EP.15 Conflict
If you want to read the fully translated chapters including the last chapter very cheaply. p(a)treon.com/Daoist02
"Oh yes, did you say that the reason you are going to 'Oulheim' was because of that battleground championship?"
The old man sitting in the leading carriage asked Cloud.
Oulheim is the capital of the Kingdom of Alitia and is famous for the fierce battleground championship that is held once in every four years.
As Cloud nodded, the old man shook his head with a sigh.
"Possessing the exploratory spirit of a youth is a good thing, but think again lad. Even if you're an A-class adventurer, that's not an easy place to survive. It is a hellhole where even S-class adventurers often die."
"I appreciate the concern of the elderly, but I have already made up my mind."
"Hey, let's think about it again. Haven't you achieved an A-class achievement at such an early age? How many greater achievements can you achieve if you hone your skills in the future? You have a tip-top bright future waiting right in front of you, do you really need to take such a risk?"
The old man's tone was sincere, he was genuinely worried about Cloud. From his point of view, he wanted to stop this young lad from taking a wrong route, he wanted to steer this young man to the right path who was of similar age to that of his grandson. After all, he couldn't just let him go to die.
But Cloud confuted with a grin.
"Old man, do you remember the story you told me earlier? That story about you running away from a well-to-do family and setting up an independent shopping mall business."
"Ummm… I remember…"
""
"At that time, you threw yourself into danger despite having all the luxuries one will deeply envy. As a result, you have now built a business that is much larger than the original family worth."
"Oh, you mean to say that I and you are the same? Boy, listen carefully, I sells things, and you use a sword, okay?"
"It's the same when it comes to an end. It's either dying of starvation because of business failure, or getting stabbed to death because of skill failure."
"Haah, don't say a word anymore. So…how about, in a way of showing respect to your elder, you will call quits on this absurd decision?"
"I don't even have an elder in my family, old man. If you're interested, you're welcome to try to become my step-grandfather."
"Crazy chap."
No matter who laughed first, the old man and Cloud together burst into fits of laughter.
The other escorts and hired adventurers, who were looking at them, looked envious.
Although the old man's shopping center business was not a shopping center chain that was famed all across the entire continent, it was still well-known in this area.
Moreover, this old man was not even a commoner.
Although he ran away from home, he was the second son of a Lord.
But a measly newly promoted A-class adventurer was freely joking around with such a person…
""
Some adventurers were blatantly jealous.
'Damn, I should have been at that position.'
'Even that old man is a big fool, what makes a guy like that so amazing? That face, teh, looks like a parasitic leech.'
However, the guards of the old man were around them, so they couldn't even mumble, just complained inside their mind.
Like that, their journey towards Oulheim continued. That was so, until dozens of people appeared and blocked the way up to the mountain pass. They were all armed.
"Are they bandits?"
"Stop."
The old man stopped Cloud from drawing his sword.
"Why are you stopping me?"
"I think you said it hasn't been a year since you became an adventurer? Then you mustn't know. It is customary to pay money in moderation when bandits block the route."
"Is that so?"
At the old man's words, Cloud nodded without questioning further. A merchant must have his merchant's law. As a hired adventurer, it was not his job to meddle in their affairs.
Instead, Cloud turned his gaze to the front.
A person who appeared to be the head of the bandit gang and a personnel of the shopping mall were having a conversation.
Maybe it's a negotiation on the toll amount, but…
Splash-!
Judging from the scene as the poor employee's head that was sent flying off, it seems that the negotiation didn't go well.
The faces of the old man as well as the guards and adventurers hardened.
The captain of the escorts, who commanded the guards, rode forward on his horse.
"Who is your representative?"
"It's me."
The man who just blew off a man's head stepped forward. It was a man with a hood on his head and a top off. The man's body was buffed with toned muscles.
"How should I address you?"
"Why bother calling me by a different name? Just call me Boss."
"All right. Why did you harm a member of our convoy who came to negotiate?"
"I told you to call me Boss, you punk. As for why did I kill him? Of course that bastard was trying to cheat on us."
"You mean he tried to cheat you? What kind of fraud did he commit for you to blow off his head all the way from his shoulders?"
"Of course, it's about our reasonable toll. Even if you try to negotiate, you have to negotiate moderately, and that with proper respect. 5000 gold toll for going up this far. Have you seen farts?"
"…how much do you want?"
"Everything in the wagons. If you give it to us, you all will save your lives."
"Everyone, in position!"
At the words of the escort captain, the guards and the adventurers drew out their weapons. The bandits around them stretched their arrows on the bow.
A tense pressure sparked between the two sides.
As if it wouldn't be strange if a fight broke out in the next second.
The escort captain warned the bandit leader.
"Are you sure you want to handle it like this?"
""
"Why wouldn't I be like this? I gave you guys a choice. It was you all who rejected it."
"Who gave you that order?"
The old man's voice sounded in.
He could easily point out that these dorks were no ordinary bandits, and that they had no intention of keeping the members of the convoy alive from the very beginning.
The bandit boss, the one who should now be called the leader of the assassins put on a surprised expression.
"Sure enough, not everyone can become the owner of a large shopping district."
"Take my life and everything in the wagon. Instead, I want others to live. Isn't anything other than that pointless killing?"
"Old Master, what are you saying?!"
"You be quiet!"
The old man ordered the captain of the guards.
On the other hand, the head of the assassins smiled bitterly.
"I wish I had someone like you as my employer. And I'm sorry, but I'll decline the offer. They've already seen our faces, how can they live?"
The assassins' leader raised his hand.
When that hand comes down, the fight will begin with the arrows raining downwards. Those who survive the arrows will be brutally murdered by those over fifty skilled assassins.
It was the time for the faces of those who had participated in this mission to became dark.
"Hey, old man, do you have any potions with you?"
Breaking the heavy silence, Cloud asked the worried old man. He had a flat tone that did not match the atmosphere, so the old man thought that he had heard it wrong.
"Potion?"
"You don't?"
"No, there is."
"Give me one."
"Um… I see."
The old man took out a glass bottle from his waist pocket and handed it to Cloud. Cloud looked at the color of the potion stored in the glass bottle.
Bright and bloody red with no impurities.
It was an advanced potion.
"Thank you."
He nodded once, opened the potion's lid, and poured half of it into his mouth. He drew his sword and slowly walked towards the head of assassins.
It looked so natural, and it was so ridiculous that everyone was unable to speak words.
"Heh wimp, what are you d…"
It was when the assassins' leader opened his mouth with a cruel smirk. Cloud spurred from his location and rushed at the head of the leader.
It happened in an instant, and the speed at which he spurred was damn too fast.
When the assassins came to their senses, Cloud was already close to the assassins' leader. They couldn't shoot their bow in this distance.
"What kind of crazy person is this?!"
The head of the assassins took out his sword and slashed at the front as it was. Cloud slit his back in the air as he leaned down.
However, Cloud's posture was not for dodging the attack.
Click-!
A human arm floated up in the air.
"Aaaagh! Shoot at this bloody f*cker, you sh!t heads!"
Even if he make a mistake once, he wouldn't dare to make it twice. At the command of the leader who was quick to move away, the shooters freely fired their arrows at Cloud without hesitation.
To which, Cloud threw his sword upwards, high in the air.
Then he leaped up and oscillated with his figure horizontally.
Shush-! Shush-! Shush-!
Arrows passed by his body.
But not all of them. Several arrows lodged themselves on his body.
Cloud, who landed on the floor, quickly fluttered away the arrows stuck on his body. After tilting his head to drink the opened high-grade potion, he spat out an empty potion bottle.
The moment the potion bottle fell on the floor, the sword thrown upward fell towards him.
Cloud reached out and caught the falling sword.
He immediately sprinted with his legs up on the rocks while gaining the momentum towards the shooters on the left.
Three seconds. There was not enough time to reload the arrows into the bow and aim again.
Reluctantly, the assassins had to throw away their bows and face Cloud with their swords.
"Your opponent is just one brat! Don't be afraid, kill him, kill him!"
At the moment the commander gave the command, the upper torso of an assassin who was at the very front slid down. Next, the shooters who rushed in had their legs cut off, and then their necks skewered.
Since the fifty assassins were split on both sides, the number of assassins Cloud had to deal with was roughly around twenty-five in number.
These twenty-five people sometimes decreased by one, and sometimes by two.
"What… what, this bastard…!"
The commander was also in deep shock.
'Those lousy pants said there would be some escorts and adventurers at best! Who is the bloody bastard who cheated us, son of a b!tch!'
"F*ck!"
The commander turned his back.
Dying minions will drag the time. In the meantime, if he runs away, he can survive…
Pak!
""
His body fell forward with a strong shock felt on his back. When he turned his neck, he saw an arrow embedded on his back.
Even in the midst of the melee, Cloud threw it accurately.
"Crazy… this monster bastard…"
The commander closed his eyes as he saw the head of the last remaining assassin of the left front flying off.
Shoo-! Shoo-! Shoo-! Shoo-!
The sound that pierced through the air.
Cloud timely pulled the headless corpse that was about to fall and covered himself.
Pak-! Pak-! Pak-!
Arrows, one after another, were blocked by the ready-made body shield.
Cloud threw the corpse with arrows struck like a porcupine to his side and shelled the daggers placed in between his fingers.
"Kghw!"
The shooters who were bustled by the daggers fell down with their bows slipping down their fingers.
Seeing this, the other shooters turned their backs and started to run away, taking turns at pushing their comrades who were hit by the daggers.
"Not even second-rate, barely third-rate. The standard has fallen nowadays, teh!"
Cloud spat out saliva mixed with dirt on the floor.
He sprinted across the ground and targeted the fleeing assassins.
He wasn't going to miss a single one today.
* * *
"Thank you, truly. Without you, everyone here would have died."
Before arriving in Oulheim and finishing his escort contract, the old man, named Stanley took my hand and thanked me.
"I just did what the contract asked me to do."
"No, no, you did a much, much better job than what the contract asked. If it wasn't for you, not only would I die, but also the business I had dedicated my whole life, to build it upto this stage would have collapse. My sons are still not good enough to take over."
"Hey, you do have wealth, old man, but sadly, not everyone has a child's fortune, ay."
"…That's what I mean. Hah, you little twerp… In my case, those idiots back at home only know how to fighting amongst themselves, if only those prats could stand shoulder to shoulder, all together…"
Tsk.
With his tongue stuck in annoyance, Stanley summoned the captain of his escorts.
"Bring me that sword."
"Old Master, you mean 'that' sword?"
"Is there any other sword I could be talking about?"
"…But, Master. Without any disrespect, if you do this, the young masters will question—"
"I will disqualify each one from heir's position who dares to question my decisions, so what are you worried about? Quick, just bring me that damn sword!"
Hearing the old man Stanley's blunt orders, the captain of the escorts bowed his head as if he had no choice and entered the carriage.
After a while, he brought along with him a long box.
"Have it. It's your deserving reward for saving me and my business."
"What is this?"
"Hoho, open it."
At the command of the old man, another guard came to open the box.
Inside the box was a well polished sword.
It looked expensive at first glance as it was gold plated with an elegant pattern engraved on the sword's blade going all the way down to the handle.
"One of the treasured swords of our family. I took it with me when I ran away. Originally, I was going to give it to one of my sons, but now, I will give it to you."
"Is it okay for me to accept this? Wouldn't your dissatisfied sons be hiring assassins to retrieve this swords later on?"
"Hahahaha! It could be. But looking at your skills today, I think it doesn't look like you're going to be assassinated no matter what. So I'm giving it to you without any worries."
"Hmm… Then I'm grateful for this wonderful gift."
'Actually, you could have just given me some money bags.'
With a regretful heart, I received the sword and put it on my waist.
"Yes, yes. I'm glad you accepted it. I don't know why a person like you is staying on an A-class grade, but there must be some reason behind it. But I have no doubt that one day you will spread your fame throughout the continent. I think it would be really a proud moment if you hold the sword I gave you at that time."
"I will try to make that happen."
"Mmm."
The old man nodded his head with a content expression.
For some reason, I felt if this kept on going, I would be later pulled along to his house to stay. I decided to cut it short and get going.
"Then… I already got the remaining share of my quest reward before, so I'll take my leave."
"Oh, of course. I must have taken too much of your time. Come on, have fun. If you want to participate in the battle, you also need to take good rest."
"Um, indeed."
I lightly bowed my head once, turned my back, and left.
Behind the scenes, I could hear old man Stanley talking something with his guards but I lowered my sight once more and wandered the streets looking for an inn.
"I think it's better here."
On a shabby street, I went into an inn with a decent structure. The noisy interior of the inn was quietened at a moment's notice. All their eyes were on me.
I didn't want to pay attention to it because it had already happened sometimes, but their gazes lingered on longer than I thought.
But not on me, but on the expensive looking sword that was strapped to my waist.
I roughly sat down and asked the waitress for the menu.
"What do you have best here?"
"Everything is delicious, but the tomatoes are very fresh today. So, I would recommend the tomato soup."
"Then give me one serving."
The waitress took the order and went back to the kitchen.
As soon as she left, gathered around me four or five nasty looking guys. Of course, their waist was housing some large sword like cleavers.
"Brother, is this your first time coming to Oulheim?"
One asked, putting his hand on the table.
"How did you know?"
"One can guess it just by looking at you. No one around here carries such expensive things on themselves."
Expensive things, huh
More appropriately, it's too expensive for you to hold it.
The only expensive thing I have with me is the sword I just got today.
"So what do you want to say?"
"So, it's like this. Here in Oulheim, there is an old custom."
"Custom?"
"Yup. It's a no-brainer routine that must be followed. The first visitor to Oulheim must give a present to the very first person he or she has spoken to, no matter what."
I could hear giggles and sneers finding it's way from all around the hall. Either way, the guy looked at me with a serious expression and said.
"I would like to receive a gift as a part of fulfilling the custom."
"I didn't know there was such a custom. So, what would you like to receive?"
The man smiled and stretched out his hand.
"Haha, you are such a nice chap! As it's just me who wants to make a friend who I can communicate with! I don't want anything much. If it's just that sword hanging on your waist…"
Stash-!
The guy's hand that stretched out for my waist was chopped off. He blankly stared at the cross-section of his severed arm.
Did he come back to his senses only after seeing the blood that pumped up like a fountain?
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!"
—and he screamed.
'Oh, this is sharper than I thought?'
I was going to sell it right away, but I'll have a change of mind now.
I will use it and then sell it.
With that thought, I picked up the hand of the man who had fallen on his knees.
"I just picked this up, but it seems very important to you? I'll give it to you as a gift. You don't have to thank me. It's just customary."
With a humble expression on my face, I threw the hand at the bawling man.
The remaining four, who had a stupid expression on their faces, had their expressions distorted.
"You f*cker, have you gone crazy?"
"You wanna to die, you son of a b!tch?!"
The remaining four drew out their swords.
I was already tired from coming all the way from the Kingdom of Prona to the Kingdom of Alitia, so I was going to finish it quickly and take a nice rest…
Thak-!
When she appeared again, that waitress who locked the inn's door.
At the same time, the other guests in the inn stood up one by one and drew out their weapons.
Even I was a little amazed at the sight.
'Is this Alitia, the Kingdom of crime and nightlife?'
If that's the case, don't I have to get a little serious for this?
Holy f*ck!
This's awesome!
If you want to read the fully translated chapters including the last chapter very cheaply. p(a)treon.com/Daoist02