"Ah, the promising rookie goblin cleaner is back.
"You must work hard every day to find the right fish.
Sometimes you gotta go after the big ones.
No, he's The Sorcerer-in-Residence.
And it's a solo act.
'There's no such thing as an apprentice wizard solo.
You've got it, right here.
""Ha ha ha"
　As soon as I returned to the Adventurer's Guild, I was greeted with a flurry of questions.

　How did this happen?



　◇



　It has been three months since I became an adventurer.

　On my first quest, I was able to successfully deliver a horn rabbit.
　As an added bonus, I reported the defeat of five goblins.

　Then I asked the guild sister, "What?　I can't believe it," he said.
　He scolded me for being even more reckless.

　I didn't mean to overstep my bounds, though.
　Feeling better for having surprised the guild staff, I continued to hunt goblins the next day.
　The goblin settlement I found was wiped out over the next two weeks.

　This made a bit of news in the Adventurer's Guild.
　They asked me where the goblin settlement was located, and when I told them that it was near the Demon Forest, they agreed with me.
　There were always a lot of goblins near the Devil's Forest.

　However, the Demon Forest is too dangerous for the Stone rank.
　He warned me not to be too reckless, as he would make me a Bronze rank sooner or later.
　They thought I was being reckless because I wanted to raise my adventurer rank.

　My goal was to 'level up' and 'extend my life span'.
　I don't focus on adventurer ranks.
　Even if you raise your adventurer rank, other adventurers will make fun of you for being an apprentice wizard....

　As your level goes up, your status goes up.
　Physical strength, muscular strength and magic power.
　The higher your status, the harder it is for you to get injured, which is a necessary part of being an adventurer.
　In order to survive, leveling up is a must.

　Goblins are dangerous monsters that attack people, so you'll be glad to know that you can accumulate "contribution points" if you defeat them.
　Horned rabbits and large rats don't earn points.

The more "contribution points" you accumulate, the longer your life expectancy will be.
　My lifespan is still less than 10 years.
　I'll just have to earn them.

　Leveling up is fun.
The moment you see the Book of Souls and level up, you'll get excited.

　Goblin hunting is a lot easier once you get used to it.
　There's little risk and you can level up steadily.
　I found goblins near the Devil's Forest and hunted them all over the place.
　The result is a goblin cleaner (Goblin Cleaner), which is the two names

　It's not cool.
　I could've used a cooler name.

"Hey, guys, let's give the goblin hunting some credit. You're doing fine, all by yourself.
Well, you should invite him to the party.
''Oh, come on, where would you use an apprentice who can only use water magic techniques?
'Totally. Hahaha.

　I can hear the bad conversations.
　Ignore it.

"General, assorted skewers.
Yeah.
　He sat down on a bench in front of a spit roast stall in the guild and ordered from the stall owner.

''Would you like a drink?''
Apple and soda.
　In this restaurant, I usually order skewers and sake.
　But I don't like to drink alcohol.
　I always have a soft drink.

And onigiri.
Yeah.
　We nibbled on the salty rice balls while waiting for the skewers to cook.
　The rice is a little harder than Japanese rice.

　The smell of burning sauce tickles my nostrils as it sizzles in front of me.
　There are many other yakitori stalls in the guild, but this one is my favorite.
　The taste is similar to Japanese yakitori.
　I heard that this flavor was introduced by a man from another world long ago.
　This otherworldly person must have been from Japan.

Kushiyaki assortment.
　A set of five skewers is placed in front of you.
　The meat is a horned rabbit from the Great Forest.

　The very first quest order was placed by this restaurant.
　They've been a regular customer since then.
　The plump thighs, flavored with sweet and spicy sauce, are grilled on skewers.
　The juices of the meat spread in my mouth.

"Delicious.
Thanks. By the way, how was the hunt today?
　The general is a familiar face and openly conversational.

'Twenty-two goblins and five horned rabbits, I think. I told him to put the meat in this shop.'
I'm always sorry, Makoto. I'll pay for the drinks for free.
　It's just another routine exchange.

But you never get tired of hunting goblins. What's your level?
I think I was about 14, maybe, and I'll hang on until I get to 20.
He's a funny guy. Level 20 means you're a mid-level adventurer, right?　When I was........

　The general here used to be an adventurer and his level is over 40.
　He used to be a warrior, but retired after injuring his leg.
　He is now the captain of a spit-roasted restaurant.
　He occasionally tells me stories about his adventuring days, which is very informative.

'Oh, it's a lot of fun. General, serve ale and appropriate spit-roast.
Yeah. Lucas, you're back.
　A big warrior-like man sat down next to me.

We're going to the Great Keith to slay the sand dragons. You are not allowed to drink on the way. The reward is good, but it was hard for me. Hey, haven't seen you in a while, Makoto.
It's only been five days. Thank you for your help.
Cheers. Phew, what a treat.
　Lucas is a veteran McAllen adventurer with a rank of gold.

　He and the general are old friends.
　And he's also a mentor to the newcomers.
　He taught me a lot at first.

''Anyway, it's about time for Makoto to try dungeons and such, isn't it?　You're close to level 15.
'When I reach level 20, I'm going to try a newbie dungeon nearby.
The proper level over there is about 10-12........
I'm weak, you know. I'll be very careful.
　I'm sure I'm not saying anything strange, but the General and Lucas look at each other.

'What the hell, you rookie,'
Nothing to note from a veteran.
　All right, I'll be discreet.

Oh, you've been drinking. Gentlemen.
　A beautiful blonde sister interrupts between me and Lucas-san.

'Good evening, Marie. You're off work?
Jesus, don't you dare interrupt me, Marie.

　Marie is the sister of the receptionist at the Adventurer's Guild.
　She has many opportunities to meet with them when they ask for quests.
　She likes to take care of newcomers.

　She's also an incomparable drinker, and after work, she always goes to the guild to drink.
　Thanks to this, I've been getting tangled up with her on a daily basis.
　I don't drink, I just eat my dinner.

'I'll have an ale. And roast some vegetables properly!
Okay.
So long, sweetheart. It's a very special drink after work.

'Oh, Marie. Why don't you go make a man and go to a fancy bar instead of drinking in this dirty little stall?
What?　Mr. Lucas!　You know the hard work of the Adventurer's Guild receptionist!　I don't have time to make a man. Pops, another one.
Marie, you're pacing yourself too fast.
　She's a beautiful woman when she's not talking.
　When she's drinking, Marie-san is as good a drinker as any adventurer.

'Ah, Makoto-kun!　Drink that juice again. I got paid so much today, so I need to drink a pint.
Oh, come on, what's a guild employee supposed to do that?
　The general gasps.

'I do have a drink once in a while,'
　In this country, you can drink from the age of 13.
　So drinking is not a problem, but ... I don't really like drinking.
　The first time I drank ale it was just bitter, and the first time I drank fire liquor on the rocks I spat it out in a huff.

　The only thing I can drink is a cocktail with apple soda.
　I decided to limit myself to one drink because I get drunk easily.
　I don't have to force myself to drink it, but Lucas told me that if I'm an adventurer and can't drink, I'll get licked, he said.

'Why is that sometimes?'
I guess it's a reward for my hard work. Also, drinking in moderation is an effective way to reduce stress.
　I'm not really stressed out about it, though.
　I'm very happy with the levels that have been going up lately.

'Hey, Marie. Did you hear that?
Well, that's a good one. Hey, chief, I'll have another one.
I do. You know, you don't have to drink every day. That's not for me to say.
How can she be so solid for such a young girl? It's not pretty, Uriuriuri.
　They put me in a headlock.

　Marie's large breasts hit her back.
　Aww!
Activate Clear Water Skills!
　Be cool, be cool.

　By the way, Marie is popular within the adventurer's guild.
　Because of that, she feels the jealous eyes of the other adventurers.
　Many of them include the adventurers who have just made wild comments to me.

''Tch,'' ''That bastard,'' ''You mongrel wizard.''
　I can hear those vindictive voices.
　It's not my fault.

'You're too drunk, Marie,'
I'm not drunk yet. It's just the beginning.
　He hugged me from behind!

"Twenty-two goblins today... Well done, well done.
　He holds me in his arms and nuzzles my head.
　Marie has a lot of body touch when she's drunk.
　Because of this, it's easy to mislead your partner and there are numerous adventurers who fall in love with her.
　She's a demonic woman.

　But!　I'm a man who has endured the temptation of a goddess.
　I'm not going to be upset by this.

　---- Mu Mu Mu.

　Something fluffy is pressed against my back.
　Dude, don't get upset!
　Oh, soft....


'Ha!　You're a goblin hunter and you act all high and mighty.


　I heard such a voice.
　I turned around and saw a man in a young warrior outfit standing there.
　He was a rookie adventurer named Jean, right?

　It seems he became an adventurer about six months ago.
　His current rank is bronze.
　It's said to be quite a speedy promotion in half a year.
　But he doesn't seem to like the fact that I've been an adventurer for 'three months' and I've become famous, so he gets tangled up with me from time to time.

It's a good idea to be friendly with each other as newbies. It's a good idea to be friendly with other newbies.
Mr. Lucas!　Why don't you keep me practicing these days!
'I'll take care of you while you're at Stone rank, but I treat you as one of the guys above Bronze rank.
No, Jang. You're a quiet boy, don't you think?
　I'm not scared.

　No, I'm not sure.
　There are two people standing behind Jean, a wizard and a monk.
　It's a party of three.
　To be honest, one on three is scary, so let's keep it quiet.

''It's fine. He's an apprentice wizard, right?　I don't think 'Intermediate Swordsman' Jean would care about that, right?
　The one who approached Jean was a red-haired wizard girl.
　She's wearing very revealing clothes.
　She's a flamboyant beauty.

''Yes, you're going to quickly complete the defeat quest and aim for the Iron rank, right?
　is a monk girl.
　This one is a pretty girl with a little baby face.
　There are a lot of women.
　A harem party........

　Keke!
　The man would shut up and go it alone (solo).

'Oh, the quest to defeat!　What are you dealing with?
　Lucas-san changed the subject.

'We're going to take out the ogre!　I heard a traveler saw him recently.
Ho!　A bronze-class party, and an ogre. It's a rite of passage. Good luck!
'Yes!　I'll show you what I can do!　Hey, Mako!　I'll be the first one to get to the Iron Rank!
　He said no and left.

　The monk girl gave me an apologetic bow.
　The monk girl is a good girl.
　The wizard girl doesn't seem to be interested in us.

'What do you care?
　Marie comforts me.
　No, I don't mind that at all, do you?

I'll take my time.
　Tomorrow, we're just going to take down another goblin on a daily basis.

'I'm telling you, taking down 22 goblins, all by myself, in one day, is not what I would call my own pace.
　Mr. Lucas tweaks me.

　It's okay, it's my pace.
　Let's do it this way for a while.



　Yeah.


　--The next day in the Great Forest.

　On the way back from hunting goblins.

　Today's harvest was 20 goblins.
　I was also thinking about hunting a horn rabbit on the way home and delivering it to the general's shop.
　Can-can-can!　And loudly, the siren of the 'Danger Detection' skill rang out, in my head.

　A dangerous demon?
The covert skills are in play.
　It's okay, I'm not supposed to be found.
　Quietly, I'm just looking around.

　There's ... something ... there.
　About 50 meters away, something that looks like a giant human shadow was reflected in the fog.
　Is it a stray ogre?
　It's stocky and humanoid, with what looks like horns on its head.

　Just ....too huge?

　The average ogre is about 2 to 3 meters tall, and this one is over 5 meters tall.
　This one is over 5 meters tall.
　Every time I walked, I heard a heavy thumping sound and my feet trembled.

　Normally, there would be other demons around here, but right now, there's no sign of them at all.
　They're all gone.
　This isn't going to work for the horned rabbit.
　Let's go home to report to the guild.
　Quietly, just as we were about to leave the place.

'Kyaaaah!'
　I heard a woman scream.

'Shit!　This guy!
　I can hear the man yelling.

(Somebody's being attacked!)

　It looks like adventurers are confronting the ogre.
　A swordsman, a wizard and a monk.
　They are young.
　They don't look like seasoned adventurers.

"Or is it them?
　It was Jean's party that got involved yesterday.
　They were talking about going to defeat the ogre, but it looks like they're in trouble.

　I'd like to say "Suck it up", but it's not safe for me to get involved either.
We'll stay undercover.

You're going to run, right?

　The iron rule for adventurers - 'Value your life'.

　If an enemy stronger than you appears, just run!
　When I was in Stonelunk, Mr. Lucas warned me a lot.
　They should be the same.

(The wizard kid and the monk kid are confused.)
　Maybe it's because of fear, or maybe it's impatience, but I haven't been able to escape well.
　The ogre is about to catch up to me.

Emily!
　Jean ran with the monk girl's hand.

'Hey!　I am!
　The wizard girl screams.
　Apparently, Jean is very important to the monk girl.

(It's so worldly!)
　Oh, the wizard's child has fallen.
　An ogre approaches.

That's not good.


"Do you want to help the girl who is a wizard?

　Yes, sir.
　No.



"RPG Player Skills" will show you the options.

　Hey, hey.
　For all intents and purposes, isn't it too much to ask for a "Bronze Rank" adventurer who is "learning to be a wizard"?

　I heard the Goddess' voice in my head.
(Abandon me.)

　Simple instructions.
　But it makes sense.
　Maybe I'm no match for that ogre.
　But...


Do you want to save the witch's girl?

　Yes, sir.
　No.


　The choices are tickling and glowing.
　Yeah, this is annoying!
　Hey, give me a break!
　It's not worth dying for!

Hey. Hey. Hey, get away from me.
　The wizard girl is hunched over.
　The ogre is just around the corner.

　Jean says to the wizard girl, "Quick, run! I am screaming.
　The monk girl presses her mouth down and makes a sad face.
　No.
　I didn't have time to worry about it.

'No, no!　Help!
　In the futility of the wizard's child's cry, a huge ogre's (ogre) hand reaches out.
　Oh, God!

"Water Magic Ice Cutter!

　I unleashed my magic.
　An ice blade stabbed into both of the demon's (ogre) eyes.
　Gaaaaaah!　And the ogre(ogre) screamed, holding his eyes and suffering.

　I intervened between the ogre(ogre) and the wizard girl, and I held my goddess' dagger at the ready.

'Hey, get out of here!'
'Yeah, uh, yeah?'
　The girl still looked confused, so I helped her get up and run away.

(Hey, oh, I won't forgive you if you die.)
　I can hear Goddess-sama's dumbfounded voice.

　.........Yes, I'll do my best. Goddess-sama.

　In front of me is a huge demon demon that is over 5 meters tall.

I set the 'Meikyomisui' skill to 99% and silently held my dagger at the ready.