I looked towards the voice that saved me and saw a man and a woman who looked slightly older than me that were dressed as adventurers.
Sarah smiled at them as they approached.
“Melissa, Max, have you already completed your escort mission?”
“Yeah. The client’s carriage was one of those new ones. I really can’t thank the Earl of Grances enough.”
I almost started coughing uncontrollably after unexpectedly hearing my name. I never thought I’d hear my name being praised so far from my home. And Sarah-chan was just nodding while saying, “That’s true~”
“Anyway, Sarah, why are you suggesting two guild members fight? Show a little self-restraint.”
“Hau~…. I’m sorry.”
After being scolded by the adventurer named Melissa, Sarah chan bowed her head silently. Melissa watched this before turning her eyes toward Daniel.
“You as well, Daniel. Don’t argue with the rookie about Sarah.”
“Huh? I was only trying to correct Sarah’s mistakes.”
“Don’t try to trick me. If you keep harassing Sarah, I’ll be your opponent.”
Melissa spoke with an arrogant tone but I could tell she had the skill to back up those words.
“ –tch, fine!”
After a brief moment of silence, it was Daniel that backed down. He made no attempt to hide his discontent as he turned away from Melissa.
He turned and began to walk away, but he stopped just behind me.
“I hate people that think they can gain whatever they want using their money. Don’t start thinking you can get away with whatever you want in this guild.”
He left me with these words as he walked away.
Then, Melissa turned her eyes to me.
“Now then, are you okay? Did you not need my help?”
“Now, I was hoping to not stand out so you really saved me. Thanks.”
I bowed my head to her and Sophia and Alice did the same.
“I see. That’s good. Then we’ll be going.”
Melissa said this and tried to leave with Max. I quickly called out to her before she could leave.
“Ah, please wait a moment. Would you let me buy dinner for both of you?”
“Eh, you want to buy us a meal?”
“Oi, Melissa, you still have to complete your report about the last client.”
“Ah~, that’s right. We have to go complete that, so no need to worry about thanking us.”
“I see.”
I wanted to talk with them about the Lyk Skull Bear…. Well, if they have business they need to take care of, it can’t be helped. We waved goodbye to them as they walked further into the guild.
After they disappeared from sight, I turned back to Sarah. The young girl that doesn’t listen to other people’s words silently bowed her head.
“…what’s wrong?”
“No…umm, you told Melissa you didn’t want to stand out.”
“Oh, yeah. I came here to inspect the guild and put a request in for a certain material. I didn’t want to turn any adventurers into my enemies.”
“Guild…inspection? I-I’m very sorry!”
Sarah suddenly bowed her head deeply causing her chestnut coloured ponytail to whip forward.
“Umm…what’s wrong?”
“I did all of that earlier without first hearing why you were here.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“Hau~. A-Aren’t you supposed to say, “that’s not the case.”
“No, you kept pushing forward and never took a second to listen to my words.”
“Hauu~…. B-But that is true. I made a mistake…. That may be the case, but please don’t report me to the guild.”
She must be worried after I said I was here for an inspection.
“It’ll be fine. Leon knows just how hard you were trying.”
“Yeah, yeah, Leon onii-chan is kind.”
Alice and Sophia tried to reassure her. Sarah heard this and looked up at me with an expression of anxiety mixed with expectation.
“They’re right, you don’t have to worry. I don’t plan on saying anything bad about you to the guild. Of course, you should still try to listen to what other people are saying.”
I think she went too far but she did know a little about our fighting power…and she did that to stop Daniel from sexually harassing her.
“I really am sorry. I sometimes forget myself. It’s because I’m like this that the Marquis of Gramp abandoned me and assigned me to the guild.”
“Hm? He abandoned you but assigned you to the guild.”
I don’t think that sounds right.
The guild was important to Crane so I highly doubt he’d assign someone here that he didn’t think he could count on.
“All of the children that the Marquis favours are sent to the academy. There’s a rumour that the only way to join his harem is to be first sent to the academy.”
“…you want to join his harem?”
“Well, my future will be secure if I join the harem.”
“I-I see….”
But, Sarah is a big-breasted loli that fits perfectly in with the Marquis’ tastes.
But if what she said about the academy is true, could it be that he really doesn’t like her personality? She can be a little stubborn, but she doesn’t seem like a bad girl.
“Uuu, I’m really no good.”
“Well, the guild is important for this town. I think that if you do well here, you’re future will be very secure.”
“That’s true but…if I join his harem, I could spend the rest of my life living in luxury and never working.”
…so it really is about her personality. However, it seems like we won’t be able to continue if I just remain silent.
“I understand the desire to live a leisure-filled life but will you do your job for me today?”
“– Right. Umm…Leo-san, you didn’t come here to register so that must mean you have a request?”
“Yes, I do, but this place is a little public. Is there somewhere else we can go?”
“Sure. We can head over to the cafe. There are a few rooms there we can use.”
Sarah said this and went to the back room.
I could hear her tell someone, “I’m going to go handle this request, can you take over at the desk?” She then came back out and exited from behind the counter.
“Sorry for the wait. Allow me to show you around, Master.”
“…why are you calling me ‘master?’”
“I also work at the cafe.”
After saying this, she guided me to the next door building that was also connected to the guild. I was already expecting it after she said ‘cafe’ and ‘master,’ but the building we entered was filled with big-breasted lolis that were dressed as maids.
The name of this cafe was ‘Mountains.’ There were many ordinary citizens as well as adventurers gathered here.
I don’t think I can take much more of this place.
Anyway, the room we entered was sectioned off by partitions. I sat across from the receptionist Sarah and we each ordered drinks.
“So then, Leo-san, what kind of request did you have?”
“Ah, actually –”
I told her that I needed the liver of a Lyk Skull Bear and gave her a brief overview of why I needed it.
“The liver of a Lyk Skull Bear? Do you know that they’re a rare mutation of the Garu Bear?”
“Yeah. I’ve heard that one is born for every several hundred Garu Bears.”
“I see. It hasn’t been that long since the guild was founded, but no one has ever brought in any materials from a Lyk Skull Bear. I’ve heard that it’s incredibly rare.”
Sophia nervously grabbed my sleeve after Sarah spoke. I turned to her in order to calm her nerves.
“It’s fine. They may not have brought in anything from a Lyk Skull Bear in the past year, but they haven’t been actively looking for one.”
I may be acting a little optimistic but I really don’t think the chances of us finding one are zero. That’s why I stroked Sophia’s fluffy blonde hair.
“…Leon onii-chan. Thank you.”
“How much should the reward be for a request like this?”
I continued stroking Sophia’s head as Alice asked Sarah this.
“Well, let’s see…. I think for a rare material like that, thirty silver coins should cover it.”
“That’s…cheap, isn’t it?”
A single gold coin is equal to one hundred silver coins. Thirty silver coins is about the same as one or two months salary of a farmer.
However, considering how rare this Lyk Skull Bear is supposed to be, that price seems quite low.
“The Garu Bear’s liver is commonly used in medicines, but the Lyk Skull Bear is primarily used for its exquisite golden fur and its delicious meat. There’s not much demand for their livers.”
“…hmm.”
I’m surprised to hear that.
The leaves of the world tree are also an ingredient in the cure but they’re quite expensive because they have multiple uses. Is there really no other use for the Lyk Skull Bear’s liver?
“It’ll be thirty silver coins…. Leon, what do you want to do?”
“Let’s see….”
Alice’s question returned me to my senses, and then I turned my attention to Sarah.
“If I also wanted an equal amount of meat, how much would that cost?”
“Umm…let’s see. The meat is considered to be one of a kind so, for a similar amount as the liver, it would cost fifty silver coins.”
“Then, I’ll put a request up for three gold coins in exchange for the liver. I don’t care how much of it they bring, I only need a small amount.”
“Eh!? That’s ten times the normal price!”
“That’s true. But aren’t Lyk Skull Bears quite large? There will be plenty of meat on them and I wouldn’t want the adventurers to toss it aside if they can’t carry it all.”
If the meat is worth more, I wouldn’t want them to take as much meat with them as they could and leave the liver behind. If I were to pay the normal price, they’d stand to make more money by just taking another piece of meat and forego the reward for the liver.
“If that’s what you want, I’ll post the request. By the way, should the client be…the Earl of Grances?”
“Ah, no…you can just put Leo.”
I still need to be careful about Patrick. I may just be acting overly cautious, but I wouldn’t want him seeing my name and harassing whoever picks up the request.
“I think that’s everything. I’ll submit a request for the liver of a Lyk Skull Bear with a reward of three gold coins under the name ‘Leo.’ But to finalize the request, I’ll need an advanced payment….”
“Ah, right. I’ll pay it in full now. I’m not sure when the request will be fulfilled, but can you receive it if I’m not here?”
“Of course.”
“Also…I’ve never seen this liver before, so….”
“Rest assured, the guild is able to confirm whether or not anyone trying to fulfil a request is lying. There’s very little chance that the item they bring in will be received if it’s not exactly what the requester wanted. They would also suffer penalties if anyone attempted this.”
“I see. That’s good.”
The request of the guild has now been completed. I can leave everything else to them at this point.
If there’s no progress, I’ll have to consider raising the reward or going out to search on my own. For the time being, I still need to go inspect the academy.
The academy designed entirely by Crane. I have a bad feeling….
