kscans

Chapter 152 - The Golden Witch's Magic ★

"Good work on today's mission."

The man, our superior officer, commended us with his hands clasped behind his back.

""Sir!""

Sumire and I responded with a salute, almost out of reflex.

"So, how did it go? Is the survey proceeding smoothly?"

"Yes, sir. We completed the survey of the first floor in half a day today."

"Hm? That's rather fast, isn't it?"

This couldn't be helped. Even I hadn't expected it to be this quick.

"Actually, near the entrance of the building, we found what you might call a switch for an electric light, a light source."

"A light source? For lighting?"

My superior said, looking up at the light fixture on the ceiling.

"It's not a light fixture. The entire wall lit up."

"Hmm... That's hard to believe. I must see it once."

"We plan to investigate tomorrow whether a similar switch exists outside the building."

"Understood. I will accompany you."

Are you serious... It can't be helped, but when the superior officer comes along, work slows down.

"Sir!"

Nonetheless, an order is absolute. The option to refuse does not exist.

"By the way, who found that switch?"

"Saegusa-san found it. However, it was Eleanor Ocean who told her to search, saying there should be a light."

As I reported this, my superior's face contorted.

"That witch again... Damn that witch, just how much does she know!"

"Regarding that, I have another report."

This is the main point.

"What is it?"

"We have discovered a staircase leading to a basement."

"A basement?"

"Yes, sir. There was a shelf in a back room, and it was hidden behind it."

Upon hearing my words, my superior placed a hand on his chin and fell silent, deep in thought.

"Dammit! So that's what this is about!"

My superior, having realized something, started shouting.

"What is it, sir?"

"The witch was the one who found that hidden staircase, wasn't she?"

"Yes, sir. As soon as she entered the room, she began moving the shelf without any hesitation."

"Of course she did. She knew from the very beginning that there was a staircase there."

I believe so as well. Normally, one would inspect the room a little more, but she started moving the shelf without any hesitation. What's more, she pinpointed that specific shelf out of several. It was as if she knew from the start that something was there.

"I believe so. Eleanor Ocean's actions were clearly unnatural."

"Of course they were. There's no way that witch would engage in a charitable act like creating a map."

"A charitable act... sir?"

"The fee for creating this map is a mere one million yen."

That's cheap... No, it is a significant sum of money, but one million yen for creating a map is far too cheap. The fee for requesting it from that surveying company would easily exceed five million yen. Moreover, Eleanor Ocean is the Golden Witch, who moves hundreds of millions of yen. One million is out of the question.

"That is... Why such a price?"

"She presented a condition in exchange. Eleanor Ocean has priority rights to anything found in the underground ruins. Furthermore, decisions related to the survey for the map creation are at Eleanor Ocean's discretion."

"Which means..."

"There is something beyond that staircase to the basement. That is the witch's objective. And there is no way to stop her. Dammit! Those government officials, baited by the low price right in front of them!"

Something in the basement...

"C, could it possibly be a weapon, sir?"

"No, that's not possible. Naturally, hazardous materials are excluded. This means what's in the basement is something that can be turned into money. What the Golden Witch seeks is gold. It's simple to understand."

My superior let out a small laugh.

"Is there any way to terminate the contract, or a loophole?"

"It's not that there isn't one. But that would mean an act of hostility towards that witch. What the country fears is having the Gate closed. There's no telling what that witch might do."

"Regarding that, I do not believe that witch is capable of such a thing. She is undoubtedly a normal human. And likely Japanese."

You can tell by talking to her. She's completely Japanese. Her way of thinking and her knowledge are entirely of someone from this world.

"Everyone knows that! The problem is that there is even a one percent chance of it being possible. Yes, just as you say, that witch is, in all likelihood, a person from this world. But it is certain that she is an inscrutable existence. What if, by a mere one percent chance, she could close the Gate? Who would take responsibility for that? Furthermore, that witch, true to her name as the Golden Witch, generates vast amounts of money and contributes greatly to the Guild and the country. We cannot afford to have her snatched away by foreign countries. Other nations are already moving frantically. In this situation, there is nothing we can do about that witch."

That is certainly true. Just the other day, the Self-Defense Forces procured a large quantity of Healing Potions through the Guild. But those were potions with the ridiculous explanation that they were dropped by a Slime. In other words, they were procured from Eleanor Ocean. Our safety is being produced by that witch.

"I have overstepped my bounds."

"It is fine. It is what everyone thinks. That damned witch... Maeda, have you found anything?"

My superior asked Sumire. He was asking, of course, about the results of her investigation using Hellish Hearing.

"My apologies. My Hellish Hearing has already been discovered, and it appears all important conversations are being conducted via smartphone."

That was indeed what they were doing.

"How does that witch know? Does she have a unique skill for that?"

"It's not guaranteed that she only has one unique skill."

I decided to offer my opinion.

"What do you mean?"

"At the very least, it is possible that Saegusa-san and Yokokawa-san are unique skill holders."

"Saegusa, I can understand. That one is clearly suspicious."

Saegusa Yoshino is a protege of the Guild's headquarters director and an A-rank adventurer. Within the Self-Defense Forces, it is understood that A-rank adventurers possess unique skills. Since an A-rank is working with the Guild's headquarters director, she is undoubtedly a unique skill holder.

"As for Yokokawa, she sometimes takes actions that seem to guide Eleanor Ocean. Also, she did not carry a light. It is likely her eyes."

"Her eyes... a power to know something...?"

"That part is unclear."

Investigating Yokokawa is difficult as she is a minor and her parents are troublesome.

"I see... Well, fine. In other words, those three are unique skill holders. Moreover, the witch even has magic to create a map."

"She may be a holder of multiple unique skills. At the very least, she is procuring large quantities of potions and item bags."

"That's true... Magic? No, she's making them. That witch's unique skill is likely the ability to create items."

That is one theory. The others are the theory of importing from Frontier and the theory of controlling drop items.

"That may be so, but there is no proof."

"That's right. There's no proof. And even if there were, there's nothing we could do. As long as there is a possibility that the witch can close the Gate, we can't do anything."

It all comes back to that in the end.

"What shall we do about the stairs to the basement?"

"We have no choice but to grant permission. The contract also includes an agreement to sell what is obtained in the underground ruins to the Guild. If we stop them, we would make an enemy not only of that witch but also of the Guild. That is impossible."

So the Guild is in on it too. Well, that's probably the case. The fact that Saegusa Yoshino is involved likely means just that.

"Then, we will conduct the investigation of the basement the day after tomorrow."

"Yes. And of course, the second floor as well."

"Sir! Then, we will take our leave! We look forward to working with you tomorrow."

I said, and gave a salute.

"Yes, that's right... Now, what could be in the basement... Gold and silver treasures?"

My superior, who had been interested in the mysterious technology that made the walls glow, seemed to have already shifted his interest to the valuables presumed to be in the basement.

Is this the witch's magic? Is this the terror of the Golden Witch, who monopolizes the world's attention?