Chapter 9

After serving everyone drinks, I called out to the remaining customers to ask them to leave, and then closed the shop. After I finished my work, Verlaine came over and offered me some encouragement—behind her, three women were still chatting at the counter.

"Hey, Dick, are you not interested in women? Do you only think of me as a friend?"

"I'm seriously considering becoming more than friends... hic. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... hic... burp."

"Miralca, what do you think of Dick? I want to know how you feel right now."

"Right now... I've always thought of Dick as... hic... he's a bit of a troublemaker but a kind person..."

"Yeah, I think so too. Dick always thinks about us, no matter what."

Cody's cheerful response somewhat neutralized the embarrassment of hearing Miralca's honest thoughts.

I'm not sure if being called kind is something to be happy about, but if they think of me that way, the damage from my usual sarcasm might be mitigated.

"...Irene, was Dick kind to you?"

"Wh-what? No, that's not it. Dick and I haven't... you know, we haven't done anything like that yet..."

"Surely Lord Dick must have made you feel very romantic, and you were in a dreamy state... Oh, that's not right. We've only known each other for a short time..."

The conversation continued, making me want to hold my head, but Cody finished his last drink, stood up, paid Verlaine, and left the shop.

"See you all later. Dick, thanks for everything today."

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

"Thanks... Cody, did you ask Dick for something?"

"Well, a little. Let's keep it between us for now."

"Hmm... I feel like I could do something for you today. If you don't need it this time, that's fine too. But you owe me one."

She was probably referring to the drinks earlier. Her birthday celebration must have been that enjoyable... I can't help but feel she's already a bit mushy.

"Su... su..."

"Oh, the princess is asleep. Miralca, can you take her home?"

"I can, but... Dick, is there a place to rest in this shop?"

This situation—falling asleep after a drinking party and staying over—seemed familiar.

"Master... tonight looks like it will be enjoyable for you."

"What's that supposed to mean... and you live in the same house. Irene, you live nearby, so go home and sleep."

"Aww, I want to stay too. Miralca, Princess, let's sleep together."

Irene easily picked up the princess and went to the second floor of the guild—my living space. Miralca, as if it was natural, tried to follow but stumbled a bit when she stood up. I reflexively stood up and caught her.

"Whoa, be careful. Even the 'Cute Catastrophe' couldn't handle the alcohol, huh?"

"...Thanks... I just stumbled a bit, don't worry."

Miralca immediately moved away and tried to go up the stairs. However, her legs seemed weak, and she ended up sitting down.

"...What did you put in the alcohol to make my legs feel like this?"

"It's because you drank something strong for the first time. Do you want me to detoxify you? I need to touch your liver, though."

"I, it's fine... touching the liver doesn't mean touching the stomach. Do you always do that?"

"No, I don't. I'm just saying that if you're worried about your body, I can do that if necessary... anyway, I can help you up the stairs. I can carry you on my back if you want."

"...Don't leave me with no choice. Both options are about the same..."

"Then I'll take you up. Don't worry, the story of the demon king and the hero is in the past. I'm just a maid."

"...I didn't say I wanted you to take me..."

Verlaine, for some reason, picked up Miralca and took her upstairs—she was indeed a demon king. Irene, too, was strong enough to carry a person easily.

Miralca looked at me resentfully, but I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't confirm her development by carrying her on my back. I value friendship, but the saying that there is no friendship between men and women also moves me.

Thus, the Silver Water Jug Inn closed for the day. I extinguished the lanterns with magic, checked for any forgotten items, and then, with the returned demon king, cleaned the used dishes and glasses and prepared for the next day.

Two days later, in the afternoon, I had finished the preparations for Timis's request and was waiting for her to arrive.

The damage from the fire dragons was minor so far, with only residents near the forest being warned off. If they only warn, it's fine, but if they get agitated, they might attack humans. The forest is already under a no-entry restriction.

As time passes, the breeding season for the fire dragons will end, and the young dragons, once they can fly, will return to the volcanic belt. However, the lack of food will force the fire dragons to fly to nearby villages and attack livestock. We need to deal with them before that happens.

Then, the doorbell rang. A female knight, a tiger beast woman, and a quiet man who looked like an archer entered, indicating they were the 'clients' by wearing the brown coat I had prepared for Tuesday.

Seeing the female knight, I immediately recognized her—she resembled Manalina. However, she was wearing armor and carrying a spear, walking with a proud and dignified chest, exuding the pride of a warrior.

I couldn't help but stare at the tiger beast woman next to her. She was carrying a sword—made with special forging techniques from a far eastern country, it was a weapon of exceptional strength and sharpness, different from the long swords commonly used here. Her class, 'Swordmaster,' was evident from her weapon.

The female knight and the tiger beast woman glanced at me, sitting at the counter, but they still only saw me as a customer. The female knight then asked Verlaine.

"Is this the Silver Water Jug Inn? I am from the Albein Kingdom's Knight Order—"

"Madam, there's no need to reveal your identity here. This is just a place to enjoy drinks."

Unlike Manalina, Timis seemed too serious and tried to state her name before the password. However, since I had cast a spell to select customers at the entrance, there was no problem.

"What would you like to order?"

"A 'Milk.' If not, I'd like a drink that can only be had here, something you recommend."

"Understood. Would you like a 'custom blend'?"

"Yes, a 'personal original.'"

The password was accepted, and the female knight quietly looked at Verlaine. Verlaine smiled, and the female knight sighed in relief.

"Ah, that's good. I'm glad I came here."

"...Lady Timis, there's no need to request such a task from a guild in a backwater. I can cut down the fire dragon with one stroke."

"Ria, I think so too. Together, we can defeat the fire dragon."

Listening to their conversation, I thought—this is why Cody will be in trouble.

Timis, who is only as strong as a C-rank adventurer, has absolute confidence in defeating the fire dragon. This seems to be because she trusts the tiger beast woman. From my perspective, she is indeed as strong as an A-rank adventurer—about a combat rating of 6000.

If six A-rank adventurers work together and maximize their synergy, their party combat rating would be 12,000, making it possible to defeat the fire dragon. However, Ria alone is not enough. The quiet man, McKinley, who hasn't spoken much, is, from my experience, only as strong as a B-rank adventurer.

Seeing the dangers of inexperience and ignorance, I think Timis, compared to Manalina, seems full of confidence—likely because she has the ambition to rise on her own strength.

"Lady Ria, what is your relationship with Lady Timis and the man?"

"Ria and McKinley are my bodyguards. That's why they accompanied me this time. Is there a problem?"

"No, there's no problem. I just need to know about Lady Timis's party to accept the request."

The fact that the knight has bodyguards is unusual, but it's probably because she is the daughter of the king's concubine. If she were a centurion, she would have subordinates from the knight order, but Timis didn't bring them—likely to avoid casualties in the fire dragon hunt.

Still, I can't help but be impressed by Ria, the tiger beast woman. She is not a half-tiger but a separate species. She has tiger-like ears and part of her body is covered in fur, but she looks almost human. She is about twenty years old, with short hair and eyes that seem calm but have a sharp light in them.

The strength of a tiger beast is that of a carnivore, and her body is well-toned. She wears a leather chest plate, waist armor, and leg guards, which, for a front-line fighter, seem light—probably to maintain speed. She uses a sword to deal massive damage and then retreats using her agility. She has one eye covered by an eye patch—she was likely a mercenary before becoming Timis's bodyguard. She is such a talented individual that I consider her a valuable addition to my guild.

McKinley is about my age or a bit older, still wearing his hood, with a somewhat shadowy look in his eyes. He is of medium build and has decent muscle, carrying a heavy crossbow-like weapon called an arbalest. An arbalest can fire large bolts that a regular crossbow can't, making it useful for the fire dragon hunt.

Timis trusts their abilities but overestimates them. That's why she volunteered for the fire dragon hunt—relying on her companions is not bad, but her presence in the party will lower the combat rating.

"The person who introduced me to this place is a trusted colleague. I came to check it out, but I don't necessarily need your help. However, if you have useful information for the fire dragon hunt, that's a different matter."

The trusted colleague is one of Cody's loyal subordinates. The female knight, unaware that the knight order leader is moving for her, is still completely oblivious.

"To address your concerns, our guild's information is always useful. If you want to ensure the success of the fire dragon hunt, I ask you to follow our instructions."

Verlaine didn't back down. Ria's gaze sharpened, but she said nothing.

Timis, after some thought, was not so shallow as to leave without making the request.

"...I must hunt the fire dragon. To meet my father's expectations and for my mother."

"Milady..."

Ria genuinely cares for her master. She should advise against Timis's reckless actions, but fulfilling her master's wish is more important to her.

"If you follow our instructions, I guarantee the survival of the three members of Lady Timis's party and the success of the fire dragon hunt. I can explain half the plan, and you can decide then..."

"...No, if you show such sincerity, I will respond in kind. Listening to your plan is a commitment... information has that much value, so I can't just listen and leave. I apologize for my rudeness."

"Thank you. Please, have a seat. I'll bring your drinks."

Timis is not just overly confident; she also has the calmness to want to know how to increase her chances of success. If she follows the plan I've set, she will surely win.

Ria's sword strike can deal a blow to the fire dragon if it hits a weak point. McKinley's arbalest will make the plan safer and reduce the difficulty. This is a