After that, Seneca and Maiol received treatment.

  Attalos, with a cheerful step, told them, “We’ll be heading out for the request in three days. Get ready,” and disappeared into a tavern with Naeus.

  The following day, they tried to ask Naeus about Attalos, but he merely said, “I’ve been told to keep quiet about it,” and refused to answer.

  However, it was clear that Attalos was a highly skilled and reliable adventurer, so Seneca and Maiol decided to quietly accept the request. It also helped that they had Turia’s support.

  The two of them learned the details of the request from Turia and diligently made preparations.

  ...

  The request was to investigate the depths of the Baet Forest.

  In recent months, five mutated species of monsters had been confirmed in the area, including the wild monkeys that Seneca and Maiol had sin. Fortunately, there had been no casualties, and none of the mutated creatures had been as powerful as the wild monkeys, meaning the damage had been minimal thus far. However, they couldn’t predict when things might take a turn for the worse.

  Thus, Attalos had been tasked with investigating the situation, using Seneca and Maiol’s exam as an opportunity to do so.

  Of the adventurers Seneca had fought, the strongest had been her parents, along with Lucius. She had heard that all four of them were Silver rank.

  She also had a good sense of the strength of Copper-ranked adventurers, such as those from the “Oak Branch” party. Seneca had come to realise that her own abilities were now on par with Copper rank.

  Still, compared to those she had fought, Attalos stood out as exceptionally strong. Perhaps even too strong.

  Attalos seemed stronger than Seneca’s memories of her parents. That meant he likely had the strength of a Gold-ranked adventurer or higher.

  Seneca felt that staying with Attalos would bring her closer to that level of strength. She was more than willing to seize this opportunity.

  Additionally, there was an odd sense of nostalgia that Seneca felt toward Attalos, though she couldn’t quite pce why.

  ...

  On the day of the request, the three of them gathered at the gate.

  For this mission, they would be camping in the Baet Forest while conducting their investigation for several days, or perhaps up to a week. Each of them had various tools in tow.

  Today, their first task was to prepare the campsite.

  There was a hill in the Baet Forest that was commonly used for camping, so they would take a detour to avoid monsters and head there. The journey would likely take half a day.

  As they walked, the three of them conversed.

  “Maiol, according to the report, you can detect magical energy accumutions with your skill, right? During this mission, I need you to scan as wide an area as possible at regur intervals,” Attalos said, gncing at the map.

  “Understood. So, this matter is reted to magical energy accumutions, then?” Maiol asked.

  “Yes, exactly. While it’s not uncommon for mutated species to occasionally appear in a group, the frequency is usually low. But in cases like this, where they are appearing frequently, the cause is often a magical energy accumution,” Attalos expined.

  “But we still don’t know how these energy accumutions form, right?” Seneca asked, looking thoughtful.

  “That’s right. We don’t fully understand it. But there are different types of energy accumutions. If it’s a scattered, intermittent occurrence, it’s not usually an issue. But if a dense, central accumution forms, we’ll have to deal with it,” Attalos replied.

  “Does that cause stronger mutated species to appear?” Maiol inquired.

  “That’s certainly one possibility, but it can lead to even more troublesome situations. For example, a dense accumution can sometimes trigger a stampede,” Attalos said, his tone serious.

  “A stampede?!” Seneca gasped, jumping to her feet.

  “That’s not something you hear about often, is it?” Maiol added, shocked.

  “Indeed. It’s a sensitive topic, so it’s not widely discussed. Normally, only adventurers capable of detecting magical energy would be told about it. The guild likely intended to tell you when you reached Copper rank, but I’m telling you now,” Attalos expined, his pace steady as he continued to walk.

  Seneca hesitated, then asked carefully, “Does this mean that the mission is really important?”

  “The investigation itself is important because if we overlook the signs of a potential stampede, it could be disastrous. However, we’re not the only ones investigating. While it’s vital to take this seriously, it’s also important not to get too absorbed in it,” Attalos replied, not missing a beat.

  “Got it,” Maiol said, making a mental note of the lesson.

  Attalos continued imparting his knowledge to the two of them.

  “That tree over there—do you recognise it as a Pinus? Can you tell the difference in the bark? If you look closely, you’ll see that the scales run vertically and crack in a certain way. If you strip the bark and boil the white inner skin, it’s edible. I’ve used it to survive on four occasions. It’s quite common up north when food is scarce.”

  Seneca and Maiol were both fascinated by this practical advice, and they eagerly listened, eager to learn more.

  Attalos continued to share countless survival tips: ways to test whether unfamiliar pnts were edible, how to craft a simple stone axe, and how to dig a hole without any tools. His lessons were boundless, and Seneca and Maiol found themselves immersed in the knowledge.

  “My gut tells me you’ll both run into some trouble soon—whether it’s hunger, cold, or thirst. So listen carefully to what the older folks tell you. Take these threats seriously and make sure to verify what you’ve learned while you're still safe. Adventurers who don't verify things don't st long,” Attalos advised.

  With that in mind, Seneca and Maiol found a suitable Pinus tree, stripped the bark, and extracted the white inner yer. They boiled it during their break, seasoned it with salt, and sampled their meal.

  “Yuck!” Seneca and Maiol grimaced in unison.

  It was as if the very essence of despair had been distilled into a single bite—so bitter it was almost unbearable.

  Attalos chuckled. “Oh, I forgot to mention: you should’ve soaked it overnight to remove the bitterness! Well, you’ve learned something new today.”

  Enraged, Seneca and Maiol tried to nd a punch on Attalos, but he was too quick for them.

  ...

  As Attalos continued his practical lessons, the group eventually arrived at their campsite.

  Attalos urged them to work quickly on setting up, emphasising the importance of speed. Seneca and Maiol scrambled to complete their tasks, but were still reprimanded for being “terribly slow.”

  The two of them settled down for the night, while Attalos took the first watch. They were to rest and leave the early morning shift to him.

  After enjoying a delicious meal made by Attalos from dried meat and wild pnts, the two adventurers fell asleep.

  ...

  “Oi, wake up, both of you. It’s morning,” came Attalos’s voice from outside the tent.

  Seneca groggily stirred, responding with a zy, “Alright.”

  She shook Maiol awake. “Maiol, it’s morning. A lovely morning.”

  Maiol, after a brief groan, snapped to attention, immediately getting up.

  The two of them exited the tent and greeted Attalos.

  “There was no trouble st night. But be ready—soon enough, the monsters will begin to stir, so stay alert,” Attalos said, his expression unreadable.

  The shift change complete, Maiol used her [Detection] skill while Seneca inspected animal tracks and kept watch.

  ...

  The rest of the day passed with little progress in the magical energy accumution investigation.

  “I’ll keep an eye on things, so you two try fighting something,” Attalos suggested.

  For example, a mad ox was a monster typically fought by a Copper-ranked party. Seneca and Maiol could likely take it down on their own, but it was a risky move to make without support. With Attalos, however, the situation was different.

  They were given a rare opportunity to fight a superior foe in a safe environment.

  “Maiol, your shield angle is off. That’ll get you hurt,” Attalos instructed.

  Despite not offering much guidance during their battle, Attalos repeatedly corrected Maiol’s use of the shield.

  “Maiol, that’s the posture for absorbing the blow. You’re supposed to deflect it.”

  Seneca and Maiol were both curious. It seemed Attalos had some kind of fixation on shields, even though he didn’t use one himself.

  Curious, Seneca asked, “What’s your skill, Attalos? If you don’t mind me asking…”

  “I suppose I should let you know in case we end up fighting together. My skill is [Magic Swordmanship],” Attalos replied casually.

  “Wow!” Seneca excimed.

  “...What’s with you, Seneca? Why are you jumping around?” Attalos asked, his eyebrow raised.

  “[Magic Swordmanship] is a prestigious skill! I’ve always admired it!” Seneca expined, eyes sparkling with admiration.

  Attalos and Maiol exchanged a gnce and waited for Seneca to calm down.

  ...

  They soon encountered a thunder boar nearby. Attalos drew his sword, its sheath glinting in the light, and walked towards the beast with purpose.

  He deliberately made noise, almost as if inviting the creature to attack.

  “[Magic Swordmanship] is skilled in mid- to long-range magic, but it’s no match for a full-fledged mage. In close combat, though, it’s the magical sword that proves most effective,” Attalos expined loudly, clearly trying to provoke the thunder boar.

  He tossed a small stone at the creature, hitting it on the forehead. The beast immediately charged, enraged.

  “This sword is forged from Mithril, which has a high affinity with magical energy,” Attalos continued, raising his sword.

  Maiol could sense the immense value of the weapon, but Seneca hadn’t yet caught on.

  “With this sword, I can imbue it with magical energy and change its properties. There are many possibilities, but for simplicity, let’s use fire for this demonstration.”

  Attalos’s energy flowed into the sword with precision. It seemed almost artistic, the magic weaving into the bde as if it were second nature. Even Seneca, with her strange sense of perception, could feel the magic flowing.

  In mere moments, the sword shifted through ice, lightning, and water before finally igniting with fme.

  “I’m using fire for crity, but the property shift happens when I strike. Watch closely,” Attalos instructed.

  The air grew still as a thunder boar charged at them with incredible speed.

  Attalos stood motionless, observing the creature’s movements. When the boar was within range, he took a single step forward, sshing his sword in a graceful arc.

  The bde cut through the beast effortlessly, setting it abze. Within seconds, the thunder boar was reduced to ash, blown away by the wind.