Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: I'm Not Scary? - 2
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The settlement for the thieves' bounties was handled right there on the spot. Once the adventurers received the payout slips stamped with the Lily Knight Order's seal, they were thrilled at the sight of the amounts.
"No way! We can really take this much?!"
"You fought for the kingdom, so we can't just give you the usual reward. And since you were with the Sage, who is the Princess's mentor, it's only natural to give you a bit more."
From the perspective of the adventurers and mercenaries blinded by the reward, the extra 20% bonus was nothing short of delightful.
And as the knight had pointed out, since the additional reward came thanks to me, they rejoiced and clung to me.
"That's why I love working with the Sage! Hey, Sage, once I hit S-Rank Adventurer, wanna form a fixed party with me?"
Baltin spoke with genuine sincerity, and his wife, Lukendi, smiled and nodded in agreement.
When you build rapport with clients, they sometimes randomly toss in extra rewards, and your affinity with those you worked with goes up.
Seeing Baltin and Lukendi warming up to me just like back then, I smiled.
I'd done so much work that I was on good terms with plenty of high-ranking folks who could hand out quests, so I understood their feelings, but I shook my head.
Too much on my plate for a fixed party.
"I prefer solo play by nature. But once you hit S-Rank, you'll have all sorts of obligations anyway, so save some time for me then."
"Oh, you got it! Call me anytime!"
Baltin thumped his hairy chest and shook his magnificent mane.
With everything wrapped up, the merchant caravan set off under the escort of the Lily Knight Order.
As we traveled together, Lucille smiled faintly at Veronica.
"By the way, why is Your Eminence the Cardinal traveling with my mentor?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Not exactly, but I've heard the Church has been extremely busy lately. Ever since the previous Pope fell from grace..."
"Sure, but I don't need to handle everything there myself. I'm an Inquisitor, after all."
"I see."
"I slayed a demon alongside the Sage. Isn't it common sense for a priest to fight demons?"
Veronica said it lightly, then slowly took my arm.
"And what's wrong with traveling with a friend? Wouldn't it be weirder for a disciple to point it out?"
Lucille clamped her mouth shut. She was beaming, but her red eyes were fixed on Veronica, who didn't avoid the gaze.
"Hyunwoo, you owe me a lot, don't you? You promised to make me a new mace. Can you do it now?"
Since we were in the capital, borrowing a good smithy wouldn't be hard.
But for a mace worthy of Veronica, making it in just any 'good' smithy felt off.
"Alright. Then I'll head to Dwarven City and make it."
"Huh? N-No, you could just make it while we're together..."
"Nah. It's got my Sage seal of approval, so it has to be top-tier. Just wait."
"...Make it later. Don't go to any trouble."
Veronica quickly backpedaled. She pondered for a moment, then grinned.
"Oh, right. The summer festival's coming up soon. You participating?"
Lucille's shoulders twitched.
"Of course."
To claim the two-time summer festival conquest achievement, I had to join this one.
Miss it, and it'd be a whole year wait.
"So, who're you taking as your partner?"
"Dunno."
I hadn't thought about it. As long as I participated with someone, I'd get the achievement.
"Go with me. How about I forgive the rest of your debt for that shot back then?"
"Sure, why not."
I replied casually, and Veronica beamed, flashing a grin at Lucille.
Lucille just smiled back at her.
"Mentor. My birthday party is coming up soon, right?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Will you be my partner then?"
"I was about to ask you that myself. You can dance, right? If not, I'll teach you."
"Please do!!"
At parties like that, how gracefully you dance determines your growth bonus.
For me, who wanted Lucille to grow, being her partner was something I should request.
With skills from bard, jester, and a few other classes, if I led, we'd score better than any amateurs.
"Hehe..."
"Hehehe..."
Veronica and Lucille started smiling at each other.
Hm.
The vibe felt a bit tense, but whatever. It'd be fine.
Once we entered the capital, I parted ways with Lucille first. She had to head to the palace for her report.
She seemed to want me to come along, but I had to report to the Adventurer's Guild.
After sending off the disappointed girl, Veronica and I headed to the guild.
"Tch. Nothing."
I finished my report and checked for quests. Unfortunately, no caravans heading to the Church headquarters. Luck doesn't always hold, but it was still disappointing.
"Can't be helped. I'll head to the Church then."
"If you're going to headquarters, want me to escort you? We could make it in a day or two together. I've got time."
I considered escorting her alone, but she slowly shook her head.
"Nah, not going to headquarters. They spotted demon worshippers in the kingdom's north. My subordinates are waiting here too, so we'll go together."
"Oh? Need help?"
"Ahaha... No, it's fine. Don't worry about it."
"Aw, come on~ How can I not~?"
"Hehe. I really appreciate it. But there's some stuff I don't want you to see."
Looks like torture.
Inquisitors interrogating demon worshippers had descriptions too gruesome to put into words.
People gossiped about it plenty.
Stuff like force-feeding them mint chocolate milk through the nose.
Or feeding them nothing but rice for a month.
Having bards play Justin Bieber songs nonstop.
Or simply stabbing them repeatedly with a hot iron poker.
Thinking back, it was the usual pointless chatter, but sweet memories all the same.
"See you at the summer festival then. Keep your promise."
"Haha. Of course. And I'll have your mace ready by then."
"Huh? You don't have to. But if you do... I'll look forward to it."
As Veronica replied lightly, Inquisitors in similar attire approached from afar.
Definitely... her direct subordinates from the 12 Nun Order, right?
Armed with maces, they approached with the paladins they led, and Veronica raised her hand.
"Alright, I'm off. May the grace of God be with you."
Veronica gently cupped my cheek, smiled, blessed me, and joined the Inquisitors.
She donned the black robe a paladin offered, pulled up the hood, blending in as one of them, and only after she vanished from sight did I return to the guild.
"Got any quests? Quests?"
"Of course! But, uh... nothing really fit for you, Sage. Like cleaning Trondi Merchant Group's stables..."
"Doesn't matter. Give me everything."
Gotta rack up points quick when I've got time.
"Whew, thank you for your hard work."
After finishing the stable cleaning, the Trondi Merchant Group's leader was waiting personally, looking quite apologetic.
"Nah, it's fine. Just a quest."
"B-But still. It was work we meant for F-Rank adventurers..."
Stable cleaning, sewer maintenance.
Low-risk minor quests like those are classified as F or E-Rank.
Naturally, not many adventurers want quests that are trivial and low-paying.
Adventuring is a profession people join dreaming of glory.
So these get ignored.
Bunch of full-bellied fools.
These quests give stat bonuses if you grind them.
"The stables hadn't been cleaned in ages... Needed magic, shamanism, or brute force... S-Sorry. And you did it all alone..."
I herded the cows and horses in the stables using shadow wolves, immobilized them, then used a priest's sanctuary plus water magic to wipe the place clean.
Filled the spotless stables with fresh straw via telekinesis, then had the wolves push the livestock back in. Easy peasy.
Requires varied skills, so most need multi-class parties or muscle it out. Not my problem.
What makes a Sage a Sage.
"Back in the day, you trained on stuff like this when you were weak, but nowadays adventurers are all show."
"Yeah, that's true. Back then..."
The leader rubbed his palms, agreeing, and pulled a pouch from his bosom.
"Anyway, you completed it perfectly... Added a little extra here."
"No need, but... Call me for more like this."
"Oh, s-sorry! Really!"
He wiped his dripping sweat with a handkerchief and saw me off.
One quest down...
Next quest...
"Hm."
Small monster extermination batch.
Monsters in the hill behind a village near the capital.
This'll be quick.
"W-Wait a sec!!"
A shabby-geared black-haired swordswoman who screamed rookie but had an oddly refined air, a lizardman monk, and a wolf beastkin male mage came running my way.
The apparent leader, the swordswoman, panted and shouted.
"Um, excuse me. You're the Sage, right?"
...This woman.
Familiar face.
"I'm F-Rank adventurer Letiwen. Um... if it's not too much trouble, could you hand over the small monster extermination quest you've taken? To us?"
"We need to rank up soon, but haven't completed enough quests yet..."
"O-Of course, it won't be free! Here..."
The lizardman monk shook out his pouch, offering three stained silver coins.
From their gear, they looked pretty broke.
Three silvers would make their dinner hearty and happy.
They're even offering that much just for the quest slip. Desperate.
"Um... three silvers is more than the quest reward. C-Can't we...?"
"Hm..."
Not a dungeon quest, right? I checked the slip and smiled.
"How about we do it together instead?"
"...Y-Yes?!"
The black-haired swordswoman.
Letiwen, the leader of this party, recoiled in shock.
"Uh... A-Are you sure? You're an A-Rank adventurer..."
"Of course. Helping Viscount Lorit's runaway daughter? Piece of cake."
Letiwen Lorit, Viscount Lorit's daughter.
Kingdom noble tied to the 'Haunted Mansion' achievement.
His one troublemaking daughter—I extended my hand.
The other two didn't know her identity either; their eyes went wide.
Whatever. She stiffened warily.
"Bit awkward calling it payment, but introduce me to your father later. Deal? You're an adventurer who ran away dreaming of freedom, so if you get in trouble for introducing me, I'll convince the viscount myself."
Gonna teach him how to lock up a disobedient daughter.
And if you're gonna let her adventure, tell her to build some skill first.
In my eyes, Letiwen's current level would get her butchered by bandits.
"...H-How do you know me?"
How?
Saw you in the game.
But can't say that.
"I'm the Sage."
Universal trump card.
My deus ex machina to convince her.
- Kieeeek!!
The last small monster. The goblin shaman's spell reflected, shredding his body.
I explained to the dazed lizardman monk, Hike.
"Low-level shamanism can be reflected, so do that against shamans. Monks know the trick. Worst case, join a dojo. Costs money, but they teach well."
"Uh... Th-Thank you for the advice."
"And you, mage. Name's... Rockstone, right?"
"Yes!"
"Boosting cast speed is good, but completion matters more for mages. How many fails this time?"
"Uh... F-Five..."
"Seven. Count the dual spell fails."
"Ugh."
"Most important for a mage is landing the spell. Fail rushing to go fast, and you're dead meat. Want faster casts? Grind duals. Boosts mental math, which ups cast speed."
"Got it."
"Yeah. And..."
I gave heel advice to panting, scrunched-faced Letiwen.
"Your swordsmanship looks high-end, but untrained. Footwork's weak. Especially lower body... Do stable or sewer cleaning quests to build strength first."
"Ugh..."
"You ran from the viscount's house for adventurer freedom, but hate the grunt work? Freedom comes with responsibility, kiddo."
Still hated it, apparently; Letiwen sighed softly.
Yeah, a noble-born fake adventurer would loathe cleaning quests.
Especially since House Lorit wasn't poor.
But oh well.
Lowbies can't be picky.
If she hates it, don't run away—use the family resources, train to death, then leave.
"Alright, good work. You handle the report. Don't leave my name off. Do, and you're dead. For real."
"Ah... Yes. Th-Thank you for the guidance."
"No prob. Oh, Letiwen."
"Yes?"
To the startled girl, I aimed Moonlight. A light brand etched on her forehead, then faded.
"Wh-What... did you do?"
"Branded your forehead. Run all you want, useless. Pay up proper."
I smiled at her sulky face.
Can't block my achievement though.
Alright.
Head back, dinner, teach Lucille?
After a fulfilling day, back at the palace, the Queen invited me to dinner.
Not much to it. Queen wasn't lavish; just ate dinner together.
For a Queen's meal, the simple dinner included me, Lucille, Raquel, and Lily Knight Order officers.
Crowd made it warmly lively.
Enjoyable meal, and to end nicely, sherbet for dessert.
Whoa! Sherbet! My fave!
As I scooped the sweet-tart apple sherbet, the Queen, scraping her bowl, spoke.
"By the way, Sage. I hear you're quite looking forward to the summer festival. True?"
"Yes, but why do you ask?"
"This year's summer festival might be canceled."
What?
Mood was great till now?
Why ruin it?
To my bewilderment, Raquel explained carefully.
"The priest in charge of the festival committee reported. Holding it this year would anger the river spirit, so it should be canceled."
Hah. River spirit angry?
I'm not scary enough?
Author's Note (Afterword)
Thank you so, so much for the support from 저는덕꾸입니다님! I'll think about it ㅎㅎ
Thank you so, so much for the support from 헤엄치는새님!
Thank you so, so much for the support from Raskol님!
Hello! It's Malmoomalmoo!
The enjoyable holiday is all gone ㅠㅠ
October's over... Year is ending.
Let's all tough out November.
See you tomorrow! Bye~!!