Chapter 120 - As an A-Rank Adventurer
Having finished my preparations for the hunt, I left the house and started walking toward the mountains with Kyle.
"The two of you are as lovey-dovey as ever."
"Eh? Did you happen to see us?"
"See what?"
Hearing Kyle's response, I realized I had dug my own grave.
Whether my stunned expression was amusing or not, Kyle chuckled.
"Well, I figured you were at least kissing."
Mmm, even though I'm supposed to be the adult, I feel like I'm being toyed with.
I felt a bit frustrated, but looking closely, I could tell Kyle's smile was stiff.
Because he was nervous about heading to the mountains, he probably tried to distract himself by teasing me.
Once I realized that, this twisted kid seemed a bit cute.
"More importantly, how about you, Kyle? Isn't there any girl in the village you're interested in?"
"There isn't."
I asked Kyle as a counterattack, but was immediately denied.
It was as if there was no room for consideration.
"No, but you're almost an adult, isn't it about time to think about such things?"
The general age of adulthood is sixteen. Kyle, who is twelve, is also at an age where he should soon be conscious of marriage.
"At what age are you getting married, Aldo-san?"
"...T-Twenty-seven."
When he put it that way, I realized I wasn't in a position to ask while acting like an adult.
It was a marriage finally happening after passing the age of adulthood by a full cycle. I was in no position to say this or that to a young person.
"But I was aiming for the top as an adventurer!"
"I'm the same as that. At the very least, I can't even think about having a family until I graduate from being an apprentice."
What a solid kid he is despite being young.
"I see. Then that's fine."
"...You're not going to push it much?"
When I backed off easily, Kyle muttered in surprise.
"Well, when I was an adventurer, I was obsessed with aiming for a higher rank too. That's why there hasn't been anyone like that until now."
There were women who invited me when I was doing adventurer activities, but I was obsessed with aiming for a higher rank and fighting powerful monsters.
Back then, I had no interest in such a general life—or rather, as an orphan who was desperate to survive, I had convinced myself it was something I had no connection to.
Well, if current Kyle is in the same state as my past self, there's no need to meddle strangely.
Though it's boring that I couldn't tease Kyle.
As we walked while having such a conversation, we reached the entrance to the flower field.
The flower field was radiating vivid colors today as well, and was very beautiful.
At the same time as a slightly dry wind blew, several petals colored my vision.
Once we reached this point, the forest and mountains were visible. I felt Kyle's expression stiffening with every step he took.
As I walked while worrying about Kyle, a purple flower was blooming in front of us.
"Oh, it's a Fran flower."
"Eh? Ah, yes..."
"This has a very good scent. Apparently, it has the effect of calming the mind when you smell it. You can even float it in tea or black tea to drink."
"H-Huh?"
When I talked about the Fran flower, Kyle replied with a somewhat bewildered look.
"You should smell this and calm down a bit. If you're too tense, you'll just get tired, you know?"
"You're right."
When I handed him the Fran flower, Kyle slowly brought it close to his nose.
"It's true. It's a good scent. And yet, somehow familiar..."
"Maybe it's mixed into Fonda-san's original tea leaves."
"That might be it. I'll ask her when I get back."
The scent of a familiar flower seemed to work, as Kyle's expression softened.
That said, this is only at the level of a temporary comfort. Overcoming the trial before the real thing is up to Kyle himself.
After passing the flower field, we reached the entrance to the forest.
I stopped my feet to match Kyle, who had stopped.
Kyle stared intently into the depths of the forest and then took a deep breath.
Thanks to the previous conversation and the Fran flower, his expression had softened, but it seemed the trauma carved into his heart wouldn't disappear.
It was just walking, but it seemed that one step wouldn't come out.
"...Are you still afraid of monsters?"
"There's that too, but more than anything, I'm most afraid that someone else will get hurt protecting me again."
Lauren-san had protected Kyle and gotten injured right in front of him.
As a result, there was no problem because an excellent mage named Kurune was there, but otherwise, it was to the extent that he might have had to retire as a hunter.
Kyle probably knew that. That's why he fears someone else getting hurt because of him again.
In this case, me, who is accompanying him.
It's not guaranteed that Kyle can defeat a Horned Rabbit alone once they enter the forest or mountains. Kyle's safety increases by having someone there.
However, perhaps because of Lauren-san's injury, Kyle fears someone getting hurt.
What should I do?
It would be good if there was some kind of easy-to-understand sense of security for Kyle.
No, there might be. It's telling him that I'm a former A-rank adventurer. If it's a high-ranking adventurer, one wouldn't easily think they would fall behind a low-ranking monster.
If I tell him I'm a former A-rank adventurer, I might be able to remove Kyle's fear.
But I have nothing to prove that right now.
The plate that is proof of A-rank has already been returned to the guild through Keel.
Even if I went back home and showed him the Dragon Slayer sword, it wouldn't be a guarantee that it's A-rank.
The existence of an adventurer is something guaranteed by the existence of the guild.
That was something I had understood well during my journey, but I hadn't thought it was this inconvenient until now.
I should have kept the plate without returning it. No, but if I didn't return it, it might be thought that I'm still enrolled.
"I'm sorry, let's go back after all. It would be inexcusable to Flora-san if I let you get injured for someone like me, Aldo-san. Your wedding is close too, Aldo-san..."
While I was worrying in my head, Kyle turned on his heel.
Ah, geez! Right now, I just have to say it without thinking about proof and have him believe me.
"Kyle!"
"Y-Yes?"
Perhaps because I called out in a loud voice, Kyle turned around in surprise.
"Um, I don't know if you'll believe me, but actually, I'm a former A-rank adventurer."
"...An A-rank adventurer?"
"Yeah, that's right. And my name isn't just Aldo, it's Aldred."
"Aldred? Could it be, that Dragon Slayer?"
Whether it clicked by telling him my real name or not, Kyle asked hesitantly.
Once again, it was embarrassing to be told that by an acquaintance, but I nodded without hesitation.
How is it? Did he believe me? At the very least, it would be good if it was conveyed that I have more strength than an ordinary person, so I won't get injured.
"Ahahaha!"
As I watched over him nervously, Kyle suddenly burst into laughter.
It was a carefree laugh that didn't seem like Kyle's.
Could it be that it sounded like such a ridiculous joke?
"I'm sorry for laughing suddenly. Somehow, hearing that from you, Aldo-san, I was able to make sense of your greatness and strength as a hunter. That's right, there's no way an ordinary adventurer could defeat a Red Bear alone."
"Eh, is that so?"
"That's right. I thought it was strange."
From my common sense, it's natural to be able to hunt something like a Red Bear alone, but from the common sense Kyle speaks of, it seemed to be greatly out of place.
Well, since the subjugation rank for a Red Bear alone is B, is it not strange to have such a perception?
"By the way, what is the subjugation rank of a Horned Rabbit?"
"It's E-rank."
A Horned Rabbit has a thrust with its horn and extraordinary jumping power, but its movements are linear and easy to see through. It's a low rank partly because of the ease of dealing with it.
"In that case, it's an easy opponent for the former A-rank adventurer Aldred-san."
"Well, it's not an opponent I'd fall behind."
There's no such thing as absolute in anything, but I said it with a bold line to give Kyle a sense of security.
"It's quite ridiculous that someone like me was worrying about such a person."
Kyle said that, and after laughing, he took a step forward with a very natural movement.
Then he walked another step, two steps, and entered the forest steadily. Those feet did not stop.
"For now, it seems okay to enter the forest. Let's go, Aldo-san."
I followed Kyle, who looked back with a somewhat bright expression.
As we walked through the forest for a while like that, Kyle whispered.
"...Thank you, Aldo-san. For telling me to encourage me."
Kyle was able to enter the forest, but it's safe to say the real thing is from here. Since I spoke so grandly to Kyle, I can't get injured even by a one-in-a-million chance.
I have to brace myself too.