abcnovels
Chapter 15:
Chapter 15:
Chapter 15:
Ascal reclined leisurely in his comfortable chair, caressing Fer. It had
gradually gained some weight, and its fur had grown lush, making it feel
pleasant to touch.
Soon, this little one will outgrow his size. I might need to get a stable for
him.
Usually, people pay to keep their horses in communal stables. But if anyone
were to discover that this little one was a Pegasus, it would become
troublesome.
Of course, setting up a personal stable would be costly, but Ascal had saved
up a considerable amount of money.
It tickles, you little rascal.
It was still very much the time for it to yearn for its mother.
Pushing away Fer, who was trying to snuggle into Ascal's arms, and playfully
teasing him, a sound emanated from the magic radio powered by mana stones.
<Todays story is from Retirement Hopeful.>
Retirement Hopeful.
It was Ascal own pseudonym. He tuned in with interest.
<Hello. I am an employee working at an abusive workplace. I want to get
fired, but even when I intentionally mess up, things strangely work out and I
end up succeeding. At this rate, I might end up spending my life here. What
should I do?>
They say the kings ears were donkeys ears*.
Ascal needed to vent this
suffocating feeling somewhere.
In that regard, the empires magical communication device, or rather, the
radio, was an ideal medium for stress relief.
The host read Ascals dilemma in a neutral tone and then responded slowly.
<Thats an unusual problem. Cant you just quit? If circumstances dont
allow, hmm... maybe if you decide to succeed from the outset, you might end up
failing.>
It felt as if a light bulb lit up in his mind.
Ascal had always tried to fail, but things always turned out the opposite. What
if he set his mind on succeeding from the beginning? Would he then fail?
Getting up from his spot, Ascal decided to test this theory.
<Todays lucky zodiac is Leo, and the fortunate direction is the West!
Wishing everyone a wonderful day!>
After turning off the receiver, Ascal prepared to head out.
Perhaps today, he might finally break free from this unwelcome spiral of
success.
***
Guilds...
Even in the capital of the Barba Empire, guilds existed.
When one thought of a guild, the image that often came to mind was a beautiful
receptionist, and quests ranging from F-rank to A-rank.
The image Ascal had of guilds wasnt much different from this.
However,
The moment he stepped into the guild, the image Ascal held shattered to
pieces.
These days, the port union pays pretty well.
But once you go there, arent you stuck for a month? I heard many even die on
those ships.
Where can you find a job thats both safe and pays well? One has to take
everything into account...
It was not what he had expected.
The people, who clearly looked like theyd been doing physical labor for
more than a decade, were deeply inhaling from their pipes.
To put it in perspective, this place felt more like an employment agency for
seasoned professionals.
Ascal turned around, intending to leave the guild immediately.
Ah, a face I havent seen before. Are you a newbie?
A newbie?
Newbie?
But it was already too late.
Their eyes had met.
The person who approached Ascals table casually draped his arm over it. His
muscular arm, full of scars, was a testament to the life hed led.
You dont look like you belong here. Came looking for quick cash to buy a
gift for your lover?
If youre a beginner, Id recommend starting with cleaning services. The pay
might be meager, but its perfect for sharpening ones wits.
Nah, he should jump right into fishing boats. Men should start big if they
want to succeed big.
Their philosophies clashed sharply.
In an instant, the guild became a chaotic marketplace.
Amidst this, Ascal discreetly made his exit. He had come to the guild on a day
off, hoping to find work, but it seemed unlikely hed achieve his goal.
Are you looking for work?
The person who addressed him was a girl, who appeared to be in her late teens.
Contrary to her youthful face, the dirt-streaked work clothes she wore hinted
at considerable experience.
Indeed. Its my first time in a guild, so Im not sure what kind of job to
start with.
The girl approached and suddenly squeezed Ascals arm.
?
You seem to have more muscle than you appear. With this, you could do farming
or mining. Want to see some requests?
Sure.
The girls name was Jenny, she was the guild leaders daughter.
There was a certain stereotype, regardless of the era, that older men with a
little wealth and influence often roamed outside. Jennys father was a prime
example of this.
The guild leaders daughter, huh?
Jenny went to a corner of the guild and returned with a few wrinkled request
papers.
They looked like jobs that no one had taken, about to be discarded.
It felt as if she was giving Ascal leftovers because he was a clueless
newcomer.
After all, newbies were the easiest to exploit.
Thats fine by me.
Knowing this, Ascal decided to play along. He had come today to succeed in
something challenging after all.
The first one here is for mining, and the second is for farm work You seem
capable of handling both, given your muscles. Theyre no joke, huh?
Her flattery was transparent.
Which of the two is more challenging and rewarding?
Hmm, farm work. The soil is barren so crops dont grow well. Plus, were
always short on manpower and its quite exhausting So, the pay is a bit I
mean, gaining experience is what matters, right?
Ascal accepted the farming job.
Determined to achieve success in farming on the barren land.
I cant believe there is someone who accepts that request.
He seemed smart, tsk. Just looks good on the outside, huh?
Hes going to work hard and probably wont earn a penny.
'Lets ignore the naysayers.'
Fortunately, he didnt have to walk to the farm. Since no one had taken up the
task for a long time and the guild seemed desperate, they provided him with a
carriage.
Itll take about 5 hours to get there. Once you arrive, show them this
request, and theyll understand.
As soon as Ascal boarded the carriage, it swiftly set off. There was an
underlying feeling that they wanted to send him off quickly, in case he realized he
had been fooled and wanted to escape.
As the carriage pierces through the darkness and crosses the hilly path-
youll arrive in the village of Erindale to the west- That land is cursed so
no crops grow there- The livestock are starving to death- The villagers hold
onto a thin thread of hope and barely survive-
The coachman hummed.
Is he singing or cursing?
Quite some time had passed since they set off. After having some preserved
food and water he brought, the carriage stopped at a village.
-Erindale Village-
The sign looked so old and fragile; it seemed like it would fly away with the
slightest gust of wind.
I dont see any people.
Hmm, its because its nighttime. Weve arrived, so Ill be on my way.
The coachman dropped Ascal at the village entrance, snapped the reins, and
disappeared beyond the horizon.
It was night.
Unlike his previous life, night was a time to be extremely cautious in this
era.
Without any light, one couldnt see even an inch ahead. If they
encountered wild animals, they could easily go missing.
Ascal held a somewhat expensive flint torch that hed bought and began
searching for villagers.
As he ventured deeper into the village, he saw a place lit up. There was a
campfire, with smoke rising.
Unsure if it might be dangerous, Ascal approached the campfire stealthily,
muffling his presence.
Voices of people discussing could be heard.
Weve run out of food today.
All the chickens, pigs, and cows have starved to death.
What about the children? Even if we endure, how will they?
Village chief. We need to make a decision.
They looked like a Native American tribe with their face painted.
The one referred to as the village chief suddenly stood up and declared,
I will sacrifice myself. Eat me. It should tide us over for a few days.
...Chief!
Ancestors, watch over me!
The chief held up a long knife and closed his eyes.
Wait! Just wait a moment!
Startled, Ascal rushed into the space between them and the campfire.
Who are you?
In an instant, all eyes were fixed on Ascal.
-Licked.
It sounded like someone had just licked their lips in anticipation, but he
must have been mistaken.
Im here on a request from the guild.
Is that true?!
The chief dropped his knife, his face lighting up.
But youre alone?
The chiefs tone dropped again. It looked like he might pick up the knife hed
just discarded.
...Ive brought some food with me.
Our savior has arrived! Bring forth the savior of our village!
Whooooo!
Sweat dripped from Ascals forehead.
He came to ensure success, but at first glance, this mission seemed far from
easy.
For the first time in his life, he might experience the failure.
I can feel the acid churning in my stomach. Hehe.
Ascal felt a thrill.
[TN: The kings ears were donkeys ears: It's an idiom used by Koreans when they have something to gossip about, they sometimes start the conversation by saying, ' ?' which translates to, 'Hey, can I tell you a kings ear, the donkeys ear?' This is akin to asking, 'Can I share a piece of gossip with you?'
***
Also, just wanted to thank everyone who rated this novel after my request yesterday; you guys are the best. And, oh - I also created a Patreon: if you want to support me and read 3 chapters ahead of the release, don't forget to check it out. Here's the link: /OracleTls ]