Chapter 9

About a month had passed since the family meeting.

During that time, I and Seria had been preparing for our trip to the capital.

Seria was busy packing for her life at the capital’s school, handing over her part-time job, and studying.

I visited the Adventurer’s Guild and informed the receptionist that I was going to the capital to obtain the qualification of a "National Adventurer." At first, she was surprised, but in the end, she supported me and enthusiastically taught me about the system of National Adventurers.

I spent my days busily entering the forest to gather herbs and, upon returning home, having my father review my sword skills.

Thus, time flew by, and the day of departure finally arrived.

"Listen, while you're in the capital, Klaus, you'll be the guardian. Take good care of Seria."

"Got it, Dad."

My father, with a serious look, said this to me. I interpreted his words as not only supporting my becoming an adventurer but also as a message to protect my sister once we arrived in the capital.

Seria was talking to our mother from a distance. She was probably telling her to study hard at school. But for Seria, that was unnecessary worry. She has always been responsible, so there would be no problem.

"The carriage is about to depart."

The regular carriage that would take us to the capital was about to leave. To prevent any accidents, there were many guards, and the fare was correspondingly high.

Our parents had strained to pay for both of our carriage fares.

"Alright, let's go, big brother."

Seria said this, took my hand, and headed towards the carriage. It was a habit from childhood; she would hold my hand when she was nervous or lacked courage.

Even though she could put on a brave face, I still thought of her as a cute little sister. And so, we set off on our two-week journey to the capital.

I let the carriage's sway lull me as I looked out the window. Next to me, Seria was reading a difficult-looking magic book, but she was so focused that I hesitated to speak to her.

This regular carriage traveled between the capital and various towns, and the drivers and guards were mostly veterans, making it safe to ride. I reached into my handbag to check its contents.

Something touched my fingertips, rubbing against my hand affectionately. It was Purple, the Purple Magic Worm.

Since we would be staying in the capital for a year, I couldn't just leave him behind. He had helped me gather herbs and I had grown attached to him. I wanted to let him out, but Seria was afraid of insects, so he had to stay in the bag for now. Fortunately, Magic Worms don't move around much, and he seemed content to eat herbs and sleep in a ball.

While petting Purple to pass the time, I noticed something.

"Is something happening up front?"

"Huh?"

The carriage had slowed down and seemed to be getting noisy. Seria looked up and at me.

"Can I go check it out?"

I touched the sword at my waist, which I had prepared for this trip.

"Well, sure... but be careful, okay?"

Seria looked worried and didn't seem entirely convinced as she saw me off. I had told her before boarding that if there was any combat, I would participate to gain experience.

"Seria, no matter what, don't come out."

I warned her and ran out of the carriage to the front.

"Monsters?"

"Yeah, you...?"

When I reached the front, I saw several large humanoid monsters, Trolls, blocking the road.

"Are you really going to participate?"

I had already discussed this with the guards. I told them that I was aiming to become a "National Adventurer" and wanted to gain combat experience during this trip.

"Of course, I will follow your instructions, please let me help."

All of this was my father's advice. By joining the veterans, I could reduce the risk and gain experience. This was another reason for using the regular carriage.

"Alright, but don't take unnecessary risks."

The guards had already engaged the Trolls, working together to keep them away from the carriage.

"Alright, Klaus. Come with me. I'll stand on the left side of the Troll. You stand on the right and draw its attention. Focus on its right hand and avoid its club at all costs."

"Got it!"

The guards and I positioned ourselves on either side of the Troll. The Troll hesitated, unsure which of us to target.

"Over here! Come on!"

The guard provoked the Troll, and it turned to face him. I carefully watched the Troll's movements.

The pressure I felt was incomparable to the Goblins I had defeated before. I didn't know what would happen if I recklessly charged and got hit by its club.

That's why the guard directed me to the side opposite the Troll's dominant hand. His instructions had a clear purpose.

"Ha! Over here!"

I swung my sword, giving it a shallow cut to draw its attention. We were using our numbers to our advantage, never overextending and buying time.

In this situation, what I could do was...

"Now!"

The Troll's attention was completely diverted. I approached from behind and slashed its Achilles tendon.

"Guooh!?"

Suddenly, it couldn't support its body and fell to the ground.

"Good job! You have a good sense of timing!"

The guard, who had made it easier for me to strike, praised me during the fight. I could tell from the feel of the strike that my sword skills had improved significantly, thanks to my father's training.

The guard immediately slashed the Troll's right arm, making it drop its club. In the meantime, the other Trolls were defeated, and the guards swarmed the remaining one.

"Is that it?"

My hand holding the sword was trembling. Although we had won decisively, the tension from facing a strong monster hadn't subsided.

"How much training would it take to defeat one of those alone?"

I focused on the movements of the people fighting in front of me, trying to learn as much as I could.