Chapter 508 Each Path
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Mira’s POV)
The day after arriving in Raetia, I visited the Adventurer Guild and found out that Amel and Zamie had already received party invitations.
Amel was being asked to lead an Adventure Party, formed with ranks D and E, thanks to her achievements as our group’s coordinator.
”It seems everyone has come from different places and formed parties here in Raetia.”
In Amel’s stead, Zamie spoke up, eager to share news about their new party heading to the ‘Great Labyrinth Raetia’ right away.
”So, Zamie, what kind of party do you have?”
”Oh, I’m in a mid-tier party with all rank C members.”
Zamie proudly responded to Ema’s question.
It seems like he perfectly fit the party’s recruitment condition: ‘Thief with confidence in Swordsmanship.’
”They plan to dive in the afternoon and will meet at the guild’s outpost at the Great Labyrinth Raetia.”
Apparently, they’re heading back to their inn first to gather their gear before taking a carriage.
”You need to hurry, don’t you? Weren’t you going to practice Lockpicking and Detection?”
”Sorry… I was supposed to learn it. But, well, I’ve finished the Thief course at the training center, so I’ll be fine.”
Zamie replied brightly to my words.
I’m a little worried, though.
”Well, Amel and I will be back by tomorrow night anyway. By the way…”
As we prepared, Zamie stood up from his seat.
”If you guys decide on a party before we leave tomorrow… yeah, let me know at the inn.”
”Sure. I want to talk about various things after everyone picks their party.”
Ema smiled a little sadly.
I knew everyone would split into different parties in Raetia, but after a year since finishing our training and traveling this far together, they were my companions.
Especially Ema, who was quite the spoiled one, must feel lonely.
”Well then, I’m off. ── Hope you all find good parties too.”
Saying that, Zamie waved as she left the guild, and we waved back with smiles.
* * *
”She really left, huh…”
”Yeah. I guess Thief parties are in short supply for the Great Labyrinth exploration.”
I decided to cheer up Ema, who had slumped her shoulders, and started a conversation with her.
”Right… I hope we find a party soon too.”
”…Just wait a bit.”
Seeing that Ema seemed down, I stood up to buy her a drink.
* * *
”Hey, what’s a cute girl like you doing all alone?”
As I returned to the table holding 2 bottles of ‘honey lemon’ sold at the guild, Ema was being approached by a few guys.
”From the looks of it… a rookie? You haven’t even got a party yet, huh? We can have some fun together.”
I noticed a burly guy who looked like a Fighter grabbing Ema’s arm, and I hurried over.
”What do you want with my friend?”
I brushed the guy’s arm away and stood in front of Ema.
Ema, who had looked scared, seemed to relax a bit and hid behind me.
”What’s up with you… oh, you wanna play too, huh?”
The man’s mocking tone made the 3 guys with him laugh out loud.
I glanced around, but since it was still morning, there weren’t many adventurers around.
The guild’s female staff noticed the commotion and hurried off to the back room.
She must have gone to get the guild master.
”You haven’t even got a party yet, right? So, why not hang out with us today?”
It seemed like the Fighter’s words were a signal, as the other 3 guys grabbed Ema’s and my arms.
”I don’t want to hang out with you!”
”Just… let go of me…”
I tried to shake them off, but their strength was too much.
Both Ema and I were pulled towards the guys, forced into their grips.
”Hey, what are you all doing?!”
At that moment, a loud voice rang out near the guild entrance.
* * *
A Fighter-like man quickly approached us and twisted the arm of the guy holding my arm.
”Ugh…!”
”Get off me, you jerk!”
Another man who appeared with him body-slammed the guy holding Ema.
”What the hell, you…?”
The burly Fighter glared at the man whose arm he twisted, but the guy just laughed defiantly, still trapped.
”I’m Ares Blood. I take care of young adventurers here in Raetia.”
”I’m Garm Zekt. Ares’ top disciple.”
The two Fighters introduced themselves while shielding Ema and me from behind.
”I don’t know… We just came from Mundo yesterday. What? Is it the custom in Raetia to interfere with party member recruitment?”
The burly Fighter, seeing that intimidation wasn’t working, smirked sarcastically.
”So in Mundo, you call hitting on girls ‘recruiting’?”
The Fighter, who introduced himself as Ares, looked at his companion Garm with a teasing grin.
”No, I was in Mundo too… but I’ve never heard of that.”
Garm tilted his head slightly as he looked at me and Ema.
”W-well, we haven’t actually been approached for recruitment.”
”See? ──Bro, it really does seem like just hitting on us.”
Garm nodded lightly at Ema’s frightened words.
”So that’s that. Get out of here quickly. Raetia doesn’t welcome ruffians like you.”
Ares, who had been lighthearted, suddenly donned a cold air.
The ‘killing intent’ emanating from him was undeniably that of a high-ranked Fighter.
”You guys! If you start trouble in this guild… I’ll ban you from entering the Great Labyrinth!”
A loud voice from behind the counter came from the guild master.
”Tch… I get it…”
The men who had picked a fight shot us a glance before leaving the guild.
* * *
”Thank you very much.”
Ema and I expressed our gratitude to Ares and Garm, who sat opposite us at the table.
”No need for thanks. We heard that some young Thieves came to register, so we thought we’d come here to recruit too.”
”You two are the ones, right?”
Ares Blood, Rank B Fighter.
Garm Zekt, Rank C Fighter.
They had come to recruit members to form a new party.
”We got kicked out by the party leader we’ve been with, told to ‘stand on your own and form a new party’…”
Ares scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
”Guido’s old man always said my brother could manage as a party leader.”
Garm was grinning at Ares.
”Well, we managed to recruit a magician, a tank, and a fighter, but… there just aren’t enough thieves.”
”Um… is one of us not good enough?”
Ema stood up and leaned forward to appeal to Ares.
”Ah… yeah, we would love that, but… is it really okay?”
”Of course! ──Don’t say just one of us, please take Ema.”
Ema looked at me with a surprised expression, saying, “Huh?”
”See, you helped me when I was in trouble, right? I think this is ‘fate’.”
”Mira…”
Ema briefly showed a sad expression, but at my words about ‘fate’, she nodded slightly.
”My name is Emanuela Gerdeller! I’m not good at fighting, but I have learned all the skills of a thief!”
”Nice to meet you, Ema. We welcome you. ──By the way, are you… okay with this?”
Ares asked me while shaking Ema’s outstretched right hand.
”Yes. I believe there is a party that I am meant to join as well.”
”Is that so?”
Ares smiled and nodded.
* * *
Since we were having a face-to-face meeting with the party members, Ema waved goodbye to me with a smile and left the guild with Ares and the others.
She said she would return to the inn at night, so we promised to have a late-night snack together.
(Ah, I guess I’m the only one left behind…)
That Ares, the fighter, seemed like a reliable person.
With his party, Ema would surely be able to show her true abilities.
(Well, I’m sure there must be a good ‘fate’ waiting for me too…)
I prayed for the safety of Amel and Zamie, who had already headed towards the ‘Great Labyrinth Raetia’, and raised a bottle of honey lemon in celebration of Ema’s future… all alone.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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