episode_0044

000

The Adventurers’ Guild, where everything is explained by the modifier that it is always chaotic.

However, today, the degree of that chaos had increased by about twice as much compared to other times.

If you were to ask the reason, it would definitely be the exploration request of the `uncharted territory`.

According to the rules established by Luti Seons, the previous guild master.

It was forbidden for adventurers of the guild to accept requests and go there.

If they were veterans who had been adventurers since before that rule was established.

They already knew how dangerous the uncharted territory was from other victims.

Someday, a scholar from the academy came to the city to explore the uncharted territory of the living forest.

They hired 10 veteran adventurers and departed there.

Expecting a huge reward, and the honor of having pioneered a new area on their own.

They had set off on the adventure of a lifetime.

A week later.

Only one of them could return.

With things like plant stems growing all over their bodies and horribly twisted.

Their minds had already collapsed and could no longer recover.

No one knows what happened to that adventurer afterward.

There are people who say they went back to their hometown.

Despairing over their own ever-changing body.

There were rumors that they threw themselves into the fire and took their own lives.

If they were a normal human, seeing this, the fear of the uncharted territory would make it impossible for them to even imagine setting foot there.

But some of the adventurers are fools who risk their lives to enjoy such dangers and tension.

In the end, to stop such people, Luti used the authority of the guild master.

She decided to block all requests leading to the uncharted territory.

In the process, it seems there was a little bit of an argument with the academy or the royal family.

In the end, they also came to acknowledge Luti’s judgment.

Because they didn’t listen and sent their own investigation team and got the same results.

That was already years ago.

The adventurers at the time also thought that Luti’s judgment was correct.

Only the young adventurers who don’t know the tragedy of that time.

Why do you leave a place that people can’t conquer in a low-level area like the living forest?

Those who haven’t seen the appearance of the victims, which was like the product of human’s madness-filled imagination.

Everyone felt a little dissatisfaction.

A way to legally enter such uncharted territory had opened up.

Naturally, the young people full of competitive spirit were excited by the situation.

Even those who didn’t dislike Luti were in conflict after seeing the amount of the reward.

Cleon and his party predicted that only those who had been influenced by the returnee among the adventurers would accept this request.

It was a hopeful prediction that underestimated the recklessness of the adventurers too much.

Like a spreading madness, adventurers approaching one by one according to the instructions and taking the request.

The veterans try to stop their juniors.

If their seniors, who usually boast and preach to themselves, show such a weak side.

The juniors, seeing that, were further fueled by their competitive spirit.

Iona despaired.

She rushed to the guild as soon as she heard the story that the request had been issued.

But it was already too late for the situation.

In the end, she grabs one of the staff and talks.

“Please cancel the issuance of this request right now…! This request is a terrorist’s plot!”

The staff’s expression seems troubled by Iona’s rambling words.

“I, I’m sorry. This request was issued directly by the guild master, so the cancellation also requires her permission….”

“Where is Hughes Huseok right now?”

“Since giving us instructions to write the request in the morning, we haven’t seen him…. He seems to be out.

As a staff member of the guild, I cannot disobey the orders of my superior.”

Iona has no choice but to turn her body to the adventurers of the guild and speak.

“Everyone! It’s too dangerous to set foot in the uncharted territory now!”

Some of the adventurers turn their heads at Iona’s words.

They soon sneered and ignored her.

Iona, bearing the painful headache, approached the veteran adventurers this time to hear her story.

Among them, she saw the appearance of the magician and ranger who had been with the previous Eustes.

“Please, please persuade you all.”

Iona bows her head, but the veterans also had a dark expression.

Other than the use of force, they’ve already done what they could.

“Ugh…”

Chewing over her helplessness of not being able to do anything in this situation.

Iona was wondering what to do.

Even at this moment, the adventurers are leaving the guild one by one.

Then.

“Please listen. Adventurers!”

A voice spreading inside the guild building.

The adventurers who remained, as well as the staff, turn to that direction at the familiar voice.

There, the former guild master who had taken responsibility for the Albein incident had left the guild.

[Wind of Happiness] Luti Seons was standing.

“Lu, it’s Luti.”

“Could it be, she heard about the request?”

The adventurers are shaken by her appearance.

Seeing the eyes fixed on her, Luti takes a deep breath and then opens her mouth.

“Now, a danger like never before is approaching this guild. The current guild master, Marquis Hughes, is working with a dangerous organization, the `returnees`, and is trying to bring a great threat to the world.”

Although it’s Luti’s words, the adventurers had an expression that they couldn’t believe.

Luti points to Iona next to her and continues the story.

“The person here is Iona Chevalier, the daughter of the Sword Saint Talcheck, and a knight belonging to the royal information agency.”

“So, Sword Saint Talcheck…!?”

When Iona’s identity was revealed, some adventurers swallowed their saliva and were surprised.

“For the past few days, we have been helping Iona and Talcheck investigate the relationship between Marquis Hughes and the returnees, and finally, we have grasped their purpose.”

Iona seems to be unsure if it’s okay to say that far.

Luti continues her story without stopping.

“They are planning to summon an ancient monster beyond imagination in the living forest. This request is just a disguise for that.”

The adventurers’ murmuring voices grew louder.

The reactions are varied.

Some had faces that didn’t believe and others that would believe Luti.

“If you all go to the uncharted territory now, you will end up helping them. Please. Stop accepting the request and wait at the guild.”

Luti, bowing her waist, politely asks the adventurers.

But there were definitely adventurers who were against that.

“Luti. I don’t dislike you. But you are already an outsider. You don’t have the right to tell us what to do.”

“Y, yeah. And there is no solid evidence for your words.”

The atmosphere of agreeing with it spreads, mainly among young adventurers.

Soon, they pass Luti and try to leave the guild.

Luti, biting her lower lip, cursed her own oath that she couldn’t stop them.

“Wh, what?”

But then, the adventurers who were about to leave the guild stopped, flustered.

It was because of the presence of the `senior adventurers` who blocked the entrance and were holding weapons.

“Y, you guys. The use of weapons and magic inside the guild is prohibited.”

As one of the young adventurers protested, the ranger who was obsessed with money spoke.

“Of course, we will not use weapons. But if you can break through us without weapons. We will let you pass.”

“Ugh…”

Certainly, there were those among the rookies who were higher level than some of the veterans.

But the number was absolutely small.

To break through the veterans who had made up their minds, they also had to consider breaking or getting hurt somewhere.

If that happened, they wouldn’t be able to go to the uncharted territory, so it was a reversal of the original purpose.

“You guys. You believe these women’s words?”

“I don’t believe everything. But Luti is bowing her head and worrying about your lives. We can’t just stand by.”

Iona, seeing that, let out a sigh of relief.

Luti also seemed to feel that she was right to come, and smiled.

“Iona.”

Then, a voice quietly calling Iona.

There was Cleon, Rubera, who had arrived at the guild at some point.

And Lyla, who had followed Luti’s lead.

“Thank goodness. You are still at the guild.”

“Yes. If it hadn’t been like this, I might have gone to the forest myself to stop the returnees.”

“Stop that. They are targeting you.”

Iona tilted her head at Lyla’s words.

Then, Lyla explains that the returnees’ trump card they had guessed was Iona herself.

“That…”

“It’s a harsh story for you, but the Holy Sword has such a function. And that’s not something the Holy Sword’s ego can control, it’s a coercive phenomenon.”

Cleon nods at Lyla’s explanation.

“Iona. Stay with Talcheck. It will be safest by his side.”

“But…. As a knight of the kingdom, I can’t do nothing for the safety of the citizens…”

Iona clenches her fist as if she is frustrated.

But Rubera shook her head and said.

“No. The best way to make enemies difficult is not to hand you over to them. They won’t try to forcibly summon the absolute boundary if they don’t have a secure means.”

“… …”

At Rubera’s cold judgment of the situation, Iona nodded her head as if she had no choice.

But she had a slightly dark expression.

“…Father is a little strange. Even after hearing the returnees’ purpose, he doesn’t try to arrest Marquis Hughes because there is no evidence….”

“…Certainly, if the Sword Saint’s skills were enough, it wouldn’t be difficult to find and cut down the returnees already.”

Lyla seemed to be pondering something, listening to Iona’s words.

But soon, she changed the topic as if she had remembered something more important.

“Rather than that. We have to find the adventurers who have already departed for the uncharted territory and send them back to the city.”

“I see…. Before they fall into an irreversible situation….”

“No. Of course, that too, but.”

Lyla frowned and continued her story.

“The returnees didn’t make this request for the purpose of camouflage.”

“… …?”

Iona questions at Lyla’s words.

Lyla speaks with an expression as if she really loathed their own kind, the scholars.

“They are offerings. When the adventurers who entered the uncharted territory are killed by the dependents of the absolute boundary, their life force and mana are absorbed, and they are used to open the door for the absolute boundary to come.”

Iona’s eyes widen.

The returnees had a more evil intent in using such troublesome means.

Even though they could have hidden everything and acted.

Deliberately involving many humans.

It was for the purpose of confusing those who were trying to stop them, including Cleon.

And at the same time, to make their own purpose easier to achieve.

When they get to that point, even Lyla’s head started to hurt.

Everything they are reading is true and also may be a camouflage.

How far and what is Maxwell, a returnee, planning?

It’s a difficult thing to grasp the whole story.

But. The things they must do were clear.

“Me, Cleon, Rubera. The three of us will go to the uncharted territory and chase the returnees. Iona, stay with Talcheck.”

“…Understood. Please be careful.”

Iona nods.

And then, she leaves the guild building.

Lyla looked at Luti and said to Cleon.

“If a conflict may occur between the adventurers, let Kuon stay here to help Luti. Sasha is also dangerous to take to the forest since the hunter’s engraving is sealed.”

“Okay.”

Rubera asked her at Lyla’s instructions.

“Do you have any idea where the returnees are heading?”

“The deepest part of the uncharted territory. According to the book that Kuons saw, there is a huge cross-shaped cliff. The end is a deep hole that is considered to be connected to hell.”

Cleon, hearing that, nodded as if he understood.

“That’s where it connects to the dimensional gap.”

“Perhaps. It might also be the core where Shuradcell sends his energy to create the dependents.”

“Then. Do we just have to block that gap?”

Lyla was silent for a moment at Rubera’s words.

“Sorry. I still don’t know. Maybe, there’s no way to seal that place.”

“… …”

The two people are silent at Lyla’s words.

“Albein’s rampage was the trigger, and Shuradcell had already acquired the coordinates to come to this side. If the door opens, it will come right away. Even if it doesn’t, it will slowly approach the return.”

“…Then. Even without the intervention of the returnees, is it the story that the monster will appear someday?”

Cleon carefully nodded and looked at Lyla and quietly opened his mouth.

“The returnees know how to open the door, so they may know how to close it. Even if they don’t, it’s clear that we need to stop them.”

“I agree. Even if the result doesn’t change, we can’t do nothing.”

Rubera, watching that appearance, quietly opened her mouth.

“…It’s like, a hero. Both of you.”

The two people are stunned by Rubera’s pure impression.

“Wasn’t your original purpose to find the connection between Hughes and the returnees and inform the Sword Saint?”

“That….”

“But now you are acting with the single-minded idea of protecting this city and its people.”

Rubera had the expression of being surprised by the two.

Other than revenge, nothing really matters to her.

She is only lending and borrowing strength because it is possible to ruin Hughes’ plan.

“Well, I didn’t mean to tease you. It’s just a pure impression.”

“I know.”

Cleon answered.

He looks down at his hand.

The greatest hero and the worst hero he knows pass through his mind.

And then, shook his head.

“I can move to protect someone even if I’m not a hero.”

“… …Is that so.”

Rubera, saying that much, turned her body.

“Then, let’s go. We suffered last time because there was no human who could use flame magic directly….”

“I’m here this time, so it won’t be like that.”

Lyla’s confident attitude.

Cleon quietly erased his wandering thoughts, placing his hand on his magic sword.

001

“Hoo… Haa…!”

Eustes, trapped by the wall, is holding a sword.

Talcheck was smiling, seeing that the posture was slightly improved.

“I said you had no talent. But if you’ve improved that much in a day, you have potential.”

“…What’s, the difference…?”

To Eustes’s question, Talcheck opens his fingers and speaks.

“Talent is talent, as the word says. That’s what the geniuses often have. They learn in one try what others have to work 10 times, and master what has to be practiced 100 times.”

“Is there really such a guy?”

Talcheck shook his head, with a bitter smile.

“Potential is…”

“Potential is what someone who can repeat what others have to do once, 10 times, 100 times, 1000 times. In other words, it’s grit.”

“G, grit…?”

Talcheck laughs loudly and says.

“Yes. After all, a sword is, you see. The one who swings a lot, who slashes a lot, who gets slashed a lot is strong.”

“If you get slashed, you die!”

“Yes. But if you get slashed to not die, then everything becomes experience.”

“It’s, a mess….”

Seeing Eustes being at a loss, Talcheck said.

“Don’t you know? Yesterday, you were the one who would fall down after being hit once. But now, you are instinctively trying to move to avoid my attack from reaching where you shouldn’t be.”

“… …”

“Strength, stamina, endurance, reflexes, insight, of course, they are all important. But. You can train those yourself.”

Talcheck clenches his fist and shows it to Eustes.

“But. It’s not experience. If you can accumulate the experience of death through someone, you must learn it and make it your own.”

“…Next!”

Eustes quietly holds the sword with both hands and glares at Talcheck.

In his eyes, the seeds of desire for strength were popping out of the ground little by little.

Talcheck felt a little regretful.

He would have been more interesting if he had taught this guy more.

Now, time doesn’t remain much.