Sevens Volume 3 Prologue

The city Dalien where the beginner adventurers gathered.

It was close to July. The season was going to enter summer for real.

Under the strong sunlight, the adventurers were wearing appearance that exposed little skin──they were wearing thick clothes. This was something natural for adventurers who were going outside to fight monster. If they exposed a lot of their skin, that also meant that was how much they were exposing their bare skin to monster. The people wearing metal equipment covered themselves with cloth so that heat wouldn't dwell inside the metal.

Perhaps other people would think that it would be fine if they dressed lightly inside the city. But for adventurer, the equipment and tool they worn were their tools of the trade and also their a.s.sets. It would be unbearable if they took them off and they got stolen.

As the result, a sordid group was pa.s.sing through under the blazing sun.

It was a familiar sight in Dalien.

I, Lyle Walt who will go out to hunt monster after this am also wearing thick clothes from the morning and getting sweaty. My blue hair is a bit wet from sweat and cling on my forehead.

「H, hot」

A five man party.

The magician with her characteristic side ponytail, Novem Forxus hold out a flask to me. Her heirloom staff that is gleaming silver is wrapped in cloth. She is also putting on the hood of her navy blue robe.

「Lyle-sama, please try to frequently hydrate yourself. And don't forget to replenish the salt too.」

My former fiancée Novem who is worrying about me is a capable woman who devotedly takes care of me who got driven out from my house.

When I accept the flask and drink the water inside, the instructor Zelphy warn me. Her purple hair is kept short. She is wearing leather armor and her fighting style used sword and s.h.i.+eld.

In Dalien she is one of the veteran adventurers.

「Be careful to not drink too much. After that, when you put water into your mouth, wet the inside of your mouth before drinking it in.」

She is giving an advice that is fitting for a veteran, but Zelphy-san's job is to turn us into full-fledged adventurer.

We paid a high fee to hire her as instructor for that. The fund came from Novem's money from her selling her dowry.

I'm unable to raise my head in front of Novem who is this heroically devoted toward me. I can't but, there are parts in Novem's thinking that I cannot agree with no matter what.

Novem had a thinking that perhaps I should call as harem idea. She tends to gather woman around me. I cannot understand this behavior of her no matter what.

When I moved my gaze, I saw the two female adventurers who had joined our party for a while.

Aria Lockwarde with her red hair that has curls to the outside, she is hiding her healthy limbs with robe. She is walking energetically while carrying a spear on her shoulder.

Ahead of Arisan's gaze, there is a fruit seller who is opening a stall at the street.

「Hey, fruit will be good don't you think? We can hydrate ourselves with it.」

Arisan is lively even though she is wearing a robe under this heat. She is pointing at a fruit.

Looking there, the adventurers are purchasing several of them. The red colored fruits are floating in water filled with ice. They are looking really tasty.

Sophia Rowley who is wearing a black robe is carrying a large battle axe that is wrapped in cloth on her back.

She looked at the direction Arisan pointed at and looked a bit conflicted. Surely she wants to eat the fruit.

「Bu, but, even if we purchase them, it won't be delicious anymore when we eat it at our break time due to the heat.」

It's a thinking that is really like the serious Sophisan.

Arisan objected to that.

「We can just eat it here. It will save our water, besides it's this hot you know? You can just think of it as a part of managing our physical condition.」

It's this hot. There is also a possibility that when we have lunch outside the city, the food won't pa.s.s our throat. Eating properly when we can eat and maintain our stamina is important matter.

Then Zelphy-san tap my back in a way that the surrounding cannot see. When I turn around, Zelphy-san signaled with her eyes to buy the fruit.

……So I'm the one buying huh.

I took out my wallet and purchased the fruits for several people's share. The auntie at the fruit stall wiped the water on the fruit before handing it to us with a smile.

When I put the fruit on my cheek, it feels cold after getting submerged in ice water. My cheek's heat is cooling down.

Sophisan looked a bit troubled.

「It's a bad manner to eat while standing.」

She said that in hesitation. However, seeing Arisan normally eating the fruit, she took a small bite into the fruit.

The fruit that isn't too big almost has no flesh inside. A slightly sour taste seeps into my body.

Arisan throws the seed of the fruit into the waste basket beside the fruit stall and look at Novem. It feels like Novem's mouth that is biting into the fruit look strangely luscious.

「If it's Novem then you can create ice to put it inside our flask aren't you? If you do that we'll be able to drink cold water anytime.」

Novem who heard that made a troubled face. Zelphy-san also looked at Arisan in a bit of exasperation.

Sophisan wipes her mouth and put the seed inside the waste basket while explaining.

「You don't know? Water that is created with magic will wreck your stomach if you drink it.」

I looked surprised hearing that.

「Eh?」

The surrounding is throwing me and Arisan in exasperation like they are looking at pitiful thing. Am I that lacking of common sense?

Then voices that only I can hear comes from the blue Jewel hanging on my neck. That is the heirloom of Walt House, the memory of the resurrected ancestors──.

The seven ancestors──no, right now it has become six ancestors, they are each showing their reaction to me with exasperated voice.

The Second, Cra.s.sel Walt seems to be worried at my lack of common sense.

『You don't even know something like that? It's really dreadful if your stomach is wrecked when fighting you know?』

The carefree tone of the Third, Sleigh Walt is laughing, but as expected he is also similarly troubled like the others.

『Certainly this is terrible. But, it's great that you realize doing that is no good before you actually do it. Your stomach getting wrecked is a life and death problem, it's not a joke.』

The Fourth who is wearing gla.s.ses, Max Walt also criticizes me too.

『If you drink water that is created from magic, you'll definitely turn into burden. Lyle, you will end up making the girls around you taking care of your toilet business.』

Even the Fifth, Fredericks Walt who usually would only open his mouth when it's necessary is also unable to stay quiet at my hopelessness.

『……I once sneaked into enemy camp and switched all their water with water made from magic. It turned into something horrible after that. Lyle, absolutely don't drink that kind of water.』

This person, what was he doing sneaking into enemy camp?

The Sixth, Fiennes Walt is laughing hard.

『You will understand it even if you don't like it once you make the mistake once though. Be glad that it doesn't end up a mistake that you won't be able to take back, Lyle.』

Certainly, if I don't know it then perhaps I will prepare water with magic when I run out of water.

The Seventh, Brod Walt coughed.

『Magic is also not almighty. Lyle, remember that properly.』

Today I exposed my ignorance once more in front of my comrades and ancestors. My shoulders dropped. Then, Zelphy-san started walking.

「Come on, let's go. We've to return before evening after all.」

We exited the city of Dalien and hunt in a spot where we can return to the city within the same day. That became our daily routine recently.

But, we're reaching the limit of earning money by hunting the monster nearby. It's because our hunting time got limited by our trip coming and going, and also because the monster around Dalien yield little profit.

Zelphy-san talked to me that soon she planned to take us hunting monster where we will be staying overnight. Apparently if we do that, we will be able to earn more than now.

The Fourth is sighing inside the Jewel, and then he started talking with worry.

『Right now you have some leeway in fund, but at this rate it will be a bit hard. At Dalien you cannot earn much even if you hunt monster. The best you can do is only maintaining the current situation.』

The public order in Dalien is good, and the feudal lord Ventrsan is dispatching his knight and soldier to subjugate monster proactively.

Because of that, although the public order is good, it cause the adventurer's earning to be small. In exchange there are a lot of various workplaces inside the city where they can make ends meet.

Fitting for a city that is said to be intended for beginner, it's kind toward beginner adventurer. But, it's also a city that is lacking for those who has graduated from being beginner.

The Sixth expresses his opinion to me.

『Lyle, the instruction period will end soon. You should think about your next destination soon. Will you stay for a while in Dalien, or else will you move to another place somewhere?』

The instruction period is three months.

It's getting extended by two weeks, but the end will come in less than one month.

I don't think that I've become a full fledged adventurer, but at least I've learned the way to be able to eat as adventurer.

「……After this huh.」

I slightly raise my head and look up the blue sky. I wiped the sweat on my forehead and considered the matter of the future.

──Dalien adventurer guild.

Three receptionists were sitting side by side at the second floor's reception, processing the formalities and so on.

The one standing out among those three is the blond haired blue eyed beautiful girl Santoa Maie……not, but the muscular large man with shaven head, Hawkins.

He was wearing a vest on top of a s.h.i.+rt. He was interacting with the adventurers gently and politely despite his appearance. He was a really serious staff and was respected even by the adventurers living in Dalien.

He was a person like that but, because of his stern appearance, the rookie adventurers tended to avoid him.

The person himself was also bothered by that but, he couldn't do anything about that.

Hawkins who had free time that he didn't know what to do with compared to the other two was starting to sort the area around his desk. Then a staff came out from behind the counter in panic.

When the staff found Hawkins, he approached him.

「What's the matter?」

The young male staff handed several pieces of doc.u.ments to Hawkins while explaining.

「A messenger from the feudal lord came. He is giving instruction for Hawkins-san to be present in the meeting too.」

Hawkins gave a brief glance at the doc.u.ments he received and frowned.

(This is……recently there is a lot of this.)

The doc.u.ments reported that a dungeon was born in the area around Dalien. Hawkins left the reception duty to the male staff and immediately headed toward the guild's meeting room.

He read the doc.u.ments while walking and his eyes read over the dungeon's scale and trait.

(The detail isn't really known is it?)

The dungeon had just gotten discovered and the investigation also hadn't progressed satisfactorily, but it seemed the scale of the dungeon wasn't that big.

It was written that the period of its subjugation was predicted to be two weeks until a month.

But, there was one problem here.

(The feudal lord's soldiers had just returned. It'll be difficult to dispatch them again.)

Until recently there were two dungeons around Dalien. One was subjugated by the feudal lord's army, while the other one was subjugated by the cooperation of the feudal lord's army and the guild.

One of the subjugations was completely recently, so there was only one remaining.

But, it was hard to consider to dispatch the soldiers that had only just returned to carry out another subjugation.

(The skilled adventurers and large scale parties are all out for the dungeon subjugation so, making the remaining adventurers to deal with this……might be difficult.)

Hawkins was recalling the people that could possibly subjugate the dungeon from among the remaining adventurers.

Right now there were few people in Dalien who were reliable and experienced in dungeon subjugation. They would have no choice but to send lower quality adventurers.

While Hawkins was worrying in his head about what to do, he suddenly recalled Lyle's group that was being led by Zelphy.

(Lyle-kun's party……that's no good. They are still in the middle of instruction period, their experience also cannot be called abundant. The ability to deal with unpredictability will be necessary too, they should be kept from partic.i.p.ating for now.)

Even if there was no problem with their strength, a dungeon was a place where it was unknown what would happen there. Furthermore, a dungeon that had just been born was really dangerous with how few the information about it was.

When Hawkins arrived at the door of the meeting room, he straightened his posture and knocked.

(Either way, it will be busy from now.)

Hawkins resolved himself to be busy from now before partic.i.p.ating in the discussion with the messenger from the feudal lord Ventra──.

We who returned to Dalien were dirtied with sweat, sand, and monster fluid.

We sold the materials at the guild's first floor, sold the magic stone to guild staff, then Zelphy-san got called out by a staff.

「Zelphy-san, can you come to the second floor later? There is a bit of problem, so they want to discuss various things with you.」

Zelphy-san made a slightly troubled look. From the staff's look, she must be thinking that another troublesome matter was going to be pushed on her again.

「Now look here, I'm in the middle of instructing period. It's troubling if I'm asked to leave that job this often you know? What is it this time?」

The first time was bandit subjugation, the second time was trouble between territories. Certainly Zelphy-san got called many times even though she is in the middle of instructing job.

「That's, it looks like another dungeon appeared. Even though we're gathering manpower, many are still in the middle of subjugating another dungeon even now so there isn't enough number.」

Hearing that it's a dungeon, the inside of the Jewel become noisy.

The ancestors spoke by turn.

『Dungeon! Nice. Perhaps we'll also get a chance──』

『There is that possibility.』

『Hmm, in that case we'll need to prepare various things.』

『I want to partic.i.p.ate this time no matter what.』

『Haha~, I'm looking forward to it.』

『It's really exciting.』

I heard that the feudal lord would be at their wits' end when a dungeon appeared in their territory. But, it felt a bit like festival mood for Walt House.

Image

In reality, it might be good news for the feudal lord if it was possible to subjugate the dungeon. That's what I'm thinking recently.

It seems inside the mind of the ancestors, if Zelphy-san is partic.i.p.ating then we will also end up partic.i.p.ating through the flow of event.

The Third is hurrying me.

『Come on Lyle, let's join the discussion too.』

The ancestors are having fun. It seems they have no intention to listen to my opinion at all.

I called out to Zelphy-san.

「Say, is it alright for me to join that discussion too? Somehow it looks fun.」

Then the staff and Zelphy-san turned around and looked at me with disbelieving expression. Zelphy-san covered her face with her left hand.

「Aa~, it might be good for you to partic.i.p.ate. Lyle is my client after all, if I'm going to be forced to join then with him there……but listen here, what do you mean it looks fun huh? Looks fun you said! This isn't a game you got that?」

I'm surprised hearing that.

From the talk of the ancestors, it sounded like something fun but…….

「I, I'm sorry.」

I apologized even while being unable to really swallow it.

Zelphy-san tried to explain to me who am like that but, 「No, doesn't matter. It feels like it'll be long」 she gives up. 「Before that」 she said, telling everyone to head to the bathhouse first for now. Certainly, we cannot calm down no matter what without cleaning up this dirtiness first. I and Zelphy-san planned to head to the meeting once more after getting refreshed.

──Novem, Aria, and Sophia, the three of them exited the bathhouse and breakup for the moment before meeting up again in a café with calming atmosphere.

They planned to have dinner after meeting up with Lyle, so Novem only ordered drink and killed time there.

When she looked at outside the window from her seat, people were walking by. She could see the figure of citizens pinching their nose seeing adventurers returning from outside and taking distance from them.

Soaked in sweat, mud, blood. Few people would approach such adventurer.

Originally, it was the norm for something like adventurer guild to be located near the city's entrance.

Looking at the whole of the city, Dalien's adventurer guild was placed at the edge of the city, but Dalien that continued to expand also caused the number of building around the adventurer guild to be increasing gradually.

Aria who was leaning on the table brought up a subject at Novem who was watching the scenery outside like that.

「That Lyle, is he trying to do something on his own again?」

Sophia drank juice with a straight posture and looking at the badly mannered Aria from the corner of her eye.

「Rather than that, can't you do something about your posture?」

When Aria stretched her back from the warning of the straight laced Sophia, Novem chuckled seeing the two of them.

(They have opened up more to each other compared to before.)

Novem felt that the distance between the two's heart had become closer since the problem between territories last time was resolved.

It wasn't awkward like before, they were becoming able to say what they wanted to say to the other.

「It seems so. I guess Lyle-sama is also someone with the blood of Walt House.」

Then Sophia seemed to recall something and her expression turned complicated.

「I heard about it before. It seems that Walt House would be happy with dungeon's appearance. Even dungeon that normally would be a source of worry is nothing more than a place of skill test in front of the Bahnseim's strongest feudal lord n.o.ble……it's just a rumor right?」

Aria was doubtful in front of the uneasy Sophia.

「Lyle's house is that amazing? I've at least heard their name before but, there is also a Walt House among us capital n.o.ble, so, you know.」

If the past was traced, the feudal lord n.o.ble Walt House originally became independent from the capital n.o.ble Walt House. The Walt House that had the lowest rank as capital n.o.ble could be considered as the main house.

Sophia explained to Aria.

「Should I call them amazing or out of place, anyway they are famous. You didn't hear the rumor about them at Centralle?」

Aria tilted her head.

「I know they are amazing but, from my view who came from the capital n.o.ble background, I only know that the branch house countryside feudal lord is surpa.s.sing the main house at Centralle, that's all. Is there some kind of famous anecdote about them?」

Then Novem took a sip of her drink and moistened her mouth, then her eyes s.h.i.+ned.

And then, as though she had been waiting for it, she started talking eloquently.

「Speaking of their amazingness, Walt House has a lot of amazing anecdote since it was founded. After all, the ancestor of the feudal lord n.o.ble Walt House, Basil-sama was a dragon slayer who defeated a dragon singlehandedly. The second generation Cra.s.sel-sama was plain and didn't stand out, but he was the person who solidified Walt House's foundation. The one who was leading the soldiers who were trained by that second generation, was the third generation who is famous as the righteous general, Sleigh-sama. He charged an army of ten thousand with only several dozen troops and held them back in their track you know? Max-sama who became the fourth head fall behind the other heads in military achievement, but he was a person with magnificent skill in domestic affairs. Though it will take time to explain in detail so I will omit it. The fifth generation Fredericks-sama had disgraceful rumor about his love affair but, it was said that he was a demon in battlefield. The sixth generation Fiennes-sama possess both evil and good in him, he expanded the territory of Walt House and also played an active role in the war with the other country. The seventh generation, Lyle-sama's grandfather, Brod-sama took the position as advisor to Bahnseim's royal family and raised achievements in the chaotic state of Bahnseim at that time left and right──」

Aria and Sophia raised both their hands in a surrendering pose at Novem who wouldn't stop. They shook their head and interrupted Novem's explanation.

「Stop! Stop! We get it. Anyway, we get it that Lyle's house is amazing!」

Sophia cleared her throat and changed the flow of the talk.

「E, even so he is late. It's unthinkable that they will have discussion about the particulars so suddenly, I thought that it would be just confirming whether to partic.i.p.ate or not.」

Remembering that Lyle still hadn't returned from the guild, Novem also tilted her head slightly with her hand supporting her cheek. She was also feeling that she still hadn't spoken enough but, she also had no intention to forcefully continue.

「You're right.」

There was an anxiety inside Novem.

Lyle normally was ignorant of the world and had many hopeless side to him, but he showed that he was reliable at the crucial moment.

He would be motivated and solved any kind of problem. Novem too was thinking fondly of such att.i.tude from Lyle, but she started to think whether this time that side of Lyle was coming out again.

(It will be good if nothing happens.)

Novem continued to wait while worrying whether Lyle was causing some kind of problem──.

『Don't screw around!』

『Unforgivable. Something like this is absolutely unforgivable!』

『This isn't allowed!』

『How can this be……』

『This is why this adventurer guild bunch can't be trusted!』

The six ancestors were feeling indignation.

I partic.i.p.ated in the discussion of dungeon subjugation inside the guild's meeting room, but the result caused the six to be enraged.

Zelphy-san and Hawkins-san are looking at me in exasperation.

「Lyle, it's obvious but, there is no way we can let you and others partic.i.p.ate seeing that you are still in the middle of training.」

The adventurer that was called to this place wasn't just Zelphy-san.

There was one more veteran male adventurer who was similarly instructing other adventurers as instructor.

Apparently the other skilled adventurers are currently in the middle of subjugating other dungeon and cannot show themselves here.

I spoke as the representative of the ancestors' opinion about my wish to partic.i.p.ate but──.

「Lyle-kun, as expected I cannot allow that. Certainly the number of partic.i.p.ant can be said to be insufficient. However, Lyle-kun and others are lacking experience. In Dalien there is no way we can let that kind of adventurer to partic.i.p.ate.」

I faltered in front of that reply which is typical for the earnest Hawkins-san. But, the ancestors doesn't care about such thing.

The ancestors were in a bad mood because the dungeon subjugation that they were looking forward to was deprived from them.

The middle aged man with black hair, brown skin, and round stomach looked at me and laughed.

「The youngster trained by young miss Zelphy is really lively. It reminded me of the young miss in the past.」

The man's name is Dalel.

He is an adventurer that use spear and it seems he is cla.s.sified as senior even among the veteran in Dalien. He has experience and track records of nearly twenty years and apparently even Zelphy-san cannot raise her head against him.

「Just shut up, this middle aged old man! I'm different from the past!」

He knows about Zelphy-san when she was still a rookie, so he should also know about her embarra.s.sing past from that time. Because of that Zelphy-san must find it difficult to deal with this person.

Dalel-san folded his arms and looked at me while his left hand is touching his beard before nodding.

「I heard various rumors like "idiot n.o.ble son" or "womanizer", but now that I'm looking at him directly like this, he doesn't seem bad. Hawkins, how about letting him join?」

Hawkins-san made a troubled face.

「Dalel-san, as expected that's──」

Zelphy-san scratched her hair roughly and then she pulled at my hand to get out from the meeting room.

「Come on, we're going. Also, we won't partic.i.p.ate so just continue the talk without us.」

「Please wait a second, Zelphy-san.」

She pulled me roughly and then closed the meeting room's door. After that Zelphy-san walked angrily through the corridor with longer steps than usual.

I timidly asked the reason why we cannot partic.i.p.ate in the dungeon subjugation.

「Is it really no good no matter what?」

Zelphy-san's opinion doesn't change.

「No good. Looks like you're getting c.o.c.ky after finally becoming able to earn income properly though. Dungeon subjugation isn't something that easy. You should challenge it after acc.u.mulating more experience. Only stupid idiot would challenge a dungeon in your current state.」

『Eh!?』

The Second raised his voice in surprise at Zelphy-san's opinion. The other ancestors also seemed unable to accept it.

Apparently from Zelphy-san's view, the ancestors are all stupid idiot.

「Now listen. Each dungeon has its own characteristic. The number of monster inside can be extremely a lot or few. It can be excessively wide or cramped, there will be various other characteristics too. There isn't anything like an absolute capture strategy for it. There is no way it can go well with rookies like all of you partic.i.p.ating……no, perhaps Lyle might be able to do it I guess.」

Her evaluation of me was unexpectedly rising in these few months.

Zelphy-san knows that I can use multiple Arts. But, apparently it's no good with just that.

「The problem is the other three. Novem might still be fine, but the other two is really only at the level of better than amateur. What's more there'll be just five of us even with me included. The number isn't enough.」

Then the Third spoke in high spirits.

『Then it'll be fine if we have the number isn't it? Lyle, I have an idea.』

Hearing that, I suggested to Zelphy-san in order to convey the Third's idea.

「What if I ask the party I'm acquainted with to increase the number? I think it'll be enough if there are eight of us though.」

However Zelphy-san's opinion doesn't change.

「No good is no good. Come on, we're going home today and rest tomorrow. See ya.」

After we got down to the second floor and arrived at the reception desk, Zelphy-san turned her back to me and waved her hand before walking away.

The anger of the ancestors inside the Jewel hasn't settled down yet it seems.

The Seventh raises his voice.

『Are they telling us to simply let this kind of good chance pa.s.s away!? Last time there were various problems so we gave up but, we won't give up this time! What's more, this will be the first campaign of dungeon subjugation for Lyle! They're getting in his way……this is why I hate adventurers.』

The Second also had the same opinion.

『That's right. Besides, it's better to experience this kind of thing, a skill test like this early.』

The Third is grumbling, perhaps he is vexed that his opinion was rejected.

『This is just strange. With the current party they can do well enough! Even Lyle has gone through "growth", he'll be able to use our Arts even more than before, and yet!』

The Jewel recording the Arts of the ancestors is an excellent tool that gives support teaching of the way to use the Arts to me the user.

At the same time, the ancestors were also resurrected inside the Jewel as memory, absorbing my mana and continuing to make a ruckus. This Jewel also happens to have a cursed tool aspect like that.

I sighed and then headed to the café where Novem is waiting. I'll join them and finish the dinner, then tomorrow what will I do…….

While thinking that, the Sixth laughed meaningfully.

『Now, everyone……how about we all calm down. After all the right to carry out dungeon subjugation belong to the feudal lord. The guild is moving due to the request of that feudal lord, so we can only obey the guild's decision.』

When I'm thinking that the Sixth today is really docile, the other ancestors are also starting to laugh eerily.

Like the Third, his carefree voice sound more wicked than usual.

『You're right. It can't be helped now that the guild had told us that. Yep, let's give up. But you know……we weren't told not to rely on the feudal lord wasn't it?』

The Fifth muttered.

『The previous trouble between territories, we still haven't received the extra reward for that.』

The Seventh was also in a good mood.

『He worked people hard as he pleased. So we've to receive the compensation. Now then, Lyle……tomorrow will be fun.』

Apparently they want to directly request Ventrsan.

When I'm thinking that these people are a bit scary, the Second also felt the same with me.

『You guys, that's a bit scary you know?』

I can't help but agree with the Second's frank opinion.