Whereabouts of the Fixed Party #1
Whereabouts of the Fixed Party #1
I was standing there, lost in the moment, staring at the Tower Shield, when I realized a beat later that my body had calmed down enough to move.
I was covered in small cuts from the stone fragments that had scattered across the ground.
Some were sharp enough to slash through my clothes and draw blood.
But I couldn't just lie around forever—I was the only adventurer in this campsite still capable of moving.
There was something I needed to check, for safety's sake.
'Is he really dead?'
The elderly giant was planted face-first into the ground like he was kowtowing in prostration.
Blood had pooled out, a fishy stench permeating the air in every direction. My heart pounding, I checked to make sure the elderly giant was truly dead. I was the kind of dream demon who looked before he leaped, after all.
"He's dead."
His breathing had stopped entirely.
Seeing that, a fresh wave of relief washed over me. I still couldn't get the image out of my head—the elderly giant who had driven the guard squad to near-annihilation in an instant. Rebecca and I had really taken this bastard down, just the two of us.
The 40 Silver bounty for killing a giant briefly flickered through my mind, but I was more worried about Rebecca's safety.
I turned my eyes from the giant and immediately walked over to where Rebecca lay on the ground.
"Rebecca! Are you okay?"
I called out to Rebecca, who was sprawled across the cave floor.
Her ample chest was rising and falling, so she was breathing, but there was no way she wasn't hurt.
She had blocked a club swung by a giant head-on, after all.
Right then, I heard Rebecca's voice near my ear.
Pale-faced, Rebecca parted her lips slightly.
"...Luke. The... giant?"
"Dead. I finished him off. We're safe now."
"Th...ank goodness...."
Rebecca let out a weak smile as she spoke.
"I... did... good? Lu...ke."
Did I do good?
Of course she did.
She did an incredible job—unbelievable for a rookie. From successfully luring the elderly giant under the stalactite, to blocking the giant's club in a moment of crisis, she was a flawless, textbook example of a perfect tank.
I couldn't even figure out how best to praise her, so I just spoke honestly.
"You did amazing, Rebecca...."
"Yeah!"
Just hearing those few words brought a little vitality back to Rebecca's expression.
I laid my hand over hers and kept talking to her.
Because hearing praise might just boost her spirits.
"Incredible. How did you even think to block the giant at that moment? I always told you to dodge, not block, didn't I? Any other tank would've turned tail and run without looking back. You're really..."
I was so moved my throat choked up and I stopped talking.
My chest went tight the moment I remembered Rebecca stepping exquisitely in front of me to block the blow. I couldn't even fathom what she had been thinking in that moment, to protect me like that.
Seeing me stop talking, Rebecca opened her mouth.
"Because I trust you..."
"What?"
"I trusted... that you'd figure something out no matter what..."
That answer shut me right up.
The words 'I trust my party member.' That single, simple phrase resonated deep in my chest.
Rebecca had truly believed in me—this wandering magician who could only manage petty tricks.
The moment I heard that, greed took hold of me.
Living twenty years as a dream demon, I had never wanted something this badly before.
"......"
I wanted to keep Rebecca by my side.
I wanted to keep doing adventurer work with this red-haired swordswoman.
Because I felt like I could entrust my back to her without worry.
I wished for this Fixed Party never to break apart.
"Yeah, I trust you too. Now I feel like I truly can."
"...Yeah."
How many days were left again?
Until the day this temporarily formed Fixed Party would dissolve.
I clearly remembered we had set it for one month when we first formed the party. We'd made a promise that after one month, we'd decide whether to disband or keep going.
There was no doubt that quite some time had passed since the day we made that promise.
'Ten days went by on the caravan escort, and quite a bit of time passed before we took on this subjugation quest too...'
I racked my brain for a second and calculated the remaining days.
'Five days. Only five days left. And it'll take a few more days to return to Yoen-su. Maybe this will end up being my last quest with Rebecca after all.'
Maybe we could squeeze in another miscellaneous quest or two within those five days. But was there really a need? Did we truly have to drag out those five days waiting around doing other quests?
Wasn't this very moment—right now, after we'd joined forces to survive a giant—the perfect time to propose a Fixed Party to Rebecca?
Right now, when our sense of camaraderie for each other was at its strongest.
"Ahem."
I coughed awkwardly for no reason.
"Re, Rebecca? I have something to say."
"What is it...?"
"You and I keep a fi..."
"Fi?"
"Fiiiiiiii!"
I was about to shout it out with great momentum.
Right at that moment, a voice rang out from somewhere.
"Would you two please stop your chattering—!!! And someone save me!!!!!!"
Someone screamed bloody murder, shattering the moment completely. Whipping my head around, I spotted Kate crumpled in a corner of the cave floor.
'Goddamn that bitch.'
A surge of rage flared up at the thought of losing the fish I had all but hooked, but looking at Kate, my anger couldn't help but subside.
The bound and vine-tangled Kate was weeping so hard her nun's habit was getting soaked.
"Hwaaaaaaah!! I thought I was going to die too!! I got wedged in that smelly giant's armpit and swung around!! Then he suddenly whipped out vines and tied me up tight!! Why isn't anyone paying attention to me...!! I'm a nun, for goodness' sake!!"
"Weren't you unconscious...?"
I could only open my mouth with an incredulous expression. Kate's body had been completely limp from the moment she got caught under the giant's arm. I was certain she'd passed out from shock.
"I-I was playing dead. I was afraid if I played dead, the giant might put me down. They say even bears don't bother with dead people."
"Is a giant the same as a bear?"
"Anyway, get me out of here fast. It's so claustrophobic my stomach's churning even more. The giant swung me all over the place, I'm gonna puke... I might just throw up right here."
I was about to have an important conversation and the whole thing got blown to shit. Fuck.
Grumbling to myself, I walked over to Kate.
The elderly giant had already dropped Kate on the ground when he'd started chasing Rebecca.
Seems like all that talk about the honor of the Jotun actually worked—he hadn't stooped to using a woman as a hostage.
Through some considerable luck, Kate showed no signs of being hit by falling rocks.
Though her own frantic rolling to dodge might have had something to do with it.
"There. All good?"
I cut through the vines binding Kate's body with my longsword.
Freed, Kate staggered as she rose to her feet.
For some reason, she subtly leaned her body my way, and I had no choice but to support her.
'Ah, I don't have time for this. I want to talk to Rebecca right now...'
That was when I furrowed my brow.
Suddenly, Kate was looking up at me, sweating coldly.
"M-Mongma-nim..."
"What?"
"I think it's coming out."
"What's coming out? Hey, don't tell me you—!"
BWOAAAAAARGH!!!
Right in that instant, Kate spewed a breath attack all over the cave floor—an acidic breath attack comprised of undigested food matter.
I couldn't stop myself from screaming as I watched Kate become a Black Dragon.
She's a blonde, but a Black Dragon instead of a Gold Dragon!
Why does she have to puke right now, of all times?!
"Hey, you tactless bitch!!"
"Ke-heck. Ke-heh-heck."
But that didn't mean I could just toss a puking Kate aside, could I?
I had no choice but to pat her on the back. The nice atmosphere was thoroughly ruined. I'd rather die than propose a Fixed Party to Rebecca while reeking of vomit.
'Nothing for it. I'll have to return to Yoen-su and wait for another chance. The day we get back, I'll make plans for an after-party.'
I let out a sigh and resigned myself to waiting for the next opportunity.
Still, that "next time" was coming soon, of course.
It would only take a few days to return from Corfu Beach to Yoen-su.
*
"Thanks for supporting me, Mongma-nim!"
By the time Kate had recovered her strength, expressed her thanks, and was treating the fallen adventurers, the pursuit squad that had gone on the expedition returned. They had successfully slain the giants, and as expected, it was Old Man Nickel who had taken the heads of the two giants.
The campsite was a complete wreck, courtesy of the elderly giant.
The pursuit squad couldn't help but be thrown into confusion when they first got back.
Of course they'd be shocked—there was a dead elderly giant inside the cave.
I explained the situation to the subjugation squad leader.
How the elderly giant had burst through the wall and emerged, and how the adventurers of the guard squad had hunted it down. How the elderly giant had been impaled and killed by a falling stalactite from the ceiling.
"It's an absolute stroke of fortune. If not for Luke and Rebecca, every adventurer here would have been annihilated."
"I'm getting the 40 Silver bounty for it, right?"
"That's correct. Not just 40 Silver, but you may even be able to aim for the Silver Tier promotion match, Luke."
"A promotion match? Me?"
"The Giant Subjugation Quest is one the Adventurer's Guild grades very highly in terms of achievement points. On top of that, since you landed the final blow on the giant, you'll receive several times the merit points. That means you'll shoot straight to the upper ranks of Bronze Tier in one go."
Even as I listened to the subjugation squad leader, I felt a little dazed.
Taking down one giant means I could take the Silver Tier promotion match?
The squad leader definitely knows a lot more about adventurer work than I do, but somehow it still doesn't feel real—the idea that I might be able to escape this Bronze-tier abyss where deep-sea fish swim around.
"Anyway, that's my assessment. You can look forward to it. And besides, the receptionist in charge of Luke is a capable person. She wouldn't miss an opportunity for the adventurer she manages to get promoted."
"Wendy is definitely competent."
The moment I nodded my head, the squad leader shouted out to the adventurers gathered in the campsite.
"The giant subjugation has been successfully completed! Adventurers, prepare to return to Yoen-su!"
Cheers exploded from the adventurers in an instant.
There was probably no happier news for the people here than hearing they were going home.
Two days later, the Giant Subjugation Team that had ventured out to Corfu Beach returned to the city of Yoen-su. In total, it had taken about five days to go out, slay the giants, and come back.
Until we returned to Yoen-su, I was busy badgering Kate relentlessly.
"Hey, cast some more healing spells, quick. Can't you see my party member's dying?"
"I fixed everything, I said. The broken bones are knitted back together, the fractures are all healed. What more could you possibly want from me?!"
"There might still be hairline fractures in the bone."
"What is this, some kind of hidden picture game?! You're the only person who squeezes a nun this dry, Mongma-nim, no one else would dare!"
"Still, please. I'll work hard pumping water for you later or something."
"Oh, such devotion. Must be real nice, tsk."
Injuries that would cost several Silver to fix at a clinic, Kate could fix for free.
I hounded Kate persistently inside the carriage and managed to extract healing out of her.
Perhaps because Kate's healing spells had taken effect.
By the time we had almost returned to Yoen-su, Rebecca was able to move her body without much issue. The arm that had blocked the giant's club, while still a bit awkward, seemed to be moving as well. Divine Power was truly remarkable stuff.
"My arm's almost completely better."
"Now you get it? Why nuns get treated like royalty in adventurer parties."
"So that's how they can freeload through quests and no one dares to complain."
Time passed quickly as I chatted with Rebecca, who had recovered from her injuries. After passing through the city gates of Yoen-su, the carriage carrying the adventurers stopped in the northern plaza. It was the same place we had originally gathered when departing.
"I will now disband the subjugation squad! Adventurers may receive your pay at the Guild! The payouts are scheduled to begin from tomorrow onward!"
After the subjugation squad leader left for the Adventurer's Guild to make his return report,
I was, at last, a free man. Only now did it truly sink in that I had finished the subjugation quest and returned safely.
"Ahh! Now I feel like I can finally live."
Rebecca had a look of relief on her face as she stretched her back. She looked like she was about to head straight back to the inn and crash for a nap, so I hurriedly spoke to her.
"Rebecca. You're free tonight, right?"
"Me? Of course I'm free!"
"Let's have a drink to celebrate finishing the subjugation quest. At the Moon's Blessing Tavern, like last time. We're getting the bounty for the giant tomorrow anyway, so we can afford to stuff ourselves."
"Ooh, sounds great!"
Maybe the thought of alcohol had crossed her mind, because a pleased smile was already hanging on Rebecca's lips. Seriously, she's a woman who can't hold her liquor for shit but absolutely loves to drink. At least it made suggesting an after-party easy.
"See you at the tavern in the evening, Rebecca."
"Yeah!"
I made plans with Rebecca and we parted ways.
After Rebecca's figure disappeared from view, I whirled around and started moving in a hurry. There was somewhere I had to stop by before meeting Rebecca at the tavern in the evening.
Yoen-su's blacksmith's forge.
Specifically, I knew a shop among them that sold good-quality weapons and armor. It was a place Wendy had introduced me to. I had never set foot in it until now, but today I decided to finally step inside that forge.
Right after arriving at the blacksmith's in town.
I spoke to the blacksmith, who was busily hammering away at some iron.
"I'm looking to buy a shield."
"Hm...? An adventurer, are ya? And a dream demon at that?"
"That's right. Do you have any of those large Tower Shields here? I'm looking to give one as a gift to a party member."
A Tower Shield!
That was the item I was planning to gift to Rebecca tonight.
Because Rebecca had seemed so deeply disappointed the entire trip back about her shield being shattered.
I was planning to propose a Fixed Party to Rebecca while giving her the Tower Shield as a present. I wanted to put an end to this painfully ambiguous relationship.
'Luke, do you... like me?'
And also, give an answer to that other question Rebecca had thrown at me.