The time goes back a little.


　The defensive line that had been set up in the northern part of Ishqa had been repeatedly attacked by demons, but had continued to put up a stubborn resistance.

　The defense line, which was mainly made up of canary soldiers and adventurers, was very successful, and apart from a few flying types, the swarms of demons had not even been able to reach the gates of the city.

　In response to this situation, the Ishka administration and the Adventurer's Guild sent a supply party full of rewards and supplies to the front lines.

　The two receptionists who received the guild master's unofficial orders to accompany this supply party to the front line.



''I was wondering what kind of big deal it would be since the master changes his complexion, but...................it seems to be easier than expected, senior.


　On the way to the first defensive wall, Liddell raised an eyebrow at his junior colleague who made optimistic remarks as they sat side by side on the gohja dais.

　As the person in charge of the window, or the public face of the guild, Liddell can, if he wishes, gracefully sip his cup of tea and look forward to the front lines. However, since that kind of thing was not in his nature, he took the reins and played a role in the supply chain by himself.

　Parfait was sitting comfortably next to Liddell.

　Liddell opened his mouth to acknowledge the other man's optimism.


You can't be too careful, Parfait. As the master says, the stampede has waves. Besides, as far as I have been able to find out, most of the demons that have been killed to date are of the species that live on the periphery. There are very few deep-sea monsters that have been found.

''Well, but, there was a sword beast (Jenron), Scylla, and the corpse of a manticore, right? That's a deep-range demon, right?　And yet, until today, we haven't had a single defensive line breached. The second, third, and fourth defenses behind us are all ready to go, and I think this is as good as a win now!

You know...


　In front of Parfait, who says it with a big chest, Liddell lets out a deep sigh.

　Indeed, what Parfait is saying has a point. That's something that Liddell admits, but the Adventurer's Guild's staff says, "We're as good as won! If you say something like that, it will cause the minds of those who hear it to let their guard down.

　There is no good result from going into a situation with carelessness.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you're in the market.

　Even now, the two of them are the only ones sitting in the coach. The back of the cart is full of barrels of wine, and there are no humans on board. The only people who have heard Parfait's words now, apart from Liddell, are the sweating, hoof-beating packhorses.

　This makes it hard for Liddell to complain about it. You can't help but sigh at the junior colleague who knows everything and makes fun of his senior's earnestness.



''By the way, I've never seen a sword beast (Jenron) before!　Did you ever see your seniors?

Twice. Both times more than three years ago.


　Parfait's Jenron is a magical beast that is considered to be a type of dragon, just like the wyvern.

　They are also known for their ability to fly, whereas the wyvern is a sub-dragon that specializes in flight, the jenron is a sub-dragon that specializes in defense, with sharp, sword-like scales covering its back. It was a monster beast that was over ten meters long in the largest case, and its body was literally the size of a small mountain.

　The scales of a sword beast (Zhen Long) were a high-grade material that could be used to make high-grade armor, and if they were successfully killed, they would be able to acquire a fortune that they could play with for the rest of their lives.

　However, since they were a rare species in the deep region, encounters with them were rare, and no half-hearted weapons or magic could damage their scales.

　Furthermore, the sword beast's (Zhenron) temperament is neither calm nor docile, and it will actively use the scales on its back to attack. They use their sturdy physique to charge forward with a destructive force that would easily tear a human body to pieces.

　They are not too slow for their massive bodies. If you were to encounter it, you would have to fear for your life before you dream of getting rich.



　It was only a few days ago that two of these sword beasts (Zhen Long) appeared at the same time. At that time, the first defensive wall was trapped to the brink of falling.

　And the one who saved it from that crisis--


I wonder what kind of people are the three guys who are rumored to have defeated the Sword Beast (Jenron)?　I heard that Goz is a man who smashed the scales of a sword beast (Jenron) by force, and I'm sure he's a muscular person, just like me. Hmm, I'm looking forward to meeting him.

You've been through a lot with Sora before, and now with Goz, and now with Goz.

''Oh, senpai, that sounds sarcastic to me!　It can't be helped!　The Sword of Hayabusa, which we have been relying on, is on the verge of being disbanded. If we don't get a replacement as soon as possible, it will affect our upcoming salary and eventually our summer bonus!　We don't have a choice in the matter of means!　I can't eat my dinner with pride!


　Parfait assured him emphatically, and Liddell kept his mouth shut as if he were under pressure.

　Born into a middle-class Ithaca family, Liddell has never gone hungry until today, but Parfait, from a remote rural village, has. But Parfait, from a remote farming community, has. He knows that he still sends money to his parents and younger siblings in his hometown - these are not things that Parfait told him, but things that were written in a letter from Parfait's parents to his boss (Liddell).

　When he thinks about it, Parfait is probably a lot more mature than he is. Reflecting on it, Liddell bowed to his junior.


''I'm sorry. That was indeed a nasty thing to say.''

''I like that kind of honesty on your part, senpai. Of course I forgive you!


　I can't help but chuckle when he says it with a mischievous smile.

　And then, out of the corner of Liddell's eye, he saw a wooden tower that looked like a watchtower. They had arrived at the first bulwark.



◆◆◆



　After meeting the trio of men - Goz, Cryer and Klimt - Liddell immediately told them the business entrusted to Elgato.

　It was a proposal to have the three of them come under the command of the guild. Of course, it was with an unbeatable condition.

　To put it simply, it was a scout for new recruits. However, the guild did not make this decision on its own. This was an action that had already been discussed with the Ishqa Government Office.


　What do I mean by that?

　In the midst of the Stampede crisis, the three unidentified men appeared out of nowhere. All of them were a force to be reckoned with. Hearing this, the Ishqa leadership was not so much pleased as disbelieving.

　They feared that the soldiers of Ad Astera, the neighboring country, might be trying to take advantage of the stampede and infiltrate the Canary Kingdom. It's a good idea to be cautious, even after all the commotion in the capital. He should have been wary.


　It's a good thing that the adventurers' guild's invitation is like bait. You can tell exactly what the trio is up to by how they respond to the guild's offer. That's what the Ishka government and the Adventurer's Guild thought.

　And Goz Sima had an accurate insight into such intentions on the Ishka side.


　As far as Goz was concerned, this time the help was not with the bottom of his heart, but to atone for his peer Jirinbo's rudeness.

　However, it is not unreasonable to suspect that the Ishqa's side was wrong.

　The first thing he should do is to apologize for what happened to Jijinbo, and then offer his help again.

　However, this was a matter of national policy for the Empire. As long as the emperor still wants Crown Prince Azar and Princess Sakuya to marry, he can't reveal the facts through Goz's personal judgment.

　If that's the case, the only thing left to do is to make amends by working hard for the Stampede's defense. Naturally, he wanted to say that it was free of charge, but if he said that he didn't need any compensation, Ishka's suspicions would not only be frozen, but would be hardened even further.

　Let's accept the unbeatable reward from the guild in a straightforward manner. We can distribute the reward we get to the victims of the king's capital and their families.


　After hearing Liddell's story, Goz gathered his thoughts in his brain in less than two seconds and broke the ice by telling the braided receptionist that she was being treated with the kind of hospitality she had hoped for.

　Later, when the woman who called herself Parfait came over to congratulate me on my exploits in defeating the Blutbad (Jenron), I was not disappointed.

　He could feel the Berch sisters' eyes piercing his back, but if he couldn't do this level of belly flop, the swordsman's magistrate would be bored. Goz's behavior was natural, even in Liddell's eyes.


　On the other hand, the attitude of the two men behind him, especially his brother Klimt, caught Liddell's attention. His attitude, filled with frustration in his right eye and contempt in his left eye, was hardly friendly.

　If you're going to poke at it, Liddell decided, it's probably this one.

　It was true that there was nothing unnatural about Goz's attitude, but there was no way to get rid of the fundamental unnaturalness of those who were capable of kicking Stampede's demons to the ground in the first place, traveling without serving any country or house.

　The guild has a tacit understanding of not stepping into the adventurer's past, but with the suspicion of being a secret agent of a neighboring country, it was the duty of the staff to seek out the information they could find.


It's not just that Goz-dono's defeat of the sword beast (Jenron) was brilliant, but I heard that Kuria-dono and Klimt-dono defeated Scylla and Manticore, respectively, single-handedly. This was also a truly impressive feat, and our guild master, Elgato, was greatly impressed.

''Hmph, five or ten manticores, there's nothing to be proud of when you defeat them. The adventurers of Ishka are pretty low level.

Klimt, you're being rude.

'It's just a fact, sister. The Guildmaster is impressed?　It's Manticore, it's Scylla, it's Scylla, it's just a mook that's killed a mook, what are you talking about?


　Liddell looked at Klimt, who spat, and Liddell's eyes narrowed so faintly that he didn't even notice it.

　Then he continued to speak, keeping only a smug expression on his face.


'Those are harsh words. It's true that in Ishka, Manticore, Scylla, and of course the Sword Beast (Jenron) are also considered to be highly dangerous demonic beasts. Besides, you are always required to form a party when defeating them. From the point of view of those who have successfully defeated these monsters alone (solo), I have to say that our level is low.

Hm, you look like you know what you're doing. That's Shiba's plan. We'll help you. But don't make the mistake of telling us what to do. Tell that to Elgato and his friends.

Yes, sir.


　When Liddell nodded without opposition, Klimt let out a huff and a snort and kept his mouth shut. Although his words and actions are violent, I can't sense his stubbornness and viscosity. He was satisfied when he said what he wanted to say, which seemed to be a common type of young adventurer who was confident in his own abilities.

　My sister, Cryer, gives me an apologetic look in her eyes as she conveys her gratitude. While responding with a smile in that direction, Liddell further speculates on the relationship and personality of the three of them.

　Klimt is too upright to act as a secret agent. Goz and Cryer have depth in their personalities, but their words and actions and personalities are positive, and they seem to be unrelated to the shadowy work of a secret agent.

　However, judging from the abilities of the three of them, even if they are not secret agents, there is no doubt that they are harboring some secrets. Should I give it one more push for the sake of reporting to Elgato?

　And as if reading Liddell's inner thoughts, Parfait opened his mouth.


''.........Senpai, senpai!　If you're the one who took down a monster beast alone (solo), we've got you in our house. Like Scylla, or Gryphon!


　Parfait lowered his voice - in fact, he spoke to them all with a calculation to make sure they could clearly hear him.

　Parfait continued to speak to Goz with an unsuspecting look on his face, even though he must have noticed that Klimt's cheeks twitched.


'The adventurers of Ishka aren't so discarded either. Maybe Goz-san and the others have seen it, but haven't you heard of the Indigo Dragon Knight 《Indigo Dragoon》?

No, I don't know. I have a feeling I've heard about the dragon knight, but I'm guessing that the one who defeated the demon beast is this indigo man?　Even though you got help from the Winged Beast (Wyvern), you're still quite the user if you took out the Gryphon.


　Goz was impressed with the response, but he wasn't really interested in it.

　People in this country make a lot of noise about being a dragon and a dragon knight, but a wyvern was not a dragon species to begin with. And, to borrow Klimt's words, the winged beasts were small fry to the Illusory One-Style. Inevitably, there is no need to fear the winged beasts, and there is no reason to be impressed by those who follow the winged beasts.

　It wasn't just Goz, but Klimt as well, no, even Cryer had the same idea.


　Noticing the lack of response from the three of them, Parfait realized that he had messed up in his choice of topic. He frowned inwardly, but figured it would be unnatural to end the conversation here, so he continued with the casual wind in his face.


'That dragon knight, whose name is Sora, is probably the most famous person in Ishka right now--'


　Parfait was about to continue, "What is it?" but Goz interrupted him with a sharp sound.


'Wait!'

'Wow!　What, what is it?

Did you just say "Sola"?

'What?　Ah, yes. That dragon knight's name is Sora-san, but...

"Sora... the sky?　How old are you?　How old is this person?

Well, maybe as much as Mr. Klimt and Mr. Cryer over there.


　A growl escaped Goz's mouth as Parfait responded.


'What color is your hair?　Is it black?

Yes ... um ... do you know each other?

I'm afraid so. I'm sorry, but I would like to hear a little more information about him. About how he became a dragon knight and how he killed Scylla and Gryphon alone.


　Goz leans upward and asks Parfait a question.

　The eyes are set on Parfait's face with a piercing sharpness, and even the lever is not likely to move.