Chapter 6
Around That Time, Sword of Lightning I
「Hahh? Raust is not coming back?」
With Raust absent, the leader of the Sword f Lightning, Margulus, asked about Raust which just kicked out from the party yesterday .
He was about to go to a revenge match against the hydra .
… As a matter of fact, although Raust was banished, Margulus didn’t remember what happened last night .
Seeing Margulus, amazed, Sarveria opened her mouth .
「No, no . Look, didn’t we kicked him out from the party yesterday?」
「Ahhh, now that you mention it, he was banished, didn’t he? My memory is a bit vague from the alcohol…」
After reminded by Sarveria, Margulus finally remembered the last night event .
…… It’s too bad, but whatever; such is Margulus’ attitude .
Margulus’ attitude was too bland even though he just kicked out someone who, even temporarily, was his comrade .
「Well, that was because of your venting . It’s no surprise you don’t remember him . 」
「But still, what an idiot, to just leave like that because we vent a little, after we do him a favor and put him into our first-class party too . 」
「Yup, or you know, maybe it’s not only his skill as a healer that’s defective, but his brain too?」
「Ohh, that’s a nice one!」
… There was nobody who pointed out a fault in Margulus’ attitude .
No, there was nobody who pointed that out was because the female magician, Armia, was not currently here .
For them, Raust’s expulsion last night just amounted that much .
Especially for Margulus and Sarveria, Raust was just someone to be used, he was put into the party because Raust never complained about whatever they did .
——— After all, in the first place, Raust was put into Margulus’ party so he could squeeze money out of him .
Margulus and Sarveria, the two were in a famous first-class party now, but they were originally second-rate adventurers who were just stepping their foot at the upper-layer of the labyrinth .
And those two, earning so little money despite the risk to their life, started to trick rogue adventurers by putting them into his party .
Their income was by no means high, but those two had become addicted to the feeling they got when they deceived the stray ones .
There was no way that was legal, but their reasoning was, in the end, those people were just a lone stray .
Those two could just put the blame on them, being only a lone person .
And Raust too, was originally a target to Margulus’ scam .
That was why, in the end, while Raust betrayed their expectation and actually more useful than they thought and he ended up decided to put Raust into his party, Raust was only a target for Margulus and Sarveria to squeeze money from .
From Raust daily effort, Margulus and Sarveria’s attitude also slowly change .
Shortly after Raust entered the party, when the party started to grow, Margulus and Sarveria believed that it was all their own doing .
「Well, this is a good opportunity, let’s look for a new healer too . Someone who is an excellent healer, unlike that guy . 」
「Yeah . I know, that’s why I already asked Armia to scout for a new talented healer . 」
「I see, so that’s why Armia is not here, then . Anyway, once we replace that guy with a proper healer, we should have enough room to face that hydra . I’m also in top condition today . 」
That was why Margulus and Sarveria didn’t worry about their party even after Raust left .
They didn’t even doubt themselves and believed that they were a first-class party .
「Alright! This time for sure, we will kill that hydra!」
Sponsored Content
… And that was why, Margulus who started to walk away could say so without feeling any sense of crisis .
◆ ◆ ◇
A few minutes later, Margulus and Sarveria arrived at the guild . They were chatting as they were waiting for Armia to bring the new healer in the guild’s waiting room .
「Hey Sarveria, somehow, Armast today looks kinda bad didn’t she?」
「Ahh, the receptionist woman? This is just a rumor I heard, but it seems she offended the adventurers that brought back material from lower-layer . 」
「I see, that’s a disaster alright . Though it’s probably Armast got insulted, she talked back, and the adventurers became angry instead, something like that . If so, then we, Sword of Lightning, must do our best to be in the spotlight to raise the stocks of our exclusive guild staff . 」
「Yeah . For now, we need to kill that hydra . Well, without that burden, we should have some leeway!」
While they were having that chat .
Footsteps of several people were approaching and the door to the room Margulus and Sarveria were waiting was knocked .
「Are they here, finally?」
Margulus went to open the door with a small murmur .
「Sorry to keep you waiting . 」
「Pleased to meet you . 」
Behind the door was a fully equipped Armia and a woman wearing a white robe .
Sponsored Content
The woman in the white robe hid her mouth behind a cloth, but only looking at the exposed part told Margulus that she was a nice-looking woman, making him smile unconsciously .
「…… Huh?」
But, he was at lost for words when he scanned the woman from up to down .
「Are you alright with that equipment?」
It was because the woman was equipped with rearguard equipment, definitely not something that could handle close quarter combat .
「You will take huge damage if you hit by hydra tail like that . If you at least use monster’s leather armor, then…」
「… What? I won’t be coming that close you know?」
「… Hmm?」
But the next moment, Margulus lost his words again when hearing the woman’s answers .
That was because Margulus was convinced that the new healer would naturally stand in front of him .
「Leader! A normal healer will not stand in front of the vanguard!」
「Oh!」
After Armia pointed that out, Margulus remembered that healer didn’t stand in front of the vanguard .
Margulus, who has been working with Raust for a couple of years, had misunderstood that a healer was someone who stood as a vanguard .
But of course, he couldn’t ask for such a thing from a normal healer .
「R-Right, Sorry . Last night, our healer took away his property and went away…… It seems my confusion hasn’t gone yet . 」
Sponsored Content
「Well, that’s …」
So, Margulus put the blame on Raust to get him out from this situation .
Thinking normally, even in confusion, there was no way someone asked a healer to be a vanguard, however, the female healer sympathized with the part where the healer ran away with his property and didn’t pursue the topic further .
Margulus felt relieved once he knew that he successfully misled her .
…… However, the relief immediately changed into worry if they would be alright as the vanguard would be downed to one person .
After all, with only one vanguard, the difficulty in holding down the enemy would be higher .
「… No, it’s fine . Raust was only running around, barely attacking, that guy is useless . Well, the rare time he attacks, they’re strong, but it’s so rare…」
But soon, Margulus considered he was worried for nothing .
Margulus put on a smile and then offered his hand toward the female healer .
「Well then, nice to have you . 」
「Yes . It’s an honor to be able to enter the famous Sword of Lightning . 」
With his self-esteem tickled by the woman’s words, Margulus smiled .
「Then, let’s get going . It’s fine if we do the self-introduction on the way right?」
「Y-Yes . 」
And so, Margulus’ party, triumphantly left the adventurer guild .
… But at that time, they were unaware that they were making a big mistake .
After all, one healer was not enough to fill the hole Raust made when he left .
However, without knowing that, Margulus and his party went to defeat the hydra…… .