Chapter 17

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 17

Chapter Title: 017 – Call!

-----------------------------------------------------------------

In a world where a single injury could lead to death.

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠importance of protective gear to safeguard the body goes without saying.

Wooden Shin Guards protecting the shins.

Wooden Chestplate protecting the chest.

If this were a game, text like that probably would have popped up.

They're surprisingly light, and the fit feels ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠good too.

They should block most ordinary attacks a few times.

"Big bro! It suits you perfectly!"

"It looks like it was yours from the start!"

"But could you loosen this strap a bit? I can't breathe!"

The trio who'd ambushed me were chattering away.

They're a three-man thief team named Tong, Liv, and Tus.

Their levels are around 5, lower than mine, and they don't even have any decent blessings.

All they have of value is the wooden protective gear I'm wearing right now.

"Why do you look like such beggars when thieves in explorer parties get treated pretty well?"

"It's not easy putting our lives on the line for work."

"We used to just shake down kids and grope women's asses, but suddenly we're told to fight monsters at the Great Wall..."

"We've got quotas to meet every month too... We're dying here!"

Watching the men, tied up tight and sucking up to me, was satisfying in a way, but it also gave me a slight headache.

If I hadn't subdued them quickly, I'd be the one tied up.

You bastards!

I'll ask one more thing and then beat the crap out of them.

"So, someone like me who has an item from Narakje gets treated as a successor candidate?"

"Yes!"

"To be precise, a successor candidate."

"There are lots of guys like us gunning for those items, heh heh heh."

The Old Man said he doesn't sell to just anyone.

So using that shop means you've got some recognition.

"What do you get for becoming Narakje's successor?"

He struts around like some Sewer Emperor or whatever.

But in the end, he's just a criminal who escaped the Great Wall, right?

If he's caught, it's the gallows for sure.

Sabrannik's chilling remark came to mind.

That's obviously referring to Narakje.

In other words, Narakje is a criminal everyone wants a piece of.

What's the upside to becoming the successor of a criminal like that?

"Heh heh heh, gotta be something good, right?"

"The Night Emperors have mountains of treasure."

"They say Ether is piled up like a mountain too."

Ether piled like a mountain?

That's tempting.

So what do I do with these cheeky bastards now?

Just kill them?

That'd be the easiest, but I still don't know the rules of this 'Great Wall' or the 'Thieves' Guild' well.

"You guys stay put. I'm going to ask Germain sis what to do with you."

"W-Wait a sec."

"Please, anything but that!"

"Come back! Aaaah!"

I went off to find Germain sis like that.

Germain sis was sharpening her blade on some stone in the clearing from before.

The moment she heard my story, she raised an eyebrow.

"Fuck, that trio? If knives get drawn inside the Great Wall, it becomes a headache. Especially with Ezekiel and the military watching us like hawks lately."

The Thieves' Guild is an illegal organization.

If they cause trouble and make a scene, the military might launch a massive purge operation.

"The guild will handle their punishment, so you don't worry about it anymore."

"...How will you deal with them?"

I got curious all of a sudden.

Germain sis just chuckled.

"It's a secret."

"Heh heh, yeah, everyone has their secret sauce recipe."

"Secret sauce? Funny metaphor. Anyway, you met the Old Man, right? What'd you buy?"

"Uh, um, just picked up something I liked."

I didn't tell Germain sis about buying the Black Satchel or stealing a few items.

What if she tries to take them or steal them from me?

I'd lose everything and end up bawling.

Luckily, she didn't seem too interested in what I bought.

"Most of it's worn out with loose screws, but it'll be pretty useful at your level."

That was when it happened.

A rough shout came from afar.

"Germain! Get over here!"

"Hurry!"

"God, what a pain. Alright, Yor, looks like this sis is gonna be busy with those idiots for a bit, so take care of yourself."

Whoosh!

She vanished with light footsteps like a black cat.

"Where've you been?"

When I got back to the room, Felix was doing a handstand.

He really loves handstands.

"Don't get too chummy with the Thieves' Guild."

Even upside down, his senses were sharp.

He figured out where I'd been and what I'd done.

"Especially be careful with Dark Moon's Germain."

He even knew who I'd met.

"You know Germain sis?"

"I don't. That's why I'm telling you to be careful. Her record's been good so far, so the higher-ups turn a blind eye, but... a long tail always gets caught eventually."

I see.

I know Germain sis isn't a saint.

So what?

As long as she's good to me, she's a good person.

She even let me touch her boobs.

I just didn't feel like chatting about that with Felix, so I headed to the nighttime training grounds alone.

Swish, swish-swish-swish-swish!

Thud, thud-thud-thud-thud!

I tried throwing and retrieving the new throwing knives.

"They stick right to my hand. And they hit true too."

The power isn't amazing, but being able to throw from range is great.

Fire Elks or Octopuses might die in two hits, or one if I land it perfectly.

"Hey, newbie. It's almost 1 a.m., what're you doing here? We were looking for you."

That was when it happened.

Hermit approached from behind, wearing her conical hat.

"You're the one wandering around at 1 a.m. without sleeping. Why were you looking for me?"

"What you said last time."

"What'd I say?"

"You said picking up Ether and byproducts one by one is a hassle."

"Oh, that."

Hammer takes the front line, Felix is the main attacker and sustained DPS.

Hermit specializes in AoE and powerful nukes.

In combat terms, I seem like the only one without a clear role.

But actually, I have the most important job.

Picking up Ether like crazy, and byproducts too!

In other words, the magnet pet role!

And it's super tedious and annoying.

But I liked that job.

Whenever I picked up Ether, I forgot my hunger and sleepiness fled.

Must be like farmers harvesting rice they'd slaved over all summer!

Flutter.

Then Hermit held out a book to me.

"Check this out. Back in the golden age of ancient tech, there were things called 'Familiars.' Artificial creatures that helped humans with chores. If you had one of these—"

"It picks up Ether and byproducts for you?"

"Exactly! Wouldn't that make things easier for you? These Familiars were made in the Mischianic University research building. It's been a while, but maybe one or two are still around."

"So, Hermit, from what you're saying, you want me to go to the university with you. But Mischianic University was in daylight recently, right? Doesn't that mean we have to wait until the next cycle?"

Ahem.

I puffed out my chest.

I've read books too, you know.

Hermit leaned in slyly.

"You don't know yet, do you? With an 'Ether Torch,' you can explore the Night Land without being affected by the nighttime demonic corruption, even in sunlit areas."

"What? Something like that exists?"

"It's a million Ether per torch. Lasts an hour per torch. And purely by coincidence, I happen to have two..."

Hermit fidgeted with her hands and feet.

I cut through her hemming and hawing.

"So, you're proposing we explore Mischianic University for the next two hours—something like that?"

"...You could say that!"

"Did you tell Hammer or Felix?"

"It's an absolute secret from Hammer! He's the poster boy for safe exploration. He'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never go for a gamble like this. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠And Felix—"

Hermit scowled under her conical hat.

"I don't like that guy. Always acting cool for no reason."

Felix had slapped Hermit's cheek before.

She still held a grudge.

She's got a long memory.

Gotta keep that in mind.

"It's not about hunting monsters. Just sneak around quietly for two hours. You're good at that stuff."

"Well, I already survived in there once, so twice isn't impossible—"

But taking Hermit around there felt too risky.

As I pondered deeply, Hermit stomped her foot impatiently.

"You got a button from Colonel Ezekiel, right? That's made of spirit gold. It's not meant to be a button—it's a catalyst that infuses Ether power into items."

"Yeah? What happens when you infuse Ether into an item?"

"It gets tougher, sharper, like that."

Oh—item enhancement!

Perfect timing, since I just got throwing knives and gauntlets.

And I have two buttons to match.

"But not just anyone can do that forging. Only mages with Ether knowledge and advanced complex rituals. Ahem. Like me."

"So, you want to make a deal?"

Enhance my items in exchange for going to Mischianic University with you—

Two hours in that tentacle monster-infested place.

"Call."

"Call?"

"Means yes."

"Ooh, call! Some thieves' slang, huh!"

"But I have conditions. No wandering off on your own. And you obey whatever I say. If I tell you to bark like a dog, you bark like a dog. Got it?"

"...Unconditional obedience? Dog?"

Hermit scowled under her conical hat.

Her face flushed red in the moonlight.

"Don't like it? Then forget it."

"...Call!"

Good.

We headed into the darkened strategy room like that.

Hermit started fiddling with the magic circle.

Soon, it felt like misting through thick fog.

That's how we arrived at Mischianic University.

On the rooftop again.

But unlike last time in the morning, it was pitch black.

"...Look at that! Twin Moons are up! It was Twin Moon night today!"

Hermit pointed excitedly.

I looked, and there were two moons in the sky.

"That's an artificial moon made with magitech from the old Empire days. It rises randomly without pattern. When it's up, monsters act weird."

"Weird? Good weird or bad weird?"

"No idea. Twin Moons research is still ongoing."

Two moons.

A wildcard itself.

"Let's head underground first. We meet Estelle and ask if there are any 'Familiars' in this university."

Estelle is my mentor.

She knows a ton.

If she knows about Familiars, she'll tell us.

But Hermit looked reluctant.

"...I... I'm kinda scared of her..."

"Don't worry. I was freaking terrified too. But she was chained up tight. As long as we don't do anything stupid, it'll be fine."

"Whew, okay... Meeting a high-rank mage like Estelle isn't common. Specializing in taboo magitech, she knows all sorts of things..."

I headed underground with Hermit.

Maybe because it was Twin Moon night, there weren't any monsters patrolling the halls.

"Newbie, where'd all those monsters go?"

"No clue."

We reached the basement relatively easily like that.

"...Newbie, you sure she was really here?"

Estelle's underground prison.

We got there, but Estelle was gone.

"What the."

"Disciple, were you looking for me?"

"Kyaaah!"

Hermit jumped in fright and fell on her butt.

I got so startled I leaped three meters into the air and hit the ceiling!

Because Estelle, who I thought was surely chained, was free.

It was like facing a raging tiger up close.

I nudged Hermit's side and whispered very, very quietly.

"...Do NOT provoke her no matter what! I'll handle it...!"