Chapter 29

That night, I couldn't shake off the feeling of being pampered. Even after parting ways with Fred and returning to the inn, I followed behind Anna, who was tidying up her belongings, like a duckling.

When it was time to sleep and I was still lingering around, Anna, seemingly unable to bear it, said, "Would you like me to hold your hand until you fall asleep?" in a nostalgic tone. I felt a bit embarrassed but also remembered my childhood. When I was sick and lying in bed, or when I was exhausted from talking to the family members who visited one after another, Anna would often silently hold my hand.

I remember how much I liked it when Anna, whose body temperature was slightly lower than mine, placed her cold hand on my forehead.

Once, I was seen by Lady Angelica being so dependent on Anna, and Anna was scolded for not behaving appropriately as a servant. After that, I held back... Ah, that's right. Anna is no longer my maid, so from now on, I want to spend time with her as a friend.

"Anna... I want to do something like a sleepover, like friends do."

"A sleepover?"

"I heard that people who have interacted at the academy visit each other's villas or territories during long holidays and talk late into the night in the same room..."

I had never been invited to such an event, but I actually really admired it.

Sometimes, they even fall asleep in the same bed after getting engrossed in conversation. Since we will be living in the same room until we decide on a place to live, we will continue to stay at the inn. I made sure to get a twin room with two beds. I want to lie down side by side as close friends tonight and fall asleep while chatting.

Feeling elated from the celebration, I wished for such a night.

Anna, who usually accepts things happily, said, "I wanted to celebrate something, but this will be a delightful event for me too," making me blush. I couldn't think of a proper response and mumbled, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

"Miss, good morning."

The next morning, Anna, who had woken up earlier than me, was already dressed and waiting for me to wake up. Usually, I would go downstairs before the morning bell to have a cup of café au lait as an alarm, but with Anna around, I must have slept soundly.

I didn't even notice when Anna got out of bed, which means I must have slept very deeply.

"Good morning, Anna... Did you sleep well last night...?"

"Yes, seeing Miss Lilianna's face made me feel relieved and I slept soundly. Also, I tend to get cold, so Miss Lilianna was like a warm water bottle, and I slept much deeper than usual."

I was relieved that Anna, who I had forced to share the bed with me last night, wasn't the type who couldn't sleep with others. I realized I hadn't even checked this after waking up and panicked.

But it's good that it worked out. I got out of bed and prepared to have breakfast. When Anna tried to help me, I stopped her, saying, "We're friends now," and got dressed on my own, just as I had been doing since we left home.

I finished getting ready while Anna watched me struggle with my soft, tangled hair, looking somewhat impatient.

"Good morning, Reina and Anna!"

Fred, who had returned from a long-term mission and was off today, offered to help Reina and Anna find a place to live. Gratefully accepting his offer, the three of us went to look at rental rooms. We had received floor plans and addresses from the real estate agent, but there were many things we couldn't determine without seeing them in person.

Fred listened to our opinions and gave us various advice, such as, "I don't recommend this place because there's a poorly lit bar district nearby," and "The building is clean and the rent is reasonable for the size, but it's far from the market and the city center, which might be inconvenient."

Although I had knowledge of common people's lives, I had always lived a carefree life as a duchess's daughter, and Anna, who had lived and worked in the duchess's household since she was a child, didn't know what to focus on, so we were struggling to decide. It was very helpful.

"I'm sorry to have taken up your time."

"No, no, it's necessary to compare and decide."

After careful consideration, we decided on a room in the same apartment complex as Fred. Fred had thoroughly evaluated the rent, security, surrounding environment, and access to the city center, including the adventurer's guild, before choosing his room. Since there was a vacancy, it was a strong candidate, and the more we compared it with other rooms, the more it stood out.

It wasn't that the other rooms were bad, but since I am also an adventurer, the convenience for work made this the best choice.

The area near the adventurer's guild has many single-person rentals, so the options for a family-sized room for Anna and me were limited. The landlady and manager lived on the first floor, and the second floor had a layout for a single person. Fred lived there, and we were to move into the two-bedroom unit next to his.

Although I had been promoted to silver rank through a special promotion, I had only been living in the city for a little over a month, so Fred had to act as a guarantor for the lease. I was internally panicking because I hadn't even been able to properly repay him for his help, and now I owed him even more.

He would probably say it's no big deal, but I couldn't let it go.

"Reina, we'll be neighbors from now on, so please take care of me."

"Yes, please take care of me too."

Having a close neighbor is a great start to a new life. After looking at the rooms and getting a tour of the city from Fred, I treated him to dinner as a thank you. That night, I felt a different kind of fatigue from going on an adventure outside the city.

... Once we move in, we'll have separate bedrooms. I felt a bit lonely about that, but as I lay in the dark inn, I felt a sense of loss at the thought of Anna sleeping in the bed next to me.

Realizing that a new life was beginning with the two of us joining together, I was excited, but before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

"Can I go on Reina's mission today?"

I had planned to ask Fred to accompany me on a mission as a guard to learn how to behave like a regular adventurer, but he declined.

The day before, we had moved in and he had helped with the furniture, but I ended up treating him to another meal without being able to repay his kindness.

"No, no, Reina, you're at the same rank as me now, and that would be too unnatural."

"Oh, right... I hadn't really realized it was my own situation."

"That's just like you, Reina."

Fred chuckled and said he would take on the request for the valley I was planning to go to and go with me.

If we were part of a large party, we would rent or own a magic car, but of course, we would be walking. We would take a shared magic car if it went to the location, but there were no stops unless it was a famous labyrinth.

In the city, we had to be careful about where we talked, but on the road, where there were no people around, it was perfect for conversation.

"You said you wanted to talk about how to live as an adventurer."

"Yes."

"Since you've already been evaluated and your true strength is known, I think it's better to give up on hiding it. Reina, you're already known as a skilled adventurer."

Famous? I had never heard such a thing and was at a loss for words. I hadn't even heard that I had a good reputation. In fact, I was surprised to be asked to skip a rank and become a silver adventurer just three days before the quarterly exam. I had received good evaluations from the guild, including Daria, for completing requests, but I never thought I had achieved enough to be considered for a promotion.

... Even now, I don't feel like a silver-ranked adventurer. I had said I wasn't that good, but in reality, I felt nothing of the sort.

I don't feel like I've achieved anything to be proud of. I still think I might have entered a place I don't belong due to some mistake and feel out of place.

"Ah, that face doesn't look like you believe it. They said they were holding back on a big celebration for you because they thought you might be uncomfortable with social interactions, but you're actually very well-regarded among the staff."

"......?!"

"Your reputation is much higher than you think...?"

Celebration? Reputation?

The sudden news was too much to process.

"What kind of celebration are you talking about...?"

"Exactly as it sounds. The guild holds ceremonies to recognize outstanding achievements and provides a small venue for celebration, where you can drink for free."

"I knew such a culture existed, but..."

It's an opportunity for young adventurers who have gained some skills but don't have a party to gain recognition, and sometimes large adventurer clans come to scout. I had seen a boy at the new adventurer training say he wanted to be recognized at a celebration, but I never thought I would be one of them.

"I was asked to confirm Reina's willingness because I'm like a guardian. You won't lose your evaluation if you decline, so feel free to think about it. ...What do you want to do?"

"Can I decline?"

"Many adventurers are happy to gain fame, but there are also those who decline. The guild expected that Reina might not be comfortable with a noisy place, so you don't have to feel guilty."

"Then... I'm sorry, but... it's an honor, but..."

"Hehe. You don't have to look so serious, like you're in a confessional."

Apparently, they were worried that if they approached me directly, I would feel obligated to accept. They have been deliberately keeping the promotion quiet to avoid making it a big deal. It's a relief...

If they had only known about the promotion, I might have been invited to join a party.

I understand it's an honor, but as someone who is uncomfortable in noisy places and with large crowds, I was deeply grateful for their consideration.

As a participant, it wouldn't be a problem, but being the center of attention at a birthday party... I know it's a luxury to complain, and it's bad to be ungrateful to those who celebrate me, but I can't handle being the center of attention. There was a time when the room went dark and a spotlight was on me, and everyone sang a birthday song (lyrics and music by my mother), and I wanted to run away. Of course, I didn't run away. I smiled and expressed a model thank you.

... I do feel uncomfortable, but I didn't realize I gave off such a strong impression of being bad at social interactions. I thought I was doing my best to gather information, but apparently, it's that obvious.

Walking around, being stopped and given various treats, and being invited to drinks, Fred, who has many friends, is a social butterfly. I can't compare to him...

Come to think of it, I've been here for a month, but have I even had any personal interactions with people my age...? I tried to remember. The people I've interacted with on missions, the guild staff including Daria, the innkeepers, and the vendors and shop clerks. I have more connections than I thought. Yes.

But on the other hand, I realized I didn't have any personal relationships, and the thought left me stunned, and I lost focus on the day's gathering.

While Fred, who was being called by many friendly men, was reporting the completion of the mission and waiting in a corner, I seemed to have lost him. I had earned the target amount but couldn't face Fred, who was like the sun, and inadvertently disappeared.

But I have a close friend waiting for me at home. Thinking about that, my steps back to the apartment were light.

"Welcome back, Miss Reina. I was able to buy groceries at a good price today, so I made a slightly more luxurious dinner."

"Groceries... How did you manage? I thought you were still learning the language..."

"I learned a few simple phrases from you, and body language can go a long way."

Numbers are universal, she said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. I was shocked. Moreover, she had already become friends with the neighbor's wife and even exchanged dishes.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to learn about the recommended stores in the market. We didn't have a proper conversation, but it went something like that."

Anna was already making friends...? Even to the point of having a friend...

I was internally shocked, and when I