Chapter 86

Returning to the Adventurer's Guild, I received a lecture from Leonis, apologized to my master, and dealt with various matters. After that, Marry is handling the party procedures for me.

"First, I'm sorry, but can you dissolve the current party and form a new one?"

"Um... If we do that, what should we do with the money in the party's account?"

"If possible, I want it returned to the account of the person who took the job. If that's difficult, I want it evenly distributed to the accounts of the people who were in the party at the time of the job's completion. Can you do that?"

"Got it... Since we can't distribute money to people who have already left the party, is it correct that we won't distribute the money to the two people other than Granos and Naga?"

"Yeah, do that. I want to transfer all the money to Crane later, so how much will the fee be?"

"I'll check, but if it's determined that there was a mistake in the guild's procedures, there might be no fee."

Back at the guild, my brother asked Marry to handle the party procedures. I briefly heard what had happened.

First, my brother encountered a young man who seemed lost and a girl who were being attacked by monsters, defeated the monsters, and protected them. Then, he took them to the town in the baron's domain. However, the girl he saved turned him into a criminal, stole his adventurer's license and party license, and went through the procedures on her own.

The procedure content was: I was removed from the party, and the girl and the young man were added.

At the Adventurer's Guild, the procedures were accepted without permission, and negotiations to invalidate them failed. My brother was almost restrained by the guild staff, so he fought back. It's like a declaration of war against the baron's family? Well, it's almost a war between nobles... My brother sometimes goes too far. ...Is there any hope of resolving this?

My brother and Naga quickly fled the scene and escaped the town... and brought the young man along, but they haven't decided what to do next.

"Brother, is this the truth?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

The young man we brought along seems to be an accomplice of the girl... Is that the right understanding? Then, I don't have to feel good about this person, right?

"Naga doesn't seem to like it?"

"That's because Naga and I don't agree. I don't want to add him to the party, and I don't forgive that girl. He still seems to want to protect her. Basically, taking the money you earned and making it her own is a crime. I don't understand why I should forgive that."

Ah... Indeed?

If you get someone else's cash card and withdraw money without permission, it's not yours. There's no way to protect him.

When I glanced at Naga, he shook his head. Still, I guess... this wasn't done by this person. Is it a difference in perspective? Hmm?

"Regarding this matter, we will send the current report to the other side and conduct an investigation. Since what you did is quite chaotic... we will confirm the situation together with our inquiries. We can also refuse to transfer the money withdrawn from the account to the other guild during the investigation if requested."

"Then, I want you to do that. It's Crane's money. If I can get it back, I want to. I don't care if that girl is caught for fraud."

Marry and my brother are handling the procedures... but Naga seems to want to protect the young man. He's worried that if the girl is caught, the young man will also be caught, and his gaze is wandering back and forth.

The young man is looking down, biting his lip. He knows he's in the wrong, I guess.

"Hey... Are we not going to team up anymore?"

"Leus. Well, I guess so. I thought about temporarily joining to have insurance in case my brother and Naga didn't return, but they did."

"About those three, if we have time, I want to talk to them later. But you guys, I'll deal with you later. I need to take care of Crane's situation quickly, or something might happen."

The people who tried to force us to join are now caught... This is a noble-related matter, so not only the guild and the local constable but also a scribe from the lord's mansion are here. I was also questioned as part of the excessive defense, but for now, I'm not guilty... I guess? There's still a possibility of being questioned, but since I didn't kill anyone and the other side did more, it's determined that way.

"Granos! I know I was wrong, but I really didn't know... Besides, I'll work hard to gain your trust from now on!"

"Will you forgive me just because nothing happened to Crane? Besides, because of you, Naga and I might be wanted. At least, that damn woman took 100,000G from Crane's earnings and made it her own. Who helped her do that? Who came to our room and created a situation to take Naga away?"

"...It was me."

"Right? You deliberately asked her to take Naga away so she could be alone with me. Then, she calmly stole my ID and did this."

Hmm.

Isn't Naga also too careless?

"..."

"Hey..."

The young man, after looking down, left the guild.

Naga is looking back and forth between the young man and us, looking worried.

"If you want to chase him, go ahead. Is it okay to stay at your house tonight?"

"If my brother and Naga are using it, it's fine."

"......Sorry."

Naga was hesitating, so my brother encouraged him to chase after the young man.

He might bring him back to the house later. If he brings that young man, I won't let him into the house... I mean, with all the valuable materials and books in the house, it's a bit awkward to let him in.

"You're not completely giving up on him?"

"I'm a bit at a loss on how to handle him... What do you think?"

"My impression isn't good... but I'll consider it after hearing your thoughts."

Even though he left the girl behind, bringing the young man along suggests that my brother has some plan. First impression, a suspicious person with a hood inside... but he looks good when you look closely. However, he seems lacking in confidence and avoids eye contact.

I don't really like him.

But Naga is protecting him to some extent. If Naga is fond of him, maybe I can be a bit more lenient.

"Granos. If the young man is an accomplice of that girl, the guild can't protect him. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. Even if he doesn't realize it, he's aiding a crime. If he's guilty, that's fine. I was too naive and made a mistake. I need to make him take responsibility."

After that, Marry and my brother continued the procedures, so I talked to Leus Crow Tiga, who looked troubled.

They are somehow involved and can't leave. After confirming that the master is fine, my brother talked to them and left.

"Given that, do you think they'll be reluctant to join our party?"

"I think it depends on the discussion later... Do you want to be in the same party?"

Surprised by Tiga's proposal, I asked back, and Leus clung to my arm. Hmm? Why?

Leus seems to dislike my brother and Naga, who suddenly appeared? He keeps trying to get us to team up.

"About the previous discussion, we were planning to give an answer after the three of us talked and decided, but you seemed in danger. I didn't expect my brother to be here."

"I thought it would take a few more days... Anyway, my brother is the party leader, so if you don't get along, it's better to quit. He's not unreasonable, just strict if you do your job."

"He seems quite overprotective. His demands seem strict."

Hmm? No, in terms of not including people he can't trust, that's true. But we don't necessarily need to be in the same party...

Tiga and Crow also seem a bit awkward, and for some reason, Leus is clinging to me.

"Crane, I want to hear your side of the story too."

"Ah, yes. Brother, it might take a while, so are you going home?"

"Ah... No, I'll go to their inn and talk... I don't think it's dangerous, right?"

"I don't think it will be more dangerous... My house has better soundproofing, though."

If we're going to talk about foreigner-related matters, it's better to have soundproofing, so he nodded.

"I'll use your house. I think it's fine, but if it gets late, ask the old man to send me home."

"Okay... I think, but I'll ask Leonis."

The moment I said it was fine, my brother's lips curled up, but his eyes weren't smiling, so I complied. It seems I worried him a lot... Leus also flinched and let go of my arm.

Maybe it was a mistake to tell him that I talked to the mysterious person from the baron's family and that they left.

"You're a good kid. Sorry... If they're still around, be on guard."

"Okay..."

My brother patted my head and left the guild. Crow nodded at me, and the three of them followed my brother.

Hmm. It seems that when the number of people increases, relationships become more complicated... It seems that my brother and Leus don't get along well.

It's difficult to cooperate, I guess. I know it's impossible for everyone to get along. With three people, factions can form... But I don't want to fight with the few friends I have... Since we have some common ground, it's hard to abandon them.

I hope it all works out.