The Blue Fanged Wolf and the Training Grounds
The saying goes that a room reflects its owner’s personality. If that was true, then Luna’s office was impeccably neat. Which made the sight of a wolf beastman lounging inside it all the more shocking.
The wolf beastman noticed my startled expression and let out a low chuckle.
"Vergo Branch Manager? What are you doing here?"
Vergo stabbed a piece of cake on the plate with his fork and popped it into his mouth. Luna, who had been quietly handling paperwork at her desk, let out a long sigh.
Vergo’s shameless attitude made him look nothing like a branch manager. But I knew better. The only reason the branch manager would act this relaxed was because he had a solid reason for it.
The Blue Fanged Wolf, Vergo. There were many titles associated with him. One of the mere seven Master-class adventurers in the entire North. One of the Thirteen Heroes who repelled the Mountain Dragon Magranas when it descended upon human territory. The Monster Slayer who single-handedly butchered an entire monster wave marching toward the city. A wolf beastman recognized by the divine beast Fenrir. The Blue Fanged Wolf of the northern frontlines.
The feats he had accomplished numbered in the dozens, and bards across the continent sang of his heroic tales. He was a living legend, a great warrior who had even been granted the title of Honorary Count by the Grand Duke of the North.
Yet the man known among enthusiasts as a living legend was currently sprawled out like a slacker.
Outside, he was a majestic hero dripping with dignity. Inside the guild, he acted like a laid-back uncle who doted on his employees.
At Vergo’s question, I snapped back to attention. I hadn’t expected the bored branch manager to show up, but I still needed to explain.
I gave them the summary I had organized on the way here.
"The Mystery I obtained is…"
I briefly considered downplaying the ability while explaining, but quickly abandoned the idea. This wasn’t the Central region full of scheming people, nor was it my previous life. Here, the more you proved your strength, the better you were treated.
Only after Rata, who had climbed onto the table, finished eating every last strawberry off the cake did I finish my explanation.
"I see."
"Hmm…"
The longer my explanation went, the more serious their expressions became. They listened intently, then rubbed their chins in thought.
The die had been cast. Depending on their judgment, I could remain a guild employee… or become an adventurer.
Most likely, I would become an adventurer. The North had suffered from a chronic manpower shortage for the past thousand years.
To keep the countless monsters filling the vast northern lands in check, they would accept help even from a cat’s paw. Having worked as a guild employee, I knew that better than anyone.
With a humble attitude, I waited for their decision. After a long moment of contemplation, Vergo finally spoke.
"Probably not. It’s closer to using the power of a Mystery to manifest something that should be impossible."
"Is that so? Then I guess the training instructor plan is out. And I was just about to dip into the guild’s budget too."
While Vergo shrugged with clear disappointment, Luna, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
With half-baked power, it wouldn’t matter. But a strength that broke the mold like mine inevitably carried responsibility. Unless there were unavoidable circumstances, every able-bodied northerner had a duty they could not escape.
A thousand years ago, after the First Great Warrior created a land for humanity in the North, the region had been at war with monsters ever since. Even nobles bore the responsibility of duty and fought on the front lines. How could commoners be any different?
Having experienced the weight of that duty as a guild employee, I nodded.
"Actually, I’m glad. Even in my original plan, if I had the talent, I was going to become an adventurer anyway."
From my perspective, neither choice was bad. If I stayed as a guild employee, I could simply continue as usual using my past-life knowledge. If I became an adventurer, I could pick up the dream I had abandoned as a child.
Personally, I was more drawn to becoming an adventurer, so I made my case enthusiastically.
Luna’s lips curved into a small smile as she read the look in my eyes. She must have been worried that she was forcing an unwanted burden on me.
Who in their right mind would refuse the chance to become an adventurer?
Knowing my senior’s concern, I grinned slyly.
The North valued strength and honor and respected the strong. Put another way, it meant that adventurers and nobles carried equally heavy burdens of duty. That was precisely why they were respected and treated well. Great responsibility must be matched by great rights.
Still, from the perspective of someone carrying memories of a past life, the situation felt strangely bittersweet. In my previous life, I had desperately wanted to become a hunter but never awakened. In this life, I hadn’t particularly longed to become an adventurer, yet here I was.
If something like fate existed, it really was cruel.
No. Let’s not drag up past-life feelings here.
I pushed down the creeping emotions and asked the two of them.
"Then what should I do now? Should I come as an adventurer starting tomorrow?"
Vergo pointed at me with his fork.
"Right now?"
He wasn’t wrong. The monsters of the North had certain peculiarities. If you didn’t thoroughly gauge your own ability before challenging them, you would die.
Even taking that into account, Vergo’s characteristically impulsive suggestion left me feeling a bit dazed, but I didn’t refuse. I knew that adapting to a new power was best done through real combat rather than theory.
Luna seemed to agree, since she didn’t say anything against it.
I followed Vergo to the guild’s training grounds. We left the second-floor office, walked down the hallway, and left behind the noisy chatter coming from the first floor. Soon we arrived at the training grounds attached to the adventurer guild.
Various adventurers wearing all sorts of equipment were visible inside. All of that armor and weaponry had been crafted at the workshops on Edenberg’s Artisan Street using monster byproducts from hunts.
The quality of materials used in one’s armor was one of the clearest indicators of an adventurer’s skill. That was why every adventurer training here wore an expression full of pride.
The moment Vergo and Luna appeared, all eyes turned toward them.
"Branch Manager?"
"Luna sunbae… I mean, Luna Noonim is here too."
"What brings them here?"
The sudden appearance of such big shots left the adventurers staring in shock. Since they were difficult people to approach, everyone hesitated. Then, among them, a particularly large and fierce-looking man stepped forward.
"It’s been a while, Branch Manager. If you’ve come to train, you’ve come to the right place."
The burly man who answered with a cheerful grin was someone I knew well. Grid, a Silver-class adventurer. Despite his intimidating appearance, he was well-liked and possessed an exceptional talent for teaching. He worked both as an adventurer and as the guild’s training instructor.
When his gaze landed on me, I gave a light bow. Grid looked at me for a moment, then nodded as if something had clicked.
"Now that I think about it, I heard earlier that an employee awakened a Mystery a few dozen minutes ago. That was you?"
"The rumor spread that far already?"
"I overheard some staff talking while I was training the rookies."
I made a tired face at Grid’s words. When a Silver-class adventurer said “nearby,” they didn’t mean ten or twenty meters. You had to add another zero. Considering the noise generated during training, I once again realized just how monstrous adventurers truly were.
Having figured out why Vergo and Luna had come all the way here from our conversation, Grid grinned.
I made a complicated expression. It was good that a Silver-class adventurer—not just any adventurer—was personally evaluating me. Even better, he was the instructor famous for pinpointing the exact limits of new adventurers and training them with perfect efficiency.
His talent as a teacher was so outstanding that the guild had made an exception and hired him as the official training instructor.
The only downside he had was…
…Exactly. He used that talent for finding limits to push people to their absolute breaking point.
Watching Vergo and Grid get along so well, I urgently looked around for help.
Help! Somebody help me!
I prided myself on having built quite a few connections with adventurers while working as an employee. Not as many as the receptionists, of course, but I was considered sociable among guild staff. I sent pleading glances to those connections.
However, no one dared intervene when the branch manager was involved. They all avoided my eyes. Instead, the rookies who had just been getting crushed by Grid looked at me like I was their savior.
Heartless people.
It was frustrating but understandable. I was letting out a mental sigh when a familiar voice came from the training ground entrance.
A man cut through the adventurers and appeared, looking around with a mysterious smile. At the appearance of the slender man with neat black hair and narrow eyes, the training ground grew noisy.
"It’s Owen sunbae."
"First time seeing a currently active Gold-class adventurer."
"What day is it today? So many hard-to-see seniors are gathered here."
Adventurers of Silver-class or higher usually worked outside due to the nature of their requests. It was rare to see so many of them in one place. But today, with three Silver-class adventurers including Grid and even Owen present, the faces of the Iron and Bronze-class adventurers lit up with excitement. Just watching strong people train was incredibly helpful to them.
"Owen!"
At Owen’s arrival, I looked at him with the eyes of someone who had found their savior. Although Owen looked exactly like a classic narrow-eyed schemer, I knew the truth. Despite his appearance, Owen was a genuinely good person in this era.
Recalling the number of orphanages he sponsored, I sent him a desperate look asking for help.
Owen, reading my gaze, tilted his head in confusion.
"Branch Manager? And Luna Noonim is here too?"
He seemed to be piecing the situation together, his mind working hard. Luna walked over and explained the circumstances. After listening to her, Owen finally understood. He met my eyes and gave the brightest smile I had ever seen from him.
His narrow eyes curved into a gentle smile. He looked every bit the final boss.
My last remaining hope was brutally crushed.