INS Chapter 7

The next morning, Stella showed up just as the guild’s purchase counter opened.

“Please lend me a rush assessment.”

The medicinal herbs I bought were high-grade ‘magic recovery potion.’ And, there was plenty of it on the counter.

“Stella, I’ve been waiting for you ♡.”

Guild employee Madame Sicily greeted Stella, sprinkling her with a large number of hearts.

When Stella first came to Yurluk, Madame Sicily was the one who taught her all the things she needed to know. She was also known as the ‘Mother of Yurluk.’

For Stella, who had no family register, the ‘guild card,’ a registration card for adventurers, was an important form of identification. The attentive Madame Sicily took care of everything from issuing the guild card to arranging her apartment.

When I told her honestly that I could not reveal my past, she did not pursue it, saying, “Me neither.”

So if Madame Sicily was in trouble, Stella would usually rush in after the request.

 

“How are you doing?”

“I’m so grateful for your help. We were having trouble finding the product because some people were buying in bulk.”

“It’s not cheap, but they bought in bulk. That’s unusual.”

“He was well-dressed and rich. But with this much, I think I’ll be okay for a while.”

This herb had to be processed as soon as possible after it was harvested, or its effect would fade. Moreover, it was only found deep in the forests where high-ranked demons lived, so only a limited number of adventurers were allowed to set foot in the area.

Among this limited number of adventurers, Stella was a stunner with her physical enhancements. She was valued by the guild because she brought back medicinal herbs in better condition before anyone else.

“We left yesterday, didn’t we? Did you make a rare encampment, delivering today?”

“No, I came back at night. I helped a party that was being attacked by black wolves, so I just missed the opening hours.”

“Oh, it’s that party from out of town. You’re still out of the norm with your speed… of making a day trip even if you have to go on the road.”

The habitat of the medicinal herbs was far from the city, and it usually took two days to travel and collect the herbs, but Stella accomplished the task in one day.

“I’m sure you are the fastest rookie to get promoted to Solo rank B. Why don’t you take the A-rank test, hun? You’re eligible to take the test, right?”

“I won’t take it. Remember how I got to rank B?”

“Yeah, that’s right…”

We both lightly closed our eyes and checked our answers.

 

Mainly at the request of the guild, a paid service of restorative magic was in a corner of the hall several times a week. We called it a temporary treatment center.

Next, with special authorization, we collected medicinal herbs in the danger zones designated for rank A. If you ever encountered a demon, you had to run away as fast as you could.

The rest was a request to find a missing adventurer. If we found them alive, we led them to the guild with recovery and support magic. If you encountered a demon when you were alone, dash as fast as you can to escape.

When it was difficult to escape, a single-minded barrage of magic tore the demon to shreds. The purchase price had dropped to the same amount as a small fish, even though it was a high ranking potion.

 

“I can’t remember any decent demon defeats, which is a shame, because I’m ranked B, but inside I’m a lucky C.”

“If I fail or refuse a nomination request, I lose rank points,” she said. “And with a fine. I’m sure I’ll be back to rank B in no time.”

“If that’s the case, you should practice offensive magic to improve your accuracy. That will help.”

“Hahahaha…”

Stella gently averted her gaze, letting out a dry laugh.

She could use attack magic, but she didn’t want people to know too much about it.

Once ranked A, they must accept nomination requests not only from the guild but also from the country. This includes support for the country’s dungeon defeat squads.

It had been a year since Stella left, and still no dungeon breakthrough had been accomplished.

Yuruk was far from the dungeon and had not yet received any requests for assistance, but what was rumoured that a leading adventurer had gone to the front lines in a guild in the city near the royal capital. Stella wanted to avoid having her presence known in the country by being ranked A.

(I definitely don’t want to go back to the front, …there are too many bad memories there.)

I worked for almost nothing, lived poorer than a knight, got engaged to a fraud, had my life threatened, and was abandoned by people I thought were my friends.

Stella paled slightly at the sight of those days in her mind.

“I’m sorry. I’ve pushed my expectations too far when you’re not cut out for this.”

Madame Sicily patted Stella’s head apologetically.

“No, it’s fine. I think it’s good to get better at it if you want to live a long life as an adventurer. Next time I encounter a demon I think I can defeat, I’ll try to finish it off myself!”

Stella made a big smile and answered.

I don’t mind being expected, and I really want to be able to defeat demons better.

 

“Don’t push yourself.”

“Yes.”

 

The reward was deposited and her guild card was renewed. Stella smiled at her increased balance.

And today was the day of the temporary healing clinic at the guild’s hall, where recovery magic was performed for a fee to those who wished to receive it. The guild’s clinic was a good source of income for Stella, as it did not require registration in the country and allowed her to earn a gazillion dollars.

There were already several adventurers waiting in the hall to have their injuries healed by Stella. The longer the injury lasted, the longer they were unable to go to the forest, and the more their lives were at stake, the more popular the service was, even if the price was a little high.

“Now, let’s go!”

Stella was fired up and ready to heal. A torn tendon in someone’s leg. A broken bone. Some of them had been bitten by demons and were bleeding, but they were all healed quickly and efficiently.

After a short break, a large man appeared in front of Stella.

He said, “Hey. Come here for a minute.”

“I’m sorry. I’m on break now, so if it’s not an emergency, please wait until we resume.”

“Shut up. I hope you haven’t forgotten about me.”

Stella looked at him seriously when he said that.

The big man was Johnny, the B-rank adventurer whom she had given recovery magic to the other day in the forest. She remembered him thanks to his too-evil physiognomy.

It is said that he moved his base of operations from a neighbouring town to Yuruk, but rumour has it that he was kicked out due to his bad behaviour.

“I haven’t forgotten. Are you asking about extending the deadline for honorarium payments? I don’t see any money in my bank yet.”

“Extension? I’m telling you, you’re a very good person to take money from me after I healed you without your permission. There’s no way I’m going to pay it.”

“Huh? You asked me to let you thank me, so I charged you 30% of the reward for the defeat via the guild.”

Johnny glared at her and tried to intimidate her, but to Stella, who had been through the front lines, he looked like a big puppy.

The Yuruk adventurers were always ready to come to Stella’s aid, but private fights, especially intrusive ones, were not allowed in the guild. Stella controlled them with a glance.

“Then it is unnecessary. Next time you want me to perform a restorative spell, you must pay only in advance.”

“Damn, it looks like I’m being stingy then. I’m not saying I won’t thank you.”

“You mean other than money?”

“Ah! You said you’ve always been solo. You may not have the cutest personality, but I have a big heart. I’ll form a party with you. I’ll let you earn money in exchange for a gratuity.”

Johnny said with a proud look on his face. “You’re a soloist, too,” was what I thought, but I didn’t say it.

“No, thank you.”

“You’re saying no when I’m the one asking you out!”

“Yes, sir.”

Once we became a party, we were free to share in the rewards. I guess they wanted me to use more and more recovery magic for free after receiving most of it themselves.

I had been invited to this kind of party many times. I didn’t want to be exploited like that.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Your attitude, your looks, your smallness of heart, everything.”

“Who the hell do you think you are, a healer who can’t fight much and a woman!”

Stella, deliberately agitated, was grabbed by the chest and Johnny’s other fist was raised. If she was hit like this, the bone in her cheek would shatter.

But she would not activate her attack magic.

I needed to unilaterally make Johnny the villain and not make him look big in Yuruk in the future.

(Guys, don’t fight back.)

Stella meditated, bracing herself for pain.

But after waiting a few seconds, the pain did not come. Instead, she heard Johnny’s cries of pain and opened her eyes.

“————!”

I saw Johnny in pain as he was grabbed by an upraised fist.

And stopping Johnny’s fist was a tall man wearing a cloak of exotic indigo fabric.

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[ A/N – Another chapter will be posted today at 4pm. ]