Using Gacha to Increase My Companions and to Create the Strongest Girls' Army Corps

A few days after defeating Grandis.

'Shall we go, Noru?'

'Yes!'

Today, I plan to report the presence of Grandis in Alde Forest and deliver the magic stones to Christian. We've been searching Alde Forest for magic stones since then, but we've only found two more. They seem rare, even in the depths of the forest.

My level is now 68, and I have around 350 magic stones. The leveling is slow, and the stone gathering is also slow. I miss the Northern Cave. However, the others enjoy gathering mushrooms in Alde Forest, so it's not all bad. Yesterday's mushroom-filled stew was delicious, but the colors were quite off-putting...

'Muu, it's not fair that Noru gets to go all the time. Ever since we started operating in Queres, it's just the two of you going together.'

'It's not like that, Estel... You stand out in that town, and since we’re also going to Christian's place this time, it's even less feasible to bring you along.'

Estel pouts, clearly unhappy with my decision. Ever since we started visiting Queres, I've only taken Noru with me. Estel, being a mage, attracts too much attention, and there are dangerous individuals around, so I can't risk taking her. Plus, for simple tasks like verifying the hunt proof, Noru and I are sufficient.

'Estel, I'll keep an eye on Ookura, so don't worry.'

'You’re acting like my guardian...'

Noru confidently thumps her chest. Am I the one being looked after? Well, considering how much they've done for me, it makes sense... but still, coming from Noru, it doesn’t quite sit right.

'I trust Noru, so I'm not worried about that. I just dislike having less time with my brother.'

'O-Oh... I see.'

Her concern intrigues me, but I can't delve into it further due to Estel's straightforward admission. It's not like we’re apart for that long... but still, it’s nice to hear.

'I understand, Estel. I feel the same about being away from Runa.'

'You understand, Sisya.'

'Yes, of course.'

Sisya, overhearing our conversation, nods repeatedly. Then, locking eyes with Estel, they both raise their thumbs in mutual understanding. This budding camaraderie feels somewhat intimidating!

'I understand your feelings, but you can’t come this time. Please understand.'

'I know it’s better if I don't go. I won’t insist.'

I was worried she might insist on coming, but Estel backs down smoothly, despite her evident discontent.

'Just come back quickly, brother.'

'...Alright, I will.'

She clasps her hands in front of her chest, pleading with me. With her saying it like that, how can I not hurry back? I’ll finish this quickly and spend the rest of the day playing board games with Estel.

---

With Estel and the others seeing us off, Noru and I head to Queres. Our first stop is Christian's lab to deliver the magic stones and get a certificate. Arriving at the lab, we find the entrance open, revealing a group of about ten young men and women along with Christian inside.

'Hmm? There are people here.'

'They’re all wearing similar, unusual outfits.'

'You, calling their outfits unusual? They’d probably say the same about yours...'

'Wha- if you say that, then look at yourself!'

'I never said I was unusual.'

'Grr...'

Teasing Noru aside, the young people in the lab indeed wear distinct outfits. The men wear pants, and the women skirts, but both genders are dressed entirely in black, with matching capes that give them a mage-like appearance.

'Hello, Ookura-san.'

'Sorry to interrupt. I came to deliver the magic stones.'

'Oh, you've already collected them!'

Approaching the lab entrance, Christian notices us and calls out. The young people turn their attention to us, making me feel uneasy under their collective gaze. Let’s wrap this up quickly...

'These were hard to find. We managed to gather only seven.'

'Wait, is that all magic stones in those bags you're carrying?'

'Yes, they’re quite big and heavy.'

'That’s incredible, Ookura-san and Noru-san! I knew asking you was the right choice!'

Christian verifies the stones, shaking her head in joy, her hair tied at the back swaying with the motion. The young people, impressed by the stones, murmur among themselves. It seems these magic stones are quite valuable to mages.

'I’ll get the certificate right away! Please wait here. And to the students from Lystaria Academy, please wait a bit longer!'

Christian hurries off to fetch the certificate, leaving us with the Lystaria Academy students. Awkwardly, we wait, surrounded by the young mages. After a moment, I notice a girl with light blue short hair and eyes staring at me. Why is she looking at me like that? I'm not wearing my full gear today, so there shouldn't be anything odd about me...

'Um... are you Ookura-san?'

'Yes, I am.'

'Do you know a girl named Estel?'

'How do you know Estel...?'

'So, it is you, the Ookura-san.'

The girl introduces herself as Myra, saying she heard about us from Anneli. Apparently, she’s a friend of Anneli’s. This explains her familiarity with Estel. Myra continues, mentioning how she’s heard a lot about us from Anneli, especially about Estel.

'Is Estel not here today?'

'No, we’re just here to collect a reward today, so she didn’t come.'

'That's too bad... I wanted to meet her.'

Myra seems disappointed. It might be good for Estel to meet Anneli's friends. They might get along well. However, there’s something off about Myra’s tone and demeanor...

'Does Estel really summon water pillars and conjure small rainbows in her palm?'

'Yes, she can.'

'I’d love to see that someday. Anneli speaks so highly of her...'

Before Myra can continue, Christian returns with the certificate. Myra abruptly stops talking, turning away. Something about her tone and demeanor felt unsettling.

'Thank you for waiting! Here’s the certificate.'

'Thank you. Should I keep bringing any more stones I find in Alde Forest?'

'Absolutely! Bring as many as you can!'

'I will. Thank you again. Sorry for the wait, everyone.'

Christian apologizes to the students for the delay, and we leave the lab. Walking away, Noru expresses her discomfort with Myra. I share her unease. Something about Myra’s demeanor felt off, as if she harbored some resentment towards Estel. I’ll have to tell Estel about this encounter later.

---

After leaving Christian’s lab, we head to the adventurers' guild.

'So, that’s what happened. These are the materials the monster dropped.'

I hand over the items we collected from Grandis to the guild receptionist. She examines the large log and green egg-shaped stone we found. She seems puzzled, noting that these aren't typical drops from a Trent rare species.

'This is quite a large log, and is this a gemstone? It doesn’t seem like something a rare Trent would drop. Can we examine these?'

'Sure, go ahead.'

The receptionist takes the items to the back for further inspection. Noru and I wait, speculating about the nature of the monster we fought.

'It wasn’t just a regular rare species. Its stats showed its name was Grandis.'

'It was definitely stronger than usual. Quite a formidable foe.'

Eventually, the receptionist returns, looking quite excited.

'Ookura-san, this is a Grandis! This is a huge deal!'

'Huh?'

She explains that Grandis is a monster that can trigger a major subjugation event. It’s known for leading groups of Trents and has caused significant trouble in the past.

'Haha... so it was a major subjugation target...'

'No wonder it was so tough.'

'Tough doesn’t even begin to describe it... To think you defeated it with just your party...'

It seems Grandis was the cause of the recent Trent increase around Queres. The receptionist mentions that this could solve the problem, but they need to confirm if the Trents have indeed stopped appearing.

I also wonder why my phone didn't notify me of a major subjugation completion. Maybe it wasn’t a major subjugation yet, or there might be another reason.