Chapter 117: Chief, You’re Amazing!
“You’re requesting discharge? Understood.”
The celestial shaman who operated Wings of the Sky granted permission in less than five seconds after meeting me.
Perhaps because everything happened too quickly, Marlin blinked blankly.
“…Can you really decide that so casually?”
“I’ve already done everything I can.”
The celestial healer brushed back her disheveled hair.
“The remaining artifact side effects are beyond my ability to touch. If you rest enough, you’ll recover soon.”
“How long should he rest?”
“About five years.”
“……”
The penalty from the Ritual Usurper truly was heavy.
Eradra, the White Jade Hand Guild Master who had used the artifact once like I had, was probably groaning somewhere right about now.
‘Maybe I should bring her some medicine later.’
For some reason she seemed to dislike me, so giving a gift might improve the relationship.
As the greatest artisan in Pletika, it would not hurt to become friendly with her.
Coincidentally, I also knew something dragonbloods tended to like.
“Thank you for treating me. I’ll take my leave now.”
After bowing to the celestial healer, I headed toward the Ashen Wolf Guild headquarters together with the siblings.
“That’s the Golden Crow.”
“It really is.”
“He looks scarier in person…”
“Don’t get close!”
Perhaps because the guild war had ended only recently, intense attention poured in throughout the walk.
“That’s correct. I am Kar, cultist of the Twisted Truth.”
I waved cheerfully with a bright smile, but the citizens quietly avoided my eyes.
It was a response that deeply wounded the fragile heart of a cultist.
“Do you two know why they won’t return my greeting?”
“…Probably because you smiled.”
“Why would my refreshing smile cause that?”
“Ah, never mind.”
Marlin openly gave up, and Abel silently shook his head.
In the end, without discovering the problem, we arrived at the Ashen Wolf Guild headquarters.
Buzz, buzz.
Noisy conversation spilled out from the building shaped like a wolf’s head.
The banquet had already begun.
When we entered with the siblings leading the way, the guild members gathered on the tavern-like first floor all turned to look at us.
“Greetings. The adorable and talented cultist Kar has arrived.”
“……”
After my cheerful greeting, silence fell.
Why?
“Oh, tribesman Kar! The hero of our guild war victory has arrived!”
A booming voice shattered the stillness.
The one who broke the quiet atmosphere was Brunelda, the Northern Continent barbarian vice guild master, seated at the central table together with the other vice guild masters.
“Kar!”
“You’re here.”
Dran and Rai, who had also participated in the guild war, greeted me warmly.
Only then did the ordinary guild members begin loudly showering me with greetings.
“Thank you, Golden Crow!”
“You were incredible!”
“Though honestly you were a little scary!”
Receiving the gratitude pouring in from all directions with satisfaction, I asked casually,
“Would anyone here like to embark on a journey of knowledge in search of the Twisted Truth?”
“……”
The guild members who had been chatting noisily instantly fell silent.
They began avoiding my gaze as well.
“Sir Dran?”
“…I serve someone who fights with fanatical fervor, so that’s not possible.”
“What about you, Sir Rai?”
“You know very well what happens when an elf worships an Evil God…”
In the end, not a single guild member expressed interest in embracing faith in Lady Ridni.
《Bitter information: Since the guild war, not a single intelligent being has newly become a believer. The same is true for the other minor Evil Gods.》
It was a disappointing result.
I had shown outstanding performance in the guild war and even promoted enthusiastically—yet nothing had changed.
《Correction: Okail gained a few followers.》
It seemed the utility of Change had left such a strong impression that the Mysteries of other Evil Gods appeared comparatively unimpressive.
“Kar tribesman, come sit here quickly! I left a seat for you!”
Brunelda patted the seat beside her.
The vice guild masters and Moon Expedition members were seated at the same table, and three chairs were empty for the siblings and me.
“Did you rest well, Chief.”
As soon as I sat down, a powerful hand thumped my shoulder repeatedly.
“Khahaha! Our Kar tribesman is just too cute!”
“Yes, I am fairly cute. But could you stop hitting my shoulder? It feels like it may dislocate.”
Thump thump thump!
While I fluttered about from the impacts, Pendrick, seated on Brunelda’s right, waved his hand enthusiastically.
Perhaps due to his natural friendliness, he had already grown close to Brunelda, whose scar-covered barbarian arm was draped over his shoulder.
“Leeeader! The guild war was amazing!”
Judging from his slightly slurred pronunciation, he had already had several drinks.
“Honestly, I couldn’t help worrying at first. Guild wars only involve high-level explorers, right? And our leader is still only Level 4. I wondered if you could handle it. But at the same time, I couldn’t help feeling excited too…”
Chatter chatter.
An overwhelming stream of words poured out.
“…Enough.”
When the story reached “the thrill when our leader perfectly deceived the vice guild master of the White Jade Hand Guild,” Bartimir clamped a hand over the genius swordsman’s mouth.
Then he said brightly,
“I’m glad Mom is safe!”
“……”
The surrounding tables fell silent all at once.
“How’s your head? I heard you used an artifact that causes serious mental damage, so I was worried.”
“Please be at ease. Kar’s mind is perfectly normal as always.”
“But since it was never normal to begin with, perhaps there was no need to worry.”
“Pardon? What does that mean?”
“You’re asking that seriously…?”
Bartimir avoided answering and continued,
“We were training earlier. Watching the guild war made us realize how far we still fall short compared to high-level explorers.”
“I felt the same.”
Pendrick agreed with a refreshing smile.
Their attitudes were commendable, so I told them a well-intentioned white truth.
“That’s correct. If you had participated, you probably wouldn’t have even reached the deep area before being eliminated.”
All explorers in the guild war were Level 6 veterans or higher.
Even if soul rank and physical abilities were equalized, our members lacked the experience to compete.
“You must strive harder from now on. After all, you are members of the Moon Expedition led by Kar.”
Once the guild war results spread to other districts, I would likely become the most famous rising explorer in Pletika.
Which also meant the probability of becoming a target for outlaws would increase.
“Then we must be more careful when entering labyrinths.”
Lucius, who had been silent, smiled faintly.
“Kar rarely conducts ordinary explorations as it is. Now the threat of outlaws has been added as well.”
“So that makes it even more exciting, correct?”
“……”
The sleepy-eyed priest quietly turned his head aside.
“Kar really is a unique person!”
Yallen, the Western Continent dwarf vice guild master, said cheerfully while drinking milk.
《Translation: No matter how I think about it, you’re really a strange guy.》
“You certainly are unusual.”
Vice guild master Dilmo the gnome smirked and rested his chin on the table.
《Vice Guild Master Dilmo (Underground Gnome, 52). Extremely intelligent, yet his class is a martial artist who fights with his body—an odd little fellow. Don’t even talk to him or you’ll catch the weirdness!》
Except for Rigobert, who was killed by the Schemer, all vice guild masters were gathered here.
Normally they were far too busy with duties and explorations to assemble together like this.
‘Perfect timing.’
I intended to ask each vice guild master for a favor.
Since I had contributed greatly to the guild war victory, they would hardly be able to refuse.
“Chief.”
I called Brunelda, who usually granted most requests made by her “tribesmen.”
“Ah, right! I had something to say to Kar tribesman!”
However, the straightforward barbarian vice guild master beat me to it, thumping my shoulder.
“Our vice guild masters will grant one wish each!”
“…Brunelda?”
“What?”
Yallen frowned while drinking milk.
Dilmo did not look particularly enthusiastic either.
“If it weren’t for Kar tribesman, we wouldn’t have won! We should at least show this much goodwill!”
“The Guild Master is already planning to reward him…”
“Sometimes people must act on impulse instead of calculating gains and losses. Only then can one escape the chronic fatigue that builds up from constantly focusing on ‘doing the right thing’!”
Clap clap clap!
It was a remark so profound that I instinctively applauded.
“As expected of Chief!”
“Chief, you’re amazing!”
Pendrick, who had already become Brunelda’s tribesman, joined me in applause and praise.
“Khaha! You two pretty ones really know how to speak nicely!”
Brunelda laughed heartily while patting the shoulders of her tribesmen on both sides.
Dilmo shrugged with a faint chuckle.
“Well, as long as the request isn’t unreasonable. It’s undeniable that he accomplished something great.”
“That’s exactly what I meant! Yallen, what about you?”
“…I’ll participate as well.”
The embodiment of generosity.
The pinnacle of boldness.
Brunelda wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
“Now tell us your wishes! Even if you demand all our wealth, I might grant it right now!”
“You truly are a hero.”
I spoke shyly while leaning in Brunelda’s embrace.
“First, I would like Brunelda to become the swordsmanship mentor of Pendrick, the genius swordsman of our expedition.”
“Our Pendrick tribesman?”
Brunelda glanced at the young man.
“He certainly has remarkable talent… no, tremendous talent. Calling him a genius swordsman isn’t exaggerated.”
The barbarian vice guild master nodded firmly while thumping Pendrick’s back.
“Good! Since it’s Kar tribesman’s request and teaching him seems worthwhile, I have no reason to refuse!”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you as well! To think the famous ‘Rhinoceros of the Northern Continent’ will become my master! My father will be thrilled!”
While Pendrick celebrated, Astrimia’s sword spirit trembled slightly in his lover’s arms.
That was the dance she performed when happy.
She seemed pleased that Pendrick would finally learn proper sword Mysteries.
“I would like to make similar requests to the other two as well.”
I turned toward the two shorter vice guild masters.
“Yallen, please teach the illusion-type Mystery you often use to my ward, the thief Marlin.”
Yallen’s martial Mystery Rabbit Division.
I intended for Marlin to learn the high-performance Mystery that summoned clones identical to the user.
“Me this time?”
Marlin tilted her head while devouring meat.
“But I already learned excellent Mysteries recently.”
“A thief must learn many different Mysteries. Especially you.”
A tiger beastman thief was a jack-of-all-trades.
She needed strong fundamentals in every field to become truly versatile.
“Alright. I’ll teach her well!”
Yallen accepted the request readily.
At least outwardly.
Inside he might think differently, but no dwarf would stoop to competing with a child’s pride.
“Who will I take?”
Dilmo the gnome grinned with interest.
“Dilmo, please teach martial arts to Bartimir, the kind-looking demon over there.”
“I’m fine with that.”
Bartimir accepted instantly without doubt, as his trust in me had already surpassed the ceiling.
That was my daughter.
“…Wait. Isn’t he a dark mage?”
“That’s correct.”
“And you want him to learn martial arts?”
“Yes. Though he is a dark mage, his primary weapons are fists and feet.”
“……”
Dilmo blinked blankly at Bartimir.
“What are you looking at?”
“…This won’t be easy. But fine. If I’m doing it, I’ll do it properly.”
Thus Pendrick, Marlin, and Bartimir each gained a martial Mystery to learn.
The ceremony granting District 3 administrative rights to the guild war winners would be held in five days.
If they trained hard until then, they should learn enough.
It would be difficult, but life was always difficult anyway.
“Now then, shall we enjoy the banquet?”
I had just taken a spoonful of soup.
“Sir Kar.”
I turned at the voice calling me.
An elf wearing clothing bearing the wolf emblem stood there.
《Elvira, secretary of Targon (Jewel Elf, 859). I cannot read precise information due to the gap in rank, but you already know what kind of elf she is anyway.》
“Greetings, Lady Elvira.”
“A pleasure.”
Elvira bowed slightly and said,
“The Guild Master is waiting. He would like to settle accounts immediately.”
It seemed he intended to grant the promised reward right away.
A decisive act befitting a supreme warrior.
“Understood. Shall we go?”
It was time to become a perfectly legal thief and thoroughly empty the Ashen Wolf Guild treasury.