Chapter 22 Teaching The Little Raccoon

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"Hmm~~~"

In her haste to eat, Raphtalia found food lodged in her throat and began to pat her chest desperately.

"Eat slowly; no one is going to snatch your food away. You can eat as much as you want," Jason advised, pushing the glass of juice toward her.

With urgency, Raphtalia grabbed the juice and drank half of it in one go, which helped her swallow the food stuck in her throat.

"Also... you should use the utensils when you eat. Otherwise, you might transfer the dirt from your hands to your mouth, and that could make you sick."

Following Jason's guidance, Raphtalia picked up the utensils and began to slowly familiarize herself with their use.

Jason, meanwhile, started enjoying his own hearty meal.

Before long, the two of them polished off everything on the table.

Jason had to admit, the food in this world had a unique and delightful flavor.

"So full!" Raphtalia exclaimed, cradling her round belly with both hands, a content smile lighting up her face.

"Don't worry; you'll be full every day from now on," Jason said, a warm smile spreading across his features.

"Really?"

Hearing this, Raphtalia's eyes sparkled with excitement. For someone who had lived as a slave, simply having enough to eat was a luxury. She had grown accustomed to eating as much as she could when food was available, fearing that she might not know when her next meal would come.

"Of course! But just be careful not to get food everywhere when you eat in the future."

As he spoke, Jason reached out and wiped a grain of rice from the corner of Raphtalia's mouth.

"Um..."

Raphtalia felt a rush of warmth flooding her cheeks as she lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze.

When she looked up again, she noticed Jason had already gotten to his feet.

"Let's go. It's time to exercise after dinner."

Raphtalia wasn't quite sure what Jason meant by exercising after meals, but she followed him out of the restaurant nonetheless.

As they walked, Raphtalia, still feeling full, hummed a cheerful tune—an old ballad she remembered from her childhood.

However, as soon as they stepped outside the city gate and into the grasslands, her expression changed to one of fear. She trembled, visibly shaken, her body going rigid as she recalled the memories of her past captivity.

"Don't be afraid. I told you, no matter what happens, I will protect you," Jason reassured her, understanding her fears.

Raphtalia's fear of monsters was still fresh, and she was experiencing panic attacks as a result of her lingering trauma. It was clear that her mental state wouldn't recover overnight.

"If you don't believe me, just watch. I'm really strong!"

Just then, a few balloon monsters emerged from the grass. With one swift motion, Jason threw a punch, obliterating them instantly.

"Brother Jason is amazing... ahem..."

Raphtalia's wide eyes sparkled with awe at his strength, but she suddenly coughed, the excitement catching in her throat.

Jason frowned slightly but kept his smile: "Let's keep moving."

Jason led Raphtalia through the grasslands, effortlessly dispatching every balloon monster they encountered. He also took the opportunity to gather herbs as they went along. It didn't matter whether the herbs would be useful or not; he simply stored them using his skill, confident that he had plenty of space.

About an hour later, they arrived at the edge of a forest.

Jason looked around and gently placed Raphtalia on a rock. "You can rest here."

"Brother Jason, what are you doing?"

"Of course, we're going to exercise after dinner! Just stay here and watch. If anything happens, just yell, and I'll come right away."

"Um..."

After relaying his instructions, Jason strode into the forest. He wasn't like Iwatani Naofumi, who could be overly cautious at times; it simply wouldn't be fair to force such a timid girl into battle.

Just as Jason stepped over the threshold into the forest, a monster appeared in front of him.

A Mushroom Monster!

It was a blue mushroom with the ability to move, sporting fierce eyes and about the size of a human head.

"Brother Jason, be careful!"

Seeing this creature, panic etched itself on Raphtalia's face, and she shouted a warning.

"I'm fine," Jason replied calmly, giving her a reassuring gesture before unleashing a powerful punch at the rushing Mushroom Monster.

The satisfaction of delivering a devastating blow felt much like taking care of the Balloon Monsters, and, predictably, the Mushroom Monster exploded upon impact.

However, it was apparent that the Mushroom Monster's level was higher than that of the Balloon Monsters, granting Jason slightly more experience points.

With a swift motion, Jason placed the materials dropped by the Mushroom Monster onto the gem of his shield.

The materials were instantly absorbed by the shield, resulting in an exciting notification.

The condition of the Mushroom Shield has been liberated!

The condition of the Blue Mushroom Shield has been liberated!

Two new skills have been gained!

At that moment, several more Mushroom Monsters emerged from the depths of the forest.

A sly smile crept onto Jason's face as he charged forward, fists raised and ready for action.

Raphtalia finally understood what Jason meant by "exercising after dinner"—it was all about hunting monsters.

After about another hour of relentless combat, Jason felt a surge of power as he leveled up.

[Jason]: Human.

[LV]: Level 5 → 6

[HP]: 1500 → 1510

[SP]: 360 → 365

[Strength]: 70 → 70 (Ordinary person 5)

[Agility]: 62 → 63 (+3)

[Defense]: 130 → 133 (+5)

[Spirit]: 39 → 40 (+1)

[Lucky]: XX

Despite the intense battles, Jason didn't feel particularly fatigued. However, he decided it was a good idea to take a break and returned to Raphtalia's side.

"Brother Jason... why... why do you fight? Is it because of being a brave man?"

Raphtalia tilted her small head, her gaze filled with confusion. She understood that monsters were dangerous creatures, so why would someone willingly risk their life to fight?

"It's not because of some bravado. I'm not like that," Jason replied, noticing her puzzled expression.

"Although my current strength is decent, it's still not enough. You should know the darkness that lurks in this world. What appears to be peaceful is, at its core, a realm where the weak are inevitably preyed upon by the strong. The weak will only be trampled, and there's no room for struggle. The strong show no mercy, only disdain."

"I refuse to be one of the weak, someone who gets trampled on and doesn't even dare to resist. I want to be strong—stronger than anyone else—strong enough that others will fear me."

"People don't offend me, I won't offend them. But if someone dares to provoke me, I will repay it a hundredfold!"

As Jason spoke, a palpable killing intent emanated from him, intensifying until it seemed to engulf the very air around them.

Rather than feeling frightened, Raphtalia recalled how even the nobles in the tavern were distrustful of him. She also reflected on the dark memories from before—invasions by soldiers who ravaged her village, killing everyone and taking her companions.

Just as Jason had said, she had once been too weak to protect herself or those she loved. If she had been strong enough, perhaps none of those tragedies would have occurred.

Clenching her fists tightly, she didn't even notice the pain as her nails dug into her flesh, drawing small droplets of blood.

Resolute now, Raphtalia nodded with determination. "Brother Jason, I want to become stronger so that I can protect everyone and protect you!"

"Protect me? That's quite a lofty ambition. Let me help you become a capable fighter... but first, you need to remember some hard truths. The first rule: No matter if the enemy is an old man or a child, do not show mercy. Kill without hesitation!"

Jason's expression turned grave, imparting the weight of his words. He understood the harsh realities of their world, and it was a lesson Raphtalia had to learn if she wished to stand strong beside him.

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