Chapter 15 - I Am Not Alone
I Am Not Alone
Translator : Elizabeth
Chapter 15. I Am Not Alone
I had obtained three days from Lorraine, and only one day had passed so far.
I had absolutely no intention of spending the remaining two days meaninglessly.
Dressed lightly, I drove my horse toward the familiar alley.
The damp smell of mold and the scent of cheap liquor still stinging my nose.
It was the entrance to the mercenary guild 'Black Moon.'
Creaaak—
The sound of rusty hinges, unrepaired for years, echoed.
The inside of the guild was noisy as usual, but as I entered, the gazes of a few familiar guys stung sharply.
"Yo, Danel. Long time no see."
The old man drinking booze from broad daylight in a corner seat.
Maro, the Master of this mercenary guild, squinted his dim eyes and welcomed me.
I strode over and took a seat in front of him.
"Tsk, isn't that liquor expensive? Did you buy it with the money from selling my location?"
When I asked growling, Maro bit his pipe with his characteristic sly smile.
Puff—
Acrid smoke wrapped around my face and spread like clouds.
"Why, I thought it would be helpful to you, wasn't it? Kekeke. Thanks to that, you seem to be acting as a guest of the Duke's family and chewing on some greasy meat, so why the face?"
"Damn it… you know everything."
I just can't win against this sly old man.
Come to think of it, if Maro hadn't spilled my location, I wouldn't have gotten involved with Lorraine, nor would I have had the chance to obtain Ashuhalt's secret Aura.
In result, he created a huge turning point in my life.
Maro exhaled a long puff of smoke, then suddenly narrowed his eyes.
"……Danel, something about you has changed."
"You can see that?"
"Kekekek, at this age, there are just more things you can know without checking with your eyes."
I chuckled and shrugged.
"Spouting nonsense like some Taoist wizard."
"Taoist wizard? What kind of guys are they?"
"There are strange guys like you. Somewhere far beyond the eastern continent."
"Keke, is that so. Must be amazing guys."
I threw a light joke, but inwardly I admired him.
Old man Maro never used martial force, but his insight was superior to anyone I knew.
"Anyway, nothing special happened? The reason I stopped by today is because I won't be able to come to the mercenary guild for a while. Don't accept requests in my name. I came to tell you that."
Maro nodded and tapped his pipe against the desk.
"Is that so. This place will be boring for a while. The booze tastes better when you cause some trouble."
"So I plan to do a few requests before I go. Give me a few vicious ones. I'll handle them at once."
A strange light dwelt in Maro's eyes.
"Hoh, seems you found something to trust? Ashuhalt won't move because of you… interesting."
"Is that bandit group request still there? The Kelek guys. Should I ask Violet for it?"
"It's there. There are a few more besides that."
I stood up from my seat as if there was nothing more to see.
"I'm going. Old man, don't die needlessly somewhere and stay alive and healthy."
As I was about to leave, I stopped at Maro's voice.
Because the old man's voice was low and heavy unlike usual.
"Danel."
"What."
"The Mercenary King came."
"What…?"
"Not a swindler like you, the real Mercenary King."
Instantly, it felt like my heart dropped.
Mercenary King.
The man at the apex whom all mercenaries on the continent look up to.
A monster among monsters reigning at the 'Orichalcum' rank, the highest mercenary rank.
I asked back urgently.
"By any chance…… a middle-aged man with messy brown hair and a beard?"
Maro opened his eyes wide.
"Did you meet him?"
"Oh, damn it! No wonder! He came looking for me. To eat meat in the forest!"
"He asked to eat meat? That gentleman?"
"Yeah. I was hunting and grilling meat when he approached without a presence and suddenly handed me a mushroom and left."
"Mushroom? Perhaps Cold Blue Stone Fungus?"
"How do you know that, old man?"
"Well, there's such a thing. Did you perhaps eat it?"
"If I eat that, I die, so how can I eat it? I just used it well on my own."
The mushroom's energy played a decisive role in awakening Aura, but there was no need to explain in detail.
Maro stared at me for a long time, then sighed.
"Is that so. Your luck is terribly good too."
"But why did the Mercenary King come here?"
"How would I know."
"True…."
"I'm telling you just so you don't get involved needlessly."
"Hmm… I don't know…."
Maro's eyes became serious.
"Danel, what do you think you'll do when you become a Mithril or Orichalcum rank mercenary?"
"Well? Catch a dragon or something?"
"Kekekek, even if not such absurd things, you end up doing dangerous enough things."
I noticed at once.
If a mercenary's martial power exceeds a certain level, the powerful won't leave him alone.
"Politics."
"Correct. Politics is dirty and scary. Don't even look that way by mistake. Ignoramuses like us lose our heads with just one wrong step. A smart guy like you knows what I mean."
However, I am already holding Lorraine's hand and standing on the giant chessboard called the Duke's residence.
I understand Maro's worry, but it was an unavoidable choice for my goal.
"You know, why I endured for 10 years in this land."
"Yeah, I know well. That's why I'm more worried."
"Whatever others do. Take care of yourself, old man. Drink moderately."
"Keke, alright, understood."
As I opened the guild door to leave, Maro called me again.
"Danel. A blizzard will rage. A very big blizzard."
"……I'll keep that in mind. Really going now."
Approaching the reception window, I saw a familiar face.
Violet, who has been here for 5 years.
Two years younger than me, but a girl as knowledgeable about the guild's physiology as I am.
"Brother Danel, are you really going to do this?"
Violet shook the request form she held out and made a worried expression.
It was the subjugation request for the Kelek Bandit Group.
"Why?"
"Last time, you barely saved your life and ran away. Did you forget you were sick in bed for a month due to injuries then?"
"This time is different. How much was the request fee?"
"Last time it was 8 million Seria, but now it rose to 15 million. Their power has grown larger. You can absolutely not do it alone. You have to gather at least 20 people to go."
I snatched the request form from Violet's hand and smirked.
"Give it here. If it doesn't work, I'll run away again."
"……Don't die. I'm serious."
"I won't die. Ahem, if you're worried, give it quickly. If you keep dawdling, I'll kiss you?"
"Eek! Really! You're twenty years old but acting like a total pervert old man!"
Violet shrieked and blushed.
Her reaction was funny, so I laughed heartily and added.
"Ahahaha, you kissed me just fine when you were 13."
"Eek!! That was when I was young!"
"Hahaha, you're still a kid now."
"Hmph, only two years difference…."
She called my name quietly.
"Brother Danel."
"Lots of people calling my name today."
"Absolutely, absolutely do not die!!"
I patted her head once and smiled.
"Okay."
Violet's earnest voice came from behind my back as I left the guild.
Having someone worry about me like that must be proof that I'm still living like a human.
Border of the Duchy, Kelek Bandit Group's lair located at the entrance of the rugged mountain range.
'Bandit group…… I do have bad memories.'
The memory of losing my parents, now faint.
Why does the memory of that day feel more regretful than angry?
I shook off the thoughts and spurred the horse.
'Hmm, the scale grew larger?'
The Kelek Bandit Group was clever.
Active across the ambiguous border between the Ashuhalt Duchy and the Evelin Kingdom, they cleverly evaded pursuit from both sides.
It was a situation where both the Duchy and the Kingdom threw requests to mercenaries because it was a politically sensitive area to move armies.
The skill of the leader Kelek and the sub-leader was also beyond ordinary.
Even I, who experienced all sorts of hardships, almost lost my head to the two guys' combined attack.
Moreover, their skill in handling over a hundred subordinates was quite systematic.
So rumors circulated that they were some deserter officers.
While riding the horse, numerous tactics flashed through my mind.
'Should I dig a trap? Or lure them one by one and use poison? Or fire?'
The old me would have done that.
But now was different.
A white flame was swirling in my dantian, and I was holding a famous sword incomparable to back then.
I tested it against a monster.
Now it was time to check how much my 'Acies Style' would work against humans.
A few hours later.
"Hmm, what shall I do……?"
The bandit group's watchtower began to appear in the distance.
Boisterous laughter echoed in the mountain range from inside, as if they were having a drinking party.
I didn't slow down the horse.
Rather, I spurred it and ran at full speed toward the lair's main gate.
No need for complex mind games or traps.
"Kuk kuk, frontal breakthrough is the way!!"
Who said it, if the body is good, the head doesn't have to suffer.
I gripped the sword hilt tightly.
Aura from the dantian flowed along the blade and began to emit dazzling white radiance.
The gatekeeper who was secretly drinking screamed.
"R-Raid!!"
That was his will.
Slash—!
As I slashed up, his head soared into the sky unrealistically.
I got off the horse and spat out the line Captain Barkas used to say like a habit before starting a request 10 years ago.
"Acies Mercenary Corps! Let's have some fun!!"
With that one word, it felt like my tension shot up.
A smile formed.
Haha. So this was why, Captain.
Why you said those childish lines yourself.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang—!
The sound of the iron gong signaling enemy invasion rang violently through the night air.
Dozens, no, over a hundred people buzzed and began to pour out from inside like a tide.
It felt like Captain Barkas's voice was heard in my ears.
'Do not fear!! They are just husks with only numbers!! Kuhahahaha!!!'
I am not afraid.
Because they are with me in every single one of my cells.
The bandit bastards who rushed out began to make puzzled expressions seeing me.
"What? Enemy? Just that one guy?"
"It's a suicidal maniac!! Why the hell ring the alarm and make a fuss!!"
"Ah, shit. Annoying! Let's kill him quickly and drink more!"
I closed my eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and exhaled.
Phew—
White breath tickled both cheeks and spread behind.
Then I opened my eyes wide and raised the corner of my mouth fishily.
Crunch—
I put strength into my legs.
Muscles met Aura and harbored giant power inside.
Next moment,
Bang—!
My body became a white line and kicked off the earth.
Although alone, like Vanguard Jack, I charged first and shouted until the veins in my neck burst.
"ACIES MERCENARY CORPS!!!!!"
No, I am not alone.
"Open War (Start of Battle)!!"