A Bottom-Tier Adventurer Devoted to Supporting Their Idol Activities: Every Time, They Offer Rare Materials and Stir Up the Elites - Episode 21: Boomer's Schemes

Episode 21: Boomer’s Schemes

『Roger… awaken…』

A voice I’d heard somewhere before echoed in my ears. It was mysterious—neither clearly male nor female.

『You have… a purpose… How long will you remain asleep…?』

Purpose? Don’t talk nonsense. It’s my life—I’ll live it however I want.

『Are you content to let it all be taken from you…?』

…….

『At this rate… it may all be taken again…』

“That’s not going to happen…!”

Startled by the sound of my own voice, I opened my eyes—and saw something unexpected clinging to the ceiling above my familiar bed: a massive man named Boomer. He’s an adventurer who works at a brothel for gay clientele.

He was wedged perfectly against the narrow ceiling of the Snake’s Nest lodging. He was stretching out his whole body to hold himself up.

“How the hell did you even get into my room?”

“There’s no place off-limits for a gay man!”

“That’s not how anything works!”

As I stood up from bed, Boomer shouted “Tuh!” and leapt down from the ceiling. In this tiny room, we ended up facing each other.

“Boomer, you’re suffocating me. Can you go die?”

“You talk about life and death way too casually! What’s your take on mortality, seriously!?”

“It’s getting hotter in here,” 

I muttered, reaching for the knife at my waist.

Boomer let out a shriek and bolted out of the room. I followed him to the mess hall.

It seemed to be an off hour—no one else was around. Boomer sat down like he knew the place well and motioned for me to do the same.

“So, what do you want?”

“You sure you want to ask that so bluntly? What I’ve got could affect the life of someone important to you.”

In an instant, it felt like my entire body boiled over. Unconsciously, I circulated mana throughout my body. Which began to faintly glow blue.

“W-wait, calm down! Nothing’s happened yet! I’m saying something could happen!”

Boomer held up his doughy hands like loaves of bread and repeated, “Calm down.”

“…Talk. In detail.”

I steadied my breathing and waited for him to speak. He wiped sweat from his forehead with his arm and inhaled.

“You know the Kingdom and Empire are on edge, right?”

“Yeah. Some old guy somewhere said we might be heading to war soon.”

Boomer nodded lightly—setting the groundwork, apparently.

“So, the Empire’s been hiring mercenaries and sending them across the border to raid villages. Disguised as bandits.”

“Classic Empire move.”

“Right now, the noble forces near the border are holding them off. But they’re reaching their limit. Soon, the royal capital’s knight and magic corps are expected to be dispatched.”

Makes sense—they’ll want to show the public that the popular squads are responding.

“The White Orchid Magic Corps is likely to be sent.”

“Yeah, that fits. Sounds like it’s almost decided.”

Boomer looked straight into my eyes. It was as if he was silently asking, “What will you do?”

“Do you know when they leave?”

“They’re saying seven days from now.”

“That’s the day after the gift-unboxing stream…”

Just barely in time.

As I started mapping out the gift stream in my head, I noticed Boomer still staring at me.

“By the way, Roger—you’ve got gray hair and gray eyes, right? That look’s common among people from the far north of the central continent, now Empire territory—‘The Land of Eternal Winter.’ Could you be—”

“No.”

Boomer widened his eyes slightly. He then shrugged with his bread-like palms turned upward in a mock-comical gesture.

“Well, I’m off. Gotta get ready for work.”

“Which job?”

“Hmm… Neither adventuring nor brothel today.”

“Streetwalker then? The Brothel Guild’ll have your head.”

“It’s not that!” 

Boomer raised a fist in mock outrage and left.

The mess hall of the Snake’s Nest was now just me.

I glanced at the closed window, which reflected my image like a mirror. As Boomer said—gray hair, gray eyes. No one had ever pointed it out before. But some people clearly recognized it. The traits of those from The Land of Eternal Winter.

“Well, more importantly—time to finish that gift!”

I returned to my room, grabbed my backpack and dagger, and set out on a materials run—for the staff I’d dedicate to Ellel-chan.

#

“Ellel, come over here for a second.”

The dining hall of the White Orchid Magic Corps. Ellel was eating breakfast alone when Captain Paola called out to her.

With a spoon still in hand, Ellel straightened her back like a rod and turned toward the voice.

Paola set her breakfast tray down on the table, approached with a serious look, and slowly poked Ellel’s left cheek with her index finger.

*Boing!*

Her finger bounced back.

“…What is this… this skin’s firmness and sheen!?”

Ellel scratched her lustrous pale blue hair, looking shy.

“Umm, I’ve been using Elemental Slime lotion daily… My skin’s been in amazing condition.”

“It’s that effective…? Ellel, could you spare a little for me too?”

Paola looked dead serious.

“No! It was a gift from the passing-by adventurer!”

Ellel raised her voice. She was unusually firm in her refusal.

“…Right. That was my bad.”

“Sorry.”

Paola sat down with her tray and continued chatting with Ellel as they ate.

“By the way, Ellel—did you know the B-rank adventurer who’s been gifting you things? He apparently just defeated the Demon King.”

“Huh…!? Really? That’s amazing…”

Ellel’s cheeks flushed red with excitement.

“Training’s off today—why not swing by the Adventurers’ Guild for a change of pace? Who knows, that B-rank guy might be there.”

“Huh… ah… yeah. I’ll think about it.”

Blushing all the way to her ears, Ellel looked down and finally dipped her spoon back into her plate.

#

A woman in a gray hooded robe was walking through the royal capital. Her face was hidden deep in the hood. She was moving silently along the edge of the main street.

She was short. But her chest was impressively full—obvious even through the robe.

A sharp-eyed food vendor noticed her appeal and stared after her. He was ignoring his customers. After being scolded by one, he hurriedly grilled some mystery meat and stuffed it into bread.

She passed through the bustle of the central road and arrived at the Adventurers’ Guild. After a moment’s hesitation, she quietly opened the door.

A wave of heat and noise washed over her.

It wasn’t the busiest hour of the morning. But the place was packed with mid-tier and higher adventurers. It was full of energy.

The woman hunched over nervously and took a seat at the edge of a bench. She stilled herself—posing silently as if “waiting for her party.”

#

A short while later, the guild doors flung open.

In strode a red-haired young man, flanked by two companions. Adventurers on the bench glanced over and muttered, “Tomage.”

The woman in the robe flinched and pulled her hood deeper. She watched Tomage’s every move.

He greeted passing adventurers cheerfully and headed to the buy-counter.

He pulled materials from his pack and began speaking with a woman who seemed to be an appraiser.

The robed woman held her breath and strained to listen.

“Yo, Corina. How’s it going?”

“…Same as usual.”

Her tone was cold.

“Hey, we’re celebrating the Demon King takedown today. You coming?”

“Eh? Me?”

She sounded bewildered.

“Yeah. I want to celebrate with you, Corina. You could accept one of my invitations already, couldn’t you? Or are you holding out until I officially make A-rank?”

“That’s not it…”

“Then it’s settled! Meet me at the tavern behind the guild! We’ll be there from evening!”

After confirming it a few more times with Corina, Tomage cheerfully left the guild.

The robed woman didn’t move. She couldn’t.

She didn’t remember to breathe until long after.

#

The White Orchid Magic Corps dormitory was quiet at night. Faint sounds of breathing from individual rooms were all that could be heard—quieter than even insects.

Ellel’s room was no exception. She lay quietly on her bed, blanket pulled up to her neck, her chest slowly rising and falling.

Now and then, soft sobs—“Hic, hic”—escaped her lips. Tears streamed down her cheeks and soaked into her pillow.

She cried herself to sleep, alone.

No one to comfort her. In the haze of slumber, all she could do was wait for morning.

Somewhere between midnight and dawn, a mysterious voice echoed through Ellel’s room.

『Why are you crying?』

A gentle voice—neither clearly male nor female—asked Ellel.

In her dream, Ellel answered.

“Something sad happened…”

『What happened? Tell me.』

Bit by bit, Ellel began to speak.

That ever since she was in the lower ranks of the magic corps, there had always been a mysterious adventurer who supported her.

That the gifts from that adventurer were all wonderful.

That every single item she had received was a treasure to her.

That, before she realized it, she had fallen in love with this unseen adventurer.

That a certain event led her to discover the adventurer’s identity.

That she had mustered her courage to go and meet him.

That right before her eyes, the adventurer was flirting with another woman.

That for some reason, she just couldn’t stop crying.

“Hic… hic…”

『What kind of person is this adventurer?』

“He has red hair…”

The mysterious voice chuckled softly. “Fufufu.”

“Why are you laughing…?”

『Because you’re mistaken. The one you love… is the one with gray—』

Ellel woke with a start and called into the darkness.

“Gray what?”

But no answer ever came.