The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

"Here's your tea."

"Ah, thank you."

Steam rose from the offered teacup.

In Bargia, where the tourism industry thrives, many long-lasting souvenirs are sold in various towns.

Tea leaves are also a popular souvenir, with a wider variety compared to other countries.

The wafting aroma suggested a honey-like sweetness. Upon tasting, the mouthfeel was surprisingly light, with a fresh and invigorating sensation passing through the throat, leaving a faint astringency at the end.

It's not a taste that would suit the sweetness preferred by nobles, but rather a refreshing flavor that can be enjoyed on its own.

The [Eye of Fiction] appraisal only showed [Tea: Harmless. Good quality.] without specifying the type of tea leaves. It should be able to identify a single type of tea leaf, so this must be a blend. Whatever it is, it's delicious.

I put down the cup and asked the person sitting across from me.

"These are good tea leaves. It's an unusual taste, where is it sold?"

"Oh, you can tell its quality? It's a specialty product only available in parts of the Sargelen region. It's one of my favorites."

The one who answered was a man in his 40s with an afro hairstyle.

We were sitting in the Guildmaster's room at the Adventurers' Guild. Next to me sat a nervous Seori, and on the adjacent sofa were Elen, Saaya, and Punisuke. They were relaxed, drinking tea and reaching for the snacks.

Of course, the man with the afro is the Guildmaster.

"Let me introduce myself again. I'm Camlock, the Guildmaster of the Bargia area."

"I'm Ruruk. From that side, we have Elenora of the sheep-folk, Saaya who is human, Punisuke who is a slime familiar, and Seori."

"The Dragon Princess, huh."

Camlock was eyeing Seori with a half-doubtful look.

Seori, who was the center of attention, was shrinking and clinging to my arm. The tea will get cold at this rate.

"Master, she's a Dragon - True Ancestor, so she must be the Dragon Princess," replied the receptionist from earlier, who was standing behind us.

By the way, we've already completed the adventurer registration. Though surprised, she registered us, but as soon as it was done, we were immediately called to the Guildmaster's room. This must be for fact-checking.

There's no point in pretending anymore with the evidence out.

"Yes, Seori has become our companion. She'll be starting as a G-rank adventurer, so please take care of her."

"Haah~"

Camlock sighed, holding his head.

"I certainly didn't expect the princess to register as an adventurer. But this is what you wanted, right?"

"......"

"Seori, answer him."

"I-I am the brilliant explorer manifested by the guidance of the abyss! A True Ancestor of the strongest race and a solitary existence, no one can stop my path of supremacy!"

"...Do you need a translator?"

"No, I kind of understood."

It was because he understood that Camlock looked like he had a headache.

"Is there perhaps a regulation that prohibits dragon species from registering? Or do they have to register as familiars?"

"Hey, watch it! Don't you dare call the princess a familiar. If that reaches the Dragon King's ears, the whole town might be blown away."

Camlock looked flustered.

Setting aside the fact that she actually is a familiar, that's what anyone would think normally. I'm aware of it too, which is why I want to find a way to remove the enslavement quickly.

"There are no race restrictions for adventurer registration itself. Whether you're human, dragon species, or even a demon race, you can register as long as you're not double-registered. Those without blood can't register normally, so they become familiar registrations."

"I see. So, is there a problem?"

"Are you saying this with an understanding of the current situation? Or are you just playing dumb?"

Camlock glared at me.

I shrugged.

"...I'm sorry. Well, we can't escape from the public eye, can we?"

"Of course not. No one would expect the missing princess to suddenly become an adventurer. Anyway, I'll have to make this public. We adventurers' guild are an external organization, so we don't have civic duties, but we don't intend to create friction with the Dragon King or the country unnecessarily."

"I understand. I'm not familiar with Bargia's internal affairs, so I'd like to ask: what do you think will happen from here, Guildmaster?"

The development of the Dragon Princess becoming an adventurer will surely attract attention, but I couldn't predict at all who would make what moves. I just hope it doesn't reach the Dragon King's ears.

Camlock folded his arms and grumbled,

"First, the nobles will rush to offer to take the princess into their care. Fortunately, none of you are Bargia citizens, so you're not obligated to accept their meeting requests."

"So, we can ignore them?"

"...No, I'd like you to accept them. We'll help as a guild too. For the nobles, protecting the princess is equivalent to gaining a voice in noble society, so they'll desperately try to persuade you. However, the relationships between nobles are complicated, so if you intend to refuse, it's better to refuse them all at once."

"What specifically should we do?"

"Leave it to me. It won't be possible today, but I'll set up a meeting with influential nobles by tomorrow. If the princess clearly states her opinion there, the nobles won't be able to go against it."

"Is it okay to leave such troublesome matters to the Guildmaster?"

"The princess became an adventurer of her own will. That means she's already my junior, right? It's natural for a Guildmaster to support new adventurers."

This guy is a good afro!

The Guildmaster in Stoania was a good person too. I guess it takes someone of good character to manage the rough adventurers. I don't understand anything about Bargia's noble society, so this is extremely helpful.

"Before that, let me ask one thing. Is [Rozewill] planning to leave Bargia for activities?"

"We plan to stay in Bargia for a while, but eventually we're thinking of going to Stoania."

"Oh right, the 'Child of Mystery' and the 'Sheep of Destruction' were the leading dungeon clearers. Are you going to resume the clearing?"

As expected, he knew from the start. Well, it's natural since our names and party name are known.

I nodded.

"Yes, we're thinking of going back, also to level up our companions."

"You haven't cleared the dungeon here yet, right? Aren't you going to clear it? As a Guildmaster, I'd be happy if promising rookies like you stuck around. It would liven up our guild and raise the morale of other adventurers."

"Hmm... What do you think, Elen?"

"Mm. It'll end quickly, so either way is fine."

Elen stated the fact nonchalantly.

In reality, we returned from the 55th floor to the 50th floor in less than a day.

Stoania's dungeon was wide both horizontally and vertically, so it took time to clear, but here, it would probably take us only about a month to finish.

Simply put, the scale of the dungeon is different from Stoania.

For Elen, who was active as the leading clearer in Stoania, the dungeon here must seem unsatisfying. It seems there are fewer field floors that tend to become hotspots too.

Camlock smiled wryly at Elen's confident words.

"Well... I heard from Stoania's master, but the sheep-folk miss is quite something. A 'staff-wielder' who's undefeated in close combat too? I'd like to request a mock battle with our S-rank party members sometime."

"Mm. I don't mind."

"Really? Those guys are getting cocky because they don't know about other countries. It's meaningless if I beat them up myself..."

"Mm, leave it to me."

Things progressed smoothly. I expected this because Elen never refused mock battles in Stoania either.

Well, I had promised a mock battle with Kemuna and familiars too, so this might be good timing.

"Then, Camlock-san, please set up the mock battle after Seori's matter is settled."

"You'll participate too, right? In our guild, the 'Child of Mystery' is getting more attention as a 13-year-old human leading dungeon clearing."

"I don't mind. Shall we have the whole party participate?"

"...Please spare the princess. Those guys are all Bargia citizens."

Even if it's a mock battle, it seems it would be a big problem if citizens laid hands on a dragon species.

Seori, who's relieved next to me, I'll prepare a different special training for her.

The conversation digressed, but I'm glad we can receive guild support regarding Seori joining us as a companion. In the worst case, I was prepared to escape the country until things cooled down.

"Well then, [Rozewill] members, please take care of the princess. And be careful. As you can see from last night's riot, it seems the Bargia citizens' anger towards the noble who exploited the princess hasn't subsided. You might be suspected of exploiting her too."

"Yes, we'll be careful."

"From my perspective, the citizens are being fickle, changing their tune so quickly."

Camlock spoke ill of them.

I deeply agreed with that sentiment.

We decided not to go out until Camlock sets up the meeting.

The reason is simple: it's unclear who will make what moves.

There might be contact from dragon species, but the nobles will probably move faster. In the worst case, they might try to forcibly remove us, so we decided to observe the situation first.

We gave Camlock the location of our inn, so he'll contact us if anything happens.

So, we spent the day relaxing in our room, each doing self-training, playing games, cooking, and treating it like a leisurely day off.

I never thought the training room would come in handy here.

I spent my time teaching Punisuke how to cook and playing card games.

Elen continued practicing intricate magic.

Saaya did balanced training focusing on magic and mystical arts.

Punisuke practiced cooking and new techniques for the mock battle.

And Seori, who lacks exercise, was made to train her body in the training room first.

By the way, I learned for the first time that no matter how high the status is, it doesn't affect endurance at all. The status value seems to be the maximum output. Given Seori's personality, it seems she usually can't output those values.

No wonder Verugana kept insisting not to rely on status.

After spending a whole day like this, a messenger from Camlock came to us the next day after noon.

It seems they're going to hold a meeting with the nobles tonight.

Despite the sudden arrangement, quite a number of nobles are going to participate. This shows how much interest they have in Seori.

It seems Camlock will also participate as a mediator, so we'll honestly rely on him.

By the way, we've decided that all of us will participate. At first, we were planning to go with just those who wanted to, but since everyone showed willingness to participate, we decided to bring everyone.

I warned them that it might be dangerous though. Especially Saaya who was insistent.

So, we headed to the high-class restaurant prepared for the meeting with the nobles, but--

"Princess! Our Radislavli house has prepared the best environment! Please come to our house!"

"Not at all. We, the Kermantal Earl family, are in a different league from other houses. We're not upstart earls like Berlander, but an earl family with history."

"For the princess, titles are mere decorations. Our Saronkurai family has a peaceful mansion surrounded by nature. I'm sure you'll like it."

"What nonsense from a country baron! Princess, if you want to be active as an adventurer, how about our Zambaldaar family? My son is a member of the S-rank party [Platinum Tiger]. You could join them immediately, Dragon Princess!"

The restaurant was reserved for us.

The spacious, elegant space was structured in three fan-shaped tiers, with Seori eating at a table on the topmost tier.

Luxurious meals were laid out on the grand table, but she was picking at it alone, looking bored.

On the next tier sat three nobles. According to their initial introductions, they were the 'heads of duke families' and the three major nobles responsible for this country's politics. They too were quietly savoring their meals.

And on the lowest level sat about 15 heads of noble families. Ignoring their meals, they were looking up at Seori, who was mechanically bringing her fork to her mouth, and addressing her.

Apparently, it's a Bargian custom to arrange the seating positions according to the hierarchy of the ruling class. There's also an implicit understanding that one must never step onto the upper levels.

"Can't they be quiet during meals at least? I told them the agenda would come later," grumbled Camlock next to me.

Of course, we adventurers were also on the lowest level, at the very back.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, they say, but watching Seori eat her meal alone makes me feel a bit guilty.

However, what was saving Seori was that she could sense my feelings no matter where she was. Though she looked bored, she would occasionally check that I was worried about her, and blush happily.

"Ruruk, if you don't eat quickly, Seori will finish before you," Saaya urged.

"Mm, hurry hurry," added Elen.

The young girls were rushing me.

Bargian custom number two: dishes are served and cleared according to the eating pace of the highest-ranking participant.

Because of this, in social circles, the higher-ranking nobles are said to be careful to eat slowly, but when they're hostile to each other, they sometimes deliberately eat quickly as a form of harassment. Really, what a troublesome culture.

I didn't come here to enjoy the food, so I'm not too particular about the meal. I was secretly having Punisuke, hidden in my pocket, eat what I couldn't finish in time.

The nobles other than the three duke families were desperately trying to appeal rather than focusing on their meals.

If they could win Seori over here, their position in noble society would undoubtedly improve.

In this atmosphere, once Seori finished eating up to her dessert, documents were distributed to each cleared table. These were prepared by Camlock.

Camlock was participating as a mediator and also taking on the role of recording the minutes. Apparently, there are sometimes he-said-she-said arguments among the nobles, so by maintaining a neutral stance in the name of the duke families, he's granted a certain right to speak.

The nobles below the rank of marquis were murmuring as they read the contents of the documents.

Their gazes focused on us at the back.

"Quiet," the central duke muttered, and the nobles fell silent immediately.

"Then, let's begin the council. I, Emma Smasrick, will preside. Adventurers' Guild Master Camlock, who initiated this council, will participate as the secretary. Master Camlock, do you have any opening remarks?"

"Dragon Princess, I hope you are in good spirits. Thank you very much for gracing us with your presence. I am honored to be seated here, and my name is Camlock. I sincerely hope this meeting will be fruitful."

"...Indeed. I look forward to your assistance."

"As the Dragon Princess wishes."

"I-Indeed. Please proceed as you see fit."

Seori responded hesitantly.

Of course, we had practiced this exchange before it began. Apparently, formality is important.

"Now then, everyone, please review the documents. If you wish to speak, please raise your hand."

As soon as the presiding duke said this, the nobles raised their hands.

Almost all the nobles on our level had their hands up.

"Then, Earl Kermantal, you may speak."

"I'd like to ask Master Camlock. Is this document a joke?"

The earl said, glaring at Camlock behind us.

Duke Smasrick nodded.

"Master Camlock, you may speak."

"Then I'll answer. Earl Kermantal, do you think we would hold such a meeting as a joke? Of course, this is factual."

"Don't be ridiculous! How can we believe this!"

The earl slammed the table and raised his voice.

The surrounding nobles also showed anger.

What was written in the document was, of course, about Seori.

"The Dragon Princess was trapped by Earl Berlander and almost killed in the dungeon, but was saved by the adventurer party [Rozewill]. Furthermore, Riseto, a subordinate of the Dragon King, betrayed the princess and tried to kill her, but we saved her from that too. The princess was impressed and wanted to become an adventurer, and [Rozewill] agreed to her wish, so she joined the party."

Well, that's the gist of it if summarized briefly.

"Wasn't this gathering originally to decide on a foster family because the missing princess had been found?!"

"No, no. The exact wording of the invitation was 'The Dragon Princess who lost her foster family has returned, so there will be a report about future plans.' Not a word was written about deciding on a foster family, was there?"

Camlock's attitude was almost sneering.

It might be natural for the head of the Adventurers' Guild, who doesn't align with power, to have a sharp tongue, but he's probably deliberately adding fuel to the fire.

He's being careful not to direct the nobles' irritation towards Seori. What a good Guild Master.

"You! Do you know what you're--"

"Earl Kermantal, mind your language."

The duke seemed to understand this too and immediately came to his defense.

I guess the three duke families don't need to seek more power, so they're in quite a calm position. Or rather, since the Adventurers' Guild isn't affiliated with the state and should be on equal footing, the duke's reaction is natural.

The earl, ordered by the duke to stop speaking, glared at Camlock with a red face, and then glared at me next.

Me? Of course, I pretended not to notice.

"Next, Viscount Meltanie."

"Yes. I have a question for the Duke. Regarding the stripping of Earl Berlander's title after the recent riot, it's said that Luney Trading Company uncovered the earl's plot, and there was support from the duke families. Is this true?"

"Hmm. This statement is unrelated to today's agenda, but... I'll acknowledge it as mostly true. At least, it's a fact that Luney Trading Company was involved."

The nobles stirred as the duke acknowledged this.

Although each noble had probably gathered information, they couldn't hide their surprise at how deeply a foreign trading company had penetrated into the core of state operations.

Or rather, Viscount Meltanie, using your precious speaking opportunity for this question... does that mean you prioritized gathering information over the Dragon Princess matter?

There are nobles with all sorts of priorities, huh.

"Then, what kind of reward do you intend to give to Luney Trading Company?"

"I'll refrain from answering. From now on, please refrain from questions unrelated to today's agenda... Next, Viscount Zambaldaar. You may speak."

"I have a question for the adventurer party [Rozewill]. According to the document, you were dropped to the 55th floor of the dungeon with the princess, but returned to the 50th floor in just one day and survived. Furthermore, you not only protected the princess from Lord Riseto but also defeated him... Are you claiming this ridiculous content is true?"

"Leader of the adventurer party [Rozewill], Ruruk, you may speak."

"Yes. It's all true."

When I answered immediately, the nobles stirred again.

Viscount Zambaldaar showed an expression of disbelief.

"I see. Then I have a question for Master Camlock. Regarding this document, are the descriptions related to [Rozewill] backed up by objective testimony or evidence?"

"...No, the content regarding that was created based on the testimony of the members of [Rozewill]."

"So the truth of this content is unknown?"

"However, as the Adventurers' Guild, we guarantee its credibility. In fact, we have confirmed the trap on the 5th floor of the dungeon reported by Ruruk, the order for the assassination attempt on the princess by former Earl Berlander, and Lord Riseto's grave and remains."

"Is that so. But is there a possibility that this child is using physical evidence?"

"...What do you mean?"

"For example, the case where he's taking credit for someone else's achievements. Isn't it strange when you think about it calmly? A mere 13-year-old boy killed Lord Riseto? That's impossible. Lord Riseto was a high-ranking individual among dragon species."

Viscount Zambaldaar was being particularly confrontational.

Did I do something?

"But Viscount, he's already a B-rank adventurer with a record of defeating even S-rank monsters. The Adventurers' Guild has confirmed this as an objective fact that cannot be falsified by riding on others' achievements."

"Don't compare dragon species with monsters! You fool!"

Viscount Zambaldaar's face turned red as he raised his voice.

In contrast, Camlock immediately bowed with a calm expression. Of course, he bowed not to the viscount, but to Seori.

"I apologize for my rude words. Princess, please forgive me."

"I-Indeed. I don't mind."

"I'm grateful for your gracious words."

It's a farce, but formality is... well, you know.

However, the Guild Master's mischievousness didn't end there.

"Viscount, I understand your reluctance to accept this. After all, your son is one of Bargia's proud heroes. A younger adventurer than your son has defeated a dragon species... moreover, one several ranks above what your son couldn't even touch. Perhaps this will be an opportunity for your son to realize his own lack of strength and retrain himself from the ground up."

"Y-You... how dare you..."

"Oops. That was a slip of the tongue. I should apologize."

Camlock bowed his head and grinned where no one could see.

This afro guy is having fun.

"Master Camlock, refrain from unnecessary remarks."

"Yes. I apologize."

Camlock bowed his head sincerely to the duke, showing genuine apology.

Seeing this, the viscount's anger intensified.

"Next, Marquis Cloenne."

"Yes. I also have a question for Adventurer Ruruk. As written in the document, it's true that you saved the princess, correct? And the fact that the princess was impressed by this and decided to become an adventurer is already established, given that she has agreed to this meeting. Anyone who thinks a little would understand that this document includes the princess's testimony, right?"

"Ugh..."

Viscount Zambaldaar's face turned red with shame this time, as he was calmly pointed out by the marquis. Doubting the document means doubting the Dragon Princess, after all. It seems the quick-witted nobles had noticed this from the beginning.

The marquis continued, directing a remarkably cool gaze at me.

"But Ruruk, do you understand what it means to take care of the princess from now on? It means you're taking responsibility for the future of this Bargia Dragon Principality. Are you aware of the foolish act of exposing the princess to danger? I'd like to hear your thoughts on this."

"Yes. Of course, I'm aware. With that in mind, I respect Seori's choice."

When I said this lightly, the nobles stirred again.

No, that's not it. They were saying things like "Calling the princess by name?!", "It's disrespectful! Arrest him!", so it seems they were displeased not with the content, but with me calling her Seori.

"Order. Order."

The duke's words calmed the unsettled council.

However, even the duke was glaring at me. It seems it was indeed inappropriate, but for me, Seori is a companion. I have no intention of following the customs of noble society.

Marquis Cloenne also quietly exuded anger.

"Ruruk, don't you understand what it means to not use an honorific for the princess?"

"I do. It's a sign of trust, isn't it?"

"Foolish. Who would allow such a foolish act--"

"Silence."

Seori muttered softly. The atmosphere of the place quieted instantly.

She's angry.

Seori, who usually gets scared and can't say anything, was now forming words while trembling slightly.

"Listening to you all this time, you're being disrespectful."

"Th-That's right, Princess! This impertinent youth should be punished--"

"Shut up, human! I'm talking about you all!"

Seori slammed the table hard. With a cracking sound, the table almost broke and sank.

Usually weak, when Seori gets serious with heightened emotions, a wooden table is like a toy to her.

"They saved me! Can you save me without a scratch after falling from a height of 50 floors? Can you win against over 100 monsters without a single injury? Can you easily defeat one of the strongest subordinates of the Dragon King?"

"Th-That's..."

"Listen well, humans! I won't forgive anyone who makes fun of my companions - my master, Saaya, Elenora, and Punisuke! Even if it's my father... even if it's the Dragon King!"

Everyone held their breath at Seori's fierce roar.

The girl who had been quiet all this time now looked like a great conquering emperor reigning over all.

This wasn't just imagination; an enormous amount of magical power was actually overflowing from Seori's body. Many felt this pressure on their skin even if they couldn't see the magical power.

The viscount and marquis who had tried to blame me with excuses were now speechless in the face of this overwhelming force.

"Fufu," Saaya laughed happily next to me.

I understand that feeling.

Our Dragon Princess isn't just a weak woman who needs to be protected.

She's a kind and strong girl who might not get angry for herself, but gets seriously angry for her companions.

And so, the meeting ended successfully, with Seori's declaration of intent communicated as clearly as possible.