Volume 2 Chapter 22 Invitation To Izerland Fortress (From The Border Princess) I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Let’s give it our all during the duel” ── after striking her fist against Serena’s, Kian parted ways with her.
They were heading to the Guild to see the results announcement, but both Kian and Serena were in casual clothes.
Since he was going to show his face at work, it would be better to wear formal armor and carry a sword.
With that said, Kian returned to his room at ‘The Boar’s Trot Inn’ to retrieve his backpack, then left the inn again. The ‘Windsong Blade’ is currently in the process of having its sheath made.
There’s a courtyard in front of the Pigfoot family’s main house, where he’s borrowing space to carve wood.
This morning, he was talking to Esther to borrow a corner of the courtyard.
’The sheath is not done, but are you taking the sword?’
”Of course. If I wrap it in cloth like I did when I received it yesterday, the sound of the wind should be a little better.”
He plans to just joins the results announcement and the promotion procedures, but he’s going fully equipped.
Instead of the ‘Nightshade’ coat, he changes into an elegant light armor made by modifying the ‘Roses Dress’ he got from the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’.
”How does this look?”
In the Pigfoot family’s courtyard, Kian, with the ‘Windsong Blade’ strapped to the leather holder on his back, spread his arms wide and looked down at his outfit.
A jacket made of dark green fabric with beautiful embroidery of Roses flowers.
However, his lower half remains in the ‘Nightshade’ leg wrappings.
The slightly sexy attire with an open chest area made him let out a sigh, saying that the ‘glasses’ didn’t quite fit.
’What can I say… it’s the kind of clothing a nouveau riche lower-rank noble would wear. It makes me think you are making a living as a bandit, not managing your land properly.’
”Serena said something similar to me, but I wonder if my taste is so bad. I don’t actually dislike these flashy clothes.”
Originally, the place where he was born and raised──Azrael had a lot of people wearing flashy colors like red, pink, and deep blue, so that sense of aesthetics has taken root in Kian.
In fact, he kind of liked it.
In the Margrave Izerland territory, fluorescent colors weren’t favored, and most people wore relatively muted colors, so Kian was just going along with those around him.
”Oh, I feel like my mood is getting brighter!”
’If your name is not on the notice board for the results, it would make for an interesting scene.’
”……”
’The contrast is so sharp that its amusing to watch.’
(I shouldn’t have made a chest pocket in the new armor.)
Casting a glance at the tasteless ‘glasses’, Kian finally steps out from the courtyard onto the main street.
It was already close to noon, and the street was lively with vegetable sellers, adventurers, and guards.
Kian weaved through them as he made his way up the main street towards the Adventurers’ Guild building located in the heart of East End.
* * *
He had passed the exam without any issues.
Without even searching for his name, it was written at the top right of the notice──’Kian’ and the candidate number ’35’ were listed.
Since the names are written in order of scores, he was likely at the top.
(I wonder if it’s thanks to Oswald writing a letter to Friedrich?)
Thinking this as he stood alone looking up at the notice board, which had no one around it.
By the way, Serena’s name was listed towards the bottom right.
It’s possible that the situation of the party when they reached the goal was such that they suffered a large deduction in points.
However, once you pass, it doesn’t matter whether you pass at the top or the bottom.
They are both Lower-rank adventurers of Rank 8.
Both of them were promoted, so it’s probably a good thing to be happy about.
(Huh?)
’What’s wrong?’
(Why didn’t Serena write her family name? The spelling ends with just Serena.)
’Yeah. So what?’
(Not that it really mattered… I wonder if there was some reason why it would be bad to write her family name.)
’It must be to avoid being noticed by the user of Azrael’s Death Sword. If her brother was assassinated, that killer should know even her family name. While there are plenty of people in this world with the name Serena, writing out Silver Wooloo would identify her as an individual.’
(I see, this must be a decision made with foresight, considering how famous adventurers become. It’s a sensible choice, but also incredibly thorough. I need to follow her example.)
’Be careful, as you are going to duel that careful one. It is unacceptable for this one to be defeated by the same person twice. Show me a fight that does not bring shame to my best knight.’
”When did I become your knight…?”
As Kian mumbled to himself, he heard footsteps approaching from the direction of the hall.
Looking, he saw the head receptionist, Irina, walking towards him with a pile of posters in her arms.
The middle-aged woman, nearing 40, exclaimed “Oh!” when she saw Kian.
”Hello, Mr. Kian.”
”Hello. Can I help you with that?”
”This is my job. Don’t worry about it. More importantly, have you completed your promotion paperwork? You’re the last one to come here as a successful candidate. Everyone else checked their results as soon as they were posted, yet you’ve made a remarkable ‘executive arrival’.”
”I-I’m sorry.”
──And, while normally he would bow excessively and humble himself, Kian looked Irina straight in the eye and smiled brightly.
”I don’t like waiting. It’s easier to have a relaxed breakfast with bread and tea rather than anxiously waiting to be pushed around by the applicants.”
”Hey, why don’t you also consider the trouble you’re causing to the person in charge of you?”
”Ms. Irina”
Kian took a step closer to her and looked down at her with a strong gaze.
The head receptionist’s face changed color quickly, but Kian’s expression changed before she stepped back.
”I’m the type of person who doesn’t take time for foreplay. I can’t hold back, so I always end up putting myself first and making the girl cry.”
”What…? What…?”
”I’ll be careful not to make the receptionist who’s taking care of me cry.”
”Wait! You are…!”
Hearing Irina’s voice chasing after him, Kian turned his profile and flashed a white smile.
”Just kidding”
”……!”
”Thank you for your hard work. Just as you said, I’ll promptly take care of the promotion procedure. Thank you.”
Irina’s face, which was pouting, looked strangely flushed.
It seemed he had inadvertently used the power of charm.
(This is not good… Lately, I’ve been acting strangely. …I’m starting to do odd things willingly. At this rate)
At this rate, he’s like he was when he put on the ‘glasses’──.
Kian took a deep breath and stepped into the white hall of the Adventurer’s Guild.
Since it was just before noon, there weren’t many people.
The area in front of Kian’s new officer’s window was vacant.
’Are you going to eat?’
(I’m not going to eat. Not for now, anyway)
Responding to himself in this way, Kian made another smile and quickly walked over to the window.
* * *
”Congratulations on passing! Please continue to contribute to the Adventurer’s Guild!”
With pink twin-tails seemingly dyed, the receptionist, Miruru, shook her head energetically and flashed a perfect sales smile.
I’m not a fan of this lively atmosphere──though thinking that, Kian filled out the necessary information on the form he was given and paid 5 silver coins as the adventurer registration fee.
”Oh, and Mr. Kian has been fined for stealing a quest from a new adventurer. Please pay the 10 silver coins quickly.”
”…Now that I think about it, that was the story…”
It was only a month ago, but it already feels like a distant memory.
The receptionist with pink twin tails smiles and spreads the corners of her mouth.
”You got my friend fired and sent her back to her parents’ house. Do you understand that? Don’t get cocky just because you did well on the exam, you lower-rank trash adventurer. “
”…I’m sorry about Ms. Sophia. You were her friends. I’m really sorry.”
Kian said as he gently handed Miruru the bag of silver coins he had hidden under his sleeve.
”Huh!?”
”Ah, here are the ten silver coins as a fine.”
”…Um. So, what about this bag?”
”Bag? Did I drop something?”
Kian turned his face away from the counter as he said this.
A sign hanging on a nearby white pillar read, “Please refrain from giving gifts to staff.”
It was handwritten by Irina.
The letters were decorated with red and blue colors.
It gave off a rustic, unrefined vibe that wasn’t found in Azrael’s Adventurer Guild.
Kian thought, looking far away, that it didn’t look like it was written by a woman in her forties just by the letters alone──
When he turned his gaze back, the bag of silver coins was gone, and the pink receptionist was looking up at Kian with a cheerful smile.
”Ah, the procedures are finished~☆”
”Thank you. Let’s continue to build a good relationship together.”
”Yes, of course! Sure thing, Mr. Kian! Hehehehe!”
’Oh, how corrupt her heart is. I have thought so for a while, she’s the worst, hoho!’
(Why does she look so happy? And am I not even allowed freedom of expression in my own mind?)
”Oh, and by the way──!”
Miruru rummaged through the nearby file.
This new receptionist is even more careless with paperwork than Sophia.
”There are 2 personal requests addressed to Mr. Kian.”
”Two? Not just Sir Oswald?”
”Two! By the way, who is Mr. Kian? Aren’t they both upper class people who live in the Izerland Fort?”
”Can I see it?”
”Please, come on in!”
All the letters handed to them at the counter looked high-class.
One is good quality parchment.
The other was a formal summons, scroll-shaped and intricately crafted, the sort of thing used by nobles.
The parchment is from Oswald’s confidant, Aisha the Dark Elf.
The request was for an investigation into the ‘Labyrinth of Roses’.
The sender of the scroll is Christina Famille.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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