Killing the Thirsty One (2)
However, I didn't let it show on my face. I cleared my throat dramatically and opened my mouth, acting like the worst possible crisis had just hit.
"Miss Clemence. It looks like we're in big trouble..."
"Whaaat?!"
"Eek?! What is it? Is there something super dangerous?!"
"That's what it seems like."
"What do we do? Mister! There's something dangerous.... Where are you going?!"
Before Clemence could even finish, the administrative officer was already hightailing it far away. Though I couldn't see him, I could tell from the trembling air and the fading footsteps.
"Get up, Mr. Leonar! What are you doing?!"
Terrified, Clemence squeezed her eyes shut and knelt down, grunting as she tried to haul my body upright.
"I can't see right now."
"Whaaat?! Of all the times?!"
Completely overcome with fear, Clemence shivered and shouted.
"Calm down. It's not an immediate danger. And the reason I can't see is because of Blind Vision. It sacrifices sight to sharpen the other senses..."
I started to explain the skill's effects in detail to help her understand, but then changed my mind. No point in getting technical—she wouldn't get it.
"I'm just closing my eyes and listening closely to check what's around us. Wait a sec."
"But you said there's something dangerous!"
"It's at the bottom of the reservoir. It won't come up."
At that, Clemence yanked her feet off the ground and hopped away. What a fuss. Of course, it was exactly what I'd intended. Her courage in not fleeing and trying to look after me instead was admirable.
From what I'd detected with Blind Vision just now, this wasn't some natural phenomenon. There was definitely something down there. And if my senses were right, it was probably a demon. Or some equivalent magic beast.
What else could cause a reservoir's water level to drop mysteriously, even after experts had poked around? This was right up my alley. The harder it was to solve with common sense or ordinary methods, the better—the reward would be huge.
I sifted through my mental knowledge, narrowing down the likely suspects. After picking a few candidates and analyzing them closely, I pinned the most probable culprit.
But exorcising it right now was impossible. Time to head back, gear up properly, and return.
When I opened my eyes, my vision was still a blur—nothing in sight. It would take time for my temporarily sacrificed eyesight to recover. Fumbling to stand, I stretched out my arm and grabbed something small and soft.
"Kyaa!"
Whoops. I'd accidentally groped her breast, but the sweet Clemence didn't get mad. Instead, she freaked out that I'd gone blind.
"You need to see soon...!"
Any other woman would've exploded, calling it a cheap trick. After a short wait, my sight gradually returned, letting me make out the surroundings bit by bit.
Blind Vision is such a pain. In a pinch, I could chug a potion to force my vision back, but that wrecked the body too much.
"I can see now. Let's head back, Miss Clemence. We'll prep and come again."
After briefing City Hall on what they'd need to cooperate with, I parted ways with Clemence and returned to the guild.
"Huh? What the...?"
I opened the door, then froze and stepped back. I must've taken a wrong turn—the place didn't feel familiar. No way our guild could be this clean.
But it was the Lucas Guild I'd taken over yesterday.
"Guild administrator!"
Leana, apron on and headscarf tied back, paused her sweeping to greet me.
"What?"
"What do you mean?"
"You can clean?"
"Whaaat? What did you say?! Ha."
Leana let out an incredulous chuckle.
"It's nice and clean. Kinda empty, though."
With the trash mountains from yesterday gone, I could finally take in the guild's full layout. It was similar to other guilds in the game: basic overall structure and look.
The first floor had a simple reception counter and a large room with a fireplace where guild members could meet, hold conferences, or relax. Right now, it just had the worn-out sofa Leana had been using as a bed, but I'd need to add a round table and furniture soon.
Branching off this space were the client consultation room, kitchen, and guild master's office. The office had a bed—that's where I'd been sleeping since yesterday. Out the back door: an outdoor bath for washing, a small storage shed for gear, and a cramped training yard for guild members. Over there were stairs down to the basement document archive, stuffed with records of past requests and miscellaneous papers.
This floor also had eight small rooms facing a hallway—four per side—all guild member dorms. Leana would take the best one. She'd told me that back when the guild was booming, there were so many members that only executives stayed here; the rest rented a whole building outside. Not anymore, obviously. If we grew later, we'd need dedicated housing.
"I snagged a request. City Hall job—something about the Rezobuar Reservoir's water level dropping."
"Rezobuar Reservoir? You're taking that one?"
Leana frowned and sucked in her breath.
"That's been hanging around for a month. Even City Hall and outside experts couldn't crack it."
"I know. I just came back from checking the site with Miss Clemence at City Hall. She said the same."
"And you're still doing it? How, by yourself...?"
"Who said alone? Aren't you guild staff?"
"Sure, but I know zilch about civil engineering."
"It's not a civil engineering issue. I checked myself—it's something else. Sit down for a sec."
We sat side by side on the sofa, and I explained what I'd detected at the site. Leana tilted her head.
"For real? Then you don't need me at all?"
She wasn't even surprised—girl had nerves of steel. Made sense after ten years in an adventurer guild full of rough types.
"I do need you. We're prepping and heading back, but I don't know the area at all yet."
I listed out what we'd need to gather. After hearing it all, Leana thought for a moment and nodded.
"Shall we hit the central market? They sell all kinds of weird stuff there."
"Sounds good. Let's go."
Schlessi's central market was impressively large. Shops with golden awnings lined the bustling streets, hawking foodstuffs, spices, leather, hardware, clothes, precious gems, and even alchemy tools.
If we got lucky, we could grab everything here. First up: tempestrite stones. When struck hard against each other, they sparked intensely—dwarves used them to kickstart machinery, humans ground them into powder for kindling or fireplaces.
The first shop caught my eye had some in stock—jackpot.
"Got any blastguard?"
This was a wild plant that exploded when ripe, scattering seeds everywhere.
"Yup. But the husks are old and kinda dry—still good?"
"Doesn't matter. Throw in some drakevine oil too."
Drakevine oil came from drakevine herbs, a staple base ingredient in demon hunter potions. It helped incompatible materials blend smoothly.
"Drakevine oil too? What're you planning?"
"Something like that."
I also bought some thin paper that melted gooily on contact with water, plus a bottle of Serenity Tear—glacier water billed as the purest in the world. A luxury for the rich; it wasn't cheap. Finally, a goatskin waterskin from a tanner—desert nomads used them to keep water cool through evaporation from the leather's pores.
Surprisingly easy to snag it all. I dragged Leana straight back to the guild.
"Guild administrator. What're you making with this stuff? Mix 'em and poof—water appears?"
"Haha, nah."
I had something specific in mind. In this world of Chaotic Empire, you could craft all sorts of items from materials. I planned to make one to solve this request.
"Now to City Hall. Gotta meet Miss Clemence and head back to the site."
"Oh, right. Need to drop this off."
Leana set down the sack she'd brought to the taxidermist.
"Mister. Stuff this nice and pretty. Gonna hang it as a trophy on the wall."
"Uwaaaaaah!!"
The taxidermist screamed and collapsed at the blood-soaked demon head in the sack.
I linked up with Miss Clemence at City Hall. Five border guards were with her too. She'd verify my solution firsthand; they'd handle any emergencies.
Leana hadn't gone back to the guild—she came along. First official request for the reborn Lucas Guild, and as nominal guild master, she couldn't sit it out.
Once everyone needed was assembled on the reservoir dam—including the officers—I slung off my bag and said,
"Let's get started."
I gave them a rough outline of what was about to happen. Their faces went pale as ghosts.