"You guys, look at this ogre! A big catch that's several times bigger in size than the average! Who do you think was the one who defeated it?!"
At the Adventurer Guild's hunt handing space, Lucas-san was shouting while raising a glass of ale in one hand.
He was pretty drunk.
It seems like the ogre that we fought today wasn't a regular giant orge, but a big ogre with regeneration ability, which is a rare breed.
Lucas-san yelled at me saying that facing a big ogre alone was suicidal.
But it looks like he has forgotten about it.
"Who defeated it?" (Mary)
That was Mary-san just now.
"The rising rookie, Makoto! I am not gonna let you guys call him Goblin Cleaner anymore! He is the Ogre Killer!!" (Lucas)
""""Ooooh!!"""""
Cheers were raised.
Can you stop that... It's embarrassing.
This is the 3rd time this exchange has happened.
Ogre Killer is also an embarrassing nickname, so please spare me.
I was eating my skewers and watching the ruckus from afar at the usual stall.
"You are the hero today."
Boss smiles at me.
"I am tired. I want to go to sleep already." (Makoto)
I want to sleep quickly, but the place I sleep in is the rest area of the guild.
With this much of a ruckus, I wouldn't be able to sleep even if I wanted to.
I just want to sleep...
Seriously, that's a lot of mental burdens right there.
Plus the punishment I will face when, I meet Noah-sama.
(Fufu... Good thing you don't forget Makoto)
ugh. plssss. Spare me Noah-sama.
"Well, isn't it fine? Want something to drink?"
"I have been made to drink alcohol a lot today, so give me water please." (Makoto)
"Here ya go."
A glass of water comes out.
Lukewarm.
[Water Magic: Cooling]
I cool the water and drink it sparingly to keep down the alcohol.
"Hey, is this seat open?"
Someone spoke to me suddenly.
The female mage I saved not that long ago.
"If you wish to." (Makoto)
The female mage sits next to me.
Red hair and red-slanted eyes, and give out the impression of having a strong character. She is also an outstanding beauty.
And now that I look carefully, she has pointed ears.
Elf?
This girl was an elf, huh.
This is the first one I have met since coming to this world.
A classic of fantasies.
My spirit rises silently.
But the eyes and hair of this girl are red.
According to the book I read at the temple, the elves in this world have blonde or silver hair, and the color of their eyes are blue or green.
That's why she might be a different race.
I should stealthily ask Mary-san later
"Old man, any cocktails here?"
"Here ya go."
He brought out one with a ratio of soda.
"Thanks for today."
"You don't have too." (Makoto)
We clink our glasses together.
"My name is Lucy. You are my life savior, Makoto." (Lucy)
Straight to call me in my first name. Well I didn't mind it though
"You don't need to mind it. I got the reward from the guild, and I also got CP from the Gods." (Makoto)
My lifespan increased by around 1 week.
But I felt like I lost 1 week of my lifespan with that experience.
I am fine of not fighting an ogre for quite a while.
"But that was amazing. You are a bronze rank mage apprentice, right? To be able to defeat that big ogre alone." (Lucy)
"I was lucky." (Makoto)
"Compared to me, even though I can use High-Grade magic, I wasn't useful at all…" (Lucy)
So she can use High-Grade magic.
Real jealous of that.
A shame I couldn't see her magic today though.
"That's impressive. I would love to exchange your skill with mine." (Makoto)
"That's not it! My skills are strong, but I can't use them properly at all. How can I activate magic as fast as you? That was chantless, right?" (Lucy)
Not only is the firepower low, but my casting amount is low too after all.
If I don't do it chantless, it wouldn't even be worth using.
"If you reach proficiency level 50 or more, you can cast chantless." (Makoto)
"I know, but raising it all the way up there is incredibly difficult…" (Lucy)
"I began learning magic from zero for 1 year and 3 months, you know?" (Makoto)
"Huh? You are lying." (Lucy)
"No, as I have said before, I came from a parallel world." (Makoto)
"An otherworldler… A comrade of the heroes that came 1 year ago, then." (Lucy)
"No, I am not really a comrade of the heroes… They are indeed my classmates though." (Makoto)
My classmates who obtained powerful skills had become famous in the 1 year they have been here.
Many are in important posts of the many countries.
They somewhat broke the power balance of this world.
That's got nothing to do with me though.
"Otherworldlers really are amazing!" (Lucy)
Lucy's eyes sparkle.
Aah, she must be misunderstanding something here.
My stats are hella low, you know?
"U-Uhm…" (Lucy)
Lucy puts down the glass she had and holds my hand.
Normally I will supposed to be flustered but the seduction of the goddess is much higher compared to this.
Getting closer to me, she whispers.
"Can you form a party with me?" (Lucy)
Your face is close.
As a result, I ended up looking at Lucy's face from a point-blank distance.
"Your face is too closed you know?"
Realize it. she gets flustered.
"Wait, what do you mean by that?!"
The voice of someone resonates in the guild.
The priest girl that's in Jean's party.
There's also Jean beside her.
"What, Emily?" (Lucy)
"Don't 'what' me! It hasn't even been long since you joined our party!" (Emily)
"And what about it? I have no business with the party that abandoned me and ran away." (Lucy)
Woah, Lucy-san.
It seems she is holding a grudge for that time with the ogre.
Looks like I will watch a morning drama now. No it's evening, so it's evening drama.
"Hey, Lucy, I am sorry for what I did. I just couldn't save the both of you together." (Jean)
"That's because you two are a thing, right? I don't need an unreliable leader." (Lucy)
Lucy outright rejects the apology of Jean.
"You, who do you think you are?!" (Emily)
Emily went at Lucy as if she was going to jump her at any moment.
"Shut up, you bitch. You got uneasy since the time I joined the party, so you seduced Jean and slept with him, right? You two do disappear every night together." (Lucy)
"Don't say such nonsense!" (Emily)
Ooh… You are in a public you know?
This is way too intense of a talk.
Jean was looking at the two flustered.
His not going to stop them? looks like his not.
"Ooi, what is all this racket?"
"What, a fight?"
Lucas-san came.
Mary-san, too.
"No, this an evening drama." (Makoto)
"What is that?" The boss asked in confusion.
"Okay okay, Emily and Lucy, make some distance." (Mary)
Mary-san seems to be used to this kind of happenings in the guild, she quickly moved in between them.
"Jean, didn't you have something to say to Makoto?" (Lucas)
Hm? Really?
When I looked at Jean, he fidgeted without meeting my gaze.
What is it?
Confessing your love?
I'm not swinging that way you know?
"I-I am sorry! Thank you for saving me, Makoto!" (Jean)
He lowered his head deeply.
"Aah, it is okay." (Makoto)
I don't really mind it.
And the one I save is not you.
I think he could have escaped just fine alone.
"What a good guy…" (Jean)
Don't look at me with those moved eyes, it troubles me.
"Makoto-san! I thank you too. Please forgive what Jean said." (Emily)
Even the priest Emily-san apologized.
"Makoto, insult them! These useless bunch!" (Lucy)
"You shut up, Lucy!" (Emily)
Right.
Lucy-san, the boomerang is stabbed in your head, you know?
"Makoto, about the matter with Jean, are you fine with this?" (Lucy)
"Rather than being fine or not, I didn't even mind it in the first place." (Makoto)
More like I don't even care.
The only thing I care about is Noah-sama.
(You are being cheeky right now Makoto!)
Isn't it fine Noah-sama? it is true after all.
(Uwahh...)
Hmm? it is the goddess? I'm a bit drunk so my head is a mess right now.
"Well, if you don't, then that's okay. Get along as newcomers from now on, please", is what Lucas-san says to wrap this up.
"With this, the matter with Jean is okay now. By the way, Lucy." (Lucas)
Lucas-san faces the direction of Lucy.
"W-What?" (Lucy)
"Are you going to form a party with Makoto?" (Lucas)
"T-That's right!" (Lucy)
She answers with her chest puffed out.
Hmm?
[RPG Player] shows me the options.
[Will you accept Lucy into your party?]
Yes
No ←
Hmm, this is sudden…
'Lucy-san is a beauty, but wouldn't she get disillusioned once she sees my skills and stats?' Is the kind of negative thought that surfaced in my head.
Would not accepting her be the rational choice here?
"Makoto, are you forming a party?" Lucas-san asks.
"I was thinking about continuing solo." (Makoto)
"Eh?! N-No way…" (Lucy)
Lucy screams.
"Haha! Rejected~." (Emily)
Emily makes a nice smile as she pokes fun at Lucy.
Hey, Emily-san…can you please not?
"W-Why?! Am I no good?" (Lucy)
I don't know about you that much to even be able to point out a why.
But it seems like Lucas-san is the ally of Lucy here.
"Makoto, I think it is gonna be rough to continue as a solo mage apprentice from here on, you know." (Lucas)
"I will be taking it slow. I am fine staying as a Bronze Rank for a while." (Makoto)
"No, the ogre you defeated today isn't something a Bronze can defeat…" (Lucas)
"Also, I am a mage apprentice with low stats. You will definitely be disappointed, Lucy." (Makoto)
Saying this, I take out my Soul Book and show it to her.
"Eh?! What's with these stats?!" (Lucy)
"M-Makoto, you were working as an adventurer with stats like this…? You can't even swing a sword with this…" (Jean)
"Eh…? Mana: 3? A commoner?" (Emily)
Well yeah.... I'm used to this reaction.
but Mary-san here is grinning happily.
"See? Awful stats, right? And yet, Makoto-kun is doing his best." (Mary)
Mary-san pats my head.
It sounds like you are consoling me, but you are also ridiculing me there, you know.
"No Strength, no Endurance, no Mana; only his magic proficiency is abnormally high", is what Lucas-san said while drinking his beer.
"Eeeh?! Magic proficiency: 96?! H-He is crazy…" (Lucy)
Lucy is looking at me as if I am some sort of lunatic.
How rude.
"I have little mana to use, so I have no choice but to come up with ways to use it effectively." (Makoto)
I have been pouring my soul into training my proficiency in this 1 year after all.
"That's why you had to lure the ogre all the way to a water source, huh." (Jean)
Jean says this as if impressed.
"That's how it is, Lucy-san. Go find someone else." (Makoto)
"W-Wait! I don't mind it!" (Lucy)
Oh? Even though I showed her my stats, she is not backing down?
Normally people do a disappointing face and then walk away.
"Rethink it please, Makoto. My [Fire Magic: Monarch Grade] will definitely be of use", is what Lucy continues with.
"Monarch Grade? That's impressive." (Makoto)
I don't think there were that many among my classmates who had that grade.
Must be quite a rare skill.
"Hmm…" (Makoto)
I ponder.
Honestly speaking, since the time I was training at the Water Temple, I had given up on having a party.
I have been looked down on a plenty lot after all.
I was prepared to go solo for the rest of my life.
"Aren't there a whole lot of parties that would want you to join them?" (Makoto)
A Monarch Skill mage.
I feel like there's many who would desire to have someone like that.
Lucy averts her gaze.
"N-No, you see, when you are as wanted as me, you get to decide who you want to join a party with." (Lucy)
"What are you saying? Aren't you famous for being a troublemaker that gets kicked out of every party in less than a month?" (Emily)
Emily throws in a remark from the side.
"You have been really noisy for a while now!" (Lucy)
"It is the truth though!" (Emily)
Lucy and Emily were going 'hiisssss!' Like a cat trying to intimidate.
"Okaay, you two, let's drink over here, okay?" (Mary)
Mary-san moved Jean and Emily elsewhere.
Thanks, Mary-san.
"This girl, even though her skills are strong, she still cannot use them well." (Lucas)
Lucas-san adds.
"She can't seem to settle in any party, but I feel like if it is with you Makoto, it will be okay." (Lucas)
Isn't the balance of the party is bad?
"I am a mage apprentice though?" (Makoto)
"It is okay! Let's train together!" (Lucy)
Lucy says powerfully.
Train together as mages, huh.
That does sound nice.
In the Water Temple, my surroundings were all elementary school children so it didn't really feel like I was training with comrades.
The option appears again.
[Will you accept Lucy into your party?]
Yes
No ←
Eh?
Didn't I choose No just a few moments ago?
Are these choices just to set the mood?
H-How useless.
"Isn't it okay? Try forming a party and see how it goes." (Lucas)
"Right right. You should mingle more with other adventurers, you know." (Mary)
Mary-san had returned and advised me.
"Makoto, having comrades is important, you know?"
Even Boss chimed in.
So I ask my goddess.
Noah-sama what do you think?
Hmm? no response.
hah.... can't be helped.
This is an atmosphere where I can't refuse.
Aah, this must be that.
It happens a lot in games too.
A forced event.
I look at Lucy once again.
A female mage with a strong personality and big slanted eyes.
Even when taking a quick look around the guild, she would still land as a top-class beauty.
Owner of the strong Fire Magic: Monarch.
I don't know if I can help her.
Well for now, let's see where is this going.
[RPG Player] once again prompts me.
[Will you accept Lucy into your party?]
Yes
No ←
(Haah, I get it already. ) (Makoto)
I offer my right hand to Lucy.
"Looking forward to working with you." (Makoto)
"Same here!" (Lucy)
Lucy grabs my hand with strength and shows a wide smile.
And in this way, I obtained my first comrade since coming to this world.