Volume 3 Chapter 36 The Failure Of Watering
"Really, is it okay now?"
"Yeah, it was just a 2-week promise."
The promised period has passed, and it's the last day of training.
After training martial arts at the East District park late into the night, we decided to part ways.
Standing in front of the Nurturer's entrance where I first met Suisen, we faced each other seriously.
"I'm fine with continuing the training a bit longer, you know..."
"I'd feel bad if I did that. I can't take up any more of Nurturer Roezé's precious time with 'someone like me'."
"..."
Suisen lowered his eyelids, looking apologetic.
Over these two weeks, his abilities had definitely improved.
His strength, martial arts skills, and experience were on a whole different level compared to before.
However, Suisen still hadn't gained any confidence.
Similarly, there was no sign of his job class awakening.
It seemed he felt guilty about this and decided to stop receiving my help exactly after 2 weeks.
"It was always a low-probability gamble. It was unrealistic for someone like me, who doesn't have a job class, to awaken one again, and I can't keep putting you in danger by dragging this out."
During these two weeks, there had been no contact from Sianna's fans.
But we never knew when we might be attacked again.
If I continued to help Suisen with her training, it was almost certain that an opportunity for that would arise.
I was fully aware of this while helping him, but it seemed to weigh heavily on him.
"Plus, even though the job class didn't awaken during these two weeks, I had a lot of fun."
"Fun...?"
"I've never had anyone I could call a friend before, so this is my first experience running towards a goal with someone. I'm really satisfied to have such a valuable experience."
"..."
Hearing that, I couldn't find any words to respond.
Even if I wasn't convinced, since the client Suisen said he was satisfied, I had no choice but to go along with it.
As I fell silent, feeling sorry for my own lack of ability, Suisen picked up on my mood and spoke up cheerfully.
"Hey! It's not like my feelings for Ms. Alium have completely disappeared! I'm going to keep training and one day I'll surpass Ms. Alium with my own strength. I'll become strong enough to protect her from any enemy, and then I'll confess this pure feeling and be with Ms. Alium."
It felt like it had been a while since I heard Suisen's confident words.
I couldn't help but smile and nod.
"...You're right, Suisen. You should be like that. You look better when you're full of confidence, standing tall and proud."
"Look better? Did you mean to say 'cool and beautiful' instead?"
Suisen and I locked eyes and burst into laughter together.
After we laughed for a while, Suisen took out his wallet and asked me.
"By the way, are you really okay? You don't want to accept any reward?"
"My Nurturer fee is 300 Flora for each level up, so there's no reason for me to accept a reward."
"But I feel like you've done more for me than just leveling me up. So I want you to accept a reward as a gesture of gratitude..."
"It's fine, really. Novice adventurers don't earn much anyway, so just use it for yourself. Well, if you treat me to a meal next time, we can call it even."
Suisen hesitated but then put his wallet away.
He then bowed his head in a serious manner.
"Thank you so much, Roezé. I'm really glad I consulted you about my special training."
"No, I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful. If you have any other problems, feel free to talk to me anytime. I hope you'll come back to Nurturer."
"Yeah, maybe someday."
Suisen said that and turned his back to me.
He walked down the street and, at the corner, suddenly looked back at me.
He waved goodbye one last time and disappeared around the corner into the residential area.
I watched his figure with a very complicated feeling, standing still in front of the entrance and looking up at the night sky.
Eventually, feeling the night breeze brush against my back, I hurried inside the house.
Right after that, I was hit by an indescribable sense of powerlessness and guilt.
"Haah..."
I watered the seeds.
But they never sprouted.
No, I can only think that it was my way of watering that was wrong.
The idea of awakening a job class was absurd in the first place; couldn't I have made Suisen stronger in a different way? If I start thinking like that, it would never end, and finding the right answer wouldn't be easy either...
'I feel bad for taking up Nurturer Roezé's precious time with "someone like me."'
At the very least, I wish I could have removed Suisen's lack of confidence.
Regardless of whether the job class awakens or not, I think it's just not fitting for Suisen to always be like that.
"...There are people I can't make stronger, even for me."
I slumped into a chair, looking up at the ceiling and letting out a sigh.
Frustration bubbled up inside me, and I gritted my teeth in silence.
I experienced my first "setback" as a Nurturer.
* * *
Suisen felt sorry for Roezé.
Even though he helped him so selflessly, he couldn't produce any results at all.
It's incredibly frustrating that he couldn't respond to that kind kindness.
"...!"
Carrying that frustration, Suisen left Nurturer and headed toward the guild.
There's no particular deep reason.
he just felt like it.
Right now, he just wants to see the face of the person he cares about, Alium.
'I want to become stronger than Ms. Alium with the help of Nurturer Roezé.'
With that thought, he mustered up the courage to visit the Nurturer, but in the end, his wish didn't come true because he lacked talent.
Maybe thinking that the rumored Nurturer would somehow help him was just "taking advantage."
In reality, Nurturer Roezé was a master at training adventurers.
With abundant knowledge, suitable abilities for training, and above all, compassion for those in need.
Despite being seen by such a remarkable person, he couldn't grow much at all, and there's no doubt that it's his fault.
He can only hope that this hasn't caused Roezé to lose confidence.
"...No, it's not like me."
As he walked while thinking about such things, he found himself at the front of the guild in the West District before he knew it.
When he tried to enter, he hesitated a little, but since it was night and not many people were around, he decided to go in.
Even though he didn't really intend to take on any requests, he wandered around the window for a while, letting his gaze drift.
"...What am I doing?"
He wanted to see Alium's face, but it didn't really mean much.
Right after he thought that, he shook his head quietly.
Maybe he's trying to properly "give up" with this.
To give up confessing to Alium, he wants to see her one last time and seal his feelings away.
He's sure he won't be able to become much stronger from now on.
He declared to Roezé that he would continue training and someday surpass Alium with his own strength, but honestly, he has no confidence at all.
After being taken care of by that Nurturer for over 2 weeks, he couldn't change at all.
Yet, thinking he could become stronger than Alium just through self-training is unrealistic...
"Suisen Pride, is that you?"
"!?"
Suddenly, a woman's voice came from behind, and Suisen turned around in surprise.
There stood a familiar blue-haired woman dressed as a receptionist.
She had a dignified face and straight, confident eyes, radiating an aura of self-assurance that felt completely opposite to Suisen.
"I haven't seen you at the guild for a while. How have you been lately?"
"Ah, Ms. Alium..."
Suisen was at a loss for words as her crush, Alium Groke, suddenly appeared right in front of her.
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