Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Scouting (2)
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Kalt felt the gazes pouring down on him, but he ignored them completely.
He knew exactly why they'd gathered, even with his eyes closed. Other people's stares weren't what mattered to him right now.
What Kalt cared about was the information the receptionist in front of him was about to hand over.
"Hero parties recruiting, right? Just a moment, please."
Kalt, who usually flashed a friendly young man's smile, now wore a look that screamed he was in a foul mood.
The receptionist knew from experience that adventurers or Heroes with faces like that were best left alone.
She quickly gathered the recent recruitment notices.
Guilds across the nation shared info on which Heroes were in which villages and regions, backed by royal support.
It was to help the Heroes as much as possible—and to keep tabs on any slacking off.
"Here are the Hero parties nearby posting recruitment notices."
Of course, she'd left out the closest one: Mabel's party.
Kalt took the papers and scanned them.
He couldn't just join any party, even as a new recruit.
First, it had to need his position: vanguard.
He skipped any looking for mages, archers, nuns, or priests.
Next, no parties with bitchy Heroes.
He had no desire to endure the mental strain he'd felt in Mabel's party again.
Using hypnosis to completely overhaul their personalities felt off-putting. And even if they suddenly turned over a new leaf, people would think it was suspicious.
Besides, Kalt had zero interest in the hassle of fixing bitchy attitudes on purpose.
While traveling with Mabel's party, he'd journeyed far and wide, crossing paths with plenty of other Hero parties.
A familiar name jumped out from the papers.
'Hah, Valter. That prickly personality finally drove off his vanguard, huh. And Blzari—the gloomy bastard? Hunting for a thief? His thief was a woman... no need to guess. Probably came on too strong and blew up the relationship.'
A few more papers got tossed aside.
Finally, Kalt's pick had to be a party that wasn't too perfect.
No flawless groups with zero problems.
No parties just needing bodies to fill spots.
Mabel's party had received enormous favors from him, yet they'd never shown a lick of gratitude.
So Kalt wanted a party that would truly appreciate him this time—one that'd make damn sure to repay the debt.
It was a way to vent his frustrations.
Sure, with his skills, he could've taken it out on Mabel's party directly.
But those ungrateful bitches? He didn't even want to lay eyes on them.
He had zero intention of ever making them grateful again.
In the end, he was after parties like Mabel's: decent talent, but crippled by mental hang-ups that kept them from shining.
'Pretty faces as a bonus wouldn't hurt.'
Making them grateful while enjoying the subjects of that gratitude? Sounded just fine.
Yesterday's first taste of flesh had reignited his lust and pleasure after so long.
Kalt wasn't hiding his urges anymore—and they were shaping his party criteria too.
Flipping through the stack, one entry caught his eye.
'Indomitable Hero Nellis Party...'
It was a party he'd never even heard of.
He knew all the major ones.
If it was new to him, it was probably freshly formed.
"Hey, got any details on this Nellis Party?"
"The Indomitable Hero Party?"
"Yeah. First I've seen of 'em."
The receptionist shared what she knew about Nellis Party with Kalt.
As he'd guessed, it was a brand-new Hero party.
Indomitable Hero Nellis, wielder of barrier powers.
Mage Scarlet, fire magic specialist.
Nun Aria, handling recovery.
An all-female party of three.
As Kalt stared at the Nellis Party sheet, the receptionist spoke up cautiously.
"Um, that said, Kalt... I wouldn't really recommend these three."
"Why not?"
"Well..."
She meant it in good faith.
Ever since Mabel's party arrived in their village and cleared those brutally tough monsters, even other Hero parties had struggled.
The town—and its guild—owed Mabel's party big time.
And no matter the expulsion, Kalt had been part of it back then.
She wanted him in a better party.
Because...
"Nellis Party's pretty passive."
"Passive how?"
Guild reports on Nellis Party painted this picture:
They handled requests just fine.
But they never took any involving monsters above a certain difficulty.
Caution made sense, but grinding the same level for over two months? That was a problem.
No buzz, no fame—which was why Kalt had never heard of them.
Guilds announced victories over tough foes or big achievements to stoke competition among Heroes.
A device to fire up their drive to grow.
To the receptionist, Nellis Party seemed like lazy Heroes just checking the minimum duty box.
Meanwhile, Kalt was elite stock from the Fastest Hero Mabel Party.
Not some errand boy—rumors said he'd dropped Flame Hero Dens Party's Dread like it was nothing.
Hero parties varied wildly in track record and skill.
Kalt joining Nellis? Like stringing pearls around a pig's neck.
"So you'd be better off checking other parties instead of Indomitable Hero."
"Hmm~."
Despite her urging, Kalt's eyes stayed glued to the Nellis sheet.
'Passive, huh... Is that for real? Looks promising to me.'
A passive Hero party.
Steering clear of anything above a set difficulty.
For two straight months.
Kalt had seen this pattern once before.
Which made him think this party fit his ideal better than any other.
Time to meet them.
If his hunch panned out, jackpot. If not, onto the next.
'Ah, almost forgot the most important part.'
"Hey."
"Yes, Kalt?"
"This Indomitable Hero Nellis Party—they're all women, right?"
"Yes."
"All pretty?"
"...Pardon?"
"You heard me. Pretty?"
"Uh, well... Not sure? We don't have that kinda detail..."
Top-performing parties got looks shared for the hype, but with no real feats, Nellis lacked even that.
"Tch... Got it."
'If we're partying up anyway, pretty faces would be nice...'
To savor fulfilling his desires even more.
Seeing Kalt's disappointment, the receptionist—and the guild folks watching him—harbored two thoughts:
So it was a lovers' spat breakup?
Even goody-two-shoes Kalt's got a dick after all.
Kalt skimmed for other matches beyond Nellis.
None fit, so he packed up, left town, and headed their way.
Per the papers, Nellis Party was four days out from his village.
They'd arrived five days before he got the info.
Hero parties couldn't linger over a month in one spot without cause, per royal decree.
It publicized that Heroes were out there, growing strong to thwart the Demon King's revival.
Average stay? Three weeks.
By his arrival, it'd be day nine for them—prime chance to cross paths.
First stop in the new village: the inn.
To book a room, naturally.
And pick up Nellis Party's trail.
Guilds were prime for Hero intel, but locals made solid sources too.
Daytime rumors went to the guild; nighttime ones, to the townsfolk.
"Welcome! First time here? New to the village?"
Stepping in, he saw a woman at the counter: orange hair, green eyes, ponytail.
'Oh, damn—a looker. Big tits, and those hips... waist says she's built sturdy.'
Fresh off sex's thrill, Kalt had picked up a new habit: sizing up bodies with his battle-sharpened eyes.
He flashed his usual friendly smile at the innkeeper.
"Yeah. Got a room available?"
"Plenty. Breakfast too? Extra charge, but it's delicious. Lunch and dinner are separate."
"Sounds good. Kitchen staff must be a wizard."
"Nah, I make the breakfast."
"What, grab and dash?"
"My daughter's serving—no worries."
"Husband around?"
"He passed when she was little."
"Ah... sorry."
"It's fine."
Kalt paid for one night plus breakfast.
"Thanks for choosing us."
She smiled back; he returned it.
'Widow, huh...'
Licking his lips at the stirring lust, he cut to the chase.
"Oh, right—any Hero parties around town?"