Chapter 124 - Karan’s question- Part two

After getting back from the Goblin Forest, Karan headed straight to Sea Anemone and sat down next to  Nick, who was having dinner.

“…And that’s it. I want to look into my sister’s past and career… Do you know how?”

After hearing the whole story, Nick put his hand on his chin and started thinking.

“How to look into someone’s past…”

“Yes.”

Karan waited for Nick’s answer with great interest. Bond and Sem returned with her, and the former laid limply on the couch and the latter helped an employee washing dishes. At this point, they pretty much felt completely at home.

“…Like what she’s been doing, right… If it was a has-been adventurer like Leon or the kind of person that hangs out in the abandoned area, the best option would be to go to Manhunt.”

“Now that you mention it, apparently Suisen was an adventurer. Marcus looked impressed too. But she’s not a has-been or anything, I think she did pretty well.”

“Eh, an adventurer… I remember hearing about a really good dragon person years ago, but I never saw her…”

Nick suddenly stopped, and seemed not too confident in what he said next.

“…We can learn an adventurer’s history if we ask the Guild, but I doubt they’ll tell me right away if I ask.”

“Does it take too long?”

“They’re not used to it. Work that doesn’t earn money tends to end up getting put-off. It’s faster if we ask someone that hangs out with the employees to step in.”

“…Sounds shady.”

‘Hangs out’, ‘step in’… These words seem suspicious to Karan.

“They really are shady people, but at least one’s alright. He’s probably still there so… Sem, Bond, can I step away for a while? I want to go somewhere with Karan.”

“Hm? I have no issues with it.”

“I don’t mind either, but now that I think about it, is Tianna not back yet?”

Asked Sem, and Nick responded with an iffy expression.

“No…She came back, but she ran off to the library straight away.”

“Oh. She studies hard doesn’t she?”

“I didn’t even have time to stop her. Once she gets something in her mind her dynamism is incredible.”

Nick shrugged, and Karan pulled his sleeve.

“Nick? So what are we going to do?”

“Oh, wait, I completely forgot to ask you. Do you want to go there now?”

“Yes, but where exactly?”

“A detective agency.”

◆

It was a corner of a slightly dirty looking building.

It did not have the vulgar atmosphere of Sea Anemone, but neither the clear intention to make the customers relax and feel at ease. The closest comparison would be Olivia’s publisher Mysterious Terrane.

That was Wood’s Trusted Investigation Office.

“It’s been a while Nick. You look well… Which is kind of surprising considering all I’ve heard.”

A thirtyish year old man wearing a worn-out cap and a worn-out shirt welcomed Nick and Karan.

On his desk filled with documents was an ashtray with a pile of cigarettes. It was almost like a microcosm of his office.

“So you did hear about it. A lot did happen, but how much do you know?”

Nick leaned back on a sofa and sighed deeply.

“Well, I know you left All Martial Arts and formed a party called Survivors. You’ve been going up the ranks too, so I see you make a good leader.”

“Who knows?”

“You do. So what brings you here?”

Said the man as he lit another cigarette.

“Hey… Aren’t those all paper rolled? I see you’re doing well uh?”

“I’ve been getting them cheap from the capital. Want one too?”

“Nah. Let’s talk about work.”

“Alright.”

Said the man as he peeked towards Karan.

“You’re Survivor Karan aren’t you? You used to be in the vanguard of White Helan.”

For a second, Nick was worried Karan would be furious, but there was not a bit of anger on her face.

“Yes. And you?”

“I’m Hector Woods, kind of an adventurer.”

“Kind of?”

“I don’t really work as an adventurer. I go to Manhunt once in a while and join parties to make up the numbers, but my main occupation is as a detective.”

Karan clearly thought that word was interesting, and her tail swung slightly.

“What does a detective do?”

“I investigate cheating spouses, do background checks, and things like that… Sometimes when someone owes money, I look into how much.”

This answer did not match Karan’s expectations, and her tail stopped moving.

“…Is that different from the adventurers in Manhunt?”

This time Nick answered Karan’s question.

“The people that Manhunt goes after are usually criminals and people with bounties on their heads. People in this line of work investigate regular people and nobles.”

“I used to be a civil servant, you know? I used to compile and edit directories and account books in the capital…”

Hector was a minor noble living in the capital, until a certain incident drove him out.

Karan felt sympathy for him, until he explained further and told her he was driven out because he hit on a married woman.

“People leading normal lives and especially rich people and nobles are easy to investigate. I also act as a mediator when people want a letter of recommendation from a noble or to be a guarantor for an apartment and that sort of thing.”

“…Well, that’s how he is, but I guarantee he keeps his promises.”

Nick shrugged, knowing full well that was not a glowing endorsement.

“No matter what town you live in, the inhabitants are managed more or less the same way. As long as there are documents, they can be investigated.

As for everyone else, like people with bounties and bandits… I think you’re better suited to deal with them. Oh, I forgot, do you want some tea? Milk or sugar?”

“Just sugar.”

“Neither… How did you two meet?”

Karan asked with a certain coldness in her expression.

“A long time ago Nick saved me from some bandits at night, and I solved some of All Martial Arts’ troubles. Give and take, you know?”

Hector smiled as he poured tea. Despite his rough appearance and manner of speech, he excellently handled his tea utensils. He handed them amber colored tea, crossed his legs, and smiled boldly.

“I bet I can guess why you’re here.”

“What?”

“I don’t know where Karios of White Helan is either.”

“Eh?”

“Ah?”

Hector was confused by the surprise on Nick and Karan’s faces.

“Oh? Didn’t the old woman in the Guild tell you?”

He could only mean one person, Wilma.

“No, that’s the first I’m hearing of it. Did they hire you too?”

“Yes, but it’s almost impossible to do an investigation on a professional bandit. I did finish my investigation of the adventurer ‘side’ of Karios, but the rest is up to the knights.”

“I see…”

“So… Is it something else? Is it about All Martial Arts?”

“No… Did something happen with them?”

“They’re on a break.”

“Hmm…”

Nick seemed not too interested.

“Well, no matter what they said, they did lose an important piece when you left. I imagine they’re scrambling to replace you.”

“That’s fine, it doesn’t concern me. We’re getting off track, I want to talk about something else.”

“What is it?”

“I want you to investigate a dragon person adventurer.”

Blurted out Karan.

“If she’s a part of a Guild that should be easy… Tell me about her.”

“Apparently she was an adventurer, but then she started doing something else, and now she’s in a party called Wanderers. She had to start from scratch and she’s E rank now.”

Answered Karan.

“What’s her name? How old is she?”

“Suisen Tsubaki, and I’m pretty sure she’s 28. She has a baby too.”

“Did she get married and have a baby in this town?”

“Probably.”

“Ok, that’s enough. How long do I have and what do you want to know?”

“Five days, and as much as you can.”

“That’s not a lot of time…”

“If she has a baby, she should have a husband. I want to know what happened to him.”

Karan set the conditions with no hesitation. Nick was a little surprised, but quietly listened.

“Alright, got it. I’ll contact you when I get the information… Where are you living now?”

“In an inn close to Fishermen. Here.”

Nick wrote the name and location of the inn where he was staying and handed it to Hector.

“…You should live somewhere better. I guess it’s not so bad considering the rent.”

“That’s none of your business… Is what I’d like to say, but it’s been feeling kind of cramped lately.”

Nick’s room had both his things and Bond’s.

“Nick, Are you moving?”

Asked Karan.

“I’ve been thinking about it, but I think it’d actually be cheaper to rent an apartment instead of looking for a better inn, so I need to settle down and take my time looking.”

“A room like Tianna’s is useful.”

“But I’m not a noble, and to make matters worse I’m an adventurer, so I would need to get a guarantor… There’s Redd, but we also have to think about the letter of recommendation to rise to D rank.”

“Redd is a good person, but we shouldn’t ask too much.”

“Yeah. He says we’ve been doing a lot for him too, but he’s always accommodating us…”

Nick suddenly stopped.

“…Hey Karan. Wasn’t Karios, or rather, White Helan C rank?”

“Yes.”

“Then someone had to give them a letter of recommendation. Who?”