Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Bow Star's Commendation
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After lightly packing up to head to the black market, I stepped out through the gates of <Delaiten>.
The only unusual thing was the bandage wrapped tightly around my left hand because of the rune from the Mental Image Barrier that occasionally went haywire on its own?
Savoring the spring sunlight laced with the scent of flowers as I walked, a band of eccentric adventurers suddenly appeared before me.
“What the—? Hey, let go! You’re not letting go? Hey!”
And just like that, I was snatched up by the brute labeled “monster” but read as Bart…… all the way to the [Golden Rose] Adventurer Guild building.
“No, they’re giving out commendations for what happened last time, and it felt wrong to have the main hero missing.”
As I flailed while clutched on Bart’s shoulder, Rem, who was walking alongside with perfect timing, giggled and explained.
“Fine, I get it, so put me down first.”
“No, this is the human palanquin treatment. Gotta give the hero this kind of reception.”
“I don’t need it! Whatever, do we really have to accept that?”
“It’s not just the branch level—they’re doing it from the Alliance Southern Headquarters, brother.”
“Headquarters?”
The [Golden Rose] Adventurer Guild branch was located in District 2, where the low-level government offices were.
But on the plot of land in front, there was a stage set up for the main players and a wooden fence for the onlookers.
Beyond the fence, not just adventurers but passersby and merchants had gathered, whispering about what was going on.
As soon as Bart’s party arrived, guild staff ushered the four of us onto the stage with pleasantries, and uncomfortable stares poured in from all sides.
“That’s Bart of the Black Iron.”
“The bowman next to him is Rem the Drunkard Sage.”
“But who’s that mage?”
“Black hair, red eyes…… looks refined—could he be the Ludwig family’s genius (天災) young master?”
“Nah, no way the heir of a great house would go nuts and become an adventurer.”
Ugh, what a waste of time.
Rain let out an irritated sigh and spoke to his party members.
“What’s the big deal about that incident to make such a fuss?”
“It was a big deal.”
Rem, who had been basking in the public attention with delight, raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
“Bart’s a disciple of the One-Star Seven Swords, and I’m a disciple of the Drunkard Sage. But even we were struggling, and you took it out in one shot.”
“What if the truth is you’re weaker than you think?”
Rain tilted his head with innocent eyes.
If Kies had been there, he would’ve pierced the Rat-Spider Queen’s heart and the black magic circle with a single arrow woven from mana.
“Kyaaak!” As Rem tried to kick Rain amid the eerie scream, Sami grabbed him to stop it. Bart chuckled.
“By your standards, maybe. But neither Rem nor I ever felt lacking on our way to silver rank. Until last time…….”
Bart muttered bitterly, his smile fading from his lips.
Almost simultaneously, a powerful presence swept through the area like a gale, making the onlookers straighten up without realizing it.
Then, as the guild doors opened, awed gasps leaked out here and there.
“Whoa……?!”
“T-That person……?!”
“It’s Bow Star Leoren……!”
The one dispatched from the Alliance Imperial Southern Headquarters was none other than Bow Star Leoren.
The Empire gathered the finest warriors of the era under the Emperor, granting them immense authority and honor while imposing the duty to serve him—they were called the Imperial Four Martial Stars.
There were four stars in total, listed as follows.
Sword Star, Spear Star, Bow Star, Magic Sword Star.
They could come from famous families or dojos, but it was common for adventurers to be selected as well.
No, it was all the same. Those who emerged from famous families or dojos into the world mostly became adventurers anyway.
“Huh……?”
Rain, who had been watching the scene indifferently, couldn’t help but gape the moment he saw Leoren’s features and armament.
The hair that looked like he’d just rolled out of bed was a vibrant green tinged with new leaves, framing the sharp eyes of a forties something man.
His beard, trimmed only sporadically, grew patchy and unkempt, hinting at his lazy personality.
‘Kies…….’
But those features and traits were eerily similar to Kies, Rain’s comrade from 300 years ago.
Above all, the pure white bow on his back, entwined with vines of life…… it was undoubtedly Serwebon, the White Chang Bow made from the World Tree’s branch that Kies had wielded.
As he stared blankly, Leoren approached with a massive yawn, as if he’d die of sleepiness, then widened his eyes.
“No way, who’s this?”
Rem, on the receiving end of that gaze, made a face of utter disgust and frantically waved him away.
“W-What?”
“This, this-this-this-this— what’s my little cutie doing here?”
“You’ve got the wrong guy.”
“You run off from the dojo, dye your hair, and start adventuring? Puhahaha! Trying to copy me? You didn’t even ask your big bro—!”
“—Ugh, shut up, seriously. Go away!”
Leoren, clutching his stomach in laughter, playfully ruffled Rem’s hair as if to say okay, then turned to Bart.
“Hmm, I can tell at a glance. You’re the leader of this party.”
“That’s right.”
“They say you took down that variant— you look plenty strong.”
“…….”
“That tomboy doesn’t give you too much trouble, does she? Take good care of her.”
“Rem’s my party member. No need. We cover each other’s weaknesses.”
“Even better. You’ll hit platinum rank in no time.”
Leoren clapped Bart’s shoulder encouragingly.
Before becoming Bow Star, Leoren had been a platinum rank 6 adventurer—a massive senior by any measure.
After a brief greeting to Sami, Leoren stepped up to Rain and tilted his head.
“Strange, feels like I’ve seen you somewhere.”
“……?”
“Not the face—the vibe. Let me see the paperwork…… Ludwig? Rain Ludwig? I knew it! You’re that old man Skalji’s grandson!”
Skalji had been the previous Magic Sword Star, so he’d been friends with Leoren in his later years. Leoren laughed heartily and patted Rain’s head fondly.
“Yeah, holing up in your room studying magic’ll just make your hair fall out. A man’s gotta know how to play outside too.”
“…….”
“But did you hurt yourself? Why’s your left hand bandaged?”
At that moment, Rain couldn’t say a word. He just pursed his lips, holding back a laugh.
To others, it looked like he was flustered by the Bow Star’s praise, but that wasn’t the case.
‘If Kies could’ve spoken…….’
Wouldn’t they have had a conversation just like this?
If Kies hadn’t had his tongue cut out after falsely testifying in court as a child to save a friend, becoming mute…….
Then, thump— the White Chang Bow on Leoren’s back pulsed strongly, exhaling the World Tree’s breath in all directions, and Leoren startled, grabbing it.
“What the— why’s this thing acting up?”
The World Tree, breathed upon with the Breath of Wisdom by one of the Three Divine Dragons, the Water Dragon Yeriserica, was famous for its fragmentary thoughts and judgments. The same went for the White Chang Bow made from its branch.
‘Long time no see.’
Rain greeted the White Chang Bow in his mind after 300 years.
‘Been well?’
Strange…… Leoren gripped the bow to calm its mana, but it only resonated louder.
This had never happened before.
As people murmured, “That’s the White Chang Bow Serwebon,” “Incredible,” “The hero party’s bow,” Rem yelled at Leoren.
“Hey, you came to give commendations— stop showing off and hand them out already……!”
Leoren eventually left the excited bow on his back and took the commendation from his headquarters escorts.
“In a sudden crisis, you took the lead to protect fellow adventurers…… what’s with this wall of text? Roughly: you did great, so the Adventurer Headquarters awards this commendation for your party’s adventurer spirit.”
Ah, so that’s it.
It seemed less about killing the queen and more about Rem and Bart’s desperate protection of other adventurers—that was the reason for the commendation.
And to make other adventurers emulate that selfless spirit, they’d made such a grand show of it.
“The reward is two gold coins, and additionally, 500 Alliance Contribution Points to each party member.”
500 contribution points?
The adventurers clapped while murmuring.
“That’s an insanely generous reward.”
“A goblin extermination for newbies is what, 3 points?”
“Bronze to iron rank-up needs 400 points.”
Sami, standing nearby, let out a hollow laugh.
“Congratulations, brother. How long have you been an adventurer, and you’re already rebadging to bronze.”
Was this something to celebrate?
He had no intention of succeeding as an adventurer, so…… still, better than nothing.
“That’s it, right? I’ve got a lot to do. You guys handle the rest.”
Ignoring the remaining formalities entirely, Leoren threw an arm around Rem’s neck and dragged him off giggling somewhere. Immediately, adventurers swarmed Bart with offers.
“You took down the queen this time?”
“Come to our guild, Bart. The guild master promised top treatment, for real.”
“With this contribution reward, Rem’s silver rank too— come to our guild with him. We’ll offer better terms than anywhere.”
Of course, no interest whatsoever in the extras Sami or Rain. They thought it was thanks to a scroll, so naturally.
‘If I wait for greetings and goodbyes, they’ll drag me to some afterparty…….’
Watching Rem and Bart surrounded by guild reps, Rain quietly slipped into the crowd.
‘Hurry to the black market, get the book, and focus on mana training. I need the mana to use the Mental Image Barrier.’
His mind buzzed with excitement.
No, he’d barely gotten anything done since yesterday. Couldn’t even concentrate on mana training……
Camitishia.
- Mental Image Barrier, Flow Control Sovereign.
- Required Mana: 20,000 (Warning - Current User Mana: 12,564).
The Mental Image Barrier is a sage realm reached by only two people in this world, so even I can’t explain it perfectly.
「Though humans lack the enlightenment to rule the world like the gods, in the mental image world where one is the creator, the story changes.」
Words left by Lairt Warden, one of the two sages who reached Ren Page (6-star), in his treatise 『On Truth』.
He never reached God Sage (7-star) like the first sage, Emita Page, but he was still an extraordinary figure.
And now, a power like that had come to me…… his heart raced on its own, a smile refusing to leave his lips.
‘The 33% success rate and 66% power boost are probably because it’s still in trial version. Once I hit true 6-star, it’ll be different.’
So hurry, finish up quick and get to mana training…… his steps quickened naturally— that’s when it happened.
“Rain Ludwig, you won’t reach the black·mar·ket going that way~!”
At the booming voice loud enough for the whole world, Rain startled to a halt.
Black market……?
Strange. No one knew he was going there— except one person. The librarian Karen.
“With the ‘Golden Children’ getting active, the guys running the black market in this city all skipped town. Temporarily closed, that’s the deal!”
Who was this? Feeling his heart pound coldly, he turned to see a man.
In a dirt-brown robe close to rags and a worn fedora, the man smiled warmly as their eyes met.
He lowered the hand-horn he’d made at his mouth and approached waving like an old friend.
“From the Magic Alliance. Got a moment?”