Read Novel Full Vol 12 Chapter 13
Thanks toTbird90677 for the Ko-Fi and this chapter! Join our Patreon to get more chapters, enjoy~
(9/18)
Chapter 13 – Preparation
When I returned from serving the gods, I found that the relationship between Rimu and Pent had been restored. After that, I was asked about the approximate timing of my visit to the Mermaid Kingdom, so I decided to wait until after the presentation of the Duke’s castle treasures to the King of the Aquamarine Kingdom and went to the Adventurers’ Guild to finalize the timing.
Flora-san showed me to a private room, and I took a sip of the tea she had served me.
I’ve become quite friendly with Flora-san, so it’s okay to make some small talk, but I’m afraid the beauty talk I just skipped will come up, so let’s get right to the point.
“Um, Flora-san. Do you remember the map I got from Flora-san the other day?”
“A map? …Oh, it’s a map of the Duke’s castle in the sunken city. It is not so much that I gave it to you but rather that it was snatched from me out of spite, but I do remember it.”
Flora-san’s face twisted in displeasure. Yes, I am aware that I was insistent back then, but since I am about to become her employer, I would like her to hide her displeasure a bit.
Besides, everyone except Felicia, Alessia-san, and Ilma-san, who were with me at that time, are looking at me like what she’s done. If I don’t clear up the misunderstanding later, they might imagine something strange.
“Ara, Master. Did you put your hands on Flora?”
The misunderstanding was immediate. Moreover, Ines, who was supposed to be my slave, grinned at me and threw a bomb that I didn’t understand. But I am also growing as Ines’ master. Please don’t think that I will be defeated forever.
“Ines… I think we’ll have a few more chances to meet when Bella-san goes to work on the Castle; what do you think?”
I look at Ines with the feeling, even if I don’t say it out loud, that Bella-san’s training is half over.
“Ma-Master. Could it be that you’re trying to threaten me?”
Fufu. Ines’ complexion changed. It seems that she understood what I wanted to say.
“Threaten you? I never said anything like that. I just wondered what you would think since we’re going to see each other more often.”
“T-this is not the right time to ask that. This is a threat! This is a breach of contract. I’ll appeal to the God of Commerce-sama!”
“I didn’t sign a contract that says I can’t see Ines’ mother, did I?”
Ines closed her mouth with a frustrated look on her face.
I won. It was a lousy threat to inform her parents, but I had won against Ines. This is a historical victory…?
This is not good. Lots of pity in the looks of the women around me. It is indeed unbearable to be looked at like this, even by the kind Claretta-san. Let’s seal off the threat of informing Bella-san from now on.
“Ah… let’s leave the jokes at that, shall we? So, um, the Duke’s castle in the Sunken City, we were able to go there and conquer it. Therefore, we would like to offer some of the treasures we got from the Duke’s castle to the king, so please let the Adventurers’ Guild act as an intermediary. As for the main party, it’s Girasole, an A-ranked adventuring party.”
“Huh?”
Flora-san looked at me with a face that said she didn’t understand what I meant. It seems I managed to change the subject.
“We conquered the Duke’s castle in the sunken city.”
Moreover, we had conquered it before inviting Flora-san and the others to the Chris.
The truth is, the purpose was to raise my stock in Ines’ family, which had plummeted, but it skyrocketed after I invited them aboard the Chris, so it turned out that I was just looking for romance.
But, well, since we can go to the Mermaid Kingdom thanks to the Sea God’s sacred treasure, the result is okay.
“Haha, Wataru-san likes jokes, doesn’t he?”
She will not believe me.
“It’s not a joke, it’s a fact.”
“Again…”
I’m sad that my words are so unconvincing.
“Flora. When Master invited you to the ship, you saw the Sea Serpent’s child, didn’t you? We also brought that child from the Duke’s castle.”
Flora-san froze at Ines’ words. Ah, her head started moving like a rusty robot. She seemed to be checking with the other ladies to see if it was true.
“So you’re not joking, lying, or playing a prank, but you did conquer the Duke’s castle?”
“Yes. We did.”
The fact that all the women nodded made her believe it for a moment. It seemed to be the most convincing thing that all Girasole nodded; the trust of A-rank is amazing.
“H-h-h-how did you conquer it? There was the Sea Serpent’s nest under the sea!”
It’s more of a surprise than I expected. That’s how famous the sunken city of Duke’s castle must be.
“I told you I could borrow a ship that could dive into the sea. Well, I borrowed it. And the strategy is a secret.”
When I told her, Flora-san told me that it was called sinking. It wasn’t that long ago, but it’s a fond memory.
“Do you have any proof? Even if I believed it, I don’t think others would. I need solid proof, especially if the story is to be told to the king.”
Flora-san’s mood changed; perhaps she had suppressed her agitation and was now in work mode. It was hard to believe that she was the same person who held hands with Saporabi and looked lax. She seems to be a very capable receptionist.
But when it comes to king-related matters, even the credibility of Alessia-san and the others isn’t enough. …I remember that even at the Adventurers’ Guild in Palermo, it was hard to get them to believe us, and they shut us down. I guess even an A rank is not absolute.
“As I mentioned before… I will offer some of the treasures of the Duke’s castle, including a miniature of the Duke’s castle made of rare metals and gems. Would that and some artwork be proof?”
The material in the chest could be evidence, but since Ilma-san is still investigating it, it would be a bad idea to submit it. The artwork is unintelligible to us and, Alessia-san and the others, so if we release some of it appropriately, there should be no problem.
“Can we look at it?”
“It’s not easy to transport, so if you could come to the ship, that would be fine.”
With something so conspicuous, summoning a nearby ship is not a good idea, as it might raise unnecessary suspicion. It might have been better to make a wooden box to store the treasures.
“I understand. I will report to my boss, so could you please wait a moment?”
“I understand. I will wait for you.”
Flora-san bowed and left the room. When the other party is an acquaintance, negotiations go somewhat smoothly, which is a great help.
“Are you the adventurers who claim to have conquered the Duke’s castle?”
While we were talking, a strong-looking fishman uncle who was about 50 years old entered the room. Flora-san and another man were waiting behind him.
I remember this pattern. The sudden appearance of the guild master.
“I am not an adventurer; I am a merchant. Here are the A-rank adventurers, the Girasole.”
“Hmm? Why is there a merchant here?”
As I explained, the guild master (temporarily) tilted his head. It seems that Flora-san didn’t explain the situation to him. Come to think of it, why was I negotiating like a normal person? I should have left it to Alessia-san and the others.
“I’m sorry. They are my escorts. Ah, yes. It’s better for them to explain it to you than for me to explain it to you.”
“No, there’s no problem. Anyway, we’ll talk about it after we confirm the treasure to be offered. Let’s go.”
Let’s go, you say? Will you go to my ship now? It’s a little early to talk about that. Besides, I didn’t disguise the inside of the Lutto, and I didn’t put the treasure outside, so it would be a problem if they came now.
“W-wait a minute, please. We have our own preparations to make, so you can’t just show up like this.”
“Hmm? There is no need to make any preparations. I don’t care if the ship is messy, and I don’t need any extra hospitality.”
It would be nice not to have to worry about that, but there is a limit. And I wasn’t thinking about hospitality.
“I am the one who cares. Please at least give me time to prepare.”
“Oh, so when is a good time?”
When? I don’t need that much time since all I want to do is disguise the ship and get the treasure out.
“Can we do it in an hour?”
The guild master (temporary) looked at the man behind him.
“If we can do the paperwork beforehand, that’s no problem.”
Was the man behind him a secretary? At the mention of “paperwork,” the guild master (temporary) looked a little uncomfortable. I guess he doesn’t like the word “paperwork.” The words and actions of the guild master (temporary) are also very open, and he seems to have been an adventurer.
Are all guild masters in the Adventurers’ Guild like that? I would like to meet an intellectual guild master or a guild master who started his career as an Adventurer’s Guild employee.
Perhaps there is a rule that the guild must have a famous adventurer who is the face of the guild.
“I understand. I’ll be there in an hour. Flora knows where it is, right?”
“Yes. I know where it is. Um, guild master. At least introduce yourself…”
Flora-san made a worried face and warned him about what was natural for a member of society. After all, he was the guild master.
“Oh, that’s right. My mistake. I’m Avem. I’m the guild master of the Adventurers’ Guild in the royal capital. Well, it’s nice to meet you.”
Since he accepted the warning and apologized, I guess he is not a bad person. But I doubt his suitability as a guild master.
“My name is Wataru. And these are Ines and Felicia.”
After my words, Alessia-san and the others introduced themselves as well. After the introductions were over, the guild master left Flora-san and said, “See you in an hour,” leaving her behind. He seemed to be very busy.
“I’m sorry, Wataru-san. The guild master is not a bad person, but he is just trying his best to be polite to the royalty and nobility.”
Flora-san follows up with a questionable follow-up, but it’s quite doubtful that the Adventurers’ Guild of the royal capital would be okay with that. Well, we won’t have a chance to meet very often, so what does it matter?
“It’s fine with me, so don’t worry about it. Well, I’m going back to the ship to get ready. I’ll see you in an hour.”
“Yes. Thank you very much.”
Okay. Let’s go to the Lutto and make the preparations. I was a little surprised, but that’s what you get when you act so fast.