Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Companions
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Companions
It seemed they had brought these people here in exchange for information on the floor boss, but the situation had become rather complicated.
“Ah, yes. Hey, you two, where might the floor boss be…”
I expected them to say I had already killed it, but they both just glanced at me nervously.
They mentioned controlling the lower floor earlier; it seemed they were controlling the floor boss as well.
“Why aren’t you two answering?”
Suhyeon and Suhyeok were both hesitating, likely because they thought I’d be in trouble, so I stepped forward.
“If you’re looking for the floor boss, I killed it.”
As soon as I answered, the man scanned me from head to toe.
“You killed it?”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“This 8th-floor boss was supposed to be the Four Stars Guild’s turn. What guild are you from, to so brazenly kill the floor boss?”
So these guys were the Four Stars Guild.
I recalled from my basic training that they were one of the seven major guilds in the Guild Alliance, just like the Silver Wolf Guild that had taught me.
Apparently, the Guild Alliance decided on a rotation for killing floor bosses.
Even though the game had become reality, some things never change…
“I’m not in a guild, and I wasn’t aiming to kill it.”
“Cut the excuses. Fork over everything that dropped if you don’t want to die.”
Wow, and he even had a sword. No, he was already holding it.
He was no different from a common thug.
If he had asked nicely, I would have considered handing over some of the byproducts.
I’ve experienced games with controlled systems before and didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble.
But this attitude really rubbed me the wrong way.
“I didn’t kill it intentionally, but demanding everything when you did nothing seems a bit greedy, don’t you think?”
It’s not like the labyrinth monsters were anyone’s property, and frankly, I hadn’t kill-stole it from them.
“What? Greedy? Who does a guildless nobody think he is? I was going to let the lost experience slide, but I guess not.”
He drew his weapon, threatening me. It was absurd.
Then shouldn’t they have waited and killed it themselves?
“Hey, our team leader is talking. What are you dawdling for? Stop mumbling and hand it all over. Unless you want to be registered as a wanted man by the Guild Alliance.”
“Are you trying to act tough in front of the ladies?”
The other thugs swarmed in, pressing me, snickering and mocking. It was quite a spectacle.
“Mister, who are these scumbags?”
“Hyeon-ung, shall I take care of them?”
Rina and Hanna, standing on either side of me, asked. I was conflicted.
I wasn’t entirely without confidence that I could win a fight.
I had felt the power of my stats while fighting the Green Troll.
Of course, they had the numbers, but I wasn’t alone either.
However, for them to be this rude even knowing I had taken down two floor boss trolls by myself suggested they were confident they could do the same.
Of course, they could just be relying on the backing of the Guild Alliance.
Even if it was risky, if I called Bio, I was sure I wouldn’t lose…
“Wait a minute. Those two women next to you, are they summoned companions?”
It seemed he noticed because they hadn't heard his words.
When I nodded, the loutish man grinned slyly.
“I’ve changed my mind. You probably don’t want to give up all your items either, right?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Let us ‘borrow’ the red-haired woman on the right, and we’ll only take half.”
Now that I looked, the man’s eyes were gleaming with greed as he stared at Hanna.
“Team leader, while we’re at it, let’s borrow them both. The one on the left is more my type.”
Have they lost their minds?
What in the world do they think companions are?
I had wasted my time hesitating.
Conversations are for humans, after all.
“Judging by your expression, she seems to understand us. Is she a rare companion? A rare female, you’re one lucky guy.”
“You’ve probably had your fun with her already, so why not share a little… ugh!”
*Thwack—*
To stop his disgusting drivel, I lunged forward and planted my fist in the smirking man’s mouth.
He flew off his feet and tumbled far into the distance.
“Gwang-su!”
“Has this bastard lost his mind? How dare you attack a member of the great Four Stars Guild… ugh!”
*Whack—*
I gifted a fist to the face of the idiot who still hadn't grasped the situation.
*Thud—*
“Aaargh!”
“You’re the ones who’ve lost your minds! What kind of bullshit are you spouting about my companions!”
“Aaargh! Stop…”
My anger still unquenched, I stomped down hard on the fallen man’s leg.
“Stop? What do you mean, stop? Say it again! You want to what, ‘borrow’ her? ‘Share’ her? Are companions objects to you?! You trash!”
There are things people should and shouldn't say.
These bastards had crossed the line, by a long shot.
In the Guild Alliance’s own newbie training, they explicitly said that companions were like family, the only friends in this world one could trust completely, who would never betray you.
So how could they make such vile remarks? I couldn’t comprehend it.
“Team Leader!”
“This son of a bitch!”
“Everyone, surround him!”
The Four Stars Guild members all drew their swords and formed a circle around me.
But I didn’t feel particularly threatened.
After losing my parents at a young age and being practically abducted by relatives who swindled my entire inheritance, I developed an unusually strong sense of possession. I truly hate it when people covet what's mine.
Even my acquaintances, and all the subscribers to my channel, knew this about me.
And what's mine, of course, includes my people.
“Hyeon-ung, I’ll help…”
“Mister, me too…”
“No. You two stay put.”
I had to be the one to make them pay the price for touching what was mine. Only then would I be satisfied.
****
The mister finished speaking and, without giving us a chance to reply, shot forward like an arrow.
Several swords swung at him, but he dodged them lightly and threw his fists.
*Thwack— Thud—*
With every swing of his fist, a person flew into the air and crashed to the ground.
He felt much faster than when he fought the trolls.
“Hanna? Doesn’t he seem way faster than before?”
“He does. He seems really angry. Getting worked up during a fight isn’t good…”
Normally, I would have insisted on fighting too.
It was unthinkable to just stand by after hearing such insulting words.
Part of it was that he had rushed out before I had a chance, but his eyes and his expression were completely different from anything I’d seen before.
Honestly, my first impression of the mister was terrible.
My other friends who had been summoned before me all boasted about how cool, pretty, and kind their summoners were.
Of course, the mister wasn't ugly, but his behavior was so pathetic.
He was blatantly staring at Hanna’s chest the moment we were summoned.
And then he denied it when she called him out.
He couldn't even properly argue back, just sighed, laughed it off, and made lame jokes. He was just awful.
He seemed a little better when he fought the trolls, but when those scumbags demanded all the troll byproducts, his hesitation instead of refusing outright was the absolute worst.
I even wondered if he didn't trust us.
But the moment we were insulted, the mister did a complete 180.
“Urk… They’re not even party members, just companions. Is borrowing them for a bit really something to get so angry abou—”
“R-Right. If you back down now, we’ll forget this ever happe—”
“Shut up! You trash. You think you can insult my companions and just walk away?”
*Thwack— Thwack—*
Two of the enemies flew into the air from the mister’s punches and crashed down.
Maybe the timing of his decision and his charge was just a coincidence, but seeing him this furious, I didn't think so.
*My companions…*
We haven't even known each other for long, but the mister already considered us his true companions…
I could understand with Hanna, but I had done nothing but pick fights with him…
“Hanna, let’s go help.”
“Huh? Hyeon-ung told us to only handle anyone who rushes us. He doesn’t seem to be in any danger.”
Hanna was always like this, ever since we were young. So inflexible.
“Still, if we help, it’ll be over faster.”
“Didn’t you not like Hyeon-ung very much?”
I never directly said I didn’t like him.
Actually, seeing him now, he seems a little… cool.
“Rina?”
“Wh-When did I ever say I hated him? He’s our summoner, anyway. It’d be a pain to heal him if he gets hurt. If you’re not going to help, then fine. I’ll go by myself.”
He might get mad at me for not listening, but I couldn't just stand by and watch while my companion was fighting.
****
I was a fool for hesitating.
Facing them directly, I knew right away.
They were far more insignificant than I had thought.
There were nearly thirty of them, but not a single one was a match for the Green Troll I fought earlier, not even half its level.
I wasn’t holding back at all, so there might be some dead among those I’d knocked down.
They were less than human, but their appearance was still human, which felt a little unsettling. But it didn't matter.
They had tried to kill me too.
*Thwack—*
If I don’t kill them, they’ll kill me.
Even if there was a huge difference in our levels, they had the overwhelming numbers.
The one they called team leader, who I’d sent flying first, had returned.
A few from the surrounding group had disappeared; they must have been healers.
His injuries seemed to be healed, but the traces of his nosebleed were still there.
“They’re not even party members, just companions. Is borrowing them for a bit really something to get so angry abou… ugh!”
*Thwack—*
The inhuman bastard was spouting nonsense again, so I threw a punch to shut his mouth.
I had expected him to dodge and was preparing a follow-up, but even their leader was pathetic.
With their leader down for the count again, the remaining members stopped charging at me and kept their distance.
About ten of them were left.
But from their expressions, it looked like they had already lost their will to fight and were looking for a chance to escape.
That would be a problem…
I doubted any of them had a mount faster than Red Hare, but if they scattered in different directions, I wouldn't be able to chase them all down alone.
Just as I expected, as they began to back away and spread out, unexpected reinforcements arrived.
*Thud— Thud— Thud— Thud—*
Rina suddenly ran in, and with a single wave of her hand, they all collapsed like puppets with their strings cut.
“Rina?”
I told her not to interfere. This kid really doesn't listen, but I couldn't deny her timing was perfect this time.
“Are you going to scold me?”
“No, I was going to thank you.”
“H-Hmph. You were fighting for us. I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”
“Rina…”
I was a little moved.
“Thank you.”
“Y-You were just taking too long with such weak opponents. It was frustrating…”
Despite her sharp words, she avoided my gaze and her voice trailed off. She seemed like the type who was weak to praise.
"Whatever the reason, thank you."
"…We were the ones who were insulted, so why did you get so angry?”
“Didn’t I tell you? You’re my companions.”
Though it seems these scumbags thought differently.
I haven't played Elsia, but in the original game, unlike NPCs, companions were a type of commodity that players purchased with money.
Even now that the game had become reality, the system of spending Jewels to summon companions remained.
They weren't hostile like NPCs and were favorable to their summoners, so it seemed many treated them like dolls they could do whatever they wanted with, or even as slaves.
I thought differently.
From Bio, the first person I met in the labyrinth, to Rina and Hanna, whom I’d only just met, I felt no difference between them and any other person.
In fact, they felt more familiar and warm than the innkeepers who judged me by my clothes and only cared about money.
Just look at Rina, who came to help despite her usual prickly attitude.
And that Bio fellow, well, confiscating my sword and refusing my summons whenever he pleased was annoying, but I could understand his reasoning that it was for my own good.
And of course, there was nothing more to say about our dear Hanna, who always spoke respectfully and promised to teach me the sword with all her might.
“Companion… Fine. I’ll specially make you my companion.”
…Huh?
Weren't we companions from the moment she was summoned?
“Haha, that’s quite an honor.”
I thought about retorting but didn’t want to ruin the good mood.
“Then you should feel honored. You’re becoming a companion to the one and only High Priestess of the Church of Dyna, the great Rina Alsmeyer.”
Sigh, I should just save my breath.
I let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity of it, but then Rina suddenly knelt and grabbed my pant leg.
“Wh-What are you doing?”
“Mister, aren’t you hurt here?”
She pointed to a tear in the cloth on my right thigh. A white light appeared and was absorbed into my leg.
Oh, it felt kind of cool and refreshing.
“If you’re hurt, you should have said so earlier. What if you were hit by a poisoned weapon?”
Actually, it wasn’t a wound.
That was just where I got grazed when several of them rushed me, tearing my clothes a bit.
I was about to tell her I wasn't hurt, but a mischievous thought struck me.
“The tension is finally fading… Ugh! My leg! Ugh!”
I clutched my leg and collapsed, starting my Hollywood-level performance. Rina created a few more flashes of light, but I didn't stop my act.
“Mister? Mister! Are you okay? This can’t be right. It should heal poison too… Mister!”
Was my acting too realistic?
Her expression was completely serious.
No, beyond serious, she looked like she was about to cry…
It seems that even though she’s a little difficult, Rina is a companion through and through.
“Rina, it was a short time, but being able to meet you… Rina?”
“You’re faking it, aren’t you?”
I thought she was clueless, but she’s surprisingly sha—
*Whack—*
“Aack!”
The merciless girl kicked me in the inner thigh.
Fortunately, either she held back or my stats saved me, because the pain didn't last long, but a chill ran down my spine.
“Isn’t that a bit too much?”
If her aim had been off by just a little, the Oh family line would have ended right there.
“Who told you to play a prank like that?”
I had nothing to say.
“I’ll finish up.”
Finish up?
Before I could say anything, Rina went around and stomped on the summoners’ heads.
“…Rina?”
“What? Were you planning on letting them live? You killed some of them too, Mister.”
Her nonchalant tone after committing murder was a little chilling, but I couldn't say I didn't understand.
In fact, I had no intention of letting them live either.
They had tried to kill me.
“You don’t have to get your hands dirty.”
“We’re companions, right? Besides, this isn’t my first time, unlike you, Mister.”
“How did you know it was my first time…”
“Your hands are shaking, aren’t they?”
Only then did I realize my hands were trembling.
It had only been a few days, so while my mind thought it was okay, my body wasn’t keeping up.
“Thanks.”
I thought she was just prickly and irritable, but she was surprisingly perceptive.
No, she was perceptive from the start…
“They say you’re not supposed to say things like that between companions.”
“No, still, thank you.”
Some people might think like Rina, but I believe that the closer you are, the more you should express your feelings.
“Anyway, since it seems to be over, I’ll clean up.”
Rina, who had been stomping on each head, flicked her hand once. A white light burst forth, and the bodies vanished without a trace.
“Neat.”
“It’s not over yet. What are you going to do about them?”
Rina pointed towards Suhyeok and Suhyeon.
“Killing them would be the cleanest solution.”
It would be clean, but I couldn't kill people who had done nothing wrong.
I wasn't a psychopath.
“That’s a bit… I have another way.”