A single snowflake settles on my nose and melts. The cold sensation makes me shiver as I survey my surroundings: neon signs that put any previous city to shame, the bustling crowds, and conversations in unfamiliar tongues.
We are now in Dragon Gate, the bustling center of Danguk.
After the direct encounter with Wakashu, we carried out our own preparations.
"Come at me again."
"I was going to charge anyway!"
"You should have parried that and counterattacked."
"Again, again! I'll do it once more!"
What was toughest was how noticeably the intensity and frequency of our training had increased. As soon as I opened my eyes, I was fighting; after eating, I was fighting; before falling asleep, I was fighting; I even woke mid-slumber to spar. I'd never exchanged steel so relentlessly.
"Well, Otis! That stance was flawless this time, wasn't it?"
"Nope, again."
"Why?! I thought you did really well this time?"
"Your form was impeccable. But why do you hurl every last ounce of yourself at the strike like some kind of brute?"
"Why? You've got to go all out to get stronger, right?"
"Sigh...I won't deny that it'll make you stronger. But! Why do you think I'm showing you this technique?"
"Because [Hidden Tiger in the Forest Stance] takes too long to execute and it's powerful, so you're teaching it to me as a control technique."
"You know that stance, and yet you still shove in every ounce of your force? It's a control technique. Con-trol technique."
"Wouldn't it be good if a control move was strong... sniff"
"It's true that a strong control technique has its merits, but if you keep handling your sword that way, you won't end up with someone else's blade breaking yours—you'll break your own. What you need right now isn't raw force but modulation of power. Understood? Pick up your sword. Five hundred additional reps."
"Five hundred?! Isn't that too many?"
"If you're intimidated, you can start begging right now."
"Damn it! Fine, I'll do it—five hundred it is!"
And so every day this pattern repeated, more or less. We also took on missions.
"Hey...Sinclair, you still breathing?"
"No...seriously, the Black Cloud Society...they're everywhere."
Sinclair is now fully deployed on the Black Cloud Society suppression. He's always stone-faced, but it seems he's holding his own in the fight.
"Hey, hey, check this out."
"Is that...a sweet potato?"
"I helped an old woman from the lower village, and she gave these. Let's roast them."
"Oh. Isn't that a sweet potato?"
"Lee Sang, want some? I was just about to start roasting."
"Sounds good. How many do we have?"
"I got a whole box. She harvested too many and rejected these for their ugly appearance."
"Isn't that how the best ones are? Sharing them among everyone will be good."
"Let's do that! I'll roast them. If I use the wind properly—"
"That would spark a wildfire..."
"I-is that so..."
"I'll give the roasting a try. I used to do it back in the day..."
"Alright, I'll call everyone over."
"Mejang, I'm going to roast sweet potatoes. Want some?"
"Sweet potatoes, hm. Sure. I'll get up."
"Faust, if I roast sweet potatoes, will you eat them?"
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ingest something soon."
"Otis! Will you eat some of these once they're roasted?"
"I can already smell them roasting. I'll have some, too."
"Don Quixote...where has he gone?"
"Um...I'm right here!!!"
Ah—he's already gone ahead and started eating?
"Ha ha... mmm, this is tasty! Hyun, every time you come back, it's like food just rolls right to me! Can't you head out every day?"
"Are you by any chance teasing me?"
"They say Magpie brings good news—maybe that means food."
"I'm not some bird that fetches meals..."
Heh...these sweet potatoes are delicious. Truly, a pumpkin sweet potato—no, sweet potato pumpkin.
"By the way, where did you get these sweet potatoes?"
"Oh, those? From the old woman I helped on the roadside of the lower village..."
"You attacked her, huh."
"You attacked her?"
"Did you attack her?"
"That's what happened?!! Ugh...Baekhyun...! We're not common rabble!!"
"Hey...haven't any of you considered that I legitimately helped an old woman by the roadside and received these?"
I'm...a little wounded by that?
"O-of course I believed you! Certainly! Of course!"
"It's too late. I'll let it slide for three dried persimmons."
"W-wait, you're the only one getting them?!"
"Well, everyone else stayed quiet, but I found it galling that Don Quixote alone was making excuses."
"That's too much—please settle for two!!!"
"No."
sniff Sweet potatoes sure are delicious.
"Mh. Truly, produce at its peak season is always best."
Indeed, gathered together, it tastes good even if there's nothing special about it.
"By the way, Baekhyun. You haven't forgotten, right?"
"You mean heading out on assignment? I know—it's tomorrow."
"So have your gear packed by this evening; we'll depart a bit earlier."
"Okay, understood~ Ack! That was my sweet potato!!"
"Um...is that what it is? Delicious!!"
"Hng...I should've eaten before listening..."
"Hey, greenhorn, you still awake?"
"Ah, uh, sorry. I just can't fall asleep."
"We're almost there; if you'd been sleeping, I just meant to wake you, so don't worry. Pack your things."
"Yeah, yeah~there's hardly anything to pack anyway."
My entire kit consists of the Dragon Gate employment certificate, my sword, a few sets of clothing, and some money. That's all I've got packed.
"It's good not having to call him 'uncle' this time."
Since I'm hired purely as a mercenary this time, there's no reason to use 'uncle' as a form of address.
"So where to now? Directly to the field?"
"No, first we visit the employer. Steel your mind: with those sitting in high positions, every word you speak can become a significant weakness someday."
The Dragon Gate official... Wei...Wei something, right?
"It's tall..."
I'd never seen a building this tall or gleaming in any place I'd ever entered, before or since.
"Quit acting like a backwater—just go inside."
"Honestly...you've got zero sentiment, no sense of feeling at all."
Then let's go up—to the very top!
"You have been confirmed as guests of Wei Yenwu. Please follow us inside."
Sure enough, it's that fellow—popular with the Dracona and unusually wealthy, if the rumors are to be believed.
Under the glare of every gleaming surface, the doors slid open, and for the first time, I met a figure from the original narrative.
Well, Rhodes Island doesn't seem to exist yet.
Honestly, I'm not sure. Maybe when I'm older I'll have to swipe a newspaper to find out.
"Alright...so it's you. I've heard plenty of rumors. Your competence must be reliable, yes?"
"Yes, that's correct."
His tone subtly condescended to us...and it was infuriating.
"However, that child...I won't interfere with the team I deploy, but isn't he too young?"
"Well, if you're going to nitpick, look over there. The one clinging to the ceiling—why don't you come down?"
"...Oh?"
No matter how stealthy you are, the sound of air tells where you are. Granted, concentrating that hard makes your head ache...
"That child is the one who beheaded the head of the organization associated with the Ironworks Guild. I vouch for his ability."
"Very well...I'll wait and see. Reconnaissance starts tomorrow, so at least grab something to eat first."
Honestly...we're not some lackeys, but if they're serving us a meal, I'll eat it with gratitude!