Isekai Nonbiri Sozai Saishu Seikatsu - Chapter 134

“You mentioned something about an assignment at the academy, what do the four of you have to do here?”

I asked out of curiosity as I peeled Neln off from around me and escaped to take a break in my own cool air.

I’m wondering what kind of challenges brought the nobles to such a harsh place.

“We are here for our school’s midterm exam at the magic academy.”

“…Our group is tasked with defeating the magma golems inhabiting the Ladeo Volcano and bringing back their materials.”

Upon Franryule and Gilles’ words, Alex and Neln nodded in agreement.

The magic academy. I’ve heard that there are academies in this world for learning magic and culture.

It seems Franryule and the others are students there.

“Is that like a practical exam?”

“Yeah. As you advance in the upper grades, you’re assigned tests like this where you have to defeat monsters in the field every time.”

“Running into monsters from Ladeo Volcano sure ain’t lucky for us. If it were monsters from a more comfortable environment, we’d finish up more easily.”

“…Probably because they know that, the teachers designated the monsters here.”

It seems that the difficulty of the task changes depending on the group’s abilities.

Apart from Franryule and the others, there are no other students in Eld.

They may stand out for their lack of preparation and lax management, but they have managed to reach deep into the volcano without getting injured. They must have solid skills.”

But still, it’s quite Spartan for a magic academy to have tasks like subjugating monsters and bringing back materials.

“And then, with dehydtation setting in and magical power were being worn away, we encountered Shuu-san.’”

“That must have been tough.”

Of all places, Ladeo Volcano. Even if you can gauge the strength of the monsters, there are times when nature poses an insurmountable challenge, no matter how prepared you are.

Well, I suppose it’s all part of the learning experience, taking that into account.

“Did Shuu have some kind of mission?”

“I am here to collect Volkanos eggs.”

“Volkanos is a B-ranked monster, right? And not to mention, you’re not supposed to defeat the adults…”

Seems like Alex knows too, as he grimaces upon hearing the details of the mission.

“…Even for B-rank adventurers, missions can be tough.”

“That’s true. Even just collecting the eggs alone is difficult because Volkanos are guarding them, so I thought about returning to Eld to recruit some help.”

Perhaps because we’re both facing difficulties, a sigh escapes involuntarily.

“In that case, could we offer our assistance? Would you allow us to help?”

“Eh? From Franryule’s party?”

“Yes.”

I’m surprised by Franryule’s sudden proposal.

Gilles, Alex, and Neln don’t seem particularly surprised by the proposal.

Did Franryule anticipate this and see no reason to object, or is there no reason to object?

To be honest, Franryule’s proposal is welcome.

Currently, I would have to return all the way to the adventurer’s guild in Eld to recruit help.

Of course, it’s not guaranteed to gather people quickly, and even if they do gather, they’re just strangers without any trust.

Humans who have only exchanged contracts for monetary compensation.

Despite the discipline enforced by the guild, any trouble that arises there is one’s own responsibility.

In that sense, it’s preferable to have someone trustworthy to help with the request.

Although I haven’t seen Franryule and the others’ abilities, the fact that all four of them have reached this point unscathed indicates their competence.

I’ve had a brief conversation with them, and while they may have some naivety like me, they seem like honest, good kids. It’s fair to say they’ve cleared the most significant obstacle of trust.

“Why are you offering to help with my request?”

There are various points that concern me, but that was what caught my attention first.

“It’s during tough times that we help each other out. Shuu-san’s belief really touched us.”

I didn’t expect them to bring up my words from earlier. It’s embarrassing to hear them repeated by a third party.

“However, that’s only half of the reason. The other half is to ask for your help with our task.”

“The defeat of the magma golems? Is it alright for me, who has no connection to this, to intervene?”

“No, this is our exam, so we don’t intend to have Shuu-san do that much.”

“…We just want Shuu-san to assist us as a local collaborator in exploring the magma golems.”

“With Shuu-san’s ice magic and water magic, we won’t tire much even while in this cave!”

“We can challenge the magma golems without excessively depleting our stamina and magic power.”

It seems they’re not seeking my assistance at all for the defeat, but rather they want to request my accompaniment to the target monster. It’s commendable that they don’t seek others’ help for the defeat.

Certainly, with me around, they wouldn’t need to worry about water, and they could avoid suffering from the heat by enveloping themselves in cold air. I’d be a reliable support, halving the environment’s effects here.

Not showing any disturbance or complaint about Franryule’s proposal, the other three probably aimed for this deal as well.

They may be young, but being nobles complicates things. Can’t let my guard down.

“It seems a bit gray, but is it okay?”

What concerns me is whether such actions would constitute a violation. This exam is important for students.

I don’t want to be the cause of anyone failing.

“This time, it’ll be seen as a coincidence, cooperating with a local adventurer we encountered. And we’re not asking for the defeat, so it shouldn’t be considered a violation.”

“At this level, it’s no different from hiring someone as a porter for carrying luggage. Of course, Shuu-san’s contribution is much more than that.”

“To be honest, some groups resort to hiring high-ranking adventurers with money to accomplish tasks.”

Yeah, it feels like I’ve glimpsed the dark side of the magic academy, but let’s not dwell on that.

If they’re confident enough to say they’ll be fine, I’ll trust them.

Now that I understand Franryule’s intentions, I have personal concerns.

Noticing my lack of enthusiasm, Neln asks candidly, “Is there something bothering you?”

“It’s not about the defeat, but taking you to a place with Rank B monsters… Is it alright?”

Even though I’ll take on the most dangerous role, I’ll undoubtedly end up facing Volkanos.

Even though they’re not just kids, is it okay to take them to such a place?

“Can’t say I’m stronger than a B-rank adventurer like Shuu-san, but I’ve gained my fair share of experience, so I can be useful, you know?”

“You don’t need to worry about us.”

“…Defeating them might be a heavy burden, but if we can distract them to get the eggs and then just escape, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“That’s the plan.”

Whether they sensed it from my expression or not, Alex and the others speak with determined words.

Behind their innocent faces, there’s a sense of confidence each of them has built up.

That’s right. These kids aren’t just ordinary children. They’re students of the magic academy, they’re mages.

It would be disrespectful to treat them the same as ordinary children.

There are plenty of adventurers out there who are around the same age as these kids, making significant contributions. Age doesn’t matter.

In fact, considering I’ve been rejuvinated, I’m not that much older than these kids.

“Understood. I’ll assist you, so please, count on me.”

“We appreciate you accepting our proposal.”

“…With Shuu-san here, clearing the task is a given.”

And thus, by cooperating with each other, we embarked on our respective missions.