One day after arriving in the port city of Coola.
　After leaving Coola early in the morning and traveling for a full day, we finally made it back to the town of Pejo.

'You're late!　What are you doing?　Don't you worry!

　I haven't seen Sylvia in about a week and her mood is descending to the level where the ground approach warning system is activated. I'll have to manage to get it to rise: ......

Sendo!

　And before I could do that, Eco hugged me. I pet his head and he pats me on the cheek. It's totally a dog. I'm a cat.

'Oh no, sorry. Is there a problem?

　I apologize for now.

'I'm not sorry!　I've got problems!　I can't tell you how many times I've tried to communicate with you!

　I'm in an even worse mood.
　Aha! ...... It was not good enough that I told him not to communicate with me except in an emergency because it was too depressing. I thought there was no problem, but it seemed to be a big problem.

What happened?
"At my parents' house--hmm?　Wait a minute.

　I notice something when Sylvia is about to say it. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Yukari standing diagonally behind me.

'............'
............

　They stare at each other in silence. They are talking to each other with their eyes as if they have something in common. Why is the air a little tense?

...... Alright, we need to have a little woman to woman chat. Lord Second, go over there.
Is ......?

　Without question, Sylvia took Yukari and Eco with her and started talking in private.
　Occasionally Sylvia's heated voice could be heard, but Yukari also seems to be getting slightly heated up, which is unusual for Yukari, and the three of them seem to be having a good time chatting together. Is this what you hear about as a girl's party? Well, I've never heard of a girl's party before.

"Don't think you've won with this.
Hmm, it's a little different in age than you.
'Isn't the answer that we've been together that long and haven't made any progress?
'Guh!　No!　That verbal attack works on me!

　Yeah, it's the kind of thing you're supposed to get along and fight with. I'm glad Yukari is joining us and we'll get along just fine.

Where's Sensei?

　Eco asks. Yeah, of what?

It's getting late, so I'm not going to the dungeon today.
Okay.

　That sounds a bit disappointing. Do you think Eco likes dungeons?

Well, let's get a strategy session over dinner.

　I said, and walked off to my usual inn.
　Eco said, "Yeah! He nodded and lined up beside me, hand in hand with me. Silvia and Yukari follow behind me, bickering this and that.

　A new day for us has begun.



"At any rate, it's about gaining experience.

　I declare my plan, plain and simple.
　Sylvia opens her mouth as the drink comes in and she becomes jovial.

'What about Yukari?'

　It's like we've already called each other names. Good.

''I'll gain experience for Yukari until my blacksmithing skills reach the ninth level. After that, I'll focus on blacksmithing.
Thank you.

　Yukari thanked her a little apologetically.
　'Never mind,' Sylvia said, pouring the wine into Yukari's glass.

'By the way, Master. Have you already decided on a team name?''

　Yukari said that as she poured it back to Sylvia and then poured it into my glass as well.
　The name of the team. I had forgotten all about it because of the f*cking transfer incident.

'Come to think of it, we hadn't decided yet.
'Mmm!　Listen to my idea!
Dismissed.
I haven't told you yet!

　We know Sylvia's naming sense is well and truly in the brown white silver issue. It doesn't look promising.

'Well then, Sylvia, let me ask you instead.
'Mmm!　I am a blood knight--
Staap!

　Look out!　I don't know, but it sounds dangerous!

...... Um, we're not knights, so that's inappropriate.
Really?　Okay. ......

　Sylvia is depressed that she seriously thought it was a good idea. 'So how about the Knights of Zero?' I gave him a glass of wine to shut him up. Now it's dangerous.

'Well, how about this then?'
Hmm?
"A band of S-squadrons with the sole purpose of achieving greatness in the world. "The S.O.S. Squad for short.
Why are you guys so eager to attack the edge?

　What do you got against me?

Okay, let's let Eco decide.

Zzzz.

　He's asleep.

　I'll think of something.
　Name.... Name... .......

Hmm... ...... "First Test Team. That'll do for now.

　I don't know if there's a word for firstest, but if you emphasize "first" a lot, it will be easy to understand that it's the world's number one. I'm proud of the fact that I'll be the first to be ranked the best in the world. I'm also proud of the fact that it's called "BEST". It's good for speed.

That's a bit of an embarrassing name if you're not number one on .......
It's okay. We'll be number one in the world.

　We got drunk and decided on a random team name. Well, such a name in the world is mostly decided in a pub. We don't have to worry about it. Momentum is the key to this kind of thing.

What's important is to be number one in the world. The thing is, it's not about the name. Understand?
Yes, master is right.

　I feel better with Yukari's drink, and I roll the kudzu endlessly. Yukari's expression is indifferent, but she counters with a smile.

　This is how the night ended.



　The next day.
　After giving Silvia, who was moaning about her headache, an antidote potion, we headed to our usual Grade B dungeon, the Limptofert.

　The Limptofert dungeon after a long time is still good. What's good about it is that I can beat it easily and get gapo-gapo experience. Yukari's Blacksmithing Skill 9-dan would probably take less than a month at this pace.

　I glance over at the person in question.

''............''

　Yukari was immensely impressed with the scene in front of her.

'What's going on?'
No, no, ...... I didn't expect this much.

　He looks unusually upset.

'Hmm?'
　I suddenly remembered. Come to think of it, I hadn't checked Yukari's skill rank yet.
　I used my team master privileges to take a peek at Yukari's skill column.

''Ah, .......''
　That makes sense. And lucky.

　Among Yukari's skills, only two of them have reached the rank of [Archery]'s [Infantry Archery] 1st Dan and [Assassination]'s [Gui Ma Assassination] 1st Dan. The others were all kyu-dan levels. I wonder how he was able to serve as an assassin with that, but after thinking about it, since he doesn't assassinate skilled adventurers or vicious demons, he probably doesn't need such a high skill rank.

　That would surprise me. He probably wouldn't have imagined that a B grade demon would be knocked down in front of his eyes with a clatter. A high grade skill is still that powerful.

　What's more, what's lucky is Yukari's 'growth potential'. She hadn't been able to raise her skills as much as she had expected, so it was easier to gain experience than she had expected. This seems to be able to develop to the extent that it can be described as a 'second-rate blacksmith at the end of the day' in a few weeks rather than a month.

''Yukari. If you grow into a first-class blacksmith and create powerful weapons and enhance your equipment, you can easily go around not only the second grade, but even the first grade like this. The world's number one ranking will be a lot closer. I'm asking for it.

　When I called out to her, Yukari bowed neatly, "Sir," and then opened her mouth.

''I, along with my master, will aim to be the best in the world. The best blacksmith in the world.

　Seeing her smiling at me, I sincerely thought to myself, "I'm glad to have you as a friend.