Chapter 55 - 55: - In Guild [Yoizuki]

About an hour after the dungeon collapse of Kenzaki Dungeon ended.

A man was sitting at the desk in the guild master's room of the [Yoizuki] guild. Suddenly, a knock was heard from the door of the room and the man hurriedly adjusted his posture to make himself look more dignified.

"You can come in."

"Excuse me."

The one who came in was a long silver-haired girl. Seeing her, the man immediately relaxed his posture.

"I thought who, and it's Claire, huh. My efforts to try to look more dignified has gone in vain.".

"….Master, please get your act together. You will set a bad example to the members of the guild."

"You could always call me Papa, you know?"

"Please allow me to differentiate between a private and public matter. Besides, I won't call you that way anyway."

"Cold!"

The girl called Claire continued to speak without minding the guild master who displayed a depressed behavior.

"This is a report. Although late, I had gone to the location because the last boss seemed about to leave the Kenzaki Dungeon. However, the party that went ahead to the boss room safely succeeded in subjugating the last boss."

"I see, that's the best outcome. Still, why the long face?"

"…It seems the five adventurers who challenged were wiped out except for one."

"Wait. From the previous report, wasn't the party who challenged the dungeon first the King of Unique?"

"Did you know them?"

The guild master nodded.

"Yes. They're a party that recently became famous, but it was actually a little over one year ago that I met them. I see, so it was a strong enemy that could even kill them, huh… Then, the one who survived must be Amane Rin…No, he surely has left the party even before that. Is it the leader?"

"No, it was a girl who recently joined their party, Kurosaki Rei–Wait, just now, did you say Amane Rin?"

"Indeed, what's wrong with that?"

"Actually, when the dungeon disappeared, there was another person who returned to the surface with the transfer magic besides the B-rank party from Yoizuki and Kurosaki Rei. And that man's name should be Amane Rin."

"What did you just say?"

The guild master leaned forward as if he was interested in the topic.

"That man didn't help to subjugate the last boss?"

"Yes. The report said he rushed into the dungeon after the King of Unique began to subjugate the last boss. The members of our guild have confirmed that the gate of the boss room was never opened too. So, there is no way he could participate in the subjugation."

"…Well, that is common sense after all."

Claire had doubts when she saw the normally optimistic and sloppy guild master had a serious look on his face.

"Did you know about him too?"

"Yes. I invited him to join our guild a year ago. I was immediately turned down, though. Well, it might be because I didn't bring my business card as I was off duty at the time. So, he possibly thinks it was a fraud."

"Does the fact that the master directly invited him mean he has that much ability?"

"No? He was incredibly weak and was looked down on as incompetence by the people around him."

"Then, why?"

"I do think his unique skill has potential in the future, but what made me interested were his eyes."

"Eyes?"

The guild master nodded and continued to answer Claire who had a puzzled expression on her face.

"Yes, his behavior and response were actually ordinary, but only his eyes were different. His eyes were dangerously straight like someone who will keep going forward whatever it takes for the sake of his goals…Yes, just like your eyes, Claire."

"Is that so…"

Claire closed her eyes after hearing the words of the guild master as if remembering the memories of the past.

"Anyway, thanks for the report. For this matter, let's just say it was fortunate that no ordinary people became victims for the time being. Still, I do feel sorry for those who died here too."

"Understood. Then, please excuse me."

Claire opens the door of the guild master room and goes out after bowing her head to the guild master. Then–

"Same as me…?"

With a pair of deep blue eyes akin to the deep blue sea, she muttered.