In a luxurious but normal office by this world's standards in the Fuhuren guild branch, sat Ken and his party in a long but soft couch that brought a comforting smile on their faces, when they compare to the days of rocky and hard carriage rides.
Sitting across them sat a sharp eyed male in the latter half of his thirties, with blonde hair that was made into a swept back hairstyle, and Todd,– the head secretary who received the letter— who stands attentively behind.
"Nice to meet you, I am Ilwa Chang, the head of the Adventurer's Guild — Fuhuren branch. Kenshiro-kun, Tsuki-san, Riveria-san and Shia-san… … is it okay to call you that?"
After a simple introduction, the branch head; Ilwa confirmed the names of Ken and his party and requested a handshake. Ken returned the handshake while replying to him.
"Aah, we don't mind. Our names, is it from the letter?"
"Just as you said. It was written in sensei's letter. She seems to favor… … paid you a lot of attention. Your future is promising, but because you have a predisposition for trouble, if possible she wants us to take care of you, is the letter's content."
"Predisposition for trouble… … Huh. Trouble certainly continued to happen in Brook. Well, that's okay. So, essentially will that serve as our identification? Or are there other questions?"
"Aa, Sensei already wrote everything here so there's no need to question you further. She certainly has the eyes to discern people's characters. She even purposely wrote this letter, so I'll let this letter be your identification."
Apparently, Catherine's letter was really useful and let them meet the one who managed the guild. He seems to have close ties with Catherine, to have even called her "sensei". Shia, who sat next to Ken, had been especially helped by Catherine, so she was interested in the story and timidly asked to Ilwa.
Ilwa was more than happy to go down memory lane with them to the days where Catherine was a beautiful and intellectual woman. She had trained more than half of the current guild figure heads in the human kingdom. Time being always cruel made her the way she looked now after a years in marriage and living in the countryside.
After a few seconds looking at the picture of the old times, Todd brought him back to reality and gave him a paper.
"So *clears throat*... according to this report from the witnesses, your elf slave singlehandedly trashed Leganid after they attacked first, correct?" (Ilwa)
"Hmph" (Riveria)
"If you've gotten that, then it means we shouldn't be here after our identifies isn't a problem, right?" (Ken)
"No, it's guild regulations to get the statements of both sides to–" (Ilwa)
"Let me stop you right there, everything is already settled as far as am aware. So tell us what you need from us and we will tell our conditions" (Ken)
"... ...I guess it's really easier to talk to smart men. Todd!" (Ken)
"Yes". Todd steps forward from behind and places a piece of paper on the table in-between them. "It's this one, sir"
"A guild quest form, eh"
"Yes, a sort of search and rescue mission..." Ilwa pushes the form towards them and explains the details of the quest including the primary target and the last known location which is known as a danger zone with the highest recorded monster population. Ken wanted to discuss with his party but they declare to follow his lead as always.
"We've gotten the gist of it and we accept. All we want is a new Status Cards with whatever it displays unknown to even you and support and connections of the guild. The details will be further discussed after the quest is complete, deal?" (Ken)
"... ...the first condition can be arranged but for the second... Am asking to be safe... what do you need it for?"
"We travel alot, so to be in this situation all the time can wear anyone down, we aren't trouble seekers doesn't mean we shy from it and... ... IF we come in conflict with the church, we want the guild to stay neutral. That's it~"
"You're speaking with little to no seriousness than it calls for but... I see no problem with it"
"But sir!" "It's okay, Todd"
"Nice working with you. We'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon after gathering supplies "
After finishing the refreshments given, Ken and his party leaves with a map for the quest location Todd provided. Todd voices out his doubt about the situation immediately he could no longer hear their steps.
Ilwa provides his theory of Ken and Nagumo mentioned in the letter being the fallen heroes and that they've been enlightened to a knowledge that the church might not approve. Seeing the frown on Todd's face, Ilwa highlights the 'neutral' in Ken's condition which holds no harm to the guild but Todd being his secretary advices him of his limits.
_______
In the middle of the vast plain was a highway stretching far to the North. Although it was called a highway, it was actually just ground without weeds since it had been treaded on so many times, thus it naturally became a road. Since there's no such thing as a suspension in carriages of this world, the carriage crew would surely have sore butts by the time they reached their destination.
Suddenly, a shadow ran through the uneven road at an unbelievable speed. On its black body with glowing orange color were four wheels advancing forward on the uneven road, carrying an unknown number of people if viewed from the outside but were four.
They are Ken, Yue, Shia and Riveria. They moved on the highway at a speed incomparable to the time when they were at the bottom of the Raisen Grand Canyon. It might be more than 100km/h. Because there was nothing to obstruct his magic, the light runner's original specs could be displayed. Their seating order was just as usual: Yue to Ken's left, and Shia with Riveria at the back.
"We'll be at the- hm?... Is she asleep?" (Ken)
"... ...it will appear so. Sleepy-head Shea" (Yue)
"Tsk tsk... It looks like the runner is too comfortable for her to be sleeping in just a days journey to our quest location"
Just as Ken had said, Ken and his party were going to a town only one day away; the town closest to the northern mountain range area where the target's party undertook the investigation request. They had advanced as is without taking a break, so they would probably arrive at sunset and start searching after a night's stay in town. The reason they were in a hurry was, of course, the fact that as more time passed, the target's party's odds of survival decreased. But because Ken was being anxious for another person's sake, Yue was glancing upward with doubt on her face.
Len let out a wry smile when he saw Yue adorably tilted her neck to look at his face.
"… … Anxious?"
"Ah, it's better if he's alive. If it's like that, he will truly be grateful. After all, problems from the Kingdom and Church are waiting ahead of us. So, isn't it better to have a support and not more enemies? I don't want to be cornered, after all."
'This is a parallel timeline which things change for good or worse, after all'
"… … I see."
They managed to arrive at sunset as planned and decided to eat and rest before the search. The town was near a large lake which made the sunset appear more beautiful than it already is and Ken took the advantage of romancing this moment by standing in-between Yue and Shea with their arms linked.
After the sightseeing, Ken with a smile led his party into an inn at the recommendation of a local. Yue finding his expression peculiar asks Ken while they walk through the inn.
"...what's the occasion for such a bright smile"
"Oh this?, well this town apparently grows rice which was a mainstay dish in my country "
'I know about it from the anime but I'm strangely excited now that am here...'
"Hey, stop ignoring me while in your own world!"
"What're you babbling about for"
"...I can now call you Ken instead of Kenshiro and Tsuki, Yue but why are you allowing Riveria to maintain the status quo, it feels weird "
"So what do you want from me–"
"... Kenshiro-kun, is that really you?" (???)
"Hm?... ... Aiko-sensei?... it's been a while "
Ken knowing these events calmly response to his teacher's astonished question but he's in for a big surprise as Aiko counters more aggressively than he anticipated which draws a massive attention to them.