Chapter 179: Retrieval of the Sea Emperor Turtle
After swiftly collecting just the head, we made our way out of the castle.
“Haah… Should we go ahead and retrieve the turtle itself while we’re at it?”
I sighed deeply, turning my back to the castle entrance.
“That might be a good idea. It was a bit forceful, and if we act before the news reaches the harbor town, they might let us take it without any fuss,” Rio suggested.
Having decided to retrieve it before any interference could arise, we left the Imperial Capital. Once we had run a bit and were out of sight, we veered off the main road and took to the skies.
“That turtle really stands out, doesn’t it?”
Even from the air, it was unmistakable. The massive shell of the turtle was clearly visible, occupying a prominent spot near the harbor town.
“Shall we just head straight there?”
“Sounds good.”
We were getting closer to the coastline, and it seemed like the turtle was about to come ashore. It had ropes tangled all over it, and a group of people was pulling on them.
We landed a little behind that group.
“Who goes there?!”
The people immediately released the ropes and turned to face us warily.
“We are Shuu and Rio, the adventurers who took down that Sea Emperor Turtle.”
“What…?”
“We’ve come to collect it as per the distribution agreement made at the castle.”
I pulled out my Adventurer’s Certificate and showed it to a nearby soldier.
“…S Rank!?”
The surprised murmur that followed spread quickly among the crowd.
“We’ve been granted the entire body, so we’ll be taking it with us.”
“P-Please wait a moment. I need to confirm this with my superiors…”
It wasn’t something a low-ranking soldier could decide. He nodded and immediately sent a messenger off.
Ah, I just remembered I left Nil back at the inn. I hope she’s not sulking… But I could probably cheer her up with some turtle meat.
“It’s you two…”
After a short wait, a familiar white-haired man approached. Ah, it was Vol Something-san. I couldn’t quite recall his full name, but that didn’t matter much.
“You said you’re taking the Sea Emperor Turtle. Is that a formal decision?”
“Of course.”
“Do you have any documentation?”
Oh, he’s quite meticulous about these things. We arrived so quickly that I hadn’t had time to prepare anything, and even if I had been asked to provide it, I doubt they would have issued it promptly.
“I don’t have any documents. We came here right after the decision was made.”
“I see…”
He seemed to be pondering something, but his reaction was different from what I expected. I thought he’d be the first to complain and tell us to “go home!”
“Well, it’s fine. Take it.”
“Eh, ah… Thank you.”
To my surprise, he backed down rather easily and turned to leave.
Rio and I exchanged glances, but all I got in return was a cute head tilt from her.
“I don’t really understand, but I guess I’ll chalk it up to the privileges of being an S Rank Adventurer.”
I couldn’t think of any other reason.
“Alright then, let’s see if we can fit it into the Dimensional Box.”
As we watched the ropes being pulled away, I gazed up at the enormous shell of the turtle, which was over a hundred meters long. It was still as massive as ever.
Once the ropes were removed and the people cleared out, we approached the Sea Emperor Turtle.
“I’ll lift it, so you handle the rest.”
“Got it.”
I activated Gravity Magic, focusing on the entire massive turtle. As I gradually infused my Magic Power, the shell began to feel lighter. Once it became lighter than air, it floated gently upward, and I adjusted its position with Wind Magic.
Ignoring the growing commotion around us, I focused on the task at hand.
Rio’s Magic Power surged as well, creating a line in the space beside the turtle. The line gradually expanded until it was large enough to swallow the turtle whole.
“Okay!”
“Here we go!”
With our synchronized calls, we moved the Sea Emperor Turtle into Rio’s Dimensional Box. Before I knew it, the imposing shadow of the giant creature had vanished, replaced by the familiar sight of the sandy beach.
“It’s in.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t too worried about it, though.”
“Ha ha, true. Well then, let’s head back to the inn in the Imperial Capital.”
“Right… Sorry for the commotion.”
That last part was directed at the people around us. I wasn’t sure how many had heard, but at least our business was done.
We lightly floated into the air and headed straight for the Imperial Capital. With the shell safely retrieved, there was no need to hide anymore. We landed just before the entrance designated for nobles. The guards, who were watching over a single noble family in line, eyed us warily, but upon seeing my Adventurer’s Certificate, they accepted us without further question.
After two visits, I didn’t expect any trouble entering the Imperial Capital. We smoothly made our way to the inn where Ivan, Phonia, and Nil were waiting.
The only tasks left were to report the completion of the delivery request for the turtle’s head and to get my S Rank Adventurer’s Certificate. I should wrap those up quickly and leave the Imperial Capital today.
“I’m back… Whoa!”
As soon as we entered our room at the inn, Nil jumped at me, wagging her tail excitedly. While she licked my face, I could hear Phonia’s laughter from behind her.
“I’m glad to see you, Nil.”
“Wait, wait! I’m sorry for being late!”
As I petted her fluffy neck, I caught Phonia’s gaze, which had turned serious.
“Ivan looks well too.”
“Thanks to you.”
Now that I thought about it, he had recovered remarkably fast considering he had been on the brink of death.
“I’m thinking of leaving the Imperial Capital soon. How’s your condition?”
It wouldn’t hurt to rest for a few days, and I could always ride on Nil’s back if needed. …Though even if he was better, I might still want him to ride on her back.
“Uh, I think I’m fine…?”
Ivan replied with uncertainty as he rotated his shoulders to check his condition.
“Really? Then I’ll head to the Guild to report the completion of the request. Let’s leave once I’m done.”
“I want to leave today—”
“Take me to the Guild too!”
As I was confirming our plans, Phonia interrupted Ivan with her declaration.