CH 90

The next day. It was early in the morning, and I was at the construction site of the Adventurer’s Guild branch.

I could hear the shouting and pounding of nails behind me. The furniture was being brought in, and once I checked the inside, I saw that it would be ready tomorrow.

There are monsters that attack humans, present all over the world. Aristocratic Knights don’t protect small villages, so the Adventurer’s Guild is very important. They hunt monsters for money, so the damage would be dramatically reduced. If there had been a guild in the past, Helmine’s mother would not have died.

[Are you the one, Lars–san?]

Before I knew it, there was a man standing in front of me. He looked to be in his late twenties. His hair was shoulder-length and at first glance he looked like a woman. He was smiling with his eyes narrowed like a thread. It was not natural. The smile that he made is impressive. The lines of his body look thin, but I can feel the magic inside his body, so I should not be careless. He is a person like me who fights monsters.

[That’s right. Roy-san, is it?]

The two guards standing next to him were lowered back, and the man with the string eyes stepped forward.

[Nice to meet you. I’m Roy.]

[I’m Lars. I’ve been expecting you.]

He held out his hand, and I shook it.

It was thick. It was a stumpy hand. I felt a gap since he looked so fresh.

[Is this the new branch? May I come in?]

[No problem. I’ll show you around.]

No small talk. No chit-chat, just a quick chat about work. My first impression of him was that he was polite and sincere, but somewhat suspicious. I can’t read his facial expressions, so I can’t help but be wary of him.

I walked past the carpenter carrying the wood and entered the Adventurer’s Guild branch. In the center of the room is a board for posting requests, and in the back is an unmanned reception counter. Once the branch is officially up and running, I’m sure there will be a rush of Adventurers with requests.

[It smells like a new building. It’s carefully built and sturdy.]

As he tapped on the wall, he checked the condition of the building that would become his castle.

The church and the Adventurer’s Guild would be used as shelters in the event of a monster attack, so the building was to be stronger than usual. The wood used, is coated with a monster-derived paint, which makes it much stronger than ordinary houses, and it is also highly flame-resistant, which is a very convenient and excellent material if you ignore the cost and maintenance.

[Roy’s office is on the second floor. I’ll show you.]

[Nice to meet you.]

I can’t tell what he’s thinking because he keeps smiling and laughing. I walked up the stairs, feeling a bit creepy.

On the left side of the corridor is a window, on the right side is a door, and beyond that is a conference room. I walk to the end of the corridor, making a clacking sound. I arrived in front of a door with a plate hanging from it that read, Guild Master’s Office.

[This way.]

I gave way at the beginning of the corridor.

Roy, sensing my intentions, turned the doorknob and pushed it open, and a voice came from a room that should have been empty.