CH 9

TLN: I can feel myself falling ill, so there may be a delay with the next chapter.

Ardis who was attempting to hunt a beast king and earn some money was moving northward through the grasslands.

He had been running through the grasslands for about half an hour before finding a beast king a little way from the highway.

Hunting is nothing fun, but what you need is money not satisfaction.

There is no other way of getting easy money from a day trip outside of Toria aside from hunting.

After hunting the beast kings for an hour, Ardis was beginning to feel tired from the monotonous work, when he suddenly came across 3 mercenaries hunting a monster.

Whilst others are fighting, it is taboo for other mercenaries to interject.

They’ll likely continue hunting in this area as well.

Unless they are in trouble, it is an unwritten law not to interfere.

Of course there are exceptions, and the mercenaries found by Ardis seemed to fall into that category.

Although there are 3 people fighting the monster, there was a fourth that had already fallen from the monsters attacks on the ground.

(Is that monster, Despair? That’s pretty bad luck to encounter one in this place)

Despair had another name, the crowned king of the grasslands.

By the time Ardis judged he should help, one of the Mercenaries was about to die.

(Tch, will I make it in time!?)

Ardis dropped a shortsword from his lower back and release it into the air.

「Go」 (Ardis)

The short sword flew out with the speed of an arrow towards Ardis’ instructions.

As the swordsman with the shield was about to be torn apart by the nails of Despair, a shortsword swept across it’s foreleg

Ignoring the hardness of the scales, the sword cut off Despair’s foreleg and then continued on to remove his head.

Ardis who had confirmed that the danger had passed, recalled his short sword.

Whilst walking towards the mercenaries, Ardis wiped off the blood from his the now blood covered weapon and placed it in a sheath on his lower back.

As he approached, he could see a small girl with dark red hair treating the injured people. There was a total of four people, with a long haired swordsman and an axe wielding man on the ground.

Those two who were attacked by Despair were already unconscious and there may possibly be a danger to their lives if treatment is delayed.

「Hey…what helped us a short while ago…was it you?」 (Gresch)

A young swordsman asked Ardis as he approached.

He was stuttering after seeing that the one who dispatched Despair so easily was fairly young.

「Yes, I killed Despair」 (Ardis)

Ardis plainly admitted.

The young man quickly concealed his slight surprise behind his blue eyes and lowered his head of ash blond hair.

「Thank you for your help. I had though that neither me nor my friends would be saved. I really appreciate it」 (Gresch)

Ardis was inwardly impressed by his attitude.

Despite being young, he was courteous. Despite the fact that Ardis clearly looked younger than him.

It would have been regrettable if he had died in this place.

「I have certainly received your gratitude. How are your companions?」 (Ardis)

Whilst lightly nodding at the blue eyed young man, Ardis looked towards his companions.

「That….even though you’ve helped us so much….I hope you will allow me to ask for another favor…if you have any medicine for treatment would you please share it? I don’t have any on hand」 (Gresch)

「In that case….use this」 (Ardis)

Ardis took 2 medicines from his waist pouch and handed them to the young man.

「Eh….this is…high grade!?」 (Gresch)

The young man was aware that the medicine he had received was not ordinary.

High grade medicines have better effects that ordinary ones. They can even work on those who are dying.

However it’s selling price is ten times the amount of ordinary medicine. It is not easy for newbie mercenaries to get their hands on it.

「That’s all I have for now」 (Ardis)

「…sorry」 (Gresch)

Ignoring the selling price, the young swordsman headed towards the injured with a complicated face.

They seem to be recovering well after receiving the high grade medicine.

Both ordinary and high grade medicines are the products of magic technology. It seems no-one knows how to treat the body without the use of these.

Ardis was also unable to understand how the liquid heals injuries in such a short amount of time.

It is said to be a blessing from the goddess, according to one theory. Small scratches and cuts are healed in seconds, whereas the dying are healed in minutes.

However Ardis did not believe in that theory much.

Even if it was from the goddess, it was surely not out of pure good will.

「Uuu」 (???)

Several minutes later after the medicine was administered, both the injured men opened their eyes.

「Jio! Ralph!」 (Konia)

「Ah….Konia…?」 (???)

The small girl raised a voice of happiness, while the two previously injured men were looking around with an awkward expression.

「Thank god, I thought you were going to die!」 (Konia)

Like a puppet with it’s strings cut, the girl with the red hair sat down.

「What about Despair, Gresch?」 (Ralph)

A young man with short black hair asked about the blue eyed man, Gresch.

「You can find it over there」 (Gresch)

The blue eyed man pointed to the body of Despair.

「Oh!…Are you serious! You killed Despair!?」 (Ralph)

The short-haired swordsman was beginning to get excited, but the blue eyed mand shook his head and said 「No I did not defeat him, he did」 and looked towards Ardis.

「Eh? Wa? What are you talking about Gresch? There’s no way such a brat can kill Despair」 (Ralph)

「Ralph!」 (Gresch)

Gresch admonished Ralph.

「Sorry…my friend so rudely…」 (Gresch)

「I don’t mind, I’m used to it already」 (Ardis)

To Ardis who showed a bitter smile, the blue eyed young man returned a subtle look.

For a boy younger than themselves to be this strong, it was natural to doubt their own ability and refuse to admit it. However Ardis had learned to just laugh and forgive. He wondered if there was something wrong with his reaction.

「I want to thank you once again. Thank you for risking your life to save us. My name is Gresch, my friends are Jio, Konia and Ralph」 (Gresch)

「Ardis」 (Ardis)

Ardis replied.

「That…Ardis. The price for the high grade medicine…will you wait a while? As expected for us to afford two high grade medicines is a bit..」 (Gresch)

After finishing his introduction, Gresch appeared to feel a bit sorry.

「The price? Because I hadn’t intended to sell it in particular and because it is the duty of veteran mercenaries to help out novices, don’t mind it」 (Ardis)

「Ha! I don’t want to be called a novice by you who looks like a child!」 (Ralph)

「Stop it, Ralph!」 (Gresch)

Gresch rebuked Ralph’s words.

There seemed to be no way to convince Ralph.

It seems he was dissapointed and couldn’t believe that such a young boy could defeat something he couldn’t.

「Sorry Ardis. Anyway, I’m planning to return to town today, so I’d like to thank you later. Which inn are you staying in?」 (Gresch)

「I don’t think you should return to Toria just yet」 (Ardis)

「A, ah. Is that so?」 (Gresch)

Is there a problem? Gresch responded in his head

「It would be better not to leave my side just yet」 (Ardis)

「What do you mean…?」 (Gresch)

「You will know soon」 (Ardis)

At Ardis’ words, Gresch turned his eyes to the opposite direction from the town.

After the other three also moved their heads in that direction, Konia shouted in terror.

「Something is coming…!」 (Konia)

「What!?」 (Ralph)

Jio took a telescope from his bag and looked, his face suddenly turning blue.

「Despair…」 (Jio)

Gresch also did the same and upon recognising the oncoming threat, shouted orders to his companions.

「Run away! Discard any excess baggage!」 (Gresch)

The other three immediately followed his instructions and threw away the snatcher fur they had collected along with their heavy luggage.

「Ardis, what are you going to do?」 (Gresch)

Gresch naturally knew Ardis was strong, but he still felt Ardis wouldn’t help them now.

Although they were helped a short while ago, that was due to Ardis’ goodwill. Now that the good will is gone, it would be arrogant to expect him to help again.

That is why they decided to act on their own and not expect assistance from Ardis.

Seeing them act this way, Ardis had an even more pleased expression with this group.

「I’m staying here. That’s why it’s better not to leave me just yet」 (Ardis)

「What do you mean?」 (Gresch)

「The Despairs are working together」

Ardis pointed to the side opposite the Despair they had discovered.

「This is strange….why!」 (Jio)

Checking the direction Ardis was pointing, Jio couldn’t believe what he saw.

「Also, aside from that」 (Ardis)

Ardis pointed in yet another direction.

A total of three Despairs including the one discovered the first time. They were approaching and surrounding Ardis.

「Three Despairs…no way…」 (Konia)

Shaking her semi-long hair, Konia’s face was dyed with hopelessness.

Originally, Despairs hunted alone.

However that is not an absolute, in rare cases they can hunt together.

Their ecology is shrouded in mystery, but it is said that they hunt together as parents and children.

Of course it goes without saying, a single Despair can easily dispatch newbie mercenaries.

At the same time, three Despairs at once increases the danger level dramatically.

Even more so, if they completely surrounded you. There would usually be no way a new party like Gresch’s could survive.

–That is, if there was no Ardis here.