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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Adventurers are rough.
Apart from their mere disposition, having cast aside legal obligations and protections, it was common for them to change and come to rely on the results of force, as their fists were much more reliable than the law – one of the clearest examples.
As Guild Master Engrim watched the pandemonium on the first floor through the window of the room on the second floor, he recalled this fact.
The Rabid Eldmia Egga.
The one who had etched his presence into the guild in less than two years.
At first, he had thought a lunatic from the provinces had crawled into the capital.
He would display an extremely sensible, often overly cultured attitude when dealing with commissions and administrative matters, but would undergo a 180-degree change in specific situations.
He had considered it an entirely rational judgment.
“But was it really like that?”
When he heard the rumor that he was accompanying the Ogatorf Lady, he had merely thought that he was a servant, but the truth was entirely different.
The two he saw yesterday were equals.
Whether the Ogatorf Lady voiced her opinion or Eldmia voiced his, Engrim could clearly sense that they were simply respecting each other.
According to the investigation, Eldmia’s records began in Ogwen.
He regularly sent letters, and based on the information gathered by the branch office there, he was said to have an excellent reputation as an ordinary citizen.
There were even extraordinary feats that made some wonder if it was possible at his age, leading some to think he might be an illegitimate child of the Ogatorfs.
However, Engrim was skeptical of that speculation.
Historically, even illegitimate children of the Ogatorfs were born with their characteristic eyes and hair.
Above all, the current lord, Ekaf, was one of the few nobles who valued self-restraint to the point of having no concubines.
It was more likely that they had discovered his talent and brought him into the family.
After the Pavera incident, it seemed almost certain.
“He struck down the core forces of the Pavera mercenary band one by one…”
It was an incident involving as many as 60 adventurers.
Even for a request issued by a noble, it was of an extraordinarily large scale, and since the after-action report alone might have not been enough, he had secretly infiltrated skilled guild members, allowing him to obtain information that was documented overnight, and placed on his desk.
He is believed to deviate from conventional trajectories.
Even when investigating the Ogatorf Lady, the investigator had concluded the evaluation with the words, “Undoubtedly a genius, but still only slightly better than her peers.”
Thanks to this, Engrim had to doubt his own eyes for a change.
However, he could not deny that evaluation either.
After all, the Pavera mercenary band had certainly made a name for itself on the battlefield.
It would not have been surprising if the adventurers who participated in this commission had fallen into their trap and been annihilated, given their level.
Recalling the fresh shock he had felt then, Engrim turned his attention back to the scene on the first floor.
“I’ll crawl! Even if I have to crawl all the way to Mandeli Harbor, I won’t…aargh!”
“Help me! Please, help me, damn it!”
For adventurers, fists were closer than the law.
This was something the guild also encouraged.
The reason was that if they managed those with twisted minds who reached the top, they could naturally establish order among themselves.
And indeed, that was the case.
The scoundrel adventurers who had ended up relying on the mercy of the church with the name “Rabid” alone would have tarnished the guild’s reputation if left unchecked.
As soon as they recovered, they either fled the capital or lived like mice.
“Looking at your whimpering mouths, it seems indoctrination is still lacking. Come here, damn it. I’ll let you off easy.”
“Don’t, don’t come any closer!”
The Dantel gang was no different – a group that failed to properly understand the profession of adventurer and relied solely on weapons.
Without Eldmia, they would have been a headache for quite some time.
Was all of this truly just borderline madness?
It was ridiculous.
There were clearly rules governing Eldmia Egga’s actions.
“I need to find out more.”
Engrim made a decision, fervently hoping that Eldmia would prove to be a talent suited for the guild.
He had grown weary of the chronic shortage of talent.
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“Never bother Eldmia Egga again.”
“Never bother Eldmia Egga again!!”
“This is your last mercy. If you come seeking revenge by gathering your gang again, you’ll be crossing over to the afterlife that day. If you want to live long, judge wisely.”
“I will keep it in mind!!”
“Dantel, you bastard, if I hear even a rumor that you’ve acted up again, be prepared. I’ll cripple you.”
“Sob…I, I won’t do anything like that again. I’ll live properly…”
After giving the ones who brought out blades a good beating, it seemed to calm his mind a bit.
He had wanted to beat them more, but decided to stop there to avoid drawing more spectators.
“Leave if you don’t want to get beaten more.”
They truly scattered like the wind.
The adventurers who had been eagerly enjoying the spectacle also dispersed with satisfaction.
As he approached the reception desk, providing a brief explanation to those who asked what had happened, the female receptionists who had been snacking while watching smiled and said:
“You really beat the hell out of them, didn’t you!”
“I knew this day would come for those bastards!”
It seemed Dantel had racked up quite a few misdeeds as well.
Not wanting to keep his name in his head any longer, he smiled and took out the letter he had diligently written yesterday.
“If I had known there would be such a positive response, I should have beaten them sooner. Could you help me send this letter?”
“Of course. Is it for Asirye in Ogwen again this time?”
After steadily sending letters for nearly a year and a half, she could tell at a glance.
“I’ll do it for free this time! I should at least do that much after you straightened out that Dantel punk.”
“Wow. I hope someone like that shows up every time I need to send a letter.”
After a brief chat with the receptionists who responded to his sincerity with laughter, he left the guild.
They had told him to come back in the evening, so in the meantime, he needed to repair his equipment…
“Eldmia Egga, sir?”
“Hm?”
Sir? Who was addressing him with such an archaic honorific?
Turning his head with a bewildered expression toward the source of the voice, a woman with a distinctly military bearing was looking at him.
“Who are you?”
It was a face he had never seen before. At a glance, she seemed to be a warrior, but upon closer inspection, it was not difficult to discern that she was a knight.
However, no matter how hard he racked his brain, he could not recall ever meeting this woman before.
“I am Renisa, a knight of the Levien Margrave. I was told by the Ogatorf House that you would be here.”
“Oh.”
Huh.
So Lagnis had knights under her command.
Seeing the real thing made him feel rather strange.
Now that he thought about it, there were said to be retainers scattered across the battlefield for the sake of vengeance, and she might be one of them.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Eldmia Egga. What business brings you here?”
“The Margrave wishes to see you, sir.”
The constant use of “sir” was starting to feel rather itchy, but more importantly, Lagnis wanted to see him.
She must have found some time to catch her breath and wanted to see his face for a change.
The estate where Lagnis was staying was not too far away, so there would be enough time.
In any case, Lagnis would not be able to spare too much time either.
“I see. Before that, I need to repair my equipment, so could you go ahead and deliver the message?”
“…Let’s go together. The Margrave specifically instructed me to come with you, so even if it’s just to deliver a message, I don’t think she would welcome my returning alone.”
What? How does she treat people that this knight is so wary?
Is it because of Lagnis’ standing as Margrave?
“Well, if that’s more convenient for you. It won’t take long anyway.”
Regardless, he had no reason to rudely turn away one of Lagnis’ vassals, so after lightly acknowledging her, they headed to the blacksmith as planned.
He had no intention of awkwardly continuing the conversation, and the knight who introduced herself as Renisa seemed to feel the same way, resulting in silence between them.
In his previous life, such silence would have been awkward, but he found he no longer cared at all about becoming a different person.
However, separate from the silence, he could not ignore her strange gaze observing him.
“Is there something you wish to say?”
Not suiting his temperament to simply ignore such a gaze, he asked outright.
After a brief silence, the reply came from behind.
“…It’s nothing, but might I ask what kind of relationship you have with the Margrave?”
“Did…the Levien Margrave not give you any indication?”
“No. She merely said there was someone named Eldmia Egga at the Ogatorf House, and instructed me to escort them.”
While the fact that he was Lagnis’ benefactor was not publicly known, if she was sending an errand to this extent, one would expect her knight vassal to at least be informed about him…
There must be some reason she did not divulge that information.
“If the Margrave did not inform you, she must have had her reasons. I don’t believe I have anything further to tell you.”
“…My apologies.”
“No, you didn’t offend me.”
From the vassal’s perspective, his words may have sounded like an admonishment of rudeness.
Sensing embarrassment in her voice, he felt a bit apologetic.
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