Chapter 217: The Approaching Woman
As I returned to the inn with an untroubled expression, I noticed the nearby Adventurer’s Guild was bustling with commotion. Curiosity piqued, I approached to hear chatter about a thunderous explosion echoing above the canyon, blinding flashes of light, ominous signs of calamity, and rumors that Fairy Valley would soon meet its doom.
“Shu?”
Just as I began to feel an uncomfortable tension rising within me, Tetra’s low voice called out.
“What is it?”
“I’d like to ask if you have any idea about this uproar?”
“Yes, I do.”
I replied, maintaining my composed demeanor.
“Oh? May I inquire about the details?”
The moment I answered, Tetra’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of intimidation seeped into her presence.
“…You’re scary, big sister.”
I glared back at the person who had frightened Phonia, narrowing my own eyes in response. Tetra stumbled over her words, but she still mustered the resolve to fulfill her duty.
“I merely did a bit of target practice near the mountain peak; it’s nothing serious.”
“…Target practice?”
Tetra repeated my words slowly, as if savoring them. I noticed a crowd of onlookers gathering around us. Whispers of “target practice” and “nothing serious” began to circulate within the guild.
“Is it alright to leave now?”
It was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain this haughty attitude. I truly apologize; I didn’t think it would affect the town. —Ah, that’s right.
“As an apology, I’ll be supplying the guild with new materials, so please assess them.”
“…Wait, what!?”
I slipped past Tetra and made my way to the buying counter. It seemed there were no other adventurers selling items in the bustling guild, so I promptly retrieved a piece of the Shell of the Sea Emperor Turtle from my Dimensional Box. It was a one-meter square chunk.
“So, please assess this.”
“What do you mean by ‘so’? It seems you weren’t empty-handed this time, but what is this?”
“It’s the Shell of the Sea Emperor Turtle. I don’t expect the assessment to be immediate, so I’ll come back later. Farewell.”
“…Huh?”
I left the bewildered Squirrel Tribe staff member behind and walked away.
“Wait, what exactly did you bring in for assessment!?”
Tetra called out as she caught up to me, but the item was already on the counter, so I didn’t respond and continued on my way. Perfect, now I could leave the guild without anyone stopping me.
“Well then, time to head back.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“Indeed.”
I regrouped with Rio and Ivan, who had been pretending to be uninvolved, and we exited the guild. Above us, the narrow expanse of blue sky spread out. It was another beautiful day. How delightful.
“Are you the rumored S Rank Adventurer? You seemed to stand out at the guild…!”
Suddenly, a voice called out to me from the bustling Main Street in front of the guild. I turned to see a striking woman with a high level of exposure standing there. Her striking white hair and crimson eyes left a lasting impression, accentuating her alluring figure.
“It must be quite a challenge having such a noticeable partner, huh?”
She momentarily diverted her gaze from me to speak to Rio. Rio glanced back at me before quickly turning her attention back to the woman.
“I don’t think he’s that noticeable…”
“Is that so? I thought he had quite the performance today.”
A sense of foreboding washed over me as I caught the woman’s sly gaze. My Danger Detection wasn’t alerting me, so it seemed like an immediate threat wasn’t upon us, but…
“Rio, be careful.”
“…Okay.”
As the woman approached slowly, I remained on guard, but Rio suddenly began to walk toward her.
“Rio?”
Just as I wondered what she was thinking, the woman produced something from her pocket and fastened it around Rio’s neck.
“Ah ha!”
“Rio!”
Ignoring the fleeting smile on the woman’s face, I called out to Rio, who raised her hand toward the woman.
“Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
However, the woman’s single word halted Rio’s movements.
“You too…”
With a smirk, the woman directed a warning at me.
“You know what this is, don’t you?”
Pointing at the item fastened around Rio’s neck, her smile twisted into something sadistic.
“If you value her life, stay right there… Now, let’s go.”
With that, the woman turned on her heel and began to walk away. Rio attempted to resist, but there was no way she could fight against the Collar of Subjugation that had been placed on her, and she followed the woman.
“Rio! …Wait!”
In a panic, I attempted to assess the woman, but the sheer height of her Status made me hesitate. I managed to use Spatial Magic to Mark her, but what should I do next? Think, think. First, why did Rio approach her so carelessly?
Suddenly, I assessed Rio again, and the statuses of Charm and Subjugation appeared.
—No way!
I recalled the woman’s Status from earlier.
＝＝＝＝＝
Name: Elvirinos Jewels
Race: Vampire Clan
Occupation: Maid
Status: Normal
Status: HP 23,430
MP 74,362
Strength 13,764
Vitality 20,343
Agility 12,654
Dexterity 46,553
Mental Strength 46,559
Magic Power 50,987
Luck 1,098
＝＝＝＝＝
Seeing Rio’s condition confirmed my suspicions. I recognized her; she was the woman who had cast Charm on me when she was auctioned off as a slave in the Commercial City.
Before I knew it, Rio had vanished into the crowd, and she was no longer within my sight.