Surviving as a Useless Bard in a Game

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Time passed.

How much, you ask? Enough for us to arrive in Regan.

There wasn’t anything particularly noteworthy to mention, but there were still stories worth telling about the things that happened.

Like the time I succeeded in a persuasion check against a merchant who tried to swindle me.

Or how Skylar helped an old lady hire a wizard to find her lost ring.

Not to mention the coins we collected at the tavern and the Adventurer’s Guild; it was so many that we couldn’t fit them all in our pockets.

And I even managed to successfully finish an enchanted performance!

There were simply too many events to list one by one.

And just like that, I had spent a month in this world.

If you asked if I was satisfied, I would have to say that, compared to my life in modern times, there were many shortcomings, and I missed my lost partner from the waist down.

However—

I wasn’t dissatisfied.

Yeah. That’s what matters.

Looking back, I had a journey that I wouldn’t regret, one that I wouldn’t view with a face full of complaints.

That should sum it up nicely.

Inside the rattling wagon, I poked my head out.

—

Regan.

The empire’s largest city.

The city where the Emperor resides.

Ugly, dirty, and grotesque, yet every citizen of the Empire loves Regan.

Because they remember their history.

Because they respect their ancestors.

Because they understand the significance behind the name Regan.

Thus, this ugly castle wall finally holds meaning.

It’s beautiful.

—

It seems like highly advanced circuitry and engravings are etched within.

It extends down to the underground, truly granting freedom to the city.

Yeah. This city can fly.

—

As I looked at Regan’s walls, information flooded my mind.

I couldn’t tell when it started. If I had to pinpoint it, maybe it was from the odd dreams I had for unknown reasons…

In the past, it was merely triggered by my state and possessions, but as time wore on, the concept expanded, now activating with other objects as well, and descriptions grew clearer with time.

What I saw with my own eyes of Regan’s castle walls was not the beautiful sight described.

Instead, it left a strong impression of being a monstrosity.

Though the ability to soar through the sky was a bit intriguing, the spectacle of the imperial capital flying was beginning to lose its novelty.

It wasn’t all that amazing anymore.

A huge, flying monstrosity.

That was my first impression.

“…The outer walls weren’t properly cleaned, the worn bricks, and the exterior stained with blood…”

To someone who knows nothing of the history and traditions contained in the walls, it looked like a large, ugly wall that should be demolished or rebuilt.

As the wagon rattled closer to the entrance of the castle wall, two people, who looked like guards, moved their bodies.

Clad in full plate armor… a proof of being ‘knights.’

The heavily armored knights resembled modern tanks. The intricate circuits engraved all over the armor were coupled with precise engravings on all their equipment.

One couldn’t help but wonder if this was a result of a surplus of wealth or from the exploitation of the citizens; they even didn’t forget to etch golden engravings and embroidery onto the gear.

Such armament for mere city guards?

If one were to nitpick, perhaps it was because this wasn’t just any city—it was Regan.

“We’re just checking for formality. No need to be nervous. After all, we have hygiene permits and adventurer badges, right?”

“Yeah. That’s true.”

“Still, suddenly having a checkpoint… Are they preparing for war or something?”

“Of course, it’s normal to have a checkpoint in the capital.”

“Regan has different districts, so entrance is free. It’s when moving into the noble district that there’s a checkpoint.”

…If a war broke out, it wasn’t something we really needed to worry about, right?

That’s what I thought as I anxiously eyed the guards.

After verifying our hygiene permits, they moved to the back of the wagon and began to observe us closely through the gaps in their helmets.

Without saying a word, a cold metal hand reached out towards us.

Skylar and I presented our hygiene permits and adventurer badges. They examined them carefully for a moment, exchanged glances, and nodded.

Taking back our items, the castle gate slowly opened.

Though they called it a castle gate, it wasn’t that grand. It looked like the walls of Regan were divided into three parts.

One small door for people and wagons, a huge door that served as a bridge to cross the moat, and another massive door that would rarely open unless under special circumstances.

I’d heard the explanation from Skylar, but seeing it in person was even more astonishing.

To create a small door on such a giant castle gate? What a surprising idea.

The coachman lightly grabbed the handle of the wagon and moved on.

The horses slowly began to trot. The wheels began to roll.

Is this truly Regan?

Until now, I had experienced quite a few towns and cities of various sizes… but I had never encountered a wagon that didn’t rattle this much.

“Truly, big cities have different roads,” I thought.

—

Time continued to pass.

The coachman stopped the wagon.

“Did we arrive?”

“Yeah. This is the Guild of Regan…”

Skylar got out of the wagon first, grabbing my hand.

As we grew closer, Skylar and I had developed something akin to a ‘friendship.’ Let me emphasize, ‘friendship.’ There weren’t any special feelings involved.

Being in a relationship that would last indefinitely, merely using each other, felt ambiguous.

After we formed a new contract to travel together even after arriving in Regan, a few changes gradually began.

I held his hand and carefully stepped down from the wagon.

The first thing that caught my eye was the massive building towering as if it were reaching the sky.

While I described it as reaching the sky—due to the limitations of medieval technology, aside from buildings like the Mage Tower utilizing magic, the tallest structures barely reached about six stories.

The Adventurer’s Guild looked to be around eight stories, so it was definitely large.

“It’s big.”

“Shall we secure accommodations at the Guild first?”

“Huh? Up until now, we hadn’t really used guild accommodations.”

“That’s true. But this Guild is big and comfortable. If we pay a little more… we can get a rather nice room.”

“Or we could maybe get a penthouse for free under the guise of being ‘friends’ with the platinum adventurer, Nisha!”

“That’s impossible. The rule is that each guild has only one penthouse. There’s a platinum adventurer who stays here permanently like a ghost, so the penthouse is always occupied.”

“What kind of adventurer is that?”

“The strongest among those without a physical body, a platinum adventurer, and also a noble of the Empire—a bodyguard for the Emperor.”

“…Oh, I see. To think we have to stay in the same building as such a great person.”

“It’s fine. We probably won’t run into them. Plus, we’ll be booking a room just as big and nice as the penthouse, so it should be fine.”

“Do we have enough money?”

“Yeah. Selina, you have money earned from your performances.”

“I’m paying?”

“We agreed to share the cost evenly. At first, I bore the entire cost, but now you’re fully capable of contributing your fair share as an adventurer.”

“Couldn’t it be more like 0.8 of a share or something?”

“The other bard I know, well, the one who can manage a full share, has great skills, can pick locks, uses basic magic, and is proficient in swordsmanship, archery, and spear techniques.”

“Just because they can do all that doesn’t mean that all bards are like that!”

“Well, that’s… true.”

Skylar tried to argue, but couldn’t find valid grounds.

Indeed, just a little thought would reveal it was abnormal for bards to encompass roles from thieves and archaeologists to warriors, wizards, and archers.

The sheer number of bards doing such things greatly outnumbered those who did not, leading to misunderstandings.

One could wonder why the bards, who went by the name ‘catch-all,’ became so marginalized, but simply thinking about it would lead to the fact that they had to learn many skills to survive.

Even now, since bards had become classified as adventurers, that legacy continued.

“Anyway, let’s head into the Guild.”

“Right. Let’s grab a room first.”

We opened the door of the Guild.

—

The first thing that immediately caught my eye was the diverse people in various colorful outfits.

Coloring your clothing and showcasing your individuality is a sign of those who can afford it.

The profession of an adventurer involves wearing clothes that become dirty, and in severe cases, torn; even if one wears armor, there’s no guarantee it will be intact for the next quest.

Thus, marking symbols, features, and personality into one’s attire is either a symbol of confidence that they can carry this equipment into their next quest without it getting ruined—

Or simply the ease of being able to replace it when it gets dirty or broken.

In a place known as the most prosperous gathering for wealthy adventurers, which matched its title of the biggest city,

Skylar and I had finally set foot in a place where all the money and quests in the world flowed in.

My heart raced.

Was it because of the attention and gazes from others? No, while it was true some adventurers stared closely because of our appearances, that wasn’t why my heart raced.

The identity of a bard is to sing of heroes and myths.

Money and attention naturally follow alongside those songs as added perks.

Yeah. I might be right in front of the ‘heroes’ closest to this era.

Regrettably, that illusion shattered in an instant.

Crash!

On the second floor of the Adventurer’s Guild, someone tumbled down the stairs.

A mysterious woman smashed into a table and ruined someone’s meal, only to rise awkwardly, glance around, and sheepishly smile as she exited the building.

“…What was that?”

“Well, I guess we should find a room.”

Leaving behind the golden-haired woman who disappeared in the blink of an eye with a laurel wreath on her head, Skylar and I managed to find a room.

Perhaps it was just bad luck, as there was only one room available. At least it was fortunate that there were two beds?