Helium, 10th Chapter | The Woman Named Frey=Foures
The Mole Group.
A group that came into being through an art of wielding the Mana Calculus characteristic of its founder. The Adventurer who a.s.sembled the group, Frey=Foures.
An art that utilized the Earth Mana Calculus (Manamite) whereby the surface of the earth would swell up; innumerable stones would crawl out and plow toward the target.
As if a mole sprang out of the ground.
Leveraging that art and a rare talent in swordplay, Frey ascended to Cla.s.s B that was considered superb amongst the Guild members.
The then Frey was the very embodiment of ambition. Unconcerned of the rest, she piled efforts up in order to get stronger than any and everyone.
However, the higher she climbed, the lonelier she found herself. Having been acquainted with the limitations of subjugating the monsters by herself, she decided to complete the quests with a party.
A party had no relation to the Cla.s.s. Upon rendering a payment to the Guild, the leader could obtain the permission to create a party wherein anyone could enter.
Entering such a party was undemanding for such a woman as Frey who was a marriage of beauty and skill.
It was then that Frey was made aware of the state of the Guild’s affairs.
Although there was an influential member of the same Cla.s.s as Frey – B – who entered a party for the first time, rest of the members comprised those of Cla.s.s C or D, or those of paltry merits.
The influential member would defeat the monsters and beasts.
While the menial work such as carrying the luggage, collecting the parts, etc. was left to the members of low cla.s.s.
The remuneration from the Guild was divisible at the option of party, yet the share of remuneration which the members of low cla.s.s received was inconsiderable.
Upon witnessing such a situation, Frey questioned the members who were not endeavouring to raise their cla.s.s. However, saying it was fine as it was since they were able to attain stability, they unanimously played it down.
Frey, who had been putting in great efforts and rising through her own abilities, despised such them.
If there was a top, there would be a bottom.
She switched the parties, yet the situation remained the same. Amongst the parties were some wherein she was set upon by all the members for her body.
Disgusted at such a guild, she decided to get on with as a lone Adventurer. During her sojourns, she met all kinds of people.
Amongst them were many who wished to get stronger and endeavoured hence. However, when it didn’t turn out well, they obscured themselves.
It was then that she realized as to how blessed she was in terms of resources. She thought, at the same time, that leaving those people to rot would be too wasteful.
Unknowingly, it reached a point whereby Frey would train such people whom she met during her sojourns.
They learnt from how to wield a Mana Machine (Mana Core) to refined swordplay. Over the course stepped forward some who wanted to follow Frey. Thus, she earned herself companions.
Amongst them were a bunch who made their living in the same manner as thieves, yet Frey only pitied them.
Before long, people who numbered a few expanded into a big family of tens. Thenceforth, they started calling themselves by the same name as Frey’s signature move, which was acclaimed as ‘Mole’, and continued with their travels.
The once lone Frey was now a big family.
While they had expanded to the point which necessitated a base, Frey had reached a point whereby she dreamt of founding a new guild.
On that occasion, they came across a small town developing close by the border between Van Der Kingdom and Revival Kingdom.
It was the town of Wide.
Wide Town: A remote town that barely made ends meet by mining the Water Mana Calculus and/or delivering the processed goods to the Capital.
The people of Wide Town gladly accepted the Mole Group in the town due to them offering a.s.sistance.
Because the vicinage forest was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with the beasts, the townspeople were truly pleased to have strong people present.
Here, however, they were not able to raise funds.
Therefore, Frey left her companions in the town and decided to work away at the Capital by herself.
Thereafter, she completed a large number of quests. By the time she realized, several months had pa.s.sed. Carrying loads of money, Frey returned to meet up with her companions whom she had not seen in quite a while.
However, when she arrived in the town, it was missing its usual liveliness. The town was almost deserted.
‘Was the town invaded by bandits?’ Entertaining such apprehensions, Frey stepped into the town. However, the very few all-but-dead people she met refused to open their mouths. The eyes they cast her with were abound with hatred.
When she tried to inquire of her companions whom she came across, they were fl.u.s.tered. It was obvious that they were hesitant to speak.
Amidst that, she found a man at an inn dozing off with his legs spread.
Frey was indignant at his behaviour. She made him spit everything out.
The situation that awaited Frey was enough to betray her emotions and efforts thus far.
“…I’ve heard the gist of the situation from Glenn…… you guys… have betrayed me.”
The woman, who had her head downcast, looked lonely. Then, she wrung her voice out as if trying desperately to suppress her rage.
(…Falling out, huh?)
“…L-Leader… you’ve returned?”
Said one of the men while laughing *herahera* indiscreetly. The voice, that was somewhat excited, was clearly frightened.
“Zack… I want to hear it from you. I entrusted this place to you; was it a mistake on my part?”
The man called Zack was the same leading man who previously shot a Fireball at Shin through a strange object.
With his first quivering, Zack lowered his head.
“Answer me! Zack!”
The woman’s piercing voice echoed as if tearing through the tense air.
Upon that voice, everyone – be it the surrounding men or the exhausted labourers – stood still and watched the situation unravel.
However, one of the men lifted his face back up and scowled at Frey. The leading man named Zack.
“…You, do you understand how we feel at all?! You’re good. With your abilities, you can make a living by yourself. But for us, that’s impossible! What’s the problem with ruling over those weaker than you?! Besides, didn’t you leave all by yourself for the Capital and entrusted this place to me? I have been doing things my way. That’s all there is to it!”
“…I! …went to raise funds in order to incorporate a guild, so that I could do my best from the beginning… together with you guys――”
“Guild?! Don’t be ridiculous! How much gold do you think the government will have to be stacked up with to incorporate one? Besides, such talentless people as us will never be able to manage a guild! How sweet of you to think of us as equals! …To begin with, most of the guys sticking with you were doing so because they thought they would be able to have a better life. From the start, we had no interest in you training us out of your ‘sense of justice’!”
“…!”
The face of the woman, who was glaring at Zack, got clouded.
All of the surrounding men had their heads downcast.
A moment of silence.
Although Shin was getting bored, he chose to remain a spectator.
“……Disband.”
“…Aah?”
Said the woman with her head lowered.
“I understand what you guys are saying… henceforth, the Mole Group stands disbanded! Leave this town right now, and don’t set foot on this land ever again!”
Zack, who had been holding his tongue in, yelled in defiance as if he had regained his consciousness.
“What the f.u.c.k?! Here――――”
“This is the remuneration I earned till now… divide it among you for all I care, but listen up carefully. Leave this town… right now!”
The woman flung a number of pouches she was carrying on her back.
The pouch, that couldn’t resist the gravity, struck the ground bestrewing it with the contents.
Gold, gold, gold… from inside the pouch, tens of shining gold coins poured out.
“…Th-This.”
“It’s gold!”
“W-Woah…”
With their eyes glued to what was scattered about, the surrounding labourers could only sigh.
“…I was saving it to incorporate a guild, but it’s not needed anymore… so I’ll give it to you. It was wrong of me… to make you guys stick with me all this time. Think of it as a reward for that…”
“…Kuh”
The men swarmed the gold coins scattered about.
Zack, who was alternating his gaze between the woman and the gold coins, was in a state whereby he was unable to utter a single word.
“So… leave this town right now!!”
From the woman’s grievous cry, one could infer as to what those men and that woman had been through.
It was then that Shin, who had been a bystander, realized he was still barefoot.