—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Tillasden, as it always was.
The same people.
The same sky.
Although the scenery was no different than usual, the world reflected in Guinness’s eyes seemed somehow altered.
She couldn’t pinpoint the change, but the feeling itself was undeniable.
People scurried aside as she passed, their faces etched with fear, but even this spectacle appeared beautiful to Guinness.
She had felt this way ever since returning to Tillasden with Iyer.
But her sentimental mood was about to be shattered…
By the hulking wolf beastman approaching from the opposite direction.
“……”
“……”
Guinness stopped as she encountered Wolf Who Chases the Wind.
As if by some unspoken agreement, Wolf, noticing her at the same moment, also halted.
Guinness’s expression, a mixture of impassivity and a subtle excitement, instantly hardened into a frown.
They stood facing each other, locked in a silent standoff.
The silence was broken by Wolf, his crescent-shaped eyes curving into a sly smile.
“Hmm.”
“……”
That fox-like expression always preceded some kind of teasing.
Guinness knew this all too well.
And as she expected, Wolf, his smile widening, pointed a finger at his nose.
“A scent.”
“……A scent?”
“A very strong scent, at that.”
Wolf chuckled, his eyes gleaming with mischievous delight, like a child with a new toy.
“You and Iyerpol… you slept together, didn’t you?”
“!”
Guinness’s face flushed crimson.
Her eyes widened in surprise, and Wolf, seeing her reaction, burst into laughter.
Such an honest reaction.
He thought, amused.
This is why teasing her was so much fun.
It wasn’t without reason that he enjoyed provoking her.
“So you can do it after all, lizard girl! I wondered what would happen when you heard the word ‘copulation,’ seeing as you blush at the mere mention of it. Looks like you had quite the romp!”
“Romp…!”
“The scent is so strong it’s almost overwhelming! Just how much did you two get up to in those ten days? Hahaha!”
“Shut up, mutt!”
Wolf roared with laughter, while Guinness, mortified, frantically scanned her surroundings.
She fidgeted nervously, worried that someone might have overheard.
Her gaze, settling back on Wolf, hardened into a glare.
Killing intent radiated from her.
“You’re dead!”
“Haha!”
A low kick aimed at his thigh.
A powerful blow, clearly intended to break bone, whizzed towards Wolf’s leg, but he easily sidestepped it.
Even though he had dodged, the force behind the kick, amplified by the metal greaves Guinness wore, would have been devastating.
“Calm down, lizard girl. Is this how you treat the angel who wholeheartedly supported your love?”
Despite his words, Wolf’s expression was one of pure amusement.
He made a circle with his thumb and forefinger, then rapidly pumped his index finger through it.
Even Guinness, oblivious as she was to such things, understood the gesture’s crude meaning.
He was hardly an angel supporting her love.
Guinness’s brow furrowed, her fists clenching and unclenching.
A low growl rumbled in her throat.
“I knew we’d never get along…”
Wolf had played a crucial role in the blossoming of her relationship with Iyer.
She had even started to see him in a new light, despite their previous animosity.
But…
He was still the same annoying, teasing wolf.
Perhaps some personalities simply clashed, regardless of circumstances.
She relaxed her fists and stepped towards him, ready to deliver a well-deserved punch.
Just then, a voice called out.
“Wolf Who Chases the Wind and Guinness.”
“……?”
Startled, Guinness turned.
Five or six heavily armed soldiers stood behind her, their faces impassive.
The Feiler family crest emblazoned on their chests identified them as Feiler soldiers, but they weren’t the usual city guard.
Which meant…
‘Territorial Army?’
As she considered this, one of the soldiers stepped forward.
The insignia on his elbow indicated he was the highest-ranking among them.
“The Feiler family summons you. Come with us.”
“……The Feiler family?”
Guinness and Wolf exchanged glances, their brows furrowed in confusion.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A space far too vast to be considered a single room.
The walls were adorned with paintings they couldn’t decipher, but clearly expensive, and various art pieces that screamed “noble taste.”
Guinness, seated on an opulent chair unlike any she had ever seen, crossed her arms and sighed.
Places like this, reminiscent of her childhood, were particularly unpleasant.
“……”
They had been led to a reception room within the Feiler estate.
After waiting for ten minutes, a smartly dressed gentleman entered.
Guinness eyed him with displeasure.
She recognized him.
He was one of the Feiler family retainers.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
He appeared to be in his fifties, his neatly combed hair streaked with grey.
Sharp eyes glinted behind thick spectacles.
He was often the one to deal with unruly adventurers, his imposing presence a match for their boisterous nature.
Marcel Flex.
He was the one who had summoned them.
“Guinness, are you behaving yourself these days? It’s a surprise I haven’t heard your name mentioned in the past month.”
“Is that sarcasm?”
“Genuine curiosity, I assure you.”
“Then don’t ask.”
Guinness had no personal relationship with Marcel, nor did she desire one.
Her encounters with him were usually preceded by unwanted events.
She suspected this summons was no different.
“So, nobleman of the Feiler family. What business do you have with us?”
“I’d like to say I simply called to inquire about your well-being, but unfortunately, the world isn’t so peaceful.”
Marcel lifted a teacup a servant had placed on the table and took a sip.
He swallowed, then continued.
“You’ve heard about the recent troubles plaguing the territories on Kalak’s borders, I presume.”
“The monster activity? That’s hardly news.”
“Indeed. Have you heard of the Jenat territory?”
“I believe it’s a small territory to the east.”
“Correct. Three villages within that territory recently fell to monsters.”
Wolf gasped, surprised by the unexpected news.
Unlike Tillasden, areas with frequent monster activity were vulnerable to attacks on civilian villages.
However, such areas were usually well-defended by the lord’s territorial army, so serious incidents were rare.
Until now…
Three villages falling meant the monsters’ strength had surpassed the territorial army’s defenses.
“Is that even possible? Those dangerous areas are usually well-fortified.”
“They are.”
“Are you saying a large number of monsters suddenly appeared? Enough to overwhelm the territorial army?”
“Not quite.”
Then what?
The Jenat territory would have been monitoring monster activity.
Unless a large number of unidentified monsters had suddenly appeared, their defenses shouldn’t have been breached.
Sensing their unspoken question, Marcel adjusted his spectacles.
“I know you want answers. But before that, there’s something you need to do.”
“Something we need to do?”
“Or rather, a promise you need to accept. The Feiler family will be sending reinforcements to other territories soon.”
Marcel’s eyes glinted behind his spectacles.
“We would like you two to be part of those reinforcements.”
“Get lost.”
Guinness slammed her hand on the table and stood abruptly.
She didn’t need to hear any more. She had suspected this was a pointless summons, and she was proven right.
Why would she be part of a reinforcement group sent to another territory?
She held no such affection for other territories, nor for Tillasden, for that matter.
“Sit down, Guinness.”
“I’m sick of your noble games. I don’t need to hear your demands, and I have no intention of listening.”
Guinness marched towards the door.
Marcel, a retainer of the Feiler family and thus practically a nobleman himself, remained unfazed by her blatant disrespect.
He simply watched her go.
Just as she reached the door, he spoke.
“This isn’t a ‘request’ or a ‘proposal.’ This is an officially sanctioned ‘summons.’”
Guinness froze, her hand on the doorknob.
A summons.
In exchange for the taxes that supported adventurers, the ruling noble family held the right to summon adventurers within their territory.
Of course, this wasn’t a power they could wield arbitrarily.
It required approval from the guild and the royal family, along with a justifiable reason, usually related to a direct threat to the territory.
Just like when Wagner, Kundt, Wolf, Guinness, and Iyerpol had been summoned for the cave search.
And if a summoned adventurer refused… they would face severe penalties, including being barred from working as an adventurer within that territory.
Just a short while ago, Guinness would have scoffed and said,
‘So what?’
She would have stormed out, unconcerned about being barred from Tillasden.
She could simply move elsewhere.
But now, her thoughts were occupied not by herself, but by the one she loved.
What would happen to her relationship with Iyer if she left Tillasden?
“One more thing. This isn’t a Feiler family summons.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why would we send our territorial army and adventurers to another territory? It would weaken Tillasden’s defenses.”
Wolf finally noticed how haggard Marcel looked.
Dark circles under his eyes suggested he hadn’t slept in days.
But it made sense.
If this wasn’t a Feiler family summons, then the only other entity with the authority to issue such a summons was…
A look of realization dawned on Wolf’s face.
“The Kalak Royal Family issued the summons to all safe zone territories, including Tillasden.”
A heavy silence descended upon the room.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The guard at the entrance to Tillasden was tasked with inspecting all visitors.
He rummaged through a small bag, confirming it contained nothing unusual, then returned it to its owner.
“What was your name again?”
“Bell. My name is Bell.”
“Bell… and your purpose for visiting?”
The girl puffed out her chest, her face beaming with confidence.
“I’m here to become an adventurer!”
“An aspiring adventurer, eh? Alright, you’re through!”
The guard opened a small side gate, allowing the girl to pass.
Bell stepped inside the city walls, adjusted her bag, and slowly surveyed the entrance to Tillasden.
As expected of a major city, the streets teemed with a diverse crowd.
Adventurers, beastmen, and all manner of people bustled about.
The girl’s eyes sparkled as she took in the sights, unlike anything she had seen in her small village.
“Finally…”
Her voice, filled with anticipation, trembled slightly.
“I’ve arrived, Tillasden!”
She raised a fist in the air and declared her arrival.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[WOOOOOOOOOOO WAR]
