Chapter 25 – Losers, Look Up (2)
Next day.
A little after lunch, I came to the requesting office.
It was to prepare for the B-class quest soon.
The more information, the better, so I thought it would be nice to receive counseling and advice.
“Oh, Starchis. What are you doing today? It’s not the day you enter the dungeon.”
The guide wearing glasses asked me.
He didn’t expect to see me today.
It was a surprising sight.
“What are you doing?”
“No, that’s not it.”
I waved my hand.
Not what’s going on
“That’s not it… I’m trying to challenge our party’s B-class quest.”
“Yes..?”
The guide’s eyes grow as large as eggs.
He was not the only one surprised by my words, and the guides next to him glanced at me in amazement.
A lot of the other gatherers at the requesting office were also looking sideways at me, as if I could hear my voice there.
“So… You mean you want to be promoted to B rank?”
“Yes. You’re right.”
And soon the guide’s expression crumpled a little.
Hmm… He makes a noise and strokes his chin.
Would be worried
It’s hard to get a B rank promotion.
Because a lot of people die
Even if you succeed in one B-class quest, there are many cases where you will be annihilated in the next B-class quest.
And because the parties who have been active in the B rank for a long time are frequently injured and die.
The serious injury rate and death rate, B and C cannot be compared.
Overwhelmingly high grade B.
So, there are many people who are satisfied with a C-class party even among those who are good at it.
Not me
I will follow my brother
What I just said to the receptionist was that I would risk my life to go to B-class rather than settle for C-class.
“Mr. Starchis… You thought about this for a long time before deciding?”
I nodded.
I thought about it from when Vien or Russ wanted to keep trying.
“I thought about it for a long time… But I got confirmation from this request.”
“Even if it was good this time, you said that you had a problem when dealing with the King Boar in the last request. That level is not good enough.”
“That problem has been resolved.”
The problem arose was sheer fatigue.
I am managing those fatigues well now.
The guide was still wrinkling his face as if he was worried.
“Ha… Starchis. Of course, you are free to go out with this request, but if you get hurt or… Die, it’s me who will feel guilty. I hate that burden.”
“I know. So, I will succeed too.”
But even at my words, he couldn’t let go of his expression.
It was impossible to guess how many deaths this guide must have seen.
Then he bursts out laughing.
“… Did you know that all the C-class parties that challenged the B-class said the same thing?”
“…It’s something I’ve decided on.”
“Then tell me one thing.”
“Yes?”
“So that there is a corner where I can trust and send it. Please tell me one factor that made you think you would succeed even if you tried the B-class quest.”
There was sincerity in his eyes.
He showed a willingness not to give the request unless he was persuaded.
Of course, if this guide doesn’t give permission, you can just ask the guide next to you.
However, there is nothing wrong with trusting the guide’s intuition.
I’m going to try persuading him with words and give up if he still says no.
I’m not saying no, but if it’s something I’m worried about, I’ll push through somehow.
“… I have good breathing with my party members.”
“I can’t do that.”
“The magic is strong, the heal timing is good, and the front line protects the party members well.”
“There are many parties like that even if it’s C-level.”
“It’s because you didn’t see our party.”
Shaking my head.
He was adamant
It seems that you have reached the first obstacle of the B-class request.
But rather, I was grateful to him for caring about our party’s life.
What should I say to convince him?
“Don’t do that. ‘It was overwhelming’. Is there anything you can say about this? Whether it’s overwhelmingly good healing, or tanks overwhelmingly good defense. Something like this.”
I didn’t want to do it because I thought it would make me proud.
There was one aspect that was overwhelming.
“…I won the battle of strength against the Tiwit scorpion. The upper was also smashed in one shot.”
His frowning expression straightened out.
He blinked both eyes.
“… Who?”
“I am.”
He stayed silent for a while.
The guide next to me looked at me and the guide with his mouth slightly open.
In fact, this reaction is understandable.
As a party, I was also surprised.
The guide in front of me carefully looks at my expression and smiles.
“Haha… I don’t think I’m lying…”
I smiled too. I feel like believing in me.
He looked at me and got up from his seat.
Then, as I packed my things, I spoke to the guide sitting next to me.
“Hey, Sansa, I’m going outside for a while.”
“Yes?”
“Yes?”
It wasn’t just the guide called Sansa that was surprised.
I couldn’t keep up with what was happening.
What, I wanted to ask questions, get information, and get advice, but where are you going?
“Hey, where are you going? What about me?”
“Mister Starchis, please follow me.”
He packed his coat and luggage, turned around from his seat, and led the way.
Not knowing what was going on, he agreed to his word.
With a slight nod, I greeted the guide, Sansa.
“Where are you going, guide?”
“If you follow me, I will know. And, my name is Marshall.”
The guide, who introduced himself as Marshall, left without a word.
****
The place he arrived at was the medical center.
This is where Bien is often when he’s not in dungeons and when he’s not meeting me.
“…A medical center?”
“Follow me.”
Without hesitation, he opened the wooden door of the medical center and entered.
– Kik.
When I entered, many people were lying on the floor with cloths and moaning in pain.
In addition, many saints took turns taking care of them and memorizing prayers to restore them.
I’ve been there several times, but every time I see it, it’s a terrible sight.
-‘Ugh!’
-‘Water… Give me some water…’
-‘Ah… It hurts…’
-‘Collock..! Cough Cough!!’
Countless people were bandaging, applying medicine, or lying down to recover.
That’s why the saints and doctors were busy moving.
It was the same medical staff as usual, with no major injuries.
Maybe Vienna is here too?
It wouldn’t matter if we met.
I didn’t come here alone, I came with this guide, Marshall.
If you ask why you haven’t met your girlfriend, you can just say that you’re preparing for a B-level request.
I looked all around.
I couldn’t see Vien’s face at all.
“Guide, Marshall. Why are you here?”
“Keep following me.”
He led me and dragged me to the second floor.
There were beds that were a little more luxurious than those on the first floor.
The patients were not lying on a cloth on the floor, but here they were still lying on a bed.
It was quieter and quieter than the first floor.
Instead, the condition of the patients was serious.
Occasionally, patients were seen without hands, legs, or arms.
The reason why I had no choice but to be quiet was that most of the patients were so injured that they could not grow and were unconscious.
All the people who came to visit them were silent.
I just found out that there is a place like this because I always come to the medical center to treat only minor injuries.
“There must be a place like this.”
Marshall nodded his head.
Then he glanced at me.
“Mister Starches. You came to me today to get information or advice, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I don’t know if you expected it, but all of the patients here are gatherers from the Class C party.”
…All?
“All?”
“Yes. And most of them are B-class challengers.”
He looked at the patients in a confused way.
Then I walked over to a woman who had lost one of her legs.
Carefully placing her hand on her shoulder as she lay, she opened her eyes.
Looking at Marshall, he smiled weakly.
“Ah… Marshall?”
“How are you feeling? Tisha.”
A worried Marshall and a woman who smiles as if to ease his worries.
“More than the first time.. It’s okay… Um… “
The woman looked at her lost leg as she spoke and once swallowed her words,
“I’m much… Used to it.”
‘ She concluded.
Marshall frowned at her answer.
“Sorry… Tisha. It’s my fault.”
“No. It’s just that I… Fell short…”
The voice of the woman who continued her words was watery.
After clearing her throat once, she spoke to Marshall.
“That… Marshall. I… I want to be alone for a little bit… Can you move over? Haha, because I can’t avoid the seat.”
Then he pointed to one of her legs.
“Ah. Okay. Rest well.”
Marshall tapped the woman’s arm again and straightened her back.
Then he dragged me along and started walking the other way again.
“…After…”
After leaving her, he gulped her saliva as if holding back her crying without her words for a long time before speaking in a slightly shaky voice.
“…Have you seen it?”
It was a different feeling to see a person who failed the way I was going in front of my eyes.
That person will end his life as a gatherer.
He is someone who has nothing to do with me, but it hurts my heart for no reason.
“It definitely comes a little… Realistic.”
Marshall nodded his head.
“Right? Most parties only think about rewards when everything goes as planned, not when things don’t go as planned. So I wanted to show you once.”
But even so, my mind hasn’t changed.
I told Marshall.
“Even in Class C, injuries like this happen occasionally. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s nothing new.”
If it was an injury like that in the first place, it’s a part that I’m still preparing for.
“It may not be new, but the probability of it happening is much higher for Class B. Even though it could happen to the party members as well as to you?”
He turned and looked at me.
I felt a little bit of charisma in his small body.
That it could be Bienne, Russ, and Lily sisters lying on that hospital bed?
“I know, but keep my party members off the subject.”
I felt a little bad because I felt like they were using them to sway me.
And I will never let that happen.
Told Marshall.
“I will succeed.”
“Success?”
He looked around.
“It sounds as if the people here have failed.”
“…?”
“Everyone here. Only those who have succeeded in B-class quests. Successful, but barely successful people. If you fail… You won’t even find the body. Except for special cases.”
Marshall moved a little closer to me and put his hand on my shoulder.
It wasn’t strong, but it seemed to have a strong will.
“Mister Starchis… It’s not enough to make the mission a success. If you succeed perfectly, you can continue that life the next time and the next time.”
There is worry in his eyes.
“I’ve said it before, but now… I’m tired of someone dying after accepting a request I’ve accepted. I’m really fed up. Mr. Starchis seems like a nice guy… I think I’ll have a hard time if something like this happens. Really… Can I trust you?”
Actually, I’m worried too. It’s class B
Now, he is getting closer to the point where he and his brother are one step apart.
That high and dangerous is B-class.
I’m not sure I’ll succeed.
I might be able to come back without getting hurt.
But I can’t go after all of them.
We kept talking, but as long as he didn’t object, I made up my mind.
He looked at Marshall and opened his mouth.
In a dignified manner so that he can feel at ease.
“Absolutely.”
****
The curtains were drawn in the dark room even during the day.
I tap my fingers in a steady stream. Widely. Was pounding on the desk.
My head was complicated.
Starches became too strong.
When I closed my eyes and imagined the scene, the shock was vivid.
If you swing your weapon and hit the ground, dirt will come out,
I pressed down the Tiwit scorpion with force.
When there is a moment of crisis, it appears in front of you and protects you
In the meantime, orders continued to be placed.
The always difficult C-class high-ranking request was completed without a heart-rending crisis.
Viewed from behind, his back seemed much wider.
I pretended to be an older sister, pretended to be an adult, but to the point where I wanted to throw away all of those things and lean on them.
However, at first, I was very jealous of this change, which I would have been happy with.
He became so cool, but he didn’t change for himself.
Did you become stronger because you had something to protect?
It is said that men become stronger when they have something to protect.
Up
I grinded my teeth.
‘I? That’s what I’ve been keeping Why didn’t I do this then?’
I felt stuffy as if a stone had been placed on my chest.
Then I got angry.
I wasn’t angry about Starches doing well, I was angry about such rapid changes.
What could have changed him so much?
I’ve been looking for healthy food and healthy places for him, but there’s never been a change like this.
He always said that his dream his was to follow his brother his, so making his dream his come true became my goal.
If I act for him, and, in a way, help him, won’t he also like me? From thinking.
That’s why on days when I didn’t meet him, I searched for places that were good for the body, visited them, and made many plans.
If there’s one thing I regret doing all those things now, it’s that I drew the line too much.
It shouldn’t have been.
I tried so hard, but after only 3 weeks of knowing a girl named El Zain, and only 1 week after becoming a lover, these changes appeared.
As if mocking my efforts.
Why.
Why the hell is everything being pushed back by a bitch named Elzain?
What would have been different?
Lily thought she did her best her, so why did she end up like this?
… What the hell could she have done?
‘My girlfriend was delicious.’
Starchis’ voice echoed in his head.
Snap.
Her fingernails her drive hard into the desk.
She shook her head wildly.
No. No.
‘My girlfriend was delicious,’she said, was a slip of the tongue her, she said.
No matter how you think about it, that progress is too fast.
It will still be.
Haven’t had sex yet.
Behind wishes, a shady desire also creeps up.
… So I’m still… I’m not too late. The Starchis Treaty has been broken.
He has a girlfriend, so I know sex is only a matter of time, but I still couldn’t hold out a ray of hope that he wasn’t in a relationship yet.
Like himself, he has never had a relationship with anyone.
I have always had sweet fantasies of sharing our first experiences with him.
Just like everyone else, holding hands, crossing arms, sharing the first kiss, and sharing the first experience follow the classic route.
But now there was no time.
Even if I surpassed all of them, I didn’t want to give at least the last, first experience to anyone.
I couldn’t stand to see Starchis do the most intimate things with someone he was most intimate with, with someone he wasn’t.
I kept feeling that the dream was going farther away, but I couldn’t give up easily because it was a dream.
Even if there is no choice between means and methods.
What should I do?
Shall I go to him and honestly confess my love and give myself?
Will you accept it then?
…Not. I’m not that kind of person.
Let’s do that to him who already has a partner
If you are far away, you will be far away and you will not be able to have a relationship.
Shall we drink and attack?
… It would be possible if I could feed them, but it’s hard to meet them now.
So what about magic?
Sleep magic? The sleep magic I can do is only for small creatures.
If it’s a person, it doesn’t get caught, it just makes you slightly sleepy.
Or to give someone who is already asleep a more restful night’s sleep.
…Hypnosis magic?
It is high-level magic.
I can’t.
It was stifling.
In the end, as a habit, I activated the magic I had on the clothes I had gifted to Starchis.
Did you wear it today?
I received the gift with a very grateful and happy expression, but in fact, I put a wiretapping spell on it.
My conscience stung when I saw his face at that time, but I did not abandon the plan.
Always take a deep breath before casting a spell.
It is to prepare for getting hurt.
I’m doing this to get advantageous information through conversation, but maybe, I don’t know if I have to listen to the scene of each other.
After… After…
Take a deep breath and focus your mind.
Ugh…
The magic turns on.
Since it is a magic that connects the sense of hearing to a distant place, it takes a lot of mana, so I can’t keep it on for a long time.
This is especially so as the distance increases.
-…
I waited for a long time, but I didn’t hear anything.
As always.
It seemed that her clothes were still in the box.
I clearly told you to take it out… But I’m saddened by this trivial part.
Of course, it’s his freedom whether he does or does n’t… But since he talked to me, I’ll protect him…
I may have forgot for a while.
I’d be happy if I could just listen to what he’s doing when he’s home alone, but that doesn’t work either.
Oh Or maybe you just took it out and didn’t wear it.
It’s good to treat clothes with respect, but it’s still a gift.
Of course, in all these negative moods, there was also a sense of frustration about my shady plans not going the way I wanted.
Let’s stay like that for a while
Shuuk.
Running out of mana
There was no sound at all.
I was in tears for no reason.
I’m sad that I seem to have distanced myself from him.
Because I hate myself for being shady again.
I’m not really this kind of person either.
Still… I can’t stop… I can’t.
Although he looked bleak now, he moved again for his goal his.
I wiped away my tears and took out a piece of paper.
