<div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    <div>


    Alice only led us through a different path once we were inside the actual town. The entry hole was the same. The city guard didn’t even shoot at us. Alice and her comrades seemed to be of another level when compared to Oak.


    The path led us through narrow winding streets. The people of this ‘slum’ seemed used to monsters. A few people looked annoyed when they had to stand aside to make space for us, but they looked unsurprised.


    “So, how does the Adventurer’s Guild really work? I haven’t really been there before.” I said, technically not lying. I hadn’t really been there before. Heck, I hadn’t even stepped into the building.


    “The Guild here is just like its branches on land.” Alice answered. “I’m sure you will be fine.”


    I stared at her blankly. “Say if I hadn’t visited one of their branches before, how would you describe it to me? Is there something important I should know? I just don’t want to look ignorant in there.”


    Alice frowned. “Well the Guild is largely just a hiring place. There are a lot of things that need doing usually, things that the knights won’t bother with. Hunting monsters is one of the most common. There are almost always some monsters that the knights can’t be bothered to kill, but they’re still dangerous to people. So a job gets posted in the Adventurer’s Guild.”


    “In this place, that’s pretty much the only type of job we get.” Alice looked me up and down. “There’s a bit of work for a Rank 3 too. The lake has a bunch of beasts that are way more powerful than normal. The royal knights usually clean them up, but well, they’ve been busy lately.”


    I frowned at that. What had the royal guards been busy with exactly? If there was anything around here that demanded their attention, then it could be very bad for me. I did not want to get involved in something like that.


    “The Adventurer’s Guild is owned by the House of Wind and Water though, so you don’t have to be that worried. The royal knights won’t target us for no reason.”


    That did not calm my worries. For one thing, the House of Wind and the House of Water were two ducal houses. And they, along with the royal knights, did have a reason to target me.


    I was the son of the Rose Princess and the Duke of Eldanvier. Either of those things would attract their attention. I didn’t even know how to hide it from them.


    I looked far too similar to the Rose Princess.


    “Are you from the Rose family?” Miss Alice asked. I looked at her in surprise.


    “What makes you say that?”


    Alice rolled her eyes as if I had said something ridiculous. “The fact that you have the Eyes of Rose. The red eyes are rather famous. I suppose there are people other than the Rose family that have them…but it seems rather obvious that you are connected to them.”


    “The City Lord is from the House of Life. The Alchemist Guild is from the House of Earth. The royal knights are obviously from the royal family, the House of Blade. The House of Fire is missing. Then you, a Rank 3 with the Eyes of Rose enter the city. So I ask, are you here to establish the House of Fire’s presence?”


    Alice said it like she was just making conversation. But her body language told me that she was being serious, and that this question worried her. I, on the other hand, was very glad she had decided to ask it. The amount of information she had supplied with just one question I would probably take hours to get out of someone else.


    This woman was great.


    “I suppose you could say that, though I doubt it is how you think.” I answered. That should do it. I wasn’t really from the Rose family, but their head was my grandfather. I wasn’t even lying when you could say I was related.


    Acting like I had their support would make things easier for me too. The other forces would be less willing to move against me, though it would involve me in their politics.


    But I had already decided to be involved.


    Miss Alice frowned, and seemed like she wanted to say some more. But then decided not to. “I see. Well, my lord, we have arrived.”


    I looked to where she was pointing. The entrance she had led us to was different. For one, it was outside the awakened area. For another it did not have a sign on it. I was a bit worried that it wasn’t even the Adventurer’s Guild.


    I called on my mana as we entered, ready for a fight. A part of me wanted to ask her if this was the right place. But the building did look similar to the one inside the awakened area. Still three stories tall and painted red Alice a surprising thing in this town Alice it was rather distinctive. I wondered how they managed to paint underwater.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    A person came out to greet us.


    “More fish?” he grunted. “Keep them out here, someone will collect them.”


    Alice clicked her tongue in irritation. I decided to take the lead.


    “I would like to collect a reward you placed on some of these things.”


    The man sneered. “If there is one, then it shall be provided to you in-”


    I called on my mana. That shut him up.


    “I shall do as you say, my lord.” he said, leaving quickly.


    “Hmm, satisfying.” the giant said, nodding his head forcefully. I just rolled my eyes, though even I had to admit, it was satisfying. The look on his face when he realized he wasn’t dealing with someone without mana.


    Another man came running out, this one dressed in far better looking clothes. The man looked around as if trying to identify who he should talk to. Then his gaze landed on me.


    “I shall have your reward dealt with presently, my lord.” he said. “Is there anything specific you require from the body?”


    “Keep the edible parts separate. I will take them.” I demanded. Keeping them seemed like a good idea. There did not seem to be much food around here. I should take what I can.


    “As you wish my lord.” the man nodded. “I see here ten Fish of Poison, for which a reward for ten silver has been offered. The reward however was for just one fish. There is also no reward for the larger fish, though that might be because we were unaware of them. The organs, without the edible portions, shall come to three silver for each of the big fish. The smaller ones shall gain you 1 silver for two of them.”


    “Is that satisfactory my lord?”


    I admit, I did not know. Rowan had worked with gold. And he had spent thousands of gold. I knew how much bread cost around the Academy. I also knew that three silver for a single loaf of bread was considered expensive.


    Did that mean that this price was fair? I could buy at least seven loaves of bread in the Academy. Was that too few or too many? I looked at my companions, trying to gauge my reactions. Miss Alice noticed my gaze and gave me a nod.


    Well, I had to trust her in these. If she cheated me then, oh well. I would know that she was not to be trusted. Now that I knew how to use my mana, I could probably kill these fish easily.


    “Yes, it shall suffice.” I answered. The man nodded. “Please return tomorrow for your payment and to collect your pieces of meat. Have a good day sir.”


    The man walked in, leaving the rest of us standing there. I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling awkward. There were dozens of people that had carried things around for this. I should give them a part of the payment, shouldn’t I?


    How much would be fair? I would have to ask Miss Emily, she should know.


    “I suppose we can leave.” I announced.


    “There no party?” the giant whispered as we were leaving. But his whispers were loud enough that he might as well have been screaming. I was sure every person in the crowd heard him. And now they were waiting for a response from me.


    “I do not know. Is that customary around these parts?” I asked.


    Miss Alice interrupted before the giant could say anything more. “The killing of a Rank 2 beast, especially one that was such a menace is often accompanied by a little festivity. “


    And of course I would be paying. That wasn’t said, but it was implied. The expectant looks on their faces told me so.


    “How much would such a thing cost?” I asked. “I am not presently well dispensed in terms of gold.”


    Miss Alice scoffed. “ A silver or less usually. And the party will have to be tomorrow, we’ll need that meat of yours if we want to have something to eat.”


    A silver. That was…much cheaper than I had thought. I could do that. Yes, it was a more than acceptable price for maintaining good relations with the people here. I wasn’t sure how much use it would be, but I would be staying here for the foreseeable future. Having friendly neighbors sounded like a good idea.


    “I suppose we shall keep it tomorrow then.” I shrugged. A sudden cheer rang out from the front of the crowd. I suppose someone was really happy about it. Perhaps this party really would be fun. The ones I remembered had been boring affairs, but they also hadn''t been like this.


    A few minutes later, we were back at Miss Emily’s house where the woman greeted us at the front door with an angry expression on her face. The crowd quieted at the sight of her, as if awaiting her anger.


    “Go about yer stuff.” Miss Emily said. Then she turned to glare at me. “I need to have a talk with my good…friend here.”


    I gulped. I didn’t think I had done anything wrong, but I was still nervous. The expression on her face made me so.


    Miss Emily led me into her office and then shut the door. I took a seat and waited.


    “What were you thinking?” she asked angrily.


    “I think you will have to clarify.” I answered, trying to keep calm. What was she so angry about?


    “The Adventurer’s Guild! Do you have any idea what could have happened to you there?”


    I frowned. “I don’t get what you mean. The meeting was fine.”


    “Yes, because the Head was away at business. For you see, a new Rank 3 has appeared in town and the current Heads of the Guilds and City Lord were meeting to decide what to do about it.”


    I froze. “How do you know this?”


    “I have a cousin in the royal knights, they keep track of such things.”


    That was quite an operation they had there. Then again, it was the royal knights. I would be more surprised if they had trouble keeping track of a couple of Rank 3s and one Rank 4. Miss Emily having a cousin in there was more surprising.


    “Do you know what the royal knights are discussing right now?” she asked.


    I looked at her. The expression on her face told me the answer. But I asked anyway. “Is it me?”


    “Yes.” she said, running her fingers through her hair as she made for the hidden shelf. This time she took out a frame from it. A photo frame, though this one had a painting on it.


    “The Head of the Adventurer’s Guild might not recognize you, but these are royal knights. The second you encountered that patrol, they recognized who you were.”


    I could see why. Miss Emily had produced a portrait of a young girl. A girl with red eyes and curly blonde hair who looked like a younger version of me.


    “This is the Rose Princess?” I asked.


    “Yes.” Miss Emily replied. “I think you can see why they had little difficulty recognizing you. And now they must decide what to do with you. But they are not the problem, not right now. The royal knights won’t do anything till their heads decide.”


    “The Guilds on the other hand, they are but extensions of their House’s influence. And a number of them may decide to use you and your claim to the throne.”