READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 1 The things I cherished in my life later turned out to be shackles.
“Craft. You’re fired.”
“Ehhhhhhh?!”
And just like that, I was kicked out of another party. It had been exactly four years since I started my journey as an adventurer on my sixteenth birthday.
“To be honest, you were pretty useless.”
“I feel bad saying this, but are you really a mage?”
“I hate to think it, but is that mage’s insignia on your left hand a fake?”
“Ugh…”
Those were the words of Marlboro, the warrior who led our party, and they were followed by Marietta, the lone female ranger in the group. The other party members seemed to share similar sentiments.
Marlboro was an annoying guy, but he was skilled. I understood their complaints, considering my abilities, but I thought they were going too far.
“Why do you have a mage’s insignia but can only use basic magic? And your spells are unbelievably weak!”
“A so-called mage who can’t even take down a single goblin with their magic.”
“Ugh, ugh, ugh…”
What they were saying was true. It was hard to argue when they were speaking the truth.
“Well, Craft, just give up.”
“…Alright. Thanks for everything until now.”
“I hate to say it, but Craft, you don’t have the talent to be an adventurer.”
“Having abundant mana but being a mage who can barely use magic…”
As I walked away, leaving behind their continued complaints, I headed to the Adventurer’s Guild reception desk.
“Again… Craft?”
“Yeah, again.”
The receptionist, with a weary expression, looked at me as if she had just realized something.
“It’s difficult to say, but honestly, I don’t think adventuring suits you.”
“I did my best, though.”
“I know you did. But your magic is just too weak.”
“…Yeah.”
“What will you do now? Look for a new party?”
I had joined countless parties before, but none of them had lasted long.
I gently touched the mage’s insignia on the back of my left hand.
The mage’s insignia.
On the day of the Coming of Age ceremony, I had no doubts that my high mana levels would result in a mage’s insignia. The person who conducted the ritual even stamped it with their approval, believing I would become a great mage in the future.
But…
But for some reason, every attack spell I cast had overwhelmingly weak power compared to other mages. Despite my confidence in my mana levels, I couldn’t cast anything more than beginner-level magic.
And even worse, I had only learned the most basic spells. Insignia bearers were supposed to gain access to new spells and abilities as they grew…
And so, I found myself repeatedly kicked out of parties, labeled as a deadweight.
“Craft, I have a somewhat unusual request from the Production Guild.”
“The Production Guild? What kind of request is it?”
“It’s not exactly a request.”
“What do you mean?”
“Recently, they’ve decided to establish a new village in the territory of Margrave of Bailroad. They’re looking for someone who can stay there long-term, preferably a member of the Production Guild.”
“A new village?”
“Yes. And they would prefer if the person had some combat abilities as well.”
“So, you’re saying I should quit the Adventurer’s Guild and join the Production Guild?”
“Yes, that’s the idea.”
In other words, even the Adventurer’s Guild recognized that they were better off sending someone to the Production Guild who wouldn’t be missed.
As an orphan with no family ties, if I couldn’t be an adventurer, I needed to find a new occupation quickly.
“…Alright, I’ll take that offer.”
“Eh!?”
“Tell me the details.”
“Wow! Alright! There’s also a referral fee involved!”
It seemed like the receptionist hadn’t expected me to accept this offer so readily, and she hurriedly flipped through some documents.
And so, after various formalities, I made the decision to quit being an adventurer.
◆
If I had stubbornly clung to the idea of being an adventurer, my life would have likely spiraled into an aimless existence. This was a turning point, and I intended to embrace it. Let’s live a quiet life in the countryside.
“All right! New beginnings! From now on, I’m going to live as Craft of the Production Guild!”
It was a late career change, but I was determined to make the best of it.
While I was lost in thought, I arrived at the Production Guild. It was my first time here, and the building was much larger and busier than I had expected.
“Hey! How are the preparations for the wagons?”
“We’re starting with non-perishable goods!”
“We might have more companions joining, so make sure to leave some room in the supplies!”
“About 20% extra?”
“You idiot! Plan for unexpected situations! Make it 30%!”
“What about the budget?”
“We’ll bill it to the Margrave!”
“Understood!”
The name “Production Guild” had led me to believe that there would be craftsmen silently working away, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
“Hey, you! What are you doing there?”
“Oh, sorry. Is there anyone at the reception desk?”
“What kind of reception? Registering as a craftsman? Placing an order for the trading company?”
“No, I came here through a referral from the Adventurer’s Guild.”
“Huh? Oh, you mean for the new settlement?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, that’s a relief. Come over here! Hey, don’t slack off while I’m away!”
A burly man who seemed to be in charge of things waved me over to the counter and offered me a seat.
“Welcome! I’m the Guild Master of the Production Guild.”
“I’m Craft Woken.”
“Craft, huh? That’s an auspicious name for someone joining the Production Guild! Hahaha!”
“Hahaha…”
There was nothing to do but laugh.
“I’ve heard the basics from the Adventurer’s Guild, but could you tell me more about it?”
“Of course. It’s quite simple, really. We’re sending a couple of people from the Production Guild to the new settlement we’re establishing. One person is already decided, but we’ve been having trouble finding the second.”
“I see. But why did you specifically request someone with an adventurer background?”
“That’s easy. It’s a remote area, and we don’t know what kind of dangers might lurk there. We wanted someone who could handle combat, just in case.”
“Why not just hire adventurers?”
“We’ll hire adventurers for the journey to the settlement, but we can’t keep them stationed there indefinitely, can we?”
“True.”
If adventurers were stationed there for too long, they would probably refuse.
“We’ve arranged for the local lord to send some guards to protect the settlement, but… well, we’re not too confident in that.”
“I can imagine.”
From the lord’s perspective, if the settlement succeeded, that would be good, but if it failed, they would likely abandon it. Promises of military support were often empty.
“That’s why we wanted someone from the Production Guild who could also handle monsters. So, shall we go through the necessary procedures?”
“Yes, please.”
Thanks to the referral letter from the guild, the procedures went smoothly.
“Wow, so you’re a mage?”
“Haha… I’ve been doing it for four years, but I’ve only learned a few basic spells, so I’m quite mediocre.”
“What did you say?”
The Guild Master, who had muscles befitting a representative of the Production Guild, flexed his bulging biceps.
“Did you even have your aptitude for an insignia properly checked?”
“Huh? Well, I was born with much higher mana levels than most people, so I never bothered with a detailed examination.”
Speaking of which, it’s possible to check for aptitude, but in reality, it’s not very common. The reason is simple: most people usually inherit the same insignia as their parents, as it’s the norm to follow in their footsteps. In most cases, that insignia turns out to be the most suitable for them.
For example, if the heir of a knight’s family had aptitude for blacksmithing, would they choose to have the blacksmith’s insignia instead? That’s highly unlikely. Even if their aptitude is somewhat lacking, they can simply carve the knight’s insignia and compensate with effort. Besides, it seems you can’t even carve an insignia that’s incompatible with you; you’d have to choose another one in that case.
“Hmm. Right now, we happen to have an insignia official here. How about we have your aptitude checked?”
“But isn’t that quite expensive?”
“I’ll cover the cost this time.”
“Why go to such lengths?”
“There’s a slim chance, but maybe you have a talent for something related to production.”
“That makes sense.”
Indeed, I had never thought about anything other than becoming an adventurer due to my strong mana. However, having talent in fields like carpentry or blacksmithing would be highly beneficial for my life in the Production Guild. I no longer had any attachment to the mage’s insignia.
“Alright, I agree. Then, please proceed.”
“Very well. …Insignia official! We need your services!”
When the Guild Master called out, a senior insignia official, who also handled noble insignias, approached us. It didn’t really matter, though.
“Let’s see. We’ll go through with a ‘Insignia Aptitude Assessment.'”
My left hand’s insignia glimmered faintly and trembled.
“What… what’s going on!?”
“Uh, did you find something?”
For some reason, the insignia official stared at my insignia with wide-eyed amazement.
“Wha-what? Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just… It’s hard to believe, but your insignia is the least compatible with your current occupation.”
“Huh?”
The reason why the insignia official was so intently focused on my insignia suddenly became clear.
“Can you use magic?”
“Well, yes. Just the most basic beginner spells, though.”
“I can’t believe it! Your insignia is the absolute worst match… or rather, it’s the worst possible match, to the point where it could potentially even threaten your life!?”
“Huh? Could it affect my life?”
“Yes. It’s not widely known, but in cases of insignias that are too incompatible, it can happen. Although it’s extremely rare…”
“Wait a minute, sir. Are you saying that Craft here has been living for four years with such a handicap?”
“Yes, I find it hard to believe as well, but that seems to be the case. As an insignia official, I would strongly recommend that you have your insignia replaced immediately.”
“I thought you couldn’t carve an insignia that was too incompatible?”
“Generally, that’s true. But in very rare cases, it can still be carved.”
This was unbelievable. I had been carrying such an incompatible insignia for all these years?
“Normally, changing an insignia requires a formal procedure, but in cases involving potential threats to one’s life, it can be done with my authority.”
“Would you mind explaining a bit more about my aptitude insignia?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mention that part. It’s a story that’s hard to believe as well.”
The insignia official gripped his staff and looked at me intensely.
“Your insignia… it’s an incredibly… no, it’s an insignia with extraordinary power hidden within it. The most suitable, the most ideal insignia for you… is the Alchemist’s insignia. And not just any alchemist, but the insignia of a Twilight Alchemist.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
I involuntarily swallowed hard.
Deliberately or naturally, the insignia official paused dramatically and then slowly spoke.
“Alchemist… and not just any alchemist, but one with powers akin to a god, a Twilight Alchemist.”