episode_0010

“Request for a specific adventurer? Well, that suits me just fine.”

I nodded and settled into the chair across from the receptionist.

In truth, it was rare, if not peculiar, for a request for a specific adventurer like myself to come in.

Why, you ask?

Well, when someone specifically requests an individual for a job, they typically choose someone with a renowned reputation. Even more so than a mere Iron-ranked adventurer.

“So, what’s the job about then?”

However, such doubts could wait until after hearing the details of the request.

First and foremost, it was important to listen to the story.

◆◆

According to the receptionist’s explanation, there are two types of specific requests.

There’s the literal meaning of a specific request, where a well-known adventurer is named for the job, and there’s the indirect specific request, where the guild selects a suitable candidate based on the client’s requirements and recommends them.

In my case, it was the latter.

It wasn’t that Hildera had been specifically requested; rather, I happened to be the only adventurer who fit the client’s criteria.

This was all thanks to the new mid-tier dungeon.

Most adventurers above Iron rank had already been drawn to that area, leaving no one else among the remaining forces who was suitable other than myself.

Of course, there were still those who were neither Iron nor Silver-ranked… but they were considered standby forces unsuitable for ordinary requests.

“It’s at the command of the lord. ‘In preparation for emergencies, maintain a certain number of forces at all times.’ That principle means the remaining individuals can’t move. They’re not allowed to move, even if they wanted to.”

…This was the first time I’d heard of such a principle.

The internal workings of the Adventurers’ Guild were nothing more than a trivial detail that didn’t need to be mentioned in the original work.

Regardless, since we couldn’t mobilize Iron-ranked adventurers, we had to form a party with just Iron-ranked adventurers…

“That’s just our circumstance, and the client won’t accept that, will they?”

Naturally, the client strongly objected.

Even if there were no other options, three Iron ranks wouldn’t cut it.

It was a difficult situation. If it had been a small village chief or an ordinary city resident, they could have brushed it off, but the client this time, even though they were just an apprentice, was a magician from Matap.

From the guild’s perspective, it was an extremely awkward situation. If it had been a wandering mage without affiliation to Matap, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but getting on the wrong side of a Matap-affiliated magician would have caused a lot of trouble and embarrassment.

The Matap people may talk big about being part of Matap, but in reality, they are just like a cartel. They monopolize the production and distribution of magical items such as potions and scrolls. They are the worst of the worst, raising prices through the roof the moment you defy them.

So when a Matap-affiliated apprentice mage raises objections, what can you do but respond with “it’s our policy, so deal with it”?

– Are we ignoring our apprentice? Are we disrespecting Matap? Want to taste a double-priced potion?

It was obvious that things would turn out like this.

…But then again, it’s not like they could go against the orders directly given by the lord. The staff at the request office could only sweat profusely and do nothing else.

At that moment, our receptionist stepped forward and skillfully persuaded the apprentice mage client. She strongly recommended Hilde, the strongest swordsman who easily cuts down even the toughest adventurers.

She praised Hilde, saying that although her hiring fee is at the level of a tough adventurer, her skills are definitely above first-rate, and her success rate in quests reaches an outstanding 90%.

It wasn’t a lie. She just omitted the explanation that the party death rate is as high as 40%.

“Um… is that really okay?”

It felt like she was selling a flawed product by hiding its drawbacks and emphasizing only its advantages, although it is my story after all.

“As long as Miss Hilde doesn’t cause any problems.”

In that case, there’s nothing to worry about. Unless she turns into a plunderer, unlike novice adventurers, a Matap-affiliated magician won’t turn into a marauder.

I’m not some bloodthirsty killer, and I don’t just dispose of perfectly fine party members for no reason. I only respond with justified defense to those who attack me.

…Although sometimes it might end up being excessive defense.

◆◆

After explaining the situation, the receptionist went on to describe the detailed request.

“The client is a novice sorceress named Amy. She needs adventurers to escort her while she clears a lower-level dungeon.”

Clearing a lower-level dungeon. It was an astonishingly ordinary request.

“Clearing a lower-level dungeon? Is that it? If that’s the case, there wouldn’t have been a need to attach such a high reward…”

There was no need for me to step up; with three seasoned adventurers, there would still be plenty left over.

“Oh, I see. They say there’s a high probability that a magical artifact is stored in the lowest level. In that case, the monsters in the dungeon are likely to be somewhat stronger than those in other lower-level dungeons due to the artifact’s magic influence.”

A dungeon where a magical artifact is stored.

In that case, it made sense. In the original work, dungeons where artifacts dropped tended to be slightly more difficult than other dungeons.

“The request itself seems fine… but what about the party composition? Surely it’s not just you and the client?”

If I were to answer like that, then I would have no choice but to refuse.

When exploring a dungeon, at least a 4-person party had to be formed, unlike when subduing wild monsters.

“Of course not. Do you really think I’d do that? I’ve already recruited a priest and a warrior. They’re both experienced, so you can rest assured.”

One priest and one warrior. It wasn’t a bad composition.

Being without an archer might make them somewhat vulnerable to ambushes, but in return, they could heal any injuries immediately.

“What are their names?”

“The priest’s name is Bolton. As for the warrior… um, Kikel Grek? Yes, Kikel Grek.”

“Kikel what?”

How could someone’s name be Kikel Grek?

Truly an eerie name.

Even if I didn’t know who he was, it seemed as though his parents must have been suffering from a severe flu when they named him.

“Kikel Grek. It’s quite an unusual name, isn’t it? Nevertheless, his experience is undeniable.”

The receptionist chuckled lightly and shrugged her shoulders.

Well, what did a name matter anyway? As long as skill and character were intact, that was all that mattered.

On days when I, a mere plunderer, only encountered human-level opponents, that alone was enough to satisfy me.

◆◆

…There was a time when I thought the same way.

The next morning, equipped for dungeon exploration, I headed to the commission office and met the priest and warrior who were waiting for me.

“Oh, are you Ms. Hilde by any chance? Nice to meet you. I’m Bolton,” said the priest of the Goddess Church, a neat-looking man with short brown hair and a clean-shaven face. He seemed to be in his early twenties. Around his neck, under the plain black priest’s robe, hung a steel adventurer’s badge and the rosary of the Goddess Church.

While one can only truly assess someone’s abilities and character over time, at least based on first impressions, he seemed to pass muster.

On the other hand, the warrior…

“Kakak!”

His laughter immediately set off alarm bells. His appearance only heightened my unease.

“Nice to meet you, human lady! I am Kikel Grek, a warrior from the Aden Marsh!”

“…Uh…”

Facing Kikel Grek, who introduced himself with a face that betrayed no emotion, I could do nothing but nod dumbly, having forgotten what to say. He appeared to be at least 180cm tall, with zigzag joints in his legs, scaly forearms with sharp claws, and to top it off, a horned face resembling a lizard.

I had never expected to encounter this race, a lizardman, especially not up north. Goodness, his name didn’t sound human at all, and indeed, he was far from being human. He was an unimaginable being.

“Lady, no greeting? Greetings are important. People kill people well. Therefore, one must live with courtesy!”

Feeling dazed and unable to comprehend, I found myself staring at his reptilian face as he extended his tongue and lectured me on manners while making a hissing sound at the end of each sentence. It was incredibly difficult to understand him due to the strange metallic undertone in his voice.

“Oh, I see. My apologies. It’s my first time seeing a lizardman.”

People should live with courtesy towards each other. This was an indisputable principle, so I simply apologized and nodded lightly.

“Steel-ranked inspection, Hilde here. Nice to meet you. Bolton, Mr. Kikel Grek.”

“This is the one I’m counting on.”

“It’s Kikel Grek!”

The lizardman insisted that his name was Kikel, not Kigel.

No, did he really demand a correction?

It was difficult to understand the intention behind his words, given his lizard-like face and peculiar manner of speaking.

“Oh, yes. K-Kikel Grek, sir.”

“Kak! Is human pronunciation difficult? I understand! I’m the same, human speech is difficult!”

Still, it seemed certain that the “kak” noise was some form of laughter.

“Kak! Kak!”

…Probably.

◆◆

As the apprentice mage we had commissioned hadn’t arrived at the guild yet, the three of us sat around the guild table, waiting for her, engaging in light conversation.

Though it was small talk, most of our questions revolved around equipment and combat styles rather than personal matters.

For instance—

“Bolton, are you aspiring to be a paladin by any chance?”

I pointed to the spear that Bolton held like a staff.

A priest with a spear was not just an uncommon combination but frankly a fundamentally unheard-of one.

However, if it were a paladin with a spear, that would be a different story. That’s a classic combination with a strong foundation.

“Haha, no, this is just for self-defense.”

Of course, Bolton wasn’t aspiring to be a paladin.

In fact, it was obvious. If he were, he would have been wearing armor. He wouldn’t be casually dressed in a simple priest’s robe like now.

Perhaps the spear he carried was just a precaution for situations where all his holy miracles were exhausted or in case of a sudden enemy ambush?

“Don’t priests usually carry maces as backup weapons?”

I asked.

When it came to a priest’s secondary weapon, it would naturally be a mace. Or perhaps no weapon at all.

“Haha. Isn’t a mace too brutal?”

Bolton replied with a smug smile.

“When I tried to guide a pickpocket with it, it didn’t look good when both eyeballs popped out. So, I switched to a spear.”

“Pardon?”

What kind of insane talk was that?

I looked at him with eyes that had lost the words to say.

It’s not a story to laugh about, is it?

Smashing a kid’s head with a mace just for pickpocketing? Just because he was going to steal?

This is insane.

If they were going to punish him for pickpocketing, they should have just cut off his wrists and be done with it. How could they just smash his head to pieces like that?

“Um… Wasn’t that punishment a bit excessive?”

Even from my perspective, living under strict control, it was beyond belief.

“It might seem so to you, Hilde. However, establishing the principles of the clergy is more important than secular law. It is the principle to crush the head of those who covet the possessions of a priest.”

Bolton spoke these words with a smile overflowing with compassion.

The principles are ruthlessly severe once again.

The fanatics of the Goddess Church are far more terrifying than the Matap Cartel. That statement seemed nothing short of the truth.