Ch.39Merchants’ Street (1)

“Uweeeeeeeck!”

Najin, who had been patting Roseline’s back, quickly stepped back a few paces. Dieta’s expression, who had called Roseline’s name, also crumpled as if she had bitten into a bug.

At the pinnacle of Cambria, City of Opportunity.

One of only five White-ranked adventurers in the city.

A few seconds passed that could severely damage that sparkling reputation. When the sound that testified to last night’s drinking frenzy finally stopped, Roseline wiped her mouth with a handkerchief she pulled from her pocket and rinsed her mouth with water.

“Whew, now I feel alive again.”

When Roseline raised her head, she looked completely refreshed. She patted her chest and kept exhaling with “whew” sounds.

“Oh, what? It’s the snake girl.”

Roseline tilted her head as she recognized Dieta, the girl who had called her name. Normally, these two wouldn’t even exchange greetings when they happened to make eye contact, instead just clicking their tongues as they passed each other.

In a way, it was a kind of mutual hatred.

And partly because they belonged to different organizations.

The mercenary group that sponsored Roseline was the “Garchea” trading company. It was one of the top two trading companies in Cambria, City of Opportunity, competing with Dieta’s company. Naturally, the relationship between the two companies wasn’t good.

It was impossible for Roseline to have a good relationship with Dieta, who was the head of Dieta’s trading company.

“I wonder whose family teaches the manners of calling someone a snake girl to their face? Did you not receive proper education? Red Eyes?”

“Seems like the lady who casually spouts hate speech isn’t much better than me.”

Dieta covered her mouth and smiled, while Roseline curled her lips as if asking what she was looking at. Then suddenly, Roseline noticed Dieta’s gaze shifting.

“Ah, I see.”

Roseline smiled.

Dieta was looking at Najin, who was standing one step away. He was the young man she had vouched for. She must have found it strange that he was with Roseline.

“Hey, Ivan.”

Roseline deliberately stretched out her arm and put it around Najin’s shoulders. Najin’s expression quickly soured, but he just sighed once and remained silent. After all, he needed Roseline to report to the Central Guild.

“Last night was fun. Want to have another drink sometime?”

“I’ll pass.”

Najin cut her off.

He had learned last night that Roseline’s “one drink” wasn’t literally just one drink.

“Let’s head inside now. I want to finish the report quickly and get something for my hangover. I know a good restaurant nearby, want to come?”

“I’ll think about it.”

“They have delicious meat soup there.”

Speaking loudly enough for Dieta to hear, Roseline hurried her steps. As she entered the Central Guild building with Najin, she glanced back. There stood Dieta, glaring at them.

Yellow eyes with bloodshot veins.

Looking at those eyes, Roseline sneered. Though Roseline didn’t say anything, Dieta could almost hear her voice:

Your sponsored adventurer was quite something.

“I see.”

Dieta burst into laughter.

Her lips were smiling, but her eyes weren’t smiling at all. Watching Roseline walk away with her arm around Najin’s shoulders, Dieta muttered:

“So that’s how you want to play it…?”

2.

The moment they stepped into the Guild.

“……”

A moment of silence fell over the guild that had been noisy with gathered adventurers and merchants, as if someone had poured cold water over them. In the silence, Najin could feel the gazes focused on him.

Countless eyes were directed at him.

At first, he thought it was because he had entered with Roseline, a White-ranked mercenary, but Najin soon realized that wasn’t the case. Their gazes were directed at him, not Roseline.

“That adventurer…”

“Judging by the black rank badge, it must be him.”

“The highest score ever in the Dotchenberg Forest Sweep…”

Whispering voices could be heard amid the silence.

The silence broke, and the guild hall filled with the murmuring voices of adventurers.

“The one who subjugated the Blood Troll…”

“Yes, I saw it myself.”

“The Blood Troll? His promotion is guaranteed then.”

His achievements in the Dotchenberg Forest Sweep.

Rumors about him had already spread throughout the guild. Well, some adventurers had returned early from the sweep. The rumors must have spread through them.

…Originally, the Dotchenberg Forest Sweep was a mission with such impact that it was called a debut stage for Blue-ranked adventurers and above who wanted to rise higher.

It was natural for adventurers to pay attention.

Moreover, it was inevitable that rumors would spread about how the all-time high score in the Dotchenberg Sweep had been broken, and by a Black-ranked adventurer at that. It was a shocking rumor with tremendous impact.

‘The gazes are quite piercing.’

-That’s what it means to draw attention.

Merlin said calmly.

-It’s also the weight you’ll have to bear from now on.

If he was determined to stand at the pinnacle, he would have to endure the weight of the gazes directed at him. That would be the burden that one who aspires to stand at the top must carry.

“…Isn’t that a lie?”

Of course.

“He must have used some trick. How is that possible?”

“I heard Dieta’s company vouched for him. He must be a talent they’ve been grooming. He started from a different point than us…”

Not all those voices and gazes were kind.

Those who hadn’t witnessed Najin’s achievements with their own eyes tried to belittle his accomplishments and deny his starting point. Despite those voices ringing in his ears, Najin’s expression didn’t change at all.

He had already heard these words countless times.

Not here, but in the underground city of Attman.

“Huff…”

Najin exhaled briefly and squared his shoulders.

There was no need to hunch over.

“That’s right. That’s it.”

Roseline, with her arm around Najin’s shoulders, muttered just loud enough for only Najin to hear.

“Voices you don’t need to mind or keep in your ears. There’s no need to look down, right?”

Roseline curled her lips upward.

As if pleased with Najin’s confident attitude, she patted his shoulder and moved toward the VIP counter of the guild. It was a counter reserved only for White-ranked adventurers.

Without needing to take a number and wait in line, it was a counter for those at the pinnacle who could report directly to the highest level of the Central Guild.

“Roseline, leader of the Red-Eyes mercenary group.”

From the moment she entered with Najin, Roseline’s expression and attitude changed dramatically. Not the neighborhood noona who had been drinking wildly last night… but Roseline Askarlo, the leader of Cambria’s largest mercenary group.

Najin watched her from the closest position.

* * *

The report itself was completed quickly.

What took time was Najin’s achievements in the Dotchenberg Forest Sweep and the part about subjugating the Blood Troll. The subjugation of the Blood Troll was accepted based on the monster materials that the mercenary group members had brought in carts early in the morning, but…

The adventurer who contributed the most to that subjugation.

The problem was that Najin, who had achieved what was essentially a solo subjugation, was a “Black-ranked” adventurer. If that was true, Najin’s promotion was inevitable after completing a Red-ranked mission.

“If you really can’t believe it, ask around among the adventurers who participated. They’ll all give you similar answers.”

However, the supervisor’s hesitation didn’t last long.

“I vouch for him. I, Roseline Askarlo, acknowledge this guy’s skills. What more do you need?”

Roseline Askarlo, called the pinnacle of the city, was vouching for Najin, and moreover, Najin demonstrated drawing sword energy in front of the guild supervisor responsible for promotions.

What Najin drew was still just a fragment of sword energy.

However, that alone was enough for the guild supervisor, who had seen countless adventurers over many years, to realize that Najin was infinitely close to the realm of Sword Expert.

“A promotion test won’t be necessary.”

The supervisor said briefly.

Originally, promotion to Blue rank and above involves scoring based on missions completed, client satisfaction and evaluations, and various other factors, with the supervisor determining promotion eligibility.

But Najin’s case was exceptional.

A Black-ranked adventurer who ranked first in the Dotchenberg Forest Sweep and subjugated the Red-level threat Blood Troll. It was an exceptional case, so the supervisor decided it was right to make an exception.

“Your badge.”

Najin handed his badge to the supervisor.

The supervisor walked somewhere and when he returned, he handed Najin a green badge.

Black, Purple, Blue, Green.

A three-tier promotion from Black to Green.

This was the first three-tier promotion since Capman Theosis, a ranger from the Tetzel Mountains who is currently a White-ranked adventurer. It truly was an exceptional promotion.

‘I didn’t expect to be promoted so quickly.’

Najin looked at the badge in his hand with a dazed expression. A Green-ranked badge. It was a rank worthy of being called a “high-level adventurer” in this city.

“Congratulations, kid.”

Roseline put her arm around Najin’s neck.

“From the looks of it, you’ll probably reach Red rank soon too? Considering your age, you’d be the youngest.”

Even with his fake identity of 28 years old, if he reached Red rank, he would be the youngest. That’s what Roseline was saying.

“It might take a while to reach White rank… but if you hit it within ten years, you’d still be almost the youngest? I became the youngest White-ranked at thirty-nine.”

39 years old. That was the age when Roseline reached Sword Seeker and attained White rank. Listening to her story, Najin replied briefly:

“I don’t think it will take that long.”

“Wow, look at this cheeky kid.”

Roseline chuckled.

“Well, good luck with that.”

Patting his back, Roseline walked out of the counter with Najin. He had entered as a Black-ranked adventurer, but came out wearing a Green-ranked badge.

The moment Najin came outside.

And the moment they confirmed the badge around his neck.

The eyes of the gathered adventurers widened. A Black-ranked adventurer had skipped Purple and Blue ranks and risen straight to Green rank. This young man, who until just a few days ago was an adventurer no one paid attention to… now everyone knows his name.

Through rumors, newspapers, and many other means, this young man’s name would spread throughout the city.

Green-ranked adventurer, Ivan.

Najin’s goal of making himself known was essentially achieved.

3.

A few days had passed since becoming a Green-ranked adventurer, and during that time, Najin had been quite busy. First, he moved from the cost-effective inn to a place closer to the Central Guild.

The monthly rent was several times more expensive, but he could afford it with plenty to spare. He had more than enough money.

Not only did he still have money left from completing Dieta’s request, but also the compensation from the Dotchenberg Forest Sweep and the bounty earned from subjugating the Blood Troll. It seemed he wouldn’t have to worry about money for a while.

‘Since I’ve earned some money.’

After finishing his usual morning training.

Najin muttered to himself as he washed his body with cold water.

‘Should I go get some equipment?’

-It’s definitely good to prepare armor and spare swords. Having potions and such wouldn’t hurt either, right?

Merlin agreed.

Najin had been too busy to leisurely go shopping. But now he had some free time, and his rank was high enough.

Green rank was classified as a high-level adventurer.

It meant he could now proudly enter the artisans’ district where Black-ranked adventurers couldn’t even set foot. Najin headed toward the artisans’ district in light clothing.

‘Alchemists, renowned blacksmiths, shops dealing with magical items, and so on…’

Najin was thinking of getting equipment this time. If not top-tier items, he at least needed minimal equipment. Najin thought it wouldn’t be bad to have a weapon or two that he could handle in case of emergency.

‘…Come to think of it.’

Najin looked at the sword attached to his waist.

The longsword forged by Old Man Hogel. From facing pursuers in the underground city, to dueling with Ivan, and even facing the Blood Troll.

To be honest, he was aware that he had been using the sword quite roughly. He thought it wouldn’t be strange if it broke at any time, but so far there were no noticeable flaws. He checked it every day while oiling the sword.

Still, there might be unseen flaws. If there were flaws, he could have it repaired, or if repair was impossible, it would be good to purchase a spare sword.

With such thoughts, Najin first visited a blacksmith shop. A blacksmith shop run by a renowned blacksmith in Cambria. It was a blacksmith shop sponsored by Dieta’s company, and it wasn’t difficult to visit with Dieta’s introduction.

The moment Najin showed his sword at the blacksmith shop he arrived at. The blacksmith, who was turning the sword this way and that, tilted his head.

“I need to call Old Man Hughes for this.”

The blacksmith who was examining Najin’s sword got up from his seat and walked to the depths of the shop with the sword. After a few minutes had passed.

“Hey, youngster.”

The old man who came with the blacksmith.

The old man called Hughes, the most skilled blacksmith in this city, held Najin’s longsword and asked:

“Where did you get this sword?”

“A blacksmith I know made it for me.”

“Nonsense. You must have picked it up somewhere or taken it from someone.”

Old Man Hughes frowned deeply.

“What blacksmith would make a sword supplied to the Knights of Atanga for a youngster like you?”

He ran his finger down the blade of the longsword and continued:

“You might fool others’ eyes, but you can’t fool mine. This is the work of a master craftsman. It’s the work of a blacksmith skilled enough to forge swords under contract with the Knights of Atanga. Not just anyone can make something like this.”

Master Craftsman.

A title given only to a few blacksmiths.

“If someone made it for you, tell me the name. Let’s hear who made this.”