About an hour after setting out, the carriage finally reached its destination.
They had left Calonia late in the morning, around eleven o'clock to be precise.
The journey had been smooth and uneventful.
The carriage gradually slowed before coming to a stop in a clearing deep within the forest.
A figure clad head-to-toe in adventurer gear immediately approached.
He stopped beside the coachman.
"What business do you have here?" he asked.
The driver gave a respectful nod.
"I was instructed to deliver my passengers to the Sylva Guardians Guild Headquarters."
"HQ, huh..."
The adventurer glanced toward the carriage.
"What kind of 'passengers' are we talking about?"
He walked over and knocked sharply on the carriage door.
"Come out."
"What a pain," Boros muttered.
He pushed the door open and stepped down first.
Akeno and Kinuko followed behind him.
The guard's eyes drifted upward.
'He's tall...'
He folded his arms.
"What are the three of you doing at headquarters?"
"You do know recruitment season is already over, right?"
"Yes," Kinuko replied politely.
"We're aware."
"We came here at the request of your Guildmaster."
"We're from the White Tigers Guild."
The guard's expression remained unchanged.
"Information like that can leak."
He stepped closer.
"Who's to say you aren't just pretending so you can sneak in and cause trouble?"
His gaze settled on Boros.
"And you..."
"...look suspicious as hell."
Without waiting for permission, he began patting Boros down.
Boros frowned.
The search was already irritating enough.
Still...
He tolerated it.
Until the man's hands reached his waist.
Slap.
Boros knocked his hand away.
The guard immediately jumped back, his hand flying to the sword at his hip.
"You're hiding something, aren't you?!"
Boros took a step forward.
"...What's your problem?"
"Shiro." Akeno placed an arm in front of him.
"You're not supposed to fight. I'll handle this."
She turned back toward Boros.
"Your ID."
Boros sighed before reaching into his pocket.
He handed it over.
Akeno walked toward the guard.
"You really shouldn't start fights you can't finish."
She held out the Guild identification card.
The guard hesitated for a moment before finally taking it.
'Guild IDs can be forged...'
'He's probably just some low-ran—'
His thoughts came to an abrupt stop.
His eyes widened.
He looked at the card.
Then slowly looked back at Boros.
Then at the card again.
"...Sir!"
He snapped into a salute.
"I sincerely apologize for my earlier behavior!"
"I was only trying to protect our border."
Sweat rolled down his forehead.
His heart pounded violently inside his chest.
"Whatever."
Boros walked past him without another glance.
The guard remained frozen in place.
'An... Apex-Rank Adventurer...?'
A chill ran down his spine.
'I'm lucky...'
'If he'd been any other Apex-Rank...'
'I'd already be dead.'
"Akeno," Boros called.
"Yeah?" She grinned, flexing an arm. "You gonna praise me for resolving that situation?"
"Go get our bags."
Akeno's smile disappeared.
"You damn bastard!"
"You can go." Boros said to the coachman.
She bent down, grabbed a small rock, and hurled it at him.
"Don't ignore me!"
Boros casually tilted his head, letting the rock whistle past him.
"I'll kill you!"
"Not if I kill you first!"
The two immediately leaned forward until their foreheads collided.
"Enough."
Kinuko sighed as she walked over to the carriage.
Meanwhile, the coachman cleared his throat.
"U-Um... sir."
The coachman looked conflicted.
"I truly appreciate the offer, sir..."
"But Miss Elizabeth personally instructed me to deliver you directly to the Guild Headquarters."
"I'm aware." Boros shrugged.
"And I don't want you taking us any farther."
"You can go."
"B-But, sir..."
Boros glanced at him.
"Remind me..."
"Who does Elizabeth work for?"
The coachman lowered his head.
"...You, sir."
"Exactly."
By then, Kinuko had already unloaded their travel bags.
Boros picked up his own.
Without another word, the trio began walking away.
The coachman watched them leave.
"G-Good luck on your mission, sir!"
Boros simply raised a hand in acknowledgment without looking back.
Moments later, the carriage turned around and began its journey back to Calonia.
"S-Sir!"
The adventurer from earlier hurried after them.
Boros glanced over his shoulder.
"It's you."
The man came to a stop before bowing deeply.
"I'd like to apologize once again for my behavior earlier."
He straightened himself.
"If you'll allow me..."
"I'd like to escort you to the Guild Headquarters."
Kinuko tilted her head.
"What about the post you were guarding?"
The adventurer laughed awkwardly.
"My comrades should notice I'm gone soon enough."
"They'll cover for me until I return."
He scratched the back of his head.
"And honestly..."
"The punishment I'd get for leaving my post is nothing compared to what my Guildmaster would do if he found out I left our guests to wander around on their own."
Boros nodded.
"Fine."
"Lead the way."
The adventurer smiled in relief.
"Right this way."
The group began walking through the forest.
For several minutes...
Silence.
Unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, the adventurer finally spoke.
"So..."
"Have any of you been to Tunisik before?"
"No," all three answered almost simultaneously.
"I figured." He smiled.
"Then let me give you a quick tour on the way."
He gestured toward the endless forest surrounding them.
"This area is the agricultural heart of Tunisik."
"That's why you see so much forest."
"Most of our farmers work here."
"A large portion of the food supplied to Calonia comes from these farms."
"We even export food to several neighboring towns."
Kinuko looked around with interest.
"That's impressive."
"So the stories about Tunisik being a prosperous town were true," Akeno said.
"They were." The adventurer's smile faded.
"But not anymore."
"We still produce food..."
"...just nowhere near what we used to."
"The kidnapping cases have scared many farmers away."
"So fewer people are willing to work the fields."
"And with everything else happening..."
"The Guild can't spare enough Adventurers to patrol like we used to."
Boros adjusted the strap of his bag.
"That's why we're here."
"We'll fix it."
The adventurer blinked.
Then smiled.
Hearing those words from an Apex-Rank Adventurer filled him with hope.
For the first time in months...
He genuinely believed Tunisik might return to its former glory.
As they continued talking, the dense forest gradually gave way to buildings.
They had finally reached the town itself.
Yet something immediately felt...off.
The streets were far quieter than they had expected.
Very few people could be seen outside.
Most doors and windows remained tightly shut.
"The kidnappings," Kinuko murmured.
"They're staying indoors."
The adventurer nodded silently.
After another few minutes of walking, they arrived before an enormous building surrounded by towering trees.
The Sylva Guardians Guild Headquarters.
The adventurer stopped at the entrance and gave a sharp salute.
"This is where I leave you."
Kinuko smiled politely. "Thank you for guiding us."
"My pleasure."
He saluted once more before turning and walking away.
Akeno watched him leave.
"Do Adventurers from other Guilds salute high-ranks that much?"
Kinuko shook her head.
"Probably not."
"They might show respect."
"But the way Griffin described the Guild system..."
"...especially the Top Ten..."
She looked toward the headquarters.
"I wouldn't be surprised if most Guilds aren't particularly fond of Adventurers from rival Guilds."
Akeno laughed.
"You're probably right."
She glanced at Boros.
"Shiro just scared the life out of him."
Boros looked back at the two of them.
"You done?"
He nodded toward the headquarters.
"Let's go."
Without waiting for an answer, he walked through the gates.
Akeno and Kinuko exchanged a glance before hurrying after him.
"Right!"