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 33   Next appointment

With our ranking battles for the year behind us and our determination to win next time, we were already immersed in training. One day, while training with Miyano and the others as usual, someone entered through the door of the training grounds.

When I turned to see who it was… Seriously? The last person I wanted to see was standing there.

“Hey, nice job there!”

“What brings you here?”

“Wow, that’s harsh. I just came to greet you after your hard work. It seems like you’ve been doing well, so I thought I’d have a little chat.”

Chatting, huh… Well, he did help out with Miyano and the others’ training, and the fact remains that he’s not a bad person if we’re just having a normal conversation. I suppose it’s okay to talk a bit.

“Oh, by the way. I didn’t mention it before the battle because I didn’t want to distract you, but I have a message for you… Want to hear it?”

As I thought that and continued talking, Sieg suddenly seemed to recall something and asked in that manner.

“I don’t want to hear it. Just go back the way you came.”

But well, that’s a no-go. We’ve had the bare minimum of conversation, so he should leave without saying anything and in silence.

“Oh, really? Well, I’ll tell you anyway…”

“I said I don’t want to hear it, didn’t I!”

However, my words were futilely ignored, and Sieg continued speaking.

“There are people here who are eagerly waiting for you to come over and want to talk to you.”

“…People who want to talk to me?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Any idea who they might be?”

“…Who are they?”

“Forgetting already? About the things you messed up over there.”

The things I messed up over there…?

By “over there,” mean Sieg’s homeland, England, right?

Sure, I’ve been there before, but honestly, I don’t particularly remember doing anything significant when I was there.

Well, maybe I contributed a bit by participating in the spontaneous gate handling, but I don’t think I did anything worth wanting to talk about.

If I had to mention something, maybe it was when I was stopped and made a hasty escape.

I vaguely remember being stopped by some intimidating individuals wearing full-body armor and feeling scared.

Wait… Could it be? Are they referring to those guys?

“Igami-san, did you do something?”

“What? What did I mess up now?”

“It’s not a crime, is it?… Underage misconduct?”

I haven’t committed any crimes, or at least I shouldn’t have. Abe, what kind of look are you giving me? I can’t tell if you’re joking or being serious. If you’re serious, should we have a serious discussion about it?

“I don’t know who they are… I really don’t want to go.”

“But eventually, you’ll go, right?”

“Huh? Why would I? I have no reason to go.”

“Oh? But I heard that you were coming there. Is it really different?”

Sieg is tilting his head, but it’s me who wants to tilt my head.

“Why would I go over there?”

“I heard it was for a school trip.”

“Huh?”

“Ah…”

Before I could say that I never heard anything about a school trip, Miyano and the other three students simultaneously exclaimed in surprise.

“Oh, now that you mention it…”

“Yeah, that’s right. We were so focused on what was happening here that we completely forgot.”

“So, does that mean the destination for the school trip is England?”

“Probably?”

It seems like there really is a school trip based on their conversation.

But if that’s the case, I have one question.

“I get that there’s a school trip, but why are you all so vague about it? Normally, it would have been discussed much earlier, right? I haven’t heard anything about it.”

“Well, they did inform us about the destination and such before summer vacation, but we decided not to talk about it before the ranking battles so that we wouldn’t get too distracted. We planned to confirm it after the battles.”

I see. So that’s why it was never brought up in conversation.

But even so, wouldn’t it be fine for the school to inform me? After all, I am involved with the school as well.

“But I think they also contacted the instructors, don’t you?”

“Maybe you just missed it?”

…I can’t deny that possibility.

In the mornings, after confirming the day’s schedule, I would mostly focus on preparing for training, so it’s possible that I missed the explanation on a day when I was just letting the conversation flow.

“Also, you’ve been quieter than usual this time.”

While “usual” is just “usual,” in this case, those words alone don’t convey much meaning.

“So, what do you mean by ‘quieter’?”

“Well, um, you know, last year… there were various incidents. So this year, they wanted us to not stand out too much…”

“I see… I kind of get it.”

After causing a commotion and celebrating despite the attack last year, there might be people who would make a fuss about it. There are always some individuals who would talk about what happened to the deceased students or the safety management.

So this year, they probably decided to refrain from making it a big deal.

If I were to mention that they still made a big deal out of the ranking battles, well, those have the excuse of training for real combat and preparing to survive another attack if it were to happen again.

I don’t know the exact details, but one thing is clear: despite the school trip, I missed out on hearing about it.

“Well, whatever. If it’s different, then it’s different. But most likely, we would have ended up coming there somehow, so let’s get along when that time comes.”

With those words, Sieg left the training room.

“…Hey, Miyano. I have something to discuss. Can I talk to you for a moment?”

Setting aside the fact that he knows about the school trip destination that even I didn’t know, judging from his behavior, it’s certain that we will be going to England.

However, for some reason, I have a really bad feeling, so I called out to Miyano…

“No, thanks.”

Without even allowing me to say anything, she declined.

“Why?! Can’t you just listen to me for a moment—”

“You’re probably going to ask to be let go again, right?”

…Well, yeah.

But if she knows that, then there’s no need for further discussion.

“Then—”

“No, it’s not happening.”

“When the time comes to go… Hey, at least listen to the whole thing before making a judgment, okay?”

“I already know even before hearing it. You’re thinking that if you get fired, you won’t need to come with us to England because you won’t be a team member anymore, right?”

This time it was Asada who rejected me, not Miyano, but the content of what I was about to say perfectly matched.

Ah, yes. That’s exactly it.

If they could just fire me as an instructor, then I wouldn’t have to accompany them to a foreign country… well, to England.

Honestly, I know it’s unlikely that I would stop teaching them at this point.

So, yes, even if I use the word “fired,” it doesn’t have to be a permanent thing.

If they could just let me go temporarily, only during the school trip when they go abroad, that would be enough.

But well, a school trip is usually no longer than a week, right? I understand that it would be difficult to temporarily fire someone for such a short period of time. In that case, a break would suffice, I guess.

So I’m fine with that. Since I’ve given up on being fired, could they please just give me a week off?

That way, I wouldn’t have to go to that country again.

That’s what I wished for, but…

“You’ll be troubled if I’m with you, though.”

“Y-Yeah, that’s true. But I have a feeling they might get angry… or something.”

“Grr… N-No, well, they won’t get that angry over something like that. At most, they’ll just give me a stern look… probably.”

I have a rough idea of what it could be, but since I myself am not clear about what I did exactly, I can’t confidently say it’s okay.

“It still means I’m in their disfavor, right?”

“Well… yeah, I guess you could say that.”

“Then it’s a no.”

“Come on, just give up already. We’re going to end up going together anyway, so it’s easier if you just mentally prepare yourself.”

“No, no, seriously, I don’t want to go! You guys can say that because you don’t know what I did over there!”

“…When you put it that way, now I’m really curious.”

“Seriously, what did you do?”

Miyano and the other three are looking at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity… but there’s no way I’m going to tell them.

Because… you know?

If I were to say something, there’s only one reason I can think of, and that one reason is quite problematic.

“So, about that… I’ll tell you, so please consider the pos—”

“Alright, everyone, listen up! We had a lot going on today, but great job, everyone. Let’s keep up the good work. Dismissed!”

“Yes!”

“Sure.”

“Understood.”

Before I could ask them to listen, Miyano and the others turned their backs on me.

“Listen to me!”

“Well then, Igami-san, please take care of us from now on as well.”

With their usual smiles, they said the usual things.

Wait, hold on! I really don’t want to go, okay?

I’ll continue to teach you, so please consider it! Temporary. It can be temporary!

So please, I’m giving up on being fired, so just give me a break!

To be continued……