Kingdom of Avangarde – In Front of the Castle Gate
The day’s training had come to an end as the sun dipped below the horizon. Since then, Ritta had yet to return. I wanted to chase after her, but I couldn’t abandon the task entrusted to me. It was only after Kirkton pointed this out that I realized it.
Kirkton, as the captain, was like a different person compared to when he wasn’t in that role. In fact, when we parted ways, he had reverted to the tone I was familiar with.
“Thank you so much for today. I think it was a good stimulus for my subordinates. By the way, I have a request. Tomorrow, I’d like to incorporate some real combat training with monsters in the afternoon. Is that alright?”
“Monsters? That’s fine, but I wonder if it’s safe…”
I realized too late that those weren’t words one should say to a soldier of the kingdom. Still, Kirkton just laughed it off. Given how he had reacted to Ritta earlier, I had expected him to be furious.
Roel seemed to have grown bored halfway through and was fighting off sleep. I felt a bit guilty for making her feel that way.
“Right, if we’re dealing with monsters, there might be injuries. It would be good if Roel could heal them.”
“Fwoah?!”
Roel, who had been gazing at the night sky, suddenly turned her head toward me, letting out a strange sound.
“That sounds good. Would you mind doing that?”
“Of course!”
And for some reason, Roel tightly gripped her Fire Rod. Was it just my imagination, or did she seem ready to join the fight?
“Kirkton, what about Ritta…?”
“…It’s unfortunate, but I can’t coddle her. If she can’t stand up after this, then that’s just how it is.”
“Is Ritta not suited to be a soldier?”
“I wouldn’t say she has no potential at all. You might find it hard to believe, but her scores in the entrance exam weren’t bad. She even ranked high in the physical tests. For someone with such a slender build, she must have put in considerable effort. However, whether she can actually handle the job is another matter. She’s probably been feeling down because of her brother, but that doesn’t mean I can overlook her shortcomings.”
I understood Kirkton’s reasoning and thought it was correct. Yet, I still couldn’t fully accept the way he treated her. If he truly cared for his subordinates, he should help them. But what would I do in that situation? I couldn’t think of anything.
“Well then, tomorrow will be early, so I’ll leave it to you. I’ll make sure the reward is generous! Hahaha!”
With that, Kirkton waved goodbye. I wondered if he lived in the castle. He was still in his armor, so perhaps he had something else to do.
As I walked alongside Roel, I suddenly remembered the Fire Rod she was holding.
“Right, if we’re facing monsters tomorrow, I need to buy a sword.”
“Isn’t the sword you already have good enough?”
“That one is dangerous because of the explosive effects… If by any chance I were to involve someone else, it would be a disaster. I wonder if the weapon shop is still open.”
“The shops in the city are open late, so it should be fine. That’s what Cynthia said. There should be one along this street. Want to check it out?”
Indeed, Kouzo’s weapon shop in Queemil closed early. I remembered that after finishing a request, I had gone there in the late afternoon, only to find it already closed. Roel had complained about how rural shops were like that.
Looking around now, I noticed that there were more people here than in Queemil. When I first arrived in that town, I had been overwhelmed by the crowd, but now it didn’t seem like such a big deal. Maybe I was getting used to the outside world a little.
Kingdom of Avangarde – Weapon Shop
“It’s still open. This place is completely different from Kouzo’s shop…”
Inside, there were various types of weapons and armor lined up neatly. Just the items hanging on the walls were numerous. It was indeed a stark contrast to Kouzo’s shop, which felt more like a storage room.
I didn’t mean to speak ill of Kouzo, as he was a good person, but I couldn’t help but compare the two. I thought about quickly picking something and leaving, but with so many options, I didn’t even know what would be suitable. And the prices were steep; even the cheapest falchion, which had a slightly curved blade, cost 2,200 gold.
We had earned quite a bit from our previous rewards, but seeing the price of the most expensive sword made me instinctively compare it to the money I had on hand.
“That sword hanging on the wall costs 40,000 gold… I can’t tell what makes it different from that cheaper weapon over there.”
“That Defender can be used as a shield due to its wide blade, and more importantly, when raised, it boosts the party’s defense.”
It was Ord who answered Roel’s question. Why was he casually here? I had completely forgotten about his presence until just now.
“Hey there, you two! Long time no see.”
“Ah, Ord! When did you get to Avangarde?”
“Just a little while ago. Man, I had a rough time getting here, attacked by a pack of monkeys and pecked by birds. But thanks to my partner, I managed to get through it.”
I didn’t think highly of him, but I couldn’t help but feel annoyed seeing him casually pat Roel on the shoulder.
“As a C-rank, it was nothing but a minor inconvenience, huh? Oh! Did you hear that? C-rank, I mean. Haha!”
“Ord, you’ve become a C-rank now.”
“It was tough, but it’s all thanks to my talent. You two don’t need to worry about ranks. The results of your efforts vary for everyone. Just go at your own pace.”
“We’re already B-rank.”
“Alright, alright. By the way, do you have something specific in mind to buy?”
Feigning nonchalance, Ord glanced at the money I was holding before cheerfully wandering off to the spear section. What was his deal? I didn’t have time to deal with him; I came here to buy my sword.
“Now, which one should I choose…”
As I pointed and selected one by one, I noticed a strange presence. Once again, a crowd had gathered around me. It felt like they were watching my every move, their gazes sticky and intrusive.
“Is that the girl who won the Combat Tournament? I guess even her weapon choices are top-notch.”
“I bet she’ll choose that Defender. With her level of skill, she wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less.”
I was about to reach for a nameless sword in the bargain bin when I thought about whether I really had to buy the Defender. Even if I spent all my money, I wouldn’t even reach half of its price. What was this discomfort I felt?
“Lua-chan, don’t mind them and just go with this one.”
Roel pointed to a Bastard Sword, which was slightly more expensive than the falchion and not in the bargain bin. It was a bit larger, but the price was reasonable, so I decided to go with it.
“A-Bastard Sword?!”
“No, this is a declaration that there’s no weapon in this shop that suits me. It’s not worth paying a fortune for something like the Defender.”
Ignoring the noisy onlookers, I bought the Bastard Sword. Its blade was wider than the Mithril Sword, and it felt powerful. It might resemble the weapon Seigel had lent me. Once outside the shop, I took a moment to appreciate its feel.
“Hey, look at her swinging that great sword with one hand…”
“That kid has some terrifying strength… What level is she?”
The onlookers peering in from the entrance were still noisy. I wanted to hurry back to the inn. What would be on the menu today? I hoped it wouldn’t be some weird bitter vegetable. I’d let Roel eat that.
“Those people are still watching… Hey, Lua-chan. You mentioned something about additional effects earlier, what is that?”
“Some weapons have effects that trigger additional attacks along with the initial strike. I don’t know how they’re made, but that’s what that person said.”
“That person?”
Yes, that person. Just like with Status Ailments, I had learned this from them as well. The swordsman who saved my life that day. They taught me so much more. Looking back, I realized that the minimum knowledge I had when stepping into the outside world was thanks to them.
I knew it was impossible, but I wanted to meet them again. I wanted to thank them and talk about various things once more.
“Oh, what’s that over there?”
Ahead on the night road, I spotted two adventurers seemingly arguing. I recalled a similar situation before; it was rare to see such things in Queemil. As I absentmindedly watched, someone quickly intervened to mediate. That distinctive tuft of hair sticking out from their head—there was no mistaking it; it was Ritta.
“Put that weapon away!”
“Shut up! That weapon was mine first!”
“Did you reserve it? It’s first come, first served!”
“You’re both at fault! Put your weapons away!”
The one who was overly angry was a stranger, but the other was familiar. It was Greyman, the one I had fought in the finals of the qualifiers. His extravagant gear stood out even in the dark. Still, what was Ritta doing now? I thought she had disappeared, but here she was, trying to mediate again after failing last time.
I thought I should stop them before someone got hurt this time, but Ritta is a soldier of the castle. Even if she’s not Kirkton, if she can’t handle something like this, she has no business being a soldier. Maybe I should harden my heart too. But if it looks like things are getting out of hand, I’ll jump in to help right away. Still, Greyman is definitely an A-Rank Adventurer. If he gets serious, even Ritta might be in danger.
“You were probably just hesitating about whether to buy it, right? A poor person who can’t even afford that much should stick to using an Iron Sword,” Greyman taunted.
“You! I know you! You’re the one who lost to a kid in the Combat Tournament, aren’t you? You got your armor punctured and flew away like a fool, hehehe!”
“What did you say…? With better equipment, I won’t be left behind again. Shut your mouth!”
Finally, Greyman drew his sword. It was a slender blade embedded with gem-like stones, different from the weapon he had used against me. I wonder if he’s going to brag about that too.
“This is called the Sunshine Sword. It inflicts additional light damage on the target when it strikes. Plus, it’s light and relatively easy for anyone to wield, making it in demand among support roles like Healers. Well, I monopolized it knowing that! How about it? Is it too dazzling for a poor person like you? Huh? It’s worth at least 150,000 gold, so you’ll never be able to afford it in your lifetime!”
“One hundred fifty thousand!” Both Roel and I exclaimed at the same time. It seemed that our reaction caught the attention of the two, but Ritta quickly stepped in to redirect their focus.
“Enough already.”
“Shut up! I can’t take this anymore!”
Ignoring Ritta’s warning, the man pointed his sword at Greyman aggressively.
“You’re mocking Lord Dars, the Hell Bear Slayer! I’ll kill you!”
“You? Kill a Hell Bear? Oh, right, anyone can hunt a cub.”
I realized Ritta wasn’t going to be able to handle this, and as I was about to step in, she grabbed the arms of the two men. They both gasped in surprise, but before they could react, a scream echoed through the night.
“It hurts! Let go of me!”
“I’ll let go if you promise to reflect on your actions.”
“Please, don’t break my arm!”
The weapons fell from their hands. Yet, Ritta didn’t loosen her grip. I was surprised to see such strength in her; Kirkton’s words must have been true. I felt like I might get scolded for thinking this, but I couldn’t help but admire her. Still, it was probably time to let them go.
“Ritta, maybe you should let them go now.”
“Huh? Rua-san?”
Ritta’s expression brightened when she noticed us, and she immediately released the two men. Greyman, upon seeing me, looked as if he had been struck by something and let out a bewildered shout.
“Y-You are! Damn it, that armor was expensive! You owe me for it!”
“Ritta, you’re amazing. You really have been training hard, huh?”
“Don’t ignore me, you brat!”
She was smiling and seemed to be in a good mood. It was hard to believe considering how she had acted earlier. Maybe something good had happened to her.
“I’m sorry for showing you such an embarrassing side of myself earlier. I need to apologize to Captain Kirkton tomorrow too. I’ve been thinking about it since then. If I keep moping around, nothing will change. Running away would make me unfit to be a soldier of the kingdom…”
Ritta scratched her head and smiled sheepishly. I was relieved; I had been wondering what had happened to her, but she seemed to be doing well.
“So, Rua-san, I’ll be counting on your guidance tomorrow!”
She seemed so energetic that she dashed off into the night. I wondered if her home was nearby. She said she’d apologize, but I was a bit worried if that scary Kirkton would actually forgive her.
Watching her leave, I suddenly realized something.
“It’s great to see Ritta looking so lively.”
“Did Ritta buy a new spear?”
“A new spear? Why do you think that?”
“She was carrying a different spear than before. I didn’t know there were such pitch-black spears.”
“I didn’t notice that. Rua-chan, you’re surprisingly observant about these things.”
“What do you mean surprisingly?”
Roel giggled, and feeling a bit annoyed, I pinched her cheeks from both sides.
“What are you doing?!”
“I just felt like it.”
“Hey, you just called me Rua, didn’t you? I haven’t forgotten about the grudge over the armor!”
Greyman placed a hand on my shoulder. I brushed it off, and to my surprise, his arm flew back more forcefully than I expected.
“It hurts! I really broke it this time! Damn, you have some crazy strength!”
“…This is getting ridiculous. Let’s go home.”
I rolled my eyes at Greyman, who was dramatically rolling around in pain. I had never intended to engage with him anyway, so Roel and I started walking toward the inn. He was still shouting something behind us, but I figured he’d get embarrassed and stop soon enough. After all, a crowd was already gathering to witness his embarrassing display.
Without even looking back to see his shameful antics, we headed to the inn to unwind from the day’s fatigue.