Chapter 343 – Villains Following in Our Footsteps

　Hagen, the leader of the adventurer team “Gray Vultures,” is a C+ ranked bandit adventurer, so he is very adept at detecting and tracking his enemies.

　He was proud of his ability to detect and track down enemies, a skill that he was confident could hold a candle to B-rank adventurers.

　I didn’t care about my team’s baggage carrier, but I couldn’t just leave him behind 

　The fact that the baggage handler’s enslavement magic had been lifted would mean surely he’s died, but I Have no intention of forgiving anyone who had touched our property.

　We are the strongest adventurers in this town.

　Those who have harmed our honor will be made to pay with death.

　Hagen swore strongly that he would do so, and decided to check the footprints of the baggage handler, even though he still had some liquor left from the previous day.

　He found a trail that led him to a street in the city, where he turned around and took a back street, then he stopped.

“…Did the baggage carrier get attacked here?”

　Hagen was suspicious. 

　An attack in a place like this would have many witnesses and would have caused an immediate uproar.

　Since the baggage handler is under the spell of servitude, our orders come first, so there is no way he would obediently obey the attackers.

　There should have been some resistance, but there wasn’t.

　Did the enemy get rid of the baggage handler without even doing that?

　Hagen checked the footprints again and found that the baggage handler’s trail did not stop there, but continued to the end of the back road and when he reached the main street, he turned back.

“……What the hell is going on?”

　Shouldn’t it be impossible to ignore slave magic and follow someone?

　Hagen was puzzled by the footprints of this mysterious luggage carrier.

　It was almost impossible to find an enemy’s footprints among the myriad in this city, but since he knew only the baggage handler’s footprints, he was able to continue his pursuit.

　Hagen followed the footprints until he came to an inn.

“…This is the inn where the adventurer team called ‘Black Golden Wings’ is staying.”

　Hagen wondered if this was a coincidence or if it was inevitable.

　Then, he tried to follow the footprints to the end anyway, but they were gone after the first floor inside the inn.

“If there are any adventurers stupid enough to mess with us, it would definitely be outsiders, but ……. That monstrous kid got rid of our baggage handlers ……? But it’s also strange that the footprints on this floor have disappeared.……. If they were killed by those kids, there must have been a record of it on the tag. …… Okay, if we can move the Adventurer’s Guild, we can eliminate them!”

　Hagen smiled and headed for the Adventurers Guild.

“…I didn’t realize he’d be able to track him this far…even if he’s rotten, he’s still a C+ rank adventurer. I wanted him to attack me directly, but what do I do?”

　Tauro, who had sensed Hagen’s presence, hid his figure, and had been watching on the floor, appeared and was puzzled by the unexpected flow of events.

　Then Ankh and Ragune also came out from the back and joined him.

“What do you think, leader? Are they going to attack us?”

　Ankh said, looking very motivated.

“They’re pretty smart over there, too. He thought we had taken care of Zion because he had followed his footsteps all the way here. Looks like they’ve changed their mind and decided to use to corner us.”

“huh? Ankh and I are very ready.”

　Ragune looked disappointed to hear Tauro’s words.

“Well, they will eventually come directly from over there, so let’s go to the Adventurers’ Guild today and take on some quests.’”

　Tauro gave a wry smile to the two bloodthirsty people and headed to the adventurer’s guild.

　Tauro and his team also visited the Adventurers’ Guild on this day to report back after completing their quest to defeat flaming crabs 

　There they found the “Gray Vultures” team camped out on a portion of the reception floor, stomping around.

　Tauro and his team ignored them and headed to the reception desk to report to the receptionist, Armine, that they had completed their quest.

　Then, the deputy branch chief of the Adventurers’ Guild came out from the back room.

“You must be the members of D+ Team “Black Golden Wings”, right? Our guild has just been informed that you are suspected of murdering an adventurer from another team. Do you admit your guilt?”

　The adventurers in the reception lobby gasped in surprise when Tauro and his team were suddenly announced this.

“What are you talking about?”

　Tauro answers on behalf of everyone.

“…You’re not going to admit it, are you? You should just admit it ……. Then I’ll need you to submit your tag!”

　The deputy branch chief demanded confidently with a stern look on his face, as if he had proof.

“I don’t mind, but what if you’re wrong? I don’t know what you’re basing this on, but I think you’re being very rude.”

“Just get it out of here! We know you murdered our baggage handler!”

　Hagen interrupted Tauro and insisted in a strong tone.

“…… huh. Ragune, Ankh, take them out.”

　In any case, since we are completing the quest completion procedure, the tags will be presented for confirmation anyways, so all three of us handed them over to the receptionist, Armine.

　Receptionist Armine was surprised at the sudden turn of events, but upon receiving it, the deputy branch chief ripped it off and began checking it with a magical tool to examine the tag’s record.

“…… That’s absurd! That’s not what I heard! No way, you and your friends erased the record…”

　The deputy was about to say something about the criminal acts he was committing.

“Hey, Deputy Branch Chief, let’s get the evidence and expose these guys! Hurry up and get the evidence and expose these guys for the crimes they are committing!”

　Hagen triumphantly insists again.

“…… Hagen. There are no records of any of your reports: ……”

　The deputy branch chief shrugged his shoulders dejectedly and dismissed Hagen’s words.

“…… I see. So you took Hagen-san’s words at face value, did you, deputy branch chief? The other day, Hagen-san threatened me to leave the city. You believing in such a person also seems to have a problem.”

“Hey, what a stupid ……!”

　The deputy branch chief was at a loss for words at Tauro’s statement.

“…… Huh. That’s an interesting story.”

　Then a large man with a skinhead, different from Hagen, whom Tauro had never seen before, came in through the doorway.

“Th-the new branch chief!? You should have been called to the territorial capital…why are you here…!?”

　The deputy branch chief seemed shocked that the person he least wanted to hear from had appeared.

“The lord arrived in the capital a few days early. I came back after finishing his meeting early. Then, I came across an interesting story.”

　The man who was called the new branch chief replied,

“Now then, let’s hear the details, shall we?”

　He sat down on a chair in the reception lobby and asked me to continue.

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