Riot Grasper Vol 2 Chapter 14.1

2nd Volume, 14th Chapter 【The Designated Quest】 1st Part

※A part of the 14th chapter has been included in the 13th chapter. There’s no change in the basic storyline. (Author’s note)

――7th Month, 2nd Week, The Day of Light.

While humming, I was washing Rook’s body.
There was a s.p.a.ce inside the mount shop dedicated to washing the mounts. So, here I was *washiwashi* rubbing its body with a deck brush.
A hose extending out of the water supply――since there was no such convenient thing here, water had to ordinarily be fetched from the well in order to wash…

「Nah~ it’s convenient.」

However, I poured the water produced via Water Magic on Rook. Since wetting the area was allowed, it was pretty convenient.
I wondered if it could be used as drinking water, so I tried to drink a little… Well, there was no reason for it to not be drinkable…
Still, well water seemed to be tastier.

「I was finally able to raise Light Magic to Lv3. You made it possible, Rook… So, thank you…」
「Kuooo」

I was glad that Light Magic leveled up, but it was a turnoff that there were few quests within the scope of Rank C.
A Rank C monster, although an existence dangerous beyond limit to general public, didn’t appear frequently in the periphery of Merville.
A few days back, I received a Rank C quest which required subjugation of a monkey-esque monster 《a.s.sault Ape》. It took two full days to encounter and defeat it.
I had to stay overnight in the village that issued the quest. It was so terrible (※Before the encounter).

However, at the skills that it possessed – 《Physical Arts Ｌｖ２ （３/５０）》 and 《Physical Abilities Enhancement Ｌｖ１ （８/１０）》 – I couldn’t help but drool. I successfully ate the delicacy that was Physical Abilities Enhancement.

That the brutal monsters were rare in the outskirts of the town… It was rea.s.suring in itself… That said, if there were no quest, there would naturally be no reward.
I could just receive a low rank quest and make money by selling the materials ripped off of the monsters, but my Adventurer Rank wouldn’t be able to go up in that case.
Adventurer Rank played an essential part in proving the social status. For superiority and recognition that came along with the high rank, I had to raise it.

Should I switch my base to a different location…?
While pondering over such matters, I was done with washing Rook――so, I left the shop.

「――Huh? Logins-san, what are you doing here?」

I called out to a familiar person in front of the Guild building.

「Yes, I came to the Guild to issue a designated quest.」

Err, an influential figure like the lord uses the Guild, too?
He could employ the soldiers to settle the issue. However, for him to commission an Adventurer, the situation didn’t seem to be a common one…

「Ah, Lim received a pretty flower the other day… Err…」
「Was it… the Phylia flower?」
「Yeah, that one. We put it in the vase for decoration, but it seems to have withered…」
「Because it was a flower cut for a long time. However… enveloping it in a wet cloth would do. Since it’s a flower that would wither if it were given excessive water, its cut-end must not be drenched. It happened to me, too, when I plucked it.」

Fumu, I see… I must tell Lim when I return…

「Seiji-san…」
「Eh? Ah, yes?」
「No… Nothing…」

What was that? It was unusual for Logins-san to be inarticulate.
Although I waited for a while, he didn’t continue any further. Saying 「Well then, I’ll have you excuse me」 he left.

――At the Guild reception, I handed the nucleic beads over to Sheena-san. While her hands offered me the money, her mouth offered me the words of 「Congratulations」.

「There is a designated quest for Seiji-san and Lim-san from Marita-sama.」

…Ah, so that was why…

The designated quest was literally a quest designated to an Adventurer. It could be said to be the first such quest after I became a high ranked Adventurer.
Although the Rank was not totally unrelated, the Guild had to recognize the honor of receiving a quest from the lord’s daughter personally.

As for the details, because Albert-san would be on a trip for a period onward from tomorrow, we had to go to refill the defense of the lord’s mansion… Something along the lines…

I see.
Doorey-san was restless because it would soon be the day a treaty would be signed with a delegate of the Western Archipelago States. Since Albert-san was spearheading the policy, he was supposed to attend the signing ceremony along with the King.
Doorey-san had been reciprocating between Merville and Pascam to stock commodities in a company warehouse at the port. He wished he would be able to earn a risk-free profit.

Fumu. Because Albert-san would take some guards along on the trip, would the defense personnel be insufficient?

Since her friends wouldn’t accept money on the silly account of being friends, she approached them officially through the Guild, so they would have to accept.

「――We accept this quest.」

――7th Month, 3rd Week, The Day of Origin.

Usually, I would leave for the Paudal Wetland Belt early in the morning. Today, however, it was different.
I didn’t have to weigh between a Prism Slime and Marita.
Pr… Marita…
No, really.

――Hence, Lim and I were currently in Marita’s room.
Arnold-san was concerned about Lim receiving this quest. However, when Lim said she would, he didn’t pursue it any further.

That said… My amateur estimation couldn’t find the defense of the mansion to be lacking…
Isn’t there not even one guard missing at the gate and in the corridor? …It made us want to ask if we were at all needed…
Albert-san would consider such a matter, certainly.
Did Marita perhaps issue the quest because she wished for people whom she could talk with?

‘No, no. work is work.’
‘If I keep *pechakucha* chattering, it will serve no purpose.’
…I resolved anew, yet Marita approached me innocently for stories…
How could she act like a kid at such a place as this…?

While remaining vigilant of the door at the entrance to the room, I *tetete* approached Lim who was close by the window.

――Time pa.s.sed uneventfully… It was soon lunch time…

Somehow or another, I knew I wasn’t cut out for guarding and such quests.
That said, I was glad that nothing happened, and I was grateful that I would be receiving money for just standing.
However, idling was in the end idling. It couldn’t be helped.
Mowing the monsters down and stealing the skills all day long would feel more refreshing.
Standing straight didn’t make me any stronger, it only hurt my back.

However, I had no right to complain because I was the one to accept the quest…

「――Excuse me, Marita-sama. The lunch is ready.」

Logins-san showed up after a knock.

「I’ll eat in my room today. Can you please bring it in here?」
「Very well. I will have a quick meal prepared for Seiji-san and Lim-san, too…」
「Ah, thank you, but we brought our food with us.」

To tell you the truth――it was Dario-san’s special bento [lunch box].
The moment I *ukiuki* excitedly unwrapped it, Marita, who was looking our way curiously, walked up to us.

「This… looks very appetising… Let me have a bite.」
「Hey, wai――」

Before I could finish my words, Marita had s.n.a.t.c.hed my bento and bitten into it.
That behaviour was hardly befitting a princess.
I mean… Why is this kid taking more than a bite?

――…What… is the meaning of this?
In an instant, my bento was miraculously all gobbled up.

「No, umm, it was so delicious, so I… sorry…」

With sad eyes, I looked at the bento which Lim was grabbing.
I can have a bite, at least…
However, Lim started eating without meeting my eyes――Not just that, at an even faster speed?!

「Umm, the lunch which I was supposed to eat, Seiji――」

With my head still drooped, I nodded to Marita’s proposal. I had obtained a lunch that would surely be delicious and luxurious. Still… Don’t you think…?