Chapter 34

One day after arriving in the port town of Kura.

Leaving Kura early in the morning and traveling all day, I finally returned to the town of Peho.

"You're late! What were you doing! I was worried sick!"

Sylvia, whom I hadn't seen for about a week, was in a mood so foul it was like a ground proximity alarm had gone off. I had to do something to improve it...

"Second!"

Before I could do anything, Eko hugged me. She rubbed her cheek against my hand when I petted her head. She's completely a dog. Even though she's a cat.

"Sorry, sorry. Was there any trouble?"

I apologized just in case.

"It's not just 'sorry'! There were problems everywhere! How many times did I try to contact you!"

Her mood only got worse.

Oh no... I guess telling her not to contact me unless it was an emergency was a bad idea. I had assumed no communication meant no problems, but it seems there were plenty.

"What happened?"

"My family home—wait a minute."

Sylvia noticed something as she was about to speak. Her gaze fell on Yuki, who was standing diagonally behind me.

"......"

"......"

The two of them stared at each other in silence. They seemed to be communicating with their eyes. Why does the air feel so tense?

"...Alright, I need to have a talk with the girls. Second, go over there."

"Huh?"

Sylvia took Yuki and Eko away without any further discussion and started a private conversation.

Occasionally, I could hear Sylvia's heated voice, but Yuki, unusually, seemed to be getting a bit worked up too. It looked like they were having a lively chat. This must be what they call a girls' night out. Wow, I didn't know a girls' night out could be so intense.

"Don't think you've won just because of this."

"Hmph, you're no match for me."

"That lack of progress despite being together for so long is the answer, isn't it?"

"Ugh! Stop it! Your verbal attacks are hitting me hard!"

Ah, they're having a friendly argument. It's good to see they're getting along even with Yuki joining.

"Saiksen!?"

Eko asked. Hmm, what for?

"It's already evening, so we're not going to the dungeon today."

"Okay..."

She looks a bit disappointed. Does Eko like the dungeon?

"Hey, how about we have a strategy meeting while we eat dinner?"

I said, and started walking to our usual inn.

Eko nodded with a "Yeah!" and held my hand, walking beside me. Sylvia and Yuki followed behind, still bickering.

Our new daily routine began.

"Anyway, it's all about grinding for experience points."

I declared a straightforward strategy.

Sylvia, who had become more cheerful with a drink, spoke up.

"What about Yuki?"

It seems they've become on a first-name basis. That's good.

"I'll grind for experience points for Yuki until her blacksmithing skill reaches level 9. After that, I'll focus on blacksmithing."

"Thank you very much."

Yuki thanked me, looking a bit apologetic.

Sylvia said, "Don't worry about it," and poured wine into Yuki's glass.

"By the way, Master, have you decided on a team name yet?"

After pouring wine for Sylvia, Yuki did the same for me and asked this.

The team name. I had completely forgotten about it due to the whole transfer incident.

"Come to think of it, I haven't decided yet."

"Hey! Listen to my idea!"

"Rejected."

"But I haven't even said it yet!?"

I know Sylvia's naming sense from the Brown Silver No. 1 incident. It's not promising.

"Then, Sylvia, let me hear your idea."

"Alright! I suggest the Blood Alliance Knights—"

"Stop!!"

Dangerous! I don't know what it means, but it feels dangerous!

"...Well, we're not knights, so that's inappropriate."

"Is that so? Is that so..."

Sylvia, who had thought it was a good idea, looked dejected. She then suggested "Knights of Zero," but I silenced her with wine. That was even more dangerous.

"Then, how about this?"

"Hmm?"

"The S World No. 1, O Greatly Achieve, S Second's Group. Abbreviated as SOS Group."

"Why do you guys always go for the edge?"

Do you have a grudge against me?

"Fine, let's let Eko decide."

"zzz"

She's asleep.

I guess I have to think of it myself.

A name, a name...

"Hmm... Alright. Let's call it 'Firstest Team.' We'll go with this for now."

I don't know if "firstest" is a real word, but emphasizing "first" so much should make it clear that we aim to be the best in the world. It also subtly plays on "fastest," which gives it a sense of speed and is a good touch.

"That... It's a bit embarrassing if we're not the best."

"It's fine. We're going to be the best anyway."

The team name was decided on a whim while I was drunk. Most team names are probably decided in izakayas anyway. No need to worry. Momentum is important in these things.

"The important thing is to become the best. Not the name. Got it?"

"Yes, as you say, Master."

I felt good with Yuki pouring me drinks and kept rambling on. Despite her cold expression, she nodded along.

The night wore on like this.

The next day.

After giving Sylvia a detox potion to ease her headache, we headed to the usual B-rank dungeon, "Limpfat."

The Limpfat dungeon was as good as ever. What's good about it is that we can easily defeat the monsters and gain a lot of experience points. At this rate, Yuki's blacksmithing skill should reach level 9 in less than a month.

I glanced at her.

"......"

Yuki was speechless at the scene before her.

"What's wrong?"

"N-no... I didn't expect this much."

She was unusually flustered.

"Hmm?"

I suddenly remembered. I hadn't checked Yuki's skill ranks yet.

Using my team leader authority, I looked at Yuki's skill list.

"Ah..."

I understood. And it was lucky.

Among Yuki's skills, only two had reached the rank level: "Infantry Archery" at 1st rank and "Kaima Assassination" at 1st rank. The rest were all at the grade level. I was surprised she could be an assassin with such low ranks, but then again, she doesn't assassinate skilled adventurers or vicious monsters, so maybe she doesn't need such high ranks.

No wonder she was shocked. Seeing B-rank monsters being easily defeated must have been unimaginable for her. High-rank skills are indeed that powerful.

What's even luckier is Yuki's potential. She hadn't maxed out her skills as much as I thought, making it easier to earn experience points. It seemed she could be trained to the level of a "mediocre blacksmith" in a few weeks, not months.

"Yuki, once you grow into a top blacksmith and can craft powerful weapons and enhance equipment, we'll be able to clear even A-rank dungeons this easily. The path to being the best in the world will be much closer. I'm counting on you."

When I spoke to her, Yuki bowed gracefully and replied.

"I will aim to be the best in the world alongside Master. The best blacksmith in the world."

Seeing her smile, I truly felt that it was a good decision to have her as a teammate.

Thank you for reading.

The next chapter is a side story.