Transmigrated to a Dark Fantasy World of SSS-Rank: King of the Void-Chapter 55: A Job Offer?

Maya trembled when Blondie’s shadow stretched in from the doorway, shrinking behind the counter. Everyone present fell silent at the obvious irritation of the man in shining armor, while Mitsuki’s body tensed in fear. Nausea crept up on him, along with the whispers of the people around him that grew deafening.

’Couldn’t this guy have shown up at another time?’ He simply closed his eyes, disappointed. He didn’t move, hoping that, like a small animal, the predator wouldn’t notice him.

Big mistake.

"Tiny!" Blondie barked, stepping up to the counter and slamming his palm against it. The wood shook, creaking and trembling, making his strength clear.

Maya flinched violently, and the impact scared Mitsuki badly. With a knot in his throat, he thought: ’Shit... shit... what do I do? Has he already seen me? What if I do something that pisses him off...?’

The best option would be to stay like a statue, but as he thought that, he clenched his fist in frustration. He was still pathetic; he still feared people, and that was his greatest flaw. Being the Herald of the Unnamable—someone feared by all—was useless if he remained like this. He needed to face reality, but that was easier said than done, so he resigned himself to acting like a coward.

After scaring Maya, Blondie said:

"I want you to prepare the maps of Nemoria. My carriage and my horses need to be ready too. I’m not going to let that witch and that lunatic hog all the treasure. Got it, tiny?"

Maya nodded fearfully. She turned around and ran toward the second floor. Then Blondie sat down next to Mitsuki, unaware he was there, and growled in annoyance. He tapped the counter lightly with his index finger, making it clear he wasn’t very patient.

’I think I can get out of this,’ Mitsuki thought. His statue act was working. He stayed still for a while, glancing at Blondie from the corner of his eye—but that turned out to be the worst mistake he could’ve made.

This guy wasn’t an ordinary adventurer; he sensed Mitsuki’s gaze precisely because his senses were more developed than those of the others. It was no coincidence he was at least A-rank.

His blue eyes slowly shifted to the side, meeting Mitsuki—the statue.

"Loser? What are you doing here?" Strangely enough, he looked genuinely confused. "Didn’t you go to Nemoria with those women? Oh—"

Mitsuki silently lamented, looking away, but in his mind he could only scream: ’Damn it!’

A mocking smile spread across Blondie’s face. He raised his hand and draped it over Mitsuki’s shoulders in an eerily friendly way. Mitsuki shuddered in fear, thinking something terrible was about to happen—but it was the opposite.

"Looks like those women did the same thing to you as they have to plenty of others, loser. You know how they are—they think they’re better than everyone and do whatever they want. First they pick people up and call them friends, then they toss them aside at the first chance. You’re not the first, and you won’t be the last."

His gaze changed; darker now, yet still paired with that unsettling smile.

"Well, that’s just how nobles are, after all. They trample on commoners and get away with it. I bet you felt like a piece of shit when they left you behind..."

Mitsuki let out a nervous sigh. What this guy was saying might have had some logical basis, but it wasn’t right. Mitsuki had understood something during the time he spent with those girls—and when they left him behind.

’Yeah, I felt like trash when they left, but you’re wrong. They only left me behind because I’m weak.’

Jeanne and Ellegaard were incredibly powerful adventurers who faced threats on their level. An ant like Mitsuki would only get in the way—that was the truth.

Blondie removed his hand and rested his elbows on the counter. His expression turned more serious when Maya came back down the stairs holding several rolls of paper—maps.

"Anyway. See you around, man-woman. My crew and I are heading to Nemoria." He got up from his seat and walked toward the stairs with Maya.

Mitsuki watched him, confused.

’I was expecting something worse, but...’ That guy, Marco, didn’t act like he did before. In fact, what happened in the alley back then had also been strange. It didn’t seem like Blondie actually wanted to mess with him just for the sake of it. ’That’s not it. I know what truly bad people look like—their eyes, their voices, how they act—and he doesn’t completely fit that mold.’

Maybe he was overthinking it, because of the loneliness he felt after being abandoned by the girls. Realizing that made him feel miserable.

’Whatever. That shouldn’t matter. The only thing I need to think about now is how to get to Nemoria, the supplies I need, and all the information necessary to survive there.’

With nothing left to do here, he got up from his seat and prepared to leave, but then he heard another voice. A man had just entered—the same tanned bald man from before. Tall, muscular, clean-shaven, with thick eyebrows. His simple animal-skin clothes—long pants, a basic buttoned vest, and leather boots—made him look like a barbarian. That same man approached Marco, who was currently looking over the maps with Maya, who was sweating nervously.

"Marco, the damn porter quit. What do we do now?"

Stopping at the entrance, Mitsuki grew slightly interested. ’The porter? Does he mean the kind of adventurer who carries stuff? That has to be it, right?’

Meanwhile, Marco tightened his grip on the maps, annoyed. He turned around, showing his terrifying smile to the bald man. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"What did you just say, Mountain?"

Mountain, completely unfazed, replied:

"I said the porter quit, you deaf idiot. When he found out we were going to Nemoria, he gave me the money back and ran off. He couldn’t handle the pressure of going to a place as legendary as the Kingdom of Holylight."

"Damn it... Where are we supposed to get another one now? We’re already ready to leave. We can’t waste time while those women take all the loot."

"And what do you want me to do? I wasn’t the one who hired a coward. That’s your problem as the party’s manager."

Marco took offense, but Mountain was right. Soon, he let out a sigh and crossed his arms as he thought.

"Yeah, I know it’s my problem. Let me think of something," he said, looking around. That’s when he spotted Mitsuki. He smiled and pointed at him. "Hey, loser, want a job?"

Mitsuki looked at him.

’Shit... Sometimes things get annoyingly convenient for me. And it’s all because of this thing...’

Right in front of his eyes, the system displayed a message.

[ Your title "Prince of Misfortune" is taking effect. ]