Chapter 26

Staring blankly at the communication device I had just been connected with Cronheim through, I started walking with a head full of unreality, thinking to myself, "I'll just go back now."

Even though I said I was going back, it was just a room in an inn where I was staying for a few days; it couldn't really be called my place.

I had wanted it so much, but even after learning that "Liliane was being deliberately strict to prevent her from becoming arrogant, even though she acknowledged it in her heart" and that "the family had actually been praising Liliane a lot outside," I felt no joy at all.

Instead, a burning anger welled up from within, scorching the back of my eyes. It surged and surged, and tears trickled down my cheeks. I felt as if my throat was being squeezed, and every breath I took felt like a burn, making me want to scream.

Why? Why? Why had I been feeling that way for so long? Why did I have to feel that way?

...Ah, that's right. Everyone in the family thought that if I ever praised her, she would get too cocky and become unmanageable. For them, never acknowledging me, not even a little, was the "right thing" to do.

Even if just one person in the family, or even just one person, had acknowledged my efforts. I had sometimes imagined such a world, no, I had always dreamed of it, from childhood, unable to give up the hope that it would come true. But even knowing that they had been praising me behind my back, I felt no joy at all.

After leaving the Alchemist Guild, I have no memory of how I walked back to the inn. That day, after crying myself to sleep with my face pressed into the pillow, I apparently fell asleep without eating dinner. The next day, I became so lazy that I couldn't even think, and I lay in bed, dazed, until the sun was high in the sky.

Ah, it's already past noon, I thought, as the light from the window brought me back to my senses. It's strange to say, but until just now, I wasn't "there" inside myself. The part that feels and the part that thinks were gone, and I was just breathing. It's called apathy, or it's similar to the symptoms of depression I've read about in books... No, it's disrespectful to people who really suffer from this illness, so I shouldn't even use it as an analogy.

As my consciousness became clearer, I felt hungry and slowly got out of bed. I have to earn enough money and raise my adventurer rank before my dear friend Anna comes to this town.

I can't cause any trouble for Mr. Fred, who is vouching for me.

After washing my face, I pulled my hood deep over my eyes, which were swollen from crying all night, and headed to the Adventurer's Guild to take on a job. Right now, I just want to immerse myself in work as much as possible. I don't want to think about anything else.

"Riana, are you done collecting?"

"Yes, I've collected the specified amount. I want to look for Casudora, so I'll go to the nearby water sources in order."

I carefully wrapped the roots of the buds I had just collected, being careful not to damage them, and put them in a basket before standing up. These Madorian buds are delicate materials that lose their value if placed in a magic bag or other magical storage space.

I would like to extract the solvent right here, but since I'm not calling myself an alchemist, I refrain from doing so. Recently, I've been careful to observe my surroundings and I think I'm doing a pretty good job of acting as a "normal adventurer."

At first, I made some unnatural mistakes for a beginner, but I haven't deviated too far from the cover story that I was "working as a hunter in my hometown."

Sometimes the girls who are often hired as my guards are surprised, but I don't think they have any bad feelings toward me. There are men, but they're not rough types, and basically, I only talk to the two women, but everyone else is very nice too.

When my cover story was almost blown, I managed to smooth things over by saying, "It's a technique I learned as a hunter, but is it rare for adventurers?"

It feels fresh to be praised so purely. When I was in that house, I was expected to be the "genius daughter" and "genius sister," which, in retrospect, must have been quite a pressure.

I had never been recognized by my family, who were leaders in their respective fields. So even when others praised me, I couldn't be happy, thinking, "The highest authority in the industry is denying it, so they must be just saying it to flatter me or to curry favor with my family."

Whenever I was praised, if my family was present, they would always warn me not to take it seriously, so I always thought it would be better to avoid being praised by others.

But even without knowing that I was the genius daughter or sister, people would say, "You're quite excellent for your age." I learned this for the first time. I don't think it's flattery. Beginners are taught to be cautious in their work, and senior adventurers know that if they flatter and encourage newbies too much, it can put their lives in danger.

There might be people who flatter with malicious intent, but since I've been praised by so many different people, it must not be flattery.

Ah, but in reality, Mother, Father, and all my brothers and sisters were praising me. This contradicts the "common sense" I had lived with for so long. When I tried to think about my family, my ears started ringing, so I consciously stopped thinking. I shook my head slightly, just enough not to seem unnatural, and switched my thoughts.

...Right, let's think about the next collection.

Casudora... It's a type of mushroom that is more commonly known as Senen-take in my country. In another language region, it is collectively called Risunokoshika. It requires magic and miasma to grow, but it is distributed over a relatively wide area of this continent. It's a rare mushroom that can be used as medicine as it is, but since it became known as an ingredient for magic potions for lifestyle-related diseases, the demand has increased, and the market price has been rising year by year. In other words, it sells well at a high price because it is in demand by the wealthy.

However, there are many mushrooms that look similar, and some Casudora do not contain the medicinal components, so they need to be carefully selected. Fortunately, I happened to have the knowledge to distinguish them.

I still don't know how to properly evaluate the value of my knowledge. So I observe my surroundings and use it only after I'm sure that "many people are doing it, so it's not a rare skill, it's okay."

If I could use my full strength without worrying, there would be other ways, but to fulfill my mission of "not standing out," I have to feel my way through. ...I'll have to trouble Mr. Fred again, but when he comes back, I'll ask him for one-on-one guidance.

I want to know in detail what kind of magic is considered unconventional in such situations and what ordinary adventurers do. Right, if I put it out as a request, he can't refuse. I could also offer to treat him to dinner as part of the reward.

With this bright plan in mind, I lifted the corners of my lips slightly.

I found the mushrooms I was looking for in the shade of a fallen log just before the next water source, and after calling out to the four people who were on guard, I crouched down.

Everything is going smoothly.

From the list of items for purchase, I carefully selected the most profitable ones to collect, and I accepted the request to visit the places in the most efficient order. At this rate, I should be able to advance to the green card with this delivery.

I didn't think I would be able to call Anna so soon. Thank you so much, Mr. Fred.

This Casudora is growing well because it is on a decaying fallen log in a good location. It looks quite healthy. I carefully cut it, choosing the ones with large caps and being careful not to damage the mycelium.

"Hey, you're not taking all of them?"

"Yes... If I leave some, they will grow again, so I won't take them all."

"Wow, you're really thorough, Riana."

"Thank you."

I still become suspicious when praised unexpectedly. I hope I answered normally.

Also, the ones with black spots on the edge of the cap haven't yet accumulated enough of the medicinal components. They will be ready to collect after a bit more maturation.

"There are some over here too."

"Oh, those. They look similar, but they're a different kind of mushroom."

"Really? I can't tell the difference."

There are also differences in the roundness of the edges and the subtle texture of the cap surface, but I can easily distinguish them by the sensation of the slight repulsion when I flow a tiny amount of magic. Even professionals can make mistakes in identifying mushrooms, but I can identify them this way if I know the components. I had been using this technique without realizing that it was rare, and since no one in this town can do it, I keep it a secret.

"You don't seem like the type to take on a lot of slaying requests, but you're really excellent, Riana."

"Are you going to advance to the green card with today's request?"

"That's fast. How many months after we started adventuring did we advance?"

"Such... You're flattering me. But thank you, I'm happy."

Everything is going so smoothly, it's almost scary. I can be with Anna again, who has always been on my side. I also have Mr. Fred, who is willing to help me even after learning the truth.

Here, I am recognized without flattery, and my efforts are evaluated as much as I work, and I am given a tangible form of recognition in the form of an adventurer rank. Even though I was making a profit in the company my brother was involved in, the rewards I earned through my own efforts feel heavier.

I can feel that I have been recognized and have something tangible in my hands.

Here, I can build a new life, separate from my family, and be happy.