Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Volume 2  Chapter 16  “Why are you guys here?”

“This is something that no one would desire.”

The people from the research facility who are supposed to be monitoring us, those who are likely watching the footage, and even Nina herself probably didn’t expect me to say something like this.

Nevertheless, I won’t hold back my words because I don’t want her to remain in this “ordinary” state.

“You possess power, but you lack the appropriate common sense and reason to wield it. To be honest, I don’t think you can live in the human world. In fact, you are an anomaly to this world itself. It would be better if you weren’t here.”

Nina remains silent without attacking me, but her emotional turmoil is evident from the fluctuation in her magical energy.

“However, you still want to be here, right? I understand that you’re different from others. You know you’re an outsider. But you still want to be here, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“In that case, I won’t deny that wish. I know about your circumstances. I know that you desire to be here. However, if you want to live in the human world… if you want to be by my side, then you must acquire the common sense and reason to live in the human world. I don’t want to be around someone who easily uses their power to eliminate others just because something unpleasant happens.”

Simply put, she is still a child. Not just in terms of age, but her inner self is too immature.

Perhaps it’s because of the circumstances she has experienced until now, but it can’t stay that way going forward.

“If you’re going to use your power, use it to help someone. If you wield your power to assist others, then it becomes a ‘good deed’ that no one can blame you for.”

“I… I’m sorry.”

After I finished speaking, Nina, with tears streaming down her face, apologized as if being lectured had made her incredibly sad.

She isn’t just an “irredeemable person” who attacks based on her emotions. The fact that she can apologize like this means there is hope for her.

It’s just that her past environment was unfavorable. Depending on the circumstances going forward, she can change for the better.

“Ah, don’t cry. You came here to have fun, didn’t you? Enjoy yourself till the end. This is the kind of life you wished for, right?”

For that to happen, well, I might have to endure some hardships too, but it’s better than leaving her alone.

“Besides, you have a naturally beautiful face. You look even more beautiful when you smile.”

“Ah…”

Saying that, I took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears from Nina’s eyes. Then, I extended my hand towards her.

“It’s almost time to go, but let’s buy something sweet to take back as a final treat. It would be a waste if the last memory of this outing ends like this, right?”

“Yes!”

Nina placed her hand on top of mine and, although tears still lingered, her face brightened with a smile.

“Is this place alright?”

And so, we started walking towards the meeting point with the car that would pick us up, and along the way, we entered a small independent pastry shop.

“What would you like?”

“Um, I… I…”

Just like last time we went out, Nina seemed unsure of what to choose, her gaze wandering without saying anything.

“I’m sorry. This one, and that one, and also…”

I turned my gaze to Nina, who was still indecisive, and called the shopkeeper to place an order on her behalf.

“…As I mentioned before, you need to value your rationality more. Also, don’t just focus on what you dislike, but think about what you actually enjoy. What you want to eat, what you want to do, and so on. By doing that, the world will become more enjoyable.”

After paying the bill and preparing to leave the shop…

“What?! Now of all times?! This can’t be true!”

“A gate?”

In that instant, I sensed the presence of a gate forming.

Nina, who felt the reaction but was in no danger herself, looked bewildered. Meanwhile, I hurriedly paid and shouted, “Keep the change!” as I grabbed Nina’s hand and rushed outside.

Damn it, I wanted to say that line about not needing the change at a more opportune moment and sound cool!

As we stepped outside the shop, indeed, a gate had appeared. I momentarily pondered what to do, but then I remembered that Nina was with me and decided to call Saeki-san for instructions.

“Saeki-san!”

“I understand the situation! Focus on your side.”

“Is the rendezvous point at South 3 okay?”

“Yes, that’s right. We’re already heading towards…”

While we were talking, monsters started emerging from the gate. And of all things, there were flying ones.

“To think they would dare to taint this moment of enjoyment, the city we’re having fun in… They’re nothing but a hindrance.”

As I made the call, feeling that the situation was getting critical, I suddenly sensed Nina’s magical power intensifying next to me. I worried that she might attack not only the monsters but also the people and the city itself. Hurriedly, I reached out my hand, but…

“Um, excuse me for a moment.”

“Huh? W-Wait!”

My hand swung through the air, failing to touch Nina.

Then, Nina leaped into the air, releasing white flames from her hand, dispersing the flying monsters in the sky, and proceeded to enter the gate herself.

“Nina…?”

Without any time to stop her, Nina entered the gate abruptly. But that wasn’t what surprised me the most.

She had been visibly frustrated due to the sudden appearance of the gate and monsters. It was evident from her reaction when I tried to stop her.

And yet, she used the “white flames” just now. Moreover, she leaped up to ensure that there would be no harm to the surroundings.

For some reason, Nina’s flames change in color and nature based on her emotions.

Black flames can burn anything they touch and won’t extinguish unless Nina herself stops them.

White flames lack the same nature as black flames, but they possess pure, overwhelming firepower that can burn everything in their path.

Both are dangerous in their own right, but their nature and the emotions associated with using the flames are completely different.

Black flames manifest when negative emotions are infused into them. Considering the sudden interruption and the negative emotions Nina had, it wouldn’t have been strange for her to use black flames. In fact, it should have been black flames.

But Nina used white flames.

When considering what that implies, she…

“Igami-kun?!”

“Ah… Sorry, what’s the situation!?”

Just as I was about to ponder further, Saeki-san’s voice came through the phone, bringing my attention back to the conversation.

They probably noticed that Nina flew away on their end as well, so there’s nothing I can do right now.

Without unnecessary explanations, I asked Saeki-san and the others for an update on the situation.

“What… Ah…”

Just as I was about to ask what we should do, black flames overflowed from the gate, but they quickly disappeared without burning anything on our side.

And then, in place of the vanished black flames, Nina jumped out of the gate in the same manner she entered.

“…She’s out.”

“S-So, what about the damage in the surroundings?”

“There’s none. Some black flames leaked out, but there’s no damage on our side.”

…

It’s hard to believe that there was no damage despite Nina using her powers. Saeki-san fell silent without saying a word.

Even if they can’t believe it based on my words alone, there should be video footage from the surveillance devices observing us. They have no choice but to believe it.

“It’s over. The gate should close in a little while.”

The gate seemed to be of considerable difficulty, yet despite destroying it, Nina gracefully landed a short distance away from me as if nothing had happened. She then walked towards me.

“Ah, um, well done.”

“No, it was nothing of importance.”

Nina said with a smile, but a moment later, she had a slightly anxious expression and spoke up.

“…Um.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“D-Did I… do as instructed?”

The moment I heard those words, my eyes widened in clear surprise.

But it couldn’t be helped. It’s likely that not only me but also the people at the research facility would be equally surprised to hear that.

“Hehe…”

That’s why I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

“Was it… not good?”

“No. No, it’s not like that. Ah, no, it’s the opposite—well done.”

As Nina’s eyes slightly teared up, seemingly thinking she had been rejected, I shook my head and answered. Then, I gently placed my hand on her head, like a parent comforting a child.

…Her words reached me properly, after all.

“Let’s go—what’s wrong?”

Satisfied with that realization, I tried to head towards the meeting point, but for some reason, Nina didn’t follow.

“There have been people watching us for a while now.”

“Someone watching us? Not the lab personnel, right?”

“Yes, it’s them.”

Well, considering how Nina appeared as if she fell from the sky, it’s not so strange for someone to be watching us. Especially right after all the commotion with the gate.

As I thought about that, I looked in the direction Nina was pointing…

“Oh…”

And there, I saw the familiar faces of my team members, four of them to be exact.