Chapter 7 Violence of Words and Cramming for Exam
I summoned the status of the three thugs.
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【Status】
Name: Saz
Job: Bandit
Class: Swordsman Lv 22
Element: 【Earth】
【Equipment】
Weapon: Ice Sword of Exorcism 【Robbery and Murder Item】: Added ice damage on monsters
Armor: Chain Mail 【Stolen Item】: With Coat of Arms
【Status】
Name: Maz
Job: Bandit
Class: Archer Lv 18
Element: 【Wind】
【Equipment】
Weapon: Swift Arbalest 【Stolen Item】: Can shoot continuously Aiming improvement
Armor: Fairy Clothes 【Lost Item】: Aiming and Willpower improvements
【Status】
Name: Gaff
Gender: Male
Age: 30
Race: Human
Job: Bandit Head
Class: Warrior Lv 34
Element: 【Fire】
【Equipment】
Weapon: Explosive Great Sword 【Robbery and Murder Item】: Added explosive damage Low probability to cause Instant Death
Armor: Chimera Scale Armor 【Robbery and Murder Item】: Agility improvement Weightless Floating
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I omitted the numerical values since they're just small fries.
The important thing is their job, 【Bandit】.
I thought they were shady looking, but their jobs are just as bad.
If it was 【Thieves】 then they could've possibly been [Labyrinth invader=adventurer].
And their equipment.
【Stolen Item】 and 【Lost Item】.
【Robbery and Murder Item】 is something you got by killing and plundering someone.
Of course their normal clothes and accessories are all stolen goods too.
They're worse scums than I expected.
I came to the table where the bandits were sitting.
The three faintly smiled like they were making fun of me.
"Whaddya want beggar."
"Yer' face and clothes look like one too."
"He's got a woman paying for him after all."
Gyahaha, the men laughed unsightly.
I was going to snap for an instant but I gritted my teeth and endured it.
--Bear it, me. My bright future will be for naught if I resort to violence here.
I took a deep breath and held my anger down.
I looked down at the sitting Gaff from the side.
"You guys are noisy. I'm gonna call the guards."
"Ooh, go on and call them. We're just drinking merrily in this tavern."
"Are you sure?"
"Like they'll arrest us for clamoring in a tavern."
Gaff laughed while showing her yellow crooked teeth.
I draw close to his face and whisper.
"Are you really sure? Those sword and armor are not yours right? They're item with names. You'd get in trouble if they check it wouldn't you?"
"W-what!"
The color of his eyes change.
I look down while smiling faintly.
"Get out in silent. And don't ever come back. I'll let you off without calling the guards if you do. It'll be bad if you get in trouble right before the hero exam right?"
"Damn! You!"
I glare at Gaff. A dirty bearded face. The bottom of his heart from his eyes is muddy.
The two other bandits are exchanging looks while watching the situation.
They're unexpectedly smart.
Gaff suddenly stood up. He shook the table and the chair fell down.
"Look forward to the hero exam! Don't ya dare fail at the written exam! I'm definitely gonna tear your limbs to pieces!"
"Is that right. So there's no problem if people die during the hero exam."
I grinned, showing a ghastly smile.
Uu, the bandits hold their breath from my intensity.
Gaff immediately pulled himself together and spat on the floor.
"Keh, let's change place!"
He perk his shoulders and gets out of the tavern.
I call his back.
"Oy, you guys. Pay the bill."
"Tch!"
Gaff took one big gold coin from his pocket and threw it at the old man innkeeper.
And then he left with his underlings.
The tavern became quiet.
The tense atmosphere is relaxing.
I came back to the counter.
The old man stared in amazement.
"What did you do!? Was it magic?"
"No, I just greeted them."
When I grin, Minya hugs me with her slender arms.
"Onii-chan.... Thank you."
I can feel child-like warmth from her slender body.
I pat her head. Fine lustrous black hair.
"I'm glad for you."
Minya is squinting like a cat, it seems she feels comfortable.
The old man was still surprised.
"To think you drove them out without getting violent...."
He must have thought that I would cause trouble and intended to have us all arrested.
I just didn't kill them here.
I'll have them experience the atonement for insulting a god.
Celica leaked a sigh from her red lips.
"As expected of Keika-sama. Keika-sama is truly fit to be the hero."
"Thanks. Leaving that aside. What kind of thing is Hero Exam?"
Gaff said that he would kill me in the hero exam.
Is he going to kill me by making it look like an accident, or will he do it directly.
Looks like it'll be disadvantageous if I don't find out about that.
Celica smoothly talks while thinking.
"Hero Exam is a test for 『Wisdom』, 『Courage』, 『Strength』, and 『Rigthenousness of Heart』 needed by a hero."
"『Wisdom』 is the written exam huh."
"Yes, that's right."
The old man says while stroking his chin.
"『Courage』 is that, the Tower of Trial y'see. It'll be a blast."
"Are you going to participate too old man?"
"Don't be foolish. We're just watching."
"They're going to broadcast it with magic or something huh."
"Exactly. There's a bet for the one who cleared it the fastest."
"I see."
In other words, it'll be hard to legally kill someone in the Tower of Trial.
Celica speaks from the side.
"The inside of the Tower of Trial is a dungeon, it's like a complex maze. There are monsters and traps too. You have to challenge the tower with a party of at least three people."
Three people.... So that's why Gaff brought two underlings.
"We have no choice but to employ the other one huh. It will cost us again."
The old man grins and laughs.
"Then should I search for someone with good skills?"
"Are you sure? We can't spend too much y'know?"
"What. There are some guys with piled up tabs. I'll have them participate instead of paying. They'll gather in a week."
The old man picked a notebook on the counter and flapped it with his finger.
"We're saved. Thanks."
"Thank you very much."
Celica and I honestly thanked him.
Then I ask Celica.
"Do all participants enter from the same place at the same time?"
"No every participants enter from separate entrances. It's said they rarely meet inside."
"I see. Then it'll be the next one if we're going to meet them."
I said that while patting Minya who was still hugging me. She's purring. The cat ears are moving as if they're going to jump.
Celica replies while tilting her head.
"Next one? Umm, the exam for 『Strength』 will be in the arena. The candidates of heroes who have cleared the tower will enter a tournament and fight one-on-one."
"And there are times when people die there right?"
"That's right. Please be careful."
Her blue eyes are staring with light full of concern.
"Don't worry."
I patted her head while smiling confidently.
Her soft blond hair feels nice on my fingers.
Celica looks down with a red face.
Arena huh, isn't it just perfect.
I'll let him know his place while being watched by a lot of people.
Let's think of the method. This will be fun.
I look at the old man.
"Then you'll let us stay here for a month won't you?"
"But of course."
"How much?"
"We've got it already."
After saying that the old man picked up the big gold coin thrown by Gaff and grinned.
I also reflexively smiled back.
"Thanks."
"What's your name?"
"Keika. This girl with me is Celica."
"I'm Kynmerick, nice to meet you. --Oy, Minya! How long you're going to play around! Guide these two."
"....Okay."
Minya received a key from her father and headed to a stair in the back. Her short skirt flutters, her shoulder-length black hair shakes.
After getting to the bottom of the stairs, she turned back.
"Follow me...."
Celica and I followed after Minya.
We're led to a room in the southeast corner of the third floor.
Thankfully there are windows on the south and the east, making it quite bright. The view is also good.
Moreover, it's quite spacious and furnished with furnitures, by all appearances this seems expensive.
I ask Minya.
"Is this room really alright? We're staying for one month you know?"
"Yes... Dad gave this room's key...."
"I see.... But, what about you Celica?"
"Eh, no... um."
"We can change if you don't want to."
The reason why I asked that.
Because there's only one bed. A king-size big bed is installed next to the wall.
With her whole face red up to her ears, Celica stares at the bed while biting her finger.
"I-I don't particularly mind."
"I see. It's wide enough for two people after all. Minya, we're staying in this room."
"Yes.... Keika Onii-chan."
Minya gave the key to me with her slender hand and left with her tail swinging. She was a girl who didn't talk too much and acted hesitantly but I felt that her steps had lightened a bit.
Refreshing breeze blew from the opened windows. The white curtains were shaken by the wind.
I sit on the bed and tap the place beside me.
"Celica, why won't you sit?"
"Eh!? From daytime!?"
"Yeah, from now."
Then Celica blushes, fidgeting with her fingers in front of her big breasts.
"B-but.... It's still so bright...."
"What are you saying? We won't make it in time for the exam if we don't start now right?"
"Eh? --Ah, you're right! We have to study."
Celica briskly walked and sat beside me with disheveled blond hair.
The two of us are sitting on the bed side by side. I smelled flower fragrance from her blond hair since we sat close together.
"What kind of problems will come out in the written exam?"
"There will be histories of each nations, and battles against the demon king. Knowledge about weapons, armor and item. Every kind of magic system. Type of monsters and the way to deal with them. Those kinds."
....There's a lot.
I do think that those are necessary knowledge for a hero in his journey.
--Can that stupid-looking Gaff guy pass this?
Absolutely impossible.
But that guy was full of confidence.
There must be a back door.
Looks like I'd better check it out.
That said, since they're knowledge that are important to have living as a hero from now on, I've decided to ask Celica to teach me.
It's troublesome though.
However, it wasn't actually that difficult when I studied about them.
Well, the history is the same in any world; humans repeating the same foolishness, and game knowledge is useful for the weapon, armor and monsters.
Similar-looking creatures have the same weakness in another world and fantasy.
As for magic, it seems there is divine magic--although the name is different, the system is similar.
The only thing I don't know is the art of manipulating artificial creations--magic to command golems and homonculus.
I can probably manage.
For the time being, I'm glad that I played games and read manga in my free time during the proselytizing back then.
Why is it that I can't be honestly happy though.... Kuh.
In the end, it was already night when we were done.
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