Chapter 46
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Old Comrade
I snapped the aura-control shackles binding Monestier's arms.
Clang!
"Thanks, kid! You saved my life."
"Don't mention it."
"My name's Monestier. Just call me Mongkle."
He grabbed my shoulders with a beaming smile. I scanned him from head to toe before brushing his hand away and replying.
"Mongkle."
"Yeah?"
"Bring me an S-rank commission."
"...What?"
"An S-rank commission. I said bring it. Right now."
Monestier shrugged with a baffled look.
"H-Hold on. Why should I?"
"Because I paid off your debt."
"...That's one thing, and this is another. I never said I'd do you any favors just because you paid it off!"
"It's a matter of duty."
"Duty?"
"Yeah. Why else would I pay off some stranger's debt?"
I pulled up a chair and sat down.
Thud.
"If you don't want to, fine. But then I'll do exactly what that dwarf mentioned earlier."
"...What're you talking about?"
"I'll spread word of your misdeeds throughout Strange. No, I'll make it known across the continent. That you're an ungrateful piece of trash."
"What did you say, you crazy bastard?!"
"You'll be exiled from Strange. You won't get guild commissions or join any mercenary bands. Your whole family will starve."
Monestier bit his lip hard. Veins bulged on his forehead as he jabbed a finger at me.
"So you paid off my debt just to use me, huh?"
"That's right."
"You shameless punk."
"And you? You thought two gold coins—enough to buy a mansion in the provinces—could be settled with a thank you?"
Monestier scowled deeply.
"Are you threatening me?"
"It's a request."
"A request, my ass! Where'd a kid like you learn to be so rotten?"
"Gambling's about the rottenest thing on this continent. Even Strange forbids it."
"Strange bans gambling? Ha! How would you know that?"
I nearly said, 'Because I'm from Strange,' but just gave a small smile instead.
"Strange forbids five things: assassination, betrayal, pillage, deceit... and gambling. Get caught, and your head rolls on the spot."
"...Who the hell are you?"
"Who?"
"How do you know the family's taboos?"
"I have ties to Strange."
"You?"
"Yeah."
Monestier fell silent, pondering. Was he curious about my identity, or scheming to weasel out of the commission?
Whatever it was, moments later he cautiously sat down in front of me.
"You know how dangerous S-rank commissions are, right?"
"Yeah."
"What's your adventurer rank?"
"I don't have one."
"Huh?"
"No rank. I haven't registered at the guild yet."
His jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Are you insane?"
"Nope."
"Then why ask for a commission without even registering?"
"Exactly."
"...What about her?"
Cynthia answered for me.
"I'm B-rank."
"B-rank? Decent enough, but challenging an S-rank with that? You'd lose your head."
"I agree."
"Right? Wait... uh... yeah?! Then why ask for an S-rank commission?"
"Because the kid wants it."
Mongkle tilted his head.
He scratched the table with his finger and turned to me.
"You strong or something?"
"A little."
"...Listen, kid. As someone who's been around longer, let me give you some advice. Rushing into danger on bravado alone is suicide."
"Like gambling when you're broke?"
"N-No, that's not what I meant!"
"Enough chit-chat. Get the commission. What's with that long tongue on a Strange knight?"
"It's not long! I'm just worried about you."
"You should be worried about your own life. Calling yourself Strange and can't even pay two gold coins."
Mongkle slammed his fist on the table.
Bam!
"Kid, I'm holding back a lot right now. Don't push it, or I'll have to unleash my hidden power."
"Do it."
"...Huh?"
"Go ahead. I'll show you what happens."
I pulled back my robe slightly, revealing the cross emblem engraved on my armor.
I'd kept it hidden to avoid a fuss, but now I had no choice but to reveal myself and end this quickly.
He froze like stone, staring blankly before jumping back in shock and pointing.
"Y-Y-You! The kid who took Sword God from the ritual—"
"Mongkle."
"Y-Yeah, uh, yes sir."
"The commission. Bring it."
The ponytail girl—one of Cynthia's party members—asked.
"You're Monestier, the one who vanished after failing an S-rank commission?"
Mongkle rubbed his nose sheepishly.
"That's me. The infamous S-rank failure, Monestier. Aka Mongkle."
He wasn't ashamed of failing. If anything, he boasted about how it made his name famous.
Flip.
The ponytail girl pointed to a page in her book.
"We heard you went missing, but you're alive?"
"Yeah, I was never missing. I've been here the whole time."
"Here?"
"Yep. I kept saying I was Mongkle and hadn't vanished, but no one believed me."
Who'd believe a drunken gambler owing just two gold was Strange's secret weapon?
They'd think he was faking the cross emblem.
"Oh... So how'd you escape the Seven of the Black Night?"
"Seven of the Black Night? What's that?"
"The assassins the guild sends."
Mongkle cocked his head like he'd never heard of them.
"Assassins? Nah."
"No?"
"Dunno why the rumor spread, but failing a commission just drops your rank. No penalties."
"Really?!"
"Well, pissed-off clients might send assassins, but S-rankers are too strong to care much."
"Ah..."
"Heard some hot-tempered clients actually kill failures. They can afford it."
The ponytail girl drooped glumly.
"I get it now."
"By the way, what's your name? Feels like I introduced myself alone."
"Oh, I'm Yuda."
"Yuda? Sounds like a backstabber."
"Haha, I get that a lot."
"You gonna betray us?"
"What?"
"Everything."
"...What are you even talking about?"
That's what I wanted to know.
What were these two even conversing about? Tired of the nonsense, I asked Mongkle.
"Mongkle."
"Yes? Er, yeah."
"So why are you following us?"
He'd trailed us from the guild to the tower entrance. We'd enter soon, and he was slyly sticking with our party.
"I'm tagging along."
"Why?"
"Why? If you fail the commission, it comes back on me. I'm just making sure you don't."
I shook my head.
"Get lost. You'll just be in the way."
"What?! Hey, you don't tell your senior to get lost! Say 'pretty please'!"
"Shut up, or I'll tell Sister Valentine what happened today."
"Va-Valentine?!"
"Yeah. You know what'll happen."
Mongkle gulped.
"Sorry."
"We're not messing around in the tower. We need to hit our goal fast and get out. Wait outside."
"Wait, Berddin. Hear me out."
I waved my hand, gesturing for him to continue.
"You know I'm crazy strong, right? Even the imperial army called me a Sword Master."
"And?"
"Couldn't use my power in the tavern 'cause of the aura shackles. But take me to the tower, and I'll be a huge help."
"..."
"Might not know this, but I've climbed past the 30th floor."
Breaking past floor 30 marked you as one of the era's top powerhouses.
Even Father—the continent's strongest swordsman—struggled around mid-40s.
"Don't need you."
"Huh? But surely I... What?"
"Party's big enough already. More just gets in the way, no matter how strong."
"B-But still."
"On my name as a Strange, I'll complete the commission clean. Wait outside."
This must surprise him. Other parties beg for veterans like him.
We're turning down a powerhouse.
"Fine, I'll hang back and watch from afar. No joining."
"Whatever."
"Huh? That's allowed?"
"Yeah."
"...Alright."
Thud thud thud.
The guard captain at the tower entrance banged his spear butt on the ground.
"Next!"
Our turn.
I flashed the gold-class badge from the arena.
"Five total. Berddin, Rox, Cynthia, Yuda, Alfredo. Heading to floor 11."
The guard replied indifferently.
"Approved. Summoning clerk Amon."
The guard stepped back three paces and whispered to the air above the tower. It looked like open space, but invisible barriers blocked sound.
Step, step, step.
Finished talking, he led us forward. As we reached the tower front, clerk Amon popped out through spatial warp, waving enthusiastically.
"Welcome! Hope you remember me—I'm the tower clerk, 'Amon'! Everyone, applause!"
Amon clapped alone.
Clap clap clap!
"Great to see you again, Sir Berddin. You want to warp to floor 11, correct?"
His reaction was subtly off from last time.
Eyes smiling, mouth stiff.
Scripted tone, like reading lines in a play.
Like watching a puppet.
Something's wrong.
I nodded curtly.
"Then I'll send you and your party to floor 11. Monsters get brutal from here—be careful."
"Got it."
"Good luck!"
Amon spread his arms wide, drawing a circle in the air. Space swirled.
I led everyone into the warp gate, tossing over my shoulder.
"Amon."
"Yes."
Definitely different.
He used to say, "You called?" to adventurers. Just "Yes" now?
"Never mind."
I stepped into the gate, twisting to check his eye color.
...Deep green.
It's already begun.
Demonium's check on me.