Dragged Into Another World Because of My Otaku Friend-Chapter 102: Troublemaker

"Is that the nest of the Red Condor?" I asked, placing one hand on my forehead to shield my eyes from the sunlight. My other hand pointed to a nest perched high atop a large tree.

"No, I don’t think so," Linus replied.

"Where the hell is that bird’s nest? We’ve been searching for over an hour already. Does it even nest around here?" Bob grumbled, now resting under the shade of a tree. We were on higher ground compared to the rest of the field, standing near a ledge about ten meters above a lower slope.

In front of us stretched a place known as Rock Field. It was a vast, open area surrounded by distant mountains, with a lake resting peacefully in the center.

"The chef said it should be around here," Linus muttered. He stood on a large rock, scanning the skies for any sign of our elusive target.

I sighed and sat beside Bob, taking a sip from my water pouch. Honestly, drinking from a pouch felt more refreshing than using a bottle. Maybe it was the way it splashed into the mouth.

After a few gulps, I leaned back against the tree. "What exactly does it look like? I mean, if we saw it, could we even recognize it?"

"They say it looks very different from any other bird," Linus replied. "One look and you’ll know it’s a Red Condor."

Of course, he already knew what the Red Condor looked like but he was pretending not to.

While we were resting, we suddenly heard voices.

We looked down below and saw a group of people walking through the field. There were about seven of them, and from their attire, they looked like fellow adventurers. One of them was riding a creature that resembled a horse, while the others moved in a loose formation around him.

"Who is that? Our guild members?" Bob asked.

I squinted, focusing on the group below. "I don’t think so. Their badge looks different."

I was proud of my vision, 6/5 acuity, top-tier eyesight. From what I could see, their emblem resembled a yellow animal fang.

One of them noticed us and pointed upward. The entire group turned their gaze to us from below.

"Who are you guys? What are you doing up there?" one of the men on the ground called out.

"We just came here to hunt animals. Don’t mind us," Bob said, casually waving his hand, clearly uninterested.

The man snapped, offended. "Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?! You are in the presence of the elegant and mighty Cerdic, ace of the Goldfang Guild and a proud member of the noble Fluer and Meer family!"

"Who’s that?" Bob asked, confused.

Cerdic? That name sounded familiar. I thought back, trying to remember...

Ah, right. Maya mentioned him during a lecture. He’s an S-rank adventurer with a prime-class lineage, selectively bred, and a core member of the Goldfang Guild.

In other words, bad news.

The group below collectively gasped at Bob’s question. It was like no one had ever dared ask such a thing.

A woman from the group scoffed, "Which cave did you crawl out from, not even knowing the beautiful Prince Cerdic?"

"Yes! You should be honored to see him face-to-face like this!" another added.

Then, the man on horseback raised his arm, silencing them. He looked up at us and spoke in a soft, overly refined voice...

"Why don’t you all come down? It hurts my neck to look upward. And besides... I despise when people look down on me."

I looked at Linus and Bob.

"Guys, he’s an S-rank member of his guild. I think we better not mingle with him. Let’s just get out of this area," I said. I could already smell trouble. It was best to leave before it escalated.

I expected that once I mentioned S-rank, these two would back down. But I completely forgot, these guys don’t follow the logic of normal humans.

"S-rank? Now this is interesting. I want to see how strong an S-rank is in this region," Linus said, already starting to walk down the hillside.

"So this is that Cerdic guy, the one with the Flower Knight class. Yui wouldn’t stop talking about him," Bob added as he followed Linus, cracking his knuckles.

"Hey, you guys—!" I tried to stop them, but before I could finish, they were already down below, face to face with the group.

I facepalmed. These idiots were really looking for trouble.

Left with no choice, I started walking down the steep hill behind them.

The group members, except Cerdic, instantly became alert. Their expressions hardened when they saw Linus and Bob approaching with faces like debt collectors. One by one, they drew their weapons, or rather, summoned them from magical storage items. That alone told me they came from financially well-off backgrounds.

As I got closer, I finally got a clear look at the man called Cerdic.

He wore a finely tailored adventurer’s garb, long red sleeves with golden trims along the left arm. Floral designs were embroidered into the fabric, giving it a delicate yet noble appearance. His horse was equally adorned, draped in gold-trimmed cloth that covered its head, body, and even hooves. The fabric shimmered with every step.

Cerdic himself had long, wavy pink hair, glistening with oil under the sunlight.

"Hey, what do you think you’re trying to do?" the man in front of the horse barked. He raised his spear and pointed it at us, his stance cautious and defensive.

"We just want to see how strong the ace of another guild really is," Linus replied calmly, pulling his staff from the strap on his back.

A woman in their group scoffed. "Know your place, you lowborn trash. Do you think Lord Cerdic has time to entertain every insect that crosses his path? He’s busy preparing for the royal carnival."

Cerdic’s eyes scanned us slowly, then stopped. He gave a theatrical sigh. "Ah... I see. Dawnbloom Guild, is it? How tragic." He raised one hand to his forehead and the other to his chest, striking a dramatic pose. "To think such a delicate name, a flower, would represent the weakest guild in the kingdom. It’s practically blasphemy."

That hit a nerve.

Even though I’m a new member, this guild is my friends guild, and they welcome us and give us some purpose. Hearing someone mock it so casually boiled my blood.

Then Cerdic’s gaze landed on Bob. "You must be the new S-rank, judging by that shiny golden badge." His smile was sharp. "The one everyone’s been whispering about."

In a flash, flower petals materialized around his hand. They swirled in the air like a spring breeze before coalescing into an ornate, elegant sword glowing faintly with pink and gold runes.

He pointed it toward us.

"I bet you think you have a chance now, just because you’ve added a single S-rank to your roster. How adorable. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure whatever hope you’re clinging to is crushed here and now."

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