Crimes Erased
「As you know, exercising miracles requires a certain amount of donations. Since 『Sense lie』 is a miracle of high virtue, it won’t happen without ten or twenty silver coins. Can you afford that, Sir Sora?」
The receptionist said so and glanced at me.
Again, this was the same receptionist who announced my expulsion from the guild. She knew that I couldn’t even come up with one silver to take the test I needed.
To be asking me that question at this time, her intention was crystal clear.
It’s only natural when I think about it.
From the guild’s point of view,『Falcon Sword』is a valuable part of their fighting power. Their quest completion rate is high, and their popularity with the city’s residents is also outstanding.
If “that”『 Falcon Sword』 were to be caught in a scandal, the ones that would suffer would not only be the people involved, but the guild and other adventurers as well.
An expelled tenth-tier adventurer and a C-ranked party; the levels of our importance are incomparable.
To prevent damage before it happens even if it had to resort to a somewhat forceful method. That’s the job of the receptionist here.
「…Shouldn’t the guild pay at times like this?」
「If the guild feels like there’s a need for that, then yes. But since the proposition this time was brought up by Sir Sora, the obligation to pay will lie with you」
「You don’t think there’s a need for a miracle in this current situation?」
「I’ve got a grasp on what had happened. However, your opinion of them having malicious intent towards you seems to have been influenced by your past experiences with them」
「So you’re saying I held a grudge because they kicked me out of their party, huh? If that’s the case, shouldn’t we see who’s right or wrong with 『Sense lie』?」
「Like I said, if you want to go through with it, you will have to pay the money required, I’m sorry」
I clicked my tongue and spoke to the other party one more time.
「Oi, Sauzar Company’s daughter, or Falcon Sword’s leader– this is a good chance for you to prove your innocence. Why don’t you pay for it?」
「There’s no need. I believe in Miro. I don’t need the miracle」
「J-just having Larz believe me is plenty enough for me. I don’t give a crap about what people like you think of me!」
「…*sigh*. I see. Then I guess it can’t be helped」
「Alright, I’ll take it that you’re withdrawing your proposition then-」
「I’ll have to pay for it then」
「… Eh?」
I took out a gold coin from my chest area and put it on the desk.
The receptionist’s jaw dropped when she saw it.
For the first time, I saw her expression change to an unpleasant one.
「Although you said it won’t happen without ten or twenty silver, how much do we need exactly? Is a gold coin enough?」
「A-about that…」
「How about another one? Or one more? If it’s still not enough, here, take another one. This much should be enough, right?」
I stacked the gold coins up without concern as I talked.
Right now, it wasn’t just the guild receptionist, but Larz and the others also had their eyes opened wide.
They probably never expected someone who got kicked out of the guild could bring out gold coins.
…By the way, since that incident last night, that was all my remaining wealth. I actually had about ten gold coins at first but…Well, what’s done is done.
「Oi, what are you guys spacing out for? I got the money. Hurry up and call a priest here」
「R-right…but where did you get this amount of money from?」
「Is there a reason why I need to answer that question?」
「Since that’s a large sum of money, there’s a need to verify where it came from…」
「Are you saying I got these from committing some sort of crime?! Stop making fun of me!!」
I kicked the table in front of me while I yelled in rage.
The gold coins on top of the table scattered everywhere from the impact.
My intimidating pose made the receptionist cower with a *híííí * sound.
「I guess you didn’t think that a bum who got expelled from the guild could have this much money, right? It’s a shame! Look, this much should be plenty enough, hurry up and call a priest from the temple of law over! I will use all these gold coins to verify her testimony, that should be fine, right? Do it! Receptionist! 」
The receptionist looked at me with frightened eyes when she saw my aggressive stance.
There are many receptionists in the guild who look pretty on the outside, but they are very courageous people on the inside who can deal with the rowdy adventurers who come starting drama every day. Some of them could even put adventurers to shame.
This receptionist was one of them.
If I was trying to intimidate her without a just cause, there’s no doubt she would have met me with her usual expressionless face.
However, she knows that they are the ones at fault in this case. With that reason holding her back, she did not have her usual nerves.
When a human is feeling guilty from knowing that they are wrong, they usually aren’t able to behave how they normally do. If they were a serious person in the first place, then that’s even more true.
…Well, it may also be that without the thing called a receptionist counter shielding her, she was just shaken from my anger.
After all, I’m level six now!
I savored the pleasure of my revenge that had sprung up inside of me as I had such petty thoughts.
The receptionist who had always looked down on me was clearly scared of me now.
That feels so good.
It’s them who are wrong. It won’t hurt to scare them a little more.
When I was about to open my mouth again with that thought in mind-
「Don’t bully the workers here too much」
A man entered the room together with that voice.
He looked to be in his forties. While his fierce-looking eyebrows gave the impression of someone strong, the gentle glint in his eyes displayed both deep insight and calmness.
With combed-back silver-colored hair and a faint musky fragrance, he truly felt like an elegant man.
Level 35. The one and only first-tier adventurer in the city of Ishka out of the three first-tier adventurers in the entire Canaria Kingdom.
Elgart Quiss.
「Master?! You’re back already?」
「Oh, the meeting finished earlier than I expected. I’ve troubled you, Lidelle」
「No, by no means was I troubled….Well, um…」
「Ah, I’ve heard the gist of the story from Parfait. And actually, I heard some of the conversation before I came in. I will take it from here」
「Y-yes sir, I’ll leave it to you」
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With that said, the receptionist whose name was Lidelle stood up.
Instead, the master of the adventurers’ guild of Ishka sat down in that spot. I thought the receptionist was going to leave the room, but she just stood behind Elgart like his secretary.
She went back to the way she usually looked at me. It looks like with Elgart present, it blew away all of the receptionist’s weaknesses.
「Now then, a self-introduction would not be needed for the both of us. Let’s hurry and get to the point」
Like that, Elgart looked at me and gave the verdict.
「Your proposition to request for『Sense Lie』 is dismissed. That is my decision as the guild master」
「…」
「Heh, you look like you have something to say. Of course, that wasn’t all. 『Falcon Sword』 will assume responsibility for the incident and appropriate punishments will be imposed. Naturally, compensation for the victim will be included in there as well. Oh, I don’t think I need to say this, but dangerous things like taking someone’s life will not be included in the compensation. We can’t afford to lose the guild’s talented people in such a way. I’m sure both sides will have some dissatisfaction, but I want you to do me a favor here. How about it, Larz?」
「I will follow your decision, master. However, it will be a different story if it’s something unreasonable. If the punishment is something like cutting her arm off or gouging her eyes out then I will fight for her」
「Of course」
Elgart nodded once and looked at me.
「You as well, Sora. Is the fact that Falcon Sword will be punished not enough for you? There’s no need to go to far to hurt the girl」
「What did you mean exactly by “appropriate punishments”? At the bare minimum, it would be announcing to the public about the fact that they attacked a civilian and used him as a decoy, right? 」
「No, I can’t do that. Their reputation will not only affect Falcon Sword, but the guild as well. Given the situation in the city of Ishka, we need to do our best to avoid creating any rifts between adventurers and civilians」
Then, Elgart folded his arms and went into thought.
「Regarding the punishment, hmm… it will be an announcement of their obligatory quest. The quest will be to clear the monsters of the Titis forest for one month. During this period, any materials and rewards that Falcon Sword gets will be yours. Considering their abilities, it should be a decent amount. Besides, that will lower the risk you’ll take when you go herb gathering there 」
「In other words, you’re going to keep this incident concealed and just make do with it, huh?」
「Haha, you’re putting it in such a blunt way. Then here is for your reconciliation between you guys and the guild. Here–」
What Elgart took out was the adventurer guild’s silver badge– an identification tag.
A familiar name was engraved on it.
「This is…」
「Yup, it’s your identification tag. The Adventurers’ Guild of Ishka will welcome you back as a ninth-tier adventurer, Sora. You will also be exempt from having to pay the monthly payments to the guild for three years. How’s that? Will you take this deal?」
The guild master handed the identification tag to me with a bright smile on his face.
Of course, his smile wasn’t just all gentle. It was a powerful smile that seemed to be telling me “Do you know what will happen if you refuse this?”
When I took the identification tag from him, the guild master nodded in satisfaction.
「Excellent. With this, our adventurers’ guild will grow even more than-」
While Elgart was engrossed in talking about something, I threw away the identification tag that was in my hand.
With a *thunk*, the identification tag fell in the garbage bin that was in the corner of the room without me even aiming at it.
Elgart gave me a sharp glare as he saw that.
「…Was that just now your way of refusing my proposal?」
I sneered and nodded.
Since he was the guild master after all, I will at least drop my sarcastic tone.
「Do you think I still give a crap about this piece of junk at this moment? You’ve been talking for a while now, but in the end you are just refusing my proposition and doing what’s advantageous for Falcon Sword. There’s no justice here. If I’m wrong, then first call a priest from the temple of the god of law over and have him use 『Sense Lie』」
「…I thought I told you that was not going to happen?」
「The guild master’s decision, right? So, why do I, who has nothing to do with the guild, have to listen to the guild master’s decision? In the first place, the person who told me that I just need to pay the fee was this receptionist. I agreed and took out the money as well. At that moment, the guild master comes out and says it’s rejected? I can’t agree with that. Are you going to call a priest over, or are you going to personally sentence this girl for her crime of using a monster to kill me? It’s one or the other」
「Sora, be careful of what you say. There are no adventurers in Ishka who would do that. What you have is a case of persecution complex. I sympathize with what happened to you, but if you keep up with your reckless remarks, I will have to take appropriate measures, you know?」
「Appropriate measures! Ohh I’m so scared. Well then, let me say that I will withdraw before those appropriate measures are taken. I knew that talking to the guild was pointless but it was still a lesson learned for me」
When I stood up, Elgart held his hand up to stop me.
「Hold it, we are not done talking yet」
「Even though you don’t listen to what I’m saying at all, you want me to listen to you? That’s too selfish」
When I ignored him and walked towards the door, the receptionist got in front of it.
「The master told you to wait. Please return to your seat」
「Out of my way. If you don’t, I will have to take appropriate measures as well, okay?」
After I imitated the way Elgart talked, the receptionist’s cheeks went red.
「!!…I’ve been thinking since listening to you earlier, there’s a limit to how rude you can be! If you ever lived in the city of Ishka, you should know how hard the master works for this city! Furthermore, didn’t you also work for the guild for five years?!」
「Hmm…So if you work hard for the city, you are allowed to even set murderers free, huh? Being a guild master sure is nice」
「…You are!」
The receptionist took a step forward with her face fully red from rage.
It seems that her patience had hit its limits due to the admiration she has for the guild master.
Then, when she got near me, the guild master stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
「Stop it, Lidelle」
「But, master-!」
「There’s no need for you to raise your hands– Sora, it would have been nice if you had just accepted the conciliation. However, there’s no need for the guild to act for someone who won’t accept the terms from the guild. Right now, I take back all the conditions that I have mentioned」
「Have it your way. Those shabby conditions are not my concern」
「This is a warning from here on. If you try to do anything that would harm any members of the guild–」
「Haha! “You’ll be taking appropriate measures”, right? Go ahead with that as well! Perhaps you will spread rumors of me being expelled from the guild and is holding a grudge, right? It’ll be the words of the guild master versus the words of an expelled tenth-tier adventurer. The world would definitely trust your words over mine. Falcon Sword will be freed from their crime. Then they will owe the guild some favors. How wonderful. You guys can have a toast after about it」
With that, I pushed the receptionist out of my way and opened the door.
Finally, I turned around and gave one last glance at those in this room–
「This is goodbye… forever」
I exited the room after I left them with those words like a curse.