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 4 Chapter 14   Destination

After the day I went to the beach, I have been occasionally taking breaks, but almost every day I have been diving into the dungeon or training.

However, those days that can’t really be called breaks are about to end soon.

“Hey, have you finished your summer homework?”

“Of course, I finished it before the summer vacation even started.”

“Summer homework isn’t supposed to be like that.”

Well, it might be a typical student thing to do, and I used to collaborate with my friends for summer homework. The original intention is to study even during the break.

As I reminisced about my student days while talking to Asada, it suddenly reminded me of something else.

“Come to think of it, we had a similar conversation before, didn’t we?”

That’s right. I feel like we had a conversation like this around the end of summer vacation last year.

“Speaking of which, we did it last year too.”

“Wow, it’s already been a year.”

“Yeah, time flies.”

It’s already been a year. Time passes so quickly.

Wait, I remember thinking about this not long ago too. Whether it’s because I had such eventful days or simply because I’m getting older…

I’d like to think it’s because a lot has happened in this past year.

Well, aside from that…

“Why am I still being an adventurer?”

“You’re saying that again. Isn’t it about time to give up?”

Asada said that while laughing, but it’s no laughing matter.

Well, even though I’ve almost given up, deep down, if I have the opportunity, I want to quit being an adventurer.

Well, technically, my title isn’t adventurer, it’s instructor, but what I do is essentially the same.

To be honest, I’m still worried about leaving them behind. But it’s not about their skills, it’s just that I’m anxious about what might happen if they die in a place where I can’t reach them.

I’ve already trained them to be at least above average among professionals, and Miyano has gained the minimum strength befitting the name “Hero.”

What’s left is not just skills and knowledge but also experience, and whether I’m there or not, the tasks themselves won’t change.

I can’t stay by their side forever, and someday the time will come for us to part ways.

That’s why if I have the chance to quit, I want to take it.

Besides, if we stay together, I have a feeling that we might get involved in something when it goes wrong.

“But you know, I have this unpleasant feeling that sooner or later, I’ll get involved in some major incident and it’s going to be a big fuss.”

Since the previous incident was in May, and now it’s August, it’s been three months already, so it wouldn’t be surprising if something happened soon.

…Why am I starting to think of it like some seasonal event?

Until now, it used to happen once a year. Well, even that’s strange enough.

Normally, encountering it more than once usually results in death.

“Hey, can you please stop saying that? It feels like something is actually going to happen when you say it.”

“And, Igami-san, haven’t you already gone too far to turn back?”

“And even if you quit being an adventurer, it seems like the unpleasant feeling won’t go away…”

“Just give up.”

As they say, it doesn’t seem like I can quit being an adventurer, and even if I do, it’s evident that I’ll get entangled in some kind of problem.

Nina is still in the research institute, and I can’t completely distance myself from everything related to being an adventurer.

I understand that, but…

“Well, I guess there’s no helping it until you guys graduate.”

I sighed and came to that conclusion.

Originally, when I heard about the current tactics instructor, it was something along those lines, and it serves as a suitable conclusion.

“Graduation, huh? By the way, have you decided on your future path?”

“What? You still haven’t decided?”

Considering it’s already the summer of our second year of high school, it wouldn’t be strange to have decided on a future path.

Well, I didn’t decide on my future path until the summer of my third year though.

I was thinking of just getting a job at a nearby place that had job openings or something like that.

I remember having the thought that it would be troublesome to move away from my hometown, but maybe I didn’t feel the reality of actually getting a job.

“Well, you see, even when it comes to future paths, nothing really stands out.”

“As choices, it’s either continuing as adventurers with this team, going to work at some company, or pursuing further education. Roughly speaking, those are the three main options.”

These guys are awakened beings of Class 1 or higher, so I thought they would continue as adventurers rather than working at a regular company.

Although I don’t know about the cost in terms of lives, adventurers can earn money and have various compensations and preferential treatment, so the majority of Class 2 or higher become adventurers.

“But if possible, I want to stay together like this.”

“Me too. At least, I won’t go to university.”

The first one to say that was Abe.

It felt surprising, so I tilted my head and asked.

“Is that so? I had a feeling that Abe would go to university.”

When it came to going to work or pursuing further education, I had a feeling they were inclined towards further education.

They have this look and atmosphere that seems suitable for a research position or something like that.

“Is it because of your family?”

However, Abe’s response was such a question. Why the skepticism?

“Hmm? Ah, I see. Is it okay?”

“It’s fine. I’m running away.”

In Abe’s case, they belong to one of those ancient magical noble families, so there are various things related to that. Perhaps it feels troublesome and burdensome, leading to the word “running away” now.

“For me, it’s probably being an adventurer. After all, I’m still the ‘Hero.'”

Following Abe, Miyano said that, but it was expected.

In fact, any other choice would not be tolerated by those around them.

Being expected as the “Hero” means diving into gates and defeating monsters. Until high school, it couldn’t be helped to learn how to use their power, and besides, they weren’t called “Hero” before that, so no one said anything.

However, if it means going to university several years later, there will be people who complain. Whether Miyano goes to university or not should be their freedom, but there are people who only see Miyano as a girl with power, the “Hero.”

Those people think only of themselves and push their unreasonable burdens onto others, claiming that they alone are suffering. It’s foolish and ridiculous, but the more foolish they are, the louder their voices are, and the more influence they have on society.

And people are drawn to what they find interesting.

They are attracted to exciting lies rather than dull truths, so they will excessively react to the foolish and ridiculous voices of those idiots and impose on Miyano to remain as the “Hero” without considering her as an individual girl.

Therefore, if Miyano wants to live even a slightly more comfortable life, she has no choice but to continue her activities as an adventurer.

Miyano probably understands that. It’s a ridiculous situation, but that’s how it is.

“Kana is the fourth option.”

It came down to Asada or Kitahara, but for some reason, it was Abe who answered regarding Asada’s future path.

Wait, what’s the fourth option? Apart from employment, further education, and being an adventurer, is there something else?

“The fourth option?”

“The place of employment.”

“Place of employment, huh…”

It seems that when they mentioned the fourth option, they were referring not to the direction of the career path itself, but rather the specific place of employment if one were to choose the employment route.

“Hmm.”

But for some reason, Abe nodded and pointed at me.

“…You still cling to that joke, huh?”

“If I keep saying it, you might eventually consider it. Besides, it’s not a joke.”

In other words, what Abe wants to say is probably that I should marry them.

Previously, when mentioned the idea of getting married and having a permanent job if I were to quit as an instructor, now they were suggesting the reverse version of that, where I marry them.

“Sigh… What about Kitahara?”

“W-Well, I… I think I’d like to be able to stay with everyone.”

That answer was directed not towards me, but towards the other three.

“I’m fine with it. Like I just said, I originally intended to continue as an adventurer.”

“I’m okay with it too.”

Miyano and Abe responded to Kitahara’s words.

With that, it meant that only Asada remained. The gazes of the three, and incidentally my own gaze, turned towards Asada, wondering how she would answer.

“Well, then I guess I’ll be an adventurer too. I didn’t really have anything else in mind, and I thought, why not do this?”

I felt like it shouldn’t be decided so easily, but upon reflecting, I realized that I had also gone with the flow, and that’s probably what most students do.

“So, everyone, let’s continue supporting each other from now on!”

As Asada said that while looking at me with a smirk, it seemed that I was included in that “everyone.”