Chapter 197
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 197
Chapter Title: Aspiring Disciple
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There were no successes, but plenty of challengers.
The underground tavern in the Adventurer's Guild.
For adventurers accustomed to spicy food, booze, tobacco, and the unique dampness of the underground, there was no place more comfortable than this.
Even in this den of cheap eats, cheap drinks, and coarse language, the occasional woman who stood out like a sore thumb could be found.
Even lust-crazed adventurers had a sharp instinct for survival.
Claiming a spot with such confidence in a tavern packed with drunken, horny men?
It was proof she could handle whatever came her way.
A woman with soft, fluffy pink hair like lamb's wool and a tough-looking girl with dark blonde locks were drawing every man's gaze from their table.
"...Roman's disciple?"
Liliane echoed Alice's out-of-the-blue remark.
"Yes! Hasn't there been one up till now?"
Master-disciple pairs were more common among adventurers than one might think.
But most in the guild fell far short of the ideal Alice envisioned.
It was everyday practice to drag along low-rankers in the same party, treat them like pack mules, and stiff them on pay.
If Liliane were asked whether that amounted to a bad scam...
Well, the low-rankers often joined willingly, and they did pick up some knowledge tagging along, so it wasn't easy to call it outright fraud.
But what Alice meant was something entirely different, despite sharing the basic framework and terminology.
Gold-rankers treating silver- or coppers like disciples was common enough, since gold was a dime a dozen.
But a sapphire or platinum taking on a gold? Liliane had rarely seen it, even once.
It wasn't about gold-rank pride.
Simply put, they couldn't get in even if they wanted to.
"Why do you ask?"
Liliane responded gently to the girl's question, which oddly reminded her of Seria, leaning in to listen.
"I was wondering if there's a way."
No telling what had happened in the meantime.
The key point was those blazing eyes and that burning passion—they were utterly sincere.
"Hmm..."
Liliane scratched her cheek, pondering words that would satisfy the girl without hurting her feelings.
The disciple of the youngest-ever solo platinum adventurer? If it happened, it'd be perfect, of course.
For any adventurer, it'd be the opportunity of a lifetime.
That was why so many had vied for the spot up to now.
Even just what she'd seen at the guild: rich kids, beautiful women, talented prospects tipped to hit sapphire soon, and more.
But the result? Roman was still going solo.
'He definitely won't take one now...'
Liliane understood Alice's feelings all too well, so she hesitated to state it flatly.
'Did she hear that story after all...?'
Veterans often tossed it out half-jokingly to scare new faces.
Among adventurers, gold-rank was commonly called the "grave of talent."
Even among golds, the skill gap was massive, and with shallow experience, careers ranged from single digits to two-digit numbers with a leading one.
Each was someone hailed as a prodigy or rising star back in their hometown or fief.
Since promotion thresholds up to gold were firmly set, natural talent could carry you here quickly.
But sapphire and above? That was a different world entirely.
Only the true cream of the gold crop could pass the guild's special review to ascend.
Sapphire was like that—what about platinum?
No need to even say.
Thus, in adventurer circles, gold was where your ascent halted if you didn't climb fast: a dead end.
If you didn't break out before your prime faded, you'd wander gold forever.
Veterans loved bragging about their skills or how experience kept them fed, but rotting away was the default future.
Desperate to break through, some aimed higher—not for platinum, but for the next rung: sapphire.
But sapphires were eccentric oddballs, hard to even meet privately, so master-disciple bonds were near nonexistent.
"Hmm~ I've never seen Roman take a disciple. Plenty of tries, though."
"As expected..."
Seeing Alice deflate a bit, Liliane felt a flicker of Seria's weary image overlaying her.
"I get how you feel, but don't get anxious over promotion rumors. You've got the skills—that's why you've risen so fast, right, Alice?"
The conversation was suddenly turning consoling.
'...?'
From Alice's view, Liliane and she weren't on the same wavelength.
She wasn't begging to learn just for promotions. Loosely related, maybe, but that wasn't the point.
"It's not so much impatience as—"
Just as Alice organized her thoughts to explain properly to Liliane...
-Sssik!
"Ack!"
Tero, huddled on her head, twitched and reacted emotionally.
At the same time, Liliane's eyes widened over Alice's shoulder.
Following her gaze down the stairs came a man.
"!!!"
Did his eyes meet hers? Or the sister's?
He glanced their way with a light smile and approached.
With each step, the air seemed to warp, shifting the tavern's vibe.
Chattering clusters of adventurers, with no risk of collision, parted a space anyway.
Glad to see him, but the timing...
Liliane rolled her eyes to check Alice, then greeted him.
"...Roman. Doing well?"
Thud!
Alice shot up from her chair, bowing deeply.
"Hello, sir!!"
-Sssiiik!
"Of course I am. Liliane looks healthy—great to see—and Alice, you're full of energy. Nice."
From soft greeting to booming salute, plus the spirit's intense reaction—it drove away the underground dampness with sheer vitality.
Taking all three at once, he rested a hand on the empty chair and asked.
"Mind if I sit?"
"Of course."
"Please, sit!"
With their okay, he sat, and Tero hopped right onto his shoulder.
-Ssi.
"...!"
Only Alice fidgeted at the scene; even Roman looked quietly pleased to see Tero.
At a table where most could see spirits.
Only Liliane couldn't grasp Roman suddenly glancing somewhere or smiling.
As Tero scampered around his ear or hair, nibbling away, Roman took it in stride and casually picked at fruit.
"No gloomy types at the table? Guess I stumbled into prime seating."
Not just briefly away, he'd confirmed it was only them—and smiled.
"Everyone's busy with work, so it ended up like this."
Seemingly pleased, he nodded and grabbed the menu.
"Want anything else?"
"I've still got some left, so I'm good. You here for a drink?"
He shook his head at Liliane's question.
"Nah. For health, it's gotta be milk. Alice, you want something? We can order more food too."
Placing a gold coin on the table as a sign he'd cover it.
Thanking him, Liliane still tilted her head.
"M-milk...?"
It was on the tavern menu, but this was Liliane's first time seeing Roman drink milk.
When he joined her, it was always high-proof liquor or water.
The cute, out-of-place choice clashed with her mental image.
Alice gulped down the rest of her juice in her glass with noisy swallows.
"Pha-! Milk for me too, please!"
No deep meaning, but mimicking him anyway—she shot up her hand, following his lead.
Roman didn't refuse, seemingly liking her spirited acceptance.
"Love the gusto! Food?"
Suddenly, Roman's voice boomed like an academy instructor.
Alice's mind flashed to her childhood martial training under Adel.
To show discipline, she tensed her gut and raised her voice higher.
"Roast red boar leg and the tavern's ultimate gourmet sauce on the side, please!!!"
Surrounding murmurs and stares converged, but Roman and Alice, lost in their bubble, ignored it.
The full embarrassment fell to Liliane.
"Perfect! Full of vim and vigor! I'll order."
"Thank you!!"
Liliane stared blankly as Alice scurried off with the gold and menu.
"..."
Beyond the burning stares and flushed face.
What was this bizarre banter between them?
Their vibe felt off somehow, leaving Liliane oddly sidelined.
For a moment—just maybe—Alice's wish might not be a pipe dream.
"Roman..."
"Yeah?"
Liliane's eyes drifted to Alice waiting in line to order.
"You like that kid?"
"Like how?"
As Roman met her puzzled question with one of his own, Liliane lowered her voice.
"Unlike last time, you seem pretty fond... Is Alice really your type?"
Not impossible.
Alice had that rough edge, but denying her beauty was impossible.
"Hmm~ Never thought of her that way."
Not denying the fondness, Liliane kept possibilities open.
"Or like a little sister?"
Leaning forward slightly at her persistent questions, Roman locked eyes with Liliane.
"Why's the mage grilling me like this today?"
"N-not grilling..."
Snapping to, she realized she was overstepping with a platinum—her momentum wilted, voice shrinking.
Tapping the table thoughtfully before speaking, Roman wrapped it up.
"No big reason. She doesn't adventure just to eat—she's got purpose. Pretty, polite, hardworking. What's not to like?"
-Sssiiik.
Tero's sound from atop his head tickled Roman's ear.
Saying no more, he held her gaze with a smile; Liliane fidgeted, chewing her lip.
A few seconds felt like years—until Alice saved her.
"Brought it myself!"
She approached with dishes and glasses on a wooden tray.
"Thanks."
As food and drinks settled and she set the tray on an empty table, Alice glanced at the off-kilter Liliane and spoke.
"...Were you having an important talk?"
"No...! Not at all!"
Roman chuckled at Liliane still off-balance and chimed in.
"She was asking if you're my type."
"...Pardon?"
Pfft—!
Liliane, sipping juice to cool off, sprayed it everywhere.