Ch.136The NPC Who Cannot Rest (5)

The border town I last visited when fleeing from Ponia. I can’t remember the town’s name, but my brain wasn’t stupid enough to forget the kindness I received there. That’s fortunate.

“Uncle Devil… Guild Master?”

“Hahah. What Guild Master? I’m just an old man who came to Aigram for retirement since I can’t work actively in the field anymore.”

He took us to the Guild Master’s office on the third floor, saying he would hand over those idiots from earlier to the guards, and threw them into the guild detention center.

Then he immediately brought out snacks and tea to serve us. Could it be? That man I met that day…

[Occupation Adventurer: Level 276]

‘…I hoped he wouldn’t die, but he didn’t just survive—he got incredibly strong?’

He claims he came to Aigram for recovery because he can’t be active in the field anymore, but isn’t it the opposite?

I’d believe it if he said he was an adventurer dispatched here because the Seven Deadly Sins appeared. Did you misspeak about being called for a raid buster?

“Hmm? Are you concerned about the scar on my face?”

“Ah, that… yes. I don’t think you were injured back then…”

Did he think I was staring at his face when I was actually looking at his status window? He smiled bitterly as he served fragrant tea before us.

“You know what happened in Ponia after you left, right?”

“Ah, yes. The Monster Parade…”

“Right, it reached all the way to the border. Even I, who was supposed to be in the back as an examiner, was dragged to the frontlines.”

I really thought I was going to die there. He quietly told me stories from that day.

The gold-rank adventurer who evaluated my test, and the blue-rank adventurer who fainted after I slapped him.

They all died absurdly in the first battle.

And against orcs and goblins, no less.

I remember the gold-rank was around level 30 or 40, and the blue-rank was around 20.

This man was probably in his late teens back then…

“Honestly, I was in mortal danger too. If the ‘Sherpa’ unit hadn’t shown up, the border would have been breached and monsters would have flooded into the Empire.”

“The Sherpa unit?”

“Yes… people composed of rangers like you, and they were incredibly strong.”

“…!!!”

He said that much, then sipped his tea with his eyes closed.

A unit made of rangers? What exactly happened there?

Wait, hold on. Did he just call me a ranger? I’m sure I never told these people I was a ranger!

No matter how stupid I might be, I never prayed to be recognized while on the run with a bounty on my head.

So how does Devil know this?

“Sip, hmm. I see you don’t know that far?”

“…What exactly do you mean?”

“The bad situation that rangers like you were experiencing reached His Majesty’s ears and was revealed to the world. Surely, you left Ponia because you experienced such treatment?”

“…I did receive rather poor treatment for a long time.”

Somehow I feel my shoulders involuntarily shrinking.

Although I had hoped he wouldn’t die and told him to flee to Aigram, he ended up getting injured by the overflowing monsters while I was away from Ponia. And on top of that.

His adventurer colleagues died too.

If he were to say he resents me, even with my clear conscience, I couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty…

“Yes, so don’t worry. I understand. Rumors that the Monster Parade happened because one person left their post—that’s nonsense.”

I feel like an apology is about to spill out of me involuntarily. That’s probably a fact…!!!

I did run away because my life and Ira’s were precious, but in the end, he was injured in Ponia and lost his colleagues.

A ranger who abandoned his post.

Honestly, if a major company collapsed because one slave cog in the machine was missing, that would be the company’s fault. But I was quite a significant cog responsible for the end of an episode.

In other words, I think he’d be justified in saying a word of resentment. Yet Devil smiled kindly and continued his story.

“Still, I remember you recommending Aigram that day. Now I’ve survived and come to fill a vacancy as Guild Master. How about it? Does it suit me?”

“Yes. It suits you well.”

“Hehehe. Right? Plus, with these lines drawn on my face. It adds more gravitas at my age.”

He poked at the scar on his cheek with his finger and continued his story.

“Anyway, gravitas aside, I’m getting on in years now. I came down to this peaceful town of Aigram, which I heard has excellent casinos, but good grief, there’s no end to the work here either.”

“Come to think of it, you’re the Guild Master, but it seems you just returned from a distant request?”

Miho tilted her head and asked on my behalf, and he nodded in response.

“It’s quite absurd, really. Do you know that undead have been rampant near Aigram lately?”

“Yes. We encountered a wraith on our way here.”

“Hmm? A wraith? Ah, perhaps the one from the border area?”

“Huh? How did you…”

“Well, the reason I couldn’t return sooner was because I had to make another trip to deal with that situation. Good grief. I heard all the adventurers in that area were beaten badly, and they were short-handed…”

Miho and I couldn’t help but flinch at his next words.

Good heavens, the wraith we reported—the Guild Master, Devil, was returning from subjugating it?

Moreover, he says he had just come back from handling a request about ghouls that appeared en masse due to a lich elsewhere, and then made another detour because of the wraith we reported.

The reason was, as he said, because I had beaten up all the adventurers and guards in that village.

Ugh. Those bastards all deserved it and beating them up was definitely justified, but I feel bad for making Devil work extra.

But wait, a lich? That’s at least early level 200?! Is Devil actually someone from the game that I don’t remember? This is believable enough to think he might be a recruitable NPC or a deus ex machina!

“Hmm? Could it be…”

“Well, actually…”

While I was frantically pondering, Devil seemed to notice something and opened his mouth, and I slowly explained everything since I needed to talk about the incidents in Aigram anyway.

Meeting the wraith on the way from Neti, the human traffickers targeting Miho in the village where we went to report it.

How I smashed all those trash adventurers and guards.

And how I destroyed all the adventurers and guards involved in the kidnapping of beastkin, and finally how I beat up the elves too.

After hearing my story, Devil’s expression was literally “What kind of person is this?”

…Actually, I’d like to make that expression myself. Where on earth did someone like Devil come from?

“Ha, haha. I’ve become quite strong after surviving that fierce battle, but you alone killed two white-rank adventurers and eight elves?”

“Not alone. I did get help. Besides, I think taking down a lich by yourself is more impressive.”

“Nah, I took care of that one with holy attribute potions and help from nearby adventurers, so it’s not comparable. Well, after hearing your story, I understand. Payback, that trash I drove away. So he was up to no good after all.”

“…Huh? You drove him away, Guild Master?”

“Just call me uncle, that’s more comfortable for me. And yes, when I came here, he tried to give me a hard time as a white-rank adventurer even though I had become white-rank too. So I taught him a lesson.”

Oh. Did Devil really clean up that trash? And he’s white-rank?! I suppose there’s no reason for someone over level 200 to still be gray-rank. But still…

“Tsk, I made a mistake. I thought just pushing him away would be enough, but who knew he’d be doing such things in a nearby village. Since I’m new to being a Guild Master, I didn’t want to reduce useful manpower. I’ll have to be more careful from now on. Hey, beastkin miss?”

“Huh? Ah, yes?”

“I’m sorry. You suffered because I didn’t clean up properly.”

“No, no! It’s fine because Jack saved me!!”

He even bowed his head in sincere apology to Miho—he’s truly a proper adult of this era.

Wow. So this is what it means to be a decent person in a position of power? I can see why they made him Guild Master in his later years.

“So, what brings you here? Looking for a request? If it’s a profitable one, I could find…”

“No. Actually…”

I explained again. About Siltra’s current situation, and how the guild had summoned me.

“Hmm, the guild… Wait a minute. Deputy Guild Master!! Is the Deputy Guild Master here?!!”

“Yes!!”

Did his voice grow louder as his level increased? He shouted loudly and called for the glasses-wearing lady from earlier.

So she really was the Deputy Guild Master? But wasn’t she at the desk earlier?

“Deputy, why did you summon this friend?”

“Ah, well…”

Her explanation was this:

If the mayor had truly hired an adventurer for a confidential request, then all the events happening while the Guild Master was away might not actually be the mayor’s intention.

And if my skills were good, I might also help clean up the trash within the guild.

Hmm, but for that purpose, the summons said “demanding your presence.” What’s with that wording?

“Well… it was partly meant to threaten the mayor. It carried the meaning of a final notice if he was aware of the situation but ignoring it.”

“Hmm, I see. Well done. That is the guild’s duty. If people are being kidnapped and illegally trafficked right before our eyes, and the mayor isn’t taking action, the guild should apply pressure like that.”

“If that was the intention, don’t worry. The mayor is already working without sleep.”

So the reason the guild forcibly summoned me was as an SOS signal.

Then, is this matter settled? After confirming that there was no problem since I had reported everything to Devil, I stood up from my seat.

Now for the real problem of dealing with Siltra…

“Ah, wait a moment!!”

“Yes?”

“Um, Guild Master?”

“Hmm?”

The Deputy Guild Master lady stopped me and carefully handed a document to the uncle, who read it with a serious expression.

Hmm? What’s this?

“You.”

“Yes?”

“When was the last time you took on a request?”

“Uh, um. What? Probably… last year…?”

At my answer, he rubbed his forehead, which was showing more empty space due to his age, and the Deputy Guild Master beside him also looked restless. What’s going on?

“…At this rate, your adventurer rank will drop. No, if you don’t complete any requests this year, your adventurer ID will be revoked.”

Oh, shit. Wait a minute.

“I’m sorry. Even if we count the trash disposal as an official request, you still need to complete two more.”

Former ranger, gold-rank adventurer Jack. Rank demotion = unemployment…? This is actually quite serious.

Why do more tasks keep piling up the more I try to get things done? This is driving me crazy!