198 - Handover
After returning to Beim from the labyrinth subjugation, we headed to the guild to report.
We arrived in Beim around noon, and after returning to the mansion to check the report, we headed to the East Branch of the guild.
Monica had clung to me, and it was quite an ordeal to peel her off, so I was a bit tired.
Upon arriving at the guild, naturally, we headed to the third floor. Once there, I was surprised by the staff member who attended to us.
Long blonde hair and slightly drooping eyes. Her eyes were green, and she gave off a fluffy atmosphere.
"Oh, it's been a long time~"
With a trailing tone, she gave a beaming smile to me as I entered the private room. She stood up to prepare some drinks available in the room and set them on the desk.
"Marianne-san? Eh, why?"
As I looked on in confusion, Marianne-san gave a wry smile.
"Tahaha, actually, I was fired from my position as the receptionist specializing in newcomers on the first floor. I wonder if it's that? Perhaps, even as an older sister figure, the age gap was too wide? Someone who seems reachable but isn't quite is important for the newcomer representative."
Was that the kind of role it was? I wondered, but decided not to ask deeply for now. Or rather, if I joined in the conversation about age, with my current self, it might be taken as sarcasm.
I decided to safely divert the conversation.
From the orb, the Fourth Generation—
"Why don't you tell her that twenty is still within the acceptable range? Actually, isn't Selma-san already thirty-six?"
What is this one talking about. While thinking that, I ignored it and sat down across from Marianne-san at the desk with a vague smile.
"That must have been tough. Ah, here is the report for this time."
Marianne-san took the envelope I offered and checked it. She took some documents from the desk drawer and compared them with the report.
"...There is almost no difference from the guild's report. The documents are fine."
Adele-san had worked hard on the paperwork. Because of that, I was able to concentrate on the trial operation of the Valkyrie series.
However, there is a major problem with the Valkyrie series. That is, if I do not become their master, I cannot construct what they call the "network."
And while the burden on me alone becomes great, there were many other problems.
—It costs money. Just moving them costs money. Fighting costs even more money. I now understood why mercenary groups made up of adventurers were so desperate to gather funds.
"That's good. We won't be able to move for a while due to equipment inspections and vacation, so we'll show our faces at the guild again at a later date. As for requests, we'll take whatever is available then—"
As I finished the procedures and tried to leave the room, Marianne-san smiled.
"Yes. Good work. Please get some good rest."
When I descended to the first floor, a different staff member was sitting at the counter where Marianne-san used to sit.
I heard a bright-sounding voice, and looking over, there was a cute-type staff member with brown hair. She was younger than Marianne-san, and had a different atmosphere.
Not fluffy, but more like... bubbly?
But she was doing the same thing.
"It's amazing! You were rank [D] before, but now you're [C]. At this rate, you'll get your equipment together sooner than expected. Honestly, my plan was betrayed in a good way. Let's keep doing our best. I'll do my best too."
For chore-type work—such as city cleaning or helping out—the evaluation normally received is [C].
If they are thought to be excellent, it's [B], and [A] is rarely given. This is because giving an [A] results in having to pay additional rewards.
Well, they must have been terrible until now, and finally managed to get a normal evaluation.
"Heh, I told you it's this easy if we get serious."
While praising the rookie adventurers with a smile, she leaned forward, using gestures to praise the young adventurers—the rookies. She responded with a smile to the adventurers who were dirty, perhaps because they came to report immediately despite the poor quality of their equipment.
(So there is a replacement. Younger than Marianne-san? About my age or slightly younger?)
I didn't think the age restriction was that strong, but the staff member in charge of rookies wore a slightly modified uniform and dealt with the rookies with a smile.
I had seen that person's face somewhere.
(...Was it Rieue-san?)
It seemed to suit her perfectly, but I couldn't help but feel there was something behind it.
As I watched the counter, I noticed a group looking at the same spot as I was.
It was Erhart and his group.
He was wearing a tank top on top, which suited the season, but I wondered if exposing vital points as an adventurer was a good idea. The greatsword on his back was an ordinary greatsword, but its name was Gram.
Leading his companions, he was looking at the place with a complex expression.
Then, as Erhart, who had been called by his companions, tried to line up at a different reception—
"Ah."
"Hey."
—Our eyes met.
After leaving the guild, I entered a shop to hear from Erhart and the others.
It was a shop that provided large portions of food, and the taste wasn't bad, so it seemed to be a grateful shop for adventurers who couldn't earn much.
Since I had already finished my meal, I ordered only a drink and watched Erhart and the others eat.
Usually, I am surrounded by women, and meals are more refined, or something like that. However, Erhart and his group had no reservations.
"Ah, waiter, another steak! The same one!"
"Me too!"
"Extra bread as well!"
"For the drink, the one with freshly squeezed juice! With ice!"
"For dessert, the fruit that's lightly frozen. One for everyone, please!"
The waiter responded with a practiced air. Those around us looked at Erhart's group's eating habits and gave me a wry smile.
Since it would be awkward to listen to their story for free, I decided to treat them to the meal. They ordered a large amount of items in order of the most expensive on the menu.
They had no reservations, but conversely, it was heartwarming.
"Do you come here often?"
Then, Erhart conversed with me until the additional steak arrived.
"Are you making fun of me? To you, it might look like this kind of place, but this is a famous shop that even adventurers who've made it big visit out of nostalgia. It's the best shop in Beim."
No matter what I said, he was argumentative, but he didn't challenge me to a duel like before.
I looked at the menu. I could tell they provided cheap meals for adventurers who couldn't earn much.
"No, I think it's a good place. I used to eat at places like this too."
How nostalgic. When I first became an adventurer, I ate at places like this.
It was a time when I stayed at inns and couldn't do housework. In Darion, even after I started living in a house, I would eat out when I was exhausted from completing requests.
Back then, it was just me and Novem. And then Aria joined us, I think we were clumsy and unreliable in many ways.
"...You're probably with women anyway, right? Must be nice, being a good-looking guy."
Erhart directed a jealous face toward me, but Erhart's face wasn't bad either. If he groomed himself more, even if he led women around...
(Come to think of it, Larc was with Cartaphus.)
He was an adventurer who carried the same greatsword as Erhart, but that one was questionable.
"Well, about that..."
"Che! So, what is it you want to ask?"
I decided to ask about Marianne-san. Erhart and the others were now completing requests as adventurers and working enough to make a living by defeating monsters around Beim.
They could be called respectable adventurers, so I was curious why Marianne-san, who had raised them to that level, had been removed from the rookie adventurer representative position.
"It's about Marianne-san."
At that, Erhart and the others stopped eating, and each of them looked down regretfully. Just as I wondered if something had happened, Erhart began to speak in fragments.
"...That woman betrayed us. She flattered us, saying we had talent, but she was actually laughing behind our backs. I heard from other adventurers too, she was a staff member who tricked rookies into doing work for her convenience. Since she was moved to the third-floor reception and got promoted, she probably didn't need to play the innocent anymore. She's probably just directing fake smiles at the capable adventurers now."
It seemed some problem had arisen between her and Erhart's group. As I listened to the detailed story, it seemed Erhart and the others had wanted to participate in the previous monster army incident.
And she had persistently told them not to participate.
Requests outside the city walls have exceptional rewards. They probably wanted to participate, lured by that, but it would have been better for Erhart and the others not to participate.
Because if things had gone poorly, they would have died.
Just as I was about to open my mouth to clear up the misunderstanding for Erhart and the others, Mireia-san's voice came from the orb.
"Liel, not now. Their blood is rushing to their heads, and no matter what you say, they won't be convinced. Let them grow a bit more as human beings, and when they've reached a point where they can laugh about this, then tell them. If they survive as adventurers, a day will come when they can laugh. Tell them then. They seem to have the skill... and Marianne, the girl who drilled the basics into them that much, must have raised these children with care."
I wondered if I didn't need to clear up the misunderstanding immediately, but indeed, Erhart and the others were still dwelling on it. I didn't think they would be convinced by my words.
(For me, is she like Hawkins-san, who was in charge of reception in Darion?)
I felt nostalgic. I remembered how she had an intimidating presence just by being there, but provided very polite service.
"I see..."
"Yeah. That's enough, right? It's our own fault for being stupid enough to be tricked. You can laugh."
"I won't laugh. Thanks for telling me."
Since I had heard the story, I decided to thank them. Then, the additional dishes Erhart and the others had ordered were brought out with perfect timing. Erhart and the others dove into the food in front of them as if to forget the unpleasant conversation.
A holiday.
Having gone out shopping, I had come to the market with Mei and Monica.
After returning from the labyrinth subjugation, I finished the equipment inspection and requested maintenance for things that needed repair. I decided to use the period until the next request as a vacation.
In the crowded market, I acted as the luggage carrier for the ingredients Monica purchased one after another. Rather than meat, fish, or vegetables, there were mainly purchases of seasonings.
"Haa, I really wish it had just been the two of us, you chicken coward. At the mansion, there's that clumsy one, the mass-produced version of the clumsy one... those three mass-produced machines are there, so I can't flirt with you, chicken coward..."
The person Monica was complaining to was Mei. She had come along when I mentioned going to the market. With sparkling eyes, she was looking around the market.
While holding the luggage in brown paper bags, I looked back at Monica, who was diagonally behind me.
"When did I ever flirt with you?"
"Please don't be shy. I, Monica, understand the chicken coward's affection. Even if violence is inflicted upon me, in my heart, that too is an expression of affection."
"No, there's no violence. I hate that kind of affection."
While being put off by Monica's statement, I turned my gaze toward Mei. She was dressed in a tight mini-skirt with exposed shoulders and navel.
People passing by in Beim didn't show interest, but if this were another city, she would have attracted stares along with Monica.
Mei was looking at a rare fruit.
"What's this! Hey, what's this!"
The lady handling the fruit explained to Mei with a smile.
"It's a fruit brought in from across the sea. You can't eat the skin, but it's common to cut it in half and scoop out the inside with a spoon."
Was the surface black or purple? As she picked up such a fruit, Monica saw it.
"Oh, even something like this. Shall we purchase some?"
After purchasing a few, the lady saw me holding the luggage and packed them into a small bag and then into a brown paper bag.
"Little lady, this is on the house. Come again."
Since we had purchased some because Mei had stopped, the lady handed Mei the same fruit she had given as a service.
Mei received the fruit and looked happy. Holding it with both hands, she seemed to be looking forward to eating it now.
I looked at the fruits lined up in the shop.
"Beim really does have everything."
Then, the lady laughed loudly.
"That's right. This is the most developed city on the continent. It doesn't lose even to the great cities of the great nations."
I gave a wry smile. The Seventh Generation made a thorny comment.
"I suppose so. It's a great city that became wealthy by squeezing money, resources, and blood from surrounding countries and many other nations. It's a truly terrifying capital."
However, the lady's expression clouded slightly.
"But lately, I hear that Lusworth and Galleria are starting a war again. Things that can't be obtained will appear again. Those two countries are a nuisance."
Lusworth and Galleria are countries that have been fighting each other for many years. They are countries located beyond the current Rolfis.
The Third Generation let out a displeased voice.
"What? During this busy period? It's normal to fight after autumn. Or perhaps the busy periods are different in foreign countries?"
In terms of territory scale, the Third Generation's era was the smallest among the remaining lords. He was voicing dissatisfaction at such an off-season mobilization.
However, the Fourth Generation was different.
"They are reasonably large countries. Wouldn't it be enough to just maintain appearances? There are times when they don't mobilize to that extent. Besides, they must have knights, and given the region, they might be hiring mercenaries to make up the numbers."
The Fifth Generation, hearing the Fourth Generation's opinion, looked displeased.
"Hiring mercenaries also costs money. Well, they might let them loot the places they invade. Haa, how unpleasant."
While I was lost in thought, Mei borrowed a knife from the lady and cut the fruit in half. Then, she handed one half to me.
"Here, Liel."
"Eh? Ah, thanks."
As I received it with my free hand, the inside was filled with fruit flesh. The juice overflowed, making my hand sticky.
As I bit into it, I was slightly surprised by the sweetness.
"I wonder what it is. It's a bit different from the fruits I know."
Mei seemed to agree.
"Right! This is delicious."
Monica looked at the two of us.
"It's a southern fruit. It has a tropical feel."
Then, the lady looked at Monica and laughed.
"Did you know, little lady? Well, certainly southern fruits are a bit unique. I see, it certainly does feel 'tropical'."
Monica smiled.
"It's tropical."
While wondering what she was talking about, I decided to continue shopping with the two of them.
I thanked the lady.
"Thank you. I'll stop by again sometime."
"Thanks for the fruit!"
Mei also waved to the lady with a smile. However, I couldn't just be preoccupied with fruit.
(Galleria and Lusworth, huh. It might be time to try and make contact.)