I Was Called Incompetent ch.13

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Double chapters~

Honestly, I’m having fun checking the weapon lores.
Please let me know if I made mistakes or you have better source for the lores.

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Chapter 13: Adventurer Guild

The next morning, we visited the house next door.
I didn’t know whether the old aunty would dare to come out after what happened yesterday, but so far the door remained shut no matter how many times we knocked.
Seeing Levi looking so anxious about this, I unconsciously imitated Crown-san by placing both my hands behind as I let out a small laugh with one eyebrow raised.
Levi certainly had it harder than me.
But anyways….please come out already…

There was no reply, but I could hear footsteps, followed shortly with the door finally opening.
As the door swung open, I could tell that Levi was just as nervous as I was.
We unintentionally took a deep breath at the same time, preparing for what’s to come.

The old aunty’s face peeked out from the opening. She looked both troubled and horrid, making for a terrible combination of expression.
She seemed surprised to see us, but she didn’t immediately close her door back and instead was looking at me.
Her eyes were no longer bloodshot like yesterday, but instead carried some amount of gentleness.

[Well….]

I tried to start a conversation.

[R-Rhode-chan…]

Rhode-chan…the aunty’s voice was trembling as she said that. I remembered she used to call me by that name in the past.
Her voice was no longer the screaming madwoman of yesterday, but the voice I used to hear during my childhood when I came to play with Asna a long time ago.

Right.
She was supposedly a kind hearted woman. I almost forgot about that.
As expected, my previous status must’ve been affecting her.
Not only about her relationship and personality, but also even memories of me might be filled with hatred.
Anyways… I need to talk.

[Aunty… about yesterday…]

[Rhode-chaaan! I’m sorry…!]

The aunty came out of the door and promptly bowed deeply.
Her shoulders shook, as she sobbed while saying that, apologizing with a cracked voice and unwilling to stop bowing.

Ahh… thank goodness, I guess?
She could’ve ended up giving me abusive treatment still, or choosing not to come out at all, even maybe running away from us.

[Aunty…it’s fine already. Let the bygones be bygone….]

[Aunty…please forgive me. Due to my lack of self control, I must have hurt you. I am very sorry.]

The old aunty quickly stopped Levi from bowing to her.

[That’s not it! I was the one at fault… After yesterday, I realized that I’ve treated Rhode-chan a lot worse…. I came to regret it all night, thinking that I should apologize. But I couldn’t come up with a way to make up for all that… because I feel that there is no way you’ll forgive me… I’m really sorry!]

[For you to say all that… That’s good enough. No need to do more… we are also sorry.]

[I’m sorry, Rhode-chan… I’m really… sorry…!]

To me, this was a better result after all.
To understand each other, there’s no need for revenge.
That’s the path I want to take.

Even so… before they realized that I was no longer an incompetent, it was me who had to suffer. But now that they know, it’s them who seemingly suffer.
It’s like they’re in hell.
I have to change this… no matter how.

=====

Adventurers Guild.

In this continent where humans live, Valhalla, demons and dragons frequently attack, vying for the continent’s riches.
They’ve settled all around Valhalla, threatening the people’s well being.

The adventurers guild was formed to deal with those so-called monsters.
Humans with excellent talents certainly exist in each country, but the amount of monsters was even greater. And since they’re scattered across the continent, it’s simply too difficult to handle it on a country by country basis.

Therefore, the adventurers guild was there to attract the generally talented people to deal with various mishaps that the country couldn’t handle.
Be it monster subjugation, material collection, security, item delivery through dangerous areas where monster encounter rate is high or even monster ecology research. Their field of expertise is huge.
Nowadays, as an essential organization, the guild had branches in almost every town.

The most excellent among the adventurers is called ‘Hero’.
As humanity’s strongest, they serve as our beacon of hope.
The adventurers guild is always on the lookout for talents.
That is, to protect the peace of Valhalla.

=====

The adventurers guild also had a small branch in this town.
The plan was to just register for the time being, which brought us here to the town center.
I looked around as we strolled through the cobblestone road.
Most of the townspeople still hadn’t changed their view regarding me after all.

[If I was never an incompetent… I wonder what will happen.]

I muttered the question that crossed in my mind just now.
I knew about the existence of the incompetent since childhood since my parents kept telling me that I’d become one if I acted noddy.
It’s just that I never thought that it would come true.

[I wonder…but so far, was there no one else who willingly sided with Rhode-sama?]

[There was none…until Crown-san and Levi.]

[Nn, was it because me and Crown-sama lived away from the village? Or maybe because we have lived for a very long time already…]

[Well, let’s put that aside for now. I’m worried about the reaction I’ll get inside the guild…]

[Rhode-sama just needs to stand tall. Show them what your magic is capable of]

[I guess you’re right… Levi]

Everything should be okay once I register.
After that I just had to go with the flow. They’ll eventually recognize me as long as I keep completing request after request.
Well, would they be helpful to an incompetent though?

=====

[An incompetent cannot become an adventurer. Please go.]

Thought so, as expected.
There’s nobody in this town who wouldn’t recognize me.
Of course they only knew about the bad things.

[Then, look at this.]

[Ha? Get out alre…]

I drew the iron sword hanging on my waist, and casted my magic on it.
And just like yesterday, the iron sword grew bladed limbs and started prancing happily.
Putting holes on the guild office’s floor in the process.

[Don’t move.]

The materialized iron sword abruptly stopped, even striking a saluting pose at me.
How cute.
Seeing this, the receptionist was clearly bewildered.

[Y, y, y, you…a, a, a, are no longer an incompetent…!?]

[I just found out how to properly use my magic recently.]

It’s best to say it like that to make it easier to understand.
Well, not like I lied either.

[Ee, aa, is, is that so!? I, I uhh… Pardon me!]

The receptionist panickingly set the required documents out.
Yosh yosh.
I somehow found her fumbling around like that to be cute.

[Wait.]

A giant of a man suddenly emerged from behind the receptionist.
The shiny skinhead, as well as the huge sword strapped on his back, were the dead giveaway that this huge man was the branch guild master, Gagan-san.

[Ah, Gagan-sama…]

[Oi you incompetent. You bastard… I don’t know how it’s done, but do you think I’d be deceived by such a parlor trick? My eyes are not so blind.]

No, it’s really magic… you ARE blind…

[Geez! Don’t get tricked so easily like that!]

[Ee, aa, yes! Pardon me!]

[But that was…]

[You’re being such a sore to the eyes. Get the hell out of my sight, incompetent!]

Gagan-san came out from the counter.
Seemed like I had no other choice…
Alright, let’s just fight him, get recognition and allow the story to circulate.
Gagan-san already drew out his greatsword, brandishing it towards me.
Then I should fight him with a greatsword too.
Thinking so I pulled out the black notebook and turned the pages.
Finding the page I needed, it showed the image of a black greatsword.

[What the hell…?]

[My friend.]

[Haa?]

I called out the name written on the page.
The Hero Siegfried once wielded this greatsword, with which he slayed a giant dragon with ease.
Because of that amazing feat, it became a legendary sword known as the “Dragon Slaying Sword”.
And its name is…

[Lend me your strength… Balmung!]

Gold inlaid hilt emerged from the book. I placed my hand on the hilt and pulled the greatsword out.
A huge black greatsword was drawn out from within the small notebook. Its immense size was actually bigger than Gagan-san’s greatsword.

And yet, despite its size, it didn’t feel heavy at all.
This is probably the effect of All-Weapon Mastery.
Swinging Balmung easily for a test run, its tip finally ended pointing towards Gagan-san.
Gagan-san’s face turned stiff, but it’s obvious to me that he’s trying to stay calm.

[Ho, hooo… That’s gotta be a magic tool. Did you also use that for your little trick earlier?]

He looked calm, but nervousness was evident from his voice.
The sight of me handling Balmung with ease probably perturbed him.

[No, that ‘little trick’ earlier was my Materialization magic. Come.]

The iron sword that had been standing still up until now quickly made its way to my side.
It brandished its bladed hand forward, looking like it was wielding a sword of its own. Probably it intended to fight alongside me.
How cute.

[M-Materialization Magic? I have never heard of such a thing before! Don’t you lie to me… tsk, an incompetent will always be a wastrel after all!]

[Then, if I win against you, will I be recognized as an adventurer? I’ll go home silently if I lose.]

[Hahaha! What a loudmouth! I’ll do anything if you can beat me! Alright… Come on, incompetent!]

Yosh, I would do my best to gain recognition.

=====

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Balmung’s Lore (taken from Wikipedia and ext.source):

Balmung is a two-handed, golden greatsword with a blue jewel embedded in the hilt that boasts a magnificence and enormity that makes it seem as if it was created by inhuman hands.

Siegfried received Balmung from the Nibelungen family. The Nibelungs, a tribe which lived in an underground country, requested that Siegfried fairly and impartially divide up and distribute their treasure, and he accepted the request. Balmung was planned to be given to him as payment for this. However, two kings felt that the allocation of treasure was done unfairly and fought Siegfried, but he killed them in return. The remaining treasure which no longer had an owner became Siegfried’s, and Balmung also became his weapon. He wielded Balmung in every battle after that. It is also said that he won in the battle against Fafnir thanks to Balmung. After Siegfried’s death his wife Kriemhild wielded Balmung as part of her revenge, using it to kill Hagen, the man who killed Siegfried.

Depending on the story and source material, Balmung may have other names. In the Norse mythology, Balmung is named Gram. In Richard Wagner’s work, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), it is referred to as Nothung.