Chapter 13: No Risk

Psyche, hearing the guildmaster’s words, immediately stood up, moving as if there was no reason to delay even a second longer.

When she, the leader, moved, the other members of Valkyrie positioned around her also rose and swiftly exited.

Evan, who had been idly flipping through the documents alone, belatedly followed them out of the guild.

“W-Wait a minute!”

At Evan’s call, Anella turned her head to look at him as if asking what the matter was.

“Um… could I go with you?”

“What? Why would we?”

“Bring him along, Anella.”

“Psyche, are you serious?”

Fortunately, Valkyrie’s leader, Psyche, granted Evan leniency, as she considered him to be not just any adventurer but likely someone akin to a guild overseer.

Unaware of this, Evan simply thought she was a person with a heart as generous as her spirit, and hesitantly climbed onto the carriage with her.

As Psyche watched Evan climb into her carriage, she cautiously spoke up.

“Did you say your name was Evan?”

“Ah, yes. I’m Evan.”

“Don’t you want to give up and turn back? Once we get there, we won’t be able to protect you.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s okay. Not really a problem.”

Hearing that they wouldn’t be able to protect him, Evan scratched his cheek awkwardly and replied.

“Because I’m stronger than you, Psyche.”

“…”

“Alright.”

A simple, innocent statement. It was highly unlikely that such a young kid, a low-level adventurer at that, would be stronger than them, so it was probably bravado or a joke.

For this reason, Psyche took Evan’s words lightly. Of course, just because she dismissed it didn’t mean the other members did the same.

“Stronger than Psyche? Psyche is the strongest among us.”

“Is that so? From what I can see, you all seem about the same level… I’m not really sure, haha.”

“Being able to gauge an opponent’s strength is also an important skill, kid. Misjudging your opponent’s power in a real fight is a common cause of death.”

Anella, who regarded Evan as something like a younger brother, sincerely offered him advice. She told him that adventuring is dangerous and that if he truly wanted to pursue it, he should hone his skills—advice that would be valuable and helpful.

Though he could have dismissed her words as nagging, Evan didn’t. He sensed genuine concern in Anella’s words.

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Alright, alright. Well—if you get really scared when we meet the monster, you can call my name. This big sister will come running to save you anytime.”

“Anella, if you’re ever in danger, call my name too. I’ll save you right away.”

“What? Hahaha! Sure! I’ll definitely call for you!”

While the two of them exchanged lively conversation, the carriage eventually reached its destination. They had arrived in the neighboring city of Bland, near the capital.

As the carriage bearing the guild’s emblem approached the castle gates, the guards allowed them passage without any inspection.

Seeing that the carriage skipped past the count’s estate and headed straight toward the quarry, Psyche could sense how urgently the count regarded this situation.

“So, there’s no time for tea or idle chatter.”

The Rock Devourer, as its name suggests, consumes rocks and minerals. It has a particular taste for rare minerals.

Now that a rare mineral more valuable than gold had been discovered in the count’s territory, each time the Rock Devourer was spotted in action, the count likely felt like his lifespan was shortening.

“We’ve arrived.”

Upon hearing the driver’s words, the Valkyrie members stepped out of the carriage and were greeted by the count waiting for them at the mine.

The count’s face lit up as soon as he saw Valkyrie’s members.

“Thank you so much for coming!”

“Please, it’s nothing. Is that the mine where the Rock Devourer is?”

“Yes. Please deal with it as quickly as possible.”

Almost as if they were being chased, the Valkyrie members arrived at the mine entrance, prepared their weapons and gear, and readied themselves to enter.

Evan also quietly slipped among them, getting ready to enter the mine.

Seeing this, Anella tilted her head, puzzled, and asked what he was doing.

“What are you doing, kid? You can’t come in here.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a competition, remember? We’re betting on who catches it first, so what good would it do if you came with us?”

“Oh… so I can’t?”

“Of course not. Now, stay here at the entrance where it’s safe.”

Without any of the friendliness from the carriage ride, Anella firmly shook off Evan and immediately led the way into the mine.

The leader, Psyche, also glanced at Evan once before entering the mine without a word.

Left alone to watch them go, Evan let out a long sigh as he adjusted his sword hilt.

“… Well, of course.”

What was he thinking, going on a cozy adventure with pretty ladies? That guild leader… This was fraud, pure fraud. When he got back, he was going to give that busty cheat a piece of his mind. Maybe he should just collapse the whole mine while he was here?

“Hmm? Aren’t you going in?”

“I’m going in.”

“Then hurry and go catch it for us.”

With a single glare at the hurrying count, Evan entered the mine alone. Inside, he immediately came to a split path, prompting him to make a choice.

Noticing the footprints, Evan took the path that the Valkyrie party hadn’t chosen.

‘Alright, bring it on.’

Whoever he met, he vowed to cut down as soon as he did.

In the mine, where not even an inch ahead was visible without light, the mage maintaining the light cautiously spoke to her leader.

“By the way, leader… Are you sure about him?”

“About what?”

“He seems like a total rookie. You didn’t have to be so cold in sending him away…”

“A rookie wouldn’t come to a place like this alone. He’s probably a guild observer. He’s likely following us as we speak.”

“What?! Really?”

Startled, Annella let out an astonished voice, shocked at the idea that Evan was actually a guild employee. She hadn’t suspected a thing.

However, Psyche just scoffed, as if to say that was obvious.

“A low-rank adventurer wouldn’t come to such a dangerous place alone, would they?”

“… I suppose not.”

“The guild probably wants to assess not just his mission skills, but his insight as well.”

It was a completely mistaken assumption, but it was also the most plausible. Logically, a low-ranking adventurer would never be alone on a mission to hunt a Rock Eater without a party.

Since believable lies tend to stick, the Valkyrie members soon found themselves fully convinced that Evan was indeed a guild employee.

The fact that Psyche’s deductions had never once missed the mark before helped solidify this belief.

“And it seems the heavens are on our side as well.”

“Prepare for battle!”

Annella reflexively shouted upon hearing Psyche’s words. Deep within the mine, a massive Death Worm emerged, accompanied by a powerful tremor.

The monster known as the Rock Eater—a creature so large it crushed everything in its path.

Annella immediately raised her shield and stood in front, blocking the Rock Eater’s charge. Boom! The mine shook with a tremendous crash and impact.

“Haha! Come on, you monster!”

Having blocked the Rock Eater’s charge with a single shield, Annella raised the hammer in her right hand.

And she brought it down.

– Kieeeeek!

Listening to the monster’s scream, Annella licked the few drops of blood that had splashed onto her face.

“Not bad at all.”

Thus, the Valkyrie party began hunting the Rock Eater.

Inside the empty mine.

As I trudged along, feeling weary, I suddenly found myself questioning why I was even doing this.

‘I shouldn’t have come… Ah, the silver-haired lady seemed nice. Couldn’t she have brought me along too?’

Various random thoughts started filling my head. Negative feelings kept rising, like a balloon underwater that would only bounce back stronger the harder I tried to push it down.

There was no stopping it. I almost felt like biting my tongue and ending it all right here. The only reason I didn’t was because I knew this feeling was temporary and that once I got outside and breathed in some fresh air, it would disappear…

“Ouch!”

Lost in thought, I walked straight into a wall and, annoyed, gave it a few frustrated kicks. After venting for a while and just as I turned to leave, the wall moved.

[—Who dares awaken me?]

“Huh?”

A voice suddenly echoed. I glanced up to see a massive dragon, so large it could fill the entire mine, blinking down at me.

In that instant, as I looked at the dragon, a tingling sense of danger washed over me, driving away all my negative thoughts and igniting something hot within me.

[Human, what does that mean?]

Only then did I realize I was gripping my sword’s hilt. The surge of danger brought excitement, and even a thrill for battle.

Lightly gripping my sword, I looked at the dragon and felt sure.

‘I can take it down.’

And in the next moment, I drew my sword and swung.

Boom…!

After a long battle, the Valkyrie party finally managed to slay the Rock Eater. A few of the members were injured in the process, but no one was gravely hurt.

“It’s done.”

Taking the core of the Rock Eater, Psyche realized that this would elevate them to the rank of top-tier adventurers and secure their position as the highest-ranking party.

The thrill that accompanies the taste of success. It was a dopamine rush that felt even better than any drug, enveloping her.

“Let’s go. Annella, gather the others.”

“Ugh… but my arm’s broken, too?”

“Carry them with your unbroken arm.”

Grumbling, Annella, who had hurt one arm, nonetheless slung the unconscious mage over her shoulder. Fortunately, the other two weren’t knocked out and hadn’t sustained any debilitating injuries.

With all five members, Psyche triumphantly led the party out of the mine, where the Count was pacing anxiously, awaiting them. She delivered their report of a successful mission.

“It’s over, my lord.”

“Ohh! So, that means…!”

“Yes, there’s no longer any danger inside the mi—”

[ROAAAAR-!]

With a deafening explosion, a dragon’s head burst out from the hill above the mine.

Psyche, in the middle of her report, paused, stunned at the sight of the dragon.

The Count, too, stared at the dragon in utter shock.

“…Didn’t you say there was no danger?”

Psyche was at a loss for words, even if she’d had a hundred mouths.

At the same time, the dragon that had emerged roared fiercely.

[ROAAAAR!]

It sounded like it was crying out in pain.