Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Freedom Comes with Responsibility. (5)
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“Phew~ This refreshing scent of home!”
Thanks to the completely cleared-out Ode Swamp, Scarlett and her party made it to Hasler in record time.
Their leader, Scarlett Harkur, took a deep breath and stretched her arms wide the moment they passed through Hasler's gates.
The hooded Arna, who was hiding her long ears, smirked at the sight.
“Get real. Your actual home is the marquisate.”
Scarlett had just come from her homeland not long ago, yet here she was calling Hasler her home. It was hilarious.
“Eh, this place is basically home now anyway.”
“The Marquis Sain would sigh if he heard that.”
Jerome stretched his massive frame as he said it, yawning hugely.
He secretly felt the same way about Hasler—like a comfortable hometown.
“Haa... Whatever. Let's head to the guild, report in, and get some rest.”
Ron, the one with the weakest stamina in the group, let out a long sigh.
It had definitely been a grueling march by his standards.
They'd crossed the hot, humid Ode Swamp at a pace well above average.
On top of that, he still hadn't fully recovered from purifying his demon precursor symptoms.
“Jeez... We could've gone slower. Why's everyone in such a rush this time? Did the break make us all antsy?”
Until now, exhaustion had kept him quiet, but now that they'd reached their destination, relief loosened his tongue into a stream of complaints.
“Nah, Scarlett's the one pushing the pace. We were just keeping up.”
Jerome shrugged and shot Scarlett a look, pinning the blame on her.
“Now that you mention it, she was hurrying. All the threats are gone anyway.”
Arna tilted her head curiously and glanced at Scarlett too.
“...I just, y'know, wanted to get back quick! Been away too long. Let's hit the guild already!”
Scarlett mumbled vaguely and bolted toward the guild.
“Hmm.”
“I see.”
Her companions could guess why she'd been in such a hurry.
That line about being “away too long.”
And the “scent of home.”
It sure wasn't about Hasler.
She didn't have that kind of attachment to the place.
Adventurers wandered far and wide, especially with designated requests taking them overseas.
So what wind had blown in to make her talk like she missed it so much?
There was only one change in Hasler before she'd gotten like this.
“Gotta be because of Instructor Kane.”
“Definitely Kane.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Scarlett hadn't made it obvious, but they now knew exactly how special Kane was to her.
Saying she trusted him while fidgeting anxiously.
Wondering if she should head back alone but holding off because she believed in him.
It was the first time the party had seen her so worked up and restless.
That alone told them how she felt, but then...
On the road from the capital to Hasler.
They were convinced watching her walk 1.5 times faster than usual.
‘She misses Kane.’
‘Trying to play it cool. Kinda cute, though.’
They watched her fondly like that.
“What're you doing? Hurry up?!”
Scarlett's voice called from ahead.
“Coming~”
They chuckled inwardly and followed.
#
“Well, if it isn't Miss Scarlett!”
“Haha! Long time no see, old-timer!”
“Heh heh, did everything go well on the request?”
Returning to Hasler after so long.
The townsfolk welcomed Scarlett and her party warmly.
It was always like this since they'd made Hasler their base.
They got a hero's welcome every time they returned from long trips.
Scarlett's bold personality and kind heart for helping others made her loved everywhere.
Plus, once word spread she was from a high noble house yet so approachable and good-hearted...
How could anyone dislike her?
She was Hasler's star.
But somehow...
It felt like a new contender had emerged to challenge that star's spot while they were away.
“If Miss Scarlett had been here, those trolls would've been no problem.”
“Hey now, none of that. Instructor Kane kept the damage minimal.”
“True! We had Instructor Kane, right?”
“Heh heh heh! Hasler fears nothing now! With Instructor Kane and Miss Scarlett!”
Instructor Kane. Instructor Kane.
They'd heard he'd shone in the Troll Lord extermination.
All the townsfolk were praising him.
“Heh heh, Big Brother Kane is pretty amazing, huh.”
Scarlett puffed up with pride, even though it wasn't her getting the praise.
The townsfolk gawked and asked:
“What? You know Instructor Kane, Miss Scarlett?!”
“He's my big bro from way back!”
The crowd buzzed in astonishment.
“Well, I'm off!”
Scarlett dropped that bombshell and vanished.
Her party sighed as the townsfolk scattered, chattering.
“...I have a feeling some wild rumor just got born.”
“Agreed.”
“C'mon, explain it properly... ‘Just a close big bro~’ is pure clickbait.”
They'd deal with the fallout later and followed Scarlett to the guild.
They arrived soon enough.
“H-Hey! Isn't that Scarlett's party?!”
“No way! Scarlett for real?!”
“Kyaa! Sis!”
All eyes in the guild—adventurers and request posters alike—locked onto Scarlett and her crew.
As expected from the top-tier S-Rank party.
Attention was their constant shadow.
But something felt off.
“...It's weirdly crowded today.”
Arna frowned uncomfortably and pulled her hood lower.
Only her party, Kane, and the branch chief knew she was an elf.
She didn't want to advertise it.
And yeah, it was definitely odd, like she said.
The guildhall was packed today.
Normally at this hour, most would've taken requests and left, leaving only a few late risers or indecisive stragglers.
Not this shoulder-to-shoulder mob.
The mystery didn't last.
They quickly figured out why the adventurers had gathered.
“H-Hey! Instructor Kane's coming out!”
“Oooooh!”
Someone shouted, and the eyes on Scarlett's party snapped that way.
Scarlett and her crew naturally looked too.
“Hm?”
A neat, tidy-looking man descended the upstairs stairs.
Hasler's current heartthrob, at the peak of popularity: Kane.
“...W-What? Why's it so packed?!”
He spotted the crowd and stumbled back in shock.
“Instructor Kane! Teach us anything—even a little!”
“I've been stuck on this request for days—any advice...!”
“Kyaa! Instructor Kane, bro!”
Adventurers surged toward him.
Kane bellowed at the sight.
“I told you to go home! No more lessons today! Come back when I'm free! Too many people right now...”
He seemed awkward with the attention, flustered.
And behind him...
“Heh. Solid lecture.”
“Ah! Lucky to be D-Rank.”
“Wish he'd teach weekly.”
D-Rank adventurers glowed with enlightenment as they came down the stairs.
Students from the D-Rank regular training session, part one.
“Damn! Just that lesson alone puts you a head above same-rankers!”
“Lucky bastards...”
“They split people by rank since so many D-Ranks—stuck doing D-Rank sessions for days...”
“Ah! If Instructor Kane had been here three months ago, I'd be D-Rank too!”
Those who missed it sighed like they'd fallen behind in the adventurer world.
They weren't wrong—they really would.
Those who'd taken Kane's lessons before the Troll Lord incident were already outperforming their ranks.
Master's Grace Party and Black Axe Party were prime examples.
Adventurers first dismissed it as luck, but post-troll, they knew Kane was legit.
They craved his theory classes to punch above their ranks.
Survival and growth were an adventurer's core assets.
The frenzy made sense.
“Everyone, go home for today. Or take a request.”
The chaos dragged on until Branch Chief Terry came down to sort it out himself.
Once things calmed...
“Oh, Miss Scarlett's here?”
“Hey! Miss Scarlett! Miss Arna, Mr. Jerome, Mr. Ron!”
Only after the mess cleared did Branch Chief Terry and Kane notice Scarlett's party.
“Long time, miss.”
“Haha! Not that long! We talked via comms recently.”
Kane approached with a greeting, and Scarlett nodded with her usual hearty laugh.
“Chat while you head up. I'll be waiting upstairs.”
Terry glanced at them and headed up.
Kane and Scarlett's party caught up happily.
“Haha, how've you been, Instructor Kane!”
“Good to see you too, Mr. Jerome.”
Jerome first.
“You looked super popular just now.”
“Haha, nah... Lord overdid the hype...”
Scratching his head sheepishly at Ron's teasing.
“It's been a while, Kane.”
“You too, Miss Arna.”
He noted her deep hood—even here, she was hiding.
After greeting the four...
“Hm? Who's the kid behind you?”
Scarlett tilted her head and pointed behind Kane.
There stood a girl glaring daggers at Scarlett.
‘...Ah, familiar pattern.’
Kane, used to this by now, pointed back casually.
“Oh, this is Miss Lin. She got rescued from the Ode Swamp survey team and brought here.”
“Oho~”
As Scarlett and the party kept staring, Lin ducked fully behind Kane.
Then muttered to herself.
“Ngh... Two more new girls...! Instructor Kane really is popular...”
“......”
‘No clue what misunderstanding she's got... but that's not it, Miss Lin.’
Kane sighed inwardly.
Scarlett kept peeking curiously at Lin.
The party members watched the scene, amused, like they'd caught on.