Chapter 13: One Problem
For the next few days, there wasn't much interesting stuff to say.
We went to the Old City like any other day, slaughtered goblins for a living, and earned a steady income while doing so. On top of that, Sasha and Moguzo definitely seemed to have adapted more to the life of a volunteer soldier. Our poor first day certainly played a major role in that.
Incidentally, we had also bought our volunteer soldier badges at that time. I came to realize that volunteer soldier badges have an important function for those who are still trainees. They reduce the price charged when they are still trainee volunteer soldiers. While it certainly could be for Alterna's citizens' living, it wouldn't be a surprise if the upper echelons of Alterna have some things with it, as well. Alas, Sasha and Moguzo hadn't realized that because the sheer amount of money they got on our first day of work.
'However, it was a bit of a mistake from me to force them into that situation sooner than they were supposed to be.'
I should have done it when they were more ready, but not fully capable, so that it would leave a lasting mark on their head.
'For now, there is only one problem.'
At the Old City of Damuro, like any other days, killing for a living---
"Take 'em down, Moguzo!" Sasha cheered.
"Thanks!"
Moguzo used Rage Blow using his new butcher's broadsword, which he get just this morning, against a subspecies of goblin that had a larger body than the average goblin, the hobgoblin.
It is worth noting that his shout of thanks was not for Sasha, alright?
As strange as this sounds, it was apparently for the enemy. Moguzo told me that it was meant to show his gratitude to his enemies for letting him kill them. While I didn't have a positive view of his outlook, his performance to work out was more than enough to let that thought not trouble me.
'It's usefull, at least.'
The hobgoblin's chainmail that protected his body was neatly cut from his shoulder to the heart. The hobgoblin didn't even seem to know what had just happened.
Without giving him a moment to breathe, Moguzo kicked him hard, disengaging his sword as he went.
"Next!"
As I mentioned before, Moguzo was a man who focused on a single thing, and that one thing only. He never gets bored repeating the same thing over and over again. As a result, he could use the most basic of basic skills with incredible sharpness rather fast.
The shield-and-axe goblin who only had half the protection on his body was understandably hesitant to fight back after seeing the ferocity of his blow. And sadly for him, his luck had run out by the time he take his time to doubt his decisions. Moguzo wasted no time in using Thrust, a new skill of his that was, as the name suggests, a thrust, right into the goblin's chest. It went exactly as it was supposed to be. The goblin coughed for a moment before losing any sign of movement shortly after.
Sasha burst into laughter. "Amazing as always, that's our Moguzo!"
The man in question only let out an awkward laugh in return.
By the way, the remaining goblin was already lying in front of me. It went without saying that they had no chance standing before me.
"Let's plunder their corpses and look for other prey,"
Either way, we shouldn't waste any time.
"Right,"
"Whatever you say, Kiyotaka."
We got four silver coins, and a few distinctive, fairly valuable gemstones that I'm pretty sure could make about three to five total silver, not counting the coins we found. It's pretty good, if I must say.
"It's past noon, huh?" Sasha squinted at the sun.
Why she would do something so useless as staring into the sun?
"Are we going to rest first?" Moguzo inquired.
"Yeah, of course."
By using a makeshift map of Old Damuro, we could find relatively empty locations among them that were safe to rest in. By the time we got to one of those locations, however, they were in for a surprise.
"I-It's filled with goblins...?" Moguzo said with a stammer.
"It seems so," I flatly responded. It was nothing to be surprised about, to be honest.
The location I mentioned as relatively safe had relatively intact ruins as well, with a roof that was only one-third collapsed and barely scarred walls. It had a second floor as well.
'I can see six goblins inside. A number that wouldn't be possible with our own.'
I might-- no-- definitely slaughtered them with ease. But I didn't want to commit an act that would only end up negatively affecting me. It's simply one of those.
"Let's just find another place," I suggested.
It wasn't like this was the only place we could stick to.
From the equipment the goblins were wearing, and the few familiar faces among them, I would say that the leader on the second floor, with his long sword and light but sturdy-looking full armor, intended to build his own army in this area. The outcast goblins of New City are not all of the trashy capacity after all. It's not uncommon to find some of them creating their own groups to expand their reach and become quite formidable groups to face by even the considerably experienced volunteer soldiers. We have marked a number of zones specifically occupied by them, and are trying to stay as far away from them as we can. We, or rather, Sasha and Moguzo, do not have the capacity to do that, by any means.
"Why don't we fight them?" Sasha argued. "Moguzo can draw two or even three of them with Kiyotaka the remaining two. I can bring down one of them quickly if I had the chance too. With your ability, you can just slash at them like you did on our first day. Actually, I'm confused why you didn't do that in the first place."
"Did you forget your role...?" I sighed in resignation. "Whatever it is, my decision is absolute. You cannot change it."
Sasha sulked a little, but didn't complain any further. She must have known after a little bit of thinking that it was shameless of her to leave all the work to me.
'I can understand your feelings, too, however.' I thought.
She is still a relatively normal girl. She must be a little upset at the thought of me didn't seem to take my job as a paladin right.
Looking at it in another way, I'm actually doing a good job as a paladin, but it's also a fact that I'm not taking it seriously.
Sasha was smart enough to realize that, and even Moguzo, though he hardly ever expressed those thoughts, that I'm barely serious with my role.
'But if we had some assistance, that is to say, new recruits, something like this may not have happened.'
I need someone who would be enough to face more enemies for me.
The question was who?
///***\\\
That night, I went to the tavern most famous for the volunteer soldiers in Flower Garden Street, Sherry Tavern.
I personally didn't like crowded places, but I didn't have much of a choice. It was a prime location to look for new recruits. Or at least, try to. I'm not in a hurry, anyway.
'But my ears would certainly hurt a little after this...'
Even before entering, I could already hear indistinct shouting from inside the tavern.
Either way, I pushed the doors open.
It is large, as expected of a place so popular among the volunteer soldiers.
The tavern had two floors, all of which were at least ten times the size of the bar in my lodging. The spacious, high rooftop had chandeliers dangling from them all. One to two hundred people could at least be seen in the tavern. Their loud, bubbly voices mixed with the sounds of fighting gave the impression of a place that was perfect for distracting one's mind.
"Oh? Oh?! Isn't it Kiyochi!" a familiar man approached me in his typical manner. It's Kikkawa. "Yoo, yo, yosh! How's it going for you, Kiyochi? Or, well, I probably shouldn't be asking you that, yeah? I mean, it's Kiyochi. Surely you're going to be just fine. Right?! I'd thought you would change to another hunting ground, though. We're probably going to meet each other in Damuro if you're still there, you know? Oh, oh, oh? You're curious about my circumstances? Well, I got on with Haruchi. He's surprisingly good with the leader thing you know? Even though he has that self-deprecating thing that I don't really like. Not that it was actually a bad thing. Anyhow, you look like a paladin, yeah? I'm a warrior, but let's get along, Kiyochi!"
Honestly, I have a slightly hard time talking with him normally. He just had too much energy compared to me. He did at least tell me about things that I still don't know about, though.
'So all of us formed a party with our own generation?'
What a coincidence...
It goes without saying that cases similar to ours aren't the first time. It is one of the mysteries when did actually such things happened here.
"Well, sure," I responded. I took that opportunity to ask one particular thing, as well. "By the way, do you know that woman?"
I shifted my gaze to a woman who was currently sitting at the corner of the bar counter. Kikkawa seemed like he could get along with everyone. His communication ability is especially clear from when the first day we awoke in that shady tower, Forbidden Tower, wasn't it?
"Oh?" Kikkawa immediately knew who I meant. "By that woman, did you perhaps mean by Merry-chan?!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
YvisEV
YvisEV This Chapter in fact doesn't really give anything much. And that I only Update now... Sorry. I'll try to give the 2 Chapters for the past 2 Days when I get a day off.
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