Chapter 34 - Come to Think of It, Ism a Hero 2 (1/2)

Chapter 34 - Come to Think of It, I'm a Hero (2)

“M...my name is Aena.”

“That’s enough with your self-introduction.”

Artpe stopped his face from crumpling when he saw the face of the girl.He brushed aside her words.

“I want you to tell me your request, and what you will be able to give me.Keep it short.”

“······.”

It was said from the olden times that it was crucial to clear a Quest as soon as possible!He just needed to know the content of the Quest and the reward.He didn’t care about minor details like her situation.

“Heek.”

“Artpe…..”

The girl, who came looking for them, and Maetel, who had been looking at Aena, turned to look at Artpe with dumbfounded expressions when they heard his words.Aena was barely able to open her mouth before Artpe’s expression could crumple.

“I...in truth, the soldiers came to our town couple days ago.He was captured by them, and he hasn’t been returned…..”

“All right.What’s the reward?”

“······.”

He even skipped the content of the Quest!If others heard his words, they might have been impressed by Artpe’s strong desire for obtaining a reward.

However, Artpe’s expression was excessively harsh.It wasn’t directed at the girl or the quest.His anger seemed to be directed at someone else.

“A r...reward…. I don’t have anything I can give you…...”

The girl looked like she was about to cry.Of course, Artpe knew this even before he heard her words.The girl wore very threadbare clothes, and when he checked with his Read All Creation ability, she didn’t possess any items worth having on her body.

Despite this fact, Artpe continued to interrogate her.

“What?You don’t even have a single bronze coin?”

“I do have a bronze coin, but that isn’t enough…..”

Aena’s eyes started to fill with tears.However, Artpe ruthlessly pushed his hand out towards her.

“Give it to me.”

“······what?”

“I want you to take out the bronze coin.”

Aena’s expression indicated that she had no idea what was going on, but she took out a bronze coin.

She possessed a very dirty bronze coin.It held very little value to Artpe that he wanted to snort, but it was a very precious and large sum of money for the girl. The money was very important to her.

“H….here…...”

Aena thought she had come looking for the wrong people.She thought she was getting ripped off in her time of need.Her eyes were shedding large amount of tears as she placed the bronze coin on top of Artpe’s hand.Maetel was very angry as she watched what was going on.She had to scold Artpe!She had to scold him a lot!Artpe that makes a child cry was a bad Artpe!

“Artpe!”

“Be quiet, Maetel.I’m trying to assume the Quest Reward.Usually, not even dogs interrupt that process.

“Y...yes.”

However, Artpe replied as if he had predicted Maetel would become angry.She immediately shut her mouth.She was overwhelmed by Artpe’s attitude.She had no idea what made him so angry from the start, but Artpe was incredibly scary right now…..He also looked a little bit cool.

“Hoo-ooh······.”

After he quieted Maetel, he firmly gripped the coin he extorted from the girl.He put the coin away, and after he blinked once, he stood up.

Then he spoke clearly towards the girl.

“All right.I’ve accepted your Quest reward.Your payment in advance was 100%, and your balance is 0%.I will undertake the Quest starting now.”

This was the very first Quest he had accepted in his lifetime.

“What?”

“Our account is all settled now, so we are going to go find your dongsaeng”

“Yes······?”

Aena blinked her eyes as if she couldn’t believe what she had just heard.However, Artpe didn’t hesitate.He put on his robe.

In truth, he was very sleepy, so he wanted to lie down.However, he could always sleep later.He felt restless right now.It felt as if he wouldn’t be able to take it if he didn’t move right now.This was why he prodded Aena into action in annoyance.

“Why are you standing there doing nothing? I’ve received the reward, so I’m going to do the Quest.Are you deaf?”

“Ah, no.But….!”

“I’m going to go find your dongsaeng starting now.I’ll somehow find a way to track him down, and I’ll return him to your side.Are you sure you want to set this as the condition that will complete the Quest?”

“······ah.Ah. Ah.”

The girl finally understood what was going on.Until a moment ago, she had thought this young magician was trying to steal her money.However, he was saying he would really find her dongsaeng in return for that coin!

Even after thinking over it, the situation didn’t make any sense to her, so she wondered if he was lying.However, Artpe was looking at her with sincere eyes, so she couldn’t ask him if he was lying to her.

This was why she decided to trust Artpe.

“T...thank you very much!I...I don’t know how I should express my thanks….”

“You can thank me after I find and return your dongsaeng safely to your side.I hope I’m not too late, but…...”

Artpe grinded his teeth as he took in the sight of the girl again.He activated his Read All Creation ability, and her status was revealed to him.

[Aena]

[Level : 1]

[Curse : The process changing into low Class Magic Type Foreign Species 1%]

[Drank water containing Cursed Mana four days ago.]

‘Which son of a bitch did this…..’

Could a person be turned into a monster?The correct answer was yes.It was easy for corpses in places with negative Mana to come back as zombies or ghouls.Then there were voluntary methods that would allow one to become a Death Knight or a Lich.

Amongst the Curses, there were a decent amount that turned a subject into a monster.Currently, a curse that turned a person into a monster was placed on her.This was the most representative example of someone violating a human’s free will.

He had expressed this sentiment before, but this was the type of nonsense he hated the most.

The sound of his teeth grinding could be heard.

“As expected, Artpe is kind.You always told me ‘A person should always be precise in one’s calculations!”

“Nope.My calculations were precise, right?”

“Pi.Liar.Artpe is just embarrassed.”

Artpe smirked as he started spouting bullshit towards Maetel.

“Listen well, Maetel.The value of an item is relative.Basically, if I think my calculation is correct, then it is correct.”

This was why the Quest Reward was important. If judged in an objective manner, even if something was worth a lot, it wouldn’t be worth much to him if it wasn’t something he needed.The balance in his calculation would be skewed.It was most definitely a tortuous way of thinking, but it was an absolute rule he followed.

“So what about you, Maetel?”

Artpe tapped his chest.It was the pocket where he put away the bronze coin.

“Is 1 Bronze enough for you as a Quest Reward?”

Maetel looked into Artpe’s rage-filled eyes.She wondered why he was so angry.She thought maybe she’ll be able to find out the underlying reason if she carried out Aena’s request with him.

She always wanted a deeper understanding of Artpe.She was sure this request would move her a step closer to her goal.

If she was able to do so, that was a reward in itself.

“·····Yes.It is more than enough.”