◈ 233. [Side Story] Aftermath
Crossroads. smithy.
N-rank new mercenary boy Hannibal cautiously entered the forge.
There was a man the boy was looking for in one of the workshops in the forge, which was burning with fire.
“Those damn blacksmiths… Just saying that there is a secret or know-how that can be skipped will widen your eyes… … .”
Kelly Bay was rummaging around the stove.
The appearance of a stocky Elder Dwarf proficiently moving around the studio while lying face down on a bed with wheels was both funny and strange.
Hannibal opened his mouth and watched the dwarf through his shaggy hair and clear eyes.
“huh?”
Kelly Bay, noticing the boy’s gaze, squealed.
“What was the spectacle about? If you’re going to steal, just come in and take a look!”
Frightened, Hannibal rushed into the studio and bowed down.
“Oh hello! Craftsman! My name is Hannibal! Prince Ash has sent you!”
Kelly Bay twitched her thick eyebrows and scanned the boy up and down.
“Are you the one who will be my assistant?”
“yes! Please do anything!”
“Age is?”
“I’m fifteen.”
Kelly Bay clicked her tongue.
“Little boy. It’s your heart to deceive others, but if it’s a lie that will be caught, don’t tell it in the first place. This old man has pretty good eyes.”
“… .”
Kelly Bay asked the flinching Hannibal one more time.
“How old are you?”
“… Thirteen.”
Hannibal, who shrank for a moment, then stiffly raised his head.
“But it will grow up soon. I am still the biggest among my peers!”
“Apart from your age, what else are you hiding?”
“No!”
Kelly Bay stared at the boy with sullen eyes. Hannibal swallowed dry saliva.
“… hmm. no matter what I’m going to use you as an assistant for a while… … .”
Kelly Bay shrugged and glanced at the furnace.
“Have you ever touched iron?”
“I touched weapons until I got tired of them! I worked by retrieving equipment from the battlefield.”
“So you were a shoplifter stealing weapons from corpses. I’ve never done a blacksmith job before.”
Kelly Bay nodded.
“Okay, go change into work clothes and come.”
A look of relief crossed Hannibal’s face. Kelly Bay chuckled.
“Until my back heals, but learn it well. little boy It might open up a way to make a living later.”
***
Crossroads. barracks.
Middle-aged mercenary Camus, an SR-rank warrior, trudged along with his old luggage bag and entered the barracks.
“You can use the group bedroom over there. The bathroom and dining room are over there… … .”
A soldier from the barracks showed Camus around the facility.
Camus’ gloomy eyes, which had been listening casually, suddenly turned on and looked to the side.
Fifty soldiers dressed in imperial uniforms were rushing into the barracks.
They were reinforcements dispatched from the imperial capital. Among them were Reina and her wizard party members.
Camus asked, chinning them.
“… What about those people?”
“Ah, these are the magic troops dispatched from the imperial family.”
The soldier who guided us smiled and explained.
“He was very strong and helped a lot in defense. It is regrettable that he will return to the capital after the next defensive battle.”
“… Indeed.”
The soldier questioned Camus, who nodded slowly.
“Do you have any business for them?”
“Because I see a familiar face. I thought I should go say hello later.”
Camus smiled faintly, straightened his bag and walked to his assigned quarters.
“Thank you for the guidance.”
The soldier, who tilted his head, eventually turned around and moved on to take care of other tasks.
There were a lot of newly assigned mercenaries, and there were many things to guide.
“To be reunited in such a southern outback… .”
Camus’s eyes were cold as he walked towards the inn.
“The world is so small.”
***
“Hmm~”
In the carriage returning to the mansion after finishing the employment at the mercenary guild.
I keep the system window open and agonize over it.
[STAGE 10]
– Until the start: 28 days
Stage 10 is the boss stage.
It is more difficult than usual, but the preparation period is longer. Again, it’s about a month.
‘I have to go on a free exploration.’
First of all, I was thinking of going lightly to scout the dungeon with one party.
After accurately grasping the identity of the opponent’s corps, it’s time to enter the dungeon of the next depth.
After opening the list of hero characters in the system window, I selected the party members to go on the first reconnaissance.
Although it would be better to organize around the main party that has already been formed.
‘Junior… … Should I exclude it?’
Junior, the main magician of the main party, is already on the weak side, but this time, when he overpowered him all night, he got a bone disease.
It seems that the ultimate skill [Dismantle Element] has also been used several times. I need to get plenty of rest.
While looking at the rest of the hero characters, I finally finalized the composition.
‘I am the party composition for the first dungeon exploration. Lucas. Evangeline. Damian. and… .’
I dragged a character from the sub party and moved it to the main party.
‘Quilan.’
I’ll have to take the bandit king.
This makes two knights, one fighter, one magician, and one commander.
I don’t have a mage in a composition that is somewhat focused on the avant-garde, but if it’s a utility skill, I have it.
Damian, who has reawakened as a magician, can take full responsibility for long-distance sniping and even healing.
The first reconnaissance would be fine.
‘There’s no need to delay.’
As soon as I arrived at the mansion, I ordered Lucas to inform all the members of the news. Gather at the mansion by tomorrow morning.
“It hasn’t even been a few days since the last defensive battle… Aren’t you overdoing it, my lord?”
Lucas asked worriedly, but I grinned and banged my body.
“This body is stronger than it looks! I’ve recovered, so don’t worry, call the party members by tomorrow morning!”
***
… but.
There was something I hadn’t thought of.
It was that the other hero characters weren’t necessarily stronger than me.
“I… I can’t just rest for a few more days and go out… … ?”
Quylan asked, trembling with a yellow face.
During the last defensive battle, I wondered why it was flying around so fast, but it seems that the unreasonable recoil came and made me sick.
Come to think of it, the physical stat was 5, you glass body bastard… … .
‘It’s a waste of those thick muscles.’
It was like a giant over 2m tall with a blanket wrapped around his body. That’s great.
Quylan shivered with chills and squatted in the corner of the backyard wrapped in a blanket. I’m in trouble… … .
But there was one more person who was unexpectedly in a bad condition.
“Coke! Cough Cough Cough Cough!”
A long runny nose dripped from the tip of her tiny nose, and a towel soaked in water covered her forehead… … It was Evangeline.
“… Did you catch a cold?”
“No no no no hyo. What about safety? Cough Cough!”
Evangeline, who had been making a snoring noise, blew her nose grandiosely into a handkerchief, saying ‘Pueyeng-!’ and then spoke in a slightly clearer voice.
“It is in perfect condition.”
“I think the word order has been reversed… .”
“Now, who will you be dealing with today, senior?”
“Look at me and tell me to look at me.”
“I’m always looking at you!”
Evangeline reacted against the fountain statue in the garden. No, that’s not me! Did you even taste the eyesight!
Evangeline approached the statue with a flushed face, possibly with a fever, and touched the statue’s face with her hands.
“Hoohoo sunbae-nim, your face is whiter and clearer today… ?”
“What would it be? Because the statue is made of marble.”
“When did you grow your hair this long… ?”
“That’s a mane, not a head.”
“oh. Such wonderful wings… … Because I knew it would be like this… … .”
“What kind of image am I in you? … ?”
For reference, the statue carved in the garden fountain is Pegasus. winged horse.
Evangeline laughed and clung to the statue, groped her back, and climbed on.
“Joe! Seniors! song! To our own paradise!”
“I’m not going.”
Even Evangeline is wearing a wide table on her left arm instead of her shield, which is her equipment.
Instead of a jousting spear, a kindling stick is held in his right hand, as if he had been searching for firewood in the fireplace.
“It tasted right, but this… .”
I left Evangeline who was screaming on top of the Pegasus statue, and I looked around at the rest of the members.
“Lucas Damian. Are you all right?”
“I’m not like those weaklings, lord.”
With a smile on his nice face, Lucas took out a blue crystal ball from his bosom and pointed it at Evangeline.
I tilted my head.
“What is that?”
“It is a record ball. You can record video. It’s rare to see Evangeline’s ‘lady’ ruined like that, so I’m going to keep a record of it.”
“Um… Good idea.”
If you show the video to Evangeline, who has come to her senses later, it seems that there will be a very good reaction.
Me and Lucas looked at each other and laughed evilly.
Lastly, Damian said,
“My arms are still a little less healed, but I can carry out the operation!”
He raised both arms wrapped in bandages. He was given intensive healing in the temple, but it seems that he was not cured.
I nodded.
“You mean you can shoot a gun?”
“yes! Leave it to me!”
“Okay, wait a minute. dad.”
“Pooh-!”
Damian exhaled violently when I called out.
Lucas, who was listening next to me, frowned and looked at me.
“‘Dad’… … ? What does that mean, lord?”
“ah. No big deal. Damian had a dream and he said that I appeared as Damian’s son. That’s why I’m going to call you like this sometimes.”
Damian covered his blushing face with both hands and screamed.
“Aww! It was only in a dream for a second! I was wrong! Stop teasing me!”
“Yeah, I’m going to make fun of you for the rest of my life. Give your son some pocket money, Dad.”
“Aaaaaaa!”
Suffering from intense embarrassment, Damian fled across the garden.
I looked at the back of her with a smile, then looked at all the party members.
Anyway, Damian’s arms are not healed, Quylan is shivering after being dried like rice balls on a blanket, and Evangeline’s taste is gone and she is clinging to the Pegasus statue.
‘I thought only Kelly Bay was better, but everyone seems to have suffered. The aftereffects are no joke.’
However, since it was convened, it is useless to disband as it is.
After thinking for a moment, I clapped my hands! hit I had a good idea.
“Entry to the Lake Kingdom will proceed as planned. But today, instead of exploring the dungeon, I will visit other facilities in the Lake Kingdom.”
“Are you talking about other facilities?”
“okay.”
I explained with a grin to the puzzled Lucas.
“From the depth 6 of the Lake Kingdom dungeon, my nickname is Makai. It is because the difficulty of the dungeon and the strength of the monsters are greatly amplified.”
Lucas listens nervously.
“Maybe that’s why there is a facility where the party can take a break between Depth 5 and Depth 6. Even if you just rest there, you can regenerate your stamina and regenerate your magic, and it’s a place where you can receive various minor buffs. Today, let’s take a road there and then rest.”
Somehow, while continuing to advertise like a drug dealer, I mentioned the name of the facility.
“It is the Dungeon Spa!”
That’s why the people of the Lake Kingdom used it… … It is a hot spring facility!
