NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20.2
20.2. Inspiration
After returning from the snowy mountains where he had gone gathering, Nord was at a tavern in the royal capital, grumbling to himself.
That said, he wasn’t drinking. He couldn’t afford such wastefulness.
Because of that, Nord, who remained seated without ordering anything, drew a cold glance from a waitress with a revealing neckline. But he paid no mind, continuing his lament.
The reason was simple—he had no money.
Well, to be precise, he had some.
He had just finished his delivery at the Adventurers’ Guild counter and even received a bonus for turning in more Frost Stones than required.
However, those coins—just a few silvers—weren’t anywhere near the “200 silver coins” he needed.
“Ahh… No money…”
“There he goes again, the kid’s whining.”
“Huh, isn’t Elsa usually here? That’s rare.”
“You didn’t hear? Apparently, her party disbanded.”
“No way? She dumped him?”
“Nah, more like she got dumped…”
Laughter and chatter.
The rowdy adventurers had made Nord’s situation into their drinking topic and went on with their gossip. Somehow, one of them misread the situation and treated Nord to a drink.
(Well, if it’s free, why not.)
With that, Nord gulped down the drink in one go, exhaling a sharp “Phaaah” as alcohol-laced breath escaped him.
The chill of the liquor brought relief to his overheated mind, which had been stuck in a thought loop.
“—Alright!”
He decided to clear his head.
With that resolve, Nord stood up, walking briskly past the noisy drinkers and heading toward the quest board.
His body felt stiff from sitting in the same position for too long, and he imagined his joints cracking with each step.
Stretching his back, he scanned the posted requests.
Every morning, new quests appeared on the board, but the popular ones were quickly taken.
On the other hand, unpopular ones often lingered for days or even weeks. Those with no takers were either withdrawn or had additional rewards added.
The Adventurers’ Guild was usually stingy, only offering contribution points as extra incentives.
But for tedious gathering quests like the one Nord had just completed, the client sometimes increased the reward.
Since quests could update outside the morning schedule, Nord checked the board every night, hoping to find better-paying ones.
“—But still.”
Even with the extra rewards, the payout was usually only enough to earn a few silver coins at best.
Considering that a grown man could live for a year on just four silver coins, these were, in fact, well-paid jobs—though dangerous, of course.
However, the amount Nord needed required more time than he had.
Two hundred silver coins—an amount comparable to the yearly income of a small lord.
Nord doubted his mother, Maria, truly believed he could gather the full amount.
Even so, she must have swallowed her pride and begged him, hoping he could at least help secure her daughter’s long-awaited marriage.
If not the full two hundred, even fifty coins would be enough to make a partial payment and gain goodwill from the groom’s family.
But even with that plan, Nord wasn’t sure things would work out.
Two weeks had already passed since his mother Maria had asked for his help.
Considering the travel time for each quest, Nord had only managed to complete two quests.
Though both had been well-paid (at least in terms of time), earning nearly five silver coins, high-paying quests during winter were rare.
Realistically, there was no way to earn the necessary amount by spring, the deadline for his sister Hanna’s marriage.
(If only Elsa were here…)
The thought crossed his mind, but he shook his head.
Elsa was gone, and even if she were around, it wouldn’t change things.
Not even a Bronze-ranked adventurer like Nord, let alone a Crystal rank, could manage this.
The Ferris family’s debt was far too overwhelming.
(…Don’t give up!)
Nord lashed out at his own creeping pessimism.
This was about his sister Hanna, the one who had always treated him kindly.
Her happiness—and the future of the Ferris family—were on the line.
What mattered now wasn’t whether it was impossible, but how to make it possible.
With that shift in thinking, Nord began searching for a solution.
If a Crystal-ranked quest was beyond him, what kind of quest could earn him the money?
“To make tens or hundreds of silver coins in one quest…”
He glanced sideways.
There was the board for quests aimed at Iron-ranked adventurers, a rank higher than Crystal.
Feeling curious, Nord decided to browse those quests.
First, he checked the realistic ones for Bronze rank.
Though they offered higher rewards than Crystal-level quests, the listed monsters were troublesome foes, reminding him of the gap between his current rank and Bronze rank.
Even gathering quests required dangerous locations or special techniques to collect rare materials—far beyond his abilities.
Still, even with those better rewards, they wouldn’t get him to the two hundred silver coins he needed.
Sighing, Nord shifted his attention to the next board.
It was the Iron-ranked quest board.
The listed quests featured monsters that, if Nord encountered them, he would have to flee while praying to the gods for mercy.
Even his cherished sword would likely struggle to scratch their hides.
Some of the listed materials were vaguely familiar—most from powerful monsters—while others were entirely unknown to him.
The gap between his rank and Iron rank was so vast it felt impossible even to imagine completing one of those quests.
The rewards varied, but some offered dozens of silver coins.
For an Iron-ranked adventurer, these quests might be achievable, Nord thought.
The problem was that Nord didn’t even have the right to attempt the rank-up quest from Crystal to Bronze, let alone take on an Iron-rank quest.
So how could he possibly accept one of these quests?
(…No, wait.)
Nord quickly corrected himself.
Technically, it wasn’t that he couldn’t take an Iron-ranked quest—he just couldn’t do so through the Adventurers’ Guild.
The Guild wanted to avoid unnecessary deaths or costly failures that could damage their reputation.
That’s why they implemented the rank system, ensuring only adventurers suited to the difficulty level could take specific quests.
However, quests not issued through the Guild could be taken by anyone.
In such cases, the Guild took no responsibility for either the client or the adventurer—it was entirely at one’s own risk.
Because of this, the Guild didn’t recommend taking quests outside their system.
(Even if I took one… how would I defeat such a monster? I can’t even imagine it.)
Nord shook his head again.
It seemed hopeless after all.
He sighed deeply.
Then, as if on a whim, he turned to the board beside it.
He was simply curious.
If Iron-rank quests were like that, what kind of monsters did Silver-ranked adventurers face?
“…Heh.”
Nord chuckled involuntarily.
The first thing he saw was a quest involving a monster he had recently encountered.
“‘Seeking Wyvern Materials! Reward—800 silver coins per wyvern.’ Now that’s ambitious.”
He recalled the creature he had seen in the snowy mountains.
Its tough scales, each like a layer of forged armor.
Its carapace, was thick as a fortress wall.
A jaw powerful enough to tear Nord in two with a single bite.
Razor-sharp claws on muscular limbs.
And wings that soared through the skies.
“To think Silver-ranked adventurers fight creatures like that…”
Yes, Silver-ranked adventurers hunted monsters so fearsome that even hearing their roars made Nord shudder.
Many seasoned adventurers who had advanced through Crystal, Bronze, and Iron ranks failed to reach Silver rank.
That was no surprise—after all, dragons stood at the top of the monster hierarchy.
Even a wyvern, the weakest of the dragon species, was still a dragon.
(Riding wyverns into battle… the Royal Iron Dragon Knights really are something else.)
Nord recalled the stories his father and brother had told him.
The Iron Dragon Knights, unlike the local or royal knights, operated purely on merit, receiving generous pay regardless of their background.
They tamed wyverns and dominated the battlefield, earning respect and fear alike.
(Someone from the Adventurers’ Guild did join them, right? A Silver-ranked adventurer, if I remember correctly…)
A sense of déjà vu hit him.
He had heard a story about the Iron Dragon Knights recently. Where had it been?
Ah—during a meal, when his brother had complained about their father insisting, “Join the Iron Dragon Knights!”
He smiled wryly.
It was just like a parent to have unreasonable expectations. But of all things, the Iron Dragon Knights?
At least the Royal Guard would have been more realistic…
Then, an idea struck him.
It was outrageous, but it might just work.
A desperate, last-ditch plan to earn the two hundred silver coins he needed.