Surviving as a Useless Bard in a Game

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The attention and gazes around me gathered once more.

I felt a surge of happiness.

However, there was something more important than my feelings at the moment.

That was the reason.

Why was so much attention and interest directed at me just for asking a simple question about how to raise my rank?

A sense of unease began to creep in.

“Um, what do you mean?”

“Oh… I see you’re someone who doesn’t know.”

“Yes.”

“There are two ways to raise your Adventurer rank. One is to complete requests, which most people know, and the other is… you can win against an Adventurer of a higher rank than yourself in a challenge.”

So that’s why everyone around had that surprised look.

Challenging a silver-rank Adventurer with this body? The only outcomes I could imagine were either becoming a corpse or waking up in a strange place after getting knocked out.

‘To begin with, I could take requests one rank higher than my own, so is there really a need to raise my rank?’

Well, if Skylar was aiming for gold-rank requests, it would be a barrier, but…

No matter how I thought about it, a scroll-user who wasn’t even a proper magician could undertake gold-rank requests. That just seemed a bit dubious.

I wanted to raise the request rank, but gold-rank requests mostly recommended parties of four or more, considering my current level, I’d just die instantly.

The silver-rank requests, which included exploring or observation tasks, hunting some passing animals, or taking down a few goblins, were on a different level altogether.

The easiest-sounding gold-rank request was to eliminate an entire village of monster habitats with four people.

It was only after humans began to step beyond the bounds of human capabilities that they were finally called gold-rank.

“Can I see some requests at my level and silver-level requests first?”

“Yes. Just a moment.”

Skylar mentioned she’d also check for requests separately, but I figured I could pick ones with easier difficulty compared to what she might choose.

The rewards would naturally be lower, but my safety was my top priority.

If I earn a little less money, maybe I could play music and beg on the first floor of the Adventurer’s Guild.

‘…If I outright ask for money, would they give me some? Or maybe just set a short-term contract with a store to get paid for every performance during my stay in this town would work too.’

I thought of several ways to make money, but no matter how I considered it, my thoughts kept flowing towards performing.

This must be occupational hazard… or rather, the influence of the status window.

If I had to decide, perhaps it was the instrument’s effect. Ever since I received it, my mind had been a bit off. Both hypotheses have plenty of credibility.

Anyway, back to the point.

“…Wow, there are a lot.”

“Yeah, it seems that way.”

I definitely felt the scale difference compared to the village I was in before.

Asking for both requests at my level and silver-level requests may have been a mistake from the start.

‘When am I ever going to look through all of this?’

To begin with, can I possibly carry all of this with my current strength?

‘No, that’s definitely impossible.’

In the end, I had to swallow my embarrassment and ask the guild clerk once more.

“Could you sort this out again to focus on gathering and scouting requests?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry…”

The clerk kept smiling throughout but I could sense the cold gaze hidden beneath that smile.

She began to reorganize the giant stack of requests with a grunt.

…The gaze felt prickly.

I could feel the growing interest in me from behind. When I first entered the Adventurer’s Guild, it was of a positive nature, but now there was a hint of negativity mixed in.

I didn’t want to be this sensitive to the attention of others…

After a moment, the clerk returned, sweating profusely but with a smaller stack of requests than before.

Whether she was trying to show she was annoyed or just suggesting I should be conscious of it, the way she set down the requests was purposefully thudding instead of how carefully she’d placed them before.

“T-thank you.”

“Sure. Please come again.”

To maintain politeness, I exchanged formalities, but there were thorns in her words. It gave off a strong suggestion that she didn’t want to see me again.

Feeling embarrassed, I quickly took the bundle of requests and sat in a corner.

It felt like a thickness of about 100 sheets of A4 paper… roughly weighing about 0.5kg.

I thought this was manageable with one hand—so I let go of the other—but immediately, my center of balance wobbled. Luckily, I managed to catch it again quickly.

Certainly, when I think back, just holding a fork and knife for a bit had made my arms and hands numb.

Just how weak have I become?

Quickly striding towards the corner table, I placed the bundle of requests down haphazardly.

‘Who knows when Skylar will arrive. So I might as well kill time with something.’

Reading something felt like time passed more quickly. I made excuses about checking for requests, but in reality, I held no authority to accept requests by myself.

That kid was going to be super annoyed.

Blood was leaking from my nose.

I wiped it with the end of my sleeve. It wasn’t too noticeable since it was a black cloak anyway.

How much time has passed?

I picked out about three useful requests and returned the rest to the clerk.

‘…Two scouting and one gathering request, huh.’

Fortunately, there were three requests I could complete on my own, even with my weak body.

Well, I hope no one says it’s bad that only three out of over 100 requests were ones I could do.

My conscience was lightly pricked, but I managed to ignore it.

The conscience of a modern person is as light as a feather, and it can vanish like a chameleon when the owner desires. I didn’t feel particularly guilty.

To begin with, with this beautiful and cute appearance, the ‘girl filter’ was working!

‘…Let’s say I am a slightly higher race.’

For example, if an uncle is a nuisance at a party? He needs to be expelled immediately. A cancerous existence in society!

But if a cute girl is a nuisance at a party? Well, that’s acceptable. Being a bit clueless is one of the many attributes of cuteness.

‘What’s wrong with my head?’

Even if I had nothing to do, while waiting for Skylar, I began to doubt if I had a mental issue.

I was starting to feel sleepy.

Is she going to come soon?

‘Didn’t she mention in the note that she would check for usable requests? That would naturally mean she intended to visit the Adventurer’s Guild, right?’

Time was getting late. It was beginning to sound like evening.

I was hungry, and it was getting darker outside… Should I just head back to the inn and wait?

That seemed like a reasonable method. I was already tired and exhausted, and if I slipped into narcolepsy or my habitual clumsiness in this situation, it would be problematic for me.

To be honest, it was quite a feat that it hadn’t occurred until now.

‘…If someone were to ask why I keep wandering in such dangerous situations.’

The answer would be the same.

Because if I just stay still, nothing would happen.

My personality has always been unable to sit still, and even if I focus on one thing, once something interesting catches my attention, I’d be pulled away immediately.

Some have even suggested I might have ADHD, but after testing, it was determined I didn’t.

Just a strange one within the normal range.

That’s the kind of ambiguous being I was.

As I kept moving forward one step at a time without stopping, I would someday arrive at my desired destination.

I’ve heard it and seen it before, but I can’t even remember when. However, it was a saying that had been embedded deep in my mind as my principle of action.

Anyway, back to the topic.

‘Maybe I should start heading back soon.’

My body was stiff and since I had been sitting for a long time, my joints were crying out. Despite setting my age in my twenties, my body felt like that of an 80-year-old grandmother.

Just as I was about to leave the guild.

Suddenly, an Adventurer burst in, panting heavily. Everyone’s attention was drawn to the newly arrived Adventurer.

He opened his mouth.

No, he shouted loudly.

“The Mad King has come!”

With just that one line, the crowd began to stir. Everyone’s lips moved restlessly like they were swept away by a wave, pouring forth questions.

However, the man who could answer those questions collapsed shortly thereafter.

He had a glowing arrow stuck in his back.

…I didn’t understand.

But the only thing I could comprehend was—

‘This is bad.’

Skylar, who hadn’t returned.

The Adventurer who collapsed with a light arrow in him.

The last words that Adventurer had spat out.

And finally, the Mad King.

The situation began to piece itself together in my mind like a puzzle.

My previously heavy and throbbing head was now racing rapidly.

It felt different than when I had escaped the influence of the status window.

It felt like something was resonating with me… a sense of reclaiming.

The doors of the Adventurer’s Guild burst open.

Boom.

With an explosion sound, a man was thrown into the guild building.

He barely managed to break his fall, but he had several wounds on his body.

He was bleeding.

I immediately recognized the identity of that man.

“…Skylar?!”

“Wait, why are you here—”

Then, the air grew heavy in an instant.

Step.

I could hear the sound of someone’s footsteps.

I was not permitted to speak.

My body’s freedom was taken away.

Arrogant and noble.

The man, who had the face of a king, looked at us.

His white hair shimmered in the sunlight, turning a soft golden color, while the cloak made from black beast leather absorbed the light above his shoulders.

His eyes were as transparent as mirrors, shining white like winter.

He looked like a young boy, but no one could dare to call him childish.

He planted his sword into the ground.

“…It seems following my intuition was indeed the right choice.”