The first thought that crossed Ireya’s mind was actually: Are there really people in this world who risk their lives just to travel?
But in the next second, she came back to her senses.
This world was not Earth—no high-speed rail, no airplanes.
Even within some forests or caves inside the kingdom, terrifying monsters existed.
Most people’s lives were actually imprisoned in a limited loop, endlessly repeating.
Let alone leaving the kingdom to explore uninhabited lands.
Maybe what these people possessed was a spirit like the Earth’s adventurers—those who would willingly risk their lives to conquer oceans and mountains.
Thinking this way, Ireya couldn’t help but feel a bit of admiration for the person before her who was shouting non-stop.
“However…” the young lady suddenly touched her chin.
Such an organization, dedicated to exploring the world, must be extremely knowledgeable, right?
If she joined them, even if she didn’t participate in their activities, she could still use money to obtain some intelligence about the world beyond the kingdom.
Maybe they’d have exactly what she was looking for.
At this thought, Ireya’s eyes sparkled slightly.
She hadn’t expected…her luck to be so good today.
“Reading thousands of books isn’t as good as traveling thousands of miles.”
This saying was not false~
But what did one have to do to join this group?
Just go up and talk to them directly?
Obviously noticing the worry in her lady’s eyes, Yumina—dressed in commoner’s clothes—immediately began to casually ask the onlookers nearby.
“Hm? Little sister, you want to join the Lighthouse School? I’d advise you to forget it~ That place isn’t for people to stay in. Also, the Lighthouse School has an age limit: twenty and above.”
“That’s right. Don’t be fooled by how good it sounds. Of those who get to see these ‘free landscapes,’ 80% end up staying there permanently, merging with the scenery they chased their whole lives~”
But…after asking several people in a row, nearly all the answers were negative.
Obviously, the Lighthouse School was quite well-known here, but almost everyone just watched for fun—very few actually joined.
“They don’t accept anyone under twenty…”
Ireya frowned slightly, looking down at her nearly undeveloped small chest and her mere 1.4-meter height.
In this situation, even if she insisted she was twenty, no one would believe her, right?
But then again, rules were dead, people were alive.
She was the “Jewel of the Eastern County,” also the most powerful noble heir in this Crystal City.
Maybe…she didn’t need to personally join the “Lighthouse School.”
She only needed them to provide help…and she’d pay the appropriate price.
That’s right!
A young lady should have a young lady’s style~
This was exactly the kind of approach someone of her level should consider~
Hmph hmph…
For some reason, a burst of inexplicable smugness rose in her heart, and under the black veil, the corners of Ireya’s lips curled up unconsciously.
“Let’s go~ There’s nothing interesting to see here.”
She turned around and got on the carriage.
As Yumina tugged the reins, the three of them once again headed toward the Mercenary Guild.
“Ahh~ Cream stew~ Cream stew~”
The moment the carriage stopped in front of the Adventurers’ Guild, Veil had already started her “sudden hunger attack.”
Smack!
“Shut up already!”
In the end, she only returned to normal with a new bump on her head.
After handing the carriage over to the Mercenary Guild staff, the three entered through the main door.
Upon stepping inside, it suddenly opened up.
It seemed slightly smaller than the front gardens of Ireya’s castle, but still spacious enough.
The first thing that met their eyes was a huge golden statue—seven humans, raising their right hands together, holding up a golden apple.
This was the story of the very first adventurer team “Golden Apple,” which Ireya had read about before.
This legendary team was considered the predecessor, or rather the highest symbol of faith, of the Mercenary Guild.
On either side of the statue were two sections:the Quest Area and the Gathering Area.
The Quest Area was like a train station ticket office, with countless windows and various guild staff.
The Gathering Area included eating, resting, temporary team forming, and many other “custom” functions.
In short, it looked like a mixed crowd—people seemed to be doing all sorts of things.
“Uhm, I say…Ireya~”
Just as the young lady was observing her surroundings, Veil, with the bump on her head, suddenly leaned over.
“What did you call me?”
“U-uh…My…My Lady? Waaa—!! Master! Master!!”
Only after Ireya pinched and stretched her cheeks did Veil finally have no choice but to shout.
“What is it? Hungry?”
She didn’t even need to guess—
Ireya already knew what this girl was about to say.
With her line stolen, the goddess could only pout with her face still red from being pinched, looking pitifully at her master.
“Veil is really such a glutton~”
Even Yumina couldn’t help but giggle behind her hand.
“I-it’s not gluttony! I just need to recover…need to replenish my strength!”
“Alright, stop embarrassing us. Yumina, go…hm?”
Ireya was just about to tell her twin-tailed maid to look for a quieter spot when— out of the corner of her eye—she suddenly noticed a somewhat familiar figure.
“Ah! Isn’t that the second son of Baron Curry’s family?”
Following the young lady’s gaze, Yumina also saw the person walking by ahead.
Baron Curry was one of the many nobles in the Eastern County, famous for his kindness.
He was very friendly to his tenants and subjects, known for being humble.
Even in Crystal City, he was quite loved by the lower classes, forming a stark contrast to Ireya—the “Blood Flower Demon.”
Ireya remembered that she used to especially enjoy bullying Baron Curry’s little daughter— a soft, cute little thing whom Ireya could always frighten to tears.
But…
The second son of Baron Curry’s family, although nowhere near her level as a marquis’s daughter and with no chance to interact, was still, after all, a noble.
What was he doing at the Mercenary Guild?
“Could it be…he, like me, also wants to become stronger?”
Ireya touched her chin, and under her veil, the corners of her lips curved slightly.
“Interesting. Let’s go! Follow him and see!!”
Following all the way, the three discovered that this second son went straight up the stairs from the gathering area to the second floor of the Mercenary Guild.
That seemed to be a section of private rooms.
Moreover, Ireya noticed that during the process of going upstairs, this guy kept looking around nervously.
If it hadn’t been for her past life’s anti-tracking experience, she and her companions might have already been discovered by him.
Once he confirmed no one was around, the second son pulled out a mask from his clothes.
It looked like…a dog mask?
He put it directly on his face.
Then, upon reaching the second floor, under the reception of a server, he was led into a private room on the side.
“That’s a wolf mask, right?”
Yumina whispered a reminder.
“Doesn’t matter…did you hear anything?”
Ireya waved her hand dismissively, turning to look at the dull-witted goddess beside her.
Veil’s two ears twitched lightly…
“Mm…there are many voices talking in that room…um…
‘The Blood Flower Demon recently almost beat her own dog to death in the street — getting crazier and crazier, better be careful lately…’
‘Seems the price of blue crystal ore has risen quite a bit recently…’
‘Baron Luke seems about to remarry again…’”
What is this…an intelligence exchange meeting?
How interesting………