My name is Richend. Well, not my real name.
This is what I go by when I work as an adventurer, so that’s what I’m calling myself now.
After all, I’m here in the adventurer guild again today, to accept a quest.
“H-hum, are you sure about this quest?”
How many times have I had this back and forth?
I look at Mikaru, the receptionist, and nod.
“Yes, I don’t mind. The capital is so big, that I have trouble remembering the roads. And if I can do that and make some money at the same time, isn’t that just the best!?”
“W-well… It’s good for us, but Mister Richend…”
“I know what you mean. I do feel bad about an A rank adventurer such as myself taking quests away from low rank adventurers, but… There aren’t that many quests for me to take anyway.”
“N-no, that part is fine. Not many people take those delivery quests to begin with…”
Says Mikaru, sounding like she feels a little bad about that.
Well, my excuse isn’t completely truthful. Yes, there aren’t many quests like hunting quests of high difficulty. But that also means that it’s not like there really aren’t any.
But like I said before, I want to know the geography of the capital of the Kingdom of Elesya.
This is sure to help my strategy.
Actually, that’s just what my advisor, who isn’t here right now, said.
I wish I could accept hunting quests and really let loose, but I don’t want to risk ruining the strategy, so I’m holding back.
Ah, just thinking about it makes me tremble.
“H-hum, are you all right? You look pale…”
“Y-yes, I’m fine. More importantly, there weren’t many quests in the Beast Kingdom, but it’s different here.”
Mikaru then responds to me, like she’s feeling nostalgic.
“There was a time when there weren’t that many. There was this person who accepted a lot of delivery quests by himself, and that was a spark that led others to accept them too.”
“I see. That sounds like a discerning individual, to take the initiative to accept quests others didn’t.”
“Yes! He was really great…”
The fun look on Mikaru’s face then turns sad.
D-did I mention something I shouldn’t have?
My experience tells me that when a woman shows this kind of change, I should avoid whatever caused it.
“A-anyway, please handle the formalities.”
“Yes… It’s done. Good luck.”
She says with a gentle smile. What a pro.
And I can tell why she’s popular among young people. Some in my ranks are secret fans of her too. Is that all right?
And me? I’m all about my wife. If I started ogling other women, I’d never be able to set foot in the Beast Kingdom again.
…I’m not crazy. It’s true. Really. You don’t believe me, do you?
“Did you get yourself a quest, End?”
“Y-yes, I sure did Ryuryu. What about you?”
Hearing someone talk to me all of a sudden surprises me.
This is my chaperon, Ryuryu. She’s also a beast person, but a fox. And me? I’m a proud wolf.
“We just got done with one. We were thinking about what to do to kill time.”
“…”
“You wake up too late, End. It’s ’cause you drink ’till late.”
“T-that’s a way of deepening friendships to acquire information…”
“It’s fine, but we have to report to Figuel when we get back.”
Eh? Seriously? N-no, it’s all right. I have a just cause!
“Just don’t overdo it, Ryuryu.”
“It’s fine. I know how important it is to take care of your health. I’m more worried about you, End.”
Says Ryuryu as she walks over to the reception desk.
Talking to Ryuryu knocks me off balance in more ways than one.
She’s the shortest among all the people I brought with me, and it’s easy to feel anxious because she seems weak. But once she gets a spear in her hands, she’s stronger than anyone… Not including me, of course.
But more important than all that… She’s my wife’s younger sister.
It looks like she’s having fun talking to Mikaru…. It’s not about me, is it?
“Let’s just do the quest.”
What were my wife and Figuel thinking? Telling me to bring Ryuryu along as an attendant even though what we’re doing is dangerous.
When I said I was against it, my wife hit me. She’s so unreasonable.
Ah, let’s just stop thinking.
Instead, let’s work hard now to earn some drinking money for later.
But… Delivery quests come with a lot of temptations.
Especially that stall. It keeps pulling me towards it, and that tasty smell is just not fair.
When we first got here in Elesya, it felt like a lot of the townspeople kept their distance when they saw we’re beast people.
It makes sense. It’s not as bad as the empire, but Elesya is a country that touts human supremacy.
Beast people are rare here, but they do exist. And people in stalls also talk to us like they don’t care. Although there’s also the fact that they’re selling us things.
“…It’s not lunchtime yet, so I’ll go somewhere to eat when the quest is done…”
I keep walking through the capital, while saying hello to people I know.
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Thanks for the treat.
Quite the tone shift from the previous chapters