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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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As the atmosphere of the guild gradually matured and soared to the level of a banquet, our conversation came to a close.
For adventurers who tend to struggle with living expenses, such a discounted event was a rare opportunity to eat and drink without worry, so the surrounding commotion only intensified.
It reached a point where it was impossible to hear, even if one intended to listen intently.
“That’s about all the content to convey. The less noticeable, the better, so it seems best if you gather by 6 o’clock.”
As Engrim looked around, having finished what he had to do and getting ready to stand up, we, without anyone taking the lead, cast glances full of puzzlement towards him.
He had omitted the most important part, hadn’t he?
“What about the gag order?”
At Rellie’s words, we nodded, and Engrim smiled.
“There is no such thing.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s enough for us that you’ve come under the assumption that a gag order would be imposed. Besides, we can’t afford a permanent gag order restricting speech that’s only related to the request.”
Was that also a test?
The four warriors smiled wearily, and Rellie clicked her tongue, seemingly dissatisfied.
“Haha! Rellie was hoping to study the gag order extensively, as it’s an incredibly advanced magic! What a pity!”
“It really does feel like a loss”
Said Yekaterina, tapping the back of Rellie’s chair.
And only then could we understand why they reacted that way.
While we didn’t know if all mages were like that, Rellie’s inquisitive spirit certainly seemed remarkable.
“Then we’ll see you at the North Gate tomorrow. We’ll take care of the transportation, so please pack accordingly.”
Promising a customized service including rental transportation, Engrim stood up from his seat.
Although he had said there was no problem staying and drinking more, we also needed to make our own preparations, so we decided to part ways there.
Thus, the gathering ended as everyone except Rellie and Yekaterina, who used to move as part of the same party, headed separately to their respective lodgings.
Remarkably, our lodgings didn’t overlap, so I could return to the Ogatorf estate without much difficulty, and needing to take a roundabout way.
As the darkness fell and I passed through the tranquil estate and garden to go to my lodging, a sudden sense of someone’s presence halted my footsteps.
“You’re late.”
Since I was always prepared, I had no particular need for any additional precautions.
That’s why I was genuinely flustered by Cheryl’s voice, which shattered my grand plan to take a bath and go to bed as soon as I returned.
“Were you waiting all this time?”
It felt like it was almost 8 o’clock, but there was no way to know how many hours Cheryl had been waiting, sitting on a bench in the garden, glaring at me.
“Why are you so late?”
“There were guild circumstances intertwined with receiving the request details, so we met from the evening onwards. Before that, as you know, I had a rare conversation with Lagnys.”
It was an ordinary day, but one that felt strangely long.
Feeling a sudden wave of fatigue, I sat down next to her.
After briefly gazing into the empty space, Cheryl spoke.
“The request. How long do you think it will take?”
“About 3 days, roughly? Maintaining secrecy is important, but it didn’t seem particularly difficult. The other people involved also seemed capable. It looks like we’ll just go and come back smoothly.”
“…I see.”
Answering concisely, Cheryl dusted herself off and stood up.
As if she had waited just to hear those words, she coolly disappeared into the estate, leaving me speechless at her nonchalant demeanor.
“She’s really damn cool.”
If she had been born a man, she would undoubtedly have been an incredibly cool guy.
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In any case, thanks to Cheryl’s early departure, my plan for a good night’s sleep proceeded without major disruptions.
As a result, despite waking up at 5 a.m, I felt remarkably refreshed.
After quickly washing up and preparing, I gathered my travel gear and left the estate.
None of the servants ever reacted to me packing adventurer’s gear and leaving.
This time as well, they merely greeted me casually, probably assuming I was just going to raise my rank to match Cheryl’s.
What a great working environment.
Even at this hour, there were always vendors selling food to adventurers, so I could easily purchase some jerky and breakfast bread on my way to the North Gate.
As I munched on the huge baguette, walking leisurely, I suddenly felt a nostalgic shiver recalling the times I used to wander around Ogwen in the early morning.
It hadn’t even been two years, but it already felt like ten.
“You’ve arrived quite early, Eldmia. You’re quite a young comrade, with a good sense of time.”
Lost in that strange sense of pride, I arrived at the North Gate to find Ginh sitting alone, smoking a pipe.
Truly befitting a dwarf, he had carelessly propped his battle-axe against the outer wall and sprawled his belongings on the ground to sit on.
“I thought I came early, but when did you even get here? Were you so excited to split a demon worshiper’s skull that you stayed up all night?”
“Kekekeke. I’m a bit too old to get riled up over something like that. I probably just arrived about 10 minutes before you.”
It takes about 10 minutes to get here from the estate, and considering how leisurely I walked, it must have just passed 30 minutes.
He was an incredibly diligent person.
That said, he probably didn’t just sit idly for those 30 minutes, so after setting down my belongings next to his, I took out a pouch of coffee grounds from my bag and approached the guard post where the gate guards were stationed.
Knocking on the doorframe, two guards who seemed to have just started their shift turned their drowsy gazes toward me.
“Working hard this early morning!”
“Huh. You’re also working hard this early. Need to go through the inspection?”
“I’d like to request that once my companions gather, if you don’t mind. Actually, I was wondering if I could borrow a flame to share some warm coffee?”
“Coffee? We can even provide pre-heated water!”
“Ah, the city guards really do have a kind heart.”
As I handed over the pouch with a chuckle, smiles bloomed on the faces of the two guards.
For the common folk, even if it was just coffee grounds brewed together with boiling water – a bitter stimulant drink – it was a small pleasure for those lacking in beverages and entertainment.
The guards were conscientious enough to return the pouch after using the coffee grounds, despite receiving it as is.
I poured the hot coffee into a cup they lent me and went back outside.
“It’s the way of those who rise early to drink coffee.”
Ginh, who received the unexpected coffee gift, widened his eyes with delight.
“Ha! You really have good manners for your age. Most adventurers over twenty are quite prickly, you know!”
“It’s all just the wisdom of life, isn’t it?”
“Kekekeke! That’s right! In the end, the wisdom of life is to get along smoothly without any rough edges!”
It was surprising to hear such words from a dwarf, who were rumored to be quite rough around the edges.
Just as elves who became adventurers had their reasons, dwarven adventurers likely had their own circumstances too.
In any case, thanks to the coffee, we could comfortably chat and wait for our other companions in a more relaxed atmosphere.
“Wow. The world. The aroma of coffee is wafting this early in the morning? Did the guards share it?”
It was around 5:50 a.m. when Rellie and Yekaterina arrived.
Contrary to appearances, where Yekaterina seemed lively and Rellie should have been drowsy, they appeared the opposite way, causing Ginh and I to burst into laughter.
“Yekaterina. Open your eyes a bit. Did you stay up all night or something?”
“Ugh. Getting up early is always hard.”
In the end, we sought the guards’ help once more to keep the two alert.
Fortunately, the guards welcomed us as warmly as lifelong friends, and by the time the women finished their coffee, Gaendal made his appearance.
“Hmm? The atmosphere is quite cozy this early morning.”
As Gaendal skillfully led five horses by himself, we briefly felt puzzled by his appearance before simultaneously understanding.
“Well, it would certainly be too conspicuous otherwise.”
“It’s rather reassuring to form a party with people who understand without needing to explain everything.”
As the Guild Master, it was problematic for him to come directly, but having Guild staff bring the horses would also draw attention to the adventurers they were lending the mounts to.
Surprisingly, we failed to notice this detail yesterday.
“I only realized it after returning to my lodgings. Well, since I had realized it, I went to inform them and received the horses myself.”
The sunlight reflecting off the conscientious Gaendal’s head almost seemed like a halo.
“It’s an auspicious start. We noticed an oversight, have coffee to keep our minds clear, what more could you ask for in starting a request smoothly?”
“Huhuh. For the most serious request we’ve taken so far to have such an impeccable beginning, it’s rather ironic, isn’t it?”
Truthfully, it was quite jarring to see Yekaterina, appearing every bit the barbaric warrior, sipping coffee and remarking on ironies.
Could it be that she’s actually a civilized warrior?
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