Edimbia was bustling today, packed with people from every corner of the world. Adventurers, noble travelers, mercenaries, and merchants hoping to profit from them all filled the streets until it felt as though the entire city was overflowing with life.
The merchant caravan rolled to a stop at the rear entrance of a large merchant guild.
"Whew! Thank goodness!" the merchant exclaimed as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "There have been so many reports of Acid Bears along the road lately. I was worried."
"Well, Luke here took care of it," Tricia replied. "We even bought the pelts."
The escort request ended without incident, and judging by the merchant's relieved expression, the client seemed more than satisfied with the outcome.
"What will you two be doing after this?" the merchant asked.
"I plan on staying in this town for a while," Tricia said. "If you ever need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask."
"I'm planning on staying here for a bit too," Luke added. "So I'm counting on you."
"Yes, absolutely!" the merchant chirped.
Client evaluations were important. Tricia, especially, had no history in this town yet, so completing a request for a major merchant guild and earning a favorable review lifted a weight from her shoulders.
"You're heading to the guild, right?" Luke asked. "I'm going too."
"So you're staying here for a while, huh?" Tricia said.
"Yeah. I'm planning to dive into the dungeon for the first time in a while. Want to come along?"
"If you bring someone like me, you won't make it very deep, you know."
"Eh, sometimes that's fine too."
As they walked side by side toward the adventurer guild, Tricia felt countless eyes settling on them.
"Is that the S-Ranker Luke?"
"Who's the woman next to him? Did they form a party?"
Luke was famous even among adventurers. As a magic swordsman who wielded every branch of sorcery alongside his blade, he possessed enough power to overwhelm almost any opponent. Combined with his good looks, that reputation had turned him into something close to an idol.
(This is going to be so uncomfortable...)
Tricia had known him since long before she became an adventurer. Luke was the son of the local lord whose territory housed her orphanage. Although he had started adventuring after the rest of them, he had surged ahead so quickly that she could barely keep up. Watching him race forward had left a bitter knot in her chest at first, but once the difference between them became overwhelming, even that frustration had faded into resignation.
"You don't have to feel so indebted to me, you know," she said. "In the first place, you only tried to save me because..."
"It's not like that," Luke cut in, sounding mildly annoyed.
Years ago, before either of them had become adventurers, Luke had been bitten by a monster while trying to protect her. She had erased that outcome with her skill (reset), and that incident had revealed the truth about her healing. Healing magic could mend wounds, but it could never restore a completely lost arm.
Since then, Luke had constantly fussed over her. Eagle had warned him more than once to calm down, but the moment he learned Tricia had been expelled from her party, he had immediately come to pick her up.
Thanks to him, she had never been forced to suffer through the worst possibilities in her previous town. A famous S-Rank adventurer had spent his time doting on a C-Rank healer without the slightest concern for appearances.
(Anetta's face back then, looking so frustrated, was a sight to behold.)
The memory drew a small laugh from her.
"Wow! It's huge, just as you'd expect!"
Unlike the guilds found in smaller provincial towns, Edimbia's adventurer guild was enormous, with a grand exterior that immediately drew the eye.
The moment she stepped inside, she found herself staring in amazement. The interior glittered beneath elegant decorations, while both the quest boards and party recruitment boards held more notices than she had ever seen before.
"The inside is so pretty too! It's so luxurious!"
"They really put some effort into this place," Luke observed.
There were service counters everywhere, supported by a large staff. As Tricia looked around with undisguised excitement, Luke reached over and lightly tugged her arm.
"Let's register our base and then collect the reward."
The two of them first updated their base registration before claiming payment for the escort request. Because it had been an individual commission, the reward was substantial. In a party, payments were usually distributed as a lump sum and divided afterward. The exact percentages varied from group to group, but Tricia's old party had always split everything evenly.
It seemed Anetta had never been particularly happy about that arrangement either.
"Whoa, as expected, an S-Rank introduction really does get you better rewards!" Tricia said.
"Be grateful!"
"I am, I am! That really helped. Thank you!"
"You're way too casual about it."
Tricia only laughed.
From now on, she needed to be careful with money. Even as a C-Rank adventurer, a healer had little chance of defeating monsters alone.
"...So, what are you going to do now?" Luke asked.
"For now, I think I'll stay at the guild and earn a little pocket money~ I'm done with parties."
"...Hmm."
Large guilds always kept healers on site. Adventurers could come at any time to receive treatment, and although the guild collected a ten percent commission, it was still one of the safest jobs available. Healers often struggled to collect payment on their own because people tended to look down on those who lacked combat ability. On the other hand, guild-affiliated healers were trusted because a certain standard of skill was guaranteed.
"And while I'm at it, I'm going to move forward with that plan!" Tricia declared.
"Ah, you mean the boarding house business?"
Tricia had already told Luke about her idea. In fact, he had been the one to recommend Edimbia in the first place. The size of the city had intimidated her at first, but Luke argued that a town overflowing with adventurers would naturally have plenty of people looking for a quiet, comfortable place to stay. After hearing that, she had started to reconsider.
"Yes! And there's no loan involved. I don't really want to touch those savings, and I still need to keep working..."
"Loan...?"
"Oh, never mind. Forget that."
Every now and then, she accidentally let slip a term from her previous life.
"Make sure you save a room for me!" Luke said.
"Eh!? You're going to rent one!? Aren't you already staying at a luxury inn for free?"
"It's fine! Even I have times when I just want to relax and breathe!"
Looking down with a faint blush on his face, Luke seemed far removed from the image of an untouchable S-Rank adventurer. At that moment, he looked surprisingly cute.
"Coming right up!" Tricia laughed.
"There's gotta be a better way to say that~"
Tricia smiled.
She was genuinely grateful for Luke's kindness. After being betrayed by Eagle, someone she had trusted enough to form a party with since childhood, she had been quietly worried about starting over on her own. Just knowing that someone was on her side eased the knot of anxiety she had carried into this unfamiliar city, and that reassurance meant more to her than she could put into words.
Summary:
Tricia and Luke arrive at the bustling city of Edimbia after successfully escorting a merchant caravan. Luke, a famous S-Rank adventurer, continues to look after Tricia as she navigates her new life as an independent healer. They register their new base at the local adventurer guild and discuss Tricia's plans for a boarding house business.
Trivia:
Tricia has a unique skill that can 'reset' physical damage, which allowed her to fix Luke's arm after a childhood injury.
Tricia is a reincarnated individual, evidenced by her occasional slip-ups regarding modern concepts like loans.
The adventurer guild in Edimbia has on-site healers, a common practice in large cities to ensure quality and prevent non-payment for services.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ This refers to the vast disparity in power levels that often dictates the hierarchy and social standing among adventurers in this world.
Notes:
• Tricia - The protagonist of the series. A pragmatic and resilient C-Rank healer who was recently cast out of her former party. Though she presents herself as an average adventurer, she secretly possesses exceptional healing expertise and the rare skill Reset, which can reverse physical damage. An orphan with dark hair and obsidian eyes, she carefully conceals her true abilities to avoid exploitation. Guided by memories of a past life, she has a deep appreciation for modern comforts and values her independence, privacy, and stability. Rather than dwelling on her dismissal, she is quietly relieved by it and now focuses her intelligence and planning skills on building a reliable source of passive income in Edimbia.
• Luke - A companion to Trisha who supports her efforts to build a passive income empire. He acts as a confidant and manager for her public persona. A highly skilled adventurer who acts as a mentor and companion to Trishia. He is observant, somewhat mischievous, and possesses financial independence that allows him to offer support, though he is mindful of her pride. An S-Rank adventurer and magic swordsman known for his overwhelming combat power and handsome appearance. He is a childhood friend of Tricia and acts as her protector and benefactor. An S-rank adventurer with silver hair and deep blue eyes who is an old acquaintance of Trisha. He is known for his combat prowess and his tendency to act carefree.
• Eagle - A former party member of Tricia who betrayed her, leading to her expulsion from their previous group. A swordsman with reddish-brown hair and bright, orange-tinted eyes who grew up with Tricia in an orphanage. He is gentle but easily swayed and burdened by guilt. An adventurer and former party member of Trisha.
• Anetta - A blonde, manipulative Sorcerer who uses offensive and healing magic. She successfully positions herself as the romantic partner of the party leader and pushes Tricia out. A member of Tricia's former party who displayed frustration and hostility toward her. An adventurer who joined Trisha and Eagle's party.