Chapter 198

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Teamwork

I pull myself together and adjust my magic power to beat the monsters half-dead on the 10th floor. It’s generally better and not difficult. The preparations get done quickly.

“Then, I intend to have Rutina experience light combat on the 10th floor, too.” “Okay. If it’s me, it’ll be alright.” “First, try fighting with Sherry’s spear. If the Needle Wood doesn’t collapse after I cast a spell, try to kill the monster with the spear.” “I understand.”

I give Rutina instructions. A spear, which can be used from a distance, will be better at the start. The spear is the one Sherry uses. It’d be troublesome to exchange with me after I cast a spell.

“Roxanne, can you search for a place with a Needle Wood?” “Okay, that’s a good idea.”

The monster that appears the most on Quratar’s 10th floor is the Escape Goat; however, that one would be troublesome since it tended to run away. And, it would be better to avoid the poisonous 9th floor monster, Nt Ant. That leaves us with the 8th floor monster, Needle Wood. A Needle Wood, however, is able to use magic.

By the way, I cannot have her fight the 11th floor monster, Green Caterpillar, since it spits thread. If the 11th floor monsters could be one-shot, it would be a great place.

If that’s the case, should I have moved to a lower floor and use Wizard spells? 2nd floor would be relatively more crowded. Considering Rutina, that might actually have been better.

Rutina attacks the Needle Wood, which Roxanne found, after it endures a spell of mine. She doesn’t seem to have any problem even on the 10th floor. Because we have a full party, and there are the effects of my Great Hero, too. Thereafter, I have her try a sword and a club.

“Well done. Lastly, although it’ll be a little difficult, I want you to fight bare-handed.” “Bare-handed?” “It’ll be a good experience.”

Fighting bare-handed is a requirement to acquire Monk; however, I said it’ll be a good experience. Rutina receives a few attacks but manages to kill the Needle Wood safely. Since I cast Heal and apply Plating on her every time, there’s no problem. Because I knew Roxanne would shoot it down, I had changed my job to Monk beforehand.

While casting Heal after the battle ends, I check her status. Since she isn’t showing a painful expression, she should be fine, no? Because I’m having her carry a rucksack in the labyrinth, it may be difficult for Rutina to fight as it’s essentially her first time inside the labyrinth. Since I have put a black magic crystal inside her rucksack, I feel relieved when she defeats a monster.

“Thank you very much.” “ will be a special way of killing a monster. Roxanne will take on the monster from the front while you throw the poison stingers, which have been collected from the Nt Ants, and kill the monster with via abnormal status of poison.” “I understand.”

I have her try the poison stingers.

“Roxanne, please.” “Yes. It’ll be fine, though, even if it’s not particularly a Needle Wood. However, an Escape Goat won’t work since it’ll run away.”

Recommends Roxanne. It won’t be a problem for she’ll be able to avoid the attacks from an Nt Ant. Quite a confidence she has. Rather, isn’t it a fact?

“That’s a great idea.” “An Nt Ant isn’t far from here.”

Well, it should be fine since she herself wants to do it. Roxanne

“Did it, desu.”

She continues to throw until Miria calls out. Has the poison been inflicted ? As always, I’m unable to get it.

For Rutina was about to continue throwing, she didn’t seem to notice either. So, it cannot be that only my eyes are bad. Roxanne doesn’t let the poisoned Nt Ant graze her until it collapses.

The only test left after this is throwing a liver and transform a monster into a Drive Dragon; however, there’s no need to do that. It doesn’t seem to grant any job, after all. Besides, it’d be scary to create a Drive Dragon on the 10th floor. And, it’d be troublesome on the 1st floor since it tended to be crowded.

“Let’s leave it at this?” “I’m not going to kill them using only magic?”

Enquires Rutina. Because she has killed them with a spear and a sword, should magic be next? It’s surely an option available to Rutina since she’s a Wizard. It’s not necessary, though.

There’s no job acquired by killing an enemy using magic. Or, is killing a monster with magic perhaps a requirement for acquiring Grand Wizard? She’ll soon be able to kill them.

“There’s no particular need.” “Since it’s your first day, and since you’re only experiencing the battles today, this much would do.”

Roxanne approves, too. Is it important to let her experience it since it’s her first day? I don’t really get it.

Oh well. She seems to be able to fight properly. It’ll help Rutina build her confidence. It’d better than spending the night depressed.

“Then, let’s call it a day. We will have the dinner later. Miria, since you’re going to cook a whole fish, make a nitsuke.” (TN: Fish or vegetables simmered in soy sauce) “Ooh! Yes, desu.”\nTo celebrate Rutina becoming a party member, let’s have a whole fish for dinner. However, it may also be taken as a celebration for Rutina falling into slavery. In this world, a whole fish doesn’t seem to be a food that implies an auspicious occasion. Auspicious occasion sounds like a pun here. (TN: メデタイ – Medetai – means an auspicious event. タイ – Tai – means a sea bream)

It gives the impression of a festive occasion since it’s a rare ingredient. I believe it’s good to celebrate not just the festivals. I invoke [Warp] and leave the labyrinth behind. We move to the Adventurer’s Guild.

“Oh, it has been a while.”

When I leave the guild, I come across the hardware store aunty. She was the intermediary when I rented the house.

“Good day.” “Hee, you seem to be faring well. It was worth leaving the house in your care.”

It feels like greeting a neighbor aunty on the way back from shopping. Like a neighbor aunty, huh? Actually, she IS a neighbor aunty. By ‘doing good’, was she referring to my becoming an Adventurer since I came out of the Adventurer’s Guild? Or, was she referring to my owning more slaves? Back then, I had only Roxanne.

“That time…” “Because I haven’t seen your members decreasing, you don’t seem to be using them in a despicable way. Some people use them as a meat shield in order to advance to unreasonably high floors.”

It seems to be the latter. I have heard about using the slaves as a meat shield from Sherry.

“There’s no way I’ll do something like that.” “Of course. You have beauties that make even a woman like me envious. Are you going to go shopping?” “Yes.”

When I affirm that I’m going to go shopping, the aunty bows her head and withdraws easily. I wonder if she understands not much time is left until evening.

“I’ve heard that people earn varied income upon becoming an Adventurer. Is that really true?”

I hear her mutter as she leaves. So, it seemed to be the former, too. Although I’m an Adventurer now, she must’ve thought I was close to becoming an Adventurer when I rented the house. However, isn’t it strange for her to not have talked about it when I rented the house?

It could be figured out if I were an Explorer Lv49 from the size of my Item Box. I wonder if such a talk isn’t allowed when renting a house. Or, she perhaps thought I hadn’t decided to become an Adventurer when I rented the house.

Not everyone becomes an Adventurer upon reaching Explorer Lv50. You will have to start from Lv1 if you choose to become an Adventurer. Besides, An Explorer’s Item Box can expand more than an Adventurer’s. There seem to be many people who opt to remain an Explorer. Since I have now acquired Adventurer job, there’d be no problem even if they thought I were an Adventurer.

Finished with the shopping, we return home. After returning home, I must first prepare the bath. I wonder if Rutina will somehow join in with us.

I wonder. Isn’t there any trick I can use? It may be a good idea to prepare the bath together with her before taking a bath with her. It’ll be my first collaboration.

If Rutina helped first, she would feel more comfortable taking a bath. How about slipping accidentally into the bathtub while preparing it? Or, jumping into the bathtub immediately after preparing it? That will probably not work, I guess.

“Master, there’s a message from Mr. Luke. He seems to have bid successfully on a Caterpillar Monster Card.”

When we return home, waiting for us was Luke’s message, not the bath. Caterpillar Monster Card, huh? Because Rutina had joined as a member, I actually wanted a Goat Monster Card.

“Got it. Tomorrow would do.” “Okay.” “It’s regarding an order for a monster card I placed with an auction broker.”

I explain to Rutina who didn’t seem to understand.

“So, it was about that? Caterpillar Monster Card……” “It grants Sacrifice skill.” “Umm, by any chance, is that because I’m wearing it?”

She anxiously asks. Rutina seems to think I have ordered another because she’s using one.

“Ah, not at all. Don’t worry about it.”

It’s better to vaguely deny it. She’ll figure it out anyway. Until then, I can demand gratitude. It’d be a different matter if I denied clearly.

“I understand.” “Sherry will definitely succeed.”

Rutina seems to be aware of the possibility of Monster Card Fusion failing. For she seemed surprised when I said Sherry would definitely succeed.

“Then, I’ll go prepare the bath. Since Rutina can use magic, would you like to help me?”

She’ll get it right away if I have her do it. Let’s move to the next task without pulling her too much.\n“Ah, yes. What am I supposed to do?” “Come with me.” “Okay.” “Have a good time.”

Roxanne and the girls see us off as I head to the bathroom with Rutina.

“Rutina, have you taken a bath before?” “Yes, about once every four or five to ten days. It’s an etiquette being the daughter of a noble.”

She knows what a bath is, after all, since she was an earl’s daughter. I have heard from Roxanne that a bath is a luxury meant for nobles. By ‘etiquette’, does she mean she has to keep herself clean being an earl’s daughter?

“In our house, we do it more frequently.” “There seemed to be many who liked to take a bath. As for me, I had no particular interest.”

I try to brag about how frequently we take a bath, but she dodges it. I thought she would be happy. However, it doesn’t seem to have gone the way I thought it would. If I handled it untactfully, I would be treated like a freak.

We enter the bathroom. Being alone in a small bathroom with a beautiful girl makes me kinda nervous. I was a little familiar with Roxanne and other members; however, it’s a little different in Rutina’s case since she’s not a sex slave. Should I push her down here? Nope, I can’t, really.

“This is the bathtub we use.” “So huge.”

Rutina mutters in amazement once we she enters the bathroom. Nah, I know. I know it’s the bathroom which she meant was huge. I haven’t undressed yet.

I know. I know, really. I was just a little lost in thought being alone with a beautiful girl in the bathroom, and then she said ‘so huge’. I’ve committed it to the memory.

“We fill the hot water here. Rutina can start off with producing water using [Water Wall].” “Moreover, it’s magical hot water.”

I set Intermediate Water Magic as Jobless skill and select Wizard job.

“It feels so.”

I first cast [Water Wall] only. I’m required to use more Water magic than Fire magic while preparing the bath. It’ll be better to use Water magic of Jobless skill and Rutina.

“I understand.” “Was the bath, which Rutina used to enter, small?”

I ask a question to keep the conversation rolling. However, Rutina starts chanting the incantation. So, is it impossible to have a conversation while preparing the bath? Since it cannot be helped, I overlap a [Burn Wall] and an [Aqua Wall], and line a [Water Wall] up on the opposite side.

This is the best way to maximize the heat produced by Fire magic. It would be more effective if Rutina’s Water magic merged on with mine; nevertheless, so far so good. Rutina completely chants the incantation and manifests a [Water Wall], too.

“With this, I can clearly see the difference.”

And then, she mutters something. I manifested the [Water Wall] on the opposite side so Rutina wouldn’t be able to notice; however, was it not enough? Since I used both Fire and Water magic, it was clearly discernible, so there’s no helping it. The type of magic we are using differs. I fill the hot water in the bath silently.

“You don’t need to overdo it.”

I thought she would stop after two or three attempts; however, Rutina continues to cast, so I warn her. Since she is safe here at home, should I let her test the limit of her MP? Nah. Since her Wizard was leveling up quickly, I’d better stop her.

“No, even I-” “My bad.”

She persevered plenty, though. Isn’t she about to hit two digits?

“I’m sorry. I cannot go on any more than this.” “Thank you.” “Not at all. I wasn’t of much help to you.” “You have only just become a Wizard, so it was amazing of you to do this much. Besides, you worked really hard.”

We have already filled about half of the hot water. Since I don’t need to chant incantation, I used almost twice as many spells as Rutina did. Since I could use three spells at once, it was actually six times.

“Is Michio-sama still able to cast more spells? I wonder if I have any talent.”

She seems to have persevered until her MP reached critical level.

“I’m able to do this much after training. Since I’ll do the rest, you can go help Roxanne and the girls.” “Okay.”

I send Rutina back. Because she needed to chant incantation, we couldn’t deepen our relationship through teamwork. Will she be joining in with us?\n