Chapter 133
"A job?"
"Yes, you're the only one I can ask. Would you accompany me for a while?"
"If that's what Arnold-sama wishes, I have no objections. But I must inform Leonhart-sama as well."
"I've already told him. I'm waiting for your answer. It's a bit of a nuisance, so I'll give you special compensation, too. What do you say?"
"In that case, I accept. I will accompany you."
Linfia replied without changing her expression, as usual.
That cleared the first hurdle.
"Then let's go."
"Where? What do you intend to do?"
"We're going to the Imperial Capital Branch of the Adventurers Guild. I thought I'd try doing a little adventurer work."
"You, doing adventurer work? Why?"
"Father told me to maintain my dignity. I thought I should do something a little different from usual and improve my reputation. The Adventurers Guild gets all sorts of small requests besides monster subjugation, right? I thought I'd solve some of them."
"I think that's admirable, but... I don't think it suits you, Your Highness."
That was a typically direct thing for Linfia to say.
I gave her a wry smile, told her I knew that, and left the room.
■■■
"Welcome, Arnold-sama. Am I correct in understanding that you'd like to experience an adventurer's work today?"
A familiar receptionist welcomed me.
The castle must have contacted them. They were being quite polite, but the adventurers drinking in the guild watched me with faint surprise.
"Hey, that's the Dull Prince, isn't it?"
"An adventurer experience? What brought this on?"
Their questions were fair, but I had no obligation to explain myself.
I ignored them and gave the receptionist a slight nod. She then led me to a bulletin board covered with papers detailing various requests.
"The usual process is to choose whichever request you like from this board and resolve it."
"Anything is fine?"
"Each request has an appropriate rank, and the guild prevents adventurers from accepting requests far outside their rank."
"I see. What's the easiest request?"
"That depends on what you mean by easy... Basically, requests other than monster subjugation fall into the easy category."
The receptionist took several papers and showed them to me.
They included searches for lost pets and mediation for disputes—ordinary citizens' troubles.
Since they were minor matters, the rewards were naturally just as minor.
These requests seemed like they should fall under the jurisdiction of the patrol force or the Imperial Capital Guard, who handled public safety in the capital, but perhaps the people involved didn't want to wait for them to respond.
"Then I'll accept this one, this one, and this one, too."
"That's three requests in total. Very well. They're all due today. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes. I'll finish them today."
"I'll process them, then. Also, please report back to the guild whether you complete the requests or not."
"That's fine. An A-rank adventurer will be backing me up, after all."
As I said that, I looked at Linfia. Her expression was slightly sour. She probably didn't think this was a good plan.
Of course she didn't. While claiming I was maintaining my dignity, I was doing the sort of mundane work that even the adventurers at the guild rarely bothered with. It wouldn't improve my reputation at all.
But that was fine.
"You look dissatisfied."
"It's not too late. Why not switch to something else?"
"This is good enough. If I can say that I experienced being an adventurer at the Adventurers Guild, Father won't complain. The details don't matter."
"Your Highness, those requests aren't as easy as you think. They're mundane, the rewards are low, and they're troublesome in various ways. That's why no one accepts them."
"Maybe. But that's why you're here. I'm counting on you."
I spoke to Linfia in a carefree manner.
Linfia, on the other hand, let out a small sigh. She was exasperated. But that was fine.
It was more convenient this way.
"Your Highness, everything is ready. First, we're cleaning a room in a certain count's residence."
"Got it."
I replied and set off from the guild in high spirits.
■■■
"The first one's a breeze."
"You shouldn't take anything involving nobles lightly."
"No, it's a piece of cake. You'll see when we get there."
With that, I headed for a certain count's mansion.
It was a mansion I'd visited before.
"This is..."
"The residence of Count Beltz, the current Minister of Public Works."
I said that and entered the mansion without waiting for permission.
When the butler saw me, he hurriedly went to call his master.
"P-Prince!? What brings you here this time!?"
"Ah, long time no see, Count Beltz. I'm trying out adventurer work at the Adventurers Guild right now. You had a request posted, so I came to accept it."
"M-My request? You, Your Highness!? N-No, please don't! I'm sorry! I'll cancel the request immediately!"
"It's about cleaning your former wife's room, right? It's fine. Show me the way."
"Th-That's right, but... are you sure?"
"That's why I came. Now show me the way."
"Yes... This way, then."
Count Beltz led me to his former wife's room with an apologetic air.
The room he showed me was spacious. Its decorations were also excessively elaborate.
Works of art and ornaments were scattered everywhere. It looked as though a beast had rampaged through the room.
"What a mess."
"My former wife left it like this after going on a rampage when she moved out... She said that she would curse anyone who touched anything in the room... The household staff don't want to go near it, either."
"I see. That's why you posted the request with the Adventurers Guild. Well, let's clean it up quickly."
"Please do. I intend to sell everything in here."
"Understood. We'll gather everything in one place."
"Thank you."
Count Beltz bowed. He was as humble as ever. Even after becoming Minister of Public Works, he hadn't changed at all.
As I thought that, I looked around the room. Black mist was seeping from here and there—not as a figure of speech.
There was no doubt that the objects in this room had been cursed. His former wife really was nasty. Had she deliberately left these objects behind so that anyone who touched them would be cursed?
Still, noticing that now would look suspicious. I reached for a work of art without hesitation, but Linfia immediately blocked me with her sword still in its sheath.
"What is it?"
"Please wait."
Linfia drew her sword and lightly touched the work of art with it. When it came into contact with her magic sword, the artwork crackled and gave off a small spark.
Count Beltz's eyes widened when he saw it.
"W-What is this!?"
"It's a spell that gives anyone who touches it a mild electric shock. This type of spell is generally referred to as a curse."
"Th-That woman... She went that far!?"
"That was close... Thank you, Linfia."
"No, Your Highness. This is why adventurers don't want to accept requests like this. A requester may unknowingly post a request at a low rank for a small reward, only for the adventurer to discover that it actually requires a high rank. Count, please explain the details to the Adventurers Guild. They should then send an adventurer with knowledge of magic."
"Y-Yes. I'm sorry. I'll do that. My apologies, Your Highness..."
"It's not your fault, Count. A woman's grudge is frightening..."
I told the count not to worry and left the room.
Linfia could probably handle the artworks, but a mage would be needed to dispel the curses without damaging them.
Revising the request was the sensible choice. It was fortunate that I happened to come here. If the servants had touched the objects without realizing they were dangerous, there would have been injuries.
"Your Highness, do you understand now? There are no easy jobs for adventurers."
"Yes, I was naive. But now that I've accepted them, I have to see them through. I'm sorry, but will you accompany me?"
"I don't mind, but please don't touch anything carelessly. Anything at all. Is that understood?"
I nodded repeatedly at Linfia's warning.
After that, Linfia and I left Count Beltz's mansion and went to a shop on the main street, where we mediated a dispute between the owners of two neighboring stores.
Both owners claimed that the other was stealing their customers and causing their sales to fall, and they completely ignored everything I said. But Linfia quickly analyzed the characteristics of both stores and calmly and politely explained that their customer bases did not overlap. The shopkeepers, who had looked like furious monsters, became as docile as pets.
In the end, we concluded that their sales had fallen because the recent turmoil had reduced the number of travelers. When Linfia explained that sales should recover soon, since the twenty-fifth anniversary of His Majesty's accession was approaching, the shopkeepers accepted it with surprising ease and reconciled.
Once that was finished, we had to look after a dog at a noble's house. However, the dog was so spoiled that it was completely uncontrollable and wouldn't listen to a word we said.
Linfia drew her magic sword with a cold expression, transformed it into a spear, and put the dog to sleep with its sleep effect.
The dog remained asleep until its owner returned.
"Is that it...? I'm exhausted."
"We completed three requests, but the rewards were negligible. That's the main reason monster subjugation takes priority. No one wants to accept a job if the reward isn't worth the effort."
"I understand. I'm mentally exhausted. We should have been paid more for this to be worthwhile."
While discussing that, Linfia and I returned to the Imperial Capital Branch and submitted our report for the day.
The requests had probably been piling up for quite some time. Two of the three were resolved, while the third was revised into a high-paying request.
The receptionist was cheerful the entire time. She had used me well. If it had only been me, she probably wouldn't have attempted anything so outrageous, but with Linfia, an A-rank adventurer, backing me up, it was practically like getting an A-rank adventurer's services at a bargain price.
I suppose you couldn't be a guild receptionist without being able to pull something like that.
"The requests are now complete. Here is your compensation."
The receptionist handed me a pitifully small reward. Spending an entire day on it for this much was pretty painful.
In a way, it might help someone grow as a person, but it wouldn't make them stronger as an adventurer. No wonder nobody wanted to do it.
I accepted the reward with a sense of understanding, then left the Imperial Capital Branch with Linfia.
The two of us then boarded a carriage and headed for the castle.
"I'm sorry about today. I caused you nothing but trouble."
"No, it's my job."
Linfia murmured flatly without changing her expression, as usual. I gave her a wry smile, then took out a pouch I'd prepared and handed it to her.
"What's this?"
"Your special compensation for today. Somehow, my adventurer experience was a success. Father won't complain now. As long as I show an attitude of trying to improve my reputation, there won't be a problem."
"I think there was a much easier way to accomplish that..."
As she said that, Linfia seemed puzzled by the pouch's unexpected weight and opened it.
Her eyes widened when she saw the amount of money inside.
"So many gold coins!? I can't accept this!"
"You were the one who completed the requests, and you protected me perfectly. I caused you trouble, too, so I think it's fair."
"Even so, I can't accept it! I've already received more than enough!"
"That's why it's special compensation. I asked you to do something unreasonable, so take it."
I pressed the pouch into Linfia's hands.
Linfia looked troubled, then opened her mouth after a slight hesitation.
"Did you do it deliberately...?"
"What?"
"Did you deliberately undertake such a troublesome adventurer experience to give me special compensation? Because you knew about my worries?"
"You're overthinking it. I wouldn't do that."
"You might, Your Highness."
She was perceptive. She wouldn't be fooled so easily.
Linfia continued to make it clear that she couldn't accept the money under those circumstances, so I sighed and spoke.
"When Christa was still very young, she lost her mother. My mother raised her, and Leo and I doted on her. But I suppose she still wanted her real older sister, Liese, by her side. She sometimes looked lonely. Every year, Liese sent Christa a birthday present. To be honest, the presents always lacked taste, but Christa looked happy. She was happy to receive a present from her sister. It made her feel their bond. So please use that money to send your little sister a present. This is an apology. We're the ones keeping you apart from your little sister, after all."
"An apology...? You saved my little sister, Arnold-sama. You gave someone you had no obligation to help the greatest support possible, and I still receive compensation beyond what my work is worth. I'm here to repay that debt. There is nothing for you to apologize for."
"It was Leo and the others who saved your sister. I only provided the money from behind the scenes. Honestly, I don't feel like I was of any help. But it's all I can do. It still is. I can't send you to the border. There's no substitute for you. So at least let me provide this much support."
"But..."
"Then let's put it this way. It's an investment in the future. I believe you'll eventually accomplish things that will even surprise me. I want to invest in someone like that. Repay me through your work someday."
After saying that, Linfia thought for a while before quietly bowing her head.
"—Understood. Arnold-sama, I will accept this money for now. I promise to repay you through my work."
"You're already working more than enough. Still, I'll look forward to what you can do."
At that, Linfia looked apologetic. Linfia didn't have a particularly high opinion of herself. I valued her far more highly than that.
That was one of Linfia's good qualities. She never became arrogant, so she never let her guard down. Because she never let her guard down, she never overlooked anything.
She always delivered on any task I could count on her to handle. She was an indispensable talent for my faction.
Thinking that, I gave a slight wry smile.
"Come to think of it, how long are you going to keep calling me Prince Arnold?"
"What do you mean, how long?"
"You said you'd change how you addressed me before we went south, remember?"
"Ah..."
That was unusual for Linfia. She must have forgotten.
It wasn't ideal to remain distant from someone essential to my faction. I told her with a smile,
"Could you stop calling me Prince already? You don't even need to use -sama, for that matter."
"I-I can't do that..."
I gave the flustered Linfia a wry smile.
Given Linfia's personality, it would indeed be difficult for her to call me by my name without an honorific.
Linfia thought for a while, then murmured softly,
"Th-Then... would it be all right if I called you Arnold-sama from now on?"
"Not Al-sama?"
"I-I can't call you that..."
"That's a shame. Still, let's consider graduating from 'Prince' a win. I don't really like being called that. It's not my style."
After saying that, I held out my right hand to Linfia.
And then.
"Once again, I look forward to working with you, Linfia."
"...Yes. Arnold-sama."
With that, Linfia smiled softly and took my right hand.