《Ossan Boukensha no Jimichi na Isekai Tabi》 CH 1 Prologue It was the same road back as always. A little ways off from the metropolitan area, but easy enough to access, which made it a decently popular district. There were quite a lot of cars going by, but not enough to cause traffic jams. I was driving a light car that I didn¡¯t have any particular fondness for. There had been a time in my past when I was more of an enthusiast, but now I only cared if they worked or not. I finished my dinner shopping at the nearby supermarket. When I returned home, I would remove the 50% discount stickers off of the packs of side dishes and heat them in the microwave before eating. After all, there was no one else waiting there in the apartment, as I lived alone. And so there was no point in putting any effort into cooking. I just needed to satiate my hunger, that was all. I was 46 years old and single. Once I became a temporary worker, the feeling of giving up was deep within me. I didn¡¯t care about my current job at all. It was just like my food. As long as I could live¡­ Oh, as I was monologuing, a light jumped out from the other lane. A trailer was rushing towards me at a strange angle. And to this, the only thing that I could do was¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Raise my voice like that. I closed my eyes, not even able to brace myself for the coming impact. ¡­Or so I thought. But the impact did not come no matter how long I waited. And when I fearfully opened my eyes, I was suddenly floating in a white space. ¡°¡­What happened?¡± I looked around but there was nothing but white. After some time had passed, a light suddenly appeared in the air. At first it was just a small dot, but it slowly grew larger. Eventually, I had to squint in order to keep looking at it. And then, it spoke. ¡°Shinichi Saitou. I invite you to another world.¡± It was like a soft woman¡¯s voice. ¡­Hmm. So this is the ¡®another world transfer¡¯ thing I keep hearing about. No, it¡¯s too ridiculous to believe that just yet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Can I ask you a few questions?¡± I said to the light. ¡°Yes, certainly.¡± It replied. Hmm. Apparently we could communicate. In that case, the first thing to do was understand the situation. ¡°What happened to me? I remember the moment before being hit by a truck¡­ Did I die and come to the world of the dead?¡± ¡°No, you are not dead. You were invited to this place right before the accident.¡± So I wasn¡¯t actually dead. I felt relieved for now. Death would not have been strange in that situation. In fact, I should have died. And even if I survived by some miracle, I would not have come out unscathed. While I would avoid the worst kind of situation, it would still not be something to take lightly. ¡°It seems that you saved me then. Thank you. But why me? And is it possible for me to return to the world that I was in?¡± A younger person might have jumped at the opportunity, saying, ¡®Yes, another world!!¡¯ However, I was just an old man. I was happy enough in a lukewarm modern world, rather than going to a place where I couldn¡¯t tell left from right. ¡°I was looking for personnel to transfer to another world, when I found you right before death. And so you were invited. If you refuse, you will be sent right back to the moment before the accident.¡± Are. You. Serious! So I hadn¡¯t avoided the worst outcome at all! I held my head and threw myself to the ground, but as there wasn¡¯t actually a ground, I just rotated in the air. Uh, ugh. While I felt a light feeling of despair, at least I still had a chance left. But being thrown into another world like this would be no good at all. I needed to gather as much information as I could first. ¡°A-and what kind of world is it? And what am I supposed to do there?¡± ¡°Your people would call it a medieval world of swords and sorcery. There are many books that suggest worlds like this would be very entertaining to transfer to, and so I wanted to know what would happen if I put it to the test.¡± So it was just out of interest!! However, if returning meant death, then perhaps a medieval fantasy world was not bad. Besides, I had no hopes, dreams or family. ¡°¡­Very well. I think I¡¯ll go to this world of yours.¡± ¡°Thank you for your cooperation. That being said, I think it will be very hard for you to be suddenly thrown into a world where you know nothing, and so I will grant you the minimum initial support. Now, are there any other questions you would like to ask?¡± Minimum initial support¡­that wasn¡¯t promising. However, the books¡­light novels about other worlds, these were read by older men these days as well. Don¡¯t underestimate us. ¡°Does this world have skills and stats?¡± ¡°Yes. It didn¡¯t originally, but since I found them amusing in a book I read, I had a god assigned to work on them. And so you, Shinichi, will be given just one skill.¡± They had the power to change worlds¡­it was scary how influential light novels could be¡­ So, just one. I would have to think about this carefully then. ¡°Will I be able to choose the skill? Also, will I have any other basic abilities aside from the skill? Some kind of transfer bonus? Also, will I be able to speak the same language as the inhabitants of this world?¡± ¡°You may choose the skill. As for your basic abilities, it will be based on the average for humans that are 46 years of age, and your own qualities. As for a transfer bonus, the ability to choose your skill is a tremendous bonus in itself. While you will not speak the same language, you will be given Eralt Lv1, which is the main language of humans.¡± Oh, so I will be able to talk to them. ¡°When transfering to other worlds, ¡®Appraisal¡¯ and ¡®Storage¡¯ are usually part of the basics¡­ Also, maybe you can make me 17 as a special service and¡­¡± ¡°Appraisal and Storage both require ultra powerful skills. Furthermore, we do not offer such special services.¡± Well, she had read enough light novels to start changing the world, so she understood all about basic skills and cheat abilities. However, what was a 46 year old man supposed to do in another world? I would just bumble around and before I knew it I would be a senior citizen. Actually, I was not likely to even live that long. Surely there must be some way to keep myself from dying. ¡°Are there any skills for immortality?¡± ¡°There is one for never dying and one for never aging.¡± Ah! So close! I could escape death with the first one, but if things went wrong, I might have to continue living forever as a wrinkled old man. That was something that I wanted to avoid. But with a skill that prevented aging, I could buy time. There might be problems if you wanted to live with people in society, but it was still worth considering. Either that, or I could use a powerful combat skill to survive and create a place to live. Or perhaps I should get a skill more related to survival ability. ¡°Are there any skills that allow you to steal or copy other skills? Also, are there ways to acquire additional skills later on?¡± ¡°Acquiring skills from other people is against the skill system. Skills can be acquired later on through jobs, training, experience, aptitude, etcetera.¡± So you couldn¡¯t steal them. But you could acquire them. So it would be a terrible waste to get something like alchemy or smithing if you could get them later on. So maybe the unaging one was the best¡­ However, if I¡¯m being honest, starting something new at this age was quite difficult. My body didn¡¯t move like it used to, and every time I was transferred to a new location at work, I had trouble relearning my job. If only I was just a little younger¡­ Hmm? Younger? ¡°Is there a skill that makes you younger?¡± ¡°There is not¡­ But it is possible to create skills that do not interfere with the established skill system.¡± Ohh! I can do it! The dream of humanity! My apologies to all the women in the world! I just found something better than an unaging skill! ¡°Alright, give me that skill!¡± ¡°Certainly. Well then, Shinichi. As there is no kanji in the other world, your name will be written as ¡®Shinichi Saitou¡¯ on your status. Will you keep it that way?¡± Hmm. A Japanese sounding name would make me stick out in another world. Besides, it might get troublesome to have such a family name if I ever get involved with nobles. So I¡¯ll change it to a name I once used in an RPG a long time ago. ¡°Change my name to ¡®Ajifu.¡¯¡± Ajifurai is the best(fried mackerel). It¡¯s not up for discussion. Am I sure that I want that to be my name? Yes, I am(certain). ¡°Very well, Saitou Shinichi, now known as Ajifu. Your status has been set.¡± ¡°And how can I look at my status?¡± ¡°Say ¡®Status open.¡¯ You can say it out loud or just think it, but¡­¡± ¡°Status open!¡± ¡­? Nothing happened? ¡°¡­But, this place is out of bounds for the status system, so you will have to wait until you are on location.¡± I had even posed for it, but it was a swing and a miss. It was quite embarrassing. It showed how important it was to listen until the speaker was finished. Yes. In any case, let¡¯s go to this world and check it out! ¡°¡­I understand. I will do it there.¡± ¡°Then you will be sent on your way. Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you!¡± ¡°I hope that your life in another world will be a pleasant one, Mister Ajifu.¡± Said the light, and then it started to grow brighter until my vision was filled with white¡­ CH 2 Status and Bandit Attack Once it seemed like the blinding light was starting to subside, I felt a breeze on my cheek. Finally, I opened my eyes and saw that I was surrounded by fields of grass. A short distance away, I could see something like a road. And after scanning the area, I found a small area with a thicket and boulders, and so I hid myself there. It would have been reckless to continue standing in a field where you could be seen from any direction. Once I was settled, I decided to take a look. ¡®¡°Status open!¡± I chanted, and a game-like window opened up in front of me. ¡°Woah¡­¡± It was like being in a VRMMO, only those were never invented in my lifetime. Well, at least I knew now that this world wasn¡¯t a scam. Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 46 Lv: 1 HP: 36/36 MP: 11/11 STR: 18 VIT: 17 INT: 8 MND: 11 AGI: 14 DEX: 7 LUK: 4 Skill Title Visitor From Another World Hmm. I understood most of it. STR was strength, VIT was vitality, INT was intelligence, MND was mind, AGI was agility, DEX was dexterity, and LUK was luck. So I could raise my Lv and punch physically. Did that mean I was a vanguard type? I wasn¡¯t sure, but my status seemed quite good for being Lv1? But how could I use the skills? Hmm. I tried thinking about the Eralt language. Eralt Language Lv1 Allows you to use Eralt, which is the standard language of the human countries. The details were displayed. Would it not activate unless I was thinking about it? Could I switch back and forth? But there was no way for me to find out unless someone talked to me in the Eralt language. So I left it for now. As for my main skill, it was Reverse Age. Reverse Age Lv1 Reverses the users age by Skill Lv x MP used x 0.1 year. Recast time: 1 year. Th-the recast time is one year!? That¡¯s how long it takes to be able to use the skill again. If I could only use it once every year, then I¡¯ll have to be very careful. Currently, it would be Lv1 x MP 11 x 0.1, which meant I could only rejuvenate by 1.1 years. And to be honest, there was hardly a difference between being 46 and 44.9. So, it wasn¡¯t possible to get a lot younger from the beginning then. The road to anti-aging could not be traveled in a single day. While there was a part of me that wanted to test it right away, if I used it now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to use it again for a whole year. And so I should at least raise my level and MP a little first. Another thing that interested me was that my stats looked like that of a vanguard type. And I had the impression that vanguards weren¡¯t great when it came to increasing their MP. Besides, starting as a vanguard when you were old seemed quite awkward. Why couldn¡¯t I be a sorcerer who fights in the rear guard? After all, when you think of other worlds, you think of magic! Well, it won¡¯t be easy, as I didn¡¯t have the skills. But that light¡­which was probably a god, said that it was possible to acquire new skills. And so I would have to put it to the test. I stretched my hand out and tried to focus on gathering energy¡­ And then I chanted the familiar words! ¡°Fire Ball!!!¡± ¡­Hmm. Nothing happened. There was a light breeze, but that had already been there. It was unrelated. This wasn¡¯t exactly unexpected. If it was activated now, then there wouldn¡¯t be any need for skills. Still, it was embarrassing to be flopping around like this at my age. I felt an overwhelming sense of defeat. However, I did learn something. You couldn¡¯t acquire skills just by trying something. So it wasn¡¯t a defeat. Now, it was time to think about the reason that the magic wasn¡¯t activated. Theory 1 Stop dreaming about magic, you old man! While it may have seemed realistic, and while the god had said it was a world of swords and sorcery, it wasn¡¯t that realistic, considering there were stats. Theory 2 I had said the wrong words. There are different patterns, after all. I¡¯ll have to test it. Mmm¡­ ¡°Fire!¡± ¡°Fira!¡± ¡°Flame Bullet!¡± ¡°Wind Cutter!¡± ¡°Aero!¡± ¡°Water!¡± ¡°Earth Bullet!¡± ¡°Grand Javelin!¡± ¡°Light!¡± ¡­Did the breeze get a little weaker? No, it must be unrelated. And there it was again, that feeling of overwhelming defeat. To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing. I would have to watch someone use magic in order to figure it out. So I¡¯ll give it a rest for now. Theory 3 I haven¡¯t met the requirements for activating it. This seemed the most likely. For instance, you need to acquire spells, catalysts or magic circles. Once again, I couldn¡¯t be sure unless I saw someone else doing it. But then there was the most likely possibility. Theory 4 You needed a skill in order to use magic. This could also be seen as an activation requirement. For instance, things like magic energy detection or manipulation. I would have to put it to the test. As I couldn¡¯t sit in a zen meditation pose¡­old men are not flexible, I simply sat cross-legged, closed my eyes, and searched for the energy within my body¡­ Searching¡­ I even checked the area around my stomach, which seemed the most likely¡­ Hmm? What is this? Grrr¡­ Now that I thought about it, I hadn¡¯t eaten my dinner. It wasn¡¯t magic energy. I even checked the heart, where the blood flows¡­ I searched¡­ Hmm. I don¡¯t sense anything at all. Dodo¡­ Hmm? What was that? Dododo¡­ Oh? Is this¡­? Dodo-dododo¡­ It¡¯s! It was the sounds and vibrations of something from the other side of the road. It wasn¡¯t magic energy at all. When I looked out from the shadow of the rocks towards the road, I saw a cloud of dust that was approaching me. Apparently, it was a carriage. But it was moving at a great speed. And I could see several horse riders behind it. They seemed to be chasing the carriage. This scene. I had a bad feeling about it. There was someone on the luggage carrier of the carriage, and they seemed to be fighting back with a bow. But at that speed, it would be difficult to hit your target. Ah, one of the riders was shot off his horse. Amazing. Now the number of pursuers were 3, 4¡­5. They were wearing leather armor that looked¡­old. My impression was that they looked like ¡®bandits.¡¯ Three of them had spears and two had swords. The driver of the carriage was wearing ordinary clothes, but out of the people in the back, two were wearing dark armor that might have been leather. One carried a bow and the other a sword. The riders spread out, one of them overtook the carriage and began to attack the driver to the right with his sword. The horizontal swing went straight for the neck, but the driver dodged the attack in the nick of time! ¡­But, a spear-wielding bandit had now come up on the other side, and with a quick thrust, the driver was stabbed in the stomach. As the carriage began to slow down, the spear-wielder jumped onto the carriage and kicked the driver off. And while the swordsman in the back tried to assail the invader, he was targeted by a bandit who was behind him. In order to cover for the swordsman, the archer let go of the bow and drew his sword, but he was soon surrounded by the other three and stabbed with a spear. Once the swordsman was facing five enemies at once, he finally dropped his blade and surrendered. The carriage stopped, and as the bandits searched through the luggage, they discovered a small boy who began to struggle wildly. But he became quiet after they dragged him out and dealt a few punches and kicks. The swordsman was tied up, and while I was too far to clearly hear what he was saying, it sounded like, ¡®Please spare me!¡¯ But he was then held to the ground and beheaded. The scene was just too different from modern Japan that my mind could not keep up with what was happening. I just watched in stunned silence. CH 3 The First Battle I No! No! No! I can¡¯t do this! I can¡¯t! This was a group of armed killers and thieves. And they had superior numbers. I was just wearing working clothes. I was an unarmed civilian(46 years old) who couldn¡¯t even use magic. I didn¡¯t have the brains to get myself out of this¡­ And I had never conveniently received any training in ancient Japanese martial arts. Really! I was just an ordinary guy! There was nothing I could do to gain the upper hand! The momentary feeling of ¡®this is kind of like a game,¡¯ had been blown away completely. As I held my breath and watched from the shadows of the rock, the bandit, who had fallen off of the horse in the beginning, returned while being supported by a comrade. While he was wounded badly, he was alive. The driver, swordsman and archer were stripped of their possessions and thrown into the forest on the side of the road. And after the wounded and the tied up boy were loaded onto the carriage, it turned around and drove back in the direction it had come. Once enough time had passed since they were out of sight, I scanned my surroundings cautiously before climbing out from the shadows. I then found myself going to the forest where the bodies were, and ended up vomiting at the sight of such terrible wounds. It continued for some time, even though my stomach should have been empty. Then I braced myself and turned to the bodies once again, and held my hands together, offering a silent prayer. And while I felt that I was desecrating the dead, I took the clothes from the corpses. My blue work uniform that I was currently wearing would draw too much attention in this world¡­ I told myself that as I chose the clothes from the three that had the least amount of blood on them, and put them on. Luckily? I found that coins had been sewn into the pants of the two who had fought in the back of the carriage. And so I acquired two gold coins each from the dead. And while I felt a terrible sense of hypocrisy in doing it, I left a coin in each of their hands and took the remaining two. From the driver, I took a small knife. Normally, I would have wanted to bury or burn the bodies, but as I had no way of doing that, I lined them up and offered a silent prayer for the second time, and then left. I then discarded my old work uniform in a part of the forest that was far away from the scene of the crime. And like that, I had gotten rid of all the evidence. Still sinking in a feeling of guilt, I started to walk down the road in the opposite direction that the bandits had gone. The sun seemed to be descending at my back now. I had been so nervous for so long, and now my throat was dry. If only there was water nearby¡­ I was practically begging as I continued to walk. Even then the gruesome scene would not leave my head. I had come from a safe and comfortable country and into a world where life was cheap. I knew it now, whether I had wanted to or not. I could do nothing while the carriage was being attacked. I could do nothing while the boy was being abducted. I could do nothing while witnessing someone begging for their life. I was completely powerless. Coming to this world had made me feel like I was someone special. Someone who appeared gallantly and could toy with the bandits with one hand. Someone who that boy would look at with admiration. ¡®You are not that kind of special person.¡¯ The truth of this world had been thrust upon me. However, and this wasn¡¯t much as far as consolations went, I had still learned something. And so with heavy feet, I began to organize my thoughts. First, as the swordsman was pressed into the dirt, I had indeed heard him beg, ¡®please spare my life.¡¯ So you could say that the skill Eralt Lv1 had been effective. As it happened, I hadn¡¯t even thought of trying to activate the skill. It was all I could do to breathe as quietly as possible. And yet it had activated. That meant it was activated all of the time¡­what they called a passive skill. That really wasn¡¯t much in value compared to a life. But it did help to put my mind at ease. After all, I was headed to some place that I didn¡¯t know. Some place along this road. And there was one other thing. The bandit had mercilessly beheaded that swordsman. In other words, being beheaded meant death, regardless of your HP. Then what were those numbers in HP for? I would have to find out. Perhaps I could cut myself with the knife. However, that was too risky an experiment now, when I had no way to treat any wounds. The blade of the knife was only 7 centimeters, and was more a tool than a weapon. It was plain, and without any decorations, but looked like it would come in handy. And so I was keeping it in my pocket for now. It was better than nothing, and just holding it made me feel a little bit stronger. My search for water continued to be fruitless as I walked. And it was just as the sky started to change color that I felt as if the forest around me was starting to open up. When I came out of the now sparse area of trees, I thought I heard the sounds of trickling. ¡°It¡¯s water!¡± Unable to hold back, I ran on ahead until I discovered a small stream that was about 50 centimeters in width. There was no time to think about it being unpurified. I dunk my head into the surface of the water and drank. The water seemed to soak into my empty stomach and body. ¡°Ahhh.¡± I raised my head and then sat on the ground with a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m saved¡­¡± It was just as I muttered this out loud, that our eyes met. The thing that was on the other side of the water. It was as big as a medium-sized dog. The beady eyes, the long ears. A rabbit in appearance, were it not for the horn coming out of its forehead. Encountering an animal out in the wild was rather surprising. After we stared at each other for a while, I kept my posture low so as to not scare it, and I got back on my feet. Then I slowly backed away while taking out the knife and removing the sheath. While it was very rare, if you did encounter a rabbit in Japan, it would likely run away before you could say ¡®ah.¡¯ There was even a saying about the speed of a fleeing rabbit. However, it just stared at me without moving a muscle. I had a bad feeling about this. Unless there was a surprise waiting for me, this was probably one of those ¡®Horned Rabbits¡¯ that were your classic smallfry? Though, I didn¡¯t know its official name. These beginner enemies¡­ Well, that¡¯s what it should have been. But it was staying still with such a dignified presence. With every backstep that I took, I felt like I was the one who was a rank below it. But it was still just a rabbit. And so judging from where it evolved, shouldn¡¯t it be a herbivore? In that case, even though it might strike back in order to defend itself, surely it wouldn¡¯t attack me if left alone¡­ But in spite of such hopes, and just as I was about to reach a distance where I would feel safe, it tilted its head to the side and let out a cry. ¡°Kyu?¡± The gesture and sound was cute. But in my mind it sounded like it was saying, ¡®So you think you can run away?¡¯ Well, there was no way that a rabbit would actually say that. In fact, it had crouched low as if charging its legs, and then it sprang towards me with its horn pointed in my direction. I thought that I heard a ¡®Don!¡¯ as it kicked off the ground. And it aimed at my body with precision. It could reach me even from this distance! While I was shocked, I was just far enough that I was able to move to the side and dodge it. But it quickly changed directions and we were facing each other again. My heart was beating loudly in my chest. Determined to not allow it to target my center again, I went into a lower crouching stance so that I was level with my shorter opponent. And then I held the knife out with my right hand as if to keep the rabbit from getting any closer. And yet, as if to laugh at my efforts, the Horned Rabbit jumped at me once again. This time there was less distance between us¡­ As this charge was targeting a lower target, I thought that I wouldn¡¯t have enough time to dodge it, but my stance helped me, and I made it out of the way just in time. However, its horn scratched my thigh, and I felt a sharp pain run through me. ¡°Ggg!¡± But there was no time to assess the damage. The Horned Rabbit turned around and jumped at me again. However, it must not have had enough time to right its posture, and its aim was too high and its speed too slow. While its horn scraped against my right arm, my only thought was, ¡®It¡¯s my chance!¡¯ and I spun around half way and slammed my left fist into it. It was the strongest punch that I could muster, but the impact just felt ¡®fluffy.¡¯ The Horned Rabbit turned around. But this time, it raised its head without charging. ¡°Kyui?¡± It let out a cry. But in my head, ¡®Bah, you¡¯re not half bad.¡¯ That¡¯s what it sounded like. CH 4 The First Battle II Well, there was no way that a rabbit would say such a thing. However, I wasn¡¯t sure what to do now that I knew that my punch had done almost nothing. Could it be that it has some kind of skill that raises its resistance to blunt attacks? Of course, it wasn¡¯t going to give me time to ponder this. The Horned Rabbit charged at me again. ¡°Woah.¡± While it¡¯s speed was as crazy as ever, this time I was able to dodge it. I realized it after seeing it three times. While it was fast, it moved in mostly a straight line. If you moved at the same time, then dodging it wasn¡¯t too difficult. My opponent seemed to realize this as well, as it stopped to face me. And then once again, it was a battle to bridge the distance. We went from frantic movement to a silent battle. If blunt attacks were ineffective, then I would have to cut. But the only thing I had was the small knife in my right hand. I reversed my diagonal stance so that I could counter and cut from the right¡­ But within that small opening when I was changing position, it struck. It jumped towards me! But now¡­ ¡°I can read your moves!¡± I easily dodged it. However, it had only hopped a little to the side, and didn¡¯t charge at all. As for me, I had practically thrown myself out of the way, and had lost my balance. ¡°A feint!?¡± I felt as if it was laughing at me. After its sidestep, it targeted me and charged! I couldn¡¯t move, and it bounded towards me. And like that, blood sprayed in the air. Yes, the blood of the Horned Rabbit. It had made a terrible mistake. It must have thought that this was its chance. It had aimed for my head. I bent backwards and escaped the attack by a hair¡¯s breadth¡­yes, just like in The Matrix(of course, I fell back right after). And as it was about to pass over me, I swung my right hand. And as luck would have it, the knife in my grasp cut open the spot right between its eyes. Had it targeted my body, it would have likely dealt a lot of damage. So it was a good thing that it had become greedy enough to try and finish things quickly. That being said, this still wasn¡¯t a complete reversal of fortunes. After all, I was now on my back, and the attack didn¡¯t have much power behind it. I had only cut through its skin, and so that damage was not too heavy. I sat up and saw that it was slowly turning around to look at me. Both of its eyes were still present. All I had done was make a slash from its left cheek to the top of its head. Between now and the time it took me to get back up and in a defensive stance, it would have the perfect chance to attack. ¡°Shit.¡± I thought. But it didn¡¯t come. Feeling suspicious, I got to my feet and backed away. ¡°Kyu.¡± It cried. And then it turned around and hopped away. ¡°Haa¡­¡± I sighed in relief before sitting back on the ground. Did it spare me then¡­? ¡°Status open.¡± I opened the status window I had forgotten about, and saw that my HP was now 31/36. In spite of the beating I took, it hadn¡¯t gone that far down. ¡°I suppose focusing on HP too much really is dangerous.¡± With such thoughts, I looked up at the sky and saw that it was becoming the colors of the evening. It would be no good to be in a place like this during the night. And so I switched gears and started to walk back to the road as I considered what had happened. Could something like that really be considered a weak starting monster¡­? No, there was no way. Perhaps it was a rare monster that didn¡¯t really belong in this field? This was another world. So it could have just been a matter of terrible luck that I had encountered it. And if it ever became famous, it would become a monster that people would call ¡®Scarface.¡¯ The day might come where I could tell people, ¡®I¡¯m the one who gave it that scar.¡¯ And they would say, ¡®Wh-what!? You must be very strong to have been able to land an attack on Scarface.¡¯ It could happen¡­ Perhaps this was an encounter with someone who would be an old enemy. One day we would acknowledge each other and fight in battle, shoulder to shoulder. I decided to think it was possible. Thankfully, I was able to escape the forest without trouble, and as the scenery in front of me opened up, I saw that there was a settlement that was surrounded by wooden walls. There was even smoke rising from a chimney, so there was no mistaking it. While it was still quite a distance away, I wouldn¡¯t have to sleep outdoors. I rang out what energy I had left, and forced my tired body to pick up the pace. It hadn¡¯t looked that far, but by the time I reached the settlement, the sun had already fallen, and the gates were closed shut. ¡°Please open up!¡± I shouted while banging on the gate. And then someone climbed up the watchtower on the side of the gate. ¡°What¡¯s this? And at such a time?¡± I felt relieved at being able to understand him. And decided to make up a random excuse. ¡°I was attacked by bandits and had to escape. Will you please let me inside?¡± ¡°You alone? You don¡¯t seem to be carrying any weapons. And yet you were able to make it all of the way here by yourself?¡± ¡°They took all of my belongings. And the others were killed. I barely managed to run away.¡± ¡°¡­Wait right there. I will go and speak to the chief.¡± The man said before descending from the watchtower. I waited for some time, and then the man returned. And after making sure that there was no one else in the area, ¡°I will open the gate now. Just wait.¡± And then he signaled to someone else. The gate then cracked open, just enough for one person to pass through. And from within, ¡°Get in.¡± Came a voice. I entered, and was immediately surrounded by three armed men and an elderly man who held a torch. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disturb you at such a late hour. But I was attacked by bandits and had to flee. Would it be possible for me to stay the night at some inn?¡± I started with an apology and a bow of the head. The men looked at each other, and then the man with the torch stepped forward. ¡°There are no inns in this village. And while I¡¯d like to hear your story, it seems that you are injured. Even here, we can offer some simple treatment, and then we¡¯ll talk.¡± ¡°Ah! Treatment as well! Thank you!¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t anything proper, so I would not expect too much.¡± I followed after the man and was led to a house that was larger than the others around it. Apparently, it was where the representative of the settlement lived. When we entered the house, an elderly woman appeared. ¡°Oh? And who is this? Ah! But you are hurt! How terrible. You must be treated at once!¡± And with that, I was ushered away. I took off my shirt and showed the wounds, which were washed rather painfully before being slathered in some kind of medicine and wrapped up with bandages. The man then came to see how things were going. ¡°How is it? Is it bad?¡± ¡°They cover a large area, but are all just scratches. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± I see. I should have just said, ¡®Ah, they are just scratches.¡¯ Once that was done, I was led to a table and served some water, which I drained in an instant. There was the elderly man and woman. And a man who might have been in his thirties, but it was hard for me to judge a person¡¯s age when it came to westerners. They all stared at me. ¡°So, let¡¯s hear what you have to say. Who are you and where did you come from?¡± Asked the elderly man. ¡°I¡¯m Ajifu, a traveler. This place wasn¡¯t my original destination, but I was abducted by bandits, you see. And then a carriage passed by, and I was tied up and thrown to the side. It was only because I had a knife hidden on me that I was able to cut the ropes and escape.¡± It was all lies, but I thought it was better than telling them that I had come from another world. I had no intention of being an honest idiot. ¡°I am Nyle, the chief of this village. And this is my wife, Mefica. And that one over there is Gein. In any case, we didn¡¯t see any carriages coming in this direction. What kind of carriage was this, and what happened to it?¡± ¡°I was quietly making my way through the forest when I saw the bandits driving the carriage right past me. There had been three people on it when I first saw the carriage, but when they returned, it was just the one child and the bandit driver. And after walking further into the forest, I found three corpses.¡± ¡°Mister Nyle¡­this¡­¡± ¡°Hmm. It may be Desto. They did take Rudy, and there were two guards hired from the guild. How will I be able to tell Melissa this¡­ No, perhaps it¡¯s too early to jump to any conclusions.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s about the same time that Desto should be returning. The timing matches up.¡± So they do have guilds. And the family of the deceased were in this village. This was bad. CH 5 Farewell, Rival What I was wearing now were the clothes I had acquired(also known as stolen) from the corpses. But this physical evidence might be the ruin of what had seemed like a perfect crime. And so I decided to offer some information as part of a plea bargaining. ¡°I, um¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± It was difficult to say. ¡°The¡­thing is¡­¡± ¡°Speak up now.¡± The village chief¡¯s eyes seemed to narrow. ¡°The clothes that I¡¯m wearing. They are from the corpses. I was only in my undergarments when escaping, and I was cold. And I also thought that I would attract attention if I wore white in the forest¡­¡± The chief looked at me for a while. Then he closed his eyes and sighed. As for Gein, he waved his hand as if this was nothing. ¡°Everyone loots from the dead. Think nothing of it.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not impressed. So, do you have Desto¡¯s clothes?¡± ¡°Desto? What did he look like?¡± ¡°He had gray hair and brown eyes. And he was a little taller than you. Not thin, but not fat either.¡± ¡°He also had a scar on his right hand.¡± I didn¡¯t notice any scars on his hand¡­but the driver had gray hair. ¡°I think this is his jacket.¡± I took it off and handed it to them. The air felt quite chilling. The chief took it and gave it to his wife. ¡°Mefica. Show this to Melissa so that we can be sure.¡± She accepted it without a word and left the house. ¡°Now, Ajifu, was it? How many of these bandits were there? And how were they armed?¡± ¡°There were six of them, and they all rode on horses. Three had spears and three had swords. Their clothes looked like fur that was haphazardly wrapped around them.¡± ¡°Six riders, eh¡­? Mister Nyle, this is too much for the village to handle.¡± Gein said with a grimace. But the chief stopped him. ¡°Well, wait. Ajifu. Was that really all of them? Where was their base?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I only saw six on the road. And it¡¯s not like I was taken to their base, so I don¡¯t know if it exists or if there are others.¡± ¡°Hmm. Unfortunately, we can¡¯t trust you completely. You might be one of them, and betray us in the middle of the night. That being said, we¡¯ll talk about that after Mefica returns. By the way, Ajifu. Have you eaten?¡± ¡°No. To be honest, I feel like I¡¯m about to faint.¡± I had been sent to this world right before dinner, which was around midday in this world. So I had missed two meals already. And then there was the nervousness of having to fight and the long walk. I felt dizzy. ¡°I see. While it won¡¯t be much, you can eat here if you like.¡± So saying, the chief brought some bread and soup from the kitchen. The bread was very dry, and the soup was cold and seasoned with nothing but salt. It would not have been considered good under normal circumstances, but it tasted delicious to me. All the tension that had built up in my heart since my arrival seemed to dissipate. And when I let my guard down, tears started to well up in my eyes. ¡°Hey, hey. Surely it¡¯s not good enough to make you cry?¡± ¡°What? Are you insulting my wife¡¯s cooking?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I suppose I felt the kindness and I¡­¡± ¡°Oh, so you mean it doesn¡¯t actually taste good?¡± ¡°No, it is good.¡± The three of us looked at each other and laughed. They weren¡¯t bad people, from what I could see. As we talked, Miss Mefica eventually returned. ¡°It is definitely Desto¡¯s. Melissa cried when she saw it. I think I should watch over her a little longer tonight.¡± ¡°According to Ajifu, it sounds like Rudy wasn¡¯t killed. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes. The boy was tied up and put in the back of the carriage.¡± ¡°They are likely thinking of selling him as an illegal slave. If we hurry, we might be able to rescue him. What happened to Desto is unfortunate, but you should do what you can to comfort Melissa and tell her to be strong.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Miss Mefica nodded firmly and then left. ¡°I doubt the bodies will still be there by tomorrow, but it¡¯s too dangerous to go and investigate it now. But as there might be something remaining, I¡¯ll send some people out to go and look first thing in the morning. At the same time, we¡¯ll have to send out a request to the Powarso Adventurers Guild. After all, we have to report the failure of the escort mission as well as receive the payment for breach of contract.¡± ¡°Um¡­!¡± I raised my voice, and the two looked at me. ¡°If you¡¯re going to make a request at the guild, could you use this as part of the payment?¡± I took out a gold coin from my pocket and put it on the table. ¡°But that¡¯s a gold coin! I¡¯m surprised the bandits didn¡¯t take it from you!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a request to kill more than six bandits, then it will cost three pieces of gold at the very least. While I appreciate the offer, are you certain?¡± I nodded firmly. After all, it wasn¡¯t my money to begin with. ¡°Now, considering the situation, we cannot allow you to roam free until the bandits have been properly dealt with. That means you will have to sleep in a locked shed at night. Understand?¡± ¡°Of course. As long as I have a roof over my head. And¡­I know this might sound arrogant after all you¡¯ve done for me, but I have a request.¡± ¡°What is it? Say it.¡± ¡°I have no money, no belongings and nowhere to go. I will do anything! So can I stay in this village?¡± I pushed my forehead into the table and asked with all the earnestness I could muster. Some might say that I looked bad, but survival was important. Going along with them and registering at the guild, participating in the raid and finding a treasure in their hidden base. It¡¯s the start of a new life as an Adventurer! No¡­that was ridiculous! ¡°Hmm¡­ While it¡¯s true that we lack working hands¡­ Well, I will consider it once the bandits are defeated.¡± ¡°Thank you! I¡¯m very grateful!¡± Gein then took me to what looked like a storage shed. ¡°A pot will be brought for you, so you can do your business in that.¡± It was pitch black after he closed the door, but I was so exhausted that I fell asleep as if collapsing. The next morning, someone hit me until I woke up. I was then fed some bread and soup, and then a rope was tied around my waist so that I could guide the others to the bodies. Just before leaving the village, we encountered some children that looked like they would be elementary or junior high school age. Gein said to them, ¡°There may be bandits in the area, so don¡¯t you dare go anywhere close to the forest.¡± He warned. But the children replied lightheartedly. ¡°Should they really be left alone?¡± ¡°They are fully-fledged hunters in their own right. They know how to stay away from danger.¡± He said. This world was like Sparta, huh. We arrived at the spot with the bodies without meeting any bandits. The bodies were gone. It was as if they had never been there at all. Apparently, they had been eaten by monsters, and slimes ate whatever was left after that. However, as a few items that had belonged to the three were scattered around, they were able to be retrieved. But even slimes could melt metal with enough time, and so the gold coins were gone. When we returned to the village, we bumped into the boys who were on their way back from a hunt. They were carrying a horned rabbit. Not only that, but the rabbit had a new slash mark on its left cheek. ¡°Did that happen while you were all hunting it?¡± ¡°No, it was already there. Right?¡± ¡°Yes, it wasn¡¯t us.¡± They said. And I couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Old friend(rival)!¡± And I clutched onto it as if nothing could stop me. They then asked me what I was doing, and so I told them of the heated battle that had been waged the previous day. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of emotion over a Horned Rabbit.¡± They all laughed. Apparently, it had been defeated with one arrow and a single stab with a short sword. While I wasn¡¯t completely satisfied by this conclusion, at least I was right about it being called a ¡®Horned Rabbit.¡¯ It was too predictable. Apparently, the bandits were defeated after that by the hands of Adventurers, but as there were not enough Adventurers to deal with every request, there were other incidents occurring at the same time. Upon realizing how dire the situation was, the neighboring town of Powarso had its guild call in a D-rank party for support, as they were in the area. But they had to wait for their arrival, which was why the whole thing had taken longer than expected. Well, I now knew that Adventurers had ranks here. While they had even destroyed the bandit base, it seemed that young Rudy had already been sold. And though they continued to search for clues, finding a slave who had entered the shadow market was considered impossible. Melissa cried for days after that. She could be heard from outside her house, and I felt terrible. It wasn¡¯t as if I could have done anything. But in my heart, I kept muttering, ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ In any case, the bandits were dead. And so I was able to work in the village. CH 6 Various Things Concerning Skills Apparently, this village was called Ruyana Settlement. This was because the surrounding forest was the Ruyana Forest. As I helped in the fields, repaired the walls around the village, helped with cutting down forest trees and building houses, and various other things¡­ Three years passed. Of course, I had not been living those three years idly. And these were the results. ¡°Status open.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 44 Lv: 5 HP: 71/71 (+35) MP: 15/15 (+4) Skills: Eralt Lv2, Reverse Age Lv2, Farming Lv2, Carpentry Lv1, Carving Lv1, Leatherworker Lv1, Gathering Lv1 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer The numbers with the ¡®+¡¯ mark are just to compare them to Lv1, and did not actually appear in my status. I would often ask to go and help Zuky, a hunter, and he would let me finish off the Horned Rabbits and Forest Wolves that were caught in traps. And eventually, I reached Lv5. It was practically power leveling, but I was told that this was how children in these parts usually raised their level in the beginning. However, it wasn¡¯t like there would be animals caught in traps every time, so this method had a limit. And that limit was generally Lv4. After that, I was taught how to carve and hunt on my own, which led to gaining the Carving Lv1 skill, and I myself got to Lv5. And by then I was able to take down Horned Rabbits. They were easy to kill if you could stop their charges with a shield. It made me wonder why I had struggled so much that first time. However, once I reached Lv5, they started to run away when they saw me, and it became harder to hunt them. While the hunters were able to take them down with bows, I had been hopelessly terrible with them, and had to give up. It must be because of my low DEX. It had to be it. I acquired Gathering Lv1 as the chief¡¯s wife, Mefica, taught me about edible mountain plants, mushrooms and herbs, so I could gather them in the forest. Mrs. Mefica had Dispensary Lv6, and you needed Lv10 to create potions. However, even if you couldn¡¯t make potions, you could still make ointments and antidotes. You could gather even without the Gathering skill as long as you had the knowledge, but by the time I could do it, I had acquired Gathering Lv1. If you had the skill, you would get an idea of where you could gather something, which was very useful. As for Leatherworker Lv1, there was a workshop in the village, where the men tended to gather and talk. And so I acquired the skill after going there and being taught how to make things out of leather. When I returned home, I enjoyed creating different things, and it became a sort of hobby. And then there was my main skill for now, Farming Lv2. Farming Lv2 A boost in farming. It didn¡¯t sound impressive, but it made a huge difference. Mister Dick(Farming Lv24) was the farmer who worked the field next door. When he walked through a field, weeds flew into the air, he could plow like a machine, bugs would not approach after he watered, and the leaves and stems would grow strong, and the harvest would come earlier than usual. I was certain that he was more efficient than any modern farm from my world. But as it would take an incredible amount of time, I quickly gave up on the idea of acquiring such farming cheat skills. This was not an area that a novice like me should intrude in. Cooking? I couldn¡¯t do that. Yes, skills weren¡¯t all about combat. That god(probably real), had said that ¡®Skills can be acquired later on through jobs, training, experience, aptitude, etcetera.¡¯ However, I felt that it was also causing a delay in the advancement of technology. As your skill level was so important, that meant that everything was downgraded when someone was replaced by the next generation. And of course, you then had to work hard in order to raise your skill level to make up for it. That meant there was less focus on creating new techniques and tools. Perhaps that was the reason that this civilization was stalling in this medieval state? And there was also a reason that I couldn¡¯t stay in this village for two long. It was this. Reverse Age Lv1 Reverses the user¡¯s age by Skill Lv x MP used x 0.1 year. Recast time: 1 year. In my first year, I had reached Lv2 through killing trapped Horned Rabbits in order to raise my MP. However, my MP did not change from its 11. With no choice, I tried to experiment, but I didn¡¯t know how to ¡®use my MP.¡¯ Max MP of 11 x 0.1 meant 1.1 years at most, but as a test, I used Reverse Age and thought about reversing 2 years. And then I felt this intense feeling of despair, like I was trying to lift a great boulder. And like that, I fainted. And when I came to and checked my status, my age was the same, but my MP was at 1/11. Your MP recovered slowly over time. It seemed to be around 2 points every hour? Once my MP had fully recovered, I tested going back 1.1 years with Reverse Age. And while I didn¡¯t feel like I was pushing myself that time, I still passed out. But when I saw that my age was now 44, I couldn¡¯t help but pump my fist in the air. Not only that, but Reverse Age had risen to Lv2. In just a few months, I would have been 45, so the decimal points were having the proper effect as well. In my second year, the dear Horned Rabbits helped me get to Lv3, and my MP had increased to 13. I was so happy that I shouted out loud and caused people to worry about me. Now that I could recast, I tried it on my second year. Since my max MP was 14 and my skill was Lv2, I knew that I could do 2.6 years but decided to stop at 2.4 years. This was because I had heard that you faint if your MP reaches 0. I wanted to know if I had fainted because of that, or if it was an effect of the Reverse Age skill. As for the result, the skill was activated and I thought that my body lit up, but I did not faint. When I checked my status, my age was then 43. So it had been because of MP depletion after all. And now, I am in my 3rd year and able to recast again! As I had lied about my age and said that I was 42, the people in the village thought that I was currently 45. If I used the skill now, it would be Lv2 x MP15, which meant I would be 41. The difference would be minimal, and I was sure that I could make it for another year at least. However, not next year. If I was supposed to turn 46 but became 39, people would start to become suspicious. And there was one more reason. I had acquired the Carpentry skill because I had helped with processing lumber for the repair and expansion of the walls around the village for half a year. Of course, most people acquired the skill much faster. Apparently, you gained new skills at a much slower pace the older you got. While there was no need to rush, as I could delay the use of the skill next year if I had to, I wanted to acquire a body that could move quickly as soon as possible. And so I had to make preparations within the year and leave the village¡­ With this resolve, I activated Reverse Age for the 3rd time. CH 7 Beyond the Wall ¡°Gein, Zuky. I have a request.¡± I said to the two who were drinking again. These two had become my good friends. It was mostly because we were drunk. Gein was a former D-Rank Adventurer, but he retired and came here with the chief in order to help build the settlement. He spent most of his time exterminating monsters in the forest and escorting villagers who had business in the city. Zuky was the most skilled hunter in the village. ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± ¡°I want to hunt goblins. And I need your help.¡± ¡°Have goblins appeared again? Where!¡± Gein asked me with a serious expression. But that wasn¡¯t it. ¡°No, the goblins haven¡¯t appeared yet. But they are like a wall for me. A wall that I need to climb over.¡± The two men looked at each other and then burst into laughter. ¡°Ahahaha! And so, heh, you want us to help you? Ahahaha!¡± They looked like they were going to die. I had encountered goblins a few times, and they were no joke. They had green skin and were about the size of a child, with a crooked nose and pointed ears. In other words, like a classical goblin. If it was one on one, even a child could win¡­ That was what they said, but I had a different view. This was a serious battle where your life was at stake. The ones I had met were all hostile and showed a clear will to kill that was different from the Horned Rabbits. It was hard not to be frightened by such pure malice, and I could do nothing but run away. ¡°Yes, I am scared of goblins. But I want to overcome that feeling. And I need your help.¡± Gein¡¯s expression finally became more serious. ¡°But you¡¯re not an Adventurer or even a hunter. Surely there¡¯s no need to force yourself to fight?¡± ¡°I will have no choice but to enter the forest eventually. And there is no guarantee that I will always be able to run away. Perhaps there will be no need to fight, but I do think that I have to be able to.¡± ¡°Well, you may be right. And if you are going to say that much, I won¡¯t say no. If we¡¯re just dealing with goblins, then I can do it alone, but¡­ What do you think, Zuky?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll go with you. I have a feeling that I will be able to see something amusing.¡± And then they burst into laughter once again. Now I hoped that they would die from it. The next day, I entered the forest with them. My current equipment was a shield in my left hand and a spear in my right. I had used my carpentry skills to connect two boards together for the shield, which after cutting it so that it was round, I covered it with two layers of sturdy Fang Boar leather. I was rather proud of the piece. I suppose it would have been considered a small round shield? The spear was given to me by Zuky. At first it was a long spear that I wielded with both hands so that I could attack trapped prey from a safe distance, but it was shortened after that, so I could use it while holding a spear. Stay behind the shield and poke at a distance. The concept was, ¡®life is important.¡¯ The downside of this was that I was using both hands, so I could not gather anything while moving. It was very inconvenient. I was jealous of those with a sword and sheath. As for my torso, I wore a leather jacket, as leather armor was expensive. And it stayed closed with a belt instead of buttons. My trousers were ordinary cloth, but the knees had protectors made of carved wood, kind of like the ones used in soccer. ¡°Are you going off to war?¡± ¡°Yes. Against the goblins.¡± Gein had a good chuckle, but this was a fight that I did not want to lose. However, I did agree that this was not fitting gear for an actual Adventurer. Zuky then guided us to an area where goblins were known to appear frequently. ¡°There are a lot of herbs and mountain vegetables here.¡± ¡°Even in the village, they tell you not to go here, don¡¯t they? It¡¯s because they suspect that the goblin nest is in this area. But we¡¯ve never been able to find it.¡± So that was why it felt like a hidden spot. We continued to go deeper into the forest until Zuky, who was in the lead, signed to us to stop and crouch low. As we hid in the shadows for a while, sounds could be heard from a short distance away. ¡°Gugya!¡± ¡°Gugya-gya!¡± Voices. They were difficult to see in the forest due to their skin, but they were goblins! Multiple goblins. Zuky approached us silently and gave us orders. ¡°There are three in that direction. Two have clubs and one has a sword. I¡¯ll take the one in the back with the club. You two take the ones in the front.¡± He could see very well from this distance! And so we separated and I turned towards the goblins. A second later, I had no idea where Zuky even was. Hunters were amazing! ¡°I¡¯ll take the club. You do the sword.¡± Said Gein. I didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Hey, wait a minute. Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a goblin sword. Something that brittle won¡¯t cut through anything. It¡¯s the blunt attacks of a club that are dangerous.¡± ¡°I see. I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± But we had talked too much, and the goblins noticed our presence. Just as I got up and moved forward, an arrow pierced into the head of the goblin in the far back. A headshot. Amazing. ¡°Gugya?¡± As one of the goblins looked back in confusion to see its comrade hit the ground, Gein rushed forward and cut through the belly of the club wielder, cleaving him in half. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Gugya-gya?¡± The only ones momentarily stunned by this were me and the last goblin. Gein¡¯s weapon was a long sword known as a bastard sword, but I didn¡¯t expect it to do that¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t stand their idly. Come on, do it!¡± Said Gein, and I frantically raised my shield. But now that it was three against one, the goblin tried to escape, but the other two blocked its path. In the end, it decided to take its chances and attack the one that looked the weakest; me. I blocked its sword as it swung from the right. Then I tried to counter with a thrust of my spear, but the shield was in the way. The goblin aggressively banged on my shield with its sword, and I desperately blocked each attack. But, what was this? The feeling that things weren¡¯t going well. I had to move more than usual to defend, and I couldn¡¯t counter. The intensity of the goblin was making me move back. Suddenly, there was a slapping sound and the goblin and I moved away from each other. Apparently, Gein had clapped his hands together behind me. I stepped away from the Goblin and then faced it again. That was when I realized something. This goblin was holding the sword with its left hand! I see¡­ It was left-handed! The goblin started to swing its sword at me again, but this time I had the shield held ready, and I swiped it to the left in the direction that the sword was coming. Clang! The sword and shield clashed, and we moved away from each other. The goblin lost its momentum, and the shield was no longer in my way. And we were at the perfect distance apart so that his sword couldn¡¯t reach me! I thrust the spear out with my right hand. And with a thud, it pierced into the goblin¡¯s throat. ¡°Gya!¡± It let out one cry before falling backwards. It didn¡¯t move again after that, but I pierced it through the chest once more, just to be sure. It didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Alright!¡± I pumped my fist in the air, but Gein and Zuki just exploded with laughter, and had to hold their stomachs for quite a while after that. CH 8 An Assignment for Tomorrow ¡°Ahahaha¡­hahaha¡­ No, in any case, that was highly amusing. Thank you.¡± ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d die from laughing so hard.¡± Oh, I didn¡¯t mean to say that. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t be angry. I¡¯m sorry. Now, uh, you waited too long before attacking. There ain¡¯t no need to give your opponent a chance to attack. And you were in range of its sword in spite of wielding a spear. You won¡¯t be able to turn and will just get hit instead. Also, while holding your shield so high when fighting goblins will block the spear, you could have still targeted its legs. Well, the real problem is that while the enemy was raising its weapon and completely open to attacks, you just held your shield and waited without stabbing it with your spear¡­ Bahaha!¡± ¡°You¡¯re exactly right, but you¡¯re laughing so much that it¡¯s ruined.¡± ¡°Now let¡¯s hurry up and take out the magic stones and continue.¡± The magic stones in goblins were generally close to the heart. I opened its chest and removed the stone. It seemed slightly larger than those in Horned Rabbits? Like a pachinko ball. Apparently, if you were going to make a report at the guild, you were supposed to take their left ears. But no one from Ruyana village worked at the guild. As the goblin¡¯s sword was very brittle, I decided to take it to the smithy, as they could use the iron. ¡°Ah¡­ I never really thought about which hand goblins use to hold their weapons.¡± ¡°It was a low level fight with some high level wasteful movement.¡± ¡°Aye, we¡¯ll be joking about that over our cups for a while.¡± Really, they were laughing too much. It did not take long after that for us to meet more goblins. This time there were two of them that wielded clubs. Zuky killed the first one with his bow, but the other came at me while raising its club, and so I held the shield low and thrust out the spear. The goblin¡¯s forward momentum also helped, and it was skewered with a thud. It was so easy that it wasn¡¯t even satisfying. ¡°Alright, next time you can take on two at once.¡± They said. But when I tried to fight two at the same time, I was attacked from the side while stabbing the first goblin. And so I ended up dropping my spear and was chased around. Zuky laughed too hard to use his bow, and so it was Gein who saved me. My second attempt at facing two at once had me taking care of the goblin on the right first, and then I blocked the left one with my shield, pulled out my spear and succeeded in skewering it. By the time I had killed five goblins, I felt a sensation. It was as if I had become lighter. It had been a while since I last leveled up. When I checked my status, I saw that I was Lv6 now, though my MP was the same. But I did acquire a Shield Art skill. I wanted to put it to the test immediately, but I was out of time, and we would retire for the day. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I laughed so much. Ajifu, you¡¯re quite a wonder.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a complement.¡± ¡°It is!¡± ¡°It is!¡± It was definitely a lie. Their eyes were still laughing. ¡°Today, I was able to overcome my fear of goblins and return in one piece. Gein, Zuky, it¡¯s because of you two. Thank you.¡± ¡°Stop that. We¡¯re not strangers.¡± ¡°That is good, but goblins are still a threat depending on the environment and their numbers. It¡¯s not unusual to hear stories about high-ranking Adventurers being killed by them. ¡®Those who laugh at goblins will be laughed at by goblins.¡¯ It¡¯s an old saying they have. Don¡¯t forget it.¡± ¡°How about, those who laugh at Ajifu will be laughed at by Ajifu?¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want that! But let¡¯s have a round of drinks and see what happens.¡± ¡°You two were just drinking yesterday! We¡¯re all tired today, so only drink a little.¡± In the end, the two drank as they always did, and so I left partway. Still, I had accomplished a lot today, but there were also a lot of regrets. Of course, being able to face goblins was the biggest thing, but there was also the level up, skill and issues with my current fighting style and gear. While I needed to repair the shield, it wouldn¡¯t be much use if I was going to stay out of striking distance. But if I was too close, I wouldn¡¯t be able to use the spear. It would be fine if I was going to fight with other spear wielders, like soldiers do, but if I wanted to become an Adventurer later on, it might be better to use a sword. They say that you needed to be three times better if you wanted to fight a spearman with a sword. But what if you have a shield as well? I would have to ask Gein about it later. When I asked him the next day, this was the result. ¡°The way weapons hold up against each other, eh? To put it simply, a spear is strong against a two-handed sword, but about equal against a one-handed sword and shield. A two-handed sword is strong against a one-handed sword with or without a shield. Shields and spears are good in group battles, but¡­¡± ¡°So spears really are best with their longer range?¡± ¡°Now, listen. Two-handed swords use a lot of metal, and can endure powerful magic enchantments. While you might be at a disadvantage at first, that will change the stronger you get. Shield-wielders are popular because they are strong against magic and arrows. But a broad two-handed sword can have great defense ability as well. Spears with enchantments are great for attacking, and can have a power that is difficult to match. But they are hard to balance.¡± ¡°Magic, huh¡­¡± ¡°These are really just generalizations that don¡¯t take into account special weapons and armor. However, spears and two-handed swords are weapons that really test the qualities of the wielder. Ah, there are no more group battles with spears and shields, as they are easily targeted by wide-area magic.¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t a shield for defense and a spear for attacking be a good combination?¡± ¡°It is not terrible. However, if you are holding a shield with one hand, then you will not be able to use the spear outside of thrusting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Based on all of this, I decided to try the combination of one-handed sword and shield. And so I asked Gein to occasionally help me train with the basics. My body wouldn¡¯t last if I did it every day. As they did not sell swords in the village, I asked Gein to buy one when he visited the city. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if I knew how to pick out a sword myself. I had no knowledge and no appraisal skill that would allow me to pick up a bargain. He ended up buying me a basic long sword. It was quite heavy, and so for now, I only practiced my swings and polished it. It cost me two pieces of gold. That was nearly half of my entire fortune. That may sound like a small amount for working three years, but life in the village was generally about making your own food and trading for items. There was little actual income. As for the monetary values, Copper: 5 coppers would get you a loaf of black bread. Great copper: 10 coppers(Around 100 yen?) Silver: 10 great coppers(1000 yen) Great silver: 10 silvers(10,000 yen) Gold: 10 great silvers(100,000 yen) Great gold: 10 golds(1,000,000 yen) Platinum: 10 great golds(10,000,000 yen) I used black bread as the standard. I would go up if there was war, and go down if there was a good harvest. I converted it to yen for reference. To be honest, the coins were quite heavy. It was a pain to have to carry them around. The great coins were supposed to help alleviate that, and so there was actually less metal than their value would suggest. But they were circulated because whether ally or enemy, all the countries guaranteed that you could trade with them. It was a wonder that some power didn¡¯t try and exploit this, but it was said that doing so would earn the wrath of the gods. The gods must be quite thorough, if they were also guaranteeing the ability to exchange. Up until now, I was able to get by through trading things. But if I was going to the city, then I would need money. In this village, the things you could acquire that could be sold were mainly things like, fur, food items, magic stones, woodcrafts, monster materials etcetera. Furs, food and woodcrafts had to regularly be sold in the city, and there were already people in charge of that. As for monster materials, I wasn¡¯t able to hunt monsters that gave materials good enough to sell. The only thing left was magic stones, but Mrs. Mefica had taught me a little trick. If you dried herbs, antidote grass, un-paralysis grass and other leaves from medicinal plants, and took care to remove the veins and stems, you could crush them into a fine powder that city pharmacists would pay money for. And so I borrowed Mrs. Mefica¡¯s mortar. Not only that, but she said that doing this could help me acquire a skill for medicine making. And so I had no choice but to try it! CH 9 Departure And then one year passed. ¡°AAAOOOOoooon!¡± I heard the distant howling of a Forest Wolf. It was unusual for them to come out into the forest during midday. ¡°Tsk.¡± I threw the herbs I had been gathering into a sack, and scanned the forest in front of me while I slowly retreated. I caught a glimpse of them. Two of them were coming. No, three. I unsheathed the long sword that was starting to finally feel right in my hands, and then I moved to an area that was more open. The one in the lead charged right into the clearing I was in and jumped towards me at full speed. In response, I stepped to the side and crouched as low as I could, and cut upwards into its neck. ¡°Kyan!¡± It passed me and then fell to the ground. I had felt the blade go through it, and it hadn¡¯t gotten back up. There was a lot of blood, so it was likely down for good. I glanced at it briefly and then checked my surroundings. It was odd for Forest Wolves to not work together. The fact that it had jumped at me so recklessly suggested that it was probably quite young. The two that came after were more cautious. Instead of running out into the clearing, they moved in separate directions through the trees so that I would be right between them. This was why Forest Wolves could be so dangerous. I was lucky that there were only two left. Three would have been tricky. Just as one of them entered my blindside, they charged at the same time. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± In turn, I charged towards the Forest Wolf that was in my line of sight, and slammed my shield into it during the brief second that I caught it by surprise. I thrust the sword into its wide open mouth, and it went through and came out the other side of its head. However, I also lost all momentum then, and so I let go of the sword and jumped to the side. The last one had recovered now and was about to attack, and so I kept it in check with a bash of the shield. The previous attack must have taught it, as it backed away¡­no, it didn¡¯t! The first Forest Wolf that I had cut from the side was attacking me now. I took several steps back while swiping at its legs with the shield. Just as I thought, the first attack had been very effective, and it was too weak to stand up immediately. In the meantime, I pulled out the short sword that I had behind my waist. So I still had HP left¡­ Yes, HP was not meaningless after all. It was less about physical strength and more about vitality. The power to live, perhaps. Not that it would decrease during battle because you were tired, but it didn¡¯t go down if you were starving, dehydrated or ill. And if organs that were necessary to maintain life were damaged, it would turn to zero. So you could live if you had remaining HP. Well, you would also die if you kept bleeding. Blood was an important organ, after all. That being said, it couldn¡¯t be helped that it was once again two against one. This time, I would attack first. I ran to the more vigorous one, and just as it crouched defensively, I threw my short sword at it. It was taken by surprise and jumped far back. At the same time, I threw myself in the opposite direction and retrieved my sword from the Forest Wolf corpse. That¡¯s when the wounded one attacked me. ¡°Hmph.¡± This time I slashed it from the front and put an end to it. The last wolf howled and walked around me briefly before running away. ¡°Phew.¡± I exhaled and wiped the blood off of my blade. The meat of Forest Wolves was not particularly good. The best you could do was turn it into dried meat. I took out a rope and strung up the youngest one in order to drain out the blood and remove the guts. The guts and the corpses of the others would be slime food after I removed the magic stones. I could only carry one with me. Slimes had brown viscous bodies, and if you hit the protrusion in the middle of them, they would fall apart. Apparently, they left magic stones, but they were too small for me to find. During this last year, I somehow learned how to use a sword. I did some farming, along with sword practice, herb gathering, processing, and goblin hunting. I was so busy that I could only rest for two days every week. And in this world, there are only six days in a week. In order to gather magic stones, I actively fought goblins and was able to rise to Level 8. ¡°Status open.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 42 Lv: 8 HP: 96/96(+25) MP: 19/19(+4) STR: 31(+5) VIT: 28(+4) INT: 11(+1) MND: 19(+4) AGI: 22(+3) DEX: 12(+2) Skills Eralt Lv2, Reverse Age Lv3, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv1, Carving Lv2, Leatherworker Lv2, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv1 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer In spite of all my training, I didn¡¯t get a Sword Art skill. Or a medicine skill. Why? However, as I was able to reliably hunt Forest Wolves and goblins with a one-handed sword now, it wasn¡¯t as if I hadn¡¯t accomplished anything. And since my MP increased, I should be able to reverse my age by 5.7 years. That would make me 36! About half a year ago, I told everyone in the village that I was planning on leaving. They were sad, but also understanding. They even threw a dinner party for me yesterday. And so today was the day of my departure. All of the villagers had gathered at the gate to see me off. To be honest, life had been very comfortable at the village. Everyone worked together, and both happy and sad times were shared. The population had risen compared to four years ago, and there was a cheerful kind of drive to develop even further. I even had a house that they had helped me build, and that I had grown very fond of. And I had made good friends. ¡­But, I¡¯m sorry. I have to go. I walked out of the gate and then turned around and bowed my head. ¡°Thank you. Thank you all! You have done so much for me, and I feel terrible for insisting that I must see my homeland once more before I die. But I will never forget the days I spent in Ruyana village, of all of you, who welcomed me so warmly. Thank you so much for the last four years!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk like this is the last time we¡¯ll see you! You just have to come and visit us again!¡± Zuky said with tearful laughter. ¡°We¡¯ll be praying for your safety.¡± Said the chief and Mrs. Mefica, who I was greatly indebted to. ¡°I¡¯ll be protecting your fields, so you better come back for them!¡± Said Mr. Dick, who had taught me much about farming. They all sent me off with smiles. Gein. You¡¯re the one who is going to take me to the city. It will be awkward if you start crying now, idiot. I looked ahead, took one step forward, turned around, and raised my voice. ¡°All of you, I¡¯m off!¡± They clapped warmly and shouted ¡®take care,¡¯ and I turned around and waved several times until they were out of view. Yes. I didn¡¯t know when or how old I would be. But even if there were no longer any people that I knew, I would definitely return one day. Yes. As I made that promise, I took a step forward into my new life. CH 10 The Starting City ¡­Oh, I forgot Gein. I paused and waited on the road, and then Gein came running. ¡°Ajifu! Why the hell did you leave me behind!¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know. It seemed like the thing to do. But why are you coming with me, Gein?¡± ¡°Ah, well, because it seems like the thing to do.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°Ahahaha!¡± ¡°Ahahaha!¡± We looked at each other and laughed. The neighboring city was Powarso, and it was one day away on foot. ¡°Chiltsia, was it? That¡¯ll be a long journey.¡± Chiltsia was what I said was my home country. Of course, I knew nothing of it. I had only heard a passing merchant talk about it. He has said, ¡®Ah, black hair and eyes aren¡¯t too common in these parts. Are you from Chiltsia?¡¯ Apparently, it was an island country to the east of the continent. Huh. Never heard of it. But I pretended to anyway. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll have to cross many borders. It should take me two to three years.¡± ¡°That is indeed very far¡­ O flames, Fire.¡± Gein created some fire as we prepared our lunch. Yes, Gein could use magic. Gein, of all people! That being said, it was just simple magic for everyday life. If you wanted to be able to use more powerful magic, you had to study and train as a Sorcerer. But the minimum required magic manipulation skills for everyday magic could be learned at the Magic Guild(for 1 gold coin). On top of that, you could also learn everyday magic that fitted your aptitude. I asked Gein to try and unleash magic energy from his hand, but he said that such complex manipulation was beyond him. Though, talented individuals could learn to do it on their own. Well, I was just a vanguard and a farmer. Still, I intended to go to the Magic Guild in Powarso. And my magical life in another world would finally begin! We continued down the road without encountering any monsters. I had seen Horned Rabbits at a distance at least twice, but they quickly ran away when they saw that I was looking. ¡°That¡¯s how it is on the main roads.¡± I listened to Gein and we talked about meaningless things as we walked. By the time that the sun started to set, the town of Powarso came into view. Ohh! It was a lot bigger than I was expecting! There was a simple outer stone wall that was 1 meter high that surrounded the town. And within, there was a 5 meter wall. But no castle. And there were enough buildings between the two layers of walls to make a small town. ¡°It¡¯s huge compared to the village.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t compare a new settlement to a town that has hundreds of years of history. Now, come on.¡± He hurried me along. There was a line of people at the gate. It was as if they were being chased by the descending rays of the sun. Like the noon traffic after everyone finished their work. ¡°Entry taxes are five coppers. Be prepared.¡± And so I prepared a single great copper for the both of us. As he was escorting me, I had to pay. When I looked around, there were others who looked like Adventurers. The line moved rather smoothly, and then Gein raised his hand lightly and called to the guard. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Ah, Gein. But I don¡¯t recognize your friend.¡± ¡°Aye, he¡¯s from my village.¡± There were rules for entering the town. Like taking off your hood, getting out of carriages unless you were the driver, and you couldn¡¯t be holding any weapons, etcetera. I was currently wearing a cape with a hood¡­ It was long enough to keep the rain off and could also be slept on. I had made it myself and was quite proud of it¡­ Regardless, I pulled my hood back and prepared the money. I knew what I was doing. And so I handed the guard the great copper, bowed my head, and then passed through. I didn¡¯t ask about it, but I was surprised that they didn¡¯t have that thing¡­ ¡°It would be useful if they had a crystal or magic device that allowed them to determine if someone was a criminal when trying to enter.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t afford to use such expensive magic tools at the gate. But there are rumors that the lord¡¯s mansion has a magic device that exposes a person¡¯s title.¡± Title. That would be bad. Surely a title like ¡®Visitor From Another World¡¯ would mean trouble for me. ¡°But if they had them at every guild, couldn¡¯t they prevent criminals from getting registered?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something any ordinary person would ever see in their lifetime. Still, once you register at the guild, there will be records.¡± So they don¡¯t have them. What a relief. That day, Gein took me to his usual inn, and then we went to a tavern where we drank and talked about the village and everything that had happened up until now. Gein paid for the drinks. He said it was his farewell gift. As I would need money for the travels ahead, I was very grateful. When I woke up the next morning, Gein was still asleep. But since he had promised to give me a tour of the town today, I hit him until he got up. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go to the armorer first.¡± ¡°Not the Adventurer¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°The guild will be crowded in the morning. It will be quicker in the afternoon.¡± I see. Gein¡¯s favorite armorer was a workshop in a back alley. ¡°Hey, old man!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not old enough to be called that by the likes of you. What do you want?¡± A craftsman stopped what he was doing to turn to us. He seemed to be the same age as me? ¡°I want you to make some armor for this fellow. How about it? Travels and an Adventurer.¡± ¡°Leather?¡± ¡°Yes, leather.¡± ¡°Hmm. Let me see your shield.¡± I handed him the shield and he inspected it. ¡°Was this made in the village?¡± ¡°I made it myself.¡± ¡°While the construction is second-rate, the leather processing is not bad. A few adjustments should improve it.¡± Ohh! It was worth all the effort then! ¡°As for the armor, it will be 2 golds for Murder Bull, 70 silvers for Orc, and 5 gold for Killer Ant. And the shield will be 30 silvers.¡± He lined them up so that the center one looked cheap. Smart. My whole fortune was 5 gold coins. What should I do¡­ ¡°You also won¡¯t be able to wear that leather jacket once the armor is ready. What will you do with it?¡± ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll go to a used clothes store.¡± ¡°Let me have a look¡­ I¡¯ve never seen anything like it, but it is interesting. I¡¯ll take it off you for 30 silvers. How about it?¡± Wh-what! That¡¯s a great deal! ¡°I¡¯ll take the Murder Bull armor, and the shield repairing, and will sell the jacket!¡± ¡°Aye. Then I must take your measurements, so put this measuring armor on.¡± I put on the simple armor and each part was adjusted with belts so that they could be copied onto the leather. I see. And then he would put the parts together. ¡°It will be finished in four days. The total is 2 gold coins. You¡¯ll pay half now and then the rest when you receive the armor.¡± And so I handed him a gold coin and we left. ¡°I was highly amused by how the old man had you in the palm of his hand.¡± Gein said with a laugh. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Ah, he makes you think you¡¯re getting a bargain by buying things off you and offering services. Normally you¡¯d start negotiating a discount at 2 gold coins. So the old man¡¯s Murder Bull armor could go as low as 1 gold and 70 silvers.¡± ¡°What?! You could have told me about this!¡± ¡°Hey, but you don¡¯t feel like you¡¯ve been robbed, do you? Besides, you¡¯re in good hands with that one.¡± ¡°Well¡­I guess.¡± ¡°Kind, but also make a profit. That¡¯s what he does best.¡± Was this like those shopping channels?! A modern person like me had fallen for such a trick¡­this world was a frightening place. ¡°What will you do next?¡± ¡°My wallet is feeling rather light now, so I want to fill it again. Please take me to the pharmacist that Mrs. Mefica was talking about.¡± He then took me to a very small building. When I opened the door, I saw that it was filled with medicine and materials. ¡°Oh, welcome. What can I do for you?¡± Said the old woman who was inside. ¡°I was wondering if you could buy some of my herbs.¡± I then took out the bottles from my backpack. Getting rid of them would make the bag a lot lighter. ¡°Powdered, eh? And so much. Let me take a look.¡± The healing herbs, antidotes, and un-paralysis plants were put on a scale to be weighed. As I browsed the potions in the store, she called out to me. ¡°Do you make medicine as well?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°But your work is very careful.¡± ¡°I was taught by Mrs. Mefica, from Ruyana village.¡± ¡°Ah, that child.¡± Child? Mrs. Mefica wasn¡¯t so young to be called that¡­ ¡°How about 1 gold and 80 silvers for all of them?¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll also take 2 HP potions, 1 antidote and a potion that stops bleeding.¡± ¡°None for paralysis?¡± ¡°Do I need one?¡± ¡°There are paralysis rats in the mountain forests, and some territories have paralysis bats that come out at night. And in the south, there are insect monsters that can paralyze you. There are also paralysis vipers in the desert.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯ll buy it then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a discount. So with the price of the potions withdrawn, that will be 1 gold and 55 silvers. Tell Mefica that I send my regards.¡± ¡°Aye, I will tell her.¡± Answered Gein. Two years of herbs had turned into money. I felt rather good. But the HP potions cost me 5 silvers and the others were 6 silvers. I would have to use them carefully. CH 11 Adventurers Guild ¡°It should be a good time now. Let¡¯s go to the Adventurers Guild.¡± Gein said. And so we headed to the Adventurers Guild. It was pretty dull and quiet inside. There were two reception counters, but only one of them was occupied. When I scanned the floor, I saw several Adventurers in what looked like a waiting area, and further on there was a bar. And there was also a quest board¡­ ¡°See? This is what it¡¯s like in the afternoon.¡± I followed Gein to the counter. There was a young, pretty woman behind the desk. ¡°Welcome to the Adventurers Guild. How can I help you?¡± ¡°My friend here wants to register as an Adventurer.¡± ¡°Just you? Very well. Have you been registered in the past?¡± It must have been my age. ¡°No, this is my first time.¡± ¡°Any deceptions will be exposed in the magic energy registration later on. Are you certain?¡± Oh. So they were going to use a magic tool here. I nodded. ¡°Would you like to hear the guild agreement?¡± I had an idea of what it would be, but it would be best to hear it. ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°It is all written down here. Please let me know if you have any questions.¡± So I have to read it myself! I didn¡¯t expect that. Ummm. ¡®The guild refers quests to registered Adventurers. Quests are separated into S, A, B, C, D, E, F, and G categories based on rank, just like the ranks of Adventurers. Promotions and demotions are determined based on guild regulation and your ratings. If a G-Rank Adventurer is demoted, they will be dismissed.¡¯ ¡®Furthermore, aside from personal rank, parties also have the rankings, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E, and F. And they are assigned quests that would be too difficult for lone members. When registering, the party rank will be the average of the members¡¯ rank. Promotion and demotions are determined based on guild regulation and ratings.¡¯ ¡®Adventurers that are above the rank of E are obligated to participate in emergency quests from the guild they belong to. If for some reason you are unable to participate, you must make a report at the guild. Depending on the situation, penalties may be enforced.¡¯ ¡®Taxes and guild commissions are included in the quest fee, and the reward is what is left after the reduction. Quest failure will result in penalties, and so quests must be selected with caution.¡¯ This was long. Phew. ¡®Failure to report the failed quests, or the attempt to conceal or abandon them may result in fines, demotion, dismissal, warnings etcetera.¡¯ ¡®If you commit a crime, the guild may choose to demote, dismiss, or give warning.¡¯ ¡®If you are unable to pay a penalty, you may be required to pay it through bonded labor.¡¯ ¡®The Adventurers Guild offers no insurance towards Adventurers in regards to death, injury, damage and loss of property during guild quests.¡¯ ¡®The guild does not get involved in fights between Adventurers. In regards to illegal acts, you will be judged by the law of the land.¡¯ ¡°Excuse me. Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°What do you have to do to get a rank promotion?¡± ¡°For every rank there is a number of quests you must finish as well as other specific requirements and a test. But for G-Rank, it will be 100 quests and no specific requirements or tests.¡± ¡°100! That¡¯s a lot!¡± ¡°G-Ranks are like beginner Adventurers. If you go about it seriously, it should take you half a year to finish 100 quests. But even at a more leisurely pace, you can finish them in a year. Think of it as a learning period for you. However, each rank requires that you complete at least one quest within a certain period, or you will face demotion. It¡¯s called the demotion period. For G-Rankers, that is 1 month. So you must complete a quest within that time.¡± ¡°Is it possible to accept quests that are out of your rank?¡± ¡°You can accept quests that are below your rank. However, that will not count to your completion rate. But when accepting quests as a party, you can go a single rank above the party rank.¡± ¡°Is there¡­a system where strong people can start at a higher rank?¡± Upon hearing this, the receptionist glanced at my gear. ¡°People often make that assumption. But that is the system at the Mercenary Guild. At the Adventurers Guild, your rank is based on your quest completion rate. Strength is only one thing we measure. But if you are so confident in yourself, why don¡¯t you go to them?¡± I was being thrown out. They weren¡¯t really happy to have me here. However, she was wrong! I had absolutely no confidence in my own combat ability! ¡°So, I can raise my rank even if I¡¯m not strong?¡± ¡°If you have sufficient ¡®power¡¯ to complete quests that include the hunting of monsters, yes. However, some of the promotion tests do involve combat.¡± ¡°I see¡­ I think I will become an Adventurer then. Also, what is this about being judged by the law of the land?¡± I didn¡¯t want to be a mercenary where I could be sent off to war. ¡°It means that there is a difference between not interfering with fights between Adventurers, and overlooking crime. For instance, fighting within the city is forbidden. While we can ignore a mere quarrel, if weapons and magic are used in a fight within the city, then the guild will have to take action. Skills as well.¡± ¡°What about a duel?¡± ¡°If both parties have agreed to a duel, then they can have a guild member stand as a witness. However, there are some countries where dueling is illegal.¡± ¡°I understand. I would like to register now.¡± ¡°The registration fee is three pieces of silver.¡± I handed them over. ¡°Well then, please read the following items and sign your name below. And the name of the party if you are in one. If not, leave it empty. If you mean to assemble one now, that will require additional procedures. Will that be necessary?¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t be a part of any party.¡± Hmm. Aside from that, there were things like gender and home base¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve sold my house in the village and am returning to my country where I have no house. What should I write down?¡± ¡°Choose a place that you would like to have notified upon your death. Leave it empty if there is no such place.¡± Oh, so it could be empty¡­ And then there were things about not being responsible about your death and obeying the rules of the guild. Alright, sign ¡®Ajifu,¡¯ and leave the rest empty. While I was writing, the receptionist was preparing her tools. I finished up and submitted the form. The sheet of paper was placed over some kind of stone slab with patterns on it. And then a small metal plate was placed on top of it. ¡°Add a drop of your blood on top of the iron plate and place your hands on the corners of the stone slab.¡± I pricked the fingertip with the point of my knife and then let a drop of it fall onto the metal plate. Then I wiped my finger on the cloth that was provided and then placed my hands on the edges of the stone plate. The patterns started to glow. ¡°Woah¡­!¡± The paper began to burn. And at the same time, words appeared on the metal plate as if being burned in. Let¡¯s see¡­ Ajifu Rank: G Party: Home base: Affiliated: Powarso ¡°Your magic energy pattern has been registered, so no one can use it but you. It will have to be updated when you move to other towns, so be sure to make a report at the guild when coming and going. At the very least, you must make a report at the guild on arrival, or you will not be able to accept any quests. Reissuing will cost ten silver pieces, so be careful that you don¡¯t lose it.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you.¡± ¡°From today, you are an Adventurer. May you have great adventures.¡± I accepted the plate and the receptionist bowed after saying what was probably a standard greeting. And then, as if they had been waiting for the registration to finish¡­no, it must have actually been the case. I felt a rushing presence behind my back. CH 12 Magic Energy Manipulation I took the Adventurers plate and turned around. ¡°Mister Gein! Mister Ajifu! It¡¯s been awhile!¡± It was two boys who had left Ruyana village in order to become Adventurers in Powarso. They were the ones that killed my old rival. ¡°Loyd, Shitte, it¡¯s good to see you again. You look well.¡± ¡°Aye, we just went up to F-Rank! Look at this.¡± They showed me their bronze Adventurers plates. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! You must be working hard!¡± ¡°Indeed! But, I see you¡¯ve become an Adventurer too now. What happened?¡± ¡°Yes, I decided to go on a journey.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re leaving¡­ The village will be sad.¡± I couldn¡¯t be an Adventurer here. There would be people who knew me, including those who visited from the village regularly. ¡°Maybe a little. But you two should visit the village some time. They¡¯ll be glad to see your faces again.¡± ¡°Well, Ruyana is our hunting ground! We¡¯ll annihilate the goblins!¡± ¡°Hey, hey. It¡¯s too dangerous for just you two to go deep in the forest. You better tell me and Zuky if you¡¯re going.¡± ¡°We know! We¡¯re not that reckless.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Have you two eaten yet? You could accompany us.¡± ¡°Your treat, Mister Gein?¡± ¡°Your treat, Mister Gein?¡± ¡°Seems I have no choice.¡± And so surprisingly, I was able to leave the guild without any trouble. And the four of us ate together. ¡°I thought it would be a little more eventful.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well¡­I thought maybe some drunk Adventurer would harass me. ¡®Oi! An old man like you has no business being an Adventurer.¡¯¡± ¡°You might hear people saying such things in other places, but not likely from a youngster who makes a living as an Adventurer. Also, they get very angry if you go to reception while drunk, so you should be careful.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose so.¡± Gein bought them food that was filled with meat. The kind that youngsters were sure to like, and then we parted ways with Loyd and Shitte. ¡°We¡¯ll go to the Sorcerers Guild next!¡± I pulled Gein, who looked a little sick after eating too much, and headed towards the Sorcerers Guild. It was his fault for trying to compete with the appetites of those much younger than him. The Sorcerers Guild was in a large mansion-like building. When I opened the door, there were two reception counters in front of me. A young man with a serious expression and blue hair was sitting behind the counter. He called to me as I approached. ¡°Welcome to the Sorcerers Guild. What business are you here for today?¡± ¡°I want to learn everyday magic.¡± ¡°It will be based on aptitude, so you cannot choose what magic you will learn.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Hurry up! Magic! Come on! ¡°You will be informed of the price after the examination. And then you can make your decision.¡± ¡°Hmm? It¡¯s not one gold coin?¡± I turned to look at Gein. ¡°It was one gold with me.¡± ¡°There is a tendency for those who are older to require more materials in order to gain the skill of magic manipulation. Younger people generally only need one gold coin.¡± ¡°I see. Well, please start the examination then.¡± ¡°Mister Fiyu! It¡¯s everyday magic!¡± The young man called, and a tall, thin man who wore a coat that reached the ground stepped out. He looked rather sleepy. He even carried a staff which made him look like a typical Sorcerer. ¡°I¡¯m Fiyu. It¡¯s nice to meet you. First, there will be a magic manipulation acquiring examination. Please come this way.¡± He guided me across the room to where there was a magic circle drawn on the floor. It was about a meter in diameter. ¡°Please stay in the center of the magic circle. You can stand or sit if you prefer.¡± I stood in the center of the magic circle and then Mister Fiyu stood behind me and put a hand on my back. Hmm? Was it just me, or was there a tingling sensation? ¡°Very stiff¡­ Could you please move over to this magic circle?¡± He directed me over to a slightly larger magic circle¡­and then passed it and stopped at a much larger one that was two and a half meters in diameter. When I stepped in the center, he put his hand on my back again. ¡°It¡¯s still too stiff. Use of the largest magic circle will cost two gold coins. What will you do?¡± T-two gold coins!? That was rather severe, but I wanted to learn magic no matter what. Do it! ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it.¡± I could see Gein¡¯s exasperated expression in the corner of my vision. ¡°Very well. Then I will begin. If you feel the movement of magic energy in your body, focus on it.¡± Said Mister Fiyu as he started to place magic stones in different spots within the magic circle. Each one was about twice the size of the stones from goblins. Once he had placed all of them down, he moved around to my back and placed his hand on again. Clink. It was probably the sound of his staff hitting the floor. And the magic circle unleashed a blinding light which caused the magic stones to emit a black smoke before vanishing. Ohh!? I could feel something stirring and rumbling outside of my body. Was this magic energy? ¡°Wh-what is!?¡± Behind me, Mister Fiyu sounded alarmed. Huh!? What!? Was the magic energy so immense that he was surprised? ¡°The magic energy is so stiff that it will not move! You must cooperate and try to move it as well!¡± This wasn¡¯t like stiff shoulders. Still, I tried to focus on the tingling sensation and move it. ¡°N-no! It¡¯s no use! Kijiki! Help me! I need some support!¡± I could hear all kinds of noises coming from reception. Someone was coming down the stairs. Then I saw an old man rush into the room and thrust his hands out so that they were on my chest. Cracks appeared on something that was inside of my body, and then it shattered. Just as I thought that my insides were breaking, I felt something in my stomach start to spin as it spread out. (What is this!? It¡¯s hot! It spins¡­ I feel sick¡­) ¡°Alright! It melted! It¡¯s the magic energy that courses through you! You must focus so that you can feel the flow and control it.¡± (It swirled around in my stomach and then flowed out to every corner of my body before returning and swirling. Yes, just like blood. It went round and round and round¡­) The light of the magic circle slowly started to fade, and the magic energy that had been moving like water started to become thicker. And then stickier and tougher. Then it hardened again. However, I felt that just a small portion of it was still soft in my stomach. Before I knew it, the magic circle had stopped glowing entirely. ¡°How do you feel? Have you acquired magic manipulation?¡± He asked. And so I checked my status. Magic Manipulation Lv1 Improves the manipulation of magic energy. I had acquired the skill. ¡°Thank you! I was able to acquire it.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but grab his hands and thank him. ¡°Uh, oh. I¡¯m glad. You should continue to focus on it and move it until it feels familiar to you. By the way, I am Merat. The Guild Master.¡± ¡°Master. Oh, I¡¯m sorry for bothering you.¡± ¡°Ah, it could not be helped. It is rare to see such stiffness. With such cases, it is better to go in quickly and with force, instead of slowly from the outside. I¡¯m sure it was very educational for you.¡± Gein. That bastard was laughing again. CH 13 Everyday Magic and Magic Tools ¡°Since I¡¯m already here, I¡¯ll watch as you learn the magic as well.¡± Said the Guild Master as he pointed at a row of four crystals. ¡°If you touch them, the crystal with the right attribute will start to glow.¡± That was simple. I touched them one by one and it was the blue and brown crystals that lit up. So it wasn¡¯t all of them then. ¡°Oh, water and earth. Very nice. When activating magic, you must always focus on the position and direction. Or you might end up having a very wet stomach.¡± I wouldn¡¯t want that. And so I tried the spell that he taught me. ¡°Water.¡± And then water began to drip from my extended hand. Ohh! Magic! ¡°Hey, stop making a mess on our floor. Most people would create a little water in the palms of their hands or make it over a bowl that they prepared. Have your palm upwards when doing earth.¡± ¡°Earth.¡± A pebble appeared on my palm. Indeed, it would have fallen down if my hand was pointed downwards or sideways. ¡°Will the rock remain here?¡± ¡°All things that are created with magic will disappear after a while.¡± ¡°What about water after you drink it?¡± ¡°Strangely, water does not disappear. There are several theories as to why, but you can say that it is the work of god.¡± Work of god, eh? Hmm. ¡°Will there be less water if you use it in the desert?¡± ¡°Indeed. Because the water spirits would not be very strong over there.¡± Water spirits, eh? Hmm. However, that did make me wonder. Shouldn¡¯t there be more attributes? Like light, dark, and null? ¡°Are there only four attributes?¡± ¡°The light attribute is managed by the church, and dark by the temple.¡± So they did have light and dark. Hmm. Hmm. ¡°Can you acquire everyday light and dark magic if you have the aptitude?¡± ¡°Light and dark magic is quite special. You can acquire magic without aptitude through baptism. However, these two attributes reject each other. If you acquire light then you cannot acquire dark. If you acquire dark then you cannot acquire light.¡± ¡°What kind of magic is it? Will they do it if I am baptized?¡± ¡°Light is magic that has to do with the light. And dark magic brings forth a peaceful sleep. Baptisms are not conducted very easily. The priests have to believe that you¡¯ve converted.¡± ¡°I see¡­ By the way, is there an attribute that isn¡¯t an attribute?¡± ¡°Hmm? What¡­?¡± Oh, maybe I went too far. ¡°Uh, I just wondered if you couldn¡¯t use magic energy without relying on a certain attribute.¡± ¡°What an interesting question for a novice. Magic energy is just energy. It¡¯s not until the direction is decided through an attribute that it manifests itself as a phenomenon. If there is no attribute then there is no phenomenon. Understand?¡± ¡°I think so. Thank you.¡± Phew. It was best not to pry too much. In any case, it seemed quite likely that there were other attributes. ¡°Ah, I did not expect for the Guild Master to come out! You never fail to put on a show!¡± I paid the Sorcerers Guild the two gold coins and then left the building. I wonder if there is a space-time attribute? I would have to ask Gein. ¡°Hey, are there such things as bags that can carry more things than should be able to fit in them?¡± ¡°Aye, there are.¡± So they do have magic bags!! But¡­they must be very expensive? ¡°That would be very convenient! How much do they cost?¡± ¡°I believe it was a magic artifact from a labyrinth. It¡¯s a national treasure now. They say that there is only one in the entire world.¡± In other words¡­it¡¯s priceless¡­ ¡°It was once used in a strategy that turned the tide of a war. I thought it was a well known story.¡± ¡°Well, I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do. Anyway, since I don¡¯t have the fire attribute, I want a magic ignition tool. Are those expensive?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy. If anything, water is the best one. And you have two as well. Bah, you should just hit some flints together.¡± ¡°Huh? You only have one, Gein?¡± He kicked me. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the magic tool store, but you¡¯ll have to choose one for yourself!¡± In spite of it all, he was a very caring person. ¡°But I¡¯m warning you, they¡¯re expensive, alright? Though, they are useful.¡± He then led me to the magic tool store. It was a spacious, beautiful store that faced the main street. Various magic tools lined the shelves, along with instructions on how to use them. There were ignition tools, bottles with endless water, wind tubes, lamps, pots that heated without fire, tents that created a breeze, portable showers, talismans that changed wind, portable stoves, warm sleeping bags, bathtubs that heated water, etcetera¡­ It was filled with tempting items, but I had an overwhelming lack of money. Even the cheapest magic ignition tool was one gold coin. That would be like paying 100,000 yen for a lighter in Japan. It was not something that the average citizen could buy. ¡°I am in despair over the economic disparity.¡± When I stepped out of the store, Gein threw an arm over my shoulder. ¡°Bah, these magic tools are like toys for the rich. Anyway, we¡¯ve come all the way out to town. Why not head to a brothel tonight?¡± Gein was practically giggling. However, this was not a world where there was any hygiene management. And healing magic didn¡¯t work with diseases. I had to think about my health first. ¡°I think I¡¯d rather not. Who knows what I might catch.¡± ¡°You¡¯re no fun! Ah, well. Then we¡¯ll just have to drink! And you¡¯ll be paying this time!¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying something about yesterday being a parting gift? Seems like we¡¯ve just split the cost in the end.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother with the little details! Now, let¡¯s go!¡± After that, Gein tried to talk me out of going, and I told him to shut up and let me go, which resulted in a fist fight. But we made up and continued to drink through the night. As Gein had to leave the next morning, I ate breakfast and waited in order to see him off. But as he never came down, I had to go up and beat him until he woke up. ¡°You¡¯re such a slob.¡± ¡°Bah, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± He slapped me on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re the one who is always worrying.¡± We shook hands firmly. ¡°Come back whenever you feel like it. Ruyana village will always welcome you.¡± ¡°Farewell.¡± ¡°Aye, farewell.¡± He was a nice guy. Ah, damn it. I was getting teary-eyed. I was too old for this. Gein looked back just once and raised his fist into the air before leaving. Now, I too had to look ahead and advance! But I couldn¡¯t go anywhere until the armor was ready. And so today, I would go to the guild and accept a quest. As I walked towards the Adventurers Guild, I saw that the area around it was crowded with considerably more people than there had been last time. One had metal armor and a greatsword, another was hooded and carried a staff. Others had bows, great hammers, maces, shields, spears, and short swords. Regardless, swords were definitely the most popular. They were easy to use. Things were especially lively around the quest board for G-Rankers, who were also visibly younger than the rest. So I had to mingle with them now. I sighed and looked at the board from a few steps behind. Most of the quests were from inside the town or the nearby area. Repairing walls, carrying baggage, storage organization, helping people move, house cleaning, street cleaning. Herb gathering seemed to be common with both G and F rank. Oh, there was one for slime extermination in the sewers. That sounded interesting. But I wouldn¡¯t accept it, as my current gear was going to be sold. ¡­However, they were so cheap! All of them only paid one to three silvers. There were some that only paid five bronzes. My current room at the inn cost me three silvers a night without meals. If I ate three meals a day, I would need five silvers. I was losing money. Either I needed to find a cheaper inn or cheaper food. I now understood how severe the life of a G-Rank Adventurer was. CH 14 The Life of an Adventurer Farmer And so the one I chose was¡­ Weeding Rank: G Pull out the weeds in the field. Reward: 2 Silver Northern settlement, Rogit. This. Now that were in the warmer season, weeds grow a lot faster. I would be able to make use of my farming skill. It was work that I was used to doing. I did consider herb gathering as well. But this was the request: Herb Gathering Rank: F, G One bundle of herbs: 5 bronze 10 herbs equal 1 bundle. Prices will change depending on their condition. The quest will be complete when you have gathered 50 bundles. You could get several leaves from one plant. 10 bundles meant 50 bronze. 100 bundles was 5 silver. And since I was used to gathering medicinal herbs, such simple work would not be impossible for me. Well, back at the village, that is. However, the forest where the herbs would be picked was quite far from the town. And I could only travel out so far if I wanted to be able to return in a day. With such restriction in terms of distance, the competition with other gatherers would be severe. And so I decided to wait until I knew more about the forest. Just as I ripped off the request sheet from the board, a nearby boy called out to me. ¡°Don¡¯t take away the G-Rank quests old man!¡± He had short blonde hair and looked rather stubborn. He also had a sword on his belt. ¡°Sorry. But I¡¯m a G-Rank Adventurer, just like the rest of you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a G-Ranker at that age! How lame!¡± ¡°Well, being an Adventurer isn¡¯t my main occupation. But if you really want to pick some weeds, I could give it to you?¡± ¡°I became an Adventurer because I don¡¯t want to be a farmer! I won¡¯t work in the fields!¡± He seemed to be satisfied now, and his eyes went back to the quest board. Do your best, boy. I took the request to the reception counter and they stamped it. Now, it was time to work in the fields. I returned to the inn first, bought some brown bread, which I stuffed into my bag, and then I left the town through the north gate. And from there, I headed to the settlement. As they were outside of the town, the four or so houses were surrounded by sturdy, stone walls. I knocked on one of the doors and a woman emerged. ¡°I¡¯ve accepted a request from the Adventurers Guild. Is there a Mr. Rogit here?¡± ¡°In the fields.¡± She looked a little suspicious upon realizing how old I was, but told me what direction the fields were in. I headed over to them and spoke to a man who was working there. ¡°Mr. Rogit?¡± ¡°Aye. I¡¯m Rogit. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ajifu. I accepted a request from the Adventurers Guild to do some weeding.¡± I thrust out the request sheet and Mr. Rogit looked very surprised. ¡°Well, you¡¯re a lot less young than I was expecting. And you aren¡¯t really dressed for field work. Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I said, and then took out two towels and wrapped one around my forehead and hung the other around my neck. Then I put my bag, sword, and short sword to the side of the field and took off my leather jacket. ¡°I see. Then do that field and the one next to it.¡± I had Farming Lv3 and the title of Farmer. This was easy. Mr. Dick had bestowed to me his master skills, and before midday, I had pulled out all the weeds and gathered them into a large pile. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Hmm? Surely you couldn¡¯t finish it so quickly. I¡¯m paying you for this, and won¡¯t tolerate any sloppy work. This is why Adventurers are so¡­ Eh!?¡± Mr. Rogit¡¯s eyes fell on the neatly weeded fields and the pile of weeds to the side. ¡°Oh, uh, pardon me. I underestimated you. Uh, say¡­ If you do another field, I¡¯ll add in some lunch?¡± ¡°Thank you. I would be glad to do it.¡± And while my weeding skills continued to serve me well, by midday, my back started to hurt. Though I may have had an advantage due to my level, I had gotten a little too carried away. Ouch¡­ As it was midday when I finished the third field, Mr. Rogit invited me to his house for lunch. ¡°Heey! Get some food for Mr. Ajifu here!¡± ¡°Oh? It¡¯s rare for you to bring a guest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to intrude, Mrs.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re very happy that you finished so quickly. I¡¯m surprised that it isn¡¯t your main line of work.¡± ¡°Well, I do have the Farmer title.¡± ¡°What? So we are in the same trade? But I thought you were an Adventurer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a traveler and former farmer. And uh, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you, Mr. Rogit¡­¡± ¡°What? There¡¯s no harm in asking.¡± ¡°I saw that there were some ripe Lulu beans that haven¡¯t been harvested yet. Could it be that you lack farm hands to harvest them?¡± ¡°Heh. So you noticed that. Very observant. Well, my neighbor usually helps me with that, but his wife¡¯s father became ill, and so I have no one to help me. I could put out a request at the guild, but I doubt I¡¯ll make it in time for the morning market if amateurs do the work.¡± ¡°If you put out one today, I could help you in the morning?¡± ¡°I would be grateful if you did, Mr. Ajifu. I can pay you the same as today, 2 silver¡­no, how about 3?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind taking 2. But I would like you to tell me something instead.¡± Mr. Rogit signed the request sheet to show that the work was completed, and I left his house. Then I went out of the outer walls of the town and headed to the left side of the forest. There were hardly any medicinal herbs or mountain vegetables left. They were probably trying to make sure that they didn¡¯t pick everything. However, there was still quite a lot of antidote grass and un-paralysis grass left. For the antidote grass, you used the leaves, and for un-paralysis grass, you used the roots. And so I was able to gather some while making my way around. After I had gone about a quarter of the way around the outer town wall, I found the footprints, just like the information I had heard from Mr. Rogit. The question I had asked him was, ¡®Is there something that is troubling the farmers in this area?¡¯ And he told me that a deer had appeared in the fields to the west, and so I came to investigate. After that, I turned around and headed to the western settlement and questioned the first person I met. ¡°Is there a Mr. Gidel here?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Gidel, he¡¯s right over there.¡± And so I approached the person I was directed to. ¡°Mr. Gidel. I¡¯m Ajifu, an Adventurer. Mr. Rogit told me that you had trouble with deers in your fields.¡± ¡°Hmm? Well, that is true¡­ But shouldn¡¯t hunters deal with deers? There are no hunters in town, so I was thinking about asking someone from the neighboring village. But I haven¡¯t been able to do it yet.¡± ¡°If you were to make a request at the Adventurers Guild, I could do it for you? You can pay me afterward for every deer.¡± ¡°Well, in that case, I don¡¯t mind. Hmm. How about 2 silver for each deer, with a limit of 5 deers?¡± ¡°If I can keep the deer, then I accept.¡± ¡°Aye, that is fine.¡± Negotiations settled. We shook on it. ¡°However, I cannot accept the money directly. Could you come to the guild with me?¡± ¡°Aye, I will go then. Hey! I¡¯m going to town for a short while!¡± And so Mr. Gidel and I went through the west gate and headed to the guild. We reached the front desk and Mr. Gidel addressed the receptionist. ¡°I want to put out a request.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for using our service. What sort of request will it be?¡± Her salesperson¡¯s smile was about forty percent stronger than when talking with me. ¡°Deer extermination. The reward will be 2 silver per deer, with a limit of 5 deers. The Adventurer can keep their prey.¡± ¡°That price is a little lower than the market price. It¡¯s possible that no one will accept it.¡± ¡°No need to worry about that. This man said he¡¯d do it.¡± He slapped me on the shoulder and then the receptionist glared at me. ¡°I see. Please leave 11 silver with us as trust money. If it turns out that you overpaid once the quest is complete, you can return to us and collect what is left.¡± ¡°Aye. Well, I¡¯ll be counting on you then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll start the job the day after tomorrow, Mr Gidel.¡± As Mr. Gidel left the guild, the receptionist created the request sheet and stamped it before handing it to me. ¡°We do not appreciate it when Adventurers act on their own like this.¡± ¡°But there was no such explanation in the agreement.¡± I then passed her the request sheet, 2 gold and 2 great bronze that were from Mr. Rogit. She looked at me grimly and started to make the request sheet. ¡°This one too?¡± ¡°Yes, please. And this as well.¡± I handed the request sheet with the completion signature and my Adventurers plate. She then added a completion stamp as well as another stamp for the new request. She then gave me 2 silver and my plate back, as well as the request sheet. Then I put the medicinal herbs, antidote grass, and un-paralysis grass on the counter. ¡°Can I sell these?¡± ¡°You can sell them at the purchase counter.¡± She said, shoving them back towards me. CH 15 Magic Experiment Room The purchase counter was near the back of the building and passed the reception counter. I see. So you could submit them in the back directly. I took the medicinal herbs to the table and a guild worker in an apron and a bald head greeted me. I guess he was in charge here. ¡°It looks like you picked them in very good condition. It will be five bronze per bundle for the herbs, and four bronze for the antidote and un-paralysis grass. While we never have enough medicinal herbs, there were no requests out for the other two right now. What will you do?¡± Hmm? That seemed a little too cheap. ¡°I understand. That will be fine.¡± I put them back in my bag and left the guild. But once I did, I realized something. (Now that I think about it, I have the magic stones that I saved up in the village!) Well, I can do that next time. I had forgotten completely. And so I took the herbs to the eldery pharmacist woman, and she bought the medicinal herbs for six bronze a bundle and five bronze for the others. ¡°But I have a good relationship with the Adventurers Guild so don¡¯t go telling others about this.¡± She said firmly. Altogether, it was three silvers and eighty-four bronze. I did it in my spare time, so it wasn¡¯t even half a day¡¯s worth of gathering. And yet it paid better than doing G-Rank quests at the guild. And there had been a lot growing there, which made it efficient. However, even though I could make money, it wasn¡¯t a quest, so my rank wouldn¡¯t go up. Perhaps it would be better to raise my rank quickly, so my income would go up as well. Though, this was still good for raising funds for my travel. After that, I went to a general store and used about fifty bronze to buy some thin, black rope for making deer traps. My first day of being an Adventurer only brought in five silver and eighty-four bronze. It was a hard world. I ate an early dinner, returned to my room in the inn, and then tried chanting in front of a cup I had borrowed from the dining hall. ¡°Water.¡± The water started to bubble up until the cup was filled nicely. ¡°I can finally do magic¡­hehehe.¡± I could not help but mutter aloud to myself. I then checked my status for Water and Earth magic and then smirked. Apparently, there were no levels for this magic. They just used 1 MP. I drank the water, and then tried chanting while imagining that I was gathering the moisture in the air. ¡°Water.¡± This time, the bubbling water filled the cup and then overflowed a little. I checked my status but the MP depletion was still 1. ¡°I knew it.¡± I muttered and smiled again. ¡°Earth.¡± A small pebble appeared, which I placed next to the cup. ¡°Earth.¡± Another pebble appeared. I then smashed it open with the hilt of my short sword. The insides were black. Plain and with no pattern. Perhaps it was some kind of crystal. This time, I imagined that I was pouring a lot of magic energy into it. ¡°Earth.¡± The pebble that appeared was no bigger than the others. And it also just used 1 MP. Then I would try imagining that I was compressing it instead. ¡°Earth.¡± Oh? Was it smaller now? When I cracked it open, it seemed harder¡­I think. This too only used 1 MP. And so I tried thinking about enlarging it. ¡°Earth.¡± So it was a little bigger! And it was also more brittle when I crushed it! I went down to the dining hall and borrowed a cup and basin. They shouted at me, ¡®Quit that racket!¡¯ Sound echoed too much in this inn. Tsk. However, since I am faint-hearted, I would not conduct any more experiments with earth magic. When I returned to my room, the pebbles that I had placed next to the cup were gone. But the water remained. It was just as the old Guild Master had said. Hmm. Next, I poured water into the cup while imagining that I was compressing it. ¡°Water.¡± I marked the water level in the cup, threw the water into the basin, and dried it with a cloth. This time, I imagined the water was expanding as I poured it. ¡°Water.¡± Compared to the previous water level, it was practically the same. ¡°I see.¡± There were a few things that I learned through this experiment. ¡®The results of magic change depending on your imagination.¡¯ While I couldn¡¯t be certain, as my magic manipulation level was low, I thought that it was most likely. ¡®The effect is enhanced through creating a precise mental image.¡¯ The reason that the pebble disappeared while the water remained, was probably due to differences in the process of realizing substances. Pebbles created with magic were realized with magic energy, while water was through the gathering of moisture in the air. That would explain why water magic was less effective in the desert. That meant it wasn¡¯t the work of spirits. ¡®Matter that appears through magic energy is not from the natural world.¡¯ This was also just a theory, but I had never seen a rock that had no pattern inside. ¡®You cannot use more magic energy(MP) in order to raise the effect of the magic.¡¯ I would have to look into this more when my Magic Manipulation level went up, but at the moment, this was what I believed. ¡®You can change the shape and size of magic through imagining it.¡¯ However, the overall effect will remain the same. ¡®The laws of physics are affected by the substance that appears?¡¯ This too was somewhat doubtful. Because the water that appeared through magic was water that existed in the natural world. At the very least, the water that appeared didn¡¯t shrink or expand based on how much magic energy I imagined. The volume remained mostly the same. Tsk¡­ However, those experiments were just a precursor¡­I still have¡­10 MP left! This was where the real experiments begin! Enveloping your body in magic to strengthen it! Or coating your sword to make a magic blade! ¡­I wouldn¡¯t do such things since my magic manipulation was weak. And I really did think that there were other attributes¡­ Especially considering that god I had met. I could surely find a hint in the simple spells of everyday magic. It was definitely worth testing out. First¡­throw a cloth into the air and quickly¡­ ¡°Time.¡± The cloth fell to the floor. Look, I didn¡¯t think that it would be that easy, alright? Why would everyday magic actually allow you to do something so powerful? No, it was ridiculous. But you had to try things that popped into your head, right? Right? Still, I checked my MP just in case, and it was at a 10. No magic had been activated. But! I would not be discouraged so easily! Perhaps by some miracle, there might be a tiny possibility that I will succeed! ¡°Space.¡± MP was 10. ¡°Dimension.¡± MP was 10. ¡°Gravity.¡± MP was 10. ¡°HEA-¡± ¡°I told you to be quiet!!!¡± Bang. Someone kicked my door¡­angrily. Alright, I guess that was enough experiments for today. Well, while things had not gone well this time, it was too early to conclude that those attributes did not exist. I didn¡¯t have the aptitude, the words were wrong, I lacked something else. There could be numerous explanations. All I knew was that right now, nothing had happened. As for what I could do in the present, it was to get used to magic manipulation, just like the Guild Master had said. I turned out the lamp and got into bed. Then I concentrated on the magic energy in the pit of my stomach. It felt just a little soft, and so I tried to think about kneading and slowly turning it. It was still early, but I had to get up early in the morning. And so I closed my eyes and continued to manipulate the magic energy until I fell asleep. CH 16 Hunter? No, I¡¯m an Adventurer. I got up the next morning while it was still dark. Though there was no alarm, I had gone to bed early, and had gotten plenty of sleep. As I washed up and went down to the dining hall, I saw that the innkeeper was in the middle of preparing breakfast. I bought two loaves of bread, and told her that I was heading out before opening the door. The sky was just starting to become pale. But when I headed to the north gate, it was not open yet. Apparently, it opened after the sun rose. Carriages and people began to gather around as I waited to depart. Once the sky had fully brightened, the gatekeeper went up to the top of the stone tower. Some time passed, and the outer door opened, and with a loud grating noise, the iron bars began to lift. Outside, there were two rows for people who were waiting to get in. Among them, I saw a wagon that was loaded with vegetables. Oh? Had I been too late? When I arrived at the north settlement, Mr. Rogit was out in the field. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m late.¡± ¡°Ah, good morning. And don¡¯t be, I was just about to start here. It¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°But I saw a wagon with vegetables going inside?¡± ¡°Ah, that must be people from the village. But these will be freshly picked, which is completely different. Now, there¡¯s no need to hurry.¡± I see. That made sense. And so I helped him with the morning harvesting, and we loaded it onto a wagon, along with what was picked the previous day. Once we arrived at the market, he opened up his shop and unloaded his vegetables in what seemed to be his usual spot. ¡°Thank you. I appreciate it.¡± He signed the request sheet, and I returned to the inn to eat what was essentially brunch. I then made a report at the Adventurers Guild, and sold my magic stones at the counter. I had 72 goblins, 36 forest wolves, 32 horn rabbits, and 2 fang boars. The fang boars had appeared near the village, and were surrounded and killed by the villagers. I had all the stones separated into different bags, which I placed on the counter. ¡°You sure brought a lot.¡± The guild worker said with annoyance. ¡°Goblin magic stones are worth 50 bronze, wolves are 40, rabbits 30, and boars are 1 silver. So that will be 62 silver in all.¡± Tsk! So cheap! However, we ate monster meat and used the other materials. So perhaps it made sense to only get this much for the stones. ¡°If this was a quest, it would be E-Rank.¡± The guild worker said with a laugh. Then he handed me 6 great silvers and 2 silvers. I wasn¡¯t mad or anything! I then headed to the reception counter and received 2 silvers for finishing the quest. So, that was 98 more G-Rank quests to go. Phew. After that, I went out the west gate in order to talk to Mr. Gidel. ¡°Ah, weren¡¯t you supposed to start tomorrow?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to set the traps tonight. But I won¡¯t know if they¡¯ll work until tomorrow.¡± ¡°I see. They got us this morning as well. So I¡¯m counting on you.¡± He slapped me hard on the back. And so I entered the forest and searched for footprints. There seemed to be two routes to enter the field. I looked for a good place, then dug a shallow hole and set the trap. It was a simple trap that Zuky had taught me. If the prey¡¯s foot falls into the hidden hole, a rope that was tied to a bent tree would pull it up. So even if a human stepped into it by accident, they would not be hurt. Well, they might trip and fall. By the time I had set a total of six traps across the two routes, the sun was starting to set. I told Mr. Gidel that I had set the traps and asked him to warn the residents of the west settlement. Then I returned to the town, ate an early dinner at a street stall, and returned to the inn. I would experiment with magic today as well. However, I would not be making the same mistakes again. And so I chanted in a quiet voice. ¡°Earth.¡± A small stone appeared. The volume of my voice had no effect. That was good. When I checked my status, my MP was 16/19. It was because I had used some while out buying food at the stalls. But the amount used for rehydration in the forest had recovered. What I wanted to confirm today was whether or not your magic energy status would grow when you used up your MP. It was a common thing, but I wasn¡¯t too hopeful. After coming to this world, my once flabby body had become lean with muscle. However, while I had more muscle on me, my STR did not increase. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that it was a waste. Without a doubt, I had become stronger, even if my level was the same. And if I looked at other Adventurers, the warriors generally had big muscles. In other words, the status was something that was added on top of your actual strength. So, what about magic energy? The master of the Sorcerers Guild had said that ¡®magic energy was just power.¡¯ If it was power, shouldn¡¯t it increase if you exercised it? However, it might not affect my status. Regardless, I wanted to know. Ah, but perhaps I should practice with magic manipulation first? ¡ªKnead, knead, stretch, stretch¡­ I did that for a while, but the magic energy never got soft enough that it would circulate. However, I did feel that it was softer than yesterday. Now, here was the real challenge. I would make 15 pebbles. Of course, with a hushed voice. ¡°Earth.¡± x15 I checked my status and made notes on a scrap of leather. MP1/19 INT: 11 ¡°Earth.¡± And I lost consciousness. ¡­Ah! I woke up. It was still dark all around me. When I opened the window, the sky had grown a little pale. So I woke up at the perfect time. That was good. ¡°Status open.¡± The status I checked was, MP 15/19 INT: 11 MND: 19 Aside from my MP recovering, everything was the same. Well, it was expected. Your MP didn¡¯t recover all the way if you slept, but it did seem to recover faster that way. However I had no watch and could not time it precisely. I slowly washed up and headed to the dining hall, but breakfast wasn¡¯t ready yet. And so once again, I bought two loaves of bread and headed out so that I would reach the west gate just as the sun rose. Then I went out the gate and headed to the forest in order to check the traps. A deer was caught in it. ¡°Great.¡± As the deer thrashed about, I hit it on the head with my sheathed sword, and then slashed its throat open with my shortsword. Then I hung it from a tree with a rope, and went to check on the other traps and saw that another had been caught. I drained it of blood like the first, and checked the remaining traps, but they were undisturbed. And so I kept the deer strung up and removed the guts. (There aren¡¯t many slimes in this forest, so I should probably bury this.) However, the shovel I carried for my travels was quite small, and it would be a pain to dig a hole with it. And so I headed to Mr. Gidel¡¯s house and found him at one of the fields on the way. I told him that I had caught the deer and borrowed a wagon and a shovel. I returned to the forest and buried the guts and reset the traps. Then I put the deer on the wagon and went to the west settlement in order to make a report. ¡°So you caught two of them already! What do you think? Should we call the quest complete?¡± ¡°No, I think there are still more, and so I¡¯ll continue.¡± ¡°I¡¯m even more grateful then! Do what you can!¡± He bashed me on the back repeatedly. It really hurt. I pushed the wagon through the gate and took the deer to the purchasing counter at the guild. ¡°An Adventurer and a deer. That¡¯s unusual. Are you also a hunter?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trained a little, but it¡¯s not an occupation.¡± ¡°I see. But you¡¯ve bled it properly I see. Now, about 3 silvers per deer?¡± Oh? That wasn¡¯t too bad. ¡°Yes, please.¡± They made a record on the request sheet and I accepted the 6 silvers. It was about lunch time now, and so I decided to eat at the guild bar. CH 17 New Equipment ¡°There really aren¡¯t any good quests left in the afternoon.¡± I ate an Adventurer¡¯s lunch set that consisted mostly of meat and cost me 60 bronze, and then went to look at the quest board, but nothing caught my eye. No quests that is¡­but I did see an elf. The elf was thin in silhouette, but with enough muscles to suggest certain strength. With a bow on his back, he had golden hair and blue eyes. The face looked like a sculpture or painting, and the ears were pointed. Yes, it was a typical elf. I had known that they existed here, but this was my first time seeing one. Though, it was male. Of course, I did not talk to him, and went back to the purchase counter, washed the wagon, and returned to the west settlement. All the while, I thought about how this really was another world. ¡°I¡¯d like to borrow it again if I catch more tomorrow.¡± I said as I left the wagon and then returned to the town. Since I had some time to kill, I bought preserved food and then went to a bathhouse, which I had not been to in a long time. However, the bathhouses here were steam baths. Still, I felt refreshed after sweating. And after that, I of course, drank some ale. Though, it was lukewarm. I wished that I could use ice magic. I suppose there was a chance that I could do it through leveling up my water magic¡­ But it would be no good to set such lofty goals for myself from the beginning. They told me that a lot at the factory. Aim for the heights by setting multiple, achievable goals. And so once again, I would do some magic manipulation exercises(internal) and magic muscle training(internal) before going to sleep. I would make it part of my daily routine. However, I had learned my lesson, and would leave 1 magic instead of using it all. It seemed that I wouldn¡¯t feel fully rested if I fainted. The following morning, I went to the west forest again and saw that a deer and a Horned Rabbit had been caught in the traps. Was it hunting season¡­ I strung them up and bled them, then borrowed a wagon and talked to Mr. Gidel. ¡°There was only one today. Any damage to the field?¡± ¡°Ah, thankfully, there was none today. It¡¯s because of you, Ajifu. Thank you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it. I think I¡¯ll complete the quest now, if that¡¯s alright?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Just give me the request sheet and I¡¯ll sign it.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. I¡¯ll be going to the guild now, so if you write a note, I can bring back the surplus for you.¡± ¡°Ah, I would be grateful for that. Uh, ¡®give the refund to Ajifu.¡¯ Is that fine?¡± ¡°Perfect. Now, I¡¯ll load the deer and go to the guild.¡± I returned to the forest, removed and buried the guts, loaded the deer and Horned Rabbit onto the wagon, and then took down all of the traps. I then took them to the purchasing counter at the guild in order to sell them. ¡°A deer and a Horned Rabbit today, eh? The deer will be three silver. As for the Horned Rabbit and one magic stone, that will be one silver and thirty bronze. And the Horned Rabbit is for the permanent request?¡± ¡°No, as I¡¯m G-Rank, I will just sell it.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± Monsters from permanent F-Rank requests were called F-Rank monsters. Stronger monsters were also categorized based on hunting difficulty in accordance with Adventurer rank. I accepted the four silver and thirty bronze and the number of hunted deer was recorded on the request sheet. Then I went to the reception counter and submitted the request sheet and Adventurers plate. They processed the completion and handed over the six silver for the three deer, and the four silver refund. 97 G-Rank quests left to go. Phew. ¡°Mr. Ajifu, you¡¯re making more money than F-Rank Adventurers.¡± ¡°Early to bed and early to rise. That¡¯s the trick.¡± In fact, as my daily cycle was so different, I almost never met any other Adventurers. What I was doing was mostly farmwork and hunting, which is what I had been doing in the village. So I didn¡¯t even feel like an Adventurer. Regardless, this was the day that my armor would be complete. It didn¡¯t matter how old you were. It was always exciting to get new gear. And so I went straight to the workshop in the back alley. ¡°Hey, old man.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the same age! Who are you calling old!¡± Said the old man as he walked out. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just comes out?¡± ¡°What kind of excuse is that! You¡¯re here for the armor and shield, right? Here. They¡¯re ready.¡± Ohh! The finished product was a lot more¡­how could I put this? ¡®Armor¡¯-like than I was expecting. The design had no decorations and was practical. But the joints had several layers of leather and looked amazing. I tried it on. As it was fixed with several belts, it was easy to put on without any help. And the size was perfect. The shield was green and the center was reinforced with metal. While it was a little heavier now, it felt very reliable. The handle was changed into something sturdier, and the part pressed against your hand had been hollowed out in order to fit better. The shield was now a combination of wood, leather and metal. Thirty silver for it was a steal. ¡°Try moving in it.¡± And so I headed to the back of the workshop and tried swinging the sword and shield. It was definitely easier to move in compared to the leather jacket. But in spite of its durability, it felt flexible as well. While nothing felt like it was getting in the way, he stopped me several times and made marks on the armor. Then I took it off and he made adjustments to the angles of the leather parts, and I put it back on. It felt pretty much the same, that is, until I swung my sword. I felt as if I had been wearing this armor for a long time. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°No, not yet. But it will start to fit better if you keep wearing it. The worst thing you can do is put it up as decoration and never wear it. But if you use it well and maintain it, it will become something great that even money can¡¯t buy.¡± ¡°I understand. Thanks, old man!¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not an old man!¡± He even gave me some maintenance wax. It wasn¡¯t beeswax, but something from an insect-type monster from the south, called a Clayshell. Now, preparations for my journey are finally complete. I paid him the remaining one gold, and handed over the leather jacket before thanking him. ¡°Thank you for these great items. I will take good care of them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your life that you should take care of. Don¡¯t forget that. They are just tools to protect you.¡± He said as he knocked on my armor. ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± And so I left the old man¡¯s workshop and returned to the Adventurers Guild. I needed to tell them that I was leaving. As it was my second time going there today, the receptionist looked at me suspiciously. ¡°Ah, what brings you here, Mr. Ajifu?¡± ¡°As I¡¯ll be leaving this town tomorrow, I came for the procedure.¡± ¡°I see. Then please hand over your Adventurers plate.¡± I handed it over and she took it to the back. And when she returned, the plate read: Ajifu Rank: G Gender: Male Party: Home base: Affiliated: Powarso ¡°Please remember to make a report at the guild in your next destination.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°We look forward to seeing you again. May you have great adventures.¡± She said with a bow. ¡°Uh, thank you.¡± I bowed back. It seemed like an old man thing to do. I glanced over to the guild bar, but did not see Loyd and Shitte, and so I went out the gate and told Mr. Rogit and Mr. Gidel that I was leaving town. They expressed regret at this as we talked, and I then returned to the town just as the gates were about to close. I had dinner, returned to the inn, and told them that I would be leaving first thing in the morning. I returned to my room and took off my armor and wiped down my body before getting into bed. When I checked my status, my MP was 19/19 full. I could use my MP until I fainted and was rejuvenated. I was 42 years old. Alright, let¡¯s do this. Reverse my age by 5.7 years! CH 18 Attack The next day, I once again got up before the sun rose. This habit was now part of my life cycle. It wasn¡¯t that I was getting old and liked to get up early. When I checked my status, I was thirty-six years old. Yes, things were going well. In the world I used to live in, I would be considered just a little older than a young man, I guess? I put on my armor, cloak and backpack so that I was fully equipped. My MP was also recovered, so I was in top condition. While I had only been in this room for five days, I felt strangely sad about leaving it. When I looked at my face in the mirror, I could tell that I really was younger. And though I thought that going from forty-two to thirty-six was not dramatic enough to make people suspicious, I pulled my hood down just in case before going down to the dining hall. There, I told the innkeeper, who was preparing breakfast as always, that I was going out. ¡°Are you not taking bread with you today?¡± She asked. But she had never been friendly towards me before, so what was different today? My heart started to beat faster. Perhaps she had noticed the change in my face. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re leaving town today. Here, take this. It¡¯s a parting gift.¡± She handed me the two loaves that I usually took. I was very grateful! But I also wished that kindness hadn¡¯t been reserved for today. ¡°Thank you. I plan on leaving when the gates open.¡± I said, pretending to be perfectly calm. ¡°Traveling is dangerous. I will pray for your safety.¡± ¡°I also hope that you will be well, madame. Good bye.¡± ¡­Ah! My nerves! Why must I suffer a pounding heart and sweaty brow in the early morning! I pushed it aside and chewed on the bread as I headed towards the place where the passenger carriages were waiting. Normally, you were supposed to reserve a seat, but I hadn¡¯t come, as I was worried that they would notice my reverse aging. And so I went around to the different carriages and asked the drivers if there were open seats. ¡°Are any of you headed towards Ilrak?¡± ¡°We¡¯re headed for Eiril.¡± ¡°The capital.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be going towards Ilrak in three days.¡± Unfortunately, I could not find a carriage. Ilrak was a city that was two villages away from Powarso, and would take five days to reach on foot. However, I could not back down now. And so I decided to walk. Perhaps I could gather herbs at the villages on the way. I had pulled up my hood when searching for a carriage, and so I pulled it down again and headed to the east gate. ¡°Hey, you. Raise your hood.¡± Said the guard at the east gate. Huh? Did they always check your face when leaving? As I did not recognize the guard, I raised my hood and showed him my Adventurers plate. ¡°Hmm? You¡¯ll cause confusion, so always take off your hood at the gate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡± They had never done checks like this before¡­ Today was not off to a good start. As for why I decided to go to Ilrak, there wasn¡¯t a big reason for it. As I had said that my homeland was Chiltsia to the east, I thought that I might as well go in that direction. Going to the royal capital was another option, but I heard rumors that the capital was a tough place for low ranking Adventurers, and so I decided against it. After leaving the east gate and walking for about two hours, the forest came into view. It seemed that you had to walk longer to reach it from the east direction. I was walking on flat terrain, but I could no longer see the town of Powarso at all. If I entered the forest, there would surely be monsters. I unsheathed my sword once and then put it back in. And with renewed determination, I entered the road that ran through the forest. ¡­As for inside the forest, it was peace itself. I kept my hood down and was watchful of my surroundings, just in case, but nothing happened. I preferred it that way, and was able to make good progress. After some time had passed, I heard the sounds of hooves hitting the road. A horse was coming. And so I moved to the side of the road so that I wouldn¡¯t get in the way. Two riders then appeared. As they were armed, perhaps they were Adventurers? One held a spear while the other had a bow and a sword. I tried to not give them more than a glance as they passed by. But just as they passed, I saw that they were smirking. This¡­gave me a bad feeling. Eventually, they were out of sight. I moved away from the road and into the forest until I could barely see the road through the trees. And then I started walking again, parallel with the road. It would be fine if I was being paranoid over nothing. Unfortunately, after I had walked farther on, I saw that the horses had been tied up in the forest. Surely they were not on a quest in such a place. What could they be doing? When I looked, one was hiding in the bushes by the side of the road, and the other was pointing in the same direction with his bow. Ah¡­ They were waiting. I had been suspicious, and I now saw that they were ready to kill. Perhaps there was still a one in a million chance that they weren¡¯t trying to ambush me. However, they could hardly blame me for making that assumption, when they were waiting while directing their weapons at the road. I could not walk down there with an arrow pointed at me. And I couldn¡¯t just go around them either. Even if I did, they would just chase after me. Perhaps I should just wait here. And so with bated breath I hid in the shadow of the trees. That¡¯s when I saw that a goblin was walking towards me. If the goblin saw me, then they would see me too. This was terrible. My bad luck today was continuing. Thankfully, their backs were turned towards me, and they hadn¡¯t noticed yet. I could make the first move. I quietly put my bag on the ground, unsheathed my sword, and sneaked up to the man with the bow. 20 meters¡­no, I was still fine¡­10 meters¡­hmm¡­did he detect something? He was starting to look around while holding the bow. Damn it. I threw a stone in the direction of the goblin. It hit the ground, making a faint noise. The Adventurer with the bow turned his head in surprise. He saw the walking goblin and unleashed his arrow. In that brief moment when he was open, I rushed forward. He immediately noticed and turned to me, but I could tell by his expression that he didn¡¯t understand what was happening. ¡°Hah!¡± While my eyes were still on his uncomprehending face, I swung the sword and sliced his neck right open. ¡°What!?¡± The spear-wielding Adventurer stood up and pointed his weapon at me. Blood sprayed from the headless corpse, but I ignored it. There was 7 meters between us. He had a spear, which gave him an advantage. ¡°Bastard!!¡± He was fast! In a flash, he dashed forward and closed the distance between us. ¡°Tsk.¡± I was able to block the first thrust with my shield, but it was so powerful that my hand became numb. He was clearly a level above me¡­ Not only that, but my sword could not reach him. This would be no match if I fought fairly. And so I followed my instincts and threw the sword in my right hand. ¡°Woah?¡± ¡°Hah.¡± He was shocked that someone would have thrown their main weapon. As he dodged it frantically, I took two steps forward. And with just those two steps, I was now too close for the spearhead to reach me. ¡°Take that!¡± I bashed my shield into the spear and then punched him in the face with my empty right hand. ¡°Gah!¡± As he stumbled dizzily backwards, I took out a small cloth bag from my pocket and threw it at him. A cloud of powder exploded in his face. ¡°Buffo!¡± It blocked my own vision for a second as well, but I held my breath and pulled out the short sword at my back and swung it where I thought his head would be. I felt it hit something. ¡°Gaaaaahh!¡± My vision cleared, and I saw the man holding his face. Apparently, I had cut him. However, it was far from a lethal wound¡­ The spear was on the ground. He must have dropped it when he held his face. Before I could think about it, my hand reached out and snatched the spear up. ¡°Ha!¡± As he held his face with both hands, I thrust the spear through his throat. ¡°Gaaah!¡± And then he fell to the ground. ¡°Ha¡­¡± I dropped the spear and then fell to my knees with a sigh. ¡°I have finally done it.¡± My heart was beating rapidly. It had all felt like a dream while I was moving. But now I had really killed someone. My hand still throbbed after the punch. I hadn¡¯t even been ambushed yet. It was attempted murder based on circumstantial evidence. In no way did I feel that I had done something wrong. Had I continued on, they would have definitely directed their weapons at me. Life was cheap in this world. If someone pointed a weapon at you, that meant they were going to take your life. However, while I had been wearing gloves, my hand still hurt. I could still remember the sensation of the blade slicing through flesh. That¡¯s how it was. And yet it was a long time ago that I had decided that I would dirty my hands if something like this ever happened to me. ¡°Hahh¡­¡± After coming to this world, I have taken many lives. And some of them were goblins, who were the same shape as humans. This wasn¡¯t a world where you could just go to the supermarket and buy meat. And so I thought I was used to the idea of taking life in order to eat and in order to survive. And yet, it turned out that killing your own kind was a very different thing. I had seen my share of corpses since I arrived here. And so I did not become nauseous. And yet the truth of my actions felt like a great weight was on top of me. ¡°Status Open.¡± I had to check it, but my level had not risen. And this was in spite of the fact that they were clearly above me. ¡°I guess the gods do not bless the killing of your own kind either.¡± Well, I better find out who they were. I took off their equipment and kept anything valuable. ¡­Ah, there they are. The Adventurers plate. Siblez Rank: D Gender: Male Party: Greenhill Claw Base: Nomasen Affiliated: Powarso Trefonto Lowdel Rank: D Gender: Male Party: Greenhill Claw Base: Lemarian Affiliated: Powarso One of them had a family name¡­I would pretend that I didn¡¯t see it. So they were both D-Rankers from Powarso. No wonder they were tough. I shuddered just thinking about the fight. Ultimately, I had beaten them without a scratch, but it had really been a close call. They were so much more skilled than me. I wasn¡¯t sure that I would have won had I not have that flour bomb. It was a dangerous bridge that I crossed. However, I also saw that my body moved a lot closer to what I imagined. It must be an effect of getting younger. CH 19 Meeting a Companion However¡­they had not notified Powarso that they were leaving¡­ As I had wondered about this, I grabbed the belongings they had on their horses and emptied them on the ground. ¡­There were no request sheets? So they hadn¡¯t been out here on a quest. And they were traveling quite light as well. And I doubted it was some D-Rank fixed quest. Why had they been going down this road? Hmm. Could it be¡­that I had been targeted? The east gate guard flashed in my mind. ¡°Well, it¡¯s too late now.¡± Had I been adventuring normally in Powarso, maybe I would have heard people talking near the bar about how there were ¡®recent bandit attacks near the east road, but no one can find the bandits.¡¯ And then they would say to me with annoyance, ¡®you¡¯re making a lot for a G-Ranker.¡¯ And in the forest I would say, ¡®so you¡¯re the culprits!¡¯¡­ ¡°Well, it¡¯s too late.¡± Their equipment was decent enough. They were D-rank, after all. The one-handed sword looked better than the one I was using. That being said, I was attached to mine. So I would keep this one as a spare. The spear also looked good, but I felt that it would stick out too much, and so I left it in the forest. One of these days, someone might see a goblin with a strangely impressive spear. I was honestly jealous of the greaves, but would rather have something made properly by a craftsman. ¡­I really was acting like a thief and a murderer. But there was nothing pretty about survival. And so my acquisitions were: Magic ignition tool Magic light tool 2 rings 1 bracelet 12 gold, 7 great silver, 8 silver, 2 great bronze, 6 bronze Some preserved food Anything that could be traced back to them and items that couldn¡¯t be eaten by slimes were buried in the ground. You were obligated to make a report and return the Adventurers plate if someone died, but they too went into the dirt. I put on the potion belt and attached the potions. Then I threw the rest into my backpack. Now, there were the two horses. While they had calmed down considerably, they were still a little agitated. I petted them gently. The one that would still not quiet down, I untied and released. I hoped that it would be able to survive in a forest of monsters¡­ As for the other, I gave it some magic water in a bowl and it drank it immediately. It seemed like we could get along. The horse was dark brown and rather cute. When I put my belongings on it, held the reins and got on the saddle, it remained calm. I learned how to ride horses in Ruyana village. In any case, I now have a traveling companion! I left the forest and returned to the main road on my trotting horse. It was about midday now, but I had completely lost my appetite. As there was a lake on the way, I stopped in order to rest. Watching the horse drink and eat grass did much to lighten my gloomy mood. I washed off the blood and checked myself in a mirror. The mirror was made of bronze, and had to be polished regularly in order to stay clear. I had to eat something. Watching the horse made me feel that way again, and so I chewed into some bread. We continued along the road after that until a village came into view. The sun was starting to descend in the sky, and I was unlikely to reach the next village today. And so I would have to stay here tonight. I got off of the horse and led it by the bridle as we approached the gate. ¡°Hello.¡± I raised a hand and then stopped. ¡°Ah. Are you staying for the night then?¡± These road-side villages were quick to understand. ¡°I¡¯d be grateful for an inn and horse stable.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll want to go to the Hiyuyu inn in the center of the village.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I thanked him and went inside. So they don¡¯t check your Adventurers plate? When I entered the village, I saw that there was a row of houses that were parallel with the road. It was a lot like a post town. There were even two to three stores. One of them had something that interested me. ¡®4 bronze per bundle of medicinal herbs. Set of 50 bundles. Popular with Adventurers.¡¯ ¡­Huh. The guild bought them for 5 bronze. So Adventurers could only make 50 bronze off of 50 bundles, but that also meant they could finish 1 request with it. The villagers could sell herbs without going all of the way to the town, and would earn money if Adventurers stayed at the inn. It was then likely that the villagers here were gathering all of the herbs in the area. I didn¡¯t think that it was cheating for Adventurers to do that. It took one day to reach this place, so that was two days for a round trip. It wouldn¡¯t be worth it unless you were also on some monster extermination quest. The Adventurers could work efficiently, and increase their earnings a little. And the villagers could have the monsters in the area hunted without paying any fees. It was a win-win situation. At the guild, they had said that ¡®your rank is about your ability to complete quests.¡¯ Was gathering information about such things included in that ability? The inn was right nearby. ¡®Hiyuyu¡¯ was the name of a flower, if I wasn¡¯t wrong. I tied the horse up at the front and went to the front desk. ¡°I¡¯d like to stay for one night and put my horse in the stable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s 2 silver for a night. 3 if you want breakfast and dinner. The stable will cost another silver.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the meals and the stable.¡± ¡°You can take the horse to the stable in the back. Your room is number 16.¡± I paid the 4 silver. In spite of the name, the innkeeper was a very tall old man. Then I took my horse to the stable in the back and asked them to take care of it. ¡°What is its name?¡± I was asked. But I hadn¡¯t named it. ¡°What is your name?¡± I tried asking the horse, but it didn¡¯t answer. Hmm. What should I do? Was it male or female? I checked and it was female. ¡°Alright, from today, your name is Emma.¡± Like the ema votive picture, not the maid. I went to my room, took off my gear and changed into indoor clothes. I washed my clothes and hung them to dry. Though, I wasn¡¯t sure if they would be completely dry by tomorrow. As I wiped the grime off my armor and sharpened my sword, I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Dinner is ready!¡± It was a girl¡¯s voice. But when I went down to the dining hall, there was hardly anyone there. ¡°I¡¯m number sixteen.¡± I said, and then waited at an empty table until the food was brought to me. It was meat, vegetables, soup and bread. The amount and taste was average. Still, there was something wonderful about the mundane. I returned to my room and opened the window in order to get some fresh air and think. If water magic was the gathering of moisture from the air, would my clothes dry faster if I did it close to them? In other words, I could be a human dehumidifier. ¡°Water.¡± The cup was filled up to the brim. But when I touched my laundry, it didn¡¯t feel like it had dried. My guess was that it only took moisture from the air. I poured the water into the basin and this time I imagined that I was gathering the moisture from the area that included the clothes. ¡°Water.¡± This time, there was less water in the cup. And when I touched the clothes, nothing had changed. I see. In other words¡­ ¡®You can only gather moisture from the air.¡¯ ¡®You cannot gather moisture from a substance.¡¯ ¡®Imprecise visualization means less effective magic.¡¯ ¡­That was it. Still, the laundry would dry faster if the air around it was dry. And so I made as much water as my MP would allow, and then used the water to wash my body before throwing it out. Then I returned and started my usual magic energy manipulation training and¡­huh? While it wasn¡¯t any softer, it felt somehow lighter in movement! It was usually very hard work to get it to move slowly, but today, it was moving round and round. As if it had become less sticky. I then checked my status, but my magic manipulation was still at Lv1. Hmm. What did it mean? The only thing that was different today was that I had 1 MP left. Was that the reason? I will test it tomorrow, both before and after MP depletion. But when I closed my eyes, the scene of the day¡¯s brutal killing flashed in my mind. And so¡­ ¡°Earth.¡± I crawled under my covers and used the last of my MP in order to fall into blissful unconsciousness. CH 20 Night Camp ¡°Aggh¡­agghhh!?¡± When I woke up the next morning, my throat was completely parched. Now that I think about it, I had dehumidified the room before sleeping last night. What an unexpected nuisance. However, at least my laundry was dry. I washed up and then went down to get some breakfast before heading to the stable. ¡°Morning, Emma.¡± I said while petting her. She looked at me with a puzzled expression as if to say, ¡®Who, me?¡¯ Yes, that¡¯s you. We decided on that yesterday. I greeted the gatekeeper and left the village. Then I rode on Emma down the road. Rocking back and forth on the horse made me feel very relaxed, but I could not let my guard down. And so I was watchful of my surroundings as we trotted along. That¡¯s when I saw a shadow move up ahead. Huh!? A horned rabbit! Our eyes met and we glared at each other. And then it ran away. However, I then realized a big problem. What should I do if I¡¯m attacked by a monster? None of my weapons would reach them if I was on top of a horse. But if I got off and Emma ran away, I would lose all of my belongings that she was carrying. After thinking hard on this, I decided to take the load off and carry it on my own back. Please. Don¡¯t let there be any monsters¡­ And so I continued on, about three times more nervous than before. And then a pack of forest wolves appeared. So they had come after all. They always had to come when you wanted them the least. I pulled on the reins and dismounted from Emma in order to face the forest wolves. There were four in all. I threw off my backpack and held out my shield and sword as if to protect Emma. ¡°Grrrrr¡­¡± They growled back. But I was the one who was angry! ¡°You have the worst timing!¡± I shouted back. And then I charged at them before they could surround me. ¡­Well, I did feel like I had gotten carried away a little at the moment. One of them had bitten into my leg, and blood flowed from the wound, so I drank a potion to heal it. (Thanks. You did a good job, old man.) The old man gave me a thumbs up in the blue sky(or so it seemed). The next thing to address was the defense ability of my lower half. I would have to search for greaves in Ilrak. After all, I was currently just wrapping wood and leather around my shins. When I turned around, Emma was eating grass a short distance away. I almost felt stupid for worrying so much. But I was so grateful that she had waited that I threw my arms around her neck. ¡°Emma! Thank you!¡± I said. ¡°Neeigh!¡± Replied Emma. So she probably understood me. I took only the magic stones from the forest wolves and left the rest in the forest. After that, I was attacked by two goblins. But Emma waited for me patiently again. I think I was in love. As the sun started to set, I let Emma drink at a brook I found along the way, and then I set up a fire under a small cliff that hid me from the main road. I tied Emma to a tree with a long rope so that she could eat as much grass as she wanted, and left her a pot filled with water. This was the first time I used a magic ignition tool. You didn¡¯t need to use any of your own magic energy. You just had to push part of the handle in and a small flame would appear. There was a magic stone inside, and its energy would deplete every time you used it. And so it would have to be replaced once it was emptied. However, it was still incredibly useful when compared to using flints. (Now that I think about it, I have a magic light tool as well.) With the light tool, you moved a lever from the left to the right in order to make it light up. I tested it and it was very bright. No, it was too bright. And so I hung it high up in a nearby tree and attached a string to the lever. Eating until you¡¯re full would make you sleepy, and so I only ate bread and dried meat. ¡°Gya!¡± ¡°Gggya!¡± Goblins. They weren¡¯t capable of moving stealthily, which was good. But the smell of blood was dangerous. I held up my sword and shield and waited for them to come closer. There were two, from what I could see¨Cthrough the faint light. And then I pulled the string that was attached to the magic tool. Goblins could see in the dark. And so I shone the light at them suddenly in order to blind them. With that opening, I cut the two down. The light showed that there was another one in the back, and so I cut its throat open as well. After scanning the area, I quickly turned off the magic light tool so that my eyes would get used to the dark. These magic tools really were useful. I took out their magic stone and discarded the bodies in the forest a good distance away from the fire. Then I returned to my camp and continued to practice magic manipulation while keeping an eye on the forest. After some time had passed, I started to hear sounds coming from the direction where I had left the goblin corpses. Something was coming towards me. Light footsteps. Wolves? Just as I could make out the faint silhouettes, I used my magic tool attack again. The light illuminated the three forest wolves. I cut two down one after another. And then unleashed an upwards slash at the third wolf whose eyes glowed as they narrowed. I looked around and was about to deal the final blow¡­ But just then, I heard a rustling sound at my back. When I spun around, it was my turn to be blind by the light. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± I quickly raised my shield in order to block the light. There was a clang as something sharp hit against it, and a black shadow jumped back. The thing that appeared under the light was a black spider that was the size of a basketball. I had never seen one before, but was sure that they were called ¡®shadow spiders.¡¯ Their fangs were poisonous and their extermination difficulty was E. It landed on the ground before jumping at me again. But when I blocked it with my shield, it held onto it with its legs. Seeing the legs wiggle from behind the shield was incredibly disgusting. ¡°Woah!¡± While I couldn¡¯t see it, I swung my sword against the shield until I heard a squishing sound and the spider slid right off. Just then, my body suddenly felt lighter. Had I leveled up? At the same time, I heard something panting loudly. I turned around and raised my sword, but it was just Emma, who was on the other side of the fire and laying low near the cliff side. Smart girl. After making sure that there was nothing else, I finished off the forest wolf that was still breathing, and then turned off the magic light. I petted Emma until she calmed down and then removed the magic stones from the forest wolves before taking their corpses to the place where I had discarded the goblins. Slimes had already appeared, making the sight even more gruesome. I added the wolves to the pile. Now, there was the shadow spider. It was my first time seeing this monster. If I¡¯m not wrong, the poisonous fangs and spinnerets could be sold. I recalled what I had read in the guild documents as I removed the fangs and wrapped them in cloth, and then opened up the stomach and carefully took out the two spinnerets and put them into bags. The fire was growing smaller now, and so I let my eyes get accustomed to the darkness. (Was it just me, or¡­ Status open.) ¡°Alright!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but say aloud, and then I frantically looked around¡­ There was nothing. Good. But Emma was surprised. ¡°Sorry.¡± I patted her and then looked at my status again. Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 36 LV: 9 HP: 84/101(+5) MP: 12/22(+3) STR: 32(+1) VIT: 30(+2) INT: 13(+2) MND: 20(+1) AGI: 23(+1) DEX: 12(+0) LUK: 7(+0) Skills Eralt Lv2, Reverse Age Lv3, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv1, Carving Lv2, Leatherworker Lv2, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv2(+1), Magic Manipulation Lv1, Everyday Magic(water/earth) Sword Art Lv1 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer This was the best boost I had ever gotten. My MP and INT had gone up so much, as had my shield skill. And I finally got Sword Art Lv1, which I had wanted so much. I had used a spear for three years and never gained the skill, and yet it had only taken me one year with the sword. It was a great surprise. As for why my magic type status had risen when they had been so slow to do so before, it must be because of all the training I have been doing. I could not help but grin to myself in the darkness at this clear proof of my growth. That¡¯s when I noticed that the sky had become paler. Apparently, the long night was going to end. CH 21 White Grain By the time it started to get brighter, we returned once to the river so that Emma could drink, and then we went back to the main road. ¡°Haa¡­¡± (I¡¯m always the most tired right before the sun comes up¡­) I hadn¡¯t stayed up all night in a while. But perhaps due being younger now, it didn¡¯t feel as hard. Though, rocking back and forth on a horse did make me feel drowsy, the forest ended farther on and there was a river with no bridge. A little later we were attacked by a monster I had never seen before called a grass viper. And so there was no time for me to sleep. Grass vipers were poisonous snake monsters and were about four meters in length and E Rank. After weakening enemies with their poison, they would wrap themselves around you and attack. They would be incredibly dangerous creatures if they existed on earth. However, it was quite clear how you were supposed to deal with them. You just had to prepare some antidote potions. And then you could cut off its head when it bit you. Thankfully, I wasn¡¯t bitten, as I was able to block it with my shield. As for materials, I took the skin and poison glands. But as I didn¡¯t want to waste time carving it up, I just took some meat and the magic stone. What was most amazing to me, was how the Sword Art skill affected things. My movements were much smoother. I understood now just how awkward and stiff I had been before. We forded two rivers and then ate lunch by the water. That¡¯s when a carriage drove by. It was probably carrying passengers to Powarso. It continued past us, but it was then followed by a mounted Adventurer who was likely a guard. He called out to me. ¡°Good day. How¡¯s the road?¡± ¡°I met a viper near the river, and there were goblins and wolves in the forest.¡± I offered the rider a viper meat skewer. I had just cooked it with salt, but it was quite delicious. ¡°We fought some goblins in the forest you¡¯re headed in. It was just a short while ago.¡± ¡°Ah, that will help me.¡± He ate the grass viper and raised his hand at me before leaving. ¡°Well then¡­¡± If they had cleaned out the area ahead, then I should get a move on. And so I leaned forward and hastened Emma. After that, I did have to fight some goblins just once, but was able to arrive at the next village before the sun went down. This would have been three days on foot, but I had made it in two. I wasn¡¯t nearly as tired as I would have been. It was all thanks to Emma. I patted her on the neck and then dismounted and headed towards the inn. Ahhh! I slept well! The next day, I fell into such a deep sleep that I didn¡¯t wake up until midday. And so I ate lunch in the inn¡¯s dining hall and was told that I could reach the town of Ilrak in half a day by horse. So if I went now, I could arrive before the gates closed. And so I made preparations and decided to head out. But before I left the village, I saw that a boy was selling medicinal herbs here as well, and so I tried talking to him. ¡°I¡¯d like to buy some herbs.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you! How much do you need?¡± ¡°How much will you sell to me?¡± ¡°I only have a hundred and thirty bundles. Please buy fifty, eighty or the whole lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the whole lot then. Is it possible to gather more herbs in this area?¡± ¡°Thank you! There isn¡¯t much left around the village. But since they¡¯re in season, they should grow again in time.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± I paid the boy and loaded the baggage onto Emma and left the village. After passing through one forest, I came out into a field. There were settlements scattered around, and there were a surprising number of houses. Ilrak then came into view after crossing a hill, and it was much larger than I expected. There was a looming castle on elevated ground, and a vast urban district spread out below. And it was all surrounded by a great outer wall. It wasn¡¯t a town, but more of a city. There were also some shabby buildings outside of the wall, but the overall scale of the place was impressive. Traffic also increased, and so my pace on the road slowed to a crawl so that it was noon by the time I reached the gates. The guards told me where I could find the Adventurers Guild, and as I made my way through the streets, I saw some beastkin! There were not a great many of them, but I did see them occasionally. As for types, some looked doglike while others were cats or something else. Unfortunately, I did not see any with bunny ears. I arrived at the guild, tied up my horse and handed a great bronze to the stableboy. He would watch over her so that she wasn¡¯t stolen. The stableboy also told me where I could find the selling counter, and I was able to sell the magic stones, materials and herbs. ¡°Seven stones from goblins, eight from forest wolves, and one from a grass viper and shadow spider. As for materials, the shadow spider fangs are eight silver, and the spinneret is twelve silver. There are a hundred and thirty bundles of medicinal herbs. That will be thirty-five silver and twenty bronze for everything. Do you want the herbs processed as a fixed quest?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Once you pass E Rank, you could no longer do it. He must have asked because my equipment was rather nice. I accepted the money and the request sheet and headed to the reception counter. As it was noon, the place was quite crowded, but there were more counters than at Powarso, so things moved smoothly. I saw that there were several beastkin Adventurers here too. ¡°Good evening, sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to report my arrival and process this request.¡± ¡°Welcome to Ilrak. Please hand me your plate.¡± ¡°Is there a guide for the town?¡± ¡°Right over here. Good evening.¡± I took the guide and searched for an inn. I chose one that didn¡¯t have the ¡®Guild recommendation!¡¯ mark on it. I didn¡¯t want to go to an inn that was filled with Adventurers. It was rather expensive, costing me seven silver for one night, and three more silver for the stable, but the food was good. A lot of the patrons seemed to be merchants. I will explore the town tomorrow. The first thing to do in a new town was to check what they were selling! Also, according to the guide, there was something here that interested me. It was the library. I wanted as much information as I could get. And today, I must check my magic manipulation before going to bed. I slept without doing it last night. First, I tried moving it with full MP. Hmm. Yes, it still just moved a little bit, and took a lot of effort. Next, I decreased my MP until it was at 1, and then it became light and would move smoothly. However, I didn¡¯t feel like this meant that I should train while I had low MP. It didn¡¯t feel like I was ¡®training¡¯ when it was lighter. But it was easier to feel that it was moving. I didn¡¯t know what the answer was, so perhaps I should do both. Moving the heavy magic could be exercise one, and the lighter one could be exercise two. So it would be exercise one, decrease MP, and then exercise two. The next day, I paid off my room, left Emma at the guild, and went out to town. At the end of the day, the thing that I needed the most was armor for my legs. And so I went to the workshop area and looked for a place that dealt with armor. There was a line of armor shops in one area, and so I asked them about it. ¡°What kind of armor do you want?¡± ¡°For my legs. Made of leather, if possible, so they won¡¯t make any noise.¡± ¡°I could make greaves out of leather, but they won¡¯t be much different from boots. If you don¡¯t want sound and care about speed, then you should go with boots. But if you care about defense, then I think you should go with greaves made of monster materials.¡± ¡°What kind of monster materials do you have?¡± ¡°Well, wait a minute. If you want to ask about monster materials, go to the workshop over there.¡± And so I went to the recommended workshop. ¡°Monster materials, eh? Currently, we have killer ant, giant centipede, and horned beetle, I think? There are others, but they are much more expensive.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get anything expensive. What would you recommend for greaves, and how much would it cost?¡± ¡°Killer ant is light, and would cost two gold. Centipede is heavy but flexible. It costs four gold. Horned beetle is light and flexible and costs ten gold. They all have their advantages and disadvantages.¡± ¡°Could you perhaps use killer ant as a base and cover parts in centipede?¡± ¡°With leftover scrap materials I could¡­ Hmm. Yes, I think I can. It should be three gold.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that then.¡± He took my measurements and said that it would be completed in five days. I then went around and looked at other inn, restocked on potions and preserved food. And that¡¯s when I found it. It was stuffed into sacks in front of a store. Brownish white grains¡­ There was no doubt about it, it was rice! ¡°That¡¯s a grain called kurun that is commonly eaten in the south. But cooking it just right takes some practice, so I wouldn¡¯t recommend it for beginners.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Is that right?¡± Well, I was always more of a bread person, and I don¡¯t cook. So I continued on my way. CH 22 Base Setup ¡°These rings are for slightly boosting DEX and fire resistance. And the bracelet boosts STR. If you want to sell them, I can give you 1 gold and 50 silver for the DEX ring, 80 silver for the fire resistance ring, and 2 gold for the bracelet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sell just the rings.¡± I had gone to a magic tool shop to appraise what I stole¡­no, what I recycled. And they turned out to be magical. After all, the men had not looked like the types who would wear rings for fashion purposes. While the bracelet simply raised your STR, there was little point in raising my DEX now, and I had never encountered any elemental attacks. Though I had gained some extra income, I still didn¡¯t have much to spare. As I waited for my armor to be completed, I moved to a cheaper inn and visited the library. Geography, Politics, Religion, Finance, Monsters, Weaponry, Skills, Magic. I tried my best to read as much as I could, but there was simply not enough time. And to my surprise, the library wasn¡¯t even free. While the two gold deposit upon entering would be given back when you left, there was still a separate 1 silver fee. It would be like visiting a manga cafe every day. It took time and money. The problem was lodging and the stable. If I continued to do G Rank quests, I would continue to lose money. I could think of two ways to escape this disastrous spiral. 1. Sell Emma and continue doing G Rank quests while staying at a cheap inn. 2. Go back to being a villager until I had more saved up. First, solution 1. It sounded like a steady and safe way, but it was actually a dangerous option. G Rank Adventurers were at the bottom of this society. And I was 36 years old on top of that. These people liked preying on the weak, and it would be like asking them to eat me alive. And so if that wasn¡¯t going to work, that only left option 2. The right village had to be: ¨C Less than half a day¡¯s journey to the nearest town by horse. ¨C Away from the main road. ¨C A place where monsters appeared. That was it. I had a few candidates already. In the Ilrak guild, I had seen an orc hunt request from a village called Kijidor. And the hunt difficulty for orcs was E. I intended to spend the next few days reading at the library, and soon as I could, I would pick up my armor and head to the village. When the day arrived, I got my armor and bought some carpentry tools as well as a tent. I would likely need the tools if I stayed at the village for a long time. Kijidor village was slightly less than half a day¡¯s journey by horse. It was on the edge of a thick forest, and there was a moat and fencing surrounding the lands outside. I could see fields and farms within that were also protected by sturdy walls. The place almost felt impregnable. There was a guard on the turret, and he saw me as I headed towards the gate. I dismounted right in front of the gate and raised my hand at the guard. ¡°Who goes there? What business do you have in the village?¡± ¡°My name is Ajifu. I¡¯m a G Rank Adventurer. I would like to ask the village chief for permission to stay here.¡± ¡°Stay? For what purpose?¡± ¡°To hunt monsters and gather herbs.¡± ¡°Hmm. Wait here for a moment.¡± The guard climbed down from the turret, and after some time, returned with who I assumed was the chief. ¡°Is it you then? The Adventurer who wants to hunt monsters?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Ajifu, a G Ranker.¡± I handed over my Adventurers plate, which was inspected and then returned. ¡°You can¡¯t hunt monsters at G Rank. Besides, if you came to hunt the orcs, other Adventurers already did that two days ago.¡± ¡°It just means any that I hunt won¡¯t be counted as a quest, that¡¯s all. And I didn¡¯t come here to hunt orcs. I came because I wanted a place to stay for a while and gather herbs and exterminate monsters.¡± ¡°We have no inns in this village, and I don¡¯t like the idea of a stranger wandering about. I think you better leave.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t cause any trouble. I don¡¯t even mind staying outside of the village. However, if I could just keep my horse in the stables, I will pay whatever it costs.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm. If you insist, I suppose we could at least look after a horse. Yes, you can take the horse to the farm then. However, you must stay out of the village.¡± I could see what the chief was thinking. ¡®This G Rank Adventurer will likely die outside of the village, and then we¡¯ll get a free horse.¡¯ While I felt bad for Emma, she would have to be held hostage for now. ¡°Thank you! It would really help if you could tell the villagers that an Adventurer will be camping outside of the fences. Especially the hunters.¡± I was then guided to the farm and left Emma in their hands. After some negotiating, they had agreed to care for her for thirty bronze a day. Now, since I was not able to sleep in the village, I would have to secure a different place to sleep. A place that was far enough from the village but near a water source. But being too close to the water would also be dangerous. Since there was a forest close to the water, I found three trees with sturdy branches that were next to each other. And so connected them with logs and rope until I had a triangular platform. I had acquired the logs through cutting down the surrounding trees. Then I trimmed off the excess branches so that it was at least flat enough to lie on my side. But I didn¡¯t have enough rope and I couldn¡¯t make a fire up there. What to do¡­ I had already spent the whole day working on it, and so I decided to make a fire and eat on the ground. After that, I stayed up most of the night woodworking. A goblin did try to climb up once, but I stabbed it while it couldn¡¯t use its hands, and so it fell back down. When the sun rose, I ate, and then used the last of my rope to make a simple clapper, and then tied myself with a rope to prevent me from falling. And then I slept through the day. Once the sun started to sink, I rose and began the work of cutting down the rest of the surrounding trees. I seemed to be only working the night shift these days. But I had once worked the night shit in a factory, and so my eyes were perfectly clear. While the sounds of my axe echoed through the night forest, I didn¡¯t mind, as there was no one around. However, the sounds seemed to attract monsters, as I was attacked regularly. And so I shone my magic lamp up above so that I could fight even during the night. I carved grooves into the logs and lined them up evenly. And once the unnecessary branches and surrounding trees were removed, my tree ¡®floor¡¯ that was in the middle of a clearing in the forest was complete. It was about three meters above ground. As I had taken the night shift again, I slept during the day. The floor wasn¡¯t quite smooth enough to pitch a tent, and so I slept on my bag and cape. But it still hurt my back. I think it happened just as I had drifted off to sleep. ¡°Hey!¡± A voice sounded from below. When I looked down, I saw someone that looked like a hunter from the village. Still, I grabbed my weapon as I went down, just in case. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What is it!? I heard noises coming from the forest in the night, and so I came to see what it was. And this is what I find! You¡¯re the Adventurer that came to the village, aren¡¯t you? What is going on here?¡± ¡°Ah, was I too loud? I am very sorry. I am Ajifu, an Adventurer. As I wasn¡¯t able to stay in the village, I decided to make my own base here.¡± ¡°No, it was just that it echoed from far away, which was rather eerie. You shouldn¡¯t do it during the night. However, what is this thing? It looks like one of those elven houses you hear stories about.¡± An elf¡¯s tree house! Now that¡¯s something I would like to see! ¡°Oh, it is nothing so fancy as that. It is really just a watch platform. Would you like to come up and see?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Oh! Well¡­it does seem quite exciting.¡± It does!? But no matter your age, every guy likes the idea of a secret base! Apparently, it was something we had in common, even if we were from different worlds. ¡°So you understand?¡± I offered my hand. ¡°Of course.¡± He shook it firmly. ¡°So, is it finished?¡± ¡°I would actually like to smoothen out the floor and put some boards over it. But I don¡¯t have the materials. Though, I do plan on making a ladder.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get you some boards from the village. But you¡¯ll have to help.¡± ¡°I would really like some rope and a box as well. I can pay for them. However, I have been told to avoid going into the village.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the chief for you. I¡¯m Naki. A hunter. And don¡¯t talk in that stiff manner of yours.¡± ¡°Uh¡­really? Alright, then let¡¯s do this again. I¡¯m Ajifu, an Adventurer. Nice to meet you.¡± And so we shook hands once again. CH 23 Carve The village chief did not look pleased, but he gave me permission as long as it was during the day. Makibi the lumberjack also joined us, as it ¡®sounded interesting.¡¯ And he also gave me some nails. Thanks to this, we were able to finish the floor, rope ladder and brazier within the day, and the three of us stood shoulder to shoulder while facing the sunset. The rope ladder was simple, as it was just wooden bars tied at equal intervals with ropes. As for the brazier, I filled the inside of a wooden box with clay and put sand at the bottom. While it felt like sudden overtime work, it had the positive result of shifting my bodyclock back so I worked during the day. As the floor was now flat, I was able to pitch a tent and sleep at night. The clapper rang twice during the night, but when I looked down, I just saw goblins roaming around, unable to climb up. After a short while, they gave up and left. I had cut off all of the branches that would allow them to climb up. Good, good. And so I had somehow been able to create a base. But this was still in the middle of a forest. I couldn¡¯t let my guard down or take off my equipment at night. While I did loosen my belt, it was still very uncomfortable. I started to think about returning to the town once, and then spent the next day gathering herbs. And it was during that night, that it came. Clang-clang. Rustle. I awoke to those sounds. Hiding in the darkness, I tightened my belt and squinted my eyes. ¡°Fuggga¡­¡± I saw the shadow. It was big. Over two meters. It was looking around and sniffing the air. While it was too dark to see clearly, it was likely an orc. I had not expected them to be this big. This was bad. The platform in the tree was only three meters above ground. And so if an orc that was over two meters tall had a club, it would be able to reach me with ease. Not only that, but I had no way to get down. There was no time to be climbing down a rope ladder when someone was attacking you. I hadn¡¯t thought about that. What should I do? The only option I seemed to have was to throw one of the few blades I had and try to jump to the tree while I had an opening. In the dark, I reached for my axe, spare sword, and broad-bladed knife. And then I measured the distance between me and the slowly moving shadow of the orc¡­not yet¡­now! I turned on the switch for the magic light tool. And then it appeared out of the darkness. Woah! It was closer than I had thought! ¡°Guuoorgh!?¡± As the orc staggered back after being blinded by the light, I threw the axe at it. As it was only about three meters away, I could not miss. It seemed to have cut into its chest, but there was no time to confirm it. ¡°Gugrraaaghh!¡± It roared loudly, but I didn¡¯t stop. The broad-bladed knife was thrown next. ¡°Gahh!¡± It only scratched the orc¡¯s head. ¡°Go!¡± Then I threw the spare sword straight at the orc. Now was my chance to climb down and¡­huh? The sword had pierced through its chest, and the orc fell to the ground. ¡°Uh, oh? I defeated it?¡± I watched from above, but while it was bleeding, it didn¡¯t move at all. ¡°I had heard that orcs were really tough.¡± I climbed down the rope ladder and approached it cautiously. As it was a humanoid monster, it could be intelligent enough for trickery. But seeing how it lay there facing upwards, it was hard to imagine that it was anything other than dead. I could see it clearly under the light now. The visible fangs that emerged from the mouth, the snout, the large bell, short legs and bulging muscles. It wasn¡¯t wearing a loincloth, but its stomach made sure that targeting that weak spot would be difficult. I stepped closer and tried poking its face with my sword. Yes, it really was dad. It was almost disappointing. ¡°Hah.¡± Clang. Thinking that I might as well cut off its head, I swung my sword down. But it hit something hard halfway in, and then stopped completely. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s hard!¡± Too hard! It wasn¡¯t just the bones, but the skin was tough and durable, which killed my momentum. Now that I looked closely, the axe hadn¡¯t even gone in very deep. I suppose it was the sword that had been able to pierce through that brought it down. When I pulled the sword in its chest, it came out smoothly. ¡°Huh!?¡± Something had felt strange when pulling it out. And so I tried using that sword to cut the neck, and it severed it easily. ¡°What!? What is this!?¡± When I tried cutting other areas, it felt like the sharpness of this blade was different from my other weapons. The sword itself did not look particularly special¡­but¡­on further inspection¡­there was something different about it. Could it be a magic sword?! ¡°Hey, now. Surely a D-Ranker couldn¡¯t afford such a thing?¡± But then again, D was above E, F, and G, so I couldn¡¯t claim to know anything about that. Besides, orcs were E rank monsters, so perhaps it wasn¡¯t odd for a D-Ranker¡¯s weapon to be effective against them. However, that would mean my victory tonight was mostly by coincidence, as I had merely thrown my best weapon as a way of surprising it so that I could get down. It was a scary thought. Still, I would use it gladly. It was time to swap main weapons. Now, I¡¯ll remove the magic stones from the orc and tie its legs together and suspend it from a tree so that I can drain the blood. After all, it is said that orc meat is delicious. However, a big problem arose here. While I had butchered plenty of monsters before, none of them had been humanoid. I didn¡¯t know how to do it, and I didn¡¯t want to do it. Whoever was the first person to eat these things in this world should be considered a hero. But the orc was headless now, and while the look of the skin was not dissimilar to pig, it still looked more like a fat man. That made me even more resistant. However, it was not good to waste meat. And so I steeled myself and began to cut it open from the neck down. Then I held my breath and began to remove the organs¡­ I vomited. The fangs and ¡®stones¡¯ could be used as medical materials, and so I forced myself to continue cutting it open. But I was at my limits mentally by the time I had buried the organs and head. In this world, there are both male and female orcs and goblins. But the females rarely came out of the nests, so I hadn¡¯t seen any. While it was true that human women were sometimes captured like in the stories, it was not for breeding, and they were killed soon after. This was all according to what Gein told me. I couldn¡¯t sleep at all that night, but using up all of my MP while in the forest was not an option. And so I lay awake until the morning. When the sun had come up, I went to the village and borrowed a wagon from Naki so that I could carry the orc. As it had no head, it made a very bloody sight indeed. Orc hide had many different purposes, and I was taught the proper way to remove it. I was apparently quite expensive. At least, if you cut down the side, and not down the front center like I had. However, I was skinning a humanoid. I felt nauseous again. He gave me directions, and though tears threatened to flow from my eyes, I finished the job. ¡°That¡¯s quite impressive. You can become a hunter if you can skin them like this.¡± ¡°Really? Well, you can have it. Consider it my way of thanking you for teaching me. And you can share the meat with the people of the village.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯s delicious, you know?¡± To be honest, I had no appetite for meat right now. Talk of the orc soon spread through the village, and the chief came out to see. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that there were still orcs in the area. And to be taken down by a G-Ranker¡­ I¡¯m glad that it was done before there was any damage to the village. I¡¯m sorry for saying that you couldn¡¯t come inside. If you don¡¯t mind a shed, you can come and rest, even during the night.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡± Alright! I can sleep in peace now! ¡°And we¡¯ll be counting on you if another orc shows up.¡± ¡°I hope I don¡¯t see another one for a long time.¡± I grimaced and then smiled. But then Naki said, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with that. I could tell by the way you butchered it. The way your hands moved changed part way in. Ajifu, I think you overcame another barrier today.¡± Surely he didn¡¯t mean¡­ But I checked my status. Carving Lv3 After seeing that my skill level had risen, I felt just a little grateful towards the orc. CH 24 Base in Flames Ultimately, I was so exhausted that day that I decided to sleep in a shed in the village. However, the orc meat was passed around in the village, and there was a celebratory atmosphere. The appetizing smell of meat was everywhere. My empty stomach protested, and so I ended up eating the orc meat. To be honest, it was pretty good. The next day, I rode Emma back to the town. I sold the herbs and magic stones at the guild, and everything that wasn¡¯t orc materials or non-medicinal plants were sold at the pharmacist. I had planned to return to the village on the same day, but I ended up staying due to something that the receptionist told me. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. You smell.¡± After thinking about it, I had done nothing but wipe my body for the past few days, and had not even changed my clothes. And so I went to a steam bath, scrubbed off the dead skin, and then washed my clothes and gear at the inn I was staying at. The long sword I had been using was especially chipped. And so I had a blacksmith sharpen it, and I bought a bow and arrows from a weapon store, as well as materials to make more arrows. I wanted to be able to fight from a raised platform and on horseback. While I didn¡¯t like using a bow, I couldn¡¯t allow that to hold me back. And then I returned to the village and asked Naki. ¡°Please teach me to use a bow.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s right for you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I nodded firmly, and he gave me an odd look. Still, he taught me the basics of using a bow, and how to make arrows. When I returned to the forest, I attached a wooden pole to my base for emergency escape. I made the already smooth wood even smoother by polishing it. Yes, like those poles that firemen use, that most kids would want to try. Then I strung up some grass vipers that I had encountered while herb gathering, and then made a large bonfire underneath. And there, I cooked, ate and waited. Once it was dark, goblins and wolves would approach from within the forest after detecting the smell. They would come out of the dark forest and into the clearing where the firelight would reveal them, just as I stood ready on the platform with my bow in hand. Surprisingly, I was able to hit them. A hunter¡¯s bow could take down prey that was 20 to 30 meters away. However, the clearing in the forest was only about 5 meters in diameter. And so even if I wasn¡¯t a good shot, I could still hit them. That being said, forest wolves were able to cross 5 meters instantly, and I could not shoot them once they were beneath me. And so they would get away with the food. I was angry. When I told Makibi about this, he opened a hole for me on the floor. Furthermore, he cut down more trees for me so that the clearing was now 8 meters in diameter. Oh, you really don¡¯t have to do so much¡­ But it was with great confidence in my overwhelming advantage that I returned to the hunt on the following night. As I smoothly defeated the forest wolves and warmed up some soup over the fire, I heard a rustling sound coming from the forest. I squinted through the darkness in the trees. And then I heard something. ¡°Gugyaa.¡± ¡°Giiigiii.¡± ¡°Gigigia.¡± ¡°Gukyaa.¡± There were a lot of goblins. I held my bow ready and waited for them to enter the clearing. Hyun. Kan! The sound rang as an arrow hit the tree. They had an archer! I quickly dropped to the floor. This was bad. They were shooting out of the darkness towards a tree that had lights. And so I took off the shield and held the bow horizontally so that I could aim as the goblins came into the clearing. There were so many. Five, no six. More were still coming! After I had shot down three of them, an especially large one stepped out of the forest. This one seemed to be a leader, and it was the size of a grown human. A hobgoblin. An E rank monster. Shit. Shit. Shit! A goblin archer was F rank, and a hobgoblin was E rank. But that was just when they were alone. If they are in a group, the difficulty will jump up. So, those who laugh at goblins will get laughed at by goblins¡­ There were already ten of them in the clearing now. I could not even aim properly as I kept shooting arrow after arrow. And the archer¡¯s arrows were a great hindrance. By the time I had shot five of them down, they moved under the floor. But now, I was able to deal with them! And so I shot two through the floor at a close distance. I could do this! I was winning! The goblins groaned below me. ¡°Gugaaaaa!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Just as I tried to aim at the next one, there was a loud thud and the ground shook under my feet. I held onto the floor and looked down. Part of the platform was now burning. ¡°A magician!!¡± So that thing earlier was a signal for the goblin magician! I don¡¯t think the platform will survive another hit. CRACK! The hobgoblin had snapped the pole that I used for an emergency exit. ¡°Hahh!¡± I had no choice now. I had to bring their number down. There were four right below me¡­ I aimed through the hole and killed two more. Then a fireball came flying. Thud! The impact of the second one finally broke the platform. The two supports were broken, and so the floor started to fall apart as it tipped to the side. I jumped as far as I could and rolled on the ground. There was dull pain in my shoulder and legs, but I couldn¡¯t think about that now. I stood up, unsheathed my sword and looked at the hobgoblin. It had moved away in order to avoid being hit by the falling platform. In the meantime, I grabbed a potion from my belt, downed it, and then ran in the direction that the goblin magician should be. At the edge of the forest, I saw a goblin that was holding a staff while chanting. With a sidestep, I dodged the fireball that was just unleashed, and then slashed at the goblin¡¯s torso. ¡°Gyah!¡± That¡¯s what happens to magicians with no advance guard. When I turned around, the hobgoblin and another goblin were already moving towards me. And behind them, two archers had appeared. If I ran away, the archers would target me. I charged at the hobgoblin and then stopped right before crashing. Thinking this was his chance, the hobgoblin swung his club with both hands. In that instant, I jumped back and then swung with my own sword. The hobgoblins hands were severed, and as the goblin to the side froze for a second, I ran my blade into him as well. ¡°Gugaa¡­¡± ¡°Gugyaaaa¡­¡± The dying cries echoed. Then an arrow came flying and I raised a hand to protect my face. The arrow hit me in the shoulder, but it was not enough to go through my armor! Even as my hand was still held up, the hobgoblin tried to kick me. I moved away with a side step and then slashed at him with my sword. Immediately after, I picked up the dead goblin and held him up as a shield as I rushed towards the archers. But then they turned around and began to run. I threw the dead goblin to the side and chased after them and cut them down from behind. Then I went around and finished off any goblins who were still breathing. Then I stood behind the hobgoblin, who was still moving even after losing his legs. ¡°Gugyaa!¡± It¡¯s eyes were filled with fear. And so I quickly took off his head. The watch platform I had worked so hard to make had gone up in flames. And while I had been able to retrieve my belongings, the tent had burned up. ¡°Hah¡­ All my hard work¡­¡± I sighed as I removed the magic stones from the goblins. There were 17 in all. That was a new record for me. I would throw the remains into the forest, so that the slimes could eat them. In the darkness of the night, while I carried the dead goblins in front of a blazing campfire, I heard rustling from the forest. ¡°Fogoo. Fogouh!¡± The thing that looked at me while kicking its hind legs was a giant boar with wicked tusks. A fang boar. It was about a meter and a half tall. ¡°Just great! I¡¯ll take anything that comes at me tonight!¡± The darkness, flames, and goblins had made me strangely excited. And so before the fang boar could charge at me, I approached it with a dash, jumped to the side and slashed at its legs. And so the night in the forest continued in this lively manner. CH 25 Winter Lodging It¡¯s now been over half a year since I came to Kijidore village. It was just as we were nearing the end of autumn that the time finally came. ¡°Congratulations, Mr. Ajifu. You¡¯ve reached the requirements to be promoted to F Rank.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± I had persevered for half a year. It had felt so long. While it was something that I started in order to make money, it was also a good goal to have, and I had been striving towards it. The early days in Kijidore village had been spent fighting monsters and living in the forest. But recently, the number of monsters had gone down, and I was not able to make as much. On top of that, the number of medicinal plants went down as the temperature dropped, so it was in the nick of time. I accepted the Adventurers plate, which was now silver, and left the Ilrak guild. Recently there were no monster attacks in Kijidore village, but as I had been giving them monster meat quite regularly, they had plenty of it preserved in storage. However, I had not been able to go to the library at all, when that had been my original goal. I had decided to make money while I could during the seasons with prey, and then when the snows came and there was nothing to hunt and travel would be difficult, I would shut myself up in the town. It was an inn that I had stayed at occasionally, and they recognized my face when I asked to stay long term. It would be for a full month with breakfast and dinner. One day would cost five silvers and four bronze. I got a twenty percent discount. But I had to pay in advance, and there would be no refund if I canceled. And so I left my things at the inn and then rode Emma back to Kijidore village. This was so that I could have them take care of Emma at the farm until spring. She wouldn¡¯t be able to get any exercise in town, and the stables were expensive. And I didn¡¯t want to ride her in the winter, as it was so cold. I told Naki where I would be staying, and then I walked back to Ilrak that next day. During the past half year, I had fought many monsters, and my level had gone up quite a bit. Name: Ajifu Lv: 13 HP: 126/126 (+25) MP: 37/37(+15) STR: 38(+6) VIT: 36(+6) INT: 16(+3) MND: 23(+3) AGI: 28(+5) DEX: 15(+3) LUK: 9(+2) Skills: Eralt Lv2, Reverse Age Lv3, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv2(+1), Carving Lv4(+2), Leatherworker Lv2, Gathering Lv2(+1), Shield Art Lv3(+1), Magic Manipulation Lv1, Everyday Magic(water/earth), Sword Art Lv2(+1) Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer Shockingly, I had gone up 4 levels in just half a year. It was probably because I could hunt efficiently, with so many E rank monsters around the village. Of course, it had also been quite tough, but perhaps due to that, my skills had also gone up. And likely due to using the bow so much, my DEX had gone up as well. Yes, being able to attack first from far away was quite useful. I felt that now that I started to try different things, my stats were going up on average. If it meant that I could get stronger by training, then perhaps I should train more with my hands. Unfortunately, I did not acquire any bow skills. Also, surely it¡¯s about time I gained a new title after Farmer? What was up with that? In any case, my winter vacation has finally begun. It would last for around four months. Why was the prospect of not having to work making me feel so excited? Well, I did need to go to the library. I practiced swinging my sword in the morning, visited the library, and then trained with magic energy at night before going to bed. I lived like this for about one week. And then it happened. ¡°I¡¯m bored¡­¡± And that bothered me. The first thing that I looked up at the library was the acquisition of magic. The most common way to learn magic was to ¡®study at the magic academy.¡¯ The next was to become a ¡®magician¡¯s apprentice.¡¯ But only those between twelve and fourteen could enroll at the academy, so anyone fifteen and over had no chance. This was because it was best to train while you are young, because your skills grew at a much faster rate. None of the writings had any details, but it seemed like they had to train to control magic energy every day for a year, and then under a special tutor, they learn to cast their voices into the magic. Once this ¡®magic language¡¯ is chanted, they will acquire the ¡®Chant¡¯ skill. And if you use this magic language for curses or chants, you can acquire spells that you have the right attributes for. Those who had healing magic might work for the church or temples. And after they have worked there long enough and their faith is considered to be strong, they will be allowed to undergo baptism. If from the church, the baptized can use magic energy and chant the holy verses of light and acquire the Prayer skill. If from the temple, the mantra of darkness is chanted. This too requires you to train so that you can manipulate magic energy with your voice. If you use holy verses or mantras to turn Curses into Prayers, followers of the Church will acquire light magic, and those of the temple will acquire dark magic. And so there are even seminaries for this. In spite of what it sounded like, dark magic was categorized as healing magic. While light magic was superior when it came to the stronger healing spells, dark magic had a variety of support magic, such as Sleep, Paralysis, and Barrier. Those who acquire light magic are given the rank of Apprentice Cleric and those who acquire dark magic are Apprentice Priest. To be honest, I had completely underestimated magic. I just thought it would be easy, like everyday magic. But even young children who were quick to grow had to practice all day for at least a year!? It can¡¯t just be before going to bed!? I finally understood why my skill level with magic manipulation was not going up. I walked down the streets where the snow was starting to pile up. And then I decided to go to the guild in order to kill some time. Perhaps there would be a quest that I could do as a diversion. As I scanned the quest board with such thoughts, someone called me from the counter. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. Do you have time?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°We do have some training for bad Adventurers who don¡¯t work during the winter. What do you think?¡± She even smiled as she said this. She might be pretty, but she had thorns. ¡°What kind of training?¡± ¡°Combat training and technical training. It really depends on what instructor you have that day. And these instructors are high-ranking Adventurers hired by the guild.¡± I would be taught by high-rankers! That was good! ¡°Is it for free?¡± ¡°It¡¯s three silvers for half a day. As the instructor and lessons will be on the quest board the previous day, you should come in the morning if you¡¯re interested. Tomorrow is¡­ B rank Adventurer Gyuntel. Swords. And Niccoto, also a B ranker, will be teaching bows.¡± Three silvers for half a day. That wasn¡¯t cheap. But this was a good opportunity, and so I would like to participate. The next day, I got my gear ready and headed to the guild. There were five participants for the sword training. Three younger boys of various ages, and one youth who seemed to be in his twenties. And then one old guy. ¡°Are you here to train too, old man? I don¡¯t know. You might hurt yourself.¡± One of the boys said to me. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt myself. But I also don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°I see. Well, just do your best.¡± Apparently, he was kind-hearted enough to encourage an elder. And then the two Adventurers came with a guild worker. It looked like our training was about to begin. ¡°Today¡¯s training will begin now! Those who are participating for the sword, please pick up a wooden sword. Those who are here for bow training, pick up the arrows and move over to the targets!¡± I obeyed the guild worker¡¯s order and picked up a wooden sword. In spite of appearances, it was heavy and the blade was wrapped in leather. It seemed like there was iron inside. ¡°I¡¯m Gyuntel, a B ranker. I¡¯d like to see what you¡¯re capable of. I don¡¯t care about the order, just come at me. It can be all at once.¡± Gyuntel was a tall, heavy-set warrior. He used a two-handed wooden sword with just one hand, and held it ready. ¡°Haahh!¡± He blocked the boy¡¯s attack easily and thrust it aside. Even if there was a feint, he reacted as if it was nothing. When the swing became broader, he tangled and then knocked away the sword, and the boy fell. ¡°Your blows are too soft. You¡¯re swinging with your hands. Beware of your feet and allow all the strength in your body to go to your sword. You still need to practice swinging. Next!¡± The young man slashed and swept, but with a light clang, his sword went flying into the air. ¡°These obvious and weak feints will only be used by the enemy. There is no flow or intention to kill in them. They are useless! Next!¡± Well, this was definitely different. I would give it my all as if I meant to kill. First, I would target his sword and swipe with all my strength in order to entangle them. There was a clang and the swords bounced off each other. This was expected. But I was a step closer, I bashed my shield forward with my whole shoulder and¡­was crushed. Ouch. ¡°No feints or tricks. You need more than brute force. Next!¡± After fighting each of us twice, he gave us all some advice. ¡°I can tell that you¡¯ve been using your sword to fight common monsters. While there is a good weight to your attacks, you don¡¯t have the skill to go up against humans. If you stay like that, you¡¯ll get killed one day.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Either train against other humans, or start killing. You could find a master, go to a training hall, join a war, fight in the colosseums. Those are your options. But to be honest, all of them will be tough for someone your age. So my advice would be to put down the sword and avoid fighting anyone.¡± Obviously¡­ CH 26 Cuckold Matter While he prefaced it by saying this was just to ease his conscience, Gyuntel then demonstrated the parry, where you repelled with a sword or shield, and the deflect. Once training was finished, and the others had left, I stayed at the guild training grounds and continued to practice. I was glad to have found a place where I could exercise, which was something I had been lacking. After that, I accepted other lessons aside from the sword, that I happened to be interested in. Bows, shadowing, shield arts. I participated on a whim until the receptionist said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what your goal is, but this won¡¯t serve you well unless you focus.¡± She advised. I knew that I wouldn¡¯t acquire any skills with all of this scattered training, but it wasn¡¯t a problem, as my objective was to merely learn the training methods. And so I learned to erase my presence during shadow training. With shields, I learned how to attract a monster¡¯s attention and find my position within a party. Library, train at the guild, rest, magic energy manipulation training, library. I did them in rotation as I lived through the winter. The reason that there was one day for magic manipulation, was because if I trained with it for very long, I would become incredibly tired. And so for the next two days, I would not be able to move the energy at all. And while it was a rather fruitful winter for me, my skills did not grow much at all. Eralt went from Lv2 to Lv4, and Magic Energy Manipulation rose to Lv2. That was about it. I didn¡¯t gain any new skills, but I felt that I had learned a lot about this world instead. When the snow started to melt, and the plants grew green again, the funds I had saved during the summer were nearly depleted. But I wasn¡¯t worried. After all, I was an F-Rank Adventurer! Up until now, I could only make 2.5 silver from killing goblins by selling their magic stones, but now that it was a fixed quest, I would make as much as 4.5 silver! First, I wanted to go and see Emma. I hope she wasn¡¯t sulking because I hadn¡¯t seen her in a long time. Perhaps I could also hunt some monsters in Kijidore village and save up a little. And so I walked through the freshly green forest, happily killing any forest wolves that were in my path. As my aim with the bow had improved, I was also able to hunt a horn rabbit, which I took to the village as a gift. The chief and the farmer owner met me and bowed. ¡°It¡¯s been awhile, Ajifu. The truth is, I have to apologize to you about something.¡± ¡°I really should have managed things better. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Di-did something happen to Emma!? ¡°Wh-what!? What happened!? Where¡¯s Emma? Is she alright!?¡± I grabbed the farmer by the shoulders and shook him. ¡°C-calm down! She isn¡¯t harmed, no. But I suppose all is not exactly well either.¡± ¡°What do you mean?!¡± ¡°She¡¯s expecting.¡± ¡°Whaaat!?¡± What I saw upon arriving at the farm was Emma with a very large belly. ¡°I am sorry. It seems like it happened near the end of summer last year.¡± Emma¡­Emma¡­was with someone else now! ¡°Sorry isn¡¯t enough! What am I supposed to do!¡± ¡°Well, uh, of course, I will buy her from you. Uh, how about the market price of two gold?¡± ¡°WHAT?¡± ¡°Ah, um, three gold. For the offspring and as an apology. And I could sell you a different horse if you need.¡± ¡°I will accept the money. But chief, don¡¯t think you can solve everything with gold! I won¡¯t be hunting the goblins this spring. You¡¯ll have to rely on the Adventurers Guild this time!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not the chief¡¯s fault. I wasn¡¯t watching them properly. Ajifu, please don¡¯t say such things! I don¡¯t want the village to be troubled because of me. I¡¯ll even give you back the stable fees.¡± Hmm. Well, he had helped me in the past¡­ ¡°This village has been good to me. And I haven¡¯t forgotten that. You won¡¯t have to worry about this spring¡¯s goblins at least.¡± Either way, I would have to travel again. And so I turned on my heels and went into the forest. I would take out my frustration on the goblins. I¡¯m sure their numbers had increased during the winter. They would be the targets of this emotion. A green that was darker than the new green of a forest where the snow was half-melted¡­ There they were¡­ I wouldn¡¯t use a bow. ¡°Argghh!¡± The goblin blood splattered on the snow. ¡°Gugya!?¡± ¡°Hahhh!!¡± The goblin¡¯s body split diagonally. ¡°Gyagya!!¡± As a goblin tried to escape, I thrust my sword into its back. Then I cut off the right ear, which was the proof of the hunt, and put it in a bag along with the magic stone. Three, four. I cut them down as soon as I found them. This wasn¡¯t extermination. It was just venting one¡¯s anger without concern for justice. The deeper in I went, the more goblins there were. ¡°Gaaaarrr!!¡± Was it a magic beast that howled or not? Just then, a change came over the flow of goblins that kept arriving. ¡°Gugya!¡± ¡°Gyagyagya!¡± ¡°Gugyaa!¡± Their backs turned to me and they ran. ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t be a stranger.¡± As I chased after them and cut them down, there was a loud boom! from the depths of the forest, and a pillar of fire shot up in the air. It was still far away. I didn¡¯t know what it was, but I decided to go and find out. However, my path was blocked by a forest wolf. With my left hand, I bashed it with my shield, and then slashed down with the sword in my right hand. Beyond it, I could see a burning goblin settlement, and a pack of forest wolves running around. ¡°Let me join you!¡± Three forest wolves attacked me. I hit them with my shield and chopped and thrust with my sword. As I stabbed a running goblin that looked like a female carrying a child, an arrow shot into my leg, and two goblins rushed towards me. There was no time to pull it out. ¡°Gugya!¡± I stopped, parried the club that came swinging down, and then kicked the goblin in the chest so that it crashed into the other one. Then I skewered the layered bodies and blocked a flying arrow with my shield. By then, my wounded leg was growing very hot. ¡°Poison!¡± I rushed into the shadows and pulled out the arrow. Then I downed an antidote potion and an ordinary potion and then took extras out of my bag to attach to my belt. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for round two.¡± I raised my shield and blocked the arrows as I rushed towards the goblin archer and took him out. The archer had been standing in a spot that offered a good view of the battlefield. A great position. And so I crouched low and inspected the field. In the center of the settlement, a large goblin, two hobgoblins, and a giant wolf like I had never seen before were fighting. (Alright, I¡¯ll leave that one alone.) My eyes circled the outer rim of the settlement and then returned to the entrance. Goblins and forest wolves were having a chaotic battle there. And the forest wolves seemed to have the upper hand. And so I went around to their back, and cut the forest wolves down. After killing two of them, I quickly retreated. The surprise had caused the forest wolves to spread out, and the goblins gained momentum and pushed in. Without stopping, I went to the side of the goblins and rushed towards a magician in the back. And so I was able to take down the goblin magician without attracting the attention of the others. Now there were only five goblins and about three forest wolves left. The goblins fell on the wolves all at once, and put them down smoothly one by one. ¡°So, that leaves¡­¡± I downed my last potion and looked towards the center of the settlement. And then my eyes met the eyes of the giant wolf. It was holding the torso of the large goblin in its jaws. CH 27 Ancient Wolf of the Forest ¡°I believe they are called direwolves.¡± Direwolves were D-rank monsters. It was huge. Probably the same size as a fang boar. In spite of its size, it was very quick on its feet. This was not an enemy I would want to face head on. However, this one was also covered in wounds from the fight with the goblins. When I pointed my sword at it, the direwolf spat out the goblin torso. ¡°Grrrrrr¡­¡± And then it saw the corpses of its kin and it roared. ¡°Grraaaaghh!¡± Before I even had a chance to move forward, it closed the gap between us and then swiped at me with its front paw. I tried to deflect it with my shield, but I was thrown off my feet. ¡°Guhah!¡± After rolling about three meters, I somehow got back to my feet. But my shield was cracked. (Are you kidding me!? Damn!) Face it from the front? It¡¯s impossible! As the direwolf opened its jaw and pounced on me, I jumped back and threw a flour bomb at it. This was a new one, which was blended with red pepper. ¡°Gyan!¡± It whimpered. I swung my sword blindly through the cloud of flour until I hit something. Then I retreated, just as a paw flew through the air. ¡°Here¡¯s the seconds.¡± I threw a second bag and this time moved farther back. This was my chance to escape. But as if to laugh at my attempt, it jumped just once and landed right next to me. However, it staggered when it landed. (I don¡¯t know what happened, but this is my chance!) I held my sword with both hands and slammed it into its right paw with all of my might. It sank about halfway before stopping. ¡°Gyagya!¡± The direwolf fell over, and I quickly let go of the sword and moved away. ¡°Gugyaaa!¡± It roared and then attempted to stand on three feet. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll let you!¡± I pulled out a short sword and threw it. It went straight towards the neck, which I had targeted. But there was a quiet clank and then it bounced off. ¡°What!?¡± That wasn¡¯t the sound of a blade hitting skin, was it?! What¡¯s happening here! That being said, it only has three feet now. It would not be as fast as it used to be. Though, I had lost my weapon and could not deal a finishing blow. What should I do¡­ I picked up the goblin at my feet and charged at the direwolf. It would not be able to swipe at me with just one front paw. So just as I expected, it opened its big jaw and bit. I threw the goblin in. It could not back off with just three feet! I pushed the goblin deep in, and just as it started to shake its head angrily, I reached out for my sword and pulled it out. Then I moved away before it finished spitting out the goblin, and I went around to the direwolf¡¯s side. And then with my full weight behind it, I plunged the blade into the side of its stomach. ¡°Ga¡­¡± The direwolf fell over. And I fell to my knees. ¡°I thought that I was going to die¡­¡± Still, normally, this was not an opponent that I could think of beating. What had happened to make it lose its balance when landing? I understood when I inspected the dire wolf¡¯s body. There was a broken sword stuck in its left leg. It was probably the hobgoblin¡¯s sword. I survived, thanks to it. Then I went around the settlement and finished off any monsters that were still alive. I showed no mercy to the young goblins that were inside of the huts. Once I had gathered the magic stones and proofs of the hunt, I counted forty-three goblins, thirty-six forest wolves, four hobgoblins, one hobgoblin leader, and one direwolf. I doubt I even killed half of them, but it didn¡¯t matter if they were dead. I skinned the direwolf and took out the magic stone. It was about the size of a ping pong ball, and was the biggest I had ever found. Only my sword was sharp enough to cut through the skin, but once it was broken, the rest was easy to peel off. And while my shield broke, I had gained a lot. Including one level. There really were a lot of monsters in this forest. ¡°Status open.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 37 Lv: 14 HP: 131/131 (+5) MP: 40/40(+3) STR: 39(+1) VIT: 38(+2) INT: 18(+2) MND: 23 AGI: 28 DEX: 17(+2) LUK: 9 Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv3, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv2, Carving Lv4, Leatherworker Lv2, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv3, Magic Manipulation Lv2(+1), Everyday Magic(water/earth), Sword Art Lv2 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer By the time I was finished, it had become completely dark around me. I will stay at the village tonight and drink. While I felt better now that I had let off some steam, I still wanted to complain a little more. The next day, I told the chief about my hunt of the goblins in the settlement and the direwolf, and received the compensation gold. Then I returned to the farm to see how Emma was doing. ¡°I hope you have a strong foal. Now take care.¡± I patted her neck and she rubbed her nose into me. Tsk. She really was cute. And so it was with feelings of regret that I left the village behind. On my way back to town, I entered the forest to search for forest wolves and goblins in order to round up the numbers for the quest, and so I barely made it to the gates before closing time. I went to the guild to report the completion of the quest and to sell the materials. And thought the direwolf skin had a lot of damage and was in bad condition, it still sold for eighty silver. So along with the quest, I made one gold and seventy-four silver. And the number of quests I completed was now seventeen. The requirement for rising to F-Rank was fifty quests and the minimum combat ability, and so it would be a lot easier than G-Rank. The beginner stage being the hardest was the same in any world, apparently. The next day, I went out to buy a shield and chose an iron round shield. It was just a little larger than my previous one, and quite heavy. It was very plain in design, and if seen from the front, one might think that it was some kind of pan. But there was metal wrapped around the rim so attacks wouldn¡¯t slide off towards you. It cost me one gold. That was as much as I could pay. It was now the third month of the year. Last year, I came to this town on the fourth month, so it was about time that I left. I had tried to spend the past year without getting too close to anyone, but there were still quite a lot of people who recognized me now. I had already chosen my next destination. The royal capital of the neighboring country, Razsita. It had a good relationship with the country I was currently in, the Fia Kingdom, and so travel between the two was easy. This city of Razsita had a school that was opened by a master swordsman who lived a hundred years ago, and they taught you how to use all kinds of weapons. I read this from ¡®Sword Arts of the World¡¯ from the library. I felt that it was time that I finally learned to properly wield a sword. But in order to do that, I needed to save a little more money. My income should increase a little once I become E-rank. Perhaps I should go around to some other villages other than Kijidore, in order to raise my rank and save up money. I went to the guild and looked at the F-rank quest board. Then someone called to me. ¡°Ah, are you F-Rank, old man?¡± While he looked unpleasant, his armor was nice. He seemed to be in his mid-twenties? I doubted that he was up to any good. ¡°Aye, that¡¯s right. What do you want?¡± ¡°As an Adventurer, I¡¯m E-rank, but I¡¯m a D-rank at the Mercenaries Guild. Now, instead of doing quests like this at your age, why don¡¯t you join us and become a mercenary? It pays a lot better than being an F-rank Adventurer.¡± So he was scouting for mercenaries? He showed me a metal golden plate, which was a different shape to the Adventurer¡¯s plate. In fact, there were a lot of ways that being an Adventurer and a mercenary overlapped. Mercenaries needed to be strong, but killing humans did not result in your level going up, so they had to hunt monsters to raise their status. I think, that perhaps god had made adjustments¡­had been merciful, by doing this so that nobles and the powerful would not kill commoners, slaves and the weak in order to level up. ¡°Sorry, but I have no intention of doing that.¡± ¡°Really? You should listen to me if you want to stay in this town. It¡¯s easy work really. You just have to bring goblin ears and magic stones to me.¡± I glanced over to the reception counter, but they didn¡¯t seem to care to get involved. There were more E-rank Adventurers than F-rank ones. While the road to D-rank was hard, you could still make a living by just doing simple work around the roads and surrounding settlements. While doing fixed F-rank quests at E-rank won¡¯t affect your completion rate, you could still make money. Furthermore, once you were D-rank, you would only be able to sell the magic stones and materials from monsters, so you wouldn¡¯t make much money. ¡°I see. Thank you for the valuable advice. I will leave this town as soon as possible.¡± And then I turned to the reception counter. ¡°I¡¯d like to report my imminent departure.¡± I said. CH 28 To The Next Town I had become familiar with the lady at the receptionist desk during the winter. And she now looked at me coldly. ¡°You are running away?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know why I should stay in such a dangerous town.¡± ¡°With that mentality, you won¡¯t find your place at any guild.¡± ¡°Perhaps the guild should direct their effort and energy on people like him. Then things would be different.¡± I pointed, but he was already gone. She did not say any more, but processed the Adventurers plate and returned it to me. I took the plate and was about to head out, but a brawny older man stood in my path. ¡°Hey, are you sure about that?¡± Hmm. This time the pressure was different. Was he someone important? ¡°Whether the guild allows parasites in the establishment or not is the guild¡¯s problem. It¡¯s not an F-rank Adventurer¡¯s place to decide what is right or wrong.¡± I didn¡¯t know who this was, but if he was going to try and reprimand someone, he should have done it to the person who was brazenly trying to recruit people at the guild. Unless he thought it was my fault for getting involved. It would make sense, I suppose, if the guild was silently aware or even supported it. In any case, it was enough reason for me to leave. But the old man would not budge¡­ We were probably a similar age¡­ I just slid past him and opened the door. Now, I should go and see the schedule for the carriages. ************************************************* ¡°Are you fine with that, Guild Master?¡± After Ajifu left, receptionist Chiri called Guild Master Dejiare by his position. It was proof that she was in a bad mood. ¡°He actively participated during the winter training, and trained longer than anyone. And while he¡¯s a little on the old side, he brought back D-rank materials while out hunting solo.¡± ¡°Then!¡± ¡°And that is why. If you want to rise as an Adventurer, you have to be able to deal with petty troubles like this. If he¡¯s going to run, then he was never all that to begin with.¡± Judging by his training, he didn¡¯t have the skills of an F-ranker. And so he had been watching Ajifu, thinking that he would stand up against the ridiculous demands of a D-rank mercenary. ¡°I expected a lot more from him. Now, you know who the F-rank Adventurers who fell victim to him are, yes? I think it¡¯s time to deal with the parasites.¡± Had Ajifu started a fight with the mercenary, the guild would have backed him. After all, these mercenaries were starting to become too bold. It would have been an opportunity to hit that nail with a hammer, in regards to the Mercenary Guild. And Ajifu would have become quite famous in the town. The direwolf he had brought to the counter was riddled with wounds. It must have been a vicious battle. If you wanted to fight against D-rank monsters, you needed to be in a party. That was common knowledge for Adventurers. If this was the Ajifu he had seen training in the winter, he would have realized his limits as a solo Adventurer while fighting the direwolf. If he wanted to find a party to join, then the guild would have to introduce one to him. It was their duty. However, he was still an older F-rank Adventurer. And so joining a party as he was now could be difficult. But it would not have been too difficult had he fought with the mercenary, proved his ability, and become well known. ¡°There are also many reports of goblin attacks, now that they are starting to emerge from their winter nests. And seeing as we just lost a promising fighter, please return soon.¡± ¡°Surely sending out a team from the D-rankers should be enough.¡± Don¡¯t give me that cold look. Now, taking on the burden of trouble was like the ability of men and Adventurers. I will clean up this mess and get it over with. Dejiare decided, and then he started to walk towards the Mercenary Guild, where hell was sure to be raised. ************************************************* ¡­I had left due to what I felt at the moment, but it was a big failure. I didn¡¯t care at all about the mercenary, but it was bad to have the Adventurers Guild take note of me. It would cause quite a stir should I return looking younger. I will not be able to return to this town for a long time. Perhaps I could have¡­acted more like a small, boot-licking, sycophant so that I would leave less of an impression. I was sorry that I didn¡¯t do that. As for the schedule for the carriage, it would be three days and two nights to cross the border and reach the town of Suimel, towards Razsita. As the next carriage didn¡¯t depart until three days later, I would prepare for my journey in the meantime, and reserve a seat on the day before. As there had been a scene at the guild, I tried to spend most of my time in the inn and train with magic. Three days later, I went to the carriage station with the rising sun, and handed in my ticket. Four Adventurers would be guarding the carriage. And they would all be riding horses. Two spear wielders, one wielded a bow and sword, and there was one priestess. The priestess was a young woman who wore long robes and wielded a mace. Adventurers who were women were not rare. Many of them specialized in healing and magic. Even if one acquired skills, you would run out of MP unless you fought monsters and raised your level, so many of them became Adventurers as part of their training. I hoped that I would be able to see some light magic. ¡°Oh! Are you an Adventurer too? Can we count on you for support?¡± One of the Adventurers asked. How about you just do your job? I showed my bronze Adventurer plate. ¡°F-rank. While I will draw my sword if necessary, I would prefer it if you didn¡¯t expect much from me.¡± ¡°Ah, that is too bad. We are the D-rank party, ¡®Greenscale Sunset.¡¯ Glad to have you with us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ajifu. Thank you.¡± But the road was peaceful, and even if we did see monsters, they never went out of their way to attack us. We passed through a village on the way. Apparently, we would be camping outdoors tonight. They seemed to have a set place to camp, as there was a clearing with a stove and a water source. And here, there were also other carriages, likely from merchants. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to stay at a village inn?¡± ¡°If we stopped there, we¡¯d have to camp outside tomorrow, as it takes time to cross the border. And if we camp outside after this point, we will have to deal with snakes and spiders at night. At least if it¡¯s here, goblins and wolves are the worst we can expect.¡± Indeed, shadow spiders and grass vipers were troublesome. As for the passengers, some slept in the carriage or sat around the bonfire. I found it very informative to watch the D-rank Adventurers as they ensured our security and set up camp. ¡°Am I so unusual to you?¡± Perhaps I had studied her for a little too long, as the priestess was now talking to me. ¡°Please pardon me. Are you a priestess?¡± ¡°I am only a lowly apprentice, so you don¡¯t have to be formal with me. I am just following Greenscale Sunset for now. My name is Pittel, an E-ranker.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pleased to meet you. I¡¯m Ajifu, an F-ranker.¡± We both bowed. ¡°I don¡¯t sleep at night when I¡¯m alone, so watching has been quite helpful for me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sleep! How reckless.¡± Perhaps he was bored, because the Adventurer next to me butted into the conversation. ¡°Back in the village, I did stay the night in the forest with a hunter, but that¡¯s about it.¡± ¡°However, you should avoid such things when we reach Razsita.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors¡­ Undead?¡± ¡°In the ancient battle ahead of Suimel, there are no slimes, even now. It¡¯s not just skeletons, but even fresh zombies and ghouls will appear. And ghosts are especially troublesome.¡± ¡°What about the surrounding villages?¡± ¡°They are spread out quite a lot, so we can¡¯t let our guard down.¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, there is something I want to ask you!¡± ¡°What¡¯s this, all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What happens if you use healing magic on an undead?¡± ¡°Ah, it does work. However, you have to touch them directly for healing magic to be effective, and it also takes time. ¡®Turn Undead¡¯ is much more effective.¡± So heal can¡¯t be thrown. Still, these undead really were troublesome. CH 29 Another World God ¡°The river up ahead is the country border.¡± The finger pointed to a river and a grand stone bridge. And there was a building made of wood right in front of the bridge. There were several guards by the border, and a number of waiting carriages, but not enough to be a line. Currently, they were allowing people to cross from the opposite direction. So it was an alternate passage here. Before crossing, I had to get out of the carriage so that it could be inspected. And I also had to show my Adventurers plate. Apparently, it was quite relaxed as far as border inspections went. In any case, I was able to enter the country of Razsita. After crossing the river and traveling on for some time, there was an encounter with some unfamiliar monsters that resulted in a fight. They had the heads of dogs and had bodies that were a little smaller than goblins. And they stood on two legs and wielded weapons. They were kobolds. Five of them attacked the carriages, but they were routed by the mounted guards. It seemed that they weren¡¯t very strong as individuals, but their speed had been impressive. ¡°We¡¯re near the edge of the kobolds territory. Goblins can see in the darkness of night, but there are undead out there. And they do not breed as quickly as in the Fia kingdom.¡± ¡°If only they would start a war and crush each other.¡± ¡°Large battles breed powerful monsters. And if one comes out to lead the others, that could result in a stronger herd. It¡¯s best to deal with them while they are still small.¡± Oh, now this was why it was great meeting a D-Rank Adventurer. Knowledge of locales that can¡¯t be learned from books. Wonderful. The first Razsita village was surrounded by a wall that was much larger than the ones around villages in the Fia Kingdom. Perhaps it was to defend against the undead. While it was still early, it was decided that we would be staying in this village tonight. And so I walked around in order to gather information. There was not much prey for hunters around here, but there seemed to be a lot of livestock. The cheese was delicious, and there were sheep. When I asked local Adventurers at the taverns during the night, they told me that kobold hunts were the most popular around here. However, while there was great demand, few wanted to accept the undead hunts. There was even an E-rank fixed quest for hunting undead in the ancient battlefield ahead of Suimel. Hunting undead in an ancient battlefield at night¡­ Yes, I would definitely decline. We arrived at Suimel on the following day. In terms of scale, it was the same as Ilrak, but there was a castle in the center that was so tall that you could see it from far away, and it was surrounded by soaring walls that gave it the impression of a ¡®fortress city.¡¯ There were no farms or settlements around it, making the lands look quite barren. But once you were inside, it was even more lively than Ilrak. The driver and Adventurer guards were all recognized and let through immediately. Only the passengers were checked before entering. I went straight to the Adventurers Guild in order to make a report. In spite of it being passed midday, the F-Rank quest board was filled with requests to hunt undead. Maybe I could go if I held a magic lantern in one hand? But then I wouldn¡¯t be able to use a shield. Besides, I can¡¯t go outside unless I have a way of dealing with ghosts. Ghosts were immune to physical attacks. And they damaged your MP. Once your MP went down to zero, you would faint. And so I would have to prepare. That¡¯s why I went to the church. It was my first time since coming to this world. I hadn¡¯t even gone to one in my previous life. I hadn¡¯t gone because I never had a reason to. ¡°Father. I¡¯ve come to receive some holy water.¡± A father was like the chief of the church. I had heard from the guild that this was where Adventurers gathered holy water. ¡°Then offer your prayers and gratitude to God. And then leave a donation of one silver for every bottle.¡± He had clearly done this countless times. But I had not. ¡°Father, embarrassingly, I have never prayed to God before. Could you teach me how to do it?¡± The father looked a little surprised, but taught me happily. ¡°Just kneel before the statue of Lord Memrikia, fold your hands together, and lower your head. And then with closed eyes, recite the holy scriptures. You do not need to say them out loud. But today, you can repeat after me.¡± Memrikia was the god of the Memrikia church. This god was not humanoid, but was an abstract shape that resembled a sphere with lines stretching out in all directions. But as I had no interest in religion, the name meant nothing to me. ¡°Great Lord Memrikia, who bestows on us the sun, earth and moon. The forest and seas and blessings of nature and our status. With our daily prayers we praise your eternal reign and offer our gratitude for the favors you grant us.¡± What!? Lord Memrikia granted status? I was suddenly very interested. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Father, is status something granted from Lord Memrikia?¡± ¡°You did not know? Long ago, humans were frail beings that did nothing but cower in fear at monsters. But Lord Memrikia took pity on us, and granted us ¡®status¡¯ and ¡®skills.¡¯ After that, humans were able to step out into the world. And so the world you see before you now is all thanks to Lord Memrikia.¡± Was it the same god that invited me to this world? But didn¡¯t they say something like, ¡®I made statuses because it looked amusing¡¯? I probably should keep that to myself. Also, wasn¡¯t there supposed to be a god who was ¡®in charge of statuses¡¯? ¡°What is the name of the god of statuses?¡± ¡°Statuses were made by Lord Memrikia, and everything including statuses are a gift of Lord Memrikia.¡± So there was only one god as far as they were concerned. Hmm. I saw three possibilities. It was a different god to begin with. Lord Memrikia was the god who managed statuses. Lord Memrikia was the god who invited me to this world, and there was a different god who managed statuses. ¡°And what god do they serve at the temple?¡± ¡°They are merely serving a different face of the same god, Lord Memrikia.¡± I see. So it probably isn¡¯t option 1. Since they have actual baptisms and grant skills. I don¡¯t know about 2 or 3. In that case¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just really curious. Could you recite the holy scripture one more time?¡± ¡°It is a good thing that your heart is drawing closer to God. Now listen carefully.¡± ¡°Great Lord Memrikia, who bestows on us the sun, earth and moon. The forest and seas and blessings of nature and status. With our daily prayers we praise your eternal reign and offer our gratitude for the favors you grant us.¡± (Thank you for bringing me to this world. I am grateful to you every day. I would not have been able to survive without skills and statuses. I am thankful for this system.) ¡°You seemed to be very passionate when praying? Is there something on your mind?¡± ¡°I wanted to make up for all the time I lived in this world and did not thank Lord Memrikia.¡± ¡°How very noble. If you are interested in the teachings of the church, there are services during the mornings of the day of light. You will be very welcome.¡± ¡°I will be glad to, if time permits me.¡± In this world, the days of the week are named after fire, wind, water, earth, dark, and light to make up one week. A month has thirty days, and a year has three hundred and sixty days. But for some reason, the recast time for Reverse Age is three hundred and sixty-five days. I donated three silvers and received three bottles of holy water from the church. And then I headed out to town. As I walked around and searched for an inn to stay at, I discovered something interesting at a tool store. It was a ¡®holy water sheath.¡¯ When it came to undead, you used holy water by coating it over weapons or pouring it directly onto enemies. However, how could you do that if you had a shield in one hand or were dual-wielding swords? Some might have a friend to do it, but that wouldn¡¯t work if you were alone. And that¡¯s where this item could come in handy. It was the right size for a single-handed sword, but was a little larger than an ordinary sheath. And it was filled with a sponge-like material that would absorb liquid. And so if you poured holy water into it and sheathed your sword, it would get coated. Of course, the blade would rust if you left it in, so you would have to clean it one you were finished fighting. ¡°Bought!¡± I made the decision immediately. Aside from that, there was even an anti-ghost ¡®holy sword¡¯ that allowed you to fill the handle with holy water so that it would slowly seep out of a hole and run down the blade. Eventually, I managed to find an inn and got a room so I could plan for tomorrow. I would not head to the royal capital until I could recast Reverse Age. This was certain. And so I would take on quests at the Suimel guild in the meantime. If possible, I would like to fight both kobolds and undead. I thought of such things as I controlled the flow of magic energy. I didn¡¯t even notice it until I used some everyday magic before going to sleep. ¡°Blessing of the Ability God.¡± The words that had appeared under Titles in my status. CH 30 Request and Prayer ¡°What!? Why? What god?!¡± Well, there was only one possibility that came to mind. The church that I went to during the day. But I had only prayed there once? And what was this Ability God? Ability¡­ Skill? No! Status!? If Lord Memrikia was the god that was in charge of Status, had I been blessed because I prayed? After just one time?? I had never heard of such a thing. But still¡­ ¡°¡®Ability God¡¯ wasn¡¯t the most interesting to me¡­¡± What about something like¡­Magic God or Blacksmith God¡­ No, I should not be complaining about gods. However, what benefit was this blessing going to have for me? Up until now, I didn¡¯t have a title with any actual effect. If only there was some description¡­ I tried focusing on the Status title and then¡­ Oh! A description appeared! ¡®Blessing of the Ability God The blessing of Ability God Ibitrayme¡¯ Huh!? So it¡¯s not Lord Memrikia? Then I suppose it was this Lord Ibitrayme who managed Statuses. Perhaps I was being told now because I didn¡¯t know while I was praying? Surely not. Still, it didn¡¯t seem like there was any special effect to it¡­ Also, did this mean that there were gods that the priests didn¡¯t know about? I had a feeling that this wasn¡¯t something that I should talk about carelessly. Who knows what trouble it could cause with religions that only believed in one god. At worst, it could be a secret that only the top members of the order knew about¡­ Well, that was maybe taking it too far. But I would still keep quiet until I knew more. So for now¡­ Theory 1. Ability God = Status God. Perhaps Lord Memrikia was the main god and this Lord Ibitrayme was the Ability God. Theory 2. Theory 3. Ability God = Main god = Lord Ibitrayme. And Lord Imrikia is the Status God. Well, while I had no evidence, I think that theory one is the most likely. As for 2, surely I wouldn¡¯t get a blessing from a god that was completely unrelated. And 3. Ability God = Main god sounded kind of strange, but I suppose it could be another way to say omnipotent. Perhaps I would pay the church a visit on the next day of light and ask the priest about blessings. Speaking of which, in this world, or at least, the world of humans, the day of light was not a holiday. They only had holidays during festivals or celebrations. However, whether you are free or a slave, you have the right to go to the temple to worship on the day of darkness, or the church on the day of light. But of course, not both. While I had trouble sleeping that night, I decided to start accepting quests at the guild from the following day. First, I checked the quest board at the guild. My targets were kobolds and undead. These were the fixed quests: Kobold hunt ¨C Rank: F, E 5 kobolds: 2 silver Proof of the hunt: Right hand. Low-rank undead hunt ¨C Rank: F, E Zombie, skeleton, ghoul, ghost 5 low-ranking undead: 4 silver Proof of hunt: Magic stone. At a glance, the reward was higher for undead, but given that the proof was magic stones, you would actually make a better profit with kobolds. There were also requests from villages. Low-rank undead hunt. Rank: F Zombie, skeleton, ghoul, ghost hunt. 5 low-rank undead: 5 silver Hunting 15 would get you 15 silver, which was better than the fixed quests. However, you could only do it once. The reason that it was a F-Rank quest was probably because it was cheaper that way. To be honest, it wasn¡¯t too appealing. As for why there were only fixed quests for kobolds, it was probably because the others had been taken in the morning. And so I just tore off the Massu Village request and went to the counter. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯d like to ask you something.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°How far away is this Massu Village from here?¡± I showed the quest sheet and my Adventurers plate. ¡°It is one day by carriage. Think of it as about two days on foot. However, as you are expected to hunt a large number of them for this request, it recommends you go as a party.¡± Woah. It¡¯s no wonder that no one wanted this one. ¡°Are there any carriages going there?¡± ¡°There should be people from Massu Village that have a stall in the morning market today. I¡¯m sure you can ride with them when they return tomorrow morning.¡± Hmm. I suppose I¡¯m going to go corpse hunting then. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll accept this. Solo.¡± ¡°I see. While I will not stop you, please prepare for this very carefully. Not only should you have extra potions and holy water, but paralysis potions as well.¡± The receptionist said as she looked me over and then stamped the request sheet. ¡°During this time of the day, you should be able to find Gifton from Massu Village in the market.¡± ¡°Thank you for all the advice.¡± Hmm! She sure knew a lot of details about this request, even though it was just F-Rank! That was quite impressive. I rarely gave much thought to these receptionists, but I would have to remember this one. So I don¡¯t piss her off. I took note of her appearance. She was beautiful, with long blue hair and a voluptuous figure. Yes, I would avoid lining up at her desk from now on. ¡°Well¡­is there anything else then?¡± ¡°No, I am fine. Thank you.¡± ************************************************* After the quest was accepted and the Adventurer went on his way, Leesha, who worked at the desk next to me, whispered. ¡°He¡¯s fallen for you. No doubt about it.¡± Really, she did like to talk a lot of nonsense. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I only explained it to him in detail because it¡¯s my village. But I don¡¯t see why that would make him fall for me.¡± ¡°Ahhh, but I know that look! He¡¯ll line up in front of your desk again next time. I¡¯ll even wager a few pockles if you want.¡± Leesha was very fond of pockles, so she must be serious? ¡°While he is a low-ranking older man, I still envy the attention you get. What¡¯s wrong with me, Cilette? Is it my chest? Is that the problem? Hah! Hyah!¡± Leesha began to poke me in the chest. ¡°Ah, hey. Stop that!¡± In fact, they were heavy and men looked at me in the most disagreeable ways. They were the bane of my existence. Also, why hasn¡¯t she stopped yet! Oh, now other people were looking. This was no good at all. ¡°Maybe I should punish them now. Gahahaha.¡± ¡°Kya! You sound like an old man! Stop!¡± ¡°Will you two stop that racket!!¡± See. Now the guild master was angry at us. ************************************************* I left the guild and after a change of plans, headed towards the church. I wanted to restock on holy water. I would also have to stop at the pharmacist. ¡°Father, I came again for some holy water.¡± ¡°How very¡­pious of you. Do you still remember the prayer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, if you could say it again like you did yesterday. Also, may I ask you one question about god?¡± ¡°What is it? I will answer it if I can.¡± ¡°What should I do in order to gain the blessing of Lord Memrikia?¡± ¡°Indeed¡­ the blessing is proof that Lord Memrikia has recognized your faith. If your faith and devout actions are accepted, then you will see it in your status. ¡®Blessing of the God of Creation.¡¯ You will need to pray many times and perform acts to show your sincerity. But when the time comes, we will offer you baptism.¡± Blessing of the God of Creation? I was certain now. And the blessing was the requirement for baptism. ¡°I am grateful for your words, and shall carve them into my heart.¡± ¡°But first, we will start by praying today. And do not forget to be grateful towards Lord Memrikia.¡± ¡°Great Lord Memrikia, who bestows on us the sun, earth and moon. The forest and seas and blessings of nature and our status. With our daily prayers we praise your eternal reign and offer our gratitude for the favors you grant us.¡± (Lord Memrikia. I have no harem and am not invincible, but I still feel grateful for everything that I¡¯ve been able to accomplish. I thank you for Lord Ibitrayme, who manages the status, and the blessing that I received yesterday. Also, I do wish that you introduced yourself when we first met.) I conveyed my gratitude in my own way. I do hope that it got through. CH 31 Undead Annihilation I I purchased two bottles of holy water and left the church. And I checked my status just to make sure. Then I grinned when I saw the Title section. (Thank you, Lord Memrikia and Lord Ibitrayme.) The title ¡®Visitor From Another World¡¯ had turned into ¡®One Who Walks The Earth.¡¯ Perhaps I had been accepted as a resident in this world. However, it seemed like there was still no effect for the title. After that, I went to the market and found Gifton from Massu Village. I showed him the request sheet and he promised to let me ride with him the following morning. I then bought some potions at a pharmacist, and on the following day, headed to the village in the now empty wagon. On the road, we encountered some kobolds once, but they ran away without a fight after a few arrows were unleashed in their direction. By the time the sun was about to set, we arrived at Massu Village. I visited the chief¡¯s house and showed the request sheet and my Adventurers plate. ¡°You came alone? Are you sure about this?¡± The chief asked me with a suspicious expression. ¡°I intend to act very carefully. So it might take a few days.¡± ¡°May I ask how you will go about it?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, I will go and inspect the forest and surrounding area during the day. And then I will probably go hunt them at night after dinner. Will I be able to go through the gate at night?¡± ¡°We have guards posted at both the north and south gates. And while the north gate is closed at night, the south one will be opened if you ask them. As long as there is nothing dangerous close by.¡± ¡°And I would like permission to camp somewhere in the village.¡± ¡°There is a shed that you can use. I will have someone take you there and bring food in the evening.¡± ¡°Oh! I am very grateful. By the way, I saw some kobolds on the road. How are things surrounding the village?¡± ¡°We do not keep cows or sheep in this village, so we don¡¯t see them much.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I was then led to the shed. While it was small, it had everything that I needed. Besides, I liked that everything was in arm¡¯s reach. I wanted a house like this one day. I accepted their food and then prepared and did maintenance on my equipment. While the undead mainly appeared at night, they could also appear during the day, so I had to be ready. I woke up late the next morning, and then started my investigation of the area surrounding the village. I sensed something as soon as I entered the forest. ¡°Grrr¡­¡± It was a growling kobold. I would appreciate more accurate reports next time, Chief. The bipedal dog rushed at me with its club. It was a similar size to goblins. Maybe a little smaller. And since I wasn¡¯t carrying a shield today, I held my sword in front of me. ¡°Heh.¡± Just before it was within striking distance, the kobold raised its club in order to swing, and then I lunged forward and thrust. ¡°Gyaau!¡± The blade sunk into its neck, and then I did a wide back-step and pulled the sword out. This was a rapier¡¯s movement. Was this like fencing? The second one attacked then, and I swung in an attempt to deflect it, but ended up cutting both the club and head. While they were faster than goblins, they were weak. And though not as fast as forest wolves, they used weapons. That¡¯s how I would describe them. I took the right hands, which was the proof, and tossed the magic stones into a bag. It was dark and so I had to look at the terrain carefully as I moved around. And occasionally, I would encounter other kobolds. Also, there were a lot of medicinal herbs here. It was obvious that people didn¡¯t come to this forest often. Maybe I should gather them after I had gone around once. However, I kept meeting more kobolds, and the sun was quite low by the time I had finished my journey around the forest. I had seen twelve in all. That was a lot for a forest that was so close to a village. I would have to tell the chief. I ate an early dinner, prepared for a nocturnal battle, and then headed to the gate before it closed. ¡°I¡¯m going to enter the forest now. But I¡¯ll come back if something happens.¡± ¡°I understand. Be careful.¡± I spoke to the guard and then headed to the forest. I held a magic lantern in my left hand. and I had holy water in my sheath. I had attached a hood to the magic lantern so that it only illuminated the area in front of me. After some time had passed since entering the forest, I heard a clicking sound. Here they were. The things that then gleamed in the night forest were skeletons who wielded swords. I had been expecting them, but this was worse for my heart than I had realized. Clang. I blocked the first skeleton¡¯s swing. It was light. I swung again immediately and the skeleton crumbled to pieces. ¡°They¡¯re weak.¡± They had decent speed, but no power or weight behind their attacks. And more than anything, they were brittle. I took out the magic stone from the pile of bones and dropped it in my bag. I wasn¡¯t sure from what age the sword was from. And while it looked very old, it would not do to leave it here so that a kobold could pick it up. I would gather them in one spot and take them away later. After walking through the forest a little further, I saw a human figure up ahead. When I shone the light at it, I saw tattered clothes, a head with rotting flesh and hollowed out eyes. A zombie? It stumbled back as if hating the light. And so I stepped forward and swung at it. It crumbled to the ground. ¡°They are almost too weak!?¡± I continued to defeat the zombies after that. And after the fourth one, I encountered a zombie that would not fall even after I cut it. ¡°Ha!¡± It finally stopped moving once I cut off its head. But it still didn¡¯t collapse like the others. Not until I took out the magic stone, anyway. Rustle. I heard the sounds coming from behind me. It was easy to tell, as they did not erase their presence. When I turned around, it was a zombie, but¡­ It was faster than any of the others! However, since it just charged at me in a straight line, I met it with a diagonal slash from the shoulder. ¡°Ga¡­ga¡­¡± The torso slid off, but it was still moving. The mouth had fangs, and it tried to bite me. But it finally stopped when I pinned it to the ground with my sword. I guess this was a ghoul. It was faster than zombies, but weak. Ghouls had paralysis venom in their mouth and claws, which meant that they could eat their prey alive if paralyzed. While they were also F-rank, it was clear that ghouls were more dangerous. Even if they were easy to defeat. It felt like their numbers were increasing as the night went on. And when I scanned the sky above, I saw a white shadow. A ghost! I returned my sword to its sheath so that it could soak in the holy water. Then I pulled it out again. ¡°Hooooo!¡± With this meaningless cry, it flew around me. Its movements were quick and unpredictable. If I tried to move along with it, I would likely create an opening for it to attack¡­ So I had to wait until it got close and¡­ Now! ¡°Hiiiiii¡­¡± I cut through it with my sword. It then let out an indescribable sound as it dispersed into mist. Then a magic stone dropped. ¡°Huh!? What?¡± Now I had to search for a magic stone on the ground. How annoying. Thankfully, I found it quickly, and returned to being alert. A ghoul appeared soon after. ¡°Ha!¡± I cut it. It fell with one blow. Huh? ¡°Ah! Could it be because of the holy water!¡± Now that is impressive! However, I had a limited amount of holy water. And it was necessary to fight ghosts. So it would be better to not use it if I didn¡¯t have to. That¡¯s what I thought, but as the night went on, the number of ghosts started to increase. When a ghost appeared, I used holy water. If I use holy water, I could defeat the undead easily. In this environment, the hunting turned into a simple task. Though, it was still hard. As individuals, they were not strong. However, it was the simpleness that was a trap. Because a single failure could be deadly, and yet it was hard to stay nervous. Also, there were too many of them. I didn¡¯t know how many I had killed, and the end was nowhere in sight. I should retreat for now. It was as I made this decision that a ghost appeared. ¡°Hooooo¡­¡± I would return to the village after this one. And so I took out my sword from my sheath and swung. ¡°Huheee¡­¡± The blade went through the ghost, and then the ghost went through me. At the same time, a chill ran through my body, and I fell weakly to my knees. ¡°Wh-what¡­ Ah! Did I run out of holy water!?¡± The ghost turned around and started to come back. There was no time to check. I let go of my sword and took out a bottle of holy water from my bag¡­ The ghost was so close now. By the time I opened the cap, poured it into my mouth and spat, the ghost was right in front of me. ¡°Hiiiii¡­¡± Upon being drenched in holy water, the ghost disappeared. I checked my status and saw that my MP was 31/40. I had also used some everyday magic, so I didn¡¯t know what the exact damage was, but since you had less MP than HP, the damage must have been big. I sheathed my sword and then pulled it out again. It did not feel wet. So I had run out after all. I poured what remained of the holy water into the sheath. And then I started walking back to the village. CH 32 Undead Annhilation II ¡°Did something happen?¡± Upon seeing that I had returned, the gatekeeper called out from on top of the watch platform. ¡°I¡¯m taking a break. How are things tonight?¡± ¡°It is very quiet. Perhaps it¡¯s because you went into the forest.¡± ¡°Indeed. There was an undead festival there. Do you know the time?¡± ¡°It should be nearly midnight.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± I downed some bread and dried meat with hot water, then I got back on my feet, waved at the gatekeeper, and headed back to the forest. I suppose I was halfway through then. But I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. After that, the waves of undead did not end. It was easy for it to feel repetitive, but sometimes, when my mind started to feel numb, giant bats would appear. ¡°Kii! Kiki!¡± Giant bats were not undead. They were F-rank monsters that could only attack through biting. And so they were easy enough to deal with if you remained calm. ¡°Hyah!¡± However, the sudden change of rhythm compared to the ghosts made it easy to lose them as well. Also, I would not last if I stayed nervous and on my guard the entire time. How was this an F-rank quest! Eventually, I started to wander through the forest on shaky feet, as if I myself was an undead. In all of this, the skeletons alone were like a refreshing tonic. The light clinking sounds and easy movement patterns made them good practice targets. And that somehow had a healing quality. Clink! ¡°Parry!¡± I had gotten to the point where monsters made of bones were comforting to me. I might be losing it now. I didn¡¯t know how long it would last, or how much time had passed. But time was certainly passing, and after a while, the number of ghosts began to decrease. And then the amount of holy water I used also decreased, and undead that used to go down with one hit started to take two or three. ¡°Ggg¡­gii¡­ga¡­¡± The need for more swings meant that I used more energy, and my body started to suffer from it. How many more undead would appear? I drank potions instead of water, but my hands shook when I raised my heavy sword into the air. Very well then. I would use holy water regularly. ¡°Hooooo¡­¡± And then just when I had forgotten about them, the ghosts would come. I kept looking to see how much holy water I had left. And it was just as it was running low, that the dawn broke. I then dragged myself back to the village and collapsed next to the gate. ¡°Good work.¡± Said the gatekeeper, but I didn¡¯t have any strength to reply. I just raised a hand instead. After I had rested, I ate breakfast and then headed to the chief¡¯s house. ¡°I finished the quest.¡± I gave him the request sheet. ¡°You finished already?¡± ¡°The forest was filled with undead. I don¡¯t know how it usually is, but that wasn¡¯t within range of an F-rank quest.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s why we told the guild to recommend it as a party quest.¡± Said the chief. And so I took out the magic stones from my bag and dropped them on the table. It was the result of my hard work. ¡°There are a few giant bats mixed in there, but there should be more than seventy in all. Now, do you still think it¡¯s right for an F-rank quest?¡± ¡°You did this in one night?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The chief pondered on this. ¡°Hmm, it is indeed a strange amount. But if you hunted this many, their numbers would have decreased significantly. And so I have a request to make. Can you stay a few more days and watch the forest? Of course, I will pay you.¡± Do that again? I wanted to refuse. However, I was willing to compromise if the conditions were right. ¡°I¡¯ll stay half the night each day. You will let me keep the magic stones. Also, I¡¯m running low on items, so you must get me more holy water at your own expense. I will pay for potions. On top of that, I will take four silver a day. Those are my conditions.¡± ¡°Five silvers and holy water for half a night, eh? It is not bad. Very well. Can we ask you to stay for three days then?¡± ¡°If it is three days, I do not have enough food. Will you share some supplies with me?¡± ¡°Very well. I will have it brought to the shed.¡± ¡°Then I accept. For now, I¡¯ll need two bottles of holy water.¡± ¡°They will be delivered to you with the food. Now, we¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± Negotiations were settled. And I was at my limit. I was sleepy. And so I returned to the shed and fell asleep as if fainting. When I woke up, it was already evening. I would be late. And so I quickly got my equipment ready and then greeted the gatekeeper. ¡°For the next three days, I¡¯ll be in the forest for half of the night. So I¡¯d like it if you could let me back in when I return.¡± ¡°I heard about it from the chief. I¡¯ll open the gates when my shift ends, so come back a little early.¡± ¡°Ah, very well.¡± Now, it was time for my night shift. The forest was once again filled with undead. However, unlike yesterday, I had rested up and had plenty of holy water to use. And so I continued to calmly take care of the waves of undead. In general, things went like this: I find them. I suppose they dislike the magic lantern because of the light attribute. The work was efficient and my body just moved automatically. Occasionally, a shadow would shoot across the sky, and it would be a giant bat. I would then lure it in and cut it down. I think the wings could be sold as materials, but I don¡¯t carve anything other than the magic stones. Doing that at night in the forest would make me an easy target for the undead. Once my holy water sheath grew light, I returned to the village. I counted the magic stones back in the hut, and there were twenty-nine, including the giant bats. I did maintenance on my equipment, ate, and then slept well. The next day. Another night shift. By now, I could cut down giant bats by just hearing the sounds. To think that I used to search for them frantically while moving the magic lantern. I no longer felt anxious while walking through the forest at night. But that meant letting my guard down, so I had to be careful. The undead were just as active as before, but late in the night, they stopped appearing all at once. ¡°Has it finally ended?¡± Had I accomplished what I came to do? No, it was times like these that I had to be careful. And so instead, I heightened my concentration and became more cautious. After some time, in a clearing in the forest, I saw a figure standing. It was alone, but I couldn¡¯t tell if it was a ghoul or zombie. It had its back towards me, but it was larger than any of the undead I had seen up until now. And so it must be an advanced type. According to my research, the wild advance type undead in the area were E-rank revenants and D-rank wraithes. It was likely a revenant. While this was my first time seeing one, I should be able to deal with it if it¡¯s E-rank. And so I raised my sword just as I stepped into the clearing, and then charged. It swung around, faster than a ghoul. And though I used my light, it ignored it and swung its arms at me. ¡°What!?¡± Shatter! The arms slammed into the magic lantern, breaking it. ¡°That was expensive!¡± I won¡¯t forgive you, you bastard. However, it was thankfully bright enough under the moonlight. And so I saw them. The three ghouls emerging from the forest. Should I retreat? No, revenants are fast. It was too dangerous to go into the dark forest. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Ggg¡­giga¡­¡± It jumped back and dodged it, but I caught a different oncoming ghoul as I pulled the sword back. Ghouls and zombies just charged and never dodged. This really was an advanced type. ¡°Ha!¡± However, the ghouls continued to come even after their friend was killed. I took a few steps back and then split it open with a downwards cut. However, another one followed, and the revenant was right behind it. Gah! ¡°Hyah!¡± Doka! As the sword swung down, I unleashed my boot into the ghoul, causing it to crash into the revenant. I wanted to keep going, but instead, I moved away and sheathed my sword. The goul had not crumbled after being split into two. I was out of holy water. I pulled out the sword again and made sure that it was wet. The revenant tossed the ghoul aside and came running towards me. If it was one against one¡­ We faced each other, and then I swung down with my sword. As it was such an obvious attack, it dodged this easily, but I was expecting that. And so I forced the trajectory of the sword to turn in the direction that it had moved, and then cut off the arm that was raised defensively. However, as if not caring about it, it thrashed at me with its other arm. I took a step back, but the sharp claws scratched my armor. Damn it. It was difficult to fight undead because they didn¡¯t react to being wounded. However, there were so many openings now that it only had a single arm. And so¡­ ¡°Woah!¡± The goul stood up and charged at me. I jumped to the side and unleashed a side slash. And then I tried to hit it again, but it dodged the attack. ¡°Haah!¡± I took a step forward and then slashed again, on the side without an arm, putting all of my weight behind it. The sword went halfway through its body, and then the revenant crumbled. CH 33 1 COMMENT Road Information ¡°Oh, my level went up as well.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 37 Lv: 15 HP: 91/136(+5) MP: 32/43(+3) STR: 41(+2) VIT: 39(+1) INT: 18(+0) MND: 25(+2) AGI: 29(+1) DEX: 17(+0) LUK: 10(+1) Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv3, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv2, Carving Lv4, Leatherworker Lv2, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv3, Magic Manipulation Lv2, Everyday Magic(water/earth), Sword Art Lv2, Night Vision Lv1 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God I had acquired a new night vision skill! Now that I think about it, I was able to fight just fine, even after the magic lantern was destroyed¡­ I didn¡¯t even notice. But there were a lot of night shifts. Now that I knew, I scanned the area, and was able to see the forest quite well, even in areas where the moonlight didn¡¯t reach. This was very useful. But I was still mad about losing the magic lantern. However, this time, it felt like minimal growth for a level up. Especially in relation to magic. Compared to previous times, I had leveled up quite quickly. So maybe it was because I wasn¡¯t able to train with magic energy enough? I must continue to train then. After that, fewer undead appeared. Eventually, it was like they would occasionally pop up when I forgot about them. ¡°I hunted twenty-four last night. They decreased significantly after the high-ranking revenant appeared.¡± ¡°I see. Perhaps you have seen the worst of it then. But just to be sure, continue to watch the forest tonight as well, and if there is no change, then the job will be completed.¡± Said the chief, when I made a report on the following day. But a revenant was an E-Rank monster. Had he forgotten that I was an F-Rank Adventurer? Well, never mind. ¡°Are there any carriages going to town tomorrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost time to take the vegetables to market. I will ask for you.¡± Later, I was told that the carriage would be leaving the day after tomorrow. On the third day, I took my shield to replace the magic lantern. With the Night Vision Lv1 skill, it was like seeing things weakly illuminated by the moonlight, only, there were no shadows, which made it easier to see things. As for undead, there were only ghosts and two zombies. I went deeper into the forest, but only encountered giant bats, so it was like a walk in the park. The next morning, I woke up early and made my report to the chief and completed the quest. And since I had time to kill, I decided to gather some herbs. When I entered the forest, there were a lot of kobolds. In the end, I stayed there until evening, and killed nineteen of them. That was a lot for being so close to the village. I would have to tell the chief about it. Mr. Gifton, once again, was the person who gave me a ride to town. The road was peaceful, and I arrived at the guild in the evening, and sold all the materials. ¡°Thirty-one kobolds, twenty-nine zombies, twenty-eight ghouls, nineteen ghosts, twenty-one skeletons, six giant bats, one revenant, and a hundred bundles of medicinal herbs. That¡¯s quite a lot. And how do you want the quests processed?¡± ¡°There were a lot to kill. Kobold, undead and herbs, please.¡± ¡°Hmmm. Twenty-six silver, thirty bronze, and here are the request sheets.¡± I went to the reception desk and submitted the request sheets. The receptionist looked at me and her mouth opened and closed silently. What? Was she out of breath? She then pointed at the receptionist next to her. The one with long blue hair. No, I didn¡¯t want to go there. ¡°Could you process these for me?¡± But she seemed to have frozen after looking at the sheets. Bang. There was a sound coming from under the desk, and then the receptionist reactivated. What was that? ¡°Ye-yes. Two fixed quests for kobolds, nineteen for low-ranking undead, and one normal. That¡¯s twenty-two F-Rank quests in all. The total is one gold and ten silver.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± I accepted the reward and left the guild. In all, I had made one gold and thirty-six silver. But since the magic lantern cost me three gold, I actually lost money. What a disaster. ¡°Damned revenant.¡± That being said, I had gained something as well. And E-Rank was now in sight. Just eleven more. While it had been half a year, which was the same amount of time it took me to rise to F-Rank, I had spent four months indoors due to the winter, so I wasn¡¯t actually active for that long. E-Rank was where they said your life would become stable. And while you would also be sent off on emergency quests, I still wanted to reach it. Tomorrow, I would rest, restock on supplies, and maybe go to the church, as it was the day of light. And then I can continue my journey to the royal capital by making my way to the next town. The one between Suimel and the Royal Capital Razsita, was ¡®Kijifei.¡¯ The next day, after finishing preparations, I headed to the carriage station in order to check the schedule for carriages headed for Kijifei. Here, there was a long building, and its walls were covered with schedules for each destination. Kijifei was¡­tomorrow morning. Well, I was ready now, so it was a good time. ¡°Is the driver who is headed for Kijifei here?¡± ¡°Aye, over here.¡± ¡°Are there any seats left for tomorrow?¡± ¡°There is. But a merchant¡¯s carriage was just attacked by bandits on the way from Kijifei. So things are tense right now. Do you still want to go?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait and see. When is the next carriage?¡± ¡°We alternate between two, so it will be three days later.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll pray for your safety.¡± ¡°Aye, thank you.¡± That was what traveling by carriage was like. It was your choice to go or not go. No one would be responsible for you, and you had to decide if it was worth the risk. I would not compare it to public transportation in modern Japan. Besides, I wasn¡¯t in any rush. I returned to the Adventurers Guild, and saw that there was a bandit hunting request for the Kijifei road on the B-Rank quest board. ¡°Woah, it¡¯s B-Rank. How horrifying.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but say it out loud. An Adventurer who was scanning the board to the side overheard me. ¡°Ah, that. Rumors say that there are former C-Rank mercenaries and Adventurers with the bandits. But since there aren¡¯t any B-Rankers in the guild now, it¡¯s likely that the Knights Order will take action.¡± ¡°I see! ¡­Thank you.¡± What timely information! I took out a silver coin and pressed it into the Adventurer¡¯s palm. He grinned and then turned back to the board. As Suimel, Kijifei, and Razsita were all on the main road, the country cared about managing them. However, the Knights Order could not be as swift as Adventurers. I should push back the date of departure instead, aiming to go in three days. And so I took one of the remaining kobold hunting requests from the F-Rank board, and went over to the reception desk. Thankfully, it was at a village that had an inn, so I stayed there for five days and hunted kobolds and undead. But unlike the previous village, there was no undead festival or kobold fever happening here, and I was only able to complete six quests. And so after the inn fees, I only just made a profit. Yes, that village really had been in an abnormal state. I returned to Suimel a week later, and saw that the bandit hunting request was gone from the B-Rank quest board. And so while processing the quests, I asked the receptionist with short red hair about it. ¡°Do you know what happened to the bandits on the road to Kijifei?¡± ¡°Ah, the Knights Order dealt with them.¡± ¡°Huh. Thanks.¡± That being said, while this receptionist smiled when talking to powerful people and young people, she became very blunt and cold with people she was not interested in. It was probably things like this that affected a person¡¯s popularity. CH 34 Town Walk and Quest Processing I was rocking back and forth in the carriage. I rather enjoyed the vibrations and rhythm of it. While sitting for long hours made my buttocks sore, these passenger carriages at least had some blankets over the seats, as well as a cushion made of some monster material, which you wrapped around your waist, so it was nothing I couldn¡¯t handle. There were also breaks to let the horses rest, and so I could stretch my limbs. In my previous world, when I was still young, there had been a time when I was obsessed with cars. And so I thought that I could probably recreate the leaf spring and structure around the wheels. Well, there were much bigger dangers to worry about in this world, than a sore buttocks. I returned my attention to magic energy manipulation, and allowed my body to sway as we continued on the road to Kijifei. The magic energy was a lot softer now. Was it almost as soft as bread dough? And now, the area where I could move it had spread from just my stomach to my chest. We stayed at a village along the road that night, and then arrived at Kijifei the following day. While the walls of Kijifei were not as tall as they were in Suimel, it was still a big town. You could not see the edges from outside. ¡°This place is huge¡­¡± I muttered while sticking my head out of the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s an important point in Razsita¡¯s road system, and also a region that produces grain.¡± Explained the driver. I see. So that¡¯s why it was thriving. I finished the procedure of getting through the gates, and headed to the Adventurers Guild after asking for directions. I had no time to go and search for an inn, and so would want help from the guild. Once I arrived, I saw that this guild was also big. It wasn¡¯t elaborately decorated, but it was still the size of a noble¡¯s house. Adventurers were moving busily in and out of the entrance, and there was a lively atmosphere. I stood at the back of one of the three rows at the reception desks, and waited. The line gradually moved until¡­ ¡°Next person.¡± It was my turn. I showed my Adventurer¡¯s plate, reported my arrival and asked for a town guide. Then I took a look at the quest board. Even though it was evening, there were a lot of requests on it. So this was Kijifei. There wasn¡¯t a single fixed quest for undead. Most of the F-Rank requests were from villages. Oh, there was one for antidote herbs. First, I would secure a room at an inn, and then plan my course of action. I left the guild and headed towards an inn that was as far from the guild as possible. I unpacked in the room, ate a meal, wiped my body, did some maintenance on my equipment, and then thought. What should I do tomorrow? I wanted to look around the town. Especially magic tools, weapons and armor. Because there were many stores in Kijifei. And it was almost time for me to restock on supplies and repair my weapons. I was nearing E-Rank, and would also need to accept quests. Something like that. First, I wanted to restock and get my E-Rank promotion in this town. I had to finish that before going to the royal capital. Then I would wait for the recast time of Reverse Age. The next day, I could not help but get up early. Like an overexcited child. I thought with a chuckle. I slowly got prepared and then headed out into the town. First, it was the magic tool store. The guide I got from the guild showed me the area where the stores were located. But as the town was very large, I would have to walk quite a distance to reach it. I passed many street stalls on the way, and though I had just eaten, my stomach began to rumble. But I shook off the temptation and eventually arrived at the district. Most of the stores here were already open. But as I could not see anything from outside, I entered a random one. The first was very small and had all kinds of things. It was very interesting to browse, but were they all really magic tools? ¡°Welcome.¡± Said the store keeper. A middle-aged woman. ¡°Do you have any magic tools for Adventurers?¡± ¡°Try the shelf to the right in the back.¡± Indeed, that shelf had a lot of items that looked like they were for Adventurers. There were knives for sharpness, durability, and rust prevention. A rope that rolled up when activated with magic, a saddle that boosted your riding ability, magic lanterns of various sizes, waterproof capes, a bell that rang at equal intervals, a cushion that was both water and fireproof, a loud horn, a darkness lamp, an automatically warming cup¡­ ¡°Damn it, I want them all.¡± I couldn¡¯t just pick one. And the prices were even cheaper than they were in other towns. This was a dangerous place to be. An alarm was going off in my head. ¡°Excuse me, but I think I¡¯ll have a look at the others as well.¡± I said, leaving the store and entering another. This one had their items lined up neatly on the shelves, and each was accompanied by a description. How nice. This place was also an enemy of my wallet. And so I made a strategic retreat and headed to a magic weapon and armor shop. Unlike a normal weapons shop, there were no craftsmen. Most weapons with magical effects had enchantments that raised sharpness and durability. But there were also special enchantments, which were much more expensive. For instance¡­ ¡®Bronze Shield of Light.¡¯ Glows when activated by magic. Costs 32 gold. ¡®Whirlwind Spear.¡¯ Creates a wind when swung. Costs 27 gold. ¡®Heat Blade.¡¯ Adds fire effect. Costs 42 gold. I had them take a look at my own sword, and they said it was a long sword with a small ¡®sharpness boost¡¯ and would be worth 8 gold. As of now, I was in no position to buy magic weapons and armor. After making a round of the shops, I was exhausted both mentally and physically. I ate lunch, pulled myself together, and headed for the Adventurers Guild. As it was midday, it wasn¡¯t as busy as the last time I was here. ¡°Is there a library room?¡± I asked the receptionist. ¡°In general, information is not free. As for pricing, you can see them here.¡± I was handed a booklet. And so I sat in the guild waiting room and leafed through it. What interested me was: Map of surrounding area. Information on monsters. Herb destribution information. Each would cost me 50 bronze. I told the receptionist which information I wanted, and she brought me some thin books. There was a special room to read them in. This town was rather expensive. That¡¯s what I thought as I headed to the reading room. Still, the information was just what I wanted. After reading through them, I went to the quest board and accepted a quest for hunting goblins around a village that was a day away on foot. Goblin Hunting Rank: F Hunt goblins that appear around the village. 3 bronze for every 5 goblins. Adventurers can keep magic stones. Quest is complete after hunting 10. Limit is 20. I just needed to complete five more in order to be promoted to F-Rank. So there would be four more after this. Even if I completed this quest by hunting twenty goblins, it was still just one quest. I would make more money, but right now, I want to increase the completion number. However, the fact that this one came with lodging was very appealing. According to guild information, the area around Butsugi village was rich with antidote and other herbs. So I wanted to gather them along the way. There were also forest wolves, which was promising. And so I took a day to travel there, and then went to the forest to gather herbs and kill any goblins I encountered. And then¡­ ¡°Foogoo. Fooggoo!¡± A fang boar appeared. An E-Rank monster of all things. This was not my lucky day. ¡°Ha¡­¡± I unsheathed my sword and sighed. While I had no enthusiasm, I could not let my guard down against such an enemy. And so I tried to focus. ¡°Fogyaa!¡± You seem awfully angry, but I didn¡¯t come here to fight you. Of course, such thoughts would not reach it, and so I fought against the fang boar. At first, I dodged its charges and learned to predict its movements. And then when there was an opening while it changed direction, I slashed at its legs. The fang boar grew slower, and it was soon riddled in small wounds and blood. And then I won. However, its skin was a mess, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to sell it¡­ But in the end, the fang boar was very useful in another way. The chief was so happy to hear that it was dead, that in exchange for giving them the meat, I could stay at the lodging for as long as I wanted. Thanks to this, while it took quite a few days, I was able to complete five quests, that included goblins, forest wolves, herbs and antidote herbs. CH 35 Rank Promotion Exam ¡°Mr. Ajifu, you have fulfilled the requirements to take the rank promotion exam for E-Rank. Will you take the exam?¡± In order to be promoted to E-Rank, you had to complete fifty E-Rank quests as well as hunting quests. You would also be inspected by a guild worker. ¡°I will. My weapons are a one-handed sword and shield. When will it take place?¡± ¡°How about tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Thank you.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be an actual duel. They just needed to see that I had the minimum combat ability that was required. And so I made a reservation for tomorrow, and then left the guild. The next morning, I ate breakfast and finished my daily routine before getting my gear ready and heading for the guild. Then I waited in line and submitted my Adventurers plate. ¡°Ajifu. I¡¯m here for the E-Rank promotion exam.¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Ajifu. In fact, there was a slight mixup¡­ The details will be explained to you on the training ground.¡± Huh? What!? I hoped it wouldn¡¯t be something troublesome. The guild worker led me to the training ground. There, a strong-looking spear-wielder, who must have been the examiner, was doing some warmups. ¡°The thing is, due to a mistake in schedule management, there was no guild worker available today. However, Mr. Suei, an A-Rank Adventurer, agreed to fill in as examiner.¡± ¡°Aye, I am Suei. Mirei said she was in trouble, and so I came here to save the day.¡± Uh. I didn¡¯t like the look of this one? That being said, I couldn¡¯t reject him either. ¡°I¡¯m Ajifu, an F-Rank Adventurer. It¡¯s an honor to have someone like you in charge today. Thank you.¡± ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re quite old for an F-Ranker.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mere diversion during my travels.¡± ¡°Ah, well. Prepare your prefered weapon then.¡± I took the wooden sword and shield they had prepared in the training ground, and entered a fighting stance. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°So am I. Come at me then.¡± He was holding his spear and seemed perfectly relaxed. And so I held the shield up on the left and moved towards him. But in the same instant¡­ Swoosh. Bang! Before I could even register the attack, I parried instead of blocking. It was almost entirely by accident. But the shock of it knocked me back, and I fell to the ground. And though I immediately leapt to my feet, the shield in my left hand had shattered into pieces. ¡°Hmm. I am defeated.¡± I dropped the sword and surrendered before he could say anything. This seemed ridiculous for an E-Rank exam. ¡°No, the exam is not yet over. Pick up your sword! And bring a new shield!¡± ¡°No, I surrender.¡± ¡°You! You will fail the exam!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get it next time.¡± ¡°There are not always next times in real battle! You have to fight like your life depends on it!¡± ¡°If this was a real fight, I¡¯d be dead before it even began.¡± ¡°Eh!? You¡¯re no fun at all.¡± ¡°And you seem to be having too much fun against an F-Ranker.¡± But the moment I said this, I lost consciousness, without even knowing what hit me. ¡ª¨C When I came to, I was lying on a bed. Oh? Was this what I thought it was!? When you say that line? ¡°I don¡¯t- Ah, are you awake?¡± So there was a guild worker. ¡°¡­Uh, yes. What happened?¡± ¡°You lost consciousness during the E-Rank Promotion Exam. And since you broke some bones, you had to be treated with healing magic. This is the guild infirmary.¡± I tried moving my body, but there was no pain. Hurray for healing magic. ¡°Ah¡­I see. So, what happened with the exam?¡± ¡°After Mr. Suei discussed it with the guild, you have been promoted. Here is your Adventurers plate.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Well, I suppose that¡¯s good.¡± Though to me, the silver plate in my hand looked like a joke. ¡°The guild master was furious with Mr. Suei. He¡¯s not a bad man, but he was really the wrong person for this job. We are terribly sorry.¡± The guild worker stood up and bowed. Well, if they were going to apologize, I guess it was fine. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be Ms. Mirei, would you?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes, I am.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± I got out of bed and put on my shoes. ¡°Where is my equipment?¡± ¡°Oh¡­the thing is¡­your armor is in pieces and¡­¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Of course, you will be compensated by the guild. It was assessed to be worth two pieces of gold. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Uh, yes. That¡¯s what it cost.¡± ¡°You will be paid five pieces of gold in all, just for your trouble. I hope that is satisfactory.¡± ¡­Sorry, old man. I ended up losing the armor in an unexpected way. But it did protect me during its last moments. ¡°That is fine.¡± I took what remained of my belongings, as well as the gold. Suei was waiting for me when I stepped outside. ¡°Uh, I suppose I owe you an apology. I got a little carried away.¡± Obviously. ¡°It¡¯s in the past. It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± ¡°In that case, apologize to Ms. Mirei. She¡¯s been doing a lot of that for you.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­ Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Well, good day.¡± As Suie¡¯s shoulders drooped, I passed him and left the guild. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°Mirei, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Mr. Suei wasa bowing in front of me. Hahh¡­ ¡°No, this incident was due to the guild¡¯s mismanagement. I must apologize to you.¡± An A-Rank Adventurer had agreed to cooperate with them with good intentions, and so we could not blame him too much. A high-ranking Adventurer who was young and accomplished had extended his hand out of the goodness of his heart. How could I not be happy about it? ¡°And yet, I caused great trouble. I¡¯ll have to make it up to you later.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t need to¡­ But, yes. Maybe I will hold you to that some day.¡± ¡°Aye, I promise.¡± In the first place, Mr. Suei hadn¡¯t done anything wrong ¡®as an Adventurer.¡¯ And so there was no responsibility to take. He had the power to fight, but not enough experience to know how to use it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- With just the first hit, I had known that Suei wasn¡¯t testing if I was ready for an E-Rank promotion, but wanted to know my true ability. And since we wanted different things, it did not go smoothly. However, I was lucky to have experienced the power of an A-rank Adventurer. While he wasn¡¯t completely serious, it was still incredible. My armor defended me against monster fangs, and yet he had broken it with a wooden spear that was using for training. That didn¡¯t seem like it should be possible. That being said, I still hadn¡¯t thought he would attack someone who was defenseless during a test. But I suppose it was because he was young. After leaving the guild, I headed to the workshop area. It was my first time visiting in this town. So, what kind of workshops would they have here? I made a brief tour of the place, and saw that they were all either very skilled and very expensive crafters, or they were cheap and young. There was no happy medium. Apparently, once you reached a certain skill level in this town, you could make a lot of money, and so the prices went up. Hmm. I would not be getting a good deal here. And so I chose a young craftsman¡¯s workshop, which happened to be very clean and orderly. Those two things were very important for a work environment. ¡°Welcome. Are you looking for armor then?¡± He could tell, as I was carrying a shield and wore greaves, but my torso was bare. ¡°Yes. Can I see what you have?¡± ¡°Yes, please do.¡± The two finished ones he had were very plain in design. But they looked durable. Yes, not bad at all. ¡°I want something quiet and strong. I can pay up to four gold.¡± ¡°Four gold. You¡¯ll want Killer Ant then. A Giant Centipede would cost eight at the very least.¡± ¡°And the inner leather?¡± ¡°Orc.¡± Hm. Fair enough. ¡°I¡¯ll order that then.¡± ¡°Thank you. I will take your measurements.¡± I paid two gold in advance. It would be ready in a week. However, I would have to come in three days for a fitting. CH 36 Beyond the Bend ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do.¡± To be precise, there was nothing that I could do. I couldn¡¯t accept quests without my armor. As I had no choice, I practiced swinging at the inn, and trained with magic manipulation. But doing nothing but that was depressing, and so I decided to go to the temple on the day of darkness for a change of scenery. It was my first time going to a temple, and while the outside looked like a parthenon, there was a wooden structure within. And though it was during the day, there were no windows, making it quite dark. But the rows of candlelight looked quite magical. It was a day of worship, and many people had come to the temple in order to offer their prayers to the statue of Lord Memrikia. Just like at the church, the status was in the center, with everything around it looking like ripples that connected to a small sphere. At the door, they were selling scriptures that you could read while on your knees in front of the statue. It was nice that you didn¡¯t have to memorize them. (Lord Memrikia, while a lot has happened, this world is still amazing. Lord Ibitrayme, my status is my rock. Thank you for everything.) When I finished praying and was on my way out, I saw there was also a stall by the exit, where they were selling talismans. Oh? But I was only mildly interested at best. However, the clothes of the priestess caught my eye. She wore a long skirt that was completely black, and while there was no ribbon, the large collar reminded me of a sailor¡¯s uniform. And she wore a puffed out hat on her head. As I watched her, an unknown man called to me from behind. ¡°The vestments of the priestesses are nice, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± I shook his hand wordlessly and left. Kindred souls did not need words. Even after that, I still had time to kill. And that¡¯s when I thought of something. Instead of training with magic manipulation in my room, maybe I should do it while walking? That¡¯s it! If I could do it well, maybe it would make the magic energy in me more active! And I could become stronger. I had to try it. First, I moved the magic energy. But¡­I wasn¡¯t able to stand up like that. It was a lot harder than I had thought. As soon as I tried to stand up, the magic energy would freeze. Next, I tried moving it while I was already standing. Just move my foot slowly, and¡­ I couldn¡¯t do it. I suppose that was why sorcerers didn¡¯t move while chanting spells. However, it wasn¡¯t like they were completely still either. It could just be that my level for magic manipulation was too low. Or maybe there was something else. This time, I tried moving the energy while my arms were raised. As I did this¡­.my arms lowered little by little and¡­ah, the energy froze. I see. Apparently, it wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t move my body, I just couldn¡¯t do it when my mind was no longer focused on moving the magic energy. I went outside and walked for a while. Normally, I don¡¯t think about how I am walking. As I can walk without thinking, I thought that I would be able to focus on magic manipulation while doing it. Bam. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going.¡± I bumped into someone immediately. There was a problem with this method. The next place I went to was the guild training ground. I borrowed a lightweight wooden sword and started swinging it. When swinging, there are times when I can¡¯t focus on the sword, as other thoughts enter my mind. But when that happens, I just continue to swing anyway. Though, I don¡¯t think it is beneficial. After swinging for some time, and my concentration is at its limit, I then change my focus to magic manipulation. ¡­Oh, just a little¡­ ¡°Hey.¡± ¡­Just like when I first started my magic manipulation training¡­ ¡°Hey!¡± Clang. Something blocked my sword and I returned to myself. I looked and saw a woman standing in front of me. ¡°The trajectory of your sword is scattered. Like this, you won¡¯t improve no matter how much you swing.¡± Oh, I don¡¯t know who you are, but that¡¯s very kind of you. And I was so close. However, I could see why it would be hard to ignore someone like me who was training. And it would be no good if I started developing some bad habits. ¡°Thank you. I was swinging because I wanted to test something.¡± Still, I thanked her. She had brown hair and was over 170 centimeters tall, which was quite tall for a woman. But she had almond-shaped eyes and was beautiful. Then I returned the wooden sword to the training grounds, and picked up an iron bar that was a little heavier than my usual sword, and started to swing again. The woman looked a little exasperated by this, but did not say any more. I continued to swing after that, and though the difficulty was high while I was moving without thinking, I was able to move it a little. And before I knew it, my surroundings turned completely dark. The next day, I went in for adjustments with my armor. After that, I bought a pen at the tools store. It was a quill pen, and you would have to carve the tip of it. I had no ink, but that was fine, as I wasn¡¯t going to write with it. I was going to use it to spin. The thing that can get you in trouble during class. It was hard finding the perfect pen for this purpose. I had already added some weight to both ends, and it was no longer in a state to be used for writing. Swinging swords was fine, but to be honest, it attracted too much attention. Besides, I had done so much yesterday that my arms were sore. And so I couldn¡¯t repeat that today. My idea was to spin the pen around without thinking while practicing with magic manipulation. First, I needed to spin the pen until my mind was completely blank. ¡­I don¡¯t know why, but it was very relaxing. I feel like I can do it now! And so I started to focus on magic manipulation. ¡­Oh, this! I can move it a lot more than while swinging! Hmm? But if it¡¯s easy, is it even training? Next, I¡¯ll try doing it with less MP. I reduced the MP with everyday magic, rotated the pen, and tried to move the magic energy, but, as the magic energy moved faster, my fingers messed up and I dropped the pen. This¡­was hard! It was hard in a way that was different from swinging. It would be a good form of training then. And I could do it indoors. The next day, as I swung in the guild training grounds and moved my magic energy, it suddenly became much easier. And so I checked my status. ¡°Yes!¡± I made a fist in the air. Magic Manipulation had gone up from Lv2 to Lv3. And then it was the day when my armor was completed, and so I visited the workshop. Killer Ant armor was so light! It made a dry ringing sound when I tried hitting it. And you didn¡¯t have to polish it as much as leather armor. And while it wasn¡¯t as tough against strong blunt attacks as leather, it was better at withstanding slash attacks. Now that I had all my equipment again, I should accept an E-Rank quest. That¡¯s what I thought, but when I checked my status at the inn at night, I realized that the recast time for Reverse Age had ended. ¡°Here it is!¡± Finally! My current MP was 43. Reverse Age was Lv3, and I am 37 years old now, so I should be able to go back to 25! 25 was a young man! I could finally escape the ¡®old man¡¯ label! Yess! So if I did go to the capital in order to learn swordsmanship, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being treated like an old man, as I have been up until now! I felt an overwhelming sense of freedom! Hurray for freedom! The future was full of hope now. And I had trouble sleeping that night. The following day, I changed my plans and prepared to go to the royal capital. First, I reported my departure to the guild and paid off the inn. Then I pulled down my hood and walked around, searching for an inn. As not wanting to show my face made me look suspicious, I was rejected at the first two, but while the third cheap inn looked at me with annoyance, they let me stay after seeing my Adventurers plate. I entered the room and locked the door. Then I ate the food that I had bought and got into bed. ¡®Reverse Age. 12.9. Activate!¡¯ I activated the skill, and then my magic energy was drained, and I lost consciousness. The next morning, I woke up and checked my status. My age was 24! ¡°Yes!¡± I could see the difference clearly when looking in the mirror. So this is that bend where your skin changes. I pulled down my hood in order to avoid being seen by my few acquaintances as I left the inn. I went out the gates of Kijifei and walked down the town road. It would take me a day to reach the next village. I had wanted to go by carriage, but there was a chance that I might know one of the Adventurers who guarded them, so I had no choice but to walk. CH 37 Royal Capital Under the cheerful spring weather, I made my way on foot towards the next village. It was good, as my body wanted to move. I suppose this was what it was like to feel young. I met no monsters on the roads as I traveled. Hmm. I almost wish that they would appear. ¡­Was I becoming more aggressive? That¡¯s no good. I can¡¯t allow myself to get carried away. I walked energetically until noon, and then I arrived at the first village, where I stopped at an inn. Then I departed the following morning. I played with a few kobolds on the way, they really are quite cute, though I still dealt the finishing blows, and just as the sun was starting to set and I was about to arrive at the second village, a carriage passed me by. I had pulled a hood over my face, just in case, but it seemed to be one of the passenger carriages. But none of the Adventurer guards were known to me. Were there any empty seats? Once I arrived at the village, I found the driver tending to the horses, and so I asked him. ¡°Hey. Are you the driver for the carriage that is headed towards the royal capital?¡± ¡°Aye, I am. And who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an Adventurer who is headed there. But it¡¯s still quite far, isn¡¯t it? I was wondering if you had any empty seats left.¡± ¡°Aye, you can ride with us. It¡¯ll be eight silvers to the capital. What do you say?¡± ¡°I thank you! And accept!¡± ¡°We leave tomorrow morning. Be sure to come to the carriage.¡± What a relief! I would be able to save a lot of time. The carriage journey went smoothly, and the day came where I finally arrived at the royal capital. ¡°But maybe things are going too smoothly? There are almost no monsters around. Isn¡¯t that quite strange?¡± ¡°Haha! You must be from the countryside, eh? There have never been many monsters near the capital. After all, they are regularly exterminated around the roads. They would be a rare sight here.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m starting to worry about my prospects as an Adventurer here.¡± ¡°What rank are you, mister?¡± ¡°E-Rank.¡± ¡°Then you should be fine. Though, the city is a tough place for F-Rankers.¡± Now that I thought about it, in the Fia kingdom, they had also said that the capital was difficult for low rankers. I wonder why. ¡°Why is it so hard for F-Ranker?¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of weak monsters around the capital. On the other hand, there are a lot of requests to hunt strong ones. A D-ranker would be more desirable, but I suppose E-Rankers can manage just fine?¡± ¡°I see.¡± I rode for a little longer, and then the carriage passed the low ramparts and entered the city. It was a traditional, medieval-looking place, and not particularly crowded. ¡°So this is the royal capital.¡± ¡°No, no. This isn¡¯t the capital, mister. This is just the surrounding area.¡± What? If that¡¯s true, the place must be comparable to the large cities in Japan. Not only that, but Razshita was just one of many small countries of north Emimoda. And yet it had this scale. ¡°Ohh¡­¡± We continued until we passed the area with stretches of fields, and then it was city buildings as far as the eyes could see. And in the far distance, I could see a castle. ¡°So there aren¡¯t any walls around the city?¡± ¡°Just the one around the castle and the nobles district. Other than that, the actual city is the defense line.¡± ¡°Uhuh¡­¡± If the living area was this big, it explained why there weren¡¯t any weak monsters around. After the carriage reached the station, I asked one of the Adventurer guards for directions, and then headed towards the guild. The Adventurers Guild in the capital was smaller than the one in Kijifei, but the building was lavishly decorated, and it could be mistaken for the mansion of a rich merchant. It was rather crowded once I stepped foot inside, but the atmosphere was not very lively. But most notable was that there were a lot of ordinary people who had no weapons. This was the Adventurers Guild, right? ¡°Quite different from other guilds, ain¡¯t it?¡± The Adventurer guard who had accompanied me said with a laugh. ¡°Hardly any quests come directly from the guild in this city. Most quests come from other towns, which are not too close to here. And so horses are very popular. But there aren¡¯t many inns with stables in the city, so the Adventurers tend to gather in inns that are on the outskirts. After all, they¡¯re going to go out there to complete the quests anyway.¡± Horses¡­ The pain¡­ But there was no time for such thoughts. I had to get to work. ¡°What¡¯s the best way to find a good horse?¡± ¡°Look for it yourself.¡± Right¡­ As it was my turn at the counter, I thanked him and we parted ways. ¡°I¡¯m here to report my arrival in the city, and would also like a guide.¡± I said as I submitted the Adventurers plate. The receptionist looked at it. ¡°Welcome, Mr. Ajifu. Is this your first time here?¡± She asked. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my first time. I plan to stay here for a while, so you¡¯ll see me here quite regularly.¡± ¡°I am called Eily. I look forward to seeing you, Mr. Ajifu. Here is the city guide and your Adventurers plate.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be back later when there¡¯s a quest.¡± That was the first time I learned a receptionist¡¯s name. And she was very cheerful. Perhaps they were trained differently in the capitol. Now, since I planned on staying here for a while, I needed to find an inn to make my base of operations. And since I also wanted to get a horse, it would have to be an inn with a stable. And so with guide in hand, I went to an inn that was recommended by the guild. It was the ¡®Inn and Food ¨C Meihe.¡¯ ¡°Welcome! Are you here to eat?¡± ¡°And a room as well. Just me, and for one night.¡± ¡°Seven silvers with breakfast and dinner. The stables will be another two silvers.¡± Ah! That was a good price. That¡¯s the capitol for you. ¡°I won¡¯t need the stable.¡± I tried to hide my excitement as I took out the silvers and handed them over. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take you to your room.¡± I was then led to a room that was impressively clean. ¡°Dinner is already prepared, so you can come and eat whenever you like, as long as it¡¯s not too late. Breakfast is served shortly after sunrise, but if you¡¯re leaving early, something can be prepared if you tell us in advance. If you require hot water, it can be brought to you for ten coppers.¡± ¡°I do want hot water, but I¡¯d like to wash my clothes first. Is there a place I can do that?¡± ¡°The well in the back. If you need water, just ask for it in the dining hall.¡± I unpacked my belongings and gathered the clothes that needed to be washed. I wanted to wash the clothes I was wearing as well, but I couldn¡¯t wash them all while naked. As I washed the clothes, I noticed the stables in the back. And after looking inside, I saw that the straw was new, and the floors were clean. And since there was a stablehand there, I decided to question him. ¡°Is the straw always this fresh?¡± ¡°Hardly. We have a contract with a farmer, but it¡¯s changed once every two days at the earliest.¡± ¡°I see.¡± But that was still quite commendable. I got some hot water, and wiped my body in my room. Then I wrote down information about the inn on the guide. The food was also well-prepared. The next morning, I ate breakfast and then checked out of the inn. And then I followed the guide to the next inn with a stable. The next inn I chose was ¡®Adventurer¡¯s Inn ¨C Winter Wolf.¡¯ The entrance looked like a saloon from a western. I understood why it was for Adventurers. There was even a giant taxidermy white wolf head that greeted you when you walked in. ¡°Woah!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Hahaha! That was a snow wolf boss that attacked an area outside the city nearly seven years ago. Are you here for breakfast?¡± Said the innkeeper. A large, muscular man who stood behind a counter. No, master. He just looked like a guild master. Unsurprisingly, the dining hall was filled with Adventurers. I intended to go around the city like this, and experience the different inns. As I was going to stay here long term, I wanted to choose the best one. I would probably know enough to become a tour guide by the time I was finished. And so I left my belongings at the inn and went out into the city again. I could browse through stores, check the quest board, or look for a horse, like the guard had suggested. But I had come to the royal capital with a clear goal. Yes, I had come all of this way in order to train in the art of the sword. And so this had to be the way I spent my first day in the city. I¡¯m going! To the sword training hall! Bonus chapter. Thanks Photo! CH 38 Swordsman Training Hall It was said that the ¡®Renji-style,¡¯ which was founded by Holy Blade Rickard Emras, was a style that could be used with any weapon. There were many students of this school, and they instructed those of the Knights Order, and many of the kingdom¡¯s sword masters came from there¡­ Well, in other words, they were a safe bet. Thankfully, I was able to find the location easily after asking about it at the inn. It was surprisingly close by. When I went there, I saw a dojo-like building, and what sounded like the sounds of people training inside. I passed through the gate and waited by the entrance after ringing the bell. ¡°And who may you be?¡± Said a young woman who was wearing training gear. ¡°I want to train here. Would it be possible to tour the place first?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m glad to hear it. But first, could you tell us about yourself?¡± ¡°Of course. Thank you.¡± ¡°Then please sit over here and wait one moment.¡± I sat down on the chair I was guided to, and then she disappeared into the back. She shortly returned with some tea. ¡°The acting master will see you now.¡± She said in a polite voice. She looked like she wasn¡¯t quite twenty yet. Her hair was green and cut short into a bob. And while her eyes were gentle, they were also cool, as was her posture. You could tell at a glance that she studied martial arts. Not long after, a tall man with short blue hair appeared while wiping the sweat from his face. He was lean and muscular, though not incredibly so. ¡°I¡¯m Simmons Bisekez, the acting master. I hear you wish to train?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ajifu, an E-Rank Adventurer. While I am an amateur, I have Lv2 with the Sword Art skill. I use a short sword and shield.¡± I bowed my head. ¡°Why do you want to join if you¡¯re already Lv2? And why in our style?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only fought monsters up until now, but it¡¯s become necessary that I learn to fight humans. However, as an amateur, I cannot discern which style will suit me. And so I thought it would be a safe bet to go to the most famous and respected school.¡± ¡°I see. Then how about experiencing a day here as a student, instead of a tour? We won¡¯t charge for the first day.¡± ¡°I would be very grateful! However, how much does it usually cost?¡± ¡°For low-rank students, it is fifty silver a month. And for shorter periods, it is five silver a day.¡± ¡°Hmm. If I¡¯m completing Adventurer quests at the same time, then I¡¯m not sure which is better¡­¡± ¡°You can decide that once you actually enter.¡± Well, that was true. ¡°In that case, I gladly accept.¡± I was then led to what was like an exercise space outside. Apparently, you were to prepare your own armor. As for weapons, they had blunt weapons that were used for training. I see. So it was as close to the real thing as possible. And so I chose a sword and shield that were close to my own, and then I entered the training grounds. There were several other people there. Some of them even glanced towards me. ¡°First, let¡¯s see how good you are.¡± Acting master Simmons said, and then he held up his two-handed sword. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± I said, and then after a pause, I swung at him. The first swing was just a test. But it had to be strong as well. I remembered the time I had faced Suei. Clang. With all of my strength, I targeted the part of the blade near the guard. Obviously, he raised his sword and blocked it, and so I lowered my stance as my sword bounced off, and then I slashed down at his right foot. He smoothly took a step back, and then unleashed a diagonal downward slash at me. However, as his left foot was behind him, it was a light attack. I deflected it with my shield and then without losing momentum, rotated on the spot. And as I rose from my low stance, I slammed the sword I was holding with a back hand. Clang. The heavy sound rang. But the acting master was in a defensive position. I turned my sword over my head and aimed for his neck and swung down. Another backstep, and he dodged the attack. It was bad to allow him to move away. Before I had swung all of the way, I leapt forward, and then as the gap closed, I swung upwards. Cling. He was right in front of me again, but blocked it in the perfect defensive stance, and the pressure was so high in that instant that my sword bounced off. Damn it. Thud. I jumped back along with my sword. And then the two-handed sword passed right before my eyes and gouged out a piece of the ground. ¡°Uh.¡± It was an explosion of dirt that blocked my vision. And in the moment that I squinted my eyes, a sword was thrust at me. ¡°I am defeated.¡± I bowed my head. ¡°You do have the basics of swinging a sword. Your body as well. You could start some real training right away if you want. But I do have one question.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°With your strength, you should be able to handle a heavier sword. Why did you choose that one?¡± ¡°I like the way my current sword cuts. I¡¯m used to using it.¡± ¡°Oh? But that wasn¡¯t the fighting style of someone with a sharp sword. May I see this sword?¡± And so I took it out of my belongings and handed it to the acting master. He unsheathed the blade and stared at it for a while. ¡°I see. While I don¡¯t know what the effect is, it is a magic sword. And it looks to be a good one.¡± ¡°It has a sharpness enchantment.¡± Simmons looked impressed when he heard that. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t suit your current fighting style. Either change it to fit the sword, or change the sword to fit your style. I would recommend you change the sword, as you have good arm strength. And then you won¡¯t have to change the way you fight.¡± ¡°While you may be right, I don¡¯t have the money to do that.¡± ¡°Surely you will have enough if you sell that one? I can introduce you to a good weapon store.¡± ¡°I would be grateful for that! Thank you.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll write a letter of introduction. With a sword of different weight, you will have to relearn your swings. So it would be better to start your training after that.¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice. I¡¯ll go right away.¡± ¡°Bah, it¡¯s nothing. This happens all of the time. That¡¯s one of the reasons that we don¡¯t charge for the first day.¡± After I had thanked him and was about to leave, I noticed someone was staring at me. She had brown hair and was over 170 centimeters tall. She was quite muscular for a woman, and had thin eyes that¡­ Wait!? I¡¯ve seen her before¡­ I quickly left the training ground with an calm expression. That was close! It was the person from the Kijifei guild training grounds who warned me about my swings. I didn¡¯t realize she was from this school. All right. If we meet again, I¡¯ll do my best to feign ignorance. And so it was while being covered in a cold sweat that I headed to the weapon store that was recommended to me. ¡°Welcome.¡± ¡°I came here by Mr. Simmons¡¯ recommendation.¡± I handed over the letter. The master looked at it and muttered. ¡°I see. So you wish to trade in your sword. May I see it?¡± As he inspected the sword, I looked at the other swords that were displayed in the shop. When it came to heavier swords, there was the one-handed half sword and bastard sword. They could be wielded with one hand or two hands, but I had ignored them up until now, as I thought it was pointless since I carried a shield. When I tried picking one up, they were indeed heavier than what I was used to. But I didn¡¯t feel like I wouldn¡¯t be able to swing them around. ¡°I¡¯d like a bastard sword that is the same quality.¡± ¡°A bastard sword that is equal to this? These two are the ones I have in the store.¡± One was very plain and the other was decorated. The contrast was strong. ¡°This one has a slight durability enchantment. The other has it as well, and also a sharpness enchantment. You can trade in your sword and pay one gold for this one, and two for this one.¡± The plain but durable sword would be one gold. And the decorated one with two effects would be two gold. I would not be able to buy a horse now. ¡°And how much is the plain sword without the trade-in?¡± ¡°It is seven in gold.¡± ¡°But I was told my sword was worth eight gold in Kijifei? I thought I might get some change.¡± ¡°Mm, indeed. However, you exaggerate. How about fifty silver?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s a trade-in, you¡¯re still profiting, no?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­well, you did come with an introduction. But this is special, all right?¡± And like this, I acquired a new sword, and so I returned to the Renji style training school the following day. CH 39 Dark Horse ¡°You¡¯re still being swung by the sword. Too much of your consciousness is directed towards it that the image of your opponent has crumbled.¡± Said my instructor, Mr. Kohisemi. He was very muscular, and wielded a huge two-handed sword, but was also attentive and mindful of others. A pleasant beastkin dog person. Apparently, he did gardening as a hobby, and ran a tool store with his wife. I might have to visit them sometime. As for my swings, I had to imagine my opponent, and use full force on the moment of impact. Obviously, I wasn¡¯t actually hitting anything, and had to move quickly to the next action. But my movements were shaky, due to the heavier sword. If I didn¡¯t put as much force in my movements, it would be easier to move to the next one, but that would make the swinging pointless. And so I was warned. When swinging with the Renji-style¡­ After swinging, you return to the basic position(towards your opponent¡¯s eyes, if wielding a sword). After swinging, you connect it with a slash around to the right. Or the other side, to the left. Alternate between the two to draw a ¡Þ or do the same up and down to draw an 8. Left round slash, but, in quick succession. Those were the five types. But if you think about it while doing it, your movements would be scattered, so you have to practice until you can do it without thinking. Next, I had to repeatedly hit vertical and horizontal logs with a wooden sword from every direction. Lastly, I had to block someone¡¯s attacks. Obviously, I did not have all the forms memorized, so they would tell me where they were going to attack first. I had to deal with people who wielded various weapons, such as two-handed swords, clubs and spears. As I had to block and thrust with sword and shield, it was very similar to a real fight. Not only that, but I had to do it while learning their forms. Still, I was able to learn the general flow of my beginner training. And because I had a skill, they said they made things especially hard. But I really couldn¡¯t memorize so much at once¡­ I returned to my inn on shaky feet, wiped my body and ate a light meal. Then I practically collapsed into bed. On the following day, I rose with the sun and practiced my swings behind the inn. Then I washed up at the well and ate breakfast. I was starting to feel like a real fighter. Hehe¡­ I paid off the inn, and then put my things at the next one. Then I headed towards the Adventurers Guild. I checked the surrounding geography while I scanned the E-Rank quests. I see, they were quite far. Even the closest one was two days away on foot. And there were no fixed quests here. However, the reward money for each quest was quite high. It would likely be worth it. Thankfully, instructor Kohisemi told me of a farm that sold good horses. Horses could be bought within the city as well, but they did not treat them well, and it was said that only outsiders would buy from them. However, this farm was two days away by carriage. Damn it. The city was very big, and so there were many carriages you could ride without a reservation. They were also cheap, so it was similar to taking a bus. In fact, riding carriages around the royal capital was surprisingly fun. As there were no clocks, there was no time table. You just waited at the station. And so there were street stalls to take advantage of that. But unlike ordinary stalls, the people selling were also bored, and so they would start talking to you. And they tended to be very good at talking. Normally, if there were people waiting in line, they would be annoyed if you struck up a conversation. But since they were bored as well, they would join in. Thanks to this, I was able to learn quite a lot. One thing they liked to hear me talk about, was hunting Undead. And as I talked, I couldn¡¯t help making the Revenant sound like a strong and rare monster, even if fighting it had been quite easy. I was almost disappointed when the carriage finally arrived. After that was a two day journey, and I reached the farm at midday. I ended up buying a black stallion. Male friendships were important too. I called him Hyuga. From the drink with the black horse. The farmer also introduced me to a leather workshop, where I was able to buy a saddle. Then I stayed at a nearby inn and then returned to the royal capital on the following day. With my own horse, it didn¡¯t even take a full day. Convenience is bliss. The next day, as I was practicing my swings at the Renji-style dojo, someone called out to me. ¡°Hey, you.¡± It was that woman I had met previously in Kijifei. So it finally happened. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we met before?¡± ¡°¡­Are you trying to woo me?¡± ¡°N-not at all!¡± ¡°Well, this is the training ground. Perhaps you can wait until we¡¯re outside?¡± ¡°Very well. After training, we can go outside and¡­ No, I don¡¯t mean¡­!¡± I managed to get her to back off, and so I slipped away and rushed to the Adventurers Guild, where I accepted a quest. Orc Hunt ¨C Rank: E Hunting orcs that appear around the village. 18 silver per orc. Orc materials go to the village. 5 orcs for quest completion. No limit. Bihilets Village. Chief Loyd. I tore off the request sheet, and while there was no one at the other reception desks, I decided to go to Ms. Eily. She looked at the request sheet and frowned. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. While there are no restrictions for this quest, it is much better to do it as a party.¡± I¡¯m sure that is true. It was possible that the orcs were in packs. But maybe they weren¡¯t. There wasn¡¯t enough information. ¡°Do any parties accept these?¡± It¡¯s better for parties, but parties don¡¯t accept it. It was that kind of awkward request. Still, she looked cute when she frowned. And she processed it anyway. ¡°Please be careful.¡± She said as I left. If it was two days by horse to Bihilets Village, then it would be three day¡­no, four days on foot. I saw some wolves once I was close to the village, but they left me alone as long as I didn¡¯t attack them. Though, sometimes they would look like they were hesitating, and so I would shoot arrows close to their feet, and then they would scatter. Like this, I was able to reach the village without fighting, and I went to see the chief. ¡°I¡¯m Ajifu, an E-Rank Adventurer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m chief Loyd. Thank you for accepting this quest. We put out requests in Relit as well, but no one would accept them.¡± While he was surely disappointed that a solo Adventurer had come, he did not show it on his face. ¡°I would like to keep my horse in a stable, and since I am to submit the orc materials, I will have to borrow a wagon. Also, I will need to speak to someone who knows a lot about the forest.¡± ¡°There is a stable where you can leave the horse. And there is a shed where you can sleep. There is a hunter called Zender, who will take you there. You should also be able to borrow the wagon there.¡± The hunter had white hair, but was still quite muscular. He was accompanied by his son, who appeared to be in his twenties. ¡°I¡¯m hunter Zender. The orcs started appearing around two months ago, and have been increasing ever since. They eat any game caught in my traps, and since my arrows aren¡¯t effective on them, I have no choice but to run. We have little meat, in spite of it being spring. You must do something.¡± ¡°Chief. If they have increased in numbers, then the investigation must be conducted with caution. We should give it a few days.¡± ¡°Very well. Thank you.¡± The sun was still high in the sky. I went to the shack and put my things there. In spite of his name, Hyuga was mild-mannered, and I left him at the inn before borrowing a wagon and going straight to the forest. CH 40 Sword Training I pulled the cart in the direction with the most orc sightings, and then left it at the edge of the forest. Then I stealthily searched the surrounding area. While they had a sharp sense of smell, the direction of the wind did not matter. Because they wouldn¡¯t run even if they noticed me. And so I traveled around the forest while maintaining the same distance. That¡¯s when I saw a shadow in the far back. While it was far away, it was quite large. It must be an orc. As I slowly got closer, I saw that it was sniffing the air and looking around. Clearly, it had noticed me. Rustle. I deliberately made some noise and showed myself while running in the direction of the wagon. And just as expected¡­it chased after me! There was about a hundred meters between us. I returned to the edge of the forest, and then unsheathed my sword and waited behind a tree. I could see it running loudly towards me. But it wasn¡¯t very fast. Once the distance was only about twenty meters, I jumped out from behind the tree and charged at the orc. ¡°Fugaaa!¡± The orc looked surprised for a moment, but it quickly bared its tusks and raised its club into the air. However, I was already within striking distance. And so my sword would be faster than its club. And so I slashed at its thigh and rushed past him. ¡°Fuga! Buga!¡± It was a good hit, but I quickly turned around and held my sword up in front of me. The orc¡¯s leg had been severed, and it was now thrashing about on the ground. The sword, with its new weight and all of my power had been more than enough against the orc. However, even while on the ground, the orc continued to swing its club wildly, and I could not get close to it. And so I stood outside of its reach and waited. And when it moved closer towards me, I stepped away. ¡°Gaa¡­¡± The eyes that had been filled with rage started to turn into fear. And then it moved back. Now! I rushed forward and cut off its head. Then I strung it up by one leg from a tree and bled it. In the meantime, I hid behind a tree and watched the area. Orcs were sensitive to smell. And with the way that the wind was blowing, the smell of blood would likely attract others. And so I entered the forest and waited for some time. And then two more orcs came out of the forest. They seemed very cautious. But perhaps the scent of blood was too thick, as it seemed they hadn¡¯t grasped my position yet. I went around them so that the wind was against me, and then I slowly bridged the gap between us. Once I was only five meters away, I dashed forward. The orcs turned to look at me in surprise. The second time that I¡¯ve seen that expression today! ¡°Fuga-gaah!¡± I immediately kicked it away and freed my sword, but then the other orc howled and swung its club at me. It was aimed at my head, but I did a half turn and blocked it with my shield. Then I slammed my sword into the orc¡¯s stomach. While it bled, it was not a lot. Their muscles and fat were too thick! That being said, it was difficult to aim for the head when it was over two meters tall. And so we backed away from each other and glared. It was furious over the loss of its friend. It was no wonder. ¡°Fugagagagagaa!¡± Mad with rage, it roared and charged at me with its club. I could not dodge it! ¡°Gah!¡± ¡­While I could not dodge it, since it had charged at me with its mouth wide open, I thrust my sword straight into it. If you were going to charge like that, you had to protect your vitals, otherwise it was practically self-destruction. No more orcs appeared that day. I carried them back to the village on the wagon, and to a warm welcome. Iit was then decided that the hunter Zender, and his son would accompany tomorrow. I listened to Zender speak as we walked around the forest towards the direction where the orcs were most likely to appear. We then repeated the process of bleeding, carrying and carving. On the fourth day, the orcs stopped appearing, and since we had found the abandoned settlement they had been making, the quest was considered complete. In three days, we had hunted twenty-two orcs, which was enough to sell to the neighboring village as well as the royal capital. And so I returned to the royal capital with the carriage that was going to sell the orc materials and meat, and then went to the guild to make my report. ¡°Twenty-two orcs! You are quite skilled, Mr. Ajifu!¡± Ms. Eily was astonished. ¡°It wasn¡¯t all at once. If it was a whole party, we could have attacked the settlement and killed them all. That¡¯s why some got away in the end.¡± ¡°If it was a settlement, that would change the request fee, and it would become a D-Rank quest. In the first place, there wasn¡¯t even an investigation request. You did more than enough.¡± I grew with praise, so you should praise me more. I received the four pieces of gold, and left the guild with a warm feeling inside. Then I took a room at an inn, washed my clothes, and did some maintenance on my gear and restocked on supplies for the next day. The life of an Adventurer was not easy. The following day, I went to the training grounds and was caught by that woman. When did she even work? ¡°Hey, you ran away from me last time.¡± ¡°No I didn¡¯t. I made no promises, did I?¡± ¡°You said we could talk outside!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean. Anyway, are you going to tell me your name? Ah, I am Ajifu. An E-Rank Adventurer.¡± ¡°Mejit. D-Rank. Ajifu, there is something I want to ask you.¡± I guess I couldn¡¯t get out of this one. Oh, well. ¡°I see. So, let¡¯s hear it. What do you want?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not from here, are you? Where did you come from?¡± ¡°The Fia Kingdom.¡± ¡°And when did you come to the capital?¡± ¡°Last week.¡± ¡°Why did you come to the capital?¡± Hmm? These questions were going in a strange direction. Perhaps she recognized me, but could not remember where we had met? ¡°I wanted to learn to fight with a sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You can go now.¡± She tilted her head and left. I wasn¡¯t sure if she was satisfied. Once she was gone, one of the pupils who had been watching started to talk to me. ¡°Hey, newcomer.¡± I guess that¡¯s what I am now. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°You two seem to be pretty close. What is your relationship with Mejit?¡± ¡°The same as you. We¡¯re pupils of this school.¡± ¡°Oh? So you¡¯re going to feign ignorance, eh? You have a lot of nerve. All right, I¡¯ll do you a favor today and help with your training. My name¡¯s Jirido. Get ready and meet me on the training grounds.¡± That day, the training was brutal. Jirido was a spear-wielder, and he made me train with him until I was exhausted. ¡°Now, now. Why don¡¯t you counter?¡± But I didn¡¯t even see an opening to do that? Still, if he was going to say that, then I would have to try! ¡°If you insist!¡± I moved within range and swung my sword. ¡°Oh! Not bad.¡± My sword bounced off the spear. I see. So that¡¯s why he used that form. I stood back up no matter how many times I was knocked down, and drank potions when I needed to. ¡°You¡¯re a tenacious one! But if you have time to waste making eyes at Mejit, you should use it to train!¡± ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­ I came here to train with the sword! And I¡¯m not going to lose to some jealous fool!¡± But every time I swung, he would sweep it aside. While he was clearly getting tired, I was shaking on my feet. Crash. ¡°That¡¯s what you are!¡± I was knocked off my feet, but there was no strength left in my arms. And so I stood up with just my legs. ¡°Then what is this training for! Yes, hold up your spear like that! One day, I will beat you into the ground.¡± I¡¯ll kill you. With real murderous rage in my eyes, I steeled myself. Then I held my shield up and lept forward while unleashing a slash at his neck. Clang. As expected, he moved his spear to block it. Only, the sound that rang was quiet, and the pressure light. ¡°What!?¡± A feint, without any upper body strength! I had saved my strength, and with the fastest speed, turned my sword in order to slam it into him with a slash attack. Or I tried to, but he swiftly ducked and rotated his spear so that it hit me in the jaw. I had no idea he could do that with that form¡­ And then I fell unconscious. The next day, as my body would not move, I stayed in the inn and spent my time rotating the pen while moving my magic energy. Even the day after that, swinging practice was the most that I could do. After resting for two days, I returned to the training ground, and was met by severe training once again. And since a more experienced pupil was spending time teaching me, I actively participated. It took two days to recover, and then I went back for more. This time, my body moved well, and I finished the training without losing consciousness. This happened three times, and since I got up every time that I was knocked down, I could see that Jirido was starting to get tired. Perhaps I should let him rest. ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for a while to take on some quests, but we¡¯ll continue when I get back! Don¡¯t you dare run away!¡± I said before leaving. He looked very annoyed, but replied, ¡°You can act smug after winning at least once!¡± Oh? He was still quite fired up after all. Very good. I¡¯ll keep him company as soon as I return. CH 41 E-Rank Adventurer of the Royal Capital Shuurururu. I sat on my legs while spinning the pen in my hand and moving the magic energy. This was in my room in the ¡®Royal Inn ¨C Pom¡¯ which had become my base of operations. Three months had now passed since I first arrived in the city. And in those three months, I had become quite good at spinning a pen. After doing it for so long, I could spin it without thinking about it. Eventually, it wasn¡¯t even effective for training with magic manipulation. So right now, I had to spin it with my left hand. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all I had done with my time. ¡°Status Open.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 25 Lv: 17 HP: 146/146(+10) MP: 49/49(+6) STR: 45(+4) VIT: 42(+3) INT: 20(+2) MND: 27(+2) AGI: 30(+1) DEX: 21(+4) LUK: 11(+1) Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv3, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv2, Carving Lv4, Leatherworker Lv2, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv4(+1), Magic Manipulation Lv4,(+2) Everyday Magic(water/earth), Sword Art Lv4(+2), Night Vision Lv1 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God, Adventurer Unfortunately, there was no skill for spinning a pen. I doubt such a thing even existed. However, the other day, I had finally acquired the ¡®Adventurer¡¯ title! I was no longer just a farmer. It had been a long road¡­ And by completing E-Rank quests, I had gained 2 levels. Not only that, but my DEX, which had been lagging behind, had a big increase! I think it was related to all that pen spinning. As it was time for dinner, I went down to the dining hall in order to eat. As always, the place was quite empty. There were actually quite a lot of people staying at this inn, but they all went out to eat. The innkeeper was leaning on his elbow at the counter and sighing. ¡°You¡¯re the only person who eats here everyday, Mr. Ajifu.¡± ¡°Well, it tastes terrible.¡± Yes, this inn had terrible food. Clean rooms, great service and a stable. And yet it was cheap. There was a reason for that. ¡°Since you eat this terrible food everyday, Mr. Ajifu, perhaps you can give me some advice?¡± It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t have any, but I didn¡¯t want the inn to do so well that it became difficult to get a room. They might even raise the price. ¡°Perhaps thinking that it can be solved so simply is the problem. You should reevaluate the basics. Like maybe hire a cook.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t afford to hire someone who can cook. I¡¯ll have to raise the prices of the rooms.¡± And we couldn¡¯t have that. ¡°Or just someone who can teach you to cook. You only need to raise your own skill. It doesn¡¯t have to be a professional. Hiring the average wife would be an improvement at this point.¡± ¡°But my wife approves of my cooking. I can¡¯t go asking other women.¡± So there was the problem. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll need her understanding and cooperation then. Thanks for the food.¡± I made a strategic retreat to my room. After my morning sword swings and breakfast, I headed to the training grounds. The sounds of people training could already be heard from outside. The apprentices who lived there would take care of the morning preparations every day. And so I greeted them as I entered, and started my training swinging. It was a little tiresome to do it twice, but I needed to do it for time adjustments. ¡°Hah!¡± Clang. Clang. ¡°Ha!¡± Clang. As I had memorized the forms, I could block them with ease, and things continued rhythmically. But so things didn¡¯t get monotonous, the forms were changed regularly. Of course, there was no holding back. While the blades were blunted, bones were broken all of the time. Potions depleted like water. I saw someone lurking in the corner of the training grounds. ¡°Morning. I¡¯ll beat you at least once this time, Jirido.¡± ¡°But I already fought you yesterday! At least wait until you¡¯ve beaten an instructor once!¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯ll remember that.¡± The nearby instructor was Kohisemi. ¡°Hey! Mr. Jirido!?¡± ¡°Ah, Mr. Kohisemi. Just in time.¡± ¡°Mr. Ajifu is so persistent. I don¡¯t want to deal with him anymore!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Now, let¡¯s begin.¡± Mr. Kohisemi swung a powerful, two-handed sword that I couldn¡¯t block with my shield, and it was difficult to swipe away. So it was good practice. ¡°You have murder in your eyes, Mr. Ajifu. I don¡¯t like it.¡± Kohisemi would say. Perhaps it was the difference between an Adventurer who took lives every day, and someone who just sold tools in the royal capital. ¡°Is there a way to kill without showing your will to do so?¡± ¡°Killing is the result. The better swordsman swings, and a life is taken. Right now, you should just focus on being the best swordsman.¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± Clap-clap. Acting master Simmons gave further advice as he passed by. ¡°If your murderous intent is too strong, your opponent will be able to guess at your movement. It¡¯s very obvious with you, Ajifu. You could use feints, but there is no point if you can¡¯t hide that rage in your sword.¡± ¡°I see why you are the acting master.¡± ¡°Uh, but I¡¯m an acting master too?¡± Jirido said, but I ignored him. There were two acting masters at the school. Simmons of the sword, and Jirido of the spear. The master was Raynard Terelhi. Though he could wield any weapon, he was best with the two-handed sword. I had seen him demonstrate once, but it felt like watching something in fast-forward, and I couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. There were times when his sword would separate, disappear, or even catch on fire. As I had been given some homework, I started with the drill. First, I looked for the best sword. I tried to think about the way they moved in Chinese martial arts and modern sports. My feet pressed into the earth, the power amplified by the muscles in my legs, the feeling of my joints turning, like a screw, the sword that is an extension of my hand, the impact, and¡­ ¡°ARRGGHHHH!!¡± Crash. ¡°He¡¯s wild.¡± ¡°Definitely. ¡°Wild.¡± ¡°Ajifu. Stick with the drill for now.¡± ¡°Why!¡± But I couldn¡¯t just train. I had to complete quests in order to live. E-Rank quests were very different from doing fixed F-Rank quests, where you could make money by hunting a lot of the same thing. Unless you could somehow hunt a lot of monsters with low spawn rate and rare materials. And so I just finished them one by one. I got through nine quests in three months. But it was also low because I prioritize my sword training. In general, E-Rank quests could be summed up as, Quests with a lot of F-Rank monsters. A few F-Rank monsters. Rare cases. In cases where there were a lot of F-Rank monsters, there were often some E-Rank monsters mixed in, and so the reward was set quite high. And though it was usually recommended that you go as a party, I currently boasted a 100% quest completion rate, and was confident in my ability. That being said, it was not unusual for E-Rankers to have a 100% completion rate. Because things truly became difficult at D-Rank. Regardless, the quest I chose this time was this. Annihilate the Goblin Settlement. Rank: E Crush the new settlement in the forest. Goblin settlement: 2 gold. Can keep the magic stones. Client will confirm that the job has been completed. Jiden Village. Chief Achis. I chose a quest that would allow me to swing my sword without thinking. It took me two days to go there by horse. I got to work on the following day. On the first day, I crushed any goblins that came out of the settlement, and confirmed its location. On the second day, I charged in. If I waited too long, they would realize and run away. Thanks to my increased DEX, my accuracy with the bow had gone up, allowing me to take them down with precision as I attacked the settlement from the back. ¡°Gugya?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Gya!¡± This time, I held back any emotion, and focused on swinging my sword. The goblins were cut down without even realizing that I was there. Normally, there would have been quite a commotion by now. ¡°Gugugya!¡± But every time a goblin noticed me, that goblin was opened up by my sword¡­ ¡°Gya¡­¡± Killing was just the result. Buhaa! I hid in the shadows to catch my breath. What was this feeling? Was I a killing machine? An assassin? Is that what I am now? That doesn¡¯t suit me at all! I knew that I was still premature, but I was starting to think I had gone in the wrong direction. That being said, I was on the field of battle. I could think about this later. ¡°Gya-gyaaaga!¡± After I had killed about ten of them, the settlement was finally aware of my presence. But I charged straight into the throng of goblins that gathered. If anything, I prefer it this way! That being said, I had no time to correct my sword¡¯s image. And so I plunged the best sword I could into the paths of the goblins. ¡°Sha!¡± ¡°Gya!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Clang. I put my shield in the path of the goblin¡¯s weapon, and it was swept aside and right into another goblin. ¡°Gya-gya!¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Huh!? Things are starting to click into place? I could easily see the magician¡¯s fireballs. I could keep other goblins in front of me when I was targeted by an archer. I kept moving so they couldn¡¯t aim. Before I knew it, there were hardly any moving goblins remaining. CH 42 Escort Request ¡°Hey, Ajifu. I want to talk to you about something.¡± Said E-Rank Adventurer Naren. We were in the guild waiting room. We weren¡¯t exactly friends, but were merely acquaintances and had an idea of each other¡¯s ability. A whole year had now passed since I came to the royal capital, and it was nearing the time where I would be able to recast Reverse Age. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked with a scowl. Naren took no notice. ¡°Did you finish the escort request already?¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± This escort request that Naren talked about was the promotion requirement for D-Rank. The requirement was to complete forty E-Rank quests and an escort request. But it was hard to accept escort requests when you worked solo. Besides, most of them took several days, and as some who attended a dojo, I wasn¡¯t enthusiastic about that. ¡°What do you think about this?¡± A request sheet was thrusted into my face. When I looked, I saw that it was a round trip escort request that took three days one way. It would take eight days in all. The reward would be five pieces of gold. The client was a merchant. Well, it wasn¡¯t bad. ¡°Seems fine?¡± I returned it without interest. ¡°Idiot. Look at this part.¡± His finger pointed at ¡®Minimum: 4 people.¡¯ I see. Now I understand. It really wasn¡¯t bad at all. ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± I grinned and offered my hand. ¡°Right?¡± He grinned back and negotiations were complete. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll explain it to the others then. Over here.¡± He guided me over to the bar next to the guild. There, the other two members of Forest Alliance were drinking. ¡°Ah, he caught Ajifu after all.¡± ¡°Great! It¡¯s Ajifu. Good job, Naren!¡± The other two of the Forest Alliance was Oriore, an elf priest; thin, tall, and with green hair, and an energetic monkey beastkin scout by the name of Seppi. While they were called that, she wasn¡¯t actually a monkey or any kind of apeman. She was a human. She had soft-looking short hair and a thin, long tail. Quite different from the apes of a certain planet. ¡°I look forward to working with you, even if it¡¯s just a short while.¡± ¡°Right back at you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be relying on you.¡± As I had been training at the dojo, people in the guild said I was strong for an E-Ranker. I suppose it was due to the reputation of the school. Though I continued to accept requests during the winter, I mainly focused on my sword training. Still, there was not much snow around the capital, and so it was easy to travel. However, even if you have good stats and skills, you could only go so far in one year when it came to the way of the sword. And it was the same even if you were out there in actual dangerous fights. Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 25 Lv: 19 HP: 156/156(+10) MP: 58/58(+9) STR: 47(+2) VIT: 46(+4) INT: 23(+3) MND: 29(+2) Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv3, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv2, Carving Lv4, Leatherworker Lv2, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv5(+1), Magic Manipulation Lv6,(+2) Everyday Magic(water/earth), Sword Art Lv7(+3), Night Vision Lv1 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God, Adventurer As I had trained strictly under an instructor for a year, my sword art skill alone had gone up a shocking 5 levels in one year. That was pretty crazy. I suppose my VIT had gone up because of how much of a beating I took regularly. Damn you, Jirido. But thank you. And so we accepted the quest, and the four of us headed to the client merchant. The client had a chemist store in the city called ¡®Lilits Chemist.¡¯ We were to escort an employee as they traveled to restock on materials. Apparently, there were monsters called Drain Leeches in the village that was our destination. When blood was combined with the fluids from the leech, they had medicinal properties, and so that¡¯s what they wanted to collect. ¡°The village is within a deep forest. While you can reach it by carriage, we¡¯ll still have to be wary of monsters.¡± Said the employee, Mr. Kibie. An impressive man, who while thin, had an authoritative way of speaking. ¡°I want to process the materials on site, so that the effects are not weakened. And so if possible, I would like to depart first thing in the morning.¡± ¡°I do not mind.¡± After everyone agreed, ¡°We¡¯re all fine with that.¡± We said, and so we quickly prepared to depart early the next day. The next morning, as the sun rose, I climbed onto Hyuga and made my way to the gate. The members of Forest Alliance were already there, and so we just had to wait for the client. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Mr. Kibie said as he appeared with his carriage. It was the kind with no roof, and in the back, there were rows of jars. They were sandwiched between cushions so that they wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°You can put your belongings in the back as well.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± I accepted his kindness and moved my things to the carriage. The first day of travel was quite uneventful. Monsters were rarely seen near the capital. Naren took the lead, Oriore was behind him. And then there was the carriage. Hyuga and I were in the back. Seppi sat with the driver. Her tail moved along with the rocking of the carriage. She had a great sense of balance, which was no surprise. The reason that no one was on the sides was because there was a lot of traffic on the roads, and it would be difficult when passing each other. On the first day, we were able to stay at a village with an inn, but it would not be the case on the second day, as we were veering far away from the main roads. In fact, I had my first problem at the inn on the first day. ¡°I hope you¡¯re drinking, Mr. Ajifu!¡± I grimaced as a cup of ale slammed onto the table. ¡°Cheers!¡± As a priest, Oriore was usually calm and compassionate. But he was also a heavy drinker. ¡°Hey, Oriore. You¡¯re an elf, right? Not a dwarf.¡± He glared at me angrily. ¡°Gah! You just don¡¯t get it! Don¡¯t you know? There are dwarves who can¡¯t drink. So of course there will be elves who do! Those damned forest dwellers don¡¯t¡­¡± Apparently, I had stepped on a landmine. Naren and Seppi ran off to a different table while laughing. It seemed like this happened a lot. The next morning, Oriore appeared as if nothing had happened, and so I greeted him calmly. ¡°Good morning. I had a good time last night.¡± I said with a bow. Elves¡­were not to be underestimated. Once the roads went into the forest, Oriore stuck to the left side, while I took the right side in the back. Beeep! Went the small whistle from Seppi in the driver¡¯s seat. She then signed with her hands¡­up ahead, to the side. Goblins. Three of them! Hmm. Drive them away, or kill them? Oh? He was gesturing as if drawing a bow. So there is an archer. That¡¯s bad. ¡°Ha!¡± I kicked my heels into Hyuga, and then dismounted near the forest and unsheathed my sword. At the same time, the goblins appeared in the forest, and so I ran towards them. ¡°Gugya!¡± The short goblin raised its club high, just as I slashed off its legs. ¡°Gya-gya!¡± The next one jumped towards me, and so I stepped back and cleaved its head into two. ¡°Gya-gya!¡± As the last one tried to run away, I stabbed it in the back. Then I held my shield up and scanned the area. Where did the archer go? Had it escaped? Then Seppi began to run to me from the carriage, and so I asked her. ¡°Where¡¯s the archer, Seppi?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I said, Ajifu! I told you to scare them off with an arrow!¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Uh, sorry.¡± She started to run back to the carriage, but paused and then turned to me. ¡°This is the sign for an archer. Don¡¯t forget!¡± She did something like a gun shooting gesture with his hands and then returned. Acting in a party really was difficult. CH 43 Shadow Magic While we had to cooperate a few times to deal with monsters that appeared along the way, we were eventually able to reach our destination for the second day. It was a clearing with a river nearby. And so we let the horses drink water as we started to set up our camp. ¡°I¡¯ll make food for all of you as well!¡± Said Seppi. That was nice. Seppi had also been the one to shoot down today¡¯s prey, the horned rabbit, from on top of the wagon with her bow. Naren went off to gather firewood, while Oriore made an oven and was igniting it. I suppose I would go and gather some water. After a while, a delicious smell drifted towards me, and I started to worry that it would attract monsters. ¡°I hope we won¡¯t be troubled by any monsters.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you when that happens. Seppi will get mad if our meal is interrupted.¡± Being a party leader must be tough¡­ There were always two people who kept watch during the night. Though, the second person started halfway into the first person¡¯s shift. And so while the first person only needed to do half at first, they also had to be there for the last one. Still, as you could sleep for the longest interval, that role was given to Seppi. When it was my turn, I sat next to Oriore near the fire and stared into the dark forest. Thanks to Nightvision, I could see decently, but it was still dark. However, being in a dark forest while sitting next to a fair elf whose face was illuminated by fire light¡­it sure was something out of a fantasy book. There was a lot that I wanted to ask, but since the others were sleeping, I did not want to disturb them with our chatter. ¡°Uh, Oriore.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Would you like to get a drink once this is over?¡± ¡°Yes, definitely.¡± The elf said with a smirk. And the fantasy atmosphere was ruined. Rustle. ¡°!¡± A sound from the forest! How did we miss it? I pulled out my sword, just in case. ¡°Lu-lele-bide-lot-rem! Night Sight!¡± While I couldn¡¯t see what had happened behind me, my eyes flashed white once, and then my vision opened up. So this was Night Sight, which I had heard so much about! I could see! The shadow spider that hid in the tree! The enemy! As I ran straight towards it, the spider saw me and jumped from the tree. Clang! Shadow spiders were light. I blocked it with my shield and then it jumped back. But I would not let it get away! The shadow spider landed on a tree again, and so I jumped up and thrust my sword at it. I just barely reached two of its legs, but was able to sever them. It lost its balance and fell to the ground and¡­ Slash. I slammed the bastard sword into it, cutting it in two. Ah, that just ruined the materials. I looked around, now that I could see better, but there were no other monsters. And so I removed the fangs and magic stone from the shadow spider corpse and threw the rest into the forest. ¡°Thanks, that was a big help. And very impressive.¡± ¡°The night shadows are under the tranquil drape of Lord Memrikia.¡± The shadow magic of a priest was more than I had imagined. Oriore¡¯s spell involved using the prayer skill to convert words with magic energy. No matter what language was used, the sound would be the same. I returned to the bonfire and asked about it. ¡°That spell. What does it mean?¡± ¡°Said normally, it is, ¡®Tranquil shadows, guide me through the surrounding darkness.¡¯¡± You couldn¡¯t activate magic by just copying sounds. But even if you knew the meaning, you had to have the skill as well. And of course, there was the training. Rustle-rustle. ¡°!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with all the noise?¡± Ah, it was just Naren. I settled back down. We had talked so much that he woke up. ¡°Sorry. There was a shadow spider.¡± Naren glanced at the time tool. It was something like a sand timer, only with liquid. They used it to measure the length of a shift. ¡°There is still a little more time. But since I¡¯m already awake, I¡¯ll join you.¡± ¡°Sorry, but it will help.¡± In spite of his grumblings, he was very caring. I suppose that was why he was the party leader. The next morning, we packed up everything and set out once again. ¡°We should reach our destination before evening, but since we¡¯ll be going much deeper into the forest, please stay on your guard.¡± The client, Mr. Kibie warned us before leaving. Indeed, the path grew narrower up ahead, and it would be much easier to be ambushed in the forest. And since there wasn¡¯t enough space for the horses to walk next to the carriage, we would also have to change our formation. It was during times like these that we could depend on Seppi the scout. Of course, we couldn¡¯t expect her to do everything. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you too, Hyuga.¡± He neighed in reply after being petted. It seemed like he was enthusiastic. ¡°Bugaaaa!¡± Naren swung his two-handed great sword, and the orc¡¯s arms went flying. Good! Almost done! ¡°Naren! There¡¯s a snake behind you!¡± Oriore said from behind me, but Naren was facing an orc. And he could not be distracted. ¡°Arrghh!¡± ¡°Fugoo!¡± He shouted and swung wide, causing the orc to retreat. Then an arrow shot out. And while it bounced off the tough skin of the orc, it drove the orc¡¯s attention away. Was that Seppi!? Good work! Naren then took a step back, turned on his heels and headed back. ¡°Guga!¡± And then I unleashed a light, mostly ineffective attack at its stomach, making it take another step back. Dan! I swiftly raised the sword and then slammed down into its shoulder. ¡°Gugyaaa!¡± Blood sprayed as it screamed, and then the orc thrashed on the ground. There was a lot of blood. I stepped back and waited for its movements to slow. ¡°Ggg¡­ggg¡­¡± Now! I jumped forward and cut off its head. What about my surroundings? When I looked around, they were also looking around. I wiped off the blood and sheathed my sword again. Phew. ¡°What should we do with the orc?¡± ¡°It will be a good gift for the village. Let¡¯s take it back with us.¡± We decided to go with the client¡¯s suggestion. The three of us strung up the orc and the grass viper and talked as we removed the blood and guts. ¡°Oriore. I think you meant to say my name, and not Naren¡¯s?¡± ¡°Sorry, it was so sudden that I said it out of habit.¡± ¡°Bah, it worked out fine in the end, didn¡¯t it? That was very good of you Ajifu. Distracting it like that.¡± ¡°No, that was Seppi¡¯s skill.¡± In any case, we finished dealing with the bodies, and so we laid out some skins on the wagon and tied them on top. On the way, we stopped by a brook and let the horses drink as we ate lunch. Today, it was grass viper grilled with salt. And it was rather delicious. ¡°Things are going well enough.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re almost there now. And while I heard that they finished exterminating the drain leeches, you must be careful about what¡¯s over your head. As they might rain down.¡± Seppi wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Cloudy with a chance of leeches. Not the best kind of weather. ¡°It¡¯s when you¡¯re almost there that you have to be the most careful!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± And so we set out. However, the forest that we reached after resting was eerily quiet. Usually you would see horned rabbits or forest wolves prowling about. But there was nothing. ¡°I have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°I feel the same.¡± Seppi seemed wary of our surroundings. Her tail was sticking up as if alert. Yes, even the air here felt different. There was something ominous about it. The horses were also nervous, as if they too had sensed something. ¡°Gugyaaaaa!¡± A short distance away, we heard a roar and the ground shook. Whatever it was, it was big. ¡°Move!¡± The whip lashed out, and we quickened our pace. Crack-crack-crack. Trees crashed as the thing appeared behind the carriage. It was over four meters tall. A giant, ash-colored bear. CH 44 Forest Bear Murder Grizzly! D-Rank. Damn it. ¡°Go!¡± I shouted to the carriage and then dismounted from Hyuga. Just the carriage. Don¡¯t leave everything to me. Adventurers stay. ¡°Gaaarrrr!!¡± However, a roar that seemed to shake the air around us echoed through the forest, and the horses stopped in their tracks. The roar reached my very core, and I couldn¡¯t move. ¡°It¡¯s Howl! Stay on your guard!¡± I returned to myself at Oriore¡¯s words, but it was too late. The Murder Grizzly was already in front of me, and swinging its arm. What speed! ¡°Gah!¡± Still, I tried raising my shield to block it, and the impact hit me like a truck. I jumped back at the same time to soften the force, but I was still thrown back five meters and rolled on the ground twice. I was completely winded and felt dizzy. Memories of an old motorcycle accident flashed in my mind. It was nostalgic now¡­ ¡°Gaaaarrr!¡± Clang. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Over here!¡± But the continuing sounds of battle dragged me back to the present. When I stood up on shaky feet, my shield fell from my arm. Tsk. My left hand was broken. I somehow managed to reunite with Oriore, before falling to the ground. It seemed like Naren and Seppi were holding the battleline. ¡°Gaaa!¡± ¡°Lu-mes-lot-lim! Dark Heal.¡± I bore the terrible pain and straightened my left hands as much as possible as the healing magic was cast. I was used to it being broken, as it had happened many times while training at the school. It was the healing part that was painful. A dark light enveloped my body, and a sharp pain shot through my left arm. ¡°Thank you.¡± I downed a potion for good measure, and then checked to see that my left hand moved properly. Then I tossed the bottle away and returned to the fight. ¡°Gaaaarrr!¡± The Murder Grizzly was riddled with small cuts, but it was still full of life. In the front, Naren was swinging his two-handed sword and keeping it at bay. In that case¡­! As the giant bear swung its arms at Naren, Seppi unleashed arrows and her magic, Dark Ball, at it. This further angered the enemy. And so I used the opportunity to go around it. ¡°Shh.¡± I kept my voice quiet so it wouldn¡¯t hear, and then put all of my strength behind the bastard sword as I slammed it into the bear¡¯s hindlegs. ¡°Gafh¡­¡± The Murder Grizzly let out the weak sound as it fell on its haunches. Now! Clang. Naren swung at its front legs, preventing the Murder Grizzly from turning around. ¡°Hyaaaahhh!¡± And so I swung down over the bear¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Gugyaaaa!¡± I could hear and feel the bones being severed under the blade, and the Murder Grizzly fell forward. Almost there! I thrust my sword into the wound that was spraying blood, and then leaned forward with all of my weight. ¡°Gah.¡± The giant gray bear shuddered once and then became very still. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Just in case, Naren stabbed it in the neck to confirm that it was dead. It would be no good to let your guard down. ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Aye, thank you.¡± Naren and I bumped fists. ¡°Hey! Me too!¡± As Seppie was thrusting both of her fists out behind me, Naren and I looked at each other and chuckled before touching our fists to hers as well. ¡°So, what should we do with it?¡± ¡°It is much too large to carry.¡± Oriore asked, but taking it with us would be impossible. ¡°The village is quite close to us now. Perhaps we should go there and come back for it later? That is, unless the slimes get to it first.¡± ¡°That is our only option.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remove the magic stone then.¡± And so the three of us flipped it over and removed the magic stone from its chest. It was the size of a ping pong ball. The same as a Direwolf. ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Woah!¡± The Forest Alliance were all impressed. And then we somehow managed to move it to the side of the road, where it wouldn¡¯t get in anyone¡¯s way. Then we resumed our journey to the village. ¡°My level went up!¡± ¡°Scout! Don¡¯t let your guard down!¡± Such were the conversations as we went down the road. In general, there would be less monsters in an area after a very strong one appeared. And so things were quite peaceful on the way. And then we reached the village in the forest. As it was deep into the forest, the village was surrounded by a deep trench and a wall made of sturdy logs. It was practically a fortress. Matters had already been discussed with the chief, and so after introductions, the villagers moved at Mr. Kibie¡¯s direction. We were led to a small hut where we put down the orcs and jars. There were several barrels lined up in the hut. I suppose they contained the blood with medicinal properties. ¡°Everyone. I will now begin the process of fixing the medicinal effect. As the villagers will help me with this, will you go out and retrieve the thing?¡± The thing, eh? I suppose Mr. Kibie wanted it to be a surprise. ¡°Very well. Can the villagers lend us a hand as well?¡± As several youths volunteered, we took the now empty carriage back to collect the Murder Grizzly. ¡°Woah!¡± The reaction of the youths upon seeing the Murder Grizzly was not a disappointment. Hehe. Thankfully, only a few slimes had gathered around it, and the skin looked like it would still be usable. But when we dragged into the carriage, it began to creak loudly. What it be alright? The horses also seemed to struggle on the way back. Just a little farther now! And when we somehow returned to the village before sundown¡­ ¡°Wow!!¡± We were greeted with exclamations of surprise. The members of the Forest Alliance looked very proud. Hehehe. The children touched the Murder Grizzly with shining eyes. When we carried it to the village butcher, they were still working on the orc. ¡°Should I help?¡± ¡°No, there isn¡¯t enough space to do so much at once. Besides, it won¡¯t even fit in the hut. Leave it over there.¡± That night, we carved the Murder Grizzly, roasted the orc meat, and celebrated with some drink. The villagers provided the drink in exchange for the orc meat. Of course, Oriore became quite drunk, surprising the villagers. The next morning, I was eating breakfast while watching Oriore, who was wrapped up in Murder Grizzly skin, when Mr. Kibie appeared. It seemed that he had been working all night. ¡°I finally finished most of the work. I just need to move it to the bottles and load them onto the carriage now. So I will get some sleep. I¡¯ll have them wake me up at midday, and then you can help me.¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it, Ajifu?¡± ¡°Yes, I will help.¡± ¡°Thank you. As planned, we will depart tomorrow morning.¡± The next day, after a good night¡¯s sleep, with the rising of the sun, we left the village as planned. While there were several monster attacks on the road, we were never in real danger, and arrived safely at the royal capital. ¡°Cheers!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± Voice rang in the tavern. We were celebrating the completion of the quest. Not only that, but the materials from the Murder Grizzly and other monsters had fetched a good price, and so we were all in a good mood. But more than anything, the road to D-Rank was now much more clear. ¡°Hmph. Ajifu, you should really consider joining our party!¡± Seppi insisted. Stop it. I might get tempted. ¡°I might consider it if Naren joins the dojo so that we can train together.¡± ¡°You have to be joking. Swordsmanship is a method, not a goal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re strong enough, Mr. Ajifu.¡± ¡°No, not at all. I¡¯m not there yet.¡± It wasn¡¯t that I wanted to become some master in the way of the sword. However, I wanted to continue until I felt that I truly understood how to handle one in terms of skill. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°I understand how you feel. If anything, your mentality is similar to that of an elf, Mr. Ajifu.¡± In this world, elves lived for a long time. Apparently, it was around three-hundred years on average. And because they lived for so long, most of them liked to stick to doing one thing. ¡°It¡¯s less rare than an elf drunkard, anyway.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Bam. Orioore slammed his mug on the table, interrupting their laughter. ¡°Are you going to let an elf out drink you, human?¡± Ah, he was already drunk. That was so quick. CH 45 Days in the Royal Capital ¡°Hey, what kind of dance is that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. However, the acting master said ¡®it looks interesting, so leave him be.¡¯ So there must be something to it.¡± Jirido and Simmons were talking. And I could hear them! In spite of what they said, what I was doing in the dojo was a training that involved tracing the sword art forms I learned while moving my magic energy. It was not a dance. My magic manipulation skill had risen, which made it a lot easier to move the magic energy. And since I was now able to do the sword art forms without thinking now, I had challenged myself to this. I decreased just a little of my focus on magic manipulation, while slowly tracing the forms, which resulted in the others saying that I was dancing. While I was swinging and manipulating magic without thinking, Raynard, who was passing by, said, ¡®If you¡¯re going to do that, you¡¯re better off doing the forms instead,¡¯ which led to where I was now. When I first came to the school, I trained and paid for each day, but I was now a proper student and could use the facility as much as I liked. Even after finishing the escort quest, I was nowhere near the required number for quest completion, and so I hadn¡¯t reached D-Rank yet. The required number for promotion was forty. I was currently at twenty-five, so I wasn¡¯t really close at all. After all, I was spending so much of my time training, and only completed two or three a month in order to earn living expenses, and the pace had not increased at all. Still, if I accepted a quest, I would have to be gone for nearly a week, which meant that I was gone for at least half of the month most of the time. As for the Forest Alliance, they continued to complete quests with much enthusiasm, and had already been promoted to D-Rank. Whenever I happened to bump into Naren at the guild, ¡°Huh? If it isn¡¯t ¡®still an E-Eanker¡¯ Ajifu.¡± He would say as he waved his golden Adventurers plate in front of me. It was very annoying. However, I had no intention of rushing it. As I was working solo, if I became D-Rank, then I would have to fight D-Rank monsters alone. Yes. Monsters like that Murder Grizzly. And since I still wasn¡¯t confident that I could fight monsters of that class, now was the time to strengthen myself and prepare. Of course, I also practiced with the sword. Clang. ¡°What! Is that it?¡± Jirido said as he attacked, but I couldn¡¯t even answer him. As I blocked his spear with my sword, the spear twisted around, and my blade bounced off of it. Clang. As the spear shot towards me, I swept it to the side with my shield, but the impact of it vibrated through my arm. There was even smoke rising from the friction. It wasn¡¯t so much a twist, but like a rotating drill. The impact also caused me to fall out of my stance, and the spear was thrust at my neck. ¡°You win! Now, once more!¡± I pushed the spear away with my sword and rushed forward. Clang. I blocked the descending spear with my shield once again, ducked, and then slashed his legs from the side. As he took a quick step back, I rose up and unleashed an upwards slash. Clang. The spear rotated, and my sword bounced off the spear head. Jirido¡¯s leg moved back. Ah, he was going to swing upwards. This was bad. I held my shield up to block the spear. It had lost no momentum after knocking away my sword and rotating vertically. Bang. However, just before impact, the spear¡¯s trajectory changed to a horizontal slash to my head. And I lost consciousness. Kick. ¡°Gah!¡± I regained consciousness after being kicked in the stomach. ¡°Here. Drink.¡± I drank the potion that was thrown at me. ¡°You¡¯re so weak that we¡¯re running out of potions here, you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the fault of my instructor. It¡¯s really annoying.¡± ¡°What did you say!?¡± ¡°Yeah!?¡± We growled at each other like thugs for a moment before returning to our training. Jirido¡¯s general skill level was too different from mine. In terms of stats. His great AGI meant he could always move first. And his great STR allowed him to push his opponents into a corner. Furthermore, the difference between the skill level of his spear arts and my sword arts was huge. A high skill level offered powerful support to the will of the user. And as had been demonstrated earlier, allowed him to move in a way that seemed to defy the laws of physics. And once you reached Raynard¡¯s level, it might as well be magic. Besides, the difference in amassed skills and days spent training was too different. In other words, there was no possible way for me to win. Of course, that was a good thing, or there would have been little point in coming here. However, if I seriously wanted to catch up with them, I had to raise my level. I knew that when it came to your stats, it was likely to go up the more you used them. So if I wanted to do it quickly, it was best to swing my sword as much as possible to raise the level. And then I could turn into a great meathead tank warrior. But, was that what I really wanted? Something in me whispered. The desire to use magic had made me learn everyday magic and continue to train with magic manipulation. I had worked so hard for that. I had time. And so I didn¡¯t need to choose the quickest path. That¡¯s what I thought. As for magic, there was one other thing that I did regularly. That day, I knelt again before the statue in the church and offered a prayer. (Lord Memrikia, Lord Lord Ibitrayme, I would not mind at all if you bestowed on me some overpowered or harem-type skill now.) As a self-proclaimed devout follower of Lord Memrikia, I visited the church on the day of light. I made a point to come whenever I had the time. ¡°You were praying quite passionately today as well.¡± ¡°As a believer, it¡¯s only natural for me to do so.¡± The priest and I chuckled. I was now a complete regular here. In this world, your status was connected to the gods, and so there was a tangible benefit to praying. ¡°I have no doubt that your prayers will one day reach Lord Memrikia.¡± ¡°I am not praying because I want something in return. I am simply making an offering.¡± Profits! Gifts! Come on! ¡°Oh! You are an example for all believers! Mr. Ajifu, will you not consider participating in the charity work of the church?¡± There! I was waiting for this. It wasn¡¯t like anyone could just participate in their charity work. They had to first confirm that your faith and daily deeds met the measure. ¡°If there is anything I can do, even if it¡¯s just a little, I would very much like to give back to the church of Lord Memrikia. When I have time between quests, I will participate.¡± And if they approve of my charity work, then I might be able to be baptized. And that will mean that I could learn the ¡®Light¡¯ spell! I desperately wanted it. ¡°I am very grateful to hear that. In fact, there is something that I wanted to ask you to do, Mr. Ajifu. Do you have time today?¡± ¡°This could not be more welcome. I will do it.¡± And so I was taken away by a nun to the orphanage that was next to the church. ¡°Orphans must leave once they turn fifteen. Every year, there are some children who become Adventurers, but they do not receive the proper training. Since you are an Adventurer, Mr. Ajifu, perhaps you could teach them?¡± Oh! It was one of my very few strengths. ¡°Of course. Just bring the children who wish to learn.¡± ¡°Everyone! A young man is here to teach you about Adventurers! Come over if you want to listen!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Wait, he¡¯s old!¡± ¡°He looks like a weakling!¡± They were younger than I expected. I suppose I¡¯d have to start gently then. ¡°Shut up! All of you, come at me at once!¡± And so something new was added to my daily life in the royal capital. CH 46 New Skills ¡°Kyaaa!¡± I ran in the direction of the scream that echoed through the forest. This was the middle of a D-Rank quest. An orc settlement extermination. What kind of fool wanders into a forest where some orcs have settled!? The village who had hired me had also announced that no one must enter it. I saw figures rushing through the forest. A man and a woman. Adventurers. And they were being chased by¡­yes, multiple orcs. Two or three? ¡°Nebby! Keep running!¡± ¡°Haa¡­ha¡­¡± ¡°Fugo-fu!¡± And so I adjusted my route and concealed myself in their path. Yes. They were getting closer. Almost there. As soon as the two Adventurers had run past me, the orcs appeared. Rustle. I jumped out of the bushes and targeted the first orc. ¡°Haa!¡± With a diagonal slash, he was cleaved into two. And then¡­ ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Bugyaaa!¡± I turned my wrist and slashed in the opposite direction. But it was not a deep cut. Still, blood sprayed from the orc as it fell to the ground. Then the last orc arrived and I turned to face it. ¡°Fuga!¡± But the orc stopped when I raised my sword in front of it. My sword was a lot sharper than I expected. It was no wonder it cost so much. ¡°Hyaaa!¡± I shouted as I raised my sword and took a step forward. The orc met me with a swing of his club. However, while I had raised my sword, I hadn¡¯t swung yet. And so as the orc was left open, I slashed its stomach¡­but it was heavy! ¡°Haa!!¡± My whole body moved and rotated with the swing. ¡°Gugyaaa!¡± And then the blade cut all of the way through. What I saw behind it was the other orc. Covered in blood, but with a lighter wound. It was still alive. ¡°Gah¡­!¡± Without losing momentum from the spin, I cut down over it. Then I waited. But there were no other pursuers. I wiped the blood from my blade and sheathed it before turning around. ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked the two who hid behind a tree. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± The Adventurers said awkwardly as they stepped out. They seemed quite young¡­ Perhaps not even seventeen. ¡°Is it just you two here?¡± ¡°There was another, but the orcs¡­¡± So it was too late. There was nothing to be done now. ¡°I see. We should leave this place.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t going to take the orcs back with you?¡± ¡°We are too close to the settlement, and they have a good sense of smell. There is no time to carve them up. Let¡¯s go.¡± As the two stared at the orcs, I forcefully led them away from the scene. It has now been three years since I came to the royal capital. Three years of training and completing quests. I had reached the required number of quest completions for E-Rank, and my promotion was just a matter of time. After that, I worked as a solo D-Rank Adventurer, which was quite unusual. Right now, I was in the middle of one of the quests. Once I felt that we were in a safe enough area, I talked to the two. ¡°So, why were you in such a place?¡± ¡°We heard that orcs had been sighted here, and Biledo suggested we should hunt them, as their meat is delicious. An-and¡­I had killed one before! So¡­¡± Said the boy. There was no innocence left in his eyes as he looked down at the ground. ¡°What is your rank?¡± ¡°F-Rank. We are Fosite and Nebby.¡± Challenging E-Rank orcs when you are F-Rank. Well, if you were in a party¡­ ¡°I see. I¡¯m Ajifu. D-Rank. So you didn¡¯t know there was a settlement?¡± ¡°We just meant to hunt a single wandering orc. And then we would leave.¡± ¡°And yet it is your recklessness that got your friend killed. You must never forget that. The sun will set soon. We will return to the village.¡± I had meant to attack the settlement tonight, but the forest was already getting dark. And now that the orcs were alerted, it was better to wait. I pushed the back of the boy, who bit his lip. The three years of training and working as a solo D-Ranker had brought definite growth. Compared to E-Rank, the reward for D-Rank quests were very high, and since I got to keep everything as a solo Adventurer, I did not lack money for living expenses. And so the pace at which I completed quests slowed down even further. Because of this, compared to two years ago, my level did not rise much. However, I did spend that much more time training, and my skills had shown a lot of growth. Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 26 LV: 22(+3) HP: 171/171(+15) Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv4(+1), Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv3(+1), Carving Lv5(+1), Leatherworker Lv2, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv8(+3), Magic Manipulation Lv9,(+3) Everyday Magic(light/water/earth), Sword Art Lv12(+5), Night Vision Lv1, Parallel Thought Lv1 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God, Adventurer, Creator¡¯s Blessing. Compared to my first year, my sword skills have not risen as quickly, but it was only natural for the speed to drop once you reached a certain level. However, I did pass level 10, which is where you were considered to be a full-fledged fighter, and I also passed the first level of training at the school. Now, I even helped with training new students. As for carpentry, I helped the church with their charity work, which sometimes involved repairing things and making wooden swords for children. That was how it went up. Thanks to this, I earned the Creator¡¯s Blessing title, and also acquired light magic. The problem was, ¡®Parallel Thought.¡¯ Now that was a dramatic acquisition. I had been training at the dojo, and was able to use magic manipulation while doing the sword art forms at the same time. Would I acquire a body strengthening skill!? Or some magic skill? I wondered with expectation as I looked at my status. At first, I was very disappointed. Had all that magic manipulation while spinning the pen and training not counted as magic training? However, this skill was actually quite useful. After all, I could train with magic manipulation even while walking. However, doing two things at once was very tiring. ¡°I, um¡­¡± The girl started to talk to me. I stopped and turned to look at her. ¡°Thank you for saving us. I just wanted to thank you properly. It was amazing how you killed those orcs so quickly!¡± The girl¡­Nebby, was it? She bowed deeply. Her hair was a bright blue color. Oh, dear. While she was F-Rank, she must have only just been promoted from G-Rank. We were in a dark forest, and yet she didn¡¯t even think to keep her eyes peeled. ¡°If only Biledo hadn¡¯t fallen so quickly, we would have been just fine!¡± Fosite said angrily. His red hair seemed to emphasize the strength of his will. Apparently, he had killed an orc before, but by the looks of him, it might have been more of a coincidence. ¡°You let your guard down too easily. Keep your voice low, unless you are trying to call the monsters. It¡¯s this ignorance that puts others in danger.¡± I said as I unsheathed my sword. ¡°Though, it¡¯s too late now.¡± I said as I raised my sword towards Fosite. ¡°What!?¡± Clang. As I swung my sword towards the shadow above Fosite¡¯s head, there was a metallic clang and the thing jumped back. It could block this sword. It was hard. And light. The thing was a giant spider. A two-meter beast that lurked in the shadows. And it had rained down from above. I had never seen a giant spider before, but they were well-known and feared in these lands. I believe that their fangs were poisonous. And they were D-Rank. Dangerous. As Fosite stood there, stunned, I pushed him away and swung my sword again. The giant spider jumped back and landed on one of the trees. Yes, it was so light on its feet. As if it didn¡¯t weigh anything. Perhaps it was due to webs that I couldn¡¯t see. Clang. The giant spider jumped between the trees, and every time beast and sword met, a high-pitched ring echoed. It jumped as soon as it landed, and bared its vicious fangs at me. It was all I could do to keep it off of me. Shiiiiiiii!! However, it suddenly stopped on one tree, and let out a hiss as it opened its mouth. A sense of dread fell over me as I raised my shield, but then something pulled it. ¡°Woah!?¡± It happened so suddenly that my legs moved forward, but I managed to stop myself from tripping. It had spat out webs from its mouth! ¡­Huh? But spiders don¡¯t do that? CH 47 What I Lost Slash. I cut the web that was attached to my shield, and then the tense webs snapped loudly. This caused the Giant Spider to fall back, lose its balance, and plummet to the ground. It finally came down! I rushed towards it in order to attack. Clang. First, I wanted to deal with its legs, so it could no longer climb the trees, but the shell on its legs was hard! It used two of its eight legs to block my sword, and then began to thrust with them. I only had one sword, and it had two. But I could not allow it to overwhelm me. ¡°Arrrghhh!¡± I just have to block it with my shield, and push it back with speed and chained attacks! And then! Clang. Finally, one of the legs gave in under the pressure of successive attacks, and went flying up. ¡°Yes!¡± I thrust my sword into the inner joint of the leg, and severed it. Good. Its hind legs wouldn¡¯t be able to reach me. Now I could see its head! Clang. The sound rang as my shield blocked the other leg. Shhhhhhhhiiiiii! Its mandibles rose and a string of webs shot out. But I knew it would do that! I dodged it easily. It then moved while still spewing the webs. And just as I swung my sword down on its head¡­ Thud. ¡°What?!¡± Something slammed into my back. It was Fosite. The Giant Spider wasn¡¯t trying to dodge me at all. It had caught Fosite in its webs and was pulling him closer. I lost my balance and stumbled. This was bad. However, instead of attacking me, the Giant Spider jumped high into the air. Was it running away!? That¡¯s what I thought. However, it landed on the ground near Nebby, who was too stunned to move. It bared its fangs and started to attack Nebby. Damn it! I wouldn¡¯t be able to reach them in time! ¡°Arrghhh!¡± Still, I ran and then threw the sword I was carrying. Stab. After flying through the air, the blade plunged into the soft stomach. The Giant Spider shook violently. However it continued to hover over Nebby. Still, I had slowed it down! It was enough! The Giant Spider¡¯s wide jaw moved towards Nebby. And in the nick of time, I jumped in and kicked its biting head. Bam. The Giant Spider¡¯s head was thrown back, along with my greave and torn right leg. ¡°Gaaahhh!¡± A burning pain shot up my right leg, but I had to ignore it now! I pulled out the short sword at my belt, and from a kneeling position, leapt onto the Giant Spider¡¯s head. Stab. The blade burrowed deep within. The giant spider¡¯s head fell to the ground, but its legs were still twitching. As if embracing it, I plunged the short sword into the neck, and then it finally stopped moving. It hurrtttttsss!! ¡°Gah!¡± But I was a man. I gritted my teeth and held the wound as I grabbed a potion from my bag. ¡°He-here!¡± ¡°Gaahh¡­¡± Nebby handed me a potion, which I poured over my leg, and I drank the potion from my bag. After a moment, the pain began to subside a little. ¡°Haa¡­haa¡­¡± Finally, the wound closed up and the bleeding stopped. But when I looked down, everything below my right calf was gone. Potions did not reconnect or regrow what had been severed. ¡°Uh, I¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ah, the other two were panicking as well. ¡°Fosite. You carve up that Giant Spider. Take the magic stones, fangs, and the web sack if it¡¯s not damaged. Nebby. Find a tree branch that I can use as a staff¡­ Though, that might not be enough. Well, find me several of them.¡± ¡°Ye-yes.¡± ¡°Ye-yes.¡± As the fangs of a Giant Spider were poisonous, I should drink an antidote potion as well. With the gathered branches I made a fire, and then I used my carpentry skill to combine the branches Nebby gathered to make an emergency crutch. As halving all that weight on one foot would be hard, I wrapped my stump with leather and attached a stick to it. It was not stable, and I couldn¡¯t put much weight on it, but it did help keep me balanced. It would have to do until we reached the village. ¡°Um, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Nebby said as she bowed her head. ¡°You might want to save that for when we reach the village. As you can see, I can no longer fight, so I¡¯m now relying on you. If you feel sorry for me, keep your eyes on our surroundings.¡± I said as I scanned the forest, which was now covered in darkness. This was no time to relax. ¡°Light.¡± I raised my hand and created a light source that was about the size of a softball. If it was just me, I could use my night vision skill, but there were two others here as well. ¡°Are you a priest?¡± ¡°No, just a believer.¡± I rose up on one leg in order to test the crutch. I think I might have made it a little too short? The three of us moved through the dark forest. But with one person walking with a crutch, we could not move very quickly. I had spent many nights in a forest. However, it was very different when you could not hold a weapon. I felt as if there were monsters hiding in the shadows of every tree. And that we were being targeted from above as well. I was being crushed with anxiety. My leg, which should have been healed, began to hurt again. Perhaps I should have spent more money on armor instead of an expensive sword. Even though I knew it was pointless to regret, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. I suppose my spirit had weakened. Was there a gap inside of me, now that I had lost a part of my body? As I thought of such things, Fosite raised his voice. ¡°Up ahead! Two goblins!¡± ¡°Gugyaa!! ¡°Gya-gya!¡± ¡°Fosite. You¡¯re too loud. They noticed us.¡± ¡°Goblins aren¡¯t anything to fear!¡± Fosite raised his spear and moved forward. To think that I had to rely on him now¡­ ¡­Hmm? No, wait, wait! Why had I given up on fighting? That¡¯s not right, is it!? I¡¯m broken. This is the end. No, I wouldn¡¯t let that happen! ¡°Get out of my way.¡± I told Fosite in a low voice. ¡°No, not with that leg¡­¡± ¡°Gugya!¡± As the goblin rushed forward, I cast aside the crutch and stood on one leg as I unsheathed my sword. ¡°Stand back.¡± Again, this time with a kind of rage in my voice. It was intimidating enough to make Fosite step back with his spear. ¡°Gya-gya!¡± The goblin swung its club without a hint of caution. While I couldn¡¯t move towards it, I could attack from here. ¡°Gya!¡± While on one foot, I held my sword towards the ground, and then swung upwards into its body. The speed of my sword was different! But even with my center of gravity shifting, I concentrated on the trunk of my body. Please work, Parallel Thought. ¡°Gugya!¡± As the goblin was cut in half, the other goblin approached from behind. Now that my blade was high in the air, I slashed downwards with it. Oh. My body was taken with the swing. Moving your upper body like this really affected your center of gravity. Around me¡­there were no monsters. I wiped my blade and returned it to its sheath. Then I picked up my crutch again. ¡°So, Fosite. Nebby.¡± ¡°Ye-yes.¡± ¡°Ye-yes.¡± ¡°Sorry, but from the looks of things, I can¡¯t rely on you. You go on ahead and return to the village.¡± ¡°Oh, but we couldn¡¯t¡­¡± I turned Light off, and we were surrounded in darkness. But when I squinted with my night vision skill, I could see the usual night time forest sprawling out. I didn¡¯t feel scared of the darkness anymore. ¡°You saved our lives! We cannot leave you here!¡± Nebby agreed. ¡°You lost a friend and put your own lives in danger, yet you haven¡¯t learned anything. I¡¯m not using this body to look after you anymore.¡± ¡°You talk as if we are baggage, but you can barely walk! Fine, if you wish to die so much! Nebby! Let¡¯s go!¡± Fosite lit a torch and gestured for Nebby to follow him. While Nebby glanced back at me a few times, the two walked on ahead. I did feel bad about it. If my body had been in perfect health, I may have taught them the basics of being an Adventurer. They were young, and this could have been a rare opportunity for them to learn something important. I didn¡¯t know how I was going to face the children at the orphanage now. However, with their current ability, a rescue mission was impossible. And if they tried to help me, we would just get in each other¡¯s way. A drowning person must not latch onto another drowning person. While it looked bad, separating was the best way for each of us to make the most of our ability. ¡°Now¡­¡± This was no time to be worrying about other people. And so I continued at a slow pace with my crutch through the forest. All I could hear were the sounds of insects and the chirping of birds. The forest air was the same as always. As I cautiously continued onwards, I came upon a goblin corpse that had its magic stone removed. They must have defeated it. Thankfully, I didn¡¯t encounter any monsters, and eventually, the village came within sight. Though, when I finally arrived, bonfires had been lit, and security seemed to be heavy. CH 48 A New Hope? ¡°That¡¯s why I told you going solo was reckless!¡± Bam! The sound of the chief hitting his desk echoed through the room. After using my crutch to return to the village, I was led to the chief¡¯s house and surrounded by villagers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but with this leg, the quest is a failure. I will pay the penalty at the guild, which you can accept.¡± ¡°It may be over for you once you¡¯ve paid the money, but it is not the case for this village! What if we are attacked in the meantime!¡± ¡°Judging by the size of the settlement, they will not be attacking anytime soon. Though, you should still avoid going into the forest for now.¡± I had checked the forest the day before the night attack, obviously. ¡°But you abandoned Biledo and ran from the orcs!¡± Bam! The desk was hit again. So that¡¯s what he was told. I think that was the name of Fosite¡¯s friend. Was he an Adventurer that was born in this village then? ¡°They aren¡¯t so slow as to let their prey escape when it¡¯s moving on one leg. This leg was torn off by a Giant Spider we encountered on the way.¡± I took out a wrapped up Giant Spider fang from my bag and dropped it heavily onto the table. The people in the room gasped. ¡°What!? That is not what Fosite said! Are you lying to me?!¡± ¡°But chief, it¡¯s true that he wouldn¡¯t be able to escape from the orcs with that leg. Now, tell us mister. What happened to Biledo?¡± Said a tall villager. So Fosite was from this village too. Perhaps all three were. ¡°When I was on my way to the orc settlement, I encountered two people running away from it. They were being chased by orcs. While I defeated the orcs, I did not see this Biledo. Because of this incident, I had to cancel my plan to ambush the orcs. And then on our way back to this village, a Giant Spider did this to me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Hey, bring Fosite and Nebby.¡± Two people left the room. They were probably going to go and look for them. ¡°Hey, chief.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been through a lot. With losing a friend and all. So¡­don¡¯t be too harsh on them.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The chief did not reply. There was silence for quite some time after that, and then the door cracked open. However, the only person who came was Nebby. And she was in tears. It was only her voice that echoed through the room repeatedly, ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡­¡¯ Ah. They made her cry. ¡°Nebby. Crying does not tell us anything. Will you explain once again, what happened?¡± ¡°Sniff¡­ The truth is¡­sniff¡­Biledo was killed by the orcs. That man¡­helped¡­us¡­and¡­then¡­a spider attacked. Sniff¡­he lost¡­his leg¡­trying to save¡­us¡­¡± That was all she was able to say. She then collapsed into a puddle of tears and had to be taken away. While Nebby was gone, there was no sign of Fosite coming. As I wondered what had happened to him, the door opened again and one of the villagers entered. ¡°What is it? Where is Fosite?¡± ¡°He ran away.¡± ¡°What?!¡± And so the interrogation came to a close. As there was unlikely to be an orc attack, some guards were posted and the state of alert was lifted. In the end, Fosite was not found, and I decided to return to the royal capital the following morning. As I had failed to exterminate the orcs, I had to contact the guild immediately so they could send someone else. Neigh! I led Hyuga from the stables and petted his neck. It was as if he noticed there was something different with me as I walked with a crutch. And his eyes looked almost worried. ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can rely on.¡± Neigh! Oh, how comforting. But when I tried to mount him, I could not get my foot in the stirrup with just one leg. This was a problem. As I had no choice, I held the saddle and used all of my strength to pull and climb my way up. Hyuga seemed startled by this at first, but stayed still. Yes, thank you. Once I was in the saddle, the chief handed me my crutch and spear. He had given me a simple spear so that I could protect myself on the road. My shield was strapped to my other belongings. ¡°Nebby and Fosite were born in this village. And so I can¡¯t accept any money for breach of contract when you saved their lives.¡± ¡°With Adventurers, it is a matter of trust. Please don¡¯t worry about me.¡± I bowed my head and headed towards the gate. Right in front of the village gate, Nebby stood. She was looking at the ground and her shoulders were shaking. ¡°Nebby.¡± I stopped and called her. She slowly raised her face. Ahh. Her eyes were swollen and she looked terrible. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my leg. I just used my body during a desperate moment. That is all.¡± ¡°Bu-but!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Also, if you ever do see Fosite again, tell him this. ¡®From where you are, rise up again.¡¯¡¯ Maybe he is listening right now? I said it in a loud voice. ¡°I will.¡± Oh!? Some strength seemed to return to Nebby¡¯s eyes? ¡°Good bye then.¡± And with that, I rode on from the village, without looking back. ¡ª ¡°You heard that, didn¡¯t you?¡± I could hear Fosite crying quietly in the shadows of the shed. He must be feeling so hopelessly pitiful and full of regret. But it¡¯s not just him! I feel the same. That man¡­ Mr. Ajifu. He was riding away on his horse. He did not even look back. Adventurers of higher rank have a different kind of resolve. I spoke to the whimpering voice I could still hear from the shadows. ¡°I will continue to be an Adventurer, even if I have to do it alone. If I give up here, it will be an insult to Biledo.¡± ¡°Nebby!¡± Upon hearing this, Fosite came out of the shadows and raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll go too. I will do what Mr. Ajifu said and rise up again!¡± While he was still crying, he held his hands in tight, shaking fists. ¡°Then I will go too. Now, will you go and apologize?¡± I said as I took his hands in my own. Fosite raised his eyes to look at me. Yes, he seemed fine now. We looked at each other and both nodded. ¡°Watch me, Mr. Ajifu. I will catch up with you one day!¡± He promised. And then we both stared at Mr. Ajifu¡¯s back as he faded away into the distance. ¡ª Hmm. I would not look very cool if I turned back to wave at her now. But that just made me want to do it even more. I mused about such things while rocking back and forth on Hyuga¡¯s back. There were so many things that were inconvenient when you only had one leg on the road. However, the worst was definitely getting off and on my horse. If you traveled away from the main roads of the capital, then you would occasionally encounter monsters. However, I could not get off every time that happened. And so if they were weak monsters, I would scare them away with arrows. And if they still wouldn¡¯t leave me alone¡­ ¡°Hyah!¡± ¡°Kyain!¡± It was mounted combat. This was against forest wolves. I skewered one with my spear. Now there were two left. But as I only had one foot in my stirrups, I was not well-balanced on my horse. I would have to make adjustments. With so little stability, I dare not let go of the reins. And if I had to wield my spear with just one hand, then I was limited to thrust attacks. ¡°Ha!¡± ¡°Kyau!¡± There was a wolf on both sides, and I stabbed one of them. The other then realized it was on its own, and so it ran away. Phew. While I had managed to defend myself against three forest wolves, both Hyuga and I were not used to this kind of thing, and our movements were scattered. Had they been goblins, it would have been better to run away. A D-Rank Adventurer who is training in the art of the sword in the royal capital¡­running from goblins on the road. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the thought. How was I going to be able to live with this leg? How was I going to survive? I could not help but feel anxious about it. However, I was wrong to do so. Because what I really should be thinking about was¡­ How am I going to grow a new leg? That. This was another world. It was possible to regrow a limb. Of course, it would not be easy. In order to do this, one would need the high ranking healing magic, Regenerate. However, in order to receive this blessing from the church, you had to make an enormous donation. I didn¡¯t know the actual price, but it was said to be very high. And as someone who wasn¡¯t even sure how he was going to make money as an Adventurer now, it would be difficult to pay such a sum. Who knew how long it would take. Perhaps there was another option. Use my knowledge from earth to make a profit. However, there was yet another option as well. I could learn Regenerate myself. Of course, I knew that it would not be easy to learn such a high-ranking spell. But, there was something inside of me that was shouting. ¡®How powerful would a warrior be if he could heal himself?¡¯ ¡®Like a holy warrior?¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t care. I just want to use magic.¡¯ Such desires welled up in me! Making a profit? That could always be a plan B! Thankfully, my charity work made me friends in the church. And I had fulfilled one of the requirements to acquire light magic, which was the baptism. First, I would try and ask the priest directly. It was with this renewed sense of purpose that I approached the royal capital. CH 49 Aftermath ¡°Mr. Ajifu!! What happened to your leg!?¡± In the main floor of the Adventurers Guild in the royal capital, Ms. Eily¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°Ah, a Giant Spider got me. I couldn¡¯t finish the quest because of it. Can you file it as a failure?¡± ¡°This is the first time that you¡¯ve failed a quest, Mr. Ajifu. And by a Giant Spider¡­ Was there more to this quest than what was on the surface?¡± ¡°No, I already killed the Giant Spider, so the orcs are the only ones remaining. I just happened to make a mistake.¡± I had now known Ms. Eily for three years. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Ms. Eily.¡± ¡°Stop that!¡± Bang. Woah! That was a surprise. She was always so calm. But now, she had hit the counter angrily. Everyone around us grew silent at once. They were looking in our direction with surprise. ¡°Ah, oh, sorry. But I send Adventurers away from this counter every day. And the only thing I hope for is that they return safely. You train hard, Mr. Ajifu, and you¡¯re an honest worker. That¡¯s why I never worried about you. And yet¡­¡± Ms. Eily held a hand to her mouth and then left the counter. It seems like I was making women cry a lot lately. As I scratched my head awkwardly, a kind-looking and short old man came up to me. ¡°Is there trouble, Mr. Ajifu?¡± ¡°No. I just happened to misplace my foot on location.¡± I said as I pointed downward. ¡°Ah, is that so? That¡¯s very¡­¡± Not only was he a former A-Rank Adventurer and great sorcerer, but he was highly-regarded for his management of the guild. The Guild Master of the Royal Adventurers Guild. Appearances really weren¡¯t everything. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about that. By the way, do you know of any craftsmen who make artificial limbs?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I do. Every single one who is working in the royal capital, including their apprentices. I can introduce you to a veteran who specializes in legs.¡± So there was such a demand that he became quite knowledgeable about them. Indeed, that was sad. ¡°Actually, I would prefer someone new. Someone who likes to make odd adjustments.¡± Once my business at the guild was finished, I had to go to the sword school. This would be the hardest part. ¡°Oomph.¡± I dismounted from Hyuga in front of the gate and led him to the stables. As someone who used a crutch, I was grateful that he followed me without having to be pulled. I went inside from a different door than usual, and then rang the bell. ¡°Yeees!¡± Came a woman¡¯s voice from the back. ¡°Ah, Mr. Ajifu. What can I do for¡­ Mr. Ajifu! Your leg! What happened!?¡± It was Ms. Mishun, who was instructor Raynard¡¯s younger sister. She seemed quite young when I first arrived in the city, but had become quite alluring recently. Even after she married, she would still come to help at the school and train. ¡°I bungled the job. Is the instructor here?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll call him at once! Brother! His leg! Mr. Ajifu!¡± Uh, who¡¯s going to understand that¡­ ¡°You did it, Mr. Ajifu. You really went and did it¡­¡± ¡°I was too green. I came here in order to learn from you, and now this happens. I am terribly sorry.¡± I bowed my head. ¡°I see¡­ And did our teachings benefit you, Mr. Ajifu?¡± ¡°I was able to save a girl¡¯s life. I have no regrets.¡± This time, I said it while looking straight into his eyes. ¡°I am relieved to hear that, at the very least. But what will you do now?¡± ¡°I mean to test various things out. However, I will not be able to come here as regularly as before.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed. Things will not be easy for you now, but if there is anything we can do, then let us know. I will try and help.¡± ¡°Thank you. And I will, if the time comes.¡± I bowed my head once again. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to the others in the school as well. Please come with me.¡± When we arrived, the others surrounded us. ¡°You clumsy bastard!¡± ¡°Mr. Ajifu!? I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°Are you alright? What are you going to do now?¡± ¡°What were you fighting?¡± ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯ll explain. To put it simply, it was against a Giant Spider, and when I kicked its head in order to save a girl, it bit off my leg.¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°Are you stupid?¡± ¡°Yes, he is stupid.¡± ¡°I knew that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s typical Ajifu.¡± ¡°So, did you even save this girl?¡± Jirido asked with a serious expression. ¡°Of course, I did.¡± I said proudly. ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. Come back when you have a prosthetic leg. I¡¯ll help you train.¡± ¡°Aye, thank you.¡± I said as I firmly put a hand on his shoulder. That¡¯s right. I had to think about how I would fight with a prosthetic leg. There was so much to do. And I would take it on one at a time. And so I visited the prosthetic limb workshop that the Guild Master introduced me to. It was in a back alley that was behind another back alley. A place that no one would be able to find if they didn¡¯t already know about it. There was a mountain of junk piled there, and at a glance, you couldn¡¯t tell what kind of workshop it was. Hmm. This was not good. They should start from the basics of crafting. ¡°Is the owner here?¡± ¡°Yes! Just wait one moment!¡± Said a slender young man with brown hair as he came out of the mountain of trash. ¡°Well, do you mind if I give you some advice?¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± The young man looked at me with a puzzled expression. ¡°Keeping things in order isn¡¯t just a matter of appearances. Is this a mountain of trash? No! This is supposed to be the fruit of your continued testing, your ideas and your failures! Why do you allow the experience and ideas to be buried under this heap? Ideas aren¡¯t just born, but can be layered! They can be born from trial and error and¡­¡± I suddenly came back to myself and saw that he was looking at me dumbly. Damn it! I was suddenly lecturing as if I was back in my factory days! I worked so hard to become young again, and yet my heart is cursed to be that of an old man. I would be no surprise if the owner was fed up with me. However, with glittering eyes he shook my hand with a firm grip. Oh!? So he understood then? ¡°If you feel so strongly about it, you must want to help?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I tried to remove my hand, but his grip was tight and he would not let go. ¡°You will¡­help me, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°WHHHAAT!?¡± Ultimately, I ended up helping him clean up until sun down. I had wanted to go to church¡­ The owner¡¯s name was Rones, and even after we had finished cleaning up, I had not been released from the workshop. ¡°So, why did you come here, Mr. Ajifu? Though, I am grateful that you helped tidy up here.¡± ¡°You finally ask! Just look at my leg! I came here so you could make me a prosthetic leg!¡± ¡°Ah, a leg, huh?¡± Upon hearing this, he suddenly looked like he had lost interest. I could understand why. After all, it was just a block of wood that you attached to what was left of your leg. ¡°But I have a specific one that I want you to make.¡± And then I explained to him the structure, which involved a flat spring. To be honest, I would be as good as a scarecrow if I used an ordinary wooden leg. I didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d be able to move. Of course, I was basing this design off the atheletes I had seen on tv. However, I had no actual knowledge of prosthetics, and my memory was not clear. And so my plan was to give this idea to a craftsman in this world and have them make it. After hearing my explanation, Rones started to look interested as he said, ¡®Hoho. With that structure!¡¯ ¡°Even if I order this, I will need a temporary leg to live in the meantime. So I would like to ask you to make that first.¡± ¡°Very well. I will make it right now.¡± ¡°What? Now!?¡± ¡°I need the cooperation of the wearer when making it. Will you help me?¡± ¡°What!?¡± The temporary leg was not completed until the morning of the following day. CH 50 Next Destination The temporary prosthetic leg that was made fit me quite well. Thankfully, since I still had my knee, I was able to walk in it, even if it was awkward. And so I was able to trade in my crutch for a walking stick. As I had stayed up all night, I slept in the morning and then headed to the church in the afternoon. I stopped right in front of the church, which I was now so familiar with. Well, it was time to go in. The doors felt heavier than usual. ¡°Ah, welcome, Mr. Ajifu.¡± Said the nun who greeted me. ¡°Is the priest inside?¡± ¡°Yes, please just wait one moment.¡± She ran to the back, and after some time, returned with the priest. ¡°Mr. Ajifu, what happened to your leg?¡± The priest said in a concerned voice upon seeing that I was using a cane. ¡°In fact, that¡¯s what I came here to talk to you about.¡± I said, and then sat down on a bench and removed the prosthetic leg. I heard the priest and the nun gasp. ¡°As you can see, I lost my leg during a quest.¡± ¡°¡­That is quite unfortunate.¡± ¡°The first thing that I want to ask is, how much do I need to donate to the church in order to request the Regenerate miracle?¡± ¡°The Regenerate miracle can only be used by the most high-ranking bishops. Unfortunately, there is no one of that rank in the city of Razsita. You would have to go to the great cathedral in Holia, and would need to bring at least three platinum coins with you.¡± Three platinum¡­ That would be around thirty million yen in Japan. I suppose it was the same in every world. You needed money in order to receive the best medical treatment. ¡°That is not something I can afford. Father, I will not pursue that avenue.¡± ¡°It cannot be helped.¡± ¡°Still, it would be very difficult to continue to swing my sword as an Adventurer in this body. But perhaps I can help others with light magic. What do you think?¡± ¡°Are you saying that you want to train so you can chant the holy verses of light?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That would be difficult with your circumstances.¡± But I would not give up so easily. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Only those who belong to the church or who have entered the holy school are allowed to learn it. And I am not allowed to just let anyone join the church.¡± ¡°What must I do then?¡± ¡°New personnel are decided by the order or permission of the great church. Currently, there are already too many candidates from people raised in the orphanage, who have family connections, or graduated from the holy school.¡± It sounded very difficult indeed. ¡°Ho-however, surely there are a lot of students who graduate and become Adventurers?¡± ¡°Yes, that is the problem. A priest in training is someone who belongs to the church. However, due to there being too many people, many students end up leaving the church and freely work as Adventurers. And that is seen as a problem.¡± ¡°Why is that a problem?¡± ¡°In general, there are no tuition fees. Both the church and state pay management fees in order to support the faith. And so they are not happy by the idea that someone would become an Adventurer without training.¡± It was an issue of sponsors then!? And now that was a barrier for me¡­ ¡°I see¡­¡± Having lost all hope, my hands dropped to the bench and I groaned. ¡°Mr. Ajifu, it is not over yet. I only said that it would be ¡®difficult.¡¯ But it is not impossible.¡± I quickly raised my head and looked at the priest. ¡°So there is a way!?¡± ¡°Yes. Even in this situation, I can think of just one church that is always lacking in personnel.¡± ¡°Please tell me!¡± ¡°But this church is located very far from here, and in a dangerous land. But the priest there is an old acquaintance of mine, and can be rather odd. Any new priests or apprentices who are sent there do not last long, which has troubled him. So I think that he would accept you, Mr. Ajifu.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care where it is if I am accepted! I will go!¡± ¡°Are you certain? It is in Megidos, the country of sand, you know? It will be a terrible trial for you, now that you lost a leg, Mr. Ajifu.¡± The sand country of Megidos. I had heard of there being a great desert that stops people from coming and going. The severe nature torments people while strengthening the monsters. However, that was not enough to stop me! ¡°Of course, I am aware of the risk.¡± I declared firmly. ¡°I can see your resolve, Mr. Ajifu. I will write to him then. It should take¡­one or two months to receive a reply, so please wait until then.¡± ¡°Thank you, father! I will never forget this debt I owe you.¡± ¡°It is all under Lord Memrikia¡¯s guidance. And I do not see this as a debt. In fact, you may come to hate me for this.¡± Indeed, it would not be an easy road. However, I had hope once again! There were two ways to go to the sand country of Megidos. One was a road going through Razsita, and four other countries. The other was to go over the mountains and go through the dwarven kingdom, and the great desert before reaching Megidos. There was no actual road, and since it was not a route that anyone took, there was no map, and I didn¡¯t know the exact distance. All I knew was a general direction. I would easily die. Of course, I had to choose the direction that would take me through four countries. I won¡¯t deny that the dwarven kingdom sounded appealing to me, but it was much too reckless. Well¡­it all depended on the notification of appointment, I mean, the reply to the letter. However, since it would be a very long journey, I had to start getting ready now. That being said, the life of an Adventurer was already full of traveling, so all I really needed to do was: Get my prosthetic leg. Train to fight while wearing it. Get stirrups that can be used with a prosthetic leg. Train to fight while on horseback. Something like that. In any case, it all depended on the finished product, so I would go to Rones¡¯s workshop. I hadn¡¯t been there since morning, but there was now a blazing fire, and he was in the process of bending a plank. ¡°Rones. Will it be strong enough if it¡¯s made of wood?¡± ¡°Mr. Ajifu! You¡¯re finally here! I can¡¯t make an order at the blacksmith¡¯s unless the shape is finalized. And so I¡¯m going to make a prototype with the leg mold we made yesterday.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t promise that I¡¯d come earlier. Also, it was this morning, not yesterday.¡± ¡°Nevermind the small details! Now, hurry up and help me!¡± After that, I spent the day feeling like I was an apprentice to a prosthetics craftsman. I suppose it was because I had the carpentry and leather working skills. And so he put me to good use and I ended up staying there for a few days. ¡®I want to focus on crafting it,¡¯ he would say as he made me do all his other work. However, I felt quite emotional whenever I made something that a client liked. But I quickly returned to myself. At least the direction when it came to crafting was decided immediately. After all, the shape of the metal plate that would be a spring, and the thickness that would be the repulsion meant there were already so many things to test. However, we had limited time and funds. It was a matter of compromising and crafting with just the essential points. Rones did not look happy about it, but it could not be helped. We even made a sandbox in the workshop so I could experiment with walking in the sand. And after two weeks, we finally had something. Well, it was due to that being the limit of how long I could pay for a single craftsman¡¯s time. The completed leg looked like boots from the knee down. And from the foot, it used a metal plank as a spring that curved upwards around where the toes would be, into a dummy shoe. I could make the rest with wood and leather, and maintain it myself. It was very well-made, and I could now walk without a cane. ¡°This is very impressive. Thank you, Rones.¡± ¡°No, I should be thanking you. This is without a doubt, my finest work.¡± ¡°If someone else comes and needs a prosthetic leg, I hope you will make this for them.¡± ¡°Yes. One day, I shall help many people regain their freedom.¡± He said, and we shook hands. The first step I took with this leg, was the first step to a new tomorrow! Some images from Vol.2 of the light novel. CH 51 Test Drive Clang. Cling. The sounds of metal hitting metal echoed through the dojo. I had come in order to train while wearing the prosthetic leg. ¡°Well, you can swing your sword just fine. That¡¯s a rather good leg.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it? It was very hard to make.¡± But it was well worth the effort it took Rones. Even if I swung hard with my sword, I could maintain my posture without losing my balance. ¡°However, you cannot help that you stay on the defensive.¡± That was just it. When my false leg was in the front, it was hard to move to the right or left. Which made it difficult to move forward. This meant it would be a very bad fit against spears. ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll be forced to react to my opponent¡¯s movements.¡± Wait my turn. ¡°Also, you won¡¯t be able to use a shield or two-handed sword. I¡¯m sure you already know, but things will be severe.¡± I gave up on shields, because the movement when changing to an attack was too big. I had also tried a two-handed sword, but the speed when transitioning from a defensive stance to an attack was much too slow. It was a weapon for an aggressive style. ¡°However, you can swing a sword.¡± ¡°Aye. I can fight.¡± We both grinned at each other. ¡°If you focus on being defensive and reacting, that will make things difficult for your opponent as well. Obviously, if they know your limitations, they might exploit it, but most will not understand you at first.¡± The weapon I chose was the bastard sword, which I was already familiar with. However, I held it with two hands. ¡°Now, you just need to get in a real fight. I¡¯d accompany you, if I could, but¡­¡± In spite of appearance, Jirido was a guard at the royal castle. He could not take time off to go with an Adventurer. ¡°I¡¯ll start with some goblins.¡± ¡°Be less clumsy this time.¡± ¡°Aye, I know.¡± And then I visited the Adventurers Guild. I tore off a goblin settlement extermination quest for the E-Rank quest board. And then I took it to the reception counter. With these things, it was all about momentum. ¡°Hey, Ms. Eily.¡± I said casually, but she did not look up from the counter. ¡°I¡¯m doing this one.¡± I put the sheet on the counter. ¡°You cannot accept a quest like this!¡± She said in alarm when she saw it. Well, I couldn¡¯t blame her for that reaction. ¡°Then put me to the test. To see if I can fight.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let me take a guild combat test.¡± Surely this wasn¡¯t an unreasonable request. After thinking about this silently for a moment, Ms. Eily got up from her chair. ¡°I will ask the Guild Master about it. Wait one moment.¡± After waiting there for awhile, the Guild Master came down, along with Ms. Eily and one other Adventurer. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. I hear that you wish to undergo a test?¡± ¡°Yes. Is Deats my opponent then?¡± The Adventurer who accompanied the Guild Master was Deats, who worked exclusively in the royal capital. He was a B-Ranker, who had been blessed with a large physique and wielded a two-handed sword that was equally impressive. This would be a challenge. ¡°Ah, Ajifu. I heard about your leg. That was some ill luck. Do you know, Eily actually told me to hurt you so you wouldn¡¯t do anything reckless.¡± But her protests were ignored. After being in the city for three years, you start to get to know the Adventurers here. And I had trained with him in the past. ¡°So there it is. The guild has no objections to learning the ability of its Adventurers. However, since you want to be tested, I suppose this means that you¡¯re positive about your prospects?¡± ¡°Well, that depends on Deats over there.¡± ¡°Oh? You sound very confident, Ajifu.¡± I was just glad to be able to to test my new equipment and skills. And so I would not hold back! ¡­Though, I did not say any of this. I didn¡¯t want him to get cautious. And so we then headed to the guild training ground. As there was the dojo, I did not come here often. But there were a few other Adventurers using it today. ¡°That leg looks pretty good. You can walk well without a stick.¡± ¡°Rones is very skilled. It was a good thing he was introduced to me.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that why you¡¯re confident?¡± Stop asking questions! I chose my training weapon and faced Deats. ¡°Hmm? No shield?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to use with just one leg.¡± We both knew how the other fought. And so we kept the right distance from each other. ¡°On your signal, Guild Master.¡± ¡°Aye, then begin!¡± Crunch. I went into a low stance. I looked at my feet in the sand, and started quietly. The spring of my prosthetic leg held up my weight just right. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? This is your test. Come at me.¡± He could say what he liked. I was careful to keep the weight on my false leg as I slowly moved forward. ¡°If you won¡¯t come¡­¡± Clang. As Deats raised his sword from a low stance to a middle one, I kicked the dirt with the prosthetic leg. And then I thrust with the sword along its movement, and it was swept aside, just like I thought it would be. ¡°Hyah!¡± Now there was an opening in front of him. I slashed downwards, aiming at his hand. But he quickly let go with one hand and stepped back. At the same time, I used my front leg to jump back and return to my original spot. I wished that I could have moved in instead, but I couldn¡¯t get greedy. And so slid forward once again. A drop of sweat flowed down from Deats¡¯s forehead. The tip of Deats¡¯s sword, which was held at his center, swayed. Clang. ¡°Hah.¡± As he thrust forward, I swept it away with an upwards slash, and then tried to swing down from above. But he read my movements and retreated. ¡°Good. I think you might be better now than before your injury?¡± Deats said with amusement as he took a step back. That was ridiculous! I couldn¡¯t even see the thrust earlier. It was just a prediction, based off of his first move. However, right now, I was happy for this misunderstanding. If he knew that I was weaker than before, I would lose immediately. And so I grinned back at him confidently. ¡°Arrgghhh!¡± From a slight distance, Deats stepped forward and shouted as he unleashed a sideways slash attack. I couldn¡¯t deal with this attack by moving forward or back. However, this was what I was waiting for! I blocked it while ducking, with all of my weight on my prosthetic leg, and then I swept it to the side. Deats¡¯s body swerved! But I was also pushed by the powerful attack, and my body rose a little. This was not a good stance to be in¡­ ¡°Hyaa!¡± I took a step forward with the prosthetic leg, and thrust out with the sword that had been raised. And then the tip scratched Deats¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Gah.¡± He quickly moved away from me. And with his sword still pointing down, he went into a low stance. In fact, if my prosthetic leg was in front, then it was a pain if he moved to the right or left. It made things difficult for me, but I couldn¡¯t let him know that. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Said the Guild Master. So that¡¯s it then. Well, I suppose it was enough, if this was a test. ¡°Very good, Mr. Ajifu. Your movements were not much different from before the accident.¡± Deats had felt the same, which is why he had unleashed such a strong horizontal attack. With a two-handed sword and high STR, I had to block it with everything that I had as well. ¡°However, you should choose the quests yourself. And even if you are in a party, you should avoid fighting large monsters.¡± Ah, so he was watching carefully after all. ¡°Ouch. Yes, while you did win, you can¡¯t keep fighting in that stance, or people will notice.¡± Tsk. So he noticed that too. That¡¯s right, I had no way of dealing with large monsters that required more movement. And this pattern of swinging while putting all of my weight on the prosthetic leg could not be used so much. ¡°I¡¯m still thinking of what to do.¡± Even moving back and forward was still something I could do little by little. But once I was more used to this leg, I could start adding a center stance to the pattern as well. Besides, by choosing to ¡®wait¡¯ all of the time, this strategy of forcing them to make a decision seemed promising. ¡°Ms. Eily. As you can see, there is no problem, so you can allow him to accept the quest. Of course, if you feel he is trying to do something reckless, then you can reject it without mercy.¡± ¡°If you say so, Guild Master.¡± Ms. Eily did not look at all pleased. Regardless, I was able to annihilate the goblins without any issue. CH 52 Departure (Lord Memrikia, Lord Ibitrayme, give me light magic. Give me light magic. Give me light magic, give me light magic.) That day, I prayed earnestly at the church, just as I always did. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! The reply has arrived!¡± The priest ran towards me while holding a letter. ¡°Ah, I seem to have disturbed your prayers. I¡¯m very sorry.¡± ¡°No, it would appear that my prayers to Lord Memrikia have been answered.¡± I was now completely used to kneeling on my prosthetic leg while praying. And so I had no trouble standing up again. ¡°So, what does it say?¡± ¡°It says, ¡®Come, but be prepare to die.¡¯¡± I refuse! I will not die so easily! ¡°Oh, I will survive and accomplish what I intend to do. And will think of nothing else.¡± ¡°Mr. Ajifu¡­ I¡¯m glad that I recommended you after all. Now, I shall go and write my reply, so please wait here.¡± I waited for some time, and then the priest returned with a letter and a single book. ¡°What is that book, father?¡± ¡°It belonged to a priest in training from this church. Unfortunately, he died halfway through his training. And I thought that you might need it.¡± Hey. What did you say? It better not be cursed or anything. ¡°What do you mean? I might need it?¡± ¡°This is a ¡®holy book.¡¯¡± ¡°A holy book! You are giving me something so valuable?¡± ¡°Yes. As there is no one else who will use it now. And so I thought it would be better to have it with you, rather than in storage.¡± Hmm? That sounded odd. Use it? ¡°Father, what is written in this holy book? Is it not the teachings of god?¡± ¡°Mr. Ajifu, Lord Memrikia does not teach us anything. A god is a being who is just present. This book contains the sacred hymns in Eralt that you must learn. They will guide you as you seek the light.¡± So it was a book of spells! Well, if there really is a god, why don¡¯t they just say that it¡¯s ¡®god¡¯s words¡¯? ¡°I am incredibly grateful! I promise you, I will learn light magic!¡± After all, this was a holy book. Surely it would not be cursed. ¡°I will pray that Lord Memrikia guides you on your journey.¡± Those were his parting words. I also went to say my farewells to the nuns and the people at the orphanage. ¡°Don¡¯t go, Mr. Ajifu!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t forget what you taught us!¡± ¡°Thank you for everything!¡± Well, predictably, the children cried when I left. Some of them had been very small when I started teaching them, and had grown quite a bit. There had been times when I struggled with children who couldn¡¯t swing a sword. There were children who I had taught the joy of carpentry to. Thinking back now, a lot has happened. ¡°Ah! Mr. Ajifu is crying too!¡± ¡°No, this is water magic that comes from the eyes.¡± There was little one could do when they saw the tears of children. They stood by the gate and kept on waving. I waved back and left the orphanage. After that, I went around and said my goodbyes around the royal capital. There was the blacksmith, the armor store, the pharmacist. You started to know people after three years. And I also went to Rone¡¯s workshop, even though we were recently acquainted. ¡°You¡¯re late! I¡¯ve been waiting with these spare parts!¡± ¡°As I said! I made no promises that I¡¯d come!¡± He hadn¡¯t changed at all. And then there was also the Adventurers Guild. I felt nervous going there ever since Ms. Eily started crying. ¡°Ms. Eily. I¡¯d like to report my departure from the royal capital.¡± ¡°I see¡­yes. It cannot be helped with that leg.¡± But I just proved that I can still fight. ¡°Aye, I¡¯m headed to a certain church, where I will be training.¡± ¡°A church? Oh, yes. I think that might be for the best. Where is this church?¡± ¡°In Megidos.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°In the sand country of Megidos.¡± ¡°Uhhh¡­ But you won¡¯t be adventuring, there, will you?¡± ¡°Well, I think that I can do both¡­¡± ¡°You are mad!!¡± Bang. Suddenly, Ms. Eily angrily slammed the top of the counter with her hands. Everything became quiet, and all eyes turned towards us. I had a feeling of deja vu. ¡°You¡¯re going to a place that is even more dangerous than the place where you were injured. Have the screws in your head become loose?¡± I saw people had gathered around us and were grinning now. They were enjoying the show. Ah, there was the guild master now. And Ms. Eily was acting out of character. ¡°Why are Adventurers always like this¡­!! I was a fool to think that you were wiser than that! Yes! Me! I am the fool!¡± And then she stormed away from the counter. ¡°Ajifu, I underestimated you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving the royal capital? Then we must have a farewell party!¡± ¡°The only medicine for fools is wine!¡± I was surrounded by Adventurer acquaintances, and so that night, we reserved an entire tavern. And while Ms. Eily showed up, she did a lot of complaining, and people generally avoided her. Naren and the others, who were now C-Rank, were also there. Seppi was as small and cheerful as ever. Oriore was the same with his drinking. I suppose elves never changed. The partying continued until dawn, when the tavern owner kicked everyone out. Everyone wished me well and dispersed. Well, after the guards came and forced them to. And so I was quite drunk as I returned to my usual inn, the ¡®Pom.¡¯ The innkeeper was still awake. ¡°It¡¯s unusual for you to return so late, Mr. Ajifu. Was it decided then?¡± I had explained things to him in advance. After all, it involved my job. ¡°Aye, and so the Adventurers held a farewell party for me.¡± ¡°I see. It gets lonely when familiar faces leave.¡± He said as he poured me a drink. ¡°But then you meet new people.¡± And so I drank my last drink in the capital. The next morning, after sleeping quite late, I paid off my room at the inn. The innkeeper and his wife saw me off as I headed to the dojo. I went through the familiar gate and told Ms. Mishun that I had come to say goodbye, and she led me inside. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve decided to head to Megidos. I am grateful for everything you taught me. Thank you.¡± First, I talked to instructor Raynard. As this was a dojo, order was important. ¡°You are halfway there when it comes to the path of the sword. No, you have just reached a new entrance. However, since you have spent three years with us, you should be able to sharpen your skill anywhere. It is the swords that connect us. Do not forget that.¡± Of course, I had already told them of my plans to go to Megidos. I was just waiting until I was accepted. ¡°The deserts have many monsters with hard shells. You must keep your blade sharp.¡± Jirido had been a tough teacher. But it was because of him that I was here now. ¡°You¡¯ve trained me to use this sword. And so I will cut through them.¡± We hit our fists together. ¡°Then let the name of this school echo through the sand country.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking too much.¡± I then shook hands with instructor Simmons. You¡¯re squeezing too tight! Ouch! That hurts! ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you, Mr. Ajifu.¡± ¡°Your instructions were always easy to understand, Mr. Kohisemi. Thank you.¡± Mr. Kohisemi was very kind and seemed to dislike goodbyes. His beastkin tail was drooping. Clang. Everyone¡¯s swords came out and overlapped ¡°With our swords here!¡± They shouted. ¡°And with Ajifu¡¯s sword!¡± They continued as they raised their sword tips to the air. Then I sheathed my sword and climbed onto Hyuga. ¡°Good bye then.¡± I said with a curt bow. And then I left the gates and did not look back. CH 53 One Day of a Journey Trot-trot-trot. Hyuga¡¯s hooves kicked the dirt as we advanced. It wasn¡¯t that I was going at a leisurely pace. After all, this time, there was someone waiting for my arrival. So it was different compared to all of my other journeys. However, since this was to be an incredibly long one, I was prioritizing being able to maintain a pace, rather than to go at a faster one. I was going to travel through four countries, which was supposed to take more than a month. However, it would likely be more complicated than that. As we continued through the forest road, I saw a clearing to the side with the lights of campfires. And so I raised my hand and greeted the group of people from a carriage that had stopped to camp for the night. ¡°Ah, you are late.¡± ¡°There were forest wolves behind me.¡± I spoke to the Adventurer guard. ¡°Ah, you have my thanks.¡± Had I not stopped to fight them, then they might have attacked the carriage instead. And so he thanked me. ¡°Bah, we help each other.¡± I attempted to land lightly after getting down from Hyuga, but I lost my balance and fell. While I was getting used to it, I still had a ways to go. Now, I just had to give Hyuga some water, and then prepare my own camp. The good thing about traveling alone was that you could prioritize your own needs. However, that also came at a great cost. However, this meant you would be more tired, which increased the danger. And so when traveling through lands where I knew I would be camping out, and where there were known to be bandits in the area, I would attach myself to passenger carriages like this one. Well, I was like a parasite, in a way. However, having some unknown Adventurer attach themselves to you was a great annoyance to the guards that were already hired for that job. They would dislike or be suspicious. You could not complain if they attacked you. And so when I knew I was entering a dangerous area for someone who is alone, I would look up the carriage schedules in town, and contact the driver and escort Adventurers in advance. ¡®I¡¯m going down the same route on the same day, so perhaps we can cooperate.¡¯ And I would show them my Adventurer plate. Like this, I could go from being a ¡®suspicious person who is following us,¡¯ to a ¡®person we can use to make things easier for us.¡¯ At the very least, introducing myself properly was better than following them silently. If we used each other, then you could say it was a cooperative relationship. Sometimes, I would fight for them, and they would put me in rotation with the night watch. And so I continued to gain experience as an Adventurer. However, in order to do this, I always had to stay the night in a town and leave the next day. Not only that, but I also had to stop at the Adventurers Guild to make a report, as well as to gather information on the road. Hyuga also had to rest, and I had to do maintenance on my equipment, as well as earn some money for travel expenses. It wasn¡¯t like a letter that just went from one town to another. At this point, I thought that I¡¯d be lucky to reach my destination in two months. My journey took me across the Razsita border and into the Fia Kingdom. I hadn¡¯t been in the Fia Kingdom for over three years, but as my route took me down the Suimel Road, and not the familiar Kijifei Road, I did not feel any nostalgia. After passing the border town of Mazur, I was now on my way towards Fialit, which was the royal capital of the Fia Kingdom. Unfortunately, I only planned to pass through as well. They had put me in the night watch rotation this time as well, and so I was able to get enough sleep. Adventurers who guarded passenger carriages were very reliable. Because they always did the same job. It paid well, in spite of not being that dangerous, but since there was a lot of importance on trust and character, you were usually not hired unless they wanted you specifically. Of course, you could not lower your guard completely, but this system of shared passenger carriages would not work without a degree of trust. And so I did not hesitate to get some rest. The next morning, I waited a short while for the carriage to depart, and then I also set out. This was so that we could maintain a certain distance. I could only see them when the view ahead was open. I didn¡¯t want to get in the way or be a burden to the guards. Like this, I continue on through a gentle valley between hills, and along a small river. I saw an animal with its children crossing the road as they went to the river. It was the size of a racoon, but had a long snout and a flat tail like a beaver. I didn¡¯t know its name, but it was not a monster. The summer sun was high in the sky, but the trees offered enough shade, that it wasn¡¯t too bright. Here, winters could be bad enough that it would be difficult to travel, but the summers were not too hot. I suppose it was like an area with high latitude back on earth. While I had to stay on my guard, the sunlight glistened as it reflected on the river water, and a gentle breeze swayed the trees. I was just thinking about how calm the day was, when I suddenly heard a rustling coming from the bushes alongside the river. ¡°!¡± Just in case, I pulled the reins and stopped. ¡°Piiiiiii-eeeee!¡± Came the high-pitched cry as a large bird, the size of a pheasant, emerged. ¡°Piii!¡± A horned rabbit leapt out from the bushes on the side, and skewered the bird with its horn. It landed on the ground with the bird still pierced. And then it held the thrashing bird down and pulled its horn out before biting it and hopping away with its prey in its mouth. ¡°What a surprise.¡± Even if it was just a big rabbit, watching a carnivorous rabbit in a shocking hunting scene would evoke such a reaction. I was stunned for a moment, and then came back to myself, and urged Hyuga on. But in my mind, I raised the threat level of the horn rabbit by 1. As I had fallen behind a little, I rushed in order to bridge the gap, but it did not take as long as I expected. However, something was strange. The carriage had stopped, and the Adventurers were moving around. And what were those squirming green things in the area¡­ Gobs?¡± ¡°Hya!¡± I kicked Hyuga¡¯s stomach to make him run. As there seemed to be a lot of them, I decided to help. And so from a distance, I unleashed some arrows. My precision was still bad, so it was harassment at best. I just hoped that I could retrieve the arrows later. It did not take long for the Adventurers to annihilate the goblins, and they started to search the area to see if there were any more. I saw one of them raise their hand in my direction. The sign that it was finished. I raised my hand in reply. Then I picked up what arrows I could find, and then put my foot into the stirrup and climbed back onto Hyuga. As for the stirrup for my prosthetic leg, I had attached a slipper-like support that the toes could fit in. And so my overall stability while on horseback was the same as before. However, in spite of this, I decided to not use a spear. I was no good with mounted combat. Once we reached the next village, we would be close to being in Fialit territory. And then there would be fewer monsters in the area. And so we continued to travel along the river and were able to reach the village before sundown. It was not a very big town, and so if I stayed at the inn, I would have to meet the people who rode in the carriage. Also, I would be around the Adventurers until we reached the Fialit Guild, so I decided to communicate with them. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± ¡°And so you kicked a giant spider¡¯s head and had your leg torn off.¡± This was my best story. It always got people¡¯s attention. I had dinner in the dining hall at the inn, and drank with the escort Adventurers. ¡°Well, you now know something embarrassing about me. So tell me something interesting about Fialit!¡± ¡°Fine. Maybe it¡¯s already well-known, but have you heard about the story about the Giant Tree of the Great Forest?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. It sounds interesting. Tell me.¡± ¡°Aye, there is a reason why people can not enter that place¡­¡± This talk with the Adventurers ended after a short while. We had an early morning tomorrow. And like that, a day in my travels passed. One could not arrive at their destination so quickly. But every day, I was a step closer. CH 54 Bandit Hunt ¡°How did it come to this!!¡± I could not help but shout. ¡°Silence! We¡¯re going after the next magic attack! Draw your swords!!¡± The Adventurer who was in charge of the unit unsheathed his sword. Yes, unit. Not a party. On my journey from the Fia Kingdom to Holia, I was forced to stop at Mazebell, the town just beyond the border. This was because I was pulled into an emergency guild quest. We were to hunt some bandits and destroy their base. ¡®Why don¡¯t you just hire some party?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but wonder as a traveling solo Adventurer. However, they did not know how many there were, but that there were more than a hundred. And so it was a different matter. Normally, this would have been a job for the Knights Order. But Holia was a religious state that revolved around the church. And so most of their fighting force that dealt with outside enemies were the militia. So they did not have many soldiers during times of peace. And now the bandit forces were expanding. Finally, a parish leader, who was the equivalent of a lord here, sent out requests to the Mercenary Guild and Adventurers Guild. And they were able to gather two hundred men in all. This was an operation launched with the combined power of the guild, and no excuses about ¡®prosthetic legs¡¯ would work. Still¡­ At this point, it wasn¡¯t so much a hunting quest¡­but a full on war! Also, ¡®base¡¯ seemed like an understatement. Because that building on the mountain was a full-on fortress! But any objections I had were erased by the sounds of magic artillery exploding over the battlefield and signaling the start of the battle. As wind magic blocked the rain of arrows, fire, earth and other kinds of magic attacks smashed against the gate, blasting it away without leaving a trace. Wind and dust spread through the air, but the wind magic that defended us from the arrows pushed it away, allowing us to see again. ¡°Unit one! Charge!¡± At this order, the mercenaries charged forward. War was their trade, and they were impressively coordinated. The magic attacks ensured that there was chaos within the fortress as they charged in. ¡°Unit two! Follow!¡± And now the main unit of Adventurers entered. As expected from Adventurers, they all moved independently. However, the battle had already started inside, and the enemy¡¯s counter attack was weak and confused. And so the arrival of the Adventurers succeeded in pushing the bandits back towards the second gate. I had been assigned to the third unit. Part of it was because of my leg. But I was put in this¡­unit of leftover mercenaries and Adventurers. According to the plan, we would be sent out next. I was nervous. My hands were sweaty and I could feel my heart pounding. ¡°Third unit. Let¡¯s go!¡± Finally, the order came from the Adventurer who was leading us. And so while trading places with the wounded from the first two units, we made our way up the mountain and to the second gate. I had been given a shield, and so I raised it while running. Because of my leg, I was positioned in front of the sorcerers. The sorcerers unleashed fireballs which hit the gate, and I heard the wood creak loudly. ¡°Just a little more. We can make it! Everyone, move forward!¡± We followed the order and advanced to the gate. I was just traveling, that¡¯s all. I didn¡¯t come here to help protect the peace. I¡¯m no hero. Just a passerby. Traveler A. That¡¯s all, but¡­ ¡°How did it come to this!!¡± I could not help but shout. ¡°Silence! We¡¯re going after the next magic attack! Draw your swords!!¡± The Adventurer who was in charge of the unit unsheathed his sword. ¡°¡­Earth Javelin!¡± The sorcerer behind me finished chanting, and earth javelins, which were more like artillery shells, smashed through the gate. ¡°Charge!!¡± A wind suddenly blew at my back, and the number of flying arrows decreased. It was the Follow Wind spell! They were doing a good job. It was chaos inside. Someone like me would not stand a chance in there. And so I stopped once, threw away the shield, and walked towards an area that was less packed with enemies. If an enemy attacked, I put my prosthetic leg behind me for support and dealt with them. ¡°Shh!¡± The bandit raised both arms and attacked, leaving him wide open, and so I cut off both his arms. I might as well have been fighting goblins. ¡°Attack him at the same time!¡± Two and then three bandits rushed towards me. I really wished they wouldn¡¯t do that. Clang. I swung the prosthetic leg to the side behind me while sliding diagonally back so that the second and third¡¯s routes connected. Then I parried from below, and then cut down, slashing through the second one¡¯s shoulder. As the third looked stunned, I pierced his throat. Then I quickly withdrew my blade, and blood sprayed from the neck. In the now empty space in front of me the¡­which one was it now? Well, never mind. The next bandit rushed forward. I parried his downward attack from the center and cut open his throat. There was blood everywhere now. In the blink of an eye, there were four dead bodies there. As I stepped over them carefully, I noticed that the bandits around me had frozen. Up ahead, in a corner of the battlefield, everything had gone still for a moment, and so the sorcerers took advantage of it. Boom. A great ball of fire landed into a group of bandits. ¡°Now! Move!¡± ¡°ARRGHHH!¡± And then everyone around me charged into the fray. However, I could not participate with this leg. While we were not a proper army, the enemy were not trained soldiers either. And so their battle line began to crumble, which affected the rest of the battle. And then I saw that the wounded of unit one and two were falling back. There were many priests in Holia that could use light magic. It was a religious state, after all. And so they swiftly treated the wounded in the back, and those who were healed returned to the fight. While the enemy were trying to hold the fort, we had superiority in numbers, and our fighters could return even after being wounded. And so the gap between the two sides only widened. No priest would side with bandits. The tide of battle kept moving, their defenses were shattered, and more of our men flowed through. That being said, I was not a professional when it came to battling in such large groups. And so I stayed out of the fray and kept to attacking and bandits that wandered away from the battlefield. Eventually, the clashing at the entrance ended, and they continued their suppression of the rest of the fortress. The wooden blockades were blown away by the sorcerers, and flames rose all over the place. So this was the air in a battlefield. Shortly after, I could hear shouts of triumph coming from the top of the fortress. Apparently, we had won. Well, I could now say that I fought in a battle, yes? That was the first thing I thought when I realized it. In just one day, I had killed six or seven men. I had never fought so many in one day, but I didn¡¯t feel repulsed by it. I suppose this was a kind of group psychology. In a way, that was scary. If anything, I felt more upset the first time I had to carve up the corpse of an orc. They looked very similar to humans, after all. Now that such a large-scale group of bandits had been defeated, the town of Mazebell was quite festive. The people must have suffered a lot. That alone made me feel better. ¡°Stop looking so serious and drink up!¡± The tavern was filled with great passion as people were drunk on their victory. I was sitting at a table with people from my unit, and we were emptying our cups. ¡°Still, that was amazing. You walked through the battle like you were strolling in a park.¡± ¡°That was the only thing I could do.¡± I said as I took a sip. ¡°You¡¯re too modest! That¡¯s right! I¡¯ll give you a nickname. Since you walk around the battlefield like that¡­ How about about, Day Walker?¡± Buhaa! I spat out my ale. What am I, a vampire now!? ¡°That¡¯s the last thing I want to be called!!¡± ¡°Cheers to Ajifu the Day Walker!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± ¡°Stop it!!!¡± I have to leave this town at once. That¡¯s what I desperately thought. CH 55 Farewell, Buddy(1) Large purple flowers flew over a great field with sparse patches of grass. It was said that they sometimes rose as high as fifty meters into the sky. This sight was a tradition in the Torem City State Federation, and signaled the end of summer. Two months have now passed since I departed from Razsita. And while my journey was going slower than planned, I had still managed to reach the neighboring country of Megidos. Each city of the Torem City State Federation was like a small country. Under the federal parliament, there were common rules, and mutual inviolability existed between the cities. Though, they generally had their own sovereignty. Among them, I had arrived in the agricultural city, Ailzer, and in the Adventurers Guild there, I had accepted a D-Rank quest to defeat some Clay Leopards. Clay Leopards were D-Rank monsters. They disguised themselves with the lumps of earth covering their body, and attacked their prey. And while the surface of their body was not hard, they could absorb the shock of blunt attacks, block sharp attacks, and fire and earth magic had little effect on them. ¡°Hah¡­¡± The quest had been submitted by someone whose livestock were being attacked by the Clay Leopards. And there was a reason that I accepted it, even if it meant stopping my journey. However, the thought of it made me sigh. It did not take long for the village and surrounding farmlands to come into sight. There was a stone wall and gate surrounding the houses. I asked the gatekeeper about the farmer who hired me, and then found the farm a short distance away. ¡°I came after accepting the quest. I¡¯m Ajifu, an Adventurer.¡± I pushed my feelings aside and greeted him in my work mode. I then showed him the request sheet and my Adventurers plate. ¡°Oh! I¡¯ve been waiting for you! My name is Znale, and I own this farm. But I¡¯ve been having trouble recently. I need your help!¡± ¡°Mr. Znale. If you could just tell me the time and place of the attacks.¡± ¡°Yes, of course, you would want to know that. You can¡¯t do anything until I explain about that.¡± Clay Leopards were nocturnal. And according to my research at the guild, they almost never hunted livestock. After all, livestock were put in the stables at night. So either the stables had been attacked or¡­ ¡°It must have discovered the taste of the meat, as it has started to appear during the day.¡± So it was that. Things could be worse. ¡°Well, I shall start by guarding the area and observing. Also, I do have one request.¡± ¡°A request? What is it?¡± ¡°If everything goes well, I want you to keep my horse for me here.¡± Horses needed a lot of water to survive. And so I could not take him to the dessert. The idea of having to part with Hyuga was heart-breaking. Just thinking about it made me sigh endlessly. ¡°Hmm. I really do wish that I could do that, but my horses are rather strong characters. If your horse can fit in with them, then I wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Well, that might be difficult then. I couldn¡¯t leave Hyuga in a place where he would be bullied. However, I suppose I could wait and see what happens. ¡°In that case, can I just keep him here while I¡¯m working?¡± ¡°Very well. You can keep him here.¡± And so I led Hyuga over to the stable, which was rather impressively built. There would be no need to worry about monsters attacking it at night. ¡°I hope you can make friends here.¡± I removed the reins and saddle and petted his neck. Perhaps it was just me, but Hyuga seemed worried. It might be selfish of me to do this, but I wanted Hyuga to find a place to be as well. We had been together for three years now, and surely we had that level of trust, at least. And so I left Hyuga to take care of himself, and went about the quest. I patrolled the farmlands on the first day, but I saw no monster. However, there were some suspicious footprints, so it had definitely been around. I decided to return to my inn in the evening, when all of the livestock had been put in the stables. On the second day, I left the inn before sunrise and headed to the farm. In general, nocturnal animals liked to stand and wait, so it was possible that it would be moving in the middle of the night. However, even though I waited from early morning, the Clay Leopard did not appear. I looked at the surrounding area, but since the weather was so warm, and because I had gotten up so early, I started to become drowsy. Towards the farm, I saw that Hyuga was running with another horse. They seemed to be friendly. Good, good. ¡°Mr. Znale, it is not showing itself.¡± ¡°Perhaps it is cautious, because an armed human is patrolling the area. Why don¡¯t you try concealing yourself?¡± I see. Now that he mentioned it, it was a good idea. The following day, I camouflaged myself with tree leaves and hid in the bushes and waited. I waited from morning, but nothing happened. Was it just me, or was it inching its way closer? No, it wasn¡¯t just me! That must be a Gray Leopard! While hidden in the bushes, I unsheath my sword. However, it was still too far away. If it ran now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to catch it. And so I quieted my breath and waited for the right time. I didn¡¯t have my bow with me, but even if I did, it likely wouldn¡¯t be enough to pierce through the shell. Besides, neither the bow or my skill with it were impressive. I needed it to come as close as possible first. Once it was closer, I was able to see which parts of the rock were actually its legs. The lurking creature really was like an armored carnivore. Ten more meters now¡­ It¡¯s fine, it still hasn¡¯t noticed me. It¡¯s too focused on its prey. Seven meters¡­five¡­ It¡¯s right in front of me now. One more meter. I want just one more. If it is four meters, I can use my prosthetic leg to take the last three steps. However, before the distance shrunk by another meter, it suddenly stopped and its tail moved. So that was the limit! Very well, then! I leapt out from the bushes, and rushed forward. And though I lost my balance and fell on the fourth step, my thrust still shot right into the side of the Clay Leopard. Thud. ¡°Gyauu!¡± However, the Clay Leopard had risen at the last second, and the tip of my sword barely scraped its shell. But due to that evasive move, I was able to get back onto one knee. Now, this is where it started! While keeping my sword raised, I stood up slowly and inspected my opponent. Now that it had stood up and was fully exposed¡­ It really did look like a big, two-meter cat that was wearing armor made of clay. Also, I noticed that the part of the armor I had chipped off had healed without a trace. Could it really repair it so quickly? Well, we were both on even footing now. ¡°GAAAARRGHH!¡± Just as it raised its front paws and leapt at me, I jumped back while swinging down at it. While I felt my sword hit the armor, it just carved away at the surface. So, I would not be able to damage it unless I aimed at a part that wasn¡¯t covered in armor. ¡°Hyaah!¡± With the gap closed between us, I swung upwards with my sword, but the armor of its front legs stopped me, and the sword went up and¡­ ¡°Hyah!¡± I swung down at its face. And though it too was blocked by the armor, I managed to cut off an ear. ¡°Graagh!!¡± Blood sprayed in the air as the Clay Leopard let out an angry roar. But it continued to attack me. I blocked it with my sword, but it was heavy! I was practically thrown back as the gap widened between us. Still, I changed my posture and raised my sword at it again. Just then, I saw something in the corner of my vision. The farm, where the livestock were running away, and the one horse that remained and stared at me. It was Hyuga. CH 56 Farewell, Buddy(2) ¡°Hyaahh!!¡± So he was watching me. I couldn¡¯t make a fool of myself then. This could be the last time he sees me fighting. And I wanted to leave him impressed! ¡°Grrrraaagh!¡± I swung my sword down over the clay leopard, cutting its front leg and making blood fly in the air. ¡°Hah!¡± Yes, now that I think about it. He was always there, watching me fight from the back. He could have just run away. But he always believed in me and waited. ¡°Grau.¡± The clay leopard shook its head angrily after I cut its shoulder. ¡°Take this!¡± If this was the last time, then I could not disappoint him! Just watch me from where you are, Hyuga. Like old times. Blood began to flow more and more as the attacks continued, and the clay leopard started to retreat. ¡°Hyaaah!!¡± Yes, I was going to do my best today as well!! Even as I swung my sword, I remembered the days we spent together, the nights where we camped, and the roads we tread. Surely such thoughts would just be a distraction, but my swings were just as fast and sharp as they pressed forward. Was this a new skill for parallel thought?! ¡°GRAAAUGHH!!¡± The clay leopard jumped back and roared. It crouched in a low stance and the armor on its body stood up. I didn¡¯t know what it was going to do now, but I wouldn¡¯t let it finish. I could do it. I was sure of it. ¡°Light! Light!!¡± ¡°Grr!?¡± A sphere of light appeared right in front of it, robbing it of vision. ¡°Hyaaahhh!!¡± After the deathly opening that was created, I stepped forward and unleashed an attack that went through the gaps in its standing armor, and cleaved its neck open. ¡°Ggg¡­¡± The faintest sound escaped the clay leopard as blood sprayed from its neck, and it sank to the ground. I then cut off its head to ensure that it was dead, and then dismissed the light. And then I raised my head towards Hyuga and raised a hand in the air. ¡°Neeeigghhh!¡± It was unusual for Hyuga to reply to me like this. Was it a satisfying enough fight for you? Perhaps due to hearing Hyuga, another horse then appeared from the farm and approached him. The two leaned their heads against each other. And after glancing at me a few times, he and the other horse returned to the stable. ¡°Oh? So you¡¯re doing quite well here after all.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but grin. Well, there was something I had to check now. ¡°Status open.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 26 LV: 23(+1) HP: 151/176(+5) MP: 63/71(+4) STR: 52(+1) VIT: 51(+0) INT: 29(+2) MND: 35(+2) AGI: 34(+1) DEX: 29(+2) LUK: 13(+0) Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv4, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv4(+1), Carving Lv5, Leatherworker Lv3(+1), Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv8, Magic Manipulation Lv10(+1), Everyday Magic(light/water/earth), Sword Art Lv12, Night Vision Lv1, Parallel Thought Lv1(+1) Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God, Adventurer, Creator¡¯s Blessing. I had gone up a level during my travels, but that was not the important part. Parallel Thought Lv2. I had felt it while fighting, but it had gone up a level, just like I suspected. Up until now, I had been able to move while my body and magic energy at the same time, but I could not use simple magic. However, just earlier, I had that conviction that I could do it. Like it was picking up something that was light. And since Magic Manipulation had reached Lv10 quite a while ago, it had to be because of Parallel Thought. Or perhaps it was because of both. But I was able to use magic while swinging a sword. Did that make me a magic swordsman now? Well, it was only everyday magic, so I guess I was an everyday magic swordsman. This wasn¡¯t really the result I had expected, which was body strengthening, but it showed that my training of moving magic energy while moving my body had not been a waste. I had started on just a whim, without knowing what it would lead to. But after three years, it had paid off. So I could not help but be happy. And so I was grinning from ear to ear as I started to carve up the clay leopard. I must have looked like a maniac, covered in blood and smiling as I cut open the creature. However, I didn¡¯t care about that now. As for the clay leopard¡¯s dirt armor, it crumbled away after it died. This was because it was made of magic energy. The only materials you could get from it was its skin, claws, fangs and magic stone. That wasn¡¯t much considering the difficulty, which meant that few people wanted to hunt them. Also, their flesh did not taste good. However, the fur was soft and easy to use. And it apparently boosted your earth magic. This had high demand in some places, and so it could be sold at a decent price. I used my carving skill to cut it off cleanly. ¡°Adventurers really are different! I had faith in you, of course. But to kill a clay leopard all by yourself! And with that leg!¡± I showed the farmer the skin and head of the clay leopard and had him sign the request sheet. ¡°Well, I just barely managed to do it. Also, how is Hyuga doing? To me, it looked like he was fitting in quite nicely.¡± ¡°Yes, about that. It was quite a surprise. I have a mare who has quite a temper, but she seems to have taken a liking to your horse. And now, it is I who would ask you to leave him with us.¡± Oh, so I was right. It did seem like it¡­ Hehe. That bastard. He would be just fine. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it. I cannot take Hyuga with me to Megidos regardless. But I would prefer it if he was happy.¡± ¡°Will you go and see him before you leave?¡± ¡°Of course. He has been my companion for over three years. I would never leave without saying goodbye.¡± And so Mr. Znale led me to the stables. The closer I got to the stable, the closer our separation became. This feeling of dread over separating never went away, no matter how many years I have lived. However, Mr. Znale continued to walk to the stable as he always did. Completely without emotion. ¡°Now, go and look at him for the last time.¡± The doors to the stable opened. I braced myself and entered. And then I found Hyuga. ¡­Well, um¡­ I knew very well that this was not earth. And that he was not even human. There was no point in bringing my own values out like this. However, I could not help but say it. ¡°Hyuga! You!! Three at once!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just it. And it just so happens that these three are the most difficult of my mares. It was quite a surprise.¡± In the widest stall in the stable, Hyuga was surrounded by three mares. ¡°The large one is very strong and has a motherly personality, but for some reason is hostile towards the stallions. The chestnut mare has quite a temper. And the white mare is cowardly, and runs away when any stallions get close.¡± Mr. Znale, I really don¡¯t care about any of that! Hyuga turned to me and neighed. Ah, that¡¯s right. We had been together for three years. And so sometimes, we could understand each other. It wasn¡¯t terribly clear. But just a hunch. I think we shared similarities, and so I could understand. ¡°Hyuga! You bastard! you were gloating just now, weren¡¯t you!?¡± He had been looking at me victoriously. ¡°Neeeighh.¡± My eyes met his. There was a strong light in his eyes. Indeed, there was some arrogance in that look. But the eyes were the eyes of a man who had made his decision. ¡°Very well, Hyuga. So you found a place where you belong. And people who you should protect.¡± Now that we understood each other, there were no more words that were necessary. I nodded, closed my eyes, and closed the stable doors before lifting my bag onto my back. The weight of it made my back groan. This was the weight that Hyuga used to carry. But I had made the decision to carry it myself now. When I headed to the village, I heard the neigh in the distance. Aye, I could tell who it was. It was Hyuga¡¯s voice. My vision seemed to blur, and so I looked up at the sky. It seemed much higher than when I had left the royal capital. CH 57 Wilderness Battle The hard scales reflected the light of the scorching wilderness sun. They had thick legs that never lost balance while moving over rocky terrain. And through the water stored in the humps on their backs, they could walk for a week without drinking any water. They looked like eight-legged dinosaurs, and were called ¡®grand lizards.¡¯ However, they were actually animals, and did not have a magic stone inside their body, which was quite surprising. They would be a strong enemy to go up against. That¡¯s what I thought, as I sway on top of its long body. There was no clear border between the Torem City State Federation and Megidos. I learned it while traveling, but I suppose there was no reason to draw a line through endless wastelands. I was currently moving from the closest city from the Torem City State Federation, which was Noredom, to the first city in Megidos, which was Rimeton. My final destination was the mine city of Rokuidor, which was next to Rimeton. It was only a little farther, but I was facing a problem. ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡± I knew that saying this out loud was not going to make it any cooler, but I couldn¡¯t help it. The season was already Autumn, and yet the sun blazed after entering Megidos. Steam rose beneath my leather armor, and sweat dripped from my soaked headband. ¡°I told you, that equipment is no good here. You must buy something new in Rimeton.¡± Said the captain of the caravan, who rode the grand lizard in front of me. ¡°I know that. But I was told that it would take over a week¡­¡± I had already traveled for two months and a half. I did not want to be delayed any longer. ¡°Well, that¡¯s quite normal for leather armor, isn¡¯t it? Or is it different in the north?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the same.¡± If it was possible, I wanted to upgrade my equipment at my destination, but perhaps this was the limit. ¡°Water.¡± I created water in my flask and drank it. ¡°You¡¯ll get tired if you drink water so fast.¡± ¡°I know that as well.¡± As we talked like this, a cloud of dust suddenly rose on the hills ahead. ¡°A monster! It¡¯s coming!¡± One of the Adventurer guards of the caravan shouted as he dismounted from his grand lizard. I also got down and unsheathed my sword. But unless it was necessary, I would probably just watch. I wanted to see how the locals fought here. Three clouds of dust rose up ahead. And they were moving at a great speed. Every second brought them closer. Four Adventurers would fight them. Two wielded war hammers, one a mace, and one had a great shield. This was a heavy-weight party. ¡°Three iron slaters! Let¡¯s go!¡± Came the shout, and the three weapon-wielders stepped forward. I guess the shield-wielder would stay in the back. And then the monsters in the approaching dust came into view! I saw them¡­but they looked like tires? At least I thought so, when I saw the rolling black masses. And they were rotating at a great speed. One of the Adventurers was right in their path, but he slid to the side and swung his war hammer. Clang. It slammed into the mass that shot towards him, and the impact of the attack helped push him away into safety. The monster lost its momentum after being hit, and it swayed to the side before falling over. However, while all three had been hit by each Adventurer, one of them continued to move towards the caravan, even after losing speed. There was no time to shout and alert the others. I raised my sword to meet it, but then¡­ The Adventurer with the shield moved between us. Clang. The tower shield was big enough to cover him, and he bashed it right into the enemy. The monster lost all of its momentum this time, and it bounced back in the opposite direction. But, why!? He hadn¡¯t been there a moment ago¡­ I see! He had predicted where it would bounce based on the positions of the others, and adjusted his waiting position! As for the monsters who had been toppled, they now unrolled their body to show their true form. They had an outer shell that looked like the layered slates of a pillbug. And though they now tried to run, they were quite slow. And so each Adventurer quickly put an end to them. The defeated monsters¡­I think they were called iron slaters? The magic stones were removed and the rest ignored. Though, the shells looked like they would be good materials? I should ask about that. ¡°Ah, what an impressive fight. Would you mind if I asked you a few questions?¡± I approached one of the Adventurers, who then looked at me with suspicion. ¡°Eh? ¡­Ah, judging by your appearance, you¡¯re an Adventurer from a foreign land. Very well then. Since we¡¯re in the same caravan. But we cannot stay here long. So we¡¯ll talk while we move.¡± Before I knew it, the caravan was ready to depart again, and so the Adventurers all returned to their mounts. As grand lizards walked on eight legs, there was less movement up and down compared to a horse. And so it was easier to talk while riding. ¡°First of all, why don¡¯t you carve it for materials? They looked pretty good to me.¡± ¡°Well, you would think that. There are two reasons. The first is that their outer shell is practically ¡®iron.¡¯ The other is related to their greatest weakness. Do you know what that is?¡± He asked with a grin. Tsk. I¡¯m asking you because I don¡¯t know! ¡°Uhh¡­ That they can¡¯t stop?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, that is wrong. They charge after gaining speed while rolling down the hills. In other words, they are incredibly weak if you have the high ground.¡± ¡°I-I see. But how is that related to the materials?¡± ¡°When the iron slaters die, they unleash a scent that is quite appetizing for other monsters. They sacrifice themselves so the others can escape. So if you get carried away and hunt them from high ground, then you might just end up being surrounded by other monsters. And so it¡¯s best to leave as quickly as possible after killing them.¡± ¡°Ahh¡­ So that is why. Still, it was amazing how you could hit them when they rolled at such a high speed.¡± ¡°Well, they roll in a straight line. So it is actually not that difficult to target them. Though, there are also some whose shells have changed shape, and so they move unsteadily when rolling. During such times¡­¡± He twirled the mace in his hand while riding the grand lizard. ¡°This mace comes in handy. While it¡¯s not as deadly as a war hammer, it¡¯s easier to hit your target.¡± ¡°I see. But what about when there are a lot of them? Is four the limit when there are only four of you?¡± ¡°Iron slaters eat iron. And so they want the iron that humans use. If there are too many of them, we change the direction of the caravan in order to narrow the direction of the attack. That¡¯s when the real fight begins. A battle that involves the entire caravan. And so if an outsider moves recklessly, it could ruin the entire strategy. So you should also be careful.¡± ¡°I see. Very informative. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Hmm. These wasteland battles were deeper than I thought. Everyone had their role, while they worked together and fought as a whole. As they were specialized for their environment, I could not easily join in, even if I wanted to help. More than anything, a sword was not a good fit for these monsters. I had heard that many of the creatures in the desert had hard shells, and so I would have to find a way of dealing with that if I wanted to be of any use in battle. However, I had no intention of changing my weapon type. I had made a promise with Jirido. As I thought of such things, the ground turned into sand. When I saw the dunes up ahead, I realized that we would really be in the desert now. However, once I was on top of the dunes, the difference came quicker than I expected. ¡°See, you can see it already. That¡¯s the desert oasis, Rimeton.¡± Within the vast, endless desert, there was one thing that was man-made in the far distance. It was the same in every world, it seemed. The sign of humans challenging the harshness of nature. Bonus chapter courtesy of Messerjocke. Thank you so much!! CH 58 Arrival Clang. The sounds of metal echoed through the desert night. ¡°Tsk.¡± I tried to target the cracks between the shell, but it was not going well. They were about 1.5 meters long as they scurried across the sand. They had large pincers and a stinger that looked incredibly poisonous. The six legs that supported them allowed them to move swiftly. Sand Scorpions were among the most deadly of enemies that appeared in the desert during the night. My trump card magic, ¡®Light,¡¯ was somewhat useful in keeping them at bay. But not enough to give me an opening. I suppose it wasn¡¯t too effective against scorpions. To make matters worse, the smooth, soft sand made it difficult to move. It released the power of the spring in my prosthetic leg as well, which made fighting a pain. ¡°Hyaaah!!¡± With no other option, I began to swing my sword wildly. And then I realized that this brute force approach seemed to work better here. As for my prosthetic leg, I just needed to apply more pressure than what escaped, and it would be fine. However, I couldn¡¯t do that when I was in a waiting stance. If anything, it was better for me to move forward. Of course, that used up more energy. On hard ground, I could not adjust the angle without an ankle, and I had no heel to dig into the dirt. However, as it would bury in the desert sand, I could dig the prosthetic leg into the sand at an angle, which made it easier to hold my ground. I swept aside the Sand Scorpion¡¯s pincer, and then slashed downwards towards the joint, cutting through it. Even the stinger, which had troubled me so much at first, now felt like an opportunity, whenever it prepared to attack. I blocked the tail with my blade, and then stepped to the side with the severed pincer and thrust the sword into the sand underneath it. ¡°ARGHH!¡± And with all my might, I flipped it over onto its back. In spite of their power, they were not very heavy. Now that the soft underside was exposed, I pierced what I assumed was the neck, and then cut open the stomach. When I looked around me, I saw that the other monsters had been dealt with as well. ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Aye, it helped.¡± I called to the other Adventurer guards of the caravan. After acquiring some new equipment and preparing in Rimeton, I continued on with the caravan to the mining city of Rokuidol. It was to take four days one way, and we were currently on the third day. As for why we were fighting at night, it wasn¡¯t because our camp had been attacked. It was because we traveled by night. It was so hot during the days that it was best to rest in the tents. So day and night were reversed on this journey. If that was the case, then changing my equipment might seem unnecessary, but there were still battles during the day, and so you could not take off your armor and sleep. Besides, there was also the danger of getting a heat stroke. I did not want to be someone who came to another world and then died from a heat stroke. And I was not going to take any chances. As for my newly acquired equipment, there was leather armor that was plated with Killer Scorpion, which was stronger than a Sand Scorpion. It was very light, and the air would pass through, which kept you cool. However, it was a little chilly during the night. And so I had to keep a light cape on, which I removed during fights. Once the season changed a little, I might wear something a little thicker under the armor. Along with the gauntlets and greaves, the full set cost me eighteen pieces of gold, which was more than half of my entire fortune. However, you could not put a price on a life. Besides, it was nearly fifty percent cheaper than buying it in Razsita. The materials were much cheaper when they weren¡¯t imported. The Sand Scorpions were loaded onto the backs of the Grand Lizards then. Mine looked rather annoyed as I climbed onto its back. Sorry. What surprised me later, was how tasty these Sand Scorpions were. Apparently, they were quite popular. As the eastern sky was starting to turn red, I would have to eat my breakfast? before getting some sleep. The sight of the sun rising in a vast desert was immensely beautiful, but there was no time to take it all in. I had to help the caravan with pitching the tents. The tents were very sturdy, with wooden frames under the canvas. And the carpets inside were folded upwards about thirty centimeters in order to keep out any sand, bugs or snakes. ¡°There, it¡¯s ready.¡± In the meantime, the Sand Scorpions were being cooked by the other members of the caravan. Back in Japan, I never would have thought of eating such a thing. But then again, we were talking about a 1.5 meter scorpion monster. It was an entirely different thing, in my opinion. At the very least, once it had all been carved up, it did not look like anything but meat. And it tasted like it as well. As for the outer shell, stinger and pincers, those were stashed away. They should sell at a decent price. Even though the tents were pitched in the valley between sand dunes, once the sun rose, they would not be in shadow for long. We took turns keeping watch while the others slept. A special place with a roof for shade was set up. And since we all took turns, it was only about two hours at most. Not only that, but the view was so beautiful during the day, that the only thing bad about it was the heat and the sand. Many of the monsters in the desert detected their prey through sounds and vibrations from movement. And so as long as you stood still in one place, you were not likely to be attacked. And so the day passed by uneventfully, and when the sun set, it was time to set out once again. If everything went as planned, we would arrive in the mining city of Rokuidol today. Now that I thought about it this was the first time I had been on a journey of this length. It made me feel a little emotional to think that it was about to end. ¡°Up ahead! Sand Scorpions!¡± However, just as I was about to bask in sentimentality, some monsters came and ruined it. I left the Sand Scorpions to the Adventurers in the lead, and instead guarded the surrounding area as I took off my cape. ¡°Behind us! A snake!¡± Came a shout from behind me. When I turned around, I saw something swimming in the sand. It was thin and long. About 4 meters. It had shark-like fins and a tail. ¡°That¡¯s a snake?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but mutter as I unsheathed my sword and moved towards it. ¡°It¡¯s a Desert Winder! It can jump!¡± Someone else shouted. It jumps too? True to those words, without losing any momentum from its swim, the Death Winder leapt out of the sand. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± Shooting into the air like that just made you an easy target. And so I swung my sword downwards towards it. However, the Death Winder moved with shocking agility while in the air, dodging the attack and then lashing out at me with its tail. ¡°Gah!¡± I was hit directly and thrown off my feet so that I rolled across the sand. My mouth was full of sand. I suppose it was me who had underestimated it! However, thanks to my new armor and the soft sand, there was little damage. I quickly got back to my feet and raised my head, just as it opened its mouth and tried to bite me. ¡°Woah!¡± It really did have the head of a snake! I ducked out of the way as the body shot over my head. And then I swung my sword with one hand, feeling it hit something hard but light. The Desert Winder fell to the ground. While it was bleeding, my posture had been bad, and there was little strength in my attack. So it was not deep. ¡°Shaaaaa!¡± The snake hissed angrily as it coiled up, preparing to attack. Damn it. It was like my prosthetic left. I could not let it charge for an attack. While getting up, I stepped forward and swung horizontally with my sword, slashing it open just as it tried to strike. ¡°Phew. Ptui-ptui.¡± After confirming that it was not moving, I sighed with relief and spit out the sand. ¡°Nicely done.¡± Said the captain of the caravan from behind me. ¡°What kind of materials can you get from this thing?¡± ¡°Ah, I have heard that you can dry their fins to make a nice soup.¡± ¡°And you still call this thing a snake!¡± The captain looked a little puzzled by this, and so I left him as I carved away the fins and magic stone, and stuffed them into my bag. I left the rest. It would probably lure other monsters. Or at the very least, some desert slimes would rise out of the sand and eat it. After that, there were a few other monster attacks, but none of them were able to get past the defense of Adventurer guards. And just as we were about halfway through the night, I saw, from atop a sand dune, the rocky mountains that signaled the end of the desert. And the lights of a city in the middle. We were finally able to see it. I couldn¡¯t help but make a tight fist. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The captain replied. ¡°Yes. The mining city of Rokuidol. The city or iron and blood.¡± CH 59 Desert Church ¡°No, that looks like a royal castle.¡± I could not help but mutter. That was how high and enormous the walls around Rokuidol were. Not only that, but it was made of carefully cut stone with no gaps in between. Unlike typical walls you would find around towns. ¡°I understand your sense of awe, but let¡¯s hurry on. It¡¯s dangerous outside.¡± The Adventurers hurried me along as we headed to the gates. We then showed our Adventurers plates to the guards at the gate, and then entered. Inside, it was like a completely different world. Most of the buildings were houses made of white stone, but even the roads were all tightly paved with stone as well. It was halfway through the night, that is to say, it was going to be morning soon, but the lights in taverns were still shining, and you could hear festive voices ringing from inside. There were also people walking along the streets. As we had just come from the desert, it was hard to not wonder where all of these people had come from. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t know where I should go to find a room for the night. Could you recommend an inn?¡± I asked one of the Adventurers. ¡°Well, we¡¯re all going to go to the guild now. So you should come with us and ask there.¡± ¡°The guild is open at this late hour?¡± ¡°This town is a little special, you see. It¡¯s open all hours, all year long.¡± No holidays! I felt bad for the people who worked there. When we arrived at the guild, I saw that it was a great, solid building, which was very plain and without decoration. After opening the doors, there were indeed lamps lit all around, in spite of it being so late. I could see Adventurers here and there, but we clearly would not have to wait in line. But since only one of the counters was open, I had to wait behind the other Adventurer guards that I came with. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡± ¡°Bah, it was just part of the job.¡± I said my goodbyes to the Adventurers before separating from them, and then I handed over my Adventurers plate at the reception desk. The guild worker was a young man with red hair. ¡°I¡¯m here to report my arrival and would also like a guide of the town.¡± He checked the Adventurers plate and the information recorded. ¡°Mr. Ajifu, welcome to Rokuidol. I am Royala. I¡¯m usually on the night shift. Pleased to meet you.¡± He said as he handed me the plate and the guide. He seemed like a nice fellow. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s nice to meet you too. I plan to join the church here.¡± ¡°I-I see. Well, I wish you luck with that.¡± Was it just me, or was there pity in his eyes? I then started to make my way to the exit, when an Adventurer suddenly called out to me. ¡°Hey, I haven¡¯t seen you here before. Are you going to work as an Adventurer in this town?¡± It was a man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties. A warrior with sharp eyes and impressive armor. ¡°Aye. That¡¯s my intention.¡± Though, it will be one of two jobs, I suppose. As I wasn¡¯t new to this anymore, it had been a while since someone approached me in this way. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to tell you the rules for Adventurers in this town. Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong, even the guild has acknowledged them.¡± Is that right? I glanced over to Royala. Well, they probably don¡¯t get involved. However, Royala leaned over the counter and shouted. ¡°Mr. Bimmi! That man is going to enter the church!¡± The Adventurer seemed to freeze for a second, and then he said, ¡°I-I see. Forget what I¡¯ve said. I¡¯m Bimmi, D-Rank. Nice to meet you.¡± And then he patted me on the shoulder and left. What was that? While I was curious, I also wanted to find a bed where I could sleep. And so I opened the guild doors and went out into the town in order to find an inn. ¡ª I watched from the counter with Mr. Bimmi, as this Mr. Ajifu left through the door. ¡°Hey, Royala. How long do you think this one will last?¡± Asked Mr. Bimmi. Hell, that¡¯s what I wanted to know. ¡°The last apprentice lasted a month. I would hope that this one could last a little longer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a severe palace. I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. At the very least, he will not be able to do any quests for some time.¡± However, the church was a valuable fighting force for this town, so we hoped he would do his best. ¡°Still! Mr. Ajifu is a D-Rank Adventurer, so there is a chance¡­¡± ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s better than those fledgling apprentice priests that have been coming up until now. Though, with that foot of his¡­¡± When updating his plate, I had glanced through his quest completion history. It was quite impressive for a solo Adventurer with a prosthetic leg! ¡°I can¡¯t help but have high expectations.¡± ¡°One can only hope.¡± Mr. Bimmi said as he continued to stare at the door. But his eyes did not look like he expected much. ¡ª I chose the closest inn that was recommended in the guide and entered it. Judging from the guide, this town was quite large. I entered the room, took off my armor and wiped off the dirt from my body with hot water, something I had not been able to do in a very long time. It felt like the exhaustion from the journey was fading away. I then changed into my room clothes and collapsed into the hard bed. In the distance, I could hear the sounds of something. But then the fatigue came at me mercilessly, and I fell into a deep sleep. As I had gone to bed very late, I was also late in getting up the next morning. I washed my clothes before eating a late breakfast, and then trained a little with my sword and magic manipulation in order to work up a sweat. This has become a daily habit for me. I could train with my sword, magic manipulation and parallel thought, all at the same time. There was no reason to not do it. As the desert climate was so hot, my clothes dried very quickly. And so I gathered all my belongings together and left the inn. While checking the guide, I made my way to the church, which was near the center of Rokuidol. Under the blazing sun of the day, the town was overflowing with lively people. I was surprised at just how much water there was. There were rows of trees and even a fountain in the plaza. As I looked around while walking, I heard a distant ¡®Don!¡¯ sound. It was the same sound I heard last night. But no one else seemed to take any notice of it. I wondered what it could be as I continued until the great church came into view. While it was simple in design, being made of stone with little decorations, it was just as large as the church in the royal capital. Gulp. I had finally arrived at my destination, but now I felt quite nervous. She was very tall. Probably above two meters in height, and even her robes could not hide the fact that she was very muscular. But even more striking was the brown tail that protruded from the back, and the shape of round ears under her veil. So she was a beastkin. Though, I did not know what kind. ¡°Uh, um¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have come to this church in order to train. My name is Ajifu. I would like to meet the head priest here.¡± I said as I showed her the letter from the priest from the capital. She thought for a moment and said, ¡°Ah, yes. I remember hearing about that a while ago. Wait here for a moment.¡± And then she took the letter and headed towards the back. After some time, a man in priest¡¯s garb appeared. He was also large. Not quite two meters, but around a hundred and ninety centimeters. He had blue hair and blue eyes, and would have had a calming air about him, had he not also been an overwhelming mass of muscles. The hands that held a book were so thick that it looked like he could crush an orc¡¯s skull. And he could probably squash a forest wolf against his chest. Was I really in a church? ¡°Father? My name is Ajifu. I came here to¡­¡± ¡°Ah, forgive me. I am not the priest that you seek. He will be here soon.¡± In spite of his appearance, he had an incredibly polite voice. Just then, the sister returned from the back. When these two stood together, it was overwhelming. And then someone appeared in between the two columns of muscle. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. I am Father Zenlima.¡± He had about half the height of the other two, but was just as impressively built. The newcomer in priest¡¯s garb was a dwarf. CH 60 Short Chanting I came here to learn light magic. That was the first thing that went through my mind as I saw the dwarf and the masses of muscle around him. In this world, dwarves were short, with thick arms and legs. Most of them were deep-chested and though about a third of the men shaved their beards, the ones that didn¡¯t wore them very thick. As for the women, they did not grow beards, nor did they look like young girls even when they aged. I heard that their lifespan was slightly longer than humans. They seemed quite similar to the popular image of dwarves. However, I had never heard of them being good with magic. And yet, there was that drunkard elf, Oriole. So you never knew. ¡°Father Zenrima. I have come to see you from the city of Razsita. My name is Ajifu.¡± ¡°Aye, it is as the letter said. So you lost a leg and want to train with light magic. Is that right?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°I hear that you are a man of great faith and have already been baptized. However, we are currently lacking in people who can use light magic, and so we cannot have you just train and do nothing else. You will have to help with the work in the church as well.¡± ¡°Of course, I intend to do just that. Tell me anything, and I will do what I can.¡± ¡°Well said. First, you should learn about the work here from these two. Your training will start after that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Ajifu. I was sent here from the Rabahask Holy Empire. My name is Kifume.¡± Loaned personnel? Rabahask was a great country that was south of here. I wonder what had brought him to a place like this. Well, I would surely learn of it eventually. ¡°And I am Pemeri. But don¡¯t go calling me Sister Pemeri. Pemeri will do just fine. I¡¯m a lion beastkin that was born and raised in Rokuidol.¡± A lion beastkin. Now that I thought about it, her large eyes and high nose did give that impression. ¡°While I am a humble beginner, I look forward to learning.¡± ¡°I shall start by giving you a tour of the church. Follow me.¡± First, Ms. Pemeri took me to the front chapel and the living quarters in the back. There was a servant called Marikit in the living quarters, who was in charge of domestic affairs. I was relieved to realize that I would not have to cook. ¡°And this is your room.¡± She said as I was taken to a room near the back door. It was about four and a half tatami mats in size. There was a single shelf for clothes in the room. But as someone who had nothing, it was more than enough space. ¡°You will find your apprentice clothes on the shelf. I shall wait outside, so you can remove your armor and get changed.¡± So saying, Ms. Pemeri left the room. I wondered if the size of the clothes would be alright? However, I realized the reason after I took off my armor and tried them on. It was very loose fitting, like a poncho without sleeves or a hood. After putting my things down and getting changed, I was then led to the clinic that was next to the church. As healers were always related to churches or temples, it was normal for the buildings to be connected. There would also be other hospitals in the city, which treated illnesses. I suppose it is like the relationship between surgery and medicine departments. If only there were spells that could heal the sick. ¡°During the day, Kifume and I are in charge of treating patients. And one other apprentice.¡± When we entered the clinic, I saw that there was a boy working there, who wore the same clothes as me. ¡°Drop what you are doing for now, and come and meet the new, not very young, apprentice.¡± She called over the boy with a clap of her hands. He appeared to be a teenager, so I suppose I would not be young in comparison. Still, my status had me at twenty-six. ¡°I am Ajifu. I will be staying at this church for some time. As you can see, I have a prosthetic leg.¡± ¡°I¡¯m apprentice Linel.¡± The boy with blonde hair said with a bow. ¡°The work here is¡­¡± ¡°Help! This person is hurt!¡± She was interrupted, as the doors flung open and someone was brought in on a stretcher. The position of the leg looked strange. It must be a fracture. ¡°Lay him on the bed! Linel, cut off the pants and straighten the leg!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two worked swiftly, and without a second thought, started to remove the pants off the man who had been brought in. ¡°Gaaahhh!¡± The man cried in pain, but they straightened his leg and then waved a staff over it. ¡°Me-le-mote-sei! Heal!¡± The healing chant. And then the leg was enveloped in a gentle light. ¡°Gah!¡± After a short cry, the man¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Sister. Thank you.¡± ¡°You can make a donation of three silvers. Now pull up your pants and be on your way.¡± Ms. Pemeri said with a wave of her hand. If I converted the treatment fees, it would be around three thousand yen in Japan. That seemed incredibly cheap. But then again, they were not operating to make a profit. Also, one potion bottle was also three silvers. But they would give you five coppers if you returned the bottle. It was normal to bring potions with you when going to dangerous places. That man had probably been somewhere that was considered safe, or had been close by when he was injured. ¡°Like this, it will be your job to help treat the wounded, clean, and call people from the church when necessary.¡± ¡°There always has to be someone here. So now that you¡¯ve joined, Mr. Ajifu, we will be able to take turns.¡± Linel said with a smile. How sad¡­ ¡°Well, let¡¯s do our best then.¡± I said as I offered my hand. Just then, the doors of the clinic flung open again. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you, sister. I messed up. Please fix me.¡± Said an Adventurer, who was holding his arm as it dripped with blood. An Adventurer!? Surely you would have a potion on you? Well, the surrounding area was all dangerous deserts and wastelands. Perhaps he had been injured very close by. ¡°You again. Why are you constantly messing up, eh? Come on, show me the wound¡­ Hmm. It is not very deep. Ah, Ajifu. I shall show you something interesting, so watch closely.¡± Ms. Pemeri said as she waved her staff over the wound. ¡°Heal!¡± She chanted. And then the wound glowed before closing up. She hadn¡¯t chanted! Could it be! ¡°Is that short chanting?¡± ¡°It is. Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± There is no ¡®short chant¡¯ skill. However, if you use the same spell over and over again, you will eventually be able to activate it with just a keyword. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it before! That¡¯s amazing!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but clap. ¡°What! I wanted the full chant!¡± The Adventurer was not very amused. Perhaps it was more effective if you said the full chant. ¡°But the wound is healed, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯ll expect your donation now.¡± At this point, I don¡¯t know why they kept calling it a donation instead of treatment fees. But I was not going to interfere with how the church ran things. The Adventurer grumbled, but ended up leaving a donation before leaving. ¡°How long will I have to use Heal before I can short chant?¡± I asked while wiping away the Adventurer¡¯s blood. ¡°Ah, there was this bored sorcerer and priest who tested it once. Apparently, it takes about ten thousand times.¡± Te-ten thousand¡­ ¡°Then what about casting without chanting at all¡­¡± ¡°Well, the bored priest messed up and lost count. However, we know that it was at least over fifty thousand times for healing magic. But it took the sorcerer around a hundred thousand times.¡± A hu-hundred thousand¡­ It was also not an acquired skill, so it was like training with a sword. It took a lot of training. However, unlike with sword training, one technique will not help you with others. So even if you learned to cast one spell without chanting, it would not connect to being able to do so with other spells. Just how long would it take to reach such levels¡­ ¡­Hmm? But if she had that much experience¡­ ¡°How old are you, Ms. Pemeri?¡± It had been a very thoughtful question, but instead of an answer, it was a vase full of water that came flying at me. Ah! Now I have more work to do! CH 61 Prayer Training It was clearly strange. After that, patients continued to flow in without end. And before it was evening, Ms. Pemeri ran out of MP. It seemed strange for so many patients to be arriving at a church. Still, priest Kifume then traded places with her as if it was nothing. And so I asked him. ¡°There are so many wounded people being brought in. Was there some kind of serious incident happening in the city?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this every day. There is a mine to the north of the city, and that¡¯s where most of the wounded come from. Both miners and Adventurers.¡± ¡°But why don¡¯t they just use potions to heal?¡± ¡°Potions are expensive. After all, the necessary herbs do not grow here.¡± ¡°Ah, now that you mention it¡­¡± All the surrounding area was desert and wastelands. It was times like these that you really appreciated the convenience of herbs. I felt grateful towards all those G and F Rank Adventurers now. They also took turns with the evening service, and more wounded still arrived. In the end, I had to stay in the infirmary until midnight, and then the flow of people finally stopped. Apparently, it was because the mines were closed at this hour. ¡°If any patients come in the middle of the night, wake me up.¡± Said father Zenrima. I nodded at him, and then collapsed in my bed and fell asleep. Ri-ri-ri-ri-ri-ri¡­ ¡­But the sound of a magic device quickly woke me back up. It was connected to the bell at the back door. As Linel had been in charge for so long, I had taken his place tonight. And so I looked through the peephole and then opened the door. ¡°This one is wounded! Please help!¡± ¡°I will wake up the priest. Please wait here.¡± I knocked on Father Zenrima¡¯s door, saying, ¡®there is a wounded person,¡¯ and he quickly opened it. ¡°Put on a light.¡± He said, and so I cast Light magic over the patient. It was another Adventurer with a fracture. That seemed to happen a lot. Father Zenrima finished the treatment swiftly and returned to his room. Ultimately, my sleep was interrupted three times that night, and I did not feel like I had rested much at all. After spending a day here, I realized it. This place was the emergency department. Not only that, but the church was taking on the burden of being close to the source of accidents, as well as the lack of potions. It was like a hospital on the frontlines. That¡¯s why this place had been described as severe. However, when working as an Adventurer, being attacked during the night was quite common. Besides, I only had to listen to the magic device for visitors every other night. Also, during the morning service¡­ ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ajifu. I was able to rest a little for the first time in a long while.¡± Linel said with a smile. It was a harsh environment for one still young. After that, I continued to work at the infirmary for a week, while also helping with preparations for rituals and cleaning the church building. There was much to learn, and being so busy helped time pass by quickly. I could not learn everything all at once, but after I had a good enough grasp on the rhythm of my daily routines, I was able to recommence my sword training, during nights where I wasn¡¯t on watch duty. It was also around that time that I was summoned by Father Zenrima. ¡°Ajifu, it seems like you¡¯ve adjusted quite well here.¡± ¡°Yes, everyone has been good to me.¡± Mmm. The priest nodded with satisfaction. ¡°You may have lost a leg, but you are still an Adventurer in his prime. And while this is faster than I expected, I think it is time that we start with your training.¡± Ohh! Finally! It¡¯s been eight years since I came to this world. And the time had come for me to acquire magic¡­ ¡°Now, don¡¯t get so ahead of yourself there. After all, whether or not you will be able to do it, is entirely up to you.¡± Ah! That¡¯s right! It was too early to be relieved. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just feel really emotional.¡± ¡°You are an odd one. So, what is your Magic Manipulation level now?¡± ¡°Level 10.¡± ¡°Really? In that case, all you have to do is offer a prayer. It will still take some training, but it should not be long.¡± ¡°Alright! It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯ve been training with Magic Manipulation!¡± I blurted out while raising a triumphant fist into the air. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a swordsman? You really are strange. Regardless, I shall oversee your training starting today. But don¡¯t start slacking off with your other duties.¡± ¡°Of course. And thank you, father.¡± And so from that day, on top of my daily work, I started my prayer training. ¡°No, your voice should come from your stomach!¡± ¡°Gaaaahhhh¡­!¡± ¡°Merge your magic energy with your voice!¡± ¡°Gaaaa¡­ Uh, I don¡¯t think I understand¡­.¡± Father Zenrima had an odd way of describing things. ¡°Can you feel the magic energy swirling inside of your stomach? Do not just push out the voice from your stomach, but allow it to be carried by the vortex of energy and release it. Now! One more time!¡± ¡°Gaaaaa¡­¡± Without being able to grasp the feeling, the day¡¯s training ended. ¡°As of now, you lack strength in your stomach. You must do a hundred situps before the end of the day.¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think muscles have any relation to magic?¡± I had been fearing this, and was not wrong. However, even if he was my instructor, there were times when one could not back down. He was trying to drag me down the path of muscles. But I would not fall for it! ¡°You are wrong.¡± ¡°Huh!?¡± I am? ¡°When your abdominal muscles are sore from training, then you will always be focused on them. In other words, it will be easier to concentrate your energy and voice there. Even if there is no direct relation, there is no such thing as unnecessary muscle or sore muscles. You will have an eight pack by the time you can load the magic energy onto your voice. Now, stop wasting my time!¡± He had straight up said that there was no direct relation. What a strange theory. ¡°Is a six pack not enough?¡± ¡°Stop being so easy on yourself!¡± The day after that, he insisted that ¡®stomach muscles and back muscle are connected,¡¯ and so I had to train my back as well. Furthermore, on the day after that, it was, ¡®healthy faith and magic energy reside in healthy muscles,¡¯ and so I had to train my entire body. Even as I trained, I continued to work in the infirmary, with its unending flow of patients, and help at the church. Every time I was woken up in the middle of the night by the door bell, I would curse these unnecessary muscle sores. However, this was not everything when it came to my work at the church. That day, we had a visitor at the church. Someone who claimed to be the Guild Master of the Rokuidol Adventurers Guild. Father Zenrima talked with the visitor for some time. When that was done, the Guild Master left, and everyone in the church gathered together. ¡°All of you. Tomorrow is a transfer day at the mines. The lords have gone through the guild and asked for our help. Well, it should be the same as usual, but since this will be Ajifu¡¯s first time, he must move with Linel.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± I said, even though I didn¡¯t understand anything. Still, if I was with Linel, surely that meant it wasn¡¯t anything dangerous. ¡°Brother Kifume. You will explain the basics of the request to Ajifu. Ajifu, just as a precaution, you should wear your armor and weapons tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Is there going to be a battle? Should I really be with Linel then? I would have to ask Kifume about it later. ¡°Well then. I¡¯ll be counting on you all tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± We disbanded after that, and as we worked in the infirmary, I questioned Brother Kifume. ¡°So, what are we going to be fighting tomorrow? It sounded like monsters¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Ajifu. Do you know what they are digging up in those mines?¡± ¡°I believe it was iron ore.¡± ¡°Tomorrow is the day that the iron ore will be transferred from the mines. And so monsters called Iron Slaters will gather around. Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of them, since you¡¯re an Adventurer.¡± Ah, those roly polies. They eat iron and also lure in other monsters¡­ So that¡¯s what this was. ¡°So other monsters will be lured in by these Iron Slaters as well?¡± ¡°Exactly. Tomorrow may be a very busy day.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just me, but Brother Kifume looked quite tired. CH 62 Mine City The mining city of Rokuidol. The city was exactly what you would expect from the name. Apparently, they had been digging a vein for iron ore that had been discovered in the flatlands, and then water began to flow out. So they built a city around it. Even though it was a mine, there was no mountain, and it was surrounded by high walls. However, both the mine and the city were surrounded by separate walls, which were connected by a corridor, making the entire thing look like a gourd. Currently, I was running on the wall which was the ¡®waist¡¯ part of the gourd with Linel. Don! Some iron slaters had rolled down the nearby mountains, and without losing momentum, had rushed up the side of the walls. They flew high above our heads and landed within the walls. So that was what made those sounds. I had heard them in the city as well. The iron slaters that fell near the miners carrying ore were immediately crushed by the Adventurers on the inside, but it seemed like some people were still getting injured from the impact. Brother Kifume¡¯s remaining MP was quite low. We had to make haste. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Hurry!¡± As I had been looking down from the walls, Linel grew impatient with me. Brother Kifume had continued to treat people since morning, but due to there being considerably more than usual, his MP was dangerously low, even though it wasn¡¯t midday yet. Right now, he was getting by with some expensive potions, but it would only last for so long. And so we were currently running towards Ms. Pemeri, who was supporting the Adventurers on the wall, so we could ask her to trade places. I ran as fast as my prosthetic leg would allow, and somehow managed to keep up with Linel. Once we passed the narrow part of the gourd, I could see the open pit mine within. ¡°Woah!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but exclaim as I saw the scale of the circular hole that was dug like a descending staircase. Were we not in this situation, I would have liked to stare at it for a while. However, even now, more iron slaters were rushing up the walls or raining down on us. The miners ran around, trying to avoid them as they carried the ore. It was no wonder people were getting injured. And outside of the walls, Adventurers were fighting other monsters that were lured by the scent of the iron slaters. So both the inside and outside areas were a battlefield. As for the defeated monsters, the city soldiers would raise them up in something that looked like a gondola that was lowered from the walls. And in exchange, they were giving the Adventurers some kind of card. ¡°A killer scorpion is coming!¡± The shout came from above the wall, and the Adventurers below seemed shaken. Killer scorpions were among the most feared monsters in the desert. Also, my current armor used materials from them. While sand scorpions were about 1.5 meters long, killer scorpions were 4 meters. Of course, they were that much stronger, while maintaining the same level of speed and having harder shells. Their power was simple but astonishing. Their hunting difficulty was ranked B. Crack. The killer scorpion¡¯s tail went flying. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there like a bunch of cowards!¡± Shouted Ms. Pemeri from the top of the wall. ¡®Aye!¡¯ The Adventurers below cried. ¡°Ms. Pemeri. Brother Kifume is out of MP.¡± I told her while panting. ¡°I see. I only have one arrow left as well. Just wait, and I will take down that one over there.¡± She said while glancing over to me. And then she raised her giant bow and nocked an arrow that looked more like a spear if anything. Giri-giri¡­ The bow creaked loudly as it was pulled. Though, it almost seemed like the sound was coming from her back muscles, which were tense under the clothes. Hyugon! I had never heard an arrow make such a sound. And without making an arch, it moved in a straight line and¡­ Doppan! Landed in the killer scorpion. The killer scorpion lifted its arms, and even though it was blasted into the air, it managed to survive the attack. However, it lost the use of its arms in exchange. I almost felt sad for the giant creature, now without stinger or pincers. ¡°Tsk. I couldn¡¯t finish it off. The rest of you! Take care of it!¡± Ms. Pemeri shouted to the Adventurers below. ¡°Yes, Sister Pemeri! Thank you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! And as I always say, thank god!¡± ¡°We are grateful to you and Lord Memrikia! Now, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± With renewed vigor, the Adventurers then charged towards the killer scorpion. Indeed, I had heard that Ms. Pemeri would be on the wall and supporting the Adventurers. However, this was not what I had been expecting when I thought of a nun offering support. I had never seen an archer like that before. ¡°I will go on ahead. You two better not slack off.¡± Ms. Pemeri said, and then she went running away. Linel and I just stood there and watched the Adventurers finish off the killer scorpion. ¡°Ms. Pemeri used to be an A-Rank Adventurer.¡± Linel muttered on our way back. ¡°An A-Rank Adventurer!? Isn¡¯t that like a hero! Why is she a nun?¡± Aside from the special rank of S, they were at the very top of Adventurers. Surely that meant quite a sizable income. However, Linel did not elaborate after that. I suppose he felt that it was wrong to be so loose lipped about someone else¡¯s business. And I did not feel like asking him. Fortunately, by the time that the miners were finished carrying out the ore, there were only a few monsters attacking. And by the time it was noon, and Ms. Pemeri was running out of MP, Brother Kifume returned from his rest, and we were able to get through the day. ¡°So this happens every month? That must be hard.¡± I muttered. And Brother Kifume said, ¡°No, three times a month. On the 10th, 20th and 30th days. The ore here is transported to the dwarf kingdom, and is also a valuable resource for our neighbors in the Rabahask Holy Empire.¡± Just a little, I felt like collapsing right then and there. That night, the monster meat was distributed in the city, and it was like having a festival. Even the monsters that had been lured by the iron slaters did not smell bad once they were cooked, and so some of it was given to the church as well. And while we were troubled by the drunken wounded in the night, everything went back to normal the following day. However, there was a small change during these uneventful days. ¡°Aggghhh¡­¡± ¡°Hmm!? I think there was a little magic energy in that?¡± After training my prayer skills for two weeks, I had shown a little growth. ¡°Hmm. It might be time to move onto the next step then. However, you should continue to train with the basics on your own.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Now, you will finally start training to carry magic on your words. Once you are able to do that, you can tackle the holy scriptures, which will be even harder. So do not relax just yet.¡± It was like he was dangling the carrot right in front of me provokingly. And I would take the bait! The next part of my training would involve charging magic into words that I was ordered to say. ¡°Red-goblin-blue-goblin-yellow-goblin.¡± ¡°The wolf neighbor likes horn rabbits and eats them a lot.¡± Uh, is this some kind of speech training? I¡¯m trusting you in this, alright? ¡°Use your abdominal muscles more! Place your hands on your stomach and back and focus on the rotation of magic energy!¡± When using the parallel thought skill for speaking and magic manipulation, you cannot seem to sense the magic energy in your voice. Instead of doing it separately, you have to combine your voice and magic energy. While it was little by little, I could feel my progress, which made me more enthusiastic about my training. And though my work at the church was becoming more harsh, thanks to the requests at the mines being added, we all helped each other and got through the days. And so as I lived like this, so passed the seasons, though it was difficult to tell in the desert. CH 63 Acquiring Light Magic Apparently, the training where you applied magic energy to your voice was supposed to be done little by little, as you continued with magic manipulation training. However, since I had started without doing that, I struggled even more than Father Zenrima expected. And so three months passed without the ¡®Prayer¡¯ skill appearing. I went down on my knees in front of the statue of Lord Memrikia, folded my hands, bowed my head and closed my eyes. Here, if you chanted the holy scripture of light and imbued them with magic, you were supposed to be able to acquire the Prayer skill. I had attempted it many times during the past three months. I could mutter the holy scriptures in my sleep. Father Zenrima folded his short, thick arms and nodded. ¡°As a believer, I offer myself to the great Lord Memrikia. I beseech you to grant me this blessing, and allow your wondrous miracle to reside in this body.¡± ¡­However, nothing happened! ¡°I failed today as well¡­¡± As I sighed, a hand patted me on the shoulder. That had also happened many times. I got back up to my feet and clapped my hands. ¡°Well, I will get back to work.¡± I said as I bowed to Father Zenrima. Even if this had happened many times, it still hurt. Not a day went by where I did not think, ¡®This time!¡¯ It just meant I was always disappointed. In order to distract myself, I cleaned the chapel with a duster. It was then that I noticed a beastkin child staring at me from behind one of the pillars near the entrance. With sudden inspiration, I started to wave the duster in front of the child. And then just as expected, the child¡¯s tail stood up. When I moved the duster to the left and right, its eyes followed it. Yes, I could tell that it wanted to chase it. I tried raising and lowering the duster, and the child¡¯s tail would wag as it was ready to pounce. Hehe¡­ Won¡¯t be long now¡­ Bonk! I saw sparks as something suddenly bashed me over the head. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± As I held my head¡­ ¡°Stop playing with my child!¡± Ms. Pemeri said angrily. ¡°Mother!¡± The beastkin child threw its arms around Ms. Pemeri. The child was Nemera. A four-year old who would occasionally visit her mother at the church. Even if they were beastkin cats, perhaps I had gone too far. Yes, Ms. Pemeri was married. And so she had retired from being an Adventurer and settled in her hometown where she became a nun. There were no rules that forbade those of the church from getting married. There were a lot of differences compared to the church that I was familiar with. While her family must be worried, as she was so busy at the church, she always returned home for dinner, where her husband stayed and took care of the house. ¡°Do you really have time for that right now? Weren¡¯t you going to have your leg repaired today?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± My failure with the Prayer skill had made me forget. The mines and the desert had been too much of a burden on my prosthetic leg, and it had broken. I was currently wearing a spare that was made with extra parts. Thankfully, as I was no longer traveling, I wasn¡¯t limited as much with belongings. And so I notified the people of the church, and then headed towards the only smithy in Rokuidol. After all, there were hardly any trees around the town, which meant little firewood or coal. The town had gathered funds to build this smithy, and a great magic furnace had been installed. It was shared by several blacksmiths. ¡°Hello. Is the chief here today?¡± I entered the door of the building which was much larger than an average smithy. ¡°Aye, wait one moment.¡± Replied a dwarf blacksmith who had been working. I stayed in a corner so as not to get in their way, and watched them work. Clang. The chief struck. Cling. Gong. The apprentices struck. The perfectly timed striking of the hammers created a comforting rhythm. I felt like I could watch them forever. As I stared at them vacantly, I started to feel that the chief¡¯s ¡®clang¡¯ alone was lingering strangely in my ears. Clang¡­cling, gong. Clang¡­cling, gong¡­ Maybe it was just me¡­? Hmm¡­ A little more¡­ ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Unfortunately, it seemed like they had finished their work for now, and the sounds of the hammers ended as the chief approached me. ¡°Here¡¯s the part that you ordered. Try using it, and then let me know if you have any trouble with it.¡± He said, handing me the spring made of iron board for the prosthetic leg. When fighting in the sandy deserts, I had noticed what was insufficient for stepping forward with the prosthetic leg. The ¡®twist¡¯ and ¡®dig.¡¯ For the twist, a gentle curve had been added to a corner of the bottom side. Furthermore, in order to dig into the ground a little, an angle had been added to the curved part of the heel. It was made for longer strides than usual, and prioritized combat. ¡°Thank you. Do you mind if I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Well, if you keep it short.¡± ¡°To me, your hammer alone sounded different. Is there a reason for that?¡± ¡°Of course it is. The angle, strength and timing affect the sound. Besides¡­¡± The boss lifted his hammer with a grin. ¡°My hammer is very special. It is filled with magic.¡± That¡¯s it!! ¡°Boss! Please let me watch you¡­listen to you work!¡± ¡°Listen to me work? What a strange thing to say. Well, as long as you don¡¯t get in the way.¡± Clang¡­cling, gong. Clang¡­cling, gong¡­ I closed my eyes and just focused on the sounds of the boss¡¯s hammer. Clang¡­clang¡­ And then I chanted the holy scripture of light to the rhyme of the hammer. I compared every word with every clang. At some point, the sounds had stopped, but I barely even noticed as the sounds continued to ring in my ears. ¡°Hey¡­ Hey!¡± Someone was shaking my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s evening¡­¡± ¡°Chief! Thank you!¡± The town had turned red under the setting sun as I ran back to the church. ¡°You forgot the part for your leg!¡± He shouted something at me, but I didn¡¯t hear it. I rushed into the church. Everyone was gathered there, probably for the evening service. ¡°Ajifu! You! Where were you wandering around!¡± ¡°Ms. Pemeri. Everyone. I¡¯m sorry. But please! Father Zenrima, allow me to try the holy scriptures prayer once more!¡± Ms. Pemeri looked angry, but Father Zenrima looked me straight in the face. ¡°Hmm. Very well. You may try.¡± So saying, he gave me space in front of the statue. And so I went down to one knee, folded my hands, lowered my head and closed my eyes. ¡°Tsk! If you are going to do it, you better get it right!¡± ¡°You can do it, Mr. Ajifu!¡± Everyone was cheering me on in the back. Even though I had inconvenienced them all by being absent for so long. And so I had to get it right this time. ¡°Relax and concentrate.¡± I heard Father Kifume¡¯s voice. That¡¯s right. I could not be too excited either. And so while keeping my eyes closed, I exhaled and checked the magic energy in my body, which was now flowing smoothly. Let¡¯s go then! ¡°As a believer, I offer myself to the great Lord Memrikia. I beseech you to grant me this blessing, and allow your wondrous miracle to reside in this body(Tashi mare san ni kuka. Ga ku yo rima na uo tsu hi ni ru ki suu uto ki).¡± The holy scriptures were converted through the magic energy! Yes! I had succeeded! And the statue of Lord Memrikia began to glow, and the light spread out and enveloped my body. I shone there for some time, and then the light began to fade. ¡°Woahhh!!¡± Their voices rose as they all congratulated me. And when I checked my status, I saw the Prayer skill. Yes! It had finally done it! ¡°Thank you. All of you. Thank you so much!¡± As we shook hands and embraced, Ms. Pemeri slowly pulled out a knife. She used it to prick the tip of her finger and draw blood. Then she offered the finger to me. ¡°Now, try it. You can, can¡¯t you?¡± I grinned. ¡°Of course.¡± I had read the holy book I received in the royal capital church many times. And so I didn¡¯t need to look at anything to remember the scripture for healing. Brother Kifume allowed me to borrow his staff, which I held over the cut on her finger and chanted. ¡°The miracle of healing light! Heal!(Me lei moto sei)¡± One the words were converted by the magic energy, Ms. Pemeri¡¯s fingertip glowed a little. She then wiped away the blood, showing that the cut had disappeared without a trace. I had activated light magic! ¡°Yes!¡± I raised a fist into the air. Compared to three months ago, my stomach was tight with muscles. ¡ª Long ago, in the realm of the gods. Memrikia: I am troubled. If all one has to do is apply magic energy to their voice, then healers will turn combat magicians into a joke. Ibitrayme: Well, there is no job system. Memrikia: The gods should limit their involvement when it comes to the matters of humans. I want only to bestow the blessing of skills. Ibitrayme: In that case, why not make it so that each skill requires a lot of training? Memrikia: We¡¯ll go with that. CH 64 Magic Staff ¡°Ajifu, it was impressive how you acquired the prayer skill. Now you are truly an apprentice priest. The church shall gift you a mace to celebrate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of your guidance, Father Zenrima. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. But I do not need the mace.¡± I had come to Father Zenrima¡¯s room after learning light magic. ¡°What!? Then how will you use the magic?¡± ¡°Uh, with a staff.¡± I was not going to use that giant mass of metal! ¡°A staff? Only weakling magicians use those!¡± ¡°But bothe Brother Kifume and Ms. Pemeri use them?¡± When using magic, you needed a staff as a conductor. Normally, priests would put a medium inside of a mace, as the longer it was, the more accurate the magic. ¡°Neither of them understand why maces are good! Still, you will have plenty of time to think about it. Now, Ajifu. There is something you lack, even after learning light magic. Do you know what I am talking about?¡± Don¡¯t you dare say muscles. ¡°Light magic skill levels?¡± ¡°While that is necessary, it is not that alone. What you lack is MP.¡± I wish he would just say mana. It sounded better. However, it did make sense. MP management was hard, so that¡¯s why we always had to rotate. ¡°So, I want you to raise your level. However, as you know, things are very busy at the church. And so you will have to do it while continuing your other duties.¡± ¡°Father Zenrima, may I ask you¡­ Was it the same for the other apprentice priests as well?¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t treat anyone differently.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean to meddle, but me aside, perhaps it was too severe for the others?¡± On top of the work with the church and infirmary, they also had to go to the mines and help with fighting monsters? It was quite hard. ¡°But they would be with an Adventurer party? And they need to strengthen their muscles in order to wield a mace.¡± So they also had to work out as well. It¡¯s no wonder they were running away. Father Zenrima was very popular within this city. He was a dwarven hero, and still a capable fighter. And so even if he was strict, the church would not want to replace him. He was a stubborn old dwarf. ¡°As I don¡¯t have an issue with being solo, I will start raising my level as soon as my equipment is ready.¡± I needed 12 MP to heal once. Currently, my MP is at 71, so I could use it up to five times. And if I took breaks in between, I would recover enough MP to heal six times. Also, while I would use a staff to use magic normally, I also had Parallel Thought, so I might as well make it so that I could use magic while fighting. I wanted to try embedding a medium into my prosthetic leg, but I could put my leg over wounded people, so that wouldn¡¯t do¡­ Hmm¡­ Damn it! I forgot the part for my leg!! I earned money from my work at the church. While the church had no lack of patients, it wasn¡¯t much money considering the amount of work. However, I didn¡¯t have to pay for my room or meals. Not only that, but the church paid for consumables used in the mines or for leveling up, so it actually seemed generous. The next day, I told Ms. Pemeri that I had forgotten my leg part at the smithy, and after being scolded, I visited the dwarf chief. ¡°You finally came back.¡± He said with exasperation. ¡°It was all thanks to you. I am so grateful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. Just take it and leave.¡± I picked up the spring part and asked him, ¡°Chief. Could you turn this into a mace?¡± ¡°I am even more confused about what you are talking about. However, in a way, that is just a strangely shaped board. So it should be possible.¡± ¡°Then please do it!¡± ¡°Do not ask me to do it. However, there is a magic artificer who I can introduce you to.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Apparently, working with magic mediums was the job of a magic artificer. After being told where the place was, I left the smithy behind me. There was an area near a back alley where I normally wouldn¡¯t go, that was filled with various workshops. And in one corner, I found the smithy that the chief was talking about. ¡°Is Ms. Lettelotte here?¡± ¡°Aye!¡± A dwarf woman appeared from the back of the workshop that was filled with unfamiliar materials. Her age¡­ I could not tell with dwarf women. But I did know one thing. You should not ask such things. ¡°The chief at the smithy recommended you to me. I want to order two maces, as well as a staff.¡± I then handed her the leg spring. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Well, it was no wonder. And so I showed her the prosthetic leg and explained my idea to her. ¡°Huh. You do think of interesting things. Even though I would hardly call that a mace. Still, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± She agreed to do it. ¡°I also want to order another mace. One that I can attach to my left hand, so it won¡¯t get in the way when using a sword.¡± ¡°How is that even a mace then? Well, nevermind. And it can be made of wood?¡± ¡°I would prefer it if it was durable enough to use in battle.¡± Ms. Lettelotte thought about it for some time. ¡°While it will be heavier, what about adding it into a small shield that is part of your gauntlet? However, the range of the magic will be reduced. You won¡¯t hit anything if you¡¯re too far away.¡± Hmm. I started to think about distance when it came to light magic. According to the holy scriptures, I will be able to use Protection once I have skill level 5. It was a spell that would weaken enemy attacks for a single ally that was close by. But how close was it exactly? I didn¡¯t know, and it would be pretty embarrassing if I cast it and missed during an actual battle. ¡°I just need to be able to cast Protection with it.¡± I said, hoping it would be enough. ¡°Light magic, eh? If that¡¯s all you care about¡­ How about this?¡± She started to draw on a blackboard with some chalk. ¡°Hoho. That is interesting. It sounds very promising, Ms. Lettelotte.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ We understand each other then. Also, you don¡¯t need to talk to me so formally.¡± Huh, perhaps she was younger than I thought? ¡°Yes¡­sure. I think that I will be requiring your services for some time, Ms. Lettelotte.¡± I said while offering my hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to call me ¡®miss.¡¯ Regardless, I look forward to doing some interesting world.¡± ¡°Alright, Lettelotte. Nice to meet you.¡± We firmly shook hands. In this world that had not been industrialized, connections with crafters was very important. Not only for my prosthetic leg, but for weapons, armor, clothes, bags, shoes, and everything in your house. There were stores as well, but crafters were strongly connected to life in the city. And so meeting a good crafter meant being able to acquire good products. Satisfied, I returned to the church and found Ms. Pemeri standing there with her arms folded. ¡°You sure took your time, considering what happened yesterday. Eh? Mr. Ajifu?¡± She was angry. Very angry. This was bad. ¡°M-Ms. Pemeri. There is a reason for this! My staff! Yes! I went to buy a staff!¡± ¡°Oh? And where is this staff?¡± Ah, I was so occupied with talking about my combat equipment, that I had forgotten to buy a normal staff. ¡°I forgot.¡± Bonk. A fist fell on top of my head. It hurt for the second day in a row¡­ The next day, I bought a normal magic staff. CH 65 Leveling ¡®I can raise my level while solo, no problem.¡¯ Ahh. Who was it who got carried away and said such a thing? The first day that I went outside of the walls in order to raise my level, I saw how the local Adventurers hunted, and gave up on the idea of solo leveling. And after consulting the front desk at the guild, it was suggested that I join a party temporarily. This was received better than I expected. While I was an apprentice priest, I was also a D-Rank Adventurer who could fight with a sword. That made me rather popular with Adventurers here who lacked potions, and wanted me to heal them, even though they could not protect me. After that, whenever I wanted to level up, I would search for a party I could join temporarily. ¡°Hey! Come over here!¡± The crocodile, which had tough skin made of stone, dove into the sand. Rock crocodiles were D-Rank monsters that attacked with their jaws wide open when Adventurers raised their great shields and provoked them. But even with their four meters of length, it was not possible for them to swallow a tower shield whole. As they were distracted in the front, I would move in from the back, and stab them near the legs, where the skin was the thinnest, and then jump away. Once stabbed, a rock crocodile might flail around wildly with its stone body. And that was incredibly dangerous to get caught up in. And so I keep my distance and let it go wild. Once it is tired and stops, shield wielder Wakilz blocks its path once again, and the other party members surround it and attacked. In general, we repeated that over and over. But just then, a pillar of smoke rose in the corner of my vision. Something was coming towards us¡­ It was two Desert winders! ¡°Bimmi!¡± I shouted, while moving away from the rock crocodile. One more person¡­ Ah, it was Delmui, the dual axe wielder. Desert winder skin was not too hard. It was a good decision. From behind, ¡°I¡¯m leaving it to you!¡± A voice shouted. ¡°Aye!¡± I answered. Leave it to me! As we were a temporary party, communication could still be awkward, but that could not be helped. Outside of the walls around the mines, the area was all wastelands. And so the desert winders could not swim as smoothly here as they did in the sand. They jumped at us with the same momentum of their charge, but the speed and height was lower than when in the desert. I swung my sword to the side, slamming it into a desert winder that had tried to bite into my waist. It pulled its head back quickly. But I was not about to let it go! I stepped forward on my prosthetic leg and slashed with my sword. Clang. Tsk! It had turned around and blocked it with the hard side of its back. However, showing your back to your enemy was a bad idea! I slid forward one step, and as the desert winder turned around, spun my sword above my head. Slash. The blade went through its neck. But even though more than half of its neck had been cut, its body was still moving. My new leg seemed to be doing well. While the motion of digging my heel into the dirt was still not going well, I had been able to slide forward. It was a good thing I had rounded out the bottom. It made a big difference. Heels really were incredible. I wish I had one. Delmui was fighting against the other one, but the rest of the party were about to help him, after they defeated the rock crocodiles. So there was no need for me to act. And so I stayed on my guard while waiting for the battle to finish. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s carry them!¡± Once the battle was over, Bimmi, the party leader, shouted for us to start with the transportation of the monsters. But as the carrying of heavy objects was difficult with my leg, they let me off, and I was put in charge of watching the area. After all, iron slater corpses lured in other monsters, so there was no telling when we might be attacked. Once we reached the walls, a whistle was blown, and a gondola was lowered. The monster corpses were put inside, and the Adventurers were given tags in exchange. While you had to pay for this service, they carved up and transported the monsters for you. In the meantime, we returned to the hunting grounds, along with the wagon with the iron slater corpses. After seeing them hunting like this, I could not try leveling solo right next to them. Not only that, but if I attacked the monsters that appeared, I would get in the way of their hunt. Even if fighting with a party meant that leveling up would be slower, wandering around in the wastelands by myself would be incredibly dangerous. ¡°Good work. Can you still continue on?¡± Asked Bimmi. An Adventurer who I seemed to team up with a lot recently. He was also the leader of this party. ¡°I am fine. Does anyone here need to be healed?¡± ¡°Wakilz. It¡¯s hard to avoid, as a shield-wielder. Can I ask you to help him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Healer. Of course, I can.¡± ¡°When I see the people that the Rokuidol church sends, I don¡¯t know what a Healer is anymore.¡± How rude! Don¡¯t compare me to the others, with their monstrous strength! And so I approached Wakilz, who leaned on his shield, and raised my hand over him. ¡°Mei-lei-moto-sei! Heal!¡± And chanted. ¡°Thank you. Even when I know what is happening, it is such a strange thing.¡± Wakilz said with gratitude. Indeed. This was the effect of the small, shield-shaped ¡®magic staff¡¯ that I had attached to my right hand. Due to its length, the range would have been reduced greatly. Only, it was maintained to that of an ordinary staff through limiting the direction. And so I had to be very precise when holding my hand over the target. Regardless, the result was that it looked like I was activating magic without a staff!! Wonderful! Brilliant work, Lettelotte! People would be a little surprised every time I healed them now. But because the targeting was severe, I would likely not be able to use it for attack magic. But I couldn¡¯t even use attack magic to begin with, so that was fine. As for the medium implanted into my prosthetic leg, as I could only use Heal right now, I would not be able to use it unless I was injured. After all, I didn¡¯t want to kick someone else while healing them. ¡°There, here comes the next one.¡± I turned to look, and saw that two sand scorpions had appeared. Wakilz raised his shield and moved towards them. Great hammer-wielder Nusuls took on the other one. Due to my prosthetic leg, I could not help but be slower to act than the others. Clang. The sounds of the sand scorpion pincers clanging against the greatshield echoed around us. I kept my distance and slipped past them and¡­ ¡°Arrghhh!¡± I swung down, aiming at the joint where the tail connected to the body. The sand scorpion was fully distracted by Wakilz, and undefended. Shocked at having its tail torn off, the sand scorpion tried to retreat, but I stabbed the stump with my sword, just as it backed into it. While the sensation was disgusting, with so much weight behind it, the blade went in deep towards the monster¡¯s stomach. The sand scorpion then fell to the ground. But its limbs just twitched, and it could no longer resist. I got back to my feet and looked around. ¡°More are coming!¡± Wakilz¡¯s voice entered my ears. ¡°To the right! Rock crocodiles!¡± Crocodiles should stay in the water! ¡°I¡¯ll leave them to you!¡± Wakilz said as he moved away. We didn¡¯t need a shield-wielder since they were F-Rank monsters. But we had to act quickly. ¡°I¡¯m going to burn the iron slaters for now!¡± They were pushed off of the cart and set on fire. Oil had been poured on them in advance, so the fire spread quickly. Now we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about them attracting more monsters. ¡°Kyaaaunn!¡± I cut down two of the poison coyotes, while Delmui crashed the skull of another. Then the other two ran away. We had no time to chase after them. And so I turned around in order to join those who fought against the rock crocodiles. Once they were gone, we could rest! As we fought near the town, in spite of the desert season being quite cool now, I was sweating profusely. And just like the slow steps of the seasons, my level rose gradually but surely. CH 66 Newcomers I used ¡®Light¡¯ to illuminate the dark room with magic. ¡°Status open.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 27 LV: 27(+4) HP: 196/196(+20) MP: 24/99(+28) STR: 56(+4) VIT: 56(+5) INT: 35(+6) MND: 43(+8) AGI: 36(+2) DEX: 32(+3) LUK: 16(+3) Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv4, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv4, Carving Lv5, Leatherworker Lv3, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv8, Magic Manipulation Lv11(+2), Everyday Magic(light/water/earth), Sword Art Lv13(+1), Night Vision Lv1, Parallel Thought Lv2, Prayer, Light Magic Lv3(+2) Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God, Adventurer, Creator¡¯s Blessing. Half a year has passed since I came to Rokuidol, and my level had gone up four levels. My level had never gone up at this speed before. The pace that your level went up was supposed to drop the higher it went, so that showed how efficient things were in Rokuidol. Every day, I used Heal until I was drained of MP. And my skill level for Light magic had also gone up 2 levels. But that wasn¡¯t the important part. Age: 27 That was important. Up until now, I had been getting a little younger every year on the fourth month, as well as raising my skill level with Reverse Age. And I was nearing the fourth month. And so I realized the possibilities of ¡®age.¡¯ I had never really thought about it before, but if I became younger than the 26 years of age I had been when I lost my leg, would my leg return to me? I wondered. To be honest, it seemed very unlikely. Up until now, this skill hadn¡¯t changed me outside of my age. But still¡­ If there was even a small chance or my leg returning, I wanted to hope. It was part of my body, after all. Of course, I was worried as well. Going from 27 to 25 was still subtle enough to avoid suspicion. But if my leg regrew, I could not explain that. What would I do the next day? ¡®My leg grew back!¡¯ Would I say that while greeting them with a smile? Should I tell them everything? Or should I leave town? At the very least, I would not be telling them the whole truth. Who knows what would happen to me if people found out about my skill. While everyone at the church was nice, you could never stop rumors from spreading. And not everyone who learned of it would have good intentions. It wasn¡¯t a matter of trust. And if my leg regrew in the morning, there was no way that I could avoid questioning. Perhaps I should just quit the church and test it out in a different town? Rokuidol had been a harsh environment at first, but now, there were more people who could use recovery magic, and the shifts were not so bad. And more than anything, I owed a debt since they taught me light magic. It felt wrong to leave them now when they lacked personnel. I didn¡¯t want to trouble them over something that I wasn¡¯t even sure about. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Both a hope and a headache. And so I sighed, closed my status and sunk into my bed. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. You haven¡¯t been yourself recently.¡± Linel said to me the next morning. Ah, so he noticed. However, he was not someone that I could confide in. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Perhaps I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± ¡°Leveling is important, but you must rest as well!¡± He was very kind. Clap! While I was cleaning the church, Father Zenrima clapped his hands together to get our attention. ¡°Everyone, listen to me. Thanks to Ajifu¡¯s growth as an apprentice priest, the cathedral has changed their opinion regarding us. And so they will be sending another apprentice to us. They should arrive next month. So be prepared.¡± A newcomer. That was good. ¡­Hmm!? That¡¯s it! This! Once the newcomer has settled in, I can leave town! Like this, I won¡¯t inconvenience the church too much. But in order to do that, I had to protect the newcomer from Father Zenrima¡¯s evil influence regarding muscles. I had to. ¡°Father Zenrima! Please let me help with the newcomer¡¯s training!¡± ¡°Hmm, Ajifu. Indeed, you have done well as an apprentice. However, I see that a shadow has been cast over your muscles recently.¡± Once I acquired the Prayer skill, I hardly did any muscle training. I decided that I was better off focusing on sword practice. Besides, my armor was starting to not fit me. ¡°I am merely searching for the muscles that best suit me. There is no shadow.¡± We glared at each other and sparks flew. What kind of competition was this? However, it was Father Zenrima who backed away. ¡°Gahaha! Search for your own muscles. Ajifu, you have come a long way. Very well. You shall help with educating the newcomer.¡± Yes! Newcomer, who I do not know yet! I will save you from that muscle hell! Students entered the seminary between twelve and fourteen years of age. And it took two to three years to graduate. And so the newcomer should be between fourteen and seventeen. Perhaps I should just reverse my age to seventeen after I leave town. Hehe. It was now the fourth month of the year, and I was able to use Reverse Age again. However, I would not. Not yet. ¡°I graduated from the seminary this year. My name is Gairo. After hearing stories of the great Father Zenrima, I volunteered to be sent here! I am fifteen. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± And the newcomer had finally arrived! The first one was a boy with blonde hair and green eyes. And while he was not exactly skinny, he did not look too strong either. However, he was also a fan of Father Zenrima. Do I have to change my strategy? ¡°I am Lutma. I graduated last year, and worked as an Adventurer for a year. Once I reached F-Rank, the church recommended that I come here. I am eighteen. I look forward to working with you.¡± The second one said with a bow. She had brown eyes and purplish-red hair that peeked out from her hat. I did not expect a woman to come. I see. So it wasn¡¯t only people who had just graduated. I hadn¡¯t considered that. ¡°Well met. Both of you. I am Father Zenrima of the Rokuidol church. First, I want you two to learn your duties in the church. I have high hopes for you.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± And so their education started on that day. First, we would take them around the church and teach them what to do, and once they were used to it, they would start their shifts in the infirmary and night watch. Regardless, as their predecessor, my biggest priority was to get in Father Zenrima¡¯s way. ¡°Ah, Ajifu. I think it¡¯s time that they start to train their muscles.¡± ¡°No. Gairo is still growing. Any unnecessary muscle would just disturb that growth. As for Lutma, I think it¡¯s best that she focuses on the use of weapons for now.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they raise their levels?¡± ¡°Gairo must first register as an Adventurer and learn about the town as a G-Ranker. And Lutma must search for a party to join.¡± ¡°Ajifu. You seem to disagree with me a lot?¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m just being logical.¡± I was only saying what was normal. Of course, there were times when I led them directly. ¡°Lutma. What weapon do you use?¡± ¡°A staff.¡± ¡°And you, Gairo?¡± ¡°Obviously, a mace! The same as Father Zenrima!¡± A mace was one thing, but it would be difficult to only use a staff. ¡°Very well. Gairo, use a training mace and practice swinging against a leather bag. They are filled with sand, but be careful so that you don¡¯t injure your wrists, understand?¡± ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Now, Lutma. Many of the monsters in Rokuidol are covered in hard shells. And if you want to raise your MP, you will need a different weapon other than a staff. You should choose something.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just rely on the advance guards?¡± ¡°Most light magic is for healing. And surely you don¡¯t mean to stand around until someone is injured? Protecting yourself is the bare minimum, but it¡¯s best to have a method of attack as well. Your safest bet is to use a mace that can also be a staff.¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t like hitting things directly¡­ What about this?¡± So saying, she took out a stick that was attached to a chain and a spiked ball. A flail. A vicious weapon. I suppose it didn¡¯t count as ¡®directly¡¯ for her? ¡°Hmm. You will have to train a lot with that. Or you might get hurt.¡± ¡°I will. I will train hard!¡± She said, putting her hands together in a pleading gesture. It almost would have been cute, if she wasn¡¯t carrying such an unsettling weapon in her hands. Bonus chapter courtesy of Photo. Thank you so much! CH 67 Chapter 67 ¨C Room to Leave ¡°Listen, Gairo. There are so many things a G-Rank Adventurer has to know. Whether it¡¯s the client, the town, the surrounding area¡­ And that knowledge is important for us, who work at the church as well.¡± We had come to the Adventurers Guild today. This was so Gairo could register as an Adventurer, and Lutma was to search for a party. ¡°Mr. Ajifu, what should I do?¡± ¡°Go to the counter and say that the church told you to come to register. Don¡¯t worry, the church will pay all of the fees.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Gairo said cheerfully, and then he headed to the reception counter. ¡°Now, as for Lutma¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Ajifu. I am perfectly capable of searching for a party on my own, you know?¡± ¡°Yes, I wasn¡¯t going to do it for you. Since you are a woman of the church, it would be best if you have the guild recommend you a party. One that can be trusted.¡± ¡°I understand that, but¡­¡± ¡°Your schedule will have to accommodate both your work at the church and commitments with the party. That won¡¯t work unless they are very understanding. Healers are important in this town without medicinal herbs. And so the guild should be happy to have you.¡± Ah, Royalah was at the desk. That was unusual during midday. ¡°Royalah! I want you to recommend a F-Rank party for this newcomer to the church. As you can see, she is a woman, so it must be a trustworthy party.¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Ajifu. Is that her? Can you please show me your Adventurers plate?¡± ¡°Y-yes! Thank you!¡± Oh, Lutma¡¯s back straightened. I had been right to choose a desk with a man after all. They were the same age, and Royalah was quite handsome. Their education continued quite smoothly. It helped that both of them could already use light magic. As Gairo still had low MP, he was more like an assistant personnel. But he was still doing well. ¡°Mr. Ajifu, there is a quest that I want to participate in with my new party. Could you change shifts with me?¡± ¡°As long as you return the favor in the future.¡± ¡°Mr. Ajifu! I want to swing around a mace! Can you accompany me as I hunt iron slaters?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll adjust my schedule, so wait one moment. While I did what I could to help them¡­ ¡°I think that everyone should do squats while they worship.¡± ¡°That would be blasphemy against god.¡± I had to continue to thwart Father Zernima¡¯s wild ideas day after day. Still, the two grew accustomed to their jobs, and were a reliable addition to our fighting force. And so we were not as busy as we used to be That meant I had more free time, which I used to visit Lettelotte¡¯s workshop. ¡°I¡¯m telling you that I can¡¯t trust the durability of the mechanism!¡± If my leg broke at the joint, it would not be possible to attack with the spike in my foot! ¡°You say that, but the last one you asked me to do, the projectile type. It was a failure as well. Do you know how hard it was to make that?¡± The idea of the lock coming off depending on how hard you stepped down was a good one. I did not expect it to malfunction so easily. ¡°That was indeed a shame.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. In any case, just take the leg with the widened back part.¡± It was just the minor change I had asked for. However, these kinds of small improvements were important. Adding gimmicks was like a hobby for Lettelotte. In fact, Lettelotte was not a prosthetic limb crafter. She was supposed to be making magic tools. However, as we talked, I ended up making requests for things that had nothing to do with magic. Regardless, it was because of the two newcomers that I could spend time on modifying my leg. It was morning. The day that the iron ore was going to be sent from the mines. A guild worker had rushed to the church as we were preparing. ¡°A sandworm has appeared in the desert! A huge one! The carrying out of the iron ore has been canceled! We request the church¡¯s support!¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s not good.¡± Father Zenrima narrowed his eyebrows. Depending on their size, sandworms had a hunting rank of D to A. The largest ones were A Rank. ¡°Pemeri and I will head to the desert. Brother Kifume will support as a healer. Linel and Gairo will continue to work in the infirmary. Ajifu, you go to the mines, and call Lutma. And then join the others in the infirmary.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Everyone started to move at once. Well, this was the result of me listening to Lutma¡¯s request to participate in a quest with her party¡­ Though, there had been no way for me to predict this. I went out the north gate of the town, and to the narrow part of the gourd. It was like a corridor with walls on both sides. They must have been contacted already, as there were no wagons carrying the iron ore. However, it seemed that they had been preparing for it in the mines, and I could hear the sound of iron slaters dropping. As the Adventurers left within the walls were all from low rank parties, they must not have been called to fight the sand worm. ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± The shout came from on top of the wall. Oh, I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. I stopped and looked up. A short distance away, an iron slater came plunging down. While it wasn¡¯t a collision course, I crouched just in case, and covered my face with my arms. Thud. It landed about five meters away, and sand rose into the air. You would probably die if hit by something like that directly. As sand rained down, the iron slater rose out from the dust clouds. And then some F-Rankers fell upon it and crushed it. So even the F-Rankers couldn¡¯t take it easy here. Still, I continued on my way to the south gate of the mines. Normally, it was closed off to outsiders, but it was open today, probably to carry out the ore. And so I went through it and entered the mining area. CH 68 Wyvern(1) ¡°Today¡¯s transport is canceled! Send the iron ore back to the storage houses!¡± When I entered the mining area from the gate, I saw the soldiers were running around and spreading the news to the miners, even as more iron slaters were raining down. The miners frantically changed the direction of the carts and returned. And Adventurers took care of the iron slaters. In the meantime, I searched for Lutma. It seemed that the closer you got to the storage houses, the fewer iron slaters there were. At this rate, there would be none in the actual mines. ¡°Where are you, Lutma!¡± I shouted while searching for her. ¡°Yes!¡± I heard her voice from far away. And when I ran in that direction, I found her! She was on one of the lower floors of the mine, which was like a circle hole that went downwards like a staircase. She was with her party, waving at me. And so I made my way down while shouting. ¡°The transport is canceled! We have to return to the church!¡± ¡°What!?¡± I guess I had to get closer for her to hear me. She had also separated from her party and was rushing towards me. But as we were close enough to hear each other, there was suddenly shouting coming from above, and the sky darkened. What the¡­? But there was no time to even think about what it was. Because with a great burst of wind, the thing came flying right towards Lutma. I could only see its back, but it was so big that it covered Lutma entirely. But the membrane of the large arms, the gray skin, the long neck and tail. It looked like a dragon. I had heard of such creatures before. Wyverns! C-Rank monsters! Lutma had been shouting and waving her arms, on top of separating from her party. That was probably why she was targeted. Why was there a wyvern here? Such questions could be asked later! Thankfully, the staircase-shape of the terrain meant that you could not attack from the side. As Lutma fell back in surprise, the wyvern flapped its wings in the air and lunged with its claws. That second was all I needed. There was something I liked to do, ever since I got a prosthetic leg. And it would come in useful now. I held my unsheathed sword over my shoulder, and started to run on the top step of the mines. And then, I bounced off my prosthetic leg and launched myself into a long jump. Each ¡®step¡¯ was about two meters high. I jumped off, gaining more distance than even I expected. And like that, I dropped down onto the back of the wyvern that was trying to grab Lutma. My sword then slammed into its back. ¡°Gigyaaaarraaaa!!¡± After being hit, the wyvern let out a cry of pain. It let go of Lutma and fell to the ground. ¡°Gaahh¡­¡± But the impact of the crash, and being thrown across the ground meant that I did not come out untouched. My collar bones and stomach hurt. Had I broken something? But I could not stay down. I used my prosthetic leg to cast Heal. A sharp pain shot through my body, and then the pain subsided. Good. I could do this. I looked around me, picked up my sword, and turned to Lutma and the wyvern. Damn it. Lutma must have been in quite a shock, as she was still sitting on the ground. ¡°GIGIGYAAA!!¡± The wyvern rose up and roared with rage. It was on the other side of Lutma now, and closer to her than me. ¡°Over here!!¡± I shouted in order to distract the wyvern, and then raised my sword while running¡­ But¡­ It wasa huge! It was one thing to see it from above, but it looked different once you were on the same level. Even with both of its arms on the ground, it was over two meters tall. Wait, maybe I couldn¡¯t do this? The thought flashed through my mind, but I could not just let Lutma die! The wyvern saw me running with my sword raised, and then seemed to decide that I was the bigger threat. ¡°Gigyaaah!!¡± It opened its jaws and screamed. It wouldn¡¯t breathe on me, would it? I had never done any research on the wyverns in this world. And I had never heard of them appearing here. Every time I swung at it with my sword, it would retract its long neck. And just when there was an opening¡­ ¡°Mr. Ajifu!¡± Lutma shouted, and then the wyvern opened its mouth and attacked. At the same time, I jumped to the side and swung down with my sword as if drawing a circle. I felt it hit something as the neck was swiftly drawn back. The tip of my sword had cut a thin line in its neck, causing blood to flow out. Apparently, the skin was not too tough. In an instant, the wyvern tried to raise its body. I moved forward, trying to follow it, but then its head descended. Hmm? Was it trying to fly? I see. It couldn¡¯t fly immediately. It had to prepare first. But I did not want it to fly. Lutma would not be able to retreat. I won¡¯t let it. Should I use Light? No, its body was too big, and my sword wouldn¡¯t reach it when it retracted its neck. And I didn¡¯t want to give it enough distance to fly away. This was bad. I swung my sword, and the wyvern¡¯s neck stretched out. As we waited for each other to show an opening, a voice rang behind me. ¡°Lutma! We¡¯re retreating! ¡°But Mr. Ajifu!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t beat it! We¡¯ll call for support! ¡°But!¡± I couldn¡¯t turn to look, but it seemed like Lutma¡¯s party had come to help. Yes, go and call for support. But, uh, I wouldn¡¯t mind if you cast Heal on me just once first? And so while swinging my sword to keep the wyvern in check, I shouted. ¡°Go!¡± ¡°But!¡± She protested, but the sharp fangs snapped at me again, and I could not bother to reply. I¡¯ll cut it again! And deeper this time! I took a big step forward, and raised my sword. But by then, the head had already been pulled back, and I saw its wing swinging towards me from the corner of my vision. Baki! The world turned upside down as I was blown into the air. I rolled and slid on the ground and then stopped. Apparently, its arms were not that powerful. I quickly raised my head and looked ahead. With its wings now spread out, the wyvern was trying to fly away. Damn it! I got to my feet and started to run towards the wyvern, but then its body lifted off of the ground. I would not make it in time. ¡°Gyaaaahhh!¡± It screamed as it rose into the air. Now it might target Lutma. Hopefully, it would just give up and fly away. But I doubted it. ¡°Lutma! Stay close! Against the wall!¡± I said, while wary of the wyvern in the sky. Thankfully, Lutma was not too far off. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Are you alright!¡± ¡°Please cast Heal.¡± ¡°Of-of course. Me-le-mote-sei! Heal!¡± The pain in my body started to subside. However, the wyvern had been circling the air above, as if targeting its prey, but it suddenly changed to a dive. So it was coming. There wouldn¡¯t be time for another Heal. ¡°Here it comes! It won¡¯t be able to charge at you if you stay close to the wall. I¡¯ll charge once it slows down, and then you can run.¡± Lutma¡¯s party nodded with serious expressions. I believe they were F-Rank. They seemed like a good party. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Why are you doing this!¡± I told you that it¡¯s coming! Don¡¯t ask questions like that right now! ¡°I can¡¯t allow you to die!¡± You have to live and help the church! I need you so that I can use Reverse Age again! It¡¯s for my leg and my youth!! The wyvern was now flying at a diagonal angle. It was going to charge with its legs stretched out. And while it spread out its wings to slow down a little, it would not make much a difference. It meant to crush her! ¡°Run!!¡± I couldn¡¯t charge into that!! I ran away, along the walls, but the wyvern turned its wings and changed directions as if sliding horizontally. However, it also slowed down considerably! I could do it now! ¡°ARRRGHHHH!!¡± As the claws moved towards me, I thought only of swinging with all of my strength as I hit it with my sword. Such recklessness would not go unpunished. I was kicked into the air, briefly losing consciousness. And when I was aware again, the world was spinning. ¡°Gaaahh!¡± I felt like my body was being torn apart. However, I saw that the wyvern had also fallen to the lower level. I did it. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Me-lei-mote-sei! Heal!¡± I felt a little better. Enough to talk, at least. ¡°Could you do it again?¡± ¡°This is the last one! Me-lei-mote-sei! Heal!¡± I sat up. So I could still move. I then cast Heal on myself, and felt much better. I could do this. I rose to my feet and accepted the sword I had dropped from a member of Lutma¡¯s party. And then I turned to the wyvern. ¡°This is enough! Let¡¯s run away!¡± Lutma said, teary-eyed. But there was no time to explain. Even if there was, I could not explain. ¡°I have my reasons for protecting you. Just go.¡± I said, turning my back to her. I won¡¯t let you fly again! Wyvern! CH 69 The Adventurer Saw ¡°A wyvern has appeared within the walls! Adventurers are keeping it at bay! Dust Claws, go and support them!¡± It was the day that the iron ore was to be exported, and we had come with much excitement. Only, it was canceled due to the appearance of a sand worm. And so we had no choice but to hunt the monsters that gathered around. And it was just as we were about to finish, that this new order came. ¡°A wyvern? Why the hell is there a wyvern here?¡± ¡°Who knows? It could be one of those lone wyverns you sometimes hear about? Well, we shouldn¡¯t have much trouble taking on a single C-Rank monster.¡± Our party, Dust Claw, was a C-Rank party made up of five Adventurers. We were quite well-known within Rokuidol. There was another top party that was B-Rank, called Desert Dawn, in the area, but they had gone off to fight the sand worm. And we had been left in charge of this place. And so we rode the gondola and went to the top of the wall. The soldiers on the battlements seemed to be quite frantic. ¡°We didn¡¯t notice it soon enough, and it went into the center of the mines. There are four Adventurers facing it now, but the situation looks bad. And if we tried to shoot it with arrows, we might hit them. Please go and help!¡± Hmmm¡­ I guess it was because everyone was looking outside of the walls. And only low-ranking parties would have been inside. Well, the guards who control the gondola would not be able to defeat the wyvern. So we should probably be quick about it. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± The others replied in unison. We had been a party for a long time. And so there was no need to talk to each other first. We rushed down the stairs of the walls, and by the time we started to descend into the mines, where we could see the wyvern below, it started to beat its wings as if to take off. Arrows flew in the air, but they didn¡¯t seem to do anything. ¡°Huh? Did it escape?¡± Said someone in the party. But the wyvern was flying in a circle up above. ¡°No, it moves like that when targeting its prey. It means to attack the Adventurer below!¡± We started to run at a faster pace, but then the wyvern was already diving down. It will reach them soon. Just hold on a little longer! The wyvern¡¯s claws attacked the Adventurers party, but they reacted quickly, and dodged it. However, the wyvern turned swiftly in the air for a follow-up attack. And then a single Adventurer turned around and slammed his sword into the wyvern¡¯s talons. How reckless! As expected, the Adventurer was thrown into the air, like a doll. However, the wyvern also lost its balance, and fell down to the lower levels in a cloud of dust. ¡°Is he alive?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯d be lucky if he is.¡± An Adventurer in priestess garb rushed to the fallen Adventurer. She was probably a healer. A moment later, he must have recovered, as the Adventurer got back to his feet. Good. He was alive then. You can leave the rest to us now. That was what I thought. But we were not able to move. Because we heard it. His words, after standing up, in spite of being beaten. He held his sword without even looking behind him. ¡°I have my reasons for protecting you.¡± After that, we couldn¡¯t just charge in and cramp his style. We stopped and nodded after looking at each other. And then we put our weapons away, folded our arms, and watched the fight. And then the other Adventurers from their party came running towards us. ¡°Why! Why aren¡¯t you helping him!?¡± What a strange thing to say. ¡°I should be asking you that? Isn¡¯t he from your party?¡± ¡°No! We¡¯re just an F-Rank party. We cannot fight a wyvern! He is a friend of one of our members, and has been protecting us! So hurry¡­!¡± I see! So he has been fighting alone¡­ What a brave man! Now it would be even harder to interrupt his moment of glory. ¡°If you¡¯re F-Rank, you probably have little experience in battle. In that case, watch and learn. There comes a time and place when a man must stand his ground and fight. You think he was protecting all of you? Indeed, not. He was protecting his lady over there. See?¡± I pointed to the woman who had not taken her teary eyes off of him as he fought. ¡°Those are the eyes of someone who believes in her man¡¯s ability to fight. Of course, if he is in real danger, we may intervene. But this is not something to get involved in lightly! Understand? So be silent and watch!¡± After hearing this, the Adventurers were silent as they walked away. Yes, go and watch. After witnessing this battle, it might change the way they fight. My eyes turned back to the man and the wyvern. He was fighting well, but seemed to be at a disadvantage? The wyvern was much larger, but its movements were clumsy¡­ Just then, one of my party members shouted. ¡°Hey, is that a prosthetic leg?¡± ¡°What!?¡± He was moving like that with a prosthetic leg!? Impossible! However, on closer inspection, one of his legs was indeed strange in shape. ¡°A warrior with a prosthetic leg. I just remembered something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There was a priest warrior at the Rokuidol church. I¡¯ve seen him at the guild. He had a prosthetic leg with a strange shape.¡± ¡°So this is the man. But¡­what was his name?¡± ¡°I think¡­it was Ajifu. A D-Ranker.¡± ¡°Ah, so he¡¯s called Ajifu. Apparently, that is a name that I should remember.¡± A few other parties had now gathered around, but none were offering the lone Adventurer any help. It was certainly a strange sight. Not only that, but other Adventurers were starting to come down to see what the commotion was about. Hmm, this was no good. We would not want any of them to ruin this fight. I would have to speak with them first. ¡°This is Ajifu¡¯s moment. His battle as a man! If he is in danger, then Dust Claw shall save him! But until then, do not interfere!!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± The others muttered, ¡®So that¡¯s what this is.¡¯ And they put away their weapons and watched. Amidst all of this, Ajifu and the wyvern¡¯s battle continued. The number of wounds on the wyvern were increasing, but he had fallen multiple times, due to his leg. Those that watched were clenching their fists tightly. More than a few times, I thought of going in to help. But no matter how many times Ajifu fell, he would rise up again, and face the wyvern. The other Adventurers seemed to notice the change as well, and they began to mutter. ¡°¡­Stand up, Ajifu.¡± It started quietly at first. ¡°Ajifu! Go!¡± ¡°Get it! Ajifu!¡± And then the layered voices grew louder. ¡°AJIFU! AJIFU!¡± Eventually, their booming voices cheered him on. And it wasn¡¯t just Adventurers who watched the fight. Miners and guards had started to gather around. They now formed a circle of spectators around the mine. It was like a colosseum. Hehehe¡­ Ajifu, I envy you. To be able to fight on such a stage. ¡°AJIFU! AJIFU! AJIFU!¡± The voices echoed through the arena, where man and wyvern battled. CH 70 An Offered Prayer When my body tensed after being grabbed by the wyvern¡¯s talons, I thought, ¡®Ah, I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ However, that was when I saw what was behind the wyvern¡¯s back. Mr. Ajifu was flying through the air. Even though I had graduated from the seminary, I was not a brilliant student. It took me more years than most. And since no church would have me, I had no choice but to become an Adventurer. After rising to F-Rank, I was considering just continuing as an Adventurer. But then I received some unexpected news from the seminary. They were going to send me to a church. I was happy at first, but then I quickly realized something. It was a church that was infamous for how severe it was. Still, I accepted it, because I knew that I wasn¡¯t fit to be an Adventurer. It was fine when I was only G-Rank. All I had to do was quests around town. But I couldn¡¯t do that when I was F-Rank. I didn¡¯t want to go on dangerous adventures. I just wanted to serve God and the church. And so I made up my mind and went to Rokuidol. And though it was very hot, it wasn¡¯t nearly as bad as rumors had it. The people there were kind, and though I still had to fight, they even taught me how to use weapons. Mr. Ajifu was the person in charge of instructing us. Overall, my impression was that he was an ¡®average¡¯ person¡­ Of course, he was very good to us, and I was grateful for his help. The only thing that made him stick out was that he was able to fight, in spite of having a prosthetic leg. I suppose his face was not bad, but not particularly good either. He was normal. Not someone who attracted much interest. And so I did not expect him to help me to this degree. After having its back attacked, the wyvern let go of me, and I fell to the ground. But I was so afraid. The strength left my left, and I was unable to stand up. But in spite of crashing into the wyvern so violently, Mr. Ajifu had already gotten up and was facing it. How was he able to do that? ¡°Lutma! Are you alright!?¡± My friends in the F-Rank party came to help me. ¡°Go!¡± That was all. Like he was pushing me away. ¡°But!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but shout. As my party members moved me away, I was finally able to stand on my feet again. Though, I was still shaking. But then the situation changed. The wyvern had leapt up into the air. ¡°Lutma! Stay against the wall!¡± If the wyvern was in the air, it would be a bad idea to try and run away. Even I knew that. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Are you alright!¡± I shouted. ¡°Please cast Heal.¡± That¡¯s right! There was something that I could do! And so I chanted the healing spell, and saw the relief in his expression. By then, my legs had stopped shaking. However, I gasped when I heard what he said next. ¡°It¡¯s coming! It won¡¯t be able to charge into you if you stay against the wall. I will charge in once it slows down. That¡¯s when you must run away.¡± The wyvern was targeting us again. And yet he was going to stop it alone? But why¡­ ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Why are you doing this!¡± I did not expect his answer. ¡°I can¡¯t allow you to die!¡± Huh!? What did he mean? But before I could think of anything, he continued. ¡°Run!!¡± The wyvern was here! And so I pushed all thoughts aside and just ran on ahead! However, I then heard a great sound coming from behind. When I turned to look, the wyvern had lost its balance and crashed to the ground. And Mr. Ajifu went flying like a rag doll. ¡°!!!¡± He rolled on the ground and finally stopped. But he was groaning in pain. I was just relieved to see that he was alive. In any case, I had to heal him! And so I rushed to him and cast Heal. Mr. Ajifu¡¯s face relaxed. ¡°Can you do it again?¡± Apparently, it still wasn¡¯t enough. But I only had enough MP to do it once more. ¡°This is the last one! Me-lei-mote-sei! Heal!¡± If only I had leveled up, I would have been able to heal him more¡­! But such thoughts did not reach Mr. Ajifu. He had recovered enough to stand up again, and yet he was now walking towards the wyvern! Why!? That¡¯s not why I cast Heal! ¡°You did enough! Let¡¯s run away together!¡± Right now, we just had to survive! But his reply to this only confused me even more. ¡°I have my reasons for protecting you. Now go.¡± What did that mean!? I don¡¯t understand! Explain it to me! But Mr. Ajifu just continued on his way. There was nothing that I could do to stop him now. But I could still do something. I could keep my eyes on him. Because I realized it. That this person was not ¡®normal¡¯ at all. I had only thought he was, because I wasn¡¯t looking close enough. And so now, I will not look away. Surely it is not too late. The battle between Mr. Ajifu and the wyvern started once again. The opponent was so big. And Mr. Ajifu was struggling. I wanted to cry out, but held myself back. ¡°This is Ajifu¡¯s moment. His battle as a man! If he is in danger, then Dust Claw shall save him! But until then, do not interfere!!¡± I heard someone shout from behind me. I had not noticed it until now, but other Adventurers had arrived. But none were doing anything. Is this how men were like? I don¡¯t understand! ¡®Just go and help Mr. Ajifu!¡¯ The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn¡¯t say them. Because they were all watching him with such serious eyes. It wasn¡¯t like they were abandoning him. They wanted to help, but were holding themselves back. I did not understand why Mr. Ajifu was going this far. What his reason to protect me was. But was that the same reason that the others did not help? I just did not understand it at all. Really, I wanted them to help. But I also felt that since he was fighting so hard, that I had to watch him. The others probably felt the same. Come back safely, and explain to me what you mean! Please¡­ No matter how many times he was knocked down, Mr. Ajifu would get back up. I wanted to watch him, but my eyes would keep filling with tears. But I wiped them away and looked up. I could not stare at the ground while he was fighting. ¡°AJIFU! AJIFU!!¡± Before I knew it, there were enough Adventurers that they surrounded the battlefield. And they were cheering for Ajifu. I just hoped that it would give him strength. ¡°AJIFU! AJIFU! AJIFU!¡± The voices echoed through the circular arena. Lord Memrikia. Please. Bring Ajifu back safely. The only thing that I could do was offer a prayer. CH 71 Wyvern(2) Even I thought that it was a little reckless of me to charge into a flying wyvern. Though I have never done it before, it must be similar to using a sword to cut at a car that was rushing down a highway. However, it had not been for nothing. The wyvern crashed heavily to the ground, and it seemed to have broken some of the bones in one wing, as it was bent in an odd direction. Now it wouldn¡¯t be able to fly up. And so I made my way down one level into the mines, and the wyvern rose to face me. ¡°Gigiggaaaaa!!¡± It was furious. Of course, it was. The size of its body and volume of its voice made it seem all the more threatening. That being said, the fight did not feel so one-sided anymore. Besides, I didn¡¯t need to win. I just had to keep it in check. Buy a little time until someone comes to help me. Its head snapped forward, which I tried to swipe away with my sword. But it ignored the blade with a powerful bite. Clang. Fangs collided with metal, and I was knocked back. I somehow managed to stay on my feet, but was stunned to see that the wyvern seemed to be barely affected by its wounds. That was scarier than anything. If a monster is scared of your sword, then you have some room to maneuver. But if it was just using its power to blindly push you back, then I had to move differently. ¡®I would not recommend any large monsters.¡¯ I recalled the words of the guild master at the royal capital. I felt the truth of those words now. I raised my sword from a low level stance to a mid level one. If it was not scared of my sword, then I had to attack it so that it would be. And so as the wyvern began to attack again¡­ ¡°Hyaaahh!!¡± I slammed it with a powerful, sideways slash. The impact felt promising, but the neck did not stop, and I was knocked off of my feet. ¡°Gyaaauuu!!¡± I rolled on the ground and then got back up. A long wound was on the wyvern¡¯s neck, and it was screeching in agony. ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± It wasn¡¯t a decisive blow, but now it knew what my sword was capable of. After healing myself and holding my sword out aggressively, the wyvern seemed to become more cautious. And then I noticed something. Other Adventurers had now arrived. But they were just looking at me, and made no move to help. What! Was this just their way of bullying the new guy!? They were staring at me and doing nothing. How shameful! And yet they still call themselves Adventurers! The wyvern seemed to detect my shock then, and its mouth shot towards me. ¡°Arrrghhh!!¡± Blood rushed to my head, and my counterattack was sloppy. It was all strength and no thought, and so it was dodged easily. I was left open then, and the wyvern slammed its unbroken wing into me, sending me back into the dirt. But I rose again quickly. When I looked up, the wide open jaws were already in front of me. ¡°Tsk.¡± I jumped to the side, barely managing to dodge it. And then I stood up. Tsk! It was not like me to make such a mistake. How embarrassing. However, just then, the Adventurers who surrounded me began to raise their voices. ¡°This is Ajifu¡¯s moment. His battle as a man! If he is in danger, then Dust Claw shall save him! But until then, do not interfere!!¡± Wh-what!? Is that what this is!? Battle as a man? Who said anything about that!! Ah! Could it be! Perhaps in Rokuidol, it was considered a great honor to fight against a wyvern? Well, that might explain this situation. If I run away from such a battle, perhaps the guild will have something to say to me tomorrow. Still, there was some good information as well. If things get dangerous, then this ¡®Dust Claw¡¯ will help me. I suppose that was the rule. I had never met Dust Claw, but they were a well-known C-Rank party within Rokuidol. With such reliable backup, I could be a little more bold. Alright. I¡¯ll do it! Tsk! I felt bad now, thinking that they were bullying me, when it was my fault for being ignorant of the local customs! Now, I would have to show them what kind of man I really am! ¡°Hyaaaaaah!!¡± I stepped forward with my prosthetic leg and slashed at the wyvern. It wasn¡¯t like the previous, sloppy attack. While my second Rokuidol prosthetic leg only had some minor changes, it had a good balance of stability and freedom as it held the ground. I had stepped towards the wing that was broken, so it would probably hurt. As expected, it did not counter with its wings, but swung its neck towards me instead. ¡°Gah!¡± While swinging down with my sword, I was hit by the neck and thrown into the air. But I knew that would happen! ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± I healed with the magic staff embedded in my leg. This was the fourth time I was using Heal. And I only had four left in me. Still, I could be a little reckless, with a C-Rank party behind me. So as long as it wasn¡¯t big damage, I could afford to be hit. As for the wyvern, I had managed to leave a small wound on its neck. I felt bad that its weapon was also its weak spot. ¡°Gigiaaaa!!¡± The wyvern roared in pain as blood began to run. It opened its jaws and snapped at me. This was an attack that I could not allow to hit me. I ducked and raised my sword. The head then shot down, and I quickly jumped to the side, but the attack hit me in the side of my stomach. That would have been dangerous if my armor was soft. ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± Three left! Just then, I heard voices echoing all around me. ¡°AJIFU! AJIFU!¡± Woah! Was this part of the tradition? It was rather rousing. Well, I¡¯ll play along then! And so I took a step closer to the wyvern. Of course, that made things more dangerous. But I would also raise the speed of my sword. Little by little. It wasn¡¯t that I was holding back up until now. So it wasn¡¯t easy. ¡°AJIFU! AJIFU! AJI-FU!¡± Still, the voices grew louder, and pushed me forward. My sword slowly cut away at the skin of the wyvern. Blood sprayed in the air. ¡°Gigiyaaa!!¡± The wyvern roared, and then it swung at me with its unhurt wing. So you want me to crush that one as well! You don¡¯t have to ask twice! ¡°Hyahh!¡± I swung at the wing, but my arm went a little higher than I thought it would, and I only cut through some of the membrane, instead of bone. And what I saw behind it was the tail that seemed to spin as it shot towards me. It hit me head on, and I was thrown off of my feet and crashed into the wall. ¡°Gah!¡± That one hurt. ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± The cheering had stopped now. I sucked air back into my lungs and muttered the chant. ¡°Hah, hah¡­ Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± After the second Heal, I was able to stand up again. After spinning, the wyvern turned back to me and started to approach. As there was some distance between us now, it was running. This was bad. It would crush me like this. With the wall behind me, I raised my sword, luring it until the last second and¡­ Now.¡± I jumped out to the side as the head shot towards me. With a loud crash, the wyvern crashed into the wall. However, it then turned its head to look at me, as if it hardly felt it. ¡°Tsk.¡± I kicked the dirt with my knee, and moved back while getting up to my feet. However, the wyvern continued its pursuit. Still, its mouth was at a lower position than before. It was getting confident again, wasn¡¯t it? I spun around, thrust my prosthetic leg in front of me. The point of it stopped right on the wyvern¡¯s lower jaw. The sand scorpion greaves attached to my prosthetic leg slipped between its teeth. And just as the jaw closed shut, I jumped off of my other foot. My body went up into the air with the momentum of its closing mouth, and the iron spring that was my prosthetic leg was enough to support my weight. Now that its mouth was closed, what was now exposed in front of me was the wyvern¡¯s forehead. And so as if jumping, I held my sword in a backhand and thrust it down. ¡°ARRGHHHHH!!¡± With the stomach and back muscles I trained in Rokuidol, I put all of my strength into the attack. And then my weight and momentum as well. It went in deep. It was like Father Zenrima said. There was no such thing as unnecessary muscles. As the sword sank in, blood sprayed out, and the wyvern¡¯s eyes rolled up into its head. Thud. Its body fell to the floor. But as it still had my prosthetic leg, I fell along with it. ¡°WOOOAAAAHHH!!¡± Great cheers erupted around me. I could not get up. And so I lay on the ground, staring up at the sky as I raised a fist in the air. How was that? Adventurers. I finished it. Rokuidol¡¯s tradition!! Bonus chapter courtesy of Photo. Thank you so much!! CH 72 Reason to Fight ¡°Ajifu! Ajifu! Ajifu!¡± Even though the fight had ended, they continued to chant. ¡°Mr. Ajifu!¡± Lutma rushed towards me before crumbling to the ground and sobbing violently. ¡°That was scary, wasn¡¯t it? But it¡¯s alright now.¡± I said as I patted her on the shoulder. And though she was crying, there was a slight look of discontent in her expression. And then the other adventurers came down and pried the wyvern¡¯s mouth open so that I could free my prosthetic leg. The iron board had been bent out of shape. The mere thought of how strongly it was biting down on it filled me with terror. Still, I would not be able to walk like this. Damn it. As I sat on the ground, one of the Adventurers approached me. ¡°Ajifu. You really showed it. Your pride as a man.¡± ¡°Well, I had no choice with all of that shouting.¡± I took his hand and got back to my feet. Only, since my prosthetic leg was bent out of shape, I lost my balance. And so Lutma quickly stepped in and offered her shoulder. Ah, how perceptive. ¡°Thanks.¡± But she turned her face away from me. What? ¡°That was quite a show!¡± ¡°You were amazing!¡± ¡°Well done!¡± And so I walked through the crowd of people as they all patted me. It wasn¡¯t just Adventurers, but soldiers and miners as well. Hehe. Indeed. The effort had been worth it. Praise me more. ¡°We¡¯ll carry the wyvern for you!¡± Said some of the miners. ¡°Uh, thank you. But, why are you here?¡± ¡°We heard that something interesting was happening down here, and so we came to look.¡± He said as he hit me on the back. I was starting to feel like I had been put on display at a festival. But it could not be helped. And so I answered their cheers with a wave and left the mines behind me. ¡°Mr. Ajifu.¡± Now that it was just us two making our way back to the church, Lutma started talking to me. She had a very serious expression. Well, I better hear what she has to say then. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What was the reason that you had to protect me?¡± ¡°Could we just say that it¡¯s because we¡¯re from the same church?¡± ¡°That does not explain it!¡± I see. That being said, I could not tell her she was my ticket to getting out of here so that I could cast Reverse Age again and hopefully regrow my leg. Still, I was put on the spot. So might as well be direct. ¡°I am thinking about leaving Rokuidol.¡± ¡°What!?¡± ¡°There is something that I want to acquire. I can¡¯t talk about it to others, but it¡¯s important. And for that reason, I cannot stay in Rokuidol forever.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Lutma¡¯s eyes were full of shock. ¡°But there is so much work to do at the church. I didn¡¯t want my departure to cause trouble for the church and the people who I owed a debt to. And so I need you, Lutma, to continue to support them in my absence.¡± ¡°Y-you put yourself in so much danger to protect me¡­just for that?¡± ¡°Well, even without that reason, I wouldn¡¯t have abandoned you to your death. I suppose this other reason gave me a little more motivation.¡± ¡°B-but! I-I have just started to think about actually seeing you, Mr. Ajifu! And yet you are going away¡­¡± ¡°What? Do you mean you weren¡¯t seeing me before? That doesn¡¯t sound very nice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that! Well, maybe I did¡­ Uh, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I had only meant it as a joke, but Lutma looked down with a crestfallen expression. I had no intention of blaming her. ¡°No, there is no need to apologize. But I do think it would be good to broaden your view, and look at others more. There is still plenty of time.¡± I said lightly, so she would not take it too hard. However, Lutma suddenly raised her head and looked at me as she said with a firm voice, ¡°But, you will not be here by then, Mr. Ajifu! So it will be too late!¡± And as she said this, her eyes were filled with tears. I was still leaning on her shoulder, and so her teary eyes were at a close distance to mine. Lutma was about a head shorter, and so she had to look up at me. I suppose being rescued in such an exciting way had caused her emotions to rise. Still, now that she mentioned it, I did feel that she was trying to look at me differently now. However, that was not why I had helped her. Besides, that direct, earnest stare was a little too bright for this old man. ¡°Lutma, that is enough to make me think it was worth doing. And it is not too late. Now, when I think back on Rokuidol, I will not have to imagine your sad face.¡± That was all that I could say. However, I could not say them while looking back into her eyes. Lutma became silent after that. And while it was a little awkward, we continued on our way back to the church. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Are you hurt!?¡± When I arrived at the church, while leaning on Lutma¡¯s shoulder, Linel was alarmed. ¡°No, it¡¯s just my prosthetic leg.¡± He brought out a chair for me to sit on, and I removed the leg. ¡°Sorry, could one of you bring me the spare leg from my room?¡± ¡°I will get it.¡± Lutma said as she went running to my room. ¡°That¡¯s right! Mr. Ajifu!¡± Linel suddenly said as if remembering something. ¡°We just received word from the Adventurers Guild. They have defeated the sand worm! Apparently, the people from our church did very well!¡± It was funny to think of priests helping Adventurers. However, that meant they would be returning soon. ¡°By the way, Gairo, how much MP do you have left?¡± ¡°Hardly any patients came in this morning, so I only had to use Heal once. And since I recovered some MP, I can use it two more times.¡± ¡°I see. Lutma and I used a lot at the mines, so I can only use it once. We might have to use potions then.¡± While I was worried, thankfully, thanks to the sand worm being defeated swiftly, and the fact that the miners were taking the day off, there were fewer patients than usual that day. ¡°Ajifu, I heard all about it! Well done!¡± Ms. Pemeri whispered with a grin as she moved her face close to me. So the word had spread to the guild already. Well, I had done my best, after all. Besides, it wasn¡¯t something I had to hide. And so I answered proudly. ¡°In spite of appearances, I can be quite capable. But I heard that you also contributed a lot, Ms. Pemeri.¡± ¡°Ah, aye. A little. Ajifu, I am surprised by how casual you are about it.¡± She said. Indeed, while it was a strong enemy, I didn¡¯t think it was some kind of unprecedented achievement for me. ¡°By the way, there is something I wanted to ask you.¡± ¡°What? What is it?¡± ¡°What does it mean in Rokuidol? Being able to defeat a wyvern by yourself.¡± Upon hearing this, Lutma and Ms. Permeri looked at me as if they could not believe their eyes. ¡°Eh? Surely you did it in order to show that you were the man who would protect Lutma?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lutma and I said in unison. ¡°WWWHHHAAAAAAATTT!?¡± ¡°WWWHHHAAAAAAATTT!?¡± ¡°WWWHHHAAAAAAATTT!?¡± And then Ms. Pemeri¡¯s voice joined ours, as it echoed through the Rokuidol church. CH 73 Tavern Rumors So there was no tradition of solo wyvern slaying in Rokuidol. Not only that, but the reason that the other Adventurers didn¡¯t intervene was merely because they didn¡¯t want to bother me while I was defending the woman I love. Now, this was very bad. During times like these, the thing to do was report, contact, and consult your superiors. ¡°Father Zenrima. I have to talk to you about something.¡± ¡°Ah, Ajifu. I thought you might come.¡± He gestured for me to sit down. He was the priest who supported this Rokuidol church, after all. And so he was quick to understand. ¡°You do not have to worry, we shall have a proper wedding for you in this church.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± Don¡¯t rush to conclusions! It was a good thing I came immediately! And then I explained it to him as I had to Lutma. ¡°Hmm. In other words, the Adventurers saw you protecting Lutma, and then misunderstood.¡± ¡°Yes. Of course, it is partially my fault for saying things that could be misconstrued.¡± ¡°I see. And so this thing that you are trying to get, it absolutely requires you to leave this town?¡± ¡°One of the two things might be impossible to acquire, no matter where I go. But I still want to try. Though, I am very sorry for the inconvenience it will cause all of you, who I owe a great debt to.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Father Zenrima folded his arms and closed his eyes. Ultimately, he was understanding, and accepted my will. That being said, I could not depart immediately. I had to tell everyone in the church, make adjustments to the workload and schedule, and give them time to prepare. Also, my armor and prosthetic leg were in a terrible state. I could not go on a journey with my equipment like this. While the prosthetic leg I was wearing now was a spare, Lettelotte had made me a leg after much trial and error. And I wanted to see what that effort would lead to next. And so I decided to start making preparations for the journey on the following day. ¡ª At the same time, in the town tavern. ¡°Ah? You¡¯re awfully early today.¡± The owner said, as I entered my drinking spot after being freed from my work at the mines. It was no wonder. The sun was still high in the sky. Normally, we would still be working. The transportation days were especially busy. ¡°Aye, due to sand worms appearing in the desert, the transportation of iron ore was canceled. However, we did get to see something very interesting in the mines. I can¡¯t wait to talk about it.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to do that here, then you better start by ordering some drinks. Also, since it¡¯s so early, we only have food from yesterday.¡± Said the owner. Hehe. Thankfully, I had brought some food with me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I have something rather special with me. But more importantly, come and sit down after you¡¯ve brought me a drink.¡± ¡°What? If you tell me something stupid, then I¡¯m going to drink extra on your tab.¡± ¡°Oh! In that case, if it¡¯s an interesting story, do I get one on the house?¡± ¡°That confident, eh? Well, why not then? I¡¯ll take that bet.¡± She put down the drinks and a little food on the table, and then took a seat and leaned on her elbow. Yes. This would be good. ¡°Well, the story is¡­about a priest warrior with a prosthetic leg, risking his own life to protect a woman from a vicious wyvern that suddenly appeared in the mines.¡± ¡°Tsk. That does sound quite interesting. But surely you are making up the part about him being a priest warrior with a prosthetic leg?¡± ¡°No, no. It is the truth. Apparently, you can meet him at the church. And so, after all of the strongest left to hunt the sand worm¡­¡± I earned my free drink after that. However, at the same time, in other taverns around Rokuidol, the bored miners spread the story as well. And so everyone knew it in no time, and there was no chance of winning a second drink. Still, it felt nice to be able to talk about the same story. ¡ª The day after I defeated the wyvern, I was running around busily. I had to send my broken armor to be repaired, my swords to be mended, and there were other things I had to get done. Of course, I had contacted the church. I would not make the same mistake twice. Still, one thing changed as I made my way around the town. Many people would stop to talk to me. ¡°I heard all about it! Congratulations!¡± ¡°I was touched by your story. Here, have some free meat skewers!¡± ¡°If only my husband would do that for me!¡± I could tell that they had been hearing rumors. Still, it only happened yesterday. How had it spread so quickly, even to people who weren¡¯t Adventurers? Well, I had an obvious prosthetic leg, and was carrying a sword while wearing priest garb, so I suppose it was obvious. But I kept getting approached by strangers. There was no television in this world, and so I had underestimated the speed at which information could spread. I suppose I would have to change that perception. ¡°Ajifu, I want you to make a request for promotion to C-Rank.¡± The Guild Master said this to me, as I visited the guild in order to collect the money for selling the wyvern. In order to be promoted to C-Rank, you need to complete thirty quests and have a recommendation from the Guild Master. I had passed thirty quests a while ago, but had not submitted the request for promotion. ¡°No, even if I did rise to C-Rank, I would not be able to do any of those quests. Especially since I¡¯m solo.¡± ¡°That is fine, since you accept guild quests from the church. You have a good reputation, and if you are not promoted, then it becomes difficult to promote others of the same rank.¡± Well, it wasn¡¯t as if I would not be able to accept D-Rank quests anymore if I was promoted. It just didn¡¯t count in your completion rate. ¡°I plan on leaving this town soon. So I don¡¯t think that you have to worry about that.¡± ¡°What? Is that so? However, I am thinking about recording this wyvern business as an emergency quest. And so if you are C-Rank, then you will receive a C-Rank reward.¡± ¡°Please make me C-Rank.¡± In the end, I accepted his suggestion, and my Adventurers plate turned from gold to platinum. As for the wyvern materials, I was paid thirty-two gold for them. And the reward for the emergency guild quest added fifteen gold to that. And though I had to spend quite a lot on repairing all my gear, it was enough money that I no longer cared. With that money, I took my broken prosthetic leg and visited Lettelotte¡¯s workshop. ¡°I heard all about it, Ajifu. Well done, well done.¡± Hmm, that smirk. It was just like Ms. Pemeri yesterday. Even though beastkin and dwarves looked completely different. Lettelotte wasn¡¯t even an Adventurer, and had heard about it the next day. It really spread quickly. ¡°If you mean the story about me protecting someone I was in love with, that is just a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Really? Is that so? Ah, how very boring.¡± Hey, you don¡¯t have to look so disappointed. ¡°Still, it was thanks to your leg that I was able to defeat the wyvern. Even though I ended up breaking it, you did an amazing job.¡± I said as I showed her the broken leg. She petted it happily. ¡°It answered its master¡¯s demands. That is what a good tool does.¡± She said with the kindest eyes, so that I didn¡¯t want to say anything and ruin the mood. ¡°However, I cannot fix this. Even if I repaired the shape, the spring would not work.¡± Lettelotte said, switching gears. ¡°Aye, I know. And so I wanted to ask you to craft the third generation.¡± ¡°Leave it to me. I will make something better than this one.¡± Lettelotte said, and there was a strong light in her eyes. I had high expectations for this third one. ¡°You really have become a great prosthetic crafter.¡± ¡°Like I said, I make magic tools!!¡± And then she kicked me out of her workshop. Feeling bashful, eh? CH 74 Where the journey leads During the service on the day of light, Father Zenrima poured drops of holy water on the hands of the believers. It was a sight that I saw every week. Well, except for the fact that there were more people than usual, and that I was wearing normal priest garb, and not that of an apprentice. ¡°Mr. Ajifu, I am so happy to be able to meet you.¡± ¡°Let me shake your hand.¡± ¡°Can I touch your prosthetic leg?¡± As the person who had created the reason for this misunderstanding, they had made me wear unfamiliar clothes and put me up for display. I was the main attraction for the believers. Sweat began to run down my forehead. Indeed, it was hot in Rokuidol. But this sweat wasn¡¯t because of the heat or the clothes. It was a cold sweat. It had gone too far. There was no correcting the rumors now. While I waited for my armor and leg to be repaired, the situation continued to get worse. ¡°I heard the song that was written about you!¡± The stories that the miners told while drinking spread in no time. And then some singer spread it even farther. The speed of it was something to be feared. The Adventurers who left the town on the following day then spread the story in the next town¡¯s taverns. And since Rokuidol had strong connections to the dwarf kingdom, due to the iron ore, the story had reached it as well. Perhaps it would not be long before it went to the Rabahask imperial city. To make matters worse, the story had evolved through song, and the wyvern was now a dragon. I had been turned into a dragon slayer. The hero of the story was, ¡®Ajifu, the warrior priest with the prosthetic leg.¡¯ They had my characteristics down like I was a wanted criminal. Now I would not be able to use Reverse Age too much. Whether I regrew a leg or not, the fact that I was called Ajifu, and was a young, C-Rank Adventurer who wielded a sword and used healing magic, would make me look suspicious. It was too dangerous to risk trying to reverse my age just a little, to see if my leg would grow back. That being said, if I stayed in this town, it would just become more difficult to act. At this point, I should either find some place to wait until things settle down, or go to some land where the story had not reached. I felt like I was a wanted criminal on the run. While there were few options for entertainment in this world, I had not realized that the stories of drunken miners had such power. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. You must be tired.¡± Lutma knew what was happening, and did not make an appearance during such days. She also treated me the same way, and said that she did not care about the rumors. No, if anything, she talked to me more than she used to. Ever since the incident, she became more passionate about her flail training. It was actually dangerous to go anywhere near her as she practiced. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Please teach me how to use a sword!¡± ¡°A sword is not a good fit for a priest, much less Rokuidol.¡± Gairo said with sparkling eyes. The result of some bad influence. Who would heal if the priest was swinging a sword? Though, I was one to talk. ¡°So, where are you going?¡± I was sitting down and talking to Lutma during her break. I had three candidates for destinations that I thought the stories had not reached. Nonoraga, the beastkin country. Chiltoshia, the island country on the eastern edge of the continent. Amernisus, the Forest of Elves. The reason I thought I would be safe there, was due to their distance, but also because they spoke a different language. Rumors would be harder to spread, and also harder to believe. Of course, that meant I would have to learn the language. It was here that I removed Chilotishia from the list. It was a human country. Why should I learn a basic foreign language, when I was in a world of swords and sorcery? It wasn¡¯t very fantastic. And out of the two that remained¡­ ¡°I¡¯m thinking about going to Amernisus.¡± ¡°What!? But, the country of elves is supposed to be closed off!¡± Indeed. The elves lived in seclusion in their forest. ¡°Well, my intention is to live near the forest first, and learn the elvish language.¡± ¡°I see¡­ You will be so far away then¡­¡± As she said this, she held the edges of the wooden bench, and lifted her feet off of the ground. ¡°Could I go with you?¡± She asked, while looking into my face. ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just thought I¡¯d ask!!¡± She interrupted me, and then jumped off of the bench and ran away. I watched her leave, and then got back to my feet. ¡°It is not polite to eavesdrop.¡± I said, and then I heard some scrambling behind me. Judging by the footsteps¡­there were two of them. ¡°Hah.¡± I sighed and scratched my head. My prosthetic leg was the final part of my traveling preparations, and it was completed in two weeks. ¡°Uh, the spikes underneath are too sharp. I won¡¯t be able to walk indoors.¡± The prosthetic leg she handed to me had spikes that looked like they would pierce right through any shoe. I understood the purpose in prioritizing a fighting style where I stood still, rather than running around. But I also had a life outside of combat. ¡°Indeed. And that is why you attach this thing.¡± She then handed me a leather sandal that was to be worn over the shoe, and had especially thick soles. There were two for each foot, as well as shoestrings. But in the one for my prosthetic leg, there were holes where the spikes could fit in. ¡°While you won¡¯t be able to move too roughly, it should be fine for walking around town. Not only that, but since it didn¡¯t exceed your budget, I even added a ¡®silencer¡¯ magic tool in the sandals. If you use it properly, you will be able to erase the sounds of your footsteps.¡± ¡°Just because it¡¯s within my budget, doesn¡¯t mean you should just make anything. Besides, why would I need that in town?¡± ¡°Stop being so serious! It¡¯s all about how you use it. I¡¯m sure you will think of something, Ajifu!¡± She said, bashing me on the shoulder. I suppose that was one way to justify wasting my money. Well, this was the last time. And so I would go along with her, and not be so serious. CH 75 The Beginning of a New Journey ¡°Lettelotte. Thank you for everything. I will take good care of this leg, as well as the magic wand hidden in the gauntlet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that you¡¯ll take care of them, but tools shine when they are used. So don¡¯t hold back either.¡± ¡°Aye, I know. You don¡¯t have to worry about that. This leg is filled with you and Rokuidol. It is guaranteed to shine.¡± ¡°¡­You sound like an idiot!¡± She said, but she was clearly pleased. ¡°Lettelotte, I really am grateful. Thank you for this wonderful prosthetic leg.¡± ¡°And thank you for giving me an interesting job for once.¡± We held each other¡¯s forearm. Dwarves had shorter arms. And so my hand rested on her shoulder, and then we patted each other. I met a good crafter. That was all it was at first. However, we talked, and tried to make something good. Sometimes, we would fail miserably. But we continued. You could say that we were friends now. No, we were definitely friends. ¡°Be careful then.¡± ¡°You too.¡± So saying, I left the workshop and turned around just once. And then I firmly raised my fist in the air towards Lettelotte, who was seeing me off. And Lettelotte raised her hand as well. She was always quite manly. In spite of being a woman. I made my report to the guild, prepared food supplies and secured my spot in a caravan before returning to the church. During the evening service, I told them that I would be leaving tomorrow, and we had a humble, as a church would, feast that night. Still, it was still a church. And you never knew when a patient might arrive, and so it was kept short. I returned to my room and did a final clean up. I had already done most of it before. While it was a short time, I had not had my own room for awhile. And so I felt a little sad to leave it now. Knock. Knock. As I was cleaning, I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± I answered, and then Lutma opened the door. ¡°So, you will be leaving tomorrow.¡± ¡°Aye, tomorrow.¡± I stopped cleaning and faced her. Ever since the incident, I found that I looked into her brown eyes as we talked, face to face, more often. ¡°Will you not reconsider?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She knew that would be my answer. But could not help but ask. ¡°Yes¡­¡± She looked down once, before raising her head again. ¡°There is something that I¡¯ve been meaning to say to you, Mr. Ajifu. Will you allow me to say it?¡± ¡°Of course. What is it?¡± ¡°Thank you for saving me from that wyvern. You saved my life.¡± She said with a deep bow of her head. I had been a little nervous about what she was going to say, and so this was surprising. ¡°You had me anxious for a moment there. But it¡¯s just that again? I told you already. It was also for my own sake. You really don¡¯t need to thank me.¡± However, Lutma looked at me and continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t have the courage to say it, because I was afraid you were going to say that it wasn¡¯t for my sake! Really! You are so dense!¡± She said, hitting her hand against my chest once, and then she froze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize¡­¡± We stayed like that for a moment, and then her face seemed to relax. ¡°I¡¯m glad that I was able to tell you. It¡¯s been weighing on me.¡± ¡®You really didn¡¯t have to worry¡­¡¯ It was on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it back. I felt like it was something I shouldn¡¯t say. And so I stayed silent. ¡°Well, I hope we have good weather tomorrow! Good night!¡± Lutma said, before closing the door and leaving. The light of the lamp had made the tears in her eyes glisten. And so I could not say it. ¡®It¡¯s a desert town, it hardly ever rains.¡¯ Instead, I just remained silent the whole time. The next morning, I packed up and carried my belongings so that my room was empty, outside of the bed and shelf. And then I left the room. Then I went to the chapel and put down my belongings once, so that I could kneel before the holy statue, put my hands together, and bow my head with closed eyes. (Lord Memrikia, Lord Ibitrayme. The Rokuidol Church has been very good to me. Please keep them and the people of this town safe.) Offering such prayers would not change anything. And I wasn¡¯t asking for a miracle. Perhaps it was just to ease the guilt I felt over leaving. But if offering prayers took the weight off of your heart then¡­well, perhaps that was what prayers were for? I opened my eyes, got back to my feet, and picked up my belongings. The others were all waiting for me by the church exit. ¡°No matter where you are, we are all under Lord Memrikia. We are brothers and sisters, with the same faith and the same muscles. Ajifu, I shall continue to pray that you receive divine protection.¡± ¡°Father Zenrima, thank you so much for everything. I will never forget what I learned at this church, and the people I got to know here. Thank you.¡± I bowed my head, and he pulled me close and slapped me on the shoulder. My armor creaked under the impact. ¡°I don¡¯t like these sappy things. I wish you well, Ajifu.¡± ¡°I will pray that your journey goes smoothly, Mr. Ajifu.¡± ¡°Ms. Pemeri, Brother Kimefu. Thank you for all of your instructions. I will also be praying for all of you as I travel.¡± We put our hands together as if praying and bowed with our eyes closed. It was how those of the church bid each other farewell. Father Zenrima was just weird. ¡°Please take care, Mr. Ajifu. May Lord Memrikia protect you.¡± ¡°I will become a priest and warrior just like you one day, Mr. Ajifu!¡± Linel and Gairo also said goodbye, and I patted them on the shoulder. ¡°Linel. Don¡¯t forget your promise to me. Do not train your muscles until you are fully grown. As for Gairo, focus on being a priest, and not a warrior.¡± And then Ms. Pemeri pushed Lutma¡¯s back so she stepped forward. As usual, she looked like she was on the verge of bursting into tears. But she held them back as she looked at me. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. I¡­¡± She said that much, and then stopped. Perhaps she would cry if she said any more. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you that I can leave like this, with everyone praying for me. Thank you for living.¡± I said, and then Lutma threw herself into my arms and burst into tears. I let go and patted her gently on the head until she was calm again. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. I will do my best here in the Rokuidol. For this church.¡± She said finally, after raising her face. And though her eyes were wet, they were also strong. Yes, she would be fine. I walked down the steps of the church and turned around. Everyone had their hands together, and they bowed with closed eyes. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the familiar old church, and the friends I had lived with. Ah, so this would be the last time I see this. There were no photographs here. And so I watched them, as if to burn the scene into my memory. When my eyes met Lutma¡¯s, she smiled through her tears. I will not forget that smile. ¡°May Lord Memrikia keep you all safe.¡± I said, and then left the church behind me. But then I heard Lutma sob, and I stopped. But I did not turn around. She had managed to smile while seeing me off, so I couldn¡¯t look back now. Besides, she wasn¡¯t the only one fighting back tears. And so I wiped away the single drop with my palm, and started to walk again. This wasn¡¯t the end. It was the beginning of a new journey. CH 76 Lazy Priest Grand lizards pulled the wagons across the wilderness. Wheels were able to turn here, because there was a road. It was the road that they used to transport the iron ore to the dwarven kingdom of Gasebabar, from Rokuidol. As it was used to carry heavy cargo, the road was flat. I wondered how much time and work had gone into creating such a road. Furthermore, while none was being transported today, they took measures to erase the smell of the iron while sending it. And while there would still be attacks from iron slaters, it still helped keep most of them away. This road was the reason that I traveled in this direction after leaving Rokuidol. It was better if I didn¡¯t have to travel through the desert. In the first place, the majority of people went through Gasebabar when traveling to and from Rokuidol. ¡°Hey, Mr. Ajifu. You¡¯re a skilled fighter, aren¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you get off the wagon and come and help us?¡± Said an Adventurer who was guarding the caravan. ¡°I paid a passenger¡¯s fee, so why should I do such work? I might be able to help once in a while and cast Heal, but I¡¯ll leave the guarding to you.¡± I had not taken on the job of guard duty. This was because it wasn¡¯t suited to me, as you moved on foot. If the iron slaters came rolling towards me, a prosthetic leg would make it difficult to defend. And so I left that to the other Adventurers, while I rocked on the wagon and gazed at the brown wilderness. The dry wind blew away the clouds of dust behind the wagons. I looked up at the sky, whose bright son felt hot against my cape. It was a clear sky without a single cloud. ¡°It¡¯s sunny¡­¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s always sunny during this season.¡± I had muttered to myself, but one of the caravan members had heard me. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You say some strange things.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Make up your mind!¡± I just chuckled. As the paved road was smooth, there was little rocking, and the caravan pace was fast. At this rate, unless they were waiting for us, there would be few monsters that could attack us. Currently, some of the Adventurers were dealing with poison coyotes who had chased us from behind. Perhaps this was an opportunity for me to use Cure Poison? Which I had learned after reaching Lv3 with my light magic skill. That is what I thought, but unfortunately, the Adventurers were able to drive the beasts away, without a single person getting bitten. ¡°You could have gotten bitten, if you wanted.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯d let a mere F-Rank monster bite me! You are entirely different from the rumors! You¡¯re just a lazy priest!¡± Yes, yes. The rewriting of the rumors was going well. ¡°One shouldn¡¯t believe such stories to begin with. So do not have any high expectations for me.¡± In spite of what some may think, Cure Poison was a useful spell that could be used often. It was effective for bug bites. However, most people wouldn¡¯t think about paying to have it cast on them unless they were bitten by a snake or scorpion. It even worked with food poisoning, though the effect was not as strong. It would take two nights and three days to reach the next town, Nenezeur. It was quite far away, but we were making very good progress. And by the time the sands turned to the color of the setting sun, our first camp site came into view. The tents were pitched, and the food was prepared before the sun had set completely. A half moon hung in the clear night sky, brightly illuminating the wilderness below. In this world, the moon was a little more blue, and smaller than the one from earth. At least, I thought the moon from my memories was a little more white. Regardless, I was completely used to this one now. In Rokuidol, my only work as an Adventurer was to hunt monsters near town, and so it had been a while since I last spent the night outside like this. ¡°You have a woman in Rokuidol, don¡¯t you?¡± Said one of the Adventurers who was guarding. ¡°That¡¯s not true at all.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± But I didn¡¯t feel like I had to explain. As I ended the conversation there, I saw a shadow crawling under the light of the moon. A sand scorpion. Just one. ¡°Let me do it.¡± I stopped the Adventurer who had moved towards it, and I unsheathed my sword. I felt like swinging it. As I approached it, the sand scorpion raised both of its pincers at me threateningly. Clang. I swung my sword at it, the sound echoed around us. I remembered that time I had faced a sand scorpion under the moonlight, right before I reached Rokuidol. I had just blocked the coming stinger, and the pincers. Compared to that time, my prosthetic leg was planted firmly on the ground, and my raised level and status allowed me to stay calm. I could have pressed in and ended the fight quickly, but I just kept blocking. As I heard the echoes of our clashes, I felt as if I could feel how much I had grown in Rokuidol. And the days spent getting to this point. However, it did not last for long. Because after swiping a pincer to the side, I instinctively slashed at the joint with my sword, cutting it off. The sand scorpion¡¯s stinger shot towards me then. A desperate attack that I calmly blocked from below, and then I raised my sword. ¡°Hyaah!¡± I leaned onto my prosthetic leg, and swung down, using my weight, muscles, skills, status, and everything in me now. Crack. The shell that covered the scorpion¡¯s head split open, and the tip of my sword thrust inside. (I finally cut it, Jirido.) The skill I had trained in the royal capital, and polished in Rokuidol. It could not split open monsters of the desert. I looked down at the blade before sheathing it. Memories of the dojo came back to me. (I hope that these strange rumors don¡¯t reach the royal capital.) I could not help but wish. ¡°Hey, hey. You were able to cut through the scorpion¡¯s shell. C-Rankers sure are different.¡± The Adventurer guard was D-Rank. I had been one too, up until recently¡­ The power of a title was frightening. He then helped me drag the carcass base to the camp for carving. ¡°Still, it seemed like you could have finished it off quickly. Why did you take your time with it?¡± The Adventurer asked as we worked. Well, he was certainly observant. ¡°Ah, I just felt like swinging my sword for a while.¡± ¡°Ahah¡­ So it¡¯s about that woman you left it in Rokuidol?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± ¡°Oh, it is fine. You don¡¯t have to tell us, I understand.¡± Ah, not this pattern again! I had learned. Leaving them like this would lead to no good at all. In the end, I ended up having to explain the whole incident in Rokuidol to him. From beginning to end. Halfway through, some others joined us, and I had to start all over again. And when I was finished¡­ ¡°Ah, I see. That is an amusing story as well! And I heard it from the man himself!¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if this would fix things, or cause the stories to spread even farther. In the end, I felt like I was digging my own grave regardless. And with such thoughts, I retired for the night. CH 77 Chapter 77 ¨C Sub-account I was standing at a crossroad. This was not an expression. After passing through Nenezeur, I arrived at the next town, Meserolo, which was really a big city at the end of the wilderness. The dwarven kingdom of Gasebabar was inside of the mountains to the north. I would be able to reach it if I continued down the road, which they used to transport the iron ore. However, my destination was not the dwarven kingdom. If I wanted to head to the elven forest, then I had to go west, towards the Rabahask imperial city. And this city of Meserolo, was where the road split into three. Normally, you would just choose the road that stretched out towards your destination. However, this feeling of, ¡®the dwarven kingdom is ahead of you. Are you really just going to pass it?¡¯ made me stop in my tracks. ¡®You are in no rush on this journey. Surely it is fine to stop there for a short while. Perhaps you might find an amazing sword?¡¯ The devil whispered in my ear. However, the angel had its opinion as well. ¡®You don¡¯t even have the money to buy a new sword. Continue on to your destination.¡¯ To be precise, it wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t have any money at all. If I used all of the money I had saved up for my journey, then I could surely buy one fine blade. Of course, I would be in great trouble after that. After thinking it over, I decided to head to the dwarven kingdom of Gasebabar. Besides, just because I went to Gasebabar, it did not mean I had to waste my money there. The sword I was currently using was more than enough. I had even used it to tear open a sand scorpion shell. I just would not think about buying a sword there. This was social studies. It would help me to learn more about this world. Yes, in no way was this a detour. ¡­Ultimately, I just really wanted to go. And after swearing to myself that I would keep the string of my purse tightly closed, I headed for the carriage station. Carriages. Yes, that meant horses. In this place, you could get water by digging wells. And so people used horses instead of grand lizards. After seeing a horse again, I was reminded of Hyuga. The last time I saw him, he had been surrounded by three mares, and that¡¯s how it would always be. ¡°Are you searching for a ride?¡± One of the drivers asked me. ¡°Do you know when one will be traveling in the Gasebabar direction?¡± ¡°Early tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll be heading to the next town on the way, Mesebabaro. Three days, and two nights. It¡¯ll cost twenty silvers.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll go then.¡± I gave him two great silvers in exchange for the ticket. Considering the future, perhaps it might be best to buy a horse again. But I did not hate traveling by carriage either. Besides, I had learned healing magic, so I was no longer afraid of my ass hurting. As I had secured a method of travel for tomorrow, I returned to the inn and was greeted by the innkeeper¡¯s daughter. ¡°Mr. Ebifu, welcome back.¡± ¡°Aye, I would like some hot water.¡± Ebifu was the fake name I had written in their record. When I had entered the town and showed the guards my Adventurers plate, they had said, ¡®Oh! So you¡¯re the Mr. Ajifu I keep hearing about!¡¯ And so I decided to be careful. In Meserolo, I didn¡¯t even make a report of my arrival at the Adventurers Guild. I was not doing anything bad, and so there was no need to be so secretive. But I had no intention of accepting quests here, and it would be troublesome if people started talking about me. I accepted the hot water and returned to my room. Then I sat down and took out a knife. I placed the tip on my finger and held my breath. No matter how many times I¡¯ve done it, I cannot get used to it. After lightly drawing the blade, there was slight pain and then blood welled up. ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal.¡± I chanted, and the wound closed up. I was leveling my skill with light magic. On the road, I would not have as many opportunities to use Heal, compared to the Rokuidol church. And so I had no choice but to do this, and deplete my extra MP. Once I was out of MP, I moved my magic energy a little, confirming the feeling, and then I stopped my training. I could practice controlling my magic energy, even while I was walking. And that way, I could level up my parallel thought skill as well. For that reason, I rarely did it in my room now. As for sword training, doing it with a prosthetic leg outside would draw attention, and so I avoided it. I felt very cramped here. I wanted to quickly get to places where the rumors hadn¡¯t reached. In that case, I should move quickly. And then reason and desire started fighting again. However, I had already bought my ticket for the carriage. And so after rolling around restlessly on the hard bed, I fell quietly asleep. The next morning, I paid off my room, and then left on the carriage headed for Mesebabaro. After traveling for half a day down the paved road, I started to see more green in the scenery around us. That alone greatly changed the impression. On the way, we were attacked by kobolds, which I had not seen for a long time. However, the Adventurer guards dealt with them easily, and we reached our first campsite. The campsite was a cave, carved out from a rocky mountain. It was quite deep, and so you would only need to guard by the entrance. ¡°Should I help with watching?¡± ¡°No, my party can handle it. We¡¯re used to it, anyway.¡± I volunteered to help, but it was apparently unnecessary. However, while I was sleeping soundly, I was suddenly awakened in the middle of the night, due to the sounds of horses and the voices of the guards. ¡°Clay leopards! They¡¯re targeting the horses!¡± Ah, those things. Having the horses targeted was bad. I tightened the clasps of my gear, and stepped outside. The battle had already begun. There were four Adventurers against two clay leopards. ¡°Let-maze-mei-dor! Fire Arrow!¡± The magician who was behind me unleashed a fire arrow at one of the clay leopards. With an unnatural trajectory, the arrow landed on the dirt armor of the monster. However, it shrugged it off annoyingly. It did not have much effect at all. Clay leopards were earth type monsters. I only had basic knowledge from books I had read in the library, but there were attributes that paired well together. It went water > fire > wind > earth > water. And shadow <> light. And so normally, fire would not be effective against earth. Did no one have wind magic? As for the other one, it was being chipped down by the great shield wielder and the warhammer wielder. And so I decided to help the swordsman and the sorcerer. But just then, the swordsman was hit in the leg. ¡°I¡¯ll take your place.¡± I said, facing the clay leopard. ¡°Graaauuu!¡± I growled angrily, as I had prevented its follow up attack. This was no time to take risks and fight alone. Check the enemy when it moves forward, and step forward if it retreats. However, the clay leopard became frantic. It swung its front legs and then jumped at me. I held my sword low and then slashed as if to draw a circle. ¡°Gyaau!¡± Blood sprayed in the air, and then it jumped back. And then the magician¡¯s fiery arrow shot through the darkness of the night. As the clay leopard had not regained its posture, the arrow slammed into the soft part of its stomach. The damage threw it off balance even more. And I would not miss the opening. ¡°Hyaaah!!¡± I dashed forward and swung upwards, aiming at its neck. I had fought it once, and carved it up. And so I knew where the armor was the thinnest. Though, it was hard to target unless you caught it off guard. Blood flowed from the torn open throat of the clay leopard. It moved its mouth as if to search for oxygen, but it was not able to make even a sound before it collapsed to the ground. When I checked for the other one, my eyes met those of the swordsman, who was about to return to the fight after recovering. He lightly raised a hand and then went towards the remaining clay leopard. There was no need for the magician to join after that. The three of us quickly put down the last one without any trouble. ¡°Is anyone injured?¡± I asked. And the swordsman said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, because I drank a potion. However, my horse is hurt.¡± When I turned to the horse, I saw the ugly marks of claws on its hind legs. It was bleeding and it looked painful. ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± I cast healing magic on it, and then the horse seemed to regain its calm. ¡°Ah, you. The warrior with a prosthetic leg who uses healing magic. Are you¡­¡± Hmm, damn it¡­ ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ebifu.¡± ¡°What!?¡± It was probably not what he was expecting, as the Adventurer looked dumbfounded. However, he then grew suspicious and asked to see my Adventurers plate, so I was promptly exposed. (Translator¡¯s note: While Ajifu is short for Ajifurai(fried horse mackerel), Ebifu is short for Ebifurai(fried shrimp)). CH 78 Dwarf Country As I got closer to the dwarf country, the number of trees in the area increased, a river flowed through the valley, and the mountains became higher. Then the scattered trees became a grove, and by the time I had passed through the border checkpoint on the road, there was a forest all around me. The trees were lined up with unnatural neatness, and it was clear that they were planted deliberately. And since I could see pillars of smoke here and there, they were likely making charcoal. I wondered if they would not be attacked by monsters, but since the trees were lined up with such regularity, it was easy to see. So it would be harder for monsters to attack. In fact, I hadn¡¯t been attacked once since crossing the border. After passing the city of Mesebabaro, where the iron furnaces blazed day and night, turning the ore into iron, I finally arrived in Gasebabar. The closer I got, the higher the mountains became, and nearly all of the flatlands turned into farmlands. There were also more carriages and people on the road, and the vast majority of them were dwarves. I continued to travel down the swirling path along the valley and river through the cultivated farmlands. And after making a final turn, my vision opened up, and it revealed itself. The walls that seemed to fill the gap in the valley. The gates of Gasebabar. The precisely cut stone was packed tightly without gaps, and it exceeded ten meters in height. The gate was wide, and there were no gatekeepers as I passed underneath. And then within, there were three entrances that led into the city. A gate where there was no one waiting in line, a gate where carriages were going in and out, and a gate where people went through. The carriage stopped at a parking space, and then the passengers stepped out. From here, we would be on foot. I waited in line as the gatekeepers quietly and quickly inspected the identifications of the people entering the city. The gatekeepers in large cities were always like this. They would lose their voices if they spoke to each person who passed through. And so I also kept silent as I handed over my Adventurers plate. He looked a little surprised when he saw the platinum plate, and then he saw the name and looked up at me. And then his eyes went to my legs. Damn it. ¡°Huh, so you¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°Is that enough? Let me through then.¡± I took back the Adventurers plate and entered the city. I had heard that the rumors had spread, so this wasn¡¯t unexpected. There was no point in trying to be stealthy here, so I might as well walk around boldly. Thankfully, Gasebabar was a dead end city. And so the rumors would not spread any farther than this point. I asked Adventurers who escorted us for directions, and then made my way towards the Adventurers Guild. The city was filled with dwarves. Obviously. However, dwarves were generally short. And so when any of the other races walked with them, they tended to stick out. So there was nothing I could do about it. The sight of the surrounding mountains and stone buildings was a little overwhelming, but not unpleasant. And even though I looked in the distance, I could not see any castles or tall buildings. The city was currently bathed in the red light of the setting sun. At least, from what I could see from the main street, there were no wooden buildings anywhere. The buildings themselves were simple, square and plain. Yet looked very durable, as you might expect from dwarves. The buildings and the church in Rokuidol had been the same. It was no wonder, as dwarves had constructed those buildings as well. Because of this, I felt that the Adventurers Guild looked quite familiar as I stepped inside of it. Once inside, I saw that there was a bar right next to the reception desk. They were dwarves, after all. I could hear uproarious noise as I waited in line. ¡°I have come to report my arrival, and pick up a guide to the city.¡± I said as I handed over my Adventurers plate. The receptionist looked at it and smiled. ¡°Mr. Ajifu. Welcome to Gasebabar. It¡¯s an honor to get to meet you!¡± Unfortunately, the story seemed to do well with women as well. She then gave me back the plate, along with a guide. Using a fake name previously had not gone well. It could not be helped, as it did not match the name on my Adventurers plate. As I headed for the exit, my path was suddenly blocked by several dwarf Adventurers. ¡°Can I help you?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re Mr. Ajifu, aren¡¯t you? I heard about how you killed the wyvern. I¡¯ll buy you a drink, if you like.¡± While the beard made it hard to tell, he seemed rather young, based on the voice. And his breath smelled of ale. I suppose they had overheard us. Things never went well when I was near a bar. ¡°Sorry, but I want to get a look at the town. Let me pass.¡± I was not going to be their entertainment for the evening. ¡°Now don¡¯t be so stubborn, eh?¡± ¡°Yes! Drink with us!¡± ¡°Tell us about it!¡± Said the others as they surrounded me. They must have been in the same party. However, they did not do anything. Because two furious Adventurers had appeared behind them. Go-go-go-gon. Four fists came down over their heads. ¡°Sorry for the trouble, young man. Dwarves should know to be more polite when drinking. I¡¯ll make sure they are properly educated, so please forgive them.¡± Their equipment seemed rather good. And they bowed apologetically, as did a few others who were nearby. ¡°No, that won¡¯t do at all. I will punish them myself.¡± ¡°What!?¡± The atmosphere of things wrapping up neatly was smashed. And I raised my hand towards the young Adventurer. ¡°Nana-len-mas-nar Cure Poison!¡± I chanted, and then the young Adventurer¡¯s face became less red, and then he turned pale. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± He suddenly changed his tune and bowed his head. ¡°He-hey. What did you do?¡± ¡°Removed the alcohol from his body, that¡¯s all. It¡¯s quite effective on drunks.¡± I had used it often in the Rokuidol church. ¡°Bahaha! Removing alcohol from a dwarf! What a terrible thing to do. You really are as amusing as the rumors made you out to be. What do you say? How about accompanying me while I educate these youngsters?¡± He said as he pointed to the bar. I suppose I could accept this kind of invitation. These days, I was always the target of discussions, so it would be a nice change to flip the table once in a while. After that, the youngsters drank, and then were cured as they continued to be lectured by the increasingly drunk people around them, much to their dismay. I would sit back and drink, and from behind, cast Cure Poison on them every once in a while, to keep them sober. That being said, there were four of them, and so I soon ran out of MP, and they were finally free. And so they could drink as much as they wanted. ¡°I¡¯ve never been as afraid of light magic as I was today.¡± Now that we had peace at the table, I drained my mug at the table with the Adventurers. ¡°But it is Lord Memrikia¡¯s miracle. You should accept it gratefully.¡± ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s not light magic I should be afraid of, it is you, Ajifu. You are the man who kills the drunkenness of dwarves.¡± ¡°Kills drunkenness¡­¡± ¡°Drunkenness killer¡­¡± ¡°Ajifu the Drunkenness Killer.¡± They began to mutter the name with a sense of dread. And like that, the name ¡®Ajifu the Drunkenness Killer¡¯ became well-known at the Gasebabar guild. The only thing I could do was silently tip my glass. That was all. CH 79 Weapon Store Tour So many swords lined up in a row in front of me. That in itself made me feel satisfied. After all, the weapon stores in Rokuidol all sold the same kind of weapons. Ones to bash, crush and crack. Dwarves in Gasebabar were generally not swordsmen either, due to their size. But there was something reassuring about knowing that swords really were supposed to be the most common weapon. All of the swords laid out on the shelves were of great quality. But there was one mithril greatsword in the center that caught my eye in particular. Mithril was also called magic silver, but it was usually not as durable as steel. However, it had great magic endurance, and it was possible to add powerful magic effects to it. As for the greatsword on display, the enchantments were, ¡®Great Boost in Durability,¡¯ and ¡®Weight Reduction,¡¯ and also ¡®Great Boost in Sharpness,¡¯ and ¡®Small Water Attribute Effect.¡¯ The price was one platinum and fifty gold. That was definitely not something I could afford. That was the flaw with mithril. The material itself was light and softer than steel. You could not get the most out of the materials without magic enchantments, and the price of the enchantments made them more expensive. While there was no point in looking at things that I could not buy, I could not help but stare. ¡°What is your budget, mister?¡± Asked the owner of the weapon store. It was a question that I did not like to be asked, and he asked it so directly. ¡°I don¡¯t even know. Ah, that¡¯s right. How much would I get for letting go of this sword?¡± So saying, I unstrapped my sword and handed it to him. The owner took the sword out of its sheath and placed it on the table for inspection. ¡°It is a good blade. The enchantments are decent, and the steel material is good. I cannot say for sure until it is properly appraised, but I think that I¡¯d pay around twenty-five gold for it.¡± Gah! I bought it for thirty-five gold. Well, I suppose since it was second-hand¡­ But! I did not come here to buy a sword in the first place! I must calm down! Seeing the rows of swords have made me lose sight of my initial direction. ¡°I see. Well, I really don¡¯t have enough after all. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The owner looked a little disappointed when I strapped the sword back to my belt. After that, I continued to go around the city, mainly stopping at weapon stores. And since I kept my purse strings tight, I did not buy much. However, I didn¡¯t end up empty-handed either. After all, I had been able to see a lot of swords. I have never seen so many swords in one day before. It was quite the feast for my eyes. I felt that I was now a pretty good judge¡­maybe. And so my second day in Gasebabar ended just like that. After all, there were too many stores, so I could not go to all of them. ¡°Welcome back. Dinner is ready to eat.¡± When I returned to the inn, the young innkeeper greeted me. ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± I took a seat and rested my face on the table. Walking all day with a prosthetic leg was tiring. As it hurt, the skin had probably peeled so that it was bleeding. I¡¯ll have to cast Heal on it in my room later. I could just cast it here, but I would look strange if I suddenly started chanting. ¡°Ah, you seem tired.¡± ¡°I went around visiting weapon stores all day. I¡¯m exhausted.¡± As the food had been brought, I sat up so that there would be space on the table. ¡°That does sound tiring. And did you find anything good?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t really have much money to begin with. I was mostly just looking. Though, there were so many things of great quality.¡± The innkeeper placed the food on the table. But instead of leaving, she stood there, thinking for a moment before opening her mouth. ¡°If you were looking around, did you happen to see the Nalori Magic Tool Shop on the main street?¡± ¡°Ah, that luxurious-looking place¡­ No, it did not seem like the kind of place that would suit me.¡± ¡°Well, it won¡¯t suit anyone searching for weapons seriously. But it should be quite interesting if you just want to take a look.¡± ¡°Huh, what is so interesting about it?¡± ¡°You will have to go and find out for yourself.¡± What was this? She really wanted it to be a surprise. ¡°If you insist that much, I might go tomorrow.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t come complaining to me if it¡¯s not what you expect.¡± She said as she returned to the kitchen. While I was curious, for now, I better eat my food before it gets cold. After enjoying a dwarven dinner, I returned to my room and removed the prosthetic leg. Then I cast Heal on the stump, did some maintenance on my sword and armor, finished my daily training, and went to sleep. The next morning, after some light sword exercises, I wiped my body, ate breakfast, and went out into the city. I was headed to this Nalori Magic Tool Shop that I had heard about. It was an impressive building on the main street, and everything about it seemed expensive. And so I stepped in with some hesitation. ¡°Welcome!¡± A clerk greeted me with an impeccable bow. ¡°Are you looking for something?¡± ¡°No. But an innkeeper told me that I would see something interesting if I came here.¡± That seemed to be enough, as the clerk immediately had an expression of understanding ¡°I will call the manager. Please wait one moment.¡± And then the clerk went to the back of the store. Uh, I didn¡¯t want to see the manager. As I waited with confusion, an impressively broad dwarf appeared from the back. ¡°Are you the one who wants to see me?¡± ¡°Huh? No, I was just told that I could see something interesting if I came here.¡± ¡°I see. So that¡¯s what it is. In any case, you will want to speak with me once you see it. Now, follow me.¡± I wasn¡¯t quite sure, but this manager seemed to be enjoying himself. I was then led to the second floor, where there was an area with especially expensive magic tools. And the thing was placed in the center. Magic Staff ¡®Mine Breaker.¡¯ Read the sign. But what was there, was a brilliant two-handed sword that let off a pale blue light. You could tell at a glance that it was made of mithril. CH 81 Mine Breaker The weapon store really was close by, just as the manager had said. He explained the situation to the owner, and a place was prepared in the open space in the back. As for the method to be used, it would be a test cutting. Sacks of straw had been lined up, and we would see how many I could cut. There just happened to be a B-Rank Adventurer dwarf in the store, and so we would both give it a try. ¡°Hmmph!¡± Slash. The dwarf swung the Mine Breaker, and with a loud noise, the straw sack was cut open. It stopped after cutting into the second sack. That was a lot of power, considering the enchantments were not activated. ¡°Hmm, so that¡¯s all you can do with this sword.¡± Still, the Adventurer grumbled with dissatisfaction. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see how much you can do with that leg and this sword. Show us the skill of a wyvern slayer.¡± I accepted the Mine Breaker. He was certainly raising the bar. Even though I had said earlier that the result was obvious. Still, I had come all of the way here, and so I had to do it. And so I stood in front of the row of sacks. Then I closed my eyes and sent my magic energy into the Mine Breaker. The blade would have been greatly frustrated as well. It had been made as a sword, but was not used as one. It was just a decoration. But I shall prove your worth. We¡¯ll show the others that they were wrong to call you a magic staff. The more energy I sent into it, the lighter the sword became. Instead of it seeming less reliable, I felt a sense of unity, as if the sword was now a part of my own body. And so I increased the amount even more. To my limit. No, even a little farther. By now, the sword was about the same weight as a one-handed sword. Now, let¡¯s do this, Mine Breaker! Become the sword of my travels without end!! I opened my eyes and looked at the straw sacks. I rested the long sword on my shoulder, and then kicked off the dirt with my prosthetic leg. ¡°Hyaaahhh!!¡± The tip of the sword drew an arch through the air, my body rotated from the waist, further accelerating as it slammed into the sack as if being sucked towards it. The moment was not weakened after cutting through the second one, and it smoothly continued to slice through. I could feel that magic energy was depleting every time. That was the kind of sword it was. It was only after the third sack that it lost momentum, and then it stopped inside of the fourth one. ¡°Brilliant!¡± The dwarf Adventurer shouted from behind me. How was that, manager? Were you watching? However, when I turned around, I saw that he was crying. ¡°Indeed, you have shown me how the Mine Breaker can shine! Thank you!¡± ¡°Uh, ah¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad. It wasn¡¯t useless after all. I am so happy!¡± Well, that was what I wanted to say. Once he had calmed down again, the manager started to explain to me about the Mine Breaker. ¡°This sword was made by two of my friends, a blacksmith and a magic artificer respectively. They dreamed of raising their techniques, and put everything they had into this sword. And yet people mocked the fruits of their labor, terribly.¡± ¡°But it was for an experiment, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t just this sword. Back then, we didn¡¯t think about how convenient something was to use, but were obsessed with making the tools that we wanted.¡± That was common with young crafters. It was not a bad thing to challenge yourself. But I suppose it was best to be able to balance it with regular work. ¡°After the three of us realized this, we drank at a tavern and discussed it. Let us make sure to not forget this lesson. We will call it ¡®Mine Breaker,¡¯ and put it in a place where we can see it.¡± Hmm. So it wasn¡¯t named that as an insult. Even if it wasn¡¯t exactly flattering either. ¡°But, we were wrong. Because the Mine Breaker has met its wielder and proved its own power!¡± I felt rather left behind as the manager shook his fist and talked passionately. ¡°We-well, thanks to that, I was able to find this sword¡­¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± The manager said as he pointed at me. Ah, damn it. He was not going to stop. ¡°Making what is needed is not enough. It has to be something with a lot of passion put into it. And I was merely a bystander. It was my duty to connect creators with users, the one who was truly useless, was me!¡± There was nothing for me to say at this point. The manager continued his fervent speech, while I, the weapon store owner, and the Adventurer listened quietly. I wondered if the store owner had nothing better to do, but his wife later brought in some tea, so I suppose it was fine. As for the Adventurer dwarf, he seemed to be enjoying it. I took a sip of the hot tea, and looked up at the sky. There were more clouds than before. I had heard that the weather changed quickly, as Gasebabar was near the mountains. Perhaps it will rain today. ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± The owner¡¯s wife brought some food, which looked like some kind seed. It was seasoned with salt and quite good. ¡°¡­So, that¡¯s how it was!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The manager¡¯s long story finally came to a close, and the three of us clapped. There was a sense of unity among us, as if we had achieved something. After that, we moved into the store, and the owner bought the sword that I had been using up until now. ¡°This is some extra, since you put on quite the show!¡± He said, and bumped up the amount a little. I then added my own money and used it to pay the manager. ¡°Do you think that I could change the name?¡± ¡°The name is carved into the magic part of the hilt. So you cannot.¡± Apparently, I was not able to change the name. Unfortunate, but it could not be helped. Now, I just needed to use it until no one could say that it was useless. ¡°I look forward to hearing about the feats of Ajifu and the Mine Breaker!¡± The manager now knew my name. The Adventurer had heard the rumors, and told him. And while I had also heard the manager¡¯s name¡­I just called him manager. ¡°I have no intention of doing anything that people will talk about.¡± I said with a chuckle and shook their hands before leaving. ¡°Ah, welcome back. You¡¯re early.¡± I returned to the inn after a late lunch, and the young innkeeper greeted me. ¡°Well, I got what I wanted.¡± ¡°Oh? So you saw something interesting then?¡± She said with an amused grin. ¡°Yes, well¡­ It was quite different from what I was expecting, though.¡± So saying, I slowly unsheathed the sword and showed it to her. ¡°Huh? Is this¡­that sword!?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I found a good sword.¡± I said with a smile. Her eyes widened with surprise. ¡°Up until now, it was thought of as useless. However, that was wrong. The Mine Breaker is a great sword. Full of potential.¡± But her expression remained surprised. The blade, which was wider than my previous one, and shone pale blue, clearly reflected her expression. CH 82 Moving and Swinging The bonfire light shone in the night forest. The passengers of the carriage were conversing after dinner. Swoosh. The sounds of something cutting through the night air. After departing from Gasebabar, we camped on our way to the first town of Mesebabaro. If I continued to send magic energy into my sword, it would become harder to maintain. But if I did not send enough into it, the sword would be too heavy for me. After testing it several times, my prosthetic leg became unstable. It was not able to bear the weight when I swung the sword with both hands, when there was not enough magic energy in it. ¡°Woah!?¡± My swing had become sloppy, and I lost my balance and fell to the ground. I had left Gasebabar right after acquiring the Mine Breaker. I had to move, or I would never be able to use Reverse Age again. Of course, I probably shouldn¡¯t have stopped at the dwarf country then, but it was in the past. ¡°Are you alright?¡± One of the guards asked, and so I raised a hand to show that I was fine. It had become hard to continue sending magic energy into it, and so there was not enough. After all, every time the amount changed, the sword felt different in my hands. While the sword arts skill did help, it could not cover for it entirely. When you use magic, your magic energy rises in that moment. And up until now, I had had to use a fixed amount for an extended amount of time. ¡°Hah.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the difficulty of swinging a heavy two-handed sword, while having to adjust the amount of magic energy. This will be quite a struggle, I thought while looking down at the blade. Even after arriving in Mesebabaro, and staying at an inn, I continued to swing. ¡°Hah¡­¡± My muscles were starting to get sore from the continued training. ¡®You must not use healing magic on sore muscles.¡¯ That was Father Zenrima¡¯s teaching. While it was effective, it apparently did not help with muscle growth. Of course, magic energy training was my goal now, so if I couldn¡¯t swing anymore, then I would use it. However, as magic energy did not recover with healing spells, it was not like I could continue swinging forever. Besides, it was not a bad thing if I could train my body at the same time, so I would avoid using it as much as possible. And while slowly increasing the amount of magic energy, I continued to swing my sword behind the inn. We then departed from Mesebabaro, crossed the border, and reentered Megidos. On the road, I mostly just slept in the carriage. This was so I could recover as much strength and magic energy as possible. My status said that I was ¡®27.¡¯ At this point, I didn¡¯t want a dramatic change in age. However, I did want to go back just a little more. Besides, I wanted to see if it would affect my leg. The passenger carriage stopped, and I woke up and looked around. A familiar cave and camp site came into view. By tomorrow, we would arrive in the city of Meseroro, where the road split into three. I adjusted Mine Breaker, which hung on my shoulder, and descended from the carriage. I would take a break from swinging today. I did not want to overwork. It was on days like these that I would have liked to work on my light magic skills, but if I cast Heal on myself, then it would also heal my sore muscles. And so I took my knife and approached the passengers. ¡°I¡¯m trying to raise my skill level. Would you mind getting injured?¡± ¡°I refuse!¡± I see¡­ That¡¯s too bad. Well, perhaps it is fine to have days where I do nothing, once in a while. I thought as I gazed into the fire. When I looked up, there was a pale blue moon in the sky, and constellations I didn¡¯t know. Then I looked back down into the bonfire. (Fire is the same in any world.) The thought entered my mind, as the night passed. I rested at a Meseroro inn as well, and my body felt light again. From here, I would take a carriage to the west, towards the border town of Meizanne, in the Rabahusk direction. It would take three nights and four days to reach it, but thankfully, there was a farming village just one day away. And others after that, so we would not have to camp outside for three whole nights. After leaving the city, the vast gray wildlands stretched out like Megidos for the first day, but then the amount of green gradually increased. And by evening, it was practically a prairie. We somehow managed to arrive in the farmlands before nightfall, and I got a room at the village inn. Swoosh. I created a light in the dark space behind the inn, and began to swing. That¡¯s when I noticed that the control of my magic energy was more stable than before. Yes, it really was important to rest. I could feel it now. Perhaps I can do it then. I thought, as I added more movement to my swing, transitioning to my form training. ¡°Gah!¡± I was stable for a while, but once I became tired, the magic energy was disturbed, the weight of the sword shifted, and I fell over. Unlike swings, the movements were bigger, so if the magic energy is disturbed, then my whole body loses its balance. While I still had a long way to go, I could see progress. And lay there on the ground and clenched my fist. There was a large river running through Meizanne, which acted as a border line. And the roads and farming villages were built along the river. There was a lot of green in the surrounding area now, and the occasional rocky mountains made a strong impression. Cultured farmlands, proclaiming that they were human territory. You could see far off into the distance, which meant there were fewer instances of monster attacks. Even if they did attack, they were usually goblins of strange color, and dagger wolves, which had elongated tusks that came out horizontally from their face. Such monsters were nothing but target practice for the Adventurers with their bows. Apparently, the majority of Adventurers here were equipped with them. It was very impressive, seeing them shoot down monsters while on horseback. Watching them made me want to buy a bow as well, even if I was no good with them. However, I had no time to train with one now. My priority had to be to use my sword first. Our carriage journey towards Meizanne was now on its fourth day, and the distances between villages was becoming shorter. That was proof that we were close to the city. ¡°You can see it now.¡± The driver said. And when I looked outside, in spite of there still being some distance, I was able to see the brown walls. So that was Meizanne. It was quite a large city. ¡°Ohhh. It¡¯s you.¡± I was used to getting such reactions from guards when showing my Adventurers plate now. I then went through the gates and entered Meizanne. Within the walls, the buildings were made of a combination of wood and stone block. And while simple, there was a standardized look to the city. As there were a lot of rock mountains, there was probably a quarry somewhere. Because of this, the guild building gave off a proper and strict impression as I walked in. It was almost evening now, and there were many Adventurers resting. I waited in the line in front of the reception desk, made my report, and picked up a guide of the city. For three weeks after leaving Gasebabar, I had done little but practice moving and swinging. However, I wanted to see if I could fight now, so I thought that I¡¯d stay here for some time. ¡°Hyah!¡± From the next day on, I spent my time in the guild training grounds. ¡°Yah!¡± Compared to when I first started to use Mine Breaker, the fluctuations of magic energy were smoother. There were no sudden rises and dips. Though, it still shifted. On top of that, due to consistently swinging, I had gotten used to handling a two-handed sword. So there was much less of a burden on my body. ¡°Ha!¡± The amount of time I could maintain the magic energy was extended, and the strain on my body decreased. This meant I could swing the sword for longer. And that accelerated the speed at which I improved with adjusting my magic energy. By the time I had spent a full week in Meizanne, I was able to train while doing my form practice for long stretches. Yes, I should be fine in actual combat now. I entered the main guild building from the training grounds, and checked the quest board before ripping off one that interested me. And I took that to the counter. ¡°I would like to accept this one.¡± I said as I handed it over. It was an E-Rank quest to hunt some murder bulls. I was not going to do anything reckless just yet. CH 83 Giant Deer I ¡°You are going to accept this quest, Mr. Ajifu?¡± The receptionist said with a puzzled expression. Normally, a C-Rank Adventurer would not accept an E-Rank quest. So it was no wonder. And I had spent a lot of time recently, swinging away in the training grounds, and had attracted some attention within the guild. It must have seemed strange to train so much, only to go on an E-Rank quest. ¡°I just want to test a new sword. Please.¡± ¡°If that is the case¡­¡± She accepted it solemnly. As for the guild, they would have preferred C-Rankers to clean up the C-Rank quests. And E-Rankers would not like their quests to be taken away. While murder bulls were E-Rank when alone, they could be very formidable monsters in herds. They had thick skin, and it was hard to deal damage with blunt weapons. You would need a good sword to cut to the bone. They also had vicious temperaments, and would often attack humans on sight. But as this quest was to hunt lone bulls that had strayed near a village, it was an E-Rank quest. The two horns that protruded from the murder bull¡¯s head were sharp and pointed forwards. I sensed nothing but malice coming from it. But I managed to dodge its charge by moving to the side. ¡°Hah!¡± I cut deeply into its front legs. The momentum of the charge caused the murder bull to slam into the ground. It tried to stand back up, but the wounds were too deep. And yet, its murderous rage did not die even a little. That was apt, given their name. I stepped around and cut its hind legs as well. Then I trust my sword near the joint of its hind leg, aiming for its heart. When I pulled out the sword, blood sprayed out, and the light left its eyes as its head slumped. As for Mine Breaker¡¯s first battle, it was barely a passing grade. I was a little nervous to use it for the first time, and wary of the murder bull¡¯s thick skin, which made me use more magic energy than I needed. There were things to improve on, and so I was glad that I picked an easier opponent. I drained the blood and started a fire. The rising smoke was the signal. I could not carry a bull with me, and so people from the village would take it away by wagon, where it would become their food. ¡°C-Rankers sure are different. Good work. We¡¯ll be dining on this meat tonight, and you are welcome to join us, Adventurer.¡± As the hunters were going to carve up the meat, I left it to them and made my report to the village chief. I was then invited to a feast. Well, I was not one to refuse a free meal. ¡°Ah, we were very troubled, as it was staying near the water.¡± That night, I sat at the feast and chewed on some meat while the chief poured some wine. ¡°Mm mnmrin mmoum momer monmms mn mhe marea?¡± ¡°I do not understand what you are saying. Here, drink this.¡± I swallowed and took a sip. ¡°Any information about other monsters in the area?¡± ¡°Oh, there is. A horned deer has taken up residence near the charcoal furnaces in the mountains. Much to the horror of the hunters and loggers.¡± A monster deer, eh? They were not like those other, quiet creatures. These were vicious enough to destroy goblin settlements. They were Rank-D. ¡°Is there a quest out for that?¡± ¡°Things are rather severe in the village, and we cannot afford to put out a D-Rank quest. Thankfully, we have a small hut for the charcoal at the foot of the mountain, so it is not an emergency.¡± Normally¡­a quest like this would pay ten in gold. ¡°I could do it for nine.¡± Even if I accepted it at the guild, it would not be included in my completion rate. Since I was already here, it would be efficient to just negotiate directly. ¡°Hmm. We could send villagers to help you. And you can take the materials. But could you do it for seven gold?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take the meat with me anyway, so I would have to leave it. I also do not need the materials and will leave them here. So, how about eight gold, with help?¡± They could eat the meat, and sell the skin and horns for a good price. Surely this was a good deal for the village. ¡°Hmm, I suppose I must accept then. Yes, please do it for eight gold.¡± So it was settled. We shook hands on it. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hunters and loggers tomorrow. But now, let¡¯s drink!¡± I did so without hesitation, and then slept at the chief¡¯s house that night. The following day, the chief and I went to visit the hunters, and there were five men waiting for us. Apparently, three of them were hunters, and two were loggers. And all of them knew the mountains very well. So they would be good to have around. Three would be in charge of carving and transporting. And the two hunters would lead me to the charcoal furnace. The three that pulled the wagon would accompany us part way before we separated. We left the village and entered a narrow path through the forest, towards the mountain. As the path was just the right size for the wagon, they clearly passed through here often. Eventually, there was a slight incline, and it was the beginning of the mountain. We were almost at the point where we would split up, but then hunters in the lead suddenly stopped. I followed their gaze up ahead, and noticed the thing that was staring at us from above. Even though it was far away, I could tell it was in the shape of a deer. But the size was completely different. And it had two giant horns and red eyes. So it found us first. And there was another deer behind it. It was smaller though, and had only one horn. A doe. The hunters began to slowly move back, so as to not anger it. The rest of us did the same. So it was a pair. This was bad. While fighting two would already be tough, males were especially wild when part of a pair. This was the kind of quest that you would send a whole party to deal with. Clank. The sounds of the wagon as it drew back. As if this was a signal, the horned deers began to bound down the slope. ¡°Run!¡± A hunter shouted, and they abandoned the wagon and began to run. As the others fled, I alone stayed and unsheathed my sword. I would buy some time for them¡­ Well, that was not what I was actually thinking. While I was able to run well enough now, I could not outrun a horned deer. So it was best to fight back from as good a position as possible. In spite of there having been a good distance between us, I found myself dodging the antlers almost immediately. I rolled on the ground, but heard the hooves approaching again. Still on the ground, I rolled again to dodge it, just as the doe¡¯s one horn shot passed me. I swiftly rose to my feet. And the stag was on me again. And so I jumped to the side, rolled, and while on my knees, held up my sword. But there was no follow up attack. However, I was now sandwiched between them. The horned deers watched as if to see what I would do next. They looked even bigger at this range. Three meters, easily. And while I had been able to deal with the first attacks, this was still a dangerous situation. Just then¡­ Bash. ¡°Hyuuiii!¡± An arrow flew, but bounced off the skin of the doe. It let out a cry. As the stag was distracted, I got up and moved two, three steps closer. Someone had returned and shot an arrow from the forest. While it was reckless, it helped me. Now that I was close, the stag turned to me again. But it was obviously concerned with the doe. I swung my sword to attract its attention, and took another step towards it. The doe was now avoiding the forest, and trying to go around me. ¡°Hyaah!¡± I sent magic energy into Mine Breaker, and swung it, when I was just barely within reach. But it was blocked easily by the antlers. Still, the first attack had landed. Clang. A second shot followed, but also bounced off the neck. I had to change positions so that the doe didn¡¯t get my back, so my feet were not firmly on the ground. However, a light attack would just be deflected. But I wanted to get in a good hit before the doe got any closer. ¡°Hyaah!¡± I increased the amount of magic energy in Mine Breaker, and slashed horizontally from a low angle. I was aiming for the legs, which would be difficult to block with the antlers. However, the horned deer stood up on its hind legs, raising its front legs and dodging the attack. And then, when my body was open after swinging through air, it stomped down over me. ¡°Gah!¡± The hoof felt like rock as it hit my arm. I fell back, was knocked off my feet, and tasted dirt. ¡°Ga¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t breath, and stayed on the ground. I felt dizzy, but there would be a follow up attack. I had to get back up. That¡¯s what I thought, but the attack didn¡¯t come. While wondering about this, I raised my head. With the doe behind him, the stag had become still. And its red eyes were looking down at me. Bonus chapter courtesy of Photo. Thank you so much!! CH 84 Giant Deer II Huh, I see. ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal.¡± I caught my breath and healed. Then I quietly picked up the fallen sword and got to my feet. In spite of this being a fight to the death, they sure were confident. ¡®I can kill something like you whenever I want.¡¯ Is that what it was saying? I charged Mine Breaker with magic energy, and slowly raised it in front of me. Or was it something else? Was it showing off in front of the doe? Just when I wondered this, I thought I saw the doe making eyes at the stag. It seemed like I would not have to make adjustments after all. I filled Mine Breaker with all of my magic energy. The horned deer lowered its head, and its front legs bent. Here it comes. Giiiiiii¡­ The sound of the horns swinging up and clashing into the sword that swung down. I swung in a straight line, hitting the root of the horn. The impact lifted my torso a little, and the horned deer was also pushed back. ¡°Hyaaah!¡± After my sword bounced off, I swung down once again. The horned deer¡¯s antlers also swung, and there was another clash. Gaaainnn¡­! This time the sound had a heavier echoe. My sword passed its head, and the horn, cut off at the root, went flying in the air. ¡°Bueeee!¡± Came the strange cry. It was staggered. The perfect chance. I could not wait around! ¡°Hyaaaah!!¡± ¡°Bueee!¡± And swung down at the doe who attacked from the opposite side. Normally, a two-handed sword would use its weight to cut through something. But the Mine Breaker became lighter, the more magic energy was inside. And so I had to make up for it, with the increased sharpness, and speed. But that wasn¡¯t a big problem. In the first place, I could not use a heavy, two-handed sword when I had a prosthetic leg. So I had been using a one-handed sword with two hands. Blood sprayed from the doe as she fell to the ground. The wound had been deep. Not being able to maintain it, I decreased the amount of magic energy, and Mine Breaker¡¯s weight returned to normal. ¡°Boeeeee!!¡± The stag roared with rage. You should have come like that to begin with! In spite of having only one antler, it charged towards me. Its weight and speed meant it was still a threat. And so I jumped out of the way, without thinking about a counter attack. After passing me, the horned deer turned around and got ready to charge again. This time, I held my sword horizontally and increased the magic energy once again. I had swung this sword so many times. I would not faint over something like this. The horned deer came charging. I was just barely able to jump back and avoid the horn as it came at a frightening speed. And then I swung my sword in the path where the giant body would go through. The impact was severe, and I felt my MP diminishing rapidly. ¡°Woaaah!¡± I gripped the sword tightly and stood my ground. Take all the MP you want, Mine Breaker! A long line appeared on the horned deer body. And great quantities of blood began to flow as it fell in a cloud of dust. ¡°Boe-boe¡­¡± It screeched, and tried to get up again. Its eyes still shone with rage. However, it would not last long with a wound like that. I should hurry up and finish it off. While holding my sword high, I approached it cautiously, and our eyes met. And like that, the horned deer stopped moving. It wasn¡¯t that it gave up. It seemed more like it was searching for an opening. ¡°Hyah!¡± I swung down, and severed its thick neck. I immediately turned around. The doe was twitching and still alive. And so I approached her as well, and finished her off. ¡°Phew.¡± I sighed and sat down on the ground. D-Rank of not, fighting large monsters with a prosthetic leg was always difficult. I was so tired now. ¡°Ah, well done. You really are a C-Ranker. Even though you were in danger a few times.¡± The five men returned and offered their fists, so I bumped mine against theirs while still sitting down. ¡°Aye, it was a close one. You helped me, to be honest.¡± ¡°It was good support, eh? It looked dangerous, so the three of us targeted the doe. But we didn¡¯t think the stag would try to protect her. Also, the arrows didn¡¯t pierce her in the end.¡± ¡­Hmm? ¡°Even though it was a monster, it was quite chivalrous.¡± Aside from the first arrow, I hadn¡¯t noticed that they were supporting me. I suppose it was when I was on the ground. In other words, the reason why it didn¡¯t attack was not that it was confident or getting carried away. It was protecting the doe from the arrows. I see. ¡°Aye, it was wonderful support. And though we were enemies, I feel a certain respect towards them.¡± We had done what we could. And there was a sense of satisfaction at having defeated a powerful enemy. As the two would not fit on the wagon, we separated into two groups of three, a transportation group, and a remaining group. As part of the remaining group, I would help with the bleeding and removing of guts and magic stone, and wait for the others to return. ¡°Status open.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 27 LV: 29(+2) HP: 142/216(+20) MP: 56/131(+32) STR: 60(+4) VIT: 58(+2) INT: 39(+4) MND: 45(+2) AGI: 38(+2) DEX: 33(+1) LUK: 17(+1) Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv4, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv4, Carving Lv5, Leatherworker Lv3, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv8, Magic Manipulation Lv14(+2), Everyday Magic(light/water/earth), Sword Art Lv14(+1), Night Vision Lv1, Parallel Thought Lv3(+1), Prayer, Light Magic Lv3 Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God, Adventurer, Creator¡¯s Blessing. I had the feeling that I leveled up, and so I checked my status while waiting. It went up once with the wyvern fight, and again on the road and now. After using Mine Breaker, the MP depletion has been faster, so I was glad for the great boost in MP. The thing that interested me was that my Parallel Thought skill level had gone up. While it was a skill I used every day, I didn¡¯t know if I could do anything new now. Eventually, the transportation team returned, and the remaining deer was put in the wagon, and we returned to the village. After the murder bull, the village now had two deers brought in, and so we were greeted to a great venison feast. The venison of does was especially rare, and sold at a high price. However, I would not be distracted by that. I had something to say to the chief. ¡°Ah, Mr. Ajifu. You impress us once again.¡± ¡°Chief! This was not what we agreed on! I didn¡¯t hear anything about there being two of them. And that means materials from two. Eight pieces of gold doesn¡¯t cover it!¡± Upon hearing this, the chief nodded. ¡°Mmm. We did not know about it either. Isn¡¯t that right, everyone?¡± ¡°Aye, we would have told you.¡± ¡°It was a great surprise.¡± ¡°I thought we were going to die when the second one appeared.¡± The hunters and loggers agreed with the chief. It did not look like they were lying¡­ ¡°Even then, it¡¯s the village¡¯s responsibility to investigate, isn¡¯t it!?¡± ¡°Well, we just told you what we heard¡­¡± I see¡­ ¡°Since you can now sell the materials from the doe, can you raise the reward a little?¡± ¡°The promise was that the village keeps the materials. That being said, we are grateful that you hunted the doe as well. It would have been very bad if they started having fawns everywhere. How about we give you the antlers and magic stones then?¡± The antlers and magic stones would probably sell for around three gold. That was eleven gold in all. Not bad. I suppose I was partly to blame for not checking more thoroughly as well. It was no wonder that Adventurers were not supposed to negotiate. I realized how much the guild helped me. ¡°Well, I cannot refuse that generous offer. It¡¯s a deal then.¡± The chief would also not want to be known as someone who would easily raise the price. And I did not want to be made a laughing stock as someone who accepted a job on his own, and ended up losing. It was best to accept the offer here. While it was unexpected, I had recovered the amount spent on the Mine Breaker, and had a good feel for fighting with it now. And I also learned the difficulties of negotiations. So it was a satisfying harvest. And with that I left the village. Also, I thought that I will be nicer to guild workers from now on. CH 85 Sea Hair Even after defeating the horned deer, I wanted to try fighting something else. And so I visited the Adventurers Guild, but was unable to accept any quests. The reason for this was that there were no suitable ones that were close by. And I had no options for travel. There were no main roads, and the passenger carriages that moved between the small villages only came by once a week at most. I couldn¡¯t get a ride unless they happened to coincide with a quest. And even if I went, I wouldn¡¯t be able to get back. However, I had a change of heart after reluctantly accepting an E-Rank quest. It was at a small village that was within walking distance. I had completed the ¡®Grass Viper Hunt,¡¯ which had been easy enough, and submitted the request sheet to the client. ¡°It is a great help. Thank you.¡± I received the completion signature, spent the night in the village, and left the village the following day. (I will buy another horse.) I thought, as I walked down the road back to Meizanne. There was a reason that I made this decision. Indeed, it was very inconvenient as an Adventurer, to not have such methods for transportation, when accepting quests. However, the biggest reason was that the village I had just visited, was a place where rumors of a ¡®One-legged Priest Warrior¡¯ had not reached. Up until now, I had mainly traveled down main town roads by carriage, in order to move towards my destination. But with a horse, I had the option of going to places where the passenger carriages did not go. If I got off the main roads, I would come in contact with fewer people who had heard the rumors. And I might have a chance to use Reverse Age. That is what I thought. Besides, with enough time and distance, even if my leg did return through Reverse Age, I could always claim that I saved up money to have it healed. This excuse would not make sense to anyone who tracked my movements, but it wasn¡¯t like I was some wanted man who mercenaries were chasing. And so no one would do that. And so I decided that on the day after I returned to the town, I would search for information about horses. I asked around at the Adventurers Guild, and the driver of the passenger carriage. And then visited a dealer who sold horses and carriages outside of town. ¡°I wish to buy a horse.¡± ¡°Eh? And what kind of horse would that be?¡± There were many kinds of horses. Large horses that were suited for farming, fast horses, military steeds, etcetera. ¡°I would be using it for travel. And so it should be a horse that will not run at the sight of monsters.¡± ¡°In that case, I have one that was in the army, though it is a little on the older side. But it¡¯s well disciplined, and you could not ask for a better companion on the road.¡± I was then guided to the stable and saw the horse, which had a brown coat, mane and tail. But the hair around its hooves were a deep blue. It was a combination I sometimes saw in this world. ¡°Huh, sea hair.¡± ¡°Aye, a nice color, eh? It is a stallion.¡± I petted it while looking at it, and it looked back at me. As expected from a warhorse, it was very calm. After that, it was saddled and I took it around the field, and it was composed and obeyed my orders. A good horse. ¡°How much for it?¡± ¡°I would like to say four pieces of gold, but since it is rather aged, how about three pieces of gold and fifty silver?¡± That was still a little expensive, but they tended to be like that near the city. Besides, I was grateful that it was trained. ¡°I¡¯ll accept that price, if it comes with the saddle.¡± ¡°Could it be a used saddle?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± After all, the stirrup would have to be modified to accommodate my prosthetic leg anyway. ¡°Does it have a name?¡± ¡°While we do not use it here, it was called Mulze when in the army.¡± I tried calling it by that name, and it neighed in response. Apparently, it recognized it as its name, so I would keep it. It was decided that I would take Mulze once the saddle was completed. And so a leatherworker was recommended to me, and I requested the modification of the stirrups. During the few days that I waited, I trained at the guild, and prepared for my journey. When the saddle was completed, I took it and Mulze, and departed from the town of Meizanne. It had been a while since I enjoyed the view from atop a horse. And it felt good. Up ahead, I could see the Fumerto river, which was the border of the Rabahask Holy Empire. In terms of distance, we were just outside of Meizanne. There was a long bridge that extended over the river. I completed the departure procedures at the border security checkpoint, then pulled the reins and crossed the border bridge. When I looked at the water¡¯s surface from on top of the bridge, I saw that it was not too deep, and I could see the bottom of the river. There were also some large shadows moving there. Either it was a large fish or some kind of monster. I then noticed that Mulze was also looking into the water. ¡°What? Are you interested too? Oh, it¡¯s probably not that. ¡®Water.¡¯¡± I cupped my hands and created some water near its mouth, and it started to drink. I had a feeling we were going to get along well. After completing the immigration procedures at the security checkpoint on the opposite bank, I finally entered Rabahask. And after advancing a little farther, the sight that spread out before me was that of vast paddy fields. ¡°Woah!¡± I could not help but exclaim at the nostalgic sight. Now that I thought about it, I had heard that something like rice was grown in the south. And I had been traveling to the south for months now. So this was how far I had come. It was strange, but the sight alone made me feel something like an oriental atmosphere. And yet I was riding through it on horseback, and with a sword equipped. It was a strange feeling indeed. Regardless, there were no monsters around, and the journey was leisurely. That night, I stayed at a farming village inn that was on the side of the road. It had been a while since I last had to take care of a horse, but it came back to me. And then I had dinner. Just as expected, they served rice. Only here, it was called ¡®kurun.¡¯ The grains were narrow¡­and it was eaten with soup. The taste was just fine, but the texture reminded me of home. When life was easy and peaceful. I had parents, friends, and a job. I could not help but compare that time to the years spent here. In comparison to earth, there was less amusement, and more danger. However, I had become stronger for it. The days spent training myself and thinking about the lives of both myself and others when in danger, were so intense, and filled me with that feeling of truly living. (A life started nine years ago. I will live it to the fullest.) Yes, with that renewed determination, I returned to my room in the inn. CH 86 The Countryside After crossing the border and entering the holy empire of Rabahask, my first destination was the next town of Nelral. It was my destination, because I had something I wanted to do there. However, it wasn¡¯t to do with the town itself. I wanted to gather information about my next destination, the capital of Moberal. Though, I had no real purpose in the capital. My purpose was to go around it. As it was the largest city in the area, there were a lot of farming villages around Moberal. If I traveled through these villages, I could go around the main road. My plan was to test Reverse Age while doing that. Currently, I could not go back too far anyway, so this was not an opportunity I could afford to lose. But if it¡¯s a rural area, even if rumors had circulated, I intended to push through any minor discrepancies. After leaving the village where I ate rice¡­kurun, the town of Nelral was just across the river. Surprisingly close. On top of the hill that appeared beyond the rice paddy fields stood a stone castle that gave off an indescribable feeling of strangeness, as if a mix of Eastern and Western influences. The walls and castles built in the town were primarily for dealing with monsters. Of course, there may have been wars between humans as well, but the threat of monsters was more immediate and everyday. As I approached and looked closely, the gate and walls of Nelral¡¯s castle exuded a strange atmosphere with patterns and lines of stone statues of monsters. Even when I went through the gate, the atmosphere was the same. There were stone monsters placed on the roofs of buildings and in front of stores. The most popular one was a demon with horns. It was probably an ogre. The second most popular was a winged demon. Maybe a gargoyle? It was the same at the Adventurers Guild. I left Mulze at the stables, and walked under the roof, where the stone ogres gazed down, and entered the building. After registering at the reception desk, I paid the information fee and asked in detail about the locations of the villages around the capital city. As a result, I found a route from my inn that would allow me to go around while traveling through the villages. After finishing my search, the next place I visited was a shoe store. It would be no good to have two feet again, if I had no shoes to wear. ¡°I need a pair that I can take now. Have you got anything?¡± I asked. I did not want to wait for an order to complete. Besides, if I failed, it would be a great waste of money, which would cause further mental anguish. ¡°To be used now, eh? For that foot?¡± He said, pointing at my prosthetic leg. It was not particularly unusual to wear shoes over a prosthetic leg. ¡°Yes. I can fit it myself.¡± I had no intention of doing that, of course. ¡°Hmm. Wait one moment.¡± So saying, he went to the back of the store and returned with a few pairs of shoes. I chose and purchased a pair that was close to the right size. ¡°Thank you. You should probably buy a new pair of socks as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± He talked a little more than necessary. In truth, there was a lot of pressure on my other foot, and so my socks became worn out faster. However, at least one pair of socks could be used for the same foot. Aside from that, I just needed to restock on food, buy other supplies including socks, and then I had no more business in Nelral. I stayed the night in an inn recommended by the guild, and left the following morning. When I left through the gates and turned around, I thought that my eyes met one of the stone monsters on the ramparts. As I stared¡­ ¡°Hey, you¡¯re in the way. Hurry up and move.¡± Someone yelled at me from a carriage. ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± I frantically climbed onto Mulze and moved out of the way. Still, I decided to chat with the driver as I rode next to the carriage. ¡°By the way, do those statues have any meaning?¡± ¡°Ah, those. They are supposed to keep monsters away.¡± So they were like gargoyles. ¡°Now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t see any dragons.¡± ¡°Apparently, a house that had a dragon statue on its roof got attacked by monsters once. But the other houses were safe. Well, I¡¯m sure it doesn¡¯t actually matter. You will be attacked no matter what monster you decorate your house with. But I suppose it helps ease one¡¯s mind.¡± ¡°Well, easing one¡¯s mind is important.¡± ¡°Haha, that is true.¡± I waved my hand at the driver, and then we went our separate ways. As I traveled along the highway towards the capital city Moberal, the journey went smoothly, with a continued view of rice paddies and fields. The holy empire of Rabahask was larger than any country I had traveled through before. And as I was on the main road, there were few monsters and many villages, which meant that I didn¡¯t need to camp outside. There were plazas alongside the roads, where people would gather during the day from the fields, and cook their meals together. In the rivers, the children would swim and play. Even the forests I passed were small and I didn¡¯t sense any monsters. And so the road to the capital of Moberal was one of the most peaceful journeys I ever had. However, that only lasted until I left the main road and started my route through the farming villages. Paths between villages tended to wind endlessly through forests. Not only that, the roads were narrow and unreliable. The forests were dark, so it was difficult to see. But I could sense that there were monsters in the area. And sometimes, I even encounter them. On the road ahead, I saw three goblin silhouettes. It was almost nostalgic. ¡°Hey.¡± I kicked Mulze¡¯s sides, urging him on. And as I leaned forward, I let go of the reins and held Mine Breaker to the side. ¡°Hyah!¡± The goblins screeched loudly as they saw me, and I slashed down while running past them. As two-handed swords had long reach, I could hit enemies easily, even when on horseback. There were a few other goblins, but I left them and continued on my way. If they were something fast, like wolves, I might stop and fight them. But I had no time to fight every goblin that I encountered. Besides, the reason I was on these roads was not to visit any villages. I was trying to find a place where I could use Reverse Age without attracting any attention. After midday, I finally found a small clearing in the forest, under the shadow of a great boulder. I tied Mulze to a nearby tree, and then made sure that the area was safe. As I could not sense any monsters nearby, I sat down, leaned against the boulder, and removed my prosthetic leg. I knew that it was highly unlikely that I would get my leg back. Still, Reverse Age was a skill from gods. So I would have to pray that it will work. I had thought long and hard about how many years to go back. I had to go to 25 at the least, but I wanted to go even younger. But if I wanted to avoid anyone getting suspicious, 23 seemed like a safe age. And so I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Gulp. I gulped and then opened my eyes again. Now, let¡¯s do it! ¡°Reverse Age. Reverse 4 years!¡± CH 87 Chapter 87 ¨C Debt ¡°Reverse Age. Reverse 4 years!¡± Like every other year that I used the skill, my body seemed to glow just a little. ¡­ ¡­ However, there were no signs of my leg having changed. ¡°Status Open.¡± When I checked my status, my displayed age had changed from 27 to 23. So the Reverse Age had activated without a doubt. ¡°So it didn¡¯t work¡­¡± I leaned against the boulder and looked up at the sky. It was too bad. It had always been nothing but an idea based on no evidence at all. As for my 23 year old body, it maintained the same strength I had at 27. Besides, now that I think about it, long ago, when I was 23 on earth, I had not looked like the trained warrior that I was now. But still, using Reverse Age had never weakened me. Reverse Age. That was exactly what it did, and nothing else. It did not turn back the clock on your body. I had mostly known it. But I wanted to hang onto that hope. And so I could not help but feel disappointed. Slap. Still, I slapped my face, put the prosthetic leg back on, and got back to my feet. ¡°Well then¡­¡± While I was disappointed, I could not allow it to defeat me. Besides, there were still other ways to get my leg back. All this meant was that this one little whim I had, had not worked. And now I could turn my attention to another possibility. A possibility I had not considered when I first lost the leg. It was what I thought while fighting the wyvern after acquiring light magic, and when fighting the horned deer after acquiring Mine Breaker. ¡®If I keep fighting like this, I will probably be able to save up the 3 platinum coins I need for treatment, before I learn Regenerate.¡¯ I did not expect to be thinking about Plan B at this moment. It was like I was going down the main street and suddenly turned into an alley. I had thought so much about regrowing it. And did not really think at the time that I would be able to fight to this degree, when I had a prosthetic leg. However, the reason that I acquired light magic was to get my leg back on my own. And so there was a part of me that wanted to continue in that direction. I would have to think carefully about what I would do now. There was no time to be sad. I took out the shoes I had purchased in Nelral, and gently placed them on the boulder. It had been too early to buy them. At the same time, I took out some dried meat and chewed it. Then I untied Mulze¡¯s reins and jumped on, feeling the agility of my younger body. I pulled the reins and led Mulze back to the main road. There was something strangely comforting about Mulze¡¯s calm trot. And so returned to my goal of heading to the farming village. I had to find out whether or not the rumors had reached it. As I swayed on top of Mulze¡¯s back, I heard a rustling sound from the forest. Just in case, I pulled on the reins to make Mulze stop. As I stared into the forest, I noticed several eyes looking at me. There were many eyes, but only one body. So it¡¯s you. I got off of Mulze and unsheathed Mine Breaker. Well¡­I had been wanting to fight in this younger body. Besides, I have a bone to pick with your kind. As I slowly walked towards the forest, the monster also showed itself. It was a black, giant spider that was about 2 meters. It¡¯s been a while! Giant spider! As it rushed towards me, I swung Mine Breaker. Clang! Both of us bounced back as the hard sound rang. It really was hard. Like a sand scorpion. The giant spider retreated while jumping from side to side. It realized that I would be a tough enemy, and was trying to lure me into the forest, where it would have an advantage. Such an obvious bait¡­ But I¡¯ll bite! After all, there is a debt to pay! And so I advanced into the forest without hesitation, and the giant spider jumped up into the trees. It lept from branch to branch, occasionally attacking me, and so I blocked it with my sword. But no matter how many times I blocked it, the giant spider continued to jump between the trees. And then finally, it stopped in a certain spot. It was in the air, between two trees. And I could see webs shine at its feet. It looked like it was walking in the air as it slid along the webs. It began to move around over my head as if searching for an opening. And so I changed my angle so that I faced it. Just then, Mine Breaker became heavier as if it was being pulled. Apparently, it had been caught by a web that I couldn¡¯t see. So¡­I was already inside of the spider¡¯s nest. Without missing the opportunity, the giant spider leapt into the air towards me. So you finally come! This was the attack that I was waiting for. With all of my power, I filled Mine Break with energy, and raised my sword into the air. I felt the web ¡®snap.¡¯ ¡°Hyaaaahh!!¡± And as the Giant Spider jumped towards me, I swung downwards with the sword. Clang. The sound was surprisingly small as the giant spider fell to the ground. Its head, along with its front legs, were cut in two. ¡°Phew.¡± I sheathed my sword and sighed. As I carved up the giant spider, I thought back on the fight. My body had been able to move without any trouble. If anything, it felt better than usual. However, I could not deny that it had been reckless to rush into the enemy¡¯s trap. Part of it was that I grew passionate, because I was holding a grudge. But it was possible that having a younger body also affected my mentality. Your mind and body could not stay unconnected. I would have to be careful. The old man in my heart warned. ¡°Brrrr.¡± It could have just been me, but even Mulze looked exasperated. After I finished carving the giant spider, I returned to the road. And just as the information I had gathered suggested, I arrived at the next village before sundown. I then showed the gatekeeper my Adventurers plate. I felt quite nervous when doing it. ¡°What¡¯s your business in the village?¡± The gatekeeper asked with a doubtful expression. But he didn¡¯t react or ask about the name, so I was relieved. ¡°I just want to stay the night, that is all.¡± ¡°In that case, there is a house in the village that offers room to travelers. You can see it from here. The roof is three triangles. You should go there.¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡± I bowed my head and entered the village. The house that was recommended was a little larger than the others. I knocked on the door and a middle-aged woman appeared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you so suddenly. But the gatekeeper told me that I could find a room for the night.¡± ¡°Oh, are you an Adventurer? I haven¡¯t prepared anything, so the food will be simple. But if you still don¡¯t mind, it will be three silvers. And one silver for the stables.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Good. Then you can leave your horse there and come inside.¡± I left Mulze in the stables and entered the house. It really was like an ordinary home, that was slightly larger than usual. I was guided to a room, and while I put down my things and started to remove my armor, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Dinner will be soon.¡± A voice from the other side. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go at once.¡± I answered, and then headed to the dining hall. Dinner was a kind of rice porridge and fried meat and vegetables with a yellow sauce. I would have preferred bread. ¡°There¡¯s more, so just let me know if you¡¯re still hungry.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I set my true feelings aside and offered my empty bowl. The innkeeper smiled a little. ¡°Yes, yes. You are still young, and must eat a lot.¡± She said, and it felt strange. In this world, I didn¡¯t hear people being called young once they passed their twenties. By then, you were an adult. And I was twenty-three. ¡°I¡¯m not that young.¡± ¡°Oh, only young people say that.¡± She said with a laugh. As I felt like I was being teased, I kept quiet after that and ate my food. When I was done, I asked for some hot water and returned to my room. But when I got into bed, I remembered. (Now that I think about it, I myself have treated people around twenty-three as if they were young as well.) Even if my age changed, the world I saw was the same. The innkeeper would actually be younger than me, and so perhaps it is difficult to see her as someone who was older. Once I realized the reason that it bothered me, I was able to fall asleep. CH 88 Mountain Pass Crossing: C-Rank Party Journeys on the main roads tended to come with difficulties. A forest with lots of monsters, a vast desert, an old battlefield with undead. And the hardship I could see up ahead now, was a particularly typical one. ¡°Mountain, huh¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but mutter aloud. That was how grand the scene before me was. It was early summer, and yet the mountain peaks were still white with snow. An impressive mountain range indeed. With the infamous Ranaz Mountain Range in front of me now, it was difficult to imagine myself actually crossing it. ¡°I want to cross the mountain on horseback. Do you know a good way to do that?¡± There was a town at the foot of the Ranaz Mountain Range, Ranaleria. And so I went to the Adventurers Guild and asked for information at the reception counter. The road was not just perilous by itself. There were many monsters. And the higher the altitude the more common harpies would be. And while they were D-Rank when alone, they appeared in flocks. So trying to cross by yourself would be like asking to get killed. ¡°I would recommend that you go with a merchant caravan. There just happened to be one preparing to go next week. Why don¡¯t you negotiate with them?¡± ¡°Ah. Can you tell me more?¡± According to the receptionist, three merchant groups and hired Adventurers would travel together through the Pamar Mountain Pass, which was the lowest route through the Ranaz. However, I could not just use the strategy of following them from behind. If I alone was separated from them, then the harpies would target me. And so I went to the inn where White Snake Scale, the C-Rank party that was in charge of the caravan, was staying. Normally, the guild would not give out information to other Adventurers. However, situations like this, where the success rate would rise with more personnel, were different. The inn was called The Melted Snow Releria. And it was a log house-like building. ¡°Do you want a room? Or a meal?¡± Asked one of the workers when I entered. Now that I thought about it, I hadn¡¯t chosen an inn yet. ¡°That depends on how things go from here. Is Lodoz from White Snake Scale here?¡± Upon hearing that, several people who were sitting around the same table, turned to look at me. ¡°I¡¯m Lodoz of the White Snake Scale. What do you want?¡± Said a large man with brown hair. So this was the leader of the party. I approached the table and showed them my Adventurers plate. ¡°I want to join the caravan party on horseback. I¡¯m Ajifu, C-Rank. It¡¯s just me.¡± Lodoz¡¯s eyes widened when he looked at the plate. ¡°Oh! Are you that wyvern slayer I¡¯ve been hearing about? You¡¯re younger than I expected. So, is it true? Are you good with fighting flying enemies?¡± ¡°No, I can only use a sword, unfortunately. So there¡¯s nothing I can do when they are flying. But I should be able to manage if they are within range. Also, as an apprentice priest, I can help with healing magic.¡± You had to keep the ¡®apprentice¡¯ title until your skill level reached 10. However, I probably had higher MP than most apprentices. ¡°Just with a sword, eh? Well, if you have your own horse and can use healing magic, then we will welcome you. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± The other members of White Snake Scale nodded. There were four men and one woman who were dressed in ordinary clothes. Also, there was one boy. ¡°Gunat. Go and call Mr. Mezart. Now, Ajifu. Don¡¯t just stand there, have a seat.¡± The beastkin man left his seat and went to the back of the inn. I then took a seat, and from there, we discussed the details. I was introduced to Mr. Mezart, who was the merchant hiring them. After getting his permission, it was decided that I would join the caravan. And since things had gone smoothly, I decided to stay at The Melted Snow Releria. The reason that they didn¡¯t depart immediately was due to merchants. And so I had to wait. But these days, where I had nothing to do during my travels, were rare. And so I decided to use my time doing maintenance on my equipment and tools, laundry, training, and shopping. As I trained with my sword near the inn, I heard someone clapping, and so I stopped and turned my head. ¡°That was rather impressive. I now believe you really did defeat a wyvern in spite of having a prosthetic leg.¡± The members of White Snake Scale were watching me. The one who had spoken was Jirot. A tall man with short blonde hair, and a C-Rank Adventurer. As he was a spear-wielder, he was thin, but well toned. ¡°Not really good enough to warrant an audience, though.¡± I answered while wiping away the sweat. ¡°That is not true! It must be nice to be able to fight with a sword. Perhaps I will start training¡­¡± Said the red-headed boy, Nalos, as he pretended to swing a sword. He was acting as the driver for White Snake Scale, while training to become an Adventurer. ¡°Oh? You have some nerve, Nalos. After I went out of my way to teach you to wield a spear. Alright, from today on, the amount of swings will be doubled.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant, Jirot! Spears are great, I was just saying that swords were also good! Please forgive me!¡± But Naros was dragged away by Jirot and forced to practice his swings. ¡°Well, he deserved that.¡± Laughed the sole woman in the party. Her red hair was tied up, and she wore a fluffy hat that showed she was a priestess. She wielded shadow magic, and her name was Leliane. Apparently, she and Naros were siblings. ¡°You have a good party.¡± As a lone traveler, such interactions were blindingly cheerful. ¡°We¡¯re all from the city of Ranaronwa, which is on the other side of the Pamar Mountain Pass. And we¡¯ve been friends since we were little.¡± ¡°Ah. Though, you seem quite varied in ages.¡± ¡°I joined afterwards, when I became a priestess. I am D-Rank, and Naros is F-Rank.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll catch up to you in no time!¡± Naros shouted from the back. But judging by what I could see of his spearmanship, it would take quite a long time. ¡°Now, I better do some training as well, so that I¡¯m not surpassed either.¡± ¡°You do it quite passionately. In spite of being a priest?¡± Leliane looked at me with exasperation. ¡°You need to be able to do everything when you travel alone. Besides, in a way, this can be considered praying.¡± After all, that god gave me this life, and so I owed a debt. It was only natural for me to do my best. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Well, everyone should do their own thing.¡± I wonder if that god was watching me from some place now? I looked up at the sky, but the only thing I could see was the blue sky and white clouds. CH 89 Mountain Pass Crossing: Valley At the start of the following week, preparations for the caravan were completed, and we departed that day. There were three covered wagons for the merchants, and two wagons for the Adventurers, which comprised three parties for a total of fifteen members. Then there were the four merchants and three travelers. A large caravan of twenty-two. The wagon in the lead was from the D-Rank, local Adventures, the ¡®Rodon Guards.¡¯ They were apparently a region-specific party organized by locals of Rodon Village near the Ranaleria area. The White Snake Scales took up the center. And in the rear was the D-Rank party, Northwind Peak. As the travelers did not belong to any party, they were in the middle. Aside from me, the two others could not fight. And so they rode in the back of the wagon that Naros was driving. They had paid to travel with them. ¡°We¡¯ll be counting on you, priest.¡± Said White Snake Scale¡¯s scout, Gunat, as he patted me on the shoulder. He was a beastkin, with almond-shaped eyes and deep green hair that was the same color as his dog ears and tail. ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± That being said, while they allowed me to accompany them, I had not accepted any official request. So no matter how much I fought, I would not receive any reward. After all, my goal was to get across, and their goal was to protect. And we were just cooperating because we were both trying to reach the next city of Ranaronwa safely. Getting there was my reward. For the first day of travel, we would go down the road along the river, until we reached the foot of the mountain pass. There was a forest on the opposite side of the river, and I could sense the presence of monsters. However, when there was a caravan of this many people, there were hardly any attacks. And though tiger wolves and goblins would sometimes peek out from the trees, a few arrows were enough to scare them away. Most of the Adventurers wielded bows. I suppose it was to deal with the harpies. Though, I heard that they were rarely seen at lower altitudes. As we were near the mountains, the current of the river was fast, and the water was clear. ¡°It would be nice to swim in it.¡± I muttered. Naros heard me from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that. Flare eaters will get your last leg.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? Sounds horrifying.¡± He then explained that they were lizard-like monsters that lurked near the bottom of clear streams. And so children playing in the rivers were often victims to them. PIIIIII!! The leisurely atmosphere was torn away by the sound of the monster whistle. ¡°Fang boars!¡± The voice rose from the caravan, and a fang boar shot out of the forest. Arrows were unleashed, but its flesh was tough, and it continued to charge. It seemed to be targeting the center wagon. ¡°Hyah!¡± I kicked Mulze¡¯s sides and rushed towards the fang boar. ¡°He-hey!¡± I heard Gunat¡¯s voice, but I had no intention of stopping. As we moved forward, I let go of the reins with both hands, unsheath my sword and raised it. Once our trajectory matched the fang boar, Mulze did not disappoint. ¡°Hyah!¡± While there was still some distance, I swung horizontally, so that it barely sliced into the side of the fang boar. ¡°Fugaaa¡­!¡± The one hit was enough to stagger the fang boar, which went off course and then stumbled. Jirot then finished it off. I was starting to get the hang of mounted combat. I turned around and returned to the line, where they had started to carve up the fang boar. Gunat¡¯s tail was raised as he came towards me. ¡°Why! Why is the healer the first one to rush towards the enemy on horseback!?¡± ¡°I was following the teachings of the priest at my old church.¡± ¡°Eh? What teachings is that?¡± Father Zenrima. The time has come for me to spread your teachings across the world. ¡°He said, ¡®Defeating the enemy before your comrades get wounded, is also a healing art.¡¯¡± ¡°Changing the wording does not make it healing! That¡¯s an attack!¡± Father Zenrima, your teachings were not accepted in the outside world. Though, I personally liked that one. Ultimately, that was the only attack that day. And so we arrived at our campsite at the foot of the Pamar Mountain Pass earlier than anticipated. The fang boar was roasted that night, and spirits were high during dinner. While there was more than enough meat for twenty-two people to eat until they were full, we would not be able to move much if we did. And so we saved some for the next day. The sun set quickly in the valley. And so it became dark in no time, and the great bonfire in the camp illuminated our surroundings. When there were this many people, it was more effective to show our presence, rather than to hide. And so we sat around the fire and made plans for the next day. ¡°Everyone, listen. It is true that a caravan of this size is less likely to be attacked by monsters. However, it also means that we draw that much more attention. We cannot let our guard down against other monsters, and an attack from harpies is quite likely.¡± Said Lodoz, leader of the White Snake Scales. ¡°We should be able to manage if they come separately. But it¡¯s dangerous when they attack as a flock. In such times, there is often a ¡®queen.¡¯ And so even if you can¡¯t see them, do not break the formation!¡± Everyone nodded in the firelight. After that, they discussed strategy. ¡°Around these parts, there is no one who hasn¡¯t lost a comrade to a harpy.¡± Said Gunat, who was on watch duty. ¡°The Pamar Mountain Pass is a favorite hunting ground for them, as prey passes through it regularly. And so it is also the strongest flock that makes the Ranaz Mountain Range their territory.¡± ¡°In other words, we have to fight the elite harpies.¡± ¡°Exactly. Someone will definitely be injured tomorrow. Do not rush out like you did today.¡± He said, patting me on the shoulder. ¡°I know.¡± I answered. However, during my life as an Adventurer, I had only fought in large groups like this a few times. Not only that, but I had never participated in something of this scale as a healer. While I was a little worried, I should start by checking the area. And so I used my Night Vision skill to look into the darkness. But there were no monsters nearby. And so the first night passed without any attacks. CH 90 Mountain Pass Crossing: Air Raid The next morning, with the rising of the sun, we made our morning preparations. The company was clearly accustomed to travel, and so they set out early. At first, the path had been a gentle climb, but the higher we got, the steeper the incline. ¡°There, you can do it.¡± I patted Mulze on the back encouragingly. It was even harder for the horses that had to draw the wagons. ¡°Time for a rest!¡± I heard someone shout in the front, and so we rested near a brook. As the horses quenched their thirst, I looked up at the sky. I could occasionally see birds, but there were no signs of harpies. However, the sky was covered in gray clouds, as if to match my anxiety for the road ahead. ¡°They usually don¡¯t attack while there are still talk trees around you.¡± Said Gunat, as I was looking up. ¡°Hey, do you know if there are any queen or harpy hunting requests out?¡± ¡°There are fixed quests, but they live near the cliffs at the top of the mountain. If it¡¯s not an ambush at night, you can probably hunt one or two of them. But they tend to run away after one of their own is killed. It¡¯s not worth the trouble of climbing the mountain. So no Adventurers bother to hunt them. Are you thinking about doing it?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Right? Everyone¡¯s the same. It¡¯s only during the breeding season that they don¡¯t run away. And the eggs sell for a high price. So that¡¯s when people go. Still, it¡¯s not enough to lower the number of harpies, which live scattered across the mountains. As for finding the nest of a queen, that only happens once every ten years.¡± ¡°Is that so-¡± PIIIII!! The whistle interrupted the conversation. It meant that we were under attack. The relaxed atmosphere of the caravan suddenly became very tense. Clang. The sounds of battle echoed. When I looked, I saw a giant praying mantis. It must have been about two meters tall. A killer mantis! Its pincers were sharp enough to cut through armor, and it was fast like the wind. Its mandibles could crush your skull. Even worse, they could fly if they needed to. They were D-Rank monsters that were called the assassins of the forest. It was Lodoz, the leader of White Snake Scale, that faced it head on. With a large shield in one hand, and a short, wide sword in the other, he fought. However, the killer mantis¡¯s swift attacks forced the C-Rank Adventurer to stay on the defensive. ¡­Well, it seemed like Lodos had no intention of attacking anyway. Apparently, the short sword was not meant for attack, but for defense. The combat style that emphasized defense was solid and reliable. The gathering Adventurers did not intervene directly, showing their trust in Lodoz. And while Lodoz fought it like that, several archers unleashed arrows at its back and stomach. Though one arrow did not do much damage, they kept shooting them one after another. Eventually, the killer mantis opened the shell on its back, preparing to spread out its wings and fly. However, Lodoz would not miss this opportunity, and he stabbed with the short sword. Furthermore, now that its stomach was exposed, Jirot¡¯s throw spear pierced into it. At this point, I almost felt bad for the killer mantis. As powerful as it was, it now fell to the ground. And the others finished it off with a few spear thrusts. Still, what had caused it to fly in and attack us all alone? ¡°I have a bad feeling about this.¡± Said Lodoz when he returned. ¡°Really? It looked like a perfect victory.¡± ¡°Because of our numbers. But more importantly, it¡¯s strange that it came here alone. I do not like it.¡± After we finished resting, we were told to stay on our guard as we set out once again. As we continued to climb higher, the dense forest turned into a grove with good visibility. The air grew colder, and the trees shorter. ¡°Pii!¡± The sharp whistle, and someone pointed to the sky. When I looked up, I saw two shadows, which were not birds, flying against the gray sky. So those were harpies. Things immediately became tense. By the time we were completely out of the grove, Leliane moved towards me on her horse. ¡°A message. There is a queen. Be careful.¡± ¡°They know already? That¡¯s fast.¡± ¡°The harpies above aren¡¯t attacking because they are scouts. The fact that they have their own roles proves that there is someone leading them.¡± She explained, and then went down the line to inform the others. Upon hearing the news, things became clamorous. Those who could not fight were given wooden shields to guard our flanks. The caravan advanced slowly, almost as if we were afraid of being noticed. But more and more harpies were gathering in the sky above. There were already about a dozen. Still, they did not attack. But their numbers continued to increase, and they flew around, creating a spiral. Eventually, they were at a place where it hurt my neck just to look up. We were practically right below them. That was when something dropped from the sky and onto the grass with a thud. ¡°Raise your shields! They are throwing rocks!¡± Someone shouted. As I did not have a shield, I held my two-handed sword above my head. Was this an air raid!? Soon after, I saw something like sesame seeds being scattered from the flock of harpies above. And immediately after, a chain of thuds. Rocks that were the size of orc fists were raining down. I heard screams and crashes, and the screeching of horses. Clang. One almost hit Mulze, but I moved Mine Breaker so that it bounced away. ¡°One man down! Please heal him!¡± ¡°A wheel was destroyed!¡± ¡°One wounded here as well!¡± I quickly dismounted and rushed towards the injured. The man¡¯s leg was bent in the wrong direction. ¡°Gaah!¡± I pushed it back into place without hesitation, and the man screamed. ¡°Shut up! Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± I put my hand over the broken bones and healed them. ¡°How is it? Can you stand?¡± ¡°Aye, thank you. By the way, where¡¯s your staff?¡± You can ask about that later! ¡°Is there anyone else who is wounded?¡± Apparently, the other healer had treated the other wounded person. But one of the wagons had lost a wheel, and the caravan had halted completely. Up above, the harpies continued to fly in a circle as if to inspect their prey. Well, at least there was no reloading for a second round. And then, one figure near the center suddenly folded its wings and rushed towards the ground. One after another, the others followed. It looked like a thin, long tornado getting ready to strike. CH 91 Mountain Pass Crossing: Chaotic Battle The harpies descended as if falling. And no arrows could hit them. However, as they would just crash into the ground if they stayed like that, they opened their wings at the last moment, and switched to an attacking stance. At the same time, the signal was given. ¡°Team one, fire!¡± The timing was calculated, which showed how they were used to fighting harpies. The archers had been separated into groups, and the arrows flew. ¡°Keeeeee¡­!¡± Arrows pierced into the harpy that took the lead, and its human face let out a high-pitched scream as it fell. It was my first time seeing a harpy up close. And just as the legends said, it had a woman¡¯s face, winged arms, and talons on its feet. The face was terribly contorted. There was nothing there but malice. The body was slightly small for a human, and it was covered in feathers. ¡°Team two, fire! Sequentially from there!¡± As the harpies continued to fall, there was no time to give the signals. Still, the unleashed arrows continued to hit their targets. The harpies either fell and died, or flew away after being wounded. Perhaps we would be fine then. I was only able to think that for a moment. With the sheer number of them, one harpy finally slipped through the rain of arrows and flew towards the caravan. I raised my sword and prepared to face them. Those who could not fight also raised their shields. However, the harpy suddenly spread out its wings, and while in the air, opened its mouth. ¡°Noise! Cover your¡­¡± Someone began to shout, but it was too late. A sound that could hardly be described as sound then assaulted the caravan. Without thinking, I dropped my sword, squatted, and covered my ears. ¡°Gah.¡± It felt like the sound was going to split my head open. The others nearby had also dropped their bows and were covering their ears. However, the area of effect seemed limited, and people that were a short distance away were fine. An arrow was unleashed from there, and the ¡®whoosh¡¯ cut through the terrible sound. It slammed into the harpy¡¯s forehead, and the sound waves stopped. When I raised my head, I saw Gunat, who had finished shooting the arrow, and another harpy attacking him. ¡°Gunat!¡± I raised my voice without thinking, but Lodoz¡¯s shield intercepted the talons. After having the attack blocked, the harpy rose into the air once again. However, it was not the only harpy nearby. The break in the rain of arrows caused by the sound waves had been fatal. One after another, the harpies began to attack the caravan. ¡°Guaa!¡± ¡°Keee!¡± ¡°St-stay away!¡± Chaos had taken over the line. There was no notion of advance or rear guard anymore. ¡°Hyah!¡± I swung my sword at the flying enemy, but it dodged the attack easily. They could easily escape by flying upwards. Swords really were difficult to use against airborne opponents. However, I had to keep them away from the caravan. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± A harpy attacked one of the merchants. He was on the wagon and desperately trying to hide behind a shield. But the harpy seemed intent on its target, and was clawing at the shield. That¡¯s enough! I shot towards the driver¡¯s seat. Then I thrust out my sword up above me. It pierced through the bird-like talons. ¡°Hyahhh!¡± And then I swung my sword around, and slammed the harpy onto the ground. ¡°Kyuu!¡± The harpy squealed as it slammed into the ground. Now it was me who was looking down at it. There was fear merged in its bright yellow eyes. And without mercy, I thrust my sword into its chest. The body shuddered and blood poured from its mouth as it died. Even if it had the head of a woman, one could not mistake them for being the same. They were the hunters, and we were the prey. ¡°Kiiiii!!¡± The death of their own seemed to enrage the others, as the claws continued to descend from the sky. But when I swung, they would fly back up again. If they would stay still like before, I had a chance of defeating them. But if the attacks continued like this, I could not heal my comrades. Perhaps I should test some Light magic. And so leaned my sword against my shoulder and raised my other hand into the air. ¡°Light!¡± A sphere of light appeared above my head. For some reason, everyday magic wasn¡¯t used through a staff. I suppose it was different, as you could use it without chanting or prayer skills. Though, you had to use your hand, so it was not suited for those who used a two-handed store. As for the sphere of light, I could not move it quickly. I could only move it slowly with my hand. However, it also followed me if I moved, and so I ran around so that the sphere came near to the harpies that were close to the ground. ¡°Keee? Kueee!¡± The harpies jumped higher in alarm. Good. It was working. And then the Adventurers picked up their bows again and aimed. Upon receiving support, the Adventures regained their calm, which then spread throughout the caravan. And like that, the harpies were shot out of the air, while the others started to retreat by flying even higher. ¡°Over here, healer!¡± A voice shouted in the meantime. I swiftly dismissed the sphere of light, and headed in the direction of the voice. If I kept it out for too long, I would become the new target. ¡°Over here! Hurry!¡± Most of the wounded were bleeding due to being scratched by the talons. And though there were three healers working, we were unable to save everyone, and the atmosphere became heavy. Lodoz raised his voice at the Adventurers who surrounded their fallen comrade. ¡°This is no time to be looking down! Turn your eyes skywards!¡± He said as he pointed up. I looked up and saw that the situation had gotten worse indeed. The flock of harpies may have become smaller, but more of them were not flying from the mountains to join the others. ¡°We¡¯re against the worst kind of queen. Not only does she have perfect control over her own, but even commands other flocks as well.¡± Lodoz raised his voice even more. ¡°Hey! Listen, all of you! We¡¯ll make a fortress out of the wagons! They¡¯ll target us if we¡¯re scattered. Make a dense formation!¡± Upon hearing this, the Adventurers started to move the wagons together, after the horses were untied, and then the horses and merchants were placed in the center. The Adventurers who had lost their comrades also left the body and rose, spears in hand. In spite of their feelings of grief, right now, they had to think about survival. ¡°While these were to be sold, please use them. And while there is only one, here¡¯s an MP potion.¡± The merchants then offered potions from the wagons. As the MP situation was dire, we were grateful. Leliane held onto the MP potion for now. However, we were not the only ones who prepared. ¡°Here they come!¡± When I looked at the sky, I saw the whirlwind of harpies, even more numerous than before. At least twice their original number. At this point, it was difficult to even count them. CH 92 Mountain Pass Crossing: Defense ¡°Raise your shields!¡± And with that, the shields were raised above our heads at once. As this was the second time, everyone was quick to react. A moment later, the rocks came plummeting. But there were not as many. I suppose they didn¡¯t have enough time to gather more. Not only that, but this time, we were in a dense formation, so the target was smaller. And as we had our shields ready, the damage was not as great. Of course, even a shield would not protect you completely if a boulder hit it directly. So while some were injured, it was mild enough that they could be healed. And then once again, the tornado of harpies descended. And from the fortress of wagons, the arrows were unleashed. However, there was no break in the harpy attack, and one after another, they smashed into the shields. In general, the harpies attacked once and retreated. They would fly, using their momentum to attack once, and then go back up. And so we targeted the ones that would become greedy, and continue to attack near the ground. Spears and swords shot out from the cracks between the shields, wounding them. Just now, another harpy¡¯s leg was pierced by Jirot¡¯s spear. However, the harpy stayed in the air while being pierced. And then it opened its mouth. ¡°Gnaaaa¡­!! Once again, it unleashed the horrible sound waves, and the defense formation was disturbed. However, this time, arrows were quickly unleashed, knocking the harpy out of the air. The Adventurer who shot it down had put in ear plugs in preparation for the attack. Though, you would not be able to have a conversation with him. From there, the battle between the merchant caravan barricaded in the wagon fortress and the Harpies, who repeated their hit-and-run attacks, began to take on the appearance of a grueling struggle of endurance. The powerful attacks of the talons would crack through the simple wooden shields. Before long, the roofs of the wagons were torn down, and there was less covering. With defenses weakened, the number of wounded increased. And having to use Heal over and over again was draining my MP to a dangerous degree. As for the harpies, they could not attack without limit either. Monsters were still living creatures. And they were clearly becoming tired. After attacking once, one harpy tried to move away, but it lost its balance while flapping its wings wildly in the air. ¡°Hyaah!¡± I took advantage of the opportunity and thrust towards its legs. ¡°Keeeeee¡­!!¡± After dragging it down to the ground, the other Adventurers finished it off. Such things were happening a lot more now. ¡°They are getting tired. We just need to hold our ground!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± Lodoz shouted, boosting morale. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just me, but the harpies seemed to recoil for a second. Just then, a sound echoed that tore through the battlefield. ¡°KYUUUUAAAAaaaaa¡­!!¡± It was at a volume that far exceeded that of the previous screams. And both harpies and humans froze for a second. When I looked up towards the source of the sound, I saw a creature that was twice the size of the others. There was no doubt about what it was. ¡°The queen! Target her!!¡± Someone shouted, and the arrows were unleashed. However, the arrows seemed to go along an unnatural trajectory before missing their target. ¡°What!? What is that?¡± ¡°Wind protection. It is wrapped in wind.¡± Gunat answered me. And we were not the only ones who had recovered from the shock. The other harpies had also resumed their attack. As if encouraged by the sight of their queen, the harpies pushed with increased force. And then the sorcerer unleashed a fireball at the queen. However, the queen dodged it as if it was nothing. While such magic attacks would get through the wind barrier, there was no point if they did not land. ¡°We¡¯ll match his magic!¡± Gunat shouted while blocking the oncoming attacks of the harpies. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to hit it!¡± I shouted while defending myself with my sword. Gunat answered while moving closer to me. ¡°That fireball was just a feint. That sorcerer can use Fire Javelin. If we could stop its movement, then we¡¯ll have a chance. Got it?¡± He said and then returned to his position. Stop its movement. But how the hell were we supposed to do that? Their attacks were growing more ferocious by the second. The tarps covering the wagons were already torn, and insides exposed. And as the others raised their shield and hid behind, the talons attacked as if to destroy the obstacle in their path. There was a horrible cracking sound, and one of the carriages crumbled to the ground. ¡°Kueeee!!¡± The gap was widened and the harpies flocked to it. And then Lodoz moved in with his shield. He brushed away the harpies and used his one-handed sword to cut at them while pushing them back. This was a man who had fought harpies as a guard and Adventurer for years, and it was enough to fill the gap in the crumbling defenses. ¡°Please heal me!¡± ¡°Lu-mes-lotto-rim Dark Heal!¡± Still, the longer the battle continued, the more people would be wounded. Leliane used healing magic to treat them. And so to do my part, I raised my sword and stepped forward. ¡°Ajifu!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll support you!¡± I didn¡¯t have much MP left anyway. I could use Heal twice more at the most. ¡°Hyah!¡± I slammed Mine Breaker into the approaching claws. I had wanted to knock it out of the air, but the talons blocked me, and it escaped. The talons were harder than I expected. I could probably cut through them if I charged the sword with magic, but then I would not last very long. The attacks started to concentrate near the gap in the wagons. And while Lodoz continued to block the harpies, it was a dangerous situation. The number of harpies was going down, but there were still enough to be a threat. It felt like it would never end. Furthermore, we had entrusted the attacks to the rear spearmen and archers, but problems began to arise. ¡°I¡¯m out of arrows!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± The bad news rang from behind. As the arrow attacks lessened, the attacks from above grew more aggressive. They no longer just targeted the gap in the wagons, but would attack from any direction when they had the chance. They were slowly pushing us to the brink. When I looked up at the sky, the harpy queen, which was flying away from the flock and looking down at us. CH 93 Mountain Pass Crossing: Queen ¡°Ajifu! Trade places!¡± Jirot said, and so I traded places with him in the front. I had thought being in the advance guard would be difficult with a spear. But he used it expertly to parry the talons. He would surely be fine. ¡°Please make the sphere of light again.¡± Gunat said to me, as I moved back and drank some water. ¡°That was just a bluff. If I do it again, they¡¯ll figure it out and target me.¡± ¡°If we can make their attacks concentrate in one place, that would be fine. However, just place it lower this time.¡± So by sticking out, we would make them target a smaller area. While it meant standing in the front, I suppose I would try it. ¡°Fine.¡± I can just erase it if things get dangerous. And so I raised my hand and created the sphere of light. ¡°Lodoz. Trade!¡± At Gunat¡¯s signal, I moved out again. The harpies that were nearby were alarmed by the sphere, and so they scattered. However, once they saw that nothing was happening, they quickly determined that it was no threat. They started to dive down from the sky again, and this time, they attacked the area near the sphere. So it was just as we anticipated! Then they passed the sphere, and their talons slammed into the ground. ¡°Huh!?¡± For a second, I was stunned, and my movement was delayed. But Jirot was quick to react, and he pierced the fallen harpy with his spear. As the sphere was made of magic energy, it would not disappear just because they passed it. Though, perhaps it would vanish if they used the sound attack. After that, the attacks of the harpies seemed to lack precision. It was easy to dodge their attacks. ¡°Hah!¡± I dodged the harpy, and as it passed by, I swung at it from the side. ¡°Kehhh¡­¡± It was cut in half, and the two pieces rolled away. Around us, the bodies piled up. Three, and four¡­ While it was little by little, we were doing damage to them. Perhaps we could do this. It was just as I thought this, that a great shadow appeared in the sky. The harpy queen had spread out her wings, and opened her mouth. She was going to do the noise attack. Damn it! Arrows were unleashed, but the wind protected her. And the chanting of the magician would not make it in time. ¡°Rgaaa¡­ Rgaaaa¡­¡± You could hardly even call it a sound. The shock waves were a physical attack as they smashed into the caravan. Humans and horses were knocked down. Screams and shouts erupted through the battlefield. A wide area attack when we were all huddled together. Nothing could be worse. However, thankfully, the attack itself was not too powerful. Besides, the other harpies had risen into the air in order to avoid it. My ears and head hurt, but I swiftly got back to my feet and picked up Mine Breaker. And then I leaned against my shoulder as I ran, jumped over the broken wagons, and out of the fortress. ¡°Hey!¡± Someone shouted, but I kept running. And then I raised my hand towards the queen and chanted. ¡°Light!¡± I created another, as the previous one had been erased. Of course, it did not reach the queen, but her irritation was now focused on me. She spread out her wings and opened her mouth. Come then! ¡°Rgaaa¡­ Rgaaaa¡­¡± The shockwaves attacked once more, erasing the sphere of light. And while I was slammed into the dirt, I was prepared this time. The sword remained tightly in my grip, and there was no one behind me. ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± Unlike the ordinary harpies, the queen¡¯s did physical damage. That was why I could clearly see the area of effect. And due to the shockwaves, the other harpies could not come down, and seemed to be confused. ¡°Light!¡± I kept unleashing it provokingly. Now, what will she do? I heard the anger in her voice as she rushed towards me. Clearly she was not looking at the sphere of light, but the caster. And so in preparation, I charged Mine Breaker with extra energy. However, the queen stopped in the air while still out of my reach, and batted its wings. I wasn¡¯t sure what it was doing, but I held my sword at the mid-level. It was then that Lodoz jumped in front of me. Immediately after, I heard something cutting through the wind. Something that I could not see had clashed with Lodoz¡¯s shield, and he was pushed back. And while he managed to stay on his feet, his armor was cracked, and blood streamed from it. ¡°Mei-lei-mote-sei Heal!¡± I didn¡¯t know what happened, but I healed him anyway. ¡°It¡¯s wind cutter. Be careful!¡± Lodoz said without taking his eyes off of the queen, who hovered above. So that¡¯s wind cutter. But though I was told to be careful, I could only hear the sound. It had also erased the sphere of light. ¡°I¡¯m out of MP, and won¡¯t be able to heal you next time.¡± I had no time to check my status, but it should be below 10 already. ¡°Just need one more attack. Bear it! It¡¯s coming!¡± The queen drew a circle in the sky and then shot towards us. Then it stopped in front of us again, and then flapped its wings. While leaping to the side, I raised the sword diagonally forward. And at the moment the sword gained weight, I took another step by kicking the ground, and dove headfirst toward the ground. The wind blades that had hit Lodoz were a line attack, not a surface. And so I thought that I could dodge it. Just then, as the queen was suspended in the sky, a fire spear was unleashed from the fortress, and hit her directly. ¡°Kyyyuuuaaa¡­!!¡± The queen let out a cry of pain. And without delay, darkballs and earth arrows pierced into her. Unable to defend herself, the queen lost her balance and plummeted to the ground. ¡°Now! Charge!¡± The voice rang from the wagon fortress, and the Adventurers jumped over the barriers and rushed towards the queen. Both sides clashed. Adventurers went flying while harpies were slammed into the ground. This time, the harpies did not try to escape, they stayed near the ground in order to guard their queen. Sometimes they would unleash their noise, and be knocked down. With the queen in the back, the chaotic battle of wings and blades began. ¡°Can you stand? Let¡¯s go!¡± Lodoz helped me back to my feet. I was not wounded, at least. ¡°Aye!¡± I grabbed my sword and headed towards the queen. We were on the other side of the clash, and so there was no one between us and the queen. She rose from the ground and tried to spread her wings. Like we would let that happen! ¡°No, you won¡¯t!¡± Lodoz shouted as he charged. But the two harpies descended and blocked his path. The talons slashed towards Lodoz. He stood his ground and blocked with his shield. Furthermore, he used his sword to pierce the leg of the other harpy. The two became tangled and fell while screaming. ¡°Go!!¡± Well, I had no choice but to do it now!! And so I rushed past Lodoz and the harpies and to the queen with her outspread wings. The queen¡¯s knees bent and the body lowered. The wings beat once. And then she was in the air. I stepped hard, pressing down as much as the spring in my prosthetic leg would allow. It seemed to scream from the pressure. Please don¡¯t break! ¡°Hyaaaaahhh!!¡± The force of the unleashed spring launched me into the air. And from that position, I swung downwards. The tip of my sword caught its wing, and feathers danced in the wind. ¡°Kyuuaa!¡± Even with its wing slashed and its balance lost, the queen kept trying to fly. I landed on the ground, turned my blade, and then swung back up. One of its large talons opened up and tried to block it. Upon seeing this, I weakened the force, allowing it to bounce lightly off. That was a close one. She had been about to use Mine Breaker¡¯s attack as a launchpad in order to fly. I quickly turned the blade again and while holding it up high, took a step forward and swung down. Now it would not be able to fly! However, this time, the queen did not beat its wings to go up, but back. With one movement, it retreated, barely dodging my sword. I was let open after swinging through air, and it spread its wings and opened its mouth. It would unleash the noise! ¡°Rgaaa¡­¡± But before it could finish, while I was still holding my sword downwards, I rushed ahead as if falling. Right under the queen¡¯s talons. The noise attack was unleashed straight ahead. And while I was right to guess I would be out of the range of effect, it was still a bad place to be. It was all I could do to raise my sword and block the talons that tried to crush me. ¡°Gah!¡± While being kicked, I blocked and rolled on the ground. Then I quickly got up onto one knee and swung horizontally with my sword. There were sharp pains in my arms and shoulder, but they did not seem to be deep. With her wings still spread out, the queen landed on the ground. Apparently, she could not beat her wings while using that attack. While I had prevented her from taking off, the fight was not over yet. Now that I looked at her, the queen¡¯s body was riddled in wounds from the magic attack. Burns from the fire lance, and the feathers were covered in blood. However, there was no sign of defeat in those golden eyes. She was not the largest monster out there. Now did she have a hard shell or incredible strength. And yet, after the brief encounter, I was certain. ¡®This is going to be tough.¡¯ With a feeling of tiredness of what was to come, I gripped Mine Breaker even tighter. CH 94 Mountain Pass Crossing: Support The ears of beastkin were good at picking up sounds. And so being hit by the harpy queen¡¯s shockwaves were even worse. And while I managed to stand up amidst the chaos, my eyes and head hurt like hell. As I held my head and swayed on my feet, I saw Ajifu as he jumped out from the fortress of wagons. ¡°Hey!¡± I shouted, but he did not stop. I had told him not to jump out. He was not good at listening, eh? To be honest, it would if he distracted the queen. However, he would be the only target. And Lodoz said to me, ¡°Gunat, listen. I will go and support Ajifu. There will surely be a moment when the queen¡¯s movements will stop. Tell the sorcerer that he must launch Fire Javelin at it when the time comes.¡± And then he too jumped out. Was everyone going rogue now? But now that I thought about it, I had probably said something similar to Ajifu, about stopping the queen¡¯s movements. I grabbed the magicians from Northwind Peak and the Rodon Guards, and pointed to the harpy queen. ¡°Target the queen! When I give the signal, start chanting. And launch the Fire Javelins together!¡± Just then, I saw the queen stop in mid-air and beat her wings. While it was a good opportunity, they wouldn¡¯t make it in time if they started chanting now. I then saw Lodoz being hit by some attack. It was wind cutter! But even after being hit, Lodoz did not fall. He was a reliable leader, after all. Upon seeing this, the queen started to prepare her next attack. That was the moment we were waiting for. ¡°Start chanting!¡± The three chanted. Hmm? Three? I turned around and saw that Leliane was chanting as well. But her MP recovery¡­ However, the queen was ready to attack. There was no time to talk. ¡°Fire!!¡± ¡°Fire Javelin!¡± ¡°Darkball!¡± ¡°Earth Arrow!¡± The completed magic shot towards the queen. But the queen was distracted by the other two, and did not seem to even notice as she unleashed the second attack of wind cutter. Fire Javelin was the first to pierce her. The queen let out a cry of pain. And then Darkball and Earth Arrow followed. After being hit directly by the three spells, the queen plummeted to the ground. It had to be now. ¡°Now! Charge!¡± I shouted, and we jumped over the wagons towards the queen. However, as if to stop us, the harpies began to shoot towards us from above. Their assault was not like it had been before, where they would attack once and then retreat. They would ram their entire bodies and stay down, blocking the Adventurers who charged towards the queen. ¡°Gaha!¡± As I had been leading the charge, I got caught in the crash and was knocked off of my feet. What was I supposed to do with two daggers and a bow with no arrows? In the first place, a party scout should not be leading a charge. Damn it! I could not judge anyone else. I fell and started to get back up, when a harpy attacked me. Stay away! As the talons approached, Jirot came in from the side and blocked them with his spear. I managed to get up to my feet and then slashed the harpy¡¯s wings with my dagger. ¡°Keeeee¡­!¡± The harpy screeched, and then Jirot finished it off with a thrust into its chest. ¡°You saved me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not like you.¡± Jirot muttered as he pulled back his spear and headed towards the other harpies. I know that! ¡°You fool. Lu-mes-lotto-rim Dark Heal!¡± ¡°Leliane! Thank you, but aren¡¯t you low on MP? You even fired a Darkball!¡± ¡°I drank an MP potion. I¡¯m still fine.¡± That expensive potion¡­ But things are desperate now. ¡°The number of wounded will increase from here. Please focus on healing.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Leliane said, as she too headed towards the clash of harpies and Adventurers. I had to return to the fight, but the frontlines of a battlefield was no place for a scout. And so I retreated once and spoke to the magician who was using fire magic. ¡°Hey, can you shoot any more javelins?¡± ¡°I can use one more, but then I won¡¯t be able to use any other magic.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Ignore the smallfry. Just target the queen.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t! There are too many of them flying up ahead. It would not reach her!¡± Lodoz and Ajifu should be fighting the queen now. I would ensure that the attack reached them. I decided, and then said to the magician, ¡°I will open a path. And once I do, fire. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°Ve-very well.¡± Persuaded by my resolve, the magician nodded his head. Good. Now I just had to open a path. I turned on my heels and headed towards the crack in the wagons. That being said, if I just charged like this, I would get in the way. Swoosh. ¡°Guke!¡± As a harpy charged, I threw a stone at its face. ¡°Hya!¡± ¡°Kuee!¡± I threw a knife at another harpy who was attacking an Adventurer. ¡°Hah!¡± ¡°Kueeee!¡± As the harpy fell to the ground, I finished it off. So I didn¡¯t get in their way, I supported the others from the side and back. Even then, I could not support everyone. From the gaps between the wings of the harpies, I caught glimpses of the queen as she fought Lodoz and Ajifu. And I made my way towards them. Once I was near the front in her direction, I saw Jirot, who swung his spear like a madman against three harpies. His head, arms and legs were bleeding as he desperately blocked their attacks. It was such a wild battle that Leliane could not get close enough to heal him. I used my last knife to stab one of the harpies in the shoulder, but they were just as desperate. And the attacks continued as if nothing had happened. And I had nothing left to throw. Ah, damn it. Jirot was right. This is not like me at all. ¡°Hyaaaaaaaa!!¡± I swung my dagger as I leapt through the air towards one harpy¡¯s leg. It stabbed into it, but the blade was too short. The talons flashed and then dug into me, piercing through my armor and into my flesh. ¡°Kueeee!¡± Still, I clung on and took the harpy down with me as I crumbled to the ground. Then the talons of another harpy came down on me. Ah, I was finished. ¡°Yaaahhh!!¡± Just as I had given up, I heard a young voice, that had no business being on the battlefield. I saw red hair, and then a spear was thrusted at the harpy. Is that Naros!? How reckless! I wasn¡¯t the only one who was taken by surprise. So was the harpy. The spear caught it in the stomach, and both it and Naros fell. Behind them, I saw Jirot thrust his spear into the last one. Three harpies had been taken down at once, and I could see the gray sky through the space that had been made in the battlefield. ¡°Fire!!¡± I shouted at the top of my lungs. However, this space had to be maintained until the chanting was completed. And so I moved to keep the writhing harpies on the ground. There was no time to look up. Still, as the harpy thrashed under me, I saw something bright shoot over my head. The light reflected in the harpy¡¯s eyes. Please. Reach them!! Bonus chapter courtesty of a kindly supporter. Thank you so much! CH 95 Mountain Pass Crossing: The Visible Light The harpy queen spread out its wings and slightly bent its knees. In response, I held my sword up in the air. We were both waiting. An opening to fly away, and an opening to attack. Once on the ground, the queen could not use her talons, which were her greatest weapon in close quarters combat. The ground was my territory. Now I just needed to be careful of the invisible wind blades and shock waves. ¡­Though, I didn¡¯t actually have an effective countermeasure for them. And so I approached her slowly, so that I could dodge whenever it was necessary. ¡°Kueee!¡± That¡¯s when I saw two harpies fly in from the corner of my vision in order to support the queen. But I ignored them and moved closer while keeping my sword raised. There was a danger that the harpies would use their talons to attack my back or side. But at least I would be able to cut the queen, even if she tried to fly away. And if she used wind blades or shock waves now, the other harpies would be hit by it as well. The queen then opened her mouth. The shock waves then! I lowered my sword a little so that it was right in front of me, and then pulled in my elbows. ¡°Rgaaa¡­ Rgaaaa¡­.¡± The sound was unleashed. At the same time, I dove to the side and rolled on the ground. ¡°Kuee!¡± The two harpies were blown away as the impact hit me. But it was not a direct hit, and since I was prepared, I could bear it just fine. I got back up on my feet after rolling, and then used my prosthetic leg to kick off of the ground and towards the queen. If I waited a moment longer, it would fly away. Just then, the queen beat its wings. However, it was not trying to fly. Suddenly realizing it, I held Mine Breaker, and my gauntlet with a guard on up in front of me. In the next instant, two impacts hit my sword and body. ¡°Gah!¡± I was knocked off my feet and rolled on the ground before landing on my face. I was shaken to the bone, and could not get up immediately. While flat on the ground, I made a fist with my hand. I bent my leg. Alright, I could move. Keeping the sword and shield low and guarding had prevented me from taking any mortal wounds. However, my arm, shoulder, thigh and head hurt a little. I had not imagined that it would unleash wind blades from both wings. I suppose this meant it could use both wings while on the ground. Thinking that I had the advantage was a mistake, and I had lowered my guard. I managed to pull my face off the ground with my arms, and confirmed that the left side of my armor was torn, and there was a wound, not shallow¡­but not too deep in spite of the blood. I could move just fine. However, I was left wide open, and the queen did not attack. So she must have flown away then. ¡°Kyuaaa!¡± The annoyed cry of the queen¡­ But¡­it sounded like it was close by? I raised my face. What I saw was the queen, still on the ground, and Lodoz was facing her. So he had come! ¡°Are you alive?¡± Lodoz asked without looking towards me. ¡°Couldn¡¯t be better.¡± I thrust Mine Breaker into the ground and used it as a cane to get to my feet. Blood ran hot from my wound, and I could not even tell if there was pain. My magic energy was practically depleted now. I could not charge my sword, and so Mine Break felt heavy in my bloody grip. Still, I held it tightly and raised it to my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll live a long life.¡± ¡°Of course, I will.¡± More than you think! My body creaked with every step as I tried to move around the queen. Now, I didn¡¯t even have enough magic energy to make a sphere of light. The queen also turned as if to stop me, but Lodoz kept her in check and prevented her. After being pushed from two sides, the queen had limited options. And so it spread out its wings. Wind blades then! It was predictable after seeing it three times. She could only unleash it forward, where the wings were facing. In order to get out of its range, I kicked off the dirt towards the queen¡¯s side. Lodoz was right in front of her, and so he hid behind his shield and charged towards the opposite side that I did. His posture made me think that he meant to crush the wing, even if he did get hit. However, as if to laugh at his resolve, the queen did not beat her wings. Her feet pushed down, and as she rose, her talons thrashed at Lodoz¡¯s shield. And then her wings beat loudly. She was using his shield as a takeoff point to get in the air. She had baited us into moving as we did. Was this really a monster!? I frantically changed directions and moved closer to the queen. In the meantime, the queen was about to take flight. But just then, Lodoz squatted. ¡°Kyuee!¡± The queen lost her balance and her wings flapped wildly in the air. Clearly, she was affected by the wounds inflicted earlier as well. And Lodoz sprung back up. ¡°Hyah!¡± The short one-handed sword stabbed into the queen¡¯s leg. ¡°Kyuaaaa!!¡± Though she let out a pained scream, she continued to beat her wings. After stabbing her, Lodoz rolled on the ground and moved out of the way. I had an opening now, and I leaned on my prosthetic leg. I could do this! ¡°Hyaaaaah!¡± Without being charged up, Mine Breaker felt heavy on my shoulder. But still, I tried to use that along with my momentum while swinging. And as I unleashed this attack from close range, the queen flapped her wings, but moved forward instead of back. She was deliberately charging at me!! ¡°Kyuua!¡± The queen screeched. My blade was buried in feathers, and then blood poured. However, the wound was not deep at all¡­ Even if it had retreated, I was close enough to hit it. Realizing that the attack could not be dodged, she had closed the gap herself. Because of that, she stopped the blade before I could finish swinging, preventing me from making use of its full weight. It had been an attack with the perfect conditions, but it lost all momentum. ¡°Tsk.¡± After that, I continued to push down, but the blade slipped over the feathers. And the queen moved back while in the air. I thought I saw the edge of the queen¡¯s mouth curl up. She beat her wings once, and her body rose into the air. I chased her with my sword desperately, but the tip barely grazed her stomach. She would fly away. I thought. Just then, I saw a light between the legs of the queen. It flew, cutting through the ash-colored sky. It was thin and long, like a javelin. Boom. Along with the impact, the queen¡¯s back erupted into flames. Pushed by its force, the queen pressed into Mine Breaker. What? There was no time to think. It was the support of the magicians! Now was the time. I would not let this go to waste!! ¡°Hyaaaahhhh!!¡± What magic energy I had left, I charged into Mine Breaker, and pushed it forward. And like that, the tip of the sword plunged into the queen¡¯s stomach. ¡°Kyuaaaaa!!¡± Her scream echoed around us. The impact of the magic pushed her into the blade until it hit bone. It was just as I felt it¡­ I was completely drained of magic energy, and my consciousness sunk into darkness. CH 96 Mountain Pass Crossing: Blue Sky I could hear sounds. And someone¡¯s voice. (Hmm¡­what is it?) My consciousness slowly stirred, and then in a moment I was completely awake. I sat up suddenly and looked around. The gray sky and moving people. I looked down at my own body, but there were no wounds. Apparently, I had been treated. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally awake.¡± It was Gunat who talked to me. ¡°What happened to the queen? And the other harpies?¡± ¡°The queen was defeated by that attack of yours. See?¡± I looked in the direction that he pointed. The remains of the queen lay on the ground. I sighed with relief. ¡°Even after the queen was defeated, the other harpies continued to attack. But they quickly started to scatter, and some even fought each other. Eventually they left.¡± ¡°So, what is the situation now?¡± ¡°Well, calm down. I will explain it to you. Right now, they are repairing the broken carriages. We will have to stay here for the night.¡± ¡°Here? Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± ¡°The queen is dead. They will not attack for some time. Besides, there was the killer mantis. It had likely been driven from its territory by the harpies. And I¡¯m sure there are others like it outside of the mountain pass. In other words, this whole area should be free. If anything, it would be dangerous to move now.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I relaxed and lay down again, before sitting back up. ¡°And the damage? Are there any wounded?¡± ¡°Two Rodon Guards, and one from Northwind Peak were killed. But the wounded have all been treated. There are just the horses left, but we ran out of MP.¡± ¡°Three killed. And what of Mul¡­ Is my horse safe?¡± ¡°Five horses were killed, but I don¡¯t know if any were yours. Shall we go see?¡± ¡°Please!¡± I jumped to my feet, and we went over to the horses. I saw that Mulze was there, without a scratch on him. ¡°Thank goodness, Mulze.¡± I petted him and he neighed happily. It was amazing that he had been alright amidst that chaos. ¡°If you have MP to spare, could you treat the wounded horses?¡± ¡°Aye¡­ I can do it twice.¡± And so I went around to the horses. They had regained their calm and were drinking water. All of them had wounds, some big and some small. I casted healing magic on a horse that was the most badly wounded, and it seemed happier after that. It was then that I suddenly remembered something, and turned to Gunat. ¡°By the way, why was the light effective against harpies?¡± ¡°Who knows? However, I¡¯ve heard of someone being attacked by harpies when using a sphere of light during the evening. I remembered it after seeing their surprise. And while I only meant for them to be distracted by it, it was even more effective than expected.¡± ¡°So you weren¡¯t even sure!¡± ¡°Aye, to be honest. However, they are sensitive to light. And so if you wear something that shines, they will target you even from afar. I think perhaps that they are too sensitive, that when they charged into the light, it stunned them.¡± They were like crows. It was like being blinded after having a flashlight directed at you. ¡°Well, in any case, it is a good thing that we have another way of dealing with harpies now.¡± ¡°If only there was a priest who would be fine while being a target and the focus of their attacks¡­ Equip him with a tower shield and full plate armor and have him sit in the back of the carriage¡­¡± Gunat started to think. Had I helped him in creating a very miserable priest? ¡°Leliane is the healer in our party. So she can¡¯t do it. Also, what party could afford to waste their healer on such a thing? Not to mention acquiring the expensive armor.¡± Said Lodoz, putting an end to that line of thought. The other members of White Snake Scale came as well. ¡°Ajifu. You really saved us during that fight. As the leader of the party¡­no, the caravan, you have my thanks.¡± He said as he took my hand. ¡°No, we helped each other. All of us risked our lives. And some even lost theirs.¡± ¡°All the more reason to be grateful. We could not have allowed the queen to escape there.¡± Indeed, we would have been lost if that happened. The Adventurers who had held the harpies back, Lodoz¡¯s repeated help, the magicians with the support fire. We couldn¡¯t have done it without everyone. ¡°I wish I could say that all is well, since it was killed. However, three people is a heavy loss.¡± Gunat¡¯s tail drooped. ¡°Aye. But at least there will not be many harpy attacks for some time. A queen like that is quite rare. Had we not won, this whole mountain range might have been closed off until it was hunted down.¡± What!? So if we just waited, someone else might have done it? ¡°Ajifu. You¡¯re thinking that you should have delayed your trip, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Do-don¡¯t be ridiculous, Mr. Gunat. I am thinking no such thing.¡± He glared at me, and so I looked away. Come any closer and I¡¯ll pet those fluffy ears of yours! ¡°Hey, Ajifu. This place wouldn¡¯t have been sealed off unless someone was attacked first. You should think it a good thing, that it was this caravan, and not one that was more defenseless.¡± Said Leliane sternly. That was true. I shuddered at the thought of the same attack coming down on a smaller caravan. ¡°Aye, you are right. I am sorry.¡± ¡°Ajifu! You¡¯re suddenly acting differently!¡± ¡°You¡¯re imagining things.¡± We had gotten through such a trying battle together. And I felt as if I had gotten closer with the members. There was much to do in the camp. Most of it was the repairing of the wagons. As for the harpies, the most we could get from them were feathers and the magic stones. Their meat was not edible. It was the same with orcs. Even if a monster looked similar to humans and walked on two legs, you could show no mercy. Both during and after battle. Still, I left all the carving to the veteran local Adventurers. While the wagon repairs continued on until the night, they were ready to run by the following morning. They had used parts from one wagon that had been destroyed completely. And like that, we took off at a more leisurely pace than usual. As there were not enough horses, they had to use one of the Adventurer¡¯s horses, and the Adventurer sat in the back of the wagon. ¡°I wish you could have seen it, Mr. Ajifu. How I stabbed the harpy. I pierced it with my spear like this!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You appeared just in time to save Gunat.¡± Naros had talked of little else since yesterday. And while Gunat had thanked him at first, he was starting to get tired of hearing about it. And so with a slightly annoyed expression, he pretended that he could not hear him. ¡°Ajifu. Don¡¯t encourage Naros too much.¡± Jirot said, as he came close to me on his horse. I had heard that Jirot had also killed quite a lot of the harpies, but he did not boast about them, and remained calm. ¡°Aye, sorry. I couldn¡¯t help but be amused.¡± ¡°Hey? Mr. Ajifu!?¡± ¡°Boasting leads to arrogance. Don¡¯t forget that there were three Adventurers stronger than you who fell victim to the harpies.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± His face became serious and he looked a little more mature. The caravan continued on. There was not much distance left until we would reach the Pamar Mountain Pass. Everyone would occasionally glance up at the sky, but there were no harpies in sight. All we could see was a sky that was blue, unlike yesterday, and white clouds. CH 97 Mountain Pass Crossing: Toast ¡°Thanks to all of you, we were able to defeat the queen and return! However, not without losses. And so tonight, we shall drink to those who we lost. Drink to their memories, and tell stories of how we defeated those harpies! Now, raise your cups! To the souls of Adventurers!!¡± ¡°Souls of Adventurers!!¡± Lodoz¡¯s voice echoed in the tavern, and cups were raised for the departed souls. The Pamar Mountain Pass descent was not easy. We had few arrows, and had lost horses and men. Still, the caravan reached Ranaronwa without further losses. And so after finishing our business at the guild, we went to a tavern. Everyone from the caravan participated, and so the tavern was completely packed. As they were local Adventurers, they were able to have the entire place reserved for them. As I had not really known the fallen Adventurers, I just stayed at White Snake Scale¡¯s table and drank quietly. And as the drinking continued, the tavern grew more lively. ¡°Mr. Ajifu! Are you listeninnning!¡± Who let Naros drink? He can barely talk now. When I turned to the side, I saw that Leliane was bursting with laughter as she watched. So she was the culprit. I could activate Drunkenness Killer, but¡­ No, I would allow it tonight. I thought as I tipped the mug and poured ale down my throat. ¡°Hey, Ajifu. Tell us a story about your travels.¡± Leliane said while holding a glass of wine. She was clearly quite drunk like the others. Well, we had talked of harpies so much on the road. So it was no wonder they might want to hear something different. ¡°Is it right to talk about such things today? Besides, I don¡¯t have any interesting stories.¡± ¡°We rarely venture far from the town on the other side of the Pamar Mountain Pass. Most of the Adventurers here are the same way. And so they are eager to hear about the outside world. I¡¯m sure they would agree.¡± They¡­ When she put it like that, I could not refuse. It was not rare for people to have a small area of activity. Being an Adventurer was dangerous, so it would be an advantage to have to travel around and search for work. Well, if you were the kind of Adventurer who could secure a job, anyway. ¡°Indeed¡­ Then I can tell you about the time in Holia, where with a group of Adventurers and mercenaries, I battled against a hundred bandits.¡± ¡°Ohh!¡± The other members were interested. The contents aside, it was a battle on a rather large scale. As I talked, people from other parties came to listen, and so I drank and went on with my story. ¡°¡­And then we made our triumphant return to the city.¡± ¡°Ooohh!¡± While I had left out various details, the story had been well received. However, there was also something unexpected. The other Adventurers who had been listening in had started to gather together and talk with serious expressions. The atmosphere was odd, and so we members of White Snake Scale looked at each other and observed them. After some time, the members of the Rodon Guards and Northwind Peak came over to our table. Perhaps it had been a bad idea telling a story that had nothing to do with Pamar. Though, none of the people from those parties had seemed upset while I was talking¡­ Then the leader of the Rodon Guards stepped forward, and placed a magic stone, larger than a fist, onto the table with a heavy clink. I had never seen a magic stone that glimmered in such a beautiful yellow color. It was the stone from the Harpy Queen. ¡°Ajifu. We want you to take this stone.¡± ¡°I cannot accept it.¡± I said immediately. This had already been discussed. The stone was to be sold and the money split between the parties who had lost members. ¡°But we want you to take it. Please.¡± The eyes that stared at me did suggest it was the drink talking. They were very serious. ¡°But why? I don¡¯t understand. You said that you would split it. If you do not want it, then you should just give it to the families of the deceased.¡± ¡°We will pay for that from our own pockets. After all, we cannot split it equally between us now that they are gone. And so we do not want things to end like this. If we cannot deliver it to them!¡± The table shook as his fist slammed down. So that was why they hadn¡¯t sold it. ¡°But you still don¡¯t have to give it to me.¡± ¡°Listen, Ajifu. We are just local Adventurers who take jobs in Ranaronwa and Ranaleria. We always do the same work and complete it in the same way. Sure, there are dangers to it, but one would hardly consider it an adventure. But still!¡± He drained his mug of ale and continued. ¡°We are Adventurers! We¡¯ve dreamed of traveling to other cities and doing the kind of things that people spread tales about, just like you! And yet, while fighting in a rare and harsh battle, they were overwhelmed and died¡­¡± Tears fell on the fist that rested on the table. ¡°And so! Instead of us, who live here, you can speak of their last battle in the Pamar Mountain Pass in other cities! Like you did today! With this stone¡­ Please¡­¡± After that, he buried his face in the table. The other members also clenched their fists and looked at me soberly. ¡°Damn it. I¡¯m no bard¡­¡± I sighed, but reached over the table for the stone. It was a battle where we had all worked together. Well, a bard might not be as interested in a story about taking on a harpy queen as a large group. ¡°Ajifu!¡± The leader of the Rodon Guards lifted his head. His already expressive face had become even more extreme. ¡°Pushing something onto me that I can¡¯t sell. It is just baggage, isn¡¯t it?¡± I looked at the stone in my hand. The shiny yellow reminded me of the queen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I cannot promise that I¡¯ll have the opportunity. But if there is another day like today, I will definitely speak of it. The um, battle against the harpies in Pamar.¡± ¡°Ajifu!¡± ¡°Ajifu!¡± ¡°Ajifu!¡± ¡°Now, enough with those sorrowful expressions, you¡¯re making everyone sober! We must drink more now!¡± I reached for my mug. ¡°Thank you.¡± I heard Leliane mutter quietly next to me. And when I was about to drink, Lodoz put a hand on my shoulder to stop me. ¡°That¡¯s not right, Ajifu.¡± He shook his head. And I looked around. Everyone had their mugs in hand. All of them¡­ I stood up and raised my mug high into the air. As if to reach those who we were celebrating, who were not with us today. And then I raised my voice. ¡°Raise your mugs! For the souls of Adventurers!!¡± ¡°Souls of Adventurers!!¡± And so the voices echoed through the Ranaronwa night. CH 98 Chapter 98 ¨C Lunch Repairing armor and taking care of the horses ended up taking quite some time, and our stay in Ranaronwa lasted for two weeks. In the meantime, while I was finishing maintenance on my weapon, tools and prosthetic leg, I continued to train with my sword and light magic. ¡°Status Open.¡± Name: Ajifu Race: Human Age: 23 LV: 30(+1) HP: 221/221(+5) MP: 137/137(+6) STR: 61(+1) VIT: 60(+2) INT: 40(+1) MND: 46(+1) AGI: 40(+2) DEX: 33(+0) LUK: 17(+0) Skills Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv4, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv4, Carving Lv5, Leatherworker Lv3, Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv8, Magic Manipulation Lv14, Everyday Magic(light/water/earth), Sword Art Lv14, Night Vision Lv1, Parallel Thought Lv3, Prayer, Light Magic Lv4(+1) Title Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God, Adventurer, Creator¡¯s Blessing. As my light magic level finally went up, I checked my status. I was now at level 30, thanks to the harpy battle, and it could be said that I was now near the upper half when it came to Adventurers. I had been able to make up for what power I had lost due to the prosthetic leg. In fact, I thought I had moved quite well during the harpy battle. My AGI had gone up quite a bit, as if to prove it. On the other hand, my DEX was lagging behind. Perhaps I should take up bow training. After the members of White Snake Scale had finished with their gear, they would take small jobs while waiting for the next merchant caravan. There had been no news from the Adventurers Guild about attacks in Pamar, so it was probably fine. If one traveled south of Ranaronwa, they would reach the Rabahask empire. And to the east, the road split towards the country of Lusnatos. It was a country where the temple held great power, and it neighbored the elf forest. It was my current destination. And it was now the morning of the day of departure. ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you again.¡± I petted Mulze¡¯s neck after attaching the saddle and reins. Mulze neighed back. I tightened the leather straps of my armor, and left the inn. The morning air was chilly, and felt good on my skin. I pulled the reins and this time headed to the opposite gate then the one we had come in from Pamar. When I arrived at the gate, it was already busy with travelers. And then I saw a few figures standing there waving to me. ¡°Ajifu!¡± It was the members of White Snake Scale. I had heard that they would come to see me off. ¡°Thank you all for coming.¡± ¡°Well, it is the departure of a fellow comrade.¡± Jirot said. Though, for Adventurers, encounters and separations happened all of the time. And so the fact that they had come suggested that it was a special battle for them. ¡°I was glad to have been able to fight with you, Jirot.¡± We shook hands and patted each other on the shoulder. ¡°It was short, but I enjoyed traveling with you.¡± ¡°You were amazing, Mr. Ajifu!¡± Leliane and Naros really did look like siblings when they stood side by side. It must be reassuring to have a family member close by. ¡°No, thank you, Leliane. And you too, Naros. Both of you, stay well.¡± Leliane crossed her arms in front of her chest, and I put my hands together. The shrine and church greetings. And then I shook hands with Naros and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Hey, Ajifu. Take this with you.¡± Gunat said as he handed me a boxed meal. Are you my mother! ¡°When I talked to my mother about you, she said that I should give you this.¡± So it was your mother! ¡°I-I see. Thank yo¡­ Heh¡­kk¡­ahahaha!¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t laugh!¡± ¡°Haha! Uh, sorry. No, it was just so unexpected.¡± ¡°Shut up. I know that! Give it back if you don¡¯t want it!¡± I dodged the hand that reached for it. ¡°I¡¯ll receive it gratefully, Gunat. This is the best gift.¡± ¡°Damn it. You should have said that in the beginning then.¡± We then shook hands firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t die in some boring place.¡± ¡°You too. Don¡¯t get beaten by some other queen.¡± We bumped fists together. ¡°Ajifu, we are Adventurers. If our paths cross, we may meet each other again.¡± Said Lodoz. To be honest, I didn¡¯t know what would happen in the future, regarding my age. And so I had no idea if we could meet again. Still, I wished that we could. ¡°Yes. I would like that.¡± Up until now, I had only been thinking about becoming younger with Reverse Age. My skill level has gone up enough. I had enough options now. I would have to think of good uses for them. I shook hands with Lodoz and we hit each other¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Farewell then¡± ¡°Be safe, Ajifu.¡± I turned on my heels and headed towards the gate. For Adventurers, such partings were nothing special. It was best to be this casual about it. When I passed through the gate and turned around, I saw that they were waving to me. I raised my fist into the air in repl. And then I looked ahead and jumped up onto Mulze¡¯s back. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡± Mulze trotted down the road. And without looking back, I raised my hand once last time. The farther I got from Ranaronwa, the more my surroundings were filled with trees. Though, they were growing in neat rows and were unnaturally straight. This was because of the forestry industry around here. There were a lot of wooden buildings, and so there was great demand for wood. And so the lumber forest continued for as far as the eye could see. As we continued along until just before midday, I saw smoke rising up ahead near the road. And when I approached, I saw there was a small clearing where people were preparing food. I supposed I would join them. ¡°Mind if I join you?¡± I asked from atop my horse.¡± ¡°There is plenty of space. We don¡¯t mind.¡± Came the light-hearted answer. The man appeared to be a lumberjack. There were several other men who wore similar clothes. ¡°Why are you looking around?¡± ¡°Are there no guards here?¡± ¡°Ah. There are soldiers who patrol these territories in order to raise their level. And so we rarely see monsters.¡± Oh. That sounded hard. But you could not level up by training alone. And thanks to that, these roads were safe. That being said, the soldiers only patrolled areas where people lived. So I suppose people live here. I tied my horse so he could drink water, and then I sat down in an empty space. Then I took out Gunat¡¯s lunch. It was in the style that was common here, where it was wrapped up in a large leaf. Apparently, it smelled good and kept longer. When I unraveled the leaves, some liquid spilled out. ¡°Woah.¡± I quickly raised my hands and then put the lunch on the grass. Damn it. But when I checked inside of my belongings, none of it had spilled. What a relief. This leaf was rather good. The lunch contained black bread, marinated and grilled meat and a few baked potatoes. A simple, homely meal. While rice was quite common here, it was usually eaten with soup. Besides, it was not suited for carrying around. As for this black bread, it was eaten almost everywhere. The juices from the meat must have spilled out. I picked up the bread and saw that it had soaked some of it up. And when I took the bread, the leaves shifted, and I saw that there was a folded piece of paper between them that now fell out. I wondered what it was and so picked up the paper that was stained with meat juices. ¡®Thank you for fighting alongside my son.¡¯ It was just one line. Soggy bread, cold meat and dried potatoes. And yet it turned out to be a very heartwarming meal for me.