After going through everything I’d found out, Halman quietly said, “I see. When I first got wind of this back in Miglis, I didn’t think much of it—”
“It’s a good thing we hurried,” Nancy said, cutting him off. “We couldn’t use the teleportation circle inside Lypaed, either, so we had to be careful. It was a real hassle.”
She always interrupted him like that and was completely oblivious to it, but Halman never seemed to mind. I suppose married couples have their own ways about them that other people just don’t understand.
“The spell used during the noble marriage proposal ceremony in Lypaed was definitely Time magic,” Halman began. “Our intel says the sorcerer left the kingdom afterward, but—”
“That claim doesn’t hold much water,” Nancy finished.
“Right. What do you think, Drum?”
“What do I think? It has to be a lie. There’s no way they’d just let someone like that go. As proof, Lypaed Castle hasn’t shown any indication of trying to find the Time sorcerer. Even now, when the conflict with Guilonde is heating up and they’re desperate for talented individuals.”
“So either they’ve already pledged their service to Lypaed, or they’re still somewhere inside the kingdom. But since your digging didn’t turn up anyone who’s recently entered the king’s service, the second explanation’s more likely, right?”
“Why even ask me if you’re just gonna summarize the whole thing?” I grumbled and glared at Halman.
He gave a wry smile, then continued. “That means it’s worth looking into the person who’s spreading the rumors he left. I assume that’s your read on the situation—”
“This sorcerer, Setsuna, certainly sounds impressive,” Nancy said. “How long’s he been an adventurer again? Just a few months, and he’s already purple rank? That’s not normal.”
“Even if you factor in the medicinal work, that kind of rank progression’s just unheard of. He’s already becoming a hot topic among the guild staff. But this would all make sense if he really is the Time sorcerer.”
The married couple kept chatting back and forth, not letting me get a word in edgewise.
“What I don’t get is why he’s hiding it,” Nancy wondered aloud. “If he’s a Time sorcerer, then why not just say so?”
“Drum?” Halman asked.
“He doesn’t care about ranks. He told me he only registered as an adventurer to earn money for traveling. That’s it. He doesn’t want anything else. So he’s probably hiding his abilities to avoid getting tied down.”
It was something that had just come up in casual conversation, but I could tell he’d meant it.
“Wait, seriously? So he’s not even trying, and that’s how far he’s gotten? Time sorcerers really are on a whole different level!”
“That means we probably can’t convince him to join the guild as staff.”
“Yeah, if traveling’s his goal, then he’ll never accept a desk job,” I said.
“What if he was black rank?” Nancy asked. “If he is the Time sorcerer, he’ll qualify without question. And being ranked that high makes traveling easier, doesn’t it?”
“Maybe,” I considered, “but that comes with added responsibilities like the Black Council. That’s the biggest catch.”
Every major decision for the Adventurers Guild went through the Black Council, which was comprised of all the guildmasters and the black-ranked adventurers. And when a meeting was called, attendance was mandatory. Setsuna wanted to roam freely, so I highly doubted he wanted any part of that.
Nancy’s voice cut in as I was thinking it over. “But is he even in a position to travel right now?”
Halman remained silent.
That was my cue to say what none of us wanted to admit. “Even if we want to lure him in with the perks, we first need to make sure he really is the Time sorcerer. And if he won’t admit it, then there’s not much else we can do.”
“True,” Halman agreed. “If we can’t confirm it’s him, there’s no way forward.”
“But what if he doesn’t tell us?” Nancy asked. “Should we threaten to expel him from the guild? Ah, but I guess someone with his talent can earn money even without the guild’s help. Hmm… Then what if we threaten to kick out his apprentice, too?”
“Absolutely not. That’s a terrible idea. Don’t even think about it.”
“But you know what’s at stake,” Nancy argued. “The whole guild could collapse if we lose the Time sorcerer. We’re already pulling staff from everywhere to look for him. This isn’t the time to play nice.”
“Maybe, but using threats goes against everything the guild stands for. I’d rather just be honest and explain how desperate we are. If he is the Time sorcerer, maybe he’ll agree to help.”
“No, that’s too big a risk,” Halman said. “If it’s not him and we give him that kind of intel, there’s no telling how he might use it. We should keep quiet until we’re sure he’s the Time sorcerer, and until he agrees to cooperate.”
“I hardly doubt it’ll be that easy,” I muttered. “He’s cautious and doesn’t seem like the type to let something slip.”
“In which case, Nancy’s suggestion is the most realistic, right?”
“Hang on, you’re going to make me threaten him?!” I exclaimed.
“Of course. You’re the only one who knows him.”
Great. This has gone completely off the rails. I really don’t want to be involved with this…
With the situation having escalated dramatically, all I could do was let out a deep sigh.