Surviving as a Useless Bard in a Game

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The old man lifted his head.

Scipio’s eyes were still sharp. As if he hadn’t cried at all.

“I…”

“I know, Grandpa.”

“But I have a duty.”

Skylar’s threats were powerless, but the little girl’s presence softened the old man’s heart, turning him into a boy again.

Adventurer.

Humans who crave honor and romance more than their own lives.

Humans who seek danger over safety.

The man who once created the greatest adventurer group, those who chased the stars, now settled into reality and refused to embark on adventures.

Who could believe such words so easily?

Auris whispered to Scipio.

“I wish I could do what I want. And so do I.”

“…You too?”

“Yeah. I want to see the world, not just the desert. I want to go to the World Tree. I want to see the desert where the stars fell. I want to visit the biggest city.”

Sure. Auris was just like any other child.

Believing her to be special because she had a body, I had no choice but to trust the Status Window’s words. She was an ordinary girl.

A common child who wished to experience the world just like other kids.

She was currently throwing a tantrum to her grandfather.

No grandfather in the world could defeat his granddaughter, as always.

“Travel, huh?”

“Don’t you want to, Grandpa?”

“No, I do. I used to explore everywhere. There wasn’t a place I didn’t go.”

“But you’ve never traveled since then.”

“When your mother was alive… I traveled a lot.”

“But now, Mom is gone.”

“Right. That’s why… I want to protect you. There are many dangers outside, and this hut and the desert are safe. I never want to… lose you.”

My mouth moved.

I tried to stay silent and just observe, but I couldn’t help it.

I desperately wanted to say this.

Sometimes parents are mistaken. They think the pain of losing their child hurts more than their child’s heart.

But that’s a misunderstanding. It’s a terribly selfish thought.

To protect his granddaughter, he transferred the ‘immortality’ feature he possessed to her. Yeah. I can understand that part. There’s nothing more horrifying in this world than witnessing your granddaughter’s death.

Scipio’s blind spot was that he didn’t consider the opposite scenario.

His granddaughter would witness her parents’ and grandparents’ deaths with her own two eyes.

Immortality may seem like a blessing, but in truth, it’s a curse.

Because of his selfishness, Scipio passed the most dreadful fate onto his granddaughter.

Protecting her? Until when?

Of course, Scipio would answer, “Until my body and lifespan allow me.”

But what about after that?

Leaving a little girl, knowing nothing about the world, isolated in a deserted area, while he simply dies. What a selfish old man…

“You’re mistaken. Who’s protecting whom?”

“There’s no room for you in this conversation, outsider that Skylar brought.”

“If you die first, leaving a clueless child behind, how do you think she would survive in this world? It’s obvious if you think a little.”

“You’re crossing a line.”

Scipio stood up.

As if he had forgotten that his granddaughter was right beside him, a chilling aura surrounded him. The air in the hut turned sharp like a storm.

Light objects and books rolled on the floor. Glass shattered.

I was scared.

Yet, my mouth keeps moving.

In that case, I can do this.

“Look.”

“What?”

“Your selfishness.”

Scipio’s gaze shifted to the little girl beside him.

Auris was trembling.

Her eyes were full of fear, but she didn’t close them to escape the situation.

‘That little girl is braver than I am. If I were in her place, I’d have tightly shut my eyes.’

Auris clutched the edge of Scipio’s clothing tightly.

The storm subsides.

The air calms.

He finally realizes his mistake.

The Scipio I had seen was… a grown-up without grown-up thoughts.

Those who chose the adventurer profession care more about emotions than logic, though it’s slightly different. Still, it’s similar.

He hated losing his own, was full of greed, yet had a narrow view.

In some ways, he seemed like a character out of reality but strangely disturbed my unease.

…Yes. It’s because he seems like a realism character that it feels unpleasant.

I was viewing this world somewhat positively. Magic replaces technology, people risk their lives for romance, and dive passionately into their fields.

But the first selfish human I encountered in such a world… A man who claims to care for his family while ignoring even the granddaughter right beside him.

No matter how I thought about it, he didn’t fit the mold of a leader of any group. Has time changed his character? Who knows. People don’t change that easily.

“Ah… I, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Grandpa. I’m not hurt at all.”

Auris, comforting Scipio, looked more mature than Scipio himself.

Though tall in stature, he had never grown mentally, and how to deal with such a grown man, I had no clue.

‘For now, I guess I have to leave it to Auris.’

He’s a contradictory man, prioritizing family while exuding an aura of danger, yet he’s predictable.

It seems his claim of valuing his granddaughter might be genuine.

‘It’s just the method and the thoughts that are the problem.’

Auris whispers.

Children always know how to achieve what they want.

“I want to go outside.”

Upon hearing that, Scipio hugged Auris.

Then he said to us.

In a completely different manner than his earlier ridiculous self.

“I need time to think. There are other huts, so just give me a day…”

His face bore a look of deep contemplation.

But I realized he would surely accept.

His eyes, just a little, looked younger.

***

I couldn’t sleep.

At a time when everyone else was fast asleep, I slowly got up and strolled through the night desert.

It was a bit chilly but bearable.

A cold wind blew, and the desert sand danced around. One comforting thought was that it was less cold than the spring chill I experienced in the north.

I looked at the moon.

The moon was clearer than the one I had seen in Regan.

‘…The Moon Bard.’

Suddenly, a name popped into my mind.

The Moon Bard, who appears only at night.

For some reason, the bard I had found intriguing had suddenly vanished.

‘I definitely haven’t seen him since meeting Fura.’

This wasn’t a big deal.

The real issue right now… is narcolepsy.

It had re-emerged suddenly after passing through the Gateway City.

Previously, it had a consistency of appearing once a day, but now it fired off unpredictably, whenever and wherever.

Having fooled it once, I thought I could fool it again. There are always exceptions.

‘I can’t feel at ease.’

With nothing to do, sleepless, I was ultimately bored. It feels awkward to wake someone up for a chat, so what should I do?

In my pondering, I chose the option of ‘eavesdropping.’

The Status Window didn’t actually appear before my eyes to display options, but that’s what I wanted to do.

To be honest, I had no certainty.

I had predicted that he would accept based on the fact that his eyes appeared a bit younger, but there were realms that couldn’t be resolved simply by instinct and observation.

I needed certainty.

‘But, there’s no way to eavesdrop without being caught.’

I quickly gave up.

It would be dangerous for a cowardly, weak body like mine to sneak close to his hut without sleeping at this hour; and if caught?

No, I’d definitely be caught. That man’s senses are extraordinary.

Still don’t know what ‘ears’ can do?

‘…I have a rough idea, though.’

It seems certain that it relates to hearing. The abilities tied to a body usually spring to mind just from hearing the body’s name.

Just looking at my own eyes… um, is that vague? For now, the main ability is charm.

Listening to the heart’s voice?

The way he spoke about knowing someone’s true intentions adds weight to that probability, right?

Eventually, I’ll only find out the day after tomorrow.

Having as many allies as possible would be great.

I slowly organized my thoughts.

‘Eyes, face, wing bones.’

Clearly, those are our allies.

‘Left hand.’

Someone who might be our ally, but personally, someone I want to kill.

‘Ears.’

Someone who can’t be a strength.

‘Right hand, Achilles tendon.’

Those who can either be our strength or our allies.

‘…The Mad King’s body is the heart and brain. And the Emperor said he holds three bodies.’

That’s ambiguous.

The moon dims.

I returned to the hut.

I closed my eyes.

And so, morning came.

As soon as I stepped out of the hut, I was greeted by a non-expressive Scipio standing beside Auris. Skylar slowly approached them.

“…Have you finished your contemplation?”

“Yeah.”

“And the answer?”

“I will test you.”

“What…?”

Skylar was flustered, while Scipio took his stance.

The sword was drawn.

Auris was now looking down on us from afar on the sand dunes of the desert.

“I want to see if you can guarantee my granddaughter’s absolute safety.”

…A duel.

I immediately comprehended and readied myself.

Fura and Skylar’s fluster didn’t last long; true to their adventurer nature, they remained calm. A gray cat sprinted swiftly to Auris’s side just as—

—an explosion was heard.