Chapter 32: Each of Their Days
A refreshing morning. Gentle light streamed in through the sunlit window set in the temple wall. In one of the temple’s rooms, High Priest Clark sat, tidying up morning paperwork while waiting for someone.
Into that quiet space came a knock. Knock, knock.
"Come in," Clark called.
The door opened, and in stepped Rachel, hesitantly. Her head hung low like a child expecting a scolding, and without realizing it, she clutched the front of her cleric’s robe with both hands, fidgeting nervously. She looked just like she had the first time she came to this temple, and Clark had to fight the urge to smile at the sight.
Clearing his throat, he spoke in a slightly reproachful tone.
"Do you have something to say?"
Rachel flinched at his voice.
Last night, she had gone out drinking. Drinking itself wasn’t forbidden, but she had ended up being carried back on the back of Guild staff member Ms. Melinda. Clark had already asked Melinda and Greg, whom he knew from before, to look after Rachel, but he hadn’t expected her to come home piggybacked. Melinda had explained the situation and begged Clark not to scold her, but he hadn’t intended to anyway. After all, even if only in sleep, it had been a long time since he had seen Rachel’s face so happy. He thanked Melinda again and laid his granddaughter in bed himself. For someone of Clark’s level, even at his age, such a task was nothing at all.
Now morning had come, and Rachel was thoroughly regretting her mistake, hanging her head before him. Slowly, she shuffled to the center of the room, then whispered in a faint voice:
"…I’m sorry."
Rachel, perhaps out of concern for being the granddaughter of the High Priest, usually spoke to Clark with a distant formality—even when they were alone. Yet this time, instead of the usual "I apologize," she used the childlike words, "I’m sorry." It was like an ordinary exchange between a grandfather and his granddaughter, and Clark felt as though time had turned back, filling him with warmth.
"Pfft—"
But her unusual childishness was too much. Clark couldn’t help but burst out laughing, his shoulders shaking as he tried to hold it back.
"You don’t have to laugh that much…"
Rachel muttered, sulking a little. Clark nearly laughed again, but forced himself to keep composed. Whatever had happened in the two-day training, it had clearly been good for her.
"It seems you’re properly reflecting. Just don’t make the same mistake again, all right?"
"Yes… my apologies."
Rachel reverted to her usual distant tone, but Clark wouldn’t let it end there. He invited his granddaughter to sit, and in as casual a tone as possible, asked brightly:
"So, did you enjoy the training?"
"Yes! I made lots of friends. I learned a lot too, and Jin-san was amazing!"
Clearly, she had been dying to talk about it. Rachel’s face lit up in a beaming smile as she recounted her experiences—her fellow trainees, the practical exercises, sharing dinner together and keeping watch for the first time, Jin’s warm-up routines, his instruction, his strength, Jin this, Jin that…
Clark listened, suppressing his laughter as her stories grew more and more weighted toward Jin. Just as he had thought, Jin wasn’t just a fine adventurer, but also a decent human being. Rachel suddenly talking about blessings with him, or asking to form a party, had surprised Clark, but Jin must have inspired enough trust to make her do so. Perhaps a little early, but Clark found no fault in her judgment.
Eight years ago, Rachel’s parents—priests in another city—had entrusted her to Clark. Likely, she had felt lonely being separated from them. At first, she was still young and innocent, but as the granddaughter of the High Priest, she became increasingly self-conscious, and her smiles faded. Realizing her blessing only worsened that sense of isolation. She stopped calling him "Grandfather" and switched to "High Priest," even when they were alone. Serious to a fault, she poured herself into training, but that overexertion risked turning into overdependence on the gods—something Clark had long worried about.
But now, here she was, smiling naturally, and her shoulders finally relaxed. Clark silently thanked her guildmates, and Jin most of all.
"Rachel, it seems you really like Jin-san, don’t you?"
He asked with a gentle smile, expecting a bashful blush.
But instead, Rachel froze as if realizing it for the first time, then lifted her head and admitted shyly:
"Somehow, Jin-san feels like… Grandfather. Being with him makes me feel safe."
For Clark, a doting grandfather, no words could have struck deeper. To have his beloved granddaughter restored to such innocence, he swore to himself he would thank Jin no matter what.
And so the two enjoyed a long-overdue, ordinary conversation between grandfather and granddaughter.
The dazzling midday sun shone down on the guild training grounds, where adventurers trained diligently as always. Off to one side, a beautiful wolf-eared woman stood, drawing her bow with fierce concentration. The arrow loosed from her fully drawn bow struck dead center of the target without fail.
"Excellent. It’s been a while since you nailed the bullseye. Don’t forget that feeling," said Melinda.
"Thank you," replied Erza, lowering her bow.
"Good. Let’s take a short break then."
Melinda excused herself for a moment. Erza pulled a towel from her bag, wiping her sweat as she casually glanced across the training ground.
"…Doesn’t look like he’s here today."
Murmuring to herself, Erza realized who she had been unconsciously searching for. Memories of last night’s party surfaced.
She had first taken an interest in Jin when she saw him in the inn’s courtyard, moving in strange ways. She had wondered what he was doing. The next time was here, at the guild’s training ground, where they finally spoke. He had freely shared his unusual perspective on warm-up routines—valuable knowledge, yet his overly polite manner had felt strangely frustrating at the same time.
Come to think of it, Jin really was a strange one. Unlike other men, he never stared at her, nor did he sneak glances when he thought she wasn’t looking. He was ignorant of many things, as a beginner adventurer should be, yet every now and then he displayed knowledge that even she found surprising. And above all, despite having been an adventurer for barely a week, he had the strength to single-handedly defeat a mutant.
From the very first time they met, she had sensed he wasn’t ordinary. But now that he had taken down a mutant alone, even his strength had surpassed hers. Perhaps that was why… why she invited him to join her party yesterday?
"Fufu."
Erza smiled to herself, recalling yesterday’s squabble with Rachel. She had never fought over someone like that before. True, she had been drunk, but even so, she could hardly believe her own behavior.
She remembered the bold moment when she had pressed Jin’s face against her chest. Her cheeks grew hot at the memory, and she shook her head to scatter the thought.
"I didn’t even ask them first… just went and invited him on my own."
If she were to form a party, proper etiquette would have been to consult her temporarily absent partner first, and then approach Jin. But she had rushed ahead without thinking.
Was it because she saw Jin’s strength in defeating the mutant? Because she trusted that he didn’t view her merely as a woman? Because she admired his integrity—how he put reason above gold? Or was it simply a selfish urge to secure him before anyone else could?
"Ugh, this is so frustrating!"
Erza covered her face with both hands, writhing in embarrassment. What pained her most was that she couldn’t fully deny that last, shameful reason.
What lay at the root of her invitation to Jin? Among the tangled feelings, there was one faint spark—yet it was still small, something Erza herself hadn’t realized.
"What are you doing, Erza?"
The exasperated voice came from Melinda, who had just returned. Erza tried to brush it off, but Melinda only smiled slyly, in a way that oddly resembled Greg.
"Aha… yesterday, wasn’t it?"
Erza stiffened.
"The afterparty was fun, wasn’t it?"
"Jin was there too."
"You invited him to your party, didn’t you?"
"And you hugged him so boldly."
To each of Melinda’s teasing jabs, Erza reacted without fail, only fueling Melinda’s amusement.
"So… you like him, don’t you~?"
Melinda delivered the finishing blow.
"…Huh?"
"Eh?"
Erza spoke first, Melinda second.
"No, it's not that I like Jin or anything like that, okay?"
Erza answered calmly, her voice level. The unexpected reply left Melinda stunned into silence. She had only meant to provoke, but her words had missed entirely.
"I invited him because he’s a friend. True, he’s skilled, intelligent, broad-minded, and kind. I may have rushed ahead a little, but a man like him is rare. Can you blame me? I’m sure my partner will like him, and the others won’t leave him alone either. So yes, it couldn’t be helped that I invited him. Yes—that’s all it is!"
Her speech ended with a clenched fist and fiery conviction. Yet, listening closely, it sounded suspiciously like she was gushing about him. Unsure what to make of it, Melinda held back her judgment and decided to change her approach.
"Well, if you’re going to stand by that, then you’d better be strong enough to be worthy of Jin."
Erza had no comeback.
"I don’t think it was wrong for you to choose the bow and hone it—but today, that ends. Your fundamentals are solid now. Next, sharpen yourself in real combat. And not only that—develop your unique strengths. You have the potential."
It was encouragement for her beloved student, who still lacked a proper party.
For the promising girl who reminded her of herself before meeting Greg and the others.
For the dear daughter of her closest friend, who possessed the power to surpass her.
Melinda spoke with her whole heart.
"You can become someone great. Work hard."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Erza replied with renewed resolve, fired up by her mentor’s seriousness.
"Then this will be your last training here. Polish yourself well until time’s up."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Erza raised her bow once more, determination burning in her eyes. Melinda’s gaze on her was stern, yet warm.
(Jin-kun, I can entrust Erza to you. Don’t think I’ll let you escape—be ready.)
Whether her silent vow reached Jin’s ears, far away, was uncertain.
The sun painted the earth red as evening fell. With the day’s work done, adventurers trickled back to their inns, leaving the guild hall quiet. Reception duties had ended early today, and Aria and her colleagues now worked mainly on filing paperwork.
During this calm period, with space for idle chatter, Samantha spoke up.
"Come to think of it, Jin-kun didn’t come by today."
"Yes."
Aria answered curtly. Was it irritation that Jin hadn’t shown his face since finishing beginner training? Or simply that she wasn’t in the mood for Samantha’s teasing?
"By the way, I heard at yesterday’s afterparty, Jin-kun got hugged by two girls."
Aria’s hand froze mid-task, her head snapping toward Samantha.
"They were talking about whether to form a party together."
Samantha added with a grin, savoring Aria’s reaction. She had other information too—like Jin saying he wasn’t interested in dating anyone right now—but she kept that to herself. After all, she already knew as much, and it hardly mattered. She was confident she could make him change his mind.
"—So, did they decide to form a party?"
"No, it’s still on hold. I hear they’ll make it official once Jin-kun reaches C-rank. They might form temporary parties now and then, though."
Watching Aria sink into thought, Samantha cheered her on silently from the bottom of her heart. It didn’t matter if the spark was love or anything else. What mattered was that this adorable little sister of hers was finally starting to move forward again. Whatever conclusion Aria reached, as long as it was a step ahead, Samantha would support it—even if that meant parting ways with Aria someday.
So she simply watched over Aria, who still hadn’t moved her hands from the paperwork, her expression distant and pensive.
Then—BANG!
The door to the guild hall flew open with a loud crash, and a group of adventurers tumbled in with all the momentum of their entrance.
"Made it in time~!"
A lively, short-haired girl sighed in relief. Beside her stood a boy of about the same age and a quiet girl with a short bob.
"Don’t relax yet. Finish the reception paperwork first—one last push."
The one urging them forward was none other than Jin himself.
"Got it. We’ll go now."
The short-haired girl replied, and the three of them approached Samantha’s counter. She quickly confirmed that it was a herb-gathering request with a deadline of today, then focused on processing it.
Meanwhile, Jin, with his usual cheerful smile, walked straight toward Aria.
"Good evening, Aria-san. Sorry for the last-minute timing, but can I still report the standing request for Ciriru and Mel Grass?"
Standing requests differed from normal ones—they allowed reporting afterward. But since Jin usually took the request before reporting, this was the first time he’d done it in reverse.
"Good evening, Jin-san. It’s fine, but… what happened?"
Aria asked, processing his paperwork. Jin answered easily.
"Well, after I dropped by Gantz-san’s place, I happened to run into them. So I helped them gather for a bit."
At that, Dan, still at the counter, cut in.
"Really, you saved us. Thanks, Jin. Without you, we’d never have made it in time."
Jin had noticed their panic, racing against the deadline, and couldn’t ignore them. Using MAP discreetly, he guided them while pretending it was a coincidence. But he hadn’t just shown them locations—having learned Gathering, Jin had become more sensitive to subtle signs, so he also taught them how to spot herbs, giving advice they could use in the future. That had cost them precious time, but it was thanks to him that they finished before the deadline. Dan and his team couldn’t help but feel grateful, both for his aid and his guidance.
"Nah, it was nothing. I was planning to gather some myself, so it was just on the way. Next time, though, try to be more careful, okay?"
It was obvious he was trying not to make them feel indebted, but they gratefully accepted the sentiment.
"Jin, we really owe you one~ How about a reward? Want me to hug you like Rachel did?"
Teased Shelly, the short-haired girl, with a mischievous grin.
Jin flicked her forehead lightly. Shelly yelped and held her head, and Jin scolded her gently.
"Girls shouldn’t joke like that. And this is the reception desk, you know? Think about where you say such things."
"Ehehe, sorry~"
Shelly laughed, sticking her tongue out. Jin couldn’t hold his stern face for long and forgave her with a wry smile.
For Jin and his three companions, this easy familiarity was natural. But to Aria and Samantha, watching from the side, it came as a surprise.
"You seem… very close, don't you?"
Aria said, her voice tinged with unease.
"Eh? Oh, well, we did go adventuring together, after all. Come on, Shelly, apologize properly to Aria-san and Samantha-san too."
Prompted by Jin, Shelly bowed and apologized for making a fuss. Jin nodded in satisfaction, looking more like a guardian than a comrade. With the paperwork complete, the four of them headed off together to settle the payment, noisy but cheerful.
Seeing them, Samantha muttered wearily
"…You can’t let your guard down."
"Yes."
Aria replied, her voice sounded tired, as if weighed down by something unseen.
Night descended, covering all in darkness and rest. In an inn room lit by a magic lamp, Jin sat reading a book—one he had borrowed from Aria, about magic. He was making up for the reading he had missed during beginner training, engrossed in the text.
After a while, he lifted his face, stretched high above his head, and loosened his body with a sigh.
"Come to think of it, I finally got to greet Aria-san today."
He had planned to greet her upon returning yesterday, but she had been too busy. This morning too, he had meant to stop by, but ended up dragged into Dan’s request, so it was evening by the time he saw her.
"Well, I met her in the end, so it’s fine. It was fun anyway."
Jin chuckled softly, then turned back to his book. He spent the next few hours reading until sleep took him.
And so, each of their days came to an end.
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