The Mismatched Party
pThe guild master had been disappointed. Time was important. After the basic courtesy of apologizing, one could not help but lose divine favor toward those who kept breaking promises. But I had ended up breaking it after all? Of course I had not been summoned at exactly that hour, yet the fact that I had arrived dead last still made me uneasy. *As someone who once belonged to the guild, this is unacceptable.* In dungeon raids or party play, one would stay up all night, heart pounding in anticipation, but being late to the guild was simply unforgivable! In my bitter mood, I pinched the receptionist, Elice, whose memory seemed to have all funneled into her ample chest, and headed to the reception hall where everyone had already gathered. While passing the explorers' guild hall, I noticed other explorers staring at me with round eyes. *More gazes than before?* Had my name spread among them? Or had I simply become more noticeable? ...No, perhaps I was just being watched by Elice's large chest as she smiled and guided me.
pMen were men, after all. As a former fellow adventurer, I decided to generously forgive their sins. “Ah, right, Liz, do you know this? Our guild is unusually good even among the lower floors?”
p“Yes, I know.”
pI slowly nodded at Elice's words. It truly differed from the adventurers and mercenaries I had imagined. The moment I entered, chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and on one side stood a wine bar with an atmosphere suitable for all ages. The restroom even had bidets! “Hehe, as long as Liz is fine, finding a room here isn't a bad idea either...”
p“Yeah, that's terrible.”
p“...Huh? Isn't staying in a proper inn better than here?”
p“I plan to ascend right after finishing this request, so I don't need a room.”
p“Hic...”
pElice's mood had darkened instantly, but there was no choice. If she had a safety-first personality, staying in a refined guild building would be fine, but I was far from that type. I had been the first to purchase a virtual reality device when conspiracy theories spread about its dangers. *Can I really swing a sword in virtual reality?! Can I fire fireballs from my hands?!* No, I could not endure that thought. My mindset had always prioritized, over worry about death, *This looks fun! Let's do it now.* That trait had not changed even after acquiring a new body and arriving in this new world, and I would continue ascending the tower until the very end.
pTime for new adventures. Until the top of the tower.
p“Here we are.”
pBefore I knew it, I had reached the entrance while lost in overly middle-school-boy thoughts. Elice led me to the door and left to handle other duties. It was a miracle I was not late, so I took a deep breath and opened the door.
pThe reception hall had appeared spotless, as befitting a guild built like an art hall. White marble floors, luxurious purple carpets, and sofas in a khaki tone. Three people had already arrived before me. A middle-aged man in white armor and two small boys with striking golden hair. *Old man and cute kids.* Controlling this group was going to be tough.
pSighing internally, I was about to turn my head when the armored knight rose from the sofa. With a clank of his metal armor, the man stood, offering a kind smile and extending his hand.
p“It is an honor to meet you. You must be the UnderTaker.”
p...What kind of speech was that? *Was he really a knight?* I was momentarily startled, but a poker face was essential. I shook his hand with a social smile.
pFeeling a subtle joy at being called by my true name after so long, I replied in a dignified voice. “Yes, I am UnderTaker.”
p“I am Knight Kemel. It is Lord’s order that I assist you all. The tower has already been cleared to the tenth floor, so there is no need to worry.”
p“Hmm, I see.”
p“Although I am a resident, I have lived in Cromwell for a long time, and I will give my all to this mission. UnderTaker. Please treat me well.”
p“...Yes.”
pHe was far heavier than me. Too heavy to be normal. Was every knight supposed to speak with such a deep voice? No, in the game they had been NPCs, but seeing a real one was surprising. *Maybe this guy is just strange.* I would call him “Heavy Knight,” I decided.
pJust as I thought that, Kemel began rummaging through his bag.
pA matte-black sheathed sword. It looked sturdy enough, but the moment I saw it, I knew. *This is the third one...!* A new Excalibur had arrived in my life.
pI broke into a grin and reached for it, but Kemel handed the sword over in a daze.
pI carefully stroked the scabbard and glared at the thing.
p[Excellent Iron Sword] [An excellent iron sword crafted by an excellent blacksmith.]
pMy Excalibur had finally evolved from crude and average to an excellent iron sword.
p“Ah, my baby...”
p“Hehe, this is the sword Master gave me.”
p“Huh?”
p“To prevent any issues with poor weapons during the raid, Master provided equipment. It is separate from the reward, so do not worry.”
p“Ah, I see?”
pThat sly-faced guy? Was this some kind of negotiation? Was he trying to recruit high-talent people cheaply? I suddenly recalled the look of pity in the master’s eyes as he had gazed at me.
pHmm, if it was that kind of offer, I would accept it gratefully. Maybe these people were not bad masters and knights after all.
p“Please tell Master I will treat him well.”
p“Mm, I will pass the message.”
pAfter finishing my conversation with the knight, the only ones left were the cute kids. They had identical golden hair and sparkling eyes, and judging by the way they looked, they were twins.
pOne had red eyes, the other deep blue, like the idol anime I had watched recently. The girl in the robe, whose eyes were red, spoke first.
p“I am Arya.”
p“I am Lily.”
p“...So, the blue-eyed one followed the older sister and continued.”
p...These kids looked younger than me, yet their speech was curt. But as an adult with a forgiving heart toward kids, I smiled and said, “Hello, I’m Liz. Nice to meet you all.”
pIt felt like I had entered kindergarten.
pAfter a round of handshakes, the cute kids stared at me intensely, then whispered to each other.
p-...What? The sister didn’t talk to us.
p-Maybe because she’s a fool.
p...I did not know about the rest, but the word “fool” hit hard.
pI had to suppress the urge to draw my sword. Calm down. There was a knight right in front of me.
pGripping Excalibur (No. 3), I barely held back my rage while thinking about the fourth Excalibur that would soon be delivered from Lord’s castle.
pYes, I was the forgiving adult.
pI could only pat the golden hair of the kid who had dared to call me a fool.
p“...Eh?”
p“T-the name was Arya, right?”
p“...Yes.”
p“Be careful.”
pIf I knew your name, you might challenge me to a duel...! My inner thoughts screamed, but thanks to the Immovable Mind teacher, I stayed calm.
pSmiling gently at the trembling child, I said, “I am a very kind adult, but if any other bad adults hear, they might get angry.”
p“...I’m sorry.”
p“Oh? I’m a kind adult, so do I need to apologize? I am a proper adult!”
p“...”
pAfter a basic greeting and explanation, I learned that the pink-eyed Arya was a mage and the blue-eyed Lily was an elementalist. The knight was, as expected, a vanguard wielding sword and shield like rice porridge. Well, a solid combination. But two warriors against two support mages felt unbalanced.
pJust as I thought that, a presence approached from outside the reception hall.
p“Ah, the last one. He said he would go to the restroom, but it took longer than expected.”
p“Ahaha.”
pThe one who had delayed by going to the bathroom was here.
pHm, so I was not last after all.
pFeeling slightly relieved, I opened the reception hall door.
pWhat entered my view was a muscular man whose face I had seen somewhere before.
pWho was he again?
p“...Ah, ugh.”
pThe muscular man’s eyes widened like lanterns the moment he saw me, and he began trembling while backing away. He looked as frightened as if he had been beaten by a good citizen like me.
pI noticed his trembling jaw and suddenly remembered the guy from Lord’s castle.
p“Ah, Jason!”
p“Hiiik!”
pIt took quite a long time to calm Jason, who had developed PTSD.