Akatsuki Translations

“…There are some terrible instructors, too.” -Ur 

While sitting down and listening to the story of the adventurers Carme and Glen, Ur, with a bitter expression, couldn’t help but let out his thoughts. He had known it would be a rough and reckless journey, but to receive confirmation from a silver-ranked adventurer that it was indeed as rough as it seemed was disheartening. 

“Know when to cut your losses.” Those words of advice were undoubtedly sincere. If Glen’s manner of training were to continue, they might end up with serious injuries if they didn’t withdraw at an appropriate time. 

However, it was still their first day, and they had just entered the dungeon without proper guidance. It was too early to give up. With that in mind, Ur reconsidered his options for now. 

“Well then, Ur-sama, shall we return to the training facility?” -Shizuku 

“No, first let’s exchange the magic stones.” -Ur 

Without money, one couldn’t survive. For what other purpose did they gather magic stones so desperately? 

After that encounter, they encountered three more goblins while retrieving magic stones. While picking up the stones, one of them escaped. On the way back, they encountered two more creatures called “Shadow Wolves,” resulting in a total of over twenty encounters and battles with monsters. They fought them off, but it was a desperate struggle. Counting the stones, it was clear that they had collected fewer than they had initially thought, likely having dropped some along the way. Losing magic stones was equivalent to losing money. 

“Money…” -Ur 

“The damage seems more severe than I thought.” -Shizuku 

“My life is at stake… yours as well.” -Ur 

“I won’t drop any more next time.” -Shizuku 

Shizuku nodded with a serious expression. Seeing her earnest face, Ur felt a sense of relief and sat down on the ground near the exit, feeling pain all over his body. The parts that couldn’t be protected by leather armor had been scratched and wounded by claws and fangs. 

“Ara, you made it back safely. Impressive.” -Healer 

The healer woman approached them. She sat down next to Ur and began to examine his body with practiced movements. After identifying the injuries, she activated healing magic. 

“【Heal】.” -Healer

“…It’s warm.” -Ur 

A faint, warm green light emanated from the healer’s hands, enveloping Ur slowly. The painful and injured areas gradually warmed up and healed. It was as if he had soaked his entire body in a warm bath. Ur let out a sigh of relief. 

“This time, the Adventurer’s Guild covered the cost, so it’s free. But from next time, it will there will be a fee.” -Healer 

“The mood’s been ruined.” -Ur 

“Since you’re 【Nameless】, the price will be higher, so make sure to earn enough.” -Healer  

“Stop rubbing salt in the wound.” -Ur 

Shizuku was also being treated by another healer’s magic, healing her wounds. This generous care was only for today. 

“Doesn’t the training facility offer free treatment or anything like that?” -Ur 

“No, they don’t. It’s a special privilege for your first time. From your next visit on, you will be charged.” -Healer 

“I see…” -Ur 

They were fortunate this time, but next time, it would cost them money. According to the healer, treatment for Nameless costs even more than for city dwellers. No matter what they did, money was always involved. 

“…Magic stones, guess I’ll exchange them.” -Ur 

“That would be over there, where the shady old man is.” -Healer 

“Who are you calling shady? You cold woman.” -Old Man 

The healer pointed to the magic stone exchange counter at the entrance, where an old man who was appraising numerous magic stones glared in Ur’s direction. Indeed. With that, Ur approached and earnestly presented the gathered magic stones to the old man. 

Seeing the number of magic stone, a knowing smile graced the old man’s lips. 

“Well, not bad. At least compared to those idiots.” -Old Man 

“If this isn’t bad, I wonder how terrible they were. Those punks.” -Ur 

“Well, some managed to handle it without any issues, but there were also those who couldn’t gather anything and ran away. There were even fools who resorted to mugging.” -Old Man 

Even within the dungeon, it was strictly forbidden for adventurers to quarrel with each other. The old man chuckled at this fact. Shizuku, who was by his side, raised her voice in curiosity. 

“So, there are rules even in the dungeon? It doesn’t seem like there are any supervisors.” -Shizuku 

When asked, the old man kept his eyes fixed on the magic stones and snorted. 

“Adventurers themselves are their own overseers. They catch the scoundrels running amok within the dungeon, far from the watchful eyes of the city’s Knight’s Order, and maintain order within the dungeon. You can’t expect to be helped if you mess about.” -Old Man 

“What happens to adventurers who are involved in crime?” -Ur 

“They’re captured by the Knight’s Order. Well, usually they would be crushed within the guild before that. The Adventurers’ Guild’s disciplinary actions are severe.” -Old Man 

It seemed to be an organization with a functioning self-purification mechanism, or so it appeared. Ur had no intention of committing crimes himself, however. After that, the old man fell silent. Sensing the sign that they shouldn’t disturb his work, Ur and Shizuku waited quietly. The old man skillfully appraised the magic stones one after another, then sorted and stored them in a container behind him. 

“One, and two, and three, and….Here, take this… it’s the exchange for the appraisal.” -Old Man 

When the appraisal was over, the old man threw a silver coin and twenty copper coins to them. 

Hmmm, Ur pondered. 

One silver coin could be exchanged for thirty copper coins, which means fifty copper coins. If he managed his expenses carefully, he could cut down his daily meals to ten copper coins. That would be enough for five days’ worth of meals. And all of this was obtained in a few moments, but… he had almost died two or three times for it. Moreover, this was for both Shizuku and Ur, so they had to divide it, meaning two and a half days’ worth. It was a rough estimate. Currently, they were allowed to stay at the training facility for free, but what would happen if that privilege were taken away? 

Hmm, it’s not worth it, Ur sighed. Naturally, there was no way they could continue living like this. One injury or a single bout of illness would immediately lead to collapse. They needed to stabilize their lives or increase their income… 

“You look quite gloomy, future gold-ranker,” a familiar voice remarked. 

There was a sense of dread, and Ur wanted to ignore it if possible, but he had no choice but to turn his face towards it. There stood a dazzling golden figure. It was the debt collector woman from the Golden Phoenix. She approached Ur with a bright smile on her face. 

“Why are you here?” -Ur 

“I came to find you. You know, last time, you fainted and we couldn’t have a proper conversation.” -Diz 

“What about Akane?” -Ur 

“She’s here.” -Diz 

《”Nii-tan!!” 》-Akane 

A splash of red liquid hit Ur’s face. It was Akane. When she got excited, she couldn’t maintain her human form. Ur gently peeled her off her face and let her transform back into a cat at her feet, then petted her head. 

“I’m glad you’re alive, Akane. Has this woman done anything terrible to you?” -Ur 

《”I ate and got candy and slept in bed―.” 》-Akane 

“It seems your situation is better than mine.” -Ur 

“I take good care of what’s mine.” -Diz 

The golden-haired woman chuckled, irritatingly adorable despite being infuriating. But she held the fate of Ur and his family in her hands. 

“So, did my plea reach you? Um…” -Ur 

“You can call me Diz. So, what was it again?” -Diz 

“I’ll cry, you know.” -Ur 

“Just kidding. You want to become an adventurer to buy back your sister, right?” -Diz 

Diz, as she introduced herself, seemed to be enjoying herself. Ur, on the other hand, was far from enjoying this. The woman held the fate of Ur’s entire life in her hands. Buying back his sister was Ur’s only hope. If this woman refused, Akane’s fate would be sealed. Ur’s desperate efforts in the dungeon would be in vain. It was even more nerve-wracking than being chased by monsters. 

“I don’t have an interest in tormenting people, so I’ll answer quickly. Your request will be granted, with condition.” -Diz 

“Conditions?” -Ur 

Suppressing the urge to clap his hands, Ur understood that he was making unreasonable demands. He had no bargaining power whatsoever, and he was gambling with his sister’s fate. To have his demands accepted as a formal transaction was nothing short of a miracle. Now, when it came to the condition, it most likely wouldn’t be easy. 

“Well, what’s the condition?” -Ur 

He inquired, and the woman raised a single finger. 

“Obtain a copper ring within a month.” -Diz 

“That’s…” -Ur 

Ur hesitated, unsure whether to protest or simply accept it. Glen had presented it as bait, to obtain that item within a month, under an extremely challenging condition. Ur understood that it was difficult, but he lacked the knowledge to comprehend just how daunting it truly was. 

“Hahaha! What nonsense this woman spouts! Impossible, I say!” -Old Man 

The old appraiser chimed in with a laugh, seemingly considering it a joke. Being someone who saw countless adventurers each day, the appraiser understood that the difficulty level was enough to be laughed off as a jest. 

However, this woman was dead serious. Although a smile graced her lips, her “eyes” never once shared in the amusement. She gazed at Ur with an intense, piercing look. The appraiser, who was laughing moments ago, also realized that she meant every word. He furrowed his brow and leaned in, peering at her face. 

“…No, it’s impossible, right?” -Old Man 

“It’s not for you to decide, old man.” -Diz 

“Oh, so you’re the one deciding?” -Diz 

“No, he’s the one deciding.” -Diz 

Upon hearing those words, Ur instinctively stepped back. 

Casually claiming, with mere words, that it was possible wasn’t an option. He could easily imagine that the woman would immediately see through it and take away the condition she had put forth. If he didn’t show his sincere determination, the woman would never be convinced. 

But, was it truly possible? Could he, who had desperately struggled and barely managed to secure the first magic stone against a mere goblin just a while ago, accomplish this task? 

Ur hesitated, torn between his ignorance as an adventurer and his understanding of his own insignificance. However… 

《”Nii-tan…” 》-Akane 

Looking down at the cat, Akane, who was gazing up at him with a worried expression, his frantic heart found solace. 

His sister would die. His bonds with his family would disappear. As a Nameless wanderer without a homeland or a home to return to, the only one left for him was Akane. What would become of him if he lost even that? 

“…I’ll do it.” -Ur 

“Very well.” -Diz 

Diz smiled at Ur’s answer. And with a smile, she raised her hand, and somehow, in an instant, she was already cradling Akane in her arm. Ur opened his eyes wide in surprise. Akane should have been clinging to his own body. 

《”Huh? Eh?” 》 -Akane 

Even Akane, who was being held by Diz, seemed surprised, but she settled down when Diz comforted her by stroking her head. It seemed she was accustomed to being treated this way. With Akane still in her arms, Diz turned her back to Ur. 

“Let’s look forward to one month from now, Future gold-rank. You’ll entertain me, won’t you?” -Diz 

《”Nii-tan!! Don’t die, okay?!” 》-Akane 

Listening to Diz’s taunt and his sister’s voice, Ur watched their figures until they disappeared. Then, he let out a deep, heavy sigh. 

“…I feel like I’m going to throw up.” -Ur 

“Are you alright? Shall I massage your back?” -Shizuku 

“…Please do.” -Ur 

Ur appreciated Shizuku’s slightly off-target concern, as he found himself in a great predicament. He was troubled, but he also knew he had no time to be lost in despair. 

Quest Initiated 

Obtain the mark of a copper-ranked adventurer from the Adventurers Guild. 

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Training Facility 

“What took you so long, you damn brats?” -Glen 

“If I told you I’ll explode into pieces and die unless you give me a copper ring right now, would you give it to me?” -Ur 

“It sounds amusing. Go ahead and explode into pieces. I’ll have a good laugh.” -Glen 

The desperate plea, as expected, was futile. 

Having faced the first grand dungeon exploration and the deal with Diz, two significant events, and returning to the training ground with great effort, Ur noticed a distinct lack of people’s presence. 

“Hiii―… Hiii―…” 

“I’m gonna die… I’m gonna die…” 

True to Glen’s announcement in front of the dungeon, the hoodlums now continuously ran around a small chamber within the training grounds. However, their numbers were visibly reduced. 

Although the hoodlums had been nothing more than a pile of bodies, and even now, still consisted of some wounded people, they weren’t completely incapacitated. They should have received healing for most of their injuries, so, where did about half of them disappear to? 

“Oh, if your lookin’ for those guys, they left.” -Glen 

“Really.” -Ur 

“They have no guts. My job just got a lot easier.” -Glen 

“Please make an effort to hide your true thoughts.” -Ur 

There were some terrible instructors as well. As that silver-ranked adventurer had said, it seemed that this man was indeed quite reckless as a leader. However, this man possessed a copper ring and had the authority to bestow it, even if it was merely bait for these pseudo-adventurers. That was a fact. 

Therefore, 

“Glen, if you acknowledge me, will you give me a copper ring?” -Ur 

“No way in hell, are you fuckin’ insane?” -Glen 

“You stopped bothering to even maintain appearances.” -Ur 

At the very least, he wanted him to uphold his own words. 

“It’s not right, Glen-sama. Ur-sama truly desires a copper ring.” -Shizuku 

And there, Shizuku interjected. When they encountered Diz, she wisely stepped back and refrained from saying a word. However, she must have been aware of Ur’s circumstances as she listened along. Even without knowing the details, she understood that Ur wasn’t joking about this. 

“To save my little sister, I must obtain a 【copper ring】 as soon as possible.” -Ur 

“How soon we talkin’?” -Glen 

“One month.” -Ur 

“Hahaha, sure you can, dummy.” -Glen 

Glenn struck Ur’s head with his fist. It hurt. 

“This condition wasn’t my idea. It was proposed by my the person holding my sister.” -Ur 

“And you agreed to this condition?” -Glen 

“I did.” -Ur 

Well then, it’s your own fault, Glen said as he struck his head with his fist again. It felt like his already lacking intellect had become even worse. 

“Can’t be helped, right? I didn’t have any other choices.” -Ur 

“I don’t get it. Why are you in such a shitty situation that you have to accept such an unfavorable condition? Explain it from the beginning.” -Glen 

“Don’t hit me.” -Ur 

Ur proceeded to explain his circumstances to Glen. As a result, his head was struck by his fist three times. 

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Having listened to everything, Glen, unusually (though it had only been half a day since they met), adopted a solemn expression and looked at Ur with eyes filled with profound pity. 

“…There should have been more… If you’d negotiated better conditions…” -Glen 

“I didn’t have any room to bargain.” -Ur 

“But still, you… The Golden… A month to obtain a copper…” -Glen 

Glen muttered to himself for a while, lost in thought. Then he suddenly looked up and, with a grave expression, patted Ur’s shoulder. 

“It’s a real shame about your sister.” -Glen 

“You’re consoling me as if she’s already dead.” -Ur 

His sister was not dead. She was still alive. It couldn’t be so easily given up. However, Glen continued to gaze at Ur with eyes that seemed to pity him deeply. 

“It’s impossible. Give up.” -Glen 

“The reason being?” -Ur 

“It’s like a newborn baby saying, ‘I’m going to defeat a dragon right now.’ That’s what you’re saying about becoming a gold-ranked adventurer. And? Just one month for a copper ring?” -Glen 

“It’s impossible,” Glenn asserted again. Among the conditions for acquiring a copper ring, one of them was “over one year of adventurer experience.” One year. It was impossible at this point. 

It didn’t matter about his abilities or talent. That was not the issue. 

“That Diz woman probably just made up those absurd conditions to make you give up easily. There’s no way you can achieve it in just one month, and especially not for someone like you…” -Glen 

Glen calmly tried to persuade him, but… 

“With that being said, is there a way to obtain it within a month?” -Shizuku 

Interrupting their conversation, Shizuku spoke up. 

“Huh?” -Glen 

“You said it was impossible for someone like Ur-sama, but what about others?” -Shizuku 

Glen frowned at Shizuku’s observation and fell silent, clearly indicating that he had slipped up. Smilingly, Shizuku continued to watch Glen without taking her eyes off him. While the odd silence continued, Glen sighed as if giving up. 

“It’s not like there isn’t any ‘special treatment’.” -Glen 

In any field, talented newcomers always appeared. Even in the world of adventurers, it was no exception. Some had already gained knowledge of monster hunting, such as knights who had switched to adventurers after accumulating extensive experience. 

The Adventurer’s Guild had preferential measures for promising individuals, for talented and experienced adventurers. The idea was to secure such talent by giving them favorable treatment in advance. 

Of course, if there were no issues with their character and abilities, the conditions for the copper ring could be more lenient. If they were considered competent and had no problems, it could be granted within a month. But… 

“If you have talent or ability, that is. So, you have any?” -Glen 

“No, I don’t.” -Ur 

“Then give up…” -Glen 

“I don’t wanna though.” -Ur 

Glen’s headache returned. He desperately searched for a way to make Ur give up, but when he looked at Ur’s face, all he saw was a stubbornness that could not be swayed. 

“…Then, I’ll test you.” -Glen 

“Test me?” -Ur 

“I’ll see if you have the ability to obtain the copper ring.” -Glen 

Glen pointed towards the training grounds. 

“Run like the others on the field. But at full sprint.” -Glen 

“Full spr-…. How far?” -Ur 

“Until you collapse. Get used to magic power at the fastest pace. Go.” -Glen 

Ur hesitated for a moment, as if about to protest, but upon seeing Glen’s serious gaze, he fell silent. Then he sprinted with all his might toward the field. 

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Having watched Ur dash away, Glen gazed up at the sky. 

“Oh boy… We’ve got ourselves an especially annoying one,” he muttered. 

“It certainly seems that way,” agreed Shizuku, who could be considered the main cause of this predicament. Ur was an eccentric boy in his own right, but this girl, Shizuku, was rather peculiar herself. Her abnormality was particularly pronounced in her appearance, yet there was something about her intellect as well. Glen couldn’t fathom why such a person would want to become an adventurer. 

“Well then, I suppose I should run as well. Should I give it my all?” -Shizuku 

“Nah, that’s something only that brat should do.” -Glen 

“But wouldn’t giving it my all make me faster and allow me to become accustomed to magic better?” -Shizuku  

“…Well, yeah.” -Glen 

With those words, she too started running. Though her pace was slightly slower than Ur’s, she began circling the ground with her own version of a full-speed sprint. 

“…Some weird-ass kids, the two of them,” Glen remarked. 

He had a feeling that this particular job was going to drag on. With that premonition, Glen let out another sigh.