226 - Vandelfia
Upon arriving in Cartaphus, we immediately packed our things and began to move.
The guild had requested that we rendezvous with the adventurers who had entered the area ahead of us. For the meeting point, we headed to a shop that adventurers rarely used, rather than using the local guild.
Considering we were wary of the local adventurers, this wasn't exactly a commendable way of doing things.
Since we had come from Beim anyway, it wouldn't be surprising if information had already reached the royal castle of Cartaphus.
Larc possesses a skill that allows him to manipulate women as he pleases. No, it's a charm skill. Because of that, it was better to simply consider women as our enemies.
Cartaphus looked no different from the last time I visited, but by using my skills—Map and Search—I could confirm several red reactions in the vicinity.
As we walked through the orderly streets, we confirmed today's schedule.
"We'll head straight to the designated shop. Once we've verified the information there, we'll decide on our next course of action."
After communicating this to "everyone," I walked at the front, looking ahead.
Behind me, Erhart seemed to find my skill, Box, convenient, even while feeling a sense of incongruity at how little luggage we had.
"You can use a skill like that too? It's surprisingly handy. You can just tuck away everyone's gear."
I spoke in a voice loud enough for those around us to hear.
"Ahaha, it consumes a lot of mana, so I can't use it much. Because of that, I can't mainly use magic when I'm in a party."
There were several reactions from people eavesdropping around us. It seemed Larc and his group weren't the only ones gathering information.
Erhart looked at his companions.
"Hey, shouldn't one of you learn a support-type skill or something?"
When he said that, his companions shook their heads.
"If we could just choose and learn them, it wouldn't be such a struggle. Still, support types are definitely good. I'd be happy if a simple enhancement type manifested."
Then, Damian shrugged as he walked. With three maids trailing behind him, he was drawing the attention of those around them.
"Why don't you think more about the party? It's not about wanting a skill just because you're envious. Wanting it for yourself is important, but it's also important to consider what role you play in the party."
While I was thinking it was rare for Damian to give advice, the maids were smiling.
"Master seems to be having fun."
"The amount of data from this trip is simply overwhelming."
"It's definitely decided for permanent preservation."
As usual, I couldn't understand what they were talking about. However, there was no doubt that Damian had also enjoyed the voyage by ship.
Maxim-san spoke to Erhart and the others.
"They say skills are influenced by the deepest desires of the heart. I'm like this, but what manifested for me was a rear-guard magic type. There was a time when I longed for a simple enhancement type, but now I'm glad I have my own skill."
Erhart crossed his arms, lost in thought.
"Since my skill manifested early on, I don't really get that part."
Damian looked at Erhart and shouldered his staff.
"They exist occasionally. People whose skills fit them strangely well. Or rather, people who have great compatibility with their skill."
I offered some advice regarding skills.
"Well, if you imagine what you want to become and keep training as you are, you'll get it. Once you have it, all you have to do is polish the skill."
One of Erhart's companions looked at us enviously.
"People with skills always say things like that. I wish you'd be more specific."
Erhart spoke to his companion.
"That's what I'm telling you! If you wish to become stronger and train for it, you'll get it!"
Maxim-san placed his left hand on his forehead.
"...If it were that easy to understand, we wouldn't be struggling."
I said,
"You should go to the guild or the library, research what kinds of skills exist, and try imagining the skill you want. It should... be quite effective."
Imaging is important. Using a skill means obtaining a body capable of using that skill.
Once you learn one, the body changes into a body for using that skill. Basically, you cannot remove or add to it afterward.
As we spoke, we arrived at the planned shop. A large cluster of red reactions was gathered there, with a few more reactions a short distance away.
Coming before the shop, I took a deep breath.
"...Shall we go in?"
Saying that, I steeled myself and entered.
――The detachment preparing a base near the labyrinth.
There, Miranda, who had entered the surrounding forest, was accompanied by Eva.
This was because Eva was more knowledgeable about the forest and could provide advice when setting traps.
However, among the adventurers they planned to attack this time, they had naturally confirmed the presence of elves.
"There, all done."
When Miranda set a trap, Eva looked at it and tilted her head.
"A trap like that will be found immediately. Even I, a singer, would notice it, and any elf who has continued hunting in the forest would see through it in a heartbeat."
Eva did not hide the fact that there were elves more accustomed to the forest than herself. After all, Eva's clan was one that abandoned the forest to continue traveling. She knew her abilities were clearly inferior compared to elves born in the forest.
When told this, Miranda replied,
"That's fine. I'm telling them, 'There's a trap here.' More importantly, the fact that the surrounding area is a forest is a problem."
It was terrain where the Valkyries could not fight effectively. Damian had said that with experience, they could adapt to some extent.
But even so, compared to adventurers who had accumulated experience until now, they were clearly lacking.
Eva looked around.
"There were many monsters here, so the preparations were delayed and difficult. I wonder who has it harder, us or Raiel and his group?"
Raiel's group was small in number. However, Miranda understood that because they were numerous, the enemy would throw a corresponding number at them.
"In terms of numbers, we might be in a tougher spot."
Based on the information obtained, there was one mercenary group of about five hundred people. Then, one party of labyrinth specialists of about a hundred people. Additionally, there were several parties of a few dozen people.
And among them, the one to be most cautious of was Marina.
She was often thought of as an eccentric who worked as a solo adventurer, but that also meant she possessed that much power.
She was one of those rare monster-like adventurers who had the strength to annihilate a mediocre party all by herself.
Since Marina, an adventurer from the East Branch, was a person of concern, Miranda let out a sigh.
"Honestly, Raiel gives me such impossible orders."
Raiel's order was one of very high difficulty.
Eva looked at Miranda.
"Did you say something?"
"Just talking to myself. Let's move on. There are still more traps that must be set by the end of the day."
While having Eva guide her, Miranda proceeded through the forest――.
――Seven hundred and fifty people gathered. And including the solo Marina, there were seven hundred and fifty-one.
Most specialized in rear support, and those who would actually attack the remaining members of Raiel's party challenging the labyrinth conquest were, at most, two hundred.
As if starting a war, the mercenary group had pitched tents to welcome the other adventurers.
Labyrinth specialists also gathered, making it feel like a small army.
Moreover, they were skilled adventurers even by Beim's standards. Although the atmosphere was flighty, they possessed a sharp aura somewhere.
Among that group, Marina was sitting on a stack of wooden crates. She was tall, and her messy black hair was unkempt, but it emitted a certain luster.
Her trained arms were visible since she had rolled up her sleeves. She held a liquor bottle in her hand, bringing it to her lips while listening to the ruckus around her.
It wasn't that she liked being alone. She thought being in the midst of such a commotion wasn't bad.
But――.
"Honestly, I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight from the excitement."
She had worked in Beim since she was a child. She first registered at the East Branch, and since moving later was a hassle, she had continued working there.
She had been invited to parties many times and had even tried joining one. However, it didn't suit Marina.
She loved fighting. The skills passed down through generations had made Marina's clan compatible with their skills, and those skills had evolved into something unique.
Perhaps because of that, she had become very bellicose, and there were no adventurers who could properly utilize or handle such a Marina.
If she were just bellicose, it wouldn't be a problem, but there were several other issues. Marina's instincts, which could be called wild, refused to accept obeying an opponent weaker than herself.
With that, she brought the liquor bottle to her lips again. Liquor spilled from her mouth, but Marina didn't mind, simply wiping it away with her left hand. She grabbed a piece of meat, a snack for the liquor on the wooden crate, with her left hand and bit into it.
Someone called out to Marina.
It was the captain leading the mercenary group and the leader of the adventurer party.
"Yo, Marina! Always so flamboyant."
Marina had been in Beim for a long time and had even participated in wars as an adventurer. Therefore, she had many acquaintances among such mercenary groups and adventurers.
As long as one was capable, they would reach out as much as they liked.
Even for the socially awkward Marina, it was fine.
The mercenary captain was cheerful. Conversely, the leader of the labyrinth specialists was gloomy. He had a dark vibe and was a man of few words.
"It's been a while. Have you thought about that matter?"
Marina looked up at the night sky.
"That matter, huh. It's useless no matter how much you invite me. Being alone suits me. If you want, why don't you try defeating me and making me obey?"
At Marina's provocative gaze, the leader shook his head. The mercenary captain responded to Marina's joke with a joke of his own.
"Give me a break. I only keep women I've pinned down to my taste."
Marina laughed through her nose.
"Hah! You've got some nerve saying that after attacking women on the battlefield."
The captain flashed a vulgar, grinning smile.
"That's war. It's fun. You'll get addicted once you try it."
Being entrusted with the attack, the South Branch seemed to have chosen personnel who were not only capable but could be thorough for the sake of making an example.
(That boy is quite hated. I thought he was the type of person who could navigate things better... well, whatever.)
Then, the leader spoke.
"Starting today, we'll probe the opponent's condition. You'll be tasked with attacking the person of concern, but are you ready?"
The guild had grasped information that Raiel had a Kirin following him. Then, they concluded that it was possible a single girl was disguised as a Kirin, or that a Kirin was disguised.
That was Mei.
They were pitting Marina, who possessed one of the highest combat powers among adventurers, against that Mei.
"She's my prey. Don't steal her. If you try to snatch her... I'll kill you."
It was a serious glare from Marina, but the two showed no sign of flinching. It was proof of how much experience they had in such situations.
However, at the same time, Marina felt uneasy.
(These guys think this is an easy job. I hope they don't get the rug pulled out from under them.)
The captain said,
"How scary. Well, I won't let anyone touch your prey. I'll take the others, though. Hey, Leader-san understands, right?"
The leader spoke without looking at the captain.
"I don't mind. I have business with the other labyrinth they found. When you only use managed labyrinths as your base of operations, you inevitably want to try challenging the innermost chamber. If I can get the treasures of the innermost chamber, the only other thing I'm interested in is the reward."
Just challenging managed labyrinths doesn't allow one to obtain treasures that can only be found in the innermost chamber. That was one of the frustrations for adventurers. Hearing there was an opportunity to resolve that, he had jumped at this offer.
Their desires did not overlap. That was why they could cooperate.
Marina looked up at the sky.
"Now, if it's soon... about three more days, huh?"
At those words, the captain laughed.
"Too bad. It's in two days. The elf we sent for reconnaissance saw through the fact that they aren't very accustomed to the forest. They're setting traps in an obvious way, and those without a commander are fragile."
The guild believed that the absence of the commander, Raiel, would significantly reduce the party's combat power. They weren't wrong.
"It's going to be fun. There are many beauties, so our young ones are eager."
At the captain's smile, Marina averted her gaze――.
"I see. Just make sure you don't get the rug pulled out from under you. My request is to take down that little girl. I won't do anything else."
――A tavern in Cartaphus.
The adventurers who had come to Cartaphus from Beim beforehand had already made contact with Raiel and his group.
They explained that they had a promising lead regarding the Queen's location and gave Raiel and the others false information.
And that place was very convenient for them to do their work.
A young adventurer spoke to the man who was the leader.
"Hey, Leader, are we going home right after we take that guy down? From what I've looked into, the Queen is in the castle dungeon. Moreover, I heard she's saying she'll make whoever saves her her husband."
It was a drinking session. The middle-aged man who was the leader laughed at the young adventurer.
"Idiot, you're dreaming too much. That's just a joke from someone who wants to be saved. Besides, the life of a noble is boring. Even more so if it's royalty. You should study society a bit."
The young adventurer pouted.
"What. I can at least dream, can't I?"
The leader said,
"But it would be nice to save her and gain fame and rewards. If someone tells you they want you as a husband, I'll recommend you."
Hearing that, the young adventurer poured liquor into the leader's empty glass.
A man with brown hair and an unkempt beard was eavesdropping on this scene from a short distance away. While sipping his drink, he listened to the surrounding conversation.
After a while, he called the shop staff, asked for the amount, placed the money on the table, and left his seat.
The leader felt something off about the man and gave instructions to his companions with a glance.
Two of them stood up and went outside the shop, but the staff did not follow them. This was because the payment had been received in advance.
Then, after a while, the two adventurers returned. One headed toward the staff.
As one approached the leader's seat, the leader spoke.
"How was it?"
"He went normally into a residential house. I overheard the conversation inside; he was a husband who had stormed out after a fight. I've confirmed it with the staff as well."
Then, the adventurer who had gone to the staff returned.
"They said they've seen him a few times. He doesn't drink much, but they've seen him in the shop several times since a long while ago."
Hearing this, the leader felt relieved.
"I see. Then it's fine. Good work."
Saying that, the two adventurers moved to a seat a short distance away――.
――Rauno, while breathing a sigh of relief, thanked his childhood friend.
"Sorry, Dingo."
"Honestly, if you've come back, just tell me. I have preparations to make on my end too!"
Rauno, giving a wry smile, sat in a chair in the residential house and let out a sigh.
"Honestly, I never thought I'd be doing this kind of work in my hometown."
Then, Dingo... a man with a feminine way of speaking, prepared tea for Rauno. From the back of the room, Dingo's wife emerged. The one who had engaged in the conversation to deceive the adventurers was Dingo's wife.
"I was surprised when Mr. Vandelfia suddenly came and asked for such a strange thing."
Looking at the smiling wife, Rauno gave a wry smile.
"I've discarded the family name. Stop it. Rauno is fine."
The wife shrugged.
"Honestly... Even so, since I don't drink, how is it that you can come up with such a conversation so effortlessly?"
When Dingo said that, the wife placed her hand over her mouth.
"A woman is a woman from the moment she's born. It's only natural to be able to do this much."
Rauno laughed seeing Dingo, the knight and childhood friend, being henpecked by his wife.
And he thought,
(Honestly, coming back to my hometown after such a long time...)
Then, he remembered the conversation with Inis. Rauno had come to Cartaphus accompanying Raiel and the others――.