Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Infamy and Fame
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Those fools, why'd they have to freak out that much?
Do we look that scary?
I haven't even unleashed the Rolling Radiant Shadow Flame combo yet.
Anyway, things went according to plan, and I'm pretty proud of that.
We chased off the creeps lurking around here and even looted their pouches.
Of course, it would've been better if it were those adventurers from last time, but it probably doesn't make much difference.
"Swoosh!"
Swoosh seems pretty pleased with himself too, having done his part.
He Swooshes in front of me, but sometimes he pulls off moves like that Lace thing from earlier.
"Hm, they were frailer than expected. To flee at the mere sight of my form."
Muna...
Exceeded my expectations with his performance.
Honestly, he probably deserves the most credit for them hightailing it like that.
A big crow and a ghost make for a somewhat lacking combo.
But add Kiwi's cries on top?
Now it's complete.
The Three-Headed Hound of Hell.
...Of course, it was all for show. Kiwi's cry alone probably would've gotten the same reaction.
Even I jump sometimes at the sound of Muna's screech.
"Kweek! Kweek kweek kweek!"
What the heck, all of a sudden?
Talk in that deep, resonant voice like usual.
Kiwi gazed at me with those soulful eyes.
His usual pitch-black eyes and beak, but now I could read that expression.
Muna was playing a prank, in his own way.
Proof that we're getting closer, I suppose.
Though I still don't get him most of the time.
"Swoosh!"
Swoosh pointed at the dropped loot.
Yeah, you're turning just like me, huh?
Picking up feathers I missed, and making sure I don't forget by pointing it out again—such a good boy.
His color's even starting to match mine, so he's blending in more and more.
"Swoosh?"
Now's time for settling accounts.
"Caw caw."
I poked through their packs a few times with my beak.
"Hrm, what a shabby fate. Like the winter fields of Mashiro."
The Sage was spot on.
No, what kind of luggage is this?
They could've learned a thing or two from that last adventurer party.
How do you show up empty-handed when there's a dishonest bird like me around?
Forget silver gear—at least bring some silver coins!
"Caw."
Not satisfied.
Come to think of it, those guys seemed off from the moment they arrived.
A little disappointing, sure, but you gotta learn to be content with what you get.
At least we scored some sausages and bread—food supplies.
Not a bad haul in the small stuff.
While we were out this far anyway, we grabbed the wine too and headed back to the mansion.
That's when we were slowly savoring the bread and sausages, holding a not-quite-debate about our next performance—
[Sub-quest has been updated.]
Did those guys we just scared off go blab to someone? The quest updated.
That came quicker than expected.
How fast did they run?
Let's check it out first.
We went a bit over-the-top scaring the humans this time specifically to complete this quest.
【Skarnas's Giant Crow】
Your sightings have increased.
Complete the quest when Infamy or Fame reaches a certain level.
Your Infamy is somewhat high.
Your Fame is somewhat low.
Rewards:
Max Infamy: 「Ominous Aura」 Enhancement
Max Fame: 「Sacred Aura」 Creation
"Caaaw...?"
Looks like a lot's changed.
Probably because I boosted my influence past a certain point.
To sum up the current quest: scaring people raised my Infamy.
Obviously.
That's exactly what I was going for.
But the new rewards? That wasn't part of the plan.
Ominous Aura—what is that?
Isn't it one of the penalties I picked for this character?
Like Eternal Night or Shabby Start.
And it can get enhanced?
Doesn't strengthening a penalty spell disaster?
Should I switch to building Fame now?
...Too late for that, probably.
*
It was a gruesome sight.
"Agh... ugh..."
Two men lay on cots, foaming at the mouth.
They were the Adventurer Guild's elites.
Not frontline fighters, but top-notch scouts.
Sending just the two on recon had seemed feasible.
The branch manager knew their evasion skills were unmatched.
So he'd thought—what kind of being could do this to them in Skarnas?
"Hey, what's wrong with these guys? What got 'em? Can you heal them?"
The branch manager addressed the healer examining them.
"Well... no physical issues."
"No physical issues? Then why are they like this?!"
"At this point... all I can say is mental trauma."
"Aghk... aaak... Aghma..."
Mental trauma.
That was the real problem.
What kind of entity leaves the body intact but shatters the mind?
"Did it steal their souls or something?!"
"Not sure on details, but no. Just extreme fright. Though the symptoms are severe..."
Fright alone causing this.
The branch manager pressed his temples.
"Saw... it..."
One adventurer stirred, desperately trying to speak.
"Hey! Spit it out clearly! What'd you see?!"
Lucky break.
A clue on Skarnas's entity.
"Ugh... th-three... heads..."
"Three heads? You mean a hellhound?"
"Bl-black bird... horrific... cry..."
Thud.
The adventurer passed out.
"Byornuuuuh!"
The branch manager called his name in grief.
"He's fine. Just fainted."
Good, not dead.
A bit embarrassing, but not the priority.
"...Jack! Fetch Sir Bertolt right now! We have our first real lead."
Intel acquired.
Three-headed black bird.
Unheard-of combo, but it explained the mental breakdown.
Beyond his paygrade—time to call in the paladin expert.
"Yes sir, on it!"
Jack bolted for the chapel.
Urgency played a part, but so did personal curiosity.
Emerald Paladin Bertolt.
Who wouldn't be curious?
As the branch manager's aide, Jack got close access.
Which only fueled his questions.
Bertolt never removed his helmet. Not once.
Many knights skipped armor indoors, but always ditched the helm.
Emerald paladins were called weirdos, but even for meals?
Jack burned to know why.
No mere aide would ever learn, but curiosity couldn't hurt.
Such thoughts carried him to the chapel.
"Sir Bertolt! The branch manager..."
He flung open the door to Bertolt's room.
"Uh... ughk..."
Jack saw it.
Bertolt without his helmet.
The face he'd wondered about.
A sight that made him doubt his eyes.
Bertolt slowly raised his head, hand on his sword hilt.
"You saw?"
"Ah... I..."
Speechless.
Jack grasped nothing of how to handle this.
The reason Emerald paladins never unhelmed—was this?
And he'd witnessed it.
"So? What of it?"
Bertolt stared with cold, emotionless eyes.
As if a wrong word meant instant decapitation.
"Ugh... urk..."
Jack chose silence.
Or rather, indescribable terror sealed his tongue.
"This unholy wretch!"
BOOM!
A massive impact crashed onto Jack's crown.
Lucky it was a holy book, not the sword.
A blade would've bisected him.
Not that the book left him unscathed.
The chapel floor cratered; Jack embedded in it.
"A revelation has come."
Bertolt glared at the fainted Jack, then donned his helmet.
"Wicked witch and hellspawn bird. As a servant of the divine, they must be purged!"
Knight of Emerald, clad in golden plate.
Harboring a secret none knew, he swore upon his blade.
"Tonight, I, Bertolt, join the hunt."
To avenge the poor sod in the floor—for surely that bird caused this.
Emerald paladins were all oddballs.
Bertolt especially so.