After-Story Chapter 43: Epilogue (Part 3) - Could This Be a Classic Trope?
“So, how was the adventure?” Juno asked with a gentle smile.
Luka looked slightly dissatisfied.
“How was it? It was… no yield, as usual. The island we investigated this time had no remaining indigenous Seadians and no traces of giant creatures.”
The requests Luka’s party accepted—or rather, the requests fundamentally and constantly issued to Ocean Adventurers—were primarily: [Discovery of Seadians potentially remaining in the Northern Hemisphere (and protection, if necessary)] and [Survey of uncharted areas for map and nautical chart creation].
Regarding the former, even if an adventurer was hired for another request, the following procedure was mandated if they encountered Seadians remaining in the Northern Hemisphere during their exploration, in order to avoid unnecessary chaos:
-
Report the discovery to the Guild.
-
Scout to determine if peaceful dialogue is possible.
-
2A) If hostile actions are taken → Fight back while retreating and report.
-
2B) If dialogue is possible → Verify if friendly relations can be established.
-
-
Endeavor to protect them as much as possible if immediate protection is necessary.
The protection of the indigenous Seadians was encouraged both from a humanitarian standpoint and from the practical perspective of acquiring the Northern Hemisphere knowledge and technology they possessed. It seemed there were no such Seadians on the island Luka’s party explored this time.
Regarding the latter, “traces of giant creatures” referred to monster-class colossal organisms like the Great Dark Water Serpent. The investigation for traces of these giant creatures was a matter of grave importance, second only to the protection of the indigenous Seadians. As evidence of this gravity, Juno admonished Luka.
“What are you talking about? The absence of traces of giant creatures is a yield.”
“Creating maps and nautical charts for uncharted areas requires a ‘Chukei.’ But a ‘Chukei’ cannot be dispatched unless the sea is secured. That’s why Ocean Adventurers are asked to conduct repeated surveys, isn’t it?”
“I… I know that, but…”
The “Chukei” Yuno referred to was formally called the Small Island-Type Survey Vessel (Chukei). This was a smaller version of the island-type aircraft carrier capable of carrying wyverns. However, the wyverns and their riders were unarmed, and the ship could only carry about ten wyverns at most. Its mission was solely to observe islands and sea areas from the air and convert the observations into maps and nautical charts. This was a small aircraft carrier for Northern Hemisphere surveys, jointly funded by the Southern Continent Union.
Of course, it could be operated as an aircraft carrier if it loaded wyvern riders, but maintaining an excessive military presence in the Northern Hemisphere constantly risked becoming a source of conflict over claims of interest. Therefore, they were fundamentally disarmed and strictly limited to the role of a survey vessel for map creation.
Precisely because these ships were unarmed, if they encountered a giant creature like the Great Dark Water Serpent, they would likely be sunk without any means of resistance. That’s why the area scheduled for deployment required meticulous surveying by Ocean Adventurers.
Incidentally, the Chukei was named by the former King of Friedonia, Souma, who took the name from Chukei-san, the nickname of the famous mapmaker Ino Tadataka… but this fact was meaningless to the people of this world.
Luka sighed again. “Hah…”
“It’s just… this isn’t what I imagined. Ocean Adventurers are supposed to be more, well, you know… going into the unknown, exploring ruins, getting tons of treasure, or running into new types of monsters and having a close shave… something like that?”
“You, of all people…”
“Also, returning exhausted to the Guild and being greeted by the beautiful receptionist’s smiling face.”
“The beautiful receptionist is greeting you, isn’t she?”
“Well, Mom, you’re not exactly a Jō (Maiden/Young Lady) anymore—(Slam!) Eek!?”
A dagger materialized from nowhere and slammed into the counter separating Luka and Juno. Juno was smiling, but there was a strange intensity to her grin, causing the frightened Misha to furtively hide behind Luka, using him as a shield.
Yuno said, “Honestly, you child…” as she pulled out the dagger and slipped it back into her pocket as if nothing had happened.
“I’m still a popular receptionist, you know? Younger boys even invite me out, asking, ‘Would you care to join me for a meal sometime?’ Of course, when I show them my ring and say, ‘I’m afraid I have a husband and children,’ they sheepishly leave.”
Saying this, Juno flashed the ring on her left ring finger. Indeed, whether due to her natural constitution or perhaps having learned the secrets of anti-aging from Liscia and the others (especially Excel and Elisha), Yuno looked young enough to pass for her late twenties. While complex for her son Luka, she might appear as a “Beautiful Receptionist” or a “Thoughtful Older Woman” to the novice Ocean Adventurers visiting the area for the first time.
…Of course, anyone who fell in love with such a Juno would be utterly sunk by the double punch of “She’s married” and “She has a son who is around fifteen.” A dangerous woman, indeed.
“Mother Juno is cute and beautiful, is that,” Misha said, peeking out from behind Luka.
“Oh, thank you, Misha-chan,” Juno replied, clearly pleased.
“Honestly… my daughter is so cute and honest, so why is my son so twisted?”
When Juno shot a glance at Luka, he just shrugged.
“Ha ha ha. Like mother, like son, wouldn’t you say?”
“Oh my, does this require ‘education’?”
“You should consider your age, too. I’m not going to be an easy target forever, you know.”
Luka and Juno were skillfully glaring at each other with smiles. In the end, they were simply two peas in a pod. Since this kind of parental squabble was routine, Misha sighed with an exasperated look and silently moved away from the two. Unaware of her departure, the two continued their argument.
“First of all, Luka, stop complaining about your ideals not matching reality. Adventurers in my time were seen as ‘handymen’ or ‘one step short of thugs,’ and their social status was low. Compared to that, you should realize you are blessed enough to only have to chase romance.”
“Don’t bring up the past… that’s so old lady.”
“Oh? You say that even though you have a ship thanks to this ‘old lady’s’ connections?”
“Guh… I am grateful for that, but…”
“If you get too cheeky, I’ll contact Mughal-san, you know?”
“Y-You dare mention Master’s name!? That’s cowardly!”
It seemed this argument was also likely to end with Juno’s overwhelming victory. Given the difference in life experience and connections, it would probably be impossible for Luka to win an argument against Juno in his lifetime.
However, just as the two were engrossed in their argument…
“Huh? Why is a brat like this here?”
Three large, clearly ill-mannered men were glaring at Misha, who was standing a short distance away. Although the men were muscular and looked strong, their leather armor was worn and showed signs of deterioration. One could guess they were probably demobilized mercenaries who had drifted North after the Southern Hemisphere became peaceful.
“Is this kid a Dark Elf?”
“She’s got a cute face. Looks like she’d fetch a high price if we caught her, huh?”
“Hey, hey, stop that, guys. We’re inside the Guild, you know?”
One of the men tried to stop his two companions, but he was grinning, showing he was just as dismissive of Misha.
In that instant, the air inside the Guild grew instantly cold. The beautiful receptionist “Juno-san” and her daughter (?) “Misha-chan,” whom the Guild proudly claimed, were idols to the Ocean Adventurers, their daily source of comfort, and were regarded as flowers to be cherished from a distance—so much so that even their family member, Luka, was an object of jealousy.
If anyone tried to lay a finger on either of them, they might as well consider almost every Ocean Adventurer using this Guild their enemy. In fact, the adventurers drinking in the tavern area heard the “fetch a high price” remark: some finished their wine in one gulp, some set down the skewers they were about to eat, and others reached for the hilts of the weapons propped against their tables.
The trio, who seemed completely oblivious to the explosive atmosphere in the Guild, must have been newcomers.
“Hey, little girl. Bad guys might snatch you if you’re standing here, you know?”
“Say, if the daughter is this beautiful, the mother must be even better-looking, huh?”
“Ooh, that sounds nice. I’d love to get close to her. Why don’t you introduce us~?”
“…”
Misha continued to ignore them, but the trio persisted in harassing her. As the adventurers laughed loudly and the temperature of the Guild air continued to drop, the Guild staff, aside from Yuno, turned pale. In contrast, there was one space where the perceived temperature was rapidly rising: the area around Luka and Yuno.
Luka, who had been arguing with Yuno moments before, asked her with a serious expression:
“…Hey, Mom.”
“What?”
“Can you handle the ‘aftermath’ properly?”
“Leave it to me. No matter what happens now, we Guild staff will ‘have seen nothing.’“
The two quietly nodded to each other. Sensing their mood, the Guild staff “all cleared the area at once,” and the adventurers in the tavern space moved their tables far away from the trio. Meanwhile, the three men continued to pester Misha.
“Hey, little girl, if you won’t disappear, then introduce us to your mother.”
“…I have no intention of introducing my Mama to you.”
“Oho, quite spirited, aren’t you? It looks like we’ll have to make your mother apologize for her daughter’s misbehavior.”
As the men grinned, Misha reached for the handle of the hammer on her back, seemingly reaching her limit of patience…
Right then.
“Yeah, sorry, Ossan-tachi (Old Guys). Could you please stop bothering my little sister?”
Luka smoothly stepped between Misha and the trio. He spoke to the men with a fixed, pasted-on smile.
“If you make my little sister angry, it might be fatal, you know?”
