Chapter 18

After my morning training, which is a daily routine, I took a shower to wash off the sweat and returned to my room. Just as I did, there was a knock on the door.

" Noel, I've come to pick you up."

The visitor was Alma. Since there were no particular plans for today, I had promised to show Alma around the imperial capital. According to Alma, it was a date, but of course, I had no such intentions.

I would only show her places useful for explorers. I had already told her that she should explore tourist spots and entertainment areas on her own.

When I opened the door, Alma, standing at the entrance, raised her right hand slightly.

"Good morning."

"Good morning. Come in, then."

Alma entered the room and looked around with interest.

"Sure enough, it's a nice room. I wanted to stay at this inn too."

Originally, Alma was supposed to stay at the Star Drop Inn. However, since there were no available rooms, she had to choose another inn.

"How's the other inn? Have you gotten used to it?"

"Quite a bit. It's not as good as this one, but it's still a nice inn."

"I'm glad it's comfortable. But didn't you come a bit too early? It's just past nine in the morning. No shops are open yet."

To begin with, it was Alma who suggested coming to pick me up. We could have just decided on a meeting place, but she insisted on coming to pick me up, showing no patience.

I can understand her excitement since she just arrived in the imperial capital. As a resident, I can be lenient, but I wish she could at least adjust her timing a bit.

"You seem happy to meet your sister so early. Noel, you're not being honest."

"Shut up. I've told you many times, you're not my sister. Besides, if you were going to come early, you could have joined me for my training."

"No way. I can't get up at five in the morning."

"...You're half-hearted. If you suddenly reduce your exercise, you'll gain weight quickly."

"Don't worry. Maidens have a maiden combustion engine, so they don't get fat."

"What's a maiden combustion engine...?"

Ignoring my astonishment, Alma flopped onto the bed.

"Ugh, I'm bored. Noel, tell me an interesting story."

"Die. I'm not your clown. If you're bored, read this."

I handed her a book that was on the desk.

"What's this? A private novel by Noel?"

"Close, but it's not a private novel. It's a detailed record of all the battles from the formation of the Azure Celestial to the recent battle with the bandits."

"That's impressive. Let me see."

Alma leaned over and started reading, kicking her legs.

"Ugh! There's no steamy scene between Noel and me!? This is a false record!"

"There's no such history. Just read it. And if you add anything weird, I'll slap you again."

"...Tsk."

Why is she clicking her tongue? Could she really have intended to add something? ...She's an unbelievable fool. And she's five years older than me, which makes me speechless.

While Alma was reading the battle record, I sat in a chair and opened a specialized book on organizational theory. I haven't given up on forming a clan. I'm learning the knowledge I'll need, alongside my explorer work.

If I can get one more excellent companion, I plan to form a clan.

I'll have to provide most of the necessary funds, but that's fine. Since I'm the leader, there's no reason to be stingy with money. Thanks to Lloyd and Tania, I have enough funds. If I wanted to, I could form the clan anytime.

However, forming a clan without being able to dive into the abyss is meaningless. I need new companions to form it.

I'm still recruiting in the central square. I'm also considering placing recruitment ads in the imperial capital's newspaper. If I get excellent applicants, that's great; if not, I'll have to resort to headhunting.

The puppeteer Hugo, whom I most want as a companion, still needs time to prepare. So, I'll have to look elsewhere, but it won't be easy to find someone.

Is there any chance that something miraculous will happen, and I'll find someone on the street?

The search for new companions is proving to be difficult.

"...I'm bored."

After about ten minutes, Alma closed the battle record book.

"Isn't that quick to get bored?"

"Not really. If you just read, you'll turn into a worm."

"Or are you admitting that you only have a worm's brain?"

"It's just a feeling. Anyway, I'm bored again. Noel, I have a request."

"I'll listen, but choose your words carefully."

"Let me touch your body."

"Choose your words carefully!?"

As soon as she said it, she made a direct sexual harassment comment. How bold is this fool? Even the perverted old men in bars use their heads a bit more.

"Then, I'll touch it."

"Wait! I haven't given you permission!"

It seems she had no intention of respecting my will. Alma, standing up from the bed, reached out to touch my body. But I wasn't going to let her touch me easily. I grabbed her hand just in time and tried to push her away.

"Stop! Don't touch me, don't touch me!"

"No way. Accept it, and let your sister touch your fine body."

"But you're not my sister... Gah, s, so strong!"

What strength! Despite her small and slender frame, she's using more force than I am. Moreover, her cool expression suggests she's not even using half her strength.

"Hehehe, there's no brother better than his sister."

"Shut up, fool!!"

I gritted my teeth and tried to push Alma away, but she didn't budge. Her small body felt like a large rock.

"...You're so cute when you're trying so hard. Can I kiss you?"

"Wha!? No way!!"

"I'm going to kiss you. Mwah~"

"Stop, stop!! Fool, stop!!"

Alma puckered her lips and moved closer. If this continued, this idiot would steal my first kiss. Just when I thought it was all over, the door burst open.

"Noel! What's all the noise!?"

The one who entered was Marie, the signboard girl of the Star Drop Inn. Marie's eyes widened at the sight of us grappling, and she dropped the laundry basket she was holding.

"S, such a thing... Noel, you're trying to kiss a girl..."

"No, no, it's not voluntary! More importantly, help me get this fool off me! I'll give you pocket money!"

But Marie didn't seem to hear me. She started trembling.

"H, how can you kiss a girl...!? You can't kiss a girl!! Handsome men should only kiss handsome men!! Waaaah, you're a traitor, Noel!!"

With incomprehensible logic, Marie burst into tears and ran away.

"What, what was that strange creature?"

Even Alma, who is usually quick-witted, was stunned by the sudden event. Seizing the opportunity, I let go of her hand and struck her neck with a hand knife.

"Ugh!"

Alma lost consciousness with one blow. Freed from her evil grasp, I finally caught my breath. But my heart was still heavy and dark.

"Why are there no decent women around me..."

†

†

Alma regained consciousness soon after. It seemed she had lost her memory of coming to this room. When I told her she had fallen asleep, she accepted it without doubt.

Thus, my chastity was preserved.

"Where are we going first?"

Time had passed while we were fighting, and Alma and I were now outside. The imperial capital was as bustling as always, with a diverse mix of people and carriages flowing like a river.

"First, we'll go to a familiar armorer. It's a shop run by a dwarf craftsman. He's skilled, and the prices are reasonable. He can be a bit difficult to deal with, but he's a good, friendly old man once you get to know him."

For explorers, who make a living from battles, equipment is essential. Alma seems to have excellent weapons and armor, but if you neglect maintenance, they'll quickly become unusable. A reliable armorer you can visit anytime is indispensable.

"Next, we'll go to an item shop. I know a trustworthy one, so it's good to get to know the owner."

Various combat items, such as healing potions made by alchemists, are essential for explorers. Since the shop also makes magic bullets, I, as a magic gun user, visit it frequently.

"Not only finished products, but the shop also deals in materials, which will be very useful for a scout like Alma. Scouts have a skill to create poisons and medicines from their blood, and the effects change based on what they consume just before. So, you need various types of poisons and herbs."

"Right, that's helpful. Gathering herbs is fun, but if I can buy them in bulk, that's better. I haven't even mapped out the herb distribution in this area yet."

Scouts can generate poisons and medicines from their blood. While most of these effects can be replicated by alchemists, the key advantage is that they don't take up space. For scouts, whose main weapon is agility, this skill is invaluable. In extreme cases, they can adapt to any situation without carrying anything, making it a skill that truly represents scouts.

"After the item shop, we'll go to the Appraiser's Guild. As you know, it's where you can get your skills appraised and rank up. You can also view information on various skills, which is useful for deciding your rank-up path. There's a fee for viewing, but I'll cover it as a necessary expense."

"Got it. Are those all the places we're going?"

"No, the main destination is still to come. Finally, we'll go to the Skill Book Alley."

Skills can be learned through training, and when the necessary elements are in place, they manifest in your mind as if a new function has appeared. Explorers refer to this as "flashing."

Skill books are designed to trigger this "flashing" from the outside. These special books, made from demonic materials, implant the knowledge and sensations of the skill directly into the reader's brain, forcing a "flash."

For explorers, skill books are dream-like items. They are expensive due to the high production costs, but they are in high demand, so many are in circulation.

"In the imperial capital, most skill books are concentrated in the Skill Book Alley. We'll buy skill books here to strengthen our team."

"Is that also a necessary expense?"

"Of course. I'll pay from the party funds I manage."

"Wow, you're generous."

The expenses are high, but the returns are also significant. Considering our future activities, it's an investment that will definitely pay off. The costs will be quickly recouped.

"Did you understand today's plan? Then, follow me without getting lost."

"Understood."

We visited each place in order.

At the armorer and item shop, we didn't plan to buy anything, so we just introduced Alma to the owners. Both owners gave Alma high evaluations, and the atmosphere suggested they would offer special services.

Excellent rookies are always welcome, and Alma, being young and attractive, with a large chest, naturally appealed to the older men.

At the Appraiser's Guild, we researched Alma's rank-up options.

I wanted her to become a rear attacker, but I couldn't ignore her personal preferences and values. She should make an informed decision based on sufficient knowledge to avoid regret.

Alma had four rank-up options: Assassin and Torturer for front-line attackers, and Pursuer and Wave for rear-line attackers.

After reviewing the information, she excluded Torturer and Wave as they didn't suit her. She was torn between Assassin and Pursuer.

Emotionally, the Assassin, which was her goal, seemed slightly more appealing. However, since she didn't have a strong preference, she decided to choose between Assassin and Pursuer based on the party's future composition, as originally planned.

After finishing our business at the Appraiser's Guild, it was past noon.

"I'm hungry~. Noel, let's go eat."

"Sure. Let's take a lunch break."

We can visit the Skill Book Alley after we finish eating.

While looking for a place to eat, something caught my eye.

"...Alma, I'm sorry, but eat first. I have something to do."

"Huh? What's the sudden change?"

"I have my reasons. I'll send you a thought when I'm done. Tell me the name of the restaurant you enter. I'll be back."

"Hey, wait! Noel!"

Alma's voice called out to me from behind, but I ignored it and ran.