Chapter 35
Chapter 35
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Swamp Native Hassan #2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Oh, Mr. Hassan. I heard the story. You caught a huge lion with your bare hands?”
The ridiculous green-haired Daphne greeted us with a grin. More than that, the first thing out of her mouth was asking if I’d beaten a lion to death.
It had been the same when talking to that maiden squad earlier. Rumors in this world spread incredibly fast.
Bards idly chattering in taverns and on the streets, passersby gossiping like it was their favorite snack—that’s probably why it circulates everywhere.
“Uh, well, actually, it wasn’t a lion but a giant cat… And I didn’t kill it, just captured it alive and took it away. And I didn’t do it alone.”
“I see. Even so, that’s plenty impressive. Anyway, word of your prowess is spreading far and wide.”
“My prowess?”
“The Mars Guild is buzzing too—expecting a standout rookie since Hippolyte. It feels good to one-up those stuck-up receptionists from the Minerva Guild with their noses in the air!”
“I-I see.”
“So let’s just say you killed the lion. Should we exaggerate it to an elephant? Or a drake?”
“That might be a bit too much of a stretch…”
“That’s what it takes to shut down those Minerva Guild bastards. They always take it even further.”
The rivalry between Minerva Guild and Mars Guild seemed like the Cold War between the Soviets and America.
Bragging about what they have, showing off, desperate to look down on the other—it felt like a classic rival setup.
As I mulled over the politics and society of this world in a bored haze, Daphne fiddled with the abacus in front of her.
“Still, 2 silver for the reward feels undervalued. Doesn’t balance the books at this rate. I’ll have to warn Alchemist Nemea in the west gate slums.”
“Warn?”
“Well, for starters, it means barring them from guild requests for a few days to months. If they keep pricing way above market value from now on—permanent blacklist might be next.”
There’s that too. More than that, my 2 silver reward was on the cheap side? Never crossed my mind. I’d just been thrilled to earn more than back in my slave days.
Looking back now, it felt like a ton of hardship.
Of course, what happened after was a fiasco where I should’ve paid them instead—but I’d bury that in my chest forever.
“Anyway, expectations are sky-high for you, Mr. Hassan. A blessed Samaritan makes for quite the spectacle. Raise your fame, and our guild rises with you. As your handling receptionist, I’d get promoted too…”
Daphne chuckled to herself, lost in pleasant fantasies. Everyone gets excited when their own gains are on the line.
“Anyway, I have a custom request for you and Luna. Reward is a whopping 10 silver! And if you complete this one successfully…”
Click, clack, click.
Daphne, still snapping her abacus, looked at Luna and continued.
“Luna, factoring in your past fees and contributions, you’ll be promoted to Bronze Tier!”
“M-Me? Bronze!?”
Luna shrieked like she couldn’t believe it.
I was just as stunned. Luna at Bronze? Same rank as those sword-wielding armored Amazons from earlier?
Sure, Luna’s growth potential must be huge. She’s the daughter of some bizarre entity called Nox. In this world’s terms, a true goddess’s child. Still, Bronze felt premature.
“I thought it’d take more time to get a Bronze tag…”
“It came up in internal meetings. You’re the only one supplying hornet honey wine to the guild. Hit Bronze, and you can get a guild loan—perfect for opening that brewing workshop.”
“Me? A workshop? For real!? No way!”
“Nothing impossible about it. Checked with Mercury Bank—plenty of land and property registered under Lady Luna in the Ideophe Archipelago. Credit’s solid… But why adventure while starving? You’re a weird one.”
“Oh my god, Hassan! I’m Bronze Tier! I can open a workshop!”
Luna grabbed my arm and shook it wildly. My head was spinning from the real estate talk, so I was out of it too.
I thought she was a fellow gutter rat, but turns out she’s loaded with land? Suddenly, Luna looked different.
“Hassan, you heard that too, right?”
“Yeah, yep, I did.”
“Huh? What’s with the formal speech all of a sudden?”
Luna furrowed her brow at my polite tone. Daphne quickly picked up the explanation.
“Of course, that’s only if you nail this request. It’s a hefty sum, so expect a tough one. Main tasks: dealing with the native spirits in Kalan Swamp and exterminating Pluto cultists.”
Dealing with. Exterminating.
Finally, a proper adventurer request for me.
Peeking at adventurers over Elfriede’s shoulder, I knew life-or-death jobs like this went to Bronze Tiers—the established ones.
Seemed I was fast-tracked. Prized rookie, something like that?
“Uh, Ms. Daphne. Mind explaining what Pluto cultists are?”
“Oh— Just bad guys. Underworld god… Ahem.”
Daphne clamped her mouth shut like she’d said too much. She cleared her throat with a hum and continued.
“Heterodox heretics worshiping Pluto, god of wealth, as an outlaw. No matter how many we kill or hang, these filthy, blasphemous corpse-pickers keep popping up. So we thin their numbers, obviously?”
“I see.”
“You’re partying with Luna, so learn some basic faith worldview now. Not the Twelve Gods, but Luna’s Nox faith falls under orthodox too.”
*
Out of the guild, Luna and I. Mission starts tomorrow. A fairly large expedition to the swamp, including party members besides us?
10 silver reward—pretty big.
Money I’d starve half a year as a slave to scrape together, now from one request?
For real?
My sense of money was warping.
Felt like forming a boss monster raid party—got my heart pounding pathetically.
Of course, if a real boss shows, I’m running, fuck. Everyone would.
“You listening to me?”
“Oh, yep—”
“Why the sudden formal talk? It’s weird.”
“N-No, nothing.”
“So, the Twelve Gods dwell on lofty Hyphos Mountain. Plus three major gods with immense power. Most famous is sky god Jupiter. Sea lord Neptune. And last, god of wealth and treasure Pluto.”
Strolling outside the guild, Luna shared random lore. Gods of this world, myths, etc. Sounded like pure fantasy to me.
But something bugged me as she talked.
“Pluto’s the underworld god, right? God of the afterlife.”
Context fit perfectly there.
Sky, sea, underworld—basic triad in any myth. Childhood comics were vaguely resurfacing.
“Shh, don’t call him that. It’s taboo.”
Luna glanced around like a Korean shouting independence cheers amid Japanese cops, then warned me.
“Pluto’s the god of wealth. Only cultists revere him as underworld god. Never call him that.”
“Really?”
Curious why, but it wasn’t my business, so whatever. Truth was, that wasn’t my real question.
I’d found the giant cat for the reward. Handed half—1 silver—to Luna and finally asked what I’d bottled up.
“Hey, Luna.”
“What? Got a question? Whoa, 1 silver? Hassan, you’re too generous!”
“Anyway, wasn’t eavesdropping, but overheard—lots of land in your name.”
“Oh, that? I don’t know details. Village elders manage it. It’s sacred ground, can’t sell anyway—no cash value.”
Sacred unsellable land? Like Korea’s greenbelt no-build zones? Still, owning land dazzled me.
Owning land or buildings was distant even on Earth.
Whoa, not dumb pink anymore—gorgeous pink. Gold-framed Chikorita? No longer a Chikorita. What to call it? My poor brain couldn’t grasp.
“But on that island, you’d never starve. Why come this far and suffer?”
“Told you. Ideophe Archipelago’s cursed. I want to lift it somehow. High-rank adventurer, maybe snag a relic to break the curse.”
“Hmm, fair point.”
“You left home too, Hassan. Samaria Wilderness is crazy far. How’d you end up here?”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
Wish someone explained why.
From Earth’s South Korea, way beyond Samaria whatever—ordinary Hassan suddenly here?
Chatting nonsense like that, lunch hit. We entered a nearby eatery.
Filled up on 5-copper bowls of gukbap and 3-copper barley tea cups, stepped out to a bustling square.
“Stones for sale! Hard ones perfect for throwing. I gathered ‘em myself.”
“We’re cheaper than next door. 1 copper per pebble. Big ones 5 copper.”
Fuck, selling stones?
“Hassan, look! Brick-throwing festival!”
Luna bounced like a high schooler spotting an idol concert. No clue what a brick festival was—could only frown.
Approached a turbaned sandman hawking stones from a stall.
“What festival is this?”
“Friend from afar, not a festival—a stoning execution. Proper death by stones for defiers of the gods’ order. Buy a stone?”
Execution?
Scanning around at the grim word, spotted a man bound high on a cross-like frame amid the crowd.
Face swollen from beatings, body shredded clothes and wounds everywhere. Looked whipped over twenty lashes. I’m an expert from experience.
“Now, now, listen up. This man, Penni, defied the gods’ law. Specifically, repeated unauthorized healing without temple permission!”
“That bastard fed me mold!”
“Me too!”
Prisoner coughed blood at the accusations.
“I-It’s not mold, medicine. Kills unseen disease causes—antibio…”
“Shut it, cultist! Your mold made my hair fall out—bald now!”
“Th-That’s your family history…”
“Anyway, your fault! Throw stones!”
Woo!
Crowd hurled stones everywhere. What followed was too barbaric and gruesome to describe.
“Chicken skewer, 5 copper.”
“Cool barley brew, 3 copper.”
Stalls and food vendors lined up beside, partying like a festival.
Fucked-up world. How can they smile so innocently smashing faces with full-power fastballs?
“Hassan, chicken skewer? I’ll buy one! Got paid!”
“Hell yeah.” As expected, land-rich lady spends big.
Munching grilled chicken chunks on sticks, the apparent emcee continued.
“Next! Street bard Malco! This prick’s scammed over 20 silver total! Sell him as debt slave or stone him—your call!”
“Throw stones!”
“B-Brothers! Mercy! I-I’ll pay back once famous! My autograph’ll be valuable someday!”
…
…
“Throw stones!”
Woo!
No, why the fuck is that guy up there? Good timing, asshole. How much shit-talk have I endured because of you?
“Shopkeep, one big brick.”
“Samaritan gent adapts quick to continental law. Here. Nothin’ more fun than chuckin’ stones. Careful though—get hooked, you’ll sell your wife for rock money.”
Traded 1 copper for a fist-sized brick. Gripped it to throw—
“B-Brother! Wow, fateful encounter! Thanks, Mercury! Brother! I’m done for without you—defend me!”
Spotting me in the crowd, Malco thrashed so hard his ropes nearly snapped.
Fuck, how’d he pick me out of this mob? Hair? Guy’s got skills anyway.
“Defending a freeloader?”
“Who?”
Malco’s desperate yell drew eyes my way. Crowd with bricks looked murderous.
“No defense here—just throw.”
“Throw stones!”
“Woo!”
“B-Brother! Th-Then only the sinless throw at me!”
Stones pelted him, nose ballooning bigger. Couldn’t take the brutality—played his trump card.
“O-Only the sinless throw at meee!”
Plop, plop.
Hands halted mid-throw at his cry. Malco seized it, bellowing.
“Brothers, I know all! Y-You, blondie! Last night, wife none the wiser—”
“Hey!”
“And you, sister next! Vowed chastity but—”
“Q-Quiet!”
“We’re all sinners! Sinner judging sinner? Only gods judge my sins!”
The doomed man’s voice tore like ruptured guts.
Laced with madness or ghostly fervor, folks dropped stones and vanished. Street singer—good projection.
“Tch, he’s done.”
“Half-assed clown, one week. Pay up. Or next time, castrate and slave ya.”
“G-Gonna pay.”
Freed Malco wiped his bloody nose, limped to me and Luna.
“Man, brother, you saved me. Bought time to flip the mood.”
Fuck, I did nothing. Felt guilty—tossed the brick away unseen.
“Hey, punk. Borrow and don’t pay? That’s why you get stoned.”
“No money, stomach starves. Artist’s path means hunger. Anyway, fucked—need cash. Any jobs?”
“My nose is 11 feet long, asshole.”
“Rough break. Oh, Mercury. What now?”
Watched Malco’s bitter back fade. Probably won’t see him in this city again—felt a twinge of pity.
Next day at west gate, meeting Malco shocked me.
“Maiden Sword Squad sisters! Baggage here! Malco’ll haul it safe to Kalan Swamp!”
At this point, his Mercury god of encounters and fate felt real. True faith shows in actions, not words.
Anyway, my first subjugation mission began. Real adventurer debut trial—and Luna’s promotion match?
“Samaria’s Hassan—we’re in the same group. We’ll see each other plenty next few days.”
“Hi-Hippolyte…!”