A Stuffed Cheonma in my Head - Chapter 217



Only Noblemtl

Episode 217. Cloud Cookie Lover

The process went smoothly.

After a brief inspection, as if there had been a prior discussion with the Saluki chieftain, we entered Milgaard, the capital of the Kingdom of Maia.

A total of twenty carriages – no, nineteen – were safely delivered to the Saluki Caravan.

Immediately after, we gathered at the mercenary guild headquarters and received signatures for completing the request.

Of course, according to the contract concluded in advance, a deposit equivalent to the amount of one carriage was deducted.

Who cares?

What’s important is that the remaining nineteen carriages arrived safely.

Since ancient times, people who are anxious about small losses cannot become great people.

You should focus on the huge profits rather than the tiny losses.

Saluki Sang-dae seemed to have similar thoughts to me, so he finished signing with satisfaction and immediately handed over the completion fee.

Also, after hearing about the two attacks by the warlocks, the CEO personally bowed his head and thanked them for protecting the employees.

He gave them a generous bonus, telling them to eat a delicious meal for dinner since they had to travel a long way.

As expected, the top is large. The distribution is large.

Of course, the convoy itself was our role.

They probably couldn’t have expected a large-scale attack involving dozens of demons, half-human, half-beast, and even a warlock.

Despite the attack, it was a miracle that all staff members were unharmed and only one carriage was lost.

Well, that’s why I hired two Platinum Badgers to perform this miracle in the first place.

Nevertheless, people are moved by small acts and sincerity such as expressing gratitude and offering to pay for drinks.

Maximum effect with little effort.

Although it may seem insignificant, the effect is quite powerful.

If I were to buy jerky, I would probably choose the one above Saluki.

The wisdom to focus on what you have gained and what you will gain in the future rather than what you have lost.

This was a passage that showed how the Saluki Merchantship became one of the largest merchantships in the Kingdom of Maia.

Even for me, this one request gave me a good impression of the Saluki upper class.

What about others?

“Wow! The price of alcohol has been set!”

… … Are these thoughts the sole property of the captain?

The brave and fearless members of the Naburangi Corps who have accompanied us on our long journey seem to like the fact that the price of alcohol is set at a fixed level.

I saw my past self in them.

The members of our proud Saluki convoy, having received their bribe, rushed into the tavern with their mouths wide open.

Camus was at the forefront.

“Hahaha! Let’s drink until our noses get crooked!”

“Chochi!”

“Wahahahaha!”

“The captain isn’t going?”

I answered in a solemn voice befitting a captain.

“The captain’s day is always tiring. You guys, go eat first. We’ll join you later.”

“Hahaha! See you later, Captain!”

“Please come!”

I had to stay in the guild and go through some boring paperwork with the Saluki top leader and a man who seemed to be an executive of the mercenary guild before I could be free.

It must have been quite boring, because Cheonma had already disappeared somewhere.

“Well, that was the Sherwood Mercenaries up until now. Come visit us anytime with a thick wallet.”

The representative of the Saluki upper class smiled coolly and shook my hand.

Surprisingly, he was a young man who looked to be in his mid-thirties.

“Of course. I ask for your help in the future. I heard that Ashvan-nim’s performance was outstanding.”

“Haha, that’s embarrassing.”

“I think it would be great if Ashvan took charge of the next request.”

“If you come looking for me at the top of the Saluki, then I should step forward.”

“I will remember those words, Ashvan of the Half-Sword.”

“ha ha ha.”

“ha ha ha.”

The representative, whose trustworthiness stood out from his shiny forehead, exchanged a businesslike laugh with me before leaving the guild.

Now that I look at it, it seems like the head of the Saluki clan wasn’t there simply to express gratitude.

It felt like I had personally gone to see Sherwood’s new captain with my own eyes.

Do I really like it?

I don’t know for sure, but I could tell that he was trying to leave a good impression on me, perhaps because he passed the exam.

I didn’t feel uncomfortable.

Quite the opposite.

Even during the convoy, the merchants on top of the Saluki were always polite to us.

The mercenary Naburangs, including myself, have already developed considerable favor with the Saluki upper class.

I can’t help but think badly about it.

Sherwood is born and I will soon be Sherwood.

I have a feeling that our Sherwood Mercenary Group will be able to maintain a good relationship with the Saluki Merchant Group in the future.

I’m tall, me.

You’re good at being the leader, aren’t you? I can do it too if I try.

I’ve gotten to know the representative of the Saluki upper class a bit better.

When I get back, I wonder if I can get some compliments from Hurd.

After I left the Saluki upper class, only I and the guild executives were left in the room.

He was staring at me, puffing smoke from a thick cigar.

‘Did you say it was a venture?’

A sturdy build. Well-trained muscles. Scars visible here and there.

He looked more like a seasoned mercenary than an employee.

Age: around mid-50s?

He had hair that appeared gray overall, with patches of gray and black hair mixed in.

I think he may have settled here after working as a mercenary.

Contrary to appearances, it seems like his head is quite functional.

I asked him politely as he stared at me.

“Do you have anything to say?”

The middle-aged man spoke through a puff of cigarette smoke.

“Ashvan Sherwood.”

“That’s my name.”

“The only silver-ranked mercenary of the Sherwood Mercenaries.”

“hmm.”

“And. The one responsible for disbanding the Sherwood Mercenary Group.”

I stared at him blankly for a moment.

Benter said no more and leisurely smoked his cigar to the end.

Then he opened a small box on the table and took out a new cigar from it.

“Would you like to have a go?”

He shook his head.

“Because I’m not a cloud cookie fan.”

“What a pity. I feel sorry for you who doesn’t know the taste of cloud cookies.”

“It’s so pitiful.”

Benter put a new cigar in his mouth and took a square lighter out of his pocket.

The fire wouldn’t light and made a ticking noise, as if the magic stone had worn out.

“Oh. Do you have a light?”

“Come closer.”

I lit a cigarette on my fingertips and gave it to his cigar.

Ventor’s eyes widened.

“Blue flames… …. You, are a wizard?”

“It’s not magic. It’s martial arts.”

“… …Black magic?”

I don’t even want to explain it anymore.

“Think about it yourself.”

Taking a drag from his cigar, which had a blue-tipped flame, Venter’s eyes widened further than when he had seen the blue flame.

“… … This taste!”

“why?”

“What a fantastic taste… … !”

“… … .”

“Hey, what the heck is this?”

“It’s called Cheongyeom. Be careful not to burn yourself after you light it. It’s a fire that won’t go out easily once it’s lit.”

“Wow… This tastes really… Kiya… … .”

Only after smoking nearly half of his cigar did Benter return to the original flow of conversation.

“I heard you fell off the foggy cliff. Wasn’t that true?”

“Would you believe me if I told you it was true?”

“You have to believe it. The person in question is right in front of you.”

“It’s true.”

“I see.”

The venter blew out a long puff of smoke.

Is it because the flames are so bright?

The smoke was also blue.

“Have you been to the Foggy Cliffs?”

“I went there. I fell there.”

“Oh, right. That’s right. The fog there isn’t any ordinary fog.”

“Then what is it?”

“I don’t know either. Many wizards have conducted research, but they haven’t found anything.”

Suddenly, hearing those words, it occurred to me that perhaps my older sister had also settled down there to study fog.

“The Foggy Cliffs are such a place full of the unknown that anything that happens isn’t all that surprising. It’s no wonder that the dead have come back to life.”

“It looks like you’ve been doing a lot of background research on me.”

“There was nothing to work hard for.”

“What does that mean?”

The venter once again let out a long breath of blue smoke.

“Ashvan… … . I think I’ve heard it somewhere.”

Even though it wasn’t winter, I could see the sighs.

That must be the smokers’ privilege.

“I know because I heard that Guston was dismantling Sherwood and I went to stop him myself.”

“I don’t know for sure, but it looks like it failed.”

Benter nodded.

“Who can stop him? He’s a guy who wouldn’t even bat an eye if the King of the North came.”

I looked around in slight surprise.

“… … Isn’t this the capital of the kingdom?”

“That’s right.”

“You are right in front of the palace, yet you dare say such irreverent things.”

Benter shrugged.

“So what? Who’s listening?”

“I can hear it.”

“You don’t seem like the kind of person who would tattle on the royal family.”

I scratched the ball.

“Aren’t you trusting people too much? When did we ever meet?”

“That’s my strong point.”

“I think it’s a disadvantage.”

“Benter took another puff of blue smoke and said,

“How long do you think I’ve been a mercenary?”

“well.”

“30 years. No, 40 years? At this point, you’ve developed an eye for people. He’s not the kind of man who’d hit you in the back of the head.”

… … Thirty or forty years?

You’ve been a mercenary all those years and your limbs are still intact?

‘This is a monster.’

Regardless of rank, he is incredibly agile and has an incredible ability to deal with unexpected situations.

Of course, the eyes that see people.

It means that it is no easy task.

I replied blandly.

“You were my senior.”

“I’ve been watching for so long, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone like you. A person who was thought to be dead has returned as the owner of the platinum shield. What on earth happened in just half a year?”

Benter shook his head.

“You are the first. The one who returned from the foggy cliff.”

“hmm.”

Ventor stood up from his seat.

He said as he walked back.

“I’ve heard a lot from Boris.”

“He’s not a man of many words.”

“Rather than saying I heard a lot, I asked a lot.”

“What did you say?”

“They said he was crazy.”

“You’re a sharp friend.”

Benter stepped back and brought out a small box with an antique design and placed it on the table.

You could tell at a glance that it was a high-quality product.

“What? A bribe?”

Benter nodded.

“Open it and take a look.”

As soon as I opened it, bright light poured out.

There was white gold inside.

“Hey… … .”

I was worried that silver and platinum would be similar in color and difficult to tell apart.

When I actually saw it, it was a world of difference.

What should I say?

It was much more luxurious, glossy, smooth, and had an overall mysterious feel to it.

He glanced at Ventor and nodded.

“It’s yours.”

I carefully took it out and held it in my hand.

“hmm.”

It was heavier than a gold medal.

The feel was more like touching a jewel than metal.

The platinum plaque had letters engraved in an antique script.

“Platinum Grade”

“Ashvan Sherwood”

“Sherwood Mercenary Corps Member”

My hands were shaking slightly.

It’s only three lines.

It’s just three lines.

Why does this make my heart ache so much?

‘……at las.’

Finally, I got on the same level as the guys.

It means you don’t have to look up with your neck stretched out anymore.

Now I can stand shoulder to shoulder with them with confidence.

How long have I waited for this moment?

Actually, I didn’t feel any overwhelming emotions like being thrilled or anything just because I got the platinum rating.

It wasn’t until I received the platinum medal that I realized how much I wanted this.

It feels like I’m getting proper compensation for all the hard work I’ve put in.

I feel like the world has recognized what I’ve been doing.

I had to try hard to swallow back the emotions that were welling up in my throat.

I held the platinum medal tightly in my hands without saying a word.

Regardless, Benter continued his explanation in a monotonous tone.

“It melts at a much higher temperature than pure gold and is difficult to forge, requiring the best skills. The best craftsman was hired to engrave it.”

“hmm.”

“It means there is a reason why it takes so long.”

I guess he heard about what I urged Boris to do.

I answered in a slightly hushed voice.

“… … Thank you.”

“Don’t worry. We appreciate it.”

As I was about to get up from my seat to collect my platinum medal, Benter called out to me.

“Where are you going? You have to pay for it. Platinum is so expensive.”

“How much is it?”

“30 gold.”

“what?”

I tried to pay it happily, but it was an amount that made me say, “What?”

It has nothing to do with me having a lot of money.

Expensive is expensive.

“What’s so expensive?”

“Platinum is originally expensive. The cost of having it crafted by the best craftsman is also added to the calculation.”

“This is crazy… … .”

How many bowls of pig’s feet can you get for 30 gold?

Benter, who had been staring at me while spitting out blue smoke, opened his mouth.

“Or there is another way.”

“What is it?”

“If you take on one request, the guild won’t bear the burden.”

“……request?”

A 30 gold request.

I had a strange feeling.

“As you know, winter is coming. That also means it’s time for the monster wave to hit.”

“… … .”

“But this time, it’s not ordinary.”

“Has there ever been a time when the Monster Wave was unusual—no, not unusual?”

Benter took out a document and handed it to me.

“Usually before winter comes, wizards measure the concentration of mana in the atmosphere in the North to roughly estimate its size. It has been around 30ppm on average. But this time… … .”

I looked at the documents that Ventor had handed me.

“… … 110.3ppm?”

Benter concluded his speech in a heavy tone.

“It is no exaggeration to say that this is the worst in history. If we fail to stop it, the kingdom will fall.”