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Translator: Barnnn
The following day, Ize found herself incapable of accompanying Hal to the city guard station.
Perhaps it was the repeated use of her skills, the lingering tension from their clash with the Mystic Beast, or the exhaustion that had simply been accumulating throughout their journey. Whatever the cause, her body rebelled now, racked with a fever that burned fiercely.
As a test, she reached for her Curing Potion — the antibiotics she had brought from Earth, transformed and enhanced for all of this world’s ailments. She downed the potion, and within moments, the fever ebbed away. The speed of the recovery was almost unnerving.
Yet, while her temperature had normalized, her body remained weighed down by fatigue. Hal noticed immediately and insisted she remain in bed.
“I’m sorry, Hal,” she murmured.
“Ize, there’s no need to apologize. Just rest.”
“Thank you…”
“Leave today to me,” Hal said. “I’ll take care of everything.”
“All right. Be careful.”
Changing out of his travel-worn attire for lighter, more comfortable clothing suited for the city, Hal prepared to leave.
Ize watched him as he stepped out, her gaze lingering on the door for a while after it had closed. With his departure, a peculiar silence settled over the room, and she curled like a cat beneath the blankets, seeking their warmth against the sudden chill that accompanied her solitude.
Left alone for the first time in weeks, her thoughts soon blurred, and she drifted into sleep.
◆
The moment Hal stepped outside to join the horsebus guards, an unshakable unease took root in his chest.
His Eye of Insight, a skill that allowed him to perceive subtle shifts in emotions, detected an undercurrent of tension among the guards.
The occasional glances they shot in his direction carried a peculiar air of uncertainty.
They were worried — not just for Ize’s condition, but also about something else, as though they had news they couldn’t or didn’t want to share.
“…Uh, is something wrong?” Hal asked after a moment.
One of the guards scratched his head. “Why do you ask?”
“You all seem… off. Did something happen since yesterday?”
“Well… good catch. It’s not a big deal, really — just some jitters about today’s meeting. Word is, we’ve got an unexpected guest.”
“Even we don’t know why HE is showing up today,” added another guard.
“He as in…” Hal’s brow furrowed. “who?”
“The Deputy Guild Master from the Adventurers’ Guild here in Abrol,” one other guard grumbled, and before Hal could ask anything back, he added, “A former noble — well, still a noble, technically. He landed his position here, at this border city, thanks to his connections in the Kingdom. No real adventurer-suited skills to speak of, though, so no one takes him seriously.”
One guard chimed in with a wry chuckle. “Yeah, and rumor has it he’s got a chip on his shoulder about anyone who does have good skills, especially young adventurers.”
Hal’s frown deepened. “Why would someone like that be here today?”
“Beats me.”
“Might have something to do with the Mystic Beast cleanup. The Guild backed the last hunting team — he probably thinks this big one we took down was something THEY missed last time.”
“And if he heard that you and your brother were the ones who cleaned up his mess, you can bet he’ll try hard to cover his own ass.”
“Why would he pick on us?” Hal tilted his head. “It was you guards who landed the final blow…”
“Doesn’t matter to someone like him. He’d rather tear someone down than let them shine.”
“Wow, that’s so petty.”
All the guards shrugged.
“You’re… not wrong.”
“We’ll back you up as much as we can. Just brace yourself, all right?”
“And keep your temper in check. Don’t give him any reason to escalate things.”
“I’ll try.”
Hal nodded, though the weight of the warnings pressed heavily on him.
If the Deputy Guild Master’s meddling escalated, it could complicate their plans to cross the border — a setback they couldn’t afford.
At least Ize was safely away from this mess — her youth and earnest nature made her a prime target for someone like the Deputy Guild Master.
Heaving a heavy sigh, he followed the guards toward the city guard station.
◆
“Well, well. I was expecting someone formidable. But what do we have here? A boy playing adventurer. Can you even fight?”
The mocking words struck Hal like a whip the moment he stepped into the office. Hal froze mid-step, and his jaw tightened, but he swallowed the retort rising to his lips and silently fell in line behind the horsebus guards.
One of the Union representatives bristled at the remark, stepping forward with a sharp glare. “Deputy Guild Master, I suggest you choose your words more carefully. This young man is no ordinary adventurer — he’s the one who saved our guards and passengers. By all accounts, his actions warrant recognition, possibly even a rank promotion.”
“Is that so?” The Deputy Guild Master’s sneer only deepened. “Five guards were present during the incident, weren’t they? Forgive me if I find it hard to believe this boy had to do anything beyond show up and claim credit after the real work was done.”
“Deputy Guild Master!” The Union representative’s voice cut like a whip. “That is uncalled for!”
The tension in the room thickened as the two men squared off, their argument escalating with each exchange.
Hal’s eyes flicked to the horsebus guards, who shifted uneasily but remained silent. Unsure of how to proceed, he turned instead to the man who was likely the captain of the city guards.
The captain, his expression one of weary exasperation, ignored the heated exchange entirely. He gestured toward Hal and the others with a heavy sigh.
“Thank you all for coming today. First — please, take a seat. We’ve already received a preliminary report from the Union and the city guards, but we’ll need to verify the details. Let us know if anything in the report needs correction.”
“Wait a moment.” The Deputy Guild Master’s voice sliced through the room, halting the proceedings.
“…What now, Deputy Guild Master?” the captain asked, his tone clipped.
“The report mentioned two adventurers involved. So why is only one here?”
The Deputy Guild Master fixed his gaze on Hal, his eyes narrowing.
Hal met the man’s pointed stare before asking,
“May I explain?”
The captain nodded. “Go ahead. No one here is attending this meeting as a noble. You’re free to speak plainly.”
Hal inclined his head in acknowledgment. “Thank you. As the report states, there are indeed two of us. I am Hal, an F-rank adventurer. My younger brother, Ize, participated in the battle yesterday but was unable to join us today due to illness. The strain from the fight left him unwell. Though he has taken a Potion and is stable, he remains resting in our room.”
The Deputy Guild Master’s lip curled in a scornful smirk. “How convenient. A peasant putting on airs, pretending to speak with decorum. And as for this ‘younger brother’ — I hear he’s turning fifteen in a matter of months. Practically an adult by our standards, isn’t he? Makes one wonder if you’ve hidden him away to avoid any uncomfortable questions.”
“I assure you, that is absolutely not–”
A sudden knock at the door interrupted the argument.
The captain held up a hand, silencing both Hal and the Deputy Guild Master with a commanding glance.
“What is it?”
“Apologies for the interruption,” a muffled voice answered from the other side. “Is there a Hal among the adventurers present?”
“He’s in here. Why do you ask?”
“His younger brother has arrived and wishes to see him.”
“Ize? He’s here?” Hal shot up from his seat, his eyes widening in surprise and concern as he started toward the door. “Excuse me, but why–”
“Well, well, what impeccable timing,” the Deputy Guild Master cut in with a gleeful tone, prompting Hal to stop in his tracks and turn back. The man sneered, “Perhaps your brother has something urgent to share, hmm?”
Hal’s teeth clenched, his composure faltering for the first time.
Irritated, he activated his Eye of Appraisal, a skill he rarely used on people unless absolutely necessary.
The information it revealed about the Deputy Guild Master caused Hal to pause, unsure how to react.
“May I allow him to enter?” the city guard outside the door asked.
The captain exhaled heavily. “Yes, let him in.”
As the door swung open, Ize stepped inside. Her gaze flicked nervously between the gathered officials as if she had felt the tension in the conversation from outside.
Hal, still processing what his Eye of Appraisal had revealed, moved across the room. He knelt before Ize, his hand resting gently atop her head.
“I’m sorry, Hal…” she murmured.
Hal tilted his head, his expression softening. “Something wrong? I told you to stay in bed.”
“Well…”
“Yeah?”
“When I woke up… you weren’t there, so…”
“Got lonely, huh?” Hal chuckled, his hand shifting to ruffle Ize’s hair in a playful, reassuring gesture.
“Yeah… sorry,” Ize repeated, her voice even smaller now.
“There’s no need to apologize,” Hal replied, standing and offering her a hand. “Actually, you showed up at the perfect moment.” He gently guided her toward the seat he had vacated. “The man over there wants to ask a few things. Do you feel up to it, or would you rather rest?”
Ize blinked, her gaze flickering to the table, where three men sat watching her with varying degrees of curiosity. She hesitated, looking up at Hal for guidance.
“Who…?”
Hal leaned down, his voice dropping to a whisper. “He’s the Deputy Guild Master,” he said, subtly nodding toward the man in question.
“Deputy Guild Master?” Ize whispered back, her eyes widening. “Of the Adventurers’ Guild?”
“That’s right,” Hal confirmed, the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement. “He’s one of the big shots.”
“Whoa! That’s so cool!”
Across the table, the Deputy Guild Master had been watching the interaction with a neutral expression. But as soon as Ize spoke, the man stiffened, his posture shifting awkwardly.
“Ahem…” He cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. His voice now carried an air of forced authority. “Arriving late to a meeting is most improper. You must ensure it does not happen again. I am Iserdo, the Deputy Guild Master of this city’s Adventurers’ Guild.”
Ize straightened immediately, her face lighting up with a bright, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry for being late, Deputy Guild Master Iserdo! …You know, your name is kind of like mine! I’m Ize! I’m an apprentice adventurer!”
“Y-yes, I see…” the Deputy Guild Master fumbled for a response, visibly caught off guard by her earnestness. His gaze flicked to Hal, suspicion creeping back into his expression. “Hal, was it? You listed one younger brother in the report. Do you have another sibling?”
“No, sir, Ize is my only sibling. Why do you ask?”
“The report stated your brother was six months away from adulthood…”
“That’s me! I’ll be an adult in soon!”
“You… will?” The Deputy Guild Master’s voice faltered, disbelief etched across his face as he stared at the petite, beaming figure before him.
“Yes, sir!”
Hal struggled to keep a straight face, his lips twitching with suppressed laughter. The contrast between Ize’s youthful energy and Iserdo’s floundering was almost too much to bear.
With this, he was sure that the Deputy Guild Master wouldn’t be so nitpicky anymore.
He glanced at the appraisal results still hovering in his mind, zeroing in on one particular detail:
Likes: Cats, small animals.
As Ize settled into her seat, Hal couldn’t help but feel a wave of triumph.
It was final — there was no way the Deputy Guild Master could take Ize down.
“Deputy Guild Master Iserdo, you’re so cool!” Ize exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
“W-well, I…” the man stammered, his composure visibly crumbling.
[Checkmate,] Hal thought with a grin. [We’ve already won.]
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