The Defense Count, Not Some Old Man

For now, I had to report back to the Adventurers’ Guild.

Thinking that, Kikori walked through town… but as he did, he felt people’s stares piercing into him far more than he had imagined.

That was probably also because Orphe was sitting atop Kikori’s helmet, raising her voice with comments like “Hoh” and “Heh.”

“So stone houses are the norm, huh. If one collapses, the people inside look like they’d die.”

“If a house collapses in the first place, wouldn’t people die…?”

“Maybe so.”

Pushing through the oddly restless crowd, he headed for the Adventurers’ Guild.

A nearby adventurer made a startled face, but Kikori ignored it for now and stepped inside… only for the commotion to grow even louder.

“A-a fairy!?”

“Why is one in a place like this!?”

Something was definitely going to happen.

Sensing that, Kikori took out the pendant he had received earlier and held it up.

“This fairy is staying here with the Defense Count’s permission! I ask for your understanding!”

At the crest on the pendant he held up, the vast majority of the people recoiled in shock, while some others tilted their heads in confusion.

They probably did not recognize the Defense Count’s crest.

Still, there did not seem to be many people willing to complain after hearing the Defense Count’s name.

“…That old man’s emblem is actually useful.”

“Not some old man. The Defense Count.”

“That has nothing to do with me.”

Just like that, Kikori walked over to Irene without any interference and greeted her with, “I’m back.”

“Yes, welcome back, Kikori-san. It seems quite a lot has happened.”

“Yes. This is Orphe. She’s a fairy… um, and we ended up staying together because of our connection from fighting a wyvern.”

“A wyvern!?”

Apparently the wyvern itself was quite a serious matter as well, because Irene’s expression turned to one of shock.

“…It is a relief that you returned safely. And that equipment…”

“There was a Mimic corpse, and I got it from that.”

“A natural magic item… you were fortunate.”

“Yes.”

He had told that lie quite smoothly, but this was one of those things that could not be helped.

It was far better than saying a fairy had made it for him.

And so, as he talked about the Kobold Plains and, while glossing over it, the fairy forest… and about the wyvern attack, Irene’s expression gradually became more and more troubled.

“I see, so everything has completely changed from before. If that is the situation, then the chances of the advance party surviving are probably hopeless.”

“…Maybe.”

“Thank you very much. As for the request, it is fine to consider it complete with this. Based on this information as well, a large-scale permanent request for dungeon exploration will likely be issued from tomorrow onward. If you wish, please consider participating.”

“Yes.”

Of course he should participate.

As Kikori nodded… his gaze turned toward the stairs leading downstairs.

Aria. Because he thought he needed to introduce Orphe to her as well.