Light faintly entered my eyes.

Seems like I passed out.

My head isn’t working. It’s like I’m drunk.

“Are you awake Ippei-san!!”

Meg’s calling out to me. Why are you crying?

Even Jean has a worried look on his face.

Why was I sleeping?

I’m sure I was passing through the 3rd ward.

Oh yeah. We were attacked by the enemy.

Meg and Jean attacking from the front and me sniping from the rear as usual.

Then from the rear…………… Ah!

Finally, the haze lifts and my head clears.

I was stabbed in the back by a surprise attack.

I try to feel where I was stabbed.

There was a hole in my clothes wet with blood but no wound.

Next to me is my leather armour with a hole drilled into the back.

It seems the enemies attack pierced right through my armour and into my back.

I looked up at Gobu who was standing beside me.

“Gobu, did you heal me?”

“Uga.”

“Thank you Gobu.”

“Uga!”

Gobu carries various potions on him.

I told him to use those potions in an emergency when I was unable to use recovery magic.

I trained him at the hotel. That training was obviously very useful.

Because I was unconscious I have no idea how much [HP] I lost but I guess I was dying.

The demon that stabbed me breathed his last thanks to Meg’s mace.

A sword goblin.

Because it was a goblin it was only small which was what probably saved my life. If it was bigger it could have easily stabbed me through the neck.

“Everyone looks so worried. Sorry.”

“So you should be. Making me worry like that.”

Jean’s usual abrasive language has taken on a different tone.

“That’s right…….. Please don’t worry me so much!”]

Meg is also angry.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time. I’ll protect myself and both of you better.”

I apologised while cleaning Meg’s face that was covered in blood and tears with washing magic.

 

We go through the 3rd ward as fast as we can while maintaining our maximum caution.

Thanks to recovery magic there is no physical fatigue but the constant tension is eating our spirit.

Eventually, it got to us and we stopped in a small room for a break.

Everyone sits down. Nobody speaks.

It’s a weird feeling. My body isn’t tired but it doesn’t want to move.

I’m hungry. We’ve eaten all of Meg’s jerky. All we have now is water.

It’s a bit risky but I decide to ask anyway.

“What do you want to eat when we get back to the surface?”

“Don’t talk about food ossan. I’m starving. You really have no delicacy.”

I carry on talking anyway

“I want pot-au-feu. With sausages. Bread still warm from the oven which warms you up from the inside. Also, tomatoes stuffed with scallop and crab farce.” (TN. Farce is French for stuffing.)

“…..I told you to stop.”

“Hmm. Saying that sweet would be nice. How about sweet potato.”

“….I want to eat a stew filled with lots of meat! For dessert a huge mound of pudding. Oi ossan, what was that thing about scallop and crab?”

“Farce is stuffed food. In a shop I know they combine mayonnaise, finely chopped onions, scallop’s, blanched crab, finely chopped cucumber and stuff it all into a tomato.”

“That sounds delicious!”

“Let’s all go eat there. You can have whatever you like. I’ll take all of us when we get out of here.”

“Are you serious ossan?!”

“Don’t hold back Meg. You can have anything. Sweet potato, chocolate or even cake”

“Ehh? Ehh? Ehh?”

“Let’s all survive!”

2 people look at my face. Humans need hope even if its just a modest hope.

“Don’t forget your promise!”

Jean stands up while shouting

“I want to go and eat cake together.”

Meg stands up.

“Of course. Eat as much as you want!”

The vision of the 3 of us sitting around a dining table enters our heads.

A persons power rises when they are looking forward to something.

I threw all my strength into my legs and stood up.

 

 

After that Jean injured his left foot, Meg broke her left hand and I was hit on the head and suffered concussion. I used potions every time. I used encouragement and I verbally abused them (mainly Jean).

Through all of this, we managed to eventually make it to Levis fountain and meet up with the main unit that had gone on ahead.

I seem to have defeated 31 enemies hence my Exp has gone up by 31 points. My [Exp to next level] is now 57/100000.

I have basically given up on levelling.

 

While we were basking in the pleasure of the 3 of us getting to safety I could hear women quarrelling in the corner of the square.

“Jenny! Don’t make me say it over and over again! I’m going to look for Ippei!”

Un. That’s Patty.

“You don’t need to say it over and over again just calm down, please. Okay.”

Who’s that? Friends of Patty?

“Okay? Ippei’s corpse wasn’t found. He’s definitely alive. He’s definitely not dead!”

“Please calm down. We are heading back. We ran out of water so we had to come here and our food is almost gone. That’s not even taking into account the fatigue our members and porters are experiencing.”

Un. Jenny is quite calm and collected.

“I know that! That’s why I said I’d go alone!”

Patty is being unreasonable.

“Will you settle down. I know you are upset about your lover’s crisis but if you march off in this state you will definitely die.”

Jenny’s right…….wha?! Lover?!

“Don’t think you understand my feelings!”

Un. It’s hard to approach.

Jean watches me anxiously.

“Ossan. Don’t you need to go over?”

“Please sympathise a little.”

“I think it would be best if you let her know you are safe as soon as possible.”

Meg is right.

“Patty………”

I wave my hand at Patty who’s eyes open widely.

And……

Is there a rule in this world that says you must wear armour when hugging someone?

As usual, when I’m hugged by Patty I lose some HP. [HP] 74/80.

It’s stronger today.  Was it because she was worried?

“I’m home, Patty.”

“I’m glad you’re alright…..”

Patty hugs me tightly. This would have been great without the armour.

“…..Everyone is watching.”

“……..tsu!”

With all her strength I was pushed away by an embarrassed Patty.

[HP] 72/80

If not for that body strengthening potion I would have died from that. (TN. Remember his original HP is only 8 lol.)

Anyway, I’m alive and it’s wonderful.