Editor: Thors Stone


    When we approached, I got to hear part of the speech of that rugged-looking man.


    will set out with fast horses right away! We will give suitable rewards to any party who manages to deliver critical information. It will depend on the information given, but its possible to get ten times the initial reward offered. What matters the most is speed.


    So I guess this is the search party the guard was talking about. It looks like hes instructing the gathered adventurers about their search ns. I guess hes serving as the coordinator of this adventurer search party.


    Arista jumped off the carriage and ran toward the gathered search party.


    Father!


    Arista went in front of the rugged-looking man and loudly called out.


    Eh!? So thats her father? The richest man in this country? He sure doesnt look the part. No matter how I look at him, hes more like a veteran adventurer than a businessman.


    The man on top of the stairs turned toward Arista and froze up.


    Arista! Ah! Youre safe!


    The man jumped off the stairs and pulled Arista into a tight hug. So he really was her father.


    Im sorry for making you worry, father.


    Its alright darling. As long as youre fine.


    Another guy went up the tform on top of the stairs and started addressing the gathered adventurers once more.


    As you can see, mdy has already returned safely. Im sorry, but this search mission will be called off. Of course, we will give you all properpensation for your troubles. Thank you very much foring. All of you are dismissed.


    When they heard theyd be still receivingpensation, the gathered adventurers didnt seem to mind the trouble too much, and they obediently dispersed.


    What happened to you, Arista? And who are these people?


    We were attacked by bandits along the way, father. These people rescued us from the banditir. They are all adventurers.


    What!? Bandits, you say? You got attacked by bandits even though I sent twenty guards to protect you?


    One of the parties who were supposed to guard us got sick due to food poisoning after dining in Sanza town and all the members couldnt get out of bed. They suggested dying the departure date, but the remaining party assured us they could handle it, and so we agreed to proceed as nned, Karina exined.


    What!? What were you thinking, Karina!? Do you understand what this means? You subjected Arista to life-threatening danger with your decision!


    I am truly sorry to have disappointed you. Please punish me as you see fit, Karina conceded as she bowed in apology.


    Please dont me Karina, father. I was the one who insisted on going through with it because I wanted toe home as soon as possible, Arista interjected.


    So what happened to the adventurers guarding you?


    They all died in the attack.


    Tsk. And so, you were rescued by these adventurers afterward?


    No. We were taken to the banditsir. It was then that these adventurers appeared to rescue us.


    What!? You were kidnapped by those bandits!? Are you okay?


    Im alright, father. I was only tied up because they wanted to hold me for ransom.


    I turned toward Karina and Natalie, and the both of them had their eyes closed and kept quiet. They might have guessed Arista wanted to preserve their honor when she refrained from mentioning them.


    I see. It looks like I and my daughter owe you a lot. I am called Ss.


    I am the C rank party Shining Stars leader, n. Rescuing them was the right thing to do. Please raise your head, sir.


    No. Infiltrating a banditir in order to rescue my daughter and my people is something worthy of the highest gratitude. My daughter owes you all her life. Thank you. Truly, thank you very much.


    Um, youre wee sir.


    Father, I promised n an amplepensation for their efforts.


    But of course. But a reward for their deed in rescuing you cannot be decided so lightly. Let us discuss this another day. Would that be fine with you all, n? Ss suggested.


    Of course. We will talk about itter on then. How should we get in touch with you?


    You still havent booked an inn, right? Ill send Karina with you and have her guide you until you find a great inn. We will send word for you at the inn.


    Alright.


    Ss-san, Arista-san, and Natalie-san got inside a carriage that was parked nearby and went off.


    Well then, n-sama. I will be serving as your guide for now. What are your ns?


    I want to pay a visit to the Adventurers Guild branch in this city first. We need to hand over the deceased adventurers belongings after all.


    Understood. Let us be off then.


    Karina then guided us all the way to the local Adventurers Guild branch. Thankfully, it was pretty close by, and we parked the carriage at an open space in front of the guild building. Karina handed a number of copper coins to a man who approached us. It looks like the man hadpanions as well.


    Thank you very much, Lady Karina.


    It looks like Karina was pretty well-known in this city. The man and hispanions surrounded the carriage and acted as guards.


    They serve as temporary guards for the carriages who park here. Its to deter crooks from approaching.


    She probably noticed my questioning look and exined things for me. I see. That certainly might be necessary.


    I divided the belongings of the dead adventurers to the rest of the party and led them to enter the guild building. The Commerce Guild building lookedparably bigger, but this Adventurers Guild branch was at least four times the size of the one in Gotania.


    Its this window over here.


    Karina led us to a counter separate from the regr ones.


    What is you business with us today, sir? the guild staff inquired.


    We have a report to make. Its about the adventurer parties hired as guards by the Gantz Commerce Guild branch for a round trip to Sanza. The trip to Sanza town went without incident, but in the morning before the trip back to Gantz, one of the parties, the Iron Pact, had all of its members be bedridden due to poisoning and couldnt continue with the contracted job. Moreover, due to a sudden bandit ambush, all the members of the other party, Green Wind, ended up perishing. We came here to inform the guild of what happened. We are the C ranked party, Shining Star.


    Please present your guild identification tes for confirmation, the guild staff instructed.


    I handed over my guild ID. The guild staff inspected my guild ID and wrote something in a memo.


    Can you confirm everything they said, Karina-sama?


    The deaths of the members of Green Wind is true, but I do not know what happened to Iron Pact after we left the town.


    I see. We are truly sorry about the troubles caused by Iron Pact, Karina-sama. We shall promptly investigate in detail and hold them into ount, the guild staff assured.


    Understood. Shining Star retrieved the belongings of the deceased members of Green Wind as well. We came here to hand them over to the guild.


    Understood. Please fill out this form.


    We ced the belongings of the ten dead adventurers which were stuffed inside ten separate bags on top of the counter. The swords were too big to be put inside the bags, so we just lined them up neatly on the counter.


    Um You took more than their guild identifications?


    We also took some things that could serve as mementos on top of their guild tes.


    I see But you do know that the discoverer of adventurer corpses have the right to im the deceased adventurers belongings, right?


    We do. But we thought it would be better to hand them over to their families and loved ones.


    That is certainly so. Understood. We at the guild will take custody of these items. We will hand them over to the deceased adventurers rtives and loved ones whenever possible. You will also receive a small cash bonus for discovering the corpses and reporting the case. We will confirm the items first, and then hand you your reward. The notice will be posted on the bulletin board near this counter, so please im your reward once its up.


    Understood. Well be going then.


    Fuu. We finally handed over those items. We exited the guild building and went back to the carriage.


    Where do you n on going next? Karina asked.


    Id like to book an inn now if possible. It would be nice if it had a bath and tasty food.


    An inn with a bath I know of some ces, but they are probably going to be on the pricey side Karina offered.


    How much is the booking price?


    Lets see. It should be about 750 Guineas or more per night if I remember correctly.


    Mm. It really was expensive. But Verses inn back in Gotania did already cost 500 Guineas per night. So it being more expensive here should be reasonable, considering the fact that this ce wasparatively more dangerous due to its proximity to the Great Demon Forest.


    I believe well be able to make do with that price. Do you know of inns that dont mind us going out for extended periods of time due to adventurer work?


    Understood. Ill introduce you to an inn with a good reputation.