Chapter 28: Heizen, the Trade City ⑥ – The Witch’s Old Friend

There are only thirty top explorers in the world.
Those are the First-Class Explorers, and among them is one known as “Thousand Faces.”

Their gender is unknown. Their age is unknown. Their speech ends with “gesu.”
They can transform into anyone—old, young, male, female—so they often take jobs where that talent is useful.
Their relic is probably [Disguise] or [Transformation].

That “Thousand Faces” was currently sitting at the counter in the form of an elven woman, drinking.
Wearing their usual plague doctor mask would be too suspicious, sure— but honestly, with explorers, even that wouldn’t be surprising.

Still, if they’re disguised, it means they’re on some kind of job.
Probably in the middle of carrying out a request.

And the problem was—they noticed that I had noticed them.
They froze, still holding their glass of alcohol. Sorry…

“What’s wrong?”
“Ah, uh…”

Mineha looked at me, puzzled.

“Wof-kun, what are you staring at?”
“That’s—”

Bid followed my gaze.
This was bad… well, not bad, but staring at a woman felt awkward.

Sure enough, Bid spotted “Thousand Faces.”
For some reason, she looked at me with a cold, dangerous stare.

She muttered:

“…Haah. Night King… is it?”
“Hey!?”

I can’t let that slide!
Bid cackled mischievously.

“What, what? Wof boy, what has happened to youuu?”

Mineha started mimicking the witch for some reason.
With her hood pulled low, she really did look like one.

“Mineha, listen to this. The Night King—”
“I already said that’s wrong!”
“Night King?”
“It’s WRONG!”
“Oh! Wof-dono!”

A familiar voice called out.
The fish-headed man—Gymnema Sylvester—wait, why is he here!?

“It’s not wrong, is it, Gymnema-san?”
“Forgive me for the haste. Is Lady Daga’a present?”
“Daga’a?”
“Na?”

Daga’a peeked out from behind my shoulder, sleepy.

“Ooohh! Ooooohh!! My Queen!!”
“Na!”
“Queen?”
“What is this?”
“What’s going on?”

We all tilted our heads.
Queen…?

Gymnema bowed—not to me, but to Daga’a.

“My deepest apologies. I am powerless. Please, lend this humble servant your strength.”
“Um, Gymnema-san, what are you talking about—”
“Na!”

Daga’a hopped onto his shoulder.

“Ah—Daga’a!”
“Wof-dono, I shall borrow Lady Daga’a—my Queen.”
“Huh? Queen?”
“Then, I must hurry. Excuse me.”
“Na!”
“Hey!!”

Gymnema sprinted away with Daga’a before I could stop him.
He never listens to anyone…

“What was that about? Queen?”
“And didn’t he call himself her servant?”

Now that I thought about it, in Leeds, those two were often together.
It’s good to get along, but something feels… ominous.

“Well, he’s still First-Class. He should be fine.” Probably. Hopefully.

“‘Should,’ huh.”
“Yeah, ‘should’…”

We all muttered in unison.
With nothing more to do, we left the guild.

Zensera Family Main Estate – 4th Floor – Chief’s Office

The witch entered.
The family head stood from her grand desk to greet her.

“Long time no see, Lara Lily.”

The head—Seiran Zensera—smiled sweetly while telling her to hurry up and leave, fox.

“Oh my, oh my, yes indeed—long time no see, Seiran-chan.”

The witch smiled sweetly while saying she’d kill her, raccoon.

“…………”
“…………”

They glared at each other with polite, perfect smiles.

Seiran Zensera had long, softly curled golden hair with round beast ears peeking out.
Her icy blue eyes looked sharp enough to cut.

Her refined face was beautiful and dignified.
She wore a white cape and a fluttering dress—simple at first glance, but made with extravagant high-grade fabric.
Behind her flicked two raccoon tails—she was a Tanuki-kin.

Her appearance was the complete opposite of the soft, plump image tanuki-kin usually have.
She was the current head of the Zensera family.

“I’m busy, you know. Full Moon Bazaar, Forest Wave—everything’s piling up.”

“Oh my, oh my. Such hard work every year.”

The witch settled on the sofa, sinking in and using her tail as a cushion.
Seiran sat opposite her.

“No appointment, fine. But what did you come for?”
“Oh my, oh my, is that how you treat an old friend?”
“Friend? Since when can you joke like that without anyone laughing?”

The witch pulled out a glowing orb and set it on the table.
Seiran’s eyes sharpened immediately.

“By chance, I acquired one of Haiyaan Company’s Light Spheres.”

“…Is that real?”

The witch tapped it.
It lit up and floated.

“How about it?”
“…How many?”
“Hmm yes, hmm yes… 100,000.”
“I’ll buy them for 2 billion oro. Deal?”
“Hmm, hmm, too low. 6 billion.”

The witch raised the price.

“That’s too high. 4 billion.”
“Hmm, hmm… then 5 billion.”
“…4.5 billion.”
“Very well, very well.”

“Done. I’ll take you to the warehouse later and pay upfront. If I leave it with you, I don’t know what you’ll do.”

“Mm-hmm. That’s trust, that is. A fine deal indeed.”

The witch looked pleased.
Seiran rang for a maid, who brought tea.

“So the real reason you’re here—your apprentice?”
“Oh my, oh my, you think this wasn’t the main topic?”
“Of course not. You always add a warm-up act. And we’ve received reports. I’m already shocked that you took a disciple, but a man, two meters tall, a womanizer, and he’s hitting on the First-Class ‘Impenetrable’? What is HAPPENING?”

The witch burst into full laughter, clutching her stomach.

“My, my! To think Wof-boy’s rumors reached even here!”
“Boy?”
“He’s still not even an adult, you know.”
“…So all of that was fake?”
“Oh no no. Everything except the womanizer and two meters tall.”
“So he is hitting on ‘Impenetrable’?”
“Well, well, it wouldn’t be strange to think so.”
“What IS your disciple?”
“Very, very reliable.”
“…Haa.”

She sighed and sipped her tea.

“By the way, Seiran, how’s this year’s Forest Wave?”

“Same as usual. No signs of abnormalities. Full Moon Bazaar is more urgent—something always happens there. Oh, right. Hydrangea has Coon Hunt, right?”

“Oh? What about Coon Hunt?”

The witch’s fox ears twitched.

“They contacted the Gourou family. Seems they’re participating in the Forest Wave with them.”

“My, my. Of all partners to choose, the Gourou? Calling them ‘martial’ is generous—they’re basically thugs.”

“Rumor says they’re seriously going after the ‘Scarred One.’”

“Oh my, oh my… The ‘Scarred One’ of the Heizen Great Forest… the only monster that ‘Sword of Swords’ failed to finish.”

The witch lifted her cup, swirling the amber liquid.

Seiran’s expression darkened.

“That’s the first I’ve heard. True?”

“But of course, of course. Undeniably.”

The witch set down her cup.
Seiran grumbled, saying she wished she’d been told sooner.
The witch teased her, deepening their… “friendship.”

“You really are awful, you know that!?”
“Well now, well now—oh yes, I want something.”
“Want something?”
“If you have it— a Legendary Automatic Washing Machine. I forgot to build a washroom, you see.”
“That’s something you order from the capital! …Well, there’s a brand-new one in our North Heizen villa.”
“Oh my, oh my, I’ll take it then.”
“I’ll tell someone to bring it. Where are you staying?”
“At my disciple’s uncle’s house. Bring it to Kon’s Shipyard.”
“That’s fine but… your disciple’s uncle?”

Seiran tilted her head.
The witch smirked.

“Oh yes, oh yes. The house built on the land you once lost in a bet and sold dirt-cheap.”
“THAT house!? Wait—how do you know about that bet!?”
“You complained about it while drunk long ago.”
“Ugh!! My greatest mistake!! But wait—why is your disciple THERE?”
“Oh my, oh my. Because it’s his uncle’s hideout.”
“WHAT!? HE HAD A NEPHEW!?”

Seiran screamed.