Chapter 55
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Abellare Subjugation
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Once final exams were over, the academy began its long vacation.
The atmosphere at the academy was quite festive, with everyone looking forward to the break.
Some prepared to return to their family homes, while others planned to stay at the academy to catch up on their studies.
“What are your plans, Ruina?”
“I intend to return home. Though the situation there is improving, I must lend a hand, even if only for a short while.”
True, even though the Bercefe situation was getting better, the monsters crossing from the north hadn't disappeared completely.
“What about you?”
“I'm also returning to my family. I have things to take care of. When are you thinking of coming back?”
“Why do you ask?”
Why else? *Because she has to be here before Andromalius is summoned.*
“Just curious.”
“I plan to return about two weeks early to prepare for the next semester.”
“I see. Understood.”
So Ruina's participation in the battle against Andromalius was foretold, even without my intervention.
“If you ever need my help, contact me anytime.”
“I'll be fine.”
“Take this. It's a direct communication device. The range is only about three kilometers, though.”
“Then isn't it completely useless?”
The distance between Bercefe and Fallenberg was easily thousands of kilometers.
“Just take it for now. This is…”
It wasn't for the vacation, but a provision for what happens at the academy afterward.
Pernyan swallowed his words.
“This is?”
“It's nothing. Well then, farewell, top student.”
“Top student… I'm not used to it, but it doesn't sound half bad. Yes. I hope you have an enjoyable vacation as well.”
After parting with Ruina, Pernyan returned to his office at the merchant guild.
Since he would be away from the academy for quite a while, there were more than a few things to take care of beforehand.
“Haven't you already taken care of everything?”
Hyde asked, watching the busy Pernyan with a puzzled expression.
“This isn't guild business. It's something else.”
“The materials, I see.”
“That's right. I need to make sure they arrive at the family estate properly, that they've been loaded onto the ship, and check on the remaining materials.”
Of course, it was unlikely anything would go wrong, but there were no absolutes.
“Prepare the magic circle to the family estate.”
“Not the ship?”
“Time is gold. And don't miss a single detail about Aint Armian's movements.”
Pernyan checked the documents related to the sea dragon.
***
- *So. Are you planning to visit your family?*
“No.”
A salty sea breeze blew past. Aint stood at the stern, gazing out at the vast ocean.
“My father would be genuinely pleased with my accomplishments. As would the vassals.”
The Armian family had fallen, and many had left its service. But those who remained had grown even closer.
“That's why if I go, I won't be able to leave easily. I'll stick to the original plan before I get soft. Besides, I've already sent a letter to the domain.”
The ship sailed steadily southeast.
Their destination was not Rutare, where the Armian Kingdom began, but the southern continent of Pandrein.
- *Pandrein has more untouched wilderness than Rutare. As a result, there are more monsters, and naturally, more powerful ones.*
- *It's the most suitable place for you to experience real combat.*
“I see.”
Aint nodded.
“But isn't that information a thousand years old?”
- *…Huh?*
For the first time, Gardner's voice sounded flustered.
“Still, you're probably not wrong. I've heard that Pandrein is still underdeveloped, even after a millennium.”
It had developed incomparably since then, but everything was relative.
- *That's what I meant.*
A few days later, the ship arrived at Ramons, a port city in the Prasia Kingdom.
“Outwardly, there doesn't seem to be much difference.”
- *Pandrein may have a smaller population than Rutare, but it's not like they have no contact.*
- *Prasia, you say. A name I never heard in my time.*
“It's a kingdom founded about five hundred years ago.”
It was a nation that supported and encouraged mercenaries, using its vast territory and abundant resources to survive against powerful monsters.
The most powerful nation on the Pandrein continent, aside from the Empire.
- *First, let's register as a mercenary and find a suitable quest.*
“Yes.”
Ramons was the largest trading city in the Prasia Kingdom, and its scale was considerable. It naturally attracted crowds, and the Mercenary Guild was no exception.
The ten-story Mercenary Guild was bustling with people.
The first floor, like other guild branches, was set up like a tavern.
There were dozens of tables and a bar, and dozens of quest notices were pinned to a massive pillar in the center that also served as a bulletin board.
On one side, there was a counter with receptionists.
Aint went straight to the counter.
“Welcome. How may I help you?”
“I'd like to take the mercenary test.”
“May I have your name and identification tag?”
“My name is Aint, and I don't have an ID tag, but I have this.”
Aint presented his academy student ID. It didn't have detailed information, but it was engraved with the seven stars symbolizing the academy.
“Are you a student at the academy?”
The clerk's expression changed at the sight of the student ID, which was nearly impossible to forge or impersonate due to complex magical engravings and the Empire's strict punishment system.
“Yes.”
“If you don't mind me asking, what year are you?”
“I'm a first-year.”
“First-year academy students are automatically given a Grade 4 tag. You can raise your rank through an additional test, so please let me know if you'd like to take it.”
Just as Aint was about to respond, remembering Gardner's advice that Grade 4 wouldn't be high enough to accept the quests he wanted, someone spoke.
“I'd like to take the test…”
“Huh? Aint?”
Just then, a shadow fell over him from behind. It was a muscular man with short brown hair, black eyes, and a body covered in small scars.
“Barus? What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing. I'm here because this place is like a second home to me.”
Come to think of it, Barus Dne was the disciple of the Mercenary King, who could be called the spiritual pillar of the Mercenary Guild.
It wasn't particularly strange for him to be at the Mercenary Guild during the vacation.
“Right.”
“Trying to become a mercenary?”
“I wanted to try my hand at mercenary work during the break.”
“Mercenary work must seem easy. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants to try it for fun.”
A corner of Barus's mouth twisted up. Just as Aint's brow twitched, he continued.
“But you're not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry, so I'll make an exception. Hey.”
“Y-Yes! Sir Barus!”
The receptionist, recognizing Barus, answered in a tense voice.
“No need for a test. This guy is the second-ranked student in the first year of the academy. You can register him as Grade 3 right away.”
“Second-ranked, you say?”
“That's right. His skills are the real deal.”
Perhaps because of Barus's testimony, the mercenary registration was completed in an instant. In Aint's hand was a silver tag engraved with the number 3.
“Thanks. You made that easy.”
“No need to thank me. With your skills, it was just a matter of sooner or later. Now if you're done, step aside. I've got business to attend to.”
“Alright.”
Aint stepped aside slightly, and Barus immediately took his place.
“Where's the quest notice for the Abellare subjugation?”
“Are you planning to participate in that?”
“Yes. I'm taking my entire mercenary group.”
“With you participating personally, this subjugation is sure to succeed. I'll register you and the entire Ink-Black Spear Mercenary Group.”
“Thanks.”
Having finished his registration in a flash, Barus stood up.
“If you're looking for some decent mercenary work, you should join the Abellare subjugation. With your skills, it wouldn't be a bad idea.”
“What exactly is it?”
“You can get the details from the guild.”
Barus brushed past Aint and left. Aint sat down in front of the receptionist again.
“The Abellare subjugation? What's that?”
“It's a domain that was devastated by a monster outbreak. The area has become a monster den, and the estimated number of monsters that have nested there is close to five hundred.”
Because of this, the Prasia Kingdom issued a large-scale request to the Mercenary Guild, and so far, about three hundred mercenaries had signed up.
“It's dangerous, but the reward promised by Prasia is quite large, and most importantly, a Gorgon has been spotted.”
“A Gorgon?”
A Gorgon was a monster with horns on its head and a body covered in metallic scales harder than steel.
A massive beast with forelegs like a lion's, sharp claws, and a tail made of snakes.
It was a formidable enemy that could not be taken lightly.
But it was also quite popular, as its carcass was worth a great deal of money.
“That's why a staggering three hundred mercenaries have gathered.”
- *That sounds very tempting.*
- *A Gorgon is stronger than an ogre, and with hundreds of monsters, it will be a chaotic battle. It's perfectly suited for experiencing warfare.*
Aint nodded at Gardner's comment.
“Then can I participate in that as well?”
“Of course. The participation requirement is Grade 3 or higher, so as a Grade 3 mercenary, you are more than welcome, Sir Aint.”
That day, Aint received the quest notice for the Abellare subjugation.
It was the very quest that Pernyan had seen in the Prophecy Book—the one where Aint would encounter the Vile Breed.
***
The gathering place for the subjugation force was a place called Gincheff.
A small barony, it was a place where people lived in constant fear due to its proximity to the devastated Abellare.
Three hundred mercenaries and five hundred kingdom soldiers gathered in one place.
"Hooray—"
The domain's residents cheered for the subjugation force that had gathered to eliminate the source of their anxiety.
“Grade 3 Mercenary, Aint. Identity confirmed.”
After being checked in by the receptionist, Aint joined the ranks. The mercenaries, scattered about with no semblance of order, were each munching on the meat and bread they had been given.
“This way for your meal. Fill your stomachs before heading into battle.”
Aint went to the food line, received his ration, and sat down on a random chair to eat. It wasn't very good.
*'It makes me realize once again just how excellent the academy's dining halls were.'*
- *Of course. They gather the best and brightest; they can't feed them cheap food.*
Just then.
“Doesn't seem to suit your palate.”
Someone sat down next to him.
“Barus.”
“As expected of a noble bloodline. Must have a refined taste.”
“I'm just not used to it. But who are these people?”
It wasn't just Barus who sat beside him. There were thirty other mercenaries. The aura they gave off was quite impressive.
“My mercenary group. The Ink-Black Spear Mercenary Group. We're pretty famous in this line of work.”
He had heard of them.
A mercenary group said to be formed from mercenaries handpicked by the Mercenary King for his disciple.
Since its founding, it had completed dozens of quests without a single failure.
“You don't know much about mercenary work, do you?”
“It's my first time, after all.”
“If you want, you can join us and move together.”
“What? Is that okay?”
Barus calmly tore a piece of meat with his teeth.
“You won't be a burden, and you're an Armian.”
“If you're looking at my family name, it's worth nothing right now.”
“But I don't think it'll be worthless forever.”
“On what grounds?”
“The grounds that you went from 38th to second place in one semester. The grounds that you beat me.”
He was just extending a hand, suggesting they get along.
“I only trust the skills I've seen for myself. And you beat me. I really like strong people. And once you step into the mercenary world, you're a fellow mercenary.”
Aint thought for a moment at the friendly smile.
- *Accepting wouldn't be a bad idea. If what you say is true, they're veteran mercenaries. You could learn a lot from them.*
- *You may be considered strong anywhere on the continent, but you never know what might happen on the battlefield.*
- *Especially since it's your first time, I think it would be wise to prepare for the unexpected.*
“But will it be okay? The imperial prince won't like it.”
“Even the imperial family can't touch me.”
- *Insolent whelp. How dare he insult the imperial family?*
*'He's a Schwaben, not an Armian.'*
Aint calmed the indignant Gardner.
“In that case.”
“Alright, Aint. I think we're going to get along just fine.”
Barus beamed and shook Aint's hand.