Are you going to collect today too? The governmental official at the gate asked me.

Recently, Ive become acquainted with him.

No, I decided to leave this town.

I see. Well, thats how adventurers operate, I suppose. Though I think its somewhat too early for you Anyway, be careful out there. Youve got an appearance like a lovely girl after all.

Like a girl? Whats with the like there!?

Oh well, whatever. So, do you have a direction youd recommend.

Whats up with that? Lets see, if you head in that direction youll find a flourishing town called Laer. Its prosperity also means that the guild offers lots of requests.

I see. Thanks.

When I started to walk off, the official called out to me in a hurry, Hey!! Thats the opposite direction!

Thats why. Doing the opposite of what the people of this world recommend is the correct choice.

After grinning at him over my shoulder, I walked away without looking back anymore.

Suddenly my legs froze. It looks like they had magic cast on them. But, I can break something of this level in an instant.

Just as I thought that, something rolled over at my feet.

It was my fault! Please! Forgive me! Please! For heavens sake, please! Im terribly sorry!

I was dumbfounded.

It seems prostrating yourself on the ground exists in this world as well. Prostrating himself, or rather, clinging to my legs? Moreoverhes crying, despite being a grown man.

I drew back.

The man timidly lifted his face, and furthermore, clawed his way upwards, kinda like a zombie would crawl up your legs.

Scary.

Im very sorry!

As I felt a chill run down my spine, I reflexively slapped his mug.

Disgusting!

Disgusting! aint the first thing youd say to someone apologizin to you, is it?

Get away from me since youre disgusting.

I tried to draw away from him as far as possible by averting my face, but he was strangely powerfully glued to me, and even when I pushed him away, he remained coiled around me.

Disgusting.

Stop repeating that word all the time! Ill let go of you if you forgive me!

What am I supposed to forgive you?

Thats what I mean! You misunderstood me, so please let me explain. I didnt mean to betray your trust! I had absolutely no intention to discard you or anythin after coming to town! Its just, even if a newbie adventurer like you were to party up with an S-Rank like me, you wouldnt be able to learn the basics of adventurin!

Aahh, you were a self-alleged Bigshot, werent you?

It aint self-alleged! Dont say it like Im scum! You might not know what an S-Rank is, but

As far as I can imagine, its a rank you obtain after having your abilities and achievements approved as an A-Rank. Something like that?

That! Its just as you say!

Humph, so S-Ranks exist after all, huh?

Thats why I took measures allowin you to learn what bein an adventurer is bout by partyin with folk close in rank to you. Ive got a friendly relationship with the guild master in this town, so Id be able to inconvenience him to an extent. Ive been just layin the groundwork!

According to him:

Bring me to this place -> have me temporarily separate from Sword and form a party with girls close to me in age, who were recommended by the guild -> do requests while repeatedly piling up mistakes as normal for beginners and having a good time with the girls -> party up with Sword again after accumulating some experience.

That was apparently the plan hed set up.

Besides, youre somehow precocious and you weirdly act like a grown-up because you were always surrounded by adults, right? You dont have any friends your age, so I thought youd make some friends on this occasion!

I wonder how I should answer this?

First of all, Id like to straighten out some things. You dont make friends by having them assigned to you. People become your friends naturally. You dont get it because youre a loner without any friends yourself, but even if you have some random people assigned to you, its not said that youll get along with them. And as a matter of fact, it didnt look like Id ever become friends with my little sister as we didnt get along at all.

I dont want to be called Loner by you as well!!

Oh, it sounds like someone already told him.

Now on to the main issue. Considering all that, why didnt you tell me? What you did was not only to bring a young noble lady, who had never visited a town, to a completely unknown place instead of someplace in her familys territory, but you also discarded her right there. In such a case, itd have been better for me to turn down your invitation, investigate a nearby city over the next two years, and leave home by myself after getting everything in perfect order. Since I thought youd act as my guide, I left two years earlier than planned while being ill-prepared, and yet I was abandoned by you without having been taught anything. So what did you think would happen after doing all that?

Thats why Im regrettin for havin made a mistake. Im entirely to blame here! Im sorry!

I see, so thats why he started to talk about Forgive me and Im regretting. Or rather, what did he expect me to do while not knowing all that?

Ive now understood why the guild master said Please forgive him and why the receptionist, who welcomed me at first, said Theres a party Id like to introduce to you. But thats the point. Why didnt you personally tell me, Well go to a guild where my friend works as guild master. First learn the basics of adventuring over there by forming a party with girls who Im going to introduce to you. Itll be okay since Ive properly talked it over with the other parties. Theyre all girls close to you in age, so it might be possible for you to befriend them as well?

He was at a loss for words.

I panicked!

Haaah?

Immediately following, he stood up and hugged me.

You see, Ive gotten to like you quite a bit! Damn it, dont make me say it! Why would you have to enter some low level party just to learn the basics of the basics!? Even without knowin all that, youve already got strength rivalin an S-Rank, so wouldnt it be just fine for you to always party with me!? But, since the guild master complained that youd need to be able to handle things on your own for the time when Id be gone, I put on that act earlier. It couldnt be helped! And then I didnt know how to bring it up with you, freaked out, and said some weird shit!

What the heck? I didnt understand a thing. Maybe the translation of the otherworld language is malfunctioning?

Anyway, Ive made up my mind. Ill keep lookin after you myself.

From the start, no one has looked after me.

Up until now I did, didnt I!? Im your teacher, no!?

Haah? What are you blabbing? Ive told you to show me various things as part of a deal we struck, but I dont remember having ever asked you to take me as your pupil. To begin with, what kind of teacher are you supposed to be? My martial and magic arts are all self-taught, you know? I had you show me your stances and spells, but not once did I ask you to teach me anything, nor did I imitate you. I mean, honestly, what you showed me didnt even serve as a reference because our methods are way too different.

Youre terrible!! He kept hugging me even tighter while saying so.

This middle-aged dude isa child, huh?

Okay, okay, I get it, I get it. You had a proper reason and you didnt abandon me. Since your plan didnt go well, youll act as my guide. Thats what youre saying, right?

Yes.

Ive understood the reason now, so itd be alright for me to enter that girl party or whatever, and have them teach me the ropes while enjoying my time. Even if they might have selfish characters, Id be more willing to overlook it for them than some middle-aged guy since theyre still children.

Youre terrible!!

He told me once more.