Chapter 109: No Exceptions
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 109: No Exceptions
“You certainly learn fast across the board. You have good instincts, Aven.”
“Haha, is that so?”
Under Delbaheim’s guidance, I learned everything from the basic stance to the motions of a swing, how to apply force, and the proper way to cut. It made me realize all over again just how lethal and effective a weapon the sword really was.
To think I’d been slicing through monsters like butter even when I was swinging it however the hell I wanted... Now that I was learning properly, the sensation I felt when I first received that useless sword from Auntie seemed to be returning.
I felt a sense of omnipotence, as if I could kill eighty percent of the people walking around me in a single breath, but that feeling was accompanied by an equal amount of dread. I was currently standing right at the Peak of Foolishness.
In this world, many people learn the sword from childhood, so they might feel it less, but it’s different for someone like me who had never held a weapon in his life before picking up a blade. At first, just looking at an edge makes your knees shake.
“I take it you used a one-handed sword and a shield too, Delbaheim?”
“A one-handed sword and shield were the first armaments I mastered. There is no better equipment for an introduction to the craft.”
“The sword you were using before was different, though. It looked like a metal skewer.”
Delbaheim stepped back and reached into the air. Particles resembling bluish fireflies began to gather over her right hand.
—Flash!
“Yes, it is this.”
It was an estoc, slightly longer than a one-handed sword. It was a weapon completely specialized for thrusting, making slashing nearly impossible. If you didn’t look closely, it looked like an icicle made of semi-transparent blue ice.
“How do you fight with that? It looks like it would snap if you just tapped it.”
“I told you about my skill before, didn't I?”
“Ah, what was it again... Something about freezing things?”
It was slightly different from just freezing an opponent; it seemed to involve turning a target into ice of the same volume. No matter how hard the scales or how tough the hide, he could turn them into brittle ice that shattered easily.
Though there was a limit to the quantity he could affect, it was undoubtedly a powerful skill.
“Like this.”
Delbaheim approached a wooden training dummy standing nearby and froze a very thin section of its center.
—Clang!
“Wow.”
“This is generally how it works.”
When he thrust the tip of the thin estoc precisely into the frozen section, the wooden dummy split in half. Cutting a log in two is something anyone who has held a sword for a long time can do.
However, Delbaheim’s ability had the powerful effect of completely ignoring physical defense. I couldn't even imagine how strong she would be if she hunted monsters in earnest.
“With your skills, Delbaheim, couldn't you make it to the 5th Stratum alone?”
“Pfft... Not at all. I could reach the 3rd Stratum easily, but I wouldn't be able to go any higher.”
“Why? That’s lower than I expected.”
“In the end, I am also a living creature. I must consume calories to exert strength, and I must sleep to replenish my stamina for the next battle.”
He could probably manage the hunting part, but if he slept alone, he’d clearly become a meal for the giant creatures roaming the 3rd Stratum. They say humans are incredibly vulnerable while eating, too. I’d heard that not all twelve members of Scarlet Lotus were explorers specialized in combat.
Some were excellent at fortifying positions, while others were skilled at cooking. It seemed everyone had a designated role.
“I guess you really can't go deep into the Labyrinth alone.”
“It is nothing to be disappointed about. Rather, those limitations are what allow people to build deep bonds. A person who can do everything alone would have no need for interaction with others, would they?”
“That... is true.”
He was right. No matter how great a person is, how could they live entirely alone?
“Delbaheim, thank you for your help the other day.”
“It was a unique experience. It was nothing.”
* * *
“What’s this?”
I had entered the street in the Southwest where the Mounted Goat Inn was located, and I saw a strangely familiar head of hair in the distance.
Long, wavy hair with a slight orange tint. A woman with a small stature and a tiny face, her round eyes a deep sea-blue. Perhaps because they were reflecting the lamplight, they looked more vivid than usual.
“Ravi, what are you doing here?”
“Ah, Yoo Eon! Welcome! This is the Mounted Goat Inn, you know?”
When I approached and called her name, Ravi set aside the broom she was holding and gave me a bright smile. Of course I knew this was the front of the Mounted Goat Inn, but that wasn't what I was curious about.
“Did you get a job here?”
“Ahem! Of course not! I’m just helping out for a bit!”
“What about the appraisal office? It’s already dinner time.”
I wondered if she’d given up on the unprofitable appraisal office to choose the life of a wage earner at the Mounted Goat Inn, seeing as she’d swept the front yard so diligently. If she had the witch hat she used to wear, she looked like she could fly off on that broom.
“Ah, um... It’s a temporary closure! I need a vacation too!”
“Well, that’s true. But you’re working at the Mounted Goat Inn during your vacation?”
“You could say that! Vacations are nice, but I can't just play around aimlessly! Of course, I’m not exactly getting paid for this...”
“Then why?”
Ravi hesitated for a moment before proudly putting her hands on her hips.
“Ehem! I’ve become somewhat proficient with Trasforma now!”
“Ah, the cat thing.”
“Yes! Exactly. I’ve already succeeded three times since I went back to the appraisal office!”
If she’d only succeeded three times since the last time she showed me, wasn't the success rate incredibly low? I guess by Ravi’s standards, that counted as doing well.
“So, Walter decided to drop me off at the appraisal office after I transform into a cat.”
“Walter? Hmm...”
Walter was smart and listened well, but that was only to the extent of understanding what Tresha said. I wondered if Walter might see the cat-version of Ravi as prey.
“So, sweeping with the broom is the fee for using Walter as a carriage?”
“You could say that. Ehem.”
“Why do you look so proud?”
Sweeping the yard was originally Tresha’s job, but it seemed Ravi was doing it in exchange for using Walter as transport. But did Walter even know the location of the Sateria Appraisal Office? Or was Ravi going to act as a navigator while hanging onto him?
Anyway, fine. I had some business with Walter myself, so it would be good to observe him flying. Since I’d recently grown accustomed to using my Second Arm, I planned to practice flying after shaping it into wings.
“I’m back.”
“Ah. Yoo Eon, welcome back. You’ve been very busy lately.”
“I’m not that busy, but I have a few places I need to visit.”
I didn't used to know this many people. Meeting Delbaheim had become a regular part of my schedule. Unless I was planning to enter the Labyrinth, I met with her to receive swordsmanship lessons.
“Mm-hmm. What are you going to do about dinner tonight?”
“What did you do for dinner, Sera?”
“I’m sorry. I already ate.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. I came back late.”
It was already night, and the sky was dark. They say a healthy dinner time is around 6 PM, so the window for eating had long passed. As soon as I arrived, Sera tied the apron she had folded on the desk back around her waist. This made me feel even more apologetic.
“What about your father and Auntie?”
“Mom went into the bath first. I’m not sure where Dad went.”
“Is he out sleeping on the ground somewhere again?”
“Mmm... He’ll probably be back. Don't worry.”
Sera’s father was a problem; he’d drink and wander the streets whenever he had the chance, then pass out on the spot once he was full from snacks people gave him. Fortunately, he only wandered around this commercial district, so people coming into the inn would pick him up or let Sera know.
I knew he was a Cobalt-grade explorer, but I couldn't help but worry since he looked like a child.
After finishing the dinner Sera had prepared with care, Tresha, who had been resting in her room, finished preparations to send Ravi off.
“Now, Sister! Try transforming into a cat! I’ve trained Walter hard to take you to the Sateria Appraisal Office!”
“O-okay!”
Ravi prepared her magic with a grim expression. Tresha watched with an equally solemn look, while Sera looked on warmly. Auntie was also there, sitting with her chin in her hand and a disinterested expression. I was also on standby to properly observe Walter’s wing movements.
The Trasforma Ravi was casting wasn't a ‘magic to become a cat.’ Ravi had acquired the Magic Cat skill, so her original form was actually a cat. She had used magic to change into a human form once, and now she was reverting to her cat form.
After a long period of mental concentration, Ravi, who had her eyes squeezed shut, suddenly snapped them open and shouted.
“Trasforma!”
Flash—!
Ravi shouted the spell energetically while striking a cool pose in the center of the dining room, but...
“Ah! I failed! That was so close!”
“You failed? That’s too bad. It’s okay, you’ll do better next time.”
Tresha and Sera offered warm words of encouragement and courage, but there was no way Ravi could hear them right now.
“T-that... This... It works better when I do it at the appraisal office...”
Her face turned bright red. She’d said she was proficient, but this time she failed miserably. She slumped down, covering her face as if she wanted to crawl into a hole.
“Haha, Sister. It’s okay! You can just sleep here tonight!”
“S-should I...?”
Well, thanks to that, Ravi ended up sleeping in a fluffy bed, so it was a good result in its own way.
“Tresha, can you bring Walter to the backyard for a moment?”
“Huh? Is something wrong, Brother?”
“Walter’s flying well these days, right?”
“Of course! I think he’ll be able to carry Sera’s dad and fly once he gets a little bigger!”
“That much...?”
Walter had already become too heavy to perch on Tresha’s thin forearm. His wingspan looked to be nearly two meters, and the red feathers characteristic of an adult were clearly visible.
The name Red-Feathered Eagle Owl wasn't just for show.
“So? What is it, Brother?”
“Can Walter fly a bit right now?”
“Yes! He can if I tell him to.”
“Then I’d like to see him flying around the area slowly.”
“Ah, okay.”
When I went out to the backyard with Tresha, Walter waddled out. His duck-like waddle was cute, considering his size.
—Screee!
When Tresha put her finger to her lips and whistled loudly, Walter spread his wings wide and flapped powerfully, soaring into the sky.
“Oh.”
Owls are birds of prey. I’d heard that the way they flap their wings is different from ordinary birds, or maybe it was that their feathers were different. Anyway, I’d heard they make no sound and have very efficient wing movements.
You don't just go up by flapping a wide board quickly. I had to figure out how to use wings to push the air and gain definite buoyancy.
If I could just obtain the giant wings of another creature, this process might not be strictly necessary. However, I hadn't stored any wings large enough to lift my own body yet.
“Hmm, I see.”
“Why? Do you think you figured something out?”
“Walter flies well.”
“Right?”
Maybe I’d thought of it too simply. Aside from the fact that he flew well, I didn't understand a thing. It just looked like he was flapping, so how was he flying?
“Let’s train him later so we can use him to send letters if we need to.”
“I-I’ll try my best...”
“Good.”
He has to earn his keep. There are no exceptions, even for beasts.