I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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[018] Resonance Stone Mining #3
Following the hidden path with careful steps, I soon arrived at the mining site.
Black ore that sparkled like stars was embedded in the dark cavern walls—quite a beautiful sight.
But given my eagerness to finish quickly and return to rest, I had no leisure for appreciation.
“Let’s finish up and head back! No one rests until they’ve met their quota!”
“Wait, just… take it slow!”
“Jackpot, jackpot! There’s ore everywhere here!”
Clang! Clang!
After the deafening sound of pickaxes echoed through the cavern, we gathered around the torches to rest.
Apparently my solo dispatch of the Radgit Group had made quite an impression, because Razvel’s Group bombarded me with questions, preventing any real rest.
“How were you hiding such skill all this time?!”
“I was fortunate.”
“Your guild tag is still F-rank though… why is that?!”
“I only recently arrived from out of town.”
“You only just came to Verastin? But how did you know about this hidden path? This cavern was fully explored years ago….”
“I picked it up from acquaintances. Their identities are confidential. But more importantly, Verastin is unfamiliar to me—could you recommend some good restaurants nearby?”
I deflected smoothly and naturally steered the conversation elsewhere.
This place was Belheim from roughly two to three years before the timeline I’d played through.
Since so many elements differed, gathering as much information as possible would serve me well.
Razvel’s Group eagerly shared various tidbits.
“For restaurants, the bakery in front of the Guild is famous! Great value and excellent taste! Though the owner seems troubled lately….”
‘It must be about his son’s incurable illness. That condition would improve if he brewed and consumed the blue orchids that grow on Windswept Hill.’
“Our Acaia Guild is small, but our bonds are tight! We even offer fair prices when buying monster materials!”
‘It used to be a harsh place… the guild receptionist was incomparably less friendly back then.’
“At the Agatha Temple in the city center, there’s an incredibly blessed and beautiful priestess! She’s so lovely that some adventurers deliberately injure themselves just to visit her!”
“Is that so… really?”
From what I remembered, that place was filled only with elderly, cantankerous nuns.
I’d visited so frequently while hunting monsters and sustaining injuries that I remembered it clearly—like a second home.
Of course, since the timeline differed, the staff composition might have changed….
‘Could that priestess possibly be a transmigrator like me? After all, the goddess Agatha was the one who handled my transmigration procedures….’
As I pondered this coincidence, Malton’s earlier advice suddenly surfaced in my mind.
“Ah, now that I think about it, there’s something I wanted to ask….”
“Yes, what is it, Doran?”
“…What do you think about black hair? Ah, of course I’m not talking about myself—I have an acquaintance with black hair….”
“Black hair?”
Razvel’s Group exchanged glances before speaking candidly.
“Well… honestly, it’s not very welcome, is it?”
“I heard that a large proportion of evil spirits have black hair.”
“According to rumors, most children of evil spirits are born with black hair….”
“….”
The moment I grasped the full picture, the color drained from my face in real time.
So this was the reason Malton had advised me to conceal my hair.
Wasn’t I essentially advertising myself as a reincarnator for all to see?
‘But there was no such content in the original game… why is this happening?’
The most plausible hypothesis I could muster was….
‘…did everyone reincarnate with their past appearances intact, causing all this chaos?’
Since I had been reborn in my previous form, the odds were high that others had experienced the same.
With roughly eighty percent of Earth’s population possessing black hair, more than half of the malevolent spirits that appeared here likely had dark locks.
This, intertwined with the prejudice directed at reincarnators, had likely birthed the current social climate.
‘I’ll need to keep my hair concealed under a hood from now on… surely Malton hasn’t already caught on, has he…?’
At least when I’d been stripped bare earlier, I’d been covered in mud up to my hair….
As I pressed my temples with a rigid expression, Razvel hesitantly opened her mouth.
“Um, well… there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“With your skill level, you could have easily escaped on your own… so why did you risk yourself and stand against the monster?”
“….”
I paused for a moment before answering.
“Because I couldn’t simply abandon you all to death and retreat alone.”
Of course, it was a lie.
In my previous life, I may have lived altruistically, but now I was prepared to become ruthless if it meant survival.
The reason I stayed and didn’t flee was purely because I calculated it gave me a higher chance of living.
With their abilities, they couldn’t have even delayed the Radgit Group for long.
In the end, rather than be surrounded, it was better to keep at least one person alive to use as a stepping stone for my [Chaos] skill.
‘But there’s no need to spell that out.’
As I donned a benevolent smile and uttered a well-intentioned falsehood, Razvel’s group fell silent.
Just as I was puzzled by the situation, the log window updated.
Ding─!
「The Adventurers are moved and hold you in high regard!」
「They think you’re a bit strange and quite perverted, but possess a good heart! If they spread tales of you throughout the Guild, your reputation will change!」
「Your [Chaos] skill temporarily increases your Luck by 1!」
‘No… they’re moved by something this trivial?’
The adventurers of Belheim in my memories would have laughed and said, “Ha, this bastard’s got a silver tongue,” without it being strange at all.
I suppose it makes sense they’d be blinded by gratitude, since on the surface I’d saved their lives….
“Ahem… it’s really nothing. Anyone in the same situation would have made the same choice.”
「Luck increases by 1.」
“Truly, truly nothing worth mentioning. So please, don’t feel indebted to me.”
「Strength increases by 1.」
“I… would really prefer if this matter were left unspoken. Honestly, I’d rather my name not spread among people.”
「Intelligence increases by 2!」
「They believe they have a duty to share this tale of virtue with the other Guild members!」
“As a side effect, rumors about your eccentric behavior may spread.”
‘No matter what I say, it only backfires.’
Given the situation, it would be better to leverage the goodwill I’ve built up to extract some deeper information.
I smiled naturally and opened my mouth.
“Come to think of it… has anything strange happened in this region recently?”
“Something strange?”
“Yes, rumors circulating among adventurers, or perhaps something related to the Dungeon.”
As I casually broached the subject, the adventurers exchanged glances and tilted their heads in confusion.
“Well… I’ve heard that unusually powerful monsters have been spotted frequently lately.”
“Right. In a way, Radgit appearing in this cave could be seen as part of the same pattern, don’t you think?”
“Hmm… I’m not sure if it’s related to the Dungeon, but I heard a rumor that an S-rank adventurer was spotted in the forest near this region recently.”
“An S-rank?”
If true, this would certainly be a significant matter.
S-rank adventurers are among the rarest superhuman beings in the world.
I myself had reached S-rank in my past life as an adventurer.
They are treated as strategic weapons—capable of destroying city gates with a single blade and severing the necks of high-ranking demons—and are directly managed by the Kingdom.
The appearance of an S-rank, who would never move about carelessly, typically indicates that a major incident or catastrophe is unfolding.
And if such an event were to occur near here soon….
‘…it does seem like they came because of the Dungeon.’
But the fact that an S-rank is already moving is somewhat odd.
Dispatching an S-rank recklessly risks injury, which would be a significant loss at the national level, so they’re typically preserved as a last resort.
In fact, during my time playing the game, I knew that S-rank adventurers weren’t deployed for Dungeon conquest until much later.
Yet they’ve already been spotted here….
‘…are they trying to conquer and seal the Dungeon ahead of schedule?’
Since many reincarnators have crossed into this world, information would have been transmitted along with them.
It’s highly probable that the upper echelons of this world know that catastrophes will strike in rapid succession in the near future.
These are calamities so massive that even knowing about them doesn’t allow prevention, so I’m uncertain whether this is a good or bad development.
While it’s certain that a major incident will occur soon, the path leading to that point remains unclear, and my head throbs with worry.
Since it concerns my own life, I can’t simply overlook it….
As I pressed my forehead in contemplation, Razvel asked carefully.
“Um… if you’re troubled about something, would you like to have a divination reading?”
“…A divination?”
“Yes! The Spear Wielder here comes from a remarkable Divination Family! If we can repay your kindness even a little this way, that would be wonderful!”
“Then… since we have some rest time left, would it be alright to ask?”
I suppose I could treat it like checking today’s fortune.
Belheim, being a fantasy world with magic, has divination that works surprisingly well.
If I could glimpse the near future, it would greatly help me plan my course of action.
‘Huh…?’
But the moment I saw the crystal orb the Spear Wielder pulled out, a powerful sense of déjà vu struck me.
For some reason, it bore a striking resemblance to the artifacts I had mass-produced countless times during my gaming days.
“That crystal orb over there… it seems familiar somehow. Where did you get it?”
“This? It’s a family heirloom passed down through generations in our household. Since all crystal orbs look rather similar, I thought perhaps you were mistaken?”
“I suppose… yes, that must be it.”
Suppressing the nagging unease, the Spear Wielder closed his eyes and chanted as if lost in a dream.
The crystal orb then began to shimmer softly, and an image started to form within it.
“The divination is complete. Hmm… I see a collapsed cave and beyond it, countless people trapped in isolation. But where on earth could this be?”
“I’m not certain either.”
‘…A dungeon, perhaps?’
The mention of so many people being isolated troubled me, but I had no time to dwell on its implications.
What came next made my heart lurch.
“And… there’s a skeletal knight engaged in battle on the battlefield, and I sense Doran’s aura emanating from this undead. The opponent has horns and wings… ah, a demon?”
‘How did they know I could transform into an undead…?!’
While reeling from such extraordinary divination, I furrowed my brow.
A demon? With my level barely at sixteen, was I to clash with a demon in the near future?
“And… wow!”
The Spear Wielder gasped in wonder, his eyes gleaming as he looked at me.
“Doran will become a hero and save countless lives! An immeasurable number of people!!”
“I’m sorry, what?”
A pipe dream.
I let out a soft laugh and rose from my seat.
There was no way that could happen.
I had resolved it, after all. To live this life for myself alone.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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