Chapter 275: Probably a Search for Someone
“Hey, hurry up and charge in!”
A boy around sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a white robe embroidered with golden threads, was urging a few older adventurers.
We extinguished our lanterns and kept our distance, observing the scene. The enemy they were fighting was the same demon beast that Dean and the others had just defeated. However…
“Well, it can’t be helped. It’s the master’s orders.”
As she said this, the second woman stepped forward, slashing at the demon beast while also striking her ally.
“If you switch to being an adventurer after this, I’d love to form a party with you!”
The third man attacked the woman, his voice full of enthusiasm.
“Having someone who can heal makes the dungeon crawling so much easier!”
“Exactly, exactly!” chimed in the fourth and fifth men as they struck at the demon beast.
Their voices were lively, and their faces wore grins. All four of them had a black spirit clinging to their necks, their limbs blending into the heads and backs of their companions.
Even while slashing at each other, they chatted and acted as if nothing was amiss. They were being cut, yet smiles remained on their faces—it was undeniably bizarre.
“This is a troublesome place to be,” Dinoss muttered.
“It’s best to take care of the demon beast while they’re busy fighting each other,” the Butler suggested.
Attacking from the front makes it hard to hit the back of the neck. I quietly conveyed the positions of the targets and the spirits to my unseen allies.
“What the hell are you all doing? Hurry up and defeat the demon beast! If I bring back one from the fortieth floor, I’ll be a hero from the start! Hey, you too, charge in!” The first man, seemingly oblivious to the situation, shouted.
“I’m contracted to carry your luggage and guide you. Besides, the fortieth floor isn’t part of the itinerary. I’m already struggling to keep the fire lit,” I replied.
Ah, the Guardian was safe.
Without a fire spirit around, flames are hard to ignite and easy to extinguish. If I kept the embers protected from above, I could barely maintain a small flame, thanks to the tiny spirits born from it.
However, those tiny spirits are quick to vanish. Without small spirits around, it’s like trying to keep a fire alive in a drizzle. If I burn something brightly, there will be more tiny spirits, making it a bit easier, but bringing something that burns well into the labyrinth is a challenge.
“Shut up! When I say go, you go! I’ve already made a promise with the Guild, crushing you will be easy!” The man, looking quite troublesome, was unharmed, and the black spirit was absent. Next to him, a cream-colored spirit resembling a zabuton was flailing about.
That zabuton spirit was likely the reason the black spirit was avoiding him. It was larger than the black spirits that clung to the others or those I had seen in the labyrinth.
“Hey, hey, hey, is it really okay to publicly declare you have a promise?” Dean muttered in disbelief.
“What’s likely is that he’s either talking nonsense, misunderstanding, or his healing magic is exceptionally powerful. Since the Vice Guild Master is here, it might be true that he’s been in contact with the Guild. But there’s a chance he’s misunderstanding how that contact works,” Retze added.
I had no expectations of organizations like the Guild or the country, so I wouldn’t be surprised by whatever dealings they had. Even if they were a good organization, they would still make decisions that sacrifice individuals for the majority.
The Adventurer’s Guild in the Fortress City would likely flip its stance based on the country’s needs. It’s a prejudice, but unlike Japan, there’s no separation of powers, and authorities can change laws as they please, doing whatever they want. I’m doing the same on the island!
“Four of us. I’ll take the guy with the great sword,” Dinoss declared.
“I’ll handle the woman,” Ash said.
“Then I’ll take the man with the short sword,” Karn added.
“I’ll take the one with the two-handed sword,” the Butler chimed in.
“Then I’ll go for that robe-wearing guy,” I said, joining in.
“Nice work,” several voices chimed in unison.
“What do you plan to do? Stay quiet!” I was restrained by Retze.
The black spirit was dispatched in an instant, followed by the demon beast.
“W-What are you all?!” The zabuton-robed man stumbled back in surprise at our sudden appearance.
“We’ve come to retrieve you on the Vice Guild Master’s orders. Those acting strangely are suspected of being possessed by a black spirit, so we’ve put them to sleep,” I explained.
Ah. Dinoss was subtly hiding what he could see. He must have deemed the zabuton-robed man a nuisance.
“Oh! Iskal! You’re so strong! Why not become my personal guard?”
Wait, are you seriously going to brush everything off just like that!?
“I refuse. We’re heading back up quickly; the Vice Guild Master is waiting for us,” Dinoss rejected the zabuton-robed man’s offer.
The Butler was already moving to bind him. Kikkou Shibari, he’s gotten faster… Even Karn has started using Kikkou Shibari, and it’s becoming unbearable.
“Alright, since we’ve hunted a demon beast on the fortieth floor, I suppose I can let you go back. But first, a meal—huh? Are you a woman?”
“My hair is long, but I’m a man! The ribbon is my policy!” Chris replied, stepping forward and brushing back his bangs.
…Now that I think about it, Chris had been taking on noble clients because Dean disliked it, right? Oh no, the way he gestures and his jawline are starting to look cool.
“I can tell just by looking, not you! The one behind you!”
“Me?”
Ash answered.
“Yes, you. You may not have much of a chest, but you have a beautiful face—”
I slammed my palm into his chin. It’s not like I’m trying to knock him out, but if I hit just right, it could cause a concussion.
Along with the Butler’s attack, it seemed he was successfully knocked out. He’s not dead, right?
“Hey!” The Guardian panicked.
“His behavior was strange, so there’s a possibility he was possessed by a black spirit,” I said flatly, testing the waters. I really should have just gone along with them.
“Ah, well, that’s true. A black spirit, huh?”
“So he was possessed by a black spirit?”
“Since it’s a black spirit, I have one favor to ask!”
Dinoss and Dean were fine, but wasn’t Chris’s line a bit too much?