Chapter 18

At this rate, we should reach the town before dusk. If we arrive early, we’ll have plenty of time to choose our dinner for tonight.

Oh right, we have some money in the pockets now. So, we might as well eat the best food in the town.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have thought of that, but there’s a monster in my search ability. And worse, there seems to be a human nearby. Is it an adventurer? I hope I don’t meet them.

”Kabirumba, people are being attacked by monsters.”

”Again? I think Leo-sama’s search range is too wide.”

”…That may be true.”

But now that I’ve found them, I can’t just left. I may have fallen, but I’m still the former demon king. It is the duty of the strong to help the weak. But, first, I must wear a gray cloak and a mask. The humorous expression on mask creates a unique atmosphere. The owner says the mask is called a “Hyottoko”.

”Let’s help them. I can’t leave them here.”

”Well, if Leo-sama is dressed like that, I guess it’s not a problem at all…”

Kabirumba did not say no. Despite his appearance, Kabirumba has a kind heart. Appearances often give this guy the creeps, though. Well, it’s not what’s on the outside that counts. It’s what’s inside that counts.

”There it is. Wait, why are they being attacked by black bears? How wide their habitat is?”

”That’s strange. I thought they weren’t such fertile monsters.”

”Kabirumba, don’t say another word. Don’t talk nonsense. Drill Lance!”

”Ah!”

Kabirumba’s voice came at the same time as the drilling lance… Did I do something wrong again? But did Kabirumba say anything when I killed a black bear with a drill lance before?

”Now that I’m here, it’s all right.”

I came down in front of the two girls. To be precise, I just ran on the ground and got in between the girl and Black Bear. Black Bear had already dissipated like mist, and only its right arm was left. I heard that it tastes good when it is stewed. A fine food item.

As for the two girls, they seem to be safe. They are exhausted, but not injured, and seem to be in good health. It would have been better if I had had a potion to restore their stamina, but alas, I do not have it with me.

However, if I don’t have it, I can always make it. So, I quickly make a potion to restore their stamina. It is not a difficult alchemical item, so I can make it even while picking my nose.

At first glance, the two girls seem to be a pair of a swordsman and a archer. They seem to be novice adventurers, judging from the cheap leather gear they are wearing. But now, they are holding each other and looking at me like a bad merchant.

”Drink this. It’s a potion to restore your stamina.”

I gave them each a bottle of stamina-restoring potion. If I were a bad merchant, I would have given them a drink containing a sleeping potion and guffawed, but I am not a bad merchant.

However, they were not willing to drink it, perhaps because they were wary of it. Really, I had no choice.

”Then I will drink one bottle. You can drink the other half of the bottle.”

Since the potion is supposed to be a ++ potion, even half of it would be effective enough. I gulp down the bottle and feel energized. I thought I was not tired, but it seems that I was tired to a certain extent.

Seeing this, the two finally take a sip of the stamina-restoring potion. They seem to be surprised with their eyes wide open, but they are soon feeling better.

”Wow, this is amazing! I didn’t know such an alchemical item existed.”

”I’ve never had this before! It’s amazing!”

”Oh, well, I’ll clean up your body too…”

I use “All Clean” on the two girls who cover their bodies. Immediately they became clean. It was as if they were freshly bathed. But then, the two girls looked red and looked at me as if they could not believe what they were seeing.

As I watched them smiling, Kabirumba pulled on my clothes with a quick tug.

”Let’s get out of here quickly. It’s not safe to be in contact with them any longer.”

”Okay. I’ll do that.”

The girls are looking at me curiously, tilting their head as I talk to something under my cloak. Since there is no monster around, they should be able to reach the town without any problem even if I leave them at this point. As long as they don’t make any detours.

”Well, then, please return to the town with care.”

”Ah, W-Wait!”

Leonito the former king is cool enough to leave. I left like a gust of wind. Though I thought he was saying something, I’m not going to get into any more trouble. From Kabirumba’s reaction, it seems that I have already done something.

”I think we’re OK in this area. By the way, Kabirumba, is Black Bear a strong monster?”

”It seems so. I checked it out again the other day when we went to the Adventurers’ Guild bar, and it seems to be a B-rank monster.”

”I see, it’s a B-rank monster. …Is it strong?”

This is the first time I have heard that monsters have ranks. I knew that adventurers have ranks from the previous talk, but is it similar to that?

”Leo-sama, why did you talk as if you knew? A B-rank monster is a level of monster that a B-rank party can defeat, okay?”

”By ‘party’ you mean a group of people working together to defeat them, right?”

”That’s right, but how to put it! Generally, three to four people seem to be able to defeat that kind of monster.”

”Hmm, why that number of people?”

Well, if they want to defeat monsters safely, it’s better to have a lot of people. After all, compared to demons, humans outnumber demons. So, they could overwhelm monsters with the violence of their numbers. Well, there is a possibility that they will be wiped out by a dragon or something.

”The more people, the less reward each one can get. If there are family adventurers, it will be a common property, so it is less likely to be a problem.”

”I see. Safety or money? Did the two girls just now choose to prioritize a money?”

”Who knows? It’s possible that they were abandoned as decoys for the black bears…”

Abandoned as decoys? Abandoned those fragile-looking girls?

”What…?”

”It’s just a possibility! That doesn’t mean it’s true! So please suppress your murderous intent!”