I checked to make sure I sensed no one around, then explained. “King Randolf appointed Tallow as guild master. Tallow was an S-rank adventurer back then, and he fought in the war. The nobles agreed with the decision at the time because of Tallow’s achievements, but the war’s over. Feelings have shifted, and there’s a growing movement in the aristocracy to replace the guild master.”
“Indeed, the ability to do well at a job and to continue to hold power are entirely separate.”
Hearing that from the demon lord herself was impactful.
“What do you think is going on at the Adventurer Association, then?” I asked.
“I suppose it’s a war, of a sort—the master installed by the king versus the nobles who dislike him. Should the tiger man be ousted, the king would lose face, and the Adventurer Association will fall under the nobles’ thumbs.”
“Exactly,” I replied.
Adventurer rewards had increased during Tallow’s tenure as guild master. This raise was always meant to happen. According to Tallow’s letters, he hadn’t taken specific action to increase pay.
So where was this money going before he took over? The answer was so obvious it hardly required consideration.
King Randolf had likely appointed his one and only S-rank adventurer at the time as guild master specifically because he suspected the truth.
“The Adventurer Guild system is well made. Should it decline, the capable talent will likely depart for other countries.”
“And if that happens, guild employees will be laid off. And I went through all that trouble to get this job. I’d hate to lose it over nobles attempting to make easy money.”
“Such aristocrats will first seek to purge talents that might cause backlash.”
“In which case, they won’t go after someone at the bottom like me, but Iris or Milia…”
“Why do you have such a low opinion of yourself…? I was speaking of you. Well, enough.”
The business district of the capital was alive beneath the moon. I heard excited voices as I passed by shop fronts.
“So do you intend to do something?”
“You said it yourself: The ability to do well at a job and to hold power call for entirely separate talents.”
“Hmm?” The shadow tilted its head, as though Rila didn’t understand what I was getting at.
“I know someone perfect for this job, who knows how to finesse a situation.”
“Oh? You have a friend like that?”
“I’ve heard she has more time on her hands than she knows what to do with. I’m not sure she’ll agree to help, but…with her around I won’t need to worry.”
“You have that much faith in her? Someone who can finesse a situation… You don’t mean…?” The shadow began to tug at me. “I—I shall not allow it!”
“?”
“Wh-while it may seem that I have ample free time…I—I am burdened with the important task of waiting for you to return home.”
“I didn’t mean you. I meant Serafin.”
“…”
I laughed quietly as the shadow kicked my neck.
“Y-you attempted to deceive me!”
“Don’t blame me for your misunderstanding.”
“You wanted to embarrass me!”
“That’s a heavy accusation.”
I’d have to visit the castle tomorrow.
The next morning, I headed off to the castle where Serafin was staying.
I intended to give King Randolf a quick greeting while I was at it, but it seemed he was out, because I didn’t find him in his personal chambers. Almelia was at the orphanage.
“Has she made the castle’s wine cellar her personal quarters?”
“It’s not a wine cellar so much as a general storage room for alcohol. Her reward for defeating the demon lord is unlimited access.”
“Mm-hmm… But there is a limit to how much one should drink…”
I wholeheartedly agreed.
The party of heroes included Almelia, Lina, Elvie, Serafin, and me. Most probably assumed I was the oddball, but that title actually went to Serafin.
“What type of person is she?”
The servants in the castle knew me as the king’s friend, so they stopped and bowed upon spotting me.
“Serafin is…the one with the most quirks. Almelia is reckless, Lina is simple and oblivious, and Elvie is foolishly honest. Serafin is…insolent but doesn’t show it.”
“That hardly sounds like praise for any of them… But I understand she is rude.”
“She’s also smart.”
Rila would understand once she met Serafin. I continued through the castle to the basement storeroom.
Serafin Mariad’s room ♡ was written on the door.
“Knave, I believe I understand what you mean. She is a most dangerous one…!”
After getting a whiff of just what we were in for, Rila went on alert.
Apparently, Serafin had been holed up in here since the war ended, so King Randolf started work on another storeroom in secret.
I entered without knocking and found a woman with her head in a barrel. Her legs peeked out from under her habit.
“Hey, Serafin. Are you alive?”
The woman sluggishly pulled herself from the barrel. This was Serafin, albeit looking rather unwell, if the color of her face was any indication.
“Ohh, Mr. Roland… So you’ve finally come to see meee?”
“It’s been a while. I have a favor to ask.”
“My, what happened to your dear arm?”
“It’s gone,” I said. “Better ventilation this way, don’t you think?”
“Hee-hee. What a good joke…hic…”
“Knave, I smell danger! You would do well to take some distance as a precaution…”
The shadow was tugging on my clothes.
“You wouldn’t answer any of my letters. I wondered what happened…”
“Nothing happened. I contacted you with a question, and you answered. That’s all the exchange ever needed to be.”
“I was so hoping to get a letter saying you’d wed me, the bygone spinster, instead of Almelia.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
Serafin had been drinking and making a mess nonstop. Empty bottles rolled around on the ground. There were more opened wine barrels than could be counted on two hands.
“The alcohol in the castle is so much better than I imagined… I simply cannot pry myself away from this place…”
“That seems to be a matter of your willpower.”
Serafin began to cry and threaten to vomit.
I remembered something Almelia had said…
“Sera’s basically turned into a monster of the storeroom, so I think you should wait until she leaves of her own accord.”
I almost wanted to wait until she was ready to come out, but I couldn’t.
“Serafin, I need your help.”
“Oh, Mr. Roland…have you finally realized what a good mother I will be…?”
“No, it’s for a job.”
“What?! A jobbbbb…”
She picked up an empty glass, scooped some liquor from a barrel, and drank. Her eyes were unfocused, and she swayed back and forth.
“Yes, I see why she has gone unwed…,” Rila muttered.
“Huh? That voice… It was the demon lord’s… And it came from the doll made from magic…”
She was sharp.
Rila’s shadow hid behind my back to escape the drunkard’s eyes.
“That’s irrelevant right now.”
“I knew you were alive when they couldn’t find a body. And Miss Almelia told me you were alive and well when she visited. I was suspicious when you asked about the collar in your letter, but after hearing that voice, I’ve got it all figured out.”
“And what do you intend to do about it?”
“With you around, the world will be at peace, so I see no issue with it.” Serafin grinned.
“Listen, Serafin. You’re a great negotiator. Our party would’ve had it much worse without you. You’re the one who got us to work together with other units during the war.”
“Hee-hee.”
I could have taken on that role, but I had trouble negotiating with others and keeping things friendly.
Corps commanders weren’t likely to listen to what some random man told them. Had I tried meeting with them, they likely would’ve ignored me.
“So you’ll marry me, then?”
“No.”
“Is it because I’m a decade older than Miss Almelia and Miss Elvie?! And I’m about three times older than Lina…”
“That’s not the reason,” I said, but Serafin started sobbing and collapsed to the ground.
“It seems her singular personality trait is that she is idiosyncratic. She is unhinged and tedious to deal with…!”
Even Rila seemed put off by her.
Now that Serafin was crying, no matter how many times I tried speaking with her, we kept going in circles.