Episode 349
As my breathing gradually became heavier, Assad suddenly approached me, showing a rare embarrassment and cooling my excitement.
“… Even though I was twelve, I never thought I would win against Delac. “This means the rumors are true.”
By rumors, you mean the results I achieved while traveling around the empire, right?
“I thought it was exaggerated?”
“Then how can you immediately believe those nonsense words? “Think about what you were like around this time last year.”
“… … .”
If you talk about it then, I don’t have anything to say either.
At times like this, I thought that I was lucky that I was young when I returned.
This is because people experience the greatest changes both physically and mentally between the ages of approximately fifteen and twenty.
It’s a time when you grow taller and gain muscle especially well… … . Of course, it’s rare for things to change as much as I do in half a year, but I can still insist.
At that time, Delak, who had a rather dark complexion, spoke in a gloomy voice.
“Can’t there be a rematch?”
“Rematch? “Why?”
“Well, if I lose… … .”
“ah.”
Only then did I realize my mistake.
“I’m sorry, father. “That was bullshit.”
“what?”
“I think that’s how you’ll give your power. Hehehe.”
“… … .”
There’s a saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face, but I guess you can glare at it.
For a moment, Delak glared at me with a cold face, as if he had returned to being an Iron Blood Ball.
Musher.
“Looks like this guy was talking nonsense again. Delac, listen carefully. “These are the words of a guy whose mouth will float even if he falls into the water.”
I reflexively tried to protest, but this time I decided to just shut up. It is right to keep your mouth shut when something is bothering you.
Assad said:
“So Luan, where did you say your next destination is?”
“The South.”
“More precisely.”
“I’m thinking of going to Rahilde Workyard in the south.”
“… Is it la-hirudaras…? … .”
As expected, Asad is older, he mentioned Rahild’s old place name.
Seeing a strange emotion flashing through both eyes, I think I may have actually been to the Kingdom of Ra-Hirudaras when it existed.
“… The south is an area where a lot of cultists are lurking around. Of course, there are other risks as well.”
“I know. There were a lot of monsters, and there were a lot of people who would try to kill you if you let your guard down for a moment. “The only mercenaries you can trust are rat tails.”
I said with a grin.
“There is nothing to worry about.”
To be honest, I don’t know about other places, but I am somewhat confident in the South.
So far I have rarely benefited greatly from my pre-return memories, but it may be different in the South.
Perhaps in that place, I will be able to pretend to be a returnee for the first time.
* * *
Departure was set for three days later.
As Delac said earlier, it looks like there’s still some paperwork to be done.
It wasn’t too bad because I still had a few things left to do.
The next day, I called Ludwig early in the morning.
“Hello, brother. Did you eat breakfast?”
“no. “It’s actually better for your health not to eat breakfast.”
“… really?”
Knowledge has increased.
“Of course, if you are as active as you, it would be better to eat three full meals… … . Well, enough of the small talk, why did you call me?”
“hmm. I’ve been thinking about it myself. “I think it would be better for me to join Rahhild as a laborer.”
“Hmm… … .”
Ludwig nodded and said.
“Of course, there is nothing more certain than going into the field and searching for it in person, but… “Are you okay?”
“what?”
“Rahild Labor Yard is a closed place. In such a place, there are criminals, debtors, slaves, orphans, and people of different races… … . Anyway, if you round up people who are at the end of their lives and throw them away, how can they get away with it? I heard that they have their own laws in the workhouse. It is said that power is divided according to race, origin, and ideology. Well, I don’t have to tell you that it’s dirty and the work is hard, right?”
“It’s even rarer to find a place like that in the South. “You have to take some time to adapt.”
A time when I lived like an asshole… … .
The southern part of the country was the place that helped Luan come to his senses before he was beaten by Baek No-gwang.
Even though I didn’t have tuberculosis, I had a pretty neat temperament, and since I worked as a mercenary in the South, I wasn’t surprised even if a scorpion crawled on my stomach while I was sleeping.
“Do I have to go in with you?”
“It’s not like that. Brother, collect information from outside. Because Rahild itself is said to be intertwined with the church… … . Or maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to infiltrate the cult’s forces in the south?”
“Isn’t that too easy to say? “Unless you know what faction the denomination in the south is, you have to risk your life simply by contacting them.”
Ludwig grumbled and then asked as if he had suddenly remembered something.
“really. “Now that I think about it, my father went on this mission too.”
“That’s it. “Has your brother ever moved with his father?”
“We’ve done missions together before. Because they moved from different places, they didn’t move all the time… … .”
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
“aha.”
“You infiltrated the workhouse, and I contacted the church, right? So what is the father’s role? Do you have any thoughts? For your information, don’t think about going into the labor camp together.”
“of course. “No matter how much I am, I am not unfilial enough to send her father into a labor camp.”
I thought for a moment, ignoring Ludwig, who was giving me a suspicious look.
It’s Delak’s role… … .
Even if I rack my brain, I can’t come up with any great ideas.
Since he has to hide the fact that he is an iron-blooded worker, the current Delac is no different from a kid with incredible skills.
“I think you would have been good at gathering information, infiltration, and stealth.”
“It seems like the ability to hide one’s presence is still strong, but when it comes to moving secretly, experience is more important than ability, so there must be some risk involved.”
“Hmm… … .”
However, he doesn’t seem particularly dangerous if left alone… … .
Looking at it this way, it seemed like a trick that was difficult to use.
“… Well, if things don’t work out, you and your brother can move together. “When that time comes, you can teach your father.”
“… “That’s a bit much.”
Ludwig responded with a rare expression of disgust.
“why? You know your father’s talent. If you teach one thing, you are a genius who knows ten things. “He won’t have to teach for long.”
“I’m not saying this because of your efforts in education. “This is a matter of the heart.”
“Matters of the heart?”
“I’m reluctant to even teach him.”
As I made a puzzled face, Ludwig, on the other hand, opened his eyes hesitantly.
“Are you okay?”
“Not really.”
“You sound like a weirdo… … . really. I’m also thinking about how to camouflage it. For your information, in your father’s case, your stomach will take relatively less food.”
“huh? why?”
“They say it’s a constitutional problem? “But you can probably change your hair or eye color.”
“… A man with dozens of false identities has a constitution that doesn’t work for his stomach. Does that make sense?”
Then Ludwig let out an unusually deep sigh and spoke in a pitiful tone.
“You don’t know anything about camouflage. Those who only hide their appearances are third-rate of third-rate. Creating a new being by combining facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice, and atmosphere as well as makeup, clothing, and identity. “That’s camouflage.”
“Ah, ah… … .”
“Are you listening? In that sense, a personality like yours is not suitable for disguise. “Because his personality is unique and his way of speaking is very unique.”
I just passed Ludwig’s Introduction to Gastroenterology, which started suddenly, with one ear… Separately, I was convinced that I was not suitable for camouflage.
“are you okay. “I have a trick.”
“A trick?”
“huh.”
I said, giggling.
“Please look forward to the day after tomorrow.”
* * *
The next day, a familiar face returned to Badknicker.
It was our Kayan.
There was still no sign of trouble on Keian’s strong face, but of course the road to his home would not have been easy.
“Well, you worked hard.”
“no.”
Keian shook his head with an unwavering attitude and said.
“More than that, I heard about the head of the family. Fortunately, I heard the treatment was successful… … .”
“… what. “That’s the way it is.”
To be honest, I thought that someone as talented as Keian would have been able to tell me about the Iron Blood Ball’s memory loss… … .
Since the council of elders decided to hide this matter, there is nothing we can do.
I also used a lot of force, so I guess I should respect the wishes of those old people to some extent.
“So, Lord Soga, are you going back to the north now?”
“no? “I think I’ll go south.”
“Southern… … !”
There was a hint of anger in Keian’s voice.
I looked at him wondering why, and this old man said with a bright face.
“So, are you finally granting my request?”
“huh?”
As I stared blankly, the color on Keian’s face gradually began to disappear.
“… “Are you sure you forgot?”
“no? “You didn’t forget?”
I reflexively avoided it and then asked again.
“I just don’t remember well… … .”
“They say the world saw that and forgot.”
“sorry.”
I bowed my head, feeling like a grandson who had been scolded by his grandfather.
Keian sighed. Somehow, I felt like more and more people were sighing at me recently. I guess it’s because of my mood.
“Foster daughter.”
“ah-.”
Memories that had sunken in those words came back to me.
– Did you have a daughter?
– Although she is a foster daughter.
– My name is Kaela. You might have heard the name, Master.
– What should I do when I meet that daughter?
– I would like you to compete with me and, if possible, defeat me.
We definitely had that conversation.
The Mercenary King Kaela is Kayan’s adopted daughter, and he wants me to compete with him.
I remembered, but I was still embarrassed.
“hmm. “I’m going to try my best, but this time I’m going to the south for work, so I might not be able to meet at all.”
“I guess so. Because the South is large. However, when fate guides you and you meet that child, it is enough for you to remember this old man’s request.”
“… “Please accept it first.”
Keian is indebted to me in many ways, and it is expected that there will be more in the future.
And since this request is almost the only request Keian has from me, I have no choice but to grant it as the owner.
I nodded, and only then did Keian look satisfied.
After sharing a brief post with Keian… … .
After visiting Lycerradigos, I told him [a very important matter].
At first, I listened to Riese indifferently, but as my story continued, her dark eyes began to sparkle like the night sky.
“Hoo… … . Luan. “You know something.”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t know you had such an exquisite aesthetic.”
“Lise is the one.”
I had a friendly conversation with Lise for the first time. Our trusty Dark Heaven Mage seemed very satisfied with my request.
“Black scales. very good “Then it seems like a good idea to add a few more properties there.”
“Attributes?”
“okay. Things like one-armed swordsmen, outcasts, tattoos, bandages, and eye patches.”
“oh… … .”
I nodded.
“It’s all good, but the one arm and eye patch are a bit weird. “I thought it would be uncomfortable to fight.”
“I guess so. “Then what about the rest of the little things?”
“Please take care of it. “I’ll leave it to Lise’s aesthetic sense.”
“hmm.”
Reese nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly cleared her throat.
And he spoke in a passing tone.
“… But when can I go out?”
“… … .”
Looking at that, what should I say?
The image of a child who clearly knew that his parents had prepared a birthday present for him but pretended not to notice came to mind.
Anyone can see that they are looking forward to it, but a face that acts as if they are not expecting anything at all?
In fact, considering the period of time spent underground, such a reaction was natural.
“If I come out now, I’m at Badniker’s Manor, isn’t that a bit much? “It’s a monumental first outing.”
“That’s right.”
“Let’s see, I’ll take it out when I get to the big city in the south.”
“You took it out… … . This Lycerradigos is not a thing.”
Rise grumbled in a dissatisfied voice, then cleared her throat again and said, “Do it.”
Anyway, after speaking with Lise, my business at the family was over.
Now, the moment of leaving is just around the corner.
On this day, I washed my feet and went to bed relatively early, which was the last day of the day.
and… … .
Finally, the day of departure.
Me, Ludvik, and Delak gathered in front of the carriage.
Ludwig said in a playful tone.
“You haven’t forgotten anything, have you?”
“It’s not like we’re going on a picnic.”
“Tsk tsk. But honestly, with the three of us, we can treat even the most dangerous missions as a picnic, right?”
“Ludwig.”
Delak interjected in a calm voice.
“It’s good to have confidence, but distinguish it from arrogance.”
“hmm… You seem so excited. “I will restrain myself.”
I said while Ludwig was scratching the back of his neck in a shy manner.
“By the way, brother Ludwig. There is one thing I would like my brother, who is a master of camouflage, infiltration, and acting, to look at.
“What?”
“This is the disguise I will use in the South this time.”
“It doesn’t matter, but here now?”
“I’m going to use a magic tool, so I can show you right away.”
“aha. “Let me see.”
Then, not only Ludvik, but also Delac gave me an indifferent look, as if he was slightly interested.
I grinned, took out the Linchal mask from my pocket, and put it on my face.
and.
“Let’s do it.”
As soon as I recited the spell, the appearance of my entire body changed.
“… … !”
And I became a lizardman.
And it’s not just any Lizardman, it’s a black-scaled Lizardman warrior who worked hard to carve it out after thinking about it all day and discussing opinions with Rise.
I adjusted to the heightened view and looked down at the father and son.
“… What did you say? Perfect camouflage is creating a new being… … . Oh my. “Your voice is great too.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“This is the guy I created. “The settings were meticulously planned from beginning to end. Would you like to hear it?”
After saying that, I looked closely and saw Ludwig asking in an unwilling voice.
“… say it.”
“A lone Lizardman warrior… … . Although he is an outcast from his clan, he carries a ray of pride in his heart. A mercenary who is harsh to his enemies, but extremely warm to his colleagues… … .”
“… … .”
“… That is Luzard the Exile.”
“… … .”
“… … .”
Delac, who was silent for a moment, spoke.
“Ludwig.”
“yes.”
“What was my education policy like before I lost my memory? “Maybe it was common.”
“no. “It’s not your fault.”
Ludwig shook his head.
“Just 16 is that age, so let’s be generous and understand.”
“Whoa… … .”
I let out a deep sigh.
It was a sigh of sincere regret.
Even though they were family members who shared the same blood, they didn’t seem to share the same aesthetic sense.
It’s a sad feeling.
People without talent do not even realize that they have no talent.
There is nothing sadder than this in the world.
