There were days like this, when a whim of the moment led to unexpected luck. For Amelia Rainwales, today was such a day. Who was going to tell him that he would go up to the castle to free a frustrated mind and meet that man?
«Royal Vagrants».
A member of Hercules, who divided this cursed city into two halves, and among them the one she most wanted to kill, was passed out on the floor of this remote place with his wounded body here and there. He was also alone.
Could it be that he had escaped through the portal? Is that why he fell here instead of in the square?
That was the first possibility that came to mind. There were no wizards on the dragon hunter's team, but it was possible if he sacrificed the poor old man he always carried with him.
What kind of enemy did he encounter...?
Amelia erased her growing doubt. It didn't matter who had brought him to that point. The only thing that mattered was that it had been delivered by hand. First, he bent down to take her pulse.
He was still alive.
About two hours had passed since the labyrinth closed. Circumstantial evidence suggested he had since fainted. It was a difficult time for a normal person to endure, but this guy was not ordinary. Maybe the spike stuck in his shoulder stopped the bleeding.
Then he opened his eyes and stared at her. «You are...» He had probably noticed her presence.
Before she could say anything, Amelia spoke first. «Dragon Hunter, do you have any potions?»
«Waist…»
«I see.» Amelia untied the pocket at her waist and held it in her hand. She asked: «I'm going to pour the potion. Can I get this off your shoulder?»
«Hazlo...»
As soon as he heard his answer, he took out the skewer and the bleeding started again. If they left it as it was, even the dragon hunter would surely die. Amelia stood still and watched.
«What are you... the potion...» Only then did he sense that something was not right.
He asked again: «Why should I?».
«Hiciste… a contract…»
«Oh, the contract?» Amelia smiled satisfied. A long time ago, the lord of Noark gave him a contract. He was famous; All the inhabitants of the city knew him. Inside Noark, she couldn't kill. It was a contract inscribed in the flesh, and impossible to break. «But weren't you the one who asked for the skewer to be removed?».
She just did what he told her. Of course, it was the first time she had cheated on someone like that, so she was nervous too. However, if it were a breach of contract, she would not have been able to do this in the first place.
«Tu... perra...»
Amelia put her entire pocket in the subspace. He stole the rest of her equipment, not only the dagger hanging from her waist, but also her hand ring, wristband, and necklace. These were all things she always had in mind. «Thanks for stopping by. I will use them well. Ah, but who did that to you?».
He didn't answer her mocking question. He just looked at her angrily. Amelia leaned against the wall and watched him, instead of continuing to speak unnecessarily. His intention was to see him die in case something unforeseen arose. But apparently this guy had more time left in his chain of destiny.
Step step.
Shortly after, he heard the presence of the castle's patrol cars in the distance. Amelia judged quickly. In reality, he had nothing to judge. Everything the patrols saw and heard was transmitted to the man. If they caught her, it would all be over.
«You're lucky, dragon slayer». He licked his lips bitterly. If this guy died, Hercules' authority would diminish.
Realizing that he would live, he gritted his teeth and recited: «No... you will pay... the consequences». She would pay the price for this.
Amelia just shrugged and closed the gap. «Does not matter. You won't remember anything anyway».
"...¿What?"
He took out a pill and held it in his hand, a magic pill called the Blessing of Lethe developed by an alchemist from Noark. Evil Spirits were immune to it, but it had the convenient function of erasing memories just by feeding it.
« Known sea! ¡Mm, mm!»
Amelia grabbed the struggling man by the jaw and shoved the pill down his throat. The higher the level of soul dignity, the less effective the pill was, so he used the best he had just in case. The alchemist said that a normal person would lose memories for a week.
Considering who he is, it's best to be sure.
It didn't seem like too much waste. It wasn't something he could get back just because he wanted to, but considering what he had gained today, it shouldn't be a loss. Furthermore, the older the forgotten memory, the more advantageous it was. You would think you lost your items in the maze; He probably wouldn't think he was robbed in the underground city.
I don't know who did it, but I should be grateful.
Hearing the footsteps of the patrol approaching, Amelia quickly left the castle.
***
The number of uses of the ring that blocked Regal Vagos-related death flags up to three times was reduced by one when not even ten minutes had passed.
It won't break once a day, right?
I tried to erase the anxiety that suddenly came over me. I still had time to complain when it happened, and I thought the chance of that happening was really low. These were the words of the goddess, right?
«You must be prepared to defeat destiny when all the stems of that ring are cut».
The goddess used the container to tell me to prepare, knowing how great the distance was between that man and me. I was sure she would have the conscience to give me more than a couple of months.
Yes, in the end, the most important thing is when the last vine will break.
Trying not to jump to conclusions, I calmed my trembling heart. The important thing was not the current event. It was the number of opportunities, in other words, the total duration of this ring.
Focus on what you have to do.
With that thought, I briefly discussed the reward and left the church. The reward would be paid when we visited again tomorrow. «Then let's each go home and see each other again tomorrow».
Shortly after we decided on a meeting place and were about to return to the accommodation, Hikurod cautiously stopped us. «Hey, I don't know what you'll think if I say this. But why don't we donate Dwalkie's share of the reward to the orphanage?».
«I agree with that... agree with that. We wouldn't have won it if it weren't for Dwalkie».
«It seems fine to me too. In fact, it would be ridiculous for him to claim a portion of this large sum».
Simply put, the proposal was to donate 3.5 million stones per person to an orphanage. Unlike my colleagues, who accepted without hesitation, I kept my mouth shut. It was completely irrational. Weren't we in the middle of a battle against a huge enemy called the dragon hunter? If we were going to fulfill Dwalkie's wishes, it was better to use that money to be a little safer.
«...Bjorn, you don't have to. Unlike us, you were the one who suffered the most there».
«It's true. We do it out of guilt, so don't get too overwhelmed».
As I remained silent, my companions noticed and spoke. If I nodded here, this proposal would be over. However, I put my decision on hold for now. «Let's talk about this properly next time we meet. We haven't received the money yet».
It was definitely an offer I had to flatly reject, but the words didn't come out. It's not that I couldn't speak because I got carried away by the environment, but that a weak part of me wondered if I would feel comfortable after donating the 3.5 million stones. Ugh, that's why you had to be careful with affection between people. It made rational judgments difficult. If it had been me in the past, I wouldn't have worried about this.
«Then see you tomorrow!»
Shortly after, we separated and headed to our respective accommodations. I walked through the quiet streets for an hour until I reached the inn, and washed my body, stained with blood and sweat, with clean water. While he was lying on the bed, dazed, someone knocked on the door.
It was Erwen. «Sir? Is there?»
When I opened the door, she was already washed and wearing a ruffled skirt. I talked to her, wondering if she would have any business to discuss with me, but it was mostly talk about what she was doing inside the maze. Yes, before this was normal. Normally, it would have been interesting to listen to, but today it was difficult to do so.
«Erwen, I'm tired today, so you should go home.».
«Excuse me? But now is when things get really fun...»
«Next time. I'll listen to you next time. Today I'm tired.»
«Okay...» When I firmly gave him the order to leave, Erwen came back with her pointed ears drooping.
Soon there was silence. In it, I had some time alone. If there is a problem, it must be solved.
How to survive.
Since I opened my eyes to this body, this had been my biggest goal, and this thought had not changed even now. However, the process of achieving that goal was a problem.
«...Barbarian, you kept your oath, right?»
I broke the warrior's oath in front of everyone, and as I led the team, I did countless things that would have made me seem strange. At that moment, he justified everything as survival, but he knew that was not the case. After all, there was trust at the root of all those actions. If there was anyone who suspected that I was an evil spirit, I wouldn't have done it, even if I had died.
«...Hey! Wait, my friend!»
The same thing happened when sharing the advanced potion between Rotmiller and Dwalkie. It was an irrational choice that threatened me more than others. It wasn't much different from the dilemma I was facing now.
Three and a half million stones...
I slowly decided to admit it. I had become weak. The cause was simple: I had become attached to others. Rational thinking, which was my greatest strength, now had a big problem. It wouldn't be so much of a problem if I just had to live in this world. But for me, whose top priority was survival, this problem could not be ignored. So what was the solution?
I didn't find the answer, not even until the moment I fell asleep.
The next morning, I received a letter from an administrative branch of the Explorers Guild. The content said that he had been designated heir to Riol Warb Dwalkie's estate, so he had to go receive it.
***
«Did you receive it too?»
«Hey, you too?»
It was the first conversation I had with my colleagues the next day. It seemed like the four of us had received a letter from the guild. Dwalkie had definitely designated an orphanage. If so, how did this happen?
«...Instead of talking to each other, it would be better to visit the guild and ask».
As Hikurod said, we all visited the guild together. The corresponding department confirmed that it was not an administrative error or anything similar. Dwalkie had renewed his will, naming the four of us heirs just last month.
«...After fighting the troll.»
Having nearly died at the hands of the troll, the first thing Dwalkie did upon returning to town was renew his will. He was preparing. The worst of the worst that I hadn't thought about, that positive, hopeful guy did.
Shortly after, Dwalkie's equipment and backpack, which had been delivered to the guild, were returned intact. They also gave us ownership of the house he owned during his lifetime. We left the building like defeated soldiers.
«My debt to him... I don't know if I will be able to pay it while I live».
«Dwalkie wouldn't have wanted us to pay him».
«Yes, certainly not. So let's spend the money he left us wherever we want. If I had a wish, it would be that».
After that, we went to the temple and received the reward. The archbishop seemed busy, so all business was done through Krovitz. After telling everyone to go to the bar first, I chatted with him for a while. «Can you promise me that you will keep everything I say a secret now?».
«You can talk comfortably. As long as it does not go against the will of the god, I swear that I will not reveal the words of my savior to anyone».
The god's will part bothered me a little, but I still took out the long sword made of bow without much hesitation and showed it to him.
«...That's the dragon hunter's sword».
«For some reason, when we try to use it, it rejects us. Do you know why? If it's a curse, I want it removed».
«The power within that object is not a curse». It was not difficult for Krovitz to explain it, since he knew this sword well. It was a long story, but the essentials were simple. The original name of this sword was the Dragon Sword. Regal Vagos killed the guardian dragon and fled with it, giving him the name Dragon Hunter. «Since ancient times, only dragons have been able to wield this sword. From generation to generation, guardian dragons inherited it and enjoyed a life close to eternity.»
«But that man couldn't use this sword properly».
«Ah, that's because of the dragon's curse».
The guardian dragon left a curse before its death. As a result, Regal Vagos was both one of the dragon people and not. His dragon scales, characteristic of the dragon people, were burned with fire, and his power source, the heart, was more or less like that of a human. He committed the evil karma of betraying his clan to obtain the sword, so the item was no longer usable.
«I know you've been looking for a way to get rid of the curse for a long time. However, listening to his words, there seems to be no way to completely get over it.»
«Anyway, you're saying it's not this sword that's cursed, but that guy».
«Yes that's right.»
Afterwards, I asked how we should get rid of this sword that we couldn't use.
Krovitz gave a short answer. «I think it would be wise to return the sword to the dragon people and receive a well-deserved reward».
Yes, that was the only way. Since the sword could only be used by dragon races, it must have been difficult to sell it as stolen merchandise. I decided to think about this part later. «I see. Thanks for the advice».
«It's nothing. You are a savior for our church. If you need my help, visit me whenever you want».
«Oh, does that mean I'll be able to receive free blessings in the future?». I asked just in case.
«Haha, that's a bit...». Krovitz laughed awkwardly and drew a line. He said he would if he could, but apparently there had been another oracle that morning. «The twilight star has said that everything will flow as it should, so we should not try to go against it by misinterpreting its will».
For some reason, I felt as if the goddess was speaking to me: You have paid your debt by giving away a sacred relic, so don't think about getting anything more out of it.
«Still, I can always listen to your concerns, so visit us when it suits you».
After Krovitz's very religious comment, I left the temple and headed to the tavern.
«Oh, are you here? Come, sit». The other three were already drinking. However, the atmosphere was very different from when we normally finished an exploration. There was no laughter or conversation, just drinking. Now I realized that we were winning more than ever, but we were losing more than ever.
The window seat is empty.
At the bar table where five used to come there was an empty chair that would never be filled again. However, we didn't mention this at all and had a conversation about real matters.
«We will divide the reward and the rest of the money exactly by four».
«Let's do it».
Even Hikurod, who initially said he donated a portion to the orphanage, simply nodded. This was expected. The reason such a proposal came up in the first place was to respect Dwalkie's wishes. If he wanted us to use the precious property he had left behind, we did nothing but follow his will.
We will have to meet again tomorrow to distribute the money from the agreement.
Everyone, including the dwarf, drank silently in memory of Dwalkie, so I just hung out like that too.
«He shouldn't have died like this...» Hikurod, who had been drinking glass after glass, dropped his head on the table first. At this, Rotmiller said he would take him home, leaving Missha and me alone.
«Bjorn, let's go home too...»
As always, the two of us walked together and headed to the bedrooms. Missha stumbled from drinking too much.
«Apoyate en mí».
«Oh, thanks.»
It was still sunny. We made our way through the busy streets, smelling of alcohol. As usual, my bedroom came first, and it was time to say goodbye. But we both stood still, looking at each other in front of the door.
The air was strangely hot, probably from drunkenness. Yes, if things were normal, that's what I would have thought, since it was more comfortable and more suitable for me. Pretending not to notice, I would have ignored him like a barbarian.
«Um... I'm going to go rest now-»
«Missha Karlstein.»
First she looked away and then turned around when I grabbed her. I made him a promise.
«You're not fast. Please don't look away anymore».
He told me not to look away. At that precise moment when he could have revealed his feelings to Missha, he left me with those words. So I said yes.
« Hmm? »
It was my turn to crash. With her wrist in my hand, Missha looked at me with questioning eyes. I took a deep breath and cleared my throat. So, I said bluntly: «Do you like me as a man?».
It wasn't a romantic phrase, there wasn't even such a romantic atmosphere. Like a barbarian, I spit out the question, but Missha didn't get angry. He didn't even laugh and called it a strange question. He shuddered, then moved his gaze to the ground to avoid my eyes. However, after dragging his feet on the ground several times, he raised his head, looked at me, and replied in a low voice: «... Yes. I like you. As man».