Chapter 21

One day, while I was doing my usual whimsical urban cleaning duty, Balgar called out to me.

"Hey Mongrel, cleaning again today, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah, Balgar, it's been a while... What's with that outfit, man? It's pretty rough."

When I turned to look at him, there stood Balgar, wearing armor that was as battered as a seasoned warrior's. It seemed he had just returned from a mission, carrying a large pack on his back. The short spear in his hand was broken almost beyond recognition.

"What happened? Did you come back from the dead or something?"

"I'm alive. Honestly, I'm surprised I'm still alive myself."

"Whoa."

The iron shield he showed me, almost proudly, was covered in dents and scratches, some of which were nearly holes. If a human had taken those hits, they would have been severely injured or killed.

"I was on a guard duty for the 'Sword of Harvest' and was doing a secondary investigation in the expedition area. I took a job to investigate illegal logging near the border. It turned out to be a real lemon."

" Illegal logging, you mean poaching?"

"Right. I thought it might be some dumb bandits trying to make a quick buck near the border, but it turned out to be a Harvest Mantis."

"Whoa."

The Harvest Mantis is a mantis-like monster nearly four meters long, a super-strong pest that lives in the forests near the border between the Halperia Kingdom and the Sangreale Holy Kingdom.

Its scythe-like blades, sharper than any weapon, can cut through vegetation as if it were harvesting. Its mandibles can crush even weak iron armor. While it can't fly, its sharp wings can slice through anything with a swift flap. No wonder the shield and armor were covered in countless scars.

"We managed to take it down with ten of us, but two of my comrades died."

"Two!?"

I was genuinely shocked.

"Only two?!"

"Yeah, we were lucky. We didn't get into a prolonged battle. The guy who charged in and slashed at its belly saved us. If he hadn't, we might have been in much worse shape. Oh, and the ones who died were guys you probably didn't know, Mongrel."

"Is that so..."

The Harvest Mantis is a vicious monster. Its nearly unavoidable scythe attacks and troublesome wing flaps, combined with a head that constantly changes direction, make it a formidable opponent. It's the kind of enemy that multiple Golds would take on. Honestly, if you knew it was there, you'd avoid it and leave it alone. To take it down with only two casualties... that's the 'Sword of Harvest' for you...

"We got a hefty penalty from the guild branch over there. The compensation for the dead was the highest possible."

"Of course. Bandits and Harvest Mantises are worlds apart. You should take full advantage of it."

"The party that took on the primary investigation also got a big penalty. I doubt it will bring peace to the two who died, though."

Balgar has been a guild member for a long time. Accidents like this one aren't rare for him. Still, losing long-time comrades is tough. It's only natural.

"... This short spear might be my last replacement."

Balgar gazed at the rough, broken end of the spear, lost in thought.

"What, are you quitting the guild?"

"Well, I'm not young anymore, so it's not surprising. This mission made it clear. I can't move like I used to in a pinch. I won't quit immediately, but I'll probably keep going for a while longer."

"... Retirement, huh."

"Retiring with a serious injury would make finding a new job a hassle."

"That's true. ... You could always join the Regal Security Force, Balgar. The security work there is less strenuous."

"Hmm, I've thought about it. It's a good option, but I have a lot of attachment to the 'Sword of Harvest.'"

"I see."

Attachment. That's important.

"Well, no need to decide today. See you, Mongrel. I'll be busy for a while, so I probably won't be at the tavern for a few days."

"That's a shame. Well, let me know whenever you're around."

And with that, Balgar left. His haggard figure, shaking the battered shield on his pack, made me feel that, indeed, time marches on.

Rise and fall. Even the mighty must decline.

Balgar, who had been quietly doing his job, couldn't escape the ravages of age. He looks pretty young, but he's over forty. It's not surprising that he's finding it harder to keep up with the younger members.

Hmm, it's a bit of a downer when someone you know hints at retirement... I can't say I'm completely uninvolved. Balgar's situation is a mirror of my own future.

What will I do after I retire?

I think I'd like to be a café owner. Just wiping glasses and cups, you know. I'll hire someone to do the cooking, serving, and accounting.

First, I'd need to find and buy some coffee beans, which is a tall order and almost impossible, but I'm sure I could manage it if I search for a few decades.

... Thinking about it, I really want to be a café owner. I want to open a place that's a café by day and a bar by night.

But no, I can't do that yet. I'm still too young to enjoy life. I'll wait until my body can't handle greasy food anymore. Until then, it's better to keep my current lifestyle. I know a thing or two about life.

"Well, let's get to work tomorrow."

I cleaned my street with extra care and finished my urban cleaning duty.

"Hey, look at this, Mongrel. This is my new gear. The spearhead is from Astowar Steel."

The next morning, I ran into Balgar at the guild, and he was unusually upbeat.

"... Shouldn't he look more somber? Why is he so chipper?"

"Balgar bought some high-end short spears and a small shield that just arrived at the weapon shop. He's pretty excited about it."

According to Alex, who was nearby, it was a big purchase. Astowar Steel is known to be much better than Sangreale steel.

"And check out this small shield. It has a nice pattern, right? It can even deflect a Sangreale Morning Star if you block it in the center!"

His smile was like a kid's. And a Sangreale Morning Star is a bit much, isn't it?

"Balgar, you seem happy, but is that gear really necessary? You said you'd make this your last purchase. Astowar Steel is supposed to be really durable, though."

"Seems so! I'm excited to use it for the first time! I found these while my pockets were still warm from the penalty money. I couldn't resist. You know?"

"Couldn't resist? That means you won't be able to retire for a while..."

"Yeah, yeah, hahaha."

"Hahaha, huh?"

"Well, with this high-quality gear, I can probably stay active for another ten years! I can't let the young ones beat me yet!"

This guy is really casual! I can't believe I'm saying this, but...

"Still, 'I can't let the young ones beat me' is a typical old man's line..."

"Huh!?"

"Alex, stop it. The truth can hurt sometimes."

Despite everything, Balgar is going to keep going. He might even perform better with his new gear. That's good, that's good.

... But I have this image of old people getting overconfident and getting seriously injured. I hope he retires when the time is right.