After that, the meeting came to an end without a hitch and we decided to take a break in the public dining room of the guild branch.

　Other than me, the three members sharing the table were Garnett, Sophia, and Leila.

　The wizards, such as Ambrose and Hild, still have work to do, and they said they would take care of that first, so they are still separated from us for now.

''Haha ...... I was so nervous ......''

　Layla leans forward and deposits her weight on the table.

　The most exhausted of us was, by all accounts, Leila.

　It wasn't physical exhaustion, but more mental exhaustion, and the fact that the meeting had ended without a hitch seemed to have drained her of her mind and caused her to feel a surge of fatigue.

'I didn't do anything crazy, did I ......?
'No, I was able to perform my role with no problems. That's the Hyndman family for you.
'That's because ...... I wasn't involved in the Order or the work of the house, and ...... I've never been to such an important meeting.

　Despite Sophia's frank assessment, Leila refused to lose her humble demeanor.

'It's excellent that you can do so much for the first time. I'm sure Commander Luke would agree.
'Yeah, sure. When I first started out, I was so nervous that I wondered what I could do with my head, but somehow I managed to do it. This kind of thing gets easier as you get used to it after a few sessions.

　Leila looked up lightly and looked at me, and opened her mouth, still recovering her energy.

'What was the manager's first days like?　By the time I first met you, I think I was totally used to it.
Me?　Well, you know, I'm pretty sure it's ......

　Come to think of it, which was the first time I had jumped over the adventurer's boundaries and participated in a meeting that involved a national-level course of action.

　If you think about it, including the fact that I barely interfered in the meeting itself and even gave my opinion before and after, it must have been after the dragon riot in Green Hollow.

　There had been a time when Green Hollow had almost panicked when it was discovered that the 'Sundial Forest', which was thought to be absolutely safe, was connected to the 'Demon King's Castle Realm'.

　In the meantime, in order to reduce the confusion in the area, I promised to talk to some high-ranking adventurers I knew.

　I showed them the bait of the possibility of being evaluated by a high-ranking adventurer to keep them from fearing the dragons, thereby preventing the town's inns and shops from losing their income.

''......!　So it was this call that brought you to Green Hollow, Mr. Travis!
Well, yeah. But the problem comes later: ......

　While quieting Leila, who had regained her spirits, she decided to continue answering the questions.

The most important thing to remember is that this is the only way to find the shortest path to the territory of the demon king who is planning an invasion of the earth, the royal palace and the Golden Fang Knights are not going to stop working. It almost created another new trouble for them.

　Initially, the Golden Fang Knights had planned to completely blockade the 'Sundial Forest', locking out the low-ranked adventurers who had gathered in the town to ensure their safety, and then taking the time to establish a base for the anti-Demon King's Army.

　However, that would undoubtedly result in a huge blow to the economy of Green Hollow at the time, when the number of ordinary spa guests was dwindling.

　Of course, subsidies were being considered, but it was not easy to revive a business that had gone bankrupt, and His Majesty wanted to take other measures if possible.

　For various reasons, I was invited by His Majesty, who wanted a multifaceted opinion, and I proposed a plan to build a base of operations in a very short period of time so that Green Hollow's economy wouldn't be hit.

　In short, it is a proposal to dismantle the base in another location and bring it to the 'Sundial Forest' and use my [Restoration] skills to restore it back to its original state, thus greatly reducing the time required for construction.

''This is probably the first time I've ever been to ...... where I was forced to participate in a meeting that was attended by His Majesty, ministers, and even the head of the Golden Fang Knights in that process. Incidentally, this building is also a part of the facility we built then that was remodeled.

　At the time, I was so nervous I thought I was going to die, but looking back on it now, it was a good experience.

　The first time I experienced a more extreme situation, I was able to think of the various big moments thereafter as 'easier than when I was forced to talk one-on-one next to His Majesty,' and that allowed things to run smoothly.

'What a ...... manager is .......'
Yes, the Commander in Chief is ......

　Leila and Sofia look at each other and then speak frankly in unison with their voices.

'Once again, when put into words, you've done some truly amazing things.
Do you think it's only natural that I should be entrusted with the lordship of this land, even if it's a formality?
'Right?　He's a great guy, this guy.

　For some reason, Garnett returns a boastful reaction on my behalf.

　It's tickling to be appreciated face to face like this, but more than that, Garnett's reaction shakes up my emotions, which are many times harder to put into words.

　...... No, this seems to be more of a factor of 'who said it' than 'what was said'.

　If another friend had said the same thing as Garnett, I would never have felt the same way as I do now.

　In order to prevent the three of them from realizing how I was feeling inside, I decided to switch things up a bit forcefully.

It's time to order. I'm sure Sylvia has been looking at you from now on.
Oh, shit, shit, shit. You guys can order what you want. I'll pay for it and it's reasonably priced and tasty, so don't be shy.

　This diner is treated as an annex to the Spring Wakabatei, where Sylvia's mother is the proprietress, and the cooks and other employees are dispatched from the main building in the form of periodic shifts.

　Because of the fact that many adventurers use the restaurant, the food is inexpensive, plentiful and delicious.

　This is an extravagance because a steady stream of visitors can be expected.

　After ordering the food, we were just waiting for it to be ready when suddenly a familiar man's voice came from behind us.

'There you are, Luke. Do you mind if I talk to you for a moment?

　I looked back and saw Travis' thick chest plate, standing so close I couldn't see his face.