Chapter 50 – Chapter 50 – The Line. First Request
Grace SIDE
Mornings in bed with coppery smells were the worst.
I first tied my waist-length silky hair into a ponytail, then tied my favorite weapon, a two-handed ax, behind my back, and wore a dagger longer than the length of my palm at my waist.
After getting ready, we each packed our weapons, ate the vegetable soup provided as a service, and went out.
And he moved to the mercenary guild he knew in advance.
The mercenary guild was full of mercenaries who enjoyed their meals and work, even though it was morning, as if it were also serving as a restaurant.
The mercenaries focused their eyes on me as I opened the door and entered without hesitation.
And when a woman in a lewd outfit with a heart-shaped uterus tattoo came in, she couldn’t take her eyes off me.
I felt pleasure in that gaze and smiled softly as I approached the request board that was lined up on one side of the mercenary guild where people were gathering.
While looking at the request board with Ian, I found one unusual request.
The risk level was D, and the title of the investigation was “Searching for anomalies in the forest.”
The risk is measured by dividing the ranks, and the risk is measured in the order from A to D, and the characteristics are divided into subjugation, investigation, collection, and attack.
Subjugation is the elimination of a specific dangerous object, investigation is the investigation of abnormalities in places and objects, collection is the securing of items and creatures requested by the client, and attack is the name usually attached to the destruction of dungeons and bases.
After reading the detailed explanation written on the neat request form, it seems that many animals have been found lying down from exhaustion in the forest recently.
It has no effect on people at all, the risk level is D, and it seems that the main content is to investigate the reason why people collapse from exhaustion.
In addition, this request was written as a request from the line guard.
Since it was a request from a trustworthy guard, the reliability is high, and although the reward is very low as it is only 5 silver coins, I thought it would be good for a first request, so I told Ian.
“Ian how about this?”
At my words, Ian turned his attention to the request I pointed out.
“Hmm, I think it’s okay? The place is also around here, and it doesn’t look too dangerous there…”
“Yeah, the reward is a bit low, but I think it’s okay for a first request, right?”
“Okay then let’s do this”
“Hehe, let’s go, let’s finish it today!”
Hahayes”
I opened the request with a lively smile.
And with Ian, I approached the receptionist.
Beyond the round glasses of the blond gnome female receptionist was a round and cute woman with dark eyes as if tired.
As if she was accustomed to this, she was processing requests from mercenaries who had approached her.
I seem to be doing things pretty quickly, and my turn came soon.
“Request”
As if I was very tired, I usually only saw people who were surprised to see me, but the receptionist held out his hand her.
As I gave her her referral her, the receptionist, who had been scratching her head and reading for a moment, reached out her hand her to me again.
“Mercenary Plate”
When I handed over Ian’s mercenary card as well, she yawned and looked at her mercenary card, looking slightly surprised.
It was so cute that I smiled without knowing it and quickly erased it thinking it was rude.
“Capital?”
“Ah.. Yes, it was issued in the capital.”
“Hmm… The application is complete. The deadline is indefinite. For details, go to the line guard.”
“Thanks.”
“Next”
The receptionist who returned the mercenary card to me stopped paying attention to us and immediately called the next mercenary.
Ian was also smiling, as if the little gnome woman was cute at work.
I laughed at that appearance and went outside with Ian and headed to the line guard to hear a detailed explanation.
* * *
The Rhine Guard located on the outskirts of the city is in charge of the overall security of the city.
It was a large brick building with a height of about 3 stories, probably because it was the headquarters of the place in charge of security for the entire city.
After entering the police station, I brought the request form to the man sitting at the reception desk.
The tough-looking man stood up when he saw us entering.
“What are you doing?”
“I came to see the request.”
“Well, give it to me.”
The man with no change in my appearance or expression accepted the request I handed over, read it carefully, nodded her head, and handed it back to me.
“The content requested by our guards is correct. Please wait for a moment. We will guide you to the location. Ron!”
“Yes!!”
“I’ll be back, so sit here and treat people.”
“Yes.. Yes! I see!”
A kid called Ron, more like a boy than a stupid young man who seemed to have just joined the guard, came out from somewhere at high speed while answering.
“Follow me.”
The man who answered in a businesslike manner moved her pace.
Ian and I followed him, but I felt a gaze from behind, so I turned around and noticed that a kid named Ron was watching me from behind.
Thinking that she was cute, he grabbed the hem of her skirt and lifted her up, smiling enchantingly.
Ron looked at me and turned her face red, then she looked away hurriedly, but his eyes continued to scan me.
I laughed and clung to Ian’s side.
The guard’s steps passed the city walls and began to approach the forest.
When the guard reached the outskirts of the forest, he turned around and looked at us.
“First of all, I’d like to say thank you.”
“Thank you?”
“Originally, this is our job… But recently the city is cluttered and it’s difficult to distribute manpower to this place… But our guards don’t have a generous budget, so we have no choice but to ask a mercenary for a low pay. I was nervous because people didn’t bring requests. In the meantime, since you came, how can I not express my gratitude? I will not forget this grace.”
The guards seemed to feel guilty for leaving the work to non-guards because of their own lack of strength.
Then, with a slightly guilty expression, he politely bowed his head.
“Oh! Raise your head. We only came here because we wanted to. There’s no need to lower your head like that. The security of this city is the most important thing.”
As Ian smiled softly, the security guard finally raised his head.
“Still, being grateful is something I’m thankful for. First, I’ll add an explanation of the request.”
The guard with an expressionless face, whose expression of guilt from earlier disappeared in an instant, began to tell information about an animal suddenly collapsing from exhaustion and a huge flower that suddenly appeared in the forest, as if it were work.
The guards believe the flower is responsible for the group exhaustion of the animals.
However, this information was obtained based on the testimony of a herbalist who often roamed this forest, and the distance was considerable, so it was located in a place where you had to walk for about half a day.
Sending a security guard to a place far away where there was no loss of life and investigating it was too much of a burden for the guards, who were in a hurry to maintain public order as there was not enough manpower.
The security guard who said that the resulting alternative was a mercenary had a dark face for a moment, then quickly shook off his energy and continued.
It is said that the place where there are flowers can be reached relatively easily.
“Do you know how to read a map?”
“Yes, I learned.”
“Okay. This is a map of our guards. The location of the flower has been recorded through testimony, so you can go here… This time, I would like you to investigate only the peculiarities of the flower. If it is not dangerous, there is no need to remove it.”
“I see.”
“I’ll be on my way. I’d appreciate it if you could submit the results to the Mercenary Guild right away without having to stop by the guards once the request is complete. Enough then.”
The guard bowed politely once again and headed towards the city without looking back.
“Then shall we go?”
“Okay”
So, following my guidance, we headed for the forest.
* * *
It was like coming to the Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt Redwoods State Park in the United States.
The forest, where the light penetrated very finely, was completely dark.
We did not see any monsters, monsters, or beasts in our eyes as we walked, naturally wary of our surroundings.
No, rather, the anxiety grew more and more in the bizarre silence.
Curiously, I didn’t even hear the sound of insects in this forest.
Ian must have felt the ominous feeling as well, and his eyes were filled with wariness as he looked around.
As I sped up to move to the place where the flowers were as quickly as possible, Ian also sped up even more.
As I was walking while checking the map how far I had walked, I realized that a flower was appearing right in front of me.
When I signaled by raising my hand, Ian recognized my signal and stopped.
Somehow, the ominous feeling turned into alertness, and I reflexively drew my weapon at the feeling of being pricked on my skin.
Ian also saw me and raised his longsword and shield.
With the map in my small carry-on bag, I held the ax in both hands, ready to wield it at any moment.
And cautiously headed forward.
As he slashed through the bushes and moved forward, his view his, which had been obscured by the branches and dense bushes, instantly brightened.
And we couldn’t help but be surprised.
In the vacant lot reflected in our eyes, among the animals mating violently to the point of grotesque, there was a huge tree-like rose that stood at least 50 meters tall with its head raised toward the sky, wriggling.
I forgot to speak for a while and stared blankly at the rose wriggling as if my muscles were moving, then came to my senses and looked around.
And I could see why the forest was so quiet.
The animals scattered around the rose were mating, shivering and shivering, as if they had starved for several days, and the corpses of insects were scattered in the clearing around the rose, as if all the insects in the forest had gathered.
I looked around more and realized that even now, animals and bugs are gathering.
Judging that something was emitting strong pheromone, I reminded him that the first testimony was less than a person’s height, and I judged that if I dragged it out for more time, it would reach a dangerous level.
“Let’s get rid of Ian now”
“…….”
“Ian?”
“Yes?”
Suddenly, a sweet smell wafted up my nose.
And your body warms up little by little.
Realizing that the power of flowers is already beginning to work on people, I quickly took out a cloth and covered my nose and mouth.
I don’t know if it’s meaningful, but I judged that at least this should be done, so I slapped Ian’s cheek as he blankly looked at me and brought him to his senses.
Damn!
“Ugh!”
“Ian! Wake up now, cover your nose and mouth with this. I think it’s because of the flower’s ability. Come on!”
“Ugh… Ugh!!”
Ian, who finally came to his senses, quickly took out a cloth and covered his mouth and nose.
“Quickly take out the fire potion! It’s a bit wasteful, but I don’t think we should delay any more, so let’s throw both!”
“Yes!”
Ian and I pulled out the small orb-shaped firebombs we usually carry.
And without hesitation, he pressed the button and tossed both of them to where the rose was.
Ian also threw a bomb with me, as if he had fully come to his senses.
Confirming that we were falling precisely under the rose, we quickly left the place and hid behind a stone.
1 second… 2 seconds… 3 seconds… 4 seconds…
Kwaaaaang!!!
We feel intense heat behind us.
Hey hey hey hey!!!!!
Along with the sound of the ground shaking, a bizarre, lifelike cry echoing in my brain shakes my body.
This is the second time I’ve risked my life to fight.
But this time it was different.
Strange adrenaline boils.
My heart started beating wildly, sending blood to my whole body and feeling it heat up, and I smiled with joy without even realizing it.
Feeling the cold ax in my hand, I jumped over the rocks.
On the other side, a rose stirred its hideous burning body, its tentacles whipping around.
