Chapter 44
Seeing Lyle and Kai carrying the drake, travelers on the road couldn’t help stopping in their tracks.
The gate guards looked exasperated.
“You’ve gone and started hunting drakes now, have you?”
One of the guards muttered with a deep sigh.
We passed through the stone gate and stepped into the town streets.
Amid the everyday bustle of market stalls, cobbled streets, and children’s laughter, we stood out in particular.
The townspeople’s gazes followed us as we went, and the street’s murmur seemed to trail after us.
Lyle walked with his chest puffed out proudly, testing the drake’s weight on his shoulder.
Kai moved along with his gaze lowered, looking a little uncomfortable.
Elena and I walked at his sides, as if flanking him.
We headed to the Guild’s delivery counter through the back entrance.
“That’s quite the catch you’ve got today.”
The clerk appraising Horn Rabbits looked up. The moment he saw the drake, his eyes widened.
“...Hang on a second. Put it on that platform over there.”
He pointed toward a platform farther inside with his chin.
Lyle and Kai carried the drake over without a word.
The sturdy platform creaked, and the drake nearly slid off when they set it down.
The adventurers waiting to have their Horn Rabbits appraised stared in astonishment at the noise.
Lyle rolled his shoulders and grinned.
“Man, I can’t wait. If they pay us full price, we’ll get gold coins!”
Before long, the clerk came over, having finished the appraisal in a hurry.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
The adventurers’ gazes naturally gathered around us.
Holding the appraisal slip in one hand, the clerk slowly circled the drake.
“...A single thrust to the throat, huh?”
The clerk peered into the wound and traced its edge with a fingertip.
“You’ve got skill.”
Next, he moved his hand to the scales.
His fingers slid over the hard scales, pressing slowly as if judging the tension in the muscles and the drake’s weight.
“...No way.”
“They took that thing down in one hit...”
Suppressed voices slipped out from here and there.
The air rippled with a stir.
“You even handled the cleanup well. You drained the blood and cooled it down. Perfect.”
The clerk said this as he swiftly signed the appraisal slip.
Lyle clenched a fist discreetly.
Before we knew it, the murmuring had turned to envy.
Lyle took the appraisal slip to the counter, then handed me the gold coins he received.
Before I knew it, managing the money had become my job, too.
I tucked the gold coins away.
Since there’s a fee every time a deposit receipt is issued, now that we can afford to stay at proper inns, we wait until we’ve saved up a decent amount before making a deposit.
“All right, let’s celebrate!”
Lyle said, claiming an open table in the tavern.
It was only a little past noon, but the Guild tavern was bustling with guards from a merchant caravan that had arrived that morning. All around us, mugs clinked together as people celebrated their safe arrival.
Kai and I brought over the heaping platters of sausages and boiled vegetables, along with the small ales, that we’d ordered at the counter.
“A toast to a successful drake hunt!”
At Lyle’s call, we raised our mugs.
The slightly sour, thick liquid moistened my throat. This second-press small ale barely tasted of alcohol at all.
“Still, Elena, your magic’s come a long way. That huge thing froze up and couldn’t move an inch.”
Lyle looked at her admiringly, and Elena smiled bashfully.
“Noah’s the one who taught me magic.”
“Noah came up with the plan, too.”
Kai added briefly.
“It’s only thanks to everyone working together.”
I smiled at the three of them.
“Guess we’ve become a proper adventuring party, huh?”
Lyle nodded with satisfaction and drained his mug.
“Were you the ones who took down the drake out back? You’re pretty impressive for such a young bunch. So, what’s your party called?”
A man approached us with a mug in hand.
His sunburnt face bore a large scar.
The leather armor he wore was well-worn, but clearly well cared for.
“...We haven’t decided yet.”
Lyle answered with a shrug.
“I see. Give it some thought. A good party needs a good name.”
The man took a hearty swig of ale and continued.
“I’m Glen of the Black Iron. I lead the guards for the caravan that arrived this morning. We’ll be leaving in two or three days—and we should have an extra escort request since one of our spots just opened up.”
As he spoke, he glanced at the signet ring on my hand.
“You lot should qualify. Give it a try if you’re interested.”
With that, he returned to his seat.
“...A party name, huh? Since we’re at it, let’s decide on one now.”
Lyle leaned forward.
“How about Silver Wings?”
“Shield of Glory.”
Kai murmured.
“You two just picked words you think sound cool. We need a name that actually represents us.”
Elena shrugged in exasperation.
“Then come up with something yourself, Elena.”
“Um... The Four from Ennsburg?”
“Lame.”
Lyle shot her idea down.
“Wha—!”
Elena started to bristle for a moment, but swallowed her words.
Her cheeks quickly reddened, and her eyes darted about.
“I-it’s fine, isn’t it...!”
She murmured a small, defensive excuse, then cleared her throat.
Then she abruptly turned toward me, as if to change the subject.
“What about you, Noah? Got any ideas?”
I thought for a moment, then opened my mouth.
“How about ‘The Scales of Oaths’? I thought we were like a set of scales that only balances when all four of us are together.”
The three of them turned their gazes toward me.
I continued as calmly as I could, letting my words sink deep into their hearts.
“So I’d like us to renew our oath here. From now on, whether it’s something joyful or a burden too heavy for any one of us to bear alone, won’t we share it equally as four and keep walking forward together?”
“Oh, that sounds pretty cool.”
“‘The Scales of Oaths’... It has a lovely ring to it.”
“Yeah. I like it.”
The three of them agreed, looking as if they’d found salvation.
—Good. Now the lock on the “cage” is shut.
Once they’d declared with their own mouths that they were “bound by fate,” their minds would begin to reject any action that went against those words.
For the three who’d dirtied their hands to protect me that day, this name would be a potent drug, rewriting their shared guilt as a “noble oath.”
Sharing heavy burdens. Turned around, it was a curse: if even one of them ran away, the scales would tip, and they would all be ruined.
“Thank you. As long as we’re together, I’m not afraid of anything.”
This unbreakable bond, carefully woven by my own hands.
Faced with the sheer beauty of its perfection, I savored a satisfied smile all by myself.