Book 9 Chapter 8
Episode 207
“Platinum?”
“Is it platinum?”
“They say it’s platinum.”
As soon as they arrived at the adventurer’s guild with Bart, they garnered immense attention due to his massive build and the Dragonbone Spear.
What was initially mere curiosity transformed into an uproar throughout the entire branch when the receptionist exclaimed, flustered, that he was platinum rank.
Hmm, it’s been a while since I felt such gazes… A wry smile appeared at the unnecessary sense of déjà vu.
- Look at that, it’s a hero’s party.
During the tumultuous period, renowned mercenary groups had gathered, but there was a significant difference in how they and hero parties were treated.
Mercenary groups still carried their inherent disreputable image, whereas hero parties were seen as noble groups entrusted with the mission of saving humanity.
Perhaps that’s why I seemed to receive gazes of both envy and admiration from many mercenaries at the time. Just like now.
“C-confirmed. Bart Yuriuns-nim!”
The receptionist, having checked the documents and identification tag Bart submitted, spoke with a trembling voice.
“Your rank has been elevated to Platinum Rank 11. You can now accept requests of S-rank or higher…!”
No sooner had she said that, other receptionists and even the branch manager came out, showing extreme courtesy.
“I am Willum, the branch manager of the <Orbvenheim> Guild. Please remember me and contact me if you need any assistance!”
It was no wonder.
Platinum was an honor bestowed upon only the top 11 adventurers, those at the very pinnacle.
Normally, he would have gone to the guild headquarters to receive the platinum rank identification tag with a grand ceremony.
When he received the glittering platinum identification tag on the silk, even adventurers dining in the hall and staff members were looking in their direction.
“Bart of Black Steel? I’ve never heard of him.”
“He must have been active on the upper continent.”
“He looks strong. How does he carry that thing?”
Some exchanged words in bewilderment, while others, showing off their skills, asked if he would consider recruiting them into his adventurer party.
“I apologize, but I’m not recruiting any more party members.”
“Don’t be like that. I’m really strong, I tell you! Do you know my nickname? It’s ‘The Strongest’.”
“I apologize, but I would appreciate it if you spoke in the common tongue.”
Amidst such ruffians, there was one person who particularly caught the eye.
Was it because he seemed so out of place here?
He was a small child, probably Aki’s age at most, with a hood pulled deep over his head, and he was trying hard to come over to their side.
“Does you need help?”
Aki went in front of him, tilted her head, and asked. The child seemed speechless, only mumbling with his lips.
“Aki will help you!”
Then, she firmly pulled the child, who was stuck between the adults’ legs, towards them.
‘Hmm?’
For that instant, Rain couldn’t help but tilt his head slightly.
The hooded cloak came off, revealing an inherently noble appearance that couldn’t be hidden by anything.
He was a boy with golden curly hair, faded like the desert gold, and clear violet eyes.
‘I wouldn’t call him extraordinarily handsome, but anyone could tell he’s not an ordinary attendant…’
The boy, with a flushed face, clumsily fumbled for his cloak and hastily hid his face again.
He cautiously scanned his surroundings with his hood pulled down, but all he could see was everyone’s attention focused on Bart.
Seeing him let out a sigh of relief, it seemed there was a story behind it.
“What’s the matter?”
He asked carefully, but the boy only fidgeted with his fingers and uttered unintelligible words.
“Ah, ah-uh, ah-eh, ah-woo.”
Then Aki’s eyes lit up!
“Ah-boo, Ah-bah, Ah-buh, Ah-beh!”
“?”
“???”
“You know what that means?”
Could it be some kind of dragon language that I don’t know?
“Don’t know!”
This is the intelligence of a True Dragon…
As he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, he suddenly felt that the boy’s hand movements seemed strangely familiar.
No, it wasn’t just familiar. Could it be sign language?
‘Link and Kies used to do simple sign language, so I know it better than others…’
The meaning of using sign language was only one.
“Can’t you speak?”
Hearing no problem, the boy rolled his eyes shyly and looked down.
“Why can’t you speak?”
“Ah, ah-uh, ah.”
Hmm, so that’s it.
He pulled out a hemostatic bandage from Celesia’s subspace pouch. He bit his pinky finger to draw blood.
- Rin, will you promise me?
The form of the magic circle he drew was four.
He read the bioelectric responses occurring in the left hemisphere of the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for language expression, with Bel Sidias.
- When you return, you will be an adult who can freely share the light of magic with others.
When he made this for Link, he had to go through many trials and errors and receive material help from Nils, but now with Bel Sidias, he could do it alone.
Even though it was a magic circle simply drawn with blood, its craftsmanship was excellent even to his eyes.
He extended his hand and tied the bandage around the forehead of the wary boy like a turban.
“Ah, ah-uh, ah-eh-uh…”
At that moment, a hand flew in from somewhere and grabbed him by the collar. Simultaneously, a dagger was aimed at his neck.
“You scoundrel, how dare you…!”
He knew the murderous intent was approaching.
But it wasn’t an opponent to be wary of, so he just left it. And because he had comrades nearby.
At that moment, the old swordsman’s jaw was slammed onto the table. It was Miria, who was nearby. She expertly snatched the knife from his grip.
“Miria, it’s fine. Let him go.”
By then, he had finished tying the turban and raised both hands.
“D-don’t, don’t do that, please…?”
The boy, who had been struggling in Rain’s hand and was running towards the old swordsman, suddenly looked blank. He had an expression of disbelieving his own ears.
Not only the boy, but even the swordsman’s eyes were wide with shock.
He lightly placed a hand on his head.
“There, can you speak now?”
“…?!”
“Go to a good equipment shop and have them draw that magic circle exactly as it is to make a magic item. So you can wear it normally without any problems.”
With this, their business at the branch was concluded.
Bart also seemed tired of being surrounded by so many adventurers, and since Miria and Rem had joined them, they could leave as they were.
As he turned to leave, the boy grabbed Celesia’s sleeve and urgently opened his mouth.
“P-ple, please, h-help me.”
* * *
As <Orbvenheim> was where the maritime products of north and south intersected, the city’s prosperity shone brilliantly for its size.
Not just the apparent face of the city, but even the underworld flourishing in its shadows.
At the entrance to an alley leading to the red-light district, a shabby street stall stood, and Valensidis was leaning against the counter.
“Long time no see.”
At the familiar presence, the old woman tending the stall grinned, revealing her rotten yellow teeth.
“Touraine’s toy, isn’t it? I hear your master broke down first. Tsk tsk tsk.”
Restraining Pipi, who was about to flare up, Valensidis placed a money pouch full of silver coins on the counter.
“I need information about North Adrion. How are things looking over there these days?”
A smile formed on the old woman’s lips as she untied the pouch. The light of the silver coins reflected, casting bright spots on her face.
“There’s not much to say. Hmm, no, that’s not right. It seems the Dawn Brigade is slowly picking up speed, so the entire northern continent will be in their hands soon enough.”
Valensidis raised an eyebrow.
The second pillar of the Black Church, the Dawn Brigade led by Elamas, was a formidable foe, more so than the Slayers, without needing further explanation.
It would be wise to hurry south before the entire north falls under their influence.
“I thought the Solond Kingdom would be taken over quickly, but I heard the young prince ran away. I don’t know more than that.”
Taking over the Solond Kingdom?
That information wasn’t in Valensidis’s intelligence network. Had Elamas, whose whereabouts were uncertain, established a base there?
But if he acted flustered, this cunning old woman would start demanding more, so he merely moved his eyes impassively.
“But what does it matter, really? That prince is famous for being mute. What could such an incompetent little brat do even if he ran away, tsk tsk tsk.”
* * *
Help me, he says…
What more help does he need?
He sighed as the boy continued to follow them even after they left the guild branch. Bart was still surrounded by adventurers.
“Do you have money?”
Rem, aware of the purpose of their journey and its dangers, asked rather brusquely.
“I’m sorry, but we don’t have the luxury for charity right now…”
Then the child held out the necklace he was carefully wearing around his neck to Rem.
The old warrior accompanying the child turned pale, having no time to restrain him, but at that moment, Aki’s and Setsunen’s eyes widened.
It was a mysterious gem. As twilight reflected off the gem’s surface, a sacred tone flowed out, for some unknown reason.
‘It converts light into sound?’
Is such a thing possible?
No, I’ve heard of it somewhere.
“…That’s plenty, yes, indeed it is!”
Rem, receiving the gem, drooled profusely and changed his attitude. He’s always so incredibly greedy for money.
“I-it’s, it’s impo, important. P-please, g-give it b-back, later. I-I’ll p-pay you, then.”
“Later? When is later?”
The old swordsman hastily snatched the gem from Rem, returned it to the child, and stepped into the center of the conversation.
“The young master and I must go to the Solond Kingdom. If you escort us to the border, we will pay a fair reward.”
“Solond? Why do you need an escort?”
“That is none of your concern.”
The old swordsman, named Biram, presented a request in an overbearing manner. It was an escort request stamped with the guild’s seal.
“It’s a B-rank escort request. The reward isn’t bad.”
That was Miria’s assessment after quickly scanning the request form. B-rank missions could only be accepted by those of upper silver rank or higher.
“Hmm, if we consider it earning travel expenses on the way to <Flaming Myriad>, it’s not bad, is it?”
Rain, sitting on a barrel in the alley, raised an eyebrow, and Miria nodded.
“That too, but I understand that a considerable amount of contribution points and mission achievements are needed to head to <Flaming Myriad>. Even for platinum rank.”
“Why?”
“Because an enormous number of adventurer parties have gone missing in the Ruined Lands or the ‘Flowing Desert’. They must only be letting truly skilled individuals in.”
Miria’s judgment was such, but Rem’s, who received the request form from her hand, was different.
“Hmph, I don’t like it.”
“What?”
“You guys, something’s too suspicious. I smell danger.”
It was then. Miria suddenly clutched her forehead with a pounding headache.
“I have a really good nose, you see?”
What is this? This sensation…
I feel a pulling force, as if I’m being drawn somewhere, somewhere my soul doesn’t know…
“You haven’t revealed your identities, nor explained why you need an escort.”
Yawning, Rain watched Rem pressure Biram.
“How can we accept such a suspicious request?”
Perhaps because Setsunen and Aki were dozing in his arms, the warm body heat made him feel incredibly sleepy too.
He saw heat haze wavering around the child who kept glancing at Rain, blinking his eyes.
Was his vision out of focus, or did the space itself seem to be warping…
The space itself is warping?
The moment that chilling premonition flashed through his mind, everything happened in an explosive instant.
Suddenly, the child’s upper body was severed, space and all. Structures in its trajectory were also sharply gouged as if cut by an invisible blade.
‘No way…’
And half a beat later, a gale roared in, as if to fill the void of annihilation, wildly fluttering clothes and hair.
“Ah, Ah-roo, Ah-roo, Ah-roo.”
Setsunen, covered in the hot blood, burst into tears.
“What, why, suddenly…”
Miria was sprawled on the ground, pressing her fist to her chest, and Rem’s eyes were wide open, staring at the dismembered corpse.
‘This sword energy is definitely Time-Space Slash…’
Even though Rain clearly perceived everything that unfolded before his eyes, he felt a frantic, heart-pounding confusion.
‘Lista’s independently created Holy Sword Art…’
His confusion, bordering on panic, lasted but a moment before the culprit’s outline flashed at the edge of Rain’s vision.
On the rooftop of a distant three-story stone building, someone was quickly turning their body, a greatsword slung on their back after being swung.
I have to chase.
He felt an instinct that he absolutely had to. Kicking off the ground to pursue, he simultaneously called out the name of a new power.
“Come, Setsunen!”
*Chiiing*… Setsunen’s body became a streak of light, soared into the sky, and was immediately donned as gauntlets of lightning on his hands.
He felt a new flow of magic, tingling his veins. Yellow, the magic of lightning. The dragon’s prestige was etched into his soul and flesh.
A mage cannot keep up with a swordsman’s footwork. But if he can block their footwork, there’s no reason he can’t keep up with stamina.
“Jeseoswaeranyun, Lightning Style.”