Chapter 181 - Ooh-ooh, Ooh, Ooh-ooh, Ooh

I stopped my feet right next to hers. She turned towards me, "I say that's for sure … but that 'for sure' sure wouldn't be applying to you, though, ha!"

That's for sure.

–The Party was tired. Today had been so very long that all their fighting bodies were so very worn out and super tired.

Now that we'd finally come back home, the tiredness of one and everyone could go weighing down on everyone at once. The air suddenly became heavy. We were home.

But still, this for sure wouldn't be applying to me.

"That's correct, that's correct," Leader added. "How could he be? Only has been observing the team today … so that's that," he chatted. "And so, you'll have to be guiding him, then?"

"Pretty much, yes," confessed Babe, tapping my shoulder repeatedly. "Be happy to know I will still be in your care, my little boy."

And I only nodded, "Yes."

"Huhuhu!" she giggled. "So adamant and inflexible … when you were so much excitedly begging just about an hour ago. Aren't you a funny one, now, little man."

Leader also chuckled, shaking his head with a funny smile.

The Party was tired. Except me. Only I wasn't tired. Not tired at all. And yet, I was from among this full-of-tiredness party.

They were tired, they were tired.

They kept saying that for the whole journey back.

Why don't they go already, then?

"Mmm … It's true that … Emerald still has to … hm," and Slug started groaning his way in this–didn't even dare to finish that timid line he was going about: that human did that, occasionally enough.

"As a matter of fact, Emerald still has to exert himself today," and Sorceress found it right to speak too.

"Yeah, man," and then it was Bumped's turn, "…but look, Leader, whatever," he then interrupted, "When do we actually go, man? These bags're heavy as hell."

"Right," replied Leader, "we should go. … We have all our stuff to sell yet–so let's go already."

"Right, I'm with you … ah, but we're not going this way, dude. Come on."

They both decided to go, at last. They'd go sell today's stuff as what was required for adventurers.

But instead of going away, Leader started to walk towards me. Towards us. Towards me and Clumsy.

Bumped sighed and complained. He wanted to go. He was in a hurry, just like me. So I understood him.

His sack hanging below his clenched fist, swinging back and forth as the human walked, Leader was getting to me … I think.

The two sacks they both held onto were to go to sell. Usually, they didn't have any need for such big bags. The Party never actually got to loot this much out of their preys.

The spare room they had for transporting their spoils was tight.

And as Bumped broke and tore apart the bag he usually carried behind his back (he and Slug took turns in transporting the loot) they were even tighter.

The big bags weren't normally necessary. But today they were.

And Leader arrived before me–he knelt, placed his giant linen sack on the ground next to him, and patted my head.

"Well, our lucky star," he began to say, "you take care of our Clumsy Babe for us, eh? We'll have to go sell all these, as you must know, and so we'll go."

They really were kind to me for some reason. Surely, they didn't know I was a monster that they could hunt, too.

Going like this with his hand, he disheveled my hair beyond repair. And his patting hand stopped at that.

"You brought my friends and me about luck, today, look at all we've got in these bags … I mean, seriously, of course, you can come with us in adventuring again, okay?"

Instead of messing about with my hair, the hand went and gently tapped two, three times on my shoulder.

Expressing my thanks, I smiled and let him know that even though they didn't and wouldn't let me fight with them (even though they one hundred percent should), I really appreciated that coming from him.

He laughed as his eyes and lips pleated, adorned with happiness. He then went off the ground after he nodded to his priestess.

And from then on, as Bumped complained yet again about the heavy bag he was carrying, Leader kept his goodbyes short.

"All right. … Hm, see you guys tomorrow, then. Same spot. Err, early morning or afternoon, though? … Oh, right, since the lucky star wants to come again, afternoon it shall be."

And then the leader left with Bumped.

And only overhearing the loud Bumped shouting about what the two of them would be up to eating afterward, the rest of the party consisted of me, Clumsy, Slug, and Sorceress.

Sorceress and Slug left together, too.

In the same way, Mindful Slug silently bowed to his leader and damage dealer, he bowed to me and Clumsy.

His way still was very hilarious to me … and giggling, I bowed back to him, with much reverence and respect.

Him doing that to every party member one by one each time they either met back or left each other was funny to me.

He groaned and nodded a good handful of nods to himself as Sorceress wished goodbye to both me and Clumsy, waving her hand at us.

And then they would go, too.

Finally, finally, finally. It only left me and my clumsy babe alone. Both Slug and Sorceress' backs were turned onto us as they were leaving, but that Clumsy wasn't still done yet.

She smiled when her waving hand still said 'goodbye.' Many, many goodbyes. And thus, repeatedly.

My little venture isn't over yet.

It is what I came out of school for.

I don't like it there. So it keeps me out.

And it's also why I still will be kept out, hopefully. Kept out for a long, long time.

Well. Sitting at school, I wanted to have fun. Lots and lots of fun.

Playing and funnying around as I used to when I was still a baby–because I'm not even a baby no more; never been–was what I'd wanted to get.

And while I haven't quite been able to accomplish and fulfill that desire of I … to only be hanging out with my humans, outside the city, was good enough … for now.

So, now, that was about it.

What was about what?

My … eagerness to go on outings was that.

At school, the teach said something. Well, actually, he said many things. He was a grandmaster, after all. Of course he said things to the apprentices. But then again, he said that one 'something' that really interested me above all else:

When talking about skills, 'thus do many skills lead to victory,' he had explained.

Out of all his tedious blabbering–I'd retained that.

And, adventuring, today, I'd got to see that from up-close. Many skills led the adventurers to their victory.

Facing their bigger enemies–the goblins–a tank would cover themselves on with their hardened, grayish skin. They'd also, then, aggro all the mobs together so that their party thrives.

(That was super cool.)

Likewise, a damage dealer would do just the same. Going up ahead with all their assaults, they attacked. In their case, this would rather be a harmony between swords, slashes, and great dexterity which would be doing their part of the job.

(Epic, too.)

And a support supported!

And well!–skills!–aren't those skills?!

They are, yes.

So, back in the forest, I'd asked my party about them.

After a great plentitude of never-ending questions, I'd had it, I think.

–Clumsy Babe finally was done with her never-ending waving.

We'll go, now!