The Blond Nun and the Promotion Battle #3
The Blond Nun and the Promotion Battle #3
"Guess I wasn't in top form today. When I'm really in the zone, I can solo trash like hobgoblins no problem."
After receiving healing from Kate.
Ally climbed back onto the carriage with a triumphant look on her face. It was hard to believe this was the same halfling who'd been getting slapped around like a dog by the hobgoblins moments ago. If we lingered in the middle of the road any longer, we might get attacked by another monster, so the rest of us climbed aboard as well.
"We're moving out, adventurers!"
The middle-aged driver's voice rang out, and the carriage began to roll forward.
However, as the carriage moved, my gaze remained fixed on Ally. Watching her act like nothing was wrong left me dumbfounded.
'Does anyone with common sense just charge off alone like that? She's a damn troll.'
Was she really the sister of Ethan, the self-proclaimed monster behavior specialist? Troll blood must run in that family. Why else would the two siblings be such a chaotic pair of absolute nutjobs?
Someone had to step up and take the lead here.
Which is to say, someone needed to chew this insolent halfling out.
With no need for deliberation, I decided to do it myself. I'd been unofficially designated as the one leading this party anyway. Even if I wasn't the party leader, I still wanted to rip this clueless halfling a new one.
"Hey, Ally."
"What?"
"Solo no problem my ass! Do you have anything rattling around in that skull of yours? If you just run off by yourself like that, what does that make the party members behind you? You need to stick to your role as the vanguard."
"Urk."
A cold sweat broke out on Ally at my blunt words. She looked flustered, clearly not expecting me to throw such a direct fastball at her.
"Ha, haha. The idea was to use my nimble footwork to divert the attention of the two hobgoblins. I've got quick feet, so with a bit of luck, I can hunt without getting hit once! I'm an invincible halfling who doesn't allow any hits whatsoever. In theory, anyway!"
"In theory?"
I was staggered watching Ally run her mouth as usual. It was true that halflings were agile. But was not getting hit even once actually feasible in reality?
No-damage run my fucking ass!!
She just got the shit beaten out of her by hobgoblins!!
"Um, Ally!"
Just as Kate, unable to hold back, was about to speak, I reached out a hand and stopped her.
I was more than capable of tearing this pint-sized halfling a new one all by myself.
It felt like it was time to awaken my long-dormant instincts as the Gold-Tanned Sun.
I took a deep breath and snapped my eyes wide open.
"Hweeek!"
The moment I twisted my face into a vicious scowl, Ally let out a strangled gasp right in front of me. When I genuinely contort this delinquent face of mine, I become the very picture of a murderous brute. A cowardly halfling's heart would tremble just from the sight of it.
"Wh-why are your eyes open so wide, Mongma!"
"Ally."
"Yes?!"
"If you don't want to die, just stick right next to Brut. Do you fight with your mouth? If you could dodge everything and land every hit, I'd be a dragon slayer! Do you realize you look exactly like your brother right now? You look like you're full of nothing but fucking hot air!"
"I look exactly like my brother Ethan?"
"Yes, you goddamn blowhard bitch!!"
When I first started shouting, Ally was just scared. But the moment I brought up Ethan, she looked horrified. As shocked as if I'd insulted her parents!
Did she hate being compared to her brother that much?
"Ju-just like that retard fuckup?! I can't have that. I absolutely can't. I'm a hundred times more competent than my brother Ethan. I'm way better than that mentally disturbed Communion addict."
"If you don't want to be compared to him, then don't run out ahead! Just play the support role with your tiny little halfling-sized dagger and focus on checking the enemy. Got it?"
"Gah!"
Ally looked dizzy from the barrage of harsh truths I was hurling at her, but she soon gave me a quick, bobbing nod. A signal of her intent to follow my orders.
"O-okay, I get it. I can't stand being treated like I'm worse than my brother. I'll stick to supporting Brut."
"Glad you understand me."
"But my weapon is not a tiny little dagger!!"
"...Fine, whatever."
To my surprise.
Even after being chewed out like that, Ally's face didn't crumple. She recovered from her deflated state quickly and wore a composed expression. Like her brother Ethan, she seemed to have a strong 'my way or the highway' streak in her.
That wasn't a bad thing, I supposed. It would be miserable to ride in the carriage with the mood completely soured.
"Ahem!"
Now that she'd gotten her energy back, I figured the halfling would cling to Kate again. There was no end to her favorability work on the nun, after all. But completely unexpectedly, Ally spoke to me.
Her eyes were brimming with curiosity.
"Mongma!! Can I ask you something?"
She'd been that terrified of me just moments ago. Did she still have the guts to strike up a conversation? I decided to answer her, if only out of admiration for her courage.
"What?"
"That whip you swung earlier, the one made of water! What on earth was that? What kind of magic is it?"
"It's magic that manipulates the flow of water. You stretch a drop of water out lengthwise and shape it into a whip. I can shape it into other forms, but the whip has the most destructive power as a weapon."
"I'm so jealous. If I'd learned magic, I could be so much quicker on my feet!"
"What the hell is this obsession with your 'rhythm'?"
Ally leaned back against her seat with a dreamy look on her face. Seeing her like this, she really did look exactly like a little kid. I'd heard that halflings were intensely curious. It made sense she'd be interested in my magic.
While I was thinking that, Ally suddenly smacked her knee as if a brilliant idea had struck her. She opened her mouth with an expression of pure excitement.
"Then couldn't you manipulate human blood too? Blood is basically water in the end, right! Like, you cast a spell on someone and make blood spray out of their entire body. Couldn't you kill them in one shot with a technique like that?"
Rambling on by herself, Ally looked at me with eyes full of awe. I was a little put off, unable to keep up with her pace.
"Th-that would make you an absolutely insane burst dealer!! Pointing a finger at someone and making their body explode... even a dragon would die instantly!"
Ally closed her mouth and looked at me, swallowing hard. Her eyes seemed to be asking me what I thought of her idea.
"The idea of manipulating blood with magic is a good one."
I had no trouble answering Ally. I'd tried using Liquid Magic to control blood before. Since I spent all day every day training my magic in my inn room, I'd already had that kind of idea myself.
"But no. Not the blood of a living person."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Well, I'm just a wandering mage myself, so I don't fully understand the reason I can't control it. I imagine it might be a restriction inherent in Liquid Magic. Even magic isn't omnipotent."
I added a few more words for Ally.
"I've tried casting the spell on the blood of monsters, beasts, and people. But I couldn't manipulate the blood of a living creature. It is possible if they're dead, though. Or if the blood has been separated from the body for a very long time."
I'd never been formally taught the theory, so I could only explain based on feel. When I tried to use Liquid Magic on a living creature, my spell just rebounded. The repulsive force was so immense that I couldn't control the blood. The same was true of sweat flowing outside the body.
'If manipulating blood were possible, adventurer life would have been way easier.'
It would practically be an instant-death cheat skill. But of course, there was no way I could execute a guaranteed fatality technique with mere Basic Magic.
Would I find a clue if I studied water magic for longer?
It was just a vague thought I held in the back of my mind.
"An instant-kill move being impossible is such a waste!"
"Still, magic that controls the flow of water has a lot of versatility. For a wandering mage like me, I'm more than grateful for it just the way it is."
"How do you mean, versatile?"
"Like molding droplets of water to make crafts."
The back-and-forth continued for a while longer before my Q&A session with Ally ended. It had been a fairly long conversation, but the two party members beside us had been listening with fascinated expressions.
"Magic talk is interesting. Even if I don't get it."
"Water droplet crafts? Can you sell those? Wouldn't it make you money if you just churned them out?"
"If the spell wears off, they'd break. How would you sell them? Think before you speak, you tool."
"It's Kate, not tool."
"Ah, my mistake."
While we were talking, the carriage continued hurtling down the highway. Just as the driver had said, we managed to arrive at Kunbilia Village by late evening.
*
Kunbilia Village was located near the abandoned mine where the orcs were hiding.
Upon arrival, we immediately noticed the village atmosphere was unusually grim. Villagers armed with farming tools and the like were patrolling the perimeter.
Thankfully, once we showed our Adventurer's Badges, the villagers guided us inside. We were able to get the full details from the village chief of Kunbilia.
The chief's house at the top of the village.
The old chief welcomed the four of us adventurers warmly.
"So you've come from the Adventurer's Guild in Yoen-su? Our village did commission a quest from the guild. It was a request to capture the orcs hiding in the abandoned mine, right enough."
"That's correct. But the mood in the village is unsettled. Don't tell me the orcs have been causing trouble in the village again?"
"It's not because of the orcs. Those pig-headed scoundrels haven't shown themselves recently, not since they hid in the abandoned mine. It's not orcs, but monsters that attacked the village."
"Monsters? What kind?"
"I'll show you. Follow me."
Instead of answering further, the old chief led us to the house's backyard.
Piled up there were the corpses of the monsters that had raided the village.
I recognized the species immediately.
"Kobolds. The annoying sort that dig tunnels."
Small humanoid monsters with bulging bellies. Their gaping mouths were crammed tight with serrated teeth. I'd encountered these kobold creatures before in the underground waterways. They occasionally popped up in the waterways because of their tunneling habits. Though they usually ended up getting bitten to death by the Rattmen who had established their territory down there.
The old chief let out a deep sigh and spoke.
"That's right. Recently, kobolds have been attacking the village. As if the orcs murdering folks and running off wasn't enough, now kobolds have shown up. I never imagined such huge calamities would strike one after the other."
I could only sympathize with the chief. Harassed by murderous orcs, and now raided by kobolds.
Right in the middle of his crown, a round bald spot was visible.
Stress-induced alopecia areata, perhaps?
I silently offered my condolences to his fallen hair.
"Seems the kobolds have nested somewhere near the village. We haven't found the nest's entrance yet. But I have a personal request for you all. Would you be willing to hear it?"
"What kind of request?"
"You came to this village to eliminate the orcs, didn't you? If so, I expect you'll need to search the mine where they're hiding. If you happen to discover the kobolds' nest inside the abandoned mine, please make sure to inform our village. I'll make sure you're handsomely rewarded."
He wanted us to look for a kobold nest in the mine?
The old chief was wise. Kobolds typically made their nests inside dark caves. An abandoned mine was a perfect habitat for them.
Of course, I hoped the nest wasn't actually inside the mine.
'We have to deal with orcs AND kobolds now? This is getting complicated.'
Kobolds were frail monsters you could beat with your bare fists, after all. Individually, they were even weaker than goblins. But I didn't want unnecessary fights to break out. I wanted to deal strictly with the orcs inside the mine.
"How much is the reward?"
"5 Silver!"
"Not a bad sum."
"When are you thinking of heading to the mine? Surely you're not planning to leave right now, today?"
At the chief's question, I glanced around at my three party members. They all looked worn out from riding the carriage all day. Leaving for the mine right this instant was out of the question.
"What do we think?"
"Hm."
I decided to make the first proposal for my hesitant party members.
"How about we get a night's sleep and then head out? Let's leave tomorrow morning."
"I'm in favor, Mongma-nim!"
"Me too!"
"Agreed!"
The old chief listened to our conversation and smiled.
"In that case, allow me to lend you a room. My house has a room prepared for guests. Rest well there and set off tomorrow!"
"F-for free?"
"Hah, what do you take me for! Of course it's free! How could I possibly squeeze money out of adventurers who've come to save the village? Though I do charge a lodging fee normally."
"Thank you, Chief."
Thanks to him, we had a place to stay at the chief's house. Of course, being lent a room didn't mean there were actual beds like in a city inn.
We spread out blankets and lay down on the floor of the shabby room.
Maybe it was because we'd been in the carriage all day. Weighed down by unreleased fatigue, I fell deep asleep the moment my head hit the floor.
And the night grew late.
"Ugh."
Thump!
"Ack!"
In the middle of the night, I was jolted awake without meaning to.
Because Ally, rolling around on the floor in her sleep, had just kneed me in the arm.
The sharp pain made it impossible to keep my eyes shut.
"This pint-sized halfling bitch."
The moment I tried to wake Ally up.
I glanced around the room and realized something was off. One of the other three party members was missing. In the darkness, I could make out the silhouettes of the small halfling and the large lizardman. That made it quite obvious who had vanished.
Sister Kate!
Kate had disappeared from the room.
The tool had gone missing!
"What the? Did she seriously make a run for it?!"
I got up and decided to search for Kate. Even though I always teased her by calling her a tool, it wasn't like I wasn't worried.
An old friend had suddenly vanished; there was no way I wouldn't be concerned.
Whether she was just a friend,
or something more than that, I wasn't quite sure.