Chapter 74

"Did you hear? It seems that the *Heaven's Eye* has come to pay a visit to the emperor."

At the Fias Adventure Guild, after the busy early morning hours, Larry, who was at the reception desk, was approached by his senior, Tia, who was also idle.

"I heard, it's quite the topic of conversation around town."

"This time, it's been seven years, right?"

"Eight years, actually. There haven't been any incidents that required her to travel recently."

As Larry said, it is a well-known fact that Melti, the *Heaven's Eye*, only moves in times of national crisis. The last time she appeared, if Larry's memory serves him correctly, was during the battle against the Seven Star King's followers. The sudden appearance of the *Heaven's Eye* and her elimination of the giant dragon with just two spells is still fresh in everyone's memory. However, there is a reason why the *Heaven's Eye* cannot move easily. Her battles are on such a large scale that the collateral damage is catastrophic. Even though the last battle resulted in minimal human casualties, it still destroyed an entire field. Thinking about how close it came to creating a second permanent wasteland, Larry, an ordinary person, can't help but shudder. Nevertheless, the *Heaven's Eye* is an undeniable great hero to humanity, and her name is so revered that there are even religions dedicated to worshipping her. That's why people are so excited about the rumor that she has returned to the capital after such a long time.

"Even though we're part of the guild, we're just using her name, you know. I'd really like to meet her once."

Tia sighed slightly, with a hint of resignation. In response, Larry recalled a fading memory.

"I've seen her once."

"Liar! I'm so jealous... So, what did she look like?"

"She looked like a typical vampire. I was so captivated, even as a woman."

"I see. But, given her strength, it's no surprise she's considered a seductive and enchanting woman."

Larry couldn't recall the memory clearly after so many years, but the beauty and strength of the *Heaven's Eye* were deeply etched in his mind. It was because of seeing her that Larry decided to become an adventurer and, despite his lack of talent, joined the guild as a staff member.

"Hmm, I wonder why she's moving now."

"I think it's because foreign travelers have started visiting the Starting City. And I've heard that several named monsters have been defeated recently."

"Even the Red Wolf, right? I've heard that foreign travelers are beings beyond death, but I never thought one of them would defeat a traveler from the Starting City."

As a guild staff member, Larry and Tia have far more knowledge than ordinary people or even most adventurers. They understand the significance of the Red Wolf, a monster that had never been defeated before. It's no wonder they are surprised.

"According to rumors, it was a young girl from the Oni race."

"Really? Is she registered as an adventurer?"

"If there was such a story, we would have received an official notice, I think."

"True. Speaking of Oni, did Amber cross the bridge because of this?"

"I think so."

Unlike the *Heaven's Eye*, who is almost a legend, Amber, the *City Breaker*, is a more approachable hero. Her calm and steady demeanor coexists with her destructive power. The passion she harbors within is also part of her charm as an Oni. Both Tia and Larry have met her in person and have even handled her at the reception desk. However, as a solitary adventurer, her profile is not as detailed as one might expect. Even though Amber has enough wealth to live comfortably for the rest of her life, the reason why she continues to be an adventurer is unknown.

"The thoughts of the Creation God are completely incomprehensible."

"That's true. But, that's the nature of a god."

The Creation God, who governs this world, sometimes gives trials to people, sometimes brings entertainment, invites foreign travelers, and gives names to monsters. His unpredictable actions are almost impossible to read, but that is precisely why he is the supreme deity.

While Larry and Tia were chatting and organizing documents, they suddenly felt a commotion in the guild. At this time of day, the adventurers in the guild are either holding strategy meetings, drinking during the day, or simply idle. There are usually not many people around, but the commotion was enough to pique their interest, and they peeked out from the reception desk.

Following the gazes of the adventurers, it seemed that something had just entered the guild. A young Oni girl wearing a rust-colored kimono and a scarlet metal accessory on her head, carrying a golden staff on her back and no other luggage, but presumably holding a Mew Card. If that were all, it would just be a rare Oni girl with unusual equipment. However, Larry, who didn't notice her uniqueness at first glance, greeted the girl who had come to his area.

"Excuse me, can I help you?"

Larry thought the girl had a somewhat fluffy and slightly rude aura. She seemed to lack any drive. Most people who register as adventurers at the Fias Adventure Guild are either seeking fame and fortune or are driven by a sense of adventure, but this girl seemed to have come out of mere curiosity. Nevertheless, the reception desk's motto is to be cheerful. For Larry, who deals with tough men every day, the mere fact that the person in front of him was a cute girl was enough to boost his spirits.

"Welcome to the Adventure Guild! What brings you here today... Your proof!?"

Larry's smile faltered, and he was shocked. The metal plate hanging from the girl's neck was made of Orichalcum, one of the hardest metals known as *Divine Steel*. It is a symbol of those recognized by the gods, given only to those who have single-handedly defeated a named monster, a proof of trials. Both Larry and his senior Tia had never seen a real one before. It was only because they had just been talking about it that they recognized it. This girl was the one who had defeated the Red Wolf near the Starting City just the other day.

"Hehe..."

The girl's reaction was a mere chuckle, as if she had received this reaction before. Despite knowing she should remain calm, Larry's mental state was in turmoil due to the sudden shock. The commotion among the guild's adventurers was likely because they had quickly recognized her. Adventurers of a certain rank are well aware of the threat of named monsters and the existence of this proof. This girl, who didn't look particularly strong, had proven her strength with just this one accessory.

Moreover, the hair accessory on her head also seemed to be made of *Divine Steel*, specifically Hihirokane, which had a similar shine. Larry tried to keep his head from exploding and focused on his job as a receptionist.

Trying to remain calm. Tia, who had been spacing out while Larry was explaining the guild to the Oni girl, Skuna, secretly thought it was a good thing it wasn't her. Fortunately, Skuna seemed to have a gentle personality, and she didn't complain about Larry's distracted response. She was happily selecting quests. Strong adventurers often have strong personalities, but in this sense, Skuna might be more like Amber, who has a straightforward and clear personality. Watching her change expressions while carefully selecting quests was endearing. However, Oni are a race whose physical appearance and actual age do not always match, and even if they look young, they can be quite old. Oni, especially those who look young, often dislike being treated like children, so Larry didn't say anything.

"Oh, this one looks good."

Skuna, flipping through the quest list, chose a quest related to the Mysteria Rabbit, a somewhat troublesome monster. While it is a permanent quest due to constant demand, the actual successful hunts are rare, with one a month being a good outcome. The quest, which involves defeating a single monster and bringing back materials for a high reward, is tempting but problematic. There was no reason to doubt her strength, and the Mysteria Rabbit itself is not a particularly strong monster, so there was no need to worry. However, this monster is special in a different way. After considering all this, Larry tried to stop her from taking the quest, but Skuna casually said she had hunted it before. Thinking it was better to let it be, Larry's best effort was to recommend additional quests to ensure she could complete the minimum requirements.

☆

Just over two hours later, as the guild was buzzing with the arrival of adventurers for lunch, Larry realized, "Ah, it didn't work out," as he sensed Skuna's return.

"Excuse me."

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Is this a quest completion report? Or a cancellation?"

"Um, it's a completion report."

Hmm, at least she completed some quests. Rabbit meat can be obtained from any rabbit, and if she was lucky, she could have found and defeated a Kirabit in this time.

"Then, please transfer your items to us first."

"Wow, high-tech."

The guild has a special storage system that allows direct submission from Mew Cards. It seems to be a gift from the Creation God, but Larry doesn't know the detailed history. Mew Cards, which have always been a part of Larry's life, didn't exist in the past. Some long-lived elders don't have Mew Cards, and he has heard that even the *Heaven's Eye* doesn't have one. This single item can revolutionize the concept of carrying items, but it must be handled with care.

The meaning of Skuna's word "haiteku" was unclear, but she seemed genuinely impressed. After smoothly transferring the materials from her Mew Card, Larry began to check her battle history. The battle history on the Mew Card records the number of opponents killed. Only the monsters killed since the last check are displayed, which helps prevent fraud. However, during registration, the focus is on whether the person has killed humans, not the detailed battle history. Larry had forgotten to check this during registration due to his nervousness.

"Decarabbit: 10, Kirabit: 11, Carorabbit: 7... Mysteria Rabbit: 5... 5!?"

Seeing the battle history, Larry couldn't help but exclaim. The previous history was saved during registration, so this must be what she hunted in the last two hours. A high-level adventurer might spend days chasing a Mysteria Rabbit and still fail, but a level 40 adventurer had defeated five in just a few hours. It was abnormal, clearly abnormal. The girl in front of him still had a fluffy and elusive aura, making it hard to believe she had the strength to defeat multiple Mysteria Rabbits. Trying to contain his shock, Larry began to calculate the reward.

"Here is your reward of 500,000 Ilis."

He placed a bag full of money on the reception counter with a thud. While the Mew Card could store it instantly, the visual impact was important. Adventurers prefer to see the reward in a tangible form rather than a mundane transfer.

"Wow, that's amazing."

Seeing Skuna's wide-eyed reaction, Larry felt a slight sense of accomplishment.

To be honest, the demand for Mysteria Rabbit materials mostly comes from nobles. Despite their relatively large population around the capital, the circulation of materials is minimal. The value keeps rising due to the imbalance between supply and demand. A single Mysteria Rabbit can be worth hundreds of thousands of Ilis, making it a highly valuable monster. Therefore, among the permanent quests, it has the highest reward and significantly impacts the adventurer's rank. Most importantly, it can get the adventurer's name remembered by nobles. On the other hand, the disappointment if the quest fails is immense, and the damage to the adventurer's reputation is significant. Therefore, clever adventurers avoid such quests, preferring to build their reputation through basic tasks.

Incidentally, from a purely financial perspective, submitting Mysteria Rabbit materials to the guild is not the smartest choice. While there are benefits, the fees and other deductions make it slightly less profitable.

"I'll be back."

"Sure, take care."

As Skuna left with a slight smile, Larry let out a deep sigh and slumped into his chair.

"Good work. It was like a storm."

"Really... But, she's the Oni girl who defeated the Red Wolf. For someone like that..."

"Doesn't have an aura, right?"

The low voice that continued Larry's vague words belonged to a middle-aged man who had appeared behind them. Tia and Larry quickly straightened their posture.

"Master! Sorry, we were a bit relaxed."

"No, it's fine. It'll be busy again later. Still, it was interesting to have such a person come by."

The middle-aged man, called Master, looked in the direction Skuna had left.

(Hmm, so that's the Oni girl the *Heaven's Eye* mentioned. It seems the named monsters are being defeated in various places. If that's true, there's a possibility that a star will fall for the first time in centuries. ...Hehe, will the foreign travelers, as predicted, turn this world upside down?)

Recalling the words of the vampire hero who had visited a few days ago, predicting the future, he smiled inwardly. The sudden appearance of foreign travelers, the *Heaven's Eye* breaking the eight-year silence, the Oni who defeated the Seven Star King's manifestation, and the continuous defeat of named monsters. The world's transformation had only just begun.

The Mew Card, a form of over-technology, has slightly different functions for players and NPCs, including viewing bulletin boards. Some, like Melti, have their own storage, but it's not essential. It's a convenient item that serves as an ID, wallet, smartphone, and storage.