Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Maintaining Public Order
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The request I'd taken on was to maintain public order in the dispatched city while also clearing out the surrounding monsters.
Normally, a city with that level of strength could handle such matters on its own.
But unfortunately, this was before the Saint had dealt with the ogre issue.
The ogre had already inflicted devastating damage, leaving them overwhelmed just trying to keep order and suppress the growing monster presence near the city.
So it seemed they'd requested reinforcements from the capital's Adventurer's Guild.
"...Two months of activity. They'll count this properly toward my record, right?"
"They will. The more you maintain order in your assigned area and reduce the crime rate, the bigger the credit you'll get."
"Sounds good."
"...I wonder how many people will be scared of you, given your size and rank, but give it your best."
"I'll do my best."
"I'll help too, so it won't be that tough."
"......Yeah."
"Being known as an apprentice learning from a silver-rank like me will pressure others far more than you operating alone, so use me as needed."
"Aren't you being too nice to me?"
"There are various reasons, but if I had to pick two: first, as atonement for suspecting and wary of you right off the bat. Second, even so, I still have my suspicions and want to keep an eye on you."
He was gentlemanly in many ways.
Even his clothes screamed it.
Maybe because he wasn't in combat gear, but a bowler hat and suit?
First time I'd seen an adventurer dressed like that.
And yet he wielded a massive axe as his weapon, which didn't quite match.
Was it just because I hadn't seen any silver-ranks before?
"Well, looking forward to working with you. By the way, are all silver-ranks like you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Just that you're only the second kind adventurer I've met so far."
"I'm a gentleman."
"Gentlemen don't suspect and wary of people right away."
"That's why I'm helping, isn't it?"
What gentleman? He was just ridiculously shameless.
Then again, if he were a true gentleman with skills, he'd have become a knight. No way he'd be an adventurer.
"Speaking of which, another cleanup job after the Saint... Picking emotionally taxing requests from the start means you're lacking in judgment for gigs."
"...The Saint handled the dangerous part, so isn't the cleanup comparatively easier than other requests?"
"The work itself is much easier, but people saved by the Saint tend to compare us to her and belittle us. That's why, even though these follow-up requests come in often, most adventurers avoid them."
"Wouldn't an emotionally taxing request be better than ones where your life is on the line?"
"That's my opinion. I'm not forcing it on you."
He's thinking that way because he's confident in his skills.
With real ability, there's no reason to take emotionally draining, low-paying cleanup jobs, so they avoid them.
But for him to come along on this one anyway—did that mean what he'd said about me wasn't a lie?
"In that case, you're wasting two months on a request you don't want just because you suspect me. That's pretty amazing."
"A creepy girl in weird clothes perfectly hiding her presence? Anyone would suspect that. Plus, it piques curiosity."
"Creepy and hiding my presence, sure... but my clothes aren't weird."
".........You serious?"
"By my standards, yeah."
We'd been conversing calmly until then, but his shocked look at that point made me feel like my outfit really was weird.
It would've been revealing on an adult woman, but with my small frame, I thought it was fine. Guess not.
I scratched my cheek and gazed out the carriage window for no reason.
The carriage and driver from the capital's Adventurer's Guild were highly skilled and knew the kingdom's geography well.
They said it'd take five days to reach our destination city, so I had nothing to do until then.
We exchanged idle chatter, and during occasional breaks, I practiced my swordsmanship.
The silver-rank adventurer even approached and offered a few pointers on my technique.
A day passed like that, and it hit me that I hadn't even asked his name.
"What's your name?"
"...You're asking now? It's Shan."
"I'm Ellie."
"Got it, Ellie."
"Yeah, Shan."
"I'm sleeping, so don't talk to me."
"......Okay."
He responded curtly, but it was my fault for waking him at dawn, so I awkwardly smiled it off.
We traveled a few more days and arrived at a city where half the walls were destroyed.
There was only one guard at the gate instead of the usual two like in other cities, and outside the outer walls lay a slum that was practically in ruins.
The streets were filthy with filth and scattered with ash from burn marks, reeking of stench.
"......Makes my stomach churn."
"Requesting security management means it's this bad."
Shan straightened his clothes, pulled his bowler hat low, and beckoned me to follow.
I grabbed the request form and trailed behind him. He showed his silver badge and the request form I'd handed him to the gate guard.
After that, things proceeded smoothly without much talk.
We were permitted entry not just to the outer city but even the inner one.
The inner outer city wasn't quite ruins like the slums, but debris from the shattered walls had caused more than minor damage.
The inner city, though...
It was just peaceful.
The walls there hadn't been breached, and no debris had flown in.
Seemed the battle had only raged in the slums and atop the walls.
"Ogres really are terrifying..."
"5-to-6-meter hulks with thick hides that weapons barely pierce. Takes multiple silvers or a gold-rank to take one down."
"Just a disaster... But the Saint hunted one solo?"
"Who said solo?"
"That's the rumor."
"Rumors get exaggerated mouth to mouth. The Saint fought alongside the city's knights. If you only count adventurers, she was alone, so it spread as her soloing the ogre."
So it was exaggerated.
But what exactly was Shan, knowing all this so well?
"How do you know all that, Shan?"
"Adventurers die without info, no matter their skill. Training's good, but before taking requests, always gather intel on them first."
"...Okay."
I took it to mean there were ways to obtain information somehow.
I'd look into it later; for now, priority was the request. We handled the administrative procedures, got our security activity badges, and got to work.
I handled outer city security, while Shan took the inner city.
Of course, two people couldn't cover the whole city, so other adventurers were already on it.
They were just short-staffed, hence the extra dispatch request—which we'd accepted.
"See you after shift, then."
"Yeah, I said use my name, but don't overdo it."
"Sure."
"My name doesn't wear out from use, but abuse it and its value fades."
"Got it."
I draped my cloak and buckled on my sword.
Regardless of my actual skill, my appearance was that of a creepy girl.
So, separate from looks, I needed to show my personality and work style for people to follow my lead.
Would such a chance come easily?
"Let go! I said let go, you bastard! If the booze is weak, why keep chugging?!"
"My daughter's missing! You! You kept leering at her! What'd you do to her?!"
"Your daughter died under the walls ages ago!"
"...Ha."
The chance came easier than expected.
They burst from a tavern, grabbing each other's collars and rolling on the ground, trading words too.
I got their plight, but that didn't justify brawling in the middle of the street.
I approached slowly and wedged between them.
"Everyone, you can't fight."
I plastered on the silliest, most idiotic smile I could muster.
They hadn't been rude to me yet, so jumping straight to force wasn't smart.
No matter how much I needed to make an example, I wasn't foolish enough to start a fight without justification—lest it boomerang as an unjust blade someday.
"Who the hell are you?!"
But justification? You can always make it.
I'd learned how to survive in this world.
Step into a brawl's center, and overheated folks react aggressively.
Like now.
The drunk man raised his hand high and swung down.
Slow enough to dodge easily, but I didn't.
Slap!! I took the hit.
Pain exploded with the sound, blood filling my mouth with a metallic tang and scent.
The impact dizzied me more than expected, but I endured.
Yes, this was my justification.
I'd tried to stop the fight and got hit—so what else gave me the right to fight back?
I drew my sword, still sheathed.
No blade shown.
I didn't intend to kill.
Just some excessive force in front of the gawkers drawn by the commotion.
"This'll sting a bit."
I swung the scabbard.
No matter how weak my strength, I could break a few bones.
From that day on, people called me the "mad bitch" as a slur—but they no longer ignored me.