NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 9
Episode 9: Adventurers Camping with Samurai
The knife Cross had lent him was truly a masterpiece. It sliced through the giant’s rock-hard skin as easily as if it were pork meat.
“Pamela, that’s enough! Let me have a turn already!”
“Shut up! It’s my turn now!”
Normally, Pamela disliked butchering but now was so eager to peel the skin that it almost became a competition among the group.
“Cross! Where did you get this knife? I can’t tell at all what kind of metal it’s made from!”
Blacksmiths, as their name suggests, tend to love forging, crafting, and metalworking. Even Bart, who usually manages the weapons and armor for the party, seemed to have forgotten his wounds as he became extremely excited.
“That knife was something my mother gave me when I set off on my travels. I’m not very knowledgeable about forging, so I have no idea what it’s made of.”
“Will you sell it to me!!”
“No.”
Though his request was flatly rejected, Franz could understand Bart’s feelings all too well. If Bart hadn’t asked first, Franz himself might have requested it.
“Hey… we’re done. The skin came off cleanly, and it looks like this’ll be good material.”
Mauri spread out the peeled skin to show them. Indeed, aside from the slashes from Cross’s blade on the stomach and arm, there were no other notable damages. Given it was their first time butchering a giant, the job was impressively well done. Still…
I tried so hard on those attacks…
Franz compared the skin from the leg he had attacked with the skin from the flank that Cross had slashed and felt a tinge of sadness.
Lastly, he cut open the chest to remove the magic stone and finished the butchering.
“Alright, let’s get moving then. If we leave now, we can make it through the Forest of Demons before nightfall and camp on the plains. We should reach the city tomorrow.”
They gathered their gear and set off on the return journey. Franz thought about this arduous adventure and decided that once back in town, they should take a rest for a few days. Regardless, it would be impossible to accept new commissions until their equipment was repaired.
“What kind of place is the town we’re heading to?”
Cross walked up alongside Franz, engaging him in conversation. In battle, Franz had thought him to be somewhat mentally unstable, but in conversation, Cross proved to be surprisingly approachable.
“The city we’re heading to is called Angila. It’s near the Forest of Demons and also has a labyrinth within its territory. It’s a big city known as a ‘Paradise for Adventurers.'”
“……”
Upon hearing this, Cross turned to Franz with a look of surprise, disbelief, or perhaps just bewilderment on his face. Perhaps he thought the term “adventurer’s paradise” was an exaggeration.
“By the way, Cross, did you say you wandered into the Forest of Demons? Do you have any kind of identification? There are guards at the gate of Angila.”
“Customs checkpoint, you say? A travel pass or something like that? Unfortunately, it was ruined in the rain a long time ago. I don’t have it now, but that’s rather careless, isn’t it?”
“Not at all. You can pay a deposit to enter the city, but since you’ll be charged every time you enter or exit, it’s better to have one.”
Pharas Kingdom operates under a feudal system. Most cities, including Angila, are governed by the nobility. Commoners must pay tolls set by each territory’s lord whenever entering a city.
“I have some money, but is this identification obtainable by someone like me, a foreigner?”
“Oh, it’s fairly easy to get. There are different types—resident permits, merchant permits, etc.—but I highly recommend the adventurer’s license. Just register as an adventurer, and you’ll automatically receive an ID. Once you’re registered, you can pass through most cities for free, and you won’t have to pay annual taxes. If you show your ID at adventurer’s guesthouses, you might even receive discounts! It’s perfect for travelers like you!”
Pamela seemed to want Cross to become an adventurer. She’s usually rather shy, but apparently, she’s taken a liking to him after he saved their lives.
However, she was conveniently omitting some significant parts about what it meant to register as an adventurer.
“Then wouldn’t everyone in the city want to become adventurers? A tax exemption would be like a dream for commoners.”
“Uh…! W-well, truthfully, it’s not all advantages… though it’s not really a big deal, there are a few drawbacks, kind of…”
Pamela, having been caught omitting key details, obviously became flustered. She looked away, obviously trying to dodge the issue.
“Don’t give us a salesman’s pitch! Listen closely, Cross. Adventurers are exempt from taxes but are treated as vagrants. They’re not recognized as residents, so they can neither marry nor buy property. They’re rootless wanderers. What’s more, there’s such a thing as forced commissions. Unlike regular citizens, if monsters attack the city, adventurers are obligated to fight on the front lines.”
Occasionally, the Forest of Demons or labyrinth can experience mass monster outbreaks. The cause isn’t well understood, but these mindless hordes always seem to march directly toward populated areas.
In such emergencies, adventurers are put under the command of the city’s army and given the duty to fight, typically placed at the front lines. Given that adventurers don’t pay taxes and wander around a lot, their lives seem to be considered less valuable to the lords compared to the lives of the citizens.
“Mauri, you’re wise beyond your years. You’ve done your homework well. That’s impressive.”
“Uh… well, yeah… I guess?”
Cross seemed to favor Mauri a little more, perhaps liking something about him.
“Still, from what I’ve heard, those drawbacks aren’t really disadvantages. When we get to the city, I’ll consider getting the adventurer’s ID.”
Mauri’s warning seemed to have fallen on deaf ears as Cross came to a conclusion far too quickly. Pamela’s eyes sparkled, but his decision seemed a bit hasty.
“Cross, you should think this through carefully. You’re still young. This isn’t the kind of decision one should make lightly. Especially in Angila, forced commissions happen frequently. Each time, heaps of bodies pile up.”
Barth’s caution seemed to go unnoticed as Cross’s expression didn’t change at all.
“If I wished for settlement or family life, I wouldn’t have embarked on a martial training journey for ten years. Besides, whether called an obligation or not, defending the place one lives with their life is common sense. Those who can fight should protect those who cannot. It’s the foundation of what it means to be a warrior and the natural order of things. If we lose sight of that, we’ll forget why we fight.”
Cross’s calm explanation left Franz and the others exchanging glances.
His way of thinking seemed closer to that of a soldier or knight protecting the city rather than an adventurer. And though they had thought him strong, they hadn’t realized his martial journey had been this prolonged.
What kind of life has he led…? They were left contemplating his words in silence.
After some time…
As planned, they emerged from the forest by late afternoon.
Before Franz and his companions stretched a vast plain leading to Angila, the border city, illuminated beautifully by the setting sun.
“Let’s set up camp before it gets dark. Would you mind lending a hand, Cross?”
“Certainly. What do you need, Leader?”
Since explaining what a party leader does, Cross has taken to teasing by calling Franz “Leader.” It’s a weird feeling to be called that by someone much stronger, a mix of pride and embarrassment. Still, it made Franz happy to discover this playful side to what he thought was a stern man.
“I’ll pitch the tent, Leader.”
“I’ll set up the hearth, Leader.”
“Well then, I’ll go procure dinner, Leader.”
……… It’s annoying that everyone is getting into it.
“Could you go with Mauri to gather supplies, Cross?”
“Understood.”
“Alright! I’ll lend you my spare bow, let’s see who catches more game!”
“Sure. But if this is a competition, don’t expect me to hold back. Don’t cry if you lose.”
“Yeah, try saying that! I may not be able to beat you with a sword, but I’m an archer! I won’t lose!”
As the two ran off yelling, Franz started gathering firewood.
During their journey, Cross had grown quite accustomed to the group but seemed to especially care for Mauri. He offered to carry Mauri’s gear or praised him with “Amazing,” “Great job,” or “Impressive” every time Mauri did something. Perhaps his homeland had little discrimination against other races.
Among the eclectic group of adventurers found in Angila, discrimination against different races is comparatively low in the kingdom. However, prejudice against the Little People race is still deeply rooted.
One of the Little People races is the Thieflin, infamous for their thievery. If they see something they like, they’ll snatch it without a second thought, regardless of who owns it. Even when caught, they show no remorse, saying things like “This bread wanted me to eat it!” They’re fantastic scouts due to their abilities but rarely get invited into parties because of these habits.
Unfortunately, the negative reputation has spread to encompass the entire Little People race. There are no visible distinctions between the races of Little People, so even the Traveler Little People and Fairy Little People, who are generally good-natured, are often avoided and stereotyped as troublemakers. Some people flat-out say that the Little People are a cause of disputes.
Despite his current cheerful demeanor, Mauri had endured hardships before joining the Guardians of the Frontier.
At least, under my watch, I don’t want him subjected to any unpleasantness anymore…
“Hey, the hearth’s ready!”
“The tent’s up!”
While Franz was lost in thought, the others called out.
“Thank you. I’ve collected enough firewood. Pamela, could you start the fire?”
“Sure thing!”
Pamela squatted in front of the hearth and lit it with the fire miracle.
Fire magic is certainly convenient. While Franz has an affinity for light magic, it’s not suited for offense and has limited uses. Supposedly, skilled light mages can use powerful healing miracles, but Franz, having never properly studied magic, could only create small luminescences in the dark. It was helpful when exploring caves but useless in combat.
If I could become our team’s healer, we could take on a wider variety of commissions…
“Well then, all that’s left now is to wait for the hunters.”
After some time…
The duo returned with a plethora of game, holding hare and red-headed birds in both arms.
“Welcome back. Great catch!”
Franz offered words of encouragement, but Mauri didn’t have his usual spark. It seemed that Cross had won the hunting competition.
“Bows… no match… this guy’s still some kind of monster…”
“Cross, aren’t you a swordsman? You can use a bow too?”
“In my homeland, they call it the ‘Eighteen Martial Arts.’ We were encouraged to master eighteen different combat skills, including swordsmanship, archery, spear techniques, and horsemanship. I’m more skilled in some than others, but I can use all of them fairly well. Among them, I’m particularly proficient with the bow.”
“……………………”
“Pamela, were Cross’s skills really that good?”
“…World-class. We used the same bow yet his range and power were in a completely different league. He shot like a Wood Elf.”
“Alright, let’s eat then.”
For dinner, they simply roasted the rabbits and birds with salt, but there was plenty, so the meal was satisfying. The food was a bit overly salted, but it wasn’t a big issue.
With nightfall, they decided to sleep in shifts with one person keeping watch. Though they determined the order haphazardly, Cross volunteered to take the first shift, allowing the rest to slip into the tent.
There was a small hiccup.
Adventurers, aiming to reduce weight on their journeys, carry only the bare necessities during missions. Naturally, they only had one tent and, as they normally did, prepared to all sleep together. However, Cross showed strong resistance to this.
Apparently, he declared that “lying down with women is unacceptable!” Pamella seemed delighted at the rare instance of being treated as a woman but…
No matter what, Cross wouldn’t budge and ended up sleeping outside alone.
After entering the tent, Franz softly spoke to the group in hushed tones where Cross couldn’t overhear them. The usual rule of sleeping early to prepare for the next day’s challenges is sacred among adventurers, but given they planned to reach Angila by midday tomorrow, staying up a little wouldn’t be an issue.
“…Hey, everyone, what do you think? Who or what is Cross?”