Chapter 330: Shall We Have Dinner?
“Huh?”
The voice of confusion did not come from me.
“What’s going on?”
Following the initial exclamation, other onlookers began to murmur. Just when I thought the arrival of the Councilor had stirred up a commotion, it turned out that the target of their attention was me, causing the surrounding noise to escalate further.
“…It seems a bit noisy here. Shall we change locations?”
The Councilor, frowning at the crowd that had gathered around, spoke as he walked deeper into the Adventurer’s Guild. Passing by me, he approached the counter without glancing back and demanded that the staff prepare a meeting room. Upon closer inspection, I noticed a knight, likely his bodyguard, trailing behind him, but it seemed he didn’t suspect that I was following them, as he didn’t turn around.
As I observed the scene, I spotted a familiar face—or rather, familiar hair. The mix of gray and red was unmistakably from the Kokushi Musou party.
“Eh? Oh, Shu-san?”
“Perfect timing. I’d like to ask you something, if you don’t mind?”
Ignoring the Councilor, I called out to Kokushi Musou and led them outside the Guild.
“Wait, uh…!?”
I received a light protest while casting a glance back at the Councilor, but I brushed it off.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll treat you, so just tell me about that Councilor.”
Once we entered a nearby eatery with the four members of Kokushi Musou, we settled at a suitable table. It was still early evening, so the place wasn’t too crowded, but there was a decent buzz in the air. Now that I thought about it, I realized I hadn’t explored what kind of dishes this town had, as I had been too focused on the ingredients from the Forest of Enchantment.
“…Is it really okay?”
“Yeah, order whatever you want.”
I replied to Chunk, the party leader, but he shook his head.
“No, well, it’s not just about the food; it’s about the Councilor.”
Remembering the earlier incident, I couldn’t help but feel annoyed by that high-handed attitude.
“Even so, I’m not inclined to entertain someone I don’t know.”
I shrugged, and a dry laugh came in response.
“As expected of an S Rank Adventurer.”
“But I’d at least like to know what a Councilor is.”
I ordered the local specialties from the waiter and encouraged the others to order freely as well.
“If that’s the case, we’re grateful.”
When I mentioned my gratitude for the information, they began to order without hesitation. The more they ordered, the less my own money would dwindle, after all. As we enjoyed our meals, I summarized what I had learned.
A Councilor is a government official with the authority to make decisions on significant matters. If they were dispatched due to ignoring a summons, they could determine the charges against the individual involved. In the worst-case scenario, if found guilty, one could be captured and, even if they fled, be placed on a nationwide wanted list with a bounty on their head.
What’s that about? Where does that bounty even come from? Are they counting on our assets?
“Wow.”
“Wow? If you leave this alone, you’ll definitely become a criminal.”
“What on earth did you do?”
“I don’t recall doing anything. If anything, I just refused a request from some baron.”
More importantly, this food is delicious. It looks like clams, but I wonder if there are rivers or lakes nearby.
“Hm. I wouldn’t think that would escalate to this level.”
“Plus, there’s a Stampede Alert Level 1 issued in the Forest of Enchantment. It’s hard to believe a Councilor would be dispatched to an S Rank Adventurer in such a situation.”
“True, they’re our strongest asset.”
As Chunk and Fan voiced their thoughts, the other members nodded in agreement. I genuinely had no idea why this was happening, aside from refusing that baron’s request. Perhaps that baron had exaggerated the situation. The news of the Alert Level 1 must have reached the Royal Capital by swift messenger, and I wondered what would happen if a Stampede actually occurred.
“For now, I understand why the Councilor is here. Thank you.”
“No, thank you for asking.”
“Well, I should head back now.”
“Understood.”
I took a gold coin from my Dimensional Box and placed it on the table before hastily exiting the eatery. I heard voices trying to stop me, likely because I had left too much, but it wasn’t a significant amount, so I ignored them. The Councilor might be looking for me, and if found, it would be troublesome. I hurried home, fully utilizing my stealth skills.
Fortunately, I managed to return without being called out, letting out a sigh of relief. Perhaps the Guild Master was negotiating on my behalf; I held onto that faint hope. After all, we were the only S Rank Adventurers in this town. As Kokushi Musou had mentioned, the Guild would be in trouble if they lost their strongest asset.
“I’m home!”
“Welcome back!”
Entering the living room, I was greeted by Rio, who was wearing an apron. I realized it was already close to dinner time. I hadn’t eaten that much, but I wasn’t particularly hungry either.
But that didn’t matter.
“…Dinner is almost ready, but what’s wrong?”
Rio tilted her head, looking at me curiously as I took a moment to respond. Upon closer inspection, she looked incredibly cute. The high-handed demeanor of the Councilor had left my heart a bit frayed, but seeing Rio was soothing.