Water Magician

While Ryo was having an enjoyable time at the North Library, the lecture room on the third floor of the Adventurer’s Guild was in turmoil.

“I’m not convinced! Why must we let them push us around!?”

“What honor do they have to hire us after robbing us of our food?”

“Isn’t the dungeon after the Great Tidal Bore connected to another world? I don’t want to go to such a place.”

“The country’s intention? We are not slaves to the country!”

“They can enter on their own. It’s none of our business.”

“But honestly, I’m grateful for the money coming in …”

The last opinion was a really faint, quiet voice … and he couldn’t voice it to the end because he was glared at by the adventurers around him.

The tumultuous discussion place had instead turned into a place for the adventurers to express their dissatisfaction.

The research team’s requisition of food in the morning from the guild cafeteria was known to most adventurers. Such information spread swiftly.

With that information, 90% of the people were in a state of 『Anti-investigation team』.

Even Hugh, who called for the gathering as Guild Master, painfully understood the adventurers’ feelings.

Moreover, he understood that he would not receive a favorable reply if he asked them to cooperate with the dungeon investigation of the investigation team that robbed them of food.

However, being in his position, he must tell them what had been decided.

“I understand everyone’s feelings. Yes, I tru~ly understand it. So, helping the research team will just be a request. If you don’t agree with the request contents, you don’t have to accept it. Isn’t that the major premise as an adventurer?”

To be honest, Hugh was still opposed to letting his precious adventurers dive into the dungeons during this period.

Moreover, they would be diving together with the idiotic scholars.

They are the ones who assert that the investigation is more important than the lives of their peers, and in some cases, their own.

To be honest, he thought it was best if they left with nothing after a month.

“Needless to say, adventurers are responsible for their own lives. Do not promise anything as long as you and the party’s lives are at stake.”

Many adventurers nodded when they heard that.

“But I will say this now. I will not allow adventurers to treat the ones who accept the request as traitors. Am I clear!?”

It was obvious that the adventurers who received the request would be talked about badly by the adventurers who refused the request.

That was why Hugh stressed that point.

And a voice came up that would make that point doubly sure.

“Guilmas, I have something to say to everyone, is that okay?”

It was Abel who raised his hand.

“Abel? Okay.”

“We, Crimson Sword, will dive into the dungeon as escort for the Court Magic Group.”

The adventurers buzzed as they understood the meaning of that claim.

“It is at the request of an old friend so there is no option to decline. Even though the Court Magic Group mainly came to conduct an investigation, they still hold the greatest combat force in the investigation team. They are those who appear on battlefields after all. That’s why I believe they will probably descend the dungeon the quickest. We will send information to the guild whenever possible, so please make use of it effectively. That’s all.”

(As expected of Abel. With this, the people who accept the request would not be talked badly of.)

Hugh was impressed with Abel’s disclosure of information at the right time.

He also knew that the information coming from the Crimson Sword would be very useful in the future.

“The dungeon will be unsealed at 7 o’clock tomorrow morning. Information will be posted on the guild bulletin board at any time, so please read it yourself. That’s all. Dismissed.”

Hugh, who returned to the Guild Master’s office, called for the receptionist Nina.

“Nina, tomorrow I’ll explain to the E and F-rank guys. Arrange for them to come to the lecture room at 9 o’clock.”

“Yes, understood. Will you be permitting the E and F-rank to dive into the dungeon?”

“No, that’s not it. I’m just going to remind them that they should only consider it after a month has passed.”

That evening, Ryo was sitting on the sofa at the guild reception.

It was about time for the three from Room 10 to return from the abandoned mine in the village of Rusei, west of Rune.

It would take them an estimate of half a day to travel one way, half a day to dig up magic copper ore, and half a day to return.

A woman called out to Ryo. It was the receptionist Nina.

“Ryo-san. Niles and his group are coming back today, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Even though it was a request that did not go through the guild, Nina knew their return schedule.

“Tomorrow, at 9 o’clock, the Guild Master will explain about the dungeon to the E and F-rank parties, so could you tell them to come to the lecture room at that time?”

“Okay. I’ll let them know.”

Ryo nodded. But it didn’t end there.

“Ryo-san didn’t participate in today’s discussion, right?”

“Discussion?”

“Yes, there was an explanation about the dungeon to the D-rank and above party leaders today …”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know …”

He felt like he was being scolded.

“It’s okay, cases like these happen once in a while. Ryo-san is a D-rank, but it hasn’t been so long since you registered as an adventurer so I think you can attend the talk tomorrow with Niles and his group.”

“Okay. I will attend too.”

“Thank you.”

Then Nina smiled and returned to the reception.

It wasn’t long before the three from Room 10 returned to the guild in exhaustion.

“Niles, Etho, Amon, Welcome back.”

The three were exhausted, but they were filled with a sense of accomplishment.

“Ryo, we did it!”

Niles exclaimed and was about to collapse, but Ryo didn’t allow it.

“Niles, the expedition lasts until you return to your room.”

He said and led the three to Room 10.

Upon arriving at the room, the three literally fell into bed.

Etho and Amon are in a state where they could not speak a word after they arrived.

For the time being, Ryo poured refreshing water in three cups and handed it to them.

And he waited slowly for the three to drink.

“Phew, that’s delicious. Alright, Etho and Amon are too tired to talk, so I’ll report.”

Then Niles took out two fist-sized magic copper ores from his bag.

“These are the requested items, magic copper ores. We were lucky enough to get two fist-sized ones.”

“Oh, this is amazing!”

Ryo took turns looking at the two and confirmed that they were magic copper ores.

“That’s why as for the reward … I was wondering if you could add something a little extra because there are two … of course, as roommates and fellow adventurers, I don’t want to ask for too much …”

“Of course. You guys worked harder than expected and achieved better results than expected, so there should be additional rewards. Well, taking into account various expenses, how about these two for 900,000 Florin? Each person will get 300,000 Florin.”

“3-300,000 per person … 30 gold coins …”

Niles voiced it out in surprise while the other two were so tired that they couldn’t make a sound but still sported looks of surprise.

“No? As expected, any higher …”

“No, of course, it’s ok. It’s ok, right, Etho and Amon.”

Etho and Amon nodded many times to Niles’ question.

“Good, negotiations have been concluded. After this, I will go to the guild and transfer 300,000 Florin from my account to each of your accounts, so please check. Thank you very much for your hard work.”

Then Ryo stood up and bowed properly to the three.

At such times, it was important to be courteous even while you are close.

“No, you gave us the chance to make money … so we should be the ones who are grateful.”

Niles also bowed back. While seated. He didn’t have the physical strength to stand up.

“Oh yeah, I have something to tell the three of you.”

Ryo said as if he just remembered when the three finally recovered from exhaustion a little and were able to sit up from the bed.

“The dungeon will be unsealed from tomorrow.”

“What!?”

That would be surprising.

After all, there was an announcement before they left that it would be closed for at least a month.

It had only been two days since then but now it was going to be unsealed …

“However, this is a measure for the academic research team who came from the royal capital to investigate the Great Tidal Bore to enter the dungeon, and basically only adventurers hired by the research team can enter to escort them. And this is for D-rank and above parties.”

“Academic research team … so such a group came over …”

Etho muttered when he was finally able to make a sound.

“If it is for D-rank and above, it’s not for us.”

“It can’t be helped, isn’t it?”

Niles was disappointed and Amon found it unavoidable.

“And it seemed that there was an explanation for the D-rank and above parties today, but for the E-rank and F-rank parties, there will be an explanation at 9 o’clock tomorrow, so I was told to pass the message to you all to be present in the lecture room then. I didn’t know there was a meeting today, so I was told to join tomorrow too.”

Ryo said with a bitter smile.

“Didn’t attend … what was Ryo doing? …”

“I was researching in the library all that time.”

Ryo smiled, thinking of the time he spent in the library.

“Somehow, that feels so refined …”

“This is the difference between D-rank and F-rank …”

Niles and Amon said while sounding a little tired.

Etho sniggered while watching these three people.

That was the usual Room 10.