E-Rantel. After two full days of adventure, the three of them finally returned.
Riding Hamsuke made them the undeniable center of attention as they entered the city.
People quickly stepped aside to clear a path, all eyes fixed on the trio atop the giant hamster. Conversations broke out everywhere, punctuated by gasps and incredulous exclamations.
"Is that the legendary Wise King of the Forest? What a terrifying magical beast!"
"I can feel it… there's immense power in its eyes."
"This is unbelievable. They look like complete rookies, and yet they managed to tame something like that?"
The people of E-Rantel were no strangers to the legend of the Wise King of the Forest.
For adventurers who ventured into the forest regularly, knowing about the Wise King of the Forest was basic knowledge.
A being with Hero-tier strength was, to the people of this world, practically synonymous with invincibility. No one had ever imagined that such a powerful magical beast could be subdued—let alone by three novice adventurers.
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"Hmm, looks like it's working pretty well."
Naohara glanced at the crowd, now deep in heated discussion, and nodded in satisfaction. This was exactly the effect he had hoped for.
For someone as shamelessly outgoing as Naohara, this kind of attention didn't embarrass him in the slightest. If anything, he wished the cheers were even louder.
He raised an arm and waved repeatedly, enthusiastically responding to the crowd, clearly enjoying himself.
"Even though I was prepared for this… it still feels a little strange."
Unlike Naohara's ease, Herohero seemed slightly tense. He sat stiffly, eyes locked firmly on Naohara's back.
For someone who disliked being stared at, this situation was deeply uncomfortable.
If Naohara and Momonga weren't beside him, he might already have activated [Elder Ooze True Form] and shut everyone up for good.
"It's fine, Herohero. At least our goal seems to have been achieved."
Momonga maintained an aloof, composed expression as he calmly observed the crowd, secretly speaking to the other two.
To be honest, even as an Undead, riding a hamster through the city under so many watchful eyes felt a little embarrassing. But with Naohara and Herohero beside him, it was manageable.
Being alone would have been awkward. With three people, it somehow felt better.
A socially fearless "Dragonoid," a socially anxious "Slime," and an ordinary "Undead." The combination was oddly balanced.
To fully enjoy this adventure in another world, neither Naohara nor Herohero had activated their emotion-suppressing passives, while Momonga kept [Eternal Seal] active the entire time.
Only by retaining their full range of emotions could they truly savor this journey.
That was also why, no matter how restless Herohero felt, he hadn't activated [Black Heart].
Amid the stunned whispers of the crowd, the trio rode Hamsuke slowly toward the Adventurers' Guild.
Like the most eye-catching figures in the entire city, they drew wave after wave of astonished gasps.
Seeing this, Naohara couldn't help thinking that if he had some kind of [Shock Strengthening System], he would probably have earned a massive amount of Shock Points from this trip alone.
In the crowd, they spotted the innkeeper, Ajjie. Standing amid the tightly packed onlookers, he was smiling brightly and waving at them.
Momonga and Naohara both raised their hands in response. Herohero had no desire to make any extra gestures, but after Naohara lightly patted his thigh as a reminder, he reluctantly lifted his hand in acknowledgment.
After all, he was their landlord. Herohero still needed to show him some respect. More importantly, he didn't want Naohara smacking him again. If things escalated, it wouldn't end well.
If that really happened, then either he or the entire city would be the one left standing.
Under countless watchful eyes, the trio finally arrived at the entrance of the Adventurers' Guild, a crowd of curious onlookers trailing behind them.
However, intimidated by the fearsome reputation of the Wise King of the Forest, no one dared to approach too closely. They all stopped more than ten meters away, watching from a distance.
Naohara and Momonga dismounted—more accurately, dis-hamstered—and pushed open the doors of the Adventurers' Guild, heading straight for the counter. Herohero followed silently behind them, not daring to say a word.
Hamsuke didn't enter. Because of her size, she had no choice but to wait outside for the time being.
...
"Hello. Remember us? We're the newbie team that took the Goblin extermination quest earlier. We're here to turn it in."
Naohara waved a hand at the staff member behind the counter, who looked so shocked they'd practically crashed, urging them back to reality.
Momonga lifted a hand as well. A small magic circle appeared, and a huge sack that reeked of blood thudded onto the counter. It was packed with Goblin ears, with a few Troll ears mixed in. (In truth, more than half of it was magically forged.)
"Ah! Um… yes, of course."
"Um, if I may ask… what is that outside the door?"
The staff member finally snapped out of it, hurriedly patting their face to calm down before adopting a respectful posture.
"Her name is Hamsuke. She's our pet now. In your terms, she's the Wise King of the Forest."
Naohara smiled at the staff member, savoring that stunned expression. He hadn't forgotten how the three of them had argued back and forth for half an hour just to get this Goblin extermination quest. In the end, they'd only secured it thanks to the passive effect of the World-Class Item [Millennium Rod].
Seeing that same disbelief now made Naohara feel wonderfully satisfied.
Momonga and Herohero, catching on, also shot Naohara looks that were basically suppressed laughter. Like him, they were thoroughly enjoying it.
"The Wise King of the Forest?! No way!"
"No wonder I felt the aura of a powerhouse from her. My instincts really are something."
"These three rookies are unbelievable…"
…
The surrounding adventurers erupted in shocked cries. They'd already noticed the massive magical beast at the entrance when Naohara's group came in, but no one had expected it to be the Wise King of the Forest.
"That is correct. I have been subdued by the strength of my three masters and have willingly become their pet."
Outside, Hamsuke rose to her feet. A wave of pressure rolled outward, and most of the adventurers instinctively took a step back.
"Silver-white fur, claws sharp enough to rip steel apart, and a tail like a giant serpent. Yeah, that's the Wise King of the Forest."
Someone immediately launched into an excited explanation, gesturing wildly as they spoke.
Combined with the overwhelming aura they'd just felt, it convinced most people on the spot.
"My apologies. Please wait a moment, honored guests. According to procedure, I will arrange an inspection at once."
The staff member bowed quickly, face tight with nervousness.
"It's fine, we can wait. Honestly, I preferred how you were before. That stubborn, high-and-mighty look."
"Ah… um. Yes."
The staff member froze. After understanding what Naohara meant, they went quiet for a moment, lowered their head as if steadying themselves, and when they looked up again, their expression had turned flat and composed.
Right now, the person in front of them was clearly not someone they could afford to offend. Anyone who could subdue the Wise King of the Forest wasn't within the reach of a mere staff member.
They would remember this.
Naohara and the other two nodded in satisfaction. Then, under the staff member's direction, they moved to nearby chairs and sat down, watching as the calculations began.
"Hey. Didn't think you'd cause this big of a stir."
"I knew back then you weren't ordinary. Looks like my intuition was right."
A red-haired female adventurer strode over, laughing as she gave Naohara's shoulder a hard slap.
"I told you. We're strong."
Seeing a familiar face, Naohara spread his hands with a helpless look.
"Yeah, yeah. Sure you are. So when you three strike it rich, don't forget to give this poor helpless woman a little boost, alright?"
The red-haired adventurer put on an exaggeratedly pitiful expression, clearly joking.
"Don't worry. From now on, you're under our protection. If you run into trouble, don't panic. Just drop our names."
"Heh, I'm looking forward to that day."
Naohara kept chatting with the red-haired adventurer. Momonga occasionally added a comment from the side, while Herohero did nothing but nod the whole time.