Chapter 23
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: 4. Forest and Adventurer Anomalies
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"Haa..."
Claude let out a deep sigh.
His face was twisted in utter irritation.
Was it because he hadn't been sleeping well lately?
No, honestly, going four or five days without sleep wasn't that big a deal for him.
His nerves might get a bit frayed, but his personality was rotten enough as it was, so it didn't make much difference.
The real reason Claude was pissed off right now had nothing to do with that.
"Why the hell did you suddenly drag me out here?"
Claude had arrived in Citrine, the city housing the Adventurer Guild headquarters, to meet the guild elders who had summoned him out of the blue.
Citrine, the great city also known as the Myos Empire's second capital.
If the Preta branch was practically the headquarters for all intents and purposes...
Then the Adventurer Guild in Citrine was the real deal.
This was where the guild master and elders decided all major and minor affairs of the guild—the true headquarters in Citrine.
Of course, the name "headquarters" didn't mean adventurers didn't operate from there like in other branches.
But every now and then, adventurers based in other cities got called here.
And there was almost always one reason for it.
Receiving the Hero title, promoting to S-Rank adventurer, or... when top-tier adventurers like that screwed up big time and got punished.
Or when they'd achieved something monumental and were there to receive awards.
Claude, however, already had his Hero title. He was nowhere near S-Rank yet, and far from any monumental feats—he'd actually messed up.
In other words, he'd been summoned here to get chewed out for his screw-up.
Of course, he didn't even realize it was that big a deal.
'Fuck, I'm the Hero, aren't I? Why should I get punished for a few worthless villagers dying? Wasn't my fault—was the wyvern's, right?'
Even if it was his fault somehow, he blamed it all on Mary's greed. He was convinced he hadn't done a damn thing wrong.
He never even considered that he'd chosen the dangerous request himself to rack up achievements, or arrogantly gone wyvern-hunting with just three people.
Anyway, upon arriving at guild headquarters, Claude headed straight to the meeting room where the elders were gathered.
"You've arrived, Hero Claude."
The guild elders, their faces shrouded in dark silk like some archaic cult, greeted him in solemn tones.
'Can't they drop that crap? It's embarrassing just to watch.'
Veiling their faces in silk to flaunt untouchable authority, deliberately pitching their voices all gravely.
He couldn't wrap his head around why the Adventurer Guild—symbol of freedom—would stoop to such outdated, cringeworthy nonsense.
Were they all relics from before the Adventurer Academy was founded?
"What is it? I've already served my punishment."
A week-long ban on requests, plus mandatory volunteer work assigned by the guild.
Because of that, Claude had been cleaning sewers right up until yesterday.
Not literal cleaning, of course—wiping out the monsters that infested the city sewers.
And naturally, since it was guild-mandated volunteer work, it was all for free.
Everyone avoided it like the plague, which was exactly why they made screw-ups do it as punishment.
'Still smells like rot on me.'
For now, that stench stressed him out more than the lack of sleep.
Anyway, he'd already served the punishment the guild had handed down.
He wanted to quit on the spot, but held back, fearing they might even strip him of his Hero title if he pushed it.
So what the hell did they want this time?
The elders looked at Claude and explained the reason.
"Hero Claude, we have a proposal for you."
"...A proposal?"
A proposal out of nowhere.
And one they dragged him all the way to headquarters for.
What could it be?
"Blazing Mary—Mary Blaze. Word came from her family."
At the mention of Mary, Claude's face crumpled instantly.
'That greedy bitch.'
He figured none of this would've happened if she hadn't gotten greedy over the wyvern eggs.
What was a high-society noble girl doing obsessed with money like that?
It was ridiculous.
Maybe, as the youngest daughter who wouldn't inherit the family anyway, she'd gone blind chasing future wealth and power?
"Including Mary, your party lodged a complaint with us about the punishment personally issued by Chairwoman Mureos."
Mary's father and head of the Blaze Marquis Family, Draco Blaze.
Naturally, his furious message had gone straight to the Adventurer Guild elders.
They demanded Mureos be properly punished for acting on her own.
No—threatened to make sure neither she nor the guild could operate at all.
Of course, everyone knew Chairwoman Mureos was a powerhouse.
Even the entire Drake Marquis Family couldn't take her down.
But they didn't just have the marquisate.
The Solte Kingdom, the Adventurer Guild elders, countless nobles and royals from allied nations.
Even imperial family members from the Myos Empire.
Their power wasn't just magic or martial might.
It was something greater... the force that gripped and shook the world itself.
Trusting in that power, they planned to scheme behind the scenes and ensure Mureos couldn't wield her influence anywhere.
And one part of that was pressuring the Adventurer Guild elders to punish her first.
She was guild-affiliated, after all—start there.
It would give others justification to tear into her.
With the continent's powerhouses backing them, not even Mureos could strut around freely like before.
Those powers would make damn sure of it.
"So, what does that have to do with me?"
Claude asked, genuinely puzzled.
They could just handle it with the elders and their connections—why drag him into it?
He couldn't figure it out.
Sure, he hated Chairwoman Mureos's guts.
Dared to curse him and all.
He wished she'd drop dead right now.
If they punished her, he'd feel a bit satisfied.
But the problem was...
What exactly was this proposal to him?
Fight Mureos or something?
"Just punishing her? That's not enough."
The Adventurer Guild elders answered Claude's question.
They deemed it insufficient.
They'd already been wary of Mureos's growing influence within the guild.
They regretted letting her establish the Adventurer Academy.
Never imagined it'd balloon her power and status this much.
Anyway, they planned to use this chance to drag Chairwoman Mureos down completely.
It'd help the Blaze Marquis Family prepare to sink their teeth in too, right?
Aiming for total expulsion this time.
And conveniently, the opportunity had arisen.
"That adventurer you used to run with—Edin. Remember him?"
"...What about that guy?"
Another name he hated hearing after Mary, and Claude's expression soured further.
"Word is, the academy recently hired him. As a general store owner."
"Hah."
Honestly, he didn't care much.
Academy or whatever, running a general store?
Perfect fit for a loser like Edin.
Only one thing bugged him.
'That bastard's still hanging around Preta?'
He'd assumed the guy would've slunk back to his hometown or some backwater village.
Staying in Preta, where Claude was active, rubbed him the wrong way.
"Fuck..."
Claude's mood plummeted further.
The forced sewer duty plus four sleepless days fraying his already raw nerves.
He was under real stress, hair-pulling levels.
But the elders' next words began to smooth out his furrowed brow.
"We'll use him to lure out Chairwoman Mureos. He was your subordinate, so you can handle him easily, right?"
"......"
"We'll plant our own people too, but newcomers always draw suspicion. But... if it's someone the chairwoman herself picked?"
Edin was a staff member personally selected by Chairwoman Mureos.
Her trust in him would be on another level.
'So that's why she suddenly showed up and punished us—covering for that bastard.'
Suddenly, her intervention made sense, easing one of Claude's nagging doubts.
Anyway, that was their pitch.
Since you're buddies with Edin, sweet-talk him into digging up dirt on Chairwoman Mureos's shady secrets.
Or fabricate crimes to justify punishment.
As her handpicked employee, he'd have high access and trust.
Even Mureos would let her guard down a bit.
Strike then.
Use Edin up and discard him immediately.
Cut him loose cleanly so no blowback later.
'Use Edin as a pawn, boot the chairwoman, and send her life into the gutter?'
Claude liked the sound of that.
He didn't even consider Edin might not play along.
'He's always been my lackey. He'll do whatever I say.'
Whether he forgot he'd personally driven Edin out, or just assumed blind loyalty anyway.
What a carefree bastard.
"Fine. I'll give it a shot. But..."
Claude accepted the proposal, then sniffed himself and added,
"...cut me a break on the sewer duty already. Three days was plenty."
"We'll consider it."
Whether the stench clinging to him was just from the sewers...
Or the unique stink of a trash human being...
Who could say.