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Finding Luna wasn’t hard at all.

I didn’t even have the passive skill for getting lost, but I almost lost my way until I was lured by a sour smell that led me right to Luna.

It seemed like Luna had made quite an impact, with two lifeless bodies sprawled on the ground.

I crouched behind the bushes and watched as Luna fought.

-Punch!

Against the charging War Wolf, Luna swiftly generated wind beneath her feet, dodging and instantly taking its back.

With a quick thrust of her dagger, she pierced the nape, causing the monster to bleed from its mouth and collapse in a single strike.

“Wow~ well done!”

Is this really the same clumsy person I knew?

Seeing Luna fight so convincingly made my heart swell with pride.

As one of the creatures fell in a single hit, the other, which had been watching from behind, sprang forward quickly.

In response, Luna summoned the wind again, executing a grand spin while evading, slicing the War Wolf’s side in a single motion.

“Oh… amazing, absolutely magnificent!”

That flashy combat style felt like witnessing the true essence of a warrior.

After handling the last beast, I gave Luna a standing ovation as she caught her breath.

-👏👏👏

Startled by the applause, Luna jumped and met my gaze, her lips parting.

“Luke…?”

“Bravo━!”

While I hadn’t changed my perception of clumsy fighters, at least when it came to Luna, my view had shifted considerably.

Luna approached me slowly.

“Are you done so soon?”

“It’s strange for it to take long to catch just one of them.”

“Then why didn’t you bring back one more?”

“Are you planning to push your master, who can’t even use magic, into the pit?”

“…But, Luke, you seem stronger than me even without magic.”

Well, of course.

I have a status screen that you lack, plus an inventory, which is a broken skill.

Honestly, if Luna was even stronger than me, I would’ve been willing to just ride her coattails.

And I also wanted to see if I gained experience when she defeated monsters, but seeing that my level didn’t increase even 1 meant I had to do the killing or there were other conditions to meet.

‘I’ll just experiment with that later.’

After all, there’s plenty of time.

“Let’s wrap up and head back.”

“Okay.”

I walked over to the War Wolf corpses.

“Oh, but what did they say to bring back as proof?”

“Hmm… I didn’t catch that part.”

Did Adela forget to mention it?

I was planning to bring everything back anyway, but I might as well hold an impromptu dissection show.

*

After finishing the collection, I returned to the Adventurer’s Guild, guided by Luna.

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Yup.”

I replied simply to Adela, who recited her signature line upon our return.

“There were rumors of a strong specimen, how was it?”

“Oh, that… here you go.”

-Thud!

The corpses of the War Wolves burst out from my inventory, unable to fit on the reception desk, landing on the floor instead.

“Ugh… what is that smell!?”

Ah, right, I had thrown down a ton of flasks before I killed them.

I had kept them in the inventory, but there was no way that smell would just vanish.

And it seemed that Luna didn’t use flasks much because only the War Wolf I killed reeked badly.

“I prepared everything because I didn’t know what you’d like.”

“I see, but can you at least clean it up first!”

Adela shouted, and I shoved everything back into my inventory.

Then I fanned the air a few times and took a deep breath.

“Haah… the rumors were true. Still, I’m relieved that Luke handled it.”

Adela, who had screamed during the dissection show with the goblins, seemed to have gotten used to me, as she no longer exhibited her usual panicked demeanor.

‘People really are creatures of adaptation, huh? That saying is spot on.’

Honestly, getting flustered over a dissection show was pretty strange.

Though the other receptionist beside her squeaked with a “Yikes!” sound.

“You didn’t tell me what to bring back, so I brought everything.”

“…Luke. I apologize for not explaining, but don’t you think you caused trouble for the others?”

“Hmm…”

I rolled a circle inside my mind.

The circle rolling along energetically in my mind.

I felt nothing.

“Yup.”

“…Luna. How do you manage your master?”

“I’ll apologize on her behalf…”

“Stop the gossip!”

Adela is one thing, but Luna, you shouldn’t do that!

I’m your master!?

While people say that gossip is bad, they could at least be discussing me, but experiencing it firsthand feels far worse.

At least with gossip, I wouldn’t know about it.

And isn’t this actually not my fault?

If she forgot to tell me, it’s Adela’s negligence. She should actually be grateful to me for bringing all the corpses instead of leaving them behind!

Even I feel hurt hearing two beauties gossip.

“So, what do we need from the War Wolf?”

“We need the tail.”

“Okay, time for a dissection show.”

“…Please, at least do it outside.”

“This is fun, though!”

“Luna, please…”

“Yes, Luke, this way please.”

“Aah━! This is fun! If you don’t see it, you’ll be missing half of your life!”

I was dragged out of the Adventurer’s Guild by Luna, holding onto one of my arms like a kid throwing a tantrum for a toy.

“Geez, kids these days…”

“Luke, you’re still young, though…”

I sat beside the entrance of the guild, took out my sword, and started to cut off the tail one by one.

“Done! Now let’s pass it to Adela and head to the blacksmith.”

“Sure.”

I put the remaining body and head into my inventory, gathered five tails, and headed back to the reception desk.

“Are you done?”

“I brought everything, but is there no bonus for the big one? You said it was a strong specimen.”

“Oh, the guild master directed me to specifically mention this: it’s worth 1 silver.”

Oh… considering I bought all of Luna’s gear for 2 silver, that’s a steal!

The money is sweet for the effort spent catching them.

“So what about the rest, like the body or head?”

“Usually, the corpses of monsters with useless materials are burned or left at the site. Good monsters are taken care of by any blacksmith.”

“Is there anything useful from the War Wolf?”

“I don’t know much else about the War Wolf except for its meat.”

Seems like dog meat is recognized even in the otherworld.

“Got it. We’ll be on our way then.”

“Have a good day, Luna and Luke.”

I know another blacksmith well.

I can just head there.

*

Even though I’ve only been there twice, I’ve become a regular at the blacksmith.

“Hey, Uncle~”

“What? Why does the kid keep coming to my shop?”

“I’m not allowed to visit often?”

“There’s no other lunatic who comes here every day to buy weapons and armor.”

“I haven’t bought any weapons here, though.”

“Exactly. That makes you the biggest lunatic.”

Geez, I just wanted to look around!

And yet, he still prepares every item for me.

‘Tsundere men aren’t popular, you know.’

“So your shop is gathering dust.”

“What did you say?”

“More importantly, Uncle. I need to buy a new sword because this one is chipped, so recommend me something, please.”

“The swords are all hanging over there. Pick one you like.”

As I turned my gaze in the direction of his finger, I saw a row of straight swords displayed on the shelf.

“Isn’t there a greatsword instead of just regular swords?”

“What? You use a greatsword? You look too wimpy for that.”

I’ll admit I look a bit wimpy, but with the support of my status screen, I’m far stronger than I appear.

Still, that uncle looks stronger than me.

He went inside through a door and emerged with a large sword.

“How about this one?”

“Hmm… do you have anything bigger?”

The sword he brought back was larger than a straight sword, and it was good enough to be considered a greatsword, but it didn’t satisfy my eyes.

“Kid, if this isn’t a greatsword, then there are no greatswords in the world.”

I’ve seen larger two-handed axes than this, so why wouldn’t they have greatswords?

“Then can’t you make me one?”

“What are you talking about?”

A weapon for a man.

A man’s fantasy.

Something big, thick, heavy, and beautiful… just like that!

 

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