Chapter 54

The Green Crab Pavilion, located on 8th Street in the capital, is a guild where many puppet masters, who control inanimate objects, are affiliated.

Using the magic of 'Puppet Creation' and 'Giant Creation,' they can infuse spirits and floating spirits into inorganic materials to create puppets that can be manipulated at will from various materials. However, Yuma's power to pacify not only floating spirits but even the souls of spirits caused them to be completely sealed off just by her presence.

The Green Crab Pavilion, which had a large plot of land to summon golems using clumps of earth, found that the golems, which were the main force in defense, were not functioning. As a result, Aileen and Yuma were able to break through the security and reach the guild master without any difficulty. The other guild members were at most A-rank, and none of them could stop Aileen.

Reaching the top floor of the guild headquarters, the guild master, who was waiting, immediately entered a combat stance. Aileen mercilessly moved behind her in an instant and knocked her unconscious with a controlled blow.

"Guh... Who are you..."

"Sorry, everything will be over when you wake up. Uh, is this the collar?"

The guild master was a female spirit user (shaman) wearing a traditional costume with a lot of exposed skin. Aileen thought it was a feast for Dick's eyes as she removed the collar and covered her with a nearby coat.

"Aileen, are you okay? Ah... It seems everything went well. Wow, there are so many puppets..."

Yuma, who entered later, marveled at the number of puppets in the room. Aileen guessed that Yuma could control them, but this time not a single one moved, remaining neatly arranged on the shelves.

"Yuma seems to be the natural enemy of this guild. Thinking about it, when we were on the journey to defeat the Demon King, we didn't encounter any golems either."

"The members of the Demon King's army create golems using the spirits of demons, humans, and animals, not spirits. So, whenever I enter a place where the enemy is, I always purify the surroundings."

"That's really amazing, you don't get tired at all. From my perspective, it looks like the power of purification is always spreading... and just being near you is calming."

"The members of the extermination team can see it, but for me, it's natural..."

In terms of latent magic power alone, Yuma has the highest capacity in the extermination team. However, since she only uses it for pacification, it is not added to her combat evaluation.

Aileen thinks that being recognized as SSS-rank solely for pacification ability is extremely unconventional. Yuma has no concept of applying her magic power to other things. By specializing in pacification and giving up physical combat abilities and versatile magic, Dick always said, "Yuma is complete as she is, in her own way."

"Yuma, I'm glad you're here. You're the healer of the Demon King extermination team. No matter how brutal the battle, you always make me feel warm."

"I'm happy to hear that. The duty of a priest is to bring peace to everyone's hearts. And someday, we will all join hands and go to the kingdom of God..."

"Yuma, show Dick the kingdom of God. He's very curious."

"N-no... While I would love to, if the soul leaves the body too much, it can no longer touch the earth and will ascend..."

Seeing Yuma fidgeting even with her mask on, Aileen always worries.

In the past, Aileen was also uninterested in worldly matters and focused only on martial arts training with her father. But since she started living in the capital, she began to learn about various aspects of relationships between men and women.

(Yuma is naturally innocent, but Dick is really patient... Men become docile when their urges are calmed, or they ascend... That's what the ladies in the pleasure district often joke about...)

"Aileen, is something bothering you?"

"Ah... No, it's not that. I was just thinking that Dick is really patient... I mean, I was just thinking..."

"From your soul, a pink wave... Is this a mix of the power of a demon god and a human soul... No, it seems to be the desire leaking from your soul."

"That's not good! I'm not thinking about making anyone ascend!"

Aileen rushed to Yuma, covering her mouth. Yuma could still talk without difficulty, but she smiled and nodded.

"Okay, I'll keep Aileen's feelings in my heart. Ascension is too early for us."

"Aha... Ah~ What are we? Even when we act separately, we're so dependent on Dick."

"That's not true."

"Really? Can Yuma be independent from Dick?"

Aileen felt surprised and questioned. Yuma gripped the wide collar of the fallen guild master tightly—her purification power erased even the residual magic in the magic item, and the engraved magic symbols disappeared.

"I can endure not seeing Dick for a few months. That's because I can feel that he is well in the capital. I can be independent even without seeing him."

"...I see. But that means you can tell if Dick leaves the capital, right?"

"That... It's fine. Even when we are outside the capital on rescue missions, Dick sometimes comes to check on us..."

"Really? He always looks like he doesn't want to go out, but he's actually very different. He's very caring, a good cook, and never refuses any request."

"Because of that, it's hard to make an appointment to meet. It's good that he can now go to the tavern, as his parents allow it."

From Yuma's words, Aileen sensed that Yuma also wanted to see Dick.

Without realizing it, Yuma was also centered around Dick. Thinking about how she hasn't changed since they were part of the Demon King extermination team, Aileen felt warm.

"I was thinking of giving priority to Miralca, but we're young too, so we shouldn't always hold back."

"...? What are you holding back about?"

"Nothing, really..."

Casually answering, Aileen felt through the magic earring she wore that Dick and Miralca had started a battle.

"...Dick is tense. As expected, the White Goat Pavilion has someone of our rank..."

"Okay, we need to hurry. Is there anything else we need to do here?"

"The rest can be left to Dick's guild. We need to hurry to 1st Street."

"Yuma, do you want to be carried on my back or in my arms?"

"Um... On your back, please!"

Aileen carried Yuma on her back, opened the window, and leaped out. With her jumping ability, it was not impossible to land on the roof of a building on the next street.

"Dick, save some for me!"

"Ah, as always, you're amazing, Aileen..."

Yuma clung to Aileen, but she knew it wasn't necessary. Aileen's back felt more stable than any other mode of transportation.

--- And a few hours earlier, Dick and Miralca had arrived at the White Goat Pavilion.

◆◇◆

The White Goat Pavilion on 1st Street, which oversees eight guilds, is the largest in scale. The grounds alone can rival the Magic University.

The 'Stealth' spell is effective even for multiple people, so I entered the grounds without going through the main gate. Miralca, being experienced, trusted my magic and boldly advanced even in the sight of the guards.

The grounds have sparse trees, but there is a forest. Passing through it, we can get close to the guild headquarters.

"Dick's 'Stealth' makes it so that even if we talk, the enemy can't hear us... Your ability to modify existing magic is always impressive."

"It's rare for you to praise me."

"I'll praise what deserves praise. Being stubborn is meaningless."

That decisiveness is also a reason why she is admired by both professors and students. I think it's good to learn from a teacher who will praise you if you work hard.

"The most straightforward strategy would be to drive all the enemies out of the grounds and use Professor Miralca's annihilation magic."

"Doing such destructive things in the capital would leave a bad conscience. I want to live in a way that I can be proud of in front of anyone."

"I completely agree... Wait, Miralca."

--- It seems we've been spotted. I didn't think it was impossible.

With my 'Stealth' spell, enemies below S-rank wouldn't notice us until they attacked.

However, if an S-rank enemy somehow increased their combat evaluation to the equivalent of SS-rank, or if someone of my rank detected our intrusion and informed their subordinates, stealth would be impossible from the start.

"Did you think you wouldn't be noticed by passing through the forest... Fool!"

The guards around the guild headquarters were two men and two women. The two men were in the front, and all of them had the power equivalent to S-rank—apparently, they couldn't mass-produce people with the same strength as Clive.

The limits of enhancement vary depending on the base strength. A-rank can be enhanced to S-rank—my enhancement magic, when suppressed, can only raise the combat evaluation to 3000.

However, the enhancement on the enemies seems to have a higher correction.

(Indeed, it must be that person... I don't want to think there are multiple people with such strength...)

But if there is an SSS-rank adventurer I don't know, waiting ahead, I would find it troublesome, but at the same time, I would want them.

"What do you think you're doing... Entering the White Goat Pavilion with your shoes on and thinking you'll get away with it!"

A middle-aged man in his thirties, a muscular 'Hammer Fighter,' rushed through the forest toward me.

(He's using a magical weapon... It will take time to 'Disassemble.' Then...!)

"--- Ooooh!"

The Hammer Fighter raised his long-handled hammer and struck with such force that the handle seemed to bend. It's a technique called 'Bone Breaker,' aiming to cause fractures with the impact. It's the foundation of a Hammer Fighter's fighting style, but to me, it's a simple and brutal method.

However, that's only if it hits. I judged that it's not worth blocking with a weapon and dodged with body techniques.

The large weapon creates a big opening. If he didn't consider the recovery after the first strike, it would be over—so I thought.

I didn't strike the vulnerable enemy. I took a step back, drew my sword, and activated 'Enhanced Slash (Spirit Blade).'

"If you had fallen for it, it would have been easier... Damn!"

"--- Revealing the trick too early is not good. Relying too much on borrowed power is not good."

There is a physical attack reflection enhancement that can be used once. 'Physical Reflection'—some enhancement spells can be stacked. I broke it by firing a magic-enhanced coin, which I caught when it was reflected.

(Master... Is it you? You shouldn't have been so concerned about me... yet...)

"--- What's wrong with using borrowed power! I won't allow anyone to interfere with that person!"

The master easily grasps and controls people's hearts. When I first met him, he tried to do the same to me.

But she was always whimsical, refusing to be bound by good and evil, and always did what she wanted.

('I respect your kindness, Dee, but at the same time, I want to trample it. I love you so much, and I hate you so much that I want to destroy you.')

Her words echoed in my mind.

Should I have returned to the master once? But if I did, I might have lost myself like the people in front of me.

"--- Dick, you're losing focus. Let me handle it, and get back on track."

--- 'Wide-area Annihilation Type Ten: Earth Split Rock Crush Formation' ---

"What...!?"

The man who tried to attack me again, the woman who tried to cast a spell from a distance, and the man who tried to throw a dagger from the shadows—there was one woman left, probably a healer.

Regardless of the distance between the front and rear, the magic circle that spread from Miralca's feet instantly swallowed them, breaking the ground and changing the terrain.

"Ooooh...!?"

Even a grown man would only scream—suddenly, the layers of the ground under their feet shifted, creating a height difference, and they were pushed up to a height that could be called a cliff.

To defeat the divided and confused enemies, I chose coins—any projectile weapon would do. I activated the 'Projectile Guidance' spell and hit everyone in the forehead, regardless of the terrain. Anticipating the physical reflection, I fired two shots at the remaining three.

"Doing something this flashy means we don't need stealth anymore. Dick, escort me. No matter who the enemy is, I'll annihilate them."

Seeing Miralca stand tall, I thought. The person I want to follow now is not the master—Miralca now embodies the word 'reliable' to this extent.

"...Thanks, miss. From here on, I won't hesitate... Let's go!"

In sync with Miralca, I picked her up and leaped onto the branch of a nearby tree, heading for the roof of the guild headquarters.

I'm not afraid to meet the master.

When I met the 'Gray Clown' again, I was just unsure about what words would make time move forward again.

I don't intend to kill her. However, I will make her withdraw from the White Goat Pavilion.

If I say that, she will quietly become enraged. Calming her down will be a bit of a challenge for me now—but only a bit, and I have no intention of giving in.