“Expelled…? Hey, what did you do?”
“Because Ed found out that I started exploring the forest, today I took some of the party’s funds and bought an accessory that was simply cute, nothing more.”
Trying to risk Blaze’s anger just to meet up with me… Could it be that this girl is actually a bit unhinged? Shuddering at the thought, I asked her for more details. Elena had apparently been intentionally holding back and not putting in much effort in the party, with the intent of leaving eventually. She would pretend to get tired quickly when outside, lower the power of her magic, frequently pretend to oversleep and show up late for gatherings, and deliberately dawdle during meals to delay their departure.
And yet, Blaze had kept her in the party because of her reputation as a “Sage.”
But with the right excuse… even she could be expelled.
Elena continued to explain that Blaze, having expelled her, replaced her with a promising female adventurer from a new party they had recently been collaborating with.
Still, embezzling party funds, huh?
For all his faults, Blaze has at least enough common sense to kick out an ill-mannered, clueless village girl from the party.
“Lucky you got away unscathed.”
Blaze, having grown up in a poor village, must understand the importance of money.
In a village, theft could even result in the heavy penalty of losing a hand.
“Oh, I definitely got hit a lot. But I went to the church to get healed before coming to see Ed, so there are no injuries.”
She must have straightened her clothes too; in a place like this, showing up visibly disheveled would lead not only to being turned away but possibly even being reported to the guards.
Noticing her appearance, Elena, as if just realizing, hurriedly continued speaking to me.
“I’ll work hard in Ed’s party. I won’t touch the money. I’ll be on time. I won’t hold back at all. So—”
“Yeah, I trust you on that. The fact that you’re able to sit here eating with me means you know how to put in effort.”
I’d already spent a month staying at this hotel, sometimes sharing meals with the other guests. Some were merchants, noblewomen, lower-ranked nobles, or officials. I learned from these meals that I wasn’t displeased by their company.
And dining with Elena… didn’t feel unpleasant either.
In other words, what I mean is that I can’t be fooled by shallow manners.
Elena had learned a level of etiquette for my sake, manners that went beyond what was expected of a typical city dweller.
For someone who can eat properly, I give major credit.
I give that credit because I’m someone who’s already experienced killing in bandit suppression and kept Blaze around to care for Cotton, even though he’s fundamentally disagreeable to me.
Although I do wonder if Blaze, who’s used to eating with beast-like adventurers at the guild, still manages to maintain manners that I can tolerate.
This is another reason I give credit to Elena.
Elena honed a skill that she might never use in her life, simply because it was for me.
It’s true devotion, real effort, unlike Cotton, who would just keep forgetting no matter how much time I spent teaching her.
(Manners are a skill too. If you don’t use them, they rust and fade.)
One of the reasons I moved my base here so quickly was security. But it was also to avoid staying at low-grade inns where I’d pick up the adventurers’ rough manners, tainting the proper etiquette the priest had taught me.
Sure, if I had a secondary profession like “Butler,” I could automatically acquire etiquette skills.
But I have no intention of choosing “Butler” or “Noble” as my second sub-job when it’s time to unlock it.
(Of course, I could gain them from monster skills like “Etiquette” or “Noble Manner,” though.)
However, if I tried to take on a vampire noble—the type of monster that drops those skills—I’d be killed instantly. They’re far more fearsome than dragons.
“Elena. I don’t mind you stealing from Blaze’s party. If you steal from me, I’ll just expel you. But if there’s something you want, just say it. Money is something I can always earn. Don’t hesitate.”
As I spoke, I observed Elena closely.
The gray-haired girl looks at me, seeming tense.
(Hmm. Well, it makes sense she wouldn’t let her guard down here.)
She’s waiting for me to give a definite answer.
I’ve spoken in a way that suggests acceptance, but I haven’t explicitly said I’d accept Elena yet.
(Her face… with a little grooming, she could easily be called a beauty. It makes sense she has the ‘Sage’ skill.)
The ‘Hero’ Blaze was accompanied by the ‘Saint,’ ‘Sword Saint,’ and ‘Sage.’ This isn’t mere coincidence. They were chosen by the gods.
One of the settings for the ‘Hero’ class includes the arrival of party members chosen to protect the Hero.
(Still, the fact that Elena is able to leave on her own like this means it’s not such a binding setting.)
So, it’s clear Cotton wasn’t brainwashed by the gods into leaving me.
Besides, Cotton chose the ‘Saint’ class of her own free will.
(Here I am, thinking about Cotton again. She rejected me. I need to forget.)
I push away the face of my ex-girlfriend that keeps flashing in my mind—wait… but.
Hmm?
So, the ‘Sage’ who was supposed to protect the ‘Hero’ has left.
—Will Blaze be okay?
Though it’s odd for me to worry, considering I was trying to recruit the ‘Saint’ myself. But still, I wonder.
(That said, it’s not like having the ‘Sage’ is essential to clearing the story.)
There’s a dungeon where you can get the strongest equipment for the ‘Sage,’ but it’s optional. You can skip it and still defeat the final boss.
(Story? Does a story even exist in this world?)
I’ve lived grounded in this world, but I’ve never felt anything like a predetermined path or the hand of fate pushing me along.
The strangest occurrence I can think of is that Blaze, supposedly untalented, somehow became a ‘Hero.’ But looking at history, ‘Heroes’ are not all that rare, and several other ‘Heroes’ exist in Blaze’s generation.
Most likely, Blaze tried to mimic me, doing all sorts of things just to get girls to like him.
Incidentally, ‘Hero’ was also available as an option for my class.
The reason I act as if I’m in a completely open, free-scenario mode is precisely because of that.
A long silence falls between us.
Perhaps getting impatient, Elena speaks up in a flustered tone.
“Ed? So… will you let me join your party?”
Prompted by her question, I nod with an “Ah,” and say, “Join my party, Elena,” clearly and directly. She smiles, her cheeks relaxing, and softly whispers, “Yes,” with a small note of joy in her voice.
“However, I’ll treat you as my woman. If that’s all right with you.”
When I say this, Elena blushes with delight and nods, saying, “Of course.”
