Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Ant Nest (2)
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"Hey! Little bro! You made it."
"Good morning, Victor."
Victor, who spotted me first, grinned slyly and approached.
"These are my party members! Say hi, everyone!"
Victor gestured toward his companions.
A man in his early thirties who looked like a mage, the one I'd seen at the Adventurer's Guild yesterday.
A woman in her mid-twenties who appeared to be an archer... talk about a generous spirit. Ahem.
And finally, a man in his mid-twenties who seemed to be a swordsman stood there.
All of them were humans.
I greeted them as politely as I would in polite society, flashing a smile.
"I'm Sian. I'm a swordsman."
The mage I'd seen at the guild yesterday responded first.
"Yeah, nice to meet you. I'm Andrei."
The archer woman smiled brightly in response.
"Ah~ So you're the kid Victor was talking about. You're handsome~ Take good care of us! I'm Monaka."
But the last man didn't respond.
"......"
Furrowed brows and a scowl.
One corner of his mouth drooping down.
For some reason, he glared at me with clear displeasure, maintaining his cold demeanor until the mood forced him to speak, albeit reluctantly.
"...Tch. Zeke."
He clicked his tongue as he spoke.
...That's when I got the gist.
He doesn't like me.
I get it.
Some unknown kid joining a C-rank party out of nowhere.
The rear of a party should always be reliable people you can trust with your back.
So it was natural for him to be annoyed that an unproven, young-looking weakling like me had joined that spot.
The other party members who welcomed me warmly must just be nice people.
I'd have to prove myself over time.
I approached the man named Zeke, extended my hand with a bright smile, and said,
"Cool name. Nice to meet you, Zeke. I'm not much, but please take care of me from now on."
"......"
But he didn't respond again.
My hand hung awkwardly in the air.
'...This is awkward.'
Then Zeke sighed and spoke to me.
Of course, without shaking my hand.
"Hoo, just don't be a liability."
He grumbled and turned away, heading to the carriage.
"What was Victor thinking, picking up another kid like this... Tch, I don't like it."
I scratched the back of my head.
Had Victor brought someone like me before?
I didn't know how that person acted, but I had zero intention of being a burden.
Much less freeloading.
"Don't mind him. He joined through Victor not long ago too, but he's got a sensitive personality."
As I was thinking that, Monaka came over and offered something like comfort.
"No, it's fine. I look young, and my skills aren't proven yet, so it's natural he'd be wary of me jumping into the party. He'll come around once I show what I can do."
"Oh my~ What a great mindset. Sian's got a solid spirit! So cool!"
"Eek!"
I flinched in surprise.
Monaka suddenly grabbed my face with one hand and pulled it against her body.
Her generous assets brushed lightly against my face.
"Take care of us again! Keep an eye on Andrei! What's your rank, Sian?"
"...3-star."
My response came late from embarrassment.
I'm not even sure if it's exactly 3-star.
I used an Aura Blade in the griffon fight a few weeks ago... so definitely 3-star or higher.
But I hadn't properly gauged my power objectively yet.
Saying 3-star should be plenty for C-rank anyway.
"3-star?! No way! You look so young... H-how old are you?"
"Fifteen."
"Gasp!"
Monaka quickly stepped back, pulling away from me.
"Almost committed a crime there! Fifteen..."
"Do I look that old?"
"Nooo~ You do look young, but you're so mature and handsome. Didn't expect you to be this young."
Do people in this world come with built-in flattery?
I appreciated how she phrased it to spare my feelings.
"Still, 3-star is reassuring! Shall we head to the carriage? Looks like Andrei and Victor are already aboard."
"Sure."
With Monaka and me boarding too,
Victor confirmed everyone was there and called out to the coachman in the driver's seat.
"Hey! We're all set! Let's roll! Go go!"
"Aye."
The coachman tugged the reins, and the carriage set off.
I watched the passing scenery speed by outside, keeping my tension high.
*
Escorting the carriage was a breeze.
Once we entered monster territory, Monaka sniped the occasional beast with arrows, or Andrei blasted them away with magic.
Any that didn't flee were quickly jumped off and sliced by Victor and Zeke before they climbed back on.
I never got a turn to step up.
My body was rested, but my mind wasn't.
Couldn't prove myself... Frustrating.
"Tch, stay holed up in the carriage and don't get in the way, kid."
To top it off, Zeke told me not to interfere.
At this rate, I worried about fair reward splits.
About three uncomfortable hours passed like that.
"Coachman! Good work! Here's a tip. See you tonight!"
"Thank you kindly. Rest well!"
We'd arrived.
After sending off the smiling coachman, we dismounted and looked up at the Ant Nest Labyrinth entrance.
The entrance was cave-shaped. The surrounding area was a barren desert—I'd never known a place like this existed a bit away from the Rianna Empire.
Well, maybe I just never cared.
In the game, I only hunted high-level monsters, so I skipped mid-to-low level grinding spots like this.
"Same as always—I'll take point! Andrei, prep your spells halfway for support fire anytime! Zeke, back me up close! Monaka and Sian, guard the rear with Andrei and mop up trash mobs!"
Victor issued orders with solid leadership.
A seasoned veteran who'd eaten plenty of sword rice—his tactics were sharp.
We entered the entrance.
Right away, Victor slashed through the welcoming small bat monsters with his sword as we advanced.
"Keeek!"
"Outta the way, you worthless pests!"
-Kwachik!
Victor's words and strikes were both refreshing.
He swung his massive greatsword wide, crushing the monsters.
Zeke finished off the near-dead ones from the side.
Monaka, Andrei, and I stayed vigilant at the rear and pressed on.
"Haha! Easy peasy! At this rate, we'll hit the Giant Ant queen's lair in no time!"
He sounded cocky, but his swordplay was precise.
Stabbing bat vitals accurately, then instantly decapitating the crippled ones.
He synced well with Zeke too—when Victor had no margin, Zeke covered blind spots.
A stable party, I thought.
About thirty minutes of spectating Victor's monster massacre later.
"Hm?!"
A swarm of bat monsters flew in, shaking the cave ceiling. A tiny pebble fell into Victor's eye.
He winced with one eye shut, his greatsword swing veering off.
One bat slipped through.
"Keeek! Kiek!"
"You bastard-!"
Zeke swung his longsword desperately.
But the bat twisted nimbly, dodging luckily.
It flew straight for our rear.
"Keeek! Kiek!"
A split-second situation.
"Sian!"
Victor signaled me amid the chaos.
Got it.
Rear's secure.
I drew mana from my dantian.
"Suuuup...."
Short breath intake.
Blood boiled in my veins.
"Keeek!"
"...Haaa!"
-Seogeok.
Diagonal slash.
"Kie...."
A strike prioritizing speed and precision over power.
It cleaved the bat monster clean in two.
Its momentum carried the chunks past our rear guard, thudding to the ground.
"Oh...."
Andrei beside me seemed impressed, for some reason.
...Did he think I was that weak?
Just one bat monster down.
The others were amazed.
"Sian...! How'd you do that? Slicing that tough thing in half with one strike?!"
Monaka rushed over, making a fuss in awe.
"3-star wasn't a lie?! I didn't even see the sword!"
She's hyping it too much.
Didn't see the sword? That's for Iris's strikes.
I'm nowhere near that yet.
"Thanks for the praise. It's nothing."
"You okay? Sian?"
Victor approached, scanning me over.
"Yeah. Fine."
"Good. ...Your strikes that refined normally? No muscle, yet... Impressive!"
What's muscle got to do with finesse?
Anyway, the attention felt burdensome.
I thought it was similar to Victor's swings earlier.
Maybe from messing around in high-level zones pre-possession, this level all looks samey.
"Honestly thought you needed money but lacked skill for parties, so you were soloing Great Tortoises! But your swordplay's solid. Like a true little bro, kahahaha!"
"Haha. Nothing special."
Victor's hearty laugh slapped my back hard. It stung.
Ugh, this muscle-bound guy.
Monaka bounced excitedly in front of me too.
Then, a gaze from somewhere.
I turned toward it.
"......"
"......"
Zeke was staring.
Was it my imagination?
Deep scowl.
Glared at me with disdain.
"Tch...."
"......?"
Zeke clicked his tongue and looked away.
I wondered.
Why's he like that?
I showed I'm no burden. Yet this reaction?
Frankly, it bugged me.
"Alright! Let's keep the momentum and push on!"
"Yeees~."
Before I could finish pondering, the party resumed advancing deeper into the Ant Nest Labyrinth.
Even as we went, I couldn't shake the unease and irritation about him.