Failure Frame: I Became the Strongest and Annihilated Everything With Low-Level Spells (Light Novel) Vol. 2 Read online

  Table of Contents

  Color Gallery

  Title Page

  Copyrights and Credits

  Table of Contents Page

  Chapter 1: The Famed Monsters of the World

  Chapter 2: The Princess Knight

  Chapter 3: Seras Ashrain

  Chapter 4: Until We Meet Again…

  Chapter 5: Inheritance

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Newsletter

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  Chapter 1:

  The Famed Monsters of the World

  I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS to be free.

  The Ruins of Disposal that foul Goddess consigned me to were hellish, but down there I found myself, true and unfiltered. I looked death square in the face over and over again, but I also finally felt like I could make all my own decisions, carve my own path. I didn’t have to care about what anybody else thought of me. I carried that sense of freedom with me long after leaving the ruins.

  I can do whatever I want… I will do whatever I want. I’m going to be true to myself, and embrace the consequences.

  Nothing can stop me now.

  I’m finally free.

  ***

  I decided to head toward the nearby city of Mils, but first I spot-cleaned my clothes at the river to get off the worst of the dirt. People are more likely to trust you if you look clean and presentable, after all.

  I thought back to the girl I’d encountered in the forest.

  She’s probably headed in the same direction I am. We never even exchanged names…it’s not like we’re traveling together, though. No need to get too involved. I think she was hiding something—she seemed worried about revealing too much.

  “I know how that feels,” I muttered to myself. “All right, let’s see about this Mils place, then…”

  “Squee!”

  I wrapped Piggymaru around my torso, concealing him under my slightly cleaner robes, and set off toward the city. Crunching my way through the forest, my chest felt tight and strange, like something was wrong. Piggymaru squeaked at me curiously.

  “I don’t know, it’s just…I feel like I’m missing something.”

  I frowned and kept walking, my eyes drawn to the heavy canopy of leaves above my head.

  The sun’s setting—lucky I have my leather pouch to see by.

  I’d grown accustomed to the dark in the Ruins of Disposal; this forest was practically luxurious compared to that. Still, I wanted to make it to Mils before dark if I could.

  Eventually I found a path, somewhat paved and level, and a wooden arrow that read Mils.

  I might make it there before night after all.

  After walking for a while, I began to see people on the road. Most of them looked like travelers, with horse-drawn carts laden with goods and packages. The first I saw of the city was a great wall in the distance, protecting it from its enemies. Finally I approached a gate, where a man and a woman stood guard with spears in their hands and swords at their belts.

  I should try to make a good first impression, huh?

  “Don’t make any noise down there, okay?” I whispered to Piggymaru. It responded with a tiny “Squee!” and burrowed deeper into my robes.

  “If it looks like you’re going to be found out, you know what to do, right? You know the signal?”

  “Squee!”

  “Good.”

  I took a deep breath, prepared myself for the worst, and tried to look confident as I strode towards the gate. Just as I expected, the female guard called me out.

  “Wait. You. New here, ain’tcha?”

  So, Mils doesn’t get a lot of new faces? Or maybe she just has a really good memory?

  I nodded.

  “Hmm… No weapons I can see, anyhow. You a mercenary?”

  “Well, I am here looking for work.” I tried to stifle a nervous chuckle, but the guard looked satisfied with my answer.

  “Oh? Heard that we’re clearing our ruins and came to make your fortune, did you?”

  Clearing ruins? Well, they can’t be as dangerous as the ruins I just came from…but I don’t want to give myself away. I should choose my words carefully.

  “Yeah. It sounded like an interesting opportunity,” I responded, avoiding any details and staring up curiously at the city walls. “I didn’t expect such a prosperous city, though. I’ve been away from civilization for a while, and these walls are quite the sight.”

  “Hmph. If this is enough to impress you, I can’t imagine the countryside hole you must’ve crawled outta!” she replied, looking me over. “Your clothes are in bad shape.”

  “I’ve been on the road a long time. Milsa was further than I expected.”

  “You’re in Mils, not Milsa. Get it right! You some kind of idiot?”

  I smiled apologetically.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “Come on, at least remember where you’re headed! You the king of the country bumpkins or what? You even know your own name?!”

  I could tell she didn’t see me as a threat, but I decided to give her a final push.

  “Look.” I held out my trembling hand for her to see. “To be honest, I…I’ve been shaking like this ever since I caught sight of the gates.”

  “Ha ha ha! You all right there, kid?! I swear, we had a pretty girl through here earlier who looked like more of a warrior than you!”

  Huh…could that be the girl from the forest?

  The guard put her hands on her hips and smiled condescendingly at me.

  “Well, I guess somebody’s gotta carry bags for the real mercenaries! Hey, can we let this one through?”

  The male guard raised his hand in reply.

  “We’re on orders from the Baron to let in as many mercenaries as we can for clearing the ruins. I guess he counts. Go on, then, you can pass.”

  I tried to look grateful.

  “Thanks, I’ll do my best!”

  As I passed through the gate, my mouth curled into a smirk.

  “Just as planned,” I murmured to myself.

  There was no body or luggage check at the gate—security was surprisingly light, and the guards probably decided who could enter on a whim. I crossed a bridge over a small river and found myself inside the city.

  When they called this place a city, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but…

  I was on a long, straight, stone-paved road, lined with buildings that looked and felt like they were out of a countryside town in Western Europe. The pavestones looked stained and worn by a great many footsteps over decades or even centuries. This main thoroughfare bustled with people going about their business.

  “First, find an inn,” I reminded myself.

  I ended up finding three options and ranked them by the clothes of the patrons walking in and out of them—expensive, reasonable, and cheap.

  Given my current outfit, I should probably avoid the expensive one.

  I decided to head to the cheapest and ask their rates for a night. I entered the inn, doing my best impression of a background character.

  “How much for a night here?”

  “That’ll be 800 makha.”

  Apparently Makha is the name of their god of commerce. The girl in the forest told me a lot of random information along with what I asked—the price of a loaf of bread.

  I pondered my options. I could easily afford the room, but the cheapest inn only had shar
ed rooms available. Since I had Piggymaru in my robes, I decided to head to the middle-of-the-road inn and try my luck. That place was 2000 makha, and the innkeeper said something about the clearing of the runes attracting so many visitors that I was lucky to find a vacancy. The innkeeper might be taking advantage of me, or somebody else might take the room while I was searching for another.

  This place’ll do, won’t it?

  I noticed the innkeeper staring and realized he didn’t look particularly happy with me.

  Oh, I see…

  “I’ve been on the road a long time, and my clothes have seen better days. Do you know somewhere I could wash them? Oh, and if you have any clothes you could sell me, I’d appreciate it.”

  I took out a silver coin from my pouch, laid it on the counter, and pushed it in the innkeeper’s direction.

  “Just a token of my appreciation. I’ll wash before entering the room, of course. I don’t want to ruin your bedding.”

  The innkeeper’s expression flipped in an instant, reservations disappearing completely.

  “R-right you are! Thank you ever so much, sir! Please, let me show you to your room. I’ll prepare fresh clothes at once!” he said, hurriedly taking my measurements with a salesman’s smile.

  “Just a moment. I’d like to leave my luggage in the room before bathing, if you don’t mind.”

  “Yes, of course! Right away! Might I ask your name, sir—?”

  My name, huh? Luckily, I don’t think they’re going to ask me for ID. I shouldn’t use my real name—I need a pseudonym.

  “Hati Skoll,” I responded quickly. They were the names of two wolves from a Norse myth I read once. I doubt anyone in this world would pick up on the reference.

  “Mr. Hati! I see!” boomed the innkeeper, writing it down in his ledger. “Here’s the key to your room! I’ll prepare you a change of clothes and a wash basin, so please go on ahead~.”

  He really has changed his tune, huh? Does he think I’m some kind of nobility? Maybe I should dial it back. I don’t want to be so generous that everyone remembers me.

  After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the innkeeper, I headed up to my room. It was fairly big, with one bed next to a small window and some simple furniture. Clean enough, too—it looked like the inn was kept in decent order. I laid down my leather pouch and locked the door. Once I was sure we were alone, I spoke to my little buddy.

  “Piggymaru.”

  “Squee.”

  The slime squelched out onto the floor.

  “Could you hide somewhere in this room for a while? I can’t keep you with me while I’m washing up.”

  “Squee!”

  Green. Affirmative.

  “There’s a good slime. And don’t forget—if anything happens…”

  Piggymaru transformed before I was even finished speaking. A small, perfect sphere was now before me, hard to the touch, like a crystal ball.

  “Perfect.”

  “Squee. ♪”

  If anybody asks, he’s a crystal ball—a training tool for a magician or fortune-teller.

  I returned downstairs to find the innkeeper waiting for me.

  “Everything is ready for you, Mr. Hati.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Right this way, if you please.”

  The innkeeper showed me to a sheltered outdoor washing area behind the inn. There was little daylight left, so a lamp had been hung out, illuminating the area. Washing lines hung overhead, and there was a small roof to shelter me from the rain. Arranged under the roof were a washbasin for clothes, a large wooden table, and a covered bathtub in the corner.

  After scrubbing my clothes clean, I quickly washed myself in the tepid bath. At least I’d look a bit more presentable. Once I was clean and dressed in the clothing the innkeeper had given me, I gathered my wet clothes and headed back up to my room.

  “Ahh… We finally get a break, huh, buddy?”

  Piggymaru squelched out from under the bed as I sat down.

  “Squee~!”

  Piggymaru began shaking, wobbling back and forth idly.

  “Squee squee squee squee.”

  Apparently, this is supposed to mean “don’t mind me~! ♪” You know, like he’s pretending to be an inanimate object. Can he sense that I’m thinking about something important? If so, this slime can really read the room.

  “Well, anyway…” I stroked my chin, deep in thought.

  I think I’ll be able to rest up here in Mils and prepare for the rest of my journey. No need to worry about money for a while—those White Walker guys had a lot on them when they died, and I have the gemstones if that runs out.

  I need to figure out where I’m going. My first step should be to find someone who can read these Scrolls of Forbidden Magic. The Forbidden Witch who lurks in the Land of the Golden-Eyed Monsters? I guess that’s my first stop.

  “I also need more information about this Land of the Golden-Eyed Monsters…”

  This would be a lot easier if I had somebody I could trust enough to ask directly.

  “Also…”

  I looked down at Piggymaru as he wobbled around on the floor.

  Monster enhancement solution—I should improve Piggymaru’s fighting skills. Maybe someday I’ll be sending him out in front to fight for me.

  I left the inn to search the town. The night was dark, but the main street was even more crowded than before, lit up with lanterns and packed with people. There were food stalls and street vendors hawking their wares.

  Nobody seems suspicious of me, as far as I can tell.

  There were a number of people who looked like travelers, many of them holding swords or other weapons at their sides.

  I guess you’re allowed to carry weapons around in town, then.

  I walked around, peering into windows of shops that interested me. It seemed you could get anything here—tools, weapons, clothes, and food, either from the street vendors or the shops and taverns that lined the street.

  “This city has everything you could need all on one street. What’s that over there—?”

  Is that a staff on the sign? Does this world have magic stores?

  The building was strange, to say the least, like something straight out of Europe in the Middle Ages.

  “Oh, over there…”

  I looked over to see a fine-looking building with a scroll of parchment on its sign. Maybe that’s the city hall? Somewhere you can make and check documents or have things printed?

  Walking closer, I saw travelers and people who looked like warriors hurrying in and out.

  Or maybe it’s an adventurers’ guild or something?

  I explored more and found a small temple nearby. I hoped the people of Mils didn’t worship that foul Goddess, Vicius. There was also a red-light district, to put it politely—you could just tell.

  I don’t have any business with either.

  I returned to the main street, glad I’d gotten a clearer picture of this place. By then I was getting hungry, ready to head back for the night. Half the first floor of the inn was a food hall that doubled as a tavern.

  After checking in with Piggymaru, I made my way downstairs and chose one of the tables in the center of the room. I had a few good reasons for eating down here—one being that I wanted to try the food of this new world. I ordered what the innkeeper suggested and was presented with a bowl of soup—rice and meat boiled with some kind of fragrant greens. There was also a small, hard loaf of bread, which I set aside for later. I took a hesitant sip of the soup.

  This is really good—just spicy enough. I had some doubts but I see why the innkeeper recommended it. I could get used to this other-world stuff…though I wonder what kind of meat this is. Kinda expensive, too, but I honestly think it’s worth it.

  I took a drink from the clay cup that came with my meal. It was filled with an opaque liquid the innkeeper called alama water, which immediately filled my mouth with a tingling mintiness.

  The food isn’t what I’m used to, but it’s
delicious. It’s already half gone, though—I’d better slow down. The main reason I came down here was to gather information, after all.

  I settled in to eavesdrop on the other patrons.

  “Since the boss put out that call to arms, Mils has gotten real busy, huh?”

  “We’ve even got mercs coming in from other towns! The old guys who own the inns must be rolling in it!”

  “It’s that new floor they found in the dungeon—everybody wants a crack at the loot!”

  After several minutes, here’s what I’ve learned so far: Boss. Mercenaries. A new dungeon floor discovered. There are ruins here, too… I wonder if there was an ancient civilization here, and all that’s left are dungeons.

  “Anyway, you hear the news?”

  Another table’s conversation stole my attention.

  “What?”

  “The high elf knight!”

  “High elf? What’s so high about ’im?”

  “I dunno. Who cares? Dark elves, high elves, they’re all the same. You got pointy ears, you’re an elf in my book.”

  Apparently elves exist in this world. Dark elves, too.

  “Listen, will you? I’m tryna tell you something here!” The man cleared his throat. “So like I was saying, the captain of the Band of Holy Knights went missing in the Holy Empire of Neah, right? And it turns out she’s actually some noble from a high elf country! All the mercs are talking about it.”

  “What are you blabbering about? Why would some high elf even be fighting as a knight in the first place?”

  “Beats me. I hear there’s a bounty on her, though.”

  “Yeah, but what’s that got to do with me?”

  “Well, the bounty poster they’ve put out for her… She’s hot. Like, unbelievably hot.”

  “Seriously?!”

  “Go to the mercenaries’ guild and see for yourself.”

  “Heck yeah! We oughta go pay our respects later.”

  “Right now it’s packed to bursting for clearing the ruins, and I wouldn’t recommend messing with any of those guys. No telling what they’ll do to you if you piss ’em off.”

  Mercenaries’ guild. Was that the one with the scroll on the sign? Maybe they organize things like bodyguards, quests, and monster hunts. It was pretty busy when I passed by, and the people there looked like they knew their way around a fight.