Chapter 44

Ogres

Ogre

There were many monsters in Erie . Ogres were one of them, but they were one of the stronger monsters that walked on the ground with 2 legs . They had a resistance to magic, and they had a thick skin that was really strong against attacks .

They were also very intelligent so it was a pain trying to fight them off . There were even some ogres that used magic .

The guilds ranked the monsters in Erie by difficulty, and if the mercenaries of that rank could beat the monsters . The orcs were about rank E and the ogre were about rank A .

Sungmin had never gotten a mission about a ogre conquest . They were strong monsters . He knew his life was important .

‘Ogre’

Sungmin touched his chin . It was the mission for his skill test . There was information about an ogre in the forest in Behengre, and the villagers gave a request to conquest them

“Do you need to come with me?”

The wagon rode on . He asked Lude who was sitting in front of him . To that, Lude smiled widely .

“I’m not busy so I asked the president . If I can see you at wor . ”

“Are you suspicious that I might do something?”

“No, that’s not it . Your aura yesterday was the real thing . Just… curiosity, I should say . Me, the president, we all have a curiosity towards you . ”

Lude laughed at that . He was a free mercenary not in a legion so all he had was time . Sungmin felt awkward that Lude was being so cheerful towards him .

He knew Lude . He saw him a few times before . But he had never had any connection with him . The S ranked Lude was a figure outside his world . THe Cranked Sungmin had no business with him

The first floor bar . Sungmin… was the one of the people who were drinking with the girls . Looking at the high ranked people like Lude, having jealousy towards them but too afraid to say anything .

That person was being nice to him . He didn’t know what Lude was up to, but he didn't push him away . People couldn’t live alone . Sungin knew that from the Mountain of Mush . Sogo taught him that .

“I’m not suspicious of your skills, but you’re young . It's only been 4 years since you came here?”

“So you’re worried that I might make a mistake . ”

“Yes . Don’t be too hurt . The president and I, I want to make sure you’re safe . It’s not common that there’s a person like you coming here . ”

It wasn’t just curiosity . But it wasn’t just niceness either . Sungmin looked at Lude and back outside . The background was nice .

“You’re silent for your age . Are you usually like this?”

“Yes . ”

That wasn’t true . Just, it was the result of the penalty of silence from the mountain . He was used to it .

The mountain gave many things to Sungmin, but they weren’t all positives . His senses were off . He was well trained about feeling with his skin, but his smell or hearing wasn’t trained at all .

He also didn’t have any experience with real fighting . It was lonely in the mountain . Since trainees couldn't hurt others, he couldn’t fight with trainees as well . He had experience from his past life, but the past him and now him were two completely different people .

He had never faced an ogre before . He couldn't rely on experience anymore .

“Have you fought with an ogre before?”

“Never even see one . ”

He passed the door after the sun went down . Listening to the conversation, he would have to go half a day more to the forest .

“But I have the basic information . We’ll arrive at night at this rate . Is that ok?”

“We will rest for a day in the village that asked for the conquest . If the ogre attacks at night… we’ll have to be prepared .

Lude wasn’t nervous . Unlike Sungin, Lude was already an S rank . He probably had experience against such things .

“Ogres aren’t like typical monsters . There are some that even use magic . ”

“I know . ”

“Then that’s good . There was no information about the ogre using magic here, but it’s good to know for now . I’m here for your protection, but I’m not going to help you starting off . If you’re going to die, then I’m going to save you . ””I know . ”

Sungmin answered . The sun was already down and the wagon kept running . Lude opened his bag . Maybe it was a interdimensional pocket, but Lude pulled out a piece of bread from his bag .

Sungmin at the bread with Lude . It was a normal pumpkin bread, but it felt delicious towards Sungmin who just had his taste penalty removed .

“You’re using martial arts? Do you have a weapon?”

“Yes . I use the spear . ”

“Spear! That’s good . I use the sword . I don’t want to fight with a spear person . It’s hard to fight against . ”

Lude kept talking to Sungmin . It wasn’t a topic that Sungmin was really interested in . He already knew that Lude used the sword .

“You seem like a good person, but you’re so boring . ”

Lude grumbled after talking for a while . Sungmin bitterly smiled at that . ”

“I’m a bit silent . ”

“There aren’t really people that are silent when they say it with their own mouth . Usually, they just don’t want to talk with you . ”

“That’s not it . ”

“I’m joking . ”

Lude laughed alone .

The wagon arrived at night . Lude went toward and introduced Sungmin to the mayor of the village . The village head wrinkled his face .

“He looks young…”

“There’s no correlation between age and skill . This kid could kill everyone in this village at the same time . ”

Lude laughed . The mayor was an old man with a beard . He shivered slightly at Lude’s statement and looked at Sungmin . Sungmin bowed slightly towards the mayor .

“ . . . Hm . i prepared a room . If you want, we can give you some food as well . ”

“Thank you . ”

Sungmin was directed towards an empty room inside the house of the mayor . Lude asked Sungmin .

“Do you want to drink?”

“No . ”

“Why . Because you’re young? That’s not funny . What kind of mercenary doesn’t drink?”

Lude grumbled and pulled out a big bottle of beer .

“IT’s good for you . Cools down your mind…”

Lude hummed and took out the bottle . Sungmin sat down looking at him .

“Don’t we have to stand guard?”

“Why do we have to do that?”

Lude put down the bottle .

“We were asked for the conquest of the ogre, not to stand guard for the village . If they give us more money, I might consider that . But there’s no point in doing something that they haven’t asked us for . ”

Sungmin understood . He was also a mercenary himself .

“The only thing that moves a mercenary is money . ”

Lude laughed and drank some more . To that, Sungmin nodded his head again . He wouldn’t have asked if it was the Sungmin a few years ago .

Just now…

He remember Sogo’s words about the things he shouldn’t forget . But he didn’t dwell on it too much . Sungmin and Sogo were two different people . There was no reason Sungmin had to be a nice person because Sogo was .

Sogo asked to Sungmin . Don’t forget kindness . There was no kindness given by the village people . He was a mercenary that got a job and came here to do it .

That was it .

There was no attack in the middle of the night . Like a habit, Sungin woke up early . There were no nightmares, but he was still used to waking up early .

Lude was still sleeping in the corner . It was awkward seeing an S ranked mercenary like Lude sleeping rolled up . He quietly left the room .

He breathed in the cool air outside . Going out to the chicken cage, he saw the chicken . They only looked back at Sungmin . Sungmin lifted up his spear .

Ran, na, zhe .

He practiced them . Slowly, slowly . He slowly measured his muscles . Even it it was the basics, he put all his effort in them

“Diligent . ”

Lude came out after the sun was already out . He yawned lod9dly and came closer .

“You should have slept more . You’ll be tired when you walk around the forest . ”

“I can’t sleep for a long time . ”

“Was it because of my snoring?”

“That’s not it . ”

Lude smiled at that . He glanced at the spear Sungmin was holding . It wasn’t anything special . Just… really old .

“You should get a new weapon . ”

“I have an extra . ”

“Then… that’s good . Let’s go inside .

Lude tapped his shoulders .

“We have to eat . ”

“Yes . ”

He put down his spear .