Chapter 100: The Same Bastards Wherever You Go (4)

* * *

It was the Praizen Adventurers’ Guild.

Raion, who had been staying there, received a report from Fordman through the post in his room.

—Hahaha! We’ve made an enormous profit again this time! On top of that, we’ve gotten close with Marquis Bear Alexon and even crushed the Cuera Trading Company!

Fordman’s loud voice boomed through the post connection.

Raion gave a wry smile and opened his mouth.

“Nothing else went wrong, I presume?”

—Marquis Bear Alexon did try to get close to Sir Jade and Sir Caldein. He even invited them to a meal, saying he wanted them to stay one more day to deepen their acquaintance.

“As expected… So, what did you do?”

—I declined, of course, using your name as the reason.

“For the sake of future dealings, wouldn’t it have been fine to share a meal or two?”

It was a light test.

Fordman chuckled as he replied.

—The one who stands to lose is Marquis Bear Alexon. Besides, Count Edoire McKenzie, who was the Trade Administration Bureau’s overseer this time, got caught up with the Cuera Trading Company. He’ll be replaced along with them. Since we were the ones nearly harmed, the Marquis couldn’t make any unreasonable demands.

“You’ve started to use your head quite well.”

—Hahaha! You flatter me!

Having conducted many trades under Raion’s guidance, Fordman had grown increasingly shrewd.

Of course, Raion was quite pleased with that growth.

“Then our next destination is Mistel in the Kingdom of Prios?”

—That’s right. We’ll craft Sir Caldein’s staff there and sell off the remaining Steeloud.

As a magician who had reached the 5th Circle, Caldein Flavan now needed to properly equip himself.

Of course, he could still use powerful magic without a staff, but it was only wise to prepare for the future.

“I’ll leave it to you, then.”

—I’ll make sure to handle it perfectly.

The post connection ended.

Right after that, as if waiting for the timing, someone knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.”

At his response, the door opened, and Cayman stepped in.

Cayman bowed his head immediately.

“Did you rest well? I heard you were in conversation, so I waited for a bit.”

“Well done. Are the preparations complete?”

They were set to leave Praizen today.

There wasn’t much to prepare, but the horses were ready, and the luggage had been packed.

“All done. We can head down.”

“Let’s go, then.”

Raion pushed the belongings he had taken out into his storage and left the room.

Step. Step.

As he descended the stairs, he saw someone waiting on the first floor.

It was the trio he had helped before—Allen, Howard, and Aizel.

“Raion! We want to go with you!”

Allen shouted as he stepped forward, and the other two nodded beside him.

Raion scratched his head at their sudden behavior and looked at them.

“With me? Do you even know where I’m headed?”

“It doesn’t matter where.”

“Why?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I asked why you insist on following me.”

From now on, Raion had to secretly pass through the Clarman Territory and travel to the Arenvatz Territory to meet his maternal grandfather, Duke Saliann Arenvatz.

He had no intention of increasing his party size, but he was curious about their reason.

“Because we want to become strong like you, Raion.”

“Aren’t you strong enough already?”

All three were B-rank adventurers.

They were fairly well-known even within the Praizen Guild, so it was hard to call them weak.

“We want to become stronger than we are now.”

“Is that necessary?”

“To be honest, we’ve hit a wall in our abilities. We couldn’t see a way forward. But through you, Raion, we saw it.”

They had witnessed the realm of a Swordmaster with their own eyes.

A blade wreathed in surging blue aura like burning flame—Raion wielded such a sword freely.

“What if I don’t want you to?”

“Then we’ll follow anyway. We’re certain we’d be more useful than Raion’s escort knight.”

At that, Cayman bristled.

But since there was some truth to the words, he couldn’t protest recklessly.

“Grr!”

“Hahaha! He’s not wrong, is he? Right, Cayman?”

“Master! That’s harsh!”

“If you’re embarrassed, then improve faster.”

“Ugh…”

Seeing his reaction, Raion turned his gaze back to the trio.

Allen, Howard, Aizel—all wore expressions of firm resolve.

“It’s going to be tough. Are you sure?”

“We’re sure.”

“You could die.”

“We’re prepared.”

During the last Sea Serpent hunt, they had suffered greatly.

But they had also felt themselves grow in strength.

“Fine. I’ll accept you.”

“Really?!”

“Would I joke about that? You can still back out if you want.”

“N-no, sir!”

Allen exclaimed, breaking into a grin.

The other two smiled as well.

“From now on, address me the same way Cayman does. Are you ready to leave?”

“Of course! Everything’s prepared!”

Knowing the schedule in advance, they had completed all preparations.

At their answer, Raion headed outside the guild.

Two horses were already waiting for them.

Raion immediately mounted his.

The other three brought their own prepared horses, and they were ready to depart right away.

* * *

The rumors about the newly registered S-rank adventurer through the Praizen Guild continued to spread day by day.

Because of that, envoys of nearby noble families frequently came and went from the Praizen Adventurers’ Guild, along with those from the Praizen Territory itself.

It was all in an effort to recruit the S-rank adventurer who was also a Swordmaster.

Of course, it had been the same even while Raion had been staying in the guild.

However, annoyed by the constant disturbance, Raion had ordered Cayman to send all of them away.

Lately, the visitors had come merely to discover Raion’s whereabouts.

Serna, the female clerk at the guild’s front desk, had been suffering daily because of them.

“I told you we don’t know!”

“But surely you’ve heard something about where he went! Think carefully!”

“I said we don’t know!”

“Why, you—!”

Several of the envoys grew rough in both words and actions.

At that moment, someone descended from above, his gaze sharp and dangerous.

“Enough!”

With that fierce shout, the envoys froze.

It was none other than Jonathan Todd, the Guildmaster of Praizen.

Although not a Swordmaster himself, his strength was near that level—no one dared treat him lightly.

“You’ve all done quite enough. How many times must you come here before you’re satisfied?!”

His voice carried weight, and the envoys faltered.

“If you don’t leave now, you’ll regret it!”

Thud!

Jonathan slammed the sheathed sword at his waist onto the staircase.

The heavy impact echoed, and the noble envoys scattered in a panic.

Serna, watching the scene, quickly ran over and shouted.

“Master! You’ve damaged the stairs again!”

“Ha! That’s what you’re worried about right now?”

To Serna, the guild’s property was more important than her own comfort.

“Of course it is! Do you even remember how recently we repaired these stairs?!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll be careful. But things seem quiet these days, don’t they?”

“Allen’s party followed them, after all.”

They were B-rank adventurers and the mood-makers of the Praizen Guild.

Without them, Jonathan felt the absence keenly.

“Well, an adventurer must roam the world to truly know its taste.”

“Do you want to leave too, Master?”

“Hm… I’m not sure.”

Jonathan himself, apart from being Guildmaster, was an S-rank adventurer.

Before earning that recognition, he had wandered countless lands, taking on all manner of adventures.

Now that he had met a new powerhouse like Raion, that old excitement seemed to stir again.

Meanwhile, a man who had been sitting quietly in a corner of the guild stood and stepped outside.

He was Dejir, a member of the Black Lion Knights, sent from the royal capital to Praizen under orders from Duke Alito.

“Seems even the guild can’t trace his movements.”

When Dejir had arrived in Praizen, Raion had already departed.

(All he managed to find out was that Raion had exited through the east gate.

That likely meant he was heading toward the Clarman Territory. But from there, he could’ve gone to Chelon, to Arenvatz, or even crossed north into the Kingdom of Prios.Without certainty, Dejir couldn’t just rush off blindly.)

“What should I do now…”

Duke Alito wanted, by any means necessary, to recruit the S-rank adventurer Raion Dragonia.

Dejir’s current movements were all to carry out that command.

“I’ll have to chase him anyway.”

The only choice was to set his course for Clarman.

With that decision, Dejir mounted his horse.

It was a forest on the way from Praizen to Clarman.

There, Raion was observing two people battling a group of orcs.

Kraach! Khaak! Khaak!

There were about thirty orcs.

Only Cayman and Allen were fighting them.

Clang! Clang! Shhhk—!

“Master, are you really letting the two of them handle this alone?”

Howard seemed quite used to the new title now.

“They seem capable enough.”

“But it’s thirty orcs. Unless they had a magician with them, it looks too dangerous.”

During the Sea Serpent fight, the four of them had worked together.

Now, they faced a horde of orcs—only two of them.

Even now, Allen and Cayman moved busily, fighting back to back.

Shhhk! Shhhhk!

With orcs attacking from all sides, it was hard for them to land a decisive blow.

Each strike turned into two or three exchanges, dragging out the battle.

“B-rank adventurers, and they can’t handle thirty orcs?”

“Even for B-ranks, it’s too much. Let me assist them.”

At Howard’s request, Raion shook his head.

It was a battle meant to serve as training, which made it all the more frustrating to watch.

Then Howard shouted.

“They’re in danger!”

“At this rate, it won’t count as proper training.”

Only about ten of the orcs had fallen to their swords.

Allen and Cayman weren’t in great shape either.

Fighting the orcs had left them wounded and exhausted.

“When we return to the territory, I’ll have to put them through physical training again.”

Raion muttered and drew his sword.

Howard blinked in surprise.

“You’re going to step in yourself?”

“A failed exercise needs a clean redo.”

Shwaaak!

In an instant, the tip of his sword emitted an aura that burst forth like wind.

The released aura swept ahead, severing the necks of half the remaining orcs.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

“How… how can he do that…?”

The ability to launch aura blades was among the highest techniques of a Swordmaster.

Seeing Raion perform it so casually left Howard and Aizel speechless.

“Finish off the rest and bring them here. We’ll heal them and start over.”

Raion, of course, wore a calm expression.

Meanwhile, Allen and Cayman, who had been desperately fighting moments ago, were left utterly deflated.

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