It Seems My Job Aptitude Didn't Come with Human Rights

In the end, just an herb gatherer.

Despite having crafted various plans in my head, my opinions were dismissed as mere childish talk and turned into a joke. For origınal chapters go to NovєlFіre.net

「We need weapons for the village.」

I was fuming. I was about to explode with anger. Yet, seeing me like this, Irinya nodded with a wry smile.

「Sooner or later, everyone will listen to you, Lars.」

「Do you really think so?」

As I tilted my head in response, Mikel and Rolf, who were advancing deeper into the forest, turned around.

「Hey!」

「Hurry up!」

In response to their calls, Irinya answered on my behalf.

「Oh, okay!」

Hearing her reply, Mikel and Rolf-nimbly climbed the trees and jumped onto large rocks. They resembled monkeys.

Thinking such things, I struggled to keep up through the forest. I believed that Lars, despite his age, was quite handsome with long limbs—a model's build. However, being child-sized, it was challenging to traverse the forest, teeming with obstacles.

Why was I enduring such hardships? It was a simple matter; this was a continuation of our quest for medicinal herbs. We had found Meral grass, but it was intended for treating abrasions and cuts. It wasn't something that could cure serious injuries, illnesses, or poisonings.

Thus, I, who was seen as the village's top herb expert, was sent out to search for rare medicinal herbs. What a harsh village this was, having a child work like this. A Black Village indeed, with a Black Village Chief named Abel. Unforgivable.

However, if I successfully secured a rare medicinal herb, I would almost certainly be the next chief of the Black Village. Hmph. Everyone should offer the meat they hunted to me as a tax.

「... Even so, why is walking through the forest so difficult? Where is the person responsible for this?」

Complaining to myself, I tried to catch up to Irinya ahead. Her swaying tail tempted me to touch it, but that would be sexual harassment. Genius Lars remembered how, as a child, he once grabbed Irinya's tail, only to be met with her reprimanding gaze.

As I muttered such thoughts while pushing through the forest, Irinya slowed down out of concern and started walking beside me. Smiling to reassure her, I raised my hand, just as a voice called from far ahead.

「Hey! There's some Naia grass over here!」

「Really?」

It was Mikel and Rolf's voices. Surprised, Irinya and I exchanged glances. Naia grass was a precious medicinal herb, one of our targeted rare herbs. Relieved, I patted my chest and turned to Irinya.

「That's great news. Shall we go gather it too?」

「Y-yes!」

Irinya responded and immediately began to walk, but then she remembered me and reached out her hand.

「Here, Lars. Take my hand.」

I thanked her as I took her hand, hurrying toward the depths of the forest. The previously dim view slowly brightened, indicating that we were near a cluster of Naia grass. I couldn't help but grin.

Just then, a loud noise erupted from the direction of the voices—an intense sound of collision and vibrations like a traffic accident. Birds that had been quietly lingering flapped wildly away.

It was clearly an unusual situation.

「I-I'm going ahead!」

Irinya exclaimed and sprinted deeper into the forest, leaping over large rocks and disappearing into the light.

「I just want to grow up faster...!」

Muttering my dissatisfaction with my small body, I desperately ran through the forest. Suddenly, my eyes adjusted to the brightness as I came upon the source of the noise.

There stood a massive creature with scales layered like red-brown rock and huge teeth visible through its gaping maw. It stood four meters high and spanned over ten meters in length. Though it lacked wings on its back, it was unmistakably a member of the world's mightiest species—a dragon.

A dragon. Unlike the young dragon that attacked our wagon, this was undeniably a mature one. It might even have been the parent.

「Mikel! Rolf!」

Irinya called out their names.

「Stay away!」

「Run, Irinya!」

Even as Mikel and Rolf shouted, they leapt to the sides. The ground shook under the weight of the earth dragon's mighty arm. Its speed belied its size, and the impact from its mass was beyond imagination.

「W-what should we do... Mikel and Rolf could die...!」

Irinya cried out, almost in tears, as the dragon continued to assault Mikel and Rolf with its arms and tail.

「... I haven't had time to test it, so I'm uncertain, but I have no choice.」

After all, who knows what tomorrow holds for me. I'll go all out.

With that thought, I passed Irinya, who was frozen in place, and stepped forward.

-------------= Author's Notes -------------=

If you found yourself curious about 'what happens next,' it would make me happy if you could press the ☆ button at the bottom of the page!

It motivates the author!・:*+.\(( °ω° ))/.:+

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------= 【ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌ )】

The sequence is different from chapter 1, but still the same.