Tenkomori: The Homecoming Club Conquers Another World - Chapter 102.5 - The Second Year at the Academy - The Place Called Home (5)

In the end, their attacks barely grazed, and they collapsed, exhausted.

Ted wiped the sweat from his brow and sent a glance towards Jema and the others, finally noticing me.

Upon seeing me, he immediately bowed.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t pull such tricks again.”

“Understood. Won’t do it again.”

Jema, Nails, and Lily also apologized.

The boys, lying down, observed the exchange, but when Lily whispered, they hastily jumped up.

“Uh, nice to meet you, Alter-sama! I’m Quince!”

“I’m Kyle!”

“Quince and Kyle, huh? I’m Alter Les Reedward. Nice to meet you.”

The two boys nodded with flushed faces. Quince was the smaller one, while Kyle, despite his age, was taller.

“Aiming to become adventurers?”

“Yes, we want to be adventurers like Mr. Ted and the others!”

Ted and Jema, embarrassed, averted their gazes at those words.

Seems like they’re quite admired.

With a better physique than Ted’s group from the past, they probably took care of meals as well as training.

Anyway, the overall picture became clearer.

I turned my gaze to Ted.

“You two are from the same hometown?”

Ted nodded.

The boys were from the same village, Quince escaped with his mother, who died of illness two years ago, and Kyle came with his uncle but disappeared soon after.

Now, Ted, Jema, and Lily seemed like elder siblings to them.

Quince and Kyle stood still, listening intently.

They might have had tough times, but there was no hint of despair in them now.

Perhaps it was because they were supported by Ted’s group, or maybe it was their determination to become adventurers.

In any case, it was again because of the girl—Luchina this time.

I would be leaving Selene in a year and a bit.

I wanted to teach them as much as I could and get them under the protection of the Adventurer’s Guild as soon as possible.

Really, what a roundabout way to ask for a favor.

Returning my gaze to Quince and Kyle, they hesitated, then bowed their heads upon my urging.

I took two large copper coins from the leather bag and placed them on top.

Quince and Kyle stood frozen in silence.

After a while, as they started to comprehend the situation, they awkwardly began to move.

“Is this… for us?”

“A rightful reward. If you had collected more efficiently, it would’ve been a silver coin. Will you continue collecting?”

“Yes! Please let us do it!”

“P-Please!”

Gripping the large copper coins, they responded energetically.

Ted’s group sighed in relief at their sight.

“Alright then. Learn the collection methods from Lily and Nails.”

“Yes, we’ll learn!”

Now, with this matter settled—oh, wait, I forgot the crucial part.

“Ted, for training, use the backyard. If you have free time, I’ll spar with you too.”

“Is that okay?”

“I intended to from the start. Whether it’s one or two more people, it won’t make much difference.”

Waving lightly at Ted’s gratitude, Elphimia and I left the refugee camp.

Unlike the uncertain route to get here, leaving for the main road was quick.

As we saw off the departure of a merchant’s carriage from Selen, I felt like I heard the sound of swords clashing and turned around.

In the bustling crowd of the main road, it was impossible to hear.

Still, with my gaze fixed, I reminisced about Ted, Quince, and Kyle.

Life is tough one way or another, but theirs was too much.

Abandoning their hometown, losing their parents, and supporting each other as children.

“Surprisingly, you handled it normally.”

Suddenly, Elphimia spoke up.

Glancing sideways, she, too, was looking towards the refugee camp.

“What are you talking about?”

“I expected something strange like you saying you’ll take them in.”

“As if. They’re walking on their own. I won’t interfere.”

“But you’ll give them practice, right? Your house seems to attract only kids. Even Elliot’s group has grown. Is it an orphanage?”

“Half of them are academy students. Including you.”

Elphimia turned away pretending not to know.

I’m the only child living here, but kids of the same age inevitably gather.

At least if I’m with Battle Axe of Destruction, the average age would go up. The only adult now is Dana.

Returning my gaze to Selen, turrets peeked from the top of the outer walls.

I felt like I looked up at them when I first visited.

Time passed, and our life here was approaching its midpoint.

It might be time to think about the future.