The Story of Hero Among Heroes ~The Founding Chronicles of Arestia Chapter 105

Bonus chapter from sponsored chapter.

See you all next year~

(which is 2 days later, hoho~)

Have nice day!

Chapter 105 – Adventurers Guild

On the way back from the bathhouse.

Ares was walking along Heinz Boulevard which had already been paved with cobblestone.
En route, he would also stop by the street stalls to sample the food.

[Hmm… it's a lot better than before… but to be honest I still can't say that this is delicious…]

[Maybe it's because the ingredient quality increases as the number of merchants visiting Heinz also increased… but the creator's sense may also be the problem.]

[When things already become calmer, I think I will regulate Hadora's recipe, just like I did on Romaria, but…]

Ares nodded to himself, then turned his sight to the building in front of him. Apparently it's about to open, with the clerks busily preparing inside.

[Well, there was a plan to open a branch of the Romaria restaurant… I think it'll certainly change things.]

Just like back in Romaria, Ares values food culture just as high.

One of the first few things he did after arriving at Grants was to sample the taste of food sold in Grants' shops. Suffice to say… he was horrified.

[This is kinda terrible… I have to do something about this.]

They had to use flawed ingredients. The bread was also the hard black bread. The cooking method was also a bit crude.
The trend in Grants was pretty much:

[As long as you can eat it, then it's fine.]

But Ares believed otherwise.

[Water and food are the most important things for a living being. Because the vitality and stamina to do their daily activities comes from those two.]

Fortunately, Hadora, who was the real brain behind Romaria's food culture, also moved to Grants along with George and s.h.i.+on.
With more merchants coming in, the ingredients would also need to be adjusted.

Let's make use of this chance to promote food culture… Ares was determined to do so.

[The food culture in Grants is at an all-time low… in a way, it'll be better to promote a new one instead.]

[Let's open a branch of Romaria restaurant here. We can afford to subsidize it. With the meal served at the restaurant, people will start to realize the meaning of 'real cooking'.]

[Let's systematically train the other restaurants and vendors. We have the budget. In some cases, we might have to apply licensing. If the restaurant serves meals with a high level of deliciousness, people will naturally want to eat in the restaurant everyday. As the restaurant becomes successful, the other restaurants and vendors will have to work harder. Try as they might to meet the new expectations. That way, the quality of the food will also naturally increase.]

After a few weeks, the restaurant started business along the main street. And as Ares expected, it thrived really well. For the first time in Heinz, people of Grants finally understood the [wonder of cooking].
Triggered by the restaurant's success, the older restaurants and vendors began researching, competing with each other to find the best way to 『cook』 the kind of 『meal』 that people wanted.

Several years from now… Heinz would truly become a city of cuisine…

=====
◆

Walking along the street, Ares stopped by the front of a certain building.

[Oya? This building is…]

The building was larger than the other nearby. Its' red brick roof shone under the sunlight.

[Ahh, it's the adventurers guild.]

Following George's words, it was Ramires who did the explanation this time.

[There are several adventurers guilds in Grants. Therefore, there are places where they could organize their work. This is happen to be where the Heinz branch is run on]

[I see… certainly, monsters are still lurking outside the city…]

Before control of the Land of Demons was seized, monsters were thriving outside the city. But not only that, they would also barge into the city sometimes. The place was truly like a cursed place.

Now that the land of demons has been seized, all the high intelligent demonkins and magic beasts are behaving well.

But there were still low intelligence monsters that flocked in from outside Grants.

The first corps… the famed 『Broken Legion』 was keeping watch, but simply couldn't keep up.

[Also, rough guys like them are like… at home while in Heinz. Adventurers would gather here from all over the continent. So the guild's scale is pretty much on par with the one found in the capital of a great power.]

[Certainly… the regular folks here aren't even afraid of them…]

Both Ares and Ramires laughed at that last one.

[…..un, the guild is also necessary to help combat the magic beasts…]

Ares said as he opened the door and went inside the building.

=====
◆

The adventurers guild is where adventurers can go to find work.

And an adventurer is someone whose job is to fulfill requests from a client for reward money. Their field of expertise is fairly wide, ranging from searching, escorting and even subjugation.

Their rank, which is managed by the adventurers guild, goes from E to SS.

About 80% of the adventurers are rank E to C. Most of the remaining 20% are rank B or A. S and SS rank are the fewest, as people of these ranks are usually strong enough to contend against a dragon. Their name would be well known in many countries, and some would even receive a recommendation to become an army general.

Earning money in this line of work is not as easy as it seems, but people would still foolishly jump in the bandwagon regardless.

When Ares entered the building, the interior was a bit dim. Probably because it also serves as a tavern.
There was a large reception desk in front, with several female receptionists available.
Looking around, there were people talking to the receptionists or chatting out loud in the tavern area. Nothing less from this kind of place…
Being adventurers, most of them are warriors with strong bodies. But not all of them. Those who don't are usually good at magic. Humans, demi-humans, long-eared elves, dwarves… even women. There were simply a lot of different facets in here.

Among those who took notice of Ares, some scoffed while others looked interested, probably because he looked young… Their reactions were varying to a degree.

One of the receptionists also noticed this situation, so she called out.

[Welcome, guest. Welcome to Heinz Adventurers Guild!]

The woman said with a wide smile.

[Are you already an adventurer? Or did you come to register?]

[Ah, pardon me. I'm not an adventurer and neither do I want to register. I just want to have a look…]

Ares' answer incited laughter from some of the adventurers present.

[Haa, just a lost kid.]

[Go back to your mom's teat.]

[This isn't where kids like you belong.]

However, Ares simply ignored those insults and took a look at the requests.

[I see… so the most efficient way to make money here is to go subjugating wild magic beasts?]

[Oh, so you are a client? This way. To post a request is on the counter over the…]

Right then, cutting off the receptionist' explanation, a large bald man grabbed Ares' shoulder from behind.
Judging from his gait, it seemed that the man was drunk.

[Eeee. Little brat, ya here to make request? If ya have that much money, how 'bout givin' some to meh?]

The onlookers had varying expressions upon seeing this.

Some had sympathetic faces, while others found this interesting.

However, they all had the same thought.

[That boy, what a pity. To get entangled with the 『Hammerhead』 Galon.]

or something along that line.

The bald man was a notorious person. He was a rank C, with arm strength to match his rank. However… he often rampaged in taverns or bars… and has been reported for looting in some villages. n.o.body dared to approach him when he's drunk.

However, Ares calmly spoke as he took a glance at the bald guy.

[I'm afraid I can't abide your request. Will you please back off?]

That was an answer n.o.body expected to come out. After a moment of silence, Galon finally lashed out.

[You d.a.m.n brat! How dare ya ev'n afta I ask so kindly! Yer askin' it!]

He said that while raising his fist.

And at that moment…

Ares released his killing intent.

An intent so strong, it overwhelmed all the adventurers around.

If one had actual combat experience, then they should be able to feel it. The feeling of inching closer to death. The illusion of facing a strong opponent comparable to that of an ancient dragon.

Seeing the strange scene, the receptionist, who was just about to try to stop the obvious extortion, became surprised.

[Ehh? Everyone…. Why did you all stop moving…?]

Of course she would be surprised. All those rough men actually stopped moving all at once.

All the adventurers' faces turned pale white. There were even some who actually wetted themselves. As for the 『Hammerhead』 who was the closest to Ares… he fell over as if he had lost all the muscles in his entire body, fainted with the white of his eyes showing up.

The only people who didn't even show any sign of change were George and Ramires, despite standing next to Ares.

[Really now? Fainting just because that much? If it's like this then the White Legion will do much better… the quality of adventurers nowadays has deteriorated.]

Ares nodded right after.

[Oi, what in the world is going on?!]

From the entrance came a huge man with scars all over his body, seemingly unaware of what transpired before his arrival.

=====
◆

[Ya, thanks for your hard work, Dominic-dono.]

Ramires responded to the man's question.

[…………..Nn? Ramires-dono? Does that mean Lord Darius is also here…?]

The man called Dominic approached and asked in a low voice.
His body was riddled with scars. So him acting like that was kind of weird.

[No, today Lord brother is not here. Instead, we have an important customer.]

Ramires then turned his gaze toward Ares. Dominic also looked on, then showed a brief surprised look once he realized who was standing before him.

[Perhaps… we can talk in a place where it won't catch other people's attention?]

Ares looked back at Dominic.

[Understood. Then let's talk in my office.]

Having said so, Dominic guided Ares and co. to a more private room.

=====
◆

Dominic brought Ares and co. to his private office inside the Adventurers Guild.
It certainly seemed grand despite its small size. The stuffed sabretooth at the entrance looked impressive.

Once he closed the door, Dominic promptly kneeled.

[Pardon me if the men has irritated His Excellency Ares-dono.]

Having someone like Ramires to follow him around and being capable of emitting killing intent comparable to that of Darius'. Those alone were enough for him to confirm.
Dominic immediately realized Ares' ident.i.ty so he promptly guided the guests to a more private place.

[Please raise your head. It's not like you are one of my subjects.]

Ares made Dominic stand back up.
Having been excused, Dominic did just that.

[Moreover… I have a request to make…]

Then Ares cut to the main reason why he came here.

=====
◆

[Having the adventurers to subjugate the wild magic beasts…?]

[Yeah. Currently the first corps is dealing with it, but I want it to be on a larger scale.]

After saying that, Ares sipped the tea that has been served for him.

[In particular, the magic beast' nests on the outskirts… I would also appreciate it if they could go into dungeons as well…]

The caves or ruins on Grants' outskirts were called dungeons

[Understood, and thank you. Those dungeons were under Grants' jurisdiction, so we can't enter it freely. If the permits are out, then people will naturally gather to explore it.]

This time Dominic let out a hearty laugh.

Smiling, he once again observed this man named Ares…

It was over 10 years ago that Dominic became a guildmaster. He was of course a former adventurer. Few people knew his old t.i.tle nowadays, but back in the day, everyone would recognize him as the S-rank adventurer 『Great Sword Dominic』.

As a former adventurer and now a guildmaster, Dominic had met many kinds of people… but the person sitting in front of him right now truly scares him.

(Lord Darius is already a very formidable person… but this guy is actually even worse. I must not make an enemy out of him at all costs.)

[Well then, let's make the working contract right now. I'll make some more requests later…]

Dominic was pulled out of his reverie by Ares' words.

[……understood.]

Ares seemed to be satisfied by Dominic's answer, but…

[Ah, by the way, Dominic-dono.]

[What is it?]

What will he say next…..Dominic was preparing himself…

[Can I also register to become an adventurer?]

[Please don't.]

The answer came not from Dominic, but someone behind Ares.

[Ee—! But why?]

[Milord has too many things to do already.

[Miser——]

[It's not being a miser. It's called being a realist.]

The man actually acted as though he was more in command than Ares himself.

This baffled Dominic.

It was Ramires who then spoke to Dominic.

[Are you surprised at how our Lord acts?]

[…I certainly am.]

[But he is someone who will surely change Grants for the better. Don't you want to take a better path that will benefit all of us?]

Listening to Ramires… Dominic laughed. But of course. This city will surely change under the rule of someone like Ares.

Then he thought.

(This man is like fire. He'll burn and swallow everything on his path. Therefore… it'll be best if the adventurers guild follows him.)