Volume 7 - CH 8

Volume 7 Chapter 8 Yuuji, having a talk with the big shot of the adventurer’s guild

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The group of Yuuji, Alice, Kotarou, Kevin and the guards was in the parlor that was prepared on the second floor of the adventurer’s guild. The middle-aged woman at the reception desk jumped over Hillary and the counter and led them here.

Of course, even if they had originally come for a request, it would be normal to finish it at the counter, being led to the parlor was exceptional. However, hearing the turmoil just now and the words that were the letter from the feudal lord’s wife, they seem to have led them to a private room. “I shall now call the guildmaster” were the words the middle-aged woman left upon exiting the room.

Seeing Kevin grinning and showing a full smile, Yuuji called out to him.

“Mr. Kevin……was it on purpose?”

“Eh? Was what on purpose?”

As expected, even Yuuji seemed to have noticed it.

Before long, the door to the room was knocked on. Responding to the voice of Kevin who said “Please come in”, the door opened.

Coming in was an elderly man in his fifties. He must have been an ex-adventurer. He is 1.80m tall and though that is not tall in this world, his body is sturdy enough that you can see even from the clothes worn over it. His hair was a so-called crew cut that was blonde with streaks of grey. The glint in his eyes were keen. A scar was remaining from one corner of his mouth to his cheeks, possibly being forcibly sewn together. A hero of long military service, whichever way you looked at him.

Yuuji twitched from the excessively fiendish looks.

“I am Salomon, Guild master of this city of Premie. I am sorry for my adventurers here causing trouble this time.”

Contrary to his appearance, the fierce looking Guild master bent his body from the first words he spoke.

“No, not at all. Please raise your head Mr. Salomon”

Kevin called out the Guild master in that way. Yeah, Mr. Kevin didn’t plan on criticizing him so strongly either right, Yuuji carefreely thought as such. Continuing from the yesterday’s feudal lord’s mansion, Kevin naturally fitted in the role of negotiator.

“Why, all things considered…… It’s troubling isn’t it? To be involved with them when we were here for a request. Wouldn’t it be better to tell the merchant guild or my friend that they are dangerous?”

The guildmaster and Yuuji who was thinking carefreely until just before stiffened. It seemed Kevin was full of intentions to criticize him. Alice tilted her head, her facial expression saying I don’t really understand. Kotarou who was sitting on Alice’s knees sent her gaze as if trying to say “Right, you’re still alright like this, Alice.”

“N- no, th- that’s…… Uhm, by the way, what sort of request are you here for?”

The guildmaster was flustered. Which was reasonable. If this matter was brought to the merchant’s guild, he would naturally lose their trust. If they come to be unable to trust the adventurer’s guild, then they would either entice individually acquainted adventurers to make them exclusive, request adventurers of the royal capital or other cities or a mercenary troupe or recruit people who are capable of fighting from anywhere but the adventurer’s guild.

To the guildmaster, it would be a crisis where they would lose their regular requests of peddler escorts or business security. It appeared that his plan was to listen to the contents of their request first and foremost and to search for some common ground with them.

“No, today’s matter is about the investigation of the great forest. It will be a request where I want to investigate if there are any goblin or orc settlements northeast of this city. No wait, but shall I request the royal capital adventurer’s guild or shall I search for a mercenary troupe? I may not be able to trust your results either…… Ah, even though I have taken great pains of having the feudal lord’s wife and the magistrate shoulder the request expenses through a joint signature…… If it’s no longer required then it would be better to apologize, don’t you think?”

Receiving the letter that was presented by the guard standing in the back, Kevin put it on the desk. The mark that was pressed on the sealing wax entered the guildmaster’s eyes and his expression quickly changed. Of course he would. This merchant, he said he would report that it was no longer required. Naturally they would learn of the state of affairs. It would turn into the adventurer’s guild having tried to injure the requesters who possessed a letter from the magistrate and the feudal lord’s wife.

“I, I will arrange for the most reliable adventurers with the highest abilities! Of course the costs shall stay the same!”

Frantically rubbing his hands and abasing himself, the guildmaster proposed. Yuuji felt afraid from the forced smile of his fiendish looks. Alice too had her mouth shaped like an inverted V.

“Ooh, is that so! No wait, but whatever should we do with our other request? Mr. Yuuji, it may take some time however, shall we recruit new members for our pioneer group at the royal capital adventurer’s guild?”

“Ne- new pioneer group! New pioneer group you say!?”

The guildmaster leaned over and looked at Kevin and Yuuji.

Yes.

Adventurers will retire one day. Of course, many would lose their lives by then however.

There were even people who are living without doing anything with the money they saved until their retirement. People who spend their time while sometimes undertaking work like simple security were also common. And there were people who returned to their home cities or village. However those were adventurers who managed to retire possessing money.

People also frequently became unable to fight from age or injuries and had not saved much money. They are the groups of people who originally dreamed of getting rich quickly or scoundrels who couldn’t do anything else. However, men and the like who could not do anything but fight would have a difficult time finding steady work in a city. On the other hand, farm work that they can not get used to, taxes they will have to deal with from year one and the existing village community will await them even if they migrate to a farm village. The hurdle they must cross was high.

However.

If it is a new pioneer group.

One’s taxes will be treated gently for three years. It depends on the pioneer group, but bonds were also few. And pioneers are often relied on strength and their self-esteem would also be satisfied in its own way. As much as they were former adventurers, pioneering with a single or several people is difficult, but if there was a pioneer group. For such reasons, they were popular to retired adventurers. However there were not many of such pioneer groups and even if there were, participation and the like were hard to get for former adventurers with very few personal funds. It was whether they could get in those groups where workers and people with knowledge in agriculture were given priority. There were also cases of pioneer groups with ample funding and such, taking an entire mercenary group and sparing no money to take along a large quantity of slaves.

“Yes, that is correct. I have already received approval from the magistrate and the feudal lord’s wife you see. But if I can not trust you after all then it would be fairly, you understand me? Whatever shall we do, pioneer group leader Mr. Yuuji? Shall we give up on this city?”

Asked Kevin to Yuuji while grinning. The shaken Yuuji pondered “What do I reply with, uhmm.” (Note: wasn’t too sure with the second line: 振られたユージはなんと答えたものか、うーんと考え込む。)

“This gentleman here was actually the leader of a pioneer group!? So you are called Lord Yuuji. For your pioneer group I shall hand-pick trustworthy adventurers! Ooh, that is right. It is a small sum, but allow the adventurer’s guild cover the cost of each of their preparations! O-, on top of that, I shall try to mobilise all of our connections and even the craftsmen! That’s why, okay!? We will recruit former adventurers to be pioneers, won’t we?”

The guildmaster rubbed his hands in the end. It was a lavish hospitality. Which was natural. If they were to recruit pioneers at an adventurer’s guild not from this city but another, then he would lose trust from the adventurers. If an excellent retirement destination, which were few in numbers, were to walk off to another location, then it would not even be strange for the adventurers to change their base to a different city.

It was possible for him to lose trust from the feudal lord’s wife, magistrate and the merchants. Furthermore it is possible for him to lose trust from the adventurers.

This was the second crisis in life to Salomon, Premie city’s adventurer’s guildmaster. Incidentally the first one was a life and death struggle with a monster where he was ripped up from the mouth to his cheek and where he was narrowly able to escape from his death.

Yuuji was taken aback by the vigor of the guildmaster who approached him with imploring eyes.

“Is there something interesting” Alice’s eyes sparkled and looked between Yuuji and the guildmaster.

Softly, Kotarou’s forepaw was put on Yuuji’s thigh. Go accept it, was what she seemed to be saying.

After moving his line of sight fleetingly, Yuuji caught Kevin’s eyes. With a snap, Kevin winked at Yuuji. It was a wink of a middle-aged man.

“Ri, right. I understand. If these are the conditions then let us recruit in this city.”

“Ooh, ooh, is that so! Thank you very much, lord Yuuji!”

The guildmaster firmly grasped Yuuji’s hand with both of his gnarled and scar-filled hands and shook hands.

“Why, as expected of Mr. Yuuji, what a generous pioneer group leader. Then I shall submit our investigation request here as well.” said Kevin as he patted the guildmaster’s shoulder with a smiling face. Shamelessly.

Did she understand? Alice delightfully put her tiny hands on top of Yuuji and the guildmaster’s hands with her face full of smiles.

Kotarou went on the table with a thud and placed her right foreleg on top of the piled up hands.

Negotiations concluded.

Although it was perfectly arranged, the one who made the last decision in the negotiations this time was Yuuji.

Together with some proud feelings, Yuuji swore “I will never, ever try to turn Mr. Kevin into an enemy.”