Adventurer's Guild Café: I Was Wrongfully Exiled by the Saint, So I Will Enjoy My Second Life with My Fluffy Friends-Chapter 1.2 - Grantania, the Land of Labyrinths
“Kuu-chan, here, say ‘ahh’.”
The fragrant aroma of soft-boiled egg porridge was brought to my mouth. It was embarrassing, but my body didn’t move well enough for me to feed myself. Like a baby bird waiting to be fed, I opened my mouth.
“Is it tasty? It’s not too hot, is it?”
The warm egg porridge had a gentle, comforting taste. As I swallowed, a pleasant warmth spread through my body. I nodded slightly, and when I wagged my tail a little, Ruri smiled happily and let out a sigh of contentment.
“Ahhh… so cute… too cute…”
For the past few days, Ruri had been like this. Apparently, she had never seen a girl from the White Wolf tribe before. I’d heard that in the country of Aluda, the demi-humans were on the brink of extinction, but even so, I thought she was praising me too much…
“…Ruri-san, thank you.”
“Just call me Ruri. That’s what everyone calls me.”
“…Ruri?”
“Yes, that’s perfect.”
Ruri nodded in satisfaction.
“Kuu-chan, you’re injured, so you don’t need to worry so much.”
“But…”
“Besides, taking care of Kuu-chan is very enjoyable.”
Ruri smiled brightly. She had a nurturing, older-sister type of personality and was very kind, even to a stranger like me.
Lulu, who had been napping in the bed, yawned widely.
…It was an incredibly peaceful scene.
It has been several days since I awoke here.
Ruri comes by every day to take care of me since I still haven’t fully recovered. It feels as if I’ve been transported to another world. Actually, that’s pretty close to the truth.
“Let’s get some fresh air. I’m going to open the window, is that okay?”
I nodded silently.
Over the past few days, I had come to look forward to gazing outside the window. Ruri tied the curtains back with a tassel and opened the window wide.
A gentle, cool breeze brushed against my cheek.
Beyond the window, a world full of freedom unfolded.
“Sigh. Those labyrinth maniacs are noisy again today!”
Ruri put her hands on her hips and exhaled deeply.
—Grantania.
That was the name of the country I had been transported to, thanks to Lulu’s mysterious power.
Grantania lay to the west of the country of Aluda, occupying almost half of the continent. It was a great nation where humans and demi-humans had mingled and developed together.
The country thrived due to relics excavated from mysterious caves scattered across the land known as labyrinths.
These labyrinths seemed almost alive, continuously producing monsters and treasures within their tunnels. If left unchecked, the monsters would overflow and create a crisis. On the other hand, the monsters could be processed into various items, and treasures were constantly being generated inside the labyrinths.
The people of this country used these labyrinths for their livelihoods… something I had learned back at the noble academy.
The view outside the window was bustling with activity.
The building I was currently in—the adventurer’s guild Shield of the Silver Wolf King—was located on slightly higher ground.
From here, I could see the lively city below.
“It’s said that a carbuncle can grant any wish of someone it favors. It’s truly an amazing thing to have a carbuncle become attached to you.”
Seeing that I still didn’t quite grasp the significance, Ruri gave a wry smile.
But in truth, I had only met Lulu in the forest. Although I gave her a name, Lulu wasn’t really mine. She stayed with me for some reason, going out and coming back as she pleased. It felt like having a whimsical roommate.
“After all, isn’t that right? The reason you came here was...”
Ruri trailed off mid-sentence, then looked at me with concern.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up anything unpleasant.”
“...No, it’s fine. I’m really glad I was able to come here.”
Carbuncles apparently possess powerful magic and can grant the wishes of those they choose. What I had wished for from Lulu was simple: to go somewhere—anywhere that wasn’t that place.
Lulu must have granted that wish.
After I lost consciousness, it seemed I was teleported from within Aluda to the neighboring country of Grantania. I was found by the riverside in the town of Finaldatt, where Shield of the Silver Wolf King is located.
It was purely by chance that a staff member of the adventurer’s guild happened upon me and brought me here.
Despite the care I was receiving, I still couldn’t bring myself to tell Ruri and the others about my circumstances. It seemed that the broken engagement incident had left deeper wounds in me than I had realized.
The scornful face of Roy-sama, and even the face of the saint, wouldn’t leave my mind. Just recalling them made my fingertips go cold.
So, I still hadn’t been able to share my story with everyone.
Even so, Ruri was considerate and didn’t press me for details.
The fact that Lulu granted my wish was like a miracle.
But an even greater miracle was that the people of this guild took in someone like me—a beastkin they didn’t even know.
Ruri, Simon, and even the old doctor were all so kind. I couldn’t help but wonder why they were so kind to someone like me, a beastkin. They never pressed me for my story. Not only did they shelter an unfamiliar beastkin woman, but they also showed great consideration for me.
Why would they go to such lengths?
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My injuries were severe, and I was helpless on my own, so I had no choice but to rely on the guild’s kindness and let them take care of me in this room. I felt guilty about it.
“Kuna, look, there’s dessert too,” Ruri said with a cheerful smile, holding out a spoon to me.
Touched by this kindness for the first time, I felt both guilt and, at the same time, a warmth that was comforting.
