Chapter 77 - Commission (1)

It was already the fifteenth day since I had returned alive from the Labyrinth. In other words, roughly two weeks remained until the portal opened in the Dimensional Plaza.

I couldn't exactly say I'd had a good rest. Time had simply slipped away as I worked through my daily tasks like homework.

Well, I wasn't the only one who'd been busy.

"Hahaha! If it isn't the famous Little Valcan, Bjorn, son of Jandel! If you're free today, how about a drink downstairs later—"

"I'm tired."

Except for that dwarf, who'd spent the entire fortnight lazing around, every member of the Outcast Team had had a busy two weeks.

First, Rotmiller.

"Hmm, I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. How to make use of the Sixth Sense stat, that is."

Having absorbed a Mimic's Essence during our expedition, he trained diligently every day to familiarize himself with his new abilities.

Dwalki was no different.

"... Ah, me? Don't mind me. I merely haven't slept for two days."

With his financial problems resolved, he was even cutting back on sleep to learn new spells at the Magic Tower.

Once, the dwarf expressed concern that he was pushing himself too hard, but...

"None of us knows what will happen on our next expedition, do we? We must prepare as much as we can while we have the chance."

How admirable. When had he become so mature?

It made me glad I'd stayed with this team. I might have absorbed an Orc Hero's Essence, but if everyone's strength kept rising like this, they wouldn't hold me back.

'Starting next expedition, we should have no trouble even on the fourth floor.'

They weren't the only ones who'd grown. Misha and I had changed in many ways over the past two weeks too.

Starting with me...

"Hahaha! Congratulations! Earning an epithet in your third month, and getting promoted to Grade 6? At this rate, I'm worried you'll leave me in the dust before long!"

"If you're worried, why not put in some effort?"

"As it happens, I've been looking for a good artifact to buy!"

I'd been promoted to a Grade 6 explorer a few days ago. Contrary to my hopes, jumping straight to Grade 5 hadn't been possible.

Apparently, Grade 5 and above required an exam, and qualifying meant building up a sort of merit score by completing commissions submitted to the Guild.

'Ugh, the game never had anything like this.'

Really, though, it was a bit late to complain now. The game I'd played was set roughly 150 years before the present. Over more than a century, this society's systems must have received countless updates.

Just like the library, which had only been listed as under construction in the game.

"Oh, is that the new weapon you bought? Just looking at it inspires confidence!"

I'd made a slight equipment upgrade too. First, I'd bought a replacement for my lost mace. It cost 400,000 Stones, more than twice as much as my previous one.

Naturally, since that much more steel had gone into it.

「Total Item Level increases by +185.」

Its size and weight were overwhelming. Still, with my recent enormous increase in Strength, I had no trouble actually using it.

"By the way, Miss Karlstein, I believe you mentioned replacing your weapons too. How did that turn out?"

"Oh, that? I don't even want to talk about it. Ask him, nyah."

Misha pointed at me in response to Dwalki's question.

Hmm, I'd thought she'd agreed to stop grumbling...

"We bought twin swords."

I'd replaced Misha's weapons a few days ago: twin swords with roughly seventy percent of a standard longsword's reach. I'd paid 550,000 Stones for them at the smithy Hikurod had recommended.

"Twin swords?"

When the dwarf and Rotmiller murmured in unison, Misha seized the opportunity to whine.

"Right? You think it's strange too, nyah?"

"Strange? You seem to have misunderstood."

"Huh, nyah?"

"I was surprised because it was exactly what I'd thought to myself before. You're ambidextrous, so using both hands makes sense, but I wondered why you insisted on daggers in particular."

"... What do you mean, nyah?"

"Against people, perhaps. But we primarily fight monsters, don't we? And we'll be encountering plenty of large monsters from now on."

In short, he'd always thought her short daggers were a bit of a shame, so he welcomed the change.

Apparently that wasn't the reaction she'd expected. Flustered, Misha looked at the dwarf.

But...

"Twin swords... Certainly not a bad choice. We'll be holding the front line firm anyway. Hahaha!"

As a tank, the dwarf was simply pleased to hear that our melee damage dealer had gone all in on offense.

That was when Dwalki spoke up.

"I'm no expert in such matters, but wouldn't adapting to new weapons, and two of them at once at that, be difficult...?"

"Exactly! That's what I was trying to say, nyah! At this rate, even a goblin might beat me up next expedition, nyah!"

Emboldened by Dwalki's support, Misha glanced at me. But no matter what, I had only one thing to say.

"Then practice more. So goblins won't beat you up."

As I keep saying, the easy road is the slow road. Building proficiency with new weapons might be difficult now, but...

In the game, a freezing-element dual-wielding swordsman was the strongest late-game melee damage dealer.

Because there was one absolutely broken Numbered item.

"Sigh, I get it, so stop nagging, nyah."

"I'm not nagging. I'm giving you advice for your future."

"That's what nagging is, nyah."

As Misha and I bickered, Dwalki tactlessly cut in.

"But if you dislike it so much, couldn't you simply not change weapons?"

"Huh, nyah?"

"Well, isn't that so? Bjorn isn't your parent. Must you do everything he tells you? Frankly, watching from the sidelines, I find it uncomfortable. He seems to be overstepping."

Overstepping?

Well, from an outsider's perspective, he wasn't exactly wrong...

But there was one thing he didn't know.

"I-I don't dislike it that much, nyah. It's hard right now, but there are definitely quite a few advantages over daggers... nyah."

"I-is that so?"

"Yeah, so don't give Bjorn too hard a time, nyah. I made the decision, nyah."

I never force her to do anything.

I merely persuade her firmly with sound reasoning.

* * *

"Then we can aim for the center of the fourth floor starting next expedition. Hahaha!"

"If possible, I'd like to pass through places I haven't visited on the second floor."

"Hmm, for your merit score? In that case, I'll have to review that route too."

As we ate and finalized our expedition plans, this week's regular meeting quickly came to an end.

Calling it a meeting was a bit grand, really. We mostly just met once a week to catch up.

"Bjorn, are you two leaving together again?"

"We're heading in the same direction."

"Hmm, you two have gotten awfully close lately."

Really? From where I stood, he and Dwalki seemed to have gotten closer. Largely ignoring the dwarf's foolish teasing, I left the tavern with Misha.

"Oh, right. Bjorn! They said the equipment you ordered is finished, and you should come pick it up, nyah."

"It's late today. I'll get it tomorrow."

"What on earth did you order that took so long, nyah?"

Oh, hadn't I told her?

"Undershorts."

"Hmm, undershorts... nyah?"

Of course, these weren't ordinary undershorts. To be precise, they were a piece of equipment known among male explorers by the slang term "egg guard."

Put simply, a groin protector.

"They needed enchantments, so they were a little expensive."

"Wha—y-you even enchanted something like that, nyah?!"

"Something like that?"

"Uh, no, that's not what I meant... Well, I suppose you would've had trouble finding something that fit, so it's not that I don't understand... nyah."

What was she going on about now?

"I can't keep ending up naked every time my body gets bigger."

Once you absorb an Essence, it's a Player's job to adjust your equipment accordingly. To prepare for [Gigantification], I'd had clothing made in the shape I wanted, then enchanted it with "Auto-Repair," "Shape Transformation," and "Acid Immunity."

After all, there was no chance of finding the underwear—no, undershorts—I wanted on the market.

For reference, this had cost roughly 900,000 Stones.

"Ohhh, that's why you enchanted them, nyah. And here I thought... nyah."

With the misunderstanding apparently cleared up, Misha let out a deep breath. Then, as though something else had occurred to her, she asked in a peculiar tone.

"Um... So from now on, you're only going to wear those in the Labyrinth, nyah?"

"That's right."

I answered proudly.

I'd called them undershorts earlier for lack of a better word, but they were actually closer to thigh-length shorts. The sort cyclists often wear.

Besides, they were leather, not spandex, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Hmm, I hadn't actually tried them on yet, but...

"..."

Surely that would be the case.

Wasn't I a barbarian? One who valued efficiency over aesthetics.

Anyway, chatting as we walked, we soon reached our lodgings.

"Go on in and get some sleep too."

"Yeah, I should, nyah. But tomorrow, when you pick up your equipment, should I come along... nyah?"

"Don't try to slack off. Keep practicing with your swords while I'm gone."

"That's not why I offered... nyah."

Sure it wasn't.

"Even if it wasn't, there's no need. I have somewhere to go alone tomorrow anyway."

"Alone? Where are you going, nyah?"

I answered briefly.

"To the sanctuary."

I had money now, and I'd obtained the Orc Hero's Essence that formed the core of my build.

It was time to raise my Spirit Seal level too.

* * *

I woke early and went over my accounts once more.

'The mace, undershorts, and twin swords came to 1.85 million Stones.'

The [Beast Blood] I'd bought to raise Misha's Spirit beast's level had cost two million Stones. Enchanting my raitinium breastplate and shield with "Acid Immunity" had cost another 510,000.

'Subtract another 90,000 Stones for a month's living expenses... '

I was already down to just 3.7 million Stones.

Of course, it had all gone toward necessities, so I didn't regret it. [Beast Blood] had cost a full two million Stones, but without it, Misha would have needed much longer to learn to imbue her weapons with the freezing element.

'... And I should've enchanted my equipment ages ago.'

When I'd bought it, I'd skipped that step because I had the Frost Spirit Ring and no money to spare.

As a result, I'd ended up with a 500,000-Stone repair bill.

Fuck, I should've done it sooner, even if I'd had to cut back elsewhere...

"Bjorn, son of Jandel!"

After a quick wash and a long walk, I arrived at the sanctuary, where the chieftain greeted me with a somewhat pleased smile.

"I can no longer call you a young warrior. I hear you've earned the epithet Little Valcan?"

"That's right!"

I nodded proudly, playing the barbarian returning home in triumph.

But this was the unsentimental world of barbarians.

"So what brings you here!"

After barely a word or two, the chieftain got straight to the point. True to barbarian form, the introduction was excessively brief.

Honestly, I'd expected a little more admiration, praise, or encouragement...

'Well, this saves me time too, so that's fine.'

Perhaps barbarians were the most rational race in this city. Seriously considering that possibility, I too immediately stated my business.

"I've come to receive a Spirit Seal."

"I see. I'll call the Shaman. Speak with him."

Everything proceeded swiftly after that too. The chieftain left, perhaps having something urgent to attend to, and the Shaman's apprentice came to guide me to his tent.

Inside, the Shaman greeted me, his deeply wrinkled skin as striking as ever.

"Hehehe, you again."

"How did you know it was me?"

"Because warriors who thank a Shaman are rare."

No, I'd meant how he'd recognized me while wearing a blindfold...

I didn't bother asking again. Well, he was a Shaman. There were bound to be mysterious things about him.

"Have you come for the second seal on the Immortal path?"

"That's right."

"The cost is one million Stones."

I stiffened in surprise.

"One million Stones?"

"Don't tell me you came unprepared?"

"... No."

I was merely surprised that the price was exactly the same as in the game, when the first stage had cost 150,000 Stones more.

CLINK.

Setting that minor question aside, I took out the money as instructed and placed it in the jar before me.

The Shaman chuckled.

"Good to see you paying the proper amount this time. Being shorted 50,000 Stones last time was a nuisance."

"... You were shorted 50,000 Stones? What do you mean?"

"Young warrior, you needn't concern yourself. It was all that foolish chieftain's fault."

No, that only made me more concerned.

Something had occurred to me, so as I lay facedown on the blanket as instructed, I asked again.

"Shaman, what is the normal cost of the first-stage seal...?"

"550,000 Stones."

"... I see."

That single answer cleared up every question.

The chieftain had quoted me 700,000 Stones back then. Of course, I didn't think he'd named that amount to rip me off.

I'd simply failed to realize something at the time.

["The cost of the Immortal's Seal is... hmm, about 700,000 Stones!"]

The chieftain was a barbarian too. One who was terribly bad with letters and numbers.

'Ugh, and then he made a big deal about giving me a 200,000-Stone discount.'

Well, I'd saved 50,000 Stones in the end, so I hadn't lost anything...

Still, I'd been such a dumbass to be genuinely happ—

"Let's begin."

The instant the needle pierced my skin, every worry, concern, and stray thought filling my head vanished.

Such vivid pain. It had been a long time.

"Young warrior, don't hold back. You may scream—"

"GRAAAAAAGH!!"

Fuck, I'd thought my Pain Tolerance would make it bearable now...

I never imagined it wouldn't work.

'... I'll have to get the third stage tomorrow.'

It seemed my plans needed revisiting.

* * *

「Stage 2 of the Immortal's engravings has been activated.」

「Endurance and Mana resistance increase slightly.」

「Mental increases by +30.」

「Ability increases by +60.」

* * *

The longest fifteen minutes of my life?

I'd been a fool to say that back then.

"There, finished."

The first-stage tattoo had taken twelve hours to inscribe, but the second stage took only ten minutes.

The pain, however, defied imagination. It felt as though twelve hours' worth of pain had been compressed into that span.

"Hehehe, I've never seen anyone stay conscious before."

Looking at me as I hovered on the verge of passing out, the Shaman cackled like a psychopath. Then he thrust something toward me.

"Here. Draw one. Since we have time left, I'll take a peek at your fate."

What was this? Fortune-telling?

Given that this was a fantasy world, it might be quite accurate...

"Fate sounds grander than it is. Go on, choose one. I can at least tell whether good things lie ahead for you."

Hmm, in that case.

Sensing no ill intent, I casually drew one of the dozens of sticks in the container.

The Shaman fell silent for a moment.

What? He was making me nervous for no reason.

"Young warrior, what is your date and time of birth?"

Uh, I hadn't expected him to need my birth details...

While I was considering how to answer, the Shaman cackled again.

"Hehehe, I was joking. How would a warrior know his date and time of birth?"

"... So, what did you see when you peeked at my fate?"

"It was unusual. I've read the fates of many warriors, but never in my life have I seen one so plagued by misfortune."

Hmm, that was exactly what the shaman my mother had taken me to long ago had said.

Was I doomed right from birth after all?

"You have likely suffered countless hardships that others might experience only once, and you will continue to do so."

"I see."

Ugh, I shouldn't have had my fortune told.

I'd known it deep down, but having a fantasy-world Shaman state it so definitively made me feel needlessly depressed.

"Don't be too discouraged, young warrior. Misfortune is not entirely bad for you."

"Not entirely bad?"

"Your fate holds not only misfortune, but good fortune to match it. And if calamity does not swallow you, even misfortune eventually turns to fortune."

"What does that mean? Speak plainly."

This time, I wasn't pretending to be a barbarian. I meant it. Was speaking incomprehensibly standard practice in this business, whether on Earth or here?

"Hehehe, it means you are destined to experience countless events, good and bad alike, that might happen only once in a lifetime."

For some reason, I felt a ringing in my head.

"It is a fate often bestowed at birth upon those called heroes."

Honestly, I didn't know about being a hero.

But one thing was certain. Countless fucked-up things had happened in my life, yet I was still alive and breathing.

I'd always thought that was because I had a knack for surviving against the odds. But looking back now, it hadn't all been fucked-up things.

"Hehe, something comes to mind, does it?"

Just look at the Blood-Tinted Castle. The Vampire Duke Cambormir had appeared and nearly killed me, but in the end, I'd obtained his Essence.

And the Floor lord I'd encountered recently?

I'd gone through all kinds of crazy shit, but in the process, I'd obtained an Orc Hero's Essence.

"If I have a hero's fate, does that mean I won't die, no matter what happens to me?"

"Of course not."

The Shaman smiled as though addressing a truly innocent young warrior. Then he assumed a solemn air and intoned,

"Some are devoured by fate, some submit to fate, and others overcome it."

"In plain words."

"That depends not on fate, but on you."

Ugh, cryptic nonsense right to the end.

Forget it. Fate or whatever, nothing changed anyway.

Rather than relying on something else, I needed to stay sharp and do what had to be done, always.

So I could withstand whatever came my way.

* * *

「Bjorn Jandel」

Level: 3

Physical: 330.1 / Mental: 198.3 (New +30) / Ability: 212.4 (New +60)

Item Level: 967 (New +185)

Overall Combat Index: 982.55 (New +136.25)

Obtained Essences: Corpse Golem - Rank 7, Vampire (Guardian) - Rank 5, Orc Hero - Rank 5