Chapter 77
The sentry guarding the entrance of Vilne sought the guild leader during his shift change.
It was to report on the people who’d newly entered and those who’d left.
“Today, two rcenary teams left to perform requests, and a group of students arrived.”
“Students?”
Gunter, the guild leader, asked with an interested look in his eyes.
“Yes, there are eight in total, from different grades, and they’re a mix of male and female. Among them were the daughters of the Rainwood and Grace families, and a child from the Conrad family.”
“Quite the lineup. So, who was leading them?”
“About that……”
The man hesitated for a mont.
The silver haired boy at the center of the students.
He was undoubtedly the leader.
“A student was leading them.”
“That’s impressive. Usually, a group of students has a guardian. Yet they survived without such help.”
Gunter was sincerely impressed.
The Adventurer’s Guild was a group that made money through information.
They had already investigated promising individuals among the students.
“Leonard Conrad must be the leader, since that boy has a strong competitive streak. Or is it Adela Grace? She also has the feel of a heroine.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s neither of them.”
“It isn’t?”
“Yes.”
“No way, are you saying Tania Rainwood was the leader? That’s very unexpected.”
The man looked troubled.
“It wasn't her either.”
“Then who is it?”
“Um… I don't know his na.”
Gunter tilted his head.
The man before him had a good mory.
He never forgot a face he’d seen once.
“This is the first ti you’ve answered that you don't know.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. There are so many people in the world, so that can happen.”
Gunter rose from his seat and took his coat and hat from the hanger.
“Are you going out?”
The man’s eyes widened.
Gunter, the guild leader, rarely stepped out into the village.
His identity wasn't disclosed to outsiders who weren't guild mbers.
“He’s a person leading those kinds of students. I must confirm him with my own eyes.”
Gunter smiled lightly.
There was only one reason order was maintained in Vilne, which was no different from a lawless zone.
The power to control a group.
And power created by force is bound to be taken away by a greater power.
He didn't think a student had such power.
However, he had to check.
There was no harm in being cautious.
“What are the characteristics and location of this person called the leader?”
“He’s male. He has silver hair and a pretty face. Currently, he’s resting at the Scent of the Moonlit Night.”
“Understood. You go and rest.”
“Yes.”
* * *
Gunter headed straight to the Scent of the Moonlit Night.
He stepped inside and sat at a vacant table.
While no one was paying attention to him.
The owner recognized him and broke into a cold sweat.
“E-Elder, if you’d given a word that you were coming, I would’ve prepared a al.”
“It’s fine. I just ca out for a stroll today.”
“I-I see.”
“I heard students visited your inn.”
“That’s right.”
“Did they go out?”
“Two female students are currently out.”
“What about the male students?”
“As for the boy, he ca down once in the morning and then went back up. He hasn't left since.”
“Understood.”
“Shall I tell him a guest has co to see him?”
Gunter glared while furrowing his brow.
“Wouldn't that make the student suspicious of ?”
“I was short sighted! I’m sorry.”
“If you understand, return to your place quickly. It’ll draw attention if you stay by my side for too long.”
The owner hurriedly moved away from Gunter.
Left alone, he now took his ti and waited for the boy to co down.
Two hours passed.
During that ti, the interior bustled with newly arrived rcenaries.
Gunter hid himself like a single insect amidst the rowdy atmosphere.
‘There he cos.’
The boy he’d been waiting for revealed himself.
Just as the man had described, he had silver hair and a handso face.
He fumbled through his mories.
He rembered seeing that face in a report.
“……That can't be.”
A monologue slipped out unintentionally due to his shock.
It was Joshua Pallarion.
The Pallarion family was a noble household that had produced several promising mages in the past.
He’d taken note when the child of such a family entered the academy.
The result was disappointnt.
He was a human who was the exact opposite of what Gunter had expected.
“The failing student is now a leader leading honor students?”
The boy looked around the surroundings and then approached this way.
He made eye contact with him.
They were sharp eyes that contrasted with his pretty face.
“There are no seats, so would it be okay if I joined you?”
“By all ans.”
The boy sat down and took ham, cheese, bread, and jam from his backpack.
It was a very luxurious diet.
He mixed them together to make a sandwich and handed one over this way.
“What does this an?”
In this kind of world, there were only two reasons for soone to hand over food.
One was being an idiot who didn't understand the value of food.
The other was having sothing they wanted from the other person.
“I’m new to this village. I’d like to hear from you about how things run here, Elder.”
“You’re going to dig for information from with this sandwich?”
“That's right.”
“Then I’ll ask. There are other rcenaries and wandering knights in this hall besides . Yet, what is the reason you specifically sought out?”
“Because you didn't order anything while sitting here, Elder.”
Gunter curled the corners of his mouth.
Just as the boy said, he was the only one occupying a table without ordering.
He thought it was excellent observation.
“The owner here dislikes people without money. He isn't the type to tolerate soone just taking up a seat. Nevertheless, there must be a reason why he can't do anything about you, Elder.”
“For example?”
“For example, you might be soone of such high status that the owner fears you.”
He was a clever child.
If his identity hadn't been known, Gunter would’ve wanted to suggest he join the guild.
Gunter continued the conversation without letting his expression slip.
“Hehe, that’s an interesting guess.”
He took a bite of the bread handed to him.
It was fresh.
Whether he’d obtained it recently or had a way of managing it.
“Alright, young friend. What is it you want to hear from ?”
“It’s about the request bulletin board.”
“What are you curious about?”
“First, please look at this.”
What Joshua took out of his pocket was a pass.
Yellow.
According to the guild’s ranking, it was the second from the bottom.
“I noticed that the types of requests one can receive in Vilne differ depending on the color of this pass.”
“Right.”
“What should I do to receive a request of a rank higher than yellow?”
“What?”
Gunter flinched.
During his ti running Vilne, he had never once revealed his emotions.
That was the example he had to show as the branch manager of the guild.
He hadn't imagined he’d be shaken by a single word from a student.
“Green is the third rank. It’s a request one level higher than the yellow pass you have, and the appropriate level is Templar (5). It isn't a level you, a student, can handle.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
Gunter tilted his head.
According to the report, the boy had just arrived in Vilne yesterday.
“I know soone who worked in the guild. That person suffered imnsely. He tried all sorts of requests and even held a position in the guild.”
“If it’s a person of that caliber, I should’ve heard of them at least once. Could you tell the na?”
“I’m sorry. I can't et him right now.”
“Was he done in by those things?”
“It isn't that. It’s just that the starting position wasn't good. I would’ve considered it if it were possible, though.”
Gunter felt an uneasiness in his voice.
It was as if he were telling soone else’s story as his own experience.
“Then are you saying you’ll go ahead even while knowing the danger of green requests?”
“Yes.”
“But that seems impossible.”
“Is it for the sake of the trust relationship with the client?”
“You know well.”
The guild played the role of a stepping stone connecting clients and rcenaries.
Trust was important for a diator.
They couldn't just introduce anyone to a client.
The reason they created ranks and divided levels was also for this.
“Who do you think would be the figures capable of backing and supporting the guild even in this kind of situation?”
“It would be nobles or royalty.”
“Correct. Very occasionally, villagers collude to make a request, but most are those kinds of people. Those guys with overflowing wealth hire the guild because they lack their own arms and legs. Those people are a breed that hates the word failure to a terrifying degree.”
It was different from the past.
The value of a single client had risen several tis over compared to then.
Recently, there was an incident where a rcenary group failed.
The noble was dissatisfied.
He had to take care so that such an incident wouldn't be repeated.
That was the role of the branch manager.
“The guild cannot afford to lose any more connections. Therefore, I think your request is impossible.”
He answered firmly.
It was true that he had beco interested in the boy while talking to him.
However, he had no intention of granting a favor based on that alone.
“There is a way.”
“Hmm?”
“A recomndation letter written by the guild.”
Gunter caught his breath.
A thod that didn't even occur to him right away ca out of the boy’s mouth.
As if all of this were a plan.
That wasn't the only suspicious point.
“You knew the way from the beginning. In that case, wouldn't it have been better to seek out the owner or other guild mbers instead of ?”
“They are impossible.”
The boy was certain.
A strong spirit was conveyed from his eyes.
The surrounding air began to change.
In this hall, only himself and the boy were wrapped in a precarious atmosphere.
“You think I’m a person from the guild.”
“That's right.”
“Do you even know who I am?”
The boy, who’d been answering without a hitch, also hesitated at this question.
He contemplated.
Although Gunter didn't know what he was contemplating about.
He could tell one thing.
The boy knew his identity.
“No, I don't.”
It took about ten seconds for the answer to co.
It was the longest silence during their conversation today.
Gunter wanted to laugh crazily on the spot but held it in.
The boy played dumb even while knowing.
“Fine, let’s say I’m a person from the guild. If I ask around through acquaintances I know, I might be able to reach the branch manager. But don't you think the hand you hold is insufficient with just that?”
“I can just sell the nas of the Rainwood family or the Grace family.”
Gunter was flustered.
He intended to take profit by ntioning other people's families that weren't even his own.
That was a great cri.
Even ill mannered barbarians knew to fear nobles.
“Among my companions are daughters of those two families. Even at a ti like this, or rather because of this situation, nobles will utilize each other.”
“That’s certainly an attractive proposal. But did you get permission from the two of them?”
“No, I didn't.”
“What?”
Joshua’s expression was still relaxed.
He didn't seem to have any intention of withdrawing his previous statent.
“If I were to report you, private soldiers might burst in to arrest you.”
“That won't happen.”
“Why?”
“Because this village is currently outside their sphere of influence.”
The boy waved his hand.
Whether he knew well about Gunter.
Or whether he knew about the circumstances of the two families.
He even thought for a mont that it might be both.
“Let’s et here again tomorrow. I’ll deliberate until then whether to grant your request or not.”
“Got it.”
The boy left the seat without lingering regret, like a person who’d achieved his goal.
Gunter was left alone again.
It was a fresh shock.
He didn't rember being this exhausted even when dealing with experienced rcenaries.
“Hehehe.”
Gunter chuckled.
If the boy had exposed his identity, he’d intended to silence him.
His identity wasn't a card capable of leading the negotiations.
Even if trouble occurred, he was confident he could handle it.
“He doesn't seem to be a short sighted friend.”
Gunter was pleased with the fact that the conversation ended without getting blood on his hands.
* * *
Returning to his room, Joshua let out a sigh.
Even with [Cool] and [Steady Nerves] helping out, his nerves were gnawed at when dealing with a big shot.
The killing intent he felt when Gunter asked about his identity.
It was as threatening as Rodwell’s.
“You’re back early.”
Luna, who was playing in the room, approached this way.
She seed worried.
“Did the thing you were going to do go well?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Call the kids from the next room. I have sothing to ask.”
“Okay!”
Luna ran out of the room and returned shortly after after calling the female students.
“What brings you to call us?”
Tania asked.
I took out a mana stone I’d brought from Dormitory 2 and threw it to her.
“What is this?”
“It’s a mana stone. Sothing I obtained during the search earlier.”
Tania showed it to Adela and Serena in turn.
Everyone tilted their heads.
[I don't feel any mana.]
As expected of Serena.
Because she had excellent mana detection ability, she noticed the strange point of the mana stone imdiately.
“Right. Although it’s called a mana stone, the rock itself doesn't have mana.”
[Then how do you use it?]
“Give it here.”
I took back the mana stone and gathered mana in both hands.
Then I flowed the concentrated mana into the ore.
“It’s a battery. You use it by charging mana in this way.”
“……Wait a minute.”
Adela furrowed her eyebrows.
Being quick witted, she seed to have realized the reason she was called to this place.
“Wait, did you send the knight unit away and kept only us here because of that?”
I gave a light smile instead of an answer.
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