Chapter 233

Chapter 233

Crossroad. The Forge.

Hannibal, an N-grade rookie mercenary, cautiously stepped into the forge.

In one corner of the hot, fiery forge, the person the boy was looking for was present.

"Ah, damn these blacksmiths... Their eyes light up whenever theres a trick or know-how to exploit..."

Kellibey was grumbling while tinkering with the furnace.

The sight of the elder dwarf nimbly moving about the workshop while lying on a wheeled bed was both amusing and fascinating.

Hannibal watched the dwarf with clear eyes peeking through his messy hair, mouth slightly ajar.

"Huh?"

Kellibey, noticing the boys gaze, squawked.

"What are you gawking at? If you want to steal a look, just come in!"

Startled, Hannibal rushed into the workshop and bowed deeply.

"Ah, hello, Master! My name is Hannibal! I was sent by Prince Ash!"

Kellibey squinted his thick eyebrows and looked the boy up and down.

"So youre the assistant Im supposed to get?"

"Yes! Just tell me what to do!"

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

Kellibey clicked his tongue.

"Kid, its your business if you want to deceive others, but dont lie if youll get caught. This old man has pretty good eyes."

""

Kellibey asked Hannibal once more.

"How old are you really?"

"...Thirteen, sir."

Hannibal, who had momentarily shrunk back, immediately lifted his head high.

"But Ill grow quickly. Im already the tallest among my peers!"

"Anything else youre hiding?"Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com

"Uh, no!"

Kellibey stared at the boy with scrutinizing eyes. Hannibal swallowed nervously.

"Hmm. Well, doesnt matter. Youre only going to be an assistant temporarily anyway"

Kellibey shrugged his shoulders and gestured towards the furnace.

"Ever handled metal before?"

"Ive handled weapons all the time! I used to collect equipment from the battlefield."

"So youre saying youre a scavenger, picking up weapons from corpses. Never actually done any blacksmith work."

Kellibey nodded.

"Alright, go change into the work clothes."

A sigh of relief crossed Hannibals face. Kellibey chuckled.

"Just learn well while my backs still holding up, kid. Might give you a way to make a living later."

***

Crossroad. Barracks.

Camus, an SR-grade middle-aged mercenary, stepped into the barracks, dragging his worn-out bag behind him.

"You can use the dormitory room over there. The bathroom and dining area are on that side"

A soldier from the barracks was showing Camus around.

Camus, who had been listening half-heartedly, suddenly looked intrigued as his eyes caught sight of something.

About fifty soldiers dressed in Imperial uniforms were marching into the barracks.

These were reinforcements sent from the Imperial Capital. Among them were Reina and her magician party members.

Camus gestured toward them and asked.

"...Who are those people?"

"Ah, they are a magical corps dispatched from the Imperial Family."

The guiding soldier explained with a smile.

"Theyve been really helpful in the defensive battles. Theyll be returning to the capital after the next defensive fight. Its quite unfortunate."

"...Indeed, so it is."

The soldier looked puzzled at Camus, who slowly nodded his head.

"Do you have some business with those people?"

"I recognized some faces. Thought I should greet them later."

Evangeline sarcastically gestured toward a fountain statue in the garden. No, I didnt mean that one! Have you lost your eyesight too?

Evangeline, her face flushed as though she had a fever, approached the statue and started caressing its face.

"Hehe, senior, your face looks even clearer and whiter today...?"

"Well, the statue is made of marble, so I guess so."

"When did you grow your hair this long...?"

"Thats not hair; its a mane."

"Oh my. You even have such splendid wings... I shouldve known..."

"What image of me do you have inside your head...?"

For the record, the garden statue was of a Pegasus, a winged horse.

Laughing softly, Evangeline clambered onto the statue.

"Alright, senior! Lets go! To our paradise!"

"Were not going, I said."

Even worse, instead of her shield, Evangeline had a large dining tray strapped to her left arm. And in her right hand, she held a broom instead of a lance.

"Shes really lost it..."

Ignoring Evangeline, who was cackling atop the Pegasus statue, I looked around at the rest of the team.

"Lucas, Damien, how are you guys doing?"

"I assure you, my lord, I am not like those weaklings."

With a sardonic smile on his friendly face, Lucas pulled out a blue crystal orb and shone it towards Evangeline.

I tilted my head. "Whats that?"

"Its a recording crystal. It can capture video. Its rare to see Evangeline Miss in such a wrecked state, so I thought Id record it."

"Hmm... good idea."

Showing the footage to Evangeline after she regains her senses could yield a rather entertaining reaction.

Lucas and I looked at each other and chuckled wickedly.

Finally, Damien chimed in, "My arms arent fully healed yet, but I can definitely participate in the operation!"

He raised both his bandaged arms. Seems like even after the focused healing at the temple, he wasnt fully recovered yet.

I nodded. "So, you can shoot, right?"

"Yes! Leave it to me!"

"Alright, standby for now. Father."

"Phoof!"

As I called out nonchalantly, Damien snorted loudly.

Lucas, who was listening on the side, furrowed his brows as he looked at me.

"Father? What do you mean by that, my lord?"

"Ah, its nothing. Damien had a dream where I was his son. So, I occasionally call him that for fun."

Damien covered his reddening face with both hands and wailed.

"Ahhhhh! It was just in a dream! My bad! Stop teasing me now!"

"Mhm~ Ill tease you for life. How about giving some allowance to your son, Dad?"

"Ahhhhhh!"

Overwhelmed by the immense embarrassment, Damien sprinted away toward the other side of the garden.

Watching his retreating figure, I chuckled and then surveyed the rest of my party members.

Damiens arms were still healing, Kuilan was shivering wrapped up like a sushi roll in a blanket, and Evangeline had lost her taste and was glued to a Pegasus statue.

I thought only Kellibey was in rough shape, but it seems everyone had their own struggles. These after-effects are no joke.

But disbanding the group now that wed all gathered seemed like a waste.

Lost in thought for a moment, I clapped my hands. A great idea had come to me.

"Well proceed with entering the Lake Kingdom as planned. However, today were not exploring the dungeon but other facilities within Lake Kingdom."

"Other facilities, you say?"

"Exactly."

Lucas looked puzzled, so I explained with a grin.

"The depths of the Lake Kingdoms dungeon, starting from level 6, are nicknamed Demon Realm. The dungeons difficulty and the strength of the monsters dramatically increase from there."

Lucas listened with a tense expression.

"Thats why, between levels 5 and 6, theres a facility where the party can take a break. Just resting there replenishes stamina and magic power, and you get various minor buffs. Lets blaze a trail up to that place today, take a break, and return."

While enthusiastically pitching the idea as if I were a snake oil salesman, I revealed the name of the facility.

"Its called the Dungeon Spa!"

In other words, its a hot spring facility that the people of the Lake Kingdom used!