EFWM 13

Chapter 13

Thud!

A new dish was placed on the table. Erika quickly looked up.

“Huh? We didn’t order this.”

“It’s on the house for mercenaries who came to hunt wyverns.”

“Wow! You must’ve overheard us talking earlier. We caught, like, a hundred today. Hehe.”

“A hundred…?”

The innkeeper, wearing an apron, gave her a skeptical look.

How could anyone catch a hundred wyverns?

“Well…”

“Whaat, you don’t believe us?”

“Ahh, no matter how many you caught, you must’ve worked hard! I’ll fry up some more, so hang tight.”

Whether they believed her or not, businesses in the Ryugis region—plagued by wyverns—were always generous to mercenaries.

“Pft.”

Erika reached for the complimentary plate of dried fish.

Slouched in her seat, chewing on the snack like it owed her money—she looked every bit the mercenary.

“Maybe saying a hundred was too much.”

“We’re going hunting again tomorrow, so it’s not that much of an exaggeration.”

“True. You’re pretty clever, huh? Is this the first time someone’s told you that?”

“People have called me a genius since I was a kid.”

“Ugh, annoying.”

Erika, who had been called a genius herself at the guild, pouted with mock jealousy.

She clinked her glass against Chaud’s.

Clink!

She chugged her beer in one go and wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

Right after arriving at the inn, she’d washed up and come down for a drink—only to find Chaud already there.

And since she had no habit of turning down free alcohol, she ended up joining him.

Drinking alone was boring anyway. Alcohol was innocent.

“Hey, are you really eighteen?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not lying again, are you?”

“When have I ever lied? I don’t do that.”

Chaud laughed like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Even though they had already exchanged ages over their first drink, Erika asked again, just in case.

“You’re not actually seventeen and lying because you don’t want to lose to me in age, are you?”

“…Do you go around like this normally?”

“…”

Okay, she had no comeback for that.

Erika gulped down more beer.

If only I were even a year older.

The mercenary world was built on strict hierarchy. Even a year made a difference!

If she had the age advantage, she could’ve asserted dominance—but they were the same age. What a shame.

She even considered bluffing that in the southern empire, it was customary to speak formally to your elders—but that failed too.

“You’re drinking that like it’s water.”

“Ehh, it is water!”

Beer was practically water for a mercenary!

Hehe. Erika bragged again out of habit.

Then, flushed from the alcohol, she gulped down more beer in a row.

“Ahh, this is the good stuff.”

If she had stayed in the capital at the Count’s estate, she wouldn’t have been allowed to drink until she turned twenty. What a loss that would’ve been.

There were no prohibition laws in the countryside. Minor rules were left up to parents.

And Erika had no parents.

So naturally, she was raised under the guidance of her boozehound mentor, Pechenik, who taught her the joys of alcohol from a young age.

From what she heard, Chaud—sitting across from her—wasn’t from the capital either.

Maybe that’s why he could drink like a fish. His face didn’t even flush.

“Raud.”

“Who the heck is Raud? How many times do I have to say it’s Chaud?”

“Ahh.”

“I seriously want to flick your forehead.”

“Hmph. You think I’ll sit here and take it?”

“What’s my name?”

“Ra… Chaud.”

Damn it, these names were hard.

Erika had never heard a name like that in the South.

She wanted to rename him Raud, but decided to be nice since he was paying for the drinks.

“How long are you staying in Ryugis?”

“Not sure.”

He propped his chin on his hand and stared at her intently.

“I was going to leave after a day, but it’s more fun than I expected. Might stick around a bit.”

“Right? Hunting wyverns is fun, isn’t it?”

“Yeah… I guess.”

“It’s super thrilling!”

Erika was secretly pleased. No one else ever described wyvern hunting as “fun” like she did.

Her mentor Pechenik always supported whatever missions Erika found fun—but the one thing he absolutely forbid was aerial combat.

“My guild leader doesn’t get how fun this is. All he does is nag, saying it’s dangerous.”

“You must be close to your guild leader.”

“Of course. He’s my mentor.”

“So you’re basically a big shot in the Southern Mercenary Guild?”

“Big shot? Me?”

Erika shook her head like that was ridiculous.

She couldn’t even pretend to be a major player when her so-called guild leader had basically abandoned her.

Abandoned.

Come to think of it, wasn’t that a form of child abuse?

A mentor should take care of their disciple. She still had a lot to learn, and being left alone like this had to be a crime.

No, seriously—she’d chew him out when he got back.

…Whenever that is.

She tried to count how many days it had been since Pechenik had left the guild unattended.

Should she report him missing? This was beyond just being out of touch.

Why did he even go to those ancient ruins? So irresponsible.

Erika’s thoughts spiraled endlessly.

Yet, not a shred of real worry.

That’s how strong Pechenik was.

At least in the southern imperial region, no one could defeat him.

He was from Teneuarha and had claimed the guild leader title by sheer strength—who’d worry about a guy like that?

Smiling to herself, Erika popped an almond in her mouth. Crunch, crunch.

“You said you were from the Western Guild, right? Are you the guild leader? ’Cause I bet our guild leader is stronger.”

“…”

Chaud quietly stared at her. The silence stretched.

“Why’re you looking at me like that?”

“I’m from the Eastern Guild. I even told you I passed through a central satellite city.”

“Huh, you did?”

“You asked me to introduce myself earlier, and I told you everything.”

“Hmm.”

“You could at least remember what people say. Even if you’re drunk—”

“What? You’re saying I’m drunk?!”

Bang! Bang! She slammed her palms on the table.

“That’s just rude! I’ve never been drunk a day in my life!”

“…”

Chaud was left speechless.

He tried to hide his laughter behind his hand, but it was obvious.

Not that Erika cared—she was already changing the subject.

“Hey, I’m curious about something.”

“What now.”

“In the Western Guild, aside from you, are there any other eighteen-year-old S-rank mercenaries?”

“…It’s not Western—are you doing this on purpose?”

“What?”

“…Never mind. Say whatever you want.”

“Geez~ I just asked a question, and you’re getting all mad~ I’m scared to even talk now~!”

“When did I get mad?”

“See? That’s what I mean.”

Erika pointed at him, then wobbled in her seat.

She cupped her flushed face in her hands and mumbled.

“I just… I’ve never seen another S-rank merc my age… it’s kinda amazing.”

“…”

An S-rank mercenary, this young?

“Are we… young?”

Chaud asked, folding his arms lazily.

“Pffff…”

Erika, now completely out of it, rolled her eyes and fell back in her chair.

Chaud tossed almonds at her, flick, flick!

She caught them reflexively, popping them into her mouth like a squirrel.

Even drunk, her reflexes were insane. She was like a flying squirrel—agile and tipsy.

“Are we really that young?”

“Of course we are… we’re not even twenty. That’s not an adult.”

Erika insisted, but Chaud wasn’t too convinced.

“Hm.”

Legally, yes—they were still minors under imperial law.

But skill-wise, they were far from childish. In fact, they outperformed most adults in every way.

Were there any other eighteen-year-old S-rank mercenaries besides these two?

Probably not.

“Yeah… it’s my first time too.”

Chaud admitted—it was his first time meeting another S-rank mercenary his age.

He had traveled all over the continent, but the sight he saw in the sky today still left him stunned.