Chapter 74: Unknowingly entered the topWinter. I spent my time in hand-to-hand combat training with Barack-san at the Adventurers Guild, and at some point, Sophia, Maria, and even the rear guard Laeva started participating and it turned into training for our whole party.
「Ha!」「Ya!」「Haa!」
Intense sounds of weapons and our battle cries reverberated in the training center.
Even Laeva, the newest member to join us, who serves as rear guard is making full use of her staff is in an intense mock battle with Sophia and Maria.
This winter, I’ve come to admire Laeva who is doing her best to raise her level for alchemy by subjugating monsters and is doing this shitty old man’s difficult training at the Adventurers Guild. Thanks to that effort, she is manifesting the physical abilities distinctive of beastmen, and her growth might be the best amongst us.
Kan!
「Kyaa!」
Laeva’s staff spun midair and she fell on her behind.
「Are you alright Laeva? Still, you’ve improved greatly.」
Sophia, who made her opponent’s staff fly midair with her spear, extended a helping hand.
「Haa, haa, yes, thank you very much.」
Even though it can be said that she has grown the most, her starting line is still different from ours. She hasn’t leveled that much this winter, so she has yet to catch up to Sophia and Maria. Nevertheless, Barack-san said that our party is already top class in Volton.
「Still, Takumi. Speaking strictly of destructive power, I think your party is at the top in Volton.」
「Please cut it out, Barack-san.」
I think I had a completely unpleased face.
「We are a party of Alchemist and Blacksmith and guards. We registered at the Adventurers Guild so we could collect materials.」
「Even if you say that about your party, all of you can use magic, right? There is no adventurer party like this anywhere. Moreover, those magic aren’t just Fireballs and those basic stuff, all your members can use intermediate level attribute magic. The Oneechan, Sophia, can even use Spirit magic. So, being at the top shouldn’t be strange.」
「What, you guys have already suppressed thieves before, no?」
「Oof, well, that’s true, butー」
「Then there’s no problem.」
I’ve somehow been forced into doing the escort request. And there’s even information that thieves appear frequently too............
「It will be all right Takumi-sama. Maria, you, and I have gotten stronger since that time, and we have Kaede and Tsubaki as well.」
「That’s right, Takumi-sama.」
Was my face filled of worry? Sophia and Maria were cheering me up.
「Takumi-sama, we will win easily against things such as thieves.」
「No, it hasn’t been decided that we’d encounter them.」
Even Laeva is saying extreme things.
「It’s gonna be fine. Your ranks are based on the number of requests that you’ve completed, but if we’re talking about your true strength, Takumi and Sophia, whose true strengths are higher than B rank, are more than enough. Maria is a solid C rank. Even Laeva being F rank is because she hasn’t been registered for that long.」
Staying hesitant at this point would definitely be uncool. I am the sole male in this party, after all. If I keep saying only pathetic things then I’d exhaust everyone’s graces.
「When will the departure be?」
「Assembly will be at the south gate in the morning of the day after tomorrow. I’ll process the acceptance of the request.」
And so it has been decided that we’ll leave for another town for the first time in a long time.
***