I Was a Sword When I Reincarnated (LN) - Volume 16 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Ulmutt Revisited

『We made it just in time.』

「Thanks to Urushi.」

「Woof!」

Two weeks had passed since we participated in the cooking contest at Bulbora.

We had safely arrived in Ulmutt.

『You know, these past two weeks have been quite eventful.』

「Nn.」

In particular, the battle in the crystal cage was truly intense.

We clashed with the Thunderbird, fought against Kune, and ultimately engaged in a life-or-death battle with Al-Ajif and the Black Corpse Legion.

Thanks to Kune and Jean, we managed to achieve victory. However, if it had been just us, we might have lost. Even if we didn't die, there was a chance we would have fled with our tails between our legs.

Having experienced that battle, Fran seemed even more motivated than before.

Though we pursued Kune, Fran had to escape from the Thunderbird, and the battle with Patchwork No. 1 ended up relying on the Sword God Transformation. Moreover, witnessing Kune, who was of the same kin, display her strength up close left no room for half-heartedness.

（...Frustrating.）

Fran's expression seemed inexplicable as the frustration from that moment resurfaced.

（Thunderbird...）

Surprisingly, it seemed like she recalled the battle with the Thunderbird. Perhaps there was a sense of rivalry between them as users of thunder magic? She might also regret leaving the battle before it escalated into a full-blown fight.

『Fran...』

（With Thunderbird, I wanted to eat it.）

『Hmm?』

（If I could've prepared its wings, they would've been absolutely delicious...）

『I see.』

The regret stemmed from not being able to taste it!

『Well, while there's no meat, we do have feathers.』

It wasn't a total loss. I had harvested a significant amount of Thunderbird's lightning feathers using telekinesis. Fran didn't seem interested since we couldn't eat them, but I managed to sell them at a high price in Gamudo.

They could be used for armor, but they were considered a luxury when used for bedding. They had the special property of preventing any static electricity. Well, it might be impressive, but I couldn't comprehend paying 100,000 gold or more for it.

I kept a small quantity in storage; maybe we could have them processed into bedding later. Anyway, Fran didn't seem to care one way or the other. She could sleep anywhere.

Afterward, we planned to head to Ulmutt as soon as possible, but a small problem arose that delayed us.

Last year, during the incident in Bulbora, the misdeeds of a company under the umbrella of Brook, the second son of the lord who had plotted a coup, had been exposed and the company was crushed. It was the Tolmaio Company and its shadowy counterpart, the Isura Company.

Both were supposed to have disappeared, but some surviving members had been hiding in Bulbora, nursing a grudge against Fran. They hired multiple assassins to target Fran.

Well, we took care of the assassins swiftly and even caught the surviving members. It had been about half a day since the attack.

Some of them had tried to escape, but there was no escaping Urushi's nose.

These individuals were apparently connected to the Raydoss Kingdom and were secretly providing information to the Kranzel Kingdom. Among that information was Fran's details. They testified that they had sold information about the strange, patched-up woman who cherished the Black Cat Tribe, mentioning her high likelihood of appearing in Bulbora for the cooking contest.

However, the subsequent questioning took up some time, and we ended up extending our stay by several days. It seemed that we had been a bit too flashy when defeating the assassins.

In the end, we departed from Bulbora ten days later than originally planned.

We faced various challenges on the way, but let's set those aside for now.

Currently, we have a much bigger issue to deal with.

「Hey, welcome back. Fran-kun, Master-kun.」

「Nn.」

『It's been a while.』

Naturally, upon our arrival in Ulmutt, we came to greet Diaz, who was the guildmaster. We weren't strangers, and Fran was already a Rank B adventurer. It wasn't unusual, but rather expected, for her to show her face to the guildmaster. Besides, maybe the guild could tell us where Dimitris was.

However, I would have preferred not to meet Diaz this time. It would have been better if he had been absent. Well, it was the period of the martial arts tournament, so Diaz had to be here. "What's wrong? You both look so serious. It's unlike you."

「Nn...」

Just as Diaz said, Fran was uncharacteristically reserved. For now, it seemed like I had to bridge the gap.

『Hey, do you know where the adventurer Dimitris is right now?』

「Dimitris-dono? He's not in Ulmutt yet. He usually arrives shortly before the tournament begins.」

「I see...」

「Fran-kun, what's really going on? If you're not feeling well, it might be best not to push yourself.」

Diaz looked at Fran with concern. Seeing Diaz genuinely worried about her, Fran must have thought it would be ungrateful not to report her condition. With a determined expression, she began to speak.

「I have something to discuss about Zelos Reed.」

「Oh? Tell me more.」

Indeed, there was no way Fran could keep Zelos Reed a secret in front of Diaz.

Kiara, the old woman of the Black Cat Tribe, had lost her life in the Beastman Nation. Diaz had been searching for Kiara and considered Zelos Reed, who had played a part in her death, as his enemy.

However, Fran didn't kill Zelos Reed. She had the chance to do so but didn't. Keeping silent might have been a way to avoid getting caught, but for Fran, it was a matter of principles. She didn't budge.

Diaz had clearly not forgotten his grudge against Zelos Reed. Just hearing his name changed the atmosphere.

「I found Zelos Reed.」

「Really?」

Fran's tail puffed up as her killing intent leaked out.

「Nn. And then, I let him go.」

「Huh?」

Diaz's smile was scary right now! Fran's ability to remain calm was impressive!

She smiled on the surface. But inside, dark emotions must have been swirling.

「May I hear the reason?」

「Nn.」

And so, Fran spoke. She talked about how she had found Zelos Reed in a certain place, tried to kill him, and the subsequent events where she let him escape.

She didn't tell him everything. If she revealed Zelos Reed's whereabouts, he might go to kill him right now. Besides, talking casually about Weena Rhyn's circumstances wasn't appropriate either.

「So, does that mean you borrowed his strength in a significant request and let him go to repay that favor? Or were you bonded with that child, Romeo?」

「...Not exactly, but it's something like that.」

To begin with, Fran herself wasn't entirely sure of her own feelings.

「Hmm... So, what's the matter? Did you come to ask me to let Zelos Reed go too?」

Diaz stared at Fran with emotionless eyes. He wasn't glaring at her, but there was an intense sense of pressure.

There was no room for lies or deception in this atmosphere.

However, Fran's next words were unexpected, not just to Diaz but to me as well.

「Why?」

「Eh? Weren't you here to ask me to spare Zelos Reed?」

「Not exactly.」

Fran denied Diaz's words. I had assumed that Fran would try to persuade him to spare Zelos Reed, but it seemed I had misunderstood.

「The decision to spare Zelos Reed was mine. It has nothing to do with Diaz.」

「...I see.」

「Of course, I hope Diaz will also give up on killing Zelos Reed. But Diaz's feelings are his own.」

Diaz appeared somewhat bewildered by Fran, who was struggling to express her feelings clearly. Fran was probably like a granddaughter to Diaz, someone he couldn't just ignore. He must be feeling surprised by her growth.

『But, if that happens, you two might end up fighting each other, you know? Are you okay with that?』

「It's not ideal, but there's no other way. Zelos Reed's actions haven't been undone.」

After saying that, Fran looked at Diaz.

「So, I won't be able to stop Diaz from pursuing Zelos Reed. But—」

「But?」

「I also won't be stopped from protecting Zelos Reed and the others.」

「Fran-kun...」

「I'm sorry.」

Fran deeply bowed her head to Diaz, who murmured in astonishment. She must have been prepared to be called a traitor by Diaz.

However, it was Fran's turn to be surprised this time.

「...There's no need to apologize.」

「What?」

Diaz spoke strangely calmly, and Fran tilted her head in confusion.

She had expected him to fly into a rage.

「Originally, Kiara's last wish was for us not to seek revenge. In fact, I should have been the one scolded for going against her wishes.」

「Diaz...」

「But I need some time to sort out my feelings. I'm sorry, but can you come back today?」

「Nn...」

Diaz struggled to speak while looking down, and neither Fran nor I could find any more words to say. We left the office in silence, with Diaz's weak mutterings fading away as we did.

「Sorry.」

What decision would Diaz make?

However, we couldn't afford to stop and worry about that. With the steps we took after parting from Diaz, we headed to the dungeon.

We also needed to report about Zelos Reed to Lumina. When we reported Kiara's death, Lumina didn't show as much anger as Diaz did, but there was no way she wouldn't be concerned.

However, there was one miscalculation, or rather, something we hadn't considered.

In the deepest room of the dungeon, aside from Dungeon Master Lumina, there was someone else present.

「Aurel, what are you doing here?」

「Hey now, isn't that quite the greeting!」

The one leisurely enjoying tea with Lumina was Aurel, one of the influential figures in Ulmutt. He was an evolved wolf-beastman who took a liking to Fran and had helped her in various ways.

「You came all the way here alone?」

「Yeah, that's right. Even though I've evolved and used to be an adventurer, I can handle this current dungeon with reduced difficulty all by myself.」

Indeed, Aurel still had a well-toned physique. Thanks to Fran pushing herself to evolve, Lumina and the dungeon had weakened, making it possible for someone like Aurel to conquer it alone.

I had already explained everything to Diaz, who would probably be the most furious, so it might be convenient to explain it to both Lumina and Aurel at the same time.

Fran began to recount the same explanation she had given to Diaz to Lumina and the others.

I was worried about their reactions, but after hearing it all, Lumina and Aurel both wore gentle expressions when looking at Fran.

「I see... But I think it's for the best. Fran has a bright future ahead. While you shouldn't forget your past experiences, there's no need to be bound by them.」

「I agree.」

「Thank you.」

「Kiara would be happy to see you grow up healthy.」

Lumina smiled and said that, but then she let out a sigh with a troubled expression.

「By the way, Diaz is still as childish as ever.」

「? Diaz is like a grandpa.」

「Fran, dear. I meant you. Men, no matter how old they get, remain children at heart. Forever! You should remember that.」

「Nn...」

Stop it! Don't fill Fran's head with strange thoughts! But, because I was aware that I couldn't really claim to be a proper adult, I found it difficult to say, "That's not true!"

Meanwhile, Lumina continued her lecture on men.

「Some may appear mature at first glance. However, they've only learned to maintain appearances, and in the end, they're just the same. In fact, those who indulge in their so-called maturity can be even more insufferable.」

「Is that so?」

「Well, even if you ask me...」

Aurel, who was being stared at by Fran, mumbled with a somewhat embarrassed look. Maybe Lumina's words struck a chord with him.

Oh no, there's no man here who can refute Lumina's words! The only one who could was Felmus! Where is Felmus?!

「As for this guy, he's like the leader of a bunch of kids who never grew up!」

「When Lumina-sama says that, there's nothing more to say.」

「Well, still, this guy is better than most. At least he understands he's a kid at heart.」

「Yeah...」

「I'm not praising you! But, you should be careful of those who claim they're not kids or that they're adults and not as childish as others. Those types are actually the worst. It means they don't understand themselves at all. Anyone who goes around saying they're more mature than others is nothing more than a damn brat.」

Well, I wonder about that. Isn't that an extreme argument? But then again, those who look at others and say, "That person is so immature," or "I'm different from such childish people," may indeed not have a very mature mentality. There were certainly people like that in my previous company.

It might be better to say that they lack self-analysis.

「Well, forget it. Let's talk about Diaz later. More importantly, Fran. Did you come to Ulmutt this time for the martial arts tournament?」

「Partly. The other half is to meet Dimitris.」

「Oh? The unwavering Dimitris?」

「Nn. By request. Do you know him?」

「Yes. I've met him once before when he came all the way here. Even though I knew not to meddle, it was quite an experience at the time.」

Lumina was quite strong. Even though she was currently weakened, she must have had the power to be considered a formidable foe before. Perhaps she was even stronger than Fran is now?

There wouldn't be many who could make Lumina feel fear. Naturally, S-rank adventurers were on a different level.

「Dimitris-dono should be staying at the lord's mansion during the tournament. You might be able to get an audience with him, considering who you are.」

「The lord's mansion?」

「Don't you remember? You should have met him at the award ceremony.」

「?」

Ulmutt's lord was a very unassuming middle-aged man, and Fran had only met him once. It was only natural for Fran to have forgotten.

「Poor thing...」

Aurel noticed that Fran had completely forgotten about the lord of Ulmutt and shrugged with a wry smile. His gesture revealed that Ulmutt's lord and Aurel had a somewhat close relationship.

「Are you close?」

「Not bad. Well, in a town with many adventurers like this, it's a good thing to have a lord who manages things well. We were peers in the royal palace, after all. We have a kind of advisory relationship.」

「I see.」

Among the nobles who often behave arrogantly toward adventurers and like to dictate to the guild, Ulmutt's lord is said to be a moderate. He's not just mild-mannered; he's even said to be too accommodating with adventurers at times.

He understands that without the power of adventurers, Ulmutt's prosperity cannot be maintained.

He seems to have a good grasp of his own position and is considerate of those around him. Although he gave the impression of a plain man, he might actually be quite competent.

「He's also humble when dealing with adventurers like you. If you, a high-ranking adventurer and tournament winner, make a request, he probably won't refuse.」

「When will Dimitris arrive?」

「If it's like previous years, he should come a few days before the martial arts tournament starts. He hasn't arrived yet.」

We've already secured accommodations for the martial arts tournament, so let's wait patiently. If Dimitris, a big shot like him, comes to town, we'll know soon enough.

『Until then, want to take on a request or something?』

「Nn.」

Even though Aurel couldn't have heard my voice, he suddenly remembered something and asked Fran for a favor.

「Right, there's another request from the young lady. Could you take it?」

「What kind of request is it?」

「It's to accompany my granddaughter.」

「Accompany?」

**Side - A Certain Group of Three**

「It was surprisingly easy to get in, huh?」

「At this time of year, there are a lot of travelers. They probably can't afford to scrutinize everyone's background closely.」

「Well, it saved us, so it's all good, isn't it?」

「Well, yes. So, Klikka, have you made proper arrangements for our lodging?」

「Yes, that part is all taken care of.」

「So, what are we supposed to do? We can't participate in the martial arts tournament, right?」

「Of course not! If we stand out, our plans might fall apart! Sibylla-sama, please be very careful!」

「Yeah, I understand. Trust me, I'm different from Biscot.」

「Hey! That's not fair, big sister! You know I wanted to participate in the tournament too!」

「Sigh. Both of you, please make sure not to draw attention to yourselves!」

「Yeah, yeah, of course.」

「I'll be careful too.」

「That's good to hear. From information gathered from adventurers, it seems that spies from the Raydoss Kingdom have appeared near Bulbora, causing a commotion.」

「Eh? Does that mean they found out about us?」

「For real?」

「No, it's not about us. It seems an undead with a large scythe was defeated.」

「Those wretches from the Black Revenant, huh?」

「It's highly likely. All those lawless folks acting recklessly are affecting us as well.」

「Is this related to the orders from the South?」

「Probably. Besides, I think it's not just the Southern Expedition Commander causing trouble. Right?」

「Yes. To the East, they are plotting against Belioth, and to the West, they are advancing their schemes against Seedran. And the subordinates of the Northern Expedition Commander...」

「Eh? Even the old man up North is up to something? I can't imagine him doing anything like that...」

「That's not it. Among the old man's subordinates, many have left the country for warrior training. Some of them might be causing trouble in Kranzel.」

「I see. In their case, it's not so much malicious intent as a lack of common sense that causes disturbances. However, since we don't know what they might do here, their troublemaking tendencies are similar.」

「Ah, I see. Those guys just don't understand common sense.」

「With their strength, they're bound to stand out. They are quite troublesome indeed.」

「...」

「What's wrong, Klikka?」

「Are you touching your forehead because you have a headache?」

「No, it's nothing. I just had a slight headache.」

「Hey, hey! Are you okay?」

「Isn't she working too hard? Remember to relax a bit!」

「...Haaaah.」

＊

「It'll be our turn soon.」

「Yes!」

「Stay focused.」

「Yes!」

The day after explaining the situation to Diaz and Lumina, we stood in front of Ulmutt's dungeon. Rather than the eastern dungeon where Lumina resided, we were at the western one designed for beginners.

Originally suitable for fledgling adventurers, the dungeon's threat level had decreased even further due to its current weakened state. It had become so lenient that even regular citizens, beginners, and even children were allowed entry as long as they carried a weapon.

The Adventurer's Guild in Ulmutt had spent a year turning this dungeon into a training ground for beginners. Now, it was well-known, and in front of the dungeon, there were people who didn't look like adventurers at all, forming a queue.

Among them, Fran stood alongside a young girl. The girl, with silver twin-tails, looked even younger than Fran and was a beautiful child.

「Fran-oneesama, is it really okay for your equipment to only be a sword?」

「Nn. Kaitly is still small, and heavy armor would be more of a hindrance. Besides, she's good at evasive combat.」

「I see...」

「If my arm gets chopped off, I'll heal it with magic. So it's okay.」

「I see...」

「Ready?」

「Eh? Huh?」

We had met her just a few tens of minutes ago in the courtyard of Aurel's mansion.

「Fran, this is my granddaughter. Go on, introduce yourself.」

「Yes! My name is Kaitly Aurel!」

When we visited Aurel's estate, we were promptly introduced to a young girl of the White Wolfkin race. She turned out to be Aurel's granddaughter. She looked nothing like Aurel, and her somewhat droopy eyes gave her a distinctly timid impression. Could she really be Aurel's granddaughter? She didn't resemble him at all.

With her silver twin-tails swaying, the young girl bowed deeply. She was extremely polite.

「I'm a adventurer named Fran.」

「It's an honor to meet you, Fran-oneesama!」

She stood up straight and gazed at Fran with sparkling eyes.

「Onee-sama?」

「Yes, is that a problem?」

「...Not really.」

「Thank you!」

She was ten years old, younger than Fran, so it wasn't strange for her to call her "Onee-sama." Still, did it just sound weird to me? It gave me a vibe of being a junior from an elite girls' school.

「Do we just take this child into the dungeon?」

「Yeah, that's right.」

Yesterday, we received a request from Aurel to take his granddaughter into the dungeon and let her fight magical beasts. It seemed that his granddaughter admired adventurers and had recently started seriously learning swordsmanship. Due to her naturally introverted personality, Aurel's son and daughter-in-law mistakenly believed that their daughter was unsuited for an adventurer's life.

However, as Aurel's theory goes, what's important for adventurers is their enthusiasm and caution. In that regard, being introverted and timid doesn't necessarily make someone unsuitable for adventuring. In fact, people who are quick to turn back when things get tough might have a higher survival rate than those who recklessly push forward and meet their end.

Moreover, it seemed that Aurel considered his granddaughter to be enthusiastic enough for this venture.

So, Aurel decided to show his granddaughter the reality of the adventurer's life. He intended to throw her into an easy dungeon and have her battle magical beasts. If she got fed up and decided to give up on becoming an adventurer, she could go back to attending a prestigious school as originally planned. But if she still had the determination to pursue her dream after experiencing the dungeon, Aurel would personally train her.

That was his plan.

「You're not trying to make her give up, are you?」

From Fran's perspective, it seemed like this request was a no-go. She didn't seem inclined to accept a request that seemed to negate someone's dreams from the start.

Aurel nodded in response to Fran's question.

「Of course not. I just want to show her the reality of being an adventurer. Well, it might be early for a ten-year-old to decide whether to give up on her dreams, but she's my granddaughter.」

「Is there anything special about being Aurel's granddaughter?」

「Even with this appearance, I've got a fair bit of money. There are people out there who would target her for that.」

Aurel had started a successful trading company himself and had risen from humble beginnings. Currently, his son and daughter-in-law were running the business, and Fran was tasked with escorting one of the company's owner's daughters—his granddaughter.

If the daughter of a flourishing trading company was seen venturing out as an adventurer, she'd be a prime target for kidnappers.

However, if she still wanted to become an adventurer, she needed to be prepared to undergo rigorous training and be ready to abandon her family name.

「It's a tough decision for a ten-year-old.」

「Has she shown interest in becoming an adventurer until now?」

「Yeah, I trained her a bit for self-defense, but she's far from being a professional adventurer. The idea of becoming an adventurer never crossed her mind until recently.」

「Why did she suddenly want to be an adventurer?」

Fran believed that being an adventurer was the best profession, but she knew that not everyone shared that sentiment. So, she was curious about the girl's motivation.

In response, Aurel chuckled and shrugged.

「It's funny when you say it, but, well, girls her age go through a lot of phases. She heard about the impressive feats of an incredible adventurer and was inspired, you know?」

「Hmm?」

Fran didn't fully understand, but it seemed that Aurel's granddaughter had been inspired to become an adventurer after hearing about the accomplishments of someone not much older than herself.

When a young girl of a similar age, who was also a beastkin, heard about another girl making various achievements as an adventurer, it was only natural for her to feel admiration.

「Well, anyway, I'd really appreciate it if you could take this request for my granddaughter. What do you say? I can take her myself, but she might rely on me more as a family member.」

Although he said that, his true desire was likely to introduce his granddaughter to the adventurer she admired. Even if she eventually gave up on becoming an adventurer, it would be a memorable experience.

「What do you think?」

（Master? Is it okay?）

『Yeah, Fran can do as she likes. It's not the type of request that will tie her down for an extended period.』

「Nn. Understood. I'll accept it.」

「Oh! Great! Thank you so much!」

Yesterday, such an exchange had taken place, and Fran had come to pick up the girl who was the subject of the request.

Aurel patted Kaitly's back and pushed her forward in front of Fran.

「Young lady, I'm entrusting Kaitly to you. From here on, I won't say a word, so do as you please, whether you want to grill her or bake her.」

「I understand.」

「Yes, please take care of her.」

Having overheard the exchange between Aurel and Fran, Kaitly seemed a bit alarmed. She gulped nervously, her face turning pale.

Indeed, she appeared timid, and her stats were on the lower side. Her level was only 10, and her various abilities were appropriate for that level.

Originally, she had been dedicated to her studies, so her skills were skewed toward academia. Subjects like arithmetic, business management, and other skills suited for inheriting a trading company.

In contrast, she only had three combat and exploration skills: Swordsmanship 1, Quick Reflexes 1, and Keen Sense of Smell 1.

Fran likely sensed her weakness in an instant upon seeing her. Furthermore, when she asked me about her skill set, she furrowed her brows.

However, Fran wouldn't give up. After all, Fran herself had never given up and had achieved her dream through persistent effort.

「First off, you don't need that armor. Take it off.」

「Eh? What?」

Kaitly was told to remove her protective armor, and she turned to Aurel as if seeking help. But no help came.

「I've got work to do, so I'm leaving. Goodbye.」

「Nn. Kaitly, hurry up and take it off.」

「Yes, yes!」

And so, Fran had Kaitly strip down to just a blouse and pumpkin-like culotte shorts. Her black-and-white checkered blouse and white culottes made her look as if she were going for a picnic, rather than preparing for an adventure.

However, of course, they weren't going on a picnic.

Fran and Kaitly had arrived at the western dungeon without wasting any time. With Kaitly, who still seemed bewildered, in tow, they joined the line of entrants.

They waited for about ten minutes. When Kaitly had finally gathered her resolve and calmed down, Fran and the others passed through the entrance of the dungeon.

Inside, they immediately began their guidance.

「All right, step forward.」

「Eh?」

「You won't understand anything about the dungeon if you stay behind. Walk in front.」

「But, but, what about traps and magical beasts...」

「In this maze, there's nothing too serious. You'll be fine.」

Kaitly blinked rapidly, fluttering her hands nervously.

Perhaps, in Kaitly's mind, she had planned to let Fran go ahead and follow her like a spectator.

However, Fran had no intention of making things easy for her. In fact, the request was to show her the reality of being an adventurer. Fran intended to have her experience various things firsthand.

Before entering the dungeon, Fran had told Kaitly, "If your arm gets chopped off or something, I'll use magic to heal it, so you'll be fine." Those words weren't a joke; they were deadly serious to Fran.

Rather, Kaitly might even think that getting injured a little would help her experience the feeling of being an adventurer.

Fran is rather spartan.

Well, she might appear that way to others, but from Fran's perspective, if you're prepared to be an adventurer, this level of challenge should be fine.

After all, people tend to evaluate things based on themselves.

Fran is a combat enthusiast who gets excited when she sees strong opponents. She's the type who doesn't mind a little injury or hardship if it helps her become stronger. On the other hand, Kaitly, who had mainly focused on her studies and led a sheltered life as a young lady until recently, despite her admiration for adventurers, seemed to have a much greater gap to bridge.

For now, the plan was not to let her die.

「All right, let's move forward.」

「Yes, ma'am!」

Encouraged by Fran's words, Kaitly began to move through the dungeon.

Surprisingly, her steps were quite steady. It seemed that curiosity and excitement outweighed her fear of the dungeon.

She walked through the stone corridor, constantly looking around. In addition to her interest in the dungeon, she appeared to be on the lookout for traps.

Well, even though it was pointless.

Gagon.

「Ouch!」

She had triggered a trap that was right under her feet. However, it wasn't a significant trap.

This trap involved strong winds blowing small stones and such at the area around her feet. It wouldn't even hurt if she were wearing leather shoes. It was just there to alert beginners to traps and was designed to be harmless. Indeed, it was a dungeon designed for educational purposes.

However, even if it was harmless, she probably found it frustrating and unsatisfying when it was triggered.

「Ugh...」

「Don't stop, keep moving forward.」

「Yes, yes!」

Kaitly, who had stopped to rub her feet, started walking again with a slightly frightened expression. It seemed that she had just remembered that this was a dungeon.

Her droopy dog ears, which were originally of the drooping type, now appeared even more wilted. Her tail, which had been wagging energetically, had completely lost its vigor. She was a very easy-to-read girl.

Her pace, which had been agile just a while ago, was now surprisingly slow. She moved very cautiously, more focused on being wary of traps than scared of them. As a result, other adventurers who had come from behind gradually started passing her by.

「...You're slow. Move faster.」

「Ugh... Okay.」

When Fran urged her on, Kaitly increased her speed while her eyes became moist. Despite being so frightened, she didn't retort against Fran. Could this be the effect of her admiration?

After that, Kaitly continued to progress through the dungeon, occasionally getting caught in traps or evading them dramatically. However, they had only covered about half of the first floor. To be honest, it was still in the early stages, akin to the tutorial phase in a game.

However, Kaitly was quite exhausted. Despite being a young lady, she was a beastkin and had undergone some training. Under normal circumstances, this distance wouldn't tire her out so much.

But in an unfamiliar environment, with a heightened sense of trap awareness and fear of magical beasts, these factors were taking a toll on her mental state, creating a sense of fatigue that was several times more intense than usual.

「Heh... hoo...」

Nevertheless, Kaitly continued to walk without complaining, showing no intention of giving up on becoming an adventurer. She seemed to understand that adventurers couldn't afford to make noise over something like this.

「Let's take a little break here.」

「Yes...」

They decided to rest for a bit at a wider part of the path to allow other adventurers to pass by.

They sat down together. Kaitly seemed eager to learn more about Fran, asking various questions despite Fran's warning not to talk too much. Fran shared her experiences of adventures, including some rather bloody and gruesome stories. However, Kaitly's eyes emitted an even stronger beam of admiration.

As someone with no combat experience, Kaitly couldn't imagine the hardships of adventuring and battles. Her feelings were limited to "cool" and "amazing."

When the conversation turned to recent battles with magical beasts, Fran recounted her battle with the Thunderbird inside the crystal cage.

Until now, Fran had mostly shared stories of her victories against formidable magical beasts, so Kaitly was surprised to hear about a situation where Fran had to flee, even if it was to chase down her target.

「Um, even Onee-sama couldn't defeat that magical beast, the Thunderbird?」

「If I had really wanted to, I could have won. Probably. I could have managed it if I had used my trump card.」

「Then why did you run away?」

「If I had used my trump card, I would have been in trouble too. Normally, I would fight seriously, but during a mission, completing the mission takes top priority. I mustn't forget that.」

「But, if you defeated it, you could have obtained various materials...」

「Yeah. I could have leveled up, too, I think. But what if I encountered a stronger enemy afterward? What if I ran out of stamina to chase down the target I couldn't afford to let escape? I can't say for sure it wouldn't have happened. That's why unnecessary exhaustion is not allowed.」

That's right. Even against a group of Thunderbirds with a threat level of B, Fran had a high chance of winning if she had used Sword God Transformation or unlocked her latent abilities.

However, as Fran had explained, using those abilities would have consumed a tremendous amount of energy. Our trump cards often come at the cost of our lives. Most likely, Fran wouldn't have been able to engage in proper combat for a while, and it might have even affected the martial arts tournament.

From Fran's perspective, wasting energy on unnecessary battles during a mission was not the behavior of a seasoned adventurer.

Well, when her excitement rises, she might forget all about it and start fighting recklessly. Fran's ideal seems to be more like that of a professional.

「During missions, you need to act more cautiously and safely than usual. Especially for missions where people would be in trouble if you fail.」

「I see...」

She prioritized ensuring the success of the mission over her own desire to level up.

However, it was quite surprising to see Fran, who was younger than Kaitly, emphasizing the importance of being cautious to a younger girl. It was kind of touching, in a way.

Kaitly seemed to be moved in a different sense.

「So, this is the true way of thinking for adventurers!」

「Yeah.」

「I'll never forget this lesson.」

After being taught the importance of caution by Fran, Kaitly regained her determination. Her somewhat downcast mood improved, and she once again began to advance through the dungeon, paying even more attention to her surroundings.

However, the threats in the dungeon were not as easy to overcome as one might hope for by just putting in a little effort. Kaitly kept stumbling into traps.

Nevertheless, without uttering any complaints, Kaitly wiped the sweat from her forehead and continued her silent progress. But before her appeared a new threat.

「Oh, that's...」

「Yeah. A magical beast. A Hidden Rabbit.」

「That's a magical beast...」

The Hidden Rabbit was a low-level magical beast with a threat level of G. To put it in perspective, it was considered the weakest of magical beasts known to us.

While they were skilled at digging holes and hiding, when they appeared in stone dungeons like this, they were nothing more than slow-moving, ugly rabbits. Probably, they couldn't even defeat regular wild dogs. That's why they were deemed suitable for the first floor of a beginner's dungeon.

There was no way an adventurer could lose to this creature. Its purpose was to help adventurers get accustomed to fighting magical beasts.

「I'll defeat it with my sword.」

「Yes!」

The time of torment, where they had been harassed by traps, was finally over, and they were now having a more adventurous encounter. With an energetic voice, Kaitly unsheathed her iron sword.

She then attacked the Hidden Rabbit with a serious expression.

「Take that!」

「Squee!」

「Well done!」

Even though she was a young lady, she was a resident of this world, aspiring to be an adventurer. She didn't hesitate to attack the rabbit, showing no fear of blood or any nonsensical talk. She successfully defeated the magical beast.

「Yeah. Great job.」

「Yes!」

Fran nodded in satisfaction. At this point, it wasn't clear if she had talent or not, but her sword strikes were faithful to the basics. She seemed to be following what she had been taught.

Afterward, under Fran's guidance, Kaitly dismantled the rabbit, storing its meat and magic stone in her bag. She didn't intend to spoil her with dimension storage or anything of the sort.

While readjusting her bag with the added weight, Kaitly smiled contentedly. She must have felt a sense of accomplishment from dismantling the magical beast she had taken down herself, as if she had completed a task.

However, as mentioned earlier, this was still just the tutorial. The main part wouldn't be as forgiving.

「We're good for the first floor; let's move on.」

「Yes, understood.」

「Hurry up a bit. Climb on.」

「Huh?」

Fran bent down, turning her back to Kaitly. However, Kaitly hesitated and froze, seemingly due to a mix of reluctance and confusion.

「Kaitly?」

「Um, but...」

「Hmm.」

Seemingly fed up with Kaitly's continued inaction, Fran abandoned the idea of carrying her. So, what would she do instead?

「Kyah!」

Fran swiftly picked up Kaitly without waiting for her response and started running.

With the intense vibrations assaulting them, Kaitly let out a scream.

「Kyaaa!」

「It's fine here, but when we go down to the lower floors, you'll attract magical beasts. Try not to scream.」

「Ugh...」

Oh, she managed to keep her mouth shut. In this situation, following Fran's instructions so dutifully... It was clear that her desire to become an adventurer was not just a half-hearted commitment.

While teaching Kaitly about the traps and running, Fran continued to sprint. At times, she would kick off walls and ceilings to move in three-dimensional ways, and she would kick down magical beasts, all without stopping.

「...Oh, huh! Uwaaah!」

It seemed that Kaitly had lost her sense of balance due to the rapidly changing scenery and the strain from all directions.

With her eyes spinning around, she screamed.

「...Whew.」

In the end, her mouth hung slightly open as she wore a dazed expression. She wasn't unconscious, but it seemed like her thought processes had come to a halt.

And then, thirty minutes later.

Fran had quickly cleared the second and third floors, reaching the entrance to the fourth floor.

From here on, this dungeon was considered the midsection. To proceed further, it was recommended that everyone be at least adventurer rank F or accompanied by a rank E adventurer.

If the first to third floors were considered attractions for beginners, then from here on, it was a true training ground. If amateurs were careless, there was a chance they could lose their lives.

The most common cause of this was the magical beasts that were currently in front of Fran and Kaitly.

「Oh, is that...?」

「Yeah. Lesser Ogre.」

A magical beast with only a loincloth and a thin wooden stick, with reddish-brown skin. It stood at a height of less than 150 centimeters. As the name implied, it was a lower-ranked version of an ogre, a smaller and thinner version.

Originally, Lumina had planned to place weak, adjusted goblins as replacements, but something seemed to have happened with the Chaotic Goddess, requiring a considerable amount of power to create evil beings in the dungeon.

The plan to mass-produce weak goblins and rapidly raise the Black Cat Tribe seemed to have failed before even being attempted.

As a substitute for these goblins, Lumina placed Lesser Ogres with a weaker setting. Their combat abilities were on par with goblins.

One of them had taken its position in the middle of the corridor, staring at them.

「Gyagya!」

「Hyah!」

Hearing the Lesser Ogre's voice, Kaitly let out a short scream.

Indeed, it would be quite frightening for a child. Despite their similar size, it had a menacing appearance. Moreover, it displayed strong hostility toward them.

Even a Japanese macaque could cause serious injuries to a human. If it were a larger Lesser Ogre, its danger level would likely far exceed that of a monkey.

Fran had always been eager to kill magical beasts. It was because of this that I had a misconception, but in a world as harsh as this one, it might be considered normal for a regular child to react like Kaitly.

「Is it weak?」

「I-Is that so?」

「Yeah. Even beginners can defeat it now. So, do your best.」

「Huh?」

「It's fine. As long as you don't die, I'll heal you.」

「Huh? Eh?」

「Gyagyagya!」

While having that conversation, the Lesser Ogre had decided that Fran and Kaitly were its prey. Due to its extreme lack of strength, it couldn't sense Fran's power.

From its perspective, it saw two soft, fleshy creatures as its prey.

「Here it comes.」

「Gyagyagyaoo!」

「Kyaaa!」

As soon as Fran stepped back, the Lesser Ogre pounced on Kaitly.

As a creature created to challenge beginners, its movements were clumsy and far from nimble.

It lacked any weapon skills, and its wooden stick didn't carry much force.

However, its attacks were painful, and if it hit in the wrong place, it could lead to fractures. If it struck the head, it could even cause a concussion.

Think of it like an upper elementary school boy swinging around a wooden plank.

For adults wearing armor, it was something they could easily handle, and for Fran, it was an opponent she could defeat with just a flick of her finger.

However, to Kaitly, the Lesser Ogre appeared to be a terrifying magical beast. She seemed to be scared not only by its imposing appearance but also by the clear hostility directed toward her. Frightened, Kaitly swung the sword she held in her hand without any finesse or skill.

「No!」

「Gyaa!」

Due to its slightly longer reach, Kaitly's sword reached the opponent first. It only grazed the skin, but the Lesser Ogre screamed and staggered backward.

Thin red lines appeared on its skin. It had no proper armor, so it was only natural that even a slight hit from a sword would leave a mark.

「Gigigya!」

It rubbed its wound with its hand and licked the blood off its fingers. It seemed to have realized that it was injured again. Annoyed, it pounded the ground with the stick it held.

「Ugh...」

「Gigii...」

Kaitly, trembling with fear from the magical beast's presence, and the Lesser Ogre, wary of the sword, faced off.

A strange tension hung between them, creating a few seconds of standoff.

Fran watched silently. She didn't intervene and probably intended to have Kaitly overcome this herself.

But unexpectedly, an interference came from the side, something we hadn't anticipated.

A red light flew from the end of the corridor, striking the head of the Lesser Ogre and defeating it.

It was clearly not a stray shot; it had targeted the Lesser Ogre. Of course, both Fran and I knew that there were other adventurers on the other side of the corridor.

However, we didn't expect them to intervene like this. Could it be a group of adventurer thieves with kidnapping intentions that Aurel had been worried about?

「Kaitly, get behind me.」

「Yes, okay.」

Both Fran and I remained on guard, focusing on the approaching presence.

（Master, this presence...）

『Yeah, I think it's unmistakable. It's the redhead woman from back then.』

As expected, the figure that appeared from the other end of the corridor was the woman who had caused a minor commotion with Fran during the Bulbora cooking contest.

「Hey, are you alright?」

「Um...」

「Oh? Isn't that kid from the stall?」

「Big sis, it's the Black Lightning Princess.」

「Yeah, that's right. She's a rank B adventurer, isn't she?」

Even though she should have noticed Fran's presence, she seemed genuinely surprised. Did she not realize it was Fran, despite knowing that there were strong people around?

Could there really be adventurers with her level of strength but low scouting abilities?

The man accompanying her also didn't seem to recognize Fran. He looked surprised when he saw her face.

When I appraised them, their names came up as Sibylla and Biscot. However, I couldn't be sure if that was their true information.

They are definitely disguising their appraisal results. Both of them have glitches in their abilities, and it's clear that their stats and skill levels are too low. Since it's unlikely that both of them have the ability to disguise their stats, it must be the effect of some kind of magic item.

That means they have connections that can provide them with such items.

「Why did you interfere?」

「Interfere?」

Fran questioned the woman in a slightly harsh tone, because she didn't know what her goal was.

「I just helped because that kid looked like she was in trouble. But why didn't you step in to help?」

「We are currently training.」

「Training... With the level of skills you have, you're still in the basic training phase. It's too early for real combat.」

「That's not for you to decide.」

「Huh? Why are you giving me that look? I helped her, didn't I?」

「Mind your own business.」

It was a complete breach of etiquette, but Sibylla seemed to have no idea what she had done wrong. She genuinely appeared puzzled.

「Oh! S-Sibylla, the big sister!」

「What's wrong, Biscot?」

「Come to think of it, when helping other adventurers inside the dungeon, we were supposed to confirm first...」

「Really?」

「Yeah. Klikka said so.」

These guys don't seem to be adventurers, after all. Mercenaries or undercover knights, maybe? They don't seem like nice people, but at least they tried to help Kaitly.

「Even so, isn't it too early for that girl to enter here? She's too weak. She was practically forced to come along, and she's clearly terrified.」

「...I wasn't forced to come along.」

When Kaitly was called weak, she seemed a bit annoyed. She retorted to Sibylla while hiding behind Fran.

「What? Is that true?」

「Nn.」

「It's true...」

While Kaitly had been carried by Fran along the way, she had agreed to enter the dungeon. Even though Fran had no intention of taking her into the dungeon if she didn't want to go, it was a form of confirmation. Well, I didn't think there were aspiring adventurers who would refuse to enter the dungeon, but it was still a confirmation.

Kaitly had made up her mind to enter the dungeon and was following Fran.

「I won't say anything bad. Today, go back home. Then, train your sword skills, wear better armor, and come back when you're a bit more prepared. You're still young. You have time.」

Sibylla spoke in a gentle tone as if advising her.

Such behavior would be considered commendable when dealing with ordinary people outside the dungeon. However, inside the dungeon, where there were only adventurers and aspiring adventurers, it was a meddlesome act.

Furthermore, she was acting in a condescending manner without understanding Kaitly's circumstances. Kaitly seemed to be frustrated with it.

Both of them were angry for different reasons: one for having only the strength that was expected and the other for disregarding her determination.

「...Kaitley.」

「Y-Yes, what is it Onee-sama?」

「What now?」

「Eh?」

「Want to head home?」

Fran didn't offer words of comfort to Kaitly, who had clenched her fists and hung her head. Instead, she asked if Kaitly wanted to go back, and her voice sounded as if she were suggesting that giving up might be the best option.

For Kaitly, who was on the verge of giving up, these words from Fran might have felt both gentle and harsh. It wouldn't have been surprising if Kaitly's spirit had completely broken, and she had nodded in agreement with Fran's words.

However, Kaitly shook her head and raised her face. She appeared to be in better spirits than before.

「...I won't go back. I came here of my own free will, and when I go back, it will also be my own decision. I don't know if I've resolved to become an adventurer or if I've given up, but the one who decides that is me!」

「Nn.」

Fran watched Kaitly like that and nodded somewhat satisfactorily.

However, Sibylla seemed completely unconvinced.

「Becoming an adventurer... With that level of ability, and she's just a child, can she really become one?」

「I can! Besides, everyone starts as beginners!」

Kaitly retorted after hearing Sibylla's muttered words. It seemed like she had felt insulted, thinking that Sibylla had belittled her by saying that someone like her couldn't become an adventurer.

However, Sibylla's muttering didn't seem to have a mocking tone. She had simply voiced her doubt about whether there were any restrictions based on strength and age.

「Do the guilds approve of it?」

「Huh? Of course. Adventurers are free. It's up to them whether to become or quit. Some guildmasters, like Klimt from Alessa's, prefer to train apprentices without official registration for as long as possible.」

Those were some nostalgic memories of Donadrond's tests. However, that was probably a quite exceptional case.

「Oh, really? But for example, that child over there. Even if she becomes an adventurer, can she be of any use? At most, she can gather herbs, and she probably can't protect people or exterminate magical beasts, right?」

「Mmm...」

Kaitly groaned. However, because it was a completely undeniable fact, she couldn't argue back. Fran, who was the one Sibylla seemed to be criticizing, spoke up in her defense.

「What's wrong with that?」

「Well, adventurers like that who can't be of any use to others, aren't they unnecessary?」

Sibylla made this comment without malice, but Fran responded further.

「What's the meaning of that? Adventurers aren't about whether they're useful to others. It's about whether the person themselves wants to be an adventurer or not. Others don't matter.」

「Is that okay with you? Even with your abilities, you won't feel anything when you see weak adventurers? You won't find them a nuisance?」

「Not really. People are people. You said earlier that adventurers who aren't useful are unnecessary, right?」

「Yeah, I said that.」

「I don't understand the point of that. Being useful to others isn't the job of adventurers.」

「Huh? Then what is their job?」

「Adventure. That's why they're called adventurers.」

Fran seemed slightly annoyed during her conversation with Sibylla, and it appeared that she was displeased with Sibylla's manner of speaking.

From Sibylla's perspective, adventurers should be helpful to others and if they weren't, they were unnecessary. That's how her words seemed to come across.

Sibylla might not even be aware of it, but she's speaking about adventurers with a considerable air of superiority. Unconsciously, you could say she looks down on adventurers.

Fran seems to be displeased with that. For many people, adventurers are seen as rough individuals at the bottom of the social hierarchy, but for Fran, it's an admired profession.

「Is adventuring really a job? Is it even necessary?」

「That's why I said earlier. It doesn't matter whether you can be helpful to others or not. Adventurers are free. They do what they want.」

Now she's calling her "you"! It seems that Fran is gradually becoming irritated with Sibylla. Little by little, her manner of speaking was beginning to sound confrontational.

「So, you're saying that you won't fight to protect the people?」

「That's also a matter of freedom. Adventurers who want to fight for others will fight. Otherwise, they won't.」

「Even if they have the power to do so?」

「Nn. If it's a job, I might take it on. But the purpose isn't to be useful to others.」

Well, in Fran's case, even if she says things like this, if someone in front of her is in crisis, she'll probably end up helping them in one way or another.

However, this is more like her ideal image of adventurers, or her public stance. Fran prefers to think of adventurers as people who embody freedom, independence, and the ability to judge based on personal preference rather than good or evil.

Due to her background as a Black Catkin and her time spent as a slave, Fran despises being bound or ordered around arbitrarily. Freedom is, in a way, the most important thing for Fran, and it's a part of herself she can't allow to be compromised.

Fran's description of an ideal adventurer is an embodiment of that freedom.

On the other hand, Sibylla, despite her unruly attitude, seems to stand before the weak and consider helping them to be a matter of course — perhaps even a duty of the strong. In this world, that kind of thinking is quite rare, and it could even be described as sensible.

However, this is precisely why Fran's arguments are difficult for her to understand, and Fran, too, finds it challenging to comprehend Sibylla's manner of speaking. Their underlying principles of action are too different.

By the way, while conversing with Sibylla, I felt like we had a similar conversation somewhere before, and I finally remembered.

On the way from the Kranzel Kingdom to the Belioth Kingdom, we encountered a self-proclaimed female knight named Dianne, who was Karna's retainer and bodyguard.

She reacted as if she had seen adventurers for the first time and expressed an incredibly biased impression of adventurers. The conversation at that time is similar to this one, with Sibylla being the milder of the two.

「So, you adventurers just use your strength for your own desires?」

「Yes.」

Fran readily agreed with Sibylla's words.

Well, to put it bluntly, it does often end up that way. There are some really unsavory adventurers out there.

But within those desires, there are also some that are helpful to others. People like Amanda, who want to help troubled children or are working hard toward their goals — or desires, you could say.

To be honest, I think it's difficult to categorize adventurers as a whole.

Adventurers, led by individuals with strong personalities like Fran and Amanda, come in all varieties. Each adventurer has their own goals, desires, and opinions, and their way of existence can't be easily summed up in a few words.

Even Fran's statement that "the job of adventurers is adventure" is her unique perspective. It's just what Fran envisions as an ideal adventurer.

「Do adventurers prioritize their own desires over helping troubled civilians? Are adventurers merely such insignificant beings?」

「Hmm.」

Sibylla's words caused Fran's demeanor to change. Within her anger, a faint hint of hostility began to mix.

This is bad. If Fran and Sibylla end up fighting here, the damage to the surroundings will be extensive. Already, there was a swirling presence of something akin to murderous intent between the two.

However, it was Kaitly, her face now red and trembling, who managed to break this situation. It's not that she wasn't feeling fear, but her anger seemed to have surpassed that fear.

「Do whatever you want...! Ask questions on your own! Come to your own conclusions! Don't just be disappointed on your own! Who do you think you are! Where did you come from!」

「Eh? Um, I...」

「You can't even answer?」

「Ah, well... I'm just kind of a wanderer.」

「A suspicious person like you who can't even reveal your identity, what else can you be but a suspicious person!」

「Uh... R-right.」

Asking about someone's background out of nowhere is also a breach of etiquette, but Sibylla didn't seem to understand that. She was taken aback by Kaitly's forceful manner.

Though she may seem like the protective type, she appears to be unexpectedly susceptible.

「Furthermore, Fran-oneesama saves many people! For example, in the Beastkin Country, she once challenged and fought off more than a hundred thousand magical beasts all on her own just to help fellow Black Catkin escape. She fought for three days and three nights!」

Huh? The story seems to have become exaggerated, hasn't it? It appears that rumors about Fran's exploits have been embellished quite a bit.

「When a Dungeon Stampede occurred near Alessa, she challenged the Dungeon Boss alone to save numerous beginner adventurers and successfully saved their lives!」

A battle with a demon that she rushed into has turned into an epic tale!

Kaitly continued to recount various heroic deeds of Fran, but all of them had been greatly embellished.

Apparently, bards and others have been spreading the story with excessive exaggeration. As a result, a somewhat puzzled Fran, who is undoubtedly kind-hearted and valiant, has been portrayed as a glorified, 120% idealized image in Kaitly's mind.

「Fran-oneesama still has many more achievements!」

Kaitly, who had flipped some sort of switch, continued to speak out toward Sibylla.

「She's making great contributions even in the capital! She and her companions have exposed the vile plots of the treacherous Raydoss Kingdom against our nation!」

「Oh, treacherous plots?」

「Yes, that's right! They're always causing harm to our country with their despicable schemes, the worst of all invading nations!」

「W-worst of all...」

For some reason, Sibylla's face twitched.

「Do you know? The Raydoss Kingdom built an experimental facility on a floating island and conducted heinous human experiments there. But, it seems that such a kingdom received divine retribution. That floating island eventually turned into a dungeon! And it was Fran-oneesama who conquered that floating island dungeon along with the adventurer Jean-sama, liberating the pitiful vengeful spirits!」

「Jean? They're all dead?」

「You know about that, huh? Yes! Jean-sama is an amazing person who has repeatedly defeated the ruthless Raydoss Kingdom!」

「And now it's ruthless...」

Kaitly seems to have a strong dislike for the Raydoss Kingdom. She's speaking ill of it quite a bit. Most people from the Kingdom of Kranzel probably share similar sentiments to some extent, but Kaitly might be going a bit overboard with her words.

Did Aurel and his son-in-law and daughter teach her this?

「Do you have any idea how many people have suffered because of that country...」

「I-I see...」

「Yes! My uncle also lost his life due to an incident caused by the schemes of the Raydoss Kingdom. He was my beloved uncle who used to play with me when I was little... I can't forgive them.」

「...I see.」

「It's truly an awful country! No one does anything to stop what the country is doing. From top to bottom, it must be a corrupt and depraved nation filled with wicked and tyrannical people!」

If the Raydoss Kingdom was involved in the reason for her relative's death, it's understandable that she bears a grudge. However, even I find it a bit excessive, how much she hates Raydoss. And she seems to know some difficult words, doesn't she? Fran doesn't really get some of it here and there.

When Sibylla heard Kaitly speaking ill of the Raydoss Kingdom, she let out a dry laugh, somewhat melancholic for some reason.

Furthermore, Biscot, who had been listening quietly until then, reacted more strongly than Sibylla.

「R-Raydoss isn't like that! Th-they're not all bad people! They can't be!」

His face turned completely red as he shouted.

「Why are you defending a country like that?」

Kaitly's words would naturally be a question for anyone from the Kingdom of Kranzel. That's why she asked it straightforwardly, without malice.

Biscot, looked at with pure eyes, stuttered, unable to shout any further.

「Eh? W-well...」

「Biscot, don't stay quiet. Well, it's just that due to our line of work, we've met people from the Raydoss Kingdom. From talking to them, they didn't seem like bad people.」

「...There isn't much information about that country circulating, I think. What kind of work involves meeting people from Raydoss? 」

「W-well, you see, it's, um, confidential work. A-and besides, Missy, you lumped everyone from the Raydoss Kingdom together, but there are good people and bad people within it, you know?」

「Are you saying that when you see adventurers as just adventurers?」

「Uh...」

Ah, I see. This is what Kaitly wanted to say. Even without Sibylla and the others defending Raydoss, she wanted to convey that not all of Raydoss could be considered entirely bad or good just because they're from there. That's the direction she intended to take the conversation.

That's why she deliberately spoke ill of Raydoss. It felt a bit strange for the usually quiet Kaitly to speak so strongly against Raydoss. I think she was quite serious about it, though.

「Among adventurers, there are those who commit crimes, but there are also amazing people like Onee-sama!」

「...I see...」

I had this question before when I met Dianne. Who are they, considering they're not adventurers? That's clear in terms of ability and knowledge.

Mercenaries, perhaps? They might share the same disregard for adventurers. That line of thought is plausible. But, it doesn't explain their profound ignorance about adventurers.

Sibylla and Dianne didn't seem to be well-versed in adventurers; it seemed like they had rarely even seen adventurers before.

They might think they're hiding it, but their lack of knowledge about adventurers is quite conspicuous. It seemed like they lacked common knowledge.

But could there really be people like that? This is understandable for children. However, for Sibylla, who possesses a certain level of skill, to have never encountered adventurers before? That's unlikely.

Unless they were born and raised in a place where there are absolutely no adventurers, there's no explanation.

So, what kind of place could that be? A place where there are no adventurers at all and, in fact, a place that looks down upon or antagonizes adventurers.

The only possible option was the northern superpower, the Raydoss Kingdom.

If that were the case, it would also explain Biscot's attitude.

As for why people from the Raydoss Kingdom are in a place like this... if they were enemies, it would be natural for spies or agents to be sent.

Just the other day, we encountered someone from Raydoss, Al-Ajif of the Black Corpse Brigade. And likely Kune as well...

Raydoss individuals may be present in Kranzel's territory more than we think. Naturally, there would also be individuals from Kranzel infiltrating Raydoss.

From the fact that Kune and Al-Ajif fought each other, it's apparent that the people from Raydoss Kingdom aren't entirely unified. They likely have their own positions. Al-Ajif, who was clearly infiltrating as an agent, and Kune, who seems to have simply stopped by as a traveler with no political involvement.

Honestly, Sibylla and Biscot don't seem like spies to me either. In terms of their abilities, they're more like knights or soldiers, and I can't imagine them being suitable for covert operations or sabotage.

With such a strong presence and being so noticeable, they don't fit the profile of covert spies. It would be more fitting to call it the secretive journey of a young lady from the Raydoss Kingdom. Well, spies are still spies, but I think their role is more about gathering information by observing and listening.

Now, what should I do?

If I press them for answers now, I might be able to uncover their true identities. However, they are currently infiltrating an enemy nation.

If they think their cover is blown, they'll definitely come to silence us. It seemed quite challenging to deal with Sibylla and Biscot while protecting Kaitly.

Furthermore, even if we manage to get through this situation smoothly, there's a possibility that Kaitly could be targeted in the future. It's best to pretend not to notice for now and let them go.

「...Oh, sis, this is getting dangerous!」

「Y-Yeah, you're right. Let's retreat from here.」

Conveniently, they seem quite eager to leave as well. They're huddled together, discussing something. If we just divert our attention for a moment, they'll probably leave.

「...Kaitly, we're going.」

「Eh? Are you sure?」

「Continuing here would be a waste of time.」

「If Onee-sama says so...」

Fran prompted Kaitly and moved to give them space. In response, the pair quickly departed from Fran and the others.

「Then, farewell!」

「Yeah.」

「Goodbye!」

I did say I'd let them go for now, but I didn't say I'd let them escape from Ulmutt.

『Urushi, follow them.』

（On it!）

『Besides those two, there might be other members with excellent reconnaissance skills. Be cautious.』

With just these two, I find it hard to believe they've made it this far without revealing their true identities, so they definitely have other members.

『I'm counting on you.』

（Off!）

Now, all that's left is to report to Diaz. Well, it's a bit awkward, but I'm the type to mix personal matters into my work... No, I should say it's the type of job that mixes personal matters.

If they didn't listen to my questions, I might have to rely on Aurel and Elsa.

「What's the deal with those people?」

Even after they disappeared from sight, Kaitly is still trembling with anger. Fran calmly told the young girl to regain her composure.

「Kaitly, switch gears. In the dungeon, you'll die if you lose your cool.」

「! Y-Yes.」

「Take out your anger on the dungeon monsters; that's what they're there for.」

「Understood!」

Fran herself has acted in anger before and made mistakes, so her words carry weight.

Kaitly seems to have regained a bit of composure, immediately shifting her focus back to the dungeon. Being able to switch like that is a good quality for an adventurer.

And so, they continued to walk through the dungeon for another 10 minutes.

They encountered a Lesser Ogre once again and engaged in battle.

Since they had fought this opponent before, the anger from their previous encounter still outweighed any fear. Sibylla's words had also fired her up. Besides, after experiencing Sibylla's overwhelming presence, the Lesser Ogre's intimidation didn't bother her as much.

Kaitly faced the Lesser Ogre without fear, charging towards it with her sword drawn.

「Hyah!」

「Grraaah!」

After several attacks, Kaitly's sword cleaved the Lesser Ogre's head open. It was a clean hit.

With various things flowing out from the wound in its head, the Lesser Ogre met its end. It was quite a gruesome scene, but Kaitly had a radiant smile on her face, like a sunflower in full bloom.

「I did it!」

「Mm.」

「Hehe! I can't end it looking so clumsy when I'm being trained by Fran-oneesama!」

After hearing the firsthand account from Kaitly herself, Fran was reminded once again that she was an impressive adventurer. And if Fran said it was okay, then it must be. She had half convinced herself of that.

Oh, and as for the exaggerated tales of heroics, Fran did try to correct them, you know? But that was quite challenging.

「By the way, what were those people all about? They seemed suspicious! Should we report this to Grandpa or Uncle Diaz when we get back?」

「I'll handle it.」

「That's right! Since Onee-sama will convey it, everyone will believe it! Oh! But what if they've already escaped?」

「Urushi is tracking them.」

「I see! You're amazing, Onee-sama!」

Their conversation continued in this manner.

At first, there was hardly any conversation between them, but Kaitly's words flowed more freely as they went along. Apparently, this was because her tension had eased after confronting Sibylla.

I had thought she might have been wearing a facade, but it didn't seem that way. She was described as timid and withdrawn. Normally, she was rather quiet and introverted, but when it came to her interests, she couldn't stop talking. In other words, she was what you might call an otaku type.

And now, she was with her beloved Fran. It couldn't be helped that she was like this.

Because of that, Fran couldn't get a word in edgewise. Still, she tried her best to correct Kaitly's misunderstandings.

「How can you not boast about your own achievements! Onee-sama is so humble!」

「...」

It was impossible to say any more.

Well, I think they understood that the story was being exaggerated. But in return, Fran was now being seen as modest and honest.

The admiration in Kaitly's eyes was intense. If it were me, I'd say, "Don't look at me with those sparkling eyes! I'll melt!" But Fran didn't seem to mind.

In the end, they spent about an hour defeating magical beasts, experiencing the excitement of opening treasure chests, and then decided to return to the surface.

「Well, that's it for here. Let's go back up.」

「R-Right. Thank you very much! I've learned so much!」

「Uh-huh. But don't thank me just yet. We're not safely back yet.」

「I-I see! So, it's an adventure until we return safely to a secure place, right?」

「Uh-huh.」

Besides, they weren't going back up immediately.

「Well, let's take a short break here. It's not good to push ourselves.」

「R-Right! If we're tired, we might make a mistake in an unexpected place.」

「That's right.」

「Yes!」

Kaitly seemed genuinely happy that Fran agreed with her, and she smiled brightly. Her tail wagged vigorously. It's like she's looking at Urushi or something.

「In that case, let's have lunch here.」

「Lunch? Alright.」

Meals in dungeons or during outdoor adventures are also a part of the thrill of the adventure. For some people, it's a time to look forward to, while for others, it might be a time of hardship.

For most fledgling adventurers, this wasn't just a fun time. If they couldn't catch any prey, they would be left gnawing on dried meat, and if they lacked cooking skills, they'd often have to force down poorly cooked, unappetizing meat.

Right now, we were here, so it wouldn't be that bad. However, Fran didn't do the cooking herself; she simply gave verbal instructions.

She had Kaitly, who had acquired rabbit meat from the upper floor, cook it herself and ate it in a wild manner without bothering to cut it. Without salt and with poor handling, it was likely dry and not very delicious.

Even so, Kaitly was delighted. It seemed she was unexpectedly resilient. Well, the act of hunting her own prey and cooking it herself was probably a fresh experience for her.

And so, after thoroughly enjoying the beginner's dungeon with Kaitly, we returned to Aurel's mansion.

「Hey, you're back!」

「Grandfather! Are you done with your work already?」

「Yeah.」

The one who greeted us was Aurel himself.

Despite everything, he must have been worried about his granddaughter. With a face resembling that of a Yakuza boss, he smiled and approached Kaitly, patting her head.

「How was it? Did you get seriously hurt?」

「Yes.」

He didn't ask if she got hurt or not. Aurel knew the structure of beginner's dungeons. He also knew that you couldn't avoid at least minor injuries if you got caught in traps.

What he was probably more concerned about was whether she had a rough time in battle.

「I defeated three Lesser Ogres. I didn't get injured in battle, though.」

「Oh? Even in your first battle?」

「Nn... there's something I need to talk to you about regarding that.」

「It sounds like something troublesome happened.」

「Kaitly did her best. I can guarantee that. But we encountered some strange individuals.」

「Strange individuals?」

Of course, I couldn't say in front of Kaitly that Sibylla and the others might be Raydoss spies. Fran understood that just by giving Kaitly a quick look. Aurel left Kaitly in the care of the maids and led us to a different location.

「So, what happened?」

「We encountered some people who might be from the Raydoss Kingdom.」

「Huh? Raydoss?」

「Yeah, probably.」

「There's no concrete evidence, is there?」

「No. But they were really strange individuals.」

**Side - A Certain Group of Three**

「Sibylla-sama... I begged you not to cause such a commotion, didn't I?」

「My apologies.」

「I heard it from Biscot. You've had a few altercations in the dungeon, haven't you? And the last one, you even argued with that Black Lightning Princess!」

「Ah, my bad. But neither I nor Onee-sama laid a hand on anyone, you know?」

「Of course not! If you had resorted to violence, you'd be in trouble by now!」

「I-I see.」

「Yes...」

「Sibylla-sama? You're making a difficult expression. What's wrong? Could it be that you're genuinely reflecting on your actions?」

「What do you take me for... Well, never mind. It's not that. It's the reputation of our country.」

「Oh, you mean what Biscot was talking about, the bad reputation of our country?」

「Not just bad reputation, it was the worst. Ruthless, corrupt, and decadent. And not to mention tyrannical...」

「The absolute worst.」

「Yeah, that's right. Kranzel has been poking its nose into the southern and eastern territories, right? Because of that, our entire country is being seen as similar to those guys.」

「Our country has a unique regional identity due to its formation history, with strong regional differences between the central five regions... Each region's actions are the responsibility of the people living there, and we tend to think it doesn't concern us. We, too, didn't have much interest in what the dukes were doing outside the country. But due to the nature of our mission, it can't be helped.」

「But for people from Kranzel, that doesn't matter. They believe that what the south and east are doing is the will of the entire Raydoss Kingdom.」

「And as a result, it's perceived as the worst country.」

「Yeah, that's how it is.」

「But is that girl's story really true? I knew the south and east were hostile to Kranzel...」

「At the very least, it's not a complete lie. Her uncle is said to be dead.」

「...I see.」

「Besides, I thought they were capable of doing something like that.」

「A conspiracy... Indeed, the south and east do seem suspicious. They likely have a lot of pent-up frustration towards Kranzel for various reasons, so it wouldn't be surprising no matter what they do.」

「How about the west, Klikka? Your family is there, and you haven't heard anything from the west?」

「Well... there's a possibility, but it wouldn't be easy for them to orchestrate a significant conspiracy while dealing with the Phyllius Kingdom and the Seedran Maritime Nation.」

「That's true. They're known for being penny-pinching and prioritizing financial matters...」

「What about the north? Honestly, I don't know much about them either.」

「That place is... I wonder. It's not impossible. However, they wouldn't do something that doesn't benefit them. Besides, the North Expedition Knights take care of internal problems, so the Red Knights aren't needed much. But the north should be fine.」

「That's right. The North Expedition Lord has a martial temperament and doesn't like roundabout methods. If they were to antagonize, they'd launch a straightforward frontal attack.」

「I see.」

「What about the central region? Could it be that there are things we haven't heard yet?」

「Hmm... Klikka?」

「If they were seriously plotting something, wouldn't the Prime Minister have brought this up with us?」

「That's true. And the current royal palace doesn't have that much power.」

「In that case, it's probably the southern swine and the eastern lunatics who are up to all sorts of things.」

「That seems likely. Well, let's discuss how to handle each duke when we return to the country. But you did ask for her to behave herself today, right? Why did you go to the dungeon?」

「Oh, well, you know, Onee-sama suggested going to the dungeon...」

「Sibylla-sama?」

「I thought it might be a chance to see the abilities of adventurers even a little. I heard there are low-level dungeons that even non-adventurers can enter.」

「Going to a place like that, there was nothing to gain, right? It's said to be a dungeon for beginners, after all.」

「No, it wasn't like that. I realized that if I didn't learn more about adventurers, our country might end up in trouble.」

「I see. Well, let's wrap up the investigation in this town for now. We'll quickly make arrangements to leave the town. Is that all right?」

「No, that won't work.」

「Why not? There's a high chance that Sibylla-sama and Biscot have already drawn the attention of the adventurers in this town.」

「Could it be that we're being surveilled?」

「It's not confirmed, but there is a sense of being watched. It seems they're using magical beasts to keep an eye on us, but... the identity of the other party is unknown. All we know is that they might be concealing themselves with dark magic.」

「Wait a minute. Are you saying that Scout Commander Klikka couldn't find them for sure? Is there someone who can control magical beasts like that?」

「That's what adventurers are, right? We didn't gather much information in the dungeon, but we experienced their diversity and individuality. And I realized that just looking at the surface won't truly make you understand.」

「But if we continue like this...」

「This is an order as the Red Sword Knights' Commander. Stay in this town and continue investigating the adventurers. Our true identities haven't been completely exposed yet. We'll manage somehow, won't we?」

「But it's too dangerous. What if our identities are revealed?」

「Then we'll have to break through.」

「I thought so... Well, I'll prepare for the worst as soon as possible.」

「Sorry about this.」

「So, what do you plan to do with this investigation? Do you have any ideas?」

「Well, to understand others, fighting them is the best way.」

「So, you intend to become a wanted criminal by doing that?」

「No, that won't happen. The chance to legally fight adventurers will come soon enough, right?」

「Wait, are you planning to participate in a martial arts tournament? It's dangerous, as I've pointed out before.」

「The chance to go up against high-level adventurers doesn't come often. It's a done deal. Biscot will participate in the tournament along with me, and Klikka will support us.」

「Yes, understood.」

「Sigh... I get it.」

「Understand this. This mission is crucial for the future of the Raydoss Kingdom.」

「Are adventurers really that important?」

「I don't know. That's why I have to find out.」

「...What about the Red Seal?」

「I won't use it in the tournament. If I show that, my identity will be completely exposed. I've used it before to stop Kranzel's counter-invasion. But I'll prepare it just in case we need it when we escape.」

「Understood.」

「Onee-sama, am I really going to participate as well?」

「Yeah, both you and I. We were too influenced by the Raydoss Kingdom.」

「Influenced?...」

「Patriotism and blindly looking down on enemy countries are different things. Well, I only said it out loud; I haven't been able to put it into practice myself...」

「Onee-sama...」

「Biscot, you too. You must have some idea, right?」

「Sigh... I was surprised at how strongly I reacted just from hearing the Raydoss Kingdom being criticized.」

「In your case, you haven't completely broken free from the ideology implanted in you back in the research facility. I didn't realize it until now. Well, I understand your feelings. It's only a tiny portion that's strange; both of us thought we were normal and that everyone else was strange. But...」

「South and East are even worse than we think.」

「That's right. That's why our relationship with Kranzel might be in a more dangerous territory than we're thinking. It could escalate into a full-scale war in the not-so-distant future. We need to assess the adventurers. It's not about winning or losing. We need to fight them seriously to understand adventurers even a bit better. Got it?」

「Yeah.」

「What about the surveillance?」

「Can we eliminate it?」

「If we just drive them away... capturing them would be difficult.」

「Then we'll leave it for now. There will probably be other surveillance sent. And revealing that we've noticed the surveillance might not be a good idea.」

「Understood.」

「Well, it seems like we can accomplish the original mission from the Prime Minister. It's perfect.」

「To locate and assess Rank S adventurers, right?」

「Yeah. It was reported by South Expedition Commander's people a while ago... are they coming to see the martial arts tournament?」

「It seems that the adventurers they reported are different from the Rank S adventurer, but it's certain that Rank S adventurers are coming.」

「That's good then. We'll confirm their strength and, if possible, measure their loyalty to Kranzel. It would be great if we could fight them, but just observing closely should be enough.」

＊

After dropping off Kaitly at the mansion, we headed to the Adventurer's Guild. Naturally, it was to report to Sibylla and the others. As we entered the guild, the surrounding adventurers started making a commotion.

Fran is a celebrity in this city.

The adventurers don't take the bard's stories at face value like Kaitly does, but many of them remember her from her exploits in last year's martial arts tournament.

In fact, when walking around town, Fran had received admiring looks even from non-beastman adventurers.

「Oh my? Isn't that Fran-chan!」

「Elsa.」

The one who welcomed Fran at the Adventurer's Guild was Elsa, a Rank B adventurer.

If you're just standing there, she might look like a stylish and handsome guy. However, as soon as she opens her mouth, the impression falls apart.

「Long time no see!」

「Yeah. Long time.」

Her imposing presence hasn't changed. I thought I had gotten used to this muscle-bound, red afro-wearing ojou-san a bit during the last martial arts tournament, but meeting her again after a long time is still surprising.

She approaches with a swaying gait, flexing her inner thighs, a muscular lady with a fiery red afro. I'm already on the verge of wanting to run away, but in contrast, Fran is greeting her with a smile. Fran and Elsa get along because they both like each other.

「Will you be participating in the tournament again this year?」

「Of course.」

「That makes me happy! After all, this year, it's unlikely that the first and second place from last year will both participate.」

「Is that so?」

Fran asks in a disappointed tone after Elsa's words. Elsa nods, also looking disappointed.

「That's right! Well, since we're adventurers, we can't help but prioritize requests... I'm glad Fran-chan came.」

Amanda, who was the runner-up from last year, needs to restrain the Raydoss Kingdom, and the winner, Forrund, might still be in the capital, or maybe he's on some mission against Raydoss.

Could this be an opportunity to win the championship? Fran might be disappointed, but her rivals have suddenly decreased.

This year, the Beast Kings aren't participating, and there might not be any Rank A adventurers who had fiercely battled last year. If that's the case, there likely won't be anyone stronger than Fran.

As for potential rivals, could it be Colbert and Felmus? They're undoubtedly strong opponents, but Fran had already defeated them. Felmus might not even participate, as he had reluctantly entered last year at Diaz's request.

Among the strong individuals I've met in this city, it's probably Diaz and Sibylla. However, Diaz is the guildmaster, and Sibylla is Raydoss's spy (allegedly).

The likelihood of them participating is extremely low. There's a possibility that a new strong contender might appear, but it's unlikely there will be as many Rank A adventurers competing as last year.

「Do you have something to do at the guild today? Or did you come to see me?」

「Neither.」

「I-is that so...」

「I have a report for Diaz. I was planning to meet with Elsa later.」

「Oh, really!」

Fran, you naughty girl! That's an advanced technique for picking someone up. Elsa is beaming with joy, wriggling her body.

「The guildmaster has more important matters. But, something has been off with him since yesterday.」

Elsa grumbles while saying so. This is undoubtedly our fault.

「...Is he angry?」

Fran asks hesitantly, and Elsa, with a wry smile, shakes her head.

「It's not like he's angry. It's more like he's absent-minded? Like he can't focus on his work at all? And yet, he wanders around his room, making strange growling sounds, like a caged beast.」

「I see.」

Certainly, he doesn't seem angry, but it appears he's dealing with some issue.

「Could it be related to Fran-chan that the guildmaster is acting strange?」

「Maybe.」

「Is that so... I'll ask whether he wants to meet, for now.」

「Please.」

「If it's Fran-chan's request! I'll do anything! Even if the guildmaster says no, I'll drag him here!」

「If Diaz doesn't want to meet, don't force it.」

「Oh? Is that so?」

「Yes.」

After a few minutes of this conversation,

We were climbing the guild's staircase. I thought Diaz might not want to see us, but we were summoned by him without any issues.

The one who greeted Fran as she entered the room was Diaz, with a wry smile that seemed both self-mocking and bitter.

He used to be a dashing old man for his age, but now he appears appropriately aged. It seems like he's quite exhausted from something overnight.

「Can I meet him?」

「I hesitated a bit, but he said he had a report for me.」

「I see.」

「If it was a continuation of yesterday's conversation, I was going to ask for more time... But it seems like it's a different matter altogether?」

As a guildmaster, Diaz probably can't ignore an urgent report from a high-ranking adventurer.

I'm sorry for thinking of him as someone who mixes personal matters with work. He may have personal matters, but he's the type to handle work diligently.

「Should I leave?」

「It's okay.」

After reporting, Diaz's next move would probably involve Elsa. So, reporting here saves us from double work.

「Today, I encountered some strange person in the western dungeon.」

「A strange person? How strange?」

Fran tells Diaz everything she knows about Sibylla and the others.

About her time in Bulbora and now being in Ulmutt. The imbalance of being a considerably strong individual yet being ignorant about adventurers. And the significant disturbance when the topic shifted to the Raydoss Kingdom.

「...She might be a spy for the Raydoss Kingdom.」

『I think the possibility is quite high.』

「I see. That's certainly a serious situation. Fran-kun, do you know where this woman named Sibylla and her companions are?」

「They're at an inn near the entrance of the town.」

By the time we left the dungeon, Urushi had returned once to report.

「I see. Let's confirm that right away.」

「Urushi is still keeping an eye on them. If they try to escape, he should report it.」

「That's appreciated.」

「Are you planning to capture her?」

「Hmm... that's a difficult question. If the opponent is weak, I don't mind moving to restrain her, but she's strong even in your eyes, right?」

「Yes.」

The pressure Fran felt from Sibylla was substantial. She should be strong enough to face Fran head-on at the very least.

「...It wouldn't be good to cause trouble in the town, and it's a bad time for it. If something strange happens here, it might affect the martial arts tournament, right? I want to avoid that, even if it means sacrificing the guild's reputation.」

As a guildmaster, Diaz probably needs to consider the guild's prestige and honor. Even we can understand that the cancellation of the martial arts tournament would be a significant disgrace.

「So, what are we going to do? Just keep watching?」

「Well, that seems to be the case for now. We'll only apprehend her after the tournament ends. Until then, we'll stick to surveillance. If it comes to it, you'll help, right?」

「Yes, of course.」

Fran strongly nods in response to Diaz's words. After all, this might be a chance to fight against Sibylla. Fran wouldn't refuse.

**Next Day**

The next day, Fran was fairly busy.

Being a celebrity, various invitations and requests were coming her way.

An invitation that couldn't be refused came from Elsa. Moreover, it wasn't for something like dining or chatting but for a review of the feel of a beauty serum.

Beauty and fashion were things Fran had absolutely no interest in. Even if you called it a beauty serum, it was nothing more than a hassle that had to be applied to the skin at night for some reason. She only went along with it because Elsa had given it to her and she was enthusiastic about using it.

But asking Fran about the "feel" of it? She wouldn't be able to provide a proper answer. All she could come up with were thoughts like "I don't know" or "it's a hassle." Elsa was left smiling wryly at Fran's inability to respond.

Besides, Elsa had even distributed it to female students at the magical academy. She sincerely apologized, but Elsa had been overjoyed when she heard how popular it was. She thought it was all very awkward because she was essentially deceiving Elsa...

If it were Elsa, I wouldn't mind her revealing it, but the timing hasn't been right.

While Fran received the beauty serum, she expressed her gratitude with a bitter expression.

Well, at first, she declined, but Elsa made such a sad face that she had no choice but to accept it. Elsa was truly formidable in making Fran feel guilty.

Someday, it would be nice to be able to express my gratitude in some way.

And the requests that made Fran happy were requests to taste-test new dishes offered by chefs and restaurants.

A few months late to the trend in Bulbora. Along with the curry boom that had truly taken hold in Ulmutt, many chefs were experimenting with and improving curry dishes to raise their quality.

Curry dishes had already been popular when Fran visited previously, but this time, it was an unprecedented huge boom. It seemed like almost every restaurant was serving curry dishes. Probably, many chefs had prepared curry dishes in anticipation of the martial arts tournament.

And there appeared Fran, the disciple of the Curry Master who had created this curry craze.

With the popularity of curry, information about Fran had also spread to the chefs in Ulmutt, and many taste-test requests had been designated specifically for Fran.

Well, at first, there was only one request. However, as a result of chefs shedding tears while implementing Fran's harsh feedback and dramatically improving their curry dishes, that particular curry dish had become incredibly delicious.

Word of mouth about it spread quickly, resulting in a situation where numerous taste-test requests were being given to Fran.

Eating curry dishes, providing some feedback, and receiving a substantial amount of money—it was the best kind of request.

Furthermore, famous restaurants were the ones requesting Fran, even though she was only a Rank B adventurer. All of them were making decent money, so there were few disappointing dishes since only talented chefs were involved.

Well, their spirit of experimentation occasionally went a bit too far, resulting in some dishes that didn't suit Fran's taste. But for Fran, it was enjoyable because those were flavors she had never encountered before.

During the requests, Fran always seemed to be having a great time wherever she went. How many times had I seen her use "Skip" anyway?

However, it wasn't without its issues.

The chefs secretly referred to Fran as the "Curry Princess" or the "Spicy Princess." It seemed to be a shortened version of "Black Lightning Princess," which was Fran's title as an apprentice of the Curry Master.

What I feared was that Fran might actually come to like that nickname. After all, she had a cool title like "Black Lightning Princess," so what would she do if she started calling herself the Curry Princess?

That had to be prevented at all costs.

Fortunately, it seemed like the chefs understood that this nickname wasn't well-received by adventurers, so they didn't call her that to her face. It wasn't too difficult to ensure that Fran didn't hear it.

Occasionally, someone would almost slip and say "Curry Princess," but in those cases, I would use telekinesis to physically cover their mouths. Well, I suppose it might sound dangerous to say it that way, but it just involved covering their mouths with telekinesis so they couldn't speak temporarily.

In this way, Fran worked hard as a missionary of curry for several days.

A messenger from the Adventurer's Guild had come to the inn where we were staying. It seemed there was a message from Diaz.

『Now, what could it be?』

「Nn.」

Was it about Sibylla and the others, who were suspected of being spies for the Raydoss Kingdom?

We had been requested by the guild not to make any unnecessary contact with them to avoid provoking them. As a result, Fran had not approached Sibylla and the others at all. Surveillance was solely entrusted to Urushi.

Perhaps there had been some movement on their part.

Or maybe Dimitris had arrived in Ulmutt? We had asked for an introduction when Dimitris arrived. He seemed to be a quite particular person, but if there was an introduction from the guildmaster, he would probably at least listen to us. Probably.

However, Diaz's message wasn't related to either of those things.

「I have something to discuss regarding Zelos Reed.」

「...I understand.」

Fran tightened her expression as she faced Diaz, who had a serious look on his face. So, what was this about?

From Diaz's solemn expression, it was hard to read what was on his mind. It was unusual for him to be so serious. It must be quite an important matter.

「...Fran-kun, you mentioned that you were entrusted with Zelos Reed's life during our previous conversation, didn't you?」

「Nn.」

What Diaz was referring to was likely the moment when Zelos Reed had prostrated himself before Fran.

In exchange for entrusting his life to Fran, Zelos Reed had made a promise. If he were to die, he wanted Fran to take Romeo to the orphanage in Bulbora. It was an agreement that seemed to have been forgotten and left behind. Zelos Reed had not died; he was currently being hidden at the magical academy along with Romeo.

Fran wouldn't use that promise as leverage to ask Zelos Reed for something at this point. However, the fact that such a promise had been made between Fran and Zelos Reed was certain. Moreover, when Fran explained to Diaz how she had let Zelos Reed go, she definitely mentioned that promise.

Fran herself might not have realized her feelings, but Zelos Reed's life was in her care, so she shouldn't do anything reckless. I thought that might be the underlying sentiment Fran had towards it.

And Diaz definitely understood those feelings. That's probably why he brought this up in the first place.

「Let's make a bet, Fran-kun. If you win, I'll give up on seeking revenge. I can't erase the grudge, but I'll take this feeling to my grave. I will never lay a hand on Zelos Reed. In exchange, if I win, you have to tell me Zelos Reed's whereabouts. What do you say?」

Diaz's face had a smile, but to me, it seemed like a pained expression. I didn't know why I felt that way, though.

「...What are the terms of the bet?」

「How about this? In the upcoming martial arts tournament, the one who wins the battle also wins the bet.」

「You're joining?」

「Me participating is not an issue. There's no rule anywhere that says the guildmaster can't participate.」

『But how do you know if you'll actually get matched up with Fran?』

Maybe he can do something like that with guildmaster authority? Apparently, that's not necessary.

「The order of participation is determined randomly from among the participants in the main tournament. So, if one of us loses before we even get to face each other, you win the bet, alright?」

「Is that acceptable?」

「Yeah, at that time, I'll just think of it as fate and accept it.」

It was quite a convenient bet for us. Did Diaz have that much confidence, or was he assuming defeat? I couldn't tell.

If Diaz were genuinely determined to find Zelos Reed, it wouldn't actually be that difficult. By searching through the Adventurer's Guild records, it would be easy to find out where Fran had traveled. So why go through the trouble of making a bet like this?

『What if Fran doesn't accept the bet?』

「In that case, I'll search for Zelos Reed on my own.」

「...Understood. I'll accept the bet.」

『Fran, are you sure?』

「Nn. I know how Diaz feels. We need to make things clear.」

Fran's expression showed concern for Diaz in some way. Diaz, in response, deeply bowed to Fran.

「Thank you. I appreciate it.」

With those words and a smile, Diaz's face seemed to show a sense of relief.

A few days before the martial arts tournament was set to begin.

We arrived at the Adventurer's Guild. Our purpose today was not to meet Diaz. It wasn't Colbert, who stood next to the sofa, wearing a strangely tired expression.

Our objective was the frail elderly man sitting on the sofa in front of us.

「You've come.」

Despite saying "you've come," there wasn't a trace of a smile on his face. He simply stared at Fran with sharp eyes.

In appearance, he was a slender elderly man with a somewhat intimidating face.

Originally, his eyes seemed slightly slanted, making it look like he was glaring at you.

His hair, although it had turned white with age, was remarkably abundant. He tied the hair at the back of his head into a short topknot, and it looked like there was enough to form a bob if let down. He sported a splendid mustache and a chin beard, resembling the appearance of a sage from a manga or a Chinese martial arts master.

Well, the aura he emitted was anything but that of a sage.

Since he was sitting down, it was difficult to tell accurately, but his height would be around 170 centimeters or so.

Due to old age, his skin had lost moisture and was marked with even deeper wrinkles, almost resembling the cracked bark of a tree.

However, it was evident that beneath that skin, he still had well-defined muscles. The way those thin, soft muscles were attached resembled that of an athlete. It seemed like he was still keeping up with his training.

He wore a loose robe with purple fabric and black embroidery, similar to a kimono, but it was spacious. Even from above, you could clearly see the strength of his physique.

Colbert stepped forward and spoke.

「Master...」

「I am no longer your master.」

「…Dimitris-sama, Lady Hilt. She's Fran, the girl who defeated me.」

「I see.」

「Hmm.」

That's right. The elderly man before us now was none other than Dimitris, the unwavering Rank S adventurer. We received permission to meet him from the guild, and we had come right away.

Just from witnessing their exchange, it was clear that dealing with him wouldn't be straightforward.

And there was another person. Another sharp-looking woman stood on the opposite side of the sofa from Colbert, right next to Dimitris as if she were guarding him.

Colbert referred to her as "お嬢さん" (young lady), but what kind of relationship did they have? She must be quite formidable herself, perhaps on par with Colbert. She eyed Fran critically.

Well, for now, Dimitris took precedence.

Fran bowed slightly.

「I am Fran, a Rank B adventurer. Nice to meet you.」

It was a rare sight to see Fran give such a formal greeting. It might be because the person she was facing was someone related to the request, but just by meeting him, she could sense his strength.

There was a sense of respect in her tone.

In response, the old man nodded graciously.

「I am Dimitris, a Rank S adventurer.」

Sitting deeply on the sofa, with his arms crossed, he appeared to have numerous openings at first glance. However, if Fran were to launch an attack, she would likely receive a painful counterattack.

His presence alone made it clear.

He wasn't emitting an intimidating or hostile aura, but his actions and posture conveyed his strength effectively. It was deliberate. For someone with power, by showing their strength to a level that others could clearly understand, it would deter unnecessary conflicts.

If someone were so weak that they couldn't perceive this, it wouldn't be a problem even if there were dozens of them. And even if an opponent did attack, that wouldn't be an issue either. From what I had heard, Dimitris was a battle enthusiast; he would gladly take on any challengers.

I had imagined Dimitris to be quite a stubborn old man, but he's a bit more tolerable than I expected. I had anticipated being attacked on the spot, after all.

In the first place, I hadn't expected to meet him so easily.

However, despite Dimitris not being as aggressive as I thought, for some reason, it's Hilt who's giving me a glare.

Well, not exactly glaring, but she seems somewhat displeased... Anyway, there's an uneasy atmosphere.

Fran's gaze has also shifted from Dimitris to Hilt without me noticing.

「I'm Hiltoria. I'm a Rank A adventurer under Master Dimitris.」

I thought she would be strong, but Rank A! That must mean she's one of Dimitris's direct disciples. She's someone who also passed the trial that Colbert went through.

「And I'm Dimitris-sama's direct grandchild and the legitimate successor. Pleased to meet you.」

With a face that didn't seem pleased at all, Hilt declared this.

She was a tall, beautiful woman with forest-green hair tied into a side ponytail. Like Dimitris, she wore a purple-themed outfit, but hers was a snug-fitting martial arts uniform with a smaller size, emphasizing her body's lines.

The top was a short-sleeved tube top style, exposing her midriff. The bottom was pants that fell between tights and shorts. The protective gear for her legs looked like knee-high socks.

At first glance, all of them appeared to be lightweight cloth armor, but they were actually high-quality armor made from magical beast materials. Their smaller size was likely for ease of movement.

Clearly, she was a martial artist. Even without identification, it was obvious. It wasn't from observing her balance or movements; it was just apparent.

The knuckledusters she wore on her hands emitted a faint crimson glow. Originally silver, they had now changed to a reddish-black color. It seemed that over the years, they had absorbed so much blood that they no longer retained their original hue. That indicated how much she used these knuckledusters as her primary weapons.

「...」

「...」

Fran and Hilt locked eyes for a few seconds. It appeared that the atmosphere wouldn't end amicably.

「...」

「...」

After staring each other down for a few seconds, Hilt muttered softly.

「I see.」

「?」

What does she mean by "I see"? Fran tilted her head, not understanding the meaning behind Hilt's words.

「I understand why Colbert lost now. To be this strong at his age...」

Ah, I see. Hilt and Colbert, both affiliated with Dimitris, must have been friends for a long time. If that's the case, Fran was the one who became the trigger for their friend to be expelled from the guild.

Of course, it was pure resentment, but it couldn't be easily accepted.

Now, I understood the meaning behind that glaring expression. Even if she knew in her rational mind that Fran wasn't at fault, being confronted with her must stir up complex emotions.

「Friends with Colbert?」

「Friends... well, that Colbert was one of my former fiancé candidates. Well, that story fell through due to his expulsion.」

「Young lady, I was just one of the fiancé candidates.」

There were multiple candidates to become her fiancé, and among them, the man considered the most suitable was supposed to become Hilt's husband.

The groom must be a suitable man to assist Hilt, the legitimate successor in Dimitris's lineage. Naturally, Colbert, who had been expelled, was removed from the list of candidates.

「Besides, Charlie, who made it to the end, is a stronger and better man than I am. He's closer in age and seems like a better match, don't you think?」

「Is that so? It might be.」

Ah, it might not have been a simple matter of friends.

Hilt, who replied to Colbert with a light tone, shrugged in the same casual manner. However, her expression clearly showed disappointment.

Could it be that Hilt...? Did Colbert not notice?

I mean, Colbert seemed to be on good terms with Io...

「Hilt, will you participate in the martial arts tournament? To take revenge on Colbert?」

「I have no intention of becoming a spectacle.」

「...I see.」

It seemed that Hilt wouldn't be participating. I breathed a sigh of relief, but Fran looked disappointed. Hilt seemed quite strong.

Well, for now, it's Dimitris.

『Fran, don't forget the purpose of our visit.』

「Got it...」

Perhaps reminded of the mission by my words, Fran turned her attention back to Dimitris.

「I heard from this man that you want to meet me. What do you need?」

「Yeah. This... from the Belioth Kingdom.」

「Oh?」

I took out the leather pouch I had been holding onto and placed it on the table. It had caused us some trouble with Al-Ajif, but we had finally completed the request.

Dimitris accepted the pouch and urged me with a glance.

「They want to hire one of the adventurers dispatched to the Gordicia Continent. There's a letter inside.」

「I see.」

Dimitris opened the pouch and immediately opened the envelope inside. As he read the letter, he nodded a few times.

Well, that concludes the request. Now it's a matter between the Belioth Kingdom and Dimitris.

Contrary to my initial expectations, we had completed the request quite easily.

But it wasn't over yet.

「So, what do you think? Will you cooperate with the Belioth Kingdom?」

Fran asked Dimitris. In fact, the Belioth Kingdom had offered to pay a bonus if Dimitris could be persuaded.

「Well, who knows? It might turn into a boring request without Weena Rhyn. Are you thinking of turning it down?」

「Find a way.」

「Hmm...」

Dimitris pondered a bit at Fran's words, which clearly lacked enthusiasm.

Then, he glanced at his granddaughter, Hilt.

「...Very well. I suppose I will. How about this? The Black Lightning Princess. I hear you're participating in the martial arts tournament, right?」

「Yeah, of course.」

「In that case, if you manage to defeat Hilt in the upcoming martial arts tournament, I'll visit Belioth. How about that?」

「That's what I'm hoping for!」

With a grin, the formidable old man proposed an interesting idea. Fran was naturally motivated. More than the bonus, she seemed excited about the prospect of facing off against Hilt.

However, in contrast to the enthusiastic Fran and the others, Hilt seemed bewildered.

「Hey, Grandpa?」

「And you, Hilt. If you manage to defeat the Black Lightning Princess, I will retire and pass on the leadership of the school to you.」

「...That's...!」

「Hmph. Even I have a wife and children. I'm not made of wood or stone. Did you think I was unaware of such matters?」

「So, if you become the head, you can choose your own son-in-law?」

Light sparked in Hilt's eyes, who had been bewildered.

「I will be the head. You can do as you please with the school. Don't worry about the old man retiring. You can close the dojo if you want. After all, I used to teach in the wild to anyone who wanted to learn.」

「Understood. With such a reward in sight, you're not concerned about becoming a spectacle, are you?」

Hilt, who had been bewildered just moments ago, now glared at Fran with a determined expression. Fran returned the stare, undeterred.

「You heard it, right? I'll make sure to win.」

「I'll be the one winning.」

This wasn't just a simple staredown this time.

Fran and Hilt were clashing with their fighting spirit.

We could hear commotion downstairs. The sudden release of aggressive energy had triggered a reaction from the adventurers in the guild.

「Grandpa, what happens if we tie in the middle of the match?」

「In that case, the one with the higher rank wins.」

「Understood.」

「Yeah.」

Neither of them asked about scenarios like tying in the first round. They both intended to win. They probably hadn't even considered the possibility of losing in the first place.

But still, the martial arts tournament was always an unpredictable situation. Last time, we had a bet with the Beast King, and this time, it was a bet with Diaz and Dimitris.

「Um...?」

Colbert looked perplexed. Sorry.

Maybe, but it seems that your future depends on Fran's victory or defeat.

Side - Black Corpse Batallion

「Al-Ajif, your communication through your doppelganger has ceased. What's going on?」

「That guy should have been gathering power around Bulbora, but it seems like he was defeated.」

「What?! Al-Ajif, you were supposed to be given a significant amount of power, right?」

「Ho ho ho ho! That's right! Hee hee hee!」

「This is no laughing matter!」

「No, no, it's just that there must be quite a prey if they managed to defeat him! I'm sure it's a worthwhile, top-notch opponent!」

「Hmph. If he was defeated, it's of no use to us.」

「It's okay! I'll take care of all of them! I'll beat them all and make them my sustenance! Ah! I wonder who defeated me? I'm looking forward to it!」

「Tch. Calm down! Right now, the most important thing is to plan our operation in this town.」

「I know that! But can't I have just a little snack?」

「No, absolutely not! Even a little suspicion could make everyone around us an enemy!」

「Aw, come on! Just a little bit! There are strong adventurers gathered here, and even if a few of them disappear, it won't be noticed!」

「Tch. These people who are slaves to their desires... Listen up. Our Black Corpse Brigade's reputation has taken a significant hit lately. With the disappearance of Iceman and Charredman, and Nameless-sama falling short of the High Elves, Southward Conqueror is beginning to doubt our capabilities.」

「Ah, well, there's nothing we can do about it. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. That's how the world works, right?」

「Is that enough for you? Anyway, to dispel these unfair evaluations of us, this operation must not fail under any circumstances. That's why we're bowing our heads to Western Conqueror and requesting cooperation!」

「Hee hee hee! If we fail this time, I wonder what will happen to us?」

「That's why I'm saying we can't fail! I, Acidman, the 10th seat of the Black Corpse Brigade, will undoubtedly execute this operation!」

「Isn't it the 9th seat anymore?」

「Oh, right. Iceman and Charredman disappeared, and I moved up. They were idiots, but their combat strength was top-notch. To have them disappear so easily...」

「The outside world is full of scary opponents, isn't it?」

「Shut up! You just need to follow my orders!」

「Alright, alright. I get it.」

「Exploit the chaos of the martial arts tournament and capture Dimitris!」