Bastard Swordsman Chapter 36

The Strongest Spear and Shield
 

There are normally no missions in winter.
 
But that doesn’t mean there are none at all.
 
The reason is, incidents still occur regardless of the season, so for some reason bandits appear out in the freezing cold weather.
 
Normally at these temperatures, you’d die if you stay out for too long. We don’t have any proper cold-weather gear. But really, there’s no such thing as none.
 
To handle those extremely rare missions that do come up from time to time, the guild members still come to the guild even on deep snowy winter days.
 
Or rather, they’re simply bored.
 
While just staying at the clan house or inn is an option, it gets dull if you don’t get a change of conversation partners.
 
More importantly, you have to pay for your own firewood. It’s an understandable line of thinking that it’s more economical to hole up at the guild and warm up with someone else’s wood rather than paying those expenses.
 
Actually, while the guild has a lot of stone construction, the sturdy build means it retains heat well.
 
“Dealing with insects is tough…think you cut them but they bounce off or just slip away.”
 
“Even stabbing sometimes gets deflected.”
 
“Ah, fur-covered ones are way easier to deal with.”
 
So what do the guild members talk about when they gather? Surprisingly, they sometimes have serious conversations about work.
 
Sure, once drinks start flowing these guys often get carried away with vulgar tales. But when they’re bored and lay out their gear on the guild table, oiling and maintaining it…the conversation naturally flows that way.
 
“Well we’re not insect specialists either. Probably not much use remembering how to hunt insect monsters…..”
 
“Can’t hurt to learn though.”
 
Having this conversation are the members of the currently most popular party, “Sword of Harvest.”
 
It seems their wariness of insect monsters has increased a level since suffering damage from the Harvest Mantis.
 
Actually, taking on insects with bladed weapons is quite risky. The opponent’s shell moves around unnaturally like armor, so it’s hard to cut properly. The Sunglaire army’s morning stars are quite effective in that regard.
 
“Hey, you guys from Earth’s Shield, how do you fight insects when you encounter them?”
 
“Hm? Us? Well, against insects it’s best to stab or strike them, but….if there are soft spots, cutting isn’t bad either I suppose.”
 
“Ah, figures that’s how it’d be.”
 
“Things like the Visor Fudger have lots of soft spots so they’re easier to fight.”
 
“Never seen one before.”
 
When conversations go this way, the reliable source is the battle-hardened “Earth’s Shield.”
 
As former soldiers, they likely have plenty of experience fighting insect-types. Alex is giving some pretty accurate advice too.
 
“You don’t really encounter many insects unless you go near the borders…..”
 
“Yeah that’s right. We sometimes run into them by surprise though, and with no combat experience can’t read their movements at all.”
 
“Same with my party. It took five of us surrounding a single insect monster about the size of a goblin for two whole minutes.”
 
“Can’t read their emotions, insects.”
 
There aren’t many insect monsters in the Halpheria Kingdom. Most insects are likely in the Sunglaire Kingdom instead.
 
While there are lots of beast and humanoid monsters which is troublesome…at least blades work fine against them for good matchups.
 
“Even regular Pike Hoppers, you’ve got to have your shield positioned well or you’ll get badly hurt…..”
 
“They’ll be out again in spring. Can’t wait for the snow to melt, but also kind of dreading it.”
 
“Don’t pay much though…..”
 
Pike Hoppers are dog-sized grasshoppers.
 
Their impaling charge attack using their pointed heads is a nuisance, you can get seriously injured if caught off guard.
 
But if you know they’re coming, you can somehow block with a shield, and aside from forward leaps they have dull movements. Their explosive power is dangerous, but you could call them beginner-level monsters. These at least show up fairly often in Halpheria.
 
“Hey, how about you Artemis girls, do bows work against insects?”
 
At the question from Sword of Harvest, the Artemis members quietly checking their arrows at a round table looked up.
 
Their lingering so long at the guild this season may be characteristic of this time of year.
 
“Regular archery is difficult. Skills can bypass their shell to land hits, but unless the strike location is ideal they won’t flinch, so they’re a troublesome foe. That’s why we use poisoned arrows against insects.”
 
“Poison huh, figures.”
 
“But even the poison doesn’t work right away. Basically we avoid or leave it to mages and melee fighters. Melee needs shields.”
 
“I see…..”
 
“Nice, wish we had a mage too.”
 
“I’d love to have a Nastasha.”
 
“Any girl from Artemis is welcomed!.”
 
“No poaching allowed.”
 
“None of us are considering transferring.”
 
When Artemis is at the guild, the vulgar banter doesn’t…well, usually doesn’t get too out of hand.
 
It’s become known that if you act crudely towards Artemis and get too carried away, you’ll meet a painful end. Though there are always still some who can’t resist giving them a hard time.
 
“So swordfighters really need a shield huh.”
 
“Have to use a kite shield. Wonder how Barlgar can fight with that tiny thing, doesn’t it mess up his wrist?”
 
“Once shields get sturdy they get too heavy to lug around…but for when you need it, a bit is fine.”
 
“Can’t exactly go wandering the woods with just a sword either…..well, there is one weirdo who does sneak into the woods without shield or party.”
 
Hey, don’t point at me. That’s rude.
 
“What’s that look for? You guys got a problem with me?”
 
“……Hey newbie, watch closely. Don’t mimic that guy’s style. That type just drops dead easily. Remember that.”
 
“Yes sir!”
 
“Don’t use me as an example for the newbie training. True my style probably isn’t one to imitate, but still.”

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If a newbie dies copying me I might be traumatized enough to stay in bed for a day.
 
“And another thing, you all seem to be under the misapprehension that I don’t actually have a shield.”
 
“No way, never seen Mongrel with a shield.”
 
“First put on some decent armor at least.”
 
“Time to get a new sword already.”
 
“Say what you want……”
 
“Whatever shield you have is probably some weird thing anyway.”
 
“Probably something you chuck at the enemy and it comes flying back or whatever.”
 
“Gahahaha!”
 
“Y-You guys……”
 
Mocking my gear like that…?!
 
“Alright fine, got it. I’ll go to the inn right now and bring back my shield. I’ll show you all my secret treasured shield…!”
 
“Instead of keeping it a secret, why not just use it regularly…?”
 
“Now that you mention it, I do remember Mongrel saying he’d show me his shield before.”
 
“Haha, better call it over while you can. Not selling it no matter how much you beg after seeing it.”
 
I open the guild’s heavy doors and head outside.
 
Ueeh, so cold!!
 
“Hey shut it quick! The cold air is getting in!”
 
“Shut it yourself! Just wait a sec!”
 
“He really went to get it.”
 
Dashing through the cold to the inn.
 
Midway, I couldn’t help but wonder why I was enduring this freezing ordeal…but this is about pride. It’s a matter of face as a guild member.
 
Just you wait, you barbaric people of this other world. I’ll show you the choice of a modern person prioritizing practicality.
 
“Hah…hah…so damn cold…..”
 
“Ah, Mongrel’s back……what’s that huge thing you’re carrying…?”
 
Opening the guild doors as snow piles in, for some reason several tables had ales prepared and were waiting.
 
These guys were fully intending to drink with my gear as the snack. Unforgivable.
 
“……What is that……a shield……?”
 
“It’s wrapped in cloth, but that silhouette is clearly not a shield…..”
 
“Ah warm……heh, prepare to be amazed. This is……let me set it up first.”
 
“Set it up you say?”
 
I unwrap the large bundle, revealing the shield.
 
“……Eh, what is this?”
 
“This, my friends, is called a Lantern Shield.”
 
The Lantern Shield.
 
An innovative piece of armor featuring a basket-hilt covering the arm with a huge round shield attached.
 
From the basket-hilt you can quickly extend a short sword-length blade, and it has multiple areas to mount blades for attack. Offense and defense in one.
 
The center of the shield has a spike too, so shield bashes become potentially lethal strikes.
 
“And this center part is a lid that opens up…you can put a fire source inside to make it glow from within!”
 
I creak open the lid, but everyone’s reaction is lukewarm.
 
Huh, strange.
 
“……The mirrored interior can reflect light into the enemy’s eyes for blinding too……”
 
“Doubtful……that level won’t cut it.”
 
“Well, maybe at night at least……”
 
“Having such a bright thing at night just makes you a nice target……”
 
But no, wait, see…it’s a Lantern Shield, so……
 
“Seems too heavy to use as just a shield. And with all those spikes, if they get stuck you’re in trouble pulling them out…..”
 
“In the woods it’ll probably get caught on everything.”
 
“Not sure about how the basket connects to the shield either…..”
 
“Seems like such a pain to maintain. You’d have to keep polishing the inside spotless every time?”
 
“Wouldn’t just equipping a lantern, shield, and sword separately be easier….?”
 
Oh, oh no that’s a forbidden statement! You can’t say that, that’s not allowed!
 
“The whole point is having it all harmonized into one piece of gear!”
 
like that
 
“More like overcomplicated really……”
 
“Figures for such a weirdo.”
 
“Gahaha, bought another weird thing huh!”
 
“Mongrel, bring some other funny stuff next time, the ale’s going down smooth.”
 
Wh-What’s with this torrent of disapproval? Every last one of you dissing my Lantern Shield…?!
 
Do you even know how much this cost me in the Black Nebula Market…?!
 
“……Milene! Everyone’s bullying me!”
 
“…..”
 
Milene just quietly kept up a business smile…….


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