chapter 42

Mativa exhales gloomily.

“If the [Bonds-list] partner is here, it’s a done deal as far as life and death are concerned.”

“In the [Bonds-list]?”

“If Neikra-san is dead, he’s gone from the contractual partner’s [Bonds-list], and his status is reduced. But everyone he knew is away from the city.”

Either way, we’re not in a position to know unless we look for it.

“Anyway, I suppose you could try looking around in the woods! Then let’s do it fair and square!”

“Thank you.”

Once the explanation was complete, Sen and Nana ran out of the guild with great vigour.

“Master, let us hurry too!”

“Don’t panic.”

I grab Ouka’s hood to stop her from running off.

“Ouka is first.”

“Yes, Ouka.”

Mativa hands me a black plate the size of a playing card.

The surface is engraved with Ouka’s name and her guild rank, E.

The back side had the fairy pattern that has become the symbol of this city.

“What’s this?”

“It’s your guild card.”

“Thank you for my ……!”

Ouka’s back is fidgeting with something, so she moves to hide it and then asks Mativa what’s on her mind.

“Ms Mativa, what made you think that Mr Neikra was headed for the Eastern Forest?”

“’Hmm? Adventurers are basically eastbound, you know.”

“Mativa taught me that the iron law of adventurers is to explore from the east……I see.”

I left the guild when I was satisfied.

“Master! Where is East! I’ll lead the way!”

“East is that way. The directional marker is based on the tower to the west.”

I point to the east, then point to the west.

Further away in the forest. The black tower, said to be at the end of this continent, can be seen briefly from here.

“Is that the Tower of the Kingdom?”

“No, the kingdom is in the north. That tower was the first dungeon on this continent.”

“First ……it’s amazing.”

“I’ve heard that it’s given birth to ten dragons.”

“Dragons! So we can go into the forest in the direction directly opposite that tower?”

I grab Ouka’s hood as she walks away.

“We’ll head up that way, toward the tower.”

“West ……? But Mr Neikra said he was headed for the East Woods.”

“I’ll explain on the way.”

I smiled lightly at Ouka, who gave me a quizzical look.

After a short time in the West Woods, I let go of Ouka’s hood before I began to explain.

“Mativa said, ‘I think he’s probably headed east into the woods.”

“So, go east to……that? Maybe?”

“Yes, the information is vague. Why do you think that is?”

“’Uh, um …… he didn’t tell where he was going?”

“Good answer. Let’s take it one step at a time. This time, Neikura-san went to look for an underground dungeon. As Mativa-san explained to me, underground dungeons are extremely difficult to find.”

“So as soon as I find it, I’ll have to report it to the guild.”

“Yeah. But that’s not so weird, is it?”

“What is it?”

Ouka tilts her head.

“Why did Mr Neikra decided to look for an underground dungeon?”

“…..have you been blindly searching for a dungeon that you don’t even know where it is?”

“You don’t want to get into that kind of trouble, do you?”

“So you’re saying that Neikra-san had some idea of where the dungeon was?”

“Yes. And that’s the kind of information we take for granted because we’re adventurers, and it’s the kind of information that results-oriented guilds don’t bother to obscure.”