Chapter 166: The Unveiling of the Subjugation Proof
“Is it true that you’ve defeated the Sea Emperor Turtle!?”
Without even knocking, the Guild Master burst into the room, spitting words as he entered. Nil, startled, raised her head from where she had been hiding.
“Yes, I brought back two heads as proof.”
“W-What? Two heads?”
“It was a two-headed turtle, so there are two heads.”
“Unbelievable…”
The mention of evidence left him speechless, standing frozen in place. Lowell, too, had stopped writing, his mouth agape in astonishment.
“So, what shall we do? If you want to confirm the evidence, I can present it.”
“Ah, uh… Yes, that’s right.”
As he turned to leave the room, he paused to look at Lowell, who still held his pen, momentarily frozen.
“Wait, perhaps I should hear more details first.”
Having reconsidered, he sat back down. He seemed a bit fidgety, but calm down, Guild Master.
“Since you’ve taken two heads, that means the Sea Emperor Turtle is dead, correct?”
“Indeed. I’ve confirmed its status as deceased through appraisal.”
“Oh! Is that so? That’s a relief!”
Hearing my words, he let out a sigh of relief. If the appraisal results clearly indicated death, it must have eased his mind. Given the monstrous stats of that creature, it was understandable to doubt whether it could be defeated by anything less than a significant attack. I still had my doubts. The strike that Rio and I delivered might only have left a small hole and some cracks in its shell, at least from the outside.
“Now, I’ve heard that after the Sea Emperor Turtle raised its heads above the surface, it attacked.”
“It seems it unleashed a flash of light from its mouth. Perhaps it was a breath attack?”
“Hmmm… I never expected it to act in such a manner. The records from 150 years ago can’t be trusted after all.”
The Guild Master stroked his beard thoughtfully, resting his chin on his hand.
“Now then, could you tell me about the circumstances of the subjugation?”
“Ah, yes.”
I recounted how I had collaborated with Linford to create a new sniping magic, how we protected the military officials from the turtle’s attacks, and how we managed to sink it with a single strike.
“Hmm, I see. I understand the situation now. I suppose we’ll leave the cleanup to the Empire. …Well then, let’s go and pay our respects to the heads of the Sea Emperor Turtle.”
After discussing until the Guild Master was satisfied, it was time to unveil the evidence.
“It’s quite large, so we’ll need a spacious area.”
“…Is the dissection area too cramped?”
“Each head is over fifty meters long. I haven’t measured it precisely, so I can’t say for sure.”
“…As expected of the Sea Emperor Turtle.”
“What about the harbor? There shouldn’t be any fishing boats out right now, so it might be just right.”
As Lowell paused his note-taking to make the suggestion, the Guild Master clapped his hands together.
“Oh, that’s true. Announcing the subjugation widely will likely expedite the lifting of the fishing ban.”
“Then let’s get to it.”
“Indeed.”
Following the two, we exited the room and descended to the second floor, where adventurers were already gathering in a frenzy.
“What happened with the Sea Emperor Turtle!?”
“I heard it attacked you!”
“I also heard it was defeated! Is that true!?”
But the Guild Master, being who he was, commanded authority.
“Silence!”
His booming voice instantly quieted the crowd. After surveying the room, he grinned and declared,
“We will now unveil the heads at the harbor as proof of the subjugation. Those who wish to see it, come and witness for yourselves!”
For a moment, no one responded, but then a wave of excited shouts erupted from the adventurers.
“Whoa—!!!”
“You took down the turtle!?”
“I can’t believe it!”
“Of course we’re going to see it!”
Amidst the clamor, the adventurers rushed outside toward the harbor. Word of the unveiling spread quickly, even reaching those on the first floor.
“Ah, Lowell.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Could you handle the application for that as well?”
With my call, Lowell turned his gaze toward us.
“Both of you, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Understood.”
As we watched Lowell retreat to the counter, the Guild Master and I exited the Guild and headed toward the harbor.
“What was that all about earlier?”
“It felt like something was brewing between us,” Rio remarked, her curiosity piqued by the earlier exchange.
“Ha ha ha, you’ll find out soon enough. Just look forward to it.”
“Ugh…”
I had no idea what he meant, but it seemed he wouldn’t provide any answers even if I pressed him. I suppose I’d find out in due time.
As we stepped into the harbor, we noticed several damaged ships, some stranded on the shore, reminiscent of a military port. A few townsfolk could be seen, some of whom seemed unaware of the spectacle about to unfold.
The Guild Master began calling out to secure a space for displaying the Sea Emperor Turtle’s heads. It seemed that no resident was unfamiliar with the Guild Master, as they readily cleared a wide area for us. A few Guild Staff members were also summoned to assist.
“Now, Shu, could you bring them out?”
“Understood.”
I signaled to Rio, and before long, the two heads of the Sea Emperor Turtle appeared before us. The air was filled with a cacophony of cheers and gasps, echoing throughout the harbor.