Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Time passed, and it was around the time when flowers that bloomed throughout summer all fell, and fresh leaves dried up turning brown.

Many students started to leave one by one following adventurers who came from the guild. There was no such thing as a graduation ceremony, and that was just graduation. It was an era where even the concept of holding an event to commemorate graduation didn't exist.

Bolka, Morty, Lara, and Delphi left first, and as snow began to fall, Ice, Jerome, Manson, and Pallen also left.

Farewell was dry. There was absolutely no hugging each other and crying or anything like that. They didn't show regret outwardly either.

Just smiled, and wished luck in war. Promising to meet again.

Since Morty said he would quit being an adventurer and continue working at the smithy, they could see him often if they went to the city. That was fortunate.

Empty spots of those who left were not filled immediately. Newcomers entered sparsely and steadily, but newcomers entered in earnest from spring.

Now remaining students had to stay and survive the winter. But winter was a season to rest and at the same time a season to endure. Cold, hunger, and loneliness.

Since Beringen Academy was where various students lived together, there was no loneliness, but cold and hunger could neither be escaped nor avoided at all.

Because firewood ran out quickly so it was hard to light a fire, and even hard bread given for free bottomed out.

Had to make a living on their own, but since it was a period where food was scarce fast wherever one went in the world, it was hard to get food even if going to the city.

In addition, it was hard to find a job too. The job found barely was just given rotten potatoes or a handful of grain instead of wages.

Students who had food stockpiled during summer and autumn were better off, but the problem was students who didn't have stockpiled food.

Such students filled their stomachs with thin ice water, dug up grass roots to eat, or went out to the field and tried to catch field mice or rabbits at least. They were living barely like that.

Rickart and Bori-bori could endure with stockpiled salted meat, chunk cheese, and grain, but it was truly unbearable to pretend not to see right next to them starving and getting sick.

It was also difficult to gather food at once and distribute, for with what reason can one take away things of students who worked hard to gather with their own ability.

However, sharing what I have was far from enough, and I couldn't starve myself to help others.

Food shortage in winter was something even the Count Palatine couldn't do anything about. Since his own territory people were also starving.

Still, had to try what could be done.

Rickart wore a thick gambeson and even wrapped a cloak to prepare to go out.

Wore a dagger at the waist, and carried a longsword on one shoulder. Perhaps deciding properly on something, packed extra food and went outside with Bori-bori.

Before going out, looking back, students gathered all in one room were shivering trembling odeul odeul by the fireplace covering themselves with blankets all alike. Since they had to save firewood, they had no choice but to be gathered all together.

Sick students were gathered in another room, and coughed kollok kollok inside the blanket sweating cold sweat. What students did every morning these days was checking if there was a dead student or not.

"Let's go."

Rickart said. Bori-bori wore a hood and followed without a word. Winter seemed to freeze even the innocent boy's smile.

At Bori-bori's waist, a one-handed sword called 'Side Sword' was keeping silence quietly.

Leaving the Academy and going down the cliff, white snow falling filling the whole world under the gray sky, and the field covered purely white were truly spectacular.

It was so beautiful that one would want to ask if it's okay to be like this when we are this hard.

As they came down the cliff completely, snow-covered footprints were made straight to the west, and Rickart and Bori-bori walked the vast snowy field listening to the sound of snow piling up softly.

Crunch. Crunch......

Walking six hours like that and arriving at Beringen, they shook off snow piled on heads and shoulders in front of the headquarters building and entered inside.

As they opened the door, warm air rushed in, and as frozen face muscles melted tingingly, the mind was almost dizzy.

Adventurers who were inside looked back at the existence who opened the door suddenly. Recognizing who it was by physique and red cloak rather than face, soon turned off attention.

Rickart was a celebrity in his own way in Beringen and nearby. Called the boy swordsman of red cloak, or Ricky of 'Severance'. Because if he clashed with anyone, he broke all swords.

Dunkel was resting his chin with elbow on the bar, looking at Rickart, he avoided eyes implicitly. As if Rickart wouldn't know even if he avoided eyes.

Rickart closed the door deolkeodeong, walked to him ttubok ttubok and said.

"Didn't come to borrow food again."

Since he came several times not just once to borrow food, and knew Dunkel was troubled every time, Rickart revealed from the beginning that he had no such intention.

Then Dunkel turned his head slowly and looked at Rickart.

"Then for what matter?"

"Wondering if there is work. If there is a big request that makes money enough for students not to tremble in cold and starve during winter."

Dunkel looked at such Rickart quietly and thought. Why on earth does he consider other people's situation? What is the relation?

Rather than considering Rickart nice or having noble character, he just couldn't understand itself. Because he lived thoroughly only for himself.

"Employment is always there......"

"Is that so? What is it?"

"But...... Ha...... The Elder is the Elder, but the guild also has a position. Ricky."

There seemed to be a difficult thing Dunkel couldn't say. However, since he knew who Rickart's sponsor was, he seemed more troubled.

"Why is that? Is it because I'm unreliable? Or, did I cause trouble sometime?"

"That's not it. I also know you are great, and kids here all know. But for work, there are things that can't be just entrusted readily. The deserter request last time had an accident in the middle so it was like that, but the request itself wasn't that difficult, right?"

"Right."

"But some work, I mean...... setting aside being difficult, there is one that absolutely must not fail. Speaking concretely, if you fail, it becomes a matter unrelated to us. Speaking more concretely, it means you just die a dog's death when failing. Do you know what it means?"

"......Is it assassination?"

As Rickart mentioned the word assassination, Dunkel gestured to follow. And entered the door where only staff could enter inside the bar.

Rickart and Bori-bori looked at each other once, and followed him in. Inside the room was nothing special. Only liquor bottles displayed fully on the wall looked a bit special.

There was one chair without a backrest, Dunkel sat there and continued the story he was doing. Cold wind came in through the door gap connected to outside and made whi-ing, whi-ing sound.

"Have you heard of Ehrenberg 5? Steiner, the leader there, is one of the Empire's 9 Swords."

"Have heard."

"Among that 5, 'Experimenter' Leto, 'Skin Collector' Erze. Killing these two bitches is the request. Good to kill more too. No, that is impossible."

Roaming as 5, picking only two among them to kill was a very difficult task. That is, realistically meant having to deal with all 5, which was hard to guarantee success even for current Rickart.

However, couldn't earn money enough to feed all nearly 100 students during winter with just ordinary assassination requests. For that to be possible, had no choice but to take a request with almost highest grade difficulty.

"Those 5 bastards made many enemies here and there while active in Ehrenberg area. That is, it means there are very many people bearing a grudge from long ago. But people or forces who tried to kill the 5 all died or ruined."

In short, meant they were guys who shouldn't be touched. Because couldn't mobilize an army to catch five people, and even if doing so, it was enough if they ran away.

"What on earth do they go around committing?"

"Although there are no good guys or bad guys in this field, they are guys who are just villains by existence itself. Stealing if there is something they want, killing, receiving protection while handling dirty works of nobles, then hitting back of head of that noble and running away, just guys living very waywardly. Experimenter Leto is a guy enjoying torturing people, and Skin Collector Erze is said to peel off human skin and wear it. Ah, and, those guys are also self-proclaimed adventurers. No affiliated guild. The fact that those guys are alive itself is smearing adventurer reputation very properly."

Dunkel spoke as if he himself also had a personal grudge against those 5 bastards.

"Mm, people who aren't particularly caught even if killed. Then it's done."

"No no, did you listen to my story properly? It's not the problem that they are guys okay to kill, but the problem is whether can kill. If work fails, and if they get to know we proceeded with the work, the guild becomes very troubled too. Dealing with rival guilds is hard enough, buy grudge of 9 Swords?"

"If I handle the work, it is certain that food and firewood enough to survive winter safely support is given, right?"

Dunkel thought inside 'this bastard is definitely not listening to my words'. However, for him, couldn't scold Rickart or do anything. Because he knew Rickart's identity.

Wondered if he brought up the story for nothing. Only, since he begged to lend food so much usually, there was a feeling he just told.

"That is certain. To the extent that massive funds were collected secretly from various organizations. There are organizations wishing to give in kind in the first place."

"I'll start work immediately so please lend some food first in the form of advance payment. No need to spend on me, send to the Academy."

"......But is there need to do up to this? I guarantee, there wouldn't have been a kid like you in Academy history."

Rickart smiled slightly and answered.

"I don't act according to necessity. Do if I want to do, if I can do."

"......Is that so."

Dunkel looked like he couldn't sympathize much.

"Anyway fortunate that there is work."

"No. There is always a person wishing someone to die. Regardless of season. Whether spring or winter, snow falls or rain falls."

"......Must be so."

It was bitter reality. That there is always a person wishing someone to die. But that was something that wouldn't disappear as long as humans are alive.

"Where do I have to go for Ehrenberg?"

"First if you go straight along the southwest road, there is a tavern called 'Anna's Loss' on the roadside. There, you have your cloak fixing pin, right? Show that and say I sent. Then they will give information related to work."

"Does not seem to be a branch of the guild?"

"Yeah, thief guild. Arisen Brotherhood. Since the work is work, we can't move openly. Clearly speaking, this IS work we absolutely don't know."

Rickart looked back at Bori-bori. Bori-bori was just staring at Dunkel blankly.

Dunkel thought Bori-bori was not military power, but following as a role of simply assisting Rickart and running errands.

"Will be okay?"

Rickart asked.

"I'm okay. Since doing together with Ricky. Doesn't matter if I die."

Rickart was existence like light to Bori-bori. Because he pulled himself up from the swamp called life which was gloomy to the extreme.

Even if losing life, couldn't lose light. Because, Bori-bori knew well that there is nothing as miserable as living reluctantly.

"No, that......"

"Honestly speaking if a student steps up, it's a decent choice for our guild. Because useful active kids have faces known. Ricky you are suitable. However, absolutely don't think about fighting head-on. Really dog's death. 9 Swords are not child's play. Guys who spread notoriety throughout the Empire."

Dunkel said. Although Rickart is famous, only known in Beringen and nearby area. Difference with Empire's 9 Swords was difference of so-called national level and district level.

And Rickart was merely a rising rookie to the last, not that he solidified position as the strongest in the region.

"I will take care of that."

"......Are you really not listening to my words?"

"Listening to everything necessary."

"......"

Dunkel wondered what kind of guy is this. But as much as there was a peculiar corner, it was also true that skill was also exceptional.

"Take a day to go so sleep today and go. Depart in the morning. Advance payment...... will send to the Academy."

Rickart nodded and left the room. And went up to upstairs with Bori-bori, unfastened equipment first and lay on the bed and rested.

Rickart looked at the snow falling outside the window. However, that white snow couldn't fill the empty heart formed after friends left. Rather seemed to make it emptier.

Suddenly Bori-bori came into sight. Several months had passed since training sparring with himself.

Bori-bori's original swordsmanship was practical enough in Rickart's view, but whether it would really work in actual combat was unknown.

Because in actual combat, not panicking, not being scared, not freezing body was more important than skill itself. Thought occurred if that innocent kid could really kill a person.

He was a friend not matching much with the object called sword, which had peculiar cool magic power.

"Aren't you nervous?"

"Ung. Doesn't matter dying."

"Why?"

"Because think already died when Mom abandoned me and left. Now just hope to be helpful to Ricky you. Thinking only that. Won't interfere."

"......Don't say like that."

"Understood. Sorry. Just, hope winter passes quickly."

Rickart looked at the window where snow falls again, and agreed to that word.

"Me too."

Bori-bori knew. Why doing this work now, why have to do.

Watching students starving and suffering illness then dying by the side was truly a hard thing. What on earth did they do wrong so much that boys, girls have to die?

However, even if not Academy student, there were many people dying suffering from cold and hunger in various places of the Empire. It was such a season. Winter. Was harsh.

That snow falling silently wasn't just beautiful excessively. Spirit of death, must be white color clearly.

Chapter 33. End.