10. Time That Has Passed
The name of the girl Lexia saved was Nelly.
At the age of 15, she was just starting out as an adventurer, and it seems that she was attacked by orcs when she came alone to a nearby forest to complete a request.
It is not uncommon for orcs to appear in the forest, but apparently she got lost.
“Yes, this is fine.”
“Wow… Thank you, Lexia. I didn’t think you really had recovery skills…”
Nelly had sustained some abrasions while running away from the orcs.
Lexia treated them with her skills, but it seems like it’s been quite a while since she used her recovery skills.
“Never mind. So, where is this place?”
“Where? This is …… 《Loopa Forest》?”
“Eh, Loopa…!? Th then, the town of Roven isn’t too far from here…”
No wonder Lexia is surprised.
She knew that she had returned from the Lamenting Corsesta, but the forest here was not far from the town.
The town of Roven is also a place where Lexia and the others often use as a base of operations.
Many adventurers live there, and there are quite a few who, like Lexia, go out into the world. Many of them never return, though.
“I don’t mean to be rude, Lexia, but you’re an adventurer… aren’t you? Well, you know, the way you’re dressed…”
“Oh, um, well… there’s a lot going on.”
Lexia replies with a wry smile.
She can’t say that she was constantly attacked by monsters and ended up like this.
If you look closely, her clothes are tattered, but there are still no scratches on her skin.
This is probably thanks to Lochness.
『……』
Lochness has remained silent in sword form since meeting Nelly.
If she returns to her human form here, she will have trouble explaining various things again, so this is helpful.
If she came out into the forest near the town, it would be a good idea to go back there first.
“Nelly, would you like to walk back to town with me?”
“Eh, are you sure?”
“Yes. Rather, it’s hard to get into town like this… um…”
“Oh, I see! I’ll buy you some clothes in town! I wanted to thank you for saving my life!”
“Thank you. Shall we go then?”
Lexia decided to return to the town with Nelly.
Nelly seemed to have already finished collecting the requested items and was able to smoothly make her way home.
“But that attack just now was amazing.”
“Just now… Oh, that.”
“Yes! What kind of magic is that?”
“It’s called Blood Needle.”
“I, it’s got a cool name too… I hope I can use it one day.”
“Ahaha, what’s going on…?”
She glances towards Lochness, who is in her sword form.
Manipulating blood is a form of magic.
But this magic might be unique to Lochness.
At least, Lexia had never heard of such a magic name.
“Lexia, I can see that you are a very strong adventurer… what rank are you?”
“Oh… I, I’m E?”
“Eh, E!? With that strength!?”
“Uh, un…”
Lexia nods awkwardly.
The lowest adventurer rank is E rank, and the highest rank is S.
In other words, Lexia’s rank is at the bottom—the same level as Nelly, a fledgling adventurer.
That’s the way it was ――Lexia couldn’t meet the requirements for Adventurer rank promotion on her own.
It was just Meik, a girl called the “Hero”, who allowed her to join the party.
Meik has an Adventurer rank of A.
That party was made up of quite a few strong people, all A ranks except Lexia.
(Again, I think… I was a hindrance after all…)
That doesn’t mean she can forgive them for trying to kill her ―― honestly, she also wants to know what her party members think.
Before that, Lexia had to find out how long she had been living in the abyss.
“Speaking of which, do you know what day it is?”
“Eh, today? The day before yesterday, the Adventurer’s Association promotion exam was being held, so…”
“! Promotion exam…?”
“Yes, that’s right, but…”
Hearing Nelly’s words, Lexia has a surprised expression on her face.
The Adventurers’ Association is an organization that manages the registration and rank of adventurers.
The promotion exam is held ――once every three months. It must have taken place about a month before Lexia entered the Lamenting Corsesta.
The fact that it has already passed means that even taking into account the period of time she had been active in the Corsesta, she had been living in the abyss for about a month and a half.
“…… I didn’t realize it because I have no sense of time at all.”
“Oh, what’s wrong with the time? Perhaps you have an appointment in town?”
“! No, it’s nothing. Let’s go back to town first.”
Lexia urged. By the time she finally got out, a month and a half had already passed ――that’s how long Lexia had survived in the abyss.
Sads Translates 