Chapter 3: Renka Isn’t Used to Relying on Others

A week had passed since Shinji joined <Running Wolves>.

Their adventures were going smoothly, and their party rank had risen from lower intermediate to middle intermediate. Benefiting from the rank-up, the group had ventured into a new dungeon.

“Then I’ll take the lead, with Al and Mee in the middle. Shinji, you take the rear.”

“Got it.” (“Understood.”) (“Got it.”)

Renka moved to the front. Shinji summoned his flower-contract spirit, Fraeli, to his shoulder and entrusted her with guarding the rear. Alwin and Meelis followed with tense expressions.

Monsters in the dungeon, when defeated, left behind energy crystals called magic stones before disappearing. Stronger monsters dropped magic stones with more energy, but their weight tended to increase proportionally. Exposed to the air for too long, the energy would dissipate, so specialized bags were provided for collection, and only one person would carry them. Deciding who would carry the magic stones was thus a critical decision.

“Are you sure it’s okay? Letting Shinji handle the magic stones?”

“It’s fine. It’s more logical to have the ranger handle quick movements rather than expecting that from a mage,” Shinji said, stopping Renka when she tried to take the bag. Convinced by his reasoning, Renka reluctantly handed the specialized bag to Shinji.

Before Shinji joined, Renka had always carried the bag. Giving it to the frontline fighter Alwin would hinder his mobility due to the weight, and Renka refused to let the younger Meelis carry it.

“Honestly, it’s a relief. The bag really got in the way when I was shooting arrows.”

“What, Renka? You could’ve just told me...I would’ve carried it.”

“Thank you, Renka-chan… I’m sorry for not noticing either.”

“You’re the frontline, Al, so you can’t afford to be weighed down! And I didn’t want Mee to carry it, so it’s fine.”

Having spent a week together, Shinji’s impression was that Renka, being older than Alwin and Meelis, often took the initiative out of a sense of responsibility. He surmised she wasn’t used to relying on others.

“From now on, as comrades, I hope you’ll rely on each other where you can. Of course, I’m counting on you all too,” Shinji said lightly.

Renka stopped in her tracks and turned back, her expression a complex mix of embarrassment and happiness, hard to describe.

“…You’re right. We’re comrades. I’m counting on you too.”

With that, she faced forward again and picked up the pace slightly.

“She was embarrassed.”

“Renka-chan… so cute.”

“Come on, you two. It’s not good to fall too far behind. Let’s keep moving.”

Shinji urged Alwin and Meelis, who were whispering to each other. His calm demeanor even made Alwin, who had been about to tease Renka, quiet down. He’s so mature, saying things that make people blush so casually, Meelis thought.

“Let’s take a short break.”

After defeating a fair number of monsters, Alwin suggested. The other three agreed, and they gathered in a safe corner where the monsters had been cleared.

“Shinji-san, how many magic stones have we collected?”

“About 60% of the bag’s capacity. At this pace, there shouldn’t be any problems if nothing unexpected happens. Would you like to check?”

“That’s a relief… Here, everyone, water and snacks.”

“Thanks! Mee.”

Shinji placed the bag in the center of the group. Alwin double-checked the contents, while Meelis prepared water and portable food for everyone. Alwin quickly grabbed his share, chugging the water and eating the snacks. Meanwhile, Renka, instead of taking hers, scanned the surroundings. So, Shinji’s next action was:

“Renka, take a break first. I’ll handle the watch...Fraeli can do it.”

He volunteered to keep guard. Renka instinctively objected.

“No, I’ll do it.”

“You’ve been moving around more than me, haven’t you? Let me handle it.”

Suspecting Shinji might just be trying to look good, Renka eyed him suspiciously, but he remained perfectly natural and composed. What he said wasn’t wrong, and her body was craving hydration. After a moment of silence, she relented. “Fine, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Then I’ll take mine later.”

With that, Shinji stepped away to the corner of the room alone.

“Sorry, Renka-chan. We’ve been relying on you all this time… I didn’t even notice.”

After Shinji left and they finished eating, Meelis apologized to Renka, who panicked.

“N-no, it’s fine, Mee! I did it on my own accord!”

In truth, Renka had been handling all the less visible tasks without consulting Alwin or Meelis. Even Alwin, usually quick with a quip, looked apologetic and guilty.

“No, I should’ve noticed too. I took it for granted that you’d handle it. My bad.”

“Even you, Al… Just drop it! Shinji said he’ll handle it from now on!”

Panicked, Renka’s hasty words made the other two nod.

“Yeah, we’ll make sure to do what we can too.”

“Shinji-san is so mature. He’s so considerate… Thanks to him, I realized how much we’ve been leaving to Renka-chan.”

“Well… he’s not a bad guy.”

Renka huffed and turned away. Seeing this, Alwin felt that perhaps Renka had finally accepted Shinji as a true comrade.