Bear

-Ooiiiiii!

-I saw you, I saw you. What is it human brat?

-Haha, sorry sir, I kind of got lost in the nearby woods, would you take me with you to the nearest city?

-Uh? Sure, a brat who couldn't even get to the first rank isn't a treath to me, so don't try anything funny.

-I would never sir, haha.

-Good, now hop on.

-Thank you sir.

*Stirs horses*

-What are you even doing around here anyway?

-Research. "How it is to be expeled from your school for being a weakling". They just don't understand my appreciation and dedication to magic. I will show then and start advancing at once.

-Boy, you have two years to advance eight stars and make a breakthrough, you actually expect to do it?

-I didn't have any stars two days ago. Do not underestimate a genius.

-Hahahaha! I like you boy, you're funny. I won't pry into your matter anymore. Call me Gin.

-Aki. Tell me if you want me to do some buffs for the beast.

-It's a wind raptor, one of the reasons I can make my money is it's speed, there's no need for it.

-You're the boss. I will be meditating for a while.

And so the MC reached his first village safely.

-Old Gin, good to see you on time, some travelers alerted us about bandits on the road to Laios, so we were worried about you. Some young ones are going to the city and would like to know if they can go with you.

-I am already taking another traveler with me, some young man are no burden.

-Oh, that human? I thought he was some kind of messenger or slave.

-Nah, it's just one of those eccentric mages.

-If you say so, I just hope he doesn't put some strange ideas in the youngsters heads.

-If they are so easily influenced than it won't matter if it's me or other who influence them elder. Do trust people a little more.

-It's just the worries of an old man, no need to care much for them, do treat or young well.

-Always important to make friends after all.

And so no commotion occurred with his first human interaction. It's just that…

-Hey, how do your ears works when they are so small?

-The same way as yours, the difference between them is that mine have a shorter area of captation.

-Are you sure?

-I never studied it deeply, but I do believe the organs are mostly the same with a different position and size.

-Oooh.

Everyone around him were beastman and all but a child and the old bear eared merchant looked at him with suspicion on their eyes.

-Then brother is smart but weak.

-Oi, Mimi, that's bad manners.

-It's ok, I am weak at the moment anyways. Also, she is just a child.

-Hahahaha… sto… hahahaha, stop…

*Tickling intensifies*

(Even if she is a full rank stronger than me, I can still equal her if it's just for a minute or two.) -Don't bad mouth your elders, understood.

-Haaa…  brother is a meane, I hate you!

-That I am, now if you excuse me I will be passing out for lack of mana. *Thunk*

-Did that guy just level up?

-Eh, you're right. How come he broke through while tickling someone? Did you do anything Mimi?

-Me? No, I didn't. Old man, can I get a little coal please?

-Go ahead.

And so two days passed without further incidents. By the way, she wrote idiot on his forehead and Gin gave her a thumbs up.

…

-The smell of grilled fish… the wonderful smell of dinner…  even my stomach starts to cry.

-What are you singing brother?

-A song about a stupid child who runned away from home but couldn't help but want to go back right after.

-Umph.

-I definitely didn't sing a song in a different language simply so you would ask and get angry.

*Pouts*

-I…

-We got armed company! We're surrounded!

-How strong is their best?

-Second rank, but they are in bigger number than us in total.

-If that's so then I got a proposal for you guys.

And so they awaited. Twenty bandits in total surrounded than, most equipped badly, but still very dangerous.

-We are not looking for bloodshed, just leave the cargo and you may…  wait, is that a human? Leave him too.

The bandit leader was quite confident in at least this, no one liked humans. An overstatement of course, but the whole race just seemed to act like asses all the time, so if they passed enough time together he did not believe they would shield him. In this case they could kill then even more easily after separating then from the cargo.

He just didn't expect that a knife would actually be sent in his head's direction by the old merchant. Obviously it wasn't his first unexpected attack, so he quickly turned his head to the side, though he still got a little cut on his cheek. (Do I need to tell he carries poisoned daggers around and that was one or not?)

The old man grinned.

-These area buffs are really something. Now let's see what you guys are made off.

The young man sprang out of the carriage and attacked the bandits, who still didn't understand what was happening.

The one who understood it the least was actually the one who was looking right at Aki, after all, he didn't have time to react to the little girl who broke his jaw with a kick and was knocked out.

-Your bounty will be mine, muahahahaha!

-Don't under… *Ice needle to the face*

-Talk less, protect me more. Kick those guys who are hurt to the cart and I will drain their mana until they're unconscious.

And so the bandits had their assessment kicked with magic fire support.

-Great, we defeated then all, now what do we do, tie them up and tell the guards?

-Nope, we kill all but one and take him with us to the city to get the bounty. Or just drag them with us, it's not that far from the city and we would get more money.

Since the little girl didn't want to kill then, they ended up taking all the bandits by rope. Only one of then went inside the carriage, and that was because his legs were broken.

Some hours later they got to the gate of the city. The village folk were admiring the walls while the bandits dreaded it.

The guards happily took in the new slaves and the "caravan" got paid fifty silver, witch was split like 50/40/10, the kids receiving the 50 and Aki the 10, while old Gin did the most while being the one at monetary risk so he got 40.