10. The One Left Alone
10. The One Left Alone
- 1 -
『'Enduring' Bastard Sword - A longsword enchanted with magic related to durability. It will not be damaged by impacts below a certain threshold, and can completely absorb one impact exceeding that threshold per hour. Cannot withstand excessively overwhelming impacts.』
Among the purple longswords currently available for purchase, there were only two with blue—rare performance. This was one of them.
"Phew..."
When I chose this one from among the many swords, Scarlet actually looked relieved. She must have thought I was going to spend my entire fortune on a weapon for Eve.
She couldn't possibly know.
That this one had a similar shape to what Eve was currently using, and that it possessed all the performance traits I was aiming for.
For Eve to properly utilize 'Explosive Power', an ordinary longsword would be difficult to use. The sword she originally had lost much of its edge after tearing through shields during experiments.
That was why I chose this sword.
"Here you are, Lady."
"Thank you."
Perhaps because the enchantment on it wasn't considered a necessary ability for an ordinary sword, the price was relatively cheap at 500V. This should serve well enough for the time being.
I could guarantee it would deliver several times its value in efficiency.
- Ttak-ttak!
"This child..."
There was a brief incident where the succubus, having sensed her 'intelligence', took special notice of the Skeleton who couldn't contain her delighted reaction upon receiving the sword. But it was fine—she couldn't do anything unless I sent her away or died.
If a situation arose where I did die, having this one protect her might actually be for the better.
"A fine child."
"She does seem so. I understand why you're attached to her."
"Yes."
"Still, excessive spending like this...!"
"I'll handle it myself, so leave it be. Besides, you and I only met today, didn't we? You're being far too forward."
"Ugh... Now that you mention it, that's true..."
The succubus furrowed her brow and let out a deep sigh.
However, as I was beginning to find it unpleasant myself, I crossed my arms and frowned, sending a clear signal not to interfere further.
Perhaps because of that, there were no further incidents after.
I simply used the remaining currency because it seemed I had to spend it all anyway.
"I'll consider this as my personal investment in you, Lady."
"That's not necessary."
"Please accept it. I have been discourteous on multiple occasions, yet you've treated me generously..."
"...If you insist, then I will."
"Yes. Please do."
What I purchased were several basic trap magic blueprints to install in dungeon rooms, two spells, and a map of this area.
A map didn't originally count as purchasable property here, so I had planned to buy it later. Scarlet simply took pity on my circumstances.
"Until next time, Lady! Manager of Mammon Trading Company, Scarlet Spira Spina, at your service!"
"Take care."
That was the end of my first encounter with a goblin— no, a succubus dungeon merchant.
- 2 -
In the midst of a busy schedule, Maria Olas stopped by the city of Solemio near her hometown to visit her much younger sister and her sister's friends.
However, what awaited her when she arrived at the city's Adventurer's Guild carrying mana-neutralizing medicinal supplies was unexpected news.
"Those children haven't returned?"
The ominous news that the novice adventurer squad, including her sister, had not yet come back.
"Yes. It's recorded that it's already been two weeks since they departed..."
The guild receptionist stammered in reply, her face stiffening gravely at Maria's words.
Maria Olas was a high-rank adventurer, and Solemio was such a quiet place that high-rank talent of her level was rarely seen.
Thus, the receptionist had no choice but to be flustered before her, even though she was merely a high-rank adventurer.
The area around Solemio had no dangerous dungeons nearby, and its borders were encircled by mountains and a great river. It had long been a region without any particular danger.
Because of that, it had been a perfect place for novice adventurers to gradually build experience and secure a foundation to move on to other places.
And yet, in such a place, adventurers—children including her own sister—had gone missing.
"Why wasn't an additional reconnaissance party sent? The regulation states that if return is delayed by more than three days based on a precise calculation of travel time, an additional reconnaissance unit must be dispatched."
"That is..."
The receptionist couldn't answer, flustered and rolling her eyes.
Her attitude made Maria feel a surge of fury, but she hurriedly swallowed the emotion.
With the children missing, if she failed to secure the guild's cooperation now, the odds of finding the children—or even their bodies or belongings—would be slim.
"I will submit a request to the guild. Duration: one month. Compensation: matched to the level of a standard designated request. Personnel: four. Personnel restriction: rank average adventurer or above. Even apprentices preferred if they are quick on their feet and sharp-eyed. Do you understand?"
"Y-yes!"
Tang!
"Give me word as quickly as possible. Even an interim report!"
"U-undharshtood!"
After glaring fiercely at the receptionist, who had bitten her tongue in her rush to answer, and making it clear she was not without grievance, Maria took her leave.
The children possessed excellent talent as apprentice adventurers. If all three had gone missing simultaneously, she needed to assemble the minimum number of people and begin the search, even including herself—a high-rank adventurer—and her colleague.
The guild, having some fault in the matter, would no doubt cooperate actively with her.
Right now, she had to gather people as quickly as possible and set out to search for the children.
To Maria, who was struggling to contain her anger, a colleague who had accompanied her for the purpose of recuperation asked:
"Aren't you spending too much money? They might just be enjoying themselves somewhere with nice scenery and good water."
"The city is uncharacteristically noisy. If I hadn't done this, I don't think things would have been handled properly. And..."
The man had bright green hair and a nimble, swallow-like aura.
His identity was Daniel Smith, a high-rank archer and tracker from the 'Shadow Blade' guild to which Maria belonged.
Normally, he was an utterly unreliable man who freely made flirtatious advances toward Maria herself, but right now, there was no one as dependable as him.
She was gathering more people just in case, but honestly, she thought he alone would be sufficient when it came to finding someone.
No matter what anyone said, he was one of the talents the guild had high expectations for. Just like Maria.
Still, his current remark could only irritate her.
"Those children aren't the type to do that. They're diligent and kind."
"Hmm, well. If they're the diligent Miss Maria's younger siblings, I suppose they'd have good personalities."
"...Please. Help me."
"Why, of course. It is only natural (fate) that I assist you."
"Haa..."
The man said this, flashing what was intended as a refreshing smile.
In truth, the smile was decent enough to look at, helped by the man's good looks, but to Maria, it seemed to have some ulterior motive.
It was as if it screamed an intention along the lines of, 'After I help, Miss Maria will surely come around on her own.'
Maria openly let out a loud sigh at that, but the man showed no sign of caring.
"Fine. If the children are truly safe, then afterward, I'll give you a date or whatever you want."
"Well, that motivates me. Once the search begins, I'll find them within three days."
"Just traveling will take three days. It'll take longer since we're searching as we go."
"Uh... then six days?"
"Alright. I'm counting on you."
Even so, Maria felt her heart lighten just a little. It was thanks to the man's positive attitude, sincerely believing nothing bad had happened.
'So this man had uses outside of work after all.'
Two days later.
The six-member missing adventurer search party, led by Maria Olas and Daniel Smith, began to move.
- 3 -
The apprentice mage Sonia was left alone.
She awoke from her sleep a full week after the events in the dungeon had concluded.
In truth, there had been some behind-the-scenes maneuvering by Rita, who had purchased and learned the 'Nightmare' curse from the succubus merchant Scarlet. But her current self had no way of knowing that.
"Ah, you're awake."
"H-here...?"
"You've been asleep for a whole week. First, please have some of this."
She was shocked to learn that a week had passed by the time she woke, and stunned by the beauty who greeted her the moment she opened her eyes—a woman whose equal seemed nowhere to be found in the world.
"...I've eaten well. Thank you."
"Are you feeling any other abnormalities in your body?"
"No. Nothing at all... Ouch."
Sonia, who had been about to shake her head, raised her hand at the sudden pain that assaulted her body, only then discovering that her head and leg were wrapped in bandages.
Until that moment, Sonia had thought her friends had escaped the dungeon, paid someone briefly to look after her unconscious self, and gone to report to the guild.
If she hadn't seen the bandages on her leg, and then, as she lifted her head, seen her friends' mementos on the table beside the bed.
"Huh...?"
"...Phew. Your leg should be mostly healed. Do you think you can move?"
From that point on, Sonia, unable to collect her dazed mind, simply moved as the lady of the house led her.
The place they reached was behind a cottage built in a remote area.
To be precise, it was a small clearing there, with two graves made without buried bodies, only small wooden crosses planted in the ground.
And even familiar names written on them.
"No way...?"
"You were the only one alive in that place. I learned the names thanks to the adventurer identification cards, but..."
"Ahh... Aaaahhh...!"
Sonia threw down her crutch and collapsed, sitting before the graves as if crumbling.
Tears fell from her eyes, and soon her fingernails, pressed recklessly to her face, tore the skin around her eyes, causing bloody tears to flow.
"Jack... Remy...!! Aaak... Aaakh...!! Aaaaaaak—!!!!"
Having awakened from an unrefreshing sleep, she was forced to accept the brutal truth: she was left alone in this world without her friends.
"..."
There was only one person watching her. The owner of the cottage, a woman possessing an otherworldly beauty.
What flickered deep within her eyes was an ominously dense, violet flame.