kscans

Chapter 233 - Rise and Fall

The day we found out the auction results, we celebrated late into the night. And then, the next day.

I was in the passenger seat of a car, in my Eleanor-san form. Today, I had to go to the Guild Headquarters to get an explanation about the gold transfer and sign the contract. For all the previous auctions, the Ikebukuro branch had hosted them, so Satsuki-san handled all the annoying paperwork. This time, however, the WGO was the host, so I had to go myself.

"How long is this going to take?"

I asked Yoshino-san, who was, as usual, showing off her impressive driving.

"I don't think it'll take that long. The signing will be quick. After that, it's just a matter of discussing how many installments to split the gold into and the transport method. They'll present the options, and you just have to decide."

"Do you think they'll ask me to come to America?"

"They might, but you can just refuse. America isn't a monolith, and going abroad is dangerous. Besides, do you even have a passport?"

A passport...

"No, not even for Okita-kun. I've never been abroad."

"I figured. You probably don't know this, but it's a huge hassle for adventurers to go overseas. You have to fill out tons of paperwork, and it takes a lot of time."

"Is it because of the brain drain of adventurers to other countries?"

I'd seen it mentioned online, but apparently, there used to be intense competition among countries to recruit promising adventurers.

"Yeah, that's right. It doesn't happen much in Japan, but in developing countries, there are still many cases where adventurers go on a trip and never come back."

Defection, maybe?

"It seems like it would be especially difficult for you."

"You could say that. We all wanted to go to Hawaii once, but the Chief told us the screening process would take over a year, so we gave up."

A year... A-rank adventurers are on another level.

"I guess I won't be going abroad anytime soon."

Well, I don't have a family register in the first place, so I can't get a passport anyway.

"Actually, I think it would be easier for you. If it's America, you could probably go through military channels."

No, thank you.

"Hmm... Even if I were to travel abroad, I suppose I couldn't go as Eleanor-san."

"Please don't. That would just create more work for me. If you go, go as Okita-kun. Okita-kun is D-rank, so I don't think it would be as much of a hassle."

In that case, a trip around the world might be possible.

"If you want to go abroad that badly, I can take you through another country's Gate."

Arc, from the back seat, poked his head forward. Beside him, Nanapon was pale and looked like she was on the verge of death. It seemed she had gotten carsick. I think it's Arc's fault for asking her if Clairvoyance could see the engine.

"If I came out of a Gate, it would cause a panic. I'd be labeled a Frontier native and arrested for illegal entry."

"Oh, right... Nanaka, are you okay? I'm sorry."

Arc pulled his head back and spoke to the pale Nanapon.

"Nanapon, should we pull over?" Yoshino-san asked with concern.

"I-I'm fine. We'll be late... I just remembered the time I saw someone's internal organs with my Clairvoyance."

Clairvoyance can see that deep... a terrifying thought.

"Now I'm starting to feel sick..." Arc said with a grimace.

"I'm fine," I said.

"Me too," Yoshino-san added.

We're both the type who can watch those kinds of gory movies.

"Of course, the two of you psycho killers would be fine..." Nanapon muttered.

"Yoshino is a little scary in her own way, too..." Arc added.

How rude.

"Would you mind not lumping me in with Miss Unique?"

"I wouldn't want to be lumped in with you either," Yoshino-san retorted.

See, even Yoshino-san acknowledges her own uniqueness.

"Well... we're almost there."

As we were talking, the Guild Headquarters came into view. A van was parked on the side of the road near the building. And just beyond it, an expensive-looking black sedan was also parked.

"Looks like it............"

Yoshino-san said, beginning to slow down.

"Nanaka-san, sorry, but could you take a look?"

I asked Nanapon, who was slumped in the back seat.

"Yes... I can already see them. There are six of them. And that person is there, too."

So predictable...

"Yoshino-san, you can stop anywhere around here."

"Got it."

Yoshino-san pulled the car over.

"Alright, Yoshino-san, I'll leave the two of them to you."

"Yeah, be careful."

I entrusted the two shorties in the back to Yoshino-san and got out of the car. Then, I started walking toward the Guild Headquarters, a place I had visited a few months prior.

"Heh heh."

As I walked, a smile involuntarily spread across my face. Because, just as I was about ten meters from the Guild Headquarters, six men got out of the parked van.

The six men were young, likely in their late teens or early twenties. With their bleached blond hair and flashy clothes, they looked like a group of thugs. That said, they were of average build and didn't look particularly strong. Honestly, at this level, it doesn't matter how many of them there are, they're no match for me.

"My, my?"

I watched the men, desperately trying to suppress my laughter. They approached me without a word. ...holding knives.

"You fools... Steel pipes or bats are what's effective in situations like this."

It's pointless for an amateur to carry a knife. You need courage to actually stab someone with a knife, and its short reach makes it useless.

"So this is the best Shindo-sensei could hire... Hey, look behind you."

I pointed behind the approaching men and gave them a warning.

"...Wha!?"

One of the six men turned around and let out a cry of shock. Hearing his voice, the other men were prompted to turn around as well.

"Wha!?"

"This isn't what we were told!"

The men began to panic. Because standing behind them were more than ten police officers.

"Did the great politician tell you he'd stop the police and security? Unfortunately for you, he no longer has that kind of power."

Apparently, there had been some pressure of that sort. But a great politician who was isolated within his own party and just waiting to be purged no longer had such authority.

"Damn it!"

"Hey, what do we do!?"

"How should I know! I'm out of here!!"

One of the men started running toward me.

Hmm? Is he going to fight? No, the man had no killing intent, and more importantly, he wasn't even looking at me.

I watched the man's movements and stepped to the edge of the sidewalk. The running man then passed right by me and continued to flee.

"He's getting away. What are you doing?"

I called out to the police officers who were just standing there. At that, the remaining five men also started to run, and the police gave chase.

As the five men and the police ran past me, one older police officer stopped in front of me.

"Are you injured?"

As if I would be.

"Not at all. More importantly, Shindo-sensei is in that luxury car over... oh, my."

When I turned to point at the luxury car, I saw that it was already surrounded by other police officers.

"Thank you for the information."

The older police officer saluted.

In fact, after hearing the information from my old neighbor, I passed it on to Satsuki-san. This whole plan was the result. The reason the briefing and contract signing were at the headquarters instead of the Ikebukuro Guild was also for this purpose. It seems the higher-ups were desperate to get rid of Shindo-sensei.

"Good work. I'll leave the rest to you. I'm going to the headquarters."

I waved to the policeman and headed for the Guild Headquarters, watching the luxury car as I went. Just then, an elderly man I recognized got out of the car.

"Let go of me! Don't touch me!"

What a sore loser of a great politician.

"Damn it! You witch! Because of you, I, who have contributed so much to this country, am being treated like this!!"

The great politician shouted at me.

"Bye-bye."

I gave the great politician a smiling wave.

"Damn you! Die, witch!"

How unsightly... I don't know what achievements this man had in the past, but he must have been competent to have served as a Minister. But this time, it's completely his own fault. He should have just quietly bought a Healing Potion Lv2 for around three million yen. Instead, he got greedy and tried to snatch it for one million. And then he threatened to have me detained.

Yes, I did nothing wrong. The great politician just tripped and fell all on his own.

I really don't want to get old, I thought to myself as I watched the great politician being put into a police car.

Pfft.

Oh no... I'm about to laugh. Serves you right!