Chapter 237: That way of saying, life here… not seeming going well

The porter boy wearing goggles, black short hair, oriental-like skin color. Height a little over one hundred seventy centimeters, larger than him, but for male adventurers small category.

Due to goggles, he not well knowing the boy’s face or expression. Just, somehow feeling surprised and bewildered, seemed to him.

He stopped in front of the boy and held out the eighteen thousand Deil portion bills received from Mickey to the boy.

"This your share, talk heard probably, eighteen thousand Deil."

"Ah, thank you."

The boy received the bills and without even counting put in pocket.

"...By the way you, not my acquaintance?"

He asked the boy in casual tone.

"Actually... heard voice similar to known guy’s voice, so came to see state. Not ended with just seeing state."

The boy a little brewed atmosphere of hesitating then exhaled large sigh. Then, as if resolved began removing goggles.

Removing goggles, the boy’s face exposed. Wearing glasses of type fixing with belt hard to come off even moving intensely, clear features, quite thick arranged face, he had recollection.

Though looking quite tired and unhealthy than the healthy face in memory.

"Banshou!"

The surname of the boy classmate wearing glasses, he put in mouth.

(Ah, so that why wearing goggles.)

The goggles blackish color like sunglasses the protective goggles for glasses strengthened with magic. The defense effect of aura defense skills or body defense magic mostly extending to glasses too.

That was why when doing body defense with Aura Mail or magic and such, glasses rarely break. But when releasing body defense skills, cases of glasses damaged by surprise or falling.

In preparation for such cases, adventurers using glasses sometimes using protective goggles. Excellent thing almost not hindering vision, and able to hide around eyes, so thieves wanting to hide face also using.

"Long time, Kazu."

With awkward face, the boy... Banshou Yasutoki continued words.

"When came to Virgo?"

"Just arrived this afternoon."

"Is that so. However... surprised, becoming like different person from before."

Looking down at him, Yasutoki put impressions in mouth.

"Is that? Well, hair also a little grown, and pierced, so impression... maybe changed somewhat."

"No... not appearance, level and strength side."

"Ah, that."

"Level raised that much, skills also variously increased means, Replication’s activation condition understood?"

"Right after you guys left Aquila maybe?"

Protected in Aquila together with him and became adventurers, including him and Yuri seventeen people. In mid-April this year, twelve who became junior adventurers left Aquila behind and departed for Virgo.

Yasutoki belonging to same soccer club, with Hojo Masaki and Sakuma Soma a little delayed becoming junior adventurers than all. That was why Yasutoki and Masaki... Soma the three left Aquila behind in early May.

.....

....

"Activation condition, what kind was?"

Yasutoki interested and asked him.

"That secret, better not talk to people, stopped by Lumia."

"Lumia..."

In a nostalgic tone, Yasutoki continued.

"Should have listened to Lumia’s advice. Until becoming level 20, should have remained in Aquila."

"That way of saying, life here... not seeming going well."

"Not going well or something, if saw earlier understand."

"That indeed."

Asking obvious thing deliberately awkward, so he unintentionally while playing with cowlick glowed eyes. He activated General Appraisal and appraised Yasutoki.

"Still level 7, not much raised."

In his memory, Yasutoki about two and a half months ago when left Aquila, level was 5. Until around level 10, rises at quite high pace, so only two levels rising in two and a half months could be said slow pace.

"Virgo few training facilities for newcomers, almost unusable."

"Said such thing, Lumia."

While releasing General Appraisal that finished role, he added.

"Labyrinth city guilds not putting effort into newcomer adventurer training."

Yasutoki also hearing same talk from the staff in charge Lumia, made awkward face. Ignoring Lumia’s advice and becoming form of failing, felt awkward.

"...Even if guild not putting effort into newcomer adventurer training, thought if training in work... real combat, level rises, but adventurers level 10 or below only work like porter."

While scratching head, Yasutoki continued.

"But, porter not fighting, level almost not rising..."

"Still level 7?"

At his words, Yasutoki nodded.

"Rather than hired in party as porter, better to form party? Not regular party, but temporary party can form casually."

"Proper level adventurers who form party with level 7 me, not in Virgo."

"Form party with adventurers of similar level fine."

"Forming party with guys of similar level to me and diving dungeon, like going to die."

(Even saying better to form temporary party than temporarily participating in other parties, certain degree level needed.)

While realizing Virgo’s harsh reality, he asked Yasutoki.

"By the way, other guys how?"

"Don’t know, except Masaki and Soma who came together, not met other guys, and with Masaki and Soma, met only about one month ago."

"With Masaki and Soma... why such thing?"

"Even if guys level 10 or below gathering, nothing for work, so while working separately, no margin to meet..."

Awkwardly, Yasutoki added.

"Moreover, everyone moving dwellings around, so now even where living not knowing, and no way to contact."

"Is that so... then, even asking Yasutoki not know."

"What talk?"

"No, just before arriving in Virgo, the terrestrial ship me riding attacked by thieves. Me instead of doing escort, got ride for free, so fought thieves..."

Recalling the time when saw thief seeming knowing self, he.

"At that time, thief with feel of knowing me, so maybe... thought guy who went to Virgo first."

"If that case, indeed me not know. Other guys what doing, not knowing."

With serious face, Yasutoki continued.

"Just, hearing talk of syndicate guys gathering junior adventurers troubled in life, organizing thief groups, and skimming, so maybe not none talk."

Recalling Uraka and Liz saying similar talk, he.

"Life hard, situation no future in sight, so me too if invited by syndicate, cannot say not falling to thief."

"If life that hard, better return to Aquila. Even in Virgo nothing can do, return to Aquila and train then redo."

"If can that, definitely doing."

"Why cannot?"

"No money, money for ship fare to return to Aquila."

"Ship fare between Aquila and Virgo, if third class about fifty thousand, that degree even porter can earn?"

He added.

"Today too earned eighteen thousand."

Passenger ship fares mostly divided into first to third class by cabin grade. First class wide private room, second class narrow private room, third class large room with other passengers.

Regarding meals all set price, but meal level also differentiated by grade. Third class meals generally only simple meals like bread and soup coming out.

"If from Aquila to Virgo, about fifty thousand somehow, but from Virgo to Aquila, even third class three hundred thousand."

"Three hundred thousand?"

"Well, now a little cheap, becoming about two hundred thousand."

"Why cheap?"

"During Reverse Festa, many people coming to Virgo, but few people going out from Virgo. Passenger ships wanting to carry customers as much as possible lowering fares than ordinary."

"I see..."

"If Corvus, now about seventy thousand Deil can go seems, but even putting today’s earnings eighteen thousand Deil, hand money only under thirty thousand, so going to Corvus also impossible."

Corvus the name of the nearest autonomous city to Virgo.

"With today’s work, me used close to ten thousand Deil portion consumables like magic cards, so actual profit eight thousand Deil."

While looking at the eighteen thousand Deil in hand, Yasutoki continued.

"Eight thousand Deil not enough for one day’s living expenses in current Virgo, so by tomorrow hand funds under twenty thousand."

Yasutoki put the bills in hand into pocket.

"Continuing this kind of day-to-day living, so as porter just full for living, money completely not saving..."

With a dejected face, Yasutoki exhaled sigh. With expression not seeming boy like working adult tired of work and life.

(Quite cornered.)

He recalled own hand money, roughly calculated one day’s living expenses from prices of goods confirmed in shopping street. Calculated how many days able to live if lending two hundred thousand from hand money to Yasutoki.

(Somehow one week.)

Judging so, he with as casual expression as possible proposed to Yasutoki.

"Then, ship fare to Aquila or Corvus, me lend, so redo in Aquila or Corvus."

"Eh?"

Yasutoki floated surprised expression, thinking maybe misheard, and confirmed with him.

"Lend ship fare... said?"

"Said though."

"...If do so, terribly thankful though... fine?"

"Fine so said lend."

He declared.

"Even lending you two hundred thousand, money of degree able to live about one week, and if level 20 me, can earn in Virgo."

"...Then, now... without reserve, let me borrow!"

With face as if crying and laughing, Yasutoki lowered head.

"Thank you, will repay the favor! After rebuilding life, definitely return!"

"Raise head, embarrassing."

As if covering embarrassment, he asked Yasutoki.

"Then, Aquila and Corvus... which?"

Asked by him, Yasutoki considered a little then returned answer.

"Corvus."

Yasutoki put the reason for choosing Corvus in mouth.

"Current Virgo really costs money, cannot borrow two hundred thousand from him trying to live in Virgo from now."

(Fine without reserve.)

Thought so, but decided to respect the answer Yasutoki gave after thinking, he.

"Is that, then... from now go to Virgo port!"

"Eh? From now?"

"Good is to hurry said."