Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Newbie Adventurer Bern (33) - Blanca's Resolve
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News of the lich subjugation spread far and wide, carrying an enormous ripple effect in every direction.
The sinister lich's plot to gain power by sacrificing countless people from the mountains, and the guild's all-out counteroffensive against it.
Even though only the absolute elite had been mobilized, there were still significant casualties—among them, even the guild master, a longtime fixture and enduring symbol of the guild.
If they hadn't succeeded in subjugating the lich, everyone who participated in the operation might have been wiped out.
And the testimonies from the surviving adventurers and rescued victims brought even greater shock to the people.
"Red hair. Bern. If that guy hadn't volunteered as bait, if we hadn't rooted out the traitors in advance because of him, we definitely would have suffered devastating losses. Just thinking about those scum who sold their souls to the lich stabbing us in the back gives me chills even now."
"The adventurer with the striking red hair freed us from the chains binding us and led us out of that prison. If it weren't for him, we all would have ended up as sacrifices too."
"Damn fog kept me from seeing clearly, but just from the traces of battle, I could tell he'd fought a brutal melee against multiple death knights. And the guild master was even among them. My vocabulary's too limited to describe it any other way than 'incredible.'"
Newbie adventurer Bern.
In less than half a year since becoming an adventurer—not even a full year—he'd achieved tremendous feats, only to lose his life just as swiftly.
Those who heard the news admired his exploits while lamenting his fate endlessly.
They said that if only he'd survived, he could have filled the guild master's vacancy—or even surpassed him to become a legend.
"Ha! What a load of crap!"
...Of course, as is the way of the world, not everyone was pleased with this public sentiment.
Adventurer's Guild headquarters. A nearby tavern.
A heavily intoxicated adventurer slammed his mug on the table and raised his voice.
"Jumping into the enemy's trap alone and crushing it instead? Overpowering multiple death knights? Bullshit. Why not say he slew a dragon while they're at it?"
Several gazes in the tavern turned toward the adventurer at his words.
His companion at the same table looked uneasy and tried to hush him.
"Keep your voice down. People can hear you."
"Fuck, did I say something I shouldn't have? It doesn't make any goddamn sense."
"There are witnesses."
"Witness testimonies can be fabricated. If I say I saw a flying spaghetti monster, does that make it real? No."
"Jeez."
His companion shook his head. He could tell from experience that no amount of reasoning would get through.
A few adventurers at other tables glanced over, but the man only raised his voice louder, as if daring them to listen.
"The guild spread these rumors on purpose. To create a tragic hero and bury the inconvenient truths!"
The man's argument was full of holes.
If the guild wanted a tragic hero, they'd have used the dead guild master's name instead of some newbie Bern's.
But hatred doesn't need logic.
The man just needed justification for his jealousy and envy toward this 'young hero' praised by others. As long as it sounded plausible, it was enough. Who cares about the truth?
Ding-a-ling!
At that moment, the tavern's front door opened, and new customers entered.
But the man, lost in his self-concocted "truth," paid them no mind and continued spinning his conspiracy.
"Or maybe Bern was the lich's puppet from the start. It's more believable that things went wrong in their partnership and they both ended up dead, rather than some newbie perfectly seeing through the lich's plot and handling it."
"Huh, that does sound plausible."
"Yeah, talented newbies exist, but these rumors do seem exaggerated."
A few adventurers at other tables nodded in agreement.
Some genuinely disliked Bern's rising fame, like the man who started it. Others just needed fodder for gossip.
A promising hero being the lich's minion? Perfect material for trash-talking.
In truth, less than a tenth of the adventurers in the tavern agreed with him, but the man puffed out his chest as if the whole place backed him.
As he opened his mouth to continue—
One of the two newcomers approached and asked,
"What did you say?"
"I said that Bern bastard was the lich's puppet, right?"
He reflexively spat back, then realized the voice wasn't from his tablemate but a strange woman, and stopped.
"And who the hell are you?"
She had sky-blue hair and eyes.
Average height, slender build peeking from under a beige cloak.
A sword hung from her belt, but her delicate appearance made her seem hardly threatening.
"Take that back."
A short, concise demand.
If her acquaintances had heard, they'd have sensed the fury she was barely suppressing with reason. But the drunk man lacked such insight.
All he felt was annoyance at this seemingly weak girl—barely playing adventurer—bossing him around.
"Fuck off, who do you think you are, ordering me around?"
"Bern did his utmost in the fight against the lich, and as a result, many lives were saved. Stop making wild assumptions without knowing the facts."
"Haha! His utmost my ass—that idiot overreached and got himself killed—"
That was as far as he got.
The woman grabbed the back of his head and smashed it into the table.
Thud!
A dull impact echoed through the entire tavern, sending food on the table flying into the air before settling back down.
The man's body twitched like he was convulsing, then went limp.
"W-What the!?"
His tablemate panicked and drew his weapon on reflex, but he couldn't swing it.
Her eyes.
Sky-blue eyes usually evoke a cool, clear image, but hers didn't.
Seeing her eyes blazing like roaring flames, he froze like prey before a beast.
The other adventurers in the tavern were just as overwhelmed by the ominous atmosphere, holding their breath and staring at her.
To those adventurers, she—
Blanca—declared,
"Anyone who doubts Bern's exploits or his skills... come find me. I'll let you verify for yourselves whether the rumors are true or exaggerated, just like this."
Her words, enunciated like she was chewing each syllable, made the adventurers gulp.
Those who'd nodded along with the man earlier flinched and averted their eyes.
Even these rough adventurers couldn't help but tread carefully; Blanca's aura was utterly murderous.
"Ahem, sis. That's enough. I think they've gotten the point by now."
Breaking the tense air, Renya—who'd entered with Blanca—spoke up.
Blanca glanced at Renya and released the man's head.
Renya gave the tavern owner a small tip and asked him to clean up. The owner, who'd been watching anxiously, nodded eagerly.
The group headed to the third floor, reserved for special guests, where the guild manager from the eastern branch greeted them with a look of disbelief.
"Hey, kids? Didn't I tell you not to cause trouble? The guild's already on edge, and if this sparks some HQ vs. branch rivalry, it'll be a mess we can't handle."
Blanca replied indifferently.
"Then they shouldn't have called us here for testimonies and such. Or made sure crap like that didn't spread."
"Hey, I was picked as your escort for the eastern adventurers because of you, and this is how you repay me!?"
"Yep. Pretty much."
"You know the average adventurer's personality better than anyone—why get so touchy now? You gonna smash everyone who badmouths Bern from here on out?"
"If I have to."
Her firm declaration without a hint of hesitation drew a deep sigh from the guild manager.
His head throbbed, but he couldn't say her attitude was incomprehensible.
The man who'd reached out when she was in dire straits.
The man who'd enabled her lifelong goal of revenge.
The man who'd sacrificed his life to save her.
Any one of those would inspire deep gratitude or love, but Bern had achieved a triple crown.
The guild manager, who remembered how Blanca had endlessly wept until collapsing from exhaustion, told himself this was better than that.
"So, what's the situation at HQ?"
"A total shitshow."
The guild manager answered Blanca's question succinctly.
"We saved a ton of people and took down the lich, boosting the guild's rep... but we lost just as much."
A huge number of elite adventurers.
The guild master, the symbol representing the guild and its only rank 5 adventurer.
And massive expenses for quest fees and aftermath cleanup.
"People are saying the guild master was too hasty. They think he should've negotiated with the royals or other nobles for their support first."
Blanca narrowed her eyes.
"The lich subjugation had to be rushed. He'd already turned multiple rank 4 adventurers into minions, scattered them across human society, and filled the dungeon with monsters. Who knows what catastrophe would've happened if he'd completed the ritual?"
"I know, I get it. The guild master made a quick call, letting us move fast. If we'd bickered with those damn royals, negotiations could've dragged on for years while shoving blame. You think I don't know?"
The guild manager lit his pipe in irritation.
"The guild master's from when the guild was still more like a vigilante group. He prioritized saving people. And yeah, many lives were saved because of it. But the guild took a huge hit too."
He exhaled, smoke weaving through the air.
"With the guild master position vacant, internal politics will heat up for a while. And given the mood, the Adventurer's Guild... will become more 'rational.'"
Rational.
Blanca knew what that word implied.
No taking losses. Actions based on cost-benefit analysis.
Prioritizing the organization's gain over some stranger's life or joy.
Such a guild would probably grow stronger.
But colder too.
Blanca suddenly wondered.
How would Bern react to such a guild, such adventurers?
The man who called fighting a mighty monster for a flower offered by a muddy-handed little girl—pure loss—with a smile 'an adventurer's romance.'
The man who'd proudly declared becoming an adventurer was one of his dreams.
Could he still like adventurers who'd changed like that?
Blanca didn't think so.
Thus, she spoke.
"Does the guild master have to be the strongest fighter?"
"Huh? Not necessarily? The previous one got there through experience, achievements, and all that. Why?"
"I think you should become the guild master, sir."
"....... ......? ???"
To the dumbfounded guild manager, wondering if he'd misheard, Blanca continued calmly.
"The guild needs a new symbol anyway. Even with several rank 4s, having a rank 5-level powerhouse is a matter of prestige. I'll handle that. You aim for the top on the administrative side."
"O-Oh! Big ambitions, sis! This Renya will serve you to the best of his abilities!!"
"You need to build your strength more too, Renya. Expand the party. Maybe suggest merging with Karina's."
"That gives us warrior, scout, healer, battle mage, and all-rounder—five total. Perfect balance!"
The guild manager blinked rapidly.
Frozen as the conversation steamrolled ahead without him, he finally blurted out one word, looking stunned.
"...Why?"
"So what Bern did won't be written off as 'foolishness.'"
In a world where everyone lives selfishly and rationally, anyone offering kindness or goodwill becomes a fool.
Blanca didn't want that for Bern.
She wanted to make real the adventurer's romance he'd spoken of, the dream he'd cherished.
That was her tribute to the adventurer Bern—and her own resolve.
'...Farewell, Bern. At least from there, watch over me.'
"Achoo! Ugh... First time in my life catching a cold like this..."
[Why the hell does it end with a cold? Unless you're a demon proficient in soul manipulation and parallel thinking, a botched clone destruction could leave you a vegetable in the worst case.]
"Falling from a horse is dangerous. You could die in a flash. But master the landing, and it might just end in a daze. Happens all the time."
Far away in his kingdom, the crown prince remained blissfully unaware of the misunderstanding and resolve brewing in a certain girl.