45. The Conclusion of the Black Wolf Incident

Several days had passed since Ludovis was obliterated. The city of Cygnil had already returned to a sense of normalcy. As expected of a place where so many Adventurers gathered, the people were resilient.

Unfortunately, the recent attack had claimed the lives of several Adventurers. A number of buildings had also sustained heavy damage, and the Adventurer’s Guild headquarters would need to be completely rebuilt.

In recognition of our achievements—specifically, finding the Prayer Stone of Benevolent Rain and subjugating the Plague-Cursed Black Wolf—our Adventurer Rank was promoted all the way to C-Rank in a single leap. Based on our merits alone, it seemed we could have climbed even higher, but we were capped at C-Rank because our actual combat abilities haven't quite caught up to our reputation yet.

In truth, we really weren't strong enough. We only managed to defeat Ludovis because of my items and the support from the Destiny God. If anything, I wondered if it was truly okay for us, who were still essentially greenhorns, to hold a C-Rank. The guild must have agonized over the decision, trying to find a balance between our accomplishments and our raw strength.

As a reward, we were granted ten Platinum Coins. These weren't the kind of coins an individual normally carried; they were typically reserved for transactions between high-ranking nobles or wealthy merchant houses.

I was stunned by such an astronomical sum, but it seemed the payment also served as compensation for the loss of the Rune Breaker. Personally, since I’d already obtained a replacement from my gifts and had lent the original out knowing there was a chance it would be lost, I didn't feel I needed any compensation. However, for the sake of public appearances and to save face, the Lord’s House had insisted on paying up.

That pretty much summed up our rewards as Adventurers. For a pair of rookies, it was likely an incredible honor. But for me, there was a development that was far more shocking.

“Sorry. It’s been decided that I’m returning home.”

The one who spoke was Rei. In the wake of the recent chaos, he had decided to retire from being an Adventurer. That meant we would also be saying goodbye to Mil and Sally, who served as his guardians.

Rei’s real name was Reidulc Dravan. He was the second son of the Viscount Dravan family, the house that ruled the Cygnil region. Cygnil was the second-largest city in the Viscount Dravan Family Territory, surpassed only by the territorial capital itself, and it seemed he had often visited here to play as a child. He had deep connections with veteran Adventurers like Dolga-san, which was likely why he had grown to admire dungeon exploration so much.

Normally, the second son of a noble house wouldn't become an Adventurer unless the family had fallen into ruin. However, Viscount Dravan was unusually broad-minded for a noble and had apparently allowed Rei to pursue his dream, provided he met certain conditions.

But the winds had changed after this incident.

While Dungeons provided resources and drop items that benefited the territory, they were also magnets for trouble. Whether this specific disaster was truly the Dungeon’s fault was debatable, but there was no denying that they were breeding grounds for problems—from Monster Overflows to providing cover for criminals.

Because of this, Viscount Dravan decided to appoint an Acting Governor to oversee Cygnil. The ideal candidate needed to be connected to the noble family while also being well-versed in Adventurer affairs. Naturally, Rei was the one whose name rose to the top of the list.

Rei probably could have refused if he really wanted to, but after seeing the city he loved being overrun by Ludovis, he’d had a change of heart. He told us he’d decided to accept the responsibility.

Well, Rei did have a strong sense of justice, and he was nothing if not serious.

Personally, I suspected the Viscount’s reasoning was mostly a pretext; he was likely just worried sick about his son. If a father thought his son was just cautiously exploring the safe, shallow floors of a dungeon, only to be told he’d fought and defeated a Magic Beast sealed away since ancient times, he’d be terrified. A typical noble house might have viewed it as a glorious achievement, but from what I’d heard, the Viscount didn't seem like that kind of man. I didn't know the full truth, but if Rei was satisfied with the choice, it wasn't my place to complain.

“I’ve had a lot of fun adventuring with you. Even if you aren't an Adventurer anymore, we’re still comrades. If you’re ever in trouble, just say the word. If there’s anything I can do, I’ll be there to help.”

“Haha, thanks. I feel like most things will work out somehow if I’ve got you helping me, Tort. You too—if you ever run into a wall, make sure to rely on us.”

To be honest, I wished we could have kept adventuring together. But this was a decision Rei had reached after careful thought. I wasn't going to be selfish and make things harder for him. All I could do was promise that even if our paths diverged, our friendship would remain. Our time together had been short, but the bond between us was real.

“Sigh. I really wanted you to take over my work as a spy, you know.”

The one grumbling was Dolga-san. While he was an Adventurer, he was also a spy for the Viscount Dravan family. Apparently, he had been planning to groom me as his successor.

“I think I’m better suited to being an Adventurer. Besides, I want to help Halfa get back to her home.”

“Is that so...? Well, I suppose you’re right. But if you ever change your mind, you’re always welcome. I’ll train you until you’re the best in the business.”

He still hadn't given up. He was persistent, I’ll give him that. Still, the techniques Dolga-san taught me had become the foundation of my fighting style. Whatever his ulterior motives were, I was truly grateful to him. Someday, if I found some fine liquor, I’d bring it to him as a gift. In the end, he’d hardly gotten a drop of the Spirit Liquor of Life.

Nearby, Halfa and the others were exchanging their own goodbyes.

“Well, we’ll be keeping an eye on Rei, so you don’t need to worry about him. If anything, we’re worried about you, Tort. You look like you’re laid-back, but you have a habit of doing reckless things.”

“It’ll be fine! I’ll be watching over Tort properly!”

“That’s right~. We’ll leave Tort-kun in Halfa-chan’s hands.”

『I’m here too! Leave it to me!』

“Right. We’re counting on you too, Shiroru.”

Wait, were those... parting words?

And for the record, I didn't think I was being reckless at all. I wasn't entirely convinced by their assessment. I wanted to argue, but since they’d probably just bring up the Pandora Gifts to shut me down, I kept my mouth shut.

Rei and the others were heading back to the territorial capital first. He would receive his education as an Acting Governor there. When the carriage arrived to pick them up, the moment for our final farewell arrived.

“Hey, Rei. Can I take over the name ‘Glory's Steps’?”

“Yeah. If you guys carry it on, nothing would make me happier.”

I made that one last request. ‘Glory's Steps’ was the proof of our bond with Rei and the others. I decided I would keep the name alive. Whether I could actually achieve great things and make the name famous in place of the retired Rei... well, that remained to be seen. But at the very least, I wanted to have some good stories to tell him when we met again.

“Thank you. I guess this is really goodbye for now, then.”

“Yeah... See ya, Tort, Halfa!”

“Yeah! Bye-bye, everyone!”

With that, Rei and his companions departed for the capital. We intended to say our farewells to the people who had helped us and leave Cygnil in a few days as well. To find clues about the Wingfolk Village, I figured we should start by visiting the larger, more populated cities. However, we essentially had no plan. Since we didn't have any leads yet, there was no sense in rushing.

Regardless, this was the new starting point for ‘Glory's Steps’. I wondered what kind of adventure was waiting for us next. After getting caught up in such an unexpectedly massive incident, I really just wanted to take it easy for a while.