by Funa
“Aha ha ha ha ha ha…”
Weak, empty laughter spilled forth from the Crimson Vow.
The Crimson Vow were a bit surprised. The suspicion that the lord was not such a bad person after all began to cross their minds. Well, whether it was correct to call that a “suspicion” was uncertain.
At the very least, the reinforcement he had sent out wasn’t just an observer, but truly his greatest trump card, dispatched just in time. And he had distributed the mage’s wages to the victims of the wyvern attacks, along with other sorts of things a noble wouldn’t normally do. The mage, who had only been sentenced to work instead of punishment, didn’t deserve wages in the first place, so perhaps it had been a decision made with some regard for the victims after all.
Plus, it seemed he had still given the mage and Chelsea enough provisions to live comfortably, even though there was probably not a person around who would complain if a criminal and an orphan from the slums were treated as the lowest of the low.
Reina was the first to say it: “Could it be this lord is actually a pretty decent guy?”
“He did pay us pretty well last time…” Naturally, Pauline’s criteria for a “good person” was a little different from everyone else’s.
Well, no matter what, he had provided for everyone’s happiness in one way or another. That was a splendid thing.
While they talked, Lobreth’s injuries were, eventually, completely healed. This was of little surprise, as he had three talented mages—Mile, Pauline, and Dr. Clairia—to heal him. With this much power on hand, they could probably bring someone back to life from even decapitation. If they weren’t brain-dead, that is.
“Oh, Dr. Clairia, why don’t you mount up with Chelsea and ride back to the capital ahead of us?” Mile suggested. “It would be better to get a report back to them before any soldiers or messengers are sent out from the capital, wouldn’t it? In which case, it would be best to get the information to the guild or the lord first.”
“Whuh? Huhhh?” Clairia appeared unsettled by Mile’s proposal. She had hoped to remain by Mile’s side and uncover her secrets.
But she would admit she really wanted to fly through the sky! She might never get another chance like this in her entire life!
On the other hand, flying also sounded super scary!
That said, she had accepted a job, and she had a duty to deliver the information as quickly as possible. The lord was probably already preparing his soldiers, without waiting for word from the palace.
A whirlpool of feelings spun around her head. It was impossible to collect her thoughts.
“B-but, won’t Lobreth hate that…?” Somehow, this was the only reply Dr. Clairia could muster.
“Lobreth, you’ll be fine, right? You’d be happy to let her ride, wouldn’t you?” Mile said with a grin.
Lobreth’s head bobbed up and down, like a broken toy.
After uncertainly flapping his healed wing a number of times, Lobreth finally accepted that it was better. He calmed down, then took off, with Chelsea and Dr. Clairia upon his back.
Before they departed, the scholar conferred with the others to decide who should receive what information.
Of course, the three elder dragons, standing silently nearby, heard this, so they should have understood the humans intended to tell their employer the truth, but with some intentional omissions, so as to lower the possibility of inciting a conflict.
There was still a chance that, as elder dragons continued to investigate ruins with beastfolk and demons as their proxies, someday, somewhere, a conflict would arise with them and humans, dwarves, or elves. However, that would be a matter for whoever was involved at that time. The Crimson Vow were by no means obligated to be part of every quarrel everywhere. They hadn’t signed any such contract, after all.
That was something some other hunter or hero might take on. Probably for a nice sum of coins or the hand of a princess.
Without being hired to do so, any more needless meddling or confiscation would be unforgivable.
“Well then, it’s time for us to really get going. The Crimson Vow’s job is complete! Time to return to the capital!”
“Yeah!!!”
Now that Dr. Clairia wasn’t around, the reply to Reina’s decree was perfectly unanimous. Thus the Crimson Vow set out for the capital, leaving behind the three elder dragons, who watched silently as the girls walked away.
“Berdetice…” Shelala said softly.
“What?” Berdetice replied.
“Are you sure we can’t follow them?”
“Bwha?! Wh-what are you saying?!”
“I know we can’t, I was just asking.”
“…I see.”
However, Berdetice got the feeling he knew why Shelala was asking that. It was because, by some small degree, he felt the same way. Somehow he knew that if they traveled with those girls, their days would never be boring again, at least not as long as they were together.
Indeed, though their lifespans were nothing compared to the nanomachines, elder dragons lived for quite a long time and so were rather prone to boredom.
Chapter 36:
Worries
“Now our report to the guild is going to be exactly as we discussed. Dr. Clairia already made a report to the lord, so there’s probably no need for us to do another one. Us making a report to the guild is really just for the sake of appearances. The guild master was probably present when she made her report, after all,” Reina mused as they walked. The others nodded in agreement.
The report to be given to the lord, as established during their prior discussion with Dr. Clairia (while the three elder dragons listened; Chelsea having excused herself to check on Lobreth’s condition), was as followed:
The beastpeople were excavating ruins on the order of the elder dragons. This was being done for the sake of the elder dragons’ research. The beastfolk were operating out of a sense of obligation
to the dragons and working for scant pay, so they had no intention of actually invading the territory.
The ruins consisted of nothing but a number of long-abandoned stone buildings, some with fantastic murals inside. As the site was deemed a “miss” by the elder dragons, the beastfolk were already making preparations to withdraw. Even if soldiers headed to the site now, they would likely find no one there.
At first, the hired hunters were discovered by the beastmen and a fight erupted, which was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the elder dragons. They then returned all the equipment previously taken from the investigation team.
At the very least, nothing in the report was untrue.
They merely neglected to mention that the skirmish between their party and the beastmen and dragons had been an all-out battle.
Even if they told the truth, all it would do was stir up fear and suspicion among humans. In any case, there wasn’t a soul who would believe that four young girls had gone toe-to-toe with dozens of beastmen and three elder dragons—and won.
If they handled this poorly, there was a chance they would be labeled liars, accused of not going to the site at all and making up tall tales. They might not get paid, if that happened. It wouldn’t matter what endorsement Dr. Clairia gave, either. The professor herself might be denied pay and called a liar as well, which would be a huge blow to her reputation.
And if someone did believe their full report, it would undoubtedly open up a whole new can of worms.
Four young girls who could win against scores of beastmen and three elder dragons without backup?
They would be hounded. By the people here and everywhere else.
Thankfully, Chelsea hadn’t seen the battle after her untimely descent. Even before the fall, she was merely in transit, surveying the forests while pretending that the wyvern was alone. When she happened to spy some human girls being attacked by a dragon, she immediately swooped into action. So, she hadn’t really seen anything at all. When they told her (after the fact) that it was a mere misunderstanding that was
being resolved, she had no choice but to say, “Oh, I see.”
However, it would be cruel to pretend her contributions hadn’t bought them the time they needed for their victory, so the Crimson Vow vowed to themselves that someday, somehow, they would return the favor.
Dr. Clairia, meanwhile, chose to prioritize the tenuous relations between the races over her obligation to her client—and understandably so. If the humans were drawn into a full-blown war, there was a chance that the elves could be caught up in it as well.
Plus, the scholar, whose age was several-fold (or perhaps several tens of fold) what it appeared, had some knowledge of hunter customs. Naturally, among those was: “Outside of those with criminal pasts, asking about or disclosing the background and abilities of another hunter is taboo. It is one of the lowest acts someone, even a civilian can commit. If the offender is a civilian, the Hunters’ Guild will never accept a request from that person again. Furthermore, depending on the circumstances, there had been reported cases where, after a civilian disclosed such information, one would hear whispers such as, ‘No one has heard from them again since that day.’”
She wasn’t keen on making an enemy of the Crimson Vow in the least.
“By the way, Mile, just how did you defeat those elder dragons?”
Naturally, those hunter customs didn’t apply to one’s party members. Without knowing each others’ true abilities, it was impossible to properly coordinate tactics, after all. Plus allowing someone into the party who didn’t have total faith in the group wasn’t something a sensible hunter would do.
Thus, Reina asked Mile, to which Mile replied: “It’s an old family secret!”
The other three stared silently.
Crap, they’re on to me! Even Mile was aware of that much.
“U-um, you see, there’s this thing known as ‘strength in a crisis.’”
Mile then explained how the human mind and body harnessed latent abilities of magic and strength in times of crisis.
The others still seemed unconvinced, so she explained it another way.
“Look, Reina, I know you’ve experienced something like this, too! Like when you were a child and you defeated those bandits!”
“Oh…” It seemed they were getting it.
“And Mavis, your True Godspeed Blade. That’s an ability you’ve trained to harness one hundred percent of your physical capabilities. In other words, you’re consciously putting yourself into that state of crisis!”
“Oh!” Now they really were getting it! Just one more strike!
“Now, this ‘strength in a crisis’ is when you summon latent abilities that you normally can’t consciously harness, but just the same, there’s also such a thing as ‘ridiculous strength in a crisis.’
“The difference is that while the normal crisis burst comes from unleashing the strength that you possessed all along, this other mode is when you summon strength you never had nor could have had. The source of this excess power has yet to be explained, but there are many instances where this phenomenon occurs, such as standing in the way of an enemy to protect one’s friends from harm. This power could also be thought of as ‘the power of friendship.’ The burning emotions of wanting to shield your friends with your own life, to protect them no matter the cost, transform into a powerful energy and burst.”
“Ughhh, forget it!” Reina had decided questioning Mile was futile.
Reina didn’t dislike hearing that the power of their friendship was what brought about victory, given that not only Mile but also Mavis had shown this miraculous strength. She’d admit there could be no other sensible explanation.
Checkmate!
Like the god of a brand-new world, Mile looked over her creation with a wicked grin.
Little did she realize that removing her self-limiters and “getting serious” so she could defeat three elder dragons was already well beyond the bounds of common sense.
***
“…And that’s the sum of it.”
The Crimson Vow had returned to the Helmont City branch of the Hunters’ Guild and gone immediately to the guild master’s office on the second floor. As always, Mile gave the report. The guild master listened and gave a deep nod.
“Hrm, yes, I’ve already heard the details from Dr. Clairia. Everything you’ve said lines up, so there’s no problems there. I’ve already calculated and requested your pay from our lord as well, based on Dr. Clairia’s testimony. Here you go.”
With that, the guild master pulled a sack from his drawer and placed it on the table with a thud.
“Whoooooooooaaaaa!!!” The four girls were stunned.
The sack contained an astounding 200 gold pieces! In terms of modern day Japanese money, it was the equivalent of 20 million yen.
If the four of them lived the way they always did, and replaced all the clothing and gear they had ruined in the current operation, and even splurged a bit, that amount would still sustain them for a year and then some. If they lived modestly, they could probably stretch that to two years. Even if Reina and Mile’s ravenous appetites ended up depleting it a bit faster, it was still an impressive sum.
In truth, given they had made demands of elder dragons and beastfolk, and defended the territory, the reward was only proper. No, it probably should have been even more. In fact, it wouldn’t be strange for them to receive an additional reward from the Crown.
However, according to their report, the dragons and beastfolk had no intention of invading to begin with, and all the girls had done was have a conversation with them. Thinking of it that way, this reward was actually exceptionally generous, a gift from some very deep pockets.
“There was a message from the lord, as well: ‘That was a great feat.’ That is all.”
“Well that’s awfully grandiose…” Mile mused.
“No, I’m sure he really is great!” Mavis cut in.
The guild master added, “Our lord possesses every one of the loathsome traits that comes with being a noble, but he really isn’t such a bad person.”
So you’re saying he is a pretty bad person, then!!!
The four suddenly couldn’t help but think that the guild master truly despised the lord after all.
“In any case, it’s been ten years since our lord has directly offered his thanks to a commoner, the last one being someone who risked their life to protect the lord’s child. So please accept the acknowledgment.”
The request wasn’t truly off-putting. The lord had supplied them with a very generous reward, and he had furnished them with Lobreth, his military’s secret weapon, without hesitation.
It was probably only to give the wyvern combat experience, but it meant he valued the four enough to send out both wyvern and rider before they had had sufficient practice to be of use.
“Understood. In that case, we humbly accept your lord’s thanks. Please convey that to the man himself,” said Reina.
The guild master appeared relieved. “Thanks. You’ve done me a great favor in saying so.”
As there was no need for the Crimson Vow to make another direct report, once they were through, they headed to the guildhall’s first floor. They wanted to check whether there were upcoming escort requests for caravans headed to the capital.
Thankfully, there was one small-time merchant group seeking an escort, so a guild employee got the party in contact with their liaison, who was happy to have them along.
News of the incident had yet to spread, but it seemed the merchant had heard of their previous exploits. Had he not, he and the others would have been uneasy at the idea of having four young girls along.
At any rate, this meant they would get to ride instead of walk, as well as earn a little money along the way.
The merchants were already on standby to leave, of course, so they would depart first thing the next morning.
***
“This is delicious!! My how Lady Luck has shined on me to bring such wonderful guards my way!” The merchant was over the moon with Mile’s coo
king.
“Oh, please!”
True to form, they had been on the verge of receiving the standard travel menu of cheap, light, and non-perishable hardtack and reconstituted powdered vegetable soup. To bypass that, Mile hunted a few boars and treated everyone to a hot, fresh meal.
She didn’t use anything from her inventory. If she had, everyone would have started seeing her as their larder. The hunting had been “in the line of duty,” so she had no qualms with offering some to the merchants’ party as well.
Even more luckily, the merchants had told them, “We can’t just take advantage of you. We’ll pay you a little extra for this,” so doing so increased their income for the job.
There was no need to economize their water either. Everyone could have as much as they pleased. Such a comfortable journey was incredibly rare, according to the merchants.
There were four wagons, with one merchant in each. They were a ragtag bunch who couldn’t afford drivers, so each drove his own cart himself. Along with the Crimson Vow, the traveling party had eight people in total.
A portion of the cargo from the lead wagon had been distributed among the other three so the Crimson Vow could ride. It was important they were at the vanguard, should a situation arise, so they weren’t about to split them all up between the wagons. Positioned like that, their reactions might be delayed and their party uncoordinated.
Plus, if they were all split up, they couldn’t talk to one another. They would get bored. To be stuck alone in a wagon all the way to the capital would be unforgiveable.
The journey back to the capital was a favorable one.
Or at least, it was, so long as you ignored the conflict in the heart of the Crimson Vow, who watched Mile descend into deep thought from time to time, but decided not to question her about it. They let her be…
Mile, meanwhile, was quite vexed.
What should she do? Those images in the ruins…