Ch.188Again as an Adventurer

After finishing my conversation with Gerald Faulk and returning to my lodging, I found a message from the Moon Lake Pioneer Affairs Branch.

It read, “The verification of your submitted materials has been completed. Please visit the Pioneer Affairs Branch as soon as you confirm this message.”

“Oh, that’s good timing?”

“Indeed. It would have been troublesome if our detention request hadn’t been lifted soon, especially with Gerald’s commission.”

“That’s good, but I hope we won’t have newspaper reporters swarming around us like in Atelier. This is news on a completely different scale.”

“Certainly… we should consider that aspect as well.”

“Anyway, let’s head to the Pioneer Affairs Branch right away. We can’t do anything until we resolve this issue.”

When we arrived at the Pioneer Affairs Branch, we were immediately guided to a conference room at the back of the building. Soon after, the Moon Lake Pioneer Affairs Branch Director entered carrying a stack of documents.

“Welcome, everyone. You must have had a hard time being unable to leave the city due to the detention request.”

“It doesn’t matter. We enjoyed a leisurely vacation at the Swani Hotel. Is the authentication of the memoir complete?”

“The minimum verification, including handwriting analysis, has been completed. A complete verification would require more time, but we received special instructions from the Chief Director.”

“Special instructions?”

“The Chief Director personally vouches for the credibility of the materials you brought. He ordered us to withdraw the detention request and proceed with rewards and promotions as soon as the minimum verification was complete.”

“Heh, that’s quite generous.”

I thought it would take more time to verify something as significant as the Great Sage’s memoir, but thanks to Director Geronimo, it seems we won’t need to be stuck in Moon Lake any longer.

Having connections with important people really does pay off.

“And regarding how to handle this matter, I’ve prepared two options for you to choose from.”

Saying that, the director laid out the top two documents from the stack he was holding onto the table.

The documents outlined plans for how to proceed with the disclosure of information and recognition of contributions related to the Great Sage’s memoir.

“Let’s see. Option A involves disclosing everything through normal procedures and registering the five of us as the discoverers of the memoir. Option B is…”

“It reflects our contribution in the license evaluation but keeps the discoverers’ information anonymous. This has merit if we don’t want to be bothered like we were in Atelier.”

“I prefer option B.”

“Me too. It’s terrible not being able to go out freely because of pestering reporters.”

“I also think option B is better.”

“So everyone agrees on option B? Will too?”

“Yes. Considering our party’s characteristics, option A has far more demerits than merits.”

“Then we’ll proceed with option B, and I’ll deliver the results of your individual license evaluations.”

After getting Jessica’s signature on the document for option B as our leader, the director announced the evaluation results.

The reward for discovering the memoir was 3,000 gold.

This might seem low considering the historical value of the Great Sage’s memoir, but apparently, the Pioneer Affairs Headquarters’ basic policy for discovering relics or artifacts places more emphasis on license promotion than monetary compensation.

They say it would be a tremendous loss to pioneer society if those who discover great legacies received huge sums of money, retired as adventurers, and lived idly for the rest of their lives.

Hearing this made me realize just how exceptional the recruitment conditions offered by Director Geronimo had been.

All five of us had our Frontier License grades increased by one level.

Seti, Mina, Phyllis, and I not only rose from E to D but also came within reach of C grade.

The contribution recognized from this discovery was so significant that the differences between individual members’ standings became negligible.

Jessica’s Frontier License rose to B grade, earning her the title of “Senior Magician.”

A Senior Magician can not only work as an instructor at the Academy but also has the authority to access dangerous magic spells classified as “forbidden arts” by the Academy.

However, magicians who access forbidden arts must work as researchers at the Academy’s Institute for at least ten years, so she currently has absolutely no interest in them.

There was also lengthy talk about tax reductions, magic scroll creation, and benefits for providing spell formulas to the Academy as learning materials, but I couldn’t understand most of it, so I’ll skip that.

We proudly left the Pioneer Affairs Branch building with our newly updated Frontier License cards.

“Now that the detention request is over, let’s properly investigate the Silver Wolf tribe’s treasure.”

“Are we going to the Silver Wolf village?”

“Isn’t that the most straightforward approach? Even though we’ve been in Moon Lake for several days, we’ve only seen Silver Wolf people around their village.”

“Then let’s check out of the hotel and move the carriage to the public storage. We can’t keep an expensive hotel room while we’re investigating.”

“Ah~ Farewell to the soft hotel beds.”

And so ends our luxurious vacation at the upscale hotel.

Now it’s time to begin a new adventure based in Moon Lake.

“…So you’re asking about our Silver Wolf tribe’s treasure, the ‘Mark of the Emperor’?”

“Yes. It’s the first time I’ve heard the name, but that must be the treasure we’re looking for.”

After making preparations and visiting the Silver Wolf village, we were facing two Silver Wolf tribe members in the chief’s house.

The man wearing glasses and loose traditional clothing, with long whiskers growing below his chin, was the Silver Wolf tribe’s chief, “Thunder Claw” Gorda Lila Cyrus.

The muscular young Silver Wolf sitting right next to him, with a scar near his eye, was the chief’s son and bodyguard, “Iron Jaw” Cyrus Para Magra.

The epithets like Thunder Claw and Iron Jaw are nicknames given to Silver Wolf males who have been recognized for their prowess as warriors.

“Hmm… Do you know what kind of item this treasure is?”

“Actually, we don’t know anything. We just heard rumors about such an item and came to learn more details.”

“Is your purpose merely investigation, or do you intend to challenge the trial and obtain it?”

“To be honest, I am interested. It’s not like we’re stealing from others, and if it’s a treasure that can be obtained by proving one’s qualifications, wouldn’t any adventurer want to try for it?”

“Ha! A man who travels with four women says this now?”

Magra let out a derisive laugh at my answer.

What does traveling with four women have to do with coveting the Silver Wolf tribe’s treasure?

“What exactly is this Mark of the Emperor? I’d also like to know what kind of trial one must pass to obtain it.”

“If you wish to hear about that, the ladies must leave for a while. According to Silver Wolf rules, information about the Mark of the Emperor and the right to challenge the trial are granted only to men.”

“That’s hard to accept, but… if those are the rules, we have no choice. Where should we wait in the meantime?”

“Since you’ve come all this way as guests, we’ll offer you some refreshments. Magra, escort the ladies to the dining hall.”

“Are you sure, father? This man seems like a formidable gunslinger.”

“I can tell at a glance that he’s not here to cause harm. Stop arguing and get moving.”

“Fine. Ladies, please follow me.”

After Magra left the chief’s house with the four women, and once their footsteps had faded into the distance, Chief Cyrus cleared his throat and began his explanation.

“Before I explain, let me ask you one thing… Do you, as an adventurer, know how to use ‘Skills’?”

“Yes. I have a Skill that’s fairly useful in combat.”

“Then you must understand how greatly powerful Skills can provide an advantage in battle. The same is true for us Silver Wolves. We have a custom of recognizing those who possess powerful Skills as superior warriors and of superior bloodline.”

“Are Skills inherited genetically? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“It’s not proven. To you pioneers, it might seem unscientific and baseless superstition. But doesn’t everyone hope for exceptional children from exceptional parents?”

“Well… I can understand that.”

I’ve heard that the mechanism by which Skills awaken hasn’t been properly explained yet, but it seems the natives have developed their own superstitions or theories about Skills.

“What do you think is the best way for a man of superior bloodline to contribute to tribal society?”

“If we assume your hypothesis about Skills has credibility… I suppose it would be having many children.”

“Exactly right. Unlike the Aqua Kings or the Forest Cats, we Silver Wolves basically practice monogamy, but those recognized as having superior bloodlines are permitted to have multiple wives.”

“So polygamy is only allowed for those with powerful combat Skills? As a human, that’s difficult for me to relate to.”

“Of course, using only Skill awakening as a criterion is quite an old story. Now, even those without combat Skills but with exceptional prowess as warriors are given equal qualification—those who pass the Emperor’s Trial.”

“I see, and the Mark of the Emperor is the treasure given to those who pass this trial.”

The treasure that Gerald Faulk so desperately wanted turned out to be none other than a polygamy permit.

So that’s why Magra asked me earlier if I coveted the treasure while “traveling with four women.”

I’m relieved to know what the treasure is, but I’m worried whether Gerald Faulk will be satisfied with such an item and cooperate with Calliope’s interrogation.

“But why hide this from women? The moment a man marries multiple wives, the whole tribe would know he’s received the Mark of the Emperor and is of superior bloodline.”

“The Mark of the Emperor is not just a bloodline certificate. It has a distinct effect of its own.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“As someone with multiple companions, you must know that polygamy doesn’t always have only advantages for men, correct?”

“That’s true. For everyone to be happy together, the man’s role is important. Wait, did I mention I was in a relationship with multiple women?”

“The Silver Wolf tribe has the keenest sense of smell among beast-folk. When you all mix your scents so thoroughly on each other’s bodies, how could we not know? Hehehe…”

Chief Cyrus raised his pinky finger with a meaningful smile.

We did thoroughly mix our bodies last night, but we all washed up briefly this morning…

“Ahem. Anyway, a husband with multiple wives is expected to have many virtues. Mediating between wives, having the ability to support a family, combat skills to protect the family from external threats… these are practically proven by the time one obtains the Mark of the Emperor. But there’s another ability that’s considered extremely important.”

“What’s that?”

“What do you think it might be?”

Chief Cyrus grinned once more, this time making a gesture with his fist where his thumb protruded between his index and middle fingers.

Does that hand gesture mean the same thing in this world too?

“Wait a minute, so the Mark of the Emperor is actually…”

“If you find yourself struggling with three partners, perhaps you should try challenging for it? The secret elixir that has supported the pride of Silver Wolf men… I guarantee its effectiveness on my honor as Thunder Claw. Hehehe.”

…It’s a virility drug?!

Gerald Faulk, you rascal! So this is what you were after!