บท 61: The Guild Master (part 2)
"Okay, okay. Calm down. He was just messing with you."
I said jokingly to him, and Rake let out a sigh before finally relaxed himself.
"Then? What now, old man?"
Rake suddenly said to the guild master, which made Gervish stop moving. I turned my confused gaze to Rake, because Gervish is by no means old at all.
"Follow me."
Gervish said as he left for the second floor. Rake and I exchanged glances before we followed him to the second floor, where his room is at.
Aside from us, there are two other people who will be joining the private discussion in his room. One is the receptionist lady, who I assume works like the secretary of the adventurers guild's office. And the other is an adventurer.
It's the muscular guy we saw back at the entrance.
The guild master sat by himself on the long sofa, while his two companions stood behind the sofa. I'm wondering why they didn't just sit like us, but something tells me it was related to respecting the master.
"This is Rocker. He's an S ranked adventurer, one of the strongest adventurers who is currently on standby at the guild."
Gervish introduced the muscular guy to us first. Apparently this guy is the strongest adventurer, which made his existence more frightening to me.
"Nice to meet you, asshole hero. I'm always wondering which one of us is stronger."
Rocker said after being introduced, and Rake can only snort.
That reaction made the big guy burst so many blood vessels on his neck.
"This is Chelly. She is in charge of all things regarding papers and information. If you ever want to know about something, simply ask her."
Gervish introduced Chelly, and the receptionist lady bowed to us.
"Nice to meet you, Princess Elicia. I am very sorry for what happened to your people… and to your family."
W-Wow.
Right. For so long, nobody has ever said that.
It does surprise me that people are still that concerned about my people, even though I already nearly forgot. I only cared about avenging my family, and maybe my people, but only a little bit. So it does surprise me that other people, especially humans, feel this way.
"T-Thank you."
I bowed at her slightly as well as a reply, which definitely surprised everyone because I wasn't supposed to do that.
Rake chuckled slightly, and I also wanted to bust a blood vessel.
"Now, then. Rake Ignicius. I have a question for you.
How did you know about my age?"
Gervish asked Rake about that, and I also wondered why he called him 'old man' back at the lobby. After all, the guild master does not look old in any way. He looks thirty to forty, at most.
But seeing the grin on Rake's face, I can tell he is going to answer stupidly.
"Your breath stinks. That's why."
"… Some kids needed to be taught better by their parents."
Oof…
That came out surprisingly well. Rake is rising in temperature and pressure, right now. The man is definitely beyond pissed.
"Okay, enough. Guild master Gervish, do you have some information you wish to share with us first?"
I said and immediately put a stop to all these jokes. Guild master Gervish quickly nodded.
"Hmm, I guess I can start with myself first. You two are going to be our main pawns to play after all, so it is right for you to know more about me."
Gervish said as he stood up from his sofa. He didn't really move anywhere, he just stood there by the sofa.
He… what is he planning?
Three seconds later, there is still nothing happening. The guy is still standing, and though his eyes are closed, we couldn't really tell what exactly is happening.
Rake and I were quite confused as to why he became so silent, but then the answer came a few seconds later, when his entire body glowed.
I quickly covered my eyes from the light with my hands, and I can tell that something incredible is happening to the guild master. This light doesn't really hurt me, so I know it was not meant as an assault. So I stayed calm, and covered my eyes while waiting for the light to die out.
After the light died out, I quickly turned my gaze back at the guild master.
What just happened…? Who is he?
The first thing I noticed is an old senile man looking over three hundred years old. His height is almost half of mine, and his body is rather thin. Wrinkles are all over his body and face, and a long thick brown beard can be seen on his chin.
But despite looking like an old man hundreds of years old, the wide grin in his face reflects an emotion a young person would have.
"W-What?"
I mumbled confusingly, and the guild master quickly answered.
"Greetings once again, Princess Elicia. The previous appearance of the forty year old human was more or less my disguise."
The now old guild master explained to me, and I still feel surprised.
Appearance magic?? Or was it camouflage?? What kind of magic was it??
"T-Then, this is…"
"Yes. This one here is my true appearance. My name is indeed Gervish, and I am three hundred years old."
T-Thr-Huh???
How is that even possible?? Is he a vampire?
"Stupid. He's not a vampire."
Rake suddenly said, and I turned my surprised gaze at him.
How did he know I was thinking of a vampire??
Rake then turned his gaze back at the old man that is the guild master, and he somehow grinned.
"He's a dwarf."
A dwarf…?
I turned my blank gaze back to the old guild master, and found the old man grinning. From the way he is reacting, it seems like Rake is not wrong.
"Well, it is kind of nice to be using this form once again. I've longed to use this form for a long-long time, but I can't just wear it in front of anybody."
The old dwarf guild master said, which continues to surprise me.
Dwarves are basically a higher race from humans. They have a lifespan that is much longer than that of a human, almost three times that a human has. A dwarf is a higher ranking race, that only elves are placed above them, with five to ten times the lifespan of a human.
And since ethelens are the same as humans, we are also below dwarves in the race ranking.
And those races, dwarves and elves, and maybe other races that have a longer lifespan, always think of themselves as higher than the lower races. They have a pride, a sense of superiority that they must always look down on other races.
So, they separate themselves from us. Ethelens and humans rivalling one another, and the other races are thinking of our beef as nothing but mere child's play. There is only ethelens and humans in this war, simply because the other races thought of it as a joke.
After all, they are basically a more powerful race than us.
So it does shock me, that a dwarf would ever busy themselves with mere trifles like humans or ethelens. Let alone actually leading an entire adventurer's guild business.
"Does my appearance make you dislike me?"
The old dwarf Gervish asked, but I quickly shook my head.
"N-No… it's just that I have never seen a dwarf before."
"Hmm, that may be true. Other dwarves would always live further away from humans or ethelens, and wouldn't even think of meddling in their affairs. Let alone actually being an important figure in the human world. Is that what you were thinking?"
"Y-Yes… that is exactly what I was thinking."
The old dwarf laughed seeing my reaction, and the two people behind him let out a long sigh and facepalmed.
Looks like his personality is somewhat 'popular', even within the dwarves…
"Enough. We don't have time for this."
All of the sudden, a heavy voice spoke again right next to me.
Rake has run out of patience, and he immediately spoke to stop us from continuing this topic. He must have already found out about the guild master being the dwarf long before we even had this conversation.
Was it when we first came here? When we made the first deal?
"Well, the boring guy has spoken. He's right, we don't have much time. Even now, there are three powerful figures already on their way to Lionade, and one was already here. Surely, you have met that person, right? Boring guy?"
The guild master asked Rake, and he kept on calling him the 'Boring guy'. Which is not completely wrong, and it does successfully pisses Rake off.
Rake nodded with a sour expression, and the guild master turned to me.
"And there you have it. Princess Elicia, right now, it is highly unsafe for you to stay in Lionade. The longer you stay, the more danger will befall the people around you, and the more Lionade will be in trouble. You have to keep moving.
Though, I'm sure you already want to do that. So, as you have become one of us, I will definitely see to it that you are safe. I will also make sure the orphanage children and the caretaker living in it stay safe. You can have my words."
Hearing the last part, I feel more at ease. The strain at the back of my neck would always harden every time I remembered Luca and the others, and how I do not want them to get hurt.
So knowing that they will be okay, I can focus more on what is in front of me.
"You said three individuals?"
Rake suddenly asked, and the guild master nodded.
"Heroes and military commanders. You'll hear about them soon enough, but you won't meet them if you leave right away."
"Then, I'd like it if we don't face any of them."
Rake said, and the guild master turned to his secretary. The receptionist, Chelly, quickly took out a long list of papers filled with reports.
"This is the report given by our men stationed at the capital. The three who are sent to Lionade to investigate are the rank nine hero, Baggets Mersoul, the rank five hero, Harpoon Whitehowl, and the commander of the second knight division.
The three will depart starting today, and will arrive mostly in the afternoon later."
Today…?
Ah, right. It's already past midnight.
"And there you go. Anything past noon is ill advised. I suggest you start boarding the carriage as soon as the sun rises and leave for another town."
The guild master suggested us do, and Rake nodded. He then placed his hand on his chin, and began giving a lot of thought into something.
"I was wondering… those actors that you guys hired. They will go to Clouren, correct?"
"Indeed. Clouren is… a rather close town, though."
"I want to ask for your suggestion on this. Where do you think is a good spot to go for us, if the hunters are heading to Clouren?"
The guild master then looked rather confused hearing the question.
"Hmm? I was sure you already thought about the answer when you requested that mission to us."
"I was only requesting the mission so that we can stay here, at Lionade."
"Funny. You are much dumber than I thought."
The old dwarf guild master said proudly while rubbing his beard with a grin. Rake is rising in temperature and pressure again successfully.
"Then? Where do you think is a good place to go?"
I asked this time, because I can't bear the two going at it again. The guild master then turned his grin at me, and lifted one finger as he answered.
"Well, since Clouren is at the east of Lionade, then I suggest going the other way. Far, towards the west."
Hearing that, Rake immediately let out a surprised sound. I turned to him, wondering what he knew, but he went silent again.
"What's on the east?"
I asked, and the guild master answered.
"Freeden. The city of freedom and justice…
The Bladeforce Dukedom's capital city."
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