Chapter 10 The Guilds Legacy
*Ding*
What was that?
As soon as the last of the slime’s flesh had dissipated, I heard an extremely familiar sound.
“Status!”
<Status>
<Tetsu Tagami>
[Lv. 1 -> 5]
[Race: Human]
[HP: 27/100 -> 27/140]
[MP: 78/150 -> 78/170]
[Str: 8 -> 14]
[Agi: 6 -> 10]
[MA: 9 -> 15]
[Luk: ??? -> ???]
[Available Skill Points: 0 -> 4]
<Passive Skills>
[Sword Mastery: 1/10]
[Dagger Mastery: 1/10 -> 4/10]
[Muscle Mastery: 6/10 -> 7/10]
<Active Skills>
[(NEW!) Analyze: 1/10]
[(NEW!) Magic Edge: 1/10 -> 2/10]
<Titles>
[Living Zombie]
[Otherworldly Traveler]
[???]
[Slime Slayer]
Just as I thought, the familiar sound was exactly the same from Project Iris Online. It was the ringing sound notifying the player that they’ve leveled up.
My level had jumped from one all the way to five from killing that slime. Do boss monsters give that much experience? Or was that particular monster high leveled? The status screen didn’t display the amount of experience necessary to level up either, so in the end, the question was left unknown.
Upon looking at my stats, I noticed the odd question marks under my luck stat and under titles. Besides the average looking stats, it seemed like my mastery over skills had significantly increased. Muscle Mastery was almost at max. I hadn’t been using my mithril dagger for very long either, and yet it already reached level four. Not to mention Magic Edge has already gained a level as well, even though I had just obtained it not too long ago.
No matter how I thought about it, the rise in skill levels was too abnormal. Was it the effect of a title? Or possibly my luck stat?
To begin with, do titles even give bonuses?
“Analyze title, Living Zombie”
[Living Zombie]
[One who has lived the lifestyle of a zombie.]
[Effect : Fatigue builds up slower at night]
………Well… it’s not like the description is wrong you know… but the effect it grants, that’s extremely useful. Thinking back during my Project Iris Online days, I would always stay up late grinding.
“Analyze, Otherworldly Traveler”
[Otherworldly Traveler][One who has jumped through dimensions, arriving in another world.]
[Effect : Nothing.]
Just reading the title name is obvious enough, but to grant nothing?!! What a useless title!
“Analyze, Slime Slayer”
[Slime Slayer][Kill a Mimic Slime.]
[Effect : Slime’s will attack you more often.]
...As long as they aren’t Mimic Slimes...
“Analyze, ???”
[???][???]
[Effect : ???]
Figures it would be like that, but it doesn’t hurt to try.
“Hah…”
Letting out a sigh of relief, I touch my broken arm checking it’s condition.
Painful. I wasn’t able to move anything below my elbow.
Getting up I quickly try to store the large slime broken slime core as proof of its subjugation. I store it the same way I do with my mithril dagger. No matter how often I experience it, it’s surprising to see a small bag store something much bigger than it.
“Now then…”
Turning around, I pull my sight towards the girl.
I let my broken arm hang as I walk towards the girl lying face down on the grass.
She’s breathing heavily, but she seems ok.
“Hey… are you alright?...”
No response from her motionless body. As pointless as it may seem, you never know if someone’s actually unconscious… I’ve had friends play those kinds of pranks on me…
Turning her over, I check her body for any major injuries as I touch various parts of her body.
It’s not as if I’m a hungry wolf looking to attack a young unsuspecting maiden you know! She still looks relatively young. She’s probably about as young as a person in middle school. Girls that have just hit puberty, I don’t particularly have any interest in them.
I wasn’t able to get a good look at her before, but despite a few dirt stains smudged on her legs and arms, she looks really pretty, almost like a doll. Beautiful face, although the hair seems unkempt, and looks it has unnaturally faded in color just as her clothes. The clothes itself has various patches here and there. It’s very worn out. Looking at her body as a whole, it’s slightly thinner than a normal person. Although she has many beautiful features, she has signs of malnourishment.
Other than being somewhat thin, she doesn’t have any major injuries. A few cuts and bruises on the skin of her legs and arms. Underneath the slightly dirty surface of her skin, was the color of snow white with tinges of pink here and there, indicating she wasn’t pale from any kind of bad habits like how I was until just recently.
Touching her forehead, it was slightly hot to the touch. Considering she had been using magic until she fainted, it’s highly likely she’s experiencing mana exhaustion. Hmm, I’ve read about it often in novels, but to see the actual thing. I’ll be sure to take note of this for later.
But, the question is, what am I going to do about this girl? I hate to say it, but in my current exhausted state, I don’t have the energy to carry her with one arm.
While contemplating to myself, someone had approached from behind and placed their hand on my shoulder.
“Good Work”
I knew exactly whose voice that was.
I turned around and verified it with my eyes.
“Instructor Reinsfield…”
“What with that greeting, and you seem kind of pale”
“Ah, I didn’t notice you there… and were you watching this entire time?”
Instructor Reinsfield always had a stern look on his face, so it was impossible to tell what kind of personality he has. This time as
well, I could only see a neutral expression on his face.
“Looks like your arm is broken, hold still for a moment”
Listening to his words, I stood still waiting.
“All that is alive flourish eternally, recover [High Heal]”
In an instant, a soft warm light covered my body. My broken arm oddly snapped back into place as the green light enveloped me.
“How do you feel?”
“Much better, thanks”
I answered back with a smile of appreciation.
“Well then, Tetsu head back to the guild as soon as possible. The Guild Master wants to speak with you. Also take care of that girl. She doesn’t seem injured anywhere, but she is going through mana exhaustion. Make sure you put her in a bed. I’ll notify the guards to let you pass.”
With the long string of words, Instructor Reinsfield disappeared as if he teleported. Of course it was nice to have my arm healed, but there was something that was bugging me. It was the fact that my question was left unanswered. Was it purposely ignored? Or was he more concerned about my health?
Touching my arm, I had resolved myself. I absolutely have to learn magic if I want to survive.
With that resolution in mind, in both arms, I princess carried this mysterious girl that had saved me.
Just as Reinsfield had said, the guards let me through without a fuss, but strangely they glared at me as I walked by while carrying the girl. It wasn’t out of spite or jealousy, but rather, the stares they gave felt murderous. Ignoring them, I headed straight to the Inn I normally stayed at.
“Oh, welcome back~ did you kidnap that cute young lady?”
“Absolutely not! Give me a room please…”
With a short playful exchange with the inn lady, I was given the key to the room I had been staying at for the past week. I laid the girl on the bed, and asked the inn lady to take care of the girl while I was out. Since I had been staying at the inn so long already, she had easily accepted the simple request.
Just outside of the inn, was the person selling cooked meat. It was always cheap, so I had always been buying food from this guy. Although the texture of the meat itself was strange, the taste was good so I deemed it fine to eat.
As I finished eating, the sun was beginning to set, indicating it was almost evening. I hurried over to the guild.
“Another drink here!”
“Me too!”
“Did you hear about the large snake that was found in the mountains recently?”
“zum-someone ‘hic!’ t-told me that yew ‘hic!’ were ‘hic!’ a master magician… ho-hows ’bout it ‘hic!’ wanna join me?...”
“GAHAHAHAA”
This was the adventurer’s guild in the evening. Loud and annoying. I quickly walked over towards Angela, who was currently free at the counter.
“Oh, Tetsu, welcome back. Were you able to finish the request?”
“Yes”
Taking out 22 slime cores, I set them on the counter. Although I killed more than the 22 cores I had on me, I wasn’t able to pick them all up because of the Mimic Slime transforming.
“Oh, Looks like you completed it without a hitch! Please wait a moment while I process this request”
“Ah, Angela I also encountered a Mimic Slime.”
Taking out the large core that was split in two, I placed that on the counter as well.
“Ah, Mr. Reinsfield had told me about the Mimic Slime, but to think it was actually true…”
Angela stared at me with a puzzled expression
“I had some help, I didn’t do it alone”
“Then I’ll process this in as well. For the time being, the Guild Master would like to speak with you as well. Pass the doors behind me, take the set of stairs that lead up. Please be sure to knock before you enter his room”
“Then I’ll see you after”
“Normally I would accompany you myself, but today it’s just me working I apologize in advance”
With a smile, Angela directed me past the door behind her.
Just as Angela had said, normally there were two and sometimes three other receptionists working besides her. Today has sure been a long string of strange events.
Reaching the door to the Guild Masters room, I gently knock.
“Tetsu Tagami, I’m here on some business?”
“Oh Tetsu! Come in, come in!”
With the words of the Guild Master, I proceeded to enter.
“Welcome, this is a room exclusively for the master of this guild branch. It’s nice isn’t it?!”
In a cheerful tone, the Guild Master motioned me over towards a couch opposite of the one he sat in, in the center of the room. I immediately walked over, and sat down.
The Guild Master seemed exceptionally young. Normally you would expect a Guild Master look something like Instructor Reinsfield.
The Guild Master seemed to be about as old as I was. He had green colored eyes, and blue hair that seemed reminiscent of Angela’s. His physique was slightly thinner than my own, but he gave off the air of someone who was even stronger than Reinsfield.
“Now then, I bet you’re wondering what you’re doing here. Allow me to ask a few questions first, would that be fine?”
“That’s fine. I’ll try to answer to the best of my ability”
“Then, I’ll skip to the point. Were you summoned into this world?”
With a stern look on his face, I could tell he would be able to see through any lies. But from the start, I never had such intentions, so I answered back seriously.
“Yes.”
“Interesting. I didn’t expect you to answer so clearly. Then, one more question. Which god contracted you?”
Immediately after the first, a question I couldn’t answer had appeared. Recalling the memories from back then, certainly the goddess was small, but I didn’t quite have a clue as to who she was.
But rather than that, what does this person stand to gain by knowing this kind of information?
“I take it, that silence means you won’t tell me that much. I won’t disclose this information with anyone else. It’s merely a promise I’m fulfilling. You won’t have to worry about this kind of sensitive information getting out. I give you my word.”
“No rather than that, even I don’t know which God summoned me.”
Answering his question, a look of surprise fell over him.
“Is that so, but I see that you aren’t lying either.”
Breathing out a sigh, the Guild Master’s expression loosened.
“Hah… well then. As promised, allow me to explain from the start.”
The Guild Master rose from his seat, and moved over towards the window in the back of the room while speaking clearly.
“Reinsfield has told me a lot about you. And judging from your lack of understanding, you probably don’t have much knowledge of why you’re here. So, I’ll begin from the start.
In this world, demons strive to take over this land. In order to combat it, you people have been summoned from another world by gods to help repel them every 100 years. Of course, you are free to do what you want. We understand that you are summoned against your will after-all.
Many of the gods are weak, and therefore only a few are selected to form a contract with you otherworlders. The most heroes ever documented to have been summoned were a group of twelve. The least amount is six. Thus far, we’ve received contact from nine otherworlders during this summoning. There could be more that have yet to make contact with the adventurer’s guild, but that isn’t our main concern.
Guild halls were first established during the era the Demon God awoke. The founder went by the name Lester. He was a hero who that fought side by side with the hero Lumin. If Lumin was considered the guiding hand of fate, then Lester was the one who moved within the shadows. However, because of that, many of his exploits were left unknown in this world’s history books.
The guild was originally founded in order to aid Lumin. At some point in time, a promise was made between the two. That new goal has never changed since. It was a promise to dedicate ourselves in helping future heroes.
In a sense, we are a separate entity from religion and political powers.
With that said, demons aren’t the only evils in this world. Humans, and Demi-Humans corrupted by greed, power, anger, and so forth also pose a threat.
Us Guild Masters serve to aid and help the heroes grow. That is her wish as well as our founders. All guilds across this world are connected to each other.
So in theory, there shouldn’t be any problem for you to journey around the world, as long as you remain in contact within the Guild.
But, recently a threat has been steadily growing within this kingdom. I’ve lost contact with a few guild establishments around the kingdom. So stay on guard.
Before you journey outside of this town, I would like you to take some time and grow stronger. But in the end, that choice will also be left to you.”
“I see…”
It was a lot of information to take in. In short, guilds operate in the grey area and they are thus more trustworthy. But, there’s something going on in the kingdom, so don’t trust everyone you meet? I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.
“Then I’d like to ask a question.”
“Allow me to hear it.”
“Where is the best place to learn magic?”