Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Translator: Penny
Chapter 12
Guild 2
At the Royal Palace, Third Prince Lawrence had brought an unexpected item, plunging the court into chaos: the corpse of a Troll Warrior.
"How in the world did you manage to capture this?" King Decker Danor von Crownguard asked, his face etched with deep suspicion as he stared at his son. In his mind, Third Prince Lawrence was utterly incapable of such an achievement.
"Your Majesty, I captured it with Guard Knight Hunts and Count Agron, the new Head of House Veilain," Lawrence replied.
"Hmm... Summon Knight Hunts."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
At the King's command, a courtier called Hunts, who had been waiting outside the audience chamber.
"You summoned me, Your Majesty?" Hunts asked.
"Indeed, Sir. It's been a while. Now, I want to hear the truth."
"The truth...?"
"Lawrence claims you, along with the New Count, captured the Troll Warrior. Tell me the truth."
King Decker's voice was stern.
Hunts glanced sideways, meeting Lawrence's pleading gaze. The prince clearly wanted the truth, but one seasoned with embellishment.
"That... it's true, Your Majesty."
"What part of that is true?"
"Third Prince Lawrence, Your Highness, and Count Agron, the New Lord of the Veilain Fief, fought the Troll Warrior together. This included myself, the prince's Guard Knight, my deputy Harkin, and several other knights."
"And... and there's no lie in that?"
"No, Your Majesty. It is the truth."
Hunts lowered his head, unable to meet the king's gaze.
In truth, there was no lie in Hunts' words.
Though Lawrence hadn't bravely swung his sword or charged into battle, he had at least accompanied them to stop the monster.
From Hunts' perspective, having observed Lawrence for so long, even that small act was enough to change his assessment of the prince.
"Did the Third Prince really do that...?" King Decker stroked his chin, his lips twisting into a skeptical expression.
"He truly fought alongside us, Your Majesty! However, it was Your Excellency Count Agron who defeated the Troll Warrior."
Hunts hadn't witnessed the battle firsthand, but he recounted Baek Woon's detailed account of the fight as accurately as possible.
As he spoke, the expressions of the King and his surrounding vassals gradually shifted into something strange.
"Your Majesty! This is a lie! There's no one in this world who could kill a Troll Warrior with their bare hands!"
"I share that opinion, Lord Hunts. You said you didn't witness it yourself, correct?"
"H-however, Prince Lawrence, Your Highness, personally witnessed it."
As all eyes turned to him, Lawrence's face flushed crimson, and he stammered, "I saw it myself... Count Agron tearing it apart with his bare hands..."
"Hahahaha..."
King Decker let out a faint, mirthless laugh.
"The Prince must have been dreaming. Isn't that Daoist ultimately a pawn of the Count?"
"Yes, he appeared to be a longtime acquaintance of Count Agron."
"He must have used some other method—firing a cannon from afar or employing magic. No human can kill even a regular Troll with their bare hands, let alone a Troll Warrior."
At the King's words, the other vassals nodded in agreement.
The very idea of a human fighting monsters bare-handed was absurd.
"But Father—no, Your Majesty! I saw it with my own eyes!"
"Enough. The fact that you fought and captured a monster yourself pleases this father. Send Count Agron an additional gift beyond the agreed-upon price."
The King, pleased that his immature son had shown even a hint of growth, ended the discussion and dismissed the court.
"Lord Hunts, a word."
As the crowd dispersed, someone called out to Hunts.
"Ah... Baron Wolfgang, isn't it?"
"Tell me honestly, Lord Hunts. Is it absolutely certain that His Excellency, the Count, killed him with his bare hands?"
Hunts sensed the burning competitive spirit in the other man's eyes.
"Yes, it's absolutely certain."
"And how does he compare to me?"
Hunts swallowed hard, observing Wolfgang's chest, which seemed about to burst, and the bulging veins on the back of his hands.
"How could I dare compare the two of you? I can only report what I witnessed."
"...Hmm, I see."
Wolfgang nodded and strode out of the audience chamber.
Hunts stared thoughtfully after Wolfgang's bear-like figure, lost in thought.
The King's greatest warrior, Baron Wolfgang, won't let this rest. I must inform His Excellency, Agron, immediately.
Agron and Baek Woon left the mansion and headed toward the city's Guild.
During the journey, Baek Woon tried to understand why he had to accompany Agron, but he soon concluded that comprehending Agron was an impossible task and gave up.
"By the way, is it alright not to see Prince Lawrence off?"
"Why should I see him off?"
"...It's fine to drag an old man to the Guild against his will, but seeing off the Prince of this nation is out of the question?"
Baek Woon looked at him incredulously and retorted, "Of course. That fool is treated as an equal to a Count like me, while you're my vassal, Elder. Have you finished making all the emergency medicines I ordered?"
"I haven't made a single one, you brat!"
"Oh dear, you'll have to finish them at the mansion later. You seem to be quite lazy."
Baek Woon gripped his cane tightly, his hand trembling with suppressed anger.
If only he had the chance, he wanted to smack Agron's head with his staff just once.
By the time they reached the city, dusk was already settling in.
Their first stop was an inn.
They needed to stable their horses.
"Welcome! What can I get for you? A meal? Or a room?"
"We'll eat and stay after we finish our business. For now, we just need to stable our horses."
"Yes, yes, that can be arranged."
The innkeeper went out to put the horses in the stable but glanced at Agron with a suspicious look after seeing their steeds.
He had assumed they were just some shabby travel horses, but instead, two sleek, glossy-coated horses stood before him.
"What's wrong?"
"Well... what exactly are you gentlemen? You don't look like nobles or knights..."
The innkeeper asked with a deeply suspicious tone, "What exactly is your background? What race are you? What's your status?"
He usually avoided asking guests such personal questions about their origins, race, or status. However, he preferred to address potential trouble head-on, and his instincts told him these people's identities were highly suspicious.
"I am not a knight, but a proud warrior of the North," Agron declared.
"Ah... so your profession is warrior, then?"
"I am currently a noble."
"..."
One lunatic down, the innkeeper thought.
He then turned his gaze to Baek Woon.
"M-me? I'm a Daoist from the Eastern Continent."
"Huh? A Daoist?"
"And I'm currently serving as a vassal to a noble."
"Ah..."
Baek Woon nodded toward Agron.
The innkeeper pondered deeply.
The young man who called himself a noble was dressed in a manner that, even at its most generous, looked less like that of a noble and more like that of a common servant.
He wore a leather vest that left his arms completely bare, and his neck and arms were adorned with necklaces made of animal teeth.
Moreover, the weapon slung across his back wasn't a sword but a heavy iron mace.
Bandit... or maybe a thief...
The innkeeper decided to report him to the Guard.
"Hahaha, you see, the law has changed recently... You need to report to the local Guard if you have two or more horses. I'll be right back."
As the innkeeper hurried away, Agron struck the back of his neck with a sharp wrist chop.
"Gah!"
The innkeeper collapsed to the floor.
"W-what are you doing?!"
"Huh? Didn't you say you were going to report us?"
"If I report you, I can just explain things to the Guard!"
"The Guild is closing soon. Do you really want to wait that long?"
"...What?"
"Let's go quickly, Elder! I told you to dress normally and not draw attention to yourself. That person was talking about you, wasn't he?"
"You... you... Aaaaargh!"
Baek Woon clutched his hair, feeling his blood boil.
Agron, who had been watching from the side, shook his head and pulled Baek Woon toward the Guild.
"From now on, you'd better listen to me. Understand?"
I want to kill him. I really do.
Baek Woon vowed to himself that he would definitely hit Agron someday as he followed him.
The Guild building was larger than expected, and its interior was impeccably organized.
Given its location in the heart of the Veilain Fief, the Guild's scale was understandably substantial.
"Hmm."
Agron gazed around the Guild interior with childlike wonder.
The scene unfolding before him was exactly as he had imagined it from the books, making this moment deeply moving.
"So this is the Guild? It's even grander and more magnificent than I imagined."
All the countless tales of heroic adventures he had read about in books had begun right here, in places like this Guild.
Agron approached the reception desk, where a neatly dressed young woman sat.
"Welcome, adventurer! How may I assist you?"
"I'm here to register as an adventurer."
"Ah, just a moment, please."
She retrieved the registration forms, placed them before her, and turned to Agron.
"What's your name?"
"Agron."
"And your age?"
"Seventeen."
"Huh...?"
The receptionist's eyes widened as she repeated the question.
With his broad shoulders, thick arms, striking features, and deep voice, Agron looked every bit of twenty years old, if not older.
"Um... you can't lie about your age."
"Why would I lie about my age?"
"Well... I don't know."
Come to think of it, he had a point.
Usually, young boys tried to pass themselves off as older to register as adventurers, but no one ever intentionally claimed to be younger.
"So, what's your position?"
"Position?"
"Like, are you a mage, a priest, or a swordsman?"
"I'm a warrior."
"A warrior? Oh, you mean a swordsman."
Baek Woon quickly clamped his hand over Agron's mouth, preventing him from correcting her. He knew Agron was about to launch into a lecture about how "warriors are different from swordsmen."
"Here's your F-rank adventurer's certificate," the receptionist said, handing over a rough wooden pendant. "You'll need this to accept quests from the Guild and collect rewards. You'll also need to show it to clients when you go on missions, so please keep it with you at all times."
"I see. Understood."
Agron hung his adventurer's certificate over the animal tooth necklace he always wore.
He felt a strange mix of excitement and trepidation, as if he had just stepped into a new world.
"Heh heh heh, a newbie, are you?"
A man sitting at a distant table called out to Agron.
"Yeah, I'm new."
"Now, now, a newbie should greet the veterans first, don't you think?"
The man pushed his chair back with a screech and stood up.
"It's been a while since we've had a newbie initiation ceremony."
"Initiation ceremony...?"
"Heh heh heh, you'd better brace yourself."
The man smirked, curling up one corner of his mouth, and dragged Agron to his table.
"Newbie initiation ceremony! Everyone, load up your beers!"
"Woo-hoo!"
At his shout, the surrounding adventurers eagerly filled their mugs with beer.
He handed Agron a massive mug, his eyes sharp and challenging.
"Hey, the first mug's gotta be chugged in one go. Got it?"
"Oh, right. Got it."
Agron grinned, gripped the mug—as large as his torso—with both hands, and drained it in one continuous gulp.
Those who had initially sneered at him erupted into cheers as he downed the entire mug without pausing.
Agron set down the mug, his expression unchanged, and calmly wiped his mouth.
"Whoa! This newbie's insane!"
"Insane! Has anyone ever chugged it all in one go before?"
"Puhahaha! To the new recruit!"
"To Agron!"
They had already surrounded Agron, offering him fresh drinks and high-fives, solidifying their camaraderie.
Everyone seemed pleased that the new adventurer was a man of considerable grit.
This must be the Guild's initiation ceremony I've heard so much about. It's actually quite fun.
Of course, Agron had only followed the man's instructions because he was eager to turn theoretical knowledge from books into real-world experience.
In truth, Agron's heart had been pounding with anticipation and excitement ever since the man mentioned the initiation ceremony and told him to follow.
He had always assumed that such situations typically involved a group ganging up on the newcomer or forcing them into a one-on-one fight against the strongest member.
"A welcoming ceremony with alcohol... That's an excellent tradition. We should adopt it in the Tribe too."
Agron, reasonably satisfied, began systematically drinking the bottles of liquor piled before him.
Just as the atmosphere was reaching its peak, the Guild entrance swung open, and a massive man strode in.
Tall and powerfully built, he resembled a wolf in human form.
Instantly, without warning, the air in the Guild shifted, and everyone fell silent.
Thud...
The long coat trailing behind him brushed the floor as he approached Agron.
Even his movements seemed to drain the color from the faces of those around him, turning them ashen.
"A newcomer?"
A deep, metallic voice rumbled from within the man's thick beard.
"Oh, a newbie."
"Oh, a newbie...?"
Agron's unexpected response seemed to surprise the bearded man, who tilted his head and rolled his eyes around.
His gaze finally settled on the mountain of empty beer bottles and the massive mug in front of Agron.
"Looks like they're doing that damn newbie initiation ritual again."
He raised the mug and slammed it straight into Agron's head.
Crash!
"This is the real initiation, you bastard. Got it?"
Agron licked the beer dripping down his cheek, baring his beast-like fangs.
"Not bad for an initiation."
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny