Chapter 191
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: Stage 30 - Lv. 875 Dwarf Kingdom (4)
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Jenny arrived at her lodging utterly drained.
It had been a battle lasting over twelve hours.
There had been a horrifying number of chimeras. An equal number of dwarves. It had taken hours just to claw their way out of the city in a desperate bid to survive.
And Jenny had to kill them all.
Dried blood had been drenched in fresh blood, only for more blood to cake over it again.
Flesh and gore had mingled and hardened all over her body.
She had no idea how many times she'd rolled across the ground. Even when her limbs wouldn't obey her and she couldn't muster proper strength in her hands and feet, she'd kept fighting.
It wouldn't have been strange if she'd died not dozens, but hundreds or thousands of times.
The only reason Jenny was still alive was that the man with the music box had interfered with the enemies at every critical moment.
It was a battle unlike any she'd experienced back in her tutorial days, flailing desperately just to survive.
Since she'd just respawn anyway upon death, she might have found solace in simply letting go rather than fighting so desperately.
Even after scrubbing herself thoroughly, the metallic stench of blood wouldn't fade.
When she went to report their return as party leader, the national mage on duty had vomited at the sight.
She barely remembered how she'd made it back to her lodging.
Fortunately, it was late at night, so the streets were mostly empty. The same went for the corridors of her short-term rental in the city center.
For some reason, that felt like a relief.
Jenny flung open the door to her party's room, a mix of exhaustion and adrenaline surging through her.
"Logan! Today was really..."
Then she saw the empty room and realized.
Her party had already disbanded.
Logan had probably gone to the house that he and Jenny had loaned money to help the previous dealers buy.
Jenny and Logan had planned to live there together someday when they retired.
Unlike the two human dealers who'd stubbornly stuck to their race, fairies and dwarves had long lifespans.
Once those two dealers grew old, married, retired, and eventually passed away from old age, that's when they would retire.
"I see."
She'd known Logan was a coward at heart.
That was why his weapon was a chain scythe—its reach was exceptional for a warrior's weapon.
He'd chosen to tank because sturdy strength-based warriors rarely died easily.
His dwarf friend hadn't wanted a new adventure either.
He was perfectly content with his life so far.
He even feared adventure.
So he'd left.
They'd clashed over minor things in the past.
Jenny had wanted more adventure. Hunting low-level beasts for a steady living was stable but boring.
Honestly, it didn't pay much either.
It was a life hard to satisfy any ambition.
Still, Jenny understood Logan.
So she'd gone alone.
Given the circumstances, if neither had shown up... it would have been hard for both Jenny and Logan to come out unscathed.
Orgel's gaze had said as much.
That was probably why he hadn't said anything about Logan's absence.
Jenny had become the chosen hostage in exchange for letting him go.
Logan's apology had carried that meaning too.
The empty room held no warmth. In all her years as an adventurer and an exile, she'd rarely felt so chilled.
Shivering in the dawn chill of spring, she stripped off her gear. Now, no one would complain if she tossed it on the floor.
Her armor clanged onto the worn wooden floorboards.
She paused as she went to unfasten the spare weapons at her waist.
They'd all reached zero durability and vanished.
Every weapon she'd brought in had been consumed there.
"That was almost my entire fortune... But it was impressive."
The tasks she had to do, and what would happen as a result.
All of it had terrified her at first. But in the next instant, Jenny was captivated by that power.
A colossal dwarf city that must have housed millions.
It lay crumbling and burning before her eyes.
She knew what this place was.
Server 43 was her party's home server, and as exiles, they often interacted with the continent's natives.
It was a great nation, renowned for producing exceptional gear.
A superpower that had won multiple wars.
And it had vanished today.
For the first time, Jenny understood what it meant to be called a ranker among exiles.
You couldn't gain such power just by living diligently.
How many fierce, grueling battles like today's had they overcome?
How many times had they brushed death just to barely reach the next staircase?
Jenny felt she'd been tested.
And when Orgel suggested she switch guilds, she felt she'd passed.
Those emotions, that thrill from then, finally slipped from her lips now.
"So this is a ranker's life. The life of those exiles up above..."
Of course, Jenny knew.
This was nothing but tremendous luck.
Orgel had shown her extraordinary kindness.
For him, it had truly been a path walked risking his life.
Yet he'd made it far easier for her.
"Still..."
Jenny had seized the opportunity.
The next day, Jenny slept until afternoon before opening her eyes.
Her first task was heading to her guild house to announce her withdrawal.
The Grove Fairy handling duties looked puzzled but didn't try to stop her.
[Butterfly's Dance] was a mid-tier guild of fairies, somewhat well-known.
Losing one leaf fairy dual-wielder wasn't a big deal.
After withdrawing at the guild stone, Jenny applied to the new guild [Angel's Tears] and immediately canceled her lodging contract.
Then, to make the best first impression on the other members, she cleaned herself up. She took a long bath for the first time in ages and bought new gear after scraping together every coin.
She'd looted plenty of valuable items. Converting them to cash was quick, and she had no shortage of funds.
If anything would be in short supply for Jenny from now on, it would be her resolve.
With that, the cat-eared dual-wielder left the city district for the northern slums.
Even though an entire party had vanished overnight, the city center bustled as usual.
"Who's this?"
Remi asked.
I answered.
"New vice captain."
"Oh..."
Jenny looked flustered.
"Um, Mr. Orgel?"
"If I handed you a golden opportunity, you pay the price, right?"
The most important thing was that Hiu, I, and even the little one needed at least minimal leveling, along with the other members.
We needed enough power to suppress any ranker who attacked.
For a while, our title of [King of the Northern Slums] from Priest Henry and the angel's racial presence would serve as deterrence.
But impact fades over time, and eventually, idiots with other ideas would emerge.
In the end, we needed a few more people.
It didn't have to be Jenny. But an exile showing that upward ambition had value.
Surprisingly few exiles challenge from the start.
Most begin with this mindset.
Jenny glanced around, her resolute expression from entering the guild house completely shattered.
"This is way different from what I expected..."
What had she expected? She looked like a fresh recruit on her first day.
Long life sharpens petty observation skills.
The dual swords on her back weren't scavenged junk from the dwarf kingdom.
They were pristine mass-produced goods from the kingdom's industry.
The engraved guild mark was from a place famous for luxury in Hardrock.
Her armor gleamed new. Another luxury mass-produced item.
And her entry pose was stiff as a board.
I recalled her lazily napping before entering the lift. That boldness hadn't been enough to endure yesterday.
Good.
Fear had been etched into her.
I was her object of terror and her sole lifeline to salvation.
Jenny betraying me was unlikely.
I left her to Remi. Our nominal guild master was Remi.
Jenny's expression cycled through surprise, fear, resignation, and determination upon learning that.
Remi seemed to grasp it quickly from her look.
"Hey, newbie, let's get to work."
For some reason, she exuded an aura of boss-like gravitas that even tempted me for a moment.
Truly skilled in deception and bluffing. My eye for talent is spot-on.
I gave her a thumbs-up and headed to Hiu's room.
After wheedling the council members and arriving late at the mansion, Hiu wasn't asleep yet.
Angels don't need much sleep. She just retained her human mental habits after becoming one.
But that wasn't why Hiu was awake.
She was staring blankly at the night sky.
This was good too. If she hadn't been affected at all by yesterday, that would be the real problem.
I stayed with her until she fell asleep. The racial difference made hugging awkward.
She probably barely slept, but rest still reboots the mind.
The door was already slightly ajar. For ventilation, maybe. Inside, our cute angel was looking in the mirror...
What a familiar scene.
"Mm. Uhmm. Mm-hmm. It does feel a bit snug, maybe."
Time alters proportions even without powers or magic. That's why they call it relative.
Right now, I had to focus more than ever in my life. Drawing on all my assassin know-how, I slipped out silently.
A different issue from that killer sexy pose last time.
How embarrassed would she be if she knew?
Fortunately, I wasn't caught.
Hiu was downcast and had some nightmares.
It was less overcoming it and more just accepting it, greeting morning in that mental state.
The fact that the little one was truly unaffected helped.
A torrent of thoughts swirled in her mind. Even in dreams.
She already had ways to rationalize it and the resolve prepared long ago.
But when it actually hit, it wasn't easy.
Even though she'd avoided direct bloodshed, sticking to indirect kills via destruction.
Her mood was similar upon waking. She happened to notice her bundle by chance.
A crude sack she'd carried steadily since near the first floor.
More bundle than backpack, but patched up over time, it had served well.
Rustic like a peddler's pack, but sturdy.
She rummaged absentmindedly. Inside were pretty stones—no gem value, just pretty enough to keep.
A handkerchief Uncle made, some clothes, including a dress.
A scarf and gloves from the snowy theme starting at floor 6. No use for them now.
Angels were immune to most environmental factors.
Then, at the very bottom, she found a familiar item.
The labyrinth outfit she'd first worn after her school uniform burned in Trdongt's lightning.
The fairy priestess attire from the second floor fairy she'd killed. Cheerful and cute like a fairy's garb, but folded away after getting her fairy priestess robes.
Why hadn't she thrown it out? Because it was pretty.
She'd thought Uncle might find it cute.
The sleeves and legs had needed folding.
The chest was so loose she'd needed ties to secure it.
What about now?
On impulse, she pulled it out and shook it off. Buried so long, it was wrinkled, but as fairy-made, it hadn't creased much.
No wonder fairies were favored. To exiles from a magic-less world, they were inherently mystical.
She shook out the now-nostalgic clothes and tried them on.
Even fully extending the folded sleeves, they fit perfectly. The fluttering skirt had fit her waist back then. It still did.
Her growth since first wearing it had lowered the world a bit relative to her height.
So her perspective had to change too.
Standing by Uncle's side as a fellow exile.
And one small joy: no need for chest ties anymore.
The skirt draped more vibrantly now, not saggy like before.
The chest even felt a tad tight.
Was it her imagination? She touched it.
"Mm. Uhmm. Mm-hmm. It does feel a bit snug, maybe."
She sensed someone approaching the door.
Hiu froze stiff.
Her face flushed hot.
She felt Uncle erasing his presence so thoroughly even angelic senses struggled.
He'd done it too well to be sure if he'd turned back.
"Uh, u-uhhh, yeah, not really something to wear around. Where'd I put it? Needs washing anyway."
After acting natural alone for a while, she realized Uncle had slipped away long ago.
"G-good, great. At least now I can't think of anything else."
Positive thinking. Positive thinking.
She hadn't worn body-hugging clothes recently.
Even after her height stopped growing, the sudden body changes were recent.
Did it make Uncle's heart race?
No way, she sighed.
Sometimes he seemed asexual. Mid-twenties body, yet why?
Phew, that was close to death.
An angel's strike is no joke. An undead who can't use potions might really die.
Acting oblivious, I went to the little one and discussed shortcomings in her recent Meteor Swarm barrage.
Her theory was still lacking. But she covered it with innate talent.
Theory just aids sensation anyway.
Ask a true prodigy, and they'll say instinct every time.
The effort to embody that instinct depends on talent.
The little one walked extreme shortcuts.
No mind map, but magic was paradoxically the least dependent on it.
That's why mages could be NPCs.
The slum temple was running smoothly now, so I should check with the goddess for precise scans.
Random NPCs' skills weren't always predictable.
Suddenly, points poured in. Time to power up.
I considered unique skill candidates. Then I'd need to meet their conditions.
Leveling had to continue too.