21st Century Archmage

“Who are they?”

Yesterday, the village held a festival after seeing the various mushrooms and grasses I had harvested. Knowing they didnt have to rely on potatoes and wheat—their villages lifeline—to pay the tax made smiles bloom on the villagers faces for the first time in a while. However, I didnt show the villagers the demon beast hide. Seeing as I wandered the forest alone, they were already curious about my identity, so they would definitely be wary of me if I were to show them the hide as well.

“Are they merchants?”

I was dwelling on the battle with the demonic beast while practicing my insufficient sword skills atop the cliff, where I could see in every direction, when a line of carriages and people approached the village. A rough look at the twenty plus carriages and fifty or so armed people made me think they were merchants and mercenaries.

“The merchants are coming!” A villager who was on lookout on top of the village barricade alerted the arrival of merchants.

‘Oh-ho, the merchants, you say?

Something Id only seen in novels—this worlds merchants! I was pretty curious.

“Ive finished what I needed to do today, so shall I go and watch?”

Unlike the simple villagers, the merchants and mercenaries knew more about the vast world. I needed to get ready to go out into the world, so I welcomed their arrival.

“Dry nicely even if Im not here~!”

I was told that leather had to be dried in the shade, so I was drying the golden panther hide under a small overhang atop the cliff. The villagers couldnt come this far; surprisingly enough, even the bugs vanished the moment I brought the demon beast hide here, leaving the place deserted. It was clear evidence that the beasts habitual killing had been rather terrible indeed.

* * *

‘The mercenaries arent allowed in the village, huh.

After climbing down the cliff, I saw dozens of tough-looking mercenaries who had come as the merchants escort sitting comfortably in front of the village barricade. They scrutinized me as I tried to enter the village with a sword on my hip.

“Hey, kiddo.”

‘Hey? K-kiddo?

The carriages the merchants brought were mostly empty. Now that they were done guarding those empty carriages, some of the mercenaries must have been bored because the few who were close by called to stop me. They dared to lose their sense of fear.

“Bros, whats up?”

Only those who spoke politely would be spoken to with the same courtesy.

“Bros? Puhahahaha!”

“Kuhahaha!”

Most of the mercenaries were wearing worm-shaped scars on their faces and bodies like medals of honor. They must have found my provocation funny, because they were busy laughing, revealing yellowed teeth.

‘Should I give these guys a taste of fire?

You could tell just by looking at them that they were third-rate mercenaries who didnt have a hint of mana—only their thick skulls and idiotic strength. If I wanted to, I could probably take care of them in the time it took to eat a meal.

“You, do you know how to use that sword?” There was a decent-looking fellow among the mercenaries. A man in his mid-thirties approached me, gesturing at my sword with his eyes.

“Cant you tell just by looking?” I didnt like how the mercenaries were treating me, so I responded flatly. As someone who lived proudly and unrestrained in the world, of course I felt offended when these inept mercenaries were provoking me.

“Youre quite the irritable young man, arent you. How about it? Instead of staying in this backcountry, why dont you join our mercenary group? You look to be pretty fit, and youve got a good look in your eye.”

‘What? I-is this the rumored street recruiting?

[TN: In Korea, people sometimes get recruited into idol groups or acting gigs by agents prowling the streets.]

The man was suddenly offering me to join the mercenaries. Considering the earnest look in his eyes, it didnt seem to be a joke.

“Leader, when will we have the time to take care of a kid like him?”

“The Black Wyvern Mercenaries might be treated like a third-rate group, but taking in a child is…”

‘The Black Wyvern Mercenaries? You guys?

Just by looking at them, it was clear that their name, The Black Wyvern Mercenaries, was an exaggeration.

“No thanks.”

“You dont want to? Wouldnt it be better to live like a real man as a mercenary rather than just farming in a backcountry like this and then dying one day?”

“It doesnt sound that attractive to me. Just look at that big-bellied mister over there.” I pointed at the mercenary who had been the first to ruffle my feathers.

“Gahahahaha! Ron, he says he doesnt like your potbelly.”

“Kekeke, for the great Ron to be insulted by a kiddo! Dont eat anything from now on. The food is wasted on you~!”

They must have been rather bored, because the mercenaries enjoyed making fun of Ron.

“This… this kiddo!”

If he werent such an ignoramus, Ron would not have been so enraged by a little teasing. The big mercenary—whose belly jiggled as he walked—was holding a simple axe, from which I could feel an imposing air.

“Mister Belly.” Snickering, I teased Ron, whose eyes were as wide as a cows.

“Why you little kiddo with no manners!”

Ron was all hot air—he wasnt as violent-natured as I had thought.

“Watch your step at night.”

“……”