Point of Contact
Point of Contact
Adventurers were coarse.
Regardless of disposition, they had cast off legal obligations and protections, so they inevitably relied on outcomes through force, and it was common for them to become that way.
It was one of the most obvious examples where the fist was far closer than the law.
Guild Master Engrim looked down at the chaos on the first floor through the second-floor window and ruminated on that fact.
Mad Dog Eldmia Ega.
A man who, in less than two years, had carved his presence into the guild.
At first, he'd thought some lunatic who'd only be seen in the countryside had crawled into the capital.
When handling requests and administrative tasks, he displayed an attitude that was exceptionally reasonable and often even brimming with refinement, but the moment certain situations were involved, he flipped 180 degrees—so Engrim had considered it an extremely reasonable judgment.
"But was that really the case?"
When he'd heard that he was hanging around with the young noble lady of House Ogatorf, he'd merely thought he was a servant, but the reality was completely different.
The two he had seen yesterday were equals. Whether the young lady of Ogatorf expressed an opinion or Eldmia expressed an opinion, Engrim could clearly feel that it was merely mutual respect.
According to the investigation, Eldmia's records began in Ogwen. He was sending letters regularly, and based on information gathered by that branch, he was said to be an ordinary person with a very good reputation.
There were also unusual achievements to the point that stories came that made one wonder if such a thing was really possible at that age, so some thought he might be Ogatorf's illegitimate son, but Engrim was skeptical of that speculation.
Historically, even Ogatorf bastards were born with the family's distinctive eyes and hair. More importantly, the current head of the house, Ekaf, was one of the rare nobles who practiced restraint so thoroughly he'd practically become a monk.
Rather, it was highly likely they had discovered his talent and brought him in as a household member. Seeing this Pabaera incident, it was almost certain.
"He cut down all the Baera Mercenary Corps' key combatants one by one in a single blow..."
It was an event where as many as sixty adventurers had been mobilized.
For a request commissioned by a single noble, it had been enormous in scale. A simple after-action report might not have been enough, so the guild had secretly infiltrated one of its more capable members into the operation. The information gathered that way had been written up overnight and was already sitting on Engrim's desk.
-Clearly an aura user far stronger than he appears. His method seems to fall outside the conventional framework.
Even when that investigator had examined the Ogatorf heiress, the report had ended with: 'Undeniably a genius, but for now merely far ahead of her peers.' For the first time in quite a while, Engrim found himself doubting his own eyes.
But that assessment wasn't unconvincing either. The Baera Mercenary Corps was clearly a renowned mercenary corps on the battlefield. Given the level of the adventurers who had participated in this request, it wouldn't have been strange even if they had fallen into a trap and been annihilated.
Recalling the fresh shock he had felt then, Engrim focused again on the scene on the first floor.
"I-I'll crawl! Even if I have to crawl all the way to Mandeli Port, I'll never again... Aaargh!"
"H-Help! Fucking please help me!"
For adventurers, the fist was closer than the law. That was also a part encouraged by the guild.
The reasoning was that if the guild made sure no truly twisted person ended up at the top, adventurers would naturally establish order among themselves.
And in reality, that was how it was.
Just look at the thuggish adventurers Eldmia Ega had beaten badly enough to send to the temple—the same incidents that eventually earned him the name Mad Dog. Left unchecked, people like that would have dragged the guild's reputation through the mud.
The moment they recovered, some fled the capital and the rest started keeping their heads so low you barely knew they existed.
"From the way you're talking, I clearly didn't beat enough conviction into you. Get over here, asshole. I'll go easy on you."
"D-don't come any closer!"
Dantel's gang was the same. The type who didn't properly understand the profession of adventurer and ran wild relying only on their weapons. If Eldmia hadn't been there, they would have been troublesome guys for quite a long time.
Was all this really just eccentric behavior bordering on madness?
That was nonsense. There was clearly a pattern in Eldmia Ega's actions.
"I need to look into it more."
Engrim made his decision, fervently hoping that Eldmia was a talent suitable for the guild.
Living with a chronic shortage of capable people was exhausting.
◈
"I will never mess with Eldmia Ega."
"I will never mess with Eldmia Ega!!"
"This is my final mercy, I mean it. If you come back with even more gang members to get revenge, you'll cross the river to the underworld that very day. If you want to live long, make a good choice."
"We'll remember!!"
"Dantel, you son of a bitch, if I hear even one more rumor that you've acted up, be ready. I'll make you a eunuch."
"Sniff... I'll never dew it again, shir. I'll live a good life..."
Looking over the bastards I'd thoroughly wrecked, I actually felt a little of the pressure in my chest ease.
In my heart I wanted to beat them more, but I didn't want to draw any more spectators, so I decided to stop here.
"If you don't want to get hit more, get lost."
They really ran out like the wind.
The adventurers who had been going wild over the stimulating spectacle also scattered with satisfaction. As I approached the reception desk, giving a brief explanation to those who asked what had happened with those guys, the female receptionists who had been watching while snacking laughed and said,
"You beat the hell out of them. Bet that felt good!"
"I knew that son of a bitch would get what was coming to him someday!"
That bastard Dantel must have committed a lot of sins too. Since I didn't want to keep that bastard's name in my head any longer, I forced a smile and took out the letter I had diligently written yesterday.
"If I'd known the response would be this good, I should've beaten them sooner. I'd like to post a letter—could you help me?"
"Of course. Is it for Asilie in Ogwen again?"
Since I'd been sending them steadily for almost a year and a half, it was now second nature.
"I'll do it for free this time! Since you straightened out that punk Dantel's attitude, I should at least do this much."
"Wow. I wish a guy like that would show up every time I mail a letter."
After chatting briefly with the receptionists who answered my sincerity with laughter, I left the guild.
Since I'd been told to come back that evening, I needed to repair my equipment in the meantime...
"Sir Eldmia Ega?"
"Huh?"
Sir? Who would use such an archaic title on me?
With a dumbfounded expression, I turned my head toward the voice, and a woman who looked every bit like a soldier with rigid posture was watching me.
"Who are you?"
It was a face I'd never seen before. At a glance she was a warrior, and on closer inspection it wasn't hard to tell she was a knight, but no matter how I searched my memory, she didn't seem to have met me before.
"I am Renisa, a knight of Margrave of Levien. When I asked at the Ogatorf house, they said you'd be here."
"Oh."
Huh. So Ragnis had a knight in her service. Seeing the real thing felt quite strange. Come to think of it, I think she'd mentioned there were servants scattered across the battlefield for revenge, so maybe she was one of them.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Eldmia Ega. What business brings you here?"
"The Margrave wishes to see Sir Ega."
Being called Sir, Sir kept tickling me, but more importantly, the fact that Ragnis wanted to see me was what mattered.
It probably meant she had a moment to catch her breath and wanted to see my face for the first time in a while. Since the mansion where Ragnis was staying wasn't that far, I'd have plenty of time. Besides, Ragnis wouldn't be able to spare that much time either.
"Alright. But before that, I need to repair my equipment—could you go ahead and convey the message?"
"...Let's go together. The Margrave specifically told me to bring you together, so even if it's just to deliver the message, I don't think she'd be pleased if I returned alone."
What the hell? How did Ragnis treat her people for Renisa to be this nervous? Or was it simply because Ragnis was the Margrave?
"Well, if that's more comfortable for you. It won't take long anyway."
In any case, there was no reason for me to treat Ragnis's retainer rudely, so I offered a light courtesy and headed to the smithy as planned. I had no intention of maintaining an awkward conversation, and the knight who identified herself as Renisa felt the same, so only silence stretched between us. If it'd been my past life, such silence would have felt really awkward, but perhaps I'd changed as a person, because I didn't mind it at all.
But regardless of the silence, I couldn't help but notice that odd gaze sizing me up.
"Is there something you'd like to say?"
Since letting such a gaze go unheeded wasn't in my nature, I asked outright, and after a brief silence an answer came from behind.
"...It's nothing, but may I ask what your relationship with the Margrave is?"
"...Didn't Margrave of Levien really give you any other instructions?"
"No. She only said there was an Eldmia Ega at the Ogatorf estate and ordered me to escort him back."
The fact that I was Ragnis's benefactor wasn't publicly known, but if she sent someone on this errand, I'd consider her a close knight, yet she'd given no information about me... There must be a reason for that.
"If the Margrave didn't inform you, there must have been a reason. I don't think I have anything else to say."
"...My apologies."
"No, it's not something you need to apologize for."
Maybe from a retainer's perspective, my question had sounded like I was criticizing the Margrave's manners. I could hear how flustered Renisa was, and suddenly I felt bad for putting her on the spot.