"Why couldn't you just see me off properly?"
Roxy pouted, looking resentfully at Alan, who was sprawled out on the carriage seat, hugging his sword like a lazy couch potato.
"I!... I thought you were going to become an adventurer with me… but you…"
After getting on, Alan had explained that he was just there to see her off for a bit. This immediately shattered the happy Roxy's defenses. She didn't want to look at the scoundrel anymore, turning her head to stare out the carriage window, muttering incoherently.
"You couldn't be found during the send-off, but here you are seeing me off now… You might as well have stayed with them. You sneak out now, but you'll have to go back later anyway…"
Alan found Roxy's expression amusing. He naturally understood that the long-lonely Roxy had misunderstood, thinking he had come around and accepted her proposal from two months ago to become adventurers together.
'You're a wanted man anyway, so you might as well flee the country, right?'
But in his current state, Alan really couldn't. After all, the participation in the major events of Mushoku Tensei was hanging over him.
He shook his head. "Since I snuck out, I'm obviously not just seeing you off for a short distance. Didn't you say a week ago that there were bandits blocking the road outside Rigate City? Since this whole thing started because of me, it's only reasonable for me to escort you safely to Rigate City. Last time, you killed one of their men. If you get stopped again, what if they have more people, or even a skilled swordsman… what will you do?"
Roxy suddenly turned to look at Alan, her expression dazed. Although she felt like Alan was using sophistry, at first listen, it sounded quite reasonable. Just as she was about to think it over, Alan spoke again.
"That bandit group's hideout is clearly involved in some smuggling business. Slave trading is almost a certainty. If, by any chance, you get caught, will our next reunion be at a black market for slaves? In the little girl section, no less… Ouch!"
As he spoke, Roxy kicked him in annoyance and turned back to the window.
Alan blinked. Seeing that Roxy had been successfully distracted and was no longer questioning the reasonableness of him escorting her to Rigate City, he secretly sighed in relief. He could handle the Mane Wolf cleanup by himself.
First: he didn't want to cause Roxy any more trouble. Besides, if he told her plainly, Roxy, being the kind-hearted Blue Mama she was, would probably insist on coming along.
Also, after careful consideration last night, Alan had set a principle for his future actions:
Under the premise of maintaining the original storyline as much as possible, he would farm points to get the full-score extra reward for each stage's major event. If there was a fierce conflict between the two, he would rather give up the full-score reward than randomly stir up the butterfly effect.
Logically, his future knowledge from the novel was a bigger cheat than the point rewards, and the benefits were more stable.
So, Alan made a judgment: the butterfly effect concerning Roxy should end here. He had to avoid, as much as possible, the risk of Roxy's extra actions affecting the future storyline.
Second: Alan was more than enough on his own. In the dark underbelly of the world, a bandit group's rat nest wouldn't have masters above the Saint-rank mingling in it. Any potential Saint-rank masters would surely be around the bandit leader, not wasted on a task like this in the forest.
For the relatively peaceful childhood period, this was a perfect whetstone.
But it wasn't just for sharpening his claws. Alan was also making this trip to eliminate the possibility of the bandit group investigating and tracing him back to Buena Village. A gray-area bandit group like this would have many enemies. Even if their base was wiped out, as long as he left no survivors and burned the evidence, the chance of suspicion falling on him was very small.
This way, all the variables of the childhood period would be brought back on track.
Alan looked up at Roxy, whose expression had improved considerably, and chuckled.
"But as for becoming adventurers together, there will definitely be a chance in the future, I promise. I'm still too young right now, and you know I'm wanted, so I definitely won't be going home to inherit the family business. In that case, how about I spend another three or four years honing my swordsmanship with Sir Paul, and then I'll come find you to be adventurers together, okay?"
'Teaming up with Roxy after the Great Displacement is a good choice. By then, I'll also have location retrieval, which will help avoid the awkward situation from the original story where they just missed each other at the port. Not bad.'
Roxy glanced at Alan, and it suddenly dawned on her that Alan was only nine years old. Because he was tall and acted very mature, Roxy always subconsciously overlooked his age.
"…I forgot you were only nine… Your smooth-talking really doesn't sound like a nine-year-old."
Alan's face fell.
"When have I ever been a smooth-talker?"
Roxy stared at him for a long time without speaking, then changed the subject.
"But I don't have enough food."
Alan took a jar of Batilus flower seed powder from his pocket and said excitedly.
"See! I came prepared. Don't you like sweet and spicy things? I can hunt demonic beasts for you, and then roast…"
Alan stopped mid-sentence, his face stiffening as he saw the strange look on Roxy's face as she stared at the Batilus flower seed powder.
'Crap, I keep forgetting that too much of this stuff causes fainting… I thought I wouldn't see Roxy for a few years, but here she is!! Wait! Has she already fainted from it before?!?'
Roxy squinted, not saying a word, her gaze shifting between the jar and Alan's face. Finally, she pursed her lips.
"…I didn't even bring it up, and you have the nerve to take it out."
"…Let me explain…"
Before he could finish, he saw Roxy open her suitcase and take out the completely empty jar. She scratched her cheek, her face flushed, and said.
"Although it seems to have some… improper uses… it's really delicious. Good thing I know detoxification magic… But I'll say this upfront, from now on, I'm going to use detoxification magic on myself every time after I eat it!"
'What do you mean it seems to have some improper uses?! If I really wanted to do something else, wouldn't I just buy an aphrodisiac?! And you don't need to specifically state that you'll use detoxification magic! Am I going to hold your hand and stop you from using it? And why do you need to emphasize this point at all! Do I look that much like a predator?! Huh?!?'
Seeing this, Alan's mouth twitched. He had a thousand retorts but couldn't say any of them. He could only mumble.
"Detoxification is probably a good idea."
"…Give it to me. I'll hold onto it. When you want to eat, ask me for it, to prevent you from using it recklessly."
"…You just want to secretly keep it for yourself, don't you?"
"No!"
—
Night, Buena Village.
Rudy stared at his own little boxer briefs in the shrine, completely stunned.
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