Chapter 110: Profit over shame.

Finally, the long-awaited report of the Fifty-Floor Conqueror has arrived. At last, one of my worries is resolved.

“So, who is it? Did they belong to a well-known party?”

“Well…”

He’s being quite hesitant. Is he trying to irritate me by putting on a serious expression at this stage? I urged him to provide me with information as soon as possible, and now he’s playing games with me.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give the Intelligence Division a special reward from the budget. Just tell me without dragging it out.”

“No, a special reward is not necessary. The information was leaked from the Merchant Guild, so it’s not our accomplishment.”

I see. They couldn’t find the information themselves, so that’s why they were being hesitant. It’s true that I don’t like owing anything to the Merchant Guild, but at this point, it doesn’t matter. If it’s information from the Merchant Guild, it’s likely that Tanuki from the Porius Company spilled the beans.

“It’s fine. Since I pushed you all so hard, I’ll give you a special reward. So, who are the conquerors?”

“Yes… according to the Merchant Guild’s information, the conqueror of the Fiftieth Floor is a spirit mage named Yuta, who had a dispute with the guild master.”

“………………What did you say? Say it again.”

Did I hear it right? Is it just my sleep-deprived mind playing tricks on me? A displeasing name came up.

“The person is a spirit mage named Yuta.”

“Haha. Impossible. A spirit mage? He’s a pathetic man who couldn’t find any comrades and brought slum children with him. It’s unusual for you to fall for such a hoax. No, maybe the Merchant Guild was deceived. The president of the Porius Company didn’t spill the beans, did he?”

It seems I’m still plagued by sleep deprivation. I should be furious considering my expectations, but the report was too ridiculous, and it drained my energy.

“No, the masters of the Merchant Guild and the Pharmacist Guild went together and visited the Porius Company to gather information. If this turns out to be a lie, the Porius Company will become enemies of the Merchant Guild and the Pharmacist Guild.”

“…But it’s impossible. His hammer’s power was impressive, but his movements were amateurish. As for spirit magic, he’s an unknown and insignificant mage at that age. It’s unbelievable that someone like him could defeat a Fire Dragon.”

I have received reports that his disciples were accompanied by spirits as their guards. He’s not entirely incompetent. However, believing that he could defeat a Fire Dragon is still beyond belief.

“However, it is true that the name of that spirit mage came up from the Porius Company, and materials from the Fire Dragon and beyond the Fiftieth Floor have been circulating.”

Apart from a few skilled individuals, most spirit mages are a bunch of incompetents who only cause trouble for those around them. Besides, it’s impossible for even a skilled individual to single-handedly defeat a Fire Dragon… But were there any traces of a solo battle on the Forty-Ninth Floor?

“It’s hard to believe, but the information seems to be highly accurate. What is your judgment?”

“It’s probably correct. In the process of investigating the Porius Company, we found out that the spirit mage was visiting the daughter’s shop. However, we couldn’t establish a direct connection between the person who defeated the Fire Dragon and the spirit mage… I sincerely apologize.”

“I see…”

Linking a spirit mage with the defeat of a Fire Dragon would be difficult even if I had access to the information. But what should I do? Is that man truly capable of single-handedly defeating a Fire Dragon? Is this a dream? Have I fallen asleep unknowingly due to my recent lack of sleep?

I unconsciously grip my palm, feeling the pain. If it were just a poor nightmare, it would have become a laughing matter, but it seems to be a poor reality. Either way, we should gather information about that spirit mage.

“…Thoroughly investigate that spirit mage. I mean, thoroughly.”

“Understood. Excuse me.”

“Yes, I’m counting on you.”

It may have been a mistake not to thoroughly investigate the stray spirit mage when we first had a dispute with him. There was also a report of an attempted kidnapping, but I brushed it off unpleasantly just because it involved that spirit mage. Although I knew the importance of information from my adventurer days, it seems my judgment was clouded by the mention of a spirit mage. It’s a self-inflicted wound, so to speak.

Sigh… What if that spirit mage really did conquer the fiftieth floor? There are already skeptical talks about the Adventurer Guild even now. Requests from individuals with status have been delayed, and if this continues, it will eventually become a major problem.

Unpleasant as it is, I can’t just sit and wait until the information is gathered. It’s truly unpleasant, but we should act under the assumption that the spirit mage has indeed conquered the fiftieth floor.

However, the relationship between the Adventurer Guild and that spirit mage is at its worst. What should I do… Ah, that spirit mage is hiding his achievements for some reason. Could it be that there’s a reason he doesn’t want his abilities to be exposed?

If that’s the case, it would make sense for him to remain silent after defeating the Fire Dragon. If he has a weakness, gathering information could make him obedient to our commands. If he realizes that a commotion caused by his own power would be troublesome for him, he would likely obey us. I should inquire about him and his circumstances.

“Summon Eltina for me.”

I send my secretary to fetch Eltina, and I contemplate our next move. When she knocks and I grant permission, Eltina enters the room.

“Eltina. What kind of person is that spirit mage? Tell me everything you know about his personality and abilities.”

“You mean that spirit mage?”

“Yes. We received information that the spirit mage has conquered the fiftieth floor. I don’t want to believe it, but the information is highly accurate.”

“No way!”

Eltina’s face is filled with astonishment. I can fully understand that feeling.

“The information came from the upper echelons of the Merchant Guild. We need to come up with countermeasures.”

“…Understood.”

…

I’ve heard everything, but there’s no new information.

“Do you think that spirit mage would agree to cooperate if the guild asks?”

“It would be difficult to request it normally. But he doesn’t have the rank for a compulsory request, and he can refuse a designated request, so we can’t rely on that.”

“I see. What about his desire for money or attachment to rank?”

“He seemed happy when his disciples’ children ranked up, and he didn’t seem interested in money or rank. However, his initial demand would be an explanation of the harassment by the Adventurer Guild and a public apology from the Adventurer Guild and the guild master in a formal setting. When I asked if he could prove my abilities, he presented those conditions, so there’s no mistake there.”

If it could be resolved through rank or compensation, it would have been easy, but a public apology is necessary now. I feel boiling in rage, but there’s no other choice at this point.

If possible, I wanted to gather information and exploit the weaknesses of that spirit mage before taking action. But the Merchant Guild and the Pharmacists Guild are already moving, and we must act before being surrounded. The official apology can serve as an excuse to summon that spirit mage. It’s unpleasant, but there’s no other option but to use it.

Call him and I will bow my head. It’s unpleasant, but I’ll pretend to be humble and try to put that spirit mage in a good mood and set a trap. If this information turns out to be wrong, things could get out of hand.

“Eltina, do you know the whereabouts of the spirit mage?”

“Yes, if he’s not out, he should be staying at Torque’s inn.”

“Then go and fetch him. You can tell him that I want to apologize.”

“I’ve been giving him the cold shoulder, so it might be better to send someone else.”

“No, sending someone else will only complicate matters. It’s regrettable to make you bow your head, but first, you apologize and show that the Adventurers Guild’s response has changed.”

“…Understood. What should I do if he’s not there?”

“Eltina, you were acquainted with Torque and the others, right? Find out the spirit mage’s schedule and arrange to meet him as soon as possible. Let him know that I intend to apologize, so there’s no need to hide anything.”

“Understood. I will go now.”

“I’m counting on you.”

I never expected things to turn out like this. But if we get through this, the position of the Adventurers Guild in the Labyrinth City won’t be shaken. No, considering that we’ll have access to even rarer materials, we can secure further interests.

I’ll make sure to offer benefits worthy of the humiliation, spirit mage.

“Alright, today we’ll level up on the 16th floor. Sara and the others will continue to hunt monsters while training in combat as usual. Silphy, you’ll go with them to ensure their safety, but that doesn’t mean you should let your guard down.”

“Understood, Master.”

“Master, can I fight against trolls?”

“Sure, but don’t be reckless.”

“Got it.”

“Good. Kika, are you okay? We rushed here, but are you tired?”

“I’m fine.”

Their conditions seem fine, with no signs of fatigue. Despite coming here at a fairly fast pace, the effects of leveling up are amazing, aren’t they?

“Great! Then do your best. Silphy, I’ll leave Sara and the others to you.”

“I understand. And Yuta, be careful. Also, just in case, summon Dolly. She’s reliable in the forest. You never know what might happen in the labyrinth.”

“Understood.”

I turn my attention to Mel, who is sitting exhausted at a nearby rock, after parting ways with Sara and the others, accompanied by Silphy as their escort. Since she couldn’t keep up with the journey, Silphy carried her here with the wind, but it seems she’s mentally drained.

“Mel, let’s take a short break so you can regain your strength.”

“Y-Yes.”

While Mel rests, maybe I should summon Dolly as a precaution. I imagine Dolly and summon her, and she appears before me with a pop. She’s still a beautiful girl as always.

“Oh, is this the labyrinth forest? I’ve been summoned to an unusual place, haven’t I?”

“Yeah, I don’t think you’ll have a specific role, but I want you to be on guard just in case. Is that alright?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. I only need to intervene when it’s dangerous, right?”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you.”

As I finish speaking, Bell and the others, who were waiting for this moment, approach and line up neatly in front of me to greet her. It’s a delightful scene.

“Hmm? Mel, are you feeling better already?”

“Y-Yes, I’m fine. Um, Yuta-san, since I’m also someone learning from you, would it be better if I called you ‘Master’ like Sara does?”

…If I were to make Mel call me “Master,” Yunis would probably make a fuss. …But that sounds interesting in its own way. Since we can’t exactly say we have a good relationship anyway, having some fun with it shouldn’t incur any punishment.

“Well, that sounds good. It’ll probably bring more enthusiasm to your training, so let’s go with that.”

“Understood. Master, please take care of me. And there’s no need for formal language, so please talk to me normally.”

“Really? I’m not good with formal language, so that’s a relief. Alright, let’s go level up.”

“Yes!”

Mel responds with renewed determination. I double-check Mel’s equipment. She’s wearing leather armor on her small body. It’s somewhat amusing, but what feels out of place is the hammer she’s carrying.

It’s not as powerful as my magical hammer, but it’s quite big, clearly disproportionate to her size. Well, Mel is a dwarf and a blacksmith, so a hammer is fundamental. As someone who also uses a hammer, I’m a bit happy about it.

The goal this time is to raise Mel’s magic power from D rank to C rank. Normally, it seems you need more magic power to form a contract with an intermediate spirit, but just like I was able to contract with Silphy and the others at B rank, Melal will adjust it. He’s overprotective, isn’t he?

This is where the benefits of having a relationship with spirits for generations come into play. You can form contracts with spirits of ranks that you wouldn’t normally be able to. It’s quite an amazing advantage. Although spirit mages aren’t popular.

Thanks to Silphy’s mediation, Sara and the others can fight with ease, ensuring that the burden on the human side is minimized. As a trade-off, it seems Fukuchan and the others will have slower growth, but they seem quite satisfied because they can eat plenty of food.

“Well then, I’ll ask Bell and the others to immobilize the monsters, so Mel, your role will be to deliver the finishing blow.”

It’s basically power-leveling.

“Huh? Is that okay?”

“As an adventurer, it’s not allowed, but you’re a blacksmith, after all. But it might still provide some useful insights if you observe the battles closely.”

Communication with spirits might be a learning experience while watching the battles.

“Understood. I’ll do my best. Thank you.”

Mel bows her head, and I nod in response. We begin power-leveling.