Roxy Migurdia

Roxy put a hand to her face and gave it a gentle pinch. It hurt! Rubbing her reddened cheek, she concluded that she wasn't dreaming. Looking at Cain's youthful, earnest face before her, she felt she had been terribly rude.

He already introduced himself and agreed to my request, so of course he was serious. What am I even doubting him for?!

Quickly placing her hand against her slender, fair neck, Roxy began chanting at speed.

"Sacred breath, source of life's nourishment, grant those afflicted with deadly poison and tormented by illness the power to regain life and dispel toxins! Antidote!"

This was beginner-level Detoxification Magic.

The flush on Roxy's cheeks quickly faded. The Detoxification Magic cleared away her drunkenness, and her hazy eyes became quite serious. Pressing her lips together, she looked at Cain and gave a slight bow.

"H-hello. My name is Roxy Migurdia."

"Oh, hello! That was magic just now, right? That's amazing!"

Cain pointed at the hand Roxy had held against her neck, which had glowed faintly green, and eagerly asked. This girl named Roxy had been too drunk to stand steady a moment ago, yet now she was completely alert, as though nothing had happened.

Magic is so convenient!

Cain couldn't help wondering whether he could use that spell to spare himself the misery of a hangover if he got drunk in the future.

Huh? The Second Sword God has never seen Detoxification Magic? Is he really a Sword God...?

Roxy didn't know that Cain truly had never seen Detoxification Magic.

He had spent all his time in the Sword Sanctum swinging his sword over and over. Besides, even when someone there was poisoned, they generally used antidote herbs rather than Detoxification Magic.

That made Roxy the first actual mage he had ever met.

Roxy cleared her throat twice. Even if he was a Sword God, she couldn't let herself look intimidated. After all, she was a Water Saint-class mage...

Hmm... As I am now, I don't seem to amount to much in front of him...

But I'll definitely become a King-class or even Emperor-class mage someday!

That's right! I'll become someone on his level. Well, probably...

Feeling both a little unsure and a little confident, Roxy lightly clenched her fists.

In truth, Roxy didn't want to be an adventurer at present. But after arguing with her teacher over their views on magic, she had left the Magic University and returned to adventuring. She wanted to prove her talent, and thereby prove her teacher wrong!

"Ahem. This is Lower Detoxification Magic," Roxy said with her hands on her hips and a stern expression, like a teacher.

"That's incredible! Could you teach me?"

"Huh?!"

Watching Cain bring his handsome, somewhat boyish face close to hers, his eyes shining with excitement and hope, Roxy pressed her lips together as her cheeks reddened slightly. A bead of cold sweat formed on her forehead, and she didn't know what to do.

Seeing Roxy retreat two steps to keep her distance, her eyes darting about uneasily, Cain realized he had gotten carried away. He stepped back to give her more space and cleared his throat twice to ease the awkwardness.

Learning Detoxification Magic could wait. Right now, he couldn't scare off his only navigator... his only teammate.

"S-sorry. This is my first time being an adventurer, so I got a little excited. But I'll give it my all. I look forward to working with you, Miss Roxy."

Cain cleared his throat twice, gave her a radiant smile, and bowed slightly.

Roxy was astonished by his humble bow. He didn't put on any airs at all?! Wasn't he the Sword God of the Sword God Style?!

In Roxy's mind, most practitioners of the Sword God Style were a bunch of people with a screw loose.

"N-no need for that..."

Roxy breathed a sigh of relief, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. He seemed like someone easy to get along with.

Yes! I've really struck gold. I can finally say goodbye to the lost curse! Thinking this, Cain couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from rising.

Roxy pressed her lips together, struggling to contain her excitement. No, I can't smile yet. To think I'd meet a Divine Rank swordsman, and he'd even agree to form an adventurer party with me!

Honestly, it was like a dream.

This experience would probably give her enough to brag about at the Magic University for the rest of her life.

Looking at Cain's outstretched little hand, Roxy smiled. Each harboring their own thoughts, the two shook hands lightly and reached an agreement.

From the look of him, he must have hurried away from the Sword Sanctum right after receiving the title of Sword God from the Sword God himself. I don't know why, but it seems he only just became an adventurer. Does that mean I get to share his first experience? This is wonderful!

Sword God Style swordsmen might have something wrong with their heads and be terribly single-minded, but most value their reputations. They're straightforward and don't scheme. Besides, this boy holds the title of Second Sword God of the Sword God Style. Yes, he probably won't go back on his word.

Thinking this with confidence, Roxy looked at Cain and put on a grown-up air.

"Ahem. All right, you want to take that B-rank job? I know the way, but I want us to split the reward equally."

"No problem."

Roxy took the request from Cain, looked it over, and nodded slightly.

The two first went to the front desk to register their party, then left the Adventurers' Guild under everyone's astonished gazes.

Zoldat's mouth hung open. Even now, he couldn't believe his eyes.

He had just watched a Sword God Style swordsman who might be the best in the world form a party with some unknown adventurer right before his eyes?!

Isn't he the Second Sword God? Shouldn't he be aloof? Shouldn't he have flatly refused that third-rate mage from who-knows-where?! Why did he agree?!!

All sorts of questions surfaced in his mind. Unable to make sense of it, Zoldat felt as though he had missed out on a hundred million Asura Gold Coins...

If he had recruited someone that powerful, their Thunder Adventurer Party could definitely have advanced to S-rank. They might even have reached SS-rank!

But now that swordsman had formed a party with another adventurer...

"Tch. If he's that casual about it, he'd probably team up with anyone. Besides, if someone like him joined us, all our swordsmen would probably be out of work. Looks like he's still a rookie, anyway. We're better off not recruiting him..."

The mage Rina watched Zoldat sitting on his stool, looking thoroughly disgruntled as he gulped down fruit wine and slammed his cup onto the table with a clack. Covering her red lips, she let out a couple of quiet giggles.

"Oh my, our captain just can't be honest with himself."

"Hey, Rina, that's not true! Still, next time we meet someone like that, I should at least go ask..."

"So, Cain, why did you become an adventurer?"

As they walked through the bustling crowds on Ranoa Street, Roxy brushed her blue bangs aside and looked curiously at Cain.

"Well, because I heard adventurers make good money..."

Cain scratched his cheek and thought seriously for a moment before answering. He didn't say anything embarrassingly grandiose about becoming the strongest in the world or surpassing the gods, because he wanted to leave Roxy with a good first impression.

He didn't want Roxy to see him as some delusional lunatic or treat him like the other Sword God Style swordsmen. If she disliked him or deliberately kept her distance, that would really make things difficult.

After all, Roxy was his one and only vital navigator.

If she abandoned him in the wilderness, he had no idea how long he would have to wander before finding his way back.

Sincerity is the ultimate weapon!

Right, it's decided! I have to get on good terms with Roxy! Cain thought.

"Huh?!"

"Cain, are you short on money?"

"Me? Desperately..."

The corner of Roxy's eye twitched as she looked at Cain's awkward, somewhat dejected expression.

"If you need money, wouldn't you earn more by going to the Asura Kingdom or the Three Magic Nations, or becoming a royal guard in Sharia City?"

"With your title of Second Sword God, the nobility or royal family should pay you at least five Asura Gold Coins."

Watching Roxy hold up five slender fingers with softly rounded tips, Cain pressed his lips together. Meeting her curious blue eyes, he spoke with some embarrassment.

"Well... To be honest, Roxy, I originally intended to go to the Asura Kingdom..."

"Huh? The Asura Kingdom is nowhere near here. Why did you come to Ranoa, then, Cain? Aren't you getting farther and farther away from the Red Dragon's Upper Jaw?"

There were generally two main routes into the Asura Kingdom: the Red Dragon's Upper Jaw and the Red Dragon's Lower Jaw. Other routes existed, of course, but anyone taking them was very likely to be attacked by the packs of red dragons living in the mountains.

"Well... There was a little mishap..."

"Anyway, I'll go to the Asura Kingdom someday to study swordsmanship."

As he spoke, Cain tightened his hand around the Demon Sword Instant Void at his waist. Selling this demon sword would probably fetch plenty of Asura Gold Coins, enough that he wouldn't have to worry about money anymore. Of course, he would never do that. Even if he starved to death out in the wilderness, he wouldn't sell it.

It was the dream his master had entrusted to him, a priceless treasure.

Roxy watched the corners of Cain's mouth rise as he gently caressed the demon blade at his waist. Its long, slender blade and golden patterns made it look exceedingly valuable, and his eyes held a look of reminiscence. She couldn't help tilting her head slightly in curiosity.

A Sword God Style swordsman who has reached Divine Rank, going to the Asura Kingdom to study swordsmanship...

He must be joking...