Chapter 14: Lily Garden and Dawn 1

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“E—eh. W-we are g-going on a joint quest with a party of G-Gold-Rank Adventurer…?”

The one murmuring this with a stiff, strained expression was Chloe Clearle, Count’s daughter.

“Oh? That should be an honor, shouldn’t it?”

“It is an honor, but—! Wait, wh-what, a Gold-Rank Adventurer!? Really!?”

“Ah—ahawahhh…”

It was only natural for Count’s Daughter Chloe to be confused. Despite being an all-female party and having reached Emerald-Rank Adventurer status, they understood power dynamics better than most nobles. Gold-Rank Adventurers were not human. The stories shared within the Guild and among adventurers were fundamentally different from the vague rumors circulating among nobles. They were built on horrifyingly specific, blood-chilling accounts. For example, there were tales of a madman who stood back up even after losing every internal organ and having all four limbs severed.

“…Wait, could it be he’s the person who helped us the other day?”

“Oh! That makes sense. There’s no way Her Highness could have connections with a Gold-Rank Adventurer otherwise.”

“Hey, that’s disrespectful.”

“Ahaha, isn’t it a little late for that?”

Violet Orient, Baron’s daughter, laughed loudly. In contrast, Lucille Favien, Count’s daughter, spoke with an exasperated tone.

“Well, I mean, Vio is talking to her normally anyway. At this point, I don’t think we need to give a crap about being disrespectful.”

“Lucille-san. You shouldn’t use words like ‘crap.’”

“Ugh. Who cares? It’s not like I’ll ever marry into nobility anyway. I’ll just find a decent adventurer, so my word choice—”

“You’re a lady before you’re a noble. Besides, it would be a waste not to make use of the advantage of being a noble daughter.”

“Well… Yeah. I guess that’s true.”

All three of them were, as noble daughters, more or less already finished. Lucille Favien, Count’s daughter, hailed from a noble family with territory on the northern plains. However, she had grown up in a region of perpetual snowfall with no summer, resulting in a fundamentally poor lifestyle. Her count father had to hunt for that day’s food himself, so naturally Lucille had been raised the same way. As a result, she developed a muscular physique unbefitting a noble daughter, along with rough, calloused hands and skin. After enrolling in the academy and beginning her search for a husband, she was ignored, gossiped about, and driven to despair until Charlotte took her in, and they became friends.

As for Violet Orient, Baron’s daughter, she had originally been a commoner. She had lived alone with her mother near the slums until a provincial baron came to fetch her, making her a baron’s daughter. Despite her commoner origins, she received a proper education thanks to her grit. When she entered the academy with dreams of marrying up, the first person she spoke to happened to be the son of a noble aligned with the Second Prince’s faction, bringing her noble life to an abrupt end. By the time she began thinking “something’s wrong,” it was already too late. When she learned about the country’s political situation, she cried out in despair. Charlotte, unable to ignore her, took her in and now Violet felt that having gained a truly close friend made it all worthwhile.

Chloe Clearle, Count’s daughter, had committed none of those missteps and was a proper noble lady. However, after her mother’s death, she was despised by her father’s new wife and planned to leave home after graduating from the academy. Her parents’ marriage had been purely political, with no love involved, and the count doted on his stepdaughter more than Chloe. As a result, Chloe had been steadily preparing to leave while assisting with family duties. Despite having excellent academic performance, she didn’t socialize with other nobles and was bullied until Charlotte charged in. Even without real authority, Charlotte was still a princess, so no one could defy her. Through that dragged-out connection, they eventually became friends.

In other words, all three of them—just like Charlotte—were “powerless nobles.” Encouraged by Charlotte, who had secretly walked the path of an adventurer, they followed the same road. Because of that, each of them believed they had gained friends for life. Smiling wryly at her teasing companions, Charlotte finally spoke.

“As you have guessed, the one cooperating with us is the adventurer who saved us back then. After meeting him yesterday, he brought it up himself.”

“So it’s not, like, a guardian escort thing, right?”

“Of course not.”

When nobles worked with adventurers, they usually paid them as bodyguards. Counts had private soldiers, and even barons had retainers. Since the girls had always operated without any guards, suddenly adding one now would feel strange.

“That said, the difference in strength is overwhelming… He won’t be acting as a guard, but it is inevitable that we will be treated like children.”

“That can’t be helped. There’s no way we could stand up to someone who can take down a giant forest bear in one hit.”

“Indeed. Honestly, even now, going into the forest is still a little frightening for me.”

Remembering that incident, Chloe shuddered slightly before continuing.

“So then… What kind of person is he?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m curious too.”

“A Gold-Rank Adventurer who punches forest bears to death, right? Who in the royal capital fights like that?”

“【Blunt Hammer】? 【Silver Arm】? 【King’s Shield】?”

“You said he uses a mace, Your Highness, so maybe… 【Blunt Hammer】?”

While Lucille spoke excitedly, Charlotte kept her mouth shut, a faint smile formed on her lips.

“Hm… That’s not it. You’re right that he punched it down, though.”

“Then maybe 【King’s Shield】?”

“If that guy did it, the monster would’ve been flattened completely. So I’m calling it, he must be【Silver Arm】!”

“……Could it be… Someone from 【Dawn】?”

At Chloe’s murmur, Charlotte’s eyes widened. To be blunt, Finn was not famous even within 【Dawn】. He was practically unknown. While it was known that he was a Gold-Rank Adventurer, unlike the other three, he lacked any standout achievements. That was because he possessed neither swordsmanship like a Sword Saint, nor power like a Saint, nor overwhelming force like a Tempest. He performed the role of a shield using nothing but his body, which made him hard to evaluate.

Among adventurers who had reached Silver Rank, many understood Finn’s abnormality, but Copper-Rank rookies often assumed he was just leeching off others. Charlotte herself hadn’t known much about Finn, so she had swallowed her pride and asked the cardinal about him. The answer she received was essentially, “I don’t really know.” Afterward, she investigated independently, only to realize she was dealing with someone terrifying.

The Guild didn’t actively promote him either, so there was little opportunity to learn. Fame spread only when people talked. If someone didn’t do things that got talked about, their name wouldn’t spread. That was why Charlotte couldn’t hide her surprise that Chloe knew.

Given that Chloe helped with her father’s work, her perspective was broader than most their age, and 【Lily Garden】’s steady rise reflected that but even so, Charlotte hadn’t expected her to have researched that deeply.

As expected of Chloe. To discard such a capable daughter…The county must be truly prosperous.

“That’s right! You know him well.”

“That person… He has my gratitude.”

“Oh? Is that so! Finn-dono is recognized even by the three who bear epithets—wait, Chloe.”

“Hm? Is something wrong?”

Charlotte tried to respond sympathetically with a sarcastic remark, then stopped. Something about Chloe’s use of the word “gratitude” bothered her.

“…Do you know him personally?”

“No. I merely know him unilaterally.”

“I see… Forgive me for asking, but… What kind of connection do you have with him? You don’t need to give me the specifics.”

“Well, um… I’d rather not say.”

……This is…

Charlotte broke out in a cold sweat.

“I-I see. Just… Just be careful not to offend him.”

“Yes, of course. I would never offend him deliberately.”

With Chloe’s cheeks faintly tinged red, Charlotte said nothing. She felt that saying anything would only dig her own grave.

—

—

—

On the day of the joint mission, Charlotte and the others were in the tavern attached to the Guild headquarters. Yet the unfamiliar atmosphere left them unsettled. Normally, no one paid them any attention but today, it felt as though eyes from all over the tavern were on them. Lucille, a hunter, felt it most keenly and shifted uncomfortably. The reason was simple. None of them were hiding their faces.

That went without saying for Charlotte, but the other three were also beautiful. It was immediately obvious they were noble daughters, and rough-looking patrons were treating them as drinking gossip—“some rich girls from somewhere.” Yet no one approached them.

Those who knew they were 【Lily Garden】 wondered, “Why show their faces now after hiding them this whole time?” Those who didn’t simply thought, “They’re definitely nobles. Better not get involved.” Some thugs who had considered bothering them turned back upon learning they were an Emerald-Rank party.

Unaware of all that, Lucille—bracing herself for trouble—tearfully whispered to Charlotte.

“Hey, Your Highness. Maybe we really should’ve hidden our faces…”

“No. That was one of the conditions. She wants it widely known that my faction has formed.”

“Ehh…”

“T-the Saint-sama is quite the martial type, huh…”

“She is a Gold-Rank Adventurer after all.”

Lucille bit back a retort, while Violet—cheerfully stuffing her face with food—spoke up.

“Come on, nobles and Gold-Rank Adventurers are basically the same.”

“Vio, how can you even swallow your food right now…?”

“I was a commoner to begin with. To me, nobles and Gold-Rank Adventurers are equally terrifying.”

To the powerless, both were embodiments of injustice. Once she thought of it that way, overthinking and overpreparing was pointless. Injustice was unjust precisely because nothing you did mattered.

“If you say it’s fine, Your Highness, then I trust you. So I won’t worry. If you hadn’t saved me, I’d be on a sinking ship right now.”

“Haha. I’m a sinking ship myself.”

“At least I want to choose which ship I go down with.”

While being told something heavy like,”I want to die with you,” Charlotte noticed a stir near the entrance.

“…They’re here.”

All eyes turned toward the door. At the same time, the tavern fell silent. The clanking of metal armor echoed.  People naturally shifted aside, forming a path and it led straight to Lily Garden.

Pressure. An overwhelming presence that crushed the room. Lucille’s hand instinctively moved toward her bow. Violet nearly bolted before forcing herself to stay. Only Charlotte remained calm, though Chloe was sweating nervously. Eventually, the four reached them, and a man stepped forward as their representative.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Charlotte.”

“…It’s fine. We were just having a bite.”

Charlotte replied, sounding slightly tense. Murmurs spread. Princess Charlotte. The Second Princess.

『Is she really Princess Charlotte?』

『Why is 【Dawn】 here?』

At the center of the swirling doubts, the man—Finn—continued.

“We’re the Gold-Rank Adventurer party participating in today’s joint mission,【Dawn】. Members of 【Lily Garden】, it’s a pleasure to—”

Charlotte, Lucille, Violet. Finn looked at them in turn and then stopped in front of Chloe. He frowned, thinking, rubbed his chin several times, and then spoke.

“…Chloe? You’re in 【Lily Garden】?”

“Y-yes. Thank you again for helping me back then. I couldn’t properly repay you, and I apologize for my rudeness.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m the one at fault for running away after assuming you were a noble.”

“I would be happy if you wouldn’t run away next time.”

“Haha. I won’t run. If anything, I’m worried you’ll run from me.”

“Oh my…! I would never!”

As the two conversed, Charlotte vaguely thought that Chloe must have been saved while she was on her own. Then she noticed the pressure intensifying from behind Finn and her face twitched.

“Finn-san. Standing around here isn’t ideal. Shall we move?”

“Hm, ah—sorry. Let’s go then.”

Finn walked ahead. A swordsman and a mage followed him, but one person—a cleric dressed like a nun—stopped and stared at Chloe.

“You are Chloe Clearle, correct? My name is Marianne Highrendine.”

“H-huh!? Ye-Yes! I-I’m Chloe Clearle…”

Ah… So that’s how it is…

Charlotte, who had endured the combined pressure of all three before, recalled that moment and stared off into the distance.

【Saint of Holy Smite】, 【Crimson Sword Saint】, 【Tempest】. Each had legendary achievements and Charlotte understood that all three likely harbored something close to obsession toward Finn. She had been spared last time because she was too pitiful. But what would happen to Chloe?

No. She would step in if needed. However, Finn was also the one Charlotte loved. Balancing years of friendship against romantic feelings, Charlotte hesitated over which to prioritize.

Meanwhile, Marianne was shaken. She hadn’t heard that Chloe Clearle had interacted with Finn. Even using the Church’s connections, there were things she couldn’t uncover but she never expected an ambush like this.

(I’m happy more people understand Finn-san’s appeal, but WHY ARE THEY ALL BEAUTIFUL!?)

Finn Debyura, nineteen years old. Despite encountering many people during solo quests, he barely shared any of those stories with his companions. The reason was simply, “I figured it wouldn’t be interesting.”

Hopeless. This man was fundamentally passive. If one had to classify him as aggressive or passive, he was overwhelmingly passive, so it made sense for him to act like that(somehow).

Saint Marianne swore an oath. Next time, she would pry everything out of him. Who he ended up with was his choice, but she would never allow the man who had (unofficially) sworn love with them to be stolen by some random woman who popped up out of nowhere. If nothing else, he should choose from the three of them.

The pressure released from her smile, which was crafted with pure anger, made Chloe’s eyes roll back.

“I look forward to our conversation, okay?”

“Y-yes…”

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー