The Saint Disappeared with Her Memories — Her Broken Engagement Decided the Kingdom’s Destiny - Chapter 17

I began my activities as an adventurer with my companions.

First, we started by completing the requests introduced to us by Anctuan. Our goal was to build up our track record and gradually increase our reputation. We were recognized as an exclusive adventurer party affiliated with his shop, so most of our requests came from him.

Our first request was to exterminate monsters troubling the local residents, a simple task of bringing back proof of defeat. I had completed many similar jobs back when I was the Saint.

It had already been about a month since we successfully finished our first request.

We steadily built up our numbers. Utilizing various spells and devising strategies, we finished our missions quickly. If someone was in trouble, I wanted to rush to the scene as soon as possible and resolve it swiftly. However, we had to be careful not to rush too much and risk failure.

“I’ll act as the shield here, so Noella and Emily, attack with magic from behind!”

Nadine gave precise instructions. Her voice held no hesitation, and her clear directions made it easy to move. Though she usually stayed a step behind as my guard, now she stood at the front line, protecting us. Her skills as a knight surpassed what I had imagined. Her stance against the monsters was truly reassuring.

“Understood!”

Emily replied in a lively voice. She seemed more vibrant than during her time as a Saint. Having a place to showcase the results of her training seemed to be boosting her confidence.

“Jamel, I’ll leave the left side to you.”

“Got it, leave it to me.”

Jamel remained composed as he cast his spells. With his salt-and-pepper beard fluttering in the wind, he dealt with another monster approaching from the left using magic.

I observed the enemy’s movements and selected the most suitable spells. The power I now wielded, more liberated than during my time as the Saint, allowed me to act more efficiently. The sensation of mana circulating through my body and being released from my fingertips brought a pleasant thrill.

Our performance was flawless, and we gained a reputation for completing missions far more quickly than other adventurers. With each request we undertook, our teamwork grew sharper.

After finishing all our requests, as usual, I had my companions wait while I visited Anctuan’s trading house to report our completion. In the luxurious reception room bathed in sunlight, he welcomed me while preparing tea.

“So, we’ve finished all the requests we accepted.”

I reported while arranging the request forms and proof of subjugation on the large desk in the center of the room.

“You mean you’ve already finished that many? You really work fast.”

Anctuan’s eyes widened in surprise. His usual smile faded, replaced by genuine astonishment.

“Huh?”

When I reported our completion, I was taken aback by his surprise and nodded in confusion. To us, it was just our normal pace, but judging by his reaction, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Thanks to my excellent companions, we completed our missions without much difficulty. I felt we could handle even more requests. Honestly, compared to the workload I had as the Saint, this felt like only about a tenth. We still had plenty of room to spare.

“That’s amazing. I estimated it would take a normal adventurer party a month, and even Noella-sama’s group about a week, but to exceed that expectation by so much. I’m astonished.”

He checked the proof of subjugation on the desk and organized the request forms as he spoke.

“Is it inconvenient if we finish too quickly?”

“No, no, not at all. For us, faster work is a great help.”

Anctuan spread his hands in denial.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

I had worried that finishing too quickly might cause problems, but it seemed he was pleased, so I felt relieved.

“Noella-sama’s party has an excellent reputation, and words of gratitude from clients keep pouring in to me. They say they’re grateful I introduced such skilled adventurers.”

“I’m glad we could be of help.”

I owed Anctuan a lot. I wanted to repay him bit by bit like this. The debt of gratitude I owed him was still substantial, and it would take time to repay it fully.

“By the way, there’s something I wanted to ask.”

“Yes, what is it?”

I brought up something that had been on my mind for a while.

“Isn’t the success reward for these requests a bit high? I think it could be lower.”

With each request we accepted, the reward kept increasing. Wasn’t this amount a bit too much? Did we really deserve this much?

Although we accepted many requests, receiving this much for such simple missions felt somewhat undeserved. Especially since I had magic I had trained over the years, allowing me to finish without any danger.

“No, no, that’s not the case. Due to your success rate and reputation, requests are flooding in, and this price is appropriate. If we set it too low, it might place an excessive burden on you.”

“Is that so?”

Anctuan explained with a serious expression. I could see his merchant’s calculations at work in his mind.

He was considerate of me, adjusting the workload. In that case, I just needed to keep doing my best not to fail the requests he introduced.

“Yes. If you commission the temple, they often charge much higher fees. Compared to that, this is a bargain.”

“So that’s how it was.”

My vague suspicions turned into certainty. I had no idea the temple charged such high fees when I was the Saint. But I had sensed something like that. Back then, I was so focused on my own work that I didn’t even have the leeway to notice what was happening around me.

Now that I had left the position of Saint and looked back calmly, I understood. The temple had used my abilities to earn high rewards. That thought stirred complex feelings in my heart.

“Also, as thanks for finishing so quickly, I’ll add a bonus to your reward.”

Anctuan took out a pouch containing additional payment.

“Wha—!? I really can’t accept that.”

I reflexively waved both hands to refuse.

“Please, don’t say that, Noella-sama. This is a merchant’s token of gratitude for a job perfectly done. Thanks to your hard work, the shop’s reputation has risen. So, please, I insist!”

He spoke with a sincere gaze, his eyes overflowing with pure gratitude.

“…If you insist that much, I’ll gratefully accept.”

Gratitude. When he put it that way, I couldn’t refuse. Besides, I would share this reward with my companions. The higher the amount, the happier they would be.

“Then, please continue to introduce us to the next requests.”

“In that case, please take these.”

He had already prepared the next jobs. Typical Anctuan, always well-prepared. He handed me new request forms.

“Understood. Leave it to me.”

I smiled as I accepted the new request forms. And so, our activities as adventurers continued smoothly.