The Saint’s Dungeon Business - Chapter 18

The Saint’s Dungeon Affairs – 18

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“Grandpa, hurry, hurry!”

“Haha, Sarah. I can see you’re enjoying this, but wait up.”

Since early in the morning I was very excited. Today is my first day that I’ll be joining my grandpa’s hunt. He seemed reluctant with the idea when I first asked him if I could join, but I kept asking and he finally agreed to his cute granddaughter’s request.

My perfect grandpa was stronger, wiser, more well-informed, and more kind than anyone in the town. Some find him scary because his whole body is covered with scars, but I respect him more than anyone. I want to be like a grandpa when I grow up. So I copied everything grandpa does. That’s why I begged him to teach me how to use a bow and arrows. I actually wanted to learn swordsmanship but he just never would teach me. But I will be a good hunter like my grandpa is.

Though we are only hunting rabbits at the hill behind the village, it’s a rare chance I could learn hunting from him. So far he wouldn’t even let me climb the hill. Even if there are only low-level monsters like rabbits.

I’m not that weak. If I show him my bow skill I practiced, he will recognize my skills. I rushed grandpa and climbed up the hill with light steps. Just watch, and get surprised, grandpa.

“I see a rabbit there. Rabbits’ got good ears that can hear little noises. When you want to get nearer, you should mind your footsteps and make as little noises as possible. Go try yourself, Sarah.”

When we finally met the first rabbit, grandpa, warmly as usual, explained how to hunt it. Being careful not to step on things like twigs, I get close enough for an arrow to reach. My level was 1 hence my Archer level was still 1, so I had to get really close but the rabbit didn’t notice me.

But even if I’m level 1, my regular practice with my bow was good enough for me to shoot a level 1 rabbit with pinpoint accuracy.

“No!”

But it wasn’t enough to kill it. The rabbit ran away with the arrow it took on its body

“Welp. That was unlucky. That rabbit was fast.”

But it was a chance to show my grandpa my skills….

“I’m sorry…. Grandpa,” I said looking down at the ground, upset and embarrassed with the result.

“Haha. Don’t be. Everyone starts somewhere. The arrow was on point, wasn’t it? Don’t be discouraged and look for another one.”

Soon enough, we found another rabbit. Thinking that I won’t miss it this time, I got determined and approached it quietly. Aiming for the body didn’t work the last time. I’ll go for its leg this time. I calmly drew my bow and aimed for the leg.

“I made it!”

The rabbit took an arrow on its leg. Surprised, it tried to run away. But it couldn’t move its leg so it was so much slower than the last one. I shot another arrow while I still had a chance, and then I could finally kill it.

“Grandpa! Look! I got it!”

“Haha, nice work. Sarah, you’re amazing.”

“Yeah! And I levelled up! And I got another job, other than Archer!”

“Oh. You did? I wonder what kind of job you got.”

“Yeah! That’s…. Hunter! And… he..ro? Wow! Hero!”

When I said it, grandpa’s kind face suddenly became scarier.

“What did you… just say?”

“W-well….  H-hero….”

I’ve never seen grandpa making such a scary face, so I got very frightened. Did I do something wrong?

“We’d better call it a day for and return.”

Grandpa started going down the hill with a grim expression on his face. I got so scared I couldn’t say anything but to follow his back.

“…I’m sorry.”

Grandpa suddenly apologized midway to home.

“Sarah, do you know what a Hero does?”

I thought of an answer. I’ve read about the heroes from storybooks. They were great ones who’d slay the monsters, defeat the evil lord, and save the people. That was the kind of hero I read from the storybooks.

“Good works?”

“Yes. You are not wrong. They get abilities to do good works. But, Sarah,

Even if a Hero puts their effort to use their special abilities for good works, when there is someone with extraordinary abilities, there are people who hate them, become jealous, or try to use them.”

I can’t understand what he says. If a good person does good work, why would someone hate him, be jealous of him, or try to use him?

“Maybe it was too difficult for you, yet. But Sarah, I want you to remember this. Grandpa doesn’t want you to live a life of a hero.”

I can never forget the bitter eyes grandpa had when he said that.

After the first hunt with grandpa, I never went to hunt again. I was too little to understand what he said on that day, but now I see what he meant. I also think I have a right idea why he had such a face that day. He’s kind of a person who never likes to say anything about his past, but once a while when he’s a bit tipsy he occasionally told me his stories. They were minor and fragmatic ones, but I came up with a conclusion by combining those little stories.

Grandpa’s son, so my father whom I never met, was a Hero. And he probably made a lot of achievements. But he has been harmed by those who were jealous of him and those who tried to use him. And my grandpa saw everything that happened to my father, and he must have gotten sick of people. He came to this country town with me to hide from them. I can never imagine how grandpa must have felt losing his son to people’s jealousy and greed. When I realized all these, I promised to myself I will never make him feel such pain again.

According to grandpa, the most noticeable characteristics of Hero is that its potential and growth is unrivaled. Also, the amount of experience they can gain from hunting monsters is incomparably greater than the others that they can level up without having sex. If I kept hunting I would have levelled up several times just by hunting rabbits. But it seemed like grandpa wants me to do no hero work and live a life that would never level up my hero job. That must have been the reason he would never teach me his swordsmanship. I respect his concern, so I just never went out hunting ever again.

My day was simple. I prepare meals for my grandpa who’s now too old, and I do errands for the townspeople. Slash-and-burn farmers and almost no young people lived in this town. I am physically more capable than anyone in the town even if my level is low, probably because of the Hero job. So I am an important labor power in this town.

When I arrived at the town, for some reason people were gathered at the village chief’s house.

“Hello, Mary. What’s going on?”

“Oh, Sarah. You’re early today. Adventurers came to our town. Remember the rumor someone has seen the orcs near the town? Apparently Chief Edmund wants to ask the adventurers for an investigation, I heard.”

My grandpa used to take a look at cases like this, but now he was too old for it. His back must hurt now, he finds it hard to get up from the bad. So it seems like the chief wants to ask the adventurers to do it in place of my grandpa.

“I see.”

Adventurer, huh….

It was the most wanted job by country kids that could earn a fortune if you’re lucky. Sarah also wanted to be an adventurer, but after deciding not to reveal my hero job, I’m doing my best to not be interested.

But when I entered the chief’s house, I met the adventurer.

“Edmund, it’s me.”

“Oh, Sarah. Would you mind waiting for a bit? We’ve got an important visitor.”

“And who’s this lady?”

A male adventurer of the group asked the chief looking at me. It’s hard to believe that I’ve met a male adventurer. There are a few, but their numbers are far less than the female adventurers. I never thought I would see such a rare person in this tiny village.

“She’s Sarah. She’s a good person who takes care of her old grandfather and helps with work around town.”

“Is she?”

The male adventurer replied to Edmund but scanned me up and down. I’m used to people looking at me like that as I’m born with the beauty that’s not country-like. And I know this kind of person very well and what they think of me.

How dare he? If other ladies in this town got that look from him, maybe they would jump on him. He’s a male adventurer guaranteed to have a high-level. Spending a night with him would give a significant boost to her level which one can’t easily acquire in this countryside town, and if she manages to leave with him, it would be life-changing for her. But I was interested in neither of those things. If I wanted, I could use my Hero job to get both. I ignored the adventurer’s look and headed out to help the townspeople.

“Grandpa. Some adventurers visited the town today.”

At the end of the day, I came back to our home with food. And I told him what I saw at the town as I prepared dinner.

“Mm. Great. I was getting worried about the orcs the townspeople told me they saw. Only if my body was working properly….”

“Then they would have been a no match for you? I know. But you should really mind your age, grandpa.”

“Mmhm…. Sarah, I’m just saying but if you can….”

“Don’t get any close with those adventurers. Don’t worry. I’m not interested in them.”

I smiled at him. It was a lie that I’m not interested in adventurers, but I’m not interested enough to defy his words. So that’s how an ordinary day ended. At least I thought it did.

That night, I felt a strange sense of someone’s presence and woke up. Who was that? Is Grandpa going to the toilet? His back must hurt; he could have told me to help him. I should get up and help.

And there was a strange man on me.

“Kyaa…ub?! Mmmm?!”

“Shut up. I’m making you feel good.”

He covered my mouth trying to scream with his tough hand. What the hell?! What’s going on?! Who is this man?!

I struggled to escape from him in panic, but the man suppressed me with force and stripped me.

“I never knew I’d meet a girl like you in this shithole. Jackpot.”

“Mm! Mmm! Mmmm!”

No matter how much I struggled, I couldn’t escape from the man.

“Quiet. Do you think I’m doing this just for myself? It’s good for you too. Life’s hard for a grown lady staying at level 1 without any experience, isn’t it? I’ll make sure to level you up so shut up.”

After hearing that I knew who the man was. It was the adventurer I met that morning!

“Mmm…. Sarah? What are you doing? Hmm? Hey! Stop right there!”

Grandpa heard me struggling and came into the room.

“Fucking hell. Get lost, old man. I’m levelling up your pitiful granddaughter.”

“Y-you bastard!”

Grandpa jumped on the man immediately. They soon got off from me and wailed on each other.

“Fuuuck! Where’s this strength coming from a dying man?!”

“Aaah! Kyaaah!”

The only thing I could do was scream looking at the fight.

“Die! Fucking old man!”

The adventurer took out a shortsword and stabbed it in grandpa’s chest.

“Kugh! Krrr.”

Grandpa fell to the ground with blood in his mouth.

“F-fuck! This is all your fault, fucking old man!”

The man cried and ran away from the house as if he didn’t see this coming.

“Grandpa! Grandpa!”

I ran to grandpa, but the wound was too deep.

“Grandpa! NO! Grandpa!”

Grandpa looked at me with his warm smile and closed his eyes.

“No! Grandpa! Grandpa! Someone! Somebody please help! Grandpa!”

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