My Protect skill can take my life but it can also help me flirt and make love with cold beauties!
Chapter 11: Increasing strength

Thud.

As soon as I arrived at the inn, I collapsed onto the bed. I had bought some bread and smoked meat for lunch, but I had no appetite. Raul had told me to eat, but it was no use. I couldn't even move my hands anymore.

"Hero-sama? Are you okay?" El's worried face peered at me, but her voice sounded distant.

"Yawn~ I’m sleepy..."

"But you have to eat properly. The Muscle Man also said so."

"Muscle Man..."

My consciousness was cut off like that. When I next came to, it was already dark outside. Thanks to a little sleep, the fatigue from earlier had eased a bit.

The room suddenly brightened up. El noticed that I had woken up and took off the lamp cover.

"Good morning."

"Yeah…"

I rubbed my sleepy eyes and took a sip of water from the small pitcher on the table. "What time is it now?" I asked.

"Just now, nine bells rang," replied El.

Nine bells... In Japan, that would be reasonable to double the number of bells. So, eighteen hours, past six in the evening.

I absentmindedly rubbed my stomach and felt hungry. My appetite seems to have recovered too. I grabbed the bread that had been left out and bit into it, topping it off with smoked meat.

The bread was hard, but the thin saltiness of the meat resonated with my empty stomach. "Delicious..." I muttered.

"Then you should make a more pleased face," said El, making a sunny smile in front of me, despite my low energy level.

"Thanks," I said, patting El's head. When we finished eating, El begged me to fetch some water in a pail. Oh, it’s time for El's daily bath again. I felt guilty and headed to the bathhouse as I did yesterday.

I thought Raul would come again today, but no one came in until I got out. I wanted to tell someone about my first job, but it couldn't be helped if the timing wasn't right.

When I returned to the room, I was hit by sleepiness again and collapsed onto the bed.

"Hero-sama, are you going to rest for the day?" asked El.

"Yeah, I'm resting today," I replied, and El covered the lamp. The room became dark while my eyelids became heavy.

"Good night, Hero-sama. Then… um that’s what it is… muah~."

"Muah...?"

I feel like something hit me in the face, or maybe it didn't, but my thoughts scattered to pieces and my consciousness melted into darkness.

Even the next day, I will have to do the cargo carrying job. I thought they might tell me I didn't have to come anymore, but as expected of the big traders, they were generous as always.

In the morning, I woke up to El's voice and carried the packages while grunting like a pig. Sometimes, I was healed by Seira-san's gentle smile, sometimes supported by Raul-san, sometimes laughed at by the Flag Duo, and slept soundly at the inn.

It was a plain but fulfilling life in this other world. And so, about a week had passed.

"Hey, you haven't been grunting like a pig lately." A black-haired man with the same cargo carrying job spoke to me as we carried the packages.

Now that he mentioned it, the cargo was still heavy and the work was still tough, but I no longer stumbled and wobbled like I was about to collapse.

"Come to think of it, you're right. I guess I got used to it?"

"In just a week? Well, it's still appreciated that you're getting used to the work quickly. Yeah, if it wasn't for El-chan, you would've been fired on the first day," said the man.

"What!?!" I was shocked by this revelation.

"Well, not being able

to handle the work was like adding another package. But we didn’t want to miss our sweet little El-chan, so we talked to Doseus-san." he said, and the other men around us burst into laughter. Doseus-san is the site supervisor in charge of this cargo carrying.

"Whew!"

When I let out a pitiful voice, laughter broke out even more. However, I don't feel bad about being laughed at. Although they say harsh things to me, everyone is considerate of me during work and they are all kind-hearted people.

I have never joined a club since I was young and hardly had any friends. So being a part of this group felt pleasant. And then, another uneventful week passed by.

There was no change in my daily life, but I clearly felt a change within myself. Day by day, carrying the bags of flour became easier. Well, it's an exaggeration to say it became easy, but I was somehow able to carry two bags. Doseus-san and everyone was surprised.

"Wow, to get used to this so quickly in such a short time…"

"You don't look like you've changed much, though. Maybe because you're an adventurer?"

Maybe being an adventurer has nothing to do with it, but perhaps my hidden talent has blossomed?

"Hey, El. Can you take a look at my abilities?"

"Your abilities?"

"Yeah, the one you checked for me the other day."

On the way back that day, I had El measure my ability. The one where I was stamped as being below average on the first day of my transfer to another world.

"Okay, please don't move...mmm...I see."

And the result that El gave me is this…

Arm Strength: 6

Leg Strength: 5

Endurance: 5

Magic Power: 1

Dexterity: 5

"Oh wow! Except for magic power, I'm at least average in everything! And my arm strength is even a little higher! If I keep training at this pace, won’t I become strong enough without even fighting monsters, don't you think?"

"Hmm, maybe. But I think the Hero-sama's original stats were low, so their growth was faster. And even so, they might hit a plateau soon."

Wait, what? El is being surprisingly practical. I thought she had a more optimistic personality, so her words caught me off guard.

"So, what should I do if I hit a plateau?"

"That's when you defeat monsters to level up!"

"Level up?"

"Yes, that's right. Leveling up is the way to go further."

"I've never heard of this 'level' concept in this world before."

"Is that so?"

Levels seem like an incredibly important part of this world's system. How did I not know about it until now?

"By the way, what's my level?"

"It's 0."

"What?"

I got an unexpected answer. I thought for sure it would probably be 1, but it's lower than that.

"That's hero-sama’s level. It's 0."

"Wait, if I’m around average human. Then, 0 is the baseline in this world?"

"No one's ever heard of a level 0 person. But once you level up, you become level 1! It doesn’t matter much."

Well, I guess that might be the case, but something about it doesn't sit right with me. I arrived at the guild feeling a bit uneasy. Maybe I should ask Seira or Raul for more information than El.

"Hello. I’ve finished with the work and I’m at…?"

I entered the guild and started to make a report. However, Seira, who always greets me with a smile, looked a little down today. Besides, there's a woman I've never seen before standing behind the counter.