Well, it wasn’t as though I had anything to hide or feel guilty about. If they wanted to play these little games, they could go right ahead.
“Yes, my name is Liluetta Magnan. I am the granddaughter of the sea salt guild’s leader,” I stated with a sigh. If they wanted to test me, that was fine. Indulging them, however, was tedious. “But for now, I consider myself nothing more than a rookie adventurer. I’d be delighted if you veterans here would be willing to get along with me.”
“There are some unpleasant rumors about the Magnans, you know,” Chikka began.
Oh, here we go.
“They say the leader of the sea salt guild plants his children and grandchildren into various guilds and trading companies, forcing them into executive positions. That way, he can strong-arm those groups into signing favorable contracts. Or, if the opportunity arises, he can take over entirely. Not that I put much stock in gossip,” she finished with a smirk.
“Oh, indeed,” I said coolly. “I’m sure you pay more attention to a passing sea breeze.”
What a nuisance baseless rumors could be. That was obviously the kind of slander spread by some jealous little merchant, resentful of the Magnan family’s success.
Still, I couldn’t just brush it off. Not here. After all, Kiri was sitting right beside me. He was a country boy, so he didn’t seem to fully grasp what was being said. But he was also my party member. Even though our arrangement was only temporary, I still didn’t want him thinking my family was up to anything shady.
“When a Magnan child turns twelve and is old enough to register with a guild, they are sent to train with other guilds,” I explained. “The idea is, rather than coddling us in the sea salt guild, it’s better for us to do grunt work elsewhere and develop real skills.”
From what I’d heard, this practice was fairly common overseas. It taught children the harsh realities of the world, built connections with different merchant houses, and provided opportunities to learn new business strategies. This approach had seemed reasonable and beneficial to me, when I had first learned about it. Of course, this meant the Magnan children had to undergo strict training. We couldn’t afford to embarrass ourselves when we worked outside the family guild.
“Well, my grandfather’s heir is an incredibly competent eldest son, and his own son is just as insufferably brilliant. Since the line of succession has already been decided, returning to the family trade means never rising to the top. So if a Magnan secures a good position at their assigned guild, they often just stay there.”
I left out the fact that this system mainly applied to the men of the family; working outside the sea salt guild was much rarer for women. It wasn’t particularly relevant, and mentioning it would only invite more questions about myself. I had no interest in dealing with that at the moment.
“For example, I have an older cousin who was sent to the transport guild, and yes, he’s now a high-ranking officer there. He’s competent, of course, but I won’t deny that the sea salt guild’s influence helped him secure that role. As a result, the two guilds have become much closer business partners. But from my perspective as a Magnan, this actually looks like the opposite of what you’re saying. The way I see it, the transport guild has taken my cousin hostage to ensure the sea salt guild keeps working with them for years to come.”
Truth be told, I didn’t have much interest in this kind of discussion. My cousin could use his position however he liked. All that mattered was that both guilds benefited from the arrangement.
Baseless rumors were just that: rumors. The Magnan family was running its business with legitimate practices.
“I see. I’m no expert in the world of merchants, but I get what you’re saying. So? That means the next step is the adventurer’s guild?” Chikka asked.
“That’s right.” I nodded without hesitation. We weren’t doing anything wrong, so there was no reason to hide. “The sea salt guild frequently hires adventurers for exterminating troublesome monsters near the salt pans, for guarding caravans on the way to the capital, and for handling various other minor issues. But adventurers vary in skill, don’t they? When the time comes, I want to know who the skilled fighters are—who the Magnan family can rely on and trust.”
“Oh? So if someone catches your eye, they might receive direct requests from the Magnan family? That’s something worth aiming for.”
“Indeed. Naturally, I have high expectations for you three. If you’re friends with Kiri, you must at least be trustworthy. Even if your personalities are awful.”
The warrior had made a terrible first impression, Chikka had been antagonistic from the start, and Sheya’s silence made her unsettling. I did not hold them in high esteem at the moment, so that last part was meant as a slight jab. But instead of getting offended, all three of them just grinned.
So they’re aware of their bad personalities. In that case, there’s no helping them.
“And thanks to the new sewer area you discovered,” I continued, “this town is going to start transforming into a proper city. In a few years, Hiriyenka might even be comparable to Elmflaren, the neighboring metropolis.”
Chikka raised an eyebrow at my words, while the warrior, who had long since been left behind in the conversation, spat out his drink. The only one who remained composed was Sheya. She seemed to be the only one among them who had realized the true magnitude of the situation.
Then again, maybe the real surprise was that even one person understood. After all, a mere sewer expansion wouldn’t turn a town into a city. No one could be expected to leap to such a conclusion based on that information alone.
But this was just the beginning. The areas with underground sewer access were prime real estate in Hiriyenka, and they had been at full capacity for some time. This discovery would change everything. More of that property would become available, and large-scale construction projects would soon follow. With people and goods flooding in, everything the current lord had been carefully laying the groundwork for over the years would begin to take shape at last.
And the ones who had triggered this entire sequence of events were none other than the three adventurers sitting across from me.
“Your discovery will undoubtedly lead to Hiriyenka’s development. That achievement will bring you prestige. It will also make it easier for me to introduce you to the Magnan family.”
Yes, this was getting interesting. This was so unexpected, so unlike the stories I had heard before, that I nearly laughed out loud. Adventurers weren’t just ruffians. They were a chaotic mix of specialists from all walks of life, like a witch’s cauldron brimming with all sorts of ingredients.
“I came to the adventurer’s guild as a merchant,” I said.
It might have started as mere pretense, but I was beginning to take that role seriously. What Yune had said earlier to flatter the warrior—how the discovery of the new sewer area had drawn us to the adventurer’s guild—wasn’t a lie. That was indeed my catalyst for becoming an adventurer, despite the opposition I had faced from those around me.
There was business potential in the adventurer’s guild. That justification had led me here, so I supposed I owed these three my gratitude. Whether they were aware of that was irrelevant. Their party had accomplished something significant, and the changes they had set in motion would have a profound impact on the people of this town. Including, of course, the Magnan family.
“Adventurers sometimes uncover major business opportunities. And the ones who hear about them first are adventurers themselves, aren’t they?”
Selecting trustworthy adventurers and obtaining information that could lead to lucrative deals—that was my role as a Magnan.