Published: July 3, 2025
Royal Capital Adventurers' Guild, Grand Master's Office.
"Make it happen!"
"I understand that, but it's impossible if it's impossible."
Ryo pleaded.
Hugh refused with a grimace.
"Damn... Even being called the first duke, I can't even borrow a single carriage in this reality..."
Ryo lamented, hanging his head.
"No, don’t say it in a way that causes misunderstandings. Even if I wanted to lend one, all the Guild carriages are out."
Ryo had chosen to use a Guild carriage as his means to hurry back to the City of Run.
With a regular carriage, it takes seven days one way from the royal capital to Run.
However, with a Guild carriage, which allows for quick stops to change horses at each town, it can reach Run from the royal capital in just two days.
Ryo remembered traveling with Abel from Run to the royal capital using that Guild carriage.
Of course, regular adventurers cannot use the Guild carriage.
It's only available for those who have received special permission from the Guild Master to use it for urgent, special requests requiring swift travel.
But this was the first duke.
He tried to exploit his status and power... or rather, asked Hugh McGrath, the Grand Master, to let him use one somehow.
But the result was a rejection.
"Indeed, the Royal Capital Adventurers' Guild is the center of the kingdom, with over twenty Guild carriages. It's true that the Grand Master's authority allows for quite a bit of flexibility. The previous Grand Master, Finley Forsyth, even used one to help his daughter escape."
During the fall of the royal capital, the then Grand Master, Finley Forsyth, privately used a Guild carriage to escape his daughter from the royal capital to Run.
Even though it was an emergency, private use was not impossible...
Moreover, in practical terms, in a kingdom where the royal family and nobles hold power, requests from nobles to the adventurers' guild are quite diverse, and they have become accustomed to responding flexibly.
From that perspective, it was actually common for requests from someone like Ryo, the first duke, to be met.
However...
"Since all the carriages are out, even if I wanted to lend one, I can't."
"Damn..."
Hugh said this with a grimace, and Ryo bit his lip in frustration.
At that moment, Hugh casually looked out the window.
And once he understood the situation, he ran to the window, opened it with vigor, and shouted toward the courtyard.
"Stop carriage three! This is a Grand Master’s order!"
Quick decision and quick action.
That took two seconds.
So rapid was the turn of events that even Ryo, who was in the same room, couldn’t keep up.
Looking out the window, he saw someone who seemed to be a Guild staff member running toward the carriage departure area from the courtyard.
It seemed they moved immediately upon hearing Hugh's shout.
Seeing that, Ryo thought,
(This must happen often.)
"Ryo, you're in luck. While I can't lend you a carriage, I can let you ride along on the Guild carriage to Run."
With that, Hugh grinned.
That smile, even Ryo, who was used to it, found honestly frightening...
The two arrived at the carriage departure area, and Hugh opened the door of carriage three.
A voice came from inside.
"Grand Master, why did you have us stop? We should be in a hurry."
"Oh, sorry about that. Just let this one ride along to Run."
Saying this, Hugh stepped aside, and Ryo poked his head through the carriage door.
"Excuse me, may I ride along to the City of Run..."
Just as he said that, Ryo tilted his head in confusion.
In response, the three people inside the carriage also tilted their heads in unison.
Then, the leader, a swordsman, cautiously spoke up.
"Could it be... Ryo?"
Ryo also cautiously responded.
"Could it be... Nils? Eto? Amon?"
The three inside the carriage were members of the party "Room 10."
"It's been how many years...?"
"It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?"
"I think it's been about a year and a half."
Nils, Eto, and Amon were all surprised and celebrated their reunion.
"Wow, I never thought I would run into you here!"
As he said this, Ryo was grinding coffee beans at the Ice Mill.