READ NOVEL ONLINE Episode 6: Original Characters
Episode 6: Original Characters
Leaving the earl’s mansion, I head towards the adventurer’s guild in Herta. I’m hoping to find some information about the forest since there were no signs when I went to Arania the other day. However…
“Take this!”
“Ugh!”
They’re right in the middle of a fight. Seriously, adventurers are so barbaric…
“Cain, did you think you could beat me just by gathering more people? How pathetic!”
“…I’ll make you eat those words today!”
“Did you forget I beat you up last time? Ha, typical Arlight.”
“What did you say!?”
Both of them are nobles. Sorry, adventurers, it’s the nobles who are being barbaric. But why is Cain here? Didn’t the ‘Sword Saint’ go to Mishnela? If so, I don’t understand why he’s fighting with Karna here. …Oh, right, because he’s an Arlight.
Or rather, if Cain got beaten up, does that mean the protagonist lost? I think if I try hard enough I should be able to beat him on the first playthrough. …So that means Cain right now is at his most annoying phase. I guess it’s best not to get involved.
Cain has five followers, but they don’t look like they need any help. One of them already got knocked out. So, let’s just ignore this. And why is Karna here? Wasn’t she supposed to go to the forest?
“…!?”
As I look around the guild, I spot some familiar faces. Why are you here, protagonist?
Watching the fight nervously is Zeke, the protagonist of “Alteria Chronicles.” Silver hair, blue eyes, tall, and with a longsword at his waist.
Next to him are the commoner heroine Shal and the noble heroine Diana, right? And a friend character… I forgot his name. Anyway, this is the initial party. From here, the group grows gradually through events.
With the protagonist and Cain here, things seem different from the original story. Hartelia and Miltia are acting quite differently. Still, the protagonist managing to trigger a stampede is impressive.
Cain, if you keep dawdling, the protagonist might steal Karna away. Not that I know if she has any interest in him… Oh no, I accidentally made eye contact with Karna.
“Oh, Mine! Give me a hand here.”
“Mine, you say?”
“No, thanks, it’s troublesome. Oh, Gaia has a message for you. Follow Nord’s instructions over there.”
“Ugh, how annoying.”
I’m just here to gather information. No intention of joining the brawl. Not like she needs my help to win.
“…Are you that useless?”
“Sigh… Calling me useless right off the bat, Cain, you haven’t changed…”
“So it is you. I thought you’d died somewhere.”
“Cain, do you know this kid?”
One of Cain’s biggest followers called me a kid. Can I smack him for disrespect?
“Huh? Oh, he’s the kid my father had with a maid. Can’t even swing a sword properly. Got kicked out years ago. This shrimp used to be my brother.”
“I was locked up from the age of seven, only given bread and soup. Your family is stingy.”
“””!? …”””
Since he mocked me, I made sure the adventurers overheard how stingy the marquis household is. Let them spread the rumor far and wide, embellishments welcome.
“By the way, they gave me ten small silver coins as severance. Don’t you think that’s stingy?”
“””!? …”””
“You…”
Even if he glares at me… Complain to the stingy ‘Sword Saint.’
“Hey, did you hear? They kicked him out with just ten small silver coins.”
“Isn’t his family a marquis household?”
“Are they that strapped for cash?”
“Wow… so stingy.”
Keep it up, adventurers. Oops, I got distracted. I need to get information from the reception… but Cain is blocking my way. Why is he grinning?
“…Could you move?”
“Get past me by force, if you can? Biiig bro—”
“In that case, excuse me.”
“What? —Ugh!”
“”—What!? Young Master!””
“Whoa! Nice, Mine!”
“Seriously… so weak.”
I took him at his word and punched him, sending him flying into the wall. Maybe I overdid the [Body Enhancement]? …Oh, did I mess up? Nah, it’s fine. He’s still breathing, so no worries. Actually, good job!
For now, let’s settle for this. Being instantly defeated in front of a crowd, aren’t you the future ‘Sword Saint’, Cain?
“You bastard, what are you doing to the Young Master!”
“He said I could do it by force. So, it’s mutual consent. Mind your own business.”
“What did you say!?”
“Anyway, with a stampede likely to happen in the Arlight territory, why are you guys fooling around here?”
“…What? We haven’t heard anything about that—”
“It’s true. At least, Hertia is acting under that assumption.”
“What!? …Hey, what’s this about!?”
“The ‘Sword Saint’ isn’t here, right? Isn’t that bad?”
The mention of a stampede creates a stir in the adventurer’s guild. Well, it is a major issue. But someone should really tend to Cain. Now, I’ll leave the explanation to Karna and get information at the reception.
“Excuse me. Have there been any reports of unusual activity in the forests around here?”
“We haven’t received any such reports. But is it true about the stampede!?”
So, no significant disturbances have been reported around here by the guild.
This place is a bit away from Arania, after all.
As I exchange information with the receptionist, someone comes running down from the second floor.
“Urgent request! There are signs of a stampede in the forested area of Arlight territory! D-rank and above, prepare for an expedition! We depart the morning after tomorrow!”
That must be the guild master here. An attractive older man with ash-gray hair. He doesn’t seem like a warrior type. More like a bureaucrat.
An urgent request is a special mission issued to adventurers of a certain rank or higher during emergencies, with penalties for non-participation but often higher rewards.
However, the adventurers’ morale seems off.
Why could that be?
“I’m not feeling it…”
“Huh? Why?”
“I overheard that the ‘Sword Saint’ threw his kid out penniless.”
“What? Really?”
“Apparently, he barely fed him for ten years.”
“I saw the kid too. He was really small. Poor thing…”
“Is it okay for that idiot, who got easily beaten by the kid, to be the heir?”
“I’m worried about the payment… They say he’s really stingy.”
The story has already been exaggerated quite a bit. And you guys, the “small” and “poor thing” parts are unnecessary. Oh, it seems Cain’s entourage overheard the adventurers’ conversation.
“You got a problem!?”
“What’s wrong with adventurers worrying about their pay!?”
“You’re going to pay us properly, right!?”
“You bastards!!”
“—Ugh! This brat, he did it!”
“Don’t underestimate us!”
Oh boy, a brawl has started. Many adventurers have short tempers. The guild master is shouting something, but it doesn’t seem to be getting through. Zeke is, ah… getting caught up in it. Karna is having fun brawling. She’s as usual. And seriously, someone should really help Cain.
“Excuse me, is there another exit?”
“…You can get out through the dismantling area via that door.”
“Thank you.”
The receptionist lady pointed me to another exit.
She looked at me like, “Are you serious?” but hey, I didn’t start the fight.
(Note: Lol. I thought he was gonna think up something but then he just casually ask for the exit (≧▽≦) )
I won’t deny I was part of the cause, though.
But through the dismantling area, huh…
Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.
I’ll just cover my eyes and nose and run through.
Now, what should I do next?