The Crown Prince
"Here! These are the detox herbs and medicinal plants!"
"Oh... Yes... You're back already. It hasn't even been two hours since you left. Here is your payout."
Roan took the money from the receptionist, who looked both impressed and bewildered.
As expected of a basic commission, the amount wasn't much.
"Alright, let's split this four ways."
And since it was split, the individual share was even smaller.
"Se-ar is fine without it. Se-ar did nothing but tag along, after all."
"No way! We have to keep the finances strictly transparent! That's how you prevent fights later on!"
Roan distributed the earnings with a firm hand, as if speaking from bitter experience.
Behind them, whispers began to cling to their backs.
"Hmph, they certainly have spirit."
"Isn't that a hatchling next to the Princess? Did she finally give up and buy one from the black market?"
"Why is she hanging around with those guys? They look incredibly suspicious, no matter how you look at them."
Unknown rookies. That was the current perception of them.
Jane is wearing her hood up, and Belgard was expelled. It's only natural they'd react like this.
"What's with the guy in the front? What does he think he can do with just a single sword?"
"Honestly, he's the most annoying one. He's walking around with three girls."
But they were wrong! It was a highly suspicious group where Roan did most of the heavy lifting.
Even so, no one dared to approach them or pick a fight.
"Alright! How about this one for our next commission?"
"Infusing mana into a guardian stone... That's my specialty. Good."
"Great! Let's wrap it up quickly! They said we have to complete ten basic commissions before we can hunt monsters!"
Whoosh!
...It was because they were simply too fast.
The party appeared and vanished in the blink of an eye. It was a preemptive strike that left no room for anyone to even strike up a conversation.
And once they left, they would return within thirty minutes to two hours.
"Commission complete!"
A terrifying rate of progress. The "Basic Commission Slayer." That was the new moniker they earned after fulfilling all the prerequisites for basic commissions in less than half a day.
Having fully qualified, Roan looked up at the top of the bulletin board.
Monster Subjugation Commissions
The weight of these tasks was on an entirely different level compared to the errands and herb-gathering they had been doing until now.
"Shall we start light with something like an Orc? Gaining real combat experience is important, after all."
...Of course, that logic didn't apply to Roan at all!
"An Orc...? From what Se-ar knows, an Orc is..."
A monster that required at least four Silver-rank adventurers to band together to defeat.
Their massive frames allowed them to maintain their posture against almost any impact, and their thick layers of fat deflected all manner of attacks, including blades.
On top of that, they wielded clubs larger than an average human!
They were terrifying beasts capable of shattering the bones of even veteran adventurers with a single misstep.
Yet Roan was suggesting it as if they were merely going for a casual stroll.
But... they did just breeze through those basic commissions. Perhaps he isn't just boasting.
It was a thought born from witnessing their efficiency firsthand. Naturally, however, others would not see it that way.
Especially.
"An Orc? How absurd, Promius."
Even more so if it was someone who held a grudge against her.
Someone who had been staring intently at the party's return intervened. The moment she heard that voice, Promius's body stiffened in sheer revulsion.
"...Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
Despite her disgust, Promius still offered a response. Roan's party followed her gaze to look at the newcomer.
"Whoa, look at that double chin..."
"His clothes look expensive."
"They don't look practical at all. Completely different from the Princess's clothes."
"What's that sword at his hip? Is it for self-defense?"
"I don't think so. The blade is too soft. It'd probably shatter after clashing a couple of times."
Whisper, whisper.
Leaving the three muttering behind them, the conversation between Promius and the Crown Prince continued.
"Indeed. A polite title. Though I suppose that is only natural for a cast-aside heir."
"...Are you still saying such things? It seems Se-ar has truly fallen out of favor."
"It is not a matter of falling out of favor; I am merely concerned. You have always been nothing but trouble. So? What is it this time?"
He pointed a pudgy finger at Roan's party.
"Are you associating with ruffians who do not even know their place?"
"...What an obnoxious prick."
However, Jane's mutterings did not reach the Crown Prince's ears. His gaze had already locked onto a specific target.
"Well... it seems even a useless thing like you can occasionally fetch something valuable."
He was looking at the hatchling cradled in Promius's arms. He reached out a hand.
"A peculiar dragon. Where did you acquire it? No, that does not matter. Hand it over, Promius Lionheart."
She could not hand it over. His greed was palpable even without a shield. If the hatchling fell into the hands of a man like this—
"Se-ar cannot do that. This hatchling was entrusted to Se-ar by Se-ar's very first companions. It is only proper to raise it with all of Se-ar's heart."
"...Impudent girl."
His younger sister's unexpected defiance made his face flush with rage, especially with so many watching eyes around them.
Yet, he did not press any further. This was the Adventurers' Guild. There were several individuals here strong enough to ignore even royal authority if a scene was caused.
"...We shall speak of this later, Promius Lionheart."
The Crown Prince swept his greedy eyes over the hatchling one last time. Promising retribution, he stalked toward the exit, roughly shoving aside the weaker adventurers entering the building to vent his frustration.
"...Sigh, things are going to get difficult from now on."
Yet her expression was bright, showing no signs of regret. If anything, her cheerful demeanor only made Roan's party feel twice as awkward. After all, they were the ones who had drawn attention, but she was the one bearing the consequences!
"Just as I thought. We need to start building up some prestige."
Without prestige, it felt like they were getting dragged into trouble at every turn. They needed the kind of reputation where people would applaud even if they did something mundane... Well, maybe not that extreme, but they at least needed enough fame for people to recognize and respect them!
"Prestige?"
"Yes. It didn't matter when we were operating in smaller areas, but trying to move around in a kingdom without any standing is just too inconvenient."
Since they would be visiting places like this frequently in the future, it was best to avoid unnecessary obstacles.
"With that in mind... I think we should use this place as our base of operations for now."
The need was especially dire considering Jane's wallet, which had been funding them, was running dangerously low.
"Of course, I don't intend to keep babysitting you, Lady Promius!"
Grow strong on your own.
"Ah, Se-ar was prepared for that. It is the way of the world for paths to cross and part."
—Peep!
The hatchling let out a spirited cry, echoing Promius's words.
"Do not worry. When we meet again, Se-ar will have grown so much it will surprise you."
After her grand declaration, Promius quickly added, "Of course, Se-ar will accept your aid for now!"
An incredibly shameless request. ...And that very confidence would completely vanish the moment she witnessed Roan's party dealing with Orcs.
"So, when dealing with heavy and large opponents like Orcs—"
—Thud!!
Gwoooooh!!
Roan blocked a descending club with a single hand.
"You can use magic, right? There's a shaman over there, and they usually use the dark attribute, so—"
Whoosh!!
Squeeeal!!
Before the shaman could even gather its mana, a burst of fire magic erupted.
"Since you can't use holy power... I'll teach you first-aid methods first. It'll be useful when you travel with others later."
—Shhhhh...
Roan sorted through the herbs while applying holy power in precise measures.
They weren't just fighting a single monster. It was a pack. They were casually chatting while wiping out a group of nearly ten Orcs.
"To think... they were this powerful..."
Promius watched in awe. Now she understood why they hadn't batted an eye at the provocation in the guild.
"...They had every reason to act so boldly before the Crown Prince. Their strength would not pale even against the Royal Guard."
"Ahaha, there's no need to go that far. No matter how incompetent he seems, he is still the Crown Prince."
"You do not say it would be impossible."
"Of course not."
Because I left the word "impossible" in my past life.
Continuing his lecture, Roan finished off the rest of the Orcs and pointed at the last one remaining.
"Alright! Princess! Now it's time for practical application! The last one is yours!"
"...This curriculum progresses rather rapidly. Not that Se-ar cannot do it, though."
Promius drew her sword. It was a common iron sword, not the fine blade one would expect of royalty.
—Peep!
"You stay back and watch. Now is the time for Se-ar to learn."
—Peeep...
Leaving the hatchling behind, Promius steeled herself and engaged the Orc.
Thud! Crash! The sound of the club slamming into the ground echoed alongside the beast's roars.
Already enraged by the loss of its pack, the Orc was a bit too much for a novice adventurer to handle.
Screeech!! With a harsh grating sound, Promius was pushed back.
Though she managed to block the blow, her hands trembled from the numbing shock that coursed up her arms.
"Ugh... But still...!"
Yet Promius's fighting spirit burned bright. But just as she was about to spring forward again—
Slash!! Blood sprayed through the air. The throat of the last remaining Orc warrior was severed in an instant.
Through the gap where the thick layer of fat had been sliced open, several figures came into view. Three individuals clad in polished silver armor, and...
"Wasting time on such trash. What a waste of a hatchling."
It was the Crown Prince from earlier.
"...Did you follow us all the way here? Surely not just for the hatchling."
At Belgard's words, the Crown Prince's lips curled into a sneer.
"That is a secondary reason. While the hatchling is important, the real reason I have come all this way is to punish you lot."
"...Huh? Us? Why?"
Jane asked, looking genuinely bewildered.
"Are you not the ones who filled Promius's head with nonsense and incited her to rebel? Had it not been for you, such insolence would never have occurred."
It was a completely absurd accusation. Jane opened her mouth to retort, outraged by the sheer ridiculousness of it.
But Roan held her back. There was no need to argue.
"He went out of his way to find a secluded spot for us. This is actually perfect."
"...Ah! So we're going to teach him a little lesson here?"
"Exactly!"
"Teach me a lesson? How laughable. You are the ones who will be taught a lesson."
The Crown Prince commanded his knights.
"Punish them. Do not go too far—an arm or two should suffice."
The Crown Prince barked the order to vent his anger, and the knights stepped forward.
They exuded a heavy pressure that weighed down the very air, but not a single member of Roan's party was affected by it.
"Yeah, we definitely need to build up some prestige quickly."
Roan's relaxed murmur, confirming his future plans, was the only sound that filled the tense silence.