Chapter 22: First-Class Explorers ①

The Cidre Inn was bustling as always.

Every day, Agaro took on all comers in random drinking contests and kept winning.

The crowd of onlookers grew so large that the owner, Barnes, was seriously considering expanding the place.

Meanwhile, at a table away from the noise, four men were seated.

Two of them had such intimidating appearances that even the staff hesitated to approach.

“Hmm. This round is mine.”

One of them—wearing a tailcoat with the head of a whole fish, from head to tail, in place of his own—was Lord of the Seas, Gymnema Sylvester.

“Hey, you! Do you even know da rules? It’s me, I win, yo!”

Another slammed his card down.

He had a huge afro and wore gaudy sunglasses shaped like a golden moon and silver star.

His skin was ashen, his frame tall. A broad-shouldered, silver jacket far too short—barely reaching halfway down his torso—hung on him.

On his white shirt, clumsily written in black, were the words “Do-Ha”.

His pants were normal enough, strapped with crossed belts, but on his feet he wore old sandals.

This was Earth-Breaker, Do-Ha.

“Sigh… unbelievable. The winner is Saáoin-san.”

“…Wait, me?”

The speaker was a refined beauty in a willow-patterned kimono.

Long cherry-colored hair framed his delicate features and sorrowful eyes.

A single long white horn protruded from his head, trailing down with his hair.

From a distance, one might mistake him for a woman, but he was unmistakably a man.

A man with an unearthly charm nonetheless.

Carefree and Majestic, Kessai.

“No, none of you won. Not one of you even understands the rules of Omuto.”

The last of the four, a golden-haired man dressed exactly like a bard, let out a sigh.

Handsome, refined features, with long pointed ears—an elf.

He wore a flamboyant red cape, a wide-brimmed hat decked in extravagant flowers, a red shirt, white trousers, and golden shoes—an outfit no less outrageous than Do-Ha’s.

Propped against his chair was an old lute.

This style of bard was long outdated, reminiscent of the old Landsknechts.

No modern bard dressed like a traveling performer anymore.

But he stuck to this image.

Wandering Bard, Saáoin.

At that table sat four First-Class Explorers.

“Alright, yo. Enough cards—let’s get to da main business.”

Do-Ha slapped a piece of paper onto the table.

“This year truly is full of oddities.”

Gymnema peered at it.

“The location is unusual enough, but this… I couldn’t help but laugh.”

Kessai smiled, amused. Saáoin could only give a bitter smile.

“I didn’t even know what to say. It’s impregnable. And not just one—four of them. Impossible. You hear me? Impossible is why it’s impregnable.

Men of status and power beyond counting have tried, yet not one could set foot inside. That’s why it’s called impregnable.

And now, four of them are serving as Knight Attendant designated followers? Half the roster? This isn’t just unusual—it’s unprecedented. Nothing like this has ever happened.”

“Hey, yo, calm down, Saáoin. Who da heck is this Wof guy anyway?”

“The witch’s apprentice.”

“…The witch’s…? Whoa, no way!”

“Oh? So the rumors were true.”

“A man, huh. But what sort of person could he be?”

“Hmph. I have met him.”

Gymnema puffed up proudly.

“You serious, yo?”
“Didn’t expect that. What was he like?”
“He saved me when I was drowning in a river. I owe him my life.”
“So he’s a good guy then.”
“Indeed. A very good man.”
“As expected of the one who conquered the impregnable.”
“But yo… could that really be enough to win those women over?”

At Do-Ha’s words, the other three fell silent.

“Well, either way—we’ll meet him in a week.”
“I can’t wait to see what kind of man he is.”
“I’ve already met him.”
“Hey, yo, who is Wof, really? Hey, yo.”

And somewhere else, unbeknownst to them, Wof sneezed over and over.

———————————————-

A flash of blades. Fools split clean in two.

“Why must lives be squandered so carelessly? I cannot comprehend it.”

She parted her pale-pink lips in displeasure.

Her pitch-black hair was bound together with a white cloth, and her eyes were completely covered by the same white cloth.

Long, pointed ears and a dignified yet beautiful face were revealed.

She wore the traditional white hakama of the Mountain Tribes, along with light armor, and carried a large black kasa hat strapped to her back.

At her waist hung two swords, though one of them—her main blade—was already in her hand.

The Mountain Tribes are scattered across the world.
There is a settlement in this country as well, and she hails from that village.

Those who harbor indecent schemes and attempt to act on them invariably end up cleaved in two.
In other words—cut down with a single stroke.

She is “The One-Cut Executioner” Kaede Akima—one of the Unconquerable.

Of course, she never intended to become “Unconquerable.”
Her standards for love were simply far too strict, and so she remains alone.

“This level… is not even worth a training exercise.”

She muttered with a sigh, when suddenly a floating pink sphere approached.

It had rings around it like a planet, with countless smaller orbs drifting around it.
Kaede Akima gave it a glance and asked:

“What business do you have with me?”

“Pee… pee-pee… ――pee… pee-pee… ――pee……… po.”

With each sound, the core of the pink sphere blinked red and blue.

“Hmm. Hmmm. As incomprehensible as ever.”

“Pee… pee… pee-pee… ――po.”

When the countless small orbs touched the corpses around them, the bodies vanished.

“You’ll clean it up for me then?”

“Pee-pee… ――po.”

One after another, the bisected bodies disappeared.
Kaede Akima watched the efficiency with faint admiration.

And she thought to herself—what really is this pink sphere?

It was classified as a First-Rank Explorer like her.
But at the very least… was it even alive?

“Pee-pee… ――pee… pee-pee… pee… ――po.”

The only thing known about it was its name.

“Afterlife Vision System verβ.”

Even how they came to know that name was unclear.
In short—nothing at all was truly known about it.

When it had finished erasing all the corpses, the “Afterlife Vision System verβ” departed.
Its manner was as cold and mechanical as if it had just finished taking out the trash.

Perhaps that was indeed the case. Or perhaps not.
No one knew its true intentions.

“And yet it continues to build achievements as a First-Rank Explorer… it truly is unfathomable.”

With a wry smile, she flicked the blood from her blade, clicked the scabbard’s collar, and sheathed it.

Then she sensed an approach. Turning, she smiled faintly.

A large blue dog sat there, wearing a black collar and carrying a greatsword on its back.

“Again you have your disciple searching for you? True, seeking you makes for good training… but to do it in an unfamiliar city is pushing it, don’t you think?”

“………………”

“Most likely you were drawn here by the scent of blood. Unfortunately, it’s all been cleaned up.”

“…………”

“Or would you rather cross blades with me? For the Mountain Spirit says—‘to seek death is to find it.’”

“……”

“――A jest, of course. If we are to do this anywhere, a mere exhibition match would be better than here.”

“…………”

The blue dog turned away, as though bored, and began to walk.
Kaede Akima followed alongside, gently stroking its back.

The dog paid it no mind. Then—without hesitation, she sat astride its back, legs neatly placed atop the greatsword’s sheath.
The dog still did not mind.

But the sight was far too conspicuous. It would not be long before Celeste spotted them.

Unbeknownst to them, a plain-looking man observed from afar.
In an instant, he transformed into a woman and began to walk.

It was “The Thousand-Faced”—the one with a thousand visages.