CH 33

Chapter title: Launch

「Cheers for our new adventurer friends who completed their first request!」

「「「「Cheers!」」」」

Everyone clinked their cups at Russel’s gesture.

The table is lined with a variety of sumptuous dishes, and our earnings for the day would be completely in the red.

「It’s on me. Elt and Serena, feel free to eat!」

「I’m sorry, but I can’t believe you’re teaching us for free and then you buy us dinner.」

「That’s right we should at least split the bill…」

Russell-san and his team only watched over us while doing the request, so they did not earn any money today.

We should have paid them for teaching us how to work….

「Don’t worry about it, we get something out of teaching beginners too.」

「Please let us at least pay for what we’ve earned today.」

I said and Russel-san drank his drink.

「Pfft! I can’t take money from a rookie.」

「B, but…」

「That’s right. You should keep that money for when you become a full-fledged adventurer and teach the new ones. That’s how my seniors used to buy me drinks.」

Apparently, Russell-san also learned the tricks from a great adventurer.

「I understand. I’ll save this money until that time.」

I guess that’s how adventurers have been training newcomers for generations. I began to like the adventurers of this town more and more.

As we ate and drank, Russell-san and the other continued to teach us.

They told us about the mistakes they had made in their past adventures.

Perhaps it was the fact that they were drunk that made their stories so interesting, but I heard that some of them had actually been injured to the point where they could no londer continue their adventures.

「What do they the adventurers who can no longer continue their adventures do?」

When I asked this question…

「Most of them go back to their home villages or towns and work as guards there, while others stay in the city, get married find new jobs. In any case, it’s better not to be an adventurer for too long.」

Being an adventurer is a risky job. Unlike in the city, there are vicious monsters outside, and dungeons are filled with vicious traps.

The longer you do this job, the more likely you are to die.

「Have you ever regretted becoming an adventurer, Russel-san?」

「I’m a clumsy person, you know. I have a scary face and make kids cry when I try to smile.」

「Whenever I’m asked to present Russell in a village or town, the villagers get scared.」

「Shut up!」

He smiled and lumped his friends who were making fun of him. I’m sure there is a relationship of trust between them that has been built over the years.

「So when it came time to work, the only option I could think of was becoming an adventurer. To be honest, there were times when I wanted to try other jobs, but I don’t…. regret it.」

「Why is that?」

「That’s the thing, Elt.」

Russel looked at the cup and suddenly a gentle expression appeared on his face.

「It’s because being an adventurer has given me the best friends I’ve ever had.」

A gloomy atmosphere filled the room. Everyone looked happy as they listened to Russell’s words.

「It was a good party, wasn’t it?」

When they got back to the inn, Serena put on some light clothes and sat down on the bed, probably thinking of Russell-san and his friends.

「We’re in good ocmpany. We’re lucky to have such wonderful people mentoring us when we’re new adventurers.」

At first I suspected that they were trying to take advantage of us, but they were mch nicer than I had expected.

「Hey, Elt?」

「Hmm?」

「Elt’s goal is to return to his hometown. He just needed to quality as an adventurer to do so, right?」

「…That’s right?」

We became adventurers because we wanted an ID to leave the country.

I think it’s a cold idea. I’m not in a position to ask Russell-san and his team to spend their time mentoring me.

「What will Elt do when he gets back home?」

Lying on the bed, Serena makes eye contact with me as she peers in.

「I don’t really… have any plans.」

I used to do odd jobs at the store. If I came back alive now, there would probably be someone else working there to replace me. I realized that I had only been thinking about going back, and hadn’t given any thought to what I would do once I got back.

「W, well then.. why don’t we…..?」

「Yeah? What did you say?」

I couldn’t hear her well because she was whispering. Serena’s face was blushing.

「So! I’m asking if you’d like to be an adventurer with me back home!」

I’m flabbergasted by that invitation…..

「That….. might not be a bad idea.」

I continued to be an adventurer with Serena. Marie was by her side, and we were all laughing together. I imagined such a future.