episode_0099

Official warrior.

Only Lucia, who did not know the value of that name, tilted her head.

I briefly started with the level of heroes and told them about temporary heroes and regular heroes.

“So you’re saying it’s quite a difficult task?”

“If I summarize it like that, it would be too shabby.”

It’s not quite difficult, it’s ‘a lot’ difficult.

If you want to proudly introduce yourself as a ‘hero’ somewhere, you have to be at least an official warrior.

It usually takes years, and there are quite a few people who give up after trying.

“Isn’t it too early…? .”

“That’s right… ! Haven’t we even experienced a D-grade dungeon yet? !”

“Well said. So, the dungeon we will go to this time is a D-grade dungeon.”

“Oh… .”

“But what changes when you become an official warrior?”

Lucia asked.

“First of all, you get a tax reduction.”

“Oh.”

“You can also get priority when purchasing land or buildings to settle somewhere within this empire. The imperial family sometimes pays a certain amount of dignity management fees every month.”

“Oh… .”

“When visiting a city or country, you might be welcomed if you announce your arrival in advance, right? Well, you have to be quite famous, and there are various conditions, such as the dignity management fee being cut off if you are inactive for a certain period of time.”

“Anyway, you are recognized as a great person, right? Socially.”

“Yes. And you become eligible to challenge higher level dungeons. From C-level dungeons and above, only regular warriors are eligible to conquer them. Of course, the price of magic stones also increases significantly.”

In addition to these things, people’s attitude towards you changes when they find out that you are an official warrior.

“Good. Ian, you think we can do it, right?”

“If I wasn’t going to be able to do it, I wouldn’t have brought it up. It would be more accurate to see the results of the three’s first collaboration.”

Unlike the other two, Lucia has no great illusions or expectations about being a hero.

Therefore, I was accepting this situation very calmly.

“Then let’s do it, well.”

Vivian and Helena were startled by the remark that there was something they couldn’t do.

“ If Ian is like that… .”

“I also trust Ian’s judgment… !”

It was decided that the three would take on the official warrior promotion exam.

It’s not something you can start right away.

Unlike temporary hero promotion exams that are held frequently, formal exams are held over a long period of time.

This is because we do not have a ‘test site’ like a dungeon for a temporary test.

Securing and managing dungeons that can be used for formal exams every year is one of the imperial family’s main duties.

If you submit your application now and wait for it to grow, I expect you will be able to take the exam at just the right time.

“Oh, by the way, Ian, maybe… .”

Lucia quietly approached me on the way out of the courtroom and whispered.

But, by chance, there was someone who came to see me in front of me.

Wolf Gang.

… And it was Grace.

Lucia, seeing the two, quietly took a step back.

“Ian! You’re leaving right away like this!”

“What should I do if I stay here?”

“Isn’t it time for you to promise a future with me? Isn’t that why I revealed my identity in front of people this time?”

“Why does that happen?”

“Hmm… .”

Grace glanced at the group behind her.

Among the group members facing each other awkwardly, Kati, who was at the end, glared straight at Grace.

I couldn’t see his eyes because he was wearing an eye patch, but he was definitely glaring at me.

“… Sigh! Suddenly it’s cold… . Hmm! Anyway, come on, get it!”

Grace handed over a bundle of documents.

“… What is it?”

“You’ll know it when you see it!”

I quickly flipped through the documents and skimmed through them.

… Ah, this was sorted out.

After finding “ myself, I thought of Ian and wanted to pass it on to you!”

Grace said triumphantly, putting her hands on her waist.

I looked at her and then glanced at Wolfgang.

Wolfgang just shrugged, pulling the corners of his mouth down.

‘… The military police found it.’

Still, the fact that Grace wanted to tell me this means that both the military police and Grace were considering my situation.

“I am very sorry, Princess.”

“You can call me Grace… .”

Grace, who whined once, spoke again.

“And. There will soon be an auction event for the Fiorene family’s loot.”

“… Auction?”

Behind him, Lucia muttered something about an auction.

“There are quite a few valuable items that were brought out after slaying traitors, including Lorenzo di Fiorene. Among them, there are things that Ian might like.”

… Artifact.

Come to think of it, among the artifacts Lorenzo owned, there was one I coveted.

This is the item I originally used during the second round.

In this third round, as the power of the imperial family grew stronger, several hidden dungeons were discovered early on, and the dungeon where the artifact was stored was attacked by Lorenzo.

“I will remember it well.”

“Are you coming?”

“Yes. Probably so.”

“Then, Grace will participate too! As a representative of the imperial family!”

“… … .”

“Then I’ll see you that day. Ian.”

Grace held the hem of her skirt, gently bent her knees, and bowed politely.

Instead, I just bowed down.

The Wolf Gang behind me greeted them with a light salute with their fingers, and I only greeted them with a glance.

“From the elf princess to the imperial princess. As expected, you have a special reputation, right?”

“There is a serious misunderstanding.”

Lucia followed suit and giggled.

“So, that’s right. It’s so popular, so what are you going to do in the future?”

Mercy also participated.

… The two somehow fit together well.

“Wha, what the princess said… That’s not true, right?”

Vivian asked cautiously.

“Of course. Didn’t you see my reaction?”

“Well, that’s right… . Since you are the princess, you never know… .”

“Not at all.”

“Whew… .”

Vivian and Helena breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.

Are you worried that I might throw away my job as a manager?

“Working as a manager is enough for me right now. I don’t have time for that.”

There is still a mountain of work to do in front of me.

It may be true that we are not in a position to do that in the first place.

“Time is not necessarily important… .”

“Yes?”

Vivian muttered something softly, but it was so quiet that I couldn’t hear it properly.

“Huh? ah! no! nothing. Hehe.”

And, Kati has been walking while looking at me intently.

‘Look ahead and walk.’

[I am wearing an eye patch, so it is logically impossible for me to see.]

‘… … .’

That makes logical sense.

“Oh, indeed. You know what I was going to say earlier.”

Lucia approached again.

“Yes.”

“Could you please find out where my mother is?”

After Lucia’s identity was revealed.

Lorenzo said that his father was dead and his mother was driven out of the County of Fiorene.

“If it doesn’t work out, it can’t be helped… . Even if it is a fact of survival… .”

It was natural for her to miss and worry about her family as she lived alone there.

“It turned out well.”

“… Yes?”

“Read.”

I handed Lucia the stack of documents I had received from Grace.

“… Ah.”

Lucia glanced over the documents and groaned softly.

It was about Lucia’s family’s residence.

It seems that the military police discovered it while investigating something that was left somewhere in Fiorene Castle.

Her mother was alive and well, and Fiorene had even figured out where they lived.

As I was about to leave the courthouse and board the carriage, a crowd of people gathered around me.

“Uh! It’s Philip!”

“Where? Where?”

“Hey, it’s Philip! His warriors are with him too!”

… It’s going to be a hassle in the future.

“Let’s get on quickly. Let’s get out of here quickly.”

We got out of there like we were running away.

*

First, we decided to stop by the village where Lucia’s mother is located.

The other party members readily accepted.

The closer I got to the village, the more I felt that it felt somehow familiar.

I guess it’s not just me.

I heard Vivian and Helena talking inside the carriage.

-Isn’t it right here…? ?

Vivian spoke carefully.

-I think that’s right. I came here before… .

Helena agreed.

When I arrived at the village, some nearby residents recognized me first.

“Huh? Those warriors who came last time… ?”

This farmhouse, which had no guards and was quite isolated from the city, seemed to have rare and welcome visitors.

It wasn’t long before several residents came out, starting with that person.

In addition to me, they also recognized Vivian and Helena who got out of the carriage.

“Uh! It’s that wizard from last time!”

“It’s Vivian! Helena is back too!”

This was a farmhouse near the acute dungeon where the cave lizards had poured out last time.

Lucia, who got off last, seemed taken aback by the welcoming atmosphere as she recognized Vivian and Helena.

Soon, he stopped when he saw one of the people welcoming him.

There was a girl and a couple there.

Lucia’s eyes were fixed on the girl’s mother.

The woman, who had been smiling and welcoming us with her child, also hardened her expression when she saw Lucia.

People also noticed that the atmosphere between the two was unusual.

In an awkward atmosphere, the woman spoke first.

“Lucy… ?”

“Mom… .”

“Lucy… !”

Lucia did not answer once more, but ran straight to her mother and hugged her.

Her back trembled slightly.

“Lucy… . Really, really Lucy… ?”

Lucia made no reply.

Since I can only see her back, I don’t know what kind of face she is making.

“Lucy… . How could you really… . Lucy… . I’m sorry, Mom, I was always sorry… .”

“It’s okay… Oh… .”

Lucia answered with difficulty and just hugged her without saying a word.

Vivian’s eyes blushed as she looked at that scene.

“Good job of becoming a warrior… .”

Helena also nodded next to her.

However, her expression looked both moved and complicated.

It’s always been like that these days.

Although he is normal when talking to his companions, he sometimes shows complex expressions like he does now.

It seems like a problem that needs to be resolved before the official exam… .

However, if it is the reason I think, it is difficult to approach it hastily and ask.

Because I am a person who is far from faith.

Mercy, like Vivian, was looking at Lucia with red eyes.

Kati was just calm.

Meanwhile, Lucia held her mother for a long time.

*

You could have stayed for a day, but Lucia didn’t.

There were many reasons.

First of all, her mother remarried.

I also gave birth to a new child.

“It would be uncomfortable if I were suddenly caught in the middle… . Since I know that you are alive and well, I am okay.”

She seemed to consider herself an uninvited guest.

“You can come visit me sometime later. And shouldn’t you become stronger one day sooner?”

Lucia looked at me and grinned.

“To help Ian.”

It wasn’t my intention, but solving the acute dungeon ended up saving her mother.

Lucia was very grateful for it.

“Thank you. Ian. Even in places I don’t know, you are saving me.”

So we moved straight to the next dungeon.

In the meantime, there was another commotion as they had to take out Galatea and Mallion, who were waiting in Supevia.

Because Vivian, Helena, and Lucia, as well as me, became famous, people kept following us.

All kinds of newsletters as well as bulletin boards talking about heroes were already filled with our stories.

With no choice, Katy and Mercy, who recognized them less, brought out Galatea and Marlion.

Since we had to go quite far from Superbia, I was anxious about leaving them behind.

After many twists and turns, we arrived at the dungeon entrance.

“… Where is the entrance?”

Vivian asked, leaning left and right.

Of course, what was visible in front was a cliff wall.

“Because it is a hidden dungeon, it is natural that it cannot be seen.”

“I see… .”

Now, even though I personally know this, I just move on.

Although this is a hidden dungeon, it is not where the hidden pieces are hidden.

Not all hidden dungeons contain such treasures.

It’s just that hidden dungeons have a slightly higher chance of that happening.

Getting in is simple.

The cross section of the cliff in front is an illusion, so just pass by.

So I tried to go right in… .

“Master.”

“Huh?”

Katy suddenly blocked my path.

While everyone in the group was confused by the sudden action, Kati took off her blindfold and looked at the ground.

“There are footprints.”

“Footprint?”

I followed her down the entrance.

It may not capture as much detail as Carti, but there were definitely a lot of footprints.

It’s not entirely impossible for someone to discover this place.

There are hidden dungeons like this all over the continent, and some of them were discovered by someone other than me.

“Someone didn’t just discover it. There are traces of people coming and going periodically, as if they had a living space inside.”

“Life?”

“Yes. There are also marks that look like they were made by a horse’s hoof, but they are smaller than those of a normal horse.”

“That means… .”

“Ma… . It seems like there is a prisoner.”

After correcting the name, Kati raised her head and looked at me.

Does this mean that a prisoner is living near or within here?

“No way… .”

Galatea muttered quietly behind her.

I recalled the conversation I had with Galatea a few days ago.

‘Could it be those guys?’

Kati turned her head and looked in the direction we had come from.

There was only a forest of grass sleeping in the dark.

Katy, looking somewhere in the darkness with cat eyes with dilated pupils, said.

“It’s nearby”