53. Far Too Surprised

True to its status as the Royal Capital, the entrance gate was massive and imposing. Just like in Cygnil, entry and exit seemed to be mostly unrestricted. Of course, the guards were keeping a sharp eye on the crowd, so anyone who looked blatantly suspicious would likely be pulled aside.

"There isn't even a screening process," I remarked. "I thought the security in the Royal Capital would be a lot tighter."

"Yeah," Lowell replied. "Coming and going through the Commoner District isn't that difficult. However, it’s an absolute ordeal for a commoner to try and enter the Noble District."

According to Lowell, Garond was protected by three distinct layers of fortification. First was the Castle Wall surrounding the Royal Castle itself. Second was the City Wall that enclosed the entirety of Garond. Finally, there was the Partition Wall, which marked the boundary between the Commoner District and the Noble District. Generally speaking, commoners weren't allowed into the Noble District without express permission, and even then, they were subjected to a rigorous inspection.

Well, since the only commoners with business there were usually specialists like doctors or government-sanctioned purveyors, it wasn't something that affected the average person much.

The sun had already begun to dip toward the horizon. Perhaps because the gates were nearing their closing time, almost no one was heading out of the city. Most people were flowing inward, and we allowed the crowd to carry us through the gates.

Despite the approaching dusk, the main thoroughfare was teeming with people. Cygnil had been a lively place, but this was on another level entirely. I also noticed that the people here were dressed far more stylishly than those in Cygnil. Being the capital, I suppose it was the center of the fashion world.

Then again, Cygnil was a town primarily for adventurers, so it probably wasn't a fair comparison. Back there, almost everyone you saw was armed to the teeth.

I intended to follow Lowell’s lead as he guided us toward the Adventurer’s Guild, but then something caught my attention.

"Wait, where did Spira go?" Halfa asked.

『She was right here until a moment ago,』 Shiroru added.

I snapped to attention at Halfa’s words. She was right—Spira was gone. I had Shiroru cancel his Giantization before we entered the city, since walking around with a massive beast would have been a nuisance. Spira had definitely been with us at that point.

Did she get lost in the crowd? I wondered.

Lowell quickly dismissed my concern. "Oh, I sent Spira on home ahead of us. The Adventurer’s Guild can be a bit rowdy."

That was a fair point. While many adventurers were good people at heart, the majority of them were rough around the edges. Very few would ever dream of hurting a child, but there was still a good chance they’d end up scaring her.

But when did he tell her to leave? Lowell had been walking in front of us, acting as our guide the entire time. I didn't recall a single moment where he'd stopped to give her instructions.

Still, it was obvious how much Lowell cherished his sister. He probably had an unspoken protocol with her for these kinds of situations.

Shaking off the confusion, we continued toward the Adventurer's Guild. As the headquarters for the guild within the Kingdom of Lievril, the building was enormous. It was the peak hour for reporting completed requests, so the interior was packed with people. Our goal today was simply to check in and report our transfer. Since we’d see the staff anyway when we eventually took a job, it felt a bit redundant, but apparently, it was the local custom.

"Well, if it isn't Lowell! Haven't seen your face around here for a few days," a voice called out. "Who are the kids? They can't be yours, can they?"

"Hardly," Lowell replied. "They're colleagues. I was away on private business and they helped me out. I'm just showing them the ropes as thanks for the favor."

One of the adventurers chatting nearby had approached us. It seemed he was an acquaintance of Lowell’s. Lowell was only twenty, so there was no way he could have kids our age, but since Forestfolk didn't age like everyone else, I suppose it was a common misunderstanding. Or, more likely, the man was just joking.

"I’m Tort, from the party 'Glory's Steps.' It’s a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Halfa!"

"Waf!"

"Whoa! A Wingfolk? That's rare," the man said, looking impressed. "And you've even got a tamed monster? Never seen a critter like that before. Oh, I'm Zephyr. Good to meet ya."

Zephyr-san was a Commoner and clearly older than Lowell, but he seemed like a friendly, easygoing guy. Shiroru had greeted him with a simple bark instead of using thought transmission because I’d asked him to keep it down earlier. It would be far too conspicuous if he started talking, and explaining that he was a Holy Beast would be a massive headache.

"Listen, Tort," Lowell said. "I'm going to catch up with this guy for a bit. Why don't you two go ahead and handle the reception?"

It was a good suggestion. It was already evening, and the guild would be closing its doors soon. We needed to get our business done while we still could.

Leaving Lowell behind, we headed toward the counter.

Actually... maybe I should check the Request Slips first. We had been diligently gathering medicinal herbs on the way to Garond, so we might be able to turn some in. Gathering requests usually only listed a recommended rank rather than a mandatory one, so as long as you had the items, you could complete the request on the spot.

Oh, here’s a delivery request for Goldidilla. I wondered how many they were looking for. Probably just a single plant? I decided to ask.

Wait... the reward is one Gold Coin?

I knew request rewards were usually higher than market value, but that was way more than I expected! When I gathered herbs back in Cygnil, I had to bring in several bundles just to get a few Silver Coins—and I’d been told that was a good rate. Goldidilla was incredibly efficient for earning money. Though, to be fair, that was only because of my luck. Halfa hadn't been able to find a single one.

The other item I could potentially turn in was Moonlight Lily-of-the-Valley. It was a rare flower said to bloom by soaking up moonlight, opening its faintly glowing petals for only a single night. No one really knew where or how they grew; sometimes they just appeared in someone’s yard overnight.

The petals of the Moonlight Lily-of-the-Valley possessed a powerful purifying effect and were used as a base for the highest-grade Antidote Potions and Healing Potions. Because they couldn't be farmed or targeted, their value was astronomical. I’d happened to stumble upon one while we were camping. Since it was even rarer than Goldidilla, the reward for this one was five Gold Coins!

I’d assumed that gathering wouldn't pay as well as dungeon diving, but maybe I was wrong. Then again, this was almost certainly just a lucky fluke.

Regardless, I took the two slips and headed to the counter. Luckily, there was an open spot with no line. The staff member was a young man who looked full of energy.

"Hello. I'm here to report a transfer and make a delivery. We were operating out of Cygnil until now."

"Understood. In that case, please show me your Adventurer's Plates."

Right, that made sense. Since this was our first time taking a request in Garond, identification was mandatory.

As Halfa and I placed our plates on the counter, the receptionist's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Huh?! Kids like you are C-Rank?!"

...You're saying the quiet part out loud, sir.

And you're saying it very loudly.

"M-My apologies," he stammered, trying to regain his composure. "Let's see the delivery items... Moonlight Lily-of-the-Valley?! And Goldidilla too?!"

Good grief, his voice was carrying across the entire hall. This guy was a bit of a mess.