Komyushou no Saikyou Assassin wa Tomodachi ga Hoshii ~Yuujin Kouhou wa Nazeka Zen'in Saikyou Spec no Bishoujo Deshita~ [Chapter 1] (Patreon)

—One year after returning to the Kingdom of Elresia.

"Come on out! Come out, magic stones! Give me money!"

Sweat dripped down my face as I swung my pickaxe with everything I had. Today's haul was basically zero. At this rate, I'd be working for nothing. I just wanted to take home at least one magic stone.

There was no one else around—just me moving in the darkness. A lantern was the only thing lighting up the mine. I kept digging at the wall until a red clump tumbled out. A fire magic stone.

I held it up to my loupe to check inside.

Small size, terrible quality. I couldn't help but sigh.

"Ugh, this is pathetic. Bottom of the barrel stuff."

I pocketed the magic stone and started packing up. I'd skipped lunch, so I was starving enough to collapse. Covered in sweat and dirt, I desperately wanted a bath.

—Footsteps? Something was getting closer?

Heavy, dragging footsteps. And that stench hitting my nose—like something rotting.

What emerged from the depths of the mine was a moving corpse—a ghoul.

"Great, today's just not my day. Monsters on my last day, too. Then again, my luck ran out the moment they assigned me to this spy mission."

"Gwarghhhh!!"

"Fine, I'll fight you, so don't get mad. Short-tempered ghoul."

I kept up that fake conversation while studying the monster in front of me.

Must've died recently. Minimal damage, pretty fresh.

It let out that distinctive groan and slowly crept toward me, trying to attack the living person it saw.

"You were unlucky too, huh? Dying in a dark, cramped place like this. I feel for you. Rest in peace, at least."

I drew the knife at my waist and sliced the ghoul clean in half as we passed each other. The two halves fell to the ground, still twitching and crawling. They'd stop moving completely before long.

Mining work—whether it's for magic stones or anything else—comes with plenty of dangers. Cave-ins and rockfalls are obvious, but you've also got high odds of getting jumped by undead. The pay's good enough that people still do it, though.

"Whew, up we go."

I shouldered my pickaxe and grabbed my lantern.

I followed the familiar tunnel toward the exit. The closer I got to the surface, the more people I passed—sweaty, dirt-covered men swinging pickaxes at the walls. I kept my presence low, head down, avoiding eye contact.

"Hey, I heard that Itsuki guy's quitting. What was his name again? Itsuki Coleman?"

"Oh, that guy who always mined alone? Dude definitely has no friends. Creepy-looking, never know what he's thinking, and he yells weird stuff when he's digging."

"But hey, ever since he showed up, don't you feel like undead spawns dropped?"

"Coincidence. He mines decent magic stones, I guess, but he's gloomy, can't hold a conversation, and gives me the creeps. Good riddance."

I quietly walked past the men having this conversation.

I'd heard it all before—dark, gloomy, loner, loser. It still hurt, even now. If they were gonna talk behind my back, could they at least do it where I couldn't hear? Actually, my hearing's good enough to pick up conversations from hundreds of meters away, so I'd appreciate it if they changed topics when they noticed.

When I stepped out of the mine, sunlight hit my eyes like it was trying to blind me.

I went straight to the site supervisor to turn in today's haul. The burly, bearded supervisor squinted at the quality and quantity of my magic stones.

"That's not much. You usually bring in more."

"They... wouldn't come out."

"Well, whatever. Today's your last day, right? Thanks for the hard work. Maybe the site's mood will lighten up now. Honestly, I was hoping you'd get killed by undead, but you're surprisingly stubborn."

"..."

"Just kidding. Here's your payout."

The supervisor handed me two copper coins.

I took them and showed him the coins in my hand.

"This should've been five copper coins worth."

"Whoa there, you questioning my appraisal? One stone, terrible quality. My call, my price. Or you wanna get punched?"

"...Never mind."

Got lowballed right at the end. I'd hoped my last day would at least get fair pricing. But I'm weak to this kind of intimidation. Pure strength-wise, I could probably take him. But I lose in spirit. Plus, I'm slow and don't talk much, so I always get out-argued.

sigh I could've gotten behind him so easily, though.

I slipped behind the supervisor in an instant. Then immediately returned to my original position.

"What're you doing? Get lost."

"...Thank you for everything."

I pocketed the copper coins and headed home.

◇

About a year since returning to my homeland, the Kingdom of Elresia. Before I knew it, I'd turned twenty-three.

Late at night, in my inn room, I wrote furiously on stationery. I needed to tell my three pen pals that I'd be moving to a frontier town soon. I was finally ready to quit my part-time work and start working as a proper adventurer.

I'd planned to become an adventurer right after returning, but I'd completely lost my money over there. I stumbled right into financial trouble, had to sell most of my equipment to scrape by, then couldn't become an adventurer because I had no gear, so I ended up working part-time while slowly rebuilding my equipment.

Never thought it'd take a whole year.

On the flip side, I'd managed to get some pretty decent gear. Plus I had living expenses covered with some cushion. This should be enough to live comfortably for a while.

These three were basically my only emotional support—miracles, really, that I'd even met them. We'd never met in person, just letters. I wanted to meet them, but I worried that rushing things might sour our relationship and we'd stop writing altogether. So I never took that step.

We started writing a year ago, right after I returned.

Back then, overwhelmed by anxiety and loneliness, I'd desperately wanted someone—anyone—to exchange letters with. Half on impulse, I posted a "Want to be pen pals?" flyer on the town board.

Pretty bold move for me. Felt like jumping off a cliff. But it worked—three people actually responded. Since then, I'd been steadily corresponding with all three.

We're not quite friends yet, though. Actually, when do people become friends? Can you just ask? Pretty sure my heart would stop if they said no.

I set down my pen and checked what I'd written.

'Due to various circumstances, I've decided to become an adventurer in Hyaha Town. I'll send another letter after I move. By the way, how's work going, Gonzalez-san? You wrote before about feeling overwhelmed by everyone's expectations. I'm sure a skilled holy practitioner like you can overcome it. Come find me anytime you're in trouble. I'll help however I can. From the cool, handsome assassin, "Shadow Master."'

Shadow Master was my fake name. I was pretty proud of my naming sense.

But I frowned at the "cool, handsome" part.

Embellishing without thinking always comes back to bite you. I'd lied about my looks because I didn't want to be disliked. Ever since, I'd been maintaining this cool, handsome persona.

I didn't even know my three pen pals' real names, ages, or genders. I'd allowed anonymity when we started writing. In exchange, they'd revealed their jobs pretty early on.

Holy Practitioner—Gonzalez-san.

Mage—Peanuts-san.

Alchemist—Kingbox-san.

Gonzalez-san was apparently an elite holy practitioner.

Holy practitioners were basically exorcists—they used sacred magic for curse removal, miasma purification, undead cleansing. They could create powerful barriers too. The three "Saints" who maintained the Grand Barrier protecting the royal capital were holy practitioners.

He belonged to the Grand Temple in the capital and worked tirelessly as an elite. His handwriting was beautiful, and his polite letters always felt like they cleansed my soul just reading them. He wrote that he was shy like me, but he was probably way more mature and put-together than I'd ever be.

Peanuts-san was apparently called a genius in mage circles.

Her massive mana reserves and vast, deep knowledge overwhelmed others. She'd graduated top of her class from that famous mage academy, apparently. Now she was continuing her research at her estate, seeking deeper magic truths. She lived a leisurely life—her letters always mentioned how she'd "gone for a walk and accidentally killed some vicious monster."

I pictured Peanuts-san as an elderly gentleman. Some wise sage enjoying his twilight years. Her handwriting had that kind of dignity to it. I felt bad that someone like that was humoring a kid like me.

Kingbox-san was apparently a pretty ordinary alchemist.

Alchemists were combat jobs specializing in magic tool and potion creation. Few people had the aptitude, and most who tried were incompatible. Still, it was worth pursuing.

I got the feeling Kingbox-san was a young woman.

Her handwriting was cute, and her letters were all about how the magic tool designs she thought up today were cute or cool—always warmed my heart. Plus, her stationery somehow smelled nice. She was apparently "extremely sociable, quickly becoming friends with anyone." I envied that. I freeze up from nerves when meeting new people.

I sealed the letters to all three with wax.

My mission hadn't progressed at all. But I had zero intention of making them unwitting accomplices.

Expecting things from people you've never met is wrong, and emotionally I'd rather avoid it. As an adventurer, information should be much easier to obtain. Besides, it wasn't time to rush yet.

Suddenly, something hard tapped at my window.

I looked up to see a crow peering in.

"Here for food? Here."

I opened the window slightly and left some bread crumbs.

It was a crow that occasionally came by for food. No idea why it got attached to me. This would be my last time feeding it, though. Even if I told it I was moving, it wouldn't understand.

"Make sure you find food after I'm gone, okay?"

"?"

The crow tilted its head.

◇

Three days after moving to the frontier town of Hyaha.

Finally, my adventurer debut.

The key thing to remember: don't let anyone realize I'm one of the Eight Heroes.

Hide my abilities while raising my rank.

I needed to gather information about Azuma.

I had to act like a normal person while thoroughly collecting intel.

This approach worked for me personally too. This was a fresh start at making friends. In Azuma, I'd grown too strong. That's why I ended up isolated. This time, I'd approach people with moderate strength—strength they couldn't run from. Luckily, the Kanzaki sword style was sealed away.

With my totally-normal-guy face, I was sure I could make friends this time. See? Not scary. Just a regular guy. Be my friend. My specialty is getting behind enemies anytime, anywhere. Perfect for a friend, right? Yeah. This'll work.

I walked down the main street toward the guild.

"Ugh, so many people."

The first thing that hit me when I entered the guild was the crowd.

Party-looking groups were talking at the entrance. At the attached tavern, guys with cheek scars were already drinking in the daytime. Straight ahead at the reception counter, guild staff were frantically handling requests.

Ugh, guilds still made me nervous. I'd keep my presence low and stick to the edges.

Times like this made me appreciate how useful the Assassin job was. The presence-dampening effect was invaluable. Plus, with my trained blending-in techniques, most people wouldn't spot me.

Though honestly, I probably wouldn't be noticed either way. I'm just that unremarkable. Yeah. Kinda wanna cry about it.

I reached the reception counter and spoke to the staff member.

"U-um."

"Huh? Oh, yes! How can I help you?"

The female staffer jumped, then immediately put on a smile and helped me.

Crap. I dampened my presence too much and surprised her. Right, I needed to state my business. Didn't want her thinking I was just browsing.

"I want to register..."

"Ah, ah, new adventurer registration. Please fill this out."

I took the registration paper from the female staffer and quickly filled it out. After checking my info, she handed me an adventurer card marked with an E.

Adventurer ranks went from E to S. Above that was EX rank—basically hall-of-famers with special treatment, apparently.

I'd heard EX rank was nothing but monsters. I'd heard their names even in faraway Azuma, and I'd admired them since childhood, so I wanted to meet them someday. They were definitely way stronger than me. For now, if I wanted to get close to royalty, I should aim for S rank. Honestly, I didn't want to, though.

"Welcome to Hyaha Guild. We look forward to your success, Itsuki-san."

"Th-thank you."

"Please come again."

She had such a lovely smile. And seemed kind too. Thump.

M-maybe I'll line up at her counter again.

"Sorry, I forgot to mention. If you're looking for requests, please choose from the board over there. I'd recommend the goblin extermination west of here."

"Thanks."

"I'm Nadia. Please call on me if you need anything."

Nadia, huh. I'd remember that.

I bowed and headed to the request board.

◇

West of Hyaha Town was a place called Armu Village.

It was small but gave off a peaceful, calm impression.

Pale flowers bloomed along the roadside, and a gentle breeze swayed the petals, making me forget the cold.

No matter how peaceful it looked, this village was currently being attacked by goblins. Probably shouldn't let my guard down too much.

Still, it'd been ages since I did a goblin hunt.

I'd hunted them as demons in Azuma, but that was early on. Back here, I'd only killed them for sword practice. Come to think of it, Nadia had said three people had already taken this request.

If there were more than expected, maybe I could team up for the subjugation.

If fresh-registered newbies got wiped out, it might raise suspicions. Even aiming for S rank, I should take it slow. If they found out I was the Eastern Hero, that'd defeat the whole purpose. Plus, execution after torture sounded terrifying. I'd climb from E to B rank over about two years. That was the plan.

"This guy's weak!"

"Say that again!"

"Hahaha."

When I entered the village, some kids seemed to be surrounding something, hitting it with sticks.

Bullying monster kids? Not admirable, but common enough. I thought that as I approached, only to find they were hitting a crouching, crying person.

"Waaaaah, stop hitting meee!"

"Crying even though you're an adult."

A... an adult being bullied by kids...

I snapped out of it and hurriedly called out to the kids.

"Hey, stop. That's just sad."

"Who's this old guy? Don't interfere."

O-old!? I'm only twenty-three!?

No, this wasn't time to be shocked. I wanted to avoid violence if possible. Could I chase them off with something?

I subtly reached toward the magic storage at my waist.

This was essential equipment for adventurers—a storage bag with expanded interior via spatial magic. It was the only gear I hadn't sold. Pretty expensive too.

I pulled three loaves of bread from my magic storage.

"I'll give you these if you let that person go."

"Sweet. Deal. Later."

The kids dropped their sticks and left.

The bullied person was still crouched and trembling.

"Are you... hurt?"

"...Ah."

Realizing the danger had passed, she fearfully stood up, constantly glancing around to check if the kids were gone. The cowlick on her head drooped weakly.

"..."

"...?"

Lustrous silver long hair. Refined features. What really caught my attention were those deep, translucent eyes—mysterious, almost divine. Then the cowlick standing up from her head. Wrapped in a white mantle, she gripped a long staff.

—A holy practitioner? Probably. The outfit and staff matched.

Could she be one of the request-takers who came before me?

But for some reason, neither of us spoke. Silence stretched between us.

Was she waiting for me to talk? Crap, what should I say in this situation?

"Ah."

"Huh?"

"No."

"Um, well—"

"Yeah."

"Th-thank you for saving me!"

Ah, she bit her tongue.

Her face went bright red.

I burst out laughing, slapping my knee. It was hilarious that she was so nervous she couldn't speak, with just the two of us here.

So she was shy like me. I felt the same vibe from that exchange.

"Um, were you hurt?"

"Yes!"

In that moment, I felt like we connected.

"Why were the kids...? You don't have to tell me if it's personal."

"I-I don't really know why it happened either. I came to the village for the goblin request, got surrounded by kids for some reason, and started getting hit with sticks for some reason. I was trying to be inconspicuous. Hood up, face hidden."

"So it was just unreasonable."

She teared up, completely dejected.

"Um, I'm Itsuki Coleman. E-rank assassin."

"Ah! Sorry for the late introduction. I'm Emilia Fines. Also E-rank, holy practitioner. C-could you also be here for the goblin request, Itsuki-san?"

"Yeah. The staffer said three people took it before me, so I figured that might be you and others. Where are the other two?"

"I'm solo. The other two might be a party..."

Ah, so two groups. Three groups total for this goblin hunt.

I was starting to get the picture.

A solo holy practitioner, huh. Holy arts could fight normal monsters depending on usage, not just undead, so her being here wasn't strange. But since they specialized in defense, she probably wanted an attacker who could actually deal damage.

Maybe it was because we were similar, but I wasn't nervous at all. Me, who was usually so shy. Being able to talk normally was rare. Maybe it was her gentle atmosphere? And seeing her made me feel like I had to be the reliable one. I wanted to help her because we were alike. Something about her didn't feel like a stranger at all.

"I have a proposal. If you're okay with it, want to team up? I'm pretty confident in my sword skills. I think I can fight goblins while protecting you."

"Team up? I don't mind, but I'm even more useless than you think, Itsuki-san!"

"...You're a holy practitioner, right?"

"Yes! A half-baked, loser holy practitioner!"

Emilia puffed her chest out proudly, and I felt a flicker of concern.

Hmm, maybe I'd picked the wrong person to approach. No, but judging before seeing her actual skills was premature. It'd been a while since my first real combat. Having someone there for emergencies made recovery easier. I was worried about leaving her solo too. Wouldn't sit right if she died.

"I'll cover you. You can at least deploy defensive barriers, right?"

"That much I can do."

"Then let's pair up. I'll attack, you defend. Split rewards fifty-fifty?"

"Please take care of me!"

Emilia and I shook hands.

◇

After arriving in the village, we got surrounded by villagers for some reason—a welcome party.

The village chief rapid-fired explanations at us as we stood there like decorations, and before we knew it, we were staying in the village. They weren't bad people, just incredibly overwhelming.

As for the goblins, there were apparently more than expected, so the plan was to reduce their numbers until the villagers could handle the rest. The forest where goblins lurked was vast. Two people couldn't possibly clear it all.

Meanwhile, the two adventurers who'd left before us weren't in the village. They seemed to be camping in the forest, hunting continuously.

Apparently these two were also recent registrants. That explained things. Newbies tended to rush requests and overexert themselves. Experienced adventurers wouldn't bother with unnecessary camping.

"They went that way."

"Got it."

Goblins darted from bush to bush. I accelerated after them.

I sliced one as we passed. Threw a knife at another targeting Emilia from afar.

I barely used thrown weapons. And when I did, they were knives.

Azuma had kunai and shuriken, but they never felt right to me. Plus, I thought of myself as a swordsman. I'd only picked Assassin because Swordsman wasn't a combat job option. Of course, I didn't explain that to people.

Still, there were some good things about being an Assassin. Increased movement speed and stealth. Plus, I became resistant to most status effects. Being able to move fast without facing people was pretty great.

"Saint Shield!"

Emilia created a barrier, trapping the goblin pack so they couldn't escape.

The range was very narrow, but that was fine for just killing them. The dome-shaped barrier rapidly shrank, eventually crushing the goblins to death. Gross. Well, I was the one who suggested it.

Barrier strength varied by practitioner. Some were glass-fragile, others steel-hard.

Strength depended on the caster's mental fortitude. Sacred magic was heavily influenced by the mind. That's why holy practitioners trained their hearts as well as their magic handling. Many holy practitioners were clergy for this reason.

"We did it! We beat them!"

"I cleared my side too. Honestly, you might've managed solo."

"What are you saying! I'm from the Grand Temple, and I've never properly defeated monsters before, yet here I am killing goblins!? I was a failure!"

"Whoa, calm down. You're too close."

Overwhelmed with emotion, she pressed closer.

Her face got so close I could almost touch it, so I hurriedly backed away to create distance.

A sweet, pleasant scent tickled my nose. A girl's smell—my heart skipped a beat.

I'd learned over these few days that she'd apparently studied and worked within the Grand Temple until now. That's why she barely went outside and hadn't done adventurer-type things. She'd come to the frontier to change herself.

The Grand Temple was basically the holy practitioner headquarters. Countless holy practitioners belonged to it, but only limited people could actually work inside. Despite calling herself a failure, she was undeniably elite.

"Let's head back for today. You okay, Emilia?"

"Yes! By the way, um, I'd be happy if you could drop the honorifics soon. We're partners, after all. Please just call me Emilia."

"Then, Emilia it is."

"Ehehe."

Just her name, huh. Felt like friends. Made me happy.

Emilia's cowlick wagged like a dog's tail.

◇

Back in the village, we spent the night in a borrowed house.

At first, I was excited about being under the same roof with a girl my age, but the tension of our first request killed those feelings pretty quick. Lie. I was still pretty excited. I was just pinching my thigh sometimes to keep my face from relaxing.

Emilia mainly cooked, so I handled other preparations.

I sipped the steaming soup and breathed out in bliss.

"Delicious again today."

"Thank you. By the way, what will you do after this request, Itsuki-san?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, y-you're solo, and I'm solo, and we work so well together, so I was wondering if we could keep working together... Is that not okay?"

Her cowlick squirmed shyly on her head.

Was she inviting me to party up? And from a girl?

No no no, that couldn't be it. I lacked charm, to put it myself. Normal thinking said this was a teammate invitation.

But even so, I was ridiculously happy. Inviting me to team up meant working with me wasn't a burden, right? That meant potential for friendship, didn't it?

I could consider myself a friend candidate? Definitely. Had to be.

Time with Emilia was incredibly fun. This offer made me happiest.

"Why are you crying?"

"N-nothing!"

I hurriedly wiped my eyes with my sleeve. I was so happy my tear ducts had loosened.

Practically speaking, her offer was welcome too.

Holy practitioners were essential party members. Barriers, monster repellent, curse removal, sealing, purification—so many useful combat abilities. She was also a great cook. Setting aside personal feelings, I had no reason to refuse.

Then there was my mission. I needed unwitting helpers—information sources. In that sense too, letting her go would be a waste. Though whether I could get intel from her was another question.

I exchanged letters regularly with my master, but I had almost nothing to report, so it was mostly about how I was spending time in the kingdom. My master kept sending letters like 'Nothing again? There's gotta be something, right? Soon, okay?' piling up with催促. I wanted to get amazing intel and write detailed reports too. Well, whether my connection with her would be that first step was still unclear.

"I should've asked you first. If you're willing, would you form a party with me?"

"Absolutely! Please take care of me!"

Emilia's face brightened, her cowlick bouncing.

I'd been wondering—was that hair alive? It seemed to express emotions so vividly. Or was the hair Emilia's real body?

"Ah, I need to write a letter."

"Letter?"

I tilted my head as Emilia stood up.

"I've actually been corresponding with someone for about a year. We've never met, but they always encourage me and make me want to try harder."

"Oh, what a coincidence. I have pen pals too. Then I won't disturb you while you write."

"You have one too, Itsuki-san! Letter exchanges are wonderful!"

When she returned to her room, I cleaned up and went to my own room.

I flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

A holy practitioner, huh... No way. Gonzalez-san was a skilled holy practitioner.

Goblin appearances had decreased, so this request should finish tomorrow.

I turned off the light and fell asleep.

***

A powerful kick sank into my stomach, and for a moment I couldn't breathe.

"Cough, cough!"

"Itsuki Coleman. I taught you this. The moment you see me, bow your head immediately. Did you think you were equal to me, a noble? Know your place, insect."

"Gah!?"

Pinned under a foot on my back, I crawled on the ground.

Looking up, I saw a classmate with a smug smile and amused eyes. A neat uniform in blue tones—the uniform of the famous Royal Knight Academy.

Decorated swords hung at their waists—expensive blades no commoner could own. Meanwhile, I had the same uniform but a cheap sword. I screamed country bumpkin.

The group leader looked down at me like I was a bug.

Classmate and son of a count—Alfred Deobrand.

Top of the class hierarchy, always popular and pampered.

Meanwhile, I was a gloomy loner from the countryside.

I didn't even know how I got into this academy. Just because I was slightly better with swords than others. That's why they targeted me—easy to predict.

"You have no sword talent. Drop out already."

"..."

"Don't even think about holding a sword. Want me to cut off all these fingers?"

"Ngh!?"

Raxes showered curses while Thomas pinned my hand under his leather boot.

They were Alfred's followers.

Raxes Rayburn.

Thomas Chriswaltz.

Today again, behind an unpopular building. No one to call for help, and even if someone came, they'd pretend not to see the three of them. Alfred was the son of a famous noble.

"Try fighting back, loser. Well, you'd get expelled immediately if you did."

"Hey Raxes, don't provoke him. What if he actually swings?"

"Then we just cut him down without hesitation. Our practical and academic grades are better. All this guy can do is hold his breath and sneak through academy life. I wish he'd swing so we could kill him properly."

I endured without rising to Raxes's provocation.

He was right—my practical and academic grades were bottom-tier. Plus, they were nobles with money. Even if I tried revenge, I'd just get countered. But understanding that didn't erase the frustration.

"I... didn't..."

"Just looking at this guy pisses me off. Gloomy, loner, barely talks. No idea what he's thinking. Creepy. You were never loved by anyone, were you?"

Raxes's words pierced my chest.

I knew I had a dark personality. I'd tried to fit into this academy. But instead of getting closer, everyone drifted away. Before I knew it, I was isolated and alone. What had I done wrong? What was I missing? I didn't know.

"That's enough for today. Raxes, Thomas, let's go."

"Already?"

"Everything in moderation. Alfred understands that."

Raxes clicked his tongue and followed Alfred and Thomas's backs.

Left alone, I couldn't even stand, barely managing to lie on my back.

I'll quit this place. Then I won't have to suffer.

A faint childhood memory flickered through my mind.

A girl spoke to young me, sunlight behind her. Shadows hid her hair color and face.

'Even if we can't meet, we'll always be friends. I'll come find you someday.'

'Yeah. I'll surprise you then. I'll be super strong and cool and amazing.'

'Promise. I'll work hard too so I won't lose to you, Itsuki.'

'Pinky promise.'

We promised to meet again someday.

Why we had to separate, I couldn't remember now. Only that I'd had a good friend remained. My only happy, shining time.

Consciousness returned to reality, and I breathed deeply.

What a weird promise. I'd forgotten her face and name, didn't even know where she was.

Thinking that, I stood up.

I wanted to become someone I could be proud of before that girl in my memories. That was all. Running away now felt like breaking that promise.

"Just a little more. I'll try just a little more."

I walked, enduring the pain.

***

Sixth day of goblin hunting.

We'd killed over fifty goblins so far.

The number seemed high, but each one was weak, and we'd spread it over several days, so it didn't feel that hard. Maybe because I was with Emilia, I hadn't gotten bored these past few days.

But the goblin behavior concerned me.

Goblins that usually kept territory in the forest's middle depths were wandering unusually close to the surface. Being driven out by a strong monster was possible, which would explain their appearances at the forest-village border. If so, how strong was this monster? Could I beat it without using techniques? That worried me.

"Ugh, I hate cutting off these left ears."

Emilia cut left ears from scattered corpses.

Guild reports required proof of subjugation—monster parts. For goblins, it was left ears. Other monsters added material gathering and dismantling, but goblins had few usable materials, so it was minimal work.

I silently worked while thinking about this morning's dream.

Why dream about knight academy days now? Because Emilia mentioned having a pen pal? Or because I returned to the kingdom?

Well, whatever. Didn't matter. No answer would come from thinking.

I glanced at Emilia without being obvious.

Did she look like the girl I played with as a child? Or not?

No, overthinking it. She reacted like we were meeting for the first time, so probably imagination. She'd forgotten me too, no doubt. Probably a popular girl with a cool boyfriend by now. Damn her.

Before I knew it, the leather bag of ears was stuffed full.

Goblins paid per head, so this should be decent money.

"Huff, huff, we finally made it back here."

"We were really about to die."

Suddenly, a man and woman burst from the bushes.

The man held an iron sword—probably a swordsman. The woman held a short staff and wore a pointed hat—likely a mage. Both were covered in blood, sweat, and mud, looking terrible. Their wide eyes held a hint of madness, like they'd seen something terrifying.

Their tension made me reflexively call out to them.

"What happened?"

"Monster. Terrifyingly strong. We were hunting goblins when it appeared, and instantly devoured twenty goblins on the spot. We're running. You two should—it's here! We're going, you should too!"

They ran for the forest without finishing their sentence.

Emilia and I looked at each other.

"A terrifyingly strong monster? Should we run too?"

"No, looks like it's too late."

A massive body slowly appeared.

A wolf wreathed in flames.

Large enough to look up at, white fur with fire erupting from its four legs.

Flame Bearwolf—a B-rank monster.

It stared at Emilia and me, murderous intent radiating from it.

"Eek, a Flame Bearwolf!?"

Emilia screamed and hid behind my back.

I drew my sword, nerves sharpened for combat anytime.

An opponent I could probably beat without using techniques. Thank goodness. If this were A or S rank, it'd be tough. Still, "easy" would be an overstatement. I was counting on Emilia.

"Can you seal its movements with a barrier? Those legs are trouble."

"I can do that much, but can I actually trap it?"

"I have a plan."

I explained the strategy before it moved.

Holy practitioner barriers could selectively allow object passage. They could filter—stopping monsters while letting people through. Which meant without settings, they could allow anything through.

"I'll start. Saint Shield."

A sacred dome appeared to cover the fire wolf. But its high perception let it escape before being trapped. Counterattacking, it breathed fire. Emilia instantly deployed a hexagonal defensive barrier wall to block it.

"I'll drive it in. Hold out until then."

"Yes! Leave it to me!"

I closed in instantly with one flash. But the opponent's reaction speed was faster. It dodged at the last moment and created distance. I kept pursuing.

"Gyaou!?"

"Shallow, huh."

I barely cut its flesh. The fire wolf's agitation was clear.

Its counterattack—a massive bite—approached.

I stepped back one pace and smiled in victory.

"Our strategy wins."

"!?"

The dome barrier rose from beneath its feet, capturing it. I, barely outside the range, watched its fangs hit the inner wall up close.

"We did it! Just like you said, Itsuki-san!"

"I just guided it. Without your delicate holy arts, Emilia, this would've been hard."

The strategy was this: Create a barrier underground in advance, planted beneath a specific location. Meanwhile, I'd draw its attention and guide it. Drive it to our pre-discussed spot, then pull up and fix the prepared barrier.

This strategy only worked because of Emilia's skill. I'd observed—her barriers were narrow-range and not that strong, but her control technique and deployment speed were unbelievably good for E-rank. She just hadn't been using her talents properly.

Of course, truly strong holy practitioners wouldn't need such tricks.

The trapped fire wolf thrashed violently inside the barrier.

The strength seemed insufficient—cracks formed in the dome.

"Sorry. This is my limit."

"You did plenty. Thanks."

—the barrier shattered.

The freed fire wolf instantly looked around, searching for me.

But too late. I was already above.

The moment I landed, I sent my blade racing toward its neck. Its head flew through the air. Blood sprayed from the severed surface. The head fell, and moments later, the body collapsed.

"Somehow took it down."

"Amazing! Amazing, Itsuki-san! You beat a B-rank Flame Bearwolf!"

Emilia ran over, eyes sparkling.

Her cowlick was bouncing too.

"More importantly, how do we report this to the guild?"

"Ah..."

Emilia and I fell silent, looking at the fire wolf's corpse.

◇

Back in Hyaha Town. We visited the guild for the first time in a week.

My magic storage held proof of subjugation and materials from goblins and the Flame Bearwolf. B-rank monsters should fetch decent prices. We wouldn't get request rewards since we didn't have a request for it, though.

The bigger problem was explaining how we beat a B-rank. Fresh-registered newbies shouldn't be able to hunt these. Even raising my rank eventually, having my strength exposed this early wasn't welcome. sigh My plans. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

I entered at Nadia's counter, and she welcomed me with a smile, apparently remembering me.

"Welcome back. How was your first request?"

"I, we'd like you to check proof of subjugation and materials."

"Then I'll take them."

I placed the proof and materials on the counter.

Unexpectedly dumping fangs and fur made Nadia's eyes go wide with "Huh? Huh?"

"What's this?"

"...Materials from monsters we defeated along the way."

"I see."

She looked confused but checked everything.

During that time, I discussed future plans with Emilia.

"We need to submit a party application and decide on a name."

"What would be good? By the way, Itsuki-san, do you have any goals?"

"Being normal, but I guess becoming S rank. And having lots of friends if possible. Also, I want to do things that help people. I-is that weird?"

"Not at all. It's wonderful. I want to be famous too, and have friends. I became an adventurer to save someone in trouble. People might think 'what's this gloomy, shy, good-for-nothing loser holy practitioner thinking,' but..."

"I don't think that. I feel like you'll become a holy practitioner that surprises everyone. Well, just a hunch with no proof. But if you can do that much, no need to put yourself down."

"R-really? Ehe, ehehe. I hope I can become a respectable holy practitioner that many people rely on. It's embarrassing, but that's my dream."

She spoke of her future with such uncertainty, yet she looked dazzling to me. My heart skipped.

Emilia was amazing. She actually had a future she wanted to achieve.

A dream, huh. I didn't have one now. Kinda envied her.

A scream echoed through the guild.

"A Flame Bearwolf, you say!?"

Ah, crap. Forgot she was appraising it.

The guild buzzed at her voice.

"What does this mean?"

"Well, we encountered it by chance, and luckily defeated it?"

I desperately made excuses, and Nadia gave me a flat look.

Emilia tilted her head too.

"Your eyes are swimming. Suspicious."

"Don't be modest. You won with skill, Itsuki-san."

Ugh, trying to cover it up made me more suspicious.

Sweating bullets, Nadia sighed.

"Very well. We'll accept that explanation this time."

Oh? Forgiven? She continued.

"However, we will recognize that you possess B-rank equivalent ability. I wish you'd told us beforehand, though. You were an adventurer active in another country, correct?"

"Uh, ah, yes. A few years in Azuma."

"Understood."

So that's it. If I'd said I was from another country, they'd have recognized me as experienced and ignored this.

Though if possible, I wanted to be treated as inexperienced.

Nothing to be done. I'd accept being recognized as B-rank equivalent here.

It's fine. B rank isn't suspicious yet. I'd become S rank eventually. I'd think of it as slightly ahead of schedule. Though it'd be embarrassing if I never made S rank.

"So Itsuki-san was amazing after all. Is it really okay for someone like me to be your partner? Or am I just temporary? I'll be abandoned, won't I?"

Emilia smiled while tears welled in her eyes.

I won't abandon you. Don't make me sound like a monster.

"How cruel..."

"I won't do that! It's a misunderstanding!"

Nadia gave me a cold look for a moment, but when I explained it was Emilia's misunderstanding, she seemed relieved.

"We'd like you two to rise to D rank quickly, but the earliest promotion exam is months away. You'll continue taking requests at your current rank for now."

Promotion exam? Right, those existed. Completely forgot.

I was technically an adventurer in Azuma too, so I should've known the general flow, but I forgot a lot after leaving.

Let's see, higher rank meant higher difficulty and rewards. Living and activity expenses still weren't comfortable. Couldn't even put bacon and butter on bread every day. Still broke—sad reality. Should've gotten at least one gold coin from my master. "All local procurement" was ridiculous. Damn it.

Nadia placed a large pile of gold coins on the counter.

"This includes material purchase and rewards. Flame Bearwolves have become rare monsters with very high value. Please accept 150 gold coins."

""150 coins""

Emilia and I gaped at the mountain of gold.

Dazzling brilliance. Felt like my eyes would break. Some silver coins sat beside them—goblin rewards. From today, I could probably put bacon and butter on bread. Add stew too. Drool.

I stored the gold coins in my magic storage, conscious of surrounding eyes. Felt like a robber stuffing loot away.

My hands shook at the ridiculous fortune. Hiiii.

"C-can we submit a party application?"

"Then please fill this out. And you must write a party name."

Emilia spoke up about the application. Thankful.

She filled out the paper smoothly in my place.

(Beautiful handwriting. Wait, I've seen this script somewhere...)

I tried to dig through my memory but couldn't recall.

Hmm, where was it? I'd seen this writing somewhere.

"What name should we use?"

"Taking letters from Emilia and my name, how about Emiricky Group?"

"W-well, I was thinking... 【The Black Noir That Dispels Darkness】. Black from your hair color, Itsuki-san. And since I'm a holy practitioner, it means dispelling undead too."

"Sounds great. I really like it. So you ignored my suggestion?"

She wrote down her proposed name.

Nadia took it and praised it as "a good party name." She gave one piece of advice.

"This is just a suggestion, but most parties purchase slightly larger bases anticipating expansion. Whether you find a good property depends on luck, but if you plan to work in this town for a while, you should get one. Inn living accumulates expenses."

"Base, home. I see. Might be worth looking now."

"I'll leave it to you, Itsuki-san. Please buy whatever base you like."

"You're okay with that?"

"As long as there's at least a private room and bath."

Could I get such a property for 150 gold coins? But giving up without looking was too early.

Maybe I'd consult with an agent.

We said goodbye to Nadia and quickly left the guild.

***

The black-haired youth who'd finished his request and returned—Nadia was internally raising her guard against him.

She wasn't originally a local guild staff member.

She was a senior staff member with a special mission from headquarters.

Her abilities were extremely high. She'd once been a famous S-rank adventurer.

The reason for her secret dispatch: searching for a certain person. The superhuman said to defeat the Demon King. The 【Hero】.

Thirty years ago, a future-seeing mage predicted the Demon King's revival and the Hero's birth. The news sparked great debate across the kingdom and neighboring countries. When and where would they be born? What kind of person? Everything unknown, and many people rushed to the royal castle claiming their child was the Hero.

But none bore the 'Mark of the Hero.'

If this continued, the great disaster from 600 years ago would repeat in modern times. Thinking this, the guild headquarters sent staff everywhere under the guise of dispatch, beginning the Hero search. Nadia was one of them.

But her sense of mission faded under intense work, and she'd become an ordinary local staff member who hated overtime. Such was her tension at this unusual person's appearance.

Even as guild staff, she maintained her strength, confident she could detect and expose anyone lurking nearby. But this youth, on his first guild visit, hadn't even let her sense his presence in front of her.

—As if he'd suddenly appeared there.

(Who is he really? I know he's no ordinary person.)

Nadia wondered suspiciously, while also thinking his face was cool and her type, as she put on her business smile.

(No sense of strength typical of powerful people. Full of openings, looks completely weak at first glance. Could he be the Hero I'm searching for? No, surely not. He doesn't seem Hero-like at all. I heard the previous Hero had a very bright personality. Apparently very popular. His looks are normal... right?)

No habits or behavior typical of strong people, minimal mana output, relatively cheap equipment. She'd subtly checked his whole body for something like the Hero's Mark but found nothing.

Thinking this, she looked at the submitted materials.

"A Flame Bearwolf, you say!?"

"Well, we encountered it by chance, and luckily defeated it?"

Materials from a B-rank Flame Bearwolf.

What was terrifying was the cut. Not something an average swordsman could produce—beautiful cross-section. Dismantling processing was perfect too. Quality nearly equal to materials brought by A or S ranks.

(Chance? Luck? Don't be ridiculous. Impossible. What world has a rookie bringing in all-ninety-point-quality materials? Definitely high-rank. No doubt. Why is such a person here? No, that doesn't matter. What matters is whether he's the Hero. Ah, I want to strip him naked right now. If that body has the Mark, this guild gets the credit. I could curry favor with headquarters and hold my head high.)

Thinking this, Nadia inwardly smirked: 'Forget the Hero. Having someone who can handle requests is lucky.'

Overtime every day. Accumulating high-rank requests. She'd been considering going on a rampage at the guild from frustration, when this savior appeared. Her joy was understandable.

But one big problem remained: Itsuki was still lowest E-rank.

His partnered Emilia was also E-rank. This meant they could only handle E-rank requests for now. The crucial promotion exam was far off. Nadia furrowed her brow in displeasure after her initial joy.

(I should consult the guild master for now. Either way, I need to test whether he's the Hero. Even if not, promising newcomers are valuable. Especially in this countryside. I absolutely won't let him escape. Be prepared.)

Nadia firmly resolved as she watched the two leave.

***

I returned to the inn alone after leaving the guild.

Emilia apparently already had an inn she was using. Until we got a home, we'd live separately.

Living under one roof with a girl my age. Thinking that made my heart race.

No no no. Had to eliminate impure thoughts. She'd trusted me and become my partner. I had to meet her expectations.

The sun was still high, but work ended for today. Maybe eat dinner early. Occasionally eating at a restaurant might be nice. Preferably avoiding crowded places. A quiet, unpopular place where I could relax would be good.

Walking while thinking this vaguely, a young man ahead turned and looked at me with a surprised expression.

"Itsuki Coleman?"

"Raxes?"

My heart felt like it would leap out of my chest.

The one who spoke was a refreshing young man with short brown hair.

His atmosphere had changed, but it was a face I'd never forget. Someone who'd beaten and kicked me countless times during school, showering me with curses.

Raxes Rayburn, who'd always acted with Alfred.

Memories of those days made my hands and feet shake. Thick fear clung to my spirit. I wanted to run away immediately, but desperately suppressed it and pretended to be calm.

These past few years, I'd gained various experiences and grown. I wasn't the same person anymore. I'd become stronger. So this was pride. The full-bodied pride of declaring I wasn't afraid of him anymore.

I desperately maintained my composure.

"Long time no see. Have you been well?"

"Y-yeah... You seem healthy too, Raxes. I'm relieved."

Raxes spoke to me with a gentle, friendly smile, as if the past was forgotten.

He was probably an adventurer too. He wore flashy equipment and a sword at his waist. Several men and women who seemed to be his companions stood behind him.

We made eye contact for just a moment. Then I averted my gaze.

"Oh, Raxes's friend?"

"Yes. A classmate from knight academy days. I didn't have many friends, so I don't like talking about that time much."

"You're too friendly to be true. Just hiding youthful indiscretions, right? So a bad friend?"

"Something like that."

I was shocked at his cheerful smile responding to his companion.

He'd always had an angry face like he hated something during school, yet now he was so bright, all thorns gone. What time did it last? He must be living a smooth-sailing life. Damn, I felt like crying from frustration.

"Itsuki became an adventurer too?"

"Just E-rank."

"Then you're below me. My rank is—"

Raxes proudly pulled out a card marked 'B' from his chest.

So he was a B-rank adventurer.

Honestly, I thought 'that's it?' No, maybe he was hiding his strength like me. He'd had better grades than me in school. Well, I didn't know why he'd hide it, though.

I sensed a presence behind me. That person approached and draped an arm over my shoulder from behind.

"Yo, newbie. Saw your exchange at the guild earlier."

"Beck-san! You're back!"

Raxes rejoiced, and the person lightly responded—a short blond man in his late twenties with an eyepatch over his left eye. Beside him was a provocative-looking woman, and her allure momentarily captured my eyes.

A... girlfriend? Jealous. I'd never even held hands with a woman.

"Who are you?"

"Sorry, sorry. Getting friendly without introducing myself. I'm Beck Hawkeyes. Leader of these guys, 【The Undead Who Kick Tombstones】. Nice to meet you. Itsuki of The Black Noir That Dispels Darkness."

He already knew my name and affiliation. No ordinary person.

Plus, earrings even. Such a typical popular guy. Incredible aura. Could I make lots of friends if I became like this? No, too dazzling for a loner like me to look at directly. Felt like turning to ash.

"But seriously, taking down a Flame Bearwolf with just two people? That's not normal."

"A Flame Bearwolf with just two people!? That's supposed to be upper B-rank! I couldn't even defeat that! How did you!?"

"J-just defeated it normally?"

Apparently they'd overheard my exchange with Nadia.

Before I knew it, I was surrounded by The Undead Who Kick Tombstones members, getting praised left and right. All of them smiled and complimented me despite being first meetings. My need for approval was being filled, and I felt great. S-so this is being popular. What a great feeling.

"Come to think of it, you graduated from knight academy, right? Then you're my kouhai too. Keep climbing ranks. Get stronger. I don't plan to settle at a mediocre rank like A either."

"Whoa!?"

Beck-san slapped my back hard, then left with his companions.

Their parting figures looked so natural.

Haaaaaaaah. That was tense. Still shaking. Never thought I'd run into him here. But I managed to respond properly without running. Overcame my fear. One step forward. Pathetic as it was.

Speaking of which, that Beck-san was amazing in many ways. Maybe the most popular guy I'd ever met. Had that sexy lady beside him too. Seemed to have lots of friends. He said he was a knight academy senpai, but had we met somewhere?

No, probably not. I'd definitely remember if we had.

But as someone who wanted friends, I had so much to learn from him. Alright, I'd write down what I learned from him in my notes immediately.

I'd put it into practice someday. Let's see: Sexy, lady, beside me. Tone should be frivolous. So educational. Next time I go to the guild, I'll observe him.