Roxy Migurdia

Roxy raised a hand to her face and gave it a light pinch. It hurt! Rubbing her reddened, swollen cheek, she realized she was not dreaming. Looking at Cain's youthful yet earnest expression, Roxy felt terribly rude.

He had clearly introduced himself and agreed to her request. He had to be serious. What exactly had she been doubting?!

Quickly placing her hand against her slender, pale neck, Roxy began chanting at once.

"Sacred breath, source that nourishes life, grant those poisoned and plagued by illness the power to regain their vitality and drive out toxins! Antidote!"

It was a beginner-level Detoxification Magic spell.

The flush on Roxy's cheeks rapidly faded, and the Detoxification Magic dispelled her drunkenness. Her unfocused gaze became serious as she pressed her lips together, looked at Cain, and gave a slight bow.

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

"Mm, hello! Was that magic just now? That was amazing!"

Cain pointed eagerly at the hand Roxy had held against her neck moments ago, which had faintly glowed green. The girl named Roxy had been so drunk she could barely stand, yet now she looked perfectly fine.

Magic was so convenient!

Cain could not help thinking that. If he got drunk in the future, could he use that spell to escape the misery of a hangover too?

Huh, the Second Sword God had never seen Detoxification Magic? Was he really the Sword God...?

Roxy did not know that Cain truly had never seen Detoxification Magic.

He had spent all his time in Sword God's Holy Land swinging his sword, and even when someone there was poisoned, they generally used antidotal herbs rather than Detoxification Magic.

So Roxy was the first magician he had ever truly encountered.

Roxy cleared her throat twice. Even if the other party was the Sword God, she could not show weakness. After all, she was a Water Saint-class magician...

Mm... though compared to him, she seemed a little lacking right now...

Still, she would definitely advance to King-class, or even Emperor-class, in the future!

That was right! She would become someone on his level. Well, probably...

Roxy thought this with a mixture of guilty uncertainty and faint confidence, lightly clenching her fist.

In truth, Roxy did not want to be an adventurer anymore. But after arguing with her teacher over their differing views on magic, she had left Magic University and returned to being an adventurer. She wanted to prove her talent and prove that her teacher had been wrong!

"Ahem, this is a lower-level Detoxification Magic spell," Roxy said seriously, hands on her hips like a teacher.

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

"Huh?!"

Cain brought his somewhat youthful, handsome face close to hers, his eyes full of excited anticipation. Roxy pressed her lips together, her cheeks flushing slightly as a bead of cold sweat ran down her forehead. She did not know what to do with herself.

Seeing Roxy take two steps back to keep her distance, her gaze wandering anxiously, Cain realized he had gotten carried away. He took a step back as well, creating some space, then cleared his throat twice to ease the awkwardness.

There would be time to learn Detoxification Magic later. He could not scare off his only navigator... his only teammate now.

"S-sorry. It's my first time being an adventurer, so I got a little excited. But I'll give it everything I have. Please take care of me from now on, Miss Roxy."

Cain cleared his throat twice, flashed a brilliant smile, and gave a slight bow.

Roxy was a little astonished by Cain's humble bow. He did not have any airs at all?! Was he not the Sword God of the Sword God Style?!

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

"N-no need for that..."

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

Yes! She had truly struck gold. She could finally say goodbye to the Lost Curse! Cain thought, unable to stop the corners of his lips from rising.

Roxy pressed her lips together, suppressing the anticipation in her heart. No, she could not smile yet. She had never expected to meet a Divine Rank swordsman, much less have him willingly form an adventurer party with her!

Honestly, it felt like a dream.

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

Looking at Cain's outstretched hand, Roxy smiled. Each had their own thoughts as they gently shook hands and reached an agreement.

Judging by how he looked, he had probably received the Sword God title from the Sword God and hurriedly left Sword God's Holy Land. She did not know why, but he seemed to have only just become an adventurer. Was she getting his first experience? This was wonderful!

Sword God Style swordsmen might all be brainless, single-minded idiots, but they generally treasured their reputations. They were straightforward and had no hidden schemes. And the person before her carried the title of Second Sword God. Mm, he probably would not go back on his word.

Thinking this confidently, Roxy looked at Cain and put on an adult-like expression as she spoke.

"Ahem, all right. Do you want to take that B-rank quest? I know the way, but I want an equal share of the reward."

"No problem."

Roxy took the commission from Cain's hand, looked it over, and nodded slightly.

The two first went to the front desk to complete the party registration, then left the Adventurers' Guild beneath everyone's astonished gazes.

Zoldat stood there with his mouth wide open, still unable to believe his eyes.

Right before his eyes, a Sword God Style swordsman who might have been the strongest in the world had formed a party with some unknown adventurer?!

Was he not the Second Sword God? Shouldn't he have been cold and aloof? Shouldn't he have flatly rejected the invitation of that third-rate magician from who knew where?! Why had he agreed?!!

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

If he had recruited someone with that kind of strength into his party, their Thunder Adventurer Party could surely have risen to S-rank. They might even have had a chance of becoming an SS-rank adventurer party!

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

"Tch, he's so casual that he'd probably team up with anyone. Besides, if someone like him joined our party, swordsmen like us would probably all lose our jobs. He seems like a rookie anyway, so it's better that we didn't recruit him..."

Seeing Zoldat sitting on the stool with an unwilling expression, the female magician Rina took huge gulps of fruit wine. Then, with a smack, she slammed her cup onto the table and covered her red lips as she giggled.

"My, my. Captain really isn't honest at all."

"Hey, Rina, that's not true! But if we run into someone like that again, we should go ask them..."

"Mm, so why did you become an adventurer, Cain?!"

The two walked along the crowded streets of Ranoa Street. Roxy brushed aside the blue bangs over her forehead and looked curiously at Cain.

"Well, I heard adventurers make a lot of money..."

Cain scratched his cheek and gave the matter serious thought before answering. He did not say anything cringeworthy about wanting to become the strongest in the world or surpass gods, because he wanted to leave Roxy with a good first impression.

He did not want Roxy to see him as some cringeworthy lunatic, or lump him in with other Sword God Style swordsmen. If she disliked him or deliberately kept her distance, Cain would be in real trouble.

After all, Roxy was his only important navigator.

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

Sincerity was the ultimate weapon!

Mm, it was decided! He had to build a good relationship with Roxy! Cain thought.

"Huh?!"

"Cain, are you really that short on money?"

"Me? Desperately..."

Roxy looked at Cain's uneasy, somewhat dejected expression, and the corner of her eye twitched slightly.

"If you're short on money, couldn't you earn more by becoming a royal guard in the Asura Kingdom, one of the Three Magic Nations, or Sharia City?"

"With your title as the Second Sword God, the salary offered by nobles or royalty shouldn't be less than five Asura Gold Coins, right?"

Cain watched Roxy hold up five round, slender fingers. He pressed his lips together slightly, met her curious azure eyes, and spoke somewhat sheepishly.

"Well... to be honest, Roxy, I had originally planned to go to the Asura Kingdom..."

"Huh? The Asura Kingdom isn't close to here. Then why did you come to Ranoa, Cain? Isn't this taking you farther and farther from Red Dragon's Upper Jaw?"

There were generally two main routes into the Asura Kingdom: one through Red Dragon's Upper Jaw, and one through Red Dragon's Lower Jaw. There were other routes, of course, but they carried a high risk of being attacked by packs of Red Dragons living in the mountains.

"Well... there was a little accident..."

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

As Cain spoke, he gripped the Demon Sword Instant Void at his waist. If he sold this demon sword, he could probably get a great many Asura Gold Coins. Then he would not have to worry about money. Of course, he would never do that. Even if he starved to death outside, he would not do it.

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

Roxy watched Cain's lips curve upward as his hand gently stroked the expensive-looking demon blade at his waist, its long blade adorned with golden patterns. There was a nostalgic look in his eyes, and Roxy could not help tilting her head in curiosity.

A Divine Rank Sword God Style swordsman going to the Asura Kingdom to study swordsmanship...

He had to be joking...