Chapter 16: The strongest onmyoji panics (Part two)

“Don’t worry about it.”

Zamlug slurped his drink again.

“The boss monster was defeated a long time ago. The number of monsters was temporarily reduced like this. But within a year, the number of monsters returned to normal. In every mountain. That’s the way it is here.”

Zamlug continued as if he had expected to be asked that question.

“And even in the mountains where the monsters have disappeared, there are still plenty of ways to make money. We can now go to places where we could not go before because of dangerous monsters. We can mine for rare minerals and gather rare medicinal herbs. We can make detailed topographical maps in anticipation of when the dungeons are restored. Those with a sharp eye would already be on the move. In times like this, the greedy are strong. …… and when the dungeon is restored, this city will become even more powerful.”

Zamlug slurps his sake again.

“There are some people who are all brawn and no skill. For them, the guild can just ration the wheat.

“How can the guild afford to take care of them when their income has gone down so much?”

“A whole carcass of an Ancient Wyvern would be enough for their coffers.”

“……!”

“A single piece of that level of material is worth a tremendous amount of money ……. The guild would not want to lose any skilled adventurers.”

“And now that you’ve sold the guild and the city’s adventurers a favor and even earned the honor of sub-dragon slayer, you’ll have more and more influence …… in Lakana, is that what you mean?_

“I’m not thinking that far ahead.  I’m just looking for power and honor,…… like an adventurer,…… but yeah, I guess that’s what it comes down to.”

Zamlug laughs.

His smile was similar to that of a conspirator, which I had seen several times in my previous life.

I wondered to what extent this adventurer Zamlug was telling the truth.

I replied with a tongue-in-cheek response: 

“……Well, at any rate, I’m relieved that there seems to be a way to get some food. But it looks like there will be a lot of competition for jobs exploring the dungeons in the eastern mountains and exterminating slime in the underground tunnels for some time to come.”

“Ah, the eastern mountains.”

Zamlug says lazily.

“They won’t last long over there either.”

“… what?”

I ask back at the ominous words.

“What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t mean anything. Lloyd must be planning to defeat the boss.”

“He’s going to accomplish the boss subjugation?”

I say in a stiff voice.

“He doesn’t have as much power as you. I don’t think the ‘Linked Tree Alliance’ can’t easily hunt a monster that we can finally defeat with your help.”

That was my impression after today’s battle.

Although the boss monster was weaker than I had expected, it was still too much for a human to handle.

The Zamlug group, minus me, went at it with all their might, and we managed five minutes. That’s my estimate.

I think it’s not going to be easy. But …… he probably will.

But Zamlug said so.

“He’s that guy, but he’s still managed to get his party to the second place in Lakana. If he thinks he can do it, it’s only a matter of time before he does.

“……”

“The actuality is, I’m better than him. 　 The reason why I was in such an uncharacteristic hurry was because I was convinced that he was going to beat me to the punch. If I did poorly, I could be …… today.”

At that time.

A bustling noise could be heard coming from the entrance of the bar.

A few adventurers were talking with the guild officials who had packed the bar.

“Tch …… I knew it was today. Rather than getting ahead of ourselves,……, we just barely made it in time.”

Zamlug whispered in a low voice in disgust. Then he opens his mouth.

“Lloyd!!”

Everyone in the bar turned to look at Zamlug when he suddenly heard a loud voice.

The same was true for several adventurers who were talking with the guild staff.

“… Zamlug- san”

Out of the adventurers, Lloyd covered in dirt and blood, whispered quietly in the slight silence.

“You’re late! Do you have any words of congratulations for me?”

“… I heard. Congratulations, Zamlug- san.”

Contrary to his words, Lloyd’s voice sounded sullen.

“It seems that you subjugated the boss in the south.

“Well. So… what about you?”

“It was a bit of a struggle, but somehow.”

Lloyd smiled only on his lips.

“Fortunately, there were no fatalities. The result is excellent.”

“Ha, that’s good, isn’t it? Today is my treat. Go drink.”

“I’ll refrain from doing that. Unfortunately, I still have a lot of work to do.”

At that time, I involuntarily got up from my seat.

Lloyd’s gaze turned towards me.

“Oh…  Lamprog- san. If you’re there, then the rumors that Zamlug- san took you in are true. It’s a pity… At least if you were there, we’d have the corpse of that big Abyss demon by the end of the day. I could have taken you to town.”

“…Lloyd- san.”

“I fearfully open my mouth.”

“No way, the boss in the east…”

“Yeah. I should have told you. You didn’t think it would really be a success, did you?”

“Just one thing… please tell me. Did the dungeon disappear after you beat the boss…?”

Lloyd opens his eyes for a moment, then nods.

“Probably because the number of monsters has decreased drastically. But there’s nothing to worry about. It’s happened before. Soon…Lamprog-kun?”

I ran out of the guild’s tavern before I could hear the answer at the end.

*************

After using teleportation several times, I reached the inn where I was staying.

Without even having time to catch my breath, I forcefully pushed open the door to the large room.

“Amiyu! Ifa! Mabel!”

The three of them raised their voices in surprise and looked at me as I suddenly entered the room with their eyes wide open.

It seems that everyone was in their underwear at the time they were changing, but now is not the time to worry about that.

“Okay, calm down and listen carefully.”

“Se, Se se Seika-kun……!?”

“Ah, why are you so calm in this scene!?”

“… get out.”

The three people who hid their bodies with blankets and behind the beds glared at me, but I couldn’t back down.

“I know what you mean, but right now is not the time. We need to leave this town as soon as possible.”

“Huh?”

“……pursuers?”

“No. It’s more troublesome. Anyway, finish packing by morning.”

“I don’t know how much time we have.”

A few months, a few years, or even hundreds of years. Or maybe my worries are completely unfounded.

But—the reverse is quite possible.

“If things go wrong, tomorrow.”

“I will procure the carriage and food at dawn. I will explain later…”

 At that time.

“The town trembled.”

“Wow, what?”

“-Is it an earthquake?”

The shaking stopped immediately.

It’s a small tremor, not enough to cause the building to collapse.

But I was horrified.

I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.

This is not an earthquake.

It’s not even a volcanic eruption.

I cross the room and open the window.

The walls of the castle can be seen vaguely at night.

Beyond that — there were many signs of power.

“Is this… so?”

It was a phenomenon that I had never seen before, but I was sure of it.

The dragon vein disaster —- the monster stampede has begun.

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