“How is he, Rurune?”

“…Yes, there don’t seem to be any issues. His nearly severed arm has reattached without a problem. He can move his right hand, and for now, there are no signs of any aftereffects.”

Rurune, who has medical knowledge, checked Nil’s condition, and it seems his injuries are no longer a concern. The power of a Grand Mage’s healing magic is truly remarkable. His crushed eye and nearly severed hand have been completely restored.

“Um, I truly thank you for saving my life!”

Nil bowed his head respectfully. Unlike his older brother, Alec, he spoke in a polite and refined manner.

“I’m really glad you’re okay. But if you’re going to thank anyone, it should be Alec—he’s the one who brought you here while bowing his head.”

“Yes, I’ll make sure to properly thank my brother.”

Alec himself had collapsed earlier, seemingly from the sheer relief of seeing Nil healed. When Rurune examined him, she determined it was simply due to exhaustion and lack of sleep, so we let him rest in bed.

Come to think of it, the Swift Thunder Party hadn’t slept or rested since we started the dungeon expedition. No wonder he collapsed.

“Shall we head back in the morning?”

“Yes, it was good that we informed Lilith and the others in advance that we might not return until tomorrow.”

“Hoo!”

The sun had completely set, leaving the surroundings in total darkness. Fūsuke might be able to see at night, but I couldn’t see a thing. It was best to wait until sunrise just to be safe.

“Please, take your time and rest tonight. Our village doesn’t have much, but you saved Nil, and we wish to offer you our best hospitality.”

“Thank you very much. We appreciate your kindness.”

The village chief and Nil led us to another house, where we were treated to dinner.

“That was truly incredible healing magic. Those terrible wounds don’t even hurt anymore. Masayoshi, you’re an amazing mage.”

“Indeed! Master Masayoshi is the greatest mage in the world!”

It was a bit embarrassing to be praised that much.

“Nil, please be more careful from now on.”

“Yes, I’ve learned that a single moment of carelessness can lead to severe injury. I’ll be even more cautious from now on.”

Nil and his party had taken on a monster subjugation request. They had successfully completed the mission, but on their way back to town, they were suddenly attacked by a large swarm of monsters.

Since they had already completed their mission, his party had completely let their guard down. As a result, Nil suffered severe injuries, and though his companions managed to return to town with wounds of their own, they barely made it.

The town’s healers were unable to treat his wounds, and without money to pay for lodging, he was transported to his home village nearby.

“Adventurers can never afford to be careless—it could cost them their lives. It’s not just monsters; there are also bandits who prey on adventurers who drop their guard after completing requests.”

“I see… That’s very insightful, coming from an A-rank adventurer.”

So there are bandits like that too… This world really is far more dangerous than my original one.

As we listened to Rurune’s stories about adventuring, dinner was served.

“I’m sorry, our village doesn’t have much, but this is the best we can offer.”

“No, thank you very much.”

It wasn’t a lavish meal by any means, but it was a true taste of the mountains. Mushrooms, wild vegetables, and mountain yams—foods I’d only ever eaten from a supermarket back in my old world—made for a unique experience.

“Please enjoy some fruit after your meal.”

“Wow, this is so sweet and delicious!”

“Hoo!”

The fruit they offered was incredibly sweet. One tasted like a pear, while the other resembled cherries. Even Fūsuke seemed to enjoy them.

“Yes, both are exceptionally sweet and delicious! Do you not sell these in town?”

“Huh? You think these wild fruits would actually sell?”

“Since I rarely see them in town, they might be unique to this region. If they’re this sweet and delicious, cultivating them in the village could be a good business opportunity.”

“Really!? Village Chief, should we give it a try?”

“Hmm, it’s worth considering.”

If even Rurune, who loves sweets, praises them, they might actually be valuable. I’ll store some and have Farah, the head chef at Sara’s mansion, take a look. They could be useful for making cakes or become a specialty product of the region.

After enjoying dinner, we were shown to our sleeping quarters. I stayed in the same house as Nil and the already sleeping Alec, while Rurune was accommodated in a house with other women.

We planned to return to Sylvia’s town first thing in the morning. Lilith and the rest of the Swift Thunder Party must be worried about us, so we needed to return quickly. I could use teleportation magic to get back instantly, but I preferred not to reveal that ability to too many people, so we’d rely on Fūsuke again.