The Powerless Hero's 101st Regression Diary

Chapter 6. Dorn (1)

That night. Bob, having recovered his strength, spoke in an exaggerated tone. His face, lit by the campfire, gleamed red.

“I saw it with my own two eyes, but it still makes no sense!”

“Uwooooh!”

Dorn, who was in front of him, clenched his fist and let out a strange exclamation.

“A ghoul! A ghoul, I tell you! A monster that even E-rank mercenaries avoid! And our porter took it down!”

“I saw it! I saw it clearly with my own two eyes!”

“Mr. Dorn! The best part was definitely that scene, right? When he used the Sword Stopper to ping! deflect that blackened arm and then shot forward like lightning and said those words! Our porter Savior, with that deep and low voice! Did you hear it too?”

Dorn scrunched up his cute, round face and imitated me in a low voice.

“Hey! Laugh like that again, I dare you!”

Then he pointed to the center of his forehead.

“Mr. Savior’s brow twitched like a worm, just like this.”

Seeing that, Bob burst into laughter, clutching his belly.

“That’s right! Dorn! ‘Laugh like that again’—our savior Savior must’ve hated Adol’s creepy grin just as much.”

Bob turned to look at me, eyes full of mischief.

“Adol’s main weapon after turning into a ghoul was his blackened arm, right? I’m convinced that line was a kind of mental attack meant to freeze him up so he couldn’t strike. Right, Mr. Dorn?”

“Wow! Really? That was your plan all along, Mr. Savior?”

Dorn looked at me with wide, innocent eyes.

I ignored that pure gaze and turned to Bob, who continued to tease me.

“Mr. Bob, they say when your head gets smashed, your mind breaks down with it. Shall I help you wander through that shattered mind?”

“Oh dear, how scary. Mr. Dorn, we’d better run before the Ghoul Slayer becomes the Bob Slayer. You never know when he’ll turn on you too. Come on, this way!”

“Waaah!”

With that, Bob took off, dragging Dorn along.

Kevin, sitting beside me, chuckled.

“Aren’t they adorable?”

With the fight over, Kevin had returned to his polite tone.

“You can speak casually. I’m much younger than you.”

“Well, in battle, quick communication is key, so I speak informally, but outside of that, I can’t bring myself to. I really disliked adults who looked down on me just because I was young.”

“Ah… I see.”

Right now, Kevin and I were lying side by side.

I had been beaten to a pulp by the ghoul, my entire body covered in bruises and wounds.

Kevin, who had fought off a zombified dire wolf alone, had a long gash across his chest.

We were both severely injured, barely able to move.

“Bringing Bob along on this expedition was a real blessing.”

Kevin’s eyes shifted to Bob, who was still laughing and chatting by the fire.

“If it weren’t for someone like Bob brightening things up, the mood would’ve been miserable.”

“Yes, in that sense… It really was fortunate.”

A faint smile spread across Kevin’s face.

I smiled back at him. Then came a silence, awkward for no particular reason.

“When we get back to the city, are you still planning to become a mercenary like you said?”

It was Kevin who broke the silence.

“Well…”

I couldn’t answer right away.

Like Kevin said, I had originally planned to register as a mercenary as soon as we returned to the city. But after experiencing the Winds of Fate, I had a lot more to think about. If those winds blew every time I reached a turning point in life, then any plans I made would be as good as useless.

‘Just like the ghoul attack this time.’

What if I hadn’t trained because I didn’t have a sword or shield?

What if I hadn’t taken the sword technique manual or created a Mana Heart because I thought I didn’t have time?

What if…

A flood of “what ifs” passed through my mind. I still hadn’t fully grasped what the Winds of Fate were. But one thing was certain:

‘To resist the Winds of Fate, I have to wring out everything I’ve got.’

And the result of that effort would surely guide me down a path completely different from the life I lived in the previous 100 regressions.

‘I’ve already changed, even if just a little.’

Originally, we were supposed to arrive in the city the day after tomorrow. But Adol’s attack had delayed our journey by three days, and with both Kevin and I gravely injured, our return would be pushed back even further.

‘Like they say, a butterfly flapping its wings in the distant Eastern Continent can cause a typhoon in the West.’ For now, it was just a delay in returning to the city. But who knew what ripple effect that delay might have on the future I knew?

‘Not like anything’s ever been easy.’

I bit my lip and steeled my wavering heart. My true strength wasn’t in knowing the future. It was in having experienced life a hundred times.

The world was never going to go the way I wanted. Looking back, my previous lives were a string of accidents and incidents. Yet I overcame them all, and I was still here.

‘I had no talent, so I experienced every kind of failure a person could. That’s why no matter what hardship comes my way, I’ll push through.’

After all, it would just be another failure I already knew.

“Why? Did mercenary work seem too dangerous? For someone who thinks that, you’ve got some pretty amazing talent and skill.”

Kevin asked again, seeing that I was lost in thought.

“No, I do intend to become a mercenary. As soon as we return to the city, I plan to take the mercenary exam, meet the qualifications, form a team, and establish a clan. And… ultimately, I want to create a guild.”

“…I see, you’ve thought that far already. If it’s you, Mr. Savior, I’m sure you’ll succeed.”

Kevin looked quietly into my face.

“If there’s something you want to say, please don’t hesitate.”

Perhaps sensing the moment, Kevin cautiously opened his mouth.

“Then… could I ask you to look after Bob?”

“Mr. Bob?”

A request I never expected.

“I didn’t mention it earlier because I didn’t want to burden the expedition, but… Bob is my son.”

“Your son?”

Even after a hundred regressions, this was news to me.

Why was he telling me this now?

Originally, Bob and Kevin were people I would never see again after this first expedition. Just fleeting acquaintances. Nameless extras in a novel, so to speak.

But now that I had resolved the incident on my own, those fleeting ties were becoming deeper ones. Dorn, with whom I’d had to forcibly form a bond, and Kevin, who chose to reach out and deepen our connection after seeing what I had done.

Perhaps this was the greatest change brought to me by my Traits and the Winds of Fate.

“I’m planning to retire soon. I’ve managed to endure this long thanks to my experience, but my body’s not what it used to be. At most, I’ve got another year. That’s the limit I’ve set for myself. Any longer and I’d just be a burden to those around me.”

He held out his weathered, calloused hand toward me.

His hand trembled faintly in midair.

It meant this mercenary standing before me was rusting away, unable to fight off time.

Kevin gave a bitter smile.

“You killed the traitor Adol, created a Mana Heart in a day using the sword manual Dorn gave you, dug traps and set up sonic bombs at the campsite, and finally took down a ghoul all on your own. You’re cautious, composed, and tenacious. In my experience, people like you don’t die easily.”

The mortality rate for mercenaries with less than three years of experience was 60 percent.

He was asking me to keep Bob safe until he gained enough experience to pull his own weight.

“If you would take care of my son, Mr. Savior, I could retire with peace of mind. Bob may be my son, but he’s cheerful and bright. He still has a lot to learn, but he takes after me—he’ll be useful before long. I’ll also help out however I can, within the limits of my body.”

It wasn’t a bad proposal.

Kevin was a top-tier E-rank mercenary. He had a thorough knowledge of the region’s geography and was known as an excellent guide. Wasn’t he the one Dorn had carefully chosen and hired?

‘What will become of Bob in the future?’

I couldn’t remember anything in particular. But it didn’t matter. When I eventually created my guild, I wouldn’t need only combatants. If nothing else, I could have him handle logistics.

Being able to work with Kevin at the very start of my mercenary life was a big gain. With an experienced mercenary at my side, my workload would decrease significantly.

“Alright.”

“Thank you!”

Kevin bowed his head slightly in gratitude.

It looked a bit odd since we were both still lying down…

“Mr. Kevin, you say it too!”

Just then, Dorn came running toward Kevin, looking like he was about to cry. Bob trailed behind with a sly grin.

“You don’t want to have our afterparty at Pig Academy once we get back to the city?”

“Mr. Dorn, who eats Eastern Continent food? Any proper afterparty for mercenaries has to be at the House of the Blue Witch. Do you even know how big Madam's chest is? Her melting smile, too! A boss who truly cares for their mercs should take them there. The food’s so-so, but once you lock eyes with the Madam, it tastes amazing.”

Good grief.

When did the topic shift to post-expedition party venues?

Kevin then calmly gave his opinion.

“Hm… I think the House of the Blue Witch might be the better choice, as per mercenary tradition.”

Oh wow. Look at this guy. And why is your face turning red?

“I… I see.”

Hearing Kevin’s answer, Dorn slumped his shoulders in disappointment.

“But I wanted to try that Eastern Continent food…”

Feeling sorry for him, I sided with Dorn.

Can’t have the golden goose looking so down.

“Right?!”

Dorn pumped his fist and stood up.

“Huh? Then it’s two versus two. What do we do… Should we go dig up ghoul-Adol’s head and ask him?”

Bob said something stupid.

“In times like this, it’s right to follow the one who’s paying.”

I ignored him and gave my verdict.

“Th-that’s right! I’m the employer! The afterparty’s officially at Pig Academy!”

Dorn declared with a rare note of firmness. He looked so cute that Kevin, Bob, and I all burst out laughing. And thus, the boisterous day came to an end.

The next day, I hobbled out and gathered herbs for Kevin’s wound and my bruises. I crushed the herbs well and applied them to his gash. Left alone, it would’ve taken weeks to heal, but now it scabbed over in four days.

My own bruises and injuries had also improved significantly.

“Alright! Let’s get going again!”

Finally, we were returning to the city.

***

The Kingdom of Dainas, located farthest east of the five kingdoms on the Eastern Continent.

Our destination was the easternmost city within that kingdom: Shupel.

‘The entrance is surprisingly plain.’

As the line into the city gate shortened, I found myself thinking that. But I couldn’t let my guard down.

‘Shupel, city of pleasure and greed. Just look at the name of the forest next to it—Forest of Vanity—and you get the idea.’

The Forest of Vanity, where our expedition had just taken place, was crawling with ancient ruins and monsters. Naturally, adventurers looking to excavate relics, and mercenaries protecting them from monsters, flocked to it.

Adventurers and mercenaries—both were professions driven by greed.

Adventurers, including archaeologists and historians, were educated in their greed, while mercenaries, whose main job was combat, were blunt about it.

That was the only difference.

‘No way a city full of those types could be normal.’

People who danced on the razor’s edge of life and death to feed their greed were, unsurprisingly, eccentric and bizarre.

“Once we’re inside, my son and I plan to drop off our things at the inn and stop by a healer. How about we give you your payment this evening at Pig Academy?”

“Sure! Then I’ll exchange the gems for gold and head over to the afterparty. As for the baggage…”

Dorn replied to Kevin’s suggestion.

“Of course I should carry it. I’m the porter, after all.”

Worried Dorn might get ripped off exchanging gems alone, I decided to go with him.

While we chatted, it was finally our turn at the gate, and we each presented our mercenary badges and ID plaques.

“Then, we’ll see you tonight.”

Kevin and Bob gave a nod and walked off.

First, Dorn and I stopped by the inn where he was staying, sorted the artifacts and treasures by type, then headed to a jeweler nearby with the pouch of gems we’d unearthed.

“Welcome—hey now, no browsing. Get out, you little brats.”

As we opened the door, the jeweler with a weaselly mustache waved us off.

This guy always dismissed anyone who looked young or poor.

“W-we’re here to sell some gems…”

Dorn’s small hand fidgeted nervously, his confidence shrinking.

“What? What did you say? You’re still not out?”

Smack!

I dumped the gems right onto the table.

“What’s this…?”

The weaselly mustache’s face jerked toward me in shock.

That’s what you get for looking down on us.

Don’t mess with my sweet, gentle boy.

We’ve got gems.

“How much are you offering?”

I asked in the most insolent tone I could muster.