Chapter 15: The Land of the Natives

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.

<Today’s 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 king’s ears were donkey’s ears*. 

Ascal needed to vent this suffocating feeling somewhere.

In that regard, the empire’s magical communication device, or rather, the radio, was an ideal medium for stress relief.

The host read Ascal’s dilemma in a neutral tone and then responded slowly.

<That’s an unusual problem. Can’t you just quit? If circumstances don’t 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.’

<Today’s 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 wasn’t 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, aren’t you stuck for a month? I heard many even die on those ships.”

“Where can you find a job that’s 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 they’d 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 haven’t seen before. Are you a newbie?”

“A newbie?”

“Newbie?”

But it was already too late.

Their eyes had met.

The person who approached Ascal’s table casually draped his arm over it. His muscular arm, full of scars, was a testament to the life he’d led.

“You don’t look like you belong here. Came looking for quick cash to buy a gift for your lover?”

“If you’re a beginner, I’d recommend starting with cleaning services. The pay might be meager, but it’s perfect for sharpening one’s 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 he’d 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. It’s my first time in a guild, so I’m not sure what kind of job to start with.”

The girl approached and suddenly squeezed Ascal’s 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 girl’s name was Jenny, she was the guild leader’s daughter.

There was a certain stereotype, regardless of the era, that older men with a little wealth and influence often roamed outside. Jenny’s father was a prime example of this.

‘The guild leader’s 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.

‘That’s 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. They’re 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 don’t grow well. Plus, we’re always short on manpower and it’s 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 can’t believe there is someone who accepts that request.”

“He seemed smart, tsk. Just looks good on the outside, huh?”

“He’s going to work hard and probably won’t earn a penny.”

'Let’s ignore the naysayers.'

Fortunately, he didn’t 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.

“It’ll take about 5 hours to get there. Once you arrive, show them this request, and they’ll 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- you’ll 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 don’t see any people.”

“Hmm, it’s because it’s nighttime. We’ve arrived, so I’ll 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 couldn’t see even an inch ahead. If they encountered wild animals, they could easily go missing.

Ascal held a somewhat expensive flint torch that he’d 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.

“We’ve 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.

“I’m here on a request from the guild.”

“Is that true?!”

The chief dropped his knife, his face lighting up.

“But you’re alone?”

The chief’s tone dropped again. It looked like he might pick up the knife he’d just discarded.

“...I’ve brought some food with me.”

“Our savior has arrived! Bring forth the savior of our village!”

“Whooooo!”

Sweat dripped from Ascal’s 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.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

[TN: The king’s ears were donkey’s ears: It's an idiom used by Koreans when they have something to gossip about, they sometimes start the conversation by saying, '나 임금님 귀 당나귀 귀 하나 해도 돼?' which translates to, 'Hey, can I tell you a king’s ear, the donkey’s ear?' This is akin to asking, 'Can I share a piece of gossip with you?' 

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