I ended up putting my card away in my Inventory. I didn’t really know the specifics of the magic, but it seemed to log that information even when it was in my Inventory. Inventory was a kind of spatial magic, but because I was a True Hero I could access it. If it was technically in another space, then how could it log progress? Well, I was always pondering all of these questions, and half the time I found I guessed wrong, so I decided to not give it any more mind. It was better to act decisively than dwell on things indefinitely.

“Where is Ruby anyway? I thought she might want to join me?”

It wasn’t like I wanted to have Ruby join the Harem, but she was a capable fighter, and she seemed able to keep up with the team. It had been a bit odd how she suddenly took off after we got back. I had collapsed nearly half dead and was taken to my mansion, and then I hadn’t seen her since. I thought she would have checked up on me.

As soon as I asked, the Guild Master jerked, and then his face turned odd. This naturally made me even more curious.

“What is it?”

“Ah… you, you know all of us in Chalm appreciate everything you’ve done. When you first appeared almost half a year ago, I never would have thought that you’d be able to get this far.”

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“Aren’t you the one who asked me to do all of this stuff?” I asked flatly.

“Ai! I mean… I hoped you could accomplish the deeds, but every time I send an Adventurer on a mission, there is a chance they won’t come back. As a town that bordered the Wilderness, we were all too familiar with friends going out on recon and never returning. You’ve really changed things for all of us, and for that, we’d like to think we’ve helped you as well.”

It was a complicated feeling, thinking back to my relationship with the people of Chalm. They had treated me like an errand boy when I first came to this world. They promised a lot, and it was always questionable when or if they delivered. However, in the end, they had kept their promises, and I had kept mine. Although I had given a lot of myself to Chalm, isn’t that what any leader would do? Is that why they call them public servants on Earth? I couldn’t be a lord without people to rule over, and while it felt like I was constantly pumping money into them, they had always returned that with loyalty.

However, I felt like I was getting distracted. I had been asking about Ruby, and suddenly, he was going on about how appreciative they all were.

“What are you getting at? Where is Ruby?”

I took a step around him, trying to enter the guild to find her myself, and he moved to block me. He held up hand, and gave an apologetic look.

“My lad… women are a complicated folk. They’re hard to understand sometimes…”

“Guild Master…” I responded in a no-nonsense tone.

He sighed. “Yes, I understand. I’m sorry. Ruby doesn’t want to go on another adventure with you!”