Chapter 26

On the fire day of the week after the weekend, after finishing breakfast, I immediately headed to the guild.

I needed to tell Donovan about the series of events that happened over the weekend and the rescue operation using the practical combat experience in the Demon Forest.

The guild is closed on the day of rest except in emergencies.

This morning, the board with posted requests was more crowded than usual.

Among the burly men and bearded uncles bumping shoulders while scrutinizing the requests, I could see Ridnel and the others.

Hmm, maybe this is a kind of training too, and it even looks fun just to watch.

By the wall, away from the crowd, were Muel, the cat-eared angel, Girik, the dog boy who isn't really necessary, and Manon, the handsome butler girl.

Uh... Manon is tilting her head a little and waving at me.

Well, is it okay to take her home? No? Why not?

"Good morning, Muel, Girik, Manon."

"Good morning, Kent."

"Hmph..."

"Good morning, Kent, how are you feeling?"

"Hmph... Is that a greeting, you dog boy?"

In comparison, Manon even asks about my health, so is it really okay to take her home? No? Why not?

"Kent, are you not feeling well? Could it be because of Girik...?"

"Hmph, it happened during practice, so I'm not apologizing."

"No, I was just a bit tired and anemic, and it's not related to that incident. I'll return the favor twofold, so there's no need for you to apologize."

"Brat... You've got some nerve..."

"I have something to do with Donovan now, do you want to come with me?"

"This... I'm not going..."

I glared back at Girik, who was looking down at me with a glare.

"Hey, stop fighting, both of you, Muel! Muel!"

Hyaah— Early in the week, I got a scolding from Muel!

"Hmph, it's not a fight, I'm just teaching the brat who doesn't know his place a lesson."

"Teaching, huh? Just make sure you don't bite him."

"You... What did you say...?"

"Nothing...?"

"Ugh... Hey, Girik, let's go look at the requests, Manon, I'll leave Kent to you."

"Y-Yes... I understand."

Ah... Muel, the cat-eared angel, pulled Girik over to the board.

Hmm... Her light pink tail is swaying.

Is it okay to pet it? Is it okay to rub my cheek against it all day?

"Kent... What are you looking at?"

"Ah, n-no, I was just wondering what kind of job Muel and Girik are doing..."

"I think they're doing a gathering job."

"Gathering, like herbs?"

"Yeah, Muel wants to be a pharmacist."

"Oh, that's right, she said that before..."

"Kent, you were just looking at Muel's chest and not listening, weren't you?"

"N-No, I just forgot a little..."

That's right, I was also staring at her tail.

"Really? By the way, you said you had something to do with Donovan?"

"Ah, that's right, I need to hurry..."

Today is the beginning of the week, so it's the day for beginner training.

Donovan should be busy with the training, so I need to hurry.

When I went to the counter, Donovan was just coming out from the back.

"Good morning, Donovan."

"Hey, Kent, good morning. There's training today, so we can't practice."

"Yes, I'm sorry to bother you, but it's about 'that matter'..."

"Hmm... Follow me."

"Yes."

I asked Manon to wait a moment and followed Donovan to the reception room on the second floor.

"What's up? Did something happen?"

"Yes, actually..."

When I told him about the incident with Funayama, Donovan's face turned angry.

"Don't play around..."

"Yes..."

Donovan's tightly clenched fist looked like a deadly weapon that could take a life with one blow.

When I continued and told him that Camilla's goal was to compensate for the decrease in arable land due to desertification by developing the Demon Forest, Donovan's face showed a look of anguish.

This was a sign of his internal struggle, as he couldn't intervene unless it was an invasion of Volzard.

So, I continued and told him about the rescue operation using the practical combat experience in the Demon Forest.

"Interesting, using their emergence to our advantage... Not bad."

A sly smile returned to Donovan's face.

"So, when is it happening?"

"I'm not sure yet, but it might happen sooner than expected as a show of force."

"I see, then we need to prepare for the reception."

"Yes, they'll be coming through the forest, so it would be good to contact the defense team as well."

"Right, I'll take care of that. By the way, can you definitely remove the slave bracelet?"

"Yes, I plan to coat the removed bracelet with monster blood and discard it."

"Hmm, good. If possible, prepare a change of clothes and discard the ones you're wearing, torn and bloodstained."

"Ah, right, I'll do that."

I'll move all the clothes left at the boarding house to the shadow storage.

There are women's clothes too, so it should be fine.

"Alright, Kent, let me know when the date is set. The reception will be the same as yours, right?"

"Yes, that's fine, thank you."

After parting ways with Donovan, who had to get to his training, I returned to the first floor.

The morning chaos had already ended, and Manon was standing alone by the wall, looking idle.

Her gloomy expression brightened up the moment she saw me.

Is it okay now? Is this just my imagination? But wait, it might be just friendship, not romantic feelings... Which is it? I don't know...

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Manon."

"Um, did you finish talking with Donovan?"

"Um, he scolded me for not taking care of my health..."

"Really, Kent, you push yourself too hard. This morning, you even charged at Girik..."

"Because if I don't say something, he won't take it seriously during practice."

"Ah, among our generation, you're the only one who says that."

"Really?"

"Yes, Girik is already skilled enough to explore the dungeon alone."

"Is that so... If I can beat Girik, can I explore the dungeon too?"

When I said that, Manon stared at me intently.

Eh, Manon, are you too close? A-Are you going to kiss me?

"Kent, are you really trying to beat Girik?"

"Um, it's a short-term goal."

"Short-term goal... Do you want to get even stronger?"

"Well, Girik isn't the strongest in Volzard, right?"

"That's true, but... usually, people don't think that way."

"Why? Maybe you don't think about it because you're a girl, but I think it's normal for a guy to challenge someone."

But, thinking about it, if I were still in Japan, I wouldn't have thought about beating Girik.

I wouldn't have even thought about defying or beating Funayama, who was weaker than Girik.

Hmm? Could it be that I've become more aggressive due to the influence of the evil skeleton?

"But, Kent, you were rated as a reject, right?"

"Eh, ah... Yes, why?"

"Girik is a knight type with a high body enhancement ratio."

"Hmm... Is that so?"

"Yes, it's said that he can enhance his body by about five times, though it's not very stable."

"Ah... I see..."

I remember Reinhardt saying that the enhancement ratio and duration were important.

Five times would be the highest level, right?

"So, to be honest, I think it's difficult for you to beat Girik."

"Um... I see... But, I just started, and I managed to get a point last time."

"Yes, that was impressive! Even if he was off guard, it was still amazing against Girik."

"R-Really? But, I was beaten after that..."

Well, it's the first time a girl has called me impressive, so I'm a bit embarrassed, but I can take more compliments, Manon.

I'm the type who grows with praise.

"But, Kent, you're amazing. You're getting stronger, and you face Girik without hesitation, while I was so scared my legs were shaking."

"Ah, that's because I was angry after being beaten by you and getting scolded by Donovan, muahaha..."

"By the way, Kent, you talk to Donovan so casually."

"Eh, because Donovan is strict but kind."

"Yes, but... the presence is still... you know."

"Well, maybe it's just a matter of getting used to it?"

Maybe it's because I've seen Reinhardt's wild behavior, I'm gradually building up immunity.

"By the way, Manon, are you a knight type or a mage type?"

"I'm a mage type, so I'm a bit worried about the combat training."

I don't know the content of the wind and earth day training, but if the three-person challenge is the requirement again, it would be quite tough.

Especially for a girl like Manon, it would be physically demanding.

Come to think of it, there weren't many girls in the combat training.

"Hey, Manon, is it rare for girls to aim to be adventurers?"

"Um... In other towns, it's not that rare, but it might be rare in Volzard."

"Is that because the Demon Forest is nearby?"

"Yes, other towns' forests also have monsters, but it's rare to encounter powerful ones. However, in the forest near Volzard, it's not uncommon to see orcs."

"Eh? Orcs and rock orcs are different, right?"

"Kent... Didn't you learn that in the first training? You forgot?"

"Eh, ah... Ah, yes, that's right, I remember, I remember, that's right."

"Kent, you don't remember, do you?"

"Eh, n-no, I remember, I learned that orcs and rock orcs are different."

They are different, right? They have different names, so they must be different, right?

"Rock orcs are considered a higher form of orcs, and it's unknown how they transform, but they are originally orcs... You didn't remember, did you?"

"Uh... I'm sorry, I forgot."

"Ugh, you're hopeless, Kent... Didn't you learn a little in school?"

Well, Manon, in our world, there are no orcs, rock orcs, or even goblins... but I can't say that.

"Um, the place I lived had few monsters, so we didn't learn much about them in school."

"Ah, I see. By the way, what was the country you lived in like?"

"Eh, the country I lived in?"

"Yes, I've never left Volzard, so I'm interested in other countries."

"Um... My country..."

I can't just tell her about Japan.

A world without magic, where planes fly in the sky, shinkansen travel far, and the internet connects us to the other side of the world... she wouldn't believe it.

"The place I lived was an island surrounded by the sea."

"Wow... an island, what kind of island?"

"Well, it's a pretty big island, formed by many volcanoes."

"Volcanoes, those that erupt, right? I learned about them in school."

"Yes, but they erupt every few decades or centuries."

"Really? I thought they were always erupting..."

"No, because when they do erupt, they can cause significant damage with volcanic ash and lava."

"I see... Volcanoes... I'd like to see one..."

"I'd like to show you, but I don't even know how to get back..."

"Eh, can't you go back if you save up money?"

"Um, I drifted here in a boat, so I don't know how to get back..."

"Hmm, so you can't go back, Kent..."

Hmm, it seems like Manon looks a bit happy that I can't go back.

"So, you'll stay in Volzard, Kent?"

"Um... I don't know... I'd like to visit other towns in Lanzhelt too..."

"R-Really..."

Hmm? It seems like Manon looks a bit sad. Ah, does she want me to invite her?

"Would you like to come with me then?"

"Eh? E-Eh... Me...?"

"Yes, but I don't know when it will happen, and I might not be able to go."

"Mmm..."

Hmm? I invited her, but her reaction seems a bit strange. Why?

"Are you really thinking of going with Muel?"

"Eh? Muel? If I go with Muel, Girik might come along too..."

"To do that, you'd have to defeat Girik, right?"

"Well, I could take him as a porter."

"Eh... Are you really thinking about that?"

"Well, if I were to invite Muel, but I just started working and don't have any savings, so it's impossible to go to other towns right now."

"Y-Yes, it's impossible right now."

"Yes, I have a lot to do, so I don't plan to leave Volzard for a while."

"Y-Yes... That's right, it's not that urgent... I need to prepare mentally too..."

"Hmm? Did you say something, Manon?"

"N-No, nothing, just talking to myself... No, nothing."

My classmates would probably want to return to Japan immediately, but honestly, I don't really want to go back.

Living here with my cheat abilities is more fun than being treated like a failure in Japan.

Maybe I'll help everyone return to Japan and stay in Volzard.

How long can I stay at the boarding house? Can I buy a house with all the magic stones I have?

How much tax would I have to pay? How much does a house cost here?

"Kent... Kent, Kent!"

"Ah! W-What, what, Manon?"

"Ugh, you weren't listening again, what are we doing today?"

"Ah... I forgot because we were talking."

"It's almost noon."

"Ah... I'm taking the day off again... I'm sorry, Manon."

"Eh, no, I was also engrossed in the conversation, so it's not just your fault."

"As an apology, I'll treat you to lunch. Do you know any good places?"

"Eh, no, that's not necessary, I'll pay for my own."

"It's fine, really. I had some extra income..."

"Really? How about the pasta place nearby?"

"Sure, let's go there."

Well, I got a lot of rock orc magic stones, so even if I don't sell them, I'm financially comfortable.

A rock orc magic stone is worth at least 20,000 hert each, so one could pay for more than half a year's rent.

I have over two hundred, so I don't really need to work.

However, I plan to use these magic stones as a reception fee for Klaus when my classmates come to Volzard.

The pasta place Manon recommended was a bit further in the direction of the Demon Forest from the guild.

It's very popular, with a queue forming at lunchtime, but we could sit down without waiting because it was a bit early.

Hmm? Having lunch with a girl feels a bit like a date, doesn't it?

Oh, is this what a lunch date is like? Am I being a bit too real?

"Welcome! Ah, Manon."

"Hello, Menouette, I'm back again."

"The counter is fine... Oh?"

"Um, I have a friend with me today..."

"Hmm... That's unusual."

The waitress with greenish hair in a ponytail seems to be Manon's friend.

"Hmm... So you're Kent... I see..."

"Um, hello..."

What is it? Does she think I'm a bad influence on Manon?

She's giving me a scrutinizing look.

"Hey, Menouette, where should we sit?"

"Ah, right, how about this table?"

Manon's face is very red. Is it embarrassing for her to be seen as my friend?

She showed me the menu, but I didn't understand it, so I asked Manon for a recommendation.

"Which one do you recommend, Manon?"

"Um... I think the 'Salt-Cured Meat and Cream Fresh Pasta' is good."

"Then I'll have that."

"Um, I'll have the same..."

"Thank you, two orders of Salt-Cream Fresh Pasta!"

Menouette had a look like she wanted to say something to Manon, but with other customers coming in, there wasn't time for a long conversation.

Still, she kept giving us a sly look from time to time.

Each time, Man