Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~ - Volume 4 - Chapter 1.1

Chapter One: The Responsibilities of a Level 8

I was on the top floor of the First Steps clan house in the clan master’s office, a space for only myself and the clan’s office workers. I had a grin on my face as I looked down at my desk. Five small human figures, each about five centimeters tall, were racing about on my desk. The figures were so intricate they looked like some real human beings had been shrunk down.

They were each dressed for a different role; there was a Magus, Paladin, Swordsman, Thief, and an Alchemist. I was using robes and armor to cover up some of their minor flaws, but I was overall quite pleased with myself.

While rubbing the warm bracelet, I made the figures tread quietly along the edge of the desk. These weren’t dolls, which have mass, but mirages produced from my new Relic, Mirage Form. The race track and small mountain on my desk were also mirages.

At first, I had struggled to get shapes and colors right, but after days of practicing, I was successfully producing fairly elaborate mirages.

It appeared the Relic was equipped with a feature to correct for user error to a small degree. However, that didn’t take away from my delight in seeing my practice produce results. It was a bit gaudy looking and I couldn’t be sure how much practical use it had, but as a Relic used for fun, I could hardly ask for anything more.

I poked one of the mirages with my finger and at the same time made it move like it had fallen over. I made the other mirages act like they were protesting. Even though I was just manipulating images I felt like the leader of a pack of small elementals. I couldn’t stop grinning.

I wanted to show off to someone, but, unfortunately, I had to refrain. Being seen playing with dolls would destroy my hard-boiled image.

Into the mix, I added a dragon small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, but then I decided to not stop at just one. I added another and another and another until I had four dragons, all different colors of course. I had encountered many dragons when I used to tag along with Grieving Souls. I couldn’t be certain I had all the details down, but I was sure I had the general outline perfected.

The dragons flapped their wings and flew around my head. I concentrated and tried to make their flying look more realistic. Creating mirages was difficult, but actually moving them wasn’t too bad.

The only flaw of Mirage Form was that its range was limited to one meter and twenty centimeters.

If I could just expand that range, I could open up new possibilities for playing around. I wonder if there are versions of this Relic with wider ranges.

Because they were mirages, they were unaffected by physical barriers. I flew one through the window, and it disappeared into thin air the moment it got out of range.

“Not a very tough dragon,” I said.

Not that it was the dragon’s fault.

I was grinning to myself and flying dragons around when the door to my office suddenly opened. I couldn’t help but shiver. It was Eva entering the room. I didn’t have any work I was supposed to be doing, but I didn’t like being seen engaging in childish games so I quickly erased the dragons.

I must have been a second too late because Eva’s eyes were wide open.

“Wh-What was that just now?” she said.

“...Nothing. I was just surprised by your sudden entrance, that’s all.”

“Huh? I did knock...”

...I had been so busy playing with the dragons that I failed to notice a knock at the door. Maybe it was a bad idea to mess with mirages in my office.

I didn’t even need to bother asking what Eva wanted, I could tell by the excruciating pile of letters in her arms. Normally, Grieving Souls didn’t have much contact with nobles when compared with other high-level parties. But for some reason, we started getting more correspondence after we got involved with Earl Gladis during the auction.

According to an investigation by Eva, it seemed that somehow there were circulating rumors about how I had supposedly saved Lady Éclair. Never mind that it was Ark and not me who’d saved her...

Hunters with dreams of moving up in the world or in want of connections might be glad to receive a letter from a noble, but, unfortunately, I was a hunter with dreams of retirement. I would just have courteously turned down any letters I received.

“There’s gotta be someone better for them to bother...”

I could see myself fleeing Zebrudia altogether if things got really bad.

“These nobles really have no judge of character,” I grumbled to myself as I shifted around in my chair. I then realized Eva’s gaze was on my desk, or to be specific, her gaze was on the small mirages that I had forgotten to erase.

Eva looked up at me. She seemed to be doubting my very sanity. The small people all hurried across my desk and jumped off the edge towards me. I cleared my throat, crossed my legs, and leaned back.

“...So, did you need something?” I asked.

“You’re just going to try to brush it off? What were those just now?!”

Eva came around behind me and peeked under my desk, but the small people were already gone so there was nothing for her to find.

I decided I would try to not only be hard-boiled, but also mysterious. I clasped my hands and smiled nihilistically.

“Hmph, even I have a secret or two,” I told her.

“Well...” Eva replied. “I know that...”

She tilted her head side to side and then nodded as though forcing herself to accept the situation. Putting the matter aside, she cleared her throat.

“We seem to have received a number of letters from the nobility. If you could give them a look over...”

Eva’s face grew stiff. On my desk was a figure identical to me and it hadn’t been there a moment ago. The figure was holding his arms above his head as though it wanted her to set the letters on top of it. Slowly, Eva’s eyes turned upwards towards me. I gave her a nod and she carefully placed the letters on top of the mirage—but it was crushed under the weight.

Eva’s face was instantly drained of color and she hurried to lift the letters up, but naturally, there was nothing left. It was like the figure had been nothing but a mirage...and that’s because it had been nothing but a mirage.

“Huh? Uh? Wha—”

“Ah, don’t worry about it. Now, what about those letters?”

Eva looked puzzled, which was rare for her. I responded with a mellow smile.

This is going to be really fun...

***

They were in the southwestern decaying district. In a corner of a street that no respectable person would ever walk, Liz clicked her tongue with irritation.

“Aaah. Hah. This is the issue with magic syndicates, they refuse to meet you head-on...” she said.

“Most magic syndicates survive by being cautious. Though I think Akashic Tower was still a cut above in that regard...”

This response was given by a person wearing a hood that concealed most of their face. It was Sitri Smart.

The two sisters were following conflicting leads obtained during the auction to track down the remnants of Akashic Tower. The golem produced by the disgraced sage Noctus Cochlear was a revolutionary weapon and had grabbed the attention of the other labs of Akashic Tower. There was no doubt that the bandits who broke into the auction storehouse were after the golem. They didn’t steal anything, but that was because Sitri wasted no time retrieving the golem once the bidding was over.

They had investigated whoever bid against them, how the golem went from the Vault Investigation Bureau to the auction, and lastly, they had investigated anyone who had had contact with the golem’s winner—Greg.

Liz and the rest of Grieving Souls were all used to dealing with criminals. They had often tangled with ghost parties, and this wouldn’t be their first time crushing a criminal organization or a magic syndicate. But this foe put their previous opponents to shame.

For one thing, there were only so many people who could make deals with the Vault Investigation Bureau. This meant that whoever their enemy was, they were connected with powerful people.

Kneeling before Liz were three people, all with bodies clearly honed in battle. Even through their well-worn armor, they gave off the sort of overwhelming presence you only saw in those who had absorbed high amounts of mana material. Lying to the side were high-quality daggers and blades painted black. New weapons of this quality could go for over ten million gilds.

The imperial capital was the hunter’s holy land, but as there is light, there are also shadows. Liz had chased the faintest of threads, leading her to these failed hunters. They were shady hunters who did discreet work of dubious legality and excelled at fighting other humans. Their strength was above that of the average hunters and they occasionally proved a problem for the Explorers’ Association.

But, if you asked Liz, they were just some washouts. She considered them losers who forgot what being a hunter was about and chose to prey on weak humans instead of challenging monsters, phantoms, and treasure vaults riddled with traps. It wasn’t that Liz didn’t abide by preying on the weak, she just felt no fear towards wimps who only ever took on lesser foes.

The three assailants had their hands bound behind their backs and paper bags placed over their heads. Their expressions weren’t viewable, but their bodies trembled nervously and the stench of blood and sweat permeated the narrow street.

This was a band of professional hired blades who knew to never let their guard down, but Liz had no trouble beating them down. Just finding them had been harder. However, after very very carefully overpowering, binding, and interrogating their precious prey—Liz couldn’t have them dying on her—they obtained unexpected information.

The mercenaries knew nothing about their client. They had been contacted with a letter and paid in advance. If they had been able to steal the item in question then their client might have shown themselves, but it was a bit too late for Liz and Sitri to change their plan of attack.

The sellswords didn’t seem to be lying. Sitri had employed an illicit potion meant to make them speak and they coughed up their names, members of their families, work experience, and more. It didn’t seem like they had any sort of resistance to these potions.

After the past few days of investigating had ended fruitlessly, Liz was losing motivation.

“And you don’t know anything, even though you used to work for that bunch?” she grumbled to Sitri.

“We were entirely cut off from other labs, and I wasn’t able to stay as long as I had planned for...” Sitri said with a troubled expression.

Akashic Tower was built upon secrecy. Fundamentally, all magic syndicates were secretive, but Akashic Tower could be considered extreme in that regard.

Magi who had been ostracized for one reason or another were all pursuing their own theories; without contact, they wouldn’t be able to learn anything specific about other labs. Coordination between labs was handled by specialists for that purpose, ensuring that members mostly only knew what their own lab was up to.

As Noctus Cochlear’s first disciple, Sitri had participated in a variety of research projects but she never left that lab. She had intended to one day reach out to other labs, but that need was dispersed by the facilities, budget, and grandeur of Noctus’s lab.

If Krai hadn’t ordered her to come back then she would be at that lab happily working away. If she had known things would turn out like this, she would have slowly gathered intel a bit at a time. Noctus might have known something, but he had lost his memories and was now in prison. Not much Sitri could do on that front.

They were dealing with a large organization that had long been considered an enemy to the world. Liz and Sitri were strong, but theirs wasn’t the right sort to take on this foe. It was clear Akashic Tower had its claws sunk somewhere in the highest echelons on Zebrudia. Investigating and showing proof of this wasn’t going to be enough.

If they were going to be dealing with people with connections in high places, Liz and Sitri could no longer consider the law to be their ally. Not that there was any proof they could find.

Liz let out a feline yawn.

“I’m tired of this. Should we call it quits?” she said indifferently. “We’re wasting time, and Greg’s safe. Probably safe. I don’t have time to waste on chickens. We’ve got the golem so who cares what happens next?”

Putting aside strength, a magic syndicate with friends in high places just sounded like a pain in the ass. If they weren’t thorough, it could come back to bite them, and, frankly, Liz just wasn’t that interested. The risk and reward just didn’t match up.

“Goodness, Lizzy, you’re too quick to lose interest!”

“If you want new materials, then we’ve got three people right here. Can’t you just use them?”

Liz nodded towards the three hired blades. Sitri furrowed her brow and protested.

“How are we supposed to transport them?! We’re sure to draw attention if we carry them to the lab. Besides, for my next experiment, I want Magi—”

“Hell if I care. Can’t you just catch some Magi when you need ’em?”

“Huh? Lizzy, don’t you know the party’s rules?”

Grieving Souls had three rules. Everyone gets along. No harming the normies. Democracy; if there’s a difference in opinions, decide by vote (the clan leader had five votes, by the way).

They were a bit much on the prudent side, but Sitri considered them sensible. As long as that second rule existed, she would be unable to lay a hand on normies. Even when she had been a part of Akashic Tower, she hadn’t directly participated in any human experiments performed on people abducted from the decaying district. She had left those to the other disciples. This led to her mentor, Noctus, regarding her as soft, but Sitri had no choice but to accept it.

From the side of the road, from windows, the locals watched Liz and Sitri with cloudy eyes. While Sitri seemed lost in contemplation, Liz clapped her hands together with elation; she had a good idea.

“...I’ve got it! I don’t really want to, but how about we ask Krai Baby for help?”

Sitri wasn’t sure what to say.

“It’s fine,” Liz continued. “Krai Baby’s nice and I bet he saw this coming. If you’re afraid to do it, then I’ll ask him! This way, we won’t waste any time, I can spend some quality time with him, and Tino will get some training in. It’s perfect! Matter settled!”

Without Sitri saying a thing, Liz reached her own conclusion and crossed her arms with abundant confidence.

Sitri looked at her sister and began to think.

Bothering Krai was something she wanted to avoid at all possible costs, but at their current rate, their investigation wasn’t going to get them anywhere. Not to mention she had already caused plenty of trouble for Krai since becoming a hunter. She had a long history of going to Krai for all sorts of advice, and they were long past the point where she should fret over bothering him a bit.

She mulled it over a bit, but she wasn’t able to come up with any better ideas. She ended up at the same conclusion as Liz. This happened a lot, even when their opinions initially differed.

When she realized what Sitri was thinking, Liz stood up straight and pointed at their three captives.

“And what are we gonna do with these guys?”

“Mmm, we can’t carry them home...”

They were bound, drugged with a truth serum, and covered with wounds, but with time their bodies would recover. Their hearts were another matter. Truthfully, Sitri didn’t care. Her lab was far away and there were too many risks in carrying them home. They had made enemies of these three, but for Grieving Souls, what was three more at this point? Sitri put a finger to her lips and blinked a few times.

“If we kill them and leave their corpses, people will gather and by tomorrow not even a chip of their bones will remain...”

“Hmmm, so should we go with that?”

They spoke with the nonchalant air of peers discussing dinner plans. The captives must have heard this; their breathing grew more ragged. They had gone pale, but Sitri couldn’t tell through the paper bags.

Sitri and Liz’s nonchalance made one thing clear to the captives: their lives were worth nothing to the two sisters. These were people who could kill with malice. The captives began to tremble, when Sitri’s voice rang out with a revelatory air.

“Ah, hold on, Lizzy. Rather than kill them, maybe we can make them into our henchmen! I’ve been looking for underlings used to getting their hands dirty. They’re not up to par for making another Killiam, but it’d be better to recycle rather than throw them away, don’t you think?”

“Huh? Henchmen? What am I supposed to do with weakling henchmen?”

“Well then, I’ll just take all three of them! Ah, but wait, I need to ask for their thoughts on the matter. If they’re not interested in being henchmen, I’ll have to dispose of them...” Sitri paused in contemplation. “But Krai doesn’t seem to approve of killing...”

Sitri went up in front of the three captives and gently touched one of their exposed necks. She thought she heard the sound of someone holding their breath. The paper bags weren’t like the one worn by Killiam; they were just some grimy paper bags without eyeholes.

Breathing steadily, Sitri posed them a question.

“Hey, you three, how about you become my henchmen? You can continue your work as hired blades. Of course, I won’t force you, this is just if you’re feeling up to it.”

“Eh, who’d wanna be your henchman, Siddy? Nothing good waiting for you in that life, you might even be better off dead. Right? Hey, answer me, you worthless bunch!”

A bald man looked down on me grimly. Even though the soul soother Kaina was next to him, her presence wasn’t enough to balance out the man’s ire. I knew that this demeanor was necessary so hunters would take him seriously. I knew that Gark didn’t mean to look like he was glaring at me. Yet, I was a coward who couldn’t help but retract when placed before him.

It had been a while since I had been waylaid by the Explorers’ Association. Gark was the manager of the Association’s branch in the capital, meaning he was an extraordinarily busy man. I couldn’t imagine a single good reason he would come all the way to the clan house just to get a hold of me. I also had a few choice words for Eva, who had led my archenemy straight to me.

I was placed in the Association building’s reception room and spent a few minutes on the receiving end of a gaze that could kill a phantom. Gark slowly opened his mouth and began to speak in his usual intimidating voice.

“So, Krai, I hear you went and picked a fight with the House of Gladis?”

“No,” I said. “It wasn’t a fight.”

Even still, I was prepared to kowtow.

“Sir, you sound as though you brought Krai here simply to chastise him,” Kaina interjected reproachfully.

Oh, it looks like they called me here for something else. Color me surprised. 

I was too used to being scolded and Gark was too used to scolding others. Looking a bit awkward, Gark cleared his throat.

“That’s not what this is all about. Gladis sent us a thank-you note. It’s for you and Ark.”

I didn’t know why I was receiving a thank-you note, but if it was to both me and Ark, then they should have snagged Ark. I was, unfortunately, quite busy. Truly, I was. Producing mirages was a deep art form.

I have to get home and continue practicing my miniature of the imperial capital—

“Another thing, along with the thank-you note was a named quest addressed to you. A named quest from the earl, despite his distaste for hunters. The contents of the quest don’t come off as a walk in the park, but the pay is enough to make up for that. I guess it’s a test of both your strength and etiquette. Take it.”

A named quest was a quest that was designated to a specific hunter or party. Receiving a named quest was proof that a hunter had become well-known, was trustworthy, or had recognizable strength. Named quests tended to be difficult, but paid out hefty sums, and, depending on the client, could even bring someone prestige.

When I received my first named quest everyone congratulated me for it. I, of course, declined the quest because it seemed dangerous.

This was a formal quest done through the Explorers’ Association. As the client was a noble, I had to choose my words wisely. With a serious expression, I confirmed the most important thing.

“And this quest can be accepted by anyone?”

“Are you out of your mind?” Gark said.

This was a quest from a noble who disdained hunters. This was likely a chance for the Association to show Earl Gladis how useful hunters could be, but I wanted no part of it. I didn’t need to hear the contents of the quest to know that it was beyond what I could tolerate. On top of that, a quest like this could only be a hassle for someone looking to retire from treasure hunting.

I pretended to give it some serious thought and then fell back on my usual tactics.

“Right now only two others from my party are available,” I told Gark. “It’s not that I don’t want to take this quest or anything, but wouldn’t it be better to leave this to Ark?”

I tried to gauge Gark’s reaction while I spoke. He let out a deep sigh and behind him, Kaina gave a pained smile.

When Gark spoke, it was in a calmer voice than I had expected.

“You should take this quest. Krai, you haven’t taken a single quest this term, have you?”

“Ah, my quota? That time already?”

“This isn’t a laughing matter.”

Hunters belonging to the Explorers’ Association were required to meet a quota adjusted for their level. They could do things like delve into treasure vaults, exterminate powerful monsters and phantoms, or complete quests brought in by outsiders. If they failed successively to meet these quotas, they would be disqualified as a hunter and be expelled from the Explorers’ Association.

Initially, these quotas were implemented simply to prevent a proliferation of “hunters in name only”—people registered as hunters but not engaged in any relevant activities.

The quotas were low enough that the average hunter didn’t even need to acknowledge them. Exceptions were made for those with injuries or other sufficient reasons for taking a break. Even if someone failed once to meet their quota, they’d be fine if they fulfilled it during the next term. As a result many hunters outright forgot that this system existed.

However, this system was hell on people who didn’t undertake quests; people such as myself. As their leader, I accumulated accolades semiautomatically from the actions of First Steps and Grieving Souls. Quotas, however, could only be filled by things you were personally involved in.

The difficulty of a quota was based on your level. I wrinkled my brow and thought hard, but I couldn’t remember what my quota was.

Right. I probably never learned it in the first place.

“How many terms has it been?” I asked.

“Three terms, you moron! Dammit, Krai, you’re gonna get expelled!”

One term was half of a year, so, according to my calculations, it had been a year and a half since I had done anything.

Come to think of it, I remember having this conversation both half a year prior and one year prior. 

“We don’t think you’ve been idle,” Kaina said with a troubled smile. “But as far as outward appearances go, you’re the only hunter not taking quests...”

“No need to apologize to him, Kaina. If he wants to hand off all his accolades, that’s his business.”

But I have been idle, I thought.

For instance, the carcass collection in White Wolf’s Den was handled by Tino and her party, and it was Sven and his party who investigated the anomaly. Why would I try to take credit after I had foisted those quests onto others?

Furthermore, quests often had rewards set beforehand; my participation would only decrease the amount allotted to the other hunters. I was technically a Level 8 and that meant I would get a large payout, further lowering the value of the rewards granted to the others.

If I could just register for a quest with other hunters without decreasing their pay then I’d go for it, but that wasn’t the case. I understood that I was a no-good human being; I foisted quests onto people, I buried myself in debt, and I left the management of the clan to Eva. However, I wasn’t so shameless as to cut into someone else’s pay.

“It would be unprecedented for a Level 8 to be expelled for not reaching their quota. So doesn’t this sound like a good chance to prevent that? And I know if we didn’t call you out here, you’d never come on your own.”

Gark himself brought me to the Association building. Talk about VIP treatment.

I’m so sorry about the trouble I’m always causing.

Still, I had absolutely no motivation to do this. Really, as far as I was concerned, being expelled from the Explorers’ Association was just fine by me. Even if I was going to start taking quests, I would do easier ones, not this named quest from the earl. On top of that, I held the naive belief that even if I failed my quota, Gark would do something to brush it under the rug.

Yeah, I’m no good.

Someone, please put in a request for a miniature imperial capital recreated with mirages.

“Mmm, the truth is, I’ve got a lot on my plate right now,” I said.

“Oh, Krai, you always have a lot on your plate,” remarked Kaina.

“Ah? And what are you wrapped up in this time?” Gark asked. His lips twisted and his cheeks twitched; it was a smile meant to overwhelm.

That smile... He can tell I’m lying.

I glanced at the calendar on the wall. There were still three months left in this term. Whatever the case, even on the off chance I were to take a quest, I couldn’t take one from a noble; failure was not an option when it came to them. There was nothing I could do on my own, I had to do whatever I could to buy time until the rest of Grieving Souls came back.

I had just gotten my hands on a fun new Relic, and yet this headache just had to arise. I looked at the cup of tea before me, swallowed its insipid contents in one gulp, and then offered up some insipid words.

“Well, there’s still time and I have plans of my own. I’ll do what I can to see if I can fit it into my schedule.”

“This is an important quest. You’ve got one week to decide. If you don’t come to me by then, I’ll come to you. Right, for now, I’ll give you the file we got from the House of Gladis,” Gark said.

“I don’t need it right now. I’ll come get it when I’m ready.”

I had allies I could rely on. I didn’t take any pride in it, but I could kowtow before Ark so that he might accompany me on a quest. The rules of the Explorers’ Association had their loopholes; I knew I could do something about the quota. My problem was how to brush off the named quest Earl Gladis had so graciously sent my way.

“Oh, that’s right,” Gark said. “This is the first time Earl Gladis has ever put out a named quest. We plan to send along a member of the Association for support. They’ll do everything they can to stay out of your way. Is that fine with you?”

“Mmm, yeah, it’s fine. But I’ve got a lot to do, and I still haven’t decided whether I’ll accept the quest.”

I’m no good at dealing with nobles. Nothing could be more reassuring than having a pro come along. 

Still, I hadn’t done anything, and I was already tired. I decided I would return to my room and play with Mirage Form while trying to come up with a good idea. 

As I walked across the lobby of the Association building, I rotated my shoulders which had gone stiff from all my nervousness. Because of the odd hour, there was hardly anyone in the usually bustling lobby.

When I first came to the capital, the Association building was an imposing place, but even I managed to get used to it after five years.

There was the quest board—I gave it a sideways glance as I passed it by. There was the news board—I gave it a sideways glance as I passed it by. There was the bounty board—I gave it a sideways glance as I passed it by.

I already knew that there was nothing I could do to fulfill a Level 8’s quota all by myself. I walked about the lobby and I checked in front of the counter, the appraisal desk, and the library, and still didn’t find what I was looking for. I let out a deep sigh.

I was looking for protection. To be more specific, I was looking for hunters with the mark of First Steps who might help me. As a general rule, I didn’t like going outside by myself. The roads you took to go from the Explorers’ Association to our clan house were often crowded, and it was just about guaranteed that I wouldn’t be attacked going between the two buildings. But I still didn’t want to risk it.

When I would leave the clan house for my own purposes, I’d find a good enough bodyguard and give them a good enough reason to come along with me. In other words, I only went out when I had protection.

However, after being abducted by Gark, I was left with few options but to go home unaccompanied. On the way to the Association it had been fine because Gark was with me, but I would have to brave the return trip by myself. Of course, I was equipped perfectly; I was covered head to toe in Relics, but that was more of a placebo.

“Good grief, I wish Gark wouldn’t always call upon me so suddenly. It wasn’t even that urgent,” I grumbled. “I know about my quota, he doesn’t need to tell me.”

I jangled the chain at my waist and peeked out the lobby door to the world outside. In front of the Association building was a street wide enough for multiple carriages to pass through. Merchant carriages bustled this way and that and pedestrians squinted in the blinding sun. Nobody seemed to be feeling the same unease that I was.

The scenery alleviated a bit of my tension. It was strange for a hunter—which I technically was—to be so nervous when even civilians were without fear.

I guess I have no choice. Surely nothing’s going to happen.

I puffed up my chest and put on a calm facade before mustering my courage and taking a bold step outside.

Within Zebrudia, a decent amount of prestige came with being a high-level hunter. The term “hunter” encompassed a group of people with widely varying jobs, levels of experience, and specialties. Even still, hunters around or above Level 5 were considered first-rate and would be contacted by countries, nobles, large trading companies, and the like. The higher their level, the more weight they had to throw around.

It was also around Level 5 that hunters began to attract fans. This naturally included people like Ark, who was the descendant of heroes, but even someone as violent as Liz had fans. In the golden age of treasure hunting, hunters were both warriors as well as a sort of idol.

This sort of fame was one of the many things that could bring a hunter abundant wealth and honor. On the other hand, I, who had become a Level 8 through mysterious contrivances, had almost no fans to speak of. This was because once I realized I was beginning to draw attention I sensed danger and began to hide my face as much as I possibly could.

While my face had never been in the newspaper, it wasn’t like I could keep every last person from knowing my countenance. There were a few people who could recognize me, but by and large, the true identity of the Thousand Tricks remained unknown. The other two Level 8s in the capital were among the numbers who didn’t know my face, something I was sure few other high-level hunters could claim.

This was all so I could avoid making the sort of, well, enemies that came with being a high-level hunter. This included bloodthirsty maniacs like Luke, who would challenge someone to a duel the moment they learned they were strong. This also included criminals who held a grudge because it had been hunters who caught their cohorts.

There were criminal organizations that would specialize in going after hunters’ Relics, and there were bottom-feeders looking to ride off hunters’ coattails. I could spend all day listing all the enemies of hunters, and unlike other high-level hunters, I didn’t have the strength to deal with these nuisances.

Who could blame me for hiding my face and taking a bodyguard when I went outside? I would equip as many Relics as I could and I would avoid uncrowded streets as much as possible. I was a chicken, but I didn’t think anyone would understand that.

Very very carefully, I made my way to the clan house. I wanted to hide my face, but under these circumstances, doing that would only make me stand out more. Unfortunately, I still wasn’t at the point where I could use Mirage Form to disguise my face. With the Reversible Face, this had been possible from the beginning, but this wasn’t a matter of the Relic’s strength, just what it was and wasn’t made for.

Fortunately, nobody was looking my way. When it came to looking like your average civilian, I was second to none. Liz once said to me “You’re incredible, Krai Baby, it’s almost like you’re a normal person!” That’s how good I was. Of course, my levels of mana material were almost as low as you could get, and I didn’t even carry myself like a warrior.

And that’s because I wasn’t a warrior.

While thinking these pointless thoughts, I walked along the street, when, suddenly, a hand was placed on my shoulder from behind.

A shiver ran down my spine and I slowly turned around.

“Krai, it’s been some time.”

“Yeah, it’s been a while.”

The cordial person behind me was an effeminate young man with an icy gaze and blue hair. I placed his age as being the same or a bit below Tino’s. He was dressed like a civilian and didn’t wear any notable protective gear or carry a weapon. That simply made his sharp gaze all the more unnerving.

But even more than his appearance, something was bothering me.

Who are you? I thought.

“I’m sorry to bother you all of a sudden. It pains me to say this after not speaking with you for so long, but there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

Who are you?

Without really thinking, I had said “It’s been a while,” but I didn’t remember this person at all. I’ve said it before, but there weren’t many people to whom I could match a name to a face. However, I didn’t think he was a member of First Steps. For some reason, there was a rule in our clan that I personally meet every new recruit.

That I didn’t know his name wasn’t too strange, but I had trouble believing I would forget someone’s face. From the sound of it, I was acquainted with this young man in some way or another, and it didn’t seem like a case of mistaken identity.

I wondered if he might be a fan of mine...but I immediately dismissed that idea. He had a smooth face and frigid blue eyes. He was a handsome man with a cold aura; not the type who would join our party.

Who are you?

“Given the timing, I imagine you already have an idea of why I’m here...”

Who are you?

I decided to put on a mellow smile in spite of my confusion while the young man continued to chatter. I wished he had introduced himself, or at least wore a name tag like Chloe did.

You think I’m gonna remember you? I barely remember my own clan members.

“I know that Gark called you on business, so I won’t take too much of your time. If you could just come with me—Krai?”

“Ah, I see,” I said. “What a coincidence. I was just thinking I need to meet with you too.”

The young man looked surprised.

I had decided to grin and go with the flow, one hundred percent. I had no idea who this person was, but they didn’t seem like they would just casually walk away if I tried to turn them down. No way I could tell him I didn’t remember his name.

If I was bullish like Liz, I could just tell the man I didn’t remember him, but, unfortunately, I was a wishy-washy man. It also helped that I didn’t share Liz’s bloodthirst.

The young man briefly looked caught off guard, but he quickly returned to this original demeanor.

“I should’ve known you’d understand, Thousand Tricks. Well then, please come with me, this isn’t a conversation to have while standing around. Perhaps a nearby café would—”

This is it!

I wasn’t against accompanying this man (on second thought, I was) but I had no intentions of going alone, even if it was just to talk, even if this was just an unarmed younger man!

I was hoping he would talk with me on my way to the clan house, and thus by my protection.

“Sorry,” I said. “Could we stop by my clan house, it’s right over—”

A sudden interloper cut me off.

“There you are, Arty! You just ran off so suddenly! Huh? Did you find him?!”

From the other side of the street came a young girl with hair blonde like sunlight. She had large green eyes and skin bereft of a single wrinkle. Her outfit wasn’t particularly noteworthy, which made me assume she wasn’t a hunter. Of course, I didn’t recognize her either.

The young man called Arty maintained his cool expression even after hearing the girl’s bright voice.

“Ah, Mary. It seems Krai was looking for us as well. It looks like he’ll come with us.”

“Oh, thank you so much, Krai! I’m so glad. This means one less worry on my mind...”

The girl named Mary placed a relieved hand on her chest.

It seemed that whatever that worry was on her mind was now going to be on mine.

Could you take it back?

Mary and Arty. Even after hearing their names, I still didn’t have a clue who they were. I felt like I was gonna barf.

I have to do whatever I can to get myself out of this situation, I thought.

We settled on a café near the clan house for our conversation. I had previously gone to this place during a date with Chloe and I quite liked their black tea-flavored pound cake.

I decided to take solace in the fact that I hadn’t been abducted. You might think that I was worrying too much, but I had been carried off once or twice before. To make things worse, because I would offer so little resistance everyone always assumed I had let it happen on purpose. Like hell! Who wants to get kidnapped?

It seemed the refreshments were their treat, so, without hesitating, I ordered cake and black tea. I had to eat sweet things to restore my derelict brain. At the very least, I wanted to try to remember just who these people were.

We finished ordering and Arty narrowed his eyes.

“I heard you weren’t overly fond of sweet things,” he said.

After a brief pause, I said: “It’s not good to be overly picky.”

Looks like my hard-boiled image is getting around.

I shrugged my shoulders and masked my feelings of satisfaction. Arty’s at-best-frigid gaze became sharp as a blade.

“There’s no use trying to bargain with someone such as yourself. I’ll cut straight to the heart of the matter, we’d like to request your assistance.”

Uuuh? That’s cutting a bit too much, I have no idea what you’re on about.

Still completely lost, I furrowed my brow.

“The capture of Noctus Cochlear has indeed brought you one step closer to being a Level 9,” Arty continued. “You also have Earl Gladis in your debt. Cleaning up the remnants will put you ahead of the other Level 8s. However, that would be a bit, well, hasty. Wouldn’t you agree?”

I had no idea.

“Initially, Akashic Tower was our prey,” Arty went on. “It’s possible that Gark is considering changing out the old guard. Except, experience is one thing you lack when compared with the other Level 8s. You needn’t remind me of the steady growth enjoyed by Grieving Souls, but even with that in mind, I don’t think you’re ready for Level 9.”

“You may not think that someone from another clan should be pointing this out to you. However, it’s still the conclusion we have reached. If you go on like this, we’ll be looked down on.”

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

My tea arrived and I took a sip of it. Delicious.

While I was in total reality avoidance mode, Mary frantically tried to stop Arty.

“Arty, you’re being too confrontational...” she said.

“This needed to be said eventually, Mary,” Arty responded. “Besides, I don’t think we’re capable of bargaining with the ingenious Thousand Tricks.”

Looking fearful, Mary tried to gauge my expression, but I was entirely out of the loop. Arty’s face was strained with tension. I grinned and waited for whatever they might have to say next, but no words came even after a long wait.

Well, what to do? I wondered.

Even after hearing Arty’s explanation, I only understood about half of it. Rather, I understood the words he was using, but we seemed to be thinking under different assumptions.

Under these circumstances, a normal person might confirm every unknown point one at a time so as to clear up any misunderstandings. However, I had cultivated conversational skills that allowed me to keep a dialogue running smoothly even when I didn’t get what was being discussed.

“So, basically, Arty—”

Arty’s face became stiff and his eyes twitched.

Huh?! I’ve barely said anything and I’ve already screwed up?

Mary’s lips quivered like she was fighting back the urge to smile. I pretended not to see this.

“You want me to pull back,” I said.

“Yes. That’s what I said at the start.”

I didn’t remember ever pushing forward, but I decided to put it aside. From my experience, these sorts of situations always arose because Liz did something and I was forced to share the responsibility.

“K-Krai!” Mary said in a trembling voice. “It’s true that we were needlessly biding our time. However, I still think it’s improper that you would encroach on our domain. So, would you stop?”

She seemed to be trying to guess what I was thinking.

I folded my legs, stabbed my fork into my cake, and nodded.

“Yeah, uh-huh, we’ll withdraw,” I said.

“Oh? Really?! Thank you so much!”

Man, this cake’s delicious.

Arty and Mary both looked at me wide-eyed and hastily bowed their heads.

Because I wasn’t involved in whatever this was, pulling out from it was just fine by me. But I figured I would have to apologize to Liz or Sitri; it had already happened many times before.

I still don’t understand it all, but I want to hurry up and go home.

“Gee, sorry you had to come all this way to talk to me,” I said. “Truth is, I don’t have much interest in getting to Level 9 or in those, uh, remnants? I’m still interested in this pound cake, though.”

I was tired of getting dragged around over matters I didn’t know anything about. By the sound of it, Arty and Mary were bounty hunters or treasure hunters, but I was the leader of Grieving Souls only in name and didn’t keep close tabs on their actions.

If they have complaints they should take them directly to— No, scratch that, it’s just fine if they want to complain to me. 

With their objective fulfilled, Arty and Mary seemed to have loosened up a few notches.

I saw an opportunity and used it to try to make clear my harmlessness.

“I was only called out by Gark because I haven’t been fulfilling my quota. I think you’ve got the wrong idea.”

“Quota?”

“E-Er, it’s not like I’ve been slacking. There just haven’t been any good quests.”

If only I could meet my quota by collecting medicinal herbs.

Arty and Mary both looked bewildered.

I don’t know where you learned my name and face, but I can assure you that I’m not the sort of person you think I am.

The kerfuffle of the auction had settled down and I just wanted to rest for a bit. I let out a big yawn, and Arty suddenly stood up with a grim expression on his face. At the almost exact same moment, a shadow entered my vision.

“Do you need something?” Arty asked.

“Quiet. I didn’t come to talk to you.”

From right behind me, I heard a very familiar voice. First Arty had sneaked up on me, now this; it seemed my ability to detect people was as bad as it could get. With practiced movements, hunters surrounded our table. Unlike Arty and Mary, this bunch were decked out in armor and carrying weapons.

The other customers in the café all held their breath at the sight of the sudden intruders.

From above me, I heard a growly voice.

“It’s been a bit, Thousand Tricks. You really played us for fools the other day.”

“Who might you be?” I asked.

“You Level 8s. Dammit. You sure don’t seem to have a care in the world.”

Sorry. I know who you are. Of course, I know who you are.

The man behind me was a Level 7 and surrounding our table were the members of Falling Fog—the people we did negotiations with regarding the auction. I was under the impression that our negotiations had ended on good terms, but, for some reason, everyone was glaring at me while red in the face.

Did I do something to warrant these glares? I wondered.

After all, in the end, the mask went to Éclair, but that wasn’t my fault and these guys should’ve known that.

I turned my head upwards and looked at the owner of the voice. Arnold had the face of a demon. His eyes were alight with a burning hatred. His large exposed arms, multiple times the size of mine, were trembling as though aching to unleash their power at any moment.

This looks bad. This looks very bad. I have no room to negotiate, and no room to kowtow.

“Level 8. You may be a higher rank than us, but even we won’t take that last humiliation in silence,” Arnold said.

“We had a promise,” I said. “I’ll accept your challenge once you’ve defeated the rest of my clan.”

Wait. Don’t tell me he already defeated them...

If he did defeat them, I’ll surrender. If he didn’t, I’ll still surrender.

“Shut up! To hell with the promise!”

How brutish.

Not that he showed the composure befitting his level back during our negotiations. It occurred to me that if things turned violent, I could be banned from the café and that would mean I’d lose a place of healing. I desperately tried to placate Arnold.

“Hey, calm down, calm down. Sure, we were at odds once before, but we made up after that, didn’t we?”

“You— You’ve got a lot of nerve being so calm!”

Just what is he so mad about?

Arnold had a beastly expression and he sounded like he was trying to fight back his rage.

“Those women,” he said. “They’re not with you today?”

“Could you wait for me while I call them?” I asked.

“Sure, and they’ll arrive to find you halfway to death’s doorstep.”

Oh, come on. Did Liz or one of the others do something?

Arnold’s pals simultaneously drew their weapons with little concern for all the attention we were attracting. My heart pounded so much it hurt. I was ready to wave the white flag. I couldn’t think of any way I could turn the situation around. I didn’t even have the emergency stock spell Lucia had prepared for me.

Wait a minute.

I remembered something: the Aspiration Manifest gifted to me by Sitri had some sort of magic imbued into it. This Relic could be stocked with a spell, but there was no way to confirm the nature of the spell once it was inside. It had a crystal that would indicate whether it was an offensive spell or the like, but nothing more than that.

This one’s crystal shined with a sort of black haze. When produced by a treasure vault, Aspiration Manifest shouldn’t come with a spell already stocked, so this spell must’ve been input at a later point.

I hadn’t asked where she got it, but Sitri had been at Night Palace not too long ago. If she got it there, then this spell was most likely from Lucia. From the looks of it, it wasn’t Tyrant’s Order, the spell I had previously used on Arnold and his gang, but I guessed it was a pretty powerful one.

I was wearing plenty of Safety Rings. Even a Level 7 hunter probably wouldn’t be able to get through all those before I released the stock spell.

I made up my mind, let out a small sigh, and looked up at Arnold, who was angry for some reason.

“I’m not quite feeling up for a fight,” I said. “Will you let me go if I kowtow?”

“What are you— Are you joking?!”

“Did you forget what happened last time? If I release my power here, it may cause a bit of damage.”

I couldn’t even win against one of Arnold’s lackeys, but that didn’t matter at the moment. But I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t want to fight. It would’ve been more correct of me to say I wasn’t at all up for a fight. I was a pacifist, not to mention I didn’t even know what the spell even did. It was possible the spell’s effects would extend all the way to the clan house.

I wore a tranquil expression, but I really wanted to barf. I was just trying to stay out of the way, why did these things keep happening to me?

While I sat there in a withered state, Arnold closed in on me. However, after watching us in silence, Arty stood up and blocked Arnold’s path.

“You there, did I hear you correctly when you said you’d put our guest halfway to death’s doorstep?” he asked in a sharp tone.

“Get lost. I don’t know who you are, but I’m only here for the Thousand Tricks.”

Arnold was a head taller than Arty, who was on the slender side. Arnold was extremely intimidating, but Arty didn’t seem afraid in the slightest, he just looked up with a disdainful glare.

“A rustic, are you? Very brave of you to challenge a Level 8,” he said. “Krai, please leave this to us. Consider it thanks for overlooking our earlier discourtesy.”

“Yeah,” I said.

I had been drawn in by what seemed an appealing suggestion, but I quickly began to reconsider.

No, this is a terrible idea. Arty may not know it, but Arnold’s a genuine Level 7. Falling Fog also has the advantage of numbers. Arty won’t stand a chance. But I guess there’s not much I can really do about it.

Arty saw that I was concerned and smiled slightly as he pointed to Arnold. When he did that, I noticed Arty was wearing a dull silver bracelet around his wrist. It bore an insignia with a three-pointed staff.

Arty glanced my way.

“We may not be the most experienced, but worry not,” he said and then directed his attention to Arnold. “Now, engrave this well into your pitiful brain, my name is Artbaran. Artbaran Henning of Hidden Curse.”

“Arty?! You said you wouldn’t cause any discord...” Mary said before reconsidering. “Likewise, I’m Mary Auden, also of Hidden Curse. To be clear, we’re not from the same party as the Abyssal Inferno however...”

The moment I heard that, I felt like I had been knocked over. I finally remembered Arty—Artbaran—and Mary, and couldn’t help but press my fist against my open palm. I must’ve looked pretty dumb, because everyone began to stare at me. I took a deep breath, looked around at everyone, and made an apologetic face.

“Sorry, but would you all mind if I went to the bathroom before we begin?” I asked.

Arnold must’ve known the name “Hidden Curse” because he seemed to be focused on Arty.

I had been drawn into something I wanted no part of. Hidden Curse was one of the capital’s oldest clans and highly selective of its recruits. What’s more, their clan master, the Abyssal Inferno, was considered one of the capital’s strongest Magi and one of the capital’s three Level 8s—the same rank as me.

I’ve had nothing but bad luck today, it’s just been one thing after another...

It was truly a good thing that we had chosen a café I had visited many times before. With a little bit of struggling, I managed to slip out the large window in the bathroom and make my escape. I let out a breath of relief.

I no longer had any idea what was what. I hadn’t expected Falling Fog to take such great offense over such a trifling matter, nor had I expected Hidden Curse to approach me. If I had seen this coming I would have brought Sitri or someone along with me.

So Falling Fog and Hidden Curse are probably still staring each other down in the café right about now, I thought.

As someone who was, technically, a high-level hunter who lived in the capital, I knew about any other hunters Level 7 and above. I was fairly sure Mary and Art were below Arnold’s level. But I wasn’t too worried; Hidden Curse was a unique clan in that it was composed only of the most exceptional Magi.

Hidden Curse’s activities tended to lean more towards academics and the clan had strong connections with magic schools and militaries that recruited Magi. A product of these academic tendencies was that Hidden Curses’ members often had low levels relative to their actual strength.

Besides, right in front of my own eyes, they said they’d handle Arnold, so my disappearance shouldn’t have mattered. It would’ve been impudent of me to worry about the well-being of two elite Magi from one of the capital’s top clans.

Are all hunters devoid of sense? I thought. We had been in a café filled with civilians and yet they had been ready to throw down. Just remembering Arty’s cold glare sent a shiver down my spine.

Falling Fog was terrifying, but Hidden Curse was even more so. Even if Arnold and his allies were all high-level, they were just one party and couldn’t hold a candle to the size, quality, and influence of Hidden Curse.

I wasn’t even paying attention to my surroundings, I was just trying to steady my breath and hurry to the clan house. The only thing on my mind was getting to a safe place as quickly as possible.

Hidden Curse’s clan master, the Abyssal Inferno, was a fearsome hunter. She was said to boast the highest destructive capabilities of anyone in Zebrudia. She had the temperament of a blazing fire and, unlike Liz, was also conniving. Not to mention we had previously had a tiny little schism. Forgetting about Arty and the others was my attempt at running from reality.

The Abyssal Inferno had reached Level 8 long before I had even dreamed of becoming a hunter. Her fight with us occurred during the founding of First Steps. I was looking for parties to join us and picked one semirandomly, but at the time Hidden Curse was already scouting this party. For some strange reason, that party chose to join First Steps, all without me being aware of these conflicting interests.

We hadn’t broken any laws, but hunters have this extremely obnoxious thing called pride.

I was really losing my head back then. I was a Level 6 and master of a new clan and it was unbelievable that I would start a fight with a renowned Level 8 hunter. Nor could I just change my mind and say I didn’t want the party after all. Back then I felt like barfing just about every day. I’d put it in my Top Thirty Traumatic Experiences since Becoming a Hunter.

Fortunately, the commotion somehow settled down and I managed to retain all my limbs, but my burning fear of Hidden Curse wasn’t going away so easily. I thanked my lucky stars that I didn’t refuse Arty’s request. If we got into another fight with Hidden Curse, then that scary old lady might gleefully burn down the clan house.

I arrived safely at the clan house. I could see my tired face reflected in the finely polished glass. I felt like staying holed up here for the foreseeable future.

My head hurt at the thought of all the things I needed to do. I had the quota, the quest from Earl Gladis, our fight with Arnold, I had to figure out what Arty was talking about, and I still had a lot of improvements to make on my miniature imperial capital.

The first two of those matters I figured someone would take care of somehow, so I figured my first priority was to check if Liz and Sitri did anything to Akashic Tower or Arnold. I was really missing my allies; having Ansem or Lucia around at a time like this would have been very reassuring. Even Luke would’ve been enough to put me at ease.

Just what are they up to right now? I wondered.

I climbed up the stairs and took a seat in the clan master’s office.

Well, before searching for Liz, how about we work on that miniature imperial capital a bit more?

As though waiting for that exact moment, the door burst open the moment I activated Mirage Form. Eva entered, she was short of breath and her cheeks were flushed with excitement—a rare state for her. In her hand was an ornate white envelope bearing the crest of Zebrudia. She didn’t even glance at my miniature capital and looked straight at me.

“Krai!” she yelled with excitement. “You’ve finally received an invitation to the Gathering of the White Blade. Congratulations!”

I sat in confused silence. All of the day’s commotion instantly vanished from my thoughts. The Gathering of the White Blade was the most famous meeting among hunters in Zebrudia. Only a small handful of hunters who had contributed to the empire were allowed to attend. Receiving an invitation was said to be proof that one was recognized as being among the top hunters in the empire. Most important, however, was the gathering’s host—the emperor himself.

“I’ve heard that Grieving Souls are kept at a distance due to their poor reputation, but the other day—”

Eva rapidly explained things to me but I wasn’t processing it at all; I could no longer make sense of anything.

There were rumors surrounding whether hunters from other countries were ever invited, whether there were duels between hunters and elite knights, and whether delicious desserts would be served.

I had absolutely no desire to attend. I didn’t want to meet other high-rank hunters. I was a little curious about the desserts, but I would just have to let those go. I had no idea why these horrible things were happening to me. Why not Ark? They should’ve invited Ark.

Really, what have I done? I haven’t done anything! I’m not being modest, I seriously haven’t done a single thing!

I might have had a high level, but I wasn’t actually anything special. I had already had a few run-ins that day, and then the invitation on top of all that. It shouldn’t be possible to have such bad luck.

I didn’t hesitate, I immediately made up my mind.

“...Ummm, is something wrong, Krai?” Eva asked, looking at me intently.

I cleared my throat and mustered my strength.

“Ah, sorry. I have a bit of an important matter to take care of and it’ll keep me away from the capital for a while. It’s a major honor to be invited to the Gathering of the White Blade, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to attend. That goes for any other invitations as well. I hate to ask this, but could you proceed under that assumption? I’ll try to be back as quickly as I can.”

“...Huh?”

I’m getting out of here. I’ve got my kowtow skills and excuse skills, now I’ll show you my graceful evasion skills.

***

“He’s— He’s gone?! What do you mean?!”

“Yessir, Arnold. This was in the bathroom.”

One of Arnold’s party members held out a piece of paper folded in two. Arnold ripped it out of their hand and unfolded it. The paper was the type used to write a check, but there was a message scrawled where the monetary amount would go. It said:

I’m busy, so I’m going home.

Words failed Arnold.

“It looks like he escaped through the bathroom window...” said a member of Falling Fog.

“Is he really a Level 8?” asked another.

Arnold’s cheek twitched as he crushed the paper in his hand. He had never even imagined that the Thousand Tricks would run away.

Arnold might have been prepared for this if he was after a civilian or an ordinary hunter, but this was someone of higher level and renown in the hunter’s holy land. It was disrespectful for the Thousand Tricks to not give him the time of day, but Arnold was well acquainted with how powerful he was.

Arnold tried to understand why a proud hunter would run away through a bathroom window before the fighting had even begun. But when he really thought about it, Arnold remembered that the Thousand Tricks had previously made those women fight on his behalf. He should have expected an outcome like this.

Arnold looked up at two glaring individuals. When he first arrived at the imperial capital, Arnold did what many hunters would do and looked into the country’s notable hunters, parties, and clans. Naturally, he had come across the name “Hidden Curse.”

Hidden Curse was a powerful clan of Magi, run by one of the capital’s best hunters. Standing before Arnold were two members of this proud group. They were still young, but that didn’t mean they could be trifled with.

Falling Fog had the advantage of numbers. Typically, one might think that the Thousand Tricks had thrown the two Magi under the bus. However, even after seeing the note on the check, there was no shift in the woman who introduced themself as Artbaran. They let out a slight snort, showing no sign of unease.

“What’s with the face? Listen well, rustic,” they said brimming with confidence. “The truly strong don’t draw their blades over trivial matters.”

“So the Level 8s of the capital...” Arnold began. “They flee out the bathroom window?”

And nobody sees a problem with this?! he thought. He was after revenge against the Stifled Shadow and the others who had picked a fight with his party. With their leader, the Thousand Tricks, no longer at the café, there was no reason for him to stick around.

Mary and Artbaran were well-dressed, but not for combat. Except weapons weren’t always necessary for an adept Magus. Looking closely, Arnold could tell that Artbaran and Mary, who was wearing a strained smile, were on guard. In this regard, they were quite unlike the Thousand Tricks, who never looked in any way like he was prepared to fight. Arnold figured that for members of Hidden Curse, casting spells was as natural as breathing.

However, Magi were best at long-range attacks. No matter how strong they might be, a Swordsman would have the upper hand at this range. There was no chance Arnold would lose in this situation. But such a victory would have no meaning to him, for he wasn’t after Hidden Curse.

The other members of Falling Fog kept their weapons drawn and awaited orders from Arnold.

Artbaran kept their icy gaze on Arnold and continued speaking.

“You said he fled? Don’t be absurd.”

“No, he absolutely made a break for it,” Arnold replied in a low voice.

He couldn’t think of any other way to interpret the situation. It was such a smooth and practiced retreat that Arnold was more surprised than angry.

“Didn’t you read the paper?” Artbaran shouted in a dignified voice. “He didn’t run, he...he’s busy! A Level 8 in the capital doesn’t have time to waste, it was all he could do to even spare time for us. Don’t get the wrong impression and assume he’s weak. Someone like you just isn’t worth his time.”

How absurd, Arnold thought. In this land, hunters short on time just flee out the bathroom window?!

It made no sense to him. It didn’t match up at all with the heroic images in his mind. Arnold knew the strange powers that the Thousand Tricks had and that made it all the more difficult to understand why he fled. Shaking with fear, there was something he had to ask.

“Then, in the same situation, would you flee out the bathroom window?”

Don’t tell me all hunters in the capital would do this?! he thought.

It was an honest question. Artbaran’s eyes briefly widened, but then they put on a sardonic smile.

“I still have a lot to learn,” they said. “Krai isn’t someone I could imitate.”

Silence ensued.

“Arnold, let’s withdraw. We have no reason to waste time on these two,” Eigh, Arnold’s second-in-command, advised in a hushed voice.

Arnold gave him a sharp glare, but Eigh was still looking at the two young Magi.

“We came here for the Thousand Tricks,” he continued. “If we get into a fight with Hidden Curse, we’ll just be playing into his hand again.”

Grieving Souls had plagued them since coming to the capital. They took Falling Fog by surprise at the tavern one time and practically extorted them another. Between them and the two Magi they had just met, it was obvious which one Arnold wanted to destroy.

Looking around, he realized the café staff and customers were all looking at them fearfully. Some of the clientele had probably already run outside, perhaps to call for the knights.

Eigh was right, only a third-rate hunter would forget their objective and turn violent in this situation. They might have already been manipulated during the auction, but it still was in their interests to proceed with prudence.

After quickly thinking it over, Arnold clicked his tongue.

“Fine. For now, our sights are on him.”

***

I’d run as far as I could. Deciding this made me feel very much at ease.

Of course, I wouldn’t go by myself; outside the capital, there was the possibility of being assailed by monsters and phantoms. I heard it wasn’t too dangerous as long as you stuck to the roads, but getting attacked wasn’t something I wanted to risk at all. I had already been attacked multiple times in the past.

Finding protection before going out had just about become second nature to me. If I was strong or capable of flying or something then things might be different, but my low mana prevented me from going far with Night Hiker, and that Relic could only be used at night.

I began preparing to leave town. I left my office and was walking down the stairs when I ran into Liz. She was looking like a hearty hunter, as she always did. When she saw me, a smile blossomed on her face and she approached me.

“Good timing, Krai Baby! There’s something I want your advice on...”

I’m happy to offer advice, but this won’t take long, will it?

I didn’t have much time. My first priority was getting away before my worries increased any further. The more I hurried, the more legitimacy was lent to my excuse for declining the Gathering of the White Blade. It was a battle against time. I had to get out before Arnold lost all inhibition and came after me.

I wrapped an arm around Liz’s shoulders and spoke like we were discussing something clandestine.

“The advice can wait. Liz, do you have any plans for the immediate future?”

“Huh? Mmm, not really. Is something up?”

This was the answer I had expected. Liz wasn’t likely to turn down an invitation from me. I ditched the formalities and cut straight to the chase.

“I’m leaving the capital. Come with me.”

Liz looked at me with shock and then wrapped an arm around my waist. Her face was close to mine and I could detect a faintly sweet aroma. Her moist lips opened faintly and she spoke in a whispering tone.

“Veeery well. What’s our objective?”

Our objective? To flee? To escape? To make a tactical retreat? Well, all of those are correct, but...

That’s it.

After mulling it over, I began to smile.

“A vacation, I guess,” I said. “Ah, but keep it a secret, okay?”

Liz’s eyes sparkled and she wrapped her arms around me as though she was keeping all her excitement contained in that one movement. As always, her skin felt almost like it was on fire.

“That’s perfect!” she said. “How many people are we gonna do in? Who else is coming? Just me? When do we leave? It feels like a million years since you left the capital with me!”

We’re not gonna kill anyone. And that’s too many questions. 

Having Liz onboard was reassuring, but I figured the more protection I had, the better. I was leaving the capital, after all.

That’s it. Why not make it a clan trip? 

If I declined all those invitations, I couldn’t bring the administrative staff along, but I thought it might be fun to bring all the hunters. If all the hunters of First Steps were gone, it would look like there was a good reason for my reclusiveness. A reason so good that I even turned down the Gathering of the White Blade.

“I don’t want to inconvenience anyone, but I would like to bring as many as possible,” I said. “We leave today. Also, you’re right. It has been a long time since I’ve left the capital.”

“Woo! I’m super excited! Can we bring T along with us?”

“Huh. Oh, yeah, of course. As long as she agrees to come, that is.”

She had seemed really depressed after the incident with the mask. I wondered if perhaps we should just let her be.

Liz gave me a bewitching smile. Was she really that excited to travel with me again? I wondered what sort of face she’d make if she knew that I thought of this trip as a means of avoiding reality.

Because it was the middle of the day, only a small number of people were gathered in the lounge. Unfortunately, that didn’t include the Starlights, who’d previously charged my Relics. It sure would’ve been helpful to have them along...

At a table in the back, Ark’s party members Isabella and Ewe noticed us and looked displeased about it. Ark himself was nowhere to be found.

All right, I want them to come along with us, but how do I justify it to them?

I’d lose their trust if I lied to them, but telling them the truth would invite its own problems.

I didn’t really think this through... I thought.

While I was being fickle, Liz began to shout in high spirits.

“Krai Baby’s leaving the capital for the first time in a while! He said we’re taking a vacation. A va-ca-tion! He wants as many people as possible to come along. Is there aaanyone who wants to come with us?”

The lounge froze. I had told her to keep it a secret, yet she just went and yelled it out...

Confused gazes fell on Liz and myself. They must’ve been wondering what I was thinking, taking a vacation when I already spent so much time playing around in my office. My esteem had reached an all-time low.

I wore a resigned smile while Liz continued on.

“Oh, right, we’re leaving immediately! This is only for people handy in a fight. We don’t need any weaklings slowing us down! Ah, I’m so excited. I’ve been so worried I might be getting rusty. What a relief.”

There was an extraordinary gap between Liz’s excitement level and that of everyone else.

It wasn’t the reaction I wanted, but it was too late to change that. I looked over to a table of guys playing cards and spoke to Lyle, who I was somewhat well acquainted with.

“Sorry about bringing this up so suddenly,” I said. “You’ll come, won’t you, Lyle?”

Lyle quickly held his hands over his stomach and groaned with a strained look on his face. He moved his arms in an exaggerated manner and his cards fluttered down to the ground.

“Sorry, Krai. I’ve got a sudden stomachache, I don’t think I can go.”

Part of him looked like he was acting, but his complexion was deathly pale. Maybe he really wasn’t feeling too good.

I looked around at the other hunters at the table and they all looked away simultaneously.

“Sorry, CM, my sister’s wedding is coming up...”

“My grandmother’s funeral is soon...”

“I, uh, my sword broke and I’m waiting on a new one...”

“Then what’s that sword on the table?!”

“Shaddup! This is, uh, it’s a spare! Its blade is dull.”

“Huh?! You were always saying that thing’s your soul and whatnot!”

“Quiet! Really, CM, I can’t fight right now! You gotta believe me!”

What’s the matter, everyone? It’s just a vacation...

I checked the other tables and saw that the room had cleared out a bit. I turned around and caught sight of some hunters practically falling over each other as they rushed out of the lounge. Perhaps they had all remembered some sort of urgent business? Liz watched them go with a miffed expression.

I decided to let them go and made my way over to Ark’s party members. They weren’t as strong as Ark, but it would still be a major waste to not bring them as protection.

Isabella immediately turned the other way. Sitting across from her was the party’s Saint, Ewe, who wasn’t so blatant as Isabella but still kept her glance off of us.

“Hey, Isabella...”

“Absolutely not.”

“Hey, Ewe...”

“P-Please go to Ark for matters concerning our party!”

I’d be talking to Ark if I could.

Isabella brushed back her long hair, folded her arms, and looked up at me.

“I’ll have you know we’re on a break right now!” she said. “Ark’s visiting his family and we’re taking a reprieve from hunting!”

“Yeah, and we’re going on a vacation,” I replied.

“A vacation to you, perhaps!”

What’s that supposed to mean...

Sure, I invited everyone simply because I needed bodyguards just in case something happened. I didn’t consider it work. It wasn’t a total vacation, but it wasn’t entirely work either.

As I stood in befuddlement, Isabella rattled on like a machine gun. I had heard that in her homeland in the north, women tended to be more strong-willed, but I wondered if that might actually be true.

“And what do you plan on fighting this time? Phantoms?! Monsters?!”

“N-No—”

“If it’s not phantoms of monsters, then—humans?! You’re going to be fighting humans? How awful! I didn’t train as a Magus so I could fight people!”

It’s just a vacation. Honestly.

Isabella looked at me with complete distrust. Ewe also looked taken aback and moved away from us. In their lack of faith, I detected not just a lack of respect, but even disappointment. Liz darted in front of me and came to my aid.

“Hah? Is that contempt I detect?” she asked in a voice ready to boil over. “If he says come, then come. If your safety means that much to you, then how about you just quit being a hunter?”

That didn’t aid me at all.

Isabella stood up and began to open her mouth, but Liz, with a shimmer in her eyes, began to yell at her.

“And what’s even wrong with fighting humans? If you only deal with phantoms and monsters, you won’t be able to fight against people when the time comes! It’s good to kill a fellow human being once in a while, that’s what Krai Baby always says!”

It’s just a vacation...

Just what sort of person do they think I am? I asked myself.

I had returned to my office, but I couldn’t clear the clouds over my head. Indeed, I had bad luck. Before even becoming a Level 8, I had on many occasions been wrapped up in various spots of trouble.

One time, a treasure vault appeared during a flower-viewing outing, and another time an earthquake struck while exploring a cave. When exploring treasure vaults, I would often run into what were supposed to be bosses with low spawn rates. I had even run into an extremely difficult vault that moved about the entire world. When walking in a storm, a sudden bolt of lightning landed close to me (it hit the largest thing in the vicinity, which was Ansem).

But even bad luck had its limits, and I was leaving the capital to avoid that bad luck. I had no plans on fighting phantoms or monsters and I certainly didn’t plan on killing any people. I had just wanted to invite some people on a vacation, but I guess they didn’t trust a seasoned hunter’s definition of vacation.

I was ruminating over the lack of esteem I had when Eva entered the room.

“Krai, I’ve reserved a carriage. It’s a large armored carriage pulled by six platinum mustangs,” she reported.

Typically, when traveling as a party, we’d go in our own carriage. However, it was currently with Luke and the rest of Grieving Souls. Therefore, I asked Eva to procure a carriage, but the results took me by surprise.

Platinum mustangs were a monster with the strength of roughly one hundred normal horses. As their name implied, they had platinum fur. They could run across any land, no matter how rugged the terrain, and were the best variety of horse out there. They naturally commanded an extraordinary price, but my bigger concern was that Eva procured a carriage pulled by six of them. A single platinum mustang was enough to easily pull a large carriage.

“Isn’t that a bit over the top?” I asked a bit fearfully.

Platinum mustangs and large armored carriages weren’t typically used by clans.

“Well, yes,” Eva said with glimmering eyes. “But this way, you’ll be able to escape even if chased by a swarm of dragons.”

I don’t anticipate being chased by dragons!

I realized it wasn’t too strange that Eva had the wrong idea; I hadn’t told her that this would be a vacation. Even still, I was pretty sure even the emperor of Zebrudia rarely made use of six platinum mustangs and an armored carriage.

I couldn’t even imagine how she got her hands on it all. I put my hand to my chin and pretended to think.

“I think we should go for a more discreet look,” I said. “We won’t need the armor and six platinum mustangs would be overkill. A normal carriage will do. Actually, a slightly shabby one would be better.”

Leaving the capital at a time like this was bound to cause trouble for Eva. I felt terrible that she had prepared us something so extravagant.

“Yes, but... Very well.”

She seemed like she wanted to say something, but in the end simply nodded with a look of dissatisfaction.

I gave a vague smile and tried to make a joke.

“We gotta cut costs where we can, right?”

***

“Oh, a vacation? Of course I’ll accompany you!”

Sitri was in the clan house’s lab and accepted my invitation without a hint of displeasure. She seemed pleased with the idea, but without Liz’s intense fervor.

This, this is it. This is the reaction I’ve been hoping for.

“Will armaments be necessary?” she asked.

“No, this is just a vacation. No weapons necessary,” I said. “Er, actually, I guess you might want to bring the bare minimum necessary for self-defense.”

“Understood.”

What a pleasant, agreeable response. I wished the other members of Grieving Souls would follow her example.

Sitri’s grinning expression grew cloudy and she looked at me with upturned eyes.

“Ah, but, I’m still working on my investigation into Akashic Tower—”

Investigation into Akashic Tower? Is this what Arty and Mary were talking about? 

I was right, it looked like Sitri did something without me knowing about it. It wasn’t like I could understand what she did so maybe it was a moot point, but I still wished she would tell me before doing anything dangerous. But it was too late for that now.

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. I got Hidden Curse to take care of it,” I said.

“Thank you so much! And forgive me for forcing you to go out of your way.”

“No, it all just fell into place. I mean, they asked me to leave it to them, so I figure they’ll do a good job.”

Hidden Curse was an old clan. Sitri might have been just as capable as any of their members, but they were more suited to large-scale investigations. Not to mention, I had no interest in Akashic Tower, nor did I want Sitri doing anything dangerous.

I had left it to Hidden Curse without asking Sitri’s opinion and I was worried that might bother her, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

For a moment, I let myself be healed by Sitri’s grin. Further back, Talia was putting a flask over a flame and looking at us with a smile. I had found true restoration.

Killiam was off to the side standing still as a statue and creating an eerie atmosphere, but I could stomach that.

“By the way, what’s the objective of this vacation?” Sitri asked while slipping her arms out of a protective robe.

Objective? Can you guys not go on a vacation without some sort of objective?

Maybe it wasn’t so strange; unlike me, Liz and Sitri were busy people.

“Well, uh, we could go to a hot spring?” I said.

“Understood. This is for fire resistance, correct? Will there be magma?”

“Actually, we’ll sort of be running away...”

“I see. So there’s a chance we’ll be pursued by dangerous foes.”

“That’s right, Eva, you see, tried to prepare us a carriage pulled by platinum mustangs. Ha ha, how overboard is that? I told her we’d stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Hm, so we’ll need to be discreet. By the way, is anyone else coming along?”

“I invited everyone at the lounge, but they all ran away. I couldn’t believe it.”

Sitri seemed to puzzle that over for a moment, but her smile returned and she did her usual clap of the hands.

“How fortuitous,” she said. “I have three people I’ve been wanting to take for a test run. I only just gained their cooperation so I’ve got my concerns about their capabilities, but I could suffer to lose them... Please leave the preparations to me!”

Looks like Sitri’s got some people she can bring. That makes sense; unlike me, she has lots of acquaintances.

Her unique choice of words bothered me, but I figured it’d be fine to leave it to Sitri.

Then, I hit upon a good idea.

“While we’re out and about, why not stop by to see Luke and the rest of Grieving Souls? Aren’t they about to head home?”

It would be my first excursion in some time. I didn’t plan on entering any treasure vaults, but I saw nothing wrong with going to meet them outside of one.

Killiam flexed its well-developed biceps. Sitri’s smile suggested that she concurred with my idea.

***

“Nooo,” Tino said with a groan. “Master, Lizzy, that wasn’t the real me...”

The curtains were drawn tight. Tino lay on her bed and writhed about with her face buried in a pillow. She felt terrible. She often felt bad after Lizzy’s strenuous training, but this went beyond that. At least after Lizzy’s training, she didn’t have enough remaining energy to be worrying about things.

The cause of this dejection was the mask that her master made her wear the other day. Evolve Greed. It was a horrific Relic that he had gone so far as to participate in the auction to try to obtain. Tino had never heard of or seen the Relic before.

As her master had said, the mask granted Tino power. But it granted more than just that.

When she closed her eyes, she could remember it vividly. The power that flowed into her the moment the tendrils connected to her, the feelings of invincibility and intoxication. The mask incited both strength and fervor. At that moment, Tino was the center of the world. Or to be precise, Tino and her beloved master were the only ones in the world.

“No, Master, that wasn’t my doing,” she continued. “The— The mask, it talked on its own, of its own will...”

She wanted to crawl into a hole and then die down there.

Tino twisted and turned in regret, but she wasn’t feeling any better. She was even taking a break from her usual independent training. At this rate, she’d never become a splendid hunter like her master. She began to loathe herself for her failures.

Putting on the mask cut Tino off from her sanity. If it hadn’t, she wouldn’t have declared war on Lizzy and Siddy. But Tino was aware of something: that Relic was made to enhance things. As the person who wore it, she understood this well.

Evolve Greed could enhance something so drastically that it seemed like something else, but the source of Tino’s words and actions were the feelings deep down within her. Her head had been clear. The mask had whispered to Tino of its capabilities.

In other words, Tino had, of her own will, declared, “Who but me is truly fit for Master?” in front of Lizzy, Siddy, and, worst of all, her master.

At the time, Tino had been filled with confidence. She was certain that she had been chosen by her master. The mask had given her enough power to overcome her usual timidness and be resolute.

Even after the mask had been ripped off, those memories remained fresh in Tino’s mind. Hence her wish to die. Her master and the Smart sisters had laughed it off and forgiven her, but that didn’t make her feel any better.

“I don’t believe any of those things I said! Aah, Lizzy, please forget all about it. I don’t think you’re unfit for Master because your chest is small and it probably won’t grow any further. Siddy, I don’t think I’m a better long-term choice because I’m younger than you!”

Tino was only three years younger than Siddy after all. What possessed her to brag about that to her master? She didn’t have anything that would let her compete with the Smart sisters, who were both longtime friends of her master’s.

It was the fault of that horn, the one that sprung up when Tino put on the mask. It must’ve been an antenna that caused her brain to receive all sorts of weird signals. She could no longer face her master or the Smart sisters. If Lizzy hadn’t knocked her down and ripped the mask off, Tino definitely would’ve done something abhorrent to her master.

Rumors supposedly had a lifespan of seventy-five days, in which case, Tino couldn’t face her master for that long. She also couldn’t approach the clan house during that duration; it was possible word of her disgraceful display had spread. She didn’t think Lizzy and her master would say anything, but Sitri’s expression suggested she wasn’t to be trusted so easily.

She had stepped on the tiger’s tail and she had no idea how to earn its forgiveness. It would surely take more than a simple apology. It’d most likely involve being an accomplice to some crime that her master would find despicable. Really, it was possible her master already found her despicable.

That Relic was no doubt a powerful one. If Tino had been able to control her emotions better, she definitely wouldn’t have made such a disgrace to herself. Her master was always so nice, that must have been what he expected of her.

This meant that Tino had failed one of the Thousand Trials. It was her fault for getting ahead of herself after finding a Relic that she was sure her master would appreciate. He and Lizzy were always telling her to never let her guard down, but she had failed to put that lesson into practice. Tino was a failure as a hunter, and yet she had been filled with confidence when the mask had been put on her. It was all the fault of that horn.

She was spinning about in a pit of self-loathing when she heard a small noise at the front door. She raised her head a bit and buried herself under the blankets. The door was locked and she wasn’t in the mood to see anyone. She hadn’t left her bed in a bit, so she was in no condition to be meeting anyone.

Then she heard something loud, the harsh sound of something shattering. She quickly poked her head out from the blankets, and at the same time, her bedroom door was broken down. A hot wind rushed into her once sealed-off room.

Lizzy, whom Tino had been wanting to avoid, stood in the doorway. Tino had worked so hard to save up the money for this house; who else would destroy it just to see her?

“Hey, T! Get up already, we’ve got places to be!”

“L-Lizzy?!”

Unaffected by Tino’s earlier disgrace, Lizzy looked just as she always did: alight with the same threatening glimmer that they showed when Tino’s training left her face down in the dirt.

Tino had thought that her embarrassment would drive her to flee if she came face-to-face with Lizzy, but instead, her embarrassment faded away.

“What’s this about? Wh-Where are we going?”

“We’re going on a vacation. With Krai Baby. We’re leaving immediately, so hurry up and get ready!”

“I-I can’t do that,” Tino said. “I can’t show my face before Master after I made such a disgraceful display...”

Lizzy ignored Tino’s protests and ripped the blankets off the bed, unconcerned that Tino was still clinging to them. When Lizzy realized that Tino was still attached to the blankets, she began to slam both against the floor. Tino’s bones crunched loudly. She let out a groan from the blunt pain, but that didn’t deter Lizzy in the slightest.

“Hah?! Save your arguments and do as I told you! Besides, Krai Baby sees your disgraces on the regular! What difference does it make now? C’mon, c’mon, c’mon!”

“Augh! I-I-I can’t! I’ll die of embarrassment!”

Some things just weren’t possible. Tino had listened to her mentor until now, but this time was different. Seeing that Tino refused to let go, even after being slammed into the floor multiple times, Lizzy let up.

Did I... Did I get through to her? Tino thought. She let herself relax a bit.

Lizzy looked at Tino like she was looking at a goblin who didn’t know how to give up even after their allies were all killed.

“Krai Baby said to bring you. You’ve got five minutes,” she said in a cold voice. “If you’re not ready by then, I’ll drag you out even if your hair’s still a mess.”

“Huh?!”

That woke Tino from her stupor. She felt like cold water had been dumped on her. If Lizzy said she would do something, she would do it. If she went out like this, Tino would feel even more ashamed than she did the other day.

“W-Wait, five minutes isn’t—”

“Four minutes left.”

Tino panicked.

I don’t have time to be thinking, she said to herself.

She cast aside the blankets and began to get ready in a flurry.