Adventurers’ Guild in the town of Beakel
The carriage carrying us stopped at various inns in towns along the way, and a week after leaving the Capital, we arrived in the town of Beakel.
This town was located near the border of Count Gerhardt’s territory and the Primitive Sea of Trees, and it was famous as a gathering place for adventurers.
Because of that, it was a unique town where the authority of the Adventurers’ Guild was stronger than that of the town’s magistrate.
Therefore, the influence of nobles in this town was minimal.
We parked the carriage at a cheap inn in the town, left our luggage in the room, changed into adventurer-like casual wear and coats, and went outside.
Walking along the main street of the town, we saw adventurers wearing various gear, from tough-looking armor with spikes on their shoulders to armor reminiscent of warriors from the end of the century.
Seeing the attire of these adventurers, Kreiss narrowed his eyes.
“Your Highness Ian, please don’t stray too far from us.”
“Their appearance may be intimidating, but there’s no need to be so cautious. They might be friendly when you talk to them. Also, please refrain from calling me ‘Your Highness’ in this town. It might cause unnecessary trouble if they recognize me as a noble.”
It was my first time seeing adventurers up close, but because of my knowledge of adventurers from my past life in Japan, I felt somehow close to them.
“It feels like we’ve come to a foreign land, doesn’t it?”
As expected of Sister Emilia, she seemed to be having a lot of fun, her eyes sparkling without getting overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the town.
We walked down the main street toward the building of the Adventurers’ Guild.
Upon entering the Adventurers’ Guild, there were various reception counters on the right and a waiting area on the left, where many people could sit.
It seems that you can also have meals and drinks here.
The adventurers inside the Guild sent sharp glances our way.
It was quite conspicuous for a child like me to enter with guards.
However, Sister Emilia didn’t seem to mind and returned a smile to the adventurers she made eye contact with.
Many of the adventurers blushed and looked dazedly at her as she walked by, waving her hand.
Approaching the reception counter, a polite receptionist lady greeted us with a bow.
“Welcome to the Adventurer’s Guild. What brings you here?”
“My name is Ian Critonia. I’d like to be introduced to adventurers who are familiar with the Primitive Sea of Trees. Is that possible?”
“Then, I’ll guide you to the third floor.”
When I took out a short sword from my coat and placed it on the counter, the receptionist bowed deeply.
The sword bore the Royal crest, and the receptionist seemed to notice.
She came out from behind the counter and gestured towards the stairs, guiding us up to the third floor.
Upon arriving in front of the room at the far end of the third floor, the receptionist knocked on the door and announced, “You have guests.”
A voice from inside said, “Come in,” and along with the receptionist, we entered the room.
Inside the room were two large sofas, and behind them sat a stern-looking man with a scar on his cheek, who gave us a sharp look.
“This is supposed to be the Adventurers’ Guild, but when did it become a daycare center?”
“That’s a rude thing to say.”
“Fighting is prohibited here. We’ve come to make a request.”
Kreiss, angered by the man’s words, reached for his sword at his waist, but I raised my hand to stop him.
Seeing this, the man smirked, stood up from his chair, and walked towards us.
“This is the Adventurers’ Guild. Your noble power doesn’t reach us.”
“Is that so? Are you okay with losing support from the Kingdom of Critonia? Without it, the Adventurers’ Guild would be in trouble.”
While the Adventurers’ Guild is an organization that spans across countries, it still needs financial support from the kingdom to operate.
So, although on the surface, the Adventurers’ Guild is portrayed as an independent organization, in reality, it’s a mutually beneficial relationship.
Upon hearing my words, the man’s smirk disappeared, and he glared at me sharply.
“What does a noble like you want here?”
“My name is Emilia Critonia. I don’t intend to flaunt any power. I’m simply here to make a request as a client. The receptionist here guided us to this room.”
“I confirmed the Royal crest, so I brought them to you just in case, Guildmaster. I always say this, but please refrain from picking fights with customers. It affects the dignity of the Adventurers’ Guild.”
“Adventurers don’t need dignity.”
“If you keep saying things like that, I’ll report it to headquarters. If the support from the kingdom stops due to your rude behavior, the guild staff under you will be left in the lurch. How do you plan to take responsibility then? Please act a bit more mature.”
“Ugh…”
Reprimanded by the receptionist, the man fell silent with a bitter expression.
It seems like this man is the Guildmaster and gets scolded by the receptionist quite often.
He’s kind of amusing, like a child.
The Guildmaster looked embarrassed and turned his face away.
“What brings you here?”
“I want to visit a settlement of Dwarves living deep in the Primitive Sea of Trees. We are looking for someone knowledgeable about the forest. Preferably, someone who can guide us.”
“The underground city in the Primitive Sea of Trees… Are you guys really believing those rumors? We don’t even know if it’s real.”
“I’m serious. We really need to establish a connection with the Dwarves.”
“It’s amusing how the Royal family is interested in the Dwarves’ affairs. Alright, I will cooperate. Just wait a moment.”
With that, the Guildmaster smirked, opened the door, and left the room.
Watching his retreating figure, the receptionist bowed to me and Emilia.
“I apologize for the Guildmaster’s rude behavior. He’s not a bad person, but he can’t seem to shake off his adventurers’ manners and has a sharp tongue, so he often ends up arguing with customers. But at heart, he’s a kind person.”
“We’re the ones who barged in suddenly, and we don’t expect any special treatment. We’re not bothered by it, so please don’t worry.”
“I appreciate your understanding.”
Sister Emilia and the receptionist exchanged a smile.
Feeling warm inside at their interaction, I noticed Kreiss muttering complaints nearby, “I’m still not convinced.”
Will we really be able to go to the Primitive Sea of Trees smoothly like this?