The Guildmaster's Terror
The adventurer guild. Could the people living under the castle truly recognize the nobles who ruled over them? The answer was a resounding no. They might recognize my father, but a mere second son? Not a chance. It helped that I rarely showed my face in public.
“This is the first time I’ve come out so freely like this.”
“Sigh.”
I ignored Czech’s displeased expression and looked around. Roads stretched out from the massive plaza at the center below the lord’s castle. It was far too lively to be just some territory in the southern region.
“It’s peaceful.”
“At the very least, you should have brought your escort knights with you…”
I cut off Czech’s nagging. There was no real need for escorts, and since I rarely attended banquets, not many people even knew my face. Assassinating me would be inefficient to begin with. If anyone was going to be targeted, it would be my older brother. And if word got out that someone was backing such an attempt? It would mean immediate war.
“It’s fine. If I show up with a whole crowd, it’ll just draw attention.”
“But still—”
“Come on, let’s go.”
Leaving the talkative Czech behind, I moved first. If I dragged soldiers or knights along, I’d have to dress formally too. Imagine the sight—a boy with the Franz Count family’s signature shining golden hair and golden eyes, wearing clothes emblazoned with the family crest. The currently bustling citizens would freeze like ice and fall deathly silent.
Even now, my luxurious clothes drew occasional glances, but they probably just thought I was someone connected to the Franz family. After all, the bloodline had spread quite a bit.
“Ugh, so noisy. If you’re going to keep yapping, I’ll go on ahead.”
I left Czech, who was still nagging from behind, and walked on. My ears had been hurting for a while now. I strolled slowly toward the district where the adventurer guild was located.
As I walked, I observed the people of this city. Their clothes were certainly worn compared to what I saw from the castle, but overall they looked clean. Their faces held almost no shadows, and they were full of vitality. I hadn’t given the territory’s people much thought before, but seeing this, I had to admit it was impressive.
“It’s more lively than I expected.”
“It’s all thanks to His Lordship.”
Czech, who had been following with a discontented face, suddenly launched into praise for the Count at my words, then looked proud. It was practically brainwashing. Still, looking around, it did seem my father’s rule was effective. Or maybe it was just this area.
“Is this district where the wealthier people live?”
“Ah, yes. It’s where commoners with a certain amount of assets reside. Land in the central area is quite a bit more expensive.”
Land prices, huh. It was my first time seeing the city like this instead of from a carriage or on horseback, so I walked while examining the surroundings carefully. I had thought about it in passing before, but it really was more luxurious than expected. In a typical medieval setting you’d only see shabby markets and houses, but here there were all sorts of shops like something out of a manhwa. The larger buildings were quite grand too.
Just looking at this, the word medieval? came to mind on its own. Come to think of it, this wasn’t really medieval. It was medieval-fantasy.
“Ah, we’ve arrived.”
“It’s bigger than I thought.”
It had taken a little time. I’d walked leisurely, but judging by the distance, it seemed to be quite far from the central plaza. That meant it was in a more secluded spot than expected. I’d never passed through this area before.
“What business would adventurers have in the central plaza? This area has many inns and taverns, and it’s close to the city gates, so the location isn’t bad. Besides, they’re the type who carry weapons around anyway.”
“Is that so?”
This guy knew quite a lot. Just as Czech said, most of the buildings I’d seen on the way here were inns or restaurants. Or taverns.
“But it definitely looks shabbier than the central area.”
Rather than shabby, there were actually quite a few signs of repairs.
“W-well, there are quite a few rough characters around here.”
Czech looked a bit embarrassed.
“We do clean up as best we can.”
“No, that’s fine.”
But didn’t adventurers who caused trouble get dragged to the execution ground?
“They know better than to go that far. As long as they don’t use magic power, it’s whatever.”
“Huh.”
They played nicer than I expected. Well, if there was no damage, there was no real need to blame them. It seemed everyone accepted minor accidents as part of the deal.
“So we just go inside?”
Looking around, there were indeed many people who looked like adventurers straight out of a fantasy world. I saw folks wearing armor and carrying weapons covered in traces of battle that I didn’t usually see. It really was fantasy.
“No bikini armor though.”
“Pardon? Why would there be something like that?”
“I thought I saw it somewhere before.”
What a shame. Or maybe I should make some? It might be possible. The Bikini Armor Knight Order. Not bad, right? Using that method would solve the defensive issues too… Or maybe a Maid Outfit Knight Order would work as well.
Creak!
While I was lost in thought in front of the building, the door opened and someone appeared. People around us began to murmur and slowly back away. Czech also stood beside me with a stern expression completely different from when he was teasing me.
In the suddenly quiet atmosphere of the adventurer guild, the person who emerged had short-cropped red hair and a striking scar over one eye. She looked to be in her late twenties. A woman whose mature charm suited her age perfectly.
“I am Isabel, Guildmaster of the Franz Adventurer Guild. It is an honor to meet you, Leoric Franz.”
I let out a small chuckle at the sight of the woman bowing with a tense expression. From the fifth floor of the building earlier, I had sensed someone with far more magic power than the other adventurers. I’d suppressed that annoying presence that had been peeking outside, and it was amusing to see her rush out in such a hurry.
“So. You’re the guildmaster here?”
“Yes.”
The cold sweat visible beneath her polite demeanor. The fear contained within it. I smiled faintly as I watched her.
Isabel is terrified of your overwhelming magic power.
* * *
“Ah, this tea. It’s my favorite, isn’t it?”
“Yes. It’s a tea leaf that’s become popular lately. I’m glad it suits your taste.”
After being led to what was apparently Isabel’s office, the tea brought by a guild staff member was something I recognized. It had a moderately sweet aroma. It was definitely the tea I usually drank. But it was trending?
When I made a puzzled face, Czech stepped forward.
“It started trending after rumors spread that Leoric frequently drinks it.”
“What? Really?”
Why? It was a bit bewildering. Czech smiled faintly.
“Items that become popular among nobles tend to spread among commoners as well. Of course, most of them are expensive so ordinary commoners can’t even look at them, but tea leaves are supplied in large quantities, so with a bit of effort they can be obtained.”
“How did they even know what I drink?”
“Rumors spread whether we like it or not.”
Hmm. I never thought it would become a rumor. The warm aroma tickled my nose.
“So.”
I took a sip of tea. Sitting in the seat that should originally belong to the owner, I looked at the woman before me—Isabel. I’d heard she had once made a name for herself as an adventurer, and now she’d become guildmaster in recognition of her achievements. Traces of those days were visible here and there.
Her clothes clung to her body for easy movement, revealing a well-trained physique even through the fabric. There were faint traces of healed scars and small wounds. Especially noticeable was the scar by her eye. And the knight-level magic power hidden within that body. She was a woman exuding the wild charm of a mature older sister.
Not bad at all.
“You’re the guildmaster here, Isabel?”
“Yes.”
Although she held a teacup like me, her face was clearly filled with tension. Drinking tea with an expression like that, could she even taste it properly?
“Why don’t you relax a bit?”
“Ah, no. I’m comfortable like this.”
Saying that with a face like hers had zero persuasiveness. Even the maids who served me weren’t this polite. Well, it wasn’t like an ordinary person would be used to facing a noble. Especially a woman who had lived a rough life her entire days. She still looked extremely uncomfortable.
“You seem curious why I visited today.”
“Ah, not at all.”
I smiled gently to ease the tension, but Isabel’s face turned deathly pale.
…Wait, why?
When I glanced at Czech beside me, his face had also gone completely white.
…What did I even do?
Whatever. Fine.
“It’s nothing special. I came because I was curious about the place that will now fall under my management.”
“……Gulp.”
I crossed my legs and spoke comfortably. …Her face looked like it was dying. Was she okay?
* * *
Isabel felt like she was going to vomit. She desperately held it in with a face gone deathly pale. The golden-haired, golden-eyed man before her. The moment their mysteriously shining golden eyes met, she suppressed the instinct screaming at her to run away immediately.
The moment she had used magic detection on that strange presence she felt from outside. Isabel had nearly fainted from the overwhelming magic power that crushed her body. It felt like a massive cliff was pressing down on her. The storm of magic power was like a giant tsunami that threatened to sweep away everything she had, as if her very soul was being ripped out.
This. Was this really a human’s magic power? Could a human even possess this much?
She recalled the massive storm she had seen at sea in the past. What was the difference between that natural disaster and the human before her eyes?
She knew nobles possessed powerful strength. She had even seen nobles display their power on the battlefield. But this was on an entirely different level, wasn’t it?
“Your face is completely white. For the guildmaster who leads adventurers to be this weak…”
“Haha, I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.”
Though he spoke as if concerned, she couldn’t sense anything from the man’s golden eyes. Right now, she couldn’t feel anything from the man before her at all.
Yes. The faint traces of magic power that had been leaking out until just moments ago had completely, perfectly vanished. The presence of magic power that anyone who possessed it should be able to sense even slightly was nowhere to be felt. It was to the point she doubted whether he was actually standing there despite being right in front of her. She even wondered if he was truly human or some kind of monster.
The second son of the Franz family. As she watched the subordinate behind him change from a cold gaze to one of pity, Isabel swallowed hard. She, who had prided herself on having experienced all kinds of hardships, threw away all dignity and felt like bursting into tears right then and there.
* * *
I thought the magic power prank from earlier was the problem so I held back, but now she looks like she’s about to cry? Is this woman okay?
“Czech, I think this girl’s mind is broken?”
“……How pitiful. This woman.”
“What?”
“More importantly, Leoric. My name is Zeke.”
“Ah.”
My bad.