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 3   “Request” from the White Knight

“And so, what’s the matter?”

“Can’t we just have a casual conversation?”

Kudo’s expression twisted slightly, seeming troubled, but casual conversation, huh…

“Well, I have some free time now, so I don’t mind. But don’t you have something you want to talk about?”

Whether it’s small talk or guidance as an instructor, if someone initiates a conversation with me, I’m willing to go along with it. Frankly, I’m bored anyway.

However, that’s not the case with Kudo. It’s not small talk or guidance; he approached me with some specific purpose in mind.

“As observant as ever, I see.”

“When dealing with monsters, observation is key. Especially with irregular ones. Every aspect of their behavior is valuable information. And compared to expressionless monsters, humans are easier to understand.”

When it comes to surviving in dungeons, information is crucial.

Knowing how the opponent behaves, what traits they possess, what criteria they use to make decisions, whether they have cognitive abilities, and if they do, what they are thinking—all of these are essential.

As someone who has fought while contemplating such things, humans are easier to understand compared to monsters, thanks to their well-developed cognitive abilities, emotions, and expressions.

“You have such an easily readable face too.”

“Do I now?”

When I mentioned that, Kudo’s expression shifted from momentarily regaining composure back to a troubled look.

Then, he diverted his gaze away from me and towards the students who were training.

Following suit, I also shifted my gaze, and there, at the end of Kudo’s line of sight, the princess was engaged in a 2-on-1 battle with her comrades.

…Well, it’s not so much a battle as it is a practice session. Despite it being two against one, the opponents are completely ineffective. The difference in skill is just that vast.

“…Actually, I wanted to talk about Lady Asuka, or rather, I should say I want to consult with you.”

“About the princess, huh?”

In response to Kudo’s words, I continued to observe Asuka Tenshi, who was now practicing with her spear after our earlier conversation.

Presumably, Kudo sensed what I had felt and approached me to address the situation somehow.

“Yes. From your perspective, what do you think of the princess?”

“Her spear handling and body movements are flawless. She knows how to navigate a battle skillfully. Well, it’s a textbook-perfect fighting style, faithful to the basics. Isn’t that sufficient if she’s just going to do it as a professional? She has enough potential to succeed and earn herself a name.”

I’m not sure if she’ll receive the title of a hero, but her potential alone is more than enough.

Furthermore, she has a strong drive for improvement and is dedicated to learning.

Being a born innate awakened individual, she seems to be familiar with wielding her powers, and she must have trained since childhood. Her spear handling and body movements are graceful.

With her adorned spear and attire, it’s almost as if she’s dancing, isn’t it?

Moreover, this is a battle without using magic. She was supposed to fight using magic, just like Miyano.

Well, there’s a difference in the magic attributes they manipulate—lightning and wind—but the fundamentals are the same.

From what I can see, there’s no sign of stagnation in her mana, and she must have been practicing her magic as well.

If someone neglects training or doesn’t frequently use their mana, it becomes less responsive. However, her mana flow is as smooth and refined as that of a professional mage.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yeah. I do. With her, I don’t think she’ll do anything to tarnish her family’s name. Besides, I think she’ll eventually surpass you too.”

Well, that’s just assuming she’ll achieve a level of “ordinary success.”

It’s one thing to defeat irregulars without any issues… If we’re talking about becoming like Nina, a superhuman, through continued training, it’s probably impossible.

The reason I believe it’s impossible is not just because the princess has a lower talent level compared to Nina, but there’s a problem that goes beyond that.

“Then, what if she encounters an irregular?”

“…”

At the mention of irregular encounters, I unconsciously twitched my fingertips and fell into silence, recalling the recent incident.

“In a high-level dungeon that ranks among the top in difficulty, if an irregular occurs, do you think the princess can win… or rather, survive?”

“…If she focuses on escaping, she should be able to survive just fine.”

Based on my assessment, Miyano at her current level of strength can survive against even Special Class opponents on her own, and I believe the princess can do the same.

Whether she can win or defeat them is a different matter, but at the very least, she should be able to escape.

“In other words, she can’t win, and if she has something to protect, she can’t even escape.”

Without a hint of expression, Kudo stated it solemnly.

But that’s the truth. If it’s just the princess alone, she can manage to escape. However, if she tries to protect others, she won’t be able to make it out, at least according to my prediction.

Of course, it’s just our prediction. It’s possible to defy expectations and defeat a Special Class irregular.

However, for instance… in the case of the multi-armed giant ape we faced when we fought the princess and the others before, if the princess were to fight while trying to save or protect someone, she would most likely die.

Even against that ape, who was a formidable opponent among the Special Class, it’s not like it was the strongest.

Above that giant ape, there are even stronger adversaries, and if we were to encounter such enemies, it’s almost certain we would lose.

And losing in the dungeon is synonymous with “death.”

Kudo also understands that. That’s why, with a serious expression, he looked at me and slowly spoke.

“I have a favor to ask.”

A favor. With those words that came up in the flow of the conversation, I somehow had a hunch about what Kudo was about to say.

He’s probably going to ask me to train the princess, just like he did with Miyano and the others.

“If you’re asking me to train the princess, I’ll have to decline. I’m already stretched thin training Miyano and the others.”

But I refused before he could even mention such a thing.

Certainly, the princess has her own innate abilities, and I’m not asking her to fight like me, but if she can just slightly change her straightforward and overly honest fighting style that adheres to the basics, I wouldn’t have any complaints.

However, Kudo wouldn’t be able to teach her that.

Even though he claims to have retired due to an injury, his power is still at the Special Class level. He wouldn’t know about fighting styles that stem from a lack of power.

So, if he wants to teach her a “fighting style for survival,” I would be the more suitable candidate, and I can understand why he would ask me for help.

However, that would neglect the training of Miyano and the others.

It’s already difficult enough to fully develop someone, and if I have to train others besides Miyano, it would be impossible.

Moreover, if we were to train the princess, we would also have to train her companions. Once we enter the dungeon, it’s meaningless if only individuals are strong.

Considering the princess’s personality, it becomes even more important. If someone is in danger of dying, she would rush to their aid, so we need to train all of the princess’s companions to prevent such situations.

But as I mentioned earlier, that would be too many.

The more people we teach, the more diluted the training becomes, and even if they have been developed to a certain extent, there will likely be vulnerabilities somewhere… leading to their deaths.

“I don’t want anyone to die because my teaching was inadequate. If that’s the case, I think it’s better to leave things as they are and let them grow on their own.”

But it seems like Kudo sensed my thoughts or maybe it was his intention from the beginning, as he shook his head and denied it.

“No, not to that extent.”

Is that so? If that’s the case, it somehow makes me feel self-conscious and a little embarrassed.

However, if it’s not to that extent, does that mean he doesn’t expect me to intervene?

“I would like to ask for your advice instead.”

Not training, but advice. If it’s just that, well, it won’t be a burden.

But judging from the princess’s attitude and the way she sees me until a moment ago, I have a feeling that things might get awkward if I say something wrong.

However, as I remained silent, contemplating without giving any response, Kudo slowly began to speak.

“… Earlier, you said, she’ll eventually surpass me, and yes, I believe that as well. However, that someday is not right now.”

Well, if we were to quantify overall abilities into simple numbers, the young lady would likely surpass Kudo. But in a direct confrontation, even if she had magic, Kudo should come out on top.

“Considering the young lady’s potential, it wouldn’t be strange for her to have surpassed someone like me already. And yet, she still hasn’t defeated me.”

But that difference doesn’t lie in the gap of power or skill, but rather in experience.

The young lady handles the spear and probably magic with perfection in their basics, but when it comes to maneuvers, feints, and deception, she still has a long way to go.

If I were to use a few feints, I’m pretty sure I could catch her off guard.

In my case, with the right tools, I could probably win without a scratch.

“As a complete warrior-type despite being a Special Grade, I don’t know much about magic. Of course, I have some knowledge, but it’s only surface-level. I cannot provide thorough guidance.”

Well, that’s because he’s an awakened warrior type. Even if he’s a Special Grade, if he can’t use magic, there’s no way he can instruct others on how to use it.

Well, that’s specifically regarding the young lady. I think there are other instructors for magic, but they wouldn’t be able to provide perfect guidance since they don’t accompany her like Kudo does.