NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 38
Chapter 38: Adventurer, Escort the Samurai
“It’s from someone named Saria at the Mercenary Guild. Do you know her?”
“……I suppose you could say we know each other.”
At the mention of a letter from the Mercenary Guild, confusion clouded Franz’s face.
He had been an adventurer for a long time, but never had he received a letter from the Guild. Normally, any announcement would be delivered directly when someone visited the Guild, as had been the case when Hermann summoned him.
“Come to think of it, you’re technically a C-rank mercenary, aren’t you? I forgot about that.”
“It could be urgent, so you should read it first.”
“Hmph.”
Cross roughly broke the seal and began reading the letter aloud, but…
“Commission… Guild… come…?”
“Cross, let me have a look. I’ll read it.”
Despite studying the common tongue every night, his reading ability was still limited to basic words. Even that was focused on adventurer-specific terminology to help him understand job requests, so his knowledge was quite biased.
“The letter says, ‘A named commission has been issued, so please come to the Guild immediately.”
“What is a named commission?”
“It’s when a client directly requests a specific person for a job. It’s a common practice among high-ranking individuals… You haven’t set foot in the Mercenary Guild since you registered, have you? This feels… off.”
Barth tilted his head suspiciously. Indeed, it was extremely rare for a named commission to be issued for someone ranked C.
“Is it from someone Cross knows?”
“Well, named commissions usually come with higher fees than regular ones, so if it’s someone you know, why not ask them directly instead of going through the Guild?”
That was true…
While it was prohibited to bypass the Guild entirely to accept a job, it was permissible for clients who were familiar with specific adventurers to negotiate with them beforehand. When both parties appeared together to submit the job to the Guild, essentially the process mirrored a named commission.
“What could this mean…?”
“Who is this Saria person?”
“She’s the Guildmaster of the Mercenary Guild. We had a duel interrupted, and I got a bit heated. I… almost killed someone, but then I remembered my promise to you and we reconciled. At least, I think we did.────No, wait, don’t look at me like that. I didn’t cause any injuries, so I haven’t broken my promise.”
Out of nowhere, Cross’s explosive confession froze the living room atmosphere. People are apparently speechless when genuinely surprised.
“────What!? You almost killed someone!?”
“At the Mercenary Guild!?”
“Cross! Explain yourself! From the beginning!”
The only thing they had heard about that day’s events at the Mercenary Guild was, “There was a little trouble, but no major injuries were inflicted. I lost interest and decided never to go back.” Following that, Cross had bitterly complained about how pointless the Mercenary Guild was, but there had been no mention at all about the Guildmaster.
“……On that day, as soon as I entered the Guild, the receptionist────”
Surrounded by the group, Cross recounted the story of what happened at the Mercenary Guild in detail, looking increasingly uncomfortable.
“Damn…”
“Thank goodness! Thank goodness Pamela said something then!”
Looking back, Pamela had earnestly warned Cross not to kill someone, even if provoked, that morning. He hadn’t given it much thought back then because it seemed like a joke…
“If it hadn’t been for that promise, things would have gotten out of hand. Pam, good job!”
While Barth was in a daze, and Franz and Mauri were praising him, Pamela was staring intensely at Cross as if she were unaffected by their reactions.
“Cross, when I saw Saria’s name earlier, you had a slight scowl. Honestly, what were you thinking?”
Cross briefly averted his gaze from Pamela but, recognizing there was no way out, quietly began to speak.
“It’s just that… even though I had explicitly warned them that any insolence would be met with fatal consequences, I was rather incensed to be summoned by such a curt letter instead of a more formal communication…”
“Franz, letting him go alone would be a disaster. If we do, there could be bloodshed.”
“I can only imagine the Mercenary Guild turning into a sea of blood.”
“Right. I don’t have a choice, I’ll go with him tomorrow. Everyone, carry on with the preparations as planned.”
Cross complained that he didn’t need a chaperone, but Pamela silenced him, and thus Franz’s accompaniment was confirmed.
……
“Thank you for coming, Cross.……And who might you be?”
“I am Franz, the leader of Cross’ party and an E-rank adventurer. He is unfamiliar with the intricacies of the country, so I’ve come with him.”
At the reception of the Mercenary Guild, the letter was shown, and they were quickly ushered into the Guildmaster’s office. The arrival of the beautiful Sylvan race left Franz slightly uneasy while greeting her.
“Yes… It’s fine. Please, take a seat.”
Once seated on the plush sofa – much more luxurious than the ones found at the adventurer’s guild – Cross cut straight to the point.
“So, what’s this about? I have no interest in anything related to the Mercenary Guild.”
“C, Cross! This is the Guildmaster; you should use honorifics────”
“It’s fine, Franz. Cross, first of all, I apologize for the sudden summons. There’s a situation where I would like your assistance.”
Saria bowed slightly to Cross, then resettled with a serious expression.
“……”
The Sylvan race was known for their beauty, but Saria was breathtaking to the point of making one’s knees feel weak. Franz, momentarily forgetting the circumstance, was caught gawking until Saria’s next words caused him to nearly spit out his tea.
“In two days, the son of Lord Siegfried Angila, the lord of this territory, will be going to Navar for an inspection. I’m asking you to serve as his protector. The reward will be fifteen gold coins, and the Guild will cover all lodging and dining expenses in Navar.”
“An, a commission from Lord Siegfried!?”
“Technically, it’s a request from His Lordship’s personal guards”.
“……Franz, where exactly is Navar?”
Caught off guard by a proposition far exceeding their expectations, Franz felt like a hand had grabbed his stomach, but seeing Cross’s calm, unchanging expression helped settle his nerves a bit.
“Hmm, it’s about two days south by carriage. It’s a fishing village by the sea”.
“Four days round trip then. How long will we be staying?”
“One day is the plan. A five-day journey is scheduled”.
Though amazed by the noble’s request, this, so far, seemed like a standard escort job for VIPs. But Barth’s earlier concerns highlighted an obvious question.
“Why was a named commission sent specifically to Cross? Surely the lord could’ve tasked knights or soldiers for this?”
“……Both of you must keep what I’m about to tell you confidential. Three days ago, one of the northern farming villages was attacked and burned by Orcus Empire forces. Most villagers were slaughtered, and several women and children were abducted. The Lord was infuriated and marched north with his entire army the other day. The Mercenary Guild was also called to arms, so currently, all skilled mercenaries are deployed in the north. I’m leaving today too. Thus, Cross was the only mercenary who fits the conditions requested by the client”.
Hearing this, Franz took a sharp intake of breath. He had been aware that skirmishes with the Orcus Empire were ongoing, but he imagined that to be battles between fortifications by the military alone.
To think they’d go so far as to massacre civilians────…
“Could this mean……a full-blown war is starting?”
“Nobody knows. Though such provocative actions have occurred multiple times without much public awareness. However, for the Lord himself to deploy to the battlefield is unprecedented”.
“In such a situation, why is His Lordship’s son going on an inspection? Shouldn’t the dates be postponed?”
“This too, must remain between us. The truth is, Navar has been suffering from poor catches of fish since this year started, and their tax collectors have submitted appeals for tax reductions. The Lord had promised to approve them, but now, with the potential need for war funds, he must explain the situation immediately. Officially, it’s called an inspection, but actually, Lord Siegfried’s son is going to explain the situation promptly. The eldest is occupied as acting Lord, and the second son is accompanying the Lord himself, leaving the third son stuck with this errand”.
“The third son, you say? I thought Lord Siegfried had only two sons”.
“……No, he has three sons”.
Franz felt something was off about Saria’s demeanor, but before he could voice it, Cross summed up the situation.
“I see, the situation is understood.……Franz, I consider this commission acceptable. Is it fine with you?”
“Hmm… We are currently in our resting period, so absence for five days won’t be an issue for the party. Guildmaster, will Cross be the sole bodyguard?”
“Three knights and one maid assigned directly to his Lordship’s son will be traveling with him. Technically, this number, even including Cross, would fall short of the necessary security forces”.
But honestly, just having Cross alone might have been better…
Franz was not concerned about the insufficient guard forces. There was another issue on his mind.
“Well, Cross can sometimes be a bit difficult. I’m worried that he might offend His Lordship’s son or the knights”.
“Ah, yes, I understand his character. To tell you the truth, I was surprised to hear him express agreement. Franz, your real concern, isn’t it that he might attack the nobles out of anger?”
“……Yes. You’re perceptive.”
It seemed that because Saria had experience with Cross’s outbursts, she understood his concerns immediately.
“Don’t worry, Franz. I don’t know what “knights” or “maids” are exactly, but I harbor the necessary respect for nobility. I won’t lose my temper unless provoked greatly”.
Not so fast, not so fast, not so fast…
While it was true that Cross didn’t unnecessarily rage or lash out, Franz was all too familiar with the fact that once he was pushed too far, he became uncontrollable.
“Cross, I’m a knight of noble rank myself. If I were to insult Franz here, what would you do?”
“True to my prior warning, I would strike you down instantly. To me, this constitutes provocation. Do you wish to die?”
Of course, this was how it would turn out…
Franz felt a mixture of pride and exasperation. Cross would absolutely not tolerate harm to his companions or insults to his own pride. This list of hot buttons might be larger than expected.
“Guildmaster……”
“……Yes. I heard that the knights accompanying this time are serious and do not look down on mercenaries, so I thought it would be fine. As they’re from someone I know, let me reiterate some warnings to him – or rather explanations. Would that resolve the issue?”
“If that’s the case……Then I have no objections. Cross, we’ll talk when you return.”
Placing a hand on the combat freak’s shoulder who still wore an expression that asked, “Why are you guys reacting like this?” Franz resolved to do something before Cross departs.