Chapter 28

He was a mysterious person.

His first words were, "Assassin? Hmm," a rather lackluster response.

A man of unparalleled beauty, he was accompanied by Sylvia, a dignified woman with a knightly air, and Eko, a cute beast girl.

I became his slave.

A former assassin, I had the clause "no attacks" added to my contract. I wondered what he could possibly use such an unnecessary burden for, but he said, "I want you to become a blacksmith."

Not a sex slave. Not a housekeeper. A blacksmith.

I didn’t understand.

On the way to the town of Peho, he asked me various questions.

Do you have a family? What are your hobbies? What do you do on your days off? Do you have any special skills?

I couldn’t answer properly.

I was an orphan picked up by Lady Lucia, the late duchess. That was who I was.

I had no name. If anything, I was called "Shadow." I was raised as an assassin from a young age.

I had no family. No hobbies. No days off. My special skill was assassination.

I couldn’t tell him.

Now that I had been given the name Yuki, I was just a slave.

"Can I ask about your past?"

When he asked me that, I was taken aback.

I didn’t want to tell him. I thought that immediately.

What had happened in the past. Why only Lady Lucia was executed, and I was saved. If I revealed that, they would surely change the way they looked at me. I would be seen as beyond redemption. A deep-seated resentment would remain in my heart, and I would be tormented by a massive injustice.

It would be futile to tell them. It would be better not to.

So I hid it. I put on a shell again. I drew a line between us, and went about my life as a nonchalant slave, living a life of routine.

My thoughts were just a waste. I killed my heart like that.

* * *

"Shall we form a team?"

We were all gathered around the table, having just finished dinner.

I declared loudly.

"Finally, huh."

"Yeah!"

Sylvia and Eko nodded, looking full of determination.

"A team?"

Yuki tilted her head.

I hadn’t even told Yuki about our purpose.

"I aim to be the best in the world. Sylvia and Eko, who are here, are my comrades who help me achieve that goal. Yuki, I want your help too."

"I am your slave, Master. If there is something I can do, of course I will help, but... the best in the world?"

Yuki’s doubts seemed to deepen.

"The best in the world. Do you understand what that means?"

"Yes."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Hmm."

She doesn’t believe me at all.

Yuki’s cold expression and deadpan gaze pierced me.

But as a side effect, I managed to elicit a feeling of exasperation. If I can get her to show her emotions bit by bit, maybe we can eventually get along. I’ll keep at it. Step by step...

"Second, I’ve been wondering, how do you plan to achieve your dream of being the best in the world?"

Sylvia asked, as if trying to support me.

"Good question, Sylvia Virginia."

"Why the full name..."

"Va-ji-nya."

"Virginia, Eko."

"Va-ji-nya."

"...Va."

"Va-ji-nya!"

"Fine, whatever."

Is that fine, you... No, let’s get back to the topic of becoming the best in the world.

Well, there are various ways, but the most straightforward is probably this.

"The way to become the best in the world as an individual is simple."

"Simple?"

"Yes. Obtain all the titles for all skills and continue to defend them. In other words, you just need to not lose in the title matches."

"......Huh?"

Sylvia’s mouth opened in shock, and she froze.

'Titles'—the pinnacle of each skill.

Let me explain using archery as an example. There are nine types of archery skills, from Infantry Archery to Dragon King Archery. To obtain the title in archery, you first need to raise all nine skills to the ninth rank. That’s the first condition.

The second condition is to win the "Title Match" held once every six months. The Title Match is a tournament where those who meet the first condition compete to obtain the title.

If you meet the second condition, you get the right to challenge the current title holder. If you defeat the current title holder, you can claim the title in archery.

Other ways to obtain a title include being the first to meet the first condition on the server or defending the title. Therefore, it is impossible for multiple people to hold the same title.

In other words, a title signifies the pinnacle of a skill, a truly strong and prestigious title.

To obtain all titles in all skills—what a clear and straightforward goal.

Of course, "obtaining all titles" is a sufficient element to be the best in the world, but I don’t think that alone makes you the "true best in the world." The world ranking in Mefion has various criteria, and the rankings are determined by a comprehensive evaluation of all of them.

However, as a clear and specific goal to aim for, there is no other option than to obtain all titles.

"Do you know about the title matches?"

"Ah, yes, of course! Does that mean, Second, you plan to stand on that stage!? For all skills!?"

Sylvia said, standing up excitedly.

"The best in the world, of course."

"Such...—"

"It’s impossible."

Yuki interrupted our conversation.

With just one cold, clear word.

"What did you say?"

"I said it’s impossible, Master."

When I asked her to repeat, Yuki said it matter-of-factly.

The atmosphere in the room tensed.

"Why do you think so?"

"It’s obvious. No one can be that strong."

"That’s not a reason. Why do you think so?"

"......Because no one can be that strong."

"What’s your evidence?"

"......"

When I pressed her, Yuki was at a loss.

I don’t know why, but one thing was clear: she was angry.

"You shouldn’t say such frivolous things."

"Don’t change the subject. Tell me why you think no one can be that strong."

"Why...?"

"People can’t be that strong. Why do you think so?"

"It’s obvious."

"Why do you think it’s obvious?"

"It’s...!"

Yuki raised her voice—

"......No, never mind. Excuse me."

She immediately regained her composure and fled back to the room.

What she was going to say next. Considering her position as an assassin and her lack of a name, the answer was vaguely clear.

Yuki probably wasn’t raised as a human from a young age. Being an assassin was such a harsh job. Therefore, she knew the pain and difficulty of "becoming strong." The harshness of it. And the difficulty and fragility of "defeating others."

That’s why she was angry at the frivolity.

I agree. If it weren’t me, I would feel the same way.

"Yuki is in a dangerous state."

Sylvia said. Indeed, she was in a dangerous state. Raising her voice and then swallowing it—what did that mean? It was the explosion of pent-up emotions and an extraordinary self-control that surpassed it.

"She seems mentally unstable. Considering she was kept in a slave shop until I bought her, it’s understandable, but... to control herself to that extent?"

"There’s something she wants to say but is forcibly suppressing... that’s how it seems to me."

"Something she wants to say?"

"That’s how it looks to me. What do you think, Second?"

"I think... she’s scared. Scared of her secrets being revealed."

When I said that, Sylvia laughed pleasantly, "Fufu."

"What’s so funny?"

"No, I’m not mocking you. It’s just that..."

"Women often have two conflicting emotions."

Maybe both of our opinions are correct, she said with a refreshing smile, then carried the half-asleep Eko back to the room.

At that moment, I felt that Sylvia was cool for the first time... but when I saw a paper napkin stuck to her butt due to static electricity, I had to change my mind.

The next morning.

We were riding our horses to the C-class dungeon "Asiaspurn," located about 15 minutes east of the town of Peho.

Why were we heading to a C-class dungeon now? It was to form a team.

To form a team, we needed to complete the team formation quest. The quest required us to clear a C-class dungeon with at least three members who wanted to form a team. Any C-class dungeon would do, making it a very easy quest.

Well, to be honest, there are other complicated conditions like clearing it within two hours, but we can ignore those for now.

The most efficient way to gain experience right now is to loop the Limpthart dungeon, so we planned to stay near the town of Peho for a while. Therefore, we decided to "get it over with nearby" and headed to the Asiaspurn dungeon.

A large cave opened in the middle of a rocky mountain in the forest.

A C-class dungeon I hadn’t explored in a long time. I had only been to the Asiaspurn dungeon once, a long time ago.

...At that moment, I had completely forgotten.

The "Blowaway Dungeon"—the other name for this place, Asiaspurn.

Thank you for reading.