Chapter 21
Chapter 21
Reunion
Clatter, clatter.
The carriage had become a little more uncomfortable.
There was more space inside now that one person was gone, but still.
The one sitting on the driver’s seat, pulling the carriage, was Tanya.
So she can even drive a carriage.
She really is ridiculously versatile.
I leaned toward the small window facing the driver’s seat, which Tanya had opened out of boredom.
“Hey, Tanya. How did you know?”
“Hm? Know what?”
“That… you knew the driver was a remnant of that bandit group, right?”
So she was smiling all day because she expected an attack.
Tanya let out a light laugh after hearing me.
“I could feel the obvious killing intent aimed at me and Yuna. It wasn’t well hidden either.”
So she figured out an entire ambush plan just from that?
That feels like a stretch…
I turned to Yuna sitting across from me.
“…You knew too?”
“Nope. I just thought he was a nice old man.”
No matter how I think about it, Tanya’s reasoning sounds forced.
Maybe he was just in a really bad mood.
Still… since the result was correct, I guess I can’t say anything.
Whatever. I don’t get it.
There must have been something else.
Tanya was humming while driving the carriage, so she seemed satisfied with her meal.
Well, as long as she’s happy.
…
Ingta Barony.
As expected, we arrived before the day ended, but it was already quite dark.
Still, light was spilling out from several buildings, and the carriage arrived safely at our destination.
Tanya, our temporary driver, stuck her face through the window.
“We’re here!”
I opened the side window and saw a massive building glowing with light.
That’s the Adventurers’ Guild?
Why is it so big?
It looked even larger than the guild in the count’s territory.
It was also extremely noisy.
Adventurers’ guilds are usually busy at night, but this felt excessive.
People around the building were murmuring while looking at our carriage.
Well… it was a luxury carriage, and there was a pretty girl sitting on the driver’s seat.
Of course they’d be curious.
Melaim chuckled softly, and I asked her.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Can you hear what they are saying outside?”
“They’re murmuring, but I can’t make it out clearly.”
Melaim kindly translated their words for me.
“They say a lust-crazed noble obsessed with women must be inside this carriage.”
“What?!”
Yuna looked like she was having too much fun, giggling.
This is so unfair!
If I ever looked at them with those kinds of eyes, I’d probably die.
At best, I’d just end up blind.
Well… I can’t exactly say I’ve never thought inappropriate things before.
“I bet the carriage is full of women too,” she added.
That part is actually true…
I really don’t want to get out.
If I step out with Melaim and Yuna, they’ll definitely say, “See! I told you so!”
Still, I can’t avoid it.
“…Should we get off?”
Yuna shook her head immediately.
“No.”
“Huh?”
“If we get off together, people will misunderstand. Too many eyes.”
That’s true.
Melaim spoke next.
“Well then, I shall remain here with Yuna.”
“Alright. I just need to ask about the dungeon location, right? The Pitz Dungeon?”
“Yes, you remembered correctly.”
Melaim then extended a thin tentacle toward me.
It stretched thinner and thinner until it became almost invisible.
“What’s this for?”
“In case someone tries to cause trouble with you. I will be watching. Go on.”
I accepted her goodwill and got off the carriage alone.
I could feel eyes on me immediately.
It felt like my whole body was being pricked.
Everyone looked disappointed that I wasn’t the rumored perverted noble.
I wasn’t carrying any weapons, and I didn’t look like a noble at all.
Still, I probably shouldn’t have heard them say, “Wait, so he’s just a pervert, not a noble?”
I walked into the guild.
But… did I come to the wrong place?
There were tables everywhere, with food and alcohol on them.
There were quite a lot of adventurers, but something felt off.
I nervously approached a woman who looked like either a receptionist or a waitress.
“Um…”
“Would you like to order?”
Order?
Did I really come to the wrong place?
“Isn’t this the Adventurers’ Guild?”
“Oh… are you here to take a quest?”
She bent down and rummaged under the desk.
So it really was the guild.
“Not a quest. I just wanted to ask about the location of the Pitz Dungeon.”
“Do you need a map? Ten copper coins.”
I nodded and handed over a silver coin.
She gave me a map in return.
Just as I turned to leave, a familiar voice brushed past my ear.
“Hey… isn’t that Luka?”
I turned toward the voice.
And I saw familiar faces.
Tael, Srahan, Beto.
And a black-haired woman I didn’t know.
The three except the black-haired woman were my former party members.
I walked toward them.
Both relieved and confused.
Tael, the former party leader, spoke first.
“Is that really Luka? Why are you here?”
“I should be asking that. Didn’t you say you were going back home?”
They were still fully equipped.
They said they were quitting adventuring.
So why are they all here except me, still fully geared up?
You bastards… don’t tell me—
“Oh, we planned to, but we met Bella here by chance and ended up going dungeon exploring. Things just… happened.”
The black-haired woman named Bella politely bowed her head.
A dungeon.
When I was with them, they wouldn’t even dare think about it.
But these three were barely better than me in skill. They were not exactly dungeon-ready.
And yet they went in with someone whose skill they barely knew?
It was such an obvious lie.
But I didn’t have the courage to call it out.
“A dungeon… I’m glad you’re safe.”
I smiled.
Srahan, clearly drunk, laughed loudly.
“Who are you to worry about us? Bella here is a swordswoman! Just one change in the party and everything’s different! Hahaha!”
A swordswoman…
A specialized class, similar to mine but focused on a specific weapon.
People with classes like swordsman, fist fighter, or spearman are born with talent for that weapon.
It’s not something you can learn through effort.
Even if I trained for a hundred years, I could never become one.
And she was also quite cute, in a quiet way.
She had nothing but advantages compared to me.
Then Tael spoke up.
“Srahan!”
“What? I didn’t lie.”
Tael turned to me with an awkward expression and bowed.
“Sorry. You know how Srahan is. He’s been drinking…”
“It’s fine. I’m glad you found good party members.”
Tael scratched his head and smiled.
“By the way, Luka, are you still continuing adventuring?”
“Yeah… I guess so.”
“Is that so… Don’t push yourself too hard. It’s not too late to do something else.”
His tone was gentle, almost caring.
He didn’t directly say I was weak and should quit.
But I heard it anyway.
Maybe I was just imagining things.
“I appreciate it. But I’ve gotten a bit stronger now. My party members are good too.”
“Oh? You became a party leader?”
“Something like that…”
Srahan, who had been listening, smirked.
At that moment, a drunken adventurer approached our table.
“Oh! So you’re the guy Srahan was talking about!”
“Haha! We’re all doing well now!”
What did he say about me?
I was curious, but I didn’t want to hear it.
Srahan never held back when speaking.
More adventurers gathered, laughing.
It was extremely unpleasant, but getting angry would only make me look worse.
I clenched my fist but kept smiling.
In doing so, I crumpled the map I had just bought.
But their laughter stopped.
A scream came from outside the guild.
Beto, who had been quietly listening, narrowed his eyes.
“What is that?”
The guild doors burst open.
And a massive monster entered.
A Death Knight.
It was Poe, Yuna’s summoned servant.
He walked in holding two swords, one in each hand—his own and mine.
Chaos erupted instantly.
“Screeeech!”
“What the hell is that!”
“A Death Knight!”
“Why is something like that here?!”
Glasses and food fell to the floor.
Despite the panic, many adventurers drew their weapons.
Well… they won’t win. Adventurers from this barony can’t match Poe.
My former party members and Bella also drew their weapons.
Srahan quickly drew his bow, aiming at the Death Knight.
But his bowstring snapped, and a dagger was suddenly at his neck.
Tanya was holding it.
Since when did she get here?
She glared at Srahan.
“You aimed at our Poe?”
The dagger in her hand wasn’t hers.
It was Beto’s.
Beto stared in disbelief at his empty hand and Tanya’s dagger.
“W-wait! I wasn’t aiming at you! Move! It’s coming this way!”
Of course, Srahan didn’t know who “Poe” was.
Poe walked straight toward our table… toward me.
Bella and Tael rushed forward.
But they were both sent flying by a single swing of Poe’s weapon.
Poe stopped right in front of me.
Everyone’s attention locked onto us.
Srahan even wet himself.
Poe extended a sword toward me.
“Lord Luka. It seems you left your sword behind, so I brought it.”
His voice echoed through the guild.
Confusion spread everywhere.
I didn’t even leave it behind on purpose…
Why would I need a sword just to get a map?
Then, two women entered the guild amid the chaos.
Melaim and Yuna.
Their beauty immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Even I had to admit it. They really were stunning.
Melaim frowned.
“Is it customary here to point weapons at another’s summoned servant?”
Her voice spread clearly through the hall.
The murmuring grew louder.
She smiled toward Yuna.
And somehow, her voice carried even over the noise.
“Everyone seems frightened. Let us clean this up.”
Poe returned to Yuna, knelt, and she placed a hand on his head.
He vanished.
Melaim looked around with a mocking smile.
“Pathetic… and you call yourselves adventurers.”
Then she walked over and pressed herself against my side.
Wait, why is she sticking to me?!
Tanya also hugged me.
Yuna grabbed two of my fingers with both hands, trembling and red-faced.
What is happening?
Why am I surrounded by beauties?
Ah…
So I must be dead.
If heaven is like this, I should’ve died earlier.
While I was thinking something stupid, Tanya and Melaim spoke.
“Luka, let’s find an inn. I want to rest with everyone. As usual, one room should be enough, right?”
What are you talking about?
We always book four rooms.
Tanya in my arms spoke next.
“I get the spot above Luka!”
“You’re the lightest, so it cannot be helped.”
Why are you both like this?
I feel like I’m losing my sanity.
I looked at Melaim.
Stay calm. She’s a monster. A beautiful, big-breasted, sweet-voiced monster who somehow cares about me, but still a monster.
Then I looked at Tanya.
She’s a master of disguise. I’ve seen her destroy a bandit group. Stay calm, stay calm.
But then I remembered that “Tanya usage permission” I once gave her, and my resolve weakened.
Yuna was still holding my fingers, trembling.
I don’t even know what she is trying to do…
But then I realized something.
Melaim must have been watching everything through her tentacle.
And these three probably came here just to cheer me up.
This isn’t heaven after all.
A bit disappointing.
I nodded carefully.
“Y-yeah… let’s go.”
Tanya hugged me tighter, smiling brightly, and Melaim leaned in closer.
Yuna gripped my fingers even harder.
Does this even mean anything?
Anyway, everyone around us was frozen, staring blankly.
Especially Srahan. His expression was priceless.
I looked down at Tanya and spoke with a shaky voice.
Just seeing her brought back trauma from our first meeting.
I kept checking if anything was stabbed into my chest.
“Tanya… about that dagger in your hand…”
“Oh! Right!”
She tossed it away, and it landed at Beto’s feet.
Then she warned him coldly.
“Take better care of it.”
After that, I left the guild behind with my former party members and the adventurers watching in silence.
Voices faded behind me.
“That guy wet himself…”
“They got abandoned and still lie like that…”
Hmm…
Should I say it?
I know it’s vulgar and low.
But…
This feels amazing.