Interlude: Named Quest
The auction became a thing of the past. As the buzz around it was dying down, the Explorers’ Association was as quiet as ever. The crowd of hunters that swarmed around the quest board had dissipated, and there were only a few remaining. This scene had become an annual event of sorts. The employees of the Association gave an air of lenience. Upon finishing what she needed to write, Chloe saw the lack of hunters and used that opportunity to stretch out her arms.
“By the way, did you hear, Chloe? The eldest daughter of Earl Gladis had apparently gone berserk at the manor,” her senior at work said. The receptionist seemed bored as well.
Chloe gave a lackadaisical response and mulled over her thoughts. What happened to Arnold and his party? He seemed to be in a furious frenzy, she wondered. At the very least, she hadn’t seen the man since then. There wasn’t any information discussing the defeat of the Thousand Tricks, but she was a little curious to hear the outcome of the match. Should I ask around if a hunter visits us later? Just then, she heard a voice call out to her behind her back.
***
“A named quest...” Chloe murmured with a look of surprise at Branch Manager Gark’s words.
On the desk was an envelope with the seal of a noble.
“Yeah,” he said. “And it’s from Gladis, to boot. Looks like he’s done something.”
“Earl Gladis... The one who hates hunters, correct?”
“He doesn’t hate them, per se. He’s just got his land to think about.”
A named quest was a request that designated a specific hunter. Trading companies and nobles issued one whenever they wanted a hunter they trusted to do their bidding, but Earl Gladis had never used this policy before.
“Gladis probably wants to test Krai,” Gark said. “You know that Gladis’s fief currently has a few troublesome matters on their hands, don’t you?”
Chloe indeed was aware of this. The land was being targeted by some irksome people—Bandit Squad Barrel. They were a fearless group that terrorized the lands. This band of Thieves couldn’t be expelled from the lands protected by the strongest knights that House Gladis boasted. The earl was called the sword of the empire and his dignity was at stake. She wasn’t sure if requesting the help of a hunter here was a good or bad thing.
“But I’m sure Krai can do something about it,” Chloe said. “He has always pulled through somehow.”
“Right,” Gark agreed. “But he has a nasty habit of unconsciously provoking others. And he’s up against the Gladis.”
Why was I called for this? Chloe wondered with a dubious expression. Gark grinned and provided an unexpected response.
“Chloe, you’re free right now, aren’t you?” he asked. “Tag along with Krai and support him as an employee of this Association. Don’t worry; Krai’s used to this. You don’t have to act tough. Think of this as a learning experience.”
To be continued in Part Four...
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