35 - Alamsars Guild
After securing an inn, the three of us decided to head to the guild.
In the academic city of Alamsars, which was like a maze, we aimed for the adventurer's guild while asking people we passed for directions.
The streets were clean, and the people walking by looked tidy.
However, it remained a cluttered city, making it easy to get lost.
I used a skill to confirm our location, but the adventurer's guild was located in such a convoluted area that it lacked convenience; that seemed to be a characteristic of the guild in Alamsars.
"Since the horse carriages are coming from this side, I suppose the other side is harder to pass through,"
Once we navigated the maze and arrived at the guild, there stood a building smaller in scale than the one in Darion. It gave the impression of being small relative to the size of the city.
The first floor was the same everywhere, resembling a marketplace.
Adventurers and horse carriages came and went, selling off monster materials and magic stones they had brought.
Occasionally, merchants would purchase them and head out of the city with large quantities loaded onto their carriages.
"Guilds seem to be the same everywhere,"
When Aria muttered this, Novem agreed.
However—
"They might look the same from the outside. But the atmosphere of a guild does change depending on the location. It was the same in Vice."
Vice is the territory of the Walt family, my ancestral home.
It is on a scale that could be called a large city, and an adventurer's guild exists there as well.
However, I don't know much about the relationship regarding it.
The Seventh Generation spoke.
"I provided a place for them, but it's just a gathering of potential criminals. I kept it there to secure magic stones... but even in my time, it wasn't particularly necessary."
Many adventurers are rogues... mercenaries and bandits are adventurers as long as they call themselves adventurers.
The difference is decided by what the person calls themselves.
Naturally, the guild cracks down on criminals, but if you ask whether they can manage everything, the only answer is that it's doubtful.
There are criminals who change their base of operations and manage to escape.
There are also adventurers who hunt such adventurers, known as bounty hunters, who specialize in combat against humans.
The Sixth Generation seemed to share this opinion.
"If you send out soldiers, you can get monster materials and magic stones. There's plenty of work... but still, there are always people who just won't fit into the mold. You could say it can't be helped."
While the Seventh and Sixth Generations viewed it as a safety net for the bottom of society, the Third Generation had a different opinion.
"That's quite harsh. I think it's fine to use them because they're useful, right? They hold the rights to magic stones and are like the bosses of the mercenaries. There's no point in making them enemies. It's important to maintain a proper distance while remaining vigilant."
Apparently, the Third Generation had the mindset of utilizing the guild.
The Second Generation added a supplement.
"Come to think of it, it was during your time... that a guild was established in our home."
It seems a guild was established at my ancestral home during the Third Generation's time. I wonder how they managed to establish a guild during a period when it hadn't developed that much in scale.
The Third Generation, perhaps noticing my doubt, answered me.
"Since it's a frontier with plenty of monsters, the environment was good for obtaining magic stones and materials. I didn't bind them too tightly, either."
Depending on the lord, they might take a large amount of taxes from the guild.
In that case, it affects the purchase price of magic stones and materials, and as a result, there were cases where one couldn't earn much despite the hard work.
However, that causes adventurers to leave. This leads to a further drop in earnings, and apparently, it can result in problems occurring.
"Novem, what was the guild in Vice like? I've never been, so I don't know."
When I asked Novem about the current Vice guild, they had a slightly troubled look on their face.
It didn't seem to be in a bad way, but explaining it seemed tedious.
However, to put it simply—
"I suppose it's neither good nor bad. They are excessively strict about crimes, but the taxes aren't particularly heavy, nor are they light. Since it's a guild where one doesn't struggle to make a living, I believe there were relatively many adventurers."
Hearing that, the Seventh Generation was pleased.
"Same as in my time. Hmm, that's a good feeling."
The Seventh Generation, who dislikes adventurers, seems to have been troubled by mercenaries in the past.
Apparently, the cause of that was the guild...
(I might get to hear the detailed story sometime.)
We entered the Alamsars guild.
The difference from Darion was that there were several excessively large bulletin boards.
They used both the front and back of the large boards, and numerous requests were posted there.
The contents were: please collect the necessary monster materials. Please clean the room. Please be a test subject.
And so on; a staggering number of requests were posted.
"What is this... it's not even comparable to Darion."
While I was bewildered, Aria seemed to be the same. Looking at them, she frowned.
"Isn't this request strange? It says something about cleaning a room, but the location is a research lab at the academy. Do they let adventurers into a place like that?"
Many requests that were completely incomprehensible were posted.
When we headed to the reception, there were more staff members than in Darion working at a partitioned counter.
There were people from the young to the elderly, but they gave the impression of proceeding with their work indifferently.
They looked as if they were working crampedly in a narrow space.
The Fourth Generation saw this and spoke.
"It's quite a unique guild. Well, since there's no lord, the restrictions might be loose... but somehow, it feels like there are few requests that would satisfy an adventurer."
Collecting specified materials was, if you called it that, adventurer-like.
However, that was in a labyrinth managed by the academic city, and it specified stripping materials from designated monsters.
Those were slightly too difficult requests for the three of us.
(As for a labyrinth, if it's shallow, the three of us could challenge it, but a managed labyrinth that seems deep would be tough.)
It might be better to go out and slay monsters nearby to earn living expenses.
When the three of us submitted our home transfer notices, the reception staff explained indifferently.
"Is this your first time in Alamsars?"
The male staff member with glasses and a side-parted hairstyle was, unlike Hawkins-san, completely devoid of heart.
Was Hawkins-san exceptionally earnest?
Novem replied.
"It's the first time for all three of us. Our purpose here is to learn, so we don't expect to be completing many requests."
Then, the staff member put my guild card into a device to verify it.
"...Your evaluation regarding requests is a pass. You've also achieved emergency requests, and your guild evaluation is 【A】? Darion, is it... the quality of adventurers there is poor, so I can't say for sure, but please handle the Alamsars requests properly. If you can't, it would be helpful if you could tell me clearly that you can't."
The staff member took a slightly condescending attitude, but since it was foolish to get angry, I just nodded after receiving my guild card.
The Second Generation spoke with a snort.
"This kind of person exists everywhere. 'We are superior,' is it? Treating those different from themselves as inferior."
The Third Generation admonished the Second Generation.
"Since it's an academic city, perhaps they just have that much confidence in their knowledge? Let's be generous. There's no actual harm yet."
I felt the tone of the "yet" part was strong, but I replied to the staff member.
"I'll do my best as much as I can."
"...I see. Then, I will take this guild card. Do you need an explanation? If so, there is an additional fee."
They're charging money? I thought that, but I shook my head.
After greeting the truly indifferent staff member, we finished the procedures and left the guild.
Once outside, we complained about the staff member from earlier.
After finishing a meal at a light snack shop near the inn, we continued to express our dissatisfaction.
Mainly Aria.
"They're kind of unpleasant people, aren't they?"
The staff's attitude was one thing, but she likely didn't like how they looked down on Darion.
For Aria, Darion was the city where Zelfie was.
And it was also the city that had accepted them. Aria's clan, who were robed nobility in the royal capital of Central, had their peerage stripped in a single generation due to the head's misdeeds.
After being exiled from Central, it was Darion that had accepted her.
Novem seemed to understand that as well, but they also defended the staff.
"It's different from Darion. But if they're just doing their jobs indifferently, it's actually quite easy. With a staff member like Hawkins-san, it's hard to refuse requests, but with a staff member like him, you can refuse."
Rather than a defense, it was a slightly dark comment.
However, not having to be considerate was, in a sense, easy.
I discussed our future plans with the two of them.
"Let's stop that and think about where to live. Unlike Darion, there aren't any affordable properties, so this time it'll be an apartment. Whether the three of us live together, or we rent three small rooms. We have to decide and go look soon."
Due to the characteristics of the city, Alamsars had more apartments than detached houses.
The reason was that many students came and went, and few people provided detached houses.
In Alamsars, where many young people come to learn, apartments were the mainstream.
"If possible, the three of us together would be best. Basically, money shouldn't be a problem for a while, so it might be good to decide after checking how much we can earn here."
Taking Novem's suggestion into account, I thought about heading out to slay monsters nearby tomorrow.
The ancestors shared this opinion, but only the Third Generation—
"Let's go to the library. The library. We'll be fine for a while, and if we find and achieve a high-paying request, won't we be okay for a bit?"
His heart already seemed to be leaning toward the library.
I wanted to go to the library as well, but daily earnings were also an important issue.
Regarding that, the Fourth Generation, who loves money, shouted.
"Only after you've properly investigated the income here! That's why, regarding the territory—"
The Fourth Generation, who basically wielded skill in financial matters and internal affairs, had an intellectual appearance with glasses.
If it was mainly internal matters, this Fourth Generation was extremely reliable.
However, we currently had no territory to manage, and since Novem managed the finances, there was no role for him.
The Third Generation spoke as if exasperated.
"You're too strict with money. I wonder who you take after?"
When the Third Generation, the father of the Fourth, said that, the Fifth Generation took control of the situation.
Usually, that had been the Fourth Generation's role.
"Leave it at that. No matter how much Riel's mana capacity has increased, the First Generation's skill also accumulates mana every day. There's no point in making a fuss now just to train Riel a bit."
Previously—
I was thought to be the type whose mana didn't increase even as I grew.
Because I used two sabers, it was thought that I was the type whose dexterity grew.
(I mean, I have two arms, so of course I can use two sabers.)
It wasn't mysterious at all to me, but still, according to the ancestors—
"'''You're weird!"'''
So they said.
And, to increase my mana, I was forced into a training method that made me use mana to the absolute limit.
Moreover, this was done without me being told.
As a result, it was revealed that I wasn't the dexterous type, but a late bloomer who achieves significant overall growth but requires twice as much experience as others.
(My skill 【Experience】 is a skill that acquires more experience points, but since I use it constantly, the mana consumption is as high as ever.)
I am also good at magic, but for me, who has usage limits, mana consumption was one of the big problems.
"Let's say we slay monsters outside tomorrow; for today, let's gather information around here. In that case, it would be just right if we could look it up in the library or ask someone—"
Then, a voice called out to our table.
"Could it be, Aria?"
Hearing the voice, Aria looked back.
Her expression showed surprise as to why the other person was here.
"I knew it! You're Aria Lockword! It's me, 【Miranda Sarcly】! We hung out a few times in the royal capital, so I thought it might be you."
The other person was a slightly mature-looking woman.
Her age wasn't much different from ours.
Characteristic were her light green wavy hair, paired with green eyes.
Her slightly upturned eyes, which looked a bit like a little devil, were one of her charms.
A woman who had a mature impression yet possessed an active, somewhat childlike quality—that was Miranda Sarcly.
"Miranda? Why are you here? You're the eldest daughter of the Sarclys!"
Aria spoke as if exasperated.
In an academic city, it wouldn't be strange for a second or third daughter to be there, but the story changes when it comes to the eldest daughter.
They are primarily in a position to marry into another house or take a son-in-law for the family home.
"Since there are four sisters in my house, two of us can do as we please. More importantly, if you were here, you should have told me..."
When Miranda made a slightly lonely expression, Aria spoke awkwardly.
"I arrived yesterday. Until then, I was in Darion."
After giving a brief explanation, Aria didn't look at Miranda's face after that.
Seeing this, Miranda gave a wry smile.
"I don't really mind... we're friends who played with Shannon too, aren't we?"
A woman named Shannon came up, but based on the flow of the conversation, she was likely a friend or Miranda's sister.
Aria remained silent.
"...Sorry. I've been attending the academy here since three years ago. I'll give you my address, so please visit if you like. Shannon would be happy too."
Saying so, she wrote the address on a memo, and since Aria wouldn't take it, Miranda handed the memo to me instead.
"Excuse me, but what is your relationship with Aria?"
Just as I was about to clearly say that I am a party member—
"One of Riel-sama's lovers."
Novem interrupted from the side.
Miranda was stunned, but when I hurriedly tried to clear up the misunderstanding, she burst out laughing.
"Ahahaha, sorry. That was just funny. That Aria has a lover... and 'one of' them, meaning multiple? I thought you were quite handsome, but you're something else."
Being nudged with an elbow, I reached out my right hand to the departing Miranda.
Before I could clear up the misunderstanding, she had already left.
Hanging my head, I looked toward Aria.
"She seemed like a good person; do you have some kind of complaint?"
Aria let out a sigh.
"It's not that. She really is a good person. She's a year older, but she's caring, and she defended me even when there were bad rumors about my family... but she's the type to lose out because she's too caring. A good person who is too nice and doesn't speak ill of others."
Aria evaluated Miranda as the type to lose out because she's too nice.
Novem shared the same opinion.
"She's likely a person without a hidden side. No, perhaps she's the type to endure? Even so, I heard many students come from Central, but I didn't think I'd meet an acquaintance of Aria-san."
I felt the same, but Aria held her head in her hands.
"Miranda is fine. But if I were to meet the others..."
She seemed depressed.
I asked her.
"Come to think of it, why did you ignore her? If she's a good person, wouldn't it have been fine to talk?"
When I said that, Aria answered that it was because of that.
"She's a good person. Because of that, even Miranda was badmouthed. That's why I distanced myself. Shortly after that, I was kicked out of Central, though."
It seems she had various things going on herself.
However, I thought that it might be fine to get along like they used to here.
(Friends should be cherished... especially friends who don't leave when times are tough.)
I was slightly envious of Aria for having such a same-sex friend, which I didn't have.
For me, Novem was a romantic interest, not a friendship relationship.
(Recently, maybe Rondo-san and the others? I wonder how they're doing now...)
While looking at Miranda's memo, I worried if Rondo-san and the others were doing well.
Before going to sleep after returning to the inn.
I had come to the place with a round table that I called the conference room.
In the center of the round table in the middle of the room, a large blue jewel was shining.
In that circular room, six doors were provided, each leading to the rooms of the ancestors.
There were seven chairs in total.
In such a conference room, unusually, only the Sixth Generation was there today.
"Oh? Are you alone today? Where's the Fifth Generation?"
When I moved my gaze to search for the Fifth Generation, the Sixth Generation gave a wry smile.
"I'm not always with my old man."
The Sixth Generation's skill was a skill created on the premise of the Fifth Generation's skill. He was the possessor of a skill called 【Search】, which judged enemies and allies in the vicinity and also informed him of the locations of traps.
By using the two in combination, it could be used as an extraordinary skill.
Having a map of the surroundings float in one's head and knowing the positions of enemies and allies would be a terrifying skill from an enemy's perspective.
"Then, was it the Sixth Generation who called me?"
"Yeah."
He often agreed with the Fifth Generation's opinions, and unusually in the Walt family, they were a generation with a good father-son relationship.
I had rarely seen him fighting with my grandfather, the Seventh Generation, either.
The Sixth Generation had a wild impression with hair swept back, but he was quiet in front of the Fifth Generation.
Since they were usually together as a set with the Fifth Generation, I had felt that was normal.
"Actually... I know about the Sarcly family, so I thought I'd tell you."
"Miranda-san's family home?"
The Sixth Generation was a person with many dark rumors.
There were many rumors that he sent bribes and connected with the robed nobility of the royal capital to move in his own favor.
For that reason, he was considered the most cunning person in the Walt family... but he didn't seem to have that kind of atmosphere.
Rather, the Third Generation was more cunning.
"We had dealings in the past. My younger sister married into the Sarcly family."
I heard that, but it was the first time I'd heard of it.
No, it might be that they had dealings at my ancestral home, and I just didn't know.
However, from the perspective of my father... that is, the Eighth Generation, it was only a connection from two generations ago.
Looking at it as nobility of Vanseim, it was as if the marital relationship had already ceased to exist.
"You think there's a possibility they're connected to my family home?"
"I think the possibility is slim, but keep it in mind. I don't really want to be suspicious either... but you know. I didn't have many younger sisters I got along with."
Hearing that, I remembered one thing.
The Sixth Generation had a very large number of younger brothers and sisters.
After all, the Fifth Generation had five women, combining wives and concubines. He had kept five women.
Moreover, all five of them cleared the Walt family's house rules.
Finding that many women was surprising enough, but what was most surprising was—
"...If I recall, there were about thirty younger brothers and sisters below you?"
"...Yeah."
Both the Sixth Generation and I made subtle faces.
The Fifth Generation is famous as the greatest libertine in the Walt family, but meeting him in person, he gives a dry impression.
He didn't seem to be driven by lust at all.
"Somehow, the gap between the stories I've heard about my ancestors and the actual people is huge..."
"That's how it is... I was shocked when I heard I was the most cunning person in the Walt family."
While continuing to make small talk with the Sixth Generation, I considered the possibility that Miranda-san was connected to my family home.