The Warrior’s Ballad

Translator: Willia

The northern region was generally a plain, but there were certain spots with raised terrain. 'Mount Ern', also known as Ernburg, was one of those spots.

It was too low to be called a mountain, more like a gentle hill. The city sprawled out from its center, with the entire city enclosed by a sturdy wall.

The city wasn’t particularly large, but a major river wrapped around its western side and flowed southward.

The river, named the Main River, passed through the imperial capital Nibelungen, then continued to Reinfurt and beyond. Merchant ships came and went at the docks.

The hill had been artificially carved into a series of steps, with buildings positioned at various levels. This place was famous for its stonemasons’ guild, so the buildings looked exceptionally sturdy.

About halfway up the hill was an unusual building that seemed to be a combination of two structures, one horizontal and one vertical.

The first floor wasn’t built with square bricks, but rather with stones that fit together precisely. The second and third floors were made of exposed wood, neatly plastered.

The tiled roof had a sharply pointed triangular shape, with two chimneys. The first floor had a back door, a side door, and a main entrance with an exterior porch.

In the backyard, there was a well and a single apple tree, and next to the building, there was even a small stable.

In the stable, a donkey was lazily chewing on its fodder, gazing blankly at the people who were busily working, carrying heavy loads.

It seemed that people and animals alike shared the cycle of working when needed and resting when possible.

The items being carried with effort or lifted together included beds, tables, chairs, and barrels.

“You’re tilting it too much to the left. No, it’s too high. Just a little… Okay, that should do it, right?”

Ricardt looked up and said. Volka, who was standing on a chair in an uncomfortable position, stretched out his arms to support something. It was a signboard.

The signboard had a carved image of an eagle holding a violet in its beak. It was the emblem representing the Beringen Adventurers' Guild's Ernburg branch. The violet symbolized the core clan, the Viola Clan.

“Fuck… I told you we should just hang it with iron chains…”

“You were the one who complained that it would creak in the wind.”

Despite his grumbling, Volka finished his task properly. He hammered several flat iron nails into the wall, securing the signboard firmly.

He hammered in more nails than necessary, hoping that things would go smoothly from now on, and made sure it was tightly fixed.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After confirming that the signboard was securely attached, Ricardt entered the building.

As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Marie and Boribori each hauling a heavy bed up the stairs on their backs. The porters stared in disbelief, stunned.

Since the two of them knew how to handle mana, activating their Mana Drive gave them much greater strength than ordinary people.

Delphi was scrubbing the floor relentlessly with a boar-bristle mop, even though she had already cleaned it once.

“Ricky, all the beds are in. Can you arrange the tables?”

“Sure.”

Ricardt dragged the heavy tables, scraping them across the floor. He roughly aligned four tables in the open area and placed a low table beside the fireplace.

After arranging the chairs, he poured a little kerosene into the fireplace and struck a flint to ignite it.

Keeping the fire burning would make the interior feel cozy, so it was good to have it lit at all times. The scent of burning wood lingered in the air, imparting an inexplicable sense of comfort.

As Ricardt surveyed the interior, it seemed that they had managed to clear most of the dust and finish organizing. Satisfied, he simply sat down by the fireplace.

Not long after, Ice, with his sleeves rolled up, walked down the stairs, followed by Marie and Boribori.

“Delphi, take a break. You’re going to wear the floor out.”

“You have to do it right when you can. Once people start coming, we won’t have time for this.”

Delphi spoke with a smile. Now, this place was practically their home, so she seemed to feel no fatigue at all.

Every corner of the building, down to the smallest details, had been touched by their hands. Someday, it would probably become a cherished memory.

Ice’s hair had regained its shine, and he had put on a bit of weight, looking somewhat healthier than before.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, but his build wasn’t particularly bulky, so even though he looked a bit lean, it was fine.

Even though they could use mana, it wasn’t exactly effortless, so Boribori and Marie twisted their stiff necks from side to side. Then, they began massaging each other’s shoulders.

Finally, Volka paid the workers and came inside. He slumped into a chair in front of the table, leaning his head back as he groaned in exaggerated exhaustion.

“Phew, I’m exhausted. Let’s close up shop and rest for the day.”

“We’re not running a business, Volka.”

They weren’t a place that served alcohol and food to the public or provided lodging. They were a place that took requests, assigned missions, and offered shelter and supplies to adventurers.

“Whatever.”

“By the way, who’s going to cook? When people start coming, we’ll need to have food ready, right?”

"For now, couldn't we just throw whatever we have in water and boil it?"

"We should probably hire some staff too."

“Do we have any money? How much is left?”

Ricardt, Boribori, and Marie all started talking at once without any structure. Volka had a hard time figuring out who was saying what.

“We don’t have a single coin. We’re basically broke now.”

Volka, still leaning his head back against the chair, replied.

After presenting the Count with their tribute, buying the building, beds, tables, food, and various other supplies, they had completely run out of money.

“Then if someone brings in a wanted criminal’s head, how are we supposed to pay the bounty?”

Boribori asked. Even though they weren’t officially part of the Beringen Guild, they were still obligated to pay anyone who brought in a bounty target, either captured alive or just the head.

"Ah, right."

As if just remembering, Volka stood up, went to his room on the first floor, rummaged through his bag, and came back with a stack of documents. He then started plastering them onto the wall.

The faces of wanted criminals, each exuding a sinister aura in their own way, were now posted on the wall. The bounties ranged from as high as 50 gold coins to as low as 5 silver coins.

After putting up the last one, he looked back at his friends and said,

“Now, it’s time to make some money.”

“Can’t we just go catch those guys ourselves?”

“We can’t go far, remember.”

Boribori suggested, but Ricardt shook his head. While killing them wouldn’t be hard, tracking them down would take time.

“I’ll give it a try on my own.”

Ice, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, spoke up. It seemed like he felt he needed to help in some way.

"There's no need for that. We need to catch bigger fish. We've graduated from catching these small fry."

Ricardt shook his head again. It might have sounded boastful, but that wasn’t his intention. They didn’t have time, and they couldn’t go far, so it was better to make big money nearby.

"Bigger fish?"

“Yeah. Private requests from wealthy clients. After taking down the ‘Ernburg Five’, we had enough left over to buy clothes for all the academy kids, with some left to spare.”

These weren’t just any clothes; they were made from fabric dyed with lapis lazuli, a high-end material. Though the clothes weren’t all finished yet, there was enough to make outfits for around 200 kids and still have money left over.

"The Ernburg Five is a bit..."

Surprisingly, Boribori seemed uneasy, showing a reluctant expression.

Boribori had gained enough experience in combat by now. Reflecting on it with that experience, he realized that killing the Ernburg Five had been nothing short of a miracle.

Thanks to some good fortune, the group of five had split into two and three, allowing them to take down two of them first and deal with each of the remaining opponents one by one. Nameless took the initiative to kill one of the remaining enemies and unsettled the last two, which was how they achieved that outcome.

But what if the situation had been reversed? What if they were the ones defending this place, and the Ernburg Five launched an all-out assault? Could they actually survive?

These foes had clear weaknesses, but their strengths were monstrous. If all five of them gathered and fought together in perfect coordination, it was hard to imagine how powerful they’d be.

There was that toad-like woman impervious to blades, a giant of a man, a necromancer, and even a Sword Master. Although he hadn’t seen it himself, he was certain the Phantom Sword was certainly no pushover either.

Even if he could turn back time, Boribori would still fight them, but in their current situation, just recalling those enemies sent shivers down his spine.

“Even if it’s not to that extent, there are plenty of wealthy clients. Let’s start by making ourselves known at other guilds. Who says we have to wait for work to come to us? We can go out and see if there’s anything available. And I think we need to take control of the docks, or at the very least, understand how things operate there.”

Ricardt hit the nail on the head. Anyone could see that Ernburg was a city sustained by trade. Listening to Ricardt, it felt like the fog was lifting, bringing everything into sharper focus.

Volka had thought, surely they wouldn't starve to death, things would work out somehow.

Ricardt and his friends chatted freely about their plans for the future. Just then, someone entered the building.

“Excuse me.”

The members of the Viola Clan paused their conversation and turned to look at him.

It was a young man wearing a hat adorned with a hawk’s feather. He wore a tunic embroidered with some detail, had a loose shawl draped over his shoulders, and his boots were spotless.

Clearing his throat, he spoke in a resonant voice.

“Ahem, ahem. Greetings, brave adventurers. I am Harrison, a Dependent Scholar of the Ernburg Trading Company. I am a lover of literature and poetry, traveling the world to capture its diverse stories and set them to song. Though I sometimes sleep beneath the open sky and call the bare ground my bed, isn’t hardship the essence of romance? While gazing at the stars by night and the clouds by day, I heard word of a young hero in a red cloak arriving here, so I took the liberty of coming to meet you. It would be a tremendous honor if we could invite such a hero to our company’s banquet.”

Ricardt and his friends stared at him blankly for a moment. An awkward silence filled the room. What was his name again? Oh, right, Harrison. Who knew someone could say so much unnecessary stuff? That was a talent in itself.

It took them a moment to mentally sort through his name and purpose.

In any case, Ricardt agreed right away. They’d been planning to make rounds and introduce themselves anyway.

“Sure. I’ll go.”

"How decisive. Might you be...?"

“Yes, that’s me. I’m Ricky. The Red Cloak. Beringen Adventurers' Guild, Viola Clan. Ricky.”

As Ricardt introduced himself, the self-proclaimed bard Harrison observed him closely, careful not to appear impolite in his gaze.

Once his inspection was complete, Harrison walked over with a courteous stride, producing something from his pocket and extending it to Ricardt. Even as he offered it, he maintained an exaggeratedly formal posture, bowing and stepping one foot back.

What Harrison handed over was an envelope. Breaking the red wax seal and reading its contents, Ricardt found it was simply an invitation. Addressed "To the honorable so-and-so" , it was filled with the usual formalities.

The banquet wasn’t being held especially for Ricardt; it was a regular event. However, it seemed that the presence of a well-known figure had piqued their curiosity, leading them to extend an invitation.

“Thank you. You may go now, Harrison.”

“It was an honor to meet you. It would be even greater if the other esteemed guests could also have the chance to behold the visage of a hero.”

After exchanging final pleasantries, Harrison turned and left.

"Is that how formal people usually are?"

Volka asked Ricardt casually, hinting at the fact that he knew Ricardt was of noble birth.

"I've only heard about it, never seen it myself. How about you, Marie?"

"Me? Why, why me?"

"Have you seen such formality before?"

“Well, how would I know...”

Marie tried to feign ignorance, but everyone except Delphi and Ice had already picked up on her background to some extent.

“Would you like to go with me in the evening?”

“To where?”

“To the banquet.”

“I don’t have a dress.”

“So what? You're pretty anyway."

“R-Really?”

“Yeah, let’s go. Volka and Delphi can keep watch here, and Ice and Bori can check out the docks. Looks like we have just enough people.”

Boribori widened his eyes and looked over at Ice. Ice looked back at him.

There was a noticeable height difference between the two of them, and even when seated, Boribori had to look up to meet Ice’s gaze.

When Boribori grinned, Ice gave a faint smile in return. Watching Ice, Marie couldn’t help but think that she’d like to spar with him one day.

This was because Ice had been the top rank at the academy before Ricardt, and Ricardt had once compared Marie to Ice.

But now wasn’t the time for that. She decided that she’d bring it up if the opportunity came later.

In any case, Boribori and Ice left the building first, and Delphi took Marie out to scrape together what little money they had to buy a dress.

It was a plain blue dress, the sort country girls might wear, but after some quick tailoring to fit her, it looked neat and presentable.

Ricardt put on the cleanest spare clothes he had and strapped a dagger to his waist for self-defense before stepping outside.

“We’re off.”

"Yeah, have fun. No need to be too submissive. You know that, right?"

“I couldn’t if I tried.”

Ricardt said with a laugh. Then he walked alongside Marie through the evening streets.

Only faint light escaped from the windows of buildings, leaving the city cloaked in darkness as dusk settled. Ricardt walked a little ahead, but Marie came closer and took his hand.

Ricardt was slightly surprised, but then he realized that her hand was trembling slightly, and he could feel her small courage.

A feeling of guilt brushed his heart, and Ricardt squeezed her hand once before loosening his grip. Instead of words, he conveyed his feelings that way. That there was no need to be shy, no need to tremble.

They continued walking, occasionally swinging their clasped hands back and forth, and a childlike laughter bubbled up between them. They felt like a carefree boy and girl, simply enjoying the night.

Ricardt and Marie walked down the slope toward the riverside. There was a mansion set apart from the docks, and even from a distance, the light spilling from its windows shone brightly.

When they arrived, they saw several carriages parked in the courtyard, which was lit by torches here and there. These weren’t transport carts for goods; they were designed for people.

The carriages were quite valuable, requiring advanced craftsmanship to make the wheel axles properly.

“Do you know how to drink?”

Ricardt asked Marie.

“No.”

"Me neither. But wouldn't it be weird if we only talk about work?"

“Who’s hosting the event, anyway?”

“No idea. Since it’s the merchants’ guild, I guess it’s a merchant noble? We’ll find out when we go in, right?”

Marie laughed at Ricardt’s cluelessness, since he could have easily looked at the invitation to check but hadn’t bothered.

"Stupid."

Ricardt laughed as well.

In truth, neither of them had any reason to worry. They were both real nobility. Their bloodlines were fundamentally different from those of merchant nobility.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

One could trace their lineage back to the royal family and was a hero's descendant. And one was of the current Emperor's bloodline. Even though she was an adopted illegitimate child, a daughter was still a daughter.

When they arrived at the mansion, there was someone checking invitations at the entrance. Ricardt presented the invitation, and the man inspecting it gave him a puzzled look, glancing back and forth between Ricardt and the invitation.

“Not quite what you expected, huh?”

“Pardon?”

“Can we go in?”

“Ah… Yes, of course.”

For some reason, the gatekeeper responded with a slightly reluctant expression.

Ricardt entered the mansion with Marie. From the central hall to the corridors, hundreds of candles illuminated the place brightly.

Beeswax candles weren’t cheap, and the impressive wealth of this place was evident right from the start.

Following the sounds of lutes and flutes, along with the laughter and chatter of people, they walked down the corridor and soon came upon a grand indoor hall that resembled another banquet hall.

Some people were seated, while others stood, freely enjoying the festivities. Surprisingly, there weren’t any full-grown adults in sight—everyone there appeared to be around Ricardt’s age.

Ricardt had grown quickly, now standing around the high 160s in centimeters, making him tall and sturdy compared to others his age.

Marie was of a similar height, so when this boy and girl entered the hall together, they naturally drew attention.

There were about 30 people in total. While it wasn’t as noisy as a bustling marketplace, the atmosphere was lively and crowded enough.

However, when the two newcomers stepped into the hall, everyone fell silent, almost as if it had been coordinated. Eyes lingered on Ricardt and Marie, and the gazes didn’t waver.

It didn’t take long for Ricardt and Marie to instinctively understand why everyone was staring. Their attire was just too different.

The other guests wore clothes embroidered with gold and silver thread, crafted by artisans with intricate skill, and they sparkled with various gemstones and jewelry.

In contrast, Ricardt and Marie, compared to the others’ extravagant outfits, looked not just plain but shabby. Their clothing was simple, and they wore no jewelry on their necks, ears, or fingers—completely unadorned.

Soon after, accompanied by disdainful glances, whispers could be heard from here and there. Some of the them were clear enough to hear.

“Who let these lowly beggars in…?”