Chapter 12

After leaving the dragon equipment shop, I headed straight to the town hall.

In the lobby, I caught Rose and showed her my guild card after explaining the situation.

"It's true, it says 2."

"Does the guild level really increase so quickly?"

"No, that's not normal. If you register with Cyril, it would normally take about a month to reach level 2 with one person and two dragons."

"That's right."

What Rose said was the same as what Louis had said. Louis had come to mock me, but what he said was actually reasonable.

"Is it a mistake?"

"Just a moment."

Rose said this and took my guild card, disappearing to the back for a moment. I waited there for a while.

After about 10 minutes, Rose returned.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"No, so...?"

"I checked, but there was no mistake. There was no fraud either."

"Is there such a thing as fraud?"

"Yes. For example, setting up a guild, borrowing dragons from all over, registering them for a moment to raise the guild level, and then having them leave."

"Such a method exists?"

"People always try to find loopholes to gain an advantage."

"Ah."

That's how it is.

"So, 'Dragon First' has officially reached level 2. Congratulations."

"Ah, thank you."

I hurriedly bowed. I received my guild card back from Rose and stared at it, now showing level 2.

"Um, does anything change with level 2?"

"Yes, the biggest change is this."

Rose said this and handed me a piece of paper. I took it and examined it closely.

"Just a piece of paper...?"

"It's not just a piece of paper. Try overlaying your guild card on it."

"Okay... What!?"

I did as she said and placed my guild card on the paper. Suddenly, the previously blank paper was filled with a detailed map.

And it wasn't just any map.

"This is... a map of Bovarsel?"

"Yes."

"What are these glowing points?"

"The locations of the registered dragons."

"Oh, right. Louise is waiting outside."

I understood from Rose's explanation. The map centered on the town hall, slightly outside the center of Bovarsel. A glowing point was right next to the town hall, indicating where Louise was.

She hadn't moved since I entered the town hall. She was probably taking a nap outside.

"The other one isn't there, huh?"

"Colette is on a job in the Milleaf Mountains."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"You let a dragon act alone?"

"Yes."

"I'm surprised... You can do that?"

"Yes, well."

This is also the power of words, but since Rose didn't press further, I didn't explain.

"Then, try expanding the map."

"Expand it?"

"Yes, use two fingers like this, pinch it."

"Okay."

I did as she said, spreading my fingers and pinching the paper. The map changed.

It became more detailed. The scale had changed.

Previously, only the area around the town hall was shown, but now the entire map of Bovarsel was visible. Thinking about it, I pinched the paper again to change the scale.

The entire city of Bovarsel shrank, and the distant Milleaf Mountains came into view. In the mountains, another glowing point appeared.

"Really, Colette is there."

"Really? That's my line. Are you really letting her work alone?"

"Yes, well."

"How did you train her?"

"I talked to her and she understood."

"Haha, well, let's leave it at that."

Rose laughed it off, thinking it was a joke. Since this kind of reaction was normal, I didn't mind.

"So, the higher the guild level, the more convenient it becomes."

"Is that so..."

I was a bit excited.

If that's the case, what will I learn when I reach level 3?

Thinking about it made me excited.

☆

That night, after it was completely dark, Colette returned.

I knew Colette was back from the "Guild Map" and went outside to greet her as she returned.

"Welcome back, Colette."

"Huh?"

Colette was surprised to see me outside.

"What's wrong?"

"Waiting for me?"

"Yes, I got some ribbons and wanted to give them to you quickly."

I said this and handed her the bag I was holding. Inside the bag were the ribbons I had bought for Colette at the dragon equipment shop.

"Ribbons?"

"How about this one? It's pink and cute. This one has frills."

"Oh!"

"Which one do you like?"

"Both."

"Okay. Let's start with the pink one."

I said this and put the ribbon on Colette. Before putting it on, I was a bit unsure about putting a ribbon on a dragon, but once it was on, it didn't look out of place at all; it actually looked quite good.

"Looks good."

"Y-Yes."

"Ah, you look cute."

"——Hmph. I knew that already."

"Right."

I chuckled. Seeing Colette, who didn't seem entirely displeased, made me smile a bit.

"Hey, hey."

"Hmm?"

"......Thank you."

Colette turned her face away and looked in a different direction as she said this. Her usual inability to be completely honest made her a bit funny—and endearing.

At that moment,

My pocket started glowing again. The guild card was glowing. When I took it out, the level was still 2, but the words "Level 2" were shining and blinking.

"Maybe..."

I formed a hypothesis. Both times the card glowed, the dragons were happy. When the dragons are happy, does the guild experience increase?