I Became a Veteran Who Has to Stir Up Trouble to Survive - Chapter 9

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

[009] Elf Warrior Malton
The moment my eyes fell upon the man before me, every cell in my body seemed to awaken.
Malton.
The name sounds rough at first glance, but I recall his true name was Malievertone.
He was an NPC companion who had always stood by my side during my ten years playing Belheim.
No, he was far more than a mere companion.
He was a partner and friend who had weathered countless trials alongside me, our backs pressed together through every hardship in Belheim.
‘I never expected to meet him here….’
He was what they called a high-ranked adventurer, displaying abilities that ordinary people could never hope to match.
I received so much help from him that he was with me even when I achieved Ranker status in Belheim.
Yet despite seeming so perfect, he harbored one fatal weakness.
He was a cursed character with a limited lifespan.
A hero’s brief fate.
Malton had been afflicted with a powerful curse even before the tutorial began, and no amount of sacred relics from any religious order could break it.
The nature of the curse changed each time, and by the time I finally grasped a thread of understanding after countless playthroughs, it was always too late.
No matter how many times I reset my character and returned, I could never save him.
I had triumphantly defeated the Evil God and returned, only to find him lying on the inn floor, coughing blood coldly in death—the shock and sense of loss were so profound I abandoned the game for a long time.
He was a cherished friend to me, yet also a source of deep pain.
And through his existence, I came to realize one crucial fact.
‘The timeline is different…!’
The fact that Malton was still alive and well.
The fact that curse-suppression talismans were visible peeking from beneath his robes, indicating he had already been cursed.
The fact that symptoms like blackened veins or a pallid complexion were not yet prominently visible.
Combined with the information that Tyrosh was still intact and what I had learned in the port town, the conclusion was singular.
This was the ‘past’ of the Belheim I had played.
｢You have obtained a clue to the world’s setting!｣
‘It seems I’ve traveled back two to three years before the game’s starting point….’
No wonder the port town felt different from my memories.
I had heard that Belheim was not always a world devoid of dreams and hope.
As I pinpointed the time period, my mind raced with possibilities.
Now that I knew this was the past, could I grow explosively?
By monopolizing hidden pieces and claiming the most efficient hunting grounds….
‘No, if I act carelessly, I’ll be in serious trouble.’
Given how much information about reincarnators was already circulating, there were certainly others who had been reincarnated before me in this world.
If that were the case, all the easily discoverable hidden pieces would surely have been picked clean by now.
Moreover, the reincarnators would be fiercely competing among themselves to survive here, and if I revealed myself, I could be assassinated without anyone knowing.
‘…For now, I need to reach level 30 quickly while staying out of others’ sight.’
Furthermore… if I recall correctly, Belheim will face a series of crises over these next two to three years.
Lost in thought, I suddenly realized that Malton had been holding out his hand all this time.
I suppressed the complex thoughts churning within me and grasped the hand of my old friend.
“…It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Hmm…?”
“It’s nothing. My name is Doran. Though my body is still weak, I dream of becoming an adventurer. I look forward to working with you.”
“Oh, an aspiring adventurer? How delightful! The journey won’t be dull.”
Malton laughed and shook my hand.
I wanted nothing more than to crack him across the back of the skull and exchange our usual banter, but I forced myself to restrain that impulse.
After all, I was merely a foreigner borrowing the body of a resident in this world.
If I brought up stories from the game era, I’d be lucky to be dismissed as insane—and there was every chance they’d shatter my skull the moment they realized I was a malevolent spirit.
As I exchanged this awkward reunion with my long-time companion, a booming voice erupted from the merchant caravan.
“Let’s see… everyone who was supposed to come has arrived, so let’s depart now!!”
The procession began to move with the sound of horses neighing.
* * *
“We are now departing from the port town of Puerto del Mar!”
“It will take approximately four days of walking to reach the next city, Verastin! Prepare yourselves for camping.”
I ambled along, my cutlass clattering at my side, leisurely surveying my surroundings.
Open grasslands stretching to the horizon, a sky kissing the edge of the earth, wind rippling through the grass.
The more I looked, the more I marveled at Belheim’s beautiful natural landscape….
…or rather, I would have, if I weren’t actually assessing the mercenaries’ combat strength.
‘Six merchants, roughly twenty mercenaries….’
This was sufficient force.
There were no threatening monsters in this region, and bandits wouldn’t dare attack seeing their numbers.
The only concerning factor, if I had to name one, was that the mercenaries’ levels weren’t particularly high.
Judging by their equipment, their average level was around the late twenties at best.
You could only confidently call yourself an “adventurer” once you reached level thirty and could equip two rune slots—anything less felt risky to entrust your life to.
‘…Am I being too paranoid?’
Having experienced this world’s cruelty so frequently, I’d developed a habit of anticipating the worst and preparing accordingly.
Still, having Malton by my side was good news.
As I lingered at the rear of the procession, observing the caravan and mercenaries, Malton—who’d been walking with his mace rattling—asked casually.
“…Your expression looks troubled. Did something upset your stomach?”
“No, it’s just… I’m a bit anxious. This is my first time traveling with mercenaries like this….”
“Ha, there are no strong monsters in this area, so you needn’t worry too much. Even if something does happen, I’ll make sure to protect you, my charge, without fail.”
“Thank you. …I bought some apples in town. Would you like some?”
“Oh, well then I’ll gladly accept. Much obliged.”
Crunch!
I walked alongside Malton across the grassland, both of us biting into apples.
It felt strange to be protected by a companion I once hunted bosses with in the past, but given my current weakness, there was no help for it.
I attempted to extract information about this world without arousing suspicion about my true identity.
Thanks to this, I managed to learn more detailed information from Malton.
Such as how research on magic stones was actively progressing at the Magic Tower, and how signs of a large-scale war were emerging in neighboring countries.
And how capturing or reporting transmigrators would yield substantial bounties….
Malton also seemed curious about me walking with nothing but a single curved sword, continuing to strike up conversation.
A perfect situation to raise favorability through dialogue and bring him to my side.
For instance….
“…Could it be that you’re troubled because property values aren’t rising?”
“W-wait, how did you know that…?!”
“Your shoulders are stiff all the time, and strangely enough, you have nightmares every night….”
“You…?!”
Malton’s eyes widened as he grabbed my shoulder and exclaimed.
“C-could your mother be a fortune teller!”
“That’s not it.”
….
“The stiffness in your shoulders might simply be because the mace you’re using now doesn’t fit you properly—try changing it. As for the nightmares, perhaps check if there’s an animal corpse buried near the head of your bed in the bedroom.”
“Th-that so…! Then what about the property value….”
“That’s something I can’t really do anything about….”
“H-hmm… I see? Still, that’s impressive….”
I pretended not to hear Malton’s murmur about how he should have bought a house near the Plaza instead of the Cemetery, letting it pass.
Elves naturally lived long lives, so they were all wealthy landlords anyway.
But in the midst of our conversation, Malton suddenly coughed harshly.
He quietly wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and blood was smeared on the fabric.
‘…Given the small amount of blood, it seems the curse hasn’t been on him for long.’
But since internal injuries don’t recover, his stats must be significantly reduced.
I probed him subtly.
“Um… is something wrong, Malton? There’s blood on the corner of your mouth….”
“That… it’s nothing….”
“Don’t say that. Tell me. Did you perhaps contract some endemic disease….”
“It’s not that….”
Malton glanced at me, then sighed and confessed.
“…It’s a curse.”
“A curse…? What kind exactly! Who are these wicked and treacherous ones who cursed you!”
I feigned indignation while subtly probing for information.
If I knew what curse was placed on Malton in this cycle, I could at least slow the progression or alleviate the symptoms.
But an entirely unexpected name came from Malton’s lips.
“…Mortemius.”
“Mor… Mortemius? That bone bastard!?”
“…Yes. The name of a most vicious Lich. He placed this curse upon me.”
“W-wait…! Lich Mortemius—isn’t that the Mortemius of the Arcane Arts! The one commanding the Mary Celeste and the Ghost Ship Fleet….”
“How do you know that?”
“W-well, he’s such a famous Lich after all.”
What a strange coincidence….
Could it be that the curse placed on Malton in this cycle is related to the Mary Celeste…?!
That explained why Malton had been lingering about the Port Town during this period.
‘Wait… could it be that the sacred treasure of the Andira Cult I found in the Ghost Ship Warehouse is….’
In that instant, the jewel nestled in my pocket seemed to tremble and hum.
Could it be… that I might actually break the curse on him this cycle…?
Thanks to returning to the past, surviving the Mary Celeste tutorial, and escaping with the holy relic?
As I reeled from the unexpected butterfly effect, Malton straightened and shifted the conversation.
“Phew, fortunately it seems the seizures didn’t occur this time. But there’s something that concerns me right now….”
“No, something more important than the curse right now…! It’s nothing… what is it that concerns you…?”
“…Do you see those shapes up on that hill? I’d prefer to think I’m seeing things.”
Malton furrowed his brow and pointed toward the hilltop.
Looking closely, I could indeed see dark silhouettes rushing down toward us.
“Hmm… something’s coming this way?”
“This is troublesome. We should prepare ourselves. You stay back.”
As Malton raised his mace, the mercenaries sensed the danger and cried out.
“Monsters!! Everyone, prepare for combat!!”
The mercenaries moved with perfect coordination.
Warriors drawing their weapons and bracing for battle.
Normally in such a situation, I would retreat into the carriage with the merchants and accept their protection quietly….
“…Malton, would it be possible for me to fight alongside you?”
“You as well?”
A novice like you?
As I gripped the cutlass, Malton looked down at me with a puzzled expression.

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