Tia warmly welcomed Yuda back after days away. Knowing he would soon leave, she tried to stay close to him constantly.
Yuda took out the bastard sword bestowed by the lord. Damaged by the martial knight, it barely resembled its former self. Serenia Castle’s blacksmith was skilled enough to restore it if entrusted.
However, the attack power of the longsword obtained from the warrior was slightly higher. Although he planned to have it repaired, it felt more like a memento, so he decided to just store it in his [Inventory] and retrieved the code. He recovered the two prefix and suffix codes, reapplying 〈Sharpness〉 to the longsword.
Afterward, he visited the blacksmith to repair the bastard sword, bought two more daggers identical to his current one, and headed to the Adventurer’s Guild on the northern boulevard to register.
Perhaps due to his fame for hunting black wolves, adventurer registration was simple, and he received a shabby copper badge. After registering, Yuda and Tia ate nearby and visited the lord’s castle, thinking of arranging a meeting for a few days later.
Unexpectedly, the lord seemed to have been waiting, readily agreeing to meet. Hearing this from the castle guards, Yuda and Tia were promptly escorted to the reception room.
Not expecting to meet so soon, the two exchanged puzzled looks while awaiting the lord. The butler, mentioning that it might take a little while as the lord was attending to something, brought them some snacks and drinks. While they quietly chatted and nibbled on the snacks, the door opened and the lord entered. Yuda and Tia stood up from their seats and greeted him.
“No need for formalities. Have a seat.”
With a wry smile, he waved off the formalities and sat opposite them. A maid quickly entered, placing a fresh teacup before the lord and pouring tea.
“Sorry for coming late. Did you guys wait long?”
He spoke with a weary face. About twenty minutes, perhaps. It was a while, but how could they say so to his face? As Yuda started to say no, Tia spoke first.
“About twenty minutes, so yes, we waited a while, my lord.”
“Tia!”
“? What? It’s true.”
Yuda sighed at her bluntness, while the lord burst into laughter.
“Haha, my apologies, my lady. That honesty, I quite like it.”
“Don’t take offense. I’m not good at sugarcoating things like this.”
“It’s fine. Honesty isn’t a crime.”
Tia bowed, seeking understanding. In truth, even if someone is honest by nature, it's rare for anyone to speak like this to a Spirit Sword Bearer. Most people go out of their way to flatter them with kind words. But this kind of honesty actually worked in her favor and earned goodwill. As the pleasant conversation continued for a bit, the lord, seemingly pressed for time, got straight to the point.
“Now, our young hero…or, since you’re an adult now, should I call it just hero?”
“Call me whatever you like.”
“Then I’ll call you Yuda, like Sir Kaseun. His familiarity made me a bit jealous. Anyway, I thought you would come right after your coming-of-age ceremony, but you’re quite late. Visiting me means you’re leaving, right?”
Yuda nodded in response.
“Yes, I came to say goodbye before leaving.”
The lord gave a warm smile. Serenia Castle uniquely granted even commoners the freedom to leave. With enough money, anyone could depart, and adventurers or mercenaries could roam freely. Yet, most residents, tied to the castle for generations and aware of its livability, chose to stay. Those who left were rare, and none came personally to the lord. Even if they did, his busy role made meetings unlikely.
“I was going to come find you if you didn’t show up this week. Good timing.”
“Huh?”
Yuda feigned ignorance, widening his eyes. It was time for his reward. Glancing subtly, he refreshed the quest window.
「The Lord’s Request」
[Current number of black wolves hunted]
[Regular Wolves: 698]
[Leader Wolves: 5]
He had hunted a significant number of wolves. For this many, the lord would surely give a substantial reward. Yuda personally hoped for gold coins. The lord chuckled at Yuda’s feigned ignorance and stood.
“You seem to know what’s coming. Wait here a moment. I’ll fetch a reward for our hardworking hero.”
Intending to bring it himself, he left the reception room. Soon, he returned with a pouch hidden behind his back, placing it before Yuda. The clink suggested money. A considerable amount!
“I thought about what to give, and nothing beats money. Use this to buy what you need on your travels. With your hero-level skills, no lowlife would dare steal this much from you, right?”
At the lord’s words, Yuda gave a small laugh and opened the pouch. Gold coins gleamed brilliantly even in dim light. It looked about twenty, by his estimate. Plenty. More than enough. Yuda bowed to him.
“Thank you, my lord.”
“Thanks? It’s just a reward for your service to the castle. Oh, but I have a proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“Yes. Didn’t I say I was going to come find you?”
“…You did.”
Yuda replied with a reluctant expression, looking at him.
“You haven’t hunted black wolves much these past few months, right?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Oh, I’m not trying to question or blame you about it, so don’t worry. But, Yuda, perhaps because you’ve been absent, the black wolves are showing up again. Hunters have spotted them, and some have even died.”
A hunter had died? Despite that, there was no noticeable anxiety in Serenia Castle. Still, since the lord had said it himself, there was likely no falsehood in his words. Recalling the black wolves, a heavy mana emanated from him like a subtle perfume. His gentle phrasing belied the heavy air, unlike any fragrance.
“So, I plan to wipe them out completely this time.”
“Wipe them out?”
Yuda asked, surprised. The lord curled his lips, stroking his chin.
“Yes, a full extermination. Honestly, there’s no better opportunity. The black wolves’ numbers have dwindled over two years, and their attempts to move from the southern forest mean they’ve lost their turf war. We can focus solely on them without worrying about the white wolves.”
“May I ask how many will join the operation?”
The lord paused, then spoke.
“200 from the eastern guard, 200 from the northern guard. So 400 soldiers in total, plus ten knights. And Sir Kaseun has agreed to help.”
Yuda realized this force could exterminate the wolves without him. Honestly, the lord’s soldiers and knights weren’t even necessary. With a Spirit Sword Bearer Kaseun joining, he alone could slaughter any charging wolves.
A guaranteed-success extermination quest. But he recalled the game’s version wasn’t like this. It was a simple bulletin board quest: 「Defeat Requiem in the Eastern Forest. 0/1.」
‘Interesting.’
This world didn’t follow his memories exactly. Such variations existed. Honestly, this flow felt more natural.
“So, are you in?”
This was an opportunity. One he couldn’t miss.
“Yes, if Grandpa Kaseun’s joining, I’d actually ask to participate. But I won’t just be tagging along, will I?”
“Tagging along?”
Momentarily confused by the phrase, the lord widened his eyes, then burst into hearty laughter.
“Haha, what a fun expression. But no, that’s not it. Your presence alone will boost the soldiers’ morale, Yuda. Thanks for agreeing to join. The expedition starts the day after tomorrow at 7am. Don’t worry if you forget. I’ll send someone to your house.”
“My lord.”
Tia, watching from the side, opened her mouth. The lord’s gaze turned to her, and with an “ah,” he nodded in understanding.
“Of course, my lady, you may join if you wish. Sending Yuda alone might worry you.”
Tia bowed gratefully, appreciating that he had addressed her unspoken wish. The lord, smile intact, stood and extended his hand for a handshake. Yuda gladly took it.
“Then I’m counting on you. I need to prepare for the expedition.”
Bidding farewell to Tia and Yuda, he left the reception room. As he exited, a new quest appeared before Yuda’s eyes.
「The Lord’s Request 2」
[The black wolves, pushed out by the white wolves in a turf war in the southern forest, are attempting to migrate to the eastern forest.]
[However, your blade has blocked them, preventing any entry into the eastern forest for two years.]
[Though speechless beasts, their respect for the strong led them to insist on one-on-one duels, making this possible.]
[But, defeated by the white wolves, the black wolves have nowhere left to retreat.]
[The injured black wolf leader, 〈Requiem〉, leads the remaining pack, excluding scattered members, to enter the eastern forest.]
[Feeling threatened by the black wolves, Lord 〈Chapelin Piercen〉 is preparing their extermination.]
[You’ve earned the right to join this glorious operation—400 soldiers, 10 knights, and 1 Spirit Sword Bearer—due to your past deeds. Participate in this guaranteed victory to exterminate the black wolves.]
[However, one caution:]
[While respect for the strong is the black wolves’ pride, with the pack’s survival at stake, all but the leader will not honor duels.]
[Black Wolf Leader - Requiem 0/1]
[Black Wolf Leaders 0/80]
[Black Wolves 0/800]
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
***Author’s Note***
Alright, shall we have a fiery Friday tomorrow?
Oh, and for all you Tia fans, I’ve prepared a short, “non-racy” 16kb If side story. You’ll get to see it once Chapter 1-4 wraps up!
Comments