"Haa... haa..."

Lizlina took deep breaths, tears welling in her eyes.

"Ms. Lizlina, are you okay?"

"I... I can't... haa... haa... I'm, exhausted..."

Oh no! Did I impose a terrible punishment?

"You've imposed quite the dreadful punishment."

I glanced at Guell, noticing a tense expression on his face.

"I'll never tell. I don't want to end up like that."

Myurina said to me with a disgusted expression.

"I won't tell either."

Keith said, wearing an even more disgusted expression than Myurina.

"Pfft!... I-I won't either. Heh heh!?"

Aid chuckled while glancing at Lizlina.

Mr. Aid, that's a bit harsh.

"Um, about what I wrote... I'm sorry, everyone. I didn't expect it to turn out like this."

Duke Valdeck started bowing to everyone.

"Oh no, it's not your fault, Duke Valdeck."

Mr. Keith, please don't say that. It's going to make me feel guilty.

"We, who consented to Elaina's punishment, are also to blame."

"W-well... I understand."

While wearing a somewhat puzzled expression, I turned towards Keith and spoke.

"...I'm sorry. It's my fault for imposing such a punishment without thinking."

I, too, should have thought more and chosen a different punishment.

"Don't worry, Elaina. None of us expected this to happen."

"Ms. Lamuel..."

After she said that, I felt sorry for thinking she was cold-hearted.

"However, now that we know this punishment can be effective, I think I'll also make use of it in the future."

I take it back! This person is ruthless!! I'm not really in a position to say that, but still!

"Anyway, Elaina."

"Yes, what is it?"

"I brought the reward for the orc subjugation from before, so accept it."

Saying that, Lamuel handed me three gold coins and eight silver coins.

"Thank you very much."

"And, the orcs you defeated turned out to be special specimens."

"Special specimens?"

Special specimens, meaning they were either randomly born individuals or a new species?

"However, they're not unprecedented specimens. Those orcs are called Black Orcs."

"Black Orc?"

"Yes, they're several times stronger than normal orcs and have a 1 in 500 chance of being born from normal specimens. However..."

"However? What is it?"

"It's quite unusual to encounter five of them. Perhaps a new dungeon has appeared in that area, and the orcs came from there. It would be wise to investigate the grasslands. And, Aid."

Lamuel shifted his gaze from me to Aid.

"Yes?"

"Did anyone take the quest for transporting goods to the weapon shop, tool shop, and trading company?"

"That quest has been posted by the commercial and adventure departments, but no one seems willing to take it."

"...As I suspected."

Lamuel seemed disappointed upon hearing Aid's response.

Should I ask about this?

"Lamuel, why do you look disappointed?"

"Hmm? Oh, well. The thing is, a shipment arrived from the continent of Barbuls, but no one is willing to take the delivery quest to the recipient."

Both the adventure and commercial departments have quests for transporting goods, with the amount varying greatly depending on the distance, type of goods, and danger along the way.

"Is it because only high-ranking individuals can take it?"

It seems that no one is taking the quest. In such cases, this is often the reason.

"No, even E-rank adventurers can take it, and it's a delivery within the capital, so the risk is low."

Even E-rank adventurers can take it, and the delivery is nearby. In that case, why isn't anyone taking it?

"The reason is simple. Due to reports of Black Orcs and zombie hordes appearing in the grasslands, there's been a surge in requests for escorts from the commercial department, causing escort fees to skyrocket, three to five times the usual rate.

Consequently, most adventurers are heading out for escort requests, hoping to earn more money."

I see. The members of the commercial department are either hiring skilled adventurers or gathering a large number of people to safely traverse the grasslands around the capital, which may still be dangerous. To ensure their safety, they're engaging in a bidding war, offering slightly higher fees than other merchants. Perhaps they thought that by offering slightly higher fees, they could secure the services of adventurers for hire. Is that what happened?

"Oh, so the reason the escort fees around the capital were higher than usual was because of that?"

"That's right, Chairman Valdeck."

Duke Valdeck frowned and began to worry, placing his hand on his forehead.

"Well, there's no helping it. We'll have the staff handle the delivery. Someone prepare a carriage..."

"Chairman Valdeck."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"All the rental carriages at the guild are currently in use and unavailable."

What?! All the rental carriages are in use? Even the rental carriages in Gozes, out of the ten available, only two or so are usually rented out, and now they're all gone?

"...As I suspected."

"As you suspected? Were you expecting the carriages to be in use?"

If Duke Valdeck says so, perhaps there's some connection?

"Yes, Elaina. This is also due to the earlier mentioned surge in escort requests."

"Is... that so?"

The rental carriages and escort missions. Hmm... I can't seem to connect the dots.

As I pondered this, Lamuel began to speak again.

"To dispose of the zombie corpses, I sent three rental carriages to the grasslands. The remaining twelve were left at the guild, but... did the commercial department use them after all?"

"Yes, Guildmaster Lamuel. The commercial department borrowed all the remaining rental carriages for transporting magic stones extracted from zombies and for escort missions. So, there are no carriages left."

"If we have the staff deliver it by hand, it will take time. No, to begin with, we can't get personnel from the General Guild to deliver goods... Sigh... It's a complete deadlock."

"Indeed... These three deliveries were requested to be completed by today, so we're in a bind."

Duke Valdeck rubbed his beard while looking up, Lamuel sighed with folded arms, and Aid began to worry, pinching his temples.

"Your Grace, is it not possible for us to deliver those goods?"

Upon hearing Guell's suggestion, Duke Valdeck shook his head, and Aid started explaining the reason.

"Captain Guell, we'd appreciate it if you could, but that would disrupt the discipline of the General Guild. However, I'll take your intentions into account."

"I see... I apologize for not being of much help."

As Guell and Aid conversed, Keith raised his hand slightly and addressed Aid.

"Um, I have a suggestion. May I share it with you?"

"A suggestion? Go ahead, Keith."

"Yes, first, I need to confirm something. Ms. Elaina."

"Huh? Uh, yes?"

What does Mr. Keith want to ask me?

"What are you going to do next?"

"Huh?! Um... Well, since the promotion exam has been postponed, I was thinking of taking quests around the capital, but..."

"Okay, I see... Ms. Lamuel, Aid. Let's entrust her with those delivery quests."

What?! Entrusting them to me?!

"Oh, I see!! El-chan has a large item box, so she can handle the delivery quests!"

Whoa?! And just like that, Lizlina, who had somehow revived by this point, suddenly interrupts the conversation!!

"I see. However, since the quantity is large, it may not fit in the item box?"

"Is that so? Please show me those documents."

"Sure, here."

Lamuel replied and handed the documents she was holding to Keith.

"Hmm... I see, so she just needs to visit three shops. If she completes one quest at a time, she should finish by noon."

"Oh, right! If El-chan's item box can't fit everything, she can just use that!"

"Lizlina, what do you mean by 'that'?"

"You know! The one we rode when we came to the capital. That fast iron carriage!"

Ah, Lizlina must be talking about the Humvee.

"Indeed, I can put the items in it, but... hmm."

Since strange people might come and try to steal it if I use it in town, I'd prefer not to use it in the city.

"Let's have her read the contents of the documents and then decide. Here, Elaina."

"Ah, okay."

Keith said and handed me the documents, which I accepted and began to read.

Let's see. It's a job to visit three places: deliver 50 kg of tea leaves to the tool shop, 50 kg of iron ore to the weapon shop, and finally, deliver six magic tools and four regular pieces of furniture, a total of ten items, to the trade guild.

If an ordinary person took it, it would be quite a demanding transportation quest, but I should be able to handle it.

"Yeah, I think I can manage."

"What? Is that true!?"

Lamuel exclaimed with widened eyes.

"Yes, I can do it, so I'll accept these three quests."

"...Understood. Let's handle the paperwork here for now."

Lamuel said and placed the three contracts on the desk, pushing a quill pen and an ink bottle towards me.

"I'll check the contents just in case."

"Feel free."

I carefully read through the contracts to confirm everything.

Hmm... seems to be in order.

After confirming, I took the quill pen and signed my name on the three contracts.

"Alright, I've signed them."

As I handed the documents to Lamuel, she checked my signature and then turned to face me.

"Good. I'll guide you to where the items are. Follow me."

"Yes, understood."

"Just a moment!"

As I stood up, Duke Valdeck stopped me for some reason.

"Hmm?"

Looking at Duke Valdeck's face, he was staring at me with a serious expression.

"W-what is it?"

"Elaina, thanks to you, the Royal Capital was saved."

"...Y-yes."

"On behalf of everyone here, I express my gratitude. Thank you, Elaina."

I-I was... I was thanked!? And representing everyone here too...!"

"Awawawa... Awawawawawawaa...!"

"Now, Elaina. Don't be embarrassed, the quest— {THUD} ...huh?"

"Kyuuuuuu~!?"

She collapsed on the spot, her eyes rolling back and her face turning bright red.

"E-El-chan? Are you okay, El-chan?! Wake uuuuup!"

Lizlina panicked, shaking Elaina's body to try and wake her up, but there was no sign of her coming to, with her eyes still rolled back.

"...Chairman Valdeck. I think what you said earlier was a bit too much."

"...Huh?"

Duke Valdeck turned to face Aid with a vacant look.

"If you had just said 'thank you,' this wouldn't have happened."

"Ugh... That might be true. But..."

"But?"

"She really is terribly shy."

"That's true. Is there anything we can do about it?"

"Hmm... Why is she so severely shy in the first place?"

"Good question. It might be due to the environment she grew up in, but..."

"Both of you, stop that and help me wake up El-chan, please!!"

Upon hearing Lizlina's words, the two stopped pondering.

"That's right. First, let's lay Elaina down on the sofa."

"As Aid said. Aid and Guell will lift her and lay her down on the sofa."

"Understood."

"Roger that, Chairman."

"Hehe, I'll help too."

As Duke Valdeck's group was holding Elaina, one person stood alone in front of the door, observing everyone's actions.

"...This could be useful too. I'll remember this."

Those who heard Lamuel's words just now thought to themselves: Is this person the devil?