We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Let’s get to work.
We decided to create a few sample wedding favors at the Dragon Altar and finish the rest later at home.
Airi-san and I promised to meet again at the wedding ceremony, and we returned to my family home.
However, to prevent my parents, the servants working at my home, and even the beastfolk exchange students and visiting dragonfolk from knowing what the wedding favors were, we decided to do the work at the Moss Garden.
That said, every day is not dedicated to preparing for the wedding ceremony.
Ordinary life is important too, you know.
Maintain normalcy amidst the busyness.
We, who have grown accustomed to hurried days and noisy daily lives, are proceeding with various preparations while enjoying ourselves.
Then, one day.
“Elnea, would you like to take on some work?”
It was Kijilmu, who has become a father, who visited my family home saying that.
“That sounds like you’re calling me unemployed!”
“No, you *are* unemployed.”
“Grrr.”
“You’re not even a member of the Adventurer’s Guild, are you? You don’t have a steady job, nor do you have a trade.”
“I’m taking care of the beastfolk and dragonfolk!”
“That’s your family’s job.”
“The preservation of Dragon Forest is…”
“That’s the job of the Forest Patrol, and you’re not earning income from it.”
“Income…”
“Oh dear. That’s why you’re unemployed.”
He said that as soon as I showed him to the reception room.
With Kijilmu’s merciless指摘, I fell to my knees on the carpet, admitting defeat.
“So, I was wondering if you’d help with work for the Adventurer’s Guild?”
Kijilmu is currently working hard as an adventurer alongside the Styler Family, his wife’s family.
He should be living in the auxiliary capital with his wife and children born in the spring. Kijilmu, wanting to be near his new family, has been mainly active in the auxiliary capital and its vicinity.
“I haven’t registered as an adventurer, but is it okay if I help?”
Just as Kijilmu says, I haven’t found employment anywhere or joined any organization.
To be precise, I am the leader of the Dragon Peak Alliance, the ruler of the Necropolis, and the administrator of the great bridge spanning the Shū River, but these roles are not widely known in human society. Moreover, I am not actively involved in anything other than the Dragon Peak Alliance, and my wallet doesn’t directly see any income.
Therefore, I can’t argue when I’m called unemployed and without income.
And I wasn’t a member of the Adventurer’s Guild.
I go to the Demon Race’s Country, or to the Northern Land. I hunt in Dragon Peak, and I spend a lot of time in Dragon Forest. I think I probably live a more adventurer-like life than a typical adventurer.
However, no matter where I go, I don’t have any particular trouble without being a member of the Adventurer’s Guild.
That’s because there is no Adventurer’s Guild in Dragon Peak or the Northern Land. The Demon Race’s Country has its own Adventurer’s Guild, but a member card from a human country probably wouldn’t be useful. This is because in the Demon Race’s Country, humans are treated worse than slaves, and even with a membership card, they would be oppressed.
Therefore, I have not joined because there is no need and I do not want to be bound.
Kijilmu nodded, assuring me that it would be alright.
“This request is from a school in the capital. You know it, right? Since the last disturbance, the Ancient Ruins have become a dungeon, and the students can no longer use them.”
Kijilmu probably said it casually, but my chest ached sharply, and I averted my gaze.
“It’s nostalgic, isn’t it? We often dived into the Ancient Ruins when we were fourteen. You were quite active there.”
“Kijilmu was just running away.”
“Hey, don’t say that. Now I’m working hard as a member of the Styler Family.”
“Gotta earn for your wife and kids!”
“I don’t want to hear that from you, the unemployed one.”
“Grrr.”
“Well, leaving that aside. The current students can’t use the now-dungeonized Ancient Ruins for overnight training or anything like that. So, they are currently training in Dragon Forest, where there are no monsters.”
Speaking of which, Rudoriado-san had consulted me in early spring.
He asked if they could use Dragon Forest for student training.
This year, students are doing overnight training in the shallow areas of Dragon Forest or near the entrance. While the conditions for handling fire and forest protection are strict, the people living in the capital have coexisted and prospered with Dragon Forest since birth. So, these aspects are not particularly problematic.
However, Dragon Forest is deep, and dangers lurk beyond monsters.
Although they don’t attack people due to my relationship with Priscilla-chan, magic beasts are also frequently sighted.
“The school has requested adventurers to provide security during training. So, they are gathering people.”
“Isn’t that the job of the Forest Patrol?”
“Originally, it is. But there are various problems. Do you know that the Armēdo Kingdom is currently overflowing with adventurers?”
“Eh, so many it’s a problem?”
“There’s Dragon Peak, dungeons, and the Northern Land – new territories are opening up that make adventurers drool. Adventurers are flocking not only from the Armēdo Kingdom but also from the Yorttenitos Kingdom. But reality isn’t so sweet. Only those recognized can enter Dragon Peak, and while the Northern Land is inhabited by beastfolk, it remains a dangerous place due to a lack of information. Dungeons are fine on the surface, but the deeper parts are full of danger, and you can’t proceed without some ability.”
“The difficulty is high everywhere, isn’t it?”
“You seem to go to those highest-difficulty places with ease, though.”
“Th-that’s just your imagination…”
I can’t exactly say that the little girls can come and go more freely than that.
“So. For adventurers with confidence in their skills, these are places where they can earn money and have adventures, but what about newcomers, second-rate, or third-rate adventurers? Such people are also flocking here without discernment.”
“Hmm, in that case… there will be people left without work.”
“Exactly. The current problem for the Adventurer’s Guild is how to deal with adventurers who can’t earn money.”
“The capital is in recovery and short-handed, so they can go work elsewhere, or if their abilities are insufficient, they have no choice but to return.”
“It would be nice if everyone were as honest as you. But some have excessive pride or struggle pointlessly. The Guild has to get jobs for those people too.”
“So, it’s to escort the students?”
“Ah, that’s right. The Guild consulted with the country, and we finally accepted the job.”
“In that case, wouldn’t it be better to distribute jobs to as many adventurers as possible rather than giving them to someone like me?”
“No, precisely because we are distributing jobs to many adventurers, I’ve contacted you too.”
“Meaning?”
“You are familiar with Dragon Forest. You also have relationships with the Mimicho Race who live in the forest. Therefore, I want you to take on a somewhat special job, or rather, to look after things.”
“N-no way… like supervising the adventurers escorting the students?”
Kijilmu, having moistened his lips with the brought tea, smirked.
What a redundant job!
It doesn’t seem very efficient, but perhaps this is society with its complex adult circumstances.
The Adventurer’s Guild must find jobs for its member adventurers. The country also doesn’t want the adventurers who have gathered but have no work to riot, leading to crime.
Furthermore, while Armēdo Kingdom adventurers might understand, some adventurers from the Yorttenitos Kingdom might not grasp the importance of Dragon Forest.
Various people’s expectations and complex circumstances are intertwined, leading to this request coming to me.
I could almost deliver a lecture to everyone in the beast race, saying, “When you establish a country, such troublesome matters will arise.”
“So, what do you say? Will you accept the request?”
“Let me see. I don’t want students or adventurers getting lost or causing trouble in Dragon Forest, so as a guardian of the forest, I’ll cooperate!”
“That would be a great help.”
Kijilmu let out a sigh of relief.
Surely, before the student escort, the request Kijilmu had received was for me to accept a job.
“Well then, let’s discuss the job details and schedule at a later date…”
After Kijilmu finished the necessary procedures and explanations, he shook my hand and was about to leave the reception room.
Then, he finally cast his eyes on the scenery outside the window, which he had stubbornly avoided looking at until then.
“Still, your house is…”
“Too much of a mansion, isn’t it? We’re also overwhelmed by it.”
“No, that’s the least of it.”
Kijilmu sighed as if he were astonished.
From the reception room window, a wide courtyard could be seen.
Lush green grass that was dazzlingly green. Well-maintained garden trees. And then, the figures of a black dragon, wyverns, and earth dragons lying on their backs.
Lily, when did you come to play?
Ah, perhaps it’s my imagination. Duranel is also upside down.
In a corner of the garden, Slaton was screaming.
Priscilla-chan and Ares-chan were joyfully bouncing around.
A grown Nimia was flipping over the dragonfolk in the garden one after another.
Fiorina and Rim were cheerfully flying around them.
What kind of game is this…?
“Is this your daily life!?”
“No, no, the black dragon Lily only comes to play occasionally.”
“That’s not the issue!”
Kijilmu left the reception room, looking exhausted.
“Hey, did you invite Slaton?”
As I followed Kijilmu down the hallway, I asked if he had called out to Slaton, who was in despair in a corner of the garden.
Listea and her bride are currently on their honeymoon.
Apparently, there are several lakes and wetlands in the mountainous area before the Shū River. It is said to be a resort area for nobles there.
Listea and her party are supposedly staying in a villa owned by the royal family.
They originally wanted to travel around the country, but since my wedding ceremony is in the fall, their destination became a villa.
So, Slaton and Creacio are left to watch the house this time.
Listea and Slaton seem to be planning an adventure-travel trip to various places next year with the Hero and his party.
And Slaton has been coming to my family home frequently to train with Duranel.
Surely today he was planning to confirm some kind of cooperation or deepen their friendship.
Too bad. Priscilla-chan didn’t go out to play anywhere today.
“I’ve also contacted Slaton and Creacio. Unlike you, they are officially members of the Adventurer’s Guild.”
When we reached the entrance, Creacio and Ruiseine were talking.
“Hello, Creacio. Slaton is upside down in the garden.”
“It’s fine, you can bury him just as he is.”
“Alright, I’ll ask Nimia to do it.”
“Elnea-kun, it’s forbidden to bury strange things in the garden.”
“Poor Slaton…”
Kijilmu, who had overheard our conversation, looked astonished.
“Well then, I’ll be counting on you for the request. Oh, and please don’t bring any dragonfolk. The students and adventurers will be flipped over.”
“Fufufufu, Kijilmu, can you really withstand it?”
“Hey, stop… Where are you taking me!”
As revenge for being called unemployed, I took Kijilmu to the courtyard.
