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The guild master gave us a look of abandonment.
Seeing it, Luka sighed,
「I know how you feel, but snap to, buddy.」
「But...miss...」
「Anyone here actually operating as an adventurer?」
「Five, F Rank.」
「Just five...」
She was at a loss for words.
An F rank was the absolute lowest, and usually just had started.
And just as the guild master had said, they were 5 youngsters from Elkay.
They all probably were in the same fix as Tom was.
No job, but they didn’t want to just sit back and do nothing, so being an adventurer was the easiest.
「What kind of quests are they doing?」
「Gathering herbs nearby. You always need herbs, you know.」
There was no village without its sick or injured.
「But the magical monsters around here are strong, right? Are they okay?」
「I tell them to be careful until I’m blue in the face...it’s always a worry for me.」
It seems that they crept carefully outside the town to avoid the monsters, and returned with the herbs...or something like that.
「The tax is high too, right? How much for gathering herbs?」
「This much.」
The guild master showed the quest forms.
Compared to the capital, about half the tax, but the danger was about 100 times the capital.
Follow current on novellight.netEither way, it was money.
「Why didn’t you notify the headquarters in the capital?」
「We did, but...」
It turns out that they did send a request for help to the main office.
You would think that someone would have sent something by now.
It might have been the fact that Luka’s position in the capital was honorary that she hadn’t heard about it.
Also, the capital really was only involved in the guilds in its area as well.
Elkay was in the borderlands. There was probably no one willing to send a bunch of adventurers out here anyway.
Luka whispered to herself with a serious look,
「Hm...have to do something...」
「I appreciate your feelings, but perhaps its best with these five after all.」
「But you need new people here, right?」
「I tell them all to go somewhere else. Most here have siblings and can’t go other places.」
「If that’s the case, then I’ll help.」
Luka showed the guild master our cards.
「WHA!? You’re the legendary Viscount Luka Langow!」
「Yes. Even though my title is honorary, I AM the director of the guild. So I will help.」
「That’s such a help, but...this is all that’s here. What do you intend to do?」
「Hm...you’re right. Al, what do you think?」
「Well...」
I seriously thought it over.
Way back, the Grand Master had approached me about being a Guild Master in the old Demon Lord’s territory.
It was right after beating the Demon Lord, but before I ended up in Mulg.
Follow current on novellight.netI could have ended up here, if I had gone with it.
I think the place they wanted me to go was even farther on the border, though.
「I think we have to talk to this agent, though.」
「He’s just a yes man that’s in with the Demon Lord.」
「Oh really?」
Seems like that agent would do whatever the Demon Lord told him.
「This is all so weird.」Luka said.
「Yeah. Normally, the representative of the capital wouldn’t end up a yes-man.」
Even if the Demon Lord was really powerful, the agent of the crown was still just that.
He could call forces from the capital here.
And not only that, but Cruz would come running as well to slay the new Demon Lord.
「Hmph. Maybe we should see this agent of the crown first.」
「Even before we go to the castle?」
「You can see him since you’ve got a title, Luka. But I don’t think you’ll need to use it.」
We did need to see what info we could get from this guy.
I did think it might be difficult, though.
「I think this Demon Lord’s really got a hold on him.」
「You’re probably right.」
「It would really suck if this so-called-Demon Lord took off if he caught word.」
「It could happen.」
Then the guild master said,
「No no no, you’re not thinking of just attacking the Demon Lord, are you?!」
「Yeah, why, is there some problem?」
Follow current on novellight.net「I know that you’re very strong, Viscount Langow, but this is the DEMON LORD.」
「You think I’ll lose?」
「Don’t think I’m mocking you...I don’t think you’d lose, even one on one, but all the followers...」
「Don’t mind it. Just relax...it’ll be fine.」
But the guild master still looked worried.
「Listen. There’s over 100 followers in there...some even look to be dragons!」
「Oh? That DOES sound dangerous.」
「Yes. No magical monsters come here even without guards, and I’ve heard the reason why is because of all the strong magical beasts inside the castle.」
I would expect there to be some very strong magical monsters in this area too, so if the rumor was right, it would be quite interesting.
「Do you have any proof of that rumor?」
「Anyone that resisted this Demon Lord would be set upon by magical beasts and be killed. Adventurers, businessmen, anyone!」
「Not just by chance?」
「That’s hard to imagine.」
So it seems that as long as you paid the Demon Lord, you were left untouched.
But if you didn’t pay, then you ended up dead.
It was quite a despicable way to threaten others.
And they weren’t just killed either. Blood and bones were left for others to see.
「Listen. Even if you didn’t leave the town, you’d be attacked and die.」
「They even attack you in your home?」
「Yes. No matter where you are in the town!」
「That’s hard to believe even in a place like this.」
Luka said, even with her experience as a specialist in magical beasts.
「Right?」
「That means that even you’re paying up heavy amounts to this Demon Lord?」
I asked, as the guild master frowned.