Chapter 473: Chapter 449 - Pleading
"Now, now, it's about time to go back and sit down~"
""Okay~""
When I called out, the twins obediently returned and sat in their chairs.
"Fufufu, you really are good kids."
""Thank you.""
Praised by the Guild Master, Allen and Elena thanked him and smiled.
""Hey, Chris-chan.""
"Oh my, what is it?"
""We have a favor to ask~""
"A favor?"
""Yeah!""
"You see, Allen and Elena~"
"Want permission to go to the second floor~"
"Huh?"
""Give us a permit, pretty please?""
Suddenly, Allen and Elena pleaded with the Guild Master for a permit.
"Allen, Elena, for permits, wouldn't you get those from the Headquarters rather than the Adventurers' Guild?"
""Is that so? —Really?""
When I told the children that the permits are most likely obtained from the Dungeon Management Headquarters, not the Adventurers' Guild, the kids looked puzzled, glancing between the Guild Master and the Director of the Headquarters.
"That's right, the permits for underage adventurers going to the second floor and beyond are issued by the Dungeon Management Headquarters."
""I see~ —Then, give us, please?""
Realizing it wasn't the Guild Master who could provide the permission, they turned to the Director of the Headquarters, pleading once again.
"What!? Nonono, although I have issued permits to minors, they were individuals on the verge of adulthood! For you guys, it's a bit..."
""Ehh~""
"Allen is C-rank, you know~"
"Elena is also C-rank~"
""Still can't~?""
""""""C-rank!?""""""
Upon hearing the children's ranks, everyone without exception expressed surprise.
"Is this a joke!?"
""Not ot a jokemon! Look~""
Feeling offended by the accusation of lying, the twins took out their Guild Cards from their pouches and showed them to the Guild Master.
"Forged cards!?"
"Nonono, they're genuine, okay!?"
I had been silently observing, but when their cards were suspected of being forged, I couldn't help but intervene.
"At that age, being C-rank, what kind of shady dealings did you make!?"
"None at all! We didn't do anything like that!"
After the accusation of forgery, now it's about shady dealings!
"Sigh... Is the Adventurers' Guild an organization that engages in shady dealings?"
"We don't! I just said that. I mean, it's that unbelievable!"
"Well, it's not normal for kids to be C-rank, but..."
Typically, adventurers with average abilities reach D-rank. Being C-rank means they're above that.
I understand that it's surprising for the person they told, but being suspected of forgery or shady dealings from the start is not just a little, but quite unpleasant.
"Not normal, we often hear that~"
"And also, outrageous~"
""Oniichan, that is!""
"Wait!? It's true I get that a lot! But, Allen and Elena, you guys are included in those comments most of the time!"
""Ehh~!?""
Unusual, extraordinary, nonsense... It's not just me who's being told these things!
"... I understand that all of you are not ordinary."
The Director of the Headquarters sighed deeply. Or rather, everyone else except us was sighing.
"Can we have the permits?"
"Well, if they are C-rank adventurers, there's no issue with their abilities, and I can issue the permits. As long as I don't consider their age!"
""Don't consider it!""
"Hahaha, understood. I won't consider it. However, there will be restrictions."
""Restrictions?""
"Yes, you can't go without your big brother. Absolutely do not go alone. In fact, I'll make a note in the remarks column to ensure that."
""Understood!""
Allen and Elena successfully obtained permits from the Director. Since I won't allow them to go into the dungeon alone anyway, this restriction was practically irrelevant.
"For someone who isn't an adventurer, how can they get a permit? Do they need to prove their abilities?"
"Huh? Takumi-san, you two are adventurers, right?"
"It's just me. He, Kaiser is not an adventurer. Well, he's stronger than most adventurers around here though."
"Eh, not an adventurer!? But he was the one breaking branches on the first floor, right?"
Everyone looked at Kaiser as if they were surprised.
"Just being able to break some branches doesn't make you automatically adventurer. Uh, there are some circumstances?"
"Circumstances? If he doesn't become an adventurer because of some circumstances, does that mean he did something bad?"
"He didn't!"
Not becoming an adventurer because of doing something bad, sounds like a criminal!
Well, if there are circumstances preventing registration, people will inevitably imagine the worst kind of circumstances.
"Well, it's like this. A lineage issue, I guess?"
"Lineage? Is he some kind of Royalty, hiding his identity?"
"He's not Royalty, but there's definitely a reason he can't be open about it."
Royalty, huh? Oh, but since he's the Water Dragon King, he's definitely Royalty, isn't he?
"If registering at the reception is not possible, should I register him? I promise not to disclose any information, it will only be known to me."
"Ah... Well..."
"Oh, is that not okay either?"
The Guild Master's offer is appreciated, but that sounds like a no-go as well.
If that was not an issue, I would have asked Andy-san, the Guild Master in the Capital of Guardia Kingdom. In Andy-san's case, he is someone more likely to register him with excitement rather than causing a fuss, though.
"In that case, a letter of recommendation would work."
"A letter of recommendation?"
"Knights from other countries sometimes come with letters of recommendation from their nations to challenge dungeons here~"
"I see."
For a dungeon of this caliber, it wouldn't be surprising for dispatches to come from other countries. And for Knights, even with combat strength, unlike adventurers, there shouldn't be a need to prove their abilities. Hence, a letter of recommendation from their country.
"That seems doable, then."
If I ask King Tristan of Guardia Kingdom, I feel like I could get a letter of recommendation. Let's give it a try.
"Being a Royalty, getting a letter of recommendation should be easy~"
"No, as I said, he's not a Royalty... Well, let's leave it at that."
It seems better to just let them continue misunderstanding, so I stopped denying it.
"Takumi, I have a great idea! How about we exchange this branch for the permit? You probably want this, right?"
Kaiser took a ruby branch from his magic bag and placed it in front of the Director.
Just when it seemed like the issue was about to be resolved, Kaiser threw another problem into the mix.
"We were just getting things sorted out! And that sounds like bribery, doesn't it!?"
"Is that so? But don't you think it's a good idea?"
"No, that's why, it's bribery."
"What is bribery? Is it something bad?"
"..."
The Leviathan didn't know what bribery was.
"For now, let's not do this, as it doesn't leave a good impression."
"Umu, very well."
"So, regarding his permit, I'll prepare a letter of recommendation."
It would be better to get the permit, but if we can't, Kaiser can proceed to the second floor while staying in my shadow. I decided to conclude the discussion about the permit here.
"Sorry, we got completely sidetracked with the permit issue. But we also need to figure out what to do with the branches, right?"
The conversation had deviated from the crucial issue of what to do with the branches due to the children's requests.
Since I felt like we couldn't leave without discussing it, I forcibly steered the conversation back to the topic at hand.
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