Chapter 179: Terms of Exchange

“Your Majesty, Duke Langueille and his wife have agreed to adopt Prince Jeslan in exchange for being spared criminal enslavement and receiving a retirement residence within the Daniera estate.”

“The threat of the slave collar seems to have worked.”

“Yes, it seems they couldn’t bear the humiliation of being treated as slaves.”

“Then we’ll hold a banquet announcing Jeslan’s adoption and summon the nobles currently staying in the capital.”

“What about the ambassadors and wealthy merchants from other countries?”

“That’s unnecessary. Everyone knows what happened in Daniera, and the city gate was destroyed spectacularly. Announcing an adoption now will only feed the rumors already circulating. We need only maintain appearances. Jeslan will receive a limited guard force, so request Leon’s assistance.”

“Count Arkwright reports that Leon has returned to Lynas. I’ll send a confidential request, though I can’t guarantee he’ll accept.”

I told my mother and the others that I had a special assignment from the guild in the capital city, so I was going to the capital, and then I jumped off the roof early in the morning.

As usual, I landed near the west gate and headed towards the adventurer-only passage, but the guards were stern because I hadn’t been coming and going much lately.

“Hmm, someone as young as you…”

I expected the objection, so I also showed Duke Barland’s identification card.

“Both the guild card and the Duke’s identification are genuine, but if you can’t tell the difference, could you please call your supervisor?”

He opened his mouth to yell, but when he saw the ID card thrust in front of him, he started to groan. I always find it a hassle, but I imagine it would be even more troublesome if I had to walk through the noble’s passageway, so being high-ranking has its pros and cons.

“I’m coming through.”

Without waiting for a reply, I walked past and headed straight to the Adventurer’s Guild, going directly to the reception desk.

“This is Leon. I’ve received a request from the Guildmaster, so I’d like to hear more details. Can you call the Guildmaster?”

“What? the Guildmaster…?”

I thrust my Gold Card toward the receptionist, whose mouth had fallen open in disbelief.

“I didn’t receive this card as a joke. The Lynas Submaster told me to come to the capital. If I can’t meet the Guildmaster, then apparently there was no request.”

“Leon, what are you doing? Follow me.”

When the Submaster appeared, the receptionist froze completely, her mouth still hanging open.

“I’ve heard the basic request, but why did it come directly from the Guildmaster?”

“Ask the Guildmaster himself.”

He knocked on the Guildmaster’s office door and announced, “Submaster Hyde. Leon has arrived.” An immediate “Come in!” answered him.

“You’re late. You can fly, so you should have come sooner.”

“Guildmaster, I’m registered as an adventurer, not as the guild’s dog. Did you expect me to wag my tail and come running merely because you called? And is it truly acceptable to claim this is a royal-family request?”

“Don’t get conceited. This request comes from guild headquarters. The royal family sometimes requests high-quality meat, so the explanation is close enough. Headquarters wants to hear of your achievements, assess your abilities, and promote you. The capital branch can promote you through Gold Rank Second Class without headquarters approval.”

“Even if it’s a request from the guild, I believe I have the right to refuse it.”

“Yes, that’s true, but…”

“I have no intention of accepting a designated request merely to receive a promotion.”

“I see. Then there’s no other choice. Show me your guild card.”

“Were you listening to my reply just now?”

“I heard you perfectly. I’m a guild employee. You remember that an adventurer can’t refuse a direct instruction from guild staff.”

The bastard had invoked the rules in retaliation for my resistance. Refusing would cancel my adventurer registration, so I handed the card over without another word.

He glanced at it, tossed it to the Submaster, said, “Gold Rank Second Class,” and waved us away.

“Leon, we’re done. Let’s go.”

The Submaster grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the office.

“What’s that? Is it okay to promote someone without their consent?”

“A capital Guildmaster can promote someone through Gold Rank Second Class. Promotion beyond that requires headquarters approval. You have supplied Shams and Golden Goats through several acquaintances, haven’t you? That’s an impressive record. I also hear you frequently visit the royal castle.”

“Who’s telling such nonsense?”

“You’re probably the only one who can fly right now.”

Oh. I had forgotten that the Royal Guard knights regularly saw me below Chancellor Brighton’s office.

“I was on a mission to deliver letters to various places.”

He tossed my guild card to the receptionist and said, “Gold Rank Second Class.” She blinked repeatedly while comparing the card with the register.

“Gold Rank Second Class? That’s incredible!”

“Leon, what have you done this time?”

“I only just reached Iron Rank Second Class…”

“It’s absurd to even make that comparison.”

“Nanga and the others are early today.”

“The weather looked like it was going to get worse, so I headed back early.”

“Really?”

“The clouds are moving quickly and the sky is getting dark, so it looks like I won’t be able to go out to work for the next two or three days.”

“At times like this, being close to the capital city makes it convenient to take refuge in a hotel.”

“Yes, yes. Sour grapes from a low-ranked adventurer.”

“Is it really going to rain?”

“By the time we passed through the entrance gate, the western sky had gotten quite dark.”

As I was speaking, raindrops were already visible on the clothes of the men rushing into the guild.

“It’s already started raining.”

“Looks like we’ll get soaked on the way to the hotel.”

“I suppose I’ll pray to Lady Felicienne that the rain ends quickly.”

“If you’re going to pray anyway, you might as well pray for things like your arm strength to improve or for a valuable medicinal herb to be found.”

I can keep myself dry with [Balloon!], but visibility is poor in heavy rain and I might lose my way, so I don’t want to fly. I could stay at the usual Martins Hotel, but the rooms are cramped and there’s nothing to do. Camping outside town seemed preferable.

The rain continued for three days. Since no adventurers were roaming the plains, I let the spirits out and spent the time napping. After the weather cleared, I returned to Lynas, only to receive a message from Eugen asking me to visit the count’s mansion.

An invitation to the mansion probably meant Count Arkwright wanted to see me, and I had a bad feeling about it. Still, I couldn’t ignore the summons. I jumped from my attic, flew to the estate, and landed by the inner entrance. The guards immediately informed Eugen, who escorted me to Count Arkwright’s office.

Count Arkwright presented a letter. “This came from Chancellor Brighton. He requests your reply.”

This felt disturbingly familiar. There was no escape, so I resigned myself to it and opened the packet.

Jeslan would soon be adopted into House Langueille. The adoption would be publicly announced at a royal banquet attended by the nobles currently in Leclerc.

I had expected them to force Jeslan into House Langueille, but making the arrangement public without the duke’s cooperation would have been extremely unnatural. Duke Langueille had either accepted it or been left with no choice. Considering his sons’ fates, the latter seemed more likely.

The letter asked me to escort Jeslan to Daniera in the Solangeire region. He would take around twenty close attendants and guards, along with more than sixty servants. I would protect them for several months, until he had fully succeeded to the ducal territory. The reward was two hundred million dara.

I understood why Jeslan couldn’t take the Royal Knights and could bring only those who had personally served him within the royal household. Even so, the king was placing a heavy burden on him.

I didn’t know how they had forced Duke Langueille to agree, but they intended to send me as the fighting force for an expedition into hostile territory. They were using me quite freely. Still, I didn’t want the Kingdom of Sutherland thrown into chaos, so I might as well help.

“Lord Leon, may I receive your reply?”

“Count Arkwright, I’ll answer Chancellor Brighton directly. No reply letter is necessary.”

“I see, Lord Leon, you certainly have your share of troubles.”

I went back home for the time being, told them I’d received a job offer from the castle and wouldn’t be back for a while, and escaped before my sister could catch me.

I reached the royal castle early the following afternoon. As I descended toward Chancellor Brighton’s office, I redirected the wind, rang the bell, and landed. Marginus soon came to escort me.

In the office, Chancellor Brighton said, “Leon, I’m glad you came. Will you accept the protection request?”

“Reluctantly. If House Langueille falls into disorder, it’ll only create more trouble. More importantly, how did you convince the duke?”

“Vincens’s crimes were unforgivable, so he was sentenced to lifelong criminal servitude. The second and eldest sons also defied the kingdom and received the same sentence. Their households were assigned terms of criminal servitude of up to ten years. Those who actively resisted the royal orders were punished more severely. House Barland’s evidence and the captured records made denial impossible.”

Duke Langueille had lived comfortably until he suddenly faced lifelong criminal servitude. By surrendering the ducal house and accepting Jeslan as heir, he and his wife gained freedom and a retirement residence. Everything else had been taken from them, but it was still better than dying as slaves.