The group was at the Ancient Cave, located a short distance from Balman, where the Legendary Holy Sword had formerly resided. Krul bestowed magic that strengthened one’s physical abilities onto Rex, who had yelled that out with a tense expression. At that moment, Rex’s entire body shone with a faint bluish light.
“Take this! Eat my fist! This attack will surpass that of a Martial Artist!”
After confirming that his physical abilities had indeed risen, Rex, who had yelled that in a loud voice at the Blue Devils on standby before him, flew at the Blue Devils with lightning speed.
“Ok, redo it.”
However, from the side, Kagami chopped Rex’s back, who had tried to fly at them, and then Rex was forced to grovel on the ground.
The Blue Devils, frightened by the inexplicable situation of a Human trying to attack them and then being embedded into the ground by another mediocre Human who had appeared from the side, backed away.
“W-What are you…doing, Shishou.”
Rex said with a bitter look, and glared at Kagami while he pulled himself up slowly.
Krul was flustered, not knowing what went wrong.
“Think carefully about the meaning of having you fight with your bare hands. There isn’t any meaning to it if you use magic to strengthen your physical abilities, right? You won’t receive any experience if you don’t fight in a disadvantageous situation.”
“Well…but Shishou, the Levels of the Blue Devil’s Level are 93. Even if I don’t fight at a disadvantage, I’ll still gain experience since my Level is 91, you know?”
“Regarding the experience value, rather than minding the Level gap, you will gain experience by fighting those who are at a higher rank than you. It’s better for you to get used to fighting while at a disadvantage for now. I’ll be able to save you if it becomes dangerous since I’m watching over you, so be at ease and fight. You want to become stronger quickly, right?”
After this was said, Rex reluctantly signaled Krul to undo the effects of her Phys Up Magic.
When this was done, Rex, who had always worn elegant clothes, changed into a shabby-looking traveller’s outfit and charged towards the Blue Devils.
At that moment, even though three Blue Devils thrust their spears at Rex, just as they were about to connect with his cheek, Rex dodged them and dealt a blow to the Blue Devils’ bodies.
“Did I do it!?”
Rex, who had dealt a beautiful blow to the Blue Devils, looked at the one that was sent flying, and at that moment, the ground beneath the Blue Devils burst into flames due to a casted Magic.
“Uwaachaaaa! Hot! Hot!”
Seeing Rex, who had always been a pompous character, get ruined and suffer like that, Krul hurriedly created a Water Ball with Magic and threw it at Rex’s face. It immediately healed him with Healing Magic.
“It doesn’t mean you need to defeat a higher ranked opponent in one move you know…you should defeat them by repeated hit and run tactics while enduring and not letting your guard down.
Kagami muttered that while sipping on some tea he had received from Alice, and watched Rex’s hair sizzle and burn.
Presently, Kagami’s group had visited the Ancient Cave once again to complete a monster subjugation request for the Ancient Cave issued by the Guild in Balman. Kagami had received the Quest, which was to subdue 12 Blue Devils altogether, that very morning, and by nightfall, Kagami had already completed the Blue Devil Subjugation Quest, since he had defeated the Monsters one by one.
He left the subjugation of the Blue Devils, which could provide experience depending on the Level gap due to their higher Levels, to Rex and Krul, who wanted to become stronger. So, in order to temper their bodies, he had been giving the two of them guidance.
For this reason, it had to be done formally, since it was rather convenient for Rex and Krul, even though they had doubts because they were being accompanied by David under the pretext of being an observer for the Quest Completions this time around.
“Umm…Is it fine for me to just cast Healing Magic like this?”
Although it was suspicious, since Krul had been casting her Healing Magic incessantly, Rex had been receiving an effect similar to the Automatic Recovery Kagami had. Besides that, regarding the gained experience dependent on Level Gap, Rex and Krul had decided to share it.
However, depending on the high ranked Monster battled, Rex could obtain the experience without sharing with Krul.
Healing Magic was only connected to life by preventing a potentially disadvantageous situation, but it still helped and was added onto the experience value. Performing Healing Magic was connected to one’s life as they were injured and beaten to a pulp. When Kagami was still at a low Level, he had requested a town’s Monk to help raise his Level like that.
“Well, even though you can only obtain experience depending on the Level Gap, Krul still looks like she’s making a little progress with it, so it’s fine if you get stronger like this, one step at a time.”
“But…this hasn’t changed since the times when I had the Kingdom’s Warriors help me get stronger!”
“Well, that may be so.”
Kagami, who seemed to have realized that somehow, replied to her after scratching his head. After sipping his tea once, while worrying about how to put that into words, David took a step forward when he saw that.
“Krul-sama. Kagami-sama is probably worried about you.”
“Krul-sama is different from Rex-sama, as a girl and a Sage, which is not a Role suited to be a vanguard, she is weak to attacks, just like Monks and Magicians. As long as you listen to Kagami-sama…Battles against Higher Ranks will always be accompanied by danger, and even if you do get stronger, you will surely be visited by suffering that you can’t evade.”
“But compared to me, hasn’t Kagami-san come this far with the Role of a weak Villager?”
As to whether she understood him, she said that with a frown, and a confused Kagami muttered, “Well, you are a girl…you’re not saying that you want to be forced to experience something painful or scary…right?”
As if she had heard these subtle words, Krul’s cheeks blushed slightly, feeling happy about Kagami worrying about her.
“S-…Shishou, aren’t you doing nothing more than giving her different treatment from me just because she’s a girl?”
“You’re a boy.”
After having exchanged blows with the Blue Devils located here and there, a tottering Rex said that as he struck Kagami’s shoulder with a ‘pon’, and Kagami replied to him with a beaming smile as if saying, ‘Good luck.’
To be honest, regardless of her gender, to make Krul force herself too much was a pain that Kagami felt she couldn’t endure.
Although Rex’s motives were slightly impure, he had the resolution, conviction, and will to try and endure it. Him currently standing off against the Blue Devils without the slightest hesitation was solid evidence. Kagami was unconcerned, since he had ‘bought’ Rex in order to temper him.
As for Krul, she probably shouldn’t be the core.
In the first place, if her Level was still 45 as a Sage, he felt that using this method to raise her Level and become stronger was better and more enjoyable than fighting impossible battles.
“When I started on this journey, I was still Level 42. I’ve only raised it…three Levels! It’s only three, you know?”
“Well, that’s about right, since you went a while without fighting a lot. Moreover, only two months have passed since the start of the journey, right? I understand your feelings of impatience, so calm down. Even though it’s Rex’s turn today, I’ve properly considered a method to make you stronger.”
“…It’s a promise, ok?”
“Aah, I promise.”
“Then I’ll be under your care until I reach Level 200, okay?”
“Eh? Ah…Y-Yes. It’s a promise.”
Kagami averted his eyes with all of his might after saying that. Krul, noticing his suspicious behavior, looked at him as if doubting him and spat out, “Why are you averting your eyes?” However, Kagami didn’t try to look at her.
During this exchange, she had stopped her hands, which were healing Rex. Seeing Rex gradually becoming more ragged, Alice hurriedly carried over a potion to his mouth. Finally noticing it, along with a hurried Alice, Krul caught a hold of the bloody Rex and yelled out, “I-I’m sorry!” and directed some Healing Magic towards him.
“Hoho, although your skill in guiding them is splendid, it seems you don’t have the knowledge to guide a girl’s heart.”
“‘Shut up,’ is what I would say, but is it necessary for an Observer to be here? The preparations for the Casino Opening depend on you, right? Isn’t it the day after tomorrow?”
“I know what I’m doing. Everything has been completed. Since I have free time today, it’s fine to accompany you. Of course, it’s a necessary duty as an Observer.”
After David gave him a pleasant, elegant smile, Kagami let out a sigh, saying, “I’m not a guy that can be eaten.”
The Casino Opening had been postponed to the day after tomorrow. David’s arrival meant that the preparations had been progressing fairly. Rather, he had completed the preparations using his excellent skills in a way that made it seem like things would have been hopeless if he hadn’t been there.
The preparations included the goods available for use in the Casino, an operational check of the equipment, and an understanding of the Rules and the Staff rulesl. He had done everything, from agreeing on the premium goods and their rates to working on the Staff agenda, their working hours, and such.
Once this was done, it was fine to leave the management of the bar and taverns and the like to Takako, and to leave the things related to the Church to Tina. The things Kagami originally had to do had been shouldered by David.
“To be honest, I should be thankful to you. Even though I thought you were a dangerous person from the start because you said you were an Observer, I think it would have been dangerous if you weren’t here.”
“Hoho, it wasn’t with just my power alone. Takako-sama, was it? That gentleman is quite skillful, he helped me out by carrying miscellaneous items himself, and was suitable for the work that couldn’t be entrusted to any of the Staff. That gentleman is worthy of being a man amongst men.”
“Eh? Takako-chan’s a woman, you know?”
“Eh?”
“Hm? Well, Takako-chan is a woman after all, you know? She wore a pink dougi, right?”
“I’m sorry for troubling you. She is not someone that should be called a woman.”
“Without a doubt, Takako-chan would have killed you if she was here, come back to reality, man.”