Barbarian's Adventure in a Fantasy World-Chapter 49: The Princess and the Servant (2)

“What now?” Ketal muttered as he scratched his stomach while lying on the bed.

For the past few days, he hadn’t visited the guildhall. There simply weren’t any requests left that piqued his interest. With plenty of money saved up, he decided to take Rosa’s advice and enjoy some leisure time. He explored the estate, taking in the sights and experiences it offered.

However, the estate wasn’t particularly large. He had tasted all the local delicacies, read every book in the library, and essentially exhausted all the entertainment available to him.

I’m glad the citizens here don’t treat me like an outsider anymore, but... Ketal thought.

The people of the estate no longer avoided him or looked at him with fear. But even so, they didn’t try to get closer to him either.

The subtle sense of distance prevented him from forming any meaningful relationships. One of his fantasies had always been to drink and laugh with strangers at a lively tavern table. But such camaraderie still eluded him, leaving him somewhat disappointed.

In the end, that strange, invisible boundary limited what he could enjoy in the estate.

“Have I become too accustomed to excitement?” Ketal wondered aloud.

He yearned for more excitement. He craved the thrill of fantasy. The White Snowfield had been a terrible place, but at least it had been overflowing with stimulation.

“Speaking of which, I wonder how those guys are doing...” He thought of his former companions—the uncivilized, foolish barbarians of the White Snowfield.

They had never kept their distance from him. They had truly shared their lives and survived together in the harsh wilderness.

I wonder what they’re doing right now. They’re probably living as foolishly as ever, but having fun all the same. I do miss them... Ketal’s thoughts trailed off, and he quickly shook his head.

“No, no way.” It was insane for him to miss the White Snowfield. He had no desire to return to that hellish place ever again.

The mere fact that he was reminiscing about it out of boredom felt absurd. It was a barbaric mindset. He had to focus on embracing the civilized world. He cleared his head. Even so, the fact remained—he had nothing to do.

Lying idly, he suddenly thought of something. Come to think of it, are the Quests gone for good?

Ever since the moment he first became self-aware in the White Snowfield, a Quest Window had always been there, accompanying him.

At first, he thought it was some kind of lucid dream brought on by his obsession with the fantastical world. However, the bone-chilling cold that froze his very flesh and the monsters that tried to devour him had quickly shattered that illusion, proving that this was a harsh reality.

The very first Quest was to survive for a week, he recalled.

After that, various Quests had appeared, serving as a kind of guidepost for him as he adapted to being thrust into this brutal world from modern society.

However, ever since he had escaped the White Snowfield, no new Quests had appeared.

Were the Quests only limited to the White Snowfield? he thought.

The relentless notifications that had once felt so tiresome were now conspicuously absent. Ketal found himself missing them just a little.

Were they my guide to this fantasy world? Ketal didn’t know for sure, but he felt grateful. Thank you, system window.

He stood up from the bed, determined. “I’m sure there’s something waiting out there now.”

Ketal decided to head to the guildhall. He hadn’t been there in days, and although the previous requests had all been mundane, perhaps something new had come in.

***

As usual, Rosa greeted him warmly. “Welcome back, Mr. Ketal. Did you get enough rest?”

“I did, but now I’m bored. Got any new requests for me?” Ketal asked, stretching his arms.

“Hmm... Let me show you what we’ve got,” Rosa replied, handing him the request sheets.

Ketal skimmed through it one by one, muttering to himself, “There’s nothing special. Are there no new Dungeons?”

“Dungeons don’t appear that easily,” Rosa said with a shrug.

The appearance interval for Dungeons was typically several months at the least, sometimes spanning years. If Dungeons spawned every few days, the entire estate would have been overrun by now.

As expected, there were no new Dungeons. The remaining requests were mostly mundane tasks from the estate’s residents—small errands that were hardly worth his time.

Ketal, growing more disinterested, continued flipping through the sheets.

“Hmm?” His eyes stopped on something. “An escort request?”

“Oh, right. I almost forgot about that one,” Rosa said, scratching her head sheepishly.

“What’s an escort request?” Ketal asked.

“It’s just as it sounds. You escort a person or item safely to a designated destination,” Rosa explained.

“Hmm.” Ketal’s interest was piqued. “And that’s it?”

“Well, to be specific, the person or item must be delivered to a mercenary guildhall at the destination. If there’s no guildhall, a guild representative will be waiting to confirm the delivery,” Rosa continued. “Also, all the preparations for the journey—lodging, food, clothing, and so on—are the mercenary’s responsibility. And of course, any obstacles or dangers along the way must be dealt with as well.”

“That sounds like a lot of effort,” Ketal commented.

“It is, but the rewards are high,” Rosa replied.

The high cost of escort requests explained why the old man from before could only afford one mercenary with his gold coin. In addition to the physical effort, the preparation costs were significant, making such tasks unappealing to most mercenaries.

“Generally, only D-Rank or higher mercenaries can take on escort requests. There are some special cases where E-Rank mercenaries can take the job, but they need to be vouched by the guild,” Rosa explained. She gave a wry smile. “But escort requests aren’t very popular. They’re a hassle, after all.”

The rewards might be high, but being dragged along for days or weeks on end, and having to manage all the logistics, made such requests unattractive to most mercenaries.

“What are the criteria for the mission’s success?” Ketal asked.

“Ensuring the safety of the person or item until it reaches its destination. That’s the basic requirement. Beyond that, it depends on the client. Even if there’s minor damage, payment is often still provided,” Rosa explained. She added in a quieter tone, “You remember how I mentioned that B-Rank mercenaries aren’t just about skill but also about earning the trust of people with status? Well, that process often starts with escort requests.”

“So, it’s like a stepping stone,” Ketal mused.

“That’s one way to put it.”

Escort requests were expensive, so they were rarely commissioned by ordinary citizens. They were often used by nobles or other influential individuals to handle sensitive matters discreetly. Showing competence in such requests could pave the way to becoming a B-Rank mercenary.

Ketal studied the request sheet closely.

Escort Request:

Target: One woman, one elderly man

Destination: Capital of Denian Kingdom

“Denian Kingdom, huh?” Ketal mused.

“It’s quite far,” Rosa commented.

“Hmm,” Ketal stroked his chin. There was a peculiar scent about this request. And rather than deter him, it made him smile. “Can I take the request?”

“What?” Rosa was taken aback. She had never imagined Ketal would be interested in an escort request. “You’re saying you want to take this request...?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“No, not exactly, but...,” Rosa replied hesitantly. She sighed. “I have a bad feeling about this request. Something smells fishy.”

The Denian Kingdom was far from here, positioned in a direction that necessitated a more circuitous journey. Along the way were several larger estates, far more suitable for such a task. The mercenaries available there were also of higher caliber. Yet, the old man had specifically come to this remote estate, at night, to make the request.

“This is dangerous,” Rosa continued. “It’s not a normal request. Yes, their identities were verified, so we accepted it, but I have no intention of processing it.”

Aron, the elderly man, might have hoped Rosa would find him a mercenary, but she wasn’t planning to. Quietly brushing off suspicious requests was part of a receptionist’s job.

“This one is bad news,” she said firmly.

“You’re missing the point, Rosa,” Ketal said, flashing a grin. “That’s what makes it so fun.”

“Th-that makes it fun?” Rosa stammered.

“Exactly.”

An old man dressed in shabby, tattered robes had issued an escort request at night for him and a woman whose identity was still unknown. Ketal found the situation both suspicious and intriguing. The old man was likely a servant. The woman, without a doubt, was of noble lineage—that was why she remained hidden.

The fact that the man came only at night implied a need to conceal their identities. They were being pursued, and forced to hide. It didn’t take much deduction. Ketal had read this kind of scenario countless times in his life on Earth, and it made his heart race with excitement.

A noblewoman, cornered and pursued, with a loyal servant risking everything to protect her, and a mercenary prepared to come to their rescue was the quintessential fantasy storyline. He had experienced many quintessential setups in this world before, but this one was different.

This was the protagonist’s story. His heart pounded like that of a child on the brink of an adventure. The boredom of the past few days melted away entirely.

“I will take this request. Let’s proceed,” he declared.

“Well... I don’t have a reason to refuse, but...” Rosa hesitated. Ketal’s determination was too firm for her to argue further. “Just so you’re aware, you’re a C-Rank mercenary. The client might not have enough funds to cover your fee. Are you okay with that?”

“No, problem,” Ketal replied confidently.

“In that case... understood. I will inform the client and confirm with them.”

“Please do.”

The name Denian Kingdom tugged at Ketal’s memory. He thought for a moment before it clicked. That’s where Milayna from the Akasha family is from!

She was the ambitious woman he had met in the White Snowfield. Her family was a merchant house, on the verge of collapse. Determined to save her lineage and secure her own power, she had braved the White Snowfield.

Though Ketal didn’t know the details, the occasional rumors suggested she had succeeded.

If that’s true, her mercenaries must have been B-Rank.

He remembered the mercenaries who had escorted her. The Akasha family had been a reputable merchant house, after all. For such a family, only top-tier mercenaries would have sufficed. At the very least, they would have been B-Rank.

I wonder how she’s doing now, he thought.

Milayna was one of the few strangers in the White Snowfield with whom Ketal had shared meaningful conversations. He couldn’t help but feel curious. Ketal reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ornament. It was a keepsake Milayna had given him, promising a warm welcome should they meet again.

This works out perfectly, he thought. Since he was heading to the Denian Kingdom, he wanted to visit her. Anticipation bubbled within him. Ketal grinned, already looking forward to the journey.

As the paperwork for the request was being finalized, Ketal suddenly froze.

“What’s wrong?” Rosa asked.

“Nothing...,” Ketal replied, shaking his head.

Later, back at his lodging, Ketal stared into the empty air with a puzzled expression.

Why is this appearing now?

A translucent window floated before him.

[Quest #785]

[Escort the targets safely to the Denian Kingdom.]

***

The Quest Window had always been by Ketal’s side during his time in the White Snowfield. However, after leaving the snowfield, it had never appeared again. Ketal had assumed it was exclusive to that desolate place.

But now, out of the blue, the Quest Window had reappeared.

“It wasn’t limited to the White Snowfield?” he muttered, furrowing his brow—a habit he had developed when deep in thought.

Why now? he thought. The timing was too sudden. It had been silent all this time, only to surface now. Is there something special about this escort request? Could there be a hidden reason for a Quest to appear regarding my current targets?

However, even Ketal couldn’t be sure. He had never understood why or how the Quests appeared. After mulling it over for a while, he shook his head.

One thing he had learned from surviving in the White Snowfield was that worrying with insufficient information was utterly pointless. He already knew that the escort targets were hiding something, but he didn’t know what.

I’ll find out as the mission unfolds, he decided.

In the end, nothing had changed. He just needed to enjoy the escort request as it came. With that thought, he cleared his mind.

“Well, then, time to prepare,” he said cheerfully, standing up and humming a tune.

***

That night, as the estate slumbered and the guildhall prepared to close, Aron arrived, as he always did.

“How about today?” he asked, though he didn’t expect much. Days of fruitless waiting had dampened his hopes. He was already bracing himself for the possibility of making the journey with just Elene.

However, Rosa’s reply made his eyes widen in shock.

“A mercenary has accepted your request.”

“W-what?”

“A C-Rank mercenary,” Rosa explained. “He is known for diligently completing requests within this estate. There are no issues with his reliability. Will you accept him?”

“A C-Rank mercenary?” Aron was stunned.

C-Rank mercenaries were on a completely different level compared to D-Rank. They were true elites, far stronger than most. He wondered why such a capable mercenary was in a remote estate like this. More importantly, he wondered why he had accepted this request.

Sensing Aron’s unspoken questions, Rosa said calmly, “I’m just here to relay the information. The choice is yours. What will you do?”

“Of course, I’ll accept!” Aron exclaimed, his voice filled with urgency. Rosa, as if expecting this response, began filling out the necessary paperwork.

“Then we will arrange a meeting soon. You can discuss the details directly with the mercenary,” she said.

“I-I understand,” Aron stammered, before hurrying back to his lodging.

***

Aron practically burst into the room, startling Elene, who was lying on the makeshift bedding.

“Aron? What’s going on? Don’t tell me... have they found us?” Elene asked, her voice trembling.

“The request has been accepted, my lady!” Aron exclaimed, his chest heaving from excitement.

“What?”

“A mercenary has accepted the request!”

“Someone has... accepted it?”

“Yes, and not just anyone—a C-Rank mercenary!”

“W-what did you just say?”

Bang!

The neighbors pounded on the wall again, but this time neither Aron nor Elene paid any attention.

“It’s certain!” Aron continued, barely able to contain his joy. “The only C-Rank mercenary in this estate has accepted our request! Tomorrow, we will meet him and finalize the details!”

“That’s... incredible, Aron!” Elene said, her eyes sparkling. She knew what a C-Rank mercenary meant. They were far stronger than D-Rank. From her memories, they were around the Intermediate-Level. Such a skilled individual would be a tremendous asset on their journey.

“But we don’t have enough money to hire a C-Rank mercenary...,” Elene began hesitantly.

“Don’t worry about that,” Aron said confidently. “The mercenary said he didn’t mind.”

“Really? I thought mercenaries were all supposed to be greedy...”

“I don’t know why, but this seems to be a very unusual case,” Aron admitted.

For now, their biggest problem had been resolved. Both of them felt an immense wave of relief.

Another loud thud on the wall finally reminded them to lower their voices. Whispering now, Aron said, “We will meet the mercenary tomorrow. For tonight, let’s get some rest. It’s going to be a busy day.”

“Yes, of course,” Elene replied, lying back down with a small smile on her face.

A C-Rank mercenary... she thought.

In the grand scheme of things, they weren’t among the strongest, but for her current situation, a C-Rank mercenary was more than enough to provide the help they desperately needed.

However, what truly made her heart race wasn’t the mercenary’s rank. The money Aron had offered was barely enough to hire a D-Rank mercenary, let alone a C-Rank.

Yet, this C-Rank mercenary had accepted their request, seemingly out of goodwill. It felt like something out of a fairy tale—a noble prince coming to rescue her.

What kind of person will he be? She imagined a man with a slightly sharp demeanor, as mercenaries often had. Perhaps he would be covered in scars, but even that could seem heroic in its own way.

Her face flushed slightly as her imagination ran wild.