32 Triumph and Toast
The battle ended when the target of the subjugation apologized for his rudeness with his life, but we couldn’t just go home.
First, we had to treat the wounded and bury the dead. As adventurers (adbels), we also had to collect the adventurer’s cards (adbel cards) as much as possible, and there were many things to do.
I watched them work while sitting on the torso of the dead monster. My job was to defeat the monster. Strictly speaking, it was a request from Neil and the others to participate, but either way, I had no intention of helping them.
Normally, they would have complained, but even the people from the mediation office didn’t say anything. In the first place, no one came near me. I thought that Mash and the others would be the first to come and say thank you, but then I realized that they were also seriously injured.
Well, I didn’t do it because I wanted to be thanked. I just taught a lesson to those who looked down on me.
Several hours passed, and finally, Neil approached from the group that had calmed down and formed a lump.
“Ah. For the time being, we’ve decided to return.”
“I understand.”
Saying that, I jumped off the torso and turned back to it. What was this thing after all? I wondered and cast [Magical Eyes] on it, and I felt a tremendous amount of magic power from within.
I put my palm on the torso. I manipulated the magic power to make a hole in the torso, and imagined the thing inside it approaching me using [Wind Grasp (Breath Crash)], and pulled it.
What came out from inside was a magic stone so large that I couldn’t even hold it in my palm. It also had a considerable amount of magic power condensed in it.
“Ooh…Can I have this?”
“Huh? Well, I wonder about that in this case…”
Saying that, the two of us approached the group. I ignored them as they seemed to want to say something and called out to the person at the mediation office.
“This was inside that thing, but is it okay if I have it?”
Narrowing his eyes a little, the person at the mediation office roared strongly several times.
“Ah, that’s fine. Anyway, those who contributed to the subjugation have the right to obtain the parts first. No one will say anything even if you obtain it. They can’t say anything.”
“Then I’ll take it as mine.”
I said that and pretended to put it in a cloth bag, but actually stored it in [Colorless Jewels (My Treasure Box)].
“Aren’t you going back?”
“Ah, right. Everyone, let’s return.”
With those words as a cue, everyone started walking. Several people glanced at me and passed by without saying anything.
I followed them. Neil and the party members were walking beside and behind me.
“Ah, Jas. You’re, like, amazing.”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
I shrugged my shoulders, and Neil let out a big sigh.
“Jas is still Jas, after all.”
“Is it just me, or do I feel like I’m being made fun of?”
“Ah, it’s just your imagination. You’re just tired, Jas.”
“Ah, I’m tired. I want to go back and sleep right away.”
“Idiot, we have to have a toast before that.”
“Ah, I guess that’s true…”
I could hear the sound of someone chuckling behind me. I looked back and saw three people laughing, led by Cyril.
I think that’s good. I might be strong or abnormal, but that alone doesn’t mean anything else. Just because an incompetent person has become competent, my existence doesn’t change at all.
*
“Then, to celebrate Jas’s subjugation of the magic beast, cheers!”
‘Cheers!’
“Cheers.”
Saying that, the five of us clinked our mugs together quietly. Today, I felt like drinking for some reason. I’ve already detoxified with [Return Jade (Malignant Reduction)], so I can’t get drunk, but the feeling of warmth in my stomach for a moment is wonderful.
“But still, I don’t really want to pry, but Jas, you’re strong.”
“Ah, everyone was stunned.”
“You’re too strong. I couldn’t even laugh wryly.”
“My heart was pounding a little. With fear.”
“That’s terrible.”
Ahahahaha, they laughed. It seems like everyone has finally regained their composure.
“But what are you going to do now, Jas?”
“Sleep, go home, and sleep again.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“Then what do you mean?”
Neil gulped down another drink and grinned.
“A large-scale alliance of over 300 people, and even those at the alliance level (guild rank) and adventurer level (adbel rank) 5 were almost wiped out by the opponent you defeated with ease. That’s definitely something heroic. You’ll Surely be invited by some royalty.”
“Is there any good place to hide?”
“Maybe inside a dungeon…”
Cyril said something funny. He doesn’t interact much with anyone other than Neil, but he’s actually quite interesting to talk to. Maybe that’s why he’s in a fixed party with someone like Neil.
“Well, one thing that’s for sure is that your skill level will increase. At least to 5. Maybe even 6.”
“I don’t think rank really matters. Credit level might make things easier, but look, even the fifth-ranked guild, ‘Rainers,’ was badly beaten.”
When I said that, Neil froze. I thought something was wrong, so I used [Mana Read] to check his details, and it said that the man standing behind me belonged to ‘Rainers.’ Oh, so he heard me.
I shrugged, and Neil and the other three twitched their cheeks.
“Excuse me for interrupting your conversation. My name is Lady, and I am the sub-master of the guild ‘Rainers.'”
“Nice to meet you.”
I turned my body to face the man standing to my right and slightly behind me. He had sunken cheeks, but he was a well-built man with no visible injuries, indicating that he had been properly healed. He was the adventurer ranked 5 that I had just said was badly beaten.
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“First of all, I want to say thank you for your help today. Thanks to you, the lives of our guild members were saved.”
“Huh? Saved? But you took a direct hit from that?”
“Hey.”
Neil tried to interrupt, but I ignored him.
Actually, I think it’s amazing that he’s alive after taking a direct hit from that. Even I would have taken significant damage if I had taken a direct hit without the [Sun Room].
That attack was that powerful. It’s surprising that he’s not more shocked.
“Yes. The barrier just barely made it in time. He was in critical condition, but he recovered with healing and is now resting at the inn. Fortunately, it seems that his life is not in danger. He should be able to return to adventuring once he gets some rest.”
“I see. That’s good.”
“…Is this how you usually are?”
“Yes, this is just how I am. I don’t mean any harm.”
“I see.”
I tilted my mug as I listened to the exchange between Neil and Lady. From the flow of their conversation, it seemed like my response might have been considered rude. I didn’t mean it that way at all. I was just expressing my sincere admiration and gratitude.
However, after hearing their story, I realized something. They are truly amazing. I was able to react calmly because I had seen the beam of light beforehand.
But they were able to protect their lives with a barrier on the spur of the moment, despite the sudden attack. They deserve nothing but praise.
“Not everyone is here, but I’d like to introduce you to some of my guild members.”
The seven or so men and women who greeted me were all wearing tattered gear, but they had healthy faces.
They all bowed their heads in gratitude and then joined us at the table.
“So, let’s raise a toast to the safety of everyone here.”
“Cheers.”
We said “cheers,” but our voices were subdued. I’ve heard that adventurers and soldiers toast to avoid mourning the dead, but this time it must have been especially difficult.
After all, there were about fifty casualties among the adventurers and soldiers, including the dead and seriously injured. Of the soldiers, half of the two hundred were killed. Of the remaining hundred, half were seriously injured. Of the remaining fifty, half were Lightly injured. The lord of this territory must be having a very difficult time.
The image of the young lady from the other day came to my mind.
“I don’t want to break the unspoken rule, so please tell me if you don’t like it. I would never normally do this, but there’s just too much on my mind right now.”
“What do you want to ask?”
It’s time for a question that breaks the unspoken rule, clearly stated by an adventurer from a higher league. I don’t think it happens very often.
“Where do you usually operate from (home)?”
“The fortress city of Garland with the people here. I’m a temporary group, and four of us are regular freelancers.”
“I see. By the way, do you plan to join a league?”
“I’ve been invited to two others, but I turned them both down.”
Saying that, he reached into his pocket and showed three adventurer copy certificates (Adbel copy cards) from [My Treasure Chest (Colorless Jewels)].
“‘Liliano’ and ‘Grieg Mercenary Group’… One of them is even from the league leader (guild master). That’s amazing.”
“I don’t really know how valuable they are.”
Lady returned the adventurer copy certificates to me, took out his own adventurer copy certificate from his pocket, and handed it to me.
“This is my adventurer copy certificate. Please accept it if you like. You’re always welcome. Feel free to contact me if you need anything.”
I took it, looked at the front and back, and put it in my pocket.
“Well, if there’s ever such a time.”
“hahahaha. Well, I can’t imagine you ever being in trouble.”
After that, it was time for small talk and interaction with Neil and the others. How do you operate at your base of operations, why did you choose it, where have you been and how was it?
It was small talk that included some information sharing, but it was a conversation between adventurers, so it was probably the best topic to get excited about.
As we were talking, the number of people increased for some reason.
The people from ‘Liliano’ and ‘Grieg Mercenary Group’ also seemed to have survived miraculously. Rather, it seems that the three of them, Nail, Keith, and Mash, had made the decision to withdraw from the battle early on. Well, they would have been in the way if they had stayed.
“Hey, Jasper, if you were that strong, you should have said so. Then we would have run away until you came.”
“Yeah, I thought so. An adventurer is nothing without secrets, but that was terrible.”
“That’s right. I was prepared to die when the last arm came.”
A storm of complaints from Mash, Nail, and Keith.
I wonder what kind of face they would make if I said that I didn’t intend to help them at first.
“Well, some people might complain, but I’m on your side.”
“Huh? Why? Did I do something?”
“Yeah, some people might say that if you were that strong, you should have come sooner.”
It’s a perfect example of helplessness. If there was such a person, I would distort my expression at the completely unreasonable accusation and shrug my shoulders with both palms facing up.
“But still, I was on the far right, and I was pretty beat up when I got there.”
“Still, it’s human nature to resent. Well, I think it’s amazing that you can complain to you. If it were me, I’d be brave enough to invite you to the league.”
That’s right, the people around laughed. I see. Even Lady, who seems to be the most decent, is definitely an adventurer in terms of sensibility. If you have a complaint, come and get it. It’s just like an adventurer.
However, there’s something that’s been bothering me for a while now.
This dining room in the inn where we’re staying isn’t that big. There are dozens of people in there, and it’s already overflowing. There’s even someone sitting on the stairs.
I shouldn’t have thought that it wouldn’t fit if it got any bigger.
“Oh, is this a good place for us to be, with the hero here?”
The ones who came in were a group of prostitutes. What are you doing here?
Oh, there was only one purpose for coming.
“There are adventurers and mercenaries here, but no heroes.”
When I said that, the group of adventurers started laughing as if it was funny.
“That’s right. I didn’t even have time to show off like a hero.”
“Yeah, a hero is like, you know, facing adversity and winning.”
“No, wait. At least for me, you were a hero. After all, you saved me when I was about to die. Well, you’re a grumpy hero!”
hahahahaha, no way. Oh no, I’m surrounded by rough adventurers, and my tone of voice is getting rough.
“Neither soldiers nor adventurers will come to the temporary lodging, and even if we go to an inn, the atmosphere is heavy everywhere. This is the only place that’s like this. At least let me pour you a drink.”
“Oh, that’s great. It’s cramped and stuffy, though.”
“You’re the ones making it stuffy!”
The landlady’s angry voice echoed from the back of the dining room.
Well, with so many adventurers and mercenaries crowding into the dining room to eat and drink, there’s bound to be some complaints.
But no one complains, no matter how much they’re yelled at or how late their order is. They understand that the staff is busy, and they understand that they’re the reason for it. They’re probably even grateful.
“Hey, it may be cramped, but come over here. The one sitting there is the one who did the most this time. It would be a disgrace to accept a drink from anyone else.”
“Don’t worry, Mash. Everyone except Jasper has been disgraced this time. We’re all comrades. We’re a super giant collective!”
“Hey, hey, the demon beast is dead.”
Everyone is making a fuss. If someone says something, someone else jumps on it. And then someone else jumps on that, and it’s like words are just passing through everyone. But strangely enough, it doesn’t feel bad.
In the midst of all this, there’s a beautiful woman sitting next to me.
“Here you go, hero. You must be tired today.”
“I’m not tired, but thank you.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. So you have plenty of energy?”
A woman who pours me a drink from a jug and then folds her arms meaningfully and leans in close. She’s probably the leader of the prostitutes. Now that I think about it, I remember seeing her the day after I arrived in town.
All around me, other prostitutes are pouring drinks for the men, and the men who receive them are shamelessly losing their composure. The women in the collective (party members) are laughing with a look of amazement. It’s only natural, and it’s probably a way of rewarding their comrades.
I smile at the woman who is pressing her chest against me and tilt my head. I don’t dare to affirm or deny her question. I just look her straight in the eye.
Then the woman laughs happily.
“You’re very good at handling women. It’s unfair when a handsome man does it.”
“That’s right. This guy is not only strong, he’s also rich and handsome. It’s unfair. It’s not fair. We should all share it. So, Jasper, you’re buying the drinks here, right?”
“I agree!”
“As expected of a hero!”
“Yes, wonderful!”
“No, how can you make the one who did the most pay?”
“Jasper.”
Neal puts his hand on my shoulder.
“That’s one thing, this is another. You’re going to get a reward for this anyway. You can give us that money as a reward.”
“That’s right! Our hero has a duty to reward us lesser beings!”
I see. If you put it that way, I can’t keep quiet. Regardless of whether or not I’m a lesser being, I’ll show you how deep my pockets are.
I stand up and raise my mug.
“My lords and ladies, this is a triumph! In the midst of fierce fighting, there were moments when we tasted hardship and were crushed by despair. There were moments when our hearts were about to break. But we survived, and we are all here to celebrate our victory! At this moment, we are a community of destiny! Let us make merry and sing! Let us drink and laugh! Come, raise your cups, for tonight I am buying!”
‘Wooooooooo!’
Everyone raises their mugs and clangs them together. The overflowing ale and wine are like drops of blessing at this moment. I can’t help but laugh at the wildness of this holy water.
“You really are a hero. How about it? I won’t charge you.”
“It’s a shame to have to deal with an inexperienced hero.”
“Oh, you’re inexperienced?”
“I’ve only done it once before. And it was only recently that I lost my virginity.”
The woman’s eyes went wide, and after a moment she covered her mouth with her hand and laughed elegantly.
“Then all the more reason. I want to help you relax. Is that okay?”
“As you wish. But, I do expect something in return?”
He gently lifted her chin with his finger. And then he smiled gently while looking into her eyes.
“…You really know how to treat a woman.”
Even though he’s only experienced it with one person.
“Hey Jasper! You’re really sly! As an apology, come to the Alliance, okay? I know a lot of good places. After all, that’s what mercenary groups love to do.”
“Hey, hey, I can’t keep quiet about that. I’m confident in my information gathering in the fortress city of Garland. If you want, I’ll hunt down all the places with beautiful women.”
“Jasper. ‘Rainers’ is close to the center of the royal capital. How about it? It’s lined with brothels that are popular with the nobles, and they have some of the most beautiful women in the kingdom.”
“You guys, how can you say that in front of us…”
The words flowed endlessly and filled the dining room. The alcohol flowed freely, and the intoxication invited everyone to a time of pleasure. This was a wild sight that could never be seen at a noble’s party.
How wonderful. Just being able to experience this moment made it worth becoming an adventurer.
Maybe that’s why. Before I knew it, I was laughing with them. I opened my mouth vulgarly and raised my voice, participating in the foolish conversation.
It was probably the hardest I had ever laughed in my life.
In the end, the banquet ended when most of the people were drunk.
The only ones who were safe were me, the prostitutes, and a few women. It was impossible to take all of them back to their original inn, and it was also impossible to cram them into the empty rooms of this inn.
Reluctantly, we stuffed the surviving women, including the drunk ones, into the empty rooms, and then I paid the landlady for everyone’s lodging and got permission to let them sleep together.
As a result, the prostitutes, who had lost all chance of making money, all ended up sleeping with me in the room with the biggest bed in the newly acquired inn.
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Although I was mentally exhausted, the top-notch hospitality I received from them, as if it were a special occasion, was enough to satisfy me.
However, even though it was a wonderful hospitality, I was only able to sleep for about an hour.
By the way. Before I went to sleep, I thought about this.
I’m definitely paying more than the reward money for this, I thought.