Translator: CinderTL
When they returned to the inn, Galvis, who had gone to "repair" the carriage wheel, had just arrived back as well.
The bard was urgently explaining something to Avril, his face flushed with embarrassment.
Spotting Roland, Galvis quickly hid behind him as if grasping a lifeline, lowering his voice to plead.
"Roland, I know I was wrong. I'll never exaggerate our adventures again. So..."
He glanced at the elf girl's short bow clutched tightly in her hand and the playful glint in her eyes, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Can we just forget about Avril training me?"
"Heh heh."
Seeing the bard's expression—like a mouse cornered by a cat—Roland couldn't help but chuckle. He clapped his hands and said, "Alright, Avril, stop scaring Galvis. Go get Theresa. We need to discuss whether we should apply for Adventurer's Guild certification."
At Roland's words, Avril finally dropped her teasing expression.
Soon, the four of them were gathered in the room.
As the elf girl had predicted, Galvis had no objections to the proposal of becoming an A-Rank Adventurer Group. In fact, he was so excited that he immediately strummed his lute, playing a rousing melody.
With Galvis's exaggerated lyrics, an outsider might have mistaken them for world-saving heroes about to receive the adoration of thousands.
"Enough, Galvis," Roland interrupted his impromptu performance, rubbing his throbbing temples. "Since no one objects, Theresa and Avril, you'll accompany me to the Adventurer's Guild tomorrow to check what certifications we need. As for you, Galvis..."
He turned to the bard, who still seemed unsatisfied, and clapped him firmly on the shoulder.
"Prepare the supplies we'll need for the journey by tomorrow morning. If everything goes smoothly, we'll depart for the capital at noon."
After reiterating his instructions, they all descended to the hall together.
To celebrate the temporary conclusion of their adventure, they indulged in a lavish feast, ordering a table laden with delicious dishes.
Roland savored the exquisite food and sipped fine wine, while Galvis's captivating melodies filled the air. The tension that had gripped his nerves for days finally began to ease.
After they had eaten their fill, everyone retired to their rooms to rest.
After a quick wash, Roland collapsed onto his soft bed.
Gazing at the bright moonlight outside his window, his consciousness gradually blurred, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning, they split up as planned.
Roland, accompanied by Theresa and Avril, navigated the admiring gazes and cheers of passersby as they entered the Adventurer's Guild.
However, they didn't encounter Lilith, the mysterious woman, today.
The governor of the River Domain Nations' Adventurer's Guild seemed to have anticipated their certification, as she had left the town the previous night.
The entire certification process was handled by Laurie, a receptionist with a delicate face.
The process went even smoother than expected. In less than half a day, Roland and his companions had officially been upgraded from a regular adventurer team to an A-Rank Adventurer Group certified by the Adventurer's Guild.
"This badge is so cool!"
Stepping out of the guild hall, Avril held up the A-Rank Adventurer Group badge Laurie had just presented to them, examining it closely in the sunlight with a curious gleam in her eyes.
"Roland, do you know what this is made of? It looks like gold, but the texture feels... different."
Hearing her question, Roland also examined the badge in his hand.
The main body was a meticulously crafted dark-gold shield-shaped emblem, its edges adorned with a relief pattern of intertwined thorns and roses.
A crystal "A" emblem was embedded in the center of the shield, refracting light to create a star-like blue halo.
When flipped over, the back of the badge revealed a finely engraved guild motto:
Courage and wisdom walk together.
"It's adamantine."
Drawing on the knowledge imparted by the old blacksmith Hawk, Roland identified the badge's material almost instantly. But this discovery left him inwardly stunned.
Adamantine, rivaling mithril in fame, was one of the rarest metals on the continent. Its hardness was sufficient to shatter ordinary metals and rock with ease, and weapons forged from it were rumored to pierce any defense.
Unlike mithril, which had fixed mining locations, adamantine veins remained elusive, their distribution patterns unknown. Finding a deposit required immense manpower and resources, and even successful exploration often yielded meager results.
Based on Hawk's teachings, Roland estimated that this small, exquisite badge likely consumed the majority of a single adamantine vein's output. This glimpse into the Adventurer's Guild's staggering financial resources was truly astonishing.
More importantly, Roland knew that only the Dwarven Race currently possessed the forging techniques for adamantine. For the dwarves—a people who valued rare metals above their own lives and whose stubbornness rivaled mountain rock—to craft an adamantine badge with no practical combat value, the Adventurer's Guild's relationship with the Dwarven Race must be exceptionally close.
"Adamantine?"
Upon hearing Roland's assessment, Theresa and Avril exclaimed in unison.
Though Theresa wasn't as knowledgeable as Galvis, the knowledge bestowed upon her by the God of Truth had made her familiar with this rare metal.
And Avril, of course, knew even more.
Before the Final Epoch, the elven race had enjoyed a brief "honeymoon period" with the Dwarven Race, and their clan records undoubtedly contained detailed information about adamantine.
"Truly... extravagant," the elf girl murmured, twirling the badge with interest. Suddenly, she winked playfully. "Roland, if we ever become so poor we can't even afford food, could we sell this thing to get back on our feet?"
Roland shook his head and chuckled. "Theoretically, yes, but... let's hope we never have to resort to that."
As they joked, the three returned to the inn. Galvis had already prepared all the supplies for their return journey.
After receiving the badge, the well-traveled bard, like Roland, immediately recognized the material. However, his next words made Roland rub his slightly aching temples.
"Roland! This thing is Adamantine, right?"
"I remember your forging skills are pretty good. Could you melt this down and cast it into the shape of a tulip, then embed it on my harp? Right here, in this spot, I think it would look perfect!"
He gestured excitedly at his instrument, while Avril seriously chimed in with suggestions.
Watching this pair of clowns, Roland suddenly wondered, "Are all elves in this world this eccentric?"
Shaking off the strange thought, he called for everyone to board the carriage.
With a neigh from the horses, Galvis expertly steered the carriage toward the city gates.
The guards didn't even bother to inspect them, respectfully letting them pass.
Soon, the carriage's silhouette disappeared over the horizon.
(End of the Chapter)
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