The Blond Nun and the Promotion Battle #2
The Blond Nun and the Promotion Battle #2
The carriage passed through Yoen-su's South Gate and began racing down the long highway. Even though I knew I shouldn't, I couldn't help but harbor a strange anticipation inside the cabin. Because I wanted to enjoy Kate's mischief for a while longer.
If showing off her thighs was light mischief...
What the hell was heavy mischief? Was she going to give me a little action or something?
But even with that anticipation simmering, Kate didn't pull any more pranks. Her personality probably wasn't bold enough to act flirtatious right in front of watching strangers.
"Brut, talk with me for a moment."
"Talk? What talk? Riding talk?"
"Let's talk. I want to check if you know the Continental words used in combat. For example, do you know what the word 'attack' means?"
"Attack. Means stab enemy dead."
"Good. Then what does 'retreat' mean?"
"Back! Move back!"
"You know your stuff."
I checked Brut's vocabulary while we traveled by carriage. Fortunately, Brut knew almost all the words used in combat situations. It meant he'd picked up a fair amount of terminology while doing adventurer work in his own way.
"...Too long. Long words hard!"
But the longer the sentences got, the more Brut struggled to grasp the meaning. It seemed best to keep instructions to Brut as short and clear as possible.
"Sister! Your hair is so pretty! And your skin is so pale!"
In the next seat, Ally was earnestly chatting up Kate. Every single word was infused with soul as she sucked up to her. Enough to wear a hole right through the nun, so to speak.
'Shameless!'
Utterly shameless favorability work!
This was the typical behavior of adventurers who encountered a nun. Raise your affinity with the nun whenever the opportunity arose, so you could do quests together later.
"Sorry I didn't greet you properly yesterday, big sis nun! I was so nervous because there was a nun in the promotion quest."
"That's understandable, Ally. But how old are you to be calling me big sis? I'm twenty."
"Twenty-eight!"
"...Pardon?"
"You're prettier than me and your figure's better, so I'll just call you big sis! That's okay, right?"
"Ah, I see."
A halfling nearing thirty was calling a young nun her big sister. Watching her toss aside all pride and wag her tail so eagerly was enough to make me sigh.
A true dealer ought to know how to dominate their tools. Was this little pipsqueak saying she'd rather suck up to mere tools instead? I absolutely could not acknowledge this halfling as a dealer.
'The reptile bastard's got some pride, at least. He won't even glance Kate's way.'
I found myself warming up to Brut, who sat silently with his mouth shut.
"Brut, aren't you going to chat up the nun?"
"Why should I?"
"She's a nun. If you get friendly, it'll help a lot with adventurer work."
"Don't need heal-slut females. My body strong. Won't die."
"Oh!"
A Gukbap-style Dealer after all! The confidence that he could handle adventurer work without taking any heals! A statement he could only make because he trusted his own sturdy body. It meant he was born fundamentally different from glass-cannon halflings.
"You pass. Brut."
"Pass? Thank you!"
While Brut and I were exchanging these wholesome words, Ally, who'd been chattering away at Kate, suddenly shut her mouth. Then she raised her head and began scanning beyond the roof of the carriage.
"What's the matter, Ally?"
"Just a moment."
In that instant, Ally turned back toward us and brought a finger to her lips. A gesture to quiet down. The other three adventurers, myself included, couldn't help but wear puzzled expressions.
What's going on all of a sudden?
Did she hear some suspicious noise outside?
The adventurers' voices died down in an instant. Ally stuck her head out beyond the roof and focused her senses for a long while, then finally spoke to us.
"There's something chasing the carriage."
"What?"
"I can hear footsteps. Something's moving in the distance beyond the brush. It's following the exact same direction as the carriage."
What the hell can she hear?
I stuck my head out past the roof as well, but I didn't hear any footsteps. Nothing but the clip-clop of horse hooves battering my eardrums.
"Huh."
But I realized Ally's words weren't a lie. The trail the carriage was racing along right now was surrounded by forest. Far off in the distance, the underbrush had been rustling continuously. Relentlessly tracking the carriage's movement.
'She really is a halfling!'
A halfling's senses were several times sharper than other races. In exchange for a small frame and weak muscles, they possessed outstanding tracking ability. I had no choice but to reassess Ally, whom I'd dismissed as pathetic. At the very least, she'd proven herself thoroughly capable as a scout.
"Is it bandits, Mongma-nim?"
Kate looked at me with anxious eyes.
"Probably not bandits. They're chasing a speeding carriage through the forest at a similar pace. Most likely monsters."
"I think the same, Mongma! What should we do? Should we ask the coachman to speed up?"
While peering beyond the roof, Ally asked for my opinion. There wasn't even anything to deliberate over. We had no reason to fight monsters unnecessarily. The moment I nodded, Ally shouted toward the driver's seat.
"Speed it up, coachman!"
"What's going on!"
"Monsters are chasing us! Hurry before they catch up!"
"Understood!"
The instant the message got through, the coachman hurriedly cracked his whip and spurred the horses on. The carriage, having abruptly accelerated, raced down the trail. After a while, as I peered beyond the roof, I realized the rustling in the brush had stopped.
Had the monsters given up the chase?
"The footsteps are gone! The wolf bastards stopped chasing us!"
"Wolves? You just said monsters a moment ago."
"I caught a glimpse through a gap in the brush! A few wolves were chasing the carriage! Not sure exactly how many, though."
She managed to catch sight of them through a tiny gap in the underbrush?
I spoke with admiration.
"That's impressive, Ally! Are all halflings that sharp-eyed and sharp-eared?"
"You could say that! All except just one!"
"One? Who's that?"
"Big bro Ethan! Everyone's sensitive except that bastard!"
I'd only given her a compliment, and out of nowhere Ethan got attacked.
As his little sister, did she just hate her brother that much?
After all, every pair of siblings in the world was designed from birth to kill each other.
Just because we'd evaded the wolves didn't mean the journey to Kunbilia Village was peaceful. Because monsters appeared right on the highway, blatantly blocking the road.
We couldn't just ignore them and pass through.
The monsters looked ready to ram their bodies straight into an oncoming carriage. Before I could even signal him, the coachman was already pulling the horses to a stop.
"Whoa! Whoa! Adventurers! Do something, please!"
The moment the carriage stopped, I hurriedly got down. The other three party members grabbed their weapons and followed. Brut and Ally took the vanguard, and Kate and I positioned ourselves in the rear. Monsters of massive build were approaching us along the highway.
"They're Hobgoblins."
"Mongma-nim! Can we take them?"
"We'll have to see."
Two Hobgoblins.
That was the identity of the monsters that had appeared with the setting sun at their backs. Large-bodied goblins with horns sprouting from their heads. Unlike ordinary goblins, which were basically just brats, a Hobgoblin's frame reached a full two meters. Meaning they were taller than most people.
Kshhhhhh!!
Kshhhhhhhhhhh!!
The two Hobgoblins closed in on us at high speed. Crude clubs whittled from wood were clutched in their hands.
I couldn't help but feel a slight chill as I stared at the Hobgoblins.
The memory of getting brutalized by a Hobgoblin in Morris Forest came flooding back.
The Newbie Slayer!
That was the nickname adventurers used for Hobgoblins. They spawned around goblin nests at an extremely low rate. Terrifying creatures that wrecked newbie adventurers who were out hunting weak goblins.
'There's no need to fear them anymore.'
Because I had magic now. I trusted the magical skill I'd relentlessly honed day and night for this promotion match. The moment I calmly drew up my mana, the fear subsided. It was the instant I summoned numerous water droplets into the air.
"Heh-heh!"
Ally, who'd suddenly stepped forward, began to laugh. She wore a grin overflowing with confidence.
"This party is so good! We've got a mage and a nun backing up the rear! I've never run into a composition this stacked in all my time adventuring! This comp is the best!!"
With an excited expression, Ally hoisted her sword and shield.
Ally's voice burst out like rapid fire, and I couldn't help but be flustered. Isn't she a little too hyped up? There are huge Hobgoblins charging at us right in front of our eyes.
"Going full DPS!! Keep up with the tempo—!!"
Right at that moment!
Ally, who'd been crouching with bent knees, sprang forward. The small-framed halfling began charging toward the approaching Hobgoblins. Watching from behind, Kate and I both dropped our jaws at the same time.
"Th-that fucking bitch—!!"
"Is she a troll?!"
Soon enough, Ally collided with the two Hobgoblins. Obviously, there was no way a tiny halfling could take down Hobgoblins solo. Ally, who'd charged in with such gusto, began getting beaten like a dog.
"Kyaak!! That hit bone!! I said it hit bone!! You goblin bastards!!"
Brut, who'd been silently watching, tossed out a single remark.
"That dwarf, help."
Brut raised his spear and surged forward. Faced with Brut's menacing spear thrusts, the Hobgoblins had no choice but to fall back. In that opening, I finally completed the Water Whip.
"Hold out for us, Brut!"
I twisted my shoulder and lashed out the Water Whip. The whip extended in a writhing arc and struck the Hobgoblin square in the chest. Flesh burst apart, and the Hobgoblin let out a ghastly shriek.
"I protect!! Mage!!"
The other Hobgoblin locked its gaze onto me. In that instant, Brut rammed his shoulder into it and shoved the Hobgoblin back. The Hobgoblin that had been eyeing me gnashed its teeth and turned its glare toward Brut.
Truly a Gukbap-style Dealer!
That a lizardman I can't even properly communicate with is the most reliable one here!
I clenched my molars tight and swung the whip frantically at the Hobgoblins. Fortunately, Ally wasn't within the whip's range. She'd rolled across the ground in the blink of an eye and dodged to the side.
Kiiiiiiiiii!!
The Hobgoblin collapsed to the ground, shrieking.
I brought the whip down on the kneeling Hobgoblin's head. Being a tough-bodied Hobgoblin, one hit wasn't enough to send it off. The moment I struck its head exactly three times, the Hobgoblin slammed its face into the dirt.
Kiiiihh... .
A dying cry echoed out!
I shouted to Brut, who was holding the other one at bay.
"One down! You held out great!"
"Hit this goblin bastard!!"
Brut was blocking the Hobgoblin's club with the shaft of his spear. The moment the club came in deep, Brut deftly knocked it aside with the spear shaft. At the same time, he let out a savage snarl and bit down on the Hobgoblin's nape.
"H-he bit it."
"Mongma-nim! He's a crocodile! A crocodile—!"
His jaws, stretched wide like a crocodile's, clamped down hard on the Hobgoblin. The Hobgoblin thrashed but couldn't break free from Brut's maw. I swung the Water Whip and struck the surviving Hobgoblin.
"You're the best, lizardman!"
"Krrrrrrrrrr—!!"
Brut and the Hobgoblin were tangled together, but that didn't matter to me. I just had to adjust the whip's trajectory with magic. I circled around the two beasts and lashed the Hobgoblin's broad back over and over. By the time I'd swung a full ten times, the Hobgoblin had finally died, going limp while still clamped in Brut's jaws.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!!"
Brut spat out the chunk of flesh and let out a roar.
In that moment, I finally understood how Brut had earned his promotion match qualification. Even if you couldn't communicate with him, he pulled off incredible tanking like that—there was no way his tier wouldn't rise. He was not the kind of talent meant to languish in the Bronze Abyss.
The halfling, on the other hand, did seem like she belonged in Bronze.
"S-sister nun, heals please!"
"Ally! You can't just charge off on your own like that!"
"Sorry, I lost the tempo for a second."
I stared down at Ally, sprawled on the ground, with a cold expression, because I now understood exactly who I needed to watch out for most on this quest.