Chapter 571 The First Royal Commission

By the time Sage and Lucan returned to Adventurer Guild Headquarters, the afternoon rush had already begun.

The enormous reception hall was crowded with Adventurers returning from missions, merchants purchasing monster materials, and visitors making inquiries at the registration counters.

Several groups stood before the enormous Mission Boards, examining newly posted assignments and discussing which ones offered the most attractive rewards.

Sage glanced toward the boards as they crossed the hall. After his meeting with Crown Prince Richard, he found himself appreciating the familiar sight more than usual.

The Guild already possessed everything necessary to handle the Marrowford commission.

There was no need to establish a special organization or personally gather Warriors for the assignment.

Once the mission had been properly classified and posted, qualified Adventurers could accept it through the same procedures used for every other commission.

"Guildmaster, I’ll have the documents delivered to Mission Administration immediately," Lucan remarked as they approached the staircase. "His Royal Highness’s secretary assured me that the official authorization would arrive before evening."

Sage nodded. "Good. Ask Boren to arrange a meeting with Garran, Lyana, Cassian, and Irene. We’ll need to settle the mission requirements before anything goes onto the boards."

Lucan smiled. "I’ll take care of it, Guildmaster."

While Lucan departed to contact the relevant administrators, Sage headed toward his office. He had barely settled behind his desk when Boren appeared carrying several folders.

"Guildmaster, I heard your meeting with the Crown Prince went well," Boren remarked as he entered. "Although judging by the number of documents Lucan just handed me, I suspect you’ve brought back more work."

Sage chuckled as he gestured toward a chair. "Only one commission this time, Boren. I thought you’d appreciate my restraint."

Boren examined the papers before giving him an unimpressed look. "One commission involving multiple territories, dangerous monsters, disputed jurisdiction, and the Crown Prince’s personal attention. Very restrained indeed, Guildmaster."

Sage laughed before explaining the situation at Marrowford. He described the attacks along the eastern trade route, the failed military expeditions, and the recent reports of monsters appearing outside the original woodland.

By the time he finished, Boren’s expression had become considerably more serious.

"Then this isn’t an ordinary monster extermination request," Boren observed. "The initial objective is to determine what we’re dealing with before anyone attempts a larger operation."

"Exactly," Sage replied. "The Crown Prince has agreed to fund an investigation. Our responsibility is to establish the mission properly, provide reliable findings, and recommend what should happen afterward."

Boren nodded and began reviewing the accompanying documents. "I’ll make sure Garran receives everything. We should also have Finance examine the proposed expenses before confirming the reward."

An hour later, the requested administrators assembled inside one of Headquarters’ conference rooms.

Garran Holt, Head of Mission Administration, arrived with his usual collection of ledgers and mission records.

Lyana carried a notebook containing the Guild’s administrative guidelines, while Cassian Rook brought a map of the eastern territories.

Irene Valcrest joined them shortly afterward, accompanied by Tobias Merrow, whose responsibilities included transportation and logistical coordination.

Lucan had also returned with confirmation that the Crown Prince’s written authorization was being prepared.

Once everyone was seated, Sage placed the Marrowford reports at the center of the table.

"We’ve received a proposed royal commission to investigate the monster attacks along the eastern trade route," Sage began. "The Crown Prince wants an independent assessment of the situation before deciding how to proceed. Our job today is to determine how the mission should be handled."

Garran opened the first report and began examining its contents. "Reconnaissance, monster identification, threat assessment, and recommendations for future operations. That’s straightforward enough, Guildmaster, although the size of the affected area complicates matters."

Cassian leaned over the map. "Especially with the recent sightings outside the woodland. Whoever accepts the mission will need to investigate several locations rather than a single monster nest."

Lyana studied the casualty figures before speaking. "And the previous military losses suggest we shouldn’t classify this as a routine reconnaissance assignment."

Garran nodded thoughtfully. "Agreed. We have reports of organized monster attacks, an unidentified larger creature, and multiple failed suppression attempts. The information is incomplete, but there’s enough evidence to justify a higher difficulty classification."

Sage turned toward him. "What would you recommend?"

Garran considered the matter before answering. "A provisional B-Rank mission, Guildmaster. We can specify that it requires a party led by at least one B-Rank Adventurer, with the remaining members meeting our established participation requirements."

Cassian folded his arms. "I’d support that classification. A lower-ranked party might be capable of observing the road, but this assignment involves entering hostile territory where soldiers have already suffered casualties."

Lyana nodded. "The notice should also make it clear that the mission’s classification is provisional. If the Adventurers discover something beyond the expected danger level, they must report it rather than attempting to complete an extermination operation."

"Agreed," Sage replied. "We don’t want anyone mistaking a reconnaissance mission for an invitation to hunt every monster in the forest."

Garran recorded the decision in his ledger before moving to the next matter.

"Now, the reward," Garran said, looking toward Irene. "Since this is a Crown-sponsored assignment covering several locations, I’d recommend a fixed completion reward with travel expenses included separately."

Irene examined the documents with a practiced eye. "That would be preferable to combining everything into one payment. We need to account for the expected duration, distance, danger, and number of Adventurers participating."

Tobias pointed toward Marrowford on the map. "The journey itself won’t be particularly difficult if they follow the main eastern road, but transportation beyond the affected settlements could become complicated. Several merchants have already stopped using that route."

Sage considered the matter. "Would the Guild need to arrange transportation?"

"Not necessarily, Guildmaster," Tobias answered. "Adventurers already travel to missions using their preferred arrangements. We simply need to provide accurate route information and identify reliable stopping points. If transportation expenses are included in the commission, the mission notice should explain what can be reimbursed."

Irene nodded approvingly. "Exactly. We shouldn’t create unnecessary logistical obligations for Headquarters when the Adventurers can manage their own travel."

After reviewing the estimates, the administrators agreed upon a proposed completion reward of eight hundred gold coins, funded through the royal commission.

Additional authorized expenses would be handled separately, subject to documentation and approval.

Garran recorded the figure before looking toward Sage. "The reward should attract qualified parties without encouraging Adventurers to underestimate the danger."

Sage nodded. "Submit the estimate to the Crown Prince’s office. Once it’s approved, we can finalize the posting."

The discussion then turned toward the mission’s reporting requirements.

Lyana opened her notebook and examined the Guild’s existing procedures for reconnaissance assignments.

"We should require a written report identifying the locations investigated, the monsters encountered, estimated numbers, and any unusual activity," Lyana suggested. "Supporting evidence would be useful wherever practical, particularly if the Adventurers discover tracks, remains, or identifiable materials."

Cassian added, "They should also record which roads remain passable and whether nearby settlements face immediate danger. That information could help local authorities decide where to concentrate their patrols."

Lucan nodded. "The Crown Prince will appreciate that. His main concern isn’t simply the monsters themselves, but the disruption they’re causing throughout the region."

Garran wrote down the requirements. "I’ll prepare a standardized reporting form. The party accepting the mission will receive copies of the relevant maps, witness statements, and previous military reports."

Sage smiled faintly as he listened.

The meeting was proceeding exactly as he had hoped. Each administrator understood their responsibilities, and the commission was being organized through the Guild’s established procedures without requiring him to dictate every detail.

By the time they reached the question of jurisdiction, most of the practical arrangements had already been settled.

Lucan placed the Crown Prince’s preliminary authorization on the table. "His Royal Highness has agreed that the Guild will retain control over its internal mission procedures. However, the Adventurers must respect local laws and avoid interfering with territorial administration."

Boren nodded. "That’s reasonable. We should include instructions requiring them to notify the appropriate authorities when entering restricted areas or requesting access to official records."

Cassian frowned slightly. "Provided those authorities don’t attempt to obstruct the investigation."

"Then any disputes should be reported to Headquarters," Sage replied. "The Adventurers aren’t being sent there to argue with nobles. If someone challenges their authorization, we’ll handle the matter through the proper channels."

Garran nodded and added the instruction to the mission requirements.

The final preparations took another hour.

By the time the meeting concluded, the commission had a provisional classification, a proposed reward, defined objectives, reporting requirements, and clear limitations concerning combat and territorial authority.

Sage reviewed the completed summary before handing it back to Garran.

"Everything looks good," Sage said with satisfaction. "Once the royal authorization and funding are confirmed, post the mission through the usual channels."

Garran rose from his seat. "Understood, Guildmaster. I’ll have Mission Administration prepare the notice immediately."

The administrators dispersed to complete their respective responsibilities, leaving Sage and Lucan alone in the conference room.

Lucan glanced at the departing staff before smiling. "It’s impressive how efficiently everyone handles these matters now. I remember when the Guild was considerably smaller."

Sage chuckled. "That’s the advantage of having capable people. If I had to personally arrange every mission, we’d never accomplish anything else."

Later that evening, the Crown Prince’s official authorization arrived at Headquarters.

The royal seal was verified, the proposed compensation was approved, and Irene confirmed that the necessary funds had been received.

With every requirement satisfied, Garran authorized the commission’s publication.

A receptionist approached the main Mission Board carrying a freshly prepared notice bearing both the Adventurer Guild’s emblem and the royal crest.

The moment she secured it in place, several nearby Adventurers turned their attention toward the unfamiliar document.

"Wait, is that the royal crest?" one Adventurer asked, stepping closer to examine the notice. "Since when did we start getting commissions directly from the Crown?"

Another Adventurer leaned over his shoulder and read the heading aloud. "B-Rank reconnaissance mission. Marrowford eastern trade route. Eight hundred gold coins upon successful completion."

A third Adventurer whistled appreciatively. "Eight hundred gold for an investigation? Whatever’s happening over there must be serious."

Within minutes, a crowd had gathered around the board.

Experienced Adventurers began examining the requirements, discussing the reported monster activity, and considering whether their parties possessed the necessary qualifications.

Some were attracted by the substantial reward, while others were more interested in the unusual circumstances surrounding the assignment.

A royal commission appearing on the Guild’s Mission Board was something worth talking about.

And as the news spread throughout Headquarters, more Adventurers made their way toward the board to examine the Guild’s first official commission from the Crown Prince.