episode_0013

Long live the trolls!

As soon as he woke up in the morning, Glenn was so happy. He could thank the trolls who had helped him for the past seven days a thousand times.

While training her at the Saint’s request, Glenn’s life was surprisingly healthy and regular.

He would wake up in the morning, eat, read a book until lunchtime, wait for the saint, then go to the adventurer training grounds in the eastern part of the capital with the saint after lunchtime, train with the saint until nighttime, and then return. And every night, even though he wanted to sleep in his room in the guild, he couldn’t sleep because the image of the saint was all that came to mind.

The face of the saint, the words of the saint… I could endure them all, but the light clothing that was not commonly seen, the exposed arms and legs that touched my body when I held them…

Aaaah, no way, Glenn! Hurry up, hurry up! This time, it’s you, Cave Troll!

‘One cave troll, two cave trolls…’

I closed my eyes with that dirty troll in my mind, and luckily I fell asleep. So when I woke up in the morning, my body reacting like clockwork, I was delighted that I had slept soundly without any dreams.

Of course, there are times when I unconsciously dreamed and couldn’t remember them, but even if I vaguely remember it, I still have the impression that I ‘dreamed’, but now there was nothing like that. It was a good night’s sleep.

He got out of bed. He stretched out.

I enjoyed a refreshing morning after a long time, stretching to the left and right. If Saint Milicia had seen him enjoying his morning, she would have done anything to capture that special scene.

After a simple morning exercise, he put on the glasses he had placed on the bookshelf next to his bed. In an instant, the young boy suddenly turned into an old man. It was an appearance that made me realize the importance of clothing when judging a person’s appearance.

“Huh?”

While slowly changing clothes and thinking about what to eat this morning, Glenn noticed something on the floor of his room. Oh. It was a letter. And judging by the pattern on the letter, it was a letter from the guild master. What is it? Did he leave it there while he was sleeping? Glenn immediately checked the contents.

“Morning. Meet me on the first floor. – Guildmaster Dolores Rashford -”

Judging from the signature, it was clear that he was waiting on the first floor without any hesitation. It was hard to tell the time, but it was still morning, so he must be waiting. Is it a request-related story? Glenn, who happened to have some business with the guild master, opened the door without saying a word.

“Ah.”

“Huh?”

As I came out and approached the stairs, someone spoke to me. To be exact, someone shouted in surprise at seeing me. It was a familiar voice. I turned my head and saw a familiar face. It was a neutral appearance, but I remembered who it was.

“Briwen. Good morning.”

“How shameless of you to greet me. Anyway, good morning.”

Briwen received her greeting rather blandly.

Briwen. In the past, during the trial(?) of Glenn led by Grimes and Montaro, she was one of the adventurers who attended as an audience. I think she didn’t say a word at the time and just watched me. What happened? Actually, I know the reason very well.

“When you showed up, I couldn’t greet you properly. Because of that stupid thing. Even though I hadn’t seen you in two months.”

“Well, it was a stupid thing to do. But who was it for?”

“Me?”

“Who would be there?”

Briwen is someone Glenn has known for a long time since he became an adventurer, but they only talked about things that were unpleasant. She is 34 years old. She doesn’t look like that at all, but she is a half-elf with slightly pointed ears.

Her real name is Briwena Crowsong. She grew up with an elven father and mother, and she herself said that she ran away because she couldn’t stand the idyllic days of living only in the elven forest. However, she entered the capital 10 years ago, and she was close to Glenn at the same time. Although their relationship is so close that it’s hard to call them siblings.

“You’re good at betrayal. You break promises. You break your own words… You always ignore my requests.”

“You won’t ignore me, right? Why should I listen to the guy who asks to duel whenever he gets a chance? Anyway, I’m busy because the guild master called me. See you later. Except for the duel.”

“Okay. Get out of here.”

That’s right. Briwena, or rather Briwen, felt a sense of rivalry with Glenn from the time she first entered the guild, so she often asked him to spar with her.

‘Hey, Glenn. Let’s have a go!’

‘Ah, get out of here! How many times in a week is this?! You might not have counted, but I did! This is already the 14th time, you brawler!’

‘You’re the fighting maniac! What’s wrong with beating up people for your adventures? Hurry up and let’s have a go!’

‘You’re being rude! Don’t do it!’

‘You, no way. You’re saying I won’t fight because I’m a girl, right? You’re a kid who’s younger than me.’

‘What, Emma?’

At first, Glenn, who was full of energy, often accepted her, but he gradually grew tired of her, and later, after finding out Briwen’s gender, he became reluctant to confront her. Of course, he did not bring up her gender. If he did, Briwen would explode even more and attack him without hesitation.

And, crucially, because of the incident that happened 1 year and 3 months ago, he minimized his external activities and thus also minimized his meetings with her. Her already sharp attitude changed to hostile and cynical due to that attitude.

However, she didn’t treat him too coldly or anything, because she knew Glenn’s true circumstances to some extent.

“Ah, Glen.”

“Why?”

“The request you received… No, no.”

“That’s pointless. Well then.”

Glenn looked back at Briwen, who was holding him back for a moment, but Briwen opened her mouth to say something and then closed it.

It seems like he had a lot to say after seeing her for the first time in a long time. Glenn thought about it absentmindedly and went downstairs. A sense of silence settled over the second floor, and within it, Briwen, who had a neutral appearance, muttered in a very small voice.

“You…you didn’t take this request out of revenge, did you? No way.”

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“Ah, Glenn. You look so shabby today. Did you have a good night? Come and sit down.”

“Good morning, Guildmaster.”

As soon as I went down the stairs, I could see Guildmaster Rashford shaking a drink in his hand in front of the bar. Even in the early morning, I could see that impressive moustache, and I could tell that the Guildmaster was good at self-management. However, as expected from the representative of the guild, he was also extraordinary in other aspects.

“Good morning, Glen.”

“Oh, good morning. Danny. It’s your turn this morning.”

Then I guess I should eat breakfast.

Bartender Danielson was one of those who had been watching the wild party a week ago. Along with bartender Johnny, he played a big role in keeping the Guild’s first-floor bar running smoothly. While Johnny was good at making cocktails, Danielson and Danny were good at making food. The Guild’s first-floor bar did not sell alcohol in the morning, but instead served refreshments and light meals.

“Bacon and eggs, please. And any drink with fruit in it.”

“Okay. I have a new product that I developed specifically, so I’ll give you that.”

“As you wish.”

Glenn answered and sat down next to the guild master.

The guildmaster was eating bacon with a fork in an elegant manner. Looking closely, I could see an attendant fidgeting next to him. Today, it was Chrisne, not Locke.

If the Locke we saw last time was strict and rigid, Chris looked anxious and often looked around. The two of them had different personalities as well as appearances.

“The appointment time with the captain of the guard is 1 hour and 5 minutes… It takes 20 minutes to get to the guard headquarters from here… Then, you can stop by Mr. Griezmann’s shop and buy souvenirs during that time, but you have to finish it within 15 minutes at the least…”

Mumble. He was constantly talking to himself and writing something down in the notebook he was holding. It was a familiar sight. You’ve had a hard time. Unlike the easy-going guild master. Glenn spoke to the guild master, sympathizing with Chris.

“You said you wanted to see me?”

“Oh, that’s right. I heard the news. You definitely accepted the Saintess’s request, and it’s been a week since you started performing it.”

“You know so much about it, even though it wasn’t a request made through the guild window.”

“Hahaha. Have you already forgotten who I am? And who told you to go to the counter because there was a customer in front of you.”

“Ah, you figured it out then.”

The guild master was always busy, but he had the ability to gather information from his surroundings and had a sharp judgment based on changes in the surrounding environment. He was a capable person who could be considered the leader of a group. However, if you look at his usual relaxed manner and the way he strokes his mustache, you wouldn’t think so at all.

“I’m glad to see you’re back in action after such a long time. It’s nice to see one of the guild’s star players being so active.”

“I would say he is active, but since the request is closer to ‘assistance’, I don’t think his activities will be that great.”

“Isn’t that enough compared to the few activities you’ve done to save new adventurers over the past year? And the person you’re helping is none other than the highest saintess of the Airgrants Church. As the guild master, I’m secretly proud that you personally took on such a request.”

“What…”

This guy is real.

Glenn felt complicated by the guildmaster’s bluff. He speaks as if he knows everything. At that moment, he heard something being placed in front of Glenn. A plate of freshly baked bacon and boiled eggs, and next to it was a slice of lemon and a glass of foamy water.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you.”

Glenn picked up a piece of bacon with his fork and put it in his mouth. Danny was a good cook, after all. The pork shoulder that was served for dinner was good, but this was excellent. The egg was also cooked just the way Glenn liked it, and it was noticeable. There was no runny liquid or anything like that. When he actually cut it open, the inside was perfectly cooked. After tasting each bite, he drank his drink.

“What, what is it?”

“It’s carbonated water with lemon. It’s tangy, right?”

“You’re so cute.”

“Instead, it clears your mind and is good for your health.”

“How do you know that?”

Glenn muttered, but after a little more he got used to it. Mumbling, he put another piece of bacon in his mouth and spoke to the guildmaster again.

“But Master.”

“Huh? What?”

“I appreciate your encouragement in carrying out the saint’s request…but how far did you go?”

“Using your hands?”

The guildmaster naturally showed his ignorance. This guy. Do you really think I don’t know? Glenn continued talking, his eyes fixed on the bacon and eggs.

“That day, when I was feeling lost, you took action without me knowing. You made the saintess’s butler stay in the royal library, or in the guest room on the third floor. In just a day or two, the story of the saintess’ request spread throughout the guild. Well, if you have doubts, there’s no end to it.”

“Doubt? That’s what you saw in me. I’m disappointed.”

“Well, something like this.”

Yes. When I first heard that the Royal Library was closed, I was actually a bit skeptical. But when Kate told me at the counter that there were guests in the third-floor guest room, and when there was a huge commotion in the guild the next day, I started to get the hang of it.

The Royal Library is a sacred place of knowledge located near the guild. However, in the Kingdom of Alcrea, where the illiteracy rate is said to be higher than that of other countries, but not that high, it was inefficient and unnecessary to build a library in the royal palace or on the royal street. If the nearby adventurer’s guild did not have a guild master like a snake, it would have been so. Guild Master Rashford took the lead in building a library near the guild under the pretext of educating adventurers and keeping the kingdom alight. Of course, there was also the hidden purpose of satisfying his own thirst for knowledge and creating another relationship of exchange with the royal palace.

And the guild’s third-floor guest rooms are not places that anyone can enter. Although the interior is efficient and simple, it is a place where only the wealthy, nobles, or royalty who give out huge requests can stay for a limited time. Above all, the guild master’s permission was needed to use the third-floor guest rooms. Without the guild master’s permission, neither nobles nor royalty could stay in the third-floor guest rooms and would have to go to the noisy first floor to give and receive quests.

Above all, despite her easygoing and cheerful appearance, Guildmaster Dolores Crawford was quite the eccentric one. She was someone who enjoyed seeing through her opponents’ weaknesses and using them to her advantage. She was also a man who knew how to use a crisis as an opportunity. In the past, when Glenn caught a wild boar to gain the qualification of an adventurer in the guild, his actions were also impressive.

‘This boy’s challenge is commendable, but it will be difficult to continue preparing tests like this in the future. From now on, let’s hold tests regularly using a unified process to select adventurers.’

By announcing it like that, they created an adventurer qualification exam and have been holding it regularly every year. Also, considering Glenn’s abilities and circumstances, they judged that ‘it wouldn’t be a problem if he closed down for about a year’ and left him alone for over a year.

Of course, I encourage you to read, not just play.

Considering all these points, there was no way he would not have taken part in this extraordinary ‘Saint’s Request’. He was not the type of person to miss out on such a golden opportunity. If the Saint and the Adventurer’s Guild were to form a relationship, and if this request was successfully completed, he would have calculated that the guild would gain enormous benefits in the future.

“Honestly, I’m also concerned that I’ve been carrying out the Saintess’s requests so easily for the past 7 days. Shouldn’t the Guild Master know? What happened to me the day I stayed at the Saintess’ mansion? It’s no use pretending not to know. After that, I haven’t seen any saboteurs like assassins.”

“Hmm, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

You’re pretending not to know again. Is this really a sensitive issue? Anyway, Glenn didn’t hesitate to tell me his guess.

“Honestly, if you think about the profit and loss that the saintess’s request brings, anyone would do it behind her back, right? Even Grimes would have done it, not you. The only problem is that the saintess herself requested the request from me, without going through the guild. And the chances of this request succeeding are quite low. If I were to take on the task myself, it would be different, but the saintess’s intentions are firm. That’s why I’m just assisting. Of course, I would never accept anything other than an assisting role.”

“It’s disappointing to doubt, but your sharp insight is admirable. Yes, your point is also convincing. The saintess visited the guild, not requested a request through the guild, and she directly participated in the ‘duel’, so the probability of success is unknown. But you know, Glenn. ”

The guild master’s relaxed face was still the same. His bright smile was still the same. And he raised one of his index fingers and spoke confidently.

“I know you well, Glenn. The chains that bind you. Your skills as an adventurer. Of course, I know the real reason you took on this mission. I confirmed the family name of the opponent who was involved in the duel with the saintess. That’s why I was sure. If you ask me what I’m sure of, I’d say that this mission you’ve taken on will succeed. Because you have a reason to make it succeed. Isn’t that right?”

“….”

Glenn didn’t deny that.

“Looking at your expression right now, I guess we’ll hear news of victory soon. Danny. Have a good breakfast. Glenn, see you later.”

The guild master stood up. Chris, who had been writing something next to him, was startled and stood up with him, taking the lead first.

Even after receiving the Master’s greeting, Glenn remained silent and stared at the plate. Then, as if a thought suddenly occurred to him, the Guild Master spoke again.

“Oh, I see. Chris? If you have time, would it be okay if I visited somewhere else for a bit? Two hours would be fine. ”

“Yes, yes? Two hours, guild leader! We have an appointment with the captain in an hour…”

“After that.”

“After that? After that, it’s lunch time… Oh, I don’t have any lunch plans, but where are you planning to visit? Do you plan to have lunch there?”

“Probably so. I’m not sure since it’s an uncommon place. Because…”

Glenn could feel, without even looking, that the guild master was smiling for some reason.

“This is my first time visiting the Saintess’s mansion.”