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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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The carriage that used to accommodate three people was returning to the capital with only two.
Even then, the fact that there was still room left was not so pleasant.
It was true that the incident had been quickly resolved because of us, but it ultimately meant that the incapable adventurers had to deal with soldiers who were deliberately ambushing and attacking us.
If it weren’t for us, they would not have survived.
Even Cheryl was in danger.
Even if we had managed to capture all the ones hiding in the forest, we could have been struck from behind by the soldiers we had trusted at the encampment.
Although it was a past event, that fact was very important, and that’s why we strongly emphasized it in our report to the guild.
No matter how satisfactory my salary was working for the Ogatorf family, and despite Cheryl being a noble, unpaid labor is an important issue.
It doesn’t suit our temperaments.
Through a unanimous decision based on our difference in abilities, Cheryl and I, being in a position close to representing this punitive force, pressured the guild so heavily that the receptionist had to splash cold water on their face.
The other adventurers perfectly played their role by simply making fierce faces behind us.
Of course, this wasn’t just a problem with the adventurer’s guild, but that’s none of our business.
“I’m sorry, but I would like to hear the detailed story from you two. Please cooperate.”
Thanks to that, we found ourselves in the very troublesome and annoying situation of having to meet with the guild master directly.
We were too greedy…!
“Although I have collected stories from other adventurers, I thought it would be necessary to have a separate conversation with the two of you who played a core role, so I asked you to come here.”
Of course, it was an extremely friendly meeting without any suspicion or interrogation, but we had spent an exhaustingly busy day traveling by carriage, swinging swords, and slashing people.
So it was by no means a comfortable meeting for us, who were utterly fatigued.
The only reason we didn’t get irritated with the guild for asking us to come today, instead of postponing it until tomorrow was because of their good attitude and the way they treated us.
“I’m sorry you had to go through a big ordeal and must be tired. Although meager, I’ve prepared tea and snacks that should help you recover from your fatigue, so please help yourselves.”
Those “snacks” were none other than premium chocolates.
In fact, I didn’t know exactly how expensive they were, but I realized it from Cheryl’s reaction.
She didn’t just react, but showed a significantly surprised reaction, muttering to herself.
“I never thought I’d see these here…”
“It seems you have an interest in chocolates. Our guild keeps a small supply of them for honored guests. As you can probably tell from your reaction…they’re quite hard to obtain.”
The guild master, whose muscular physique wasn’t fully concealed by his suit-like attire, informed us with a gentle smile that contained a sense of pride.
I couldn’t help but whisper to Cheryl.
“Expensive?”
“One of those boxes costs about one high-grade trade gold coin.”
Hiiiiiiick.
Upon hearing the shockingly, almost disgustingly high price, I didn’t hesitate for a moment before picking up a chocolate and putting it in my mouth.
A box that seemed to contain only about 30 chocolates cost one trade gold coin?
That roughly meant each chocolate was worth two silver coins, and I couldn’t let that slide.
As soon as I put it in my mouth, I was struck by an overwhelming sweetness that I had never experienced since being reborn.
I never had the opportunity to try premium chocolates in my previous life, but now I could satisfy that craving.
Even my inexperienced tongue could tell that this sweetness was high-class and delicious.
However, Cheryl, who was born a noble, maintained her composure and expressionless face while gazing at the guild master, despite the tempting treat in front of her.
That atmosphere didn’t change much even as she recounted the clear details of the incident, removing any speculation.
The guild master, who introduced himself as Engrim, was clearly not an ordinary person.
His outward appearance was that of a warrior itself, but his intellectual image, accentuated by glasses that didn’t quite suit him, was even more unsettling than that—it was his gaze that was unpleasant.
His eyes and mouth were smiling, but his pupils were scrutinizing the person sitting in front of him from head to toe, assessing and evaluating their worth.
There was no malice or goodwill in his gaze, only a purely businesslike attitude.
It was a gaze I had occasionally seen in my previous life from CEOs who had to deal with people.
To be scrutinized like that while telling a story was bound to make one uncomfortable.
“I appreciate the chocolates, but that analytical gaze of yours is really not pleasant. Haven’t we already proven our worth?”
A mechanical gaze that analyzes how much value a person can offer is never enjoyable.
Even if you feel favorably toward the other person, catching that gaze can send chills down your spine.
When encountered by a complete stranger, it makes you want to punch them.
Since I couldn’t physically hit him, I lashed out with words instead.
Whether he didn’t expect my reaction or not, both Cheryl and Engrim failed to hide their surprise.
“Eldmia?”
“…My apologies.”
I couldn’t understand why Cheryl was also surprised.
I gave her a suspicious look, and she quickly regained her composure and turned her gaze back to Engrim.
In the meantime, Engrim slightly bowed his head in apology and spoke with an awkward smile.
“It seems you possess far superior abilities than I expected, and I unintentionally committed a discourtesy.”
“I understand. I know there was no ill intent, but it was a bit unsettling for me personally, so don’t worry too much about it.”
We hadn’t committed any wrongdoing; in fact, we had corrected a mistake.
We had even made a significant contribution to the survival of adventurers who should have died originally.
Even if we had acted a bit impudently, it wasn’t an excessive request.
No matter how you looked at it, since extraordinarily skilled adventurers had suddenly appeared like shooting stars, they should have welcomed us with open arms instead of giving us that kind of scrutinizing gaze.
“It would be rude to drag out the conversation, so let me get straight to the point. I would like to request your assistance with a commission related to today’s events.”
Unlike his penetrating gaze, his remarkably straightforward approach to the main point was appreciated.
However, it didn’t seem like an issue that required offering gold coin-priced chocolates as an incentive.
“Is this something you need to offer gold coin chocolates for?”
“On that matter, I’m skeptical as well.”
Picking up on my candid doubt as promptly as he had introduced the main point, Engrim waved both hands and swiftly continued speaking.
“First of all, this is to express our gratitude for minimizing the casualties in the serious incident where over 60 adventurers could have been massacred. In fact, considering the lives of over 40 people and the guild’s honor, this is a small price to pay. It’s separate from any additional compensation we’ll provide, merely a gesture of goodwill.”
His explanation was so reasonable from the start that I decided to just accept the chocolates and listen to what he had to say.
As I put the second chocolate in my mouth, Cheril also glanced at me briefly before quickly putting one in her mouth as well.
“And the reason I can’t explain the specifics right away is that this matter isn’t just a problem for the guild alone, so we need to be cautious about security. Even if you two decide to accept the commission, you’ll have to go through somewhat complicated procedures before we can share the details with you, this is how serious it is. Of course, if you refuse, there will be no disadvantage whatsoever.”
However, unlike me who was consuming his third chocolate, Cheril’s expression and hands stiffened slightly after hearing Engrim’s words.
After a brief moment of silence and contemplation, it didn’t take her long to speak up.
“Is this matter related to the well-being of the kingdom, or is it a personal issue?”
Having seamlessly transitioned into her complete noble persona, Cheryl asked without taking her emotionless gaze off Engrim. I couldn’t tell if she had read something I couldn’t, or if it was just a guess based on speculation. But her demeanor was utterly serious, unlike before.
No matter how much she pursued adventuring as a hobby, Cheryl was sincere when it came to commissions themselves.
They were a means of gaining experience and skill while helping the kingdom.
Tasks for the safety of the citizens.
Surprisingly, this noble lady viewed adventurer commissions in that light.
If Engrim had proposed a personal request, she would have undoubtedly devoured the chocolates without a second thought and walked away.
“From our perspective, it leans more toward the former.”
Engrim stated, unhesitatingly voicing that it was a matter threatening the well-being of the kingdom.
A man who looked to be at least twice our age was calmly discussing worldly threats while sitting a pair of 15-year-olds down.
However, in this world, there were plenty of renowned adventurers who held ranks two levels higher than us, despite only a year or two of age difference.
The term “two levels” didn’t just refer to a small gap – in some cases, these adventurers undertook grand adventures that could be considered world-saving.
Killing, surviving, and diligently using their wits to mature – age mattered little in front of those who did such things. Only ability mattered.
That’s why Engrim didn’t judge us at face value but wanted to assess our capabilities.
Cheryl didn’t find it strange for Engrim to formally propose this to us, even though we were young, because she was certainly aware that her own abilities were at a level where such a request was not out of the ordinary.
“Which is why we’re trying to get as much help as possible.”
Faced with Engrim’s stoic conclusion, Cheryl began contemplating deeply.
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