Chapter 45: The Misunderstanding of the Adventurer Scoutman
ㅤ’Seems like I arrived early.’
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ㅤAt the carriage stop at the East Gate of Blood Territory, Reid is waiting for his client. A few days ago, he received an escort request that specifically nominated him.
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ㅤ’Oh! You finally got a call too!’
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ㅤNear the Adventurer’s Guild reception desk, an adventurer with an eyepatch interrupted the conversation between Reid and the receptionist, Heine.
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ㅤ’Hey now~ you shouldn’t eavesdrop on other people’s requests~’
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ㅤHeine cautioned the adventurer in a leisurely tone, but the eyepatched adventurer pretended not to hear and continued talking.
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ㅤ’Truly is some rich merchant, I hear, and the adventurers he hires all become high-ranked, that’s the rumor.’
ㅤ’Seriously!?’
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ㅤThe rumor was known to other adventurers too. Reid heard that even Milia had taken on Truly’s request immediately after arriving in this territory, and this suddenly motivated him.
ㅤRecently, in this town, nominated requests from Truly Trading Company had become a kind of status symbol.
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ㅤThey say that despite being an escort request, you’re asked to get inside the carriage, and if there are no problems, you just have a conversation until the next inn town.
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ㅤ’The talk is that he’s practically running a personal adventurer’s guild. The rumor is that he’s mediating adventurers for the rich.’
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ㅤThe most recent story was about Zap and Mino, the duo who accepted Truly Trading Company’s request and then received a big job request from Blood Territory. They were also sighted in Neville by other adventurers.
ㅤTherefore, the merchant Truly had become a rumored figure, almost like an urban legend, as a specialist in evaluating adventurers. The product he handles is ‘adventurers.’
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ㅤ’So that’s why I haven’t seen them lately! They certainly are a stable and well-balanced party~ But what kind of job are they doing in Neville?’
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ㅤReid was nervous, wondering what he would be asked. According to the adventurers, he’d mainly be asked about his birthplace, family situation, preferred type of requests, and his comfort level in Blood Territory…… They all agreed that if he hesitated in his answers, he wouldn’t be pressed further, so he felt at ease.
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ㅤ’He’s here!’
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ㅤIn front of the excited Reid, the client arrived in a carriage, accompanied by an escort on horseback. The carriage looked refined and sturdy. However, the atmosphere was a little different from what Reid had heard.
ㅤThe client was a handsome young man with brown hair and glasses. He was more muscular than one would expect for a merchant, so it was easy to imagine that he himself dabbled in swordsmanship or spearmanship. That much was as he had heard.
ㅤHowever, the way he looked at Reid was harsh. It was a sharp gaze, like a military police officer about to catch a thief.
ㅤUrged by the escort, Reid boarded the carriage as rumored. The client remained aloof.
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ㅤ’Huh!? They said he wouldn’t have a bad personality despite being expressionless!?’
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ㅤFacing the seemingly displeased client, Reid pulled himself together and greeted him.
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ㅤ”Hello. I’m Reid. I’m honored to have been nominated this time……”
ㅤ”Skip the greetings. I want you to answer some questions.”
ㅤ”……Huh? Ah, yes……”
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ㅤSitting opposite each other, the man, with a tone like an inquisitor, first looked Reid up and down, then bombarded him with questions one after another inside the swaying carriage.
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ㅤ”Where do you live?”
ㅤ”Well, I still live in my parents’ house…… they run a weapon shop in Blood Territory……”
ㅤ”Any plans to move out?”
ㅤ”Uh…… My income as an adventurer has stabilized, so I’m thinking of renting a room nearby.”
ㅤ”Any plans to leave for another town?”
ㅤ”I like making weapons, so I’ll be staying in this town for a while.”
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ㅤSeeing the client’s dissatisfied expression at his answer, Reid’s heart skipped a beat. What would happen if he didn’t meet his expectations? He hadn’t received that information beforehand.
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ㅤ”Do you have a fiancée?”
ㅤ”N-no! I…… Well, there was talk of that with Merina, the daughter of Bache-san from the tool shop, but when I said I was going to be an adventurer, it quickly fell through.”
ㅤ”Where is this Merina now?”
ㅤ”If I remember correctly…… I heard she married a man working in some trading company last year~ Do you know her?”
ㅤ”I don’t. Then, the next question……”
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ㅤ’W-what is going on!?’
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ㅤBefore he knew it, the conversation had turned entirely to romance. With an expression mixed with displeasure and seriousness, Reid was bombarded with questions about his preferences and future life plans, desperately trying to keep his confused mind intact.
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ㅤSuddenly, Reid noticed Truly, the client, tensing his body as if preparing for something.
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ㅤ”Are you currently seeing anyone?”
ㅤ”No.”
ㅤ”Lies are easily exposed!!!”
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ㅤ’Ehhh~!!!?’
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ㅤUntil now, although displeased, he hadn’t shown any anger, so Reid was flustered by his sudden loud voice.
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ㅤ”There’s no one good! I’m too busy for that, you know……”
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ㅤBut for a moment, Mariela’s face flashed in Reid’s mind. Could he be caught up in her troubles again? His agitation intensified Truly’s suspicious gaze.
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ㅤ”……Recently, I’ve heard rumors that you’re dating a fellow adventurer!”
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ㅤ’As I thought!’
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ㅤReid was convinced that the aftermath of the Mariela incident was still lingering. However, he had no idea what Truly was involved in or why he was so angry.
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ㅤ”Uh…… No, that’s…… well, there are various reasons……”
ㅤ”Be clear! I know you’re dating that beautiful adventurer, Tempest!!?”
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ㅤ’Tempest!? Not Mariela!?’
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ㅤ”Eeeeeehh! It’s a misunderstanding!”
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ㅤReid frantically waved his hands in denial inside the carriage. Truly’s eyes were now bloodshot. He looked dangerous, no matter how you looked at it.
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ㅤ”In the first place, if it’s that rumor, Milia, an A-rank adventurer, should have been mentioned as well, and there’s no such thing with either of them!!! I swear on my adventurer rank! Please ask them yourself!”
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ㅤHe didn’t know how to gain his trust, but this misunderstanding wasn’t good for Reid either. He didn’t want to get another stomach ulcer from romantic troubles. He racked his brain, trying to clear up the misunderstanding.
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ㅤ”Y-you can’t a-ask them!!!”
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ㅤTruly stammered surprisingly, his eyes darting around restlessly.
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ㅤ”Eh!? Why not!?”
ㅤ”I just can’t ask them!”
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ㅤTruly was clearly flustered. His eyes were darting, and his face looked as if he was imagining something terrible. He was undoubtedly panicked. Reid had no idea why.
ㅤSo, while fumbling for words, Reid ended up explaining the entire Mariela incident, from beginning to end, until the carriage reached its destination.
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ㅤ”Th…… that must have been tough…… I finally understand why the number of adventurers decreased.”
ㅤ”Was it because some of your favored adventurers were involved?”
ㅤ”Ah. A few A-rank and B-rank adventurers…… I see…… No, I’m sorry……”
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ㅤAfter a sigh of relief, the suddenly deflated client began to apologize repeatedly. His face was pale. He looked so apologetic that Reid felt sorry for him, even though he was the one being accused just moments ago.
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ㅤ”Well, it’s hard to get to the truth of these rumors…… It’s easy to misunderstand. I haven’t been going around correcting it since then either.”
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ㅤThis was the good thing about him. He didn’t hold deep grudges against others or their mistakes. He was a good person, for better or worse.
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ㅤ”Uu…… You can blame me more. I was trying to condemn you……”
ㅤ”I can’t do that to a client! Ah, I’m glad the misunderstanding is cleared~!”
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ㅤSeeing Reid relieved that the suspicion was cleared, Truly seemed to feel even more guilty.
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ㅤ”So, Truly-sama, are you really involved in some kind of adventurer mediation business?”
ㅤ”Eh?”
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ㅤThis time, Truly was taken aback by the unexpected question, his face blank.
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ㅤ”Well, I heard you’re good at investigating skilled adventurers.”
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ㅤSeeing his puzzled expression, Reid added, “Like, by issuing escort requests like this……”
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ㅤ”Ah…… Ah~ Yes, that’s right. I’ve been found out…… I’m sorry, but could you keep this a secret?”
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ㅤDuke Wendel Blood, also known as Truly, readily went along with Reid’s story, relieved. His expression changed to one of obvious cheerfulness.
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ㅤHe had heard that due to the complicated relationships in the adventurer town centered around the adventurer Reid, several prominent adventurers had left the town, and he was investigating the details.
ㅤAnd along the way, or rather, quite early on, his beloved wife’s name came up. As the lover of the adventurer Reid. Of course, even though the name of the A-rank adventurer Milia was also mentioned, and the information itself was unconfirmed, he panicked and went on a rampage.
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ㅤ”So, Tempest is a really amazing adventurer in Truly-sama’s eyes, huh~?”
ㅤ”O-of course! You know her abilities, right!? So, that…… strange man…… I apologize…… I didn’t want her to get involved in unnecessary trouble……”
ㅤ”But you know she always says she’s the Duchess of Blood!?!”
ㅤ”Eh!!? Is that t-true!!?”
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ㅤInside the carriage, the Duke leaned towards Reid eagerly.
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ㅤ”Really, she likes to make strange jokes~ Like, the Duchess being an adventurer! So, when I introduce her to important people, I should be a little careful…… What happened!?”
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ㅤSeeing the client’s expression suddenly filled with joy, Reid became worried. The atmosphere was completely different from just a moment ago.
ㅤThe Duke, upon learning that his wife, as an adventurer, was calling herself the Duchess of Blood, was ecstatic.
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ㅤ”Truly-sama!?”
ㅤ”Ah…… I’m sorry. No, well, I’m glad the adventurer town in Blood Territory is back to normal. And, I’m really sorry for today.”
ㅤ”So, it’s okay already~! You worry too much for an important person~!”
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ㅤSeeing Reid laughing cheerfully, the Duke clearly understood that his wife was enjoying her life as an adventurer.
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ㅤLater, at the Adventurer’s Guild, Reid was surprised to the point of his eyes popping out.
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ㅤ”Eh!!? The reward has tripled!?”
ㅤ”Yes. The client said it was because he caused you trouble……”
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ㅤThe guild receptionist smiled and said, “That’s great, isn’t it?”
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ㅤ”He’s meticulous.”
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ㅤUnbeknownst to him, Reid had once again been caught up in romantic troubles.
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◇◇◇
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ㅤAround the same time, at the Blood Duke’s mansion, the Duchess’s angry shouts echoed.
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ㅤ”Daaannnnaa-saamaaaa!!!”
ㅤ”Uh, oh…… Tempest…… I-I’m home.”
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ㅤTempest, who was at the Blood Territory mansion, had seen through Wendel’s thoughts. Although he should have returned to the mansion from Neville, Danna-sama, who usually persistently tried to spend time with her, was sadly averting his eyes and avoiding her, so she questioned Victor. Using her maid, Ellis.
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ㅤ”I think you already understand what I want to say.”
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ㅤTempest glared at Wendel with an icy expression. If her husband had gone on a rampage due to a misunderstanding about her friend, she had to give him a piece of her mind.
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ㅤ”But…… But I was worried~!”
ㅤ”No excuses! How dare you say “I trust you”……! You have some nerve!”
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ㅤThus, at the mansion, many servants witnessed a side of the Duke they had never seen or heard of before.
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ㅤBut the servants were relieved. Their master, who was rumored to be as cold as ice, now had someone he could safely show his pathetic side to.