(Cain: POV)

Life is a strange thing.

You never know where it may lead.

I certainly didn't.

Once upon a time I was just a simply 21 year old college student named Hajime Tanaka.

Then once night while returning home from the convenience store I made a wish upon a shooting star and then immediately afterwards got run over by a truck.

Which led to my death.

Immediately after this happened I found myself as Cain Lupus, a character from my favorite erotic game 'Tales From Midgard'. A world I'd wish I could live in when I saw the shooting star.

To say I was shocked when my wish came true would be an understatement.

I was over the moon.

Even though the person I reincarnated as, Cain, was nothing more than a disposable side villain in the game.

That didn't matter to me one bit.

All that mattered was that I was in the world of Midgard. A world full of magic, monsters, super hot girls, etc.

Shortly after my reincarnation I decided to forge my own path.

Which started with me exacting revenge against my biological father, Gustave von Hubert, and his family. Along with all their employees.

Since they not only killed Luna, my mother, but constantly abused me.

There was no way I was going to let those people, and I use the term loosely, get away with that.

So once I was old enough and strong enough I exacted my revenge.

Which felt oh so good.

I killed Gustaves' wife and his son, my elder half brother, who also happened to be the guy who got the original Cain killed in the game, and then fled that place to begin my own life.

Now here I am.

Enjoying a nice lunch at a quaint little restaurant. Located in a small town known as Bley in the southern region of the Holy Vanadis Empire.

I am not alone either.

Sitting on either side of me are two girls enjoying lunch as well.

The two of them look identical with tan skin and silver hair styled in a sideways high ponytail. These girls are twins.

Identical twins.

Though there is one difference between them. The color of their eyes.

One twin has pink eyes while the other has dark-blue eyes. The formers name is Sini while the latter is named Azure.

To make a long story short after I rescued them from some slave traders they decided to become my travel companions.

As well as my lovers.

Neither of which I have a problem with.

Especially the latter.

The twins and I finished up our lunch in no time.

Once we did so we paid and then headed for our main destination for the day.

Within 15 minutes we arrived at it.

A three-story brick building with a plaque featuring a sword and a wizard staff in an X formation hanging over the entrance, right in the middle of it.

What is this place you ask?

It's the mercenary guild.

Mercenaries.

Individuals in the world of Midgard apart of the mercenary guild who take on requests to earn money. Which can range from bodyguard duty, exterminating monsters, or simply doing household chores for a local old lady.

The tasks mercenaries complete are widely varied.

Despite the name they are referred to by.

Honestly the mercenaries of this world are simply what you would call adventurers in any other fantasy world.

As to the reason the three of us are here today I would think if would be obvious.

We're here to sign up as mercenaries.

Not only because an official mercenary ID card can work as legal identification in any country in this world, and serve as a safe way to cross between national borders, but also because our group is running low on funds and we need some money sooner rather than later.

Clothes, food, etc.

It's a lot to procure for three people.

The funds I brought with me when I left the Hubert estate that were supposed to last me close to a year have almost run dry, and it's only been about four months since I began my journey.

So yeah.

Here we three are.

Going up to the door I opened it and then stepped aside. "Ladies." I said to the twins.

"Thank you Cain." Sini spoke.

"Yep, thanks Cain." Azure said.

The two of them then entered through the open door. Me following right behind them.

As the doors closed all eyes turned toward our group.

The conversations stopped, people stopped eating their food, even a couple I noticed stopped flirting and put their gazes on us.

'Looks like everyone has decided to size us up.' I thought.

Well they can do what they want

It's not like the twins or I care.

Ignoring the looks we were getting we walked right up to the reception desk. Where a cute girl dressed in a uniform that highly resembles a maid outfit waited. A smile on her face.

Though said smile isn't reaching her eyes in the slightest. Rather it's a professional smile. A smile shown as a common courtesy and nothing more.

I know because I saw it many times in my previous life.

"Good day and how may I help you three?" The receptionist asked us.

"We would like to register as mercenaries." I informed her.

"Very well." She replied. The receptionist then reached under the front desk and pulled out three forms, placing one in front of each of us. "Please fill these out." She spoke.

The receptionist then handed each of us a pen.

Once she did so we filled out the forms.

Which are easy.

Because it simply asks for your name, age, and race. Nothing more and nothing less. Which is a big reason many people become mercenaries in the first place. It allows them a way to make a living without having others look into their pasts or ask too many questions about them.

That's why this job is perfect one for the twins and I.

In no time at all we three finished filling out the forms the receptionist gave us. Once we did she collected them and quickly scanned each one with her eyes. When she finished she looked at us. "Everything looks to be in order. Now then, please wait here a moment." The receptionist said.

She then walked through the door behind her.

Five minutes later she returned with no forms, and instead had three rectangular-shaped 12 cm by 7 cm objects in her grasp. As well as three small needles.

Reaching the desk she placed one of the rectangular-shaped objects in front of each of us. Along with a needle. "Here are your mercenary ID's. To activate them, simply put a drop of your blood on the ID card." The receptionist explained.

So that's exactly what the three of us did.

Picking up the needles we pricked our fingers without any hesitation and let our blood drip onto our respective mercenary ID cards.

The second after the blood touched the cards they all glowed in a dark-blue color. Then as they did so the personal information of each one of us appeared on our respective card. Listing all the information we had given the receptionist beforehand. Another piece of information also appeared on the ID cards.

Our mercenary ranks.

Because some jobs are tougher and more dangerous than others the mercenary guild created ranks to keep their members from getting killed on quests needlessly.

As for what those ranks are they are as follows: Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Mithril, and finally Orichalcum.

Right now the twins and are Copper rank, even if our strength is above it.

Though we won't be that way for long. Not after we complete enough quests to rank up. Which is one of the ways a mercenary affiliated with the guild can increase their rank.

The receptionist looked at our ID cards for a moment before returning her gaze to us. "It looks like you all are set. I would like to officially welcome you to the mercenary guild. If you have any questions feel free to ask."

"I think we're good." I spoke.

"Yes, we are. But thank you for the offer." Sini spoke.

"Yep, thanks but we're totally fine." Azure said.

"Very well then." The receptionist spoke.

She then retrieved the used needles and went to dispose of them. As she did so I turned around and noticed everyone else in the hall had returned to what they were doing beforehand.

Well almost everyone.

Out of the corner of my left eye I noticed three men approaching the twins and I.

Upon reaching us the one in the middle clapped a hand on my right shoulder. The moment he did so I looked at him and saw he was a man in his 30's with some scars on his face. The armor he's wearing also looks worn but kept in good condition, telling me he is a veteran mercenary. The same can be said for his two friends as well.

"So, what can we help you three with today?" I asked them. Hoping it's not what I think it is.

"Oh nothing, we just decided to come give greetings to you all. Us mercenaries have to stick together after all, right?" The middle man spoke. Tightening his squeeze on my right shoulder as he did so.

'So this is what I think it is.' I thought.

Either it's a shakedown or hazing. Maybe both.

I sighed at this prospect. Sure this is a fantasy world but I was hoping never to encounter this kind of cliché. Since it's something straight of those webnovels and fanfictions I  read from my previous life. Yet here I am, encountering it.

At least I can take solace in the fact this event is probably a one time thing.

I mean, it's not like I'm the protagonist of one of those webnovel or fanfiction stories after all. I don't attract danger or run into trouble everywhere I go. If that were the case I think I might go a bit insane.

Good thing its not.

"Hey, something wrong kid?" The man squeezing my shoulder asked me.

"It's nothing at all." I replied to him. "Also, thanks for the greeting but its time for us to be on our way. So please step aside."

"Not so fast." The man on the right spoke.

"Yeah, what's the rush." The man on the left added. "Why don't you come sit down at our table and have a drink with us?"

"Yeah." The middle man said. Starting to look both Sini and Azure up and down after he did so. "Well hello there ladies. The name is-"

Before the mercenary could finish speaking I ripped his hand off me and then punched him square in the face. Sending his head straight into the floor. Since I was getting annoyed with his actions and tired of hearing his voice. Nothing more too it.

It's definitely not because I was feeling a bit possessive towards Sini and Azure.

Nope, definitely not.

Seeing that their friend had been knocked into the ground the other two moved to attend to him.

As they did so the three of us began making our way out of the guild hall, people giving us a wide berth and eyeing us as caution as we did so.

Which is much better than the earlier stares they gave us.

Oh so much better.

It felt so good I savored that feeling, and decided to replicate it.

Since it turns out I like it when people are afraid of me.

You truly do learn something new about yourself each and every day.

***

My sword in hand I cut down the monster in front of me.

Which is a Vesp.

As for what a Vesp is, it's simply a Wasp that is the size of a horse that doesn't lose its stinger after sticking someone with it. Though thankfully a Vesp stinger doesn't contain a poison sac like a real wasp. Even though I do not want to get stuck by it.

Hence on the reasons I killed it.

As for the other reason it's to collect the Vesp stinger from its corpse. Since they can be used to make armor. That's the reason a blacksmith in Bley posted a request on the request board at the mercenary guild. For someone to collect the stingers for him and get paid for doing so.

Which is exactly what Sini, Azure, and I are doing right now.

Killing Vesp's in a forest a couple of miles outside of town so we can complete the request, because we accepted it, and get paid.

Which is just the latest in a series of quest we've been completing in Bly over the past two weeks to refill our low-running funds.

But after we collect the pay for this job I think we'll have enough to start traveling again.

Enraged that I killed its friend another Vesp from the horde surrounding the three of us three at me, its stinger positioned to strike me in the chest if it got close enough.

Which it won't.

"[Wind Slice]." I chanted, my left hand raised in the Vesp direction.

A second after I did so a magic circle formed and blade made entirely of wind flew out of it and cut the Vesp right down the middle. As its remains hit the ground another Vesp came soaring down at me from above.

Jumping back I dodged its attack. I then rammed my sword right through its head.

Since with enemies I usually always try and aim for the head.

My attack killed the Vesp instantly.

Seeing this I quickly pulled my blade out and focused on the remaining Vesp.

Only to see Sini and Azure making quick work of them. Using their claws to do so.

Since unlike me the twins prefer hand-to-hand combat to using weapons in battle. Even though they do know how to use them.

Well to each their own I guess.

Landing an axe-kick with her right leg to the head of a Vesp trying to attack her, Sini had a savage smile on her face as the Vesp head split open due to her kick.

As for Azure she was using magic to finish off her opponents.

"[Water Bullet]!" She chanted, a magic circle forming in between her hands. The second after it did  so several bullets made of entirely of water shot out and struck the Vesp's in front of Azure, turning them into pin-cushions.

As their corpses hit the ground it signaled the defeat of the last of the enemies.

So with that we went about harvesting the Vesp stingers.

We also harvested their mana stones, since all monsters possess them and they fetch quite a nice price.

Speaking of money in the world of Midgard they only use coins and in groups of ten like so.

1 copper coin = $1.00

1 bronze coin = $10.00

1 silver coin = $100.00

1 gold coin = $1,000.00

1 Platinum Coin = $10,000.00

Honestly I like the monetary system here. Since it's much simpler than in my old world.

Moving on.

In no time at all the twins and I finished our harvesting.

But just as we did so I picked up the sounds of fighting nearby with my enhanced hearing.

Since I am half-werewolf. Meanwhile Sini and Azure are pureblooded werewolves.

"Do you girls hear that?" I asked them.

They both nodded in confirmation.

"What should we do Cain?" Sini asked me.

"What do you girls want to do?" I asked.

But then the second after I did so I picked up bits of a shouting with my hearing.

"No, stop! Come back! I paid you to do a job! Wait, please!" A man shouted in both fear and anger. 

I then heard the screams of several other people, as well as a female crying.

The moment I did I knew what I was going to do.

"Let's help them." I said.

Sini and Azure didn't reply and simply nodded at my words.

Once they did so we took off in the direction of the voices we heard.

Preparing ourselves to fight the moment we arrived.