CH 145

We’re back in the guild. It’s kind of noisy, but that’s all right.

We report that we hunted the goblin king, and I show its head and magic stone. They take the head, but I keep the magic stone, so I don’t get any money.

And so, I deliver monsters we took down from the sixth to the ninth floor. I keep ten magic stones of each monster except goblins and deliver the rest, including materials.

I also ask that they take apart one blood snake and give the meat back. One blood snake is enough to produce quite a lot of meat.

“I have a few more things to do here in the guild. I’ll see you later at home.”

None of them leave, because I guess they’re worried about what I’m going to do.

Oh well…

“Hikari and Sera, I need you to run an errand. I think it’s early enough that Taliyah and the others haven’t gone out shopping yet, so go with them and buy a large amount of ingredients. We beat our first boss room, so I want to make something special. Tell them that too.”

I actually have something else in mind, but I’m dancing around that.

“Can I count on you?”

“…Yes. All right.”

Hikari says yes, and Sera also doesn’t say no. As for Mia, it might be best if two people offer their testimony, so I think it’s a good idea for her to stay. I don’t know if I could convince her to go anyway.

“Thank you then.”

The two girls leave, and I head to the reception desk again.

“…Is there anything you need?”

“I want to see the guildmaster. If that isn’t possible, someone of relatively high standing.”

“Hum… May I ask why?”

“I want to ask something about the dungeon. About how people use the dungeon, I guess. We went there to challenge a boss room, but saw that there’s a line, and people have to wait for their turn. But the people actually challenging the boss room weren’t there, and instead there were others who were paid to wait in line for them. Is that how it works here?”

I start talking pretty fast unconsciously, because talking about this made me remember it and got me mad.

“Hum, is that true?”

“It is. And they got in our way multiple times when we tried to enter the boss room.”

The receptionist lady looks troubled.

That’s why I wanted to talk to someone of higher standing. There’s no point in getting mad at her.

“If you can’t pass judgment, you can call someone who can.”

“Hum, were there really people doing that?”

“There were. And we saw people that came in after us enter the boss room ahead of us three times.”

Says Mia, and the receptionist is looking more and more troubled.

She’s peeking at the slave collar. Is she thinking that I told Mia to say that, and she can’t disobey me?

“Is what you just said true?”

Someone behind us asks.

I turn around, and see who I’m pretty sure is Ash of Guardian Sword.

“Yes, it’s all true. Your commander is a stickler for the rules, right? Then I’ll ask you. Is there any rule that permits people to stand in line in place of others in front of boss rooms?”

“No, that is not allowed.”

“Then, did the people doing it get permission from someone? Everyone was acting like it was natural. Did the guild authorize it? Or clans?”

“What are you talking about?”

Ash’s commander enters the scene. I think his name is Jake.

I explain it again.

“Is that true… Sora, right?”

“It is.”

“I wanted to talk to you anyway. Hey, is the guildmaster here?”

“Y-yes. She is.”

“Then I want to talk to her. Let us borrow a room.”

“…The third conference room on the second floor is empty. You can use it.”

“Very well, then we will be waiting there. Can you call the guildmaster?”

The receptionist bows and runs. So that’s what it’s like to be influential…

Jake sees her go, and starts walking silently, with Ash right behind him.

Should I follow them too? I guess I don’t mind, because it looks like they’ll listen to me. Although I did feel a bit of enmity coming from them.

We enter a room, and I sit down. Mia sits next to me, and Jake and Ash sit in front of us.

It’s completely silent, and the mood is heavy. I think about saying something, but Jake closed his eyes as he sat down, and has a ‘don’t talk to me’ aura around him.

Is it because it would save me the effort if I speak after the guildmaster arrives? Yes, let’s stay positive and assume that’s it.

Mia looks concerned and grabs my sleeve, but I give her a light tap on the hand, as if to say everything’s fine.

Eventually Reese, the guildmaster, comes in.

She looks around the room and everyone in it, and I can see her scowl just a little, before she clears her expression and sits down.

I kind of get the feeling that there’s an invisible wall between her and us.

“So, why are you all here?”

She asks me, and I tell her what happened on the tenth floor.

“Is that true?”

“It’s true. There were people of Guardian Sword there too, so you can ask them.”

“Are you really telling the truth? If this is a lie, we won’t forgive you for trying to disgrace us.”

I guess they have a strong sense of camaraderie. They’re glaring at me.

I tell them the names of the people that were there. Ash looks at Jake, lowers his head, and leaves after hearing those names.

“There are records of when we entered the dungeon, right? You could check and compare them and see for yourselves. Or does the guild authorize that sort of thing?”

“No, nothing like this was decided by the guild. Adventurers might agree on these things among themselves, but… It’s a little underhanded.”

Reese peeks at Jake.

“It is underhanded. If it really is happening, that is.”