Two weeks had flown by since she first set foot in Edinbia. Contrary to all expectations, her skills as a Healer were in high demand, and the local adventurers were singing her praises.
"Talk about perfect timing."
"Who would've thought we'd have so many critical injuries coming out of the lower floors?"
For reasons that had the local lord sweating, the Dungeon's difficulty had spiked sharply for no apparent reason. The adventurers making it to her clinic or Tricia's care were only alive because they'd been hit in the lower floors near the entrance. The deeper you went, the harder—and more dangerous—the extraction became.
"I honestly didn't expect to be making this much money, this consistently."
Thanks to that, she wouldn't have to touch her savings for a while.
Luke and she were currently enjoying some cake at their new favorite cafeteria, feeling pretty good about themselves. A few of the resident Healers had finally returned from the Dungeon, which meant she could actually breathe a little. It was a beautiful day, and the outdoor seating facing the plaza had a fantastic view. She never imagined she'd be able to live this kind of luxury.
"Not going into the Dungeon today?"
"What about you?"
While she was busy providing treatments at the Adventurer's Guild, Luke spent most of his time diving. Every now and then, he'd drag back some half-dead adventurer and dump them on her as a patient.
"Me? I'm hitting the streets for some real estate hunting!"
She'd started the search in earnest. She still didn't know this town well, so she was scouting the different districts on foot to see what was where.
"Hmm. Guess I'll tag along."
"No way! You draw too much attention."
"It's dangerous if something happens, isn't it!"
"Excuse me, but I'm an adventurer too! C-rank, for your information!"
She didn't miss the way Luke's expression darkened for a split second.
"What?"
"Hm?"
Luke played it off. Clearly, he hadn't wanted her to notice.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?"
"How do you get so sharp about these things all of a sudden~"
He scratched his cheek with a wry grin.
"Whatever. You were going to find out anyway."
Luke looked hesitant, picking his words carefully as he let her in on the news.
"Wait, what? The Eagle party got bumped to B-rank!? And what about me!?"
"You've already left the party, so that's not happening..."
"Dammit! I got played! That is so frustrating!!!"
Rank determinations were usually based on a track record spanning three to six months. C-rank and above were held to stricter standards than the lower tiers, making the assessment process longer and more rigorous. In other words, Eagle's promotion was secured entirely on the merit of the results she'd produced. And since it took about a month for the promotion to take effect after the initial decision, it had already been locked in by the time they kicked her out.
"You definitely knew about this, didn't you!?"
"This kind of news travels fast."
"Ughhh! If I were B-rank, the fee for my guild Healer services would've gone up!"
She buried her face in her hands, kicking her legs under the table.
"...If you really want that B-rank, I can help."
"No... I think this is my cue to finally give up on being an adventurer."
At first, it had just been for the money. For a woman without status like her, becoming an adventurer was the fastest path to earning enough to live on her own. Sure, it was dangerous, but she had her skills, and more importantly, the idea of being worked to death by someone else for pennies—like her life in her previous world—1 was unbearable.
(She wondered if that black company ever went under?)
But somewhere along the way, she'd actually started to enjoy the work. She felt a strange pang of sadness knowing she'd have to leave it behind someday.
"Money, huh... Ever thought about marriage as a way out?"
"If I find someone good, sure."
"Wait!? You're actually considering it!?"
"What!? Are you saying someone from an orphanage can't possibly get married!?"
"That's not what I meant..."
Unfortunately, titles mattered in this world. It was nearly impossible for someone from an orphanage to marry into a wealthy family. Since she wanted a stable life, she was essentially forced to care about titles.
"Shouldn't it be more about... love and stuff?"
"I want that too, obviously! But I also want stability! I want a peaceful life!"
She answered with extra conviction.
"That's why I decided to get it for myself. Relying on others is a dead end."
She finished the rest of her tea and stood up.
"Let's go."
Her shoulders were slumped, but Luke followed after her.
"Look..."
"Oh, let it go. Let me take a walk."
"Seriously..."
She felt a strange mix of wanting to be alone and not. Anetta aside, she had trusted the members of Eagle. She wanted to trust them. She wanted to believe they'd only kicked her out because Anetta forced their hand.
"I'm such an idiot."
Rank is everything to an adventurer. Especially for a Healer, the difference in headcount between C-rank and B-rank is massive. It's a position that's incredibly difficult to ascend to. That B-rank title was something she'd wanted more than anything. And naturally, Eagle knew that.
"You're not an idiot. Anyone can see those guys are just trash."
"Hey! You can't just go around calling a Marquis's son trash!"
She had to force some energy into her voice. She didn't want Luke to see how much she was dragging. She'd been having fun every day, but she realized then that her mental recovery regarding the exile was still a work in progress.
"Woah!"
Luke ruffled her hair into a complete mess.
"We're going to see the ocean! Come on!"
He didn't wait for an answer, just grabbed her hand and started pulling.
Summary:
Tricia enjoys her relative success as a healer in the town of Edinbia while processing the sting of being excluded from her former party's promotion. Luke provides emotional support, revealing that her former party is indeed reaping the rewards of her past efforts. The scene ends with Luke whisking her away to see the ocean to lift her spirits.
Trivia:
- The dungeon's difficulty has increased for unexplained reasons.
- The assessment process for C-rank adventurers and above is notably rigorous and slow.
- Luke is the son of a Marquis, which adds a layer of irony to him calling other nobles "trash."
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ A Japanese term referring to an exploitative, sweatshop-like company that subjects employees to long hours, low pay, and poor working conditions.
Notes:
• Tricia - A pragmatic C-Rank healer and orphan with dark, shoulder-length hair and obsidian eyes, she hides her exceptional healing expertise and rare "Reset" skill—which reverses physical damage and restores items—to avoid exploitation. After being ousted from her party, she lives in Edinbia, using her memories of a past life to build financial stability and a passive income empire while assisting low-rankers.
• Luke - A silver-haired, blue-eyed S-rank adventurer and noble-born son of a Marquis, he is Tricia's wealthy childhood friend, protector, and mentor. Though notoriously surly and a solo fighter, he maintains a mischievous, carefree persona for her sake. As her confidant and manager, he supports her passive income empire and dungeon ventures, balancing his overwhelming combat power with devoted companionship.
• Eagle - A B-rank adventurer and former party member of Tricia, this swordsman has reddish-brown hair and bright, orange-tinted eyes. Growing up with Tricia in an orphanage, he is gentle but easily swayed. Burdened by guilt after betraying Tricia—his long-time companion—to pursue a relationship with Anetta, he maintains a stoic demeanor, though his history with Tricia remains a source of visible discomfort.
• Anetta - A blonde, manipulative adventurer and Sorcerer skilled in offensive and healing magic. Once part of Tricia and Eagle’s party, she used her influence to usurp Tricia’s position as Eagle’s romantic partner, leading to Tricia’s expulsion. Known for her hostility toward Tricia and a nuisance to fellow adventurers, she maintains significant control over the party while showing little regard for others.