Chapter 203 - In the city, as if nothing happened

Chapter 203 - In the city, as if nothing happened: Resurrection

Death Mage 203 – In the city, as if nothing happened

Guards had a tough job, especially the fresh recruits. Kest thought that the hardest thing about it was having to watch the city’s gate during winter. Patrolling the city, mediating disagreements, investigating crimes and picking up drunkards who had fallen asleep on the streets at night were all easy tasks when pared to watching the gate during winter. As for watching the prison and doing paperwork – those jobs were heaven.

The reason why watching the gate was so tough was because guards could not afford to lose focus. That didn’t mean that guards lost their focus while doing other jobs, but… watching the gate forced a particularly large amount of tension upon the guards.

They had to check every single one of the many people entering and leaving the city, and they had to do so in a timely manner, but they also had to do it carefully. And yet if the guards worked too slowly, people would give them unpleasant looks, and there were even some adventurers who would click their tongues in frustration.

But the hardest thing about it was the cold. It was still relatively warm as it was still January, but Kest, who had been on duty from early in the morning, was chilled to the bone.

I want to go and eat lunch already, he thought to himself.

Kest’s senpais from the night watch had been delayed because of a strange motion that had occurred inside the city, but he knew that they should be ing to take over soon. Looking forward to that, he continued his duties. It was just after noon, a time of day where few adventurers and merchants left the city, so he wasn’t particularly busy.

But it really is cold if you don’t stay moving, he thought, taking small steps on the spot to try and stay warm.

But his senpai Aggar soon reprimanded him.

“Kest, don’t fidget around in front of the gate! You’re a guard, so when nothing’s happening, just stay still like a statue and pay attention to your surroundings!” Aggar growled.

He was standing up straight, spear in hand, his gaze moving around the area around the city and beyond the highway. He was a senior guard who had extracted some small change as a bribe from a boy who had barely survived a bandit attack and chuckled, “This can pay for my drinks tonight.” But he was serious at times like this.

… With that said, it was only because it was difficult to cover up blunders on this job, so he could get fired if he didn’t do it properly.

“You’re a Beast-person, aren’t you? Use your own fur to keep warm, you cat bastard!” Aggar muttered, adding a racial insult and thinking nothing of it.

But Kest, knowing that this was his fate as a fresh recruit, simply endured the insult with a stiff smile. “Senpai, I’m a wolf-type Beast-person. And other than my ears and tail, there isn’t much fur on my body,” he said, protesting lightly.

“Don’t talk back! If you’re a dog then behave like one and stay quiet!”

… This is part of the job, just part of the job. It won’t go on forever, Kest told himself repeatedly in his head, suppressing his anger.

Finally calming down, he returned his gaze to the highway to see a woman approaching from the other side. She was wearing a hooded mantle and carrying some belongings on her back, walking towards the city with her head down. She was carrying too little to be a freshly-starting traveling merchant who couldn’t hire escorts, but also too poorly-equipped to be an adventurer.

On top of that, this was a strange time of day to be arriving at the city. She was certainly suspicious.

But if Kest deemed her to not be suspicious, then that would be the end of it. It was possible that she was just a rookie adventurer who couldn’t afford proper equipment and had overslept today.

“Your identification papers,” said Kest, just as he always did.

“I’m sorry, I don’t have any,” said the woman.

Her voice was kinder and prettier than Kest had expected, but that didn’t mean that he could let his guard down.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked in a business-like tone.

“Well, you see –” the woman began as she lowered her hood, revealing her face.

Kest’s eyes took in a chocolate-colored skin that didn’t look like it belonged in this cold winter air and long, pointed ears. The woman was a Dark Elf, and a very beautiful one at that.

“You see, I’ve only just left my village for the first time. I don’t belong to any Guild,” she continued.

A gentle voice and calm, purple eyes. Bewitchingly beautiful skin and a sweet fragrance that tickled the nose…

“Umm, Guard-san?” said the woman, her voice bringing Kest back to reality.

“Ah, I-I see,” Kest said hastily. “That can’t be helped.”

His senpai Aggar was still nearby. It was only through the efforts of Alda’s peaceful faction and Vida’s Church that a Beast-person like him could bee a guard; he didn’t want to have his reputation damaged for being captivated by a beautiful woman.

Kest instinctively glanced in Aggar’s direction to see that Aggar was closer than he had thought, and wearing a difficult expression.

Crap, he’s going to get angry at me again, Kest thought, but –

“I see. Then could I please have your name?” Aggar asked the Dark Elf woman.

… It turned out Kest had nothing to worry about. He realized that Aggar’s expression was not one of anger towards him, but (an attempt to) look serious and make a good impression on the woman.

“Yes. My name is Darcia,” the Dark Elf said.

“I see, so you’re Darcia-san,” Aggar repeated. “I believe you should have passed through numerous cities and villages on your way here; why have you not attempted to acquire some identification?”

“That’s –”

Aggar continued conversing with Darcia, ignoring Kest entirely. Perhaps he wanted to stop her for as long as possible; he was even asking questions that he did not normally ask.