With the money I had left, I bought clothing and travel supplies.
Maybe it was because I’d watched Drek make deals before, but I managed to get decent goods at more reasonable prices than I’d expected.
To go over the equipment I bought one by one.
I bought a thin linen shirt to wear under my brigandine. It was essential for absorbing sweat and preventing chafing.
I also bought underwear, a simple set to go with the linen shirt, choosing the least bad option among the cheap ones.
Ever since coming here, I hadn’t been able to change even once, and it had felt incredibly unpleasant. At the very least, I could no longer give up on hygiene.
Considering how it would feel when gripping tools, I chose fingerless leather gloves, and for pants, I picked something sturdier than ordinary cloth.
Truthfully, I wanted to buy leather pants, but funds were far too tight.
I could have kept using the boots I already had, but if they tore on the road, I’d be in trouble, so I picked up another pair as a spare.
The thick leather boots that covered up to the ankles looked suitable for combat as well.
And the thing I liked most was a dark blue robe.
It would work well as outerwear and a blanket against the cold, and I also liked that it could conceal my identity to some degree.
Most of all, it looked cool. If you’re a mage, a robe is a must-have item.
Lastly, I slung an old backpack over my shoulders.
Inside were travel supplies like food and torches.
I’d packed only what I considered necessary, but even so, when I lifted it, a “ngh!” escaped me on its own.
Once I was fully equipped, I had spent almost all the money I’d received, but…
With this much, didn’t I look like a bit of a veteran? Personally, I was quite satisfied.
Right. This was what a mercenary was supposed to be.
Until now, I’d been no different from some random bandit.
Actually, there was one more thing I really wanted to get besides all this.
A helmet.
I’d felt it keenly while fighting so far.
More than a sword flying at you from the front, an arrow that could come from who knew where was far more terrifying.
If an arrow flew in without warning and struck a vital point, that was the end.
Magic or whatever else, it’d be a clean farewell to this world. There was no way that wasn’t scary.
Dying was frightening too, but not knowing how I’d die was even more chilling.
But perhaps because helmets were mostly made from solid iron, their prices were no joke.
When this request is over, I must buy one… no, wait. I should be taking requests with no combat in the first place.
Seeing myself think like this, had I already been tainted by mercenary life?
My way of thinking was getting stranger and stranger.
On the way back, the sun was still up, and the market alleys were packed with people.
The cries of peddlers, the laughter of children, and the sound of footsteps mixed in between.
This city was incredibly peaceful.
I pulled the robe slightly lower over my head and walked slowly through the crowd.
The backpack hung heavily from my back, and with equipment added to my body, I felt like my movements had become more sluggish than before.
‘Well, it’s fine. I won’t have to fight today.’
…Or so I thought, but you never know what life will throw at you.
Just then, someone brushed past me, bumping shoulders.
My body swayed lightly, and the person gave a brief bow of the head before quickly moving away.
In that instant, a chill ran down my spine.
I lowered my hand and felt around my waist.
The small leather pouch that should have been there was gone.
“…Huh?”
Before I could even make a sound, I turned around by reflex.
The bastard was already running through the crowd.
A shabby coat, swift feet, practiced footwork. He was probably a pro.
“Ha, seriously.”
I let out a short sigh, then immediately started running.
Pushing through the crowd with a backpack on was more of a trial than I’d expected.
My body was heavy, my field of vision was narrow, and I kept bumping shoulders with people.
Fortunately, I had moved the ring from the small pouch to my inner pocket beforehand.
But a few bronze coins remained in the pouch.
It wasn’t much, but it was all the money I currently had.
It wouldn’t be a disaster if I lost it, but when I thought about how I’d spent days sweating to earn it…
It felt as if the several days I’d suffered through were evaporating all at once.
The bastard stirred up the market as he fled, then at some point slipped between people and vanished into an alley.
Afraid of losing that spot, I threw myself into the gap right away.
The narrow, damp alley felt somehow familiar.
It was like the back alleys of the harbor I’d seen a few days ago.
Because the sunlight couldn’t get over the walls, the smell of damp earth settled at the tip of my nose.
“Where did he go…”
I had just caught my breath and was about to step farther in.
“…That’s some nice-looking armor.”
A voice rang out.
At first, I thought it was directed at someone else.
But it wasn’t. The two men blocking my path both laughed at the same time.
“The armor and the bag. You don’t need any of that here, do you?”
Without a word, I scanned my surroundings.
There was no path to escape.
Another man was already blocking the way behind me, and the walls of the narrow alley were too high.
“You’re a mercenary, right? We don’t mind you wandering around our territory. But—”
With a snap, the man flicked his fingers.
The man behind me slowly reached out his hand.
“How about you hand over everything you’ve got and be on your way?”
His voice was low, but there was a clear threat buried in it.
The man blocking my front even drew his knife.
‘Was it a trap?’
I quietly let out a sigh.
…Right. This is what happens when you walk into an alley without thinking.
Blaming myself for the mistake, I drew up mana.
It was at that moment.
“These bastards are at it again?”
At the voice from the end of the alley, the three thugs froze at the same time.
One of the thugs, after confirming the owner of the voice, spoke in a trembling tone.
“It’s that c-crazy bitch…”
Light footsteps echoed through the alley.
A woman wearing a cloak the same color as her red hair slowly walked in.
Beneath the cloak was dark leather armor, and an old spear hung at her waist.
She stopped, briefly looked around, then opened her mouth in a low growl.
“Robbery in a city where I am? Looks like I’ll have to loosen up my hands today.”
The thugs hesitated for a moment, but in the end, one of them bolted first.
“Damn it, run!”
The rest began to flee after him.
…Should I run too?
She turned her head toward me.
“You okay?”
“…Yes, well… thanks to you, I’m alive.”
She jerked her chin and said,
“Don’t go into alleys next time.”
And then, just like that, she walked off the way she had been going.
I had no choice but to stare at her back for a long while.
…Why is she so cool?
Wait, my money!
Those thug bastards ran off with it after all!
In the end, I was the only one who took a loss.
“Sigh…”
I let out a small sigh and left the alley.
***
That evening.
After returning to the lodging, I sat at a table and ate dinner.
Across from me, as always, Baret had brought his meal over and was eating too.
“Where did everyone else go?”
“Well, some are out enjoying the night… and some passed out early.”
Baret naturally dipped his bread deep into the soup and put it in his mouth.
“I saw you got some equipment today… Did you find anything to your liking?”
“Yes, more or less.”
Baret nodded and slurped down some soup. Then he set the bowl down, leaned back against his chair, and continued.
“Equipment is something you’re ultimately entrusting your life to. Even if it’s heavy and uncomfortable… you have to be able to trust it.”
Those words carried a weight that only someone who had survived a battlefield could possess.
I silently nodded and scooped up a spoonful of soup.
As the salty broth wet my throat, the anger from being pickpocketed seemed to melt away a little.
Baret stared at my face again and continued.
“Now you’ve become a real mercenary. Soon, every time you look in the mirror, a certain thought will suddenly come to you.”
“What thought?”
Baret smiled faintly, and this time he murmured quietly.
“I survived again today. That sort of thought. At first it feels laughable… but later, that becomes the thing you long for most.”
Hmm, is that so? As expected, I should quit being a mercenary as soon as possible.
“Do you happen to know much about this city?”
“This place? I wouldn’t say I know it well, but I’ve stopped by several times.”
While I was at it, I decided to ask about things I was curious about.
“There’s a church in this city. What religion is it?”
“Religion? Why, of course—”
He looked at my face for a moment as if finding it strange, then seemed to understand and continued.
“You were a mage, weren’t you? Like most places, this city believes in Lord El Sereon. The church built in the square also belongs to the Sereon Order.”
“Aha, the Sereon faith.”
El Sereon. If it was a god treated like common knowledge… it would be best to remember.
Since I was already asking, I asked about the god Valdik supposedly believed in.
“Urusa? That’s a name I’ve never heard before. Do you perhaps mean Lord Ulgran? He is the god who governs alcohol and festivals.”
Ulgran? Was that the name?
The name I only vaguely remembered now felt as if it had finally clicked into place.
The fact that this man knew him too meant Ulgran wasn’t some minor god.
In that case… Valdik had been a priest of a fairly well-known god.
Thinking about it that way, I understood even less.
‘Someone like that got caught making alcohol with holy water?’
Hmm, I decided to just give up on figuring it out.
As I changed the subject and asked a few minor questions, I suddenly remembered the woman I’d seen in the alley.
“Then do you perhaps know a woman with red hair who carries a spear?”
“Red hair and a spear…”
At my question, Baret set down his cup. His eyes sharpened ever so slightly.
“…Only one person comes to mind.”
“Who is she?”
“Kalsia. A gold-plaque mercenary. I briefly saw her face once in the past.”
“Gold plaque… She must be incredible.”
“Incredible doesn’t quite cover it. Her spear skill is one thing, but her presence is different. Enemies back away just from seeing Kalsia’s face.”
“Then… why would a woman like that come here?”
Baret shrugged.
“Who knows what a gold-plaque mercenary does? Once they’re hired, they can even be dragged into kingdom wars. A city like this… she might have simply stopped by while passing through.”
“Isn’t Taren a silver-plaque mercenary too?”
“He is. But even though it seems like only a one-step difference, gold plaque is on a completely different level. From that point on, they don’t raise their rank; instead, accomplishments are simply added to their plaque. You can think of them as people who’ve already reached the top.”
At those words, I remembered the scene I’d just witnessed at the mouth of the alley.
The way she had overwhelmed those thugs with her presence alone certainly had made her seem strong.
“…Don’t tell me you met that woman in person?”
At my question, Baret furrowed his brow once.
“Yes, I think so.”
“Good heavens. It’s a miracle you’re still alive.”
Baret let out a small sigh.
His expression was sincere.
On the face of a seasoned silver-plaque mercenary who had experienced many things, a faint fear showed.
“If you had provoked her the wrong way, you might have died on the spot. She’s… famous for having an eccentric temper.”
Wait, didn’t she save me?
Then… did she intentionally let me off?
Or maybe she simply had no interest.
“Among mercenaries, her nickname is Mad Dog, and even her official guild title is Blood Princess [血姬].”
Her nickname is Mad Dog? I guess she really was a crazy bitch.
On top of that, with a reputation like that… I’d better be even more careful next time.
No, not meeting her at all would be best.
“What’s a title?”
“When someone receives a gold plaque, the guild gives them a separate name. Well, it’s like a nickname.”
“Ah, are titles usually that unpleasant?”
Blood Princess [血姬].
If translated literally, it would be something like “Princess of Blood.”
Even the name itself was pretty bloody.
“Of course not all of them are like that. Most follow a person’s characteristics. Things like Sword Emperor, Wealth, Black Spear.”
“I see.”
So it was like the titles I’d only seen in games.
At first, it felt a little childish, but if it was a name earned through skill, that was a different story.
I suppose this world had its own kind of romance too.
“Then you don’t have a title, Mr. Baret.”
“Well, silver plaques like us either decide one ourselves, or the people around us give us one.”
“Then what is your title, Mr. Baret?”
“It’s a bit embarrassing, but… I’m called Strong Sword.”
“Strong Sword? Does it mean a strong blade?”
“Yes… well, when I was young, I trusted only in my strength and swung my sword around. Now my elbow aches, so I can’t even do that properly.”
Baret laughed awkwardly and shrugged.
Despite saying that, he looked to be in his thirties at most.
By this world’s standards, did that count as old?
Still, Strong Sword… It wasn’t bad, but somehow it felt like a nickname made up on the spot.
“Still, it’s better than having none. You need at least one, whatever it is, for your comrades to remember you by.”
“Then mine would be… Waterskin? Something like that?”
“That… please think of something a little cooler. I’m begging you.”
At his words, I gave a small laugh.
Maybe someday, I too would earn a name that would remain in someone’s memory.
***
As usual, after finishing my meal, I returned to my room, lay down on the bed, and sank into thought.
‘What should I do after the request is over?’
I’d never really thought about a goal.
In the end, I decided I needed to organize my thoughts.
Right now, I was simply too busy trying to survive, dealing with whatever was right in front of me… but this couldn’t continue forever.
A life where survival was everything would, at some point, become empty.
So I thought about setting some kind of goal, but honestly, nothing in particular came to mind.
Usually, if someone gets possessed into a fantasy world, what’s their goal? Become the strongest and save the world?
Honestly, it did sound cool, but that sort of thing felt a bit distant from me. For one thing, the world seemed perfectly fine.
From where I stood right now, what I was most curious about was what this body had done in the past.
The fact that I’d been in prison, and people’s reactions too… it was clear there had been some kind of problem.
If I moved around without knowing that properly, it might trip me up someday.
And then there was the Blue Magic Tower.
A tower of mages that sounded significant from the name alone.
If I had really been someone from a place like that, wouldn’t there be at least something left behind?
Even if only out of curiosity, I should visit it at least once.
After that, Drek and Valdik… Honestly, I’d only traveled with them for a few days, but they kept coming to mind.
As fellow prisoners, they might have been using me, but still, at the very least, they didn’t abandon me.
The fact that they stayed with me until the end in that situation… there must have been some sincerity there.
I didn’t know where they had gone, but if I got the chance later, I wanted to look for them at least once.
When I met them, I’d tell them we should go crush Dardan and the broker together.
Once I had sorted out my thoughts to some extent, drowsiness came over me.
As sleep washed in, the goal that had come to mind first, yet which I had half given up on, circled in my head.
I must…
I must… go back…