Volume 1 Chapter 17 Future Plans
Just to review, adventurers have three paths.
First, there's the Sword Adventurer, where you work as a mercenary, sometimes killing people in war or fighting bandits to protect villages.
Second, the Bow Adventurer hunts monsters as a hunter. It's all about bringing back monster corpses to the guild in good condition. Gathering herbs is part of this job too.
Third, there's the Torch Adventurer, who explores dungeons. You don't have to kill anyone, just find treasure and survive. It's the toughest but most dreamy path.
As I sat in the dining hall of the Training School, I stared at my egg-shaped adventurer's badge.
"Wade-kun, aren't you eating? The instructor will scold you."
"No, I'll eat. But... I'm just wondering what to do after graduation."
"After graduation?"
Ice asked hesitantly. I nodded in response.
"I don't know what kind of adventurer I want to be. You can always switch if you want, it's just a matter of doing what you like, but I'm hesitant."
"I-I'll follow Wade-kun...!"
"Huh?"
When Ice said that, I was taken aback.
"It's nice that you say that, but... didn't you enter the training school with a goal in mind?"
"N-no. I, um, I just had some dissatisfaction at home and ran away..."
As Ice awkwardly explained, I found myself lost in thought once again.
I became a trainee for the same reason as Ice. I was fed up with my father, the slums, and the sense of confinement, so I jumped in.
As a result, I am enjoying myself and fitting in, but that's why I'm not sure what to do when 'now' comes to an end.
I used to work as a regular salaryman in my past life, but it's not like I actually wanted to do that. I just heard it was a stable job, so I chose it on a whim and ended up like that.
I never had trouble making a living, but I died because I didn't have enough free time, so I don't care.
"Clay, how about you? What do you want to become after graduating?"
"I want to become a hero."
I was taken aback by hearing his words so naturally.
"...A hero, huh?"
"Yeah, a hero. That's why I want to become a torch adventurer. If Wade-kun isn't decided yet, you should join me! ...At least, that's what I want to invite you to do."
Clay looked troubled and shifted his gaze from me to Ice-san. Following his lead, I also looked at Ice, who seemed very displeased.
Huh, this is the first time I've seen Ice make such a face.
"No, no. Wade-kun decides Wade-kun's own future. I don't want to interfere with Wade-kun's will by inviting him in a weird way..."
"So, that's how it is. I was actually planning to invite him more aggressively, but I put a stop to it."
"I-I see..."
Even though Ice noticed me looking at her, she flashed her usual gentle smile. I feel like I've learned a side of Ice that I don't know.
...Ice is a strange girl too. Despite forming a party by chance, it feels like she respects me too much.
Anyway, as I listen to the two of them talk, I start to realize that there is something that will become the main focus.
Clay wants to become a hero. The concept of being a hero is vague, but what he should do is specific. To become a torch adventurer and make a name for himself. Or maybe that is what being a hero means.
On the other hand, it seemed like Ice was being influenced by me, but it also didn't seem that way.
If she was just being swept along, she wouldn't refuse Clay's invitation. It felt more like she was staking everything on me.
...Am I just being overly self-conscious with this analysis? But, that's just how it looked to me...
Anyway, what they both have in common is staking everything on something and betting their lives on it.
Betting, huh. In my past life, I never did that.
I just relied on my abilities, but my abilities were never enough, so I ended up sacrificing time and energy, and in the end, I was physically spent.
I was at a dead end. That's how my past life ended.
But in this life, it's different.
I was born as the son of a drunkard in the slums, and things were really bad. Although the circumstances were different, it still felt like a dead end.
But, I exploded with dissatisfaction and broke through the deadlock with force. As a result, I'm able to live a decent life here.
"..."
Maybe it's okay to live as I please, I thought belatedly. There was never a right path to begin with.
After all, as a salaryman who thought he was on the right path, I ended up hitting a dead end.
"So, I guess I need to first find what I love."
When I muttered this, Ice smiled even more and Clay teased, "Wade-kun, you're unexpectedly green at heart, huh?"
"Don't tease me. I still have a long way to go. It's all part of the growing process."
A few months ago, I was probably smaller than Ice. When I mentioned this, Ice reminisced, "Oh... that's right, hehe, it would've been nice if we'd talked back then," while Clay laughed, "Really!? I don't think so."
It was a very heartwarming moment. A scene of youthful innocence where I, still immature, wrestle with my worries.
So we had forgotten the basic idea that danger comes with the territory in our family business of adventurers.
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