After resting for a while, we changed our search area, heading upstream instead of continuing down along the water.
Almost immediately after resuming our search, we discovered a cluster.
We harvested another four, and by scouring the surrounding area, we gathered over ten mushrooms within thirty minutes of starting up again.
"They were really concentrated over here, weren't they?"
"Looks like it. If we take this request again, let's search here first."
"Yeah! That was a good lesson."
Having gathered all the requested items, we decided to hunt monsters next.
"We proved the other day that we can handle goblins, but let's stick to slimes and horn rabbits as much as possible. If an elite goblin shows up like last time, I honestly don't have the confidence we'd win again."
"Right. Last time, we only won because it let its guard down and luck was on our side, but it was definitely out of our league."
With our plan decided, we began searching for monsters.
"Erik-kun, there are five slimes over there. What should we do?"
"Up until now, the most we've taken on at once was four, but..."
Five slimes were bouncing around aimlessly.
Since they hadn't noticed us yet, we could easily slip away.
"...Let's try it. There might come a time when we get surrounded, so slimes make for great practice."
Philia nodded in agreement, and we initiated combat.
To start, Philia and I unleashed our magic simultaneously, shattering the cores of two slimes.
Seeing their companions destroyed before their eyes, the remaining slimes lunged at us.
They came at us haphazardly.
"Philia, get the next spell ready!"
"Got it!"
I engaged them one by one, knocking them back.
While Philia finished preparing her spell, I crushed the core of a nearby slime and sprang backward to create some distance.
Right on cue, Philia's magic struck a slime dead-on.
I closed in on the final one and crushed its core, bringing our battle against the five slimes to an end.
"Erik-kun, that was great coordination, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. It might be good to keep practicing our teamwork against slimes... though back-to-back fights like that would be tough."
"Definitely. You really have to stay focused the whole time."
Defeating five slimes gave us a real sense of how much we were improving.
For the next few hours, until the evening bells echoed from the royal capital, we continued hunting.
We stuck to targeting slimes and horn rabbits, occasionally taking down goblins whenever we crossed paths with them.
◇
Monster defeated.
Gained 1 EXP.
100/100 to next level.
◇
◇
Level up.
0/100 to next level.
◇
I leveled up.
Looking at the floating status window, a faint smile crossed my face.
After that, we returned to the royal capital and turned in our gathering quest along with the slime parts for the Permanent Request to collect our reward.
We split the earnings down the middle again, and I parted ways with Philia outside the Adventurer's Guild.
Back at the inn, the first thing I did was clean and maintain my gear in the backyard.
When it was just slimes, it didn't get that dirty.
Fighting horn rabbits and goblins, however, left behind quite a mess.
"Alright, good as new."
Once I finished maintaining my gear, I returned to my room, hung everything up to dry, and headed down to the dining hall.
Since dinner was already being served, my meal was brought out the moment I sat down.
"Erik-kun, how have things been going lately?"
"I'm making progress, bit by bit."
While I ate, Anna-san asked about my life as an adventurer.
"Must be dangerous sometimes, right?"
"It is. In fact, I nearly died the day before yesterday, but having a partner saved me."
"A partner, huh... That kind of bond is really unique to adventurers. I like hearing adventure stories, but if anyone asked if I'd become one myself, no way—it's way too scary!"
Anna-san's reaction was how most normal people felt.
Anyone could become an adventurer, but only a tiny fraction ever achieved their dreams.
Most either gave up or ended up forgotten corpses.
That was precisely why high-ranking adventurers like Cain-san and Olivia-san were so incredible.
"I'm scared too. That's why I'm always careful."
"Hmm. Well, if you have any fun stories, be sure to tell me! You seem like the type who'll have all kinds of wild adventure tales to share, Erik-kun!"
"Haha, I don't really plan on doing anything reckless, but if something interesting happens, I'll let you know."
At my response, Anna-san gave a delighted smile.
After finishing dinner, I went to take a bath.
I washed myself thoroughly, soaked in the hot water, and massaged my tired muscles.
Refreshed, I returned to my room and sank into a chair.
"Come to think of it, I haven't checked my status yet."
I hadn't looked at it when I leveled up.
Knowing every stat would only increase by a flat 1, I opened my status just to verify.
✤
Name: Erik
Age: 10
Level: 4
Strength: 13
Mana: 13
Endurance: 13
Agility: 13
Dexterity: 13
Skills
[Swordsmanship: 2] [Physical Enhancement: 1] [Cleaning: 5]
[Earth Magic: 2] [Parallel Thinking: 1] [Mana Control: 1]
Special Skill
[Fixed EXP]
Divine Protection
——
✤
"Same as always—every single stat went up by one."
Since the growth was fixed, there were no surprises.
Still, having gained EXP through dedicated practice, I knew stats could be raised through targeted training.
"My mana training starts tomorrow, so that's probably the only stat that'll pull ahead."
Once that happened, the balance across my numbers would break, but that was how it was supposed to be.
Having every attribute line up perfectly like mine was the real anomaly.
"Well, I've got an early start tomorrow, so I'd better get some sleep."
I moved over to the bed, laid down, and drifted off to sleep.