Louisa-san?
Um... What do you think?
I-I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that.
What you've accomplished is just so incredible
that my mind went blank for a moment.
Was it that amazing?
I've come to expect that from your Seeking results,
but what caught my attention this time
SEEKING RESULTS
was your discovery of and entry into unexplored territory.
"Unexplored territory" refers to places
from which no guild member has ever returned alive.
But all of you made it back safely.
That means your party's Contribution Points put you above all other parties.
You're currently ranked first in all of District 8.
F-First?!
THE WORLD'S STRONGEST REARGUARD
THE HOPE OF DEMI-HUMANS
We're ranked first, huh?
I'd rather not let other Seekers find out about this so it doesn't start fights...
Oh, sorry. We need to join up with Igarashi-san and the others, huh?
Hey, now! You're the one who ran into me!
Those look like Falma-san's kids... and her Silver Hound?
Are they mixed up in some kind of trouble?
Well, come on! Say something!
So? How are you brats gonna make up for this?
Is something wrong?
I know these kids.
That's perfect, then.
This stinking mutt of theirs crashed into me on purpose
and got these valuable leather boots all dirty.
You can compensate me in their place.
That'll be ten gold coins.
Pay up and I'll let 'em go.
He was trying to extort them? He's beyond help.
C-Cion didn't run into him!
He tried to bump into Eyck! She was just protecting him!
Shut your mouth, brat!
Quit nitpicking and pay up!
Eyck, Plum, would you mind letting me borrow Cion's strength for a bit?
Huh?
S-Sure.
CURRENT STATUS CION HAS BECOME A MEMBER OF ARIHITO'S PARTY
There.
Cion's in our party now.
What the hell's taking so long?!
Cion didn't do anything wrong.
If you apologize to these kids, I'll overlook this.
You think you're some kinda hero?
Guess you're not gonna get it until you feel some pain!
Defense Support!
Go, Cion!
Attack Support!
TAIL COUNTER
Eyck! Plum!
Are you all right?
M-Mommy!
They're unharmed.
You saved them, didn't you, Mr. Atobe?
Thank you so much!
It was Cion who protected them.
I was only drawn into it by her bravery.
Still... I had no idea Cion had a skill like that.
Hm? What is it?
Cion wants you to pet her.
Oh, okay.
Want to try petting her too, Theresia?
She isn't afraid of demi-humans or anything.
You don't need to worry.
Excuse me, Falma-san.
Is there a place where I can get a guard dog like Cion?
Have you taken a liking to her?
I have.
Mr. Atobe, if you'd like, why don't you take Cion along on your next Seeking?
Huh?
I've been wanting to give her some Seeking experience.
And she seems quite fond of you.
I'd really appreciate it.
If Cion joins us, we can have her use Covering
to make our party's defense even more ironclad.
Okay, then.
Would you come along with me on a Seeking?
Cion says she'll do it!
Looks like she loves that lady, too!
Jeez! We waited forever for you, Onii-chan!
I know, sorry. I ran into Falma-san and her kids.
Hi there, Arihito.
You've got quite a large family now, huh?
I did gain some new companions.
Seeking is going well for us, too.
Glad to hear that.
The Carrier brought your monsters in earlier.
A Gaze Hound and a Plane Eater.
Can I dissect them?
Yeah, I was hoping to ask you to.
By the way, Rikerton-san, is dissecting all you can do here?
I'd like to get them appraised, too.
I'm sorry, but we can't appraise here.
Don't any of your members have Appraise skills?
It'd be handy to have someone in your party who could.
I see... Appraise skills, huh?
It's so fresh.
Still, taking out a Gaze Hound and a Plane Eater in the same run?
It's a miracle you're alive.
It's tragic, but many promising Seekers perish in labyrinths,
or get turned into demi-humans. It's a daily occurrence here.
But I've heard there's a way to return demi-humans to their original forms.
I think of it as a kind of hope the labyrinths leave behind for Seekers.
I feel the same.
When I added her to my party, I made up my mind that I'd restore her.
You're going to bring Theresia back?
Yes.
I said that as if it had nothing to do with me...
but my wife—Melissa's mother—is a demi-human.
Your wife is a demi-human?
She lost her life in a labyrinth,
and some Seekers found her as a demi-human.
But...
she was already pregnant with Melissa at the time.
Wow, really?
After giving birth, she joined a friend's party
and continues to Seek with them.
Acquiring the means to undo a demi-human transformation
requires going up the ranks.
So you decided to raise Melissa
and parted ways with your wife?
Arihito, what are your feelings on youth?
Huh?
Melissa takes little interest in things that children enjoy.
The only thing she ever showed interest in was dissecting monsters.
Because of that, she's helped me at the shop all these years
and has no experience interacting with kids her own age.
Should she really continue to spend her irreplaceable youth
looking forward to seeing rare and valuable materials we almost never get?
Are you saying you want Melissa to experience
this priceless time known as "youth"?
Yes. I want her to see more of the outside world.
Even if she might think her old man's just meddling...
I don't think that.
Oh, sorry. Did I distract you?
The Plane Eater was carrying a camouflage stone.
If you add it to your gear, you can use Active Stealth,
a skill that lets you blend into your surroundings.
You hit the jackpot.
That's impressive. Okay, someone on the front line should—
What are you talking about? You should use it.
Huh?
I don't want to see you get hurt like that again.
Active Stealth consumes a lot of magic.
You can't use it recklessly. Be careful.
I see.
On the other hand, as long as I don't use up too much magic, I can be invisible.
If I combine it with Rear Stance,
it'll be possible to attack enemies before they even notice me.
All right. We'll add it to my gear.
By the way, Melissa, do you have any interest in going out and Seeking with us?
I do.
Yeah?
Then I'd like you to join us.
We'll come pick you up the next time we go Seeking.
Be ready, okay?
Okay. I'll be waiting.
I'm Melissa. I can dissect and dismantle monsters.
Glad to have you!
THE WORLD'S STRONGEST REARGUARD
I'm a Chest Cracker!
Welcome to Lady Ollerus Mansion.
I, Millais, will show you to your rooms.
Your rooms for today are on the second floor.
You guys can go on up.
I'll take care of checking in.
When that's done, we can get dinner.
I'll check you in over here.
Oh, okay.
Are you the leader of the party that just moved in?
Yes, I'm Arihito Atobe.
We'll be staying at this lodge for a while, so we'll see each other around.
You're Atobe, huh?
Our party was ranked the highest in District 8,
but we just dropped to number two.
So I was wondering what the new face would be like.
O-Oh...
Well, we're at number one for now because we got
more Contribution Points than we thought...
But most of it was pure luck.
You're pretty modest for someone who shot up the ranks like that.
You must have some real skills, though.
Are your party members all strong, too?
We did happen to gain a member who's level 9.
She carries the rest of the party.
Really? Level 9?
That's awesome!
I thought he'd be upset because we passed him in the rankings,
Man, level 9... You don't hear of that around here very often.
but he isn't acting that way at all.
If her level is that high,
is it Elitia Centrale, the one who just came to District 8 recently?
I'm impressed you got her to join your party.
Yes, we joined up inside a labyrinth, and—
Hey, there's no need to be formal with me.
I'm Georg, leader of Polaris.
Polaris?
That's my party's name.
What, your party doesn't have a name?
Yes... I mean, yeah. I didn't know that was the norm.
I'll talk to the other members about it later.
You're the leader, aren't you? You could just pick one yourself.
Nah, I'm leader in name only.
It's the other members who make our party possible. So...
I hear ya.
You're a pretty interesting guy.
I don't have time today, but let's go grab drinks sometime, Mr. Atobe...
I mean, Arihito.
See ya.
He really seemed like a good-natured guy.
Since it's called "Marsh Crab," I thought it'd taste more like dirt,
but it's definitely been prepared well.
I know. It's made with seasonings I've never seen before,
but it's a nice flavor.
It's so tender and delicious!
These... might be shrimp, but they're still monsters...
It looks tasty, but...
Theresia-san, you can have mine!
Misaki, you'll never grow up if you're picky about your food.
Really? I'm taller than you, though.
My height changes by the day!
Today's just a bad day.
Eli-san, do you dislike vegetables?
Shall I eat them instead?
Y-You can have half, then.
This might be a bit too much.
Theresia-san, can you eat it all?
You're quite an eater...
Arihito, can't you communicate with Theresia through writing?
It seems like she can't write.
She understands what she sees and hears,
but her ability to communicate with her own words is sealed.
I want to hear Theresia-san's voice.
Even my skills can't make that possible.
For me?
Thank you... but should I, I wonder?
I'm already pretty full.
Don't force yourself.
We'll be Seeking again tomorrow.
We don't want to overeat.
You're right. I'll pass, then.
Theresia-san, if you want...
So I'm guessing...
I'll have to stay home tomorrow?
If we take Melissa and Cion, that'll be eight of us.
You could come, but what worries me is that,
since you're level 2, your vitality is pretty low.
Then I'll just stay with Melissa-chan in the back.
We won't join in any battles.
We'll be like a detached force.
Oh, yeah... That's one way to handle it.
My support works as long as I'm behind my partymates.
If our detached force does get involved in combat,
I'll be able to support them if I adjust my position.
All I can do by being with you is increase everyone's luck,
but if that would make you happy, then...
Okay. Can I take a look at your current skills?
Sure.
INCREASED DROP RATE: SLIGHTLY HIGHER CHANCE OF RARE DROPS
CHILD OF LUCK: SLIGHTLY HIGHER CHANCE OF FINDING TREASURE CHESTS AFTER BATTLES
OBTAINABLE SKILLS DICE TRICK: CAN ROLL ANY DESIRED NUMBER WITH DICE
RUSSIAN ROULETTE LV. 1: HALVES THE VITALITY OF ANY ENEMY OR ALLY IT LANDS ON
POKER FACE: MAKES THE USER'S EXPRESSIONS UNREADABLE
LUCKY GUESS LV. 1: CAN VAGUELY SENSE WHICH ACTION WILL LEAD TO GOOD RESULTS
COIN TOSS: INCREASES LUCK IF THE COIN LANDS ON THE ALLY'S CHOSEN FACE
REMAINING SKILL POINTS: 2
Just the currently attainable skills look like enough to win big at a casino...
What about this one? Russian Roulette Level 1!
I guess even the luckiest gamblers almost never land on an ally, but...
It'd be risky to use it in an actual battle.
I think the safest choice is Lucky Guess Level 1.
Yeah, but I don't think we need that right away.
Can you wait one more level?
I do want to work on the skills that'll improve my luck even more!
Until I can discover massive treasures just by walking around!
Don't use that as an excuse to pick up any chest you find lying around again.
Oh, come on! I've learned my lesson, really!
U-Um...
Would you look at mine, too?
Of course.
AUTO-HIT, PURIFICATION, EXORCISM LV. 1, SPIRIT DETECTION LV. 1
OBTAINABLE SKILLS ARCHERY MASTER: SHOOTING WITH PROPER ARCHERY TECHNIQUES INCREASES DAMAGE
EXORCISM ARROW: ADDS HOLY ATTRIBUTE TO ARROWS WHEN USING A BOW
CLEANSING: ADDS HOLY ATTRIBUTE TO THOSE IN THE SAME WATER AS THE USER
MEDIUM: NEARBY SPIRITS CAN INHABIT THE USER'S BODY, ALLOWING CONVERSATION
PRAYER: SLIGHTLY INCREASES PARTY'S SUCCESS RATE
SALT LAYING: PLACES SALT AROUND A SET AREA TO KEEP MONSTERS AWAY
REMAINING SKILL POINTS: 2
Huh, I see.
You're learning Shrine Maiden skills and archery skills in parallel.
This also goes for Archery Master,
but Medium is something I could never do in our old world, even if I wanted to.
I'm kind of curious as to what it's like.
It's possible that could get you possessed by a bad spirit...
but what you want matters, so let's get Medium.
Cleansing might be useful if we're in a labyrinth where Holy is effective,
but I don't think we need it yet.
Okay, I understand.
I'm sure Archery Master is a strong skill,
but if you're with me, you really don't need it.
The number of shots you can fire is more important.
I agree.
We should have not only attack skills, but support skills, too.
Oh, yeah! Arihito-oniichan, our suite comes with a bath!
Want to get in first?
I can have mine later.
Then why don't we use it two at a time?
It'll take forever if all six of us use it one after another.
Theresia-san.
Since we're sharing a room, we can use the bath together.
Theresia-san?
Th-Theresia, Igarashi-san is inviting you.
You should bathe with her.
Theresia-san, would you rather bathe alone?
Or maybe... you want to bathe with someone other than me?
Uh-huh. He's the one who does so much for you all the time, right?
Though I do think washing a man's back might be a little too bold...
I mean, if Arihito insists, I won't stop them...
A-Actually, isn't Theresia-san the one asking for it?
If Atobe-kun bathes with Theresia-san, that'll leave me on my own.
Huh? That's what you were worried about?
W-Well, it's not so easy to let you bathe with a woman, of course.
But Theresia-san seems so lonely.
If she's that fond of you, maybe it's for the best.
Oh, I know!
If we can get swimsuits of some kind,
there'll be nothing immoral about bathing with him!
U-Uh, we don't need to do all that just to bathe together...
But Theresia-san looking so lonely is the problem.
You don't have the right to refuse.
Um...
Let's talk about this later, okay?
For today, can we just divide up into three teams to use the bath?
I might've stayed in the bath too long.
Theresia?
What's up? Can't sleep?
Oh, are you still feeling hot?
Hot water does seem to get to you pretty quickly.
You okay?
Here.
Your vitality's down a bit from overheating, right?
Drastic temperature changes are fatal to lizardmen.
I'll heal you.
This position is kind of embarrassing...
This is the first time the two of us have been alone like this, huh?
Ever since I came here, you've been helping me out constantly,
but I feel like I haven't thanked you properly.
Thank you for joining my party, Theresia.
A little longer.
Your vitality isn't fully restored yet.
Are you angry?
Sorry I'm so bad at reading you... but...
if there's something you want to say to me, just remember it for now.
I'll turn you back into a human one day, no matter what.
So you can tell me then.
In your own voice, and your own words.
Oh, good. Your temperature's down.
That feels nice and cool.
What's going on?
Monsters! Monsters in the city!
Monsters?!
That's...
a Stampede!