Chapter 373: Treasure Hunter (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 373: Treasure Hunter (1)
Three days after the community closed, while I was spending my days looking for a ship to use on the sixth floor and a navigator to sail it, I received good news from Amelia.
"Schuitz, don't worry about the guild anymore."
"Don't worry?"
"I found someone to deal with the issue."
"...What?"
Amelia, as it turned out, had handled things in a very Amelia-like way. Apparently, she discovered a guild official who committed a crime that could ruin their life if they were caught, such as embezzlement or tax evasion or something. Using the evidence to threaten them, it seemed she succeeded in destroying all the information on Riehen Schuitz at the guild.
"It would have been much safer to edit the information to say what we want rather than destroy it, but that would have been too difficult."
"And what about the possibility that the destroyed records could be a problem?"
"Normally, there's none. Loss of or damage to administrative materials is more common than you'd think."
Hmm, is that so?
I nodded, and Amelia added that not all of the documents on Riehen Schuitz had been destroyed and that the forms designating him as rank five remained. Put simply, I could keep my rank-five status.
"You seem vaguely unsatisfied."
"I'm just worried it might seem strange that my documents suddenly disappeared, no matter how common it is for that to happen."
"But it's better than leaving them lying around."
Well, that was true. Though it might be difficult to dispel any suspicion that came my way, at least now the physical evidence wouldn't end up in the hands of people who were after me.
"Good job... no, thank you. Amelia."
"...It's only natural to do well at something you're good at."
"Because it's more efficient that way, right?"
Amelia nodded and changed the subject. "So, how did it go on your end? Did you read through all the materials I gave you?"
Ah, the ship list. It was a document that neatly summarized the specifications and prices of ships on the market.
"If there aren't any you like, tell me as soon as possible so I can look for more."
"No, there's no need. As long as the listing is the same as the actual item, there's something just right." When I told her which ship I wanted, Amelia asked why, and I enthusiastically explained. "It's the most expensive of the options, but in terms of bang for your buck, you could argue it's cheap."
"Hmm."
"Besides, as long as we avoid any special areas, it's more than enough to take us to the seventh floor in our current state. And if we add customizations later, we'll be able to sail to special areas just fine, meaning we won't have to find another ship."
"I see," Amelia answered emotionlessly. I wondered why she bothered asking if she was going to react so blandly. "Well, I'm sure it's as good as you say. This is what you do best, after all."
I stuttered involuntarily at those words. "Uh... i-is it?"
"We're already on the same boat and you're the captain of it."
Man, that was the kind of statement that could only make the person on the receiving end blush. But besides that, I also thought, Is she doing this on purpose to boost my ego? Well, lately I'd been stuck at home constantly and asking her for all these favors. Maybe she was being considerate.
"Then if you've decided on the ship, I'll go. If I get moving now, I might be able to put in an offer before the Exchange closes."
I wanted to ask if she really meant what she said, but I couldn't because Amelia put on her coat and left through the door. Well, it didn't matter.
Anyway, that gets us a ship.
If we had a bigger budget, we could have gotten a better ship, but I wasn't particularly disappointed. The ship we got was a pretty good one.
The problem is the navigator...
From time immemorial, the problem had always been people, not things.
***
Knock, knock.
As I was reading some books I borrowed from the library in bed, I heard a knock on the door.
Hmm, is it already time to eat?
"Come in."
As soon as I gave my permission, the door opened as if on cue. As always, the visitor was Erwen. Amelia was in the middle of negotiating for the ship with the seller.
"What is it?" I asked, closing the book.
Erwen looked somewhat displeased. "There's a guest," she grumbled curtly.
I tilted my head. "A guest?"
As soon as the question left my lips, a woman with shiny blonde hair and blue eyes appeared in the doorway. "It's me." Unlike the last time we met, Raven was in everyday clothes instead of the uniform of the Magic Corps, and her hair was down instead of tied up.
Man, she looks like a completely different person all of a sudden.
"Can I come in?"
"Ah, uh..."
Before I could reply, Raven came into the room and sat down. Erwen followed suit, picking up a chair and sitting far away from us.
"Why are you coming in, Erwen?"
"Can't I?"
No, I mean... I was just asking why... Well, whatever. She won't disturb us from that distance.
"It's been a while, Raven."
"Yes. How have you been?"
"Fine for now. But is it okay for you to come here like this?"
"Don't worry, I made sure to be discreet."
"Ah, is that why you let your hair down and dressed like that?"
"...What other reason could there be?"
Jeez, why is she so touchy? I was just trying to ask if something was wrong. I should be careful about the way I talk to her today.
Just as I was about to ask why she came, Raven spoke first. "Your book."
"What?"
"You were reading a book. Did you buy it?"
"No, it looks like you can borrow them these days."
"Ah... I heard about that. It's now possible for people whose identities are verified to take out books, right?"
"Officially, yes. But in reality, unless you're a nobleman or a high-ranking government official, you are asked to make a deposit."
"Though you didn't need to do that, Mister," Erwen suddenly jumped into the conversation.
Raven nodded, unphased. "Well, with Ms. Tersia's status, things like that should be possible."
"So why did you hide yourself to come all the way here? Did something happen?" I hurriedly asked why Raven was here before the conversation could take a strange turn.
"Then if you've decided on the ship, I'll go. If I get moving now, I might be able to put in an offer before the Exchange closes."
I wanted to ask if she really meant what she said, but I couldn't because Amelia put on her coat and left through the door. Well, it didn't matter.
Anyway, that gets us a ship.
If we had a bigger budget, we could have gotten a better ship, but I wasn't particularly disappointed. The ship we got was a pretty good one.
The problem is the navigator...
From time immemorial, the problem had always been people, not things.
***
Knock, knock.
As I was reading some books I borrowed from the library in bed, I heard a knock on the door.
Hmm, is it already time to eat?
"Come in."
As soon as I gave my permission, the door opened as if on cue. As always, the visitor was Erwen. Amelia was in the middle of negotiating for the ship with the seller.
"What is it?" I asked, closing the book.
Erwen looked somewhat displeased. "There's a guest," she grumbled curtly.
I tilted my head. "A guest?"
As soon as the question left my lips, a woman with shiny blonde hair and blue eyes appeared in the doorway. "It's me." Unlike the last time we met, Raven was in everyday clothes instead of the uniform of the Magic Corps, and her hair was down instead of tied up.
Man, she looks like a completely different person all of a sudden.
"Can I come in?"
"Ah, uh..."
Before I could reply, Raven came into the room and sat down. Erwen followed suit, picking up a chair and sitting far away from us.
"Why are you coming in, Erwen?"
"Can't I?"
No, I mean... I was just asking why... Well, whatever. She won't disturb us from that distance.
"It's been a while, Raven."
"Yes. How have you been?"
"Fine for now. But is it okay for you to come here like this?"
"Don't worry, I made sure to be discreet."
"Ah, is that why you let your hair down and dressed like that?"
"...What other reason could there be?"
Jeez, why is she so touchy? I was just trying to ask if something was wrong. I should be careful about the way I talk to her today.
Just as I was about to ask why she came, Raven spoke first. "Your book."
"What?"
"You were reading a book. Did you buy it?"
"No, it looks like you can borrow them these days."
"Ah... I heard about that. It's now possible for people whose identities are verified to take out books, right?"
"Officially, yes. But in reality, unless you're a nobleman or a high-ranking government official, you are asked to make a deposit."
"Though you didn't need to do that, Mister," Erwen suddenly jumped into the conversation.
Raven nodded, unphased. "Well, with Ms. Tersia's status, things like that should be possible."
"So why did you hide yourself to come all the way here? Did something happen?" I hurriedly asked why Raven was here before the conversation could take a strange turn.
Raven wrapped up the small talk and got down to business. "Mr. Yandel... no, sorry. I try to be careful but I can't seem to get it to stick."
"It's okay."
"Anyway, I have something to tell you, Mr. Schuitz."
So, you weren't just visiting.
I had gotten my hopes up because of how long the small talk was taking. "Tell me? Go ahead." It didn't seem like this would be a light conversation, so I lowered my voice and gave her my full attention.
"The palace has launched an informal investigation into you."
"Informal investigation?"
"It usually happens when new figures appear. If an official investigation is conducted without justification, it would look like the palace trying to control and oppress adventurers."
Hmm, is this like a background check, then? This is a dictatorship anyway, why do they care what people think?
"Anyway, so?"
"The investigators came to me as well so I disclosed a certain amount of information, as we discussed. I picked only the things that couldn't be kept hidden, like the abilities you showed that day."
"But if it's still an informal investigation, I guess that means there aren't any suspicions about my identity itself."
"Yes. If there were, you would have been caught a long time ago. Even if it's informal, there are times when they don't look too closely into things, though sometimes it's the opposite."
After all, the rumors that the palace was training secret special forces in the shadows weren't actually rumors. The Order of the Rose was a prime example of that.
"So, what happened to you? To the higher-ups, it'd look like you omitted things from your report."
"That part is covered. I used the excuse of the position of Third Corps Captain being vacant at the time, which meant I couldn't provide a full report. I also told them I submitted a report separately to my direct supervisor, Captain Pevrosk."
"Then won't you be caught lying?"
"It's not a lie. I really did submit a report to him as soon as I got back to the city. Of course, it's partly made up."
"I see..." While it was reassuring that Raven was always on the ball, on the other hand, I felt a bit guilty. "Sorry for getting you involved in my business, Raven."
"...I thought we already talked about this. I'm just paying off my past debts."
"I'll make sure to pay this back too."
"Yes, you absolutely have to. Otherwise, I'll take a huge loss." The mood could have taken a solemn turn just then, but Raven responded with a joking tone that somewhat alleviated it. It was time to move on to the next item on the agenda.
"Raven, have you heard anything about the National Incorporation Bill?"
"National Incorporation Bill? What is that?"
"It's a proposal to not condemn evil spirits as the enemy but embrace and accept them as subjects instead. It was proposed once 150 years ago but struck from the agenda for various reasons."
"Ah, I remember learning about it a long time ago. But what about it?"
"Apparently it was discussed at a royal meeting recently."
When I explained why I brought this up, Raven looked surprised. "This is the first I've heard of it. Mr. Schuitz, how did you know that, considering you've been at home most of the time...? Oh, right, it was the full moon not long ago!"
One of Raven's strengths was that there was no need for long explanations with her. I kept going without stopping to either confirm or deny it. "Look into it, will you? Who brought it up at the meeting, and..."
"And...?"
"If there really is no chance the palace will accept that proposal."
This could turn out to be a turning point.
***
The days had been pretty busy since Raven's visit. Well, to be more exact, it wasn't busy for me at home, but it was busy for Amelia. Although we invested all of our money into purchasing the ship we selected, we hadn't found a sailor to sail it yet. Sailors were in limited supply these days. Since everyone was taking military ships to head directly to the Dark Continent, I had assumed there would be quite a few up on the market.
"I guess finding one in under a month was a bit of a stretch..."
"Be honest with yourself. You just can't find someone who fits your standards."
Hmm, that's true.
To be honest, there were sailors and navigators out there. The problem was that most of them were amateurs. If we wanted someone who could take us to Burrow Island, which was our next target, we needed sailing skills more than anything.
"Either lower your standards or give up. Not only are people as skilled as that snatched up the moment they're put on the market, but none of them will want to join our team as a short-term mercenary."
"Really? Then I'll give up."
"That easily...?"
"Well, what can I do? The labyrinth opens in two days. I'll have to look again next month."
"Then are you excluding Burrow Island from this expedition?"
"No, let's try it on our own this time. I don't know if we'll manage, but there's nothing to do on the lower floors anyway." Even if we didn't reach Burrow Island, it wouldn't be a huge loss, considering I hadn't even collected all the XP available at the start of the sixth floor. But did my announcement bother her?
"...You're not wrong, but this is annoying. If you had come to this conclusion sooner, I wouldn't have been so busy all month."
"I'm... sorry about that."
After giving Amelia a lackluster apology, I called Erwen over to discuss our plans for our next quest. It didn't take too long. I also made a Plan B in case we really didn't find a navigator.
"We're going into a Rift...?"
"Not for long, just briefly. It's not like it'll make a huge difference if we get to the sixth floor a little late. We're not trying to join the military forces this time, either. And by the sounds of it, you guys haven't gotten any Rift XP, right?"
"That's because the Rift isn't the kind of place you can enter whenever you want..."
That was true. That was why I hadn't been able to openly share how to access Rifts with Team Half-Wit and the team I personally made after that.
Exposing myself as an evil spirit is really convenient in that regard.
"Anyway, that's enough planning."
After I shared the plan, we each spent time on self-care, and two more days passed.
[You have entered the Crystal Cave on the first floor.]
Finally, it was labyrinth entrance day.
"Mister, why are you smiling?"
"I'm just a little excited. Let's get to the second floor fast."
This was going to feel like a real quest for the first time in a long time.
Raven wrapped up the small talk and got down to business. "Mr. Yandel... no, sorry. I try to be careful but I can't seem to get it to stick."
"It's okay."
"Anyway, I have something to tell you, Mr. Schuitz."
So, you weren't just visiting.
I had gotten my hopes up because of how long the small talk was taking. "Tell me? Go ahead." It didn't seem like this would be a light conversation, so I lowered my voice and gave her my full attention.
"The palace has launched an informal investigation into you."
"Informal investigation?"
"It usually happens when new figures appear. If an official investigation is conducted without justification, it would look like the palace trying to control and oppress adventurers."
Hmm, is this like a background check, then? This is a dictatorship anyway, why do they care what people think?
"Anyway, so?"
"The investigators came to me as well so I disclosed a certain amount of information, as we discussed. I picked only the things that couldn't be kept hidden, like the abilities you showed that day."
"But if it's still an informal investigation, I guess that means there aren't any suspicions about my identity itself."
"Yes. If there were, you would have been caught a long time ago. Even if it's informal, there are times when they don't look too closely into things, though sometimes it's the opposite."
After all, the rumors that the palace was training secret special forces in the shadows weren't actually rumors. The Order of the Rose was a prime example of that.
"So, what happened to you? To the higher-ups, it'd look like you omitted things from your report."
"That part is covered. I used the excuse of the position of Third Corps Captain being vacant at the time, which meant I couldn't provide a full report. I also told them I submitted a report separately to my direct supervisor, Captain Pevrosk."
"Then won't you be caught lying?"
"It's not a lie. I really did submit a report to him as soon as I got back to the city. Of course, it's partly made up."
"I see..." While it was reassuring that Raven was always on the ball, on the other hand, I felt a bit guilty. "Sorry for getting you involved in my business, Raven."
"...I thought we already talked about this. I'm just paying off my past debts."
"I'll make sure to pay this back too."
"Yes, you absolutely have to. Otherwise, I'll take a huge loss." The mood could have taken a solemn turn just then, but Raven responded with a joking tone that somewhat alleviated it. It was time to move on to the next item on the agenda.
"Raven, have you heard anything about the National Incorporation Bill?"
"National Incorporation Bill? What is that?"
"It's a proposal to not condemn evil spirits as the enemy but embrace and accept them as subjects instead. It was proposed once 150 years ago but struck from the agenda for various reasons."
"Ah, I remember learning about it a long time ago. But what about it?"
"Apparently it was discussed at a royal meeting recently."
When I explained why I brought this up, Raven looked surprised. "This is the first I've heard of it. Mr. Schuitz, how did you know that, considering you've been at home most of the time...? Oh, right, it was the full moon not long ago!"
One of Raven's strengths was that there was no need for long explanations with her. I kept going without stopping to either confirm or deny it. "Look into it, will you? Who brought it up at the meeting, and..."
"And...?"
"If there really is no chance the palace will accept that proposal."
This could turn out to be a turning point.
***
The days had been pretty busy since Raven's visit. Well, to be more exact, it wasn't busy for me at home, but it was busy for Amelia. Although we invested all of our money into purchasing the ship we selected, we hadn't found a sailor to sail it yet. Sailors were in limited supply these days. Since everyone was taking military ships to head directly to the Dark Continent, I had assumed there would be quite a few up on the market.
"I guess finding one in under a month was a bit of a stretch..."
"Be honest with yourself. You just can't find someone who fits your standards."
Hmm, that's true.
To be honest, there were sailors and navigators out there. The problem was that most of them were amateurs. If we wanted someone who could take us to Burrow Island, which was our next target, we needed sailing skills more than anything.
"Either lower your standards or give up. Not only are people as skilled as that snatched up the moment they're put on the market, but none of them will want to join our team as a short-term mercenary."
"Really? Then I'll give up."
"That easily...?"
"Well, what can I do? The labyrinth opens in two days. I'll have to look again next month."
"Then are you excluding Burrow Island from this expedition?"
"No, let's try it on our own this time. I don't know if we'll manage, but there's nothing to do on the lower floors anyway." Even if we didn't reach Burrow Island, it wouldn't be a huge loss, considering I hadn't even collected all the XP available at the start of the sixth floor. But did my announcement bother her?
"...You're not wrong, but this is annoying. If you had come to this conclusion sooner, I wouldn't have been so busy all month."
"I'm... sorry about that."
After giving Amelia a lackluster apology, I called Erwen over to discuss our plans for our next quest. It didn't take too long. I also made a Plan B in case we really didn't find a navigator.
"We're going into a Rift...?"
"Not for long, just briefly. It's not like it'll make a huge difference if we get to the sixth floor a little late. We're not trying to join the military forces this time, either. And by the sounds of it, you guys haven't gotten any Rift XP, right?"
"That's because the Rift isn't the kind of place you can enter whenever you want..."
That was true. That was why I hadn't been able to openly share how to access Rifts with Team Half-Wit and the team I personally made after that.
Exposing myself as an evil spirit is really convenient in that regard.
"Anyway, that's enough planning."
After I shared the plan, we each spent time on self-care, and two more days passed.
[You have entered the Crystal Cave on the first floor.]
Finally, it was labyrinth entrance day.
"Mister, why are you smiling?"
"I'm just a little excited. Let's get to the second floor fast."
This was going to feel like a real quest for the first time in a long time.