LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 27
Chapter 27
I frowned as I examined the message that had appeared before me once more.
—
[‘Quick Slot’ Acquisition Opportunity.]
[‘Kill Hyerin’ quest has been accepted.]
—
A message telling me to kill Hyerin and obtain the Quick Slot.
‘A quest… It’s similar in meaning to a mission, isn’t it?’
Rubbing my temples, I asked Hyerin, “How do you abandon a quest?”
“…Why the sudden question? I’ve never taken a quest before, but if you can’t open the quest window, you probably can’t abandon it, right?”
Hyerin didn’t seem to know either.
I pretended not to notice the ominous red glow around Hyerin’s body, maintaining my calm as I thought it through.
‘Killing Hyerin to get the Quick Slot would be idiotic. I’d lose both a trustworthy mage and a former hero as an informant.’
Emotionally and logically, there was no reason to kill Hyerin. However, even though I’d decided to stick with her, one worry remained.
‘Am I the only one who’s received this “Kill Hyerin” quest? What if the other heroes have gotten it too?’
As I pondered this deeply, Hyerin scooted closer, closing the distance between us, and asked, “What’s going on? Did you find something about quests in the Imperial intel?”
She was so close that our arms nearly touched.
I sighed at her complete lack of wariness and asked, “If you have the Quick Slot, does that mean you can use magic without calculating elemental coordinates?”
“Yeah. As long as my stats are sufficient.”
“…Stats? Does that mean you’ve quantified your calculation ability?”
“Exactly. For magic, you need intelligence and mental strength. For that ‘three-step thrust’ you did earlier, you’d need strength and agility. Since my stats aren’t high enough, I couldn’t do much damage.”
So the Quick Slot wasn’t omnipotent. It could mimic actions, but if her stats were lacking, she couldn’t fully utilize their power.
‘She said “damage,” so that must refer to the attack’s power.’
Becoming more accustomed to the terminology of the heroes, I turned to Hyerin, who suddenly looked frail, and spoke seriously.
“Stay on your guard and always be ready to use teleportation.”
“…I’m not sure what’s going on, but it’s already too late.”
“What do you mean it’s too late?”
“I only have 8 mana stacks left. I can’t teleport right now. I’ll be able to use it tomorrow, though.”
Right, she had mentioned earlier that teleportation required 12 mana stacks.
Recalling the supplies carried by the Imperial mages on the battlefield, I turned toward the busiest part of the town.
“Follow me.”
“Where are we going?”
“To buy some blue potions.”
I began browsing through the merchandise displayed on the shelves, searching for blue potions—military supplies known to restore the focus and mental energy of mages.
“W-wait, we shouldn’t buy those…”
“Two of those,” I told the merchant, ignoring Hyerin’s attempt to stop me. I handed over the gold coins.
I bought two blue potions.
“Here you go.”
As I stashed the potions into my pouch, Hyerin whispered frantically, “Quick, return them! Get a refund!”
“Why?”
“Are you serious? There’s no way blue potions could be that cheap! This is definitely a scam!”
I had an idea of what she was getting at. The blue potions I bought were half the price they were in other regions.
“It does seem odd.”
“Right? There’s no way they should be that cheap…”
Even though all the nearby merchants were selling them at a similar price, I was curious about the reason behind it.
“Why did the price of blue potions suddenly go up?”
Despite Hyerin’s claims that the price was too low, the potions were still more expensive than I’d expected.
The merchant answered nonchalantly, “…It’s the same everywhere. It’s not easy to get World Tree leaves these days.”
“That’s strange. It shouldn’t be hard to get World Tree leaves here in Walker.”
“Funny, but true. I heard some rich maniac bought up all the World Tree leaves at double the market price. What a joke.”
So someone knew the supply of World Tree leaves was going to be disrupted and decided to stockpile them.
After asking the merchant about the general situation in Walker, I handed one of the blue potions to Hyerin and said, “Drink one now and keep the other for later.”
She looked at me suspiciously.
Hesitant, as if unsure whether it was safe, she finally gulped it down.
“…Huh. It’s the real thing.”
A faint blue glow confirmed that the blue potion was genuine.
“Still, why was it so cheap? It’s half the price of what I paid at the Tower…”
Even at an inflated price, it was still half of what it cost in other regions.
I casually explained the reason. “Do you know the main ingredient in blue potions?”
“…World Tree leaves, right?”
“And the source of those World Tree leaves is right here in Walker.”
When exposed to the mana in the air, World Tree leaves quickly lose their potency, so they need to be magically preserved for transport.
But since Walker was the place where they were harvested, there were no extra costs for magical preservation.
“But isn’t the World Tree in the Spirit Forest?”
“The Spirit Forest is part of the Walker region.”
“Wait, but isn’t that the druids’ land? I thought druids hated humans and were impossible to deal with.”
“…I’m not sure what you mean by ‘impossible,’ but even if they hate humans, they have no choice but to trade with the Walker family.”
“Why?”
“Because the ancestors of the druids and the Walker family made such an agreement. That’s why the Walker region became a place no one could take lightly.”
World Tree leaves weren’t just used in blue potions; they were also essential for healing, rituals, and the crafting of high-end equipment and magical tools.
“Are World Tree leaves really that important?”
I chuckled at Hyerin, who seemed to understand only half of the value, and pointed toward something.
“Do you know why there are so many mercenaries in Walker?”
This strange region, where mercenaries outnumbered the local residents.
Hyerin scratched her head as she observed the passing mercenaries.
“…No clue. Is it because there’s a lot of work?”
“That’s right. Maintaining public order, dealing with nearby monsters, constructing and demolishing buildings, and most importantly, transporting World Tree leaves. Mercenaries handle the majority of the work here.”
Hyerin nodded, making an “ah” sound as she understood.
“Oh, that’s why there are so many inns and carriages around.”
Every step we took revealed another inn, another carriage, and even adventurers’ guilds coordinating jobs.
After I explained how the economy of Walker revolved around the mercenaries, Hyerin tilted her head, still puzzled.
“But… is that sustainable?”
“What do you mean?”
“…Aren’t mercenaries the type to leave whenever they want? What happens if something big happens, and all the mercenaries just up and leave? Wouldn’t the whole region collapse?”
Her sharp observation hit the nail on the head. I chuckled and responded.
“That’s exactly why we’re here. The Walker family may no longer be able to secure the World Tree leaves.”
“…Wait, really? Isn’t that… kind of a big deal?”
The mercenaries’ main duties were escorting the transport of World Tree leaves and hunting down monsters.
If Walker could no longer trade World Tree leaves, it would mean most of the mercenaries’ work would vanish as well.
“The Walker lord’s position will be on the line. So yes, it’s a pretty big deal.”
It was Walker’s crisis, but it was also my opportunity.
—
After settling into a nearby inn, we regrouped after changing clothes.
I was dressed as a wandering knight, while Hyerin wore the uniform of an Imperial apprentice mage. She glanced around and spoke.
“So, we’re going to the Spirit Forest to join a large-scale monster extermination, right?”
“Technically, we’re going for the interview to be assigned to that operation.”
“Right, whatever! …But how is this related to Lee Hyun-seok?”
I had told her we needed to draw attention to Lee Hyun-seok to keep the Imperial Palace from focusing on us. But my point had been a bit more nuanced than that.
“It doesn’t have to be all about Lee Hyun-seok. The real goal is to escape the palace’s radar.”
“So, this place has nothing to do with Lee Hyun-seok?”
“No, it’s confirmed that there’s a connection between Lee Hyun-seok and the Walker family. But Lee Hyun-seok is just a means to an end, not the goal.”
I could either use Lee Hyun-seok or leverage the Walker family to build the strength needed to oppose the Imperial Palace.
Either way, my objective was to grab whichever opportunity came first, whether it was Lee Hyun-seok or the Walker family. However, Hyerin didn’t seem to fully understand.
“Ugh, I don’t get it. Anyway, we just need to pass the interview and join the monster extermination, right?”
“We can’t just participate as regular mercenaries. We need to be at least at the level of a commander.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll just pretend to chant some spells and throw out some fire, and I’m sure they’ll pass me. I’m off.”
Hyerin walked off and joined a short line of candidates.
Among the mages cloaked in dark robes, she stood out brightly in her Imperial apprentice mage uniform.
‘The problem is on my end.’
I sighed lightly as I joined the long, winding line.
The queue was filled with veteran mercenaries, people who looked like former knights, and most notably, noblemen who had hired highly skilled swordsmen to represent them.
‘If I can’t pass right away, I’ll have to settle for being assigned as a regular mercenary or private soldier.’
I didn’t expect to succeed on the first try.
The competition wasn’t just about skill; many of the candidates had a financial edge as well.
‘That guy has a Red Dragon’s Ring… Ridiculous.’
An absurdly expensive magical artifact.
The ring on one candidate’s finger was worth more than a commoner’s entire lifetime of living expenses.
‘If swordsmanship doesn’t work, I can always use my knowledge to get in.’
Whether I passed this time or in my next life using Save, I had multiple approaches in mind.
As I considered my various options, I overheard a commotion from the front of the line.
“A-a demon! You’re saying you fought a demon in battle?”
“That’s right. I fought for over an hour but couldn’t settle the score.”
Following the voice, I saw an old man with scar-covered arms holding out a horn the size of a fist.
A demon’s horn.
The knight examining it gasped in awe and stared at the old man.
“Truly incredible… It’s a demon’s horn.”
The knight glanced at his comrades, exchanging looks. All of them nodded, as if agreeing to something.
The knight’s expression changed as he asked, “Which division do you want to join?”
“I want to stay in Walker after this mission is over and protect the people.”
“Understood. You’ve passed. Go over there for further instructions.”
The old man, who had a jet-black sword strapped to his waist, crossed his arms behind his back and walked toward the knight giving directions.
Several people in the line sighed heavily.
“…Man, first it was an ogre, and now a demon?”
“I thought I had a shot, but there’s no way. I’ll have to settle for being a mercenary…”
Disheartened men left the line, causing it to shorten rapidly. Before I knew it, it was my turn.
“Have you filled out an application?” asked the man in charge.
“No.”
The man looked me up and down before asking, “Alright then. What’s the greatest achievement you’ve accomplished in your life? It doesn’t have to be related to combat—anything noteworthy will do.”
The greatest achievement of my life…
In a calm voice, I answered, “I fought in the War of Black and Demons.”
“…Could you repeat that?”
“I fought on the front lines during the War of Black and Demons.”
A hush fell over the surroundings as my low voice caught everyone’s attention.
“Hah… Hahaha.”
The silence was broken by someone shaking with laughter.
“Ahahahaha!”
The man in front of me burst out laughing, and soon, the entire area was filled with laughter.
“Did you hear that? He says he was on the front lines during the War of Black and Demons!”
“Wow! Does that mean we’re alive today thanks to him? Maybe we should stop saving for drinks and start planning how to thank him properly?”
“Hahaha! Seriously, the kind of guys you see in these places…”
The knight standing in front of me chuckled in disbelief and jerked his chin toward the exit.
“Next candidate!”
I hadn’t expected to pass easily, but I didn’t think they wouldn’t even believe a simple fact.
Sighing lightly at the man’s dismissal, I reached for the hilt of my sword.
“Huh… You’re not leaving?”
“Did you not understand when I said you weren’t welcome here?”
“Acting tough when you’re not even gonna get in…”
My white sword gleamed as it slid from its scabbard, reflecting the light around it.
“Wh-what the!”
The atmosphere shifted.
The knight who had been casually lounging now stood up in shock, while the other candidates took a step back.
‘This much space should be enough.’
Using the tip of my sword as a brush, I began drawing in the air.
The movement of the blade created an arc like a wave crashing toward the sky.
In an instant, the motion descended sharply, crashing into the ground with the force of a wave breaking into a spray of water.
This was the swordsmanship of the swordmaster, a technique I had practiced tens of thousands of times in the hopes of becoming a knight.
“Do you need to see more?”
As I completed the technique and sheathed my sword with perfect precision, the knight swallowed nervously and spoke.
“Wh-which division do you wish to join…?”
I replied calmly, “I’d like to remain in the service of the Walker family after this operation.”
The knight nodded quickly, signaling toward the back.
“…Go inside for further instructions.”
As I turned toward the entrance, the crowd instinctively stepped back, giving me a wide berth.
Even though I walked as casually as possible, I couldn’t help but laugh internally.
‘…Why did that work?’
Of all the people there, I was the most shocked that I had successfully executed the swordmaster’s technique.
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