Are you there?
Who are you?
Why are you calling me?
I'll be waiting.
Huh?
I'll be waiting.
Waiting for what?
Soon, Taichi...
Soon...
Hey! What on earth are...
That dream again?
Two weeks ago,
Rin and I returned to the town of Azpire.
We finished registering ourselves as adventurers,
and we reunited with the people who helped us.
And now,
we spend our days fulfilling minor quests as E-Rank adventurers.
Once we got used to it, living in this other world wasn't so bad.
Okay, time for another day of work!
Episode 3 Beginner Adventurers
"Elistain Magic Kingdom lies in the north of the western continent,
and possesses the world's most advanced magic.
Its population is 20,000,000,
and roughly 80% of its citizens can wield basic magic.
This vast population of magicians is precisely why Elistain Magic Kingdom
is counted as one of the three great nations in this world."
Studying first thing in the morning again?
How diligent.
But the best thing about this world is that we don't have to take any exams.
Listen, if we're going to be adventurers,
then we at least need to have some basic knowledge of this country.
This country, huh?
Oh, so this is where Azpire is?
I've heard everyone calling it a frontier town.
This is the royal capital, Wennifix, right?
They're pretty far apart.
That's right.
But just east of here is the border
with the Holy Scatolith Empire and the Gargen Empire, see?
So that's why this city has prospered as an important location
for the exchange of goods and information within Elistain.
Wow.
Morning, Taichi.
Hey, morning, Almeda.
I'll go fetch your breakfast now.
You're sure to love today's soup.
Can't wait!
Oh, also...
Here. There was a messenger from the guild just now.
They said this was for you and Rin.
From the guild?
A summons?!
We show up every day,
so what's so important you'd actually send an official summons?
Take this.
A work request?
Investigate a bar in the slums?
The job is to observe the customers visiting that bar
and make inquiries with the bartender.
The reward is seven silver,
with bonuses for any useful information obtained.
We heard news that, lately, goods stolen from shops and wagons
are being smuggled into the city through the slums.
Who smuggles, who fences, and where the goods wind up...
You two will be looking for that information.
But isn't this a job for D-Ranks?
According to guild regulations,
it's possible for a party of adventurers to accept a quest one rank above.
Huh? It is?
Taichi, you didn't read the pamphlet they gave us at the start, did you?
Urk...
Still, this quest...
There are two Xs on it, which means others have already failed it twice, right?
So if another attempt fails...
Yes.
Then we'll have to start asking C-Rank adventurers,
and we'll have to pay the extra margin to make up for our incorrect estimate.
So you turned to us? I didn't think you'd be that stingy.
Ahem.
Anyway, you two are Lemiya's apprentices.
Your abilities come certified,
and your master even said common sense would turn tail and run at your strength.
Lemiya said that?
Well? Will you take the job?
If you succeed, you'll be promoted to D-Rank.
Well, we won't be able to investigate until nightfall,
so we should take it easy for once.
Now that you mention it, we have been working constantly lately.
Yeah, it was miserable starting out.
Clearing rubble, dredging ditches, and so on...
Yeah.
I've been following Lemiya's orders not to use physical enhancement outside of combat,
and she was especially insistent that I keep it below level 30.
Can't blame her.
If you enhance yourself beyond that, you'll stop being human, right?
Yeah. Hey, wait!
Oh, melila fruit!
Excuse me, how much is that?
Hey there! It's one silver for three.
Huh? That much?
What's the matter?
He said it's a silver for three melila fruits.
A silver?
That's about 10,000 yen, isn't it?
That's too expensive.
Yeah. It was half that just last week.
Sorry, young lady.
There's a shortage of melila right now. I'm still selling it as cheap as I can.
But they're a staple product in this town, aren't they?
They are,
but the goods just aren't coming in, even though I've ordered them.
Lately, there's been a sudden drop in the number of wagons delivering food to the town.
Just between you and me,
there are scary rumors about how they're being attacked by monsters on the way here.
It's not just the melila, either.
There's a shortage of most of the goods you'd find at the market.
I don't care if it's due to monsters or what. I just want this problem to go away.
Can I really have these? They were expensive.
They're your favorite, right?
They are, but...
Besides, that shop owner would have been in more trouble if these hadn't sold.
He was already struggling anyway.
Yeah.
Rin, what are you thinking?
Probably the same thing you are.
Figures.
I think the rumors about wagons being assaulted by monsters are true.
Yeah, that was bothering me.
If the stolen food is making its way into the slums,
then that's connected to our quest, too.
We need to be ready for this.
Yeah. We're up against someone who sent D-Rank adventurers packing twice.
Though...
Though?
I don't feel like we'll lose.
Pardon us.
Uh...
Two ales, please.
We don't carry such weak liquor.
You heard him! Down some water and go home to mommy!
You can leave the young lady behind!
We'll make sure to have a real good time with her!
Oh, well...
Waters, then.
Hmph.
You've got guts for sure.
I'll make an exception this once, for that ballsy display.
Gee, thanks.
Still, I'm surprised you two dared to show up here dressed like that.
Hmm, well, we're both idiots, so we like this kind of atmosphere.
And we know how to protect ourselves.
Taichi...
By the way, we heard some rumors.
They say you can get some goods here that aren't circulating in the market?
What are you talking about?
You know, right?
The market's in trouble right now because of shortages.
That's causing prices to keep shooting up.
So we were thinking of doing some business ourselves.
Procure the goods in shortage right now somehow,
sell them on the black market, and make a huge profit.
Even better if we can sell them cheaper than the market.
Don't. That's not something for amateurs to get involved in.
But we came here because we heard you sell anything for the right price.
Hmm... if this were a movie, he'd have taken the bait by now.
Fiction is fiction for a reason.
Besides...
Looks like we hooked these guys instead.
This sucks.
I-I don't know!
We were asked to do it by some man we met here!
He said he had a good job for us!
I was drunk, so I didn't ask his name!
Besides, by the time we went to the designated spot,
the attack had already taken place.
There was nothing left but the wagon and its cargo.
You better be telling the truth.
We just brought that thing into town!
And where did you take it?
Just to the entrance of the town!
I don't know what happened to it after that!
We just skimmed a bit off the top, is all!
We're not lying! Please believe us!
I think that's enough.
It's true that this bar sold off the stolen goods these guys brought in.
But that's an everyday affair around these parts.
Don't pry into things you shouldn't.
That's the rule around here.
I don't need your money. Just leave.
In the end,
we didn't obtain much information.
Yeah. They didn't seem like they'd be able to beat up D-Rank adventurers, either.
Right?
Hey, have you noticed?
Yeah. They've followed us since we left the bar.
Looks like these are the fish we're after.
Then...
Got them!
Women?
She's fast!
These are human beings I'm up against...
Man, this is awkward.
This is not the time!
If we don't grab this opportunity, we won't complete the quest.
Yeah.
Not to mention, if they're attacking us,
then they could be a good source of information.
Remember, there are bonuses for useful information!
That's great!
Our goal is to capture the enemy.
Usually, I'd use enhancement level 10, but...
Shoot, I went a bit overboard.
Air Hammer!
Sorry.
Hey! You there, the one acting like a general and making her subordinates fight!
The tables have turned on you.
What will you do now?
Taichi!
Wind!
Looks like they got away.
But we managed to capture one of them.
These people were pretty strong.
Yeah. They were genuinely trying to kill us.
They didn't hesitate to abandon one of their own.
I guess they must be hired assassins.
Assassins?
You mean their goal wasn't to scare us off our investigation?
I don't know.
But for now...
What shall we do?
Take this girl straight to the guild?
Yeah.
You awake?
Surprised to see you're still alive?
Normally an assassin who botches their job has one of two choices:
wait for their comrades to come silence them, or take their own life.
But don't worry.
You were brought here in secret, so your comrades won't be coming for you.
The young man you attacked asked me to hold on to you, you see.
It's up to you to decide how to use your life now that you've been spared.
Give it some good thought.
Why?
Hey, look at that!
Wow, she's as pretty as they say.
Welcome back.
You two have a guest.
A guest?
Taichi, Rin...
It's been a while.
Myura!
Congratulations.
I heard you were promoted to D-Rank.
I see...
There are more monster attacks, the town's food shortage,
goods being pilfered, and now assassins that attacked you.
I don't know how those are all connected, but that's concerning information.
We left the assassin we captured and our information with the guild master,
so I doubt we need to worry about those for now.
But prices keep climbing higher and higher in this town.
Last week we could buy three melila for one silver,
and now a silver only gets you one.
It's crazy for the price to triple in just a few days, right?
Sounds like the situation is far worse than I heard it was.
Though...
I might be able to resolve the matter of Rin's favorite melilas, at least.
What do you mean?
I actually came to see you two today about forming a party.
A party?
Taichi, Rin, how do you feel about partying up with me?
I never thought I would ever form a party with anyone.
The melilas in the northern forest are ready for harvest,
but there have been a rash of incidents lately where someone is stealing them.
So these robbers are the ones causing such extreme shortages.
And that's why prices are rising.
Yes.
Also, the ones responsible have a rather powerful magician guarding them,
so the farmers can't fight back.
That's why the guild got a quest for it.
The quest is to patrol the melila fields and capture the culprits.
Also, to defeat the magician.
The reward's 500 silver.
Five hundred?!
Wow!
It really is surprising.
I've always managed by myself,
and I operated alone.
But...
This isn't that bad, either.
You're the adventurers, right?
Thanks for coming out here.
Now we can round up those scoundrels stealing our precious melilas!
I'm McGill.
Leithe. Nice to meet you.
Oh, thanks.
Your patrols will start in the morning,
but let me show you around the melila fields first.
Come this way.
I'm Cassim, the one who filed the quest with the guild.
Is something the matter?
Oh, it's nothing.
Well, we should head to the fields, too.
Yes.
Wow. I didn't know they grew melilas out in the mountains like this.
Normally we don't reveal this to outsiders,
but there are several plantations like this one scattered throughout the northern woods.
It's precious land that we've protected for generations.
Cultivating melilas is extremely difficult.
This is the one that got hit the other day.
The fruit had finally ripened, but...
Rin?
Did you pick up something?
They're coming.
The thieves?!
Damn it! They're back for even more?!
Please hold on.
No...
What's approaching is something even bigger.
It's not human.
Everyone, get behind me.
If you think you're in danger, then please run.
B-But...
This is what we're here for!
Here they come.
They're close!
Wha?!
What's that?!
Orcs and an Ogre?!
What are they doing here?!
Myura...
I'll take the big one.
You finish off the boars.
Got it.
Rin, you handle defense.
Understood!
Let's go, then!
Impressive.
Suppose it's my turn now.
Will they really be okay?
That young elf lady might be fine, but...
Don't worry.
Taichi's stronger than he looks.
But he's facing that monster we've never even seen before.
This guy's totally underestimating me.
Let's go with enhancement to 30... no, 35, and we'll settle this in one blow!
Here I come, you big oaf!
Yes, that's right.
As you pointed out, Rin,
Orcs and Ogres generally don't live in the northern forest.
Which makes him the most suspicious.
Do you mean there's a good chance the attack we saw today was set up by someone?
Yeah, I think so.
Taichi, Rin, it's still too early to jump to conclusions right now.
We have to see how our foes react before we can determine
how today's events are connected to the melila thefts.
What?
Well, uh...
I'm just surprised you'd say something so extreme with a straight face.
Huh?
I mean, when you say "see how our foes react,"
you're implying we're going to set our own trap for them, right?
Huh? Y-Yeah.
Well, I am, I suppose?
I'm in!
Me, too!
Taichi, Rin...
All right.
Let's show them what happens when they underestimate us!
Good. Absorb.
Hmph. This should be enough to feed that.
I can't wait.
My body's aching for this.
But not yet...
The excitement can wait until tomorrow.
Just wait, you adventurers!
I'll finish you off.
Crimson Pact
Next episode: "Crimson Pact."