Volume 1 Chapter 36 The Exceptional Talents Who Surpass Heroes
"Hey, good job."
After the family fight ended and they dispersed, Rose and I appeared from the top of the hill.
We called out to Cosmos, who was standing alone under the night sky, in a relaxed voice.
She let out a sigh, looking somewhat exasperated.
"I knew you two would show up."
"Huh? Did you notice us?"
"Kind of. I couldn't tell exactly where you were, but when I said I was going alone, you both looked like you were thinking about something."
So it was obvious, huh? After 2 weeks of training, Cosmos had become significantly stronger and said she would fight her brother alone.
She didn't want to involve us, it seemed.
However, we couldn't help but be curious about how the fight would go, so we decided to secretly follow her.
We used one of my support magic spells called 'Hide.' This allowed us to blend into the surroundings and erase our presence from detection abilities.
That's why they didn't notice us.
"I'm really disappointed. You said you were going alone because you didn't want to involve us, but if you secretly came here, you might have ended up dragging us in anyway. Don't do anything dangerous, okay?"
"S-sorry. But, well, since Rose said she would come with me, I thought it would be fine. Besides, I was really worried and couldn't just sit still..."
"Wait..."
Suddenly, Cosmos looked taken aback, her eyes wide.
Then, for some reason, her cheeks turned red.
I didn't know what she was thinking, but I was genuinely worried.
"I was worried that with how incredibly strong Cosmos has become, those brother might get killed."
"Don't worry about that!"
The redness in her cheeks disappeared, and Cosmos shot back with a sharp retort.
But seriously, Cosmos is way too strong now.
This time it ended peacefully, but it was entirely possible that she could have accidentally killed them in the heat of the moment.
It's only natural to be concerned.
"Just in case Cosmos had killed those guys, you would have become a wanted man in an instant. I thought I needed someone to keep you in check to avoid the worst-case scenario."
"Well, that's true. I still can't fully control my own power either."
But fortunately, it didn't come to that.
Cosmos managed to control her power perfectly and ended the fight in the best way possible.
"In the end, that guy was foaming at the mouth and collapsed."
"Well, I only intended to scare him off, but I never expected it to turn out like that."
Letting him off with just an arm or so was just a threat; Cosmos had no intention of attacking his brother.
It was clear even from the sidelines, but the intimidation worked better than expected, and his brother fell.
Their father was also unable to get up and was carried away by the soldiers.
Really, she sent them packing beautifully.
"Still, I never thought Cosmos would become this strong."
I took in the chaotic battlefield again, feeling a deep sense of emotion.
The star-like rocks generated by magic had already disappeared, but deep holes were visible everywhere, leaving their marks.
It's hard to believe that this scene was created by a little girl who could only throw pebbles with her magic.
"It's like a grassland trampled by a giant. I can really feel the immense power."
"...You can do things like this too, right?"
Since Rose murmured in surprise, I couldn't help but make a comment.
She should be able to handle this much without any trouble.
I'm the only ordinary person here, so I should be the only one surprised.
"I never thought I could become this strong either. I had no idea there was such potential hidden in Spell Chanting skills. But you noticed it too."
"Well, I thought something was off from the start. You said you had never used it before, yet your skill level had increased quite a bit."
At that point, I suspected it might be an 'Extra Skill' with a level cap different from the usual.
But I never thought that the skill level, which normally only goes up to "10," would break its limit and rise to "30." And all of that in just 2 weeks.
On top of that, there's still room for growth, and my guess is that the upper limit might be around 50 or 60.
At this point, she already has the power to take down an entire country's army, so I can't even imagine what would happen if I grew even more.
"I'm more surprised by Mr. Roezé's 'support' skill, though."
"My skill?"
"I didn't think you could rapidly grow not just a job class level but also a skill level."
Rose says this with a look of surprise, as if it's just now hitting her.
It's true that when I helped Rose grow, I was only focused on raising her job class level.
We didn't touch on skills at all.
"The mechanism is exactly the same: both job class and skill grow by obtaining 'divine growth points.' That's why my support skill is designed to 'increase the amount of divine growth points you acquire,' so it can help with both types of growth."
"I didn't know that skill levels could also go up by acquiring divine growth points."
"You're probably the only one who didn't know that..."
I get looks of admiration and exasperation from both sides.
Given my job class, I naturally become knowledgeable about these things.
It's not that I'm particularly curious.
"Thanks to that, I was able to rapidly grow my Cosmos Spell Chanting skill, so you could at least show a bit more gratitude."
"Gratitude? Well, yes, of course, I'm grateful. Thanks to you, I was able to chase away my elder brother with my own hands. But..."
Cosmos stomped her foot while running her fingers through her glossy black hair.
"But that 'embarrassing time' is still stuck in my mind like glue!"
"Y-You got used to it by the end, though. I was listening nearby, and by the last part, it didn't even feel weird anymore."
Cosmos has been chanting that childish and embarrassing phrase over and over for the past 2 weeks.
So, she defeats monsters, chants the phrase again to raise her Magic, and just keeps repeating that...
It wouldn't be particularly embarrassing to hum it by herself, but that would defeat the purpose.
Because my support skill is to 'increase the divine growth point acquisition of those around me'.
I inevitably have to watch her chant spells right in front of me, and I've been subjected to Cosmos chanting that childish phrase up close.
"Why did I have to chant that embarrassing phrase endlessly in front of you?!"
"Because it was the shortcut to getting stronger. Besides, it wasn't that embarrassing, and honestly, it suited you really well."
"Don't say it suited me!"
It seems Cosmos really dislikes the spell chanting skill.
She probably wishes she never had to use it again.
But that's precisely the greatest strength of a Stardust Magician, so she'll have no choice but to keep using it.
In exchange for her embarrassment, she gained a unique strength.
And as far as I know, she has transformed into a magic user with the world's strongest destructive power.
So, with that...
"Well, I guess that means the request is complete."
"Yeah, I guess so."
I successfully completed my first job as a Nurturer, raising the Stardust Magician, Cosmos.
After that, we started walking toward the town.
Along the way, I asked Cosmos about something that had been on my mind.
"What are you planning to do from now on?"
"From now on?"
"Now that you've gotten your revenge on your family, you don't need to aim to become a first-class adventurer and join the royal guard anymore, right?"
What is she planning to do next?
"Umm, I haven't really thought about it specifically yet, but for now, I think I'll just keep being an adventurer."
"Oh, really? That's a bit surprising."
"Well, I mean, I'm still kicked out of my parents' house, so I'm still just a rootless wanderer, right? For now, this is the only way I can make a living."
Now that you mention it, that's definitely true.
She has already gotten her revenge on her family, but nothing has really changed for Cosmos.
So, continuing as an adventurer might be the safest choice after all.
"Thanks to you, I've become surprisingly strong, and at this rate, I might even become a 'Hero' instead of just a top-tier adventurer."
"Yeah, I think you could definitely become one, Cosmos."
"...At least deny that part!"
She seemed to say it as a joke.
But I really believe that Cosmos could become an adventurer strong enough to be called a hero.
After all, she's already an extraordinary magic user with a Magic value of "1200." Her base Magic value is "300," and with the Spell Chanting skill that increases it by 4 times, that's "1200." What even is "1200"? The sage Grisine from the hero party was only around "800" or something like that.
"Just, please don't let your guard down. I want you to hear this too, Rose, but you two have just leveled up rapidly; you haven't actually gained real 'combat experience' yet. That's something you'll need to build up slowly from now on, so please don't overestimate your abilities and do something reckless."
"Okay, got it!"
"Well, I couldn't even do anything but throw pebbles, so there's no way I could handle this kind of power right away."
The two accepted my advice like that.
Well, I figured they would understand without me saying anything.
Rose and Cosmos have probably struggled for a long time because of the weakness of their job class.
They should have a more cautious mindset than others.
They won't rush into reckless actions and will gradually get used to their own strength.
"Well, even if I wanted to push myself, I'm still a rank 5 adventurer, so I can't take on any particularly difficult requests. I'd like to take on some higher-level requests to stabilize my living situation a bit more."
"So, for now, your goal is to 'level up as adventurers,' right?"
"Yeah. While getting used to this power, I'll steadily level up as an adventurer, and ultimately..."
Cosmos looked up at the starry night sky, saying it cheerfully.
"I want to save up money through my adventurer activities and have a home that makes me feel like I want to come back, not like that rotten house."
"A home... Do you already have someone in mind?"
"Wh-What?! That's not it! I'm just thinking about maybe having a place to call home somewhere, not that I have someone I want to be with or anything..."
Cosmos's cheeks turned bright red as she glanced over here and there.
I thought she wanted a family, so I assumed she had someone she was planning a future with.
But for Cosmos, who doesn't have good memories of family, wanting a home she could look forward to must be one of her dreams.
It felt like a very Cosmos-like goal.
"Anyway, I'm going to succeed as an adventurer and someday build a mansion bigger than my family home! I'll live freely without being tied down by anyone!"
"...That sounds so enviable."
Isn't that exactly the kind of leisurely life I'm aiming for? I feel like I could get along well with Cosmos.
Imagining her as a renowned adventurer building a massive mansion, I asked her.
"If you build a mansion, can I come visit?"
"I-I'd be happy to have you, as long as it's not a bother..."
"I guess I'll have to prepare enough chairs for everyone then."
With that, Cosmos smiled quietly.
Then, for some reason, she started playing with her black hair shyly as she continued.
"...W-Well, speaking of which..."
"Mm?"
"I'm planning to stick around that town for a little while longer... so, can I come by and visit your 'Mr. Nurturer' again?"
"..."
There was no reason to refuse.
"If you don't mind that it's just a nothing place, feel free to come anytime."
"..."
As long as I'm not out, Nurturer is always open.
There's nothing particularly interesting there, but if that's okay with you, I'd love for you to drop by.
Saying that, Cosmos turned away and muttered something.
"...You're there, aren't you?"
"...?"
As I tilted my head, trying to catch the voice that faded with the wind, Cosmos circled around in front of me and grinned widely.
"Don't you dare forget those words. And make sure to have some delicious tea and snacks ready, okay?"
"...I'll, I'll do my best."
Finally, Cosmos straightened up with a serious look and bowed deeply.
"Once again, thank you so much this time, Roezé. No, wait... Mr. Nurturer of the town of beginnings!"
On her lifted face, a pure smile that perfectly suited the youthful Cosmos bloomed brightly.
The end of Volume One.
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