"…I see. That must have been rough."
In a room in the library, it was just Clara and me.
The place seemed to be unpopular—few people ever visited.
Part of it was that the books there were aimed at children, but children rarely came to the library in the first place, which probably contributed to the low foot traffic.
Aramsass was known as an academic city, and books sold in large numbers as a result. Picture books, in particular, were relatively easy to come by.
I'd come to this room, finished reading dozens of picture books, and then tried striking up a conversation with Clara.
The topic was about living in an acquaintance's mansion, and how there had been so many problems that I'd ended up fighting with one of my companions.
One reason I'd come to the picture book room was that Clara happened to be here. At the same time, I was curious about picture books I'd never read before.
Some caught my eye, while others were stories I already knew.
I reached for the pile of picture books stacked on the table.
We kept talking as we read.
"That's the thing. Aria laughed her head off first, but somehow the blame ended up on me… And our coordination has gotten worse than before, too."
As I grumbled while reading, Clara answered in the same manner, reading her own book.
"Based on what you've told me, it sounds like she's conscious of you? I have no experience with romance myself, but I know of similar cases in books."
"Books and reality aren't that different?"
"Some are based on real facts. And more importantly, from what you've told me, she doesn't seem to hate you. If she truly hated you, she'd be obviously hostile. She'd either treat you as if you didn't exist, or act like she couldn't stand being near you. That's what the books say, anyway."
She seemed overly reliant on book knowledge, but I was hardly one to judge, so I let it go.
"Maybe before I came to Aramsass? Somewhere around then, I started losing my grasp on the distance between us. She used to treat me the same way before, but lately she gets angry so quickly."
I set down the finished book and picked up the next one.
"…Could that have been the trigger? Did you do something that caught her attention?"
"Not that I can think of…"
When I couldn't remember, a sighing voice came from the Jewel.
The Fourth Generation said one line:
*'The moon was shining.'*
Hearing that, I remembered. Come to think of it, Aria had been acting a little strange that time.
"…The moon was shining. I did say that. A beautiful moon was out, and when I murmured about it, Aria started acting weird."
Clara looked at me with sleepy eyes.
Noticing her gaze, I looked back at Clara.
"What?"
Clara glanced once at the picture book I'd been reading, then looked back at my face.
"…You have quite a bias in your reading material. Have you ever read any romance novels?"
I tried to remember, but I had no recollection of doing so.
When I'd been living at the mansion, the books I read had been children's adventure novels, I think.
Stories about adventurers rising through the ranks, or heroes facing off against powerful enemies. Every one of them ended happily with a princess or a lover.
They weren't romance-focused.
"Maybe not? Well, as a guy, those kinds of books are kind of hard to pick up, you know?"
The one who agreed with me was the Third Generation.
*'Ah, I kinda get that. There are people who say it's weird for guys to read that stuff, right? Personally, I wanted to read all kinds of books so I just ignored them. So Lyle, you had that hang-up too… But actually, quite a lot of guys read them.'*
Quite a lot, huh.
Just as I was thinking it might be okay for guys to read them after all, Clara spoke up.
"There's an old romance novel that compares the moon to a woman. The ending of that story is… Actually, it would be rude to spoil it. I'll tell you the title instead—please give it a read."
"Huh? Now I'm curious, but… Would an old book be hard to get through?"
"No. Some have been rewritten in a modern style, so they're perfectly readable. In fact, most girls have read it."
Hearing that, I recalled something the Fourth Generation had said before. He'd shouted something like *'That bastard did it!'* once—could this have been what he was talking about?
Did that mean the Fourth Generation had read romance novels too?
I imagined the Fourth Generation—the one who wore glasses, was finicky about money, and served as the group leader among our ancestors—reading romance novels.
*(…Somehow it doesn't quite suit him, but also seems kinda funny.)*
Then again, considering his attitude toward women, it wouldn't be surprising if he knew a lot about that sort of thing.
"…Did I confess?"
I murmured, and Clara returned her gaze to her book.
"You did."
"I did…"
Clara and I went back to reading.
Inwardly, however, I was frantically trying to figure out how to approach Aria from now on, and the content of the books wasn't sinking in at all.
The Seventh Generation spoke:
*'What kind of conversation are you having in the picture book corner, Lyle…'*
After leaving the library, I decided to take a look at the academy that was so famous in the academic city.
Located at the heart of the city, the academy drew many young people from elsewhere.
To gain knowledge, to learn skills, for research…
What set it apart from other cities was its emphasis on education. Normally, a territory run this way shouldn't function well, but the large student population brought in money from outside.
Research results generated enormous profits, and the academic city thrived.
Of course, research funding also required enormous sums.
As I wasn't a student, I could only look from the outside—but the building itself surprised me.
In a city that felt cluttered and eclectic, the academy alone was built with an eye toward formal aesthetics.
Young men and women in uniforms could be seen chatting and reading books.
"So this is the academy… It's different from what I expected."
I'd assumed it would be a more cramped place, since it was purely for learning. Given the city's atmosphere, I'd expected something that only pursued functionality.
A similar opinion came from the Jewel.
The Second Generation:
*'It's fancier than the mansion I lived in, damn!'*
The Third Generation:
*'I'd estimated the scale from what I heard, but this exceeds expectations. It feels like they place enormous importance on the academy. The atmosphere here is completely different from the rest of the city.'*
The Fourth Generation had a different take:
*'How much did they spend building this? Feels like a waste to me.'*
The Fifth Generation:
*'Education is certainly important. Well, for the academic city, that's the whole point, so it makes sense they'd invest this much… What's the Bais territory like these days?'*
The Sixth Generation recalled his own era:
*'It's gotten larger since the Fifth Generation's time, but something on this scale is truly beyond what I…'*
And the Seventh Generation had the final word:
*'There's no point in trying to compete with the academic city. Those with the ambition to study beyond a certain level would generally aim for this place.'*
It seemed our ancestors had placed a fair amount of importance on education too.
But the academic city's commitment was on a completely different level.
*(Come to think of it, I don't really know much about the Bais territory.)*
I knew the scale from figures I'd seen in documents.
But for all that it was my birthplace, I knew shockingly little about the Bais territory.
Part of it was being confined to the mansion, and part was leaving in a hurry after being kicked out. Looking back now, I felt I'd squandered a precious opportunity.
*(I wish I could show the First Generation what the Bais territory looks like today.)*
I'd gotten a small glimpse of how our ancestors had worked to build it up and what they must have felt along the way.
It felt like an incredibly valuable experience.
While I was gazing absently at the academy, an acquaintance appeared through the gate.
A group of girls in matching uniforms were walking together with Miranda at the center.
"Lyle? What are you doing here?"
Two of the girls walking with her looked at me and spoke.
"Miranda's friend? Could he be her boyfriend?"
"So lucky~!"
Miranda hurried to deny it.
"He's someone who lives in the same mansion—a friend of a friend!"
Hearing the part about living together, her friends started making a racket.
Thinking Miranda had it rough, I called out.
"I thought I'd come see the academy today. Sightseeing in the academic city, you could say."
Hearing that, Miranda looked a little worn out.
She must have been exhausted from trying to convince her friends.
"Is that so? I'm not sure this is the best sightseeing spot… But a lot of people do come to see it."
As expected, the academy was a novelty for visitors to the academic city.
*(With a place this impressive, I think it's worth seeing, though.)*
Miranda asked about my plans.
"Oh, right. Lyle, are you free after this?"
"…I am, yeah. Today's basically my day off."
After completing my work, I always planned to rest. It was partly because I was scared of someone triggering a sudden "growth" phase, and partly because there was body fatigue and equipment maintenance to deal with.
The most dangerous time was when growth kicked in and my spirits soared.
That was when I tended to push myself too hard.
*(Well, it's not like I grow that frequently.)*
As I grumbled internally, Miranda looked up at me.
"Then, I have a small favor to ask. Would that be all right?"
"A favor? Well, if it's the landlady's request, I'll see what I can do within reason."
I emphasized "landlady" so that the friends standing nearby wouldn't get the wrong idea.
"Really? Thank you! Actually, I need to go to the guild, and that place is kind of scary. So, would you mind coming with me?"
"To the guild? Do you have a commission or something?"
When ordinary people went to the guild, it was almost always to place a commission. Occasionally they'd go to buy monster materials, but that was about it.
"I'm placing a commission, and these two are here to buy materials. They're registered adventurers, technically. Students at the academy often complete commissions using their knowledge and skills, so…"
It felt like something only the academic city would produce.
"Then, you should be used to the guild?"
"You're so cold. We don't go as often as you and your group. Some of these girls only go when they need money or when they have to gather materials for assignments. Some register as adventurers when they enroll in the academy, and others who have no further use just go to cancel their registration."
To each their own, I supposed.
True enough, a group of only girls might feel uneasy about the guild's atmosphere.
*(But this place is relatively decent when it comes to appearance and manners.)*
Being in the academic city, there were fewer rough-looking adventurers.
Not completely absent, of course.
"Understood. I'll tag along."
"Great! Thanks~!"
Miranda clung to my arm, thanking me.
Her two friends watched with grins, and while I wished someone would do something about that, I led the three of them to the guild.
Upon arriving, Miranda headed off to handle the paperwork for her commission first.
The two friends who'd come to buy monster materials apparently intended to have me carry their bags afterward.
I thought I'd made a mistake, but I decided to accept—I didn't want to cause friction in Miranda's friendships by refusing.
*(Well, think of it as rent.)*
Heading up to the second floor of the guild for the paperwork, I found Clara there.
"Clara! We keep running into each other. Adventurer work again?"
I called out, and Clara looked toward me.
"Yes. I heard there was an interesting commission… It seems you're connected to this, Lyle."
Being told I was "connected," I tilted my head in confusion.
While I was trying to figure out what she meant, Miranda went to the reception desk.
Surrounding adventurers watched the scene.
Miranda was undeniably eye-catching, and the onlookers weren't all male—plenty of women were watching too.
I listened to the murmurs around me.
"What kind of commission is it this time?"
"If it's one of the Seven Worthies' commissions, the payout must be good…"
"Best to stay out of it. Watch yourselves."
"I heard lately that he's too lazy to come to the guild himself and sends students as proxies. Guess it's true."
"No matter how good the reward, it's never worth the hassle."
The glances, the whispered words, taken together—apparently Miranda had come to register a commission from one of the Seven Worthies, specifically Damian Bare.
The receptionist looked flustered, their usual composure nowhere to be seen.
The Second Generation:
*'So the rumors start even before the commission goes up? What kind of weirdo is that guy?'*
*(I'd rather not think about it, but the person Miranda knows is connected to that creep? No wonder she was so well-informed.)*
I'd first heard the rumors about Damian from Miranda.
He was an academy professor, and Miranda was a student, so a connection made sense.
I finally understood what Clara had meant by "connected."
And the "interesting commission" must have been the one from Damian Bare.
Clara spoke up.
"Commissions from the Seven Worthies affect other commissions, for better or worse. Large sums of money are involved, so adventurers compete to snatch them up—or even sabotage each other. I came to check on which commissions might be affected."
"They'd go as far as sabotage?"
"More than sabotage, really—various things. …For example, if you're commissioned to transport a valuable item, and you're famous enough to be recognized, bad elements might tail you and try to steal it. It's happened before. Famous or infamous, either way."
There were also cases where someone would put out a commission requesting large quantities of a particular monster's material, and adventurers who happened to have that material would get attacked without knowing why.
A real headache.
For Clara, who worked as a solo adventurer, this kind of information-gathering was essential.
While we talked, a staff member walked over to the bulletin board to post a commission notice.
*(This must be a headache for the guild too if it causes trouble.)*
Looking at the staff member's displeased expression, I thought as much.
Clara explained, knowing I wasn't familiar with Aramsass.
"Here, the academy holds more authority than the guild, so the guild can't refuse even when they know it'll cause problems. The ones who suffer are the adventurers—which is why I gather information like this to avoid danger."
I'd thought she lived in her own little world, but she seemed plenty shrewd when it came to getting by.
*(Well, I suppose you wouldn't last long on your own without that.)*
When adventurers swarmed toward the posted commission, I approached Miranda and confirmed the details.
Clara, apparently deciding it would be faster to hear it from Miranda than to read the commission sheet, stayed by my side.
"Looks like a popular commission."
When I said that with a hint of sarcasm, Miranda smiled wryly.
"He's genuinely trying to do his job properly. But when the commission is what it is… Anyway, I'm surprised you figured out I was submitting it on the professor's behalf."
Clara said to the puzzled Miranda:
"Some students also work as adventurers, so information probably leaked from that direction. You have to submit a budget request to the academy to place a commission, right? It would have spread to the adventurers during that process."
"Clara? You two seem surprisingly close."
Miranda looked at me with a grin, so I cleared my throat and asked about the commission.
The details were as follows:
—Materials from the boss monster on the 40th underground floor of the dungeon managed by the academic city—
—Duration: one month—
—Reward: one thousand gold coins, or an equivalent item—
—Permission to enter the dungeon will be granted only to those who accept this commission—
"…One thousand gold coins. That's incredible."
In the past, even hearing about one thousand gold coins, my position had kept me from being surprised.
But now, living as an adventurer, my sense of money's value had shifted somewhat.
"Expected of a Seven Worthie. I'm amazed the academy put together a budget this large."
Miranda was exasperated.
Clara, however, had a slightly complicated expression.
The Fourth Generation spoke to me:
*'Don't be fooled, Lyle. This doesn't say they'll actually pay a thousand gold coins. It says a thousand gold coins "or" an equivalent item. Take a look at the other adventurers' faces.'*
I checked as instructed, and sure enough, every one of them wore a dubious expression.
*'My bet is they have no intention of paying a thousand gold coins. And the "equivalent item" isn't specified at all. It's a commission full of red flags.'*
I asked Clara to confirm.
"The boss on the 40th underground floor—what kind of monster is it?"
"…The lowest level was confirmed five years ago. At that point, it was at the 50th underground floor. In the Aramsass dungeon, where boss monsters are placed every ten floors, most adventurers typically deal with the monsters around the 20th underground floor. The deeper you go, the wider the dungeon expands."
"So in other words?"
"I think it's an extremely demanding commission. Most of Aramsass's adventurers are skilled but efficiency-minded. Compared to other guilds, few here challenge the deeper levels."
Were there adventurers who'd reached the lowest level five years ago?
I thought so, but given the timeline, five years left plenty of room for speculation.
*(Retired, or changed their base of operations…)*
That turned out to be the case. Clara, sensing my question, explained.
"The party that discovered the lowest level has disbanded. They should be running a private tutoring school in the city now."
Hearing that, Miranda looked troubled.
"Does that mean it's nearly impossible to clear? If so, the professor is going to be frustrated for a while…"
Was that the kind of thing students worried about? Well, even if it wasn't my concern, something in what she'd said caught my attention.
"The adventurer who reached the lowest level is running a private school… Do you know where?"
"Oh, Lyle, you're so cold!"
Miranda latched onto me, so I dodged her while confirming with Clara.
Clara nodded and took out a memo pad to jot something down.
The Sixth Generation spoke from the Jewel:
*'An adventurer good enough to reach the lowest level, running a private school, huh… It's a good thing you're interested, Lyle.'*
It sounded like praise.
I took the memo and asked Clara for additional advice.
"Oh, and regarding the Seven Worthies' commission—it might be worth accepting, just for the sake of accepting it."
"Just to accept it?"
"Yes. Accepting the commission grants permission to enter the dungeon. Even adventurers who couldn't go before will be able to enter. The dungeon will surely get noisy."
With that, Clara left the guild.