Are you serious?


    [Why don’t you go alone? That way you could reach the goal]


    [I don’t plan on doing that]


    Hearing my reply, Aria frowned.


    [Why? At this rate, you will not be able to pass the exam]


    First of all, she has a wounded leg and she doesn’t have a decent weapon.


    She will not be able to fight the monsters properly.


    If a supervisor was around, maybe he could ask them to help Aria, but sadly, i couldn’t see anyone around.


    Also, above all, if I left her it would give me a bad taste in my mouth.


    [We have worked very hard to get here. There’s no way I’m leaving you behind]


    [Why do you insist so much? We only met recently… ..]


    『It’s because I had it planned! Also here’s your chance to feel her chest on your back! 』


    Please shut up.


    [To be honest, I wouldn’t mind failing this exam]


    [Eh?]


    [Of course I want to pass. But, a failing is nothing. I can try again next year]


    […… ..]


    The reason I can say this is because I’ve already failed three times in the past, and I remember the experience of wanting to give up the first time.


    In other words, this is an extra stage.


    Now I have nothing to lose.


    [Aria, you may be rushing to your dream but You’re still young, it’s okay to take a break. Maybe one day you will get burned]


    [Sometimes you say very considerate things]


    [It can’t be helped. I’m already a 37 year old]


    [What?]


    Aria took a breath.


    [I thought you were still in your early thirties]


    They all seem think of me as being younger.


    Looks like my beard was worth shaving.


    [You know I’m actually old enough to be your father]


    [I’m really surprised]


    [Of course, So believe me i won’t lay a finger on you. So don’t worry ]


    [Ok….]


    I began to carry her with on my back.


    I could feel her chest press on my back.


    I had no ulterior motive, no ulterior motive, no ulterior motive.


    『”Don’t fight it! Just enjoy it!”』


    Ignoring Venus’s words, and with Aria on my back, we advanced through the dungeon.


    [As we are now it will be very difficult to escape]


    [We have no other choice but to pray that no monsters appear]


    As if our prayers was heard, the ogres stopped appearing.


    We advanced for about ten minutes, We haven’t encountered any orges, and only two rabbit monsters called Almiraj came out.


    [The ogres doesn’t appear at all suddenly]


    [That’s true]


    In fact, i couldn’t even explain the this situation .


    Even if I think hard about it, I can’t think of the cause at all.


    No–


    [By the way, during the first exam, there weren’t many ogres either]


    [Yes. Ogres don’t appear much in forests….]


    I don’t think it’s related to this case… ..


    After that, we fought against various monsters, but there weren’t many, so it was easy.


    [I wonder if we can be among the 32 people]


    [Who knows]


    Almost seventy hours have passed since the start of the exam.


    All 32 may already be complete.


    [If we don’t succeed… ..]


    [We will try our luck next year]


    [Yes]


    Although Aria conveyed a feeling of sadness for a while, she seemed to be in a better mood than before with a smile and a positive nod.


    [Next time, you’ll have to earn enough money, and then challenge it after preparing everything]


    [Then maybe I should be an adventurer until then]


    Being an adventurer with her …… .that sounds like fun in so many ways.


    It’s just my selfish thought though.


    We don’t necessarily have to be a group of two.


    [We finally arrived]


    [Looks like there quite alot people who have already arrived… ..]


    I put Aria down and we walked over to the supervisor.


    We were quite nervous.


    [Congratulations you both are the 28th and 29th. The two of you passed the fourth exam]


    [ [We did it!] ]


    We consciously raise our voices at the same time.


    Although we had another chance next year, I’m glad we passed.


    We look at each other’s faces and share the joy.


    [We did it!]


    [Yes. I’m really glad]


    [All I did was to slow you down, I’m really sorry]


    [Dont worry about it. I would really like to enter with you to the academy]


    [I-I see]


    Thinking those words I said, it may be sound unpleasant.


    Perhaps there may be a strange misunderstanding.


    I knew it, she’s looking away.


    Her face is red, she may be angry.


    『”Luke. Are you serious? 』


    What are you talking about?


    『Hmm… .. Were you that kind of protagonist? but that’s fine it’s fun too! Kukuku, just wait, I’ll make you two —- 』


    It seems like Venus was talking about something, but I couldn’t grasp it.