Chapter 30

"!"

For a moment, Saveria's face showed a flicker of surprise at the man's words.

"What are you talking about! Don't mess with me!"

But in the next instant, Saveria shouted at the masked warrior, her anger apparently surpassing her fear. This caused Margulus, who had been writhing in pain, to also let out a shout.

"You hit me! Fighting among adventurers is forbidden!"

Margulus's outburst drew the attention of the people in the nearby adventurer's guild. ...And in the next moment, Amhurst appeared from the guild, directing a critical gaze at the masked warrior.

"What's going on? From where I stand, it looks like you're using violence against Margulus-sama!"

"Amhurst! That's right, this guy suddenly—"

Margulus's face lit up at Amhurst's appearance. He was about to join Amhurst in condemning the masked warrior...

"I am a direct adventurer of the guild, you know?"

...But the masked warrior's words changed the atmosphere of the scene dramatically.

A direct adventurer of the guild is contracted directly by the guild headquarters in the capital. They possess top-notch skills and various authorities that rival those of a guild branch manager. Direct adventurers of the guild are not bound by the guild's regulations.

"!"

...And Amhurst, who had been about to provoke such an opponent, suddenly paled.

"That, that Margulus-sama, this time—"

In the next moment, Amhurst tried to defuse the situation and told Margulus and the others.

"Huh, a direct adventurer of the guild? I don't know how important you were in the capital, but this is a labyrinth city! What are you going to do, clinging to your past glory?"

"Exactly. What? Are you saying that because you're a direct adventurer of the guild, we should overlook your mistakes?"

...But Amhurst's words were too late. Margulus and Saveria continued to berate the masked warrior, not understanding the extent of his authority or even realizing what they were doing. Amhurst tried to stop them, but Margulus and the others didn't even notice his presence.

"Or are you trying to say that because you're an adventurer from the capital, you want to leave this party? Too bad, but forget it."

"Right, in the labyrinth city, once you join a party, you can't leave!"

...And in the next moment, Margulus and the others uttered fatal words.

They tried to bind adventurers with non-existent regulations, a fatal mistake. In fact, there were no such regulations in the labyrinth city. These were likely fabricated by Amhurst on the spot to deceive me.

But such a fabrication would have no effect on a direct adventurer of the guild.

"!"

At that moment, Amhurst, the only one who understood the situation, turned pale. But it was too late.

"Hmm."

The masked warrior observed Margulus, Amhurst, and the others and muttered.

"...So, it's this corrupt?"

The next words that slipped from Margulus's mouth were filled with unhidden anger.

"N-no, it's a misunderstanding! Margulus-sama just—"

The moment the masked man spoke, Amhurst desperately tried to explain.

"Huh? You were quite polite when you explained things to me. Were all of those misunderstandings?"

"! Don't interfere—"

Amhurst glared at me with a murderous look and tried to say something in response to my words. However, the masked man did not allow Amhurst to continue.

"Shut up, I don't want to hear your excuses."

"! I understand..."

Amhurst's face showed a look of despair, and he fell silent. After confirming that Amhurst had stopped, the masked warrior turned back to Margulus and the others.

...And at that moment, signs of unease finally appeared on Margulus and the others' faces.

"Lightning Sword party, from today on, you are no longer top-tier adventurers. I, who have been officially ordered by the capital's guild to investigate the adventurers of the labyrinth city, declare this by my authority."

"!"

"Why!"

...But the moment they heard the masked warrior's words, Margulus and the others started to complain in unison.

"Is this the level at which you complain?"

...However, the masked warrior's anger forced Margulus and Saveria to fall silent.

"Ha, ha, ha..."

"Ha, ha, ha!"

The masked warrior suppressed his anger and looked coldly at Margulus and the others, who were coughing, and began to speak.

"The fine for the fraud of leading your comrades to the labyrinth boss, the fine for deceiving the healer to prevent them from leaving the party, and the compensation for the return magic item. You will have to pay all of these."

"..."

...Margulus and the others were speechless at the masked warrior's words. The fines imposed on the Lightning Sword party were so large that it would be a close call whether they could pay them by selling all their assets, given their status as top-tier adventurers with good equipment and some savings.

"Wait, wait, please!"

...And to somehow reduce these fines, Margulus raised his voice. With a desperate smile, Margulus and Saveria tried to persuade the masked warrior.

"Enough!"

...But their words were interrupted by Armia's angry outburst. When she shouted at Margulus, Armia's face was still pale, probably still affected by the fear from the battle with the Phoenix. Nevertheless, her voice was firm when she shouted at Margulus and the others.

"A-Armia..."

...And at Armia's outburst, confusion appeared on Margulus's face, as if asking why she wasn't supporting him.

...But when Margulus realized that the masked warrior was looking at him with a murderous gaze, his face turned pale, and he ran away from the scene. Saveria, using her full-speed skill, chased after him. After confirming this, Armia bowed to me and the masked warrior.

"I am truly sorry. We will do our best to repay the fines."

With those words, Armia left the scene with unsteady steps. I almost chased after her, but I suppressed the urge and turned back to the masked warrior. There was something I had to do before Armia.

"!"

For a moment, the masked warrior showed a flicker of surprise at my turn.

"The labyrinth city is dangerous. You should go to the capital's guild. The capital is now safer because of the capture of malicious adventurers."

...But in the next moment, he feigned indifference and said in a clearly lower voice than before.

But I did not react to his words. I just stared at the masked warrior and spoke.

"...Why are you dressed like that, Sieg?"

"!"

...At that moment, the masked warrior, or rather Sieg, showed clear signs of shock.