CH 140

Labyrinth City – i novels

()x12-15 minutes

I spent a fulfilling time distilling alcohol, observing the children’s training, and inspecting the base before setting off once again to the Labyrinth City. Well, we’ll be there soon, as Silphy will fly us there. We landed in the forest near the Labyrinth City and walked towards the castle gate.

“Yuta, what are we going to do today?”

“Well, since I had some conflicts, let’s first go to Marie’s shop and arrange a meeting to get updated. After that, we’ll visit Torque’s inn.”

Since we caused a commotion at the Adventurer’s Guild, it’s crucial to find out what’s happening as soon as possible. I’ll leave Sara and the others at the inn and then go listen to the guild’s story.

From what I heard before, I don’t think I’ve become a criminal, but I’m sure the Adventurer’s Guild has its sights on me. If things get rough, I’ll accept my house and furniture and return immediately.

Considering what I’ve done, the Guild Master won’t let me off easily, but the Adventurer’s Guild is a large organization. It’s unpredictable what might happen.

“I understand. Well, no matter what, I’ll protect you, so you can relax.”

“Haha, thanks.”

Honestly, I’m not worried about my own safety. I just want to avoid conflicts escalating into a major disaster in the Labyrinth City.

Even if I could turn the city into a sea of fire like Melal, it would be no joke if Silphy went berserk. A man who destroyed a city… It’s true that it tickles my curiosity a little, but in reality, it’s impossible.

Preparing to escape in case I get caught, I pass through the castle gate without any incidents. It’s a relief to pass through peacefully. However, it bothers me that when the soldier saw my guild card, he ran off somewhere. Perhaps he was instructed to inform someone when I arrived. Silphy will be keeping an eye on things, so let’s head to Marie’s shop for now.

“Yuta-sama, please come this way.”

The moment I entered the shop, Sonia-san appeared and led me to a back room. She seems flustered. Is something troublesome happening? Sara and the others will be taken care of by the shop employees, but I’ll quickly summon Dolly and have her accompany the children as their escort. Since I’ve arranged for them to stay at the shop, I’ll ask them to choose slippers to buy.

I’ll probably receive complaints from Dyne later, but in her case, she’ll have fun with the children. When I’m about to drink the tea served to me, Marie-san enters the room.

“Long time no see. I apologize for suddenly coming here.”

“Oh no, I’m glad you came. Please feel free to come anytime you like in the future.”

She seems to be in a good mood and not in a hurry. It doesn’t seem to be a troublesome matter.

“Thank you. So, after being directed here when I came to visit, is there something you wanted to discuss?”

“Yes, there is something I’d like to inform you about. Yuta-san, do you know what happened to the Master of the Adventurer’s Guild?”

The Guild Master, huh? Did they hold me responsible?

“No, I was away from the village, so I haven’t received any information.”

“I see. Then let me explain.”

She seems delighted about something. But if I can receive the information without any trouble, that would be helpful.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

————

“The Grand Master from the capital came and the Guild Master retired, with confiscation of personal assets. They also completely replaced the guild staff… It has become quite a serious matter.”

It seems that the impact was greater than I had anticipated. Although I don’t have a clear understanding of the Grand Master, judging from the term, it must be the person overseeing the Adventurer’s Guild. I’m not sure if it refers to all Adventurer’s Guilds or just the one in this country, but for now, he seems like an important figure.

I expected the Guild Master to receive some punishment, but it turned out to be a more severe penalty than I thought. It wasn’t just a superficial matter; they made a firm declaration throughout the Labyrinth City.

“I see, so Yuta-san’s actions have had a significant impact. Many adventurers have fled from the Labyrinth City, causing quite a chaos.”

So the effect of my final threat worked. Personally, I’m satisfied, but I must have caused a lot of trouble for those around me.

“Has the chaos subsided?”

“Well, yes. A new Guild Master dispatched from the capital has arrived with a group of adventurers, and other Adventurer’s Guilds have also sent personnel. The situation has calmed down to some extent. It will take time, but eventually, things will return to normal.”

It’s good that things have settled down, but it seems like I’ve earned the resentment of various people due to this incident.

“I apologize for causing trouble for you as well, Marie-san.”

“Oh no, I’m the one who’s grateful for your assistance. Please don’t worry about it. By the way, the Adventurer’s Guild has requested to contact you through the Commercial Guild. The new Guild Master wants to apologize to Yuta-san.”

Hmm, an apology at this stage… I hope they won’t set another trap. There’s a possibility of assassination, but as long as Silphy is with me, we should be fine. If they propose a contract, I can simply refuse.

“Understood. Should I visit the Adventurer’s Guild?”

“If Yuta-san were to go there directly, it might cause a commotion. I will arrange for someone to represent you. When do you plan to go to the Adventurer’s Guild?”

When? Hmm, it’s better to finish this quickly. Considering the possibility of another conflict, I should receive my house and furniture first. Let’s aim for tomorrow afternoon.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, but could you inform them that I will go to the Adventurer’s Guild tomorrow afternoon?”

“Understood. Instead of sending someone from me, I will arrange it as if it’s a representative from my father’s Porius Trading Company. Would that be acceptable?”

Hmm, mentioning the Porius Trading Company might be more convenient. It doesn’t matter to me, so I’ll let Marie-san handle it as she wishes.

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Marie-san smiled, and it seems there are complex entanglements involving influences and other factors. Even if Marie-san’s associates gain more influence, it won’t be disadvantageous for me, so there’s no problem. Then, Marie-san’s expression turned serious as she started to speak. What happened all of a sudden?

“Also, Yuta-san, this might be a bold request, but if the relationship with the Adventurer’s Guild is repaired, could you still consider supplying materials to the Porius Trading Company?”

Ah, so there’s that concern as well. Marie-san is worried that if I repair my relationship with the Adventurer’s Guild, all the materials will flow there.

Hmm, even if I repair the relationship with the Adventurer’s Guild, it doesn’t mean all the grudges will disappear completely. It’s unthinkable to sever ties with Marie-san.

“Don’t worry. Regardless of the outcome of the discussion, I will ensure that I supply the materials to your shop. I can’t say for certain about exclusivity, but is that alright?”

“Yes, having an alternative route other than the Adventurer’s Guild will be a significant advantage. Just having that assurance puts my mind at ease.”

With that, Marie-san bowed, and I assured her that there was no problem. Do I really need to supply materials to the Adventurer’s Guild? Even if the relationship is repaired, it doesn’t feel right to just send the materials without any consideration.

It would be desirable to maintain a distant, ghost-like relationship with the Adventurer’s Guild, and I want to steer the conversation in a direction where I don’t supply materials to them as much as possible. But I don’t know how things will turn out, so I should consider various possibilities.

Not only is there the issue of the Adventurer’s Guild as a whole, but most of the combat-focused individuals seem to dislike Spirit Mages, which has made me unpopular in the city as well. There are problems in that regard too. I can’t just obediently comply; I need to gather my resolve and do my best.

But… what if the new Guild Master turns out to be an incredibly beautiful woman? It’s unlikely that a young woman would become the Guild Master, given their high position… Oh wait, if it’s an Elf or a Dark Elf, it could be possible. They probably have a long lifespan, and the possibility of an incredibly beautiful Guild Master can’t be denied. That would make things complicated. I would want to maintain good relations with both Marie-san and the Guild Master. I might have to gather all the materials from the Labyrinth to make it happen.

“Thank you for the information. Well then, I should head to the inn soon. Excuse me.”

“Oh, Yuta-san, please wait a moment. Are you going to Torque-san’s inn?”

“Yes, that was my plan. Is there a problem?”

Did something happen at Torque-san’s inn? Even though I stayed there, is it possible that I would be attacked because they see me as an associate who taught them recipes?

“With the recent events, news about you has spread everywhere. If you enter the inn while the commotion hasn’t completely settled, it will likely cause a crowd and trouble for the inn.”

“I see… You’re right. I forgot that I discreetly entered from the back entrance last time.”

It’s not that something happened; it’s just that I would cause inconvenience if I entered normally. Should I enter from the back again?

“Last time, it was right after the rumors had spread, so there was no problem even if you entered from the back. But now, everyone knows that Torque-san’s inn is your regular lodging. Even if you enter from the back, it will most likely be noticed.”

Seriously? Do I need to find a new inn? I quite liked the atmosphere at Torque-san’s inn. Martha-san is kind, and she accommodates me, plus the food is delicious… It’s quite a shock. But that’s precisely why I can’t cause trouble for them.

“Marie-san, could you recommend an inn that is not easily noticed by others?”

“Well, about that… Porrius Trading Company has a separate residence where customers can stay. Would you like to go there? Of course, if you prefer to stay at the main residence, that’s also fine, but I thought you might feel uncomfortable.”

Rather than feeling uncomfortable, I don’t want any incidents like spending the night there resulting in rumors spreading the next day.

“No, just a recommendation for an inn would be sufficient.”

“But even if you find a new inn, the rumors will inevitably leak. As an inn, it’s difficult to refuse the requests of important figures. At the very least, if you stay in one of our managed houses, we can exclude merchants, and I believe it will provide a safe environment for the children as well…”

Hmm, there’s some logic in Marie-san’s suggestion. It’s reassuring to be able to avoid the sudden visits of merchants. The materials from the 50th floor and beyond seem to be quite profitable, and the merchants will be desperate. It might make Sara and the others uncomfortable if too many people come. Maybe I should rely on Marie-san.

It seems like quite a commotion has occurred, so I’ll ask Silphy to check on Mel, Torque-san, and the others later.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, but would it be alright for me to impose on you?”

“Well, in that case, please come to the main residence.”

“No, I’ll go to the separate residence.”

Marie-san’s face twitched for a moment. It seems like she was scheming something.

“Understood. Let me guide you then.”

I rejoined Sara and the others, thanked Dolly with a glance, and paid for the slippers. Marie-san herself will guide me to the separate residence. She prepared a carriage for us, and we had a conversation while moving to the separate residence.

Come to think of it, this is my first time riding a carriage. It’s quite bumpy even on the cobblestone road. Marco and Kika are excited about their first carriage ride. As expected, Sara seems like she comes from a good background; she looked somewhat nostalgic. I wonder if she’ll eventually tell me about her past?

While talking with Marie-san about the seasoning I taught her before, we headed towards the separate residence. It seems that the release of the new product was postponed due to adventurers fleeing the Labyrinth City because of the recent events. I apologize for causing trouble.