I Got Something Valuable

A few days later.
The branch manager came to the inn I was staying at.

「Count Meigis arrived today. You may meet him today or tomorrow. What will it be?」

「Arrived? You mean he’s in town right now?」

I thought that since I’m meeting a noble, I’d be the one visiting his place. Besides, it’s not completely safe yet in Elias.

The Demon Poison would have naturally vanished after I killed the Emperor Ogre, so monsters shouldn’t be stronger and more violent than usual. These days, the monsters that escaped from the Great Forest of Elias should be coming back and that means it’s still not that safe out there.

「He apparently took this as an opportunity to visit as well. He probably wants to check how the town is doing.」

「…Is that so.」

Fortunately the casualties were only on the roads and inside the forest. The town itself is unharmed. So the Count came here to see that with his own eyes.

「I understand. I want to meet him as soon as possible.」

「All right. I’ll tell him that. I think he’ll see you right away, so you better wait at the guild.」

「Wait. I got a question.」

「What is it?」

「Should I be polite when talking to him?」

This is a very crucial matter. This world’s adventurers don’t use polite language when talking. But that sounds like a bad idea when facing a noble, which is why I asked.

「No need, just talk like you always do. An adventurer being polite will only draw suspicion. High-ranking adventurers talk normally even to royalty.」

Well apparently, that was just how adventurers were.

◇

A few moments later.
I was waiting in the guild’s reception room when the manager opened the door.

「Count Meigis, this is the adventurer Eld.」

「So you’re Eld. Thank you very much for saving the town of Elias.」

「The whole evacuation thing happened because you stuck up for us with inferior job classes, right? It was only natural that I would help.」

「My conflict with Cardinal Georgis is of my own volition. I didn’t want my people involved in the mess. So I thank you.」

「You’re welcome. I obtained some good stuff out of it and a hefty reward as well.」

The past few days have been a great time to make profit. Plenty of strong monsters were out that were targets for kill quests.

「It’s only right to confer the appropriate reward. You deserved it after all the work you did. I want to give you more in cash as well, but unfortunately, I don’t have any money at hand. Do you mind if I pay you in kind instead?」

「In kind?」

I heard the Count is losing territory from his fight with nobles in the Cardinal’s faction. To make up for that, he probably used his personal funds which is why he doesn’t have money. I wonder what he means by payment in kind, though.

「Yes. I don’t have much cash, but I still have some precious stones. If there’s anything you want, you may have it.」he said, presenting a small chest.

I peered inside the box. Its contents were nothing but ordinary gems. They could fetch a good price, but there’s nothing I want exactly…

I studied each one of them and one caught my attention.

「Can I have this?」I said, pointing at a dull red stone that sat in one corner of the chest.

It didn’t look like valuable gem at all… but it was a Wisdom Stone.

I didn’t expect to get another one. Now I can make two of the Skill-enhancing items. I’ll figure out which Skills to power up later.

「Are you sure you want that? I don’t think it has that much value.」the Count asked as he eyed the dull gem.

Perhaps the people of this world see the Wisdom Stone as just a gem of poor quality. I should check out stores that sell gems when I visit larger towns. I might find something valuable.

「Yeah. This will do.」

「Very well. You may have that as an additional reward.」he said, handing me the Wisdom Stone.

A lucky find from somewhere unexpected.