Chapter 29 (1/2)

I Went to the Adventurers' Guild, but…

“Edgar-sama, that building over there is the adventurers' guild of this Vaelia city.”

Beyond Ludo's pointing  finger was a large building.

The entrance is always filled with people going back and forth.

Obviously, inside the building, there were some gruff, brawny men.

These heroes carry with themselves marks and self-confidence that proved that they had experienced the borderline between life and death.

That's right, I've finally come to the adventurers' guild…!

I stepped forward with excitement.

And then, the moment I stepped into the guild, I felt something.

It's the sensation where adventurers compete with each other wordlessly…!

I couldn't even find a weak spot in their posture…!

(As I'd expect of adventurers…! It's a rough world where you'll get eaten if they show just a bit of weakness…), I imagined.

“So this is an adventurers' guild…! This looks more like an adventurers' guild than I expected….!”

I don't even know what I'm saying myself.

The moment I said that,

“—————”

——wooosh.

The lively atmosphere completely changed.

Silence envelops the place.

Yes, the adventurers had noticed me.

(——Well then. Where is the guy who's about to pick a fight with me and where…?)

I carried some extent of expectations and embarra.s.sment as I observed my surroundings.

But the reaction from my surroundings were rather poor.

Rather, when they saw me looking at them, everyone lowered their gazes.

(Why—?)

I thought for an instant

But I soon realized why.

It was my outfit.

The black military uniform Arisa told me to wear. That, and the neat coat of arms on my chest.

Thanks to that, they thought I'm obviously someone they don't want to mess with.

——Glance, glance, whisper, whisper.

“Oy! Why is the sorceress' kid here? Is he going to take all the requests on the board or something?”

“That ain't gonna be possible! But if he is, then we can't fight back…”

“It's my first time seeing a sorcerer…his eyes are giving me the chills, man.”

“I think that's the disciple though…The Fire Sorceress supposed to be a silver-haired girl, ya' know?”

The mood of the adventurers' guild lobby turned into that of a wake ceremony..

And then——in the end, n.o.body spoke…

(Is it my fault…?)

I turned back toward Ludo-san like I'm asking for help.

As I did, Ludo-san asked me what's wrong? and tilted his head lightly.

Seeing him like that, I understand in an instant.

(——Aah, Ludo-san is someone in the same standing as me…)

Seeing me who was at loss, the onee-san from the reception counter approached us.

With a stiff expression, she spoke to me in a reserved manner.

“Um…you're the sorceress' disciple…-sama? What is your business here today…?”

“Ah, no, I'm just looking around. Don't mind me?”

“…Eh? Ah, yes, is that so. Then, please take your time!”

After my exchange with the receptionist onee-san, the atmosphere instantly softens.

The onee-san smiled with a sigh of relief.

“What, so that's it…”

“He scared the s.h.i.+t outta me…”

“FuuuOOooOOOONG…”

“Eh? What the h.e.l.l was that sound?”

“Huh? It just came out since I was relieved…or something.”

“No that was just straight up creepy.”

“Eeh…I'm…somewhat sorry.”

As the atmosphere in the adventurers' guild gradually returned to normal, I heaved a sigh of relief.

But right after that,

I overheard what the old lady and old man was whispering behind the receptionist counter.

“He's looking around in our guild? Is he doing some inspection or something?”

“No way! Now that you mention it, isn't that also the feudal lord's butler behind him?”

“You're right…this ain't good…what is he going to say…is this guild gonna be taken down at last…?”

Noticing that condition, I silently closed my eyes.

(Let's fall back. This is not good. Just with me being here, I'm sullying the sacredness of the adventurer's guild…)

Just being able to feel the atmosphere of the guild was enough, so I'll swallow my tears and leave from this place.

But when I turned towards the exit—someone called me from behind.

“Ed? Why are you here?”

Arisa came out from deeper inside the guild.

“Oh, what a coincidence…”

Ludo-san said that in a small voice when he saw Arisa.

I walked around the town with just Arisa for the first time in a while.

Ludo said that he remembered he had something to do, so he would leave us alone, and returned to the mansion before us. What a butler he is. Not only he's good-looking, he could also read between the lines. What a perfect guy.

“Why were you in the adventurers' guild, Arisa?”

“It was for that report, you know, the ma.s.s murder in the village. Also I had to report about me still kicking.”

Arisa said that and smiled at me teasingly.

Now that you mention it, she did remove herself from society, huh.

“What about you, Ed?”

“Ludo-san said he'd like to take me around. I also had some interest in adventurers to start with anyways.”

And by that, I meant that I had an interest since I was in j.a.pan.

Adventurers are the standard for fantasy genres.

Since I was small, I read a lot of stories where the protagonists are also adventurers.

Arisa muttered some words.

“Speaking of which, it's been a long while since it's just the two of us, isn't it?”

“True.”

It hasn't been like that since Ellie came to our place.