Chapter 17: The Long Road to the Imperial Capital
“To be able to discern at a glance that I am the Grand Master, it seems that adventurers who can tame ‘Divine Fortune’ possess a different level of insight,” she said, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. “It was worth coming all this way.”
“I am honored,” I replied.
After being escorted to the guild’s reception room, we were set to have a discussion with the Grand Master of the Adventurers’ Guild, Lady Dorozitte.
“By the way, may I ask how you figured that out?” she inquired.
“One reason is that Mariane’s expression was… unusual. Also, I sensed that she was not an ordinary person,” I explained.
“Ah, that was a blind spot for me. It’s rare for Mariane to show her emotions, but it seems she is quite taken with you, Soushi. Even I hadn’t considered that,” Lady Dorozitte said, a faint smile gracing her lips as she turned her deep violet eyes toward Mariane. Mariane, however, remained silent, turning her face away with an impassive expression.
“However, even if I think that way, one wouldn’t immediately assume that a young person like me is the Grand Master. The ability to discard such preconceptions is undoubtedly necessary for adventurers,” she continued.
“Since becoming an adventurer, I’ve often found my common sense shattered, so I suppose I’ve grown accustomed to it. Speaking of which, I wanted to express my gratitude for meeting the Grand Master,” I said.
“Oh? And what is that about?” she asked, intrigued.
“I have greatly benefited from the adventurer’s guidebook available at the guild. The funding assistance for newcomers has also been invaluable. Without those resources, I might have lost my life early on. Thank you very much,” I said, bowing my head.
Lady Dorozitte narrowed her eyes and then placed a hand over her mouth, letting out a delighted chuckle. “Did you hear that, Mariane? Since I became Grand Master, this is the first time someone has expressed their gratitude to me so directly. As you say, Soushi, you are a remarkable gentleman, and it seems you have a good understanding of the guild.”
“Yes, I believe he is a person of great insight,” Mariane added.
While I was somewhat embarrassed by the praise, I felt relieved to finally say what I had wanted to express.
“Should I say ‘You’re welcome’? I’m truly pleased to have been of help. I’ve heard that the survival rate of rookie adventurers has increased, but to receive thanks directly is exceptionally gratifying,” she replied.
“I genuinely appreciate it. However, I never expected the Grand Master herself would come all the way to this town,” I remarked.
“Indeed, but I was eager to meet you, Soushi, and the members of ‘Soul’s Guidance.’ Moreover, I must also express my gratitude to ‘Soul’s Guidance.’ Thanks to you, Soushi, for providing the guild with solid information regarding the ‘Demon,’ the ‘Kin of Twilight,’ the ‘Candlestick of the Netherworld,’ and the ‘Wandering Dungeon,’ we have been greatly assisted. It’s remarkable that you even went to the Inner Elf Village to gather information.”
“While I didn’t gather much useful information… I’m glad it could be of help,” I said modestly.
“Of course. The absence of information is also valuable in its own right. And I must say, I was surprised that you took in Geshura from the ‘Kin of Twilight’… or rather, that you protected her. It’s something we could never have imagined, to converse with the ‘Kin of Twilight.'”
“That’s due to historical and experiential factors, so it can’t be helped. I simply happened to lack any preconceived notions about the ‘Kin of Twilight,'” I explained.
At my words, Lady Dorozitte’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “That’s quite a mystery for us. Anyone living on this continent has heard that the ‘Kin of Twilight’ are terrifying beings.”
Her gaze hinted at her thoughts. Anyone from this continent would never think to engage in conversation with the ‘Kin of Twilight.’ Thus, she might be considering that I am not from this continent for daring to do so. I could only commend her keen insight.
“…I grew up in a desolate borderland. Had I not awakened and been driven out, I would have spent my entire life there,” I said, deflecting the topic.
“Let’s leave it at that, shall we? By the way, there’s another reason I came to this town. It’s about the dragon sighting you were observing earlier,” she said.
“Is this a matter that requires the Grand Master’s personal involvement?” I asked, surprised.
“Of course. Dragons appearing on the surface is a rare occurrence, and according to the information, it seems to be a high-ranking dragon that has already caused multiple incidents. We are currently gathering eyewitness accounts and issuing requests across several towns, but since the opponent is a flying monster, locating its lair is quite challenging.”
“I see, so it’s difficult to track it down before we can confront it,” I acknowledged.
“Exactly. But since you have come to this land, I thought you might be able to resolve this issue,” she said.
“However, we do not possess the skills to search for dragons…” I began.
“Kuhehehe!”
Lady Dorozitte smiled playfully, her expression reminiscent of a child discovering an intriguing toy—an innocence that seemed unbefitting of her title as Grand Master.
“I believe you won’t need to search for the dragon, Soushi.”
“What do you mean by that… Ah, are you referring to my Skill?” I asked, realization dawning on me.
“Correct. I suspect that your ‘Divine Fortune’ Skill might be what draws the dragon to you. Witnessing the true power of your ‘Divine Fortune’ is the third reason I came to this town,” she explained.
Afterward, we checked into the inn that Lady Dorozitte had recommended. After a night’s rest, we greeted the acting lord of Gashera.
The actual lord, the count, was currently in the Imperial Capital and was expected to return upon hearing the news of the dragon sighting.
The greeting to the acting lord was uneventful, and we headed back to the guild.
I was somewhat troubled regarding the dragon extermination request.
In truth, the request posted on the bulletin board was not for extermination but rather a plea for assistance in defending the town until the dragon situation was resolved.
While accepting the request itself posed no issue, it was uncertain whether the dragon would actually appear, and how many days it would take to resolve the matter was also unknown.
Given that I couldn’t be sure if the dragon would come just by relying on my ‘Bad Luck’ Skill, I pondered the implications of accepting the request and potentially being delayed. However, I also wanted to avoid the town being attacked after we left, so ultimately, it seemed we had no choice but to accept it…
Upon entering the guild, the silver-haired beauty, Grand Master Lady Dorozitte, immediately came into view. According to Mariane, she had elven and demon blood, and her actual age was likely not what it appeared. Just as I was about to ask her age, High Elf Sfenia cleared her throat, prompting me to hold my tongue. It seemed that even long-lived beings had their own thoughts regarding age.
In any case, Lady Dorozitte appeared quite interested in us.
“Soushi, will ‘Soul’s Guidance’ accept the request?” she asked eagerly.
“As a party, we have agreed to accept it. However, I’m not entirely sure if my Skill will truly summon the dragon, and we also have pressing matters to attend to,” I replied.
“Ah, you’re concerned about that. His Majesty the Emperor also expressed a desire to meet Geshura soon,” she noted.
“Yes, and we have urgent business to attend to in the Dwarven Village,” I added.
“Hmm? Are you perhaps going to procure some weapons? In that case, we need the dragon to appear sooner rather than later,” she said, her words carrying a somewhat ominous tone.
Just then, a loud bell tolled from the northern part of the town.
Additionally, shouts of “It’s a dragon!” echoed from the streets.
“Kuhehehe! It seems we didn’t need to worry after all,” Lady Dorozitte said, her carefree smile leaving me unsure of how to respond.