Chapter 350: Corruption and a New Enemy
“Master.”
A few days had passed since then, and as we relaxed in the Living Room, El appeared from the monitoring room with a serious expression. I had been relieved to see that the Insect TYPEs I dispatched for surveillance were functioning without issues, but it seemed something was amiss.
“It appears that the Insect TYPEs sent to the Forest of Enchantment are experiencing a higher rate of attrition in a specific area.”
“Oh?”
“Could it be that the number of monsters has increased?”
It seemed they were doing quite well to fend off the TYPE series from the Dungeon. Rio, who had paused her maintenance of the katana, joined the conversation.
“Wait, weren’t we managing to thin them out smoothly?”
Ivan, who seemed to be enjoying a day off, stopped his workout and sat down in a chair in the Living Room. Phonia and Nil were curled up together on the sofa, napping. They looked incredibly cute. Unfortunately, the weather was dreary, with rain pouring down. The rate of monster appearances had decreased since then, leading to discussions about reducing the number of members stationed at the barrier. While I thought the Stampede was calming down, this news suggested otherwise.
“I still believe we are managing to thin them out effectively. However, we have confirmed the presence of unfamiliar entities deep in the western region of the Forest of Enchantment.”
“Unfamiliar entities?”
“Yes. Please take a look at this.”
El placed the tablet she was holding on the table and swiftly began to operate it. Her fluid movements were so smooth that I couldn’t even tell which menu she selected.
“Oh, oh.”
“That’s quite large.”
“Yikes.”
As we all leaned in to peer at the tablet, our reactions varied as we watched the flowing footage. It appeared to be a gigantic serpent, pushing aside other monsters as it advanced.
“At this rate, it should reach the shallow waters of the Forest of Enchantment in a few days.”
“Hmm, I guess we need to go check it out. We could take care of it ourselves, but it’s not impossible that it could be the cause of the Stampede…”
“Why not just toss that troublesome matter to the Guild Master?”
“True enough. Well then, I’ll just go notify him for now.”
“Understood. Also, regarding the Royal Capital, we’ve received a request from Mesaria for a large number of additional Insect TYPEs.”
“Insect TYPE?”
“Yes. It seems she wants to gather evidence of some corruption.”
“Pfft.”
Ivan burst out laughing at El’s words.
“Corruption…? I thought we were just keeping an eye on things?”
“While monitoring, there were several instances of suspicious movements, so they decided to investigate further.”
“Exactly. Apparently, there have been some bad rumors floating around.”
“Haha, classic power dynamics, huh?”
Rio added, though Ivan seemed a bit taken aback. Still, it was a common occurrence. Since we were at it, it would be good to gather various pieces of evidence for a discussion.
“Alright, I’ll take care of the Insect TYPEs. How many do we need?”
“I’ve heard about twenty.”
“Got it.”
I issued a new deployment order for the Insect TYPEs and opened a Dimensional Rift to summon them before me.
“Then I’ll deliver them to Mesaria in the Royal Capital.”
“Alright, I’ll head to the Guild Master’s place.”
“Understood. Well, I don’t expect anything major, but both of you be careful.”
“Yeah, I’m off.”
“I’ll be going now.”
And so, today, we parted ways, with Ivan seeing us off as Rio and I split up.
Stepping outside, the rain continued to fall. Given the season, there were hardly any pedestrians, but that made for easier walking. I expanded the barrier above me like an umbrella and hurried northward. The gatekeeper, startled to see me dry, allowed me to pass outside, and I dashed straight to the main camp near the outer wall.
“Is the Guild Master here?”
I peeked into the tent where I could enter without question by now.
“Hmm? Ah, well, the Guild Master is out for a meeting with the military headquarters.”
The Guild Master was absent, and a Guild Staff member informed me. The only others in the tent were Rikyou, who had distinctive mottled hair, and what seemed to be other members of the same party.
“Shu? Is something wrong?”
“Ah, I spotted a huge serpent deep in the forest.”
“A serpent?”
The Guild Staff exchanged glances, perhaps unfamiliar with such a monster in this area.
“I wanted to let you know I’d be going to check it out, but if he’s not here, I’ll swing by the military headquarters first.”
“Ah, understood.”
After bidding farewell, I headed straight for the military headquarters. It was a straight shot east from here. Upon spotting a more impressive tent than the Adventurer’s Guild’s main camp, I ignored the soldiers guarding the entrance and stepped inside.
“The Guild Master… is here.”
“What is it?!”
After confirming the Guild Master’s presence, a gruff voice came from a large man who looked the most authoritative in the room. Among them was a high-ranking officer I had encountered in the military area when we launched a preemptive strike against a monster. I believe his name was Haoran.
“I am Shu, an S Rank Adventurer. I don’t have much time, so I’ll be brief. I’ve spotted a gigantic serpent in the depths of the First District, and I’m heading out to investigate.”
“W-What?!”
“If it’s in the First District, that falls under our jurisdiction. Shu, could you take care of it?”
“Understood. I’ll head out now.”
“Wait, hold on!”
I heard a shout from behind but chose to ignore it. I had obtained permission from our superior, the Guild Master, so there was no issue.
With that, I left the troublesome matters to the Guild Master and made my way to the scene.