Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Personal Request
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"A familiar ceiling."
"…Is that really the first thing you say after waking up?"
"Oh, Luna. Good morning."
Sleep mode is the best. I feel completely refreshed.
"…Do you have any idea how much trouble it was to bring you back yesterday?"
"Waaah. Me baby Luke. Me light. Waaah."
"…"
Jeez. You got a free dinner last night thanks to me, and you're still making a big deal out of carrying me a little?
This is why they say there's no point in raising a slave. The old folks were right on the money.
"Sigh… What are you planning to do today?"
"Hmm. Maybe I'll try something other than a general request today?"
The Adventurer's Guild has four types of requests in total.
First, General Requests. These are what you'd typically think of as guild requests. Things like hunting monsters and presenting proof for payment, just like I did.
Second, Personal Requests. These are when nobles or commoners who need an adventurer's help pay to hire one. They're often used for F-rank tasks like gathering herbs, cleaning, or transporting goods.
Third, Designated Requests. This is for when you think, "I absolutely need this bastard, even if it kills me! I want to screw this guy over, no matter what!" You can then name a specific adventurer for the request. They have the right to refuse, but since small fries like us will never get one, there's no need to remember that.
And finally, Emergency Requests.
The so-called unblockable. These are issued when the higher-ups deem it necessary. Adventurers who receive one have no right to refuse. The pay is guaranteed to be as good as the job is hard, so if it were up to me, I'd want emergency requests every day.
If I'm going to do something, I hope it's something that looks difficult.
That's the only way it won't be boring and stale.
"First, I'll go and see what's available."
"Before that, shouldn't you change your clothes?"
"Ah, right."
I took off my clothes and tossed them to Luna.
"Luna, put some mana into this."
One of the great things about the academy uniform is its restoration function, which repairs it when infused with mana.
Fighting is a daily routine for students, and if commoners had to buy new clothes every time they got ruined, they wouldn't last a year before dropping out.
It's a very convenient feature that doesn't exist in the modern world, but this body has zero mana, so I can't fix it myself.
Luna took the clothes, and after a moment, the torn parts quickly repaired themselves.
"Sir Luke. It's done."
"Nice."
I took the clothes, put them on, and immediately left the inn.
***
Today, instead of heading straight for the reception desk upon arriving at the Adventurer's Guild, I went to the request board.
The general request board, where general requests were posted.
My target today was the personal request board right next to it.
"Now that I'm D-rank, my options have definitely expanded."
Instead of pathetic monsters that were just normal animals with a monster label slapped on them, I saw quite a few that looked like proper monsters I'd seen somewhere before.
Of course, I was drawn to the A-rank request to subjugate a Stone Snake.
But it was obvious I'd get shot down if I tried to take it, so I decided to just look with my eyes.
I skipped the general requests and started browsing the personal request board, looking for something interesting.
Goblin extermination in some backwater village, walking a dog, slime extermination.
The quality of the requests was pathetic.
You can walk your own damn dogs, you crazy bastards.
I'm bored to death as it is. You want to see something really fun?
I could show them. I could boil that client's puppy into a stew and eat it right in front of them.
'No. Even that wouldn't be enough to cure my boredom.'
In the end, I couldn't find any request that stood out.
"Adelaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!"
So, I went to someone who might know something.
"You don't have to shout so loud, I can hear you just fine…"
"I know."
"…Never mind. Why did you call me?"
Hoh. You're quite skilled at changing the subject. At this rate, you'll be able to handle even the most difficult adventurers.
"Recommend a fun request for me."
"There are none."
That's not true. I can tell you're hiding something.
My intuition is telling me so.
That Adela is hiding something fun right now.
So, I lay down on the floor.
"Screeeech! It's Luke's! It's Luke's!"
I rolled around on the floor like a human mop.
All eyes were on me in an instant.
Just screaming my head off is fine, but considering my friendship with Adela, I decided to give her a special remix version.
"It's Luke's!!! Yaa-aah-aaah!"
"St-stop! I'll tell you, so please just stop! Miss Luna! Please try to stop him!"
Flustered, Adela belatedly tried to restrain me.
"Sir Luke. I believe that's enough."
Only after Luna came and stopped me did I get up, dusting myself off.
"You should've just done that from the start."
Of course, just because I stood up didn't mean the eyes on me would disappear.
"So, let's hear it. What have you got?"
"…Here."
Adela handed me a piece of paper she'd pulled out.
The contents were as follows.
=
Investigation of Missing Persons Case.
Recently, numerous missing persons cases have occurred within the county.
As an investigation with only the domain's private soldiers has proven fruitless, we request the dispatch of an adventurer to assist in the investigation.
Required Rank: D-rank or higher.
Reward: 15 silver coins.
Client: Count Isaac Devon.
=
At the end of the request form, an official seal was stamped as if to verify the client's identity.
It's rare to see a noble use formal language with an adventurer, but here one was.
'The required rank is D or higher. How did they know I'm D-rank?'
This looks interesting.
Isn't this request practically targeted at me?
I can already smell a case brewing.
The cliché is that you start with just an investigation and end up getting dragged into the whole affair.
In those cases, there's usually some sweet, sweet serendipity or something else to be gained. And even if there isn't, it's bound to be full of interesting events, right?
'But I feel like I've heard the client's name somewhere before.'
Hmm…
I think the protagonist of that patricidal game where you make your mom cry herself to death was named Isaac.
Whatever. If I can't remember it right away, he's probably just an extra.
"You're the one!"
"W-wait a moment. At least listen to the explanation—"
"I choose you!"
I'm a real man. I don't go back on my choices.
The moment you take back your choice, you're admitting you're less of a man.
From the moment I decided to take it, this quest was already mine for the taking.
"Just listen to me!"
"Yep."
For a moment, I thought I saw a human-shaped figure resembling a mother appear behind Adela.
She must be a Stand user. I don't have a Stand, so I'd better not mess with her.
"It's a bit awkward to say this after showing it to you, but that request hasn't been approved yet because I have a bad feeling about it."
"Even better."
"…?"
Heh. So the protagonist finally awakens.
It's a common cliché for the protagonist, caught up in a dangerous situation, to encounter something within himself and awaken.
Who knows? Maybe if I'm in real danger, the original Luke, the former owner of this body, will pop out and grant me an awakening.
But what difference would it make if a magicless, bottom-of-the-class loser showed up to help?
Maybe I should rethink this.
"…Sigh. Well, this might be for the best. The Devon county is a resort famous for its beautiful sea and lodgings, so why don't you go and get some rest."
"Oh. That might not be a bad idea."
All I've ever known are the seas I've seen on a monitor, cooped up in my room.
'The last sea I saw was in an event scene from a dating sim.'
Back then, I blew 300,000 won just to collect all the character bikinis for some pixelated graphics.
I have fond memories of surviving on nothing but cup ramen for the rest of that month.
I can't even remember how many years it's been since I've seen a real sea. It might not be a bad idea to give myself a break after working so hard recently.
"Yes. Why don't you stay there for as long as possible?"
"Why are you emphasizing 'as long as possible'?"
"What? Me? Of course not."
No, you definitely put a strong accent on 'as long as' and 'possible'.
"More importantly, shouldn't you get going? It'll take quite a while to get to the Devon county from here. If you don't leave soon, it might be evening by the time you arrive."
"No time to hesitate!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I immediately bolted from the Adventurer's Guild and headed for the area with the most carriages.
***
In the corner of a dark room, where not a single ray of light entered despite it being midday, a beautiful woman was bound.
The windows had been deliberately boarded up with wooden planks to block the light, and a thin layer of mana was spread throughout the room, silencing any sound from escaping.
The entire room reeked of the metallic scent of blood, and a carpet made from someone's blood was laid out on the floor.
"His message has been received. We move up the schedule."
A man's voice, like that of a young nobleman.
At the same time, that dignified voice echoed through the room as if in a cave.
"Please… just stop, while you still can…"
Her trembling voice, no longer pleading but utterly desperate.
It was proof that she had already tried this dozens of times.
The man, who had been watching her intently from beside her, answered.
"It is already too late. In a little while, the ritual will be complete, and we will be able to rise again."
"Please… No matter how much we struggle, we're just frogs in a well…"
"Even if that is so, I would rather die trying to do something than live the rest of my life hiding like this."
The world is overflowing with the strong.
There was no way for people like them, who could do nothing but hide, to rise again, no matter how much they struggled.
-*Crack. Squelch.*
The man brought over the arm and leg of what was presumed to be a human and twisted them.
Then, like wringing water from a rag, blood began to seep from the twisted limbs.
"Drink."
"N-no!"
But no matter how she struggled, nothing changed.
Her arms and legs were bound, restricting her movement, and having starved for days, the only thing she could consume was what lay before her.
How many times had it been now?
That she had drunk human blood.
Each time she drank, the thirst grew stronger, and she felt herself slipping away.
She tried to resist, but now her body craved blood on its own.
Even when she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, her tongue would dart out of its own accord, greedily taking it in.
It felt as if something was being dragged up from a great depth within her.
Something unknown was trying to control her.
For now, she was somehow holding on, resisting with her own consciousness.
But this was only a temporary measure. She couldn't endure like this forever.
And so, she could only hope that someone would find her and put a stop to this before it was too late.
Before more people died…
Before I hurt someone…
'Please… someone, stop this. Please…'