第８９１堀：竜の町 (Part1)
Chapter 891: The Dragon Town
Side: Raiya
"Welcome, travelers. Welcome to the Dragon Town."
The one who greeted us with those words was a gate guard clad in light armor. He was likely a private soldier employed by the town. However...
"Hey, I’ve got a question for you."
"Yes? What is it?"
"Well, maybe it’s none of my business, but are you sure that light gear is enough?"
Mauve seemed to share my concern, as he asked about the guard's equipment.
"Hm? Oh, in this town, leather gear is much easier to move in than iron armor. We rarely have trouble with monsters here; it’s mostly human crime we deal with. And even then, it’s usually just dine-and-dashers or petty thieves."
True, if you’re chasing people, leather is better than iron. But that wasn't the issue.
"So, monsters don't come here at all? I heard the monsters around these parts are supposed to be powerful."
"Ah, is this your first time here, adventurers?"
"That’s right. We were summoned by the local adventurer guild."
"Oh, I see. If you were summoned, you must be quite the experts."
"Well, we get by. But, sorry, about the monsters..."
"Right, my apologies. Powerful monsters only really stay near the base or the mid-slopes of the Dragon Mountain. I suppose they’re afraid of the dragon that lives there, so normal monsters don't come near this region."
"I see. Then, are there no monsters in that forest over there, either?"
"Nope. In fact, maybe because they fear the dragon, even large animals like deer, boars, and bears don't show up. All you’ll find are small animals and birds. Because of that, we used to have a hard time securing meat around here. But lately, with the arrival of vehicles, meat gets delivered before it can spoil, so we don't really have any trouble anymore."
So that was it. This town was, quite literally, under the dragon's protection. Whether that was actually true or not, I couldn't say, but it was clear that this guard believed it with every fiber of his being.
"I see. Well, thanks for the information. Can we head in?"
"Yes, I’ve confirmed your identification. Once again, welcome to the Dragon Town. Enjoy your stay."
And so, we stepped into the Dragon Town, but...
"Hey, brother! How about this dragon wood carving? It’d make a great souvenir for your kids, wouldn't it? And for the missus, I recommend this dragon brooch!"
"No, no, if you want a souvenir, take this painting! It captures the exact moment the clouds cleared from Dragon Mountain! It’s a bit pricey, but it’s guaranteed to bring you divine protection!"
"Stay at the Dragon Inn! It’s a long-standing, prestigious inn, and the dragon’s protection is..."
A swarm of aggressive merchants gathered around to welcome us.
"This feels a lot like the market in Weed."
"…Yeah, I was wondering what it reminded me of. It’s exactly like the Weed market."
"Indeed, the scale is different, but it has the same liveliness as the market in Weed. Though, everything here is related to the dragon."
"Well, as the guard said, this town believes it thrives on the dragon's protection, so they’re just turning that into a business. Isn't that right, Princess Lowel?"
Zargis posed the question, drawing everyone's gaze to Princess Lowel, who replied...
"I don't really get economics! But it’s a good thing that it’s this lively."
"..."
As expected of Princess Charl and Princess Shera, they weren't kidding when they called her a muscle-brain. I mean, to say it so boldly and refreshingly...
"…Anyway, let’s head to the adventurer guild."
"Yes, that would be best. The Grand Master and Milly have already sent word ahead."
Since relying on Princess Lowel for anything other than combat was a bad idea, we headed straight for the guild. By the way, to avoid being recognized as royalty at a glance, Princess Lowel and the others were dressed in typical adventurer gear, so we hadn't caused any scenes yet.
Princess Lowel, in particular, was a general who believed in leading troops from the front, much like Queen Seraria. She didn't seem to mind the rough adventurer gear at all; in fact, she walked as if it were perfectly natural.
"Man, I like this outfit. It reminds me of the days when I snuck out of the castle to work as an adventurer."
"..."
I felt like I’d just heard something incredibly dangerous, so I decided to pretend I hadn't. That was definitely the kind of topic you shouldn't touch. We all silently agreed to act like we knew nothing.
While we were busy with that, we reached the adventurer guild...
"Welcome to the Dragon Mountain Adventurer Guild. You’re here for a request... no, that doesn't seem right. Since you’re adventurers, did you come to transport some cargo?"
The receptionist tilted her head in confusion.
"No, this isn't a transport job. I assume you’ve been informed, but we’re here at the request of the Grand Master. I’m Mauve."
"Mauve? Mauve!? W-wait, don't tell me! That Mamo— Mmph!?"
She looked like she was about to start a commotion, so I instinctively covered her mouth.
"Calm down. I don't want a scene. You understand?"
When I said that, she nodded. I waited until she was composed before letting go.
"My apologies. This request is a bit complicated."
"No, I was the one being careless. Please, wait a moment. I’ll inform the Guild Master that you’ve arrived."
"Please do."
She walked toward the back without running. Surprisingly composed—I’d expected her to bolt. But that was fine.
"Still, it’s surprising that people even in a place like this know our names."
"Yeah, it’s a shock."
"It’s rare for a place with so little outside contact to know about us, isn't it?"
As we talked, Lowel joined in.
"It’s not rare at all. Your fame as heroes echoes throughout every nation."
"I still find it strange why it’s echoed so far."
"That’s because we’ve been promoting you. If we didn't praise you as heroes, people would start asking what the country had been doing all this time."
"..."
So that was it. That’s why even a town like this on Dragon Mountain knew our names. As I was thinking that, the receptionist returned...
"Oh, no, Princess Lowel, it’s not just Gartz. For an adventurer guild, having adventurers who have achieved such great feats is a huge honor."
"Sorry to keep you waiting. This is the Guild Master of the Dragon Mountain Adventurer Guild..."
"My name is Sevaia."
She introduced herself with a smile, but...
"Huh. That’s rare, a female Guild Master."
Yes, as Mauve noted, the Guild Master was a woman.
"Oh? Is there a problem with a woman like me being a Guild Master? Soara, the Guild Master of Astari who held off the demon invasion, is also a woman, isn't she?"
"Ah, my bad. I didn't mean anything by it. It’s just rare, that’s all. Whether you’re a woman or not, if you’re strong, you’re incredibly strong. That’s all there is to it."
Mauve easily brushed off Sevaia’s provocation and continued the conversation. People like her were a dime a dozen in the adventurer world; if you got angry at every single one, you’d never get anything done.
"As expected of the hero Mauve and his party. You don't get riled up by a little provocation like that."
"Is it true that women get a lot of pushback in this line of work?"
"It is. Unfortunately, there are many such people."
The Guild Master dropped the act, shrugged her shoulders, and sighed.