Nick the Light Warrior / Fired Adventurer / Idol Stan “Nick… You are no longer needed in this party.” An adventurer’s party was like a family. The veterans could be tough on the rookies, but only to make sure they learned the fundamentals; meanwhile, the rookies may have found their seniors’ orders tyrannical, but they listened closely. The leader watched over and guided everyone like a father taking care of his children. That was the ideal for adventurers, the traditional way every party should be. “…Are you serious?” This is bullshit, Nick cursed in his mind. So much for ideals. They were in Teran, a city in the Holy Kingdom of Dineez. It was a city that housed untold dangers due to the labyrinths that surrounded it, yet it also managed to be a city of trade with a population in the hundreds of thousands. Teran was teeming with adventurers and merchants hoping to strike it rich—as well as corrupt nobles and priests and other unsavory characters. The city itself had the chaotic air of a labyrinth, where danger and opportunity awaited in equal measure. This state of affairs had earned it the nickname Labyrinth City. A party of adventurers called Combat Masters was staying at an inn in Labyrinth City. Nick, a light warrior in the party, was asked to stay behind at the table after dinner by the party’s leader, a man named Argus. Once the rest of the party left, the man who had raised Nick like a father told him to get lost. “Yes, I want you to leave the party. Do you want to know why?” Argus had red hair styled in a crew cut, and long, harsh years of living as an adventurer had hardened his features. When he spoke, people listened. But Nick wasn’t scared of him at all. Argus was the nicest and sweetest man he knew. The request didn’t make him afraid—just sad. “No shit. You can’t just kick me out without giving me a reason,” Nick responded. Argus clicked his tongue. “…All right, I’ll tell you. You obsess over every detail. That’s not how adventurers are supposed to behave. True comrades don’t need words to communicate how they feel,” he explained. “Sure.” “Whether you’re adventuring with the party or going shopping, you always say what you want without regard for the feelings of others. Even if it means upsetting the person you’re talking to.” “Are you telling me I shouldn’t complain when I’m getting ripped off?! Merchants fight with words the same way we use swords and magic. If you worry about your opponent’s feelings in a business negotiation, you’ll get squeezed for all you’re worth. It’s always best to say what needs to be said!” Nick argued passionately, but Argus shook his head. “The only opponents we fight are monsters in labyrinths. Humans are our allies,” he said. “Argus, you trust merchants way too much. I mean, just the other day—” “I don’t want to hear it. The others are fed up with your grumbling as well.” “You talking about Garos?” Garos was one of the members of Combat Masters. “Yes,” Argus answered. “You can’t blame me for that! He took money from the party’s funds and spent them on a woman, only to find out she was playing him… And this was hardly the first time! We could totally sue him for stealing!” Nick shouted. “He apologized to me, and he always does his job on our labyrinth expeditions. I have nothing to say on the matter.” “I know he’s good in a fight! He’s brilliant with a katana! But if you keep letting him get away with this, we’ll be broke in no time! Call me crazy, but I don’t like our adventures being more dangerous than they need to be!” “Are you talking about money?” “What else would I be talking about?” “Money is for spending, not saving. Surely you have a woman to spend money on as well!” “I do, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna steal from our party! I manage on my own!” “That’s what I mean when I say you don’t behave like an adventurer! Why can’t you forgive a comrade who has apologized?” “There has to be a line! The reason they never fix their bad habits is because you’re always forgiving them and covering for them! I’m angry with Garos, but I’m even angrier with you!” “That’s enough!” Argus slammed a fist on the table. Nick reached out his hand to stop his cup of booze from falling over. Nick didn’t think he was remotely at fault for any of Argus’s complaints. That was just how his personality was, and Nick had plenty of grievances of his own. All the other members of Combat Masters were loose with money. Garos wasn’t the only one who used the party’s funds however he pleased. Nick had lost count of how many times money had been taken from their wallet to satisfy a gambling binge or how many times they had taken out an advance from a reward to pay a bar tab. Argus wasn’t any better; on days after a successful mission, he always treated everyone to a meal to set an example of how adventurers should behave, without one thought for the cost. He even generously tipped merchants and employees at bars and inns. He said it never hurt to show some gratitude in a business where death could come for you any day. Nick always told Argus that if he had to do that, he should at least make sure they would still turn a profit. Finding treasure in a labyrinth or defeating a named monster didn’t mean they could just party all their money away. If they didn’t replenish their medicine and perform maintenance on their weapons, they would be in trouble come their next adventure. They also needed to distribute the reward to all the party members. It was essential to end up with more money than you started with after taking care of all necessary expenses. But Argus and the rest of the party couldn’t care less. They spent the money they obtained with reckless abandon and without even bothering to count it. Nick would always point it out when more spending would result in a net negative income, but Argus did nothing to stop it. Even worse, he always responded by saying, “Adventurers shouldn’t be cheapskates.” This always resulted in them needing to borrow money from merchants. “If you can’t forgive me or your comrades, you should quit life as an adventurer. You are in no position to speak about other people’s behavior,” Argus said. “Huh? What does that mean? Are you trying to suggest I’m no different?” Nick responded. “I’m not suggesting anything. I know what you did. If you admit your offense, I will overlook it and forgive you. If you can’t do that, I want you to get out of my sight,” Argus commanded. “Overlook…? Hold up, Argus; I have no clue what you’re talking about. What’d I do?” Nick asked, confused. Argus sighed. “I won’t mince words. You took money from the wallet, too, didn’t you?” “What?! I told you; that was Garos! That wasn’t me!” “Yes, I acknowledge that Garos stole from the wallet. But he and the rest of the party all accused you of doing the same.” Nick was shocked. Not because the other members of his party tried to frame him. He was shocked because Argus believed them—or at least pretended to believe them for the purpose of kicking him out of the party. Nick had undeniably been butting heads with Argus a lot recently, but he felt no ill will toward him. He had raised Nick, a helpless kid without any special talents, into a full-fledged adventurer. Argus was the best leader Nick could’ve asked for and his teacher in life. No matter their disagreements, Nick held great respect and gratitude for him. That was why Nick spoke so harshly to him. He figured that these threats to kick him out of the party were just a temporary frustration and Argus would listen to what he had to say. That belief was beginning to crack. “W-wait, do you actually believe that?! I don’t indulge in gambling, booze, or women! I basically manage our party’s wallet! I can tell you exactly where every coin has gone!” Nick had learned to be very careful with money because of how recklessly the rest of the party spent it, and he made sure he could always explain his own spending as well as all money that entered and left the party’s funds. That was why he could deny the charge with utmost confidence. “…You’re missing the point, Nick,” Argus said, shaking his head sadly. “You were just a kid when I brought you into my party. It’s nostalgic to think about it now. You were so small I had to watch to make sure the wind didn’t blow you away; yet look how strong you’ve become.” “Wha—? Yeah, I’ve grown, but I’m not as good as the others in combat yet—,” Nick began before being interrupted. “There is more to strength than combat ability. You can confront your leader honestly and voice your disagreements. You can prove your innocence. You can negotiate and make deals with the most cunning of merchants on equal footing. That is all due to your strength.” “Wh-what’re you getting at here?” Nick was perplexed. He couldn’t tell what Argus’s intention was. “Nick, I wanted to hear one of two things from you, if not both: ‘Trust me’ or ‘I’m sorry.’” “…That would be no better than saying nothing at all.” Nick was so astonished he couldn’t find the anger to shout. “No, you’re wrong. Nearly all adventurers are ne’er-do-wells who have little more than their physical strength to rely on. No matter how brave or cool-headed they may appear, they are no match for people of high intelligence or social standing. You are eloquent, you can do math, and you can write. You should quit being an adventurer and find a regular job. Use your smarts and your talents to serve some noble. Or become a knight. You can find real success for yourself in life.” “Don’t be ridiculous! There are plenty of adventurers who can do that! Are you saying that having a brain means you can’t be an adventurer?!” “I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t need you in my party. Frankly, you’re in our way.” “In your way?!” Argus didn’t look at Nick. He just closed his eyes, stopped listening, and said what he needed to say. “Can’t you see it? You and I have conflicting principles. Until now, you were just a kid who couldn’t do anything on his own. That’s why we looked after you. But now you’re a full-fledged adventurer with your own way of doing things, and I don’t intend to change my standards to match yours. You shouldn’t have any reason to remain in this party. Am I wrong?” Nick was speechless. All the work he had put in over the years had been to repay his debt to Argus. He applied himself every day to help Combat Masters grow into an elite party. He didn’t have the physique of an adventurer. He was of average height but had difficulty putting on muscle. He had no talent for magic. Nick was confident he was better than a decent amount of adventurers, but he still had a ways to go compared to the skilled warriors in Combat Masters. Even so, he was dexterous and had a good memory. He made an effort to work on skills that utilized those two things, including weapon and hand-to-hand combat techniques that could be mastered even without tree-trunk-size arms—and methods of defeating larger opponents in a fight. He studied how to disable traps, how to defeat various monsters, how to deal with getting lost in a labyrinth, how to take care of weapons, and how to appraise treasure. He also taught himself how to read and write and do math, how to keep a ledger, and how to negotiate with merchants. These were all little things, but they were undeniably helpful to the party. And what thanks did he get for all this effort? The person he respected most telling him to get lost. “Argus, you’re too good to waste away in a C-rank party! You should always aim for the top if you have the ability! There aren’t even many adventurers in A-rank parties who could beat you!” Nick shouted. “I think C rank is just right for Combat Masters. If anyone is wasting away…it’s you,” Argus retorted. “…You’re picking Garos and the others over me.” “That’s right. They wouldn’t be able to support themselves if they weren’t adventurers. C rank is also the most they can handle. But that doesn’t have to be true for you, Nick. That’s why I don’t care about the facts or which of you is the most law-abiding citizen.” “Really.” Nick had always liked Argus—but unfortunately, that was no longer true. “If that’s how it is, I have no use for this party, either,” he said, getting up to walk out of the inn. “Take care of yourself,” Argus called after him. His back already turned to the man he loved as a father, Nick left the inn without a word. What happened next was a sad sight. “So, Claudine. Can I join your party?” “…Hmm.” “I’ll do anything for you guys. I swear I’ll be helpful.” Nick and his girlfriend, Claudine, were at a café called Fromage, which was one of their favorite spots in Labyrinth City. Claudine was an adventurer and the same age as Nick. As fellow light warriors, they often bumped into each other at the same stores. They grew closer over time and eventually started dating. Nick made the first move after falling for her soft, glistening blond hair and her kind eyes. He did everything and anything Claudine asked. He usually paid for their dates, and he always agreed to lend her money, even when he was struggling financially. Their bond was tighter than an adventurer’s party. At least, that was what he thought. “Come on, please,” Nick asked again. “Sorry, but no. I’d lose my position in the party,” Claudine refused. “H-how much could one extra person really hurt? I can do more than just scout. I’m pretty good at fighting in the vanguard, too…,” Nick pleaded. “We should break up,” she said with a contrived, doll-like smile. “…Wha—?” “Without Combat Masters, you’re just some weak light warrior.” “Huh?!” “I thought you must be really impressive because you were one of them. Everyone says they’re A rank in terms of pure strength, if nothing else, but you must’ve been no more than a leech who didn’t deserve to be there. I’ve always put up with you being a little poor, too… Ugh, this is so disappointing!” “N-no, you’ve got it wrong! I swear that’s not how it—” Just then, two men approached Nick and Claudine’s table. “It’s Nick, right? Are her words not gettin’ through that thick skull of yours?” “No one likes a guy who doesn’t know when to give up.” One of them was a tigerian warrior, and the other was a human mage. They were both glaring at Nick wickedly. “…Who the heck are you?” Nick responded without hesitation, glaring back at them. It was Claudine who answered. “They’re my party members. You know, from Iron Tiger Troop?” she said in a sickly sweet voice. The men rounded on Nick aggressively. “You’re clearly botherin’ our sweet little scout. Whaddaya want with her, you prick?” the tigerian asked threateningly. “Bothering her? No, I’m just asking my girlfriend for a little favor,” Nick denied. “Girlfriend? Ugh, don’t call me that. Save me, you two. This guy won’t leave me alone,” Claudine said. “Huh?!” Nick exclaimed with surprise and anger. “What the hell, man? You makin’ a move on our princess?” the tigerian accused. “What? Claudine’s my…!” Nick started, but then he finally noticed. The design on Claudine’s armor matched the tigerian warrior’s before him. That wasn’t all. The sun streaming in through the windows reflected off a talisman hanging around the warrior’s neck. That was no ordinary accessory—it was a valuable piece of defensive equipment that provided resistance against curses and elemental attacks. “…Why the hell do you have that?” “Oh, this? It was a gift from Claudine.” He laughed mockingly, flaunting the pendant. Nick had given that to Claudine as a present. “You bastard!” “Oooh, you wanna fight? Gimme your best shot. But you do know you’ll get in trouble for startin’ a fight here, right?” The warrior and the mage both took a combat stance. They were clearly itching to give him a beating. “Oh, so that’s how it is…” Nick was already surrounded. This ambush clearly had been the plan all along. They must have heard somewhere that he had been kicked out of Combat Masters, and they wanted to make sure he gave up on his relationship with Claudine. This meant that Claudine only dated him for his money. Now that he was no longer of use, it was time to dispose of him. It all seemed so obvious now. “You were super good at finding bargains on accessories from street vendors and peddlers, Nick. This talisman has been very useful. I’m grateful for that, truly… But I’m done with you,” Claudine said. Nick felt his strength leave his body when he saw her mocking smile. She’s been deceiving me all along, and now she doesn’t need me anymore, he thought. “So be a good boy and get lost. We’ll look the other way if you leave now,” the tigerian warned. “Toodle-oo,” Claudine said. They were so flagrantly rude that Nick lost the willpower to fight them. They wouldn’t listen to anything he said, and nothing he did would change anything. Helplessness, futility, and despair. Those were the emotions that ruled over Nick’s mind. Nick once had a goal in life—to help boost Argus’s party to A rank. Combat Masters was currently a C-rank party. In terms of pure fighting strength, every member of the party was one of the strongest warriors in the land. But the party had one critical problem—no one could use magic. The more difficult the labyrinth, the less likely it would be conquerable without magic, which greatly limited their activity. Normally, it would be unthinkable that a party without a single sorcerer would even be able to reach E or D rank. Combat Masters, however, rose to C rank due to their skill and strength. One small push should have been all that was needed to help them reach a B rank or above, which were considered advanced ranks. That was how Nick planned to repay Argus for adopting and raising him. Nick was originally the son of a peddler, and his earliest memories were of traveling from town to town with his parents. It wasn’t an easy life, but he was never lonely. His father was a slim, gentle-natured man who could wield a sword when necessary to protect his family. His mother was a hearty, strong-willed woman who was very demanding of her husband, but she was warm and supportive when the time called for it. They both loved their son very much. Argus was one of their dearest friends. Nick remembered Argus patting him on the head the first time he met him in Labyrinth City. His parents often went out drinking with Argus, but one day the alcohol backfired. Peddlers needed to transport their goods along highways, which was risky in even the most peaceful of times. They could hire guards if they had the extra funds, but otherwise they would need to protect themselves with their own physical strength. Nick’s father was not weak by any means, but he let his guard down one day when meeting Argus in a city. He got drunk after imbibing an unusually large amount of alcohol, and Nick’s mother had to support him on the way back to the inn. While they were vulnerable, Nick and his parents were attacked by thieves who sensed they had valuables worth stealing. If Nick’s parents hadn’t risked their lives to protect him, he probably would have died. He definitely would have if Argus hadn’t come to the rescue after noticing something was wrong. After cutting down the thieves who killed Nick’s parents, Argus adopted the boy. He raised him into a full-fledged adventurer. To Nick, Argus was a hero. Nick wanted Argus to be rewarded for his kindness. He wanted everyone to respect the man the way he did. It was for Argus’s sake that he worked to better himself. Nick wanted to prove to Argus he wasn’t just someone who needed to be protected and that he could be of help to other people. He told Claudine everything about his goal and his outlook on life. She must have sensed the guilt and desire he held in his heart and decided she could take advantage of it. I just wish I wasn’t such a burden. If only I had some good equipment. Thank you so much, Nick! Everything she ever said to him was calculated to appeal to his emotions. Nick definitely felt the joy of helping another person when he was with her. Now he had just experienced a double whammy of being rejected by the person he respected most and discovering he was being used by his girlfriend. Overcome by despair, he stumbled around Labyrinth City like a dead man. One aimless week later, he looked like a stray dog on the brink of starvation. He had only gone downhill since he was kicked out of Combat Masters. Little did he know that a life-changing event was about to occur. It was raining hard that day. Nick was sitting on a park bench without an umbrella, totally motionless. “Excuse me, sir… You’re soaked.” A passing girl spoke to him; apparently, her conscience wouldn’t let her leave him there in the rain. She had navy blue hair and was quite pretty. “Yep…,” Nick responded. “Is that all you have to say?” “Leave me alone.” Nick was in no state of mind to be moved by the girl’s appearance. Seeing a beautiful girl only reminded him of Claudine and made him feel worse. He waved his hand and hissed to shoo her away like she was a dog or a cat. “…Um,” the girl said hesitantly. “What do you want?!” Nick shouted with irritation, and the girl shrieked. “…Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” “Did something bad happen?” she asked. “Is there anyone who isn’t dealing with something bad?” “I don’t know? But if there was…” “Yeah?” “I don’t think I would want to be friends with them.” “I agree.” Nick smiled sarcastically. The girl responded with an innocent smile. “So what are you doing here?” she asked. “…You know, I think there are two types of people who go to parks,” Nick responded. The girl stared back in confusion. “People who choose to go to the park and people who have no choice but to go to the park.”
Chapter 1
20 min read