The weakest tamer, who was expelled because they could only tame the lowest-ranked trash monsters, awakens the "Breeder" ability. Eventually, they become a hero commanding extraordinary divine beasts and mythical creatures. - Chapter 55
**Episode 055: Commencement of the Request**
“Hahaha. The youth these days are full of energy, it’s quite refreshing,” a well-dressed man approached, watching the playful quarrel between the two with an amused smile.
“Oh, Pedro-san, sorry about that,” El apologized with a somewhat embarrassed expression, hastily bowing her head.
“No need to worry. It’s quite alright. It’s good to see such lively spirits. Is the last person you mentioned someone you know?” Pedro, a man in his early forties with a robust build, a slight beard, and a gentle demeanor, turned his gaze towards me as if observing his own child.
“Yes, we formed a party together when we participated in the Orc subjugation before. Without him, we might not have made it this far,” El explained, showing trust in me. “He is a reliable companion. Trust is something a merchant values the most, after all. May I inquire about your name?”
“Yes, I’m called Ilk. And this is my familiar, Lily. Nice to meet you,” I responded, bowing my head, and Lily followed suit.
“Hmm, a Fire Kite, isn’t it? You have quite an impressive familiar. I am Pedro, a merchant. Nice to meet you both. I look forward to traveling together,” Pedro said as we shook hands.
“Is everyone ready?” Pedro asked.
“Yes, we are ready anytime,” El replied.
“Alright, let’s depart,” Pedro instructed.
Following Pedro’s lead, we passed through the city gate. Leaving the city other than going into the forest felt refreshing, as it was my first time since I returned after being expelled. The scenery seemed novel.
This time, the escort request was for a journey to the city of Alvesta, located three days east from my hometown. Perhaps the receptionist recommended this request, considering the short duration, the presence of El and others familiar with me, and the fact that it was my first time.
“Is it okay for Ilk, who is most suited for reconnaissance, to take the lead?” El, the most suitable leader in terms of personality, took charge again.
“Yes, leave it to me,” I agreed, nodding in approval.
Among us, Lily was the only one capable of flying. It was something I had anticipated from the start.
“On the left side of the carriage, it’s me and Chaco. On the right side, it’s Keith. At the back, Chris and Lucky. And we’ll leave it to Caron,” El directed.
“Leave it to me!”
“Understood.”
With four of us and a slightly smaller number for escort duty, having familiars for each of us might make up for the shortage, making us more suitable for this task.
“Chichi Chichii,” Lily took off from my shoulder, soaring into the sky to survey the surroundings.
After traveling for a while, Keith muttered disappointedly, “Nothing’s happening.”
“It’s better if nothing happens so quickly,” El said, sounding exasperated.
Keith might have been imagining intense battles upon hearing about the escort. While such situations could occur, actual battles were not that frequent. When I attended the academy and returned, fights didn’t happen that often—perhaps once every few hours at most. This led me to a sudden question.
“Could it be that this is El and the others’ first escort request?”
I turned around to ask.
“Yes. We have to take on an escort request at least once to rank up to C-rank,” El replied. “We aim for higher ranks to face more challenges and increase rewards.”
As El answered first, Keith and Chris followed suit. It seemed like they were approaching a rank-up as well, just as I had anticipated. After progressing for about two hours, Lily sensed something. When we shared our vision, I saw the image of monsters ambushing in a forest about 400 meters ahead on my left.
“There are five Forest Wolves lying in ambush in the forest on the right,” Lily reported.
“Got it. If they attack, let Lily launch a preemptive strike from the air. Chris, use enhancement magic. After that, Keith, go for an attack. I’ll provide support,” El instructed everyone based on my words.
“What about me?”
“Ilk, stay vigilant around us. There might be other foes attacking from different directions.”
“Understood.”
The group of Forest Wolves, unaware that we had spotted them, rushed toward us, only to be swiftly annihilated.
After that, Lily continued to spot enemies in advance, ensuring that we faced no difficulties in battle.
“You all are truly outstanding,” Pedro praised us.
“Well, it’s not like we’re anything special…”
El and the others looked a bit embarrassed but didn’t seem entirely displeased.
After several battles, we reached our campsite for the day. This time, the request required us to cover our own meals, so each of us had to prepare our own provisions.
As a result, we bought some preserved food.
“Ugh…”
“Chii…”
However, both I and Lily wrinkled our noses at the taste. Since we had been storing delicious meals in the cultivation warehouse, we had become accustomed to good food. Despite buying preserved food to avoid suspicion, the taste was worse than expected, making it a challenging time for my refined palate.
“Well then, let’s take turns keeping watch in preparation for a night raid.”
We spent the night taking shifts, prepared for a potential nighttime attack.
The first day concluded without any significant events.