You really are just sending me off?

"What, so I'm not allowed to see you off?"

Lokkishi pouted, puffing out her cheeks as she glared at Allen, who was slumped in a carriage seat, sword in hand, looking utterly relaxed.

"I! I thought you were going to be an adventurer with me, but instead, you…"

After Allen got into the carriage, he explained to Lokkishi that he was just seeing her off for part of the way. This instantly deflated Lokkishi, who had been beaming with joy. She refused to look at the scoundrel any longer, turning her head to stare out the carriage window, muttering incoherently to herself.

"You couldn't find anyone to see you off, but here you are seeing me off anyway… You might as well have stayed with them. You snuck out, but you'll have to go back soon anyway."

Allen couldn't help but find Lokkishi's expression amusing. He naturally understood that Lokkishi, having been lonely for so long, had mistakenly thought he'd come around and accepted her proposal from two months ago to become adventurers together.

You're wanted anyway, so wouldn't it be better to go far away?

But Allen's current situation really wouldn't allow for that, especially with the Mushoku Tensei major event hanging over his head.

He shook his head. "If I snuck out, it's certainly not just to see you off for a short distance. Didn't you say a week ago that there were bandits blocking the road outside Rigette City? Since this matter started because of me, it's only reasonable that I escort you safely to Rigette City, right? You killed their people last time. If you get stopped again this time, and they bring a lot of people, or even skilled Swordsmen… what will you do?"

Lokkishi suddenly spun to face Allen, her expression a little dazed. Although she felt Allen was being sophomoric, at first listen, it somehow seemed quite reasonable. Just as she was about to think it over, Allen spoke again.

"The stronghold of that bandit group clearly engages in smuggling. Slave trading is definitely a given. What if you really get caught? Will our next reunion be in a black market for slaves? The kind in the child section… Ow!"

As he spoke, Lokkishi gave Allen an annoyed kick and turned to look out the carriage window again.

Allen blinked, seeing that Lokkishi, after his little charade, clearly wasn't going to press the issue of whether it was reasonable for him to only see her to the outskirts of Rigette City. He silently breathed a sigh of relief. Clearing out the Mane Wolf was something he could do alone.

Firstly, he didn't want to cause Lokkishi any more trouble. And if he explained it clearly, Lokkishi might insist on coming along, and Blue Mom was too kind.

Furthermore, Allen had thought carefully before going to sleep last night and set a guideline for his future actions:

While trying to maintain the original storyline as much as possible, he would accumulate points to earn the full score bonus for each stage's major event. If there was a fierce contradiction between the two, he would rather give up the full score bonus than arbitrarily trigger the Butterfly Effect.

From a rational perspective, the foresight gained from reading the novel was a greater advantage, and its benefits were more stable than mere point rewards.

So Allen made a judgment: the Butterfly Effect concerning Lokkishi should end here. He needed to avoid Lokkishi's additional actions risking the future development of the storyline as much as possible.

Secondly, Allen alone was completely sufficient. For a dark, rat-infested underground organization like a bandit group, experts above the Saint-level wouldn't mix in. And any potential Saint-level experts would certainly be around the bandit leader, not being wasted by sending them into the forest for this task.

For his relatively conflict-free early stage, this was a perfect whetstone.

However, it wasn't just for honing his skills. Allen's trip was also to prevent the bandits from constantly gathering information and potentially discovering Buena Village. And such gray-area bandit groups had many enemies. Even if their stronghold was wiped out, as long as no one was left alive and all traces were burned, the chances of suspicion falling on Allen would be very small.

This way, all the variables in his early life would be corrected.

Allen looked up at Lokkishi, whose expression had improved significantly, and chuckled.

"But if we become adventurers together, there will definitely be an opportunity in the future, I promise. For now, I'm still too young, and you know I'm wanted, so I definitely won't be going home to inherit the family business. So, in three or four years, after I've continued to hone my Swordsmanship with Sir Paul, I'll come find you, and we can be adventurers together, okay?"

Acting with Lokkishi after the Great Teleportation is a good choice. By then, I'll have location retrieval, which can avoid the awkward situation of passing each other by at the port in the original storyline. Not bad.

Lokkishi glanced at Allen, suddenly remembering that he was only nine years old. Because he was tall and acted very mature, Lokkishi always subconsciously overlooked his age.

"…I completely forgot you were only nine… Your glibness really doesn't seem nine years old."

Allen pulled a long face.

"What do you mean, glib?"

Lokkishi stared at him intently for a long time without speaking, but when she finally did, she changed the subject.

"But I didn't bring enough food…"

Hearing this, Allen pulled out a can of Batil Flower seed powder from his pocket and said excitedly, "See! I came prepared! Don't you like sweet and spicy things? I can hunt Demon Beasts for you, and then roast them…"

Allen stopped mid-sentence, seeing Lokkishi's strange expression as she stared at the Batil Flower seed powder. His face stiffened.

Oh no, I keep forgetting that too much of this stuff causes fainting… I thought I wouldn't see Lokkishi for years! And now here she is!! Wait! She hasn't already fainted from it, has she?!

Lokkishi squinted, not speaking, her gaze darting between the can and Allen's face. Finally, she pouted.

"…I didn't even bring it up, and you have the nerve to offer it."

"…This, let me explain…"

He was halfway through his sentence when he saw Lokkishi open her luggage and pull out a completely empty can from inside. She scratched her face, blushing, and said, "Although it seems to have some… unorthodox uses… it really tastes good. Luckily, I know Detoxification Magic. But I'll tell you now, every time I eat this, I'll have to use Detoxification Magic on myself!"

What does she mean, "unorthodox uses"?! If I really wanted to use this for something else, wouldn't it be better to just buy an aphrodisiac?! And the Detoxification Magic part doesn't need special explanation, does it?! Am I going to hold your hand and stop you from using Detoxification Magic? And why does she need to specifically bring this up and emphasize it?! Do I look like a lecher?! Huh?!

Allen's mouth twitched at this sight. He had many retorts in his mind but couldn't voice them, so he could only mumble, "Yes, it definitely should be detoxified."

"…Give it to me. I'll keep it, and you can ask me for it when you want to eat it, just in case you use it inappropriately."

"You just want to secretly keep it for yourself, don't you?"

"No!"

***

Night, Buena Village.

Rudy stared at his boxer briefs in the Shrine, lost in a daze.