Chapter 18 - Volume 1

That day, after some light work, guided by Marion and Kohaku we arrived at the store with a huge black pillar in the middle of it.

It seems that it’s a bar called《Meteor》which is quite popular in the City of Stars.

At one of the tables of the bar, Berzelia and I were having dinner with the people from Sagittarius

In front of me was food and liquor that they seem to have ordered in advance. Even a message card was attached,『Congratulations on graduation from beginner!』

「Thank you, Marion, Kohaku-san.Not only did you teach me a lot but you even arranged a celebration.」

「It’s fine, it’s fine! The birth of an outstanding Carrier like Axel-san works in our favor as well, so it’s something we should be grateful for… And above all, for the first time in a long time a new person grew up at our guild Sagittarius! We have to celebrate this.」

「Yes, congratulations, Axel-kun, Berzelia-chan. Please help yourself to the food. All of the dishes at this store are really delicious.」

「Hooray!　Marion—, Kohaku—, Thank you—!」

Following the advice, we try the prepared food.

…Indeed, both the food and liquor in this shop are delicious…

Although I never came here because it’s located a bit away from the main road.

If it’s this delicious then I might be fine with walking for a bit, and with those thoughts, I throw a piece of hot meat into my mouth, then—

「Alright, today I will break it for sure!」

「Hey hey, I will break it before you. I ain’t gonna lose.」

Near the black pillar at the center of the store, two macho men suddenly started to make a racket.

Looking at them, they are pulling weapons such as swords and axes from the shelf installed on the side of the black pillar.

「What is that? Looks dangerous, is that a fight?」

「Ah, no, it’s a sideshow for this store. A bit of entertainment to go with drinking.」

While I was wondering what kind of entertainment might involve weapons, a man in an apron stood beside the black pillar.

I remember that is the owner of this store.

While I was looking at him and wondering what he is doing over there, he put hands to his mouth and started to speak in a loud voice.

「Now, today my store again has challengers boasting of their strength!　Today’s『Dragon Cutting』Challengers are Thomson with advanced job of《Brute Warrior》!　And Chris with advanced job《Magic Swordsman》!」

After the shopkeeper pointed at the two macho men standing next to the pillar—

「Then, both of you, start at the same time!」

He shouted. And the next moment—

「Orraaaa!」

「Whoah!!」

Both struck the pillar with the weapons they had. However—

*—CLANG!*

The weapons bounced off with a metallic sound.

Through they have used quite a lot of force, not even a scratch was left on the pillar.

Quite the contrary, the weapons that bounced off were crumbling.

The sword got its blade chipped and the axe handle broke.

「Aah, what a pity! A failure ——!　And since you broke the axe your challenge fee will be doubled!」

「Damn it! The blade won’t cut it at all!」

「Just how sturdy are scales of an ancient dragon!」

And while spitting such lines, the macho men opened their wallets and gave money to the shopkeeper.

「This is a sideshow…? Or rather, he just said scales of an ancient dragon, what is this about?」

When I asked Marion she smiled and pointed at the black pillar.

「Those are the scales of an ancient dragon that has fallen here during the war with the Demon Lord.」

「Scales of an ancient dragon … Ah, I see. Indeed, those are scales.」

Looking carefully, the pillar indeed had a scale-like pattern on it. During my days as a dragon knight, I encountered ancient dragons a number of times, and once their scales fall to the ground they rapidly turn black.

Well, it wasn’t something you would pay close attention on a battlefield and it wasn’t something you would carry away as spoils of war, so I had no particular interest in them.

「However, the ancient dragon was supposed to be top class among the Demon Lord’s minions, someone that dangerous came to his city?」

「Actually no, but for some reason, it has fallen. It broke through the middle of the roof of this store and the owner was greatly troubled at the time. After all, if you leave something of that size lying around then the number of customers that can enter will decrease.」

Well, certainly it will be a hindrance.

If those『Ancient dragon’s scales』weren’t sitting at the center of the store he would be able to double the number of seats.

「Why won’t he remove it?」

「Not only did that thing pierce deep into the ground but it seems that the part that got buried also has magic applied to it which fixes it in place. Look, do you see that magic circle on the floor near the buried part?」

When she mentioned it, there indeed was a slightly visible purple magic circle that covered the floor.

Scales of an ancient dragon are hard and heavy, so in order to keep them stuck to the body magic is used, and it seems that this magic somehow got applied to the floor of this store.

「So he can’t move it and there is that sturdiness. It also seems that hiring a magician to destroy it would cost an outrageous sum of money. And so… As a last resort, this kind of attraction was born.」

「And so he wants a customer proud of his strength to take up the challenge and break it?」

「Yes, he also takes a challenge fee, though. One attempt is five hundred gold, if you make a crack a thousand gold, if you break it there is a reward of 10.000 gold. Since no one has ever made a crack up to now, it seems that it might make up for the losses.」

I see. Apparently, the spirit of commerce is quite strong in this store.

I really think so, looking at the hard-breathing macho who sits at the center of the store after he just had 500 gold taken from him.

「How do you like this store? It’s a pretty good and interesting place, right?」

「Yes, it’s lively, a bit noisy, but the food is great, so it’s a good place.」

「Well, if you say so, then it was worth bringing you here.」

Saying so Marion smiled happily and then—

「Well, since the show has ended and it became quiet. I will give this congratulatory gift to you.」

Marion handed me a scroll.

「Oh, yes, thank you.」

While feeling a bit guilty for receiving an item on top of learning about a good store, I accept it.

When I open it the words『To transport is to carry the time of others』are written inside.

「Ehm, Marion? Where on earth do I use this?」

「This is『Writings of Transporter’s Attitude』which I received personally from the God of Transportation Jobs when I founded Sagittarius. It represents the convictions and nature of the transportation job.」

Apparently, it’s something like a motto or desired attitude for transporters.

「Words from the god, huh. It feels like I do understand the meaning of carrying the time and at the same time I don’t.」

「Well, putting it simply, transporting something means gaining time for another person. The faster a package is delivered, the faster another person can switch to action. 」

「…Hmm, somehow I’m not sure if I comprehend it or not…」

Somehow those words hardly sound convincing.

「Fufu, you can ask about that in detail when the god descends. 『One can even transport time and ideas if the carrier wills it. Bear that in mind.』is what he will most likely say though. Well, let’s leave that spiritual stuff aside for now. The attitude is important as well, but this writing has a nice effect.」

「Nice effect?」

「Yes, reading it raises the level of any transportation-type job, but only once.」

「…Eh, really?!」

Upon hearing Marion’s words I took another look at the motto that I was about to put into my pocket.

At that moment, I notice that a pocket on my clothes is shining.

It’s the pocket with my skill sheet.

…Is this, really…?

I take out the skill sheet to confirm. Then—

【Finished reading the motto.　Condition achieved——《Carrier》Level Up]

Just as she said, I leveled up with the power of motto.

「Whoa… Amazing.」

Leveling up by walking was easy, but I didn’t think I’d ever level up with a gift.

「Thank you both for such a marvelous gift.」

「Fufu, We are glad you liked it. Right, Kohaku?」

「Yes… The work will be a bit more difficult from now on, so I thought it would be good if you could enhance your skills and abilities even if just a little.」

The two of them say while looking at me with smiles.

While thinking that I apparently was blessed with good seniors, I check the skill sheet.

And right now, it was just in the middle of writing the results of my level up—

【Transportation bag rank EX1 effect – internal space expansion 100%]

「Oh, looks like the transportation bag expanded again thanks to you two.」

First of all, I understood that the transportation bag has become larger again. When I announced that—

「Oh, that’s nice. Looking at you makes me want to use transportation bag like in the past, instead of my correspondence box.」

With an embarrassed laugh, Marion touched a wooden box fastened on her waist.

Small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, it was Marion’s courier skill, container named【Correspondence Box].

「 Hmm?　This【Correspondence Box]is produced by your skill from the advanced job, right?　Do you have any complaints about it?」

「Speaking of complaints……right. This【Correspondence Box]is easy to handle since it’s so small, but it’s stiff, so when I run it keeps hitting me and it’s not pleasant, and above all its capacity is also small.」

「Even smaller than of this transportation bag?」

「Even if we won’t be comparing it to your super-large transportation bag, it’s smaller than even a regular transportation bag. Ranking up doesn’t necessarily make your skills upward compatible. Although high-tier jobs have good abilities, so they are generally good. Unexpectedly, intermediate and beginner jobs have more beneficial skills.」

I see, is what I thought while I was staring at my skill sheet. The explanation for the newly acquired skill did not completely appear yet.

And then I saw the effect explanation that finally appeared fully.

「【Transportation bag rank EX1——Past transportation function added]and the supplementary explanation『Able to transport your own past』eh, what the hell is this…」

As I was thinking that there is a limit to how lacking explanation can be—

「Eh, Axel-san, what did you just say?」

Shaking the glasses on the table, Marion rose up.

「Well, the function was added, the transportation of the past, but I don’t get the description at all.」

When I said that, Marion opened her eyes wide.

「So I didn’t mishear it after all. How can you learn it when you are still a carrier…?!」

She clearly looked the most surprised so far.

But she was not alone. Kohaku next to her also looked at me with a stunned look.

「What happened with you two?　Is this extra feature so bad?」

And when I asked that, wondering if maybe some negative function had been added, Marion immediately and vigorously shook her head.

「No. No, it’s not bad at all. It’s actually good.……It’s just a little strange.」

「By strange you mean this feature?」

「Yes, this《Past transportation function》is… Is a skill possessed by a limited few among those with advanced transportation type jobs, you can count on fingers everyone in possession of this skill, myself included.」

「And so, you are surprised that I became one of those few?」

But what did she mean by strange then? And while I was wondering Marion slowly reiterated her words.

「What I meant by strange was that its effect can’t be used with an ordinary beginner-tier job. Because it’s effect allows you to pull some of the skills you have acquired in the previous jobs before you ranked up.」