Chapter 148: Summoned by the Viscount

While thinking about how to efficiently make the magic water my sister needed, I sat down for dinner. Mother asked if I had managed to obtain the herbs we needed.

“I couldn’t get a few of them, but I saw samples. If I search for them, I think I’ll eventually find them.”

“About that—you should try going to Helnenka. When I lived there, I heard that people sometimes visited the village because rare herbs could be gathered nearby. If you saw samples in Faranka, then they should grow there as well. But if rare herbs can be gathered somewhere, it’s only natural to keep the location secret.”

“Yeah. Adventurers have their own hunting grounds and secret spots where herbs grow. That’s how they make a living, so they won’t easily tell others. The only things people casually reveal are the herbs that grow everywhere.”

“If you went herb gathering in Faranka, you should have some idea where the herbs you’re searching for might grow. Why not go to Helnenka and look in other places there?”

“Mom, that’s asking too much. I’ve been gathering herbs for a long time, but it was always just around town with Ted and the others. The only reason I managed to collect the herbs my sister wanted this time was because someone guided me.”

“Then why do you say you’ll search for the ones you couldn’t gather? By your own words, that should be impossible.”

“Well… I can use Appraisal. I memorized the herbs I was taught, and I confirmed them with samples. If I use Appraisal, I should be able to find them. Though I don’t know how long it’ll take.”

Mother looked exasperated.

“Are you planning to walk around appraising every blade of grass and leaf you see?”

“I do have another idea about that. But if it doesn’t work, we can always just buy them.”

“Leon, they’re not something you can buy so easily. That’s why I asked you to gather them.”

Whoa—my sister’s voice just dropped a tone.

“If I can’t find them nearby, I’ll try going to Helnenka.”

“If you go to Helnenka, visit my mother—your grandmother—too.”

“Hm? If you have business with her, I can go tomorrow. Aren’t you going to visit her yourself?”

“I’m not an adventurer, so I can’t easily walk through the forest. If you couldn’t fly, I wouldn’t even suggest it.”

Right… in this world, even traveling to the next town was difficult. The journey through the forest from Elvira to Helnenka took seven or eight days, and it would take an inexperienced traveler like Mom even longer. Letters were rarely exchanged over such a distance. Perhaps she simply missed her mother.

“Alright. I’d like to see Grandma too, so I’ll go to Helnenka tomorrow. Do you have anything you want me to deliver?”

“You say that so easily, but it’s not like going next door. I want to write a letter and send some things, so wait four or five days.”

A few days later, what Mother handed me to deliver were three baskets filled with food, tea leaves, sweets, five beautiful bolts of cloth, and a letter.

When I asked where Helnenka was, she bluntly replied that she wouldn’t know and that I should ask Father.

When I asked him, he said he once walked south from Elvira for more than ten days to reach it—but according to the villagers, it should only take seven or eight days.

People who knew the forest well could make the journey in seven or eight days, but Father and his companions were less familiar with the route, so it had taken them more than ten.

As for landmarks, he said the village was on slightly elevated ground—but since they stumbled upon it while hunting, he didn’t remember clearly.

“So how did you find your way back?” I asked.

“We had traveled south, so we simply headed north until we reached the Blange Highway,” he said proudly.

Right… my dad used to be an adventurer. He’s always been a bit rough and carefree about things like that.

Actually, I’ve done the same thing before—just heading in the opposite direction to return.

Maybe I should stop by the Adventurers’ Guild in Elvira and get information about Helnenka before going.

Even if the directions are vague, it’s a forest settlement—if I look from the air, I should be able to find it.

From Lynas, I traveled west along the Blange Highway to the third town—Elvira.

Landing inside the city would cause a commotion, so I dove down near the eastern gate.

There were quite a few adventurers visible in the plains, so I hurried toward the gate before anyone made a fuss. But since it was my first time in the city, my guild card caused a problem.

“Wait. Let me see that again.”

“What’s wrong?”

“This guy… he has a Gold Card.”

“Let me see it.”

A guard who looked like a superior officer held out his hand. I silently placed my guild card on his palm.

“What’s this? It says you registered in Lynas, but someone your age having a Gold Card makes no sense. Where did you get this?”

“Where? I registered in Lynas… though I think I received the gold card in Roxanne.”

“Roxanne?”

“I got caught in a forced mobilization and helped subdue wild beasts. The guild master promoted me.”

“You earned it from subjugating beasts?”

“With just a knife? Are you a mage?”

“Hey, what’s going on? The line’s backing up!”

“Captain, this suspicious kid has a Gold Card.”

“Hand me that card.”

The captain took my card and placed it on his palm, then put a finger on it and muttered something.

Seriously, this again?

The emblem of the Adventurers’ Guild—crossed sword and spear with a round shield—appeared floating above the card.

The captain tilted his head as he checked it, then seemed to realize something.

“Leon… are you Leon the Breeze?”

“I’ve never called myself that, but people do sometimes.”

“In that case, you may pass.”

He returned the card and waved me through—but then immediately shouted at the guards.

“How many years have you been watching this gate?!”

“You’ve all heard the rumors about the dragon subjugation! That’s Leon the Breeze—remember him!”

He yelled so loudly that everyone around started staring at me, so I quickly fled.

Since I didn’t want more attention, I stayed one night at a hotel and went to the Adventurers’ Guild the next day a little later in the morning.

As expected, most adventurers were out working. I asked a bored receptionist if she knew someone who could tell me about Helnenka.

“Helnenka? You mean the elf village deep in the forest?”

“Yes. I only know it’s south of Elvira.”

“That’s impossible. Helnenka is deep in the forest. It’s not a place a kid like you can go alone.”

“Hey, Selene, that’s the famous Leon the Breeze.”

“He’s got a Gold Card—just tell him.”

“I’m not an adventurer, so all I know is that it’s deep in the forest and takes several days to reach.”

“The Sub-Master might know. Go ask him.”

Just then, the entrance suddenly became noisy. A group of knights marched in loudly.

“You’re Leon, right? The lord summons you!”

“Come with us!”

“What’s this all of a sudden? I don’t even know the lord of this territory.”

“Of course you don’t! Don’t address him so casually. You’re Leon the Breeze, the adventurer who became famous during the dragon subjugation, are you not?”

“Viscount Iborg Valenzai, ruler of Ortanse Territory, commands you to come. Move!”

“Hey. You look like the Viscount’s retainers, but do you know where you are?”

“What did you say…? Ah, Sub-Master. This man caused trouble at the gate, so the Viscount ordered a full investigation. We have no intention of interfering with the guild, but if there was a problem when he entered the city, that’s another matter.”

“Is that so?”

“They said it was strange that I had a Gold Card,” 

I explained. 

“But a captain checked my guild card and let me through.”

“So he says.”

I handed the Sub-Master my guild card. When he saw my name and Gold Rank First Class, his eyebrows shot up.

“The lord says he’ll correct the issue. Does the guild intend to refuse?”

“The guild is supposed to cooperate with the kingdom in maintaining order in the city. Are you trying to obstruct the investigation of a suspicious person?”

This looked like it might become troublesome.

Maybe I should just go.

“Sub-Master, if the lord is calling for me, I’ll go.”

“Are you sure? They’re calling the holder of a Gold Card a suspicious person and saying they’ll interrogate him. That’s an insult to the guild’s standing…”

“It’s fine. If this Viscount Valenzai wants something from me, I’ve got something I’d like to tell him too.”

“If that’s what you want, I’ll leave it to you. But remember this—he’s one of the Dragon Slayers. Treat him poorly and you’ll regret it.”

Wow. The Sub-Master’s intimidation made the knights shrink back a little.

They shoved me into a poorly cushioned carriage—probably meant for servants—and after riding for a while, we entered through a side gate of the mansion.

They pushed me into what looked like a waiting room.

At least it wasn’t a dungeon, so it seemed unlikely that they intended to beat me immediately.

From time to time, people who looked like merchants or contractors came in, but they were called before me and either left or went home.

When I checked the clock, three hours had already passed since I’d been shoved into the waiting room. My patience was reaching its limit.

I stopped someone passing by and said loudly:

“If the Viscount has no business with me, please tell him I’ll be leaving.”

I spoke loud enough that heavy footsteps approached from down the hall.

“Who’s shouting like that?!”

“The adventurer you forced to come here. What kind of treatment is this—summoning someone and leaving them waiting? If there’s no business, I’ll just leave. That’s fine, right?”

“The Viscount is busy! Wait quietly until you’re called!”

“Oh? If he’s that busy, I’ll go meet him myself. You can guide me.”

“You little—!”

He suddenly kicked me in the stomach.

But I was wearing my useful clothing enchanted with blade resistance, impact resistance, magic nullification, and temperature regulation, so the kick produced only a pathetic thud.

Still… the gong for battle had been struck.

“[Whirlwind!]”

I spun him around a bit with a small whirlwind.

“UOOOO—STOP!”

He screamed pitifully as he spun around, and the noise quickly drew many more rushing footsteps.