Mushoku Tensei — Chapter 56 - Some Daily Life 3

Four months in the new house, and I'd kept taking commissions the whole time.

Not because I needed the money. Because of the restlessness gnawing at me.

Zenith still hasn't been found, and here I am — enjoying everyday life?

That thought wouldn't stop echoing. So I kept taking work, kept trying to pick up any lead on Zenith.

"Brother, you're going out on a mission again?"

I'd barely thrown on my robe when Aisha's voice came from the entryway.

"Yeah. Funds are more than fine, but extra coin never hurts. Why are you up this early?"

"Because I have to water my flowers... Wait! Don't change the subject. I'm coming too."

She caught herself and lunged to grab me, ready to throw a full tantrum. I sidestepped her.

I smoothed out my robe and kept my voice as level as I could.

"No. This commission is dangerous."

"Ehh~ You say that every time. And you used to let me come all the time..."

"Before was different. I was training you. Every job I picked back then was one where you could protect yourself and I could still keep an eye on you."

Aisha tilted her head, thinking that over.

"So what's the mission this time?"

"There's a lone Red Dragon in the marshlands to the west. Its wing is injured, can't fly off. I'm going to hunt it."

"Then I should come even more! I've never hunted a Red Dragon before!"

"No. Too risky."

"Brother, isn't your protective streak a little excessive?"

My protective streak is excessive?

I looked at her and felt nothing of the sort.

She's ten years old. Ten. There was no version of this where I let her anywhere near a dangerous commission.

Aisha is good, no question. Her swordsmanship has traces of Eris in it, and she layers magic in while she fights.

But so what? She's ten.

"Not even slightly excessive."

I reached out and flicked her on the forehead.

"Stay home and behave. The maids will be up soon. Eat breakfast, then go into town and buy whatever you want."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"Okay~ Safe travels, Brother~"

I ruffled her hair and headed for the meeting point.

Little sisters, as a concept, are a genuinely wonderful thing.

She likes me for no particular reason. She's willful for no particular reason. Mischievous for no particular reason. And all of it just makes me feel like the world is a good place.

If I'd had a little sister in my previous life too, would I have felt this happy back then?

...

"Yo! Rudeus, been waiting forever!"

Bahn waved from across the road. Four people stood with him, his party.

"Alright. We can move out."

"Your sister didn't tag along? I figured she'd kick up a fuss until you caved."

"She kicked up a fuss. I smoothed it over with gold."

"Ha! Being your sister must be a great life."

We set off toward the marshlands after that, and nobody talked tactics. Just the usual back-and-forth about nothing in particular.

An hour later, we were there.

In the center of the marsh, a massive Red Dragon lay slumped in the muck.

It looked worn down. Several adventurer parties must have come through before us.

The scattered gear on the ground told the rest of the story. Most of those encounters hadn't ended well.

"Captain, what's the plan?"

One of the warriors asked.

Bahn smiled.

"We go straight at it. Rudeus, wait for your opening and end it in one shot."

"Works for me."

I nodded. Bahn knew I could do it.

We were about to move when 2 adventurer squads came charging in ahead of us and startled the dragon.

Bahn put his arm out, stopping his people.

"Let them wear it down first. They're not going to take this one."

The party settled back into the shadows and waited.

30 minutes. The Red Dragon's stamina had barely dipped. The 2 squads, on the other hand, were barely holding together.

No one dead yet, but missing limbs were another matter.

"Alright. Our turn."

Bahn gave the word and all 5 of them rushed out.

I stayed back in the shadows, waiting for the cast window.

Bahn's warrior raised his shield and soaked the dragon's tail sweep. The swordsman found a gap and drove his blade into the Red Dragon's eye. While the dragon roared, Bahn moved up the line and started cycling heals and defensive buffs across his teammates.

I've always respected that about him. He's a priest who fights from the front. In any MMO back home, a player like him would've had guild invites stacking up.

After their fight crossed the 30-minute mark, I raised the Arrogant Water Dragon King.

One killing blow. I formed the Magic Circle.

It took shape in the air above the dragon. I held it there and called out.

"Bahn! Now!"

"Got it! Everyone, scatter!"

The instant his party cleared out, I brought the ice pillars down.

As far as I can tell, damage-type magic doesn't really distinguish between Intermediate Magic and Saint-level, not when raw mana is the variable. Pour enough in, and Intermediate Magic hits like a Saint-tier strike. The area of effect stays narrower because of the spell's own nature, but the ceiling on pure force? There isn't one.

The pillars hit. Enormous, crashing down one after another.

The Red Dragon screamed once and went still.

"No matter how many times I see it, it's still absurd..."

Bahn stared at the corpse, his eyes wide.

Once I confirmed it was dead, I walked over to the 2 squads that had rushed in before us.

"O miraculous angel, grant the breath of heaven unto the drumbeat of life..."

Healing magic washed over them. Then I looked at their arms.

Nothing I could do.

Since the day Aisha nearly died, I'd spent almost every evening studying healing magic. I'd tried everything I could think of. But regenerating severed limbs, that was still beyond me.

The healing itself had improved, though. Wounds this extensive, I could at least close them and stop the bleeding. Last time, I couldn't even do that much...

"Thank you, Rudeus..."

The leaders of both squads dipped their heads toward me at the same time. Then they gathered their injured and headed back.

"Yeah."

Thanks. It wasn't necessary.

If we'd arrived earlier, their injuries wouldn't have cost them their limbs. That's just the truth.

But that's adventuring. Self-interest is the default. If we hadn't shown up at all, some of them would have died here. Misjudging your own strength has consequences, and they were living proof.

"Yo! Drinks tonight? You've earned it, great hero."

Bahn slapped my shoulder from behind.

"Pass. My sister's waiting. Same cut as always, thirty percent. And keep your ears open for anything about my mother."

"Done! I'll make sure everyone at the guild hears about your heroics too!"

"Heroics... it really wasn't that dramatic. Do whatever you want."

"Yeah! We're getting that drink one of these days, no excuses!"

"Sure. One of these days."

...

The maids put down whatever they were doing the moment I pushed open the front door.

"Welcome home, Master."

"Where's Aisha?"

"She's in the courtyard."

"Go ahead and start on dinner."

"Yes, sir."

I walked out to the courtyard. Aisha was there, doing something with her flowers and plants.

Hm.

Did that tree just move?

I kept my eyes on it.

"Eek!"

It moved again.

"Ah! Brother! Welcome home!"

Aisha launched herself at me.

"I'm home... Can you explain why that tree is moving? It doesn't look like a demon tree."

"Right? Right? It moves but it's not a demon tree! I bought it at the auction house today!"

"You went to the auction house?"

"Yeah! They had all kinds of weird stuff. But I really like this one!"

"You... okay, as long as you like it. If it turns out to be aggressive, you're getting rid of it."

The tree moved again the moment I said it.

"I know! Leave it to me!"

Aisha puffed her chest out with complete confidence.

Fine. It's a tree that moves. This world has things far more dangerous than that.

Then I felt Aisha's hands moving all over me, lifting up my robe.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking if Brother got hurt~ Looks like you're okay."

"If a mage gets hurt, the mission's usually already a failure."

"Fair point."

"Let's eat. The maids should be close to done."

"Okay!"

...

I stretched out on the bed after dinner.

Aisha had gone straight back to the courtyard to tend to her plants again.

Though "tend" might be generous. It looked more like she was lecturing them.

Could those plants actually have their own thoughts? This is a world of swords and magic. Plant consciousness wasn't out of the question...

"Why am I even thinking about this..."

Lilia and Norn should arrive in about a month. Tomorrow I'd head over to the Magic University and get things sorted out in advance.

The drowsiness pulled at me. I was almost out.

I reached for the lamp.

"Brother?"

I opened my eyes and sat up.

"What?"

"Let's take a bath together."

"Aren't you a little old to not be embarrassed by that?"

"Not even a little! Come on~"

"You're growing up. There's a difference between boys and girls."

"You're the one with weird thoughts, Brother! How old do you think I am?!"

Well...

She had a point.

Aisha was still pretty young...

I gave up and nodded.

"Fine. Just so you know, I'm exhausted today."

"I'll scrub Brother's back! Just sit back and relax!"

"Stop saying things like that."

➤ Next: Reunion 2 — Heartbreak