An A-Ranked Adventurer's 'Slow-living'

Chapter 25: At The Royal Castle of Abalonia

「I know that the party “Black Silver” disbanded, but what happened to their leader, Aldred? 」

In the kingdom of Abalonia, far west of Nordende where Aldo was currently residing, the king of Abalonia asked in a loud and dignified voice inside a luxurious audience room which displayed the kingdom’s solemnity.

「…About that… We have no idea on his whereabouts」

The man who could hardly present that answer to the king as he was drenched in cold sweat- The guild master.

His name was Barok, the one who held the highest authority in the kingdom’s adventurer’s guild.

Although he wore a graceful top with long pants and a cloak, his brawny muscles were still hard to hide. It could be said that he looked out of place in the luxurious audience room that they were in.

He looked more like an adventurer who was fully equipped for a monster subjugation party.

The king opened his mouth again with his brows knitted from hearing Barok’s answer.

「Elliot married into the Elfiore house, Kurune is teaching at the magic academy, and I heard that Kiel was still in the kingdom. So, how come we have no idea where Aldred is? 」

When he heard the king’s words of contempt, Barok looked bitter, but somehow he managed to hold it in still.

What came to his mind was the time Kiel came to declare retirement with a smile on his face.

「I want to rest for a while after that intense battle with the dragon」

A sudden retirement of the A-ranked party that slayed a dragon.

After he calmed down from the fuss, he listened to the story of Kiel and the others, and did not pay much attention to the part where Aldred needed time to recuperate.

Aldred gave an impression to others that he was somewhat disheartened after slaying a dragon, so Barok thought that he would be simply recovering at his home.

「Certainly, Aldred seemed a bit lost after slaying the dragon. I know that healing the mind takes a while, but isn’t it strange that we don’t even know where he is? That goes against the plan」

Barok knew what the king wanted to say.

A dragon is the strongest type of monster. A proud monster of colossal size and steel-hard scales that dances in the sky, and it was slayed by our kingdom’s A-ranked party.

It attacked people and animals from the sky on a whim, feared by the people.

Despair was felt by all because no one knows when it would attack.

If you tried to hit it with a sword, you would not get past its hard scales and you could get fried by its hot breath.

It’s a being that caused outrageous disasters with its overwhelming strength.

Aldred and the others who have slayed that dragon were the symbol of hope for the people. They were heroes to them.

He could have even been crowned the king of a country.

He should have married into royalty with a princess or have had a fated marriage with a noble’s daughter.

If he were here, it would mean the kingdom is safe, and the citizens would be living happier lives.

Also, at the times when strong monsters and dragons appear in other countries, the kingdom would have an advantage in terms of diplomacy when they could dispatch Aldred to help.

However, the leader of this dragon slaying party was nowhere to be found.

Even though he was from the king’s own country.

「Is there no one else who knows where he went? 」

「…If no one said that they have seen him, I’m afraid he probably has already left this country」

The king snorted unpleasantly to Barok’s reply.

It’s me who should be angry. Kiel was the one who gave me the long explanation to why their party disbanded. If you’re the one who made the promise to meet me, Aldred, don’t urgently change the date.

Then, Barok heard that Aldred was in the middle of recuperation. When he went to check on him after a while, no one was there anymore.

It was obvious at that point that he was no longer in the kingdom. His friends who knew where he went would not tell us either.

Barok went after Kiel, who gave him false information as a diversion, but Kiel had already disappeared as if he saw it coming.

「Aldred has not done his due share for this country yet. Get more information from his friends on his whereabouts and bring him back here. You are allowed to use my soldiers if the situation calls for it」

「Yes, certainly」

Barok bowed deeply and kept his head down as if he did not want the king to see the sour expression on his face.

He thought that nothing good could happen from getting in the way of their new lives that they chose.

「Now then, get out」