Chapter 100

The interrogation of the android quickly hit a snag. After all, this man knew nothing. Why he ended up fighting Gandora, the actions of Fen and the others before that, how they spent their money, their relationship with the guild—his head just tilted in confusion, and there was no real conversation.

"When we got to town, I was out eating. We stayed in different inns. You see, they always stick together in the inn. They decide on the requests. They only ask what we’re dealing with, and that’s about it. It was always like that."

He scratched his cheek. It seemed he understood the atmosphere there.

"Last time? It was on our way back from reporting a completed request. Come to think of it, they usually take a few days off, but they left town right away. They said it was a big job, but they had a countermeasure, so there was no problem..."

"...I see. They probably found out that a request to slay Gandora was posted nearby. Fen intended to get only the reward, but they were caught, so they deliberately provoked things and handed it over to Android-kun, they said."

I felt a bit of discomfort at Rayleigh-san’s words.

"Even if they did push it, I think they intended to have Gandora kill Android-kun from the start. They said, 'Hold him down,' with a laugh and took Android-kun’s horse and fled."

"Yeah, that’s right. They were stubborn, but they eventually confessed. It seems they targeted Android-kun because of his generous spending. They had apparently taken money from many others by pretending to be companions. They are currently being re-evaluated."

Rayleigh-san shook her head as if to say, "This is giving me a headache." It seems he wasn’t a first-time offender after all.

"Does that mean the guild was involved?"

Cokushin, unusually, interjected.

"No, so far there’s no evidence of that. It was clever or, rather, cunning. When they took the money and kicked the party out, they apparently pushed them to the brink mentally. That’s why there were no reports of the incidents. Android-kun didn’t fall for their tricks and had the monsters deal with him—excuse me, make him the target—when they got the information about Gandora and used it. That’s the gist of it."

Rayleigh-san, who had finished her meal, sighed.

"That female staff member wasn’t in on it. She simply lacked the knowledge. It’s a sad story, but the quality of guilds drops the further you go from the center."

She sank deeper into the sofa, her face shadowed.

According to Rayleigh-san, it’s not uncommon for people who have nothing to do with adventurers to end up in top positions. Of course, they receive training upon appointment, and audits are conducted every few years. Still, it’s a fact that they can’t cover everything. The master here, for example, left the practical work to subordinates and spent his days drinking with important people, claiming it was to "strengthen ties with other guilds." The subordinates hired staff based on their preferences and provided no proper training. This resulted in a guild that looked good on the surface but was hollow inside.

In other words, this area was still quite rural.

Incidentally, the sequence of events regarding the Gandora slaying request went like this: A man from outside the area saw Gandora near the road and rushed to the guild. After all, it was a huge, spiky monster. On the way, someone called it "Gandora." They wanted it slain quickly! If the man had listened more carefully to the people around him and the staff member had known more about Gandora, it would have been better. The man was a sheltered son who didn’t know about Gandora. The staff member knew it was a dangerous monster but didn’t know it shouldn’t be touched. Without any double-checking, the request was posted. That’s what happened.

"Fen knew that the female staff member was sloppy in her procedures. When Gandora and that staff member came together, they came up with the idea of the ruse."

Rayleigh-san took a big sip from her cup.

"That’s what we know so far. I have to leave for the next place tomorrow, so I’ll leave the rest to my successor. If you want to know about the punishment, I can pass the message on."

I looked at Cokushin. As usual, he left it to me. Rada, probably not following the conversation, nodded. Android tilted his head.

"Android, do you want to know what will happen to Fen and the others?"

"No. It’s none of my business anymore."

Then why did he tilt his head? I knew the answer before I asked. His stomach growled loudly. He was probably thinking about what to eat. I heard he has a high metabolism, but this is ridiculous. He was just sitting there.

"So, I won’t get involved any further."

"Alright."

Rayleigh-san nodded lightly. She looked back and spoke a few words to a black-clad person who seemed to be a secretary. I wonder if this person has time to sleep afterward. Come to think of it, I didn’t even ask what her position was. I didn’t want to know because it would be troublesome. I just want to travel carefree.

With that, Rayleigh-san stood up.

"I’ll be on my way. I’ll see you again sometime."

Please don’t say that with a smile. That means I’ll get involved in more trouble. I need to stop that flag from being raised.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

She placed her hand on her chest and bowed slightly before leaving. The black-clad person at the door also left. Apparently, Rayleigh-san’s subordinates are scattered around the town, so we can feel safe. I don’t think we’ll be attacked, though.

Android stood up.

"I’m going to get something to eat."

"Something? Is there a place that serves food at this hour?"

"Even a drink or a snack will do."

He rubbed his growling stomach and left the room. The room suddenly felt much larger without him. Sighs came from both sides. I exhaled deeply. I was honestly tired.

"Phew, I shouldn’t stick my neck out like that."

I sank into the sofa. I want to take a bath. I want to relax. It’s too much trouble to prepare one now. I miss the days when I could just press a button to take a bath. Speaking of which, is there a hot spring? Where can I find a bath that will soothe my mental fatigue?

"Raito, don’t fall asleep. Go to bed."

I was shaken awake.

"Ah~"

I rubbed my eyes and stood up. When I reached out to Rada, she handed me a beginner’s healing potion as if she knew what I needed. I opened the cap and drank it. The familiar taste cleared my head a bit. Time to sleep.

Dive into bed!! No, it’s too hard!

As soon as I lay down, my eyelids felt heavy. Cokushin and Rada also seemed to be settling into their beds. Android? He’s in another room. A room for a large person. Come to think of it, he had a thick tail. How does he sleep? Does he sleep on his stomach? On his side? A bed with a tail storage function...?

Good morning. I woke up after falling out of bed, probably because I was thinking about strange things before I fell asleep.

We traveled on horseback, while Android ran along the road. He carried a large white bag, looking like Santa Claus. It was full of food, though. Android, who ate while running, was a sight to behold. Watching him made my stomach hurt.

"Huh? Raito, look."

Cokushin noticed something. Huh? That riding posture...

"Rayleigh-san?"

"Hey, good morning."

The one who turned and smiled was the androgynous Rayleigh-san, dressed in deep azure today. She looked as beautiful as ever, showing no signs of yesterday’s fatigue. She was accompanied by a carriage and guards, who might be the black-clad people from yesterday.

"Good morning. Is the next town in this direction?"

"No. I heard that Gandora has left, but I wanted to confirm it. I’m not doubting you, but there might be other fools out there."

"I see."

We had apparently reached the place where we encountered Gandora. A wasteland spread out a short distance from the road. The hole I dug in a hurry was still there. Should I fill it in? When I asked, Rayleigh-san said it was fine to leave it as it was.

"Of course, he’s not here."

There was no one around, and of course, no sign of Gandora. It seemed to be a false alarm.

Just then, a loud rumbling sound came from the ground. Trees were falling. Beyond them, the massive body I didn’t want to see appeared.