WM – Chapter 7: The nickname of Takatsuki Makoto is lame

TLN: Hey guys, Reigokai here!

I hope you guys are enjoying the story. From here on for this whole week, I will be releasing a chapter each day. A bit of a boost for being a new story you could say.

Enjoy! :DD!

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“Ooh, the rising rookie. The Goblin Cleaner has returned.” 

“Good work in your daily cleaning of weaklings.” 

“Aim big every now and then, man.” 

“Nah, he can’t. He is a Mage Apprentice.” 

“Moreover, solo.” 

“There’s no way there’s a Mage Apprentice that goes solo.” 

“There’s one right here.”

“““Ahahahaha.”””

The moment I returned to the Adventurer Guild, jeering flew my way.

Why did it turn out this way…

◇◇

3 months have passed since I became an adventurer.

I safely managed to deliver the Horned Rabbits for my first quest.

On top of that, I reported the subjugation of 5 goblins.

The guild lady went ‘Huh? No way’.

And then, got amazed at me for being so reckless.

I don’t think I was reckless there though.

After feeling good surprising the guild receptionist, I defeated goblins the next day as well.

After 2 weeks, I managed to wipe out the goblin colony that I found.

This became news in the Adventurer Guild for a short while.

They pressed me with questions about where the goblin colony was, and when I answered that it was close to the Demonic Forest, they accepted it.

There’s a lot of goblins around there, so there’s no problems. If it had been anywhere else, an investigation would be required as to why they are outside their usual territory.

But I was warned that I shouldn’t be so reckless, since the Demonic Forest is way too dangerous for a Stone Rank. Telling me that I shouldn’t worry, that they will promote me to Bronze Rank soon, so there’s no need to hurry it like that.

It seems they thought I was pushing myself because I wanted to raise my adventurer rank.

My objective is to raise my level and increase my lifespan though.

I am not putting that much importance to adventurer rank.

Even if I raise my adventurer rank, I am made fun of by the other adventurers just because I am a Mage Apprentice anyways…

When I raise my level, my stats increase.

Things like Strength, Endurance, and Mana.

If I raise my stats, I will be receiving less wounds, which is something that comes with the job of being an adventurer.

Increasing my level is of utmost importance if I want to survive.

Goblins are dangerous monsters that attack people, so getting Contribution Points for defeating them makes me happy.

Horn Rabbits and Giant Rats don’t give points.

When I increase my CP <Contribution Points>, my lifespan increases.

My lifespan is still around 10 years.

No choice but to slowly earn it.

Increasing my level is fun.

In RPG games, the moment when my level increases is the moment where my spirit raises the most.

More so in this Isekai.

Once you get used to goblin hunting, it is easy.

The risk is low, and I can steadily increase my level. 

I hunted a whole lot of goblins close to the Demonic Forest when I found them.

As a result, I was being called Goblin Cleaner…

That’s lame.

If you are going to give me a nickname, make it something cool.

“You guys, at least acknowledge goblin hunting a little bit. He is doing his best alone, you know.” 

“Then invite him to your party.”

“Oi oi, an apprentice that can only use water magic? Where can I use him?” 

“Damn right. Hahahaha!” 

I heard a distasteful conversation.

Let’s ignore them.

“Boss, a plate of skewers.” (Makoto)

“On its way.” 

I sat on a bench in front of a food stall inside the guild, and gave my order to the stallkeeper.

“What will you be drinking?” 

“Apple soda.” (Makoto)

In this stall, ordering skewers and alcohol is the usual.

But I don’t like alcoholic drinks.

I always go for soft drinks. 

“Also, rice balls.” (Makoto)

“Got it.” 

While waiting for the skewers to be ready, I munch on the salty taste of the rice balls.

It is a bit harder compared to the rice of Japan.

The scent of cooking meat was tickling my appetite.

There’s a variety of other stalls in the guild, but this is my favorite one.

The taste is close to that of the yakitori in Japan.

I heard that this taste was spread a long time ago by otherwordlers.

Maybe they were japanese?

“Here you go, plate of skewers, right on.” 

A plate of 5 skewers was placed in front of me.

The meat is from the Horn Rabbits you can get at the Great Forest.

My very first delivery quest was from this stall.

Since then, I have been a frequent customer.

I munch on the sweet and sour taste of the leg meat skewer. 

The meat juice spreads inside my mouth.

“It is delicious as always.” (Makoto)

“Thanks. By the way, how was today’s hunt?” 

I am acquainted with the boss, so we could converse casually.

“22 goblins, and 5 horned rabbits. I told them to send the meat to your place.” (Makoto)

“Thanks as always, Makoto. You can have your drink for free.” 

This is the usual exchange as well.

“But I am surprised that you can hunt goblins all the time without getting bored. What level are you now?” 

“Around 14. I am going to go at it till 20.” (Makoto)

“What a weird guy you are. A level 20 is considered a full-fledged adventurer already, you know? In my days…” 

The boss here was apparently an adventurer in the past and was over level 40.

He was a warrior, but because of a wound on his leg, he retired. 

He sometimes talks about stories of his adventurer times, so it helps as reference.

“Ooh, talking a storm here. Boss, ale and skewers please.” 

“Got it. Lucas, you were back, huh.” 

A large sized warrior old man sat at my side.

“I went to the Fire Country to defeat a Sand Dragon. We were prohibited from drinking any alcohol. The reward was good, but it was rough. Ooh, Makoto, long time no see.” (Lucas)

“It’s only been 5 days. Good work out there.” (Makoto)

“Alright, cheers. Puhaaa~, delicious!” (Lucas)

Lucas-san is a veteran adventurer in Makkaren, and he is Gold Rank.

It seems he is an old friend of the boss. 

And he is also an instructor for newbies in a sense.

He taught me a lot of things at the beginning.

“Makoto, how about challenging a dungeon soon. You are close to level 15, right?” (Lucas)

“When I get to 20, I am thinking about challenging the dungeon for newbies that’s close by.” (Makoto)

“The recommended level there is 10-12 though…” (Lucas)

“I am weak after all. I will go at it carefully.” (Makoto)

I didn’t say anything weird, and yet, Boss and Lucas were looking at each other.

“What’s with this rookie?” 

“There’s nothing to caution him about as a veteran.” 

Ain’t it fine to be careful?

“Ooh, you are already gulping it down here, people.” 

A blonde and beautiful lady inserted herself in between Lucas-san and I. 

“Mary-san, thanks for the hard work. Are you done for today?” (Makoto)

“What’s with you, Mary, don’t get in between us.” (Lucas)

Mary-san is the receptionist of the Adventurer Guild.

Since the time of my first quest, I have met her a lot. 

She likes to look after the newbies. 

Also, she is a hopeless alcoholic, and when she finishes work, she would always come here to have a drink.

Thanks to that, getting involved with her has become a daily occurrence.

I am just having dinner without any alcohol involved though.

“One ale for me. Also, roast me some vegetables there!” (Mary)

“Got it.” 

“Well then, cheers~. Haah. The first drink after work is really the best.” (Mary)

“Ooh, Mary, how about instead of drinking in this dirty stall, you get a man, and go to a stylish bar?” (Lucas)

“Huh? Lucas-san, you know how exhausting it is to work as a receptionist of the Adventurer Guild, right?! I don’t have the time to get a man. Old man, another one.” (Mary)

“Mary-san, you are drinking too fast.” (Makoto)

She is a beauty when she stays silent though…

Mary-san is one heavy-drinker that doesn’t lose to adventurers.

“Aah, Makoto-kun! Drinking juice again. You got a decent pay today, so you gotta drink a whole lot, you know.” (Mary)

“Oi oi, what is a guild staff saying?” 

The Boss is amazed by her.

“I do drink every now and then, you know.” (Makoto)

You can drink alcohol when you are over 13 years old in this country.

So there’s no issue in me drinking, but I don’t like alcohol to begin with.

The ale I drank in my first time was simply bitter, and the one on the rocks I ordered, I spat it out the moment it entered my mouth.

The only thing I can drink are things like cocktails made from apple soda.

And I get immediately drunk even with that, so I keep it to only 1.

There’s no need to push myself to drink, but Lucas-san told me that if an adventurer can’t drink alcohol, they will get looked down on.

“Why only every now and then?” (Mary)

“Like a reward after working hard? Also, drinking alcohol moderately helps me relieve a bit of stress.” (Makoto)

Not like I have accumulated stress though.

Raising my level as I go has been incredibly fun.

“Oi, Mary, did you hear that?” (Lucas)

“My, you are really level-headed. Boss, another one~.” (Mary)

“Here ya go. Mary, how about you learn from him a bit and don’t drink everyday? Not like I should be the one saying it.” 

“Why is it that this boy is so young, yet so mature. That’s not cute~, take this and this.” (Mary) 

She head-locked me. Her big boobs pushed against my back.

Awawa.

[Clear Mind] activate!

Be cool, be cool.

Mary-san is popular with the adventurers.

Because of that, I can feel the jealous stares of the adventurers gathering onto me.

“Tch.” “That bastard.” “Even though he is a weakling mage.” 

I heard those words of disdain.

I have done nothing wrong.

“Mary-san, you are way too drunk.” (Makoto)

“I am not drunk at all just yet~. It begins from here on~.” (Mary)

She is hugging me from the back now?!

“Today it was 22 goblins? Well done, well done.” (Mary)

She dishevels my hair while still hugging me.

When Mary-san gets drunk, her physical contact increases.

Because of that, it makes others misunderstand easily, and there have been many adventurers who have fallen for her.

A devilish woman.

But! I am the man that resisted the seduction of a Goddess.

I won’t panic over something like this.

*Boing*

Soft things were being pushed on my back.

W-Won’t panic!

Aah, soft…

“Ha! Acting all big just from hunting goblins.” 

Someone speaks out.

I look back and see a young man in warrior equipment.

A newcomer adventurer by the name of Jean, was it?

He apparently became an adventurer around half a year ago.

His current rank is bronze.

It is apparently quite the speed to be promoted in half a year.

But it seems like he doesn’t like the fact that I have become Bronze Rank in the three months I came to the Adventurer Guild, and would bother me every now and then.

“Oi, Jean, get along with each other as newcomers.” (Lucas)

“Lucas-san! Why haven’t you been helping me with practice lately?!” (Jean)

“I look after Stone Ranks, but Bronze up are treated as being fully-fleshed already.” (Lucas)

“Don’t be like that, Jean-kun. Don’t go scaring Makoto-kun just because he is docile.” (Mary)

I am not really scared.

No, I wonder.

There’s a mage and a priest at the back of Jean.

A party of 3?

Honestly, a 1 vs 3 is scary, so I will keep it down.

“Isn’t it okay? He is a mage apprentice. I don’t think you need to bother. You are an Intermediate Swordsman, right?” 

The one who spoke to Jean was the red haired female mage.

She is wearing clothes with quite the high exposure.

What a flashy beauty.

“Right right, let’s finish the subjugation quest already and aim for Iron Rank.” 

Is what the priest girl said.

The one here is a bit child-faced and more on the cute side.

A harem party, huh…

Tch!

A man should shut up and go solo. 

“Oh, a subjugation quest?! Who are you going against?” (Lucas)

Lucas-san changes the topic.

“Ogre subjugation! Travellers have spotted it recently it seems.” (Jean)

“Hoh! A Bronze Rank party against an ogre, huh. It is like a promotion ceremony. Do your best!” (Lucas)

“Yes! I will show you we can! Oi, Makoto! I will be the first one to become an Iron Rank, you got it?!” (Jean)

He left after saying that.

The priest girl lowered her head apologetically.

The priest girl is a good girl.

The mage girl seems to not have any interest here.

“No need to mind it.” (Mary)

Mary-san consoles me.

No, I really am not minding it, you know.

“I will go at my own pace.” (Makoto)

I will be defeating goblins tomorrow as usual.

“Just for your information, defeating 22 goblins alone in one day cannot be called ‘my own pace’.” (Lucas)

Lucas-san retorted.

Even if you tell me that, I have secured a safe hunting pattern.

In RPGs, I am the type that raises their level as much as possible before defeating the boss. 

I will be doing it in this way for a while.

◇◇

The next day, on my way back from hunting goblins.

Today I got 20.

After this, I was thinking about hunting some horn rabbits on my way back, and sending them to the stall of Boss. 

*Kan kan kan kan!*

Suddenly a siren from Detection rings inside my head in a loud volume.

There’s quite the dangerous monster around?

I currently have Stealth activated. 

It is okay, they shouldn’t have found me yet.

I silently check my surroundings.

There’s something.

Around 50 meters ahead, inside the mist, there’s a giant shadow.

A stray ogre?

It has a wide and stout humanoid figure, and there’s something like a horn at its head.

But…isn’t it way too big?

The average ogre is around 2-3 metres. 

This one is over 5 metres.

Each step it takes makes a heavy sound, and I think the ground around it was trembling along.

There’s normally other monsters around this area, but right now I can’t see any at all.

They all ran away.

I won’t be able to get any horn rabbits like this.

I should go back to the guild and report it.

The moment I was about to leave the place silently…

“Kyaaa!!” 

I heard the scream of a woman.

“Damn it! This guy!!” 

The shout of a man.

(Oi oi, there’s people being attacked.) (Makoto)

Now that I look closely, there’s a number of adventurer-like people there.

A swordsman, mage, and priest; a party of 3.

They are all young.

Doesn’t look like they are veteran adventurers.

“Or more like, it is them, huh.” (Makoto)

The party of Jean that came to bother me yesterday.

He did say he would go subjugate an ogre.

And now he is in trouble.

Got what you deserved…is what I want to say, but it would be dangerous if I get dragged into it, too.

I maintain Stealth and observe.

(They are going to run away, right?) (Makoto)

The iron rule of adventurers is ‘life is important’.

When an enemy stronger than you appears, just run!

Lucas-san warned me a whole lot in the past.

They should have been told that too.

(The mage and priest are in a terrible state.) (Makoto)

Maybe because of fear, or hesitation, they cannot properly escape.

The ogre is going to catch up.

“Emily!” (Jean)

Jean grabs the hand of the girl and runs.

“Wait! What about me?!” 

The mage shouts.

It looks like the priest is more important for Jean.

(What a rough world.) (Makoto)

Aah, the mage tripped on her confusion.

The ogre is getting closer.

This is bad.

Abandon ←

Save

Oi oi, no matter how you think about it, this is too heavy for a bronze rank mage apprentice.

I heard a voice inside my head.

(Abandon her.) 

A simple instruction.

But isn’t there a better way to put it, Goddess-sama?

Abandon ←

Save

The choices begin to flicker.

How annoying! 

Let me think for a bit here!

If I die, it would all be over, you know?! 

“Hiih! Stay away.” 

The mage has lost strength on her legs.

The ogre is really close now.

Jean was shouting to the female mage, ‘run away already!’.

The female priest is covering her mouth and making a bitter expression.

No good.

This is not the time to think.

“Noo noo! Save me!” 

The scream of the female mage rang weakly, and the hand of the giant ogre stretches towards her.

Aah, geez!

“[Water Magic: Ice Blade]!” (Makoto)

Ice Blade hit the ogre’s eye.

The ogre went ‘gyaaaa!’ and covered its eye in pain.

“Oi, run away quickly.” (Makoto)

“Eh, ah, wa?” 

Looks like the female mage is in complete confusion right now.

I had gone in between the ogre and the female mage, and had taken a stance with the Goddess’s dagger.

(If you die, I won’t forgive you.) (Noa)

I heard the fed up voice from the Goddess.

I am sorry. 

I want to act cool.

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