Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was an ordinary looking pub. It was old, but there didn't seem to be any rotten beams or greatly misaligned parts.

The hall had a bar, tables, and if one climbed the stairs, the structure allowed a clear view of the lower floor along the railing.

The wooden walls were frantically covered with knife marks like a beast's territory marking. It seemed to silently prove that this was by no means an easy place.

If there was anything different from other slum pubs, it was that it wasn't so noisy.

People talked quietly, played cards, sipped alcohol, threw daggers not darts at the wall, or burned something like mugwort and inhaled the smoke.

Away from such people, in a corner, people with simple armaments were sitting or standing leaning against the wall.

Among them, the person sitting had a slightly fierce impression, but looking closely, he didn't seem very old either. About 18 to 20 years old.

That person had his brow furrowed as if he had seen something he shouldn't see. And with his head half turned, his gaze was forced upon what was on the table.

What was on the table was none other than the severed heads of the Bilton brothers.

"Right. Okay. So clean up this fucking thing quickly."

The fierce-looking person said. Then one of the people nearby grabbed the severed heads by the hair one in each hand and took them away.

The man, feeling nauseous, spat on the floor once and drank a sip of strong alcohol in a wooden cup. And looked at the person sitting opposite.

It was Arno and Rickart. One was a greenhorn to anyone's eyes, and one was excessively young. A truly unmatched combination for this place, and bringing the heads of the Bilton brothers matched even less.

However, he didn't pry into reasons or stories.

"Since they were such fucking bastards, the reward is quite salty compared to the low difficulty. 30 silver coins per head. Here, look."

He placed a document on the table. The montage of the Bilton brothers was drawn, and characteristics and criminal records were written. Scanning roughly, words like women, human trafficking caught the eye.

And the seals of the Imperial Court and Sheriff were stamped at the bottom, stating one gold coin per head if captured and brought, and 30 silver coins if heads were brought.

And he placed another small money pouch on the table with a thud.

"Total 60 pieces. Count and sign."

Rickart pulled the money pouch silently, untied the string, and rummaged three or four times with his finger. And said immediately.

"Missing 2."

"What?"

"I said missing 2."

Counted all in that short moment? And not taking money out to count but just glancing roughly and guessing correctly?

"Huh...... You, have good eyes. 2 are commission. Done?"

"Okay."

Rickart accepted immediately and took out 29 silver coins from the money pouch.

"This is Arno's. Arno. Arno!"

"Uh, uh? Yes!?"

Arno looked around with a scared expression to anyone's eyes, then came to his senses only when Rickart called.

"This is Arno's. 29 pieces. 30 per head, but said 2 are commission."

"Ah, yes......"

Whether his liver which swelled up killing a few bandits shrank in the meantime, Arno looked quite withered and out of it.

There was no polite refusal, nor energy to rejoice even gaining a large sum of 29 silver coins.

It was understandable since Arno currently felt like he entered a tiger's den and wanted to escape this place even now.

After a brief commotion outside, he followed because told to follow, but thought he entered very wrongly.

"By the way, is this really the branch of Beringen Adventurer Guild?"

Rickart asked the fierce man signing the document. The signature was just writing his name, but resembling his mother, the handwriting was graceful like a willow tree.

"No. This is the building of Eisen Brotherhood. Simply put, Thief Guild."

Gathering the document, the fierce man said as if it was nothing. But Arno's eyes widened at the word Thief Guild.

"Ehh?"

Because the Thief Guild was a criminal organization incomparable to mere bandits.

It was an organization that had a system, was professional, had restraint, was secretive, and sure in retaliation.

Moreover, since Arno had a house in Rheinfurt even though he wandered here and there for work, he was surprised having heard rumors of Eisen Brotherhood.

No, couldn't not know. Living in Rheinfurt and not knowing Eisen Brotherhood meant one could consider half their life given up.

Rickart looked at Arno once as if asking what happened, then asked the man sitting opposite the table again.

"Weren't you an adventurer?"

"Adventurer right. But well, isn't job just naming? Nords do both plundering and trading."

"No then what about the branch? Beringen Adventurer Guild."

"This guy here, this guy, this guy to show, and me. We are adventurers belonging to Beringen Guild. Rest of the personnel are out now. Us being here is, let's say staying for a bit. Though it's been quite long. Whether work-wise or money, it's better to get along well with the Thief Guild to do adventurer work well."

Don't know if one can call it a branch while stuck in a Thief Guild building, but seemed Arno didn't know well either and it seemed to run somewhat without a system.

Rickart couldn't readily understand why the Adventurer Guild was entangled with the Thief Guild.

"Why?"

"Why asks why. Need information to do any work."

"Does it work like that?"

"It works like that. Then let me ask one question too. How did you kill? The Bilton brothers I mean."

"Just, well, hid and ambushed."

"Is that so simple? No matter how I think, I don't think I could do that when I was about your age."

"Since people are all different."

"Still this seems a bit too different? Anyway, have more business with me?"

"I'm looking for a guide to take me to Beringen Academy."

"Why that Chicken Coup?"

"Chicken Coup?"

"Chicken Coup is Chicken Coup. What business there."

Rickart took out the admission letter from his bag and showed it instead of many words. Then this time not only the fierce man but his colleagues around were surprised.

"Wow! What is this!? Those vicious bastards make things like this now!?"

"What is it? Wow, why is this so plausible?"

"Uh? By the way were you a noble?"

At the sentence wishing fortune to the Caldebern family, the man was surprised once more as if unexpected.

"Yeah. Why?"

"This is something wrong."

"What?"

"That place isn't where kids like you go."

"What do you mean? Explain."

"More than half are bastards there. And the rest are commoners. Probably no proper noble like you."

It was a bit surprising story. No, should say unexpected. Because Rickart unconsciously thought it was a place where kids with similar circumstances to him gathered.

Bastards were bastards. Neither noble nor commoner, just bastards. Life born from unblessed union living a harsh fate.

Nobles openly looked down on them, and commoners cursed behind their backs. Bastards were respected by no class.

Of course, there were cases adopted by the family head, and people born as bastards pioneering their own lives, but very rare.

But is that important? Maybe thanks to the environment he grew up in, Rickart didn't care much about status. In past life he killed all without discrimination.

"Such things don't matter. I decided to become an adventurer myself."

"Eh? Why?"

"Because I wanted to know if the war was worth doing."

"What does that mean?"

"The Eastern Expeditionary Land. There was a war a hundred years ago. So many people suffered, and died painfully, isn't it possible to be curious if it was worth it?"

The man made a face as if chewing a bug, not understanding at all what he was saying. What is this kid saying now? I mean why are you curious about that?

"If going to Knight Order you can get honor, if going as mercenary officer you earn money, why become an adventurer of all things?"

"Then I can be an adventurer and have both. Honor and money."

The man glared at Rickart with a strangely distorted face. Seems he's not in his right mind. This kid.

"Ahaha. Right. Just take both. By the way to see a junior in such a place. Let's move. Too gloomy, here."

A person leaning against the wall said. But, didn't know because wearing a hood, it was a woman's voice. The fierce man blinked a few times then nodded.

"Okay. Let's move first. Might get mold on face staying in shade too much. Follow me, junior young master. Hust, watch the seat."

"Yeah."

The fierce person stood up. And gesturing Rickart to follow, went inside the building.

Rickart was about to follow him naturally, then looked back at Arno. Arno was hesitating.

"Thank you. Arno."

Then just left Arno behind and followed the fierce person. Whether intentional or not, looked somewhat heartless.

Arno just blinked his eyes. Just parting like this?

The Thief Guild's building was bigger and wider than expected. And connected to an underground passage, the underground passage had sewage flowing in the middle and paths for people to walk on both sides.

The underground passage had many forks like a maze and was complex. And looked old but looked very sturdy even now. When was it built? People made this?

Coming out of there following the fierce man and his two colleagues, they reached a riverside where sunlight beat down. Smuggling merchant ships came and went through the river, and there was an unloading dock.

Smuggling means bringing in secretly, but there was no feeling of secret or carefulness at all.

River breeze blew. That river breeze seemed to sweep away the city's stench and ventilate the stuffy chest.

"Now I can live."

Reaching a place with things like wooden crates around, the woman sat comfortably and said. Taking off the hood, a prettier face than expected was revealed under the sunlight.

Brown hair tied back tight, head shape was pretty so it suited well.

She looked at the river where sunlight shattered for a moment, then said to Rickart.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sandy. This ugly kid here is Blatt, this one is Boden."

The fierce-looking person was Blatt, and the person silent all along was Boden.

Thinking names were made too roughly, that was exactly the characteristic of bastards. Taking names from leaves, soil, sand, etc.

In the case of noble names like Rickart, Abelich, Vilter, they had meanings like strong warrior, glorious anger, guardian. Difference started from the origin of the name.

"So, you need someone to go to the Academy together?"

"Yeah."

"Want to go with Noona?"

"Okay."

Rickart accepted obediently. Sandy had a smile on her lips continuously as if Rickart was cute.

"Hey, shouldn't you at least introduce the Chicken Coup a bit, or explain about future life, do things like that first?"

Blatt ripping open a box and taking out a liquor bottle said.

"Isn't Boden good at explaining? You are our information charge."

"......Need information to explain Chicken Coup?"

"But why call it Chicken Coup?"

Just as they were about to bicker among themselves, Rickart intervened and asked. Boden answered.

"Beds are stuck close together. Bunk beds. Remaining space is only enough for one person to pass, 120 people live there together. For 2 years."

Just thinking about it seemed disliked, both Sandy and Blatt frowned their faces as if nauseous and shook their heads.

Boden said with a calm expression.

"Not too late even now, Young Master. Better go back. Don't know what you heard to go there, but it's not a place with romance as you think. Absolutely."

Not trying to scare or test, it was sincere advice coming from experience. However, Rickart's answer was unexpected.

"If there is a roof to avoid rain, and not a cold bare floor, isn't it sufficient luxury?"

"What?"

"Anyway living itself is pain. Isn't it?"

Words that couldn't come from a kid's mouth came out. And words themselves sounded skeptical at first, but looking at the face there was no resignation or frustration.

People unfamiliar with Rickart were often surprised by this part, and Boden was no different.

"......How on earth have you lived."

Unlike Boden, Blatt drank a sip of alcohol and exhaled hot breath agreeing obediently.

"Puha, correct words, what."

"Hearing such words from a junior young master feels strange. There was a reason for being attracted."

Sandy also said smiling calmly. Living as bastards, they were people with more sorrow and heartbreaking experiences than anyone.

"By the way I heard coming here, is it true that most Academy students become cripples or die?"

"Yeah, true."

"Why? What Academy is like that? Isn't it a very honorable thing if sponsored by the Imperial Family? But doing dishonorable things in the Academy actually?"

"Honor? Haha, knowing how to use such old-fashioned words too. Definitely, a noble seems to be a noble. But that is the problem. Imperial Family giving money. Because of that fighting splashing blood. If other guilds disappear, we eat more."

At the word honor, Sandy threw her head back laughing as if absurd and explained.

"Don't understand well."

"I mean, money given by the Imperial Family is fixed. But since there are many guilds it's given split? Then if other guilds disappear we eat more, like this. Heard places receiving Royal Family sponsorship are more savage maybe because the neighborhood is narrow. Better not touch them. Always angry."

Rickart who rarely had agitation of heart was inwardly dumbfounded thinking if such a case existed. Killing and killing like that for money? Indeed, going to the battlefield is the same though.

"After being overworked for 2 years in Chicken Coup, if survive, put into fight and roll for 3 years. While doing so divided into High, Middle, Low, after that take final exam or contract like us and become adventurers. Mainly doing...... Smart you explain."

When Sandy said looking at Boden, Boden said with an expression as if it was nothing.

"Catching and beating up bad guys, exterminating beasts or monsters, cargo transport, merchant group escort, work ordered from above, work requested, official work, unofficial work. Unofficial things like assassination."

"Means just doing whatever comes."

"Right."

"Eastern Expeditionary Land, I mean don't you go to Fernland?"

"Seem that is the final exam place. That's where kids who are Special Class above High Class go. Kids who are monsters in skill and guts. As you see, we aren't Special Class so don't know well. If pass final exam become Emperor's Champion."

Champion meant a great warrior. Tradition from old days, when honor must be kept but age is high or skill lacking, referring to a person going to duel instead of oneself.

Mainly close relatives or friends went, and acting as champion for a person of high status was considered honorable. There were many epic poems about it. So-called Champion's Ballad.

However, realistically Kings or Emperors had no occasion to duel. Thus, Emperor's Champion meant honorable title and at the same time practically meant Emperor's direct solver. Meaning was different from Royal Guard protecting the Emperor.

"By the way what was your name?"

Sandy asked touching her neat hair which had nothing to organize.

"Rickart."

"Feel distance sharply. Any nickname?"

Rickart was a name sounding like a noble to anyone.

"Ricky."

"Wow, hot."

"What? Isn't it a common nickname?"

"Still. Same name as that Immortal Ricky."

Rickart felt bitter inwardly as stories about past life came up whenever about to forget.

"Coincidentally so. But wouldn't be immortal?"

"No one killed him, and no one saw him die. Heard some people believe him as a god. Called Order of Condemnation? And special person to us too. Because suffering like dogs in Chicken Coup was all to resemble that person."

"......Resemble what?"

"Legendary Sword Master. Emitting light from blade splitting even rocks, person possessing combat skills matching an army alone with superhuman physical ability and stamina. So many kids dying just to follow that person even a little."

What is this saying. Rickart was dumbfounded. Felt dark shadow of past life cast on himself.

No, is it shadow of current myself. Shadow that can't be detached no matter how much running.

"Not necessarily so."

While Rickart couldn't get out of shock, Blatt said.

"Sword Master sounds too much like dreamland story, at least to me it was valuable time."

"Didn't know you had such masochistic temperament."

"Not that, many things happened, us. I think we are family. If not for that Chicken Coup, could we meet, and be together like this now? I think not. If not becoming adventurer and living as bastard...... What would I have become?"

When tipsy Blatt spoke drunk truth, his friends became silent. Just turned heads looking at flowing river water resembling time.

"Yeah, many things happened......"

Boden muttered to himself. Sounded like words implying many events, time, and meaning. Rickart couldn't know all of it yet.

However, they didn't look up to Rickart because he was a noble, and didn't look down because he was young. Tried to see Rickart as he was.

And looking at people themselves they were open-minded, but daily life was somewhat closed.

Didn't chase only money like mercenaries, didn't pursue only honor like knights, and didn't live only in shadows like Thief Guild.

Just people living trusting and relying on each other, holding a piece of hope.

Rickart's first impression of adventurers was like that.