An Adventurer's Resolve
With the escort target safely delivered, the rest was now the baron and viscount's affair. I had no desire to insert myself into the stage where the baron—who wanted nothing more than to smash everything—and the knight order, only slightly saner, would run wild. Arash and Goro seemed to share the sentiment; they slipped out from among the knights with thoroughly exhausted faces.
"I'm worn out. They were difficult people to deal with in more ways than one."
"I agree. At least the request is over."
I nodded at Arash's remark. So this was how terrifying it could be when someone's outward appearance matched their true nature. I had worried quite a bit that they might suggest we all head down to the Central region together to stir up trouble. Wearing an expression of relief, I made my way toward the Hornst Adventurer's Branch to report the successful completion of the escort request.
Adventurer branches, one in every city, were built several times larger than other buildings so they could be spotted from anywhere. Thanks to that, we easily found the branch and stepped inside, where a familiar sight greeted us. Monster trophies hung on the walls, and massive bones dangled from the ceiling—the first things visible upon entering. The bones, different in shape from those in the Edenberg branch, served as proof of monsters actually subjugated by the Hornst branch. The overall appearance and design were similar enough to Edenberg's that we headed naturally toward the reception desk.
The receptionist, who had been processing documents, noticed us and seemed to grasp the situation at a glance. She greeted us with a friendly smile.
"You look like first-time visitors. Did you come from another branch?"
"We're from the Edenberg branch. We've completed the escort request for the young lady."
"Please hold the Orb of Truth and declare whether the request was successful."
Following the receptionist's instructions, I picked up the crystal orb placed before me. As I grasped the orb, which contained concentrated divine power with a strange sensation different from mana, divine energy flowed out from it and spread through my body. The orb, created in cooperation with the Church of Truth, was a precious artifact capable of manifesting the sacred laws of truth as long as divine power remained stored within it.
Feeling the divine power wrap around my entire body like a binding, I opened my mouth.
"I, Bronze-rank adventurer Argo, declare before the God of Truth and Justice that I have completed the request."
The orb trembled, and the divine power enveloping my body formed intricate patterns. If I had lied, the power would have glowed red and branded my forehead with the Mark of Falsehood. Since there was nothing amiss, it quietly returned to the orb. After confirming this, the receptionist smiled and spoke.
"Confirmed. I'll give you the reward for the escort request along with the additional compensation prepared by Baron Hornst."
We waited as she entered the staff area, and before long she returned carrying a heavy pouch. When she loosened the string tying it shut, gold coins that emitted an alluring gleam came into view.
"Six gold for the escort request, plus fifty gold added by the baron. How would you like it divided?"
"After deducting the guild fee, please split it three-three-four."
At my request, the receptionist began dividing the gold with practiced ease. Thanks to the agreement we'd reached beforehand, I would receive forty percent of the split amount. After all, my summons had played the largest role. Once the distribution was complete, she smiled brightly and handed each of us a pouch containing our share.
"Excluding the twenty percent fee, that's 44.8 gold. Split three ways, Argo receives 17.92 gold, and the other two receive 13.44 gold each."
"Thank you."
With the settlement finished, the receptionist straightened her posture and struck her chest twice with her fist.
"We express our gratitude for your efforts. The Adventurer's Guild never forgets your dedication."
"We won't forget your efforts either. Thank you for always helping us."
After responding in kind by striking our own chests, we headed to the dining hall on the first floor of the Hornst branch. As we sat down in the open-style restaurant attached to the first floor, the adventurers' gazes gathered on us. Their expressions were filled with curiosity, likely because adventurers with unfamiliar faces had appeared.
Before long, one of the more sociable adventurers approached us.
"Haven't seen your faces before. You from another region?"
"We're on our way back from Edenberg. We came for an escort request and plan to head back soon."
"Oh? Is that so? Then you must be the ones bringing the granddaughter the old man Hornst has been waiting for."
The adventurer's eyes sparkled as he learned our purpose for coming here. Compared to my previous life, there was little entertainment in this world, so lively incidents like this were perfect for dispelling boredom.
"Could you tell us what happened? I'll buy you a round of drinks."
"No reason not to. It's not like the guild asked us to keep it secret."
At the adventurer's question, Goro answered good-naturedly and began recounting the story. Surprisingly skilled at storytelling, Goro raised his voice so everyone in the guild could hear and explained everything from how they had received the request to the events that had occurred on the way here. When he described how they had shaken off the pursuit team and confronted the middle-aged man—using the queen specimen's organ provided by the guild to deceive the War Ant and overcome the crisis—even the guild staff expressed admiration. It was a measure prepared for emergencies, but using it so cleverly to outwit the enemy was no easy feat.
Perhaps because of that, the head chef of the Hornst branch personally brought food to our table.
"Here's your meal."
"We didn't order anything, though?"
"Think of it as payment for the wonderful story. Since it involves the baron, we were curious about the full details."
With a grin, he coolly returned to the kitchen, leaving us moved. Thanks to Goro's flavorful retelling, we had secured a free meal. Having enjoyed the cooking of someone skilled enough to serve as head chef at an adventurer branch, we gathered together with satisfied expressions. Since we had come this far together, we needed to discuss how we would return. There was no rule saying we had to travel back together just because we had come together for the request.
Seated around a single table, we discussed our plans over drinks.
"What are you all thinking of doing? I'm planning to head back to Edenberg."
"Same here. I was thinking of stopping by my hometown after finishing this request."
"I have an order waiting at the Edenberg workshop, so I need to go back too."
Fortunately, all three of us intended to return to Edenberg. So we decided to travel back together, just as we had come. I was relieved, having secretly hoped we would return as a group. Though I hadn't learned much about the two of them during the request, I knew their skills were exceptional. Adventurers often collaborated with other companions, so building friendships with skilled adventurers was always welcome. They seemed to feel similarly, and the atmosphere remained warm and friendly.
In that pleasant mood, Arash was the first to speak.
"Then let me introduce myself properly. My name is Arash. I'm an orc from Broke Village who became an adventurer after setting out on the Warrior's Pilgrimage."
Arash, with his gray hair tied back, was the very image of a typical orc. Clad in thick leather armor, a massive greatsword strapped to his back, and muscles harder than steel cables—he was a warrior through and through. After his formal greeting as adventurer to adventurer, beyond the context of the request, it was Goro's turn.
"I'll introduce myself properly too. My name is Goro. I'm a human from Harian City, three years into the Warrior's Pilgrimage."
His slightly tousled brown hair partially covered eyes that curved into a smile. The lightweight leather armor suited for mobility and the composite bow resting at his waist hinted at his role. "I may not be good at much else, but leave the ranged attacks to me."
We had seen the power of that sturdy composite bow firsthand on the way here. Moreover, his archery—hitting targets dead center while running through a forest full of obstacles—was something no one present could deny.
When it was finally my turn, I cleared my throat lightly and introduced myself.
"My name is Argo. I'm from Trajan Village, and I awakened my Mystery and became an adventurer just a week ago."
"That's quite the famous story."
"Who would have thought a guild employee would awaken a Mystery and become an adventurer?"
Arash and Goro chuckled at my introduction, and I let out a small laugh as well.
"It does sound a bit ridiculous when I think about it."
It wasn't as if I had obtained the Mystery through some grand achievement. I had simply been working at the guild as usual when I suddenly gained power. Even now, after becoming an adventurer, I sometimes felt dazed by it all. But as I formally became an adventurer and began operating as one, I was gradually adapting to this way of life. In a few months, I would probably be fully accustomed to the adventurer's way.
"Still, there must be a reason a powerful Mystery chose you."
"Even if you obtain a Mystery, the outcome depends on how you use it, right?"
I gave an awkward smile at their words. Honestly, compared to other adventurers who had desperately prepared to become adventurers, I couldn't help but feel uneasy about rising so easily. Yet the two who had become adventurers before me didn't seem bothered at all. In fact, most adventurers shared their perspective. While it was true that Mysteries were unpredictable forces, traveling through the North and fighting monsters had made one thing painfully clear: to drive out these damned monsters and maintain the North's safety, every bit of strength counted.
Though I, still new to being an adventurer, hadn't realized this yet, I came to understand the urgency they felt on the road back from Hornst to Edenberg.