Ten days after repaying the debt, I was promoted to D-rank. It was the result of hunting monsters relentlessly in the field for a total of 18 days, including the time when I was in debt.
At the point of repaying the debt, I was somewhat tired, but the majority of the exhaustion was on a mental level. After repaying my debt, my motivation soared to its highest point, and my gradually filling wallet helped shake off my exhaustion.
Skipping E-rank was an outcome I had anticipated to some extent. There were multiple paths to D-rank promotion, but the most common route was completing over 20 explorations in the shallow areas of the field. Whether through monster subjugation or herb collection, it didn't matter. Promotion to D-rank was determined when it was judged that activities in the field were sufficient.
As a result, for someone like me whose activities in the central area were confirmed, skipping E-rank and directly promoting to D-rank was possible. It was also feasible to start from D-rank if one had letters of recommendation from renowned dojos or magic academies.
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And then, 15 days later, the leather pouch that served as my wallet was bulging, and finally, my motivation started to wane.
I upgraded my armor and bought a few magical tools, but still, I had just under 20 million gold coins. I wasn't someone who rejoiced in being surrounded by money, so I entrusted most of it to the adventurers' guild. Although my wallet had freed up some space again, I didn't feel motivated to fill it up once more. From here on, I intended to slow down, cycling through a loop of training, rest, and exploration.
After a day of exploration comes a day of training, but this time, I decided to skip training and take a break. I had managed to push through solely due to my high motivation, but as soon as I regained my senses, my body felt sluggish. Clearly, fatigue had accumulated, and I ended up sleeping soundly until nearly noon.
I had a light breakfast and, since it was a rare day off, decided to walk around the city. I headed in the opposite direction of the adventurers' guild for lunch. Other than the road that connected the inn, the adventurers' guild, and the city gate, I hadn't ventured elsewhere, so I walked slowly, taking in my surroundings. After walking for a while, I stumbled upon a street filled with food stalls.
The cuisine in this world was on par with that of modern-day Japan in terms of quality. Moreover, the abundance of seasonings, especially spices, led to an incredibly diverse range of dishes. Various tempting aromas wafted from the food stalls, making it hard to choose.
Before I knew it, I had reached the end of the street. The shops in this relatively unpopular area were sparse. Few customers were around, and there were no lines forming at any of the shops.
However, a few shops emitted incredibly appealing scents. It wasn't because their cooking skills were lacking; they seemed to handle less popular dishes. Since I didn't want to go through the trouble of returning, I decided to make my purchases in this area for today.
Unable to decide on just one thing, I also bought dinner and looked around for a place to sit. That's when I noticed a shabbily dressed girl in the narrow alley between two buildings. She was probably from the slums. While there wasn't a clear boundary for the slums, this area was a bit distant from what was generally referred to as the slums. I surveyed the surroundings, but aside from the girl, I didn't see anyone resembling her.
The girl stared enviously at the abundance of food I had held up on my chest. The next moment, our eyes locked. She simply stared without saying a word. Still, I wasn't heartless enough to ignore her.
"...I ended up buying too much, would you like to eat together?"
The girl who introduced herself as Lily seemed quite hungry, as she devoured all the food I had, leading me to buy lunch again. Only her skinny belly had a slight bulge. At the moment, she was enjoying the dessert I had bought along with my lunch, and I observed her closely.
Her body appeared emaciated, and her originally pale blond hair was now streaked with dirt and occasional spots of darkness. It seemed like she hadn't taken a bath in a while, as even from a distance of three meters, there was quite a strong smell.
Though she was from the slums, it was unusual for her to be in such dire circumstances. Even though they were given soup once a week and that they got together in groups and managed to survive, albeit in tough conditions, in the slums, deaths from starvation were supposed to be very rare. Most deaths there were due to murder or disease, not starvation.
Curious, I inquired about her situation, and Lily began to tell her story.
Until last month, she had been a member of the slums. Thanks to her mother being a mistress of a relatively well-known man in the slums, she had managed to have a relatively decent life within the slum community.
However, last month, her mother stole money from the man, and upon discovering it, the enraged man killed her mother. He was a violent man, and fearing his wrath, the other residents of the slums ostracized Lily.
Her mother had somewhat neglected her, and Lily's only solace was that she didn't feel the shock of losing her mother as intensely.
"I see, that must have been tough."
"Mm..."
I looked at Lily. She was around 14 years old, two years younger than me, but no matter how much you look at her, she looked no more than that of an upper elementary school student. Her growth seemed to be quite stunted.
However, I believed she had potential that would show in a few years.
Though dirt obscured her features, her nose and jawline had a graceful shape, and her eyes were large and expressive. If she could recover from the effects of malnutrition and manage her disheveled hair, she could be quite cute.
If she grows up in a way that suits my preferences, I might try to win her over or offer her a job if she's not interested in me romantically. Since I plan to own a mansion in the future, accommodating one more person wouldn't be a problem. I decided to hire Lily.
"Hey, would you be interested in helping out with some chores for me?"
"Is that okay?"
"Yeah, this could be fate as well."
Whether she becomes my woman or not, I couldn't just abandon a girl. It's painful for someone aiming for a harem to forsake a girl. Despite her slightly unsettling background, I believed things would work out somehow.
By the way, "chores" doesn't mean there's much for her to do at the moment. I can't entrust her with food since I have certain preferences, and since I'm staying at an inn that offers laundry as an option, there's not much to do other than basic room cleaning and light maintenance of leather armor.
Lily nodded and bowed her head, saying, "I look forward to working with you."
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"Lily, could you take off your clothes? I'll try not to look too much."
As it seemed I might be denied accommodation at the inn if things continued as they were, I led us to a less crowded alley to clean her up.
I had her undress, and I used magic to create warm water that I poured over her like a shower. To any onlooker, I must have looked completely suspicious. I focused all my senses on my surroundings and repeatedly confirmed that no one was entering the alley.
Lily seemed to be seeing magic up close for the first time and stared in amazement for a while. After a moment, she began to wash herself. At first, the water that ran over her body was murky, but it gradually became clear.
Taking about an hour, I thoroughly washed her, and then I had her change into clothes I'd bought from a secondhand store. At first glance, she appeared to be an ordinary girl. The clothes I bought didn't reveal her body's lines due to their loose fit, so her excessively thin figure wasn't very noticeable. I had forgotten to buy soap, so she still smelled a bit, but it shouldn't result in her being denied accommodation.
By the way, while she was washing, Lily didn't seem embarrassed, and I wasn't at all excited. I had assumed that being faced with a girl's naked body would naturally lead to arousal, but I found it rather pitiful. I couldn't get excited about her protruding ribs or her nearly non-existent buttocks.
I definitely prefer a curvier body type. When I see women desperately dieting to reach the standard BMI, it makes me sad. I'll make sure Lily eats plenty and gets a bit plumper.
"Lily, I'll buy us dinner from one of the food stalls around here tonight. You can choose whatever you like."
"Really!?"
I immediately began the plan to fatten up Lily. At the same time, I tried to raise her favorability level. The effect was even greater than I imagined. She had been quietly following me like a meek lamb until a moment ago, but now her eyes sparkled as she rushed toward the food stalls.
I had thought she might be a quiet and reserved type, but it seemed like she had quite a rich range of emotions. She examined various stalls around and contemplated her choices with seriousness, which I found heartwarming.
"I'll have this, this, and that."
Lily, who had returned, took my hand and led me to the stalls she had chosen. She held my hand tightly and showed me a smile.
Wow, I felt like her favorability level had surged all at once. If things continued like this, she might be head over heels for me in three days. With these hopeful expectations, I headed toward the stalls. ...And they were all dessert stalls.
Unfortunately, it seemed like my plan to raise her favorability level wasn't going quite as smoothly as I thought. So, as a compromise, I took away two of the desserts, promising to buy them later, and bought a well-balanced nutritious meal to bring back home.
