Chapter 85

With the Thanksgiving Festival just a few days away, two people were facing each other in a small conference room of the Explorer's Guild.

One was the guild master who managed the southern part of the continent, including the Great Labyrinth in the south—Leon Conti.

The other was a bestower currently part of the Hero Party—Phyllis Carpenter.

The atmosphere between the two was far from amicable, with a palpable tension that seemed to be on the verge of breaking.

"First of all, well done. To meet the quota in less than two months, you really are the Hero Party. Gathering such a large amount of magic stones must have been quite a challenge."

Leon, with his usual cheerful smile, offered words of encouragement.

"...Is that sarcasm?"

Phyllis, in response to Leon's words, spoke with a bitter and stern expression, as if she had just bitten into a sour bug.

"No, no, I have no such intention—"

Leon's words were sincere. The number of magic stones the guild had demanded as a penalty would have taken at least three months for even an A-rank party, excluding the likes of *Silver Hare of the Night* and *Copper Dusk*. To achieve this in less than two months was certainly worthy of praise.

"Still, I thought the first dungeon exploration of the Hero Party would be a bit of a mess. You dug your own grave by being too cautious."

"Ugh... That doesn't matter. The reason I came here today is one. Why didn't you report to me that *Amunzars*—specifically, *White Mage*—was in the Great Labyrinth in the south?"

Though her tone was soft, Phyllis's gaze was so sharp that it could make an ordinary person tremble.

"Why, you ask? We had a strict gag order, so it's impossible for a mere explorer like you to receive any communication."

Leon stated the reason calmly, without flinching at Phyllis's sharp gaze.

"A mere explorer? That's just a facade, isn't it? I am the Grand Master's confidante. My position is higher. Know your place."

"Even if I had told you about *Amunzars*, can you imagine what would have happened? You and *White Mage* would have engaged in a fierce battle, causing significant damage to the people in this town. Knowing that, I couldn't tell you."

"...I think your imagination is correct. If I had known, I would have definitely moved to kill that woman. But what's wrong with that? She is a clear enemy. And there's the righteous cause of hunting down a murderer who has been killing explorers. Killing that woman is a priority. If it means killing her, I don't care if everyone in this town dies."

"...What do you think of human lives?"

Leon's cheerful expression faltered, and he spoke in a strained voice, barely suppressing his anger.

"I don't think of them at all. If I must, they are convenient puppets that work for me, right?"

Phyllis replied in a light tone, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Heretic..."

"I don't understand why you go to such lengths to protect those inferior beings. —Ah, you were one of them, weren't you?"

She mocked him with a disdainful and belittling expression.

"...You shouldn't look down on us. If you do, you'll eventually regret it."

"Heh, regret it, huh? How exactly? If I use my ability, you'll forget this conversation the next moment. What can such a fragile existence do to me?"

"...Do you think I would come here and face you without taking any precautions?"

"..."

"If you knew I would be here, why didn't you do anything?"

"..."

"Your ability is powerful. With the right use, you can even reshape the world. But it's not perfect. Try using it on me. The moment you do, the location of the guild's headquarters and all your past misdeeds will be broadcast to the world. How do you think *Amunzars* will react? They will most likely launch an assault on the headquarters, with all their might."

"—But, even that... you..."

"I will forget, of course. But the trap I've set is not that simple."

Phyllis looked at Leon, trying to gauge his true intentions.

"Is this not a clear act of treason? You swore loyalty to him, didn't you?"

"Hmph, I never swore loyalty to the Grand Master."

"What—"

"Of course, the Grand Master knows this. The guild's true purpose is of no concern to me. In fact, I despise it. However, the guild is essential to the current society. That's why I work here. —For the sake of the innocent people living in this world!"

Leon's words were forceful, his voice conveying the depth of his conviction.

"...Huh. It sounds like a bluff, but there's a chance it's not. Fine, I'll call this one a loss."

"There's no winner or loser in this conversation."

"For now, I'll leave you alone, and I ask you to do the same for me."

The tense atmosphere eased somewhat with Phyllis's words.

"Alright, that works. —I hope your plans fail."

As they acknowledged each other's non-interference, Leon added a sarcastic remark, but Phyllis only frowned slightly and left the room without a word.

"Phew. It was a risky move, but it might have served as a deterrent. —Now, I need to prepare for the Thanksgiving Festival."

Once Phyllis's footsteps faded away, Leon, alone in the room, took a deep breath and returned to his usual gentle demeanor.

Thank you for reading to the end.

I hope you will enjoy the next chapter as well.