Chapter 159: Nostalgic Journey

With a clattering sound, several carriages advance.

“Ah-, my butt hurts. We could reach the town in a flash if we flew, you know.”

“It’s an escort request this time, so it can’t be helped, right?”

Mina is rebuking Jairo, who is complaining about his butt hurting from the carriage’s vibrations.

Yes, this time we were doing a merchant caravan escort job.

“Jairo, at times like that, it gets a little better if you cast Body Enhancement Magic on your butt.”

“Seriously!? Hmph! …Ah, it’s true, it doesn’t hurt!”

Jairo, whose butt stopped hurting, instantly gets in a good mood.

“Man, we should’ve done this from the start. Tell me sooner, Big Bro-.”

“Pfft, giggle.”

Everyone around begins to leak small laughs at the good-humored Jairo.

“What’s with you guys? What are you laughing at?”

“B-Because, your bottom, your butt is glowing.”

“Huh?”

Pointed out by Mina, when Jairo looks at his own butt, there was his butt shining brightly like a firefly.

“What is thiiiiiiis!?”

“The technique of partially casting Body Enhancement Magic is good because you can use magic power efficiently, but depending on the body part, the appearance ends up a bit like that like this, you see.”

“Wait, if you knew, tell me immediatelyyyy!”

“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean any harm.”

The masters around me were so good at handling magic power that even when they used partial Body Enhancement Magic, they wouldn’t let others detect it.

So I unintentionally forgot about that.

“Kukuku, but since your butt stopped hurting, you have to thank Rex, Jairo.”

Perhaps it’s too funny, Mina‘s voice is squeaking… or rather, she’s not hiding it at all.

“If you weaken the Body Enhancement Magic more and thin out the concentration of magic power, it will become less noticeable.”

“O-Oh… ow! A little stronger… Ah crap, it glowed!”

Jairo adjusts the magic power of the Body Enhancement Magic so his butt doesn’t glow, but it doesn’t go quite well, repeating glowing and not glowing.

“I see, this also serves as magic training.”

Watching that scene, Norb also activates Body Enhancement Magic, making his butt glow faintly.

Norb‘s butt glow is weaker than Jairo‘s butt glow, so it doesn’t seem to stand out much in broad daylight.

“This is quite difficult, isn’t it.”

“Yeah, if you lose focus, your butt shines brightly like Jairo‘s.”

“Don’t say it like my butt is always shining!”

Jairo is indignant at the words of Liliera and the others who similarly started using Body Enhancement Magic on their butts.

Everyone’s butts were hurting too, huh.

“You guys, don’t do stupid things and keep a proper watch on the surroundings.”

As expected of a mage, Mina‘s butt was hardly glowing.

At that level, it probably wouldn’t even be noticed at night.

Even so, I’m glad everyone is back to normal.

After Meguri was freed from her role as Lady Idola‘s body double, everyone was a little awkward, but as we fought the monsters attacking us on this escort request, everyone’s relationship gradually returned to normal.

By fighting together, the ill feelings toward each other are dissolved. That is a very wonderful thing.

“I guess this is because they are close friends from way back.”

“What’s wrong, Rex?”

Liliera calls out to me, who was immersed in deep emotion.

“No, I just thought having close friends is nice.”

Perhaps realizing the meaning of my words, Liliera turns her gaze to Jairo and the others and nods.

“Right, I don’t think that kind of thing is bad either.”

Due to problems with her family and home village, Liliera was never fixed in a single party.

So she probably has various thoughts regarding comrades who have been together for a long time like Jairo and the others.

“It would be nice if we could also become close friends beyond the framework of a party someday.”

“Right… eh? Close friends?”

“Yes, close friends.”

Since Liliera asked back about my words, I also restate it clearly.

“R-Right… close friends, close friends… hahaha, maybe saying that is an option too.”

“Yes, it’s nice, right! Comrades you can call close friends!”

“…What is this, it feels incredibly frustrating or something… ugh, I feel somehow foggy.”

It was at that moment.

“Everyone, they’re coming!”

When Mina raises her voice, everyone’s atmosphere changes in an instant.

And after a short while, we spotted the figures of a grotesque group blocking the road ahead.

“What the heck, orcs again!”

As Jairo said, what was blocking the highway was a group of orcs.

“Certainly, there are many orc attacks in this escort.”

“It’s not just the front! They’re coming from the left side and behind too!”

Mina, who was using detection magic, warns everyone and then directs her gaze at me.

Since I am also using detection magic, I nod back to indicate the detection results are the same.

Actually, when taking this request, Mina told me to leave the detection magic to her.

She asked me to watch over her because it serves as magic training, and above all, she can’t rely on me too much.

For that reason, I entrusted the role of detection to Mina on this journey.

I’m also using detection magic just in case, but that’s to confirm if there are any monsters Mina couldn’t detect, and to warn if, by any chance, a dangerous opponent approaches.

“Meguri and I will strike the enemies in front! Liliera-neesan take the side enemies, Mina watch the situation and provide cover! Big Bro and Norb defend the carriages!”

“Nn, leave it to me.”

“Understood.”

“Roger.”

“Got it.”

“Yes!”

Following Jairo‘s instructions, we head to intercept the monsters.

At the same time, the adventurers escorting the other carriages also began attacking the orc herd.

By the way, the reason Jairo didn’t order an interception for the rear was because our carriage was running at the front.

“The numbers are a bit large, but there are no higher species so we’re fine.”

Confirming that there were no higher species among the attacking orcs, I concentrate on defense and recovery.

Because, since I am an S-rank adventurer, if I actively participate in the request, the reward the merchants have to pay becomes too large.

That’s why I lowered the reward by making it a special condition where I basically only participate in defense and recovery.

Why did I take the request going through such trouble?

That’s because I received a certain nominated request from the Guild Master of the Royal Capital’s Adventurer’s Guild.

In other words, for us, this request is a dummy request to go accept that request.

For that reason, it connects to Mina‘s request from earlier.

I was worried if the merchants and other escort adventurers would be dissatisfied with me, an S-rank, not actively participating in the request, but they were rather pleased.

“Since an S-rank adventurer is present, we feel safe in case of an emergency.”

“With these conditions, we don’t get our jobs taken away, and we can rely on you in an emergency. Thanks to that, we can execute the request with peace of mind.”

Like this, they generally received my lack of active participation in attacking favorably.

“Alriiiight! We won, hell yeah!”

And without taking much time, Jairo and the others complete the repelling of the orcs.

“Man, easy win, easy win!”

Jairo, who scattered the orcs, came back holding many of the orcs’ subjugation proof parts in his hands.

“If we defeat this many, our promotion to B-rank is soon, isn’t it?”

“You’re getting too carried away as expected. If you get too cocky, you’ll go through a bitter experience.”

“Nn, Jairo should calm down a bit.”

“Indeed. If we steadily pile up requests, we’ll be able to get promoted eventually.”

“Tch, I know that.”

Rebuked by everyone, Jairo began to sulk.

“Now, now, even so, being able to win completely against a herd of orcs at C-rank is a big deal. When I was C-rank, I struggled much more even with comrades.”

Perhaps unable to just watch as expected, Liliera follows up for Jairo.

She also seems to have completely settled into the role of everyone’s older sister.

“Right, right! As expected of Liliera-neesan— ow ow ow!!”

“I told you to stop with the ‘neesan’, didn’t I.”

While saying such things, the cleanup after the battle is completed, and preparations to resume moving are finished.

“Even so, there are a lot of orcs this time. Did some herd get their territory taken by other monsters?”

“If so, we probably better report it to the Adventurer’s Guild.”

Just like Jairo and the others felt earlier, the parties of other adventurers also seem concerned about the abundance of orcs.

But coming up with the thought of reporting to the guild there makes them feel like veteran adventurers.

Not just defeating monsters, but thinking about the cause and furthermore not forgetting to report to the higher-ups just in case, is as expected.

I also need to become an adventurer who can move anticipating far ahead like that!

“Alriight, we’ll arrive at the town soon, so hang in there a little longer, everyoone!”

” ” “Ooooh!!” ” “

When the caravan leader raises his voice, the drivers also raise their voices, and the carriages begin to advance.

And after a short while, just as the leader said, the figure of the town came into view beyond the road.

“Ooh! How nostalgic!”

Jairo raises his voice at the sight of the town.

“Right, it hasn’t been that long, yet it feels nostalgic somehow.”

Yes, the town visible over there was exactly the town of Togai, which we used to use as a base.

$diamond$ Royal Capital Guild Master Uruz $diamond$

“Guild Master, the messengers of Marquis Citren and Count Melmarc have requested a meeting. The matter is regarding the S-rank adventurer involved in the resolution of the Rotten Earth.”

The Vice Guild Master announced, lining up numerous letters on my desk.

“Good grief, won’t those guys get tired of this already?”

I was getting thoroughly fed up with the messengers of the nobles who came day after day.

“It cannot be helped. You refused the hearing from the royal family in the name of protecting adventurers’ rights. Those who want to make the royal family owe them, those who want to obtain information kept secret even from the royal family, those who simply want to bring in an S-rank adventurer; their purposes vary, but their aim is all their own profit.”

“Haa, even though they’re guys who only have the ability to swarm around others’ profits, they’re full of motivation at times like this, so it’s unbearable.”

“Pests are like that.”

“Hah, if they’re treated the same as those guys, complaints would probably come from the pests!”

Escaping those brats under the pretext of a nominated request was the right answer after all.

Even those troublesome guys wouldn’t think an S-rank adventurer is out on a cheap escort job.

Because it’s famous among those in the know that this country’s S-rank adventurers base themselves in the Royal Capital.

It’s a waste, but I suppose I’ll let them operate in other towns until the heat dies down.

Well, just gotta endure until another disturbance occurs that draws the nobles’ interest.

In this day and age, such disturbances are surprisingly common… well, is it my imagination that it feels like those disturbances have increased since that brat came…

Having checked the contents of the letters the Vice Guild Master brought, I take out dozens of letters from my desk drawer and line them up on the desk.

All of them are letters on high-quality paper with only the handwriting being elegant.

“About 30 letters?”

“With this time, it’s 45 letters.”

I am fed up with that number.

“Good grief, aren’t the nobles all over the country making a move?”

“They are probably making a move. It means every faction is fully mobilizing even their lower-ranking nobles to demand the disclosure of information from the Adventurer’s Guild.”

“What do you think will happen if we accept?”

“Thinking it’s a lucky break, nobles will start poking their noses into the Adventurer’s Guild’s business even in unrelated matters from now on. Furthermore, complaints will flood in from adventurers saying the Royal Capital’s guild sold out adventurers’ freedom and pride to the nobles. In the worst case, the possibility is extremely high that pressure will come from adventurer’s guilds in other towns and other countries to dismantle the Royal Capital’s Adventurer’s Guild that has lost its adventurer’s pride.”

“What do you think will happen if that happens?”

I try asking the Vice Guild Master, who stated it indifferently, what will happen after that.

“With the disappearance of the Royal Capital’s Adventurer’s Guild, the defense around the Royal Capital will have to be covered by the Knight Order alone. If that happens, they will be very short-handed to exterminate the monsters that adventurers have been subjugating up until now, and distant villages will start being attacked by monsters one by one; in the worst case, villages will perish without anyone knowing. If that happens, tax revenue will drop, local lords will raise tax rates, and it’s only a matter of time before the people will suffer from heavy taxes.”

“In that case, how will the other adventurer’s guilds move?”

“They will probably start a power struggle among the other branches. If they botch it, there’s a high possibility that other countries will pull the strings behind the scenes by utilizing the power lust of the Guild Masters of each town.”

“It’ll end up like that after all, huh.”

The Adventurer’s Guild is a large organization spanning various countries.

Moreover, it’s an organization possessing the troublesome power to subjugate dangerous monsters that armies cannot lay a hand on.

But that also means it’s an organization that would become an unparalleled trump card if they could get it in their hands.

“Haa, when it gets to that point, it’s no longer an adventurer’s job.”

Is this what they call the negative effects of the Adventurer’s Guild growing too large?

“Can’t the Knight Order do anything about it?”

“They probably cannot. They will refuse, saying damage from low-rank monsters is not a job for the Knight Order to go out for, and in the case of dangerous monsters, they will say preparation is necessary, making their already heavy hips even heavier. Furthermore, since they receive a salary, they wouldn’t want to risk their lives for a job beyond their salary. It would be different if it were young knights with a desire to be heroes. …It’s only adventurers. The idiots who try to challenge dangerous monsters with a small number of people, risking their lives.”

But without those idiots, this country, no, this world won’t turn.

It’s unbearable because there are many idiots worse than those idiots who don’t understand that.

“That’s exactly why we have to protect the rights of those lovable idiots. So that those guys can concentrate on their own jobs.”

Right, adventurers have to be free.

Precisely because they are free, those guys will head anywhere in the world to risk their lives.

And that target doesn’t change whether they’re S-rank or F-rank.

“The Adventurer’s Guild is an organization to protect the rights of adventurers. Vice Guild Master! If those guys complain any more, threaten them saying we won’t accept requests from their territories!”

“I have already told them. ‘If you intend to infringe upon adventurers’ rights any further, we will withdraw the Adventurer’s Guild from your territories and the Adventurer’s Guild will not accept any requests from you in the future at all.’ And additionally, I also conveyed, ‘At that time, we will send letters from the guild stating it is because we could not endure the tyranny of the messengers you sent.'”

Saying so, the Vice Guild Master floats a dark, broad smile.

It seems this guy also couldn’t stomach their attitudes.

Well, noble retainers are mostly commoners, except for the servants of high-ranking nobles.

It’s natural to get pissed off when such guys give orders from above with an attitude as if they’re the nobles’ spokespeople.

“Kuku, threatening to tattle to their employers that they turned the Adventurer’s Guild into an enemy caused by the tyranny of you subordinates, that’s quite a cruel threat.”

“This level of threat is sufficient for small fry.”

Imagining the sight of those guys desperately persuading their bosses, my anger subsides just a little.

“Then all that’s left are the bosses… regarding that, it’ll end soon if we use this, huh.”

Saying so, what we looked at were the dozens of letters placed on the desk.

“The royal family has already backed out of this matter. If they knew their vassals were persistently making moves despite that, what would the royal family think?”

“Of course, thinking it’s a lucky break, they will punish the vassals who acted in bad faith, increase the royal family’s centripetal force, and then tighten control over the nobles.”

“Do you think the King read that far ahead and pulled back?”

“I think the possibility is high. In fact, the Prime Minister, who is close to the royal family, and his faction are not making a move on this matter. Well, it seems a lower-ranking noble of the Prime Minister’s faction is taking independent action, but that noble appears to be a spy connected to another faction. The Prime Minister will probably happily utilize this as well.”

“How do you even know information like that?”

When I muttered while exasperated, the Vice Guild Master floated a small smile.

Yes, yes, I won’t pry into that matter any further.

“Therefore, regarding this matter, if we wait a little longer, it will become quiet soon.”

“Well then, I guess we’ll just try our best a little longer.”

Good grief, the Giant Eater brat probably doesn’t even slightly think the Royal Capital is in a huge uproar behind the scenes.

“Good grief, becoming a big shot isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

“However, there are things you can protect precisely because you obtained status. Isn’t that right?”

“No doubt about it.”

We exchange broad smiles.

That’s how it is, brats.

We’ll take on the adults’ troublesome matters, so you guys go rampage freely.

Freely, like adventurers.

…Ah, no, please keep it in moderation after all.

If you make the disturbances any bigger than this, my body won’t hold out.