Chapter 2 – A Healer Capable of Close Combat

Having got a party member with a considerable strength by a dream-like miracle, I decided to dive into the labyrinth right away.

「Wow…… I don’t know there is such a secret path… It’s cool that Onii-san know it.」

「Well, Those people who taught me the in and out of adventuring are the one that’s amazing. It’s them who taught me about this path.」

Currently, we’re near the lowest part of the upper layer of the labyrinth.
Normally, as the first party activity, we should be fighting the monsters from the upper layer.
After all, in this place, even though not as strong as the one in the lower-layer, the monsters that appear here are incomparable to the one in the upper layer.
However, with me being a defect healer, having a party with a beautiful girl would gather a lot of attention, so we had to come to this place where there weren’t many people.

Besides, I had a belief that I won’t be able to gauge Narsena’s ability unless it’s against monsters as troublesome as the enemies in this layer.

After seeing her nodded without hesitation to my invitation to go to the middle layer, I believed Narsena also had the confidence she could go around in this layer without a problem.
After making my decision, I opened my mouth.

「Well, I will help you if you think it would become dangerous, but for now, can you show me your strength by fighting against the monsters here alone?」

「Okay, understand! Look at me properly then!」

After hearing my request, Narsena nodded vigorously with a smile full of confidence on her face.

◆ ◆ ◇

「Haaaa-!」

「Gugi, Gugaga …」

「Alright! This is the fifth one!」

Narsena’s battle that began after that was really awesome.
Even the middle-layer’s monster, the so feared Orc is easily defeated by Narsena.
Monsters are stronger than humans and full of vitality.
However, humans are said to be able to compete with monsters because they possess skills.
Even then, as humanoid monsters, Orc could use skills while having a body that is stronger than human, that’s why, Orc is said to be a troublesome monster comparable to monsters from the lower-layer.
That is why Orc is called the fiend of the middle-layer.

…… However, Narsena had very easily defeated that fiend.

「Onii-san, I will collect the magic stones of these orcs now! The meat is bulky and there are only two of use, so let’s give up on them.」

「Ahh, right, I will also help to dismantle them.」

After having consecutive battles against orcs, we immediately started to dismantle the orcs as we had some leeway.
Seeing her, I realized I was underestimating Narsena.

There are two types of skills that adventurers use.
One is skills that continuously strengthen strength and magic, the other is skills that active for a short period of time that produces a special effect when attacking enemies.

Narsena has both kinds of skills.
It’s said that having two skills mean they have talent as adventurers.
But Narsena is more than that.
Both of Narsena’s two skills are excellent.

…… That talent is incomparable to mine, she who has demonstrated her talent is extremely strong.

And as far as I can see, Narsena’s strength doesn’t only lay in her skills.
Even though she has the foundation of talent, it would take considerable training for someone as young as her to be able to use the skills.
That was why, I made my decision after we finished dismantling the orcs.

「How is it? It’s amazing right?! I will protect Onii-san!」

Narsena rushed over to me to say just that.
Looking at her, I smiled, then said,

「Yeah, if I’m with you, it will be fine if we go to the lower-layer right now.」

「Yeah! That’s right……?」

…… Right at this moment, Narsena’s complexion changed.

◆ ◆ ◇

「… What? Wait, Just both of us going to the lower-layer?」

「Yes.」

「Just because Onii-san kicked from the party, it doesn’t mean Onii-san can be this rash!」

「Huhhh-!?」

Narsena seemed like floating from her good mood until now.
However, the moment she heard my plan to go to the lower-layer, she started to desperately persuade me as her face turned pale.
No, this is not because of rashness.
No, wait, so me getting kicked out from the party is already so widespread that even Narsena who met me for the first time has already know huh……
…… seriously, why did Narsena joined my party.
While thinking that question, I tried to prove that I wasn’t simply being rash.

「No, it’s fine, I’m a jack of all trade after all.」

「If it’s just jack of all trade, then Onii-san definitely shouldn’t go to the lower-layer! Don’t we need to gather members of various occupation to go there! You know, like a warrior, or thief who is good at detecting traps?」

… However, maybe it was because of my poor choice of words, but Narsena became more heated up.
I tried to persuade her again while regretting my poor choice of words.

「No, I mean, I can also become a tank or detecting…」

「Gyaaaaaaaaa!」

Before I could finish, the presence of something jumping out from the wall behind me interrupted my words.

「Onii-sannn!」

Uneasiness showed up on Narsena’s face. Seeing the current Narsena, I realized what just appeared from the wall.
Perhaps, what just appeared from the wall is a monster called worm.
It looks like a large earthworm and is always hidden behind the walls and floors of the labyrinth. It always appears at the timing when the adventurer is most lax, such as after combat.
It’s a magic beast with troublesome behavior that is hated by the adventurers who go to the middle-layer just like the orcs.

「Hahhh~ I’m in the middle of persuading someone now…」

However, regardless of how many monsters are there, I hope it would think about the timing and let me finish my explanation first at least. With such meaningless thought on my mind, I thrust the dagger I took from my waist.

「Gyyyyee!」

The next moment, the worm was penetrated by the dagger at its head and then stopped moving after letting out its death agony.
Without ceasing my wariness to the worm who had stopped moving, I started to check whether it was truly dead.
The amount of life force a magic beast had made it so it wouldn’t be killed by an attack from a human being.
Especially in the case of attack without skills like mine, one blow would never enough unless you were lucky.
But fortunately, the worm seemed to have died immediately, I stopped my vigilance against the worm.

「… Hey… Onii-san, is a healer right?」

「Huh?」

Narsena, who had been stunned for some moment asked that question.
I tried to answer that it was just a matter of course for me, but the words stuck in my mouth when I saw the expression on her face.
Narsena’s face shown a surprised look she couldn’t hide.
Ahhh, is it because there aren’t that many healers capable of close combat? Is that why she’s surprised?
Then, at that time I realized something.

Speaking of which, this is a chance to persuade Narsena to go to the lower-layer.

「I’m a healer who is capable of close combat.」

…… But at that time, I who said that with a triumphant look, failed to understand the true meaning of Narsena’s surprise.

——— The meaning of a rear-guard who had no relation to close combat defeating a magic beast in one blow.

「… Umm Onii-san, I know what you’re trying to say, but that’s not very cool.」

「… Yeah, sorry, I got carried away.」

It took me some time to understand my ability, which I had underestimated …