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Sevens (LN) - Volume 1 - Chapter 11




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Chapter 11

 

Chapter 11 – True Strength

 

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We met in the guild early in the morning.

A lot of adventurers gathered in the guild. While preparing my equipment and looking at the situation in the reception counter, I felt a bit strange.

Novem was beside me, so I threw her a question.

「Why do we have to show ourselves in the guild even though we are going to go outside the city? Isn’t the efficiency too bad like this?」

Novem had different thinking with me.

「Perhaps this is important for the guild who is managing the adventurers? But, I think there is also merit for us by submitting paperwork properly like this.」

Selphie-san who was wearing protective gear on her body arrived and she continued Novem’s explanation.

「It’s something like that. Well, Just by reporting where are you going and when you will return will help the guild in managing personnel. If some kind of trouble occurred then the guild will send out someone to check, from the viewpoint of these guys who will set out after this, doing this will create the possibility of help coming in case the worst happened. But, there is also the true aim of the guild for doing this, which is to make it easier to investigate when an emergency and completely unexpected situation occurred.」

Guild card. The same card with the one I was holding was in the custody of the guild. And then, if the owner died, the carved name would be scratched with a horizontal line. With this, the guild could notice the death of the adventurer.

The third let out his voice from inside the Jewel in understanding.

『I see, the adventurers themselves who are scattered around the city in a sense are scouting out the situation by risking their life. If something happened, the guild will be able to learn where the abnormality happened and how strong is the adventurer who died. Haha~, that’s really something.』

I also somehow understood it. From the adventurer’s viewpoint, it gave the possibility that help would come in case they didn’t return in time. Certainly, in that case they would bother to show themselves at the guild and submit a brief paperwork. I turned my gaze to Selphie-san. Her body was covered with leather protector and she extremely refrained from exposing her skin. She was carrying a shield on her back, and a sword was hanging on her waist. Selphie-san’s fighting style must be using sword and shield. Her back was also carrying a bag, and then several small bags that could be filled with luggage were hanging on her waist. The equipment looked like they had been used for a long time. She wore a robe from her shoulders and looked our way.

I was wearing a thick clothes with leather armor to protect my torso. Gauntlets wrapped my arms, and there was one saber and a short sword on my waist. On top of that I was wearing a robe.

Novem also looked the same. She carried a short sword and tools. The difference with me was that she wasn’t carrying a saber but a staff that was the heirloom of Forxus House.

「Right, you guys are prepared. Well, there is no time to also check the content of your luggage. Just remember that if you forgot something there, I’ll make you do the odd jobs again. Now then, let’s submit the paperwork and set out.」

Selphie-san walked toward a table near a pillar and took a form that was prepared there before writing in the necessary data. Who──which party we are, where are we heading, when are we returning, they were written briefly. That was all. But, thinking that this might be a lifesaver in case something happened, it might not be a bad thing.

「I plan to choose a place that is relatively empty. Even if I teach you two at place that has a lot of people, it will be a bother to other. We’ll have to walk a bit far but bear with it.」

After Selphie-san returned from the counter, we got out from the guild and headed outside the city.

.

The weather was cloudy.

The sunlight would be too strong in clear weather, so Selphie-san said that this isn’t a bad weather. Thin cloud covered the sky and right now it didn’t look like it would rain. But, she told us to pay attention to it.

The three of us were walking on a maintained highway around Darion. Selphie-san walked and looked at the passing traveler and soldiers while staying alert at the surrounding. The probability of encountering dangerous monster near the highway was low. Selphie-san was looking for a certain type of person.

「Right, let’s go with that person.」

Saying that, Selphie-san took out a small bottle filled with medicine from inside her luggage. Although I called it a small bottle, it was shaped like a long and narrow tube. The person Selphie-san approached was injured at his feet. The robe he was wearing was also burned at some spot.

「Yo, looks like you were in trouble.」

Selphie-san approached while raising her hand. The person who seemed to be a traveler replied back.

「Yeah, it was a disaster. Damn slime leaped at me when I was resting. I couldn’t see it hiding among the grass. Thanks to that my leg is stinging.」

A part of his trouser was torn and there was a red swelling there. Seeing that, Selphie-san handed the medicine to the traveler.

「Use this.」

The traveler received it and smiled.

「Thanks. Also, it’s different from the place I was resting at but, there was a group of slime if you walked ahead from here for a few kilometers.」

Saying that the traveler said his thanks and walked away. Selphie-san saw him off. Novem asked Selphie-san.

「Is the medicine like the prize for the information?」

It seemed she handed the medicine was for asking information. Selphie-san looked at us while,

「Well, not all people will react like that traveler just now though. I made you two to buy several cheap medicines is also for you to uses them yourselves in case you need it though. It’s better to have a lot of them if you are sharing it like this right? Besides, here we can obtain information about a swarm of monster without searching around. It’s not bad to consider it as expense.」

Certainly, rather than consuming time to search around, this might be far more efficient. We who started walking again happened to see young adventurers midway. I had seen their face several times in the guild. The party of three was surrounding slime.

「Oi, don’t make it come here!」

「Don’t be unreasonable, there is also one over here!」

「This thing, it’s twining around me……shit-!」

The three surrounded two slimes with three people and attacked with the knife they were holding. One person backed away with a slime twining around his leg, melting it slowly. That was the way slime ate. It would entwine around approaching living thing and slowly melted them. But, another adventurer stabbed the core of the entwining slime using his knife and defeated it. Yellow green liquid spurted out from its body surface and dirtied the surrounding.

Like that after one slime was defeated, they faced the other one. They stabbed the slime with their knife several times and its skin became tattered. The third watched the trio.

『……That’s terrible. They are really hopeless, finish it by approaching it with one stab.』

Selphie-san also had the same opinion.

「Good grief, that’s terrible. They must be panicking from getting attacked by two at the same time……if it’s like that it will be better if they tied the knife on a stick to turn it into makeshift spear. If they even got injured facing two slimes, they would get into the red thinking of the reward they will get.」

I looked at the trio who were rejoicing from defeating the slime while,

「Err, you aren’t going to tell that to them?」

Selphie-san spoke to me who said that.

「Why? I am the instructor of you two, not them. They are just a bunch who are playing adventure with knife anyway. It’s better for them to meet painful experience from slime right now.」

Selphie-san said that if they are proper adventurer, they would prepare equipment and fought in a way that didn’t render the material into a waste. Novem spoke to me while I was bewildered.

「Lyle-sama, Selphie-san’s opinion is correct. They aren’t trying to learn. You can think of it as it’s better for them to meet a painful experience once so they can learn from it. If they still don’t learn then that’s it for them.」

「It feels, slightly cold.」

When I said that, Novem held her tongue. But, Selphie-san objected to my opinion.

「Then, are you going to help those guys? Guys who goes outside the city even though they are immature as adventurer? That’s a line that someone experienced can speak. They are going to die anyway as long as they are staying stupid. If you are planning to look after them because you pity them……do you also have the resolve to look after them till the end?」

Resolve──I who was told so faltered. Is it no good if we only taught them a more effective way to defeat monster? They were also wounded, giving them some medicine is──.

The second called out from inside the Jewel.

『Lyle, if there is someone hungry, are you going to keep feeding them? People who receive will misunderstand that they will keep receiving even thereafter. That will result in something bad both for Lyle and also for the hungry person.』

Even the fifth who was usually quiet admonished me similarly like the second. He emphasized how I am still a novice.

『Don’t think about helping other people even though you cannot even live properly by yourself. Besides, right now follow Selphie’s instruction. You are in the middle of learning. If you want to help them even then, then quickly become able to stand on your own, become someone who can help them. You can talk after that.』

You don’t have free time to get involved with other people, the ancestors told me. I had no words to talk back with. I forcefully convinced myself and apologized to Selphie-san.

「I’m sorry. I’m wrong.」

Then Selphie-san started walking. And then she talked to me.

「Wanting to help isn’t a bad thing. But you know, think beforehand too what kind of result it will bring. After all your spontaneous pity can even bring about the death of the one you helped in the future.」

Novem who was walking beside me looked at my face while,

「Lyle-sama, conversely speaking, if Lyle-sama become able to stand on your own, at that time you will be able to help the people who you want to help. I will also work hard, so let’s become someone qualified as soon as possible.」

I felt healed by Novem’s smile while nodding.

 

 

.

 

 

It was just as the traveler said.

The forest got closer as we advanced through the highway. There wasn’t any sign of people. Grass grew at the surrounding, and certainly there were slimes. It had yellow green color that was even weirder than in the book, each slime had different size. The faint red slime core could be seen, if it was destroyed or the skin torn, and all the liquid inside was spilled out, the monster would be defeated. It wouldn’t attack as long as it wasn’t approached, but if you approached carelessly and got attacked by a group of slime, even an adventurer with complete equipment would be in danger. Selphie-san began instructing us.

She picked a pebble lying on the ground nearby, then lightly tossed and caught it several times. While repeating that she,

「Listen, no matter what kind of adventurer, it will immediately get dangerous for them if they get surrounded. Even if it is by slimes. That’s why, it’s necessary to always be alert to the surrounding and move in the way that won’t get you surrounded. In case the enemy move in group like that……do this!」

Selphie-san threw the pebble in her hand to the group of slimes. A slime shook slightly when the stone hit, even though it didn’t have eye or nose, it moved as though it understood our location. It looked faster than its appearance. Selphie-san unsheathed the one-handed sword on her waist and moved slightly diagonal toward the direction the slime was coming from, showing a stance to thrust the sword. When the slime came near, she attacked and pinned the slime to the ground with a single thrust. One-handed sword──the sword with double edge and narrow width that was handled with one hand was pulled out. She then checked the surrounding before calling us with hand gesture.

She put down her bag and took out a leather glove, put on the thin glove and touched the slime’s skin. The liquid was muddily flowing out. It was disgusting seeing that. But, the skin was slightly dirty though it looked transparent.

「The parts of slime that can be sold are the skin and the core. It’s better to not destroy the core and also keep the skin as undamaged as possible. If you are planning to hunt mainly slime, it’s better to buy a spear that is only for thrusting. Well, you are free to decide it yourself. There is also a tool with the tip shaped like needle sold, if you like it you can try buying it. Oops, it came out.」

After skillfully collecting the skin and core, the skin was put into a container that looked like a barrel she took out from her bag, while the core was stored into a leather bag. A small red stone was remaining on the ground that was splattered by slime liquid. This was a magic stone. It was also collected into another bag.

「It’s convenient if you sort them out before selling them. The merchants who are doing business at the first floor of the guild will be able to immediately buy them like this, that’s why doing this is preferred. If you are doing it inefficiently, not only the merchants, your fellow adventurers will also hate you. Also, the place to sell magic stone and material is different. The magic stone is managed by guild, so you cannot sell it to merchant. Remember to separate it without fail.」

After finishing the dismantling, the barrel was closed and the leather bag was also neatly stuffed back into the bag. Selphie-san took off her gloves and stuffed them into a pocket that was outside the bag.

「Don’t use the gloves for dismantling for other thing. It’s dirty after all. After that, if one of you is in charge of the meal, it’s better for the other person to focus on the dismantling. It’s ideal if everyone can do the dismantling, so for a while I will teach both of you together, but after that decide who will take what role by yourself.」

Saying that it wasn’t a bad thing to learn the basic, Selphie-san looked around. There were still a lot of slimes.

「……Lyle, you are next. Try it.」

Getting told that, I put down the luggage I carried. Selphie-san watched my action while not really saying anything. I imitated Selphie-san and picked up a pebble and threw it at a slime. Then, it headed my way so I unsheathed the saber on my waist. Few shops in Darion sold saber, and the saber I finally could purchase wasn’t something with good quality. However, even so there was no problem as long as it was a saber.

I moved to the side while slashing the coming slime. I cut a part of its skin and then took a distance, and then yellow green liquid flowed out muddily from the slime’s body and it became unmoving.


「It’s unexpectedly simple.」

Selphie-san was watching me. I dismantled it to quickly finished it, but it was disgusting no matter what. In addition slime’s skin was more slippery than I thought. When I somehow finished the dismantling, I guessed I had been taking twice as long as Selphie-san.

I looked at Selphie-san’s face. Then, she said.

「Lyle……you did well defeating it. In fact, your sword handling also seems skilled, if it’s like that then you will be good enough to handle even other monster from here on.」

「Thank you very much!」

I was happy hearing that but──.

「But! ……You put down your luggage at first but, have you thought that it might get stolen by someone else? Besides, Novem had immediately moved toward your luggage and watched over it but, normally you should ask her first to do it. Also, I don’t mind your bad performance this time. But, your alertness to the surrounding became nonexistent when fighting. As the result, the current Lyle gets twenty points.」

It was only my sword handling that got praised, she told me that other than that almost everything I done was no good. The second also said the same thing from inside the Jewel.

『Well, I also of the same opinion. Lyle, communicate with your surrounding more. This time Novem-chan covered up for you, but don’t think that someone will always cover up for you even without you saying anything to them. After that, your alertness to your surrounding was sloppy. You don’t have enough people here, so everyone has to check the surrounding.』

When I got dejected, Novem followed up for me.

「Lyle-sama, look, your sword skill was praised. Come on, it will be fine if you fix all those other things from now on.」

Selphie-san looked at Novem and nodded.

「It’s something like that. You understand with this right? No one can become skilled just from getting told. That’s why I’m teaching you. Well, after that it depends on the person’s own motivation though.」

Looks like it’s still a long road ahead before I became able to stand on my own feet. Thinking that I shouldered my luggage. Next was Novem’s turn, I handed my saber to Novem.

「Novem, it’s better to use this than a staff. It’s really dirty after all.」

Novem took my saber.

「Thank you very much Lyle-sama. Also, please watch over my luggage.」

 

 

After she said that to me and entrusted her luggage, Novem searched for a pebble. While she was searching for a pebble of the right size, the first’s voice came from the Jewel.

 

 

『……I’ve got a bad feeling. Lyle, something’s coming. Prepare your weapon.』

The second didn’t react as usual to the first’s words. Rather, it looked like he trusted that instinct of the first.

『Lyle, be on your guard to the surrounding. Notify Selphie too. Prepare so you can fight anytime!』

I unsheathed the short sword on my waist and put down the luggage I carried on the ground. I paid attention to the surrounding and I was about to call out to Selphie-san, but Selphie-san too lowered her luggage and held the shield on her back with her left hand before pulling out her sword.

「I’ll praise you for noticing it faster than me Lyle! Both of you, get behind me!」

Selphie-san readied her weapon and faced toward the forest, then a presence appeared. What rushed out from inside the forest were goblins with skin of deep green color and red eyes. They were wearing straw skirt and carrying club or stone axe as weapon. Their number was eleven, which could be considered a lot even thinking that goblins acted in group. No, they were too many. Selphie-san blocked the attack of the goblin who approached first with her shield, and then she deflected the attack. The sword her right hand was holding slashed down to the stomach of the opponent that became defenseless. The spurt of blood splashed toward Selphie-san, but she blocked the blood with her shield while stepping back, avoiding another goblin that attacked from the side. The sixth watched Selphie-san’s movement while,

『She is good. She has the strength to be chosen as instructor, I guess?』

Because the seventh was an adventurer hater, he didn’t want to recognize it.

『Just this much is the lowest standard for the soldier of Walt House in my era. No, if there was anyone who was satisfied just with this then I’ll scold them severely.』

While listening to the voices from inside the Jewel, Selphie-san cut down the second goblin. Even so, there were still nine goblins left. Selphie-san muttered in annoyance.

「Good grief, why is today the monsters are like this……oraa!」

Right after that, Selphie-san swung her shield horizontally. The swing didn’t hit anything because even the closest goblin was quite far. Though it didn’t look like she made a failure due to panic.

At that time, Novem watched Selphie-san and,

「It’s magic. Furthermore it’s something unique.」

She slightly missed the timing to swing the shield……a goblin thought that and leaped at Selphie-san, but the shield then got enveloped in flame. Without pause she swung the shield to the opposite direction and fire ball flew from there. Ten small fire balls shot out. Two goblins at the front went up in flame, then Selphie-san finished them off while they were rampaging around in pain.

It was a magic I’ve never seen before. Novem looked at Selphie-san’s magic and seemed to comprehend something. And then, the fourth spoke seriously.

『So she has Art. Furthermore it’s rear guard type──it’s a type that make a magic to be unique. It turn bullet type magic to be smaller and shot out in multiple number. Even so, that’s an interesting magic. What’s more it’s easy to use.』

But, goblins were coming out from the forest one after another. Selphie-san seemed to be also wary. The first’s voice came from inside the Jewel. He was flustered.

『Oi, run away quickly! It will be the end for you guys if you get surrounded by that number! Oi, start running away already!』

However the seventh calmly replied.

『What are you saying? Lyle……show your true strength ehre. Just this many is nothing for you.』

I who was told that reached out my hand to Novem near me.

「Novem, the saber.」

「Yes, Lyle-sama.」

Novem handed the saber to me. When I held the saber with my right hand and the short sword with my left hand, Selphie-san called out to us.

「We are going to get surrounded at this rate. You two run away first by yourselves. I’ll do something about this by myself!」

Surely she was thinking that we would be a burden by staying here. Selphie-san told us to run. However, the goblins had increased into twelve in total. I raised my left hand and said to Selphie-san.

「Selphie-san……please don’t move from there.」

「You, what are──」

Selphie-san was about to yell at us who wasn’t trying to run away. However, my preparation was finished before that.

「Lightning!」

Bluish white light was generated from my raised left hand and it made sparking sound that was becoming louder, and then it spread to the surrounding. Selphie-san mustn’t get hit, so I couldn’t use magic to the goblin at the other side of Selphie-san that I couldn’t see.

 

 

 

 

 

The goblins trying to surround us──eight of them were attacked by electricity and they got scorched black. It seemed that one got away, only its arm was scorched black.

「……Somehow, the feeling is different.」

Perhaps because I was carrying the Jewel, my aim subtly missed. I felt like the power also fell. I threw the short sword at the goblin who got its arm charred.

The short sword pierced its head and it fell down face up.

「I’ll help.」

Saying that Novem readied her staff and the goblin that was trying to attack Selphie-san was sent flying by invisible wind. Wind Bullet──it was bullet type magic that only fired magic power. It was the basic and easy to handle, most magician would learn this first when learning magic. But, the power would be different depending on the user. The Wind Bullet of common magician would only send the opponent flying. However, for someone as skilled as Novem──the opponent was blown away and its body became in pieces from the impact. The second was surprised seeing that.

『Oi, it’s unbelievable she can use that kind of magic.』

The first was also surprised.

『I can understand Novem, but to think that Lyle is also a genuine magician.』

The sixth explained in exasperation to the two.

『Didn’t we say it? Lyle inherited the legitimate bloodline of the old kingdom that is even more excellent than Vanseim royal family. In other words, he is also excellent as a magician. Well, if it’s just this level then I also can do it though.』

Seeing the goblin that was sent flying in the air made my feeling turned a bit worse. But, I couldn’t just stand around doing nothing like this, so I dashed and gripped the handle of my saber.

「The remaining three goblins……I’ll take care of them.」

I whispered that when I passed beside Selphie-san and ran to in front of the goblins. Before Selphie-san could reply, I cut the goblin along with the club it was swinging down at me. The sensation of cutting flesh was unpleasant, I avoided the blood spurt but a bit got on me. When I turned my gaze to the surrounding, I horizontally bisected the second goblin that were trying to get behind me with my saber. The fourth spoke in surprise.

『To think you are this good with a saber……』

Right after that, the goblin who became the last one remaining tried to escape in panic, so I chased it and stabbed the vital spot──the heart of the goblin who was showing me his back from behind looking as though I was laying it down. I aimed at the gap of the ribs to avoid the bone, and it seemed it went well because the goblin vomited blood and collapsed on the spot.

When there was no sign of any other monster moving, I took out a towel and covered my mouth with it.

「……It’s more unpleasant than I thought.」

Selphie-san ran toward me, and then Novem was worried about me. Selphie-san’s face was in disbelief.

「Lyle-sama, well done.」

「That’s shocking, I heard you can use magic but, to think it’s at this level……that’s surprising.」

I tilted my head and,

「It’s nothing big.」

Selphie-san looked at me and shook her head.

「You idiot. Among adventurer even someone at my level is treated as magician. Someone like me can only use the bullet type just now and several others. I couldn’t imagine that on top of being able to use magic your skill with sword is also this good.」

Selphie-san honestly recognized that she underestimated my true strength. I felt happy just for a bit, really just for a bit. But, for some reason I felt dizzy from some time ago. Novem looked at my countenance and spoke uneasily.

「Lyle-sama, did you overdid yourself? But, it feels like previously just this much won’t be a problem for……Lyle-sama!」

I sat down on the spot as though I was going to crumble from my knees. This wouldn’t be a problem for the me from before but, right now I’m constantly supplying magic power to my incomplete Art and the Jewel. The magic power I could handle was naturally decreasing.

「Oi, are you all right? Perhaps you are tired from doing something you aren’t used to. Let’s rest for a bit. Novem, stand on guard toward the surrounding. I will strip off the magic stones and materials from the goblins. Lyle, you rest for a while here.」

It was a proposal I was thankful to. But, even I don’t know when will I be able to move. Selphie-san looked at the surrounding.

「Even so it’s strange. Goblins won’t come so many like this in this area. Even if there are goblins here it will be only two or three. Did they escape here from somewhere?」

Selphie-san pondered for a bit while acting vigilant to the surrounding, and then she collected the materials from the goblins. Goblin material──not much could be used from them but, she cut their pointed ear slightly, collected the magic stone from their heart, and when she was finished Selphie-san gathered the corpses to one place and burned them with magic. Novem helped with that, but in the end I still haven’t recovered even after they finished and we ended up returning to the city like that.





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