Cooperation

Sen never much liked oral reports in the first place.

For someone who loved to chatter incessantly, it could be considered quite unexpected, but liking to talk and the ability to organize what you want to say from start to finish and convey only the essentials were entirely separate matters, and Sen never had a particular talent for the latter.

Of course, lacking talent didn't mean she could always avoid it, and thanks to practicing while getting knocked around here and there, she wasn't completely incapable, but personal preference was something she couldn't help.

"Thank you, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Sen. It's a shame the cultist subjugation didn't come through as an official guild request, but I suppose we'll have to be satisfied with having been able to stop such a threat even a little sooner here."

Because of that, Sen was in a very exhausted state now that the report was finished. Having carefully organized her words and thought things through while carrying on the conversation had mentally worn her out. If there was any consolation, it was that Kunz, having finished recording the conversation that had proceeded without a hitch, had on a satisfied expression.

Even that reaction was only possible because, as a people person, Sen considered customer satisfaction one of the greatest rewards of the job.

'Still, with this much, we bought enough time.'

The reason she'd deliberately dragged Kunz upstairs to report on the spot was simple. To give her party members time to think about how to deal with the city's strange atmosphere. Even to her, who'd been active in Englem for over a decade, the current city felt terribly unfamiliar.

And it didn't seem like a sentiment unique to her, either.

"On a separate note, I consider this quite an interesting achievement. I mean, it was taking down a demon, even if it was an incomplete form. Did you witness it yourself, by any chance?"

"No. We were busy cleaning up the remnants."

Since they had to gloss over the Demonfolk's presence, the story had to be twisted to make it seem like Eldmia had taken down the demon alone, but Sen wasn't particularly worried. That person was more than capable enough. After he'd gotten his hands on a projectile weapon crafted jointly by a dwarven artisan and a mage, it even made her think he might be able to take on an entire army alone at this point.

"Then Eldmia handled the demon and all the leadership present there by himself. By the guild's evaluation, he's distinctly Blue-rank, though..."

"He's definitely stronger than us. It never really seemed like adventuring was his main job to begin with, so he probably just hasn't bothered to rank up."

With that kind of ability, there didn't seem to be a reason for him to be an adventurer either, but well, he must have his own circumstances. Having already become part of a community of fate with him, Sen had decided not to harbor unnecessary questions.

So she'd answered as indifferently as possible, pretending disinterest, but Kunz didn't let go of his interest in Eldmia.

"Someone so highly regarded by the Capital Adventurer's Guild Master also turns out to be exceptionally skilled... it's enough to make us want to entrust him with a request ourselves. Might you be able to introduce us?"

It wasn't even just placing a request—he was openly asking for an introduction. Anyone could see it was a secret request within the guild.

"It'd be better to ask him directly. He's not the type who likes roundabout talk."

The party members had hesitated, and Sen didn't want it either. Serve as a bridge for what? They were practically under something close to a slave contract. If the city's state had been normal and it was a good request, she'd have happily been willing to run over, but for the guild to issue a secret request in this situation was far from a good thing.

Above all, for the guild's own sake, it would be better for Eldmia not to accept this request. Whether there was a power struggle between the Guard Force and the guild, or some unknown behind-the-scenes maneuvering, whatever it was.

A well-sharpened sword naturally invited greed... but that sword was a Demon Sword that went for the neck of anyone who coveted it first.

But Kunz, putting on an awkward smile, asked her to at least pass on a part of the request. Honestly, even that didn't sit well with her, but since just hearing a little wouldn't get them entangled anyway, Sen compromised accordingly and, considering their past acquaintance, accepted the favor.

Large reward, strict secrecy, and handling covert affairs amidst a power struggle. Though not stated outright, Sen and her party, having been told the details befitting a secret request that was easy enough to deduce, came down to the first floor the moment they received the payment for their original request and relayed the contents to Eldmia without leaving a single thing out. With the absolute certainty that he'd never accept it.

The gazes of the others who had been listening together all focused on him. He was definitely the youngest, yet it was once again strangely fascinating that no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one suspected he would make a poor judgment.

From Eldmia's mouth, as he'd been contemplating with his eyes slightly lowered, a short sentence slipped out.

"A pain in the ass. Not doing it."

His reaction was exactly what she'd expected.

◈

The story Sen relayed had been simple, but it was enough to resolve some of our questions.

They knew where the suspects in the city attack were, so basically, go catch them. It was the kind of thing that made me wonder, 'If you know every last detail, why don't you handle it yourselves instead of trying to dump it on me?', but anyway, that was what it said.

It was dubious enough just from that, but I was supposed to get tangled up with the Guard Force on top of it? I'd already fucking had to grit my teeth in that half-assed political arena even in the capital, and I didn't want to do the same here.

"If we hang around here too long for no reason, it feels like we're just going to get pointlessly and forcibly entangled. Sen. You go with your party and start looking into contacts who'll take those goods first. Even if it costs extra, we'll leave the horses at the guild for now, so just move yourselves. As for an inn, we'll pound the pavement and find a suitable one."

"Oh, are you sure you'll be alright?"

"What's there not to be alright about? If you're really that worried, just tell us a few inns you think are good."

"No, I mean, won't you get into fights out there?"

Even if we acted independently, we weren't the kind of people who'd get beaten up around here, but Sen's concern was valid. Since walking over, the gazes directed at us had been such that it was a wonder no one threw stones.

At the same time, it was an unlikely worry. Because in the end, no stones had come flying. I spoke up, voicing a hypothesis I'd constructed on my own as I continued.

"Even if we got into one, it'd be an unavoidable situation, but it'll probably be fine. There's a high probability the guild holds the initiative in this incident."

The surrounding gazes and reactions I'd seen while coming here. Unlike the citizens openly displaying hostility, the patrols and guards had been closer to emotionless. Not wanting my voice to echo within the quiet guild, I kept my voice low and explained the things I'd been observing, adding further detail.

"If stones had come flying while ignoring the patrols and Guard Force, then I wouldn't know, but the fact they didn't, despite their obvious hostility, is because faith or fear in public authority is still very much alive, and moreover, I figure there's a certainty that they won't stand by and tolerate that form of violent act."

I couldn't know whether there'd actually been an incident where someone got hit by a stone or suffered a group beating, but for ordinary citizens to share such widespread hostility yet stop at glaring at us, that seemed to be the only reason.

The hostility felt in their gazes was far from something that would subside just because a single guild member was attached to us. Regardless of the exact circumstances, it was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠clear that a considerable number of people had died indiscriminately.

"From what I see, it looks like the Guard Force provided the trigger for the incident. The guild, whatever it was, is benefiting by gaining something else in exchange for taking the fall themselves. Whether that's money or whatever, it's not important to us right now, so let's move past that for the moment. Anyway, thanks to that, I'm guessing the citizens' hostility got directed at us nobodies of adventurers instead of the authorities."

"...It was a situation where it was hard to understand why the two would be cooperating, but if things really did play out that way, it actually seems somewhat convincing."

Fortunately, it hadn't been a completely preposterous opinion, and Sen nodded while deep in thought.

"So you're seeing it as the authorities, having saved face thanks to that, are going through the motions of suppressing the incident by massively increasing patrol and guard personnel, but at the same time, they're also serving as a fence to prevent the citizens' anger from being directly aimed at the adventurers?"

"Exactly. That's as far as I'd thought."

If the premise I'd laid out was correct, the Guard Force and the patrols would never condone physical illegal acts directed at adventurers and the Adventurers' Guild. Because if that happened, the guild could spill the truth.

Sen, who'd been chewing over my opinion once, furrowed her brow and spoke.

"Then Kunz's request that I just relayed... in the end, there's a high possibility its purpose was to make the city indebted to the guild."

"Assuming things flow similarly to my hypothesis, that is. Honestly, my accuracy rate's not that great, so it's tricky."

I always racked my brain hard to prepare for contingencies, but the ways of the world never seemed to go as planned.

Still, maybe my headcanon wasn't bad, because a mood developed to at least go with it as a working hypothesis.

"We have to move eventually, anyway. In my view, Eldmia's hypothesis seems plenty plausible. It'd be good to confirm it while we move separately this time."

At Mr. Gin's assertion, everyone else nodded along and began formulating a plan based on my hypothesis, incorporating parallel information-gathering.

It wasn't difficult. They were all seasoned adventurers, after all.

"Should we split up into pairs? Think there's no need to go that far?"

"No. I think it's a good idea. We, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unlike Sen, are nothing but strangers in this city, after all. Seneran, you'll move together with Asilie and me."

With that, Gaendal decided to go with Mr. Gin. After deciding that Yekaterina would act together with Rellie, we left the guild without delay.

In one corner of my mind, a question bloomed about how mere thieves, just by joining hands a little with adventurers, could have caused chaos on this scale, but I decided to set that aside for the time being.