NOVEL WEB Chapter 24
“Why are you like this? Get up.”
Suddenly seeing Jeven lying down in front of me, I was momentarily taken aback.
What’s this? Some new kind of ambush tactic?
Just as I was trying to figure out what this mercenary leader was thinking.
“Ouch!”
“We were wrong!”
The other mercenaries started bowing their heads one by one, following Jeven’s lead.
“…Why are you doing this?”
Not understanding the situation, I finally asked.
“Please don’t kill us!”
“We’ve done everything you asked!”
The mercenaries were saying things out of nowhere.
Kill them? Ah.
“Because of the sword? It’s just that I don’t have a scabbard for it.”
I casually placed the sword on the table as I spoke.
Were they scared because of this?
Well, it makes sense. If someone who usually doesn’t carry a sword suddenly shows up with one without a scabbard, it would be scary.
Especially if that someone is an aura user.
“Ah, so that’s what it was?”
When I explained the misunderstanding, the mercenaries awkwardly got up from their positions.
“Phew… phew…”
Jeven also got up like the others, but he was drenched in cold sweat, looking more relieved than embarrassed.
…How strong is his survival instinct?
Well, I guess that’s what it takes to become a gold-grade mercenary.
“Everyone, sit comfortably. You’ve prepared the identity, right?”
“Ah, yes… it’s ready here.”
As I sat at the desk, Jeven immediately took out an identity card from his pocket and placed it in front of me.
“Is this reliable?”
“Yes, it’s the identity of a mercenary of the same grade who died recently.”
“…Did you kill him to get it?”
“Goodness, that would be a big problem in the capital. We just paid the family to not report his death.”
“Ah, I see.”
It’s definitely better to use an identity that’s already been abandoned than to create a fake one.
“What’s the personal information?”
“Age is twenty-five, name is Kaine.”
Twenty-five?
…That’s seven years older than my real identity.
But well, maybe that’s actually a suitable age.
“Kaine, nice.”
I’m quite satisfied with this.
The name is subtly different but similar to my real name, making it easy to remember.
“And this is the mercenary badge.”
Next, Jeven took out a mercenary badge of the same grade.
“You can use this to prove your identity as a mercenary.”
“Hmm, what’s the range for the bronze grade?”
“It works in most cities within the same country.”
I heard that starting from the silver grade, you can even enter cities beyond the borders.
I should aim to reach that level later.
“You’ve registered me with your mercenary group, right?”
“Yes, we’ve officially registered you through the proper procedures.”
“Good, you’re doing well.”
I’ll have to ask Lowell to confirm the details, but he didn’t seem to be lying.
Given his strong survival instinct, I doubt he’d risk his life playing tricks in this area.
“Then I’ll go back and check this out.”
“About the reward you mentioned…”
“I’ll let you know once it’s confirmed.”
I definitely plan to teach them the Fleet technique as promised.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’m a person who keeps my promises.”
Fleet isn’t some rare technique; it’s just one of the basics.
“Alright, that’s enough about this… By the way, you guys know the Kaine Mountain Range well, right?”
“Ah? Yes, we do.”
Perfect timing.
Since I need to gather materials, wouldn’t it be great to get help from experts?
“Let’s work together on something.”
“Work? What kind of work?”
“Aren’t you about to go on a mission soon?”
“Well, yes…”
“You’re heading to the Kaine Mountain Range, right? Let’s go together.”
I was feeling a bit lost about gathering materials in the Kaine Mountain Range alone.
Having veteran mercenaries with me would make things easier.
“…Together, you mean?”
“Yeah, I’ll help you.”
I only need the materials anyway.
From the mercenaries’ perspective, having an aura user like me along would be beneficial, right?
“Ah, yes…”
“Feel free to take on difficult tasks, just bring me the mission details.”
“Uh, by when…”
“Next week.”
I need to finish my wound treatment, and Lowell needs time to verify my identity, so next week seems just right.
“…By the way, my mercenary badge…”
“I’ll give it back once the identity is confirmed.”
Come to think of it, I had taken Jeven’s mercenary badge.
Actually, I forgot to bring it with me.
It’s probably in the doghouse.
I usually keep all my miscellaneous stuff there.
There’s even my personal box under the cushion.
“Then see you next week.”
Anyway, after finishing my business, I got up from my seat.
“Are you leaving already?”
“Yeah.”
Actually, I had thought about heading into the mountains today, but…
Ouch.
My wounds still haven’t fully healed, and the area where I was injured has been aching since I jumped off the terrace earlier.
It seems like the stitches have come loose a bit, so I should get it treated again.
With that, I left the adventurer’s guild.
After briefly stopping by the high-end commercial district, I returned to the mansion.
“Oh my! Where have you been? You’re not a child anymore!”
Then I immediately ran into the angry healer.
“I brought you a gift.”
To avoid getting scolded, I gave her the universal cheat code—a gift—but…
“Enough! Just lie down!”
…It didn’t work at all.
I thought all women liked gifts.
**
After starting my recovery, a few days later.
“Can I go back now?”
“Well…”
The healer looked at me with suspicion, but my wounds had healed enough to return to my daily life.
“Your natural healing ability is really something.”
“I’ve always been like this.”
To be precise, it’s been like this since I took that strange medicine in the Coliseum.
It was an experimental drug from the Magic Tower, and now I wonder what kind of drug it was.
“But don’t overexert yourself.”
“Understood.”
Listening to the healer’s nagging until the end, I left the treatment room and returned to the doghouse.
Phew.
There are times when I miss this place.
The treatment room was nice, but it felt suffocating.
Now, this open doghouse in the middle of the yard feels so familiar.
As I stepped inside, I saw the clean interior.
Even when I came in briefly to grab some clothes earlier, I noticed that the maids had kept it clean while I was away.
I should find a way to repay them next time.
After checking out the doghouse I hadn’t been in for a while, I got up.
Then I stepped out and picked up the sword I had left leaning against the doghouse.
There was nowhere else to put it, and if I took it to the treatment room, the healer would probably freak out, so I just left it here. As expected, no one touched it.
Well, the servants here are tight-lipped and trustworthy.
After all, they’re the servants of the mansion where the Lady of the Void Family stays.
No one would take the sword just because they wanted it, nor would anyone make a fuss about me having a sword now.
Still, I should get a scabbard for it.
With that thought, I strapped the sword to my waist and headed to the training ground.
“Oh, Rain! You’re back!”
On the way, I ran into a group of maids.
“Ah, yes. How have you all been?”
“We’re always the same~ I heard you were helping the healer?”
The maids thought I had been helping the healer, which is why they hadn’t seen me.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“How is the healer? We rarely get to see her since she’s in the same mansion.”
They asked about the healer, curious since the treatment room and its surroundings are off-limits to other servants.
“Hmm.”
I thought about the healer for a moment.
She’s always making a fuss, but I can’t say that to the other servants.
“She’s a skilled healer.”
“Well, that’s a given.”
“And she’s quite lively.”
“Really? Wow, that’s different from our image of her.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah, we thought she was cold and serious.”
…Her, serious?
Just yesterday, I got hit on the back for sneaking out to train.
She’s definitely not like that…
“Well, she has that side too.”
It would be weird to deny it here, so I just went along with the conversation.
Anyway, I want to try out the sword I borrowed.
If I slash too many scarecrows, Lowell will scold me, but I want to test its performance.
It feels solid, and the blade is well-honed.
It seems to be on a completely different level from the weapons I’ve used before.
So…
“Then, I’ll go train now.”
I quickly ended the conversation with the maids and hurried to the training ground.
“Rain!”
“Long time no see!”
At the training ground, the guards were in the middle of their training.
They’ve had some free time since the Lady left.
“I came to train for a bit.”
“That sword…”
“It’s a new sword I borrowed.”
“Ooh… it looks cool.”
Unlike the maids who see me as some kind of precious dog, the guards treat me with more caution and respect.
“Here, you can use this!”
“Feel free to use it!”
As soon as I arrived, they prepared a scarecrow for me without me even asking.
“Ah, by the way, Lowell said not to destroy too many scarecrows.”
“Please apologize in advance.”
“Huh?”
“I plan to destroy a few scarecrows today.”
Given the Void Family’s wealth, losing one or two scarecrows shouldn’t be a big deal, right?
“Uh… really?”
“Yes, everyone, step back.”
With the prepared scarecrow in front of me.
I drew the longsword from my waist, spun it once, and rested it on my shoulder.
Let’s see…
I focused my aura entirely on the sword.
Even though my Rush technique isn’t very refined yet, with this sword, I feel like I can pour as much aura into it as I want without damaging it.
So.
After gathering my aura into the sword.
“Haap!”
With a shout, I swung the sword down.
And then.
Crash!!
The scarecrow in front of me shattered into pieces and flew away.
“Wow…”
“The scarecrow…”
Hearing the guards’ amazed voices.
I examined the sword I had swung.
Despite pouring so much aura into the Rush, the blade was, of course, completely unharmed.
“Phew.”
It’s even better than I thought.
I really don’t want to return this sword.