Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Weapon Master
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A man with black hair, a rare sight in this world, tied into a long ponytail, landed before us with a light step. From behind, he might have been mistaken for a woman, but his build and the thick hand gripping a tree branch revealed he was a man.
"Haa... Gideon. How many times have I told you not to swing your sword near the seal?"
Gideon. The appearance of the Weapon Master, one of only three S-rank adventurers on the continent. Like Lucia, his appearance seemed far from middle-aged, and despite his prestigious title of S-rank adventurer, his attire consisted of nothing more than loose cloth clothes and a pair of pants.
"Haha, my apologies. I get antsy if I don't move my body for even a day."
"The problem is that your sword could break the seal if you're not careful."
"That's why I used something that wasn't a sword."
True to his word, his sword remained sheathed at his waist, and in his hand was a crooked tree branch. It seemed he had just used it to cut down the monkeys in the trees.
"That's incredible..."
"With a tree branch..."
Following their words of admiration, I looked at the tree where the monkeys had been. Unlike the cleanly severed necks of the monkeys, there wasn't a single mark on the branches or the tree itself.
To have precisely decapitated nearly fifty monkeys from a distance in such a short time was a feat impossible for anyone less than an S-rank adventurer.
Even I couldn't do something like that, unless I just threw a bomb and blew them up like bowling pins. I'm not exactly the delicate type, to begin with.
"More importantly, who are the people behind you? It's been a while since I've seen humans."
Gideon spoke, looking at us with a welcoming expression. Having been in Alfheim for so long, he must have missed seeing humans after only being around elves. The elf answered his question for him.
"This party was invited by Lady Yggdrasil."
He then introduced us one by one. Thanks to him, I didn't have to bother with introductions, which was convenient. But he kept calling it an invitation, and I wasn't sure if being worked like a laborer could be called that.
"Oho... That old hag?"
"You're likely the only one in the world who would dare call Lady Yggdrasil that."
"What does it matter? The old hag doesn't say anything, and as long as we're both satisfied, isn't that what counts?"
"Haa..."
Gideon walked past the elf and offered me his hand. When I took it, he greeted me with a friendly smile.
"A pleasure. I can't even remember the last time I saw another human. I'm Gideon."
Not that it wasn't always the case, but it was strange to hear lines from the novel spoken in real life. I shook his hand moderately, just as he did lightly, and when we let go, Gideon stared intently at his own hand, opening and closing his fist as if something was bothering him. What's with him?
"Hmm... I see. Are you perhaps an adventurer?"
"Yep."
"Your rank?"
"B-rank."
"...You are?"
"Yep."
Gideon just kept blinking, as if he couldn't believe it. Honestly, even I found it strange that I was only B-rank, but what could I do about the process?
Still, I was confident I'd reach A-rank after this episode. It'd be crazier if they didn't promote me after I took down an S-rank monster.
"Did the average adventurer's level rise while I was away?"
He muttered to himself, but since we were close enough to shake hands, I heard everything.
'Does this guy have the ability to gauge someone's strength just by shaking their hand?'
What a weirdly gay ability. After finishing the somewhat uncomfortable handshake and stepping back, Gideon spoke with a regretful expression.
"It was a pleasure meeting you. I'd love to have a sparring match if I could, but unfortunately, I have things to do."
After saying that, he gave a brief nod to the rest of my party and turned back to the elf. They seemed to be having an important conversation, and when I eavesdropped, I found it was about the seal.
"Gideon, has there been any trouble with the seal?"
"Lately, there have been many signs that the seal is weakening. The increased monster sightings in this area, like just now, is a prime example."
"Is that so... Perhaps it's time to post more guards."
"I'm here during the morning and afternoon, so it's fine then, but we'll need to prepare for the evening and dawn hours."
It wasn't a particularly informative conversation, so I left them to it and took a stroll around the seal's perimeter.
"He was more like a friendly neighborhood uncle than I expected."
"That's probably how glad he was to see us."
A guy who used to wander around freely has been stuck in a forest with elves for years. Of course he'd be happy to see another human after so long.
"Still, he was an amazing person."
"Why are you acting so surprised now?"
You must have forgotten since we see her every day, but the academy's Headmaster is also an S-rank, just like him. It's just a matter of whether they're a common sight or a rare one. Besides, we'll be here for another week, so I think this is a good opportunity.
"Luna, why don't you try learning some skills from him when you have time?"
"Are you talking to me?"
"Yeah. I'm talking to you."
I can say with certainty that no one can keep up with my growth. Even if we kill the same monster, I'll level up much faster thanks to the status window's adjustments.
That means the girls need to cover their slower growth with skills. In that respect, an S-rank adventurer who can use daggers is a living textbook.
It would be a waste if they became useless after I've invested so much in them. I can't sell them, and if they were the type to go quietly, they wouldn't have followed me in the first place. Since we've come this far, isn't it only natural to squeeze them dry until there's nothing left?
"What about you, Luke?"
"What is there for me to learn?"
There are no techniques for a greatsword. How could there be techniques for a weapon that's hard enough just to lift? Doing somersaults and flashy moves with this hefty sword is only possible in games, and even then, it's just for show. The only techniques for a greatsword are blocking and swinging, so there's nothing to learn.
"But, you're being awfully quiet today."
"What do you mean?"
"The usual you would have broken the seal right away, saying you needed the experience points."
"What do you take me for?"
Luna. After seeing all that you have, you still don't get it? I'm not arrogant and reckless like those stupid nobles. They pick fights recklessly because they think they're the strongest in the world, right?
I've said it time and again, but that's just being a brute. I'm a real man, so I just make smart choices.
"I don't fight battles I can't win."
What would happen if I broke the seal right now? Well, what do you think? We'd all just die. I'd rather try to spawn-kill them, but would I be crazy enough to just break the seal?
I hunt based on winnable fights and thorough preparation.
"Anyway, there's something I need, so I was planning to rest for a bit and then go somewhere for a short while in four days."
"Yes...? Where?"
"You'll find out when we get there."
Let's save the destination as a surprise for later, shall we?
***
That evening.
After spending a considerable amount of time at the seal, it was already evening when we arrived in Alfheim, the moon high in the sky.
Before being shown to our lodgings, an elf asked if we'd like to stop by the dining hall for a meal first, and I readily agreed. You have to eat before you sleep, right?
The elves' dining hall was unusual in that it had no ceiling. I didn't know why they'd built it that way, but being able to eat while gazing at the stars was surprisingly luxurious.
For reference, everyone ate at the same time, and when we followed the elf into the building, Arthur was already there, seated.
Arthur was pestering Liche, trying to get her to return to the academy. The scene reminded me of a wind-style user chasing after a rogue ninja. Not that she was going to go back just because he asked.
And I, who had come for a meal, couldn't help but curse.
"Fuuck—! How can there be no meat on the table!?"
On the tables of the elves, who disdained meat-eating and primarily consumed vegetables, not a single piece of meat could be found. The table was an eight-course meal of greens, and even the tiny, bean-sized morsels of meat in the salad were just soy meat made from ground beans.
"This is blasphemy..."
I took some meat out of my inventory. The A++ grade cuts I had stockpiled during the Behemoth event and saved until now.
At the sight of it, the surrounding elves let out gasps of horror.
"Spoken like a true barbarian..."
"How could he be so cruel...!"
They grow plants to eat them, so I don't get why they're making such a fuss about meat. I ignored them and poured water on the floor. The reason for the water was that wet wood doesn't burn easily.
True to their nature-loving elven ways, all the buildings were made of wood. If I made a campfire like this, a mistake could burn down the whole village, or even the entire forest. I was confident I could survive even in a sea of fire, but my food would burn, so I had to be careful.
After building a campfire with firewood, I called Liche.
"Liche. Light this up for me."
"Huh? Oh. Okay."
Then I placed a steel plate over the campfire and started grilling the meat. A true gourmand must be prepared to eat anywhere, regardless of the location.
-*Sizzzle.*
Just the sound of it was delightful. The elves, on the other hand, were in an uproar of screams and frenzy.
"S-Stop it at once, human! Don't you dare spread that disgusting smell in front of us!"
"I pity you for not knowing the glory of meat."
I ostentatiously devoured the greed-inducing, brown-colored flesh.
"*Slurp.*"
"W-What?!"
What an honest flavor. But the elves were in shock, as if they couldn't believe I was actually eating it. So I toyed with the meat once more with a divine flick of my tongue.
"Rerorerorerorerorerorororororororororo─────────────────────────."
The elves were once again horrified by my 200-rpm tongue-work. But all they could do was watch.
They could run their mouths all they wanted, but word had already spread throughout the village that we were distinguished guests invited by the World Tree. How could they defy guests personally invited by a god? Even if they did, I'd win anyway.
After that enjoyable meal of teasing the knife-ears, we were guided to our lodgings. The lodging wasn't an inn but more like a vacant house. Since Alfheim wasn't a tourist destination and had no human visitors, it felt like a building set aside specifically for guests.
Naturally, Arthur's party was in the same building, just in a different room. We were about to enter a large room as usual.
"Wait a minute! Why are you all going into the same room!?"
"To sleep."
Arthur was shocked to see us all entering one room. It seemed he'd never once slept with a woman before, but that was his fault, not something to be shocked at us for.
If this were Korea, you could have a drinking party with a woman you just met and then head straight to a motel to pound rice cakes all night.
"What business is it of yours whether I sleep with Luke or not?"
"......"
Liche's sound logic left Arthur speechless. Even if she was supposed to be a heroine, she wasn't one now, and they were certainly not in a romantic relationship.
'Is this what the World Tree warned me to be careful about?'
Was he about to lose his mind and go on a rampage here? Even after I put him in his place, he still hasn't learned.
The moment I put my hand on my inventory, Arthur slumped his shoulders and went into his own room. Thankfully, nothing troublesome happened.
We went into our room as well. Inside, a small plant that served as an air freshener sat on the bedside table, and there was one large bed and one small bed.
Without even taking off my clothes, I flopped down onto the large bed. Then, I belatedly felt the urge to mess with Arthur and wondered if there was a good way to do it.
'Come to think of it...'
I remember reading a novel somewhere, one where the character gets isekai'd by getting rammed into a tree.
"Hmm..."
Swallowing a groan, I shot up from the bed. Nothing to lose. If it failed, so be it. If it succeeded, I'd be doing someone else a favor, but I could follow suit.
"Luke, where are you going?"
"Just going to take care of something."