Sevens

Volume 2, Chapter 17 – A Step Forward, A Step Back

Translated by: Reiji

『That’s really amazing, Lyle. Just when you were worrying about shouldering the lives of two people, the third one made her entrance. That was totally unexpected. Lyle, somehow you are at the side of “the have” aren’t you.』

It was the Third who was talking happily. What he meant by the have, perhaps it was something like luck factor. No, in this case, perhaps it’s evil luck instead? No, calling it evil luck made it sound like I’m prospering from doing bad things.

Bad things……I haven’t done anything like that, or it should be.

At present, we were borrowing a room inside the guild and Zelphy-san was talking about our plan going ahead. In response to Sophia-san who suddenly appeared, Novem said that this was a nice timing and made her join our party. That weighed on my mind.

Novem was basically a beauty who could do anything well, she was an able woman who was devoted to me. But, as could be seen from how she was accepting towards Aria-san, she possessed a mind with a tendency towards a harem. For some reason she was trying to place girls around me.

There were two long tables placed inside the room. The four of us were sitting in front of Zelphy-san. Novem and Aria sat at both my sides, while Sophia-san sat beside Novem.

Zelphy-san cleared her throat.

「Aa~, so that’s it. The young miss there wants to work as an adventurer in order to return the favor to Lyle. Is it okay if I thought of it like that?」

Sophia-san slightly cast her eyes down. She was sitting with her back straight and her resolute face blushing. She was bright red until her ears.

「Ye, yes! What I meant by paying with my body is in the sense of doing physical labor. The, there isn’t any other meaning to it!」

The Sixth murmured from inside the Jewel where only I could hear him.

『Physical labor, is it. For some reason when those words came out from this girl’s mouth, it sounded obscene.』

Surely because there was what happened just now. Sophia-san declared in the guild──furthermore in front of a lot of people, that she would pay back her debt to me with her body.

Thanks to that my nickname changed from “idiot noble son” to “womanizer” in one day.

My image was rapidly heading to a bad direction.

Zelphy-san lazily waved her hand and interrupted that talk.

「I get it already so calm down. I’ll ask just one more time, you don’t have experience working as an adventurer right?」

Sophia-san nodded and looked down.

「Bu, but, I came from a house of retainer knights. I have training in martial arts.」

She was able to walk around while carrying a large battle axe. Her body must be trained, but Zelphy-san put her hand on her forehead. It seemed there was a problem.

「……Lyle, I want you to hear this as a suggestion from me. It’s not a bad talk for you.」

「What is it?」

Zelphy-san’s gaze looked around at us then she folded both her hands and put them on the table.

「I and also the guild are in your debt from the bandit subjugation. With the addition of new members to your party, won’t you prolong the instruction period by two weeks? Of course, there won’t be any additional charge. The guild also won’t oppose it.」

It would take money to have a veteran adventurer like Zelphy-san giving us exclusive instruction. The price was 20 gold coins for three months. If it could be prolonged for two weeks for free then I would be grateful. I’m grateful but…….

「Err, why is that?」

Novem turned her gaze to Aria-san and Sophia-san and nodded.

「That’s right, I guess that way will be better. Lyle-sama, I believe we should obediently accept this suggestion here.」

Novem seemed to understand, but I didn’t understand. Zelphy-san made a conflicted expression while looking at Aria-san and Sophia-san.

The Second explained to me.

『It’s because these two are amateurs. They have no knowledge or experience at all like you before becoming an adventurer. She wants to teach these two the basics first.』

I looked down and thought for a bit. Thinking back to my first month, certainly I was unable to understand what an adventurer was, I……ah!

「Eh, please wait a second! Then during those two weeks!」

I stood up in a flash and looked at Zelphy-san. Zelphy-san grinned and nodded.

「You finally get it. Well, let’s work hard doing the odd jobs. Don’t worry, after all the two weeks period will be service from my side.」

Aria-san seemed to not comprehend it and looked at me.

「Lyle, what does she means by odd jobs?」

Construction work and redevelopment were progressing in Dalien. There were a lot of jobs in the city. Because the guild was looking for manpower for that, adventurers who didn’t even have weapons or equipment would take that kind of request.

They were jobs that weren’t like adventurers.

「……Ditch cleaning.」

「……Eh?」

When I muttered that, Aria-san looked at Zelphy-san. But, Zelphy-san averted her gaze. It seemed she wouldn’t give preferential treatment of not letting Aria-san do that kind of request.

Sophia-san stood up on the spot.

「Ple, please wait! That’s not the kind of work that I’m thinking to pay back my debt with. I’m thinking something more like defeating monsters or──」

Zelphy-san was staring at Sophia-san with half-closed eyes.

「Sorry but, I am the instructor of this party. In other words, I am the one demonstrating the policy to the leader Lyle. Miss, if you don’t want to do that then you can leave the party. Although, if you’re going to live as an adventurer, I’ll guarantee that the experience here won’t be pointless.」

Sophia-san tried to complain, but Novem spoke out.

「Lyle-sama, please don’t worry. I will be the one working outside this time, so Lyle-sama please take the writing request in the guild during that time. It’s alright, although I look like this I’m quite strong.」

Novem said that she would take the work of ditch cleaning and construction work that would be assigned to me with a smile, but the ancestors wouldn’t allow that.

『Ly, Lyle! Don’t let Novem-chan do something like that! A, Aria-chan too! No way Aria-chan can be allowed to do that kind of manual labor!』

But, the Second had a slightly different opinion.

『If Novem-chan cannot be allowed to work outside, then the other two should be treated the same too.』

The Third too had no fixation towards Aria-san and Sophia-san, but it was a different case with Novem.

『That’s right isn’t it. Well, let’s have them do their best with writing requests. With these two’s noble backgrounds, they should be able to do something easy like reading and writing.』

The Fourth expressed a contradictory opinion.

『I wonder. That might be the case with Aria-chan who came from the capital nobility, but for Sophia-chan who was from a vassal family of a provincial noble……remember, people doing routine duties who were taken as retainers by a feudal lord, a lot of that kind of people are suspect whether they can read and write or not.』

The Fifth was also of the same opinion.

『People like that are quite a lot. There are also idiots among them who said things like woman have no need for literacy.』

As for the Sixth──in the first place the ancestors starting from the Fifth and ahead weren’t really fixated with Novem. They were only telling me to treasure her after she sold even her dowry for my sake.

『Well, if the instructor Zelphy decided it so, then they should follow it I guess.』

The Seventh looked frustrated.

『Damn it-! Lyle is going to do that kind of work again……this is why I hate adventurers!』

The Seventh hated adventurers and mercenaries. Because of that his evaluation towards them would lower despite their actual character.

「Novem……you take the writing request.」

「Why is that, Lyle-sama!? I, I can also work hard!」

Novem showed a shocked reaction, but for me it was scary how she was seriously intending to substitute for me in doing the physical labor.

If Novem worked outdoors while I worked indoors……it would look like Novem was the only one working. My nickname would change from “womanizer” to “gigolo bastard”. I don’t want that!

Zelphy-san clapped her hands.

「Come on, it’s already decided so don’t be noisy. Lyle will do physical labor. The girls will do odd jobs like writing request and the like. Work properly and learn what adventurers are.」

I had the feeling that Zelphy-san’s gaze towards Aria-san looked troubled. As I thought, she was worried toward Aria-san who was like a little sister to her.

.

The position of the sun was high. It was about noon when the sunlight became stronger.

I wiped my sweat with a towel while looking at the two people doing physical labor. The two were sweatily loading the mud I was removing from the ditch to a wheelbarrow and then carried it away.

The First murmured with a voice that was going to break into crying.

『Aria-chan……』

The Second was also speaking in astonishment.

『Sophia-chan is also a no good type huh. How should I say it, these two……they have clumsiness of different types.』

I called out to Aria-san.

「Aria-san, it’s already time for a break, let’s rest. Let’s throw the mud later. Or rather, are you alright? If it’s hard then taking another request……」

The sweaty Aria-san was relatively energetic.

「I’m fine! The smell is harsh but if I have to say I’m more suited to this kind of work!」

She was dressed in overalls that really suited her for some reason. Furthermore she said she was suited to this, and certainly she was reliable with her work. In contrast, Sophia-san had a dull gaze.

「Sophia-san too, let’s rest. You don’t need to feel that down about it.」

「No. I have to work hard here in exchange of my previous repeated failures……」

Repeated failures. Until yesterday, the fifth day of me doing construction work requests, the two were doing requests intended for females like writing and the like under the guidance of Zelphy-san. And then the two splendidly failed those requests. Their evaluation was an unbelievable E. There were five ranks of evaluation, from A to E. The lowest evaluation E would result in the adventurer given a fine.

Because of that, I who was scheduled to clean the ditch today too met up with the two. They joined me but, the two of them were more suited to this kind of work. They had more strength than the average male.

The Third was laughing.

『It’s amazing. Sophia-chan who scolded the client when doing writing requests! Aria-chan who broke a lot of plate at the restaurant and punched a customer! It’s a wonder she was able to work in the service industry until now.』

The two of them caused numerous troubles at the workplaces where they received requests.

Well, the two of them also had justifications for what they did. They had but, the fine was too much and they were judged to be unsuitable for that line of work.

Honestly, I thought that even I at the beginning still did better than them.

I took off my gloves and reached out for my flask that was nearby. The two of them also took their flasks while wiping their sweat. We would rehydrate ourselves like this, but as expected the meal would wait for later with the location like this.

The ditch cleaning request would be finished in several more hours. When it’s over we would receive an evaluation from the client.

Aria-san drank water then wiped her mouth with her towel.

「Zelphy doesn’t come here.」

Even the instructor Zelphy-san wouldn’t keep watch of us around the clock. Or rather, right now she was busy with another matter.

The Fourth laughed a bit.

『She must be really busy cleaning up after these two around this time. Well, it’s good that she is working properly. After all it’s the job of the supervisor to take responsibility for their charge.』

The two’s failures racked up quite the number during these five days.

On the first day Sophia-san came to the guild and scolded the adventurer who asked for writing. She was asked to write something like a love letter, then apparently at the end the client told her 「I want to send that to you」 which enraged her.

She was writing sweet words that made one want to vomit sugar with a bright red face, but the client was grinning seeing that. Even if it wasn’t Sophia-san it would be understandable why anyone would want to get angry.

But, a failure was a failure.

Aria-san was working in service industry before this so we figured she would be alright when she was sent to a restaurant that was lacking staff. There a drunk middle-aged man reached out to touch her butt.

We were told that she punched the drunkard flying, broke plates, and even broke a table. That was scary. When she was sent to the kitchen, she broke several plates while washing them and the restaurant complained to the guild.

Even after that she repeatedly failed in similar ways and got sent to my place.

Because Zelphy-san was going around in order to earnestly apologized to the clients, she didn’t come to monitor us here today. Even Zelphy-san surely didn’t imagine that Aria-san was this terrible despite having worked in the service industry before.

The shop Ciel where Aria-san was working at before was a hidden shop that offered sweets to males. Thinking back now, many of the males going there to sneakily eat sweets weren’t drunkards. The shop owner made Aria-san serve the customers must be because she was unskilled in other things than that. She was working with a cute appearance, so perhaps the work there was putting importance on appearance.

The First was troubled of how to react.

『Should I feel relieved that she is staying within eyeshot, or should I lament of how she is delighted from doing physical labor, I just don’t get it! Sh*t-! What should I do here!』

The Third immediately replied.

『You cannot do anything anyway so isn’t it alright to stay quiet?』

『GODDAMN ITTTTT!!』

It felt like my unreliable mana was audibly shrinking when the First yelled. The sound couldn’t be heard but, there was no doubt that my mana was pointlessly consumed.

Perhaps inside the First the ancestor of Aria-san who was a genuine noble lady overlapped with Aria-san. Well, the First had never even talked with that ancestor of Aria-san, so it was unknown what kind of person she was.

I had a thought that perhaps she was unexpectedly similar to Aria-san.

Sophia-san sighed.

「……I will be able to achieve more if I can fight monsters outside though.」

I said to Sophia-san.

「No, you don’t need to be that concerned. I recovered that heirloom was also only because of the occasion.」

Aria-san joined the conversation.

「Tha, that’s right! You don’t need to be that concerned about it. Or rather, you are completely not useful at all.」

Sophia-san glared at Aria-san with a severe expression.

「……I don’t want to hear that from you.」

「Bo, both of you, don’t glare at each other like that.」

When the two of them were making such a complicated atmosphere, the passersby could be heard whispering to each other. A group of three who seemed to be housewives were,

「How terrible, there will be a bloodbath there, a bloodbath.」

「Perhaps they were tricked by his nice appearance?」

「How young.」

They were passing while watching us with enjoyment. Then, there was one person who approached us. It was Zelphy-san who was making a tired expression.

「You three seem to be having a great time there.」

「There is nothing great about this!」

Zelphy-san shrugged when I talked back.

「My bad but we are changing the plan. The fine’s amount is big no matter what. Rest for tomorrow and the day after that we will go exterminating monsters outside. I also thought about paying on these two’s behalf but, I guess it will be better too for them to know the reality early.」

Sophia-san opened her eyes wide.

「Finally. With this I will be able to compensate for all my failures until now!」

Aria-san was also feeling rivalry towards Sophia-san.

「E, even I can do it! I had also received instructions in using a spear from my house!」

Aria-san and Sophia-san were unexpectedly knowledgeable about martial arts.

I thought that it would be better if they learned more about other things though, but I didn’t say it out loud. But, the Third spoke to me who was holding back from saying what I wanted to say.

『……Lyle, it’s fine if you speak what you are thinking a bit more.』

The Fourth who was fussy about the treatment of woman and money was also of the same opinion.

『It’s no good if you make a verbal slip though. But, communication is important, Lyle.』

I stayed quiet because it felt like they would get angry if I spoke it, but was that no good?

Zelphy-san looked at the two who were conscious of each other and scratched her head.

「……Perhaps it would be better if I teach them the reality first.」

The reality for the two……what did she mean by that?

.

──The next day.

Novem took Sophia out for shopping.

For adventurers, going outside didn’t stop with just fighting monsters. There were also a lot of tools that they would need. Aria was shopping with Zelphy, so Novem was going together with Sophia.

There were a lot of shops that sold the necessary items for adventurers. But, the characteristics of the item would depend on the shop, so Sophia was troubled.

「The price is different even though they are similar things. Is it the difference in quality?」

Novem nodded at Sophia.

「That’s right. I think it’s better to choose tools with a certain degree of good quality. The cheap ones will break easily, and thinking about using it for long it will be more economical that way.」

But, Sophia was making a slightly perplexed look.

「It’s a really big expense. I thought that the initial cost will be smaller.」

Novem suggested to Sophia.

「Sophia-san, I will pay for the tools. Also, are you alright with the cost of your inn? I will also pay for it if you don’t have enough.」

Sophia shook her head.

「No! There is no way I can let you do that! I, I came in order to repay my debt, there is no way I can be even more of a bother than……」

Novem spoke bluntly.

「You will be a hindrance to Lyle-sama if you are insufficiently equipped and also unable to manage your health. This is a necessary expense. Besides, it’s fine if you pay it back later. Please rely on us for now.」

Sophia had an overly optimistic thought about adventurers, or rather she wasn’t even aware about it. The nobles of Bahnseim had the tendency to hate becoming an adventurer.

They wouldn’t choose this path if it wasn’t for a reason like their house falling to ruin, or they were the second or third son going independent.

Sophia was also a person who didn’t think about becoming an adventurer. She was a woman and thought that she would marry into another house. But, her house was unable to protect the land that was left in their care from the feudal lord, and her family died. They were also stripped of their position as retainer knights.

「……My apologies. I will be in your debt for now.」

Novem smiled.

「Yes. I will have you pay it back someday. Now, let’s go chose the tools. There is also other shops we have to visit after this.」

Sophia was bewildered.

「We, we’re still going around shops?」

The two continued their shopping like that──

.

The next day, at a place that was a few hours walking distance from Dalien.

There I wiped the yellow green liquid that covered my face.

Zelphy-san was laughing while holding her stomach. Novem prepared water with her magic and wet the towels before distributing them to me, Aria-san, and Sophia-san.

Novem scolded the laughing Zelphy-san.

「Zelphy-san!」

Then Zelphy-san cleared her throat.

「My bad, don’t be that angry. But, with this you two understand right?」

Aria-san and Sophia-san looked down.

A Slime──a soft and flabby monster that was like a yellow green liquid wrapped by a mucous membrane. Its size varied, but it was smaller than a human. It was a monster that was easy to defeat, but right now we were covered by such a slime’s body fluids.

In my case, the liquid splashed on my face because of the axe that Sophia-san swung around. Aria-san too, the liquid of the slime that she stabbed with her spear showered her and greatly dirtied her.

Well, everyone other than Novem and Zelphy were dirtied drippingly.

The Second briefly said.

『This is terrible.』

He muttered, and it was in fact terrible. Zelphy-san wore her gloves and took the part of the slime that could be sold──the material. The transparent skin that wrapped the liquid was ragged.

「The condition is really terrible. If it’s like this the price will be lower than half. Also, the core is also crumbling and cannot be sold. The magic stone also flew away somewhere……I cannot find it.」

Aria-san looked like she wanted to say something, but she shut up when Zelphy-san glared at her.

「Now listen. Don’t think that it’s fine as long as the monster is defeated. Adventurers won’t get money if they don’t secure the materials in a good condition. Aria!」

「Ye, yes!」

In front of Zelphy-san who was in her working mode, Aria-san too was naturally feeling nervous.

「There is no need to stab with all your strength, I taught you that before! The inside will spill out if you cut it a bit. Wait until everything spills out and then recover it! Why are you unable to do something like that!?」

Aria-san became dejected. Sophia-san glanced at her from the side, but she wasn’t in a state to feel triumph.

「Sophia, you too. I told you didn’t I? It’s difficult to do this with that weapon.」

Sophia-san kept the dirtied axe stabbed on the ground and made an excuse in a fluster.

「Bu, but, even without carrying other weapons I──」

「Don’t carry a weapon that you cannot handle!」

Sophia-san was able to swing around the large battle axe, but she couldn’t be said to be able to handle it. Her attack at the slime missed several times, and at the end she strongly swung horizontally with a great arc which caused the liquid to splatter everywhere.

「It’s a weapon that you entrust your life to. You can choose whatever you like but, it’s dangerous to carry a weapon that you cannot handle. Sophia, you……can you swing around that battle axe if there is an ally nearby?」

Sophia-san looked down and clenched her fist.

「……I can’t.」

I also thought that was impossible for her. Or rather, I couldn’t stand near Sophia-san. If she was careless, there was also the risk of the battle axe flying from her grip.

In front of the clumsy pair, the First murmured with a subdued voice,

『There isn’t any need to say it harshly like that. Aria-chan is also doing her best.』

That attitude was completely different from with me! Recently the First became kind, but before that he would constantly provoke me, spoke ill of me, and hurled abuse at me. And yet his attitude towards these two, or rather towards Aria-san is like this!

……I think that’s a bit unfair.

Zelphy-san turned her gaze towards me. I unsheathed my saber and entrusted my luggage to Novem who was in charge of the luggage.

I picked a fallen branch on the ground and threw it at a slime. The branch hit the slime and bounced back, then it jumped while heading toward me.

I held the saber with my right hand and moved slightly from my standing position.

When the slime passed through my former position, I lightly cut its skin with my saber. The slime became unable to move and spilled its body fluid on the ground. A red round core and a red small stone──a magic stone appeared on the ground.

I put on the gloves for recovering materials, took out a small barrel and a leather bag from the luggage, and retrieved the materials.

「Right, this is the way an adventurer fights. Do you two understand?」

Zelphy-san introduced my action as an example in front of Aria-san and Sophia-san. ……It seemed the way I defeated it received a passing mark.

The two were dejected.

「You won’t be able to save money by simply defeating monsters. It’s not like the knights or soldiers that need only defeat monsters. Defeat the monster cleanly and retrieve the materials and magic stones. You won’t be able to eat as an adventurer if you cannot do that. You will only keep doing odd jobs no matter how long time passed.」

I looked at the two. Novem approached me.

「Lyle-sama, perhaps it will be better if you talk to the two of them later.」

「……Eh?」

When I tilted my head, Novem made a troubled face.

「N, no. Talk to them and do something like encouraging them, that……there are various things.」

Before, Zelphy-san told me don’t help other people when you are still inexperienced yourself. Meddle in only when you are already able to stand by yourself, she said.

「……No, is that so? I thought, that it might be no good instead if I speak to them. Look, I’m also still inexperienced. Before you said to help others after becoming able to stand by myself……」

Novem was stunned. But, she seemed to recall something right away and pressed me.

「Please absolutely talk to them later. Alright? Absolutely! I’m not asking Lyle-sama to give them advice or anything. Simply say something like, do your best, even just that is fine!」

「O, okay.」

I was overwhelmed by Novem’s pressure and nodded, but the ancestors were also similarly surprised at me who was like that.

The First finally squeezed out his voice.

『Oi, isn’t Lyle a bit strange?』

The Second was also the same.

『Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it since before but……』

The Third continued his words.

『He is unfamiliar with human relationships, no, it’s not at that level isn’t it.』

The Fourth was a bit angry.

『This is a big problem. Big problem! How did you apply that talk to this situation right now……』

The Fifth was also the same.

『They are your fellow party members. Help each other. Why are you treating it the same as the talk of helping other people?』

The Sixth was also feeling doubtful.

『Hmm, could it be this is……well, until now he was helped by Novem’s quick consideration after all. We simply didn’t notice, but there were a lot of places where Lyle’s actions were doubtful.』

The Seventh tried to cover for me but he gave up.

『……Lyle, these two aren’t strangers anymore. We just talked about how you are responsible for them didn’t we?』

Now that he mentioned it, certainly it was so, but I was told that it was ten years too early for someone inexperienced like me to help someone else.

……What was different?

The First yelled at me.

『You, you still don’t get it! Yosh, understood! Come inside the Jewel tonight! Remember, you absolutely must come!』

Aria-san and Sophia-san who were scolded by Zelphy-san. Novem who was looking uneasily at me, and I who didn’t understand the present situation……the astonished ancestors inside the Jewel.

What’s this, it felt like it returned to slightly a while ago. I couldn’t feel any progress at all from that time when I was unable to do anything and kept getting scolded.