Volume 11 - CH 11

Vol 11 Chapter 11

“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since we’ve come here, didn’t we~”

“Yuuji-nii, can Alice go burn~ to uncle Salomon?”

“No, Alice, lassie. Let’s pass on that today, okay?”

Yuuji and co walked in Premie city.

Today, Yuuji, Alice, Riese, Kotarou, guidlmaster Salomon, Kevin and his two escorts, a total of seven people and one dog.

Where the group headed to was Premie city adventurer’s guild. 

With a creak, Salomon opened the door to the adventurer’s guild.

Perhaps because it was the guildmaster who entered first, no malicious gazes turned towards the group. Instead immensely curious gazes were pointed at them though.

A group of several adventurers conversing at the tavern/dinner hall looked at Yuuji and whispered. It would seem they were the adventurers who participated in the goblin and orc village subjugation battle.

“Hey, the pioneer group leader is here, you know,” “No wait, we’ve decided not to retire yet, didn’t we?” “Let’s go headhunt Alice-chan, wait, who’s the petite one next to Alice-chan? Another spellcaster?” Both the name of Yuuji and Alice had begun to be known to some.

Ignoring the voices around them, the group headed upstairs and headed to the second floor where the guildmaster’s room was at.

Riese, who had put on her hood on top of wearing a knit cap, and Alice restlessly looked around the counter and pub/dinner hall with keen interest though.

“Come to think of it, this time we didn’t get into a fight, did we”

“Hahaha, that’s right Mr Yuuji. Really, I’m glad, really glad”

Salomon groaned at Yuuji’s words. Kevin followed up on him while showing a smile.

It was a past Salomon would not want to recall as far as he was concerned.

After arriving at the room, the group sat on the provided couch.

Guildmaster Salomon sat across Yuuji and co. Here he did not seem to play the role of Riese’s escort, but Premie city adventurer’s guildmaster.

“Now, Lord Yuuji, Lady Alice. Let us start with the simple errands”

Salomon said as he took the bell on his desk and rang it.

Without a moment’s delay, an old man with terrible bags under his eyes entered. The old man glared at the guildmaster as if killing with his eyes.

“Yes, thank you for coming. Please bring Lord Yuuji and Lady Alice’s rewards. The Goblin and Orc subjugation one. Here are Lord Yuuji and Lady Alice’s guild membership cards. Also please do the usual thing”

The old man took one look at Salomon as he told him his tasks and immediately left the room in silence. It appears that he served as Salomon’s substitute during his absence. He did not utter any complaints in front of visitors, but it was obvious with his expression and attitude.

Seeing that appearance, Kotarou barked twice. He really looks pitiful, but Riese’s safety is more important, she seemed to be saying.

“Now let’s see… Yeah, Mr Kevin will be treating the wyvern leather isn’t he?”

“Yes, I will do both the tanning and processing. Are you purchasing… the damaged parts?”

“What should I do~. Well, I will discuss this with my staff after this. There is also my financial position”

“Oh there you go again, won’t you be able to earn great income from now on? The meeting with the magistrate, I was there too you know?”

Salomon and Kevin conversed while showing a smiling face.

Yuuji got somewhat distracted by the atmosphere of each discussion that filled this place.

Alice and Riese’s eyes were sparkling, brimming with curiosity. Poked by Riese who was sitting next to him, Yuuji was freed from the distraction and began interpreting.

“Several people with horses or highly ranked physical ability and twenty to thirty people ranked around six and seven. Well, something like that”

“That’s right. It should be something like that when we consider the grant from the feudal lord and and the time until the end of summer”

“What is left would be the method…”

Salomon and Kevin were deep in talks, taking little notice of Yuuji, Alice and Riese. It would seem that the subject concerned a commission for the road construction to the pioneer land.

They were thinking about high ranked adventurers and adventurers with horses as measure against stumps, and twenty-thirty average adventurers for logging and transportation. Nevertheless, it was a great number of people.

“Next would be the criminal slaves the feudal lord will be putting out then. Well, that will work out somehow”

“Yes. Those two and the five criminal slaves are working seriously”

“Ah, those people. If only they were that serious from the beginning. People, you don’t know what they’re cut out for”

Guildmaster Salomon said and looked far away. But it was the two handed axe wielder and the apekin. Never mind the aspirations of the people themselves, it was easy to understand what they were suited for.

Kotarou, who had curled up on the floor, cried “woof” with a shocked voice. Geeze, don’t they know the expression the right person in the right place, she seemed to be saying. She was a wise woman. She was a dog though.

Around the time the talks of the road construction was roughly complete, the door to the room opened once again.

“Thank you for waiting!”

Who entered along with a loud voice was the old man from before. He was not full of spirit. Both his mind and body were at his limits, turning his mood strange. It was a bad sign.

“Ah, thank you. Right look, I’ve gone and brought in a new commission. Not to mention, look, it’s a feudal lord sponsored project. It’s not like I was idling, see?”

Salomon submitted the paper while smirking.

The old man with dark circles under his eyes, received it and showed a complicated expression after checking its contents. The commission was of moderate scale and appealing for the guild’s income. But it was certain that his work would increase. His miserable face was mixed with joy and sorrow.

The old man, who had the job foisted on him, handed several things to guildmaster Salomon and exited the room. It seems he would be starting his new work immediately. 

However, the old man did not know yet. That Salomon had decided to go to the royal capital. The despair when he heard that the decrease in personnel would continue for a while. It would seem that Premie city adventurer’s guild was a black company.

“Now, Lord Yuuji, Lady Alice. These are the rewards for the goblin and orc village subjugation. With the fact you have defeated the orc leader, and that young lady Alice’s magic had might beyond our expectations and had been useful for the cleaning up, we have added something extra to the rewards. We’ve also added the part for protecting young lady Riese during the winter”

Yuuji accepted the small bag of money with both hands and held it overhead. It seems receiving rewards for work was still a happy thing for Yuuji.

As if imitating that Yuuji, Alice received money just as she went “Hehe~”. Come to think of it, this was the first time Alice received a monetary reward like this. Alice became a working girl at the age of nine. I hope she would not financially support a useless man. There were signs that it may be too late though.

“And then, lord Yuuji, lady Alice, I will return your guild member card”

“Ah, thank you. Eh? Mr Salomon, this is?”

“I said it when you came here previously didn’t I? That put you in rank eight because even if your abilities are beyond it, a number of quests achieved and credibility are required. You both have actively participated in the subjugation and though it wasn’t a commission, you have defeated a wyvern and seemed to have nipped the dangers in the bud. You have even protected the young elven lady”

“Eh? Yes, it’s true that I did, but…”

“Lord Yuuji, lady Alice. Starting now you two are rank six adventurers”

It seems Yuuji and Alice have ranked up as adventurers.

But then again, borrowing Kevin’s words, those until the eighth rank are beginners and from seventh to fifth rank are the most numerous intermediate adventurers. It was at the level where he turned from a beginner to ordinary adventurer though.

“And then… lady Kotarou”

Salomon called out to Kotarou who was hunched on the floor in boredom.

What is it? Kotarou responded by raising only her head. She was like a big shot.

“I’m sorry, but as one would expect, I was unable to register you as an adventurer. It’s rankless, but I’ve at least prepared a guild membership card”

Salomon said and held a small guild membership card. A thin metal chain was fitted in order to not lose it.

The Premie city adventurers guild, that guild’s member card was like a dog tag. It was a simple one where a serial number and adventurer rank was engraved on a tiny piece of metal. Naturally it would not serve as an ID, nor would it serve as proof of residency in order to enter the city.

Kotarou quickly moved up her body, approached Salomon while wagging her tail, sat and hung her head. It was a movement that was saying put it on, put it on. She was a calculating woman. As expected of a female dog.

Kotarou had her guild member card put on her neck by the guildmaster Salomon. Perhaps she was happy, she jumped at Yuuji and Alice with wagging tails, saying wan wan.

The group looked pleasantly at Kotarou’s state.

Only Riese seemed envious and motionlessly stared at Salomon.

“Ri- right, I understand your feelings though… Please wait a little longer, young lady Riese. I’d like to avoid exposing the fact you’re an elf, and disguising your race is kind of, you know… Well, both the feudal lord and I know, so we will secretly make one”

Yuuji told Riese Salomon’s words.

Hearing that, Riese finally smiled broadly.

It seems that Riese knew the means of coaxing a man at the age of twelve. It was a lady’s etiquette.

“Mr Salomon, how about we finally get down to business”

“I suppose so, lord Kevin. A trip to the royal capital… We either go with a battalion or prioritize mobility with a small number of people. Lord Kevin, what do you intend to do?”

“We will go with a select few. The former first rank will be with us too. It depends on the pioneer land’s fighting power, but also one or two of the “Dark green wind”.  We basically intend to go with this number of people”

“… Lord Kevin, will that be fine?”

“Yes. I intend to prepare a cloak and banner, you see. This is the method I had come to learn. And besides, we are not all tight-lipped people”

“Well, that is true… So if we increase in people, so does the people who cannot stay silent that she is an elf”

“Yes. Being aimed for is the most frightening after all” 

“That is true as well. Shall we prepare a horse and carriage? We can work things out with the guild’s connections you know?”

“No, our side will prepare it. I’m sorry mr Salomon, it isn’t that I do not trust you, this is our policy”

“Aah, so you started as a peddler, mr Kevin? That case it would be natural, please don’t mind it. When will you depart? Well, I can go any time though”

Salomon said, confirming their plans. “I can go anytime”, if the old man from before heard that, he would shed tears of anger.

With the monster village extermination, Salomon experienced the atmosphere of the actual site for the first time in a long time and ended up sniffing the scent of adventures with the appearance of an elf. Hoping he would do his best until Salomon wakes up from his dreams.

“There is the reception of the second pioneer group, so I suppose it would be towards the end of spring. We have to finish the road and establish the workshop by the end of summer, and I would like to return by then”

Kevin began to set a schedule in his mind.

Yuuji could only nod and say “I see.” He was a pioneer leader, but he left the practical business to others.

Yuuji was the type of leader who would show his fundamental plan of action and leave the work to his capable subordinates. Probably.

He had issued instructions to prepare the reception of the second pioneer group and at the same time their travel during spring in their absence.

Once that was finished, they would depart towards the royal capital in order to grant Riese’s selfishness.

Yuuji, Alice, Kotarou and Riese. The pioneer land group, consisting of one or two people from dark green wind.

Kevin company group consisting of Kevin and two of his exclusive escorts.

Former first rank adventurer, the guildmaster Salomon.

And then, one of Kevin’s private seamsters.

Depending on Dark green wind, the total that would be going to the royal capital would be nine or ten people and a dog.

Nevertheless.

Six or seven old men.

Two girls at age nine and twelve.

And only the seamster was the mature woman. Not to mention a newly wed woman.

Also one dog.

The departure to the royal capital seems to have become a party smelling awfully of old men.

How did this happen?