Chapter 9: Reunion and the Footsteps of the Demon
Soushi Okuno
D-Rank
Adventurer Level: 23
Weapon Proficiencies
– Mace: Level 28
– Longsword: Level 9
– Dagger: Level 5
– Unarmed Combat: Level 15
Armor Proficiencies
– Buckler: Level 16
– Large Shield: Level 13
Physical Abilities
– Stamina: Level 30
– Strength: Level 35
– Running Speed: Level 20
– Explosive Power: Level 21
– Reflexes: Level 18
– Body Control: Level 10
Sensory Abilities
– Vision: Level 15
– Hearing: Level 13
– Smell: Level 8
– Touch: Level 8
– Dynamic Vision: Level 19
– Presence Detection: Level 14
Mental Abilities
– Composure: Level 13
– Thought Acceleration: Level 9
– Excitement: Level 3
Special Abilities
– Regeneration: Level 7
– Stability: Level 15
– Herculean Strength: Level 19
– Steel Body: Level 13
– Honshin: Level 9
– Heavy Impact: Level 14
– Grasp: Level 9
– Shockwave: Level 5
– Immovable: Level 5 (new)
– Steel Core: Level 4 (new)
– Poison Resistance: Level 3
– Hallucination Resistance: Level 4
– Paralysis Resistance: Level 2
– Charm Resistance: Level 1 (new)
– Item Box: Level 4 (new)
Unique Ability
– Bad Luck: Level 10
Special Equipment
– Ring (Agility +1)
Freinir
E-Rank
Adventurer Level: 18
Weapon Proficiencies
– Staff: Level 13
– Spear: Level 3
– Unarmed Combat: Level 4
Armor Proficiencies
– Buckler: Level 5
Physical Abilities
– Stamina: Level 13
– Strength: Level 8
– Running Speed: Level 13
– Explosive Power: Level 8
– Reflexes: Level 8
– Body Control: Level 5
Sensory Abilities
– Vision: Level 10
– Hearing: Level 9
– Smell: Level 5
– Touch: Level 6
– Dynamic Vision: Level 7
– Presence Detection: Level 9
Mental Abilities
– Dependency: Level 7
– Mental Concentration: Level 14
Special Abilities
– Holy Attribute Magic: Level 13
– Divine Attribute Magic: Level 8
– Life Attribute Magic: Level 6
– Barrier Magic: Level 4
– Dual Magic: Level 3
– Steel Body: Level 2 (new)
– Holy Aura: Level 3 (new)
– Life Force: Level 3 (new)
– Consumption Reduction: Level 7
– Charge: Level 5
– Poison Resistance: Level 2
Unique Ability
– Saint’s Eye: Level 4
Special Equipment
– Staff of the Dead (C-Rank Weapon)
– Ring (Magic Power +1)
Larni
E-Rank
Adventurer Level: 19
Weapon Proficiencies
– Longsword: Level 19
– Dagger: Level 5
– Unarmed Combat: Level 9
Armor Proficiencies
– Buckler: Level 7
Physical Abilities
– Stamina: Level 17
– Strength: Level 16
– Running Speed: Level 23
– Explosive Power: Level 20
– Reflexes: Level 22
– Body Control: Level 12
Sensory Abilities
– Vision: Level 10
– Hearing: Level 15
– Smell: Level 19
– Touch: Level 8
– Dynamic Vision: Level 16
– Presence Detection: Level 15
Mental Abilities
– Bravery: Level 7
– Thought Acceleration: Level 5
Special Abilities
– Enchantment Magic: Level 7
– Swift Run: Level 7
– Steel Body: Level 7
– Herculean Strength: Level 6
– Vital Strike: Level 5
– Slash: Level 5
– Jump: Level 6
– Space Kick: Level 3
– Acrobatics: Level 3 (new)
– Impact Absorption: Level 3 (new)
– Poison Resistance: Level 2 (new)
– Paralysis Resistance: Level 2
– Cold Resistance: Level 1
Unique Ability
– God of Plague: Level 3
Special Equipment
– Ring (Physical Ability +1)
Sfenia
C-Rank
Adventurer Level: 29
Weapon Proficiencies
– Short Bow: Level 23
– Rapier: Level 8
– Dagger: Level 5
– Unarmed Combat: Level 7
Armor Proficiencies
– Buckler: Level 9
Physical Abilities
– Stamina: Level 12
– Strength: Level 13
– Running Speed: Level 15
– Explosive Power: Level 15
– Reflexes: Level 12
– Body Control: Level 14
Sensory Abilities
– Vision: Level 19
– Hearing: Level 12
– Smell: Level 6
– Touch: Level 7
– Dynamic Vision: Level 19
– Presence Detection: Level 19
Mental Abilities
– Composure: Level 14
– Thought Acceleration: Level 8
– Mental Concentration: Level 16
Special Abilities
– Fire Attribute Magic: Level 18
– Water Attribute Magic: Level 14
– Wind Attribute Magic: Level 20
– Earth Attribute Magic: Level 13
– Steel Body: Level 7
– Herculean Strength: Level 6
– Stability: Level 4
– Consumption Reduction: Level 12
– Foresight: Level 13
– Vital Strike: Level 13
– Sniping: Level 14
– Long Arrow: Level 10
– Poison Resistance: Level 4
– Paralysis Resistance: Level 3
– Hallucination Resistance: Level 4
– Confusion Resistance: Level 3
Unique Ability
– ???
Special Equipment
– Ring (Concentration +1)
Upon entering the castle gates of Euron, I parted ways with Lady Hofena for the time being. Although I had carried her on my back, the journey must have been quite taxing for her, and she needed to rest.
Meanwhile, the five of us headed straight to the guards’ station.
After handing over the letter from the Village Chief to a guard, the officer in charge quickly appeared and arranged for a carriage to the Viscount’s residence. After a brief ride of about ten minutes, we found ourselves stepping into the reception room of the Viscount’s estate once more.
“I see… I understand the details. We will take custody of Lady Shizuna,” Viscount Barius said, lifting his gaze from the letter.
“However, this is an exceedingly delicate matter. A single misstep could have led to unnecessary friction with the neighboring country.”
The Viscount passed the letter to his steward, Mr. Rodan, who stood behind him. Lady Anatoria also seemed intrigued, her eyes fixed on the letter.
“By the way, if your party has indeed accomplished what the letter states, it would be a significant achievement. How do you perceive your own merits in this matter?”
With a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth, the Viscount scrutinized me, as if testing my resolve.
“What we did was eliminate the slave hunters, defeat the three golems that attacked the village, and repel the bandits who sought to kill innocent people. Those three points, I believe,” I replied.
“Is that so? If the Village Chief’s assertions are correct, there would also be political merits involved, wouldn’t you agree?”
“My thoughts on the conspiracies of other nations are merely conjecture, and it is unlikely that they will ever be proven. Naturally, I do not consider it a merit to have prevented such things.”
As I spoke, Larni made a slight displeased expression, but there was no helping it. In truth, there was no tangible evidence that this incident was a conspiracy of another nation, and even if such evidence were found, it would not be easy to condemn another country based on it. Rather, it would likely be buried in darkness, with all parties pretending nothing had happened… Such would be the resolution in matters between nations. I had seen similar political maneuvering in my previous world.
Viscount Barius’s lips curved into a clear smile at my response.
“Hmph, it seems you understand the intricacies of such dealings well, having been in a major trading house. I don’t know which trading company you hail from, but they must be feeling the loss of you keenly.”
The Viscount’s assessment stemmed from his belief that I was originally from a prominent trading house. While that wasn’t entirely incorrect, it wasn’t the whole truth either.
“Very well. I will arrange for a reward through the Guild for that aspect. It will be beneficial for your rank advancement. Is that acceptable?”
“Thank you for your consideration. I have no objections.”
As I bowed my head in gratitude, the Viscount turned to his steward, Mr. Rodan.
“Rodan. We will take Lady Shizuna to the royal capital, confirm her innocence, and then return her to the Oz Country. Does that sound about right?”
“Yes, that seems to be the likely course of action.”
Upon hearing the answer, the Viscount turned his gaze to Lady Shizuna.
“That is the plan. Lady Shizuna, I apologize for the inconvenience, but please bear with us for a while longer. This is all to ensure your safety.”
“I am well aware of that, so I leave the matter in your capable hands.”
Lady Shizuna’s gratitude was oddly formal. As Sfenia had mentioned, she might indeed have once belonged to a high-ranking family. The Viscount’s demeanor was clearly not that of someone addressing a commoner.
“Now then, Rodan, please begin preparations to receive Lady Shizuna. Anatoria… do you wish to speak with her?”
“If possible.”
“Very well. I would like to have a brief conversation with Soushi. I will leave the handling of the others to Anatoria for now.”
“Understood.”
With that, Mr. Rodan exited the room to make preparations, while the Viscount and I headed to his office.
It seemed that Anatoria would be conversing with Freinir, Larni, Sfenia, and Lady Shizuna… though it was likely that Anatoria was particularly interested in Sfenia, as she had been glancing at her repeatedly.
“Apologies for calling you here so often,” the Viscount said, changing his tone as soon as we entered the office.
“No, there were various matters to address this time,” I replied.
“Indeed. I’m still trying to sort things out in my mind… Let’s start with Lady Shizuna. She is likely a person of considerable standing in Oz. If she had been assassinated within our territory, it would have been a serious issue.”
“I see… While death is a common fate for adventurers, assassination is a different matter, isn’t it?”
“Simply killing someone is easiest done within a Dungeon. To assassinate someone in a village means that the fact of the assassination itself is significant. It could escalate into a matter between nations.”
“I hadn’t considered that. It was a multi-layered and troublesome scheme, then.”
“Exactly. And the golems you defeated were likely massive Flesh Golems, correct?”
“Yes. There were quadrupedal ones and humanoid ones.”
“Those were probably the golems of ‘Mazero, the Necromancer.’ Mazero is quite a famous figure in that world. His golems are said to be ranked B to C. He made quite a name for himself during the last war.”
“Why would such a notable person be involved in a conspiracy?”
“Who knows? Perhaps he found himself a lucrative employer. The issue is that your party managed to annihilate those golems all on your own. Anyone who understands the situation will quickly realize that something is off about you. Be careful.”
“…Understood. I will take care.”
“Well, you should quickly raise your rank. That will save you a lot of trouble. And regarding the new member of your party, Lady Sfenia… you do know who she is, right?”
“Lady Sfenia…?”
The Viscount addressing her with ‘Lady’ sent a chill down my spine. I had a bad feeling about this.
“You don’t know? She’s a High Elf, a superior race of elves. In human terms, she’s akin to royalty. Elves don’t have the same concept of a ruling class, so it can be hard to grasp.”
“I wasn’t aware of that. Does that mean it would be unwise to have her in the party?”
“Not necessarily. However, if anything were to happen to her, it could lead to serious problems. If anything were to happen, that is… Do you understand?”
“…I will keep that in mind.”
I couldn’t believe it—first a noble lady, and now a royal elf? I wouldn’t dare lay a hand on someone of such status, nor did I intend to.
Yet, I had a feeling that Sfenia was of a higher standing than I had initially thought. If it turned out that Larni was also of noble birth… I would have no escape route. I hoped that my ‘Bad Luck’ skill wouldn’t be that cruel.
As we parted ways, Lady Shizuna expressed her gratitude with great formality.
It seemed that Freinir had also become quite friendly with the others, as the girls were reluctant to say goodbye. As fellow adventurers, there was a chance we would meet again if fate allowed.
After disembarking from the carriage in front of the Guild, I finally came face to face with the receptionist, Mariane, after a long time. Once the completion of our quest was processed, Mariane informed Freinir and Larni of their promotion to D-Rank.
“Thank you! Now we’re the same rank as Soushi!”
“Ah, finally made it to D-Rank! It took so long!”
They each expressed their thoughts while receiving their updated Adventurer Cards. I had been concerned about having both C-Rank and E-Rank members in the party, so this was a timely development.
“By the way, Soushi’s party has grown to four members now,” Mariane remarked, glancing at Sfenia. Her gaze seemed to carry a deeper meaning, perhaps because she was aware of Sfenia’s background.
“There were various circumstances that led to her joining our party,” I explained.
“Lady Sfenia is C-Rank, but since you, as the leader, are not C-Rank, you won’t be able to enter a C-Class Dungeon. I recommend you aim for a quicker rank-up.”
“Indeed, I plan to do just that. I intend to conquer two more D-Class Dungeons first, but is there anything else I should be cautious about?”
“Since you’ve already completed a human elimination quest with this request, you should take on multiple subjugation, gathering, and escort requests.”
“Understood. I will prioritize conquering the Dungeons first.”
“If you happen to go to the town of Tolson, please let me know. There may be requests available in that direction.”
“I will do so. Thank you for your assistance.”
I felt that Mariane had become much more attentive compared to our first meeting. Perhaps it was the Guild’s intention to help us rank up quickly.
Afterward, we spent the evening dealing with the inspection and various procedures regarding the three fallen slave hunters, as well as the disposal of their bodies. Although we received a bounty, the treatment was still akin to that of monsters. The Adventurers’ Guild would verify whether they were registered and, if so, update their status to ‘deceased.’ It seemed that adventurer information was managed quite thoroughly.
After leaving the Guild, we headed to secure accommodations. However, ever since Sfenia joined us, I had begun to feel a sudden influx of gazes within the Guild. While I could understand the reason, I couldn’t help but wonder if we would face trouble in the future.