The Unconcealed Part of My Powers
「Sheena's POV」
I assessed the skills and character of the man whom Raina had become attached to.
His name is Mangrel, a seemingly ordinary guild member at Bronze 3.
This investigation mission was primarily aimed at testing him. That was the sole purpose.
Under normal circumstances, it would have been a simple task of heading back and forth to the work cabin while dealing with the low-level monsters that appeared along the way. However, perhaps because of bad timing, poachers were hanging around the work cabin. Although it caused a bit of trouble, in retrospect, it allowed me to observe Mongrel's interpersonal combat skills, and maybe that wasn't so bad after all.
「You guys are now criminal slaves. Well, it'll take some time before you can escape. But you're not completely stupid. If you work diligently, you might somehow drag yourselves up before being completely worn out.」
At night.
After having a meal around the campfire, Mongrel addressed the three people he had captured.
Listening as one of them, it was like receiving a lecture from the very person who had captured them. It must have been annoying. But knowing Mongrel, he was likely doing it out of some sense of obligation towards them.
Raina had often mentioned Mongrel's name, and since he frequently appeared at the guild, I had opportunities to talk to him.
Before Raina originally joined Artemis, Mongrel had been her mentor.
However, it wasn't as though they had completed missions together as part of the same party; even for Raina, who had known him a long time, she said that his abilities were 'hard to figure out'.
Such was the mystery of Mongrel, who recently went outside the city with Raina and reportedly encountered a Cyclops.
I wouldn't tell her to stop associating with him. They must've genuinely helped each other, and even as a Bronze 3, having spent a long time in the guild, he must handle his work with a decent level of sincerity.
But if he can't protect Raina when it matters due to a careless mistake, it puts us in a difficult position.
I am Sheena, the leader entrusted with Artemis. As much as I wouldn't want a new member, particularly Raina, to be injured or killed over something insignificant, I must be cautious.
Thus, I decided to test Mongrel.
If he was strong, that was fine... but that alone wouldn't suffice. Since he'd be with Raina, his character couldn't be ignored.
Most guild members hail from rough, impoverished backgrounds. If Mongrel turned out to be a negative influence on Raina, I intended to ensure he stayed away in the future, and I wouldn't let her get involved with him.
... After watching him for a day, I pretty much figured it out.
His ability was good. In fact, he possessed strength and skill uncharacteristic of a Bronze 3.
His eye for spotting traps suggested experience and was not bad. His choice of paths and way of walking were passable.
... Although the arrows he shot when we encountered goblins exposed his amateur side, the subsequent close combat using a bow sword swiftly and precisely took down the goblins. It was a foolish scene, yet I believed it was his solid skill that allowed him to cover for his clown-like behavior.
His response to the bandits we encountered at the work cabin was also adequate.
The bastard sword he wielded constituted a somewhat middling armament, but his swift attacks successfully took advantage of the enemy's openings, rendering them powerless instantly.
His body enhancement must have been excellent. When he deflected a machete with his sword, it felt as agile as flicking away a branch.
His decision not to recklessly take lives wasn't a bad trait. Attempting to capture, although potentially hazardous to the rear guard, likely stemmed from the confidence that he could recover the situation if required. He was probably not just a soft-hearted man.
He held power. He wasn't a pathological case. ... Yes, he seemed like a suitable man to be with Raina. I'm relieved.
Well... if he tried anything inappropriate during tonight's camp, I wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him.
「He's weird in some ways, but he seems like a good guy. Isn't that nice, leader Sheena?」
「Yeah. But are you not the one most relieved, Ulrika?」
「... Hehe. Well, when I think about something happening to Raina, you know? I can't help but worry.」
「You were clinging to Mongrel quite a bit, so I was wondering what that was about. Wasn't your probing a little too blatant?」
「Am I? I thought I was being subtle...」
Ulrika, being a close junior, particularly cared about Raina.
And given that Mongrel was her former mentor, perhaps Ulrika was harboring a competitive spirit against him.
But hadn't today dissolved any grievances Ulrika had against Mongrel? He wasn't the type to dislike or be wary of people. Especially if that person had a good character...
「Mongrel-senpai, I've grilled new meat.」
「Oh, you went out of your way to bring it. Thanks, Raina.」
「T-That's the meat we processed...!」
「Oh? You want some? Well, today might be your last decent wild game cuisine, after all. It'd be a shame to waste the meat, so I might let you have some... if you can express your remorse for today in words!?」
「Damn it...! Let me eat! I'll reflect on my actions!」
「It seems you're not reflecting enough...」
「I am reflecting!」
... No, I wonder. Was that good character...?
... Although I often talked to him at the tavern, Mongrel was still a hard man to grasp.
「I've prepared a bucket of water in your room. You should cleanse yourself before going to bed.」
「Oh, that's considerate of you, Natasha.」
「I didn't participate in any combat today, so I should at least make good use of my water magic.」
She was Natasha.
She's been with us since the formation of Artemis, an extraordinary water magic user.
After leaving the royal capital, she's stood by me all this time as a reliable partner. She also accompanied us this time for Raina's sake.
「Sheena. Did he meet your expectations?」
「Yeah, sort of. He remains a peculiar individual, but he's not bad. I'm relieved he's not a villain. What about you, Natasha?」
「An interesting man, he is.」
「... Interesting?」
That surprised me. It's unusual for the usually cool Natasha to hold someone in high regard. Why? Which part?
「Earlier, that man, Mongrel, was helping to chop firewood with his bastard sword.」
「Oh, right. I appreciate his help...」
「Upon examining his sword closely, I discovered something intriguing. What do you think it was?」
Natasha narrowed her sharp eyes, smiling with amusement. It was her smile when pursuing academic interest... There's some aspect to the sword? That it caught her attention means...
「Could it be that the bastard sword is a demonic sword or something?」
「No. That sword seemed to be just a mass-produced one. Perhaps a failed longsword. The interesting part lies elsewhere.」
It was worse than I imagined. That alone was sufficiently fascinating, but...?
「Mongrel did deflect that machete with one strike, didn't he?」
「Yes, that's right.」
「I checked that machete afterwards. I found a deep notch etched into the blade part, about the size of a finger.」
「... That means...」
It displayed tremendous sharpness and power. It's understandable how he could easily make it fly with one strike.
「By contrast, Mongrel's bastard sword had incurred no damage on the blade, even after clashing with the machete.」
「!」
「Fascinating, isn't it? It's not a magic sword or anything, merely common steel that could withstand a machete with significant reinforcement... His body enhancements are noteworthy, but the transmission to his weapons is astounding. Sheena, what's his rank?」
「Bronze, 3... I can't believe it.」
「In the strict guild of the royal capital, individuals at that level would be awarded as Gold.」
I had perceived his strength. Completing difficult missions solo, having surplus capabilities...
That surplus must have been the reason.
「He might possess some form of body enhancement 'gift'. Different types, but like you or me.」
「...!」
A gift. Similar to skills, or perhaps exceeding them, it was a supernatural power received as a miracle.
Those with reinforcement type gifts are mostly retained by the nations, or even in the wilderness, they stand at the top among guild members, possessing prime competency in battle-related areas.
... Was he hiding his power due to that? Preferring not to draw attention—being recognized as having a gift... Well, when looked from that perspective, it explains why he sticks to being a Bronze.
The higher a powerful person rises, the more perilous missions there are.
「I'm satisfied having seen something intriguing. How you decide to handle Mongrel is for you to decide, Sheena.」
「... I'm mulling it over. Though he once refused, there might be more persistence attributed to recruiting him...」
「From a personal standpoint, well, it's not bad. Considering we've already got that 'male' Ulrika, if Raina is attached to him, it should be alright. I'll go along with whatever you plan, Sheena.」
With those words, Natasha walked toward Goliriana.
She was likely going to replenish her bucket of water, too.
... Mongrel. Mongrel, huh.
If he's a reinforcement-type gift holder... perhaps it might be worthwhile to keep him with us rather than risking someone else taking him in...?
「Hey, check this out, Raina, Ulrika. By extracting animal fat from a Mad Boar's fatty part and mixing it into a preserved food mold, you get this incredibly nasty and smelly preserved food.」
「Ugh, it stinks! Haha, it looks horrible!」
「Ugh. Instead of bothering to make preserved food, wouldn't it be better to just hunt fresh meat and eat that...?」
「That's a hunter's privilege...」
「By the way, boar fat is better made into candles. You can use it yourself and sell several for a good price.」
「... Indeed...」
「How peculiar! With preserved food, wouldn't jerky be enough?」
... Well, if he were to join, it might be fun, and it could be something to think about positively. Though he might refuse, perhaps with time and regular invitations, his heart could change.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
This chapter introduced us to gifts. So aside from skills, there's also gifts. Does Mongrel really have a gift?
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】