Torquetum and Woff ①
More like an aftermath, but there was some trouble after we returned to the surface.
The Teleport destination was in front of the church in the Abandoned Village in That Forest.
There were us, the surviving Seekers from Koon Hunt.
And quite a few Seekers who had trespassed.
Trouble broke out with them, and well, Mr. Agaro dealt with most of it.
They intended to kill us. So there was no need to hold back.
Those who begged for their lives were knocked unconscious and tied up with rope.
We’d hand them over to the guards later.
Several of Koon Hunt’s Hired Pups had also survived.
They were completely terrified and offered no resistance whatsoever.
We didn’t go so far as to tie them up.
I happened to see a boy and a girl slip away as if hiding.
Unlike the shabby clothes of the Hired Pups, their attire was well-made.
They probably had no connection to Koon Hunt.
We handed the captured Seekers over to the guards that same day.
After that, we reported to the Guild, parted ways, went home, and I slept like a log in my bed.
I woke up around noon the next day. Ate, and went back to sleep.
Then, when I woke up the day after that, Mineha-san was standing imposingly over my stomach.
She fixed me with a sharp gaze and showered me with scolding words.
It seems I really did oversleep. I got up and we ate together.
Dagaa was also completely recovered.
After finishing the meal, I performed maintenance on my knives.
One by one, one by one, carefully oiling, wiping, polishing, and sharpening them.
The last one was the knife with the wooden handle I’d newly acquired in the Innermost Area of the Grave of Death.
It’s a thick blade. I got it in the Innermost Area, but it’s just a very ordinary knife.
Among these, it’s the cheapest blade. But I quite like it.
“Come to think of it, I feel like there was a folding type like this.”
Like the kind used for survival.
Alright then, what should I do today?
The Witch is busy catching up on piled-up work, so she won’t be available for a while.
Should I head to the Junkyard for the first time in a while?
Yeah. That’s right. I’ll go to the Junkyard and visit Arifa-san.
Then grab a meal at the Cidre Tavern. And maybe stop by the butcher shop on the way back. Let’s do that.
I stood up, got ready, and left my den.
On the way to the Junkyard, I spotted a familiar figure from behind.
“Liv-san?”
“Hm… Lad… Yo.”
She turned around and gave a casual wave.
Shining peach-white hair. Red eyes. White skin. A beautiful face.
She wore a black jacket over a spacey white bodysuit.
At her waist was an integrally molded Blade. As usual, she looks out of place in this fantasy world.
“It’s been a while.”
“Hm… Doing well…?”
“Yes. Reasonably well.”
“Hm… Good… Are you… free… now?”
“Uhm, well, I don’t have any particular plans.”
“…Hm… Then there’s somewhere… I want you to come…”
“Okay.”
Where could it be?
Liv-san started walking.
She’s heading towards the northeast of Hydrangea.
That area had a small Forest Park, some woods, and villas, I think.
“…Lad… How have you… been… lately?”
“Eh? Let’s see. A lot has happened. How about you, Liv-san?”
“…Hm. Liv also had… a lot happen…”
A lot happens, doesn’t it? Hm? Hydrangea Northeast District?
I think Ms. Pachira mentioned that.
“…Could the place we’re heading to be…”
“Hm… You remembered… Lad… Thank you…”
“What’s this all of a sudden?”
“…The money… Pachira’s… large sum. Heard it was thanks… to you guys.”
“Ah, yeah. I’m glad you were able to purchase a base.”
“Hm… But… are you sure?”
“About what?”
“…Giving away… such a fortune… just like that… Hm. Liv… surprised.”
“Ah… Well, part of it was that the amount was so large it didn’t really register, plus I have this, so I don’t have any regrets now either.”
“…That Gauntlet… Hm… Looks amazing…”
Liv-san stared intently at my 【Gauntlet of Still Saint】.
Her red eyes. They’re beautiful.
“Is it really that amazing?”
“Hm… About as amazing… as Liv’s Maximilian AMD Suit…”
That spacey suit. So it’s called a Maximilian AMD Suit.
AMD… What does that stand for? Well, still, being praised makes me happy.
“Well, I’m honored.”
“Hm… Heard from… Pachira… that The Witch made it… The Witch… has considerable skill.”
Hearing it from Liv-san somehow makes it feel like it’s on a different scale.
Chatting like that, we arrived at the Northeast District.
This is a villa area with sprawling forests.
There are villas and residences belonging to nobles, merchants, and renowned Seekers.
There’s a statue of a hero in the nearby Forest Park, and another one in the middle of the road.
Deep in the northeast, there’s a mountain famous for its waterfall.
The name is… Of… what was it again?
“Hm… Arrived.”
“This is it?”
“…Liv and the others’… new base…”
It was a three-story mansion.
What stood out was a protrusion on the far left with four square windows that seemed to connect the second and third floors.
In my past life’s memories, this kind of structure was called an overhang.
This mansion features overhang architecture.
But four windows forming a cross… huh. Reminds me of Saturnus.
Anyway, looking at the exterior, the first floor is entirely white, while the second and third floors have a brick pattern.
It’s kind of an unusual mansion.
“…This is…”
“Hm… Inside… I’ll show you…”
“Um, is it okay?”
“Hm… Come.”
The main entrance had double doors.
Eh, seriously… Both doors were fitted with lion head door knockers.
I thought those only existed in games, manga, anime, and movies.
Lion head door knockers. They actually exist?
“Whoa.”
“Hm… What’s wrong… Going inside…”
Liv-san pushed the door open, and we entered the mansion.
There were stairs leading to the second floor and corridors branching off, but somehow…
The entrance hall was surprisingly modest in size.
The villa where the Marquis Tasan family was staying had a luxurious and large entrance hall.
But I prefer this kind of feel.
Liv-san started walking, so I followed.
We went up to the second floor and turned a corner, where we encountered a familiar person.
“Woff?”
“Ms. Pachira. Hello.”
“Why art thou here?”
Ms. Pachira was in plain clothes, holding a book.
She lightly brushed her hair back. Liv-san explained.
“Hm… Met by… chance… Brought him… here.”
“That’s how it is.”
“…Liv. Thou…”
“Hm… Since he’s here… Where’s… Lupinus…?”
What’s this? Ms. Pachira sighed.
“That one is in her room.”
“Hm… Let’s go.”
“O-Okay.”
We left Ms. Pachira there and headed to the room at the end of the second-floor hall.
Liv-san knocked on the door.
“What is it?”
“Hm… Brought… a guest…”
“Were we expecting visitors? Come in.”
“Excuse me.”
Not really understanding what was going on, I entered the room.
Lupinus-san stood up from an elegant tea table with a surprised look on her face.
Naturally, she was in plain clothes.
But since it was my first time seeing her like this, it felt novel.
“Wh-Why are you…”
“H-Hello.”
Lupinus-san stared at me, still surprised, then glared at Liv-san.
“Hm… Just happened… to meet by chance… So… brought him.”
“…Hah, I understand. Child. No. Woff-san.”
“Y-Yes.”
“Let’s move elsewhere, this isn’t the place.”
“O-Okay.”
What’s going on? The atmosphere has been kind of strange for a while now.
I followed Lupinus-san and the others.
Then we ran into Ms. Pachira again.
“What is it?”
“Pachira. You’re coming too.”
“Muu?”
And so, Ms. Pachira joined us too. Torquetum assembled.
Lupinus-san, huh. I know she’s not a bad person, but she’s the type I find difficult to deal with in various ways.
In a strange silence, we entered the living room on the first floor.
In front of a large fireplace were two sets of white sofas and a white table.
Bookshelves, a cupboard. The kitchen was visible in the back.
It had the clean feeling of a model room.
“Please, sit.”
“O-Okay.”
Urged by Lupinus-san, I sat down on a white sofa.
Then, the three of them sat across the table from me, with Lupinus-san in the middle.
“………”
To think I’d be face-to-face with the skilled Tier III Seeker Party, Torquetum.
All three are exceptionally glamorous beautiful girls, so seeing them together like this has a strange intensity.
No, no, how did it come to this?
Lupinus-san stared intently at me.
“First, let’s see. Um, Woff-san.”
“Y-Yes.”
“Thank you for saving us with the Elixir.”
Lupinus-san placed her hands together politely and bowed her head deeply.
Ah, I see. So it’s finally come to this.