Chapter 51

I hadn’t thought Ugurtz would actually do such a thing, as he hadn’t acted that way during previous item requests. The reason his attitude had changed so suddenly was probably because of Iel. He didn’t like that I was still lingering by Iel’s side.

He hadn’t been particularly fond of me from the start. It felt more like he was taking responsibility as a father because I was just the ‘stray dog’ his daughter had raised.

At first, I had found it difficult to understand Ugurtz’s feelings, but I’d come to vaguely understand them after going out into the wider world. It was through a story from a married colleague.

That colleague had an eight-year-old son who had picked up a stray dog one day. Even though his wife told him to take it back to where he found it immediately, the brat had insisted, claiming he would feed it and walk it himself.

He’d barely gotten permission to bring it into the house on the condition that he’d take care of it, but the promise he’d made in stone wasn’t kept. In less than a month, the brat lost interest in the dog he’d picked up and neglected it. In the end, the colleague’s wife ended up taking care of the dog while grumbling.

If I were to substitute that story with the relationship between Iel, me, and Ugurtz, it would fit just about right.

Anyway, the reason I had a fit of hysteria just by seeing the note on the dining table when I returned home was that Ugurtz’s spite had played a major role.

Of course, the primary cause was my own mindset—the fear of being abandoned by Iel—but what had caused that fear to explode so abnormally was the drug Ugurtz had used.

Still, it was a relief that it had ended at that level. If he had been genuinely displeased, I would have gone missing along with my colleagues right then and there and never made it out of Nervas. So, it really was spite, just as the word suggests.

If you interpret it through the sensibilities of the outside world, you could see it as an uncle in the neighborhood hitting a brat on the head for doing something annoying. It wasn’t that serious of an incident.

I should have been treated when I showed the unit members I rescued from Nervas to a doctor, but I hadn’t felt anything particularly wrong at the time, so I’d let it slide without thinking. No, the problem was that even though I was already showing abnormalities, I’d dismissed it as simple fatigue.

I should have taken the fact that it was Nervas more seriously, but I had been complacent. To be a native of Nervas and yet let my guard down—there was no story more idiotic than this. It was proof that I had become accustomed to the softness of the outside world and had let my tension slip.

The Guild Leader asked.

“Any aftereffects?”

“I became fine after taking medicine for about three days.”

“That’s a relief….”

The Guild Leader sighed and rubbed his temples. He probably understood even better now just how miraculous it was that we had returned all the members who went missing in Nervas without losing a single one.

I said with a listless feeling.

“What’s already happened can’t be helped. It’s better to think of a way to utilize this.”

“For example?”

“The Temple keeps asking us to bridge connections through members from Nervas, right? With this incident, we can give them an answer that we’ve tried as much as we could.”

“And maybe squeeze out a bonus for our efforts?”

I nodded.

“And if there are still members who harbor stupid thoughts, wouldn’t this serve as an opportunity for them to come to their senses?”

“That’s true, too. It would be better to share this incident with everyone.”

“I think that’s best, too.”

One should not think of the ruling powers of Nervas as mere criminal organizations. Facing them head-on is not much different from facing a state institution. It means it is tantamount to facing the social structure itself, not just a single group.

Someone who doesn’t understand that and enters Nervas to attempt negotiations is doomed. It’s difficult even to return alive. The only reason this matter was resolved well was because Ugurtz had shown mercy. Even though everyone was drugged into a hazy stupor, it had still worked out.

We could have easily ended up in a worse situation than this. We had to clearly recognize that fact. Only then would the same thing not happen again.

“Oh, right. I won’t be taking any requests for a while. I’ll likely be out of the capital more often than not, so don’t bother looking for me.”

“Hmm—?”

The Guild Leader’s eyes went round as he drank. He quickly swallowed the alcohol he had been holding in his mouth and asked.

“At your lover’s house, too?”

“…That house, even more so, must not be touched. I let it slide last time because I was flustered, but I’m telling you now, so take note.”

I stared straight at the Guild Leader.

“Never again loiter around that house because of my problems. It doesn’t matter if I’m there or not. If you bother the owner of that house again by using ‘work’ or ‘colleagues’ as an excuse, I’ll kill everyone.”

What would happen if, due to such trivial comings and goings, my existence by Iel’s side were revealed to aristocratic society, and Iel’s reputation became sordid because of me?

Even if it hasn’t happened yet, I can fully anticipate what kind of things I would do. I would surely blame them for creating such an opportunity and draw my blade against the unit I belong to.

If a problem occurs because I did something idiotic, I can just fall into self-loathing on my own. But the moment it becomes someone else’s fault, the situation cannot be resolved without bloodshed.

So, don’t expect understanding based on camaraderie from me. There is nothing I can put before Iel. No matter how much people around me try to wrap me in softness, this was something I couldn’t help.

This wasn’t some kind of resolution or determination; this was my limit. This was a request I was making because I truly couldn’t help it.

I had no intention of blathering on and explaining these inner thoughts to the Guild Leader. It was enough that my words—that I would kill them all—were conveyed as genuine.

The Guild Leader was lost in thought for a moment before answering.

“Alright, I’ll be careful about that part from now on. If it’s a problem you’re that sensitive about, it’s only right that I follow suit.”

He showed an attitude of ready acceptance, saying that everyone has their own sanctuary. I relaxed the tension in my shoulders and raised my glass.

“Glad you understand.”

“In that case, instead of taking a break from requests, work as an informant. I’m not asking for anything grand. I’d just like you to share any regional information or rumors you’ve obtained whenever you return from your travels. Is that possible?”

“It’s possible. I’ll deliver them through the shop.”

“But will the Temple requests be okay? Wasn’t it the Saint herself who personally placed requests with you?”

“Both were just pipes for their respective affiliations, anyway. It’ll be fine even without me. Though, if you don’t replenish enough substitute personnel for the spots I’m vacating, you might hear some complaints.”

“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Some time later, my heavily intoxicated colleagues clung to me and randomly mixed all sorts of drinks into my glass. I shouted that it was gross and shoved them away hard enough to distort their faces. But since they stubbornly clung to me, saying they would never let me go unless I drank this, I eventually had to lift the glass.

They were just ambiguously annoying guys—not irritating enough to draw a sword on, but enough that I’d just conceded once. But that one concession was the problem. I ended up getting dead drunk on that single glass of mixed liquor I was forced to drink.

“…you okay? Fel.”

I didn’t remember how I’d made it home. Apart from the fact that I’d drank a few more glasses of mixed liquor on the spot, nothing else came to mind. What on earth did those damn bastards put in the alcohol?

“Ugh….”

“Head hurt? Want some water?”

The hard surface of a cup touched my lips. Soon, cool water flowed into my mouth.

“Cough! Cough!”

“Is your stomach upset? Do you want to throw up? Want me to pat your back?”

“…I’m sleepy.”

Iel was blinking her eyes affectionately in my dazed vision, which flickered between blurry and clear. She wiped the water flowing down the corner of my mouth with a handkerchief and asked.

“Fel, we’re in the yard. You have to go to the bedroom if you want to sleep.”

“Mm….”

“Can you move? Should I help you?”

“I can, go, by myself….”

I put strength into my legs and struggled to raise my body. But the moment I took one step, my knees buckled, and I stumbled. I barely managed not to fall, but I couldn’t take another step forward. In the end, Iel hugged my body from my left and helped me along.

I looked down at Iel and expressed my deepest gratitude in my heart.

You’re pathetic, I’m sorry. To someone like me—an idiot who can’t even hold himself up after a few drinks—you don’t even get angry once and look after me this much. Are you an angel?

“Iel.”

“Yeah?”

“I… I’m standing up.”

“Yeah, right. You’re standing well. Come on, let’s take one more step forward.”

“Look.”

“What… huh?”

“Right?”

“…….”

“Iel, I’m in pain because I’m so frustrated.”

“…….”

“Take it out for me.”