“Takumi, it looks like leaving them behind wasn’t a good idea.”


  “Indeed. I will stop going out without telling them first.”


  “Not telling them, huh. Without telling them, you say… so if you did, it would be alright?”


  “I think it would be fine if I managed to persuade them.”


  “… Is that so?”


  Evan-san, who had initially spoken to me in a teasing manner, began to think about something as he spoke.

  “Hey, Scott. Wouldn’t it be better if Takumi was there for tomorrow’s request?”


  “That’s… true.”


  “What about tomorrow’s request?”


  “Eh, you see…”


  I asked about the request, and Evan-san looked around. I don’t know if we can talk in a place where there are other customers, even if it’s still sparse.

  So we decided to move to the Ruven residence. Originally, we should have just moved to the room that Evan-san and Scott-san were renting, but Rebecca-san stopped us. Apparently, Rebecca-san also wanted to talk to us.

  “So, what about the request?”


  “An Orc nest was discovered a little further from the town.”


  “… An Orc nest, huh.”


  In the guest room of Ruven mansion, Velio-san and I heard the details again. This is certainly not something you can easily talk about in a place where people come and go.

  “So, we’re planning to head out tomorrow with a party of adventurers to clean up the area.”


  I guess Evan-san and Scott-san will also be going to clean up the orcs.

  “Did you get an idea of the scale?”


  Velio-san asked with a serious face, apparently having received a report of the Orc nest, too.

  Evan-san said that it was a bit far from the city, but it must be a threat. It’s even more so when it’s in the territory that you govern.

  “Scott, what did the scouts say about their reconnaissance?”


  Scott came back to the inn late because he was hearing the report of the scouts at the Adventurer’s Guild.

  “About two hundred of them. They say there will definitely be higher-ranking species.”


  “… My goodness!”


  Rebecca-san’s eyes widened, and she let out a sorrowful voice as she heard the report.

  The scale seems to be quite large. I’ve encountered Orcs in the Gaya Forest and in the town of Alveil, but the units are different~

  “It might be better to send out the territorial troops as well.”


  “So you wanted me to come too because of their numbers, Evan-san.”


  The reason why Evan-san invited me to the request is to secure manpower?

  “Ah, yeah~ I didn’t know the exact numbers myself, but I knew it was quite a lot.——Allen, Elena, can you lend us your brother to us tomorrow? We want him to go on an request with us.”


  “What about Allen~?”


  “And Elena~?”


  “N~ you guys are a bit unsuitable.”


  “”Ehh~ wanna go too~””


  Going to the Orc’s nest is not the same as defeating Orcs that attack you out in the open. There is a high possibility that there are people held captive in the Orc’s nest, too. That is way too tragic to see for the little ones.

  “Allen, Elena, could you please stay here?”


  “”Can defeat pigs~””


  So I asked the kids to stay at home, but they insisted on going with me. Well, this was the expected reaction, so how do I persuade them from here.

  “Allen-chan, Elena-chan. I’m not feeling well. So I was wondering if you could stay with me?”


  “”With Obaa~sama?””


  “Please?”


  “”Uu~… Okay.””


  Then Rebecca-san helped me out. When she asked, Allen and Elena couldn’t say no, and they nodded.

  “Takumi, you will participate then?”


  “Yes, that’s fine with me.”


  “There are no A-ranked adventurers this time, after all. Having you will be very reassuring.”


  “Is that so? What is the strength of the team that will go to defeat them tomorrow?”


  “Including us, there are seven B-rank adventurers and twelve C-rank adventurers.”


  So there are twenty of us, including me. That means, by simple calculation, there are ten of them per person~ Isn’t this a bit under powered on our part?

  “… I will have no problems, but isn’t it too difficult for the C ranks?”


  “To be honest, it will be pretty hard. We might be in danger too, depending on the situation.”


  “The number of Orcs is higher than expected. The Guild Master said that he would re-organize the members to defeat them by tomorrow, so I think we’ll have a few more members.”


  The Orcs are C-ranked, so even C-ranked adventurers should be able to defeat them. If it’s one on one.

  But the opponents are in a large group. It won’t be easy to get into a one-on-one situation.

  “But you suggested sending out your troops as well, right Velio-san?”


  “Yes. But we have to consult with the Adventurer’s Guild first, though.”


  “I thought so.”


  If Velio-san is willing to send out troops, the number disadvantage would be taken care of.

  Or maybe I could do my best to gain some experience. I’m sure I will be able to reduce their numbers if I hit them with one of my spells before the battle breaks out!

  “It’s my job to get them to accept the support of the troops, so please go to bed early and make sure you’re in good shape, Takumi-san.”


  “I see. Well, I will do that.”


  We decided to rest for tomorrow, since Velio-san had agreed to meet directly with the Adventurer’s Guild to organize the members who would be going out to defeat the enemy and to prepare the necessary supplies.

  Evan-san and Scott-san turned down Velio-san’s offer to lend them rooms, and they went back to the inn, so we decided to meet at the Adventurer’s Guild tomorrow at six in the morning, at the first bell.

  “”Onii~chan.””


  I went back to my room, got ready for sleep, and climbed into bed early.

  Then Allen and Elena called out to me in small voices.

  “Hmm?　What’s up?”


  “Allen and…”


  “Elena.”


  “”Can’t we go too?””


  … They hadn’t completely given up on the idea of coming with, it seems.

  “You guys said that you will stay at home, didn’t you?”


  “”Umiyu~””


  Allen and Elena, lying on either side of me, clung to me and rubbed up against me.

  I know it in my head, but does it mean they will feel lonely?

  “When I get back from my assignment, the three of us will go out together.”


  “”Definitely?””


  “Yeah, definitely. Let’s make a promise, then?”


  “”A promise!””


  When I switched their thoughts from the idea of being left behind tomorrow to the next outing, their expressions changed from sad to happy. Will it be okay like this?

  “Well, can you think of a place you’d like to go?”


  “”Anywhere we want~?””


  “Yes, anywhere is fine. It can be a request, or just to hang out. Just discuss it between the two of you and let me know later.”


  “”Okay~””


  I patted them both on the head and hugged them tightly.

  “I’m so glad you two are such good kids!”


  “”Ehehe~””


  Allen and Elena rubbed against me even more happily.

  “Then I’d better get on with finishing tomorrow’s order!”


  “”Come back as soon as you can, okay”


  “Roger that! Then let’s go to sleep, so we get done with it.”


  “”Yeah, good night~””