Ivy had started gaining steady fame as the town’s mascot.

Now, whenever Ivy showed up in town, children and young women would flock to see her.

Thanks to this, both Ivy and I could now roam the streets of Akoup freely, without any worries.

Meanwhile, Sanshita—who used to be the undisputed favorite of the town’s kids—was starting to feel threatened by Ivy’s growing popularity.

"I won’t lose, no way!" he declared, suddenly fired up with a competitive spirit. For some reason, he decided that carving his own wooden figurines was the way to keep up. He began practicing precise magical output control for that purpose.

Honestly, he’s kind of a hopeless case. If you’re going to get competitive, at least focus on something more meaningful…

As for Rey, she still occasionally stops by to spar with Ivy and me, share a meal, and crash at my place.

When we first met, she was so uptight and aloof, but she’s softened considerably. I think she must have been forcing herself back then, and what we see now is her true self.

Today, too, Rey came by for the first time in a few days.

She’s already pestering me for a fight, which is a bit much, but at her core, she’s straightforward. I can’t help but hope today turns out to be another enjoyable day.

“Phew… Another day done,” I said, exhaling.

“Ugh… I lost again…”

Rey, breathing heavily, dropped to her knees, her face filled with frustration.

In the past, she’d always faint after a fight, but recently, she’s been able to stay conscious even after sparring.

I’ve gotten better at holding back, and Rey has developed the endurance to last longer.

We’re both definitely getting stronger… or so I’d like to think.

Honestly, with Ivy and Sanshita as my only points of comparison, it’s hard to feel the improvement myself.

Becoming an adventurer to earn money and find a place to settle down seemed like a good idea at the time. Now that I’ve achieved both goals, I find myself at a loss.

Back when I was busy, I longed for freedom, imagining a life of sunbathing and afternoon naps. But now, with so much free time on my hands, I feel oddly restless.

Life rarely goes the way you expect, huh?

Not that I’m complaining—I’m happy. It’s just human nature to wonder if there’s something more, I guess.

Speaking of which, Rey usually lives somewhere completely different. I wonder what her life is like.

“You’re curious about how I spend my time?”

“Yes. Come to think of it, I’ve never asked.”

Rey looked down, lost in thought. She’s clearly dealing with some complicated circumstances, so I don’t expect her to share much.

Still, knowing her, I half expect some shocking revelation.

“I have a home base, much like your Akoup. I usually start from there and travel to various battlegrounds as instructed by my mentors.”

“Battlegrounds… You mean regions with magical creatures?”

“Yes. Defeating them is my… purpose.” She paused, catching herself mid-sentence.

Sensing something ominous, I decided not to pry further.

One thing I’ve learned from knowing Rey is that there are things better left unknown and situations better left unexplored.

The names she occasionally drops—the ones that sound suspiciously like those of famous figures from the kingdom—must be coincidences or my own mishearing. Definitely.

Ignorance is bliss, after all.

“I was just about to head toward the town of Für, east of Zaidenfeld.”

Incidentally, the Marquis of Endlord’s full name is Aldo von Endlord-Zaidenfeld.

Für is governed by Viscount Batten, a vassal of the Marquis, so traveling there shouldn’t be too difficult.

“Why are you heading there?”

“I’m bound for the great forest of Mainenfür. There’ve been unsettling reports of a powerful magical creature in the area. I plan to investigate.”

“Wow, that’s impressive.”

I can’t imagine going somewhere on such vague information. I’d be too worried about wasting my time to even try.

“I have a companion coming with me, but… would you and your group like to join?”

“Well, we’re kind of—”

“Mii!”

Before I could finish, Ivy’s enthusiastic cry startled me.

Wait, seriously? Are we going? Sure, we’ve been bored lately, but still…

“Mii, mii!”

“What is Ivy saying?” Rey asked.

“She says, ‘We’re going, even if I have to tie Bruno up and drag him along.’”

“Well, if Ivy is that eager, then it’s settled,” Rey said, smiling.

And so, led by an unusually motivated Ivy, I left the town of Akoup to join Rey on her journey.

If there’s a strong magical creature out there, it’s probably best for us to take care of it.

Alright, time to gear up and give it my all!