episode_0143

“… … .”

What is it?

What did I see?

From station protection using one-way traffic to long-distance protection.

Replay the scenery you just saw.

So, Lucia was in charge of the swamp troll.

Helena covered the monster with protection.

Conversely.

Vivian dropped magic there like a bomb.

Since the opponent is a tree, use fire magic.

It was hard to see because the fireballs were pouring down like a heavy rain, but magic was exploding under the monster tree.

‘It was Blaze Burst.’

It is a similar magic to Flame Strike.

The difference is that Blaze Burst leaves a flame where it explodes.

It’s a magic that Vivian learned recently, but she didn’t know she would be able to use it in real life.

“Wow… . That’s amazing. I was wondering what to do with that big thing. I never thought Helena would use such a method.”

Mercy was also impressed from the side.

“It certainly seemed like Helena suggested it first, right?”

“It was the same when I saw it.”

“Helena has changed a lot these days. Mmmmm.”

“It did change.”

Was the counseling I gave you last time effective?

Since then, it has grown steadily and unwaveringly.

In particular, it is the strongest of the three.

It almost makes me wonder if he will surpass me in physical strength sooner or later.

And there is another difference.

“Iaan-! We did it!”

Vivian waved her hand and hopped off.

“Oh… .”

Mercy gave a small exclamation.

Helena, who was next to Vivian, glanced at me, avoided my gaze, looked again, and waved.

Gradually, the water in the swamp subsided.

The water level, which was up to knee level, has decreased.

The black, charred monster tree was broken and distorted, and a platform rose as the debris was removed.

The moss-covered cylinder really suited the atmosphere of this place.

“Class B dungeon is 2 hours… .”

Compared to the official test dungeon, which had a complex structure and a hidden boss, this dungeon was relatively simple.

This time I also had my information.

So it’s not strange to clear it quickly.

Even so, it is too fast.

“How strong is this?”

“Well… . I have to say it’s unusual.”

Not long after becoming an official warrior, I completed a B-class dungeon on my own.

If it became known to the public, there would be an uproar.

“Ian! We did it again!”

Vivian held the magic stone and Odo came running too.

An orange B-grade magic stone.

“How do you feel? Did you enjoy it?”

Lucia asked.

“Of course. I was watching everything from when Lucia almost slipped and fell and then pretended like nothing had happened.”

“… You really saw it all.”

“Don’t worry, I saw you thoroughly mark the swamp troll to ensure that Vivian and Helena are safe.”

“Hmm. Of course.”

Lucia cleared her throat and shrugged her shoulders.

Helena felt hesitant for some reason.

It seems like he’s trying to see me, and it seems like he’s having a hard time seeing me.

Is it because you want to be praised too, but are embarrassed to ask for it openly?

“Helena.”

“Old… !”

“That strategy you showed me earlier, was it suggested by Helena?”

“That’s right!”

“That’s right. Helen told me. How about doing it like this?”

Vivian also helped from the side.

“Is that what Helena thought? Is it amazing?”

Lucia also playfully praised him from the side.

“Ha, ha, ha, ha… !”

“Good job. I’m surprised that you showed me more than I expected. I had no idea that you would apply the characteristics you acquired relatively recently like that.”

“Ha, uh, hmm… ! Okay, thank you!”

“You can smile honestly?”

“Trigram, it’s okay… !”

It doesn’t look okay.

“Did you have an earthquake at the corner of your mouth?”

“Ah, it, ah, no… !”

Helena held back her laughter until the end.

Are you a little embarrassed to smile brightly when people are watching from outside?

I’m old enough to care about such things.

I’m coming of age soon, but I’m still young.

I was about to leave, but I noticed something strange.

On Vivian’s chest.

“Vivian. Are you now able to wear that necklace?”

“Neeh? What is that… . Ouch!”

Vivian looked down at the necklace and was startled.

A small but blue energy was gathered in the center of the transparent jewel.

“Why is this happening? Since when has it been like this… ?”

“You didn’t know that?”

“Yes. I wasn’t paying attention at all.”

“I thought you learned it from Scarlett and used it.”

“Ugh, no. It seemed like it was telling me only strange things, but it had an effect… .”

I also know the content of Vivian’s class because I heard it.

You say you’ve been lying down and breathing for several days?

I think it’s meditation, but honestly, I don’t know if it’s really a valid training.

I just trusted Scarlett.

“I’m not the type of person to fool you with something like this.”

“Oh my? Ian, are you siding with that bitch?”

Lucia suddenly intervened.

“Rather than taking sides… .”

“You can’t do that.”

“Hmph… . It’s a class I wouldn’t have taken if it weren’t for Ian… .”

Vivian pouted her lips and grumbled.

Still, I feel good because the class has had an effect.

“Actually, I was talking about when I discovered a strange tree earlier. I was a little short on mana. I tried the breathing method I learned back then, and what can I say, I felt comfortable and settled.”

Vivian said, fiddling with the necklace.

“I guess it was because this was triggered. Thanks to Ian.”

Vivian laughed brightly.

Scarlett was the one who taught me the lesson, but I couldn’t say that at this time.

“I’m glad it worked.”

I went back through the dungeon.

As we got closer to the entrance, we could hear cheers from outside.

It’s probably like looking through a video mirror.

Vivian and Helena were already starting to get nervous.

“Wow-!”

Sure enough, as soon as I walked through the entrance, cheers hit my ears.

It seems like they are chanting the names of the warriors, but it is so loud that I can’t hear it well.

Charles, who had been waiting at the front, approached smiling.

“Thank you for your hard work. Thanks to the Count, all dungeons in the territory have disappeared. I think you can look forward to next year’s farming.”

“Well, isn’t farming something decided by heaven? Dungeons may arise again.”

“You have realistic insight.”

As expected, it’s a lot of praise.

“Ian! Ian! Ian!”

… what.

Now that I heard it, my name was among the names being called.

I looked around in confusion and saw Charles laughing.

“The Count’s status among the permanent residents here is greater than he thinks.”

“Hmm. Come to think of it, I heard there was a village near this dungeon.”

“Yes. This village has now disappeared due to the monsters that came out of the dungeon.”

Some onlookers were crying.

I didn’t really know why I was crying, but I think I understand now.

Perhaps they are survivors from the village here or relatives of the casualties.

Maybe it was because of the hope that I could finally use this territory properly.

“… what. It’s not bad.”

Charles just smiled happily.

*

“Ugh, uhhh… .”

The day I solved a B-level dungeon.

Helena lay on the bed, hugged the pillow and smiled sinisterly.

“Ugh, uhhh… .”

I was praised by Ian.

And that too because he was pointed out so blatantly!

I remember Ian looking at me.

The shining eyes and friendly tone were distorted, but that’s how Helena remembered it anyway.

-You did a great job. Every time I see Helena, who always goes beyond what I expected, my heart swells and I feel warm emotions. A genius that will never be seen again in this century is able to perfectly apply even the relatively recently acquired characteristics. Ah, what a contrast between the power of defeating the enemy and the silence of the posture of prayer. It is like the shape of a beautiful angel. Maybe I should buy Helena… .

“Ugh, uhhh!”

“Helena… ? What are you doing… .”

Lucia, awakened by the commotion, asked in a quiet voice.

“Ugh, uhhh… . Uhmmm… .”

Helena pretended it was sleep talk.

Lucia stood up, looked at her intently, and then lay down again.

“Why is it like that these days… .”

Helena didn’t hear that murmur.

*

“This way.”

I walked following Wolfgang’s guidance.

The atmosphere of the prison was desolate.

He said walking ahead.

“You’re famous these days.”

“Our warriors must be very skilled.”

“Simply outstanding? You say you have a good heart.”

It’s as they say.

Vivian, Helena, Lucia.

All three donated a portion of their profits to social welfare.

I didn’t suggest it first, it was something they did voluntarily.

“Ian, as the lord, is not easy either.”

“What is that… .”

I hesitated and blurted out the words, but Wolfgang chuckled.

“Here. They must have already arrived inside and are waiting.”

A sturdy wooden door.

I came here to see Penny.

It took quite some time.

Even though she was a common criminal and it was my request, it was difficult to reduce the sentence.

That too, a death row inmate.

But somehow, it was possible thanks to the efforts of Wolfgang and the imperial family.

In the meantime, I cleaned up the inside of the Manager’s Guild.

We have appointed personnel who can keep Penny in check to prevent her from doing anything foolish.

The way the guild works itself will not change much from before.

So, all Penny has to do is sit back and do what she used to do.

When I opened the door and went in, there was a skinny Penny sitting across from me.

Her blond hair, which had grown out arbitrarily, fell down to her shoulders and was matted.

It’s crumbly.

The faintly opened red eyes are powerless.

“Penny.”

She lifted her head weakly.

“… Ian.”

“I don’t talk too much.”

Before I start talking nonsense like before, let me get to the point.

“I will give you the opportunity to manage the Manager Guild on my behalf. If you promise not to do anything stupid and just listen to what I say, I’ll let you live. But if you get out of sight even once, you will be taken straight to the guillotine.”

Penny looked at me with bleary eyes.

There is no need to give yourself time to think.

“Did you understand?”

“… Yes.”

Penny nodded weakly.

“Let me check one last time. If you follow me, I guarantee your life and personal life. Instead, you must obey me only when it comes to work. You can refuse. To put it bluntly, I can manage the guild without you. I’m just suggesting you because you’re a better alternative out of all the options I could choose.”

“Willing.”

Penny slowly lowered her head without any hesitation.

“I will live for you… .”

The twisted fanaticism she had for me.

If it is available, use it.

Safety devices have been put in place.

He faced Wolfgang and nodded.

He untied Penny from the chair.

“Live a good life. Thank you Ian.”

“Yes… .”

I was seen off by the Wolf Gang all the way to the outside of the prison.

“It was quite an unreasonable request, but thank you for listening.”

“Nothing to say. If a problem arises, Ian will take responsibility.”

I ended up laughing at such a shameless statement.

“See you next time.”

I left Wolfgang behind and walked.

The sight of Penny walking side by side is beyond words.

Above all, what should we do about those arms that were cut off by Kylie?

“Hmm. I’ll do a lot of paperwork, so I’ll fit you a prosthetic hand.”

“Ian.”

“Why. If it’s useless, don’t say it.”

“… sorry. And, thank you.”

Penny bowed deeply once more.

“If you know, do well in the future. Because there are many eyes watching you.”

“Yes… .”

Just like that, Penny was released from prison.

***

Penny, whom Ian brought out, turned herself into a doll.

Even under the suffocating surveillance and gaze of Marie and other members of the guild, she remained aloof.

Since it was a doll that had lost its will, there was no reason to suffocate.

Thanks to this, Penny faithfully carried out Ian’s instructions and reported everything without fail.

Ian organized a new manager guild.

First of all, the training curriculum and menu provided were drastically reorganized.

The problem was the menu provided, but the guild’s budget was not enough to meet the amount Ian was seeking.

Ian had no intention of spending his fiefdom money there.

So, we created a system where warriors compete with each other.

After raising the fee for selling magic stones, you are graded based on how much money you make from magic stones each month.

Depending on the level, a portion of the amount collected as a fee is refunded.

There may be opposition from warriors with limited skills, but it was something worth enduring.

Above all, just having a basic curriculum was a benefit to all warriors.

The types of meals provided by restaurants are divided according to quantity and quality, and the higher the quality, the higher the price.

It didn’t all come from Ian’s head.

Charles, Marie, and even Penny actively contributed their opinions to complete the project.

Ian sat in his office and leafed through this month’s report.

Kati, who was sitting on my lap, was kneading my thigh.

“Hmm. Penny, you listen better than I thought. Marie does a good job too.”

The power of all mankind was rising safely.

“Ian, let’s go now. Time is almost up.”

Marie, who was resting on the sofa for a while after giving the report, said.

“Just read this and let’s go.”

“But you just have to receive the massage?”

Today was the day Ian visited the Manager’s Guild and demonstrated the massage method himself.

Massage was added to the services provided by the guild, but there was no one who could do that.

Therefore, he decided to visit the guild periodically to take massage classes, and today is the first day.

“Then what else does the recipient do?”

And, since there was no one worthy of being the representative, Marie took on that role.

“No, it’s just because it’s my first time doing something like that. I was wondering if there was something I should do.”

“Just lie down quietly, and if you want to lie down, just lie down and receive it… Evil!”

Katy suddenly bit Ian’s thigh.

“What, why are you putting that cute cat in such a shady place? Since when have you been there?”

“Don’t say anything strange. Because he came in on his own.”

Marie doesn’t know yet that the cat is Kati.

There are only a few people who know that.

‘of course. ‘It would be scary for me to reveal that this guy who was always suspiciously attached to me was actually the maid.’

“Anyway. Just stay calm.”

That day, Ian was hit in several places by Marie, who writhed and struggled, making strange noises every time she pressed on her body.

It didn’t hurt, but I realized one truth.

Marie said that her body was soft.

That was true.