Chapter 68

Ṛ​ė​аđ ȯո ΚɑṫŔ​ҽａⅾіɴｇＣаƒе

‘…What should I do?’

Cecilia pondered.

It had already been a week since she took on the quest to exterminate the monsters in the basement of Cryfel Castle.

Because it was a difficult quest, the rules required three parties to work together.

What if they broke the rules and only two parties went to exterminate the monsters?

‘We wouldn’t get paid.’

It would all be for nothing.

To receive payment, three parties had to cooperate and complete the quest.

But even after waiting for a week, they couldn’t gather three parties.

They were just waiting, even as their funds were running low.

Starting tomorrow, Cecilia’s party would have to worry about lodging expenses.

Her party members were getting impatient and suggested taking on other quests, but Cecilia didn’t listen.

Her goal wasn’t just about the money.

‘If I take them along…’

Cecilia looked at Lucy’s group.

Brian, Thomas, Lucy.

Exactly three people.

Zeke’s party had six, and Cecilia’s party had five…

Excluding Cecilia, that made thirteen.

‘Perfect…!’

Cecilia nodded.

She absolutely had to take them along.

“Then, Zeke, how about this? Your party takes half of the reward. The other half will be split between my party and theirs.”

When multiple parties cooperate to complete a quest, the reward is usually divided equally.

But not always.

Since each party’s strength varies, stronger parties sometimes take a larger share.

“No.”

Zeke shook his head.

“You want to bring along those rookies and only give me half? We’ll be doing all the work anyway. We’ll take 70%. You can split the rest however you want.”

“…”

Cecilia made a frustrated expression.

Taking 70%?

That meant the remaining 30% would have to be split between the two parties.

“…Fine. Let’s do that.”

But there was no other choice.

If they didn’t do this, the quest wouldn’t start.

For Cecilia, getting people into the basement of Cryfel Castle was more important than the money.

Cecilia looked at Brian.

“Is that okay with you? Zeke’s party takes 70% of the reward, and the remaining 30% is split between us.”

“What’s that?”

Brian said curtly.

“The reward should be divided fairly…”

“In return, you don’t have to do anything. Zeke’s party and mine will handle the monsters. You just have to come along and watch.”

“Even so, splitting 30% is…”

Just then.

Lucy tugged on Brian’s sleeve.

“Let’s do it.”

“…Huh? But Lucy, 30% is too little…”

“They said we don’t have to do anything.”

If they didn’t have to do anything, Lucy was all for it.

It meant she wouldn’t have to use her necromancer skills.

They could just go, watch, and earn some money.

“If Lucy says so, then fine.”

Brian looked at Cecilia.

“Alright. We’ll do it your way.”

“…Okay.”

Cecilia felt slightly bewildered.

‘Does the decision-making lie with that kid…?’

No matter how she looked at it, Lucy was just a kid.

If she were dressed extravagantly, Cecilia might have thought she was someone important, but Lucy looked completely ordinary.

From the outside, she seemed like a kid being taken care of by Brian and Thomas.

But Brian seemed to obey Lucy’s words.

‘…Weird.’

At any rate, they could now start the quest.

Cecilia looked at the receptionist.

“We’re good now, right? The parties are all gathered.”

“Ah, yes… I’ll register it for you.”

The quest would begin tonight.

Lucy’s group washed up and had a meal on the first floor of the inn.

Brian grumbled, clearly frustrated.

“Those guys are looking down on us too much. Telling us not to do anything. They’re treating us like fools.”

“…But we’re getting money for free.”

Thomas said calmly.

“And there won’t be any danger.”

“There wouldn’t be any danger anyway. We have Lucy. Lucy could easily take care of monsters.”

Just then, Lucy let out a short yelp.

Hon had bitten her finger.

While she was trying to feed him.

“…But if Lucy reveals her powers, it could be dangerous. Her being a witch might get exposed.”

“So what if it does? Lucy’s a good witch. If anyone tries to take her away, I won’t stand for it.”

“But you’re much wea—(ker than Lucy…_)”

Thomas stopped himself.

He couldn’t bring himself to say that his brother was much weaker.

“You’re… an adult, after all. So you should endure it.”

“Actually, I’m fine. I’m just mad that the guy looked down on Lucy.”

It was true.

That guy, Zeke, had looked down on Lucy.

Calling her a kid.

But Lucy didn’t seem to care.

She was just playing with Hon.

“People looking down on us is inevitable. Lucy looks like a kid to anyone… Even you tried to save her at first.”

“Hmm.”

“It’s not just Lucy. We’ll look like rookies too. We’ll have to endure it.”

“I guess.”

Brian nodded as if convinced.

“That’s how it is for now. But once we gain experience and make a name for ourselves, no one will look down on us.”

“Right.”

“Let’s work hard until then, Thomas. Let’s not forget this feeling and strive to become great monster hunters…”

“Pfft.”

Finn burst into laughter beside them.

Brian turned his gaze to Finn, who quickly waved her hands.

“Ah, sorry, I just thought of something funny…”

Finn was still twitching the corner of her mouth.

As if trying to hold back her laughter.

“I wasn’t laughing at you guys.”

“…”

“Cheer up. You can do it. You can become great monster hunters… Pfft, you’ll make it…”

Finn eventually covered her mouth and moved away.

Fluttering her wings, she flew over to where Hon was.

“…Anyway, Thomas, there’s one goal for this quest. You know what it is, right?”

“Yeah. No matter what happens, we protect Lucy.”

“Right. Lucy is strong, but she’s still a child. If we don’t protect her…”

“Pfft!”

Finn burst into laughter again from afar.

It was clear she was laughing at Brian and Thomas’s words.

Brian couldn’t hold back and shot up from his seat.

“That damn fairy!”

“Ah, sorry! You guys are just too funny!”

Finn giggled and flew away.

Brian chased after her.

“…”

Thomas quietly sighed.

◈

About three hours northeast of the city.

A fortress perched atop a steep hill.

It was Cryfel Castle.

300 years ago.

A woman named Cryfel lived here, and it was said that she performed rituals in the castle’s basement every night.

To gain eternal life.

“…It was a terrifying ritual. She would rip out the hearts of living humans and burn them. Screams never ceased in the basement of Cryfel Castle. 

Eventually, the holy knights raided the castle to capture her… but she had already vanished without a trace. No matter how much they searched the castle, they couldn’t find her. 

In the basement, they discovered countless skeletons. The remains of humans sacrificed in the rituals… 

After that, the castle was sealed off and has remained abandoned ever since. But you know what’s really scary?”

The man paused, and Lucy shrugged.

The man had been rambling about a story she wasn’t even curious about.

“Every night, screams can be heard from the castle… Horrifying screams, as if someone is wailing in agony… There’s clearly no one in the castle… Who could be screaming…? And where did Cryfel disappear to…? Did her ritual succeed…? If so, she might still be alive… Maybe that’s why monsters have been appearing around Cryfel Castle lately…”

The man paused for a moment before shouting.

“What if she’s returned!!”

“…”

It seemed like he was trying to scare Lucy.

Of course, Lucy showed no reaction.

She just stared at him blankly.

“Hmm… Not scared?”

The man made an awkward expression.

His name was Marco.

He was a member of Cecilia’s party.

On the way to Cryfel Castle, he had been telling Lucy scary stories.

He must have been bored.

“Ugh, who’d be scared by a story like that?”

Finn poked her head out from Lucy’s clothes and spoke.

“That’s the kind of story kids would find scary. Seriously. How lame. Tell us something actually interesting.”

“Something interesting? Hmm, let me think.”

Marco stroked his chin, deep in thought.

Meanwhile, Lucy noticed that her clothes were damp.

It was where Finn had been hiding.

‘Again…’

Despite her words, Finn must have been scared by Marco’s story.

Just then, Cecilia turned around from the front.

“Marco. Stop bothering the kid and come over here. We need to maintain formation.”

Marco made a disappointed face.

“Ah, I just thought of something interesting… Well, I’ll tell you on the way back after we complete the quest. Cecilia gets scary when she’s mad. Haha.”

Marco moved to the front.

As he disappeared, Finn looked up at Lucy.

“Lucy, it’s not true, right? That woman, Cryfel… She couldn’t have returned to the castle, right?”

Lucy quietly patted Finn’s head.

Even Lucy didn’t know.

But there was no need to worry.

If Cryfel had returned and posed a threat, they would just eliminate her.

Thud. Thud.

“…We’re here.”

Someone spoke from the front.

Lucy slowly raised her gaze.

Under the faint moonlight, a hill.

A massive building came into view.

It was Cryfel Castle.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
In typical isekai fashion, noob arrogant party dies, and the two noob parties fend for themselves and learn something!