After returning from Fog Village, I was enjoying a leisurely daily life.
If you lose your composure, mistakes are bound to happen.
I thought about continuing my adventures right away, but I decided to take some time to reorganize first.
“I told you, you didn’t have to come back.”
When I entered the shop which was unusually open, Fran made a comment upon seeing me.
“They say strong denial is a form of affirmation.”
“Don’t twist my words. Just take what people say at face value.”
“I even brought a gift for you, and this is how you treat me?”
I took out a ring from my pocket.
It was something I had received from the village chief the day before.
“……What’s that?”
Fran showed interest.
When I held it up to the sunlight, the red gemstone sparkled brilliantly.
It seemed she as a witch had noticed that it was no ordinary ring.
“As you can see, it’s a magical tool. Just carrying it grants immunity to curses and fills your body with vitality, making you healthier. It’s a precious item.”
I had traveled a long way to obtain this.
As expected, I did run into Claria, but the risk I took was worth it.
“Where did you buy it from?”
“I received it as a gift. They gave it to me as a reward for a request in Fog Village.”
Although it was a magical tool with valuable effects, it was somewhat not very useful for combat.
After all, it’s best not to get cursed in the first place.
It suited Fran more than me, as I was already well-prepared for most crises.
“Remember the 300 gold coins I borrowed from you before? Would it be okay to repay you with this?”
I handed the ring to Fran.
If I exchanged it at a shop, I could get several times its value.
The reason I didn’t do that was as a gesture of gratitude to Fran.
It wasn’t easy for her to lend me 300 gold coins so readily, even if there were personal reasons.
It might have been a bit excessive, but I considered it as repaying with interest.
“That guy has completely lost his mind!”
A sharp voice echoed through the shop.
Levasthan. The staff standing next to the counter started picking a fight.
“What’s your problem now?”
“Do you even know what it means to give a woman a ring? Were you really that clueless?”
“A proposal?”
“You knew and still did it? You’re even worse than I thought!”
Levastan was throwing a fit.
“This is a different situation.”
“Different, my foot! You should realize how rude this is!”
“What’s rude about it?”
“The fact that a lowly man like you even attempted something resembling a confession to Fran is rude in itself!”
“This clearly isn’t a confession……”
When I turned my head, Fran shrugged her shoulders.
I held up the ring for Levastan to see.
“This is worth far more than your own value. I gave it to her for its monetary worth.”
Levastan fell silent for a moment, then snorted.
“Hmph! More valuable than me? What a worthless ring. Do you think a talking staff like me is common?”
“What’s the point of being able to talk if you lack basic manners?”
“Manners are for humans to show to other humans! You don’t use honorifics with me either!”
“That’s enough.”
While we were in the middle of arguing, Fran stepped in between us.
“We’re open for business. Stop making a scene.”
Fran moved Levastan to the back of the shop and then covered his head with a cloth.
“Damn you, master! I can’t see anything like this!”
“Be quiet before I cover your mouth too.”
“………….”
Impressive.
She managed to silence that noisy staff in an instant.
But where exactly is the staff’s mouth located?
“I’ll hold onto the ring for now. But I’m not clearing your debt yet. I haven’t appraised it.”
“Someone like you can tell its value at a glance, right? Don’t you trust me?”
“If I ran my business like that, the shop would go under.”
Guess that’s professionalism for you.
Being thorough isn’t a bad thing.
Though I’m not sure if it’s necessary to be this strict with a childhood friend.
“So, how long are you planning to stay?”
“I haven’t decided exactly, but… I’m thinking of staying for another two or three days.”
Where there’s trouble, I’ll be there.
It sounds like something a detective would say, but it applies to me too.
Because I know when and where something will happen.
Put differently, if there’s no trouble expected, I don’t feel like wandering around aimlessly.
“Have you ever been called shameless?”
“You’re the only one I make requests like this to.”
“So it’s not shamelessness, but a lack of conscience.”
Fran let out a deep sigh.
“Appraising a magical tool takes time. Come back later. I’ll settle the remaining amount with you then.”
So that’s how it was.
I thought she was just trying to figure out if it was worth more than 300 gold coins, but that wasn’t the case.
Fran planned to appraise the ring’s value and return the difference to me.
“Just keep it. Consider it interest.”
“Don’t act all high and mighty by adding interest on your own.”
“Yeah, stop acting high and mighty!”
From the corner, Levastan who was still covered with the cloth chimed in.
“Ugh… Can’t you just say thank you nicely?”
At that moment, the door opened, and a customer walked in.
Judging by the heavily decorated attire, it was a mage.
By the way, the difference between a witch and a mage is usually thought of in terms of gender, but there were a few other distinctions as well.
One of them, for example, was their role.
A witch was a mage but not an adventurer.
For women, either term could be used without being wrong, but in everyday life, it was often used to refer to non-battle mages.
They focus on research and study.
On the other hand, Fran was the type who enjoyed a leisurely lifestyle.
That’s why being a witch suited her better than a mage, and she ended up opening this shop.
“Why aren’t you greeting them?”
I pointed it out.
Even though a customer had come in and was looking around, Fran just stood there staring blankly.
She didn’t even say something like “Welcome”, let alone introduce any products.
“…It’s a bit embarrassing.”
“Ha, looks like we’ve got a sloppy one right here.”
“Shut up…! This is just my style.”
“Style or not, at least follow the basics.”
Fran reluctantly came out from behind the counter after being pushed by me.
She stood next to the customer and hesitantly began to strike up a conversation.
Now that I thought about it, she was always quite shy around strangers.
It was almost a miracle that her business was doing so well despite this.
***
As soon as the final trial began, the first thing I did was set my priorities.
Since there was a high chance I would end up competing with Claria, I thought it was necessary to prepare in advance.
The major events were timed.
Some had random elements or a margin of error, but I had become familiar enough with them to make rough estimates.
The most urgent task was obtaining the magic sword.
Among all the equipment, weapons were the most essential items to secure first when starting an adventure.
If I hesitated or delayed, Claria might take it from me.
I had to acquire it before the cycles piled up.
Next, I chose to obtain the ring in the Fog Village.
It was something I had planned from the early stages, and there was something I wanted to verify.
The result was highly satisfying.
There, I confirmed that I could stand above the regressor.
No matter how many times you died and were reborn, what you don’t know, you’ll never know.
Even Claria who could compensate for her failures in the next cycle would be powerless if I thoroughly controlled the information.
However, it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
There was no way to know how my other selves in different timelines had acted.
That’s why setting priorities was so important.
With the events in the Fog Village resolved, it was time for a short break.
I stayed at Fran’s house for four days, planning my next move.
In between, I frequently went in and out of the forest.
While earning pocket money was the goal, it was also to maintain my combat instincts.
Hunting low-level monsters was a low-pressure yet excellent way to warm up.
“You’ve worked hard again today.”
As I entered the guild, the receptionist greeted me cheerfully.
I set down a sack filled with materials collected from the monsters.
“I’d like to exchange these, please.”
The receptionist’s eyes widened at the heavy weight.
“That’s quite a lot. Please wait a moment.”
She moved the sack inside and began inspecting its contents one by one.
The sack contained ears, teeth, hides, and other parts from the monsters I had hunted in the forest.
These served as proof of defeating the monsters, but some were also used for medicinal purposes or potion brewing.
It took about three minutes to count everything.
“The total reward comes to 37 gold coins.”
The receptionist placed a small pouch on the counter.
After collecting the reward and stepping away from the counter, an adventurer waiting behind me quickly filled the vacant spot.
That’s how the guild operated.
Since it was supported by the country, the guild maintained public order by setting and distributing rewards for each monster slain.
Adventurers brought materials from monsters hunted in the wild, and the guild purchased them, allowing adventurers to earn a living.
Materials from low-level monsters weren’t particularly valuable, but hunting them consistently provided a decent income.
The compensation reflected the risks taken, so even if you weren’t exceptionally skilled, you could still make ends meet.
I shook the pouch lightly, and the clinking sound of coins echoed.
I tucked the reward into my pocket and glanced around the guild.
In the lobby where benches were placed, adventurers gathered in small groups and were chatting loudly. Near the bulletin board on the wall, a warrior in heavy armor was pondering which quest to choose.
Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the guild’s distinct scent mixed with the air.
It calmed my mind.
There was a time when I had admired this atmosphere and dreamed of becoming an adventurer.
I did become one, but a leisurely life was never an option for me.
Unlike others who spent their youth freely, everything I did was merely a stepping stone or preparation to become the hero.
Knowing the future was both a blessing and a curse.
The arrogance of thinking I could control everything became a shackle that gnawed at my sanity.
……Has it gotten better now?
I still couldn’t shake the feeling of being bound by the cycles, but perhaps it was different.
***
When I returned from the guild, the house was quiet.
“The shop is closed…”
Fran wasn’t there. She was likely tending to some other errand.
I had hoped to say goodbye before leaving.
I placed the paper bag I was carrying on the dining table.
As a token of gratitude for her hospitality, I had bought groceries and daily necessities.
The pocket money I earned from hunting and processing monsters was meant for this purpose.
“I’ll be back. I’m not sure when, though.”
I muttered to myself in the empty living room.
Before leaving, I took one last look around the dimly lit house and closed the front door behind me.
A new journey had begun.
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