6
Chapter 6
We couldn't even open our mouths at the self-introduction of the man wearing fancy clothes.
What do we do?
Why are you looking at me? You try talking.
We exchanged silent glances before Drek finally stepped forward.
"We're a wandering Mercenary Group."
"Oho. To be lucky enough to meet a Mercenary Group here. It seems the gods are helping us."
"Right, very lucky indeed."
"...Do you happen to have anything to prove that? I know it's rude to ask a Benefactor, but since there's been a swarm of thieves lately...."
"Ahem."
Drek cleared his throat loudly to express his discomfort, but maybe it was because of our shabby clothes. The suspicious glare didn't fade easily.
"Due to circumstances, we don't have our Mercenary Token, but instead."
Drek suddenly took off his shirt.
Dardan also seemed surprised by the sudden strip show, however.
"That tattoo... don't tell me."
He seemed surprised for a different reason than us.
He couldn't close his mouth after seeing the tattoo engraved on Drek's left arm.
What was engraved on his left arm was a one-eyed dragon head tattoo.
"The Drake Mercenary Group!?"
The Merchant recognized it immediately, as if it were the mark of a famous Mercenary Group.
"I heard it disbanded after the Commander died, but what is your name?"
"I am... Khan."
When Drek suddenly gave a different name, we panicked for a moment.
Khan?
I had never heard Drek's real name, but I was sure he had never been called 'Khan' either.
"Khan... If you mean Khan, perhaps that Khan?"
Dardan narrowed his eyes and observed Drek carefully.
"That's right."
Drek said with a calm face. Dardan studied his face for a while before carefully nodding.
"From what I heard, a few members of the Drake Mercenary Group were still around... To think you were alive like this. Excuse me."
It was unclear whether Drek had given the name 'Khan' falsely or if it was truly his past name. But Dardan seemed to accept it to some extent.
I glanced at Drek. Why did he give the name 'Khan' of all things? Was it related to his past?
But now wasn't the time to question it. We needed to gain trust, and Dardan didn't seem to have completely dropped his suspicions either.
"Alright. I did receive your help, and if you're from an old Mercenary Group, I can trust you."
"Glad you believe us."
Drek replied nonchalantly.
"Could you perhaps accompany us to the village? In this situation, it seems too dangerous to go alone."
We made eye contact at Dardan's request. We had to go to the village anyway.
Besides, this opportunity might allow us to enter the village more naturally.
Drek nodded slowly.
"Alright. We happen to be going the same way."
Like this, we decided to head to the village with Dardan's Merchant Guild.
***
Unfortunately, we had to walk because the horse pulling the Carriage died, but seeing the village right ahead gave strength to our bodies.
In the back, the two Mercenaries hired by Dardan were groaning as they carried the luggage that had been loaded on the Carriage.
The Mercenary who was most severely injured in the earlier battle must have been the Captain, as he stuck close to his Employer instead of moving luggage.
Well, it wouldn't make sense for him to carry luggage in that state anyway.
We were able to chat and walk alongside Dardan.
After all we did for them, we weren't in a position to be carrying bags.
"Where are you coming from?"
"We are coming from Rambein. I heard Rambein's Perfume is exceptionally good."
"...I see."
"Have you ever tried Mead in Drington? I had to go there a long time ago and got to taste it, and the aroma of the Mead there was really-."
"Drington Mead!? This gentleman knows his liquor!"
With Baldic joining the conversation, the atmosphere gradually became more natural.
While walking along the road for a moment, Drek signaled for us to follow him.
We were able to excuse ourselves using the pretext of needing to urinate.
As we followed Drek, he spoke in a heavy voice.
"They've noticed something. We'll have to silence them."
"What? Don't tell me...?"
"...He clearly said he came from Rambein, but as far as I know, they don't make Perfume in Rambein."
"What?"
"And the place famous for making Perfume was definitely 'Karhal'."
"Damn it. No, maybe he was just mistaken? Right?"
Karhal. That was definitely the village near the Dungeon we had been captured and brought to.
If they were from around there, it wouldn't be strange for the news of our escape to have spread immediately.
"Right, it could be a mistake. But earlier, when we were talking about the Mercenary Group, he clearly seemed to recognize my face."
"Son of a bitch! What do we do?"
At this point, denying it would be strange. Now it was time to come up with a solution.
I wondered what Drek meant by silencing them.
"How do we silence them? We don't have anything."
"Silence them? Why wouldn't we have anything?"
He said, pulling out the Dagger tucked into his waist.
Ah, I had forgotten, but this wasn't modern society. We were in a place where the blade was closer than the law.
Right now, it just happened to be a short Dagger.
"You want to kill them all? If we kill them, won't we be unable to enter the city?"
When I, unaccustomed to murder, asked while hiding my trembling heart, Drek replied.
"We have no choice but to disguise ourselves with their identities. I don't want to kill innocent people if I can help it... but if they're from Karhal, it's only a matter of time before news of us reaches this village too. It can't be helped."
"Yeah, Drek is right. We need to strike first."
"That's...."
I couldn't make any more excuses and simply decided to follow their opinion.
As someone thrown into this other world alone, I had no choice but to comply in order to survive.
After finishing such a bloody meeting, we headed back toward the Merchant.
"Please spare me. I won't say a word."
Dardan was quicker on the uptake than expected. As if he had already grasped the situation, he was groveling on the ground, begging for forgiveness.
His Mercenaries had already backed away. I didn't know how much he had figured out, but his actions were filled with desperation.
It was too late to feign ignorance now.
"...How do we trust you?"
At those words, Dardan suppressed his trembling body and fell to his knees.
His eyes were resolute, but anxiety bled through his heavy breathing.
"Please spare me. Please, I won't say a word. Nothing at all!"
His voice trembled, conveying his sheer desperation.
However, we couldn't know what kind of scheme he was plotting, so we didn't lower our guard.
Drek glanced at him before slowly putting the Dagger back into his waist.
"Talk is cheap. But how can we trust you?"
"Please believe me! Really, I don't know anything. I just came here as the head of the Merchant Guild. If there is anything I can do to help, I'll do whatever it takes!"
Dardan bowed his head deeply and begged desperately.
His earnest attitude and wavering voice gradually shifted the atmosphere.
"Do you happen to have... any Merchant Guild information that shouldn't be known?"
Drek asked carefully.
"Shouldn't there be some basis for us to trust you in this situation?"
Dardan hesitated for a moment before carefully opening his mouth.
"Actually, there is important information secured by my Merchant Guild. And that information... will be helpful to you as well."
"Information?"
Drek's eyes gleamed sharply.
"What kind of information?"
Dardan swallowed his breath once and spoke in a low voice.
"Try going to Garnian village across the river. There... is a Relic that can change your life if you can just get your hands on it."
"Garnian village?"
We glanced at each other.
It was a place I had never heard of before.
"What is there exactly?"
Drek's voice carried a hint of wariness.
"There are ancient Ruins there. And inside those Ruins... a Relic called the 'Resurrection Stone' might be hidden."
"The Resurrection Stone?"
Drek's expression changed subtly.
"What is that?"
"The Resurrection Stone is... a mysterious Relic passed down from long ago. According to legend, it is said that if you use it, you can revive the dead."
"...The dead?"
For a moment, the atmosphere froze.
"Of course, it might just be a simple rumor. And... it is said that a fatal price must accompany that power."
"A price?"
Drek narrowed his eyes.
"No one knows for sure. However, it is highly likely that the Relic actually exists. This is information I obtained directly from the Information Guild."
"The Information Guild...."
Drek crossed his arms and fell into thought for a moment.
"If what you say is true, that Relic might actually be there. But what does that have to do with keeping you alive?"
Dardan smiled bitterly and nodded.
"As you may know, leaking information obtained from the Information Guild without permission is strictly prohibited. If this spreads, I would also lose my life at the hands of the Guild."
"...Hmm."
Drek let out a short groan.
In other words, since he had leaked this information, it meant Dardan was now in the same boat as us.
"Please, this information is all I know."
Dardan desperately pleaded and bowed his head deeply.
"...Alright, I'll trust you."
Drek finally nodded.
"You will vouch for us when we enter the village."
"Of course! I will vouch for you myself!"
With that, we hit the road once again.
Since I couldn't fully trust Dardan's words, I worried that the Mercenaries trailing behind us might attack.
His attitude certainly seemed desperate, but there was no knowing if the information about the Relic was actually true, or if he had an ulterior motive to lure us in.
"...You're definitely Mr. Drake, right?"
Dardan suddenly spoke up among our quiet group.
His attitude was so natural that it made me wonder if he was the same person who had been begging for his life just a moment ago.
'I guess you need that much nerve to do business.'
However, Drek's face hardened at the question as he gave a short reply.
"No, I am Drek. Drake... is dead."
"Ah, I understand."
Dardan immediately shut his mouth, but a questioning look remained on his face.
Drake? The Mercenary Group's name was the Drake Mercenary Group, so could he have been... the Mercenary Commander?
But didn't he call himself 'Khan' earlier? What was that about?
I could have asked Drek directly, but the current atmosphere wasn't right for it.
Since I knew little about this other world, hastily prying into things might be considered rude.
As I walked while lost in thought, the village soon appeared before my eyes.
The outskirts of the city were far more magnificent than they appeared from a distance.
The village, solidly fortified like a fortress wall, not only looked impressive on the outside, but its Soldiers also seemed well-trained.
As we approached, a Soldier holding a spear stepped forward.
"Halt. What is your business here?"
Tension filled the air for a moment.
Considering we were fugitives on the run, we could be arrested immediately in a place with heightened security checks.
But at that moment, Dardan stepped forward.
"It's been a while. I am the Representative of the Dardan Merchant Guild. We came to sell some goods."
Dardan said that while handing a piece of paper to the Soldier. Was it some kind of Permit?
The Soldier checked the paper and immediately softened his attitude.
"Dardan Merchant Guild? There's definitely a record of a previous visit. But who are these people?"
"Yes, these people are my Employees. We've recruited some new companions."
"Hmm...."
The Soldier gave us a once-over before nodding his head.
"Alright. Pass through."
And just like that, we were able to safely enter the village.
***
The inside of the city was far more bustling than it looked from the outside.
The Market was open in various places, and Merchants were raising their voices to sell their wares.
"Welcome! Fresh fruit here!"
"Fish caught today! Very fresh!"
Was it because a river flowed behind the fortress? The fishy smell was overwhelming.
We faced a lively scene as we passed through the bustling Market, but we weren't in the mood to look around right now.
"Let's go to an Inn. We need a place to rest right now."
When Drek spoke, Dardan's face lit up as he nodded.
"Great! There's an Inn I frequent as a regular. Let's head there."
Following Dardan, we arrived at a building with a wooden sign depicting a blue moon.
Its exterior was clean, and the clothes of the people passing by were relatively neat.
"It should be safe enough here."
As soon as we opened the door, we were greeted by the smell of warm food brushing the tips of our noses and the sound of lively laughter coming from inside.
Dardan went straight to the Owner to speak, and we quietly watched as he secured a room.
Naturally, we had no money, so we had no choice but to let Dardan handle everything.
A short while later, we were given a narrow but clean room.
It was much better than the shabby thatched-roof house we had stayed in before.
'We finally... made it in.'
My body felt heavy, but my mind was still complicated.
Would we really be safe in this village now? Was Dardan trustworthy?
And... why did Drek deny the name 'Drake'?
Various thoughts swirled around, but soon fatigue silenced all my questions.
My consciousness gradually faded as I sank into deep darkness.
***
[You have reached the checkpoint. Please select a perk.]
A familiar voice rang in my ears.
Was I back here again?
A pitch-black space. It was definitely the place where I had obtained 'Condensation'.
It seemed that 'sleep' was the trigger.
However, when I dozed off briefly before fighting the Goblins, I didn't come here.
That must mean simply falling asleep isn't enough.
Looking at this game-like system, it was clear that certain conditions had to be met.
I would prefer if it were a 'cheat ability that makes me stronger just by sleeping', but reality wasn't that easy.
'Well, I'll figure it out the next time I fall asleep.'
As expected, three cards appeared before my eyes again this time.
────────────
[Maximum Strength Increase]
[Maximum Health Increase]
[Blue Magic : Water Shield]
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The cards that appeared this time were white, green, and green, in that order.
Given the circumstances, they were probably common, uncommon, and uncommon grades.
I felt good today because two green cards had popped up.
But then it suddenly occurred to me that I didn't know the appearance rates of these cards.
'There's no way to know if this is a fixed probability or if it changes based on certain conditions.'
I swallowed a sigh and examined the cards one by one.
[Maximum Strength Increase]?
Why was something like this on the Magician skill tree? The description was also simple.
[Maximum Strength increases slightly.]
It was a strangely appealing option, but there was no reason to go out of my way to choose a white card over a green one.
Next was [Maximum Health Increase].
Even though this was green, it ultimately wasn't much different from the Strength Increase.
Survival was important for using magic, but I needed the magic itself more.
And the last card.
[Blue Magic : Water Shield]
I wanted to choose this one as soon as I saw it.
Looking at the description.
[Consumes Mana to create a water Shield that blocks a certain amount of damage.]
It was none other than a barrier, the representative survival skill of a Magician.
'This is it!'
At that moment, I felt proud remembering myself from yesterday, when I was nothing but a water boy.
Now I can defend myself too!
...But.
'I still don't have a means of attack, do I?'
Still, getting a Shield was a big deal. Yeah, it will definitely be helpful....
I recalled the image of myself trying to convince my own mind.
What could I do? I didn't have any other options anyway.
I let out a light sigh and picked up the [Blue Magic : Water Shield] card.
Watching the card seep into me, I gradually lost consciousness.
***
As soon as I opened my eyes, I tried casting the Water Shield right away while sitting on the edge of the bed.
I expected a massive defensive barrier wrapping around my entire body, but... the reality was pathetic.
What floated above the back of my hand was a water Shield barely the size of a fist.
Of course, there was the advantage of having my hands free even while holding a Shield.
"......Hah."
Isn't this just no different from a swordsman holding a Shield?
The only fortunate thing was the result of tapping it with a Dagger. The protective performance of the Shield was quite decent.
But there was a problem.
'The Mana consumption for this is no joke.'
Even to create a Shield that barely covered the back of my hand, a third of my Mana evaporated.
This is... completely unusable.
The moment I sighed and tried to open my Canteen to drink water, the Shield reacted with a whoosh!
"Huh?"
The water inside the Canteen was sucked into the Shield as if drawn by a magnet.
Then, the Shield grew slightly larger.
'...No way?'
Just in case, I dismissed the Shield and cast it again.
The water that spilled out when I dismissed it floated up and formed a Shield.
On top of that, the Mana consumption noticeably decreased.
"It's real?!"
I was certain.
Having water around reduced the Mana consumption.
However, I had to use Condensation on the water in advance before creating the Shield.
In other words, using water as a material could reduce Mana consumption, but without water, the burden was still huge.
'Does this mean I have to fight in places with water...?'
The good thing was that, theoretically, I could maintain the Shield continuously as long as there was enough water.
The bad thing was that I had to carry water with me at all times.
It was a more cumbersome system than I thought.
Now I was sure.
I unconditionally had to choose [Maximum Mana Increase] for my next perk.