Kays Translations

Chapter 100

“I’ve passed through here before.”

“Yes, Squad Leader. If I remember correctly, up ahead… there should be a royal estate that’s currently unoccupied.”

“Yeah, someone I know was granted use of it. Right now, I’m in charge of looking after the place.”

“Hm… come to think of it, you did have a travel permit marked with the Queen’s seal. So this is related?”

“That’s right. But it’s being used like a normal house, so it should be fine to have guests over.”

He invited the two members of the Killcrawler’s First Assault Team to his home.

It was an unusual situation, but with Melt away at the moment, he could be flexible.

Besides, if he built a connection with these people, it might be useful in the future.

“Hmm… it’s nearly sunset.”

“Indeed. Shall we hurry?”

“Understood.”

He quickened his pace and led them to his house. As he unlocked the door and invited them inside, to his surprise, Gark-san began looking around with obvious delight.

“This is a great house! I’ve always wanted to live out my later years in a place surrounded by nature like this.”

“You sound like an old man.”

“Rivana-san, that’s harsh.”

“Well, I’ll go ahead and prepare some snacks and drinks. Make yourselves comfortable.”

“Thanks, I’ll do just that… Ah, that fireplace is nice. It’ll be essential in the coming season.”

“Gark, you’re noisy.”

While listening to their somewhat heartwarming banter, he began preparing a light meal.

Though he had some ingredients stored in the refrigerator, he also discreetly retrieved a few from his item box to keep up appearances.

Hmm… maybe I’ll make some Piccata Sandwiches, my go-to lately. They’re easy to make, after all.

He sliced what was probably pork, coated it in egg and grated cheese, cooked it, then sprinkled herbs and finished grilling.

Next, he added scarlet frill (a leafy vegetable), mustard, and thinly sliced bacon for accent, and sandwiched everything in bread.

If he had a hot sandwich maker, he could press and crisp it, but—

…He used a slightly smaller frying pan to press it down from the top while grilling.

Once the Piccata Sandwich hot-pressed version was complete, he plated it. From the fridge, he took cola syrup, mixed it with soda water, added plenty of ice, and served it.

“So you cook too, Shizuma… A man of many talents, despite your age.”

“Smells good.”

“Talented… Yes, I suppose you could say that.”

Well, I’ve picked up a lot of skills…

“Here you go, it’s ready. Let’s talk in more detail after we eat.”

“Sure. Hm… this dish looks delicious. And this drink is…?”

“That’s something a friend of mine from the Culinary Guild left me. One of my favorites.”

“Hm… it tingles.”

“Oho… It’s not alcoholic, but it definitely has a kick. I like it.”

Entertaining people who likely operate on the frontlines is nerve-racking.

But it seems they enjoyed the special Piccata Sandwiches.

“It really is a shame. Shizuma, you’re under contract with the Queen, right? Once that’s over, why don’t you join our clan? I value your intellect, combat ability, and all your other skills. I’d speak to our leader about it right now if I could.”

“Yeah. Come join us.”

“I appreciate the offer… but I’m currently working in Lindblum’s den under a special agreement with the Queen. Once that’s done, I plan to return to the brigade I belong to.”

“I see… so you’re already affiliated elsewhere. Then I suppose it wouldn’t be right to poach you…”

“…I don’t care. Shizuma, just leave them and come with us.”

Wh-what a selfish and direct demand…!

Was the Piccata Sandwich that good?!

“Squad Leader… please don’t be unreasonable. Nobody would want to let go of someone this capable.”

“But I want him. I want Shizuma.”

That made my heart skip a beat. To be liked that much by this strong-willed girl…

But unfortunately, I can’t say yes. Except for Melt, who knows my secret—I can’t be with anyone else.

“Well then… shall I report on what happened at the Lindblum dungeon?”

“Yes. Just this evening, access to the dungeon was suddenly prohibited. There were seven parties active in it at the time, but they all returned from the lower levels. However, you returned right before the order was issued. You know something, don’t you?”

“Yes, it’s related. Actually—”

He didn’t explain what kind of monsters appeared. He simply reported that he had cleared the dungeon, described how the core he retrieved had an unusual form, and explained that it could be connected to the ongoing disturbances.

“—Therefore, I plan to submit the core to the royal palace’s research institute. I believe the dungeon is temporarily closed in anticipation of potential changes. The explanation about the death of a noble’s child is likely just a convenient cover story.”

“I see… But even without that, clearing that dungeon solo is astounding. You might be able to go toe-to-toe with our Squad Leader.”

“Ah, I’m not there yet. I only won because the matchups favoured me. And… the final opponent was strange, but also very weak.”

“Hm… sounds like there’s more to this story, but I won’t pry.”

“Shizuma, want to fight?”

After listening to everything, Gark-san was satisfied. But for some reason, Rivana-san drew her weapon and got into a stance.

S-seriously?! You want a sparring match now?! No way!

“I’ll pass. How about a refill on that cola instead?”

“Mm. I’ll take it.”

“Ah, me too. It’s quite delicious.”

“Before long, I think this drink will be served at places like the Adventurer’s Den. Maybe even with alcohol added.”

“Oho…? I’ll look forward to it.”

Before they knew it, night had fallen.

Having finished their business, the two stood to leave, but—

“Shizuma-san, are you home?”

They heard a knock at the front door and someone calling his name.

He approached the door cautiously. Sensing something off, the two Killcrawler members also readied their weapons.

“Who is it?”

“Oh, did I startle you? I’m Kokuri Maya—we met in the audience chamber the other day. I’m the beautiful beastkin lady, remember?”

She… she just called herself that?!

Well… honestly, she is an intelligent and beautiful older sister.

“The Thirteen Knights, huh…”

“…It’s true, I can sense Kokuri’s presence.”

Trusting Rivana-san’s words, I opened the door.

And sure enough—there stood Kokuri-san, wearing her usual white lab coat over casual clothes, that unfathomable smile on her face as always.

“Oh? You have some unusual guests today. Since you’re doing dungeon attacks, I figured we’d cross paths eventually… but I didn’t expect you to become close enough to invite them into your home.”

“Long time no see, Maya-sama.”

“Indeed, it’s been a while.”

The two exchanged brief, familiar greetings. It seems they know each other.

“Hmm… was this just coincidence, or intentional? Shizuma-kun, deepening your ties with these two… I must say, well done.”

“Um…?”

“Never mind that. I’m here today because there’s something I need to tell you directly, Shizuma-kun.”

“…Is it finally time?”

It was probably about the arrangements with the nobles—the plan to storm Marquis Allheus’ estate must now be in place.

“Yes, something like that. I can’t discuss it yet with the two Killcrawler members here. But I believe the Queen will soon make a proposal to your group. It might be a difficult one. However, if you accept it, you can think of it as me owing you a big favour, Shizuma-kun.”

Out of nowhere, Kokuri-san said something like that.

A proposal for Killcrawler…? Does she intend to involve them in this operation?

“…You really do love your cryptic remarks. Fine. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“A favour from Shizuma? If we can recruit him, I’ll accept.”

“Hey, don’t say that so casually.”

What are you even saying, Kokuri-san…?

To instantly recognize the dynamics of the situation and immediately make a strategic move… She’s way too dangerous to let your guard down around.

“Well then, we’ll take our leave now. If there are any circumstances, I’ll try to ensure there’s some flexibility. If I can earn your debt, Shizuma-kun, then it’s a small price to pay.”

“I’m counting on it. Shizuma should come to our side.”

Even as they left, they left behind an air of vague tension… and a touch of guilt, somehow.

“Please give me a break, Kokuri-san… those two were trying to recruit me, you know…”

“Oh? Really? Just a few days ago, and you’ve already grown that much? Being scouted by Killcrawler… well, that’s quite the achievement. That settles it—I won’t worry about having you join the operation. You’re a guest entrusted to me by Same-san, after all. But if you’re really struggling with their recruitment attempts, just let me know. Though… I doubt either of them would push you too hard.”

“I trust them too, to be honest. Oh, right… actually, it’s probably a good thing you came today. There’s something I’d like you to take a look at.”

I decided to show Kokuri-san the berserk artificial dungeon core I had obtained.

“As you’re aware, the Lindblum Nest is currently in a dangerously unstable and abnormal state. I can’t say for sure whether this thing was affected by that situation or caused it—but I obtained this after clearing the current artificial dungeon. It’s far too massive to be called a fragment. A dungeon core that has grown in a warped, twisted manner.”

“! You cleared it!? In such a short time!? I’ve heard about the state of that place… did you cooperate with Killcrawler?”

“No, I did it mostly solo. I was aware that my growth rate was unusual, so I didn’t feel the need to team up with anyone.”

“…That was the right decision. Also… I can tell at a glance you’re wearing some rather rare gear. Was that supplied by the guild in advance?”

Ah, so she saw right through the strange nature of my current equipment.

…Does she have a skill similar to my Appraisal Eye?

‘Kokuri Maya’

• A woman of the rare Phantom Wolf race.
• A species where strength and lifespan are directly proportional—thus she has lived a very long life.
• Has served Lindblum since the reign of the current Queen’s grandmother.
• Her colleague and lover, the previous head of the research institute, passed away due to the lifespan gap.

…Ah! I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have peeked out of curiosity…!

Despite her aloof appearance, she’s had a rather complicated life…

“That’s right. I borrowed some equipment from the brigade through Same—gear that seemed to suit me. Thanks to that, I was able to get through the dungeon.”

“I see… Understood. That dungeon core—would you mind if we analyzed it at the research institute?”

“I showed it to you with that intention. However, I believe returning that core to the earth’s power might be dangerous. It could very well be necessary for the future stabilization of the Lindblum Nest.”

“Hmm… That’s a possibility. Got it, I’ll keep that in mind. Well then… may I get to the main topic?”

“…Yes.”

Kokuri-san sat down in a chair and motioned for me to take a seat as well.

It felt like she was subtly indicating that this might take a while, and I swallowed nervously.

“…First of all, as you probably guessed, we’ve finished laying the groundwork with the Noble District. On the day of the operation, all the noble households will be under the protection—or rather, surveillance—of the Divine Republic’s knights. So the Allheus family won’t be able to rely on interference or assistance from other houses. Even if the summoned ones turn into monsters, we’ll be able to minimize the damage.”

“I see… Understood.”

“Also, all four gates of Lindblum will be temporarily sealed at the time of the operation.”

“I see…”

At first glance, this all seemed like a perfectly airtight strategy.

But—I had information that Shire once uncovered. And because of that, I could point out one critical possibility.

“Kokuri-san. There’s a chance the Allheus estate has a hidden passage leading to the Underside. What kind of precautions are in place for that?”

“Hmm… And what’s the basis for that information?”

“Yes. I heard it from Melt before. She said he saw a suspicious figure in the Underside, but it disappeared without a trace. It may not be directly related, but I thought it was worth raising the concern—to eliminate any chance of failure.”

“…I was already thinking of keeping watch over the Underside. But you know, that place is kind of a ‘lawless zone.’ It’s a little troublesome to police it by ourselves… Still, we do plan to monitor the entrances from the outside. And besides—”

Kokuri-san gave a sly grin—

“Killcrawler is one of the major forces in the Underside. Building ties with them will definitely work to our advantage.”

“I see… So that’s why you said something that sounded like you were selling me out.”

“Heh, sorry about that. …Will you come to the castle tomorrow? We’ll do the final briefing then… and we’d like you to stay with us until the operation starts—as part of our surveillance.”

“…Understood. After all, I’m one of their kind, too…”

Tomorrow, at last.

Tomorrow, I’ll settle things with my former classmates.

I might have a hard time falling asleep tonight—

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter