Chapter 44
Proof
Translator : PolterGlast
The next day.
As Aoi had said, we
came to the Adventurer's Guild today to meet the Guild Master.
We had all ended up
drinking late into the night yesterday, and Aoi looked terribly sleepy.
"Ughh..., how are
you two perfectly fine? My head hurts from the leftover alcohol and I can't
stand it!"
"I was pacing
myself while I drank! You're a strong drinker too, aren't you,
Graham-san?"
"I've been
drinking since I was young. I've never had a hangover."
"Whoa. It's not
fair that you're not only strong in a fight but also a strong drinker!"
"It's not about
being fair. More importantly, we're about to meet the Guild Master, so
straighten up."
"No, no, he's not
that important of a person, so it's fine."
He has 'Master' in his
title, so I thought he was an important person... but Aoi's attitude is very
casual.
I was quite nervous,
but maybe I don't need to be so tense?
Aoi casually spoke
with a staff member, and after being shown into the Guild Master's office,
Ginia and I followed her inside.
The inside of the
Guild Master's office was completely different from what I had imagined; it was
an absolute mess, with various documents piled high.
He was the one who
summoned us, so a part of me wishes he had cleaned up a little, but...
It's probably so messy
that he can't clean it up even if he wanted to.
"Aoi. Thanks for
coming."
"You're the one
who called. I brought Graham, too."
"Well now, a
pleasure to meet you. My name is Dwayne, and I serve as the Guild Master of
this Adventurer's Guild. You must be the E-rank adventurer... Graham, the one
rumored to have defeated the Ogres."
The one who introduced
himself while sitting in his chair was a man with a solid build and a rugged
face.
He seemed to be a bit
older than me, and his salt-and-pepper hair was noticeable.
He also seems to be
quite skilled compared to other adventurers; he has quite a presence.
His body has likely
declined with age, but I'm sure he was a formidable fighter in his youth.
"Yeah, I'm
Graham. You called me and Ginia here today because you wanted to talk to us,
right?"
"That's right.
Glad you get to the point quickly. I heard from Aoi, but was it really you who
defeated the Ogres?"
His eyes were those of
a man full of doubt; he didn't seem to believe for a second that I was the one
who had defeated them.
Part of it is probably
because I'm a geezer who just recently got promoted to E-rank, but well, it's
no surprise they don't believe me at first.
"It was really
me. You don't have to believe me, but I'm sure I handed over the proof of
subjugation."
"............Is
that the truth? I've confirmed the proof of subjugation and even conducted an
on-site investigation, but... I'm still not fully convinced that it was you,
Graham. That magic you used to burn the Ogres, can you use it now?"
"Of course I can.
Is it alright if I cast it here?"
"N-no! Please
don't use it in here. I want to see it outside. Are you free to go now?"
Going outside is a
pain, but it's better to stay on good terms with the Guild Master.
Even if I told him I
could use [Purifying Flame] safely in the room, he probably wouldn't let me use
fire-attribute magic indoors.
"Yeah, it's fine.
I'll use the magic outside."
"That's good to
hear. Then let's go outside."
"Hey, is it okay
if Ginia and I wait here? You're coming back anyway, right?"
"If the Guild
Master says it's okay, I don't see why not."
"I don't mind. My
business is only with Graham."
"Yay! Ginia,
let's wait together!"
"Is it really
okay if we don't go with you? Are you alright, Graham-san?"
Ginia is looking at me
with a very worried expression.
I don't think it's
something to be that worried about, but she knows I'm not good with strangers,
so this is probably her way of being considerate.
To be honest, I'd
rather not be alone with the Guild Master.
"I'll be fine.
I'll be back as soon as I show him the magic anyway. You two can look for a
quest or something."
"Okay. In that
case, please be careful!"
I parted ways with Aoi
and Ginia there, and the Guild Master and I passed through the gate and went
outside the city.
Perhaps because of the
Guild Master's privilege, we were able to bypass the usual line to get out and
were given priority, then walked to a deserted area.
"Alright, this
area should be fine. Graham, would you mind showing me here?"
"Of course. Then
I'll begin at once. [Purifying Flame]."
After lighting a flame
on my fingertip, just as I had with the first Red Ogre, I shot it towards the
Guild Master.
Incidentally, the
flame's color is quite pale; my magic is in pretty bad shape today.
"...Hm? This tiny
[Fireball] is the flame that burned the Ogres?"
"That's right. I
burned the Ogres with this magic. You can ask Aoi or Ginia if you want."
"...I find that
hard to believe. Is it alright if I touch it?"
"Of course. It
won't harm a human."
After getting my
permission, the Guild Master touched the [Purifying Flame], which was floating
like a piece of fluff, as if to punch it.
The moment the
[Purifying Flame] touched the Guild Master's fist, it dissipated beautifully
like a soap bubble and vanished in an instant.
"Wh-what is
this... —Are you making a fool of me?"
"I'm not making a
fool of you. The flame of this magic only burns monsters. It just has no effect
when a human touches it."
"And you expect
me to believe such a fishy story?"
"If you don't
want to believe me, then don't. It's a pain to explain with words, so I'd
rather show you in a real fight. You'll understand in an instant if there's a
monster, right?"
"...Damn it, I
can't tell if you're lying or being serious."
"I have no reason
to lie. —Oh, speak of the devil, there's a reaction like a common goblin to the
southeast. Shall I show you?"
"Yeah. If it's
true, then show me."
I had just assumed the
principle of the spell was relatively well-known, but Aoi and the surrounding
adventurers were surprised too. Could it be that I'm the only one who can use
this magic?
I had just thought I
was adding my own original flair by changing its shape and form into guardian
dogs or a Luan bird, but it seems there's a possibility that the [Purifying Flame]
spell is rarer than I had imagined.
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