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Following that, the trio also challenged Cloud, but as expected they couldn’t secure the victory. Being tall and solid in defense, he blocked and sealed all of their attacks.

Since he was tall and slender despite being a tank, he was just being underestimated, but he quickly became the target of their respect.

I was the only one left who they underestimated, but I didn’t participate in the duel this time.

This was because the trio was exhausted, so we decided that I’d show my power during the actual battles.

In the first place, my ability wasn’t something to reveal proudly in a place like this with so many eyes on us.

Using surprise attacks to not give the other party time to use their power, sometimes even killing them without even revealing my presence—that is my specialty.

“First, do you have shovels?”
“Why the heck do we need those?”
“The harvesting commission this time is about Ligus potatoes, you know? They’d obviously be underground.”
“Ohh, makes sense!”

My mood was currently “these guys are no good. I have to do something quickly.”

The breeding grounds we were heading to were in the forest at about two days’ distance from the city. Given it was inside the forest, there was no knowing what could happen.

I wanted to secure at least the double amount of the preservable food totaling about a week’s worth. It wasn’t as safe as walking along the highway, after all.

“Also, since we’re going to harvest potatoes, did you prepare bags to put them in?”
“Oh, we need those too?”
“Are these people really going to be okay?”

Seeing how vulnerable they were, even Finia, who lived quite a sheltered life, became worried.

I just shook my head wordlessly. If they were alright the Guild wouldn’t have issued this request. I already expected this situation.

“Forests are dangerous. If you slip and fall into a valley and injure your leg or something, you’d be forced to survive there for days.”
“I see. I can see why you’re the leader now, big sis.”
“This is what you call being thoroughly prepared.”

They were all seventeen years old, the same as Cloud, so getting called big sis by people two years older than me felt weird, but I decided to ignore the trivial details.

They were paying their respects despite not having seen my skill as of yet, so I suppose they improved somewhat.

“We might have to do some bushwhacking, so we need an axe or a nata. Also, it’s good to take a knife with you regardless of where you’re going.”
“I see, very educational. As expected of a fourth-ranked Adventurer.”
“I wish you wouldn’t get impressed by that.”

This was something even novice Adventurers know.

Due to them overblowing their behaviors so they wouldn’t be underestimated, even the advisers probably kept their distance from them.

We took these guys whose appearance told everything along and arrived at the general store we often visited.

The doorbell rattled, calling over the aunty who was the owner. I called out without waiting for her to show up from the back of the store.

“Auntie give these guys a week’s worth of preservable food.”
“Sure thing. Wait, by them, do you mean that you finally found someone you l—Eek?!”

Just as she showed up, she gave that reaction that I had seen before.

Seeing a mohawk, skinhead and a tattooed guy with spiky pads inside her store would of course make her react like that.

Auntie brought her mouth to my ear and warned me while thinking she was speaking silently enough.

“Nicole, I’m not sure about these people. If you want I can introduce you to someone better.”
“Uh, no, that’s not what’s going on here. These people are basically students that we have to instruct due to our commission.”
“Students? They look more like fanatics.”
“We can hear you, old hag.”
“Hey, watch your tone when you talk to her.”

Michelle hit Sebastian’s head from the back with her bow as he started speaking roughly.

The general store was something they would have to use from now on. It was common knowledge among Adventurers that you needed to build favorable connections with such people.

Michelle’s hit didn’t seem that painful based on the sound his head gave off, but a big-breasted loli lecturing a thug that looked like a boss of the demon lord’s army was somehow comical.

At any rate, I dispelled the auntie’s misunderstanding, obtained food, and also bought bags and shovels.

Following that, we needed to address their weapons and armor too.

Longswords were fine, but their spiky shoulder pads weren’t. When I pointed that out, they objected furiously. It seemed that they saw those pads as something quite stylish.

“Listen, there’s no knowing what will happen on an adventure. You may even find yourself in a situation where you have to use your shoulder to carry your fallen comrade. Do you think you’ll be able to do that with those things on you?”
“Ugh.”

If you shouldered your comrade with those thorny shoulder pads, it would pierce their stomach. They seemed to have finally realized that and exchanged awkward looks.

“Besides, you get a lot of things twining on you in the forest. Those pads would be just perfect to make it even worse.”
“Kh, I thought they were cool.”
“I’m not sure about your aesthetic sense…”

Cloud reacted to Francis’ regretful words. Looks like they were more problematic children than we expected.

Either way, we had to change their shoulder pads at least. Or at least remodel and remove the spikes.

But they barely issued this commission with their budget. They’d have trouble getting new equipment. Thus I decided to take them to Gadius instead and remodel their equipment. But the moment he saw the three’s faces, he flatly refused.

“Never in a million years.”
“Hey, that’s my signature line… I mean, why not?”
“I just can’t stand the aesthetics of that equipment as a dwarf.”
“And that’s why I’m asking you to remodel them.”
“I don’t want to touch them.”
“…I mean, I can see where you’re coming from.”

But we couldn’t just leave them be. I somehow soothed Gadius’ disgust and had him take on the job to remove the spikes.