Chapter 809

Chapter 809

809: Gathered Bonds

Yagilale bowed politely and then walked toward us. After reaching Fran, he opened his mouth in front of her.
「I would like to accompany you on your request. Is that alright with you?」
「Why……?」
The sudden appearance of the knights brought more confusion than joy.
Fran's eyes were wide open.
「Though we are not adventurers, will you still allow us to fight alongside you?」
「……Are you sure? You're a knight……」
「That is precisely the reason why. We must repay the favor we have received, or the dignity of our country will be put in question.」
Well, yes we did save your lives…… But didn't you need to survive at any cost in order to serve your country, even if it meant sacrificing your comrades?
It would be strange for the captain to participate in such a dangerous mission along with a few of his men……
But our doubts were cleared up by the following explanation.
「You see, when you saved us previously, our country's first prince was actually among us.」
「Really?」
「Yes, though he has currently moved over to the port for his return.」
Apparently, the male royalty of the Kingdom of Segilusel were obliged to fight on this continent for a certain period of time. It was like a rite of passage, with the royals learning the hardships of knighthood by concealing their identities and working alongside normal knights.
And that prince was among the knights until just the other day.
「He will be a great ruler when his time comes. That is why we must protect him at any cost.」
I see, that would make sense why they would use their men as bait to let him escape. That explains why they were so grateful.
The prince returned home after his duty was completed, but his knights still remained on this continent to hunt antidemons. Apparently his escort on the way home was different from the one in this continent.
「I have brought twelve of my best knights, including myself. Will you accept us?」
「Nn! Thanks.」
「Hold on there, you'd better count us in too!」
A familiar man and woman appeared from behind the knights. It was the Dimitris disciples.
「Colbert! And Hilt!」
「Looks like we made it just in time.」
Not only Colbert and Hilt, but all the other students were there.
「Pant…… Pant……」
There's Phobos-kun, looking like he's about to die.
「Twenty four hours…… of non-stop running……」
「How fragile. You need to train more.」
「Guf……」
After talking to them, we found out they heard about the request yesterday. They said Brunen had given them permission to leave, so they spent an entire day running to get here.
「Don't think you can leave without us. I've been itching to fight a powerful opponent.」
「Miss Hilt… Just be honest and say we're here to help Fran, okay?」
「T-That's not it at all! I-I just can't have her dying until I get my revenge match!」
She's still the same old tsundere. Maybe it was because she was getting along with Colbert a little better, but their banter felt a bit cuter than before.
Tch, damn couples!
Well, at least now we've got some real powerhouses! I forgive you!
「Nn! You're all welcome!」
「Oh, but we're not the only ones.」
「What do you mean?」
I did sense a group outside the guild, but who else did you bring?
「Come on in!」
「Greetings. Long time no see, Fran-dono.」
「Hey there.」
The two women who entered the guild at Hilt's invitation were Chelsea, the Dragon Warrior chief, and Tzaluta, the leader of the Camellia mercenary group.
「Why?」
「I've heard there is a high possibility a Unique will appear. In that case, leave it to us Dragon Warriors! I obviously couldn't bring my entire troop with me, but I've brought all the elites.」
「Our reasons are more simple, I'm just here to make some money.」
「I'm the one that hired the mercenaries.」
So Hilt hired the Camellia mercenaries and brought them with her. That's when the dragonkin heard about it and sent their warriors too.
「I would of course be willing to accept this request at a reasonable price in order to establish friendly relations with the Dimitris school.」
「……Thanks.」
Isn't this one hell of a force now? There were about ten dragon warriors, and each one of them would be a match for Colbert. They must be near Rank C at the bare minimum.
The Camellia mercenaries only brought about twenty members because they needed horses, but all of them were elites too.
That brings us to about fifty members. This was quite the powerful army, even if only half of our target number.
At that moment, the guild door opened again. This time, many adventurers came rushing in.
There were about fifteen adventurers, led by a yellow bear beastman.
「Diggins?」
「Long time no see, Black Lightning Princess-san! I saw your recruitment request!」
Leading the group of adventurers was Diggins, the Rank B adventurer who worked out of the western port.
After fighting the antidemon horde together, he seemed to have become one of Fran's fans. That must be the beastmen's racial feeling of admiration for the strong. But I would have never expected him to come all the way here……
「You came all the way to Nocta?」
「Yeah! When you ask for help, there's no way I'm gonna overlook it! That would go against my code as an adventurer! Right, guys?」
「「「Yeah!」」」
「Thanks.」
「Hahahaha! I don't wanna become a coward who couldn't risk his life for his comrades!」
He felt more like an underling than a comrade, right? Well they were pretty reliable either way, so I appreciate it.
That's about 65 members now. Not quite at our goal…… but should we just go as is?
Just as I was thinking that, a voice rang up behind us.
「……I suppose we can't keep silent after they call us cowards.」