Level Eater

In response to the man who had burst in, Leela calmly prompted him.

"What's the matter? Why are you so frantic?" (Leela)

"Well… the thing is, there are still salt workers in the location where that magical dragon is!"

"What?! Wait a moment, today, there weren't any adventurers assigned to guard them, were there? We were supposed to escort them, but… No, I see. Your party took on that responsibility?" (Aggra Ba'it)

"Yeah, that's right. They say the composition of the salt changes slightly every day, so they need to collect some of it every day, even if it is just a small amount. They offered a substantial reward for it. Therefore, I thought it might be okay if it is just for today… Please, help us! My comrades are still there!"

As the desperate man pleaded for help, everyone in the room fell silent. Adventurers were not necessarily champions of justice. They could not afford to engage in reckless battles with uncertain outcomes for the sake of others.

However, Tatsuro and his group felt that there were questions they needed to ask.

"You mentioned salt workers, but how many people went, and who were they?" (Tatsuro)

"Huh? Well, it was Zendo-san, Gaz, and a few others. We didn't have a lot of people today because we were planning to finish quickly and return."

"Yeah, they should be. We saw it coming, so everyone else should be hiding in the workshop. I figured I would be harder to spot alone, so I ran here to seek help."

"I see…" (Tatsuro)

"Hey, Aggra Ba'it-san. If it's your party, maybe you could defeat the magical dragon, right? Please, I'm begging you! I'll pay as much as you want later!"

Tatsuro and Ai did not seem to be considered by the man as part of their fighting force from the beginning, and he answered their questions half-heartedly before urgently seeking help from the experienced parties.

"Don't be unreasonable. Even in our prime, we wouldn't have been able to fight a dragon with this number of people." (Aggra Ba'it)

"Please, don't say that!"

Despite being bluntly refused and desperately clinging to hope, the man was brushed off not only by Tatsuro and his group but also by the other members present. He left the Adventurer's Guild with drooping shoulders.

Once they had witnessed this, Leela went behind the counter and then returned after a while with four coins in hand.

"Everyone, please submit your quest forms. I'll provide the rewards immediately."

In her composed voice, Leela said this, and everyone promptly handed in their quest forms.

"Here are your rewards." (Leela)

"Yes."

Tatsuro confirmed that the correct amount was provided and made the deposit. Then, Leela spoke again.

"Thank you for today. Regrettably, it ended this way, but I think both of you should leave this town soon." (Leela)

"What about you, Leela?" (Tatsuro)

"This guild will probably be frozen until that magical dragon is eventually defeated. Therefore, I'll likely move to another branch. If you happen to meet me somewhere else, please feel free to say hello." (Leela)

"Alright, we'll do that. Goodbye, Tatsuro." (Ai)

"Yeah. Leela, thank you for accompanying us today." (Tatsuro)

"Thank you." (Leela)

With renewed thanks and a bow, the two of them left. Leela nodded respectfully in response.

"No problem. Honestly, even without me, you two would have managed somehow. Thank you for this valuable experience. Both of you thank you." (Leela)

Afterward, they exchanged brief greetings with other adventurer parties, and then the two of them left the place.

"Well, let's go." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah…" (Ai)

As they walked out, accompanied by Leela's farewell, Tatsuro sent a telepathic message to Ai and headed straight for the blacksmith's shop.

{Are we leaving this town, as in, for good, after what happened earlier? Or…} (Tatsuro)

{Of course, to help Mr. Zendo.} (Ai)

{To be honest, I think we have repaid our debt. Are you sure about this?} (Tatsuro)

Tatsuro asked this somewhat mean-spirited question, knowing what Ai would say.

"Hey, Tatsuro. We've been dealing with Zendo-san out of a sense of mutual help, haven't we?" (Ai)

"Not really. I helped him because I wanted to, and I believe he helped us for the same reason." (Tatsuro)

"See? So, do you not want to help him this time?" (Ai)

"I want to." (Tatsuro)

Upon hearing Tatsuro's words, Ai suddenly jumped out and turned around with a bright smile on her face.

"Well then, it's settled!" (Ai)

"My girlfriend is amazing…" (Tatsuro)

"She's not just cute, you know?" (Ai)

With these words, Ai, flashing a mischievous smile, made Tatsuro feel proud and deeply fond of her. Moments like these reminded him why he fell in love with her.

"Yeah, Ai is not just cute. She's an amazing woman." (Tatsuro)

"Haha. You, who recognizes that, are an amazing man." (Ai)

They held hands, shared a brief kiss, and then headed to the blacksmith's shop. It did not take long for them to arrive.

Night had fallen, and Tatsuro expected to find only the blacksmith inside. He knocked on the door without hesitation. To his surprise, the door opened quickly.

"Hey, you're here. I was starting to wonder if you'd show up again."

"Since you say that, I assume the fur is finished?" (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, take it."

With a smirk, the blacksmith welcomed them inside and handed them what he had been working on, neatly stacked on his worktable.

When Tatsuro and Ai looked at it, they saw that the seemingly ordinary animal fur and leather had been transformed into beautiful, glossy pelts.

"Turned out even better than I imagined. You did well, old man." (Tatsuro)

"Well, I'm not that great skill-wise, but I have a solid career, and I'm confident in my craftsmanship."

"Well, I can't deny that when I see the actual work." (Ai)

"That's right, that's right. Miss, you can fall for me if you want."

The old man tried to act cool and laughed cynically, but to others, it just looked like a joke.

"Huh." (Tatsuro)

"Don't laugh like that! This lady here deserves better treatment until the end."

"Speaking of the end, are you leaving this town too?" (Tatsuro)

Seeing Tatsuro's serious expression, the old man stopped trying to act tough and awkwardly smiled.

"Well, yeah. I thought I'd at least keep the shop my old man left behind, but I can't stay in a town where a dragon lives nearby."

"I see." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah." (Ai)

As the three of them turned their gaze toward the door, they could hear the commotion of people trying to leave the town as if escaping from the outside.

"That's it. We might never meet again, but this is goodbye. So, consider this a parting gift."

Saying so, he handed an envelope from his pocket. Although both of them tilted their heads in confusion, Tatsuro accepted it.

"It's a letter of introduction to my second master. If you want to process that fur, take it there."

"Oh, so your master can do the processing?" (Tatsuro)

"Huh? No, he can't."

"He can't?" (Ai)

"This situation feels familiar." (Tatsuro)

Thinking back to when they first met, Tatsuro could not help but feel troubled by the introduction to such a person.

Tatsuro questioned the true intentions of the eccentric old man, believing that he would not do something without a reason.

"So, why did you give me this?" (Tatsuro)

"Oh, that guy has mediocre skills but a wide network. Have him introduce you to a first-rate craftsman," the old man replied.

"An introduction letter to an introduction letter? Quite convoluted," (Tatsuro)

"Well, use it when you can't find a trustworthy craftsman. My master doesn't blabber about his clients, so you can trust that part," the old man explained.

Realizing that it might come in handy in the future both of them thanked him and accepted the letter.

"He should be in Holmuz, a place beyond the Lyadus territory, often called the blacksmith's town," the old man said.

"Holmuz got it. I'll remember that," (Tatsuro)

"Alright, this is farewell then," the old man said.

"Yeah, don't squander your money and end up bankrupt!" (Tatsuro)

"You got it," the old man agreed.

As they were about to part with those words, Tatsuro remembered something he had forgotten to ask.

"You gave me this introduction letter, but come to think of it, I don't know your name. It is somewhat strange to be introduced by someone whose name you don't even know. Please, tell me your name before we part." (Tatsuro)

"Oh, right, we never exchanged names, did we? My name is Yamate Goresum."

"I'm Tatsuro Hasami." (Tatsuro)

"I'm Ai Yashiki." (Ai)

"It's a bit odd to introduce ourselves when we might never see each other again," (Tatsuro)

The old man scratched his head, shouldered his belongings nearby, and, along with the three of them, left the blacksmith's shop. He closed the door with a key.

"Well then, see you around." (Tatsuro)

"Goodbye." (Ai)

As they bid farewell to the old man's departing figure, they heard him say, "Take care," as he glanced back at them from the doorway. The two of them moved to the outskirts of the deserted town.

As they reached a place far from the town's commotion and where nobody was in sight, Tatsuro prepared his board for flight. Placing it on the ground, he turned to Ai to convey something important.

"Ai." (Tatsuro)

"Yeah?" (Ai)

"Where we're about to go, it's really dangerous," (Tatsuro)

"It seems that way," Ai, responded nonchalantly, which, oddly enough, made Tatsuro feel even more uneasy.

"So, just make one promise for me." (Tatsuro)

"A promise?" (Ai)

"Yeah. I'm willing to sacrifice anything for you, Ai. So, in case something happens, even if it means leaving Zendo-san and the others behind, promise me that you'll escape without fail." (Tatsuro)

"Tatsuro…" (Ai)

There should not be a "what if." Ai closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about how nice it would be if she could say that. However, she firmly internalized Tatsuro's words in her heart.

Then, she spoke the words that came to her mind.

"Well, I'm the same. No one in this world or the original world could replace you, Tatsuro. Therefore, I do not want to do anything that might put you in danger or make you sad. So, I promise. If I ever feel our lives are in danger, let's escape together." (Ai)

"You and me?" (Tatsuro)

"Yeah, because what I said earlier didn't include Tatsuro himself. If Tatsuro were gone, I wouldn't have any intention of staying alive either." (Ai)

The gaze she directed straight at him held no lies or deceit. Therefore, Tatsuro, too, faced it with sincerity.

"I promise too. If I ever feel our lives are in danger, let's escape together." (Tatsuro)

"Yes!" (Ai)

And so, the two of them locked eyes and exchanged a kiss, sealing their solemn promise.

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