Chatter Chatter Chatter
It was early in the morning and the Adventurer's guild was already bustling. From adventurers taking up quests to receptionists entertaining them, there wasn't a single person who wasn't busy.
It is now the third day since Grey had departed for a solo mission, and currently, Yuna is inside the guild to pick a quest to take at her leisure time.
The day before, Yuna had taken a couple of C-rank and D-rank quests on her own and earned some points for both her and Grey. While they may not be much, it was still fruitful progress.
Unfortunately, Yuna can't repeat what she did yesterday. The C-rank and D-rank quest boards which she usually picked quests from were now empty. As for the E-rank quests and below, there was barely anything worth it.
And like usual, when she was choosing her quests, none of the adventurers dared to approach her. The terror Grey induced were still engraved on the depths of their hearts. Never again will they cross either Yuna or Grey. It was an oath they have unanimously sworn to.
"I'm really sorry! We're short on Kalkia grass right now so we can't fulfill your quest. I really apologize!" ［Tilda］
A familiar voice reached Yuna's ears as she was carefully thinking which quest to pick. The owner of the voice was Tilda and she looked like was having some trouble with a client.
"Is something wrong, Miss Tilda?" ［Yuna］
"Ah, Miss Yuna!" ［Tilda］
Nonchalantly, Yuna joined in on Tilda's conversation, successfully surprising the latter. Not only Tilda, the other adventurers in line were also shocked as cold sweat traveled down their spines.
"Well, you see... The Alchemist's Guild needs Kalkia grass to brew potions, but due to the lack of adventurers taking the herb gathering quests, we're in a shortage right now." ［Tilda］
"Hmm... Should I do it?" ［Yuna］
"R-Really?!" ［Tilda］
"Un. I might not look it, but I'm quite familiar with herbs." ［Yuna］
Hearing Yuna's answer, Tilda's face which was once full of troubles was now shining with happiness and relief.
During their time in the forest, Grey and Yuna didn't just train in magic and battles, but also trained themselves in other works which are related to the other 3 of the 5 main occupations. The 5 main occupations being a mage, a warrior, an alchemist, a blacksmith, and an enchanter.
Grey trained himself in blacksmithing and enchanting, while Yuna trained herself in alchemy. With The knowledge Grey possessed, learning those production jobs was not that much of a problem to them.
With her skills and knowledge, Yuna can be considered one of the prodigies of the younger generation. She could easily concoct potions which can heal lethal injuries in just a couple of minutes.
"T-Then, I'll leave it in your care, Miss Yuna!" ［Tilda］
"So, how much will I need to gather?" ［Yuna］
"You can gather as much as you can! I'm really really grateful!" ［Tilda］
"Un! Then, I'll be going now!" ［Yuna］
Although it was just a coincidence, Yuna now had a quest to fulfill, and with it, she quickly headed to the nearby forest north of Galderia.
The moment she arrived, Yuna quickly wore a golden storage ring Grey had given her when he departed in case she needed to store something. It was one of the items Grey crafted in his leisure time at the forest.
While it may not be infinite, it being on the pinnacle of high-grade items, it can store up until 50 cubic meters of space and can slow down the passage of time about 3 times slower.
It was an item worth a few hundred million kiels as it was crafted from high-rank minerals God has given to Grey. But the one who was wearing it knows nothing of its true value. She was just happy that Grey had given her something.
Green trees, thriving shrubs and vines, and tall grasses. Those were the first things that greeted Yuna when she arrived at the forest. And the deeper one goes, the more greenery one will find.
"Ah!" ［Yuna］
With a happy face, Yuna collected Kalkia grass one after another. Even when she didn't have enhanced vision like Grey, she was easily able to collect quite a handful of Kalkia grass in a few minutes.
She hummed cheerfully as she continued to collect the Kalkia grass, and while she was doing her quest, she was also collecting other herbs and plants in the forest. Some can be used for potions while some are simply food.
Her eyes glistened with joy every time she encountered a new patch of herbs. If one were to describe her, she was like a child who just got outside for the first time and poked everything with curiosity.
Thankfully, plants behave somewhat differently in Merusia. They have much more vitality and grow up at a much quicker rate than back on Earth, which is because of the presence of mana in the atmosphere.
There wouldn't even be a problem if Yuna gathers every herb she sees. They would just regrow in a few weeks from the seeds germinated in the ground as if nothing even happened.
"Larren, did you find some yet?" ［???］
"No... I'm having no luck either." ［Larren］
As Yuna continued to harvest herbs and fruits to her heart's content, two voices traveled through the forest's air. They were from two young people who were searching for something, one was a boy and the other was a woman.
From their attires alone, one could easily infer that they were adventurers. Rookies who were trying to make a living by completing easy quests located in the nearby forests.
"Still not here..." ［???］
"Ugh, such bad luck!" ［Larren］
They searched and searched but all their efforts were for nothing. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't find the thing they were looking for. It was as if that thing was evading them intentionally.
Yuna, who was observing them from afar, didn't dare to approach them. Even if she has an easy time talking to her acquaintances, the same couldn't be said to strangers. After all, her personality was still meeker than average. Not to mention that Grey told her to stay away from strangers.
She could muster her courage when it comes to buying things or when she is on a quest since it was a necessity, but interacting with strangers for no reason was something she had never done before. She was like a small animal who was wary of everything.
"Ah!" ［???］
Yuna tried to stealthily get away from the two youths, but before she could even activate her ability, the girl spotted her, making her flinch in surprise.
Following the girl, the boy also turned his head to the direction of Yuna and also spotted her. There was no way that she could escape in her current situation as two pairs of eyes were now fixated on her.
"Ah, I'm sorry for surprising you, I just want to ask the questionー" ［???］
After she apologized, the girl then approached Yuna to ask a question. Behind her, the boy was following closely as if he was some kind of bodyguard.
The moment they saw Yuna, the young adventurers were taken aback by her beauty. Even when they had seen elves before, Yuna was on another level. She was so beautiful that they couldn't help but stare.
Especially when they saw Yuna's eyes. Its deep blue color was similar to that of frozen blue ice which emanates a cold aura. It looked cold but strangely enticing to the eyes of the two youths.
"W-What is it?" ［Yuna］
"Ah! Sorry for staring, but have you seen Sunweeds around here?" ［???］
"Sunweeds?" ［Yuna］
"Yes. We have been searching for quite some time but we haven't found anything yet. We're hoping that you know of spots where we can find it." ［???］
When the girl finished her words, Yuna quickly understood why they were searching with large frowns evident in their faces.
Even if they spent the whole day searching for sunweeds, they would still not find anything. After all, Yuna had already gathered them along with the Kalkia grass without leaving anything behind.
Yuna had totally forgotten that there were also other adventurers who went on herb gathering quests. She had completely disregarded it and foraged everything she saw to her heart's content.
"I'm sorry... I've already collected them all, that's why you wouldn't find them here. I'm really sorry!" ［Yuna］
Yuna furiously bowed her head in apology, surprising the two young adventurers. Someone they thought was a cold beauty now looked like a clumsy girl who was their age.
"I-If you want, I can give you all the sunweeds I have." ［Yuna］
"Ah, no, no! We can't accept that. After all, you worked so hard to gather it!" ［???］
"T-That's right, Miss. We can just search another area of the forest." ［Larren］
Yuna hurriedly pulled out all the sunweeds in her storage ring when the two youths stopped her. Thankfully, they were quite good-natured or else she might have gotten robbed of her hard earned herbs.
While she was almost unbeatable in a fight, it seems that interacting with other people was her weakness. But well, compared to before, at least she can now hold conversations.
"Then..., As apology, should I guide you to the places I haven't searched yet? There should still be some sunweeds there." ［Yuna］
"R-Really!? Then we'll be in you care, Miss..." ［???］
"Yuna. My name's Yuna. Nice to meet you." ［Yuna］
"Nice to meet you too, Miss Yuna! I'm Nonna and beside me is my friend and partner, Larren." ［Nonna］
"Yo. I'll be in your care." ［Larren］
The three quickly got acquainted with one another and they quickly headed to the parts of the forest where Yuna hadn't foraged yet.
Apparently, the two had just arrived in Galderia a few days ago and immediately registered themselves as adventurers. But with their inexperiences, they only passed as Apprentice-rank adventurers. Nevertheless, the two were still happy that they could now earn money.
This was also the reason why the young adventurers didn't recognize Yuna. If they had arrived two weeks ago, they would have witnessed Grey's terror and would have avoided Yuna at all cost.
When they arrived, an abundance of herbs and edible fruits welcomed them. There were juicy fruits hanging from the trees and a variety of herbs in the ground. It was a treasure trove for alchemists.
"Whoa~ there's so many!" ［Nonna］
"There really are sunweeds here!" ［Larren］
"Thank you, Miss Yuna! We promise we're going to repay you!" ［Nonna］
"You don't have to. I was the reason why you have to go this far in the forest, after all." ［Yuna］
Like little children, the three foraged everything they could get a hand on in the forest. There were enough herbs for the two youths to complete their quests more than 5 times over.
And since herb collection is a permanent quest, they will be able to exchange any amount of herbs indefinitely and get both points and money in return. They might even be able to take the H-rank promotion exam sooner than planned.
They even found rare herbs as a bonus. It was a herb which can be sold at the cost equivalent to completing a handful of apprentice-rank quests. With it, they will be able to pay a few days for the inn they are staying at.
Of course, it wasn't only them. Yuna also enjoyed herself as she hoarded even more herbs and ingredients. It made her completely forget she was with strangers and was able to gain new acquaintances.
"Woah～! So delicious!" ［Nonna］
"This is amazing, Miss Yuna!" ［Larren］
"I'm glad you like it." ［Yuna］
It was already lunch time and so the three decided to take a break from the herb collection and have a meal first.
When Yuna saw that the two were only going to eat meat jerky, she immediately offered to share her lunch with them. After all, a balanced nutrition is important if they want to keep going as adventurers.
The lunch was composed of a balanced amount of meat, vegetables, dairy, and fruits which Grey had taught her how to cook while they were still in the forest. And being the genius that she was, Yuna learned how to make them perfectly.
Over lunch, the three talked over many topics such as the reason why the two went adventuring, their favorite foods, and even small talks about romance.
During which, Yuna noticed Larren's face getting red when asked by Nonna if she liked someone. She had realized that Larren might have feelings for Nonna, but the girl in question was still oblivious to it.
The situation reminded Yuna of her situation with Grey. So close yet so far. She wondered when she would finally be able to close that distance.
After lunch, the three continued their herb collection and even collected more herbs. Yuna especially, has already gathered enough that there is only a quarter of available storage in her ring.
"Miss Yuna, thank you very much. We could finally complete our quests." ［Nonna］
"If you need something, just say it, we'll definitely be there." ［Larren］
"Un. Then, I'll count on you when the time comes." ［Yuna］
The three were about to head home together with joy evident on their faces, but such joy didn't last long.
Ggrrriiiikkkk Gruuukkkkk
As they were about to exit the forest, they were blocked by a group of goblins. Although they were only H-ranked, they numbered more than a dozen. It was enough to completely eliminate a bunch of rookie adventurers.
The feelings of joy were quickly replaced by terror in the hearts of Larren and Nonna. Their whole bodies were trembling as they thought of a way to escape the unfortunate situation.
"Nonna, Miss Yuna, stay behind me. I'll make sure to protect you two." ［Larren］
Even when his whole body was trembling uncontrollably, Larren still managed to unsheathe his sword from its scabbard. He had a face which was determined to let the two girls escape even if it cost him his life.
Seeing his courage reminded Yuna of her days in the forest when she was still new to training. Every time she fell and was about to be hit by the enemies, Grey would always stop them without fail even when he had to be harmed to do so. It was one of the reasons she fell in love with Grey.
'That's right... I also need to be stronger...' ［Yuna］
Larren's courageous act became a wake up call to Yuna. If she wanted to be able to stand by Grey's side, she needed to become stronger. Not just physically but also mentally.
She could still remember Grey's expression when he tried to protect her. It was an expression she didn't want to see again. She didn't want to burden Grey with her flaws once again.
"Mister Larren, I'll take everything from here. Just focus on protecting Miss Nonna, alright?" ［Yuna］
"Wait, Miss Yunー" ［Larren］
Oblivious to Yuna's strength, Larren tried to stop Yuna but was unable to do so. Before he could even finish his sentence, Yuna had already vanished from his sight.
⟨[Fatal Stream⟩⟩ ［Yuna］
As those two words resounded in the air, Yuna suddenly appeared behind the goblins. Soon after, the goblins' heads were sent flying as they were decapitated from their bodies.
The events took place so quickly that neither Larren nor Nonna were able to comprehend what just happened. All they knew was that they were now safe from harm.
The slightly meek Yuna which they have had lunch with was nowhere to be seen. The one in front of them was a cold-looking woman who was adept in killing monsters. She was a completely different person.
"Are you two ok?" ［Yuna］
As if nothing happened, Yuna rushed back to where the two were and checked up on their condition. She had already gone back to her former self.
"Umm... Miss Yuna, who really are you...?" ［Larren］
Baffled, Larren couldn't help himself from asking Yuna a question. Nonna behind him was also curious about Yuna's identity.
"Right.., I suppose I really haven't fully introduced myself. I am Yuna, a C-rank adventurer!" ［Yuna］
""Ehhh?!"" ［Larren and Nonna］
Shock and admiration, that's what Larren and Nonna felt as their screams echoed throughout the whole forest.
After the shocking revelation, Nonna and Larren had a lot of questions which they asked of Yuna, and Yuna answered it to the best of her abilities. It reminded her of what happened when Gerd's and family learnt about their ranks.
Just like that, the three returned to Galderia with the 6 o'clock bell ringing, and they were able to gain a lot of points and money from the herbs they had brought.
Tilda was especially thankful when Yuna arrived with a mountain of Kalkia grass. With it, they could finally fulfill the request of the Alchemist's guild with a few stocks left over.
The three parted when they went out of the adventurer's guild as they headed to the direction of their respective inns. It was then that Yuna realized how lonely it was again to not have anyone by your side.
"I'm back～." ［Yuna］
Yuna said as she entered the "Rabbit's Den", but unlike usual, Helen didn't greet her. In fact, she wasn't even at the reception desk.
Clang Clatter Chatter
Instead, there was a loud commotion in the direction of the kitchen, and amongst the noise coming from there, there was one familiar sound that she had longed to hear.
As she entered the kitchen, there she saw Selia and Gerd cooking as usual. There was also Helen who was bantering with her father. And lastly, there was one figure she had missed.
"Oh, Yuna, welcome back...? Or should I say I'm back...? Either way, I'm happy to see you again." ［Grey］
There, she saw the figure of the man she holds the dearest in her heart. Seeing his face, she never thought she would be so overwhelmed by happiness that she had trouble finding the right words to reply.
It was only two and a half days, yet those mere two and a half days felt like an eternity to a longing heart. It didn't matter what time it was, she had always thought of seeing him again.
"Un... Welcome back, and... I'm home!" ［Yuna］
CHAPTER 24 END