「……こいつら、本気だったのか？」

　唖然と地面に倒れ込んでいるオーガの心臓のメンバーを見ながら呟くレイ.
　その表情には、呆れというよりも驚きが張り付いている.
　自信満々でレイへと挑み掛かって来たオーガの心臓のメンバー達だったが、デスサイズを使うまでもなく素手の攻撃であっさりと全員倒され、その場で気を失ってしまった.
　レイが驚いていたのはその弱さだ. その行動や口調、身のこなしからそれ程強くはないだろうと思ってはいたのだが、それでもレイが予想していたよりも遥かに弱く、むしろそれが何らかの作戦で弱い振りをしているのでは？　とすら一瞬疑ってしまったのだが……結局は、レイにあっさりと倒されたその実力が真の実力だったらしい.

「そう言うなよ. 元々ギルムの街で活動しているとあそこが標準に思えるかもしれないが、あそこの冒険者達はミレアーナ王国の中でも腕の立つ者が揃ってるんだぜ？」

　ロドスの言葉を聞きながら思わず眉を顰めるレイ.

「それにしたって弱い. 弱すぎるぞ. これならまだゴブリンの涎の方が手応えがあった」
"Goblin's mouth... You said they were Goblin's gallstones, but are you holding a grudge against Goblin?"

　Rodos looks at Ray somewhat dumbfounded.

"No, that's not the case," Just like this... just for somehow."
"They'll have to think about what to do instead of talking forever. Well, before that, was there anything I should have done?"

　Min muttered and bowed deeply to Ray.

"Hey, Mom!"
"Rodos, you bow to Ray, too. Whatever the reason for our looters, it has been used in a rash plot against Ray. And even Elk... Thank you. I will repay you at any cost."
"I wouldn't say, "Don't worry about it, but you're right." I'd like to ask you something later, so you can listen to it."
"...thank you,"

　He bowed and thanked again, and Rodos, who was watching him, bowed next to Min as if he had been caught.

"I'm saved. I'll pay this debt one of these days."

　Thank you in your usual strong tone.
　Rodos understands that Ray is better than he is. However, losing to younger people of the same age was naturally frustrating, and it was one of the reasons why I couldn't be honest.
　It is true, however, that Ray is superior to Rodos in terms of combat power, but it is also true that Rodos is superior in terms of pure overall power as an adventurer. There is a reason why Ray specializes in combat, but he is lower than Ray in general because he is not good at socializing with people, and he has little experience in being asked to guard and investigate. But Rodos himself is misled by the fact that the greatest factor that others expect from adventurers is combat power.

"As for courtesy, I'll do anything later." -- what shall we do with them?"

　Ray turns to the heart of the auger, named the gallstone of the goblin.
　Fortunately, however, the issue of the auger's heart will not take long to resolve.

"I didn't have to ask, "Hey, are you safe?"

　With a sword in hand, Bild rushed into the room. At the same time, the other blade of the bluefin appears from behind.

"Well, but in a way it's on schedule, or rather... they're entangled." I couldn't help it, so I was incapacitated."
"Ah... there's no way a Rank E adventurer can beat Ray, who's a soloist. I want you to understand your ability a little bit."

　Bilke's words after his brother were unexpectedly cold because they had been entangled just because they were young and because the number of people at a party of four was smaller than AUGER's heart.

"Yes. It's been involved for a long time... I thought it had stopped since we rose to the top. I can't believe you're going to be killed in a place like this in connection with Ray, a higher rank than us. He seems to like suicide bombings a lot, but I wish he had left all his money with me before he died."
"I'm not dead," I'm not dead."

　Vegriffe plunges into Carla with a cold sweat on his forehead.

"But this is what happened when you ignored the guildmaster's direct request? I don't think you can get away with a fine this time..."
"That's for sure," I don't think we'll be able to get rid of the guild, but I think we'll be demoted or forced to accept certain requests."

　a built‐in nod to Carla's words

(Even if the body is wrapped in muscle armor, the edge of words cannot be prevented.)

　Ray mutters like that inwardly while watching the conversation between the blades of Blue Ribbon.

"Grull?"

　Then just then, Seto peeps in through the other side of the window that Ray just crashed into.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm done thanks to Seto."

　The presence of Seto enabled Ray to launch a surprise attack on the enemy. Knowing this, Ray reaches out of the window with a smile on his face to stroke Seto's head.

"Set, I'm afraid I've caused you trouble. Thank you."

　Then Min says thank you to Seto and Ray with a smile.
　Originally, Seto and Min got along well with each other from the first time they met, and Seto answers Min with a squeak.

"Well, Set. Is that a help..."
"Grunt!"

　When Rodos calls out to Seto as if he were telling Min to continue, he interrupts her and shrieks sharply and glares at her.
　Contrary to Min, Seto was still hostile to Rodos, perhaps because he had a bad impression of meeting him for the first time.

"Ah... yes. I'm sorry. It wasn't my turn."

　Rodos can't complain about Seto, who helped him, and he withdraws quietly.
　Bild, watching the situation, eventually speaks as if he had recovered.

"Well, you can leave the heart of the auger to me for now." Ray and his men head for the guild. Can you tell the guildmaster that this case is over? I hope the two hostages will be able to relax as soon as possible."
"Well, that would help me, too.

　It must have been hard in many ways to be held hostage by a woman. Min nods, and Birke and Carla, who are the same women, look at the words sympathetically.
　In the end, it was up to the blade of Aoi to clean up the situation, and Ray and his men left the building and headed for the guild.

(... Come to think of it, there was no demon soldier after all.) Is it no wonder that they are treated with great secrecy in the Vestian Empire?)

　Ray, who had such a question in his heart, decided that, as long as he did not appear here, he would not have mobilized the Mystery this time...





(I see. Is Ray the one who has repeatedly disturbed the activities of the shadows in this region? It's true that he's very strong in battle, but... that's all I see. Rather, it would be the Gryphon with him. That Gryphon was aware of my presence.)about five kilometers from the building where Min and Rodos were held hostage. There was a man in the dark of the night.
　And from this place, five kilometers away, I had watched this uproar from beginning to end with my naked eyes.
　Of course, it's not something ordinary people can do. Even an elf or dark elf skilled in handling bows, or a beast with higher vision or a dwarf living underground, would not be visible from this position. Furthermore, there is a condition that it will be night.
　However, despite the fact that he was... out of his senses, Sett was half instinctively aware of his existence. After throwing Ray into the building, he was flying over the sky to watch out for others.

(Anyway, this plan is a half‐failed and half‐successful one. The best outcome would have been for Elk and Ray to be killed together. Still, I could confirm a part of his ability. and his partner, the Gryphon. ...when you see each other on the battlefield, you'd better use a tangled hand instead of a head-on collision. It's too exhausting to fight against someone like him.)

　mutter inwardly, emerge from the shadow of the building and disappear into the darkness of the night.

"We will never let our empire get in the way of the sea of grace."

　with an implacable murmur on the spot





"Mr. Ray, and I am glad that the two axes of the Thunder God are safe." I heard that there were some problems at the scene."

　It was Verde, the Guildmaster's secretary, who greeted the Reyes at the entrance when they returned to the guild in the city of Abuero.
　Min would have been the only one who could feel a touch of softness in his tone, even though he was as expressive as usual. At least Ray and Rodos didn't seem to be changing their faces. Unlike Rodos, though, Ray has only come to town today and met Verde once, so it's no wonder.

「ベルデ、久しぶりだな. 今回は手間を掛けさせた」
「……ベルデさん、お久しぶりです」

　ミンが頭を下げ、両親が捕まった最大の原因が一番最初に捕まった自分であると理解しているロドスもまた同様に、自らの失態で顔を赤くして頭を下げる.

「いえ、気にしないで下さい. 私達の街は今まで何度か雷神の斧の皆さんに助けられています. その恩返しが少しでも出来たのなら何よりですので」

　喋っている言葉は非常に真摯と言ってもいいのだが、その表情がピクリとも動いていない為にレイやロドスにしてみれば本気で言っているのかどうかは判断出来なかった.

「ま、まぁ. それはともかくだ. 結局残っていた3人の内1人は仲間に口封じに殺されて、もう1人は毒か何かで自殺. 生きて捕らえることが出来たのは1人だけだったんだが……セト」
「グルルゥ」

　a purring set On his back is a black man who fainted. However, he was bitten by monkeys so that he could not commit suicide by biting his tongue, and that he could not move... and that he could move only the tips of his hands and feet and the head by winding ropes all over his body as if Min and Rodos had been tied up in a way that would have been like a reprisal.

"This is..."

　As expected, the scene was unexpected, but Verde looked at the prisoner of war in dumbfounded fashion for a few seconds.

"Just to prevent suicide." I don't want you to get out of my rope."

　Verde nods softly, even with a smile on his face.

"This man is on guard over here, and you can come to the guildmaster's office."
"Well, I've got to give you a good report on this case. ... oh, yes, yes! As for the problem I mentioned earlier, it's not Goblin. Well, yes. The heart of an auger was running ahead into the spy's hideout. Then I thought these two were in danger and went first. We took control of the spy... and soon after that AUGER's heart came in, and we fought back because we were using force to make the spy our credit. For now, I might have injured you as much as a fracture, but don't worry, there's no fatal injury."
"That's... I'm sorry." I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

　The three Rays headed to the Guildmaster's office, seeing Verde off, bowing without moving his face.





"Min! Rodos!"

　the voice that came as soon as one entered the office Min was her husband, and Rodos' father's voice came from a communications crystal on Tillage's office desk.

"I'm sorry to trouble you this time, Elk,"
"Dad!? ...I'm sorry."

　Two apologetic faces to Elk on the crystal.
　Tillage looked at them with a smile.

"I'm glad you're safe," I am glad to hear that the two axes of the god of thunder were safe."
"Excuse me, guildmaster. For us in a different city...
"No, it's not something Min cares about. It was there that was originally set in this town. To be honest, I'm not happy that you seem to be licking me.
"Guildmaster?"

　Rodos involuntarily calls out the words with a smile.
　The reaction was probably unexpected because Tillage was famous for his gentle personality.
　However, it is impossible to assume the position of guildmaster just because he is gentle. There is no doubt a sharp fang hidden behind his soft face. It was Rodos, at the same time, who did not understand it.

"For now, shall we listen to this report?" and my guild would like to thank those who have acted so foolishly."

　Rodos, with a soft smile on his face, took a step back in spite of Tillage's power.