Sword, Magic and Academic Society

After a round to the Association's east branch, I dropped by 'Apple House' with the scrap material that we had picked up. Whatever the case was, I considered it would be best to have the Boss be aware of what happened.

Well, Amur-aniki was against it though, quoting "Why bother when everything was settled peacefully in the end?". I somehow got him to agree by saying the more awkward a piece of information was, the quicker it should be reported and that it was the fundamental rule of being an explorer. One shouldn't brush off relaying information.

"...You came back quietly early, though I can guess why. Ren must have run out of gas in his first quest, right? It does take time to get used to new things after all. Anyway, make haste to your homes for a proper rest if you are coming tomorrow as well."

Certainly, the unfamiliar work had made me quite tired. However, most of it was due to my contest with that gramps in handling magic machinery.

My mana held out well— still holding out in fact, but transporting rubble was something that used a different set of muscles than my morning swinging practice and dashes. I guess the muscles from my butt and thighs to my back would surely be screaming in protest tomorrow. Not to mention the fact that I also had bow practice — which I had just started — the next day. Hah, that was a full-course meal but the only thing on the menu would be the throbbing feedback, eh?

However, this was the result of following my wishes, so whatever, I guess? No biggie.

"I appreciate your concern, and that's my plan. Though there's something you might want to know before that."

The Boss's face twitched at my preface.

"...You bombed the place right off the bat...?"

I stepped in to give the full picture — Amur-aniki was comically too out of breath to take that role — and narrated it from an objective viewpoint as much as possible.

"—And I thoroughly showed the punks who tried to underestimate the Apple Familia their place."

The Boss didn't interrupt as I continued to narrate the whole scenario. And when I was at the end, he brought down his clenched fist on both mine and Aniki's head shouting 'The fuzz is Apple Familia!'.

Then he said while I was rubbing my head in indignation.

"...Hah, but they indeed left no other choice after the harassment. And the fault would have been on the other side either way as long as they were armed while you were empty-handed. At least, it doesn't seem to have ended with injuries.

Anyway, you’ve done well telling me this before I could hear it from somewhere else. Continue like this. I don't know what sort of bizarreness I’ll be caught in but since you're under my care, I gotta pull my weight as well and look after you."

With that, the boss erupted into hearty laughter. Amur-aniki, seeing that, was visibly stunned. But there was one thing that I needed to ask.

"...Then, why did the boss… punch us?"

"...It looked fun that way and I was so damned jealous of you brat."

......

◆◆◆

I was about to excuse myself since I was quite tired as well when an enraged scream came knocking on our doors from outside.

"Amur and that brat who had been in the construction site with our bunch, get your asses out this instant!”

Boss and I sighed in unison.

"Sigh...And that's why information is very important since this happens very often. Anyway, I already know what this is about so take a backseat for now."

"...Boss. This is the shit I’ve created, so let me take care of it."

It was one of the lines that often appeared in my favorite series in the delinquent genre and I always wanted to say it out!

"Hahaha! Cleaning your mess by yourself, huh? You are amusing, lad. But you can't since that will only further complicate things. Let the adult handle this matter."

After saying that, the Boss went outside.

◆◆◆

There were around 10 youths from Gold Rat's side when the boss of Apple House, Lynd Izurapport, came out. Seeing him, a 27 or 28-year-old man stepped forward while surrounded by his followers.

"No one called you, Lynd! Leave!"

"...If I’m right, your name is Sabath, right? I hear you got promoted to C-rank just a while back and played the role of a mediator between the young ones. But now you think you're a hotshot, to call me without honorifics?"

Sabath felt like he was facing a monster in the face of Boss Lynd's intimidation.

But stepping down wasn't an option for him with his followers around, so he bit the bullet and bluffed with his persona.

"I’m here to settle a dispute between kids, you dimwit! Now pipe down and stop shoving your head where it doesn't belong!"

Lynd sighed.

Leaving aside the obvious 'what makes his grown-up ass think he had the right to do this then?' question, Sabath, in the end, was just not that confident in his role as a peacemaker among the youngsters. Lynd could smell his desperation to achieve a favorable result after being requested by his underlings from miles away.

He could beat the shit out of them but such lads follow the principle of 'cull two, four will pop out'. On the other hand, it didn’t seem like Sabath would pursue the peaceful way as long as others’ eyes were resting on him.

"Sabath, I don’t who caused it but does your society head know about the ruckus you're causing? He might be greedy but I doubt even he would go this far."

"Shut up! You deaf or what!? It's a matter between brats. And we are big enough to not pester our boss for every little thing!"

"So you say but by bringing unrelated people to the doors of our society means that it is now the matter of two societies to solve. Do you think you’re big enough to handle a matter of that? Before letting your temper take over you, shouldn't you be gathering evidence about the matter if you want to stand at the top?"

After hearing that, Sabath flashed a sarcastic smile.

"Hah, that's ironic coming from you who had been abandoned by the same bunch whom you looked after since childhood. Can't even manage your society and you have the nerve to preach to others... No one gives a shit about your geriatric way of doing things in this Royal Capital anymore!"

Sabath's words caused Lynd's expression to contort as if he was forced to swallow a bitter bug. And talk about bad timing, Loye, who had been out for a cleaning task, just came back with two of the kids, who have yet to fully develop their mana organs, in tow.

"What's with this ruckus, Pops?"

A chubby guy from among the Rat's bunch, who made up for his lack of brain with his physical strength, shouted.

"Right, you're Loye who hangs around with that Amur, aren't you? You go inside and bring out Amur and the brat that was him today. There's no point arguing with this old fart!"

And then he shoved his fist on the pit of Loye’s stomach.

"Now you’ve done it, bastard! You have no idea what you're starting!"

Lynd was immediately overwhelmed with anger but quickly regained his bearing when he noticed the door behind him opening.

"Loye!"

"Loye-aniki!"

Amur and Allen had jumped out from behind the door.

◆◆◆

The discussion between the Boss and the group of dumbasses brought up a question that I was curious about for a while, so I asked Amur-aniki.

"Why is 'Apple House' so short-staffed?"

I thought there was some kind of complicated backstory but Aniki easily answered.

"Well, I doubt Pops would ever answer you if you asked him. There seems to be a shortage of explorers in the vicinity of the Rosemieur Empire's border in the north with the sudden explosion in work. On the other hand, the Royal Capital was vast with lots of work, but there were also many, if not more, explorers as well. On our side, not only did we have a lot of low-earning kids, we also didn't charge them membership fees and this sort of situation always kept our finances in the red.

So, my big bros, who had been raised in this house along with me, wanted to prove their worth as explorers in the north. They said they’d definitely make a killing there and establish a springboard for the young bros who were facing a hard time here. When Pops learned of this, he said explorers were free beings, so they could do whatever they liked. They didn’t need to worry about the house.

We believed that Pops had what it takes to become an A-rank explorer if only he followed the same creed, but he had poured all his dreams, possessions, and everything to support this house. We were desperate. So I could understand why my big bros wanted to reach the other end. I wanted to follow them but I was too young then, so I wasn't taken along."

Amur-aniki narrated, his eyes pooling with tears as he bit his lip in frustration. His eloquence was lacking but it was enough to convey his feelings.

However, there was one thing that I wanted him to be aware of and so I said,

"You’ve given me a good picture of the Boss's way of doing things. But your logic is flawed, Aniki. I believe the Boss never had the plan of sacrificing himself. When you're following your heart, rank, honor, and wealth don't even come second."

I believed in my intuition. The folks in this house were like the chicks fumbling around to look for where their hearts truly lie.

'Apple House', huh? Sure enough, I was right on my money to choose this place as my starting point to train and delve deeper into explorer work.

But, it happened then. Aniki, who had been peeping at the situation outside from the crevice of the door, bolted outside, shouting 'Loye!'.

I also quickly shifted my gaze to see a disgusting fatty landing a punch on Loye-aniki's abdomen and callously pressing a foot that was clad in filthy shoes onto his head.

"Loye-aniki!"

I followed Amur-aniki and hurriedly rushed out.

◆◆◆

"You idiots! I told you to stay inside, didn't I!?"

"Look, the scaredy cats are finally out! Everyone, I’ll keep that old fart busy! You go and make sure to settle things. Let these bitches know their place!"

Sabath shouted and then charged to Lynd's waist.

"You dumbass! You haven't grown enough wings to hold down this father! Stop him, Ren— that dark brown-haired guy! Idiot! Who does things alone when you have the whole group with you?! Pin him down with everyone!

And you, have your brain turned to mush! Why the hell are you fighting barehanded?! Take any of the scrap material rolling around, you numbskull! Throw that shit at them!

It isn’t nighttime yet, Loye! Hurry up and hold Ren back with Amur!"

◆◆◆

On that day, a new rising rebel made his debut in the Royal Capital's outlaw society.

A 'Mad Hound' whom not even Lynd, the boss of the Apple House society and the drinking and squabbling buddy of Shellbull Monstell — the charismatic rebel who had clawed his way up to the position of the Explorer Association's President relying solely on his strength — could hold down.

In the blink of an eye, rumors of a crazed individual named 'Ren' appearing among the ranks of 'Apple House', which had been waning in power in recent times, swiftly found itself circulating in the Royal Capital's underworld.

On a side note, the situation also made its way to the ears of the Gold Rat's boss who personally visited the Apple House not long after with a present to apologize for the ruckus, thus peacefully drawing the curtain on the feud.

T/N - Changing the way Amur and Loye called Lynd (Boss>Pop after the explanation).

Author sure ended the chapter a bit early, would have loved to see a bit more hectic situation.

EN - Quite wholesome, this ‘Apple House’. MC finally became the bad boy he always wanted to be. But I agree with TN, could have used a bit more details on the action before closing the arc.