Level Down 14 (Patreon)

Volume 1 Chapter 14 - Repayment of Favor to the Orphanage

RAW

Allen let out a big breath as he returned home, his heart still beating loudly.

“Seriously?” (Allen)

When Allen unwrapped the luggage he was carrying, what came out was a single steel sword. It was of the same shape as the ones that were lined up in Dolban's workshop just a moment ago.

“I’ve actually done it. Even though it's my first time making a sword, even Shishou couldn't tell it apart, that’s really.” (Allen)

Allen stared at his hands and made an incredulous look. However, there is no doubt that the sword in his hand was the one made by Dolban, and the one that Allen made instead was among the swords that was to be delivered. Allen himself, being the one who had done it, was well aware of that.

Allen was able to make the sword exactly as he wanted, and the result was exactly like the one made by Dolban. However, Allen thought it was only because he was not a professional that he didn’t see a difference, and that it would be different if Dolban saw it.

But, however, Allen could not let go of the thought that ‘if I really made that, then’, so he secretly switched them. He knew that if it was found out, Dolban’s fist would definitely fall on him and he’d be scolded, but the thought won out over him.

“It's definitely because of my high stats right?” (Allen)

Allen continued to think while clenching and unclenching his hands. But Allen couldn't think of any other reason.

No, maybe he originally had the talent, and through his past experiences and seeing Dolban’s work this time, he had completely mastered it. Moreover, with such skill that not even Dolban could understand it.

Allen’s bitter smile deepened at that thought. The chance of that happening was zero. Dolban's skills are cultivated through his talent and experience. There is no way he could create the same thing with just talent.

The only reason he could think of for this was his overwhelming stats achieved through the level up and down traps.

“To think I can reproduce a movement just by seeing it, it's crazy even if I say it myself. Huh? If it’s like that, can I imitate other things too? Things like cooking or carpentry for home repair would be convenient. Alright, let's verify it while I’m at it.” (Allen)

Having made that decision, Allen took a bath to cleanse himself while thinking about what he should do for that, and then he went to bed. It didn't show on his face, but his fatigue had accumulated from working all night for two days, and a short while after Allen collapsed on his bed, his regular breathing could be heard.

.

.

.

After that, Allen continued his life as usual; escorting people to the Slime Dungeon for using the level-up trap, and on his days off, assisting Dolban with his smithing and stealing his skills. In addition, Allen took up one more job.

“Aren't you overdoing it? It doesn't have to be you, you know.” (Matilda)

“There are no stupid adventurers these days, so there’s no one doing it. Well, half of this is like repaying the favor. The previous director took good care of me, you see.” (Allen)

Matilda looked at him worriedly as she handed over the request form, and Allen laughed lightly in response as he checked the request form he received. Written there was a request for [voluntary service at the orphanage].

That request form was special. This was because what would have been written if it were a normal request was not written.

That was the reward amount.

Normally, when a request received through the Guild is completed, the adventurer is paid a corresponding reward. Of course, there is also income to be earned by cashing in on materials other than those requested, such as materials stripped from defeated monsters and medicinal herbs collected, but the first thing adventurers check is the reward amount.

Adventurers compare the amount of money they will certainly receive if they complete the request and decide whether it is reasonable or not. The reason they don't rely on those other sources of income is because the purchase of materials not requested is subject to large fluctuations.

Adventurers also have their livelihoods at stake. It may go against their name, but that’s probably natural.

There was no way this request for [voluntary service at the orphanage] that has no reward amount written on it was an ordinary request.

To put it bluntly, this request was meant as punishment for adventurers who receive bad evaluation for poor behavior in the Guild. Meals will be provided, but they will be monitored by the guild employee who will be dispatched with them, and what’s more, they will receive no reward. This is the final line for adventurers who are on the verge of being expelled from the guild if they do not complete the request seriously and raise their evaluation.

However, putting it the other way around, if there were no such adventurers, it would be a request that no one would be willing to accept.

Of course, the orphanage doesn't rely on such adventurers, even so, it was true that there were jobs that could be done with the help of adventurers who had leveled up and had high physical abilities. And since they accepted such misbehaving adventurers from the Guild, there was no way the Guild could just completely ignore them just because there were no misbehaving adventurers, that’s the situation.

It had been a topic of conversation within the Guild for some time, but it had been put on the back burner as the Adventurers' Guild itself became busy with the appearance of the level-up trap, and that’s when Allen volunteered to do it himself.

And since Allen is a former adventurer, he would be a good fit for the orphanage, they thought, so the matter progressed rapidly, and it was decided that Allen would be dispatched today.

Allen waved lightly at Matilda, who was looking at him worriedly, and left the guild, heading down the familiar road towards his house. This is because the orphanage is located just a short walk from Allen's house, just before the slums in the western district.

It’s not like it was in his path to the guild, so the route wasn't exactly the same, but the general direction was the same.

Allen went straight around the corner he would normally turn, and after a while, the orphanage he was heading for came into view.

The orphanage was originally attached to a church, so it was a fairly sturdy wooden building. However, after the church was relocated and only the orphanage remained, they could no longer afford to spend money on maintenance of the building. As a result, it was now in a rather dilapidated state.

As Allen got closer, he could clearly notice the emergency measures they took to pull through, such as the different colors of the roof boards and the rough cuts, and he secretly smiled at that sight.

(Well, I'm glad it's just as I remembered, but it's probably not a good thing from the orphanage's point of view, but it's convenient for me.) (Allen)

While thinking about that, Allen passed through the gate of the orphanage and knocked on its aged door. After a while, the director of the orphanage, a kind-looking man in his late 40s, came out.

After exchanging the standard greetings, Allen followed the man's guidance to a corner of the orphanage. Then, in front of a small stone standing in the corner of the garden where an offering of wild flowers that seemed to have been picked from the garden had been placed before it, he knelt down on one knee and bowed his head.

(It has been a while, Baa-chan. My younger brothers and sisters are independent now, and a lot of things have happened recently, but I finally have some free time. I really wish I could have returned the favor sooner.) (Allen)

Allen spoke in his heart to the person sleeping in the earth in front of him. Although there was a hint of regret in it, his expression was a very kind and gentle one.

The person Allen calls Baa-chan in his heart is the old woman who was the previous director of this orphanage. She was originally a sister of the church, and when the church was relocated and the church staff left for the new church, she was the only one who remained behind for the sake of the orphans, she was a really kind person.

That kindness extended not only to the orphans she was protecting, but also to the people living in the surrounding area and the residents of the slums, that included Allen's family. When she saw the young Allen patiently providing for his siblings, it weighed on her mind, so she kept telling him to rely on her if he had any troubles. And she, in fact, had actually helped Allen, and not just once or twice.

Above all, Allen was especially grateful that, thanks to her teachings and recommendations, one of his sisters was able to undergo training to become a sister at the church headquarters in the royal capital.

A while after Allen spoke to the previous director, he stood up.

“My bad. I took up so much time.” (Allen)

“No, I was also saved by the director after all.” (Director)

Allen abruptly laughed at the current director’s words. From those words, he felt the man in front of him felt that the former director was still the director. Feeling a sense of kinship with the director, Allen began to talk about his purpose today.

“I think it was explained in advance, but since there were no delinquent adventurers this time, a guild employee will be acting in their place.” (Allen)

“Yes. We apologize for the inconvenience to everyone in the Adventurers' Guild.” (Director)

“No, this is a give-and-take, so you don't have to worry about it. That said, there's only so much I can do by myself. That's why I called for backup.” (Allen)

“Backup?” (Director)

Smiling in response at the director who parroted him, Allen looked back to the entrance to the orphanage. There, nearly ten people were standing side by side.

────

Previous | Next