Chapter 58: Departure
"Alright. Tomorrow, meet at the west gate at six in the morning. Don’t be late. Oh, and Jin—once everything’s arranged, come see me. Doesn’t matter if it’s late at night."
With Greg’s words, the meeting was adjourned.
Greg and Clark left together for another room to discuss the finer details of their plans, leaving behind the four who had just officially become a new party.
"Aria-san, let me thank you again. It’s thanks to you that everything went smoothly," Jin said, bowing his head.
Erza and Rachel followed, offering their own words of gratitude.
"And also, Erza, Rachel, thank you both, too. I really appreciate that you agreed with my plan without hesitation."
Jin bowed again, not only to Aria but also to his two long-time companions.
He’d only had a short moment before the meeting to explain the illness and the mission’s details to them, yet both had immediately supported his risky proposal without question.
Aria, who had given him a helping hand when he needed it most.
Erza and Rachel, who stood by him despite how unreasonable his plan seemed.
Jin was truly grateful to all three of them.
But he wasn’t the only one feeling thankful—Aria spoke next.
"No, really, I should be the one thanking all of you for letting me come along. I’ve wanted to help in any way I can."
While helping care for the children at the orphanage, Aria had been painfully aware of her own helplessness. To accompany Jin’s group and help gather the materials for a cure was exactly what she’d been longing for.
And beyond simply wanting to be useful to Jin, this mission had reawakened something in her—the spirit of adventure she’d long forgotten.
"Besides, you, Jin-san, identified the disease and even figured out how to treat it. And you were willing to reveal your secrets to us to make that happen. I should be the one thanking you. Truly, thank you."
"We feel the same. Jin, as expected of our leader. Thanks to you, I finally feel like I can do something concrete to help. Thank you."
Erza had quietly felt frustrated that she hadn’t been as useful as Jin or Rachel. Sure, her herb-gathering had been important work, but to her, it hadn’t felt like enough. Now, with a clear purpose and direction, she looked genuinely relieved and refreshed.
"Yes," Rachel added softly. "Just knowing that we can finally cure the children’s illness makes me so happy. It’s truly wonderful. Thank you, Jin-san."
Of everyone there, Rachel had been the one most directly involved with the sick children, diagnosing and treating them at the clinic. As a healer, she’d felt powerless for only being able to ease their symptoms without offering a true cure. Remembering that pain made her eyes glisten with emotion.
"Ah—uh, yeah. Thanks."
Jin replied awkwardly, scratching his cheek. He hadn’t expected such heartfelt gratitude and was a little overwhelmed, but in the end, he smiled and accepted it warmly.
Still, deep down, he felt that it was just a coincidence he happened to have the right abilities. The real credit, he thought, should go to Clark and the others who had turned his findings into something practical.
That said, he couldn’t deny that it felt good to be appreciated, and their gratitude made his smile genuine.
"Anyway, it’s fine to thank Aria-san, but thanking us feels a bit stiff, don’t you think? We’re a party. Agreeing with you is kind of normal."
Erza said with a teasing grin, and Rachel nodded repeatedly beside her.
Aria was different; she’d only just joined the group, so it made sense for Jin to thank her properly. But a few days ago, the three of them had already agreed to do everything they could to help solve the illness as a team. From Erza and Rachel’s point of view, Jin’s formal tone made it seem like he’d forgotten that promise for a moment.
Of course, it’s not like the girls disliked being thanked, nor did they have any complaints. It was just that the way he treated them so formally made them feel like he was keeping a little distance, and that bothered them a bit.
"Well, that’s just how I am, I guess," Jin said, scratching his head.
He could more or less understand how Erza and the others felt, but habits built over years aren’t easy to change. Jin’s core belief was simple: "There’s almost nothing in this world that’s truly ‘owed’ to you."
For example, when a waiter brought his order to the table at a restaurant, Jin never thought of it as something to take for granted. The same applied to when a subordinate handed in a finished report—he didn’t think, "Well, that’s their job."
Even small things, like someone passing him the soy sauce at dinner, or offering coffee or tea without being asked—he didn’t see any of that as "normal."
To him, every act was something "done for him." And from that simple perspective, gratitude came naturally. He would then express that feeling, whether with a "thank you," a nod, or a smile—anything to show appreciation.
Part of it was that he’d learned through experience that relationships went more smoothly this way, but mostly, it just made him feel good. When people both think, "They did something for me," a warm, easy atmosphere tends to form naturally.
That’s why Jin often said "thanks" as a kind of reflex—it came from this way of thinking.
He was probably predisposed to think this way, but over the years, it had become more than a habit—it was practically a personal creed, shaped by his life experience.
That said, Jin also knew some people got carried away, thinking "I’m doing this for you" or "You should be grateful to me." You might picture an arrogant worker at a popular restaurant—many would understand the type.
And on the flip side, some customers misunderstood the phrase "the customer is always right," acting as if "I’m doing them a favor by coming here." But that phrase was meant as a principle for service providers, not a demand customers could impose.
Naturally, Jin didn’t feel obliged to thank people with that kind of attitude. His rule was simple: both sides should see themselves as "receiving" something. The mindset of "I’m doing this for you" only causes harm—it’s something Jin honestly couldn’t stand.
He explained all this to Erza and the others, using examples that made sense in this world.
"So yeah, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t think I’m being distant or anything like that."
Truthfully, he’d learned this approach the hard way once. Back at his first company, while being scolded by his boss, he’d smiled—grateful for the advice meant to help him grow. Unfortunately, the boss took it as a sign of disrespect and got furious. If he’d just waited until the end to say "thank you," things might’ve gone better, but his honest reaction had completely backfired.
He’d had a few other experiences like that, and over time, he’d come to realize that even gratitude has its time and place.
In any case, it was just Jin’s way of thinking; he never expected others to adopt it.
Meanwhile, Aria, Erza, and Rachel had fallen silent, their expressions serious.
Erza and Rachel in particular, looked thoughtful. They remembered how Jin always thanked them for even the smallest things in their daily life together, and now, realizing how much they’d taken that for granted, they felt a bit guilty.
Unexpectedly, they’d been reminded of what kind of person Jin truly was. Each of them seemed to be reflecting on it in their own way.
"Whoops, guess I went off on a weird tangent there. Alright, let’s split up and handle our own preparations," Jin said, a little flustered as he changed the subject, worried he might’ve made things awkward.
"I’ll take care of the food and water for the trip. Aria-san, could I ask you three to handle everything else we might need? You’re probably the most experienced traveler among us, so I’ll leave the coordination to you. Also, since we’ll be keeping everything in my Infinite Storage, don’t worry about bulk—go ahead and buy anything that might be handy, even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally bring because it’s too big or inconvenient. Personally, I think we’ll need plenty of soft cushions. Since we’ll be riding in a carriage most of the time, our butts are gonna hurt without them."
Jin didn’t intend for this journey to feel rigid or suffocating under the weight of duty. Precisely because he understood how serious their mission was—saving the children’s lives—he knew that letting the pressure consume them would only make things worse.
It was already going to be a difficult journey; pushing themselves too hard and failing because of it simply wasn’t an option.
"Understood. Should we have the supplies delivered to your home, Jin-san?"
"Yes, that’s fine. After that, everyone can take care of their own shopping or errands and meet back at the house around six in the evening. I might be a bit late since I still need to talk with Greg-san, so go ahead and eat dinner out. Oh, and if you don’t mind, Aria-san, please stay over at our place tonight."
They probably wouldn’t have much time for bonding, but at least they could hold a short meeting. Jin figured it was best for everyone in the party to go over the travel plans together to avoid any mistakes.
Technically, Aria was only accompanying them as an official guild observer, but to Jin and the others, she already felt like one of their own. Whether that bond would last beyond this quest, no one could say for sure—but regardless, their attitude toward her wouldn’t change. After all, the simple truth was that Aria was a trustworthy companion.
Once they went over the schedule, Jin gathered everyone’s attention and raised his voice with resolve.
"Alright then, we’re gonna save those kids no matter what! Let’s move out!"
"Yeah!" ""Right!""
With that, everyone set off to handle their own preparations. Spending time together as just the three women also seemed to bring them a little closer.
By evening, the four of them had completed all their preparations and regrouped at home for a short meeting. After that, they went to bed early to rest for the big day ahead, and at last, the morning of their departure arrived.
"You’re all set? Don’t forget what I told you, and make sure you come back in one piece."
Greg said to Jin, standing beside the west gate.
Along with Greg, both Melinda and Clark had come to see them off. Each of them was chatting with Erza and Rachel, respectively.
Jin had already said his goodbyes to Gantz and Bean the day before and had bought a large stock of various potions from Bean at a hefty discount.
"Yes, we’ll complete the mission and come back safely," Jin replied, his expression firm and resolute.
He had met privately with Greg the previous evening, where the two discussed many things.
Greg nodded at Jin’s answer before turning to Aria.
"Aria, I’m counting on you to look after them. And while you’re at it, use this trip to figure out what you really want for yourself."
Greg had been worried about Aria for six long years. From the bottom of his heart, he hoped this journey would be a good turning point for her.
"Yes. Thank you very much," Aria replied seriously.
By then, Erza and Rachel had also finished their farewells, and the four travelers stood lined up before their send-off party.
"When you get back, I’ll treat you all to a meal. Look forward to it," Melinda said with a smile.
"Sounds good. Things might be a bit hectic right after you return, but once it settles down, I’d love to join too."
Clark added, playing along with Melinda’s lighthearted tone.
"Hehe, maybe I’ll bring out some of my best, high-end liquor for that occasion."
The trials awaiting Jin and his group weren’t going to be easy. Even so, Greg and the others spoke cheerfully of what they’d do once the party returned safely.
"Yes, when that time comes, let’s have another party at my place like before. But this time, I won’t be the only one cooking—I’ll be expecting everyone to bring something too."
They all hoped that Airis, Seema, and the rest, those who weren’t here now, could gather again with smiles. That was what Jin’s group was setting out for.
"That sounds wonderful. I’d like to have Grandpa’s beef stew again—he made it for us once before."
Rachel said, unusually eager to join the conversation.
"I doubt Instructor Melinda’s capable of homemade cooking," Erza teased. "Guess I’ll look forward to those fancy hors d'oeuvres from ‘Pukka’ you bragged about before."
For context, Pukka was the most expensive restaurant in town.
"Heehee, in that case, Instructor Greg shouldn’t be left out either. I’d love to have that pie your wife shared with us before."
Aria added with a playful smile. Her lighthearted remark surprised almost everyone present—laughter wasn’t something they often saw from her. But for Jin and a few others, one part of that comment stood out far more.
"""Your wife!?"""
Jin, Erza, and Rachel’s voices harmonized perfectly, though Jin’s was notably the loudest.
"What? You got a problem with me being married, huh?"
Greg’s forehead twitched as he gave Jin a fearsome grin.
"Ahaha… no, not at all…"
Jin could only laugh awkwardly, completely intimidated.
Greg watched their reactions for a moment, then snorted through his nose.
"Well, whatever. Point is — you’ve got something to look forward to when you come back. I’ll say it again: make sure you all return safely."
"""Yes, sir!!"""
Greg finished with a wide grin, and Jin’s group returned it with their own smiles—the kind that hinted at a bright future ahead. It was a send-off fitting for the start of a hopeful journey.
"Alright, let’s—"
"Hold it right there!!"
A loud voice cut off Greg’s closing words.
Charging toward them was Gantz, the blacksmith.
"Phew, made it just in time. Here, Jin, take this."
After catching his breath, Gantz handed over a black iron glaive. It was the weapon Jin had ordered earlier, which hadn’t been ready when he’d visited the shop the previous day. Jin had already given up on bringing it for this trip, but it seemed Gantz had stayed up all night to finish it.
"Thank you so much, Gantz-san!"
Jin bowed deeply to Gantz.
"Yeah, yeah. I’m sure this guy already told you," Gantz said, pointing at Greg, "but all that matters is that you all come back safe."
He scratched his cheek and smiled sheepishly.
"Yes—we’ll return safely, I promise."
They might end up facing not just C-rank but possibly even B-rank monsters on this journey. Even if they intended to avoid battle whenever possible, this new weapon gave Jin an immense sense of reassurance.
Greg watched him with a smirk, waiting for the right moment before speaking again.
"Well, that was an unexpected interruption, but looks like you’ve got yourself a fine new weapon. Alright then, get going!"
"""Yes! We’re off!!"""
And with Greg and the others seeing them off, Jin and his party departed the city of Lientz with high spirits.
Their first destination: Apos Village, nestled at the foot of the Dazul Mountains. Their goal there was to collect Madoren Petals, said to grow somewhere high in the mountains.
Thus, Jin and his companions set out to cure the children afflicted by the mana fever.
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