Volume 6 Chapter 6 It's Causing Some Stress, But...
Aina seems to have recovered her mood safely. While relieved to see her smile again, I secretly found her difficult and cat-like personality cute and likable. Of course, I'll keep this to myself as it might ruin her mood if she finds out.
On the other hand, Mikage's condition remains the same.
Although she probably thinks she's living as usual, it's been a considerable amount of time since we started living together. We've noticed some unusual behaviors here and there. It was clear to the three of us, excluding Mikage, that she was troubled by something.
Mikage appears calm and composed, surprisingly straightforward, and has a nature to share her thoughts without holding back. Yet, she seems melancholic without revealing her true feelings. I hesitated to delve deeper and ask her about it.
So, even though I understood in my head that I couldn't just leave it as it is, after a few days had passed, a letter arrived from the guild.
It was a summons.
"To you, there is a request for your services."
"For me? Not Mikage?"
I immediately headed to Karan's office. Having visited many times before, I no longer felt the initial nervousness and tension. However, I had other concerns.
Coming here usually meant the beginning or aftermath of an incident, and it had never ended peacefully. Most likely, when a guild executive called an individual, it was related to work or when a mercenary caused trouble.
"I'm still just a 3rd rank, though."
According to Mikage, it's common knowledge that requests come to well-known mercenaries starting from the 2nd rank. While it's possible to receive requests directly from the guild Karan, being personally requested by a client is something that's still far off in the future.
"Even at the 3rd rank, if you've built up enough achievements to be considered an Upper rank, you'll receive personal requests. Plus, don't forget, you've already been given two nicknames. While your official rank may still be 3rd, in reality, you're treated almost like a 2nd rank."
My immediate goal is to advance to the 2nd rank as a mercenary. It should give me a title that can match Mikage, Aina, and Kyunei. While the prospect of promotion is exciting, there's something bothering me.
"Is it just my imagination that the outer moat has been filled in without my knowledge?"
"Don't worry. Without a doubt, you're the one filling in the outer moat yourself."
'That old man sure knows how to talk.'
I resist the urge to roll my eyes at the cheerful Gram.
Actually, he's right. It feels like I get caught up in more flashy events when I'm just casually going about my day than when I'm putting effort into work.
"There's also the matter of Eubarest. When the time comes, you'll probably receive notice of your promotion to 2nd rank."
"By the way, it seems like news about Eubarest has leaked to some mercenaries. It's too early for that, isn't it?"
"Unfortunately, the nobles are excellent at gathering information. They have eyes and ears everywhere beyond the guild's reach. You'll have more opportunities to interact with such powerful figures in the future. Keep that in mind."
I wonder if Rudel also has connections with those noble folks who have such keen eyes and ears. I might casually ask him about it when we meet next time.
"Let me give you a warning, accepting a specific request is a great opportunity to build up your reputation as a mercenary, but at the same time, it comes with risks. Do you understand what this means?"
"...Is it because the responsibility shifts more towards the individual rather than the guild?"
"That's correct. It's good that you seem to understand."
If a mercenary fails a regular request, they will receive a scolding from the guild, but the criticism from the client will be handled by the guild. This is because the guild was the one who entrusted the job to the mercenary.
However, when it comes to a specific request, it's a different story. The guild acts as an intermediary, but in reality, it's a direct contract between the mercenary and the client. Because of this, if there is a failure, it greatly damages the trust from the client.
"The ones who make specific requests are usually nobles or wealthy merchants. The connections among these individuals are so vast and complex that commoners can't even imagine. Considering the incident in Eubarest that was leaked, you should be able to imagine to some extent."
A single mistake can have a terrifying ripple effect into the future. When I hear about it, I can't help but feel horrified.
'Nobles love scandals and romantic entanglements of others. ...It might be too late for the latter'
It's sad that I can't completely deny Gram's mutterings. I swear I have no guilty feelings and I'm serious, but from an outsider's perspective, it must seem pretty terrible. Right now, I find myself thinking about it as if it's someone else's problem.
"I may have said something threatening, but fortunately, some of your 'lovers' are familiar with that kind of talk. It's good to listen to their opinions."
"...I'll keep that in mind."
Mikage, who is already excelling as a 2nd rank mercenary, and Aina, who is well-versed in the world of nobles as a former royal, are here. It's good to have them. At the very least, I shouldn't make any major blunders unconsciously.
"Let's get back to the topic. The request is about subduing a monster."
"The request itself is pretty normal. I thought it was about going to a remote area to collect rare materials."
"Usually, jobs are quite mundane. It might be a bit different in your case."
"It's not like I do it because I like it."
Before I knew it, the situation had become quite flashy.
The request details were written on the documents handed to me.
The first thing that caught my eye was the part about the client.
"This place..."
"Yes, it's the village you saved before."
A demon incident struck the royal capital. As a precursor to that, a village near the royal capital was attacked by a horde of monsters──goblins.
Goblins, who are unusually numerous and intelligent enough to handle weapons, pose a threat to ordinary people. Having experienced the terror of goblins growing up in a rural village, I quickly set out to subdue them out of a sense of urgency.
Unfortunately, there were casualties among the villagers, but considering the aftermath, I think we were able to minimize the damage.
After the incident was over, the village requested assistance for reconstruction, so we accepted the job. We spent some time rebuilding houses, healing the injured, and even finding magic circles that summoned monsters in a nearby cave.
"They want you to defeat some unfamiliar monsters that have been appearing nearby. It seems they requested you because of your connection."
"It's more like a request from an acquaintance than a formal one."
At first, I felt tense while listening to the story, but it turned out the client was someone I had interacted with in the past. To put it bluntly, I felt a bit let down. However, I am very happy that they specifically chose me as their partner for the job.
"If you're going to do it anyway, it's easier to work with someone you have at least some connection with rather than a noble you don't know. However, you'll start getting requests from people you've never met before. That's why I called you here, to inform you of your current situation."
"Well, thank you for your concern."
Karan has been looking out for me in his own way, and I understand that well from what has happened so far. It shows how much he expects from me.
'To be honest, it's quite nerve-wracking not knowing when you might mess up, partner.'
Gram, you really have a knack for saying one too many words.
Apologizing silently to Karan for causing him stress, I bowed my head inwardly.
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