“Ah, you have come . You kept me waiting . ”

After chasing the three forest wolves, we had arrived in a clearing in the forest that was a meadow . Among the pack of fifty or more wolves, stood the platinum giant wolf, Beowulf .

“You were waiting?”

“Indeed . I too have been thinking of setting off on my journey . ”

Was that so . Then this was perfect timing . Daniela and I made our way through the gathering of wolves until we stood right by Beowulf’s feet . Then we sat down near the wolf who was lying on the ground and explained why we had come .

“We have come to ask of you a small request . ”

“Oh?”

Beowulf raised his head and looked at me . There was amus.e.m.e.nt in his eyes .

“Unfortunately, it’s a rather one-sided request… But it would really help if you would like, not attack any towns, villages or people . This is really an issue on the human side of things . ”

“Hmm . I understand what you are saying . ”

“Humans have larger numbers . They could gather together as a large group and have you killed . And well, that won’t make me too happy . ”

“Hahaha . But I am a monster am I not?”

“Even so . Besides, I wouldn’t be able to keep my promise with you then . ”

I say with a shrug of my shoulders . I was sympathizing with a monster… I couldn’t really complain now about being treated as an outsider .

“In that case, I cannot reject such a request . ”

Beowulf seemed to smile and then laughed . I couldn’t help but laugh as well . This wasn’t exactly a friends.h.i.+p between man and monster . Perhaps it was more like comradery . Perhaps we would always be fighting together . Just as Beowulf had accepted me, I would create a place for Beowulf to fight . Keep him away from humans that would hunt him, while I honed my own skills and techniques . That way, our relations.h.i.+p could be maintained .

“Well then, I think I will depart now . ”

“You’re leaving already?”

I ask as Beowulf stands up .

“There is no reason for me to stay here . And I am looking forward to seeing this outside world . ”

“Right . We’re leaving too . And if we ever meet again somewhere, well, I won’t hold back when that happens . ”

Beowulf looked down at me and raised his front leg and thrust his curled paw at me . Heh, he had a very masculine side to him .

I too made a fist and thrust it out and b.u.mped it against his . Then we both burst into laughter . Seeing us, Daniela couldn’t help but laugh, though her expression said ‘these men…’

“Farewell, Asagi . ”

“Yeah, see you . Beowulf . ”

I watched as Beowulf slowly walked away with heavy footsteps . Several forest wolves were following after him . Family? Guards? I didn’t know . The remaining forest wolves looked at us and then scattered throughout the forest . We would likely never fight them here again .

“We should leave as well . We need to prepare for our travels . ”

“Aye . We will return today, prepare tomorrow and depart on the day after that . ”

Daniela said with a nod . The road back home was very peaceful . Except for the area around my d.a.m.n feet .

□ □ □ □

“I see, it will be lonely here . ”

“You’ve been very kind to me, Maris . ”

“We are grateful . ”

I and Daniela bowed . Maris laughed and slapped us on the shoulder .

“This isn’t a permanent farewell . And I’m sure you will do well out there!”

“Yes, we will come back . ”

“Take care yourself and protect Daniela, okay? You are a man after all!”

“Ahaha… If anything, she will probably have to protect me . ”

“That’s quite regrettable… Anyway, you two help each other and stay strong!”

“Yes!”

She was a great person . We bowed again and thanked her . And then we left the Spring Wind, the best inn in all of Fhiraldo .

Our preparations were finished . Well, we already had a tent and other outdoor supplies . Things we had used during our training camp . There would be a lot to carry, but at least they were of good quality .

And so we went to the central guardhouse to say our farewells to Russell .

“h.e.l.lo, Russell . ”

“Ah, Asagi . What is it?”

“We’re going to be leaving town tomorrow . So just thought I’d say goodbye . ”

“Well, that is a surprise!”

“Yeah… But we’ll be back one day . ”

“I see… I will miss you . ”

“Hehe… Thank you . Take care, Russell . ”

“And you, Asagi! Ah! Wait there a minute!”

“Hm?”

“Ummm…it was somewhere around… . Ah, here it is . Here, take this with you . ”

“What’s this? Ah, a filthy old bag . ”

“You stupid b.a.s.t.a.r.d . This is a ‘hollow bag . ’”

“‘Hollow bag’?”

“What, you do not know what that is? It is a bag with dimension magic cast on it . A rare item that allows you to carry more than what it looks like it could hold . ”

“You’re kidding . How did you come by this?”

“I picked it up a long time ago after killing some bandits who were infesting the area . ”

“Hmm, are you sure? This has to be very valuable . ”

“Think of it as a parting gift . Don’t worry about it . ”

“Got it . Thanks, Russell . Take care!”

“You too! Send my regards to Daniela as well!”

With that done, I now had a very dirty, *cough*…vintage bag on my back . Inside of it were food supplies, the tent and the four weapons we had taken from the ancient elven ruins . There were other smaller things inside as well .

I had stopped by the guild in order to retrieve the ancient elven weapons and was able to say goodbye to the people there . Luckily, Gardo and Ness happened to be there too .

“And so we decided to leave this town . ”

“Well, good luck . And sorry for all the earlier stuff . ”

“It’s long forgotten . You two take care of yourselves then . ”

“Actually, we also travel quite a lot on quests . We might just b.u.mp into each other out there . ’

Somehow, I felt that that was exactly what would happen . We were adventurers after all . Our paths would surely cross .

Great . We got the weapons and said all of our goodbyes . Now we could set off . Just as I was headed for the door, something crashed into me from behind . I was barely able to regain my balance before falling . Then I turned around to look at the culprit . Unsurprisingly, it was Fiona who stood there .

“What! Asagi, are you really going to leave this town!?”

“Uhh… that was a little rough, Miss Fiona . ”

“But my gold-digger plans . Oh, what am I to do!?”

“Don’t ask me . ”

“You must return! Come back for me!”

“You must return! Come back for me!”

“Yeah, yeah . ”

“Goodbye!”

“…goodbye . ”

When all was said and done, I couldn’t quite hate Fiona, the overly familiar guild worker . She was cheerful to the end . I glanced back and saw that Flo was waving from her counter . She must have heard the conversation . I waved back .

I look back at the place that had given me a new way to live after coming to this world . Not everything had been pleasant . But a lot of it was . It was a place that held many memories for me . The Fhiraldo headquarters of the Adventurer’s Guild .

One day, I would return here after much growth . I was looking forward to that day already .

The last person I went to see was the person who gave me the most important thing since I came to this world .

“h.e.l.lo . ”

“Ah, you came . ”

Chief came out to greet me today as well . But it would also be the last day he would do so .

“I had a feeling that you would leave soon . So it is today then?”

“Uh, yeah . We thought that we might as well . ”

“Indeed… I will miss you . ”

Chief was uncharacteristically subdued and looked at me with a gentle expression . It was like a parent watching its baby bird leave the nest .

“Oh, right . There was something that I wanted to show you . ”

“Hmm? …Ahhhh!! Is that it!!”

I took out the ancient elven weapons from the hollow bag and placed them on the counter . Chief inspected them enthusiastically .

“You took them out as if they were nothing . But they are incredibly rare artifacts you understand? n.o.bles would hang such treasures on their walls . ”

“Daniela said as much . I’d be rich if I sold them . ”

“How pragmatic… Anyway, this has a marvelous shape… What is it made of?”

His eyes never left the sword as we talked . He removed the sword from its sheath and murmured with approval when he saw the jade green blade . His face was one of concentration, even as his eyes sparkled like a child who had found a treasure .

After looking at it for quite some time, he resheathed the sword and handed it back to me .

“I am glad I was able to see it . Thank you, Asagi . ”

“I hope that it was enough to repay you?”

“It was too much, you idiot . ”

I chuckle as I accept the sword from him and put it back into the bag . It was time to leave .

“It was too much, you idiot . ”

I chuckle as I accept the sword from him and put it back into the bag . It was time to leave .

“Well, then . See you . ”

“Aye . I will expect you to have that sword on your belt the next time we meet . I will be waiting . ”

“Thank you . I’m glad to have met you, Chief . ”

“Bah, likewise!”

He tightly gripped my offered hand, even as he roughly wiped away his tears with the other . When we let go, his hands grabbed me by the shoulders and forcefully turned me around before punching me in the back .

“Pull yourself together and go!”

“…Aye!”

I don’t look back . I open the door in front of me and go outside . The door slams behind me as I continue to walk and head for where Daniela was waiting .

The person who had given me the power to live . I must live in a way that he would not be ashamed of . It was a small, yet important oath .

Well then, it was time to set off on our journey . We had now finished saying goodbye to everyone . Except for Mizel, who was unfortunately out of town to buy new supplies . I had to tell Maris to say goodbye for me . Not being able to say goodbye to her was my only regret .

We discussed where our destination should be and decided to head to the east . It was the opposite direction that I had come from, which had been through the west gate . While we had bought a lot of things, we were still trying to save money, so we would travel on foot . Plus, we were in no rush, so horses weren’t really necessary . Horses were expensive, but the cost of feeding them was even worse .

We arrived at the eastern gate .

There were two guards stationed here, and both had been in the group that had saved me from the forest wolves .

“So you really are leaving . ”

“Yes . Thanks for saving me that one time . ”

“Don’t mention it! And be careful out there . ”

“Will do . Thank you . ”

I waved goodbye at them and we both went through the open gate . I had come into this town alone . I would never have thought that I’d be leaving it with a partner .

I look back once we are on the other side . As always, I could hear the lively, bustling noises of the town . My time here had been eventful, the first town I found in this world . I would miss it . Russell, who had come to help me . Maris, who prepared a place for me to stay . Mizel, who was ever light-hearted . Fellow adventurers, Gardo and Ness . Fiona, the overly casual guild worker and the bookworm, Flo . And finally, Daniela who I ended up forming a party with .

They say that there are as many partings as there are meetings, but this wasn’t for life . I would surely meet them all again one day .

I look ahead of me . There was a vast forest spread out before us, but there was also a road running through it .

“Asagi, hurry up if you do not want to be left behind . ”

Daniela was already walking down that road as she called for me . I couldn’t stand here idly . Like I would let her leave me behind! I begin to run . Headed for a new place, for a world that was alien to me .

My adventure had only just begun!