Chapter 33

"Welcome, please come in!

Lord Reido, and Lord Allen Lovene.

I am Satowa Fjord, the Vice President of the Explorer's Association.

Please, have a seat!"

The easygoing interviewer, as if to serve as a greeting, threw out a left jab with a cheerful smile.

No one would be foolish enough to sit down here.

The other party, the No. 2 of the vast Yugria Kingdom Explorer's Association, was still standing.

"...Allen, it's okay to sit.

...You're not going to sit, are you?"

The senior, looking worried, confirmed with me whether I should sit.

"Rest assured. The relaxed interview is within my expectations."

To reassure the senior, I turned my body to face the interviewer and replied in a low voice.

"...It's been a while, Satowa.

This is a ritual for him, so please proceed with the conversation without worrying.

And, as I always say, the honorific 'sama' is unnecessary."

In response to the senior's words, the interviewer Satowa sat down on the sofa with a smile.

"I come from the Royal Academy, my name is Allen Lovene!

Excuse me!"

"Whoa!"

After witnessing this, I sat down on the sofa with a clear and loud voice that made the senior, who was sitting next to me, jump in surprise—

I only pretended to sit down.

The sofa where the senior had been sitting for a while now seemed incredibly soft.

If I were to entrust my weight to it, I would undoubtedly lean back and assume a proud posture with my chin up.

I used body reinforcement to maintain an air chair position, with my thighs barely touching the sofa.

"Indeed, as I've heard, the 'constant battlefield' mindset.

I was skeptical until I saw it with my own eyes...

No, it's truly impressive."

Satowa seemed intent on praising me as expected.

I tightened my resolve.

"Showing respect to those above me is only natural."

"...Indeed, it's quite profound.

Could you please teach me the lessons you received from the renowned Zold Vainforces?

Ha ha ha."

Satowa said this with a relaxed smile, the wrinkles around his eyes full of depth.

Here it comes...

If I were to explain grandly here, it would surely ruin any chance of a connection.

"No, I am still a novice and am not in a position to teach others."

"Such modesty...

Now, the entire capital is abuzz with rumors about you and Zold.

It's quite a problem."

"...It seems the rumors have taken on a life of their own...

It's quite troublesome."

"Hmm.

But isn't it a fact that you received an S rating in the Royal Academy's practical exam?"

"No, no, actually, to be honest, it was just a grading mistake by the examiner, who was hungover. I feel quite embarrassed by the excessive rating."

"Ha ha ha!

The results of the Royal Academy's entrance exam being a grading mistake due to the examiner's hangover!

No, your sense of humor is top-notch, I must say!"

In this way, I dodged all of Satowa's attempts to praise me with modesty, engaging in a futile and quintessentially Japanese form of greeting. Then, Satowa suddenly said:

"Indeed, I am impressed.

At your age, to have such skill and achievements without any sign of arrogance.

You must be aiming for a very high goal, one that requires strict self-discipline.

By the way, are you here to register as an explorer?

Is there a specific purpose for someone of Allen's caliber to register as an explorer?"

...Here comes the motivation question.

The interview started so suddenly that I hadn't fully prepared my motivation.

To put it bluntly, I just want to sell materials to make money, but such an answer would surely get me a zero in a job interview.

It would also tarnish the face of the senior who introduced me.

As I was thinking about how to convey my enthusiasm, the senior, who had been thoroughly blending into the background while staring at the clouds outside the window, stepped in to help.

"Ah, I happened to get the opportunity to collect materials with him.

Since he seems interested in collection, I recommended that he register with the association to secure a sales channel."

...Nice lead-in, senior!

Moreover, by having a third party, the senior, state my true but difficult-to-say purpose, I now had a foundation to convey my enthusiasm.

Indeed, capable men are different in their consideration.

"That's right!

I've been accompanying the senior on his collection work since yesterday, and I was deeply impressed by the breadth and depth of his knowledge.

I want to grow as an explorer and decided to pursue this path."

The senior's face stiffened, but it was the truth, so there was nothing I could do about it.

Satowa listened with a nod.

"I see.

Indeed, Reido is a well-known explorer in this capital.

Especially with his deep knowledge of pharmacology, honed in his family's business, which boasts one of the largest scales of magical drug commerce in the kingdom, his skill in collecting medicinal materials is said to be the best in the capital at his age.

In fact, he has been recognized for multiple discoveries of new materials and other achievements, and has even reached B-rank while still in school.

Of course, compared to the golden signboard of a Royal Academy graduate, a B-rank explorer is nothing much...

It was a pity that his long-term collection request extended, causing him to drop to B-class when he advanced to third year."

...When the senior mentioned his "family's pharmacy," I had imagined something like a town drugstore, but it seems he is the heir to a fairly large-scale chamber of commerce.

Moreover, he is indeed quite famous as an explorer.

Furthermore, it seems he prioritized what he wanted to do, even at the cost of dropping a class...

When I glanced at the senior, he was scratching his cheek awkwardly.

I respected him even more for facing me as his true self without flaunting his powerful background.

"His extensive knowledge is impressive, but what I admire most is his passion.

I accompanied him on a full day of collection, and he taught me many things with great enthusiasm.

To him, they were probably basic materials not worth mentioning.

But from his actions, I could feel his respect for these materials and his passion for collection as an explorer."

The senior's face stiffened again.

Satowa's eyes sparkled as he asked:

"Hmm.

So, Allen, are you looking up to Reido?"

"Not just a little, but a lot.

I was able to take my first step as an explorer today thanks to Senior Reido.

I trust him completely."

"What are you saying, Allen!

Satowa, don't take it seriously!

He has a bit of an unusual mindset...

He has been educated to praise his seniors.

It's just social niceties, ha ha ha!"

"Uh?

It's the truth—"

The senior stopped me with a hand and forcibly changed the topic.

"Rather, look at this!

This is the fur and horn of a Horned Rabbit he took down with one strike!

As expected of the top student in the Royal Academy's practical exam.

Despite it being his first monster hunt, he was incredibly calm and took down the Horned Rabbit, which was trying to escape to the top of a cliff, by jumping down from the cliff and striking it as they passed each other!

Moreover, he said that he tried to break the base of the horn but missed due to the excitement of his first hunt.

No, I could never do that!

It's an incredible combat sense.

As expected of Allen Lovene, the secret weapon of the 'constant battlefield.'"

Satowa looked at the fur and horn with interest and said:

"Quite a large individual.

While Horned Rabbits aren't particularly strong, the ones with elemental attributes are fast, and it's rare for a C-rank explorer to take one down so cleanly."

"That's right.

He's been praising me since yesterday, by chance! By coincidence! But in reality, we live in completely different worlds.

Please, don't take his words seriously or spread the story you just heard!"

I realized the senior was trying to wrap up the conversation and decided to stay quiet, but I couldn't help but speak when I saw the deep wrinkles around Satowa's eyes.

"By the way, the senior also said...

'This one' is too big for two people to eat, but we should try to eat it all without wasting it.

I was deeply moved by the gratitude he showed towards living things..."

Senior Reido held his head in his hands.

Damn...

Those wrinkles around his eyes made me talk too much...

"Ha ha ha.

Birds of a feather flock together.

By the way, how did you two meet?"

"That's right!

Actually, the senior lives in the general dormitory of the Royal Academy—"

~15 minutes later~

"No, it was a very interesting conversation.

I understand your concerns, Reido.

I will report this to the president as part of my duties, but I won't spread it recklessly."

Satowa tried to smooth things over, but the senior remained slumped in the corner of the sofa like a boxer who had burned out, not moving.