It was almost sundown by the time we had acquired the number of horned rabbits for the quest. We hastened our return to the guild to submit our completed task and report the encounter with the Aptonian soldiers.
The receptionist's expression grew serious upon hearing our account, though she refrained from causing a commotion. We were instructed to return the following morning to have our guild cards updated.
With our first earnings in this world, Ness insisted on indulging in a lavish dinner to celebrate.
The next morning, we arrived at the adventurer's guild and were greeted by Valin, who guided us to a private room that appeared to be the guildmaster's office.
We were welcomed by a strikingly beautiful young woman with long pink hair, a rapier hanging from her hip.
"Is she the guildmaster's secretary?" I wondered.
"Greetings, my name is Belisama. Thank you for coming, Egil, Ness, and...Elag. Please, have a seat," she said, gesturing toward the chairs before us.
"Elag?" I mused inwardly. "Couldn't he come up with a better fake name?"
Despite the distinct timbre of Gale's voice and the outrageous sight of him clad in full armor, no one seemed to suspect him for who he truly was.
We took our seats on the couch facing the guildmaster's desk, with Belisama settling behind it.
"Wait, is she the guildmaster?" I pondered.
She retrieved something from her drawer and handed it to us - our identification cards.
"Congratulations on your promotion," she announced.
"Normally, the receptionist would handle this, but I'd like to discuss a few matters with you three," she added.
Belisama proceeded to inquire about the incident we had reported, where we encountered soldiers from the Apton Empire.
"While difficult to believe, this is valuable information," she remarked.
"If that's all, Bel, then we'll be on our way," Gale interjected, seeming eager to depart as swiftly as possible. As he reached for the door handle, Belisama addressed him directly.
"Oh, is that how you treat an old acquaintance, Elag? Or should I say, General Gale?"
"I-I'm not sure what you're talking about, Guildmaster. My name is Elag," he insisted.
"Drop the act, you idiot of a general," Belisama retorted, struggling to maintain her composure. "You may have hidden your face, but you're the only person I know who's missing an arm and has the gall to call me 'Bel'!"
I had suspected his cover would eventually be blown, but I didn't expect him to be acquainted with the guildmaster herself.
Gale seemed to lose his cool. He slowly turned back toward Belisama, his gaze burning with intensity.
"Call me an idiot again, you old hag pretending to be a young lady!"
Gale had struck a nerve, and we could see veins protruding from Belisama as they launched into a heated exchange, hurling insults at one another while Ness and I stared blankly, attempting to ignore the ruckus unfolding before us.
Based on the words traded between them, it became evident that they had once been lovers. Gale had desired Belisama to embrace the role of a housewife while he served as a soldier, but she couldn't resist the call of the adventurer's life, ultimately leading them to part ways.
Once they had vented their frustrations, Gale and Belisama returned to their seats.
Gale revealed that Belisama's youthful appearance was due to an illusion spell, though she was much older in reality.
"Haa... I can't believe someone managed to coax you out of the hole you've been hiding in," Belisama remarked to Gale.
"We have our reasons," he replied solemnly.
Belisama's expression softened into a sad smile, as if she understood the weight behind his words.
"I hope whatever reason compelled you to resurface into the world is truly worth it."
After a moment, she retrieved a piece of parchment from her desk and handed it to us.
"Here, it's an extermination request from Aunahver. This is the best I can help you three."
"Aunahver? That's a coastal city within the Apton Empire," Gale stated, his brow furrowing.
"Yes, you can take a ship from Hofors. The city has requested undead extermination assistance from across the continent, so there shouldn't be any issue for adventurers from this kingdom to enter the empire."
"Thank you, Guildmaster. This is precisely what we need," I said.
"I pray that I may see you three safely return here," she replied, a hint of concern clouding her features.
We nodded our appreciation to Belisama and took our leave from the guild building, setting off to prepare for our impending departure.
It took several days before we secured passage on a ship bound for Auhnaver. During the interim, we kept ourselves occupied by accepting various quests from the guild, earning some extra coin.
The vessel resembled Gale's ship from when we first met. Unsurprisingly, the passenger count was sparse due to the current strained relations between the two countries.
Aside from our group, there was only one other party of travelers aboard. From the goods they were loading, I surmised they were a merchant caravan. It seemed trade still persisted amidst the turmoil.
One of them was adorned in expensive attire, while the others appeared to be servants or employees. However, one figure stood out more prominently than any other.
He seemed to be an experienced fighter, his bulky frame clad in leather armor, and a Zweihänder – a massive two-handed sword taller than himself – sheathed diagonally across his back. He was likely the merchant's personal bodyguard.
He seemed to have taken notice of our presence as well, stealing a cursory glance in our direction, perhaps assessing whether we posed a potential threat.
The journey to our destination would take approximately a week. After a day at sea, Gale grew restless and sought permission from the captain to engage in sparring matches on the ship's deck. He seized the opportunity to gauge my skills since we had not had the chance to do so since our initial encounter. Amused by the idea, the captain granted his consent, allowing only for unarmed combat and permitting others to join if they so wished.
It was late afternoon, the waters calm and the breeze cool, when we commenced our sparring session. Some of the sailors and members of the merchant group began placing wagers on who would emerge victorious.
Although mildly embarrassing, I could use the training before our arrival in Auhnaver.
Gale and I exchanged blows, the onlookers cheering and jeering, and I could discern that most had placed their bets on Gale. He deftly avoided most of my attacks, blocking the rest with ease – a testament to the convenience afforded by his blessing.
While he managed to land a few strikes, I endured them without issue. I had expected him to be at a disadvantage with only one arm, but interestingly, this seeming handicap lent him a peculiar, difficult-to-discern stance.
As the spar progressed, the intensity of our exchanges escalated. However, I refrained from utilizing my blessing, fearing it might raise unwanted suspicion from the crowd.
Besides, the exertion provided an excellent workout.
Ultimately, I conceded defeat, much to Gale's discontent, as he knew I had been holding back. He then sought a new sparring partner from among the spectators.
His sights settled on the towering figure wielding the Zweihänder, who initially rebuffed Gale's invitation until the merchant group coaxed him into accepting the challenge.
Without sparing Gale a glance, the imposing warrior strode to the center of the deck.
The crowd roared as the two faced off, the collective wagers overwhelmingly favoring the swordsman – a fact that seemed to irk Gale.
Gale rushed in, seeking a swift conclusion. I fully expected him to emerge victorious, and even if the swordsman attempted to counter, Gale's blessing would surely alert him, allowing him to evade the strike. However, events unfolded quite differently.
The punch to Gale's stomach was delivered with such blinding speed that he couldn't even process it, collapsing to the deck in a crumpled heap, clutching his midsection.
A stunned silence fell over the onlookers, who had anticipated a more protracted bout, before erupting into raucous cheers moments later.
Then, the swordsman's gaze settled upon me. I couldn't discern whether he sought to challenge me next or if he was merely assessing whether I posed a threat worth retaliating against.
While I harbored no such intentions, witnessing Gale's ignominious defeat left a bitter taste.
I went to Gale's aid, helping him up from the deck and guiding him aside, before turning to face the man who had so thoroughly bested him.
"Why did you have to go that far? This was merely a sparring match," I challenged him.
His expression remained impassive, a stoic visage devoid of any discernible emotion. "I had expected more of a fight from one wearing full armor," he replied flatly.
His gaze then settled upon me. "And what of you? Would you be capable of providing a worthier challenge?"
"Very well," I stated, squaring my stance.