“Kuh!”


  [Evade]!

  [Evade]!

  [Evade]!

  An army of goblins, orcs, and ogres were chasing me.

  They are all steaming in anger.

  Well, anyone would snap if someone were to throw a molotov to their home.

  That’s why I continue running.

  My job is to lure the monsters to the range of Lucy.

  “[Earth Magic: Boulder]! [Fire Magic: Element Grant]!” (Lucy)

  Lucy raises her staff.

  A giant burning boulder appears in midair.

  ““““?!”””


  The monsters noticed that something strange was going on, but it is too late.

  “Every single one of you burn with Falling Meteor!” (Lucy)

  Lucy-san is totally into it.

  By the way, there’s no spell called Falling Meteor.

  Lucy just gave it a name herself.

  [Evade]!

  *BOOM!* The burning boulder explodes dragging the monsters with it.

  Earth and dust scattered about, and the blast sends everything flying.

  What remained was a single crater.

  “That’s some power as always, that Falling Meteor.” (Makoto)

  “You are impressive as well, Makoto. You lured around 50 monsters, you know?” (Lucy)

  “…Haha.” (Makoto)

  “Now, let’s return to the Guild! We are getting paid a whole lot today!” (Lucy)

  “Before that, we have to extinguish the fire.” (Makoto)

  I deal with the aftermath of Lucy’s magic so that it doesn’t turn into a forest fire.

  Lately, my water magic has only had this kind of role.

  Thanks to the Spirit Magic, I can use water magic even without a water source.

  It is not like I learned Spirit Magic to extinguish fires.

  ◇◇

  We have dinner at the usual skewer stand.

  “Boss, 1 more ale.” (Makoto)

  “Got it. You drink pretty often recently, Makoto.”


  “I have recently learned the tastiness of it.” (Makoto)

  It is as bitter as always though.

  Ale is about the feeling when it goes down my throat.

  “Haha! Now that you know the taste of ale, you are now a competent adventurer.”


  “Hmm, I don’t really like it.” (Lucy)

  Lucy is drinking a fruit cocktail.

  It is actually not on the menu, but Boss made it specially for the regular, Lucy.

  “Ooi, Lucy-chan, drink over here.”


  “Just leave that mage apprentice. Let’s party together tomorrow.”


  “Your magic today was amazing as well.”


  The adventurers around were calling Lucy.

  You wouldn’t believe that she was a troublemaker that couldn’t join any party not that long ago.

  Mages that can use powerful magic are wanted in any party after all.

  “I have no intentions of being in any party aside from Makoto’s!” (Lucy)

  I am grateful that Lucy says this though.

  “Fuuuh.” (Makoto)

  After drinking about half of the ale, I suddenly felt a bit lightheaded.

  “Oh, drinking here.”


  “Lucas-san as well.” (Makoto)

  He apparently had gone to subjugate a water dragon that attacked a fisherman at Shimei Lake.

  I still haven’t seen a dragon since coming to this world.

  They must be strong.

  I wonder if I will be able to fight one someday.

  “Oi, Makoto, even though you have the record of the fastest person to reach Iron Rank in the Adventurer Guild of Makkaren, you look pretty gloomy there.” (Lucas)

  Yeah.

  Lucy and I are now Iron Rank.

  We are now Intermediate Adventurers.

  “That damn Makoto, he just leeched off Lucy-chan’s magic.”


  “He really lucked out.”


  “Ssh! If you say too much, the person himself will hear you.”


  I already am.

  I have the [Eavesdrop] skill after all.

  “Hey! Makoto is amazing, you know! Don’t say weird stuff!” (Lucy)

  Lucy, who had good ears by default, got angry at the adventurers gossipping about us.

  “It is okay, just leave them be.” (Makoto)

  “But…” (Lucy)

  “Those guys have been stuck in Bronze Rank for 2 years now. They must be jealous of Makoto. It is pathetic how they talk behind other people’s backs.”


  Lucas says exasperated.

  “Maakoto-kuun~!”


  Mary-san hugs me.

  “Your big sis here is happy that you have been drinking together with her lately~.” (Mary)

  “I am a weak drinker, so only for 2-3 drinks.” (Makoto)

  I don’t get any stronger to it no matter how much I drink.

  Even though Lucy has gotten pretty resistant now.

  Is your strength towards alcohol also related to your Stats?

  Or more like, I don’t like alcohol that much.

  I am dringing in spite of that…because of my mood.

  “You are making the face of someone with worries. Go ahead and consult with the Guild Onee-san here.” (Mary)

  “Wait, Mary! I am the one who is gonna listen to the worries of my party member.” (Lucy)

  “Eeh? It is easier to say this kind of stuff to someone older, you know?” (Mary)

  “I am older than Makoto!” (Lucy)

  “Oh, really? By the way, shouldn’t it be about time you go to an intermediate level dungeon?” (Mary)

  “As I said! Those kinds of things are going to be decided by the two of us!” (Lucy)

  “Boss, one more ale!” (Mary)

  “Me too!” (Lucy)

  “Ooh, you are popular, Makoto.” (Lucas)

  Lucas laughs out loud as if it is none of his business.

  The daily occurrence lately has been exchanges like this between Lucy and Mary-san.

  It is not to the point of fighting, it feels as if Mary-san is teasing Lucy.

  “““““Tch!”””””


  Seriously, why are you guys pointing your glares at me.

  Haah…


  ◇◇

  “Lucas-san, how can I get stronger?” (Makoto)

  I whisper that to him.

  It is my worry lately.

  “Huh? You are plenty strong already, Makoto. What are you saying after defeating a Griffon and a chimera that has been around for more than a 1,000 years.” (Lucas)

  He looks at me with eyes as if saying: ‘are you an idiot?’.

  “The Griffon was defeated by Jean, the Chimera was defeated by Nina-san.” (Makoto)

  “But they wouldn’t have been able to defeat those without you there, right? I heard that.” (Lucas)

  “I wonder about that. I think it hinged a lot on Lucy’s firepower though.” (Makoto)

  “That’s how party’s work. They are divided in the roles of supporters and attackers.” (Lucas)

  “That’s true, but…” (Makoto)

  I finish drinking the ale.

  “Boss, one more…” (Makoto)

  “Got it. Don’t drink too much, okay?”


  “This will be my last one today…” (Makoto)

  I am actually pretty drunk.

  This ain’t good, I don’t have self-control.

  Lately, I have been leaving the attack to Lucy while I act as the bait all the time.

  The last time I defeated a strong monster on my own was the Ogre.

  That one I baited it into a trap though.

  “What’s your level right now, Makoto?” (Lucas)

  “I am now 20.” (Makoto)

  “It hasn’t been 1 year since you became an adventurer, and yet you are Iron Rank and level 20.” (Lucas)

  “What is he dissatisfied with.”


  Lucas-san and Boss were looking at each other puzzled.

  “It is not that I am displeased.” (Makoto)

  I opened my own Soul Book.

  “Oh, the Soul Book of Makoto-kun?” (Mary)

  “Mary-san, it is bad manners to look without permission.” (Makoto)

  “I am a guild staff so it is okay~, hehehe.” (Mary)

  No good, she is completely drunk.

  “Hmm…but a level 20 with these stats, huh. It is true that this is way too low—wait, ueeeeh?!” (Mary)

  “What’s the matter, Mary?” (Lucas)

  “T-This here! The water magic proficiency!” (Mary)

  “Hm, where…eh, 99?!” (Lucas)

  “So there’s people who go all the way to 99 in proficiency…”


  The three look at me as if they are looking at a maniac.

  “You really are amazing after all, Makoto!” (Lucy)

  Lucy already knew.

  But…


  “This is the source of my worry.” (Makoto)

  “Why?” (Lucy)

  “I didn’t become that strong even when I got to 99.” (Makoto)

  Yeah, even I with low mana could increase my proficiency if I trained.

  The highest level of proficiency is 99.

  This is the end point.

  But it simply increased the precision and activation speed of my magic, and the power is still low.

  Even though I did my best to raise it, it wasn’t what I hoped for.

  I thought I would get a mastery bonus.

  “I-I see. Then, the Spirit Magic?” (Lucas)

  “I am also stuck in that.” (Makoto)

  I heard from the old man giant, but I can’t see the Spirits at all.

  Can I really do it?

  ◇◇

  “Makoto! It has been a while.”


  “Lucy, you are wearing thinly as always.”


  “What, got a problem?” (Lucy)

  We met Jean and Emily next.

  Behind them there was a brawler man and a mage girl.

  It seems to be their new party members.

  That was a bit of a shock too.

  I for sure thought that we would be going on adventures together every now and then.

  No, it is my fault for not speaking out to him.

  “Yo, Jean.” (Makoto)

  “I thought that we could have a meal together, but it looks like the seats are full today.” (Jean)

  Jean says this disappointed.

  The Boss’s skewer stall only has one small bench.

  With Lucy, Lucas-san, Mary-san, and I sitting, there’s already no space.

  “I heard that you have been earning quite flashily lately.” (Jean)

  Jean places a hand on my shoulder and smiles at me.

  Was he this refreshing of a guy?

  It looks like the swordsman that complained about me is not there anymore.

  “The one who is flashy is Lucy. I am the background assistant.” (Makoto)

  “That’s…well, I have heard the rumors about it.” (Emily)

  Emily has a face that says she couldn’t find words for it.

  She can read the atmosphere after all. She can tell that I am discouraged.

  “Then, let’s do our best in getting to Silver Rank!” (Jean)

  Jean said this with a smile and left to a different stall.

  The brawler man and the mage girl bow lightly.

  They are apparently rookie adventurers that joined recently and were helped out by Jean. They are now friendly with him.

  Magic swordsman, brawler, mage, priest; it is a good party.

  “Hmm, I thought Jean-kun wanted to form a party with Makoto-kun though”, is what Mary-san said.

  I thought so too.

  “I don’t wanna. You know that I don’t get along with Emily.” (Lucy)

  No, I wonder about that.

  You two are always arguing, but I have seen you two going to lunch together a number of times. Don’t you actually get along?

  Well, working together is not the same, huh.

  “I will be going to sleep for today. Good night, Lucy.” (Makoto)

  “Eh? O-Okay. Good night…” (Lucy)

  “Let’s take a break tomorrow. We have been earning quite a lot lately after all.” (Makoto)

  “I-Is that so. Then, how about going shopping together…” (Lucy)

  “I will be showing up at the store of Fuji-yan tomorrow.” (Makoto)

  “I see, got it…” (Lucy)

  I tottered my way to the guild’s resting area.

  “You got rejected~.” (Mary)

  “Shut up, Mary!” (Lucy)

  “Alright, let’s drink again!” (Mary)

  I heard those voices coming from my back.