Return #2

 

On the outskirts of the frontier, the hideout of an orc shaman.

I used 420 magic stones to add new abilities to the reliquary.

“I have increased my abilities using magic stones.”

“—Abilities stored in the reliquary:

Stamina – 8 (+4) Magic Power – 21 (+9)

Physical Comprehension – 5(+2)

Magic Comprehensive – 13 (+7)

Faith Summary— 0 」

Wow-

This is sex.

Just looking at the increased ability level makes me happy.

If you only look at the specs of the main body, I’m still just a weak girl…

If you ignore someone just by looking at their appearance, you’ll get a big nosebleed.

If you bring out the hidden abilities stored in the reliquary, you will be at least above average among the pioneer adventurers.

And on top of that⋯

“I gained new skills through experience.”

“—Dagger Skill Beginner

—Evasion Technique Beginner

—Beginner Destruction Magic

—Cold Magic Beginner

—Beginner’s Guide to Directions

—Galmuri Beginner

“You receive an aptitude bonus.

—Destruction magic has been raised to beginner level 2.

“Cold magic has been raised to beginner level 2.”

Your activities in the underground sewer are converted into experience points, and many useful skills are added.

In “Nine Stars”, skill training is something that requires just as much attention as ability.

Even if the Destruction Magic is at beginner level 2, the destructive power increases by a whopping 25% compared to when the skill is not used.

Good.

I am growing smoothly, as if sailing with the wind in my sails.

This must be because he was able to monopolize the ratmen in the underground sewers without being checked by other adventurers.

There is just one minor problem…

“Ugh…! How can this happen again!”

The orc shaman’s eyes widened in shock.

“Again, again! I failed again! The ritual was definitely performed correctly… Why on earth?”

To this orc who doesn’t know the secrets of the reliquary, pouring magic stones in would be like pouring water into a bottomless pit.

The orc shaman bit his lower lip and began to bang his head on the floor.

“I’m sorry, girl—I have sinned!”

Thud, thud.

The force with which he strikes the forehead without any control is quite unusual.

I was worried that his head might explode, so I quickly stopped him.

If you die, who will level up my magic stone?

“Sir, calm down.”

“But how can you hold your head up after blowing up 420 magic stones! If you include the last one, it’s 870! I don’t deserve to live!”

That’s right.

If something really happens that blows away all 870 of my magic stones, this orc is not fit to live.

I might just kill you on the spot.

But now that I hadn’t actually lost anything, I smiled at him with a generous smile and patted him on the shoulder.

“Why are you making such a fuss over something like that, kid? That’s just something that happens in life.”

Where in the world can you find such an adventurer?

Almost like the second coming of Buddha himself.

“You have been so generous, my dear girl, but… I, Yurka, cannot possibly forgive myself. Here, take this.”

The orc shaman, Yurka, began to take off the ornaments on her body.

Tooth necklaces, ceremonial daggers, feather belts⋯.

These are magical tools that have been passed down from generation to generation among orc shamans.

This is unexpected.

Shamans would rather starve to death than sell the magical tools they inherited from their ancestors.

Because it is believed that the spirits of our ancestors reside there.

“⋯Sir, it’s okay, so put it back. I don’t need this.”

“If you don’t accept me, I will have to live my whole life in shame and suffering⋯.”

“Ugh. I told you it’s okay-”

I know you mean well, but it’s really not necessary.

All the shaman tools are specialized items for orc shamans, so they don’t have much merit for me.

It’s the same with other races, so even if they’re put on the market, they don’t get much value.

In fact, it’s an item exclusive to orcs, and even to shamans.

If I had to choose one…

“Then I’ll just do this one.”

I chose a strangely shaped dagger.

Orc Ceremonial Dagger

—Weapon Items

—Durability 11/12

—Attack power 7 to 10

A small dagger used by orc shamans for centuries. It was primarily used to remove the fresh entrails of sacrifices during rituals. While its effectiveness as a weapon is modest, it is imbued with spiritual power that draws out the effects of sorcery.

—Additional options: 「Natural Unity」 「Elemental Amplification」

“Unity of Nature

—Reduces the spiritual power consumed in magic.

“Increases the effectiveness of magic.”

Elemental Amplification

—Increases the destructive power of elemental attacks using this dagger.

Natural Unity is a useless option for me as a non-shaman, but Elemental Amplification is pretty good.

It will increase the attack power of my current main magic, Frost Sword, by a little.

“If you give me something, I’ll use it well.”

“Are you sure that’s okay?”

“Oh, I said it’s okay.”

“⋯Still, still-”

“You know, sir, if you make me say it one more time, I’ll get really angry.”

Only then did Yurka shut her mouth tightly.

The orc, who seemed to have aged at least ten years in an instant, spoke solemnly with a gloomy face.

“Girl.”

“Why again.”

“Please. Give me one more chance. I promise I won’t let you down next time.”

“okay.”

I fiddled with my newly acquired dagger and answered appropriately.

I’ve never been disappointed in giving it a chance or anything, but…

Yurka sighed deeply, as if the ground was sinking.

I immediately closed my eyes and went into meditation.

He’s a little pitiful. He blew up two magic stones in a row, so he’s probably angry at himself.

But what should I do?

This guy will fail again next time.

***

Private bathroom in the pioneer shelter.

It’s a small bathroom with just a bathtub filled with hot water, but the fee for using it is by no means cheap.

Bathing is a luxury in the pioneering lands…

Still, Flora did not spare money.

No matter what anyone says, I can’t give up this sweet time that warms my whole body.

After taking off the clothes you were wearing and folding them neatly.

First, I untied my neatly braided hair and washed it thoroughly from head to toe with foam.

I would have liked to just immerse myself in hot water right away, but Flora’s way is to not rush things even in situations like this.

Because I want to enjoy it leisurely, like putting a precious chocolate on my tongue and letting it slowly melt.

After thoroughly washing away the smell of the sewer that had clung to her body, Flora dipped her toes into the bathtub to check the water temperature.

Just right.

Not too hot, not too lukewarm.

Finally, the long-awaited moment.

Flora slowly soaked in the bathtub,

“Hmph-”

I shuddered at the overwhelming pleasure that was coming my way.

“Haa⋯.”

My body is melting.

I felt like I was going to turn into a hot lump and melt into the water.

Flora looked up at the steamy bathroom ceiling with tired eyes.

It was a two-day trip, but a lot happened.

There were exciting adventures and heart-pounding moments of crisis.

And⋯

I saw a genius.

“Master, you were right.”

Flora muttered languidly.

“The world is vast. There was a wonderful child there. Were you like that when you were young, too, Master?”

Estelle.

Flora’s first junior.

If you teach one, you will learn two, no, ten.

A precocious child who acts more like a senior than himself.

It is truly a gift from heaven.

“But, Master.”

Flora stirred the bath water with her hand and thought of Estelle’s face.

Sharp yet soft,

Cold yet warm,

A strange child who cannot be simply described in one word.

“That kid—he looks a little unstable.”

I felt it vaguely.

A secret hidden deep within Estelle’s heart.

A high wall built as if to strictly deny entry to others.

“I want to be of help.”

I didn’t want to leave it alone.

If that were to happen, I had a feeling that the bright child would be broken before he could even blossom.

This is a premonition that is infinitely close to prophecy.

Flora herself cannot explain it properly, but for some reason, her vivid premonitions always come true.

Phew—

Flora scooped up warm water on her palm and wet her face.

Water droplets flow down onto the clear, spotless skin.

If I ever get closer to that kid,

If the thick wall of the heart crumbles a little.

I think we could at least take a bath together.

It would be great if that day came.

Flora sighed softly and stretched her legs out over the bathtub.

***

Inside the barracks again.

“Wow, you defeated the Ratman in the underground sewer. And you did it by just the two of you?”

The captain nodded with satisfaction, as if he had seen it again.

⋯How strange.

That smiling face, I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere. It looks like someone.

Is it because of my mood?

“I was secretly worried, but I guess I underestimated you all. You’re really talented.”

“You have contributed to the stability of the Garden Western Frontier by subduing the monsters in the underground waterways. Your public service value increases by 1204 points.”

As soon as I finished reporting to the captain, a message came to mind.

This completes the first stage of the subjugation quest.

‘This route is definitely the best for accumulating public service points.’

There are also missions that give more public service points than clearing underground waterways.

For example, a large-scale ‘conquest’ quest to annihilate all the monsters in the western wilderness of Garden.

This quest gives you a whopping 10,000 points of public service.

However, it is actually impossible to monopolize that many points.

Because you can’t hunt all the monsters spread across the vast wilderness alone, and because other adventurers also participate in the quest, you end up having to share the rewards.

If you divide the points between tens or hundreds of adventurers, the points that end up falling to one person are at best 200 or 300 points.

In that respect, my choice can be said to be correct.

A strategy to monopolize all rewards by developing underground water routes that no one cared about.

There is no need to restrain other adventurers or share rewards.

“Captain, may I ask you a favor?”

“Tell me anything. If it’s a favor I can grant, I’ll do my best to accommodate it.”

As he continued to complete quests, his trust and favorability seemed to have built up, and the captain of the guards responded quickly.

I decided to use the accumulated public service points right away.

With a thousand points of public service, you can borrow decent equipment from the armory, or draft soldiers to help you out, but…

The uses I have in mind are already set.

“I’m looking for a partner. Could you help me find one?”

“Aha, that’s what I’m talking about. You’re colleagues. Well, even if you’re both skilled, it’s a bit unsettling to have just the two of you.”

“Yeah. I’d like them to be trustworthy, if possible. I’d appreciate it if the captain could recommend someone.”

I needed a party mate right away.

Flora and I alone are not strong enough to conquer the sub-dungeon of the underground waterway, “Contaminant Sedimentation Area.”

But that doesn’t mean that any party member can just blindly accept it.

So I decided to get a recommendation from the captain of the guard.

“Leave it to me. I happen to know a few good adventurers who have been keeping an eye on me.”

When you use public service, the captain of the guard will select a list of carefully selected adventurers.

So to speak, it is a catalog of luxury goods from the pioneering region.

Although it is treated as a luxury item only in the pioneering area.

“You’ve used 1200 public points. You can recruit party members from the list of advanced adventurers in the Garden Colony.”

After carefully reviewing the list, I chose two adventurers.

***

A bar in the heart of the pioneer town.

Even today, in this shabby bar, many adventurers are wasting their gold, earned by risking their lives, on a drink.

In one corner of the high-ceilinged bar, a noisy gambling table is in full swing, while in another, drunks gather together, arms around each other, and sing loudly.

It’s a bit crazy, but it’s not a bad sight.

“It’s amazing – this is my first time in a place like this.”

Flora kept looking around and said.

“Excuse me, Estelle, have you come here often?”

“No. This is my first time too.”

“But you look so familiar.”

“I’m just pretending to be familiar with it. Senior, there’s nothing good about showing off that it’s your first time doing something.”

I pulled my hood down deeply.

The world of “Nine Stars” is full of novice hunters who are like lynxes.

Whether it’s a bar or something else, there’s no need to expose my immaturity to the world.

Flora nodded with a look of having learned something new, then cleared her throat and sat up straight.

“I, I see- um- it’s nice to come to a regular bar-”

What is that awkward speech?

Why are you emphasizing the regulars unnecessarily?

Flora rested her chin on her hand, her movements stiff as a wooden doll.

Why is this broken again?

“What’s wrong? Just do as you normally do, senior.”

“I- this- is as usual-.”

Sigh.

I shook my head, cracked open a peanut, and popped it into my mouth.

Bam.

But the peanut didn’t even go near my mouth and fell far away.

Oh, why are you like this? Go, you’re so annoying.

He cracks open the peanuts again, tossing them in as if nothing happened, like he’s a regular at a bar…

This time it was a miss again.

The peanut bounced off the table, wall, and floor in succession and rolled into the mouse hole in the corner.

“Wow, Estelle, you’re really good at throwing peanuts!”

“⋯.”

“I see… These peanuts weren’t meant to be eaten! I’ll practice too. I want to be able to fly them as cool as Estelle.”

Flora whispered.

The misunderstanding is deepening.

I pushed the plate of peanuts away and picked up the adventurer profile the captain had given me.

“It’s almost time for our appointment.”

I chose two adventurers.

Human warrior Wagner.

Elf fighter Mitchell.

Our party is currently somewhat unbalanced with only two wizards, so we decided to supplement it with two strong vanguards.

By the way, neither Wagner nor Mitchell are particularly well-known names.

Soon, it was five minutes before we were supposed to meet.

“⋯That peanut.”

A voice came from behind.

A shadow fell over Flora and I’s faces.

“Aren’t you going to eat it? It’s a waste.”

A large man spoke to me in a deep, low voice.

A man who you would believe even if he said he was a bear.

Flora, who was very nervous, quietly put the peanuts back on the plate.

“⋯Is that Wagner?”

“But that’s true.”

wait for a sec.

A body as big as that mountain.

Those big hands like a pot lid.

⋯And those pants.

Those are the pants I chose for you.

Only then did Wagner and I recognize each other and open our eyes wide at the same time.