Chapter 2

The night breeze felt refreshing. The first thing I felt when I stepped outside was that.

Surely, the cause of the slight discomfort I felt in Stormbreaker, aside from being affected by the heat of the tavern, was due to this.

I believe that in the adventurer business, especially in dungeon exploration, both the front-line and back-line roles are equal. No, perhaps I want to believe that.

It goes without saying that the back-line can advance because the front-line is there, but the front-line cannot stand without the support of the back-line.

However, that is just my opinion.

The current trend of prioritizing attackers is far too uncomfortable. It's quite stressful to be criticized for holding back Stormbreaker.

I'm not very good at dealing with this kind of stress. After all, I'm a lazy guy. Being lazy means being a slacker, and being half-hearted.

Can you really think that I have the courage to cling to the party despite the reputational damage?

I think the members of Stormbreaker are "good guys."

Rain is a harem guy surrounded by beautiful girls, but he's not the kind of guy who only favors girls. He's a good guy who also cares about me, a guy.

Snow is a bit tsundere and can be harsh at times, but that's also a sign of a close relationship where we can speak freely. She's also quite caring in her own way, and I can't help but like her. She's a good guy, too.

Sunny is kind. I feel like I should give her a certificate of appreciation just for that. Although she's relatively young, she's the oldest in the party and is very reliable. As a bow user, she often plays a mid-field role, and I get to talk to her a lot, which makes her very trustworthy. Of course, she's a good guy.

Sandra is a child, but in a way, she functions as the mascot of the party. Her small body exerts a powerful force that makes up for the lack of a breakthrough point in Stormbreaker, and she is undoubtedly a suitable attacker to pair with Rain. She, too, is a good guy.

Then, what about me?

In battles against monsters, I'm a burden who needs to be protected by attackers, and I lack vitality. I'm not good at evaluating myself, but I can't really call myself a "good guy."

Does such a guy as me really have a place in this party?

Sure, there are parties that kick out back-line members, and most of them seem to be just venting their frustrations or making unreasonable decisions.

In fact, I've heard that many parties get stuck after firing their back-line members.

However, I don't think that's the case with Stormbreaker.

Since I, who support them as a back-line member, think so, I believe it's much more certain than it looks from the outside.

--- I am not a necessary member of Stormbreaker.

As a result, such words come to mind.

If I'm not necessary, it means that my absence wouldn't be a problem.

And an unnecessary member in the party is just a waste of resources, and can be cut regardless of whether they are front-line or back-line.

The adventurer business is merit-based. The strong move forward, and the weak are left behind. That's the principle, and compassion won't fill your stomach.

In other words, since I am an unnecessary member for Stormbreaker, I could be fired at any time. Just as the other adventurers whisper to Rain and the others.

"...But, is that really okay?"

Thinking up to this point, I muttered to myself.

Even if I get kicked out of the party, my life won't end.

The adventurer business is a gamble. It's like a lottery where you either win or lose. I just drew a losing ticket.

Actually, the real losing ticket would be getting killed by a monster in the dungeon, so I'm better off just being alive.

Unfortunately, I don't have any family or relatives. I've always been alone.

If I get kicked out of the party and can't continue as an adventurer, no one will be hurt.

If it's a gamble, ... well, it might be easier to roll the dice and entrust my fate to it. It suits a lazy guy like me.

In fact, among the back-line members who have been kicked out, some naturally try to continue as adventurers, but others have found success in other fields.

Everyone has their place. Being an adventurer isn't everything.

... When I start thinking like this,

I suddenly want to be kicked out of the party.

No, it's not exactly admiration, but isn't it interesting?

Being kicked out of the party is a rare event, isn't it?

Sure, it would be a shock, but if it's with Rain and the others, I can accept it. I'm sure they've thought a lot and come to that conclusion.

... But that's mostly just a facade.

The truth is... the job is tough! The workload is tough!!

Even now, my escape from the almost daily Stormbreaker parties isn't just an excuse; it's due to the almost daily work.

I'm the odd-job guy and support mage.

Preparing for dungeon exploration, conducting research, and gathering supplies are all part of my job, as well as covering for any oversights.

To put it simply, Rain and the others' job is to defeat the monsters in the dungeon and clear the path forward.

And almost everything else is my job.

Frankly, the amount of preparation and readiness required is enormous and never-ending.

Sure, compared to the front-line members who risk their lives, I have it easier in the actual dungeon exploration, and I said I would do the odd jobs to make my presence felt, but in practice, I have no time for myself, and even if I get paid, I have no time to spend it.

However, it's hard to ask the other members to take over some of my tasks now, as it would feel like all my hard work has been for nothing, which would be sad and empty.

Given this, the current trend of kicking out back-line members seems appealing to me, a small-minded person who finds the current situation tough but can't change it.

The world seems to be pushing me to become unemployed.

It's not that I dislike the members of Stormbreaker; I like them, of course, but it's not very comfortable to be a guy in Rain's harem.

Besides, being a back-line member doesn't mean there's no danger.

I'm not very ambitious. Maybe it would suit me better to do some small business on the surface, farm in the countryside, or become a gambler who frequents casinos. After all, adventurers aren't the only ones who support society.

...

It's not like "the grass is always greener on the other side," but once I start thinking about it, my thoughts drift more and more towards the idea of being kicked out of the party.

Still, as I declared, I gathered the necessary consumables and information for dungeon exploration, and when the clock had passed its peak, I finally returned to the inn where we, Stormbreaker, were staying.

We have two rooms: one for the male members (me and Rain) and one for the female members (the other three).

Rain and the others are serious, so they are often already asleep by this time.

However, there's a possibility that Rain is having a night battle with one of the harem members, so I carefully and slowly opened the door to the room.

"... As expected, it was a false alarm."

The room was pitch dark, but I could hear regular breathing.

Since we sleep in the same room every night, I can easily recognize the breathing of our leader, Rain. A handsome guy doesn't snore.

"Rain, you're in the wrong bed again..."

We have a twin room with two beds. Of course, we have our fixed beds, but Rain is sleeping in the bed I usually use.

Rain, who has changed from his adventurer's light outfit into his pajamas, is sleeping soundly and defenselessly.

This isn't the first time Rain has slept in my bed; it happens quite frequently.

In fact, after a drinking session, when I return to the room later, it almost always happens.

"Why can't you break this habit, even though you're known as a reliable guy outside?"

I've pointed it out a few times. Each time, the leader pretends to be remorseful, but he keeps doing it, so I've given up.

I can't really talk to anyone about this issue... If it got to the ears of the party members who have a crush on Rain, it would surely cause trouble.

Still, Rain. Because he's a handsome guy, he can sometimes look like a beautiful woman when he's sleeping... which isn't good for my mental and physical health.

My romantic interest is in women, and even if I opened a new door with Rain, it would only cause me to lose in various ways.

So, even when he takes my bed, I try to avoid sleeping in his bed, which has a sweet, feminine scent, and end up sleeping on the hard sofa. This might also be one of the reasons for my desire to be kicked out of the party.