Free Isekai Reproduction Life with an Endangered Demi-Human Onee-san in the Forest of Certain Death ~My Mental Stat Is Pathetically Weak, But After Transferring, I’ll Live for Myself This Time~ - Chapter 99: Room to Grow, Yo!

Chapter 99: Room to Grow, Yo!

I was about to pick a party name when some bald adventurers picked a fight. They were higher-rank, but I took them down no problem.

“Hehe, nice. Feels like a real adventure.”

Bestelta nods, satisfied. Guess she blew off some steam. Good for her. Gotta thank those octopus-heads.

“Still, hmm, party name…”

I’m terrible at naming. It’s kinda important, though. Should I just go with a gut feeling? Instinct’s key, right?

“Hey, you guys picking a party name? Go with something tied to ‘Star.’”

A nearby beastman adventurer offers kind advice.

Star, huh? Why’s that?

Then, a bunch of adventurers crowd around, chiming in.

“‘Star’ refers to S-rank adventurers.”

“Yeah, long ago, ranks only went to A. But then a crazy strong adventurer showed up.”

“So badass, they made a rank above A for him.”

“His party was called Twin Stars, so they took the ‘S’ for S-rank.”

They push ale on me—drink, drink! Nice folks. Well, some are jerks. Bestelta’s chugging like no tomorrow.

Huh, interesting. Stars, eh? Those Tsurins were riffing off that too. Gives me ideas.

Stars… guiding light, hope in the dark. Whoa, getting poetic. But that’s the vibe, right?

“Come on, big sis, drink!”

“Nice chugging!”

“How’d you land that punch?”

“Why’re you with this plain guy?”

Plain’s uncalled for. I know I don’t match Bestelta’s vibe.

Adventurers swarm Bestelta. Drunk or not, they’re bold. They know she doesn’t speak their language but don’t care. Bestelta downs ale after ale, loving it. Take it easy, girl.

To me, stars are demi-humans. They saved me when I was lost in this world, pulling my lazy, passive self along. True shining guides.

“So… Star of Hope?”

Ugh, my naming sense sucks. So lame it hurts.

“Simple, like Demi-Star?”

Nope, awful too. Vague, and sounds like some celebrity or comedian. Scrap it.

“What do I do…”

“Y-You can decide later, you know.”

Shaaru-chan throws me a lifeline, seeing my struggle. Ugh, so lame. I’m drawing a blank.

“Kei, what’re you up to?”

Bestelta, buzzed and happy, asks.

“Trying to pick our party name, but I’m stuck. Got any ideas?”

Yeah, ask Bestelta!

“Up to you.”

Gulp gulp, ahh! She’s chugging. Figures. She looks happy, so fine.

“Just keep it simple. Something that says ‘us.’”

Hmm, true. A name that screams us… stars…

“Demi-Stella?”

Pfft, worst one yet. Sounds like a sports manga. Nope, back to the drawing board.

“Demi-Stella, Star of Demi-Humans? Love it! I’m sold!”

Bestelta’s thrilled. Wait, did I mistranslate? Gengo Rikai messing up?

“It’s like ‘Stelnia,’ the paradise demi-humans go to after death! Nice one, my Contractor! You get it!”

She hugs me, nuzzling. I didn’t know that reference. Didn’t expect her to love it this much. Touched her heart, huh?

But to me, it’s Star of Demi-Humans, Demi-Stella, and it’s grinding my soul to dust…

“Uh, demi-humans?”

Shaaru-chan looks shocked. The rowdy adventurers freeze, glaring with disgust.

“Demi-humans?”

“What, demi-human fanboys?”

“Screw that.”

“Buzzkill.”

“Lame…”

The friendly adventurers pull away. Their attitudes flip fast—I can’t keep up.

“Hey, kid, you serious? That name’s rough in this town.”

The last beastman, an older guy, whispers a warning. Demi-humans cause this much hate? Didn’t see that coming.

“Don’t know the Day of Flames? Demi-humans sicced Flame Bears on Daylight, killed tons. They’re taboo here now.”

I knew, but not how intense the reaction would be. I’ve mostly hung with Geos followers, so I let my guard down. My bad.

Deaths? I suspected some, but tons? Damn, should’ve researched more. Info’s critical, and I’m short on it.

I blurt an excuse.

“Got helped by demi-humans once, so I picked it to honor them…”

Not a lie.

The beastman old-timer folds his arms, grimacing.

“I see… But after the Day of Flames, lots here hate even hearing ‘demi-human.’ Plus, between us, nobody wants to piss off Assembla’s demi-human haters. They make potions. If they cut us off, adventurers are screwed without ‘em.”

He sighs. Kind guy. Less biased than most?

“You’re okay with it?”

“…My ancestors were Geos followers, a demi-human-respecting faith. Most beastman adventurers have Geos roots. Keep that quiet, yeah?”

Got it. Useful info. I’ll have Fei-san dig into this.

“But this town’s decent, despite its flaws. Adventurers are mostly good, cooperative. Potions are cheaper here—subsidies. Beastman discrimination’s lighter than elsewhere. So why take on a taboo and make life hard?”

He pats my shoulder. Feels nice. Tsurins aside, most seem decent.

Yeah, I’ll retract it.

“Shaaru-san, can you cancel—”

“Kei! Look! A map!”

Bestelta shoves a guild map in my face, bouncing like a kid.

“This is Daylight, right? And that’s Forest of Certain Death… Wow!”

A rider’s-suit beauty pointing at a map, hopping excitedly, draws eyes.

“Kei, the world’s so big! I wanna see more places!”

She beams at the map, illiterate but thrilled. She’s only known Forest of Certain Death, huh?

“…Tch.”

Some adventurer clicks their tongue, annoyed. Others give us cold stares, probably because of the demi-human name.

Makes sense. They think demi-humans are mass murderers. No wonder they hate the name.

But isn’t that wrong?

It’s a lie—demi-humans fought off Flame Bears, saved people.

I know it’s not simple.

But why do demi-humans get this hate? Bestelta’s not outed as one, but it’s pissing me off. This ain’t right.

“Annoying.”

I mutter. Wish I could handle this smoother, but my 29-year-old brain’s still kinda childish.

Ugh, all Assembla’s fault. Can I just let this slide?

“Kei?”

Bestelta looks worried.

“It’s nothing. Shaaru-san, party name’s Star of Demi-Humans.”

The beastman old-timer and Shaaru-chan gape. Adventurers’ glares turn worse. Might not get help on quests now.

But that’s fine. I’ll do it my way.

Others’ feelings matter, but I’m prioritizing my will. Otherwise, nothing starts. I’m done bending to fit in, killing myself to please others.

Time to draw a line. This is rock bottom—only up from here. Room to grow, yo! If I push, demi-human rep will improve.

“Really… okay?”

“Yeah, please.”

Shaaru-chan’s hands tremble. The old-timer’s like, oh man.

Gotta repay Shaaru-chan. This is the start. Today, demi-human rep begins to change. For sure.