Surviving as a Trash Bard in a Game

Drinking, chatting with adventurers.

When asked about my performance, I either deflect or… give a vague answer and mumble.

How am I supposed to answer when I don’t even understand my own playing? It’s better for my mental health to just smile and respond appropriately.

It’s unlikely that anyone in this small, rural adventurer’s guild would have a deep understanding of music, and no one was particularly persistent in digging deeper.

‘The problem is… why I acted the way I did.’

I prioritize survival. I don’t take risks. Therefore, I should have definitely received another scroll from Skyler to hide the color of my eyes.

But I refused, saying I didn’t want to hide.

‘Why did I?’

It doesn’t make sense. Receiving the instrument, playing to earn money, those I could understand to some extent.

However, not taking Skyler’s scroll, using my ‘eyes’, and the method itself, I couldn’t comprehend at all.

Divine body… I knew my eyes had an unusual ability. It was a blessing I had put in, after all.

The problem was that I didn’t know how to use it until now.

But, in my memory, I was using my eyes proficiently. Moving others as I wished, guiding them, using it on the audience, and even on Skyler…

‘This is driving me crazy.’

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that Skyler used a scroll and didn’t get caught by my eyes.

The others clearly show signs of being enchanted even without close inspection.

It doesn’t seem like it lasts very long, but for now, it’s best to avoid risky behavior until the time runs out.

Just now, a rough-looking adventurer tried to hit on me, so if I go up to the second floor early or go outside… I might get dragged into a dark alley.

‘Ugh.’

Disgusting.

For now… let’s drink.

I don’t think I’ll get drunk in this state anyway, and I don’t know how long this mental state will last. The only thing that’s certain is… I got into this state after drinking.

What if the intoxication is a maintenance condition?

I need to maintain this clear, highly intelligent state for as long as possible. I need to plan so that no matter what stupid thing I do, I can somehow make up for it.

“Skyler.”

“Yes.”

“Scroll, how much?”

“Huh? What scroll… Oh, that?”

“Yeah.”

“Changed your mind? You were openly using it just a moment ago.”

I shut my mouth.

Honestly… I was a little embarrassed.

Embarrassed people tend to get angry easily. The reason is simple. They don’t want others to know they are embarrassed. Yes. I got angry.

“Just give it to me.”

“…You.”

As if he had realized something, Skyler’s eyes sharpened.

He looked around, got up from his seat, and approached me. Then, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me towards the stairs.

I tried to resist, but unfortunately, my strength, similar to that of a child, was no match for his. I felt a bit depressed at the fact that I lost to a kid.

The surrounding adventurers, perhaps because the effect of the eyes had worn off, were not paying any attention to me and were focused on their drinks. I felt a bit hurt.

“…”

“You’re the same person I saw before, right?”

“…Huh?”

I briefly recalled the past.

When I first met Skyler, when I entered a dark alley.

–

‘…Your attitude is quite different from when you were trembling and asking for help politely a moment ago.’

‘That wasn’t me. Is that enough?’

‘It seems to be true for now.’

–

‘…Oh, are you thinking I have a split personality?’

No, it’s quite possible. First, the difference between when my intelligence is low and when it’s high is too big… and on top of that, if I said something like that…

Should I clear up the misunderstanding now? The truth is, that’s not what I meant, and I’m a mental patient who periodically fluctuates between a low-intelligence state and a high-intelligence state?

‘Even if he believes me… my image…’

Wouldn’t it be better to say I’m a split personality with a mysterious side rather than confessing that I’m a mental patient?

If it’s discovered later, I can just say, ‘You were the one who misunderstood!’ and get away with it.

‘Alright. For now, let’s maintain an ambiguous attitude that neither confirms nor denies. I’ll observe his reaction later.

“Who knows.”

“Okay. It doesn’t really matter, I suppose. All you want is my scroll… What’s the price?”

“That’s why I asked you earlier. How much is it?”

Skyler rolled his eyes.

I know that look very well.

It’s the look of old people calculating, weighing the pros and cons.

I don’t know how such a young child can make that face, but I started to get a bad feeling.

The feeling that the answer I don’t want is about to come out of Skyler’s mouth.

In this situation, it would be nice if the status window gave me some options, but it was the kind of thing that conveniently disappeared at important moments, so I didn’t have much expectation.

Does it hurt to show a quest or something? It doesn’t provide any guidance, and only shows options when they’re useless… Useless thing.

Anyway, back to the main point.

Skyler opened his mouth.

“Do you have a plan?”

“What plan?”

“You don’t exactly have a home, and if you’re going to live as an adventurer, you’re probably planning to wander around rather than settle down.”

“So?”

“I’m asking where your next destination is.”

Destination, destination…

If I had to choose, it would be the capital.

The capital of the Empire. The largest city in the world.

That is, if my knowledge from the previous game is correct.

I don’t know how many settings were discarded in this sequel, but for now, it’s the capital. I have a feeling that things will somehow work out.

It’s the place where the most items gather. In other words, there might be an item that can solve my status and condition.

‘If only there was a status point or experience system…’

Even if I say that, there aren’t many ways for me to get stronger, so I have to do what I do best. When I’m stupid, I play music, and when I’m smart, I use my head.

And, keep moving forward, one step at a time.

“I’m going to the capital.”

“In exchange for hiding your eyes, I’ll accompany you on that journey.”

“…What?”

“The price I want is to join your journey. No need to say it three times, right?”

“Why?”

“I won’t tell you the reason. That’s okay, right?”

A suspicious offer.

In exchange for hiding my eyes, he will join my journey… It’s an offer that seems to be full of benefits for me.

However, I need to approach such offers carefully.

Usually, people who offer something for free are often scammers. For starters, this boy in front of me is a ‘magician’. He makes excuses like being a half-wit or a scroll-user, but he’s still a magician.

Magicians have always been untrustworthy. Sociopaths, social misfits, psychopaths, mental patients, graduate students, there are only those types.

‘…That was a setting in the previous game too.’

Most of the settings in the previous game have changed and become unreliable, but the setting about magicians probably hasn’t changed much.

It’s like common sense or a cliché in a fantasy world.

So, I need to be especially careful about contracts and deals.

–

You think the situation is going in your favor.

This prediction was accurate.

–

That guidance is just an aid. The choice is ultimately mine.

I lift my glass, fill my body with a little more alcohol, and turn my still-functioning brain even harder. What can the other party gain from this contract, and what can I lose?

I punch the calculator.

The result is out.

“Alright.”

Skyler held out his hand to me.

I took his hand.

“Contract… established.”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll execute it right away.”

Skyler took out a deception scroll from his pocket, channeled his mana, and the scroll, engulfed in blue flames, disappeared without leaving a trace of ash.

I felt an uncomfortable sensation on my eyelids, and I looked at my pupils reflected in a bread knife.

I confirmed that the colorI confirmed that the color of my eyes had turned black.

“We’ll part ways when we reach the capital.”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

“Good. We’ll split the travel expenses equally.”

“That’s fine too.”

“…Alright.”

I waved my hand at Skyler, and he waved back at me.

I went up to the second floor, to my room, and lay down on the bed.

Right now, I was just tired.

***

Skyler leaned against the wall, lost in thought.

He had succeeded in getting her to accept the contract. The remaining thing was… a clue.

She seems to have a split personality, but the difference in personality between the two isn’t that big. Perhaps the biggest difference is intelligence.

The reason she’s keeping quiet is probably because it could be a weakness? Well… it doesn’t really matter.

‘Holders of a Divine Body are drawn to each other. So, maybe…’

Skyler looked at his small hand.

Originally, his hand should have been bigger than this.

He sighed.

‘Alright. Let’s gamble a bit.’

It wasn’t a very magician-like choice, but he wasn’t really a magician in the first place.