1. The weather is great. Although the summer sun shines brightly

The weather is great. Although the summer sun shines brightly, it isn’t blisteringly hot. The vegetables planted in the fields are currently steadily growing in response to the bright sun. The roosters run around while the shepherds guide goats and sheep to the pastures.
Belgriff, after crouching down in the furrows to pull weeds, stood up and stretched. Sweat runs down his forehead.

“Ahh… it’s so hot.”

Although the hotter days of summer are yet to come, having to move your body around still makes you feel uncomfortably hot. And the strong sun doesn’t do much to help.
Kerry’s son-cum-heir Burnes approaches, yelling hysterically.

“Wha- what are you doing, Mr. Bell!?”
“Hm? Oh, it’s you, Burnes. Well, I’m pulling weeds…”
“Jeez! That’s our employees’ job, you don’t need to worry about doing that!”
“Well, I was bored so…”
“If you do that then there wouldn’t be any work left for our employees!”
“Um, well, yes, that’s true…”
“Well, my Dad asked me to call for you. This way.”

Urged on by Burnes, Belgriff enters the shaded area of the gazebo.

Inside Kerry sits, checking through an account book.
Now round and fattened up, his figure dressed in fittingly good quality clothes. While the garb makes him look more like a manager than a farmer, it is true that he now rarely steps out into the fields.

The field that Belgriff was weeding belonged to Kerry’s farm. In the present day Kerry is known to be the most successful farmer in the village. With extensive fields, a hundred and fifty sheep and a hundred goats, a yarn spinning workshop and a cheesemaking one, he offered numerous jobs to the villagers. It isn’t as if Belgriff was employed by Kerry, but between working on his own field and working in the mountains he would often help out on others’ fields. This includes Kerry’s farm.
Noticing Belgriff approach, Kerry grins.

“Hey, Bell. You were pulling weeds from our fields again, werent’cha?”
“Yeah. There were just so many weeds growing, y’see, so…”
“Ha ha hah, I just can’t match up to you! So, Bell. You know you don’t have to work our fields, right? With you exterminating magic beasts and working in the mountains, as well as educating the kids, everyone is already plenty grateful to you.”

Belgriff awkwardly scratches his head.

“I’m not really doing it to be thanked though.”
“Uhahaha, that’s what’s great about you! Hey, Burnes! Bring the wine! And that new cheese too!”

The target of his yelling, his son, quickly runs off.

“Whoa, wait, you plan to drink now? The sun’s still high up.”
“It’s just a bit of merrymaking. Anyway, I tried out a new recipe for this cheese. Something I heard from that merchant what came through the village before.”
“Huh… and the wine?”

Belgriff asks, looking at the wine bottle Burnes had just carried over. There is no label attached. Kerry grins.

“See, some years ago I started growing grapes as well. Thought it might become a new village industry.”
“…Oh, was it that area of cultivated land!?”
“Brilliant deduction!”

Kerry pours the wine into the glasses, laughing. The deep crimson fluid splashes around inside the glass.
Six years ago, Kerry proposed a plan to cultivate an area of barren land near the village. Although the quality of the earth wasn’t bad, a lizard magic beast spawned in the middle of cultivating it and the plan was thought to have been set back.
But Belgriff and Angeline exterminated the magic beast, the workers returned to steadily cultivating the land, and a good field was made. Though Belgriff didn’t expect it to be used for growing grapes.

The wine is a bit bitter, but it tastes strong and delicious.

“It’s good.”
“Is it? What do you think? Will it sell?”

Belgriff tastes another mouthful, playing with it in his mouth.

“It’s a bit too bitter, but definitely not bad. With some slight improvements it’ll definitely sell.”

Hearing that, Kerry laughs happily.

“What a relief. The grapes are still small and few in number, but I plan on planting a few more seedlings this year. Would you mind helping me when I get around to that?”
“Of course… The cheese is good too.”
“It is, is it? Keep your opinions coming!”

Like that the two forty-year-olds chew on the cheese and sip on the wine.
As if suddenly remembering something, Kerry speaks out.

“…How’s Ange been doing?”
“Dunno. Haven’t heard much from her since last year.”
“Wait, is she okay? Is that fine?”
“Well, they say that no word is good word.”
“I see… You have a lot of faith in her, don’t you?”
“Haha. That’s ’cause she sent a letter that said she became an S Rank last year. It was ever since then that I stopped hearing from her. She’s probably really busy.”
“Is S Rank that amazing?”
“Well, it’s the top rank in the guild’s ranking system.”
“That abandoned kid, huh… Impressive innit.”
“Yeah… I’m proud of her.”

Five years have passed since Angeline went to the capital city, Orphen.
This year, Belgriff would be forty-two. In stark contrast to the obese Kerry, his supple and lean physique doesn’t appear to have faded with time at all. But the wrinkles on his face have grown deeper, and he now sports a red beard covering his chin to match his red hair.
At that moment, Burnes runs in.

“Dad, the caravan’s here! And there was a letter for Mr. Bell! From Ange!”
“Oh! Great! Perfect timing don’t you think, Bell?”
“Haha, it’s like they were waiting for this moment.”

Holding a wry smile, Belgriff takes the letter from Burnes and unseals and opens it. Kerry and Burnes, faces as if their hearts are about to burst out of their chests, intently watch Belgriff read the letter.

“Okay… I see.”
“Wh, what did it say? How is she? Is she doing well?”

Belgriff raises his head grinning.

“She took a long-term vacation for the end of the month, she’ll be coming to visit.”
“Ohh…!”

Kerry unconsciously stands up.

“That’s big news! How should we entertain her?”
“Hey, you know you don’t have to be so enthusiastic about it.”
“What are you talking about, Bell!? It’s your first reunion in five years! You should be happier!”
“Haha, it just doesn’t feel real yet.”

But Belgriff still tries imagining it.
Since it has been five years Angeline would be seventeen now. She’s probably taller as well. What did she do with her previously short-cut hair? Does she look more mature now?
Watching a child’s growth can make a person happy.
Though watching the other village children would as well, since it’s his own daughter they can’t really be compared. Thinking that, Belgriff starts really looking forward to seeing Angeline again.
With a wry smile Belgriff pours himself another drink and raises it up.

“Cheers to Ange!”
“Yeah. May she be blessed by the King of the Gods, Viena!”

Drinking in the day is kind of good as well, Belgriff thinks to himself.

　　○

In a corner of downtown Orphen, the adventurers’ guild’s reception area, a single black-haired girl stands showing clearly her anger. The receptionist opposite her, face pale and trembling. Though a large number of adventurers are gathered in the building, they all silently watch, holding their breaths nervously.
The black-haired girl is clad in lightweight armour for easy manoeuvrability, and has a sword strapped to her waist. She is an adventurer.
Her waist-long black hair is casually tied up in a bun, and her matching black eyes slightly droop, making her look tired. Those eyes openly display her fury, glaring daggers at the receptionist.

“I’m sure I told you that I would be taking a long-term vacation starting tomorrow.”

Flustered, the receptionist replies:

“W-well, uhm, that was the plan, yes, but there were reports of a calamity-class magic beast frequently appearing near Carda Town, so… Miss Angeline, we were hoping you would make your way over…”

Yes, that black-haired girl is Angeline. It has been five years since she left Tornela Village. Now seventeen, she has grown taller and her still slightly-childish face now looks more mature.
Angeline groans, not bothering to hide her displeasure.

“Why should I have to go? A couple A Rankers could deal with something like a calamity-class. How oppressive, taking away my precious vacation just because you want an S Rank to go…!”
“W-w-well, we sent an AA Rank party out to eliminate it before, but it seems they failed, so…”

Angeline hits the reception desk with her fist. A crack reaching the floor appears in the marble counter. The receptionist barely manages to stay conscious.

“How incompetent… Just who were they… It’s all because they failed that I’m being dragged out there…!”

Almost visibly emitting a pitch-black aura, Angeline mutters to herself her displeasures as if she’s trying to place a curse on someone.

“Ever since I became an S Rank it’s been difficult request after difficult request… I haven’t even had the time to send Daddy a letter. Much less get to return home! And finally when I thought I’d be able to take a break that’s shut down by a sudden request…! Even though I’ve been constantly fighting for the last year, why do calamity-class magic beasts just have to keep on appearing and appearing and appearing…!? And why does everyone else just leave them alone for me to do…!? What are all the other adventurers even doing!?”

As Angeline talks to herself she looks towards the other adventurers in the lobby silently making themselves as small as possible as they uncomfortably try their best to look away from the scene. Like a violent, selfish child Angeline turns back to the counter and hits it once more. The crack grows larger.

“How shameful!”
“H-hey, Ange, calm down, okay?”
“Y-yeah. Even if you vent your anger out on them it won’t solve the problem.”

The two girls that were watching the conversation anxiously until now try to stop Angeline. With a huge sigh, Angeline looks towards the receptionist. And yells.

“Details! Now!”
“R-right away!!”

The receptionist hastily hands the paper noting the details of the request to Angeline. With a childish harrumph, Angeline turns around.

“Milly, Anne, I’ll be at the usual bar.”

Like that, Angeline leaves the building. The once-again silent guild building is once again filled with chatter as if finally being able to breathe again. The receptionist, too, holds a hand to their chest and takes a deep breath.

“H-how scary… That’s the first time I’ve seen Miss Angeline that angry…”
“Sorry about her. Normally she would never act that way. Right, Anne?”

The easygoing girl that spoke plays with her lavender, curly hair. She wears a tricorne and a mainly blue robe. She is a magician named Milliam, and an AAA Rank one at that. At the age of eighteen she is one year older than Angeline, but due to her short stature she is often wrongly thought to be the youngest of the group.

“Yes… It’s my first time seeing that side of Angeline as well.”

The short-cut, chestnut haired girl beside Milliam replies. Her name is Anessa. An adventurer of the same AAA Rank, she specialises in archery. The oldest in the group at age nineteen, she acts as the brakes of the group against the rampageous Angeline and Milliam. Milliam and Anessa are Angeline’s two party members.

After consoling the receptionist the two leave the guild building together and head for the bar where Angeline waits. In the bar, Angeline sits eating roasted duck as unhappily as before. Probably from her exuding an unnatural air of displeasure, the area around her is cleanly devoid of any other patrons. Smiling bitterly, the two sit across from Angeline. Angeline starts pouting.

“You’re late.”
“Sorry, really.”
“Hey, was that extended vacation really that important?”

Parties that contain an S Rank adventurer would be often asked to fight against high-level magic beasts and clear difficult dungeons, so they would end up travelling around a lot.
Normally, adventurers perform by a semi-self-employed model of work and so whether they would take a vacation or a job is entirely up to their own discretion. However the case is different for S Rank adventurers. After all, there are some magic beasts that cannot be dealt with by low-ranked adventurers.

There are also ranks among magic beasts. All magic beasts above A Rank are classified as calamity-class, beasts that lower-ranked adventurers could never stand a chance against. Due to this, higher-ranked adventurers have to be sent out. That is why when you reach the higher ranks of the adventurer ladder you no longer need to choose which requests you take as the guild will arbitrarily force jobs onto you most of the time. Simply put, you unofficially become an employee of the guild, instead of a freelancer. That is why the concept of ‘vacations’ exist within the guild system for A Ranked adventurers and higher.

But in reality these adventurers don’t have the leisure to be able to take something like a long-term vacation.
Despite that Angeline had announced to the guild with plenty of time in advance that she would be taking one and had without-break repeatedly completed difficult extermination and dungeon clearing requests. And after working hard to completely clear her schedule this happens, so it’s no wonder she’s upset. Even so, she went too far.

Angeline irritatedly stuffs her cheeks with duck and violently chugs grape-flavoured water. Then she takes a deep breath and collapses onto the table dejectedly.

“I thought that I’d finally be able to see Daddy again…”
“By Daddy she means…?”
“She occasionally brings him up, doesn’t she? I wonder what kind of person he is.”
“…He’s really nice, and really strong, and really cool. I’m really proud of him.”

Angeline looks into the distance as she speaks. Almost as if she’s in a trance. Milliam and Angeline bitterly smile and take the drinks that have just been brought to them.

“So your Dad was an adventurer too, then?”
“Yeah… I learned the sword as well as the basics of adventuring from him. But I still haven’t landed a single hit on him yet.”

Milliam and Anessa freeze in place.
When Angeline had first arrived at the guild five years ago, a story spread about how she single-handedly defeated a group of thuggish adventurers that came to pick on her for trying to become an adventurer as a little girl.
If it was just that then it wouldn’t be as strange a story as it was, as the thugs were actually in a B Rank party. A twelve year old girl, not yet even registered in the guild, easily dealt with a group of B Rank adventurers.

After that, the girl made it to B Rank within a year, and S Rank after four years. She is now known as one of the most distinguished individuals in the dukedom, with the nickname of “The Black Haired Valkyrie.”
Meaning, even when she had first arrived at the guild when she was twelve her ability was abnormal but despite that there was someone she could not lay even a single hit on. Her father could be no ordinary man.

“Y… your Dad must be a really amazing person, Ange…”

Said Milliam, and hearing that Angeline replies enthusiastically nodding with stars in her eyes.

“Yeah. He’s really amazing. But he’s also as kind as he is strong…”
“Then he must’ve been a really famous adventurer, right?”

As if she was waiting for Anessa to say that, Angeline puffs out her chest.

“Yes, he’s the man whose presence could even silence a crying child, Belgriff the “Red Ogre.” He’s my Daddy.”
“…I… I see.”
“R… really…?”

Who?
Milliam and Anessa secretly thought, but if Angeline said it that boldly then there’s no way they could say they don’t know him. He must really be some famous adventurer and they had just never heard of him by coincidence, the two convince themselves.

But of course in reality Angeline had just made that up. Or rather, she herself truly believed that to be the case, so she didn’t believe herself that she had made it up.
Belgriff had never had a nickname like that. It had just been that Angeline saw his red hair and thought to herself that if he would have had a nickname it could only be the “Red Ogre.”
In other words, it was Angeline’s crooked, deifying view of her father that made her think “There’s no way someone as strong, and kind, and knowledgeable as my Daddy could just be wasting his time in the countryside.”

Having somewhat brightened up by boasting about her father, Angeline unfolds the paper containing the particulars of the request. Milliam then murmurs something as she looks at the map.

“All the way to Carda Town, huh. It’d probably take around three days by horse.”
“Yes… and the target is a Wyvern, huh. How annoying. What strategy should we go with, Ange…”

Glancing towards Angeline, Anessa inadvertently holds her breath after seeing her. With an expression like that of the Devil himself, Angeline scowls at the realistically-drawn picture of a Wyvern on the request details page.

“…So it was this guy that ruined my vacation… Unforgivable. I’ll dice him up and feed him to the pigs…!”

With the return of the black aura surrounding her body once more, Angeline suddenly stands up.

“We’re leaving, you two… I’ll kill that flying lizard in an instant…!”

The two girls silently do nothing but nod their heads.

And one week later, the magic beast that was threatening the town of Carda, the Wyvern’s head fell in a single slice from a black-haired adventurer that suddenly appeared.

---

So I switched to present tense this chapter just to try it, please tell me if you like it this way or would prefer me to continue in past-tense.
The original story was written completely in present-tense, however present-tense third-person narration in English can make it feel like you’re reading off a screenplay and not a novel, which is where I’m undecided on what to do.
I will edit this chapter to past-tense if people prefer that.

Strawpoll: https://strawpoll.com/h46d3xzw

 

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