Kays Translations

Chapter 46

After that, the hour grew late into the night, and thanks to the museum’s consideration, Melt was allowed to stay in the old wing.

The museum’s exceptional hospitality towards an adventurer was probably not entirely unrelated to the fact that I was the one who had submitted the Eye of the Deep Sea.

“Alright, Melt, good night. I’ll head to the reception room.”

“Okay. Sorry for asking so much. I want to be here so I can know right away when the three of them wake up.”

“It’s okay. They’ll definitely wake up.”

With that, I headed to one of the many reception rooms in the museum.

Given that business dealings and meetings with VIPs are common, the museum has quite a few such rooms. This time, Shuris was waiting for me in one of them.

She had taken the incident seriously and agreed to hear me out directly.

“This is it—time to push forward all at once.”

The topic of the gemstone had grown far bigger than initially planned, and it would likely be the talk of the upper class.

At this point, people might already see me as a dungeon explorer who discovered an extraordinary treasure.

That means… they’re likely to believe a certain degree of what I say. For example—if I told them “I defeated a Dungeon Master.”

But that’s not where I plan to stop.

“Excuse me.”

When I entered the room, I found Shuris, clad in armor and clearly in a state of readiness, waiting for me despite the late hour.

“Good evening, Same. My, oh my… An incident happened right after I left, huh? Maybe I should’ve stayed a bit longer.”

“Please, don’t worry about it. You’ve been briefed on the details of the incident, right?”

“Yes, of course. Including the testimonies from you and Melt. The monster has already been transported to the Magical Research Institute for investigation. We’ll soon be able to confirm whether your statements are true.”

“I see. In that case, I’d like to now talk about the mastermind behind the incident, the identity of the attackers, and some important information and speculation that may be connected to them.”

Opening salvo.

“What did you just say? Honestly, this incident is much deeper-rooted than you might think. I wouldn’t recommend getting too involved.”

“I figured as much. First of all—I know the attackers. And the people who were likely turned into monsters.”

I revealed the information immediately. No hesitation. I already had all the cards I needed. The goal was to seize control of the conversation from the start.

“What…!? Depending on what you say, we might need to detain you. Are you alright with that?”

“Yes. Those attackers are people who once went with me to the deepest part of the Scorched Earth Canyon.”

“…I’ve heard that you and Melt went to the Scorched Earth Canyon. That much seems to be true. We can verify that quickly.”

“Then let me explain what was happening in the canyon at that time.”

I explained how, back then, soldiers from the nation of Golda were stationed inside the canyon to monitor and restrict entry—and that the reason for this was to rescue certain important figures who had ventured deep inside on their own.

“Important figures… And you’re saying those people are the ones who carried out the attack?”

“Yes. Judging by their appearance, behavior, rumors, and legends in that country, I’ve come to the conclusion that they are individuals summoned from another world.”

This was a gamble. I didn’t know how common knowledge summoning and people from other worlds were in this world.

But back when I was active in Silent, I heard someone attacking the guild mention “tools from another world.”

So I figured it had to be at least somewhat known.

That’s why I included a little fiction and presented it as testimony: that they were summoned beings.

“Another world… It’s not something I can outright dismiss. Golda is a country known for forming contracts with unknown forces to gain supernatural powers. So, summoning… I can see that being possible.”

“Do you have any ideas?”

“Well, sort of. So you believe the Kingdom of Golda is involved behind the scenes of this incident.”

“Most likely. If we could catch the other attackers who escaped, it would strengthen that theory. By the way, what happened with Letty? I heard she was tracking them.”

“Unfortunately, we lost them along the way. They’re probably receiving substantial backup. Someone must’ve helped them escape. Since the museum is deep within the noble district, for someone to vanish here, there must be a noble involved. And now you’re suggesting Golda is connected—which means… a noble in this country may be colluding with Golda.”

“Most likely. That said, I have another matter, unrelated to this case but just as important. If possible, I’d like to report it directly to someone of standing in the kingdom. Could you make the arrangements?”

This is it. This is my chance to secure my position, credibility, and standing.

I needed them to understand that as someone in possession of a Dungeon Core, I was a person the nation couldn’t ignore—a person they had to treat with respect.

Shuris might hold authority comparable to one of the Thirteen Knights or another top national figure, but I had a feeling she wasn’t officially employed by the country anymore.

That’s exactly why I wanted to use this chance to obtain a way to communicate with the kingdom directly.

Living in this vague, unstable position wouldn’t help Melt.

Somewhere along the way, my priority became “I want Melt’s brokenness to become something normal.”

I think… it’s because I have become broken myself. Taking in so many personalities and experiences, I’ve started to lose sight of who I really am.

So I want Melt—whose life was twisted by someone else—to experience the happiness she deserves.

“Someone from the kingdom… That’s right. I’m no longer formally serving the country. Even though I’m the heir to a noble house, I intend to pass that on to someone else. Still, if the information is important to the kingdom, I can introduce you to someone appropriate.”

“Shuris-san… I’m sure you’ve been through more than I can imagine. I apologize if this request was presumptuous or offensive.”

“Heh, you really are perceptive. Alright, why don’t we go to the castle together tomorrow?”

“Really!? Thank you so much, Shuris-san!”

“I was planning to have you report the incident directly to a royal knight anyway. Come to the clan home tomorrow. No need for formal wear or armor—this will be a report from you as an adventurer, nothing more.”

“That’s a relief. Honestly, I feel out of place in that kind of thing.”

Mostly because of all the staring.

After that, I decided to follow Melt’s lead and spent the night in the old wing of the museum.

———————————–

“Same, wake up. Come on, wake up.”

“Mm… Good morning, Melt.”

The next morning, I woke up in a room of the old museum building. Guided by Melt, I headed to the room where Rikka and the others were resting.

“Look! All three of them have woken up!”

“G-Good morning, everyone. How are you feeling?”

There, the three of them, looking somewhat dazed, were slowly moving their bodies as if to confirm they were still alive.

“I’m… alive…”

“Me too… I’m not injured anywhere…”

“I can’t believe it… I thought I was dead back then…”

Two of them had surely suffered fatal wounds from the monster’s attack, and Rikka had nearly been eaten. There’s no doubt they had braced themselves for death.

“Everyone, if possible, I’d like you to come with me afterward. I want you to explain to someone I know the details of the monster attack and what happened then. You’ll probably be restricted for a while to give your statements.”

“Uh, okay… I understand. But… how exactly were we saved?”

“Same defeated the monster.”

Melt replied cheerfully, holding Rikka’s hand.

Though honestly, I think Melt is the one who really saved them.

“When I arrived, Melt was already evacuating the three of you. I did defeat the monster, though.”

“Seriously…? That’s amazing, Same-san… That thing was a monster…”

“I can’t believe its strength… I thought my body was torn apart with a single blow… Honestly, I can’t believe I’m still alive. Why are we all completely unhurt?”

Melt glanced at me briefly, but then remembered it was supposed to be a secret and kept her mouth shut.

“This monster attack was an extraordinary case. The auction organizers generously covered the victims’ treatment. Naturally, even the injured were treated. Since there’s big money involved, I’d say it’s better not to think too much about the treatment. They probably used some insanely powerful medicine.”

“Ugh… You’re right. Maybe it’s better not to dwell on it…”

“Y-Yeah… For our mental well-being too…”

“Huh? But someone used some amazing medicine on us, right? Shouldn’t we just be grateful?”

“I think they don’t want this incident getting too much attention. It’s better not to talk about it too openly. The person I’m reporting to today is in a rather unique position as well. Please make sure not to say anything unnecessary.”

A convenient made-up story to keep things vague. As rookie adventurers, they’d probably accept that there are “job-related taboos” like this.

“Melt, could you come with me too? It’d be better for someone involved to explain things. Letty-san will likely be there too.”

“Hmm? Where are we going?”

“Heh, to Miss Awawa’s place.”

When I said that, Melt’s expression twisted a little for some reason.

…Is she still bothered about having her tail foamed up?

I wonder how frothy it actually got…

Kinda makes me want to try it myself…

“Um, you need testimony, right? Understood. I’ll follow your lead, Same-san.”

“Of course. Are we heading out now?”

“Right now, huh… Hey, Same, can we eat something first…?”

“Ah—yeah, you guys definitely look like you need some nourishment. Alright, let’s all grab a meal first. I came into a bit of money, so today’s my treat, as a celebration of your recovery.”

Even if they act cheerful, I’m sure these three haven’t forgotten the fear of death.

So I’ll take responsibility for their treatment until the end—so that their hearts might feel even a little lighter.

“You sure can eat a lot this early in the morning…”

“Yeah, well, y’know? My body’s seriously craving meat. Do you think the medicine treatment drains your energy?”

“Maybe. Your body was definitely pushed to its limits. At least for today, eat plenty and rest well.”

“Thank you… and for treating us, too…”

The five of us headed to a diner that opened early in the morning.

Since I didn’t know which restaurants were good, I just picked one that looked empty and easy to enter—but it turned out to be a great choice.

They offered not just the usual light breakfast fare, but also hearty meals, making it a popular spot for veteran-looking adventurers and mercenaries heading out early in the day.

“I can’t deny I’m hungrier than usual… Sorry, even though you’re treating us, we all ordered so much…”

“Grant, you should eat too. You were the most seriously injured. Follow Kash’s example and eat up so it’ll turn into strength.”

“My apologies… Then I’ll eat without hesitation.”

I wonder what the meat industry is like in this world.

Maybe there are regions where livestock farming is thriving, or perhaps edible monsters are hunted daily and distributed as food.

“Delicious… So good… Same, this meat is amazing… What is it? I’ve never tasted anything like it before.”

“Hm? Let me see… Yeah, it’s delicious.”

The meat had a flavor similar to jingisukan (Japanese grilled mutton). Lamb, maybe? One day, I should live with a character who’s really skilled at cooking and learn from their knowledge and experience.

“Alright, now that we’ve filled our stomachs, let’s get going. Our destination is on Guild Street.”

“Are we going to the Guild Headquarters?”

“No, we’re heading to the street where all the Clan Homes are.”

“Oh, Clan Homes! I’d love to have one of those someday!”

“To start a clan, you need at least three people ranked Ruby or higher. Who knows how many years it’ll take for the three of us to get that far.”

“Damn… So maybe the fastest way is to join a big clan and train under them?”

Listening to the rookie trio chat was a good way to understand the typical mindset of adventurers. It was a refreshing perspective.

So, to form a clan you need at least three Rubies… That rules me out. It’s just Melt and me.

Not that I have any plans to start a clan anyway.

“Alright, let’s go. We’re heading to the Clan Home of the ‘Glory Knights’.”

“Wait, the Glory Knights!? Are we getting arrested!?”

“…Huh?”

When I mentioned our destination, Rikka let out a shocked scream.

You don’t need to look that horrified…

“Isn’t that the place with the same arrest authority as the knights? I saw them once outside the city beating down and capturing some rowdy folks.”

“Yeah. They’re a clan with strong ties to the government and often get sent on investigations. Being summoned there means you better straighten up. Be ready to give proper testimony about what happened yesterday—Kash, Rikka, that means you too.”

“Eeeek…”

…So that’s the kind of position they hold, huh.

“By the way, I knew that already. Same, you didn’t?”

“Why the smug face? And how did you know?”

“Letty-chan told me!”

“Ah, I see.”

Well, I’m glad they’ve become friends.

And so, with the nervous rookie trio in tow, we made our way to the Clan Home—a place I’ve been visiting a lot lately.

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