Chapter 76 - Renid (7)
Upon returning to the wagon, Leira imdiately handed a warm cup of tea.
“Congratulations, Johan. On winning the bet. I knew you would be back soon.”
The steam rising from the teacup added credibility to her words.
“It has a nice aroma.”
“It’s a specialty of our region. It’s very popular throughout all of Lenad. In fact, would you believe that in the northwestern region we are currently heading to, a single cup of this tea costs several days’ wages for a laborer?”
“There are abnormal prices everywhere in the world.”
“Is Earth like that too?”
I nodded my head.
“A single pyeong of land sowhere on Earth is sotis traded for a laborer’s several years’ wages.”
“Lies!”
“It’s up to you whether you believe it or not.”
“What on earth is Earth like for such a crazy price to be possible?”
“For now, let’s look outside the wagon rather than talk about that.”
We were having a very leisurely conversation in the midst of a battle.
The aspect of the engagent was one-sided.
There was no way a group of orcs of that size could be a match for the rwell Guild’s forces.
There was a difference in individual combat abilities, but considering their overwhelming organization, it seed highly likely that there would be no casualties from the rwell Guild.
The rwell Guild was cautiously and steadily breaking down the orc horde without overextending themselves.
Even in the midst of all that, Tardel’s voice was not heard even once.
He was rigidly fulfilling that promise.
“He is a man of his word, though.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Captain Tardel.”
Leira realized what I ant a mont later and smiled bashfully.
“He’s blunt, but he’s a reliable person.”
“In that sense, I plan to make him keep the promise for sure.”
“Are you really going to make him not say a single word for two days?”
“A promise is a promise.”
“You’re harsh. Johan.”
Still, he would probably learn sothing through this incident.
That one must always be humble, and that one’s senses can be imperfect. If he could realize these things, the two days of silent training would be a very cheap tuition fee.
Before long, the battle was reaching its final stage.
As expected, the orc horde was being annihilated without a single casualty.
Despite the restriction of silence, Tardel’s command was quite excellent.
“Our rwell Private Army is always so reliable. Especially when Captain Tardel is leading them.”
“So you hired even though you had such faith in them.”
“Because I beca interested in you. Shall I say I wanted to poke the bear even more after realizing I couldn't have you?”
“What on earth were you planning to do after buying .”
“You shouldn’t ask things like that.”
Leira covered her mouth with her hand as if embarrassed and smiled.
Whatever sinister thoughts she had, it was clear that she was a good person to .
Thanks to her, the progress of the quest had quickened.
Moreover, since I was escorting such a large caravan, the quest reward would also be substantial.
***
Tardel kept his promise.
Even while inside the wagon.
Even during the large and small skirmishes with monsters.
Even when eating.
Even when sleeping.
In every mont I was aware of, he maintained his silence.
“Johan, at this point, I wish you would just consider the penalty fulfilled.”
“No. It’s almost been two days already, and if I let him off here, Captain Tardel would hate it too, wouldn’t he? Right, Tardel?”
As I looked at him with a sly smile, Tardel just closed his eyes tightly and nodded his head.
“If that’s the case, I can’t help it. Johan, then could you tell about Earth again today, following up from yesterday?”
Leira showed a strong interest in Earth, a place she couldn’t go to.
“What are you curious about this ti on Earth?”
“Swordsmanship.”
“There are many restrictions on this topic. I can’t talk about the principles or forms of swordsmanship.”
“That’s not what I’m curious about. Two days ago, do you rember saying that Earth’s swordsmanship is superior to Lenad’s?”
“I did.”
“Then where is your position on Earth?”
My position…
It was a difficult question to answer.
If she was asking about the level of mastery in swordsmanship, my position was above all Earthlings.
And by a huge margin at that.
But at this point in ti, it wasn't that I could subdue all Earthlings with swordsmanship.
Because the stark difference in mana was difficult to overco.
“Why no answer?”
“Because the question is ambiguous.”
“What’s so ambiguous about it. I’m asking about the extent of your enlightennt on the sword on Earth.”
In that case, it beca a very simple question.
“Let’s just say, the overwhelming number one.”
“What did you say?”
Leira’s eyes widened, and Tardel, who was listening from the side, snorted for a mont.
Leira aside, it seed this Tardel fellow hadn't learned his lesson even with the penalty.
What is seen is not everything.
“Johan, you’re not joking, are you?”
“Of course not.”
“Your own thoughts are your own, so I have no intention of saying anything about that. But with your answer just now, your claim that Earth’s swordsmanship is superior to Lenad’s has lost a lot of credibility.”
“As I always say, it’s up to you whether you believe it or not. I have no intention of forcing you.”
“If you are joking right now, I’m very disappointed, and if you have disrespected Lenad’s swordsmanship, I want an apology.”
“It’s neither, so it shouldn’t matter.”
Leira bit her lip tightly.
She was thoroughly angry.
And then, a period of silence continued.
She, perhaps offended, didn't speak to anymore, and Tardel was only showing his hostility, glaring at .
He was probably thinking that his superior was being toyed with.
Like that, the wagon ran for a long ti in silence.
And a few hours later, it was Tardel who broke the silence.
“The promised two days have passed.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Apologize to the young lady at once!”
“Apologize?”
I had sowhat expected Tardel’s sudden outburst.
His expression from a while ago looked like he had a lot to say to .
“For the cri of playing with words with the young lady with your nonsensical talk!”
“It is you who should apologize, Tardel.”
“What did you say?”
“If I won the bet, your apology was also supposed to be part of the promise. Did you already forget after keeping your mouth shut for two days?”
Tardel’s eyes wavered for a mont, and he flinched.
He had only just rembered.
“The cri of insulting and my guild. I must receive an apology for this.”
“Th-that is!”
Tardel’s expression, as if saying ‘this wasn’t supposed to happen,’ was amusing.
He trembled his fists and closed his eyes.
“I will apologize for that.”
It seed he couldn't bring himself to look in the eye and say it.
As he said that, Tardel bit his lip hard.
“I will accept your apology.”
“Then it’s your turn now.”
“What?”
“An apology for your remarks that played with words and disrespected the young lady and Lenad’s swordsmanship.”
“This is ridiculous. In the end, you just don’t like my remark about being the number one on Earth. Do people in Lenad really pick on things like this?”
“Because you responded to the young lady’s serious question with a joke.”
“It wasn’t a joke.”
“Hey, Johan!”
Tardel’s shout filled the inside of the wagon.
At that mont, five daggers summoned from the inventory floated in the air.
And then, they began to rotate in a circle according to my hand gesture.
“Wh-what is this!”
It must be the first ti he had seen such a harmony of mana control.
Leira’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit as she stared at the rotating daggers.
“I’m showing you how your life can change depending on my will.”
Whoosh!
At that mont, a single dagger grazed over Tardel’s head and embedded itself in the wall of the wagon.
Whoosh!
This ti, it grazed his left ear.
Whoosh!
This ti, his right ear.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
This ti, two daggers flew simultaneously and passed over both of Tardel’s shoulders.
Five daggers embedded in the wagon.
Tardel’s complexion had already turned deathly pale.
“That’s five tis. That I’ve saved you, Tardel.”
“Just now, this. What was it!”
“Earth-style Sword Control.”
I answered curtly.
“There’s such a swordsmanship on Earth?”
Of course, that wasn’t the case.
The Sword Control Technique itself was still far from complete, but. It was sothing only I could do.
Only old man Han Byeong-cheol could imitate what I was doing to a similar degree.
“Then let ask one thing at this point. Do you still think I was joking?”
“That is……”
Even I thought it was a breathtaking performance.
The unfamiliar thod of mana control was enough to dazzle their eyes.
And the spatial condition of being inside a narrow wagon made it impossible to defend against the daggers.
It wasn't a destructive attack, but what I showed was clearly a whole new world.
Tardel, still with a dazed look, opened his mouth.
“I honestly don’t know if you are the number one on Earth, but it certainly seems you were not joking.”
“The apology?”
“I’m sorry. I apologize once again.”
“I’m sorry too, Johan. It seems I misunderstood you.”
Leira also bowed her head slightly to .
The concept of this quest was flowing in a strange way.
I ca as a rcenary to escort a caravan, but it felt like the main point had been overturned.
“I’ll accept the apology again. But I won’t be taking any more questions.”
I took this opportunity to nip the questions in the bud.
From their perspective, they would have many questions about the other world, Earth, but in truth, there was a lot I didn't know either.
I thought it was better to just shut my mouth rather than make up so plausible story.
“It’s a sha, but I can’t help it. We were the ones who acted rudely.”
Thanks to that, the inside of the wagon beca quiet again.
Even this spare ti was sothing I could fully utilize.
I began to operate my Mana Breathing Technique.
The healing was slow because there was no Spring of Elixir, but I was still making today better than yesterday.
The two of them thought I was ditating, so they didn't speak to , and I healed my body and accumulated mana in a comfortable atmosphere.
Then, at so point, I had no choice but to snap my eyes open.
Because I had felt a massive energy for the first ti since coming to Lenad.
At this wagon’s speed, we would encounter it before long.
“Leira, where are we now?”
“We are passing through the Teyen Prairie, is sothing wrong?”
“Contact the other wagons. Tell them to be prepared, there might be a big battle soon.”
“What? What kind of out-of-the-blue nonsense is that! This area is a place where monsters don’t appear!”
To be honest, I had thought it was too easy so far.
I had montarily forgotten that this place, Lenad, was a world connected to the Abyss.
I couldn't understand all the principles of the Abyss, but there was a high probability that the quest had reached a certain level or higher as the causality twisted and turned in so way.
In that sense, the rwell Guild hiring as an escort warrior might have actually increased the danger.
What could I do?
Since it might be sothing that happened because of , I had no choice but to resolve it.
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