Ah, This Isn't Working (4)
"GRAAAAHHH!!"
With a final, dying roar, the grizzly bear's massive body crashed to the earth. The rings of golden light that had bound it crumbled into motes and faded away, as though they had never existed at all.
Er, who had been watching, withdrew the mana from her shield.
"That was pretty easy."
"Right? Man, all that work actually paid off."
The one speaking was Ain, the gloomy look he'd been wearing so often of late wiped clean from his face. He muttered to himself, recalling the past few days of struggling to acquire the skill.
"It was seriously rough... Haru's explanations were weird, nothing worked right, I even started wondering if it was the real deal..."
"Well, the results are good, so that's what matters. The activation speed seems faster than it was at the start, too."
"Yeah. This means I can actually pull my weight now!"
Just as he was celebrating his new weapon — this man who had been drowning in self-reproach over the feeling that he couldn't do his part —
"Both of you, quit chatting and help move this thing!"
"...Heavy."
Having confirmed the grizzly bear was dead, Jina and Haru spoke up with troubled looks.
"This is way heavier than I thought. Even for Er, who's nothing but brute strength, hauling all of this is too much, right?"
"Who's nothing but brute strength? Who?"
"...This. Can't do it ourselves. Need more people."
"Can't you do something with magic?"
Lightening it, shrinking it — that sort of thing. Hearing Ain's request, Haru shook her head.
"If it were enchanting an object, maybe. Without any process like that? Impossible."
"Magic isn't all-powerful, you know. Let's see — we took down four grizzly bears in total?"
Two fully grown adults, and two cubs that had been on the verge of maturity. Looking around the corner of the forest where the bears had made their den, the remains of fruit they'd greedily devoured and the carcasses of a few mountain beasts lay scattered about.
"...Nothing else worth taking, then."
"We already brought down four grizzly bears. There's no need to scavenge anything else. We'll split the earnings evenly four ways."
"Before that. Hearts. Give them to me."
The one speaking was Haru. Mana stones were almost never found in a magical beast's heart, but the hearts of creatures that had lived steeped in mana were themselves enormous masses of the stuff. Even if the mana concentration fell short of a mana stone's, there were plenty of uses for them — which was why magical beast hearts commanded such high prices.
But that alone wasn't quite enough for her share, so Haru tacked on one more condition.
"...And the blood."
"What do you need magical beast hearts and blood for?"
Ain's curiosity got the better of him.
"Hearts... blood... With just those, I can try."
"T-try what?"
And then, seeing Haru's lips curl into a grin as she looked straight at him, Ain felt an inexplicable dread crawl up his spine and swallowed dryly.
"Ain... curious?"
"...No. I think I'd rather not know."
"Ain's blood too... can I have some?"
"S-stop that. That's not funny."
"Just one sip... no, just one syringe's worth...!"
"You said a sip just now?!"
Ain recoiled in horror as Haru tried to grab hold of him. Watching the two of them, Jina let out a disbelieving snort.
"You two get along so well."
"It's like watching a smart little sister and her idiot older brother."
"Who are you calling an idiot?!"
Ain said this as he took two full steps back from Haru.
"...Anyway, we can't haul all this ourselves, right? Should we go get more people?"
"Let's call some Scrap Iron-rank adventurers. A silver coin or two and plenty of them will come running."
Whether they were Scrap Iron-rank adventurers or those who'd only just made Iron, plenty of them would jump at even a simple, easy request like this. Ain himself had joined a party as a porter when he'd first started out as an adventurer. Though in his case he'd ended up filling a different role — but that sort of thing was probably a rare exception.
"How about Jina goes? We'll stay here and watch over these."
"You're the fastest on your feet."
"It'll be boring going alone. Ain! Come with me!"
"...What a pain."
Even as he complained, he was already getting to his feet — that was just how Ain was. Watching him grumble as he prepared to leave, Jina said,
"We'll take our time getting back, so you two better keep a good watch, okay?"
"...How about Jina just stays here instead? I'll go!!"
"Pffhahaha!"
"Cut it out and get moving, or I'm sitting back down."
Only after Ain's threat did Jina actually get up properly. She turned back over her shoulder.
"Alright, just wait a bit! We'll be right back!"
"Yes, pick out some decent people."
"If we talk to the office, they'll pick some good ones for us, right?"
"Probably."
Er chuckled as she watched the two of them walk away, and found herself murmuring under her breath.
"Those two get along so well, too."
"...Get along? Well?"
"Hm? You don't think so, Haru?"
Er asked carefully, as Haru tilted her head at her words. Haru was silent for a moment, saying nothing at all.
"No. They do."
"...Hm?"
And she simply kept her eyes on the spot the two of them had left behind.
"Welcome, Count Arkhansiel. Thank you for visiting the Karpe Adventurer Guild."
Lize's expression was always stiff, but today it was even more rigid. She was in the Karpe Guild's reception parlor — a luxurious sitting room reserved for the guild's VIPs, or for when nobility came calling. The room was filled with expensive ornaments and furniture, used exactly as intended: to receive aristocrats.
However.
"I suppose this is what you get so far from the capital. The decor is rather lacking."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes. Nobody uses this color anymore. Something more refined... more natural, these days."
The nobleman narrowed his eyes at the gold cloth draped over the table.
"No need for lengthy talk. As you already know, I'm looking for someone."
"...Yes. I've been informed."
It had been some time since an adventurer had come bursting into the guild in a panic, followed by one of the noble's attendants delivering the message.
"Fetch the Guild Master. I'll speak with him directly."
To the man who said this, Lize replied in a slightly stiffer voice.
"The Master of the Karpe Adventurer Guild is currently away on business in the capital. I have been delegated his full authority, so you may speak with me."
"...You?"
Lize's age, even being generous, looked like she'd only just reached adulthood.
"Is that so."
"Yes, of course. If you're concerned, I can show you the letter of delegation."
"...No. I doubt a commoner would lie to a Count. Not if they wanted to keep their head."
"..."
Crossing his legs on the sofa, the man continued.
"I heard something recently about a Silver-rank promotion. A new Silver-rank was born in Karpe, I believe."
"...Yes. That's correct."
A face came to mind at those words. Shining gold hair, and green eyes like gemstones set in her face. Recalling that face, Lize asked carefully.
"May I ask why you're looking for this person...?"
"Do I need to explain even that?"
The nobleman furrowed his brow, his voice thick with irritation.
"I consider it more than courteous that I am dealing with you personally. Otherwise, I wouldn't waste words on someone who does the grunt work for mercenaries like you."
"...The term 'mercenary' is no longer in use."
"Ah, that's right. Adventurers, was it? My apologies. So, where is this new Silver-rank adventurer? I hear they have gold hair and green eyes..."
The man's own hair was gold, but his eyes gleamed black. He looked like a handsome man with refined features, but an unfathomable greed lurked in those eyes. And...
"...Inferiority?"
"What was that? I didn't quite catch it."
Lize caught herself, having let the word slip, and closed her mouth for a moment before speaking in a stiff voice.
"The guild has a duty to protect the personal information of its affiliated adventurers. Even a Count cannot simply..."
"Listen. I am making a request. A Count of this nation, to a mere guild clerk."
He planted a hand on the table, leaned his upper body forward, and shoved his face toward Lize.
"And you're going to refuse?"
"The Adventurer Guild's autonomy is protected by royal decree. Even a Count, without proper grounds..."
"Grounds, grounds. How insolent."
The man rummaged through his belongings, then tossed a rolled-up bundle of paper onto the table.
"I obtained this from the capital's Adventurer Guild. Have a look."
"...This is?"
With careful hands, Lize unrolled the paper and read its contents. Her eyes grew deep. It was a request for cooperation issued by the capital's Adventurer Guild. As Lize narrowed her eyes at the Guild Master's seal stamped at the very bottom,
"Is that not sufficient? Or do I need to fetch a royal decree as well?"
"...No. This is sufficient."
"How troublesome. Well, I'll be understanding. Dedication to one's work is commendable, after all."
The man's black eyes, stained with inferiority and greed, flashed as he spoke.
"...The adventurer in question is currently out on a request. I will contact you as soon as she returns, so would you kindly take your leave for today? I imagine you cannot wait indefinitely."
The nobleman's brow twitched, then he let out a heavy sigh.
"Hah. Fine. I understand. I'll be staying at the viscount's castle here in Karpe, so send someone the moment my niece returns."
"...Yes. Understood. As soon as the adventurer in question returns to Karpe."
Despite hearing Lize's answer, the nobleman still frowned as he rose from his seat and walked out. Lize watched his retreating back with her usual stiff expression, then let out a small sigh and stood.
The person that noble was looking for had to be Er. She was the only one in Karpe who'd been promoted to Silver-rank recently, so it had to be her. She was the young lady of the fallen House Arkhansiel, hiding her identity — and now the man who had confessed to his family's treason and been allowed to live was looking for her.
"..."
Her head was a tangle of thoughts when it happened. She had just left the parlor and settled into her seat at the guild's reception desk when she saw a golden-haired, golden-eyed young man walking into the guild.
"Lize!"
The young man called out to her cheerfully as he approached, a black-haired woman at his side — the junior sect sister she'd heard about.
"Sir Ain. I was told you were out on a request."
"Ah, we ended up with more game than expected. Came to find some porters."
"Porters?"
"Yeah. Four grizzly bears. Haru and Er are watching over them."
"Then Lady Er is still outside the city?"
"Yeah? Something going on?"
Lize closed her mouth at Ain's question, seeming to hesitate for a moment.
"...Sir Ain. And Miss Jina."
"What's wrong? Why the sudden seriousness?"
"There is something I need to tell the two of you, as Lady Er's companions."
She didn't know why she was going this far. She, who had always acted by the book, by the rules — why was she moving so emotionally? But one thing, she did know.
"...What's going on."
That the young man whose expression had hardened as he sensed something was wrong had played a large part in that decision. That much, she knew.