Chapter 165 – At the Tower of Bryne – part one
(Chace’s Pov)
I was about to enter the room when I started hearing their conversation.
“Did you hear? A hunting competition is gonna happen.” One of the trainees said.
“I heard it, I heard it. Instructor Sorichika even said that it was fine for us to participate.” Another trainee replied.
The first trainee laughed, “My wild side is coming out! I have to participate on that!”
“Should I try taming this wild beast?” A third trainee pondered out loud.
“Well, if it gets a good owner, a domestic cat will probably be good too.” A fourth trainee commented.
This was happening in the first floor of the stone tower. In a room that also serves as a dining room.
This was the Tower of Bryne.
It was a base for the assassins of the Nastiara kingdom since ancient times, but right now it was being used as a training facility.
There were a few instructors and eleven trainees currently living here.
“Are you all going to participate?” I asked them as I entered the room.
“Oh, Chace.” One of the trainees said.
I was the eleventh trainee to reach the tower. I arrived just a few days ago.
I just came back from my training, so I was sweating quite a bit right now.
I may be a new arrival, but as I showed what I was capable of after I arrived, the other trainees don’t disrespect me even if I’m a newcomer. They can accept me as a friend because they acknowledged that I have the skills to deserve reaching this place.
… Though they don’t know that I have only been training for the past six months.
“Do you have something to say about what we were talking about so far?” Marion offered me a chair as she asked this.
She was a small girl with short hair. She was also a bit androgynous, so I had trouble figuring out if she was a man or a woman at first.
“Ah, I don’t really care either way… More importantly, where is Eora?” I asked.
I didn’t bother with sitting on the chair and instead looked around the room for a bit, but I didn’t find the person I was looking for here.
“You like Eora, don’t you, Chace?” Traululu laughed.
She was a Therianthrope catgirl, and seemed to always be smiling.
I frowned in response to her joke, “Are you stupid? We’re both men.”
Eora, or rather, Eorazel, was the opponent I sparred against when I first reached the tower. We had a mock battle where I could show off my abilities.
My recent goal has been to defeat Eorazel at least once, so whenever I have the time for it, I challenge him to a duel.
“How about having me as your opponent this time?” Hariatan suggested.
Hariatan was an easygoing guy, but he was not weak… But also, he wasn’t that strong. There would be honor in beating him.
“You’d be a good opponent, but wouldn’t you prefer fighting against Trau instead of me?” I replied.
“You’re such a boring newbie.” Hariatan grumbled.
“Don’t call me Trau. Use Ululu instead. Don’t lump me together with those vulgar beings.” Traululu commented. *
So Trau to her is a vulgar word…? I don’t quite get how that works.
“Now now, let’s calm down a bit.” Riodyne said to Traululu.
He’s a gentle guy that doesn’t like conflict much, and he is also a great magician.
“If I recall correctly, you said you were going to get a spear made for you?” Riodyne asked me.
“We can talk about that later.” I replied.
I was planning on leaving the four of them there and go up the stairs to search for Eorazel, but…
“Chace, can you tell me more about the bet?” I heard a voice come from the room’s entrance.
I turned around to its direction and saw who had just entered, “Oh, Hydra…”
She was wearing a nun’s costume… She was still young enough to be referred to as a girl, but she had an adult-like beauty that made her feel like both a woman and a girl at the same time.
Moreover, Hydra was the assassin trainee with the best grades and felt like a leader of sorts for us.
“… Got it. I’ll talk.” I sighed and sat down on the chair that Marion had pushed towards me earlier.
It just can’t be helped if Hydra is the one asking.
I don’t respect her just because she is our leader, but also because she has been helping me get used to things here while I wait for my friends that have yet to arrive.
And well, at least for now, I just can’t talk with Hydra on equal terms.
******
(Hydra’s PoV)
“So, it’s a hunting festival?” I asked after hearing Chace’s explanation.
It seems like it will be an expanded version of the usual hunting competitions that are held in Krozheit.
Visitors from outside have been coming to Krozheit with some regularity these days, and this event will probably make the city even more crowded.
Krozheit may be the lawless country that ostensibly doesn’t even exist, but it still has proper logistics and trades with nearby countries regularly.
In many ways, it’s actually more convenient that this city doesn’t exist on paper.
Because well, prices in Krozheit are lower than those in the surrounding areas.
Moreover, one can come here to play around even if they don’t have much money. Rough homeless people, adventurers, rich people, nobles with connections. All kinds of people come to Krozheit for their own reasons.
It’s a country where one is allowed to play with fire.
It’s a country where one can do what they can’t in their own home country.
The rich and powerful people feel quite comfortable in Krozheit because it’s one of the few places where they don’t have to worry about the public’s opinion on them.
However, if one overdoes it, they may end up suddenly disappearing one day, and nobody will ever know what happened to them.
Even in lawlessness there is order.
Krozheit can be quite the enjoyable place if one understands that much.
“Tatsunami participating on it was quite unexpected.” I mused out loud.
This event felt quite unnatural to me, especially due to Tatsunami’s participation.
That old man has little interest in making money in this kind of thing. He is different from the flamboyant Beckenberg of the Glory District.
Honestly, Tatsunami feels like he is fine just being a blacksmith.
But then I heard that Tatsunami made this move due to a bet he had with Chace…
I wanted to shake my head at that. How is a bet so important to him?
… But well, I at least understand how this event came to be now, even if it doesn’t make sense to me.
“So, are you all participating?” I asked the other people in the room.
Chace’s participation on it seems to have already been decided.
But some of the other four people here also seemed to be quite interested in it.
“Do you not want us to?” Hariatan asked.
“Why wouldn’t we participate!?” Traululu let out a cat-like laugh.
“Instructor Sorichika said that we could participate, so I don’t think there is any reason for us to not go?” Hariatan commented.
Those two seemed to be quite eager to participate.
“I heard that there will be prizes to the winners, so I wanna go! I’ll buy lots of sweets and meat with the prize money!” Traululu said.
“Yeah, the food is pretty important, and it would also be fun to defeat skilled people in a competition.” Hariatan nodded.
Seems like they’re not only set on going, but are also sure of their victory on this…
“Chace, there is an actual hunter amongst the people you’re waiting for, correct?” I asked him.
“Ah, yeah, there is. He is a very skilled archer.” Chace replied.
“Does he wear glasses perchance?” I asked next.
“Uhn… Yeah? What about it?” Chace asked back.
“Nothing much.” I stood up as I made this reply.
I learned what I needed to know, and those people participating seem to already be set on it, so there is no point in talking any further.
******
(Hydra’s PoV)
The other day, a girl with glasses… No, a boy dressed as a woman came to visit me.
This was the second time that he came to the orphanage.
On the first time, he had probably come to check on his companions that arrived on Krozheit together with him.
But this time, he had clearly come to visit me.
He didn’t say much, he only said, ‘I’d like to properly take care of our business once the hunting competition ends, alright?’
He spoke clearly and directly. He seemed to be sure that I was connected to the Tower of Bryne.
However, he didn’t elaborate on what exactly our business was, nor did he make or answer any questions whatsoever.
Nonetheless, the intent was clear. He will participate in the hunting competition, then he’ll come to the orphanage… Or rather, to the Tower of Bryne.
It can’t be helped that he will compete against Chace, but… Traululu and Hariatan will also be participating on this.
… Instructor Sorichika definitely did that on purpose.
I’m sure she gave them permission to participate on this competition in order to pit the trainees that already arrived at the tower against this bespectacled boy.
That boy is surely an interesting one… From the very first time I saw him, he caught my attention.
He may look like a non-combatant at first glance, but when you look at him closely, you can realize that he shows no weaknesses.
Also, he naturally hides his presence and his emotions never seem to waver.
Neither his movements nor his gaze seem to ever hesitate either. Those were the eyes of someone who paid attention not only to what was in front of him, but also to everything in his field of view.
He did not seem to be strong, but he was definitely not normal.
Is this what an actual hunter is like?
His behavior is quite different from that of the hunters of Krozheit.
Though I suppose that can’t be helped, since hunters here are mainly warriors.
That profession probably has a fundamental difference with what being a hunter actually means.
I wonder… Wouldn’t it be better for Traululu and Hariatan if they didn’t participate?
After all, they might actually lose this.
… But well, even if I tell them that, there’s no way those two will listen to me.
Chapter 165 – At the Tower of Bryne – part one
(Chace’s Pov)
I was about to enter the room when I started hearing their conversation.
“Did you hear? A hunting competition is gonna happen.” One of the trainees said.
“I heard it, I heard it. Instructor Sorichika even said that it was fine for us to participate.” Another trainee replied.
The first trainee laughed, “My wild side is coming out! I have to participate on that!”
“Should I try taming this wild beast?” A third trainee pondered out loud.
“Well, if it gets a good owner, a domestic cat will probably be good too.” A fourth trainee commented.
This was happening in the first floor of the stone tower. In a room that also serves as a dining room.
This was the Tower of Bryne.
It was a base for the assassins of the Nastiara kingdom since ancient times, but right now it was being used as a training facility.
There were a few instructors and eleven trainees currently living here.
“Are you all going to participate?” I asked them as I entered the room.
“Oh, Chace.” One of the trainees said.
I was the eleventh trainee to reach the tower. I arrived just a few days ago.
I just came back from my training, so I was sweating quite a bit right now.
I may be a new arrival, but as I showed what I was capable of after I arrived, the other trainees don’t disrespect me even if I’m a newcomer. They can accept me as a friend because they acknowledged that I have the skills to deserve reaching this place.
… Though they don’t know that I have only been training for the past six months.
“Do you have something to say about what we were talking about so far?” Marion offered me a chair as she asked this.
She was a small girl with short hair. She was also a bit androgynous, so I had trouble figuring out if she was a man or a woman at first.
“Ah, I don’t really care either way… More importantly, where is Eora?” I asked.
I didn’t bother with sitting on the chair and instead looked around the room for a bit, but I didn’t find the person I was looking for here.
“You like Eora, don’t you, Chace?” Traululu laughed.
She was a Therianthrope catgirl, and seemed to always be smiling.
I frowned in response to her joke, “Are you stupid? We’re both men.”
Eora, or rather, Eorazel, was the opponent I sparred against when I first reached the tower. We had a mock battle where I could show off my abilities.
My recent goal has been to defeat Eorazel at least once, so whenever I have the time for it, I challenge him to a duel.
“How about having me as your opponent this time?” Hariatan suggested.
Hariatan was an easygoing guy, but he was not weak… But also, he wasn’t that strong. There would be honor in beating him.
“You’d be a good opponent, but wouldn’t you prefer fighting against Trau instead of me?” I replied.
“You’re such a boring newbie.” Hariatan grumbled.
“Don’t call me Trau. Use Ululu instead. Don’t lump me together with those vulgar beings.” Traululu commented. *
So Trau to her is a vulgar word…? I don’t quite get how that works.
“Now now, let’s calm down a bit.” Riodyne said to Traululu.
He’s a gentle guy that doesn’t like conflict much, and he is also a great magician.
“If I recall correctly, you said you were going to get a spear made for you?” Riodyne asked me.
“We can talk about that later.” I replied.
I was planning on leaving the four of them there and go up the stairs to search for Eorazel, but…
“Chace, can you tell me more about the bet?” I heard a voice come from the room’s entrance.
I turned around to its direction and saw who had just entered, “Oh, Hydra…”
She was wearing a nun’s costume… She was still young enough to be referred to as a girl, but she had an adult-like beauty that made her feel like both a woman and a girl at the same time.
Moreover, Hydra was the assassin trainee with the best grades and felt like a leader of sorts for us.
“… Got it. I’ll talk.” I sighed and sat down on the chair that Marion had pushed towards me earlier.
It just can’t be helped if Hydra is the one asking.
I don’t respect her just because she is our leader, but also because she has been helping me get used to things here while I wait for my friends that have yet to arrive.
And well, at least for now, I just can’t talk with Hydra on equal terms.
******
(Hydra’s PoV)
“So, it’s a hunting festival?” I asked after hearing Chace’s explanation.
It seems like it will be an expanded version of the usual hunting competitions that are held in Krozheit.
Visitors from outside have been coming to Krozheit with some regularity these days, and this event will probably make the city even more crowded.
Krozheit may be the lawless country that ostensibly doesn’t even exist, but it still has proper logistics and trades with nearby countries regularly.
In many ways, it’s actually more convenient that this city doesn’t exist on paper.
Because well, prices in Krozheit are lower than those in the surrounding areas.
Moreover, one can come here to play around even if they don’t have much money. Rough homeless people, adventurers, rich people, nobles with connections. All kinds of people come to Krozheit for their own reasons.
It’s a country where one is allowed to play with fire.
It’s a country where one can do what they can’t in their own home country.
The rich and powerful people feel quite comfortable in Krozheit because it’s one of the few places where they don’t have to worry about the public’s opinion on them.
However, if one overdoes it, they may end up suddenly disappearing one day, and nobody will ever know what happened to them.
Even in lawlessness there is order.
Krozheit can be quite the enjoyable place if one understands that much.
“Tatsunami participating on it was quite unexpected.” I mused out loud.
This event felt quite unnatural to me, especially due to Tatsunami’s participation.
That old man has little interest in making money in this kind of thing. He is different from the flamboyant Beckenberg of the Glory District.
Honestly, Tatsunami feels like he is fine just being a blacksmith.
But then I heard that Tatsunami made this move due to a bet he had with Chace…
I wanted to shake my head at that. How is a bet so important to him?
… But well, I at least understand how this event came to be now, even if it doesn’t make sense to me.
“So, are you all participating?” I asked the other people in the room.
Chace’s participation on it seems to have already been decided.
But some of the other four people here also seemed to be quite interested in it.
“Do you not want us to?” Hariatan asked.
“Why wouldn’t we participate!?” Traululu let out a cat-like laugh.
“Instructor Sorichika said that we could participate, so I don’t think there is any reason for us to not go?” Hariatan commented.
Those two seemed to be quite eager to participate.
“I heard that there will be prizes to the winners, so I wanna go! I’ll buy lots of sweets and meat with the prize money!” Traululu said.
“Yeah, the food is pretty important, and it would also be fun to defeat skilled people in a competition.” Hariatan nodded.
Seems like they’re not only set on going, but are also sure of their victory on this…
“Chace, there is an actual hunter amongst the people you’re waiting for, correct?” I asked him.
“Ah, yeah, there is. He is a very skilled archer.” Chace replied.
“Does he wear glasses perchance?” I asked next.
“Uhn… Yeah? What about it?” Chace asked back.
“Nothing much.” I stood up as I made this reply.
I learned what I needed to know, and those people participating seem to already be set on it, so there is no point in talking any further.
******
(Hydra’s PoV)
The other day, a girl with glasses… No, a boy dressed as a woman came to visit me.
This was the second time that he came to the orphanage.
On the first time, he had probably come to check on his companions that arrived on Krozheit together with him.
But this time, he had clearly come to visit me.
He didn’t say much, he only said, ‘I’d like to properly take care of our business once the hunting competition ends, alright?’
He spoke clearly and directly. He seemed to be sure that I was connected to the Tower of Bryne.
However, he didn’t elaborate on what exactly our business was, nor did he make or answer any questions whatsoever.
Nonetheless, the intent was clear. He will participate in the hunting competition, then he’ll come to the orphanage… Or rather, to the Tower of Bryne.
It can’t be helped that he will compete against Chace, but… Traululu and Hariatan will also be participating on this.
… Instructor Sorichika definitely did that on purpose.
I’m sure she gave them permission to participate on this competition in order to pit the trainees that already arrived at the tower against this bespectacled boy.
That boy is surely an interesting one… From the very first time I saw him, he caught my attention.
He may look like a non-combatant at first glance, but when you look at him closely, you can realize that he shows no weaknesses.
Also, he naturally hides his presence and his emotions never seem to waver.
Neither his movements nor his gaze seem to ever hesitate either. Those were the eyes of someone who paid attention not only to what was in front of him, but also to everything in his field of view.
He did not seem to be strong, but he was definitely not normal.
Is this what an actual hunter is like?
His behavior is quite different from that of the hunters of Krozheit.
Though I suppose that can’t be helped, since hunters here are mainly warriors.
That profession probably has a fundamental difference with what being a hunter actually means.
I wonder… Wouldn’t it be better for Traululu and Hariatan if they didn’t participate?
After all, they might actually lose this.
… But well, even if I tell them that, there’s no way those two will listen to me.
