The Strange Adventure of a Broke Mercenary

When the Efreet disappeared, the Salamanders it had summoned also vanished, and the surrounding area of the crater regained its tranquility.

Believing that higher spirits did have the intelligence to stage a retreat to fool their opponents, Loren stayed on guard for a while. When it seemed that the spirits had retreated for real, he called over Lapis and Gula, who were standing a little distance away.

Lapis came running up to him on the sloping ground, and before Loren could say anything, she circled around Loren and observed his body closely. When she was sure he was alright, she nodded.

"You defeated an Efreet without any major injuries. Amazing, Loren."

"More like it backed down."

Loren had a feeling that the Efreet didn't intend to fight until one of them died. It probably appeared to stop Judie from doing what she had been doing, but didn't want to risk its own existence for that. He believed he'd eliminated a good number of Salamanders, which seemed to be lesser spirits, but as a human, Loren couldn't guess how much that means to the spirits.

"We're just here to melt one helmet. It seems to decide to let us pass."

"I see. Shall we go then?"

If there were no obstacles in the way, it was not difficult to reach the crater. It was a little uncomfortably hot to approach the lava-filled crater, but it was not unbearable from a certain distance.

"As expected, it's impossible to get too close. We just need to get close enough to throw it down."

"The crater is large enough that once we're within throwing distance, we won't miss."

"Ahhh-, I want to get out of here as soon as possible."

Gura tugged at her top and fanned her face with her hands. Her sweat-soaked skin was generously exposed, of course, and although Loren didn't really want to look, Lapis cupped both his cheeks with her hands and made him turn away so that he wouldn't even face Gula's direction.

The closer they got to the crater, the stuffier it became, and the hot air seemed to be soaked in sweats. It was scorching. In addition, the smoke bursting everywhere was laced with a smell that made their noses wrinkle.

"The smell is awful, but the heat isn't so bad, is it?"

"You're still under the residual effects of the magic I applied to you, Loren. Gula and I don't have that, so this heat is pretty hard on us."

In order for Loren to deal with the flame-controlling Efreet and Salamanders at close range, Lapis had used a spell that resisted fire on Loren. Thanks to the remaining effect of that magic, Loren was less affected by the heat when they approached the crater than Lapis and Gula.

In fact, if it wasn't for that effect, Loren wouldn't be able to get this close to the crater, since he was just a human and had much lower resistance than Lapis and Gula, a demon and an Evil God.

"In any case, let's get the job done and get out of here. It's not a place you want to stay for long."

"I agree."

Lapis agreed that they should finish quickly. In any case, they couldn't leave the place if they didn't finish their errand. She pulled out the black helmet from her luggage. Even a demon like her couldn't walk near the lava without any preparation, so she planned to throw it down from here.

Lapis was about to make the throw, but she suddenly leapt away from the spot. At the same time, Loren also quickly moved away from the crater with his hand on the greatsword on his back. Gula was the only one left there, and even though she looked sleepy, her hand held the arrow that had been shot at her. On the ground, where Lapis and Loren had just been, were two other arrows. The two of them had sensed those arrows coming, and had moved to dodge.

"Would you hand it over to me?"

The direction where the voice came from was probably where the arrows had been shot. Lapis ignored it and made to throw the helmet again, but more arrows came to stop her. She had no choice but to retreat behind Loren.

"It is useless to those who do not understand its value. Just hand it to me obediently."

A man with black hair and black armor said as he approached them. The young man carried a longsword and a black shield, something they hadn't seen with him in their first encounter.

If the information they heard from Judie was correct, this was probably Magna, the man who had been stealing pieces of the black armor set belonging to the Demon Kings, claiming it to be his own.

"What kind of idiots will just give things away when asked?"

Loren asked as he assumed a fighting stance, ready to confront Magna.

If there was an opening, he could send Lapis running through to throw the helmet into the crater, but there was no way this man would allow them such an opening. Moreover, he could catch glimpses of the Dark Elf woman a distance behind Magna, watching them vigilantly with an arrow knocked on her ready bow. He had guessed it, but she was apparently the man's accomplice. Loren unsheathed his greatsword, but Magna showed no signs of getting ready for a fight. Instead, he spoke:

"Why don't you just tell the Demon King that you've thrown it away?"

"Unfortunately, we're under the spell of the Demon King."

Even though she was in her castle, Judie was still tracking the helmet's position and status. If they gave in to Magna's cajoling and gave him the helmet, no one knew what she would do to them later.

And even if Judie hadn't used any tracking magic, Lapis, who was standing right behind him, was her own daughter. It was not possible to go against a request from the Demon King in front of Lapis, who was watching attentively.

"Why are you so obsessed with this anyway? Your taste for gear is pretty random and bland for a guy so fucking high and mighty, isn't it?"

"It's none of your business."

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but it's hard for us to cooperate if we don't know the situation, you see."

As Loren conceded, Lapis tugged at his shirt from behind. She knew he wasn't the type of man to abandon a commission he had accepted, but she also knew he wasn't the kind of human to faithfully fulfill a deal with a Demon King. She was wondering if he actually meant it.

Loren didn't respond to Lapis but kept looking at Magna. The man took some time to think about it, but eventually twisted his lips in a condescending smile and said while looking down at Loren:

"You expect me to ask for help from some random adventurer? The only thing you should do here is to hang your head and offer the helmet to me."

"Those with too much pride are troublesome."

"You want to die here while doing a Demon King's bidding?"

"Even your threats are boring."

Loren replied with a mocking laugh, but he kept his eyes on the movements of the Dark Elf behind Magna. Neither of them was the type of opponent that could be confronted half-heartedly, and just a little negligence could really mean the end of his life.

"Watch your mouth, mongrel. You should not even be allowed to speak to me."

"Don't make me laugh. What kind of noble are you that you can't even talk to me?"

Loren had intended to make fun of him, but Magna's reaction was something Loren had not expected.

"Don't make me laugh. Me, a noble?"

Loren was a bit surprised to learn that he was not satisfied with the term 'aristocrat'. He wondered what the hell he wanted to be called to be happy, but Magna didn't pay any attention to his pondering. The man pointed his longsword right at Loren's face.

"Your disrespect is of no concern to me right now. If you want to at least improve my impression of you, just prostrate and offer me the helmet."

"Do you really think I'm going to comply with that kind of talk?"

Loren was dumbfounded, but Magna seemed to be very serious. He looked at Loren with frustration, then spoke to Lapis, who was behind him:

"You, woman. You give it to me instead of that stupid man."

"It's not a joke. We have no idea what she'll do to us later."

If Lapis, Judie's daughter, were to give the helmet to Magna, Loren was sure the treatment she would receive would be unimaginably horrible. Knowing that, Lapis wouldn't be a bad daughter and give the man the helmet.

"Magna-sama! It's useless to negotiate with those people."

The Dark Elf said as she drew her bow and aimed it at Loren. Magna, who had been glaring at Loren without answering her, turned his gaze to Gula, who was watching Loren and Magna's exchange from a short distance away with a bored expression.

"What about you, woman? Are you willing to take the helmets from these people and offer it to me? Being an adventurer is not something you can do forever. If you cooperate with me, I promise you that you will eventually obtain wealth and splendor. I'll even let you off the hook for your previous transgressions."

In the past, when fleeing from Magna, Gula had crushed the enhanced goblins in the surroundings and vomited their flesh and blood on him to create an opening that allowed them to escape. Magna offered to forgive that action of hers, but Gula just stifled a yawn:

"Nah. You seem very unappetizing, at least compared to Loren."

Loren wondered what criteria she had.

Magna looked unhappy with Gula's answer, but turned his attention back to Loren.

"I'm sure you understand the folly of fighting me."

"Shut up. We don't have to fight you properly. We can just throw the helmet you're so obsessed with into that lava and our business will be over."

"Do you think someone like me will allow such a thing?"

'Someone like me', Magna said, but the thing was - Loren didn't know his lineage. Even the name 'Magna' was something he heard from the Demon King. He hadn't heard the man himself say it at all. Thus, he had no idea how amazing this guy was supposed to be.

"Don't bother me, you mongrel."

"Stop saying mongrel this mongrel that. Most of us humans are mongrels anyway."

"No, you're wrong. In this world, there are mongrels like you and purebreds like me. It's folly to lump someone who inherited an ancient and venerable bloodline like me with the likes of you, who don't even know from which bloodline you came from."

Magna looked at him condescendingly. Loren met his gaze straight on, wondering what the hell the man was talking about. Only royalties or great nobles would be able to claim that their bloodlines were ancient and venerable, but he didn't think such people would go to the trouble of visiting the top of a mountain in the middle of the demon territory, where dragons lived.

However, there was something in Magna's tone that made him believe that he wasn't just spouting nonsense.

"I'll ask you again: Give me that helmet. The likes of you or the demons possessing it will be like throwing a pearl before swine. It's only when I, the rightful owner, possess it that it will serve a meaning."

"Jokes should remain jokes. Even if it was yours, once it's in a Demon King's warehouse, the Demon King will be its owner. If you want it, go negotiate with her."

"So that is your answer?"

Loren readied his sword; in all honesty, he hoped the guy wouldn't tell him to go negotiate with the Demon King. In case he did, Loren of course preferred to just feign ignorance and throw the helmet into the crater, but with the Dark Elf's arrow trained on Lapis, who was carrying the helmet, he couldn't do anything reckless.

"It can't be helped then. Noel, watch out for that woman with the helmet. If she tries anything strange, stop her, even if you have to kill her. Do not let her throw the helmet."

"As you wish."

The dark elf called Noel replied without taking her eyes off Lapis. Magna nodded at her, then slowly began to walk towards Loren with his shield and longsword raised.

"If one fight can't make you understand that your sword skill and strength are no match for mine, I'll teach you again."

"I don't want any lecture from a guy who let us escape while being covered from head to toes in vomit. Did you manage to get rid of the smell, ladykiller? Goblins' blood must really stink."

Loren challenged Magna, who was still looking down on him. Magna's face suddenly turned grim, as if he had no tolerance for being mocked, even though he may mock others.

"You're talking too much. I'll have your head cut off from your body."

"Go ahead, try it. We have bad mouths and bad habits, so come prepared!"

Magna slashed at Loren with movements so light that it was difficult to believe he was wearing such heavy equipment. In response, Loren shouted a battle cry and swung his greatsword with all his might.