“Did Harry come back yet?”

I asked Chris who was reading a book when I returned from the Adventurer Guild after getting dragged there by Charlotte.

“He just did, and then he went out again.”

“Is looking into Black Rose taking that much work?”

“I don’t know, I’m not a detective.”

“Well, I have to go on a mission for a few days so if there’s any news just wait for me.”

“What mission?”

“An S-rank mission.”

“Oh. Wait, don’t you have to be an S-rank to take an S-rank mission?”

Unlike the other ranks, S-ranked missions require an adventurer to be S-rank for them to take the mission. The reason being the monsters that are needed to be subjugated in the S-rank missions are Catastrophe level monsters. Their existence is akin to natural disasters.

Therefore, only S-ranked adventurers have the ability to subjugate these monsters. In the first place, the S-rank was the only rank that’s not based on merit; instead, adventurers that are deemed to have combat powers equal or greater to Catastrophe level existences are given the rank. Which means that they are theoretically even stronger than me.

However, there’s a reason I could go on this mission.

“I’m going with some S-ranked adventurers, I’m just going to watch them anyway.”

“Since when did you have friends?”

“Since when have you been a dumbass?”

“What an immature comeback!”

I ignored Chris and packed some stuff I want to bring with me on the field trip- I mean dangerous mission.

***

The next day, at the town’s square.

“RICHARDDD!!!!”

A crazy woman; Charlotte yelled while running like a mother reuniting with his long-lost son before jumping and spread her arms wide to hug me. I stepped forward and dodged the nostalgic woman, but she spun in the air before instantly catching me in her arms with great reflexes.

I was already too fed up to do anything about it when she started cuddling me and pressing her cheeks against mine.

“Sigh~”

So I just sighed in defeat.

“I miss you so much!”

“Does that makes sense? It’s only been a day.”

Adam suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“Geez. It’s only natural to miss Richard this much!”

“Pretty sure it’s not.”

“You, can’t you see how cute Richard is? Will you not miss him after only a day?”

“I’m not a shotacon like you.”

“How could you say that!”

The both of them bickered back and forth while I’m just standing in silence in Charlotte’s forced embrace. I would rather not join the argument that started without my consent.

“You guys are fighting again? Geez, how embarrassing.”

A woman wearing a wizard robe arrived and reproached the two people at each other’s throats. She approached our group and looked at me who was held captive by Charlotte’s excessive affection.

“Who’s this, your hidden child?”

“It’s Richard.”

“The Little Beast?”

This again. Does everyone know me only by that name?

“He’s not a little beast!”

“Sure, of course you would say that.”

“Geez. That said, you were gambling again! How many times are we going to help you out when you run out of money?”

“Oh, come on! We’re friends aren’t we?”

“Good grief.”

Going by their conversation, this lady must be Rachel, the gambling addict. She looked at me again and asked Charlotte.

“What about this boy? Why are you cuddling him here anyway?”

“He’s coming with us to the subjugation.”

“What? Are you crazy? He’s not an S-rank!”

I cut in at that time.

“I’m just going to watch you guys do the mission. I can assure you that I could at least protect myself so I won’t be dead weight.”

“Are you sure? A Catastrophe level monster isn’t a joke you know.”

“And I’m an A-ranked adventurer, I won’t be able to fight with you guys but I’m confident enough to keep myself safe.”

“Hmm…”

Rachel stared at me suspiciously for a few seconds before deciding.

“Fine, suit yourself. Charlotte, make sure you keep full responsibility for that boy’s safety.”

“Of course I will.”

“Listen, kid. I’m sure you’re confident in your own strength but there’s a reason why these monsters are called Catastrophe level. Even S-ranked adventurers won’t be able to beat one alone without a party.”

“In other words, be alert all the time.”

Rachel warned me of the dangers of going on an S-ranked mission.

“Well, I’m sure he’s going to be fine.”

Adam patted my back and reassured Rachel.

“Let’s get going then.”

We all got out of the town and went straight to the forest on foot. The forest is a bit far away from the city but it’s not impossible to walk there.

The Giant Mammoth can be found in the deeper part of the forest. It was a place I’ve never set foot on before; many Catastrophe level monsters reside there and legend says that the Sage Dragon Zarek slumbers in the center of the forest on the peak of Mt. Zarek. Perhaps the presence of the powerful dragon caused the forest to be filled with dangerous monsters, but no one knows if the Sage Dragon truly exists.

Charlotte was the one who told me this, by the way, she kept talking to me so I just listened when the story about the Sage Dragon came up. Of course, I’ve heard about it before but I still like listening to it. I’ve never seen a dragon before, and dragons are treated as an object of fairy tales in this world. So no one actually knows if they really exist.

“Are dragons even real?”

I asked Charlotte out of curiosity.

“I’ve never seen one, but the Ocean King Azura is said to be the Guardian of Mirgard, the elven country. Are you interested in dragons? Do you want to find one with big sis?”

Charlotte suddenly suggested a dragon-finding journey with me. I’m interested but I don’t want to go anywhere with her.

“No thanks.”

Charlotte pulled a pitiful face at my uninterested tone. I ignored her and asked something that has been weighing in my mind since earlier.

“By the way, how did you recognize me right away during our first meeting yesterday? Even Rachel and Adam knew only my name and not my face.”

“Well, what kind of child could mark a whole territory in the dangerous forest using their mana in the first place? Of course, I could deduce right away that you’re Richard, the outstanding youngest adventurer!”

That makes sense, but Rachel interjected and revealed the truth.

“Don’t lie to the poor kid, you have been investigating this kid ever since you heard about an adorable looking child becoming an adventurer and your obsession went through the roof when rumors of him rapidly climbing up the ranks started to spread.”

“You must have known his face much earlier from your investigation. It’s not surprising if you deliberately went to the forest to meet him either.”

I looked at Charlotte in horror as I heard Rachel’s explanation. The more I heard the worse it got and Charlotte looked flustered when she was revealed by her friend. I took my distance from Charlotte when she tried to justify her creepy act.

“Rachel, why would you say that!”

“No. Richard, listen to big sis. I was just interested when people said there was a new very young adventurer in town, especially when you became an A-ranked adventurer in such a short time. I mean, who wouldn’t right? And I really wasn’t deliberately looking for you in the forest, it was a genuine first meeting!”

“I’m just saying.”

Rachel shrugged and laughed after putting Charlotte in a difficult situation.

“Rachel, don’t tease her too much.”

“Fine.”

Adam who has shown the most leadership in the group stopped Rachel from going too far with her pranks. I was still wary of Charlotte but she looked like she was about to cry so I didn’t want to be too difficult on her.

The journey to the deeper parts of the forest would take a couple of days so we packed a considerable amount of supplies. I volunteered to carry the luggage as I wasn’t going to do anything much other than observing the subjugation process. The three adventurers weren’t going to let a child do the hard work for them at first but I insist on not being a deadweight.

“Are you okay, Richard?”

Charlotte asked out of concern seeing me carry such a heavy piece of luggage.

“I’m fine. Compared to training, this is too light.”

I carried a boulder on my feet while doing 10,000 push-ups on a handstand every morning, this much luggage won’t tire me even if I carry it continuously for a whole year.

“Really? What kind of training did you do?”

Rachel who heard me calling the luggage light questioned my training routine.

“Just some simple workout.”

I didn’t tell her my full workout routine. She sent me a suspicious gaze before she continued focusing on the path ahead.