Chapter 35

In this world, black hair is extremely rare.

Even rarer when paired with black eyes.

Hikaru quickly hid behind something. Although he was scared of the hot dog vendor staring at him, he still hid. No, he thought, the girl in front of me is talking so loudly, why don't you look at her? But the vendor kept looking at Hikaru. What's going on?

Hikaru set his "occupation" to "Stealth God: One Who Embraces the Darkness" and activated "Stealth." Then he cautiously came out from his hiding place.

"Ah, a hot dog! It's nostalgic! Not that I've ever eaten one before, though!"

"......"

(Why is the vendor still looking at me! Can he see me!?)

When Hikaru moved to the left, the vendor's eyes followed to the left; when he moved to the right, the vendor's eyes followed to the right. The effect of "Stealth" should be clear. Proof of this is that the passersby didn't notice Hikaru at all. Yet, the vendor could see him.

"Hey, vendor, are you listening!?"

"Aah."

"What are you looking at!?"

"Aah."

His indifferent response was scary. Hikaru wanted to check the vendor's Soul Board to see if he was an enemy immune to "Stealth," but first, he needed to deal with the black-haired, black-eyed girl. When the distance between them was less than five meters, her Soul Board appeared.

(!?)

The display made Hikaru freeze.

[Soul Board] Serika Tanoue

Age 17, Rank 104

29

(The name—I could have guessed, but the rank! 104!?)

It was a number he had never seen before.

He didn't even know that ranks could exceed 100.

Her skill composition was—

[Life Force]

[Natural Regeneration] 4

[Stamina] 4

[Immunity]

[Magic Resistance] 5 (MAX)

[Disease Immunity] 1

[Toxin Immunity] 3

[Mana]

[Mana Capacity] 19

[Elemental Affinity]

[Fire] 5

[Wind] 5

[Earth] 5

[Water] 5

[Elemental Love] 3

[Mana Theory] 0

[Magic Creation] 2

[Dexterity]

[Tool Proficiency]

[Alchemical Apparatus] 3

He had to look twice.

[Magic Resistance]—[Immunity] type skills are probably maxed out at 5, which is fine.

But the problem is [Mana].

[Mana Capacity] is 19/30. Even Lavia's 11/30 is considered a significant amount of mana, yet this is 1.5 times that. It's monstrous.

Furthermore, all [Elemental Affinity] skills are at 5, which is odd. Lavia's [Fire] 6 is exceptionally high, as evidenced by the king's desire for her power. Yet, all of Serika's are at 5, and the mysterious [Elemental Love] skill is at 3.

(Is this some kind of skill that averages out various affinities?)

There were too many unknowns. [Mana Theory] being 0 suggests poor efficiency.

(But one thing is certain... this person is Japanese.)

She is in almost the same situation as Hikaru. The fact that she has a lot of leftover points suggests she can see Soul Boards. But to have raised her rank so much at this age is very Japanese.

Why do people level up in RPGs? —Because the levels are there.

Many Japanese people are so fond of leveling up that they would say, "If you raise your soul rank, something good will definitely happen," based on their experience with RPGs.

(And this person is most likely a member of the "Four Stars of the East.")

The strength of her stats, and the fact that she has no attendants—she must be an adventurer. If she is a high-ranking adventurer, Hikaru wouldn't be surprised if she were Rank B. He even thinks she might be higher.

The chance of such a powerful person being in Ponde "by coincidence" is slim. It's almost certain that she is a member of the all-female Rank B adventurer party, the "Four Stars of the East."

(...Wait, wait. It can't be that the other three are also Japanese, right?)

It feels like a clearance sale for people transferred to another world.

(Calm down, me. She might not be an enemy. If she's Japanese, we might have some common ground. ...But revealing my identity is out of the question. "Four Stars of the East" are famous. I shouldn't be associating with them. Lavia is dangerous.)

Thinking of Lavia, Hikaru reconsidered.

(Wait—why did the "Four Stars of the East" come to Ponde?)

There is only one connection.

The escort request for the Countess of Murgstadt, which was supposed to be taken by the "Four Stars of the East," was snatched by a Rank C party—this is the only reason.

What did they think after it was snatched?

It's hard to guess, but it's safe to assume they have an interest in Lavia.

(No contact. It's best to stay away from her.)

Hikaru quietly moved away—

"......"

(Why is the vendor still looking at me!)

Hikaru hurriedly fled.

"Hey, vendor."

"Aah."

"I asked where you're looking!"

"Cat."

"Cat? —Oh, you're right!"

Hikaru hadn't noticed, but there were a few stray cats walking along the roadside. The vendor had been following them with his eyes.

When Serika ran over happily, the cats scattered.

"—So, I'm going to investigate the "Four Stars of the East" today because their movements are concerning."

"I don't mind... but are you sure it's safe? They seem quite powerful."

Lavia, looking worried, took a bite of her sandwich. She had been somewhat hopeful that Hikaru would bring her a hot dog, and seeing the sandwich, she looked a bit disappointed.

"It's fine. I won't be noticed, definitely—probably."

Thinking back to the hot dog vendor, he added "probably" out of humiliation.

"Even if it's inconvenient, at least read this."

"Wow, a rental book!?"

"I chose something different from the adventure stories you've read."

They were practical books.

A plant encyclopedia, a monster encyclopedia, and a study on dungeons.

Lavia's eyes lit up. These books, without protagonists, would help them become the protagonists of their own adventures.

"Thank you, Hikaru!"

"I'm glad you like it."

Smiling at Lavia's enthusiasm, Hikaru left the hotel.

His first destination was the Adventurer's Guild. He suspected the "Four Stars of the East" might be there. Knowing your enemy and yourself ensures you will never be in peril in a hundred battles.

* * *

"Guild Master, I'm sorry to trouble you, but I know you must be busy."

"Nonsense, we can't ignore a Rank B adventurer."

"Thank you, that makes me feel better."

"Tell me—why are the 'Four Stars of the East' in Ponde?"

Unken picked up his teacup as he asked.

In the Guild Master's office, he sat on a guest sofa.

The freshly brewed tea was steaming.

"The reason, Guild Master, should be clear to you."

"I wouldn't be asking if I knew."

"...Is that so?"

He sipped the hot tea.

But his gaze was fixed on the young woman in front of him—she looked no more than 20.

She had beautiful, abundant blonde hair tied in a chignon. Her bright blue eyes held Unken's gaze.

Her straight nose and healthy pink lips gave her a strikingly healthy appearance.

Young men would not leave her alone, but unfortunately, Unken was an over-200-year-old non-human. He was long past his prime.

Solyuz Rande, the leader of the "Four Stars of the East," also known as the "Sun Maiden," was a Rank B adventurer on her own.

Her silver breastplate was adorned with exquisite decorations, making it look like a work of art. Her thin cloak and inner clothing were a refined beige, emphasizing her cleanliness.

This cleanliness was, in a sense, "abnormal." For adventurers, who walk through dirt and blood, wearing such clean clothes was "ridiculous." They would get dirty quickly.

Yet, she wore such clothes—probably regularly—because she had the wealth to buy new ones frequently, or because she often met people of a certain status.

"The escort of the Countess of Murgstadt... I heard that the Ponde branch took our request."

"'Took' is a harsh word. The proper procedures were followed, and the Capital Guild has approved it."

"I heard the Sub-Master handled the procedures."

"Yes... he's not here now."

Unken looked bitter.

The Sub-Master had left Ponde three days ago, claiming he needed to rest due to a summer cold and had returned to his hometown.

In hindsight, he must have heard that the "Four Stars of the East" were coming and fled.

"Guild Master, I'm not here to demand an apology."

"Then what do you want?"

"A redo of the request."

"...What?"

This was an unexpected request.

The countess had either fled or been kidnapped. There should be no redo.

"I take pride in our 100% success rate. It feels wrong for a request we were given to fail and be marred."

"So you want a redo... even though there's no one to escort?"

"I just need your permission to investigate the countess's disappearance. With the Adventurer's Guild's approval, it will be easier to move around."

This was not a difficult request for Unken.

Moreover, he himself felt uneasy about the current situation.

"Alright. We will assist you as much as possible. ...When we find the Sub-Master, I'll wring his neck."

"That would be best."

The Sub-Master had undoubtedly panicked, trying to make a name for himself.

A request from a noble. A named request, but the named adventurers were not returning. If he could complete it on his own, he would gain favor with the noble—Unken suspected he had also offered the Rank C adventurers a deal, such as allowing them to operate in Ponde for a while in exchange for a high-reward job. Ponde only had Rank D adventurers. Bringing in a Rank C would be a significant achievement.

"...Too much ambition can be destructive..."

"I agree."

"Now, let's discuss the details—"

Unken then discussed the case with Solyuz, providing information on the investigation and agreeing to lend her a map of Ponde.

After the conversation, Solyuz stood up, saying she would meet her party members.

"If anything happens, come to me."

"Yes. Thank you—"

As she left the office, Solyuz suddenly stopped.

"...Guild Master, are there other rooms on this second floor?"

"Hmm? The Sub-Master's room is there."

"Unoccupied... right?"

"Yes. I would sense someone if they were there. It's empty."

"I see... Is something bothering you?"

"No, I just thought I sensed someone. I must be anxious to start the investigation."

"...Indeed, the countess's trail will fade with time. I understand your urgency, but don't let it get to you."

"Yes. Thank you."

With that, Solyuz left the Adventurer's Guild.

Serika is a bit of a ditz.