Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Blue sky and white clouds, wind was cool and sunlight was warm. It was such a day that feeling became excited just by that.

Rickart packed money and dagger, and wrapped red cloak around. And followed Bolka left the dorm.

Bolka looked good in mood wondering what happened. When Bori-bori smiled brightly, it really felt like seeing sunlight of spring day, and along with him Rickart's mood also became good.

By the way didn't know when coming up, but felt a little scary feeling when going down the sheer rocky mountain.

Because there was no railing or such for safety, and narrow stairs had irregular height so if doing wrong could miss footing.

Since it was high place wind also blew much so Rickart's cloak fluttered repeatedly along with hair.

"Accident will occur, here."

Rickart said.

"There are kids jumping off on purpose too."

Bolka going ahead said as if nothing special. Meant ending life by oneself.

"Uh?"

"Cliff of Heaven. In past there were often. Kids jumping off on purpose."

"......Recently?"

"Seem didn't see recently. About 3 months?"

"......"

Rickart had nothing to say. Heart ached. Wanted to express condolences to children who passed away, but didn't know face, nor name.

But Bolka asked just indifferently whether kids jumping off from cliff is not that special matter.

"Takes 6 hours to go. What will do? Will stay a night in city, or stay briefly then come again? But if coming today I can't go together. I also have business."

Meant takes 12 hours to go and come. Since now is morning time, meant really can't stay long in city if returning to Academy dorm on the day.

Rickart thought deeply about what to do, then recalled words eldest brother Grout said when young.

Such day isn't for making plans or such.

Rickart looked at blue sky where white clouds were floating. Sending emotion became heavy briefly on wind said.

"Thinking after going well."

"Okay. Said you have some money right?"

"Yeah."

"In city money is King and Emperor. If have money nothing to worry."

"Would be seed of misfortune too."

"Haha, that is so but who would touch you?"

Bolka didn't worry about personal safety knowing Rickart's skill. Actually if just such brat, wouldn't have gone to city together like now. Unless introducing work.

By the way coming down from rocky mountain, looking at field unfolded endlessly was truly spectacular.

Since time was also appropriate spring flowers were blooming colorfully embroidering green field. Full spring landed gently on field, and stairs looked like stairs going down to heaven.

Since said children often ended life by themselves in past, didn't look just beautifully. No, is it more beautiful? No, it must be beautiful.

Finally coming down all, single road stretched to city existed straight. Road made only by human steps not paved, seemed stimulating sensibility more rather.

Bori-bori ran ahead alone excited, shouted pointing surroundings.

"Milkwort! Narcissus! Lily of the valley! Bellflower!"

Bori-bori shouted calling names of grass, flower on field one by one. Shouted continuously. Endlessly.

Listening occurred thought those seen in hometown also bad names all separately.

"Are you memorizing such things?"

But whether listening was boring Bolka frowned and said.

"But if not looking even though this pretty sad right."

"Really? Is this pretty even doing like this? Eroi!"

Bolka trampled one yellow Narcissus. Bori-bori made a face and shut mouth, and Rickart just laughed.

Still Rickart approached sullen Bori-bori and touched shoulder talked.

"Will grow again. Flower falls doesn't mean life ended."

"Yeah......"

"Don't know Ricky but you should wake up a bit. Will you just bury going along because made friend luckily? What will you do after 2 years pass?"

Bolka criticized Bori-bori sharply. However, need not say up to that extent but saying daringly, might be proof starting to care a little.

"Still have to walk 6 hours so listening to flower names isn't that bad."

Rickart defended Bori-bori with effort. Honestly himself also didn't understand why memorizing such things though.

Bolka said humph, as if not liking.

Bori-bori was child whom childlike innocence was buried best among three. Even though 2 years older than Rickart.

"What flower is that?"

Rickart asked so sullen Bori-bori gains energy again.

"Violet."

"That small one?"

"Trigonotis peduncularis."

"Wow, you really know everything. Heard there are flower languages too, can you tell?"

At word asking can tell flower language Bori-bori's eyes started to revive.

"Say Violet because blooms around time swallow left far during winter returns again. Flower language is eternal friendship."

"Really?"

Rickart picked three purple Violets. And giving one to Bori-bori said.

"If doing like this are friends eternally?"

"......Hehehe."

Bori-bori laughed shuffling received flower put in ear.

"Bolka receive one too."

"You doing on purpose right?"

"What?"

"To bully me."

"What sound. Didn't hear? Say flower language is eternal friendship."

"Such thing is doing usually done by girls."

"So won't receive?"

"I don't believe such thing."

Bolka took one as if snatching unlike words. Rickart laughed. Bori-bori whose spirit revived again told stories entangled with flowers.

Sad story of innocent virgin, story flower bloomed in place brave knight shed blood, flower angel came down and delivered etc.

Whether real or not, believe or not thanks to that road going to city wasn't boring.

Wind blew. Sound of flowers and grasses on field swept by wind was like sound of waves.

Whoosh......

Beringen didn't have boundary of city separately. Below hill that is. From some moment farmland appeared instead of field, and scenery cows grazing grass entered eyes.

Castle located on hill over there was seen. And population was dense as getting closer to that castle.

Bolka pointed here and there with hand and said.

"Here is East District. Here many from Guild and Academy exist so better at least, North and West better not to go. North Nordic immigrants reside you know? They have their own custom. If blabbering mouth recklessly there head splits by axe so know that, West is residents lived here from old days. Look upon us badly."

"South?"

Rickart asked.

"Just hodgepodge. There are people coming from inside Empire. Among them bad quality bastards exist too. So staying quietly only in East District is safe side, this is it. Let's go to Headquarters for now."

Rickart and Bori-bori followed Bolka. Time was afternoon few hours left until sunset.

Headquarters was big and purely looking building. 2nd floor was bigger than 1st floor, and there was cloud bridge connected with other building.

There was parking space separately to park carriage, and five were parked. Horses worked hard coming took off heavy harness and ate fodder drank water in stable.

Since Rickart visited Branch not Branch, occurred thought Headquarters has building separately though.

"Real Headquarters is inside castle. Here is not Headquarters strictly speaking, but people just call all Headquarters."

Meant space where many businesses are processed practically. Real Headquarters inside castle has so-called high people, and just delivered if there were instruction items.

"You guys probably can't enter yet, might be possible since there is person I know. And if entering don't open mouth recklessly. Case atmosphere is fucking common."

"Why?"

"Why what why. Because people died."

"Ah."

Real start was from spending 2 years in Academy. At that time people died most. But among them divided into High Rank, Mid Rank, Low Rank again.

Among 200 students combining men and women, students challenging adventurer didn't reach 50. Because it was that difficult and dangerous work. Some ran away, and most just looked for other work.

Bolka entered inside building, and Rickart and Bori-bori stood sticking two and watched surroundings.

People wearing weapon on waist wandered. Seemed their life was revealed in shaded expression and eyes.

If they are adventurers, or in middle of preparing adventurer meant all people graduated Academy.

Meant seniors, good energy wasn't felt from them. Unlike this bright weather, looked depressed and hard.

And people wandering more than them were merchants. Requesting to Guild is possible for anyone, but main customer layer was merchants most after all.

Received item or not, lord of which region started to receive toll, these days what gang acts violently, where item is cheap and where item is expensive, such conversations carried on wind heard occasionally.

Then Bolka who entered inside came out again.

"Looking around briefly is allowed. Should stay quietly. Don't wander uselessly."

"Yeah."

Rickart finally entered Guild Headquarters.

Inside was no different from ordinary pub, if allowed something different wanted posters handling on wall.

Posters were so many, didn't stick neatly case stuck in state overlapping several sheets thickly existed too.

But Bori-bori who entered inside saw person sitting at certain bar and surprised startle trembled body. None other than the one hit himself and poured water on first day.

He was in middle of sharing talk with bartender wearing sword on waist. By the way bartender saw Rickart and Bori-bori whom Bolka brought and pretended to know.

"Ah, these kids? You guys should eat a lot and grow a lot. Stay comfortably and go. Alcohol no. If knowing alcohol before age fills person ruins."

Seemed passably decent well-wishing remark. Not well-wishing remark? Anyway, as bartender talked to Bolka party, man talking with him also threw gaze this way naturally.

By the way, he met eyes with Rickart then surprised startle and flustered.

"Uh? Uh uh."

"Hello."

Rickart offered greeting.

"Ah, ah, yes. That, is dorm bearable to stay?"

"Yes. Was okay?"

"Ah...... Yes......"

As he who is from Academy and one of competent adventurers didn't know what to do, Bolka and Bori-bori, bartender even eyes became round.

Bolka and Bori-bori didn't know reason so bewildered almost out of mind.

Reason senior adventurer flustered seeing Rickart was none other than because Rickart was from noble.

Rickart also came to see that person on first day like Bori-bori, showing admission letter started to fluster noticeably from then.

Rickart saw that reaction thought shouldn't reveal being noble to stay comfortably in Academy, just said nickname like name and went around.

From senior standpoint ambiguous to treat as noble, and couldn't treat carelessly either, so he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable and difficult about Rickart.

Not first son, but legitimate son. Meant pure noble. And bastards felt difficult about legitimate son by birth. He was also, from bastard.

"I, I will go to see work again. Will go."

He left seat hurriedly leaving alcohol eating just like that. Especially greeted politely towards Rickart at last.

Then Bolka and Bori-bori stared at Rickart. Eyes seemed demanding explanation.

Rickart shrugged shoulders and just prevaricated.

"Didn't hit."

Even if fighting well, beat senior? Industry where so-called skill is best thing so senior or whatever if weak lose, but still became adventurer meant skill different in dimension.

But bartender had surprised eyes, soon expression loosened as if understood. Actually heard noble comes to Academy, realized must be boy in front of eyes.

Bartender was somewhat relaxed unlike him who left seat. Since bartender dealing with various people, seemed quick-witted.

Whether noticed Rickart didn't want to reveal being noble too, he changed topic quickly.

"Seems Loch mind goes to and fro a bit since drank alcohol. Saw right? Thing like alcohol isn't very good either. By the way Bolka you heard rumor?"

"Yes? Which one?"

"You know Loch right?"

"Ah...... Yes."

Loch didn't have good rumor among adventurers. Skill is useful, but rumor existed committing crime knowingly or unknowingly.

Moreover person itself like thug so not many people liked.

Adventurer isn't honorable like knight, but not completely immoral like bandits either. There is line keeping in own way, Loch was famous in this floor for riding that line thrillingly.

"Heard hole occurred in his chin. Even tongue pierced so can't eat food properly say."

Bartender said imitating poking skin below chin with own finger.

"Why? How? Didn't say that person's skill is quite decent?"

"Seems became like that touching woman of Blatter Clan. So should be humble in this floor. Skill isn't everything. Watch well. That bastard will die sooner or later. Should have bought grudge one or two places. Stupid."

Whether hated quite a bit even though belonging to same guild bartender almost poured curse. No, might be insight not curse.

"What is Clan?"

Rickart asked. Wondered from before, had no opportunity to hear explanation particularly. Bartender wiped cup with towel said.

"Clan means gathered among like-minded people inside guild. Good if skill is excellent, but should be able to trust first than that. So Academy life is important. Kids gathered from that time keep gathering later too. Kids know best. Who has good skill, who is trustworthy."

Meaning seemed Guild is aggregate of Clans. Two words aren't upper and lower concept, but realistically seemed so.

Guild gave work to Clan, gave instruction, above all provided legality. Through connection link with Emperor. That was most important.

"Uncle also from Academy?"

Rickart didn't sit on chair leaned on bar raising arm asked. Height of bar came up to chest.

"Uncle? Me? Hahaha, sorry but I am not from Academy. Just was adventurer. Speaking of which should say was Fixer belonging to Guild. Now retired Fixer and doing this work, but still belong to Guild. Providing warm sleeping place to tired adventurers. And sometimes propagate instruction items of Guild."

"What is Fixer?"

"Fixer is Fixer. Person 'Seeing work'."

"Do you imply what is that."

"In this floor 'Seeing work' is, making client obtain desired result regardless of means and methods."

"Uh...... Is it a bit scary word?"

"Could be, might not be."

"I see. But perhaps is there room 3 people can stay for a day?"

Rickart took out money bag from bosom asked. But bartender shook head.

"Since first visit, will provide for free for a day. Have that much discretion. Go up and use right last room."

"Thank you. But what is Uncle's name? I am Ricky."

"......Better than called Uncle right. I am Dunkel."

"Is it real name?"

Then Dunkel smiled slyly put down cup wiping, and thrust head to Rickart said quietly not to be heard by other people.

"Is Young Lord real name?"

Bartender calling himself Dunkel, had brown hair and beard arranged well so clean impression. And sharp dagger-like spirit was hidden in plain eyes. Was seen in Rickart's eyes.

Rickart also just laughed without words. And looking back at two friends asked.

"Let's unpack luggage first and look around. How is it?"

But Bolka and Bori-bori two people were staring at Rickart blankly with completely lost mind expression.

"Why so?"

"......Uh? Uh, no. Right, let's do so."

Bolka recovered spirit suddenly said. Strange. Not place giving such consideration because first day. Actually place completely not matching with consideration.

Bori-bori lost words at Rickart treating scary people indifferently.

Two people followed Rickart went up stairs with bewildered feeling.

Silence visited hall, and here and there on table only adventurers sleeping on stomach, or sipping alcohol with depressed mood existed.

Then one woman approached Dunkel.

"How is it?"

"Personality seems plain."

"No. Not that."

"Mana wasn't felt."

"Then is Loch cripple, or learned family secret swordsmanship at least."

Actually people worthy to know knew all that Rickart defeated Loch. So from time coming to Academy, Guild was caring knowingly or unknowingly.

"Would be both."

"Hmm...... So. Will test?"

Dunkel took out alcohol poured in cup wiping until a while ago, extending to woman shook head.

"No. That isn't work we do. Work Academy does."