Chapter 373
Chapter 373
During the long procession, the mercenary man who identified himself as Fimel became a very good companion.
He really looked like a mixture of a typical high-ranking man and a small man, but he was an intelligent person who was at the top of the mercenaries and adventurers I met. Even though I politely refused to accompany him, he didn’t just go off the hook, but continued talking softly, sharing various information and trying to make him less likeable.
He is obviously good at socializing.
Even though it wasn’t perfect, he might have been an illegitimate son or bastard son of some nobleman, judging from the manners that came out sparsely and the attention he put into his clothes. Among those who were quick to judge among those who thought they were not good enough to distribute their wealth in their families, there were not a few who studied military science diligently and converted to mercenaries when they were still protected.
“By the way, Dok2-hyung seems to be good at etiquette too? Are you by any chance an adventurer who only takes professional requests from nobles?”
“I’ve only worked in a noble’s mansion for a few years.”
“It must have been a boy learning this very hard! Looking at the traces of that still left. Seeing that he is still doing adventure work like this, it seems that his skills are extraordinary, right?”
Attempts to extract information while standing up in the middle of the day are very natural. It was a little funny to use the expression ‘still’ by guessing my age on my own, but it was a little funny
. I didn’t feel offended or rejected
because it felt funny. I was just lucky enough not to die.”
“Even humble!
While saying that, he naturally taps the pattern engraved on his breastplate to draw attention. Rather than using paint to inscribe something in earnest, the pattern of a rose with a broken neck was crudely made with a hammer and chisel, which looked ridiculous, but I could see this man. Looking at the appearance of Jun, it seemed that even that was just a means to make it memorable. Wouldn’t this be a person with great talent for entertainment
? They are outstanding people! I’ve fought against that blue owl on the battlefield several times, but I’m still alive and breathing like this!”
Huh, I was a bit surprised that the name popped out that I hadn’t expected at all. Fimel laughed heartily, probably interpreting it as admiration, and wittily talked about the heroic stories of his colleagues, and while admiring his natural words like flowing water, I slightly revised my evaluation of the Blue Owl Mercenary Corps.
It was a very capable mercenary beyond the level of a decent mercenary. To the extent that other mercenaries took pride in fighting them.
Of course, there was no reason to suddenly become interested, so I declined. Fimmel must have noticed my feelings already. After the advertisements, I told them to visit me if they had any ideas, told me the name of the inn they were planning to stay in, and went back to their original group.
Thanks to the time spent listening to the long talk, the line had shrunk to the nose before I knew it. Could it be that you calculated this timing and said it? What a great person.
Well, even though the story of the leader of the Broken Rose Mercenary Corps saying that she was a female warrior with heavenly beauty was useless, it was good for me as I got a glimpse of how the surroundings were going while I was gone. When it was my turn after the people left, the guard tired of looking at the luggage of the mercenaries in front of me said, managing his expression with difficulty.
“ID.”
Unlike the other guards, he had a crest attached to his helmet, so he must have been the chief of the guards. I handed over the adventurer’s card prepared in advance as if taking out a passport.
“You know that it’s not enough with just an adventurer’s hand.”
“yes?”
what is this again? Seeing my bewildered expression at the unexpected reaction, the head of the guard scratched the inside of his helmet and replied with a deep sigh.
“Damn, did you go out for a long time because of the request? How long have you been back?”
While talking, he went into the guard post and opened a booklet made of thick paper, which was very natural, but I was still perplexed.
“Probably three weeks? Four weeks? I think it’s been…”
“Damn it, it’s almost a month? This won’t even last.”
Shaking his head, he asked another guard for a book, took off his helmet for a moment, scratched his head nervously, and continued his explanation.
“In the meantime, there has been work in the city, so entry inspections have become stricter. Normally, you should have been issued a separate certificate when you go out. Sorry, but there is no exception for this, so you can be verified by the person in charge of the last request or prove your identity. I have to bring it. Is it possible?”
Contrary to his behavior, his voice was calm, so he was a man who was truly devoted to his work. But alas, I couldn’t come up with any of the things he said, so I had to shake my head stupidly.
“That, the way I came here is a bit special…”
“Special? How?”
“The last request I received was from the Capital Adventurer’s Guild.”
Both the head of the guard who heard my words and the guard who had just left the book began to twist their expressions in doubt. It was worth it. It doesn’t make sense that the guy who was commissioned by the capital at this time was at the eastern end of Ethiel. Even the other guards didn’t stop in their doubts and subtly held the window, so I calmly continued my explanation to reduce misunderstandings.
“I am a victim of an orc avalanche near the capital. I was swept away by the gate the orcs rode over and flew all the way to the western lands and back.”
At my answer, the head of the guard who was talking to me twitched, and the other guards straightened up and raised their spears. Unlike the head of the guard, who seemed to be worried about something, the faces of the other guards were already hostile beyond distrust.
“Dude… believe that now? That you made it from the Westlands to the East in less than a month?”
“That’s with the help of elves…”
“Elf?”
fuck.
I’m only telling the facts, but even if it were me, it would be a thrill. Thanks to this, the guards openly ignored my words and started a siege. However, I didn’t want to give a shit about their reaction. It was a normal enough reaction, so it was my job to convince him.
As I was about to open my mouth again, the guard in front of me raised his hand to stop the other guards.
“…got caught up in the gate?”
“yes.”
“name is?”
“This is Eldmia Ega.”
“…Adventurer L.”
When I handed over the adventurer card that I was about to hand over earlier, the head of the guard who read my personal information written on the back nodded briefly, returned the adventurer card, and put on my helmet.
“There were many instances.”
Then, after beckoning the other dumbfounded guards to snap their spears, he gave a serious yet respectful salute.
“Nothing wrong. Let’s go.”
A moment of silence passed.
Silence behind me, horror among the guards. While curious glances poured in from passers-by beyond, the guards who came to their senses belatedly gave an urgent salute, and I was taken aback by the sudden change in attitude.
Either way, the head of the guard explained to me in a very quiet yet certain tone.
“It is an honor to meet the hero who took the lead in defending the capital. His Excellency, Duke Zwinera, who led the Oak Gate incident, gave an order. As soon as Ega-sama returns, we must report it to the highest commander, please. Please accompany our guards and visit the lord’s castle.”
I expected to take some measures, but it seemed that the old Lesrom prepared very meticulously. Above all, it was my preference to respond as quietly as possible without shouting loudly.
“…All right.”
“Thank you. 2nd Guards, immediately switch to escort duty after switching to 3rd Guards. Move quietly.”
“Ah, I see.”
Even if they were moving quietly, the sudden movements of the guards in perfect order were enough to attract attention. At the glances pouring back and forth, I wondered if I should even take out my helmet and use it, but it would stand out and I couldn’t spread information about my equipment for this reason, so I decided to just stay still.
Of course, I couldn’t escape the pouring gaze with that alone, so I tried to get off the horse and walk, but when the head of the guard beckoned to me, a carriage appeared at the entrance of the alley as if it were preparing.
…Couldn’t all cities have prepared something like this for me, who doesn’t even know when or where he’ll appear…?
Just in case, I sent my gaze asking what the hell this was, and the head of the guard replied with a clear smile.
“This is a carriage that the Duke has rented in advance for this day. Let’s get on it.”
…that seems right. Since he is a duke, he must have a lot of money.
In the end, I got into a carriage from a port city whose name I still don’t know, and headed for the castle of the lord under the strict escort of the guards.