#1285 Junior’s Adventure – What Came Rushing

“All right then, Junior!” 
“Yes, sir?!” 

The Guildmaster, having pulled himself together, starts thumping my shoulders enthusiastically. 
That kind of overly familiar energy is something only a senior with status can pull off. 

“Now that your position in the guild has stabilized, I want you to start taking on quests left and right as a full-fledged adventurer! When it comes to gaining real-life experience, there’s no better place than out there adventuring! Hahahaha!!!” 

He’s... really pushy! 

He didn’t used to be like this, but maybe becoming the Guildmaster changed something in him. 
The Silver Wolf before me now seems even more energetic and confident than he ever was in his adventuring days. 

“As for you, Sarimel.” 
“Yes, sir?!” 

Called out by name so suddenly, Sarimel freezes. 
Considering she was just scolded moments ago, she’s probably bracing for another round of reprimands. 

“I need you to deliver a letter. It’s addressed to President Ritheseus.” 

Wait, he can contact the President directly? 
I guess being a Guildmaster really does mean you’re someone important. 

Sarimel hesitates for a moment... 

“Understood. May I ask what the letter concerns, just to be sure?” 
“It’s about Junior, of course.” 

Yeah, I saw that coming. 
But even so, Sarimel, Hibina, and Shaldot all look equally shocked and uneasy. 

“You’re contacting the President about Junior? Isn’t that a bit much?” 
“Of course it’s necessary.” 

The Guildmaster replies dead serious. 

“Junior is the son of Lord Saint himself. No matter what country he visits, he should be treated as an honored guest. If word got out that the Human Kingdom ignored him completely, that’d be a diplomatic disaster. The stock market could even crash.” 

...There’s a stock market in this world? 

“That’s why we need to inform the nation’s top leader immediately. The President is the one steering the ship of state. When it comes to matters between nations, you always start with him.” 

Why does this sound like it’s turning into something huge...?! 

Uh… did I accidentally cause some kind of international incident? 
Maybe sneaking around incognito, spy-style, wasn’t the smartest move after all? 

“No, in terms of order, it’s not so bad. You can justify it as traveling incognito. If you had just barged into the government hall shouting, ‘I’m the Saint’s son!’ no one would’ve believed you. So, coming through the Guildmaster—someone closer to the people—makes things much easier to explain.” 

I-I see. 
The workings of the world sure are complicated… 

“You’re just on a personal journey, so you don’t have to be too formal about it. But showing proper respect to the right people will make negotiations much smoother down the line.” 

So, this is what they call diplomacy, huh…? 

Dad was always so laid-back about this stuff, and Mom was the one handling all the busywork, but wow, it’s actually a lot of effort behind the scenes. 
I guess this is another valuable lesson from my travels. 

“So then, Sarimel, get in touch with the President immediately.” 
“U-Um… as in, right now?” 
“Of course. This takes priority, so drop your other tasks for now. Move like the wind!” 
“Y-Yes, sir!” 

Snapped to attention, Sarimel darts out of the room. 
Given her recent blunder, she probably can’t afford to dawdle. 

“Whoa, I’ve never seen Sarimel so flustered before.” 
“Well, you don’t get orders involving royalty every day. Even that iron-faced woman’s bound to panic.” 

Yeah, I’d be panicking too. 
Actually, I already am. 

“Anyway, you just relax and stay calm, Junior. You’re Lord Saint’s son, after all! Wahaha!” 

...I think that’s his new trademark laugh as the Guildmaster; to wrap everything up with a big hearty chuckle. 

“Master! Guildmaster!” 
“Oh? Back already?” 

Sarimel bursts back through the door she just left from, practically kicking it open. 
What a rough entrance. 

“Did you already deliver the message to the President? That’s fast. Even for someone trying to redeem herself, overexerting isn’t healthy, you know?” 
“No, not yet…” 
“Huh?” 

Guildmaster, please stay calm. 
Judging by her expression, something serious must’ve come up. Serious enough to run back before even finishing the report. 

“When I reached the front desk, I saw a bunch of people from the Magic Academy barging in.” 
“‘The Magic Academy,’ you say?!”  

Everyone blurts out at once—Guildmaster, Shaldot, and Hibina. 
Their faces twist into frowns immediately. 

I’m the only one who doesn’t get it, glancing around helplessly. 

“What are those troublesome people doing here?” 
“Apparently, they caught wind of the big spell Junior pulled off outside the city… and now they’re demanding details from the receptionist.” 
“Tch, those vultures sure move fast…!” 
“I ran into them just as they came in, so I hurried back to report it right away!” 

Sarimel glances nervously at the Guildmaster. 

“You did well. This is an emergency too. Leave them to me.” 
“Y-Yes! Thank you, sir!” 
“Head to the government hall through the back door and deliver that message to the President. Go.” 

Following his command, Sarimel rushes out again. 
The others, meanwhile, start getting restless. 

“You heard her. I’ll handle the uninvited guests myself.” 
“Guildmaster! We’ll come with you...!” 

Shaldot starts to rise, but the Guildmaster halts him with an open palm. 

“You two stay here with Junior.” 
“Huh? But Guildmaster...!” 
“If they’re here about the monster he took down, then their real target is Junior. They probably want to uncover the secret behind that massive blast.” 

Yeah… that blast was my doing. 

“Bringing the guy they’re after right in front of them would be doing them a favor, wouldn’t it?” 
“T-True enough…” 
“This is the most secure room in the entire guild. Perfect place to hide someone. Shaldot, Hibina, keep him here.” 
“Keep me here?” 
“Yes. You’re Lord Saint’s son. There's no way you’re gonna sit still while this is happening.” 

Is that seriously how people see me and Dad? 

“Well, if Junior goes out there, he could probably handle it alone, but this is my turf. And when trouble happens in my turf, I’m the one who deals with it. So, sit tight and watch how an old-timer handles things.” 

Y-Yes, sir…! 

The Guildmaster flashes a confident grin and strides out. 
Moments later, through the wall, we hear him bellow: 

“WHAT’S THIS, A RAID?! YOU WANNA THROW HANDS, HUH, PUNKSSSSSSS?!” 

Um…? 
What exactly is happening out there? 

Totally lost, I glance to Shaldot and Hibina for answers. 

“D-Don’t look at us with those puppy eyes…!” 
“He’s crazy strong and he can guilt-trip people? That’s just unfair.” 

No, it’s not! 
I just think, given I’m supposedly the center of this whole mess, someone could at least explain what’s going on! 

I’m a fragile, naive sixteen-year-old, you know? 
Right? 

“Okay, okay. According to Sarimel, the Magic Academy’s got their sights set on you. This could be a pain.” 

You can tell it’s a pain just from hearing the name?! 
That bad, huh? 
What kind of group is this Magic Academy? 

“As the name suggests, it’s a school that teaches magic.” 
“It’s a recently founded academy in the capital. They’ve got cooperation from the Demon Kingdom, teaching humans how to use magic.” 

Magic, huh? 
Well yeah, if they didn’t teach magic, they wouldn’t call it a Magic Academy. 

But still… why would they come storming into the Adventurer’s Guild? 
What kind of mess is about to unfold this time? 

That’s what comes next in the story.