2. Blind Ju Cheong-ah
Near the city, in the adjacent forest. I walked the familiar forest path, letting out a deep sigh.
"Hoo... "
How the hell did things end up like this? I definitely hadn't planned on any of it.
"Oh my, why the long face on such a fine day, Ian? Sighing like that is bad luck, you know. It chases away your fortune."
Ju Cheong-ah, walking a short distance behind me, drew closer with a smile. The way she lightly covered her mouth with her hand somehow looked seductive. I glanced at her and nodded slightly.
"...Sorry about that."
"Hmm... I was just trying to be friendly with a little joke, and you brush it off. That's harsh. We agreed you'd speak casually with me, but you're still so stiff."
"Haha... Well..."
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly, recalling what had happened just moments ago. The moment Karen handed me Ju Cheong-ah's request, right after she'd asked me to form a party with her.
"P-Party...?"
I stared at Ju Cheong-ah, dumbfounded, my voice blank. She nodded firmly.
"Yes, a party. As I mentioned, since I'm blind, no one's willing to take me into theirs."
"No, I mean..."
She wasn't even an adventurer yet—just here for the newbie exam. What party was she talking about? As my confusion showed on my face, Karen, who'd been quietly standing by, explained.
"Um, Ian. If a senior adventurer affiliated with the guild proctors a newbie's exam, there's now a clause requiring them to form a party with that newbie and operate together for at least a few months."
"What?"
Was there such a thing? I'd never heard of it. Back in my day, it was a joke—you took the exam fee, wandered the forest in circles, came back with a "pass" slip, and boom, you were an adventurer.
"The guild's upper echelons started talking about adventurer recruitment standards lately. With complaints about recent adventurers' skills popping up everywhere, it was implemented around last year. To stop just anyone from joining willy-nilly..."
"Ah..."
I pressed my lips together silently. It felt like I was lumped in with those "recent adventurers" they were complaining about. Couldn't even take down a single goblin, after all.
"So, Ian, would you party up with me?"
"Well..."
If it was just proctoring the exam, I'd have jumped at it. Fifteen silver coins for a simple adventurer test? Passing up a request screaming "easy money" would be idiotic.
But forming a party changed everything. I... sank into thought.
I was talentless. A so-called adventurer in name only, scraping by on gathering quests day to day. And Ju Cheong-ah was blind. No idea where she'd gotten fifteen silvers from, but...
Actually, I had a pretty good guess. Three years in this world had sharpened my instincts.
Her clothes were worn, frayed from long travel. But the fabric still held its unmistakable luxury sheen. And those shoes—simple floral slippers at a glance, but spotless, unworn by dirt or wear.
...Probably enchanted high-end goods.
Putting it together, Ju Cheong-ah was likely some sheltered young lady from a noble house in Yuldo, the homeland she'd chattered about so excitedly. A runaway spoiled girl?
One nagging question, though, from the rumors I'd picked up over three years here: Yuldo was far—really far—from here. How had a lone blind woman made it all the way?
...Whatever. It didn't matter. With the party clause, I planned to turn down the request anyway. Even regular adventurers dodged these; no way a useless eternal Iron Badge hack like me could handle it.
Truth be told, fifteen silvers tempted me. Her blindness tugged even harder at my heartstrings. With that much...
Yeah, no point hiding it. I'd considered scamming the fee. Take the money and ditch her somewhere. She was blind, wouldn't know my face. Sure, she knew my name, but so what? Who finds someone by name and voice alone? Change the name, done.
With fifteen silvers, new life. Quit this shitty adventurer gig. Buy land and a house in some backwater village, farm. Or become a peddler, hauling goods town to town.
...But apparently, I still had a conscience.
"I'll pass."
"Okay, then... Huh? Wait, why? Is the pay too low? I heard fifteen silvers is more than enough."
"N-No, it's not the money..."
I laid it all out honestly: how other adventurers treated me at the guild, everything.
...How I was incompetent, a worthless scrap of trash.
Plus, her being blind...
"So, partying's out of the question."
Ju Cheong-ah listened quietly, then let out a soft pfft of laughter. It irked me a bit.
What, mocking me? I'd been dead serious...
"Why the laugh?"
"Sorry, Ian. It's just... hehe... I like you for it."
"...Pardon?"
"Think about it. I'm blind, right? As I said, and as you can see. Right?"
"Yeah."
"So, if you took the fee and ran, could I even catch you?"
Her words hit like a jolt—I flinched. She'd voiced the exact scheme I'd just mulled over.
"Hehe. That's why I like you, Ian. You're an adventurer who'd quit tomorrow if you could... yet you explain everything and turn me down straight."
"Still."
"Still what? Just one month. With me."
"One month?"
"Yeah. I like you, so one month. Party up for exactly that long. If you don't like me after... here."
She paused, slipping a hand into her hanbok's inner fold, pulling out a tiny silk-sewn pouch.
"Open it."
"Huh? This is...?"
Inside gleamed a few golden coins.
"Gasp..."
My breath caught.
...Gold.
Seeing my reaction, Ju Cheong-ah covered her upturned smile with her sleeve and said,
"Can't give you all the gold, but a few should do. What do you say? Tough it out with me for one month?"
"First things first, Cheong-ah needs to pass the guild's exam."
As we walked through the forest, I pulled out the guild's proctor request form. We'd agreed to party, but she had to pass the test first to even register.
"Right. What does it say?"
"...Hold on. Uh, well."
...I still couldn't read in this world. Lucky for me, I could understand speech upon arrival, but letters? Had to learn those. No money or time for lessons, though.
Thankfully, Karen had taught me a few words upfront: local herbs, monster names, body parts or materials for proof. Numbers matched my world's Arabic numerals, too—a fluke, but helpful.
The form had some familiar terms.
"Let's see... goblin ears... ten of them, looks like."
"Goblins? Hmm..."
"Something wrong?"
"Nah. Hey, Ian—know where goblins nest?"
"Yeah."
Had to, to avoid them while safely gathering herbs.
Ju Cheong-ah clapped happily.
"Perfect. Let's go."
"Wait, Cheong-ah. Knowing where they are doesn't mean we can fight them. I told you—I'm barely goblin-level myself."
"I know. I remember everything you said."
"...Thanks, I guess."
"Hehe... Don't worry. I won't make you fight goblins. Just look after yourself."
"Huh? What do you—"
Before I could ask, she shoved my back with both hands.
"Guide the way. Lead on, quick!"
"...Hah."
Screw it. At her urging, I headed toward the goblin village.
...
......
And then I knew.
-KUOOOOOOHHH!!!!
Today, my luck was utterly fucked.
Ah, that explained why things felt too smooth.