In the end, Mile confessed that he was genuinely curious about the inner workings of the Rock Golem, thinking that if he could figure out a weakness, it might make it easier to defeat. His curiosity had gotten the better of him.
"Idiot. If that's the case, you should have said so from the start. We could have investigated together," Reina said. After that, the four of them tried to break open the Rock Golem's torso, but found that it was made entirely of rock, and they couldn't discover any particular weakness. However, they did find a round, metal-like object inside, which Mile put in his item box.
The next morning, despite having been up late the previous night, the three of them had gone to bed early enough to get a good night's sleep and were full of energy. Three of them, that is... except for Mile.
Mile had been unable to sleep because of the Golem from the previous night and another matter that was bothering him. The reason he had gone to investigate the Golem was largely because he couldn't sleep. So, what was it that had been bothering him so much...?
(Am I really that tough?)
Until now, in mock battles, he had always tried to avoid being hit because he didn't like the pain. When he intentionally lost, he would take weak attacks on the well-armored parts of his body. This often led to his intentional losses being seen through.
Thanks to these efforts and ingenuity, he had rarely, if ever, felt pain.
(Really...? I've never felt pain during sword or spear training?)
The damage from the Rock Lizard's tail strike and being slammed into the rocks during the morning battle.
He had made up excuses, but in reality, he hadn't blocked the attacks with his sword, hadn't jumped back to absorb the impact, and hadn't used wind magic to cushion his landing. He had taken everything head-on.
However, he had taken no damage. He had barely felt any pain, as if he had been given a local anesthetic, where he could feel the touch but not the pain.
(If that's the case, all my efforts to avoid pain have been for nothing!)
No, the problem wasn't that.
(Just how tough is my body...? At least as tough as a dragon's... and if there are even tougher creatures, then... )
He remembered that since his awakening, he hadn't even gotten a scratch. He worried that if this were discovered, he might not be treated as human, or worse, be used as a research subject. He even thought about the scary idea of using himself as a weapon to smash the Rock Golem. These thoughts kept him up all night.
The four of them finished their breakfast of crispy Rock Lizards and soup, then broke down their camp. Breaking down camp was simple, as they only needed to put their belongings in Mile's storage and clean up the fire pit, which didn't take long.
While their diet of crispy Rock Lizards lacked nutritional balance, they couldn't be picky while camping. The Rock Lizard meat tasted like chicken, wasn't too fatty, and was quite delicious.
"Alright, let's head back to the capital!"
"Yay!"
With Reina's command, they all responded and finally set off on their return journey. Despite the various events, they had successfully completed their first expedition and made a good profit from hunting beyond the mission requirements. They decided to take on more challenging jobs, not just beginner C-rank missions, and everyone's mood was bright.
Mavis was excited about the prospect of more meaningful battles, Pauline was smiling at the thought of more lucrative jobs, Reina seemed in a good mood but was also deep in thought, and Mile was pondering how to explain his toughness and the unconventional magic he had used to escape danger.
The journey back to the capital would take two days.
They camped in the same spot as on the way there. Although it was still a bit early, a familiar location increased their chances of survival in case of an emergency. Even a small difference could mean the difference between life and death, so there was no reason to lower their chances of survival.
After dinner, Reina brought up the topic.
"About last night...
I want all of you to gain experience in real combat, not just training, but actual life-or-death situations."
"Wh-what...?"
Reina continued, addressing the surprised trio.
"From now on, we'll be taking on guard missions. Even without those, a small party of young women is always at risk of being targeted by bandits, rogue hunters, or even active hunters who commit crimes. In such situations, a moment's hesitation can cost you your life.
Not just for yourself, but if your hesitation leads to a decrease in combat effectiveness or someone being taken hostage, how will you take responsibility?"
The three of them fell silent at Reina's words.
"But, can't we just incapacitate them without killing them?"
"Only when there's a huge skill gap can you afford to do that. For example, if we're B-rank and they're D-rank or lower. Even then, a moment's carelessness can lead to unexpected mistakes. What do you think, Mavis?"
Reina turned to Mavis after Pauline's question.
"True, in a normal fight, a slight skill advantage usually means a higher chance of winning. But when you're trying to capture someone who's trying to kill you, it's much harder, even with a significant skill gap. If they realize your intentions, it becomes hopeless. Knowing you won't kill them, they can focus on attacking without worrying about defense. That's a dangerous situation.
I won't risk my life, my companions' lives, or the lives of those I protect for the sake of a criminal's life."
"..."
Pauline fell silent at Mavis's words. Mile, on the other hand, looked as if he was saying, "Of course."
"Surprising..."
"What's surprising?"
Mile tilted his head at Reina's comment.
"I thought you'd be the first to shout, 'Don't hurt anyone!'"
"That's not the case. My motto is, 'Criminals have no rights!'"
Mile smiled.
In fact, Mile had a rather pragmatic mindset. In his previous life, he had been kind to those who showed him kindness and neutral to those who didn't, but he had never done anything for those who showed him hostility. If someone tried to harm him, he would retaliate to ensure they couldn't do it again, always within the bounds of the law.
As a beautiful and high-achieving person in his previous life, he had learned how to deal with those who tried to take advantage of him.
In this world, he had decided to live happily without the baggage of his past, but he couldn't shake the belief that "bad people are beyond help and it's better not to worry about them."
In this world, "bad people" were those who could kill for petty gains or their own pleasure, and if the law allowed it, he would deal with them within the bounds of the law.
Letting such people go could result in dozens or hundreds of innocent people becoming victims, or even himself being attacked out of revenge. If his friends or loved ones were attacked, he couldn't bear it.
To avoid such regrettable outcomes, it was better to take care of them once and for all.
Mile thought this way, but he wasn't sure if he could actually kill someone with a calm face.
"That's why I want to take on a guard mission a bit earlier. In a guard mission, you have to fight to protect your employer from attacking bandits, and there's no room for hesitation or negotiation. If we don't experience this, we might hesitate in a real situation, and that could be fatal."
"Ah, I see, I'll leave it to you."
"I'll follow Reina's judgment."
"Um, I'm okay with that too..."
Mavis and Mile agreed, and Pauline, a bit reluctantly, also consented.
Mile, who had thought Pauline would be enthusiastic, felt a bit guilty but was reassured by Reina and Mavis's expressions.
(Ah, I'm not the only one who felt that way...)
The next afternoon, the "Red Oath" party arrived safely in the capital without incident and headed straight to the Hunter's Guild to inform the worried receptionist of their safe return. When they entered the guild building, the receptionist was at one of the counters.
"We're back safely!"
Mile waved and called out, and everyone on the first floor of the guild turned to look at them.
"Ah, you're all safe!"
The receptionist who had handled their mission called out loudly from behind the counter.
"It was a dangerous mission, and after you left, merchants were attacked by orcs on the route, so I was worried. I'm relieved you're all safe..."
"Merchants were attacked by orcs?"
Reina, curious, asked for more details, and the receptionist explained with a slight laugh.
"Yes, a merchant known for parasitic behavior was attacked by a group of orcs during a camp, losing their wagon and cargo. One of the guards was slightly injured, but the driver and everyone else managed to escape safely.
The merchant claimed that nearby hunters had fled without helping, but since the hunters hadn't taken the mission, they had no obligation to help. The merchant was a known parasitic behaviorist, and the guards said the hunters had already left the area when the attack happened.
The Guild Master warned the merchant that false reports to frame other hunters would result in severe punishment if discovered, and the merchant confessed the truth."
The receptionist's chuckle suggested she knew it was about Reina's group.
Since there were no casualties, they were relieved, but Mile felt a bit guilty about the horses.
"Alright, we'll go to the client's shop to deliver the Rock Lizards and get the mission completion confirmation signed."
Reina said, and they left the guild. They had only stopped by to inform the guild of their safe return.
They would deliver the Rock Lizards to the client, have them appraised, and get the amount written and signed on the mission completion confirmation. They would then give this to the guild receptionist to receive their payment from the deposit.
The guild held the money, and without the signature, they wouldn't release the items. This prevented fraud.
For other catches, they would get them appraised at the guild when they received their rewards. They had at least five Rock Lizards in good condition, worth a total of 75 silver coins, which was three-quarters of their monthly goal in just five days. They also had many more catches in Mile's storage (actually an item box). At this rate, they could soon move to a better inn with a bath.
The four of them headed to the client's shop, their faces naturally smiling.
"By the way, when talking to the client, don't mention that you have many Rock Lizards right away. Show one first, get it appraised, and then show the other four.
Only after the appraisal of all five is done, suggest additional purchases."
Mile and the others, who trusted Pauline's judgment on money and business as they trusted Reina's in combat, nodded in agreement.