Chapter 72: Do You Remember Me?
Typically, adventurers engage in dungeon exploration, monster subjugation, or defensive operations for the sake of humanitys security and resource collection.
Ignoring such conventional tasks and focusing on purging fallen heroes for three months was due to the notoriety hindering their activities as adventurers.
In my case, I was infamous as the Hero Killer.
For Ga-ram, being labeled as a fallen hero made it difficult to find companions for adventures.
Is that him? The adventurer who has been hunting fallen heroes and has risen to silver rank lately.
Having captured over ten fallen heroes in about three months, waiting for the guild staff to bring the bounty, I could feel the fruits of my efforts shining through as I listened to the murmurs around me.
Hes been an official adventurer for less than four months, and hes already reached silver rank.
Considering gold rank is usually for heroes, doesnt that make him practically the most capable among us?
Ah, but how can someone whos not a hero catch one? I heard hes paired with a hero, probably just riding on the heros coattails while the hero does all the work.
Actually, that hero was severely defeated by him and became his subordinate.
Aah, I heard that too. That time, the hero got so scared that she even had a heart attack
The crowd, combining rumors and eyewitness accounts about me, freely formulated their evaluation of me.
However, I could tell that the overall negative perception of me had significantly subsided.
Anyway, I was unforgettable in their memories.
Rather than painstakingly convincing them, it was better to naturally guide the improvement of my evaluation.
But that guy, his name was Woo Hyo-sung, right?
In the midst of paying attention to the evaluations, I caught a snippet of conversation.
As soon as I heard it, I immediately focused all my attention there.
It was natural to be concerned.
Despite my ability to remember names, those who met me always oddly misremembered mine.
All the guys from other worlds have such unique names.
So, what should we call that guy?
Its Woo Hyo-sung.
Woo Hyo-sung with the characters for echo and sound.
Hey, dummy. Are you really asking because you dont know?
If you take sung out of Woo Hyo-sung, its obviously Woo Hyo!
Damn it, why are they making a fuss and removing that part of my name?
Hey, Adventurer Woo Hyo-sung~ Your bounty is ready!
Just as I was about to burst into an outburst, a guild staff member arrived.
Seeing the hefty bag of money on the counter, I felt my previous irritation dissipate.
Yes, financial therapy was the best for irritation.
Lets forget the fools for now and focus on the money.
Haha, Adventurer Woo Hyo-sung, youve only been an adventurer for less than half a year, and youve already become a silver-ranked adventurer.
Yeah, well, each hero I caught had a high bounty on them, so I guess that sped up my promotion.
Though I played it off casually, such rapid advancement was objectively impressive.
The empire, having appointed these now-dangerous heroes, understood their threat level best.
Of course, I faced several near-death situations, but I successfully managed to survive and achieve results by making the most of what I had.
Equipment, experience, revenue earned, various means prepared by investing in them, and the full support of Ga-ram
And also, her advice, now considered indispensable in my daily life.
Being promoted to gold rank requires national merit and royal certification, so it might be difficult for non-heroes, but with such achievements, you might soon be requested for major assignments!
Haha, Ill count on you then.
Surviving dangers seemed to bring people who shared joy in my growth.
Thinking that it was proof that I was doing well, I was leaving the guild with the bounty when Ga-ram, who had just finished putting the wanted criminal in jail, ran up to me.
Brother, did you get the payment well?
Of course I did. Here, take this.
The hefty money bag in my hand exceeded the average income of not only adventurers but even most heroes.
Ga-rams eyes sparkled with admiration as she checked the amount.
Wow, the payment is quite a bit more than usual this time~!
We should receive a lot. I heard that guy was infamous enough to have defeated several heroes already.
Indeed, he seemed obsessed. Even before going to jail, he kept yelling, Hyo-sung boy~! Ill devour you one day~!
Heh, let me know when that guys execution date is set. Ill sit in the VIP seat and watch it live.
Though said in jest, the fallen heroes Id captured were unlikely to face execution.
The full bounty for capturing them alive implied the possibility of their rehabilitation and reuse by the empire.
Despite the saying that you cant reuse people, at least there was no news of the imprisoned fallen heroes escaping or causing trouble again, so it should be fine.
Deciding not to worry and to split the reward first, I immediately prepared to transfer the contents of the gold coin bag I was holding.
Anyway, since todays work is done, lets split the payment. Ga-ram, you take six and
No way. Brother, you fought in the front, so you should take six!
Hey, if it wasnt for you, we couldnt even have started the operation. Its only right that you take six.
But brother, you delivered the final blow to the bandit leader.
Even so, youre a hero
And youre a hero hunter, brother
Brother first, no, sister first.
As usual, after a playful argument over the reward, I ended up transferring half of the contents into another bag and handing it to Garam.
So, as usual, we split it half and half?
That sounds good.
With that, we shared the bounty and high-fived with a smack.
Then, Ga-ram and I, smiling at each other, walked side by side on our way home, sharing small talk.
In the end, someone died again this time.
Its unavoidable. Thats the world we live in.
We would usually spend time reflecting on the events of our latest mission.
Considering the nature of our work, it wasnt always pleasant
The hero who died this time wasnt much older than me If I hadnt met you, would I have ended up like that?
As these days went by, I could feel Garams dependence on me growing.
It was a considerable burden.
Yet, as always, I feigned calmness and forced a bitter smile in front of Ga-ram.
Its hard to see it that way. Not all the heroes I met turned out like you.
It wasnt just empty words.
Most of the heroes I had encountered, except for three, either died or suffered from aftermaths so severe they led lives worse than foreign laborers.
Among those three, one even became a fallen hero after rebelling against the empire.
When I started capturing heroes, I thought I might meet that person, but I hoped such an encounter wouldnt happen.
Although our time together was short, that person was kind and helped me, a foreigner, adapt to this world
Speaking of which, youve really changed a lot compared to when we first met.
Ga-ram threw that remark at me while I was mulling over this bitterness.
Not understanding her words, I turned to see Ga-ram smirking slyly with half-closed eyes.
In the three months since she opened up to me, her playfulness began to show more and more.
You were so fierce when we first clashed Do you know how terrifying you were when you tried to protect the person I was targeting? I almost met my end back then.
Hey, that was necessary at the time Anyway, you survived, so its fine.
No, I mean, its in the past, so Im not worried about that. Im just curious how your wife would react if she knew the reason we clashed was because of another woman
Thud!
Before fully understanding Garams words, I found myself collapsing to the ground.
Although my armor prevented any scratches, the shock of Ga-rams words was such that I couldnt continue a coherent train of thought.
A wife? Who on earth are you talking about?
Oh, come on~ You know who! Im talking about Airi, the beautiful lady who welcomed us to your house the other time!
No, Airi and I are not exactly
If youre living together, isnt it practically the same?
Well, technically, we were living together.
Ever since I started hunting, Ive been making good money, and I thought it better to invest in land or a building rather than just saving it in a bank.
So, I bought a house but was away often. Airi was camping out on the streets, so to repay her advice, I offered her free rent as a lodger.
Of course, we shared the responsibilities of maintaining the house, ate meals together, and yes, sometimes shared a bed at night, but that
It seems like a misunderstanding, but Airi and I are not in that kind of relationship.
Yes, even though I didnt know the details, she had her own mission, and I wanted to focus on my adventures for now.
Even if we have feelings for each other, it was something that needed to be approached carefully. How could I just blindly advance our relationship?
Really?
The little brat asked with a sly grin, as if interrogating me.
Really, you and Airi are not in any kind of relationship?
Yes. At least, not in the way youre thinking.
Feeling a bit guilty, I gazed beyond the alleyway we were passing and continued in a quiet voice.
Not yet.
Though it might be too soon, I hoped that one day it would be so.
I let this modest hope slip quietly.
Heh~ Not yet, huh?
Hey, if you tease me again, Ill get angry!
Hehe, sorry, but youre just too cute when youre flustered.
Ga-ram teased me and stepped back.
Then, at a fork in the road, she waved goodbye to me.
I have a dinner appointment with a sponsor today, so Ill take my leave. Have a good time with Airi!
Sure, see you at the guild tomorrow.
I wanted to chase after her and give her a piece of my mind, but I guessed it was better than being down all the time.
After all, Garam didnt tease me out of malice but rather supported Airi and my relationship.
I was content with our living arrangement, so I accepted her feelings positively and headed back to the house where she was waiting.
I wonder if Airi has prepared dinner by the time I get back.
The small sense of happiness I felt on my way back must be because everything is going well for me right now.
Work was dangerous, but the earnings were good. I had quickly risen to places not even heroes could reach, and someone was waiting for me back home.
Although luck played a part, it wasnt solely luck that got me here, and I felt proud of my achievements.
Yes, Im definitely doing well right now.
Its not enough.
Yet, was this smooth sailing guaranteed to continue?
In a world where even those called heroes could die in the blink of an eye, could anyone guarantee that being content now meant everything would remain fine?
Its not enough. I need more
The whisper that had started to echo in my mind grew louder, overwhelming my rational thoughts as my breathing hastened and my vision blurred.
I suddenly heard music, along with feeling breathless and my vision blurring.
Ding-a-ling~
It was a clear melody.
Adjusting the rhythm and pitch, plucking the strings of a lute
The moment it filled the streets, it was unmistakably music.
Ding-a-ling, ding
I felt a rising urge within me at the sound, but a greater sense of familiarity subdued it and drew my steps towards the source of the sound.
Yes, it was something I had heard before.
So much time had passed, and I thought I would never hear it again, almost forgetting it.
But someone who could bring it back to my memory was leading me nearby.
Ding-a-ling~ Ding~
The sound led me to a fountain in the middle of the street.
And there, capturing the attention of passersby, was a minstrel in a black cloak.
Clap, clap, clap.
As the performance ended, applause sounded, and the minstrel, receiving the crowds cheers, bowed in thanks.
And when the minstrel raised her head, she focused her gaze on someone standing in the center of the crowd, recognizing her.
Oh my?
It was me.
Just as I thought of her, it seemed she also thought of me
No, thanks to my abilities, she wouldnt have forgotten me. Surely, she would respond when we faced each other.
Its been a long time, Hyo-sung. Have you been well?
Just like the last letter she left, which mentioned how we should greet each other if we ever met againnot with overwhelming joy, but with a simple greeting.
Eh~ Have you perhaps forgotten me because its been too long?
Because I thought we would never see each other again.
This modest reunion felt all the more special.
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