Chapter 80
Chapter 80
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Heading Home
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Home.
Hero's Orthodox Swordsmanship.
The Holy Sword, when explaining that technique to me, said this.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "What you've learned isn't a sure-kill move." 'Not a sure-kill? This is supposed to be a basic swing?'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "Exactly. That technique was made for mowing down countless monsters from the start. Of course its quality would suffer." That meant I could use the other sword techniques as they were.
Which was even better for me.
Dark Moon, Mysterious Heaven, Black Sea.
I could wield those sword arts just as they were.
'Now that I've learned something amazing, I ought to put it to use.'
As my thoughts reached that point, a sudden realization hit me.
Dark Moon, Black Sea, Mysterious Heaven.
These three sword techniques were designed to flow organically into one another.
Dark Moon and Mysterious Heaven especially.
As for Black Sea, I wasn't entirely sure since it hadn't met its complementary pair yet.
'Probably some sword art from the beastkin or dwarves.'
Unfortunately, I hadn't seen it during this trip.
But I trusted the talent my system had given me. Though no matter how I thought about it, the idea that I had talent felt off.
Dark Moon and Mysterious Heaven had a deep synergy.
Darkness descends.
And then, that darkness rises loftily.
To put it more intuitively, it erupts in a massive burst, dealing enormous damage to the enemy.
'As for Mysterious Heaven...'
It continuously damages the foe while binding the surroundings.
At that thought, a strange intuition began to stir: if I honed this Hero's Orthodox Swordsmanship, I could wield them all organically.
Why am I explaining this?
'The orthodox swordsmanship splits a single strike into multiple ones.'
Or more like duplicating it.
So then...
'...Can it duplicate these techniques?'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "That's impossible." The Holy Sword denied my thought outright.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "No matter how peerless you are in this world... those are impossible." 'You said mastering the Hero's Orthodox Swordsmanship all at once was impossible too.'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "......" The Holy Sword invoked silence.
I'm the type who respects its free will, so I didn't press further.
And then I practiced.
A full day straight.
'My sword aura has increased.'
One swing now produced three slashes.
Strengthening so noticeably was fun in itself. I had Diago handle the carriage while I trained diligently aboard.
"We've finally reached the village."
We decided to stay briefly in a nearby village before heading to the Cradle.
Diago claimed driving the carriage was a hassle and argued it was better to sell it here and take the Adventurer's Guild carriage to the Cradle.
"Besides, you're sick of camping by now too."
"Well..."
I'd thought there was a certain romance to camping, but that vanished on the first night.
'Damn bugs.'
The simplest reason.
This place was overrun with insects. They made it impossible to sleep properly.
For that reason, I agreed to Diago's suggestion to stay the night here.
"Ahem. I'll book the inn myself, so you find somewhere else to crash."
"......"
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "That guy's clearly got his eyes on some action." I nodded at the Holy Sword's words.
Can't be helped with women. With that thought, I sent Diago off.
"There's a guild carriage to the Adventurer's Guild tomorrow. Be there on time."
Frankly, I was more worried about him than me.
After sending off Diago, who was sauntering away somewhere, I fell into brief contemplation.
'I do need to find an inn.'
I stared blankly down the street.
For some reason...
'Feels like it's been forever.'
As I walked around, memories of a past path surfaced. Then I spotted a familiar face. A kindly-looking old man.
'...That guy.'
I remembered him immediately.
He was the one who'd shown me kindness at first, giving me a single gold coin as charity.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "Ho, a rare breed in these times." 'That gold coin let me live decently even in the Cradle.'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "A good man. But why didn't you recognize him?" 'Because I slipped my hand into his pocket.'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "...Did I misunderstand the word 'charity'?" 'Thanks to that, I lived like a human. Time to pay it back.'
I'd been wondering when to do it anyway.
Ignoring the baffled Holy Sword, I entered the shop where the gold coin man was visible.
"Welcome."
The old man greeted me with a warm smile. I looked around the store.
'Some real luxury goods here.'
Gems, shampoo, women's underwear—things like that.
It was like a mini department store.
While I'm buying, maybe grab some souvenirs for the team.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "Bonds with comrades are important. A hero should take care of that." 'What do women like, though?'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "I don't know women's hearts." '......'
The guy who claims to know everything about humans.
Doesn't know that?
I started picking out gifts for the others. A bracelet for Rosenta, a headband for Ermé, and something Teresa might like...
'Teresa probably prefers gold coins over gifts.'
Still, I picked a bracelet.
Skipping Veronica, I got one for Clara, who occasionally teaches me magic, a brooch for Viola who's joining our clan soon, and a bracelet that suited Rishiel.
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "Not bad taste." 'You think so?'
⚙ Holy Sword ⚙ "Feels like you've picked gifts for women plenty of times." '......'
Silent at the Holy Sword's remark, I picked out glasses as a gift.
'She might like glasses since she wears them.'
But they didn't seem great either.
I knew Glasses kept at least ten pairs at home. She even prepared two spares for the Labyrinth.
'...Maybe just grab some booze.'
I had to head elsewhere for liquor for Rosenta anyway.
So this would have to do.
"Fifty gold coins."
"......"
It came out higher than expected, but I paid.
One gold coin's debt repaid with fifty.
'Really hurts.'
It truly was a sad day.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next day.
With nothing else to do, I headed quickly to the Adventurer's Guild.
The surprising part was Diago already being there.
"What the... why are you here so ear—"
I was about to ask when I noticed the slap mark on Diago's right cheek.
"Uh... hang in there."
"...Thanks."
Diago muttered sadly.
Soon, people who looked like adventurers began showing up.
"What a nostalgic sight. You and I both remember scenes like this."
Old fogey.
The words nearly slipped out, but I held back. I nodded with a neutral expression.
"Even if you haven't been an adventurer long, you must've had days like this."
"Brings back memories. It's been two months already."
"Yeah, two months... Huh?"
Diago made a dumb face.
Like he'd misheard, but then...
"You didn't even investigate me?"
"No, I trusted Volkan's recommendation and the Holy Sword's words."
Is this guy really okay?
Shouldn't he have at least looked into me?
'...Are we really in the same boat?'
Even if it was some urgent mission that made him skip checking me out...
'...He's sorely lacking.'
For Ermé's master.
And the one who handed me the Holy Sword.
He had too many shortcomings.
"Couldn't be helped. Got thrown into a super urgent mission."
"Mission?"
"You'd get hurt knowing."
"Won't ask then."
"...No, you can ask."
Diago, looking utterly ridiculous, told me this.
Absurd.
"So, what mission kept you so busy?"
"Heh... Don't freak out. It was about the Saintess."
"Saintess?"
"Veronica. The woman who keeps showing up at your inn."
...Now I really don't wanna know.
As I grimaced, Diago chuckled and continued.
"Hear me out first. Might be useful to you."
"What's that?"
"Rumor has it there's a Saintess proxy."
"......"
Ah, sure.
Got it.
"What's with that face? No way you knew."
"...Kinda happened."
"But you still let Veronica get close knowing that?"
"She comes on her own."
"Why's Veronica coming to your inn?"
Exactly.
I wondered too. What business does she have at our inn?
'...I do have her Saintess's Chastity, but.'
I swear on the heavens, I've never used it for anything weird.
"Impressive intel, though. Even I, Diago, didn't suspect."
I recalled my first meeting with Diago.
Getting used by the demon without realizing it.
Swinging his sword at my Plunder, calling it dark sorcery.
'...Is he really okay?'
This guy.
"Speaking of, you made a clan."
"Yeah. Want to start hitting the lower floors."
"You made a clan, named it, but won't say the name... Guess you don't wanna talk about it."
"......"
The clan name.
Honestly, it's not bad.
Just feels cringy to say out loud.
'I could say it confidently in the game.'
Stuff like Piccolo Thumb Sucking Guild.
"Better than 'One Silver Coin' though, right?"
"Pretty ordinary, no?"
"No, a clan made with one silver coin, gathering orphans."
"......"
Adventurer Guild clans are ruthless.
As I chatted with Diago, a massive carriage approached.
"Those heading to the Cradle, please gather here."
We headed to the carriage.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Riding the carriage, old memories surfaced unbidden.
It'd only been a few months, but...
I must've been pretty anxious back then.
Fortunately, I grabbed onto luck named Ermé.
'What was that mage's name?'
Hanwoo or something.
Not a tasty-sounding name like that.
For some reason, that guy popped into my head.
'Reminds me of nipping buds in the cradle.'
The method of preemptively crushing potential threats.
Even now, it made less sense.
'Really some anti-empire coalition?'
Like the rebel group Libellion.
Or whatever group the Demon King leads.
As those thoughts swirled, mealtime arrived.
"......"
One sip of soup, and knowledge dawned.
'Blue Serpent Venom.'
A paralysis poison with a bluish tint that doesn't affect taste or smell.
Pretty useful stuff.
Sigh, that's my life.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Garnet was a fresh adventurer heading to the Cradle.
'Gotta make it big.'
His younger brother had already settled there.
He'd originally planned to call his brother to his old shop.
But rival merchants spread rumors, and since he hadn't bribed the nobles, the shop went under.
It had been thriving, but irrecoverable.
Had to sell at a rock-bottom price.
'...Really rock-bottom.'
Should've fetched dozens of gold coins.
Now he had just one gold coin left.
Swallowing his rage with soup that day.
Thud. Thud.
People started collapsing around him.
One by one, they dropped.
He realized his own body was going numb too.
'...Ah.'
His voice wouldn't come out.
His body chilled. Just like being poisoned.
'Why...?'
Before bewilderment could form.
A man and woman appeared.
"Ugh, such a pain. The one area I didn't wanna touch."
"Can't be helped. Guild master's starting to suspect us. One last big score, then move to the empire or kingdom."
"Tch, had to get tangled with the annoying ones."
"Hurry and grab these guys. Hope there's some talent among them."
"Those bastards treat us like errand boys! They're the top culprits behind this mess, and they want us handing over talent? Ha, easy for them to say."
"Can't be helped. They hog the master's attention."
A complaining woman and a soothing man.
Didn't sound good no matter how you sliced it.
Some shadowy group kidnapping them.
'Dangerous...'
Needed to escape.
But how? Where?
In that instant.
A man appeared. Clad head to toe in black. His black coat fluttering as he approached the pair.
"What? Someone immune to the paralysis poison?"
"...Wait, those eyes."
Purple hue.
The man with dreamlike night-sky eyes glared and spoke.
"How should I do it? Crush you slowly? Or dice you up fine?"
Shiver.
Garnet could only tremble.
If that pair looked like petty villains.
This man had the aura of a Demon King who'd drown the world in evil.
'P-Please, let the pair win.'
Better to be kidnapped by them.
Than this Demon King-like man.