Chapter 35: Skill Tree 5
The protective shield could only be shattered by my punch.
Han Se-ah's lips curled into a mischievous grin, I think she recalls how her own shield had been punctured with a simple press of a finger.
Why did Irene seek me out?
Frankly, there were plenty of "sturdy warriors who never get hurt" on the 43rd floor.
Only Han Se-ah and I knew about my 6 status.
Objectively speaking, although I was well-known, I didn't think I was at a level where someone would seek me out after seeing me just once.
Wouldn't it be more appropriate for her to seek out the top adventurer on the 43rd floor?
Choosing someone who had given up on the 37th floor and descended, rather than an adventurer who persevered and reached the 43rd floor, seemed strange.
"This shield is really sturdy!"
"Thank you for the compliment."
She never revealed her position as a Saint Candidate and it doesn't seem like she gave the exact reason for seeking me out either.
Of course, she came from the temple and was a system-certified "Saint Candidate," so she wouldn't have malicious intentions.
I was simply curious about whether it was related to the temple's circumstances or the sub-story of a gacha character.
It was common knowledge in this world that a priest who emerged from the temple, especially one who could cast such beautiful divine magic, wouldn't be a villain.
Any corrupted priests would have been buried underground in the temple by the inquisitors in the name of justice.
***
Raei Translations
***
Although we had a 5 Priest join our party, the search on the 10th floor remained unchanged.
After all, a character specialized in protective spells couldn't help with a clue-searching quest.
Still, seeing Han Se-ah's smile, it seemed like the quest was going smoothly.
...Or was it just because of the 5?
Anyway, our party became incredibly powerful, more than capable of handling Horned Wolves.
Even if I was absent, they could easily hunt them down as long as they had a decent vanguard.
Thanks to Grace's scouting ability, we continued hunting Horned Wolves as part of our daily routine.
Just as I wondered if the viewers would become bored, Han Se-ah, who was collecting the by-products, let out a joyful scream.
"Look at this! Look at this!"
She raised one hand triumphantly, as if she had just won a gold medal.
The others stared at her, puzzled, as the Horned Wolf's by-products rolled around on the ground.
In her hand was a small, shimmering silver fur that gleamed in the sunlight.
It belonged to the Full Moon Wolf, not a Horned Wolf.
"A Full Moon Wolf's trace from a Horned Wolf's by-product... The tower is indeed a mysterious place."
"Is this the fur of a Full Moon Wolf? Its color is truly beautiful."
Grace and Irene admired the silver fur.
It was so delicate and shiny that it could be mistaken for real silver.
The fur's beauty only added credibility to the claim that a Full Moon Wolf's hide would fetch at least a hundred gold coins at an auction.
As the two girls marveled at the beautiful color, Han Se-ah clenched her fist in excitement, perhaps because the quest had advanced to the next stage.
Hunting Horned Wolves and finding traces of the Full Moon Wolf, then handing those traces over to the Magic Tower to track the Full Moon Wolf it reminded me of a hunting game I played in my previous life.
Collecting traces of a giant monster to track it...
"Shall we end today's hunt here?"
"Yes! Let's head straight to the Magic Tower."
Han Se-ah immediately agreed with my suggestion.
With no one opposing the party leader's proposal, everyone nodded and turned around.
Han Se-ah held the Full Moon Wolf's fur tightly in her hand as if it were a winning lottery ticket, while the other by-products were just shoved into her inventory.
Was the silver fur that beautiful, or was she simply overjoyed by obtaining a quest item right after recruiting a new party member?
Either way, her clenched fist seemed to be full of strength.
***
We left the plains before sunset and arrived at the Magic Tower.
"Should we wait here?"
"Yeah, I think I can go up alone. There were some magicians I talked to at the inn."
As Irene curiously looked around the Magic Tower, with Grace sticking close by and explaining various things, Han Se-ah headed to the 2nd floor alone.
It seemed that she had received something like a business card from the magicians who had visited the inn during the Horned Wolf commotion.
As soon as she showed it, she was immediately guided in.
Grace, with her unique affability and craftiness, linked arms with Irene and began strolling around the lobby of the Magic Tower branch.
She seemed to be quite energetic: she did drink a lot earlier.
"Oh my, Irene? I didn't expect to see you here."
"Hello, Charlotte."
As I tried to check what Han Se-ah was up to through the chat, a familiar voice reached my ears.
I straightened my slumped head to look at Irene and saw a familiar face.
Well-maintained pink hair, expensive-looking attire, and servants carrying her luggage.
The mage from Irene's party that I met on the 11th floor.
From her bejeweled hair ornaments to her ribbon and dress adorned with frills, she was a woman who seemed to scream, "I'm a noble lady," with her entire being.
I hadn't noticed this while she was wearing her adventurer gear in the tower.
"I was sad to hear you left the party, but it's nice to see you here. Are you just visiting?"
"Yes, we were fortunate enough to find traces of the Full Moon Wolf."
"Oh my, you must be with some very skilled party members. It seems you made a great choice by climbing the tower for your noble cause."
Upon closer inspection, there was a maid among the servants carrying her luggage, who had been the rogue in her party.
A noble lady mage and a maid rogue, an impressive combination.
According to Ellis, the tank had come down from the 24th floor.
So, the noble lady hired an experienced tank with money to achieve her goals as a mage, and she entered the tower with her maid.
It's very rare, but not impossible.
Just as nobles give me money for their prestige and honor, noble children also dabble on the lower floors of the tower.
It's similar to how fox hunting was a sport for British nobles.
"So, that must be Sir Roland?"
"Yes, he saved the city from the horned wolves and didn't turn a blind eye to the people's suffering."
It seemed the compensation I provided through the guild reached not only the nobles but also the temple.
My face flushed as I listened to the two women praising me in hushed tones.
Grace seemed like she wanted to join in on praising me but couldn't muster the courage to approach the noble lady.
As they continued to praise me, the two naturally approached our table.
"May we join you?"
"Of course."
The lady delicately sat on the chair pulled out by one of her servants.
The maid, dressed as a rogue, naturally took her seat beside her.
She was beautiful, but her talent seemed to be lacking, probably around 1 to 2.
The noble lady, who seemed to have misinterpreted my gaze, straightened her back and spoke up.
"My name is Charlotte Cavendish. My father, Lord Cavendish, has always admired Sir Roland's adventures, and told me that he was delighted to have met you earlier."
A noble who bestows the title of "Sir" upon an adventurer who isn't even a knight.
I believe it was the curly-bearded old man I met last time.
I kept the silk pouch, thinking it might come in handy, and gratefully accepted the six gold coins, which I used to buy a cake for Ellis later on.
The man, who only cared about using me as a talking point, handed me the gold coins without introducing himself and disappeared.
Recalling him vaguely, Charlotte doesn't seem to care about my lukewarm reaction and starts chatting.
"I became an adventurer to achieve greatness as a mage, but this unprecedented event happened, and I met all of you. It feels like fate, arranged by the Goddess herself."
"The Goddess embraces everyone."
Grace seems a bit taken aback. I don't think she expected her to be this talkative.
She treated Grace as if she didn't exist, and I was treated like a scarecrow made for listening.
Her chatter would match nobles at social events.
From her constant mentions of the Goddess and of fate, she seems very into mysticism and the like.
She wasn't arrogant, but she did seem a little self-absorbed.
In fairness, she does look like she grew up in a greenhouse.
Even in my previous life, there were plenty of kids with superpowers, even without the existence of magic.
Who would stop the chuunibyou of a noble lady with actual magic abilities?
She was born into nobility, raised under the care of her servants, and had powerful magic.
"Young lady, if you delay any longer, it may cause problems for your schedule later."
"Oh dear, thank you, Mari. I'd love to chat more, but I have a prior engagement, so please excuse me."
Charlotte, who happened to meet a priestess and join a party of adventurers she met by chance, then led by the Goddess to the one who saved the city and even has a connection to her father - she inflated this story in the typical way nobles do and chatted endlessly.
But her endless chatter was finally interrupted by the maid who had been quietly standing behind her.
Just like how her father had handed me the money pouch, chuckling as he disappeared, Charlotte gracefully gathered the hem of her dress, slightly bent her knees, and took her leave.
As she disappeared into the distance with her attendants, Grace muttered softly.
"Is it because she's a noble, or a mage that she talks so much?"
"Well, both are known for being quite talkative."
"Well, even so, it was interesting to listen to..."
"No, not so much as interesting as it was as strange."
***
Decided to block most of the dating ads as I go through the ad list... sorry guys no meeting asian singles here.
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