Shujinkou Janai! - CH 80

If a powerless Civilian with no experience in fighting monsters had to defeat a monster, what would be their best opponent?

Was it the standard weakest monster in RPGs, the Slimes?

However, that is a bad idea in <Brave and Blade>.

Slimes in B&B certainly aren’t strong, but they aren’t weak either.

They are larger than most people think, and since they’re one of the Faceless-types, they are rather powerful.

Many of them have special abilities in terms of combat, so they aren’t enemies one would recommend for amateurs.

Thus, fighting them is rejected.

In that case, one would think of the other representative of Small Fry Monsters, the Goblins, but fighting against their kind is actually quite the hurdle for beginners.

It is true that Goblins are weak, but people have this psychological hurdle when fighting against humanoid monsters.

This is the conclusion for most experienced people, so there’s no doubt about it.

In addition, the fact that these monsters fight in groups and that each individual has a different weapon is also a negative point for novice fighters, who just want stability.

Putting aside those who have the spirit to become an Adventurer, they aren’t enemies that should be faced by amateurs who just want to raise their level.

What we should be looking for would be an enemy that doesn’t fight in groups, is moderately weak, and is stable, having no randomness in its behavior.

In other words……

[That would be our first target.]

[That……?]

Roze tilted her curiously, but I could understand how she felt.

The place that I just pointed to was an area that only had sparse trees in it…… or so it looks like.

[Well, I’ll just show you what I’m talking about. ……Fire!]

Even if I’m rotten, what I unleashed was still magic from a Lv 50 person.

Even if it was just an Elementary-level <Fire>, its power was extraordinary, and the fireball that flew out immediately closed the distance of about 10 meters, and landed on one of the sparsely growing trees.

[R- Rex-sama!? What are you suddenly……]

Roze got flustered by my sudden violent action, but I calmly pointed at the tree that was hit by the fireball.

[Take a good look.]

[Eh? Ahh! T- The tree is moving……]

The tree burning after I had shot it with a fireball was shaking, seemingly in pain.

[That’s a Plant-type monster that has been in camouflage, <Treant>.]

[S- So that is…… a Treant……]

Perhaps having heard the name before, Roze gulped when she heard that name.

I’m also happy with the fresh reaction.

This Treant is a Lv 5 Plant-type monster with a bad disposition, disguising itself as a tree and preys on Adventurers who pass by it.

Its attack and defense capabilities are outstanding for its level, and if you’re ambushed from behind while moving through the field in a hurry in the early stages of the game, a single blow can kill you (which guarantees you the death of one character).

However, this is only the case when you approach them unprepared.

Treants have excellent mimicking and offensive abilities, but their mobility is next to garbage.

In addition, their PDEF may be high, but their MDEF is low, and they’re extremely weak against Fire-Attribute attacks.

And so, you can just burn them with Fire from a distance like this……

[……There, done and dealt with.]

The Treant desperately struggled and tried to get closer, but before it could even walk 5 meters, it couldn’t stand the flames anymore and stopped moving, turning into particles just like that.

(If it’s through this method, she should be able to do it.)

Treants certainly have a high level at 5, but it moves slowly, and if you have the means to attack it from long-range, you would definitely have the preemptive attack, and since the lower-level Treant-type monsters don’t have any long-range attacks, as long as you have enough firepower, there’s no factor in which she would be attacked.

That especially goes for Roze, as with her high Initial MGC, this would be the perfect opponent for her.

[Amazing……]

Perhaps because this would be the first time she saw a battle up close, Roze exclaimed in admiration.

It’s nice knowing she’s impressed, but it’s a little too soon for that.

[I’m sorry to say this while you’re impressed, but next up is your turn.]

[Eh……]

Saying this, I pointed Roze to a direction with my chin.

Roze’s eyes widen at that, and she immediately shakes her head.

“”

[T- That is…… B- But I’m just a Class-less Civilian, and I don’t have that kind of amazing magic……]

[For who’s sake do you think I gave you those equipment? Don’t worry, you can do it.]

I know I just said that so nonchalantly, but that was just because I know it’s true.

Roze got even more shaken by my words, but her attire has completely changed from a few moments ago.

She had been a simple town girl, but now, she looks like a full-fledged Magic-User, wearing a pure white robe, a triangular hat, and a bright red ring that looked like flames were burning within it.

No, rather than just looking like a Magic-User, she actually has the stats of one.

This equipment has a high MGC compensation, giving her a total of over 150 MGC.

At least, in terms of MGC, the current Roze is so strong that a novice Magician is no match for her.

In her right hand is the key weapon in this battle, the <Fire Rod>.

This is a piece of equipment that can use Fire Magic by “using” it, and is the key to making use of Roze’s high MGC, who is essentially incapable of using magic.

If she can do this well, she should be able to one-sidedly defeat Treant, but I haven’t compromised on defense either.

Since she couldn’t increase her defense much with her armor, I have made her equip more defensive accessories.

First, a <Barrier Ring> to prevent unforeseen accidents while taking advantage of her increased MGC.

In addition, to prevent being burned from self-inflicted fire, I chose to have her equip <Burn Guard Ring> as her second accessory.

For the last choice, I was tempted to have her equip <Golden Iron Ring>, which greatly increases her PDEF at the expense of her MDEF, but just in case, I instead opted to have her equip <Castle Ring>, which can protect her from both physical and magical attacks.

It was a perfect lineup, with no gaps in any way.

At least, as long as I’m watching over her properly, even if there are some unexpected situations, Roze won’t suffer a single scratch.

No, one would instead think that I’m overdoing it when she’s only fighting against a slow Treant, but the more prepared I am for danger, the better.

Even though I think I did a splendid job, I suppose there’s nothing strange with that.

Nevertheless, Roze still seems unsure.

[H- However, how do I tell the difference between a Treant and a normal tree……]

At the panicking question of Roze, I answered with a grin.

[You don’t have to worry about that. First, you try burning them.]

[Eh?]

[If it moves when it burns, it’s a Treant. If it doesn’t move and turns to ash, it’s a regular tree. Easy, isn’t it?]

[B- But that’s just…… B- Burning a tree even though it’s not a monster is just……]

In front of the bewildered Roze, I couldn’t hold back the chuckle I’d been holding in.

[I’m just kidding. My <Inspect> can allow me to check which ones are Treants, so you wouldn’t accidentally hit a normal tree. I’ll give you instructions, so you can just attack, Roze.]

[R- Rex-sama!]

However, that seemed to relieve some of her tension.

[Look. The second tree over there from the right is a Treant. ……Can you do it?]

When I pointed to the Treant, which I spotted with my <Inspect>, she slowly nodded her head.

Fortunately, the Treant doesn’t move unless you get close to it.

She’s got a lot of time to prepare herself.

She took a deep breath to calm herself and closed her eyes.

Thereupon, she snapped her eyes open and uttered the magic words.

[—————Fire!]

In that instant, her wand shot out a magical fireball that was comparable to the one I had shot, striking the Treant.

Covered in a huge blaze, the Treant squirms and stumbles as it struggles, trying to get closer to us, and then……

————–Don!

It fell to the ground with a loud thud, not moving again.

[I defeated it……? I did?]

As Roze stood there in a daze, I put my hand on Roze’s shoulder.

[You’ve done well, Roze. Congratulations on leveling up.]

[……Eh?]

And thus, in an incredibly easy way, Roze was able to subjugate a monster and level up for the first time.

※　※　※

Once she accomplished it once, the rest was quick.

Even though she looked like a carefully-raised lady, she had a yearning to be an Adventurer. What a person she was.

[————-Fire! Fire! Fire!!!]

She adapts quickly, and while I give instructions by the side, she launches her fireballs at the Treants.

Looking closely, I can see the edges of her lips lifted, and she seems to be enjoying herself……

[Roze! Let’s stop here.]

[Fir…… Eh?]

I stopped her there.

Thereupon, Roze looked at me with the expression of a dog who was being told to wait in front of its favorite treat.

No, I’m glad she’s happy, but I think she’s going a little overboard.

I use <Inspect> on her.

(As I thought, I’ve raised her a little too high.)

She has no Initial Class.

I’m not really sure since I never had a chance to increase the level of a Civilian NPC in the game, but to be precise, she should be considered as someone with the <Novice> Class, which has no compensation.

Of course, it’s more effective to level up NPCs with Classes that properly give them growth value compensation.

I don’t think she needed to be as desperate at becoming stronger as Radd and the others, so she doesn’t need intensive training, but if she can aim for it, we might as well do it.

(To be honest, Roze’s base growth values aren’t so good.)

I was wondering if being a potential vampire would make her different from the other Civilians, but at least, in her current state, she’s no different than a normal person.

As for her MGC and MND, she’s equipped with a growth value-increasing gear, so her growth value without those should be……

―――――――

STR – 0

VIT – 2

MGC – 3

MND – 2

AGI – 0

FOC – 1

Total – 8

―――――――

Which makes her total growth value just 1 lower than my growth value of 9.

(No, even if he’s rotten, Rex is still an Adventurer! Unfortunately for you all, there’s no way he would lose to a Civilian!)

It was hard for me to suppress my mouth from lifting up when I realized that…… but putting that aside……

(Can a non-Adventurer Class Change?)

The question that came to my mind was a very intriguing one.

Fortunately, the requirements for the Initial Class are very lenient.

A <Fighter> needs to have 20 STR and 10 VIT, while <Magician> needs to have 20 MGC and 10 MND.

And for Roze, it would be the fastest to achieve <Magician>’s requirements of 20 MGC and 10 MND.

With that aim in mind, I especially had her equip gears that increase her MGC and MND affinities, but I kinda let her do her own thing a bit overboard.

While he looked worried about what I’m going to say, I called out to her.

[It’s time for some fun. Would you like to try Class Changing?]

At those words, she repeatedly nodded her head.

※　※　※

The trip back was surprisingly uneventful, and we made it back to town without incident.

As I followed Roze, who was walking 30% faster, but seemed as graceful as usual, we headed to the <Temple>.

And then……

[Ah…… It looks like I was able to Class Change.]

In an anticlimactically easy way, she managed to Class Change to <Magician>.

And then……

[Fire!]

I’ve achieved enough results today, and since the Era doesn’t advance because of the “Hero”, there’s no need for her to rush to level up.

Having that in mind, I suggested that we call it a day, but Roze wanted to go back to the Treants’ hunting grounds and continue leveling up.

[Next one…… is that one over there.]

[Yes! Fire!]

It seems that she has now gotten familiar with her movements.

Her Fire Magic, which has become more powerful with the increase in level, strikes the Treant and turns it into charcoal.

In the midst of such a bleak scene……

[Thank you very much, Rex-sama.]

[Eh……]

Roze suddenly bowed her head to me.

[This feels like a dream come true. Just yesterday, I never thought that I, who thought I couldn’t do anything, would go outside the city and face such a terrifying monster like this.]

[Roze……]

She is a character burdened with a tragic fate.

[Of course, I’m not conceited to think that I can just become an Adventurer with my power. However, I’m happy. I’m happy to know that there’s something even I can do. I’m also happy that there’s a wonderful person near me who has shown me that.

Roze’s gaze was tinged with definite enthusiasm from within it.

Faced with such a gaze, I looked away, as if to escape from it……

[……It’s just a whim.]

[However……!]

[That aside, it seems like you’ve leveled up again. Just to make sure the Class Change is effective…… Hmm!?]

—————That’s when something unusual happened.

[This is…… impossible……]

Those words unintentionally leaked out of my mouth.

[Rex-sama……?]

I didn’t even have the composure to reply to Roze’s voice.

The <Inspect> I used was in order to hide my embarrassment.

However, Roze’s Status displayed there was clearly abnormal.

Didn’t she Class Change to <Magician>?

No, this is just not possible.

I myself saw her touch that statue and Class Change, and saw that statue light up!

She must have definitely become a <Magician>. There’s no other possibility than that.

And so, her current ability growth value, if you were to exclude her gear, would be a total 14, her base growth rate being 8, and adding up Magician’s growth correction value of 6.

That should have been her current growth value.

And yet, how did this happen……

―――――――

STR – 1

VIT – 3

MGC – 6

MND – 4

AGI – 2

FOC – 4

Total – 20

―――――――

[How the heck did it grow this much!?]

If it’s like this…… If it’s like this……

————-Doesn’t this mean even Roze’s aptitudes have overtaken mine!!!?