I woke up early. This time it was me knocking at the trio's door. Hot springs, wait for me.

Knock-knock-knockin' on heaven's door. I hummed, in good spirits.

I wonder if there's a way to extract audio from my memories. I put that thought on the to-do list.

We got our breakfast and we set off to meet our client. We entered the noble district following Ellin who was leading the way.

Finally, we arrived at the designated meeting place.

I arched an eyebrow. The client was a kid, same age as the trio.

I was expecting someone older. This isn't a joke assignment is it? I looked around, but there wasn't anyone else except us.

「Ellin: Edward! Here we are!」

Ellin waved cheerily at the boy.

「Edward: Hi Ellin! Are you and your friends ready?」

He glanced at me.

「Edward: Oh, we haven't met yet. My name is Edward Val Ferdias.」

He extended his hand. I shook it.

「Allen: My pleasure, I'm Allen.」

「Grastel: Allen Skullcrusher, the unbreakab- ow!」

I punched Grastel on his sides to shut him up.

「Edward: Really?! I've heard tales about your deeds!」

Oh no. He's one of them. My right brow twitched.

After the introductions, everyone went to fetch their horses who were waiting in a nearby stall.

I rented one myself and joined the others on their mounts.

「Namrick: You learned to ride?」

He asked with faked surprise.

「Allen: I can manage.」

I said gritting my teeth. I can suggest a horse a general direction to follow. Then I have to pray.

Worst case scenario, I subdue the creature with a choke hold and drag it back on track.

I'm a goddamn magician. I dared it to defy me.

We set off along the road to the hot springs.

「Edward: You guys are amazing! You even killed two trolls! I wish I could join in your adventures.」

The trio's smile faltered.

「Allen: I think you're grossly overestimating the amount of fun involved...」

I interjected.

「Edward: I'd like to become a great hero and spread the tales of my deeds long and far.」

He was too damn optimistic.

「Allen: Isn't it funny how almost all the heroes never live long enough to enjoy retirement?」

I laid out the harsh truth.

「Edward: I want to fight the bad guys!」

It was like he wasn't listening. It's just like talking to my ex-boss.

「Allen: Morality is relative.」

I said flatly.

Edward looked grumpily at me.

「Edward: You're no fun, Allen.」

He scowled at me. My lips curled upward.

「Allen: Why I'm just as fun as adventuring!」

I said with an innocent smile.

「Namrick: Edward, Allen is not entirely wrong. There are bright sides once a while, but most of the time it's... grisly work.」

Namrick butted in. Finally someone acknowledges my words!

「Allen: Foul smells, muscle aches, gore, brushing with death...」

I listed the fantastic and exciting experiences that were the core value of adventuring.

「Grastel: Adventurer's do it mostly for the payout. For most of us, these jobs are the only way to make connections with the upper classes and find a better life. Also... it's a job, someone has to do it.」

I nodded, approving the lack of idealistic naiveness.

「Edward: That's... disappointing.」

Edward looked a little dejected.

「Ellin: Sorry Ed, we do try our best to do good, but with our strength... there's only so much we can do.」

She said apologetically.

I felt like we were shattering his dreams. They were gonna-end-up-dead kind of dreams but I wanted to lift the mood.

「Allen: That said, fighting for your life sure makes you feel alive. A true boon to a corporate drone like me.」

「Edward: Corpo-what?」

He looked at me in askance.

「Ellin: Ignore him, he keeps using weird words that mean nothing... probably.」

I don't know why Ellin keeps saying that. Does she think that just because I'm a foreigner I go around spewing inexistent words just to pull people's legs?

Or maybe it's because I'm refusing to leak their meaning. I had already regretted telling Gregoris about the basic grammar. Fewer people knew about it, the greater the chance to spot other people from my world. Assuming I'm not the only one, that is.

But even before that, I probably fucked up from the beginning. I've run in a couple of instances where I heard people I never met, humming one of my catchy songs. Mispronounced swear words included.

How did that even happen!

Now more than ever was the time to be careful. Why did I have to sing the catchy songs? How did they spread? Was Lena the culprit? Did anyone hear me while I was absorbed in my thoughts?

I pushed down the negative thoughts and returned to the conversation.

「Allen: Anyway, it's only thanks to Ellin, Namrick, and Grastel that I've survived this long. If I had tried to go adventuring on my own...」

I made a *splotch* sound with my mouth to illustrate my point.

「Ellin: ... it's not all that bad! We've also saved people without efforts. That alone is worth all we got through!」

We did, didn't we?

Everyone nodded in agreement.

But if I had to choose between a friend and a thousand random people, I would always choose my friend without hesitation. I'm not some dumb hero that greedily thinks he can save everyone.

Besides, from a thousand people, I would expect the basic decency of trying to save themselves. One thing I learned in life is that you can't help people by doing their job for them.

「Edward: Look there! We have arrived!」

I woke from my thoughts and saw the silhouette of a city in the distance.

Edward spurred his horse to a trot and we followed behind.

Well, that's what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, my horse didn't get the memo and kept walking at a normal pace despite my efforts to explain the importance of going faster.

Grastel looked behind, saw me losing ground and grinned.

I scowled back at him.

I wish I had a car.

We parked our horses in a stable and paced around the small city.

The roads were paved and bustling with activity. Looks like we were in a tourist attraction.

There were a lot of stalls selling wares and stuff. I just hoped the hot springs weren't packed full.

「Edward: I just know the best place, follow me!」

Edward grinned and lead us on.

Ten minutes later we reached our destination. We entered the establishment and Edward paid for us too so we could join.

The baths were split by sex. We boys entered our side and cleaned up ourselves before entering the lukewarm water.

I was a little envious to see that Namrick was way more ripped than me. Well, he's been training hard and wearing heavy armors since the beginning. At least I had reached Grastel's level so I had nothing to be ashamed for.

I let the warm water embrace me I felt all the bad feelings and the wear from the previous month dissipate. Ohh yesss.

「Grastel: Ahhh, this is the best!」

We all had relaxed expressions, enjoying the bliss.

Now this is a vacation.

But something was gnawing at me.

「Allen: I still think one of us should stand guard outside. Aren't we bodyguards?」

I voiced my dissent.

「Edward: It's fine!」

He made a dismissive gesture. Completely unprofessional.

「Allen: So, you've been here before?」

The guys had never told me of this Edward dude. He seemed a friend of Ellin, but aside that I knew little to nothing.

「Edward: Yes, many times with my family. But my father has been telling me that I need to learn how to handle things on my own. So this time I decided to come myself.」

He folded his arms behind his head.

「Namrick: So, how is life for nobility?」

「Edward: Not as fancy as it sounds. It's like living in a cage.」

He grimaced.

「Grastel: But you get to eat the best foods!」

Grastel pointed out.

「Edward: Yeah, well... the food loses its appeal after a while. Unless you're like my uncle who just loves to eat.」

「Grastel: What about the women? Don't you get many chances to score, heeh?」

Edward blushed.

「Edward: What are y- I'm not talking about that!」

Grastel laughed mirthfully.

「Allen: Have you studied magic too?」

I tilted my head toward him. I wondered I he was a prodigy like Ellin.

Edward looked down, downcast.

「Edward: I did, but... I failed the test for the basic magic and gave up after that.」

Hmm?

「Allen: Really? Why?」

I stared dumbfounded. Why would anyone who had the chance, give up the dream of mastering the arcane arts?

「Edward: Magic... is really not my thing.」

He fidgeted nervously.

「Edward: I'm kinda envious of Ellin... she graduated top of the class and her father even agreed to let her roam free with you guys.」

「Allen: Man... I really had a hard time coming with the money to attend magic classes. If I were you I wouldn't have given up the opportunity. Magic can be very useful.」

I had been lusting after magic since a was a little toddler. Then I found out there was no magic at all.

Informatics was the closest thing. It looked like magic, it was good enough for me.

「Edward: I know! But...」

Namrick cut in.

「Namrick: Allen, stop pestering him, I'm sure he has his reasons.」

Edward kept silent.

I'm not pestering anybody. Dumb Namrick.

「Edward: Honestly, magic scares me... back when we were kids, Ellin, my sister and I used to play together.」

He sighed.

「Edward: One day when we were visiting the Arcane Academy with our parents, one of the students who was practicing magic with his friends, cast a magic ice spike and lost control of it... that spike hit my sister. We screamed and cried for help, but when the healer came it was already too late.」

He closed his eyes

「Edward: I think... that's when Ellin decided to become a healer. I myself think the world would be better without magic」

We remained silent for a while.

I didn't agree about the world being better without magic. Magic or no magic we can kill each other just as easily. But I kept silent.

「Allen: Well, even if you don't want to learn magic, you could get some military training. Look at me, I've just come back from a month of it.」

I showed off my biceps.

Edward looked uncertain.

「Allen: Sure, the recruit training was brutal, but we did learn a few useful tricks. Also, we recruits had the chance to experience real combat situations.」

「Edward: I already get swordsmanship lessons...」

He looked away.

「Allen: Hah... but have you ever killed anything or anyone with your sword?」

I gave him a serious stare.

Like in most things, actual practice always trumps theory. Theory only shines as a support to practice.

「Eward: ... no.」

Namrick nodded gravely.

「Namrick: It's different when your life is on the line.」

I thought back to my first kill with the verklings. I think I didn't do too bad.

I got used rather quickly to the adrenaline, the combat and the act of killing. But then I'm not really a normal man.

For starters nothing scares me anymore, it's not even courage, after a certain age I just stopped feeling fear. At best I can feel anxious when bad things happen or someone I care about is in danger.

How I survived until now without one of the basic self-preservation instincts is beyond me. Flashbacks of my younger self, doing stupid dangerous things flashed back in my mind.

Gods, I wanted to travel back in time and punch myself so hard.

「Grastel: Gah... let's stop talking about these depressing things.」

Grastel smiled wickedly and whispered conspiratorially.

「Grastel: How about we take a peek on the girl's side?」

The three boys started grinning like dumb idiots.

I shook my head. I did not participate. These things never go smoothly according to the stories I've read and seen. I ain't falling to the cliché.