Chapter 251 – 251. Urgent Request (2)
“… ‘Stampede’?”
“Isn’t that a dog death if you participate?”
“But the pay is high? Ten gold coins.”
“Hey. You can receive it only when that is over and you are alive. It’s on a different level from a stampede that took place in a single dungeon!”
Not a stampede from a dungeon, but a stampede from monsters that flowed from the territories of a ruined empire teeming with polluted mana.
It is completely different in size and quality.
Even comparing the level of risk is ridiculous.
It is safe to say that the possibility of a single adventurer participating in this front and preserving his life is almost non-existent.
Erin didn’t say anything and glanced at Gerard, who was lost in her thoughts, and then looked around her to check the mood of the other adventurers.
“The atmosphere…”
The expressions of the adventurers who heard the contents of the request through voice amplification magic were different.
There were people whose eyes glistened at the amount of the request, but there were only a handful of people like that.
The overwhelming majority were skeptical and negative.
An awkward and noisy atmosphere flowed between the guild receptionists and adventurers who announced the urgent request.
No matter how risky one’s life is to work as an adventurer, there was no one who wanted to set foot in an area with a high probability of being killed by a dog.
In a situation where no one was moving towards the reception desk, an adventurer raised his hand and asked to speak.
“Yes. Please speak.”
“This current urgent request… Are you forced?”
“It is not compulsory. But… From the adventurer’s guild’s point of view… I hope all adventurers will accept it. If the first line of defense on the Mograf frontier is breached… The next most dangerous place is here, no, because there is a risk that the damage will spread not only here, but also to other areas.”
Trisha bit her lip and honestly answered the adventurer’s question.
That’s why she put up a high price of 10 gold coins as a means to somehow send support to the adventurers to the Mo Graf Territory.
Considering that the salary of a regular soldier in the kingdom is 2 gold coins, 10 gold coins is a large amount of money that can be used for 2-3 months of living expenses even if it is saved.
However, even with such a large amount of money, how many people would be able to weigh their own lives against death?
It is a gamble that would be taken by adventurers of the platinum rank who are treated as heroes, the gold rank who has made their name known among adventurers, or the silver rank who trusts in their skills and luck and is good at handling things, but at least for peers and new adventurers, it is not possible. It’s like an inaccessible area.
“What? Are you going?”
“Are you crazy? A dog’s death is certain.”
“Ah fuck, 10 gold coins aren’t even the dog’s name, it’s a lot of money.”
“Bitch X, if you’re at your level, you’ll just go and be greedy without even knowing the subject of being a food for the witches.”
In the midst of a tumult of voices sharing opinions with their colleagues, Trisha and other adventurers’ guild staff did their best to hide their nervous feelings.
The guild cannot forcibly accept urgent requests from adventurers in this case only.
This is because the boundaries of the content itself are very ambiguous.
If an emergency request notice popped up due to a crisis in the dukedom, the adventurers could be forced to request that urgent request with 2 gold coins instead of 10 gold coins.
This is because the danger of the territory itself leads to the danger of the adventurer’s guild branch, and the adventurers lose their place of work.
If the content of this urgent request was to annihilate the monster army that was flooding into the Duchy of Armitas, adventurers would have to accept this request half-forcefully, even if they didn’t like it.
Because it was enacted by the Guild Act.
But in this case it is wrong.
This is because the content of this request is to send reinforcements to Mograf, not the Duchy of Armitas.
“Because this part was not included in the contract we signed with the duke’s family in the first place.”
In the first place, the famous middle- and upper-class adventurers who migrated to the dukedom through contracts with the duke’s family, the condition of the contract was to suppress the inundation of demon beasts by ‘activities in the dukedom’, but the support of Mograf is a separate issue from
That’s why the condition offered by the adventurer’s guild and the duke’s family was 10 gold coins as a reward.
“No, that’s what I mean. Will the Mograf change really break through?”
“But, in a situation where even an emergency request for support is popping up, doesn’t that mean that the change and enduring are the limits?”
“It is true that there is no real answer if there is a hole. By the way, have there been cases where support from other territories was sent as an emergency request?”
“I don’t know. What kind of connections do the Duke and Marquis have?”
It is the adventurers themselves who have to make decisions, and they are the ones who have to risk their lives and take responsibility for it, so adventurers have no choice but to be careful and prudent.
When we are asking and answering each other’s opinions in order to guess, ponder, and make decisions about the situation of many adventurers.
“Gerard.”
“Miss Erin?”
“I have somewhere I need to go.”
“Hmm? Is it a must go place? Where are you?”
In this chaotic situation, Gerard, curious, asked where the girl would suddenly go.
“It’s the duke’s mansion.”
“Hmm?”
◆ ◆ ◆
“So, is that why you came to me?”
“… Yes.”
Erin nodded her head nervously.
I waited for Alex’s answer in the office, filled with only the creaking of pens and the sound of papers being flipped.
Alex, sitting at her desk and silently handling her paperwork, did not respond to Erin’s waiting.
“Erin, would you like some tea?”
“Yes? Ah yes. Thank you.”
As a quiet silence ensued between Alex and Erin, Aisha, unable to withstand her heavy atmosphere, offered her black tea to Erin.
“That… Are you Gerard? Would you like a drink too?”
Aisha looked up at the man she had never seen before, the leader of Artia, one of the great heroes, Riod, and a man who said she stood shoulder to shoulder with her.
She was an Aisha who had never seen the great hero John’an in her life except for Rio de, but after Eun-hyeon’s wedding, after she received Illyana and Agnes, her heart pounded. I have been able to control the noise to some extent.
‘Wow, wow… You look so handsome. What. Aren’t you really pretty middle-aged?’
“Thank you.”
A well-groomed suit and a well-trained body line that enhances the look create a luxurious elegance in harmony with the suit.
The man who reciprocates with a grin is not a pervert gentleman who passionately proposed to a woman before, but a middle-aged gentleman who is ruthless with dignity and formality.
“…”
Erin, who witnessed the rapid change in front of her eyes, put on a puzzled expression as she felt the difference between the two figures.
She really gave the impression of expressing the feeling of being a great man to the point of wondering if there would be a middle-aged man like this if he really stayed still, but if you see him recklessly attacking you if you want to find your partner, you will be blown away.
Even that Erin was fooled for a moment.
“Why did you come here?”
“Yes… ?”
Erin, who was sipping the black tea Aisha poured her, heard Alex’s answer that she had been waiting for, and she put on a dumbfounded expression.
Would she not be able to explain herself properly at the moment? Thinking of that, Erin opened her mouth again and explained.
“Therefore… She received an urgent request from the adventurer’s guild to recruit adventurers to go to a place called Mo Graf territory…”
“Because I was the one who issued that urgent request. Did you come to see me?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why I don’t understand. Why did you come to see me?”
“Yes?”
As she returned with the same question and the same answer again, Erin gave a puzzled look.
“Hmm.”
Am I not recognizing it?
Just in time to finish her paperwork, Alex put down her pen and looked up at her, staring at Erin.
“Aisha. Tea too.”
“Yes.”
As if she had already prepared it, she immediately moved the cup of her tea and set it down on Alex’s desk.
“What answer did you come here to hear from me?”
“Uh, I…”
When Alex asked what answer she was asking, Erin was suddenly speechless, and she couldn’t answer right away.
‘Why did I come straight here?’
She didn’t even have her head spinning on her own.
She realized that something serious had happened, to the point where the duke’s family issued an urgent request for her, and she came to see if there was anything she could do to help.
“Are you aware of the situation?”
“Yes. It’s not enough to prevent the invasion of the monster corps in a place called Mograf, so it would be nice if the adventurers of Armitas could go there… I know.”
“You know right. I will lead the adventurers who will go there to support and the selected knights of Armitas, and I will set out in three days.”
“Oh, Alex himself?”
“Okay.”
Alex calmly nodded his head.
“The family of Count Mograf and the Duke of Armitas are families that have had long-standing exchanges since before the current generation. Besides, if the iron wall there is breached by demon beasts, it is certain that the damage will quickly devour the surrounding Fernias Kingdom.”
“You’re right.”
Gerard, who was drinking tea, nodded as if agreeing with Alex.
“Gerard, what are you going to do about this urgent request?”
“Of course I plan to participate, but I would like to hear the specific plan of the minor duke.”
“Thank you so much for participating in our expedition.”
“No. I also agree with the small duke’s opinion. Even if you put aside the relationship or exchange between families, if that place is breached, there will be a really unanswerable situation. The risk to civilians must be minimized. Of course, the reward of 10 gold coins is also a good part.”
Gerard shrugged his humorously.
The reason why he can afford to go into limbs where life and death cannot be guaranteed is because he has been strengthened with the courage and guts that only heroes who have been trained through many deaths can have.
“Thank you.”
Looking at Gerard for making a decision he was grateful for, Alex nodded and thanked him, then looked at Erin and asked.
“So the situation is like this. How are you?”
“I am…”
“It’s okay if you don’t have to participate. No matter how good your skills are, this is not an easy decision to make. In particular, no one can criticize you for not participating in this expedition since you have only been in your first year as an adventurer.”
Is Alex’s comment that it’s okay even if you don’t participate or don’t bother to help, is it consideration, or is it because you don’t believe in your own skills?
Or maybe it was both, thought Erin.
It was a mixture of respect and consideration for her to think of herself, but for some reason, Erin felt sad.
“Erin. I think there is a misunderstanding. It’s not because I couldn’t believe what you said.”
“Yes… ?”
“Seniors are really… If you speak so bluntly, the child will misunderstand!”
“… What did I do?”
Alex asked, frowning slightly, and Aisha turned her head away, ignored Alex’s question, and spoke to Erin.
“Erin. The meaning of the senior’s words is that don’t feel burdened and make your own decision as you like.”
“Burden… What?”
“Huh. If you’re scared or don’t want to do it, you don’t have to. But if you still want to participate, you just have to be sure to voice your opinion.”
“Ah…”
“But it’s like, ‘You don’t even have to come out. If I come out because I’m weak, it’ll be a dog’s death.”
“… I didn’t say that much.”
Alex muttered, frowning at Aisha’s scolding.
“Even after asking Gerard-nim about her intentions, it was Erin’s turn, so it was compared more and that point came to the fore. There are really no horses around!”
In the case of Gerard, there was a part that I had no choice but to ask because there was a judgment that if only the participation was decided, it could be a great power, but it was clear that talking to Erin immediately after that could have caused misunderstanding from the girl’s point of view. Did.
“Erin.”
“Yes yes!”
Erin hurriedly responded to the voice of her Alex calling her own name once more, snapping back to her senses.
“Eunhyeon is not here right now.”
“… Yes.”
“If you don’t have that guy who always paved the way for you and led you, wouldn’t you be unable to decide anything on your own?”
“That, that…”
“Your behavior now clearly shows such wandering.”
Erin twitched her shoulders as if she had been stabbed in the bone.
Following the words of Eun-hyeon, who usually suggests her way, she herself just had to walk along that path.
The firm belief and trust that there can never be a wrong way came from Erin’s tendency to be overly dependent on Eun-hyeon.
Nearly a year had passed, and now that Eun-hyeon was gone, Erin was wandering in a different way.
She is unable to think, act or make important decisions for herself.
What Erin had been doing for over a year was just a part of her self-discipline, fulfilling her given quests while doing her adventurer’s activities, and gaining experience through battles with her knights and monsters. Her spiritual growth was not at all.
That’s why she couldn’t decide anything, and while she was wandering, she came to Alex recklessly.
– Why did you come here?
-What kind of answer did you come here to hear from me?
She just came to do what she was told to do.
Just like when accepting the adventurer’s guild’s quest to exterminate demons.
“Ah…”
She belatedly realized Alex’s point and blushed in her shame.
“Are you a child who can’t decide anything for himself without him?”
The girl who was about to become a mature lady coming of age soon, she still couldn’t get past the tee of a little girl who couldn’t do anything without Eun-hyeon.
The girl realized that no matter how skillfully she was able to handle the power of the divine beast, no matter how much battle experience she had with knights and beasts, the girl’s mental growth had not been achieved at all.
“I am…”
As if unraveling her tangled and complicated threads one by one, she sorts out her complex mind little by little and finds a small desire that exists in her own heart.
Just as Eun-hyeon reached out to her and led her to the path of salvation, her small aspiration gradually turned into a dream.
“I want to save people.”
“Not a bad answer.”
Alex nodded her head with a satisfied smile.
