Rising Life Volume 1, Chapter 22

Episode 22 A Little Change He Finally Got

　From the destroyed windmill house, over the cliff loophole――.

　After returning to the road, Kian and Robert headed straight for the East End and were lucky enough to make it back to the west entrance of the city without encountering any wild dogs.

　The journey took about five hours.

　On the way, they made a makeshift sled using sturdy ivy plants and Kian's rag armor and carried Griffin's head, a bag of old copper coins, and Robert's axe on it.

　Despite the ingenuity of the transportation method, Kian and Robert were sweating all over when they returned to the vicinity of the city.

「Ouch. ....... The wound is open,」

　Robert was leaning against the branch of a short pine tree on the side of the road, whimpering.

　Kian watches the big man carefully.

　The blood doesn't seem to be staining him as much as he thought, thanks to Arueno's anti-blood ointment.

「When we get to the city, I'll take you to the guild's healing center. We're almost there, so be patient.」

「Yeah, ......, shit. It's really my worst day. I didn't see a single lumberjack or adventurer so far.」

「Griffin's out. Probably guilds and guards blocking off the roads in the area. --Here.」

　Kian lends Robert a shoulder as he looks up at the purple-tinged sky.

「Let's go.」

「Ahh, I'm sorry. ...... They say you're a "Garbage Scavenger", but with your heart for helping others and your monster fighting skills, you're a good adventurer. You're much better than those bastards. I really don't know why a guy like you is a 9th-level adventurer.」

「It's probably because I was useless until three days ago.」

「Hah, that's ridiculous. I'm starting to not believe the guild's assessment.」

　The roads straightened out and the lights of the West Gate of the East End came into view.

　There seemed to be more guards than usual posted around the two bonfires.

　Perhaps they were there to deal with Griffin as soon as it arrived.

　Kian called out loudly to the guards.

　Robert raised his voice beside him, and the guards who had been hanging around the bonfire came running towards them.

「What!? Is that you, Robert!?」

「I heard you were attacked by a Griffin! You're alive!?」

　The guards surrounding the two men were surprised to see Robert.

　Robert nodded.

「Yeah, that son of a bitch Griffin took me. I thought I was done for, but I was rescued before the bastard could prey on me.」

「By who? I mean, ......, why is the 'Garbage Scavenger' here?」

「He saved me.」

　Robert said with a serious face as he looked at Kian.

　The guards were stunned for a moment, and then opened their big mouths to laugh it off as best they could, but their mouths fell open when they realized that Griffin's head was on the sled that Kian was pulling.

「A Griffin!」

「Dude, for real! It's Griffin's head!」

「Griffin ......, you killed Griffin, Robert-danna!」

「No, it wasn't me. Look at my wound. It grabbed me by the back and cut me so deep I can barely walk. I'm in no condition to fight. The one who killed Griffin is Kian over here.」

「Huh ......? That's ridiculous. Because this guy is a "Garbage Scavenger" and ......」

「Have you guys ever seen Kian really fight?」

「No, he's called a "Garbage Scavenger" because he doesn't fight, he just cleans ditches and does foraging quests.」

「I saw his fight!」

　Robert lifted himself up from Kian's shoulders and held out his hands in appeal.

「This amazing adventurer went one-on-one with Griffin and won. He was brave, agile, and smart. He ducked Griffin's aerial attack with minimal movement, drew it to the windmill, and crushed the bastard's wings by causing the roof to collapse! It was brilliant. He hit the Griffin twice with his axe, then jumped on its back and ...... *crash*! He smashed its head off!」

　He recounted the story with gestures.

　Robert's seriousness and detailed description of the situation as he had seen it (or rather, had actually seen it right next to him) left the guards with nothing to do but freeze their expressions into silence.

　Everyone was glancing at Kian's face, wondering if the "Garbage Scavenger" had seriously defeated the Griffin alone.

　Kian tapped Robert on the shoulder.

「Robert-san. I'm glad you're speaking so passionately for me, but if you don't get to the Guild's Healing Center soon, your wound could be serious. You're really injured.」

「Oh, right. I'm sorry.」

「You should take it easy. ――Someone gives me a hand! We need to get Robert-san to the Guild's Healing Center. I need a stretcher if possible. Quickly!」

「Ah, yeah!」

「Got it!」

　Kian shifted his gaze to the nearby guards.

「And you. I want you to go to the Pig's Foot Pavilion now and contact Robert's daughter and all the employees. Robert-san is back. He's at the Guild Healing Center, so tell them to bring a change of clothes and toiletries.」

「U-Understood」

「You got it.」

「Yeah.」

「Oh, it's a stretcher! I brought a stretcher!」

　Two guards come out from a nearby Guard Station with a stretcher.

　Kian moved away from under Robert to replace the guards.

　The big man, covered in scars, looks at Kian while being carried on the stretcher.

「Hey, Kian, what about you?」

「I'm going to pay a visit to the guild, though I'm not sure if they'll be open at this time. I'll have to report that I took down Griffin.」

「All right. I really appreciate your help today. I'll submit the quest with the highest grade of S, of course. I owe you my life. When you get settled, please come and have dinner at the Pig's Foot Pavilion. I'll thank you again then. Thank you!」

　Kian nodded and took the bag of copper coins and Griffin's head from the sled.

　The ragged armor that had protected him for so long was now a sorry sight under the sled.

　It was no longer needed for performance, but it left him feeling sad as if he had lost a comrade in arms.

「Guards. This is Robert's axe. Please take it with you.」

「Sure. ...... Hey, did you really take down the Griffin all by yourself?」

「Well yeah. I could have done it myself.」

「You're a 9th-level adventurer, aren't you?」

　The guards looked at him suspiciously as he took the axe.

「My true power could not be measured by the guild's assessment.」

「S-sure ......」

「It's amazing that you were able to defeat it by yourself. If it's true, it's really amazing.」

「That must be false」

「Ah, if you're going to the guild office, don't go there. It's closed. But I heard that the bigwigs and the party to take down the Griffin are gathering at the healing center, so go there.」

　Kian frowned at the guard's advice.

「Why are the bigwigs and the party to defeat the Griffin at the healing center?」

「I heard from the Falcon Clan, who are recuperating, and they're planning a strategy.」

「Oh, I see.」

　Kian nodded, tying a bag of copper coins around his waist.

　The guardsman quivered his mustache.

「Thanks to you, I guess we won't need to do that anymore.」

「Thank you for the information. I think I'll head directly to the healing center.」

「Yeah, you do that.」

　Kian thanked the guards one more time and headed for the central district of the East End with Robert's stretcher.

　　× x x x

　When he entered the healing center behind the guild, some of the senior adventuring party and the adventurer guild staff were gathered in the large hall.

　At the back of them were the four members of the Falcon Clan and Sophie, the receptionist who was in charge of Kian.

　Funnelwing, who was sitting in a chair with a bandage on his stomach, was watching the guards carrying the stretcher with Roses-Pitt, Francisca, and Serena, and frowned at what had happened.

　Sophie looked surprised when she saw the stretcher, but her lips tightened as she immediately recognized Kian. She turned her gaze to the side as if to turn her face away from the crime.

「Robert-san!?」

　It was the chief receptionist, Irina, who had organized the receptionists.

　She is a mature woman of the human race, over forty years old.

　She seemed to dislike Kian, and in the past ten years, he had never spoken to her properly.

　In fact, he has never seen anything but a frown on her face.

　Now she was rushing to Robert's stretcher with a look of joy and tears on her face.

「Robert! Oh, Robert, you're okay!」

「Hehe. Yoo, Irina. Looks like I still have some bad luck left in me.」

「I was so worried about you!　...... Really, you've always been so reckless.」

「What's this all about? Guards?」

　A bald-headed man with clacking boots steps out into the candlelight.

　He is an old man with a white mustache.

　His frame is strong as if to tell us that he was once a warrior, but his face is thin, as if from stress, and he looks like a ghoul.

　He was the head of the East End Adventurer's Guild, Friedrich.

　The guard who was asked stared at Kian in confusion.

　Friedrich, who had followed his gaze, looked at Kian and frowned.

「What did he do?」

　The feeling was not a good one.

　This is because Friedrich is one of the few people in this city who knows about Kian's past.

　Fourteen years ago, Kian Vaid, the eldest son of Umar Vaid, the Twelve Divine Generals of Azrair, was banished from the city, a story that was too well known in the eastern world beyond the sea.

　Of course, the western country facing the sea -- the Kingdom of Franz -- was also informed, and when he registered as an adventurer in the East End, he was asked to wait for a while at the reception desk.

　The receptionist at that time was Irina.

　In fact, the head of the adventurer personnel department who dealt with Kian was this Friedrich.

　Accepting into the guild the son of a senior official who had been expelled from the country, for example, is the same as having the seeds of trouble.

　For example, what if opponents of his brother, Jibril Vaid, contacted Kian and tried to bring down the Vaid family?

　Or even if not, what if Kian himself recruits his friends in the adventurer's guild to launch a guerrilla attack on Azrair in order to settle the grudge he holds against his homeland?

　They can't say that the guild has nothing to do with this.

　From the adventurer's guild's point of view, Kian's mere presence was like a bomb that posed a risk.

　It would definitely be better to get rid of him at the guild's doorstep.

　However, the guild leader at the time and the previous Count of the Ezerland had Kian undergo several interviews and tests of his sword skills, and based on the results, they allowed him to register as an adventurer.

　Overcoming the objections of Friedrich and the others until the end.

　He doesn't know what the guild leader and the frontier count of Ezerland were thinking when they gave Kian a place to stay.

　Maybe they were just following the principle that the guild's doors should be open to all people, or maybe they had deep sympathy for poor Kian.

　Or maybe they thought that he was a fool who couldn't be used as poison or medicine and embraced him inside, hoping to make good use of him if the need arose.

　At any rate, the previous guild leader had allowed Kian to stay in the guild, but Friedrich, who had come to the top in a different generation, was not so sure.

　He's sure he still thinks that Kian is a nuisance.

　Of course, due to his position, he would never say anything about it.

「It is said that ...... he――Kian, a 9th level adventurer, has defeated the Griffin alone and rescued Robert-san」

　The moment the guard said this, the atmosphere in the healing center changed dramatically.

　Silence. Silence. Silence.

　Everyone couldn't believe their ears and looked at each other as if they were at a loss for words.

「......What did you just say?」

　After a while, Friedrich asked back on behalf of everyone in the room.

　He looked at Kian as if licked him all over.

　Then his eyes widen when he sees the Griffin head that Kian is hanging from.

「............. Guards, first give treatment Pigfoot to the healers.」

「Yes, sir.」

「Hehe, sorry about that, Friedrich. I messed up a bit. But Kian saved my life. I owe him my life......Don't make it look bad, you hear?」

「Pigfoot, don't talk so much. You'll just hurt yourself.」

　After a brief exchange between Robert and Friedrich, the guards disappear into the back with Robert's stretcher.

　In the hall, Kian, the guild staff, the Falcon Clan, and the senior adventurers who were looking at Kian with interest remained.

「Did you really take down the Griffin alone?」

　Friedrich walked up to Kian, his hollow eyes glittering.

　Kian nodded.

「Yes, this head is the best proof of all. Don't you believe it?」

「―――――No.」

　Friedrich shook his head.

　He knows what's going on ――

　He knew that Kian had learned a powerful killer sword in the past - Azrair's Dancing Sword Technique.

　The bald guild leader was expressionless, but there was a strange light in his downcast eyes.

　As he was about to slowly open his mouth again, a sharp voice spoke up in the back.

「That's impossible! The "Garbage Scavenger" defeated the Griffin alone? Hah, please don't talk in your sleep!」

　It was Funnelwing.

　He turned his red face to Kian while being supported by Francisca.

「Even we couldn't do it! I ...... got a painful counterattack from Griffin, just like this! But you're...... you're just fucking small fry! You took down the Griffin single-handedly, almost unharmed!?」

「It's not fair! He's not the one who killed Griffin!」

　Roses-Pitt exclaimed as well, foaming at the mouth.

　Kian put his hands on his hips.

「If it wasn't me, then who the hell would have beaten Griffin?」

「That would be ...... someone!」

「Did that someone goes out of their way to give me the glory of defeating the Griffin?」

「――――!」

「What about Robert-san's testimony? Is he lying?」

　The guild leader turned his sharp eyes on the "Falcon Clan" at Kian's words.

　Somehow Friedrich seems to be angry.

　Funnelwing swallowed his words, but Roses continued to stomp on the ground.

「That's right, that old bear lied to us! After he killed it, he handed its head to you, the adventurer! I bet he did! Damn it! What did you give him in return? How much did you get for the head of the Griffin!?」

「Whoa, whoa, whoa. Take it easy.」

「Damn it, damn it! You're ......! You're so much weaker than me――」

「You need to shut up now.」

「Heh?」

　Roses stiffened at Friedrich's words.

　For the first time, he seemed to realize that he was being stared down head-on by the guild leader.

「Robert Pigfoot is a respected adventurer who has done a great deal for the East End. I will not allow you to speak ill of him.」

「......!」

「You're a monk of the Falcon Clan, aren't you? What's your name?」

「...... What?」

「Your name」

　Friedrich repeated irritably.

　Roses had been contorting his bad face flirtatiously, but his expression hardened into a click.

「Roses-Pitt.」

「Right. Roses-Pitt. Irina, you remember his name, right?」

「Yes」

「Roses-kun and the Falcon Clan. Look forward to your next assessment.」

「Ah ......, eh ......?」

　Roses-Pitt looked at the funnel wing with a look of incomprehension on his face.

「Tsk, this stupid monk」

「Roses-senpai ......」

「You, Roses-Pitt. Get out of here. Don't ever show me your poor face again.」

「...... ......」

　The bad monk shuddered and slipped past Kian as if to flee, and walked out of the healing center.

『He's a fool』

(For a long time, he kept his pride intact by looking down on me. He told himself that I was lower than him, that I was just a rearguard who could only heal from time to time. He's not very good at controlling his emotions, so I guess he couldn't stand it.)

『Well, he's just a little kid with an empty ass. It can't be helped.』

「Pigfoot is a man of integrity, he would never lie about someone else's accomplishments, and he would never do something he was not proud of, such as paying someone else for a battle.」

　Friedrich said and turned his body back to Kian.

　His eyes traced Kian's 『Twilight Series』 from his feet and finally reached his glasses.

　His downcast eyes shook strangely.

「But I was really surprised. You overcame your natural disadvantage, didn't you?」

「A handicap can also be an advantage. If you work hard for a decade or more, you'll be able to do something better than others.」

「...... I see.」

　Friedrich muttered hesitantly.

　Kian suddenly turned his attention to Sophie.

　She was still not going to make eye contact with Kian.

「Baron Schwarzer's daughter――Sophie, seems to have made a grave mistake. I'm going to have to talk to her about it.」

　At Kian's side, Friedrich said in a quiet voice.

「Oh, you mean the adventurer's notebook, right? Come to think of it, I and the Falcon Clan were competing in five quests.」

　When Kian said that, Sophie looked up with raised eyes.

　She had the eyes of a fighter.

　She had something to say here.

　But before Sophie could say anything else, Friedrich said,

「It seems that Sophie-kun took the liberty of destroying Kian-Kun's adventurer's notebook for this month, and on top of that, she lied about it. This is an illegal act that goes beyond the authority of the receptionist, and it seriously undermines the rights of the adventurer Kian-kun, who should be protected. It is not something that can be tolerated.」

「What ......?」

　Sophie was carefully holding Kian's adventurer's notebook, but when she heard Friedrich's words, he snatched them away.

「G-guild leader, what did you just say」

「Sophie-kun, you don't have to come to work tomorrow. That's what I said.」

「What ......? But, I mean, you said you'd help me......You said you'd talk to Kian-san and try to mediate so that we could at least end up on the same page.」

「I don't need to be told something I don't remember. Right, Irina-kun?」

「Eh, ahh ....... Y-yes, Guild Leader. Yes, you're right.」

「No way! Why!?」

　Sophie looked like she was about to cry and repeated why, why, why.

　Friedrich only looked at her with cold eyes.

「I will have to send a letter to Baron Schwarzer later. We must inform him what his third daughter has done and wait for his reply to our decision. I'm sure your father will call you back to your country.」

「That's not what you said, Friedrich-sama! If I go back, my father will force me to get married! I've worked so hard to be free from that!」

「Who cares? We don't need corrupt people in the East End Branch falsifying documents without permission.」

「If that's the case! Even Irina-san.」

「I am, what?」

　Sophie froze when her boss, Irina, threw her an icy stare.

「What about me? Is there any evidence of my wrongdoing?」

「Ahh......Uuhh......」

　Friedrich let out a sigh.

「Sophie-kun, if you were not the daughter of Baron Schwarzer, you would not have been able to get away with this. You should be grateful for your good fortune to have been born into nobility.」

「Did you receive anything from my father ......?」

　Sophie's tone was not angry, but more like she was genuinely clinging to him for the truth.

　Friedrich did not answer but turned his back on her.

「Your father wants you to marry into a good family and keep the blood of Baron Schwarzer in your veins. He said that if you are a woman, you should bear children and protect the family.」

「This is the kind of thinking that would be laughed at as an anachronism if it were said at the academy in Royal Capital! Such a thing.......I hate it, I don't want to go back to my father.....!」

　Sophie collapsed to the ground and started to cry.

　The senior adventurers, who had been quietly watching the situation, suddenly began to buzz.

「Kian-kun. Thank you for your hard work in defeating Griffin. If possible, I'd like to know the details of how a nameless 9th-level adventurer managed to defeat a monster with a fourth-class killability rank for a party......」

「Sorry, I'm a little tired.」

「You're right. I don't want to talk too long, so let's end it here. How's your body? If you're hurt, the guild's healers will take care of you.」

「No, no problem.」

「As for the conflicting requests, they'll be handled as if you received them first. For more information, come to the guild office tomorrow morning and ask the new person in charge.」

「All right. Thank you for your fairness, Guild Leader.」

「I was merely making a judgment based on the data I received from the Research Department.」

『It seems that your personal situation was hidden in that judgment as well』

　The glasses muttered.

　Kian did not change his expression at all.

（Regardless of what the guild decides, I will only accumulate military merit and aim to be the strongest and best!)

『Now that you've hunted down the Griffin, maybe you can go serve in that frontier count's fortress.』

(If I'm going to betray the guild, I'm going to have to show them how much more capable I am. They'll need me, and they'll miss me, but I'll quit like harassment. It's going to be the most delightful thing I've ever done.)

『You have the worst personality.』

　He gives a small smile to the glasses that make a dumbfounded voice.

　It was then that he noticed the light blue eyes staring at him from Sophie's side.

　It was Serena.

「......?」

「――――!?  ......!」

　When he tried to make eye contact with her, she jumped her shoulders and looked away as if she couldn't face the stare anymore.

　She grabbed her arm and squeezed it tightly.

　She bit her thin, elegant lips and frowned as if she was ashamed of something.

　Her ears were hanging listlessly, and her tail was swaying helplessly between her legs.

　She seemed to be in a state of shock.

(Well, that's none of my business.)

「Well then, if you'll excuse me, I have to go.」

「Yeah ...... Thank you for helping Pigfoot.」

　Kian smiled at Friedrich and turned gracefully on his heel, tossing his leather coat.

　The senior adventurers who had surrounded him in the distance split in two like a wave.

(Well, killing the Griffin is only the beginning. My legend begins here.)

　He thought about his next move as he galloped past the senior adventurers.

　As a result, he came to the conclusion that the first thing he should do is to replenish his nutrition and magical power.

　Kian thought of the ladylike blond beauty of the High Elf in his mind.

　He licked his lips.

(I have to go pay Arueno-san for the medicine I bought yesterday.)

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