WM V3C0534

Chapter 0534 Like an Adventurer

Translator: Jay_Forestieri

Editor: Tseirp

 

The day after Ryo and Abel arrived in the city of Boago.

The two took their time enjoying breakfast before heading to the Adventurers’ Mutual Aid Association counter.

 

Huh? They managed to find an inn even with the princess’s entourage docking there?

No, they didn’t.

They slept in the park.

 

“Yesterday was rough. And it’s all Abel’s fault.”

“Wait, how is this my fault? The inns were full because of the princess’s arrival, right?”

“Luckily, the park was empty, and I had my robe, while you had your cloak, so we managed… but still…”

“Isn’t camping out normal for adventurers?”

“Yeah… that’s true. But we’ve been staying at inns too much lately—we’ve gone soft. Abel, you’ve gone soft!”

“Uh-huh. You too, Ryo.”

Ryo sharply pointed it out, and Abel casually shot back.

 

 

By the time they arrived at the Adventurers’ Mutual Aid Association, it was already past ten, and the place was relatively empty.

 

“This is how a guild should be.”

“Hearing you talk about what a guild should be is strange, to say the least.”

“Did you say something, Abel?”

“Nope. Didn’t say a thing.”

 

Even back in the Kingdom, Ryo had never really fit the image of a typical adventurer. So for him to be commenting on the ideal state of a guild would have felt odd to anyone, not just Abel.

 

 

Still, Ryo smiled brightly and asked at the reception desk.

 

“Excuse me, I have a question. Is there a carriage adventurers can use to travel to the imperial capital from here?”

The receptionist seemed momentarily surprised but quickly regained his composure.

As expected of a professional.

 

“There is no direct route. However, it is possible to reach the capital by transferring between several carriages.”

“Ohh.”

“That said, adventurers are subject to travel restrictions at certain times.”

“Certain times? Restrictions?”

 

Ryo tilted his head in confusion.

And behind him, Abel did the same.

 

“When national events take place, entry to the imperial capital and its surrounding areas may be restricted. Right now, due to the wedding ceremony of the Sixth Prince, adventurers ranked Level 8 or lower are not permitted entry until the event is over.”

“Wait, what…?”

Ryo muttered in shock.

 

The Sixth Prince was, in fact, the fiance of Princess Shio Fen.

And both Ryo and Abel were Level 8 adventurers.

 

“How long will this restriction last?”

Abel asked from the side.

“Let’s see…”

The receptionist flipped through some documents before responding.

“Approximately nine more months.”

“That’s way too long!”

Ryo blurted out in disbelief.

 

Being unable to enter the capital for nine whole months was quite a surprise.

 

“Are you two ranked Level 8 or lower?”

“Yeah. Here, this is my card.”

Abel handed over his adventurer’s card.

 

The receptionist scanned the card, and data appeared on the desk.

 

“Oh, you arrived with the princess’s fleet. You are indeed Level 8… If you had remained part of the fleet’s request, you would have been allowed in, but…”

The receptionist frowned slightly.

 

Apparently, leaving the ship had been a costly mistake.

 

“Looking at your record… If you complete about ten more Level 8 requests, you’ll be promoted to Level 7.”

“Ten, huh…”

One quest per day would mean ten days of work.

 

Then, as if something had just occurred to him.

The receptionist turned to look at a large noticeboard.

 

“If you participate in this mountain hunt, it will count as ten Level 8 requests.”

“What?”

A large notice was posted on the board:

 

 

‘Special Request from the Deputy Governor – Tiger Mountain Mountain Hunt – Now Accepting Participants’

 

 

“Tiger Mountain?”

“Mountain hunt?”

Ryo and Abel both tilted their heads.

 

“A group of gray goblins has been discovered in Tiger Mountain, and this is a request to exterminate them. Meals are provided, and participants receive rewards based on their rank. We have enough Level 6 and above adventurers for the frontlines, but we’re still recruiting Level 7 and below adventurers for headquarters and food supply protection. Level 8 adventurers won’t be on the frontlines, so the pay isn’t high, but the guild contribution points are significant. The expedition departs tomorrow.”

“Alright, we’ll take it.”

“Huh? Abel?”

 

Abel accepted the request on his own.

Ryo was surprised—it was rare for Abel to do something like that.

 

 

After completing the necessary paperwork, they left the reception desk.

 

 

“Abel! Why did you accept it without asking me?!”

“Why not? I wanted to take it.”

Ryo pressed him with a questioning look, but Abel averted his gaze.

 

With eyes searching for the truth, Ryo stared at Abel intently.

 

“Former A-rank adventurer, Abel.”

Ryo deliberately emphasized the words, making Abel flinch.

 

“You don’t like being Level 8, do you? You want to rank up. Abel, you’re vain.”

“N-no, I…”

“Abel is vain.”

 

Ryo repeated his accusation.

 

“Alright, fine! I want to rank up! Level 8 is too low, damn it!”

Abel finally exploded.

 

Well, if you could call it an explosion. His grumbling and pouting were actually kind of cute.

 

“A vain swordsman… doesn’t have the same ring as a starving swordsman.”

“What the hell does that mean…?”

“So let’s go with ‘Vain, Vain Swordsman’.”

“Huh?”

“‘And thus, Abel became the Vain, Vain Swordsman’. A new sequel to the Full-Belly Swordsman saga.”

“…”

 

Then, as if something had just crossed his mind, Ryo spoke up.

“By the way, this mountain hunt… exterminating gray goblins…I didn’t realize goblins existed in these Eastern Countries, too.”

“What are you talking about? Goblins are everywhere.”

“Wait, really?”

“Humans exist all over the world. Why wouldn’t goblins?”

“Well, when you put it like that…”

Ryo had never realized goblins were a worldwide phenomenon.

 

“There weren’t any in the Rondo Forest, so…”

“Rondo is just a special place.”

Ryo commented, and Abel shook his head slightly.

 

Considering Rondo was home to dragons and griffons.

It certainly could be considered a unique region.

 

 

“A goblin subjugation quest—now that feels like a real adventurer’s Job!”

Ryo was visibly excited.

After all, goblins were the quintessential fantasy monsters.

 

And among all quests, goblin subjugation was a classic staple of adventure stories.

 

However, Abel was giving Ryo a half-lidded stare.

It seemed like he had something to say.

 

“What is it, Abel? What’s with that look?”

“Nothing.”

“If you have something to say, say it clearly.”

“Ryo, have you ever actually defeated a goblin?”

“Huh?”

 

Ryo was momentarily at a loss for words, not understanding Abel’s question.

 

“Of course, I’ve defeated goblins before…”

He began to say, but then he stopped to think.

 

When? Where did he defeat one?

When? Where…?

When? Where… he couldn’t remember.

 

“Huh?”

Ryo tilted his head.

 

There should have been goblins in the Rune dungeon… but when he descended forty floors by cutting through the dungeon floors, there hadn’t been any monsters around.

 

There was also the Great Tidal Bore when monsters overflowed from Rune’s dungeon. Abel, who was right in front of him, must have slain more goblins than he could count… but Ryo wasn’t there at the time.

 

The second Great Tidal Bore had been… ogres.

 

“Hmmm?”

Ryo tilted his head in the other direction.

 

Then, he finally remembered.

 

“I did a goblin extermination quest in Niels’ village!”

“And did you defeat any goblins there?”

“I, uh, used <Ice Bind> to restrain their limbs… and that’s about it…”

 

Ryo hadn’t actually finished off any goblins.

It was Niels and Amon who had delivered the final blows…

 

“What about the dungeons in the Western Countries…?”

“Did you defeat any there?”

“It was mostly Niels, Amon, or Harold…”

Probably, Ryo hadn’t taken down any goblins himself.

 

 

At this realization, Ryo collapsed to the ground, both hands and knees planted.

The pose of utter despair.

 

“This is unbelievable…”

 

 

But then, he suddenly lifted his head and shouted.

“I got it!”

 

“Huh?”

“The underground chambers of the Royal Capital’s Central Temple! I froze a bunch of goblins solid with <Permafrost> there!”

“Oh, yeah, now that you mention it.”

Seeing Ryo finally recall this, Abel nodded in acknowledgment.

 

It was true—he had frozen them all in ice.

 

“I’m relieved.”

Ryo said with deep emotion.

 

“Yeah. If the famous ‘Silver Duke’ had never actually slain a goblin, the bards would probably lose their minds.”

Abel chuckled as he called Ryo by his title.

Hearing this, Ryo puffed up his cheeks in frustration.

 

 

And so, the two of them embarked on a proper adventurer’s quest the next day.

 

 

TLN: Please read my translations at tseirptranslations.com, I did not give permission to any site to host my translations. 

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