The Birth of the Survivors “Urgh, ow… God, that’s the most I’ve ever drank…” Nick sensed it was morning and slowly sat up. He apparently slept on the floor, but he was used to much worse sleeping conditions and didn’t feel any pain from it. The alcohol was giving him a much harder time. He couldn’t hold his alcohol well, and he was well aware of that. He had gotten hangovers after being forced to drink many times, but this was probably the first it had ever been entirely his own fault. The room was surprisingly tidy. There were no holes in the walls, there was glass set in the windows, and there were even curtains. Nick would normally never sleep in a place of such excellent quality. “What am I doing here…? And where is this?” Nick looked around. He saw three people sprawled out just like him. One was a petite female mage who looked as beautiful as a doll. Another was a tall, handsome priest with something of a decadent aura. The last was a female dragonian with an impressive build who reminded him of a beast. They were all sleeping peacefully. The mage was the only one sleeping properly in a bed. Her spell book was sitting on a desk, and her robe and hat were on a coat rack. This was probably her apartment. Nick figured he and the other two crashed here uninvited the previous night. …Who the heck were they anyway? “Oh, wait. I remember going to Newbies… Right, I failed to form a party.” Nick took a deep breath and recalled yesterday’s events one by one. Last night, Nick had plain barley porridge and lukewarm ale at the bar. He remembered screaming out of hatred for the people who abandoned him and the anger he felt toward himself. ““““I’ll never trust anyone again!”””” That was how he truly felt. The adventurers enjoying themselves at the neighboring table jumped and looked at them. Nick probably would have gotten pissed at them given the mood he had been in recently, but he was distracted by something else. The other three at his table had yelled the exact same thing. They all met eyes, and Nick bowed his head nervously. “S-sorry about that. I’ve been kind of stressed… I didn’t mean to scream like that,” he apologized. “I—I lost my temper, too… My apologies,” the mage said, also bowing her head. The dragonian warrior and the priest bowed timidly as well. They all looked embarrassed, which seemed to create a strange affinity between them. As the mood relaxed, the priest asked Nick a question. “You don’t look like a novice adventurer… What brings you here?” “Oh, well…” There was no way he could share his lame story. That was what he thought initially anyway, but for some reason, he began to talk. It was probably because their expressions resembled his. Nick sensed a defeated mess of self-doubt, humiliation, frustration, and pity from the three of them. He didn’t know why, but he felt like they would listen to him without laughter or judgment. That was why he answered honestly. “I…was kicked out of my party. I was fired, basically.” “I see…,” the priest responded. “The others in my party were stereotypical adventurers, in a bad way. They spent our money like there was no tomorrow. Even after a successful adventure, they’d spend our earnings so fast that, before I knew it, not only would we be out of money, we’d have to borrow from merchants… We could barely even afford to take care of our weapons.” Nick noticed that the three of them were listening very seriously. “So I decided I would manage our funds and tell everyone what we could and couldn’t spend our money on. But I probably just annoyed the hell out of them. They suspected me of taking money, too. I swear on my life I never did.” “…You were falsely accused,” the priest said painfully. “I always gave my best. I wanted to repay our leader…Argus, for all he’d done for me. I wanted to do everything I could to support the party. But it was all a goddamn waste of time.” “You wanted to help…” The dragonian nodded, looking on the verge of tears. “I was even dumped by my girlfriend. My love for her was totally one-sided, though—to her, I was nothing more than a walking wallet. I kind of lost it after that… I ended up getting obsessed with an idol and spending all my money. I’m flat broke now.” “Getting betrayed by the one you love is really hard…,” the mage said knowingly. “I thought I would recruit some adventurers and form a party, but I couldn’t find anyone…then got so pissed off I had to scream. I guess I wouldn’t be in this situation if I hadn’t wasted so much money going to idol concerts, though…” The young adventurers at the neighboring table got up and left, looking uncomfortable. Nick realized that their low spirits had infected the whole restaurant. “Sorry for bringing down the mood… I’m really pathetic, ha-ha,” Nick said, laughing off his confession. “““No, you’re not!””” The other three spoke in unison. “Th-thanks,” Nick responded. “M-my… My fiancé abandoned me! Then I was expelled from my aristocratic school and disowned by my family!” The mage—Tiana—wept gently. “Oh, you’re a noble…,” Nick said. “I’m not a member of my family anymore, so I can’t use their name. I’m just Tiana, an ordinary commoner. No need to humble yourself around me.” While crying, she began to tell them about the horrible experience she went through and how low she’d sunk. A rival noble stole her beloved fiancé from her. She fell victim to a scheme and was forced out of her family. She came to Labyrinth City looking for employment but found an oversaturated job market and got obsessed with gambling. Nick thought she had it pretty rough, too. Actually, he had to admit to himself that what she went through was even worse than what happened to him. He felt outraged by her story, while also feeling strangely moved at the thought that he never would have gotten to speak to her on equal terms if her life hadn’t fallen apart. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong! It’s that Lene girl’s fault, and your fiancé is the worst of all! Gettin’ jealous of your girl just ’cause she’s doing her best is goddamn pathetic!” Nick implored. “That’s right!” the dragonian said. “Exactly. There are certain lines a person should not cross,” the priest agreed. The three of them felt pity and were filled with indignation for what she went through. Their words made Tiana start crying harder. “That’s the first time…anyone’s ever said that to me…” She sobbed. Nick passed her a handkerchief, and she used it to blow her nose with a loud honking sound. That wasn’t how he intended her to use it, but he didn’t say anything. There was something he was more interested in. “…Hey, priest,” he said. “What is it?” the priest answered. “Did something terrible happen to you, too?” He smiled self-deprecatingly at Nick’s question. “Yes, but… It is not an easy matter to discuss in front of women…” “Oh, what does that matter at this point?” Tiana said. “Yeah!” the dragonian chimed in. The priest glanced at Nick. “Well, the women have spoken,” Nick said. “Understood… I shall start by introducing myself. My name is Zem, and I was a priest. I was framed by a little girl whom I was friends with at the sanctuary…” The priest… Or rather, former priest’s story was intense. He was abruptly arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and pelted with stones by people he trusted—the other three were speechless at the torment he faced. “I wandered alone for some time, and… How shall I put this? I drowned in lust for women. I am not poor, but frequenting hostess clubs is not an ideal way to live, so I thought it was about time I found a job… Dear me, I am truly pathetic,” the priest said with a self-mocking smile. Everyone knew that was just a show of courage. “Normally I wouldn’t be so sympathetic, but… It’s not your fault, man,” Nick said. “You went through a really horrible experience, so… Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Tiana added. “Yeah, cheer up,” the dragonian said. The other three consoled Zem and cursed the people who framed him. The shadow over his face seemed to lift somewhat. They then turned to the dragonian warrior. Her expression had been soft when she consoled Zem, but she stiffened when she realized it was her turn. She had probably gone through something just as bad as the rest of them. “Hey, did you…?” Nick began to say, but he stopped when the dragonian shrieked quietly. She was clearly afraid. He was surprised; that wasn’t the behavior he expected from a dragonian, a race that valued bravery in battle. But he could see that she had been hurt. Tiana put a hand over the dragonian’s. “You went through something horrible, too, didn’t you? I can tell.” “…Yeah,” the dragonian answered. She had tears in her eyes, and her voice was faint. “Can you tell us about it? And can you give us your name?” Tiana asked. “I’m Karan. I…was betrayed. By my party,” she answered. The dragonian warrior—Karan—began to tell her story hesitantly. She was tricked by an adventurer using the false name Callios and left to die on the bottom floor of a labyrinth. A valuable gem given to her by her parents was stolen while she was unconscious. She indulged herself on gourmet food while imitating Solo Diner Fifs, then came here when she ran out of money. “I was so stupid. But…but…” “It’s wrong to deceive another person like that!” Nick yelled, pounding the table so hard it looked like it would break. In his opinion, this Callios guy was evil. It wasn’t uncommon for people who couldn’t make it as adventurers or had no hope of reaching a higher rank to become fraudsters. Adventurers were essentially freelancers who offered violence as a service, and turning to a life of crime wasn’t much of a transition. But an adventurer’s party strong enough to take on Pot Snake Cave planning a scam like that would go against even a gangster’s moral code. Out of all the people in the three of their stories, Callios made Nick the angriest. “How could he tell you to trust him?! He has no right to call himself an adventurer!” he shouted. “Yeah! He’s a horrible person!” Tiana agreed. “He really is!” Zem said. “Oooh… I—I hate them!” Karan shouted, and she began to cry like Tiana. She ordered more ale and drained it vigorously. “All right, guys! Today we drink to the hope that those who wronged us will get struck by a bolt from the sky!” Nick proclaimed. “Yes, let’s!” Tiana said. “I could not have said it better myself!” Zem replied. “Yeah!” Karan shouted. Nick stood up and raised his cup. ““““Cheers!”””” The others followed suit, and they cheerfully clinked their cups together. Strangely enough, the terrible alcohol couldn’t have tasted better. That was how the four of them came to crash at Tiana’s apartment. The others had been staying in cheap inns, so Tiana’s place was the only choice. Tiana was also dealing with a hangover-induced headache, but she got up and, together with Nick, tried to remember what happened last night. “I remember now, too. We had to leave when the bar closed, and… Then we bought alcohol and came here,” she recalled. “That explains that,” Nick said, glancing at the empty bottles and half-eaten snacks in the corner of the room. It looked like they even started eating preserved foods made for labyrinth exploration, including dried meat and bread, by night’s end. Zem and Karan got up and expressed their apologies. “I, uh… I am truly sorry. I will take my leave as soon as I clean up,” Zem said. “S-sorry…,” Karan apologized. It was a common occurrence for adventurers to get drunk and crash together like this, but they were both ashamed. Nick guessed they had never done this before. A heavy silence befell Tiana’s apartment. They all had sheepish and gloomy expressions on their faces. Nick was most worried about Karan. She was hugging her knees on the floor and staring blankly at nothing. Just like him on that rainy day. I-I’m…an idol. The idol, Agate, approached him in the park when he was at a loss after being betrayed by Claudine. Her impactful words repeated in Nick’s head. At the time, he thought she was eccentric and annoying. But now he understood why Agate reached out to him. His despair had probably been as visible as theirs was now. An even worse disaster would likely befall Karan if he didn’t do anything here. Tiana and Zem were in tough situations, too, of course. They both had special skills in the form of magic and the healing arts, respectively. They could utilize them in ordinary jobs other than adventuring, but they had both been unlucky. If they were both struggling to find the money to simply live another day, let alone continue the job search, they would have to spend at least a small period of time earning money as adventurers. Karan’s situation, however, was more serious. When it came to employing warriors, anyone would do if they had enough strength. Even among adventurers, warriors were much easier to replace than mages or priests. There was no reason the role had to be filled by a dragonian. It would have been a separate story if she had knowledge of the world like Nick. She could have even led a life like Claudine, making money by deceiving men. But given her lack of life skills, being an adventurer was her only option. If she was unable to find a party, she would likely fall to the lowest rungs of society in Labyrinth City. She could be kidnapped by a slave trader—or end up killing a slave trader or any other villain who tried to approach her and become a wanted criminal. Whatever happened, Nick didn’t think things would turn out well for her. “All right, it is about time we make our—” “No, wait a moment,” Nick interrupted Zem. “Wh-what’s the matter, Nick?” the former priest asked with a startled look. “Are we really okay with leaving things like this?” Nick asked. Those words weren’t actually for the three of them. Was it okay for Nick, who was saved by a passing idol at his lowest moment, to let these people go when only misery awaited them? Would he be able to face himself as an idol fanatic and an Agate fan? He was asking that question to himself. “Huh?” “Think about it, guys. Are any of us really gonna get our lives together after parting here?” They all fell silent at Nick’s words. It dawned on them that while they had shared their troubles over dinner, they had done nothing to solve them. “Hey, Tiana. You don’t have enough money to pay your next month’s rent, right?” Nick asked. “H-how do you know that?!” Tiana snapped. “You told us while you were drunk! Karan, Zem, and I are in a similar situation. Don’t tell me you aren’t fraying at the seams, too!” Nick challenged, looking at Zem and Karan. Frustration was visible on Karan’s face, but she did not object. Zem nodded in agreement. “Then I’ve got a proposal,” Nick said. “What do you mean, a proposal…?” Tiana responded suspiciously, but Nick ignored her. “What do you guys say to forming a party?” Their eyes lit up with hope at his words…then immediately went dark again. Awkward silence befell Tiana’s apartment. “I’m grateful for your proposal. I really am, but…” Tiana trailed off. “I can’t trust others so easily now,” Karan responded. “I, too, feel…hesitant at the idea of entrusting my back to someone in a fight,” Zem admitted. Not letting their reluctance deter him, Nick continued. “I get that. But do you really think you can return to Newbies and find a party like normal people? We all tried and failed.” “S-sure, but—” “I don’t wanna be betrayed, either, so I can’t help but be suspicious of everyone when I try to form a party there. You guys are the same. We can’t trust anyone, so it’d be most efficient for the four of us to form a party here and now.” “I know that! That’s why…” Nick interrupted Tiana before she could say “That’s why I’m hesitating.” “I know it’ll be tough. That’s why I think we should set rules that make it possible for us.” “Rules? Like what?” Tiana asked. “We all have no choice but to make a living as adventurers, but we don’t want to be betrayed by our comrades… That means we need to put a system in place to keep us from stabbing each other in the back,” Nick explained. “That’s a nice idea, but…” “There are two things that cause betrayal. Money and priorities.” “That is an oversimplification… But you may be right,” Zem said, nodding. Karan and Tiana nodded as well. Nick saw that they weren’t going to object, so he continued speaking. “We can monitor the money together. We’ll use paper to write down the party’s budget and how to use the money, like merchants do with an account book. We could even rotate the person in charge of holding on to the money.” “I’m bad with that stuff,” Karan mumbled, but Nick didn’t let it stop him. “I’ll teach you,” Nick said. Karan looked at him with surprise. Since arriving in the city, people had told her what to do and what not to do, but hardly anyone had expressly said they would teach her something. The best she could ever do was watch and imitate. “Or do you not want to learn?” Nick challenged. “No, I do,” she replied. “Then let’s move on. As for priorities, let’s not meddle with each other’s private lives.” “…What exactly do you mean by that?” Tiana questioned. “Hmm, let me think… Once we finish a labyrinth expedition and share the reward, we split it. We’ll all do whatever we want for food, beer, you name it. We won’t criticize each other’s hobbies.” “Ah…” It looked like the appeal of his words dawned on her. Tiana was a gambler to the core. Most people would admonish her if she revealed that, but she would never quit just because she was told to. Allowing her to continue gambling would be an unconditional term for her. “Why do adventurers like to go out drinking so much anyway? It makes people who don’t like to drink feel inferior, and those who get drunk off their ass get praised to high heaven. It’s goddamn nonsense. You should be judged by your performance at work and nothing else,” Nick ranted. “It sounds like you are speaking from experience, Nick,” Zem said. “Y-yeah, I guess…,” Nick deflected, embarrassed. Tiana acted like she didn’t care, but she clearly wanted to hear more of Nick’s proposal. “Well… I like the sound of not criticizing each other’s hobbies,” she said. “Right? I don’t need anyone commenting on my hobbies, either. And I don’t give a shit about the idea that parties should be a family… I’ll never trust anyone again just ’cause they’re a party member, and I don’t want your trust, either. I want you to think I might betray you—or that the others might betray you. Also, I don’t think leaving things to others without saying anything shows trust. I think trust should involve open, consistent channels of communication,” Nick complained all in one breath. Tiana was the next to speak after a short silence. “I know what you mean.” “Then…,” Nick began. “However,” Tiana said emphatically. “You said we can keep track of our finances on paper, but the actual money is what matters. Taking turns holding on to it will just mean more chances for someone to steal it. Performing strict checks will only prevent mistakes, not ill intent.” “You have a point,” Nick admitted. “Of course I do,” she responded with annoyance, looking at him coldly. Nick changed his mind without taking offense. “Then… Karan can hold on to the money.” “Huh?” Karan said, surprised to hear her name. She seemed to be having trouble keeping up. “We’ll prepare a safe with a key. A sturdy safe that can’t be destroyed with magic or a hammer. You’re going to keep it,” Nick declared. “Huh?!” “You’ll hold on to the key, Zem. I’ll manage the ledger, and Tiana will check to see that the numbers and money match. How does that sound?” The other three looked baffled by Nick’s proposal. Karan looked the most uneasy—she was on the verge of tears. “M-my most important possession was s-stolen,” she said. “So you said,” Nick replied. “Then why me?!” “That’s exactly why. Make sure it doesn’t happen again. Don’t let us steal from the safe. You know how it feels to have something valuable stolen from you, so you should be up to the task.” Karan listened to him with a vacant expression. “You’re going to learn to read and write in a ledger, too. You’ll need it in the future, whether working as an adventurer or doing any other job.” “…Okay.” Karan nodded meekly. “By the way, are you giving me the key because I was imprisoned? I must say I do not dislike the irony,” Zem said with a smirk. “Whoa, I didn’t mean to…,” Nick began to say, then started over. “Actually, I did mean it that way. You’re the best one to have the key.” Zem smiled happily after hearing Nick say it honestly. “What do you think, Tiana?” Nick asked. “You’re asking the one who fell victim to a plot by her fiancé and the girl he cheated with to monitor the money. Is that a challenge to prove I’m not completely blind? I think that’s an incredible idea!” she exclaimed sarcastically. “I didn’t think about all that!” Nick protested. Tiana spun away, pouting. “You’re too trusting,” she muttered. “What do you mean by that?” “Nothing.” Nick pretended not to, but he knew what Tiana was trying to say. He would be the one with the fewest chances to touch the safe. It would be most difficult for him to steal from it if he was ever short on money and felt tempted. He might have been in charge of the ledger, but he saddled himself with the position of having to entrust the actual money to the others. “Anyway… I think this is a good plan. Only if we can pull it off,” Tiana said. “It’s your job as the monitor to make sure we do,” Nick retorted. “I know that!” she snapped back. “You can do it,” Karan said, chuckling. “So uh… Now that we’ve got that figured out…,” Nick said, scratching his head shyly. What he had to say next was about as difficult as a confession of love. But he had no choice. He had to give to them what he received when the idol gave him that concert ticket. “…Want to form a party?” The four of them headed to the Newbies Adventurers Guild. “Whaa…? P-please wait a moment…” At reception, Nick applied for the formation of a new party with the intense eyes of someone who was avenging a murdered family member. He wasn’t angry about anything in particular—he was just afraid that if they didn’t maintain the momentum from their previous conversation, the four of them would wimp out on this plan. That sense of danger caused them to rush to the guild like their lives depended on it. Unfortunately, they ended up scaring the lady at reception, and she rushed to the back of the room looking like she was going to cry. “…Um, Nick,” Zem said. “What’s up, Zem?” Nick replied. “I do not believe we needed to scare her…” “…You’re right.” Nick agreed, but Tiana took offense. “But aren’t you glad we didn’t run away like her?! We didn’t do anything wrong!” she yelled. “Hey, relax. This’ll be over once we finish the paperwork, so just be patient,” Nick said, calming her down as she clenched her fists and started to stand up from her seat. Tiana muttered her complaints, but she complied. The group waited at reception without another word until a scary-looking old woman emerged from behind. “Get in here,” she said, jerking her chin for the group to enter a conference room. Nick helped himself to a seat on the sofa in the conference room. The others followed his example. “What were you thinking, scaring the receptionist like that?” the old woman asked with an exasperated sigh, sitting opposite the group. “We just want to form a party,” Nick responded. “Then don’t look at her like you want to kill her. It’d be one thing if you were just dolts trying to be intimidating, but I don’t think that’s the case with you. There’s something frightening about your eyes.” “You’re one to talk. It’s…Vilma, right?” The old woman sitting before them worked as a manager at the Newbies Adventurers Guild, and its bouncer. She used to be an advanced adventurer who fought as a warrior, and she was recruited by this guild when she retired due to her age. She was still strong enough to easily overpower the novice adventurers at this guild, and anyone who started a fight within the building got a taste of her fist. It was such a common sight it felt as inevitable as leaves turning red in the fall. “You’re Nick, right? Formerly part of Combat Masters,” Vilma said, bringing up his old haunt right away. His eyebrows twitched. “…Guess that means we can skip the introductions,” Nick responded. “So your team will be a light warrior, a dragonian warrior, a mage, and a cleric. You’re well-balanced, I suppose,” Vilma said, reading the jobs they each wrote down. Jobs registered at the guild were self-professed, but as long as reality wasn’t too far from what you put down, no one said anything. Nick thought it would be annoying to explain that he fought using martial arts and a dagger and was also skilled at scouting and bookkeeping, so he just called himself a light warrior. “Regardless, I’ll be glad to see the Survivor return to active duty,” Vilma added. “Survivor? Is that someone’s nickname?” Nick asked, looking at each of his companions. They all shook their heads; they didn’t seem to know what she was talking about, either. “What, you haven’t heard? I’m talking about you, dragonian girl. It’s Karan, right?” Vilma asked. “Me?” Karan responded. “A rumor has spread among guild members that you were deceived and left to die in Pot Snake Cave, but you managed to survive and return. Escaping from a C-rank labyrinth alone is no easy task. That’s why people are calling you the Survivor,” the old woman explained. “…What was that?” Karan frowned, glaring at Vilma with a fire in her eyes. Vilma was a veteran adventurer and a member of the guild’s staff; a dragonian wouldn’t intimidate her. “It sounds like that was a hard experience. But adventurers are judged less on their simple strength and more on their ability to survive and return. It’s probably not a pleasant memory for you, but the story has earned you respect,” Vilma said. Karan’s eyes wavered at the woman’s words. She looked taken aback—and unsure of whether she should be angry, disappointed, or glad. Sensing her internal struggle, Nick rounded on Vilma. “She’s earned respect, huh… Hah. Well, that’s just damn peachy,” he sneered in a loud voice, clasping his hands behind his head. Vilma glared at Nick, but he didn’t back down. “Do you really think complimenting her for surviving is gonna make her feel grateful? She was betrayed and almost died. If you have time for rumors, how about spending it catching assholes who work as adventurers under false names. People are getting away with breaking the guild’s rules and stealing things.” “Is that how you speak to a superior?” Vilma responded. “I don’t give a damn who I’m speaking to. Is it your job to gossip about people’s private affairs or register parties like us?” The mood had suddenly turned sour. Nick noticed that Tiana and Zem were glowering at Vilma with him. It was Karan—the one they were defending—who broke the silence. “That’s enough, Nick,” she said. “But—” “I think I like Survivor. I’m tough.” Karan grinned, and Nick relaxed. “…Yeah, you are,” he replied. Seeing that, Vilma calmed down as well and apologized. “Sorry about that… You’re right that the guild’s negligence has allowed people who prey on adventurers to get away with whatever they want. We are searching for the man who called himself Callios. We haven’t found his trail yet, but we have an idea of his face and physique. We’ll find him.” “Good to hear. You’d better give it your all,” Nick insisted. The knowledge that she was deceived probably weighed heavier in Karan’s mind than the anger of having her possessions stolen. That was why she was smiling and putting on a brave front. It was a bad idea for a Newbies adventurer to pick a fight with Vilma, but as one of Karan’s new companions, he needed to defend her. He breathed an internal sigh of relief that the old woman didn’t take offense to his outburst. “Naturally. That’ll require the young lady to give us the full story later, though… Getting back on topic, what’ll your party name be?” Vilma asked. Nick was completely caught off guard. “…Crap, I didn’t think about that.” “You’ve got to be joking,” Vilma said, shrugging, but Karan spoke up. “What about Survivor?” she suggested. “Huh? I don’t know about that…,” Nick said hesitantly, but Karan smiled. “I like it. It’s important to be tough.” “Hmm… What do you guys think?” Nick asked, tossing the question to the other two. “If Karan likes it, I don’t mind,” Tiana said. “Yes, it is not a bad name. I believe it describes the four of us adequately,” Zem stated. “Yeah, we’ve all been through a lot… Then why don’t we call ourselves the Survivors?” The other three nodded at Nick’s proposal. “Then we can expect you to survive and return from any adventure,” Vilma said. Nick responded with a gloating smile. “Heh, of course.” That day, the Survivors embarked on a new adventure, ready to persevere through any hardship.
Chapter 9
26 min read