The Filth of Eliss (2)
The guild members' reactions split into two clear camps. One side demanded Dig's immediate expulsion from the guild, while the other insisted they should at least track him down and hear his side of the story. The two opinions clashed fiercely. Thanks to the heated debate, Isaac managed to piece together the fragmented details and finally grasp the situation.
To summarize, Dig—who had been acting strange since yesterday—had finally made off with the money. That worthless piece of shit. Isaac had known the bastard would pull something like this eventually. Concept or no concept, the mere sight of Dig always made something sour rise in Isaac's throat. The man reminded him too much of a slimy, lazy junior from his military days.
"Dig's expulsion is on hold for now."
Despite his true feelings, Isaac kept a perfect poker face, as if the decision came naturally. Personal thoughts aside, the concept he had established had to be maintained at all costs.
"As expected, that's how you would respond."
"I knew Master would say that."
"He's too soft, but... I don't hate it."
And no one opposed the Master's decision. They all knew what kind of man he was. It was a soft call, but Kain didn't dislike it. After all, he himself had been saved by that very softness. Knowing Master's nature was exactly why they had chosen to follow him in the first place.
Kain's eyes met Yuliana's. It seemed they were thinking the exact same thing.
"Then our first priority is to determine where Dig was headed."
"I know the destination."
"How?"
"I was standing right next to him when we looked at the request together."
"Excellent. It would have been even better if you'd stopped him while you were at it."
Fortunately, Las had been beside Dig reading the same request and still remembered the location. Hans grumbled that it would have been better if he'd stopped the man then and there, but there was no denying that Las's memory had given them a way to track him.
Before he could forget, Las carefully recalled the details and wrote down the contents of the request Dig had been examining.
"It was a request from Eliss."
"Where is Eliss?"
"Eliss is known as the City of Light and Gems. As the name suggests, it's a place where both gemstones and gem-based technology have flourished."
Zeek, who had grown up in a rural village and still lacked worldly knowledge, tilted her head in confusion. Isaac answered without hesitation. Of course, the city hadn't only advanced in decorative jewelry work.
"There are ornamental gems, but those are ultimately secondary. The real prize is magic stones imbued with mana."
"Are gems and magic stones that different?"
"They're on completely different levels. Even at the lowest estimate, a magic stone is worth at least five times more."
Magic stones were mana-infused gems found only rarely in mines. Given their endless practical applications, they naturally sold for far more than ordinary gems of equal weight. Yet for some reason, Eliss produced them in such abundance that they practically overflowed.
The sheer volume was abnormal, but no one dared question the city. Getting on the bad side of the continent's largest magic stone producer would mean losing access to those stones at their current relatively affordable prices.
Isaac read through the request Las had written more carefully.
"A cleanup request for Eliss's filth, huh."
"Filth cleanup? Why would they request something like that from us?"
"The filth that comes out of Eliss is... a little different."
The filth produced in Eliss was literally alive. Because of that, it was classified as a demonic beast, and regular subjugation requests were sent to Gideon. Just like this one.
"On top of that, Eliss requests aren't handled exclusively by Gideon. The Holy Knights and mercenaries take them on for the rewards too. That makes the competition pretty fierce."
"The request itself doesn't seem particularly suspicious."
"It actually looks like a perfectly normal one."
Yuliana and Kain chimed in, nodding along with Isaac's patient explanation. As they said, on the surface it didn't appear strange at all.
"Dig must have his reasons."
"You're right. Once we've decided on a course of action, we move immediately."
"I'll start preparing right away. Kids, mind giving me a hand?"
True to their veteran status, Hans and Sophia sprang into action first. No matter what happened, once the Master set a policy, all they had to do was trust him and follow. The rest of the guild members quickly caught on as well. Like the previous request, this one would involve the entire guild.
Zeek was slightly unhappy about that, but she quickly shook off the feeling. Going together with everyone would be both fun and reassuring.
"Zeek! Come help me over here!"
"Yes! I'll be right there!"
"Master, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
While Zeek was helping Sophia pack their supplies, Hans approached Isaac with a grave expression. Third-rate mercenaries were no threat, but—
"The biggest problem is the Holy Knights."
"Why are they a problem?"
"As we saw before. They are by no means clean."
"......"
They claimed to follow the will of the gods. But that didn't automatically make them good. Having once served among the Holy Knights himself, Hans understood that truth all too painfully.
"Be careful, Master."
There was surely more to this than met the eye.
Surprisingly, preparing for the expedition didn't require much work. The Golden Deer had established a teleportation gate between Gideon and Eliss, which they could use.
Zeek and the others, who were using a teleport for the first time, couldn't close their mouths. In the blink of an eye, they had been transported somewhere completely different. Even Isaac felt the same wonder, though he couldn't let it show in front of the guild members.
Zeek turned her head, taking in their surroundings. Neatly paved roads and pristine white architecture stretched out before them.
"Whoa..."
"Is it that impressive?"
"Yes. I've never seen a place like this before."
Zeek answered Isaac's question honestly. In terms of sheer splendor, it even surpassed Salen. The reason was simple: Eliss was a thriving commercial city.
"But if they have teleports like this, was there really a need to secure the mountain pass?"
"Good question. But installing a teleport isn't that simple."
"I see."
Not only was success not guaranteed, the astronomical cost meant they were only built in absolutely necessary locations. Places like Gideon and Eliss, for instance. The technology developed from magic stones and the heroes most efficient at dealing with the city's filth needed each other.
While the others were chatting among themselves, a wriggling liquid suddenly rose from the ground, glowing a vivid red.
Hans reacted first.
"Everyone, stay alert! Something's coming out of the floor!"
"Calm down, Hans."
"Master, do you know what that is?"
"I've only heard rumors, but... it shouldn't be hostile."
There was confidence in Isaac's voice. Reassured, the guild members who had drawn their weapons lowered them.
The clay-like substance gradually took shape. What emerged was a figure glowing like a ruby—a voluptuous adult woman with generous hips and an ample chest.
Zeek immediately tensed.
"Threat confirmed. It's a dangerous demonic beast."
"Easy there."
"It is definitely a demonic beast, Master."
It bowed with exaggerated, theatrical movements. Yet despite the dramatic gestures, its expression and voice remained eerily calm. The mismatch created an overwhelming sense of unease.
"I see. So this is the golem I've only heard about."
Among the guild members, Kain was the first to identify it—Isaac excluded. As a wanderer who had traveled far and wide, he had heard many rumors, including whispers about Eliss's dolls. Stories of artificial beings that moved and acted like humans but weren't human. He'd dismissed them as nonsense at the time.
The golem confirmed Kain's words. Kain clicked his tongue. He knew magic stone technology had advanced significantly, but he hadn't realized it had progressed this far.
"We came to fulfill the request to handle Eliss's filth."
"Iron Shield."
The Iron Shield was listed on the blacklist as a guild of concern. Thanks to the Golden Deer's recommendation, they had barely avoided being driven out. Their request, however, had been denied.
"That might actually be better. It'll be a bit tight if we're trying to find Dig, but..."
"Profanity?"
Hans had already felt uneasy about the Holy Knights' involvement. Ruby's reaction to his words left him genuinely confused—the accusation was absurd.
"When did I swear?"
At the golem's explanation, everyone's faces stiffened.