One More Time: The Monster Subjugation Battle
Hey... Senior, that thing stuck to your head...
I nodded. “Yeah.”
Are you seeing things wrong?
I’m seeing it right.
I looked up and let out a small sigh.
After resolving the Belle Epoque mansion incident, a being always stuck to me.
It was none other than the little demon ghost Shari.
When I returned to the mansion, Shari, who had clung to my leg, somehow continued to follow me even after leaving the mansion.
Now she was perched on top of my head.
Since she’s a ghost, it doesn’t matter where she clings; I feel nothing, but I can’t help but be bothered by it.
Could you come out even outside the mansion?
Originally, I couldn’t come out of the mansion, but after giving you a proper funeral, it seems I can come out now.
Does it weigh anything?
I feel nothing.
Pfft.
Silphy, who had been staring at me quietly, suddenly burst into laughter.
What are you laughing at?
The sight of a senior like you carrying such a cute ghost on your head...
I’m seriously worried. What thoughts will others have when they see it?
Since it’s cute, it should be fine, right? I don’t think they’ll think badly of it.
Silphy, oblivious to my predicament, looked back and forth between Shari and me, smiling.
An adventurer carrying a little demon ghost around... If some weird rumor spreads, what then.
I felt my scalp getting a bit colder than usual and let out a small sigh.
The Belle Epoque mansion received as bounty reward was consigned to the guild to be sold as a cheap item.
At first, I tried to find ways to use the mansion usefully, but it was in vain.
There was really nothing to it.
Although it’s worth tens of thousands of gold, since there was almost no place that was intact, the repair cost estimate was enormous.
Moreover, in the basement, such horrific things happened, and since it’s too spacious for one person to manage, it’s impossible.
Even if I tried to sell it back, since the rumor of it being a cursed mansion had spread, no one would buy it immediately.
Ultimately, since it was too much of a hassle to keep holding onto this useless mansion, I asked the guild to sell it on consignment.
The condition was that if the guild finds a buyer for the mansion, they pay me half the sale price.
I had essentially handed over half of the ownership to the guild, but I didn’t regret it.
After all, if I keep it, it would just become an unsellable building.
It seems the guild side isn’t finding a buyer yet, but anyway, it’s good that I don’t have to worry about the mansion anymore.
Now, I can focus only on adventurer work again, which is rather fortunate.
『Just like that, Yunoa’s delusional dream of quick riches disappeared as a dream.
It was truly a bitter ending befitting someone who had indulged in excessive greed for money.』
The internal narration subtly scratched my insides.
Originally, it was you who took that mansion quest.
If you hadn’t been thinking about tens of thousands of gold worth of mansion or whatever, you would never have taken that quest.
『Yunoa, who didn’t gain any financial benefit from the Belle Epoque mansion, regretted taking the quest while only thinking about money.
Shari, who would have been tormented forever in the mansion if the quest hadn’t been taken, didn’t even think about it.
Truly heartless Yunoa.』
It’s shamelessly throwing people away like trash like that.
Well... It’s not entirely wrong.
Slightly turning to the side, Shari’s small, semi-transparent body was floating in the air, staring at me.
If I hadn’t been there, this child might have suffered eternally until someone who could perceive the true nature of the hallucination appeared.
Well, in that sense, I don’t regret taking this quest.
It’s a bit burdensome that Shari, as a ghost, continues to follow me.
Hm? Hey, look.
What’s that? There’s some strange fairy following beside you.
One day, on the way to the guild to receive a quest.
Other adventurers who saw me on the street said something.
It seems Shari’s existence was oddly visible to them.
I tried not to mind it as much as possible, but if everyone sees it that way, there’s a problem.
I stopped on the way, entered a quiet alley with little foot traffic, and said quietly.
Shari, can’t you make it so that others can’t see you normally? I’m having a hard time.
Shari, who was clinging to my head, floated in front of me and tilted her head.
She didn’t understand why I was troubled.
It’s not that you’re embarrassing or don’t want to be seen, but people are unfamiliar with your appearance and get startled.
Shari floated in front of me, blinking her big, pretty eyes.
Shari doesn’t want to hear bad words because she gets misunderstood? Since you’re a ghost, there should be a way to not be seen by others, right? If it’s hard, I’ll get you a bag that you can enter, and normally stay inside it.
I said it in a soft tone as if coaxing a child.
Then Shari answered in the strange way of showing multiple scenes in her mind, like when she communicated in the mansion.
A bag is too stuffy? Can you make it so only people who know you can see you? Won’t others see it?
Nod, nod.
Shari nodded vigorously with a bashful smile.
This little demon child is really kind and cute.
After finishing the conversation, Shari flew back and landed on my head again.
Thinking about it, there was no one who followed and liked me like this while alive, and it felt a bit strange.
A life loved by a little demon ghost.
As promised, to confirm that Shari’s appearance wasn’t visible to others, I left the alley and walked the street.
Oh, it really doesn’t show.
The effect was immediate.
If I had known, I would have talked about it earlier.
Just as I was about to head back to the guild, a man shouted at me.
I found it! Hey! It’s Yunoa, right?
The man, upon spotting me, quickly ran over and asked.
What? Who would look for me so urgently?
What’s the matter?
Go to the guild quickly! Mireia is looking for you!
Mireia.
A name I hadn’t heard in a long time.
She must have left Kubel to exterminate the demons hiding in the human world, so when did she return.
Since the way to the guild was the same, I quickened my pace a bit.
Arriving at the adventurer guild.
What... what is this...?
I was startled by the guild’s atmosphere, which was different from usual.
A considerable number of adventurers were gathered in front of the guild, murmuring.
There were several supply carts and soldiers in armor.
Moreover, as soon as I arrived, all the gazes of the many people focused on me.
Hey, there! That guy is Yunoa!
What kind of guy is he?
He’s a Silver rank adventurer, right?
Why do we have to wait for a guy like this?
Curiosity, suspicion, resentment, complaints... Various emotions made it hard to breathe.
I didn’t do anything?
Because of me, so many adventurers were waiting?
What nonsense?
Since thinking here wouldn’t help, I ignored the uncomfortable gazes of the adventurers and entered the guild.
As soon as I entered the guild, the scene I saw was Mireia with her arms crossed, talking to some man with an expressionless face.
Exactly who is this Silver rank adventurer that the subjugation team is waiting without departing?
...Wait.
The departure time has already passed a long time ago. If you don’t join the meeting point on time, there will be problems even in the capital.
...Wait.
The man in heavy armor was fiercely questioning, while Mireia, expressionless, ignored with the words ‘wait’.
I felt an ominous premonition and approached them.
Hey...
...You’ve come.
Mireia’s gaze turned to me.
At the same time, the man’s gaze that was questioning Mireia turned to me.
Mireia had a hardened expression, but her eyes looking at me were somewhat softer.
But the man’s eyes looking at me before her had a fierce aura as if he would spit out curses at any moment.
Overwhelmed by the extremely different gazes, I didn’t know how to react, so I asked what this was about first.
What’s all this? Senior Mireia, weren’t you supposed to go to Bainar?
I missed it.
Huh?
When I went, it was already gone.
It seems Bishop Xavier wasn’t at the Freya Church.
Based on the Narration’s clue, but was he really a demon?
No, that’s not important now.
By the way, what’s all this? What are those people outside? Why are they all waiting for me?
To my question, Mireia looked at me gently and said.
Yunoa, please participate in this monster subjugation team.
Eh?!
『The situation on the continent was not going smoothly.
Recently, signs of a massive monster invasion that had never been seen before were discovered.
Accordingly, the kingdom organized a joint monster subjugation team using the guild, knight orders, and kingdom troops.』
Before I could understand Mireia’s shocking words, the Narration flowed into my mind.
『In this monster subjugation team, only those with a lot of records and experience among adventurers were summoned.
Naturally, Yunoa, who had only been a Silver rank for less than a year, was not on the list.
However, Mireia, who was in charge of the adventurer subjugation team leader, insisted that she wouldn’t depart without Yunoa.』
Only after hearing the Narration’s explanation could I understand the situation to some extent.
Will you come with us?
Mireia asked again.
The armored man standing next to her glared at me with bloodshot eyes as if to kill me.
Outside the guild, countless adventurers had been waiting, wondering ‘Exactly who is this Yunoa that they’re unable to depart because of him?’
...It was an atmosphere that I couldn’t refuse at all.
I had no choice but to respond to this sudden proposal, almost crying.