Chapter 318: Summoning
Several days had passed since we began our investigation. The mid-levels of the Forest of Enchantment were steadily being filled in. When I reported to the Guild Master on the first day, he was astonished by the vast area we had covered in just one day, but he soon accepted it as a testament to our strength as S Rank Adventurers.
I had asked him if there were any other S Rank Adventurers in the country, but he informed me that there were none. Apparently, there had been an S Rank Adventurer based in this town a few years ago, but he had left due to some disputes with the nobility.
After finishing today’s report in the Guild’s office, I noticed the Guild Master furrowing his brow in deep thought. A horde of about a hundred B Rank monsters had been sighted, but I had encountered similar groups during my time living in the Forest of Enchantment.
“Hmm… this might be problematic…”
“Is that so?”
I remained blissfully unaware of any impending danger, which earned me a disapproving glare from the Guild Master.
“While it’s not an immediate threat, the fact that they’ve come so close to the shallows in the mid-levels could be significant.”
“I see. Then let’s investigate a bit deeper tomorrow.”
“That sounds like a plan.”
“I would like to ask for your cooperation, but… I need you to take this.”
Just as our conversation seemed to reach a conclusion, the Guild Master hesitantly handed me a letter.
“What’s this?”
“Well, I’m not entirely sure. But since it bears the seal of a noble, I can’t shake the feeling that it’s something unpleasant.”
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of foreboding. Just the other day, I had heard about an S Rank Adventurer who had fled due to a dispute with the nobility. I had no idea what the letter contained, so I decided to open it.
“Summoning?”
I read the words at the top and tilted my head in confusion.
“…What have you gotten us into?”
I heard the Guild Master’s exasperated voice.
“I have no idea… but what does this summoning entail?”
I read through the letter, but it didn’t clarify much. It seemed to be a roundabout way of saying we were to report to the knight’s station in the Royal Capital. The sender was listed as Baron Beifan Lowing, the only noble I could recall meeting was the one at the magic tool shop in the Royal Capital.
“Indeed, it’s quite perplexing.”
After passing the letter to Rio, I handed it to the Guild Master as well. He hesitated, showing signs of reluctance to read it, but after a deep sigh, he focused on the letter.
“This is a summons from a noble. It’s often issued to punish commoners for disrespect.”
“I see…”
Disrespect, huh? Did I do something to offend the Baron?
“I can’t recall meeting any noble worthy of respect.”
“Hahaha! That’s certainly true!”
I sought Rio’s agreement, and her laughter echoed in response.
“…I see, I understand the situation now.”
The Guild Master, who had been observing our exchange, let out another heavy sigh before continuing.
“Honestly, nobles do tend to complicate things during such trying times… We’ll have to rely on other Adventurers for tomorrow’s investigation.”
He frowned, clearly displeased, but I wondered if this summons was truly of such high priority. Regardless, we were in the middle of an assignment, and I had no intention of abandoning it.
“No, no, we’ll continue the investigation. There’s no way we’re going to ignore such an ambiguous summons.”
“Given the crisis in the city, you should at least be able to prioritize, right?”
Rio added, but the Guild Master’s expression remained grim. Could it be that the nobles in this country were truly that foolish?
“If you choose to continue your investigation, I would be grateful, but it will only put you at a disadvantage. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”
Rio and I exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
“Yes, we have no issues with that.”
“I-I see.”
The Guild Master seemed at a loss for words in response to our confident declaration.
“Then I’ll be counting on you again starting tomorrow.”
“Understood. We’ll take our leave now.”
Once we exited the office, I had no further business at the Guild, so I decided to head home. Lately, I had been acting separately from Ivan and the others, only joining them when heading to the Forest of Enchantment in the mornings.
Though I returned later than usual, I walked along the bustling Main Street and finally arrived home.
“I’m back!”
As I passed through the neatly arranged garden and opened the front door, I was greeted with a cheerful “Welcome back!” It felt nice to have a home.
“You’re a bit late today.”
“Yeah, I received this letter.”
I handed the letter to Ivan while briefly explaining the situation.
“Wow. Sounds like a troublesome noble. So, are you going to respond to the summons?”
“Not a chance.”
“That’s what I thought.”
We shared a laugh as I petted Phonia, who had come to greet me, and then I indulged in some fluffy time with Nil before sinking into the sofa in the living room.
“Welcome back, Master.”
Once I settled in, El, in her maid mode, served us tea. The fact that she was in maid mode suggested something had happened.
“This afternoon, a trio of individuals, presumed to be Adventurers, visited. Are they acquaintances of yours?”
I pulled out my smartphone from my pocket, and she showed me the photos she had taken. I was glad I had given her a smartphone from Japan. After a few days of sleepless nights fiddling with it, it was finally proving useful.
Upon closer inspection of the photos, I saw three men with rather unsavory expressions. Of course, I had no recollection of them.