Chapter 54: The examiners’ symposium, part 5
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Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
By the time I got back, the lecture had already started.
That day’s lecture was on the phylogeny of skills and their effects. Just like the previous day, the content was pitched at the most basic level; anyone familiar with it would have been bored out of their mind. As it was the last lecture of the symposium, a handful of people invited me for a meal afterwards, but I declined.
「Hey, Lyla, it’s time to go.」
When I returned to our lodging, Lyla was still reeling from her hangover. Her face was pale.
「No… I haven’t seen enough of the capital yet…」
「I’ve set up a ‘Gate’. We can return anytime.」
「If that’s the case…」, she slurred as she passed out once again.
I converted her to her feline form and stuffed her into my rucksack as it was more convenient that way. As I stepped out of the inn, a voice called out to me.
「Excuse me, are you Roland Argan-san?」, asked a man wearing an employee’s uniform.
He seemed to have rushed here, as he was gasping for breath.
「Yes, that’s me.」
「The Guild Master, Ta’uro Paro-sama, asks for you.」
It’s a name familiar to me, but since my assignment had been completed, there was no reason for me to remain in the capital any longer.
「He’s now important enough to summon me, huh?」
「Sorry?」
「No, nothing. Just inform him I had ‘already left’ when you arrived at the inn.」
「Uhm, the Master has been away for the past few days, and has only just returned. When he found out that the symposium had already ended, he hurriedly asked me to –」
「‘Have legs, use legs.’ Tell that to him as well.」
「I-I can’t say that! Please drop by and say hi, at least…」
The ‘Gate’ I had established effectively reduced my travelling time to zero. In addition, the symposium ended that day, which meant that the next day was a day off. I wanted to go home and relax already, but ten minutes wouldn’t hurt, I suppose.
「…Fine. I see how it is. Let’s go.」
「You seem like you really don’t want to…」
Following the lackey, I returned to headquarters once again.
The Guild Master is the most authoritative figure in the entire guild; in more concrete terms, he is the Chairman of the Adventurers’ Association. The current one, Ta’uro Paro, is a person I have had multiple dealings with in the past.
He was almost certainly the one who had leaked my past as an assassin to Iris. I suppose it’s partially my fault for not having changed my name, but still… that wasn’t very nice of him, was it? For goodness’ sake.
「Argan-san, it might not be a good idea to display that attitude in front of the Master. As a fellow employee, I’m worried on your behalf…」
「I’ll drop that attitude. Everything will be alright.」
In all honesty, I had no intention to do so — I said that to pacify him more than anything else.
When we reached headquarters, we climbed flight after flight of stairs. At the top, the employee directed me to a door at the end of a corridor.
I entered without knocking.
「Uh, Argan-san, you can’t just enter like that –」
The panicking lackey was cut short when I shut the door abruptly.
A familiar figure was seated behind a large desk, although he’d aged a little since the last time we met. His angular face and goatee did not match his perfectly circular eyes.
「Ohohoho, ahahaha! Is that the real Roland I see, since the war ceased to be?」
「Have you seen a fake one walking around?」
Walking forward, I plopped myself down on the leather sofa.
「Ahahaha! The unique way in which you speak, just as brusque as in the past!」
「And you’re still just as loud.」
Ta’uro stood up and walked over. I forced a smile and shook hands with him.
「You really became a guild employee!」
「And my boss knows that I used to be an assassin, thanks to you.」
「Ahahaha! Was it a secret? Pardon me.」
He was once a junior disciple, although only briefly, as he’d escaped from his master after only a month. He was also ten years my senior.
While I worked in the shadows as a trained assassin, Ta’uro distinguished himself as an adventurer. He had also been an army commander during the Human-Demon War (even though it was unusual for a guild member to receive such an appointment). After the war, he was rewarded for his efforts, and has been the Guild Master since.
「So, what do you want? If you just wanted to see my face, or anything like that, then I’m leaving.」
「Well, it’s more important than that.」
As I stared at him, I realised he was being more serious than I had expected.
「Do you know what a ‘large-scale quest’ entails?」
「Yes. I’m an employee too, remember?」
As the name suggests, large-scale quests are larger in scale than your average quest. [T/N note: The author literally uses a synonym for ‘large-scale’ here. -_-]
Some are subjugation quests, while others are of a more exploratory nature. Rather than individuals, those who request such quests are usually organisations — sometimes even entire kingdoms.
I can raise a few examples of such quests, but none have been initiated since the beginning of my tenure.
「You work in the Lahati branch, right? If a large-scale quest is initiated in that area, the closest adventurers would all be mobilised to participate.」
「Indeed.」
「For a long time, the authority to oversee a particular area has always been given to adventurers. However, that has caused disputes to arise. Nepotism, corruption, et cetera — typical tricks of the trade, I’m afraid.」
「Not the best time or place to pick a fight with each other.」
「Exactly. How about this — when a large-scale quest arises, an employee will be appointed as the ‘advisor of strategy’ and given authority to oversee the quest. Isn’t this fairer?」
Ta’uro added that the plan had already been approved and all the paperwork completed.
「His Majesty endorsed it on the spot. Can you believe it?」
「Do you mean to say…」
「We’d like to appoint you.」
「I decline the appointment.」
「Don’t just decline so quickly!」
「Why me?」
Ta’uro waved his hand up and down.
「There’s something equally important, which may or may not be related.」
「Something else?」
「Have you heard what’s going on in the demon realm? There’s widespread talk of the Demon King having come back to life…」
「…」
「…but we don’t know if it’s the one the heroine killed, or a new one altogether. If the need arises, the adventurers’ guild can be mobilised faster than any army, cavalry squadron or private defence force.」
「So you want me to take the reins in the event of such a ‘large-scale quest’?」
「Spot on.」
Lyla had had no choice but to prove to the hardliners that she was alive. Of course, word had gotten around. I knew that I couldn’t afford to let this large-scale quest take place.
「We want you to be in charge as the region in which the Lahati branch is situated is rather peaceful.」
The Demon King that had supposedly come back to life was currently suffering from a hangover and sleeping in my rucksack.
「Fine. You can count on me if anything happens.」
「Thank you. You won’t be working alone — there’ll be employees from other regions as well. More information will be disseminated in due course.」
Our conversation ended and I got up to leave.
「Hey, Roland. Have you heard nothing about the Demon King’s revival at all?」, asked Ta’uro right before I walked through the door.
「Nada. The Demon King was slain by the heroines. It’s possible that a new one has taken her place and people mistakenly believe that she has been resurrected.」
「Hm, I see.」
The ‘Demon King’ is no more. Or is not, I should say.
Leaving the office, I went to the stable and retrieved my horse. I rode to a point where I wouldn’t be spotted by others, then activated the ‘Gate’ and blinked away.
When we reached home, I heard a voice coming from my rucksack.
「Was it about me?」
So she had overheard my conversation with Ta’uro.
「Hey, you’re finally awake. It could be a different Demon King. After all, it’s not like you only get a new one once every few centuries.」
「…Yeah, true.」
Freeing her from the confines of my bag, I turned her back into her humanoid form. She had finally gotten over her hangover, and colour had been restored to her face.
「I was listening to your conversation. Does it mean you’re getting promoted…?」
「Hard to say if it’s a promotion or not.」
「Advisor of strategy!」
Lyla’s eyes glinted with excitement.
「Advisor of strategy!」
「Yes, yes, I know.」
She seemed to like the sound of it.
「We must celebrate! You should get some wine. And meat, too!」
「I think juice is better for you.」
「Uuuu… fine, then we won’t celebrate…」
It was just an excuse to drink, huh?
Another thing tugged at the back of my mind — why had Ta’uro asked if I knew anything? Only King Randolph knows that it was me who defeated the Demon King. Not even Almeria and the others knew. I had faint recollections of telling them, but they were nothing more than baseless, almost certainly false memories.
「What’s wrong, advisor of strategy?」
「Nope, nothing.」
「Let’s return to the capital on your next day off.」
「Yeah, and you’d better keep an eye on your wallet.」
「D-Don’t remind me…」
I prodded the frowning Lyla, and we entered the house together.
Our dinner that day was just a little more luxurious than usual.
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