Volume 1 Chapter 14 I'm Being Instructed To Talk, But...
Three big rats are eating. They are so focused on their meal that they haven't noticed me yet.
This is the perfect situation for a surprise attack.
I take the spear out of its sheath on my back and grip it with both hands. I've practiced with it before coming here, but this is the first time I'm using it in a real fight.
"I feel a bit sad that the first opponent for my new partner is a rat."
I completely ignore Gram's lament and dash forward with all my might.
The big rat notices my footsteps, and one of them looks back at me. This makes the other two big rats react too.
"Here I come!"
I swing the spear towards one of the big rats.
The tip of the spear barely grazes the giant rat's neck, and blood splatters as it falls to the ground, creating a red stain. It lies there motionless.
After one of their buddies (?) got taken down, the rest of the big rats finally recognized me as their enemy. Their eyes changed.
But I didn't give them a chance to strike back. Before they could make another move, I thrust my spear into the body of one of the big rats. The tip pierced deep into its flesh.
The unpleasant screams of the beast shook my eardrums, but I ignored it and swung the spear sideways, tearing through the big rat's body, destroying it from the inside and cutting it in half.
It didn't put up much of a fight. I marveled at how sharp the spear was. That old man really sold me this amazing spear at a bargain.
Even though I was surprised, I didn't lose my focus. The last big rat jumped towards me.
Big rats may be considered weak among monsters, but their sharp teeth can easily tear through a human body, just like a regular rat.
But I've dealt with big rats many times before. I'm not about to be scared now.
"Hmph!"
I swung the spear and hit the handle near the tip on the side of the Big Rat's body. I felt the sensation of breaking bones as the handle touched my hand, and the Big Rat was thrown from the impact and slammed into a nearby tree.
By this point, the Big Rat was already dying. Based on experience, it seemed like its broken bones had pierced its insides. It was just convulsing on the ground. I thrust the spear into its neck and finished it off.
Even though it's a monster that harms people, I still felt a slight aversion to ending its life with my own hands. But in the village, it's something I've repeated many times as part of my job. It was bearable.
"...For now, that's three."
I shook off the Big Rat's blood from the tip and put it back into the sheath on my back.
After that, I immediately started dismantling it.
Using a knife for butchering, I cut out the necessary parts from the Big Rat's carcass-- the parts that can be sold.
The knife was bought from the weapons shop before coming to the forest. I actually wanted to get it from the weapons shop that sold Gram, but unfortunately, it was closed, so I got it from another store. I chose a decent one because cheap ones would break easily. It was a painful expense, but I think of it as an investment for the future.
If I had returned to my house in the village, I would have had a knife with similar sharpness. But I didn't expect to come all the way to the royal capital to hunt Big Rats, so I left it behind. I regret it a little now.
"You're pretty good at this."
Gram said, impressed.
"I've been going quite frequently, not every day though. If it's Big Rats, I'm confident I can beat even a top-notch mercenary."
"That's not something to brag about."
While exchanging jokes with the spear, I finished dismantling the Big Rats. I packed the usable parts into the bag I brought and buried the rest in the ground.
Additionally, I gather up the tails of the Big Rats and put them in another bag. I'll submit them to the Mercenary Guild as proof of defeating the monsters.
"Alright, let's go for it. Aim for ten of them!"
In this extermination request I took on, there is no specified number of kills. Big Rats have strong breeding abilities, so if left alone, they'll multiply quickly. That's why the rewards are based on the number of rats hunted, without setting a limit.
"I thought for sure you'd be aiming for big game and trying to strike it rich."
"Unfortunately, I don't have any intentions of making a living as a mercenary for now. Just earning money through Big Rat hunting is enough."
The rank of a mercenary is determined by the quality and quantity of completed requests. Naturally, handling difficult requests can lead to higher achievements and faster promotions.
The 'achievement' gained from exterminating Big Rats is the lowest rank as a mercenary. No matter how many are hunted, it won't amount to much. However, considering that I can receive the 5th rank, which is the lowest rank for mercenaries, and the weakness of Big Rats, I can earn the most at the moment.
"Hey, partner, you're kind of realistic."
"Just chasing dreams ain't gonna make 'em come true. Sad truth, but it is what it is."
"I don't really mind that kind of steady effort, though."
"Yeah, thanks for that."
Gotta start from what can be done little by little. That's the most important.
Now, I shoulder my load again and start looking for Big Rats once more.
Right in the middle of that, Gram said,
"Hey partner, I was watching you hunt earlier and something's been bugging me."
"What's up?"
"You, my friend, are terrible with a spear."
...Gram's blunt criticism really got to me, I gotta admit. His words about the spear hit me hard. Just like a spear.
"Truly an amateur among amateurs. You could be called the King of Amateurs without a doubt."
"I'll break you, you punk."
"Your strength ain't gonna cut it, partner."
Gram casually brushed off my words and kept going.
"Hey, I wasn't talking bad about you or anything, partner. You probably learned to use a spear all by yourself, right? Besides, your main job is actually being a farmer, so using a spear is just something you do on the side. If you can do that well, it's pretty impressive."
"In the village, there were people who could teach sword fighting, but I was the only one who knew how to handle a spear. Some of us were mostly self-taught, but there was one guy who became the strongest in the village."
That Relix guy, he only learned how to hold a sword and pretty much didn't get taught by anyone else. But somehow, he became the most skilled person in the village. And now, he's the Brave-sama who's supposed to save the world (or so they say).
"Don't worry too much about that. What I'm trying to say is, with a little guidance, even you could become pretty good. At least, that's what I can tell from what I've seen, partner."
"But who's gonna teach me?"
It was the same in the village, but spears are unpopular weapons in this country. When I went to the Mercenary Guild, most of the mercenaries inside were carrying swords. Less than 10% had a different weapon. Even when I joined that small percentage, I was looked at with strange eyes while waiting for the registration process.
So, who's gonna train a rookie mercenary from the countryside with no connections or backing? The best I can hope for is being used and turned into a handyman.
"I get your concern, partner. But I've got some insider info. I can introduce you to someone who'll give you free spear training right now."
"...Hey, weren't you just sitting in a corner of the weapon shop, covered in dust the other day?"
"Too bad, I was getting regularly polished by the old man with a beard at the weapon shop."
I don't need that kind of background information.
I feel like I'm participating in a farce. A sigh escaped me.
"So, what's the right answer?"
"Ta-da! It's me!"
.......
--Shing
"Wait, wait, don't just go silent and get ready to throw me!"
"Tch."
I thought about throwing it into the depths of the forest, but I stopped myself as Gram's desperate voice and I click my tongue.
"...If you do something stupid next time, I won't hesitate to throw you."
"I'm sorry for being a little too playful! ...But, it's not entirely a joke, you know?"
"Huh?"
I looked at Gram, the spear, with a serious look. It seemed like Gram had noticed my interest and spoke with a hint of amusement.
"It's not bragging, but among those who have used me so far, there were some pretty skilled ones. So, their movements are stored in my memory."
"So, what does that mean?"
"From my memory, I can teach the movements of those who are most suitable for your physique and abilities. That way, your skills can approach those of past experts, partner."
If Gram had a body, it would have sounded like it was boasting proudly. But I furrowed my brow.
"Can you really teach that? You were just being used by skilled individuals... In the end, you were just watching, right?"
"Well, it's not unreasonable for you to doubt, partner. But, try sticking with me for a while as if you were being deceived. Then you'll understand."
--A villager learning how to fight by a spear.
The words on the surface seem really strange.
Even the talking spear is incredibly strange--
"...Anyway, I'm gonna hunt Big Rats for a while. I'll go along with your crazy proposal."
"Crazy is not a good thing to say. Besides, I'll personally train you to be able to handle someone much more profitable than those small fry Big Rats."
--And so, a ridiculously strange master-student relationship between a spear and a human was formed.
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