Chapter 1 ~ Day Before Departure
It’s finally the day before the trip once my hellish training that lasted for a week with Sergeant dono is finished.
We took around 3 weeks around the forest to earn experience points. This week is supposed to be a holiday for us, yet here I’m, leave completely exhausted. This is because I don’t get a break at all. I don’t know if it’s fine to start a two-week trip from tomorrow……
While I got trained into a pulp by Sergeant dono, my wives have done proper jobs and found a merchant who is heading towards Nania san village.
For today’s meeting, everyone came back from Adventurer Guild quickly.
“Here, walk properly.”
Ellie woke me up angrily. I don’t know who is it, but why coming here early in the morning. Perhaps it’s already high noon. I just revived, but I’m still pretty much fatigued.
“There is still some wounds remaining from the special training. Ah~ give me 5 more hours to rest please.”
I had special training with Sergeant dono every day. After that, I get back, eat some rice, hop into the bath and spent time with my wives. By the time I sleep, it’s already too late. My physical strength is sapped, and the lack of sleep makes it worse.
“There is no way I can sign the contract without a leader around. I already mentioned this to you yesterday. After we returned I’ll let you go to bed again, so for now please walk properly for now.”
Is that so?
I don’t think I ever heard about it before, but it’s fine as long we can get the carriage ready.
“Why do we need a contract in the first place? We can’t straight away get it on?”
“That’s how we negotiated it. Instead of paying for the fare, we’ll act as an escort.”
“Another night watch again? I believe I’m going to feel sleepy again tomorrow.”
“No night watch job. Our contract stated that we only get to work when there is enemy coming. Good enough?”
“Then it’s fine.”
Is it okay for me to go home already? I am seriously sleepy.
A few adventurers were already waiting when we arrived at the meeting room on the second floor of the Adventurer Guild.
“Bad, I’m extremely sleepy. Sleep, sleep.”
I took a sneak glance at Ellie.
“Try a little harder, please. I’m going to do all the talking, so Masaru just stay there.”
“I understand. I’m counting on you.”
I settle down on the chair. I desperately hold myself back from sleeping. Every so often Ellie will give a jab at my feet so I’m kept awake.
An old man with a whisker in front of me is talking about something. I wonder if this is the part where I should get involved.
“Well then, shall we go to the training ground?”
Training ground? I wonder what this guy is talking about.
“Here, stand up. Seriously. Are you okay?”
Ellie pulled my arm up.
“I am sleepy. Can I go home already?”
“Do you even process what’s happening?”
“I thought that all decision will be made by Ellie.”
“Fabio san want to see Masaru skills.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re going to have a fight now, you know?”
“Who?”
“You, Masaru.”
“With who?”
“With Fabio san.”
“Who is Fabio?”
“The guy who was sitting in front of Masaru.”
“Ah, that beardy.”
“That’s right. Are you okay?”
“Sleepy.
”
“Please wake up this instant!”
My head got hit. Anyways, when I said I’m sleepy, I’m sleepy.
The main ground is still closed as the final day of the beginner training session is still ongoing today. So, everyone is gathered in the sub-training ground. The whiskered face has already warmed up with his wooden sword. The whiskered face is taller by about one head than me, and he also has muscles mass corresponding to a solid body.
Although he looks strong, by the way he is swinging his sword, he is in intermediate class at most. Although I’m unsure about it, it’s clear to me whether someone is strong or weak. I don’t know how to explained it, but strong people usually behave differently.
Satie handed to me the wooden sword. Since I’m used to practice with Sergeant dono by using iron sword all the time, this wooden sword feels so light. It feels less refined.
The whiskered face readied his sword with a grin. He looks disgusting with that beard. In short, he is taunting me. I guess that’s what he’s doing. I’m sure he is jealous of me who has four wives.
Plus, everyone is a cutie!
“Don’t you need to wear an armour?”
The whiskered face asked. By the way, right now I’m wearing my casual wear, without a shield. It’s troublesome to wear an armour now. Maybe I’ll go with a shield.
“This is enough.”
I cast a glance at his shrewd face casually as I take out the shield.
“What the? You really won’t wear them?”
He is in a reachable distance. So, I listened to the whiskered face while yawning.
I don’t mean to provoke him. I’m just that sleepy.
“I’m coming.”
I saw the whiskered face coming and striking at me gently. I don’t even need to activate my Mind Eye and Evasion works just fine. While thinking about how hard is it to avoid Sergeant dono attacks, I casually dodge the whiskered face attack.
Although his attack is sharp and will definitely deliver a fatal damage once the blows hit, it’s not a very difficult move to read.
“Damn you. Only know how to run with your tails between your leg.”
That’s right. It’ll not end unless I start attacking. I take a step forward and shielded myself from the whiskered face attack, on the same time counter him with a tap on his helmet. We’re going to work together tomorrow, so I don’t want to get him injured now.
But the whiskered face continues to attack further.
Oi, beardy. If this is a real fight, then won’t you be dead already? Please admit your defeat like an adult.
Since it can’t be helped, I apply a light blow on his shoulder and his torso just when he is starting his assault again. This is the level for a normal swordsman. Sergeant dono is just obscenely strong.
However, it seems that he still has something in his mind. His face gets redder and he continues to come back. He badly doesn’t want to give in.
Before long I got bored fighting this guy with a shabby face, so I give a strong blow at his head around his neck. It’s not strong enough to make him collapse, but it should tamper with his breathing for a while. Just like my plan, the whiskered face motion stopped.
“If I’m serious, you would be dead four times by now, you know? Do you really want to die next?”
I bring our face close and tell him in a lowered voice.
“I-I lose.”
The whiskered face faces turn blue and he finally admit his loss.
He is so slow. My first strike should make him understand enough. What a hassle.
“Can I go home already?”
I take a look behind and ask Ellie. Drowsiness rush in my head once the match is done.
“Alright, let’s get back. Then, Fabio san, please take care of us from tomorrow on.”
I woke up at noon after I slept for the second time.
Ellie and Ann are preparing foods at the dining hall.
“You missed it, this morning.”
“Right.”
Ellie agrees with Ann remarks.
“This morning?”
“About Fabio san. He came to apologize afterwards.”
Ann told so. So, it’s about Fabio san. That beardy old man?
“I don’t hear anything about it at all, but why do you guys suddenly decided to have a match?”
Ann asked me about it. I got sleepy halfway, so I don’t really remember how we did came into that conclusion.
“Masaru attitude is bad, that’s why he got angry. You might not hear about it since you already asleep halfway through.”
Eh? I thought he wants to fight because of the match, but maybe I’m the one who wronged……?
“It’s Masaru fault.”
“Yep, it’s Masaru fault.”
Shit, this is bad. I’m going to apologize properly first thing next morning.
That afternoon is the last moment for the Beginner Training Course.
The scene where Will has his collar removed reminds me of my time and I started to tear up.
Will survived a week in the Boot Camp, and now he has those sturdy and refined feeling around him. Maybe the effect is apparent because he has undergone that hellish training.
“Forgive me Will, for signing up you on something like this. It’s fine even if you hold a grudge on me.”
Then in the future he will stop hanging around me.
“Aniki, I, I’m……very grateful for you.”
“O-oh. Is that so?”
“I, really don’t understand Aniki at all. You’re strong, have a great magic, on top of that participated in such deadly training as well. I, now I know how naïve I am…”
I feel relieved now, but I’ll try not to remember much about it. Just a thought of it makes me body sweats bullet.
“I, I’m going to get much stronger! After that I’m going to make sure that Aniki is taking me as your disciple for sure!”
What, you’ve not given up yet.
“For now, I’m going for a long expedition starting from next morning. Therefore, I won’t be around for the time being.”
“Eh? Then what should I do?”
As expected, I shouldn’t tell him my plan.
“You’re free to use the hut at my garden. I’ll rebuild it. Please take good care of it.”
Then I give him a piece of Gold coin. It’s worth is about 1 million Yen in Japanese currency.
“I’ll do my best, and I’ll definitely return this!”
“That is a gift. There is no need for you to return it.”
He has endured the harsh training. I think it’s fine to give him this much.
“Aniki……”
Will looks very touched by the gesture, but we got earning alongside experience points in the forest, which totals around 300 Gold. That is around 300 million Yen. My share is about 50 Gold coins. I thought of buying a sword that can endure my applied magic technique, but unfortunately 50 Gold is nowhere enough.
For now, we don’t have any issue regarding money.
“Look, your friends are waiting. Go back.”
The trainees are watching us from a distance. When they noticed that I’m looking over, they bowed their head.
“Then Aniki, take care.”
“Yea. You too, don’t get yourself killed.”
He already made some friends, in the future he’ll surely get more careful.
The next day, when we arrive at the meeting place which is the square nearby the Commercial Guild, I found that the merchant is already there in standby. Apparently, our party is the last to arrive. There are two main horse carriages, with total of 5 coaches. They are arranged in tandem. There were still quite a few bags next to the last carriage. I wonder if that is the goods.
“Masaru will take care of this one. Instead of having a dedicated goods cart, Masaru can store them all inside his Item Box. That should be possible, no?”
I see, that’s a great idea. But no matter how I look at it, the goods are in more than one coach.
“I received a shipping request at a different place. This is to earn a little pocket money.”
Norman san, the leader of the merchant team, checks all the contents at once, before I stored them in my Item Box. I’m glad that all these baggage’s will be unloaded at Garland Fortress.
“Well, this time we should be safe because there is a B rank party around. I’ll ask for your kind regard as long we’re in the journey.”
The journey to Garland Fortress is about 2 weeks. Our journey starts off at a relatively safe road, but the danger is increasing as we move towards the remote area. However, because of budget inconvenience, they can’t simply increase the number of escorts. Norman san is all smile since there is a B rank party who is accompanying his caravan free of charge.
I look around, but I couldn’t see Fabio san anywhere. I can’t apologize to him since he is not coming up until time of departure. We’re leaving soon, so I need to get it done.
As I walk around nearby the first carriage, I saw several people is chatting, and there is Fabio san among them. When I approached, he suddenly looks very busy and start to scram from the place.
But I’m sure that he saw me.
Does he want to avoid me or something? Even his party members look like they are avoiding from contacting my eyes.
“When you came to apologize, I was not around. Is it fine if I apologize to now?”
It can’t be helped, so I return and report it to Ellie and the others.
“I don’t think so at all. We’re going on a journey together for 2 weeks now. Don’t worry about how you do it. Just go and apologize properly.”
“Yeah~”
There is not much time left before departure, so I need to act fast. He will escape again if I approach him normally, so this time I’m going to surprised him. Alright, I caught his position in my detection.
Since I don’t want him to notice me, I activate Levitation to get on top of the couch, and activate my Stealthy Step. After I confirmed Fabio san position from above, I quietly landed behind him.
It’s convenient that the other person is in quite a distance from us.
I patted Fabio san shoulder.
“Urk!”
Fabio san who got surprised from behind leave a muffled scream.
No. I’m here just to apologize to you. But if I don’t do it this way, you might have tried to escape again. Let’s quickly apologize to you for the time being.
“Ah, I’m sorry for yesterday. Your neck, is it okay?”
“Ah, no. There is no problem at all.”
“Is that so? If it’s still hurt, I can use Recovery Magic on you and heal them.”
When I reach out to him, Fabio san takes a step back.
“There is no need. The people at the temple has already cured me.”
Did Ann, do it? Even so, why is this man still looking at me with those frightened expression? He should have handled much more.
“I don’t have much sleep yesterday. I know that my attitude is somewhat rude.”
“No, no, I’m the one who has wronged here. Please forgive me already.”
Eh? I’m not the bad guy here?
“Err, okay? Then that’s it. Please take care of us for these 2 weeks.”
This is somewhat different from what I’ve imagined. I wonder if this is really fine.
I can see that the carriage has start shaking. Maybe we’re off to our journey soon.
Ann was waving her hand at me when I arrived.
“Sound like we’re departing.”
“Th-that’s right. Hurry up!”
Fabio san walked towards the couch.
I wonder what is it, really.
On the later date, I went from burning adventurer from Fire Magic, to crushing aristocrat who is trying to force a bride with a Golem, and then those feelings from the rumors that I heard during the time when Fabio san is restocking.
Why the hell are all this happening!