The Trembling Guildmaster
The meeting at the Adventurer's Guild ended quickly. There wasn't much to discuss anyway. It was mostly just asking a few questions about how the guild operated and other minor curiosities. After all, the core point was that I would be taking charge from now on.
"To put it simply, our guild's greatest asset is credibility."
"Credibility?"
"Yes. Even noble houses or trading companies with ties to knights have limits to their manpower. That's where we step in."
Raw power. Bandits, thieves. People capable of handling everything from man-made disasters to natural ones, if fortune favored them, thanks to their magic.
"The credibility of us adventurers is by no means low."
"Hmm. Is that something people can trust so easily?"
It involved protecting valuable goods. Ulterior motives could easily arise, and there was always the risk of a knife in the back during a journey. Zeke watched the exchange with a distinctly displeased expression.
Isabel shook her head, her face deathly pale. "I won't claim such adventurers don't exist, but those who engage in such behavior are inevitably caught before long."
If it happened more than once or twice, the cause would naturally be investigated. Both the guild and the client would look into it. Once wanted, they could forget about living in any civilized settlement. People like that usually ended up as bandits or thieves.
"Everyone knows that when a magic user causes trouble, they usually end up as dew on the executioner's blade. Therefore..."
Such incidents were almost unheard of. Or at least extremely rare. And if they did occur, the guild would assist in the investigation. At the end of the day, the guild wasn't an organization meant to help adventurers. It existed to connect adventurers with clients, and if anything, it was little more than a subordinate agency of the territory.
"Hmph. The best solution is simply to request work from us. Since we accept jobs with that understanding, getting stabbed in the back is only natural, isn't it?"
"Ah, that."
There were times when the territory itself provided support. Large-scale trade caravans. Merchant trains guarded directly by soldiers and knights, traveling through the major cities of the southern region. Quite a few merchants would follow in their wake. Small trading companies and independent businessmen usually operated this way. Alternatively, one could ask the lord to dispatch knights. It was a form of support policy, but.
Isabel gave a bitter smile. "If the timing doesn't align, it's difficult to join them. As for the latter option, the cost is prohibitively high. Unless it's a major firm, it's hard to afford. Even large companies prefer using adventurers or their own escort forces unless the caravan is particularly important."
"So I've heard."
"Naturally. After all, it involves knights moving personally."
The high price was only to be expected. Imagine if Delivery Nation sent armored tanks instead of motorcycles. Sure, nothing would get stolen, skipped, or spilled along the way, but the cost would be astronomical.
"That's why the Adventurer's Guild primarily brokers periodic transactions between other guilds or trading companies and trustworthy adventurers. In return, the guild receives its own benefits."
Like a dispatch company. It wasn't an inaccurate comparison. Still, it lacked any sense of romance. None at all.
"Don't they hunt monsters or anything like that?"
"Individual adventurers or mercenary bands formed by them do so frequently. The guild simply doesn't take the lead. If there's a specific material you want, we only handle the brokerage. We occasionally facilitate dungeon exploration as well."
"Dungeon? What kind of place is that?"
I thought of the labyrinth I'd experienced before, and the dragon. It reminded me of those old arcade games. I'd never once seen the ending.
"Well... A dungeon refers to a naturally formed structure where monsters gather in groups due to magic power or various other factors."
"Magic stones are usually the cause," Zeke added.
Magic stones. An item unique to this fantasy world. Sometimes discovered in mines, they naturally attracted and gathered magic power. When processed, they could store magic according to their size. In short, batteries. External auxiliary power sources. Or bombs. They were highly regulated strategic resources.
"They must be expensive."
"Yes. Quite a few adventurers make finding them their primary goal."
If you were lucky enough to discover a magic stone, it was like winning the lottery. It was rare, but not unheard of. It wouldn't be enough to elevate an entire family, but the reward was still substantial. Of course, prices varied wildly depending on size. Simply carrying one into a city was considered a criminal act, so they were handled with extreme care. To nobles, though, they were little more than accessories.
I glanced at the bracelet that now felt like an extension of my own body. The strange blue gem gleamed brightly.
"......"
Perhaps noticing my gaze, Isabel looked at the bracelet as well. Her face turned an even paler shade of blue. I deliberately shook my wrist.
-Jingle! Jingle!
"Cough, cough!"
"Hahaha."
What an interesting woman. I couldn't help chuckling as I watched Isabel chug the still-scalding tea while coughing violently.
In truth, magic stones had many possible uses, but honestly, anything beyond serving as an external battery was inefficient. Some things couldn't be helped, of course. Anyway, I set the minor details aside.
"Have you heard anything else?"
I glanced at Zeke. He nodded. Noticing the shift in atmosphere, Isabel swallowed hard.
"Franz stands on the brink of war."
"Yes. I have heard."
"Well, since I already mentioned it, I'll leave the details to you. The reason I've come today is because I'll be managing things from now on."
"Understood."
Isabel nodded with a serious expression. We began discussing work matters in earnest.
"Gradually reduce requests related to the Great Mountain Range."
"Yes. I will make the adjustments."
"Report all requests concerning Muller."
"Yes. We are currently conducting a discreet investigation."
"Any other suspicious requests?"
"No. As far as we have confirmed, there have been no particularly unusual commissions."
Hmm. No issues so far. My brother had probably already looked into it once himself.
"What about adventurers coming in from outside?"
"We are verifying all of them. The number of adventurers entering from external territories has remained relatively stable recently."
"The documents suggest there are usually quite a few."
"The Franz territory has always been the largest among domains near the Great Mountain Range. It is inevitable that many would flock here. The only alternative is the Boran territory, but since it lies far from the mountains, many end up converging on our land instead."
I see. One of the consequences of being the most prosperous region in the South was that people naturally gathered. Of course, the benefits of that influx far outweighed the drawbacks, so we accounted for it.
"Adventurers..."
It wasn't unheard of for knights with relatively weak magic among one's vassals to disguise themselves as adventurers and infiltrate other territories. We did it too.
"Muller doesn't seem to be in that kind of position, though."
"Indeed. The number of adventurers coming from Muller has actually been decreasing. There are rumors that even the ones already here have fled because the atmosphere has grown too ominous."
Probably due to the loss of fighting strength from their internal conflicts. If the situation worsened further, they would likely begin forcibly conscripting adventurers. From the start, I needed to keep an eye not only on Muller but on the other territories as well. They probably hadn't caught on yet.
"Nothing unusual from the other territories either?"
"No. Not so far."
Roughly speaking, nothing in the documents had changed. I checked a few more points, but nothing problematic stood out.
"Then, finally, I hope there are no unnecessary incidents. Understood?"
It wasn't total war, so not all forces would be deployed. Still, I had no desire to stir up pointless trouble. Don't cause any unnecessary disturbances, and make sure your subordinates don't either. That was the meaning.
"Yes. I will keep it firmly in mind."
"Good."
With that, I rose from my seat. Isabel stood as well and bowed deeply.
It was about time to leave, but...
-Step. Step.
In the now-quiet room, I slowly approached Isabel. I placed my hand on her shoulder as she remained bowed in greeting.
"Eep!"
Isabel flinched violently, her whole body trembling. I gently stroked her shoulder. The soft texture of her well-trained body was pleasant beneath my fingers.
"You've worked hard today."
"Y-yes..."
Her voice shook with tension. I lowered my head, bringing my lips close to her ear. I could sense her holding her breath. A scent different from the women in the mansion reached me.
"You've caught my interest quite nicely. Let's meet again soon."
"...Yes?"
I gave her shoulder a couple of light pats before leaving the office. Was it my imagination, or did I hear the sound of someone collapsing behind the closed door?
"She looked... rather unwell. Should I send her something beneficial for her health? She's still young, after all."
"No, that's... Ahem. She should be fine now. Besides, she isn't exactly young."
"What?"
...No. Wasn't she still on the younger side? As an adventurer, her figure was excellent too. She had a few scars, but they only added to her charm.
"I don't know her exact age, but if she's in her late twenties to early thirties, she's past her prime as a woman."
"Is that how it is?"
"It wouldn't be good for the child, either."
People in this world tended to marry almost immediately upon reaching adulthood, so our perspectives differed. Children were usually born right away or at latest in the early twenties. By their thirties, most women were already married with children. Magic users tended to age gracefully and appear younger than they were, so excluding the scar, Isabel could easily pass for someone in her early twenties. That was why people estimated her to be in her late twenties.
"As expected, women should be young and built for easy childbirth."
I looked at Zeke's face. He was completely serious.
"I see..."
"We will begin preparations."
The sudden arrival of the gathered maids made me blink in surprise.
"Preparations?"
"Yes. There are things we must prepare in anticipation of tonight."
I had returned from the Adventurer's Guild and was reviewing the remaining documents. There was more work than I'd expected. Compared to my previous life, it was still relatively relaxed, though.
I was drinking the tea Neria had specially prepared when Lena appeared.
"What preparations? The sun hasn't even set yet."
"Preparations for sex," Lena replied.
Choose your words more carefully. Just look at how red the maids' faces have become.