The seven of us returned to the Rosenburg Adventurer's Guild.
We were hauling dozens of pelts, far more than any single party had any business bringing back. Predictably, this only earned us unfriendly glares from the locals. Many adventurers work out of a single city for years, some even for their entire careers.
[I do not justify the stares, regardless.]
'Neither do I, but it's the reality in a city like this.'
Whenever strangers appeared out of nowhere and immediately crushed a high-paying job, it inevitably bred hostility. If you looked particularly weak or pushover-ish, you'd likely get swarmed by people looking to harass you or demand a cut of your earnings.
"Hey, Rudeus. What are you thinking?"
"That Timothy has an unusually large smile on his face."
"Maybe they're old friends."
"Brother, these guys are just envious and bitter."
"Friends can be like that too, don't you think?"
My brother was right. They were just resentful adventurers who, failing to get results themselves, fed on negativity to feel superior.
"Tonight we celebrate the arrival of my party to Rosenburg!" Timothy shouted toward the crowd. "Let's all go to the bar! Drinks are on me!"
Timothy's announcement took Rudeus by surprise; I could see it on his face. Besides, the more success you found and the more money you made, the more envious people appeared with terrible ideas. Being a little generous on paydays significantly reduced that hostility.
Suzanne noticed the look on Rudeus's face and smiled, watching her leader with pride.
"That's how he usually resolves things. If you buy everyone a few rounds every once in a while, no one's going to hate you, right? It's a small price to pay to keep the unfriendly types at bay." She then glanced at me. "Though with you two here, I doubt they'd try anything."
"In any case, it seems like a good idea to me," I replied calmly, wiping my sword down with a cloth. "Envious people irritate me. They remind me of... certain people I'd rather not think about."
Those people didn't exist.
It was me.
[You mean because of...?]
I let out a soft sigh and replied internally:
'Even when I was just an empty shell, every time they took a child from the orphanage and left me in my corner, empty, I felt something strange deep down. And sometimes at Christmas, even if it was snowing, I would sneak out and peer through the windows at the happy families. I didn't cry, but I felt that thing... called envy, you know?'
[I know. I felt it too. Although at that time I was just a cold AI, I also possessed that thing you couldn't describe, the most deep-rooted part of the human heart.]
"Alright, everyone! Just remember our names, okay? We are Counter Arrow, and they are Rudeus Greyrat and Daiki Greyrat! We look forward to working with you!"
"Counter Arrow! Counter Arrow!"
"Rudeus! Rudeus!"
"Dai... ki! Dai... ki!"
Rudeus elbowed me.
"I knew they were going to struggle with your name."
"Makes sense."
"At least they tried. That's a big step."
And it was true. Timothy had definitely bought us some temporary goodwill. It was a tactic I would use again if the circumstances arose.
'What will become of Emilia? She told me she would take charge of the orphanage when I left, and I believed her, obviously.'
[I really like Emilia. It is clear she will do well.]
With those thoughts, we drifted with the crowd toward the nearest bar.
---
Hours later, we returned to the inn. Before heading to my room, I noticed Rudeus was looking a bit queasy, so I walked over to him.
"Rudeus. Why did you accept those drinks? You aren't used to such potent whiskey."
He began to recite a Detoxification spell on himself.
"Phew..." He looked up at me. "I know, I know... It won't happen again. You drank too, right?"
"Yes, but only a little. I wanted to drown out some thoughts."
"And it didn't affect you at all?"
"Maybe I inherited it from our father, or maybe it's because my body is more resilient. I had to eat everything in the Great Forest, after all."
I said goodnight and went to my room on the other floor. I hung up my hooded cloak, leaned my sword against the nightstand, kicked off my boots, and changed into more comfortable sleeping clothes. Then I collapsed onto the mattress, mentally drained.
"Eris..."
Whenever I was on the verge of sleep, a crimson wave washed over my mind. Someone with red hair and eyes to match, who challenged me every time we trained and who, in the end, would fall asleep on my shoulder.
With that thought, I let myself drift off.
---
Sara
When I met Daiki and learned he was a Greyrat, the first thing that came to mind was the noble who ruled the city where I was born. The Notos Greyrat family had total control over the Milboots region. My memories were hazy, but Rudeus looked too much like that arrogant feudal lord, and Daiki carried that same arrogance, though in a different, subtler way... or so it seemed.
Of course, Greyrat wasn't a rare surname in Asura. However, most who bore it were low or mid-ranking nobles. You wouldn't find any among villagers or common citizens. In fact, commoners usually don't even have surnames. I didn't. I was born to a hunter and his wife, and the name Sara was all they could give me. My mom and dad only had first names, too.
In short, those Greyrat twins were obviously rich kids playing dress-up in cheap robes. Rudeus let his hair grow out to disguise himself as a common adventurer, but his staff, clearly expensive, gave him away. Daiki, on the other hand, always seemed impeccable, with a vocabulary I sometimes didn't even recognize.
Why would two children of Asuran nobles abandon their country to head for the Northern Territories?
Daiki maintained an unsettling calm, while Rudeus wore his heart on his sleeve. Rudeus always spoke politely; Daiki, conversely, was a man of few words, his attitude screaming "leave me alone." Sometimes, his gaze would drift into nothingness before snapping back to us. I was sure they had run away from home after a fight or something similar.
Truthfully, that wasn't unusual. I didn't get it, but apparently, some young Asuran nobles can't stand having everything served on a silver platter. After fleeing their schools or mansions, they usually tried their hand at adventuring.
I assumed the brothers were useless brats. At first, the story about their missing mother surprised me, but over time I began to suspect it was a lie. Given their skills, it seemed more likely that they simply wanted to experience how "different" and "special" it was to play adventurer in the Northern Territories rather than staying in Asura.
To be honest, I underestimated them.
Especially Daiki.
Instead of running for his life, he moved as if it were just another sparring match and launched himself against that huge pack of Luster Grizzlies.
That made me even angrier. There was no denying they had saved our party, so I thanked him, but I still didn't feel truly grateful.
"Come on, Sara. How long are you going to be mad?"
"Who says I'm mad!?"
My irritation hadn't faded even after we got back to the inn. I didn't want to admit that those rich kids were different. They were still aristocrats, and I hated aristocrats.
"Suzanne, what is up with you lately? Why do you keep worrying about those guys?"
"Come on, Sara. What am I supposed to do? Two kids that young shouldn't be traveling alone, right? Besides, however strong they are, they're still vulnerable... And it would leave a bad taste in my mouth if they died or something happened to them. I mean, they can take care of themselves, but..."
"Who cares? If they die, it'll be because of their own stupidity! That story about their mother is definitely a lie. They probably just ran away or got kicked out. Who knows."
"Sara, I know you don't want to admit it, but they are obviously telling the truth. Don't pretend you don't know that."
"But..."
"Sara, listen. What do you think Daiki thinks of you after everything you said to him during the trip and on the bear mission?"
I said nothing. I couldn't answer her.
"Exactly. Nothing. He never looked down on you. He always knew how much you had suffered and understood that you weren't the problem."
Suzanne wasn't wrong. If they were lying, they wouldn't have stuck around. Rudeus wouldn't have broken down and cried in the middle of the Adventurer's Guild. I got it.
I knew they were telling the truth.
Even so, a part of me really wanted to call them frauds. I suppose there was something about Daiki I just couldn't tolerate. Or maybe it was just too humiliating to face the fact that two rich kids had saved my life. A mage and a swordsman, specialists in their fields, while I just used a bow.
"Anyway, it didn't look like that job was very hard for them. I'm sure they'll turn tail and run once they're in real danger."
I ignored Suzanne completely, crawled into bed, and turned my back to her.
For some reason, I felt incredibly frustrated.
---
Daiki Greyrat
"Come on, Rudeus!"
Rudeus was panting softly behind me. We were jogging along the edge of Rosenburg's streets, under the pre-dawn darkness. The paths were coated in a barely visible layer of ice.
"Phew..." Rudeus stopped when we returned to the inn, but I kept hopping in place.
"I'm glad to see you kept your promise, Rudeus."
[I found it strange that Rudeus asked you to train his physique in the middle of the night. I mean, it was about time, wasn't it?]
'Yes, he hasn't done it for a long time. He relies too much on Shockwave and his magic.'
"Do you have so little faith in your younger brother? You really are a great older brother."
"Only effort surpasses faith. And that is exactly what you are achieving."
We went back inside, into Rudeus's room.
"Alright. One hundred push-ups, no exceptions."
I left Rudeus alone with his regimen.
Push-ups, squats, sit-ups, clapping push-ups, planks, leg raises, and running in place.
No long breaks.
Just enough time to catch his breath before pushing on.
The goal wasn't aesthetics; it was endurance.
To strengthen the body until it didn't tremble from exhaustion.
That was the bare minimum.
---
--
-
Several months had passed since we arrived in the city. Besides ensuring Rudeus didn't slack on his physical training, giving him tougher exercises each time, I had been working on establishing myself as an adventurer, sticking to our plan.
"Hello, Quagmire! Thanks for the help the other day!" people would say to my brother.
"Obsidian, good afternoon! Thanks to you too!" others would say, turning to me.
As for "Obsidian," I wasn't entirely sure why that stuck. Maybe because I'd mentioned once or twice that I had lost an obsidian sword, or perhaps just because of my black hair. "I just helped a little," was my standard reply.
"You sure are modest, kid! After everything you did, I was expecting a little arrogance."
"Damn, if you want, we could let you join our party permanently."
"Hey! We aren't supposed to recruit them, remember?"
"Oops. I forgot."
"Hahaha..."
Basically, my brother and I were operating as solo adventurers to cover more ground. We were essentially mercenaries for hire. Over the last few months, I had helped countless parties, especially with tasks involving heavy lifting or close-quarters combat.
Apparently, the Adventurer's Guild frowned on these types of arrangements, but we weren't technically breaking any rules, so they let it slide. Emphasis on "so far." Who knows how much longer they'd tolerate it. For the moment, the branch staff pitied us because of our missing mother, so they'd been soft on us.
"Anyway, Obsidian, Quagmire, we made the right decision taking you two with us. We'll be waiting for you next time!"
According to Rudeus, I had to be modest and friendly while making my presence known in combat. So far, it was working. By now, our names were well known around Rosenburg. Oddly, they seemed to like that I was the serious one. I didn't understand why, but I wasn't complaining.
Most adventurers in this guild now smiled when they saw us.
It was easy to be liked when you were useful.
At this rate, it wouldn't take long for rumors about us to spread throughout the city.
"Hey, Quagmire and Obsidian! We're leaving town today. I'll let you know if I hear anything about your mother out there, okay?"
"Oh. Thanks, that would be very helpful."
The group left.
"I guess we managed to convince some traveling parties to keep an eye out for Mom. Every time they leave Rosenburg, they promise to send word if they find anything."
"Yes, Rudeus. You're right."
[And, in case Zenith were nearby, she would hear something about you two sooner or later.]
'I hope so, Ayam. I hope so.'
There was also the other factor, one I fully expected. Since I joined the Guild in Millishion, I had already dealt with this:
"Pfft."
"Rudeus the Quagmire? Daiki the Obsidian? What a load of crap."
"Those conceited kids..."
It was best to just ignore them. They were irrelevant. People like that contributed nothing, on or off a mission. Naturally, I ought to teach them a lesson, but I wasn't in the mood today.
"Hmm?"
I glanced to the side.
I was face to face with Sara.
She frowned the moment she saw us.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing in particular."
"Hmph. Fine."
Our relationship with Sara hadn't changed much over the last few months. Yes, she disliked us from the start: two "conceited" twins going north to test their skills on the poor commoners. It was a logical assumption given what we had shown, but it was clear we weren't jerks. Besides, I hate politics.
"I hate this..."
"What do you hate, Sara?" my brother asked.
"Having to look up to talk to him."
"Ah... yes, I get it."
We had grown over those months. However, that ten-centimeter gap still separated us. It didn't seem like much, but for people of the same age, it could be humiliating.
Sara stayed silent for a moment, then straightened up. They had come looking for us for a reason, so I paid attention.
"Are you guys heading back to the inn?"
I let my brother speak this time.
Occasionally he liked to be the voice, and I preferred to stay silent.
"Uh, yes. We just finished a job yesterday, so I was planning to rest a bit tonight. The training hasn't stopped, you know."
"Good. We were just about to take a new job. Do you want to join us?"
"Oh. Hmm..."
Counter Arrow frequently invited us on jobs, clearly thanks to our performance during that first mission. To be honest, I preferred working with them, and I did so more than with any other group.
In this case, I decided to speak up.
"Sounds good to me. You're leaving tomorrow, right?"
"If you don't want to come, then... Huh? Just like that?"
"I was getting bored."
"You only accept out of... boredom?"
"No, also because I like spending time with you guys. Right, Rudeus?"
I looked at Rudeus. He just nodded.
The entrance door opened. It was Suzanne and the others.
"Did you think about it, boys? Are you coming?"
We nodded as we usually did, with that strange synchronization I don't understand but which always works. I was sure, my brother was too, and that was enough.
"Great! Then we're going to take a job today."
I don't know why, but Sara's attitude is what makes this group enjoyable. Maybe because I detest silence, or because she reminds me a lot of Eris in some ways.
The group was well balanced.
Timothy was kind. Suzanne gave me that "motherly" feeling I had lost.
The other two were reserved but friendly. Besides, Patrice had always wanted me to train him with the sword, so I agreed. He got irritated when he couldn't beat me even when I fought bare-handed, but he was improving.
They tried to let Sara and the vanguard fighters gain experience in every battle, so I had to hold back. The same went for Rudeus.
Plus, I think they like the food I cook.
"Alright, let's see. This time we have the twins, so..."
"Hey, Suze! How about this one?"
"Wow... A Rank A gathering job? Oh, they want a bunch of Winter Lizard scales... Hmm. I don't know, Patrice. It seems a bit risky."
"Yes, but we have the brothers, right? We could definitely take one that pays well. Even a riskier one."
In Millishion, it was Cliff who made the decisions, and he almost always chose complicated missions that could get anyone killed. Of course, that meant we earned money fast. In any case, I was capable of handling this on my own.
"...What do you think, boys?"
"Anything is fine by me."
"Mm? Ah, sure. Personally, I think it sounds good."
"Alright, I think we agree," Suzanne said. "Let's take that job."
And so, the decision was made.