In the Royal Capital stood a building of white marble that looked more like a palace than a place of business. While it had the outward appearance of a nobleman’s mansion, the only people entering and exiting were those clad in armor with weapons strapped to their backs.
This was the headquarters of the S-rank guild, Shield of the Sky. Following the organization's recent expansion, the space had become—to put it kindly—brimming with vitality, or—to put it bluntly—a cluttered and disorganized mess.
In this guild, power was prioritized above all else; as long as one possessed strength, their conduct was of little concern. That was the reputation the Shield of the Sky had earned for itself of late.
A man and a woman walked down a corridor where adventurers sporting the "Shield" crest on their shoulders loitered. A man who looked like a fresh recruit watched the pair pass and whispered.
"It’s Holy Knight Fiona and Sage Clyde..."
The crowd quickly parted to make a path, showing respect to the two individuals known as some of the most capable members within the guild.
They proceeded through the gazes of awe and came to a stop before a particular door. Fiona knocked.
"Vice-Guildmaster, it is Fiona and Clyde. We have come as requested."
"Enter."
A fleshy man sitting at a large desk—the Vice-Guildmaster—welcomed them. He sat with his arms crossed, a troubled expression plastered across his face.
Clyde closed the door firmly behind them as they stood before the desk. Since the Vice-Guildmaster had summoned them personally, they both anticipated that the matter was of grave importance.
"There has been a top-secret request from the Royal Family."
Fiona and Clyde kept their expressions neutral, waiting silently for him to continue.
"It appears a relative of the Royal Family was granted an ominous Job on their fifteenth birthday."
"And what Job would that be?" Fiona asked, unable to help herself.
The Vice-Guildmaster spoke slowly.
"The [Shrine Maiden of Destruction]."
"That is a Job with no record in the ancient texts, nor even in the fragments of mythology," Clyde muttered, resting a hand on his chin as he mentally cataloged his vast knowledge.
"Apparently, it is the first case of its kind."
"To think someone of royal blood would be granted such an ill-fated Job..."
"If the public finds out about this, it will become a catastrophe..."
The Vice-Guildmaster nodded deeply. He placed a single sheet of paper on the desk and slid it toward them.
"The details of the request are written here. A girl and an old man should be living at the location indicated on this map. Dispose of them both. This is not an assassination. It is an act to protect the Imuris Kingdom. The girl's identity is also noted in the briefing. Once you read it, any hesitation you feel will vanish."
Fiona and Clyde exchanged a look. Then, they nodded in unison.
"Understood. We shall protect the Imuris Kingdom with our own hands."
"I’m counting on you."
Taking the map, the two left the Vice-Guildmaster’s office. The Shield of the Sky Headquarters was as noisy as ever.
Amidst the cacophony, Fiona and Clyde continued walking, neither of them speaking a word.
The pond of purified spring water remained clear today. It was so transparent that the stones at the bottom were perfectly visible, and whenever the wind blew, delicate ripples danced across the surface. I sat gripping a fishing rod, staring vacantly at the water.
Until recently, this pond was known as the Poison Swamp. The water had been dark and murky, punctuated by mysterious bubbles and the stench of miasma.
But look at it now. I could scoop up the water with my bare hands and drink it without a second thought. In fact, it actually tasted good. The fish swimming below had beautiful scales that sparkled in the sunlight.
It was all Neneva’s handiwork. Apparently, while she was disposing of the [Fragment of the Evil God], she had purified the entirety of the Dusk Hollow Wetlands.
"A [Saint], huh..."
I placed the fishing rod, which hadn't seen a single bite, back onto its holder and stretched my arms over my head. The clear blue sky filled my vision.
"A bird?"
A black speck was circling high above. It drew an arc as it gradually descended, eventually heading toward the mansion where Neneva and Graymond were.
"...What is that?"
I stood up and made my way back to the house. The mud that used to cling to my boots was now completely dry, making the walk easy.
While experiencing the transformation of the Dusk Hollow Wetlands firsthand once again, I arrived at the mansion to find Neneva and Graymond standing at the front door. Neneva was holding what looked like an envelope.
"What's going on?"
"There was a bird chirping loudly outside the door," Neneva explained. "It was so persistent that I went out to check, and I found this envelope."
The envelope was made of visibly high-quality paper. When he saw it, Graymond’s eyes widened.
"The royal seal..."
Neneva tilted her head.
"Wait, you mean this is a letter from the Royal Family?"
"Most likely..."
"I did it...!! It’s because I became the [Saint]!! This is incredible!!"
Neneva began hopping up and down at the entrance while Graymond watched her with a fond smile.
"Let us go inside to open it."
"Right!"
Neneva hurried into the mansion with a bouncy gait, followed by Graymond. I trailed behind them.
The two were already seated at the dining table when I entered the room. Neneva held the letter with a solemn expression.
As I took my seat, Neneva took a soft breath and touched the wax seal with trembling fingertips.
Expectation, hesitation, and anxiety—they all seemed to weigh on her, making her fingers stall.
"...I have to open it, don't I?"
Graymond and I nodded silently.
"Okay..."
Neneva applied pressure. With a small snap, the seal broke. She pulled out the stationary and let her eyes scan the text. Her eyes began to well up.
"It says they celebrate the birth of the [Saint]... that they've promised me a life in the Royal Capital... and that an escort is coming for me. It says... I’ll finally get to see Mama..."
Tears streamed down her cheeks as her voice trembled.
"Young Lady... How wonderful for you..."
Graymond was equally overcome, his face crumpling as he wept.
"Neneva, congratulations."
In the end, it seemed Neneva's wish was going to be granted without me having to do anything at all.