Kays Translations

Chapter 337: What’s the Purpose?

　The day after enjoying an exquisite crab dinner.

　Tauro and his team decided to renew their efforts to defeat the flaming crabs again.

　The adventurer’s guild’s deputy branch chief must have reported the cause of the large number of flaming crabs to the town mayor, because around noon, about 5 territorial soldiers arrived.

“Hey, hey, hey. Are these the only soldiers dispatched? Is the mayor here motivated to do this?”

　Ankh utters in dismay.

“I guess they really can’t afford to dispatch them. But since the city’s biggest source of income is at a standstill, now that we know the cause, we should be able to get serious about it. ……”

　Tauro concurred with Ankh and showed his dismay.

“I agree. If it were me, I’d catch the culprits right away and investigate the cause.”

　Ragune also agrees with them.

“…Anyway, let’s go and talk to the soldiers.”

　Tauro suggested to the two, and then he spoke to the soldiers.

　When the territorial soldiers received the explanation from Tauro, they were surprised, as if it was the first time they had learned the importance of the matter.

“I didn’t know that was going on!”

“Huh? You were sent here without knowing that?”

　Tauro was surprised by the reaction of the territorial soldiers.

“We have only been ordered to monitor whether you adventurers are seriously subjugating the Flame Crab. Our superior has asked us to return in the evening and report back to them on the situation.”

“Eh?”

　Tauro couldn’t help but be surprised at the fact that the order was so off the mark.

“I wonder where they got that order? Someone’s not taking the cause of the mass outbreak seriously enough to cut it off.”

　Ankh showed his suspicion that there might be some kind of ulterior motive.

 “……. Yes, I think so. I’d better do some digging.”

　Tauro agreed with Ankh’s opinion.

　Tauro and his friends worked on subjugating the Flaming Crabs until the evening, nominally monitored by the territorial soldiers, and then returned to the adventurer’s guild to report their quest accomplishment.

“Thanks again for your hard work today. It seems that the number of flaming crabs, which had been abundant, has decreased considerably.”

　Armine, the receptionist, thanked Tauro and the others for their hard work.

“Unfortunately, there are still a lot of them. If you could send out a quest to monitor the area around the salt lake at night to E-rank adventurers, I think we can catch those who scatter bait like last time.”

“I know it’s a fair suggestion, but I haven’t received any such request from the top yet. ……”

“I see. …… ─ ─ Well, Armine-san, do you know of any bars where the merchants who work around the salt lakes gather?”

　Tauro suddenly diverted the conversation in a different direction.

“Around the salt lake?…I think the ‘Salt Lake Pavilion’ has a lot of people involved in that…but ……. I don’t think you should go there right now, okay? Many people over here have suffered heavy losses from the outbreak of flaming crabs, and many people are not happy with the adventurers and officials who do not subjugate them.’’

　She warned Tauro.

“Thank you for your concern. But I have some questions I’d like to ask, so I’ll go.”

　Tauro bowed politely and thanked her as usual, and asked Ankh and Ragune to accompany him.

“If Tauro is going, of course I’m going!”

　Ragune answered without hesitation.

“Ha-ha-ha ……. The leader will conduct an interview? Sounds interesting. Of course I’m going with you.”

　Ankh readily agreed to Tauro’s request.

　Once the three of them had changed and were in plain clothes, they decided to head to the “Salt Lake Pavilion,” where the salt producers around the salt lake were most likely to gather.

　They went all the way there in their guise, not as adventurers, so as not to provoke any anger.

“By the way, what do you want to know, leader?”

　Ankh asked Tauro about his purpose this time while on the way.

“We’re new here, so we don’t know much about anything, right? First, I wanted to hear what the people on the ground had to say and learn about the current situation in this town and the circumstances surrounding the mass outbreak. If we knew more, we might be able to find out something, right?”

“I’m sure we would. And I have a feeling that one of the officials is responsible for this outbreak.”

　I can see Ankh’s reasoning.

　The content of the orders to the territorial soldiers was too far removed from the current situation.

　That alone would surely indicate that there is someone in the upper echelons of government officials who is somehow in trouble.

“Yes, I think so too. I would like to know the motive, but I think the best way to find out what’s going on in this town is to talk to some of the local victims.”

　Tauro nodded to Ankh and arrived at the “Salt Lake Pavilion”.

　Angry shouts could be heard from inside the restaurant.

　Apparently, some customers who were in a bad mood were having an argument under the influence of alcohol.

　No one noticed when Tauro and his friends entered the restaurant, and the other customers were having fun provoking the customers who were arguing.

　When Tauro and his friends sat down at the counter, the waiter finally noticed them.

“Welcome. ──Yeah? This is not a place for children. That said, there are occasional customers who come with children, so it’s fine, but please sit at the edge so you don’t get caught up in a fight.”

　The waiter seemed to think that Tauro and his friends were parent and child.

 “…… Hey, come on. Who’s the leader’s parent?”

　Ankh makes a disapproving face.

“Isn’t it possible at your age, Ankh?”

　Ragune unusually laughs and rebukes at Ankh.

“Give me a break, Ragune! I’ve been all over the battlefield, I’ve played with women all over the place, but I’m proud to say I’ve never screwed up like that, okay?”

　Ankh was proud of his healthy womanizing.

“Aren’t those kinds of screw-ups screw-ups because you only find out about them later? Maybe there are kids popping up all over the place right now claiming to be yours?”

　Ragune makes a disturbing, yet plausible point.

“…Please give me a break.  ……. That’s just not right.”

　Ankh, perhaps horrified by Ragune’s point, shook it off and ordered a strong drink and the restaurant’s recommended fish dish from the waiter.

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