Chapter 40

"Sorry, s-sir... I, I slipped up..."

Radd bowed his head, saying this.

The woman who had charged at me in the training ground was an adventurer named "Maeji." It seemed that she and Radd had known each other a little before he became an adventurer.

Perhaps out of that connection, when I started training Radd, she had heard some bad rumors about me and went to warn Radd, during which Radd had talked about me quite a bit.

"At first, I thought you were a fool, so I didn't believe it..."

A few weeks passed, and yesterday, Radd and his team defeated the boss in the Lava Cave. Radd, whom I had thought was far below Maeji and still a novice, had done it suddenly.

"Then I finally realized. What Radd said about you being 'the best trainer in Freelera' was true..."

"Wh-What, Maeji!?"

Radd was flustered by this sudden revelation, but it only made Maeji's words more credible.

"Huh. Radd, huh..."

"What, what is it..."

When I teased him, Radd pouted.

It felt good to know that I had been recognized, but if I pushed it further, he might get really angry.

"My party has been adventuring for almost two years, but we haven't improved at all. We even tried the 'Seven-Colored Lava Cave' once, but we fled because it was too difficult."

"So, you're grasping at straws, huh?"

When I said this, Maeji waved her hands frantically.

"I know it's a lot to ask! I'm not expecting you to train me like Radd or anything! I just want to know what talent I have, if any. I've tried so many things... I started as a Fighter, but it didn't feel right. I changed classes many times, tried hard... but nothing worked out."

Maeji bowed her head again, as if trying to suppress her frustration.

"So, I just want to know if I have any talent, or if I don't. If someone as amazing as you tells me I have no talent, I can accept it and move on. Please..."

Maeji was clearly desperate, and her sincerity was evident.

---

Maeji

Level 11

HP 160 MP 93

Strength 61 Vitality 54

Magic 67 Spirit 70

Agility 58 Focus 74

---

(Sure enough...)

I tried using "Insight" but couldn't get much more than "she seems to be struggling."

I could only determine Radd's potential by reverse-engineering his abilities. Since Radd had never changed classes, it was possible, but there was still a chance of error.

If I let her level up, I could calculate her growth, but with these stats at level 11, it would take time.

"Brother, investigating her potential will be time-consuming and offer no benefits. It's better to decline..."

Leesia whispered this from beside me. It was a reasonable point.

However,

"Sure."

I answered without much thought.

"Huh? Really, it's okay...?"

Maeji, who had been pleading, was the most surprised. She looked at me in disbelief.

"Yeah. But not here. I need you to come with me."

When I said this, Maeji responded with a resounding "Of course!"

I smiled inwardly.

(This could be a good "test case" for Radd and the others. I was planning to do this later, but if the opportunity has come, I might as well move things up a bit.)

"We're heading to the Coliseum. It's a bit of a walk."

As I left the training ground, Radd and the others followed. I thought about letting them train on their own, but... it's fine.

"Is it okay? There's a risk that information about you could leak from her."

"Already told Veltan everything. It's too late now."

Leesia frowned.

"I should be with you, Brother..."

Leesia is too worried.

"It's fine. This was part of the plan."

"Plan?"

"This world's adventurers are too weak. I need to accelerate the times."

I smiled at Leesia's still worried face.

"Combat isn't just about rushing into dungeons and fighting monsters. There are adult ways to fight in this world."

It's not a big deal, but saying this makes me look like I have a plan.

I led everyone confidently towards the Coliseum.

---

The Coliseum, located in the center of Freelera, is a landmark and one of the divine relics. It allows people to enjoy duels without risking their lives, under various rules.

(By the way, the tournament is coming up soon.)

In Freelera, there are "World Championships" in June and December, where adventurers can battle famous NPCs. Not only can you fight opponents you normally can't, but you can also win large sums of money and learn skills only the Coliseum champion can.

However, it's off-season now. The Coliseum is usually full before and after the tournaments, but it's quiet in the mornings and afternoons, and you can apply for mock battles within your party.

"I've never been inside the Coliseum before..."

Radd and the others were looking around nervously. The most eye-catching thing was probably the huge stone statue at the entrance.

"That's a cool guy. Is he a Coliseum warrior?"

Radd was tapping the base of the statue curiously, and Mana quickly explained.

"That's the statue of the first champion! For thirty years, he never lost a single match and retired undefeated, beloved by all! By the way, the current champion is a distant descendant of his!"

"Nice. You know a lot, Mana."

Adventurer enthusiasts are often well-versed in tournament trends.

When I spoke, Mana blushed and stammered.

"W-well, I, I read the tourist guide..."

So, she's not an adventurer enthusiast but a tourist. Ignoring this, I noticed Maeji's tension had eased a bit.

"Are you ready, Maeji?"

"Y-Yes!"

She was still nervous, but it couldn't be helped.

"Listen. I said I'd check your potential, but there's a condition."

"C-condition?"

"It's not a big deal. You just need to stand still in the Coliseum. However..."

I looked her over from head to toe. There didn't seem to be anything that would change her stats, but there might be enchantments.

"---Take off all your equipment."

The moment I said this, Maeji's shoulders trembled, and she seemed to lose color.

"Y-Yes... I understand."

Perhaps realizing there was no point in arguing, she nodded resolutely and walked to the other side of the ring.

(Did she think she'd be beaten up without her equipment?)

I decided to clear up the misunderstanding in the ring and was about to step in when...

"---I, I underestimated you! Sir!"

A voice called from behind.

"Huh?"

I turned to see Radd standing with his shoulders squared. Nuke looked exasperated, Prana glared coldly, and Mana looked confused.

And the last one.

"Brother, 'adult fights'... you mean..."

Leesia's words, filled with disdain, finally made me realize what Maeji and the others had misunderstood.

In Freelera, equipment changes the character's appearance. Some stylish equipment changes the inner clothing as well.

This is just a game mechanic, but in reality, it might mean that some equipment includes the inner clothing as part of the "equipment." If so, taking it off would mean...

"A-Ah..."

The blood drained from my face as I realized what I had done.

I put myself in Maeji's shoes and recalled my words. I had told her to come to the Coliseum to check her potential and asked her to take off her equipment and stand still. This could be interpreted as...

"---N-No! It's not like that!"

I ended up desperately trying to convince Maeji, who was on the verge of tears, to not strip naked in the corner of the Coliseum. A bit of a cultural misunderstanding!

---

Suddenly, a mysterious new character, "Maeji"! What is her ideal class, despite her cute name?

Solve the mystery with a 1% accuracy rate (our estimate)!

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