Chapter 53: No Going Back on Your Word
Chapter 53: No Going Back on Your Word
Pletika had trams that circulated through its six districts.
They were fairly comfortable transportation powered by Magic Stones.
Convenient, yes—but the fares were brutally expensive, making them difficult to ride casually.
Still, on a day when you earned a large sum of money, wasn’t it only right to indulge in some delightfully unplanned luxury and reckless spending?
“Oh, it’s quite fast.”
Pendrick smiled as he looked outside, Astrimia resting in his arms.
Beside him, I inhaled the last remaining portion of Abel’s “Flower Garden in the Lake.”
“Captain, how long will it take to reach District Six?”
“About twenty minutes.”
I had intended to relax until then, but black letters suddenly appeared before my eyes.
《I demand a thorough explanation. How do you know about the great monster of Nightmare Dungeon? I will uncover your secret this time!》
I brushed the letters away with my hand and continued drinking my tea, but Eye That Perceives Truth kept displaying new messages.
《:(》
《:(》
《:(》
If I left it alone, it looked ready to keep talking all day.
Every time I read one of the messages, my Mental Energy was slowly drained, making it a surprisingly effective method of conversation.
Reluctantly, I replied using a similar method.
[Stop.]
Faint letters made of flame appeared in the air.
It was flame craft using Sa · Yeom · Hwa.
Because Leria was so modest by nature, the divine power she granted was weak, so this was about the only way I could currently use the Mystery.
Squirm.
Suddenly my hand felt itchy.
When I looked down, the snake tattoo on my left arm was grinning.
Apparently the Lonely One—who had only two other believers besides me worth watching—liked my practical use of the Mystery.
《The Wise One is giggling, saying that such a pathetic usage suits the rotten-smelling Evil God’s Mystery perfectly.》
Crackle!
While the two Evil Gods mocked Lady Leria, the tram continued smoothly along its rails.
After some time—
“Let’s get off.”
We had arrived at District Six.
The station was located in the central plaza.
It was near the old library where I had once come with Abel and met the young master and his secretary.
“….”
Rosalia silently looked toward the only prosperous neighborhood in District Six that didn’t feel gloomy.
Astrimia, apparently now accustomed to this taciturn assassin’s body-language communication, attempted to guess the meaning.
—You mean we’re going that way, right?
“That’s correct. Let’s first report to Young Master Odilon, the financial officer of the Moon Expedition.”
At this hour, my wards would likely be diligently training at the mansion.
We headed straight there.
“Welcome.”
As if Rosalia had already informed him through the communication artifact Twin Link Fragment, the butler Sergius was waiting for us at the entrance.
“Kar!”
“You’ve come, Patron!”
The siblings must have been waiting as well.
Marlin and Abel ran toward me and threw themselves into my arms.
They were dressed so well that it was hard to imagine the ragged appearance they had when we first met.
Their appearance made me realize again the path I had chosen.
“Have you both been doing well?”
Using the advanced technique of vigorously rubbing both of their heads with my hands, I asked the question.
The siblings exchanged meaningful smiles.
“Of course! If you see how much we’ve improved, you’ll be so shocked you’ll fall over!”
“To be honest, we haven’t improved that much. But we did work quite hard.”
Though their levels of modesty differed, both were clearly satisfied with the results of their training.
How could they be this admirable?
“I brought you both presents.”
I took out the prizes I had exchanged at the casino from my subspace and placed them in their hands.
For Marlin: First Breath & Final Breath, the masterpiece-grade dagger, throwing knife, and storage belt set.
For Abel: Devouring Teeth, the kitchen knife.
Both were masterpiece-grade items, and even at a glance the quality was obvious.
The siblings’ eyes widened.
“Kar…! Thank you!”
Marlin’s tail wagged wildly.
“No need to thank me. I just picked yours up quickly when a blacksmith was about to throw it away.”
“Don’t lie!”
Yes, this was the reaction I liked.
The stimulating response I couldn’t get from the taciturn Rosalia.
“Hello?”
While Marlin shook my clothes excitedly, Pendrick and Astrimia greeted Abel.
“I’m Pendrick. And this is Astrimia.”
—Hello?
“…Is that beautiful sword speaking?”
—Hehe, young friend, you have a good eye!
It was an incredibly warm atmosphere.
“Hello, Mister Swordsman. I’m Marlin.”
“Nice to meet you. I suppose we’ll be seeing each other often from now on.”
“Me too!”
“And this is Astrimia. She and I are lovers.”
—Nice to meet you!
“…Lovers?”
As I nodded in satisfaction, the butler Sergius approached quietly.
“Is that the swordsman you planned to recruit?”
“That’s correct. What do you think?”
“His presence is certainly unusual. And that sword must be an artifact. He’s more promising than expected. The young master will be pleased.”
Even if he was pleased, the young master would probably only say something like ‘Not bad.’
“Lord Kar, Young Master Odilon has ordered that a welcoming banquet be prepared for the new expedition member. You’ve all worked hard, so please rest until dinner.”
“Hm, was that really the young master’s idea?”
There was no way that self-centered sociopath came up with it himself.
“In truth, it was my suggestion.”
“I thought so.”
“In any case, we’ve placed an artifact in the guest room that relieves fatigue. Please rest while Charlotte prepares the meal.”
It was a thoughtful gesture worthy of an experienced butler.
“Patron.”
At that moment, Abel stepped forward and clenched his fists confidently.
“During tonight’s meal, you’ll be able to taste the skill of a cook who has officially changed classes into a Chef.”
“Is that so?”
Few people had the privilege of tasting food prepared by their own ward.
“I’m truly looking forward to it.”
After patting Abel’s back, I went up to the guest room.
There was an artifact that looked suspiciously like a massage chair designed to relieve fatigue, so I immediately sank into it.
“Kar, since I’ve been training so hard, my movements are becoming more stealthy like a thief’s! If I fight a mage or artisan of the same level now, I’m confident I’ll never lose!”
Marlin pulled a chair beside me and chatted excitedly the whole time I rested.
Of course, it wasn’t annoying at all.
“My old skills were nothing compared to the other guild members. But now I’m the one leading the pack!”
How could it possibly be bothersome?
The girl who once wore an expression far too weary for her age was now this happy.
“Your effort has paid off.”
“That’s right!”
“But beating artisans when you’re a combat class isn’t exactly something to brag about.”
“But the butler said artisans can be formidable opponents too…”
“Some artisans are exceptions.”
As I talked with Marlin, evening arrived before we realized it.
“The banquet is prepared. Please follow me.”
Guided by the butler, we entered the dining room.
A long table fit for a noble family stood inside.
At the seat farthest from the entrance sat the master of the mansion.
“You’ve arrived.”
Odilon Brites.
The frail young master suffering from various illnesses was already sipping wine before the meal had even begun.
Behind him stood Rosalia like a shadow.
“Good evening, Young Master. I hope you’ve been well.”
“I wouldn’t say I’ve been healthy.”
“That makes sense.”
I sat beside the seat of honor on the right, and Marlin sat next to me.
Pendrick soon came down from the guest room.
The moment he entered the dining room, he smiled brightly and bowed to Odilon.
“Nice to meet you. You must be Young Master Odilon of the Brites family. I’m Pendrick.”
“So you’re the promising swordsman. Welcome.”
“I’m not sure about promising, but wouldn’t you say my appearance is rather charming?”
“Not really.”
“By the way, Young Master, your hair looks incredibly well cared for! Do you have any secret to maintaining it?”
……
The merciless friendliness bombardment of the trait Borderless Sociability briefly left the young master—who fundamentally distrusted human relationships—speechless.
“I smell something delicious already. Wow, my mouth is watering!”
“…Just sit down.”
Pendrick sat across from me.
Astrimia wiggled in his arms.
—Nice to meet you, Young Master. I’m Astrimia.
“Astrimia of Joy.”
—That’s right! And I’m currently in a passionate romantic relationship with Pendrick!
……
The young master, who regarded romantic relationships with cynicism, once again fell silent.
Zap!
The Exalted One—who had been excited by the presence of so many ‘excellent candidates for religious life’—laughed happily, enjoying the show.
“Heehee. The food is coming!”
Soon, the maid Charlotte entered with Abel, carrying dishes of food.
Every dish looked extraordinary.
“Oh….”
Pendrick stared in amazement.
Abel placed several vegetable dishes in front of me.
“All of these are prepared to suit an elf’s palate.”
“They look delicious.”
“You won’t be disappointed.”
“If I am disappointed, prepare to be teased mercilessly.”
“Yes.”
The experienced maid Charlotte quickly arranged dozens of dishes beautifully across the table.
“Now that the talented swordsman Pendrick has joined, the future looks promising. Let’s eat.”
With Odilon’s rather dull congratulatory speech, the banquet welcoming our new expedition member began.
There were no special events.
Just a lavish meal.
After tasting the food, my eyes widened instinctively.
“Abel, this is incredible. The vegetables are dancing on my tongue.”
“You flatter me.”
“Yes, that was flattery.”
“I thought so.”
“No, actually it’s really delicious.”
He had only recently become a cook, yet his skill had already reached this level.
It made me look forward to his future.
Abel’s food was excellent, but Charlotte’s cooking was on an entirely different level.
She was so skilled that Odilon’s mother had insisted on bringing her along when she was expelled from the family.
“I don’t think I can ever go to an ordinary restaurant again. Chef, you’re responsible for this.”
“Hmm, that’s exactly what the Madam used to say.”
Pendrick quickly became friendly with Charlotte as well, keeping the atmosphere lively with his natural conversational charm.
When the meal was nearly finished, I finally spoke.
“Members of the Moon Expedition. I have something important to say.”
Everyone’s attention turned toward me.
Marlin and Abel.
The household of the Odilon mansion.
Pendrick and Astrimia.
“I want to go all the way with all of you.”
The siblings who had once been destined to become sacrificial offerings in the Nest of the Sneaking Ghoul Pack now lived as my wards.
The lovers who were once doomed to be separated by a curse still leaned on each other now.
Fate could be changed.
And as a cultist, I would continue forging a new path.
But there was something I absolutely had to do.
“Don’t you think our numbers are still too small?”
The Moon Expedition was not yet complete.
“Our expedition will pursue two goals from now on. First, recruit talented individuals. Second, build our reputation through continuous labyrinth exploration.”
And there was one ultimate objective.
“Someday, we will conquer Nightmare Dungeon. If anyone lacks confidence, please raise your hand.”
Pendrick raised his hand with a cheerful smile, only to lower it after Astrimia scolded him.
No one else raised theirs.
Each of them simply showed their own determination and expectations.
“Good.”
Now that everyone shared the same ultimate goal, all that remained was to run forward.
“I’m going to keep running toward that goal without stopping. So even if things get difficult later—no going back on your word.”