Rihar Town was tucked away in the mountains.
Vineyards spread across the northern side, and apple and plum-like trees were planted there as well. The place was constantly dealing with goblin attacks.
「It feels more like a fortress city than a town」
Stone walls surrounded it and they had even built a moat, so it didn’t feel like a town at all.
「Ogres, bears, deer and boars show up all the time. Other creatures too. We have a good number of adventurers here」
It was a dangerous zone. If I had been transported somewhere like this, I wouldn’t have survived ten days.
The inside of the town was cluttered and dusty. There was a sour smell in the air. I glanced back to check on Ladarion and saw he had switched to a mask with activated charcoal.
「If it’s too much you can go back to the Sefuti Home」
We were only here to accept a request. He didn’t need to force himself to follow me. He could wait outside Rihar Town if he wanted.
「I’m fine. I can handle it」
Well, if Ladarion said so, I wouldn’t push it. I was treating him as a full member after all.
「That’s the guild branch」
Kainzel-san was driving the Pioneer. He seemed to have a strong attachment to Rihar Town and drove without hesitation. It didn’t feel like he learned the route by coming through on rainy days. He felt like someone who had been visiting for years.
「A castle?」
The building was made of stone and had a heavy iron gate that even a giant would struggle to lift.
「It’s the Town Hall」
Town Hall? What was that supposed to mean?
「It’s a hall that contains the town offices and the main guilds. If something happens everyone can barricade themselves inside. That’s why everything is kept together」
So there really were situations where that became necessary. What kind of frontline was humanity living on?
We stopped once in front of the drawbridge. A man who looked like a soldier approached.
「Provisional Adventurer Takato. I’m heading to the branch」
Following Kainzel-san’s instructions before we left, I held out my wooden tag and gave my name.
「W-what is this wagon-like thing?」
「It’s a magic-powered box carriage. It was made in a distant country」
「I-I see」
That explanation was the kind of magical phrase that made everything acceptable.
The soldier granted us permission and we crossed the drawbridge into the Town Hall. Inside was a courtyard-like space.
The courtyard was wide, with a fountain in the center and several carriages parked around it.
「So this place is built with barricading in mind?」
「Yeah. I’ve rushed here to help twice myself」
「So every few decades the town falls into danger?」
This place was insane. How had it not been destroyed already? Were the adventurers here that strong?
「That’s right, but Rihar Town has two gold-mark adventurers. The town won’t fall easily」
Gold mark? Someone stronger than Rondario-san’s group? What kind of monster could that be?
We parked the Pioneer in front of the branch. I left Ladarion in the vehicle and headed to the branch with Kainzel-san.
The guild branch in Rihar Town was large compared to the rest of the town. There were many staffs. With no adventurers around, it felt even more spacious.
「Excuse me. I’m Takato, a provisional adventurer. I’d like to meet the branch chief. Could you arrange it?」
I showed my iron tag to the receptionist near the entrance.
She had already taken my wooden tag earlier. She looked between me and the iron tag, said to wait for a moment and went into the back.
After a short while she returned with an older woman whose hair was streaked with white.
「So you’re the Goblin Killer?」
It looked like my title as the Goblin Killer had already been chosen for me.
「Nice to meet you. I am Takato and my work is goblin extermination. Are you the branch chief known as Dark Water Depths?」
「Huh? Dark Water Depths? What’s that supposed to mean?」
「I assumed you liked using titles so I went along with it」
I gave a small laugh.
「My mistake. I’m Mizuho. I’m in charge of this branch. I’ve received reports about you from the Guild Master and from other towns」
When the one at the top is competent, information reaches everyone down the line. I was honestly jealous of anyone with a superior like that.
「If you have time, may I ask for information about the goblins?」
「Ah, of course. Goblins have caused us no end of trouble. If you’re willing to take them on, I’ll give you all the information you want」
Handling that kind of thing should be the duty of the margrave. Even if the Guild Master and his wife were exceptional, governing a margrave’s territory clearly wasn’t simple.
We were led to the second floor, where the branch chief shared information about the goblins with us.
「I heard a Maanu appeared. Do you have any information on that?」
After hearing everything, I asked about what happened yesterday.
「The Ross Village incident. We received a request last night. Will you be taking it, Takato?」
「I’d like to maintain a good relationship with the Adventurers Guild. I’ll respond when I can」
I didn’t want to be hostile toward the organization, but I didn’t want to be used up as a disposable tool either. I would speak up when I needed to and accept what should be accepted. If something went beyond what I could allow, I would cut ties. I wasn’t planning on dying yet.
Mizuho-san looked at me, then at Kainzel-san who stood behind me.
Ride-san from Misrim Town must have told her about Kainzel-san, and she probably knew his past as well. And if Kainzel-san had personal ties to Rihar Town, the branch chief would certainly be connected to him somehow. The long silence between them proved as much.
「……That helps. We’d like to get along with you as well. If there’s anything we can do to cooperate, we will」
Competent subordinates gather under a competent leader. The Guild Master really knew how to build an organization. It was unfortunate that governing the territory wasn’t part of that strength.
「I look forward to working with you when the time comes」
「The request has already been issued. We’ll process it on our end」
「Thank you」
I stood, gave Mizuho-san a polite bow and left the room.
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