Tenkomori: The Homecoming Club Conquers Another World

Chapter 13: The Daily life of an Eight Year Old - The Night Before the Final Day

After that, our expedition to the Leknod Forest went smoothly.

The incident with Eras Rhino had given us a new goal, and we ventured deeper into the forest in search of more efficient prey. We kicked the goblins to the curb and chose to hunt the demons that were easy to obtain high-quality materials and magical stones.

After three days' trips, the rest was spent overnight. But on the first day, we suddenly discovered an orc village. In my previous life, Orcs were famous for their works that were forbidden to children. They are also famous for something here. They are famous for their high encounter rate and the size of their herds.

Usually, when an adventurer discovers a monster's settlement, they back to the guild to report it. However, Markant assured me that this was not necessary. He said that what they had found was a small settlement and that our forces could destroy it without much effort. Roland agreed to that.

According to the knowledge I learned from Roland, the maximum number of orcs in a pack is about 200, and once they exceed that number, they form several small groups of about ten or so and then leave the pack like a divided bee. These small groups continue their journey and when they find a place to settle, they form a new settlement. This was the story that Tamer had heard from the orcs themselves. The reason for this is unclear, as the Orcs did not know, but it seems to be related to old customs and beliefs. Roland guessed that it was simply to avoid food shortages. Regardless of the reason, most of the orcs they encountered in the forest were either wandering groups or the ones who had finished settling down and were hunting in the surrounding areas.

In response to Markant's words, we decided to eradicate them. Baron Reedwald's army numbered two hundred. If left unchecked, they would expand to an equal force. They had already doubled the number of small groups, and the number of adults alone had increased to more than twenty. I have no choice but to protect the safety of my territory.

Night raids were pointless against orcs with night vision, and we attacked them immediately. I thought that it would require careful preparation, but it seems that the number is not that unusual for Roland and the "Battle Axe of Destruction".

As soon as the settlement was within sight, Danil and I attacked first with magic attacks from a distance. Danil fired off a series of Fire Bolts to throw the orcs into confusion. I tried all the attributes. The one that was the least effective was wind, which simply didn't work well against heavyweight opponents. What was unexpectedly useful was the earth attribute. The Earth Bolt was also a physical attack, so if it pierced an orc, it would continuously cause pain, and the orcs would be very upset.

The Orcs were dismayed by the attack magic that flew one after the other, even though it was a beginner's level, but there were still some who were determined. As some of the Orcs approached, we fell back and Roland and Markant jumped to the forefront. The two vanguards were heavy warriors, one a swordsman who skillfully wielded a sword and shield, and the other a warrior who wielded a battle axe with ease. The two vanguards overwhelmed the pack of heavy warriors.

In the end, the battle broke out into a melee, but by that time, the Orcs had only a few decent forces. The battle ended easily. Markant and Danil took a few hits, but the damage was minor, just bruises.

We can use orc's skin to make leather armor for low-rank adventurers. However, there were too many of them, so I dismantled only one that was in good condition and gave up on the rest. We had no equipment or possessions of note, so we collected some money, inexpensive gems, and magic stones from some orcs.

We had fought flamboyantly from the first day of the encampment, but there were no fights for the next two days. In the meantime, we had encountered a variety of monsters, so we were doing well in terms of revenue.

Now, I should also mention that there was another battle here.

That's right – where are we going to?

After defeating Eras Rhino, I was immediately confronted with this reality. If it was just for one day, I could give up. But a day trip was three days. That's enough time to keep a record. And with the unique challenge of returning home from the forest, such an opportunity did not come along very often.

On the way to the town of Reedwald, I looked for a base point.

However, once I passed through the forest, I found myself in a meadow as far as the eye could see. There were no man-made structures to be seen, as we were off the beaten path. In the meantime, I arrived at Reedwald.

I was honestly depressed, even though I gave a word of thanks to Ose for letting me go ahead of him. The next day, I could put a marker somewhere. But that would only be two attempts. What a waste of time. It would have been more satisfying if I could at least view other people's records, but the Adventurer's Guild didn't keep track of them, even though I asked Ose. Maybe my father has it hidden away. He's a lord after all.

How can I get the records from my father? While I was searching for a way to do so, a revelation came to me.

It was the bell that announced 18 o'clock.

The solemn sound of the bell rang out over Reedewald's street. It was the signal for the course that I had been trying so hard to get for now. I gave thanks to the Creator God, whose name I didn't even know, and while suppressing my overflowing joy, I immediately took the first step toward the mansion.

Yes, life is a never-ending challenge.

I set the starting point at the outskirts of the main gate. For the rest of the two days, I would return there before the bell rang, no matter the circumstances. When the time was up, I killed a pack of wolves and chopped off the head of a giant snake that was trying to swallow me. Of course, their lives were not in vain. I asked "Battle Axe of Destruction" to collect them, and sometimes I even asked Guild Leader Gerrit to do the same. It's a pity that there were not enough monsters suitable for eating, but that's just luck-based.

Our records depended on the intensity of the battle that day. I can get consistent times on all kinds of courses, so I couldn't stand the wide swings. It was a fulfilling time for me.

However, the good times passed quickly. The three nights and four days of camping had begun.

At first, I was optimistic. "Battle Axe of Destruction" had been in Reedwald for a long time, so they would know where to camp. I was sure that the course would be harder than the main gate to the mansion.

How shallow I had been to have such expectations.

After attacking the orc village, I was reminded of how shallow I was.

Can you believe it? The encampment changed every day!

Without a destination in mind, we wandered through the forest relying on our intuition and experience. We decide to camp on the spot. When I learned this fact on the first day of camping, I collapsed without a sound. I had blown my "Mental Resistance 3," so you can imagine how shocked I was.

Where am I going to?

Why can't I go home?

I felt as if my entire life, including my previous life, had been denied. I was told that many adventurers do not have a base of operations, but instead continue to wander the world while accepting requests. What a harsh profession. For the first time, I had a deep admiration for "Battle Axe of Destruction".

◇◇◇◇

And now, it's the night before the last day.

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As I gazed at the flickering flames of the bonfire, I thought back on my struggles up until today.

I can't even begin to describe the hellish days. I was on the shore of a clear stream, a carpet of flowers with fantastic glowing beetles flying around. And now I'm in a square where the moonlight pours down from the canopy of the trees.

My ego cracks and collapses every time Markant declares, "We'll camp here." And I realize it. The same situation is possible for the rest of my life.

What if I serve in an expedition as a knight?

What if I become an adventurer and am forced to go on a long search?

Despair is always waiting with an open mouth.

I had to solve this problem at all costs. But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't even find a clue.

While Danil was preparing dinner, Markant as if he couldn't wait, was munching on dried meat. And Roland was cleaning his sword. Valerie and Ose were a little further away, looking around the area.

I looked at them sideways.

I wondered how the adventurers were coping with this harshness.

Seeking a clue, I pulled my backpack closer.

Inside was a beginner's kit for adventurers, prepared by Roland. Preserved food, lanterns and oil, a tinderbox, and a large, multi-purpose bag. I pulled out various items, but I couldn't find any equipment that looked like it.

I folded my arms and looked at the beginner's kit lined up in a row.

Then, one item caught my eye.

A rope. I wondered if I could do something with it.

He cut it to an appropriate length and tied the end to the handle of his knife. I inserted it deep into the ground.

That's it.

I took the other end and looked at the forest at night.

I took a deep breath, determined my direction, and stepped forward.

As I move away from the light source, the darkness gets deeper.

The empty trees melted away and came together as a mass.

Step by step, I stepped on the ground and kept going.

It's like life. Right now, I'm wandering in the darkness of life.

Gradually, I lose the outline of myself.

Just as my consciousness, my body, and my entire existence were about to be assimilated into the darkness, the fist I was clenching tightly pulled back.

It was a ray of light that cut through the darkness. It was the breath of life, a single strand of life.

I turned on my heel as if to repel.

Every time I step on it, life overflows.

There is no hesitation. With a firm grip on the earth, I move forward.

The moment I pass through the goal glowing in the flames, the sound of the wood burning in the forest echoes as if to celebrate my return.

I bite down on the reverberations and look down at the rope in my palm.

It's empty

I'm not sure if you can call this a homecoming or not.

"Hey, the eight year old child ran into an eccentricity, but is that okay?"

"Don't worry about it. He's just a little sick."

 Roland was being extremely rude.

Oh well. You can't afford to be bothered by those who have abandoned the challenge. It's a great way to get rid of a lot of the stress and anxiety that comes with this situation.

But as I was struggling to come up with a good idea, Danil announced that the meal was ready.

The aroma of soup tickled my nostrils.

It's no use, we'll have to eat first. Tomorrow, I'll be going home for real. I'll go to my usual starting point and try to break the record. It's not too late to take action then.

The first challenge in a long time.

I sat down on the ground with just my fur pulled over my head, excited by the words.

The "Battle Axe of Destruction" strives to procure food locally.

When the camp was set but we hadn't secured any edible demons or animals, two of our scouts went out of their way to hunt for them. Thanks to them, I have never missed a day of meat. Today, Danil spotted a boar on the road and killed it with his magic.

I took a bite of the meat.

It was simply cut into thick slices, sprinkled with salt, and grilled. Boar meat is often served at the mansion table, but not in such a bold way. Danil's grilled meat was tough and had the characteristic smell of a beast, but it was rich in every flavor.

I enjoyed it thoroughly and picked up some soup to cleanse my palate.

It was a soup made with wild vegetables, mushrooms, dried fruits, and dried vegetables, with plenty of wild boar meat thrown in as well. It seemed to be seasoned only with salt, but thanks to the variety of ingredients, it had a complex taste.

While I was enjoying the mushrooms and wild boar at the same time, I suddenly caught sight of Ose.

He was leaning on a wooden cup, drinking tea. He seemed to be a scout and immediately noticed my gaze.

"Oh, I'm taking it."

He lifted the cup lightly.

He was drinking tea made from the experimental General Grass. The contents of my cup are the same. It has a greenish bitterness and a refreshing aftertaste similar to mint. It's not quite what I was looking for, but it's not bad.

Markant frowned exaggeratedly at us.

"Don't drink something like that."

"I'm still working on it, but I like it, Shogun Tea."

"Is that the name you're going with?"

Valerie asked, wiping the grease from her mouth with a cloth.

"It's the Shogun."

Valerie and Markant looked at me delicately as I replied.

The two of them, as well as Danil and Roran, hadn't mentioned it after the first bite. They think the general is too noble for them to understand. This is why commoners are so annoying. Oh, Roran was a knight, or rather a former adventurer. He's still a commoner.

While recognizing Ose as a senior commoner, I raised my cup.

"I'll improve it to make it easier to drink. It's still good enough, though. Hey, Ose."

"What?"

There was silence in the room.

"It's …… good, right?"

"Uh, well, …… to be honest, the foul smell is just what I need to wake me up."

There was no one on my side.

I'm going to downgrade you to just a commoner. Hmm, that's okay. I'm still working on improving the General Tea. I'm sure they'll bow down and worship me when they taste it. Even if that happens, I won't let him drink it.

Then, as we were finishing dinner and enjoying our post-dinner rest, Markant spoke to me while cleaning his axe.

"Tomorrow, when we return to the city, our escort mission will be over. You've done quite a lot of actual fighting, how are you feeling?"

The rough question brought back the days of struggle.

"Well, ……. All the time was worthwhile, I can say that. I think I underestimated the daily life of an adventurer and the encampment that comes with it. I was confronted with a harsh reality that I never imagined, especially during the past three days. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you all for teaching me that."

"I don't know, I feel like I'm getting a very off response."

"You're not wrong."

Roland has been very rude lately. I'm the son of a lord. I'm the son of a lord, I need respect.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that.

I've certainly gained a lot of ability.

Name: Alter Les Reedwald

Race: Human

Level: 8 (+5)

HP: 38/38 (+9)

MP: 104/104 (+66)

Str: 7 (+1)

Int: 14

Dex: 9 (+2)

End: 5+2 (+1)

Agi: 12+2 (28: doubled) (+2)

Charm: 14

Skills

Increased Growth Potential, Increased Growth Value, Status Disguise, Language Proficiency, Fast Movement, Mental Resistance 3, Appraisal 3 (+1), One-handed Sword 4 (+1), Taijutsu 5 (+1), Dagger 4

Fire Magic 2 (+1), Water Magic 3, Wind Magic 3, Earth Magic 3 (+1), No-attribute Magic 3 (+), Ice Magic 1, Lightning Magic 1, Degenerative Magic 2 (+1)

Magic

-Beginner Level

Fire Bolt, Water Bolt, Wind Bolt, Earth Bolt, Magic Bolt, Ice Bolt, Lightning Bolt

Water Shield, Wind Shield, Earth Shield, Magic Shield,

Physical Up, High-Speed Movement

[Title]

Reincarnated, Ace of the Homecoming Club (+2 Endurance, +2 Agility), Second Son of Baron Reedwald

It is worth noting that the magic power has been greatly increased, appraised, and some magic skills have been upgraded.

First of all, Fire Magic became rank 2, and Earth Magic and No-attribute magic became rank 3. Earth and Fire were used in orc battles, while No-attribute magic was used as a mainstay in other battles. The reason for the rise in transformative magic was because I used a lot of "High-Speed Movement" to cheat.".

However, the difference between physical strength and magic power is getting ridiculous.

In the usual game mechanic, the ability value corrects HP and MP, but it seems that intelligence doesn't do that here. In addition, if you subtract the correction from my title, END is my lowest stats. I've been doing some close combat, but I've always prioritized evasion. It was no wonder it was hard to increase.

Whenever I see the reluctance of the ability values, it reminds me of the classic RPG games.

So far, I haven't seen anyone inflate their abilities, and even I, with all my cheats, don't think it will happen. So when I look at just the numbers, I can't help but feel weak, but I think the status is quite good. First of all, there's a huge difference between one stat and another, whether it's a difference of 1 or 2. Especially if you're losing in strength or agility, it's hard to make up the difference, unless you have better equipment or other skills. And the kids my age were only half as good as me, and their skills and magic were nearly empty. Looking back, when I was twelve years old, my brother only had a one-handed sword and a shield. I know exactly how much I've grown up to be abnormal. I was enough of a cheat character.

Even so, my expression is still dull.

It's because I can only "do" so much. I haven't fully mastered it yet. I wondered if I would be able to win against an equal adventurer if I blocked the High-speed Movement cheat skill. I have experienced many actual battles, and my doubts have grown stronger. In addition, even if I used "fast movement," I couldn't control it properly, so I had no use for it except for surprise attacks or escape. All in all, I'm still lacking experience in actual combat.

I closed the status and looked around at everyone.

"This latest expedition has been the equivalent of several years of training. However, it is also true that it is only a week's experience. First of all, we must make each of the experiences and abilities we have gained our own strength. The only way to do this is to take it slow and steady. It is only when you can handle them as naturally as if you were breathing that you can say you have grown. Growth becomes the foundation of yourself and the foundation of your new power. In other words, it is the root of everything. The more solid your foundation is, the more you can support large structures. The more solid the foundation, the more it can support large structures, and the higher you can aim. That is why we must not neglect it. Don't take it lightly. Don't underestimate that it is only one step. The steps you take will become thousands and thousands of steps. That is the path to glory, and unceasing effort is the guidepost on the path to victory. No matter what difficulties we face, no matter how much hardship awaits us, our progress will never stop. Because there is a new record waiting for us!"

"I'm not waiting! What are you doing here?"

"Don't casually get involved in the boy's puberty."

"Don't call it puberty. I'm still eight years old."

"You don't need to be considerate to someone who knows what you mean."

For some reason, everyone was exhausted, strange… Even though it is a well-known speech