The Failure Marquis Is A Genius [EN]: Chapter 199

23. Side Story: The Delivered Failure

Galana.

Located west of the Elden Empire and east of the Calon Empire.

The city itself is small, but its territory is large because it is adjacent to the Forest of Demonic Beasts.

Originally, Galana belonged to the Calon Empire, but recently, for some reason, it came to belong to the Elden Empire.

The rumor is that it was due to an agreement between high-ranking officials, but it’s not a story that ordinary people can easily understand.

Galana has long been a well-known city for the Adventurer’s Guild.

Adventurers who accepted missions from the guild dealt with monsters from the Forest of Demonic Beasts and received a commission fee.

They also earned extra income by selling by-products from the monsters to the guild.

The history of the Galana Adventurer’s Guild is largely divided into before and after the subjugation of the Forest Keeper.

Before the Forest Keeper was defeated, most missions took place at the entrance or outskirts of the forest.

Venturing too far inside resulted in a large number of casualties.

The Forest Keeper, who exuded magical energy from the center of the forest, also hindered guild activities.

Then one day, the Forest Keeper was suddenly defeated by an adventurer named Kahn.

The mysterious adventurer Kahn reached the Gold rank in no time, not even a few months after appearing in the guild.

Afterward, he took on a mission that the guild had half given up on, claiming that it would raise the rank of his companions. That mission was to defeat the Forest Keeper.

Kahn, who succeeded in defeating the Forest Keeper—a feat everyone thought was suicide—instantly became an Orichalcon adventurer [the highest adventurer rank].

Of course, his party members who were with him also became Platinum and Diamond rank adventurers.

Since the Forest Keeper disappeared, the Galana Adventurer’s Guild has been able to carry out much more diverse missions.

There have been more instances of entering the center of the forest to carry out requests, and the by-products have become much more diverse.

All of this was possible thanks to the adventurer Kahn, so even while the Arnia continent was buzzing with the name of the hero Henon, there were more people in Galana who praised Kahn.

“Bron, wake up. Today is an important day.”

I woke up to the sound of chirping sparrows. The sunlight shining through the curtains stung my eyes.

“Ugh…”

“You worked too hard yesterday. I told you to take care of your body while working.”

“I can’t help it. Today is the day to elect the Guild Master.”

Bron, an adventurer from Galana.

He is about to face the third turning point in his life today.

The first turning point was three years ago.

Back then, Bron was an unknown Silver-ranked adventurer, stagnant for fifteen years.

Usually, if you work in one field for ten years, you will achieve something.

However, Bron, who had been in the same place for fifteen years, deserved to be called a fool, let alone a dull person.

He only takes on easy requests to keep himself alive. In the meantime, he tries to mentor Bronze-ranked adventurers who are lower than him.

That was Bron’s regrettable past.

Then, a miraculous connection came to Bron.

It was the meeting with the adventurer Kahn.

He changed after meeting the adventurer Kahn.

Bron still thought of Kahn’s sturdy back, who calmly drew his sword in front of the terrifying Forest Keeper, every time he went to bed.

Taking this as an example, Bron also stopped hiding behind others. He struggled to move forward.

“Diamond rank is enough. There are almost no adventurers in Galana stronger than you.”

After receiving the Platinum rank after defeating the Forest Keeper, Bron made desperate efforts to prove that his adventurer rank was not solely thanks to his party members.

Bron, who went beyond Platinum and even obtained the Diamond rank.

From Diamond, you can challenge the position of branch manager of the Galana Guild.

The elderly branch manager Decklin recently announced his retirement, and Bron submitted an application to take his place.

“Lia, you know it too. Godric is also aiming for the position of branch manager. He has a strong party, unlike me, who works alone.”

Lia, who runs a clothing store in Galana.

She was Bron’s second turning point.

Bron, who swallowed his tears and bid Kahn farewell, married Lia and held a grand wedding.

In the meantime, he was too busy raising his adventurer rank, so they had no children, but recently Lia started talking about wanting children.

“I desperately want you to become the guild branch manager, but it doesn’t matter if you fail. You’ve already achieved enough. What makes you so anxious?”

A secret that he couldn’t even tell his wife.

Bron knows.

The lifelong benefactor who changed his life.

The valiant adventurer Kahn who made him think that he wouldn’t mind dying for him.

He knows that his true identity is the hero Henon.

‘I am old and have no talent, but I promised. The next time I see him, I will become a person who is not ashamed of him.’

Bron thought that becoming the Galana Guild branch manager was his final goal.

Only then would he be able to be proud of himself even if he met Henon later.

“Bron, remember, you have me. Don’t be too disappointed if you fail today.”

“I know. No matter how much I want to be the branch manager, the most important thing to me is you, Lia.”

Because he didn’t follow Kahn for her life.

Because there is still a feeling of regret sleeping in one corner of his heart.

To forget this, Bron must love Lia more intensely and cherish his current life.

“Come back safely. I’ll make dinner.”

He left the house with his wife’s support.

Arrived at the Adventurer’s Guild.

It was more crowded than usual because it was a special day.

“Here comes the main character.”

The buzzing sound stopped as soon as he entered the guild building.

Bron felt uneasy under the gazes pouring in from all directions.

“Who is this? Did you really come?”

A rat-faced man approached Bron and spoke.

The crooked posture and swaying shoulders seemed more aimed at picking a fight than greeting.

The man’s name, who couldn’t be called handsome even as a compliment, was Godric, a Diamond-ranked adventurer residing in Galana like Bron.

Rumor has it that he was a rebel who fought against Crown Prince Pahel a year ago and was suppressed, but it is not certain.

Godric, who will compete for the position of branch manager today, growled in front of Bron as if to intimidate him in advance.

“Were you the type who had to eat poop to know? Unexpectedly reckless. I have four Platinum colleagues. What can you do alone?”

“Stop!!”

Decklin’s hoarse voice calmed the atmosphere.

Decklin is still the branch manager.

Godric, who was glaring at Bron, soon smiled and took a step back.

“Thank you all for coming. As you know, I am old and my body is uncomfortable, so I am going to retire. I am going to elect a branch manager to succeed me, but first of all, I would like to thank Bron and Godric for their support.”

Bron bowed slightly to Decklin as a sign of respect, while Godric chuckled with his hands clasped behind his head.

“…Anyway, since there are two people who want to be the branch manager, I will present objective criteria for fairness.”

“Please tell me what that standard is.”

“It’s simple. There is currently a Triple Head Ogre wandering in the Forest of Demonic Beasts. The person who defeats him and brings three heads will be the branch manager of the Galana Adventurer’s Guild.”

Triple Head Ogre.

A monster with twice to three times the strength and agility of a normal ogre, and can be regarded as the top predator among monsters.

Not only is his physical ability high, but his intelligence is also quite high, so it is a level of monster that several high-ranking adventurers can barely catch if they join forces.

No matter how high the Diamond rank is, it is impossible to do it alone.

Knowing this, Godric smiled in victory.

“Hey! Bron, why don’t you give up now? Don’t be reckless and get hit by an ogre’s club. Hahaha!!!”

The colleagues next to him laughed along with Godric.

“Or beg the onlookers there to become your colleagues. You used to bring a lot of stinky Bronze with you, right? You never know. They might suddenly awaken and show Platinum or Diamond-level skills. Hehehe…”

Bron recalled his wife Lia and suppressed the resentment that was rising from within.

As Godric said, the Triple Head Ogre was definitely not a monster to be caught alone.

Even if he recruits colleagues now, they will only be Bronze or Silver, and even if he manages to scout Gold, it will be insufficient against the ogre.

Still, he had no intention of giving up the challenge.

At least Henon, whom he knew, would have tried to fight to the end even in this situation.

Bron no longer wanted to be ashamed of himself and did not want to run away.

“Wow, are you really going alone? You’re a crazy bastard.”

As he ignored Godric’s sarcasm and silently moved his steps, he heard a familiar voice from behind for some reason.

“If you don’t mind, we all want to be your senior’s colleagues.”

Bron’s steps stopped.

It was too long since he had heard the word senior.

And there were only a few people who would call him senior.

He grabbed his pounding heart and slowly turned his head.

One party sitting in the corner was raising their hands.

A man with a sturdy physique, a man who was one head taller than him, and a girl with a small stature holding a cane.

Everyone was wearing their hoods deeply, so their faces were not visible, but Bron recognized who they were with just his eyesight.

“You guys…!!”

Henon, Campbell, and even Merian.

Bron’s reason was cut off for a moment.

When he came to his senses, he was hugging Henon and Campbell with all his might.

“This old man is still disgusting.”

Bron smiled at the voice of Campbell, who was especially close to him.

“Juniors, let’s work together. Like before.”

“Okay.”

Godric frowned and approached Henon, as if he didn’t like the suddenly changed atmosphere.

“Hey, I don’t know what kind of bug you are, but don’t stand in the wrong line and get your ass kicked.”

Henon stepped forward.

Godric, who had been sensitive to energy since birth, quickly looked up and down at Henon.

There was no energy felt.

It felt like he was in front of him, but he didn’t exist.

Rather, the bulk behind him looked stronger.

“Are you nosy? Take care of your own business instead of worrying about others.”

“Hehehe, the attitude of not listening even when I give you advice is just like Bronze or Silver.”

“I can’t communicate.”

Henon turned his back as if ignoring him.

Godric, who was angry, ran and grabbed his collar and forcibly turned him around.

“How dare a bug ignore my words…”

Clang!

The collar was torn off by Godric’s force, and the adventurer’s rank badge fell to the floor.

In fact, Henon dropped it on purpose, but anyway, it looked like it fell by chance to others.

A black rank badge placed on the floor.

It was the Orichalcon rank badge, known as the strongest in the world.

“…Orichalcon?”

Godric, a Diamond adventurer, couldn’t help but recognize it.

Henon, who was looking down at the frozen Godric with cold eyes, slowly took off his hood.

Then, Kahn’s face with thick lines, which had been disguised in advance, was revealed to everyone.

“The guild discipline is a mess after a long time.”

The entire guild office was buzzing.

“It’s Kahn!”

“It’s the real Kahn. That Kahn who caught the Forest Keeper!”

“It’s my first time seeing an Orichalcon adventurer badge. That’s how it looks.”

“I thought he was dead because I hadn’t heard from him, but he was alive.”

“The other adventurers are the same members who defeated the Forest Keeper back then.”

No matter what the surrounding reaction was, Henon was calm. He looked at Decklin and said.

“It’s been a long time since I quit the guild, but I guess it’s okay for us to join?”

“Of course. Your name is still registered on the list. It will not be erased even after time passes.”

The legendary adventurer Kahn and his companions gave strength to Bron.

Would these people who caught the Forest Keeper not be able to catch one ogre?

Godric, whose legs were weak, fell on his butt.

The game was already decided before it even started.

* * *

Center of the Forest of Demonic Beasts.

On the floor was the headless corpse of an ogre, and three bags containing heads were placed in front of Bron.

“Thank you. I’m in a position where I can’t repay your kindness, but I’m receiving it again.”

Bron sobbed.

Juniors like angels who come and help whenever a crisis in life comes.

Thanks to you, Bron was able to safely overcome the third turning point in his life.

“What kindness? You will be the branch manager now, so please take good care of us. We plan to come to earn money occasionally in the future. And sorry for not going to the wedding.”

“Leave it to me. Don’t even talk about the wedding. More than that, can you come to my house after it’s over? It’s not something I can brag about with my own mouth, but my wife’s cooking skills are pretty good.”

“Then I’ll be in your care.”

“Good! Then it’s a drinking party after a long time! Hahaha!!”

From that day on, Bron became the branch manager in charge of the adventurer work in Galana.

He became the father of twins a year after being appointed as the branch manager and was grateful to Henon until he died.

* * *

After the frenzy drinking party at Bron’s house.

Campbell and Bron, who drank themselves to death, were the first to pass out.

Because of the passive skill, I, who was fine, came out to the yard to get some fresh air and stared blankly at the night sky.

Just then, I heard a small sound from behind.

“Merian?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

Merian didn’t drink alcohol, so she was refreshed. In the first place, it is questionable whether a saintess can get drunk. Even the alcohol can be purified with divine power.

“Why don’t you take a rest.”

“I wanted to get some fresh air too. And if it’s not now, when will I be alone with Henon.”

I have nothing to say because she said that.

I looked at the sky with Merian for a whole hour.

I didn’t talk during that time.

I don’t know if it’s because Merian is a saintess, but I felt like I could communicate with her without having to speak.

The long silence was broken by Merian.

“Are you going to do it?”

“No.”

It was a short conversation, but the meaning was conveyed.

I just rejected the position of Pope that she offered.

Merian sighed as if she knew it would be like this.