NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 39
Challenge
Geist summoned Haise to the guild master’s room.
Haise downed the tea served to him in one gulp. Pouring a refill, Geist spoke.
“You’ve received a personal request. It’s from Ibis, the master of the Yggdrasil clan.”
“A personal request? The leader of one of the Four Great Clans, asking for me?”
“She must have heard about you from the recent Stampede battle. So, what will you do? As an S-rank adventurer, you don’t have to accept it.”
“You’re assuming I won’t take it.”
“Well, you seem about ready to leave for something else anyway…”
Haise had been preparing for a journey while taking on a subjugation quest.
His destination: Infinite Labyrinth of Delmadrome in the desert nation of Dizara, located to the south.
Haise invested all his earnings from the Stampede battle into purchasing a new item box.
This high-end box, capable of halting time and spacious enough to hold a small town, was the most expensive in the world.
Inside, he stored a vast amount of camping gear and provisions.
The supplies included enough food for two years and camping tools for 200 people, to prepare for any unforeseen equipment failure.
His older item box also held reserves of food, water, and medicine.
With these supplies, Haise could handle an outbreak in a mid-sized town single-handedly.
It was a stockpile worthy of someone about to challenge one of the Forbidden Six Labyrinths—a step toward realizing his dream.
“I’ve mastered over fifty weapons and honed a trump card. I can wield all the weapons through my training. Now, as long as I don’t make any mistakes, I can conquer the Forbidden Six Labyrinths.”
“…You’re really going, then?”
“Yes. I’ll clear the labyrinth and become the strongest adventurer.”
“All on your own?”
“Yes.”
There was no hesitation in his reply.
This was the earnest resolve of a boy who had been betrayed by his comrades, abandoned, and risen to power on his own.
Geist could say no more.
“Understood. I’ll decline the request for you. Haise, you’re certain about this?”
“Yes.”
“Very well.”
Geist nodded, folding the request from Ibis carefully.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
“What?! He refused it?”
Ibis, lounging on a sofa in the Yggdrasil Clan’s office, groaned as she looked at the ‘Declined’ request form Geist himself brought.
Geist explained.
“An S-rank adventurer doesn’t usually decline an S-rank request, but… As peers, they’re not obligated to accept even a direct request.”
“Ugh… I was looking forward to seeing Haise after so long.”
Ibis folded the paper and tossed it into the trash.
Geist placed a parchment on Sasha’s desk, who was busy at work.
“You have a personal request too.”
“Huh…?”
“You can refuse it if you’d like. I’ll handle it if you do.”
“….?”
When Sasha checked the parchment, she was stunned to see the requester’s name—Haise.
After reading the details, her expression stiffened.
“…”
“That’s the situation. What will you do?”
“I’ll accept.”
“Understood. I’ll process it for you.”
Geist pulled out a stamp from his pocket and marked the request as ‘Accepted.’
Ibis, still lying on the sofa, tilted her head in curiosity.
“Hmm? Something amusing happening?”
“Heh… just the complexities of youth.”
Geist chuckled, while Ibis, puzzled, remained sprawled on the sofa.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
After breakfast, Haise placed extra gold coins on the inn’s counter.
“Extend for over a month. I’m heading south. Keep the room as is, and just make sure it gets cleaned.”
“…Got it.”
The innkeeper, reading a newspaper, put the coins in the jar under the counter.
When Haise stepped outside, Presea was there waiting.
“You’re heading south, to the Forbidden Six Labyrinths.”
“…Yeah.”
As he started walking, Presea followed.
Haise glanced at her briefly, realizing she was determined to come along.
He sighed and spoke while walking.
“You’re planning to tag along, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“…Hah.”
Walking side by side through the castle town, Haise continued.
“The destination is Dizara, to the south.”
“I know.”
“As an S-rank adventurer, I can apply for access to Infinite Labyrinth of Delmadrome. But you, as a B-rank, won’t get in even with an application. Well… knowing you, you’d claim to be my partner or sneak in to follow me.”
“Who knows?”
“I don’t do partners. I’m challenging the labyrinth alone.”
“…”
“Sorry, but this is where we part ways.”
At the southern gate of Heiberg Kingdom, Sasha stood waiting.
“Sasha? Why are you here—”
Before Presea could finish her question, Sasha struck her neck with a sharp hand motion, knocking her unconscious.
She gently caught Presea as she collapsed.
“Task complete. Get your reward from the guild.”
With that, Haise resumed his steps.
From behind, Sasha called out.
“Haise.”
“…”
“Our team, ‘Sacred,’ will soon head west to tackle the Great Salt Lake of Diloromanz. You may face the Forbidden Six Labyrinth first, but… I won’t lose.”
“…”
Haise stopped and turned.
Sasha gently placed Presea against a nearby tree and approached Haise.
“You have your path, and I have mine. You aim to be the strongest adventurer, and I aim for the best team. Together, let’s conquer our challenges.”
“Yeah.”
“Haise, can I ask one thing?”
“What?”
“Will we ever go back to being childhood friends?”
“Impossible. I’m no longer the Haise who followed you. I’m Haise the adventurer, and you’re Sasha the adventurer.”
“You’re right. But… I want to keep some connection.”
Sasha grasped Haise’s arm and gave it a light tug.
Then, as Haise slightly leaned, she kissed his cheek.
“!?”
“Haise. I guess I don’t want to sever ties with you.”
“You…”
“The next time we meet, let’s both be adventurers who’ve conquered the Forbidden Six Labyrinths.”
Sasha turned away, carrying Presea, and left.
Her ears were flushed red, though Haise figured it was his imagination.
He watched her until she disappeared, then turned forward and walked on,
lightly brushing his cheek.
“A connection, huh…”
He thought of Sasha, his childhood friend, and chuckled softly.
Yes, he too… had once been in love with her.
Turning once more, he whispered,
“See you, Sasha. Someday…”
Half a year later…
Haise vanished entirely from Heiberg Kingdom.