Roxanne was the first to attack the Naive Olive. True to its name, the monster stood there naively, completely motionless even as Roxanne closed the distance.
She thrust straight into its main body with her new Flame Rapier.
[Roxanne
Beast Warrior Level 13
Equipment: Round Steel Shield, Steel Forehead Protector, Dragon Leather Jacket, Dragon Leather Boots, Dragon Leather Gloves, Flame Rapier, Sacrificial Misanga]
The plant demon finally sprang to life, its thin body twisting as it lashed out with multiple branches. Roxanne danced between the attacks with practiced ease, evading every strike while continuing her relentless thrusts.
Setsuna rushed in next, swinging her steel sword in wide, forceful arcs.
[Setsuna
Villager Level 4
Equipment: Round Steel Shield, Steel Forehead Protector, Hard Leather Jacket, Hard Leather Boots, Hard Leather Gloves, Steel Sword, Sacrificial Misanga]
However, it quickly became clear that the plant was barely reacting to her blows.
Well she was only a Level 4 Villager. I doubted her attacks could deal any meaningful damage to a Level 6 demon.
Hopefully, she would manage to level up at least once today and reach Villager Level 5—that would unlock the Beast Warrior job for her.
As I was thinking that, Viviana had already moved in behind Setsuna and took up a position beside Roxanne.
Through my level-up rewards, I had learned the subtle fundamentals of proper sword handling, and the Viviana standing before me was executing those techniques almost textbook-perfectly.
[Viviana
Warrior Level 5
Equipment: Round Steel Shield, Steel Forehead Protector, Steel Plate Armor, Steel Boots, Steel Gauntlets, Steel Sword, Sacrificial Misanga]
The contrast between Setsuna's wild, forceful swings and Viviana's precise, efficient slashes was immediately obvious. Either Viviana was naturally talented, or she had trained diligently to master the sword.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to have her teach the others later.
Also unlike most of the girls, who had chosen hard leather armor, Viviana had opted for steel instead—clearly something she was already accustomed to wearing.
After her, Lillia and Erina had also reached the demon. They split off to attack from behind.
Lillia wielded a steel sword as well. Her strikes weren't as refined as Viviana's, but they were far from sloppy.
[Lillia
Master Tailor Level 7
Equipment: Steel Boots,Round Steel Shield, Steel Sword, Steel Forehead Protector, Hard Leather Jacket,1x Hard Leather Gloves, Sacrificial Misanga]
Still, her job wasn't combat-oriented, and the plant demon seemed to ignore her attacks just as it had Setsuna's.
Erina, on the other hand, thrusted her steel spear forward with all her strength—but every strike met nothing but empty air.
[Erina
Cook Level 1
Equipment: Steel Boots, Steel Spear, Steel Helmet, Hard Leather Jacket, Hard Leather Gloves, Sacrificial Misanga]
Just as I had suspected, she had been power-leveled into becoming a cook and had virtually no real combat experience.
'If you're having trouble hitting the plant's main body, aim for its thin legs. They don't move much,' I said through party chat, offering the advice indirectly rather than singling anyone out.
Erina seemed to realize the hint was meant for her. She grit her teeth and angled her spear downward. She still missed one or two thrusts, but this time she managed to strike the demon's wooden body.
Roxanne continued to hold the monster's aggro with ease, deftly evading every counterattack while landing her own precise strikes. The others pressed their attacks relentlessly, gradually wearing the demon down.
Seeing this, I chose not to intervene. I wanted them to finish it on their own.
So I stayed back, observing closely and offering occasional instructions whenever I noticed something off.
It took them nearly ten minutes to finally bring the demon down.
Roxanne, Setsuna, Viviana, and Lillia looked relatively fine afterward, but Erina was hunched over, huffing and taking deep breaths. She was clearly exhausted.
'Good work, girls,' I said through party chat as I passed Erina a waterskin. 'You did well holding out Erina. Next time, just don't overexert yourself.'
'T-thank you,' she replied, her face slightly red as she drank deeply. 'I-I can make lots of delicious dishes with olive oil.'
She handed the waterskin back shyly.
Was she embarrassed about her poor performance and trying to make up for it using the demon drop?
'We'll all be looking forward to it then,' I said with a smile. 'Let's continue. Roxanne, this time try to find a pair of demons.'
'Yes, Master,' Roxanne replied with a nod as she started moving ahead.
From here on out, I would be joining the fight, so I adjusted my BP as well.
[Character Settings
BP:0
Status:
Bonus Equipment:
Bonus Spells: Incantation Omission
Bonus Skills: Required Experience Reduction x 6, Experience Gain x 5, Sixth Job, Appraisal, Character Reset]
_
Bonus point used: 130
Necessary Exp Reduction x 5 (x1/20): 31
Exp Gain Up x 6 (x40): 63
Incantation Omission: 3
Sixth Job: 31
Char reset: 1
Appraisal: 1
_
[Job Setting
Acquired Job: Villager Level 25, Thief Level 20, Hero Level 20, Farmer Level 1, Explorer Level 32, Swordsman Level 4, Warrior Level 31, Merchant Level 20, Wizard Level 31, Herbalist Level 1, Monk Level 19, Alchemist Level 20, Sex Maniac Level 13, Knight Level 1, Bounty Hunter Level 1, Cook Level 1
Set Job: Explorer Level 32, Hero Level 20, Wizard Level 31, Swordsman Level 4, Alchemist Level 20, Monk Level 19]
_
Explorer, Hero, and Wizard were jobs I couldn't remove. I kept Alchemist and Monk active so I could provide Plating and heal the girls when needed. Swordsman stayed as well—as I needed to level it up properly.
While we were moving, I pointed out the mistakes they had made during the previous fight and asked Roxanne if she had anything to add. She shook her head, and not long after, we encountered the next set of monsters.
[Naive Olive Level 6]
[Mino Level 6]
'Ignore the plant for now. Focus on the Mino,' I instructed, gripping my steel rod.
'I'll stop its charge first. Keep up with me,' Roxanne said to the girls, as she dashed forward.
The buffalo-like demon locked onto us immediately, its eyes turning red as it began to charge. I remembered that it had resistance to fire attacks, so I cast Sand Ball instead.
Even after being struck by the spell, the Mino didn't slow down.
Roxanne intercepted it head-on, slamming her shield into its skull and redirecting its momentum straight into the labyrinth wall. The moment it crashed, the rest of the girls closed in and began attacking.
The Naive Olive, meanwhile, seemed completely unaware that its companion was being assaulted and continued wandering aimlessly.
I counted to five, then struck the Mino with another Sand Ball.
Eating my magic, the Mino tried to charge again, but Roxanne kept smashing its head with her shield, repeatedly pivoting it back into the wall. I caught the faint sound of her chanting, and a moment later, her Flame Rapier ignited as she thrust it straight toward the buffalo's eyes.
The Mino roared in pain and fury—but it still couldn't endure the third Sand Ball.
The moment its body dissolved into smoke, I spoke up. 'Don't stop. Switch targets—take down the plant now.'
'Yes, Master!' Roxanne replied as she immediately charged towards it.
With my fire magic added into the mix, the Naive Olive didn't last long.
This time, most of the girls fought cleanly without making obvious mistakes. The battle ended quickly, and I instructed Roxanne to locate the next group of monsters right away.
The next enemies we encountered were a pair of Cheep Sheep. As planned, Roxanne took one of them on by herself, while the rest of the girls handled the second as a group.
They did their best to maintain constant pressure on the sheep. At one point, Viviana bravely stepped in and blocked an incoming attack that had been aimed at Setsuna. Between the Plating, her shield, and her steel armor, she wasn't seriously hurt—but I still used Healing on her once the fight was over.
From that point onward, even Erina seemed to gain a bit more confidence, and Setsuna started pacing her attacks instead of swinging wildly.
As the girls grew more comfortable, I deliberately slowed down my use of magic, giving them room to improve their teamwork. By the end of it, all of them except Roxanne had taken a few hits. Seeing such beautiful girls getting hurt did sting a little, but I steeled myself and focused on keeping everyone properly healed and replated.
After dealing with a Mino and a pair of Cheep Sheep—during which even I had to step in with my sword—I decided that this was enough training for this team.
'Alright, we'll stop here for today,' I said. 'You all did really well. I'm proud of you.'
My gaze drifted to Erina. Her fair face was slick with sweat, and she was leaning against the wall just to stay upright.
Lillia, Setsuna, and Viviana looked exhausted as well, confirming that ending the training now was the right call.
Only Roxanne looked like she hadn't had enough fun.
That was fine—she would be coming back here soon with the next team anyway.
"Did Setsuna really do well, Master?" Setsuna asked as she walked up to me, her blue eyes openly seeking praise.
"Yes," I said, patting her head. "You did very well."
Her blue wolf ears were damp with sweat, but still soft and fluffy.
"Hehe. Setsuna will do even better from now on and get lots of praise from Master," she said with a bright, happy smile.
As much as I enjoyed seeing her so happy, I could feel someone's intense stare on me.
"You all deserve my praise," I said quickly, "especially Roxanne, for doing such a good job leading the team."
I beckoned her closer and patted her head as well.
"Thank you, Master," she replied with a sweet smile—one that finally put my heart at ease.
Still, as I looked at the others, I knew I couldn't stop there.
Lillia looked genuinely happy when I patted her head. Viviana, on the other hand, blushed deeply as my hand rested on her hair.
It was a little awkward even for me—she was a twenty-two-year-old woman, after all—but the way her cheeks were tinted red made her look unexpectedly lovely.
It made me want to tease her more.
Last was Erina. Her blonde hair was slick with sweat as she removed her steel helmet. I gently patted her head and told her she had done a good job.
She leaned into my hand with a sweet grin, clearly enjoying it.
"Alright, let's head back," I said, discreetly wiping the sweat from my hand.
The moment I opened the Warp, Erina was the first to step through—her legs wobbling as she walked. I could only shake my head and motion for the others to follow.
We emerged back in the drawing room, where most of the girls quickly gathered around Viviana and Setsuna, eagerly asking about the labyrinth.
Erina, meanwhile, had collapsed onto the sofa.
When Sherry moved to wake her, I stopped her. "Let her rest for now."
"The first team did very well. I expect the same from all of you," I said, looking over the girls. "The next team will be Anastasia, Ram, Rem, and Miria. Roxanne will be joining this team as well."
"Nee-sama… it's our turn now," Rem muttered nervously.
"Don't worry," Ram said with a grin. "With such excellent weapons, we'll be fine, Rem."
Rem nodded, gripping her flail tightly.
"Onee-sama will help-desu," Miria said as she stepped up beside them.
"Thank you, Miria Onee-sama," Rem replied with a relieved grin.
"Also, Erina," I said as I walked over.
"Yesssh… yesss, Master," she muttered, trying her best to sit up with trembling hands.
"After you catch your breath, I want you to start preparing dinner," I said, helping her sit upright. "Lillia, Setsuna, and Viviana—you can change out of your equipment and help her."
Preparing food for nearly twenty people would take time. They needed to start well before the sun began to set.
"Master, fish-desu!" Miria exclaimed, her face lighting up.
"Yes, yes. There'll be a fish dish too—happy?" I said, rolling my eyes.
"One demon for one fish-desu!" Miria declared, nodding firmly.
"Don't get greedy," I said, lightly chopping her head.
"Ouch… no greedy-desu," she muttered, then tilted her head. "Ten demons for one fish?"
"Don't try to bargain with me," I said with a grin. "The faster you finish this training, the sooner you can come back. I'll even let you cook one whole fish however you want."
"Thank you-desu!" Miria said happily after Lillia translated for her.
Just as I was relieved that I had managed to calm down this fish-obsessed cat, Roxanne said something utterly shocking.
"Yes, Master will personally pat our heads after we finish our training," Roxanne announced proudly. "It's Master's way of showing his love for us. And whoever does the best gets their head patted the longest."
"Ooooh!"
The girls instantly lit up with excitement.
…When did I ever say that?
Don't tell me Roxanne had just found a loophole to get her head patted again—especially since she was going to be a part of this team too.
I couldn't help but sigh.
Looks like yet another strange tradition had been added to this household—without my consent.
***
[Gorama 27 has redeemed an Extra Chapter this week]