“Whaaaaa?!”

It wasn’t long before all the burglars were caught. The first one stared at his companions in a daze, as both were tied up by their legs and hanging upside down.

“If they find it, this kind of trap is easy for your enemy to turn against you. Provoking me and trying to lead me into it wasn’t a bad plan, but you didn’t think things through.”

“Y-you bastard… Let us down, damn you!”

“With skills like this, you must be a Thief, too, right?!”

“B-boss, do you think Lady Mabel caught on to what we were doing?”

Mabel. I recognized that name. I couldn’t forget it, even if I wanted to. She was the head of the Thieves Guild and, most importantly, the woman who had raised me.

“Don’t speak her name, idiot! If she hears about this, we’re all—”

“W-we’re done for…! We’re dead meat for sure!”

“I’ll let things slide if you just return what you stole. I’m actually glad you mentioned Mabel. That lets me know she’s not involved with your little operation here.”

“…Huh?” all three men said simultaneously, a glimmer of light returning to the men’s hopeless expressions.

Naturally, I also had to take measures to ensure that they wouldn’t do the same thing again.

“The next time you rob a place, you won’t get off so easily. I plan on staying in this city for a while, so I’ll know.”

“Y-you’re sure? You’re really just letting us go?”

“I’m not letting you go. From now on, know that I might be watching anytime, anywhere. You are to return everything you stole tonight before sunup. Understand?”

“W-within the night? But what if we get caught? Even if we do it quietly, we’ll all be caught—”

“Shut up! Stop pissing him off! If we don’t do it, he’s gonna kill us!”

Apparently, the men had perceived my threat to be more serious than I’d meant it to be. It made for a good deterrent, though, so I decided not to correct them.

“One more thing: I have a question for you.”

The three men gulped in terror and gave me their undivided attention. I knew that what I wanted to know wasn’t information that they would part with easily, but the situation made the process much easier than it would normally be.

The Thieves Guild moved around on a regular basis. Currently, it was located in the sewer system beneath an abandoned development area within the city walls, with one of the countless wells in the city serving as its entrance. There were guards posted there, but I managed to slip in when they changed.

I descended with the well bucket’s rope and found a locked door at the bottom. Without a proper key, it would take a normal Thief quite some time to pick this lock, but it was nothing against my magic key. Once I was in the sewer system, the rest was easy. Every so often, there was an area that was lit up and people who were sleeping in beds, but I slipped past everything by staying in the dark.

I reached my destination without being noticed by a single soul. Naturally, the door was locked, with a sign hanging outside it that read IN.

I remember this lock also being unpickable, but now… Forget “locksmith,” I’m pretty much a “locksmage.”

I slipped in my magic key and opened the door without making a sound. The first thing I noticed was how different the air was inside the room compared to outside. The abandoned sewer tunnels didn’t smell like mildew, but the guildmaster’s room was filled with a sweet fragrance. As well as belonging to the guildmaster, it was clear this room’s occupant was a woman. I recalled Mabel’s hobby of collecting expensive perfumes and the habit she had of taking a bath every day when water was available.

That must be what this smell is… Hm?

“Ahh… I’m so glad I got that magic tool that boils water. It’s such a pain going to bathhouses on the surface, my profession being what it is.”

The speaker was talking to herself. Before I could react, she appeared, nonchalantly drying her hair with a towel. It was unavoidable, though, as the room had been locked and no one else was supposed to be in here.

“—An intruder…!”

“No, wait!”

Without skipping a beat, Mabel grabbed one of the daggers she always kept close at hand and rushed toward me. However, her swing missed. Being able to use Seize Weapon would have been amazing here, but I no longer had that skill. The only option left was to grapple, but I didn’t want to use force against her. We’d be able to talk as soon as she recognized me.

“Stop…resisting!”

Mabel whirled around and, in the same motion, threw the towel covering her body at me, obscuring my vision. At the same time, she sent a roundhouse kick in my direction. It was a merciless series of attacks, but instead of evading, I blocked her kick with my arm.

“Mabel, it’s me! Crow!”

“…?!”

I knew it would be hard to convince her of my identity with my current appearance even if I used my code name from my time with the Thieves Guild. Still, it was worth a shot.

“You… How do you—? Why do you look like that?”

“One thing led to another, and I kind of turned young again. Though I know that’s hard to believe.”

“…Nah. I can tell by your eyes. After all, you are my little brother.”

Mabel had stopped attacking and simply stood there, staring at me, so I thrust her towel back at her. She accepted it and covered herself.

“That said, I don’t remember raising you to be the kind of man who’d enter a guildmaster’s room without permission.”

“Sorry,” I replied. “It’s just, you know, I left once, so I figured this was the only way I could talk to you again.”

“Haaah. I do actually have a few choice words for you, but when you come back as a kid, being mad at you gets pushed all the way down the list of priorities.”

As Mabel rewrapped the towel around herself, I looked away. Somehow, I could tell that she was laughing.

“So, what’s with the mage getup? You did say you wanted to become a mage one day, though, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. This might surprise you, but I’m no longer a Thief. I’m a Sage now.”

“…Huh?”

There was no way to change the vocation that one was born with, so what I was saying went against all common sense. Mabel’s reaction was completely understandable. To change one’s vocation required a miracle, and for that, you needed the aid of a goddess.

It didn’t take long for her to connect the dots.

“Don’t tell me… You actually fulfilled the prophecy and defeated the Demonic Dragon?”

“Yep. It’s been, what, ten years since I left this place? I see you’ve taken over from the old man and become guildmaster.”

“It’s been exactly ten years. I’m sure I remember that day better than you do.”

I had reverted to how I’d looked when I left the guild, whereas Mabel—a girl I used to call “Big Sister”—was a full-grown woman.

“Clearly, you’re not here because you want to return to the guild. I suppose I can hear you out…but I’ll go throw on some clothes first. You wait there.”

“Sorry for sneaking in at a time like this.”

“…You’re supposed to look more like an adult now, but you’re exactly like how I remember you. I’m a lot more surprised than angry, to be honest. Did you find a drug that restores your youth? Don’t worry—I’m joking. That’s not what it was, was it?”

As Mabel ducked into a side room to get changed, I breathed a sigh of relief that she was open to talking things through. In light of what had happened when I left, I was prepared to be chased out without being allowed to get a word in edgewise. After all, despite all the expectations that I had been shouldering, I had abandoned the Thieves Guild to become an adventurer.

There was a lot of catching up to do, but the first topic had to be those men who’d been breaking the Thieves Guild’s rules and what could be done to prevent more like them. I couldn’t have Lystie’s group targeted again. She and Platinum, at least, were hiding their real identities, so I wanted to do what I could to eliminate the possibility of them being identified by their possessions.

Part 4: Reunion and the End of the First Day

Mabel emerged from the side room wearing soft leather armor and leggings. Without her shoulder pads, she wasn’t fully armed, but otherwise she looked every bit the part of a guildmaster.

“Hm? Ah, don’t worry about it. This outfit just helps me get in the right mindset for serious talks.”

“Sorry for showing up out of the blue at such a late hour.”

“Did something urgent happen? What, did you get into a tussle with one of my guys?”

“I don’t know if I’d call it that. Some acquaintances of mine got hit. I’ve already caught those responsible and made them return what they stole, but I wanted to talk about how this sort of thing can be prevented in the future.”

Before I’d finished, Mabel had figured out what had happened. She sighed, a fist propping up her cheek.

“In this line of work, there’s really no stamping out that sorta thing…but I suppose I can’t just write it off. Who was it that sullied the name of our guild? I’ll purge them.”

“I mean, you don’t have to go that far… It’s just that being a Thief has its advantages, too, right? So I was hoping they could use their talents to make a living in other ways. If they ever target my acquaintances again, I’ll really rake them over the coals.”

“Hm. Are you sweet on these ‘acquaintances’ of yours?”

“Am I sweet on them…?—Ohhh. No, that’s not it at all. I’ve only just met them, really.”

“You sure? …I’ll probably get word about you being back in a few days or so. That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if the old-timers at the guild don’t recognize you. Not when you look like that.”

“Are Gazelle and Elk still around?”

“Both of them joined upper management three years ago. They’re currently away from Fortune, carrying out an espionage mission. I can’t go into any details, though.”

There were times when external clients requested that an executive-level member do a job personally. Most of the time, these requests came from people in positions of power.

“The look on your face tells me you want to know. Though of course you would, since you practically grew up with them.”

“Don’t worry. I know better than to stick my nose into things.”

“Honestly, I’m all for it if you want to help. You said you’re no longer a Thief, but you still managed to get in here. That’s solid proof that you once mastered your vocation.”

“I don’t know if I mastered it, but it’s true that I had reached its limits.”

“By that, are you talking about the limits of Thief as a vocation? I sure hope I can say the same one day. My level still goes up when I complete difficult missions, despite my age.”

Mabel looked a little embarrassed, even though there was nothing embarrassing about leveling up and she was still far too young to hit the limits of her vocation.

“Before you turned into a Sage… Ah, I guess that would count as probing. From how you were moving just now, in your current state, you’re stronger than I am. How can your physical ability be higher than a Thief’s when you hold a magic-based vocation? That’s just cheating.”

“It turned out I got to keep some things when I changed vocations. I didn’t know that either beforehand. If all of my abilities had really been reverted to level 1, I wouldn’t have made it here to meet you.”

“Oh, no doubt you’d have been caught by one of our lookouts. Speaking of, how’d you open the door to my room? The lock on it is particularly troublesome.”

“I didn’t break it, if that’s what you’re asking. When I became a Sage, I gained the ability to open things with magic.”

“Interesting. I’d always had the impression that Sages could do a lot of different things with magic. Can you shoot fire or ice, or heal people?”

“There’s been no sign of anything like that so far.” I jabbed a thumb toward myself with a grin. “But unlike before, I now have mana.”

“Right…” Mabel’s face clouded over. “Sorry. I’d totally forgotten how much it bothered you that you didn’t have mana. Even I find it annoying how thoughtless I am sometimes.”

“That’s not true. I’m thankful we can even talk like this. After all, I did get expelled before.”

“That was almost entirely a heat-of-the-moment thing. Though I guess I don’t get to say that, being the guildmaster.”

The woman I considered my big sister stood up and approached me—then gently put a hand against my cheek.

“Um…Mabel?”

“I didn’t think you’d ever come back. You could have easily died on your travels, but you never gave up, did you?”

“I was blessed to have such good companions. If I had been alone, I’m sure I would’ve gotten held up somewhere and never managed to take another step.”

“Have you split up with your party?”

“We didn’t technically split up…but yeah, pretty much.”

We had achieved our shared goal of defeating the Demonic Dragon, and everyone had their own things to attend to. We would probably never party up again. I knew that in my head, but it had yet to truly sink in.

“As long as you’re all alive, you can always meet them again. Going back to what we were talking about before, I’ll make sure to tighten things up around here. We’ll all suffer if the city guards catch on to us and make a move.”

“Thanks. And let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. It’s the least I can do.”

“Well, now that I know a Sage, I have to make the most of it, don’t I? It would be such an honor to have an oh-so-mighty Sage working for the Thieves Guild.”

Chuckling a little, Mabel stepped back. With that, my business here was finished. However, there was one last thing that I had to address.

I’m…seeing a lock again. It wasn’t there before, right?

“What? Are you angry with me?” Mabel asked. “Why’re you staring at me so intently?”

“Oh, no, um… It’s nothing. There’s still stuff that I’m getting used to as a Sage.”

“If you say so… Oh, hey. If you want to learn magic, how about reading some books? This might be the City of Pleasure, but we still have a few places that sell grimoires. Though I know the Mages Guild officially frowns on them.”

“Good idea—I’d forgotten about grimoires. Thanks, Mabel.”

“…Might, I know you don’t look it anymore, but you’re still an adult, so—Well, I guess I shouldn’t worry about that. How I see you will never change.”

Just as I was about to jokingly ask if that meant I hadn’t grown as a person, the lock floating before Mabel’s chest turned into particles of light that dissipated. I hadn’t created a key with magic and unlocked it—which meant some sort of condition must have been met.

“I’ll let the guys on the surface know. Next time, just pass a message to them and it’ll reach me.”

“R-right, thanks. I’ll do that.”

“I don’t mind you coming at night…but situations like this could very well happen again. So be careful. I’ll forgive you only this once.”

Mabel opened another door, not the one I’d used to enter.

“One last thing. You might’ve been there since you came back, but there’s a back-alley shop we’ve been financing. If you wanna pay a visit and have some fun, I’ll make sure you get special treatment.”

I imagined it was probably similar to the kind of establishment that had tried to employ Lystie. A part of me was curious what kind of place it was, but I doubted it was somewhere people just poked their nose into as they walked past, so I filed it away as a “when the opportunity arises” kind of thing.

I stepped back out into the underground sewer system. After walking for a while, I came to a place where I could climb back up to the surface. Someone who wasn’t a Thief probably couldn’t take advantage of it, but my fingers found their way with certainty, and I was up and away in the blink of an eye.

When I returned to Lystie’s room at the inn, I found her sitting in front of the door, clutching her sword, keeping a lookout—or at least, trying to.

“Lystie.”

“Hm…mm…? Zzz…zzz…”

She responded when I called her name but was losing the fight against the sweet embrace of sleep. I felt bad, but I called out once more.

“Did you get back everything that was stolen?”

“…The ring… It’s important…Platinum… Thank you…”

“I see. I’m glad to hear it. You’ll catch a cold sleeping out here, you know.”

“…”

No more answers were forthcoming. She was probably really tired, and alcohol had a way of making people who didn’t drink often drowsy. I couldn’t just leave her here, but just as I was racking my brain over what to do, the door opened and Platinum stepped out.

“…Lystie’s…asleep? I can’t believe I let alcohol get to me. How mortifying.”

“A lot’s happened since then, but for now, the problem’s been resolved. Can I carry Lystie to her bed?”

“Uh…sure.”

As Lystie had fallen asleep sitting up, the easiest way to carry her was to hold her in my arms. Also, I didn’t want to be called a kidnapper again for treating her the same way I had Platinum.

Nanase was already in bed, her quiet breathing indicating that she was asleep. I did my best not to look around too much while putting Lystie down according to Platinum’s instructions, then left the room.

“…You’re leaving already?”

“Yeah. It’s late, after all. I’ll try to find a place that can give me a room without needing a reservation.”

“What will you do if you can’t find any, though? We can’t just leave someone who did so much for us on the streets…”

“Don’t worry—I’ll manage. See you around, then.”

After saying goodbye, I descended the staircase but turned around when I heard the sound of footsteps. Platinum was standing there looking at me.

“Thank you. I promise we’ll repay this favor one day.”

I waved it off, telling her not to worry about it, then stepped out into the street. There were still lights on in places as I started wandering around, searching for an inn that accepted walk-ins at this late hour.

Part 5: Locks and Bonds

After meeting Might, Mabel hadn’t been able to sleep. She let out yet another sigh.

“Haaah…”

The current Might looked exactly how he had when he left the Thieves Guild to become an adventurer long ago. He said that he’d defeated the Demonic Dragon, but the reality of that still hadn’t sunk in for Mabel. Very few people in this area had even applied when the kingdom proclaimed that it was recruiting adventurers to fight the Demonic Dragon.

“If it’s true, word would have spread all the way here. If you had actually killed the dragon, Might, it would make you…”

A hero who saved the world. For someone like him to return to level 1, something truly monumental must have taken place. The changing of one’s vocation was a miracle that only a goddess could bestow, yet there was no doubt that was what had happened. Might now had mana, when he never had before. It made sense to think that a goddess had given him her favor as a reward for killing the Demonic Dragon.

“But there’s no way you’re level 1. You truly are a hero…,” Mabel murmured, her chest tight with an emotion that she could never share with anyone.

She had touched Might’s cheek because seeing that old face of his had left her wanting to tease him a little. However, because of that—or maybe for some other reason—Mabel felt that something in her had changed during her conversation with him.

“I had no intention of forgiving you. How’d you manage to disarm me so easily?”

The emotions that Mabel had shut away when Might left the Thieves Guild were rushing through her. Instinctively, she raised a hand to her chest and tried to calm her breathing.

A voice sounded outside the door. “Guildmaster, three of our guys say they have something to report to you.”

“R-right. What is it? Tell me from out there,” Mabel replied, adopting a stern voice. She couldn’t very well let her subordinates see her now, when thoughts of Might were flooding through her mind.

“They say that they robbed a place, and though they didn’t get caught by the city guards, they still want to apologize to you. How do you want to handle this? Should we throw them in the disciplinary cells for a while?”

“Ah, yes, I’m already aware of this matter. I doubt they’ll do it again, so just tell them to report back to their direct superior and do what they say.”

“U-understood. I should’ve known you’d already got word, Guildmaster. Even though this only just happened.”

“Stop brownnosing. If there’s nothing else, you may leave.”

The subordinate’s footsteps faded into the distance, and Mabel made sure she was alone again before peering into a small mirror on her table.

“…What sort of a face is that, Mabel?” she asked herself.

Even though Might was no longer here, she still felt flushed, and her cheeks were red. Trying to avoid thinking about what emotions Calm Mind didn’t work on, she threw herself into doing paperwork for the rest of her sleepless night.

The next day, I headed to the Novices Guild and made a beeline for the bulletin board. As I’d thought, there were no parties recruiting a level-1 adventurer. As for jobs, most required a party to accept, and the ones that could be taken on alone gave paltry rewards. Killing random monsters or searching for grimoires would be a much better use of my time.

“Hey there. Looks like we meet again. Did you not end up joining those girls’ party?”

“Oh, good morning. Pretty much, yeah.”

“You’re a better man than most. You and me will get along just fine, kiddo.”

I was being addressed by a middle-aged adventurer whose name was Gotts, if I remembered right. He had been drinking yesterday, but apparently today was a workday.

I got the feeling he thought I was just putting on a brave face, but I couldn’t be bothered to explain everything that had happened. And the fact was I hadn’t joined Lystie’s party.

Last night, the first inn I’d found that I hadn’t needed a reservation for was in a neighborhood that was too noisy for sleep. The second was quieter, and although it only cost five silver coins, the beds were as hard as you’d expect for that price. I didn’t mind it much, though, because I could sleep with my cloak as a sleeping bag.

I recalled Lystie’s inn having a tavern on the first floor, which meant it was probably also quite noisy there late into the night. I wondered if they’d simply gotten used to it. Once they managed to make a steady income, they could change inns if they wanted to. They should be able to take care of themselves so long as they avoided accepting any jobs that were beyond their abilities.

I made my way to the counter of the guild, hoping to ask if there were any monsters that had bounties. As it turned out, I was greeted by the same receptionist as yesterday.

She smiled at me. “Good morning, Mr. Might. Well done yesterday. It was quite the achievement for your first day.”

“All I did was help Lystie and her party. I was basically just passing by.”

“As you said yesterday. However, they have been waiting for you since morning.”

“…What?”

I hadn’t really been paying attention to my surroundings. When I had been a Thief, I’d had a skill that I could keep activated the whole time that widened my range of vision, but that was no longer the case.

When I turned around, I spotted the three girls in front of the bulletin board. Of the trio, only Nanase was facing my direction, but when she saw me looking over, she turned back to the board, flustered.

“I will be here to process any request you want, at any time. Please feel free to go and talk to them first.”

The receptionist smiled as if she already knew what was going to happen next. I couldn’t pretend not to see Lystie’s group any longer—as they were clearly doing to me.

As I drew near, I heard Lystie say, “How about this request? It says that it’s looking for people to kill plantlike monsters appearing on a farm.”

“Hmm… It also says that a large group is recommended, because it’s a pretty big area,” Platinum pointed out.

“A-apparently it’s best suited for a group of…four or more.” Nanase said. “Even if we go looking for someone to join us now, who knows whether we’ll find anyone?”

“…I’m pretty sure you’d get a whole swarm right away if you asked.”

All three girls whirled toward me, looking surprised. Some would call this whole thing a farce, but I appreciated it, knowing that they were doing it for my sake.

“Uh… G-good morning, Might. Yesterday was, well… I’m not sure how to describe it…”

“You have done us a great service. My behavior was certainly not befitting of a Paladin…”

Apparently, Lystie and Platinum both at least faintly remembered last night. Their embarrassment somehow made me feel a little embarrassed, too.

“Um, I know it’s presumptuous to ask you for help again after everything you did for us yesterday, but…”

“Say no more. I was also in a tough spot, because I can’t really take on any jobs by myself. If you happen to be in need of one more person, would you consider taking me along?”

The eyes of all three girls shone. I felt many nearby adventurers staring daggers into me, but I figured that when you were getting involved with a party of girls with near-idol popularity, it was better to be somewhat brazen about it.

“A-are you sure?”

“Yeah. When I look at the three of you, I just want to help. Though I guess that doesn’t mean much coming from a level 1.”

“I-indeed. You may be strong, but you’re still level 1. It falls to me to protect you!”

“I would love it if I could show you the effects of the potion I made with the slime we picked up yesterday, Mr. Might!”

“…If you two make such a fuss, it’ll look like we’ve been waiting for him!”

The receptionist had already told me that they were, but not saying it out loud was an act of mercy. Honestly, though, there was an unconscious part of me that was growing hesitant about joining a new party. I wondered what Falina and the others would think if they saw me now. Probably say “So this is what you get up to without us around?” and shake their heads at me.

“At the moment, I can’t use any attacking or healing spells. If you don’t think that’ll weigh you down, then I’d be glad to open locks for the party.”

“…If you dance around it like that, we might jump to the wrong conclusion,” Lystie said with a mischievous smile. “You’re going to have to spell it out for us.”

Clearly, Nanase and Platinum were enjoying this, too. It was embarrassing saying this sort of thing out loud, but I suppose that was what it meant to formally join a party.

“Please let me join your party. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“Wonderful. We’d love to have you.”

“I’ll watch your back, Might!”

The moment Lystie and Platinum spoke, a lock appeared in front of their chests and scattered into particles of light.

One lock discovered with “Lock Eye I” has been opened.

“Break Seal I” can now be used on the target with an open lock. Upper limit of Bonds has been removed.

Suddenly, I knew that I had the ability to do something to people whose locks had opened. I also knew the condition I had to fulfill to open someone’s lock.

Lystie gave me a quizzical look. “What’s wrong, Might? Why’re you staring?”

“Oh, sorry. It’s nothing.”

“In any case, we’re now officially party members.” Platinum grinned. “When you said you’d see us around, I thought you meant you were leaving Fortune.”

“Ms. Platinum is such a worrywart. I was sure we’d meet Mr. Might again if we waited at the guild.”

Despite what Nanase was saying, she hadn’t yet accepted me enough for her lock to open. At least, that was how I interpreted what was going on. It was hardly surprising, of course, as we’d only just met yesterday.

“Well, is everyone happy with this job that’s asking for four or more people?” Lystie asked, for confirmation. “We’ll be heading straight there.”

“No objections on my end,” Platinum replied.

“Whoa, Ms. Receptionist is practically beaming at us…,” Nanase mumbled. “That’s kind of embarrassing.”

“There’s no reason to be embarrassed,” I said, following the three girls to the counter. “When adventurers accept a job, they have to do it with their heads held high.”

By this point, the rest of the guild had erupted into pandemonium.

“Th-that bastard! Becoming an official party member right in front of our eyes!”

“No way! Not happening! A teenage boy can’t be left alone with three young girls!”

“They still have more girls than guys, though, so maybe we’ll be able to join, too?”

“H-hey! Don’t even joke about leaving us! I’ll do anything you want!”

I wondered whether it would help if they knew I’d joined as a guardian of sorts for the three girls—but no. Of course it wouldn’t.

That said, rather than feel sorry for all those brokenhearted adventurers, right now, I was overcome with excitement. What sort of adventures would I have with my new party? What could my new skills do? I couldn’t wait to find out!

We left the guild, and, after walking for a little while, Lystie suddenly stopped and turned around to face the rest of us.

“Um… So, since Might is now officially one of us, what does everyone think about marking the occasion by coming up with a name for our party?”

“A name, huh…? I can see Platinum having a talent for that sort of thing.”

“Well, this would be the party that has the Silver Flash, so how about ‘Flash Force’?”

“That’s so embarrassing!” Lystie protested. “Can it be something that’s more relevant to us?”

“The moon was really beautiful last night, so how about putting the word moon in there somewhere?” Nanase suggested.

“Oh, I like that,” Lystie said. “It reminds me of the night we first met.”

“Fine by me,” I agreed. “How about ‘Moon Brigade’? Plain and simple.”

“We’re getting closer, but I feel like we’re not quite there yet.”

“What about just ‘Moonlight,’ then?”

“Oh, I like that,” Nanase said. “I feel like I’ll probably be a bit too self-conscious to use it at the start, though.”

“We don’t really need a party name, do we?”

“We do, to register with the guild.”

“What’s wrong with ‘Demonic Dragon Slaying Party’?”

The memory of brainstorming a party name with Falina, Sheska, and Enju drifted across my mind. In the end, we’d decided on “Holy Sword,” but we weren’t the ones who came up with it.

“‘Moonlight’ is a pretty impressive name. Are you sure we can live up to it?”

“Don’t underestimate us, Might! We’re gonna get a lot stronger from here on out!”

“Indeed, I will also do my best to live up to it. We won’t be reliant on you forever, Might.”

“Here, to celebrate us becoming a full party of four. Where I’m from, people do this with their friends.” Nanase held out a hand, and somehow we all understood that we were supposed to stack our hands on top of hers.

“Here’s to our future as Moonlight!” Lystie called out.

The four of us exchanged glances, smiling bashfully at one another.

I was starting a new adventure with a new party. With these three, I would grow and become an outstanding adventurer again, so I could stand tall when I reunited with Falina, Sheska, and Enju.

Part 6: Off to a Vegetable Field for Our First Quest

After going out through Fortune’s East Gate and going straight for a while, we came to a large river. We crossed the stone bridge over it, then kept on walking until we reached the farming region.

“Are there really monsters in such a peaceful area?” Nanase asked.

“That’s what it says on the request form,” Lystie replied. “According to the map, the farm belonging to the client should be in that general direction.”

“The soil is fertile, and the wind feels great. The vegetables grown here must be delicious.”

The three girls had completely let their guards down. I knew of a few plant monsters that attacked fields, but I wasn’t sure what would pop up in such a low-level area. Sadly, I’d never fought any, so that would be a first for me, too.

“If it’s plants, there’s a possibility they might attack us from below. We should probably start paying more at—”

Just as I was warning the girls, the ground suddenly started shaking.

“…Wh-what’s going on?!”

“Heads up, everyone! Something’s approaching!”

Suddenly, the ground exploded, and vine-like protuberances shot out and grabbed Lystie and Nanase by their feet.

“Ahhhhhh…!!”

“Eeeek…!!”

The two girls were lifted up into the air. Both of them instinctively held down their skirts, but they were in a pretty vulnerable situation.

“L-let go of me, you!”

“I feel my strength being sapped out of me… Uh-oh, this isn’t good. It’s like it’s…absorbing…my life force… Ahhhh…”

“Curses! Why are these vines so tough?! My blade can’t cut through them!”

We have to sever these vines. But since they’re flailing all over, it’s best to go for the base!

A dagger would have been a great help here, but it was hard using a weapon that I didn’t have an affinity for. Strangely enough, a coin was better suited to me, as even Sages could handle them without issue.

Right…there!

I flicked two coins, adding a spin to them. Whereas Platinum’s sword only made it halfway through a vine and got stuck, my coins easily tore through them.

I caught Lystie, and Platinum caught Nanase. I expected more vines to shoot out of the ground, but thankfully, they didn’t attack straightaway.

“Is this the plantlike monster that we’re to fight?” Lystie asked.

“Indeed,” Platinum said with a nod. “But it reminds me of something…”

“Turnip leaves,” Nanase declared. “Right?”

“I see how it is,” I said. “These aren’t plantlike monsters so much as vegetables that have turned into monsters.”

“Th-that’s a thing? Now I’m never going to be able to eat vegetables without thinking about that!”

Lystie looked worried, but the probability of the sorts of vegetables that ended up on people’s plates turning into monsters was slim to none.

“Ah. L-Lystie…”

“Hm?—Ahhh!”

It wasn’t Lystie’s fault, having been the victim of the sneak attack, but her clothes had been torn, and I’d ended up seeing more skin than usual. I averted my eyes as fast as I could, but they coincidentally stopped on Nanase, whose clothes were equally tattered.

“Wh-why did this happen? Are turnips really such a lewd vegetable?”

“I’m pretty sure they aren’t, but you can’t exactly fight monsters like this. You three, I’ll—”

Seeing the disappointment on the girls’ faces, I stopped myself before saying “I’ll take care of everything.” I did want all four of us to gain experience together, but this job was turning out to be unsuitable for female adventurers.

“Oh, no you don’t, Might. I have yet to protect you with my shield!”

“I’m pretty sure you’ll just end up like the two of them.”

“Ngh! I can’t deny it! However, my armor is heavy. It won’t be as easy to pull me into the air!”

“Don’t underestimate the power of the vines just because they came from turnips,” Lystie warned. “If it wasn’t for Might’s coins, there’s no telling what could have happened to us.”

“You know what? I think I can regain the life force these leaves sucked from us if I make a potion out of them.”

“Wha—? No, don’t you dare! At the very least, I refuse to drink it if you do. Use my share for something else.”

A chill ran down my spine as I wondered if Nanase would also force me to drink her experimental potions one day.

Just then, a young woman ran our way, shouting, “Heeey, are you adventurers? Here, this way! We’re the clients!”

We had ended up getting into battle before even officially starting the job, but it was already clear we really needed to get the full story of what was going on here.

The girl led us to her home, where we met her mother, the person who’d posted the request.

“Thank you for coming all this way, adventurers. I am the client for this job, Ally Miller.”

“I’m her daughter, Marino Miller.”

Ally went on to share that their family had worked this land for generations. The previous generation, Marino’s grandparents, were currently traveling the world.

“I’m sorry, my husband’s recovering at the hospital in town.”

“Dad was the first person to get attacked by those monsters. He protected me when those big leaves came up from the ground, and they wrapped themselves around him.”

“It really does only go after girls,” Platinum growled. “What an indecent turnip.”

“So…it really is a turnip?” Marino said. “Ah, what are we going to do?”

“Ms. Ally, if you have any idea what’s causing this, please tell us,” I said. “What made the turnips turn into monsters?”

“Of course. Every year, we hold a ritual to worship the local earth spirit and give thanks for the land’s abundance. However, we’ve…been remiss in our duties lately.”

Earth spirits had the power to make a land bountiful, but when angered, they could also harm humans. Their true form varied, but this time, we were most likely dealing with a dwarf.

“If nothing is done, your other produce might turn into monsters, too,” I warned. “If an earth spirit is the cause, our options are to either kill it or negotiate with it.”

“Um, Mr. Adventurer, the reason the earth spirit is angry… It’s really my and Mom’s fault…”

“Hmm…,” murmured Platinum. “It sounds like there’s a reason you are unable to perform the ritual. Very well, we will do it for you!”

“Will you really?!” Marino grabbed Platinum’s hands, her eyes sparkling—as well as half filled with tears.

“…What exactly does this ritual entail?” I asked.

“One more thing,” Lystie added. “I’m very sorry to ask this of you, but since our clothes have been ruined, do you have any that you can spare? We’re more than happy to pay for them.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that. We’ll prepare everything for you, so all you need to do is help us with the ritual,” Ally said quickly.

Ally and Marino looked at me, and for some reason, a faint blush colored their cheeks. I got the feeling there was something about this ritual that a guy like me had to be mindful about.

“Now, then… Come with me so I can fit you for the costumes used for the ritual. And, uh…”

“My name is Might. I assume you want me to wait here?”

“Y-yes, please. We will have the girls change first…so please give us a moment.”

Lystie, Platinum, and Nanase followed the Millers into another room. Left all alone, I sipped on the tea I’d been given, commenting to myself how good it tasted, while I waited anxiously.

Part 7: The Earth Spirit Altar

It was taking longer than I expected for Lystie’s group to get changed. I had heard what sounded like protests a few times, but it had been silent now for a little while.

“…They’re still not done.”

I gazed out the window but didn’t see any more vegetable monsters. I had a feeling that the mother and daughter pair knew why the earth spirit specifically targeted only females.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting, Mr. Might,” Ally said, appearing from within.

“Ah, you’re finished. How do they look?” I asked.

Ally put a hand to her cheek, looking troubled, so Marino answered instead.

“By their own request, the girls will remain inside the carriage until we get to where the ritual is held.”

“Oh?”

“I’m very sorry, but would you mind sitting with us in the front? We will be driving the carriage.”

“Is there a problem if I see them? Or is that something I’m not supposed to ask?”

“O-o-o—Of course not,” Marino stammered.

“They look wonderful—”

But before Ally could finish, I heard heated voices from inside the room.

“Ah! Ow, it hurts… I have a medical condition that’s acting up, and I can’t move a step! I’ll hold the fort here, so you two go ahead!” came Nanase’s voice.

“C-calm down. I’m equally as uncomfortable wearing something with so little protection!” I heard Platinum say.

“Now hold on, Nanase,” Lystie said. “When we formed our party, we made a promise that the three of us would stick together no matter what. Moonlight is together through thick and thin!”

“It’s not fair to bring that up now!” Nanase cried out. “It makes me sound heartless! Are you saying I don’t have a big enough chest to have a heart?!”

“What are you even talking—? No, Nanase, don’t take it off! Ugh, now I’m feeling embarrassed, too!”

The Millers and I stood in awkward silence.

“…I guess this means you won’t be taking our request?” Ally asked, with tears in her eyes.

Seeing Marino make the same face, I couldn’t bring myself to answer them right away. I stood up and gently knocked on the door to the room the girls were in.

“…Are you all ready?”

“W-wait a minute, Might!” Lystie exclaimed. “Don’t open the door, no matter what. Let’s talk like this.”

“We’re fine; we just want a bit more time to compose ourselves,” Nanase said. “Sorry for causing a commotion. Wait—you could hear us?”

“I…I guess…I don’t mind if it’s you, Might,” Platinum said. “After all, you’re a wise man.”

I didn’t really understand Platinum’s trust in me—I was a Sage, yes, but it wasn’t like I’d achieved enlightenment. Still, I got the feeling it would ruin things if I pointed that out, so I said nothing.

Lystie, Platinum, and Nanase emerged from the room wearing white cloth capes that fully covered their bodies. Seeing how embarrassed they still looked, I couldn’t help but imagine just how extreme their costumes must be.

We all got in the carriage, and after about half an hour, we reached the top of a small hill.

The three of us in the driver’s seat got off first and secured the horses. Lystie’s group was still in the carriage. I still hadn’t caught a glimpse of them.

“See over there?” Ally said, pointing. “That is the altar dedicated to the earth spirit.”

“I see. It looks quite old.”

“Apparently, this land used to be very barren,” Marino explained. “When my grandpa was young, the local lord asked us to cultivate this area, so he worked hard to turn it into farmland.”

The Millers’ silence on the most important topic was so loud that I almost felt it prickling my skin.

“So…what happens in this ritual to celebrate the earth spirit?”

“Um… Mr. Might, please take these.” Ally handed me a piece of parchment and a barrel-like object so large that I had to hold it with both hands.

“A drum…and a score?”

Seeing how Ally was taking out a harp for herself and that Marino had produced a flute, I inferred that we were going to play music together. The score that I had been handed was simple enough that I could pretty much sight-read it.

“So, the ritual is basically music with girls dancing in front of the altar wearing ceremonial garb?”

“Y-yes…”

Ally looked very apologetic—yet despite her demure personality, apparently she also did something daring like this.

“U-um, just so you know, Mom and I don’t like showy clothes like these. It’s just that grandpa told us this is the only outfit that makes the earth spirit happy.”

“Ms. Ally? Marino?” The voice speaking from the carriage made the mother and daughter pair both react in the exact same startled way. “Didn’t you promise earlier to show us how it’s done?”

“Um! W-well…”

“I—I’m so sorry, but we weren’t planning to…”

“Don’t get me wrong—it’s not that I don’t believe you. Just wondering if you were trying to get away with only wearing normal clothes after forcing us into these.”

Lystie’s voice was calm, but her Dignity skill was making the Millers shake in their boots.

“Uh, uhhh…” Ally’s voice shook. “Please don’t judge me for wearing something like this at my age, Mr. Might.”

“Since we’ve come this far…I’ll do my best, too, Mom!”

The mother and daughter were shrewd, but they’d still brought outfits for themselves. They disappeared into the carriage to change.

Just as I was wondering if I had to change, too, a voice spoke from the altar. “They didn’t need to bring the boy, but fine. I’m going to enjoy this.”

I couldn’t see anyone, but I certainly felt someone’s presence. There was no telling whether I would get to meet the earth spirit, but at least it sounded like we were on the right track, so I banished all unnecessary thoughts from my mind and resolved to do my best to complete the mission.

Part 8: The Ritual Dance and Song

I was given a little time to practice, and I managed to get pretty good at my part. At least, I thought I did. Ally’s vocation turned out to be Troubadour, and when she performed using her skills, she had the ability to completely change the atmosphere of the performance. Marino was a Shepherd, which also gave her skills related to playing the flute.

“You two are good enough to make a living performing…”

“I actually used to perform onstage in Fortune when I was young,” Ally replied.

“Dad was a fan of Mom’s. His vocation is Farmer, but he’s amazing. When he holds a hoe, he practically turns into a completely different person.”

“Makes sense that a Farmer would rather thank an earth spirit than fight it.”

That was probably another reason why Mr. Miller had gotten hurt by the vegetable monsters. Farmers actually also had combat skills, and at a high enough level, they could even use farming tools to take on large monsters.

“Normally, I’m just chasing sheep around the paddocks, too,” Marino said. “Vocations are such a mystery. We have such wildly different ones even though we’re family.”

“You mean…how your parents’ skills passed down to you as the vocation Shepherd?”

“That’s right,” Ally answered instead. “My daughter is also talented at the flute, so it makes me happy that we can perform together.”

As we chatted peacefully, I shot a glance toward our carriage. The three girls were supposed to be practicing on the other side, out of sight from where I was, but Lystie’s face was peeking out from behind the carriage, looking our way.

“Um, Ms. Ally? I think we’ve nearly got it down. Can we go over it one more time for you to check?”

“Of course. I’ll be right there.”

As Ally walked over, Marino called out, “Just give us a signal, and we’ll start playing with you. It’s best if we keep time together.”

Ever since getting changed, the Millers had also been wearing white capes covering themselves. I had assumed Lystie, Platinum, and Nanase still were as well, but apparently they’d taken them off to practice the dance.

“…Does not seeing them make you more curious about their costumes?” Marino asked.

“If it’s necessary for the job, I don’t mind whatever it looks like,” I replied. “Though I guess saying that makes it sound like I’m evading the question. So, yes, I am curious.”

“Are you dating any of your party members?”

“Oh, um, no. We actually only met yesterday.”

I was a little taken aback by how forthright Marino was. I’d heard that young girls loved talking about romance, and apparently Marino was no different.

“All three of them seem to really trust you, though.”

“Well, a lot happened yesterday.”

“Oh man, now I’m dying to know. Mr. Might, is this what you always do to attract girls’ interest?”

“Shouldn’t they be giving us the signal about now?”

“Oh! My bad. Let’s pick this up after the ritual.”

At the sound of Ally’s harp, we both started playing, too. Marino looked right at home with her transverse flute, but I was pretty sure I looked extremely awkward with my drum. That said, music was all about getting into the rhythm, and even with just a harp, a flute, and a drum, we didn’t sound half bad.

Hopefully, we’d play just as well during the real thing.

When we finished practicing, Lystie’s group appeared, covered again in their white capes. The cloth only reached their knees, revealing their bare feet.

“Well…shall we get started?”

“…Can’t we just perform like this? Keeping these capes on?” Lystie said, her expression serious.

Ally shook her head, and Lystie’s face immediately turned bright red, as if she’d just been trying to act composed so far.

“…Might, don’t look at us too much, okay?”

“We’ve come this far, so there’s nothing for it but to brace ourselves,” Platinum said. “If Might is going to be in our party, we’ll have to get used to him seeing us in embarrassing situations sooner or later.”

“I feel like it’s best if we just never let him see us in embarrassing situations, though…,” murmured Nanase.

“Can you two stop saying the word embarrassing? It’s making me really want to run away.”

“I’m so sorry for asking so much of all of you…,” apologized Ally.

“Do you really think we’d let you run away? If you try it, a hundred sheep will block your way and attack you with their fluffiness and make you fall into a really comfortable sleep!”

Marino’s threat didn’t sound like a threat at all, but Lystie sighed, looked at her party members, then removed her cape with them. Platinum took hers off in one decisive movement, whereas Lystie and Nanase did it slowly, their hesitation making everything feel more nerve-racking.

“Why are outfits for a ritual so small?” Lystie mumbled, blushing furiously.

“Maybe it’s because many ceremonies are held when it’s hot out,” I suggested.

Their costumes had so little fabric that they looked like something a dancer would wear during a nighttime performance. It was so alluring that it made even a Sage like me lightheaded. I knew that I shouldn’t look at my party members this way, but somehow, I also felt like it would be rude to appear entirely unfazed.

“Good thing I brought bug repellent, isn’t it?” Nanase said. “In these outfits, it would be easy to get bitten somewhere you shouldn’t be showing anyone.”

I could see why Nanase was being a little snide. Lystie had curves in all the right places, while Platinum hadn’t lost any of her voluptuousness despite all the training she did to handle her heavy armor and shield.

“You train every day, Falina, but does your chest never get any smaller because you eat so much?”

“You’re one to talk, Sheska. Why is your chest so big even though you’re an elf? Aren’t your kind supposed to be slender?”

“We automata have varying body shapes depending on our use. I’m sure that this size suits me best.”

I wanted to tell Nanase that the size of her chest was also what suited her best, so she had nothing to be embarrassed about—but I had a feeling she’d test her new potions out on me if I did. Part of being a wise man is knowing when to keep my mouth shut.

“…Might, was there something you wanted to say?”

That “women’s intuition” was terrifying indeed. It had been a while since I felt myself in such dire danger. If I said the wrong thing here, my life was over.

“N-no, I was just thinking that, uh, even though you look embarrassed…it looks good on you, Nanase.”

“Wha—? You think it looks good on me? I was actually thinking the same thing. It’s like this outfit was tailor-made for me!”

“It really does. You look like an angel.”

“Aw shucks, I’ve been an angel all along? Good job realizing my charm!”

Ah, so she’s the type who gets easily carried away? Would praising her more help her to grow?

“Well then, I suppose it’s time for us to do the same. I feel so self-conscious…”

Ally and Marino also took off their cloaks, looking embarrassed. However, a certain part of their bodies was so drastically different in size that it caused Nanase to spiral again.

“Right… Who am I kidding? The bigger they are, the more impact they have. That’s what people always say…”

“Everyone is different and unique in their own precious way,” Ally quickly said. “Might will tell you the same.”

“…Is that true, Might?”

“Ms. Ally, should we get started with the ritual?” I asked, forcibly changing the topic.

Ally nodded. She plucked a few strings on her harp, then Marino and I joined in. Lystie, Platinum, and Nanase started dancing close to the altar, their pareos fluttering up into the air and the ornaments on their hands jangling.

The sky’s darkening. This must be the earth spirit reacting. It’s watching…

The area only around the hill was turning into night, and the altar started giving off light, illuminating the three girls as they danced.

Ally started chanting a prayer. “O great earth spirit, please calm your anger and grant us your benevolence once again!”

If this worked, monsters would stop appearing in her fields—but it wasn’t going to be so easy.

“Children of man, if you wish to quell my anger, you must worship me at my altar five times a day.”

What we were hearing should be the earth spirit’s voice, yet it sounded young and childlike. Because of that, it came across as callow and naive. Five times a day was too great a burden on the Millers.

“If that is enough to stop the vegetables from turning into monsters…we will come five times a day.”

“You must bring those three girls, too. It’s hardly a celebration with just two people.”

“But that’s…!”

Marino was at a loss for words. Little wonder, as the conditions being presented were practically impossible to fulfill.

“I will wait until tomorrow for your answer. If I don’t hear from you by sundown, I will no longer respond to your worship.”

After the earth spirit had arbitrarily declared what it wanted, its presence faded, and the sky returned to normal.

“…Ms. Ally.”

“Say no more. I understand. It is our fault for not keeping up with the ritual. We will pay you what was promised.”

“Everyone, I’m so, so sorry for asking so much of you,” Marino sobbed. “I didn’t—didn’t know that the earth spirit was so angry… I thought it would forgive us if—if we just did the ritual…”

Platinum gave her a hug. I could see from the look in Lystie’s and Nanase’s eyes that they weren’t ready to give up yet.

“Guess we’ve no choice but to meet this earth spirit in person,” I said.

Ally’s eyes widened. “N-no, you can’t. There’s no telling what it would do if it gets any angrier!”

“It’s already plenty angry,” I countered. “The conditions it set forth are unreasonable, and I think it knows that. There’s no need for you to force yourself to accept them.”

“B-but how would you even meet it?”

Marino sounded unsure, but it looked like Ally knew the answer. Regardless, I walked forward to take a closer look at the ornamental relief on the altar. When the earth spirit reacted to the ritual earlier, I had seen something glowing.

It was a hidden keyhole—something I could open with White Key.

Part 9: The Mechanism of the Altar

“Does this altar have an inside…or something like that?” I asked.

“My father-in-law always told me that I must never dig below this altar,” Ally replied. “He said that if I did, it would anger the earth spirit.”

That sounded to me like there was a high chance the earth spirit’s real body lay somewhere inside this hill.

“It would be extremely difficult for us to come here every day to perform the ritual,” I said. “This would be a gamble, but may we have your permission to open the lock on the surface of this altar and go inside to talk directly with the earth spirit?”

“A lock…? I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve examined the altar countless times, but I’ve never seen anything resembling a keyhole.”

“It’s really cleverly camouflaged into the relief. Right here.”

Seeing the Millers make no move to approach the altar, Nanase stepped up instead. “You’re right—there really is a hole. Are you sure this is for a key, though? I don’t see what it’s supposed to open, either.”

“I assume that the person who first cultivated this land—which would be Ms. Ally’s father-in-law?—probably has the key. However, I can create something that would do the job.”

“I’ve never heard of the existence of any such key.”

“Then maybe it’s a secret, or maybe there never was a key. In any case, we can’t just go along with these new conditions set by the earth spirit. Even finding three girls to take Lystie’s, Platinum’s, and Nanase’s place would be difficult, so we really need to negotiate.”

This was the earth spirit who’d turned this entire area fertile, though, so I understood that it was a difficult decision for the Millers.

“…If you need more time to consider it—”

“Please do it.”

“Are you sure?”

“I feel bad enough asking your party members to wear the ceremonial garb today. The surrounding families also used to help take part in the ritual, too, but…well, you can imagine… If there is a way to make the earth spirit happy besides wearing this embarrassing outfit, I’ll take it any day.”

She was right about one thing: It was definitely embarrassing. Ally’s costumes were like the sort of thing you saw dancers in the city wear late into the night. They were little more than string, really, and exposed way too much skin.

“…Does the fact that we wore this costume just because the job required it make us embarrassing people?”

“Lystie, everything depends on your perspective. It’s thanks to you wearing this embarrassing costume that we’re now considering protesting the earth spirit’s tyranny.”

“Ahhh, please stop repeating the word embarrassing again!” cried Nanase. “I’ve almost gotten used to the outfit!”

Platinum’s unflappable demeanor was a godsend. Part of it was probably because her outfit, by comparison, wasn’t quite so revealing. It had its own unique charm, with wool decorations covering all the important parts.

“Since I have your permission, I will now open the lock.”

“Please, go ahead. But where will you get the key from?”

“That’s a trade secret.”

I stuck a hand in my pocket and created a key, feeling the mana drain from me. I wondered if leveling up was the only way to increase the maximum amount of mana I had.

“That looks less like a key and more like a long stick,” Marino commented.

“It must be a special kind of key,” I told her. “The surface is covered with letters, and it has very detailed engravings.”

Nanase peered closely at it, interested. “So this is the magic of a Sage…? It’s a whole world that I know nothing about…”

Under the five women’s watchful gazes, I inserted the key into the hole in the altar. Immediately, the entire hill beneath our feet started to shake. Light coursed through the parts that looked like patterns, and the entire altar split in two, revealing a magic circle with a thin column in the middle slowly rising from the ground.

“Whoa… I never knew there was something like this here,” Marino murmured.

“I’ve heard that ancient ruins have large-scale mechanisms, but this is my first time seeing one in person,” Platinum said.

“Look, there’s a mark here that’s shaped like a palm,” commented Nanase. “Are we supposed to touch it?”

“Yeah,” I said with a nod. “I’ve seen this kind of thing before. But…”

“When you enter a ruin, you’ve got to feel it rejuvenating your heart. Because of how quiet and full of life it is…”

“Are you sure you’re okay staying behind, Sheska? It’ll just be me and Might, then.”

“You’re going to make your big sister wait till you come back? I’ll be so frustrated… Hee-hee. What a bad girl you are.”

Well, that memory wasn’t exactly relevant now. In any case, chances were that when we activated this magic circle, we’d get sent into the ruins that lay beneath here. We needed to mentally prepare ourselves.

“Everyone ready?” I asked. “Or do you want me to do this alone?”

“That’s just mean, you know,” Nanase protested. “This is what being an adventurer is all about.”

“I’m all for it, too,” Lystie said. “I’ve got my sword here.”

“As am I. All I need to fulfill my role is my shield.”

“Great. Ms. Ally, Marino, this is very likely a teleportation magic circle. Please don’t touch it even after we’re gone.”

“O-okay… Sorry, I’ve gone weak in the knees…”

“Geez, Mom… Mr. Might, everyone, please come back safe and sound. We’ll definitely repay you for all this one day.”

Ally and Marino watched as the four of us stepped onto the magic circle. Then, on behalf of the whole party, I placed my hand on the column that had risen up.

Light burst from underneath our feet, and for a split second, we lost all sense of up and down. It felt like we were thrown into the air.

“Ah!”

“Ngh!”

“Eeeeek!”

Whoa…

Having lost their balance when we were teleported, all three girls fell on top of me, interfering with my efforts to land properly. I hit the ground so hard that I would have gotten whiplash if I hadn’t trained my body.

“This happens quite often when teleporting, so—”

“D-don’t speak right now!”

“Mfgh!”

Something soft was pressing into my face. Lystie’s voice came from somewhere above my head, which meant that the soft thing was—

I’m a Sage. A Sage. I won’t lose my composure over this kind of luck or whatever you wanna call it!

“M-Might, don’t you move! Your arm is touching a really weird place!”

“Yes, please don’t move! Don’t even look at me. In fact, please shut your eyes!”

To break out of the situation, I obediently lay still and kept my eyes closed. Eventually, the others extricated themselves and stepped back. It was only then that I realized we’d overlooked a big problem. It wasn’t a fatal mistake—but in a way, it probably could be.

“Uh… We should have probably waited for you three to change before coming here.”

“But we’re going to see the earth spirit, right? Maybe this might help placate it.”

“Good thing it isn’t cold here. Is this underneath where we were just now?”

“I think so. My compass has gone haywire, though.”

I was surprised that Nanase had kept her compass on her while wearing the ceremonial outfit. That was, until I realized that she was still wearing her belt with small pockets for carrying potions and other items around in.

Lystie looked around. “What a huge space. There are really ancient ruins like this just lying around?”

“Oh, I’ll give us some light,” Nanase said. “I extracted the liquid from luminous moss to make a light potion.”

Nanase took a potion out of a pocket, faintly illuminating our dim surroundings. This also lit up Lystie’s back, as she was facing away, and it suddenly struck me that this was my first time getting a good look at her costume from behind.

We have to put a stop to a ritual that makes women dress up in outfits like this. Otherwise, I might not be able to remain a wise man much longer.

“…? What’s wrong, Might?”

“Oh, uh, I’m fine. Why don’t I go scout out a little way ahead?”

“You’re a Sage, though,” Platinum pointed out. “Shouldn’t you stay at the back?”

“I’m sure Mr. Might has his reasons. Let’s let him go in front.”

Thanks to Nanase, I was allowed to take the lead and therefore spared the tribulation of having to stare at the girls’ backs. I swore in my heart that I would make the earth spirit pay for causing me so much grief.

Part 10: Exploring a Ruin

“Look at how high the ceiling is,” Nanase said. “How far underground are we?”

“This place almost feels too large for enshrining a mere earth spirit,” commented Lystie.

“Maybe there was some sort of reason it was built like this,” suggested Platinum. “Though if it was made by the people who ruled over this area, why would only the closest family be left to perform the ritual by themselves? Or did it just end up like that as time went on?”

While listening to the conversation of the three behind me, I walked on, my footsteps reverberating through the large tunnel. The walls on either side were decorated with murals depicting stick figures doing what looked to be the same dance the girls had been performing earlier.

I stopped to take a closer look at one. “This…shows people dancing and playing music to the earth spirit’s altar.”

“You’re probably right,” Lystie agreed. “And I think that’s the earth spirit in the middle of the circle of people.”

“Um, aren’t there two figures in the center?” Nanase pointed out. “There’s a big one…and a smaller one.”

The larger one looked humanoid, but I somehow got the impression that it wasn’t human. There was no way to tell if both were earth spirits or if only one of them was.

The murals were interesting, but we had to stay alert. I kept a sharp lookout, continuing until I felt a sense of wrongness that I recognized.

“Be careful of the ground there. I’m pretty sure it’s booby-trapped. Everyone, please make sure you step over it.”

There was a slight bump surrounded by a faint groove on the otherwise flat-looking ground. Many ruins had traps like this to deter intruders. This particular one didn’t look like the kind that would instantly kill someone, but it never hurt to be careful.

“Step over there, right? Then it’s probably best just to jump over it. Hyah!”

“Hup. Like that?”

Lystie and Platinum cleared the trap in turn, and Nanase followed their lead.

Clank.

“Huh?”

“Hm?”

“What?”

The very back of Nanase’s heel was touching the trap, depressing it slightly. Given she was the one holding the light potion, it made sense that she was having trouble seeing the floor around her feet.

“Um…what’s happening?”

The ground had started rumbling, and the walls on either side were closing in. Needless to say, it wasn’t just a figment of our collective imagination.

“RUN!”

“W-we triggered the trap…?!”

“We’re going to be crushed! Nanaseeee!”

“My heel just brushed it! Ah, my outfit got caught!”

“Lystie, Platinum, go on ahead!”

There was no time to add that I would take care of Nanase. With a hand chop, I cut off the decoration from Nanase’s dress that had gotten caught, but she was still having trouble moving.

I knelt in front of her. “I’ll carry you. Hop on!”

“Thank youuuu!”

“Good. Hold on tight!”

Nanase’s grip was fairly strong, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t bear, and I charged forward with a yell.

“M-Might, you’re so fast—! Eek!”

“I won’t lose to—! Ahhh!”

I quickly caught up to Lystie and Platinum, so I scooped them up and carried them under my arms without slowing. It was faster that way, and, well, I figured the faster, the better.

After I’d made it through the enclosing walls, we suddenly found ourselves in a massive, empty cavern. The path narrowed considerably, leaving no doubt that one wrong step would mean falling to our deaths. I simply continued running, my mind free of all other thoughts.

“Hngh… HAH!”

Eventually, a landing came into view. With one last roar, I jumped onto it. When I landed, I was so out of breath that I couldn’t immediately lower my companions. I just stood there, gulping in air.

“…Are you all okay?”

“I’m sh-shorry,” Nanase mumbled. “I fall for this kind of thing really easily…”

“That was a little scary…but it looks like those walls didn’t actually close all the way. There’s still a gap between them, though it’s really narrow.”

“I wonder… Maybe we got out before it fully closed because of how fast Might ran.”

“In any case, we made it through. I’m letting the three of you down now.”

I let go of Lystie, underneath my left arm, and Platinum, beneath my right.

“Ah! …Sorry!”

Nanase practically slid off my back with a flustered apology.

I’d been so single-minded escaping that I hadn’t taken any notice of what the terrain I’d passed through was like. On a whim, I turned around to take a look.

“M-Might! Wait! Not now…!”

“Huh?—AH!”

I promptly turned right back around.

“S-sorry, Might. Our outfits have gotten all disheveled,” explained Lystie.

“It was bound to happen, but we can hardly proceed as we are,” Platinum said. “Nanase, I’ll help you retie your laces.”

“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault,” Nanase apologized. “This stupid ruin is the enemy of all women.”

“I-it’s fine. Let’s work together to make sure you don’t fall for that kind of trap again.”

“Oh, yes please… I really wish I was more athletic, but my level is still too low to brew agility potions.”

There was no set time when someone’s level increased. A lot of the time, it happened when they accomplished something or rested at an inn after returning from an adventure. I was keeping my fingers crossed that we would all level up after this request.

“Am I okay, Platinum?” Lystie asked. “Nothing’s showing?”

“Looks fine to me. Might, we’re good to go.”

“Got it. Let’s keep exploring, then. Though I really hope we’re close to the end…”

We crossed a bridge that led to a short, arch-shaped path. Once we got to the end of it, we found ourselves in a big room. In the middle of the room was a large humanlike statue that looked like a pile of rocks. It was clearly a golem, so I warned the other three not to get too close, in case that woke it up.

“Is that the real body of the earth spirit?” Lystie asked.

“Well done, coming this far, children of man. I applaud you!” boomed the voice that we had heard at the altar.

“Wh-where is that voice coming from?” Platinum looked around warily.

“It’s calling us ‘children of man’ just like the earth spirit did!” Nanase exclaimed.

This confirmed my theory that the earth spirit had been watching us aboveground.

“First, please forgive us for entering this place without permission,” I said, thinking it best to start by apologizing.

To my surprise, the voice laughed. “You managed to enter, which means you found the key. That is not something for which you should apologize. I’d thought the key lost, so I did not foresee that happening.”

“It was lost?”

“What does that mean?”

Lystie and Platinum looked puzzled, but the fact that the key had been lost led me to a number of conclusions. First, that the key to the altar did indeed exist but had disappeared for some reason. And second, that even a being like this earth spirit was unaware that a Sage like me had magic that could create the key.

“Um… O great earth spirit,” Nanase called out, “we have come with an entreaty.”

“An entreaty? You may speak it. I have already received my offering, after all.”

“You’re saying we’re the offering?” I asked.

I noticed a ripple of alarm run through my companions. Still, I wasn’t fond of beating around the bush.

“There is no leaving this place. If you try, you will learn the power of Mother Nature. Now, what will you do? Do you wish to fight my earth golem?”

In response to the earth spirit’s question, the rock statue started moving. It stretched to its full height to loom over us, with every tiny movement it made shaking the cave and causing small rocks and dirt to fall from the roof. Now we knew what the large figure in the wall mural from earlier was.

“An earth golem…?”

“Isn’t this area way too low-leveled for golems?”

Lystie and Nanase were dumbfounded. They were right; a golem wasn’t the sort of opponent a party of level-3 adventurers could handle. In fact, this entire area would never see a job asking for someone to deal with one, as they were far too powerful to appear here. But if our only way out of this place was to defeat one, we had no choice but to give it our all.

“If we defeat this earth golem, you’ll let us out, right?” I asked in confirmation.

“And also, if you’d please stop turning vegetables into monsters…!” Nanase added.

“Very well, fine by me. The three of you are cute, so I’ll accept those terms. And as for you,” the voice said, addressing me, “give it your best shot.”

Judging by the earth spirit’s attitude, it couldn’t care less about me, though it wasn’t against me joining in the fight. That was enough for me. I knew exactly what to do to deal with golems, though it was a little underhanded.

Part 11: Dungeon Boss

“Ah!” Lystie cried. “Wh-when it moves, it creates a shock wave!”

Boom!

The earth golem took another step, and its weight shook the ground once more.

“I can’t move!” Platinum groaned. “Is this shaking an attack in and of itself?”

“Platinum!” I cried out in alarm, seeing the golem pull its arm back, keying up for a big swing. Stopping for even a second within the earth golem’s range was fatal. There was no way she could withstand the punch, shield or no shield.

“Stand down!” Lystie shouted in a regal voice.

“…Lystie?” Platinum braced with her shield, knowing that the golem wasn’t going to stop just because Lystie told it to. But the attack never landed.

It actually stopped? …Lystie wasn’t just shouting, she was using her skill!

“It’s doing what I said… U-uhhh, surrender!”

A loud rumble echoed around us as the golem started moving again.

“I suppose that was too much to hope for—Ah!”

“Lystie, get out of the range of its arms!” I yelled.

“…!”

The monster slammed a fist into the ground, which proved enough to shake the ground and keep us from moving. On top of that, fists made of earth burst from the ground, trying to grab Lystie’s feet.

She took a big leap backward. “That’s its next move? It’s sure keeping us on our toes!”

“Hmph…! Those hand movements are so lewd! It’s just like the earth spirit that made us dress like this!”

“You three will make fine displays once I catch you,” said the earth spirit. “Don’t you agree, young man?”

“We’re taking this fight very seriously, thank you very much!” I snapped.

“Ahhhhh! Wha—? That’s a LOT of hands!” Lystie cried.

“Please stop making that groping motion!” Nanase wailed. “Just looking at it is giving me goose bumps!”

Rummmmble…!

Again and again, hands sprouted from the ground and tried to grab my party members. There was no point in fighting them off one at a time; the only way out of this situation was to destroy the golem itself.

“That’s enough already!” Lystie drew the sword on her waist and stabbed the earth golem.

Weapons from this area—and one wielded by a level-3 adventurer, no less—should be ineffective against the enemy we were facing. Yet the thin blade created cracks in the golem’s unprotected arm when it landed.

“Hmm… It seems a lump of earth isn’t enough to stop that sword.”

“Lystie, watch out!”

“…!”

The earth golem’s head shone, and the ground beneath Lystie’s feet emitted the same light at the precise moment when she was immobile after attacking. I rushed over and whisked her away a split second before a pillar of earth shot up where she had been standing.

“Platinum, Nanase, don’t stop moving! Incoming!”

“Ugh!”

“Ah, wh—?! Eeeek!”

The ground beneath Platinum’s and Nanase’s feet also glowed, followed by pillars shooting up at their positions. All golems possessed special attacks based on their element, and this earth golem apparently had the ability to manipulate earth and rock.

“Ha-ha-ha! So this is all you’ve got? Why don’t you give up while you still can?”

The room was filling with pillars. Soon, it was going to become impossible to even approach the earth golem—at least, it would be if we didn’t have a way to go over them. The best time to take an enemy unawares was when they were assured of their victory, which was now. As a Thief, it was my job to provide a support role to my party.

“What I’m hearing, Falina, is that you don’t want to put Might in dangerous situations.”

“I am more than capable of drawing the attention of enemies. As an automaton, I have self-repairing functionality.”

Falina had been against letting me take part in fights at first. Part of it was an insistence against having someone else take the vanguard. Even so, I did my best to utilize the skills that my vocation had given me. Eventually, our party’s fighting style settled on having someone draw the attention of our enemies while the others landed decisive blows.

If I apply that same strategy to this party…

“Platinum!” I shouted as my view grew increasingly obscured by pillars. I couldn’t say anything more out loud, as the earth spirit would hear it, too.

“Please, Platinum!” Lystie cried, as if she were praying. I don’t think her voice reached Platinum, but her thoughts did.

“Get over here, golem!” Platinum shouted, using Sacrifice not on the earth golem but to draw the attention of the earth spirit controlling it.

“So that’s where you are. I’ll come to you, just as you wish!”

The golem’s eyes gleamed, and cords of mud appeared from the ground. They snaked everywhere, looking as if they were alive, climbing Platinum’s and Nanase’s legs.

“Ugh! Such torture…means nothing…to me!”

“Seriously, what is with this perverted golem?!”

“You two have indeed done well for humans. However, against me—”

“You’re right; they are inexperienced. But they’re not weak.”

“What?!”

The earth spirit was convinced that it was no longer possible to get anywhere near the earth golem, surrounded as it was by tall pillars. As such, it wasn’t on guard at all against attacks to its back—that is, until I scaled a pillar, leaped over the golem’s head, and landed on the back of its neck.

“Whoa…!”

“You think that will stop it…?”

A lump of earth started gathering in front of me, but I paid it no mind. Instead, I plunged the sword that I’d borrowed from Lystie down, channeling every last drop of mana that I had.

“Grrr! H-how…are you so strong?”

“I’ve had a lot of practice. Sorry.”

All golems shared one weakness: the core that they were formed around. It was a word of power for some, a magic stone for others. While the location of these cores differed for each golem, based on the flow of mana that I observed when this particular one attacked, I could tell that its core was at the back of its neck. Figuring out the magical weak points of opponents used to be Sheska’s role, but since obtaining some mana, my eyes had gained the ability to see more. Perhaps I was starting to live up to having a magic-based vocation.

The moment its core was pierced, the earth golem lost the ability to maintain its body and fell apart. The stone pillars sank back down into the ground, revealing Platinum and Nanase covered in mud from head to toe. Their outfits were ruined so badly that, in fact, the mud was doing them a service. Realizing that I only had one jacket, I froze, not knowing what to do.

“…Did we win? Against that big golem? Ooooh, is this sand what’s left of it?”

“Don’t let your guard down yet, Nanase. All we’ve done is defeat the golem. We still have the earth spirit to deal with.”

“…Might.”

Hearing Lystie calling my name, I turned around and found her staring at me.

“Your sword was a huge help,” I told her. “I wouldn’t have been able to destroy the golem’s core with my coins alone.”

“I—I didn’t do anything. I shudder to imagine what would have happened if you weren’t with us… Huh? What are you doing, Platinum?”

“Hm?”

The surprise in Lystie’s voice prompted me to turn around once more, and I saw Platinum rushing in my direction. I thought she was going to hug me, but then she shot past and wrapped her arms tightly around Lystie. I cringed at my brief moment of misunderstanding.

“Oh, thank the heavens! When we got split up by the pillars, I felt so lost!”

“O-of course… Thank you, Platinum. But you heard Might’s voice, didn’t you?”

“I did.” Platinum looked my way. “Strangely, when I heard him, I immediately understood what it was that I had to do.”

It had been a gamble for me, too. I had managed to go straight for the golem’s weak point only because Platinum had drawn its attention.

“…What a surprise. I did not see that coming. What is someone like you even doing in a place like this?” The earth spirit sounded somewhat disappointed but not shaken. It let out a sigh. “You got me. If I’d known this was going to happen, I’d have prepared better. Like being meaner with where I put the golem’s core. I feel like I’ll be looking back on this day for the next hundred years.”

“Are you going to stop turning vegetables into monsters?”

“…I hate to say it, but a promise is a promise. Now go on. There’s the magic circle that will take you back to the surface. I’ve activated it for you.”

The presence of the voice faded into the distance. However, none of us made a move toward the magic circle. Lystie picked up the cloaks that everyone had shed to move freely in battle to cover up Platinum and Nanase. Finally realizing the state they were in, the two girls grew so flustered, I felt bad for them. Unfortunately, these things happened when you were fighting.

“Am I the only one who doesn’t feel satisfied?” I asked out loud. “We still have no idea why the earth spirit did any of this. We don’t have the full picture.”

“If you weren’t with us, Might, we might have been done in by the golem,” Lystie said. “Then again, I guess we wouldn’t have made it here in the first place.”

“I’m pretty sure the earth spirit is as surprised as we are,” Nanase said. “Mr. Might, are we just going to leave this place?”

All three were feeling like something was off. I did, too, and recognized what it was.

“The earth spirit…sounded sad. Or is it presumptuous for humans to think that?”

“I don’t believe so,” Nanase said, shaking her head. “I heard it, too. And when it was moving the earth golem, it sounded kind of happy.”

“Maybe they’re just lonely,” mused Lystie, “and that’s why they’ve been turning vegetables into monsters. To get attention from Ms. Ally and her family.”

“Is there some way we can meet the earth spirit and ask it in person? Or is there a reason we can’t? Are earth spirits even beings that humans can meet?” Platinum asked thoughtfully.

The answer to that question, of course, could only be “It depends.” Given that they were beings who controlled the power of nature, there were many aspects of them that were beyond human comprehension.

We defeated the earth golem, but I don’t see anything that could be the earth spirit’s main body. That probably means…

“…Um, Might?”

I looked around the spacious room, then started walking along its walls. Squinting, I examined the walls closely, just as I had done when I found the keyhole hidden in the altar.

“…Ah!”

Once again, I had found a small keyhole. My companions all rushed over and gasped. I could bet that the earth spirit hadn’t expected us to find it.

“If I open this…”

“We’re coming with you, of course,” Lystie declared.

“If it’s dark, you’ll need a light source,” Nanase said. “And no being mean and saying that you only need a light potion. I’m way too scared to stay behind on my own.”

“To be perfectly honest, the secrets you find always turn out to be exciting,” Platinum said. “There’s no way we’d stay behind!”

“All right, all right. Then let’s go!”

This time, I created a White Key in full view of my three companions, and it entered the keyhole as if it were sucked inside.

Part 12: Unsealing the Subterranean Pillar

We braced ourselves, expecting some sort of mechanism to be triggered like when we had unlocked the altar. However, things were different this time.

“…Ugh!”

“Might!”

The moment my key entered the hole in the wall, all of us felt our strength draining out of us.

Uh-oh… Is this a trap? No, maybe not…

Somewhere in the spacious room, something was shining. I turned around, fighting the overwhelming lethargy, and saw a new magic circle that looked like a counterpart to the one that supposedly led outside.

“I think our mana…was absorbed…to activate this mechanism…”

“Hold it together, Might!” Platinum lent me a shoulder even though she was unsteady on her own feet. I knew I shouldn’t take it, but my consciousness was growing fuzzy, and I was having trouble standing.

“I’m sorry—we always rely on you for everything. Is there some way for me to give you my mana? I don’t use it at all when I fight.”

“…Platinum?”

“…Oh, wait. I can do it.”

Platinum placed a hand on my shoulder and looked closely at me.

“Wh-what?”

“When I was in bed last night, I had a dream. It felt like I gained something, and I thought I heard a voice saying ‘Your lock has been opened.’”

“R-really?” Lystie asked. “…I had the same dream, but I thought it was just me.”

“Wait, isn’t that usually a sign that your level went up?” Nanase asked. “It should show up on your guild card.”

“Nah, it was just a dream, not a level-up.” Lystie looked at me. For some reason, her cheeks were red.

Normally, the number of skills that someone could use went up when they gained a level. Sometimes it was one, sometimes two, and sometimes none at all. However, Lystie and Platinum hadn’t leveled up. Even so, something had changed in them.

I remember seeing a lock appearing in front of them and disappearing into particles of light. At the time, I also heard a voice, though what mine told me was that I could now use Break Seal I. And also…

The image that I had of Sages was very different from what I myself had become. Everything that I had experienced so far had left no doubt in my mind. Almost certainly, something would happen if I used Break Seal I. What Platinum felt she had gained was very likely a new skill.

“Platinum, can I try something?”

“Sure. However, although I feel like I’ve gained something, I’m still not sure what I’m supposed to do.”

Is this…? No, this is probably the proper way to do it… But can I really…?

Before I knew it, the knowledge of how to use Break Seal I was already in my head. And knowledge of skills gained this way was never wrong.

I took Platinum’s hand, evoking a murmur of surprise from Lystie and Nanase.

“M-Might…?” Platinum squeaked. “What are you…?”

The hand that had been holding a shield minutes before was flushed. Platinum looked a little embarrassed about it, but she kept her eyes trained on me.

“I believe that doing this will enable you to use what you think you gained. I know I’m being vague, but can you trust me?”

“It’s a bit too late to be asking that, isn’t it? I’m a woman who recognizes those who I am indebted to.”

Platinum smiled gently, despite not knowing what was going to happen next.

“S-since it’s you, Might, I’m sure this is something necessary,” Lystie said, before adding, “Uh…it is, right?”

“D-don’t mind me, I was just a little surprised,” Nanase explained. “Please go on.”

The two other girls took a step back to watch Platinum and me. It was embarrassing being at the center of so much attention, so I stopped stalling and just went for it.

“…!”

I kissed the back of Platinum’s hand. Not like a Thief or a Sage, but like a knight waiting on the mistress to whom he’d sworn his loyalty.

“Break Seal I” activated. The Sealed Skill “Maiden’s Devotion” belonging to Platinum has been released.

“…I thought it must be something like that. You drew out a power that I didn’t know I had within me, Might.” Platinum cupped my hand with both of hers and closed her eyes in prayer. “So I can do something like this…? Thank you for teaching me.”

Power surged into my mana-deprived body. The more Platinum prayed, the more mana flowed into me.

Although she had introduced herself as a Paladin, I knew that her real vocation was Royal Order. To the best of my knowledge, that was a vocation that specialized in serving a master of high standing. This vocation had a skill that let one offer their mana to their master, which is what Platinum had just learned, thanks to Break Seal I.

“Thanks, I’m all good on mana now. Platinum…?”

“Ngh… I—I think I made a mistake with the amount…”

“Are you okay? I really only need a little.”

Effect of “Break Seal I” ended. The Sealed Skill belonging to “Platinum” has been resealed.

Seeing Platinum wobble on her feet, I lent her my shoulder this time. She had apparently tired herself out giving me too much mana. Her new skill was far more effective than any with a similar effect that could be learned at level 3. Clearly, it couldn’t be used repeatedly in quick succession. We’d have to figure out how long she had to wait to use it again. I crossed my fingers that it wasn’t just a one-use skill.

“So now Platinum can share her mana with other people?”

“Does Mr. Might need to k-k-k…kees her hand every time?”

“I’ve no idea who Keith is, but if you’re talking about the kiss, it’s a bit embarrassing for me, too, but yes, it appears I do.”

“Hold on. Since Lystie had the same dream I did, does that mean she can also use a new skill if you kiss her?”

Platinum had no ill will whatsoever and even looked happy for Lystie, but the other girl blushed all the way to her ears.

“I—I did have that dream, but unlike you, I don’t feel like I gained anything. But when I do, um, I’ll be counting on you, Might.”

“R-right… I’ll appreciate your cooperation when the time comes.”

I was doing my best to play it cool and act like I wasn’t overly bothered, but based on the glare I got from Lystie, it seemed that had been the wrong answer.

“That was a little tactless, Mr. Might,” Nanase said disapprovingly.

“I second that,” agreed Platinum. “‘Appreciate your cooperation’ sounds so businesslike.”

“…! I-it’s not like I cared—Ahem. In any case, Might’s key opened a new magic circle. Let’s see where it goes.”

“About time. I’m starting to get hungry and also need to…” A shiver ran through Nanase, and she pressed her legs together. Indeed, there were many reasons why adventurers had a hard time staying in dungeons for prolonged periods of time. We didn’t have long.

This time, Lystie took the lead. All four of us stepped onto the magic circle, which then filled our field of vision with white light. Unlike when we entered the ruins, the teleportation went off without a hitch, and when the blinding light subsided, we found ourselves in a completely different place.

“Are we…floating in midair?” I murmured. “Is this really underground?”

The space we were standing on was floating in a boundless darkness. There were no visible sources of light, but there was just enough illumination for us to see a staircase stretching into the distance. We began climbing it carefully, making sure not to look down in case it made us freeze up. We didn’t think we’d fall but thought it best not to take our chances.

“Hey, did you guys know? I—I’m actually afraid of heights,” Nanase said with trepidation.

“That’s news to me, but don’t worry,” I replied. “I’m right behind you. I’ll never let you fall.”

“Ahhh, I’m going. I’m going already, so don’t push me!”

We proceeded single file, with Lystie at the head, followed by Platinum, then Nanase, and me at the rear. The reasoning was that this way, I could immediately catch anyone who fell. However, it placed me behind the girls and at a low angle looking up, to boot. I nearly yelped, then closed my eyes. However, realizing that doing so defeated the whole purpose of the order, I opened them again and watched out for Nanase, all the while battling the guilt racking my mind.

“Phew, we finally made it,” Nanase said, groaning. “My legs are dead.”

“We’ll most likely have to take this staircase again on our way back, won’t we?” Lystie sighed. “Complaining isn’t going to help us any.”

“I quite enjoyed the thrill,” Platinum said. “I’ve always liked crossing rope bridges.”

“…How did all of you enter this place?” asked what sounded like the earth spirit’s voice.

Taken by surprise, Nanase let out a short shriek.

“Did I mistakenly bring you here? No, there’s no way…”

We only thought it was the earth spirit’s voice because we didn’t know for sure. What we’d heard merely in our heads before was now different. There was actually someone talking to us.

“Are you the earth spirit?” Lystie asked.

Like the rest of us, she had noticed the earthen pillar a short way in front of us. Upon drawing closer, we saw that there was a child bound to the pillar, suspended from chains around his neck, arms, feet, and waist.

“I’m not exactly an earth spirit, though I suppose there’s not much point in denying it.”

“What are you, then? Why are you here, and why are you chained up?” I asked, walking closer.

The child was wearing tattered clothing and had overgrown hair, but strangely, he looked rather clean. He seemed to be around ten years old, but there was no way to tell if he was human or demi-human.

“I’ve forgotten almost everything from before I came here. All I know is that I can’t leave this place.”

The child looked at each one of us in turn. His smile seemed so innocent and youthful, yet at the same time completely foreign and unreadable.

Part 13: White Key

“You forgot…?” I asked. “When the Millers arrived here and began cultivating this barren land, didn’t you bless it as an earth spirit? Isn’t that what happened?”

“Y-yeah, and the ceremonies began as a way to give you thanks,” Lystie added.

The child tied to the pillar laughed softly with an expression that looked far too mature and worldly for someone so young.

“That was just me being bored. I’ve been like this for as long as I remember, so I decided to have some fun. I blessed the area aboveground that’s in range of what I can affect and asked to be entertained in exchange.”

“And your definition of entertainment is dance and song.”

“Pretty much. But more specifically, dance and song by cute girls. Underneath a starry sky, around a brilliantly lit altar. That’s what makes me happy.”

“For someone who looks like an innocent young kid, you have surprisingly adult tastes… But you’re not as old as you look, are you?”

“I’ve lived for at least a hundred times longer than you.”

“A hundred—?! Ack, cough. And how long have you been tied up?”

The child fell silent. Long, reddish hair fluttered and fell across his face, covering his eyes.

“…In any case, all of you being here must be some freak chance. I’ll make you a new magic circle to return to the surface.” The child muttered what sounded like a chant in a low voice, and a magic circle appeared on an empty patch of ground. “There is nothing more I can tell you. I’ll stop demanding worship from the children above as well.”

It was clear that he wanted us to leave as soon as possible. However, there was a part of me that really didn’t want to leave him tied up here. Even if he was a completely different being than his appearance suggested and much older than we were.

“You don’t have to be here to make this area fertile, right?”

“That’s how it was at the start, but not anymore. After I made the barren soil bear fruit, it was you humans who continued to nurture it. All I did was help a little, like making it rain when it was dry for a while.”

“…It might have seemed insignificant to you, but what you’ve done has saved many lives. But anyway, my point is, there’s no actual problem with you leaving this place, yes?”

“As you can see, these chains can’t be undone. The humans around these parts are at most level 5, right? Even I can’t tell how high someone’s level has to be to break these chains.”

“Do I look like a level 1 to your eyes?”

The child raised his face, still smiling faintly, and looked at me. “Someone who can break these chains wouldn’t come all this way. That includes you.”

“I might be able to. Just like you, what I look like is not all I am.”

“What…are you saying?”

“Why did you turn vegetables into monsters? Why did you demand that the ritual be repeated? That’s because you—”

“Don’t talk like you know me! I—I was just…”

The fact that the child raised his voice was answer enough. Even Lystie and the others had already figured out the answer.

“It was because you were lonely, wasn’t it? You’ve been here, all alone, for far too long.”

“…I am not the sort of being who feels such emotions. I shouldn’t be.”

“And who decided that?” Platinum asked gently. “You used your powers for the sake of others. Freeing you from those chains can’t be wrong.”

Everyone in my party was in agreement; we couldn’t just leave the child be.

“But these chains… No one can undo them…”

“All I want to know is whether you want to be free. Based on your answer, there’s only one thing for us to do.”

“Why are you so insistent on helping me? I sent monsters to attack all of you.”

“Well…you had a reason for it, so I can’t really hold it against you. But once you’re out of here, I’ll make sure you apologize to those you troubled. Whether you’re forgiven or not will be up to them, though.”

“I-if I may,” Nanase cut in. “Just saying, I think they’ll at least hear you out. Though that might be just me being overly optimistic.”

Platinum nodded. “Even if they don’t accept your apology, haven’t you already done enough to help just as many people?”

There was indeed a shade of idealism to what Nanase and Platinum were saying. At the very least, Ms. Ally and Marino would probably be troubled if the one they’d called an earth spirit this whole time suddenly popped out to meet them. However, as with all things, there was no telling what would happen before trying something. I personally lived by the creed that giving up before trying wasn’t an option.

“So, what do you want to do?” Lystie asked. “I’m sure Might will be able to help you.”

The child looked down, hiding his face. I wondered if he’d gotten tired of how much we were pressing.

“—leave.” His voice started off too soft for us to hear, but it grew in strength until it rang in our ears, hoarse with desire. “I want to leave. Please free me! Please undo these chains!”

The moment I heard those words, a lock appeared in front of the chains. Even the child couldn’t see it; only I could.

“I know it’s too much to hope for, but there, I said it. Now I look silly. It’s all your fault, you know.”

“I knew it; you were faking that smile. There’s no way you aren’t angry about being made to suffer such a fate without even knowing the reason for it.”

“Even if it was a god who left me like this, I feel like I deserve to curse him once or twice, don’t I?”

The child fumed and laughed but never cried. Even if he was a being beyond human comprehension, he still had emotions that we humans could understand. He still had the right to hope for freedom.

“Everyone…give me a minute.”

“Can you actually free him?”

“I know you said your magic can create keys, Might, but without a keyhole…”

“Such common sense can’t stop Mr. Might! …Right?”

Hearing the hope in my party members’ voices, I opened my right hand and channeled all the mana I had to it, willing a key to appear.

“Come to me!”

Light gathered above my palm, forming the shape of a key. It was bigger and far more detailed than any other key I’d made before.

So this is the key to unlock that lock. But I’m nearly all out of mana again!

“Are you materializing mana in the form of a key?!”

“That’s right. I’m pouring everything I have into this key. It will open your lock!”

When my key made contact with the lock on the chains, it got sucked into the keyhole despite being too large to fit. The next instant, the lock scattered into particles of light, and all of the chains shattered.

“…!”

I caught the child before he hit the ground. However, I was so exhausted that it took all my remaining strength just to support him.

“This…might be the first time I’ve ever been so surprised. You, a human, have succeeded in surprising someone like me, who’s not human.”

“I don’t fully understand this myself, either. All I know is that when I open locks, things happen. That’s what my power is.”

There was no other way for me to explain it. However, crude though my explanation was, the child seemed to understand. He closed his eyes, and his breathing slowed. He’d fallen asleep.

“So your key can destroy chains?” Lystie asked. “Or did it work this time because the chains were special?”

“I honestly don’t know. But hey, it went well.”

“Just means there’s a lot of mystery behind his key. It’s helped us get through everything today.”

“It’s not only the key. I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have been able to save the child if Mr. Might wasn’t who he is,” Nanase said, smiling softly.

My eyes widened. A lock had appeared before Nanase’s chest.

One lock discovered with “Lock Eye I” has been released.

“Break Seal I” can now be used on the target with a released lock. Upper limit of Bonds has been removed.

The lock turned into particles of light that faded away.

Does this mean my Bond with Nanase has just gotten stronger?

“Might, I’ll carry the child. I see you’re quite spent.”

“No, no, I can manage—”

“Just listen to Platinum, Might. Look at you; your legs are wobbling worse than a newborn deer’s. Don’t underestimate mana exhaustion.”

“It’s times like these when we should help each other out, Mr. Might. When I can’t walk, I’ll be counting on you to carry me.”

Lystie and Nanase took up positions on either side of me. I was really grateful for their help—but they were seriously brave to be able to completely ignore their own appearances.

“Well then, let’s use the magic circle that this child made and leave at once.”

All of us nodded at Platinum’s suggestion and gathered at the magic circle. I gazed at the face of the sleeping child in her arms and thought just how glad I was that we’d decided to come here.

In a space composed of only a navy blue night sky and a boundless sea, the moon illuminated the goddess Lunaris as she closely watched the window floating in front of her. Under her gaze, Might and his companions were teleported from the earth spirit’s altar, kept exploring, then entered a separate dimension and discovered a child suspended from the earthen pillar.

“Earth Mother Ursula… So this is where you were sealed.”

The childlike appearance wasn’t Ursula’s normal appearance; Ursula was a divine being just like Lunaris.

“So Might’s White Key can even undo heavenly seals. Dare I hope it can free other gods who have been sealed, too?”

“…Elder Sister.”

Hearing Iris’s voice, Lunaris swiftly dispelled the image of Might’s party. The next moment, a seven-colored light appeared out of nowhere and melded together to reveal Iris’s form.

“Should I begin preparations for the next phase?”

“…Demonic Dragon Leticia has fulfilled her duty and is now asleep. Are you speaking of summoning another Demonic Specimen?”

“Yes. Holy Knight Falina is as yet unfinished. I wish to bring her closer to perfection and to becoming a Heavenly Pawn.”

“You play too much with Heavenly Pawn candidates. That is not what our master desires.”

“I am only fulfilling my duty as a goddess. It isn’t like you to phrase what I do as ‘playing,’ Elder Sister.”

Lunaris simply closed her eyes in response to her younger sister’s teasing tone. Iris drew closer, placed a hand on Lunaris’s shoulder, and whispered into her ear.

“Humans forget threats and grow weak all too easily. Now that the Demonic Dragon is gone, we need to give them a replacement.”

“…Not all of them can be reasoned with, like we could with Leticia. You understand this, yes?”

“If it proves a threat to us, we can simply call on another hero.”

After giving Lunaris one last smile, Iris backed away and disappeared from the world of night.

Lunaris brought Might’s image back up and stared intently at the group, who hadn’t the faintest idea that they had just saved a deity.

“…I need to confirm exactly what powers a Sage has.”

Yet these quiet words reached no one, and the white-haired goddess disappeared as well.

All that was left was the night sky and the silent moon.

Part 14: Escape

After teleporting, we found ourselves standing in front of the earth spirit’s altar, the setting sun blinding us for a brief moment while until our eyes adjusted.

“Mom! Mr. Might and the others are back!” Marino shouted loudly while running over. The tears in her eyes spoke volumes about how worried she had been.

“You waited for us?” I asked. “Thank you. The monster problem should be resolved, but how have things been?”

“Oh! Come to think of it, Mom and I did talk about how our fields have gone quiet.”

“We thought it was just temporary,” Ms. Ally explained, “but did you manage to talk with the earth spirit?”

“Indeed,” Platinum said with a nod. “This child is who you have been calling an earth spirit.”

The Millers stared at the sleeping child in Platinum’s arms, shocked.

“This child…is the great earth spirit?”

“Ahh, turns out he’s not actually an earth spirit, but he does have the power to make rain fall and do other things.”

“…Fwah. Ah, did I fall asleep?”

The child opened his eyes, likely having been woken up by our voices. I asked Platinum to put him down. He gazed at the setting sun in the west, squinting.

“I…didn’t think I’d actually ever make it back out. Has the world always been so bright?”

“U-um, we’ve always thought you were an earth spirit, and w-worshipped you, but it was really embarrassing, so we foisted it onto Ms. Lystie and the others, but…”

Despite getting tongue-tied, Marino did her best to explain what had happened so far. When she was done, the child turned around so that the sun was behind his back and laughed with delight.

“Though you are young, your dancing was very enjoyable to watch, Marino. Yours, too, Ally. Lystie’s group did it this year, true, but their bashfulness only made it better. That is how a cute girl’s dancing should be!”

The Millers froze once again, as Lystie and Nanase exchanged looks and shrugged. Platinum looked rather unfazed.

“That said, I actually knew that I was asking too much of you, and that it was a burden. I knew, but I couldn’t help asking for more. I was being childish.”

“…! N-no, that’s not…”

“Even though Dad got hurt, he said he’s still grateful to you. He also said he’s sorry that we didn’t do the ritual like we were supposed to. Though it’s thanks to you that this area is so fertile now.”

“That’s not actually true,” the child replied. “You only have yourselves to thank for your bountiful harvests. I—”

I did my best to summon the strength to stand without Lystie’s and Nanase’s support and approached Ally.

“For some reason, this child was locked up underground for a long time. We thought it best to bring him out, as long as there are no problems in doing so. I apologize for doing something beyond what we were hired to do.”

“If this really is who we’ve been addressing as ‘great earth spirit’ all this time, it is our greatest honor to meet him in person.”

“I feel the same way. I’m sure Dad and Grandpa and Grandma do, too.”

“…Are you sure? Aren’t you scared of me?”

“Not at all. Would you like to stay in our home? We would love to host you for as long as you wish. Though I can only hope our food is to your liking.”

Given that the child was in human form, he would need food, clothing, and a place to stay. Still, it surprised me how quickly Ally was adapting to the situation.

“Would I be a bother? I was thinking of taking care of myself somehow…”

“Please don’t have any reservations; just leave everything to us. Mom, I’ll go home first to draw the bath.”

“Please and thank you. Oh, and sorry that this is belated, but I am Ally, and this is Marino, my daughter. How should we refer to you?”

“My name is… That’s right.” The child shot me a quick look. “Thanks to you, I finally remember it.”

“What?” I had no idea what I’d done other than using the White Key.

“I’m Ursula. You may call me ‘Ur.’’”

“Understood, Master Ur,” Ally said. “I am greatly honored to make your acquaintance.”

“There’s no need to call me ‘Master.’ You’re the one looking after me. The same goes for the rest of you.”

“Very well. I’m Lystie. Nice to meet you, Ur.”

“A-are you sure we can just do that? Just call him ‘Ur’?”

“Of course you can. You’re Nanase, right? And you’re Platinum. As for you…I don’t like guys much, but I consider you a special case, Sage Might.”

“O-okay…”

He must have heard us using one another’s names. Still, I was such a pushover. It made me so happy that he’d noticed I was a Sage.

“Would all of you like to join us for dinner?” Ally offered. “Or will you be returning to Fortune?”

Lystie turned to the rest of us. “What do you want to do?”

Just then, Platinum’s stomach growled. “…When I’m on the road, I tend to forget how hungry I am.”

“Y-yeah, me too,” Nanase said meekly. “I’ve been able to hold out so far, but now…”

“Oh my!” exclaimed Ally. “In that case, let us hurry back.”

Always being prepared to explore a dungeon was an important part of being an adventurer. However, I merely made a mental note to work on it in the future, considering the unusual outfits and everything else this time that had been out of the ordinary.

Part 15: The Blessing of the Land

In the end, we decided to spend the night at the Millers’. They served us milk and meat that they said came from nearby ranches and a stew made from turnips that hadn’t turned into monsters. After they took just one bite, praise spilled from the lips of my party members.

“So this is what ‘blessing of the land’ truly refers to,” Lystie marveled. “Food made with freshly harvested vegetables tastes so different.”

“This truly is delicious,” Platinum agreed. “There is such depth to the flavor, and the seasoning is perfect. The meat practically melts in the mouth.”

“My cheeks are falling off from how gooood this is,” Nanase gushed. “I can eat this forever. Ahhh, it’s just melting on my tongue…”

Ally smiled. “There’s plenty, so eat up. Let me know when you want seconds.”

“Okay!” the three girls said in unison.

It was as if Ally had become their mother. I suppose everyone reverts to their childish self when fed delicious food.

“Ur, are you sure you’re fine with only water?” Nanase asked with concern.

“Mm-hmm, I’m good. All I need is clean water.”

Ursula, having been bound in that place for so long, proved that he could live without food. Even so, like Nanase, I was worried to see him only drinking water.

“If you’re worried about me…you could always put on those outfits again and dance around a bit for me. That will top up my life force.”

“Your life force…? Were you absorbing ours when we were dancing?”

“That is one function of that altar, yes. But it wasn’t enough to make you feel tired.”

The talk about absorbing life force brought succubi to my mind, but a monster like that was a threat to even high-leveled adventurers. Yet what Ursula had been doing didn’t sound anywhere near as dangerous.

What did bother me was how Ursula repeatedly kept glancing toward me. His eyes seemed full of amusement, or maybe he was looking for an opportunity to play a prank.

Am I overthinking it? But that’s exactly what it seems to me…

“With Might around, we won’t be wearing those outfits again anytime soon.”

“I don’t know, Lystie. With how much he’s already seen, there’s not much point worrying about it anymore, is there?”

“You can only say that because you have confidence in yourself, Ms. Platinum.”

“Confidence? …I don’t think that I’d say that about myself. Having confidence about wearing that outfit means you’re used to exposing yourself.”

“…! Hold on, Platinum. You can’t say that in front of Ms. Ally and Marino!”

The same outfits had once been worn by Ms. Ally and Marino. As I’d feared, their faces were now as red as beets.

Ursula looked sad. “You hated it that much? That explains why you stopped holding the ritual. Just so you know, I was told that’s what people wear for ceremonies. Everyone made them on their own accord.”

“When times change, people’s ways of thinking change, too.”

“That’s true. You really are a wise man, Might.”

I thought Ursula was poking fun at me, but apparently not. He looked honestly impressed, which made it hard for me to say anything back.

In the bathroom at the Millers’ house, Lystie finished washing up and slid into the warm water, letting out a moan of satisfaction.

“Phew… I feel alive again.”

“It’s quite rare to see a private residence with such a large bath,” Platinum said.

Nanase scooped a bit of water in her hand, her face flushing a little from the steam. “I hear that they draw the water from an underground hot spring. As in, the water just comes out of the ground by itself.” Knowing how easily Nanase got overheated, Lystie gave her a look of concern.

“With my power, finding a hot spring is a piece of cake,” Ur said proudly. “Unfortunately, you can’t find them just anywhere, though.”

“I didn’t know you had a power like… Huh?” Lystie blinked.

“Aaaah!” Nanase screamed, but then got confused. “Wait! Is it a problem having Ur join us?”

Ursula, who had somehow entered without anyone noticing, chuckled. “I really can’t get enough of seeing humans being embarrassed, but I suppose saying that makes people wary of me. You can’t get my master’s heart racing without a little blushing, though, you know?”

“Your ‘master’…? Are you referring to Might?” Lystie asked.

“Didn’t you get in the bath with Might?” Platinum frowned. “I know you’re not human, but it still feels uncomfortable to be stared at so intently.”

“I was only thinking that you look beautiful. Girls are creatures who become more beautiful the more they’re looked at. And honestly…”

“Wh-what is it?”

“You’re the type who enjoys being looked at, aren’t you? Try imagining Might looking at you. How does that make you feel?”

Almost inadvertently, Platinum’s mind followed Ursula’s playful suggestion.

“Would you mind if I called you ‘Ms. Platinum’?”

“Noooo, Might, that’s not actually my real—”

“Ur, you shouldn’t tease your elders. Ah, sorry, I suppose you’re actually our elder. But you’re still small…”

“You’re a kind girl, Lystie. In my opinion, it’s pure and innocent girls like you who suit the dancing outfit best. I’m pretty sure my master feels the same way.”

“You talk like you know Mr. Might better than us… Speaking of, why do you call him your master?”

“It makes sense to acknowledge him as my master because he’s the one who freed me. We’re all the same in that we serve the same master, aren’t we? Or does putting it that way bother you?”

“That’s, well… If anything, we’re more like party members. I like how we are right now, but…”

“Ms. Lystie, don’t worry too much about it. You can think about who’s higher or lower only when Mr. Might actually asks.”

“Indeed. I don’t mind if Might orders me around or gives me a talking-to, but our current relationship of being equals feels really good.”

“Why did you have to put it in such an indecent way, Platinum? Don’t do that in front of Might, okay? He’s a proper, respectable man, so he’s bound to get creeped out.”

“Indecent?! That’s not what I intended!”

The flustered reactions all around evoked another chuckle from Ursula, and Lystie glared at him like an upset puppy.

“Since you’re already in here, how about I wash your back for you, Ur?”

“There’s no need. I’m—”

“How about I do it?” Platinum offered. “You may not be able to tell from my appearance, but I do have an established reputation for it.”

“Ms. Platinum does always wash Ms. Lystie’s back.”

“Though I always want to return the favor and do the same for Platinum…”

Urged by Platinum, Ursula finally sat on the small wooden stool and let her wash his back. Before long, soap bubbles had swallowed up Ursula’s pale skin.

“…You really are good at this, Platinum. Though it still feels strange to have someone else wash me.”

“Nothing beats Nanase’s secret herbal potion when it comes to washing hair. It foams up just the right amount, and after you wash it off, your hair is left silky smooth.”

“Thank you. You’re right—this does feel wonderful. Have you ever done this for my master?”

“Th-th-th-that’s not something I’ll ever do! How can you even ask something like that?!”

“You called him proper, Lystie, but it can be said that a proper healthy boy is one who shows interest in girls. I like them better that way, too.”

“I can see how deeply grateful you are to Mr. Might. No, maybe it’s more fitting to say you’ve grown attached to him…”

“I have. After all, he put his key in my lock.”

All three girls instantly turned bright red from the neck up.

“Ur, that’s… There’s a very adult meaning when you phrase it like that…so you shouldn’t use it, okay?” Lystie said.

“But that’s exactly what happened.”

Suddenly, now that Ursula wasn’t wearing his previous tattered clothing, something occurred to Platinum.

“…What’s wrong? Why’d you stop?”

“It’s just, um, there’s something I want to clarify. Are you, uh…?”

Ursula slowly turned around. A clump of bubbles fell off, revealing a chest that wasn’t flat.

Lystie’s eyes widened. “What?!”

“I’m a girl, in case that’s what you were wondering,” Ursula said matter-of-factly. “Girls can like watching other girls dance, too, can’t they?”

Clearly, all three had thought that Ursula was a boy.

Ursula grinned at her dumbstruck audience. “Guess I’ll leave the whole thing about washing my master’s back to the future. It’d be a bigger surprise if I wait a little longer, don’t you think?”

“But that’s… You…”

“Age is no problem, obviously. And I have an ace up my sleeve. If you all keep dragging your feet, I just might snatch him up before you do.”

“…! I—I don’t feel that way about Mr. Might!”

“G-goodness, what are you saying? No one’s doing any snatching; we’re all just party members!”

“I blanked out for a moment from surprise, but I now get that it’s a bad thing to make assumptions about people!” Lystie nodded, looking like she’d just learned a lesson.

Ursula burst out laughing. Not as a being who had lived much longer than any human, but as an innocent young girl.

Chapter 3

New Base, New Adventure

Part 1: Falina and Sheska

After defeating the Demonic Dragon with Might, Falina Laurier had returned home, where the Holy King lauded her for the feat. However, she hadn’t asked for fame or status as her reward. The cardinals had desperately wanted to retain her, as she was now the most powerful fighter of their country, but she turned them away.

Having been born with the vocation of Archknight, she was supposed to attend the Royal Academy but had turned it down to apply for the Knight Institute. She had then signed up to take part in the effort to kill the Demonic Dragon and never once returned to the dorm she had used until she left the Knight Institute. Instead, she was given provisional authority equal to that of a marquis, as well as a portion of land in the Knight Order’s territory.

Currently, she was sitting on the balcony of her private quarters on the second floor, clutching her sword. Sheska, who had accompanied her back to the Holy Kingdom, placed a tray of food on a nearby table. Then she sat on the bed in the room and sighed.

“You’ll waste away if you don’t eat, Falina.”

There was no answer. Falina’s silver hair hid her eyes, and shadows fell across her gaunt cheeks.

“…Why am I still alive?”

“Because Might wanted you to live. That’s why he took your place.”

“But I didn’t… Might has always been like that. He puts other people before himself, again and again.”

“I feel responsible, too. I keep asking myself why I never learned a spell that can repel the Curse of Death. What use is being level 99 if I still can’t protect what’s most important to me?”

“When Might protected me, I…”

Falina’s voice was barely a rasp, and Sheska smiled forlornly.

“…I was relieved. So much for not being afraid of dying.”

“Never say that you’re not afraid to die. No matter how much it hurts to lose Might. When you give up on your life, you take away the meaning of his sacrifice.”

Hearing Sheska’s words, Falina reacted slightly. She raised her head, revealing a dry face. Sheska had never seen Falina cry. However, Falina’s eyes weren’t seeing what was in front of her. There was no light in them because they were looking at something that wasn’t there.

“In the first place, we don’t know for sure that Might died from the curse. He disappeared, which means there’s a possibility he was just teleported somewhere, don’t you think?”

“That goddess didn’t say anything about it. All she did was reward us. And not with what we wanted. It was all stuff we didn’t ask for.”

“If only she’d undone Might’s curse… That’s the only thing all of us wanted. But she didn’t listen. I suppose that’s a deity for you.”

“Even so, I…I want to meet her again. And I’ll ask for the same thing. I’ll offer my life in exchange—”

“As I said, giving up your life is the one thing you should never do. Instead, live. Live and find something that you can do.”

Sheska didn’t want to lose Falina, too, though she knew hope was as vain as grasping at clouds.

With Might gone and Enju back where she belongs, I’m the only one who can keep Falina tethered. I’ve got to be a good big sister to her!

“Let’s look for Might, then. Chances are slight, but we might find out something if we go to his hometown.”

“Are you suggesting…he’s not dead? Even though he…in my arms…”

“He disappeared. That’s different from dying. Or do you think I’m just trying to convince you through arguing?”

This was a gamble for Sheska. If she couldn’t earn Falina’s trust, the other girl was going to keep skipping all her meals and eventually give up living. She had grown so weak that her life was in actual danger.

A little light returned to Falina’s eyes. A tear welled up in one eye and spilled down her cheek.

“Also, if we stay here, someone will try to mess with us again.” Sheska huffed. “Don’t they ever think about what we can do to them if they anger us?”

The joking seemed to have reached Falina a little. Her face, which had remained blank no matter what Sheska said so far, cracked a smile.

“The ideas that the cardinals come up with are all along the lines of marrying me off to the prince of a neighboring country. They can only say things like that because they don’t know the journey we’ve been on.”

“I can’t tell you how thankful I am that your father is willing to let you do what you want. Can you imagine how much worse the conversation would have gone without his help?”

“…I practically abandoned my family to enter the Knight Institute. And I only told them I was applying to fight the Demonic Dragon after I’d enrolled. I only keep making my father worry about me.”

“In that case, the gods shouldn’t smite you for doing it one more time. I’m a cleric; I should know!”

Falina nodded slightly and got up. When she walked back into her room, she swayed and lost her balance, but Sheska deftly caught her.

“This is what happens when you don’t eat for three days, even if you are an oh-so-great Archknight. Geez, now you’re making me worry about you.”

“…I still can’t move on, but I’ll eat. If I don’t, he’ll laugh at me.”

“Might won’t laugh. He’s always looked out for you as a big brother.”

“Big brother…? I’ve never thought about him that way. To me, Might is Might.”

With Sheska’s help, Falina made her way to the living room. On the table was the food that Sheska had carried over just now. Falina took a seat at Sheska’s urging, lowered her face, and mumbled something.

“…”

“Hm? Did you say something?”

“…It’s nothing.” Falina grabbed a piece of bread and put it in her mouth.

“Vanguards are always hungry because they have to move around so much.”

“In that case, Falina, I’ll have to learn from you how to enjoy every bite I take.”

Part 2: Night at the Millers’

After Ursula got out of the bath, he came to my room as if it were only natural. For some reason, however, Lystie and the others snatched him away.

“Well, I suppose it’s fine if Might—no, if Master can rest easier this way.”

“Ur, don’t call him that!”

“Are you talking about me? You can just call me ‘Might,’ you know.”

“No, this is my way of squaring things. Good night, Master.”

Something about him seemed different from before the bath. Maybe it was just that he’d talked with Lystie and the others and had gotten closer with them. Though, I guess it was a good thing that he was mellowing out.

Ursula was an earth spirit but looked like a young boy, so I wasn’t sure whether it was okay for him to join the girls in the bath. However, I myself had bathed with Mabel when I was young, so—No, now wasn’t the time to think about that.

A knock came at my door. I opened it and found Marino standing in the hallway.

“Um, how are you finding your room?”

“Oh, it’s great. Ursula went to sleep with the others, so it looks like I’ll be using this whole place myself.”

“That’s fine. We have plenty of rooms.”

“Speaking of Ursula, are you sure about letting him stay here indefinitely?”

“Ursula can stay forever if that’s what ends up happening. We have more than enough savings to support one more person. My mom’s over the moon that we have a new family member. Oh, and because you and your party did so much more for us than what we requested, we’ll be adding a bonus to your reward.”

“We’d be grateful for that, of course, but please don’t overextend yourselves. You still have your father’s treatment fees to worry about.”

A faintly shining lock appeared in front of Marino’s chest. Additionally, another one had appeared at the stairs down at the end of the hallway, too. The next instant, both locks scattered into particles of light that faded away.

Seriously? I was just saying what I was thinking, though.

After Mabel, it was now clear that this phenomenon was something that also happened to people who weren’t my party members.

“Mr. Might, um, can I interest you in—?”

“Marino, can’t you see that Mr. Might is tired? Let’s not take up any more of his time.”

“Agh! Mom! I said I didn’t need you looking over my shoulder.”

The person coming up the stairs and walking over was, of course, Ms. Ally. She was dressed for bed, it seemed. She had on a negligee underneath a gown, but the curves of her breasts were incredibly well defined. My eyes reflexively darted away.

“I’m sorry. I heard voices… Don’t worry about Ursula. We have plenty of clothes, too.”

“R-right. That’s good to hear. I’ll make sure to drop by every once in a while.”

“Feel free to come whenever you want.”

I thought the conversation was over, but Ally continued staring at me.

Their locks being undone probably means the upper limit of my Bond with them has been removed. But it’s not like I suddenly grew a lot closer to them, right? That said, they sure are staring. I wonder what it feels like when the lock is released.

“I-in any case, we’ll have breakfast ready for you tomorrow. Afterward, we’ll drive you back to Fortune.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Good night, Mr. Might.”

Marino gave me a little wave, then headed over with her mother to knock on the door of the room where the girls and Ursula were staying, probably to say good night to them.

I went back into my own room and got into bed. I wasn’t physically tired, but the repeated usage of mana had tired me out. It didn’t take long for sleep to overcome me.

Now that I think about it, did Lystie borrow her nightwear from Ms. Ally? That was just… I was able to remain calm seeing her like that only because I’m a Sage now, right? Yeah, let’s assume so.

The last thought that flitted across my mind was just incoherent rambling.

At the same time, in Lystie’s group’s room after the Millers had left…

“Platinum, you’ve been acting weird for the past while. What’s wrong?”

“Oh, I noticed that, too. I mean, Ms. Platinum is always acting weird, though.”

“How could you?! You always look like you’re having the time of your life when you make those potions of yours!”

“But I do have the time of my life. Just now, I was using the sand that I got from the golem… Oh, but that belongs to Ur. Do you think I have to give it back?”

“Zzz…zzz…”

As it turned out, Ursula was already fast asleep, tucked into Lystie’s bed. Upon noticing, the other three moved into the next room and lowered their voices.

“So, um, I was thinking about what Might did for me during today’s battle…”

“Ah… That was necessary to enable you to use your new skill, right?”

“Speaking of which, when we left the ruins, I felt something strange. I’d be super embarrassed if I’d just imagined it, but is that what you two also felt before?”

“…! Th-that’s…”

Lystie and Platinum exchanged looks. After a silent contest about who would explain, Platinum cleared her throat.

“From what I gather, Might’s power as a Sage is to draw out our own powers in the form of new skills.”

“So that’s what it is. And you learned the skill to give other people your mana because Might needed mana at the time?”

“I—I believe so.”

“Ms. Platinum, you’re a Paladin, right? Is this something Paladins can normally do?”

Once again, Lystie and Platinum exchanged looks. Platinum then turned toward Nanase.

“Sorry, my vocation is actually Royal Order. I can’t tell you any more right now, but I do think that transferring mana to someone else is quite in line with the role that Royal Orders are supposed to play.”

“Royal… I see.”

“Are you angry that I lied about my vocation?”

“Of course not. There are Apothecaries who keep their vocation a secret. Because, you know, ‘medicine’ is a pretty wide field. We’re sometimes targeted by scary organizations who force us to make things for them.”

Platinum breathed a sigh of relief. Lystie smiled a little, but her expression also looked a little lonely.

“S-so, I know it was necessary at the time, but now I can’t help wondering what I’m supposed to do if or when Might asks for it again. I guess I’m feeling delayed embarrassment.”

There were tears welling up in Platinum’s eyes, and her voice was quivering. It was clear this was significant to her, but Nanase’s response was surprisingly dry.

“Why’re you worrying so much about this? You yourself said that it’s a necessary measure, so you just have to accept it.”

“A-accept it…? Is that truly the only way? Every time we need that skill, Might has to k-k-kiss me again? I know it’s the back of my hand, but I still feel bad making him do it.”

“…Is kissing the only way it works? When he needs me to use my skill, will I also need him to, uh, kiss me?”

“I feel like overthinking it will just make things awkward for Mr. Might. Isn’t this what it means to have a party with both guys and girls? We decided to invite him in because we believed we could trust him, remember?”

“…You say that, but your face is red, too, Nanase. You don’t get to act like you’re the only adult here and that you’re above all this.”

“Ugh… It’s just that this kind of topic makes me blush! You say all that, Ms. Platinum, but have you been feeling embarrassed this whole time? You should have mentioned it earlier. The longer you wait, the more self-conscious you get. If you get to where you can’t show yourself in front of Mr. Might again, you’re a lost cause.”

“Ugh, kill me already!”

“H-hold on, don’t fight. Platinum is trying to address the problem by asking us, so let’s hear her out first.”

Thanks to Lystie’s mediation, Nanase backed down. However, Platinum was still holding her fiery cheeks. Lystie stared for a while, then burst into laughter. Nanase couldn’t help joining in, too.

“Geez… Fine. You’re beautiful and confident, Ms. Platinum. Just be yourself in front of Mr. Might.”

“Am I, though? It’s been ages since I last considered myself a woman.”

“The clothes you borrowed are all really cute, Platinum. You have a good sense for what suits you.”

“Th-that’s just because that’s all that Ms. Ally prepared for me.”

“Okay, do I have to say this? You’re wearing a very sexy negligee right now.”

“For all we know, maybe this is what people normally wear at night! Who are we to judge?”

“Ohhh, you were too embarrassed to let Might see you because this is what you were wearing. Now I get it.”

Now it was Platinum’s and Nanase’s turn to look at Lystie askance.

“Uh, does she not see herself?”

“She’s always been like that. I’m honestly surprised that Might managed to stay cool.”

“Wait, what? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

Apparently, Lystie wasn’t aware that what she was wearing wasn’t all that different from the nightwear that was making Platinum so embarrassed. Neither had she noticed how Might had looked at her.

“I think it’s about time we go to sleep. Am I in the same bed as you, Ms. Platinum?”

“Indeed. Don’t worry. I hardly move around in my sleep.”

“Come on, you two!”

“Ms. Lystie, please keep your voice down! You’ll wake Ur.”

Lystie startled and clapped her hands over her mouth. Then she carefully got into bed to avoid waking Ur up. After she closed her eyes, the scene of Might kissing Platinum’s hand came to mind.

W-will the same thing happen to me, too? Wait, no, if I let this bother me too much…I’ll be making things hard…for Might…

Having Ursula nearby felt strangely comforting. It took almost no time at all before Lystie fell asleep. The last thing she thought about was how Might was doing all alone in his room.

Part 3: Quest Complete

After we enjoyed breakfast at the Millers’, Ally drove us back to Fortune in her carriage. When we got off at the square close to the East Gate, Lystie and the others were rubbing their behinds. The road had been quite bumpy, making the ride a bit painful.

“Everyone, thank you once again. Here is your reward.”

Lystie gasped. “You’re giving us this much? Don’t you need this yourself, with the state your fields are in and everything?”

“Please take it. I know you and your companions have forgiven us, but it doesn’t change the fact that we basically strong-armed you into this. Also, thanks to you, I feel like I’ve gained another daughter.”

While Ally and Lystie talked, Marino approached me.

“Mom even asked me if I’d ever felt lonely being an only child. I guess she’s already fully accepted Ur as a member of our family.”

“Already? I see.”

“Ur looks young but says such adult things sometimes. It really catches me off guard.”

“‘Adult things’? Like what?”

I was just asking without much thought, but Marino blinked with surprise like she hadn’t expected me to.

“Um, like… ‘My master’—I think that’s you, right?—‘has so much experience that he plays a chaste maiden like me like a fiddle’…”

“He—she said that? Well, don’t take what she says at—”

“No, don’t misunderstand! I… I also have a ton of experience!”

Marino’s red face made it very obvious that she was lying. I was trying to figure out why she would make up such a lie when someone jabbed me in the side.

“Mr. Might, please don’t talk about lewd things out loud in public. People would think that we’re all lewd just because we’re standing with you.”

“I didn’t! I swear I—!”

“Marino! It’s about time to go visit your father.”

“Coming, Mom! Mr. Might, I’ll see you again. With Ur, too, next time.”

“Sure thing. Say hi to your father for me, too.”

For some reason, it felt like Marino had really warmed to me all of a sudden. Never did I think that I’d build such a close relationship with a farmer’s daughter or get involved with a world as peaceful as hers.

Ally and Marino left their carriage with someone, then headed out into the city, probably to where Ally’s husband was receiving treatment. Our job was officially over, and all we had left to do was report back to the guild.

Lystie, who had been staring at me for a while, said, “You want Marino to say hi to her father for you?”

“You know that’s not what I meant. That look hurts, all right?”

“I imagine even the stubbornest father would fold if Might showed up to give his greetings in person. Indeed, even my father…”

“Speaking of your father, Ms. Platinum, you don’t talk much about your family. Neither does Ms. Lystie, now that I think about it.”

Lystie and Platinum got tongue-tied for a moment. As I’d suspected, it was something they were keeping secret.

“It’s fine,” Nanase quickly added. “I’m happy enough going on adventures with this party. I won’t pry into your past, either, Mr. Might, though I’m bursting with questions.”

“…Sorry, Nanase. I promise I’ll tell you everything one day. But right now…”

“Really, it’s fine, Ms. Lystie. I won’t ask why you seem so regal and dignified sometimes. I also won’t ask Ms. Platinum about the crest on her armor.”

“Nothing gets by you, it seems. I apologize for hiding things from you even though we’re companions.”

“Honestly, I think of us more as friends than as companions. I’m a bit brazen like that.” Nanase laughed, which made the rest of us laugh, too.

“Ah, he laughed,” Platinum commented.

“What?” I replied.

“You always look calm and composed,” Lystie explained. “Now we know that you can laugh, too.”

I ran over the past few days in my mind. Had I really not laughed at all?

“You always look so serious, Might. How about you practice smiling with Falina?”

“I won’t do it, but I don’t mind watching Might practicing.”

“I am sensing that Falina is currently enjoying herself.”

“…See, you stare off into the distance like that sometimes. Next time, I’m going to doodle on your face.”

When I came back to myself, I found Nanase peering up at me. The way she was bending over at such a close distance made it possible for me to see underneath her collar, where there was a valley, albeit one with gentle slopes. I immediately averted my eyes.

“Ah. S-sorry for showing you something so unsightly. I felt hot while riding in the carriage, so I loosened my collar, and—”

“N-no, it’s fine. In these situations, it’s the one who sees it who should apologize.”

“Might? What did you see?”

“I’m sure if those sharp eyes were directed at me, I wouldn’t stand a chance. Those were the eyes of a bird of prey.”

Platinum clutched herself and shivered, but I somehow got the impression that she was also happy.

“It’s time for the bird of prey to return to his nest, then. Wait, who’re you calling a bird of prey?!”

“Um, Mr. Bird of Prey, I have a favor to ask.”

“…Nanase, it’s best if we don’t come along, right?” Lystie looked wary for some reason, as if she really didn’t want to come along.

“I don’t mind if you do, but on the off chance that the experiment blows—I mean, the slime, uh…”

“The thing that was in the goblins’ treasure chest, yes? I’ve heard that medicine can be made from slimes, but…”

“I know you’re bad with slimes, Ms. Platinum. Ms. Lystie, you don’t have to force yourself, either.”

“Oh, are you doing an experiment with a slime? Sure, I don’t mind helping.”

“Thank you, Mr. Might! In that case, let’s meet up again after reporting back at the guild.”

Like her fellow Apothecaries, Nanase channeled most of her energy into preparing many potion recipes, choosing ones that she thought were useful, compounding them, and then carrying them on her person.

I was curious to see what potion she could make from slimes, but I got the impression that what she really wanted to do was to try something out. Lystie and Platinum clearly wanted no part of it, probably because something terrible had happened to them during past experiments. That left me to be the victim—ahem, the chaperone this time.

Part 4: Butler and Maid

When I walked into the Novices Guild with Lystie and the others, I was once again showered with gazes.

“Did you hear? Lystie’s group weren’t at their usual tavern last night.”

“Wait a minute. If they just came back, does that mean they took on a job where they stayed overnight with that guy?!”

“Why can’t I be him?! I swear by the goddesses that I’ll never forgive him!”

If envy could be converted into heat, I would have instantly turned to ash.

“…Say, Might. Why are so many people looking at you?”

“Maybe because I look confident even though I’m a newcomer? And because Sages are rare in this town?”

“Mr. Might, I know you get a lot of offers from other parties because of your rare vocation, but you shouldn’t listen to them, all right?”

In reality, no one had approached me, and now I was dedicated to staying with Lystie’s group. That said, I did feel a little sympathetic toward the rough-and-tumble men who were their fans.

“What a coincidence this is! I, too, have just returned from finishing a blue card job.”

The handsome blond we had met before—his name is Brandt, if I remember correctly—showed up in front of us. Just like last time, he was accompanied by an extremely muscular old man in a Butler uniform and a woman in Maid attire.

“We’ll also do our best to get blue cards soon,” Lystie replied.

“Yes, you will… Huh? Is that all you have to say?”

“What else would there be?”

Brandt’s pauldron slipped. His Maid caught it and, without saying anything, returned it to its former position.

“Ahem. To get a blue card, you need to have experience fighting monsters. If you wish, I’d be more than happy to help you—”

“We don’t need it,” Platinum interrupted.

“Uh… You don’t?”

“We’re completing our jobs just fine,” Nanase added. “We don’t need any advice or guidance.”

Brandt’s face twitched at the blunt rejection. To hide it, he swept his hair back with an exaggerated motion.

“Phew. Ah, yes. All youngsters go through a period when they get overconfident. Very well, I’ll respect that pride of yours today. Gramps, Dorothea, let’s go.”

“As you wish.”

“Understood, Young Master.”

“Y—I told you not to call me that in pub—Ahem, never mind. We’ll talk later.”

Brandt promptly walked out, but the two who looked like his servants stayed behind and bowed toward us.

“My deepest apologies,” the Butler said. “The young master has no ill intent. He approached you only because he acknowledges you as adventurers with potential. However, it is clear that you can handle yourselves just fine without any help from us.”

“Yes, well,” Lystie replied, “we’re actually here today to report a job that we’ve just finished.”

“You need not feel obligated to accept his advances,” the Maid reassured us. “In fact, please continue giving him the cold shoulder. However, please don’t tell him I said that.”

The Maid with chestnut-colored hair looked demure but turned out to be quite strict with Brandt. Rather than a servant, chances were higher that she was his chaperone or tutor.

“I am Melvin, and I am a Butler in Master Brandt’s party.”

“I am Dorothea, and I am a Maid.”

“…Are you sure about introducing yourselves that way? It makes it obvious he’s either a noble or from a well-known family.”

“You are unaware of the Schwaig family! I see—you must be new to this city. It appears we have been presumptuous.”

“Master Melvin, I believe the young master is about to run out of patience.”

“So he is. Ladies and gentleman, may the goddesses’ blessings be with you.”

The old Butler who had called himself Melvin placed one hand on his chest and made a praying gesture. Dorothea plucked the edges of her skirt and curtsied, then turned around and walked out the door.

“The old grandpa probably has it tough,” Nanase mused. “Imagine always having to look after a young master like that.”

“That elderly man is far more adept than he lets on,” Platinum said. “The Maid, too. She had no openings at all.”

“We’re completing our jobs without issue, so he can give other parties his help if he likes. We already have a reliable mentor in Might here.” Lystie shot me a smile.

“I’m not sure what to say to that, but, well… I thank all of you for being a great help to me, too.”

“What? W-we have?”

“Hm… I feel like we’ve been overly reliant on you, though…”

Lystie and Platinum were both blushing. Seeing them react like that made me squirm a little.

“Ah, Ms. Lystie and party. The time limit for your current job is a week, but you are already back. That is remarkable.”

Apparently, the receptionist could tell from our faces that we had finished our job. She was happy for us from the bottom of her heart.

“This is the reward we received. It’s, um, more than the amount written on the request form.”

“That is an indicator of what a wonderful job you did, so it will add to your evaluation. As the request was to eliminate monsters that had shown up at a farm, may I see your kill log, please?”

Lystie produced her white guild card and passed it to the receptionist. Guild cards served as records of an adventurer’s activities, and guild staff had the authority to peruse those records.

“…That’s strange, I see a red name here. If one of these appeared in these parts, we would have had to evacuate all nearby residents. Let me see, it says…earth…golem?”

Lystie turned around and looked at me, as if asking for help. I racked my brains for an explanation that wouldn’t go into the whole Ursula thing.

“As it turned out, an earth golem was responsible for the monsters appearing on the farm. We had to defeat it to complete the job, so we managed it somehow.”

“D-did you really defeat it? Some are stronger than others, but generally, the recommended level for fighting an earth golem is level 15. To fight one with a proper safety margin, you’d have to be level 20. After defeating a monster with such a huge level difference, surely all of you must have leveled up?”

“The requester allowed us to stay for the night. When we woke up, we did indeed feel stronger.”

Sleeping at an inn after gaining experience was the way to level up. I was still level 1, but the three girls had all gone up in levels.

The fact that I didn’t level up even after killing an earth golem meant either that I needed significantly more experience to level up after the vocation change or that I had to meet certain conditions. Either way, it was imperative that I find a solution soon.

Part 5: Red Names and Special Rewards

“Congratulations, Ms. Lystie. You have reached level 5, so you will get a new guild card with a different color.”

I could see the “Ah” on all three girls’ faces. The next color after white was blue.

“Wh-what are you going to do, Ms. Lystie? You’re already a blue card.”

“Hmm, that man named Brandt seemed very proud of being a blue card, but…”

“I’m not going to tell him. As they say, ignorance is bliss.”

I was in full agreement with Lystie’s decision and therefore stayed silent. The receptionist looked puzzled about what we were talking about, but we smiled and waved it off.

“Of those registered with our guild, blue card is the highest that anyone possesses. That means you are now a senior adventurer here. Congratulations.”

“And with this, I can now take on more difficult requests?”

“That is correct. You can now accept any requests marked as blue on the bulletin board. In addition, since you defeated a red name monster, you may choose a special reward.”

“What is there?”

Red name monsters were basically bounty targets. The presence—and death—of one greatly affected the safety of an entire area. It was extremely unlikely that the earth golem we fought would have damaged any of the surroundings, but since it was on the kill log on our cards, we were going to be rewarded for it.

“One option is citizenship in Fortune and a residence. The residence is a property worth a thousand gold coins on the market, but you will have the right to rent it for free.”

“Wait, a residence…as in, a home?!” Nanase exclaimed. “We get a home?!”

“That’s correct. Our City Council wishes to entice adventurers capable of dealing with powerful monsters to choose Fortune as their base. That said, you are under no obligation to fight when a powerful monster does appear in the city’s vicinity. Adventurers always have the freedom of choice.”

We did intend on being based in Fortune for a while, so we didn’t mind that the city wanted us to bolster its defense. Being able to stay in a rented property for free was way better than moving from inn to inn and paying by night. With all that said, there was a glaring problem with this arrangement.

“…Ah, Mr. Might, don’t misunderstand. I’m not thinking that while it’s true our party relies on you heavily, it’d still be embarrassing to live with a guy I just met and have people make rumors about it! I promise I’m not!”

“I—I—I’m not bothered, either, of course. Though people in general do call it co-co-cohabitation…”

“Would it still be cohabitation with three girls and one guy? It’d just be co-living, wouldn’t it? There’d be nothing inappropriate going on. Right, Might?”

“Uh, I… Look, I know you three would feel more comfortable if it’s just you three. Just because we’re in a party together, it doesn’t automatically give me the right to live with you.”

“Why did he ask, ‘Did you enjoy your night?’ All we did was sleep.”

“He’s an innkeeper. I’m sure he says it to all his guests.”

“I have determined that this knowledge is not recommended for Falina to know. Might, I request your aid.”

Falina’s indignant face and the sisterly smiles on Sheska’s and Enju’s faces flashed across my mind. I remembered thinking that he probably wouldn’t have asked if I hadn’t been there, but I had decided to keep that to myself.

“U-um, Might. I’m not actually against coha—I mean, co-living, so…”

“R-right. I understand. Or what should I say here?”

“I guess if Ms. Lystie and Ms. Platinum are fine with it, I am, too. Otherwise, we’d have to meet up at the guild first before doing anything, and that’s just a pain.”

“And there you have it, Might. I, too, want to ask you to live with us. We’ll do our best to make sure you don’t feel uncomfortable just for being the only guy.”

Since all three had given their permission, I had no reason to say no. Even so, I still felt a little abashed and hesitant.

“Besides the house,” the receptionist continued, “you can also ask for a letter of recommendation from a noble or choose from a catalog of enchanted weapons or armor.”

All of us exchanged glances and burst out laughing. Our answer was decided.

“The rental property, please,” Lystie said. “We plan on staying in this town for the foreseeable future.”

“Wonderful. Here are the keys.”

We were given two keys. They looked identical, so they were probably copies.

“In that case, Platinum and I will go inspect the house. As for this key… Would you hold on to it, Might?”

“Me? Are you sure?”

“You keep it, Mr. Might. I don’t mind having it, but you probably won’t lose it as easily as I would.”

“So, you two are off to experiment on a potion or the like? Make sure you come back before it gets too dark.”

Lystie giggled. “You sound like an elder sister, Platinum.”

“I am the eldest in this party, so I’m making an effort to be a good older sister.”

Platinum looked at me, but I wasn’t sure what she wanted me to say. They were all my younger sisters, from where I stood, but I didn’t expect them to understand it in light of my current appearance.

“ARRRGH! Oh, gods, please take away my sight! I no longer want to see! I cannot bear to see reality any longer!”

“Lystie, the love of my life, just gave another guy the key to her house…”

“Ah! I get it now. It looked like a key but was actually something else that isn’t a key! That’s got to be it!”

A corner of the guild had turned into a scene of pandemonium, but Lystie’s group had no idea and just openly handed me one of the keys. We were partying together, so there was nothing inappropriate going on, but I felt like passing the key somewhere else would have been a more diplomatic thing to do.

“…Might, I was trying to insinuate that you can call me ‘Big Sister.’ Why didn’t you get it?”

“Why did you think I’d get it? …I mean, you are a big deal, but still.”

“Wait, by ‘big deal,’ are you referring to…? You can’t bring up a topic like that in a place like this.”

Platinum placed a hand on her own breastplate, indicating that she thought I had been referring to the size of her chest. I swear I was not.

“Gosh, what are you thinking about? Platinum, if you really want to be a big sister, you’ve got to stop exasperating Might.”

“Mr. Might has a big heart, so it’s fine. That’s why he’s helping me with my experiment.”

I was getting flattered a lot, but I chalked it up to everyone being excited at the unexpected windfall. For this day to end on a high note, I still had to make sure that Nanase’s experiment went off safely and without a hitch.

The four of us left the guild, then Nanase and I split up from Lystie and Platinum and headed for a city gate.

Part 6: Hidden Ingredient

After we drove away the hobgoblin, dangerous monsters had stopped appearing in the forest in front of the South Gate. It had turned into a truly peaceful place where even squirrels and wild rabbits could be seen every once in a while.

“Do you remember? This was the area where you opened the chest for us, Mr. Might. One of the things inside that chest was this slime essence.”

“I’ve heard that Apothecaries can create slimes and make use of them in various ways.”

“That’s right. Slimes are magical beings, but they can be made by Apothecaries with the right ingredients. This wasn’t in my textbook; I discovered it myself.”

“That’s amazing!”

“Thank you. I may not look like it, but I’m a hard worker.” Nanase put her fist on her waist and puffed out her chest proudly.

“Speaking of working hard, there’s been something that I’ve wanted to ask you for quite a while: Aren’t the recipes that Apothecaries can make determined by their level?”

“Ugh… Yes, you’re right. We gain new recipes the way other people gain skills. If we try to compound a recipe beyond our level, we end up with something with a completely different effect.”

“I see. And is your level high enough to be working with slimes?”

“…There’s no way to know until I try it.” Nanase stuck out her tongue.

Is she for real? I thought, but then I realized I was her insurance. In that case, I simply had to do my duty.

“Um…do you not want to do this anymore? It isn’t fair that I brought you out here without explaining anything, is it?”

“Tell me one thing: What would happen if this experiment of yours fails?”

“Best-case scenario is that nothing happens. Worst case, it could explode.”

“…Then the wise thing to do would be to reach a reasonable level first before attempting it.”

“Ah, no, wait! I have a feeling that with you around, it would go well!”

“I mean, I’m not going to abandon you here, but—Hey! You’re getting too close!”

“Nuh-uh, I’m not letting you get away! I’ve been waiting for this moment all this time!”

Nanase drew closer and closer, her eyes practically on fire. What I’d thought were gentle slopes were strongly asserting themselves. As always, this girl had a very close sense of personal distance. Or more like she was way too unguarded.

“A-all right, all right. First of all, can you back off a little?”

“Huh? Ah… B-but I can’t have you leaving on me…”

“Considering how far we’ve come, I’m going to stay with you till the end. If anything goes wrong during your experiment, I’ll immediately grab you and retreat to a safe distance. Is that fine with you?”

“Yes, please! I’m telling you, I really think that this will go well. But just in case, let’s do it next to some water.”

Whenever the topic of experiments came up, Nanase would always get tunnel vision. It worried me a little, but at the same time it also warmed my heart to see how much she loved her vocation.

Nanase led me farther into the forest until we reached a pond in a clearing. It was a pretty big pond, with fish swimming inside. Just then, one even jumped above the surface a ways in, making a big splash.

“I’ve never eaten fish before. Is it any good?”

“Being an elf, I’ve never had it, either. I like watching Might eat it, though.”

“I’ve thoroughly cooked it over an open fire. Please enjoy.”

I had experience pitching camp at the edge of a body of water on my journey to kill the Demonic Dragon. Even now, I could vividly picture the light of the campfire and my companions sitting around it.

“Do you like fish?” Nanase asked.

“I guess I do,” I replied. “Not that I was thinking of eating any just now.”

“I don’t really like fish monsters, so I can’t help cringing a little when I eat normal fish. Anyway, I’ll start preparing for the experiment. This is my portable cauldron.”

Nanase laid a cloth on the ground, followed by a metallic cauldron. Then she went to the water, filled up a canteen, and came back.

“We use water a lot for brewing potions. A good Apothecary can tell water quality.”

“And good drinking water is a matter of life or death.”

“That is so true. Making potable water from rain is much more difficult than most people think.”

Depending on what fauna or flora was nearby, water sources could be poisoned. That was where the Thief skill Detect Poison shone. It also worked on mushrooms and wild grasses, so I had often assumed the role of food taster while my companions watched on with concern.

“Is all you need this time water and slime essence? Are you making a water slime?”

“No, I’m making a special slime, so I have to add other ingredients, too.”

“A special slime, you say. Ah, are you going to enchant it with an element?”

“H-how did you know? Do you have magic that lets you read people’s minds?!”

“No, no, of course not. Don’t worry—I can’t read minds. It’s just that I already know of slimes with elements.”

“Ohhh, that’s why. Phew, that scared me. If you actually could read minds, by now, you’d be…”

Nanase looked at me like she was brooding over something, which made me wonder if she had something she was trying to hide from me. Nah, that’s just being mean.

“Anyway. An earth golem is, as you can tell by its name, a golem with the earth element. So I thought I could maybe use the sand from the golem for elemental enchanting.”

“I see. True, I can see it being charged with Ursula’s power.”

“Exactly. The problem is whether it’s compatible with these ingredients or not. And I’m getting a feeling that I’m missing one last thing. However, I have no idea what it is.”

“Because there’s no recipe, you have to figure it out and add it yourself?”

“Maybe, or maybe I’m wrong and I’ll waste all my ingredients. But I really have a feeling that I’ll succeed with you here.”

There was hope and expectation gleaming in Nanase’s eyes, but I honestly just thought it was a matter of her level being too low. That said, letting her experiment by herself wasn’t an option. Maybe the explosion wouldn’t be life-threatening, but I still couldn’t help but worry. She could even lose self-confidence if she failed. So I wanted to do whatever I could to help her pull this off.

“I’m sorry. I know I’m the one who brought this up and all. Now I sound uncool…”

I could see Nanase’s hand shaking. Even though she was putting on a smile, she was nervous. Probably because she really wanted to succeed in front of me.

“I got you. I’ll be watching right here. Calm down. You don’t want to drop the flask, do you?”

Nanase took a deep breath. Her hand was still shaking, but she went ahead and took out the flask containing the slime essence. I reached out to steady her hand to make sure that she didn’t drop it.

However, the moment my fingertip touched her hand, my mana got sucked through the point of contact.

…?!

“Break Seal I” activated. The Sealed Skill “Mana Essence Compounding” belonging to Nanase has been released.

“Wh-what is happening, Nanase?”

“It turns out that the last ingredient I need to complete this recipe is mana! In the form of mana essence!”

Nanase promptly started throwing her ingredients into her cauldron. First the slime essence, then water, then the golem’s sand. As she started mixing it all up with a rod, my mana and hers merged together and flowed inside as well. I’d never known that Apothecaries used mana as an ingredient, too, but apparently that’s what Nanase was doing.

“I didn’t have enough mana alone. It’s thanks to you that I realized it!”

The more Nanase stirred, the brighter the inside of the cauldron became. Soon, the shine was blinding.

“And with that…we’re done!”

“Mana Essence Compounding” was successful. “Armed Slime” created.

The light from the cauldron enveloped everything. One beat later, the contents of the cauldron jumped out.

“Ahhhh!”

The rainbow-colored liquid was several times greater in volume than what Nanase had put in. It shook itself as if it was alive; then, to our astonishment, it assumed the appearance of a human girl.

“Is this…a slime?”

“…! No, you can’t look, Mr. Might! You’re still too young for it!”

“What?! No, I wasn’t looking at it like that!”

Though half transparent, the slime was definitely in the form of a human. Naturally, it wasn’t wearing any clothes, so Nanase was covering my eyes with both of her hands. Technically, I was still one year older than she was, after my vocation change, but I suppose it didn’t make much difference to her.

“U-um, Ms. Slime, can you make it look like you’re wearing clothes?”

Apparently, the slime understood Nanase’s words. When Nanase slowly removed her hands from my eyes, I saw that the slime now looked like it was wearing armor with a different form and color than its own surface.

“Ah, yes, an armed slime. It’s a slime, but it can create armor as tough as a golem’s body.”

“Is it because I used sand from a golem that it assumed human form?”

“As opposed to golem form? Uh, I’m pretty sure it can change its shape and color at will.”

“…”

Although the slime couldn’t speak, it nodded. The next moment, its half-transparent surface turned the color of skin. With that, the slime now looked even more humanlike. Specifically, it looked like a dark elf with tanned skin, perhaps because the sand had been that color. The mimicry was so impeccable that one would be hard-pressed to tell that this was a slime.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” Nanase asked.

The slime nodded. This made Nanase happy, but more than that, she looked nervous.

“You look pretty strong,” I said. “In fact, I sense just as much pressure from you as I did from the earth golem. Can you try giving me a punch?”

“…”

I demonstrated how to throw a punch. The slime nodded, slowly assumed a pose, then thrust its fist at me.

“…!” I purposely took the attack, which turned out to be more powerful than I had imagined. This slime is more than strong enough to join our party as a full member.

“This is incredible. It was just born but can already hold its own in a fight.”

“R-really? But you’re not going to say that you’d rather have her and that you don’t need me anymore, are you?”

“No, because you’re this slime’s master. It’s entirely up to you how you want to use it going forward.”

“That’s a huge responsibility… Um, Ms. Slime, I’m first going to give you a name. Since you’re an armed slime, how about ‘Arm’?”

Nanase wanted to know if it was too on the nose, but I liked that it was easy to understand. There were even adventurers who called their tamed monsters by numbers or species names, so it was really just a matter of what worked for each person.

“…Ar…m. Na…me…”

“Huh? You can speak? Wait, can you learn words?”

“Mas…ter…Nanase…”

“WHOO! Mr. Might, Arm just called me ‘Master’!”

“Mi…ght. More…food…”

“Hm? Ahh, are you referring to mana? Unfortunately, I don’t have all that…much…”

In the middle of my sentence, my eyes suddenly started spinning. Apparently, I had inadvertently used too much mana again. This was probably something that all beginner Sages had to suffer through.

“Mr. Might! No, wait, Arm, you can’t absorb Mr. Might’s mana!”

“…Food…”

I felt something soft—or, more correctly, supple—catching me. I also felt my mana being drained in a trickle, but it stopped almost right away. Thankfully, Arm had stopped taking my mana, but I would still need to rest for a while before I could open my eyes again.

“So this is how it feels to give birth to a daughter…”

I thought I heard Nanase saying something preposterous, but my consciousness was quickly slipping away. It was about time I gave serious thought to what measures I could take against running out of mana.

Part 7: An Adventurer’s House

When we returned to Fortune, Arm the armed slime had returned to a more slimelike appearance. Apparently, it needed more training to maintain its dark elf appearance for longer.

“I think that if she levels up and gets stronger, she’ll be able to stay transformed for longer.”

“That makes sense. But just so you know, I don’t yet have enough mana to keep her fed all by myself.”

“We need to find a way to help you recover your mana, then. I know what ingredients are needed. Let’s pick up requests where we can find some.”

“We should keep a close eye on the bulletin board at the guild, then. And we should probably also check out all the stores.”

While talking, I realized that someone had been observing me ever since I returned through the city gate. The person was hiding his presence, but I could tell that he was using a Thief skill.

Nanase hadn’t noticed anything, but I could hardly fault her. Only someone who could use the same skill or someone with suitable magic could pick up on a Thief using their skills. In my case, I could no longer use the skill, but the sense was already ingrained into me.

Through tiny motions with my right hand, I asked, “Is the guildmaster trying to reach me?”

“…?!” The man, who didn’t think I had noticed, quickly signed back in a fluster. “Master Crow…I believe? The guildmaster wants to speak to you. Outside the guild.”

Of course, the actual signs had less nuance, but the man did make sure to use the sign that showed me respect. He wasn’t someone I knew personally, but clearly he knew about my identity as Crow.

The guildmaster meeting someone in person and outside the guild was a big thing. Mabel likely had something she wanted my advice or help with.

“Understood. Where?”

“Hawk 19. The place is the same as before. That is all I was told to convey.”

“Hawk 19” was one of the numerous locations that the Thieves Guild had set up in the city for exchanging information. I knew all of them like the back of my hand.

“Mr. Might, it’s up this hill. I think that one’s our house.”

“So it is. By the way, Nanase…you’re attracting a lot of attention.”

“Ah. I-I’m sorry. I think Arm took a liking to this position. I’m not taking advantage of her, I swear!”

Of all places, Arm had settled right underneath Nanase’s collar inside her shirt, which made her chest area look rather inflated. Nanase had said that she felt bad stuffing Arm back into a bottle, but this was definitely not a good permanent solution.

“So this is our new home…”

“Hm, it’s newer than what I imagined when they said it was free. This is where we’ll be living from now on, huh?”

“Wait, I didn’t mean anything weird with what I said!”

“It’s co-living, not cohabitation, right?”

Nanase looked flustered for a moment; then she blushed and glared at me.

“Mr. Might, aren’t you a little too calm? Why can’t you be a little nervous like I—?”

The front door opened, and Platinum walked out. “Nanase, Might, you’re back. We’ve finished tidying up the place. Your beds are ready, too.”

Without her armor, Platinum had a completely different air about her. She looked like a graceful adult woman, in fact.

Before my reincarnation, eighteen looked like a child in my eyes. Now, though…I’m pretty sure my mind is being affected by my physical body. Though I guess Nanase would scold me for thinking about this kind of thing.

“Hm? Nanase, you… What happened to your chest?”

“I made a slime. That’s where I’m carrying it right now. Mr. Might said that it could serve as a new member of our party.”

“The experiment was a success, then. Congratulations, Nanase.”

“Hey, you can’t rub my head, I’m not a child… Eh-heh-heh.”

Despite what she said, Nanase looked happy to have Platinum rubbing her head. The sight made me a little jealous, but I didn’t let it show because I was an adult.

“There are two rooms, which means you’ll have to share a room with someone, Might. Are you okay with that?”

“Uh…I feel like that would be something that bothers you three more than me. You’d be sharing a room with a guy.”

“That is indeed a grave problem. Despite being merely fourteen years of age, my womanly charm is already greater than I can control.” Nanase looked proud of herself, but when she noticed Platinum’s and my gaze, her face turned beet red. “Um, can you two stop smiling at me like that? It’s going to make me want to dig a hole and hide in it later.”

“N-no, that’s not… I was just thinking that if it’s you and Might, you two could get along like siblings.”

“That makes it sound like you’re saying you can’t!”

“Indeed. I’m a big sister, so I wouldn’t mind sharing a room with him, either.”

I didn’t see how that was necessarily better, but Platinum really didn’t appear to mind. I must look really young now that I was fifteen again.

“I think Ms. Lystie would be fine with it, too, so how about we all take turns?”

“Ah… No, I think it’s probably best that Lystie stays in a separate room. For reasons.”

“Really? Well, the two of us will take turns, then. Mr. Might, that’s how it’s going to be.”

“You really don’t mind sleeping in the same room as me, Nanase?”

“You helped me with my experiment, which means you’re a kindred soul. If it wasn’t for you, Arm wouldn’t be here with us.”

“…Food…”

“Hm? I thought I just heard someone’s voice. Did I imagine it?”

Arm had spoken in a really soft voice, but it didn’t escape Platinum’s ears. She would probably be extremely surprised to learn that Arm was a slime that could understand human language, so we had to be cautious about how we did the reveal.

“U-um, Ms. Platinum, what is Ms. Lystie doing now?”

“She went to the market to buy groceries. Seeing how well equipped our kitchen is made her want to start cooking, apparently.”

“I also did a little cooking at home. I can help.”

“In that case, I can go pick her up.”

“Good idea. It’s down that slope. Come back safe.”

The market was still packed with people and filled with energy. There were even stalls selling food that could be eaten right away. I searched for Lystie while ignoring my rumbling stomach. Unsurprisingly, Lystie’s looks made her stand out despite the drab villager outfit she was wearing, especially with her blue hair down. It didn’t take long for me to find her. She was at a stall that sold bread.

“Please give me four—no, five of these.”

“You know what? You’re a new face, so you can have one for free. I hope you come again!”

“I’m sorry, I’m not comfortable with that. I’ll pay you the full amount.”

“Ha-ha-ha, don’t worry about it, I’m just doing it ’cause I want to. Straitlaced kids like you are a rare sight these days.”

“A-am I that straitlaced?”

“Sorry, what was that?”

“Oh, nothing. Here is the full amount of one silver.”

One silver for five bread was on the cheap side. The higher the level of an area, the higher prices were. In some cities, one piece of bread would even cost one gold. There were a few times when my old party ran out of money because of the higher prices in a new town and had to take on a few short-term requests. This was why we picked up the habit of keeping a stash of jewelry and ornaments that could be easily converted into money.

“Ah, Might! What’s the matter? You could have just waited at home.”

“I was curious what you were buying. Are you good at cooking, Lystie?”

“Well…let’s say I can cook. The why is a secret.”

“Got it, I won’t ask. I can cook, too, but nowhere near what people with the Cooking skill can do.”

“You might think it’s weird, since I’m a Swordfighter, but I have the Cooking skill. Only the beginner level, though.”

So she had beginner-level Cooking on top of Dignity. Cooking could be obtained by anyone regardless of their vocation, but you had to have someone teach you. If Lystie really was a member of royalty, as I suspected, it was weird that she had learned Cooking. But then again, it was also weird that she called herself a Swordfighter, and there would be no end to it if I started asking questions.

“Is there anything in particular that you want to eat? I was thinking of just making a vegetable dish and a meat soup.”

“I eat anything. All the amazing smells are making me so hungry, I’m about to die.”

“Ha-ha, it seems even the incredibly powerful Might is a growing boy. I had a feeling that you’d eat a lot, so I bought you an extra piece of bread.”

So that was why. Somehow, learning the reason made me feel a little bashful. I’d thought she was just buying more in general.

“Thank you.”

“We can all share it together if it’s too much, so feel free to name things. Now, what I still need is…salt and spices are over there, I believe.”

“Let me hold your stuff.”

I took the basket that Lystie was holding, and we continued shopping. We thought about buying some fruit, so we stopped by a fruit stall. The woman tending to the stall saw us and smiled.

“Welcome. Good job helping your big sister with the shopping, kiddo.”

“Oh, no, we’re fellow party members.”

“My, is that so? What a cute adventurer you are.”

“Do you have any recommendations? We’re looking for something to eat after a meal.”

“Let me see… The two of you are young, so you can handle it. It’s called ‘mooran.’ You split it and eat the soft part inside. In this season, it’s sweet and delicious.”

“Mooran, is it? Thank you for the recommendation. Can we have four, please?”

I thought I had heard the name of this fruit before but didn’t remember ever having it. The red fruit that the store lady put into a jute bag for us gave off a sweet fragrance that we could smell just by being close to it.

“After you eat it, it’s best not to stay up late. Come again, you two.”

With the shopping done, we headed home. On the way, Lystie turned back toward me, as I was walking a step behind.

“She called you ‘kiddo,’ even though you’re so much more levelheaded than all of us.”

“I’m pretty sure she calls everyone who looks my age ‘kiddo.’”

“There are many beautiful ladies in this city, so make sure you don’t follow one home, kiddo…ha-ha-ha. It appears I’m feeling like a big sister after being called one.”

“Even though we’re the same age, you look much more mature when you let your hair down. That’s not fair.”

“Do I really? That makes me happy. I’ve always wanted to grow up quickly.”

Before my vocation change, I was barely an adult myself. But now that I was young again, I realized that even girls the same age as me really did grow faster.

There were some things Lystie had said that raised questions in my mind, but I walked on silently, just watching the town transform for nighttime.

When we returned home, Lystie got to work making what she said she would. I offered my help, but I was told to get a feel for the lay of the rooms first. Nanase volunteered herself to be my guide.

“This is a bedroom. It’s amazing. Look how much better the bed is than at our last inn!” Nanase gushed.

“I’m glad the place came furnished,” I said approvingly.

“I totally agree. Ah, we still haven’t decided who’ll be rooming with you. We’ll discuss it later.”

“When I sleep, I make no noise at all. Just saying, in case that was a worry.”

“I’ve been told that I talk in my sleep sometimes. If we end up in the same room, please ignore it. The two bedrooms are connected via this balcony, so it’s really easy to come and go.”

Nanase popped out onto the balcony, then came back in. Unsurprisingly, she seemed more relaxed here than she did at the inn. I could see that she was really happy about having a permanent residence.

“There’s one more room on the second floor, but it’s small, so we’re probably going to make it a storage room.”

“Fine by me. And I see that we have an attic, too.”

“What? How do you get to it?”

“There should be a mechanism in the hallway. Let’s see…it’s not trapped. Here it is.”

“Whoa!”

I activated something at the end of the hallway, and a ladder fell from the ceiling. A small cloud of dust flew everywhere. It was great that we had an attic, but the prior tenant clearly had never used it.

“I think—cough—that we should leave checking it out for later.”

“Sorry, some of the dust got on you. Do you want to get in the bath to wash it away?”

“Oh, right, the bath has to be drawn. It’s installed with a magic tool that heats the water. Can you operate it, Mr. Might?”

When I visited the Thieves Guild, Mabel had also said something about obtaining a magic tool that heated water. This house was a lot better outfitted than I had expected.

“I’ll give it a try. If I can’t figure it out, let’s go to a bathhouse today.”

“Okay!”

After giving me a cheerful reply, Nanase led me down to the first floor. We stepped out into the yard, where we saw a magic tool embedded into the bathroom’s outside wall.

“The bath is on the other side of this wall. There was a leaflet that explained that we first fill it up with water, then heat the water with this magic tool.”

“Got it. I’ll try working this. Can you go inside and let me know if you see any change in the water?”

“Your wish is my command, sir, yes, sir!” Nanase ran inside the house, her feet making a small ruckus.

“Now, then…”

There was a red magic stone in the magic tool. My first guess was that I was supposed to channel mana into the stone.

Hold my hand over it…channel my mana…

“Work!”

I even gave it a shout of encouragement, but the magic tool remained inert. I blushed a little. I was just thinking that I should have asked Mabel how hers worked when it happened again.

“Lock Eye I” has revealed the lock for “Temperature Control Magic Tool.”

Thanks to Lock Eye I, which worked on both organic and inorganic targets, a lock appeared on the surface of the magic tool.

So it would work with my key? It’s probably best to learn the proper way to operate it, but this really is convenient.

I created a key with my mana and slotted it into the lock. The lock didn’t disappear. Instead, I felt more mana being sucked away.

After a while, I heard Nanase shout from the other side of the wall, “Phwoh! Mr. Might, the water’s turned warm!” With this, we now had warm bathing water. I even knew how to adjust the temperature.

“Mr. Might, the temperature is perfect now. This is incredible! It took no time at all!”

While listening to Nanase cheering, I suddenly felt a burst of power surge out from deep within my body.

Might has reached level 2. New skills have been granted.

There were several occasions when people would level up. As it turned out, the act of using mana was how I, a Sage, gained experience. This discovery was an unexpected boon.

“Looks like it went well.”

“Yep, it’s a total success! Sounds like dinner is also ready. Which do you want to have first?”

“The bath can wait. We can always just reheat it again.”

The soup cooked by Lystie was so delicious, it felt strange to have it at home. It blew my mind to think that she had only used normal ingredients bought from the local market. Before I knew it, I had cleaned my plate.

“Phew. Color me surprised. Lystie, you’re really good at cooking.”

“Isn’t she? She put so much effort into her brid—into her hobby of cooking and practiced a lot.”

“Hm? Platinum, what did you—?”

“Here you go, Might. There’s dessert, too.”

Lystie placed a fruit that had been cut in half in front of me. The orange flesh glistened invitingly, and its fragrance was even sweeter now that it had been cut.

“I’ve already removed the seed. You eat it by scooping it out with a spoon.”

“Right. Mm… This is delicious. It’s just the perfect amount of sweetness.”

“This fruit helps speed up your mana recovery, Mr. Might. One day, I might be able to make you a new potion using this as an ingredient.”

“Then he should eat more of it. Here, have mine. I can have it some other time.”

“I’m good with just one. It’s helped me recover plenty already.”

If I’d known, I would have bought more. Ah, but the stallkeeper only had four in stock. Maybe next time I see her, I’ll ask how hard it is to order them.

Although I did feel my mana recovering, I also felt somewhat hot. Not enough for it to bother me, though.

“In that case, let’s all eat ours, too.”

Lystie and the others also began eating their portions. I scraped the peel of mine for a few last bites, then started cleaning up. It reminded me of the time I had infiltrated a restaurant for a job from the Thieves Guild.

“Thank you, Might.” Lystie smiled.

“You don’t have to wash everything,” Platinum said. “Feel free to take a bath first.”

“Arm, do you want some? It’s really good,” said Nanase, and the slime bounced up and down in answer.

Apparently, what it considered food was not just mana. Despite Nanase’s admonishment, Arm started eating the peel of her mooran.

When I stepped into the bathroom, I found a small mirror by the washing area. I peered into it to examine myself, confirming that all the scars I used to have were indeed gone.

Now how am I supposed to prove to Falina and the others that I’m me?

If I worked hard and reached the same level range that Falina’s group were at again, there was a good chance we’d meet again. However, I was currently only level 2, and they were level 99. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how much time I’d need to close the gap. Of course, if they came to Fortune, then the simple act of meeting them would be a piece of cake. Unfortunately, they had no reason to do so.

It was not my character to twiddle my thumbs and wait for cards to fall my way. This was why I was focusing on working my way up the adventurer ladder and making a name for myself as a Sage.

I scooped up some water with a bucket and upended it over my head. I was considering leaving the thinking for another time when the door to the bathroom suddenly opened.

My “Huh?” probably sounded dumb, because I had no idea how to react at all. I stared up at Platinum, wondering if she had failed to notice that I was inside. No, there’s no way.

“You don’t mind us joining you, do you?”

“J-joining me?! There’s so much wrong with—!”

“Oh, it’s fine. We’re all in the same party.”

After Platinum, Lystie came in, as did Nanase. They were hiding themselves with towels, but it was nowhere near enough to hide everything. Realizing that this was no time for me to be staring, I averted my eyes at the speed of light.

“If you’re thinking about conserving water, you really don’t need to. I can heat as much water as needed. We really should do this sep—”

“Now, now, don’t worry about minor details.”

“What?”

“We’re telling you it’s fine, so it’s fine.”

This was not normal. Something was clearly wrong. There was no way that Lystie, the most straitlaced of the bunch, would say or do something like this.

“Have you washed yourself yet, Mr. Might? Do you want me to wash your back?”

“N-no, thank you. I can do it my—”

“No need to be reserved! We’ll do it for each other, too, afterward.”

Confusion filled my mind, but I pushed through it to figure out the reason for the current situation. I tried to think back to what had happened today…and the answer jumped out at me.

“Let me see… The two of you are young, so you can handle it.”

“It’s called mooran. You split it and eat the soft part inside.”

THIS is what she meant?! Don’t go selling such a dangerous fruit so casually!

“…I’ve been feeling so hot for a while now. How can I quell this heat?”

“Will…I feel refreshed…after a quick bath…?

“Huh? Why are there two Mr. Mights? Now I have to wash both their backs…”

I could probably thank the training I underwent when I was with the Thieves Guild for why I only got slightly intoxicated from the mooran. For now, I racked my brains for whatever resolution would be the least traumatic for my companions when they sobered back up. We need to end at least the first day without incident!

Part 8: The Circumstances of the Two

“Ms. Lystie, have you gotten bigger than before?”

“I don’t think so… Did I gain weight?”

“You have been developing a rather healthy appetite since starting out as an adventurer. As for me, I need to train more.” Platinum turned to me. “What do you think, Might?”

My efforts to leave the bathroom had all been thwarted. Platinum had established herself as my greatest obstacle. Every time I tried to reach the door, she interfered in a natural way.

“Why are you hiding yourself, Mr. Might?”

“Uh, I’m getting overheated, so I’m thinking of getting out.”

“Come on, Might. Stay for just a little longer,” Lystie said. “Or do you hate being with us?”

Of course I don’t hate it! But I can’t say that in this situation!

I had bought the mooran with Lystie, so the fault wasn’t all mine. That said, I felt really sorry for the three girls that I had accidentally put in such a weird mood by buying that fruit. As a former level 99 Thief, I should have known better.

“Phew… It’s a bit cramped for four people, but bigger than I expected. Isn’t this great?”

“Indeed. If we sit like this, there is plenty of space for three people.”

“Ahhh, the heat is seeping into my whole body. Sorry that I made some of the water spill out, everyone.”

This can’t be happening!

The City of Pleasure had plenty of water, so the bathtubs in the houses were all generally quite big. However, the general assumption was that there would only be at most two people inside at any given time. And that was a problem here.

The three girls were sitting on the edge of the bathtub, with only their feet in the water. A footbath still did wonders for warming their bodies and making them sweat. However, I still had no idea why they had barged in when I was inside.

“This way of enjoying a bath is wonderful, too, every once in a while.”

“Indeed, it has a different appeal from a public bathhouse. It is much more relaxing without any strangers around.”

I interrupted. “Um, maybe it’s not my place to ask this, but are you sure about relaxing here? Now?”

The three exchanged looks without saying anything. Then they looked at me. Not to glare, but with smiles.

“Have you experienced this before?” Lystie asked. “You’re level 1, but so strong. I’m sure you have so much experience.”

“My level went up to 2 just now. I still have no idea what my new skill is, though.”

“Mm, after you go up a level, understanding of your new skill will simply come to you in an appropriate situation.”

After defeating the earth golem, Lystie and Platinum had reached level 5, and Nanase level 4. Nanase had said that the number of recipes she could compound had increased, but Lystie and Platinum still had no idea what their new skills could do.

“Mr. Might, were you just trying to deflect the question? That’s not the only kind of experience there is.”

“Huh? A-ah, that’s what you mean. I guess you would be curious, wouldn’t you?”

“Of course we are. Conversely, it would be disrespectful to you if we said we weren’t interested at all.”

Clearly, Platinum wasn’t going to let me off the hook. I wished that she would at least stop turning my way.

“So…tell us everything. Have you ever partied up with other girls before?”

“I…have. I have, but this situation is definitely a first for me.”

I was trying to get the three of them to realize the situation we were in so that I could peacefully make an exit. To no avail, clearly, seeing how they exchanged happy knowing glances.

“You see, Might, we’re all really glad that you joined our party.”

“I-isn’t that usually something that may or may not be said after traveling together for much longer?”

“Hm. There’s no ‘may.’ Even now, we are already more than grateful to you. We are inexperienced, yet you draw out the power in us, Might. There is no doubt about it.”

“At first, I only looked at your level and thought I was better than you, but now I get embarrassed just thinking about what I was like. Every night, I think about what an amazing person you are before I go to bed.”

I felt like we were getting dangerously close to a point of no return. The power of the mooran was a serious menace. Just because this is the City of Pleasure, it doesn’t mean it’s okay to have something like that so easily obtainable!

“Uh, why are you three leaning in?”

“Perhaps you’re imagining it?”

“Indeed, it is you who is leaning toward us.”

“That’s right… Mm, boys really do look good with wet hair.”

You’re fourteen! Do you hear yourself?! is what I would have said if I hadn’t been so cornered. Backed up in the bathtub as I was, the distance I had to myself was shrinking more and more. Just as they were about to cross the final line, however, my eyes widened with surprise.

…?!

The reason was that a shining lock had appeared on each of them. As always, these were locks that only I could see. However, whereas all the ones I had seen so far were white, these were closer to red. And they were not all in front of their chests: Lystie’s lock was still in front of her chest, but Platinum’s was on her thigh, and Nanase’s was behind her ear.

I did not have the presence of mind to calmly figure out what this meant.

Persistent Passive Skill “Lock Eye II”: Enables the user to see the second lock of organic and inorganic targets when the requirements are met.

“Might, I… I don’t think about this kind of thing all the time, but today…”

“Indeed, just like Lystie, I’ve never had any inappropriate thoughts about you, Might, but now…”

“H-hold on, what do you mean ‘but now’?! Is it different now?!”

“Mr. Might, you’re flinching. You put up a front like you’re unfazed by being in the bath with girls, but… Huh?”

Nanase was reaching out toward me when she seemed to lose her balance and fell on top of me.

“Watch out! No, wait, this is way too—!”

My instinct was to prop her up, but there wasn’t really anywhere that I could safely touch in a situation like this. Even so, I managed to find a spot that was barely acceptable and caught her in time.

“Nanase! You okay?”

“…Zzz…”

“…What?”

Nanase was fully leaning into me and not moving a muscle. Belatedly, I realized from her breathing that she had fallen asleep. I looked at the other two and realized that they were also almost about to sleep, dangerously tottering at the edge of the bathtub.

“Please, you two, don’t sleep here! I can handle one person, but three at the same time is too many!”

“…Might…you can have seconds, you know?”

“Indeed…you are…a growing boy…”

What would you three have done if I was a bad person? Geez.

There was only one thing for me to do: Bring all three out of the bathroom. And do something about them before they caught a cold. All while keeping my mind free from obstructive thoughts, like the Sage I was.

As it turned out, the effect of the mooran fruit was heightened libido for a set period of time, followed by sleepiness. With my constitution, all it did was make me feel slightly flushed, but it was extremely effective on Lystie and the others. All three got changed while looking extremely sleepy, and they immediately fell into bed.

Of course, there was no way to have that conversation about who was going to room with me. Before I knew it, Lystie was already sleeping in my room. I noticed she was sleeping without a blanket, so I placed one over her, taking care not to wake her up, and she naturally pulled it over herself.

After everything, I climbed into my own bed but had a very hard time falling asleep. Anyone would, after going through something like that. However, since Lystie was sleeping, I tried to force myself to sleep, too.

How much experience do I have, huh? Sheska asked me the same thing.

Falina looked uninterested, and Enju, being an automaton, only understood the topic as a concept. I honestly thought it was because that was the kind of party we were that we managed to travel as a mixed-gender party for so long. Because of their striking looks, they were approached by many guys in all the towns we stopped by, so I became the perfect guy repellent.

“I think I can count the number of times I’ve seen you make that face on one hand, Might.”

“I know you got angry on our behalf. That’s why we’re always counting on you.”

“As an automaton, I have self-defense capabilities, but thank you, Master Might.”

Words from my past companions rose unbidden in my mind. I knew I had a tendency to get overprotective of my party members and had been wondering if it was overbearing. That was when the three of them smiled at me. In places where we stayed for a longer time, people often started calling me “the guard dog.” And honestly, when I reflected on how I had acted, I couldn’t really deny the nickname.

“…Might, are you still awake?”

“I am.”

I’d thought she was asleep—No, she actually had been, for a while.

Lystie turned toward me. “I’m sorry. I don’t really remember what happened after dinner.”

“I see. Well, we were all tired.”

“Mm. But somehow, I get the feeling that something good happened.”

“I…see.”

What was I supposed to say?

Lystie giggled, then adopted a serious face. “Might, I… There’s something about me that I haven’t told you yet.”

“Is it the reason you became an adventurer?”

I wasn’t trying to change the topic. I gathered that I had guessed right, as Lystie sat up and sat on the edge of her bed, with her back toward me. With the window curtain fluttering and moonlight streaming in, she ran her fingers through her hair and continued speaking.

“I think you’ve already caught on, but Platinum and I are using false names.”

“Yeah, there were hints in how you two moved and spoke. Don’t worry. You hid it pretty well all in all.”

“You could tell just by what you saw? You really are amazing, Might. No one else we met has figured it out.”

I could see Mabel having information on Lystie and Platinum. If I asked, there was a chance she would even tell me. However, I wanted to hear everything from Lystie and Platinum in person. About why they were hiding their identities.

“Why did you want to become an adventurer?”

“I wanted to get stronger. Actually, no, that wasn’t the only reason. I wanted to see and learn more things in person.”

“And that’s why you came to this town? With Platinum?”

“Mm. She’s my close friend. Though she would probably get angry hearing me say that.”

“She really cares about you. Anyone can tell with a look.”

Lystie turned back toward me. There was a delighted smile on her face.

“She gets embarrassed hearing that sort of thing, so go easy on her.”

“…She’s an honest and straightforward person. A good person. Though a little trouble-prone at times.”

“Mh-hm. And…it’s also for my sake that she tells everyone she’s a Paladin. She said she wanted to wield a shield to protect me.”

Platinum’s real vocation was Royal Order. Her role was to serve someone noble. That meant Lystie’s vocation was something worthy of a Royal Order’s service.

“Might, I… My vocation is actually…”

“Swordfighter. You have unrelated skills like Cooking, but in our party, you’re our close-quarters attacker.”

“Ah, Cooking is, um, just something I picked up with no relation to my vocation. And if we’re talking about our roles in our party, you’re much stronger than I am.”

“There’s no harm in someone in the back being able to contribute to our damage output, is there?”

Lystie pouted a little in response to my nonchalant answer. She was probably unhappy that I interrupted her when she was about to say something important. Of course, I didn’t plan on glossing over it.

“The skills that you gain when leveling up depend on your vocation. If you use them in front of us, it’ll become obvious what your vocation is.”

“Might, I…”

“What I’m saying is, I think you should be free to do whatever you want, no matter what your vocation is. I am a member of your party, and I’ll do whatever I can to realize the goals that our party decides on. That’s what I’m here for.”

Lystie didn’t say anything, but her face still looked unsure.

“I’m thankful that you decided to accept a guy like me who can’t even use magic properly. That’s why I’ll affirm you with everything I have for as long as you want to continue being an adventurer.”

“…Everything? That’s a big promise to make.”

“I mean it. Even if you’re really a princess, how I feel wouldn’t change. That’s just how it is.”

I had just put it out there as casually as I could, but Lystie didn’t deny it. She turned back around, but I could still see her wiping away tears. When she faced me once again, she was back to her usual self.

“Did you also say all this to the people you partied with before?”

“Uh…no, I didn’t.”

“I was just thinking that anyone would be happy to hear that, even if they weren’t me. Sorry for kind of testing you.”

“It’s no biggie. All that matters is that you’re yourself again. We should probably get some sleep now, don’t you think?”

Lystie giggled. “It feels like you’re my elder brother, even though we’re the same age.” It looked like she wanted to talk a while longer, but she obediently snuggled into her bed. “Thank you. I’m glad we talked.”

“Me too. If you ever need a listening ear again, I’ll be here.”

“Can you not tell anyone about Platinum and me yet?”

“Don’t worry. My lips are sealed.”

After a while, Lystie’s breathing indicated that she had fallen asleep again. I closed my eyes, too, and this time, sleep came easily to me.

The last thing I thought about was what Lystie had said: that she became an adventurer because she wanted to get stronger and to see many things in person. It reminded me of when I left this city, dreaming of defeating the Demonic Dragon. Even now, the emotions I felt at the time still remained in my chest.

Chapter 4

Stirring Fate

Part 1: Morning View

The morning sun shone through my window. Lystie was no longer in the bed next to mine. It was made up neatly. Her equipment was still there, though, indicating that she was still in the house.

When I stepped out of my room, I bumped into Nanase.

She yawned, then noticed me. “Ah. Good morning, Mr. Might.”

“Right, good mor…ning…”

The reason I had trailed off was due to surprise at how childish—ahem, how adorable Nanase’s nightwear was.

Right after Nanase, Platinum also showed herself. But in her case, only her head.

“Nanase, you shouldn’t just wander about the house in your nightwear. Remember that a guy is living here, too!”

“Are you talking about Mr. Might? Oh, he’s fine. I mean, yesterday, he—”

It looked like Nanase meant to give a laid-back answer, but her face clouded up with puzzlement halfway through, and she murmured, “Huh?”

“Um…should I just forget everything that happened last night?” I offered.

“Last night? …Sorry, I was kind of already in bed before I realized it.”

“For me, it was suddenly already morning. It’s been quite a while since I have slept so deeply. I feel great.”

Sure enough, Platinum was in top spirits. Drawn by the conversation with Nanase, she came out, too, revealing that she was wearing nightwear with very thin fabric. It was nothing I hadn’t seen before—after all, I was the one who had helped her into it last night—but my eyes still kept on being naturally drawn her way.

“Um, Ms. Platinum, why are you jiggling more than usual?”

“Hm? …AH! M-my chest wrap! I see, I must have gone to sleep without wrapping up last night. It’s easier to breathe without it.”

Having convinced herself, Platinum disappeared back into her room. Nanase gave me a prolonged stare, but I was determined to ride out this storm.

“Don’t even think about it, okay? Don’t you dare peep. Ms. Platinum would probably forgive it if it’s you, but you shouldn’t. Just as a person.”

“I won’t. I’m an adult with restraint.”

“You’re only one year older than me, though. That makes me a full-grown adult, too.”

Nanase smiled happily, then went down to the first floor. I followed her down to avoid bumping into Platinum right outside her room again. I wasn’t even halfway down the stairs when an amazing smell hit me. Lystie was in the middle of setting the table for breakfast.

“Good morning, Ms. Lystie. Sorry I didn’t help.”

“Good morning, you two. Is Platinum also coming down soon? I’ve already set her place.”

I didn’t know how long it took for Platinum to wrap her chest, but before I finished my thought, she had already appeared.

“Looks like you’ve fully mastered how to use the kitchen,” Platinum noted.

Lystie smiled. “Because it was kept in good condition. And there was still plenty of the water you drew yesterday.”

“If there’s anything I can help with, let me know,” I offered.

“You’d help, Might? I’ll wake you next time, then. You were sleeping so soundly, I thought I shouldn’t.”

Only when it was pointed out did I realize I had indeed been sleeping deeply last night. I almost never did that, as I had been trained to wake up at a moment’s notice in case of a night attack.

“Ooooh, what’s Mr. Might look like when he’s asleep? I’m curious!”

“H-hold on, it’s impolite to ask about that kind of—”

“He has such wonderful sleeping posture, I couldn’t help being impressed. He breathes quietly, too, which made me feel compelled to—Ah.”

There I was, thinking that she had been sleeping peacefully, when in fact this noble lady had been staring at me in my sleep. I can’t let my guard down around her, can I?

“…If you’re having trouble with your sleeping posture, maybe you should consider replacing your bedding.”

“Interesting. Even a Sage like Might reacts like a young boy sometimes.”

“Hey, there’s no need to be embarrassed. Having a cute sleeping face isn’t a bad thing at all, Mr. Might.”

“Sorry, Might. I kind of just woke up for a while…”

“A-ahem. I’m not bothered at all.”

I figured that if I tried to act tough with a line like “It takes skill to take advantage of me when I’m asleep,” it’d just make the three of them happy, so I kept it to myself.

“Hm, bread fresh from the oven really does taste different, even when it’s just being reheated.”

“I totally agree. I really appreciate the extra effort. You also added a little salt to this bacon soup, didn’t you? I can’t have enough of it.”

What I wanted to say was basically the same as what Platinum and Nanase had already said, but I caught Lystie shooting glances my way, so I thought a little first before saying, “Everything you make tastes amazing, Lystie.”

“…! You’re not getting anything just for complimenting me!”

“Whoa, and she does that naturally. Even as her friend, I’d like to learn how she does it.”

“Just wait three more years! I’ll be just like Ms. Lystie by then!”

The bashful look on Lystie’s face was evoking intense reactions from the other two, but in my eyes, Lystie was basically just a very talented little sister. At the same time, a part of me wondered if it was wrong for me to continue treating her like she was younger than me, now that I was the same age as she was. The unshaven, dour Thief was starting to mix with the beginner Sage in me.

“Ah, are you doubting if I can do it? I’ll have you know that in the drugs I’m compounding, there’s one that would blow your mind. Not in the aphrodisiac way.”

“Nanase’s potions are always incredible, so I’m always looking forward to seeing what she comes up with. Did you manage to make a new one with Might yesterday?”

“Yes I did. And it’s going to be so useful. It’s the crystallization of Mr. Might’s and my feelings. No, it’s the product of our first cooperative effort!”

“Kngh! Nanase, seriously, you…”

“Are you all right, Might?”

“A party is always a cooperative effort. Let’s do our best and continue racking them up.”

Lystie brought me a cup of water as Platinum stroked my back. Apparently, when we weren’t on the road, these two were starting to treat me like a younger brother. A part of me appreciated it, which was perhaps another sign that I was slowly changing.

Part 2: Secret Order from the Thieves Guild

We talked about the need to have downtime in between jobs, so I managed to get some time to myself today.

I probably shouldn’t put off Mabel’s summons for too long.

There were people walking around the area where the brothels were located even during the day. The spot that I was supposed to go to, Hawk 19, was in this area.

“Young man, this is no place to play around in.”

“He’s wearing a mage’s outfit, so isn’t he an adventurer?”

After getting catcalls from a few women who were probably “working,” I realized it was better to not catch attention. I turned a corner and shifted into being covert. Eventually, I reached the back entrance of a brothel and spoke in a low voice that could only be heard inside.

“I was summoned. I’m Crow.”

There was clattering inside, then the door was quietly opened. By the time I slid inside, the person inside was nowhere to be seen. They must have rushed farther inside in a hurry, but I had no idea why.

“There you are, Crow. I’m glad I decided to stay the night.” Mabel emerged from within, clad in leather armor. She shot a look at the door behind her and smiled wryly. “She still looks up to you. That’s why she’s too embarrassed to see you in person.”

“Who?”

“Shanoa. She’s working at my place now.”

“Shanoa as in…? Ahhh, right.”

Mabel gave me a Did you forget? look, but in my defense, I had never spent much time with Shanoa.

“You saved her from a kidnapper, in case you forgot. She’s now sixteen, which… Oh.”

I had regressed in age, whereas the young girl had grown by ten years. That meant she was now older than I was, and I was younger than she was. This happens, too, huh?

“Because of her race, she grows fast. But she’s still shy and introverted, so she’s a bit of a handful. Anyway, switching topics. Crow, I heard you just finished some big job.”

“Ahhh, big job… Yeah, it kind of turned into a big thing. We’ve wrapped it up already, though.”

“You said your level got reset by your vocation change, but I see your abilities haven’t dropped a bit.”

Without further ado, Mabel spread something on the table. One look revealed it to be a letter. In place of a signature, there was the image of a deer with horns. This was the sign used by my old friend, Elk.

“You mentioned that Gazelle and Elk are both on a secret mission. The place they infiltrated is…?”

“Beold. The capital of the kingdom that rules the western part of this continent.”

Ah, yes. Beold. We stopped there once on the way to the Demonic Dragon.

“Why infiltrate Beold? I’m sure there’s a local Thieves Guild, isn’t there?”

“Our client is the lord of this area. The Schwaig family.”

“Schwaig…?”

The blond man I had met at the Novices Guild, Brandt Schwaig, came to mind. Based on what the Butler and Maid in his retinue said, he was probably the son of the domain lord in question.

“They’ve been dealing with a demon problem for the past two months. A demon has taken over an abandoned tower and seems to be searching for something.”

“A demon, you say. People in this area are far too low-leveled to fight demons.”

“Exactly. Demons break the level limits for areas pretty much at will. Like really powerful monsters sometimes do.”

“And Gazelle and Elk are currently looking into this?”

“That’s right. The king’s forces can’t do a thing against the demon, but he can’t keep that a secret forever.”

According to Mabel, the Schwaig family had been practically ousted from politics but had always been on the lookout for an opportunity to get a foot back in the door. And this was that time.

“Are you serious? The king really issued an edict that anyone who succeeds in getting rid of the demon can wed his daughter?”

“Don’t forget, wedding the princess means gaining the right to make a bid for the throne. It would be an enormous advantage in the political world.”

“The Schwaig family didn’t directly receive an official notice, right? The whole ‘marry the princess’ thing would still apply if they defeat the demon?”

“Yes, it would. They just caught wind of it late because none of the other nobles in the capital told them.”

Okay, I get that there’s a demon in the capital and that it’s a problem. But why is Mabel telling me about it?

“The nobles are all frothing at the mouth to defeat this demon, and it’s not something that the Thieves Guild can interfere with. Now, the reason I’m telling you all this…”

Mabel placed another piece of paper on the table. It bore an illustration of someone who, based on the flow of the conversation, was probably the princess in question.

Ah, I should have seen this coming.

There had been plenty of clues. There was the crest on Platinum’s armor. And her real vocation being Royal Order. There was Lystie’s ring, the one that I had retrieved from the burglars who had stolen it from her. And her sword. And her ability to use Dignity, a skill that only royalty could use.

“Even I had failed to notice it till now,” Mabel said. “Who’d have thought the princess was an adventurer in the City of Pleasure, right?”

The portrait was of Princess Noielys Tia Beolnat, but it bore a great resemblance to someone I knew. Unfortunately, I couldn’t claim it was just a coincidence, as Mabel had surely obtained undeniable proof. That was why she had called me.

“Does she have to marry whichever noble it is who kills the demon?”

“Using the princess’s hand in marriage as a political tool is hardly something new. In a way, that’s more natural than her going on adventures with you.”

Mabel knew that I was in a party with the princess—or, as I knew her, Lystie. That’s why we were having this conversation. That’s what this was about.

“The worst thing is having to live how others want you to live. What is your opinion of Princess Noielys? Did she ever share with you why she’s being an adventurer?”

I had no idea about all this. I had never asked. Even though we were party members, I had thought that it wasn’t my place to probe. Of course, I could still pretend that I didn’t know anything for now. All I had to do was make it possible for Lystie to choose the path she wanted, whatever it was.

To make that happen, there was now something that I had to do.

“Thank you, Big Sister.”

“Anytime. I know this is an irresponsible thing to say, but I have faith in you. You’re the one who defeated the Demonic Dragon and came back—not as a Thief, but as a Sage. You’re Crow.”

Part 3: Uproar in the City of Pleasure

The reason I came to Fortune, the City of Pleasure, was that it was also known as the First Town.

I was born a princess, which meant my days were filled with bridal training and being reminded that I was to one day marry someone powerful who could support this country. My vocation had been decided at birth, like everyone else in this world. To live according to one’s vocation was the natural thing to do; to live otherwise was unnatural. However, when I asked the bodyguard who had been with me since my childhood, Platinum—her real name was Primrose—to teach me how to fight so I could defend myself, she looked a little troubled but listened to my request regardless.

“That was wonderful swordsmanship, Your Highness.”

“Do you think I have what it takes to win a fight?”

“It is my duty to protect you, but let me see…”

I was to live doing only what I was meant to do. Even my father wanted that of me. It was hardly news to me, but I felt cornered living every day waiting for the day I had to marry someone who had been chosen for me.

What I wanted was to see the world outside the capital. The world described in stories. When I heard that adventurers were being gathered and sent to fight the terrifying Demonic Dragon at the Edge of the World, I couldn’t help being jealous of them.

Adventurers were those who made a living out of adventuring. “Adventurer” was not a vocation, which meant I could become an adventurer, too. My vocation couldn’t be changed, but if I made it as an adventurer, I could perhaps find another way to live other than by being a princess.

I knew that I was dreaming. I would never be allowed to leave the capital. I couldn’t even talk about wanting to become an adventurer. And yet I wanted more time. The moment someone defeated the demon who had taken over the tower in the capital—and if that person was a man—I would have to marry him. The time I had remaining was precious little, and I couldn’t bear just waiting for it to run out.

One day, training with Primrose, I opened up to her. I told her that I wanted to slip out of the capital. “I would be fine alone, so please buy me time,” I said. After listening to my absurd request, instead of chastising me, Primrose looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“Then I shall protect you as a platinum shield! No matter where you go, I will remain by your side.”

I knew that she had greatly adored Paladins since her childhood.

Thanks to the ring that my mother left me, I was able to keep my identity hidden. It was called “the Hermit’s Ring” and had been used by generations of royalty to travel incognito. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to even register at the Novices Guild in Fortune.

Then we met Nanase and formed a party with her. We started off doing simple jobs, but while we sometimes pulled them off, sometimes it didn’t go so well. With each day that passed, I got more and more into my own mind. I felt like I was getting nowhere. But that was when…

“My name is Might, by the way. What’s yours?”

Despite being level 1, he looked as calm and reliable as if he had seen the whole world.

That was how I met the strongest person I had ever seen before.

“—stie. Lystie?”

“Ah. Sorry, Platinum.”

“It’s dangerous to get absorbed in your thoughts when walking, Ms. Lystie. Even though I do it all the time.”

Since Might had left first thing in the morning, Platinum, Nanase, and I were heading to the Novices Guild by ourselves. If there was any job that matched what we were looking for, we had to claim it right away. We now had enough to live off of for a while, thanks to Might, but I wanted to gain as much experience as possible in the time I had left.

“Where could Might have gone?” I wondered out loud. “Does he have acquaintances in this city?”

“…What if there is someone he’s going out with?” Platinum asked.

Nanase looked surprised. “Did you see anything about him that makes you think he has a girlfriend?”

My two companions looked at each other, then blushed. Honestly, I didn’t know him well enough to say for sure whether or not he had a romantic partner.

“He’s always calm and composed,” I said. “Sometimes, it’s more than that; he looks like he has a past. However, he’s friendly to everyone, guys and girls alike.”

“But then again, it’s not like he’s especially used to dealing with girls. Ah, but Ur got attached to him. And Ms. Ally and Marino did, too.”

“So have we. When he’s not around, like now, we really notice it,” Platinum pointed out.

We laughed together. Maybe us being out on the streets like this was also because we got influenced by him leaving the house this morning.

“Hm? Lystie, there’s something going on at the guild.”

There was a crowd of adventurers gathered in front of the guild building. We arrived just in time to see them parting ways to make way for someone coming out.

“Are they for real?”

“Considering the level of the area, killing that demon is not going to be easy.”

The words we made out from the commotion immediately set off alarm bells in my mind.

“Don’t tell me, they’re talking about the one in the tower near the capital?” Platinum murmured, her voice clearly shaking.

To my knowledge, the forces in the capital were keeping the tower demon in check, which meant it was not a threat to those of us all the way back in Fortune. At least, that was what I’d heard in the capital.

“They might be talking about a different demon…,” I replied hopefully.

Just then, the person coming out of the guild came into view. It was the blond adventurer who had introduced himself as Brandt. I didn’t know much about the Schwaig family other than that their domain was this city and its surroundings. I had never had the opportunity to meet any of them in any official capacity.

“Hey there, Lystie,” Brandt said. “If you’ve just come to the guild, you haven’t heard, have you?”

“Are you referring to the demon? What exactly is going on?” Platinum asked, on my behalf.

The large-bodied elderly man behind Brandt replied, “The guards stationed at the checkpoint west of Fortune were attacked and the fort occupied. The culprit is believed to be a demon.”

I had known that the demons could attack at any time, but to hear of it actually happening still made me shiver.

“Despite being a lesser demon,” the old man continued, “it managed to force the entire guard squad—level 5, all—to retreat. Consequently, there is now a call for all adventurers higher than level 5.”

A veteran who I had seen many times at the guild shouted, “Hey! Do you seriously think you can take on an opponent that an entire squad of guards couldn’t?! It’s not our job to kill demons. You’re gonna die!”

Brandt scoffed dismissively. “My party is more powerful than mere guards. Don’t worry. All we’ve done so far is accept the request to take care of the demon problem.”

“I’ve never heard a word about those three being strong enough to fight demons!”

“Wait, no. Forget the youngster. Those two behind him just might be able to pull it off!”

The old man was called Melvin, and the younger woman was Dorothea. I couldn’t tell how skilled they were, but apparently someone else in the crowd could.

“Regardless, this is a precious opportunity for me. There is a special meaning in me killing the demon, unlike all of you! Don’t you dare get in my way!”

Brandt’s words were directed toward me and my party. Before moving on, he stopped for a brief moment and lowered his voice.

“To kill the demon is the ultimate honor. I will obtain everything.”

“…And what does that mean?”

Instead of answering me, Brandt just smiled with composure. He let the silence hang in the air for a while just to make his next words sound more profound.

“I am a man of the Schwaig family. As a noble, I will prove to His Majesty that I have the ability to realize his dreams. With the authority that I will obtain, Lystie, I am willing to accept you as one of my concubines.”

“…!”

It was clear that Brandt had no idea that I was Noielys. And yet, if he really managed to defeat the demon attacking Fortune and the one in the tower, I would have no choice but to marry him.

“You…knave…!”

Platinum wanted to cut him down so badly. I could tell she was angry on my behalf, but I still had to stop her.

“Platinum, don’t fall for his provocation. I’m fine.”

“Being an adventurer doesn’t suit you, Platinum. Hmm, your looks are not bad. How about giving up this line of work and doing something else?”

I didn’t mind what anyone said about me. The one thing I couldn’t forgive was someone insulting my dear friend.

“Bra—!”

What happened next took me a while to comprehend. Brandt was reaching out a hand toward Platinum, but before I could react, Nanase had slapped it away.

“Ms. Platinum is our dear friend and comrade. Do you know how valiantly she fights?”

“…What is your name?”

“It’s Nanase, but you can forget it.”

“No, no, I’ll keep it in mind. I have a penchant for strong-willed girls, too.”

The way Brandt happily stroked the hand that Nanase had slapped away made her shiver in revulsion.

He finally walked off, but before Melvin followed, he said “I’m truly sorry” in a small voice. Dorothea’s hair concealed her facial expression, but she also lowered her head imperceptibly. Everyone else nearby shot me a look, then scattered in a fluster.

“Lystie, Nanase—thank you for trying to protect my honor.”

“What was wrong with that guy? Is his only reason for scouting Ms. Lystie because he’s thinking with his—? I would worry about the other two, but I hope he gets into danger and gets what he deserves.”

“However, I’m sure that he has some skill, having completed numerous jobs as a member of a blue card party. And the other two—Melvin and Dorothea, I believe?—seem even more adept than he is.”

There was no way of knowing whether we, being newly promoted to blue card, could defeat a demon who had bested an entire guard squad. The wise thing to do would be to leave it to those with confidence, like Brandt. I could not afford to put Platinum and Nanase in danger.

“I cannot help shaking just hearing that there is a demon close by.” Platinum’s right hand was trembling, but she placed her left hand over it and held it tightly.

“Platinum…”

“If their blue card is what qualifies them to accept the job, then we can do the same.”

There was something that I had yet to properly tell Platinum: the reason I wanted to start training with the sword, the reason I wanted to be an adventurer, and above all, the reason I wanted to get stronger.

“I want to fight to protect this city,” Platinum declared. “I cannot simply sit by after being insulted so.”

“…Me too. I suppose we no longer have the luxury of wishing for more time.”

“No leaving me behind, you two. I may be one level lower than you, but I have a powerful ace up my sleeve.”

Of course demons scared us. However, we were not simply being emotional as a result of Brandt’s provocation.

“Let’s show that man what for. We will—”

Halfway through her sentence, Platinum fell silent. She was looking behind me. I turned around and found Might standing there, looking like everything was all right.

“…Might.”

I said his name but couldn’t think of what to say after that. There was no particular expression on his face, but just seeing him, I felt at peace. Despite my repeated admonitions to myself against being overreliant on him, there was nothing that I could do.

“What’s wrong? Why are the three of you making faces like you’re marching off to die?”

“…! Th-that was not our intention.”

“I’m sure you’ve already heard, Mr. Might, but Fortune is in danger. A demon has taken over a fort in the west.”

“I see.”

The readiness in Might’s answer made me blurt “Huh?” out loud. He looked at me and smiled.

“A request has been posted in the guild, I take it? We’re going on a job, then. There’ll be danger, but I’ll protect all of you.”

He was making a huge challenge sound like the easiest task. But this was hardly the first time. He always had a way of turning difficult things and impossible things possible.

I may not yet have the ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with him, but I want to keep on walking. Maybe one day, I’ll catch up to him.

“Looks like I’m going to fight a demon now. What about you three? You coming along?”

All three of us replied “Yes!” in unison. Hearing that, Might started walking.

“This is why I can’t take my eyes off you, Master.”

The voice spoke out of nowhere, but Might didn’t seem to have heard it. I understood its sentiment. Surely Ursula, too, wanted to stay by his side as much as we did.

Part 4: Two Paths

The Schwaig family had six legitimately recognized heirs. From among the great expanse in the west of the continent, this family had been granted stewardship over the city of Fortune and its vicinity.

Many nobles in the capital also held domains elsewhere in the country. Unfortunately, the Schwaigs had failed to gain acceptance into their clique, and most of them made light of Count Schwaig.

One reason often raised for this was the Schwaig domain’s low level. And yet this level limit was shared by the entire west continent. This was a land with almost no external enemies, which made it hard for its residents to raise their levels. Those who devoted all their time to fighting monsters or to training only ever reached level 5 at most.

By definition, all my elder brothers had been born before me, Brandt Schwaig. However, their levels were all lower than mine. They almost never touched their swords and never questioned the current state of things, where we had no seat in Parliament and were being looked down on by those in the capital.

We allowed the Thieves Guild in Fortune to operate in our land in exchange for being our eyes and ears. The moment we heard that the nobles in the capital were getting agitated, we immediately had the guild send men. Soon, we heard back: There was a demon attack. Hearing this, my father and brothers decided to do what they had always done: sit back and wait for orders from the capital.

I saw this as an opportunity. To become stronger than my brothers, I had pleaded with my father for permission to become an adventurer and had kept at it for quite some time. His only condition had been that I always had to be accompanied by retainers. This was how I was constantly traveling with two retainers who had experience beyond the sea. No one in Fortune was even close to being their equal.

If I managed to kill the demon terrorizing the capital, what I sought would fall into my hand. It was the perfect way to get back at everyone who had laughed at us for being backwoods nobles. This fight was but a milestone. Against Melvin and Dorothea together, a lesser demon should stand no chance of victory. And after I saved Fortune and became a hero lauded by all, I would also save the capital. Then even my brothers, who had despised me as the youngest son, would have no choice but to acknowledge me, too.

My spirits were the highest they had ever been in my life. This was also how I had felt when I fought a monster for the first time. I was so sure that everything was going to go well from this moment on.

“Gramps, how much longer to the fort where the demon is?”

“We will likely reach it around the noon bell.”

We were heading for the fort in a carriage, with Melvin driving. From inside the awning, Dorothea was keeping a sharp lookout for anything that wanted to attack us on the way.

“If we continue like this, the demon might shoot at our carriage,” Dorothea said. “I recommend that we stop a ways off from the fort, hide our carriage, and cover the remaining distance on foot.”

“Do we really have to go to so much trouble?” I scoffed. “Even if it shoots at us, it’d just be betraying its location. Gramps, keep going.”

“…Dorothea and I are also tasked with protecting you, Young Master.”

Melvin was a man of few words, so I couldn’t just dismiss him out of hand when he did speak. However, my chest was burning with a sense of irritation.

“You two, I will have you accept punishment for opposing your master.”

“…As you wish.”

Dorothea’s reply sounded reluctant, but that was just how she always was. From what I was told, she and Melvin were serving our family because of some debt of gratitude they owed to the previous family head. None of that mattered to me, though; I was simply using what I could use.

“Young Master, there are monsters up ahead,” Melvin reported in a low but clearly intelligible voice.

Before I had time to give out orders, Dorothea was already out of the slowing carriage.

“Grrr…!”

“Yaaaah!”

Our enemies were wolves. They were nothing more than wild animals that had probably come out onto the road upon seeing no humans around. One of them leaped at our horses, but Melvin sent it flying back with a powerful punch.

“Tch! Gramps, Dorothea, I’m joining the fight!”

The fort was still nowhere in sight. We couldn’t afford to waste time being bogged down here, but more monsters emerged from the forest, almost as if to mock my impatience.

The West Gate was sealed, but when we told the guards that we had accepted the request to fight the demon, they let us through.

“Are we seriously sending such young adventurers to fight on our behalf?”

“Don’t worry. We take responsibility for ourselves.”

“…Sorry, and thank you. Please come back safe.”

After leaving the gate, we proceeded for a while until we reached a stretch of road that cut through a forest. Normally, there would be merchants and travelers on this road, but with the west fort occupied, the flow of traffic had completely disappeared.

Lystie shot me a look. “What should we do, Might?”

“If we keep going, won’t we eventually bump into Brandt’s party?” Platinum asked.

“I’ve actually been to the fort west of Fortune before,” I said.

“Really?” Nanase turned toward me. “As in you went to the capital and passed it on the way?”

“Something like that. So the main road is actually a bit of a detour. There is a shortcut through the forest. If any of you are worried about bugs, we can take the main road, but—Hm?”

Nanase had crossed her arms and huffed proudly and was now taking something out of one of the pockets on the belt on her waist.

“This right here is a cream that repels bugs. Put some of it on your wrists and ankles, and the bugs will leave you alone!”

Platinum looked impressed. “Ohhh! What an amazing thing to bring, Nanase!”

“Yep! The recipe came to me when I saw the moorans yesterday. I made this with the seed, which we couldn’t eat.”

“…! Th-that’s an interesting use for it.”

“It’s practically odorless, so it’s really easy to use.”

I instinctively twitched at the mention of the fruit, but I still put on the cream as recommended by Nanase.

“Now we’re all good. Mr. Might, lead the way, please!”

“All right. When I raise my hand, immediately stop and hide behind something. We want to avoid fighting with any monsters.”

The three girls nodded. We promptly left the main road and headed into the forest. It had been quite a long time since I went this way, but I had no trouble tracing the animal trail.

About an hour after we left the West Gate, the forest thinned out, and we emerged on high ground.

Nanase sucked in her breath. “A-are we going along this cliff? One wrong step and we’ll fall off!”

“We’ll tether each other with lifelines…which is a joke. I’ll carry all of you down one by one.”

“A-are you sure? Lystie and Nanase are one thing, but I’m wearing heavy armor.”

“If we take too long, we might get spotted by bird monsters. So, who’s going first?”

“…I’ll go first. Please don’t drop me, Might. Actually, on second thought, I think if I do my best, I can just—Ah!”

Before Lystie could finish her sentence, I lifted her up and started descending, using footholds in the cliff face. I could just as easily descend the whole way in one go, but I didn’t want to scare her too much.

“And…there we go. Sorry, I couldn’t risk letting you do this yourself. One wrong step and you could have gotten badly hurt.”

“Are you perhaps a reincarnated mountain goat?”

“That guess might be truer than you think.”

“There you go again, looking all cool and unruffled. Never mind, sorry. You’re in a hurry.”

When I returned to the top of the cliff, Platinum’s and Nanase’s faces were twitching. I told them that they could close their eyes if they were scared and then brought them down, too.

“Phew… Th-that really set my heart pumping. For various reasons.”

“I-indeed. My heart was in my mouth the whole time.”

Finding a way where there wasn’t one was one of the duties of a Thief. Now I had confirmation that even though I no longer had the skills, I could still replicate them with experience alone.

“But thanks to that, we’re practically at the west fort’s doorstep,” Lystie said.

“We’ve even circled around it,” Platinum noted. “Was this your intention all along, Might?”

I shook my head. “Not really. It’s not like I know everything.”

“So it just ended up like this from using the back path.” Nanase looked at me. “Um, what do we do now?”

“Well, let’s see…”

There were several wolves in the vicinity of the fort, but these were the demon’s familiars, not wild animals. Some demons had good affinity with beasts and could control them as familiars. The fact that there was no mention in the briefing meant that this demon had taken over the fort without even needing to use its familiars.

Which makes it at least as strong as the earth golem. Now what to do here?

The fort’s back door was in sight. I very much wanted to use it, as even I would struggle to break through a stone wall. Unfortunately, it was likely locked.

“Everyone, wait here. I’ll go check if the door opens. As long as you stay here, the wolves over there won’t notice you.”

“Might, wa—!”

Can I do this?

Wolves could detect enemies from much farther away than humans could. I thought about hitting them with coins from far enough away that they couldn’t smell me, but I realized that my coins would bounce. Instead, I crept close enough to be barely out of their detection range, then rushed in and instantly knocked them out with hand chops. They went down with soft yelps. It wasn’t hard when there were only two of them.

I then pressed myself against the fort’s back door. It turned out to be rigged, but I could tell with one look that I could open it.

“Lock Eye I” has revealed the lock for “Magic Door.”

Oh, it’s a door powered by mana, which means I can operate it. Lucky.

I created a key with mana and held it to the door. That was all it took for it to start swinging open slowly. I checked that there was no one inside, fetched the three girls, then stepped in. The three of them were out of breath from traveling all this way in a crouch, so I waited for them to catch their breaths.

“Wait,” I whispered. “One enemy approaching.”

I held up a finger, signaling for silence. Then I peeked out from cover. A kobold came into view, holding a shortsword smeared with reddish-black blood. Probably from one of the guards during the fighting.

“Aw!”

The coin that I flicked hit the kobold in the nose, knocking it out. It had probably been searching the place for soldiers that had been left behind. One lay nearby. Nanase handed me a recovery potion, and I helped him drink it.

“Your wounds aren’t severe. Think you can talk?”

“Wh-who…are…you?”

The young soldier opened his eyes. It looked like he had been cut down by the kobold just now, but thankfully, he was not bleeding too much.

“We’re adventurers, here at the Adventurers Guild’s request. We came to dispatch the demon.”

“That’s…impossible. You can’t…fight that…monster.”

“We’ll prove ourselves to you. Is there really only one demon?”

“There’s…two…of them. They came…over the walls…and held some of us…hostage.”

“I see. Stay hidden. We’ll wrap things up soon.”

It looked like the soldier wanted to tell us to run, but he bit back the words.

“…Don’t go…out front. One of them…headed out…that way.”

After propping the soldier up and helping him get to a safe place, I updated my party members.

“I think we should take out the one in the fort first,” Platinum suggested. “But we have to do it without the one outside noticing. The point is to fight them one by one.”

“Having hostages explains why the guards couldn’t fight back,” Lystie said.

“Even if we lose, we’ll never abandon each other.”

“How can we save the world if we can’t save the people in front of us, right?”

“That is not a logical decision. However, I will not oppose it.”

Without a huge advantage, trying to win a fight and save hostages would be extremely difficult. However, if we did have the strength to do it, we simply had to. Though I hadn’t known my companions for long, I could tell what they all wanted.

“We’ll save the survivors and kill the demon here.”

“Might…”

“We’ll also return safe and sound. All of us. I want to make that priority number one, but there’s something I need all of you to do for me.”

If I did everything myself, then we wouldn’t be a party. Instead, I was giving my companions three tasks that would hopefully help them grow. That was part of what it meant to be a Sage.

“All that? Really? …Do you really think we can do it, Mr. Might?”

“Yes. I’m a greedy man who wants it all,” I said jokingly, hoping to take the edge off the nerves in the room. How well it went across was anybody’s guess.

The three girls looked straight at me. There was no doubt in their eyes.

“That’s not greed,” Platinum replied. “We’ll have to come up with another word for it another time.”

We all nodded, then sprang into motion. First, we would check on the well-being of the hostages without alerting the demon to our presence. Next, we would incapacitate all the enemies in the fort. Speed was going to be key.

Part 5: Infiltration

As we proceeded farther in, we picked up the smell of burnt meat. I peered into a small window and found two men and two women under watch.

“It’s the fort’s cooks. There are two kobolds in there with them.”

“…! We need to save them right away!”

As Platinum said, we didn’t have the luxury of observing the situation any longer. Things were getting ugly inside.

“P-please stop! I-i-if you have to kill, kill me!”

“Grr…”

“Graow…”

The language that kobolds used was simple, and the growls I heard were fairly menacing. The smell of blood from the four wounded humans was probably agitating them.

“Platinum, draw their attention.”

Platinum cupped her hands and shouted toward the small window, “LOOK HERE, YOU MUTTS!”

As I created a key for the door, both kobolds whirled around. Platinum had Sacrifice, a Royal Order skill that drew enemies’ attention. However, the kobolds couldn’t see her, and that left them bewildered and wide open to attack.

I opened the door and slid in. Before the kobolds could turn back to my side, I flicked two coins. Both of them collapsed where they were standing with short yelps. One was about to hit its head on the table, so I caught it with my foot in time. We couldn’t afford any loud noises.

“All good now. Everyone, come on in.”

The rest of my companions joined me inside and helped me untie all the cooks.

“Are you all right?” Nanase passed out potions to all the hostages. “Here you go, please drink these potions.”

“N-no, we can’t take those on top of having been saved.”

“The head chef is the most badly wounded! He protected us.”

“It will take us a bit more time to liberate the fort,” Platinum explained. “I recommend you heal up when you can.”

“We’ll definitely save you, so please stay hidden in the meantime.”

Lystie’s words seemed to help alleviate the cooks’ nerves a little. One or two of them even started tearing up, probably because they finally processed the fact that they were no longer in immediate danger.

My party removed the shackles from the hostages’ feet and used them on the kobolds instead. Familiars would simply disappear when the demon controlling them died, so all we needed to do was incapacitate them.

“This kobold killed so many guards!”

“Killing them now will alert the demon to our presence. In order to save everyone who was caught, we absolutely need to stay unnoticed.”

“…Understood. That said, we can fight a little, too. If these kobolds start going on a rampage, we can handle them.”

“That is reassuring to hear. You four, stay safe.”

“Hold on, Platinum. Everyone, do you know where we can find a map of this fort?”

Platinum blushed at being held back just as she was about to leave with her cool line. I felt sorry, but gaining information from friendlies on scene was crucial to infiltration.

“A map… We don’t have one here, but if you take the hallway out there and keep going, you’ll find a guard station. I’m pretty sure you can find one there.”

“Thank you. That helps a lot.”

“I-it’s no problem. Um, I’ve been wondering for a while: You’re all quite young to be adventurers.”

“Did you take down the kobolds with magic? It happened so fast, I couldn’t see it at all.”

“Um…something like that. I’m a Sage.”

If I could learn attack spells, I would. Unfortunately, all my magic so far had been more like an extension of the abilities I had had as a Thief.

“Now, I’ll first go retrieve that map. It’ll just be a quick trip without getting into any fights, so you three wait here.”

With sparkling eyes, Nanase said, “That sounds very difficult to do, but I’m sure you can pull it off, Mr. Might.”

Lystie giggled. “I think he can, too.”

I took the exit that had been pointed out to me and proceeded with silent footsteps. The door to the guard station was locked, but locks no longer held much meaning for me. When I slipped inside and quietly closed the door, a small voice started babbling.

“Please spare me, please spare me, I’m just a general affairs clerk, I’m nobody…”

There was a bed in the room, probably so the guards could rest. On a whim, I peered underneath.

Oh man…

There was a skirt right before my eyes, as someone had dived in headfirst. Staring wouldn’t be appropriate, so I first stepped back.

“Sorry for coming in all of a sudden. Can you calm down and listen to me, please?”

“E-eeep! …Huh? Are you not an enemy?”

“I am not an enemy. I am here as a request from the Novices Guild in Fortune to defeat the demon who has taken over this fort.”

“Um, can you, uh, give me a moment? I’ve been in this position for so long that I, um…”

“I understand. I’m looking elsewhere.”

On top of the table in the guard room was a log. There was no entry for today. I rifled through the shelves and found a scroll tied with string. It turned out to be the fort’s map.

“Um, I—I’m out.”

“I’m glad you’re fine. Though it seems like this door only locks from the outside?”

The woman from under the bed turned out to be older than the impression I got from her voice. She looked haggard and exhausted, but not so badly that she couldn’t talk.

“The guards said that the fort was under attack, then told me to hide in this room.”

“You were fortunate that the enemies left this room alone. We’ll have the place freed soon. Please continue to stay hidden until then.”

“O-okay. Is there anything I can help with?”

“Do you know if this fort has any hidden passages?”

“…! Ah, well, since this is an emergency… There is another way to get to the second floor other than the stairs.” The woman pointed to a place on the map. “There’s a mechanism here. If you activate it, a ladder falls down.”

If there was a route that the enemy wasn’t aware of, there was no reason not to use it. The only thing left to find out was the demon’s location, but I already had a pretty good idea. Now that I could sense mana, I could tell that there was a large source that was making no effort to mask itself right above my head.

“When I leave, please get back into hiding…is what I’d usually say, but under the bed is not a good hiding place. It’s where everyone looks first. I’ll lock the door from outside, so just stay in here.”

“Oh, right. Sorry. You caught me looking silly.”

“Oh, no, I’m sorry.”

“No, no, I’m…”

It was about to turn into an eternal loop of us apologizing in turn, so I wrapped it up somehow and left the guard room. The lady was going to run into different kinds of problems being locked up for half a day, which meant I now had more reasons to hurry.

After telling the other three about the secret passage, we resumed moving. I knocked out all the kobolds in our way with a coin from cover, and every time I caught the coin that bounced back, my companions cheered a little.

It made me a little embarrassed, so I asked, “Can all of you stop clapping silently every time?”

The girls nodded while putting a finger to their mouths like the shush sign, as if they were promising they would be quiet.

How am I supposed to stay attentive with them like this? It’s like they’re not nervous at all.

Eventually, we reached the place that the general affairs lady had said the mechanism should be, but my companions couldn’t find anything that resembled it. Noticing how puzzled they looked, I took advantage of the opportunity to give them another lesson: this time, on how to find hidden mechanisms.

There was a small bump on the stone wall. When I pressed it, the steps of a ladder did indeed fall from the ceiling.

The three girls silently cheered again, but I didn’t feel like chastising them anymore. I was starting to accept that this was just the vibe of this party.

“This mechanism is similar to the one in our home in Fortune,” I noted.

“Do builders just like putting it in all the buildings around these parts?” Lystie surmised.

“No trapped mechanism ever escapes your eye. You really are crucial to our party, Might.”

“Platinum, don’t you think you should remove your armor when climbing the ladder?”

“I can climb just fine, though.”

“No, I agree with Lystie. There’s something that I’m worried about. Platinum, I also think you should remove your armor. I’ll bring it up for you.”

“Hm, if you say so…”

I accepted the breastplate that Platinum handed me and started up the ladder. Just as I feared, the exit on the second floor was quite small. The armor alone could pass through, but it would have been a different matter if Platinum had been wearing it.

“Huff, huff… Mr. Might, how did you make the climb look so easy?”

“Hngh! All right, you’re the last one, Platinum.”

Nanase and Lystie followed me out with no problems. When it was Platinum’s turn, however, she got stuck, and no amount of squeezing was helping. Those of us looking and Platinum herself were equally speechless.

“…Hnnngh! N-no, this isn’t what it looks like. I swear I train! It’s my muscles!”

“We don’t have time for your excuses, Ms. Platinum. Someone might come at any moment.”

“Urgh… There’s no other way. Might, pull me, please.”

I wasn’t sure where to hold on to, but there was no time for me to hesitate. So I slipped my hands underneath Platinum’s armpits.

“Hyah! Wh-where do you think you’re putting your hands?!”

“What weird noise was that? In any case, this hold is the most secure. Bear with it.”

“Ugh, kill me already!”

While suffering very hurtful comments, I successfully pulled Platinum free. For some reason, Lystie covered my eyes as Platinum put her armor back on.

“Are you regretting being in a party where you’re the only guy?” Lystie asked teasingly.

“I wouldn’t say so. And there was no helping what happened just now,” I replied.

“I can’t believe these got stuck even though I had wrapped them,” Platinum grumbled. “I need to do it even tighter.”

I was just about to tell her not to force herself, but a scream pierced the air. All of us exchanged looks, then started running. Soon, we found a room—the watch commander’s room, according to the map—protected by a kobold that looked stronger than all the others we’d encountered. The screaming was coming from the door behind it.

If only I could use sleeping magic…but there’s no point in wishing for what I don’t have.

In a split second when the kobold turned away, I closed the distance and knocked it out with a neck choke from the back. Then I peeked into the room from the cover of the door.

“Ugh…ah…ahh…”

I knew it. It’s a werewolf.

There was a male figure with his fangs buried in the neck of a human man tied to a chair. Now that I was a Sage, I could tell that the former was sucking out the latter’s mana.

“The humans in this fort are far too weak,” the werewolf growled. “The place called Fortune will probably fall just as easily, I imagine.”

One of its familiars, a kobold, asked, “Lord Zolas, what do you want us to do with the remaining prisoners?”

Clearly, there were kobolds that could speak.

“Weak though they are, they shall serve to fill your stomachs. Keep them in the underground jail.”

“As you wish. I will instruct the foot soldiers at once.”

“You may also have your pick and feed as you like. But leave the ones with the highest levels for when Raksha returns.”

“Can we truly trust in that woman, my lord? She takes discretionary action far too often.”

“Let her be. She kills even her allies if they upset her.”

“…! I shall strive to never forget it.”

Now I had confirmation that there was another demon besides Zolas. Both of them had to be killed to free Fortune from the grip of terror.

“Wh-why is the wolflike demon…? Why is something so powerful in a place like this?”

It was hard to gauge Zolas’s level just by looking, but Nanase sounded shaken, and Lystie and Platinum were also at a loss for words. Clearly, this was not an opponent that blue card adventurers could handle.

It wasn’t unheard-of for monsters to appear in areas where their level exceeded the local limit for humans. This was far more common with demons. On my journey to kill the Demonic Dragon, my party and I had stopped by a country that had been taken over by demons where all the humans were in the level-30 range, but the demons were over level 50.

In this case, the power that I sensed from Zolas was around the same as from the earth golem—no, a little higher. If I had to venture a guess, I would say he was around level 20, give or take. If he really attacked Fortune together with his familiars, the city wouldn’t last a day.

“This world is by no means fair.”

“I sometimes get the feeling that someone is testing us…though I might be imagining it.”

For some reason, Falina’s and Sheska’s voices rose in my mind. The thought of what would have happened if I hadn’t come, if no one who could fight Zolas had come, flashed by. However, I was here. As an adventurer tasked with killing a demon.

“We can beat that werewolf demon if we fight him together. While I draw his attention, you three rescue the prisoner in the middle of the room.”

“Are you sure about this, Might? That demon is in a different class from any opponent we’ve faced so far.”

“Don’t worry, Platinum. I said ‘if we fight him together,’ didn’t I?”

“R-right. Of course. You’re giving us opportunities to fight, too, aren’t you?”

“We’ll live up to your expectations,” Lystie promised. “Let’s fight together.”

“Don’t mistake that demon as an ordinary wolf. An attack charged with mana will be needed to break through his protections. My coins alone won’t cut it.”

One idea that I had was to use Lystie’s sword again. That sword had pierced the earth golem’s weak point, so it just might prove effective against a demon, too. However, there was something else. My instincts were shouting at me that there was another way that my current self could beat Zolas.

“Understood. We will each play our own parts.”

“Indeed. Leave it to me to rescue all the prisoners.”

“Wh-what should I…? Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Have you already forgotten, Nanase? You have that thing. It could be very helpful.”

“Huh? Ah, are you talking about…?”

Everyone had a different role. That was what it meant to be in a party.

I counted down the seconds until we charged in by folding down my fingers. This fight was do-or-die in our push to retake the fort.

Part 6: Way of a Sage

The kobold that had been talking with Zolas approached one of the prisoners and opened its mouth, revealing gleaming fangs.

“Eeep!”

That moment was the opening that I was looking for.

“Gaoh!”

The coin I flicked hit the kobold in its upper jaw as I charged into the room. There were two other kobolds—one on either side of me—standing over other prisoners with their hatchets lifted.

“Grr!”

“Gah!”

Two more coins robbed those kobolds of their weapons. The next moment, Zolas leaped into action from his position farther back in the room. His claws, which had grown to the length of knives, flashed in quick succession.

“Wha—?!”

He thought he had finished me off, but his claws had missed. He looked very surprised.

That was far too slow. But this is a demon. He’s definitely got other ideas.

“Cease this outrage at once!” Lystie demanded loudly, using Dignity to make the two kobolds freeze. Right after that, she started running toward one, just as Platinum braced with her shield and closed in on the other.

“Yaaah!”

“Take this!”

“Graaaah!”

“Gaawhhh!”

“You brats! Do you fancy yourselves heroes?!”

I knew he’d do this!

The werewolf’s roar was a way to both intimidate us and unlock his full strength. Also, the two kobolds’ eyes started glowing red.

“This was supposed to be an area only for inferior humans. How did you slip so far in?!”

“Who knows? It wasn’t nearly as hard as you’re thinking.”

“…! I was assured that this area only has trash of level 5 or lower!”

“Are you here on someone’s instructions? Did they tell you that you can easily take over this area?”

It wasn’t my intention to provoke Zolas, but he gnashed his teeth. The kobolds that Lystie and Platinum were facing also started slobbering. Even kobolds who could understand speech were just monsters at the end of the day.

“You seem to have some skill, but only enough to make a fool out of yourself. I’ll put a collar on your neck and raise you myself. Though you seem lacking as a source of mana.”

“Well…that’s awfully kind of you. I just changed vocations and became a Sage only a few days ago!”

“Devour them, my familiars!”

Zolas inhaled deeply and was about to roar again when, suddenly, a small bottle hit one of the kobolds on the nose, splashing its liquid contents all over its face. As everyone stared in astonishment, a second bottle hit the other kobold.

“Grr… GRAHHH!”

“Urgh… L-Lord Zolas, this…”

Loud growls filled the room, coming from the kobolds’ stomachs.

“That’s my specially made ‘makes you hungry’ potion! The hungrier you are, the more distracted you become, and the harder it is to move!”

Apparently, Nanase’s potion was effective even against mana-starved kobolds. While the two were distracted, Lystie held her sword up.

“This is the time…to use my new skill!”

Lystie has used “Blessed Sword.”

“Yaaaaaah!”

“Gufuuuh!”

Lystie brought her sword to her chest, as if she was praying, then thrust it with far more power than could be imagined coming from her slender body.

“Then me as well! Look on my skill!”

“Graaaah!”

Platinum has used “Royal Guard.”

“Raaaaaah!”

“Guuhhh!”

Platinum parried her opponent’s downward attack, then slammed her shield into its unprotected torso. The unexpected counterattack made the kobold stagger and drop its weapon.

“Zolas, was it? You sure you don’t want to call all your other familiars here?”

“GUAAAAHHH!”

Zolas’s body abruptly expanded, sending his armor shooting everywhere. This was Rampage, a thing that beast-type monsters did to massively increase their physical abilities.

What was now a giant wolf swung one of its claws down toward me. Evading it was easy, but instinct told me to leave more than a paper-thin margin.

“My claws can even cleave through iron armor! I’ll turn you into wretched filth like the pieces of garbage lying there!”

Ah, Iron-Cutting Claw, a skill unique to werewolves. Falina sure got mad that time her favorite armor got ruined by one. It was when we were still around level 20, if I remember right. But, well, if it’s this skill…

Zolas was so sure that his claw had caught me, but I stood there, unharmed.

“I’ll turn you into…wretched…filth…”

The giant wolf blinked in confusion. That went to show how confident Zolas had been, but I wasn’t dumb enough to just let him kill me.

“What did you do? Did you use some skill that I’ve never heard of?”

“Well, it’s just that I’ve seen the skill you’re using before. What you’re actually cutting with is mana and not the claw itself, which is why it affects a greater area than it looks. How right am I?”

“How dare you belittle me?! My claw… My claw cannot be foiled by a mere child!”

Zolas swiped at me repeatedly, but I dodged everything with enough distance that even my clothes remained untouched. Each and every attack supposedly had enough power to kill me instantly, but not a single one landed.

I had retained the physical ability that I had when I was a level-99 Thief. What Zolas saw, however, was a level-2 Sage evading his attacks continuously. He was staring at something that he knew to be completely impossible, and it was shaking him up badly.

“How much longer are you dodging?! H-how much more do you have to mock me?! GRRRRR!”

“If you want, I can stop dodging.”

Zolas slammed his claw down in a big swing, shattering the stone floor. I leaped into the air and landed on top of it.

“Wh…at?!”

This left Zolas dumbfounded. However, I could still see composure in his eyes. He probably thought I didn’t have a way to hurt him because I had yet to attack him.

“Might!”

“No, not yet, Lystie! Might is still…!”

“For someone who cannot win, you sure have lasted long. However, you will regret this!” Zolas pulled his claw back so he could take another swing at me.

“Lock Eye I” has revealed the lock for “Dark Wolf Zolas.”

Thanks to my newfound power as a Sage, I had discovered a Lock for an organic or inorganic target. Specifically, there was a keyhole before Zolas’s chest. I ducked under another one of his swipes, then rushed in and opened his lock.

“What…have you…done?!”

When I opened the lock of someone I was on good terms with, it unsealed a skill. What would happen if I opened an enemy’s lock?

So this is another thing that Lock Eye can do. This is my power, too.

“Ha, ha-ha… I don’t know what you did, but it was hardly effective. We werewolves have endless regenerative powers! It is simply impossible for you to defeat me!”

“I’ve defeated countless enemies with my companions. That includes demons.”

“What can those three do? I bet they’re low-leveled trash. And neither do you have the mana to oppose me!”

“Well, you’re right on that count.”

Zolas stopped moving, as if he was taking my agreement as surrender, and bared his teeth in a cruel grin.

“Lystie, Platinum, Nanase! Allow me to borrow your strength!”

Manifesting the “Skill Index” obtained with “White Key.”

Releasing a companion’s lock meant unsealing a skill for them. All this time, I had thought that was the extent of what White Key did. Now, however, I felt power being drawn out from deep within me through the Skill Index, a compilation of all the sealed skills that I had unlocked so far.

“Might, what is that?!”

“It’s…a book. But where did it come from?”

“It’s magic! It must be Mr. Might’s power as a Sage!”

A book had appeared in my right hand. Its cover was blank, and the tome felt heavy yet light. And I could tell its contents without having to look.

“What is that grimoire?! Where did you pull it out from?!”

Zolas was rattled, but I myself was only starting to understand it. This was my own unique way of being a Sage.

The power to defeat Zolas…is in this book! I know it is!

The Sealed Skill “Maiden’s Devotion” belonging to Platinum has been activated.

With the book opened, I used the skill that I had used with Platinum before.

I see, so when I release a sealed skill, it gets added to this Skill Index!

“That’s my skill… And it’s happening to all three of us?!”

Last time, I had to touch Platinum’s hand to have her send me her mana, but once the lock was opened and we were connected, I could have her do it just by standing close. Moreover, while mana was flowing into me, I could feel it being amplified. The mana now under my control was significantly greater than the cumulative total of us four.

“What is this power?! This cannot be! What are you doing?!”

My plan was to use all this mana on Mana Essence Compounding, another skill in my Skill Index.

“N-no, hold on, stop that! What is with that stupid amount of mana?! A human with such power has no business being in this area!”

The Sealed Skill “Mana Essence Compounding” belonging to Nanase has been activated.

What Mana Essence Compounding did was create mana essence as an ingredient for compounding. More mana was coursing through me than I had ever experienced, and every drop of it was being converted into mana essence. I then coated a coin with all that mana essence, turning what had been a purely physical attack into a highly concentrated mass of mana.

“You should have known that the whole thing about demons being the only ones who can flout the level limits of areas is obviously too good to be true. Don’t hold this against me.”

“UGAAAAAAH!”

Dark Wolf Zolas has activated “Bloody Claw.”

Bloody Claw was a skill that converted one’s own life force—blood—into a weapon. This ultimate move unique to werewolves grew stronger the more vitality their opponents had. When I unleashed my coin, the mana surrounding it contended with Bloody Claw for a brief moment. Brief, because the next thing we knew, the coin had punched through with so much force, it buried itself in the wall on the other side.

“What is…this ridiculous…power…and why is…someone who can wield it…hiding among trash?”

There was a huge hole in Zolas’s chest. His eyes were bloodshot but were starting to revert to normal.

“No matter the level, humans are humans. None of them deserve to be called ‘trash.’”

“Damn…IIIIT!” Zolas disappeared while howling with deep resentment. He could no longer maintain his body, which was made with mana. “Even if you kill me, there’s still Raksha! By now, all the humans coming this way are surely…”

“Don’t worry—we’ll do something about that, too. Thank you for the intel.”

“Guh! To the very last, you have been rubbing me the wrong…way…”

In all likelihood, “Raksha” was Zolas’s ally, and “humans coming this way” were Brandt and his party. They, too, had left Fortune with the intention of fighting a demon, so I assumed that they had the ambush under control by now.

“All glory…to our lord…”

Before Zolas could finish his sentence, he was already gone, with the kobolds that served him disappearing at the same time. The book in my hand also winked out of existence—it apparently would only materialize when needed.

The small gem left behind by the annihilated demon was what we commonly called a magic stone. I picked up Zolas’s magic stone as proof that we had killed him.

“Is it me, or did he kind of disappear in an anticlimactic way?” Nanase grumbled. “Even had me feeling bad for him near the end.”

“The humans he mentioned have to be Brandt’s party, right?” Lystie asked.

“I have many questions surrounding Might’s magic,” Platinum said, “but I think you’re right, and we should hurry.”

“Good idea. Though he probably wouldn’t be happy to get helped,” I joked.

“For all we know, maybe his party has already taken care of Raksha…” Platinum paused. “No? Too optimistic?”

“Th-that was incredible. Who are all of you?” asked one of the prisoners. According to him, the man tied to the chair was the watch commander.

The watch commander was unconscious, so we poured a recovery potion into his mouth. It helped him regain consciousness, albeit barely.

“Ugh… The wolves… The monsters…”

“We defeated them all, sir,” I said. “We killed the demon, so all the familiars have disappeared.”

“Thank you. We didn’t stand a chance against those monsters, but they’re really gone… Was it the knight in armor over there who did it?”

“Hm? I didn’t—”

“Yes, you can say that. You’re nearly empty on mana, so please take it easy and get some rest, sir.”

Platinum probably looked the strongest in our party at first glance. She seemed embarrassed about the attention, and Lystie and Nanase were holding in their laughter.

“We have a request, sir. May we borrow some of your horses?”

“The demons went straight for my men. If you’re lucky, the stables should be largely intact.”

We had successfully liberated the fort, but our work was not yet done. We still had to confirm the movements of the demon named Raksha, and we had to do it fast.

Part 7: Silver and Black

I had no idea how long it had been since we encountered the first monster. However, what had been an endless flood coming from the forest had suddenly just disappeared.

“Huff, huff… What exactly happened?”

“Please keep your guard up, Young Master.”

“The monsters didn’t die, they disappeared. A demon’s spell might be involved.”

Melvin and Dorothea were still warily scanning our surroundings, but I thought it was unnecessary effort.

“The enemy probably ran out of mana because we kept killing their monsters. The two of you killed at least ten each.”

“Killing a demon’s familiars does not necessarily exhaust the demon.”

“It is as Old Man Melvin says. We’re not out of the woods just yet.”

What are these two saying? How can they think we haven’t won in this situation?

“Are you going to ignore my opinion, then? The monsters are gone. So we’ve won! Hey, maybe the demon was among the monsters that we killed. Yeah, I’m sure that’s what happened!”

Excitement was coursing through me. Everything was going well, which meant there was no need to worry about anything. We had won. We had killed the demon terrorizing Fortune. That was proof that we would be able to bury the demon that was threatening the capital just as easily.

“Young Master! Your eyes!”

“Eyes? What’re you saying, Gramps? Are you still worrying? I told you, there’s no need.”

Dorothea was looking at me. I was used to her strong-willed nature, but I had done so well today… I had to correct this attitude she was taking with me.

“Ha-ha… Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I feel amazing… I will become king of this country!”

“This isn’t good, Dorothea!”

“Master Brandt, come back to your senses!”

Melvin and Dorothea seemed alarmed at something. Dorothea in particular was glaring at me.

“Is that…hostility? Who do you think I am? I am Brandt Schwaig, the man who will become head of the Schwaig family and king of this country!”

“He’s being controlled! As I feared, the monsters didn’t disappear because of us!”

“Ugh! Young Master, please forgive me!”

Dorothea vanished in the blink of an eye. The next thing I knew, she was standing behind me. When she moved at her top speed, my eyes simply could not keep up. That said, it was absolutely unforgivable for a servant to confront their master.

“Yaah!”

“DOROTHEAAAA!”

I swung my sword while whirling around. As it turned out, I needn’t have bothered. Her blade was stuck fast in midair.

Of course, She must have blocked it for me. She is helping me.

“Zolas got done in, so I no longer have time to play with all of you. I’ll be finishing this off right now.”

Dark Shade Raksha has activated “Dark Pulse.”

“AHHHH!”

A wave of black mana crashed into Dorothea, sending her flying. She slammed into the trunk of a large tree and did not get up.

“Directing hostility toward me…is unforgivable! You have to be taught a lesson!”

“Young Master, please come back to your senses! We are not your enemy!” Melvin roared.

“He can no longer hear you. He’s mine now. Sorry that it’s upsetting you so.”

“I knew it! You’re the one controlling the young master!”

But the young, feminine voice didn’t sound affected in the least. That was the voice of the person who deserved my worship. Melvin headed my way, extremely furious, but it was my duty to be Her shield.

Who was “She”? She was Dark Shade Raksha. She didn’t even have to name Herself. As one in Her service, I just knew.

“Ugh! Young Master, don’t be misled! Our duty is to kill demons! By no means is it to fight amongst ourselves!”

Melvin threw a punch at me with his steel gauntlet, but I parried it with my sword. He looked both in pain and desperate to make me understand something. The expression of the old man before my eyes was telling me that something was wrong.

“Gra…mps? I… What am I…?”

“Don’t listen to the voices of demons! Young Master, you are stronger than that!”

The fact that I could stop the fists flying my way further added to the sense of wrongness.

“You’re quite strong, Grandpa. For this area that’s only filled with weaklings, that is.”

“Ugh…ah…”

Something red was spilling out from the mouth of the face that I was staring at. Right behind me was Lady Raksha. She had created a spear out of darkness and thrust it into Melvin’s chest.

“Hrooahhh!” Melvin pulled out the spear and jumped backward. He had never looked as panicked as he did now. He was keeping his eyes trained toward me, but somehow, he felt so very far away.

Lady Raksha passed me and studied Melvin. She looked like a little girl with silver hair, horns on her head and a sleek, black tail—proof that she wasn’t human.

“Level 10. And you think you can kill Zolas and me. Humans really are entertaining.”

“Young…Master. Please…run. I will keep…this demon here…”

When Lady Raksha got close to Melvin, she held a hand over him. There was a sound, one that I just realized I had been hearing for a while now without noticing.

“You wretch! You used…that attack…on the young master!”

“Looks like you have a pretty high resistance, Grandpa. But how long can you hold out?”

“Ugh…kuh… UoooOOOHHH!”

Dark Shade Raksha has activated “Hypno Tone.”

If they could only hear this sound, both Melvin and Dorothea would understand the truth. At least, they were supposed to. And yet.

“I feel someone’s gaze,” murmured Lady Raksha, just before the ground rumbled, and a slab of earth shot up in between her and Melvin.

“This is the limit of what I can do.”

“Ah, earth spirit magic. You seem rather skilled, but I suppose this is the extent of your abilities without a medium.”

“AAAARGH!”

Melvin has activated “Knuckle Burst.”

The earth wall seemed to have blocked the effects of Lady Raksha’s sound. And yet Melvin still foolishly decided to come out from behind it.

“What?! How can this be?!”

Melvin threw a punch, but Lady Raksha was able to stop it by merely waving her slender left hand. She constantly had a magical barrier around her that Melvin’s fist had no hope of breaking through.

“Hnnnrgghhh!”

“I’ve actually only just woken up. Let me try this on you to remember how it’s done.”

The difference in strength between the two was like night and day. The presence that had manipulated the ground had also completely disappeared. I continued watching Melvin’s futile attacks, adjusting my grip on my sword and breathing quietly.

We raced across the countryside, riding tandem on two horses that we had borrowed from the fort’s stable.

“It’s just ahead, Master. They’re fighting a demon right now.”

Ursula’s voice was sounding directly in my head. Soon after the heads-up, my party spotted Brandt’s in the distance.

Dorothea lay unmoving, Brandt was standing stock-still with his sword in hand, and Melvin was furiously exchanging blows with a silver-haired little girl.

So the girl’s Raksha. Despite appearances, she’s a bona fide demon. She’s overwhelming Melvin…and it looks like Brandt has been entranced.

I watched as Brandt turned his sword toward Melvin. The old man was fully occupied with evading Raksha’s attacks while throwing in his own where he could. He had yet to notice what Brandt was doing.

I had just barely gotten close enough that I could reliably hit something with my coins, and I was still on horseback. Even so, I took aim at Brandt’s sword, shouting “Mr. Melvin!” at the same time. Thanks to that, Melvin realized that Brandt was standing in his blind spot.

“Young Master, I beg a thousand pardons!” Without any other recourse, Melvin delivered a hand chop to Brandt’s neck, knocking him out.

“Ugh!”

I handed off the reins of my horse to Lystie and jumped off. I hit the ground running, accelerating even further at the moment of impact.

Seeing how fast I was approaching, the demon cried, “You! You must be the one who killed Zolas!”

“No, it was us!”

I brandished the sword that I had borrowed from Lystie, but the blade slid off a short distance in front of her, failing to land. This wasn’t my first time fighting a female demon. Yes, she looked like an adorable little girl, but she had also done serious damage to Brandt’s entire party all by herself.

“There’s no need to get so agitated, is there? You’ll be dying anyway.”

“…!”

Black mana enveloped the demon. The next instant, the mana shot toward Melvin and me, moving as if it had a mind of its own.

“Ugh…kah!”

Melvin tried to block the attack, but the force of the impact sent him flying regardless. I chose to dodge and continued getting closer but found Brandt moving to stand in my way. The black mana entangled around all four of his limbs made him look like a puppet on strings.

“Doing this seems to make all humans move worse than before. Aren’t they interesting? Would it make a difference if I told you that this man, Brandt, seems to despise you quite a lot?”

“I’m sure he does.”

I racked my brain for how to fight Raksha when she was using Brandt as a shield. It didn’t slip my mind that she likely could do the same with Dorothea, too.

To my surprise, Raksha suddenly laughed and dispelled the magic that she was using to manipulate Brandt. She then dismissively threw his body toward Melvin, who let out a fierce cry and managed to catch his master in the nick of time.

What’s the meaning of this? I know that each demon thinks in a different way, but it’s not like I have the ability to hear what they’re thinking.

“You can feel free to attack me with your three companions back there, too. Humans fight in parties, no?”

“You really want us to? At least, that’s what I’d ask, but those three can’t join in. They would die if they took just one of your attacks.”

“Hmm… Now I’m sure you were at the heart of the effort to kill Zolas. Let me take a closer look.”

What looked like magic circles appeared in front of Raksha’s eyes. Then the slight smile that she had been wearing this whole time disappeared, leaving her face blank.

“Level 2? How did you get Zolas at that level?!”

“Who knows? Maybe people are not always as they seem.”

“Ah-ha-ha. Looks like I’ve found a great toy. I will make you my slave.”

Instead of answering, I assumed a stance. I couldn’t draw out the full potential of Lystie’s sword, but it was better than being unarmed.

“If you underestimate me because of the level limit, I’ll make you regret it.”

“I hate lectures, but I’ll forgive you this once.”

Mana enveloped Raksha again. This time, it hardened, taking form as armor that covered her in various places. It also gave her wings on her back.

There was no doubt that she was a tougher opponent than Zolas. The way she was taking this fight as a game showed how confident she was. She was thoroughly convinced that no one in this area was stronger than she was. Well, I would teach her better. With my magic.

Part 8: Ace and Gamble

Raksha looked at me, not even bothering to bring her fists up. She was staying out of range of my sword, probably because she had seen me attack using coins.

“Your equipment is appropriate for a level 2. What was that ranged attack earlier? Has the repertoire of Sages increased without me knowing?”

“Who can say? Do you think it would be effective enough to finish you off?”

“Demons can only be harmed with magical attacks. And you don’t possess nearly enough mana to defeat me. That said…I get the feeling that you’re up to something.”

Correction to my earlier statement: Raksha was not just taking this fight as a game. Whereas I had determined Zolas’s level to be around 20, Raksha was maybe twice that.

“Ms. Lystie, Ms. Platinum, am I imagining it, or is that demon much stronger than the wolf person back at the fort?”

“I-indeed. Embarrassingly, I can’t take a step. I have to be the party’s shield when it needs one, but… Ugh! This frustrates me so!”

“What about me, then? I lent my sword out. But I didn’t want to hold Might back…”

Raksha could hear the conversation going on in the back, too, but she only shot them a glance before looking back at me. Um, her gaze hurts.

“Why are you in a party with people who can’t take things seriously? Do you spend all your time spoiling them?”

“It’s bad form to judge other people’s parties.”

“I was just showing you concern. It’s stifling being in a place that doesn’t suit you. You can’t be yourself in that party.”

“So what? Are you going to try to seduce me? If you give it your best, I just might be tempted.”

“…Unfortunately, I can’t stand men. Though it might be enjoyable to sit on one as impertinent as you.”

“Can’t say I’m a fan of that.”

Seeing Raksha’s eyes turn sharp, I canceled what I was about to do to focus fully on reading her movements.

Dark Shade Raksha has activated “Deep Tentacle.”

A dark quagmire appeared on the ground up ahead, and a snake of the same color shot out. I evaded it, but Raksha took the opportunity to close in on me, thrusting a black screwlike spear forward.

I deflected the spear with my sword and dodged the black snake. She was accurately aiming for my vital points, but my speed was higher. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite get my flappy Sage outfit out of the way in time, too.

“You’re fast! I should have killed you ten times over already, yet you’re still standing. That’s not possible for a normal level-2 Sage!”

I noted that after Raksha activated Deep Tentacle, manipulating it didn’t seem to require any more mana. This meant drawing things out would do nothing for me. I wasn’t at my best, and it was uncertain whether I could defeat her even with all of my companions’ mana.

“If your friends try to escape…you know what will happen, right?”

Raksha probably still could control Brandt whenever she wanted. Asking my companions to get everyone to safety while I bought time wasn’t going to be an option.

Guess I’ll have to whittle down her physical stamina with physical attacks. That armor’s not going to make it easy, though.

“Right there!”

The snake lunged at my right hand—my sword hand. With each move Raksha made, she cornered me more and more, hemming me into a situation where I could no longer evade. Or at least, that was what I was making her think she was doing by purposely moving slower.

“Can you catch up?”

“…! Are you making fun of me?!”

I abruptly ramped up my speed, letting the snake slash through my sleeve. At the same time, I launched a coin at Raksha with my freed left hand.

“…?!”

Raksha had to focus so fully on blocking that she couldn’t say a word. What she was deploying was a magical shield, but…

“Ahhh!”

“I didn’t say it’s only one shot.”

I had actually unleashed a total of three coins with my left hand. My goal was to shake Raksha up by making all the coins hit the same spot. In the brief window that created, I tried to summon the ace that had enabled me to defeat Zolas, the Skill Index.

“If your level had been any higher, you just might have gotten me.”

Dark Shade Raksha has activated “Dark Wing Prohibition.”

Raksha’s black wings glowed ominously. The moment the light from it reached my eyes, everything that I was seeing changed. I thought I had managed to get into her blind spot and taken advantage of it to deal her a killing blow, but my position got wound back.

“You don’t have a way to kill me in an instant, isn’t that right? In that case, as long as I can see what you’re doing, your attacks can never reach me.”

“What was that? Were you rewinding time?”

“I merely prohibited your attacks from hurting me.”

Right, demons all have unique skills, and some of them are ridiculously powerful.

Zolas’s physical enhancement would have been much more of a threat if he had perfected it further, but Raksha’s ability was on a whole other level.

“It’s a pity. If you were a Magic Swordfighter, that sword of yours might have actually killed me.”

“…?!”

I thought I had been ready to move at any moment, but an impact suddenly slammed into me from my side, sending me flying. I heard someone call my name in alarm.

Raksha had mastered her magic to a point where her chanting and activation happened almost at the same time. I thought about what medium she had used to do the chanting and realized that she had been making some other sound when she was talking. It was sound.

However, she had yet to actually hurt me. There was a large tree in the path of where I was sent flying, so I kicked off it and secured a proper landing.

Lystie rushed toward me. While keeping an eye out for further attacks from Raksha, I said in a low voice that only Lystie could hear, “You still have a skill that you haven’t showed me yet, right?”

“…!”

“It should be a skill that only you can use.”

The latest skill that she had learned, Blessed Sword, could only be used by royalty with a very special vocation. That gave me hope that her sealed skill would also be a sword skill.

“I’ll return your sword back to you. It’s going to be a gamble, but…”

“No, I understand. You’re already fighting so hard for us. I choose to believe you.”

I had already released Lystie’s lock when I did Platinum’s. That meant she should already be able to use her sealed skill.

“Mr. Might, didn’t you tell us not to push ourselves too hard?” Nanase asked.

“This time is an exception,” I replied. “The demon did also tell us to fight as a party.”

Platinum nodded. “My conviction is firm. Look, my hands have stopped shaking.”

I stood up. Although I remained largely unhurt, my clothes had gotten quite tattered. I tore off the sleeves to make it easier to move, and Nanase took them.

“I’ll hold on to them, as commemoration.”

“All of you done saying your goodbyes?”

Dark Shade Raksha has activated “Deep Tentacle.”

One more snake appeared from the black quagmire that Raksha had created. It moved in tandem with her arm, dancing like she was.

“If two of us act as decoys, we might be able to make another opening,” Lystie said.

I shook my head. “I’m enough as decoy.”

“I’ll teach that demon that pride comes before a fall,” Platinum growled.

The amount of time that I could buy was very limited. I had to draw the attacks from both snakes, evade them, and attack Raksha with coins. She wasn’t an opponent that I could hope to retrieve my coins from, and I only had three left.

“You can go even faster, I see! But it’s still not enough!”

I was learning the quirks in how Raksha and her snakes moved and evading it all. If I can take no more than an instant to think, I can land an attack on her! I thought as I entered flow state.

“Look at me, Raksha!”

“…?!”

Raksha had no choice but to react to Platinum’s voice. This wasn’t a strategy that would work again that many times, but it served to create a small window of time when Raksha, who had been focused on attacking me, could not react at all.

“Please…!”

“Break Seal I” activated. The Sealed Skill “Sword of Oath” belonging to Lystie has been released.

Lystie’s sword started gleaming. Normally, Raksha would have had any number of ways to deflect such an attack.

“Your sword will not pierce my barrier!”

Left with no choice, Raksha tried to block Lystie’s sword with her barrier alone. Sure enough, the sword seemed to slide off of nothing and plunged into the ground. This left Lystie wide open for a counterattack from Raksha, but it never came.

“I told you, LOOK AT ME!”

Platinum charged at Raksha with her shield held up. This sent Raksha flying, but while she was in midair, she ordered the snakes attacking me to lunge at Platinum instead.

“Platinum!” Lystie cried.

The snakes tore Platinum’s shield in half, then her armor, too. The next moment, Platinum’s figure melted—she was actually Arm. Nanase had ordered Arm to get close to Raksha without her noticing and then assume Platinum’s appearance at close distance.

As long as Arm’s core wasn’t hurt, she could regenerate without limit. This strategy was another one that could only work once, but that was enough. It had created enough of a diversion for me to borrow Lystie’s sword again. And Skill Index was already in my left hand.

The Sealed Skill “Maiden’s Devotion” belonging to Platinum has been activated.

The Sealed Skill “Mana Essence Compounding” belonging to Nanase has been activated.

I poured every last drop of mana I had into Lystie’s sword.

“Might!”

“Mr. Might!”

“GOOOO!!!”

The Sealed Skill “Sword of Oath” belonging to Lystie has been activated.

*   *   *

The mana gathering in the sword was further magnified until it reached the level limit, becoming a demon-slaying sword. Raksha’s wings did not glow. She herself had earlier said, “That sword of yours might have actually killed me.”

I swung the sword, unleashing all of the mana in a flying slash that left a trail of light in its path. The breathtakingly beautiful attack cleanly cut through Raksha’s last line of defense.

“How can…such a move…reach me?!”

There had been two elements behind the success of my attack. First, even though this area did indeed have a low level limit, that limit did not apply to equipment, and the sword that Lystie had been wielding all this time was a masterpiece. Using the sword had generated much more destructive force than me strengthening a coin many times over. Second, Lystie’s sealed skill, Sword of Oath, had the ability to seal her opponent’s unique defense skills. It wasn’t that Raksha had chosen to not use her wings out of arrogance; she couldn’t. This sealed skill made Lystie the natural enemy of all demons.

With a look of terror on her face, Raksha said, “You’re the princess who disappeared from the capital. You’re the one we’ve been looking for. You… You’re a Princess Knight!”

“…!”

I had thought that it was fine if Lystie wanted to keep her secret to herself. I had even told her that “The skills that you gain when leveling up depend on your vocation. If you use them in front of us, it’ll become obvious what your vocation is.” And to be honest, I already knew that Blessed Sword was a skill that belonged to Princess Knight, not Swordfighter. Her vocation was likely the reason why Sword of Oath was so powerful. Of course, I had no way to prove it.

“No, I don’t want…things to end…like this…”

Raksha’s armor and wings were disappearing, probably because she couldn’t maintain them any longer. And right then, I saw a lock appear before her chest and scatter into particles of light.

“I…get it now. Your real vocation is…”

“I’m a Sage. Nothing more, and nothing less.”

Did she think I was lying? Or is she…? No, let’s not go there.

“I guess you ‘wise men’ really are a bad matchup for me. Men blinded by greed are so much easier to manipulate.”

“I’ve already obtained everything that I want. Mere seduction cannot tempt me.”

“So you say… Aw shucks, looks like I’ll be a familiar the next time I wake up. I really wanted to make you mine.”

Raksha sounded truly disappointed to the very end, right up until she disappeared, leaving behind only a magic stone.

The first one to break the silence was Arm, who now wore the appearance of the first woman she had assumed before.

“…I’m hungry.”

It was thanks to Arm that we were able to surpass Raksha’s expectations. However, I had truly used every drop of mana that I had. I was even about to faint.

“…!”

“Good work, Might.” Platinum caught me just as I was about to actually collapse. She should have been exhausted, too, but wasn’t showing it at all. “We really have invited someone incredible into our party.”

“All of you are plenty incredible yourselves. Raksha’s level was probably…”

“Th-thirty?! Why don’t area level limits apply to demons?!”

“Calm down, Nanase. As for your question, honestly, I don’t even know.”

I was starting to feel bad about having Platinum support my weight when, suddenly, I got hugged from the front.

“L-Lystie?”

“I’m sorry, Might.”

I knew what she was referring to. In all likelihood, Lystie was the princess of this country. She had been doing her best as an adventurer while hiding her identity when she met me.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. We won.”

“That’s right, Ms. Lystie. I was surprised, too, but I think I somehow knew it all along. The crest on Ms. Platinum’s shield belongs to the knights of this country, after all.”

“Ugh… I’d picked it up out of the ones marked for disposal that had entered the market, so I didn’t think about it too much. You’re surprisingly sharp, Nanase.”

“Well, in my mind, I’m already friends with the two of you. You won’t tell me I’m wrong, right?”

I gently tapped Lystie’s shoulder to get her to let go of me. As Lystie looked at Nanase apologetically, Nanase offered her a small bottle.

“Don’t look like that. Let’s go home laughing. Do you want a potion that can make you laugh?”

“That’s just a normal potion,” Platinum interjected. “Even I can tell the colors apart.”

“Thank you, Nanase. I didn’t know how useful slimes can be.”

“This little one here is named ‘Arm.’ I created her together with Mr. Might.”

“Master, food…”

If I let Arm suck my mana now, I would definitely faint. I had no choice but to ask her to wait.

“Everyone, that was a truly impressive fight. I thank you deeply for defeating the demon and saving our lives. I promise we will repay this debt one day.”

Melvin was walking toward us while lending Dorothea his shoulder. He looked much worse for wear than Dorothea, who had just woken up. Brandt was still completely out of it. I wondered how well he would take everything after he came to, but I decided that it would be entirely up to him.

Either way, I asked Lystie to take care of him, because I was seriously about to faint soon.

“As fellow adventurers from the same guild, I’m just glad we were able to fight for the same goal,” I mumbled. “When we’re back in town, please rest and recuperate.”

“I am truly thankful. Truly.”

And so the threat to Fortune, the City of Pleasure, was finally over. We handed off our horses to the stable hands from the fort who arrived later, then rode on the carriage driven by Melvin back to town.

“Good work, Master. As I thought, you really do need me with you.”

As I started nodding off to the swaying of the carriage, I thought I heard Ursula’s voice.

Thanks, but I highly doubt we’ll be facing such powerful opponents again anytime soon.

Epilogue

Adventurers at Rest

A party of blue card adventurers had freed the fort in the west from demons.

The receptionist at the guild—we just learned that her name was Amunea—thought at first that we had come back to rest. When we told her about Zolas and Raksha and showed her their magic stones as proof of their deaths, she finally believed us.

“I—I’m deeply sorry, but…really…?”

We didn’t fault her for her doubt, but Melvin pushed his wounded body all the way over to vouch for us.

“These four saved our lives. After they liberated the fort, they rushed over to where we were fighting the other demon.”

Brandt and Dorothea were carried to the hospital in town. I had no way of knowing what Brandt would think when he woke up, but I thought he should just be happy he survived an attack by such a formidable opponent.

“Ah… A messenger from the western fort just arrived. A party of adventurers—three females, one male—freed the fort without incurring a single casualty. That is incredible! Absolutely incredible!”

“You lot hear that?! Our sweet Lystie and her party did it!”

“I always knew you could pull it off, Lady Platinum! You’re a cut beyond us nobodies who stayed cooped up in town!”

“Does this mean Nanase is going somewhere far away? After she’s already pulled ahead of those of us who’ll never get further than a white card?”

The usual faces were cheering up a storm. As expected, no one cared about me. Not that I didn’t understand, being a man myself.

“That Might guy’s pretty good, too, appearances aside.”

“Nah, screw him. Not only did he party up with all three idols of our guild, there’s a rumor that he’s even living with them!”

“WHAT?!”

Apparently, thoughts could warp the air. In a way, the stares were even scarier than the demons.

Noticing what was happening, Lystie told Amunea, “U-um… It looks like there’s a misunderstanding going on, so we’ll come back another time.”

“Wait, b-but the guildmaster and the mayor both want to talk to you! And I still have to give you your bonus reward for killing the demons—”

“We’ll do all that another day!” Platinum snapped. “Might, let’s go!”

“Wha—? If you’re going to carry Mr. Might, carry me, too, Ms. Platinum! You know I don’t have any stamina!”

“RAAAAHHHH! He’s getting away! He may be a hero who saved our city, but still catch him!”

Our whole party ran through the streets, with Platinum carrying me easily on her shoulder as a crowd of men crying tears of blood chased us.

Um, I think I can run faster carrying the three of them instead.

“Lystie, what’re we going to do now?” Platinum asked.

“Good question. How about we leave the city and wait outside until the hubbub blows over?” Lystie suggested.

Out of nowhere, Ursula asked, “How about all of you stay at my place for a while?”

Platinum nodded. “Hm, I, for one, second Ursula’s suggestion.”

“We do deserve a good rest after the big fight,” Nanase agreed. “But oh goodie, there’s so much to look forward to! Like the reward and the magic stones and—”

Even though we had successfully killed Zolas and Raksha, the demon who had supposedly settled into some ruins close to the capital was still alive and well. Considering Lystie’s circumstances, we would probably have to head to the capital sooner or later.

As we walked down the main road heading away from Fortune, Lystie said, “Ever since you joined us, Might, so much has happened, and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. Is it weird that I think that, even though we’ve fought demons?”

Platinum and Nanase exchanged looks, then smiled without saying anything.

“Uh, is that a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’?” I asked them.

“I wonder indeed,” Platinum replied.

“You have to get to know us well enough to tell with a look,” Nanase chided. “It looks like you still have a long way to go, Mr. Might.”

“What a tall order… Though I guess I am traveling to gain experience.”

I had managed to change into the vocation that I wanted and obtained the ability to use something that was technically magic, which I had coveted my whole life. My second life as an adventurer was surely going to get even more boisterous and turbulent, but I had a feeling that I would do just fine with my new companions.

I knew that my chance of meeting Falina’s group again was close to zero, but I myself knew best that “impossible” was not absolute in this world. If I could ever meet them again, I would apologize for having died once, then tell them this:

“Even now, I’m still an adventurer. I’m at the First Town, and I’ve partied up with companions with colorful backgrounds and lots of room for growth, and I’m living out the same old life every day.”