◆ Avangarde Castle Town, Tavern Alucchu ◆
The tavern was bustling with a variety of people as evening settled in. It wasn’t just patrons looking to drink; many, like us, were there for a meal, making it an inviting place. It was several times larger than Pablo’s establishment, with plenty of staff bustling about, constantly being called in different directions, making it seem quite hectic.
A few days had passed since the A-Rank Promotion Exam, and while I had been told to expect movement soon, nothing had happened yet. The place where we, as registered Adventurers, were staying was Hotel Maison. Having spent so much time in the castle town lately, I found myself missing Queemil.
“I wonder if things are going to get busy from here on out.”
“Want to head back to Queemil for a bit? I think I could carry Roel on my back and make it in less than half a day if I really pushed myself.”
“I’ll pass…”
It was clear that the life of an Adventurer was different from what I had imagined. This felt less like a request from the country and more like an order. I believed Adventurers should remain Adventurers, and I couldn’t quite accept it.
“Gah-hah-hah! I never thought I’d become A-Rank in such a short time! From now on, we’re rivals, you know? Hah-hah-hah!”
“As expected of the girls I believed in!”
Today, Gantetsu was treating us to a celebratory feast for passing the A-Rank exam. That was great, but I couldn’t help but wonder why Seigel was here too. Not that it mattered much.
“Don’t hold back! Order whatever you want! Two grilled Emperor Squids and two Momoru Sodas, and then…”
“Seigel, just so you know, I have no intention of treating you.”
“Eh…?”
Seigel, who seemed fully prepared to be treated, looked genuinely shocked. Why did he think he would be treated when he had just shown up uninvited? Hearing about the grilled Emperor Squid made Roel drool, while I pondered the questions I wanted to ask. Custom Magic, the Comet Wolf Brigade, Phantoms, and who exactly should defeat the Demon Lord. There was so much I didn’t know.
“From what I’ve heard, this exam was incredibly tough. Even A-Rank Adventurers avoid Mist Village. It’s been decades since I passed my own exam…”
“I heard there were hallucinations, and many were killed. That exam was way too extreme…”
“The Mist Stalkers there are dangerous. The longer the fight drags on, the more of them gather, and they should really reconsider the Danger Level settings. Even for a Dragon Hunter like me, they’re monsters I’d rather not deal with.”
“I was worried about Yuyu’s exam too… I’ve never been to Giginga Volcano.”
“Giginga Volcano! There’s a handsome Dragon Hunter who defeated the Floor Monsters there all by himself…”
Ignoring Seigel, who had started rambling on, I began to eat the dishes that had been brought to our table. I needed to hurry; Roel was devouring everything in sight. The grilled Emperor Squid, the whole Swooping Bird, and Alucchu’s special ham salad were already more than half gone.
“Hey, Gantetsu, do you know about Custom Magic?”
“I can’t use magic, so I don’t know the details. But I’ve heard it’s a magic that each person has perfected in their own way according to their attributes. Seigel, do you know anything about it?”
“Attributes are one thing, but it also includes entirely new forms of magic. Rupie’s Star Magic is one example. He’s the only one in the world who can use it. But…”
Seigel took a sip of his frothy beer and continued, drawing out his words.
“Even among A-Rank, there are hardly any who can use Custom Magic, yet it seems to be commonplace among the Comet Wolf Brigade.”
“Wait… does that mean the Comet Wolf Brigade is stronger than A-Rank Adventurers?”
“There are actually more people out there who aren’t registered as Adventurers. It wouldn’t be surprising if there are still many unknown entities lurking around. Just like you, Rua.”
I had spent ten years holed up in the Abyss Cave. Living in Ikana Village in the mountains contributed to my ignorance, and I was constantly surprised by the information I was hearing. I was shocked to learn that groups like the Comet Wolf Brigade existed, who would take human lives. The idea that they could destroy a nation was unbelievable. That older brother of mine never told me any of this. Looking back, I think he didn’t want to shatter my dreams of the outside world. What was his name again?
“Ugh, I can’t believe those guys are spreading to this continent. As if we weren’t already overwhelmed by the Demon Lord Army.”
Gantetsu took a swig of his fifth beer, downing it in one go as if to say he couldn’t take it anymore.
“They said they’d destroy nations and start a revolution, but… what’s the point of that?”
“Huh? Well, there are all sorts of people in the world. Some have faced setbacks for various reasons, some were slaves. I’ve heard they’re picking up those who come from unfortunate circumstances to expand their influence. For those people, when the leader speaks those kinds of persuasive words, it probably sounds like divine words to them.”
I wondered if Glaive was one of those people. There were others out there, just like me, who had lost their parents and lived in terrible conditions. I had thought I was special, but that was far from the truth. It was a realization that came too late.
“…I can’t remember anything from my childhood. I don’t even know if I was fortunate or not.”
“Speaking of which, Roel, you don’t have any memories from your childhood, do you?”
“Yeah, but I do have a vague memory. I remember playing in a peaceful natural setting with a girl around my age. I sometimes dream about it, but when I wake up, I can’t remember much.”
Having memories means you can hold onto them forever, but not having any memories to recall is far too painful. Seeing Roel’s lonely expression made my heart ache.
“Woohoo! Another round!”
In the midst of such a somber atmosphere, Gantetsu, already red-faced, ordered his eighth beer. I wondered how something like that could taste so good. The smell alone made my head spin, and I had no desire to drink it. If it was about bubbles, the Momoru Soda was definitely better.
“Ahhh! The way it goes down is just unbeatable! Right?”
“I’ve lived just for this one drink!”
The two of them were already getting hyped up. If it was just about the sensation of drinking, the Momoru Soda was definitely superior. Was that the feeling they were after when they drank? I thought that if I convinced myself of that, I might feel warm inside.
“By the way, Gantetsu, do you know about Phantoms?”
“Huh? Phantoms?”
“An Adventurer I know told me to be afraid of Phantoms. I didn’t understand what he meant at all.”
“Phantoms, huh… I remember they were popular when I was a kid, Seigel.”
“There’s a generation gap between us… I wasn’t even born yet.”
“Oh, is that so! Gah-hah-hah!”
This was pointless; talking to a drunk was futile. Maybe I was the fool for asking. I felt myself getting warm just from watching them. Roel, sitting next to me, also seemed flushed, probably from eating too much. Can you really get red from overeating? Well, whatever.
“When I was a kid, it was all the rage. They said there was a mysterious organization with members hidden all over the world, kidnapping people and plotting assassinations. They said if you walked alone at night, a group dressed entirely in black would appear out of nowhere and take you away to be sold as a slave. Looking back, it was just a silly rumor to scare kids, but at the time, I was genuinely terrified. Every time I did something bad, my mom would threaten me, saying, ‘The Phantom will come!’ Hah-hah-hah!”
“What the heck? Even you were scared of that back in the day?”
“I’m a human too, you know! How rude!”
Was that what the Phantom he mentioned was? But if Gantetsu was talking about when he was a child, that was a long time ago. Seigel hadn’t even been born yet, so maybe he was just drunk. He smelled like alcohol, and it was making it hard for me to think straight.
“But maybe there really are people like that out there.”
“Roel, are you saying that children can be fooled? Who even saw a group dressed in black? If they were kidnapping people, wouldn’t they stand out? Did they call themselves Phantoms? Or did someone name them Phantoms after seeing them? It’s true that some of the slaves were taken by kidnappers, so there’s some reality to that.”
“If Gantetsu’s Phantoms were real, they would definitely stand out, just like the Comet Wolf Brigade.”
Gantetsu himself was denying it, so it felt like what he was talking about was different from the Phantoms I had heard of. After all, there was no way Kank would know a name that was popular when Gantetsu was a child. In the end, it seemed like no one really knew anything.
As I pondered, a flush spread across my entire face, and my heart raced, making it hard to breathe. No, this wasn’t just my imagination—what was happening to me?
“Hey, Rua. Your face is all red!”
“I’m feeling a bit dizzy…”
“Roel, are you okay? You look a little wobbly…”
“Huh?”
As Seigel pointed out, Roel’s face was also flushed. She was half-closing her eyes, swaying her head from side to side. Now that I thought about it, this Momoru Soda tasted different than usual. I had been indulging in it since it was on the house, yet I hadn’t noticed until now. There was a faint bitterness and a sharp scent that tickled my nose.
Holding the glass of Momoru Soda in one hand, I stared at it, and Seigel snatched it away. He tilted it to sniff, then took a sip.
“W-Wait! This has alcohol in it?! Hey, waiter! Why is there alcohol in the juice?!”
All eyes in the tavern turned toward us as the staff hurried over. After sniffing and taking a cautious sip, the waiter grimaced dramatically.
“I-I sincerely apologize! I will replace it immediately!”
“Forget that! Just bring me some water!”
“Yes, right away!”
As the waiter rushed back to the kitchen, Seigel leaned in closer to the glass again. Gantetsu mirrored his actions, his expression sour. The other patrons were completely fixated on us. The once lively tavern was now filled with murmurs of confusion.
Even after drinking the water the waiter brought, nothing changed. My face still burned, my heart raced, and I struggled to breathe.
“I’m sorry for the trouble. You won’t have to pay for today’s bill…”
“No, I’ll pay. Here, keep the change.”
Gantetsu shoved money into the waiter’s hand roughly before leading us out of the tavern.
◆ Avangarde Castle Town, Alleyway ◆
“We’re almost at Maison. Are you feeling any better?”
“A little bit…”
“Rua-chan, you look so cute!”
“Roel, please, focus…”
With Seigel and Gantetsu supporting me, we managed to walk close to the hotel. I felt just a tad better, but the nausea lingered. I couldn’t help but worry about what would happen if a monster attacked in this state. Why did I have to go through this? What had I done to deserve it?
“Seriously, how could that place make such a rookie mistake? Sure, there’s a cocktail version of Momoru Soda, but it’s my regular spot. I feel bad for dragging you two into this.”
“Gantetsu, it’s not your fault… It’s the alcohol’s fault…”
I had managed to handle the so-called Dragon Slayer Poison to some extent, but I never expected alcohol to hit me this hard. No way, I couldn’t let this defeat me.
“I’ll walk you to your room. I’m feeling a bit tired myself… Whoa?!”
Seigel’s surprise came from my sudden turn to look behind us. I was fighting the urge to vomit, but I had to do it to stop the two knives that were closing in from behind. I could handle it, but in my current state, I might take some damage.
Just in time, I deflected one of the knives with my bare hand and turned to face the darkness. The fact that someone could pinpoint my location in this darkness meant they were quite skilled. It had taken me a long time to be able to see through the shadows of the Abyss Cave. Thanks to that, I could at least grasp my surroundings even on nights like this.
There, in the shadow of a tall brick house, stood two figures clad entirely in black. Black-clad… could it be—
“Tch, I know you’re there! Come out, and let Seigel take you on!”
“Yeah, yeah! The mighty warrior Gantetsu is here too! Whoever you are, you’re in for a rough time!”
I could no longer stand, and I finally collapsed onto the ground. Seigel sat Roel next to me before drawing his great sword. Gantetsu seemed ready to respond with his axe, but I didn’t want to involve them with an opponent targeting me. More than anything, I wasn’t about to back down this easily.
“Both of you, just stay back. I could win against them even in my sleep.”
“Don’t push yourself. Leave this to the adults.”
“Just move aside.”
“With you lying down like that, it’s not very convincing!”
“Just let it go…”
“Well, I can’t imagine you losing to those weaklings. Seigel, let’s step back.”
Judging that Seigel and Gantetsu had lost their fighting spirit, the two figures dressed in black leaped toward us like cats that had spotted their prey. Meanwhile, I was just lying on my back with a sword in one hand.
They were completely convinced they had the upper hand. The proof was in how high they raised their knife-wielding arms, leaving their sides wide open. If I got hit from the side, it would be a quick and bloody end for me.
Why was I being targeted? I felt like if I could just rip off those black masks, I would find the answer.
“Don’t underestimate me.”
The two in black thought I was weak because I was lying down. They didn’t even understand why A-Rank fighters like Seigel and Gantetsu had stepped back, and they were convinced they had caught their prey, ready to plunge their knives and swords into me.