Chapter 3: Praying to the Gods
Time for the part I hate most after a hunt: extracting the Magic Stones. It stinks, and it’s gruesome cutting open the chest of this ape-like creature and shoving my arm inside.
It’s warm and slimy as I feel around inside, searching below the heart for the Magic Stone, about the size of my pinky fingertip, and tear it free.
The extracted Magic Stone is enveloped in flesh about the size of my thumb.
I remove the Magic Stone from the flesh, rinse it with Water, and use Clean to make it spotless.
As I was taking out the sixth Magic Stone, I sensed something.
I quickly washed my arm, picked up the Short Spear, and scanned the surroundings.
The Short Spear is borrowed from Cokes-san; it’s too big for me as a child, but he lends it to me, figuring it’s better than just a Knife.
Depending on the beast, I might have to flee, but I can’t just abandon Cokes-san’s property and run.
My movement snapped the four resting members to attention, and they quietly stood up.
From the distance, something rustled through the bushes, pushing its way closer. I pointed in that direction with the Short Spear and held up my index finger.
It wasn’t a wolf or dog-type creature; I knew that because those approach almost silently.
Seeing the bushes rustle in the direction I indicated, I guessed it was probably a Horn Boar.
When I told Cokes-san, he grunted, “Yeah,” took the Short Spear from me, and waved to his companions.
Kilza quickly moved off to the right, and Hattie moved to the left.
Cokes-san and Bolt-san stood before me, drawing their longswords and readying their spears, positioned slightly apart to the left and right.
I moved away from them, taking refuge behind some bushes to watch how things unfolded.
What emerged from the rustling bushes was unmistakably a Horn Boar, but it was a huge one, standing 1.2 to 1.3 meters tall at the shoulder.
It noticed us but didn’t seem particularly bothered, approaching while sniffing the ground as if searching for something.
Cokes-san and Bolt-san slowly closed the distance, gauging the range.
The next moment, with the twang of a bowstring, one of Kilza’s arrows designed for large prey sank deep into the Horn Boar.
The Horn Boar flinched, its movement halting for an instant. Cokes-san swiftly closed in and thrust his Short Spear into its neck.
As the Horn Boar stumbled forward, Hattie-san was suddenly right there, drawing her Short Bow aimed at its heart. She released the arrow, and another arrow flew from the opposite side, striking true as well.
Seeing them take down the Horn Boar with such brilliant teamwork, I scanned the surroundings again to confirm it was safe.
“It’s been a while since we got a big one like this.”
“Good job noticing it, Fernan.”
“Yeah, your scouting ability has improved remarkably these past few months.”
“It really has. There’s nothing left for us to teach you.”
“Alright, once you’ve got the Goblin Magic Stones out, let’s haul this thing back to the Guild.”
As Cokes-san and the others began preparing to transport the Horn Boar, I quickly finished extracting the Goblin Magic Stones and went to help.
Since everyone only has the cheapest Rank 1 Wallet Pouches, they each took out wheels, axles, ropes, and other parts and started assembling a cart.
It’s a strange sight no matter how many times I see it. Even though they’re Rank 1, these convenient leather bags still cost 200,000 Dalla each.
Hattie-san and I cut down a suitable standing tree, fashioned it into a Y-shape, and prepared to lift the Horn Boar by inserting the poles from either side.
With Hattie-san’s chant, something like rods extended from the ground beneath the prone Horn Boar, levitating it.
Supported by the wooden poles inserted from its sides, we slid the cart underneath the lifted carcass and secured it with ropes.
All that remained was to tie it down firmly so it wouldn’t fall off even if jostled, and then head back to town.
I’d estimate its height at 1.2 to 1.3 meters and its length over 3.5 meters.
It resembled the wild boars I saw in Japan, but it was plump, with sharp tusks and a horn.
Getting it from the grasslands to the main road was tough, but whenever the wheels sank into the ground or got stuck on uneven terrain, Hattie-san would use Earth Magic to lift it and make it easier to push.
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We brought the Horn Boar to the Adventurers Guild and got 100,000 Dalla for it. I think you could get 400-500kg of meat from it, which seems cheap.
A 1kg steak costs around 1,000 Dalla. If you got 400kg of meat, that’s 400,000 Dalla; 500kg would be 500,000 Dalla.
Considering you can also get a Magic Stone from the horned ones and sell the hide, it feels a bit low.
The Goblin Magic Stones fetched 3,000 Dalla each, times seven, for 21,000 Dalla. The medicinal herbs totaled 23,300 Dalla.
The grand total was 144,300 Dalla.
The Hunza Outcasts took 140,000 Dalla, leaving 4,300 Dalla as my share.
This was the “inconvenience fee” decided by the Baron who forced me, an adventurer apprentice in name only, onto this Party.
Cokes-san had firmly negotiated a daily wage of at least 2,500 Dalla for me, capped at a maximum of 5,000 Dalla, no matter how much profit they made.
I’m grateful that The Hunza Outcasts Party, despite having a nuisance foisted upon them, didn’t treat me harshly and taught me various things.
This Party, led by Cokes-san, is a solid group. Although each member earned 35,000 Dalla this time, they deposited 40,000 Dalla into the Party fund at the Guild.
Apparently, that’s how they managed to acquire the Rank 1 Wallet Pouches each of them now owns.
For adventurers living hand-to-mouth, 200,000 Dalla is too expensive to buy individually.
Since the sun was still high, I was treated to some skewered meat snacks, leftovers from the Party’s celebratory drinks at the tavern.
“Fernan, isn’t your Bestowal Ceremony coming up soon?”
“It’s next month. I wish I could get Earth Magic like Hattie-san.”
“Ehh? Earth Magic is plain, and it’s quite tiring, you know.”
“But with Earth Magic, you can attack, defend, and even make domes for camping. Isn’t that useful?”
“That’s what someone who can wield it freely would say. Earth Magic users often get stuck doing construction-related work. If you received Healing Magic or Spatial Storage, you could live an easy life, in high demand and well-paid.”
“Doesn’t that just mean being hired by nobles or wealthy merchants and worked to the bone your whole life?”
“Only if you have high Magical Power and are skilled with magic. Everyone knows that, so apparently, quite a few people who receive Healing Magic or Spatial Storage don’t even bother practicing.”
“Can’t say this too loud, but word is the Baron-sama’s men will be at the Bestowal Ceremony. It’s widely rumored that if you receive a promising magic, you’ll be summoned.”
“Yeah, they approached me back when I had mine, but…”
“Approached you, but what?”
“They made fun of me! Said having only 65 Magical Power was pathetic. They laughed and said if I had just a bit more Magical Power, they would have taken me into the Baron-sama’s service.”
“That’s the thing… Whether I receive magic or not, my future looks bleak.”
“Exactly. You need to be careful after your coming-of-age ceremony. Everyone in town knows about you, which is why you’re still alive now, but…”
“Once you’re considered an adult, they could enslave you or just dump you outside of town…”
“If that happens… I guess they’d pin the blame on The Hunza Outcasts.”
“Hey! Don’t say such terrifying things.”
“That man is capable of it. He pretends to be a good lord on the surface, but everyone in town knows his true nature.”
“Yeah, yeah, his motives for dumping Fernan on us were pretty obvious too.”
“Maybe it’s better if you kick me out of the Party before I come of age.”
“We’ll figure that out when the time comes,” Cokes-san said, and everyone else nodded.
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The day of the Bestowal Ceremony arrived. My Household Magic had improved slightly, but my practice with Magical Power manipulation hadn’t progressed much.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with a good plan, so I decided to resort to praying to the gods when in trouble.
In a world where only one’s consciousness is transferred to another world and magic is bestowed, it seems certain that gods must exist.
Therefore, praying to them might not be futile, I thought, heading to the church in a half-desperate state.
After all, during breakfast, the steward Zebran had tossed me a Silver Coin and told me to attend the Bestowal Ceremony without saying anything unnecessary.
I know Baron Honnings’s men are watching, so I’ll attend the Bestowal Ceremony without a word.
I entered the church, stated my name, and offered the Silver Coin fee for the Bestowal Ceremony.
“Fernan… Whose child might you be?”
“I help out at Baron Honnings-sama’s residence.”
“Ah… Please line up over there.”
Whispers drifted from the surroundings:
Ever since stepping into the church, I’d felt sticky gazes on me. Pretending to look around the church curiously, I observed my surroundings.
Since I’m out on the plains with The Hunza Outcasts, I know the watcher’s position thanks to my trained Sense Presence Skill.
A rough-looking man I sometimes see at the Baron’s mansion is watching, leaning his back against the wall.
I lightly use my Stealth Skill to thin my presence, taking care not to let the watching man realize I’ve noticed him.
It’s the Bestowal Ceremony familiar from light novels; one by one, guided by Father, they kneel at the altar and offer prayers to the statue of the Creator God Asshila-sama.
Those bestowed with magic are enveloped in a faint light for an instant, so you can tell they’ve received it.
They seem to realize it too, standing up happily and placing their hand on the Magic Power Measurement Board indicated by Father.
“Myrune, you have been bestowed with Wind Magic and Water Magic, but no Skills, I see. Your Magical Power… 47, is it? If you apply yourself, you should be able to use them to some extent.”
“Reind… Unfortunately, neither magic nor any Skills.”
Out of the six, only two were bestowed with magic or Skills. Finally, it’s my turn.
Father calls my name, and I go up to the altar, offering a prayer to the statue of the Creator God Asshila-sama.
(Asshila-sama, please let me be able to use magic without anyone finding out. At this rate, nothing good will come of it.)