Cat and Dog ④
The next day.
“……”
I’m feeling a little restless.
This is the center of Hydrangea. The fountain plaza with the statue of the war hero.
Behind me stands a large, wall-like building, four stories tall.
It looks just like some kind of old, high-class European-style hotel.
That’s the Seeker Guild Hydrangea Branch. It’s the second-largest branch in this frontier region.
Looking at it again, it really is huge. It’s not like this is my first time seeing it, exactly.
When the dungeon anomaly subjugation ended, I did come out from the basement of this building.
Come to think of it, I still haven’t been called in regarding that dungeon anomaly.
Maybe it’s because the dungeon investigation team is still looking into it, and they’ll call me after they’re done?
Although, I don’t really know what happened back then.
Apparently, I played a major role, but ah, for me, it’s a whole new world.
“…Come to think of it.”
In the end, I never asked what kind of request the Monokeros Magic Silver collection was.
Things got pretty hectic after that.
After somehow managing to pull Dagaa off Ms. Pachira’s behind and tail, I never expected…
…that that would happen next—I’m truly powerless. To think something like that would happen.
“Wof.”
“M-Ms. Pachira. Good morning.”
“Mm.”
Ms. Pachira, dressed in her black robe, rushes over.
Yesterday… even after what happened, she’s still undeniably a beautiful girl today.
Her white robe yesterday had three slits. Today’s has four.
Her long and short white tails emerge from the two slits in the back, respectively.
“Is Juicy not here yet?”
“Not yet, it seems.”
“Na!”
“Mmph. You… you’re here?”
Ms. Pachira looks displeased. Well, I guess that’s a normal reaction.
“Y-Yes. You see, today, Mineha-san is out on a request.”
“Come to think of it, it seems you’ve been teaming up with Bid recently.”
“It looks like they’ve formed a trio with one other person.”
“Oh? That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Which is why I couldn’t exactly leave him at home…”
I can’t possibly let Dagaa house-sit.
“It cannot be helped. However, I will not tolerate a repeat of yesterday, even from me. Understood?”
“Y-Yes.”
Her cat ears stood straight up, she let out a low growl, and more than anything, her eyes were serious. Cat eyes are scary.
“Na?”
“Don’t move. Just stay still as a knife.”
“Na!”
Does he really understand? I’m worried.
“Um, um, Lord Wof! Ms. Pachira. Woof. Good morning!”
An energetic dog comes running over. It’s Juicy-san.
She was dressed similarly to yesterday, but with a red cape added.
“G-Good morning.”
“An energetic dog, indeed.”
From a cat’s perspective, a dog’s energy levels seem exasperating. Well, I guess that makes sense for a cat.
I remember seeing a cat watching my family’s dog run around from atop a fence with a cold gaze.
“Na!”
“Um, woof woof. Good morning to you too, Dagaa-chan!”
Juicy-san crouches down and greets the area around my waist.
“Na!”
“Don’t make so much noise, Knife.”
“Na?”
“You…”
“Um, um, woof. Dagaa-chan. Shhh, please be quiet.”
She brings a finger to her lips. Cute.
“Na?”
“Oh, enough. Very well. Listen up, you two and one animal. Behave yourselves inside.”
“Yes. Understood.”
“Um, um, yes. Understood. I’ll be quiet!”
“Na!”
“You just stay quiet and be a knife.”
“Na?”
“…I’ll make sure he understands.”
“I am worried.”
“Na!”
I really am worried. For now, we entered the Seeker Guild.
The Seeker Guild. The first floor was truly a magnificent sight.
Rows upon rows of reception counters and receptionists lined up.
Request forms plastered all over the walls, reaching near the ceiling.
And long benches in front of the reception counters for waiting.
Even though it was early morning, there were already a few Seekers scattered about. Some gazing at the wall full of request forms.
Some sitting on benches drinking. Some leaning against walls drinking. Some sitting on the floor drinking.
They sure drink a lot.
This place isn’t combined with a tavern like you often see, but drinking doesn’t seem to be prohibited within the Guild.
But still, what is this… the air, or atmosphere, of this place.
I know something similar. From my past life’s memories… uh, this unique atmosphere.
Hmm. I feel like I can almost remember it—just then.
The Guild receptionist standing at a nearby counter rang a bell, ding, and announced.
“Calling number 35, ‘Boozy Force’-sama. ‘Boozy Force’-sama.”
“Yo. That’s us.”
A group of tough-looking men nearby stood up from a bench and headed to the counter.
That’s quite the party name. Their attire isn’t much different from bandits.
Those spiked shoulder pads. Where do they even sell those?
“Thank you for waiting, ‘Boozy Force’-sama. This is the payment for the Tarantula Tara subjugation and Tarantula Tara silk collection request.”
“Yeah. Got it.”
“Alright then, please present all your Seeker Tags.”
“Yeah.”
“Yes. We have added the rank points for this quest to your tags here.”
“Yeah. Just a little more, huh.”
“Yes. Thank you for your hard work. We look forward to serving you again.”
“Yeah. See ya.”
It ended rather matter-of-factly. For all their looks and attire, ‘Boozy Force’-sama were quite polite.
“Still, it’s surprisingly systematic here. Ah!”
Ah, I remember! Right. This is like a hospital, or a bank, or a government office, that kind of atmosphere.
The numbered tickets, the waiting benches, it feels exactly like that.
Also, even though they’re drinking and look intimidating, the Seekers are waiting quietly and patiently.
There’s a sense of nostalgia in that too. Suddenly, I thought of Ax-san’s group. The Fang of Thunder’s Guild requests.
The procedures for that dungeon request, including the parts related to me, must have been properly handled too.
Otherwise, the Guild wouldn’t be paying me.
“What are you doing, Wof? Over here.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Um, um, Lord Wof. So this is the Seeker Guild. It’s my first time, I’m so thrilled!”
“Right…”
For me, it had suddenly become a remarkably familiar and nostalgic place.
We went to the third counter from the left. Written above the counter was ‘Special Request Reception’…?
“Yes?”
“Welcome~, how may I help you~?”
The receptionist responded in a drawling tone. She was a rare Fairial.
Wearing the receptionist uniform, she floated languidly with four transparent wings.
Her hair was a two-tone mix of black and gold. She wore a white scrunchie, tying her hair into a side-tail.
Her red-painted lips stood out, and unlike Mineha-san, she had a mature allure despite her small size.
“I am Pachira of Torquetum. There should be a nominated request from the Blacksmith in Verent for Monokeros Magic Silver collection.”
“A nominated request~, is it~? Please take number 04~ and wait just a moment~~”
The receptionist flew sluggishly towards the back of the counter. Ms. Pachira took number tag 04.
“Well then, let us wait.”
“Ms. Pachira. Could you explain, please?”
“Um, um, um, what’s a Special Request?”
“Hmm. Right then.”
Ms. Pachira sat down on a nearby waiting bench. We sat down too.
“There is a dungeon monster called the Monokeros. Copper rank, mid-tier, perhaps. It resembles a horse with a thick horn. They always move in herds.”
“How is that related to Magic Silver?”
“Within the herd, there are extremely rare individuals whose thick horns are made of Magic Silver. Magic Silver has a wide range of uses, and it is an essential ore, particularly for repairing OOPArts. It is also quite rare. One horn typically trades for around 300,000 to 500,000 Oro.”
“For one horn!?”
“Um, um, if it’s worth that much, woof, won’t they be overhunted?”
Even dungeon monsters can go extinct.
The principle behind it is unclear, but if they are overhunted, those specific monsters stop appearing.
Previously, Silver Slimes generated chunks of pure silver within their bodies, which led to them being overhunted.
Since then, Silver Slimes haven’t appeared in dungeons. Yet, overhunting continues.
“There is no need for concern. The Monokeros inhabit a dedicated dungeon, and entry is absolutely forbidden without permission from a Blacksmith belonging to the Hydrangea Blacksmiths’ Union.”
“Um, um, then there’s no need to worry.”
“Well, there are still those who try to enter, though. It is futile, however.”
“But not all Monokeros have Magic Silver horns, right?”
“That is correct. It is said that even in a herd of a hundred, finding five with Magic Silver is not uncommon.”
“…That certainly makes it rare.”
No wonder one horn fetches 300,000 to 500,000 Oro.
“Um, um, um, is it okay to take the horn? Won’t the Monokeros die or anything?”
“Na?”
“No need to worry. Even if the horn is taken, it grows back, so it is fine.”
“Um, woof. That’s good.”
“But you’ll be taking a large amount, right?”
If it’s that rare, even if they don’t die, you’d need to harvest a lot of horns.
Copper rank mid-tier. About the same as a Goblin, maybe? It sounds like a lot of work.
“That too is not a concern. You should understand now. We are going to the Monokeros dungeon on Verent’s request to harvest Monokeros Magic Silver. We will then be rewarded based on the amount we harvest.”
“I understand that part. How much Magic Silver are we supposed to get?”
Why did Verent-san entrust such a request to Ms. Pachira in the first place?
Then, Juicy-san’s chestnut eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“Um, uh, um, Lord Wof. That must surely be worth one million Oro!”
“You mean… the Gauntlet’s?!”
“Indeed.”
“…Ms. Pachira. Why would Verent-san do this?”
We’ve practically just met. We’ve only talked a little.
So why would he go this far for me? Ms. Pachira looked at me and gave a wry smile.
“He’s the same as you. Just a soft-hearted fellow. Well, I suppose he also wants to use the Mazan materials. He was complaining recently about only doing OOPArts repairs, you see. As a blacksmith, he probably wants to actually forge something.”
“Even so, this is too good a deal for me.”
“That may be true. But, it’s fine this way. That is what I believe.”
“Um, um, I think it’s fine too! If Lord Wof gets a good deal, then I’m happy too!”
“Na!”
I wondered if this was really okay, but well, it’s not like it’s a bad thing, so I decided to gratefully accept it.
But I wish the Dagaa Knife would stay quiet. I only just noticed when it made that sound, but…
…a rabbit-eared female Seeker passing by behind me flinched and stared right at me.
“Number tag 04~ Pachira-sama of Torquetum~ Please proceed to the Special Request counter~~”
“We’ve been called,”
When we went to the counter, the Fairial Receptionist had grown larger.