Surviving as a Useless Bard in a Game

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The Empire, Regan, the Imperial Palace’s Grand Reception Room, rewards personally decreed by the Emperor.

Is there a bard who can endure this?

Probably not. Absolutely not. No one could stand it.

I bet that within a week, all the people—no, all the bards—will gather in one place.

Calm down. My heart.

My heart, which had been pounding wildly and aggressively, gradually finds its rhythm again. The face that felt like it was going to explode slowly loses its redness and turns pale.

Stay calm and composed.

I took a deep breath.

I think I’m starting to feel a bit better.

Of course, it’s just my appearance that seems calmer; my mind and thoughts are still swirling like a tangled spiral. Anyway, I’m okay.

I’m okay.

“…I can’t do it, right?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

The music is infused with power. It contains magic. I’m still clumsy with magic control. To be more precise… my magic started moving on its own, even though I didn’t intend for it to.

I couldn’t understand why.

One thing was certain—it reacted to my emotions.

The Empire’s Music Contest.

Can I really maintain a state of emotional detachment in such a large competition? Obviously not.

What a shame.

If I miss this opportunity, when will the next contest be? Or, will there even be a next one? Even if there is, we might not be around for it.

“…It can’t be helped.”

“You look like you’re secretly planning to participate.”

“Do you have magic that can read minds?”

“No? There’s something similar, but I haven’t used it.”

“Then how did you know?”

“It’s obvious. Your expression and gaze change.”

“Do you want to hear my idea now?”

“I’ll hear it next time. For now, we’re here to find a worthwhile quest.”

“…Okay.”

Skylar said he’d listen next time, but the chances of him actually doing so were low. He prioritized safety above all else.

My reason and intellect screamed that I should not make this choice.

If I simply succumb to a momentary emotion and impulse… the future is predictable.

A choice made without considering the aftermath allows one to enjoy the present, but it steals my future as a price. Just like always.

Thus, time passed.

Skylar picked out a few quests that seemed feasible and placed them on the desk.

The Adventurer’s Guild in the bustling Regan was so massive that finding empty tables and seats was a piece of cake.

Since I had been solving quests before arriving in Regan… I had gotten quite accustomed to using a lute.

‘Buffs and debuffs are fine, and healing works relatively well too.’

At least I’m barely passing the minimum standard… right? I wonder if I can peel off the “useless adventurer” label.

“Selina, so which quest should we accept?”

“…I’m not sure. Is it Regan after all?”

“Definitely, most of them require four or more people. Working with others is a bit troublesome.”

“Yeah. That’s true.”

I still haven’t resolved my narcolepsy and other curses.

If I fainted while performing a quest with a stranger instead of Skylar… that was a situation I didn’t even want to imagine.

‘Well, Skylar would somehow manage it, but…’

Losing out on the quest reward was a serious matter. Only adventurers who completed a quest as a solo act could share the reward evenly.

The reason I had received fair compensation so far was either because I took on quests after the narcolepsy kicked in, or because I performed quests alone with Skylar, or because I excelled at pretending to be a solo adventurer.

How frustrating. Should I just try being cursed with insomnia for real?

“Let’s pick anything from the gold rank. Something that finishes quickly.”

“…Something that finishes quickly?”

“Yeah. Let’s do a subjugation. It’s way better than running errands for nobles in Regan.”

“That’s true.”

Skylar strongly nodded in agreement with my suggestion.

He knew how much I had been tormented by those so-called ‘nobles’ during our travels.

For instance, in one village, one of the nobles proposed to me at first sight after seeing my face… thanks to which, I had the rare experience of fleeing in a wagon at dawn.

If the local nobles acted like that, I couldn’t even imagine how much privilege the central nobles must feel. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.

“Should I accept the quest?”

“No, I’ll do it.”

“Yes.”

I took the quest sheet Skylar had picked and headed to the reception desk.

While carrying it, I made sure to quickly skim through the quest details, familiarizing myself with the precautions, personnel, time, and location. It was a habit formed after solving countless quests until arriving in Regan.

In reality, this was something every adventurer should do, but I had developed this habit quite late. It caused me quite a bit of trouble.

‘Going without knowing the quest details was hell.’

Skylar’s glare had been so piercing that it literally made me feel like he’d kill me with his eyes.

–

[ Rank: Gold (Beginning) ]

[ There is a giant in that forest. ]

[ There are testimonies about a giant shadow seen in the forest. It was a tip-off from a reliable person. Identify the shadow’s identity, and if it’s a threatening presence, eliminate it. ]

[ Although it appears to be a tree, it gradually changes its form with a slight stimulus. ]

[ Confirmed characteristics: 12-20m in size, it has both tree-like and human-like forms. ]

[ Personnel condition: Recommended at least 4. Minimum 3. ]

[ 14 Denarion ]

–

While I was processing the quest, I noticed something strange.

It was a marking I had never seen before.

Despite having solved quests countless times since arriving in Regan, I had never encountered such a marking.

“…What does the ‘beginning’ attached to the rank mean?”

“It means you are the first to receive this quest. Have you visited Regan for the first time?”

“Yes.”

“The majority of quests in rural areas are beginner quests, so they are not marked separately. However, since many people gather in Regan, many quests get canceled. So, there are many people who can afford to pay the penalty fee.”

“So, is that why they mark the quests that haven’t been canceled?”

“No, the real reason is different.”

“…What is it?”

“A beginner quest means that it’s an assignment that no other adventurers have ever experienced. It indicates that the rank assigned by the Guild may be incorrect.”

The ‘beginning’ marking disappears even for canceled quests. However… if someone fails and returns from a quest, the ‘beginning’ marking also vanishes.

In other words, it means that the rank might be harder than expected.

I looked at the receptionist with a slightly tense expression.

However, the receptionist continued to smile warmly at me. There wasn’t a trace of worry on her face. At the same time… she seemed to be trying to reassure me.

“Don’t worry.”

“…Even if you say that, it doesn’t reassure me.”

“If all beginner quests were dangerous, there wouldn’t be so many adventurers still alive. The Guild’s rank assessment is over 90% accurate.”

“And the remaining 10%?”

The receptionist subtly averted her gaze and changed the subject.

It seems I hit a nerve.

To put it bluntly, the number of quests issued in Regan daily is astronomical… if 10% of those have incorrect rankings… well, that’s concerning.

“This quest has been accepted. Until we pull it together, I hope to meet again someday!”

“…Okay.”

“Oh, and there’s already someone waiting!”

“Really?”

“They said they would be waiting at the forest entrance at the promised time. Don’t be too surprised!”

“Alright, I understand.”

I didn’t quite grasp why the receptionist added that I shouldn’t be surprised, but let it go for now. I gave a vague nod and exited the reception area.

I sat back across from Skylar and informed him about the accepted quest.

He didn’t react at all upon hearing that there was another adventurer waiting.

This meant it didn’t really bother him.

It did concern me a bit, but it wasn’t a major problem.

After all, if I got into a real pinch with narcolepsy, I could always just stab myself with a dagger or hit my head hard to postpone falling asleep.

‘…It’s gonna hurt, though.’

Anyway, let’s leave tomorrow’s challenges to tomorrow’s self.

The sun of tomorrow rose.

The wagon and the coachman arrived in front of the guild.

Skylar, who had boarded the wagon first, reached out his hand toward me.

I tightly gripped that hand and climbed up onto the wagon.

Time passed, and as the well-paved road started to rattle off the path, the wagon began bumping around. It rolled over stones and dirt.

We arrived at a very dark forest near Regan—the entrance.

And, waiting for us at the entrance was a shadow of a woman that seemed somewhat familiar.

A woman radiating an energy that dared not be approached.

A laurel wreath.

Blonde hair.

Blue eyes.

Red pupils.

For a moment, I recalled the past.

–

Bang-

Someone rolled down the stairs on the second floor of the Adventurer’s Guild.

A mysterious woman who smashed a table and wrecked someone’s meal got up slightly, checked her surroundings, then left the building with an awkward smile.

–

“…That strange person?”

She spotted us and swiftly approached me.

Calmly extending her hand.

“Nice to meet you, I’m going to be part of this quest… Framea! Yes, Framea. Pleased to meet you!”

We shook hands.

Her hand was soft.

Then, I looked at Skylar. Skylar was staring at her face.

I felt annoyed. I clenched my teeth. I couldn’t understand the reason.