Chapter 11: The Price of a Fight

Once our first probationary mission concluded, we immediately reported on our predicament.

“Oh, Fay? What happened to the guild members?”

“They were present moments ago, but now they’re gone.”

“Excuse me?”

We relayed the situation to the Director, the individual who had, at least on paper, formally connected us with the Golden Duck Guild.

The Director scratched their head in contemplation, then promptly instructed a clerk to convey the situation to another party.

Before long, an individual holding the title of Fair Trade Officer from the Association arrived, posing several questions to us.

“Mr. Will, is the person named Lark a blonde who happens to look like this?”

“Precisely! With those squinty eyes!”

It seemed rather remarkable that they could be identified from what was essentially a circle with two lines drawn through it…

Lark’s true identity was swiftly brought to light.

“That individual is a notorious swindler, known for conning probationary adventurers. Having not been sighted for months, I’d presumed they had met their end at the bottom of some dungeon, yet it appears they’re still alive and well.”

Adding to the revelations, a guild member who had suffered a leg wound at Lark’s hands began to lament their misfortune, meticulously recounting every one of Lark’s wicked deeds.

The profound sense of betrayal they had endured was clearly weighing heavily upon them.

“Very well, then. Pertaining to this expedition, and in accordance with the Association’s internal regulations, the proceeds shall be distributed exclusively among those who have successfully returned. Are there any objections?”

“Oh, indeed.”

The Association employee handled the entire affair with remarkable proficiency.

They took the mandrakes we had unearthed and promptly delivered them to the apothecary where the Golden Duck Guild had initially intended to sell them,

and, without delay, exchanged any superfluous equipment for ready cash.

I found myself utterly captivated by the razor-sharp efficiency of their operations, akin to the precise payroll processing of a major corporation.

“Wow, this is genuinely convenient.”

Had this been the abysmal small office job I once endured, such a task would have easily consumed an entire week.

A firearm in the Middle Ages isn’t what truly constitutes an Oopart (TL Note: An ‘out-of-place artifact,’ a Korean slang term, ‘oparts,’ referring to something anachronistic or technologically advanced for its time). This, however, is a genuine Oopart.

These remarkably convenient systems likely served as a lingering vestige of this world’s past as a game.

‘In a world where merely journeying through the dungeon landscapes wasn’t enough, having to contend with settlements and sales… if players were forced to dedicate time to such trivialities, they would undoubtedly abandon the game.’

Furthermore, in this world devoid of YouTube, the very experience of travel couldn’t be readily monetized.

Nevertheless, a scattering of minor tasks still remained.

As a fledgling adventurer, I found myself bustling about, following the counsel of the Brothers and Fay, to deposit funds and manage the myriad of trivial paperwork required for official explorer registration.

“Oh, this is exhausting.”

It wasn’t until dusk began to settle that I could finally liberate myself from the tyranny of those tiresome documents.

“By the way, Fay, did you happen to offer the staff some sort of gratuity? It appears that whenever you make an appearance, the processing speed accelerates severalfold.”

As her companion, I, too, reaped some benefits from this phenomenon.

“Ah… that? Heh heh, well, my older sister is actually quite a renowned explorer in these parts! I merely benefit from her esteemed reputation. My sister, you see, is actually…”

And so, she chattered on and on, boasting exuberantly.

Fay, once more, launched into an enthusiastic monologue of self-aggrandizement.

It truly seemed as though Fay had been born under a curse, one that would diminish her very life force if she failed to maintain an air of pretentiousness.

“That is an exceptionally moving narrative. Truly inspiring.”

“…You’re not actually listening, are you?”

Despite her loquaciousness, her perception remained remarkably sharp.

“Indeed. In truth, when hunger strikes, the words of others tend to fall on deaf ears.”

“Haa, very well. Let us eat, then. Coincidentally, that very restaurant we visited last time is still open.”

The eatery Fay indicated with a pointed finger was none other than ‘Adrian’s Hideout’.

Its cuisine was quite palatable, and ever since its past practice of overcharging had come to light, it had begun to offer a more generous service.

Even Fay, who had been previously swindled, had started frequenting it again, feigning reluctance, which spoke volumes about its quality as a respectable establishment.

Crisp, golden-brown skewers, a refreshing glass of beer, and to top it all off, savory salami.

My mouth began to water in eager anticipation.

“Excuse me—”

With the intention of delighting my eager stomach, I pushed open the door with considerable force.

—A resounding crash!

“These goddamn pointy-eared elven bastards have a death wish.”

An abrupt outburst of hateful slurs greeted our arrival.

****

‘…What in the world is happening?’

My gaze darted around, rapidly taking in the unfolding situation.

‘A brawl? Involving elves?’

Initially, I observed roughly three elves standing, huffing with indignation, while two others lay writhing on the floor, emitting pained groans.

‘Elves! And their adversary—’

The one responsible for their unfortunate prostration was, indeed,

‘Regen?’

It was Regen, the elf with whom I had briefly shared a table on a previous occasion.

“Tch, these pointy-eared runts are always so ill-mannered.”

Was she, an elf herself, really insulting other elves?

Should such a statement be interpreted as racially discriminatory?

This was hardly a straightforward question.

“What in the world is happening here?”

More importantly, what exactly had transpired to create such a scene?

I discreetly inquired about the incident’s origins from a nearby spectator.

“Well, you see, those elves were provoking the owner, demanding to know why ‘Adrian’s’ had no vegan options, despite carrying Adrian’s name. They were squabbling for quite some time, when that person, who had merely been drinking in the corner, suddenly delivered a swift punch to one of their faces!”

“Adrian, you say?”

“There’s a renowned elven explorer by that name. Or rather, there was; he became quite famous before vanishing without a trace in a dungeon several years ago.”

“So, they’re causing such a commotion merely over that? Because this establishment serves meat?”

“Astoundingly, yes.”

To draw a comparison, it was akin to someone starting a brawl at an ‘Yi Sun-sin Restaurant’ (TL Note: Yi Sun-sin was a revered Korean naval commander famous for victories against Japanese invaders), accusing it of being a Japanese collaborator simply for serving pork cutlets.

In light of this, it was undeniable that those particular elves truly deserved the derogatory moniker of ‘pointy-eared bastards’.

“How dare you! Do you even comprehend who we are?!”

One of the indignant elves, huffing with fury, bellowed out a rather cliché line.

“I struck you precisely because I didn’t know, didn’t I? Perhaps you should consider writing your mother’s name on your forehead and parading around with it, if you wish for me to be so intimately acquainted with your identity.”

Regen, with a contemptuous sneer, shot back her retort.

“You vile wretch. Ugh, very well, just try not to be too astonished when you hear this.”

“You have just, I assure you, made an enemy of the ‘Blade of the World Tree’!”

—A dramatic flourish!

The elf, with an air of triumphant arrogance, unveiled their identity.

A murmur of surprised whispers rippled through the onlookers; it appeared to be a guild of considerable renown.

However,

“Ha, I sensed your insolence was far from ordinary… So you’re nothing but tree-hugging bastards?”

“Wha… what did she just call us?!”

Regen, without so much as a blink, unleashed a deeply offensive insult (TL Note: ‘Paedeurip’ is Korean slang for a vulgar insult targeting someone’s parents or family).

Tree-huggers? Was she implying that because of the World Tree?

Was it truly acceptable for her to utter such a remark?

“Fay, isn’t that verging on blasphemy?”

“W-well, I suppose it is…”

Was an elf truly permitted to speak in such a manner?

No, more precisely, what exactly *are* elves in this world?

With their curses and brawls… were they akin to the Black residents of Detroit?

“You wretched spawn, reeking of rotten fish…”

The man who seemed to be the leader among the furious elves unsheathed his sword.

A faint blue aura pulsed from the blade.

“Perish and atone for your transgressions!”

—A resounding clang!

A blue-tinged sword strike hurtled towards Regen.

However,

“Nonsense.”

—A shattering impact!

The liquor bottle Regen hurled struck the elf leader squarely between the eyebrows and shattered with a speed that defied belief.

“Aaaargh!!!!”

The elf leader, struck by the bottle, collapsed instantly, his sword clattering into a far corner of the bustling tavern.

The number of elves writhing on the floor had now increased to three.

—A nervous gulp.

Truthfully, the spectacle was proving to be rather enthralling.

“If you wish to fight, then keep coming. Scum like you aren’t even worth using mana—”

Regen’s taunting words abruptly ceased.

—A sudden stagger.

She suddenly reeled as if overcome by dizziness.

“Ugh.”

Clutching her throat as if a thorn were lodged within it,

“Cough, cough, cough…! Ugh…! Damn it…!”

She spewed a mouthful of dark, black blood.

“…Damn it!”

At that very moment, the two standing elves rushed forward and struck Regen.

Their swift, ambush-like skills were reminiscent of the Viet Cong.

Perhaps it was due to their forest-dwelling nature.

—A sickening thud!

“You bastards! Even if you—cough, gasp—!”

Regen managed to block the attack somehow, but it seemed she had already expended much of her stamina from vomiting blood.

She appeared to be no match for the two younger elves.

‘Oh no.’

Someone might actually die at this rate.

‘I need to intervene.’

Just as I thought this and prepared to step forward—

“Enough! Stop this at once!!!”

The Lizardman owner of the restaurant frantically burst out in front of us.

“What kind of ruckus is this in my establishment?! And Regen! You again?! Just stop it!”

“Cough, well, what then? Am I supposed to just stand by and watch these bastards cause trouble in here?”

“What’s wrong with standing by?! It’s not like before! You didn’t stand by, and now you’re bleeding all over the place, looking utterly pathetic!”

Regen’s face twisted into a fearsome grimace.

A seething resentment and indignation burned in her eyes.

“…Even if I’m weaker, these brats are nothing. I can… cough, gasp…!”

“Don’t boast. You’re nothing but a corpse scavenger, picking up adventurer bodies to sell to their grieving families.”

The owner’s words, as cold as reptilian blood, extinguished Regen’s seemingly boiling anger.

In the heavy, suffocating silence, only Regen’s dry coughs could be heard.

“Haa, haa… Fine, you two make a wonderful pair, don’t you…”

It was then that the elves, having finally composed themselves, glared at the owner and spoke.

“Let’s see how well your business fares from now on. We’ll make sure you understand the price of crossing the Blade of the World Tree. We look forward to it.”

‘Just you wait.’

With those parting words, the group of elves spat on the floor, kicked a chair, and stormed out of the restaurant.

—A resounding slam.

They didn’t even forget to pettily flip the business sign to ‘Closed’.

The heat of the brawl subsided, leaving behind only a thoroughly wrecked establishment.

There was no way we could possibly eat amidst such chaos. The remaining customers and spectators began to depart one by one.

Ultimately, only Regen, the owner, and the four of us remained.

“Shh, you’ve done quite enough. Thanks to you, I’ll probably be targeted and driven out by a major guild.”

“Don’t worry. If that guild dares to lay a hand on you, I’ll grab that tree-hugging bastard’s head and smash it—”

Slam!

Enraged by her words, the owner kicked a nearby chair.

“This is what happens when you solve problems that way! How many times has this been?! Is it really so hard to just quietly drink your liquor and leave?!”

“But, those bastards were causing a scene in our restaurant…”

“Our restaurant?! Our restaurant?!”

The owner roared in fury.

“This is no longer your hideout! It’s because of this damn name?! If it weren’t for my dead wife’s last wish, I would have changed it long ago, long ago! Do you still think you’re an explorer?! Not a chance! You’re just a corpse scavenger living hand-to-mouth!!! Get a grip on reality!!!”

The owner’s shouting was like a soul-wrenching cry.

It felt almost rude to remain there.

“…No, I… I…”

“I’m telling you to finally face reality. Don’t live like this, clinging to the idea of being a great explorer even in your current state.”

“…”

Regen, who had remained silent for a long time, finally spoke.

“I’m sorry about today. For the repair costs, I’ll…”

Regen eventually lowered her head and apologized, then rummaged through her pockets, pulling out a money pouch.

“Money, my ass… You don’t even have enough for painkillers. Just get out today.”

“…Okay.”

With that, Regen also left the restaurant.

The midnight commotion had ended.

Leaving behind a silence darker than the night’s gloom,

—*Grrr…*

and a rumbling stomach, which, after cautiously shrinking away, slowly began to make its presence known once more.