The location moves from the city of Emosion to the city of Gilm. A receptionist was breathing in the guild of adventurers as usual today.

"Hey, Kenny. You haven't had a good time at work lately, have I?"
"I know that," After all, I don't feel motivated without Ray."
"Mr. Ray would be doing well in the city of Emocion by this time. You know how strong Ray is, don't you?"
"That's true... but it's a port city, and I hope some woman hasn't made any strange interference with Ray."

　With a small sigh, Kenny looks over the papers at hand.
　I'm busy with work in the morning and in the evening, so I don't have to think about it at all, but when I'm free like this before noon, I can't help but worry about Ray.

"I'll tell you, if you're not serious about your work, I'll tell you exactly when Ray comes back."
"What? Hey, you don't have that, do you?"

　Kenny turns around impatiently and protests at Lenora's whisper in her ear.
　But Lenora had a small smile around her mouth as if she didn't know what Kenny said.

"It's not really a guild secret, and I'll just say it while we're chatting."
"So my image of being an older sister who can do that..."
"What can I do with you?" Whenever Mr. Ray comes, he's always in a bad mood. If you don't like it, work harder. Here's the adventurer's papers I received today's request. Please check it along with this document."
"Oh... Lenora's devil! The devil! Lenora!"
"... Hey, Kenny. I wonder what the curse is like. Why are my names listed with demons and demons?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Then I'll rephrase it like this. Lenora! Poor milk! No attraction to women!"
"Kenny!"

　Thus, there was already a conversation that could be said to be a specialty of the Guild of Adventurers in the City of Guillum, and the few adventurers in front of the request board, those who came to eat lunch a little earlier, or the clerks inside the counter looked at it warmly.





　Listening to what is going on on on the ground floor of the guild with a dark elf's distinctive keen sense of hearing, Marina places the report she was reading with a small smile on her desk and calls out to the person in front of her.

"Most of the nobles who came to the city of Gillum for a bad purpose have done with it. It's just like a wolf in the grass."

　As Marina tells her with a glamorous smile, Egg, who is also the leader of the wolves in the grass, nods slightly away.

"It is true that we could deal with illegal opponents. On the other hand, however, there is nothing else that can be done about it -- those who come to us under the orders of their bosses to pull out Ray."

　a wide‐chested evening dress The enchanting valleys and brown skin in it are hard for Eggs, who were leading wolves in the prairie, to take their eyes off the first time. Marina continues, knowing how Egg is doing.

"There's nothing I can do about it," But in such a case, no one is likely to be hostile to Ray, and it's enough to get rid of the people who came from the beginning on the assumption of looting or taking hostages."
"...I hope so,"

　Marina's beautiful eyebrows are frowned upon by Egg's words that seem to have something stuck in her back teeth.

"Is there any element of anxiety?"
"There are some people who are deliberately trying to break down negotiations with Ray."
"... Oh, that's interesting." I don't think it would be free if I offended Ray."

　Marina was surprised at Egg's words as if she had been blown away for a moment, and then covered her mouth with an amusing smile.
　But it's not a laughable situation for Egg.

"I'd like you to deal with it,"
"But you're the ones in charge of the matter, right? Can I touch it?"
"I heard that Ray listens to you very well?"
"That's not the case," Well, if she's interested in me personally, I don't mind."

　Marina says that and smiles again. The smile, however, was so different from the one she had just a few seconds ago that she had smeared into a woman's charms.
　Egg felt the male inside him rustling for a moment at Marina's atmosphere, which made him feel a sense of magnificence, but Marina immediately returns to her usual atmosphere.
　. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Anyway, if they actually act, they can do something about it as guildmasters, but it's a little difficult in the present state of doing nothing. Will you do your best there?"
"No matter what you say," That's the difference between us and guilds, isn't it? I think we'll only create an extra wave if we come into contact with them. That's what they're trying to do at first place."
"... oh, I see. That's the way it is. I wonder what they want after they break down negotiations and lose against Ray. Well, Ray is collecting a lot of magic items, and he may be more interested in that."

　With a wry smile, I remember the thorn I gave Ray as a reward. He was also awarded a magic tent by Dasker as a reward for his war with the Vestian Empire. Marina doesn't know how many aristocrats know about it, but those magic items are still very expensive and there will be a few stars out there who want them.

"Or are you going to make the nobles serve your own house as punishment for injuring their messengers? ... if that happens, they will probably all disappear."
"Come on, I'm afraid," ...no, he doesn't sound like a joke because he actually knows he's that good."
"Well, but at this rate, that's probably what's going to happen. So do something about it?"

　Egg nods to Marina with a smile on her face.

"All right, all right. I don't want you to tell me so much. Dusker's husband has told me to cooperate with you until I come back. but when will Dusker's husband be back?"

　I want you to come back as soon as possible. an egg that one utters in one's heart's content
　Dark elves in front of them are certainly capable. But more than that, it directly appeals to our male instincts. That's why I always go to the brothel after visiting Marina to report and consult.

(I wonder what it is that most of my salary is gone there.) However, if I send my subordinates to report on my behalf, there will be many people who will feel strange...)

　They have worked with us for many years. Eggs who never wanted to do anything about the guildmaster -- not in a violent but s*xual sense -- had no choice but to go.

"You must be busy in the royal capital, don't you?" Well, as a nobleman... and as a leader of the neutral faction, he has a lot to do. and more about the nobles."
「やれるだけはやってみるよ」

　頷いたエッグへと向けて、マリーナは笑みを浮かべたまま口を開く.

「なるべく早くお願い. エモシオンの街で昨日レイがレムレースを倒したって向こうのギルドマスターから連絡が来たから」
「……もう、か？　こっちに入っている情報だとレムレースというのは相当に頭がいいらしくて、まともに姿を見た者もいないって話だったんだが」

　感心したのか、あるいは呆れたのか. どちらとも取れるような溜息を吐きながらそう言うエッグに、マリーナもまた同様の笑みを浮かべる.

「全くね. 何でもギルドに報告された内容によると、標的を強制的に転移させる使い捨てのマジックアイテムを使ったという話だけど……長年生きてきた私でもそんなマジックアイテムがあるというのは初耳よ. 本当に、どこでそんなマジックアイテムを手に入れたのかしら. 帰ってきたら是非聞かせて貰わないと」

　口では不満そうに言っているものの、その顔に浮かんでいるのは間違い無く笑みだった. 思わず見惚れそうになったエッグが小さく首を振ってから口を開く.

「で、具体的にはいつくらいに戻って来るんだ？」
「一応そんなマジックアイテムを使ったから、倒したのがレムレースだとは確認出来ないのよ」
「……まぁ、そりゃそうだろうな. 普通は強制的にモンスターを転移させるようなマジックアイテムがあるなんて信じられないだろうし」
「でしょ？　だから、10日程エモシオンの街に留まるそうよ. それで1度もレムレースが姿を現さなければ、討伐したと認められるらしいわ」
「なら最低でも10日. いや、その後に賞金を貰ったり、あるいはギルムの街に帰ってくるまでを考えると半月程度は余裕があると見るべきか」

　呟き、素早く頭の中でこれからどう行動を起こして危険人物達を排除していくのかを考える.
　数分程で考えを纏め、小さく頷く.

「半月あれば何とかなるだろう. 勿論、そっちでもある程度は手を貸して貰うことになるだろうが、構わないか？」
「ええ、問題無いわ. ただし……」
「分かっている. 表沙汰にならないように極力気を付けるさ」
「そ. 分かっているならいいわ. じゃあ、お願いね」
「なら俺はそろそろ失礼させてもらうぞ. 時間を考えるとゆっくりしている暇は無いからな」

　執務机に座って薄らとした笑みを浮かべているマリーナにそう告げ、部屋を出て行くエッグ.
　マリーナはその後ろ姿を見送り、エッグに協力する人員を用意するべく人を呼ぶのだった.





　こうして、ギルムの街の中からは徐々に危険な人物と目されている者達の姿が消えていく.
　ある者は闇から闇へと葬られ、またある者は自分の治める土地から送られて来た嘘の報告を信じて急いで帰還し、あるいは平民に対して差別的な意識を持つ貴族が横暴を働こうとしたところを冒険者や警備兵によって捕縛されて、と. 多種多様な理由はあるが、それでも確実に街を蝕もうとしていた貴族達の姿は日を追うごとに消えて行くのだった.
　そして、自らの拠点がある意味で貴族達の暗闘の舞台になっているのを知らないレイは、前日に頼んだ銛を受け取るべく鍛冶屋へと向かっており、当然と言うべきかその腕の中には料理や海産物が多数抱えられていた.

「グルルルゥ」
「ん？　こっちの焼きイカか？　ほら」

　隣を歩いているセトの物欲しそうな声に、串に刺さった焼きイカ――味付けは塩のみ――を渡すレイ.
　30cm程はある大きめの焼きイカだったのだが、セトはそれを一口で口の中に入れて味わいながら食べている.

（イカ、イカ……タコか. そう言えばエモシオンの街に来てからイカは結構食べてるけど、タコは食べてないな. あの見た目が嫌われているのか？　地球でもデビルフィッシュとか呼ばれて食べられてない地域とかあるんだし）

　内心で呟き、自分用の焼きイカの串へと噛ぶりつく.

（けどたこ焼きとかは……材料がちょっと思い出せないな. 小麦粉、タコ、出汁で出来たんだったか？　お好み焼きならそこに卵とか入れるんだろうけど. ああ、でも紅ショウガが無いのか. ネギは似たような野菜があったし、卵も問題は無いからどうとでも出来そうだが. 天かすとかは小麦粉と水と油があれば作れる、か？　でも、青のり、鰹節、ソースとかが……いや、ソースは一応それっぽいのがあるし、頑張れば何とかなる……か？　そうだな、後でちょっとタコを探してみるか）

　お好み焼きやたこ焼きといった粉物の料理を思い浮かべつつ、決意をするレイ.
　そして丁度焼きイカを食べ終わった頃、目的地であった鍛冶屋へと到着する.

「セト」
「グルルゥ」

　全てを言われなくても分かってるといった風に喉の奥で鳴きながら、少し離れた場所へと移動するセトに魚の干物を2匹分程渡してから店へと入っていく.

「おう、来たか」

　店に入った瞬間、たまたま鍛冶場から出て来たドワーフの店主からそう声を掛けられ、それに頷くレイ.

「ちょっと早かったか？」
「いや、そうでもない. こっちの準備は出来ているしな. ほれ、そこにある」

　ドワーフの視線の先には樽が2つと、その上には柄の部分に頑丈そうな紐がついた長さ1m程の短めの槍が存在していた. 槍の穂先には返しがついており、標的に突き刺さった後でも容易に抜けないような工夫がされている.

「この紐は大地鉱石っていう魔法金属の粉末を練り込んだ糸で作られているから、非常に頑丈だ. ただし、大地鉱石の関係上かなりの重さがあるが……昨日見せて貰ったデスサイズとかいう大鎌を振り回せるんなら問題は無いだろ. 取りあえず持って見ろ」

　ドワーフの言葉に従って樽の上にある槍を持つと、確かにかなり重く、5kg程度の重量はあるように感じられた. だが、レイにとってはその程度と言える重さでしか無く、特に問題無く振り回す.

「……大丈夫だとは思っていたが、ここまで軽々と持ち上げるとはな. まぁ、いい. それとそっちの樽がお前さんが欲しがっていた屑鉱石や刃の欠片といったゴミを詰め込んだ物だ. それと火炎鉱石の類も幾らか入っているぞ」
「そうか、どっちも期待以上の品だ. さすがにエモシオンの街でも1、2を争う鍛冶師だな」
「へっ、褒めたってこれ以上は何も出ねえよ」

　どこか照れくさく告げるドワーフに、少し多めの額を支払い鍛冶場を出るのだった.