“I said I was sorry.”

Terri apologized but she didn’t sound that all apologetic. Ace on the other hand was grumbling incoherently. A bandage over his nose and his left eye was still sore. Actually, he had a thick black eye earlier but thanks to Liscia’s healing techniques (apparently she had some healing abilities) it was now barely visible.

“Like hell you are! You sent a flying kick right at me before I could explain anything!”

“Well, what’s a girl gotta do? I saw another girl being assaulted so I beat the guy up.”

“Are you trying to make me a criminal?! What the hell do you take me for?!”

“Do you really want me to answer that question?”

“You two please…it’s my fault.” says Anna looking quite dejected. “If I hadn’t fainted at that time…”

But the two ignored her and continued their bickering.

“Ah~? What the hell were you gonna say?!”

“I don’t think your brain is ever gonna process it!”

Ace and Terri were both still arguing ever since he regained consciousness which was already the next morning.

The misunderstanding was cleared up when he finally had the chance to explain what happened. Apparently, Anna went to get him since he took so long but mid-way she seemed to have lost consciousness (which she attributes to fatigue) when she finally found him. That’s when Ace caught her and at the same time that’s when the rest of them found her limp in his arms like she had been assaulted. Ace had left out the details of Anna’s strange actions though.

“Don’t those two remind of a certain couple we know-nya?” says Liscia while giving a smile towards Alva and Barton.

“What are you talking about?”

“Could you be talking about those folks back at the capital?”

Liscia shook her head. “Escaping from reality-nya?”

Ace and Terri were at each other’s throats for a good while. Anna simply gave up trying to take the blame or even stop them for that matter. The Adventures just look at them with warm eyes. By that time, things calmed down they were at another clearing eating lunch.

Ace then asked what the Adventurers were doing in the forest in the first place.

“Actually, the train we were riding had stalled to a stop. A landslide had pretty much destroyed the railway line. The Adventurer’s Association is sill sending out requests to Guilds and Freelance Adventurers to help clear and repair the lines.” explains Barton.

“That’ll take a while since we are in the Seventh District.” says Alva as she takes a bit from another barbecue.

“Why so?”

“There isn’t a guild registered in any of the small towns or the main city in the region. This district is too far in the frontier. Adventurers typically gather round the Royal Capital or the other major cities which are all very far from here.”

“Because of this, it’ll take hours or maybe even a couple of days to fix-nya. The poor passengers caught in mid-travel had to be camped out and there’s a huge congestion in the train stations.”

“Can’t the government send some people other than Adventurers to deal with this swiftly?”

“If it were near cities or towns it won’t be much of a problem but with the location of the landslides, ordinary Masons won’t be enough. It’s too dangerous because of the Wild Monsters and Bandits roaming around.”

Those words about Wild Monsters and Bandits didn’t suit well with them.

“That’s where we Adventurers come in. We have to deal with those problems so the repair works can run smoothly. We even help out if we have compatibilities. Take for example Earth Element Sorcerers can lift or move the landside with ease using Magic.”

“Whoa…that’s pretty amazing!”

“Hang on! You guys are Adventurers, right? How come you’re not helping out?”

“We’re not a charity group, kid. We need to get paid for it. Plus we have officially to take up the commission from the Adventurer’s Association or the Guilds if you are affiliated with one. That’s bureaucracy for you.” says Alva.

That kind of makes sense. After all, Adventurers do their thing because their paid for it.

“But how come you’re helping us? We don’t have any cash in hand.” Ace asks, while not being able to help being suspicious.

“H-Hey, don’t give us that look-nya. We’re not some bad guys waiting to extort or do something bad to you-nya!”

“Though a lot of Adventurers are in it for the money there are those who can judge the situation at hand. A landslide on a railway tracks can be easily left to others but we can’t turn a blind eye against civilians who need help at the moment’s notice. But to be honest, you kids just lucked out that we were passing by.” says Alva.

“Though she says that… It’s because Alva really wants to help others especially children-GUFUU?!!!“

“Silence you!” Alva had thrown her boot at Barton which ricocheted off his forehead and boomeranged back at her hand.

Everyone was amazed by that.

Now, it was decided and agreed that the Adventurers would escort them out of the forest. But after that was an uncertain future. Ace and the others understood that this was not the world they knew and they had no one they can rely on here. Anna nearly cried once more out of the helplessness of their situation and Terri had to comfort her.

Ace managed to keep his cool and secretly suggested to them that they find a job in a nearby town to support themselves for a bit. And this was the plan he told to Alva and the other Adventurers.

“I see. That’s good. At least you kids are quick to think on your feet. But jobs like those in a shop are usually grunt work and from the looks of you lot, you haven’t had the experience of lifting even a crate. Are you kids okay with doing such jobs?” says Alva appraising them.

That wasn’t entirely true…at least for Ace and Terri.

Ace had to help out in moving heavy stuff here and there at home. Usually it would be those boxes of files belonging to his mom. But those were heavy as heck.

And Terri had to help out in her move the supply crates at her mother’s store and even at her grandfather’s work place in carrying those huge rocks.

Anna on the other hand…she never had any experiences of hardship until now. Maybe she could work as a waitress at restaurant somewhere but if this was anything like those fantasy novels and manga Benny often reads then Anna would have endure a lot. And that was just saying it nicely.

“Finding a job in town is probably the more difficult task-nya. Usually the stores of small towns just hire their own families to ease up on the cost-nya. It’s for that reason that many try their luck in the bigger cities although that also means that the competition for job vacancies is immense-nya.”

Though she meant no harm, that comment from Liscia had really put them in a rut. This even pushed them more into the reality that it was gonna be difficult to live in this world.

“Hey, why don’t you kids become Adventurers? Speaking of which, you can pay back the debt of us helping you sooner.” suggests Barton.

“By Adventurers…do you mean like you guys?!”

“That’s right! You get to go on exciting adventures that risk your lives on the line, fight dangerous foes and monsters, hunt for treasures and rarities in dangerous places. If you’re lucky, seek fortunes along the way!”

Alva sent Barton a glare, “Hey, don’t put dangerous ideas in their heads, you musclehead!”

“T-That’s right-nya! You can’t just up and become an Adventure-nya!”

“Don’t worry…or rather…apart from the seeking fortunes part, the description of the life of an Adventurer seems way too dangerous.” says Anna, looking queasy.

“Sorry, but as much as I like to hit some bad guy I’d rather not deliberately seek danger.” Says Terri.

However, despite the caution from the female Adventurers and hesitation from his own camp, Ace looked rather excited.

“Going on death-defying adventurers…wielding amazing weapons…using amazing magic…that sort of thing?! We can be Adventurers too?” Ace asks with sparkling eyes, “Where do I sign up?!”

““Pablo?!””

“Well, that’s if you’re up to it! You look like you got what it takes!” Barton smiles at him, while ruffling his hair.

“Or…he’s just as big a muscle-head as you are.” says Alva.

“I knew that a long time ago. He just completely ignored the “death-defying” part in his own words. What a bone head.” says Terri.

Both Terri and Alva looked at each other for a moment. They both gave each other nod as comrades with stupid males.

Barton continued speaking about the life of an Adventurer to Ace who was sapping it up.

“If you want to be an Adventurer you need to learn some skills and be able to use Magic depending on the Class you want to take up.”

“Skills?! Magic?!” Ace had eyes glittering.

That was the literal “Magic” word that got the girl’s attention. Magic was limited to cheap parlor tricks and illusions or scientific phenomenon that explains the happenings and goings. However, Magic here was real. And these Adventurers just prove it.

Although it did excite them a bit but Anna word’s poured cold water on that excitement.

“I’m not really sure we can do that. I mean, we’re not from around here.”

Her words made Ace stop a bit. People of this world may be able to use Magic but they were not from here.

“It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give up without trying! I mean Wildfire Tenryu is around your age and he’s one of the most amazing Adventurers out there!”

“““‘Wildfire Tenryu?”””

“Of all people, you go for that! That’s precisely why I’m worried. Wildfire Tenryu is that last person you’d want as a role model!”

“Excuse me, but who’s this “Wildfire” Tenryu?”

“Haven’t you kids heard of him? Ah, well you kids were probably from another country so it’s not really surprising.” says Alva.

“He’s one of the most famous Adventurers around in Medea. Well, famous for being destructive that is. Wahahaha!” laughs Barton.

“Destructive?”

“Yeah, he’s been known to cause widespread damages to every job he’s ever been on. Last I’ve heard, he wrecked half of Tin Town to capture bandits.”

“Eh? Wrecked half a town?!” says Anna in horrified disbelief.

“And before that, he managed to capture that illegal crime syndicate on his own.” says Barton.

“Whoa, that’s amazing-” says Ace.

“But in the process, he destroyed their hideout which was the catacombs beneath a historic cathedral in Opal City so he wound up destroying the foundations as well. The whole place collapsed as a result.”

“““…”””

“And then there was the incident where he destroyed Emerald Town’s port to stop a bunch of pirates from escaping. Then that clock tower in Garnet Town was sliced in half.”

“Isn’t he the bad guy in all this?” asks Anna.

“I wouldn’t say that. I think he’s just an over-eager kid with too much power in his hands.” says Barton.

“Hmph, a muscle-brain covering another muscle-brain.”

“What was that?!”

Alva, however, ignored his protests and turned a serious eye on the three of them.

“Listen kids, you better not follow in his footsteps. Even if you are trying to do good, it’s no excuse to go rampaging like that, you hear me?”

She was giving them a hard stare that all three had froze up and nodded fervently.

“Well, it’s because of his antics that he has another moniker as the ‘Eternal E-ranked Adventurer.’ Long story short, he’s a bigger muscled head than this one here.”

“Oi!”

“But you have to admit though Alva-nyan. His Class Rank and abilities is already S-Class above so I guess that can compensate-ny-?!”

Liscia’s ears suddenly perked up and she sniffed air.

“What is it Liscia?” Alva says, suddenly alert. Barton, who had a joking atmosphere awhile ago also turned serious.

“There’s someone…no, there’s a group coming our way-nya!”

“There’re people in this forest?” asks Terri.

“Could it be the res-mmph!”

Anna’s mouth was quickly covered by Ace’s hand. He knew she was about to say “rescuers” but there was no way there were rescuers for them in another world. And judging from Liscia’s reaction they’re far from such. From what Ace recalled from those fantasy anime shows of Benny’s, Beastmen have senses like animals and it seems very true in this case.

“They’re most likely bandits!”