Despite the return of Ariete, who had been out of news for a while, the adventurers in the capital did not cheer.
Due to the nature of the job, it is normal for adventurers to get hurt, and there were many cases where they died suddenly after seeing well until yesterday, or disappeared and then popped up a few years later.
There were especially many female adventures.
“Ariete! You’re alive! I was worried.”
“What a relief! Mr. Ariete!”
“I missed you!”
“Thank you all for your concern. I really thought I was going to die, but I survived anyway.”
At that time, a female wizard wearing a hood asked while holding a book in her hands.
“Um, by any chance, is Ariete the female knight in the steam cloak here? really?”
“Oh, right. It is our story.”
Only then did joy spread across the faces of the adventurers.
“wow! Really?!”
“As expected! OMG Ariete! You swept all the way to the South?!”
“It’s a great adventure! You look really good!”
Then a man opened his mouth.
“By the way, Leclerc left for the South a while ago to confirm that this is really you.”
“Ugh! Leclerc?”
Ariete, who had a vertical line on her forehead, was frightened. Words continued around.
“Yes, I was very saddened to hear from you. Then, I recently found a similar person in an adventurer magazine, so I led a party and went looking for it.”
“Ugh, that’s terrible. I want him to stay missing all the time.”
“It’s good when friends come over. why?”
When Carrot, who had been silent, spoke, Ariete turned her head.
“Not a friend, Carrot! Leclerc, that guy is dangerous! It’s really dangerous! I’m out of my mind!”
“Ai, don’t be ashamed, how well Ariete-sama and Leclerc-sama get along.”
“Then they are both beautiful, and standing together is a painting.”
“Right, and isn’t it fun?”
“ha ha ha! That’s right, their tiki-taka is really fun.”
Ariete is starting to get angry now.
“If he flirts, you guys should stop him! And nail it, but I prefer men! Like a pretty boy who stimulates the protective instinct!”
Carrot, who was crossing her arms, raised her head and looked up at the crank.
“Crank, are you okay? It was just your car.”
“Um, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t like it anyway.”
“what! crank! You lack delicacy! Delicacy in dealing with women!”
The eyes of the adventurers around them widened.
“Carrot? crank?”
Carrot put a V finger on her eye and winked.
“nice to meet you! Capital Liznet adventurers! Carrot, a clownish automaton who just came from the northern Argon village!”
Crank also bowed slightly in polite manner.
“This is Carrot’s Master Crank. Nice to meet you. We are currently active as Ariete’s party.”
“Ohhh!”
Even adventurers who were not interested reacted to the names Crank and Carrot.
“Is that the kind giant of Argon?”
“Is a carrot a rotating music box doll?”
From noble mtl dot com
“No, these days they are called goddess dolls. It’s in the book here.”
Adventurers from the capital gathered to see the adventurers and automatons from the storybooks who had just arrived from the countryside.
It was very strange to see the characters in the story standing in front of them, and being an adventurer who had become famous to that extent stimulated their curiosity and jealousy.
In fact, the reason why adventurers make their names known and risk their lives for reputation or rank is because the guild starts providing various benefits and support from a certain level.
Then, the amount of money you earn will change along with the work that comes in. Of course, the risk also rises sharply, but the people who only looked ahead and ran took even that.
“Oh my God, look at those automaton battle suits. It is not a manufacturer ready-made product. Have you ever made one yourself?”
“It’s full of soldering marks everywhere. There’s an adventurer’s sign, so no matter how much money you don’t wear, don’t dress like that. What a mess.”
“But is that something cool in its own way? Doesn’t it look like you just came from the field?”
In order to try to use it somehow in a situation where supplies were scarce, armor plates and leather pieces were carefully attached, and the combat uniforms and equipment full of hand-stitched marks had a completely different atmosphere and smell than those of new ones.
At that time, a man asked while listening to the magazines and storybooks that he had brought to the guild to read to pass the time.
“Hey, is this for real?”
When Crank received the book and examined it, it was the content of the black mage subjugation.
“Amazing. I thought this would have been made into a story. In fact, we learned not long ago that these stories are circulated in magazines and children’s books.”
“So, how was the black mage? Were you strong? How big is the damage? attack method? Children’s books and magazines don’t tell you the realistic scale or content.”
I glanced at Ariete prior to the explanation, but she seemed busy talking to the people in the crowd. Crank pulled out a nearby chair and sat down.
“Carrot, briefly tell me about the situation at the time.”
Carrot, who was reading a storybook with a smile, lightly jumped up and stood on the table with the book in one hand. Then people’s eyes went up slightly. It looked much better.
“Black mage subjugation with automatons! We’re busy too, so we’re going simply!”
Carrot started talking excitedly. After listening to the 10-minute cut from the beginning of the subjugation battle to the battle details and ending, the adventurers who grasped the rough picture now started discussing among themselves.
“We also want to go to a large-scale subjugation. There is little of that here,”
“Hmm, if you just listen to the story, is it worth trying?”
“It’s almost a military group level operation. Do adventurers have to do tactical training as well?”
As Ariete approached after the story, Crank stood up and Carrot jumped off the table.
“What about business?”
“Oh, it’s over.”
Crank nodded his pitch and said hello.
“It was nice to meet the adventurers of Liznet, the capital city. We’ll just go away. We wish you all the best in your adventures.”
“What! are you going already?”
“Yes, I just stopped by because I had some business to do.”
“Tell me again if possible. Mr. Crank, there’s a lot I want to hear. I will treat you to a drink or a meal.”
While Crank nodded, surrounded by adventurers who were sad to say goodbye, Ariete was held by female adventurers.
“I’ll be sure to let you know when Leclerc comes back! He’s alive!”
“no! don’t do that! Just leave me alone!”
Seeing her shaking her hand with a frightened face, people laughed a little.
After shaking hands and leaving the guild, the party moved to Ariete’s recommended regular shop to have lunch. Then Crank asked.
“Have you confirmed whether your colleagues are alive or dead?”
“How did you know that?”
At Ariete’s words, Crank stopped pitching and looked at the street scene.
“I have been like that too.”
Looking at his back, Ariete let out a short sigh and looked back at the guild building.
“No one knew the news of my friends. Was I the only one who survived in the end?”
“Anyway, after 100 years, you will all melt and become one. So don’t attach much importance to the order in which they come and go.”
Carrot came closer and grabbed her hand.
“But I will protect you guys. I won’t let you die so fleetingly. Until the day you die in the presence of your loved ones and family.”
Carrot, now raising her head, looked up at the people.
“I will be by your side.”
Crank suddenly started looking up at the sky.
Pi covered her mouth with both hands, and Ariete knelt down and hugged the little automaton tightly.
* * *
Crank, who moved to the restaurant, bit into a large hamburger with a worried expression (?). Seeing the magic of half a large loaf of bread disappearing in one bite, Pie’s eyes were very curious.
“Mum nom nom, I’m worried.”
“What do you mean? mmm.”
Crank’s helm sat across from him and watched her eating a hearty meal.
“About your sister. Do you have anything in mind?”
Ariete, who swallowed the food while munching, spoke with seasoning on her lips.
“There is no need to worry about becoming a man. There is only a rush!”
“You, woman, Ariete. A noble house lady.”
Pie, who was sitting next to her, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief. Carrot, who was sitting at the table, said with a bright smile.
“Then are you going to invade the mansion now? How about asking that chess demon king? It grants your wish.”
Crank picked up a large plate of hamburgers and shook his helmet.
“I don’t think it’s good to spread things like that just in case you don’t know. For the worst case, information should be blocked and disguised as much as possible.”
Pi’s face brightened.
“That cancer… … . Are you really going to do it?”
Crank, who finished the third hamburger, looked at the pie while mumbling. It was an uncomfortable story for her, who works as an ordinary maid, but they were feminine.
“If it had been irrelevant, I would have treated an aristocrat seeking rejuvenation through pedophilia as a snack. Of course, this is really a last resort.”
Pie, who had never dreamed that the reason for renting a separate room was for a meeting like this, has now lost his appetite.
Crank drank the milk from the cup and continued.
“If you’re going to do it, buy it after all. The more money you have and the more messed up your personal life is, the more people welcome your mistake, so you don’t have to worry about being suspicious. Rather, it’s to the point where you can say that he died well. The more children here, the better. If a fight breaks out over property, we become suspicious of each other, right?”
“Kekeke! good. One last card is drawn. next? next?”
Ariete, a former aristocratic viscount daughter, interrupted while munching on tomato spaghetti.
“Thanks, but you guys don’t have to take the risk. When dealing with aristocrats, it’s good to openly invite criticism. On the contrary, there is less regret. If they are retaliated against, it remains as a stain. Pie, right?”
Pi, who had been covering his face with both hands, nodded as he was frightened at the sight of the party going too far ahead.
“that’s right. There is nothing more frightening than rumors. Especially in a place where there are many people who save face in front of you.”
“Okay, is this an occupational disease? I made a mistake. Accidents are biased because I do similar things.”
Pai’s face turned pale as he removed his hand. Those eyes directed at the crank trembled.
“Is it something similar? Aren’t adventurers just hunting monsters and gathering herbs?”
Carrot and Crank saw the pie at the same time. Their faces were full of shadows and their mouths were smiling.
“I thought I was like that too, but you say you do a lot more than you thought?”
“Pai, to say that we have to endure irrationality and resentment just because we don’t have the determination and courage to step forward is ridiculing the weak.”
Carrot, who had now pushed the chair to Pie’s side, stood on top of it. Then he leaned over and whispered softly into her ear.
“We will wipe away your tears instead, the price is negotiable.”
The red-eared Pie swallowed his saliva.
As he munched on his hamburger, Crank thought it was a good experience on the one hand. It was because he thought it would be good to use this opportunity to learn how to deal with nobles.
Carrot climbed into the chair and asked as she crossed her arms.
“So what are your plans?”