CH.341 Higher Ups want to see Me
<span style="font-weight:400">Today was… well, it was a day. A day that started off on the right foot, but soon turned into something I really wasn’t looking forward to. Let’s go back to when I arrived in my office this morning.
<span style="font-weight:400">Endy handed me a letter that had arrived for me at the Sawyer capital manor. At first, I assumed it would have been from Nel, as she still owes me for all the monsters I let her absorb in the dungeon, but no. This one was from the Capital’s adventurer’s guild’s GM.
<span style="font-weight:400">Futerasu Hikari, aka. Tera.
<span style="font-weight:400">That in itself didn’t really raise any questions for me. I mean, a GM calling an A-rank adventurer, that is reasonable. But what came next was … well, let me just tell you as it happened.
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<span style="font-weight:400">“They want you to go to the Hero’s country to meet with the guild higher ups.” Tera told me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... why?” I just asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Remember when I asked about you getting a guildmunicator? For that. They want to interview you or something like that. They didn’t tell me much of the details.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... alright. And when should I head there? And is it just me, or should I bring the rest of my team?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Just you is fine, and as soon as possible.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I mean, I’m free now, so … will there be trouble submitting a flight n on such a short notice?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They already opened a free flight n for you, so you can fly in whenever you want.” Tera told me.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... seriously? That doesn’t sound right.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Perhaps they thought it to be better than you just appearing.” Teramented.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... you knew about that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. I was warned of your … impulsive tendencies.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Impulsive tendencies? Well, can’t argue against that.” I admitted. “But if they want me there ASAP, I’ll head over right now. It will take me like… about 20 minutes from here. Do you want to send them a warning that I’ming in?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“20 minutes? Are you joking?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No. Not at this time.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“... I … I’ll make sure to warn them.” Tera said. “... but do you think you could take at least an hour? Not everyone operates that fast.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure. I can push it forward a bit.”
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<span style="font-weight:400">So yeah. That is how I ended up having to head to the Hero’s country.
<span style="font-weight:400">After my meeting with Tera, I got back up to HomeBase, so I could tell everyone there where I would be going. And Tera said to take my time, so I will. I even made sure I’d have a lunch box ready to go. It is good to have more actual cooks on HomeBase, because the one that made mine was Olia, Unika’s mother. I suppose working in an eatery for some time does get you some cooking skills, so she was actually one of the best cooks on HomeBase. Outside of some of my monsters, of course.
<span style="font-weight:400">At first, Alice was also wanting toe with me, but since I told Tera I’d go solo, I let Alice be. I don’t want to cause any more trouble than I already am. Well, in this case the trouble was started by the people who asked for me, not me, so it isn’t really my fault.
<span style="font-weight:400">And I don’t want to make Lua too jealous by taking Alice on a date in the Hero’s country. I’ll take them both after Lua is done with the current dhampir vige.
<span style="font-weight:400">And speaking of System missions, Alice really should sometimes look into hers. She does have the one looking for and eliminating the sources of knowledge about the illegal ve mark. So I reminded her of dealing with that, and gave her three copies of Mind Crush that she could use on anyone that happens to know of it.
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[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">So while I took off towards the Hero’s country in my Victory Viper, Alice also took off towards Burch Dukedom in her Gradius. It is the ce where we ran into the illegal marks, so that is where she said she was going to search first. Hopefully she will find something.
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[copse]
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<span style="font-weight:400">My flight over to the Hero’s country waspletely uneventful. I even spent that time opening a few packs, but I didn’t get anything exciting, so I won’t show them here. I could use a new set. I feel like it is about time I get one. Well, I will hopefully get one when the next fissure pops up. Not that I’m hoping for world danger just so I can save the world from it and im rewards. … well, I kind of am, but I probably would give up Pack Opener if that meant that this world could stay safe for the rest of forever. I can definitely see where the Hero wasing from when he surrendered his skill for the betterment of the world.
<span style="font-weight:400">As I got close to the Hero’s country, I dropped my speed down to something a lot more reasonable, as I also lowered the altitude I was flying at. I didn’t approach too close, just in case I caused an rm or something, but instead began levitating around the same area where the bird-folk guards came to see usst time I visited. I think that should be good, right?
<span style="font-weight:400">And my idea seemed to work, as a few bird-folk soon flew towards where I was floating. Not as many asst time though. I opened the canopy of Victory Viper, ready to say hi to the guards.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lord Wood. We’ve been expecting you.” One of them spoke to me, and as he did, I realized that I recognized this guy.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh? You are that captain fromst time. Good to see you again.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No. I’m not a captain. Did I not introduce myselfst time? Second Lieutenant Jawy at your service.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Jawy. May Ind?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course. We shall escort you to the ground.” Jawy answered.
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<span style="font-weight:400">On the ground, I met up with the next familiar face. The red-furred cat-girl by the name of .
<span style="font-weight:400">“Here again . Am I really that important that I get a free cat-girl guide whenever Ie to town?” I jokingly asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. You absolutely are.” answered seriously.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... alright. Well, do you know what is going on?” I asked, somewhat as a test. I remember fromst time that seemed to know too much for a simple guide, so if she knows the answer, that is more evidence of her not being ‘just a guide’.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. I shall take you to the castle.” answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Castle? Not the guild? I thought I was supposed to meet with someone from the guild, so why are we heading for the castle? What even is the castle? Does she mean that castle at the center of the city? I thought it was a dungeon. I feel likest time called it the castle dungeon.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sure.” I agreed. “Did you get a carriage ready for us, or do we walk?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I can secure one in a sh.” said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... nah. If you don’t have one ready, let’s just use mine. It will be faster.” I said as I brought my carriage out of Storage.
<span style="font-weight:400">“... you… was that your Storage skill?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. But I guess we need a driver as well. … who to..? Oh, you will work. Wynn the Wind Charmer.” I decided on the Spellcaster who would drive my carriage.
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[copse]
<span style="font-weight:400">I really should use my Charmers, and their other forms, more. I just never do because theyck ‘big numbers’. Maybe if I tried taming monsters? I think the Charmers would be experts in that. And I could get some help from Unika in that as well. That could be cool.
<span style="font-weight:400">Viscount Kramer is also an option on that. He uses the Taming skill to tame the warhorses he breeds in his territory. And he did invite me toe and take a look back when Earl Sawyer’s birthday festivities happened. So maybe I should go there with Unika and Einar?
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<span style="font-weight:400">While in the carriage, well, I was alone inside, while sat with Wynn in the front, guiding Wynn where to drive. And indeed, we ended up at that castle in the center of the city.
<span style="font-weight:400">The streets here were extremely busy, filled with people selling different stuff. Though most of the stuff seemed dedicated to adventurers, as it was things you could easily carry with you into the dungeon.
<span style="font-weight:400">I wonder how big of a dungeon this Castle Dungeon is? If the castle itself counts as a part of the dungeon, simr to how the Citadel is actually a part of HomeBase, I might be able to find out using Dungeon Founder.
<span style="font-weight:400"> had Wynn drive us first to a side road, and we followed that side road to the castle’s outer walls. There was no entrance or gate here, but after used some sort of card, the stone walls began to move and it opened an entrance for us.
<span style="font-weight:400">Yeah. Not suspicious at all. Why would have something like that if she isn’t important?
<span style="font-weight:400">After we entered through the … not regr entrance, the wall closed behind us, as if it didn’t just have a carriage sized hole in it. Gotta love those magic entrances. They are kind of cool. Or maybe I should have said that they are … solid? As a rock? … bad joke?
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<span style="font-weight:400">On the inside, I attempted to open up the dungeon information, but apparently where I was currently wasn’t yet a part of the dungeon. I’ll try to do it againter, when we are in the castle structure itself. As long as I get the opportunity.
<span style="font-weight:400">After we stopped right next to a small door that led into the castle, I got out of the carriage, unsummoned Wynn and took the carriage into Storage.
<span style="font-weight:400"> then led me inside, opening the door with the same ess card she used to make a hole in the castle walls. It is kind of interesting to see old-looking wooden doors opened by an ess card. And she isn’t even reading the card on anything, she just holds it in her hand and the door opens.
<span style="font-weight:400">Once inside, I was half-tempted to use Dungeon Founder again, just to find out about this ce, but with here, it might go bad. Or more like she might notice me doing something strange and then I’ll have even more to exin. I might even need to tell them that I can hack dungeons.
<span style="font-weight:400">So instead, I followed like the good little boy that I am. Though to be honest, I really don’t like what is going on here. It makes me want to summon a few monsters to be my escorts, just in case. At the least, I should have one of them searched out in Pack Opener, so that I can quickly ess it if something does go terribly wrong.
<span style="font-weight:400">Eventually, we stopped in front of a room and told me to go inside. She then opened the door and practically pushed me inside.
<span style="font-weight:400">And there, I met the ‘interrogation squad’. Okay, that makes them sound super evil, so I really shouldn’t say that. But they must be the people who called me here.
<span style="font-weight:400">There were three of them in total, two males and one female. The female, probably mid tote forties in age, seemed to be the warrior of the group, and she was fully dressed up in what I think is show armor, not actual armor forbat use. It was golden in color, so it is either gold coated, or maybe it could be orichalcum. She also had a sword and a shield next to her, the shield being made from a dark green metal, with a golden edging, while the sword I couldn’t see, as it was in its scabbard. But the scabbard looked highly decorated, so it was likely another showpiece weapon.
<span style="font-weight:400">The male to the right of her looked like a mage. He was also a lot older than the warrior, likely being into his seventies. He had on a red and ck cloak, and he held a staff with three magic stones embedded into it. A triple attribute mage, huh? Not bad.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thest one was the priest of the group, and the only non-human. He was an evolved birdfolk, and by Laura’s estimation, a siren. Not the siren that looks like a mermaid, but the ones that look like humans, except that they have wings. Kind of like Miss Hunter, though Miss Hunter was a tengu, which is the physically specialized version of siren.
<span style="font-weight:400">The siren man was dressed in a white suit, not a three-piece suit, but the kind of suit the locals wear, and he seemed to be probably just over 30 years old, so easily the youngest of the three.
<span style="font-weight:400">… Actually, now that I think about it, these three. They are the Hero’s party, right? I mean, the Hero was a swordsman with golden armor, by his side he had a sage dressed in ck and red, and a saint dressed in white. These three match up perfectly, except that their genders are reversed. … and the saint wasn’t a siren, she was a human. At least as far as I’ve seen in the illustrations or read in books.
<span style="font-weight:400">But let’s see what this genderbent Hero’s party wants from me.