I'm Mikel.
Anyway, since the Adventurer Guild building had been leveled, I was taken into custody by the city guards. It was only to be expected. Fortunately, because the princes were part of our group, we were placed under house arrest at an inn instead of being thrown into a jail cell. That was a relief.
My mother's contacts, whom I'd reached out to, arrived promptly, and we were released at once. Leaving the cleanup to them, Alfred, the four members of the Nocturnal Butterfly, and I set off. I’d braced myself for a thirty-day trek, but we reached our destination in just two days.
Why the sudden speed?
It was thanks to a plump, merchant-like man who introduced himself as a member of the Round-faced Fox Race. He claimed to be an acquaintance of Alfred’s.
"I wouldn't call us acquaintances, exactly," the man explained. "It's more that I know who he is. I've spotted him from a distance a few times."
Alfred spoke with him for a while and became convinced the man was connected to his father, the Village Head. Thinking it a stroke of luck, Alfred asked if he knew any shortcuts. Alfred had only hoped for some directions, but the Round-faced Fox contacted the Silver Fox Race instead. We were allowed to use their secret paths, which cut our travel time down significantly.
It was incredibly convenient, though apparently, these paths only connect specific locations, so we couldn't just go anywhere. That was a bit of a disappointment.
Then there was the matter of the Wyvern nesting near the Nocturnal Butterfly’s herb fields. While he wasn't a direct acquaintance of Alfred’s, we managed to settle the issue through negotiation. As it turned out, he was an "acquaintance of an acquaintance."
He was incredibly... well, "humble" barely covers it. He was practically prostrating himself before Alfred the whole time. After a discussion between the Wyvern and the Nocturnal Butterfly members, the dragon promised not to touch the herb fields or anyone nearby. Case closed. All’s well that ends well.
Then, the Nocturnal Butterfly insisted on holding a welcome banquet. They claimed they couldn't possibly fail to provide hospitality for the son of Lady Lulucy. I suppose I can understand that. Since Alfred intended to accept, I didn't want to be a wet blanket. I decided to just tag along and stay in the corner. The Round-faced Fox joined in as well, since he'd be helping us on the return trip. He stayed in the corner with me.
By nightfall, the gathering had swelled into a banquet with about a hundred vampires. I had no idea there were so many of them. They served normal food and sake, which surprised me. I'd assumed vampires preferred blood. Apparently, they do, but their individual tastes are so picky that they don't bother serving it at large parties.
Interesting.
Alfred didn't drink any blood either. He told me that once, trying to act like a grown-up, he’d forced some down, but it tasted awful and he’d vomited. He’d ended up with an upset stomach and was bedridden for three days afterward. I see. It simply might not suit his constitution.
Alfred was eventually pulled into the center of the festivities by the vampires who came to greet him. He spoke with everyone effortlessly. It was impressive; I could hardly believe he was younger than me. It helped that they had common interests—mostly dramatic poses and the proper way to flourish a mantle.
Since I couldn't help him there, I just shared a quiet toast with the Round-faced Fox. The food was decent, though it felt like there were a lot of vegetables. Perhaps they grew them alongside the herbs. Regardless, I ate my fill.
Then the singing started. It was a grand chorus, a solemn hymn that sounded like something you'd hear in a great temple. The lyrics, however, were all about praising the darkness. That was fine by me. The Korin religion doesn't reject other faiths as long as they don't cause trouble for people. They didn't need to worry about offending me.
I just wish they’d left the lights on. They’d doused them the moment the singing started. The vampires and the Round-faced Fox seemed fine, but it was a bit too dark for my human eyes.
While Alfred was busy, I spoke with the Round-faced Fox. Our meeting had seemed like a coincidence, but I wondered if he was actually Alfred's escort.
"Hahaha... I’m no match for you," he replied when I asked.
"So you are?" I pressed.
"I wouldn't call myself an escort, exactly. I was dispatched to provide assistance—to help Master Alfred if he ever finds himself in a bind."
"Was that ordered by Alfred's father?"
"No, no. The Village Head doesn't know. We're doing this of our own volition."
I didn't know who "we" meant, but I decided not to pry. He also mentioned that others had been sent as actual escorts. I promised to keep it quiet.
"Thank you," he said.
"By the way," I said, "you can travel to Alfred’s home, right?"
"Yes."
"And quickly?"
"Faster than a horse or a ship, certainly. What do you need?"
I explained that Alfred was struggling to keep our party supplied with high-quality ingredients.
"Ah—is what he brought not enough?"
"No. He brings a fair amount, but between the princes and the guards, it disappears in the blink of an eye."
"I understand. We'll handle it on our end."
"I appreciate it. I'm counting on you."
He asked about the quantities, and I told him I'd prefer if the price stayed reasonable. He laughed.
"Well, we can't exactly hide this from Master Alfred, so I'll consult with him on the price and volume. Don't worry. I'll make it look like I'm the one pitching the sale to him."
That worked. I asked him to make it seem like he’d realized the need during our chat.
"Understood. I look forward to our continued partnership."
"Likewise," I said.
Once the banquet was over, we used the Silver Fox path to return to the border town in record time. The princes and the noble ladies were still there. It turned out they’d been busy handling the paperwork for the Adventurer Guild we’d dismantled.
I thought we’d just broken the physical building, but the investigation had revealed massive, systematic fraud. Almost everyone involved had been arrested, leaving the guild in total paralysis. Since a sudden closure of a major branch would cause a crisis, the royals were filling in until reinforcements from the capital arrived.
They were certainly working hard. We were about to head off ahead of them when the princes' escort caught me.
"Please help us! I beg of you!" they cried.
The princes themselves were there too, bowing their heads and abandoning every shred of royal pride. It reminded me of the humble Wyvern from before. But I didn't know the first thing about guild administration! I told them as much, but the noble ladies just sighed.
"Do you really think the princes know how to do it either?" they muttered.
...I helped. I worked until the relief team arrived. Alfred took over the cooking, and honestly, I think his food was the only reason we survived the ordeal.
Summary of the Off-screen Conversation
Mikel: "We're out of ingredients." Round-faced Fox: "I see. But as for Master Alfred..." Mikel: "Right, preparing everything in advance might not be the best idea." Round-faced Fox: "He wouldn't learn anything that way. I'll make sure to bring it up naturally from my side." Mikel: "Thanks. I'm counting on you." Round-faced Fox: "Of course. Though in exchange..." Mikel: "I know. I'll cooperate with your plans as much as I can." Round-faced Fox: "Only 'as much as you can'?" Mikel: "That's right. I'm not doing the impossible." Round-faced Fox: "...You're a tough negotiator." Mikel: "Isn't that the kind of person you want on your side?" Round-faced Fox: "Fair enough. I look forward to working with you." Mikel: "The feeling is mutual."