Published at 25th of March 2019 11:40 pm

Chapter 24 - Meeting with Guild Master

Abruptly we were informed that someone had summoned us, that too, not just anyone in guild but it’s head『Guild Master』-san did.

If it was someone from upper echelons in the guild, I would’ve gone back saying half-assed lines like『My stomach hurts』, but I don’t want to be on the bad side of the most influential person in guild, so I responded to the summon.

Riin-san couldn’t leave her place as a receptionist, so we were introduced to a staff personnel, a girl, then we both were led into the inner parts of guild.

Even so, why were we summoned by some as great like Guild Master? Yeah, I can’t think of anything it all.

For a moment, I thought that some problem occurred during the time with『Naga』, but the next moment, I discarded the thought.

For arguments sake, this timing to summon us is just too late, the questioning is done, 『Naga』has been registered as a demon, even the reward has been paid.

I asked Elk, but it was no good.

In fact, in this situation of『Being summoned by Guild Master』, she is getting nervous stiff from before.

From what I heard before, Guild Master is the most influential person in the guild, during younger days was also a great adventurer, many adventurers admire the Guild Master. Well from this story, the reaction of others is quite normal.

「But, you both are really cool, you’re both still young, but Guild Master has still summoned you personally」

And,

The guide girl walking in front said such out of blue.

She is wearing guild uniform, has dark brown short-hair and a cute face. Her body is, places that need to be large are large and……oh, just forget it.

「Have you completed some amazing feats? Or else, is there some personal relationship?」

「No, if we knew, we wouldn’t have any troubles……」

「It’s something out of blue even for us. We’re bewildered right now, due to being summoned」

I mean really. Summoning us is fine and all, but at least tell the reason before. Heart and many things need to be prepared.

Even Riin-san said『I haven’t been informed too』.

Then,

「I see. I was thinking that, the rumoured black adventurer would be like the hero of fairy tales, living in deep forest, growing and raising tremendous power, and then leaving the place. I was getting excited on this mysterious history」

What is that unnatural guess, which is completely right!?

Creep!? Gross!? What was just now!?

I shudder in front of this staff girl asking me while smiling. The reproachful stares of Elk from behind saying『What is that』, didn’t arouse me this time.

Then this time the girl,

「Are you, by any chance his girlfriend?」

――Crap!

Made Elk flustered.

She in front of the spearhead in front of her that appeared without any prior notice (well, it did notify), she stumbled, it’s a cute yet troublesome reaction.

「Wha, I, What are you saying out of blue!? I-I’m just his partner!」

「Huh, so that’s what it was? I completely thought you guys would have done what needs to be done……ah, are you by any chance『Partner』in that sense」

「What!? W-What are you saying……you trying to tease!?」

「Oh, you didn’t realise it? I’m sorry」

「…………!!」

「Ah, Elk calm down」

I calm down Elk who has become as red as an apple ready to be harvested.

With her anger and shame, reason is about to go into oblivion. With just this much.

Even so, what is wrong with this girl?

She’s already passed mischief and being frank, completely rude. What are they thinking, taking people like her as guild members.

Did they send this hateful staff member with some intention? I can’t think any reason behind it.

Anyways, I thought to stop the girl and complain her, but she stopped before.

And,

「Go in, this is the office of Guild Mas (door opens) ter」

During talking, she opened the door, and suggested to enter.

……Is the education of guild staff really fine?

We both were dumfounded at her attitude of entering the room of her superior without any courtesy, while leading guests. But, if it has come to this, now anything can happen.

It wouldn’t be good to make other party wait while the door is open, and she would be the one getting rebuked, thinking that we both enter the room.

Of course, I say『Excuse me』while entering.

There is a single old person in the room.

However, not just any old person.

In fact, It’s troubling to even call the person an old person.

Around 2 metres tall, dark-skinned, muscular body.

The glint coming from behind the glasses is sharp like a blade, any normal person might even faint from just a stare.

His beard is cut and evened, which increases the intimidating pressure even more, no let me more frank, it’s looking like fiend.

No, well I did think the Guild Master would be a male in prime of his life with dignified looks, ……but this is truly outside my expectations. Truly.

It’s almost like this person can still take young un’s and still be able to live off as an adventurer. Truly, just great.

He is wearing formal dress, but the black toned clothes, scatter the intimidating air of not a great person, but of someone like GodFather of Mafia.

……This girl might be killed for being rude.

Looking on the side, Elk is somewhat scared, somewhat dumbfounded, somewhat perplexed. Yeah, whatever her expression might be, I can easily guess what’s in her heart right now.

Then, the head of the room while staring at us with the eyes that would give the SFX『Stare』a life in real world——

「I’ve been waiting, Minato-dono, Elk-dono. I’m the aide of this guild’s guild master, my name is Barracks. Nice to meet you」

——correction, the aide, bend perfect 90 degrees and politely greeted us.

No, you ain’t the Guild Master!?

I completely thought you were the one with your intimidating air and whatnot, ugh, now I’m feeling disappointed……

……It’s a secret, that I felt relieved somewhat.

But huh? In that case, isn’t the Guild Master missing?

The ones in this room are me, Elk, and this newly-introduced Barracks-san.

……And also the guide girl, who just now closed the door by kicking the door.

I won’t retort to her delinquent behaviour now.

Is the Guild Master still not here?

Then, Barracks-san makes a troubled expression,

「No, Guild Master is already in this room……」

And tells me that. Just where is that guild master?

I once again survey the surroundings, but there is still only us 4 not anyone else, not even presence of anyone else.

「 ……Before that, I apologize for associating with Guild Master’s prank, even though you both were summoned」

「「Yes?」」

Prank? What is that, what does it mean? When did we get into it?

No, don’t tell me the summon in itself was a joke. In fact, the Guild Master is not here……

Then, Barracks-san while sighing,

「 ……Can you now stop your pranks, and greet the guests politely?」

From behind us both who have『?』floating above our heads, a voice came.

「Ahaha, Sorry Sorry. No well, it’s quite interesting even to spectate, so I couldn’t help it. Thank you for your hard work, Barracks」

Along with that voice,

The girl who guided us, while we were having questions about the education of guild members, took large strides and came near us.

Lie that, she passed Barracks-san as though it’s natural, and stood in front of us.

Eh, What is this, What the fuck, before we had time to think these words, the figure of girl wavered like heat haze.

The next moment, there’s a terrifying scene.

The girl who was looking like a normal guild member, has transformed into something that’s completely different from before.

A navy blue, three-quarter sleeved clothes with somewhat similar to priest’s robe instead of dress. On top of it something like scarf like soft cloth is put on.

The dark brown short hair, turned into olive brown long hair reaching her waist.

The only things same from before, are the height of her and her baby face, her age too seems the same as our.

In her face -No, in her eyes- is a strange and dignified something present.

Then, she faces us, and while grinning,

「I’m sorry for teasing you both. So yeah, I’m the Guild Master of this guild, Irene. Nice to meet you♪」

That’s right, she declared boldly.

『Irene Gemena/Jemina』

She is the great adventurer, who once in past, bellowed her name through the whole continent, after retiring, she got recommended by majority of people, became the Guild Master of guild, and is right now at this place.

As per rumors, her strength is still present, among the adventurers; her name is known as a Living Legend.

That『Living Legend』is right now in front of my eyes, while sitting on a sofa in really relaxing manner, and a smile is floating on her face.

No matter how you look at it, she doesn’t look that much older than us, but though she looks like human, she is surprisingly different; her true age is over 400 years, really scary.

She has already has been doing her job as『Guild Master』for over 150 years, well, this is a true legend. People are more than meets the eye.

Incidentally, the data about her which I just rambled about is what Elk told me.

The expression she showed before -When we entered the room only to find Barracks-san—was because she knew Guild Master is a girl.

It means she was bewildered on『Why man? 』and not on『He’s got great intimidating pressure!』

If I only had heard this all talk, though it was from Elk, I wouldn’t have believed it, but I have seen the glimpse of that power with my eyes.

The『Girl in Guild Member uniform』to deceive our eyes was Irene-san’s illusion magic.

I have learnt the basics to see through illusions, but I wasn’t even able to sense anything let alone see through it.

Not even a single gap, I can’t help but say it’s a perfectly mastered technique. My instincts after seeing that, removed each and every suspicions about her personal history.

More than anything, the aura she is clad in.

It is only fluttering like wind, is imposing yet calm, it certainly feels like full of self-confidence. To speak in words, yeah, it’s like the atmosphere that shows the『Expert』of some sort.

There is only one other person I knows of, who can be clad in this sort of aura.

Most probably, nope, no doubt about it, this person is the same as mom.

「Well, don’t be so stiff and relax. It’s not like I called you here for some formal business」

「Eh, is that so? 」

「Yeah, I just wanted to talk with the supernova-kun whose been in rumors now-a-days」

「Ha, Haa」

Irene-san is like this from before.

However, on the contrary to her frank behavior, I and Elk, both are feeling tension.「It’s strange to not talk about something after calling you her, for starters, I give my gratitude to you, regarding the case this time」

「Case this time? 」

「It’s not you don’t know, right? It’s about the『Naga』. Thanks to you both, the casualties were prevented to the people using the beginner dungeon」

「No, well, I’m grateful for your praise, but just like we reported, there was a large part of luck」

I had thought to faultlessly evade her questions, but

Irene-san’s corners of mouth curved, she broadly grinned.

Then, she sips the tea from her teacup, while smiling,-

「You don’t have to fabricate it here. All because I know, it was 100% your power that defeated it」

「Eh!?」

-Counterattacks with an unexpected reply as though it is natural.

Unknowingly, both me, and Elk who was quiet from before, trembled our body a little bit.

The reply was just too sudden, for a second I thought it might be on her guesses, but the eyes of Irene-san didn’t had anything like that. Rather than imploring gaze, it was filled with conviction.

「Well, it really is trouble to stand out all of a sudden. It’s quite a good decision. In truth, people without discerning eyes are beautifully getting tricked by your outer appearance」

「Err, no, that……」

「But, I have read your report, it’s quite unbelievable story? I was there at the time of inspection of snake’s corpse. Those scales can’t be burned by the heat of torch. The big lethal scar and other small scars are too much pinpointed for rocks in a cave-in. It was obviously damage inflicted by a blunt weapon or something corresponding to it」

……She knows it. She completely knows it!

From her tone of voice it doesn’t seem like she intends to condemn us for that, but it’s easy to understand her saying『Don’t dodge when I know everything』

She ain’t bluffing. From her whistling yet strong voice, and her gaze which sees through everything, a rookie adventurer can never turn away. It took me too much to realize that.

Irene-san continued her words facing me, who is having trouble in replying,「But well, rest assured. Though I said that, those people from Inspection group are quite busy and didn’t do a close inspection. So publicly, your fabricated story is running.」

「Eh, is that so? 」

Phew safe. I was troubled if the top brass of guild somehow know about our fabricated report.

Well, in that case, we would be summoned more officially.

But, if accepting Irene-san’s words, we succeeded in deceiving them. For the time being, it’s good to be safe.

Well, it seems like we weren’t able to deceive her eyes though……

「No, in truth, it’s not like that」

「Eh? But before, you were there during inspection, you said……」

「Well that’s how it is? But I knew from even before that. That something like that with just big body-frame won’t be even worth mentioning for your power」「What!? Do you mean by that……? 」

「It’s nothing that complicated. I heard it beforehand. From her」

「……From her? You heard it?」

「Your mother……Lilyn, I mean」

……WTF!?

Eh!? What the hell do you mean by that!? Just frigging tell me!?

My personal information……oh fuck with it for now. Just tell me what she mean by that!?

Irene-san, you were mom’s acquaintance!?

「No, more precisely I’m not an acquaintance. After all, we were fellow adventurers who lived together during our active periods. Of course, we were in a team」

For real!?

Fellow adventurer, in other words, her friends from her younger days means. 200 years ago.

Such a big person was a friend with that ‘The Epitome of Freedom’ mother. Truly, that person is not normal in many meanings.

Let it be with Noel-neesan the other day, let it be this time, just how much well-know is she?

One is the head of great association; one is the head of guild……people she knows are all not normal.

Then, from the current information, another unexpected reaction came flying from truly unexpected place.

「……!? Wha, Please wait a moment, um, err, I-Irene-sama!」

Elk, who turned into a statue who can only consent to words, suddenly revived and shouted. What happened to her?

「Hey, put down the『-sama』suffix. It’s something else if this was a public place, though」

「I-I’m sorry. Err……Guild Master! Um, the party you said you were in your adventurer days, I can only think of one, don’t tell me……」

「Uh, yeah, you’re not wrong. It’s the one you’re thinking」

「B-But, that party is already……what does it mean that Minato’s mom was one member of it, and also you met her recently……?」

「……? Umm, what might you two be talking about……」

I still don’t get the contents of the aim for this talk.

Most probably it’s that. My nemesis, adventurer’s fundamental knowledge, definitely it’s involved in the contents of this talk.

There, mom too is somehow involved.

「I see. Seems like Lilyn hasn’t told anything about herself to you at all. In other words, Minato-kun, you don’t even know about『Wasp Spiders’』too?」

「……『Wasp Spiders’』?」

What is it, never heard of it.

At this moment, a glare saying『For real』from Elk came flying at me. What, is it a really famous story? Like I said before, I don’t have common sense.

「You see,『Wasp Spiders’』was the name of the party I was in when I was an adventurer. Of course, Lilyn too was affiliated to them」

「Mom was? 」

「Yeah that’s right……Minato-kun, it seems like you really don’t know anything, this is one good opportunity. How about hearing an old-tale?」

Saying that, Irene-san drinks the whole tea from cup and wets her throat.

I somehow knew, the words that’s going to come out of her mouth from now, will let me move closer to the mom I don’t know yet.

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