Ch.163The Road to Maximus Gorge (2)

“Hmm. Peaceful indeed.”

“The weather’s starting to warm up now. In another month, we can shed our winter clothes.”

“Hmm.”

At Simon’s words, I briefly took off my coat.

It was chilly, but not the kind of cold that bites into your flesh. It felt like late autumn, so I put my coat back on.

“By the way, I’m surprised.”

Just as I was gauging the temperature, Felice suddenly addressed me.

“About what?”

“That you’re married, and that you’re leading your party quite well.”

“…Is that so surprising?”

“It’s completely different from how you were at Ortus. The little brat who lived with the ambition to destroy anyone who touched you has now become a proper man…”

“…That’s still the same, though?”

“…?”

I introduced the elf sisters to her.

They began exchanging a few words, and soon Felice returned to me and said:

“You really are insane.”

“What did they tell you?”

“I heard you’re the type who beats people’s heads until they burst.”

“They deserved it.”

“Deserving a beating isn’t the same as deserving death.”

“That’s why I didn’t kill them.”

“That… never mind.”

Felice seemed to think continuing our conversation was pointless and coldly cut it off.

Perhaps as a mage, she couldn’t understand the nature of rough battlers.

Simon also started intervening whenever I showed signs of getting angry, so this could be considered the natural disposition of mages.

Or perhaps it stemmed from extreme hypocrisy—the violence I use is acceptable, but the violence you use is not.

“By the way, was there a reason to leave the Faerun continent? There must be plenty of adventurer work there too?”

“Ah… I had my reasons.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve lived on the Faerun continent my whole life, but since I’m starting anew, it’s nice to make a fresh start on a different continent.”

“New wine in new wineskins, eh.”

“You could say that. What about you…?”

“Ah… we’re on a pilgrimage to the 52 Wonders of the World. We’ve already seen all the famous sites on the Faerun continent, so we’re heading to Maximus Canyon now.”

When I said that, she made an intriguing expression and replied:

“Really? Brings back memories. Feels like just yesterday I was visiting famous places to get my Archmage certification…”

“Huh. So you’ve done pilgrimages too?”

“I’ve seen all 52 Wonders. Took about three years? I traveled alone, and since my credentials were solid, I got to use various transportation methods. I wonder how long it will take you all.”

“I see…”

The 52 Wonders of the World live up to their name.

Having to travel across all 13 massive continents, the overwhelming time and cost of travel, and the dangers from monsters and human threats—it required time and capital that would make even decent nobles balk.

“After Maximus Canyon, we’ll be heading to the third continent.”

“The third continent… Meredia, then.”

I nodded.

I hadn’t expected to reach Meredia, the third continent, so quickly, but going faster was better than going slowly.

We had an elderly person in our group, and if we dawdled, we might lose our sage to old age.

“By the way… are those all your party members?”

“Why do you ask?”

When I questioned her, Felice took out two business cards from her bosom and handed them to me.

“What are these?”

“Dwarf brothers I know. Like you, they’ve been to Faerun and are now in Miriam. Who knows? Your party might grow.”

“Oho…”

I brightened my eyes and tucked the two dwarves’ business cards into my pocket.

Wouldn’t it be perfect to add dwarves to a party of humans and elves?

“But will they still be around?”

“They should be. They still have unfinished business.”

“Unfinished business?”

I knew about the characteristic stubbornness of the dwarf race.

It was academically established that dwarves were a race that repaid favors twofold and grudges tenfold.

“They’re probably still in prison. They’re obsessed with flames and explosions.”

“Flames and explosions?”

“Yes. The younger brother is a bomb maniac, and the older one is a pyromaniac.”

“Huh.”

Alcoholic elf twins and crazy dwarf brothers?

“Sounds good to me.”

“I knew you’d say that.”

After responding, I turned to Simon and started grinning.

“What? Why are you smiling so creepily?”

“Hehehe…”

“Hey now. Explain yourself!”

Trust me, Simon.

*

“Just rip out my spine already.”

Unfortunately, Simon’s reaction was negative.

“I’ll replace it with a good one.”

“Come on. That’s just a figure of speech. It’s hard enough taking care of these alcoholic elves, and now you want me to look after a pyromaniac and a bomb maniac too?”

“…”

Damn… when he puts it like that, it’s hard for me to argue.

Though I’m the party leader, my difficult personality meant Simon’s position in this party far exceeded that of a mere advisor.

He was almost like a co-leader…

“But they would be valuable assets. They can handle aura, and flames and explosions can cause significant damage to enemies.”

“Hmm… but flames and explosions are hard to control, and there’s a risk of friendly fire…”

“No matter how hot the flames get, they’re still below solar heat, and no matter how powerful the explosions, they’re still below solar flares. I’m a man who withstood the sun’s power with my bare body. Raisha also receives about half of the sun’s blessing, so she’ll be fine.”

The saying that husband and wife are one body isn’t just empty words.

Since I, blessed by the sun, married Raisha before the gods, a couple united under divine name could actually share each other’s blessings.

“Sigh…”

“And look at the equipment we’re wearing. It’s expensive enough to buy a decent house, and we need people to maintain and repair it. We can’t just get it fixed at the local blacksmith anymore.”

As I patiently persuaded Simon, he groaned and blew a raspberry.

Numbers provide a powerful advantage.

The saying “many hands make light work” exists for a reason.

Seven is better than five when facing more enemies or stronger foes—this was beyond common sense; it was a law.

“By Logos’ mercy… Fine! We’ll do as you say! But if those fellows try to disrupt the party’s order, I’ll discipline them myself!”

“That’s your right, Simon. I’ll help as much as I can, so don’t worry.”

When I made this bold promise, Simon’s expression softened slightly.

Perhaps he trusted me because I had a record of cracking down on members who tried to disrupt party order.

“Then can I shave their beards?”

“Get down.”

“Why! I was just asking.”

“Get down, damn it. You have no reason. Let’s establish discipline again before bringing in new party members.”

“Eeek!”

That day, the older pointy-ear had the precious experience of getting his head cracked with a bottle.

*

“What an interesting party.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“That’s not how I meant it…”

“Then twist it into a compliment.”

“…”

Felice looked at me as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

But what could she do about it? I was the party leader, and her name wasn’t on the Iron Walker party roster.

“Well… do as you please. It’s your party, not mine.”

“That’s what I’m doing.”

“Ugh. You never give an inch, do you?”

In truth, she had a point.

The variance among adventurers was so great that you could occasionally find a seven-year-old child and a seventy-year-old veteran in the same party, and the parties they formed always carried a constant risk of collapse.

The biggest reason was discord among party members, followed by money issues, and then personal relationships.

This problem accelerated especially when the party leader was young and weak while the members were old and strong.

Ultimately, among adventurers, authority came from rank, and power came from skill. So if you were a freshly promoted Water rank or a figurehead without real ability, being the party leader meant you had virtually no actual power.

Though I was young, I was an ultra-genius who reached Gold rank at just 17. Plus, right beside me was a sage over sixty years old, and the only human female was my wife.

The alcoholic elf twins had submitted to my iron fist, so there was no risk of party collapse except from external threats.

But this was only because things had worked out well in this special case.

If I weren’t insanely strong, if Raisha and I were just lukewarm, if Simon had a difficult personality, or if the elves tried to manipulate the party from behind the scenes, the Iron Walker party would instantly become the Iron Grave party.

Some might say I’m being pretentious about a mere party, but fierce internal strife over parties was everyday life for adventurers.

After all, adventuring requires both your life and wallet to remain intact.

Who was it that said:

When you have money, you have no time; when you have time, you have no money; and when you have both time and money, you no longer have youth…