Chapter 14

The next enemy that appeared was of the same type that was downed earlier, an Emerald Golem.

“I’ll join in this time.”

I can’t just leave all the work to the rear guard alone.

I ran towards the golem. It raised it’s massive arms, preparing to swing down.

But just before it could, an explosion occurs around its neck.

“!?”

Maybe the damage has exceeded a certain amount, as the golem suffers a huge knockback.

I immediately realized what it was— Melina’s support fire..

I quickly take advantage of the opportunity and deliver a follow-up strike at the golem’s neck.

Then– there was another flash of light.

With that, it seems its HP has been reduced to zero, as the emerald golem disintegrates.

This time, there was no buff for “Phys. Pen” but this is how it would be like if there were two people at a high level working together.

I look back at Melina and talk–

“Come to think of it, you can use explosion magic.”

“Yeah, I guess. It doesn’t belong to an attribute but I thought it would be absolutely useful so I studied it.”

She looks like she’s slightly proud of it as she replies.

“I’ve been thinking of this earlier too but…..You have pretty good movement yourself. Are you at a high level too?”

“Something like that. Not nearly as high as the priestess behind me though”

“Eh….?”

I then turn my sights to Kokoru.

“So how goes it, Kokoru?”

Kokoru was quivering as she was fixated on the status screen.

Then she talks, as if overcome with emotion.

“Yes….There’s no doubt about it.”

“….? What the heck is wrong with you guys?”

“Miss Melina!”

Kokoru suddenly closes in on the mage.

“Eh, w-what….?”

“Please party with us!”

“Like I keep saying, I won’t party with you so….”

“I-I see. Then uh…..Please stay with me forever!”

“Ha-Haa??”

She blushes slightly, covering her mouth with her hands as she looks away.

“This is W…Worrying. It’s so sudden… We’re also both women…”

“…Ah! I did the same thing as Sir Alvin!”

“What is?”

“Uhmm… What I’m saying is… I want for us to continue being in the same party from now on.”

“… Eh? Oh, S-so that’s what you meant… I see…”

*cough*

Melina clears her throat.

“Don’t surprise me, geez… But, why? I’ve told you countless times. I am not a person who should be at a party. The fighters in the party will surely hesitate to kill. The rate of accidents will go up, and you and I will be put at risk too.”

“No… There’s nothing to worry about.”

“What are you saying…?”

“I haven’t told you this yet but… We actually possess Minus Skills too… Isn’t that so, Sir Alvin?”

“Yeah.”

Kokoru explains our circumstances and how we ended up here.

Melina listened in astonishment.

“L-Level 80 you say!? So far, there seemed to be a few adventurers who reached that level in the past but… This might be the first time for a priest. Was it because of your Minus Skill that allowed you to reach so far up?”

“That’s right. I think that participating in a lot of boss fights is a big part of it though.”

“If you can monopolize all the kill bonuses, then that certainly might be it… Rather, aren’t you Level 43 yourself Alvin?”

“Yeah. I raised it by myself though. I’m solo but If I didn’t defeat a number of them, then I couldn’t expect to get a drop. It was just a natural part of the process.”

“You’ve become a good adventurer as well. Sigh… Our ages aren’t that far apart, but you lot are at a much higher level than me. I was sure that I was the highest out of all of us.”

“Kokoru aside, I’m not that different from you. Rather, raising your level that far as a solo mage is an impressive feat.”

Melina then replies—

“At any rate, I didn’t think you were minus skill holders too and had the same aim as me. I for sure thought you were just normal adventurers forming a party….. But come to think of it, you did say you met here. I can understand the swordsman but I should have noticed that a priest going solo is unusual.”

Melina continues–

“I understand what’s going on but… Why would you form a party with me? If it’s just wound licking then I’ll go as far as to at least accept your feeling. I have my own way of doing things”

“You misunderstood! We need you Miss Melina!”

“…What do you mean?”

“Would you mind checking the status for me? Look at all of ours.”

“It’s fine but…”

Melina opens the status screen as she was told.

Then she immediately raises an eyebrow.

“Hm? The “Jealous God’s Curse” isn’t applied to me, I wonder why? It’s too early for it to disappear with only this much time… Eh, wait, this experience value… Is this the Tentacle Plant’s kill bonus? W-Why?”

Shaken, she manipulates the status screen.

She might have been looking at Kokoru’s status and mine.

“Alvin doesn’t have a debuff icon either. That golem was just killed… Eh? Kokoru has two icons!? Th-This can’t be…”

“Miss Melina. Can you repeat the negative effect of your “Blessing of the Jealous God?”

“T-The party member who kills a monster has all their stats decrease by 3%. They forfeit their kill bonus experience and distribute it evenly over the other members…”

“And do you remember the effect of my ‘Usurper of Severed Heads’?”

“It activates when a party member kills a monster… and it’s considered as your kill…”

“That’s how it is.”

Kokoru nods, and continues on to explain.

“I will take in all of the negative effects of your skill. That’s why… I can return the experience points that I would have otherwise taken away— to all the ones who should have originally received it.”