Listening to how Liam and Elm were talking earlier, Sara felt she had to get things rolling herself or they would never get anywhere. That part of Elm was just like Nelly.
It was also true that she felt she should apologize. She’d only been thinking of herself as a companion for Ann and hadn’t been taking her role as one of her guardians seriously. Worrying too much was a problem as well, but she shouldn’t have put all the responsibility on Elm. She should have been more on top of what they were supposed to be doing.
“I accept your apology. But frankly speaking, the only reason we accepted an applicant out of season like this is because Ann is an Invited.”
Sara knew that the Invited always got special treatment.
“That’s why it’s particularly troubling for you to act on your own like this. The influence an Invited wields is far more significant than you seem to understand. You won’t be receiving this kind of special treatment after you enlist, I hope you know.”
Ann deflated, but Sara felt that Liam was being reasonable, so Ann should take the criticism and reflect on her actions, she supposed.
This was where it was time for Sara to step up again, however.
“So, those few days Elm said Ann still had... Exactly how many days is that?”
“Three,” Liam said shortly, evidently still quite irritated.
“Well, our greetings were delayed until today, but Ann will be joining the knights three days from now on the originally agreed-upon date. I hope that is satisfactory.”
Sara was still seated, but she bowed her head to Liam. She hadn’t asked Elm or Ann what they wanted. This situation called for making it through with force.
“A lady should not bow her head. In any case, Ann has fulfilled her goal as of today, yes?”
He’d heard about her goal of working to obtain her Hunter’s license, apparently.
“Why not come tomorrow, then? You’re here to join the knights of your own volition, are you not?”
The knights couldn’t wait for her to join up, it seemed. Sara couldn’t see the difference between joining the next day and joining three days from then, so she found it strange that Liam was so insistent.
“Umm, I...” Ann started quietly but firmly. “I do want to join the knights. But I’m still only twelve. I’ve lived in Gardenia for two years, but I still don’t know anything about the capital or Trilgaia. I know there are dungeons here, but I’ve never been inside one before.”
“Most Trilgaians have never been inside a dungeon. You’ll also receive dungeon training in the knights. You’ll be able to experience plenty of dungeon delving after joining up.”
As usual, everything he was saying was perfectly reasonable. Also as usual, he never listened to a thing anyone else said.
“That’s not it. Once I join the knights, I’ll only be able to go into dungeons with them, right? I want to know how normal people live in the capital. If I’ve still got two days, I want to spend them learning about that,” Ann said plainly, bowing her head. “I’ll come to you three days from now. I apologize for the wait, but I hope that’s acceptable.”
“I just said ladies should not bow their heads. Honestly, you two...” Liam leaned against the back of the couch impolitely. He must have finally given up. “Think about how I feel having to report this to my superior. I came here on my day off, you know.”
“Sorry about that. I’m guessing that’s why you’re not in uniform.”
“Well, that’s because it would have been a problem if you recognized me and fled.”
“Right. You were in disguise just like Elm.”
Liam gasped and looked over at Elm, then made a face that was difficult to describe when he noticed the hat Elm was holding. He then swiftly rose from the couch and put his own hat back on.
“Sara, this is no time for you to be defending Ann. Noel’s been doing everything he can to not barge into the Hunter’s Guild himself. He’s been waiting for you.”
“Oh right, the guild...”
She hadn’t forgotten, in truth. But Sara was still trying to decide whether she wanted to move to the Apothecary’s Guild in the capital permanently, so she considered herself unaffiliated at present.
Liam smiled at her for some reason and said, “Well then, I’ll be waiting for Ann and her guardians to show up on the originally agreed-upon date.” Then he left.
“He didn’t have to come all the way here in disguise, did he? Couldn’t he have just sent a messenger?”
Rod had been completely invisible until now, but at this muttered comment from him, everyone nodded firmly in agreement.
Having successfully obtained her two days of dungeon training, Ann headed into the dungeon with the rookie Hunters.
“Wow! This place is enormous! What is a place like this doing underground? Oh, a slime!”
Elm watched over Ann as she ran about.
“Sara! I never noticed before, but there’s a bunch of healing herbs here!”
“Good eye.”
Sara’s two apprentices were able to see the dungeon from a new perspective as well.
“Dodge!”
“It’s gonna jump again! Counter it!”
“Yes! I beat a horned rabbit!”
They poked their heads into a mid-tier floor as well, and the kids who had been working hard for the past ten days were able to defeat a horned rabbit in a party together. Of course, it would still have been dangerous without guardians present, so they had promised to take it slow while they steadily improved.
It was actually Sara’s first time in the capital’s central dungeon as well, so she was observing her surroundings with some excitement.
“I wonder why it doesn’t bother me. Because it’s so wide open down here that it doesn’t seem like a dungeon? It kind of reminds me of the meadow east of Rosa down here.”
Wham!
Sara must have looked like good prey as she stared up at the sky unguardedly. A horned rabbit leaped at her and was defeated by her barrier.
“If it’s this big inside, it would be difficult to know what’s growing where. It’d probably be hard to survey the whole thing.”
But that was all the more reason silver dragonmint or supreme healing herbs might be lurking about somewhere.
“Maybe, if I have time, I might want to do that plant survey.”
Ann might not need her around if she made some friends. She seemed to get along fine with Elm and the people at her work, so Sara was optimistic about her chances.
“Even if I only get a little time, I might try it. If I’m gonna do it, I should start on the lower floors, though.”
She’d take her time, starting where the more valuable plants were more likely to be. She probably only needed to poke her head into the Apothecary’s Guild every so often.
Sara was starting to piece together her ideal capital life.
On the way home that night, the rookie Hunters sold the prey they’d hunted and the plants they’d gathered and lined up in front of Sara’s group.
“Thank you for the last ten days,” they said awkwardly, thrusting their fists out at the group.
“You want handshakes? Or a shock?” Haruto said teasingly.
The Hunters shook their heads, looking serious.
“No. Umm, this is our thanks.”
They opened their hands to reveal the coins they’d earned today.
“Guys...”
They were so surprised they couldn’t say anything in response.
Rod thanked them bashfully.
“Introducing Ann to her job really wasn’t much. This might not be enough to thank you for everything you’ve done, but we all talked it over and decided we wanted to give you the money from our first hunt as payment.”
“Whoa! You guys rule!”
Haruto clenched his fists and looked up like he was holding back tears.
“Haruto! Thank you!”
“Kuntz! I’ll be able to make your shield one day!”
“Allen! You were so cool!”
“Sara! Gathering plants is fun!”
Sara thought she might cry too when they all gathered around. It wasn’t just the kids either. Other people who had participated in the lessons over these last ten days had left thanks with the receptionists as well.